I have always had a fascination for royalty – their grandeur, their lifestyle, their “jobs” and just what a regular day in their lives may look like. My earliest exposure to royalty was of course, Disney’s fairy tales. Ever since I can remember, Ariel and Prince Eric have been etched in my brain!
Growing up in India, you cannot help but read through the rich history of Royalty in practically every state of the country. You read about the grandeur and maybe even some of their legacy. You don’t read about their day to lives. While today, royal families may have faded into obscurity (barring a few), their architecture and grandeur can still be enjoyed by public. The Mysore Palace, the Falaknuma Palace and the hoards of palaces in Rajasthan are just a few of the exquisite pieces of architecture that India can boast of. Just the thought of visiting some of these palaces to look at the artifacts used by the kings and queens in their day to day lives, fills me with wonder and excitement!
Having grown up with a lot of exposure to British literature within the family, it was hard not to get exposed to and be even more fascinated by the British Royal Family which still stands strong as one of the most recognized, active royal families around the world. While I was intrigued by their role in today’s society where the primary function of government and state isn’t dictated by ruling monarchs anymore, I never really took the time to seriously study them. Had enough worries with my regular studies as it is! Of course, I cannot evade the sensitive topic of the British rule in India which has left so many wounds on such massive levels that one cannot even begin to articulate its effects that India faces till date. Just listen to some of the arguments and speeches made by Shashi Tharoor, an expert orator and a specialist on this subject. However, I never took the time to study the Royal Family and their immediate lives. This changed significantly when I heard news of the death of Princess Diana, on August 31, 1997.
To me, Princess Diana was no one. It was just another death of a famous person who meant nothing to me. My family watched the news coverage that followed her death, including her funeral. At the funeral service, I heard Charles Spencer’s eulogy to Princess Diana. As an 8 year old, I still remember, that left an impression on me. I was too young to fully understand who she was or what the significance of her death was. But I understood, somehow, that she was someone special. I tucked that piece of information away in my mind. As I grew up, I too was caught up (a little bit) in “Willsmania” when her son, Prince William, started to gain public notoriety. Again, tucked that away at the back of my mind. When I began becoming internet savvy, I started reading up on Princess Diana, her work, her family life and her personal struggles. The more I read, the more I found myself enamored by Princess Diana and anti-Royal Family (particularly Prince Charles) as I am sure a lot of people during her lifetime had become. I too was enthralled by her sheer beauty and the gentle way that she carried herself and spoke to the media. I sympathized with her struggles with the media when she wanted privacy for her boys. I kept up with news about her sons but maintained indifference to the rest of the family. In 2012, when I had the chance to visit London with my family for a holiday, I had to visit Kensington Palace and see her home! At this point, I have to mention, during a 2018 holiday to eastern Europe, I was equally fascinated to see the home of Empress Maria Teresa, the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna! But more on that another time!
Recently, Netflix came up with “The Crown”. Naturally, I had to see it immediately! I binged all seasons as soon as they were released. The wait between seasons was agonizing! I was hooked throughout. From seeing the beginning of the life of Queen Elizabeth, to her relationship with Prince Philip, their initial struggles as a young married couple with royal duties, the birth of their children, her relationship with her family all the way to Princess Diana’s death, Prince William’s entry into adulthood and Queen Elizabeth’s golden jubilee and her struggle with her future. After having finished all 6 seasons, I have to say, I understand. I understand a lot more than I ever did before. Even though I know that this was highly fictionalized and sensationalized for the entertainment of the audience, I had never before appreciated the extent of sorrow and tragedy that surrounds this Royal Family. In my newfound appreciation, I am no longer pro one side and anti the other. All I see is pure sadness, on whichever side one may choose. I am still, a devoted Princess Di fan but I also sympathize with the rest of the family. Here are just some of my observations:
First and foremost, I appreciate how much of her personal life, the Queen has had to sacrifice for her duty to the country. I was moved by her struggles in the initial seasons but what hit home was the last season and the last couple of episodes where she reminisces about a time in her youth that she spent at the Ritz. Though I doubt that particular incident happened, I don’t doubt that similar personal sacrifices may have been made throughout her 96 years of life. In the last episode, when she struggles with her decision to step down, she talks to her former selves and she tells herself that even if she were to step down in search for her former self that had to sacrifice so much, she wouldn’t find that version of Elizabeth as she had buried that version of herself a long time ago. That feels as real as it can get.
I appreciate the enormity of Queen Elizabeth’s 70 year reign. During her time, the face of the world has changed so many times. She worked with 15 Prime Ministers during her reign. She made some good and some bad choices when it came to politics but remaining neutral between the ruling and opposition party politics and only focusing on what is necessary for the people, cannot be an easy task.
I particularly appreciated how during an assessment of cutbacks that was suggested she make at the Palace, after a thorough investigation of each and every role in the household, she decides to keep everything as is because it signifies tradition and history. I loved that and I certainly hope that was one of the true bits of the show. My personal favorites were the Warden of the Swans and the Yeoman of the Glass and China Pantry! I wish I had the same dedication and respect for the work that I do as the dedication with which the Yeoman folded those napkins for the dinner table!
I may not agree with or even understand it but I can certainly appreciate the pressures and subsequently the predicaments when it comes to following “the rules” when every family member must take the Queen’s permission to marry. The queen had numerous occasions to make these decisions considering her large family. Most of the famous ones were not in favor of her family. Of course, had she taken the decision she took in 2005 back in 1981, so many innocent lives could have been spared.
I appreciate the Queen’s loneliness throughout her reign. Her life exemplifies the popular saying “Its lonely at the top”! This hit home particularly when Princess Margaret and Queen Mum passed away. They were her only confidants, the only ones who truly understood all the pressures and sacrifices (with the exception of Prince Philip, of course!).
I now appreciate what a major struggle it must have been for Prince Philip (a royal in his own right) to leave his birthright, own ambitions behind and take a step back, for the rest of his life, to his wife who was the ruler of Britain and the Commonwealth!
I appreciate the struggles of Princess Margaret, the more outgoing and dynamic of the two sisters, to also take a step back and leave behind her personal ambitions to serve the Monarchy and her sister, the Queen. As the Queen says in Season 6, it is not easy being no. 2.
I appreciate the compromise the Prince and the Queen reached when it came to the last names of their children (Windsor-Mountbatten) and Prince Philip’s struggle to connect with his own mother, Princess Alice, their own legacy being another tragedy.
I appreciate Prince Charles’ struggles during his childhood (and throughout his whole life) to connect with his parents and his struggles throughout boarding school.
I appreciate the tragedy of this family that you cannot trust most folks around you because everyone is trying to manipulate you for a personal gain. Too many instances are depicted for me to pick and mention here. This shows you just how “normal” this family is because this is true for pretty much anyone of us regular people!
I truly appreciate Diana’s personal struggles with her health, her self esteem and some of the paranoia around her life being in danger. The sheer craziness of the media frenzy around her is just as fascinating as it is crazy and nerve wrecking. I also realize that some of the media attention was her own doing, through how she manipulated the media to her advantage whenever she wanted it. It ended up claiming her life (among other factors).
I appreciate the sadness and sacrifice involved when time and again, the family has had to choose either love or duty. Obviously, the most famous of them being the present King and Queen! But I also speak about Kind Edward VIII, Princess Margaret and Prince Harry. While the present King eventually found his happy ever after, King Edward VIII, who chose love, died without having patched things with his family living in exile, Princess Margaret, who chose duty, lived her whole life without being with the one she loved and Prince Harry, who also chose love, had to leave his country, his home and family to be able to find some semblance of peace.
Today, the relevance of the Royal Family is constantly being questioned and in the near future, it is highly plausible that they may no longer hold the position and regard they hold today. They may have history and tradition which we as outsiders could either admire or scoff at (depending on how you look at it) but as people who are living it, I can’t help but wonder if they may actually prefer to give up those riches and positions in society in favor of a normal life where they are free to choose who they want to be with, what work they do, where they live and just be themselves along with all the normal responsibilities of paying a mortgage or putting food on their family’s tables.
My personal takeaway from all this: maybe the grass isn’t always greener on the other side!
Musings of a confused nut! 