Saturday, April 09, 2005

Pope and Prince

I start this post with a thank you to Vanessa, who is travelling in SE Asia, for taking the time to catch up with my blog since leaving Phuket. V, you're a dear!
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As I watched the funeral of Il Papa yesterday, I wondered: did Karol Wojtyla have to disown his family in order to become Giovanni Paolo II, the representative of Christ on earth?

Just as Christ effectively disowned his mother and brothers when he was told that they were outside and wanted to see him. He said that his mother and brothers were anyone who followed him.

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I'm watching the wedding celebrations of Prince Charles and Camilla (now HRH the Duchess of Cornwall). I saw them emerge, rather awkward but content, from the civil ceremony at the Windsor registry office.

Over the next couple of hours the wide array of wedding guests arrived at St George's Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle. The weather is frigid today but at least it's dry. I couldn't help but think that the women in their gorgeous suits and dresses must have been frozen to the bone. Even the men's splendid morning suits would not be enough, and the interior of an English church is never fully warm.

The only two guests to wear top hats were Stephen Fry (of course, Jeeves) and for some reason, Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean, Blackadder). The two sought each other out for a good chat, two kindred souls in a sea of hatless heathens.

After the guests were seated in the nave, the royal family, minor royals, and the Duchess's family were ushered into the Quire through another entrance. William walked down the drive with his brother, uncles and cousins - and I was stunned to note how much he has grown into his father's son. As he ages, he is losing the Spencer traits and becoming a Windsor. He no longer does Diana's shy peep through the eyelashes. It is good that he gains confidence as he matures. Our comfort is that he is a wiser, more balanced, more prepared young man than his embattled father ever could be.
As the royals were seated, they were waving, blowing kisses, and making signs at each other across the aisles like any family would. Even gawking around as if they'd never been there before.

I have to admit, Camilla looks good today. I've never, ever seen her look half so acceptable as she does today. The dress she changed into for the church blessing is really graceful, and the feathers in her hair are quite nicely done.

The more I learn, the more I begin to think she's not so bad after all. I hear that she and the prince share a cracking sense of humour. She is down-to-earth. And in the end, they suit each other and balance each other out quite well.

...As long as she never becomes more than Princess Consort, I think the nation is fully behind the marriage. Since the wedding was announced last month, they've been sneaking more and more titles in for her!
Interesting to note that as much as has been made of Charles's 30-year affair with Camilla, he is in fact the only Prince of Wales who has had one affair. Thinking back, they've always been such playboys.
In that respect, good for him. To give himself more credit as the future king, he's made an honourable woman of her. :-)


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your little post. It's always a pleasure to read your blog and what you have to say. BTW, happy birthday!!!!
love, vanessa

Anonymous said...

Yep. And let's face it, when we think of them as humans, a 34 year long love affair, in which she agreed to live as his lover and not his wife - against all odds. You have to admire a bond that deep!