/ Royal Fever

by Anokhi Admin

Royal Fever

Jun 25, 2013

With the royal wedding more than a month away, our London correspondent decided to hit the city streets and have UK's movers and shakers divulge what it all means.

Street parties are being planned and people are being offered the chance to make walking trails tracing the steps of the much-talked-about royal relationship, which began at university in Scotland. With their nuptials taking place on April 29, 2011, they are indeed the toast of a hopeful UK. With TV viewership from around the world to exceed a record-breaking 3 million, half the world will watch His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and his bride Catherine Elizabeth “Kate” Middleton tie the knot. The UK’s economy is set to be given a huge boost due to travel and souvenir sales, and their wedding marks a national holiday.

The venue is Westminster Abbey, a place that could have brought sad memories of his mother’s funeral cortege, back in 1997. But the young prince is moving forward, and has opted for a simpler wedding than that of Prince Charles to Lady Diana on July 29, 1981. Steeped in royal history, the Abbey has beheld coronations since 1066 and was the wedding venue for both the Queen and the Queen Mother. With the couple showing benevolence by reportedly asking for all wedding gifts to be donations to charity, they are the undisputed darlings of the royal family right now.

Asians the world over have a fondness for the royals, as they have been an intrinsic part of the heritage of their ancestors. This wedding, therefore, is something of a talking point within communities worldwide, and especially the UK. Some prominent Asians in the UK shared with ANOKHI their unique views about this wedding, which is giving the royals a more modern image and highlighting their relevance in the 21st century.

Saptarshi Ray, a journalist for UK’s top broadsheet, The Guardian, says: “The royal family has not had a good decade. I think most people are fed up of hearing about Charles and Camilla or Andrew or Prince Philip's latest xenophobic rant, so the younger generation of William, Harry and Zara Phillips has been embraced quite desperately. It will be a great party, and let's face it; British summers usually consist of rain and bad sporting performances. Britain wants another Diana to fawn over and fill magazines, but Kate Middleton seems refreshingly normal, and so does William. They're a bit old before their time, so they'll probably be dignified and dull. Harry's the real star; he seems to live how royals did in medieval times.”

Leela Soma, Scottish-Asian author of the novel Twice Born, shares the connection of these two royals with beautiful Scotland: “It was uplifting to hear the announcement of the royal wedding on a cold and icy winter’s evening in Scotland. This spring has not one, but two royal weddings to look forward to. Rumours are rife that Zara Phillips, Princess Anne’s daughter, may be getting married in Scotland.”

Staying strong to this other part of the UK, Soma adds: “Prince William is no stranger to Scotland. Balmoral in Royal Deeside is the summer residence of the royal family and he has spent many happy times there. We are proud in Scotland that his pursuit of a degree and wooing the young woman Kate was at the University of St. Andrews, the oldest university in Scotland, founded in 1413.

The privacy given to Prince William and Kate Middleton at St. Andrews could have been achieved only in Scotland.” About the wedding itself, Soma shares her views on the contrast with the last big royal wedding of Charles and Diana: “April 29, 2011, will be a date to remember. The wedding will be watched by millions, and I will be glued to the TV watching every moment of it, just as I did when his beautiful mother married Prince Charles. Kate Middleton is so much like Diana in many ways and labelled a fashion icon already by the media. But she is a mature 29-year-old woman who seems to know her mind. For the young prince who lost his mum when he was just 15, his wedding day will be both joyous and poignant. I hope their life together is treated with more respect, and the paparazzi both in Britain and abroad will be aware of their need for privacy. I wish the couple a very happy future. As a writer and a poet, I look forward to Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s wedding poem.”

Puja Vedi, the director of LiveStyle Media, is also a fashionista and she examines the attire of the day: “The royal wedding has obviously generated an incredible level of interest across the globe. With Diana being such a fashion icon, it’s to be expected that the world will turn to her son's fiancée, Kate Middleton, for similar inspiration. Luckily for us, Kate's effortless style is elegant and sophisticated. Her sapphire engagement ring is being copied around the world and women are even replicating her swept back sleek hairstyle! The blue Issa London dress she wore at the engagement announcement sold out within 24 hours!”

Vedi continues on the fashion front, as this is something discussed in the UK’s media almost daily: “The burning question now is who will design her wedding dress. With Kate's chic sense of style, we're bound to be in for a fashion treat, which is great. The dress itself will be heavily replicated across the world, setting important trends and cementing the designer's place on the fashion map. It is undoubtedly one of the most important tasks in fashion history.”

Anjna Raheja, founder and managing director of UK’s biggest ethnic PR company Media Moguls, and one of Britain’s most successful Asian women, shares her view: “The royal wedding is going to be the focal point for so many people between now and April 29. I think pretty much everyone in the UK, royalist or not, is looking forward to a bit of happiness, which although it may not affect them directly, has a real halo effect. Prince William has a soft spot in the public’s heart and I think everyone is seeing this as “Diana & Charles: the Happy Version.” From a business perspective, it will be great for China, who are busy producing souvenirs, and of course for tourism — a trial for the Olympics in Britain in 2012.”

Raj Baddhan, the owner and founder of media website BizAsia.co.uk (in Birmingham, in the north of England), has a lighter and cheekier view of the wedding: “It’s great to see the amount of media coverage surrounding our future king and queen. As much as I love the British monarchy, I’ll probably be out of the country enjoying the extra holiday we’ve been given.”

In general, Asians in the UK are enthusiastic about this wedding and what it stands for. Paul Sagoo, CEO of investment company Lemon Group, makes an apt observation: “There is nothing better than a royal wedding to lift the spirits of this country, and the couple in question represents everything that’s great about the new generation.”

The date is looming and the excitement is building up. From people taking breaks during the wedding to planning pub trips to capitalizing on the business side of things, there is no doubt about it: the royals will always draw fascination from the world, especially Prince William, the throne-bound son of the much-loved Lady Diana. Buckingham Palace is always a landmark worth a glimpse — whether you watch the changing of the guard or admire the palace for historical reasons, it adds a sparkle to London and makes it a special city for many.

BY: ASHANTI OMKAR / PUBLISHED: THE LIVE BEAUTIFUL ISSUE, MARCH 2011