Prince William officially engaged to Kate Middleton

[stoneroses]

How much is this going to cost us in the UK? Even if the queen 'pays' for it I bet she doesn't pay for the police needed for the day etc. even if she is going to pay all that she get's all her money from our taxes.
It won't be a revolution that gets rid of the royal family it will be apathy. I am happy to see so much of that here.
The wedding was not aranged by the royal family if anybody did it was Princess Catherine's mother, as has been well documented. She must be very happy today.

 

[Holdfast]

... someone (like Kate) who is rich, privileged and upper class...

You have to be kidding me. She is completely middle-class in background (almost stereotypically so) and her family, especially her mother's side, are very recent additions to those ranks. Even post-marriage, none of them, apart from Princess Catherine obviously, would be considered so. Even she will continue to be looked down on in terms of her bloodline by the particularly arch...

Lots of money and a large house isn't enough to make you upper class, and the Middletons certainly aren't even close. You need to have held the same money and large house for several generations at least, for that to become remotely true.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Anybody seriously believe this wasn't all planned out in advance by the royal family?

Yes, me. I think you give the Firm rather too much credit.

Since when do famous people - royals, especially - ever do anything spontaneous? Think about it.

 

[Captain_Nick]

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS

Thanks to the Australian bogan's love for gossip and intrigue in the affairs of their betters, Big Bang Theory has been replaced with some 'documentary' about this engagement tonight.

NOT HAPPY

 

[Bob Karo]

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS

Thanks to the Australian bogan's love for gossip and intrigue in the affairs of their betters, Big Bang Theory has been replaced with some 'documentary' about this engagement tonight.

NOT HAPPY

Sounds like reason enough for armed revollt.

 

[greenguy]

Awesome. Only on TrekBBS could I click a link about some inbred douchebag getting engaged, and come away with a solid idea for dinner.

He is definitely appearing inbred. More important a consequence than hemophilia is that dreadful (and sadly representative) bone structure. I continue to be shocked that anyone finds him attractive.

 

[scotpens]

... someone (like Kate) who is rich, privileged and upper class...

You have to be kidding me. She is completely middle-class in background (almost stereotypically so) and her family, especially her mother's side, are very recent additions to those ranks.

As this article explains, the bulk of the Middleton family fortune goes back five generations, to the eighteenth century. Of course, by British standards, that may still make them nouveaux riches.

 

[cultcross]

Anybody seriously believe this wasn't all planned out in advance by the royal family?

Yes, me. I think you give the Firm rather too much credit.

Since when do famous people - royals, especially - ever do anything spontaneous? Think about it.

They've been dating for years, it's hardly spontaneous.
Certainly, before marriage was even discussed, Kate would have been tested at public events, given some serious input on what would be expected of a royal bride, etc etc. But that is the reality of marrying a prince and heir to the throne; most couples (at least sensible couples) will discuss and plan how their lives and goals will work together if they marry. I hardly think that qualifies a marriage as a nefarious media scam.

 

[Stephen!]

Oooh, maybe she'll cheat on him with Prince Harry!

Although there's been speculation over Harry's sexuality.
http://loft965.com/2009/01/14/prince-harrys-gay-kiss/

 

[WillsBabe]

I was already bored of this by breakfast time today, and that's only 18 hours or so after the announcement. I cannot bear to think about the media overkill on this. They'll be desparate to recreate the atmosphere and interest of Charles and Di 30 years ago. I can't see people being anywhere as near as interested as they were then.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Oooh, maybe she'll cheat on him with Prince Harry!

Although there's been speculation over Harry's sexuality.
http://loft965.com/2009/01/14/prince-harrys-gay-kiss/

It looks like he was more drunk than anything else.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I was already bored of this by breakfast time today, and that's only 18 hours or so after the announcement. I cannot bear to think about the media overkill on this.

I'm pretty sure the headquarters of People Magazine exploded in a spontaneous orgasmic mushroom cloud when they heard the news, so hopefully that will lessen the coverage a bit.

 

[cultcross]

I was already bored of this by breakfast time today, and that's only 18 hours or so after the announcement. I cannot bear to think about the media overkill on this. They'll be desparate to recreate the atmosphere and interest of Charles and Di 30 years ago. I can't see people being anywhere as near as interested as they were then.

The BBC already have a dedicated section of their news website. This is going to be a long engagement.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

They've been dating for years, it's hardly spontaneous.
Certainly, before marriage was even discussed, Kate would have been tested at public events, given some serious input on what would be expected of a royal bride, etc etc. But that is the reality of marrying a prince and heir to the throne; most couples (at least sensible couples) will discuss and plan how their lives and goals will work together if they marry. I hardly think that qualifies a marriage as a nefarious media scam.

Maybe not a *media* scam, but it seems unlikely that the *family* would allow William to marry someone they did not approve of. When was the last time a royal person married someone far beneath their social class? You never see famous people marrying plumbers or truck drivers.

Sure, the family all says they like Kate, but of course they would - if they picked her out.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

They've been dating for years, it's hardly spontaneous.
Certainly, before marriage was even discussed, Kate would have been tested at public events, given some serious input on what would be expected of a royal bride, etc etc. But that is the reality of marrying a prince and heir to the throne; most couples (at least sensible couples) will discuss and plan how their lives and goals will work together if they marry. I hardly think that qualifies a marriage as a nefarious media scam.

Maybe not a *media* scam, but it seems unlikely that the *family* would allow William to marry someone they did not approve of. When was the last time a royal person married someone far beneath their social class? You never see famous people marrying plumbers or truck drivers.

Sure, the family all says they like Kate, but of course they would - if they picked her out.

In other news from 1947, I hear the Empire is planning to finally grant India independence.

 

[An Officer]

Congratulations to them, and I hope their marriage will do better than the last Wales'.

As to the particulars of their forthcoming nuptials, I am not filled with excitement, no.

 

[Red Ranger]

They'll need a royal wedding to distract them from the dismantling of the welfare state.

 

[stoneroses]

So according to Thursday's papers, Prince Charles is going to pay for it all. I hope that includes the cost of the police needed who could be doing something more important at the time anyway.
I hear they are going to live in a remote village in North Wales I hope it is the one number 6 ended up in, in The Prisoner...

 

[cultcross]

They'll need a royal wedding to distract them from the dismantling of the welfare state.

Early estimates suggest the royal wedding could give a £650m boost to the economy - in terms of economic recovery, a well timed tourism event never goes amiss.

 

[sidious618]

They'll need a royal wedding to distract them from the dismantling of the welfare state.

Early estimates suggest the royal wedding could give a £650m boost to the economy - in terms of economic recovery, a well timed tourism event never goes amiss.

When you first heard about this did you say, "Fuck, I hope I'm not on duty that day!"?