Royalty and Reality TV

[margaret_gn]

I just saw the final and was very happy with the outcome. I swear, I think I would faint if I had to walk into a room with everyone staring at me AND give a speech. Eh! I’m glad Abby wasn’t one of the final two. Ally and Wendy have become really good friends, and it didn’t matter which one won – they both would be happy anyway. Prince Marek. What can I say? Sigh! I loved how right at the end they had ‘informal’ dancing. I couldn’t stop laughing. And Paul crying; that was really sweet. I must say that I have really enjoyed watching this show over the past few weeks. It’s given me a laugh and something to talk about. Oh, and on a fashion-note; I did not like Abby’s dress for the ball (even though she didn’t get to go). It looked like some horrible thing resurrected from the ‘80s (well, the sleeves did at least).

hey Danielle! i just watched the final show too and i'm quite happy ally won, it didn't matter which of ally or wendy won cos i'd much rather them than abby. i really really liked the place where they had the ball! (harlaxton)

 

[Australian]

I was glad with the outcome but would have prefered Wendy as the winner. But as long as it is one of them two im not complaining.

Well it was an interesting show to watch, even though i missed most of it, i wonder if there will be another one.

I heard that Australian Princess will be shown in the UK (not a UK version but the one we just saw) I wonder if this is true

Also, was Prince Marrik related to Princess Tamara? They have the same last name

 

[Pink Tulip]

Oh, and on a fashion-note; I did not like Abby’s dress for the ball (even though she didn’t get to go). It looked like some horrible thing resurrected from the ‘80s (well, the sleeves did at least).

I thought exactly that when I saw it. It looked like one of those horrible 80s bridesmaid dresses.

 

[Australian]

Is Princess Tamara (who appeared on the show) closely related to Prince Marick?

 

[Warren]

Is Princess Tamara (who appeared on the show) closely related to Prince Marick?

Princess Tamara Czartoryski-Bourbon.
Prince Marek Swiatopelk-Czetwertynski.
No connection at all as far as I know.

 

[Australian]

oh ok thanks Warren, i thought they had the same last name, obviously not.

 

[KelliB]

Television Programme "Australian Princess"

Am I the only Australian TRF member who thinks the current batch of "Australian Princess" wannabes are atrocious?! Not a one would seriously make a princess's left elbow. I don't know how Paul Burrell and James Whittaker can keep a straight face when referring to them as "princesses".

Do other countries have their own version of this trashy, but oh so watchable, television programme?

 

[KatieLouise]

No, you're not the only one! I'm sure they're nice enough girls in real life (that is, outside of the backstabbing environment of reality t.v.).
I can't believe how some of them come across, though! Some memorable moments are when one of them thought Princess Anne was "spunky Prince William" and when Stephanie said she hated people with red hair (I have red hair so I took it personally! )
The so-called "beau" Edward is getting on my nerves. I hope he realises that the girls are eventually going to hear his sneering comments. It's funny how he's the biggest snob and the most superficial beau and yet, he's the only one without a title!
Still, I'll keep watching the show! I just wish those girls would act a little more intelligently.
By the way, I think there was an American Princess. Maybe some of the American posters here saw it.

 

[crisscross1]

I cringe every week when I tune in, but they are like my favorite chocolates, I can't help myself. I hope people don't think they are the best Australia has to offer. Seriously, if it wasn't so funny I wouldn't watch it but I am desperate to see who poor old 'Prince, his name is too hard to pronounce?' ends up with. He must be having nightmares.
If I wanted to be an Australian Princess, I would be trying a lot harder than they are.


(We know it can be done)

 

[BeatrixFan]

Well any programme that claims Paul Burrell and James Whittaker as royal experts can't be worth much.

 

[Australian]

I think the producers deliberately choose women who are not princess material in order for them to make many mistakes and look stupid. Its all about ratings. The women are not representative of Australia because i think they choose a certain type of group to come on the show. They are not going to choose princess material women as the show would be boring then.

I dont like the concept of this show. Paul and Jeane expect the Australian girls to know British history and culture. They are Australian and have learnt Australian history and culture, not British! So i dont understand why Jean and Paul get mad when they andwer a question wrong or do something wrong. They are not expected to know British history and culture. Im sure if the situation was reversed and the women were British and they had to be expected to know Aussie history and culture, they wouldn't. and rightly so.

Paul and Jean are such snobs and need to thaw. Even the shows host, Jackie O doesnt like the concept of the show or Jean and Paul. She said:

"In the first series, I clashed with Jean and I felt she was quite nasty,'' Jackie says. "I get on with Paul . . . he reminds me of my gay friends.

"He's into shopping and David Beckham. I'm not saying Paul's gay. He just happens to love Beckham.
This season the ones who played by the rules and were well behaved were the ones who got eliminated early.

"The girls this time have more attitude. They are less inclined to just sit there when scathing criticism is being directed at them.

"It would be awful to be a princess. I would hate to be in that situation, I really would.

"I think Princess Mary is lucky in that she seems to have a husband who is a bit more relaxed. But imagine having been in Princess Diana's situation. No thanks. I wouldn't want that.

"Whenever I go to England to do this show and we have to mix with certain types, it's always horrible. I hate it. I never feel relaxed around those people. I hate the airs and graces.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20978079-5006022,00.html

 

[BeatrixFan]

I get on with Paul . . . he reminds me of my gay friends.

Oh the Irony!

 

[KelliB]

Paul and Jeane expect the Australian girls to know British history and culture. They are Australian and have learnt Australian history and culture, not British! [/quote]

Trouble is, the questions they were asked, particularly about the British royal family, were pretty basic questions (I for one can tell the difference between William and Anne) and we mustn't forget the Queen of Great Britain is also the Queen of Australia and the girls should know something about her.

I know the girls are picked bacause they are not in the slightest princess-like, but you'd think they'd have learnt a thing or two by now - Kylie is still mouthy Stephanie is... well Stephanie.

Still, gotta love it. I'm turning down social invitations to watch!

 

[Lady Jennifer]

We had a version- American Princess. It was on the WE Network (I think), but they haven't brought it back yet. Not sure if they will. It was only on for a season & on a channel that is not one that every market may get & I don't think it was that popular.
I watched it.

 

[Byaneng Celine]

well in my country we dont have that ...
i wish we have so i can relate...

 

[LauraMCS]

We had a version- American Princess. It was on the WE Network (I think), but they haven't brought it back yet. Not sure if they will. It was only on for a season & on a channel that is not one that every market may get & I don't think it was that popular.
I watched it.

WE is currently re-running the first season of American Princess on Sunday nights. I watched the first two episodes last Sunday and was evilly amused at some of the characters chosen for this competition.

The prizes for American Princess are $50,000 and a Lady of the Manor title. She also gets to wear a US$1M Harry Winston tiara for one evening.

What does the winner of Australian Princess receive in terms of prizes?

 

[Lady Jennifer]

WE is currently re-running the first season of American Princess on Sunday nights. I watched the first two episodes last Sunday and was evilly amused at some of the characters chosen for this competition.

The prizes for American Princess are $50,000 and a Lady of the Manor title. She also gets to wear a US$1M Harry Winston tiara for one evening.

What does the winner of Australian Princess receive in terms of prizes?

Really? Didn't know that- shows how much I watch WE
I wonder if that means a 2nd season is on the horizon.

 

[LauraMCS]

Really? Didn't know that- shows how much I watch WE
I wonder if that means a 2nd season is on the horizon.

I came across it by accident while channel surfing. I wondered if the network was building up to a second season of AP. I checked the WE website and found nothing in terms of seeking applications for a new season.

I think the premise of teaching young women how to carry themselves in a refined manner is a wonderful one but I have to laugh at the choices for AP candidates and "experts".

 

[crisscross1]

What does the winner of Australian Princess receive in terms of prizes?

I understand the winner will recieve $100.000 worth of cash and prizes and I guess the Prince. (Who actually isn't that bad looking and must enjoy the single life as he's 45 yrs old) Having watched the show I don't think that Prince Michael Sapieha is that impressed with any of the Aussie 'Princesses' so he will probably leggit back to his native Poland and sigh with relief.
Anyway, as with all these reality show's it's good for a laugh.

 

[KatieLouise]

It'd be interesting to know whether last year's winner still keeps in contact with the Prince (whoever that was)... I haven't heard anything about her since!

 

[flcty]

It'd be interesting to know whether last year's winner still keeps in contact with the Prince (whoever that was)... I haven't heard anything about her since!

Can't exactly remember her name...well she was on the Hot 30 (on the fox radio station) a couple of times last year.

It sort of gave it away that she (Kylie) was the winner when she gave an interview on Nova 100 (radio station) before the episode finale.

 

[Von Schlesian]

This year’s series, just like the last one, was full of rubbish. All of these references to the 'Queen of England' by Burrell, us being shown every cat-fight and confrontation and very very little of what the contestants were taught.
As to the princesses who visited them at the Savoy, one a descendant of Pedro II of Brazil, the other, HH Princess Tamara Czartoryska stating she ws a first cousin of HM King Juan Carlos - a blatant lie! She is descended from a King, the last one dying in 1859 (Ferdinand of the two Sicilies).
So many people are under the impression that the winner shall automatically become engaged to the 'prince', which is in no way true. They merely dance with him at the ball and can be satisfied that they've earned the illustrious title dreamed up by Granada Productions.

 

[Australian]

I don't really see the point of the show. Paul and Jean and the British guy (can't remember his name) look at the girls in disgrace but when I watch it, i look at the judges in disgrace because their behaviour doesn't impress me at all. The girls impress me more than the snobby cruel judges LOL

 

[Von Schlesian]

In which case, you don't see the point do you Australian? It's not the aim of the program to show some highly loving, caring, egalitarian mediated environment, but to show strict adherence to the many absolute rules that exist in the noble and Royal Households of the world. I think (while produced to be understood by the lowest common denominator), the program and the challenges in it are far more suited to the game show that it is, rather than a finishing school etc.

 

[RubyPrincess168]

I don't have cable so I missed "American Princess". It'd be interesting to watch and learn with the contestants, but I have a hard time watching reality tv because I get soooo embarrassed for the contestants who are humiliating themselves in front of the entire nation!

I wonder what her tiara looked like.

 

[Australian]

At times, the girls are made to do domestic tasks such as cleaning, making tea, raking the leaves etc. A princess would never really have to do this as she would have servants to do it. I don't know why the girls are given tasks that the help would normally do.

 

[KatieLouise]

It is only a silly show created for its (limited) entertainment value and I don't think anyone would take it seriously. Indeed, I am sure no one here believes that Kylie is now engaged to the Prince! I agree that the tasks probably don't reflect the reality of a finishing school - particularly the idea of punishments, such as being made to listen to classical music (?) and raking the lawns. Maybe the judges are suggesting that if you're not good enough to win a challenge, you're only good for servants' work! While I wasn't a particular fan of any of the girls, I didn't much like the behaviour of the judges either. Paul hasn't exactly behaved in a discreet and dignified way after the death of the Princess of Wales; I don't know if he's qualified to tell a bunch of girls how they should be behaving in public. But it is just a show after all, and like all these "vote out the weakest member" programmes, no one would watch if the judges were super nice and and the girls were all best friends!

 

[Alastair_r]

Michael Sapieha

Is Michael Sapieha who takes part in Australian Princess really a Prince ? X

 

[Australian]

Is Michael Sapieha who takes part in Australian Princess really a Prince ? X

Yes he is

His royal bloodline is apparently one of the oldest in Europe and were instrumental in shaping the Poland we know today. Consequently, the Sapieha family were granted a principality, and therefore Prince Michael holds the royal title.
Their role as landowners and royal guardians evolved in more recent centuries to one of political and religious influence.
AustralianPrincess - profiles

 

[RubyPrincess168]

It is only a silly show created for its (limited) entertainment value and I don't think anyone would take it seriously. Indeed, I am sure no one here believes that Kylie is now engaged to the Prince! I agree that the tasks probably don't reflect the reality of a finishing school - particularly the idea of punishments, such as being made to listen to classical music (?) and raking the lawns. Maybe the judges are suggesting that if you're not good enough to win a challenge, you're only good for servants' work! While I wasn't a particular fan of any of the girls, I didn't much like the behaviour of the judges either. Paul hasn't exactly behaved in a discreet and dignified way after the death of the Princess of Wales; I don't know if he's qualified to tell a bunch of girls how they should be behaving in public. But it is just a show after all, and like all these "vote out the weakest member" programmes, no one would watch if the judges were super nice and and the girls were all best friends!

I agree a romance can't be sustained once the participants leave the vacuum of the show. As for the contestants doing servants' work, I would think one would have to know how to do the tasks properly before one could instruct one's staff on how it should be done. As for Paul, he's right there next to Camilla in the line-up of discreet and dignified behavior!