The Royal Wedding

This April 29 will commence the a royal wedding between Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton. Her Majesty the Queen has just recently given her formal consent to the marriage. Under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, all descendants of King George II must obtain the Sovereign's stamp of approval before being wed. Under the Great Seal of the Realm, the Queen signed her approval. The white lily on the stamp of approval represents the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena, falling on the day of the wedding & coincidentally sharing the name of Miss Middleton. 

 The royal wedding will be far from a modest ceremony; many British people are viewing the ceremony as an official public holiday! The Archbishop of Canterbury will marry the couple in the Westminister Abbey. Following the reception they will go by glass carriage to the Buckingham Palace to join the Queen and guests for a "quaint" reception. A private dinner later that evening will be held in the Palace, concluding the wedding festivities. 

Rematch?

England proudly cradles the oldest and possibly the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. Wimbledon is held the last two weeks of June and early July at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. Opening in 1868, the private club hosts the five main Wimbledon events and four invitation events. These events consist of Gentlemen’s & Ladies’ Doubles and singles, as well as mixed doubles. The Committee of Management and the Referee, selecting 128 players, determine applications for entry. The beautiful Wimbledon grounds house 19 grass tennis courts.

            Some traditions have prevailed throughout the history of this iconic event in English history. Ball boys and ball girls, for instance, play a crucial role in the smooth operation of the tournament. They are generally provided by local schools and are meant to simply blend into the background while performing their jobs quietly. Dark green and purple stand as the traditional Wimbledon colors but the tennis players are required to wear white clothing while playing in the tournament. Tickets to Wimbledon are sold to the general public are available through the public ballot that the All England Club holds annually. This tradition has prevailed since 1924.

            Tournament winners have received trophies since 1887, presented by the President of the All England Club. Prize money was first awarded in 1968. For the 2010 Championships, the total prize money increased to £13,725,000, and the singles champions received £1,000,000 each.

            Maybe I’ll have the opportunity to witness Rafael Nadal or Serena Williams in actions on the court this summer! 

Perfect Lenten Meal on Fridays...

The traditional British dish, fish & chips originated in the UK in 1858. The history behind the delicacy originated among the working class in England during the increased development of fishing in the North Sea. The first fish & chip shop sprang up in London by Jewish entrepreneur, Joseph Malin, who combined “fish fried in the Jewish fashion” with chips. The fish used is generally haddock or cod, using a simple water & flour batter before frying. The chips are simply a thick slab of potato, similar to french fries but more satisfying. Just add a good Porter to wash down some fish & chips & you’ve got yourself an authentic British meal! Bon appétit!