Anglophile

I realize The Royal Wedding is being covered incessantly, with nonstop media updates and commentary. I am not here to write about anything that hasn't been said before, I have no revelations about Kate or Will or THE DRESS or the vows or anything else people are wondering about the day before the big day. I'm just as curious as the rest of the world.

Well, most of the world, anyway. The naysayers haven't exactly been quiet on this one. (Why, I wonder are those who always complain always the loudest?) In the past week I've seen people shake their heads and talk on and on about how stupid the whole thing is and want to know why the media isn't covering "real" stories and who really cares anyway and dumb, dumb, blah, blah.

I am not one of those people.

Roll your eyes, call it girlie, or whatever else you want to say, I am beyond excited about The Royal Wedding. Clear as a bell I can conjure up the countless images of Princess Di and her long, l-o-n-g train and that famous kiss on the balcony so many years ago. I remember looking in awe at the Di and Charles paper dolls my Mom had purchased after the wedding, proud even then that my Mom had the foresight to snatch up that souvenir. And of course, like every girl my age, I have had a crush on Prince William for decades. (The high point being the moment I saw him in the flesh when my brother, another friend, and I lined the route for the Queen Mum's funeral in 2002.) In the past ten years I have also developed quite the girl crush on the lovely Kate Middleton. Really though, who hasn't? Is she not the greatest?

So yes, I plan on getting up early to catch all of the ceremony that I can, yes I'm dying to see what her dress will look like, yes I'm dying to watch how the whole day unfolds and of course, I cannot wait to see the balcony wave and kiss from our newlyweds. I mean, really. It's a Royal. Wedding. How often do we get a chance to see anything like this? Most of all though, I cannot help but wish both Kate and Will - total strangers! - nothing but the best. Over the pond I am sending along my hopes for a long, happy, lasting marriage.

Seriously, I ask again. How can you not fall for this couple? Naysayers be damned.