Does the Royal Wedding Give Us All “A Chance to Dream Again”? And Kate Middleton’s Blue Dress

What a happy, smiling kind of day it is here at the Prepatorium, we’re almost giddy at the notion of being able to babble endlessly chat about the upcoming nuptials.

Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty

Here is how the official announcement looked:

Reuters

From a Forbes blog:

“In a thoroughly 21st century twist, the engagement was simultaneously announced on the British Monarchy’s Facebook page and Twitter feed. (Queen Elizabeth just joined FB earlier this month. Coincidence?)

For those who don’t Tweet, here is how it appeared on that site:

Twittwer.com/BritishMonarchy

There was even a Twitpic from the Palace:

Here is how The Daily Mail played it yesterday.

Daily Mail, UK

And today they even have a way over the top story showing a ‘vision’ of how the bride would look if wearing a gown designed by Elizabeth Emanual, who designed Princess Diana’s wedding dress.

Via The Daily Mail

For anyone who may have missed it, here is “the Ring” seen up close yesterday.

Arthur Edwards/AP/pool

We do adore how the prince described his decision to use his mother’s ring:

“…my way of making sure my mother didn’t miss out on today and the excitement. It’s very special to me,” he said. “As Kate’s very special to me now, it was right to put the two together.”

Below, the ring as worn by Miss Middleton yesterday, and on Lady Diana Spencer (at the time) in 1981.

Reuters: Paul Hackett/Dan Chung

We like how Miss Middleton responded to a specific question, the Times has more:

“Asked if the rumor that she had a poster of Prince William on her wall when she was a girl was true, Miss Middleton said, “He wishes.” (In fact, she added, she had a “Levi’s guy” on her wall.)

And that beautiful blue frock sported by Miss Middleton? It is by a UK label, Issa; a silk jersey knit, and still available in some places, like here.

Issa Dress at JosephM.com

From the product description:

“Electric blue Issa dress is sassy, a perfect special occassion dress and the colour is amazing. Issa has built up a reputation for getting the ‘fit’ perfect to the body, the designer understands the body and an Issa dress will flatter your shape no matter what shape or size you are. With Issa once you understand the twist and drape that works best with your body you will be a customer for life.”

To see more from this designer, Net-a-Porter has a solid selection.

Among those expected to be part of the wedding party, Ms. Middleton’s sister Pippa, and possibly Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

As well as friends from “The Sisterhood,” seen training in 2007.

Tim Rooke/Rex Features

Of course, no post on the topic would be complete without ‘commemorative items’:

Aynsley China Courtesy Photo via AP

Above we show a set of Aynsley china which went into production yesterday after the official announcement.

If interested in reading more news coverage, here are a few suggestions:

• From the far side of the pond, The Telegraph has oodles of coverage, including a comparison of Kate Middleton and Princess Diana

AP Photos via The Telegraph

• Also from the UK, the Daily Mail has a solid bio on Miss Middleton
• “Wills and the Real Girl” at Vanity Fair, an excerpt from Katie Nicholl’s book, “William and Harry”
• “Introducing Kate Middleton” at Time magazine’s site
• The Times (NY) also has plenty of coverage, including a good overview
• NPR’s Linda Holmes brings us this:

“But there’s such a great public desire to see Charles and Diana’s kids do well, to see them overcome all that sadness and letdown, that this royal wedding is probably going to be just as closely watched as the one that took place thirty years earlier. Maybe for slightly different reasons, but ultimately with the same anticipation and many of the same hopeful sighs. It’s precisely because the publicly projected dreams didn’t come close to coming true for Diana that we may wind up dreaming them again for her son.”

We would all like a chance to dream again, yes?

Speaking of dreams, The Consort tells us he is eagerly awaiting a “save the date” from the Palace. Indeed.