SO WILL I be celebrating on Friday? Wearing a stupid Union Jack bowler hat and waving a Union flag, eating wedding-themed food and making wedding themed toasts?

Of course I will. And, what’s more, I won’t care who sniggers.

By the law of diminishing returns, we should all have lost interest in the Royal Family decades ago (after all, footballers and singers are so much more entertaining and noble). Yet, here we are in the 21st century and, come Friday morning, more than two billion of us worldwide will tune in to watch William and Kate’s wedding.

Apart from viewing figures though, why am I still so awed and impressed by the monarchy?

Well, it’s tricky, so let’s start at the beginning. Naively, and I’d be the first to admit this, I like to think they represent all that’s good and great about this country (and yes I know ALL the arguments against this rose-tinted sentiment, but you know what? life’s too short).

Secondly, I’m a sucker for pomp and spectacle, which is why, like a moth to a flame, I’m also drawn to the gaudy gew-gaw that is the American Presidency. Sure it’s hokey but what’s wrong with that?

And thirdly, I can’t help but think the Queen is cool. You know, Britannia cool.

Now I’ve got no credibility in these matters but UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has, and according to him: “In a churning and changing world, (the Queen) is an anchor for our age.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself.

But if it’s street-cred you’re after, why not go to the top; the great Nelson Mandela is a self-confessed Royal groupie, calling Her Majesty, proudly too, “My dear friend”.

Yet, what impresses me most is the look on people’s faces once they’ve met the Queen (including Barack Obama’s); that irrepressible cocktail of pride and disbelief that announces to the world – ‘I’ve actually met Her!’.

As for Philip, I can’t help but warm to anyone who still manages to say the wrong thing at the wrong time with only the best of intentions. And Charles? Well, he’s a little like the favourite aunt who can’t remember where she put her teeth.

But at the end of the day, I guess the Royals are like Marmite or Coldplay. You either love ‘em or loathe ‘em.

There’s no rhyme nor reason to it, but as far as I can see, you’ve got to nail your colours to someone’s mast.

It could have been Sir Alex Ferguson, or Elvis.

It just happens in my case to be... ‘Her Maj.