William and Kate: engagement and relationship rumours and musings 2009

[mrsbugman]

I don't understand how an election would stop a royal wedding. How would that pull the royal family into the election.

 

[Ella Kay]

I think it's more that the wedding itself could be made into a political talking point rather than getting the royal family itself involved in politics. A big royal wedding will be paid for at least in part by taxpayer money -- that in and of itself could politicize the event.

 

[wbenson]

They could probably announce a late summer/early fall 2010 wedding after the election if they really wanted to. If the general election is held to coincide with the local and European elections on 6 May, there could be a three week or so time to let the government's news cycle die down, and then an engagement could be announced in late May for a late August wedding (it's a short engagement, but not drastically so) that could coincide with the bank holiday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I don't understand how an election would stop a royal wedding. How would that pull the royal family into the election.

Either or both sides could use the cost of the wedding as an election issue.

There is also the issue of William being 2nd in line to the throne meaning that it is a State Occasions so Heads of State would be invited and therefore the current PM could use their visits to have his photo taken to show that he is in with these other powerful people. The Leader of the Opposition could simply argue that the PM is taking over the wedding for his own purposes.

 

[Ella Kay]

The only problem I can see with that scheduling is that the late August bank holiday often also coincides with the anniversary of Diana's death. I'd imagine William might want to avoid that.

 

[muriel]

The only problem I can see with that scheduling is that the late August bank holiday often also coincides with the anniversary of Diana's death. I'd imagine William might want to avoid that.

Fair point, though the wedding does not have to take place on 31 August itself. They could marry on Sat, 28 August 2010 which is on the bank holiday weekend.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Fair point, though the wedding does not have to take place on 31 August itself. They could marry on Sat, 28 August 2010 which is on the bank holiday weekend.

August is Balmoral month so I doubt if the Queen would want a wedding in August as it would mean not having her regular Scottish break.

 

[Zonk]

This is rather pointless trying to come up with an "acceptable date."

So perhaps we should move on.

Zonk
British Forums Moderator

 

[sophie25]

I see the stories saying that she would be spending time with the Queen at Balmoral this year came to nothing.Honestly, the newspaper editors must literally sit down and make these stories up.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I think that the Queen stays at Balmoral until the end of September or so. If Kate had met with the Queen, we might not find out about it anyway until later.

 

[Ella Kay]

True, Mermaid. We know that William and Kate were in Scotland for the bank holiday, at the Duke of Northumberland's estate. We don't know whether or not they also stopped over at Balmoral -- and we may not know until later or ever!

 

[lac2003]

I think the fact that thousands of gallons of ink are used by the press to speculate on the engagement and hudnreds of comments are made on forums like this highlights just how unordinary this couple is. It's all well and good to say that if they really wanted to get married then they will regardless of anything else going on in Britain. The fact is that if and when William gets married, it's not going to be a typical wedding. The whole thing is a massive event, and what else is going on in Britain must be taken into consideration even when coming up with a year for a wedding, never mind the actual day!!
I wouldn't be surprised by a late winter/early spring wedding. Security is now such a big issue that to keep the crowds down, I think a summer wedding becomes too much of a security nightmare.

 

[principessa]

Svensdamtidning has reporting that Zara have to wait to marry Mike Tindall until William and Kate are married.

Google Translate

 

[muriel]

Svensdamtidning has reporting that Zara have to wait to marry Mike Tindall until William and Kate are married.

Google Translate

I would be surprised if Zara's wedding would be held up becauseof William's, as long as it is not too close to the event. I think William will be engaged for a relatively short time, but I am sure BP will manage arrangements so that the weddings are not within a few weeks of one another.

 

[Zonk]

The only thing that is preventing Zara and Mike from getting married is their own desire and work schedules (as well as the shedules of the senior royals). While Zara is a member of the Royal Family, her wedding is most likely going to be low key like Peter Phillips...so its not like she is waiting for William.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Svensdamtidning has reporting that Zara have to wait to marry Mike Tindall until William and Kate are married.

Google Translate

Very well said Zonk. Mike and Zara have been talking for a while about getting married, I am getting bored with it actually. I just hope either William and Kate or Mike and Zara get married in the next year.

 

[grace marie]

I hope that's not true. Why Mike and Zara should wait on Will and Kate. Maybe lucky for Kate, but awful pression on Will. Autumn and Peter don't wait like Frederick Windsor.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I hope that's not true. Why Mike and Zara should wait on Will and Kate. Maybe lucky for Kate, but awful pression on Will. Autumn and Peter don't wait like Frederick Windsor.

It comes down to protocol.

If the reports that both Zara and William are planning to marry soon then William's announcement has to take precedence as he is the 2nd in line.

The BRF don't like having two such high profile members of the family - both being grandchildren of the Queen being engaged at the same time. It is there way.

I actually suspect that neither are planning a wedding for the next year of so - Zara until after the Olympics as she hopes to compete and William until after he has finished his SAR training if not service and that these reports are all press fodder but... I do understand why, if both are thinking that way, and actually discussing it then William's wedding will get priority over Zara's.

Peter and Frederick didn't have to wait because William wasn't planning a marriage. Everytime another highish member of the BRF announces their wedding we can be fairly sure that that means that William won't be announing his until after that wedding.

Besides Harry and Zara, William is the only other single royal I can think of of marriage age, not married. I class royals for this discussion as the descendents of George V, except for the Lascelles. I am not classing either Beatrice or Eugenie as being of marriagable age yet, although in past generations they would most definitely be so.

 

[Elspeth]

I assume Lady Gabriella would count in this list as well as Harry and Zara. She's a very junior member of the family, but because of the higher profile of her parents than, for example, the Gloucesters, I doubt they'd schedule William's wedding to clash in any way with hers.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I assume Lady Gabriella would count in this list as well as Harry and Zara. She's a very junior member of the family, but because of the higher profile of her parents than, for example, the Gloucesters, I doubt they'd schedule William's wedding to clash in any way with hers.

Exactly and I had forgotten about her.

 

[grace marie]

I know about protocol but... Zara isn't even princess Zara but Zara Philips and that should be a little difference. And ok, I see a problem if Will and Zara want to marry in next year. In this situation Zara should wait (however only British monarchy has such stupid protocol: princess Victoria and Madelaine have weddings the same summer and all people are happy) but if Will and Kate want to marry in 2011 I don't understand why Zara and Mike wouldn't announce engagement in January 2010 and marry in summer 2010. Will and Kate announce engagement in January 2011 and marry in summer 2011. I would have fun if Zara was pregnant and she couldn't wait. She won't be Queen anyway, so she wouldn't care about losing chance.

 

[rmay286]

I thought of that too--both Swedish princesses recently announced their engagements. Is it really "protocol" that two grandchildren of the British queen can't marry in the same year? I'm sure that back in the days of Queen Victoria, there must have been a couple of royal weddings in the same year at least once or twice.

But I don't expect William to marry any time soon, actually.

 

[Tilia C.]

I wonder if the newspaper was looking for a good headline and got inspired by the fact that Madeleine obviously has to wait till Victoria is married. Especially since it was a Swedish paper that came up with this.
There might be no real basis to this new rumour. After all, Zara is just Williams cousin, not even his sister and Zara's wedding would be much smaller and more private anyway. I can see that there should be a couple of months between the weddings, but a wedding in spring and the next in autumn shouldn't be a problem even to the queen.

 

[kimlan]

Because Zara and Williams are her grandchildren. Would she attending both wedding?
I just wonder.

 

[auntie]

Because Zara and Williams are her grandchildren. Would she attending both wedding?
I just wonder.

I definitly hope so! whoever heard of a grandmother not attending a wedding of a grandchild living in the same country!

 

[Sereta]

Of course, the Queen attends all of her grandchildren's weddings.

I wonder if the newspaper was looking for a good headline and got inspired by the fact that Madeleine obviously has to wait till Victoria is married. Especially since it was a Swedish paper that came up with this.
There might be no real basis to this new rumour. After all, Zara is just Williams cousin, not even his sister and Zara's wedding would be much smaller and more private anyway. I can see that there should be a couple of months between the weddings, but a wedding in spring and the next in autumn shouldn't be a problem even to the queen.

The Swedish press is copying this story from 2 weeks ago from the British yellow press. It's all a bunch of rubbish.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Of course, the Queen attends all of her grandchildren's weddings.

As only one grandchild has married at this point we really don't know if she will attend all the weddings that might take place in her reign.

If, for instance, one of the grandchildren married without her permission I would expect her not to attend as that would be a contradiction - to not give permission and then attend.

I know about protocol but... Zara isn't even princess Zara but Zara Philips and that should be a little difference. And ok, I see a problem if Will and Zara want to marry in next year. In this situation Zara should wait (however only British monarchy has such stupid protocol: princess Victoria and Madelaine have weddings the same summer and all people are happy) but if Will and Kate want to marry in 2011 I don't understand why Zara and Mike wouldn't announce engagement in January 2010 and marry in summer 2010. Will and Kate announce engagement in January 2011 and marry in summer 2011. I would have fun if Zara was pregnant and she couldn't wait. She won't be Queen anyway, so she wouldn't care about losing chance.

That may very well be what the idea is but Zara and Mike are waiting for William to decide if he wants to marry in 2010 or 2011.

If William says next year for Kate and I then Zara and Mike can plan for the following year or it could be the other way round or....

this could be all press speculation with neither couple planning to marry in the next five years or ...

 

[Sereta]

As only one grandchild has married at this point we really don't know if she will attend all the weddings that might take place in her reign.

I meant to say I'm sure she will attend her grandchildren's weddings.
At any rate it's all speculations at this point.

 

[Lighthouse]

Some people say they are already engagaed and have been for some time. I think that at this point there must be some kind of understanding? or does any one think I am mistaking.. I love to here all of your veiw points..my opinon is just that mine..

Lady Ann, you could be right about this. I suspect they want to postpone the media frenzy that was Princess Diana's life after she married Prince William's father. Maybe they'll marry when they decide it's time to have children.

 

[Ella Kay]

That's my suspicion, Lighthouse. Really, when you think about it, there's no need for them to marry right now as long as it's just the two of them. They've got a pretty good deal as long as Kate's a private citizen, because they are able to spend time together out of the public eye. That's not going to be so easy if they marry. I have a feeling that when they're ready to have a child, they will marry, and that an heir will be born as quickly as Prince William was.