Pimms and cucumber sandwiches - Bay prepares for royal wedding

Angela Freeman left the Bay of Plenty Times - farewelled with an English high tea - to retire in England not far from Windsor Castle. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Pimms will be poured, cucumber sandwiches prepared and crowns donned as Bay royal-watchers prepare for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.

Pukehina teacher Laurie Bonsor, who moved from Scotland 20 years ago, will be having a few friends over to watch the royal wedding in style.

"I've been to the op shop to get a few bits and pieces - a wedding dress - and I'm making cucumber sandwiches and vol-au-vents and profiteroles. I've printed off some bunting and some Royal snap cards. We'll drink some Pimms.

"It's just what you do," said Bonsor, who, while not a royalist, has watched all of the big Royal weddings of the last few decades, including Charles and Diana, Anne and Mark, and William and Kate.

For the less organised looking for some royal atmosphere, English Pub the Crown and Badger on The Strand will be screening the big event in their appropriately British surrounds, with British cocktails and snacks on hand, owner Jessica Rafferty said.

Andrea Booth from Bay Costume Hire said she had a few inquiries this week for outfits for Royal Wedding parties.

"I've had people ask about hats and coats like the Queen wears, plus Medieval dress-ups."

A British expat herself, Booth said she "might have a look" at the wedding but was more interested in New Zealand news.

Laura Green, who moved to Papamoa from England three years ago, said there just wasn't the same build-up here.

"There isn't as much on the news, so there isn't as much excitement."

She planned to watch the wedding at home, perhaps with a glass of wine - "just to see what Meghan wears and that sort of thing".

Over in England former Tauranga woman Angela Freeman will not be venturing out to join the crowds expected to line the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple, despite living just 25 minutes from Windsor Castle.

"There will be thousands there; it'll be chaos - I've heard people are already camping out! we will be watching it on television," she said.

Freeman, who lived in New Zealand for 11 years before retiring to her British homeland in March, lives in Bagshot, southwest of Windsor.

She said everyone was very excited about the big event - "everyone loves a royal wedding" - and expecting the wider Windsor area to be so busy on Saturday that most would not venture far.

"All the main roads will be gridlocked; if you want to be in Windsor, I think you will have had to book a hotel the minute they announced the date, or find a place to camp out.

"I'm sure most people will be staying at home and having friends round for a party and watch it on television."

Freeman said there was "nothing quite like an English royal wedding."

"I love seeing the royal family on these occasions.

"My favourite is the Queen; she always looks so beautiful and elegant.

"I love the whole atmosphere, the pomp and ceremony and checking out the outfits of the guests - that can be quite a laugh, let's hope some of the guests look better than at Prince William's wedding!"