With so much love within our hearts...

It is 2:08 in the morning here is South Dakota. I sit here freshly scrubbed from a shower in my cloud pajamas with popcorn and soda for me and juice for my daughter.

Why am I allowing my daughter to stay up insanely late tonight?


History.


All around the world, billions of people are turning on their televisions, tuning in the radio, and surfing the internet to watch as a girl becomes a princess and marries her prince and a country celebrates.

I was born a citizen of the United States and I have never traveled outside of the continental US. I am proud of my heritage and of my nationality.


Yet today, I join with all British subjects to celebrate love, unity and the beginning of a new chapter.

His Royal Highness Prince William will wed Catherine Middleton in just a few hours.

Thirty years ago, the world tuned in to watch a young Prince Charles marry Lady Diana Spencer.





Now it is our turn to watch as a fairy tale unfolds and the world will remember where they were, if they watched, when the young heir to the British throne marries his future Queen.

It has been over 300 years since a British royal married a commoner. Catherine will be Britain's first college educated Queen.


I was not born when Prince Charles wed Lady Diana, but after my birth and as I grew up, Diana Princess of Wales was a part of life. She was beautiful, she was vulnerable and she was beloved by the world and by her children.

In 1997, I, along with the rest of  the world, watched in horror as the announcement came of Diana's death in that Paris tunnel.

Not long after, my father and I listened to her funeral on the radio while we drove to Texas. I remember my father (a man that was always known for his goal oriented, no stops until we get there, attitude about road trips) pull to the side of the road and observe a moment of silence for the loss of a beautiful and amazing icon.

Later, I watched the funeral and saw the pain on her young sons' faces as they walked with her casket.


The world had lost its princess, those boys had lost their mother.




Now, nearly 14 years later, the world unites again. This time not in pain and not in loss, but in celebration. Diana's young son has found his princess.






Diana's funeral took place in the same place that William and Catherine will exchange vows this morning. I hope, that they feel her presence over them as they take such a huge and daunting step together.

There is so much bad news in the world today. Storms and earthquakes, tsunamis and wars.

Yet this morning, we pause and set aside our differences, our political and our religious differences to rejoice. We pause to remember the groom's mother who was taken so soon. We remember, that regardless of the fanfare and celebration, sometimes marriages don't last. The world would never have thought that the young bride and groom in 1981 would end so tragically in divorce not many years later. But we hope and pray and send good vibes to this young couple that their love stands the test of time and the strain of living in the public eye.

As I watch BBC America, and I see the millions waving the Union Jack and smiling and rejoicing, I know that there is good in the world. There is reason to celebrate and the world goes on.




Prince William and Catherine are my generations Charles and Di, before the rumors, before the drama, before the scandals. The young couple, starting their lives together, knowing that one day, they will reign as King and Queen.

I wish them a different ending than his parents. I wish them years of happiness and joy. I wish them a long, healthy life together.

I love England. I love the culture and the history and today, I love the patriotism. I love the unity you feel watching the crowds trying to catch a glimpse of their own subject that will enter that historic abbey a commoner and leave their princess.

Diana is no longer with us. But today, on her son's wedding day, the British public will represent her, we will send out our love for her and for her son's future and we will pray that she is watching over him and his beautiful bride.

2 comments

  1. and what a beautiful wedding it was :)

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  2. Such an emotional day I'm sure, since the last big event held in the Abbey was his mother's funeral. I'm glad he has a new wonderful memory in that gorgeous place. I loved the wedding, who doesn't love people coming together in love?!

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