The Engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton

[velvetgoldmine]

Are American folk much interested in this? Is anyone, anywhere interested in this?

Personally, I have fond memories of William's mohter, congratulate the couple on their engagement, and wish them every future happiness.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

By the time this guy gets the throne, he's going to be 75.

(No, I don't care)

 

[jansob]

Only the same celebrity watchers who would be just as excited about their favorite actor getting married. I wish them well, but don't understand the hype in the US about it.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

Actually, I have a question: What does the monarch do these days? He or she is a member of the House of Lords, right? And he or she has a lot of money and gets to live in Buckingham Palace. Is that it?

 

[Austin]

I wish them luck.

 

[kg0mz]

What with marrying a commoner and all, he will never get to the throne, right?

 

[ouch]

How do you get to be king?

 

[Austin]

How do you get to be king?

Only if you are Art.

 

[galopede]

I'm sick of it already. Doesn't appear to be anything else happening in the world on the news apart from some flooding in Cornwall.

I'm just wondering what bad news they are covering up with the announcement...

Gareth

 

[David in Boston]

Only the same celebrity watchers who would be just as excited about their favorite actor getting married. I wish them well, but don't understand the hype in the US about it.

I also wish them well.

However, this cult of celebrity worship in the world is sickening.

When it comes to celebrity worship I'm an atheist.

 

[Wishoot]

They make a lovely couple and I wish them all the best. Beyond that, I have zero interest in any celebrity relationships.

 

[Dewaine]

This is just the pomp and circumstance of an unemployed English girl that is to be wed to a soldier from a welfare family.

 

[Tacheless]

This wedding is gonna cost the taxpayers here £Millions !!!

 

[mdunn]

long live the Queen, and long live Prince Harry; couldnt be happier for him.

Im a proud royalist, monarchist loyal subject of her Britanic Magesty, and am proud to live in her southern dominion.

 

[BCatl]

William is Royal, so he can get to the thrown. He's marrying an English commoner (I suppose she's English and a commoner). I think as long as he marries within the Commonwealth, he's good to go.

Strictly speaking, I don't think the Queen is a member of the House of Lords. It would probably be a step down for her. She presents the government's program to the House of Lords once a year.

How do you get to be king? In the old days, you had to win a big battle, then you handed out goodies to your friends, who became the lesser nobles.

Nowdays, you have to be born into the right family at the right time. Most of the Western royalty today is traced back to the German states.

I learned all this from watching PBS. I hope the Brits and others will correct my mistakes.

EDIT: And don't forget, Royalty brings in the tourism dollars (er Pounds), TV rights, T-shirts, TV spin-offs, and all that $$ stuff.

And we must not forget the Royal warrant which fortifies the price of various shaving goods.

 

[BladeDE40]

I could care less...in the world of democracy,I'm not even sure why the whole king/queen thing is still around anyways, even if it is just for show.

 

[BCatl]

Sure, but show business is big business.

 

[rm71]

long live the Queen, and long live Prince Harry; couldnt be happier for him.

Im a proud royalist, monarchist loyal subject of her Britanic Magesty, and am proud to live in her southern dominion.

Good luck to them, but I am already sick of hearing about it. When is this country going to become a republic?

 

[saltypete]

William is Royal, so he can get to the thrown. He's marrying an English commoner (I suppose she's English and a commoner). I think as long as he marries within the Commonwealth, he's good to go.

Strictly speaking, I don't think the Queen is a member of the House of Lords. It would probably be a step down for her. She presents the government's program to the House of Lords once a year.

How do you get to be king? In the old days, you had to win a big battle, then you handed out goodies to your friends, who became the lesser nobles.

Nowdays, you have to be born into the right family at the right time. Most of the Western royalty today is traced back to the German states.

I learned all this from watching PBS. I hope the Brits and others will correct my mistakes.

EDIT: And don't forget, Royalty brings in the tourism dollars (er Pounds), TV rights, T-shirts, TV spin-offs, and all that $$ stuff.

And we must not forget the Royal warrant which fortifies the price of various shaving goods.

The Queen is not a member of the House of Lords. She is a constitutional monarch and head of state for the Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as well as some Commonwealth countries (like Australia).
In modern times the monarch is little more than a figure head and although technically she has executive power, these responsibilities are delegated (either by statute or convention) to the government ministers of the crown, the Prime Minister and Privy Council.

The Monarch opens parliament every year and this is conducted at a joint sitting in the House of Lords. Interestingly, the monarch is forbidden by law to enter the House of Commons and by tradition during the opening of parliament, an MP is 'held hostage' at Buckingham palace. This tradtion dates back to when the monarchs role involved real legislative power (which often caused tension and conflict with parliament) and used to be done to ensure that the monarch would not be assaulted or killed while attending parliament. Today it is simply a tradition.

The Queen is also head of the Church of England. As far as William not being able to marry a commoner, this is untrue. Although by an old statute, the Queen must 'sign off' on all marriages of descendents of George II, in reality there are not many reasons that a marrige would be denied. An interesting exception is that anyone in the direct line for the throne may not marry a Catholic. I believe that Prince Michael of Kent gave up his claim to the throne (he was something like 16th in line anyway), in order to marry a Catholic.

Pete

 

[saltypete]

Good luck to them, but I am already sick of hearing about it. When is this country going to become a republic?

Hopefully we will become a republic at the end of Elizabeth II's reign. I cannot stomach the thought of Charles being our head of state.

Pete