Style inspiration: Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir at the Royal Wedding
— by Alyson Walsh
Now that was a moment. I’m supposed to be writing another post but instead I’m faffing around with GIFs. And still enjoying the feel-good mood generated by Saturday’s boundary-pushing, diversity-embracing Royal Wedding. I’m not a royalist but we’ve had so much miserable news over the last couple of years, it really did feel like time for some heartwarming joy. And the gospel singing did it for me. Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir singing Ben E King’s Stand By Me was my personal highlight. Incredibly powerful and moving. LOVE her style
Watch the full Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir video HERE.
Discussion (29 Comments)
- Bowbelle says:
Her silver grey hair is AMAZING. Can you interview her for TNMA please?!
- Annie Green says:
All was perfect. And the veil was the most perfect of all.
- Elizabeth Bernheim says:
Not a royalist, was not going to watch the wedding, but coming back from a funeral I felt in need of some cheering up. It was a lovely wedding – the music, the cello soloist, the sermons, the outfits and yes this choir was perfect – agree about their lovely colours, her silver hair…. going all weepy….. and loved Megan’s dress. Simple, understated, elegant.
- Mariko Goto says:
It was indeed a joyful gospel! Along with Bishop Curry’s sermon, the wedding was so memorable and gave me a special memory even a California transplant here in NY.
- Claire B says:
It was a beautiful wedding, and the inclusivity of it was just so lovely. In these times we live in it was good to see something uplifting and positive, I’m actually not a royalist but I still found it heartwarming! And the dress was stunning!
- marv says:
Hi
karen gibson and her choir were styled by Jeanette young London, she has an Instagram page if you want to reach out to her.
- jan says:
She was amazing – so much energy. Her clothing and style was inspiring. AND yes, I studied how absolutely beautiful the choir looked together as a team. Such artwork! Stunning.
- Judy says:
It was glorious, full of hope and a promise of something wonderful. No wonder everyone is still buzzing today.
- Caro says:
I celebrate love unashamedly, whoever finds it. It was genuine love, joyful singing and everything was very contemporary and stylish too, clothes, flowers, cake.
- Pauline says:
Not a Royalist – watched for the fashion and got swept up with the music, energy and heartfelt connection of that sermon! I believe Carolyn Bessett Kennedy was the inspiration for the dress/ style. Simple, elegant and captures spirit of the age! Interview with Karen – yes please 🙂
- Anna K. says:
Yes, a lovely wedding in every way: dress, flowers, music, children, besotted and quakingly nervous groom, sunshine and palpable happiness. And Meghan’s dress was very like mine of nearly 52 years ago – though I didn’t manage Givenchy!
- Prima Darling says:
I tuned out all the run up to the wedding although I think they’re a fabulous couple and clearly madly in love. It was pouring rain in New York so a skipped my early morning yoga class, turned on the tele and was immediately transfixed. The ceremony was perfection, the music, the inclusiveness that felt genuine, and the simple yet powerful message of Reverend Curry. I’m so happy to have watched it live with my daughter. The dress was another fantastic surprise, the simplicity was perfection, I’m hoping it will serve as a cleanse for fashion, which I wrote about today. Perhaps Givenchy will become the new Celine?
- AMurphy says:
I most definitely AM a Royalist! Loved every minute …. Meghan, Harry, her mum, his dad, bridesmaids, pageboys, crowds, weather, flowers, music….all of it, guests…I could go on. No-where does a Royal Wedding quite like the UK!!
- Deanne says:
I thoroughly enjoyed the wedding but my favorite moment was the choir doing “Stand by Me”. I have never heard it at a wedding and it was perfect as a theme for the ceremony.
- Sharon says:
Loved the choir and the choice of song. They were also the most beautifully dressed choir I’ve ever seen. They were so well co-ordinated and their colours harmonised perfectly. Definite highlight for me.
- Paula Zohn says:
Just listened to the utube recording. Beautiful! And Harry’s watching Megan! My tears fell.
- Junglesiren says:
I actually find the idea of royals annoying, both as a concept and an institution. But that wedding was awesome! The dress! The choir! The fab sermon! AND – dreadlocks in the royal wedding party! The old-world was shaken.
- Leslie in Oregon says:
I watched the wedding live, even though it started at 4 a.m. in my time zone, and I was transfixed by the joy expressed by the bride and groom, the passages from the Song of Solomon 2:11 and 8:7 read by Lady Jane Fellowes, the music (particularly “Stand by Me” and “This Little Light of Mine/Amen” [Etta James version] sung by the Kingdom Choir, the performance of cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason), and the message about the power of love, framed in the context of liberation theology and delivered so beautifully by Bishop Curry. Those of us watching the BBC telecast also saw that joy reflected in the congregants, from the expression on the face of one of the Mulroney twins carrying the bride’s veil, as he began his walk down the aisle, to the surprise-and-bliss on the face of Zara Phillips Tindall as she, quite pregnant, leaned back and listened to Bishop Curry, to the thoughtful happiness on the face of the bride’s mother and, finally, to the expressions of happiness on the faces of the Queen, Prince Phillip, Princess Anne and Prince Edward as they stood near the curb and waved goodbye to the departing couple. I, an American, am still basking in the hopefulness of it all. Thank you, Britain and the British, including your Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for that priceless gift!
- Jac says:
What a lovely post. I wish we could have heard “This Little Light of Mine” better. It was sung after the newlyweds had left the chapel so the broadcast had switched to outside at that point. What little I heard of it sounded fabulous though. Such a happy event.
- Lesley Somerville says:
I’m so excited to see what Harry and Meghan go on to do in the coming years. I believe and hope they will be a real force for good. Yes, if you could interview Karen Gibson that would be great. I’m sure I’ve seen her as a judge on one of those choir competition shows on BBC. She was quite the taskmaster!
- HMRC58 says:
I didn’t watch as I’m a republican, the British kind, but loved this but loved even more the uncomfortable looks on the royals faces. Meghan and Harry look really happy together so hope it lasts. She’s a brave girl marrying in to that family
- maudie says:
Another not-particularly Royalist here! I hadn’t planned on watching the tv on Saturday morning but I was transfixed. Everything, including Bishop Michael Curry’s elongated sermon, was absolutely perfect. I am the most anti Cinderella woman alive, but I must admit that this wedding caught me right through the heart. Like Anna K. my dress was very similar (back in 1978) but definitely not double silk cady (whatever that is, but it worked wonderfully) – mine was deffo man-made material!!! Yesterday Meghan was attending the Prince of Wales 70th birthday celebrations and wore another beautiful outfit – I bet she longs to put some jeans on! The happy, love buzz from the wedding is still cheering me through the week.
- Mrs Tonia says:
Agree with all comments. I’m not especially pro or anti Royalty. I was glued to the live broadcast for hours on Saturday. For the romance, the frocks, the celebrities, the floral decorations. All of it including the melding of such different cultures. Not just American, Hollywood versus the aristocracy but the added tolerant multicultural aspect. The preacher Rev Curry was quite something. Passionate and intellectual and intense. Afterwards I read he was the son of a Baptist preacher who went to study at Yale Divinity School. His parents embraced the Anglican Church because it celebrated Communion without segregation. A fascinating trajectory which reminded one of the good old days of Obama. It did go on too long and the faces of the royals as they listened …
Megan looked so beautiful and elegant in that dress. I’m sure it will inspire a simpler look without lace or embellishments. The period diamond jewellery helped too. Lovely to watch. In these difficult days pre Brexit England looked at its absolute best. Perfect weather, blue skies, bunting, union jacks, well behaved crowds, beautiful people beautifully dressed, beautiful motorcars and horses etc. Good for morale and for tourism in my opinion.
The mixture of the classical music chosen with the help of Charles apparently and the famous Blues and popular songs performed by the Choir and Etta James recording was so well done. The choir looked splendid in their outfits with splendid hairstyles including the braids. - Ann says:
I’d not seen this performance (my viewing of the lovely wedding has been spotty — things going on here). But like others, I have been so heartened by Meghan’s and Harry’s love story. The “Stand By Me” performance was wonderful, as were all the choir’s fashion and other stylings. Thank you for posting this, Alyson. 🙂
- Maggie says:
On the day of the wedding I was celebrating my 60th birthday at a party which took place at a restaurant. During the day, I went to the salon, had a pedicure and made sure I got the funkiest hairstyle by making full use of optical enhancers in the shampoo I use. Then later, when I went home, I hired a makeup artist (something I’ve never done before) to do my face. I felt great, and friends and family who attended, felt the same way of how I looked. It was a great night!
It just goes to prove, it doesn’t matter whether you are royal or not, black or white young or old, validation is important; everyone deserves to be acknowledged.
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I loved the choir. Everything about it. The way it started with the soft piano. Then the thrilling, soft voice of the soloist. The song, so beautiful and moving. But forgive me if I sound shallow, but I loved their clothes too. The color scheme: pink, blue an white. I want to know. Did they style themselves? Did they receive style directions for the colors and from whom? Loved the diamond and blue stone necklace on one of the ladies. Perfection, the whole thing.