By Tyler Marr and Charlene Tebbutt

Despite name, limited royal fever in Prince Albert for wedding

May 18, 2018 | 5:54 PM

Millions around the world will tune in Saturday to take in the pageantry of the royal wedding, but few locals will be a part of the tally.

On the streets of Prince Albert Friday afternoon, finding someone setting their alarm for 4 a.m. was far and few between.

“Probably not,” resident Gail said. “I will see it a little bit on the news but that is about it.”

Despite her nonchalant attitude, Gail said her grandmother would have likely gotten up. She said her grandmother was an avid collector of royal books and magazines.

“I don’t know what [the interest] was but it was really kind of funny,” she said. “You would go to grandma’s and there were her royal magazines and all the royalty.”

International honours

Raiders' Kubiesa to represent Czechia at IIHF U18 Men's World Championship

36m ago

Learn the signs

How often should you change your brakes?

4h ago

Missing pet

'She means the world to our family': Woman seeks help in finding missing pet parrot

Apr 18, 2024

Just up the road, Mika likewise said she will not be crawling out of bed prior to the crack of dawn to catch a live glimpse of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Mika said she was “probably not as [excited] as she should be,” though did say she will likely catch a few highlights here and there. 

“If anything, I am the one [of my friends and family most interested] and I am not even that interested,” she said.

Even living in royally named Prince Albert, after Queen Victoria’s husband, Mika said that did not weigh on the importance of the event.

“Not especially,” she said. “We have got a lot of other issues going on.”

Anna Dinsdale was born and raised in London, England. She and her husband Ryan moved to Prince Albert in December. Anna said there is a lot of excitement back home about the royal wedding, although not everyone is happy to talk about it.  In Derbyshire, where Anna’s mother lives, people in the local pub aren’t allowed to mention the event without putting some money into a swear jar, though her brother’s children celebrated with a mock wedding at their elementary school. Many residents are hosting street parties this weekend, Dinsdale said.

“I would like to say I’m not interested at all, but it’s not true. I have to admit, it’s just really sad to say that I just can’t wait to see the dress,” she said. “And also, you’ve got to admit that Harry’s probably the favourite royal isn’t he?”

Winston van Staveron is part of the North Saskatchewan branch of the Canadian Monarchist League and said his group is excited about tomorrow’s nuptials, and they are pleased to see a Canadian connection as well. 

The children of Canadian couple Ben and Jessica Mulroney will act as page boys and a bridesmaid in the wedding party.

“The royal wedding is a good sign about the importance of the institution of marriage and the royal family. It gives a good face to political institutions in this country,” he said.

Theatres, cathedrals, libraries, hotels and banquet halls across Canada are booked for morning wedding celebration parties, with the hearty souls on the West Coast rising before dawn for the noon-hour ceremony in Great Britain.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr