Royals and Me

And now to introduce you to an new obsession of mine (new to you, if you don't know me very well): The British Royal Family.

Where did this start? Uhh ... I think I've always been vaguely aware that Prince William is about my age (I mean, not since birth or anything, I wasn't even aware of my feet). And then when I was fourteen, Princess Diana died. I was at my friend's house for a sleepover, and at some point a breaking news thing came on the TV and they were announcing she was dead. I was so upset I called my mom. She said that she'd heard. "Umm ... you okay, honey?" I suddenly realized how strange it was for me to be calling my mom over something happening an ocean away and to someone who was part of a monarchy we'd left centuries ago. I sheepishly said I was and hung up. What an odd reaction.

A couple years later, Vanity Fair came out with William on the cover, the picture for this post. I bought it (unlike me) and poured over the stories and glossy photos of the royals from around the world. I still have the magazine.

As time went on, I found it impossible to focus on more than one royal family, and so I stuck with the British. Eventually, I kind of forgot about that interest all-together, until one evening my boyfriend took me to see The Young Victoria. And it all came flooding back. And I mean flood.

Now I can't get enough of them. All of them. Every British royal. Of course I watched the Royal Wedding, live, at 4 in the morning with a fancy hat on - but I don't follow every movement of the newlyweds. I find it weird to obsess over people when they're alive. Much easier and less tabloid-involved to obsess after they're gone.

When I can't sleep, I recite the royal line backwards, starting with William. I also name their spouses (if I can remember them). I can get to Henry the VII, but after that things get complicated with the War of the Roses. I'm also a little fuzzy where Cromwell comes in ... something like between Charles I and Charles II.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is ... I like 'em. As for why ... well, it's an easy introduction to the history of the time. You can look at Queen Anne's relationship with her children and have an idea of what life was life at that time, at least one aspect of it. And of course it's dramatic and full of glitz and glam and it's well-documented.

Plus you know, generally obsessed with knowledge of all types.

Tomorrow I'll introduce you to another obsession. If I can remember what it is. Let me think ... this one, and that other one ... oh right. Yes. Okay. Yeah, tomorrow.