The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

Romantic Celebration

.
Given the blanket media coverage currently smothering every other news item, from wars and poverty to political shenanigans, you might assume from the title of this post that I’m adding my voice to the sycophantic hysteria surrounding the announcement of a royal engagement.

Well I’m not.

So is this post to be a diatribe against monarchical hierarchies and the utter bewilderment that in the 21st Century the British still put store by the idea of birthright enabling a tiny minority to have all the status and trappings of vast wealth, power and superiority over the rest of us plebs?

No, I’ll leave that for another day.

Is it about my bafflement that the new princess-in-waiting is being declared an ordinary girl next door despite meeting her husband-to-be at an elite university and having millionaires for parents?

Not really.

Perhaps then, my real beef is with the obsequious, smarmy, kowtowing, brown-nosing reporting of this event by the cringe-worthy fawning of TV and radio presenters who clearly have an eye on their CBEs, OBEs and knighthoods when Prince Willy is crowned King and are busy trying to ingratiate themselves in the most sickeningly toadying ways possible?

Tempting. But no.

Actually, all I want to say is today Maggie and I celebrate 20 years together! And as my stepdaughter, Holly, is happy to baby-sit, we’re heading out to an Italian restaurant for a meal tonight on our own.
.

31 comments

The Lassie & Laddie said...

Congratulations! Wishing you many more, very happy days together.

Kim Ayres said...

Thank you :)

The Unbearable Banishment said...

20 Years. My God. A lot of people don't make it to 20 months. What's the secret, please?

And don't you worry about the slobbering lovey-dovey British tabloids. They'll turn on her sooner or later and have her for lunch. They always do.

Kim Ayres said...

UB - there are 4 things - the first is you both have to really want it to work above all other things.

The other 3 are communication, communication, communication :)

mapstew said...

Congrats you two! Hope you have a great evening. :¬)

Lynne said...

congrats! Isn't great to be able to look at someone across the table and still fall in love with them so many years later?

We'll be celebrating our 24th anniversary at the end of this month. again congrats to you and Maggie!

Anonymous said...

Well now- Happy anniversary to the both of you! Definitely worth something Italian! Mangia and best wishes!

Unknown said...

You say a lot while denying you are talking. I like it.

Have a wonderful evening and may you have many more.

Alice said...

Congratulations! And I love the part that your post was NOT about. Hilarious!

litzi said...

CIAO! and congratulations on 20 years!

Pat said...

Dear Kim and Maggie - I am off to the kitchen to toast a really happy pair who deserve all good things to come their way.
“Cento anni di salute e felicità !

But you are really thrilled about the wedding aren't you?
Taxi!

Frankie said...

All the best for your evening out. Congratulations, on your 20 years.

angryparsnip said...

Congratulations to you both !

cheers, parsnip

Brave Astronaut said...

Well over on this side of the pond, we got rid of your monarchs more than 200 years ago, but that doesn't mean we're not all abuzz about it.

I've noted the "event" and moved on.

As to your significant milestone, a warm and heartfelt congratulations to you and Maggie. Enjoy each other every day as I know that you do.

hope said...

Congratulations! That's what I call a newsworthy story in this day and age. Enjoy!

Ponita in Real Life said...

This is much more newsworthy than any of that other drivel!

Congrats to you and Maggie!!! Do enjoy your dinner out... and another 20 years too!

Kim Ayres said...

Mapstew - thank you, we did :)

Lynne - congrats on your forthcoming celebration! When we get to 24 years, I'll have been with Maggie for half my life :)

Starrlife - thank you :)

Carole - you noticed :)

Alice - thank you :)

Litzi- thanks :)

Pat - thank you for the toast! As for the wedding - it's lovely that a young couple wish to get married - it's the way it's reported I struggle with.

Frankie - thanks :)

Parsnip - thank you :)

Brave Astronaut - we got rid of our monarchs about 350 years ago - before any of the other western nations thought about it. However, some bright spark decided we should have them back again...

Hope - thank you :)

Ponita - thank you. We had lovely meal out :)

Vicky said...

Congratulations, I celebrate 20 years with my partner on the 30th November. But maybe not after his comment last night "some days it seems like 100 years" LOL

Mary Witzl said...

Congratulations on 20 years, Kim and Maggie -- may you have many more!

And what Carole said about your post -- terrific! I read something about Willy's girl being ordinary and had an image of a young lady from a council flat with chipped linoleum, holidays at Butlins, and a further education at the local college. Even in America, millionaires' daughters aren't ordinary.

We could show them ordinary!

Sayre said...

Congratulations to Kim and Maggie - It's wonderful when soulmates actually find each other!

Brindy said...

Congratulations. I see you managed to give the paparazzi the slip, there's been no front page reports of whether you had pasta or pizza!

AA said...

Sweet.

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

Belated happy anniversary - hope you had a lovely evening!

Jayne Martin said...

I hope you had a wonderful anniversary and I also hope William and Kate find the same happiness that you and Maggie have found.

Ron said...

Am I to assume that you will not be attending the "Wedding of the Century?"

asmita said...

Congratulations!
I like the way you created the bathos... taking the tempo up till the reader almost became sure that this is another rant against the monarchy... and then suddenly the surprise twist and a very pleasant ending!

Anonymous said...

I'm British living in Australia and I can tell you that the noise about the royal engagement here has not fell on deaf ears. It's excruciating. Every magazine, day time show, rubbish local newspaper – has found no news more relevant to Australians than Wills and Kate. Despite my rant, I wish you and Maggie all the best from Australia and hope that at some point I’ll see your 20 year celebrations on the front cover of our local rag!

Kim Ayres said...

Vicky - Congrats for the 30th! I'm sure he meant it in a positive way :)

Mary - and how exactly could you show them ordinary? Extraordinary, perhaps... :)

Sayre - thank you :)

Jacqui - It was pizza :)

Adila :)

Daphne - thank you, we did :)

Jayne - thank you :)

Ron - 'fraid not, I'll probably be washing my hair, or cutting my toenails or something...

Asmita - thank you :)

LaydeJ - fortunately the paparazzi never found our secret location for our meal out :)

Anonymous said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!! All my love to a wonderful and very talented couple!!!!!!

Falak said...

Congratulations Kim! Loved the adjectives.

Kim Ayres said...

Thank you Conny and Falak :)

All content copyright of Kim Ayres. Powered by Blogger.