Hoosiers celebrate royal wedding

It was estimated that one-third of the entire world watched this morning as Prince William and Kate Middleton sealed their wedding vows at a fairytale wedding in Westminster Abbey. To put it in perspective, 20 times more people watched the royal wedding than watch the Super Bowl (the most-watched event in the world). Why were Hoosiers willing to wake at 4 a.m. to watch the wedding of someone they had never met? What can such a historical event teach us about ourselves and the world around us?

There are exactly 4,000 miles separating Indianapolis from Westminster Abbey, but that didn’t stop Indiana Humanities CEO and President, Keira Amstutz, from waking to view the wedding with her two daughters and husband. In true British style, the family had their own miniature party serving tea and scones. Amstutz said, “It’s events like this that make us truly understand what it means to be human. We may not live in the United Kingdom, but we can still join in the worldwide celebration and learn more about Great Britain’s monarchial traditions and history.”
 
The traditions and celebrations of other cultures may not always have a direct connection to Hoosiers or more broadly, Americans, but there is something human and innate about finding new opportunities to celebrate the happiness of others.