(Editor’s Note: This article is by Caroline Morrow ’12, reporting from London)
On April 29, I was one of the million people — Britons, tourists, and journalists from around the world — who filled the streets outside Westminster Abbey and gathered in pubs and parks across the city to celebrate the extravaganza that was Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal wedding.
But rather than just a fan, I was a working journalist, braving the
hordes to seek quotes, colorful anecdotes, and anything else I could
find as an intern with The Associated Press.
As part of the London Economics Study Group, I’m spending the last three weeks of the semester working with Sheila Norman-Culp ’80, the AP’s European news supervisor. So while other members of the study groups enjoyed a national holiday, for me the pressure was on. Nearly 8,000 journalists were in town, and they were all more experienced than me.
Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer — I took them all on.
Sheila warned me that it would be one of the busiest media weeks of the year, so I had read up on everything wedding related. From the trashy tabloids to the royal blogs, I had the inside scoop on the Wills and Kate fairytale.
I spent my first day on the job — the Tuesday before the wedding — outside Westminster Abbey, interviewing die-hard fans already camped out in the cold. I snagged the story of the morning when I made my way through dozens of press people and got a few words with John Loughrey, a self-proclaimed royal “super-fan.”
Loughrey was the first to stake out a front-row seat for the big occasion and told me the day would be “fantastic for everyone.”
When I arrived early at the London bureau on Friday, the staffers were ready for a wedding, outfitted with top hats and tiaras. I reported the latest news to anxious editors: Was that a smile on Victoria Beckham’s face? What shade of yellow is the queen wearing? Can we get hold of dress designer Sarah Burton? These were buzzing questions that needed answers quickly. It was a busy start to the day, to say the least.
The story didn’t end when the newlyweds exited the abbey. Crowds waved their union jacks with pride and celebrated on the streets, in true British fashion. I attended one of 800 street parties in London, where I spoke with locals who believed the wedding was a great way for people of all nationalities to come together … and have a few pints before noon.
While the celebrations in London could not be beat, the wedding was watched across the globe, so I had a feeling my hard work would be seen back home. The AP is the world’s oldest news agency, with a daily estimated audience of two billion people. At the end of a long day, I was proud to see my name on a contributor’s byline.
While it’s “back to reality now” for the AP, I’m still enjoying taking it all in. And maybe I’ll be the first to let you know when a little prince or princess is on its way.