London Calling - A right royal mess
On Kate and Wills' break-up
I have to admit to being quite taken by surprise to hear - upon my return from one of the wettest weekends in Barcelona's history - about the break-up of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Having not looked at a newspaper or had the telly on throughout my stay, I was unaware of the tabloid frenzy that was taking place at this end. It was only upon turning my computer on on Monday morning that I read the news.
Reaction to the couple's split has varied from "Poor Kate" - which is quite understandable, since apparently she was dumped over the phone while His Majesty or His Excellence or whatever it is you have to call him, was on a skiing trip - to "Go Girl!" by those who think that the young lady now has a chance of having some sort of normal life, instead of one that is ruled by a million and one issues of protocol - which is how I myself see it. Very few are disappointed. Well, maybe the ones who had already created thousands of tea cups to celebrate their engagement. But then you kind of can't help but thinking "serves you right" there.
The break-up has, however, opened up an interesting debate, that of snobbery, which in today's England, apparently, no longer had any relevance. It is being said that one of the reasons that the relationship had reached rocky grounds was because some members of Wills' family - and even more so, some of his toff friends - were not impressed by Ms Middleton's lineage. She comes from "common" stock you see: Her father has a mining background, her mother used to be an air hostess. Apparently there were many "doors to manual" jokes among the future king's friends on their nights out at Boujis. (Remember my night out at the Cuckoo Club? That would be heaven comparable to the hell that is Boujis. Dante would be stuck for words.)
The big gaffe apparently happened at Wills' recent passing out ceremony at Sandringham, when Ms Middleton met the queen and upon introduction said "Pleased to meet you," as opposed to "How do you do?". The knife was dug in deeper - we hear - when she asked for the "toilet" - as opposed to the "lavatory". Oh, and, shock horror, she apparently chewed gum throughout the whole ceremony.
Now I don't know about you, but I for one would not be at all happy with in-laws who were watching my - and my family's - every move, and with whom I wouldn't be allowed to even say "toilet!" I mean, hello, 2007!!! And if my partner was going to be uptight enough to be sticking to all of this nonsense, well... you know where the way out is, thank you very much.
But the most shocking reaction to the news I heard was - surprisingly - from a friend. We were on a bus on our way to the theatre for yet another night of Syvlie Guillem (not as good this time) when upon noticing a piece in the evening papers about the split he announced: "I'm so pleased Kate and Wills broke up. No more airs and graces for the air hostess now".
This coming from the manager of a boutique.
So much for a classless society!
Reaction to the couple's split has varied from "Poor Kate" - which is quite understandable, since apparently she was dumped over the phone while His Majesty or His Excellence or whatever it is you have to call him, was on a skiing trip - to "Go Girl!" by those who think that the young lady now has a chance of having some sort of normal life, instead of one that is ruled by a million and one issues of protocol - which is how I myself see it. Very few are disappointed. Well, maybe the ones who had already created thousands of tea cups to celebrate their engagement. But then you kind of can't help but thinking "serves you right" there.
The break-up has, however, opened up an interesting debate, that of snobbery, which in today's England, apparently, no longer had any relevance. It is being said that one of the reasons that the relationship had reached rocky grounds was because some members of Wills' family - and even more so, some of his toff friends - were not impressed by Ms Middleton's lineage. She comes from "common" stock you see: Her father has a mining background, her mother used to be an air hostess. Apparently there were many "doors to manual" jokes among the future king's friends on their nights out at Boujis. (Remember my night out at the Cuckoo Club? That would be heaven comparable to the hell that is Boujis. Dante would be stuck for words.)
The big gaffe apparently happened at Wills' recent passing out ceremony at Sandringham, when Ms Middleton met the queen and upon introduction said "Pleased to meet you," as opposed to "How do you do?". The knife was dug in deeper - we hear - when she asked for the "toilet" - as opposed to the "lavatory". Oh, and, shock horror, she apparently chewed gum throughout the whole ceremony.
Now I don't know about you, but I for one would not be at all happy with in-laws who were watching my - and my family's - every move, and with whom I wouldn't be allowed to even say "toilet!" I mean, hello, 2007!!! And if my partner was going to be uptight enough to be sticking to all of this nonsense, well... you know where the way out is, thank you very much.
But the most shocking reaction to the news I heard was - surprisingly - from a friend. We were on a bus on our way to the theatre for yet another night of Syvlie Guillem (not as good this time) when upon noticing a piece in the evening papers about the split he announced: "I'm so pleased Kate and Wills broke up. No more airs and graces for the air hostess now".
This coming from the manager of a boutique.
So much for a classless society!