The Royal Wedding: Haddonfield Style

So your invitation from the Queen to Friday’s royal wedding got lost in the mail—don’t fret. You can still watch the ceremony and surrounding hoopla in well-heeled British style.

Though it’s 3,500 miles from Old Blighty, in Haddonfield is going all out for the nuptials between Prince William and Kate Middleton. 

The Kings Highway restaurant will open its doors at 6 a.m. Friday with an oh-so-British breakfast of tea and scones. Customers will join a global television audience that could reach one-third of the world’s population to watch the young couple tie the knot.

“It was a no-brainer to do this,” said British Chip Shop owner Ed Strojan. “We had a lot of customers asking for this. It’s going to be a great time.”

Will more Yanks or Brits show up? Strojan predicted a mix, saying that customers of all types have expressed interest.

Live coverage of the wedding will stream over the restaurant’s flat-screen TV, and play on a loop for the rest of the day.

For those who don’t feel compelled to rise at the crack of dawn to watch the wedding, The British Chip Shop will serve a dinner special as the ceremony replays. The three-course meal, starting at 5 p.m., features crab and watercress salad, beef Wellington, and strawberry and cream sponge. The dishes also will be available a la carte.

In addition to noshing on British fare, customers can experience the flash of paparazzi cameras by sticking their heads through a cut out billboard taken during William and Kate’s engagement announcement. A mock cake also stands in the restaurant. 

The British Chip Shop accepts reservations for Friday’s specials at 856-354-0204. Whether, as the royal wedding invite suggests, you dress in uniform, morning coat or lounge suit is up to you.

Many of the customers who will dine and watch at the restaurant also have been snapping up royal wedding goodies across the street at the . Strojan’s mother, Denise Coleman, and stepfather, Gary Coleman, own the shop.

“We’re selling out of things at an amazing rate,” Denise Coleman said Wednesday as she gave a tour of the shop’s royal wedding merchandise. “I can’t even show you the tea towels we had, they keep selling out.”

Other souvenirs include embroidered William and Kate pillows with the prince’s coat of arms, several sets of china, trinket boxes, shortbread tins and more. The shop has seen a steady business since putting out the items about six weeks ago, with some days drawing 50 customers just searching for wedding paraphernalia. 

Wednesday’s customers included Jean Edwards, of Haddonfield. She bought several souvenirs, including Union Jack bowls and the commemorative shortbread tin, for her elderly mother’s caretaker. 

Also in the shop were Kim Kozeniewski and daughter Callie, 4, of Williamstown. Callie is into all things princess, her mom explained, so the pair bought a princess kit. Callie will invite friends over for a princess party and to watch the recorded wedding on Friday.

“Everyone who comes in here is happy and excited,” Coleman said. “In this economy, with all the negativity going on in the world, this is something people can look to that’s wonderful and happy. ... People really loved Diana, and now her son, who we watched grow up, is getting married. We can turn away from the bad things in the world and focus on this wonderful occasion.”