Do you want to gossip about the Royal wedding?

I’m not sure if I liked how long to bride’s veil was. I did like the simplicity of her dress. I lived the head band/tiara also.

Her hair seemed to be a little undone in front. Maybe she should have had a chance to be touched up between getting out of the car and walking down the aisle.

The black preacher was over the top. I didn’t like his overexuberance. It seemed to me many in attendance were quite shocked and laughing at the show. Then to add to that the black choir. I’m shocked a little myself.

One British commentator on MSNBC gave credit to the Obamas that this black preacher was at the wedding. What? Or, was he saying that there is a mixed royal wedding? What the hell does that mean?

I can’t help wondering if Meghan was really comfortable with the whole display. If she could feel the shock in the room? I’m sure it was planned to the nth degree, and the royal family knew what would be said and sung.

What did you think about Harry not shaving his beard?

I think honoring the bride’s heritage was very appropriate. I found the whole thing to be joyful and lovely.
I think if Harry was The Heir, the Queen might have intervened and asked him to shave, but as it was, I’m glad they got to have such a relaxed (by Royal standards) and inclusive of a multi-cultural background event.

The U.K. is dramatically diverse, it’s nice to see that reflected (to a small degree) in a Royal event.

(Not while the cellist is playing.)

As a Royal Marine, he may have been able to keep his beard since the Marines are a naval force, and, at least in some navies, beards are permitted. Of course, if the queen says it’s OK, it’s OK.

I think the beard wasn’t an issue because he isn’t on active duty.

@canidmajor I admit to being shocked the bride identifies with a black church that has that sort of preaching and singing. An assumption of mine that was off base, which is often the case with assumptions. I only know her from her character on the program The Suits.

I do admit that I tend to like a certain amount of tradition, and so the whole thing was a little jarring to me. The same as I like Wimbledon to stick with the white outfits. It’s not jarring to me to have black people there participating, attending, or being the bride or groom, it’s the cultural stuff that throws me off. It’s still a royal wedding in England.

Also, I don’t think that was UK black culture, I have no idea what their culture is like, it seemed very American black culture. I assume the preacher and choir were imported from America? I might be wrong about that. The preacher sounded American to me.

Oh no, @JLeslie, that was pure American black culture. Another recognition of the diversity in this pairing. And I’ve never been to a black church that didn’t have that sort of sermon. (My experience is also somewhat limited there, too).

I imagine things would have been different all around if Harry was The Heir.

@canidmajor I meant that I hadn’t assumed she went to a “black” church. I assumed she didn’t, if she even attended church at all.

I thought to myself what if it was someone Indian or Jewish, would it surprise me if there was a rabbi or if they wore traditional Indian dress? My first thought was if one was Jewish, they would probably have to convert. Then I thought, let’s say they can stay Jewish and have the rabbi there, would people be holding back a laugh and have wide eyes when the rabbi did a few Hebrew prayers during the ceremony? Would that be jarring to them, like how I felt watching this black preacher?

I wondered if she would be required to join the Church of England? Although I think Michael Curry is Episcopalian, so I guess that would be redundant.
But really, what would we be likely to know of screen celebrities’ childhood religious affiliations these days?
So much speculation!
And now I want to hear about the food. :-)

I’m answering first, then will read the other responses.

I absolutely love the dress. It is very Audrey Hepburn-esque. I love the long veil with the embroidered flowers from all the different regions if the UK.

Although I love her white dress, it did make me feel kind of sad for the Queen’s sister, who died very unhappy and unfulfilled because her choices of mates were deemed “impossible” under the customs of the times when she wanted to get married. And even Prince Charles, who should have married Camilla when he had the chance, but then waited too long, and was not able to marry her for the same reasons (she was divorced by then). Thank goodness The Queen was able to change her mind, and the royal customs to eventually allow Charles to marry Camilla, and Harry to marry Meghan.

Of course Diana got screwed, royally, literally and figuratively, but had she lived, I think she would have loved this ceremony, and maybe she would have been long married to someone she actually loved.

I noticed that Prince Phillip looked like he had a black eye. If you’ve watched the Netflix series The Crown, you would probably think he deserved a black eye. Ha!

Queenie looked fantastic, as always : )

Now, who wants some British-style tea sandwiches: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-tea-sandwiches

I just saw a short clip so far of her entrance and the vows. I thought she loooked terrific and that they both looked genuinely happy. I didn’t see the Black preacher but good on them for including it if that’s what she wanted. Yay for change and spontaneity! I wish them well.

I just read that the Michael Curry is the head of the American Episcopal Church so in addition to any racial considerations it is highly appropriate for him to speak.

Do you know @JLeslie that Episcopalianism is the Americam version of Anglicanism?

@JLeslie I’m not sure why you are shocked by the black choir. Meghan is bi-racial. She was raised by her black mother.

Even if she wasn’t, what is so shocking about a black choir?

@janbb No, I didn’t know that, but my few times I’ve been in an Episcopal church I very much liked it. The churches felt very northern European to me. Simple, not a lot of extravagance, white walls, beautiful wood detail, but not ornate, and the priest (are they called priests?) talked to the congregation in an inclusive way knowing there might be people there who are not Episcopalian. I’ve only been for events like weddings and funerals.

@chyna @Dutchess_III About the choir I was surprised they flew one in, and a little surprised with some of the song choice, and just that it honestly was so “black culture oriented.” I’m just being honest. I’m not the only one a little shocked if you saw the faces of many of the people in attendance.

The black preacher to me was annoying. He was too loud, too preachy. If I continue to be honest, it just did not feel like what I have in my head to be upper class, forget that we are talking royalty. But, I don’t go to very many upper class weddings, and I’m not even sure I’ve been to a black wedding. I don’t think so. My closest black friends are Catholic, and I’ve been to communions and that sort of thing, but their churches are not “black” churches. I have been to white Christian weddings, and it was too preachy for me too, but there are so many forms of Christianity I wouldn’t dare generalize. Actually one Baptist wedding went to wasn’t preachy, but the minister agreed to leave Oney out, but then had the bride repeat that she would be submissive, and there was an audible gasp by many of us in the gallery. So, I haven’t had much luck at those weddings. I’ve been to many many Catholic weddings and that wasn’t the case, and to Greek Orthodox.

I did love how the minister started with the quote from Martin Luther King, I think King was brilliant, and his speeches make me cry, but the preacher lost me as he continued.

In fact, I was working when the minister started speaking, I was not facing the TV, and I heard him quote Martin Luther King, and hadn’t noticed yet he was American, I wasn’t really paying very good attention. Then as he went on I was like, wait a minute, and turned to look at the TV. That’s when I realized they must have flew him in.

It’s a stereotype I guess that I have. I’m not sure if that’s the right word. I don’t associate a preacher like that with wealth, but I know it’s a bad assumption on my part. Not because he’s black, I don’t care about his race, but because he was loud and trying to teach a lesson at a wedding.

I just read that the choir was London based.
Anyway, to gossip about the wedding, I loved how cute the little girls and little boys were, holding each others hands and behaving so well.

That little boy with the missing tooth, who was riding in the car with Meghan was adorable. I think he and his identical twin brother were holding the veil.

The kids were so very cute.

I like that the veil had symbolic meaning.

I thought Meghan looked gorgeous, and her mother looked great, and the Queen too.

I’m not so keen on the whole hat thing, but some were pretty and interesting, and hairstyles overall were very pretty. Although, Camilla still donning the Farrah Fawcett makes me chuckle a little.

I just watched part of the BBC coverage and they said the American Reverend was practically giving a “sermon,” I don’t remember the exact words.

@chyna Makes sense. I know they spent millions if not billions on that wedding, but I still would be surprised if they flew in a whole choir. I usually can totally appreciate a gospel choir, I just found this one out of place, made me uncomfortable. Not because they are black, just the music choice and how it was sung. Not only Stand By Me, but the Amen I heard singing in the background when they walked out of the church, I’m assuming that was the black choir. The cellist, on the other hand, seemed in place. The female chaplain who spoke during the ceremony is the chaplain to the Queen, and she was black; the cellist, black also; I think the Monarchy has been inclusive for a while now.

Well, I guess they should have checked with you first, @JLeslie, about their choice of choir, as well as their choice of people of color.

^^Why are you so combative with everyone lately? Of course it’s their choice, and again it has nothing to do with race at all.