Thousands lined the streets of Wootton Bassett to watch the Princess Royal deliver the letters patent to the town. The police were expecting between 15,000 and 20,000 people but I don't think the crowd even reached 5,000. Even though the numbers were less than predicted the atmosphere was buzzing all the same. Rows of service men and women turned out to honour Wootton Bassett becoming Royal. The Prime Minister David Cameron was present along with all the local usual suspects. Big screens all along the street enabled most people to get a view Princess Anne in her cream outfit making the town officially Royal. The big screens also played poems written by local school children.
Poem for Wootton Bassett by bribriwilliam
Flags were flying, hands were clapping and smiles were in abundance. Everyone I spoke to seemed to enjoy the ceremony and felt Wootton Bassett deserved the Royal title.
Local businesses did a roaring trade cashing in on the extra footfall in the town. Others have already changed their branding to include the Royal prefix and town signs and bus stops have all been renamed too. With repatriations no longer coming through the town, has the Royal name closed it's military legacy?It will be interesting to see what happens next in Bassett's journey.
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