The Catherines Kate Has To Follow
The wedding dresses of the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Catherine and the wedding dress chosen by Princess Diana, couldnt have been more different.
Diana chose a meringue style, while Kate chose classic lines, similar to that worn by Princess Kelly, the commoner film-star when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco, in 1956.
If Prince Rainier had been unable to produce an heir, the midget kingdom of Monaco would have returned to French rule. The Kelly family were forced to provide Prince Rainier with a dowry of US$2,000,000.
In July 29th 1981 a very shy, but from the aristocracy, Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles, first in line to the English throne. Despite her personal heartache, which ended in a heartrending and very public divorce in August 1996, Diana quickly rose in popularity to become the 'People's Princess'.
Kate Middleton, now known as Princess Catherine, may have a tall order to follow in the footsteps of the'People's Princess'. Maybe she will find a confidant and friend in the Duchess of Wessex. Sophie Ryhs Jones married Prince Edward, Charles younger brother, in June 1999. Princess Sophie appears to be one commoner who has been able to successfully adapt to becoming part of royalty, which is no easy task.
Princess Catherine will also bear the name of five other troubled Queen Catherines, who discovered that being part of royalty could prove lethal.
Catherine of Valois reigned beside her husband, Henry V, for just two years, prior to his death in 1422. Their son Henry VI rose to the throne when he was just nine months old. Queen Catherine was buried at Westminster Abbey when she died in 1437.
Their marriage lasted 24 years when Catherine of Aargon married Henry VIII in 1509. However, it was wrecked by stillbirths and the premature deaths of their sons. Henry was so frantic to have the marriage annulled that when the Pope adamantly refused to grant his consent, the king rejected Rome and founded the Church of England.
Catherine Howard, who became Henry VIIIs fifth wife in 1542, was beheaded after just two years of marriage, on the grounds of treason. She was accused of adultery.
Catherine Parr was wed to Henry VIII in 1543 and reigned as queen until his death in 1547. Regrettably she never provided the much sought after son and heir and barely saw her husband because he was always away fighting another battle.
The Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza, married Charles II in 1662, but was looked upon as a Catholic foreigner and was unpopular with the public. The couple had no surviving children and she was given the cold shoulder by her adulterous husband, who fathered several illegitimate children by mistresses, including the beguiling Nell Gwyn.
The fervent hope is that when Prince William ascends the British throne, the new Queen Catherine will have a much happier and more successful journey than her predecessors.
Diana chose a meringue style, while Kate chose classic lines, similar to that worn by Princess Kelly, the commoner film-star when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco, in 1956.
If Prince Rainier had been unable to produce an heir, the midget kingdom of Monaco would have returned to French rule. The Kelly family were forced to provide Prince Rainier with a dowry of US$2,000,000.
In July 29th 1981 a very shy, but from the aristocracy, Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles, first in line to the English throne. Despite her personal heartache, which ended in a heartrending and very public divorce in August 1996, Diana quickly rose in popularity to become the 'People's Princess'.
Kate Middleton, now known as Princess Catherine, may have a tall order to follow in the footsteps of the'People's Princess'. Maybe she will find a confidant and friend in the Duchess of Wessex. Sophie Ryhs Jones married Prince Edward, Charles younger brother, in June 1999. Princess Sophie appears to be one commoner who has been able to successfully adapt to becoming part of royalty, which is no easy task.
Princess Catherine will also bear the name of five other troubled Queen Catherines, who discovered that being part of royalty could prove lethal.
Catherine of Valois reigned beside her husband, Henry V, for just two years, prior to his death in 1422. Their son Henry VI rose to the throne when he was just nine months old. Queen Catherine was buried at Westminster Abbey when she died in 1437.
Their marriage lasted 24 years when Catherine of Aargon married Henry VIII in 1509. However, it was wrecked by stillbirths and the premature deaths of their sons. Henry was so frantic to have the marriage annulled that when the Pope adamantly refused to grant his consent, the king rejected Rome and founded the Church of England.
Catherine Howard, who became Henry VIIIs fifth wife in 1542, was beheaded after just two years of marriage, on the grounds of treason. She was accused of adultery.
Catherine Parr was wed to Henry VIII in 1543 and reigned as queen until his death in 1547. Regrettably she never provided the much sought after son and heir and barely saw her husband because he was always away fighting another battle.
The Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza, married Charles II in 1662, but was looked upon as a Catholic foreigner and was unpopular with the public. The couple had no surviving children and she was given the cold shoulder by her adulterous husband, who fathered several illegitimate children by mistresses, including the beguiling Nell Gwyn.
The fervent hope is that when Prince William ascends the British throne, the new Queen Catherine will have a much happier and more successful journey than her predecessors.