DVD Review – The Royal Wedding: William and Catherine

I didn’t feel terribly sentimental about the Royal Wedding. I could recognize that Kate Middleton was very beautiful, but beyond that I didn’t really care to listen to all the hubbub surrounding the massive event, which occurred on April 29. It was nice for them, I thought, but I wasn’t particularly invested in their wedding (after all, it was theirs, not mine). I didn’t watch it when it aired on BBC America. In fact, I only watched it for the first time recently, when preparing to review the DVD release that’s occurring on Tuesday (6/7).

Of course, this DVD is only going to be bought by the people who watched the wedding live. It’s intended for the historians and the anglophiles, and those who wish to have a little slice of history preserved on DVD. More moderate fans of the Royals  might be asking is, “Is it worth the buy?” I’d actually say yes.

There’s nothing here that didn’t air on the television back in April. In fact, it’s the entire broadcast from the wedding day, starting before anyone had shown up to the wedding and ending just after the couple’s balcony appearance. The DVD describes events as “breathtaking.” I wouldn’t go that far — it’s quite a nice (if long and tradition-filled) ceremony, but I didn’t feel terribly overwhelmed by the entire thing. I checked, and I don’t think I uttered a single ‘awwww.’

The ceremony isn’t the best part of the DVD. The documentary William & Kate – A Royal Engagement is also included on the set, and it’s much more entertaining and informative. Broadcast before the wedding, it’s a good starter course to the actual thing. It features interviews with William and Kate’s friends, as well as people like Piers Morgan (who tells a pretty funny story concerning a thirteen-year-old William reminding his mother that he does drink alcohol).

Is the set going to really appeal to someone who wasn’t terribly invested in the Royal Wedding when it happened? Of course not. But for those who were invested — those who watched the kiss (and the second kiss) on the balcony and felt something akin to elation — this is a set I’m sure you’ll cherish.

The DVD’s price over at Amazon is also pretty enticing, at an inexpensive $5.49. You can pre-order it there. The Royal Wedding: William and Catherine hits shelves on Tuesday (6/7).