What time can I watch the royal wedding - Harry and Meghan - on TV?

Problem
If I can't be sure to be in the UK, when can I watch the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on TV?

Answers
I just ran the times through a time converter and these were my results:

UK
Wedding starts at noon in Windsor.
12.00

To be sure to avoid confusing the clock or myself I typed in 11.50, then added ten minutes to all the results. This is what I found:

USA
Noon in London, England is 7 a.m. in New York.
Five hours behind.
So, if you can get up by 7 am, you can watch it live.
Set your alarm. Make your muesli up the night before.


Australia - you might go to Australia and stop in the Far East en route.

Over in Singapore,
If you live there or stopover, when it's noon in London it's 7 pm in the evening.

Or Perth in Western Australia, it's 7 pm. That might be before, during or after your evening meal.

In Sydney, the other side of Australia, a difference of two hours, 9 pm.

Football museum, UK.

What about the football, starting, kick-off, at 5.30 pm in the UK?

Add five and a half hours to the other numbers, assuming they are correct. (Or, to be safe, re-set your time converter page.)

USA
For football fans in the USA, that is good news. The 5.30 start in the UK is 12.30, lunch time on Saturday in the USA.

Australia
Sorry to say that if you are in Singapore, or Perth, Australia, the football starts at 12.30 - gone midnight.

In Sydney it will be two hours later, 2.30 am, starting and finishing in the middle of the night.

You'll have to watch the re-play, unless you are a night owl.

Check which day! I remember ringing a friend in Australia, one Friday afternoon, and hearing that the person I was calling was out to lunch. I said, "He's out late to lunch on a Friday afternoon on a weekday."
The person the other end, his wife, replied, "No. He's out early to lunch at the weekend - here it's Saturday. Where are you calling from?"

So check your clocks.

And decide when and which way you wish to fly.

If you are watching on TV, check the schedules on the day in your country or better still the day before. Usually the broadcasts start an hour earlier, of even from dawn, with shots of the preparations, visitors arriving, VIPs, chats to foreign tourists, views of the streets before they are cordoned off for the carriage. Plus any arrivals by car or on foot. And pre-recordings of snippets of previous programmes about the venues.

Useful Websites
visitbritainshop.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Royal Wedding Countdown - what to wear and eat, British style, out or at home

Windsor and Eton with crown decoration. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

This is the street decoration for Christmas. You can bet there will be street decorations just as fine for a royal wedding. At the end of the street you can see Windsor Castle.

Problem
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wedding - what happens when? I don't want to miss any of it. Dress in your best to enjoy the day. What will you wear? The date is Saturday May 19 and in England we say, Ne'er cast a clout til may be out, meaning the sun may be out but it could still be chilly.

Answer
Windsor in Berkshire is expecting more than 100,000 people and if you go there security will be tight, so you may be stopped and searched or wait in line whilst others are checked. If you are not one of the 600 guests viewing the wedding in St George's Chapel, you could still see the carriage procession.

If you decide to go to Windsor before or after the event, you can see the wonderful castle which dominates Windsor and Eton which are two sides of the river.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, photo by Mark Jones in Wikipedia.

The Countdown
11.30 Sit down by the TV in a comfortable chair with a glass of Champagne, Cava or Prosecco, or something British such as cider, Scotch whisky, or an English white wine from one of England's many vineyards such as Denbies or Nyetimber.

What To Eat - Main Course
What could you eat? Something British. If you are out in the street, get a takeaway, fish and chips.

My favourite pubs/ The Wetherspoon chain. Lots of choice of food and drink. Lots of bargains.

My second choice? A carvery.

At home for lunch or supper? How about roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Roast potatoes. Brussel sprouts.

Buy British
You should find something in Marks & Spencer, Tescos, Waitrose, Sainsbury's or Morrisons, all British. (Or, for cheaper prices, opt for Aldi, Lidl and sandwiches from Poundshop and Boots the chemist.

British Desserts
At a pub in Eton, I ordered a dessert called Eton mess, which is broken up meringues (looks a mess but tastes declicious) with strawberries and cream.

For less sugar, more fruit, after your main course, order or make apple crumble with yellow custard.

Between Meals
Perhaps a healthy snack of an apple, a British apple, Cox's orange pippin.

At tea time you could have homemade scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Timing
12 noon, the Ceremony starts. This should take about an hour.

The wedding reception will take place in Windsor Castle.

Later that day there's a sporting event, maybe involving the royals. At 5.30 it's kick off time for the FA (Football Association) cup finals. Prince William usually presents the prize, but it's not certain where he will be.

However, you can bet the pubs with TVs will be busy with screens turned on and special flags and bunting and special offers on drinks and food.

You can't wait until May? The couple will be visiting other places in the UK, notably on Friday April 6th 2018 in Bath, England, at the trials for the Invictus games in Sydney Australia. HRH Prince Harry is patron.

Invictus, you may recall, is a poem, one of my favourites. (More Invictus games in Sydney, Australia in October 2018.)

Booking a British Break
You have still time to book a flight to England, or postpone a trip from England to elsewhere, or come home early.

Angela Lansbury at a souvenir shop in Heathrow airport, London, England, UK, standing behind a cutout of HM THe Queen. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. 

Useful Websites

https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnfLVBRCxARIsAPvl82GP69PmU8JypOxaHH_UHQUjjtuE47vI1wGfGlU2pqkIdYBrRy3OpLgaAvT5EALw_wcB

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5558081/30million-ring-steel-protect-Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markles-wedding.html

https://www.invictusgames2018.org (Sydney, Australia.)

https://www.teambath.com/2018/03/28/invictus-games-trials/ (Bath, England.)

Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

The Royal Wedding Cake Competition - and cake update

Problem
Where can you see the royal wedding cake competition?

Answer
At the Ideal Home Exhibition in London - also on youtube and all over the internet.

If you want to be in Windsor or London or England or the UK during the week of the royal wedding, here are some useful facts:

Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Saturday May 19th 2018
St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, UK

Crown Decoration at Windsor and Eton. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Ideal Home Show, London, England, UK
17 March -April 2nd
The cakes are displayed throughout the show. The cake rules said the cakes had to be on a base 15 inches by 15 inches. Designs were judged on design, not taste.

Useful Websites
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/03/prince-harry-meghan-markle-want-wedding-cake-made-banana-source/
http://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk
https://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/style/850-royal-wedding-cake-competition
visitlondon.co.uk
visitbritain.co.uk
https://www.windsor.gov.uk
https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle
windsorgreatpark.co.uk
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5388102/sun-on-sunday-royal-wedding-competition/
https://www.sophieallport.com/uk/harry-meghan-royal-wedding-2018-mug?gclid=Cj0KCQjwv73VBRCdARIsAOnG8u2x-RLabwfQNXrvUbGJGVm1mRVrwool0tNgmrJfOGAkqEYMCSC8T1QaAnRMEALw_wcB
Cake photos on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1843429489022127&set=pcb.1843430555688687&type=3&theater

The latest on the royal cake update - fresh flowers on top!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43472280

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.