Wedded Bliss

Like billions of people around the globe, I tuned in to watch the wedding of the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge (otherwise known as Prince William and Kate (Now, Katherine) Middleton.



Years ago, I posted articles that referenced Prince William's shortage of public duties (in contrast to his father, Prince Charles, by his age). For much of his life, William has tucked himself away from the public as much as possible, in the impossible quest for more privacy and anonymity. Since these articles, Prince William has stepped up his A game and has served his country through his military service and current work as an RAF search and rescue pilot. He has done more royal engagements, philanthropic work, and has performed increased duties that have long been expected of him. (Better late than never.) His reluctance to step into a more public role is somewhat understandable given his view that the press was responsible for his mother's death and a source of unhappiness as they hunted her every move. There is no doubt that, standing on that balcony with his new bride, Prince William must have received a clear picture of the influence and public support he truly had, as evidenced by a million people that had gathered within his sight to catch a glimpse of the new couple, hoping to see an iconic kiss.

Prince William and Catherine gave the public far more than they bargained for, including a second (more lingering) kiss and a view of the couple riding in Prince Charles's Aston Martin. The most striking visual was seeing the future of the monarchy take central stage on the balcony, next to figures that looked nothing short of antiquated. The massive crowds and record-breaking global views of this historic day show that the monarchy is certainly here to stay (for now) . While the whole day was PR heaven for the royal family, giving the public what appeared to be a new royal couple set to breath modernity and warmth into an institution that badly needs it, one must remember that the monarchy doesn't change much. Prince William and Catherine repeated a scene set on the same stages countless times before. In the same church, in the same carriage, on the same balcony as several predecessors. For certain, their children will be photographed in the same rooms and lawns, whose children will follow suit (if the monarchy survives the test of time). Prince William and bride are extensions of tradition and in truth, neither is a figure the public can much relate to. When the PR machine is at rest, not much is known about these two or their private life as a couple, but the few details that emerge showcase two individuals not many modern people can relate to. Despite endless attempts at comparison by the media, Catherine is NOT Princess Diana II, nor is Prince William. The young royals have a carefully crafted image and despite the beauty and happiness of this royal wedding, one must remember that the occasion is both tradition and orchestration. The public face the press is trying to sell, the monarchy wants to the public to believe, and that which society actually does are often in conflict.

As for the future of the monarchy, much of the public has voiced an opinion that Prince Charles is not a worthy successor to the Queen (and regardless of pointless articles and public polling, the line of succession is not a popularity contest). There is an order to this tradition, and unless Prince Charles dies prior to the Queen or abdicates (neither scenario seems likely), he will be the next on the throne. I am disenchanted when I see a public that disregards all of Prince Charles's years of sacrifice and duty to his country in favor of his son, simply because Prince William is younger and looks like his mother Diana, the beloved Princess of Wales. Prince Charles has put in over sixty years of waiting and work for this role which he has taken seriously while Prince William spent much of his time avoiding that level of responsibility. Prince Charles is not only the heir to the throne, but also a man who has done more charity work than Diana and rarely receives any credit. He has the unfortunate situation of being wedged between figures he can't possibly compete with, but that doesn't diminish his commitment and service to Queen and country.

The wedding was everything the public hoped it would be, offering us all a glimpse into a true fairy tale. That Prince William married a 'commoner' (which simply means someone who isn't a royal or aristocrat - bear in mind her family does have money) only serves to increase public interest and turn tides in favor of this couple, as he brings to the table what Diana hoped he would - a monarchy with a closer connection to its people. Time will tell if this hope will ultimately be fulfilled as Prince William's preference is generally to hide from the public when possible, though unlike his father, one can be assured that if public opinion favors his bride, it won't cause that same marital strife. Prince William would most likely be happy to see someone else get the brunt of the spotlight unlike Diana who found it disturbing and problematic in her marriage. Catherine Middleton offers beauty, style, and a sense that she is "one of us". She comes from an intact family and a more commonplace life, qualities Prince William could have only wished for. Despite endless comparisons, Catherine Middleton and Princess Diana have little in common. This could bode well for their marriage, as Princess Diana was only with Prince Charles for 6 months by the time he proposed and despite her privileged background, Princess Diana was thrust into a situation she was ill-prepared for unlike Catherine who spent ten years with the prince, groomed into royal life little by little, living alongside press and speculation. She was afforded the "time to adjust" that was a luxury Princess Diana was never afforded and is much more confident in her role and persona than Prince William's mother, as evidenced even in the flawlessness of the wedding (Princess Diana got Prince Charles's name wrong on the altar).

In many ways, the strength of the marriage of the newly dubbed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will dictate the future of the monarchy and its continued existence in British life. Despite all of Prince William's years, he has made choices that have mostly removed him from controversy (with the exception of spending public money by using a helicopter to surprise Kate on several occasions). In a sense, by staying out of the public eye, he has not only protected his privacy but avoided courting controversy while providing increased stability in his romantic relationship. The little that is known about Prince William serves to work in his favor as he has the genetic gifts of Princess Diana and as such, the public will associate him favorably unless he makes major missteps. He is far more protected than Princess Diana, thanks to laws put into effect after her tragic and pointless death that served to protect royals and celebrities to a larger degree. In a rare breach of this policy, Prince William was photographed by paparazzi riding his Ducati motorcycle in the streets prior to his wedding, shockingly published by The Telegraph, a dangerous scenario that evokes feelings of Princess Diana. Nonetheless, Prince William enjoys a personal freedom that eluded Princess Diana and gives hope that his marriage will not suffer the same fate, critical for continued support of the monarchy.

The wedding evoked strong public memories of Princess Diana and undoubtedly so for Prince William himself, between the familiar sight of crowds outside of Westminster Abbey to Princess Diana's engagement ring that had been worn by Catherine prior to the big day, as well as selections from the ceremony reminiscent of the late Diana. Prince William holds his mother dear much as the public does, and when the masses see him, they see both his mother in his face and the face of the 15-year old boy who solemnly escorted her coffin. As such, he naturally courts public empathy and enjoys wider acceptance than he might otherwise, even though he is a distinctly different individual. The irony of this is that in her last years of life, Princess Diana painted a dark picture of the monarchy that turned public favor against them and yet her untimely death had the unanticipated effect of garnering public support for the future monarchy with her eldest son at the helm. By holding the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, Prince William was not only able to allow his mother to be part of the ceremony in a symbolic sense but also was able to create an event that created a familiar yet all-together different experience for the public, an event that may have had similarities as far as location but was full of joy and hope as opposed to the dismal realities of Princess Diana's funeral.

Between a perfectly executed ceremony steeped in traditions that dates millenia, a bride and groom who looked like flawless dolls, two balcony kisses (one more memorable than the other), and their drive away from the palace in the Aston Martin with a "Just Wed" license plate and balloons flying out the back, the happy couple managed to give the country and the world the spectacle it hoped for and allowed the global community to share (in a rare moment) a worldwide event that was hopeful and positive, while making us all believers in true love and the power of romance. Audiences hope for good news and rarely get it in the media, nonetheless on such an incomparable scale, and millions tuned in to share in the joy and happiness of two people, united in love and its many possibilities (including the inevitable birth of the next future king/queen). Even the most jaded heart that was witness to this ceremony felt warmth and belief in humanity even temporarily, as people are inherently good by nature and came out in droves to share together in a joyous occasion. People were happy to see something good happen to a young man whose live has been so full of tragedy while a new tomorrow was born for the monarchy. An awful lot of tradition rests on those strong shoulders and Prince William and Catherine Middleton have mighty big shoes to fill and a lot to live up to. They may not be the second coming of Princess Diana, but one can only hope her short life and death served to teach many lessons that can be wisely implemented for a better future for this historic family.

Cheers to the happy couple, may their lives be filled with continued love and celebration.

Prince William: What Does He Do? Part II

Above: Prince William surrounded by women and grabbing a young women's breast... And to think, this guy will most likely be King William V of Britain. Fortunately, royalty truly has no political power anymore, otherwise I'd be scared. Given that, they do have great symbolic value and are sources of pride to their country. Clearly, Princes William and Harry care so much about their family's reputation...

Sigh. I know I have harped on this before (see earlier post), but there's more. Recently, Prince William was publicly criticized by a royal commentator in Britain for "doing nothing". Cited as evidence was the fact that by his age, his father had done 84 royal engagements, and Wills has only done 11 (5 of which were related to football). I've been making this argument for quite some time and apparently several people agree or are waking up. In the few weeks since this happened, it appears the powers that be in the royal family are sending him off on one giant much-needed PR junket. Prince William has done more charity work in the last few weeks than in his lifetime. Going from charity to charity, holding children while cameras snap away, then going for the ultimate heartstrings tug by talking about his mother Diana publicly for the first time. The speech wasn't even written by him and his delivery was so void of feeling one couldn't help but cringe. On top of that, he was then interviewed on TV by a young cancer patient and he has now talked about flying economy on planes to aid the economy and has most recently been quoted about his desire to fight in Afghanistan. The public is eating this all up like mush, forgetting all about the allegations mere weeks ago. I would be too if it weren't all so contrived.

Forgive me if I don't buy it. If Prince William truly cared about any of this, he would have been doing it all along and prior to being criticized and called out in such a public manner for not doing the only responsibility he actually has. As for the economy, William isn't going to do all that much for it by suddenly flying with *gasp* mere mortals. If he cared that much about saving money, he wouldn't be flying off on lavish ski trips to begin with. I'm not even sure you can call them vacations because I'm not really sure that he's ever "worked". It appears William is far too happy to keep shirking his responsibilities and somehow the Queen has tolerated this, much to everyone's detriment. While fighting overseas for his country is a noble cause, Prince William is not blind. Even before entering Sandhurst [military academy], he knew they would not be sending him to war and risking his precious hide, whether he wanted to or not. The monarchy simply wouldn't take that kind of risk. Yes, Prince Andrew did pilot during wartime, however he was most likely never going to inherit the throne. For William the military is just one more way to hide from paparazzi and appear to be doing something when he isn't, something William is massively skilled at.

Note: Prince Harry did go to Afghanistan. Supposedly. Though there are rumors he wasn't really there and it was staged in some random desert, I'll believe this one. However, I don't believe he was there actually doing anything more than a photo op. His cover was "blown" by the media and so he was pulled out of Afghanistan early. If Prince Harry was truly covertly in Afghanistan on a dangerous mission, I fail to see how he was followed by a camera crew the entire time he was there. Obviously some media new of his whereabouts and he was intentionally filmed the whole time with his knowledge. This is not the behavior of someone actually doing their job but rather showboating and getting a rare opportunity to look positive in the press. I'm sure what the camera didn't show you was all the bodyguards standing around. It was also claimed that Harry killed a bunch of Taliban, which is completely unlikely. I do commend Harry for his bravery and I'm not going to deny that he must have taken some risk to be in such a place even for a short time, but given the non-stop camera presence I honestly don't take any of it seriously and with good reason. Also, it seems he would be a huge liability to all the troops around him and I don't know why the military would take that risk other than as a favor to the Queen, which could have turned out to be a deadly affair to all his fellow soldiers out there with him, which certainly wouldn't be fair. I have the utmost respect for military and the men and women risking their lives overseas. If they don't get constant media pampering in the desert, neither should he, if he is serious about it at all which doesn't appear to be the case. To make matters worse, Harry has continued to get himself into trouble. Along with fighting paparazzi, cheating on exams, wearing a Nazi costume, and smoking pot, Harry can now add to his resume new racist insults made while in the military and a shocking video in which he not only shows his level of homophobia but also talks about his pubic hair and insults his grandmother, the Queen. I wouldn't doubt that the Queen was happy to ship him off and hope he came back somewhat straightened but we all know that's wishful thinking. Such talk is always met by people calling Harry a hero for his brief engagement in Afghanistan (nevermind the men and women who have been there on their third and fourth tours for a few years apart from their families) or they say that everyone in the military makes racial slurs or that Harry is just being a typical youth. Being in the military does not mean less is expected of your behavior or standards, if anything discipline is important and enforced, even the military criticized his remarks. And in case you didn't notice, Harry is NOT a regular guy. He certainly has responsibilities and rarely tends to them. Harry should be ashamed of himself with the constant barrage of jokes and insults he's always hurling and the embarrassment it casts as a symbolic representation of his country to the world.

Back to William. Honestly, I want so badly to support these two young men. But they make it so difficult and are frequently praised merely for existing or being somewhat attractive instead of being given chastisement for avoiding their most central duties. It must be nice to have your lifestyle paid for and even so to resist doing your part. It seems that anytime these two are on a charitable endeavor, they make sure a camera crew is right there to capture it all. Being a patron of a charity as they both are is also a clever ruse, I see their names on paper and rarely ever see any opportunity in which they partake in charitable causes.
People want so badly to see Diana in these boys and sadly beyond the physical, it does not appear they have a strong desire to commit themselves to the service of others, a crucial part in being a monarch. As Prince William's looks fade, I have the feeling the public will be less endeared and begin to expect more from him as they should have from day one. Even Prince Charles, as hard a time as the media and public give him, has done a splendid job of engaging in philanthropy and royal duties, despite his private life. There is room for both.

Let me put it this way. If I was Prince William (or Harry) and had an ancient tradition dating back thousands of years hanging on my shoulder and I was the last living link to ensure its survival, I think I'd be taking this all just a wee bit more seriously. It's shocking how cavalier these two are about the duties they were born into. I am appauled when I hear people say that the crown should be passed over Charles and given to William. This is the most rediculous thing I've heard. Prince Charles may not be the most charming and charismatic individual but he has done everything asked of him and more. William has done nothing to deserve his place in the lineage. Sorry, being attractive doesn't make you fit to be a king. I am willing to give William and Harry the benefit of the doubt. If they were to take their responsibilities seriously, I would give them the respect they deserve. Until then, I am not going to be sucking up to them and thinking they are the greatest thing on earth when they haven't done anything to prove themselves as examples to their country or anyone else. If people think they have been great role models, I suggest you take a deeper look. And to William... I am glad he is FINALLY doing his job but saddened that it took public ridicule to get him to step up. Given that these things weren't done or said before, I highly doubt his sincerity. If in a few months William tucks himself under the radar again as I suspect he will, don't be surprised. I'll just have to say: "I told you so."

What Does William Do?

On the wake of ninth anniversary of the accidental (or outright intentional) Princess Diana car crash, I have to wonder what legacies she imparted to her children aside from inherited physical attractiveness.

Diana is remembered as "The People's Princess", a woman who befriended the poorest and sickest of men. She was imperfect, an adulteress who suffered from bouts of bulimia. But she shared her flaws with the world, in the hopes that others would gain strength from her example, and embarked on a life-long quest to make the most of her situation, even when it was obviously not the fairy tale she'd dreamt of. Diana was aware that she captivated the world's attention, and like it or not, the world's most hunted celebrity used her publicity as a forum to launch public awareness campaigns on eating disorders, land mines, and AIDS. In fact, she was shaking hands with AIDS patients before anything was even known about the risks of physical contact with AIDS victims. Yes, she was glamorous and somewhat naive, but her true beauty rested in her sensitivity and compassion, heart and desire to make changes where she saw opportunity.

On to Diana's sons, the keepers of the dream. We saw them walking solemnly behind their mummy's casket, their heads bowed to the ground. They were seemingly forced to go from boys to men overnight, and like true royals, had to face the public in their darkest hours and emotionally held themselves together under the imposing eyes of their nation and the world. Just moments after the funeral, the boys shook hands with teary-eyed well wishers and mourning Brits, finding a smile to flash and clearly touched by their mother's influence on the world, which was strong enough to incite over a billion people worldwide to tune in to her funeral.

The boys clearly had public sympathy on their side, and a rare pact with the media who promised to respect their privacy in exchange for yearly photo shoots and interviews while they went to college. They were nicknamed "The Heir and The Spare", youngest brother Prince Harry given the most leniency as his likelihood of succeeding to the throne was slim. Harry certainly acted the part, engaging in one controversy after another from his experimentation with marijuana and cheating on his college exams to his infamous Nazi party costume and fights with lurking paparazzi. William, presumably one day to be known as King William V, was instantly loveable as he had the good fortune of inheriting Diana's looks and shy-but-charismatic demeanor. As a prince-in-waiting, William was supposed to begin his royal duties at 18. Instead, he chose to tuck himself away in a university in Scotland, where he would be secluded from paparazzi and able to 'live a normal life' for the duration of his education. William earned high marks and a degree in Geology, scholastic tests showed he was the smartest of the British royals past or present. So what does he do when he graduates? He joins Sandhurst, one of the most elite British military academies, where he will once again be protected from the camera's lens. What exactly is William going to do with extensive military training? Surely, he'll never fight in a war. He is far too valuable and indispensable to the future of the monarchy for such an endeavor. Granted, a royal-in-waiting has nothing else to do but kill time, like the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips who just won the world championship in horse racing and will surely race for her country at the 2008 Olypmics. The few times William is seen, he is off getting drunk and partying his ass off, or canoodling with his boring girlfriend, or hanging out with his elitist friends.

The royal family serves little function in this day and age minus their symbolic status and occasional dips into charity work. The future of the outdated monarchy rests on young William's shoulders, and he seems to care less. It's such a waste to see a young man with so much promise thrown away: an intelligent mind spent hiding and training for a dead-end career, a young man who prompts the world's attention and choses to evade responsibilities instead of using his position to the advantage of the needy, a man who doesn't seem to have one friend that isn't a celebrity, royal, or bloke banking millions of dollars.

Is this really what Diana wanted? She was once quoted as saying "All my hopes are on William." She'd be rolling over in her grave right now if she saw how callous and unconcerned the future heir appears to be with everyone but himself. The beauty of Diana was her ability to make the most of her position and situation. Even when she was stripped of her royal status, she knew her place in the hearts and minds of others and continued to set an example for her country and positively represent Britain to the world abroad. She was aware of her power and used it to her advantage, not for selfish reasons, but to improve the quality of life for millions of people.

In all fairness, William isn't the antichrist. He could be worse. But given his position and birthright, this is a man who seems to have it all: Looks, intelligence, athletic ability, artistic talents, fortune, fame, charisma -
and he truly seems to be giving little in return to make it seem worth it to all those taxpayers who have shelled out the funds to support his lavish lifestyle.