The highly publicized wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton was an event that captivated the world. Interested viewers in the United States woke up at 4 a.m. to watch the ceremony and catch a glimpse of the new princess. Every detail of the wedding was captured, analyzed and commented on. Catherine’s dress, her makeup, her hair, every inch of her was scrutinized and scrutinized. Can you imagine the incredible gifts that the couple would receive on such a special day? Instead of accepting royal princess gifts from their high-profile guests, however, Catherine and Prince William provided a list of recommended charities for their guests to donate on behalf of their family. But what was missing from this fairy tale? Reality! This particular wedding was not just a union between a man and a woman; It was a change in the way of life of these two young people. By signing the marriage license and saying her vows, Catherine also certified that she would change some things in her life. With all the things Catherine will be able to do now that she’s a princess, there are some things she can’t do. Is it really worth becoming a princess?
As a newly minted princess, Catherine is prohibited from voting. Now, as royalty, she must abstain from voting because it would be considered unconstitutional for her to do so. Catherine’s new public role dictates that she must appear politically neutral. As a member of the Royal Family, Catherine must follow in the footsteps of the Queen and other members of the Royal Family as Prince William and Kate identify with all factions in society. Catherine must show strong support for all English voters and part of that is giving up her right to vote. Is this something you would be able to give up? Is giving up her right to vote to become a princess a fair deal? It seems that as soon as you marry royalty, you are under the rule of the family you just married.
In addition to giving up her right to vote, Catherine is also prohibited from having a job. Now I’m sure most of you are thinking: “She’s a princess, why would she want to work herself?” But what if she wanted to work? What if she was passionate about her career? Due to the fact that she married a prince, Catherine’s career stopped. Fortunately for Catherine, she has a title, but she doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to do anything with it. She has decided that she is content to be a housewife to her prince and she will make public appearances with her husband when necessary. Why shouldn’t Catherine be able to choose for herself whether she would like to work or not? Why do you have to make this decision for her? Is this “royal rule of law” a good example for the future women of the world? Leave behind all your ambitions because now you are married and you have to become HER housewife. Is she sending the message that it’s okay for women to be educated, but if you’re lucky enough to find a rich man early on, you won’t have to use your title? Is it a “nice to have” title for some women and only serves to top off their “MRS” title? Catherine is considered the oldest spinster to marry a future king at the age of 29.
Most people might think that once you are a princess you have some authority to command people and do whatever you want, but in fact you are still under the reign of the Queen. And when the princess has the pleasure of eating with her Majesty her Queen, she must stop eating the moment the queen does, fork in hand. No matter how hungry Princess Catherine is, once the queen decides that she is done eating, all the princesses must stop eating. It’s not like she seems like she eats much, but Catherine or any princess should have the option of finishing her food if she so desires. What if she has to go to the bathroom during dinner and when she walks down the palace hall to the bathroom and comes back and the Queen has been stuffing her face with it and now she’s full and Catherine can’t finish it? meal? That doesn’t sound like a desirable thing. It seems that a princess could decide when she is full and when she is not. Princesses should set the example of healthy eating.
The additional freedoms Princess Catherine gave up when she took her royal title are the ability to sign unofficial documents (I guess that includes the right to sign autographs!), do or say anything controversial, and believe it or not, Catherine can no longer play. Monopoly – it’s true. Prince André, Duke of York found that the game became “too vicious” when played by the royal family, so it was banned from royal grounds. Is it easy to adhere to these prohibitions or do they go too far? To us “everyday folks”, it seems that with royalty comes the freedom and authority to do whatever you choose, but it seems that in some ways the opposite is true. Catherine’s royal customs will be scrutinized so severely that everything is predetermined for her, even the board games she can play. Does that sound like happily ever after?
Is wearing the tiara worth giving up the freedoms most of us take for granted? It depends on the woman, but one thing is for sure, being a real princess is very different from what fairy tales depict and for some it may not seem worth it. There are lists of other specific freedoms that Catherine has given up now that she is a princess, but only a few examples were discussed here. She is now going to live her life under the microscope and under the control of the Royal Family with particular guidelines to follow. Is she sacrificing too much? Is she really sacrificing anything besides the chance to play Monopoly?
