Odds firm on Kate becoming a royal

Odds firm on Kate becoming a royal

By Annabel Crabb
February 19, 2006

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A LEADING British bookmaker has halved the odds on a royal wedding between
Prince William and his girlfriend, Kate Middleton.

Miss Middleton, 24, is widely fancied as the next Windsor generation's
fairytale bride.

Privileges are quietly being extended to the young couple. They have Prince
Charles's blessing to stay together at Clarence House and are reported to be
renovating a secluded cottage together on the Queen's estate at Balmoral.

The increasing attention being paid to Miss Middleton has created security
problems, as her London flat has been featured in newspapers, thwarting
23-year-old Prince William's preference for staying there overnight.

Q...

Q...

Balmoral.

Q...

security

Last week, it was reported that Prince Charles had decided to enlist a
bodyguard for Miss Middleton, although Palace sources suggest these reports
are premature.

Hello! magazine reported a 63 per cent approval rating for the match in last
week's edition and royal commentators widely commend the commoner for her
poise.

"It's not a bad thing in today's society for William to marry into the
middle classes," said Prince Charles's biographer, Penny Junor.

"It makes the royal family seem more relevant."

But royal expert James Whitaker said: "She is a middle-class girl and she
doesn't have the right background. It may mean less than it used to, but it
still matters like hell."

Hal S....

What exactly does "middle class" mean to a Brit? Is Whitaker saying KM is
non-aristocratic, or does it go deeper than that?

Q...

I'd like to see some clarification of that statement. There may be sound
reasons for it, but they're not obvious to me. -- Q

yD...

The British middle class are the 'professionals' i.e. lawers, doctors,
bank managers -- and the upper middle class would be the higher ranks
within the above, education may be a determining factor, but money is
not. The lower class is the blue collar workers, including the
unskilled and those with a trade, clerks, secretaries, shop assistants,
and, of course, the unemployed.

volcaran...

It is all explained in the Ronnie Barker, John Cleese & Ronnie Corbett
sketch ( for Amnesty International IIRC - "I look up to him..." etc)
and as Corbett concludes "I know my place". My guess however, apart
from a few with a big chip on their shoulder or snobs (inverted or
otherwise). many give it but a passing thought.

Given that Edward's wife was not an aristocrat and certainly not a
'royal,' it seems to me if they (William and Kate) can get through the
publicity that will continue while William is at Sandhurst, they may be
able to deal with the knocks they'll both get if the relationship
develops.
There are many university relationships that end as well as many that
lead to marriage, and with William at Sandhurst, they will have to
make their lives around their two different schedules. Unfortunately,
this generation will have absolutely no trouble (i.e. getting the
monarch's consent) to a divorce -- yes, I know, I'm talking about a
divorce in the same post that says they may not marry!
yD

volcaran...

But do any 20 somethings get married on the basis that "oh well we can
always divorce if it doesn't work" whether or not they need their
grandmother's permission?

Hal S.