Interest in affairs of British monarchy manifestation of romanticized goals
In a few weeks, much of the world will be consumed with the marriage of Kate Middleton to Wales’s Prince William. Since word of their engagement spread last fall, nearly all news and gossip sites have been updating daily on every bit of news of the wedding, from the most miniscule (the type of cake to be served) to the most obvious (surprise! Middleton’s sister will be her maid-of-honor, and Prince Harry will be the best man).
The British royals are essentially just symbols of their nation, so it makes perfect sense for the members of the British Commonwealth to care so much. But why has this obsession infiltrated America just as deeply? Isn’t the entire idea behind the American system anti-monarchy? This is the same monarchy that we rebelled from 250 years ago. But perhaps our interest in the story of a regular middle-class girl capturing the love of a prince is less of a political interest and instead because this is a romantic conception of the American Dream.
We Americans love the idea of the everyday person becoming something important in this world, whether it’s by winning the lottery, discovering the next big idea, shattering a glass ceiling or catching the eye of our own “prince.” It’s why our politicians like to advertise their small-town roots and why some political families are criticized for their upper-class pedigrees. It’s why we promote small businesses and grassroots reality shows like “American Idol” and root for the underdogs in sporting events.
Kate Middleton’s relationship with Prince William completely fits the idea of the American Dream. Kate was a normal, middle-class girl who had the luck of attending college with the very eligible heir to the British throne. Unlike in the past when one needed to be royal to wed a prince, Middleton will follow the footsteps of characters from Hollywood movies and famous fairy tales. We love stories like “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Prince and Me,” where someone who was uncool or from the wrong side of the tracks ends up finding his or her own version of a prince or princess because of beauty, personality or intelligence.
Some of us will wake up in the wee hours of April 29th to watch the wedding of the future monarchs of England, or watch the Lifetime movie, or read about it with morning coffee. We care because it represents something inside of us that we strive for: the American Dream.