General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIntroducing young Prince George.
Prince George looks pretty adorable in new photos released of the royal toddler on Saturday. The almost 17-month-old son of Duchess Kate and Prince William is seen sitting on a stone staircase in a Kensington Palace courtyard. The three images are the first official pictures of the prince since his first birthday last July. See the pics at right and below!
The photos show George wearing a navy vest featuring soldiers, knee-high socks, parted hair, and a look that suggests he knows hes going to be the King of England one day. Kate, of course, is pregnant with her second child.
She and William spent part of last week on a highly publicized visit to the United States, including a much-analyzed swing through New York City. The couple attended a Brooklyn Nets game, where they hung out with Beyonce and Jay Z and were given a little jersey for George from LeBron James. Kate also wrapped presents and greeted children at a youth center in Harlem.
The royal family is expected to gather at Queen Elizabeths Sandringham House for Christmas festivities later this month. Kate and Williams country home, Anmer Hall, is nearby. Check out the new pictures of George below, and tell us what you think!
http://www.gossipcop.com/prince-george-new-pictures-december-20
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)The boy who was born to be King.
shenmue
(38,501 posts)appalachiablue
(41,047 posts)grandmother Diana, a real English princess as her brother Charles said in his eulogy to her at Westminster.
X_Digger
(18,585 posts)plus..
and got..
Baitball Blogger
(46,570 posts)calimary
(80,693 posts)I'm sorry. That's pretty damn funny!
ImaPolitico
(150 posts)Prince George is a doll baby. What a cutie pie.
Have always loved to follow the many lives of royals. And here starts the life of another royal, the little prince who will someday become king.
Please, who is the blonde headed man? Something tells me he is a comedian. That is so funny how much Prince George looks like Mr. blonde man.
JI7
(89,172 posts)UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)recognized that second pic from somewhere.
LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)As Diana was a Spencer and Winston a Spencer-Churchill.
treestar
(82,383 posts)What a cutie.
whathehell
(28,968 posts)A cute little guy.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)I'm not a big fan of the whole concept of royalty, but this little guy is innocent AND very cute.
herding cats
(19,549 posts)They baby isn't responsible for the fandom of the masses, and at his age most of us would be putty in his sticky little paws.
longship
(40,416 posts)JI7
(89,172 posts)ImaPolitico
(150 posts)She is the perfect wife for this royal family.
calimary
(80,693 posts)Glad you're here! Yeah, he's a cutie, and his mom is really a breath of fresh air. SHE is the true "People's Princess." Yes, Princess Di was, but she was also of the aristocracy. Kate is a commoner. Which makes me smile. This is a good thing. Brings a little more fresh air and, literally, new blood, into the musty rankings. He's got a good legacy from Diana, too, because she tried so hard to make sure they had as "normal" an upbringing as possible, given the obvious built-in constraints. So that's the way this little guy's dad was brought up. And Dad seems determined to follow his mother's example. It's been very nice for me to read about them and see, over and over, how William has taken his wife's side or otherwise supported his wife - even when it runs counter to the wishes of the Queen. And they've both given the little guy plenty of access to their OTHER grandparents - the Middletons. Who are also commoners.
Since he IS going to be King someday, what better than to have a King who has a personal understanding of, and experience with, how non-royals live (yes, the Middletons aren't exactly poor, but the point is - they AREN'T coddled, protected, insulated royals, either).
benz380
(534 posts)Hekate
(90,189 posts)....with that out-marriage thing since Queen Victoria's day.
What you see in the little guy is just his ethnic heritage, not inbreeding.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Until a person of color joins the royal circle. Considering how diverse the modern UK has become the pale whiteness of the British elites is a stark contrast to their subjects.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Look to Members of Parliament. Those are elected positions and will eventually represent the multi ethnic population that is now the UK, if they don't already.
Will and Kate met each other at college, which was already groundbreaking. Who knows? Perhaps little Prince George will meet a young woman whose parents/grandparents came to London from New Delhi at the same exclusive college.
But it's ludicrous to look at any hereditary monarchy and insist they marry someone you think they should in order to make a point you want to make.
If you want an example of a monarchy that will never marry outside its own narrow ethnicity, look to the Japanese. Are they Asian supremacists?
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)You mean the descendants of the sun goddess Amaterasu-omikami?
Yes yes yes!
Japan is one of the most racists nations on earth. In some ways its what makes Japan special because everything is subordinate to the Japanese way. To this day you are Japanese or Gaijin (a foreigner). Family names are carefully tracked along with nationality.
Japan has thousands of Koreans living in Japan for many generations that are still considered foreginers. Minority groups in Japan that are routinely discriminated against are Ainu(Hokaido), Burakumin(descendants of executioners, undertakers, workers in slaughterhouses, butchers or tanners), Ryūkyūans (Okinawa), Uilta (Sakhalin), Nivkhs (Sakhalin).
The royal family is "pure blooded". The big deals these days in the UK or Japan is that a royal married a commoner. You can be sure that person is ethnically identical to the royal and the only oversight is class status.
Imagine if Diana had had an arab baby (she was dating one at the time of her death). Scratch that it's impossible.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)...I ended up giving some thought to was how very differently the UK turned out.
Japan and England are both island nations off a continent. Both were protected by seas and storms at a couple of crucial times in their respective histories (Spanish Armada/ Kami-Kaze). Both had class-based societies, where one's accent alone was a social determinant (I know a bit more about the British in that regard).
But the British Isles ended up subject to waves of invaders bringing their languages and customs, and in a crucial difference from Japan they ended up assimilating them all. London has been a major international city for centuries upon centuries, while Japan vigorously rejected all foreigners once they had what they wanted from the Chinese in the way of written language, art, &c ("Revere the Emperor; Repel the foreigner" .
From afar (where it is nice and comfortable, no stress) what I see is a different kind of "invasion" as the denizens of the once far-flung British Empire kind of came home -- Africans, Chinese, Caribbeans, Indians and Pakistanis. If the past in any indicator, ultimately these too will be assimilated into Britain -- they already have access to citizenship, which is not readily available in Japan.
I think who the royals marry is a non-issue. In this day and age they are quaint figureheads; the power resides with the Prime Minister and other elected politicians. The royal family is very useful for bringing in tourist dollars, though, and that is a big thing.
As for the Japanese Imperial family, if only the Emperor would find it in himself to cast off the shackles of the Shinto priesthood from his household and the women in it, I would have more respect. By all accounts the last two wives have had nervous breakdowns, because they were raised in the 20th Century and not in the 10th Century.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)The only point of contention would be the notion that the British monarchy is somehow neutered politically.
It's her magesties navy/military and key to deference, her majesties courts. I don't believe you could ever get justice in the courts in Britain with regard to the monarchy since they are "her" courts.
When she bestows a knighthood on the likes of bush or powell she is acting politically essentially endorsing their actions like invading iraq etc.
I think the British Monarchy could still stand to lose some of their special mojo to make Britain even more democratic.
On a separate note, I'm gobsmacked by the notion that you can be a proud scotsman or a proud welshman. God forbid your a proud englishman OMG Racist.
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)Very cute boy.
Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)I wish him s close to normal a life as is humanly possible.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,296 posts)And given who his parents are, I think he will have a pretty normal life.
Hekate
(90,189 posts)....very coldly, from all accounts.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Which is, I am sure, his mother's legacy. And Kate seems as down-to-earth as can be. Young George definitely has a Churchillian look.
calimary
(80,693 posts)I remember this report I read about him as a little kid, watching at the train station while Mom went off to tour Australia or some such place. Leaving him alone with the nannies. The description of his sad little face as he watched her go - and how this little guy had to bear up. Raised by nannies. Could never just be a kid. Always on guard. Always had to be mindful of protocol and responsibility. HUGE sense of obligation on his shoulders. What stunted emotional growth he had to deal with.
I always felt bad for Prince Charles. He caught hell during that whole period. The whole world sided with Diana. And I can fully understand that. But I still always felt bad for him. Imagine never being allowed to marry the one you really loved! Your whole life being an obligation and what you wish for in your heart you know you can't have. With all that privilege and those riches and that fabulous history and legacy and heritage that's all yours - and you're little more than a hostage to it, as far as anything for your own personal life or happiness. You're really not allowed to have a personal life, or consider what you would want. You always have to sublimate what you would want for yourself, because of your obligation to your people. Any gay person can probably explain how that feels, rather accurately - what it's like to be barred from marrying the one you love. It's gotta hurt - BADLY! And for him, it all had to be lived on the front pages, in a gold-edged fish bowl. Talk about adding insult to injury. Always felt bad for him. And now, lo these many years later, that he was finally able to marry Camilla - well, I was really happy about that. And I still am. Maybe happier royals would make for a happier people.
lpbk2713
(42,696 posts)AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)sooooo cute
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)roguevalley
(40,656 posts)951-Riverside
(7,234 posts)Skittles
(152,963 posts)seen in Texas news today - unbelievably cute:
Hekate
(90,189 posts)Skittles
(152,963 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)raccoon
(31,088 posts)I'm surprised the usual suspect(s) haven't posted to say this is inappropriate for GD.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Fairly clear this belongs in GD.
benz380
(534 posts)Then they can rule the world!!! Mwahahahahaha!!!