Royal Pain or Royal Pleasure?

INGRID THOFT

When the announcement was made that Princess Kate (officially the Duchess of Cambridge) was pregnant with her third child, the news was heralded around the world.  Our own Jenn McKinlay posted about it on Facebook, and I “liked” it.  But someone else wondered, who cared?  Who cared that a duchess in another country was pregnant again?

I care, for a couple of reasons.  The first is that I grew up in the age of Princess Diana.  My fascination started with the announcement of her engagement on February 24, 1981.  I got up insanely early that same July to watch her wed Prince Charles, in her dress with a 25-foot train.  Everything about Diana was captivating—from her clothes, and jewelry to her independent streak and the joy she took from her sons.

Before Diana, I had little experience with the monarchy, but I knew that Diana was different, something that was confirmed on April 9, 1987 when she shook hands with AIDS patients without wearing surgical gloves.  This seemingly simple act made waves across the globe and confirmed that Diana was endlessly empathetic and brave enough to buck the traditional tide of the monarchy.  For the rest of her life, she was beautiful and best dressed, but she was also human and seemingly always chose to make a connection with her fellow man and women. After being raised in the age of Diana, how could I not love the monarchy?

This inclination has only been reinforced by Prince William and Prince Harry (and Kate, of course) who seem committed to continuing the good works of their mother and tackling issues that are meaningful to them.  Through their royal foundation, the Duke and Duchess and Prince Harry have declared their charitable focuses as the armed forces, conservation, cyberbullying, mental health, and young people.  They’ve already made a Diana-like impact with their “Heads Together” campaign which shines a light on the stigma of mental illness and works to connect individuals with the resources needed to maintain strong mental health.

But there’s another reason I follow the royals.  At a time when the world seems out of control, and the news is often bad, I welcome good news in whatever form I can get it.  A new royal baby is a cause for celebration, just like the wedding of William and Kate provided an escape from day-to-day challenges.  I got such a kick out of their recent trip to Poland and Germany; I loved seeing Kate’s outfits and the delight on the faces of the crowds who greeted her. Is it frivolous and superficial?  Of course, but what’s wrong with that?  I dare say the world isn’t suffering from too much joy and lightness these days.

So where do you fall on the spectrum of royal watching?  Do you marvel at the jewelry the duchess wears on state visits or do you quickly move on to other news?

Jubilee Thoughts.

RHYS BOWEN: I've lived in America for many years. My children were born here. I'm a baseball fan (go Giants). A football fan. And yet last week I had a orgy of Britishness. For four days I was glued to the telly, standing with tears in my eyes to join in Land of Hope and Glory as those boats went down the Thames.

Since there is so much that drives me crazy about my native land these days it was wonderful to be flooded with British pride. And one thing it demonstrated was that England certainly knows how to throw a party. So many parts of the celebration impressed me: the vast crowd walking in orderly fashion down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace, nobody pushing ro shoving, no policeman having to turn around and use force to control them. All those people standing out in that rain, not only uncomplaining, but looks of joy on their faces as they waved flags--especially the young women singing on top of a barge in a deluge.

And above all I was overwhelmed with pride for the queen herself (and Prince Phillip) She's in her eighties and he is ninety and yet they stood for several hours on that barge, never once using the chairs provided for them. She had a packed schedule of church service, carriage procession, rock concert, balcony appearances while worrying about her husband who had  been rushed off to hospital. She remained gracious throughout a concert full of music she doesn't like. She was visibly moved by her son's speech (and didn't you love it when he called her 'Mummy'?

My husband reads the Daily Telegraph online every morning and one nameless creature had the gall to mock "Phil the Greek" and say "it would be a good job if he croaked."  I'd like to use some of my skills I have picked up as a mystery writer and murder him with no trace if I met him. Does this worm not realize what a huge asset they are to the country--how many tourist dollars they bring in, the tradition and dignity that makes Britain unique. And their schedule is one that not many of us could imitate.

I do a book tour for a couple of weeks each year. I am met by an escort and essentially I am ON all day. I collapse into bed exhausted each night and at the end of two weeks I am whacked. The queen does this schedule every day, all year and has done it for over sixty years. Always gracious, always smiling and with a terrific sense of humor.

One of the highlights of my life was when I had tea with her when I was eighteen. Just a few young women and myself alone with the queen, and after a few minutes we were all laughing together. She has that wonderful quality of making everyone feel comfortable with her. And she was stunningly pretty as a younger woman. And Phillip--well, he was a hunk, wasn't he?

And now there were William, Harry and Kate ready to back up their grandma, giving us wonderful hope for the future. Would I trade them for a president? Would you?

Do share your thoughts on the Jubilee Celebrations.Did you love it as much as I did?

On Royal Weddings

JAN: When my 23-year old daughter told me that she fantasized about going to London to try to glimpse of the procession of the wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William, it didn't surprise me. Although she is pre-med student who whizzes through through organic chemistry as if it's hardly a challenge, she spends a frightening amount of down time reading Perez Hilton and keeping up with the Kardashians.

But when my HUSBAND, a man who doesn't even know about the Kardashians or Perez Hilton, or whether or not Angelina has a baby bump, seriously suggested that we start planning a trip to London so that we could stand outside Westminster Abbey where Kate and William allegedly will wed, I almost choked.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"I mean it." he answered.

"To stand on the street with the teeming masses?".

"This probably the only other wedding of a monarch we could experience in our lifetime," he replied.

Frankly, I think this may be the affect of all the TUDORS we'd recently watched together, but it got me thinking.

Although I certainly wish Kate and William well, and have some curiosity about the wedding dress she chooses, I have so little interest in the royal wedding that I probably won't even watch it on television. But clearly I'm in the minority. So my question is: Do you care?? And why?''

Why is the wedding of a potential monarch relevant in a post-feudal era? Is it just something positive for the world to focus on in the midst of economic upheaval? An aftermath of the Diana tragedy? Or is it the fairy tale element that most of us can't resist?

ROSEMARY: This one I really could care less about.

Let me get this straight - she parades around in a see-through dress to get the guy's attention? Wow. Regal.

I did stay up all night to watch the Diana/Charles nuptuals, but that was pre-internet, pre-24/7 celeb news when it could reasonably be considered a historic event and not "Oy..that dysfunctional family again?" (She says, rationalizing the decision.) Also watched the funeral.

But I've never seen the Kardashians, any housewives, any contestants or any bimbos from south Jersey. Right now...I'm watching Witness for the Prosecution. I'd rather watch an old classic.

JAN: I'm with you on that Ro. I watched a movie on Bravo last night (Donnie Brasco, one of my all time favorites) and I was blown away by the advertising of incredibly stupid reality shows -- hair salon makeovers? And everyone is always screaming at each other and losing their minds. Haven't I been trying to avoid these people most of my life?

HALLIE: Wouldn't you just love to get married in Westminster Abbey? It is THE most gorgeous church interior, and actually fairly intimate as those things go. I'll be fascinated by the dress, but otherwise not so much. The whole Diana thing soured me on the Royals.

ROBERTA: She paraded around in a see-through dress?? Boy, am I out of the loop! Diana was definitely a fairy-tale princess story, but Kate seems a little more modern and the story a lot less--glittery and mysterious. I mean the girl has been dating him for EIGHT years, what's sexy about that? I think I would much rathe

r have been there to witness Chelsea Clinton's wedding than this one. Though I will enjoy seeing the dress she chooses and the whole wedding scene. I'm with you Jan, not much interest at all in standing out in the streets of London, hoping for a glimpse of something!

JAN: I didn't know about Kate's see-through dress either, Roberta. But I don't want to knock them for dating eight years. Given how the fairytale romance between Charles and Diana turned out, I think the eight years is a good sign.

RO: She was modeling at a fashion show that she knew he was attending.

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/71962,people,news,kate-middletons-see-through-dress-could-be-worth-100000

Okay, I get it...go for it. But hardly the fairy tale that we're all supposed to oooh and aaaah over. By the way, the dress may be for sale if anyone's interested in snagging another prince.

RHYS: writing very little as I just broke my wrist, but a royal wedding will give Britain's economy a real boost. At least she's smart even if she is a commoner. And I'm giving weekly royal gossips on my solo blog: http://www.rhysbowen.blogspot.com/

HANK: Oh, gee. I don't care. Not at all. Yes, the dress, okay, fine, love to see it. She really set her cap for him, and succeeded, so good for her. (I don't really like her hair, so there.) And that doesn't so much look like a dress as a see-through thing with a bathing suit underneath. (How many of us would be caught dead in it? Let's even say we could pull it off?)

Several years ago, say ten, I had this fantasy, which I really thought about for a week or so. How could you, I wondered, make someone who is absolutely NOT famous (hasn't ever done anything, seriously a nobody) into someone who IS famous? I had some ideas, and theorized that it COULD work. (Someday I'll tell all about the scheme.)

It would have worked. But who cares, now. It's what happens every day.

JAN: I think its interesting that nearly all of us are interested in the dress! So let's hear from everyone else out there? Do you care about the royal wedding -- even a bit? And why?

And come back tomorrow for True Crime Tuesday when I talk about bank robberers and the strange place they hold in my heart.