English royal weddings seem to fascinate even the most jaded Americans. These spectacles provide a chance to see a bit of a fairy tale come to life, with pomp and ceremony, historical jewels, magnificent wedding gifts, and cathedrals and great palaces. Royal weddings have evolved from medieval ceremonies that cemented dynastic national alliances to private ceremonies witnessed by close family members and courtiers to spectacles watched by millions on television. Mr. DiCamillo will look at English royal weddings, the events and places associated with them, and the wedding couples during the last eight centuries. Going back as early as the wedding of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152 and up to rebirth of the pageantry of the English royal wedding with the 2011 ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton, this lecture will feature a slice of English history with lots of glamour and great stories.
Presented by Curt DiCamillo, historian, curator of special collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Tickets available first-come, first-serve on the day of the lecture at the Welcome Center. The audience is invited to bring a lunch to enjoy during the program. Free coffee available. Cookies provided courtesy of Big Y.
