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To: Deb

Here you go:

QUEEN TO STAY AWAY

The Queen will not attend the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, it has been announced.

But Buckingham Palace has denied that the Queen is snubbing her son's wedding.

The palace stressed that she would be going to the church blessing after the civil ceremony.

The couple are due to get married at the Guildhall in Windsor on April 8.

A Palace spokeswoman said: "The Queen's prime concern is that the civil ceremony should be as low key as possible, in line with the couple's wishes.

"Clearly if the Queen were to attend, the occasion would no longer be, by definition, low key."

Asked if it was a snub, the spokeswoman said: "The Queen is attending the service of dedication and paying for the reception - that is not a snub."

Prince William and Harry, along with Mrs Parker Bowles's children will be present civil ceremony.

Constitutional historian Dr David Starkey said the Queen's decision was "unprecedented" in Royal history.

"We are into unknown territories with this decision and one can only speculate on the reason why," he said.

"It could be security, that she doesn't approve or that she doesn't care, a position which would unite her with the majority of her subjects.

"There has been no real precedent of this, and let's remember we are dealing with the wedding of the heir to the throne, where there has been this kind of distance."

However, Royal expert Dickie Arbiter said the absence of the Queen from the civil ceremony was not something to get "terribly excited about".

He told Sky News the key part of the wedding would be the blessing by the Archbishop of Canterbury in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

"That will be part of the ceremony that will be important to Her Majesty," he said.

"The Queen, being a religious person, will see the blessing as the important part of this ceremony rather than the civil bit and signing two bits of paper in Windsor town hall.

"The blessing of the Archbishop of Canterbury puts the seal on the marriage as far as she is concerned."

Regards, Ivan


145 posted on 02/22/2005 2:21:09 PM PST by MadIvan (One blog to bring them all...and in the Darkness bind them: http://www.theringwraith.com/)
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To: MadIvan
The Queen is attending the service of dedication and paying for the reception - that is not a snub."

Not to worry there British Taxpayers, its only another thrupence hapenny on your bill.

153 posted on 02/22/2005 2:33:44 PM PST by Don Corleone (Leave the gun..take the cannoli)
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To: MadIvan
"A Palace spokeswoman said: "The Queen's prime concern is that the civil ceremony should be as low key as possible, in line with the couple's wishes."

There must be a back door to wherever the civil ceremony is going to be held. I mean, nobody HAS to know the Queen and Prince showed up, do they? They could go incognito. Wear mustaches and sunglasses. Well, they COULD. On the other hand, maybe she just really doesn't care all that much. Being a royal is such a drag. All that silly protocol to follow, castles to live in, worldwide attention. It just never stops.

156 posted on 02/22/2005 2:36:12 PM PST by Max7
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To: MadIvan

Thanks. Well done. Cheers.


182 posted on 02/22/2005 3:27:13 PM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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