After months of media frenzy, Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot Friday morning. An estimated 22.8 million Americans watched the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on 11 different networks, according to Neilson Ratings.
Since the craziness began when their engagement was announced last November, plenty of questions have been asked and were answered Friday morning, including the biggest one: What would Kate’s dress look like?
The answer? Perfection. The Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen creation was idyllic for the future queen of England. She was classy and elegant while somehow remaining modern and down to earth.
While Kate’s gown was center of attention, her little sister, Pippa’s gown almost stole the show. Her maid-of-honor gown echoed the new royal’s gown in many ways and could have been a bridal gown in its own right, especially since Kate chose to dress her bridal party in white, an unexpected choice that left the commentators with something to talk about for a few minutes.
Something else commentators covered almost excessively was the last time this many people got so wrapped up in someone else’s nuptials: Charles and Diana.
Ever since William decided to propose to Kate using his mother’s ring, Diana’s memory has
been at the forefront of the wedding talk and the wedding day was no exception.
TLC included a good friend of Diana’s for their commentary on the wedding and viewers could see her influence on the ceremony. Like her mother-in-law before her, Kate chose to omit the word “obey” from her vows.
Unlike Diana, however, Kate was much more prepared for the life she has now entered into.
After dating her Prince Charming since they were in college, she certainly knows him better then Diana knew Charles, who proposed after only dating for a few months.
Kate is also an older royal bride, which many argue makes her a wiser one. Her maturity was
reflected in the ceremony as well. While Diana’s gown was something out of a fairytale or Disney movie, Kate looked every inch a mature, beautiful woman with no misconceptions about the role she was assuming.
However, the late princess’s memory was most present in her sons. Through the ceremony, everyone watching caught a glimpse of the princes acting like regular people. Harry snuck a peek at Kate walking down the aisle to report back to William how beautiful his bride was. William joked with his now father-in-law while the congregation sang a hymn behind them. The couple shared special looks and smiles through the ceremony, reminding the audience they were like anyone else at the alter: nervous, happy and very much in love.
In fact, some of the best moments of the event didn’t even come out until after it was over. The second smooch on the balcony of Buckingham Palace before thousands of adoring people, the “expert” lip readers reporting back what the men had been whispering (and confirming what some of us had already figured out) and the little bridesmaid who covered her ears and frowned throughout the kissing were parts many viewers will remember forever.
While many of the questions that have built up over the months were answered, one still remains: why did so many people get up so early to watch the wedding?
Maybe it’s because we like to see beautiful people being beautiful. Maybe it’s because we need a break from tornados and a horrible economy. But, maybe it’s because we love to watch the real life fairytale that is the William and Kate love story. After all, it is nice to be reminded the dreams we have when we’re kids, whether it’s becoming an astronaut or a princess, can actually come true.
