In addition to the plethora of souvenir tea cups, tea towels and t-shirts, royal weddings traditionally spawn a publishing boom. Almost two months after the nuptials of Prince William and Catherine, the books and special editions of magazines are hitting the shelves. Visit your Library and read about the latest royal courtship and wedding, and reminisce about those in the past.
“William a
nd Catherine: A Royal Wedding” by Andrew Morton was the first royal wedding book to hit the shelves this year. Filled with photos of the big day, as well as glimpses in to William and Catherine’s early years, this book provides a complete picture of both the couple and the event.
“The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton”, published by Life Books, does not include any photos from the actual wedding day, as it came out before the event. It does however document the lives of William and Kate, in words and a nice variety of pictures of the couple and their families.People Magazine published a Special Collector’s Issue on May 16, 2011, featuring the Royal Wedding. It includes all the official wedding portraits and much more. One article of note is “a guide to the princes’ dashing military attire” which explains the ornate details of William and Harry’s dress uniforms. The May 9, 2011 edition of Newsweek includes a slightly cynical account of the wedding by Tina Brown, as well as a helpfully labelled photo of the wedding party on the balcony.
“Ch
arles & Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair” by Gyles Brandreth chronicles the romance that led to their wedding on April 9, 2005. This “riveting, gossipy and touching” (Mail on Sunday) book takes the reader through the controversial relationship from its most early days, to the wedding. It includes many pictures.“Edward & Sophie: A Royal Wedding” by Judy Parkinson, begins with the story of the engagement of the Queen’s youngest son. This book goes on to profile the bride and groom, and ends with photos from their wedding day, June 19, 1999. It is interesting to compare fashions and styles of members of the royal family as you review royal weddings past.
“Debrett’s Book of the Royal Wedding” by Hugo Vickers was written in celebration of Prince Charles’ and Lady Diana Spencer’s wedding. Like the Life book about William and Kate, it was published before the actual wedding day, so does not include wedding pictures. “Charles and Diana: The tenth anniversary” by Brian Hoey does feature a few photos from their wedding, along with a varied collection of images of the couple and young princes.
“Elizabeth and Philip: The Untold Story of the Queen of England and Her Prince” by Charles Higham and Roy Moseley provides a history rich with detail and well documented sources. This is recommended reading for a full understanding of the role and development of the Royal Family.
Back to th
e latest royal nuptials, “Knit Your Own Royal Wedding” by Fiona Goble is a delightful book to look at, even if you don’t knit! Patterns include all the key players from the latest royal wedding, from the bride and groom to a corgi.For more levity and a unique view of William and Catherine’s big day, take a look at The People’s Royal Wedding Album on the photo sharing site Flickr (www.flickr.com/groups/peoplesroyalwedding). Browsing this collection of photos gives you a taste of what it was like to be on the streets of London on April 29, 2011.
Joanna Aegard, Head of Virtual Services
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