Recent Royal Weddings

[R_Bee]

Or, there are some of us who don't feel the need to look up to anybody, royalty or celebrity. Why should I? Being a commoner without titles, money, or fame has served me quiet well, and I don't think that will change anytime soon. I do pay more attention to royals than to celebs, but that's because I think they are interesting from a historical perspective. Yes, there are a few royals that I like better than others, and I don't deny that they may have some admirable qualities about them, but I don't really look at royals as examples of how I should want to be. Same for celebrities.

Back to the weddings...I think most the ones I have seen recently are grand enough. Than again, I've only been paying attention to royalty for the past three years or so (so, after the most recent boomlet of crown princely weddings) and wasn't even alive when Charles and Diana married. So, I don't really have the basis for comparison that some of the other posters have.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by R_Bee

Or, there are some of us who don't feel the need to look up to anybody, royalty or celebrity. Why should I? Being a commoner without titles, money, or fame has served me quiet well, and I don't think that will change anytime soon. I do pay more attention to royals than to celebs, but that's because I think they are interesting from a historical perspective. Yes, there are a few royals that I like better than others, and I don't deny that they may have some admirable qualities about them, but I don't really look at royals as examples of how I should want to be. Same for celebrities.

Back to the weddings...I think most the ones I have seen recently are grand enough. Than again, I've only been paying attention to royalty for the past three years or so (so, after the most recent boomlet of crown princely weddings) and wasn't even alive when Charles and Diana married. So, I don't really have the basis for comparison that some of the other posters have.

I don't "feel a need" to look up to anybody either, I just do look up to and admire certain people(the late John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, Ingrid Betancourt) I admire and look up to people who are courageous, spiritual and principled because those are qualities I strive for in my own life.

I prefer Royals to Hollywood celebs because like yourself, I am in interested in history and in their links to it. Celebrity is more of a transitory thing...for example in about 20 years I doubt if anyone will remember Scarlett Johanson or Brittany Spears.

[PrinceOfCanada]

Really? I think poor Britney (I do pity her) will vanish into the dustbin of history, but Scarlett will be known.

OOOH.

There's a fun thought. The last Hollywood 'princess' to marry into royalty was Grace. Imagine if someone like Wills (or Harry, or maybe Philippos or Amadeo) married Scarlett? Now that would be a wedding to watch...

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by PrinceOfCanada

Really? I think poor Britney (I do pity her) will vanish into the dustbin of history, but Scarlett will be known.

OOOH.

There's a fun thought. The last Hollywood 'princess' to marry into royalty was Grace. Imagine if someone like Wills (or Harry, or maybe Philippos or Amadeo) married Scarlett? Now that would be a wedding to watch...

PoC...almost as soon as I typed Scarlett's name I regretted. Along with Nathalie Portmann, I think she is one of the exceptional young actresses who have staying power.

I am trying to think of a current actress who could marry Royalty and be considered "acceptable" as a Princess like Grace was...

Give me a few minutes cause this will take some time!

[PrinceOfCanada]

Scarlett, certainly, and Nathalie. Precious few others, I should think. Perhaps, hmmm... Nicole Kidman might have been.

[Odette]

Well Angie Everhard tried twice (Prince Albert & Prince Anrew) Claudia Schiffer came close (Prince Albert) Scarlett is currently engaged but she is an Obama girl so I doubt any Royal family will rush to claim her. Gwyneth Paltrow came close (Prince Felipe) Elle McPherson (Pr Nikolaos) who knows who else came close and we did not catch wind of it..........LOL

[Odette]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

I weep too. Partly because I think if this current trend continues(among the Royals and their choices of partners) monarchy as an institution is going to become obsolete and irrelevant within the next 20-25 years.)

Now, very few people know who the current Crown Princes and their spouses are and even fewer care. They would rather read about.....Hollywood.

Just look at these boards. The voices are being raised when Letizia,Mary and Kate are talked about. Either the rest of the families are uninteresting or their supporters less excitable. Interest will wane in the next few years when the currently unattached will find their matches and if they get more commoners into the fold there will be less and less regard and more curiosity about them.
Princess Soraya's drama, Q Anne Marie getting engaged at 16, then Princess Elizabeth falling in love with P Philip and P Margaret's love for Peter Townsend are what fairy tales are made of.
I do not expect people to "look up" to the Royals, I just hope they rescpect them but even that is falling by the waysides

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Odette

Just look at these boards. The voices are being raised when Letizia,Mary and Kate are talked about. Either the rest of the families are uninteresting or their supporters less excitable. Interest will wane in the next few years when the currently unattached will find their matches and if they get more commoners into the fold there will be less and less regard and more curiosity about them.
Princess Soraya's drama, Q Anne Marie getting engaged at 16, then Princess Elizabeth falling in love with P Philip and P Margaret's love for Peter Townsend are what fairy tales are made of.
I do not expect people to "look up" to the Royals, I just hope they rescpect them but even that is falling by the waysides

I hate to be crude, but Letizia, Mary and Kate bore my a-- off. Not one of them has anything about them that fascinates me, and off of these boards I have never once heard any of them discussed.

Kate Middleton makes the odd appearance here in People Magazine, but none of my co-workers has a clue who she is, let alone Letizia or Mary.

And I don't live in some little obscure burg somewhere. I live in a major metropolitan city with a large Hispanic population. Folks should at least know who Letizia is!

About the "respect" issue...well truer words have never been spoken. And the more and more they continue to act like the next door neighbors or the latest fly by night Hollywood celebs, the more that respect is going to be lost.

[Zonk]

Okay..I am not the moderator of this Forum but we are totally going off topic.

I also think there are a variety of reasons that royal weddings have changed recently. First of all, Diana/Charles and Andrew/Sarah were married 30 years ago. The world economy was different and considering that now we are in the midst of a world recession. I think the royal households are more considerate of how the money is spent. Also, royalty has changed a lot (in my opinion) in the last 30 years.....many people no longer hold royal families with "reverence" and as a result, I think that some royals (and their households) try to remain under the radar so to speak. And as a result, many weddings are not as flashy as they might have been.

In addition, let's look at the most recent weddings and the households. Yes, Fred/Mary, Willem/Maxima and Felipe/Letizia all had big weddings....but not to be mean....but the weddings of Joachim/Alexandra/Marie, Cristina/Inaki, Martha/Ari, etc. were not the same and really they shouldn't be. They are not heirs to the throne and while they have a little something, it shouldn't be the same production. An excellent example are the weddings of Anne/Mark, Andrew/Sarah, and Edward/Sophie (also Charles/Camilla)...they are not heirs to the throne so do they really need to get married in St. Paul's? Nope they don't. But I think Sarah/Andrew's was just as lovely. But then Edward/Sophie was really low key...a good reason are the divorces of those mentioned above and the fact Edward wants to just fade as much as possile into the background. Just like Beatrice and Eugenie's wont be the same as Harry's. And Harry's wont be as grand as Williams.

In regards to the most recent royal weddings...I would say Marie and Joachim had a really nice wedding. It wasn't as flashy as his first...but it was his second (and not bad for her first and hopefully only!). Either way....most second hand royal weddings are better than any weddings (in terms of presentation only) that I have attended.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Zonk

Okay..I am not the moderator of this Forum but we are totally going off topic.

I also think there are a variety of reasons that royal weddings have changed recently. First of all, Diana/Charles and Andrew/Sarah were married 30 years ago. The world economy was different and considering that now we are in the midst of a world recession. I think the royal households are more considerate of how the money is spent. Also, royalty has changed a lot (in my opinion) in the last 30 years.....many people no longer hold royal families with "reverence" and as a result, I think that some royals (and their households) try to remain under the radar so to speak. And as a result, many weddings are not as flashy as they might have been.

In addition, let's look at the most recent weddings and the households. Yes, Fred/Mary, Willem/Maxima and Felipe/Letizia all had big weddings....but not to be mean....but the weddings of Joachim/Alexandra/Marie, Cristina/Inaki, Martha/Ari, etc. were not the same and really they shouldn't be. They are not heirs to the throne and while they have a little something, it shouldn't be the same production. An excellent example are the weddings of Anne/Mark, Andrew/Sarah, and Edward/Sophie (also Charles/Camilla)...they are not heirs to the throne so do they really need to get married in St. Paul's? Nope they don't. But I think Sarah/Andrew's was just as lovely. But then Edward/Sophie was really low key...a good reason are the divorces of those mentioned above and the fact Edward wants to just fade as much as possile into the background. Just like Beatrice and Eugenie's wont be the same as Harry's. And Harry's wont be as grand as Williams.

In regards to the most recent royal weddings...I would say Marie and Joachim had a really nice wedding. It wasn't as flashy as his first...but it was his second (and not bad for her first and hopefully only!). Either way....most second hand royal weddings are better than any weddings (in terms of presentation only) that I have attended.

Excellent, excellent comments! Let's not forget Charles-Philippe d'Orleans and Diane, Duchesse de Cadaval which took place a few weeks ago. If that is not a Royal/noble couple then no one is, but even though it was an elegant, beautiful affair it came no where near to the high profile Gotha event I thought it would be. There were more Serene Highnesses present than Royal Highnesses. As a matter of that the only Royals present outside of the d'Orleans of France was King Juan Carlos's sister Dona Pilar.

It surprised me

[PrinceOfCanada]

First of all, Diana/Charles and Andrew/Sarah were married 30 years ago

Holy crap that is a scary number. Thank you for making me feel old! :P

[Zonk]

Originally Posted by PrinceOfCanada

Holy crap that is a scary number. Thank you for making me feel old! :P

I didn't mean to make you feel old!

But looking back..I added on a few years. The were married in 1981 and 1986...so not twenty but not quite thirty. And you shouldn't feel so bad...I was 13 when Charles and Diana got married!

[Zonk]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

Excellent, excellent comments! Let's not forget Charles-Philippe d'Orleans and Diane, Duchesse de Cadaval which took place a few weeks ago. If that is not a Royal/noble couple then no one is, but even though it was an elegant, beautiful affair it came no where near to the high profile Gotha event I thought it would be. There were more Serene Highnesses present than Royal Highnesses. As a matter of that the only Royals present outside of the d'Orleans of France was King Juan Carlos's sister Dona Pilar.

It surprised me

Thank you...I also forgot to add the size and the Royal Families themselves. Not to offend anyone...but I don't think you can compare the British Royal Family with the Danish Royal Family (in terms of flash, history or money) just like you cant compare (IMO) the Danish with the Monaco Royal House, or the Spanish Royals to those of the Dutch, etc. Hope that makes sense. I personally enjoy them all but I love the special nuances of each family: the grand old British tradition (stiff upper lip everything so seemingly perfect they could do it in their sleep) as well as the Danish (the announcement of the babies name at the Christening, the dancing by the bridge and groom by midnight), its all great.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Zonk

Thank you...I also forgot to add the size and the Royal Families themselves. Not to offend anyone...but I don't think you can compare the British Royal Family with the Danish Royal Family (in terms of flash, history or money) just like you cant compare (IMO) the Danish with the Monaco Royal House, or the Spanish Royals to those of the Dutch, etc. Hope that makes sense. I personally enjoy them all but I love the special nuances of each family: the grand old British tradition (stiff upper lip everything so seemingly perfect they could do it in their sleep) as well as the Danish (the announcement of the babies name at the Christening, the dancing by the bridge and groom by midnight), its all great.

The Danish have the most enchanting fairy tale weddings I have ever heard or read about...when I read about Princess Alexandra(Joachim's first wife) riding to her wedding in a Royal Carriage at night by TORCHLIGHT I was floored! And that midnight dance with everyone in a circle...how can you top that?! You can't! It's like something out of a storybook.

[Zonk]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

The Danish have the most enchanting fairy tale weddings I have ever heard or read about...when I read about Princess Alexandra(Joachim's first wife) riding to her wedding in a Royal Carriage at night by TORCHLIGHT I was floored! And that midnight dance with everyone in a circle...how can you top that?! You can't! It's like something out of a storybook.

Exactly...how lovely was that. Can you imagine seeing Charles/Diana doing that?! And I say that as someone who adored Diana. Its just the Danish way...no one else does it.

[Odette]

Originally Posted by Zonk

I didn't mean to make you feel old!

But looking back..I added on a few years. The were married in 1981 and 1986...so not twenty but not quite thirty. And you shouldn't feel so bad...I was 13 when Charles and Diana got married!

Let's not forget HM the Queen running behind William to catch him before he'd get ran over by the carriage...........I will never forget this........
BTW I was not even born then...........

[Odette]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

The Danish have the most enchanting fairy tale weddings I have ever heard or read about...when I read about Princess Alexandra(Joachim's first wife) riding to her wedding in a Royal Carriage at night by TORCHLIGHT I was floored! And that midnight dance with everyone in a circle...how can you top that?! You can't! It's like something out of a storybook.

I cannot even remember that. They got married at night? I remember the dance but I have a mental block with the carriage story.
But I have a good one, when then CP Constantine rode his horse next to the carriage Princess Sofia was in with her father, going to the Church to Marry Juan Carlos.