Day 6 the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Let's just say we did not get a lot of sleep.  It was cold but I was snug as a bug in a rug ..except for when I had to go to the loo in the middle of the night.

Susan, Sarah, and I were up early, before 6 -- and Christine joined us as she traveled on the first train from London.    Spencer from the hotdog stand brought breakfast - bacon butties.

I ate my breakfast in full view of Windsor Castle.

It was about 9 a.m,. that we learned that the Queen created Harry as Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton, and Baron Kilkeel.    We cleaned up our area to make sure we would not lose the cherished position by the barriers.  Police lined the route and armed officers with huge guns walked up and down the Long Walk.

A band began playing American and British music.  Police danced and we sang.  Someone started the wave from the top of the Long Walk to the turn.

Another warm day.  Changed out of the long sleeve shirt to my Harry and Meghan t-shirt.  I also bought a Harry and Meghan baseball cap.

The bar opened at 10.   Susan got the drinks.  A Pimms cup for me.  Lovely.

The huge TV screens were turned on and we would cheer for different guests.  Oprah?  Yes. Ophrah.   The coverage then switched to Cliveden, just across the river from Maidenhead, where Meghan and her mother stayed on Friday night.  Once a royal residence and then the home of Lord and Lady Astor (Nancy Langhorne of Danville, Virginia).  Lady Astor was the first female member of Parliament to take her seat.   Cliveden, now a posh hotel, was the perfect place for Meghan Markle, to spend her final night as a single woman.

The cameras and photographers were focused on the 1950 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV that brought Miss Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland from Cliveden to Windsor.  As the helicopter hovered over, we knew the bride was getting closer.  We could see on the screen that the car had entered the Long Walk, the cheers rippling up toward us as the car approached.

Tears were coming down my face as the car drove by.  So happy for our girl.

We were glued to the TV set, cheering and applauding at different times during the service.  I cried when the Prince of Wales stepped out in the quire to accompany Meghan down the aisle to the altar.   Harry said, "Thank you, Pa."

Loved, love Bishop Curry's address - Fire and love.   Loved the Gospel Choir.

You could hear the entire crowd of 140, 000 from Castle Hill to the Long Walk cheer when the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounced Harry and Meghan as man and wife.

I knew they would kiss at the top of the stairs before heading down to the carriage for the carriage procession through the town to the Long Walk and back to Windsor Castle.

And then it was all over.  The newlyweds were back in the castle for their first reception.  A second reception, hosted by the Prince of Wales, was held in the evening at Frogmore House.

Susan and I decided to move to the shade.  Christine was already there.  Sarah had left to meet other friends.  We were in no rush as so many people would be trying to catch trains from Windsor's two stations. Susan went to one of the stands and got fries, which we shared.   Eventually, we were able to get out of the area and to High Street.  I took our sleeping bags, blankets, and the chair that I had bought the previous day, and brought them to the local Anglican church to donate to the homeless.  I was grateful to see that other people had done the same thing.


Susan and I walked a bit to meet up with her husband.  We had a beer at one pub, but as it was not serving food, we found another place.

We did a little more shopping and then Susan and I said goodbye, promising to keep in touch - we will -- as Susan and her husband headed to their BnB in Datchet and I was catching the train to Slough, then to Maidenhead.

The line was still long but moved fast.  Staff handed out bottles of water in Windsor and in Slough.  Got back to Maidenhead and then decided to go for a walk by the Thames.

This was followed by a relaxing shower ... and I think I was in bed before ten p.m.

I am so glad that I decided that I did not want to watch the wedding from the comfort of my couch.   This was so much better, celebrating in Windsor.

with Lynne Bell

Sarah, Marlene, Susan & Christine

Marlene and Christopher Barnes.

Marlene, Christopher, and Sarah Barnes -- we did Andrew's wedding in 1986

even with all that protection, the police have a sense of humor

Here comes the bride

A refreshing beer in the Queen Victoria Pub

The Thames