During 1981, I was in living and working in London, doing things similar to the Pig's foreign correspondant, ie, traveling, drinking and carousing (too much).
1981 was, of course, the year of the Royal Wedding. A dorky, gormless 32 yo prince was marrying a girl hardly out of her teens. It seemed then, and proven later, to be an unlikely match.
For years the press had speculated who Charles would marry, and the pressure was on to produce an heir for the throne. The problem for the establishment was that all eligible women of Charles' age 'had a past,' ie, had previous relationships. In the establishment's eyes, 'other relationships' meant ex-boy friends who may be willing sell juicy details to the rabid British press.
The pressure was on to find a girl with no past. That girl was Diana. I remember reading at the time that the worst thing they could find on her was that she was thrown into a swimming pool (fully clothed) at a party. She was a virgin. Perfect.
Of course, the UK at large was enthusiastic, but not everyone was blind to what was happening. On the week of wedding, 'Time Out,' the London 'what's on' magazine, had (a cartoon or a headline, I can't remember which) that went something like "This Week: The Royal Stallion is Being Led Out to Stud."
Now Charlie is going to marry his long term love. It'll be interesting to see how they are going to get around the legal implications of the next head of the Church of England's wife being a divorcee and a Catholic.
On the radio it was speculated that the States and the Commonwealth may have to introduce special legislation to accommodate the arrangement. Another reason for a Republic, in my view.
It's encouraging that the reaction to the news in Australia's been a collective yawn, unlike the near hysterical response in the UK. We really are growing up. Apparently, the news has boosted the membership of the Australian Republican Movement; another good sign.
It looks like Charlie's going to get what he's wanted all along. It's to bad that so many lives were destroyed along the way.
Heard in the super market this morning
Elderly couple browsing through the magazines in the queue - as you do.
Wife "Princess Mary's a lovely girl isn't she"
Husband "Be good if she could give that other scrawny one a few hints."
Actually reaction in the UK at large has generally been "who cares?" It is simply not a subject of conversation in general. It's really only the press that got excited at first, and only then because they thought that would be what the public wanted to hear. Now they've realised their mistake.