kimebear said:
Yes it would be nice if he made a dynastic marriage, but only if it is a love match. I do not really care how blue the blood is, if it only results in a cold loveless marriage. The next generation of royalty is in their hands and it would be a shame if the next monarch was raised in an atmosphere of quiet resentment or just cold contempt. I think William and Harry are dating out of their circle because they have seen first hand that marrying within it doesn't always work out for the best. A woman of common blood does not necessarily lack the grace, poise, honor and dignity that is desirable of a future queen.
I see no particular virtue in William making a dynastic marriage these days, but otherwise share these sentiments, Kimebear.
What is it that we expect from a Queen consort today? Where is the precedent? We haven't had one for over 50 years, and the way the RF behaves vis a vis the public has changed considerably since the Queen Mother's days as Queen Consort. We expect the Royals to do a lot more PR today: to put on a show and earn their keep. We expect them to do more than smile and wave as the travel from one official function to another. They need certain skills that were not required of previous Queen Consorts, and I believe the necessary skills can be learned by the right person.
Yes, the Queen Consort will also be required to mix with other Royals and Heads of State, so needs certain social graces, but no more so than the wife of any major Head of State. A good education, preferably tertiary, and disciplined, enquiring mind, are more important than bloodlines, I think. If the person is genuinely compatible with the Royal spouse, is intelligent and knows what her duties are and is given the support she needs from the numerous available experts in protocol etc., she should be able to do the job well. And I think having a happy monarch is a very good thing, even if he and his wife are "boring".
I also think it's time for some innovative thinking, too. I applaud Diana for some of her views and the way she introduced her sons to the idea of mixing with ordinary people and getting to understand the way they live and what their concerns are and how she could help them. IMO this was a very good thing and there needs to be more of it. I think it would be good for William to marry someone not of noble birth, who has grown up in a middle class home, with middle class knowledge and concerns rather than to move back into the detached world of someone who has had a Royal or aristocratic upbringing.
People have spoken about the dificulties commoners face in adapting to life in the institution of the Monarchy, but the institution can be made to adapt, too. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for a very long time, and though she has initiated many changes, it still reflects her personality and upbringing and views. While I don't expect many changes under Charles, I expect William to do so. I believe that in a modern Constitutional Monarchy the monarchy must continue to adapt to be relevant to the modern world, otherwise the Republican movement may prove irresistable to the majority of the population.