Big deal, so Prince William is marrying a commoner

Since the engagement was announced, one thing that people cannot seem to let go of is the fact that Prince William is marrying Kate Middleton, a commoner.

*Gasp and sharp intake of breath*

Yes, it's true, he is indeed marrying someone who is not royal. Though genealogists have managed to find some obscure link between the couple (how do genealogists do it?) According to an article in the Daily Mail, William and Kate are 12th cousins once removed. Proof that you cannot stop inbreeding in the royal family no matter how hard you try.

However, they may be distantly related that still does not change the fact that Kate is a commoner. Many ages ago, in a less enlightened time, William would have been expected to marry someone of royal blood. Even if she happened to be a first cousin.

 *Gasp and sharp intake of breath*

Yes, too close for comfort, right? But they were supposed to keep it in the royal family. Not dilute the blood royal. And there were lots of cousins to choose from - they were like bedbugs. William would have expected to marry a cousin named Victoria (almost all of them were named Victoria or had it amongst their given names) and the matter would have been settled regardless of whether he was happy or not.

Despite the big deal being made about Kate's commoner status, William is not doing anything unique by marrying one. Forget alliances, forget diluting the blood, If they're good enough for the Crown Princess of  Sweden and the Crown Princes of Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, then choosing a commoner of his own is following a new tradition in royal marriages. That of choosing to marry someone they love and are compatible with regardless of status.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

The Royal Report for Sunday February 20, 2011 - Royal Memorabilia

Red squirrels for breakfast? Will Prince Harry appear on Glee? Can the Queen finally go back to wearing yellow? Who believes they have the largest collection of royal memorabilia in the world?

Find out on this episode

Royal Commemorative Items and Collectibles

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 206 21 February 2011

Tatler - February - Special Collectors' issue

Blogs mentioned

World of Royalty

From My Royal Collection

THE COUNTRY LIFE BOOK OF THE ROYAL SILVER JUBILEE

Commemorative Items mentioned

Aynsley China - Engagement Collection 2010

Royal Mint - Royal Engagement Coins

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday February 27, 2011 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: Royal Focus: Windsor Castle

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Royal Engagement Tribute from British School

Demos and Kitty took the roles of Prince William and Kate Middleton as part of the royal engagement celebrations at The Kingsley School.

Pupils at the private school in Warwickshire made a special congratulations card to send to the happy couple.

The young pupils were photographed with the card before it was sent by the Royal Mail to Buckingham Palace.

The school hopes that the fantastic card will stand out from the others as the junior school pupils made the card themselves, as well as including this photograph of the young lookalikes of Prince William and Kate Middleton from the school.

Here’s a photo of the happy couple!

Thank you to Andrew Parker for sending me this info!

Why Kate Middleton IS the new Diana

Yes, you read that right. Kate Middleton IS the new Diana.

Sure, it has become fashionable to write articles diminishing the idea but it remains a fact nonetheless. Embrace the idea or live in denial like Prince William. The moment he slipped Diana's ring on Kate's finger she automatically filled the void left by her, mainly the desire for glamour and the potential for royal renewal. The royal family has been stuck in a rut and Kate is the perfect antidote. A lot rides on her slim shoulders, including the collective weight of our expectations.

On a superficial level, like Diana she will be looked upon to reinvigorate the British fashion industry, potentially setting trends in the process. As well, she will be expected to stay model slim, look like the modern version of a princess and smile while standing up to our minute scrutiny.

Like Diana, Kate will be denied the perks of her newlywed status; enjoying time as a couple before children arrive. Sooner rather than later, she will be expected to produce a photogenic heir, preferably a male so people don't have to go through the trouble of changing those pesky succession rules.

Oh yes, and let's not forget those dirty words: 'Cinderella' and 'fairy-tale'. Unrealistic? Yes, but you would be hard pressed to avoid them now. What's a royal wedding without the fantasy? Tiara - check. Glass carriage - check. Handsome prince - check. It borders on plagiarism. Deny it all you like; it will be the purple elephant in the royal wedding pews.

Also like Diana, Kate will be expected to live happily ever after. Read: Stay married and look happy - regardless of the reality. People will expect nothing less. Especially given the last marital implosion. Kate will also be expected to find her own role, look good while making a difference, and avoid overshadowing the rest of the royal family.  No tall order.

Sound familiar?

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Video: A Royal Engagement and its hold on the media

The first 8 minutes of this episode of The Listening Post is devoted to a story about Prince William & Kate Middleton. The focus is on the intense media coverage and how it make news around the world.




© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday November 28, 2010 -Do Kate Middleton's parents know what they're in for?

What do the Middleton's, the Spencer's and the Fergusons all have in common? They have a daughter who has married into the royal family. The Middleton's are well on their way to joining those ranks. When Kate marries William, what are they in for?

Listen to this episode to find out: What are Kate Middleton's parents in for?

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada No 196 29 November 2010

Hello! Royal Special Collector's Edition - A Royal Engagement Celebration

Star December 6, 2010 Cover Story - The Real Kate

Macleans November 29, 2010 Cover Story - William & Kate - At Last

People Magazine December 6, 2010 Cover Story Kate Middleton - A Perfect Princess!

OK! Magazine December 6, 2010 Issue#49 Cover story - William & Kate wedding special

US Weekly Issue 825 December 6, 2010 Cover Story - The Making of a New Princess

Websites mentioned

The World of Royalty

From My Royal Collection

The Country Life book of Diana, Princess of Wales by Lornie Leete-Hodge

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday December 5, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: Should the Crown bypass Prince Charles and go to Prince William instead?
© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Wedding Report for Sunday November 21, 2010

Big news this week for Royal Watchers when Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement. On this episode, a recap of the week's events. The Royal Report also celebrates its 100th episode on the BlogTalkRadio network.

You can listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 194 15 November 2010

Hello! Canada Weekly No 195 22 November 2010

From My Royal Collection

William's Princess: The Love Story that will Change the Royal Family Forever by Robert Jobson

Kate: Kate Middleton: Princess in Waiting by Claudia Joseph

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday November 28, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: Now that their daughter is engaged to Prince William, what are the Middleton's in for?

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Marilyn Braun CP24 interview regarding Prince William & Kate Middleton's royal engagement

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Why Prince William & Kate Middleton's engagement is a second best royal news story

Not to sound ungrateful.

I am extremely happy that Prince William and Kate Middleton have just announced their engagement to the world and put all of us out of our will-he/won't-he/should-she misery.

But, I feel a tad unsatisfied with this royal  news story. Sure it has all of the elements of romance and the elusive happily ever after. The afterglow will carry me for a week or so until the news dies down. We can now look forward to months and months of speculation, waiting for the wedding date announcement and then the wedding itself. It's almost agonizing in its lack of immediateness.

This is quite the contrast to the ultimate royal news story: death.

Yes, the great royal leveller. A royal death news story has a lot of advantages. It's immediate, occasionally unsurprising and filled more intense emotion depending on where he/she was on the royal food chain. For instance, say someone who is 355th in line to the throne will not elicit the same interest as, what I like to call a Royal Big 5 death. Who is on that list? The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry. When any of them die I know who I would buy souvenirs for.

When one of them dies there will be massive coverage and it will be immediate. Given the time-sensitivity of the occasion, this event cannot, unfortunately, be drawn out. It would be inappropriate. There will be no months upon months of waiting. If two or more of them die it could be extremely interesting to discuss what precedence the coffins will enter Westminster Abbey in. See? How much more interesting this coverage is?

Unlike death, royal weddings are a more difficult event to relate to. After all, we all die, right? Most of us will never wear tiaras, ride in glass carriages or have a golden page in the history books. It's enough to make you jealous. See, that doesn't happen with death now does it? No one gets jealous so we bypass that emotion altogether.

Like royal weddings we also see commemorative souvenirs. But better. I can't think of the last time I saw royal death tankards at a garage sale. Commemorative royal death mugs are different in the amount of guilt involved in throwing them away. They're an investment you can sell on eBay. Unlike royal wedding china, which you can't give away because there's so much of it.

Those souvenirs will have to wait. The reality is, we have a royal wedding to look forward to.

I guess it's better than nothing.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Official: Prince William and Kate Middleton are engaged!

Yes, you are reading that correctly. It's not just another misleading tabloid headline. They are officially engaged.

Many people thought it would never happen. Myself included. There were ups and downs and there was no certainty about anything. People felt it was a foregone conclusion that because they had been together so long, it was inevitable. But still Prince William kept people guessing, until this morning when I woke up to the news that many royal watchers had been waiting for. Half-asleep and bleary eyed I nearly fell out of bed reading about the news on Twitter. Until I saw an official announcement on the Queen's website I was skeptical. Like I said before, we've been down this road before with people jumping at attention grabbing headlines.

This news comes as a shock for another reason. Although there were predictions that an announcement would be made soon, there is no precedent for doing so this late in the year. Royal engagements are usually announced at the beginning of the year. Prince William had completely bucked tradition and taken all of us off guard.

Is this a sign that the monarchy is heading in a new direction? Only Prince William knows for sure.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Diagnosis: Kate Middleton fever

You may recognize the signs immediately: hyperventilation, excessive use of Twitter, and jump-on-the-bandwagon blog posts such as this one.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you may have Kate Middleton fever. If the photograph at left sends you into paroxysms of joy, you definitely have Kate Middleton fever.

This fever is not in itself fatal although people around you may want to take caution. If you, or someone you know experiences this fever, it is wise to keep as calm as possible. If you are pregnant, nursing, have a heart condition or a peanut allergy, extra caution is advised.

Many events can trigger symptoms. Articles in the Daily Mail, tabloid cover stories, recent photos of Kate Middleton, or even articles about Kate's family. If Prince William is photographed with her then you're symptoms are likely to be more acute. There is no need to head to your closest emergency room, the fever will eventually subside until the next round of photographs appears.

This fever is likely to strike at various times of the year, usually in waves. Starting in January on Kate's birthday, the rumors continue, leading up to the festive season. The unsubstantiated, conflicting rumors can occur daily or even weekly at their peak. For your own safety and the safety of those around you, it is advisable to refrain from using computer/hand-held devices and operating heavy machinery. Avoid grocery-lines and book store shelves. As well, fresh air and brisk outdoor activity is also recommended.

Treatment:

Take with regular grains of salt

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday October 17, 2010 - What type of Royal Wedding should Prince William and Kate Middleton have?

Prince William and Kate Middleton have been dating for eight years. While there is no imminent wedding plans, this episode speculates on what type of wedding the couple could have and the history behind royal weddings of the past.

You can listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 190 18 October 2010

Life & Style Weekly - October 18, 2010 - Cover story: Royal Dream Wedding

Blogs mentioned

British Royal Wedding

From My Royal Collection

Royal Wedding (Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip)

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday October 24th, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: According to a recent Forbes poll, Lady Gaga has come in 7th on the list of the world's most powerful women, while the Queen came in 41st. Is Lady Gaga really more powerful than the Queen?

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday September 12, 2010 - Prince William and Kate Middleton rumors - Fact or fiction?

Recently there has been a lot of news surrounding when Prince William and Kate Middleton will get married. Followed by reported 'denials'.

Are these rumors fact or fiction?

Listen to the episode to find out

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 186 13 September 2010

Films discussed

Toronto International Film Festival - 2010 Films - King's Speech

CBC - The Queen in 3D

From My Royal Collection

Debrett's Book of Royal Children by Charles Kidd & Patrick Montague-Smith

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday September 19, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: Royal Focus: Prince Andrew, The Duke of York

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Keep calm in the face of Prince William and Kate Middleton engagement rumors

I would advise everyone to stay calm and remain seated. Resist the urge to go to your nearest store and buy the latest issue of OK magazine with William and Kate on the cover. Slowly take your hand away from your purse/wallet. Ignore your Google alerts about an upcoming announcement in November and don't read too much into Kate's no-show at Gatcombe Park, where William demonstrated his prowess by taking photos with his phone.

These stories are just red-herrings because there is no real news about William and Kate (Oh, where is Tina Brown when I need her to illustrate my point?). We can be forgiven for jumping to conclusions, scoffing at these stories while reading every word. After all, what else is there to do?

But as you resist, you become stronger. Capable of reading between the lines of William and Kate stories.  For instance:

1) William and Kate photographed together in actual close physical contact/appearing together at a significant event (Read: They're still together. Phew!)

2)  William and Kate in close proximity looking serious. (Read: Not a good sign, but at least they're in the same frame)

3) Kate smiling enigmatically on the cover of Hello! (Read: Hello! is grasping at straws). There could be any number of reasons why Kate is smiling. It's a facial expression she'll have to lose when she marries into the royal family.

4) William or Kate photographed in separate situations - he at Gatcombe Park, she carrying mysterious rolls of paper while looking determined. (Read: Going about their lives as separate individuals. Or Kate has diagrams of Gatcombe Park to infiltrate the event. She failed.)

5) The cover of OK/Star Magazine showing pictures of William and Kate, with the headlines 'A Wedding Just Like Diana's!' or 'William & Kate's $40 Million Wedding of the Century!'    (Read: Nuff said!)

6) Stories about Kate working. (Read: Don't insult our intelligence)

7) Kate pregnant with William's baby (Read: Don't start knitting just yet)

8) Kate cheating on William (Read: Well, can you really blame her?)

9) William and Kate are related (Read: No worries. Keeping it in the family is a royal family tradition)

10) Specific predictions for engagement announcements and wedding dates (Read: Someone is using the Magic 8 ball again)

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday August 8, 2010 - Are Prince William and Kate Middleton on the path towards a royal engagement?

After eight years of dating, are Prince William and Kate Middleton on the path towards a royal engagement? Have Peter and Autumn Philips sold 3D Ultrasound pictures to Hello! magazine? How and where does Zara Philips get her kicks?

Listen here to find out

Publications mentioned

People Magazine - December 11, 2006 (Cover Story: Kate Middleton and Prince William - Will he propose?)

People Magazine - May 3, 2010 (Cover story: William and Kate - The next Princess!)

Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures of a Wannabe Princess by Jerramy Fine

From My Royal Collection

The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor

There will be no episode next week. Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday August 22, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America).

The topic will be: The Princess Royal at 60

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday June 20th, 2010 - A Celebration of Prince William and Kate MIddleton's Love

On this episode: : Prince William once stated that he wouldn't consider getting married until he was at least 28. Given that he is turning 28 on June 21st, speculation will no doubt intensify about his relationship with Kate Middleton. On this episode, a celebration of Prince William and Kate Middleton's love.

You can listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

OK Magazine - June 21, 2010 - Kate and William - The next big royal wedding

Hello! Canada Weekly No 176 14 June 2010

Hello! Canada Weekly No 177 21 June 2010

From My Royal Collection

The Face of Monarchy - British royalty portrayed - by Richard Ormond

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday June 27, 2010 - 9:00PM EST (North America).

The topic will be: Prince William and Prince Harry - Two brothers, two different destinies.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday May 4th, 2008 - William & Kate: Are they close to an engagement?

Join me for the next Royal Report on Sunday May 11th, 2008 - 9:00PM EST.

The topic will be: William's trip to Afghanistan. PR Stunt or did he just happen to be in the area?

Upcoming Royal Report: William & Kate - Are signs pointing towards a royal engagement?

Tune in for the next Royal Report on Sunday May 4th - 9:00PM EST.

The topic will be: William & Kate - Are signs pointing towards a royal engagement or are we reading too much into them?

© Marilyn Braun 2008

Prince William & Kate Middleton's Special Day

Kate Middleton and Prince William's recent trip to Klosters is probably the most discussed ski trip in the history of ski trips. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. The speculation has provided material for The Kate Middleton Report that otherwise would have been non-existent had the couple just decided to stay at home. But enough is enough.

The engagement rumours are not new. They seem to have a pattern to them. Case in point. Christmas 2007? Instead Kate got a pair of fake diamond earrings. When Kate turned 26 her birthday was the perfect opportunity for William to propose. When that didn't pan out, Valentine's Day became the key occasion. This year we had a leap year when Kate could have taken the ball into her own hands. When that didn't pan out, the Klosters trip, while not leading to a proposal itself, was seen as sure evidence of an imminent one. If it doesn't happen any time soon, well there's always Christmas 2008. And on and on it goes.

While people seem to focus on Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day or the couple simply standing beside each other, there are other important proposal opportunities to consider:

January 13th: Make your dream come true day. It would make all of us so happy!

February 15th: National Singles Day. Kate has no doubt marked many of these without even realizing it.

March 9th: National Panic Day. Christmas and Valentine's day have passed, might as well bite the bullet.

April 2nd: National reconciliation day. Prince William, don't drop the ball this time.

May 1st: May Day. Spring is coming, love is in the air. What a lovely opportunity!

June 1st: Flip a coin day. Heads William proposes, tails Kate kicks him to the curb.

July 14th: Pandemonium Day. You can't mark this day without a reason.

July 26th: All or nothing day. This should be self-explanatory, there's no middle ground on this day..no grey area...

August 25th: Kiss and make up day. William, you're lucky Kate is giving you another chance.

August 27th: Just because day. Why not? Other than our respect, what do you have to lose?

September 6th: Fight procrastination day. William, make a decision, take action, just do it! We'll be happy you did.

October 18th: Sweetest Day. It will be even sweeter if you propose William.

November 13th: Sadie Hawkins Day. Don't' bother running William, you can't escape.

December 31st: Make up your mind day. William, just do it!

There you have it. No need to thank me. Well, you can always invite me to the wedding...

© Marilyn Braun 2008