[Sticks]

Recent history has shown us that when a member of the royal family married a commoner it was a total disaster.

Is it not time that Prince William was instructed to show Kate Middleton, who is a commoner, the door, and that if he must choose a bride, she must come from one of the other European royal families as it used to be done.

I am surprised he has been allowed to see her for so long. Love has nothing to do with things here, because he is a prince, me must attend to duty first.

[Ella]

Originally posted by Sticks
Recent history has shown us that when a member of the royal family married a commoner it was a total disaster.

Is it not time that Prince William was instructed to show Kate Middleton, who is a commoner, the door, and that if he must choose a bride, she must come from one of the other European royal families as it used to be done.

I am surprised he has been allowed to see her for so long. Love has nothing to do with things here, because he is a prince, me must attend to duty first.

Thats bull! Love has everything to do with it!

If he loves her he should be able to marry and spend the rest of his life with her! I mean its pathetic to expect him to marry a posh toff bird who he doesn't love

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by Sticks
Recent history has shown us that when a member of the royal family married a commoner it was a total disaster.

Is it not time that Prince William was instructed to show Kate Middleton, who is a commoner, the door, and that if he must choose a bride, she must come from one of the other European royal families as it used to be done.

I am surprised he has been allowed to see her for so long. Love has nothing to do with things here, because he is a prince, me must attend to duty first.

I agree. Quality post, so sympathetic.

[Lauren]

She's hardly a commoner!!

It's not like she's come from a council estate in Bradford living off living allowance.

[Chrizzle]

I don't know anything about this, but surely Ellas right. This man is a human and has a right to marry who he loves.

[little.tamil.tiger]

Prince William can marry a scrubber if he wants. Shes pretty anyway.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Lauren
She's hardly a commoner!!

It's not like she's come from a council estate in Bradford living off living allowance.

But she is not a royal, and like you and I, is a commoner.

Being a royal as well as having privileges which we as commoners do not have also carries responsibilities which we do not have.

If we so choose, you and I are free to marry someone who is a Roman Catholic, the sovereign or anyone who will be, such as His Royal highness Prince William can not, by law. The reason for this is that the Monarch should not be subject to a foreign power, which the Pope and the Vatican is so considered. Thus we have a parallel, some things we can enjoy, HRH can not.

If you look at the marriages of Anne, Charles and Andrew, they were to commoners, not royals. It was an experiment to bring in "new blood" and look how they ended up. In times past, the bride was selected to forge political alliances and ensure issue. Love was not considered at all, if it happened it was a mere bonus.

We have now seen what a folly bringing in commoners in to the royal family has been, as they have no idea how to conduct themselves as they must be made to conform to expected standards. The matches that fare better are when royals marry royals.

Miss Middleton is not royal and therefore by precedent and past experience, wholly unsuitable for his Royal Highness Prince William. As I have pointed out, with a monarchy, there are certain rules where matters of duty must and will take precedent over matters of the heart.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by little.tamil.tiger
Prince William can marry a scrubber if he wants. She's pretty anyway.

My argument has nothing to do with the character of Miss Middleton nor should it be interpreted as a slur on her honour, merely that being a commoner, like I am, she is not suited for His Royal highness, and he should pick someone more suitable.

[Lauren]

If the monarchy stuck to old traditions out of duty they'd still be lobbing heads off of "traitors".

Things change, and the last century has shown dramatic changes in the royal family, whether they're for good or for worse - they happened for a reason and so can't be changed. Anne, Charles and Andrew changed the face of the royal family for the better - they introduced a new thing called "love" as opposed to "duty".

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Lauren
Anne, Charles and Andrew changed the face of the royal family for the better - they introduced a new thing called "love" as opposed to "duty".

And what happened to those marriages?

[Lauren]

Originally posted by Sticks

And what happened to those marriages?

True, but that happens in a lot of marriages (not necessarily death, but I meant a breakdown of marriage).

The fact their spouses were common didn't change the structure of the relationship, and had they been married to a royal - they wouldn't have broke up - but simply out of duty and fear.
Sometimes a break-up is a good thing, as it shows mutual feelings that things aren't meant to be, and unfortunately for royals marrying royals - even when they don't love each other they have to stay together.

[Sophii3x]

Originally posted by Sticks
Recent history has shown us that when a member of the royal family married a commoner it was a total disaster.

Is it not time that Prince William was instructed to show Kate Middleton, who is a commoner, the door, and that if he must choose a bride, she must come from one of the other European royal families as it used to be done.

I am surprised he has been allowed to see her for so long. Love has nothing to do with things here, because he is a prince, me must attend to duty first.

No way! Love is everything to do with it. Why can't he marry the girl he loves?

And she's hardly a commoner

[little.tamil.tiger]

Has anyone actually heard prince william say he loves her? I bet he just fancies her.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Sophii3x
And she's hardly a commoner

Sorry, like me she is not a member of a royal family either here or abroad, so by definition she and I are commoners.

Originally posted by Lauren

The fact their spouses were common didn't change the structure of the relationship

I did not use the word common, I used the word commoner. There is a distinction. To call someone common, is to label them as rude and uncouth. For all we know, Miss Middleton may be very refined, polite and courteous and definitely not common, if we must use that word in the derogatory sense. However, it does not alter the fact that by definition, Miss Middleton is a commoner, because she is not a royal.

[James]

Originally posted by Sticks
.....and that if he must choose a bride, she must come from one of the other European royal families as it used to be done.

Isn't there a problem with inbreeding when the royals do that?

[Lauren]

Originally posted by Sticks
Miss Middleton is a commoner, because she is not a royal.

To be royal is just a label, how would it change anything?

And sorry, when I said common I didn't mean it in the derogatory sense, I meant it in relation to "commoner"

[Dan_]

He could marry another royal and end up being not half as happy and that could end up in disaster whereas things could work out great between him and Kate, no need for a forced marriage and just let the guy do what his heart says rather than some outdated elist marriage.

[Sunny_01]

I find the whole thing laughable. The laws around royal marriages date back to something like 1701, and has not to date been repealed. Not only do they talk about marriage to "commoners" but they also talk about religions that the heir can marry. This means that the heir to the throne can accede if he marries a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Moonie, Scientologist, atheist or sun-worshipper, but not a Catholic! How in these days of anti-discrimination can this ancient law still stand.

I believe that their are moves in the House of Lords for these laws to be changed so with luck Kate and William will be fine to marry if and when they choose to.

I like having a Royal family but I dont agree with a lot of the ancient law that shrouds them!

[Sticks]

Going slightly off topic here about the Catholicism here.

For a good time, when we were a Catholic country, before Henry VIII the Pope could dictate to other sovereign states and use the threat of excommunication to bring monarchs to heel. We also had monstrosities like the inquisition. By breaking with the Catholic church, Henry VIII not only secured a divorce but one us our independence from this effective foreign power.

Now if a monarch were to marry a Catholic, the rules of the Roman Catholic church state all children must be raised as Catholics. If this were to happen we would then have a head of state, subservient to a foreign power and once again, our independence would be jeopardised.

[Ella]

The Royal family make me mad..Coming up with all these stupid rules, Trying to teach William and Harry that love is nothing and all that counts is that they marry a girl with a good family name...Its a load of twonk.

[James]

Edward VIII not being allowed to marry who he wanted to caused a constitutional crisis.

[MarkWaldorf]

Originally posted by James
Edward VIII not being allowed to marry who he wanted to caused a constitutional crisis.

Was he the one around in the 1600s?

[James]

The mid-1930s. He wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee but the political establishment said that was unacceptable as the Church of England doesn't allow re-marriages and the monarch is the Head of the Church.

So he abdicated the throne. It is not difficult to imagine that Prince William might do the same if wanted to get married to Kate Middleton - but was prevented from doing so.

And that would mean Harry taking over.

[Lauren]

Originally posted by James
And that would mean Harry taking over.

Who is also going out with a "commoner".

Vicious circle!

[GiRTh]

I think it's a big old fuss about nothing. If he marries her and she turns out to be a scrubber, so what. The royals have proved they're not as chaste as they used to be so let them get on with it.