paca said:
Nope, never seen her around. When she was here on competion, you usually don't see people until after, if you happen to go to Jimmyz. Otherwise, they are being chaufeured from hotel to pool and back and that's about all they see. The athletes usually jog around a bit, but swimmers go to the stadium and back to the hotel.
As to surviving here, I think she would have a hard time being taken seriously (a lot of people don't take Steph seriously btw), especially seeing the age difference, she would be seen as his little toy girl and it would also harm PA in his attempt to turn things around here...An indicator might be, that the local paper did not show a single pic of PA and CW at the olympics. Actually I don't think they showed him at all yet, but I need to varify that.
My apologies for the edits, Paca.
LadyM, to answer an earlier question: I googled CW and found the article from '01. Probably just luck that I found it.
I have to agree with what Paca said in an earlier posting: we just have to wait and see and he is an adult with no one else to answer to (except the gov't of France and then it is just to notify them that he intends to get married) -- it's good to be sovereign prince. Oh, and paca, please pray no more couches...no more jumping...or his PR woman will jump out a window.
If you google PA & CW, there is little or no press outside of South Africa. And if you look at everything we've been able to dig up on the two, nothing really seems to make sense. I love fairy tales as much as the next person, and I'd love to see someone whose vision and sense of purpose I greatly admire, be truly happy. That being said, not that I have the most logical mind, but I've got a few questions.
1. As Paca pointed out earlier: if they were a couple, where was she at the avenement, the intronisation, the circus, and the celebration around St. Devote? If he were trying to test run her as princess, you'd think he'd do it in a friendlier environment (MC) where he could have some control over the press. Unless they have been the souls of discretion for the past few months, something was orchestrated w/in the past month or so. I don't want to sound completely cynical, but after five years with no indication there is a relationship, suddenly you're on vacation in front of the whole world with someone?
2. The age difference: PA needs a wife who can have children. He obviously is going to be looking for someone at the most 10 years younger than himself (then again, after age 35, Clomid is a girl's best friend). Have to admit, yes I am a prude, but 20 years is a lot of difference. Let's put this in perspective, she was born during his freshman year at Amherst. The ewww factor at work here... When they were clowning around in the stands with the flashlight, it just struck me as something he would have done to amuse his younger nieces and nephews. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Just something I noticed.
3. The South Africa visit: He was opening a consulate there and PA has always had an interest in charitable works in Africa. Could be that while he was there, her "people" organized a meeting with an IOC member to help with her bid for the Beijing Games. She'll be 30 then, she's been sidelined with an injury, support from a VP of the IOC (who was smitten with her in the past) could be helpful in getting the sponsorships she needs to compete on that level. He may have a soft spot for "older" athletes at the Games. I'd like to believe that perhaps there was some romantic undertones, but something doesn't seem right, particularly if his PR people know they've been photographed by every paparazzi in Europe. You'd think they would want to be the ones to break the story in order to control it, unlike what happened with NC and having a media frenzy focused on something other than PA's agenda for MC. True, any press is good press, but if the relationship doesn't last, you've got more speculation about PA's love life than his intentions as a leader (and PA has great potential to motivate/influence the next generation on issues such as the environment, sports as a means of global understanding, and charitable works/investments in the Third World).
4. The kiss on the hand: Wildly romantic. Makes me weak in the knees. Really. But it seems to me that our beloved Prince is the type of guy who is in love with the idea of being in love. (Yes, I find that attractive too.) Italy, mountains, snow, pretty girl, distanced from every day pressures...well, who wouldn't get a little carried away.
5. Matching outfits: a mistake if you're dating, a mistake if you've been married for 50 years. 'nuff said. I've said that as part of Paca and my plans for takeover, there is a fashion update coming.
Now, I'm sure I'll take more grief for this statement than Pres. Bush did for his "aid" for Hurricane Katrina victims. Didn't mean to offend anyone, just my thoughts. And if I'm wrong, and he waltzes her down the aisle, I'll gladly accept any and all punishments.
