A couple 'royal' questions for you . . .

For the foreseeable future, Catherine will be living the life of a military wife. There will be a tour of Canada in July but aside from that she'll be on base with William.

Queen Elizabeth did that too living in Malta with Philip after they were married. Then her father died and she started Queening.

 

Wow Kendra, thanks for straightening it all out for us. You know a lot about the monarchy, so are you a History teacher or just up to date on all this info :FIFblush: . I don't think I could tell you that much on the U.S. Presidents, so I am definitely impressed :bow2: .

 

It's just my thing. I'm a Monarchist (a person who believes that a Constitutional Monarchy is the best form of government) and a royal watcher (a person who likes the fun stuffs) I've been seriously watching about 11 years and in the Monarchist League of Canada since 2002. (I'm actually the Niagara contact right now - yikes!)

Think of it like my sport. I can't tell you anything about football though there are people out there who know all the players and coaches and owners and stuff.

If you click on my blog, you can see some of my collection dealing with weddings of the past. Nothing for William and Catherine yet. (Dad saved the papers I think) I did do this though http://danmackey.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/royal-wedding-gift/

 

This gives a good overview on the Prince/Princess vs Duke/Duchess names. (I put no stock in the Telegraph article)

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/05/is-william-still-prince.html

I've known Marlene online for years though I have actually never gotten around to getting her book (Queen Victoria's Descendents) She is also a twin.

 

Fascinating!!!!!

 

Thanks to Kendra and Marissa (and any and all others) for thier answers!! I have been wondering abt a lot of this stuff too!!

Wikipedia has it down to the 2513th place! HERE is that link.

How old was Elizabeth when she began her reign?

 

Oh one more question...I know that in order to be a monarch you must be Protestant...specifically Church of England and that if you ever have been, become, or marry a Roman Catholic you are excluded. So how this is go with other religions? Can you be anything else BUT RC and as long as you "join" the Cof E before succession you are OK?

 

She was 25. Think about it. You are a 25 year old and your father dies and suddenly you are the focus of the world. They called it "a new Elizabethan age". (Victoria in Sweden has said she doesn't want to think about when she is Queen because it means her father will have died)

I'm not sure if it has ever come up for any denomination beyond Catholicism or other religions. (that would be Holly's place) but people can convert to CoE and it doesn't affect the place of their spouse. (Elizabeth's grandson Peter's wife Autumn converted.

There are members of the family who have converted TO Catholicism. The Queen's cousin the Duke of Kent's wife Katharine converted in 1994. It didn't affect his place in succession because he married a member of the CoE in 1961.... their son Lord Nicholas converted after his mother but he has lost his place in succession. He and his wife married at the Vatican.

 

Holy cow, Kendra! I think you are our unofficial 'all things royal', teacher!

I don't know why, but I am glad several of you have said she has really always gone by Catherine, and it's only been recently - and by the press - that she had become Kate. I would just think that her life is going to be so hugely different anyway, now that she is married into the royal family, having to change your name would just make it a bit harder. Your name is part of your identity . . . I had a hard enough time taking my DH's last name when we got married!

For those of you who do follow the royal family, are the feelings and opinions about Catherine generally positive?

 

I love the Kents. He always looks so befuddled and together they look like your average middle aged couple. here they are at the wedding. I don't know why but they have shown up in my watching life a lot in the last few days.



I would say the reaction to Catherine is generally good. There certainly isn't any out and out hatred that we've seen with some of the other brides (I never want to relive the Mary of Denmark days - I think I'm still traumatized - I modded a message board at the time, Camilla for obvious reasons) and she is less controversial than others (Mette Marit of Norway was a never married single mother, Letizia of Spain was divorced -and Spain is a Catholic country). I'm personally on the fence and will wait and see what she gives us in terms of duty. Same with William.

 

William is probably called Will half the time in our (English) press. Charles and the Queen don't get shortened in the press much, it is more people talking amongst themselves or, on TV, comedians doing a sketch.

As for William choosing his name Kendra's right, it's all in how it sounds. I think Louis (aside from the questionable history linked to it) would be felt to be too French for a British monarch. With Arthur there is the huge legend of King Arthur. According to the stories he was the epitome of good against evil, light against darkness. He saved Britain from a time of turbulence (Saxon and Roman invasions and civil war) and in some versions is said to still be resting at Avalon waiting to ride forth and save the country again. While this is pretty much just myths-even if Arthur is a real historical figure most of the stories people know are entirely fictional-you can see that it wouldn't really be possible to declare yourself King Arthur. It would be a bit like saying 'I am the greatest king ever and have arrived to save the country!' Tremendously egotistical and I can't imagine it would go down well at all, you'd be mad to try it.

 

Catherine never had a career. She was a buyer at a posh store for a little while. Other than that she has basically waited for William to decide to marry her. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good that she (and William, who got the best mark-a 2:1-a royal ever has on merit) went to university but it's not like she gave up a great career or a job she loved to be with him. Her job now is to have babies (the press here never says if they have children it is always when), which sucks for feminism but there you go. He is second in line and they are expected to produce heirs to carry on the royal line. I'm sure they were both well aware of this before they got married and it's possible that's why they waited so long (they have been together 10 years). Although my sister and I were laughing the other day at what the press would say if they just decided they didn't want children (not due to any fertility problems, just as a personal choice) or suddenly announced they were adopting.

Overall I would say that Catherine has had a positive reaction. Like I said before much has been made of her being a 'commoner' (as in not titled) and middle class, but most of it in a positive way.

 

okay out of curiosity what would happen if they chose to adopt rather than birth an heir?

 

A child will have a loving home. The child will not be in the line of succession because it will not have royal blood.