The ladies of Downton Abbey, courtesy of ITV.
Maybe it was the Disney movies that ruined me. Not to mention Downton Abbey, Kate Middleton and any other movie or TV show that depicts royalty in any way, shape or form. Whether it’s the gorgeous dresses, an ambiguous-yet-important role in society or the gorgeous dresses, I sincerely wish I were a title-carrying, castle-living-in, Prince Charming-charming princess.
First, there are the living accommodations. Namely, palaces. Who wouldn’t want to live in a palace? Palaces are great! They’ve got balconies and courtyards, everything one could ever want in a home and so much more (I won’t get into the details, I’ve been watching a lot of HGTV). Give me one good reason that I shouldn’t want to live in a palace. Trick request! There isn’t one.
Then there are the dresses. I, like many others, I’m sure, love getting dressed up. The only reason that I miss high school is that I don’t have proms to go to anymore. And even then, I much preferred getting dressed for prom to actually going to prom. Nowadays – since college, for that matter – I don’t have anything to dress up for. The best I can hope for is that someday, I’ll need to go to an awards show and will be able to get gussied up for that. BUT if I were a princess, I would have to get prom-scale dressed up every day just because it’d be weirder if I didn’t.
And did I mention that princesses are classy, if not the classiest? I enjoy being classy. I appreciate proper grammar and intelligent conversation. You know, classy stuff. And I’m aware that calling classy stuff “classy stuff” isn’t particularly classy, but it bears repeating that I’m not – I repeat, not – a princess.
Now, I know that, for the most part, one needs to be born into such a living situation. And I’m not saying that I, as the person I currently am, want to be treated like a princess. I’m perfectly happy being a Peggy Olson of sorts – working hard to get where I want to be. What I am saying is that if I could go back in time, before my birth, even, and select the societal role that I was to be born into, I would choose that of a princess.
And for the record, I’d settle for a “Lady” title as well. Looking at you, anyone with knighting abilities.
I suffer from the same problem!
I dress up every day (as in I put on a dress and tights in winter and cute flats), there’s no reason ntto look cute every day!
You know… my great great great (etc….) grandma was a maid in King Henry the somethingth’s castle and got knocked up by him…. which practically makes me a princess….
lol!
I don’t want to be the word police and you probably can’t change it now but maybe “nobility” would be a better word in place of “royalty.” Simply because you’re including ladies (the Downton Abbey girls) who are the daughters of an Earl and his wife, etc. Otherwise, good article!
Actually, I would hate it. Too much pressure in that world. It would be suffocating…
I’d still wear the dresses, though.
a friend was bought a square foot of land in Scotland for her birthday and now she can legally state that her title is ‘lady’.
That’s amazing. Next step: persuading someone to buy me a square foot of land in Scotland!
Rachel,
Look into the Society for Creative Anachronism. (sca.org) Lots of opportunities for dressing up. Everyone will call you M’lady and gentlemen will kiss you on the hand. You could possibly even be a princess one day.