The plan was only to see the wedding dress. (Image Front Page of Sunday May 20th New York Times)
I felt it was industrial knowledge but it was in reality personal curiosity as much as anything. What got me stuck for the duration of the wedding was seeing Princes Harry and William walking to the chapel together. One of the last mother-daughter moments I had with my mom was watching Diana marry Charles, fast forward many years to Harry and William walking behind their mother’s casket.
While watching the two brothers together, Harry looking very nervous and William looking very calming elder sibling - I may have shed a tear. Maybe. First of more than one of the day.
The Princess Di wedding, in my memory I don’t remember any moment of Prince Charles, was the last royal wedding I watched.
Mixed feelings abound. Haters - this is a celebration of imperialism, colonialism, nepotism, patriarchy, racism, colorism and etc etc. Indifferent - who is getting married? Lovers - oh I cannot wait - Princess princess oh like a movie etc etc. Well I was mix of all of the above.
But they had me at when Harry walked...
So I stayed glued to the TV, PBS with BBC feed. After living in Malaysia and Kenya I know the BBC is going to be the most thorough.
Cue heartjump #1 BBC was gracious enough not to show Meghan Markel entering the car we only saw her and her mom Daria Ragland, in their car and waving.
Cue tear #2 Daria Ragland entering the chapel. A tweet from a mom mentioned that her daughter said. “Oh mommy, the queen is so beautiful.” The girl was talking about Ms. Ragland. The little girl can be forgiven for mistakenly the cast. A good friend, who watch the re-broadcast later said, “Meghan’s mom was the most regal person in the chapel.”
Heartjump #2 – I know I am skipping things. It was not even the moment Meghan Markel exited it car and had her veil (with 53 commonwealth and 1 for California embroidered flowers – the haters sigh) revealed. It was the moment this thoroughly modern woman walked herself down the aisle.
Cue tear #3/4 – Harry and Daria’s separate love-filled reactions to see Meghan. Oh my.
Now skipping skipping hymns and etc etc. Then things started getting Black-ish. I knew at least one of my friends was watching the wedding live. When Michael Curry started then the energy started to shift. It was nice to see a Black man in that pulpit. But it was the words. He was talking about Slavery….grabbed phone and start DM’ing friend. Did he just quote Martin Luther King, Jr.? What is happening. Oh the Black Girl Joy was off the hook. Transformative love? Revolutionary Love? DM, DM, DM. The looks on the faces of some the royal family. The candles are going to fall off the podium Reverend Curry. Hold on brother.
I will never forget it as long as I live. And the best part, I saw it live. I didn’t get the hey the wedding was Blacker than we expected memo. It was happening now. In front of my eyes.
Then oh then, these pastel adorned Black angels. These king and queens led by a Queen oh beautiful Black woman with a grey hair halo! Sang Stand By Me. I could not stop the tears from streaming down my face. What is happening, how is this happening? Why do I care? Because it is beautiful and love-filled and proud, strong. Lovely. Black and blackity black black Black! (Tears #5)
It did not stop there. No. Then Sheku Kanneh-Mason played the cello. So beautiful this beautiful young Black man playing the cello so beautiful – emotional, technically brilliant. My heart jumped again (#4)
Vows, simple, direct to the point. Okay made it through that, they are leaving now, it is over. I am fine. Then and then in the background as the stand outside amongst the flowers – the choir is singing This Little Light of Mine – oh you are really trying to take me there. Final cue tears #6.
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