Chris Jackson/Getty ImagesYou've bought the commemorative thimble. And mug. And, uh, coin (Brits are weird). Now mark your calendars to take your commemorative sick day: the sun will—or at least it better—shine a little brighter on April 29, the date Prince William has chosen to take Kate Middleton as his wife.
The wedding date of the century was announced this morning by Buckingham Palace. So where and how will this day of days be celebrated?
If you guessed Westminster Abbey, give yourself a pat on the back. But not too strong a one, since that was the location tipped since the announcement was made, and princess-to-be Kate was spotted touring the facility in the wee hours just last week. It is also the 1,000-year-old steeped in tradition site where Lady Diana's funeral was held.
Incidentally, while Wills decided to buck any supposed curse and pop the question with his late mother engagement ring, that's where the similarities between his wedding and his parents' ill-fated wedding will end. William and Kate are said to have decided early on against tying the knot at St. Paul's Cathedral, which is where then-Princess Di and Prince Charles got hitched—in front of the world—back in 1981.
As for April 29, that too is not exactly a surprise date, as the ever privacy-respecting British press (ahem) had sussed out that William had requested time off from his military duties that week. It also just so happens to be the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena with whom Catherine "Kate" Middleton shares a name, and while that's a nice coincidence (for the press), it had nothing to do with their decision of a date.
And there's more good news for Britains: the U.K. has seen fit to make the wedding day a public holiday, allowing the masses to fully revel in the pomp and circumstance of the day. Or at least give them a few extra hours in which to secure a prime viewing spot along the streets leading into Westminster.
The rest of the royal-watching world, however, will have to push out their best fake cough that day in order to watch the festivities, which we can only assume will be a spectacle broadcast for all the world to see.
For those less concerned with romance and more concerned with practicality, you'll be happy to know that the royal wedding won't be a burden on U.K. taxpayers, as the cost (at least for a royal) of renting the hallowed abbey is free, and that Prince Charles and the Middleton family are ponying up for security and all additional fees.
For those more concerned with Kate's dress than, well, anything else (and that's everyone who helped sell-out her engagement announcement number), no designer has yet been chosen.