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On Will and Kate

By: hogan (Diary)  |  April 29th, 2011 at 01:00 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Many on the right are critical of the fawning over the Royal wedding ceremony for Prince William and his bride, Kate, broadcast around the globe today. They point to the American Revolution and our endeavors to shed the tyranny of the Crown, and they mock the stodginess of the Royals while noting the irony of several failed marriages among the recent crop from the House of Windsor – most notably, William’s parents.

But whatever one thinks of the Monarchy, in an increasingly pathetic MTV world – the ceremony today was extraordinary, and a good thing for the world to see. It was nothing short of impressive – timely, carried out with precision, dripping with military, christian and royal traditions. The music was magnificent – there were actual hymns rather than gaudy “praise music” rock bands, a church that looks like a church, and the participants and guests were dressed not just appropriately, but perfectly… The procession was extraordinary, with hand-sewn uniforms and white and black horses leading the carriages – the Union Jack lining the streets.

The event was broadcast to an estimated 2 billion people. And in my view – that is a good thing. It can hardly be bad – for whatever flaws of the people involved – to remind people through the broadcast of a high religious ceremony that Christ is Lord. It can hardly be bad to have 2 billion people hear a Christian reminder of the importance of marriage in furthering mankind. It can hardly be bad to remind people that for all its flaws, the Anglo-influence has indeed made the world a far better place. And it is hardly bad to remind people that tradition matters – that carrying ourselves the proper way matters.

While our President sends an iPod of his own speeches to the Queen, returns a bust of Winston Churchill, shares British nuclear serial numbers to the Russians and proclaims no better ally than France – the British carry on, broadcasting to the world that there is indeed a proper way to conduct business and a proper way to carry yourself as a leader of the free world. Perhaps it was no accident that the Obamas were not invited…

The Brits have more than their share of problems, but me thinks it is the Labour Party to blame and not the Monarchy. Today was a day for the British to be proud of the civilization they have built – and a civilization that shaped the world. A civilization that birthed America. Would that we be so lucky as to have any leader – at all – in this country to inspire us and to cause us to well up with pride.

Today, at least, I say God Save the Queen.

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  • DefendUSA

    Most people I know said they didn’t care. I do. It is history, regardless. I too, was impressed by the people singing hymns in the streets without a book or program and the allegiance of the people to be there. There is pride and loyalty and they should be very proud.

    And you’re right…God, save the Queen!

    • geah

      I recall the Queens marriage and I watched from an old 13 inch black and white T.V. screen her change from princess to a Queen, watched of course Charles and Diana and now their son.

      This was beautiful and if I live long enough perhaps I will watch William be crowned king. so what is wrong with pomp and ceremony? now and then of course.

    • http://www.voteforteri2010.com teridavisnewman

      A royal wedding for the heir to the throne is a once-in-a-generation event. It was a beautiful and romantic ceremony and showed again that the Royal family understands their obligations to the country. It was no accident that Obama was not invited after he has insulted our closest allies for no reason. I wouldn’t want them at my wedding either! It was embarrassing watching Michelle Obama do everything but call the Queen and ask to be invited. There was no chance that her overt “hints” would result in an invitation after her boorish behavior the last time she was there. America’s poor excuse for a FLOTUS broke every rule of protocol and actually touched the Queen which is a huge faux pas and she should know better. One would think that among her 22 taxpayer-supported assistants (Czarinas?) there would be SOMEONE who knows something about protocol and could impart it to MO who has all the social graces of someone raised on the South side of Chicago. I’m personally glad they weren’t invited as I didn’t want her embarrassing the United States and I couldn’t stomach watching her husband bow to everyone in sight–and God only knows what kind of tacky wedding gift she would have brought. America was far better served by the snub to the Obamas because they might get the message that insulting our allies has consequences beyond diplomatic damage. I applaud the Queen and the happy couple for not giving MO the chance to further damage America’s world image.

  • Bill S

    While I had no interest in the event, there is no reason for us to criticize or demean it. Thanks for writing this.

  • earlgrey

    a stark contrast to the wedding of his parents.

    it was beautiful, and touching and nice to see history revered rather than tossed aside as we seem to want to do in the USA.

  • califgal

    what we have to contend. Yes, the rest of the US is not California, but everyone knows that what festers and grows in this state eventually reaches all of them.

    I am not religious, but I value what religion brings to any society. I think we must see to it that this makes the rounds. Read the column, then watch the videos. Warning: they are beyond vulgar, but the point is that the country needs to see what this faction of America is promoting and the country needs to understand that what is accepted as “funny” and “appropriate” in this neck of the woods never is reported by the MS press.

    BTW, anyone who is thinking, “Don’t the police stop this kind of show, esp. with children watching?” doesn’t know anything about the sociopolitics of CA

    I was hoping that either FOX or some religious organizations might see to it that the country sees this. Whenever I tell my friends who live in the Midwest and on the East Coast about this kind of thing, I realize that even while there are crazy liberal enclaves near them, they never see this kind of thing. It’s actually common in the Bay Area.

    http://pajamasmedia.com/zombie/2011/04/27/christians-mock-gays-at-shocking-easter-service/?singlepage=true

  • Darin_H

    I don’t care about the royal wedding, but this part is just ridiculous:

    . The music was magnificent – there were actual hymns rather than gaudy

    • MikeG (Icythus)

      “You may be impressed with such superficial things, but I

      • Darin_H

        That’s not what I was pointing out. I pointed out the praise of the superficial things, you’re moving the goalposts.

        • MikeG (Icythus)

          I got that you were going after “praise of the superficial things”, I just dispute your assertion that those things you mentioned (sacred music, sacred architecture, traditional vestments, beautiful religious artwork) are superficial.

          I suppose in one sense they are superficial, in that you can have a Christian wedding without these things. However, I don’t see how the fact that something is not absolutely essential renders it unworthy of praise. I don’t suppose you think that Bach, Beethoven, Michelangelo, Dickens, Milton, and Frank Lloyd Wright are all unworthy of praise, since humanity could certainly carry on without any of these gentlemen?

          However, I’ve never understood how anything that serves to better focus the mind on God can be superficial. I guess it’s just the Catholic in me.

          • Darin_H

            And He saw that it was good. Yes I enjoy God’s beauty all the time, I just don’t tell others what they should think is beautiful (okay, maybe sometimes, I’m still a sinner after all)

            However, I

          • MikeG (Icythus)

            “Yes, I think that

        • http://theheartlander.wordpress.com/ heartlander

          …that Jesus Himself kept all the Jewish feasts. And that He referred to the Temple — with all its “superficial” beauties and adornments (spelled out by God Himself in Exodus, by the way) as “my Father’s house.”

          Part of what makes us humans “in the image and likeness of God” is that, like God, we have the capacity to be stirred by beauty. The psalmist says, “Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!” (Ps. 96) [emphasis mine]

          It is God Himself who has designed us with an inborn hunger for ritual, for beauty, for ceremony that stirs within us the deep memory of who we really are, our divine purpose and destiny.

          • Darin_H

            Just don’t tell me that what makes a church is what it looks like, or that a hymn is more ‘sacred’ or beautiful than a Chris Tomlin worship song, or that someone dressed in royal splendor is better than a robe and sandals.

            I’m all for a million different kinds of traditions each church can have (or not), people are different and thus not everyone has to worship the same way.

    • kdoc

      As a church musician, let me correct this. The music of the church has NEVER been the “contemporary” music of its time, if by that you mean the same musical style that is promoted by popular culture outside the church. For example, when our parents were growing up in the mid-20th century, the “contemporary” music of their day was Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, etc. But nobody of that time imagined that their church music should be “contemporary” like that – you don’t have Duke Ellington-style jazz in mid-20th century church music (and I truly enjoy Duke Ellington). The church has ALWAYS seen itself as separate from pop culture, until the past 20 years.

      The royal wedding today, and the Church of England in general (I speak as a Presbyterian), demonstrates that the worship of the church is not bound by, or tied to, our contemporary pop culture, but transcends that culture in a timeless fashion. (Besides, there was “contemporary” music in the wedding – an anthem setting of several Psalms by John Rutter, composed specifically for this wedding; and a sung motet by Paul Mealor, born in 1975. Sure sounds like “contemporary” music to me!)

      • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

        Something before say, 1940.

    • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister
    • aesthete
  • http://jhpruitt.blogtownhall.com/ kipling

    Tradition is a beautiful thing when so full of meaning.

  • npaul

    Amen to God save the Queen. The longer she lives, the longer the British, and the rest of the world, is saved from the foolishness of Prince Charles.

  • Deskpilot

    we televise them to the world hoping that what is covered will portray us with our best foot forward. We do this primarily with the Inauguration of our Presidents, or the ceremony of their death. We gladly show off our 30 year old space program at every opportunity and coincidently compliment those who are in that industry with the term “Rocket Science.”
    Great Britain doesn’t do super-sized events every four years. On an occasion such as this, it’s important for them to show how great a people they are within their own society. While it may not be our thing, we should celebrate with them.
    Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

  • Dr. Botkin

    are a pathetic lot. Some good might be said of the queen and the recently deceased queen mother, but look at what the queen produced. Begin with the loose morals and political nuttiness of Prince Charlie. In a country where one can be arrested for singing the ’70′s pop hit “Kung Fu fighting,” I guess the Windsors fit in quite well.

  • BigRedConservative

    The British know how to do a wedding with class. At least before the Labour Party ruined everything, Britain was a properly cultured nation. So here’s to a long and happy union of William and Kate. He will be a great king.

  • misterd

    Obviously I can’t speak for the experiences of others, but for all the people I heard discussing this overblown circus, not one said anything about Christ, the sanctity of marriage, the importance of the vows or the community coming together. It was about the pomp and circumstance and his damned mother. Americans should know better than to gaze admiringly at inbred families.

    • MikeG (Icythus)

      It was a Christian wedding in one of the great cathedrals of Christendom. There was religious iconography in abundance, sacred hymns were sung throughout, and the liturgy and sermon were both thoroughly Christ-centered.

      I lived in London from 2001-2003, and both then and in years since I have watched with growing disgust the descent into the gutter that Britain has taken. It is a nation in the midst of a moral and spiritual collapse, but you wouldn’t have guessed it from watching today’s proceedings. Full marks.

      • edingerb

        Although I agree with what hogan wrote (masterfully, I might add,) misterd makes a good point on a) the comments during the coverage, and b) the tripe and trivia he most assuredly heard around the workplace. (I don’t share his obvious disdain for the rest of the “overblown circus.”)

        The references to “Princess Diana,” “his mother,” “her (Kate’s) deceased mother-in-law,” did get old after about the first 20 minutes of coverage.

        I can remember watching several of George W. Bush’s speeches while flipping channels and on CBS, NBC and ABC they talked over what he was saying as if their message was more important than what he had to say. I usually found the PBS coverage better because they didn’t start their spin and the twisting of what he said until after he finished speaking. (I did not have cable or anything equivalent at the time.)

        I did not follow all of the coverage, but I saw the ceremony and was quite overwhelmed at the beauty and majesty of what I saw.

        Although I think the royal couple are lacking in some of their Christian values in their personal lives (as demonstrated by their long time live-in relationship,) the actual ceremony was VERY Christian and the rest of the show was well worth the price of admission.

    • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

      What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

      Phil 1:18 ESV

  • smitch61

    I even shed a tear. I am the same age as princess Diana, my children are the same age as hers, 1 boy and 1 girl. I was saddened by her death and saddened for her children at their loss. They are wonderful men today, and so I watched. It was a beautiful ceremony. Diana would be proud of them.

  • rightwingmom52

    the self-appointed “royalty” of the U.S., i.e., Hollywood or NY, in all their pomp and circumstance at the Oscars, or Grammys, or Emmys, or any NY fashion show. William is a much better role model than our Charlie Sheen, and I’d prefer to have Kate in the family than Brittany or Lindsay.

    • Bill S
  • belcatar

    I have little interest in the “Royal” family of England, though I do read the occasional news article about them. I only saw two seconds of coverage, as I was passing the second grade classroom in the school where I work. The two seconds I watched were RAF jets doing some kind of salute in the skies above the church (I would guess Canterbury, but I I really don’t know, because I didn’t watch)

    Now I don’t have any problem with news organizations respectfully covering a big event. I think it’s great that they said their vows in a nice church. I really don’t have anything against the couple at all, and I wish them happiness in their new life together. But it’s a little galling to see that public resources were expended for the purpose. Certainly we wouldn’t want our tax money used to pay for Chelsea Clinton’s nuptuals, and then call it a shining example of what is best in America.

    Also, as I understand it, William and Kate had been living together out of wedlock for years, so I don’t see this union as a shining example of marriage in the Christian sense. I say this not to judge the decisions of the two newlyweds, but to point out that Christianity generally preaches celibacy before marriage, and fidelity afterward.

    I also respectfully disagree that the wedding was a shining example of Western Civilization. The cradle of Western Civilization was ancient Greece, where the notion of the individual governing himself was first attempted. I think that the obscene amount of money (including taxpayer money) spent on the spectacle flies in the face of what the West has accomplished, rather than honoring our collective cultural heritage. Most of the great things accomplished by the West were not done by people of wealth and privilege, but by ordinary folk who had the freedom to exercise their intelligence and ambition. In this sense, honoring two people with such a lavish display is more of an example of what life was like before Western Civilization matured.

    I see no need to denigrate the ceremony, but I also do not see any reason to hold it up as an example for anyone to aspire to.

  • runner12

    I am glad that the ceremony was classy and full of tradition. The pomp and poparazzi leading up to it is what turned most people off I think (including myself).

    It is nice to know that the event itself was not sullied by all of that. I would also like to high-five the person who made the decision NOT to invite the Obamas.

    Just for that they deserve three cheers!

  • mdavt

    “It

  • http://www.twitter.com/AWG9_yoyo yoyo

    I don’t know… Who was it with that soft-pretzel-looking thing on her head?

    Other than that, I too am a sucker for military precision and tradition. I liked what I saw of it.

    God Speed to the Duke and Duchess, Long Live the Queen.

    • trutexan

      When I saw that thing on her head I nearly fell over. I thought you were never supposed to upstage the bride at a wedding. While Kate was beyond gorgeous in her understated gown, I couldn’t tear my eyes off the pretzel on top of that woman’s head and wonder “what was she thinking?”

  • annas

    I wish we still had some left here. I agree with the person above who said that the president of this country and his “entourage” of lackeys and of course the “oh so intelligent” entertainment moguls, union thugs, and inbred academia, present no class and no tradition. They mock our traditions. It was so nice to see people who know how to behave and dress properly and exhibit manners. Congratulations Brits and also the new Duke and Duchess,

  • trutexan

    I was telling my husband just last night that I absolutely loved the ceremony because of all the religious tradition throughout it. Mark Stein (filling in for Rush) said a Muslim cleric told the Muslim community not to watch the wedding because of all the “drinking, drugs, and sex acts” that would occur, I reflected after watching that the cleric probably didn’t want Muslims exposed to the pure light and good that is Jesus Christ – which might then prompt them to examine Christianity more closely. The ceremony mentioned how religion has faded in the West but it’s important to remember the reasons for marriage within the church. It talked about being delivered from evil and keeping faithful to each other. I shed a tear during the vows and my heart swelled at the pride of the British people. In the midst of all this bad news, I couldn’t get enough of this “feel good” story. Reminding the world of the Chrisitan reasons for marriage was icing on the cake.

  • jeffperren

    It’s very difficult to overlook the fact that the ceremony features a bridegroom who is vastly wealthy because of his parasitic parents, who are in turn descendant from parasites stretching back hundreds of years.

    None of them has ever earned a dime of their huge wealth. It was coercively taken from productive people.

  • peteg

    Since you chose to mold the facts to best shape your silly view of today’s proceedings and America’s place in them, let’s be clear about what was on the iPod given to the Queen. The president’s speeches may have consisted of 1/1000th of the data on the iPod, but of course you wouldn’t want that to get in the way of constructing what is essentially another lie about the president, albeit one of omission, for your readership. We know they’re quite prone to believe whatever they read on the internet, lower IQ and all. Secondly, if you’re ashamed of sharing the words and principles of our elected leaders with the world (along with some show tunes), then you may be surprised to know that the president was given an autographed framed picture in exchange. As to another point, perhaps you would be better suited as a British subject due to your fondness for the royal family and disdain for our president.

    Contents of the iPod given to the Queen, from ABC, with cite:

    President and First Lady Obama gave Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II a video iPod with inscription, songs uploaded and accessories, plus a rare musical songbook signed by Richard Rodgers.

    Uploaded onto the iPod:

    Photos from the Queen’s 2007 White House State Visit
    Photos from the Queen’s 2007 Jamestown, Va., Visit
    Photos from the Queen’s 2007 Richmond, Va., Visit
    Video from the Queen’s 1957 Jamestown Visit
    Video from the Queen’s 2007 Jamestown Visit
    Video from the Queen’s 2007 Richmond Visit
    Photos from President Obama’s Inauguration
    Audio of then-state senator Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and
    Audio of President Obama 2009 Inauguration Address
    Britain’s Press Association reports that the Royal couple gave the Obamas “a silver-framed, signed photograph of themselves.”

    – jpt

    UPDATE: And the Obama team confirms that these show tunes were also uploaded on Ye Olde Queen’s iPod, fas irst reported by the AP:

    “Oklahoma!”
    “If I Loved You,” Jan Clayton, “Carousel”
    “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Jan Clayton, “Carousel”
    “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” Ethel Merman, “Annie Get Your Gun”
    “Once in Love with Amy (Where’s Charley?),” Ray Bolger
    “Some Enchanted Evening,” “South Pacific”
    “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” Carol Channing, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”
    “Getting to Know You,” Gertrude Lawrence, “The King and I”
    “Shall We Dance?” Gertrude Lawrence, “The King and I”
    “I Could Have Danced All Night,” Julie Andrews, “My Fair Lady”
    “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” Rex Harrison, “My Fair Lady”
    “The Party’s Over (Bells Are Ringing),” Judy Holliday
    “Maria,” “West Side Story”
    “Tonight,” “West Side Story”
    “Seventy Six Trombones,” “The Music Man”
    “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” Ethel Merman, “Gypsy”
    “The Sound of Music”
    “Try to Remember,” Jerry Orbach, “The Fantasticks”
    “Camelot,” Richard Burton
    “If Ever I Would Leave You,” Robert Goulet, “Camelot”
    “Hello, Dolly!” Carol Channing
    “If I Were a Rich Man,” Zero Mostel, “Fiddler on the Roof”
    “People,” Barbra Streisand, “Funny Girl”
    “On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever),” John Cullum
    “The Impossible Dream,” Richard Kiley, “Man of La Mancha”
    “Mame,” Charles Braswell
    “Cabaret,” Liza Minnelli
    “Aquarius, Ronald Dyson, “Hair’
    “Send in the Clowns,” Judy Collins, “A Little Night Music”
    “All That Jazz,” Chita Rivera, “Chicago”
    “One,” “A Chorus Line”
    “Tomorrow,” Andrea McArdle, “Annie”
    “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” Patti LuPone, “Evita”
    “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” Jennifer Holliday, “Dreamgirls”
    “Memory,” Elaine Paige, “Cats”
    “The Best of Times,” George Hearn, “La Cage Aux Folles”
    “I Dreamed a Dream,” Aretha Franklin, “Les MisDerables”
    “The Music of the Night,” Michael Crawford, “The Phantom of the Opera”
    “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” Elaine Paige, “Sunset Blvd.”
    “Seasons of Love,” “Rent”

    And since you slouched on a cite, I’ve provided one for you.

    http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/what-does-one-g.htm

  • pcisbs

    For arguments sake, let’s say the Wedding cost $50 million, no let

  • seahorses3

    As I wrote in part to one of your columnist compatriots Saturday who indicated “apathy”::
    What a wonderful relief from the constant barrage of lies and viciousness from the Chicago Thug currently the titular head of the United States. What grace, class and dignity in contrast to the juvenile, narcissistic behavior of the entire current administration.

    Even the sermons and readings were appropriate and dignified as opposed to the highly inappropriate (at any time but especially Easter), hate-filled sermon spewed by the pastor at that Baptist Church selected by Obama for his only church attendance in two years, if I recollect correctly.

    There was as well, and as important, the sense of continuity, tradition and the importance of religion in the service. I am sorry you did not watch it and come away with an appreciation of these things. Despite Obama making every effort to diminish and insult our relationship with Britain, they are not only the country with which we have a language in common, but one with which we have sustained friendship and support through two horrendous wars and ongoing conflicts, and have common goals. Their experiment with socialism which was clearly failing was brought to a screeching halt led by a strong intelligent woman. Our country now has a weak, pseudo-intellectual child with no leadership capabilities. Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it (apologies to Santayana), and it frightens me that we are doing so now.

  • fedupamerican

    Everything has it’s time and place. There was no reason for you to call praise bands gaudy. No one expected the royal wedding to have rock praise bands. Praise bands have their time and place have done and do much to promote the gospel in the US. and elsewhere among the youth and to all ages for that matter. I am all for hymns in the traditional realm. Hymns are beautiful and also have their time an place. Who are you to call praise bands gaudy? Question is…what are you doing to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ?

  • gunslingr45

    could care less. It is no worse than the crap than the liberal media spews out every day for the masses.

  • msjallen

    It was a beautiful ceremony to watch all the way through…several times too.

  • js1019

    The problem with we Americans is our cynicism has become so pervasive and reactionary we have lost the ability to recognize a genuine happy moment in a world filled with despair.

    I too watched it on different channels to get different perspectives and perhaps the best coverage was from the BBC-America. They were so filled with joy and pride and explained the meaning behind a lot of the pomp and circumstance.

    This was a moment of true love, a couple who have spent the time together to know they aren’t looking for something or someone better. A nation beaming with pride over the next generation of royalty, which still matters to them.

    It was a spectacle we could learn a lesson from.