The feather-capped town crier who took to the steps of the Lindo Wing on Monday to holler out the news of the royal baby’s birth was initially believed to be an employee of the royal family. But to our great disappointment, it turns out his role was self-appointed. (We so wanted to believe that the palace’s closets are full of blue-plumed hats and brass handbells for special occasions!) Tony Appleton explained himself to the AP yesterday:
“I’m a royalist. I love the royal family,” he said by telephone from Romford, but he acknowledged he had no official royal role. “I came unannounced.”
Appleton does have credentials, though: He’s a crier for the towns of Romford and Bury St. Edmunds (he appears at local events like parades), and is also available for private ceremonies like weddings, birthdays, and bar mitzvahs. In addition to yelling for a living, he also owns a small funerary business — a man of many talents! Some outlets are calling him an imposter, or even a party crasher; we’d like to point out that he was vastly more entertaining than that silly easel. Perhaps the palace should retain his services.
