ENGA2 Production piece and analysis - Will the royal wedding be the monarchy's last hurrah

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Will the Royal Wedding be the Monarchy’s last hurrah?

What could be more patriotic, nationalistic, and just plain British than watching two individuals infinitely more wealthy and privileged than you’ll ever be tie the knot? You’d think that, short of splicing together the DNA of Winston Churchill, a bulldog, and a Sunday roast and making the resultant monstrosity lose in straight sets to Roger Federer in the semi-finals of Wimbledon, the answer would be ‘absolutely nothing’. But, if a newly-released batch of statistics are to be believed, Brits are thoroughly apathetic about the upcoming Royal nuptials, and no amount of tins of biscuits with the happy couple’s faces on can do anything to remedy that.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that fewer than 180 street parties are being planned across the nation, and the latest opinion polls show the majority of people claim to be uninterested in Kate and Wills’ big day, and can you blame them? In today’s modern world, the British Monarchy are looking more and more out of touch.

In 2008, Americans shrugged off decades of social injustice and did something that the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement could scarcely dream of by electing their first black President, on a platform of hope and change, writing a new page in the history of their country. Meanwhile, here in Blighty, we have the reign of an aging, aloof divorcee who drives around in a soft top Aston Martin converted to run on wine to look forward to.

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It’s not like the younger Royals are paragons of contemporary Britain, either. Prince Harry’s penchant for turning up to parties dressed as a Nazi officer, and referring to Asian colleagues at Sandhurst as ‘Pakis’ doesn’t really chime with the reality of modern Britain as a diverse, tolerant country.

It’s surprising, really - all things considered - that there isn’t a much larger Republican streak running Britain. In fact, support for the Monarchy has remained consistent ever since the death of Diana, never really faltering. In a country where people take seriously the decision between voting for middle ...

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