We are within 50 days of the upcoming royal wedding and the plans are in motion for it to be the most important event in my life. The ceremony will take place at St. George’s chapel on May 19th at noon. The cake will be elderflower lemon with buttercream which eschews the tradition of fruit cake for a royal couple. But Harry and Meghan aren’t a traditional couple! Meghan is the first black woman and USA Network star to be part of the Royal family. Harry is radical in his own right. I’ve watched this clip of him dashing away from an interview many times and am radically attracted to the little slip of abs we see at the 0:07 mark.
The whole world is abuzz with excitement over the nuptials of these two lovebirds, but as with any wedding there are also nerves. No, Meghan doesn’t seem nervous. Neither does Harry or his abs (though, I’ll check again.) However, Meghan’s father Thomas Markle seems to be working on quelling his anxiety by becoming an expert on the country his daughter may one day rule. Thomas was photographed last week brushing up on Britain’s history in a San Jose coffee shop and it is the most joyful image I’ve ever laid my eyes on.
The book he is pouring over is a picture book published in 1990 titled Images of Britain: A Pictorial Journey Through History and I hope with my whole entire heart that he is learning fun facts to drop like little elderberries during the reception. Like, “did you know the Queen is married to her third cousin, Prince Phillip!” Or, while he's getting a second piece of cake, "I want to check out the London Underground while I'm here, it's the oldest railway in the world!"
Now, I don’t have a child, let alone a child getting married, let alone a child getting married into the royal family, but I imagine it has to be nerve wracking. The few times I’ve brought boyfriends home to meet the family, my father dependably finds two facts to remember about him and pursue a connection over. The boy likes basketball? Great. They will have a basketball relationship for the foreseeable future. He’s into country music? My dad will suggest we play Hank Williams’ CD’s. Seeing this photo of Thomas (also my father’s name...coincidence? yes) read over this book covering baseline British history is so quintessentially “dad”, it makes me swell with love.
Might I suggest, if he wants to brush up on a few more facts, watching The Crown. I’ve heard it’s great and definitely provides a few talking points with the new son in law. You're going to be great, Thomas!
