Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park, said: “I want to join Richmond and Kingston residents in sending my very best wishes to the royal couple. I’m proud that our area is likely to hold more street parties than anywhere else in London, and I will be going to as many as possible. I also wish William and Kate luck. They will surely need it. Every detail of their lives together will be packaged, sold and re-sold by our newspapers, and the stress will be immense.”
Edward Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton, said: "I'm sure everyone will want to wish the royal couple the very best for their life together - as well as good luck on the day, as they try to calm their nerves! For the millions who want to share in their happiness, this will be a day to remember. For those less interested I hope they are grateful for the bank holiday!”
Jonathan Wilkes, rector of All Saints Church, Kingston, said: “Though rather exceptional, these are, actually, only two ordinary people (their blood runs no thicker than yours and mine) doing a rather extraordinary thing, because their rather public union allows us to marvel at the value of partnerships, of any kind. Not because they're always a bed of roses - but because sometimes, in fact, they are just the opposite: “for better, for worse”, they will say, “in sickness and in health”. Partnerships emphasise the value in sticking together through thick and thin - and in a world considerably thinner than it was a few years ago, that’s not such a bad subject for a Friday morning’s telly.”
Derek Osbourne, leader of Kingston Council, said: “I wish the royal couple well at the start of a new chapter of their lives. I am sure there will be a whole host of street parties and a reason for people to climb out of the gloom of the recession and have a good old fashioned piece of British patriotic fun. An event like this tends to positively unite communities in a way that few other events do.”
Councillor Chrissie Hitchcock, mayor of Kingston, said: “I would like to congratulate Prince William and Kate Middleton on their forthcoming wedding. I wish the couple every happiness in marriage and look forward to celebrating the day whilst out and about in the Royal Borough. More than thirty streets have arranged parties and I am sure that residents across the borough are looking forward to the additional bank holiday and an opportunity to celebrate the event as a community.”
Mahendra Thakar, of the Sarvoday Hindu Association “We in the Sarvoday Hindu Association convey our very warm wishes to both families. For us, this royal wedding is not just the coming together of two individuals, but the bonding of two families and the success and harmony of this marriage is therefore the duty and responsibility for all.
Members of the Hindu community will be praying to Lord Ganesh to bless both Prince William and Kate Middleton with eternal happiness, good health, wealth and continue the excellent work done by the late Princess Diana who remains in the fond memories of all, especially on this day.”
Jani Singh, Secretary General of the Sikh Association of Kingston, said: “I simply congratulate them on behalf of the Kingston Sikh Association and wish them good luck and hope in the future they do something for the community. I hope we will have another Diana. I hope they do some kind of social work that will remind us of Princess Diana. In spite of being a royal she was completely down to earth and that’s what we liked about her, and that is what we expect from a royal."
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