Jessica Schmessica...We got a royal wedding to look forward to!

[BluPhire]

Quick question, but this was inspired by my suit guy when buying a suit.

Americans, why are you so enthralled with royalty?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

Quick question, but this was inspired by my suit guy when buying a suit.

Americans, why are you so enthralled with royalty?

Because we don't have an equivalent.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

Quick question, but this was inspired by my suit guy when buying a suit.

Americans, why are you so enthralled with royalty?

Listen, I would take QEII over Obama any day. Charles, well....there would be discussion first.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Because we don't have an equivalent.

That was his joke, but he was serious about it.

His complete quote was, "Look for America to have fought so hard against the monarchy, we are so enthralled by them. Think about that when buying your suit and tie, and the particular occasion it is for, and what type of image you want to project when you walk into the room."

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Listen, I would take QEII over Obama any day. Charles, well....there would be discussion first.

I care less about your politics, but if it is political reasons, I'll put you in the category of loving to be ruled by bloodline.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by BluPhire

Quick question, but this was inspired by my suit guy when buying a suit.

Americans, why are you so enthralled with royalty?

Why are Americans enthralled with celebrities generally? I think it's a specialized form of our celebrity-enthrallment, fed, as k_s says, by our not having an equivalent.

There's also the British-American connection involved -- it's really only British royalty we're so enthralled with. I mean, Quick! Someone name the heir to the Dutch or Swedish throne without looking it up.

Then there's the pageantry. We may not want all that to-do here, but there's no denying it can be fun to watch them do it; they do it better than anyone.

And finally, for some of us there are the historical connections and implications as well. I mean, they've been doing this for 1000+ years.

ETA:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Listen, I would take QEII over Obama any day. Charles, well....there would be discussion first.

Apples to oranges, though. She's a Head of State without being a Head of Government. An American president is both. You might feel differently if she was pushing a political agenda instead of having to stay above politics.

And as I type I think that may be another factor in American fascination with the British royalty. I think to a greater or lesser degree, many of us envy the idea of a nationally unifying figure (in theory at least; I know there are certainly those in Britain who'd prefer to abolish the monarchy) who is above politics. That's what we don't have. I've often thought that in some ways, the flag is the closest equivalent we have in that regard.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Why are Americans enthralled with celebrities generally? I think it's a specialized form of our celebrity-enthrallment, fed, as k_s says, by our not having an equivalent.

There's also the British-American connection involved -- it's really only British royalty we're so enthralled with. I mean, Quick! Someone name the heir to the Dutch or Swedish throne without looking it up.

Then there's the pageantry. We may not want all that to-do here, but there's no denying it can be fun to watch them do it; they do it better than anyone.

And finally, for some of us there are the historical connections and implications as well. I mean, they've been doing this for 1000+ years.

That's one of the things I was explaining to my wife.

At one time Britain had their hand in everything in the world. They are better marketers.

I'm glad you brought up the star gazing, I wonder is it psychological. We don't have Kings and Queens but we have Hollywood and Camelot.

[Tulip86]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Someone name the heir to the Dutch or Swedish throne without looking it up.

Queen Beatrix van Oranje-Nassau is the current queen, Willem -alexander (to be named Wilhelm) is expected to take over in a few years. He'll be the first King in a century. He's married to Maxima Zorreguita (Argentinian) and has 3 young daughters: Amalia, Alexia and Ariane


Heir to the Swedish throne is newlywed Victoria (who is Amalia's godmother)



But I live in Europe

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Ah, gotcha.

FYI to anyone wondering, the "style" is how the royal is referred to formally (in Philip's case: His/Your Royal Highness). Prince Phillip's formal style and title in full is: His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, Baron Greenwich, Royal Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Grand Master and First and Principal Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, Member of the Order of Merit, Companion of the Order of Australia, Extra Companion of the Queen's Service Order, Royal Chief of the Order of Logohu, Canadian Forces Decoration, Lord of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Privy Councillor of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Personal Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty.

More commonly, he is simply referred to as His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh.

I can see why he is part of the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Garter, but what connection does he have to Canada, Papua New Guinea and Australia besides being married to their Sovereign? Can those orders extend membership to people not of the country?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

Queen Beatrix van Oranje-Nassau is the current queen, Willem -alexander (to be named Wilhelm) is expected to take over in a few years. He'll be the first King in a century. He's married to Maxima Zorreguita (Argentinian) and has 3 young daughters: Amalia, Alexia and Ariane


Heir to the Swedish throne is newlywed Victoria (who is Amalia's godmother)



But I live in Europe

I actually knew the Dutch Queen because she's on the back of the Dutch Euro!

[ColdInCanada11]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

I can see why he is part of the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Garter, but what connection does he have to Canada, Papua New Guinea and Australia besides being married to their Sovereign? Can those orders extend membership to people not of the country?

Being in history at a Canadian university, we definitely study our government thoroughly. To answer your second question first, all current members of the Queens Privy Council for Canada ARE Canadian, aside from Prince Philip, with I believe all past members being Canadian also. Being that our Privy Council was formed to provide a Canadian opinion for the Crown, it only makes sense to have Canadians on the Council. And to answer your first question, it is his marriage that connects him to us. Canada, Papua New Guinea, and Australia are all territories of Her Majesty, so the titles given by each country are afforded to him as they are usually the highest honour given in that country. A lot of Canadian-British relations trace back through the history of colonialism here.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

Heir to the Swedish throne is newlywed Victoria (who is Amalia's godmother)

Whose dress was about 7,000 degrees of gorgeous.

[Tulip86]

I know, right? She was a very stunning bride!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

Queen Beatrix van Oranje-Nassau is the current queen, Willem -alexander (to be named Wilhelm) is expected to take over in a few years. He'll be the first King in a century. He's married to Maxima Zorreguita (Argentinian) and has 3 young daughters: Amalia, Alexia and Ariane


Heir to the Swedish throne is newlywed Victoria (who is Amalia's godmother)



But I live in Europe

LOL!!! Now why didn't I think to limit the question to the American GCers, or at least to those who don't live in the Netherlands?

(And yes, I could have named Queen Beatrix as well, but while I know about the Dutch and Swedish heirs, I wouldn't have been able to remember their names without looking them up.)

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

I can see why he is part of the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Garter, but what connection does he have to Canada, Papua New Guinea and Australia besides being married to their Sovereign? Can those orders extend membership to people not of the country?

We won our Revolution. They didn't really try.

Originally Posted by Tulip86

I know, right? She was a very stunning bride!

I posted a picture of her - I love her dress, and she wore it quite well! Unfortunately, I posted it in the Wedding Cake Thread.

Originally Posted by MysticCat

LOL!!! Now why didn't I think to limit the question to the American GCers, or at least to those who don't live in the Netherlands?

(And yes, I could have named Queen Beatrix as well, but while I know about the Dutch and Swedish heirs, I wouldn't have been able to remember their names without looking them up.)

My mother subscribed to both Royalty and Majesty magazines. I had no chance.