Note: This WFMZ TV story aired in advance of the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and featured some local connections to Britain ... including British cars at K&T Vintage Sports Cars. Including us in this piece on the royal wedding was a bit of a stretch, but hey, free publicity is always nice. A look at our shop and showroom is at the end. We come in at the 2:14 min mark, after all the tea and crumpets.

By Bo Koltnow | WFMZ-TV
May 18, 2018

Video: Royal wedding prompts locals to celebrate

From pots of tea to finger food as high as Big Ben, to conversation.

You may think Tilly Mint's Tea Room is in Surrey, England ,not Souderton, Montgomery County.

It's where, to quote the British, everything is "Tickety Boo" for Vivian Marchak celebrating the royal wedding.

"I like that it's an American princess story. They just look so loving together," said the Hilltown Township resident.

There are few things more British than tea.

"You do not want to squeeze the tannic acid, it will come out and your tea will be bitter," said British descendent Trish Stubbs about the tea bag.

Stubbs has run Tilly's for a decade and showed 69 News Reporter Bo Koltnow how to sip a proper cup, with the royal wedding blend of course.

"You'll see the Queen and all the aristocrats will drink like this. Fingers at the bottom of the cup. No clinking your tea spoon at the bottom of the cup either," she said.

69 News first met Allentown's Pearlene Friday at a tea party she threw for William and Kate's 2011 royal wedding.

For Friday, who worked as a midwife in England for 10 years, history is repeating itself Saturday.

She's throwing another party and says the current royal pair are part of a now more progressive monarchy.

"I think with Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding, it was more of an arranged thing because they had to continue to establish the monarchy. But with Prince Harry this is love. It seems to be love at first sight," she said.



There are few things to love more than a classic British sports car.

Ken Beck's East Allen Township K&T Vintage Sports Cars restores and sells British roadsters.

His worldwide customer base may be the last vestige of British rule.

"They don't have the power, they don't have the speed, but they're just a fun car to drive," Beck said.

Saturday will be a fun day to celebrate, whether you're speeding to tea or not.