It is a privilege to live in London. I often think that but last Friday I had an opportunity to really savour what that means.
As you probably know, Prince William , the second in line to the British throne, got married to Catherine Middleton, a commoner, at Westminster Abbey while a third of the world watched. Since their engagement at the end of last year, excitement has been steadily growing in the UK at the prospect of this occasion. Was it because of a public holiday for the nation, or because we would be allowed a peep into the otherwise private and secluded lives of the royal family, or was it because we all just love a real-life fairy tale with the possibility of a ‘happily ever after’? In any case, as the day drew closer, it was hard to talk about anything else.
The funny thing is, as I talked to my British friends at the school gates in the suburb of London, I was surprised to hear they were all planning a quiet day, opting to meet up with neighbours and watch the wedding on television rather than brave a trip to town and watch it with the crowds. I understand that it is tradition in England to organise street parties (you can find out more here) when there is a royal occasion, but I thought this was more for people who lived outside London and didn’t have easy access to the ‘real thing’. For me, there was no doubt about it. I would try, with my two children, to get as close as possible to the action!
Why did I feel so strongly about this? Well, I know lots of people who would love to be in my shoes and I felt like I would be enjoying the day for me and for them. If I had been abroad, I would have certainly wished I was in London. Also, in Brazil, every 4 years we experience the joy of patriotism through the World Cup and now that I am British I wanted to live out my Britishness alongside strangers who shared my nationality. And, it seems, the British need a good Royal knees-up to unleash their inner patriotism.
So, off I went, very early in the morning with some American friends to Hyde Park Corner. I knew that attempting the procession route would be difficult so we settled for just being with a crowd, watching on the Big Screen provided by the Mayor of London. The whole event was very well organised. Litter pickers everywhere, porta-loos a-plenty, stewards, police, military, all poised and ready to help with directions and hinder any problems. And, what I found most impressive was that they had set a limit on the number of people allowed into every area and once that was reached, they closed the area off. We ended up on a Big Screen in Green Park and after about 30 mins of our arrival, the gates were shut. The crowd was also impeccably behaved. Once everyone found their green patch, they stayed put. No unruly shouting or big noises. It was a family day, of the best sort! Not the way Brazilians would behave, but after all, this was a truly British affair.
In the afternoon, we invited some friends around for a tea party and ended up with 6 different nationalities, all celebrating the Happy British Couple. Like I said, living in London is a privilege.
BRitain BRasil Bridge 