Sunday, March 26, 2006

Royalty

Amy and Emily went to the library the other day and there they found a bin of free-for-the-taking books. Amy found one by/about "Fergie," Prince Andrew's ex-wife, and she got it for me.

I don't know what it is with the British royal family, since they are as sinful as the rest of us and can be twice as odd, but I am rather fascinated with them.

I think it all started back in the late 70's when Charles was the world's most eligible bachelor. My sis Becky and I actually talked about writing him a letter, just to let him know about these two nice American farm girls, in case he was interested in one of us. (He wasn't, and neither was the farmer his age up the road, Olaf Johnson, who used to come around and do backhoe work for my dad. Sigh.)

Then Diana came along and she was Becky's age, and that began my Diana fascination that never abated til she died and I grieved like she was a personal friend.

When we lived in Canada, the royal family was more relevant, since Canada is still sort of a British subject, and when we got our citizenship we affirmed allegience to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and her heirs and successors. There I read various library books on the royal family tree and consider myself fairly well-versed on the history of the Queen Mother, Prince Albert, and the infamous Edward.

After Diana died my interest waned but I still am eagerly reading this very sad book about Fergie.

What is it about the royals? Do we all have an instinctive need for a royal family to watch and dissect, is it a form of idolatry, or what?

And how did Diana pull this amazing publicity stunt of making all of us women feel like we knew her? It turns out, after the fact, that we really didn't know her at all. But we felt like we did.

Quote of the Day:
Jenny: Mom, do you know whyI'm so vicious?
Me: What makes you think you're vicious?
Jenny: When I'm mad I scratch a lot and kick and stuff.
(Really, she's not that fiery)

15 comments:

  1. I too have had this crazy thing for prince charles and di - still collect anything i can about them. maybe i will borrow that book from you.
    a lot of my fascination comes from the amazing step into society that di made, and the Princess part that appeals to little girls.
    Always wondered how she felt about her husbands divided emotions for the two women in his life. The way down deepness of her feelings......... a bit more than most of us can comprehend if we have mennonite attatched to us!

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  2. Hi! I'm a first time commenter on your blog. I've read your writings often and have enjoyed them. I too, at one time was fascinated by the whole Diana & Charles spectacle. My mom bought me numerous hardback books about her one year for my birthday. Maybe it was because we were very close in age and she married and had her first child the same time I did. At any rate, time moved along and my interests waned and I found myself feeling sorry for her. She was the most photographed woman in the world, had exquisite charm & beauty and yet there was such a sadness about her. Her true love in life were her children and it showed everytime she was with them. She may be gone but will certainly never be forgotten.
    Connie

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  3. Maybe I'm odd, but I never could understand what people saw in Diana. To me she was just another "over-glamourized", "overmarketed" woman. I guess I'm more fascinated by the amazing people I see and know in real life. Am I the only one? Pauline

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  4. Pauline, I think perhaps people are more glamorous if you don't know them. ;) Reality tends to chases glamour out the window really quick.

    Ah, the Royal Family. What a charming, twisted lot of people. I still say that Diana will go down in the books as one of the most charming, regal, beautiful women to walk the face of the earth.

    As far as women "out there" that I admire and love to observe their lives, Diana and Jackie Kennedy are WAY on the top of my list. They both had this unmistakeable air about them. I love it all, the class, the carriage, the clothes, the regality.

    Another woman that I love to "read up on", is Jennifer Anniston. She seems to be the gorgeous, "Diana" of our day, whose "Princess life" has been shattered but is still loved by all.

    Well ladies, I suppose the little girl inside of us will always want to be the Princess.

    Oh and, Charles, the eligible bachelor? Those must of been the days. Thank goodness he produced a more comely heir!

    Ag

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  5. I will add my name to list of people who are interested in all things connected with Diana, Fergie, and the rest of the Royal Family! I'll always remember where I was when I got the news that she died. In a women's bathroom in a campground! My young daughter and I bought roses to lay at the site of the local memorial that sprang up spontaneously in her memory. It seems to me the whole world loved her!

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  6. anonymous #1--what do you mean exactly by what you said about not being able to comprehend "way down deepness" of someone's feelings, just because "we have mennonite attached to us"?? is there something about the mennonites that makes it impossible to feel deeply?

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  7. just wanted to make sure, since we've been talking recently about misunderstandings in writings and all. :-)

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  8. To anonymous #1. I am a Mennonite and I feel deeply about stuff..sometimes too deeply. :)

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  9. Pah! I'm Mennonite and I'm a basket case of wild, uncontrolled emotion. (Oh I love this testimony time!)

    Ag

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  10. Or maybe anonymous meant that, being Mennonite, most of us don't have to share our man with another woman so don't know Di's feelings in that regard. Wanna clarify, O silent Anonymous?
    I am finding, unfortunately, that Mennonite men are not immune to sin. Mine is a paragon of faithfulness, but not all women are so blessed, and we as a church need to learn to deal with these things redemptively.

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  11. Mennonite men are not immune to sin? Oh gasp, can it be true?
    No, they aren't immune to sin, they are just a whole lot better at hiding it. This, I know.

    Ag

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  12. You ask, "What is it about the royals? Do we all have an instinctive need for a royal family to watch and dissect, is it a form of idolatry, or what?"

    I rather think that our fascination with royalty grows out of our desire to be part of a larger story. Indeed, we were created for transcendence, and perhaps some of our desire for transcendence becomes misdirected at times.

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  13. That said, my Canadian dad's fascination with all things royal sparked interest in me as well. I can tell you exactly where I was standing when I heard of Princess Di's death, and I still like to follow what her boys are up to.

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  14. WOW. what one little phrase begets. whew. silent anonomous will remain silent for a very long time. thank you dorcas, for your clarification there. you hit it right on. of course mennonites have feelings cuz deep under those layers of capes, coverings, ect. lies a very emotional human. especially if she is pmsing! from here on i remain faithful reader, faithfully silent. pinky lock swear.

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  15. Hey, anonymous, there was nothing wrong with what you wrote. And now you can put on your resume` that you started one of those flurries of comments on Life in the Shoe.

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