If playing word association, the term “common” would most likely not be followed by the term “royalty.”
However, with princess-to-be Catherine “Kate” Middleton soon joining the British monarchy, an air of ordinary
seems to be finding its way into the royal strata, and frankly, it seems like an opportune time.
With the future bride not from noble lineage, Kate’s marriage to Prince William will be the first time a
commoner marries an heir to the throne in more than 350 years. Although allegedly smuggled in at midnight for
her own ceremony, “commoner” Anne Hyde married the Duke of York — who would later become known as James II —
in 1660. However common as she was thought to be, Hyde was in actuality the daughter of Charles II's lord
chancellor and chief advisor, the future Earl of Clarendon, rendering her much less common than Kate, and
making the upcoming marriage an even more monumental “first.”
Not descending from dukes or earls, Middleton's ancestors include Northumbrian coal miners, Kent building
labourers and Leeds businessmen. Her mother, Carole, was formerly a British Airways airline hostess, and her
father, Michael, worked as a dispatcher for the same airline company, where the two met.
In a November 2010 article in The Guardian titled “Why Kate Middleton is the perfect choice,” Alexander
Chancellor explains that for many years “foreign princesses used to be favoured because of their royal
blood.” But if Prince William were to marry a foreign princess this April, he elaborates, it would actually
be “a big step backwards” for the Royal Family, as would marrying a British woman of aristocratic origins.
This is because although the British monarchy is still very much in existence, along with other monarchies
around the world, the very idea that members of royalty should only marry those of regal heritage or lineage
appears to be quite an outdated mindset in the more liberal-minded 21st century.
Although she sometimes struggled, and the marriage ultimately ended, Princess Diana was still quite
successful at demonstrating that you don’t have to be a royal or aristocrat to be able to take on the role of
a monarch’s spouse. It’s believed by many that Kate will continue this revelation — perhaps even more
successfully — following her upcoming union with Prince William.
Further, by avoiding what The Guardian’s Stephen Bates calls “the pitfalls” of some of the prince’s
predecessors, including “an arranged marriage to a dull princess he has scarcely met,” or marrying a “much
younger, aristocratic bride who has no interest in his interests,” Prince William’s decision to ask Kate for
her hand in marriage will only work to further demonstrate her “common” success story.
Not to reduce a discussion about Kate Middleton to an endless comparison with the late “People’s Princess,”
but it can’t be denied that Kate is essentially continuing something Diana was the first to represent: Being
a royal figure that resonates with both the elite and the “everyday.” With a voice that isn’t too elitist or
tactless, and an air of ease and confidence, Kate speaks and carries herself in an agreeable fashion, and
dare we say appears rather “average” by royal standards for a princess-in-waiting.
But perhaps there is something to be said of this juxtaposition of common with royalty, something that
perhaps others can learn from — how to maintain an air of humility even while filling a role of high stature.
With William (often referred to as “Wills”) “climbing down from his standing as an Eton toff to that of a
helicopter pilot,” as Chancellor puts it, it appears as though Kate’s common presence is arguably infusing
the stereotypically “stuffy” monarchy with an air of modern level-headedness.
The Globe and Mail’s Katrina Onstad writes, “Wills and Kate symbolize a new ‘commoner’s touch’ monarchy,”
successfully bringing the royal institution “into the light just by living as many young Brits do.”
Meanwhile, many royal watchers agree that Middleton has rightfully proven her royal “chops” or tolerance in
the last nine years of her relationship with William. Greeting the public in a controlled manner, Kate serves
as a graceful representation of comfort and accessibility, and will effortlessly repaint the royal front with
a much-needed stroke of common colour.
Kate: First-Name Basis
Born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton on January 9, 1982, Kate enjoyed what most would regard as a fairly
middle-class upbringing in the Berkshire village of Bucklebury, England. However, the financial landscape for
the family, which includes younger sister and brother, Pippa and James, would drastically change with the
start-up of an enterprising Middleton family business in 1987.
With Carole and Michael launching Party Pieces — an online business geared towards selling party bags and
other celebration goods for youth parties — the Middletons soon moved from modest living to affluent
existence. Being one of the first companies to use the Internet for mail-order selling, Party Pieces
successfully founded the family's wealth, and garnered daughter Kate entry into exclusive academic and social
spheres, beginning with her private education at Marlborough public school.
It wasn’t long before Kate was introduced to the elite levels of English society while at Marlborough. Her
fellow students included those from the affluent Cotswolds region, some of whom were accustomed to mingling
with royalty. Allegedly it was here that Kate became known as “princess in waiting,” due to her overt display
of enthusiasm for Prince William.
While attending St. Andrew’s prep school in Pangbourne, Berkshire along with her sister, Kate was known as a
well-rounded model student, excelling at athletics and music. Before beginning her university studies, Kate
attended the exclusive Marlborough College located in southwest England after which she spent a year
travelling, becoming a volunteer on a project in Chile that, only one month before, had seen the likes of
Prince William. Little did she know but once commencing her university studies, Kate herself would be seeing
the likes of the dapper prince, and would soon become his good friend.
When Kate Met William
As a student at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland, Kate was first introduced to Prince William,
who, like Kate, was also pursuing a degree in art history beginning in September 2001. The first unofficial
meeting between Kate and William was at the Don’t Walk charity fashion show in March 2002, in which Kate
participated as a model and William watched from the audience. It wasn’t until some time later that Kate and
William would formally meet though a mutual friend.
Becoming fast friends, at the end of their first year Kate has been credited as coming to the aid of William,
who was inching toward quitting his studies at St. Andrews. Although the young prince consulted with his
father for advice, Kate heavily encouraged William to continue his studies but switch majors to geography. In
doing so, Kate played a significant and supportive role in William completing his degree, further fostering a
solid foundation for what would soon become a romantic relationship.
“When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her and knew there was probably
something I wanted to explore there,” William recalled in the couple’s post-engagement announcement interview
with ITV’s Tom Bradby in November 2010. “[I do]believe now especially that being friends with one another is
a massive advantage — and it just went from there.”
Upon commencing their second year of studies, Kate and William arranged to live together along with two
friends in a Georgian terraced house. During their final year, the two moved along with the others to a more
secluded estate cottage located outside the town. Although they attended the same university for four years,
it wasn’t until 2004 on a ski trip to Klosters in Switzerland that the couple were first pictured together
romantically in public, their courtship exposed for all to see.
After graduating from St. Andrews in June 2005, Kate and William continued their romance experiencing good
moments and overcoming some obstacles, or “stumbling blocks” as William recalled in the ITV interview. But as
Kate added, “When you go out with someone for quite a long time, you do get to know each other very, very
well. You go through the good times, you go through the bad times, both personally, but also within a
relationship as well. I think if you can come out of that stronger, and learn things about yourself — it’s
certainly been a good… how many years?”
Kate started working as an assistant accessories buyer for fashion chain Jigsaw in 2006, and later for the
family company, Party Pieces, only recently leaving to focus on the wedding and upcoming royal duties.
Once graduated, William became patron of Centrepoint, a charity for homeless youth, which his mother had
previously been patron of and cared dearly for. In December 2005 he also became patron of the African
wildlife charity Tusk Trust, which hails from the U.K.
In 2006, after deciding to pursue a career in the armed forces, William headed off to the Royal Military
Academy Sandhurst to begin army training, enrolling as an officer cadet. In 2009, William joined the Royal
Air Force Search and Rescue Squad to pursue an 18-month training course. After he graduated from the course
in September 2010, William’s interest in becoming a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot saw him embark on his
first official tour abroad in Australia and New Zealand. Now a qualified search-and-rescue pilot currently
stationed in Anglesey, William gets to enjoy his love for flight with his lady by his side, as the two plan
to live in North Wales after the wedding, where William will continue serving with the Royal Air Force.
Although the two travelled different paths post-graduation, sharing a love of similar interests is one
element that has allowed Kate and William to maintain a strong bond. Being equal admirers of the countryside
and city life — specifically dining and entertainment venues — Kate and William are able to effortlessly
enjoy each other’s company, something that will ultimately attest to a long and rewarding union.
Then after years of speculation and public interest, in October 2010 during a private holiday to Kenya — a
country dear to William’s heart — William proposed to Kate, presenting her with his mother’s 18-carat blue
sapphire and diamond engagement ring. The ring was William’s way of keeping his late mother a part of the
beautiful moment he experienced with his beloved Kate. Sharing his decision to use the ring with the press,
William happily and proudly said, “It was my way to make sure my mother did not miss out on today and the
excitement that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together,” a decision Diana would certainly have
been thrilled to hear.
Modern Courting: A Success (Fairy) Tale
Moving in together as friends years before becoming engaged, Kate and William not only demonstrated a more
common approach to royal courting, an approach that has become a norm in the 21st century, but also a modern
element not seen with prior royal relationships.
While Kate and William’s relations take place in a much different day and age than previous royal
engagements, there still seems to be an unspoken rule of propriety and dating etiquette surrounding the
protocol for dating within the Royal Family. It is quite evident that such a “rule” did not serve as an
obstacle for the new royal couple, as Kate and William have seemingly, and tastefully, looked past such
conventions.
Not only the decision to cohabitate together before marriage, but also the nature of their lengthy
relationship speaks to the more “common” or modern nature William and Kate have brought to the royal scene.
Although having known each other for nine years, their relationship hasn’t been “perfect” — the two separated
for a few months in 2007, due to unexplored interests and pursuit of personal growth. Their separation,
however, served as an aid rather than a hindrance to their strong relationship, with William stating “it
seemed to work out for the better,” as three years later the world would see them become engaged.
William’s desire “to learn some lessons from the past,” namely by waiting seven years before proposing —
unlike only several months as was the case with his parents — is also seen as a more modern approach to
marriage, and one that will arguably serve the two well. “We had been planning it for at least a year if not
longer; it was just finding the right time,” said William. “With couples it’s all about timing.”
William has been quite open about his desire to give Kate an opportunity to try out life in the Royal Family
in order to give her the chance to “back out if she needed to, before it all got too much,” as he has stated.
By being gradually introduced to royal life over the course of their courtship, Kate was able to garner a
taste of the life that is soon to be her future. William’s kind guidance in helping ease Kate’s transition is
something spoken of in fairytales, or Old World courting, making their union something of a modern “swept off
her feet” tale.
It’s even been said that William has been advising Kate on how to cope with being placed so heavily in the
public eye, including how to manage frequent dealings with the press. Kate’s nervousness had seemed to be
qualmed in their first post-engagement interview, likely a result of William being what she has called “a
great teacher,” combined with her admitted willingness to “learn quickly and work hard.” “There’s no
pressure,” William affectionately said. “It’s about making your own future, your own destiny, and Kate will
do a very good job of that.”
Whatever the future will hold for Kate Middleton and Prince William is yet to be determined, but with a solid
foundation, a more common approach and a steady pace, it’s safe to say the outcome looks bright. “We are
hugely excited and we’re looking forward to spending time, the rest of our lives together, and seeing what
the future holds,” William said.
It’s become quite clear that Kate will ultimately lead the way, with her prince by her side, into this
“commoner’s touch monarchy.” “I really hope I can make a difference,” Kate said of her upcoming role as
princess, “even in the smallest way. I’m looking forward to helping as much as I can.” With her commoner’s
presence at the forefront of the Royal Family, many will agree that Kate is sure to win the hearts of the
numerous citizens she will stand as an emblem for, much like she won her beloved William’s.
Once the vows are exchanged and celebrations are complete, Kate and William will be visiting Canada on their
first overseas tour as newlyweds. The couple’s Canadian excursion is scheduled to take place from June 30 to
July 8, with their trip to Ottawa occurring on July 1, Canada Day. Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Prince
Edward Island and Quebec will also be graced by their presence — as will the rest of the world when this
modern fairytale couple visits its many corners in the coming years as royal husband and wife. •
