In Russia, With Love: The Royal Wedding of the Last Tsar and Tsarina
So the Big Day is finally here! The biggest Royal Wedding Great Britain—and arguably, the world—has seen since Charles and Diana. Prince William and Kate Middleton are to be married at Westminster Abbey, complete with its specially installed 97 metre red carpet, at 11:00 am UK time, with 1900 guests in attendance and in front of the biggest worldwide television audience in all of history. Those lucky enough to be invited to the ceremony range from foreign princes to familiar footballers, war heroes to slapstick entertainers. Also present in the House of Kings will be no less than two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams to perform the wedding service’s music. The two processions, from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey and back again, take in such London landmarks as The Mall, Downing Street,Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
The Royal Wedding reception, to which 650 guests are invited, is to be held at Buckingham Palace. The host, of course, could only be Her Majesty the Queen. Ellie Goulding, one of William and Kate’s favourite singers, will provide the musical entertainment—without the backing of two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams, we imagine. Guests will dine on canapés as offered by circulating waiters.
But, of course, grand royal weddings have happened for eons. Here’s a verbal canapé about one of the most famous.
Nicholas and Alexandra, the last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia, are a pivotal couple in The Ruthless Court. How did their own royal wedding, on 26th November 1894, compare with William’s and Kate’s? It was a more sombre and low key affair, as it was sadly just one week after the death of Nicholas’ father, Tsar Alexander III. However, as you can imagine, the new Tsar’s wedding to the German princess, known as Alix of Hesse before changing her name to Alexandra, was also attended by foreign princes and dignitaries (it is unclear if the 19th century Russian equivalents of Elton John, David Beckham and Mr. Bean were also in attendance).
The wedding took place at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, which was as surrounded with onlookers and well-wishers as Westminster Abbey is right now. Nicholas donned a Hussar’s uniform for the occasion, whilst Alexandra wore the traditional dress of Romanov brides. The post-ceremony procession saw the happy couple drive to Anichkov Palace, cheered on by astounding crowds, as no doubt the procession back to Bucks Palace will be later on. Whilst William and Kate are to nobly take an austerity honeymoon in Cornwall’s Scilly Isles, the Emperor and Empress had no honeymoon at all.
We at The Ruthless Court wish William and Kate a very long and happy life together. As everyone knows, the Tsar and Tsarina stayed in love and loyal to one another throughout revolt, constitutional change, the birth and lives of their children, WWI and finally, the Russian Revolution, which was to lead to their untimely death. In The Ruthless Court, however, their marriage is even more thrilling, laden as it is with secrets, intrigue and visitors from the past!
Be sure to follow our live tweet of the Royal Wedding as it happens!
The Ruthless Court 