Lifetime Movie Alert: William and Kate

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been as obsessed about the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton as I was many decades ago when Prince Charles and Lady Diana tied the knot.  I still remember that fairytale processional as if it were yesterday.  I was 10 years old and I was totally mesmerized watching a young woman transformed into a real life princess on national television.

Sadly, I also remember exactly where I was the weekend Princess Diana died after being chased by the paparazzi.  My husband and I had been married for one year and were vacationing with my in-laws.  We had stayed up late riveted by the news reports that Diana had been involved in a serious car accident, and a few hours later, we woke up to learn that she had died. Though I didn’t know her, I felt incredibly sad for Diana's family - especially her two sons, William and Harry, who had to face the rest of their childhood without their mom by their side.

Fast forward more than a decade, and now Diana’s incredibly responsible eldest son, William, is about to wed his college sweetheart, Kate Middleton.  Perhaps now that I’ve got two kids who typically hijack my copy of People Magazine, I really haven’t had time to follow their courtship too closely.   However, when I received a preview of Lifetime Television’s original movie “William and Kate,” which premieres April 18 at 9PM ET/PT, I have to admit, I was instantly hooked.

The  film  chronicles  the  relationship  of William (Nico Ever-Swindell) and Kate (Camilla Luddington) -- from the moment they met at Scotland’s prestigious University of St. Andrews, through the ups and downs of their nine-year courtship complicated by social and Royal Family pressures, and intense global media attention surrounding their storybook nuptials.  

The moment we meet Kate, we can see why William instantly fell for her.  She’s a headstrong, confident and gorgeous young woman who initially wants to keep her relationship with the Prince platonic (at the beginning of the movie, she has a boyfriend).  However, once she breaks off her relationship, the Prince makes his move and Kate falls head over heels for him...honestly, who wouldn’t?


The film also touches upon the tension the couple faced when Kate was thrust into the public eye.  At first, William tries to shield her from the paparazzi so that she can escape the fate that his own mother faced because she was not given protection from the royal family after her divorce from his father. Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t react well to being ignored publicly by the Prince, and afraid he may lose her, William decides to share their relationship with the media  - forever changing Kate’s ordinary life and turning it into a real life fairytale and at times, a living nightmare.

I also loved the portrayal of Kate’s family - who appear incredibly down to earth, fun-loving and supportive of their daughter and her relationship with the prince.  It’s truly a Cinderella story that will leave any hopeless romantic (guilty as charged) reaching for a box of tissues at the end of the film.

William & Kate also stars Ben Cross (Star Trek, Chariots of Fire) as Prince Charles, Serena Scott-Thomas (The World Is Not Enough) as Carole Middleton, Richard Reid (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) as Derek and Victoria Tennant (L.A. Story) as Celia.

Immediately following “William & Kate,” Lifetime will debut the first of six one-hour episodes of the documentary series Royal Wedding of a Lifetime at 11PM  ET/PT.    The  program will examine the history of William and Kate’s romance and run-up to their wedding, comparisons of Kate to Princess Diana, the wedding gown and fashion surrounding the nuptials, cuisine  for the high-profile event, a preview of the wedding day and a glimpse into their future together.  After launch, the remaining one-hour episodes of Royal Wedding of a Lifetime will air from 8 to 11PM.

So get ready for a crash course on the young royals just in time for what promises to be the wedding of the decade!