When the world learned that Taylor Swift said “yes” to Travis Kelce, the internet didn’t just crash — it curtsied.

For two years, their romance has felt like a modern fairytale, unfolding with the kind of public fascination usually reserved for Buckingham Palace balconies and Westminster Abbey aisles. Now, with an engagement ring in play (designed by Travis!), it’s not a stretch to say: this might be the closest thing America gets to a royal wedding. And maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what we need right now.

And tellingly, even the royals themselves seem to be in on the moment. When Taylor announced her engagement on Instagram, two former royal brides (Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle) and even a one-time royal groom (Prince William) gave it their seal of approval with likes. Consider that the closest thing to a Buckingham Palace statement you’ll ever get about a pop star wedding.

Think back to April 2011. Kate and William’s royal wedding wasn’t just about a dress or a tiara. It was about unity — millions tuning in from living rooms, pubs and parks around the world to watch a love story meet its crowning moment. People woke up at 4 a.m. to watch the carriage procession, analyze the dress and swoon at that balcony kiss. The sense of shared joy was electric.

And then, in 2018, Meghan brought America into the fold. Her marriage to Prince Harry was a transatlantic spectacle, blending Windsor tradition with Hollywood sparkle: a gospel choir, a Givenchy gown a veil embroidered with the flowers of the Commonwealth. For Americans, it wasn’t just watching royalty — it was seeing one of their own step into the fairy tale.

Go back further to 1981, when Lady Diana Spencer glided down the aisle at St. Paul’s with her 25-foot train to marry Prince Charles. It was so spellbinding, it was dubbed the “wedding of the century.” That day wasn’t simply history; it was theatre, pageantry, romance — an event that glued the world together, at least for a moment.

That’s the magic Taylor and Travis have tapped into. Taylor isn’t just a pop star — she’s the ultimate showgirl. And Travis, with his larger-than-life NFL presence, has the kind of charisma and swagger that matches her wattage. Together, they’re not just a couple. They’re a cultural juggernaut, capable of pulling focus in an era when it feels like our collective attention is scattered.

While today’s stars often choose barefoot beach elopements or private vineyard ceremonies, Taylor and Travis have the chance to give us something truly show-stopping. Think Elizabeth Taylor’s headline-grabbing weddings (Michael Jackson escorting her down the aisle!), Grace Kelly’s Hollywood-meets-royalty fairytale in Monaco, or Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio’s nuptials — America’s biggest movie star and baseball legend — each radiates the same energy Taylor and Travis seem to channel. Taylor could revive that bygone Hollywood tradition of turning a wedding into not just a private milestone, but a cultural event. And really, don’t we deserve a little spectacle?

America doesn’t have a monarchy, but Meghan’s royal wedding to Harry proved how deeply we crave the pageantry. And the marriage of music’s reigning queen to football’s most charismatic star has the potential to deliver the pomp and unity of a royal wedding — without the tiaras, but with just as much sparkle.

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Imagine the parallels: the gown reveal as our equivalent of Kate’s iconic Alexander McQueen moment; the inevitable viral clips serving as our 21st-century balcony kiss; the stadium crowd erupting like the throngs lining the Mall (I’m not not saying they could have their wedding at Arrowhead Stadium).

A wedding of this scale is pure balm: unifying, frivolous in the best way and deeply human. It’s joy, bottled and broadcast. Just like Kate and William brought us unity in 2011, or Meghan and Harry gave us a fresh infusion of fairy tale in 2018, Taylor and Travis could give us the kind of glittering love story that feels big enough to belong to everyone.