Reflection 2: And We'll Never be Royals—On the American Obsession with the British Royal Family

 

Japan has one. So, does Norway, Belgium, and Kuwait. And yet, we couldn’t care less.

When it comes to royal families, Americans only have eyes for the British.

The 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, not only introduced the world to a young and beautiful queen, it ignited a love affair with the American public. In the ensuing decades, that love has only grown. For instance, the late Diana, Princess of Whales, had a near-fanatical following in the US during her life—some 22 million Americans tuned into her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Meanwhile, in the 21^st century, America was granted a royal of our very own when American Mehgan Markle married Prince Harry. The couple even relocated to California, granting us royals in our midst.

But why our obsession? Isn’t the mere idea of a monarchy un-American? If the notion of royalty is so repugnant to the foundations of our country, then why are we so fascinated by them? What is it about the British royals that so speaks to the American psyche?

Include at least two of the following in your reflection:

• "Americans Left the British Crown Behind Centuries Ago. Why Are They Still so Fascinated by Royalty?" (AP)
• "America is Obsessed with the Royals. So We Make Our Own." (CNN) 
• "Americans are Obsessed with the Royal Family for Three Reasons, According to Expert" (Daily Star)
• "From Spencer to The Crown: Why Do We Remain Captivated by Princess Diana?" (NBC News)
• "Prince Archie is so American in Rare Photo with Meghan Markle" (Hello!)
  

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citations and works cited
• ≈500 words

Due: Fri 10.25 (via Canvas)