There is no doubt that April 29, 2011, the day of the Royal wedding between Prince William and Miss Catherine (Kate) Middleton, was a day to remember.
Like many of the millions of people across the globe, I was both enjoying the glorious sunshine and the beautiful tableau unfolding before my gaze, as the Royal wedding took place.
I could not help but wonder the extensive measures the organisers must have taken, in putting all of the arrangements in place. They thought crossed my mind, were any of them PRINCE2 Practitioners? What models, concepts, and techniques had they used in the comprehensive organisation and coordination they done?
When you think about it, there are certain aspects which lend themselves immediately to being based on structured project management principles.
- What was the justification behind them getting married?
- Who were the decision-makers?
- What budget had been committed to these very high profile event?
- Had they learned from the wedding of Princess Diana?
- Had everyone been appraised of their role and duties?
- Did they function together effectively as a team?
- Was there a comprehensive internal and external communications plan and stakeholder engagement strategy in place?
- Had an Investment Appraisal carried out?
- What were the benefits to the nation?
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left Buckingham Palace for Clarence House in the convertible Aston Martin Volante DB6 MKII in Seychelles blue, owned by his father HRH the Prince of Wales. More than five military bands were stationed at various points along the route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, each of them mandated to provide tunes, pop songs and singing along ditties to the crowds who had lined the wedding route.
General Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, said: “I am delighted that so many members of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces have the opportunity to be part of The Royal Wedding. It is a huge honour for those servicemen and women taking part and one that they and their families will remember with great pride. They reflect the sentiments of the whole of the Armed Forces who share their pride in supporting this national celebration."
“For those in the Path Lining party it will be a particular and poignant honour as many will have served alongside Prince William, and I am sure they will take great delight in being among the first to see His Royal Highness alongside his new bride.”
When details of the various military and non-military personnel involved in supporting the Royal wedding celebrations are given at the end of this blog.
As the Royal family listened to the Bishop of London in Westminster Abbey giving his sermon, with everyone seated in their various positions, with the security personnel firmly in place but out of sight of the public, with the commentators having received their briefing notes and giving a full commentary on the proceedings step by step, it was clear to see that the organisational aspects had been conducted very well and that the project plan created for this occasion, must have been very detailed indeed.
On 28th of April 2011 the press secretary to the Queen issued this is part of the full statement:
The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince William of Wales. His titles will be Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.
Prince William thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Miss Catherine Middleton on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.
Personnel involved in the Royal wedding were: (details taken from http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/blog/2011/April/1/The-role-of-the-Armed-Forces-in-the-wedding-of-Prince-William-and-Catherine-Middleton)
The military elements involved are:
QUEEN’S GUARD:
The 1st Battalion Irish Guards will be providing the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and the Tower of London throughout the day. The Guard will turn out for the departure of the Royal Family from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
GUARD OF HONOUR:
A Guard of Honour comprising three officers and 101 other ranks from the Welsh Guards will be positioned in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace for the return of the members of the Royal Family.
STREET LINERS:
More than 1,000 military personnel and military musicians will line the route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. They will be made up of officers and other ranks from:
Royal Navy:
HMS Astute, HMS Campbeltown, HMS Chatham, HMS Cumberland, HMS Daring, HMS Dauntless, HMS Diamond, HMS Edinburgh, HMS Gloucester, HMS Illustrious, HMS Liverpool, HMS Monmouth, HMS Montrose, HMS Neptune, HMS Northumberland, HMS Vanguard, HMS York, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, elements from Fleet Headquarters and Defence Equipment and Support, Bristol.
Army:
Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards, 7 Company Coldstream Guards, F Company Scots Guards, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, 2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
Royal Air Force:
RAF Benson, RAF Boulmer, RAF Chicksands, RAF Coningsby, RAF Cosford, RAF Cottesmore, RAF Cranwell, RAF Digby, RAF Fylingdales, RAF Halton, RAF High Wycombe, RAF Honington, RAF Kinloss, RAF Leeming, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Lyneham, RAF Marham, RAF Odiham, RAF personnel from Permanent Joint Headquarters Northwood, RAF Scampton, RAF Shawbury, RAF St Athan, RAF Swanwick, RAF Valley, RAF Waddington, RAF Wittering, Queen's Colour Squadron, Defence School of Languages Beaconsfield, Joint Service Unit Cheltenham, Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit Northallerton, MOD Hospital Unit Peterborough, MOD Abbeywood, RAF personnel from the Defence College of Policing and Guarding, Southwick Park.
BANDS AND MUSICIANS:
Royal Navy:
The Royal Marines Band, Collingwood, located at Parliament Square.
Army:
On the forecourt of Buckingham Palace - the Band of Welsh Guards.
Along the route - the Band of Grenadier Guards at Marlborough Road; the Band of Coldstream Guards at Duke of York Steps; the Band of Scots Guards and the Corps of Drums, The Welsh Guards at Horse Guards; and the Corps of Drums, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment by the Cenotaph.
Inside Westminster Abbey – Eight Household Cavalry State Trumpeters, drawn equally from the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals.
Royal Air Force:
Along the route – The Central Band of the RAF, located at Horse Guards Avenue/Whitehall.
Inside Westminster Abbey – Eight RAF Fanfare Trumpeters.
PATH LINING OUTSIDE WESTMINSTER ABBEY AFTER SERVICE:
Personnel from each of the three Services will form a Path Lining party for when the couple leave Westminster Abbey. They are being chosen from a combination of those with a personal connection to Prince William, and those who have given an outstanding contribution to their Service.
SOVEREIGN’S ESCORT AND CAPTAIN’S ESCORT
The Life Guards and Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will form a Sovereign’s Escort for Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, and a Captain’s Escort for the Bride and Groom, as the wedding party travels to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey. This will involve some 160 horses.
FLYPAST:
At 1330 a flypast will take place over Buckingham Palace. This will consist of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight‘s Lancaster, a Spitfire and a Hurricane; followed 30 seconds later by two Typhoons and two Tornado GR4s in box formation.
Military involved on the day will wear their respective Service ceremonial clothing.
Other members of the Armed Forces have received invitations to attend the wedding service in a private capacity.
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