Why Do Royal Weddings Get So Much Attention?

[nucleargirl]

I want a fairytale wedding... I want a prince! and ride in a carriage... and a pretty dress... sooo jealous...
And William has such a regal nose! its probably the best looking nose I have ever seen!

 

[AlephZero]

Some of the guests needed remedial lessons on how to wear a hat.

The essential characteristic of the British upper class is that you behave at all times as if nobody except oneself exists. Therefore, the concept of "lessons" is meaningless, since by definition teachers do not exist.

Miss Manners is only for the peasants.

 

[AlephZero]

Luck isn't really needed ths time, and William and Kate actually want to get married.

So did Charles and Di. The only problem was that they got married to each other.

 

[Lacy33]

The essential characteristic of the British upper class is that you behave at all times as if nobody except oneself exists. Therefore, the concept of "lessons" is meaningless, since by definition teachers do not exist.

Miss Manners is only for the peasants.

LOL! Well said!

 

[AlephZero]

Even though his father, the King of Yugoslavia, passed away, the Crown Prince can't ascend to the throne because the Yugoslavia he's Crown Prince of ceased to exist 4 months after he was born. But he doesn't lose his Crown Princehood just because his kingdom no longer exists.

But given the political (in)stability of Eastern Europe, it's quite possible he will get a chance before he's too old to care either way.

Whatever, I'm farily convinced that the law of conservation of nonsense is just as fundamental to the way the universe works as conservation of energy. So by the same sort of argument that predicts the existence of the Higgs Boson, there must also be a "nonsensical" equivalent to black holes. That would explain the stable existence of things like crown princes of nonexistent countries quite neatly. (It might also explain things like the Tea Party, if a mini-nonsenical-hole starts to grow...)

 

[Alfi]

its just a wedding why the big fuss?

Well ... your wedding and my wedding is 'just a wedding' ...but this one ..IS a BIG deal.
An election for another President in the United States ...big deal .. it's just an election.




I'm SO glad no a$$hole group made it a problem for the happy well wishers.

 

[Lacy33]

So did Charles and Di. The only problem was that they got married to each other.

Exsqueeze me! Di was the real deal AND she was a wergin... echem. And she loved :!) Charles in her little girl way.

 

[Shaun_W]

What you mean by the fact we removed any power they had and replaced it with what has been one of the worlds best governments, all whilst not having to resort to wiping them out in some way? Yep, stinks of bad example...

The queen is still the head of state. We had a massive ceremony today to celebrate the marriage of someone who will probably be the next head of state solely due to bloodline. A lot of fuss was made that one of the partners in marriage is a "commoner".

Now I don't think that they should be killed or any harm committed towards them but I think that we should do away will all of this nonsense and become a republic.

And it wasn't to us?

A hell of a lot of people in Britain take this stuff very seriously.

 

[gb7nash]

I just can't get over the woman who quit her job to fly out to Great Britain for this. I don't think she was even invited to the wedding either.

 

[JaredJames]

The queen is still the head of state. We had a massive ceremony today to celebrate the marriage of someone who will probably be the next head of state solely due to bloodline. A lot of fuss was made that one of the partners in marriage is a "commoner".

Now I don't think that they should be killed or any harm committed towards them but I think that we should do away will all of this nonsense and become a republic.

They do no harm and bring in a lot of tourism. Do away with them and you lose a lot.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/29/royal-wedding-tourism-boost

The UK has little going for it so far as tourism goes, they are one of the major attractions.

Besides, they still have no power. It's all ceremony and ritual.

A hell of a lot of people in Britain take this stuff very seriously.

Doesn't change the fact it's a novelty event. If it happened often, it wouldn't get anywhere near the attention.

The fact one of them was a commoner really is something new and a major novelty.

 

[Alfi]

Doesn't change the fact it's a novelty event. If it happened often, it wouldn't get anywhere near the attention.

The Royal wedding ... reduced to a 'novelty event'.

Without actually knowing ... just let me guess ... JaredJames is an American.

I'll let him back up his 'fact' in any way he can.

 

[lisab]

The Royal wedding ... reduced to a 'novelty event'.

Without actually knowing ... just let me guess ... JaredJames is an American.

No, Jared isn't American.

 

[Alfi]

No, Jared isn't American.

I'm surprised. Perhaps my prejudice is showing. My apologies.

 

[Shaun_W]

They do no harm and bring in a lot of tourism. Do away with them and you lose a lot.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/29/royal-wedding-tourism-boost

The UK has little going for it so far as tourism goes, they are one of the major attractions.

Besides, they still have no power. It's all ceremony and ritual.

I didn't say that they should have their wealth and assets stripped from them. I would like them to be divorced from the state so that we have an elected head of state, and that they no longer receive taxpayer money. They can keep everything they own. They could whore themselves out for tourism. Hell, I don't even mind paying for them if it brings in revenue. As long as we are a republic.

Doesn't change the fact it's a novelty event. If it happened often, it wouldn't get anywhere near the attention.

The fact one of them was a commoner really is something new and a major novelty.

I know. It is why many (rightly) consider us ... less socially advanced than other countries. Class is a pervading issue throughout Britain and was brought to the forefront today again.

 

[lisab]

I'm surprised. Perhaps my prejudice is showing. My apologies.

...but I'm sure he was using "novelty" to mean "rarity".

 

[JaredJames]

The Royal wedding ... reduced to a 'novelty event'.

Without actually knowing ... just let me guess ... JaredJames is an American.

I'll let him back up his 'fact' in any way he can.

I'm Welsh.

Check the definition of 'novelty' in a dictionary.

These are one off events that don't occur often. It's something of a novelty for the British public to celebrate this.

 

[JaredJames]

...but I'm sure he was using "novelty" to mean "rarity".

Correct, a 'one off' or particularly rare event.

My gran has been around nearly 80 years and has witnessed three big marriages like this (Queen, Charles and now William).

Hard to consider it anything else.

Aside from the Jubilee next year, we rarely, if ever celebrate anything about them.

 

[nucleargirl]

I'm Welsh.

aww JNJ, I commend your efforts to stick up for old Blighty.

 

[JaredJames]

aww JNJ, I commend your efforts to stick up for old Blighty.

I actually have something of a dislike for the royals and a class system such as we have.

 

[Lacy33]

I'm Welsh.

Check the definition of 'novelty' in a dictionary.

These are one off events that don't occur often. It's something of a novelty for the British public to celebrate this.

Here! Here! To the Welsh :!) And just a spot more Champaign please... {hic}

 

[JaredJames]

I didn't say that they should have their wealth and assets stripped from them.

I don't think I did either?

I would like them to be divorced from the state so that we have an elected head of state, and that they no longer receive taxpayer money. They can keep everything they own. They could whore themselves out for tourism. Hell, I don't even mind paying for them if it brings in revenue. As long as we are a republic.

That's exactly how we operate now, I don't see how such a sweeping change would change anything.

They have no power, they exist for ceremony. They are our "show piece" if you like.

 

[Lacy33]

At least now we know for sure she in not a wergin. {hic}

 

[Alfi]

I'm Canadian. bty

It was a nice Wedding. As Large as it should have been.
Glad they shared it with us. World wide.

the crowds roared as they kissed ...twice.

Well done ... Very well done.
Best wishes to you both.

 

[JaredJames]

At least now we know for sure she in not a wergin. {hic}

Kate?

Think we knew that a while back...

I remember a few years back there was a news report of William returning from somewhere (army related or something) and it was the first time they'd seen each other in ages. They both entered a small room (I think it was a bathroom), spent a good few minutes in there and then left together.

 

[Shaun_W]

I don't think I did either?

You suggested it when you said that we'd lose "the lot" if we were to do away with them. I do not see why tourism revenues would be wiped out or even go down slightly should we switch to having an elected head of state.

That's exactly how we operate now, I don't see how such a sweeping change would change anything.

They have no power, they exist for ceremony. They are our "show piece" if you like.

They have power - the queen is, after all, the head of state, and the prime minister has to kiss her hand. This is from the Guardian:

What powers does the Queen have?
The Queen has the right to rule: the people of Britain are not citizens, but subjects of the monarch. Most public servants must swear an oath of loyalty, or make an affirmation of their loyalty, to the crown.

Although the Queen is politically neutral, she has the right to be consulted and to "advise and warn" ministers. Otherwise her residual powers - the "royal prerogative" - are mostly exercised through the government of the day. These include the power to enact legislation, to award honours (on the advice of the prime minister), to sign treaties and to declare war.

But royal prerogative is the subject of controversy, because it confers on governments the power to make major decisions without recourse to parliament. When Edward Heath brought Britain into the EEC in 1972, parliament was not consulted until afterwards. Similarly, Margaret Thatcher used royal prerogative to go to war in the Falklands in 1982.

The Queen has two individual powers that could cause a political crisis if they were ever exercised. She may refuse a government's request to dissolve parliament and call an election, if she believes a government can legitimately be formed. She also has the right to choose the prime minister: a formality in the case of a clear majority, but potentially controversial after an inconclusive general election. This almost happened in February 1974, when Labour failed to win an overall majority but the Conservatives considered power-sharing with the Liberals.

I'd simply like for us to become a republic.

 

[Lacy33]

Kate?

Think we knew that a while back...

I remember a few years back there was a news report of William returning from somewhere (army related or something) and it was the first time they'd seen each other in ages. They both entered a small room (I think it was a bathroom), spent a good few minutes in there and then left together.

Well i know for sure nothing happened in there. Where would one go to make oneself more comfortable. I'm sure it was just a long hug and plans to commit to one another for the future. Today!
But just in case her sister wore white today along with the little flower girls to fluff over any question of who should be wearing white.

 

[cristo]

There was an interesting statistic that Nicholas Witchell (royal correspondent for the BBC) mentioned on the news today, that 80% of the British public are in favour of the royal family. This should put in perspective the (few) shouts for a "republic". This is the one thing that sets us apart from the other western countries: no other country could put on a spectacle like that. I, for one, do not want to join the herd!

 

[JaredJames]

Exactly, Britain is one of the few places that have a functioning democracy and a monarchy in such beautiful equilibrium.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Shaun, don't forget Her Majesty is also Queen of Australia, and her representative, the Governor-General did exercise these prerogatives in 1975 when he dissolved parliament and sacked the Prime Minister. So there is precedent.

 

[CheckMate]

Exactly, Britain is one of the few places that have a functioning democracy and a monarchy in such beautiful equilibrium.

That's weird, I thought monarchy was the anti-democracy and that democracy was the anti-monarchy.

 

[cobalt124]

I wouldn't want Britain to become a republic (or have a written constitiution for that matter). It's taken centuries to evolve what we have today. To just chuck it all away would be folly. And I don't see why the British Monarchy should be singled out as being a privileged elite. Is someone going to tell me (for example, there must be better ones though) that Rupert Murdochs son is where he is today through hard work and talent alone?

 

[JaredJames]

Is someone going to tell me (for example, there must be better ones though) that Rupert Murdochs son is where he is today through hard work and talent alone?

Of course he is!

And coincidently, I'm next in line to be Pope...

Isn't Nick Clegg or George Osbourne (one of them) where he is today because of his fathers influence in getting him his first job?

 

[cobalt124]

Isn't Nick Clegg or George Osbourne (one of them) where he is today because of his fathers influence in getting him his first job?

It's Nick Clegg I think, because he made a speech against this and was accused of hypocrisy.

 

[JaredJames]

It's Nick Clegg I think, because he made a speech against this and was accused of hypocrisy.

That's the lad then.

 

[Lacy33]

Of course he is!

And coincidently, I'm next in line to be Pope...

Isn't Nick Clegg or George Osbourne (one of them) where he is today because of his fathers influence in getting him his first job?

And I'm next in line to marry Charles! :!) Lady lacy Dutchess fr0m h*LL.

And my husband is asking what medical condition is it thought that Dear Queen Elizabeth I had that made her both a man and woman? If of course it was true. Just the condition please, not a debate. Thank you.