Wedding Mascots

I thought you might like to meet the two youngest members of Friday's pageantry. Above is the regimental mascot of the Irish Guards, a two-year-old Irish wolfhound named Conmael (title link). Prince William is Colonel of the Irish Guards and wore his colonel's uniform for his wedding. Inset is three-year-old bridesmaid Grace van Cutsem, who managed to look grumpy throughout the day. She was overawed by the occasion. The roar of the crowd when William kissed Kate made her put her hands over her ears. It was good to see both Kate and Pippa fussing over her at different times of the day. Grace, the daughter of Hugh Van Cutsem and Rose Astor, is William's god-daughter. Her uncle Nicholas van Cutsem is a major with the Household Cavalry; he led the mounted guard which escorted the newly weds' carriage from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. It's all wheels within wheels in the royal circle.