News of a royal wedding sends readers to their keyboards

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German fascination with British royalty both grandiose and banal

Do you thing there is too much hype about the wedding?

I enjoyed your article on the interest in the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. I have always thought there was a certain interest by Germans in the British royals because of their German heritage. The House of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha is essentially the House of Windsor, with Prince Andreas as the current head of the family. Do you think this is well known in Germany? And if so, could it explain the fascination exhibited with the British Royal Family? -- Philip, Australia

Why is Germany all of a sudden so preoccupied with royals? Even though, as the article does state, there's no 'official' royal court in Germany, the descendants of the royal lineage are many and scattered all over the globe. So, I will pose a question then, do you really wish us to come back? Will you all welcome us with opened arms? Will you give us our ancestral land properties? Really, where will you fit nearly 82 million more people? -- Melani, Canada

I will sound in with a resounding 'yes' to this question. And as this event is still a ways off, one can only speculate how the media will go into overdrive as the date draws nearer. I think (at least to some degree) there will always be a fascination with 'royalty' and how the 'other half' lives. But at the end of the day we're still left with two 'ordinary' people who will be facing whatever lies ahead. -- Graham, Canada

Aren't they part German in ancestry, or did I dream that? It makes sense Germans should be interested. -- D., US

Well, it is a bit silly for Germans to care about the British monarchy, but I suppose it is as silly as the British caring about the British monarchy ... so if the Brits like having a monarchy, let them have one, and if the Germans like being interested in the British monarchy, let them be. I mean if people weren't so interested in this wedding they would probably be reading something equally silly, like Angelina Jolie adopting another baby or Paul McCartney divorcing for the 12th time; the real question is why do we care about the lives of celebrities? But apart from that, let them have their fun, I suppose. -- Eduardo via Facebook

Royal family announces Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton

Was it a foregone conclusion that Prince William and Kate Middleton would get engaged?

Nothing is inevitable when it comes to matters of love, but in this case, I'm glad the prince's heart matched the hopes and best wishes his subjects around the world had for him and his bride-to-be. -- Lisa, Australia

No, I don't think anyone could say it was a foregone conclusion, probable comes to mind. Love, compatibility and friendship are musts in the kind of work they will be called upon to do, and it could be said that she has already had a good exposure to the various facets of the job. I think it is a good thing that Prince William has been able to follow his heart, just as Prince Frederick of Denmark did with Princess Mary, who indeed had a more compressed training, but we Australians like to think she is doing a good job. -- Lois, Australia

As a Republican I could not care less. The sooner Australia becomes a republic and finally shakes the shackles of Great Britain the better for all. Viva La Republique de Australie. I dream of a new day I do. -- Stuart, Australia

Compiled by Stuart Tiffen
Editor: Nancy Isenson