Good morning to you all. When I woke up this morning I made a pot of coffee, made my breakfast and went in the living room to eat (I know, I shouldn't be doing that), turned the television on to CNN ~ where it was announced that Prince William of England and Catherine Middleton were engaged.
I should have been surprised but wasn't as this past weekend there were a few 'specials' about Prince William of England and his girlfriend Kate. Apparantly the country will be celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee as well as hosting the Olympics in 2012 ~ so the time for Wills to marry his Kate ~ would be better for all in the year 2011.
So Prince William asked Kate Middleton to marry him ~ last month in Kenya!!
For me, this announcement brought back a flood of memories to the day Prince Charles announced his engagement to then Lady Diana on a worldwide broadcast in February of 1981. I was much younger then so the event was surreal and who didn't love Lady Diana? For months the news coverage was endless and the anticipation of the wedding day was at fever pitch.
It was July 29, 1981 and I remember waking up at 3:00 am in order to make a pot of coffee, cook some breakfast and camp in front of the television set to witness all the historic events. As I walked in to living room (we only had one television set back then) and opened the drapes to what I thought would be total darkness ... every house on the street was lit up like a Christmas tree. I remember looking directly across the street and my neighbor Charlene was opening her drapes at the same time ~ so we waved to one another ... that in itself was something we talked about for years. We all had a common purpose that day and years later there are many of us who still talk about that event. It was one of those 'do you remember where you were' kind of moments.
England has always had a special place in my heart. I had read (and still do) about the abdication of King Edward and how he gave up the throne to marry his beloved Wallis Simpson, an American. How romantic. How tragic. Unfortunately they put him in a position of chosing the woman he loved or the crown he inherited. He chose the woman he loved. Unfortunately he was forced to leave England. Eventually, they married each other in France and settled in Paris.
I sit here, among the many many books I have collected about Diana ~ Charles and Diana, the babies Wills and Harry and it is difficult for me to believe that over 29 years have passed since that historic event.
I also remember where I was when I received the devastating news that Diana had died in a horrific automobile accident in Paris. I remember where I was when the plane with Diana's casket in it ~ landed in England after Charles went to Paris to bring her back home. I remember the people leaving thousands of presents and flowers at the gate(s) of Buckingham Palace. I remember the funeral. I remember where I was while watching Wills and his brother, father, uncle and grandfather walk behind Diana's casket. I remember where I was while watching the hearse drive through the small hamlets of England as thousands of people threw flowers ~ blinding the driver so he had to put the windshield wipers on to clear his view of the road. Tears still well up in my eyes.
Unfortunately it was another 'do you remember where you were' event.
And, now the good news.
We all have another royal wedding to watch ~ and along with CNN and other worldwide satellite broadcasting stations available ~ it will be a celebration to behold.
I do believe that Diana is smiling down on her princely son (2nd in line to the throne) and knows her greatest contribution were William and Harry! How proud she must be!!
Do you remember where you were?
Marilyn
photos were uploaded from the internet
