The papers the day of the wedding.

Well not really.  That wedding is on and the whole country has been given the day off and intends to make the most of it.  The team at Peers Drive, Aspley Guise are heading to the local village of Woburn (in the shadow of Woburn Abbey) to watch the wedding at the Black Horse pub.

The pub had gone out of it’s way to make people welcome and when we arrived it was full of locals – some dressed in their best frocks and hats or Sunday suits – watching proceedings on the big TV mounted in the corner of the bar.

Jean explaining the nuances of the dress to 11 year old Josh.

Once again the English proclivity for patriotism and pomp and circumstance meant the whole pub joined in to sing Jerusalem and God Save the Queen.

Union Jack flags, hats and bowties were handed out to anyone who wanted to look suitably silly.  And the plastic tiaras went down a treat with our ladies, as did many glasses champagne, of course.

The lads tended to show their support for the wedding from a distance – the length of the bar to be precise – and marked significant milestones in the ceremony with a series of celebratory pints.

Locals enjoying the show. Although the Queen Mum doesn't look too happy.

We ended the day with lunch at the pub and then home for endless TV replays and a wee sleep on the couch.  Lovely.

Footnote: apparently 23 million Britons watched the wedding which, by my calculation, is about 1 in 3 people in the British Isles.