A paradox: I lovelovelove, and I mean LOVE reading about the British royal family. You want to entertain me for a few hours? Throw me a book of wedding pictures from Elizabeth’s wedding to Philip. A tell-all (Kitty Kelly’s was a great read). I can go for days reading up on the Duke of Windsor and Wallis. More than anything, I want to go to London and sightsee for months.
Not just any royal family will do. If it isn’t related to Elizabeth, I’m not much interested.
But I had no interest in watching yesterday’s festivities with Wills and Kate. Even more curious: I had no real interest in watching Chuck and Di’s, either. I liked reading about it, and I imagine that I’ll like reading about this one, but getting up early to watch? Eh.
More paradox: when Diana died, I hauled my pregnant self out of bed in the wee hours and watched the entire thing and cried like a baby when I saw the little card on the little bouquet of flowers from Harry that said “Mummy.”
I have no idea what any of this means. Why just Elizabeth’s family? Why go out of my way to watch the funeral of a princess, but not the wedding of her beloved son?
(NB: I’m full of these paradoxes. I love stories about shipwrecks, but have no desire to see the movie Titanic. I’m fascinated by death penalty issues, but can’t watch Dead Man Walking. I don’t understand myself, least of all the fact that I’m apparently fascinated by so many depressing things.)
I do know these things:
When Chuck married Di, there was a lot of hype about how all women my age (and Di and I were almost exactly the same age) all wanted to marry a prince.
Um, not so much, at least for me. Years of royal watching had made me understand that the Windsors might be a bit…challenging, to say the least, to marry into. And Chuck himself didn’t seem all that handsome or interesting. In fact, his affair with Camilla was the only interesting thing about him. And to me, he was just a guy waiting around for his mother to die so he could have a job.
I know that now, when I look back at those wedding pictures from 1981, all I see is Diana looking pensive, and Charles looking miserable. I’m pretty sure I’m backfilling with everything everyone on the planet learned about their relationship over the years, but I do not want to look back on such a friendly, happy-looking couple as Kate and Wills in years to come and re-interpret everything I see.
© E. Stocking Evans 2011
picture from disney-clipart.com
Mom, Interrupted 
My favorite among them were Diana and Sarah. I watched as news came in about Diana being injured, cried and prayed that she would be ok. Watched the funeral as it happened. I came to Weight watchers because of Fergie.
I’ve always liked Fergie. Even though she’s done some amazingly dumb things, she’s always seemed the most personable, and true-to-life. I always liked it that she and Andy remained close.