Page 33 - WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE DISCOVERING ENGLAND

Left: The main entrance of Westminster
Abbey on a clear day. Right: The Abbey
with Big Ben in the foreground.

pphoto by Tebbits

in World War I, she spontaneously placed her bouquet there 12 adults and some 30 charming young boys who are in residence
following her wedding ceremony to Prince Albert (later King here, attending the Westminster Abbey Choir School. For those
George VI—of “The King’s Speech” fame). able to attend a church service or organ concert, it’s well worth
it—and free.
Since then royal weddings have included televised broadcasts
of Princess Elizabeth’s (now the queen) to Lt. Philip Mount- I often wonder, what is it about the British monarchy—espe-
batten (later Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh) in 1947; Prin- cially the royal weddings--that causes Americans to go nuts with
cess Margaret’s to Antony Armstrong-Jones (later Earl of excitement? Our history lessons—rather brief in comparison-
Snowdon) in 1960; Princess Anne’s to Capt. Mark Phillips in -remind us that just over 200 years ago we fought England so
1973, and Prince Andrew’s to Sarah Ferguson in 1986. we wouldn’t have to be ruled by monarchy; we chose to elect
our presidents instead.
I never tire of touring Westminster Abbey—seeing the gor-
geous stained glass windows, magnificent marble statues and Nevertheless, there’s still a certain mystique and intrigue that we
art, or the Waterford crystal chandeliers, which were a gift have with the British royal family—and their 1,000-year history.
from the Guinness family for the Abbey's 900th anniversary
in 1965. Over 3,000 people are buried here, and there are I have faithfully followed the British monarchy since third grade,
when, following a fairy tale bedtime story, I had asked my mom
over 600 tombs and marble monuments—including burial if there were any real kings or queens or princesses living in the
vaults of Edward the Confessor, Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, world today.
Queen of Scots. King George II was the last of 17 monarchs
to be buried here—in 1760. Due to lack of space in the Abbey, She told me about Queen Elizabeth II, who had a daughter named
royals now are buried at Windsor. Princess Anne, about my age.

So I excitedly wrote the princess a letter, telling her how much I
Several times I’ve attended church services and organ concerts
in the Abbey, sometimes sitting in the Nave—or in the Poets’ thought we had in common—that I, too, was a Girl Scout and also
Corner in the South Transept, gazing at the famous names of had a baby brother!
those buried here, including Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dick- Not long after I had a reply on Windsor Castle letterhead from
ens, Rudyard Kipling. Once during a Sunday service I luckily sat the queen’s lady-in-waiting, stating that she was writing “at the
close to the famed Choir of Westminster Abbey, comprised of Queen’s command” to thank me for writing to her daughter.

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