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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    A Royal Wedding in an Age of Austerity

    With two billion people watching around the world, Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today. Among very few surprises were two kisses instead of one a white dress on the bride's sister and the Prime Minister's wife attending without a hat.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    With two billion people watching around the world, Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today. Among very few surprises were two kisses instead of one a white dress on the bride's sister and the Prime Minister's wife attending without a hat. Some British leftists are refusing to celebrate the marriage of the future King and Queen Consort. There's even a button with the image of a small crown and the slogan, "Stuff the wedding, fight the cuts." What's the attraction of an event with only symbolic importance? With record austerity measures just setting in, was it worth some $80 million? We hear from supporters and skeptics about the British monarchy and the echoes of empire in the modern world.

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      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

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      Frances Anderton

      architecture critic and author

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      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

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      Darrell Satzman

      Producer

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      Sarah Lyall

      author of "The Angle Files: A Field Guide to the British,” and New York Times reporter

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      Barbara Hay

      Her Majesty's Consul General

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jonathan Freedland

      Guardian newspaper

      NewsNationalPolitics
    Back to To the Point