I assume by now you know that Prince Harry is marrying Meghan Markle this Saturday. I’ll be in Portland Oregon at Quilt Market, but maybe I’ll set my alarm to see what she is wearing. It is a great excuse for a party, and a good distraction from all the other news this week. The ceremony is at 7 am Eastern Time, but coverage starts at 4 pm ET. Hey, that’s 1 am Pacific Time!
For those of us who remember Princess Diana, this week’s Royal Wedding is bittersweet. I still remember her wedding at Westminster Abbey, and the day we lost her. There was an excellent exhibit about Diana that came to the Museum of Natural Science in Houston, which I saw while at Quilt Market many years ago. It included her wedding dress, and the stacks and stacks of condolence books signed by her ardent fans. I went through several tissues that day.
Do little girls still grow up dreaming of fairytale castles, and marrying a prince? I suppose so, to some degree, but the fantasy seems like a relic of an earlier age. Still, this wedding shrugs off so many unspoken rules that have been tightly bound up until now. I can’t wait to see what this American bride will accomplish in her new role.
One of my oldest friends lives in London, and she shared a flat with Diana’s older sister for a couple years. Young teenage Diana would come to visit with their mother, not knowing the fate that was around the corner. She was my daughter’s age….a student and a babysitter. Now she has passed into history, and her boys are writing their own stories.
I visited Windsor in 2010, including the St George’s Chapel where this week’s wedding will be held. It has been the site of many royal weddings since it was established in the 14th Century, and is the final resting place for an astonishing number of royal family members…including Henry VIII and Jane Seymour…and several earlier kings.
Before the Birmingham Festival of Quilts, I am stopping in London to see my old friend. I am sure the commemorative royal wedding china will still be for sale at the gift shops. I’ll have to snag a Harry and Meghan collectible teacup.
Thank you for those of you who submitted entries to the Love Your Mother challenge! The blind jury process will begin this week, leading eventually to the winner of the BERNINA sewing machine, and the exhibit in Houston!
The collage above features photos of the St George Chapel in Windsor, Royal China in the Tower of London Gift Shop, and fabrics currently in stock.
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul
Enjoy artist interviews, tutorials, and quilt festival tours, on our eQuilter Video Page.
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eQuilter Classroom & Event Calendar:
July 16 – 20 – Lea McComas Workshops @ eQuilter
July 23 – eQuilter Charity Sewing Day! (Please RSVP)
Coming soon – workshops with Betty Busby (Sept) and MJ Kinman (Oct) @ eQuilter!
Luana’s Travel Calendar:
May 18-20 – Quilt Market – Portland OR
May 29 – 31 – Quilt Canada – Vancouver BC
June 1 – Opening Reception for Hollis Chatelain – RMQM – Golden CO
June 27 – July 11 – Sweden
Aug 9-11 – Birmingham UK – Festival of Quilts
Nov 13-19, 2018 – POLAR BEAR Tour
