I used to be one of the grumps who would moan that the Royal Wedding was a waste of taxpayers’ money, a waste of time, an excuse to get gullible mugs to buy any old tat and for TV stations to vomit forth a wealth of awful Royal Wedding TV documentaries. I’d do anything to avoid the entire spectacle.

I’ve changed my mind.

Yes, there are ways in which this particular purse of actually relatively little taxpayers’ money could be spent for the greater good – but let’s face it, it wouldn’t be; and yes, there will be an inordinate amount of tat gracing the souvenir shops of this fair land; and there has been indeed a veritable bucket-load of Royal Documentary awfulness chucked up.

But here’s the thing: Anything that gets people an extra day off to spend with their friends and family, which gives people a reason for a party in these depressing times and which advertises the best of Britain worldwide is fine by me. Much more importantly, however, in the modern fundamentalist secular world of civil partnerships and living together and widespread derision of Christian values and traditions this wedding, and the enthusiasm and happiness it has generated, has put Christian Marriage at the centre of the national stage. It affirms the value and importance of marriage as being at the heart of our culture and it says clearly that there is no finer expression of the love between a man and a woman. It says simply that marriage is something to aspire to!

So I hereby declare myself a reformed grump and, whilst I may not race around our holiday home putting up bunting, I will have the TV on and raise a glass to two young people in love who are setting out on the great adventure. God Bless you, Wiliam and Kate and may you live a happy and joyful life together.