The Royal Baby is HERE!!!

And why the hell am I so excited??!! Living in the US, the British Monarchy truly does not have any political or any bearing really on my life, so what gives? Why are we Americans as in love with this Royal Couple (and now the Royal Baby Boy) like we are still a part of the British Colonies? I have a theory (ok, don't lie: you all knew that was coming!)!

A little background here: I was messaging my friend in Basingstoke, England, about whether she would like our magazines (ie, US's) coverage of the royals sent over to her. Her response was not what I thought it would be, but it struck me as interesting. She would love to have our mag's not for the royal coverage, but for the US celebrity coverage! I was astounded (really!)! Here, our news coverage portrays every Brit as a diehard royal lover who cares about nothing more (celebrity-wise) than the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge (ie, William & Kate). And this was apparently not the case. She told me that the royals don't have the importance that they used to, and that Kate was simply another woman having a child. Again, flabbergasted! Here I was, in Los Angeles, CA, and I couldn't get enough of the coverage of the pending royal birth (ok, I could get enough in that I wasn't buying the mags to see what was what, but I was catching all of the specials and news stories, and am currently watching the ABC 20/20 special on the ROYAL BIRTH, and have recently added my likes on Facebook to Prince Harry, Duchess of Cambridge, and HRH Prince Baby Cambridge... ok, maybe a little obsessed. No judgement!). Now, don't get me wrong, there are more than a fair share of Americans who could give two giggles less about the royal family (I have seen a plethora of negative comments on the FB comments from followers of the major news organizations that are reporting on the birth, and it's not pretty. Hell, my boss from work flatly stated that why should he give a damn when we can't take care of our own over on this side anyway? (paraphrased, of course). And there's the sentiment of #1776 #1812 #Independence that is in abundance on the updates as well. However, to me, these people are not "getting it." It's not about going back to being a British colony, or losing our independence, or that we care about a sham of a monarchy over our own problems here (which is another discussion for another day).

So what is it about? Why do we care? These are some of the images that I grew up with as a little girl:

Cinderella's wedding day. (All images from a Google Images search, and credited to their respective owners)

Cinderella's transformation.

Sleeping Beauty (I think it was a tie between this one and Cinderella for my favorite).

Snow White's happily ever after.

And finally,

Princess Diana's wedding day, with Prince Charles, of course.

Do you see a pattern here?? I have four nieces, and they have a lot more options in women's figures growing up than I did... I was inundated with princesses or Barbie. I remember watching the Royal Wedding (the first one - Diana and Charles) when I was five years old. I was glued to the TV. The dress was amazing, and all the news reports said that Diana was a regular girl and look where she got to be! Just like Cinderella!! I was enamoured, whether I realized it or not. When the boys (who are only 6 and 8 years younger than I am) were born, I remember that too. I would always check out the photos in the tabloids while waiting in line at the grocery store to see what it was the Diana was doing with her boys. I think I held a secret dream (like many other girls, I suppose) that I could be like Diana and become a princess. Hell, one of my favorite never-gonna-happen fantasies is the Prince Harry is hanging out in LA, and we incidentally run into each other, and have a wonderfully fantastic fling and he realizes that I am the woman for him. I KNOW it's never gonna happen, but it's fun to think about. Man-candy aside, when Kate and William were married, I watched - which meant I had to stay up late/get up early (I don't remember which) in order to do so, but I watched and was awed. Kate may be a "commoner," but she is a stunningly beautiful woman inside and out. And the parallels between the two weddings did not need a news commentary for me to make. I shed a tear for the memory of Diana, and hoped she was watching from where ever it was, and happy for her son. And the surge of hoping to become a princess resurged, even though I was in my 30's and that was not going to happen in all reality.

I think it moves past the princess wish though. Our view of royalty has definitively changed since the untimely and tragic death of Princess Diana. I think there is now admiration and respect for the way that William and Kate handle their royal duties as well as trying to maintain some level of normalcy for them. I think there is also respect for the way that they deal with the paparazzi. They appear to be a wonderful couple, the kind that you can be jealous of in a good way because they symbolize all that is good in the world kind of couple. A couple you could see yourself having dinner with, or playing cards and having drinks with. They complete their duties with grace and (apparent) ease, which has been resoundingly obvious in the past 48 hours of royal baby birth. They inspire in you the want to wish them nothing but the best, not just because of William's tragic loss, but because they are just those kind of people. And as some noted during the royal wedding, coming together as a country for such a happy event in a time that was so depressing otherwise (due to mainly financial issues) was a major boost to the morale (and economy) of England.

I think here in the US, we become burned out on our celebrities, who - for all intents and purposes, are American Royalty. Interest in the Brits' Royals gives us something "new" to talk about, gossip about, get happy about, whatever about. I think (at least from the perspective of my friend) that it would be the same for the Brits - our American Royalty are far more interesting than those that they grew up with and know inside and out.

Regardless of all theoretical consideration, reasoning, or inherent wishes, celebrating a birth (royal or otherwise) is a good thing. The circle of life continues on and lineage (again, royal or not) stays alive. And, like the wedding, I'm sure that all of the hullabaloo over this baby has been helpful to the economy of Britain, and interesting for us Americans as well.

I wish the couple and proud new parents nothing but the best. Love him to the moon and back. Teach him to be as you two are, and what a happy marriage looks like. Make sure he knows all of his family - good, bad, alive, or no longer with us. And don't be afraid of discipline. Enjoy this time that you have because it is too soon before they are growing and going on to live their own lives.

And send Prince Harry my number... Two redheads getting together would be phenomenal! And he needs an older woman, which would be me!!!

I mean, seriously, how can you not fall in love with this face? Or body? Or antics? *le sigh*

Just my thoughts. Until next time, stay classy world!

xoxox Desilu