She did look good

So Charles has married his Camilla. I confess: I watched the whole thing from start to finish – using the time between the civil and the church ceremonies to nip down the road on my bike to the Saturday fish market. I was back just in time, 3pm, to see the Royals arriving at St George’s Chapel (one of the loveliest churches in all England, by the way).

Second confession: I’ve begun to accept her. I have to say, she did look good – even if she was a little awkward. The designers did a fine job on that wedding gown.

Will she regret it, was the question I asked myself throughout. Charles appeared mildly miserable, as usual, and – apart from turning the pages of the service book for her – seemed to pay little attention to her during the blessing. We weren’t given close-up shots of their faces but I didn’t see his head turn even slightly. She clearly didn’t know what to do with the bouquet and, although I could see it via TV better than he could, it took a while for him to help her out of her predicament. (You could almost see the thought going through her head: “what do I do with this bloody bouquet?”).

Charles, in my view, just wasn’t there. Absent, twiddling his thumbs – literally – for much of the ceremony. Was it too much, being back in church, on his knees next to the bride? A little too close to the bone?

I looked at Camilla, stuck there in the church, left to struggle on her own to do the right thing, and I felt a chill, sensed an invisible veil of isolation descend upon her. Now, I thought, now she’s starting to feel what Diana felt. The same chill again, later, on the steps as the Queen – beaming to her subjects – gave not a single sign of acknowledgement in her direction before stepping into the car and going home to watch the races. You’ve joined The Firm now, girl, hold on to your head and don’t trip over those steps…

Ironic, that her life’s path should take her along this route where she now will experience at least some of the trials that Di went through. And if she does well and the public warms to her – as I think we might – Charlie Boy will again run up against the green-eyed monster, waving at him and pointing out ‘she does it better than you’. It’s going to be interesting. Life’s a school…

I let Diana rest now. I’ll bury the memory of Camilla the Rottweiler. C&C have confessed to their ‘sins and wickedness’, He Up There has forgiven and blessed them via the Church of England so I should give them a chance.

Just pray the Queen lives to be 110….