Why Ireland is obsessed with the Royals
IRELAND’S OBSESSION WITH THE BRITISH MONARCHY
THE Irish obsession with the royal family stems from our nosy neighbour attitude.
Henry the VIII burnt down our monasteries yet we have a longstanding infatuation with the British monarchy, more voyeuristic than political.
From our fixation with the late Princess Diana to our newfound fascination with Meghan Markle, we can’t get enough of royal mania.
The upcoming wedding of Prince Harry and divorcee Meghan is the icing on the cake to our intrigue in this longest-running soap opera.
We love a good drama and the princess-to-be is delivering with gusto as her media-hungry halfsiblings and father grab the headlines.
From allegedly getting paid thousands to star in staged paparazzi photos to reportedly undergoing heart surgery this week, the drama surrounding Meghan’s dad Thomas puts Fair City to shame.
Our interest in the royals took on a new level when relatable Diana Spencer came into the frame in the 1980s.
Suddenly a girl next door was marrying a prince.
We lived vicariously through the princess until her untimely death in 1997 when we too mourned her as if she were one of our own.
The Fergie years brought an exciting twist to proceedings.
Princess Sarah Ferguson was embroiled in controversy and divorcing Prince Andrew in 1996 added to the drama.
When Diana married Prince Charles in 1980, the wedding pictures became the images that defined an era and our obsession with all things royal reached a new zenith as publications such as Hello! magazine lured us into the web of obsession.
Designed by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel, the dress screamed meringues and featured a 25ftlong train and 10,000 hand-sewn pearls and sequins.
Generations of Irish mothers, daughters and grandchildren were glued to the TV munching on our chocolate biscuits while scrutinising the bride’s guna. Fast-forward 31 years and the same fascination applied to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The hotly-anticipated dress did not disappoint. Worth around €285,000, it was designed by Alexander Mcqueen creative fashion director Sarah Burton.
The 50s-style garment was made with satin gazar, lace and organza, was nipped in at the waist and featured a full-skirt to mimic an opening flower. Our intrigue now is on a bigger level than ever before. The 24/7 news cycle and the younger royals embracing social media is making the family even more accessible.
But what right-minded person think it’s normal to elevate someone to an absurd level of notoriety calling them “Your
Ireland’s interest in the royals took on a new level when Diana emerged
Highness”. We know it’s all bonkers but that’s the lure, we love the soap opera of it all, it’s pure escapism.
We love the pomp, the procedure, it’s all a bit silly, harmlessness, a veritable soap opera which just keeps getting better with a few new characters thrown in for the mix. The fact two Diana documentaries were screened on RTE and TV3 at the same time recently proves the Irish just can’t get enough of the royal marathon. Meghan is the intriguing newcomer into this long-running soap.
The royal wedding is like a live action special of your favourite drama where you get lots of sparkle and fancy dresses.
There’s something fantastical about it, an escape from normality. While republicans believe we need to shun the nation that held us down for so long, there’s an entire predominantly female population in Ireland who are planning prosecco parties in honour of the latest royal wedding.
Will you be tuning in?