–Sharon Armstrong, Attorney

…to be one of an estimated 2 billion people watching one of the biggest branding/rebranding projects in the world: the Royal Wedding (and everything that leads up to it).

As if wedding jitters and the co-opting of their names aren’t enough to deal with, Kate Middleton and Prince William, both of whom are still in their 20’s, and their upcoming nuptials are being viewed by many as a shrewd means by which England’s royal family can “rebrand” themselves into a modern royal family.

What exactly does “modern” mean for a family that has been kicking for 1,000 years?  Experts say it means things like “deviating from the norm” – as evidenced by William’s decision to forego a wedding band and the couple’s inviting of “commoners” to the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.  In other words, Kate and William will be doing what the majority of their countrymen have been doing for 1,000 years.

But what’s modern in tangible terms is how the royal family is presenting this event and all of its giddy fanfare to the public.  “Modern” means an official royal wedding website, complete with YouTube videos detailing the goings-on at the Royal Mews, tweets from Clarence House (aka, Prince William’s dad, Prince Charles, or rather, Prince Charles’ “people”), and, naturally, a Facebook page.  At present, only 33,189 Facebook users “like” the Royal Wedding, which can only mean that legions of royal watchers are too busy tracking down faulty commemorative tchotchkes to spend time on Facebook.

Social media, combined with this wedding, is providing the royal family with an unprecedented marketing opportunity.  Will you be watching?