For once, dear reader, I get to take off my conservative colours and write about something agreeable. Last week, the Crown in Britain announced the engagement of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales to Kate Middleton, his girlfriend of eight years.
I am absolutely overjoyed at the news, as are many Canadians. From around the world a chorus of congratulations has risen up for the Prince and his new fiancée.
Speculation as to when the couple would tie the knot had for years provided copy for scores of tabloid pages. The Prince’s popularity has rocketed with the announcement, and it seems Canadians of all sorts adore Middleton.
What is it about this couple that excites us so much? I balloon with pride at the confidence these two people bring to the Crown as an institution. It seems people of all ages, from fawning fangirls to retired war veterans, brighten at their mention. William and Kate have reinvigorated the monarchy for all ages, and I hope that feeling continues.
Young people have taken strongly to Middleton. Many laud her for her fashion sense, or her quiet and dignified astuteness. She didn’t need to be engaged: she is already royal in her composure. She is a commoner, easier to feel empathy for than an aristocrat. Any girl in Canada could have been Kate Middleton, and that’s what we love about her. Her parents were involved in the airline industry before starting their own business and making millions. She met William at the University of St. Andrew’s, where she graduated with an Honours B.A. in Art History. She once worked as an accessories saleswoman, and now she will someday be Queen Consort.
As for William, he is kingly. He brings both charm and his mother’s sense of duty to his role as second in line to the throne. After leaving university, he served his country as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. His superiors have lauded him as an exemplary soldier. Only a day after his engagement, he helped save the life of an injured compatriot in a crisis.
What I like most about William is that he reminds me of his grandmother. Elizabeth II is the picture of a stateswoman. Thrust onto the throne when she was only a teenager, Elizabeth has now become the living embodiment of the Crown. Her enormous popularity can be seen wherever she goes. She draws vast crowds who simply want to catch a glimpse of her. Her Majesty’s recent tour in Canada is only one example of her magnetism.
Queen Elizabeth’s reign has shown how exceptional our monarchy is. Monarchism has served Canada well precisely because it disconnects the patriotic from the political. In America, an elected head of state represents a partisan and deeply divisive figure. Barack Obama cannot walk into a classroom without Republicans accusing him of corrupting children. In Canada, we chose something more austere, more unifying. We have a Crown, and a tradition that connects ancient British history to our young country. We are interwoven into the diversity of the British Commonwealth, a family of former colonies and our mother country. We have all of this at a cost of only $1.53 per Canadian per year. That is far cheaper than a republican head of state in America or France.
I believe William and Kate will help Canadians embrace the unity that stems from monarchy. I have no doubt they will make the case for monarchy stronger when William takes the throne. I wish them all the happiness in the world. Long live our future king and queen!
