William is second in line to the British throne after Charles, his father. Kate and William’s first child would move ahead of his younger brother Prince Harry to become third in line to the throne. William, speaking in a joint TV interview, discussed marriage with Middleton for more than a year before he proposed during a vacation in Kenya last month. “As every guy out there will know, it takes time a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going,” William said. “It just felt really right out in Africa and it was beautiful at the time.”
He gave Middleton the engagement ring worn by his late mother, Diana, an oval blue
sapphire surrounded by diamonds from the jeweler Garrard. “This was my way of making sure that my mother didn’t miss out on today,” William said as the couple posed for photographers in the state apartments at St. James’ Palace. Middleton acknowledged that being queen was “a daunting prospect.
William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband Prince Philip “are absolutely delighted for them both,” Buckingham Palace said. Prince Charles said he was “absolutely thrilled,” and his wife, Camilla, duchess of Cornwall, said her stepson’s engagement was “the most brilliant news.”
Middleton’s parents, Carole and Michael, welcomed the prince to their family. “We all think he’s wonderful, we’re extremely fond of him,” Michael Middleton said. “They make a lovely couple.”
Prime Minister David Cameron wished the couple “great joy in their life together,” and said when he announced the news during a Cabinet meeting it was greeted by cheers and “a great banging of the table.”
Cameron, who said he had camped out on the street the night before Charles and Diana’s wedding procession, predicted this royal wedding would be a “great moment for national celebration” that would unite Britain.
Few were surprised. Their engagement was the safest bet in Britain, an event so certain that bookies had stopped taking bets on a 2011 wedding. The date avoids London’s Summer Olympics and the queen’s Diamond Jubilee, both being held in 2012. “Kate has been waiting for so long, I expected her to find someone else,” said London tour guide Gabrielle Sullo, 53. “The media had called her ’Waitey Katie,’ so it’s about time that she stopping waiting.”
The formal engagement is likely to turn the poised, brunette Middleton, already depicted approvingly in the fashion pages, into a global icon. With her confident good looks and long brown hair, Middleton has already become one of the most photographed women in Britain. The palace will be hoping that she combines Diana’s glamour and charm with a more commonsense approach to life. At 28, Middleton is considerably older than Diana was when she wed at 20 and has had greater life experiences and longer training in dealing with the media.
William and Harry have spent a lifetime in the spotlight, with their drunken nights out and female friends, the subject of constant tabloid gossip. William, who turned 28 in June, once told an interviewer he wouldn’t marry “until I’m at least 28 or maybe 30.” But since joining the military, both have kept a lower profile.
Middleton met William at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. They shared a house along with other students in the seaside university town, where William initially studied art history before switching to geography.
In 2002, William paid 200 pounds to sit in the front row at a charity fashion show where Middleton was modeling in a daring outfit. They are thought to have started dating the next year. St. Andrews congratulated the couple Tuesday, pointing out that the school has a reputation as “Britain’s top matchmaking university.”
A wealthy commoner rather than an aristocrat, Middleton is the daughter of self-made millionaires. Her father worked for an airline and her mother was a flight attendant before they started a mail-order business specializing in children’s parties, run from their house in southern England.
She attended Marlborough College, an elite private school, where she played tennis and field hockey, before studying art history at St. Andrews. After graduating in 2005, Middleton worked as a buyer for the fashion chain Jigsaw. She is now employed by her family’s party-planning business.
The couple’s relationship became public with a joint photo on a Swiss skiing holiday in 2004. Middleton then became a media darling, especially after both graduated, which ended a British media agreement to leave William alone while he was at university. Middleton was there when William was commissioned as a British Army officer after graduating from Sandhurst military college in 2006. She was photographed attending public events, going to work, even getting a parking ticket , a level of attention that evoked the romance of William’s parents. But William was determined that Middleton would not suffer the same media hounding endured by his mother, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 while being chased by paparazzi. He appealed through his office for the media to leave her alone. In 2007, Middleton filed a harassment complaint against a British newspaper. She accepted an apology and admission of error from the Daily Mirror.
Yet only weeks later in 2007, media reported and Clarence House did not deny that the couple had broken up. Newspapers pored over the apparent end of the relationship in long stories sourced to anonymous “friends.” William’s army training kept them apart, said some. The media pressure was too much for her, said others. Still others murmured that senior courtiers felt Middleton’s middle-class background wasn’t royal material. Soon, however, the same newspapers were reporting that the pair had rekindled their romance. They were photographed leaving a London nightclub together, and Middleton was snapped on a stag hunting expedition at the royal family’s Balmoral estate in Scotland alongside Charles.
When William graduated from his first flying course in spring 2008, Middleton applauded from the sidelines, although his training was not without incident. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that William had landed a helicopter on Middleton’s parents’ lawn during a training flight and flew a Chinook to a friend’s stag party on the Isle of Wight earning him a drubbing in the press for his perceived sense of entitlement.
The pair have recently seen each other mostly on weekends, with William a frequent visitor to the Middleton family house in the affluent village of Bucklebury, 80 kilometres west of London. Earlier this month, Middleton’s parents were invited to join members of the royal family for a shooting holiday at Balmoral, another milestone on her road to acceptance into the royal family’s inner circle.
Clarence House said after the wedding, the couple will live in north Wales, where William is based with the RAF.
We wish them a long and happy marriage and many little princes and princesses.
See the story of the ring below
Hi Cutie...what a beautiful love story.
ReplyDeleteHi is Nana , being her sweet self I hope so?
ReplyDeleteHow is Brian , hope he's not over doing it woith his to-do-list?
Have you heard from Jer ?
PIC can you see me?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't get on the internet.
ReplyDeleteI felt kind of panicky. We haven't been out of touch for going on three years
ReplyDeleteyes I see you
ReplyDeleteI will send you an e-mail
ReplyDeleteCan you see me?
It was neat how our articles sort of worked together.
ReplyDeleteI watched Oksana on Larry King tonight.
She was convincing. A little too defensive but she still came through as honest.
ReplyDeleteHer lawyer didn't dodge questions.
Palin is running for president and some people think she'll win. OMG!
ReplyDeleteI will wait around to see if it clear up ...left a note on SH Mel post.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I just saw your comment. Thank goodness.Roger on the email.
ReplyDeleteI like the way our articles got together and it was a nice touch.
ReplyDeleteI sent you an email.
Palin just may win and the tea party is putting her there.
ReplyDeleteI tell you for the Democrats to let this happen , I think they a sorry piece of shit.
Got your email and I can see your comments.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was blogger. I couldn't get on internet explorer.
I think you mentioned to me weeks ago that the Tea Party would help Sarah get ahead and become a contender.
ReplyDeleteI worked all day helping to get the house together, Elosie is moving in tomorrow. The house is furnished but I replaced the matteress/box springs , everything else is in order.
ReplyDeleteSometime it may be the change in the weather.
ReplyDeleteDad tried to get on here today and he said it was so slow, he wanted to check on you, he says you have so much to do, but he likes checking on his women.
Sis told him Brian was going to whip his musty butt.
Oh boy, I hear you on the old mattress. I don't sleep well on other people's mattresses. I take all my own stuff to hotels. I don't care how many stars they have. They all have mattress cooties.
ReplyDeleteI think she will love the idea of having a house and some privacy and some alone time.
If I don't hear from you I will always hang around...
ReplyDeleteJaye lets me know when you was out last time...when the people was working on the wires in your area.
Jill said ...mama she looks like brown baby...tell her is our baby and she can't have him.
ReplyDeleteI will drop dad a line tonight.I don't forget him.
ReplyDeleteOh I remember that time. Some construction guys cut all our cables and our neighbors. I called J and asked her to get in touch with you.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if that is his name today. No new news except that he has pulled that nose tube out a couple of times..OUCH!
ReplyDeleteJonny's sister is helping him pick out a lot of stuff and he told them mama might get mad and not get it and Jill told him to tell poppa and Sha said tell daddy and he will help poppa get it if we do our chores.
ReplyDeleteJonny is a great kid and just as bad as the rest. All 4 know I will not have no back talk and that goes for all 6 of them.
HA!....I love the way you rule your roost.
ReplyDeleteIt's good for them to have chores. J doesn't give the boys enough to do.At least BIO makes them work down at the farm. Not so much now that he got rid of the horses.
I thought about what you said. Why would a horse lover leave her horses behind?
She was also slated to start veterinary college the year she disappeared.
I wanted to e-mail you when I was in Vegas , NAN says it wasn't wise because anyone could get the address...
ReplyDeleteI think Nan may have been right unless they had a special security program in place. I guess it's worth asking what protection you have when you use computers in those places.
ReplyDeleteThere's not a lot for them to do, but they have pick up behind themselves...take out trash and load the dishes , put up their toys.
ReplyDeleteI told Jonny he would get him some Legos when Gilly is older, right now he may put them in his mouth and choke on them and he said okay he didn't want his brother to get sick.
Gil asked didn't i have your phone number and I said yes, but not with me...he said just wait until you get home, she has had trouble before.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't tweet...he will settle down soon ...wildman reminds me of Chris.
Sweetie...You/I are so blessed to have Nana/Dad , they are still quick in the mind their bodies is just a little worn .
ReplyDeleteIs Brian feeling okay, I always know when Gil gets grumpy he's not feeling well.
I asked dad what was I going to do when my boys learned about girls and he said just tell their daddy he will know what to do.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was waiting on you I just listened to the music...I can hear it when I'm doing a post..3/4 people says it's nice and I told them you did it and Anita says we worked well together because I didn't know diddle-squat...
ReplyDeleteI guess not all people are going to like the music. I should change it out more often but it is hard work.
ReplyDeleteBrian is not feeling too well these days. I always thought that I would lose Nana but she has been realy chipper this week.
I saw the post slap happy Mel, that fool looke as bad as DC.
ReplyDeleteWe have a mystery we can't figure out and neither can her doctor.Her hemoglobin was so low last year she had to have a transfusion.
ReplyDeleteBut Her last blood test showed that her hemo was way up, almost normal.How did that happen? We haven't changed her diet or changed anything.
Al the people Nan/I talked too like the music and you can leave it like it is...there are a lot of songs they can change it to...
ReplyDeleteSweetie we can't please everyone, just ourselves ...ask your friends what they think..
I picked that picture of Mel because he looked like hell.Oksana said today that he was very nice to her the first year then he slowly started changing. He punched her and choked her twice and broke her teeth twice.Once while she was holding the baby.
ReplyDeleteHe was obsessively jealous and controlling . Wouldn't let her have any friends or contact with her family.
I remember when you said she may not last through the spring..
ReplyDeleteShe has stong will-power and she will be with you to help you with Brian ...remember she helped you when he returned home from the hospital ?
Christina Aguilera is on Leno. She has a big voice, very talented.
ReplyDeleteIt's more to Mel than meets the eye,it was a reason Robyn left and you just don't get mean over night, Mel has been that way all his life...there is a rumor he likes hookers..trying to run that down .
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Witchy,( you usually are), we can't please everyone and since we like it, that's all that matters.
ReplyDeleteThis is OUR clubhouse.
I like Christina and her music , she is very talented.
ReplyDeleteI like that about you, and a very smart woman. Our clubhouse oh yes it is.
ReplyDeleteNan said we are so different ...but yet we are just the same and that makes a good stew or gumbo whichever you prefer.
I have a lot of her songs in my music library on my computer.I haven't played with it or updated it in a long time. I like the one she sang tonight but I didn't get the title.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care what music you put on...I also knew I would like it...you see we have the same taste in music.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get the name of the song but that girl has a big voice.
ReplyDeleteWe are too weird. We have the same opinions and the same taste. Maybe we were separated at birth.
ReplyDeleteHave you been to the glog we are following...he has started putting up a ot of pictures and they are nice and the other guy ..NAN says he is really liking us, he posts all our pictures and like our space stuff.
ReplyDeleteI have had this feeling about ever since I said on Heidi's blog: Hey Jeannie, lets go over to Angela house and Bitch-Slap the piss out of her....that girl just rubbed me the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteDo you mean Anthroslug? I haven't been there in a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have ever been to the one who follows us.
By God, I remember you saying that.
ReplyDeleteWhat made you think of Angela?
Anthro is moving I think.
ReplyDeleteDad is pretty understanding.
I think she follows us, Angela always gave me the impression she didn't like her life and resented her son...she blamed the world for her short-coming.
ReplyDeleteThere you were with all the sickness and problems you had , you still found humor in the world.
I am so glad my daddy/sis prepared me for whatever life threw at me, I was scared for my little man at first and had all the tests, the doctors said he was okay, I was on pins until I held him and counted his fingers/toes.
ReplyDeleteWell you summed up Angela up in a nutshell very accurately. I tried to help her once. I told her a story, a chapter from my life and and I think I said that the only things that matter are the people you love.
ReplyDeleteSis said I was born to be a mama...I told her you said the same thing about me being a mama.
ReplyDeleteSometime I could feel the negative force coming from her, she always wanted someone to give her...I wanted to say get a damn job.
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky with 'Little Man'. There was a possibility he could have problems.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Russell Crowe. He is nice when he is relaxed and silly.
ReplyDeleteI have another picture post and I will tell them about climate change ...see you have created a monster ...I will get on my soapbox.
ReplyDeleteI always thought you were a natural as a mama.
ReplyDeleteWe better log off and save some for tomorrow...
ReplyDeleteIf you don't leave me a note you won't be on I will wait and you do the same for me...OKAY
I'm watching Russell Crowe .
ReplyDeleteI would still feel the same about my little Man, I never gave abortion a thought. I wanted babies so bad.
Okay,Honey,will do.
ReplyDeleteAnd so,to bed, perchance to dream.
Nice chatting with you as always.Take care and make sure the housekeeper has a change of sheets and enough towels.I think this one will work out extremely well.
Bring me some more of that Creole/Cajun food again tomorrow; I really enjoyed the heartburn.
Luv ya...PIC
The only problems he has is being bad and getting an attitude with everyone, if you don't pay him attention he will sit on your feet.
ReplyDeletePS: Stay on your soapbox.You look good on it.
ReplyDeletePPS: Little Man is gorgeous and funny and sweet. That mean side of him he gets from you according to Dad...HA!
ReplyDeleteI think she will work out, I think she's kind of scared off dad.
ReplyDeleteI will bring some fish and chips...you bring Nana.
Goodnite Sweetie and I will see you tomorrow at twilight with aunt Mae and her vodka...hahaha
Nite...Hugs & Kisses...PIC
Kiss the Rock.
[giggles]
ReplyDeleteDad says the devil would be scared of me if I got my ass in a tail-wind..
Nite...LUV YA...PIC