London Bridge Is NOT Falling Down

I have an obsession. Well, not a full blown one. It's not like I bought one of Diana's dresses or have a room dedicated to memorabilia, and I've only been to London once, and that was ages ago. But I do adore me a royal... And the Queen's Diamond Jubilee is right up my alley. The clothes, the pomp, the pompous, all of it. Of course I have my favorites - the Queen, Prince William or as my Momma likes to say - that good lookin' youngun, and Kate, err, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. With apologies to my blonde friends, it's a relief to see someone gorgeous and truly brunette. Though at times I do wish she would eat some cake.


I enjoy watching their lifestyle from afar. It's a guilty pleasure, and one that I know I am not alone in. It's hard not to spend a moment imagining the wonder of such a life - never cleaning, nor cooking, no car lines at school or waiting at the doctor's office...no lines anywhere unless you WANT to be in one...the idea of which mystifies and amazes me. Never a worry about money, and losing your job no longer means losing your head. In fact part of your duty is to have sex with your spouse so you can produce an heir....not much else to say there, huh? It just doesn't seem like a hard life.


But for as much as I enjoy being a royal voyeur, I have realized a life lesson along the way that tempers my enjoyment. No one is immune to life. Sadness, grief, divorce has its way with all of us. We see the highlight reel of others lives and equate it to the underbelly of our own, and it's not a fair comparison. I'll watch and read about the lifestyles of the royal and famous. I'll remember the thrill of walking on London Bridge, seeing the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and so many incredible historical sites. But in the end my life is mine - the good and the bad. Though I could do without a line or two, at least on my face.

My Royal Indulgence

By Mary Alford-Carman

The closest I ever came to Royalty was in my Mother's womb. When she was expecting me, my Mama and Daddy were in Canada at the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. (I'm not mentioning the year; you can Google it at your own risk!) They stayed at the same hotel where Queen Elizabeth II was and Mama was lucky enough to be in the lobby when The Queen entered. I used to love hearing that story. The Queen stopped when she saw my Mama (huge with me) and gave Mama time to snap a photo. I figure I come by my love of all things English honestly, having been so influenced in the womb. With that, I have to admit, "My name is Mary and I am an Anglophile."

With the wedding of Will and Kate coming up this month, I'm beside myself with happy anticipation of the event. I have the morning planned. I'll be up before the crack of dawn with the TV. Not only will I be watching the event, but while I'm watching I'll be recording it. Knowing my girlfriend Evelyn like I do, we'll both be on and off the phone with each other during the ceremony and after, loving every moment of it.

My book collection has a large section of all things English. The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth, A History of the Monarchs of England, and then the lite reads like The Other Boleyn Sister, along with every magazine that had Diana on the cover, just to name a few. I watched Princess Anne's wedding, Charles and Diana's, Fergie and Andrews, Prince Edward's and what little was shown of Charles and Camilla's. These types of events are the ultimate escape from Mommydom and the recession. During the depression, the golden set of Hollywood and the outrageous gilded movies were the ultimate, elevating the dreariness of the day to day grind and in many cases despair. While I'm lucky to have a roof over my head and all of the things our family needs, it's still been a penny-pinching time, especially with the rising price of gas. Why not enjoy the wedding? I know it's frivolous. I know it will never be my reality, but for a little while I can pretend to be a guest at the most fabulous of weddings before I have to go and clip more coupons. In my mind, what's not to like?