The Morning Brew: Royal wedding edition
Pip, pip!
Saturday brings with it another royal wedding as Prince Harry marries American actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle. Depending on your perspective, it's either a silly nothing burger, or another installment of a long running soap opera a lot of Americans can't seem to quit. Here's a rundown of the proceedings.
Oklahoma time: To see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exchange vows live you'll need to get up pretty early. Coverage is expected to begin as early as 3:30 a.m. Oklahoma time, with the actual ceremony expected at 6 a.m. in our time zone. Or you set the DVR and sleep in.
On TV: Most of the major US cable networks are in. Viewers with Apple TV can watch via SkyNews as well. The app is available on other streaming platforms as well.
Famous residents: St. George's chapel at Windsor Castle may not be as grand as Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral, but it does have some pretty heavy hitters buried in its crypts. Perhaps the most famous is Henry VIII who rests in the quire. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother is also buried there.
Bad timing: Prince Harry and Markle are guilty of a faux pas when scheduling their wedding date. It falls on the same day as England Football Association Cup Final. This is roughly the Oklahoma equivalent of scheduling a wedding on the same day and time as the annual OU-Texas football showdown, or Bedlam.
It's a good thing the royals are rich: This wedding, even though it's being held at a smaller venue, is expected to cost a whopping $40 million dollars, about $10 million more than when William and Kate tied the knot in 2011. Food and beverage costs alone are nearly $700,000. Much of the costs are tied to security. British taxpayers will pay for that portion of the bill. If you add up the total, it's enough to buy every Oklahoman lunch at Sonic with a bit left over.
Are there any Oklahoma connections with the royal family?: It's been reported Queen Elizabeth II's favourite musical is Oklahoma!
Prince George, currently third in line to the throne and a future king, was presented with a wooden rocking horse made by a woman in Edmond when he was born as a gift from the Obama family.
How many will watch: The House of Windsor gets the best ratings, to paraphrase Donald Trump. An estimated 750 million people watched Charles and Diana get hitched in July 1981. The BBC estimates 2 billion people watched William and Kate's 2011 nuptials, including 23 million sleepy Americans.
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Matt Patterson has been with The Oklahoman since 2006. Prior to joining the news staff in 2010, Patterson worked in The Oklahoman's sports department for five years. He previously worked at The Lawton Constitution and The Edmond Sun.... Read more ›