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Updated: 17 May 2012

 

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Its Royal Wedding Time

 

There is a royal wedding in London at the end of the month. I find myself wondering how much notice the rest of the world takes of this event that evokes the past and the timelessness of the British political system. Certainly there has been no royal event more important since the parents of the groom wed at St Paul's 30 years ago.

 

William and Catherine Middleton will not marry in St Paul's but have chosen Westminster Abbey instead. The Abbey's history starts in the year 960 when a monastery was founded there. Later Edward the Confessor built a palace and church on the site but the present day cathedral was built by Henry III in the 13th century, adopting the style used to build the great French Cathedrals in Amien and Chartes. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the resting place of 17 monarchs and may other notable British citizens.

 

So, is Britain or its monarchy an unchanging institution or is the march of time as evident here as anywhere else? London has, of course changed out of all recognition since the Abbey was built over 800 years ago and although we like to think that England is traditional and enduring, there has been more change than you might think in just the last 30 years.

 

In the year that Charles and Diana were married, visitors could gain access to St Paul's free of charge - today an entrance fee is levied and its large enough to make some visitors hesitate! As you walk away from the cathedral towards the Thames, you approach the Millenium Bridge opened in 2000 for pedestrians to cross the river to Tate Modern gallery. The gallery is housed in the former Bankside power station, closed in 1981 and has an impressive collection of international modern and contemporary art. The Turbine Hall is a huge space on the ground floor of the gallery used for special exhibitions.

 

The South Bank has acquired the London Eye, also a millenium project and now a major landmark in this part of London, situated opposite the Houses of Parliament. The wheel, with a circumference of 424m, affords the visitor superb views of London - on clear days you can see over 40km into the distance!

 

The National Gallery has acquired the superb portrait of Whistlejacket (George Stubbs, 1762) and lost the traffic from outside its front door. The once infamous pigeons have been more or less banished and the kiosks that used to sell bird seed are long since gone. You can still climb on the lions in Trafalgar Square though!

 

What's changed out in the countryside in Dorset - not too much, I like to think. We have more traffic, that's for sure but who doesn't and we still have our unspoilt countryside, beautiful historic houses and gardens and a way of life that evokes an England past.

 

Thirty years ago the internet was not present in our homes. The smartphone did not exist nor did the wireless home network. You could not travel to France by train or drive a car to the Isle of Skye. The London Docklands were still 'docks' and who would have thought that there would be a tax on driving a car into London and a bicycle hire scheme to match the Parisian example!

 

If you would like to keep up to date with the Royal Wedding then you are very much in the 21st century. The couple make regular information releases via Twitter (@ClarenceHouse) and the Prince of Wales has his own website as does HM The Queen.

 

One of the main sources of speculation in the press is Catherine's choice of dress and we won't find out about that one until the day. How traditional will she go? Will she surprise us all with something very contemporary?  I am hoping for the latter and will take the outcome as a sign from the Palace on the degree to which they are prepared to intervene in this marriage!

 

Well, it does not really matter where you are on 29 April 2011, its sure to be a big day. Charles and Diana set a new world record television audience in 1981 - I wonder how the figures will look in 2011?

 

We send the royal couple our best wishes, as one would for any two people starting married life together. Certainly they will lead a life of privilege, though some of the simpler pleasures of life will ever be denied them. And when this party is over we have to look forward to HM The Queens Golden Jubillee next year - and the Olympic Games!