This week our columnist Ruth Wishart looks back at the royal wedding - and gives her good wishes to the new Countess of Dumbarton.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

OK, I watched it. Of course I did.

Even lifelong republicans are suckers for a good old fashioned love match, especially when the bride has an interesting back story and the groom gives a decent impersonation of a human being whom everyone over 35 still remembers as the little boy forced to march behind his mother’s coffin.

And there were unusual TV highlights – not least the expressions on the faces of Harry’s relatives as Bishop Michael Curry did the full-on 'preacher man' number.

If you’ve been brought up on the discreet cadences of Anglican priests, it must have been a bit of a shock to hear a member of that same church turn up and give it laldy.

I thought he was pure dead brilliant, and I’m a heathen.

More reasons to be cheerful came on the royal website who introduced the latest Duchess as someone “proud to be a woman and a feminist”.

You go, girl. Don’t let those anally retentive new rellies grind you down, and most especially don’t give the protocol police any reason to get ideas above their station.

Stick with the ripped jeans, unapologetic freckles, and sound humanitarian instincts.

I know there’s just the one of you, and thousands of sycophants at every turn, but I’m guessing, and hoping, you’re not the in the market to be made over as the demure, forelock tugging woman you’re clearly not.