The State of Kate: A special report

Royalty 11 Responses »
Jul 312009

UPDATE: Originally this post was called “Royal Half-Time Report,” and that’s what I get for writing things when I’m sleepy. Of course, July is the SEVENTH month of the year, not the sixth! Oops.

So here, with a new improved name, is a look back at the current state of Prince William’s romance with Catherine “Kate” Middleton. Will they ever get engaged? Here are the clues we’ve received so far in 2009:

JANUARY: Kate’s parents are invited to meet William’s father and step-mother, Charles and Camilla. William surprises Kate with a romantic dinner in a log cabin.

Kate turns 27. For her birthday, Prince William gives her a sniper sight — how romantic. (Don’t think so? Obviously you’re not a royal.)

Prince William starts training as a search and rescue pilot, and reportedly plans to rent a house for Kate to use when she visits him.

But Kate is rumored to be allergic to horses. Horses and royalty go together like, well, sniper sights and royalty. Will Kate’s sneezing fits ruin her romance with the prince?

FEBRUARY: Much discussion of Kate and William’s plans to live together. Is it a step closer to marriage?

MARCH: Rumors that an engagement will be announced by the end of March. It’s not.

William & Kate sneak off on a holiday together. They don’t seem to be good at sneaking because the whole world finds out about it.

APRIL: In the absence of much Kate Middleton news, Kate fans and foes search the Internet for info about her. (No, she’s not pregnant. Sorry.) Unlikely rumors fly that Kate is desperate to have a baby. (Sorry, she’s still not pregnant.)

MAY: Kate and William are photographed together at a polo match! Apparently that horse allergy isn’t such a big obstacle to their romance, after all.

Due to royal budget cutbacks, Kate reportedly loses police protection. Rumor now has it that William wants to marry Kate next year. The BBC is said to be making a documentary that will air when the engagement is announced.

JUNE: Kate joins William for a weekend of polo and accompanies Prince William to a wedding. Later in the month they celebrate Prince William’s 27th birthday by checking into a hotel together under the names Mr. and Mrs. Smith. More engagement rumors ensue.

JULY: Big news: Kate is invited to a private lunch with the Queen! She attends yet another royal polo match, and finds time for a vacation — without Prince William. Late in the month, the two are photographed kissing in a pub’s parking lot.

So, to sum up: Parental meetings; meeting with the Queen; romantic dinners; sniper sight and polo matches; living together, vacationing together (sometimes) and parking lot kissing… My verdict is yes, they will be getting married. Someday. Don’t ask me when.

Maybe by December we’ll know the answer.

For all the latest news about Kate Middleton, visit The Kate Middleton Report, where it’s all Kate, all the time! Except when there’s nothing to say about her.

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Is monarchy too expensive?

Royal Lifestyle 1 Response »
Jul 302009
 
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“The Pillars of the Earth” miniseries

Film & TV No Responses »
Jul 292009

Ken Follett’s novel The Pillars of the Earth is being made into an eight-hour television miniseries. I’ve read the book; it has a lot of action and drama and should make a great TV series. More info:

Filming of The Pillars of the Earth (from Ken Follett’s site)

The Pillars of the Earth television event series (official site)

My brief review of the book.

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The secret of Herodium

Archaeology No Responses »
Jul 272009

Finding King Herod’s tomb

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“The Duchess” starring Keira Knightley

Film & TV 4 Responses »
Jul 262009

I’ve finally seen The Duchess, starring Keira Knightley as an influential woman of the 18th century, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. This movie didn’t get entirely enthusiastic reviews, and no, I didn’t love it either.

Still, it’s well worth watching just to see the costumes. They are fantastic. Scene after scene, I said to myself, “Wow, she looks beautiful.” I enjoyed the musical score, too.

But the problem with the movie is that it’s too beautiful. Yes, it is nice to see beautiful people in beautiful clothes on beautiful locations, but there’s also something sterile about it. The performances in this movie are good (I am a Keira Knightley fan), but the characters didn’t seem real to me.

The story is depressing, even dreary. The Duke treats Georgiana badly. She suffers, and sometimes rebels, with dignity while looking endlessly amazing. The focus is on her love life. Her involvement in politics is touched upon, but other interesting things about the real Georgiana — her novel-writing, her acquaintance with Marie Antoinette — are ignored.

The real Georgiana became addicted to gambling and drugs, but you’d hardly know it from this film. In one scene she stumbles around in a daze and accidentally sets her wig on fire, but the incident is unexplained. In the next scene a doctor announces that she’s pregnant, so maybe we’re meant to believe that setting your wig on fire is a symptom of pregnancy.

A better script would have helped. We’re supposed to decide that the chilly, abusive Duke isn’t totally bad, but we’re given little insight into his motives.

As for the casting…  I disagree with people who criticize Keira Knightley’s weight (I’m stick-thin, too), but in this case I kept thinking she really was too wispy and modern-looking to play an 18th century beauty. She’s a good actress, but I never forgot I was looking at Keira Knightley and not Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.

Overall, a so-so movie with spectacular costumes.

The Duchess is available on DVD. If you’re in the U.S., you can also rent or buy the movie online at Amazon.

To learn about the real Georgiana, I recommend Amanda Foreman’s excellent biography Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire, on which this movie was based.

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Royal Week in Review – July 25, 2009

Royalty No Responses »
Jul 252009

Royal Joke of the Week
Queen Fabiola’s humour surprises Belgians

Weirdest Royal Headline of the Week
“Vegan streaker” held over attack plans (sorry, this link has expired)

And Now for Some Adorable Royal Family Photos
Norway’s Prince Haakon, Princess Mette-Marit & family

Belgium’s Prince Philippe, Princess Mathilde & family

Netherlands’ Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Maxima & family

For a lot more royal news, visit the Royalty.nu News page.

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Sneak peek: August 2009 royalty books

Books 4 Responses »
Jul 242009

I’m not done compiling next month’s New Royal Books list yet, but it seems publishers won’t be offering us many new royalty-related titles in August, so I’m highlighting five books in this sneak peek instead of the usual seven. (Publication dates are subject to change.)

The Kingmaker’s Sisters: Six Powerful Women in the Wars of the Roses by David Baldwin. About six sisters who married noblemen fighting on opposite sides in the Wars of the Roses.

The Life of Mary, Queen of Scots: An Accidental Tragedy by Roderick Graham. Biography of a passive young woman who became a victim of circumstance.

St Edmund, King and Martyr: Changing Images of a Medieval Saint edited by Anthony Bale. Essays about St Edmund’s cult from the ninth century to the early modern period.

The Virgin’s Daughters: In the Court of Elizabeth I by Jeane Westin. Novel about Queen Elizabeth I, told through the eyes of two ladies-in-waiting.

Little Red’s Autumn Adventure by Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. Little Red and her friends help two lost mice. For children ages 4 to 8. (The author is the ex-wife of Britain’s Prince Andrew.)

If I could only read one of these books, it would be “The Kingmaker’s Sisters” because it’s an interesting topic that I know little about. Which book would you pick?

The Supermarket Incident revisited

Miscellaneous 3 Responses »
Jul 232009

According to legend, Camilla Parker-Bowles was once pelted with bread rolls by ardent fans of Princess Di.

But is there a hole in the story? Is it possible Camilla was actually pelted with… doughnuts?

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The iceman’s ink

Science & Nature No Responses »
Jul 222009

World’s oldest tattoos were made of soot

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TV movie about Queen Sofia of Spain

Film & TV 3 Responses »
Jul 212009

A two-part television miniseries about Queen Sofia, wife of the current king of Spain, is in the works. Tentatively titled "Sofía," it is expected to air next year on the Spanish TV network Antena 3.

The movie will reportedly cover Sofia's childhood and adolescence, her first meeting with then-Prince Juan Carlos (in England), their wedding in 1962, and the years leading up to 1975, when the Spanish monarchy was restored and Juan Carlos became king.

This will be the first movie about Queen Sofia, but there have been previous TV movies about King Juan Carlos, including 23-F: El Día Más Difícil del Rey ("February 23: The King's Most Difficult Day"), about an attempted coup, and Una Bala Para el Rey ("A Bullet for the King"), about a plot to kill the King.

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