Everyone was buzzing with excitement on Monday. The news had broken that popular young British royals, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (known as William and Kate to you and me), had welcomed their first-born child - a son - into the world. And today, everyone got their first glimpse of the lad as the couple exited the hospital.
Yesterday, news of the birth was everywhere – on cable, on the internet, in the house. It was even a topic of conversation at a church meeting I attended on Monday night.
When news broke that Kate had entered the hospital, the initial speculation was: boy or girl. Then, when news came that “It’s a boy,” the topic switched to the name game.
I teased Holly that she must be totally infatuated with the ongoing discussion as it marries two of her favorite topics – names and royals (she especially loves to talk about “olden timesish” kings and queens but, failing that, the modern ones will do). Maybe, as they search for a proper moniker, the young royals might consult one of Holly’s baby name books (the ones she collects as a hobby).
By late Monday evening, CNN had put together a special report, something along the lines of “William and Kate Plus One.” And, all over the internet, I saw quotes, Facebook updates and clever Memes about the topic.
It was all in good fun.
This begs the question which is, of course, why are we so infatuated? These stories, of course, are reminiscent of royal weddings and other such news stories over the past few decades. I think we even paid more attention to last summer’s olympic games because of the location.
Is all of this because, despite the wars and revolutions and such, the British are still our “Besties?” Could it be, even, that we’re somewhat envious. We don’t have kings and queens, princes and princesses, dukes and dutchesses. All we have are elected leaders (who can’t seem to get along and get anything done) and a divided electorate the flips between 51%-49%.
Then again, the answer to the question, “Why are we so infatuated?” could be that we’re just looking for a good news story. In a world where bad news seems rampant, have we perhaps found a little hope in the story of the birth of a baby boy – born to a young couple that seems to be doing all the right things.
If that, in fact, is the answer, no one can blame us for that. Nothing wrong with celebrating ‘A Little Good News.’
JG
(Source: CNN)
Originally posted 7/23/2013
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