Live Broadcast: February 13, 2026
Presented by: Curt DiCamillo
Running Time: 01:08:18
You will have access to the recording through May 31, 2026.
English royal weddings seem to fascinate even the most jaded Americans. These spectacles provide a chance to see a bit of a fairy tale come to life, with pomp and ceremony, historic jewels, magnificent wedding gifts, and cathedrals and great palaces. Royal weddings have evolved from medieval ceremonies that cemented dynastic national alliances to private ceremonies witnessed by close family members and courtiers to spectacles watched by millions on television. In this lecture, Curt DiCamillo will look at English royal weddings, the events and places associated with them, and the couples themselves during the last 800 years. Going back as early as the wedding of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152 and up to the rebirth of pageantry with the 2011 ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton, this lecture will feature a slice of English history with lots of glamour and great stories!
About the Speaker
Curt DiCamillo, who joined American Ancestors in February of 2016 as the organization’s first Curator of Special Collections, is an internationally recognized authority on British historic houses and the decorative arts (his award-winning website on British country houses can be found here: TheDiCamillo.com). Before coming to American Ancestors, Curt was the Executive Director of The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA, where he successfully raised more than $7 million and initiated many innovative programs. As Curator of Special Collections, he provides strategic direction for organizing and exhibiting our extensive collection of fine art and family history-related artifacts, leads the Society’s Heritage Tours, and provides educational outreach through American Ancestors' extensive webinar series. In recognition of his work, Curt has been presented to the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and The Prince of Wales. He is an alumnus of the Royal Collection Studies program, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a member of the Council of the American Museum in Britain. Curt’s book, Villa Astor: Paradise Restored on the Amalfi Coast, was published in 2017 by Flammarion. He is also the brother of the award-winning author Kate DiCamillo, something of which he’s extraordinarily proud.
Other Resources
Curt DiCamillo's Country House Database
Pronunciation Guide
Historic Houses Website