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Show by Jan "Here comes the bride," or there she went, right down the aisle at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Wednesday morning at 3 a.m. while most of us were snoozing, Lady Diana Spencer and Charles, the Prince of Wales, tied the royal nuptial knot. For a 32-year-old athelor who holds no po. ileal power, is only partially employed, who plays soccer and polo and falls off horses, they're certainly making a big deal out of his wedding to an ex-kindergarten teacher, but, then England only has one queen, and Charles is the oldest son, making him heir to the British throne, so why shouldn't they make a big deal? New Scotland Yard took the biggest security measures in the history of London for the gala event. More heads of states and people of high rank were gathered in one place at one time than for any other affair. Streets were scrubbed and buildings were sandblasted to make them worthy fo such a crowd. People began camping along the streets enroute to St. Paul's as early as last Saturday, just to catch a glimpse of the royal procession. For the last 6 months street vendors, gift shops and other stores catering to the tourists have really capitalized on the royal wedding, selling all kinds of gee-gaws to com-memorate the wedding. You could buy linen tea towels, china mugs, plates, bells, all bearing a picture of the royal couple. There were crystal goblets, silver spoons, complete sets of i plates, tee shirts and ash trys with "Lady Diana and Prince Charles, July 29, 1981" adorning them. 1 They had post cards, coloring books, wrapping paper and stationery, 1 anything conceivable to serve as a souvenir. ' Of course the salesmen 1 weren't the only ones to 1 make money on the 1 event. People owning ' office space along the 1 processional route from ' ' the palace to St. Paul's rented their offices for ! that day for quite a tidy sum. 1 I feel sorry for the royal couple. They not only ! have their faces plastered on ash trays and tee shits, j but they've had a very J unusual courtship. Before the engagement was ' announced they had to ' hide from the press and 1 the public. Prince ! Charles not only had to ask Diana's father for her hand, but had Jto ask his mother and a royal board ! if he could marry. Once it was announced, Lady Di i became top story, What i she wore to what public function the night before made the head lines, , while the rapes and murders were moved to r second page. With all the television coverage and all the , articles in the papers and magazines, have you noticed that Prince I Charles doesn't have a j last name. I checked in j the newspapers and In , Time magazine, all carrying news of the wedding, but none of 5) them reported his last j name. The three months I j was London he was preferred to as Prince 1 Charles or the Duke of SJ Cornwall, but no last fj name. Lady Diana fj Spencer is marrying His ji Royal Highness Prince d Charles Philip Arthur M George, Knight of the gj Garter, Knight Com-2D mander of the Order of P the Bath, Prince of Wales. Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Carrick, Earl of Rothesay and numerous other titles, but no last name. After going through the encylopedia, the dictionary and any other book I could find I called my high school English teacher, Janet Potter. She looked in her books and through her papers, but it was all to no avail. But she had a friend who taught English Literature and was a history buff and she'd know. I gave her a call and my question was finally answered. The British monarch has no formal sir name, as such, instead they belong to a certain house. When HRH Queen Elizabeth married she didn't take her husband's name, but he took her house. Charles, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth and all the royalty back to 1917 all belong to the house of Windsor. Of course the history buff I got my info from had a very appropriate name. She's Diana Spencer. And who knows what Lady Diana will be called now she's married. Does she lose her last name and gain a title? Will she be a princess, a duchess or still a lady? Which ever name the couple goes by, they're married, and it was fun to see the coverage on television and be able to say "I've been there!" |