A Royal Headache

 
Words: 524 words

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding faces disruption from radical elements of the public. Buckingham Palace is keeping its nerve. Indeed, the royal wedding of the decade may experience some turbulence. And we are not talking about the capricious and unpredictable British weather!
On 29^th April, in “the biggest TV event with an audience of 4 billion people” according to Euromonitor International, His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales will marry Miss Catherine Middleton, a commoner. Without stuttering, they will say: “I do”, the British way to commit to reciprocal love and trust.
Love and trust they will need, and not only from each other!
The London Metropolitan Police and Westminster Council will not comment at this stage regarding arrangements, and strikes. The capital will be on high alert and the St James area closed 24 hours before
the Rolls-Royce Phantom VI carrying Miss Middleton reaches Westminster Abbey.
The most hated Londoner, according to the city newspaper The Evening Standard, Bob Crow from the RMT, has called for coordinated strike action and civil disobedience in protest at the Government’s planned job cuts without giving a specific date.
The potential strikes may turn the fairy tale into a 29/4 British day of misery: no underground services, grid-locked streets, overloaded police and medical services, and potential student disruption of the royal procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.
The ASLEF (tube drivers) representative, Craig Smith, denies such action: “it was pure invention from one of your hacks and it went snowballing”. Geoff Martin for the LMU (tube workers) was categorical: “we never ever mentioned that we will strike for the wedding”. At other unions’ offices (firemen, students, BA), the same tune is de vigueur: “No strike on 29th!”
But, are the unions taken over by their basis?
On the Victoria line –carrying 4 million travellers a day and serving the main London sites-, a worker behind the ticket barrier, Ahmed Patel, says that “a strike will show them how we are treated. And some drivers may take a sickie [a day off for medical reasons].”
James, a Geography student -as HRH Prince William was at Edinburgh University- from Westminster University, declares: “we cannot agree that William didn’t pay any university fees. I am facing a steep £9,000 [equiv. USD15,000] a year from 2012! Is this democracy? We are ready for any action on
29^th April!”
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty (“the Quality Royal Magazine”), has 45 years’ experience of glam and celebrity weddings.
Wearing tweed and tie, the very British gentleman from his office on Charlotte Street, above a newsagent corner shop run by a Pakistani, explains why the unions will not strike. “The British public will be outraged! And it will be a catastrophic PR exercise by the unions! Will and Kate’s wedding is a break from tradition. A new royal generation!”
Whatever the weather, strikes, transport troubles, the London Pearly Kings and Queens Club will do the necessary for a “perfect day”. With “the shiniest and most elaborate outfits”, their old-fashioned elderly ladies and gentlemen members will play an active part in the wedding by raising money for charities.
John Waters, Pearly King of Highbury, doesn’t lose his British impassive way: “We will go on
shanks’s pony [Queen’s English for walking]. Nothing will stop us from enjoying our future King
and Queen’s wedding! All of those threats are porky pies! [lies in Cockney slang]”.
Buckingham Palace and Clarence House -Princes Charles and William official’s offices- may feel relief hearing that.

Short appendix for further development involving multimedia and social media.

Multimedia:
-Short animation showing Catherine Middleton’s Rolls-Royce through the street of St James
-Graphics showing London’s areas affected with no-go zones and closed streets
-Short animation showing the procession and arrangements from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace
-Showing interviews with the London Pearly Kings and Queens Club Members in their full attire
-Live link with people queueing overnight for best views
-Biographies and history of PW and CM relationship
-Short animation showing how strikers could disrupt the day with the most strategic points
-Showing interviews with masked students saying that they will attack the convoy
-Develop iPad app for royal agenda
Social Media:
-Create 1 x Twitter account for live reporting on wedding (managed by Joe Little of Majesty Magazine)
-Create 1 x Twitter account for tips for best places to see and be seen (managed by Joe Little of Majesty Magazine)
-Create 1 x Facebook club for PM and CM’s wedding support and book of best wishes + other apps
-Create 1 x Facebook club for gossips starting with: “Is Kate pregnant?”
-Create 1 x MySpace club as above
-Create a poll for social networks: “For or Against the wedding”
-Create account on YouTube and similars for uploading the wedding videos with a prize for the best video
-Create an account on Flickr and similars for uploading the wedding pictures with a prize for the best video
All:
-Create interlinks between multimedia and social networks