Charles and Diana: That Wedding 30 Years Ago

While most people are abuzz with this weekend’s wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton, its interesting to note that the last great royal wedding, between Prince Charles and Lady (later Princess) Diana took place 30 years ago.

Sure, everyone knows Lady Diana, that tortured soul who died young, forever remembered for the sensational new coverage while she lived.

But i had the opportunity to remember watching the wedding on live TV as a small kid. I was barely into primary school, when one fine Saturday my parents turned on our old ITT wooden box television to watch it. I hardly knew what was going on, but quickly caught on when as i watched. I distinctively remember the walk towards the altar, Diana’s long wedding train, and the exchange of vows. I thought i remember it as Westminster Abbey (it was actually St. Paul’s Cathedral).

And when it was over, i remember the screen flashed that ‘this live broadcast was sponsored by Public Bank’ (or one of the banks, i’m not particularly sure).

I just caught the highlight re-broadcast of the wedding on Astro TLC just now. Retrospect is indeed a strange thing. Thinking back to all those thing that happened to Diana since that day when she was thrust into the world’s spotlight until her death 16 years later, it may not be to unkind to say that her fate was sealed on that day.

But having said that, I wish William and Kate all the best. I’d probably watch the telecast this Saturday, but will probably also get bored halfway through as i did watching the re-broadcast just now.