I am up at 4 am to watch the royal nuptials, just like I was 30 years ago. Of course I was a lot younger then, but I still remember sitting with up with my mom in the middle of the night, watching Diana walk down to aisle of West Minster Abbey to marry Prince Charles. I’ve got my boys here with me, although E5 fell back to sleep almost immediately.

I was 7 for the wedding of Charles and Diana and can remember so clearly the grainy images on our TV glowing quietly blue in the quiet dark of the extreme early morning. I remember her long walk up the aisle in her big poofy wedding dress and I remember them kneeling before the bishop(?) at the Abbey. I remember the carriage ride back to Buckingham palace and I remember their kiss on the balcony. Or perhaps I am remembering the now iconic images because they were so ubiquitous in the weeks of news coverage which followed Diana’s death. Well, her walk up the aisle is definitely is part of my hazy memory.

I’m not even sure why I am awake at this ungodly hour to watch this event. I’m honestly, not usually a follower of the British Royal family (do I capitalize that? I don’t even know) except that it is an event, a spectacle which will become a part of American culture. In a way. Mostly I don’t really care about the Royals, and I know there are many other (most?) Americans who could give a flying fig about this wedding, but here I am anyway.

Well, the bells at the Abbey are ringing now and the two Princes have arrived, so I shall close this post now. Are there any among my commentariat up at this hour watching this spectacle?