I've been asked by several TV networks to comment on Catherine and William's first joint engagement last week. The couple was in Anglesey, Wales to launch a lifeboat, but it was also the launch of Catherine's public role, and the first of many engagements and duties she will undertake once she's a full-fledged member of the royal family.
Many have commended Catherine not only for her confidence and ease during her first official event, but also the fact she sang the Welsh national anthem and a hymn in Welsh. This came as a surprise, since apparently nobody knew that Catherine had been secretly learning Welsh. Well almost nobody. Back in December, I revealed in my exclusive royal wedding details story that "Catherine has been learning Welsh for quite some time. This will further endear her to many as she will one day become the Princess of Wales."
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It seems that there are those in the UK who have picked up on my royal wedding coverage. A BBC news program covering the Anglesey visit last Thursday mentioned, "An American reporter had revealed that Catherine has been learning Welsh. Nobody here really knew about it since apparently she's been learning the language on her own." The palace has confirmed the accuracy of my information, and also stated that Catherine took it upon herself to learn the challenging Welsh language.
During her first official tour of Wales shortly after her 1981 wedding, Diana was given the key to the city in Cardiff, and she charmed the audience by managing a few Welsh sentences in her speech. Catherine has similiarly charmed and impressed those in Wales, and it is even more important for her than it was for Diana to learn the language since she'll be living in Anglesey after her marriage. As William said in his speech, not only is Catherine about to join the royal family, she is about to become an "Anglesonian."
I hope she works harder now that she's marrying William. She always blamed the paparazzi for not having a proper full-time job, but now that excuse is gone. She's going to be royalty, and being seen doing charitable work and greeting dignitaries is part of the job. The palace is used to dealing with the paparazzi.
If our revolution wasn't successful, we could've had a Royal 'Princess of America' learning one of our quaint native languages. This is what we're missing.
Most everything she did was from memorizing the phonics of it. After the band split up, she even lost that ability and cannot speak in English at all.
It's one thing to phonetically recite something and another to converse openly and fluently.
Most people appreciate the effort being taken to lean a little of their language, especially if one's aim is to become fluent..
Look, we have William - USA got Lindsey Lohan & Britney Spears...no exchanges possible
Your comment re "Freedom-loving" suggest that you equate Constitutional Monarchy with a lack thereof ?? Not sure why......that would be news to Swedes, Norwegians, Dutch & Spanish people as well as Brits.
Egalitarian ideals ?? I hope you are NOT an American...if you were, with the wealth gap such as it is in the USA, I would be tempted to ask you how that worked out for you..
worked out great! I work hard and have made a good life for myself and my family. Unlike too many in the world, I don't feel I am ENTITLED to other people's wealth.
Why don't you lead the way sort of pied piper-like?
Of course, if the person marrying is a king and not just a prince, I would assume things to be different. In that case I imagine heads of state might be invited. But a prince's wedding is essentially a family event.
It's all a very good excuse for them to leave out the Obummers.
It's fantastic that she is learning Welsh....Welsh still lives in our dear Wales and if she wants to be Princess of Wales (Cymru) then she has to learn 'the old language'