You probably aren’t invited to the royal wedding.
But you are invited to celebrate the extravagant nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton at one of the most royal locations in the Northwest: the century-old Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C.
The Empress will observe the grand pageantry with a Rise & Shine With the Royals Breakfast from 3 a.m. to 11 a.m. April 29.
Royalty fans can watch the entire event on big-screen TVs in the tea lobby, where a full English breakfast buffet will be served with eggs cooked to order, kippers, baked beans, fried bread, fruit and pastries.
Tickets are $39.
Because of the early hours of the televised event, guests will be allowed to wear their pajamas under their white, cozy, hotel-supplied robes, a departure from the usual tea-room dress code of “casually elegant.”
You’ll probably want to book a room at the Empress for the night of April 28 in order to make the wedding. Basic rooms start around $150 a night.
Contact the Empress at 866-540-4429 or www.fairmont.com/empress for reservations.
If you’d like skip the drive, you can pick up the Victoria Clipper passenger ferry in Seattle.
Clipper Vacations is offering a package deal for $188 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip transportation between Seattle and Victoria on the Clipper, an overnight stay at the Empress, admission to the royal breakfast, late checkout and taxes.
Call 800-888-2535 or see www.clippervacations.com to book a trip.
The Empress is celebrating the royal wedding with special events all month including a Royal Subjects Picnic and Tea from noon to 3 p.m., April 29, on the hotel’s front lawn.
Afternoon tea to-go meals will cost about $20 and include a cup of tea, a traditional scone, cream, jam, tea sandwiches, pastries and a flag.
Visitors are asked to provide their own picnic blankets. They are invited to wear their best hats and dress up their dogs for a best-dressed doggie contest.
If you’d prefer a more formal event, royal dinners will be offered in the hotel dining room on April 29 and 30 and May 1, featuring gold-trimmed china previously used only by Queen Elizabeth II and recipes from her visits.
Seating is limited and tickets are $150.
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