Bugger and blast, I’ve caught the royal wedding fever!
Trivial pursuit: 10 fun facts to fool anyone into thinking you're a royal wedding expert
The British monarchy has had a tough go for the past 30 years, with Princess Diana’s tragic death and one royal divorce after another (Charles, Sarah, Edward, etc.). So the marriage of Prince William has surely lifted the spirits of a nation. Call me an old-fashioned romantic, but I really believe this is not a marriage of diplomacy, it's a marriage for love. Kate will be the common queen with a very uncommon journey. And this gives us a glimmer of hope for those whose blood does not run blue.
Although Wills is about to bite the dust, chin up, Prince Harry is a hotter bloke anyway. Our royal obsession will live on forevah.
Even if you're not up early to watch the wedding, throw these facts around your friends and they'll believe you really know what you're talking about.
1. What is Prince William’s last name?
Although royals do not tend to use a last name, in the instance of a marriage, for example, Prince William's last name is Mountbatten-Windsor. This is the surname of all descendents of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, excluding females who marry.
Fun fact: His title in full is: His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Master of Arts.
2. What surname did Prince William use at university and in the armed forces?
William Wales
Fun fact: When it was announced that William would attend St. Andrews University, applications shot up 44 percent, including a I00% increase in enrollment in students from overseas … nearly all of them, women.
3. Why do brides wear white?
Wedding dresses are white because Queen Victoria chose the color to show off some family lace for her wedding in 1840. From then on it became popular for a bride to wear white; a fashion statement. That’s a bloody long-running trend.
Fun fact: It has nothing whatsoever to do with purity. Blue is the traditional color of purity (hence painting the Virgin Mary in blue) and what a bride would wear to show her virginity. That's why we have a "something blue" in the trousseau.
4. What was the subject William and Kate were studying at St. Andrews when they first met in 2001?
They studied art history at St. Andrew’s.
Fun fact (err, boring rather): Wills later switched to geography.
5. How much did the platinum 18-carat blue-sapphire engagement ring cost when Charles gave it to Diana in February 1981?
A paltry $60,000
Fun fact: The ring is now valued at $58 million.
6. What famous designer was one of Diana's bridesmaids?
Famous designer and author, India Hicks
Fun fact: India Hicks is Prince Charles' second cousin. He is also her godfather. Additionally, India's mother, Lady Pamela Hicks, is Queen Elizabeth’s niece and was a bridesmaid in her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.
8. How long was Diana's train?
25 feet
Fun fact: Diana wanted it to be the longest train in royal bridal history.
9. How much will William and Kate’s wedding cost?
The spectacle is rumored to cost as much as 80 millions pounds, according to unverified reports in the U.K. press.
Fun fact: Security alone is slated at 20 million pounds.
10. What time does the royal wedding begin?
11 a.m. BST (5 a.m. Houston time)
Fun fact: Why? Tradition. Morning weddings are the most formal.
