A Royal Wedding

Most of the world seems to be rejoicing at the happy news. Whatever their attitude to the institution of monarchy, people love a royal wedding, the stuff of  fairy tales for generations.

In fact a marriage of a direct heir to the throne is in the U.K., nowadays, rare. I have seen three;  the Queen herself, Prince Charles and now Prince William. My father was born when Queen Victoria was still going strong and he died when Elizabeth II had been Queen for six years. During his life there had been six separate monarchs, two queens and four kings. Today anyone under fifty eight has  known only one.

At such a time as this all thoughts are of happiness and to the future. The sombre failure of the last such marriage of Charles and Diana is forgotten. Diana was in no way prepared for a royal marriage which is so much more than an everyday romantic partnership. It is the maintenance of a dynasty, a pillar of the constitution and a key part of the abilty of the state to renew itself. The romantic element is, in all of this, quite incidental. There is some evidence now that Diana was the candidate of her grandmother Lady Fermoy who was close to the Queen Mother. Charles was persuaded, against his better judgement and when not really in love, to take the plunge.

The prospects for William and Kate are altogether better. Not only do the the pair know each other really well and are best friends, but every effort has been made to show Kate all aspects of what it really means to enter that gilded cage where one becomes almost the property of the state and a prisoner of the establishment. She believes she can handle it and all the country thinks she can too.

There is something more. Diana did not find her feet until after the divorce. When she did, she brought a style of royalty the people not only admired, but preferred. She was, as Blair said (and Campbell prompted), the people’s Princess. Almost everyone has a story of a Diana contact or kindess and if they do not have a personal experiece they know someone who does. Diana, cast from the cage, brought monarchy to the people. They loved her for it.

There are signs that Prince William understands that. When his turn comes he will seek to be the people’s king. At his side Kate, or Catherine as she is to be known (will that work?) will be an ideal people’s queen. That will be Diana’s final and lasting legacy.