Being A Royal Is a Dead-End to Love

My darling romantics in this group, if you are watching or plan to watch The Crown on Netflix, this newsletter contains spoilers.

I’ve been a little late to the game when it comes to The Crown, having only watched Seasons 4, 5, and 6 during the past few weeks (and anxiously awaiting the final episodes which begin December 14th).

While The Crown doesn’t claim to be 100% accurate, it provides great insight into the major momentous events of the royal family, particularly their love lives.

Queen Elizabeth’s Uncle was King Edward VIII who abdicated the throne to marry his mistress and lover, American divorcee Wallis Simpson. This made QEII’s father the King and Elizabeth heir to the throne. Daddy died when she was 25 and she became Queen. Soon after she married handsome Phillip and he became her husband, her Prince, protector, and father of their 4 children.

Also, he was a very inept and strict father. Poor Charles.

Given the turmoil of the other Royals, Elizabeth and Phillip had a relatively stable marriage even though it’s pretty clear he cheated on her from time to time. Phillip and the rest of the family refer to Elizabeth as “the Boss.” She often asked for his counsel but didn’t always follow it.

Elizabeth’s sister, Princess Margaret, was madly in love with a divorced Royal Airforce official named Peter Townsend. According to the Church of England rules, marrying a divorced man was forbidden so to keep them apart, he was sent away on military duty. Margaret was heartbroken and became a party animal, drinking and drugging and having many affairs, often with commoners. An embarrassment to her sister the Queen, and the royal family. She eventually married and had two children but never found happiness in love again and held resentment against her sister even though she loved her.

Prince Charles, the eldest of Elizabeth’s children, was madly in love with Mrs. Parker Bowles but duty insisted that he marry a virgin of royal breeding. Enter Diana. You all know how that story went. Diana was suicidal at times and wanted the marriage to work but as she said on TV, “there were three of us in this marriage.” Charles was miserable and Mrs. P B led a double life with her husband and Charles. Today she is Queen Consort to King Charles. I’m assuming they are now relatively happy but spent decades in misery.

Princess Anne, sister of Charles, had several wild flings (including one with Mr. Parker Bowles, then boyfriend soon-to-be husband of Mrs. P-B. Anne was eventually convinced to have a gigantic televised Royal Wedding to Mark Philips that also ended in divorce. (I was a London college student who attended the procession and saw Princess Anne in her gilded carriage).

Charles’s brother Prince Andrew married Fergie until she was seen in the tabloids having her toes sucked on by a younger lover on a beach. We all know his wild past with Jeffrey Epstein and his harem—another immoral divorce and marriage scandal.

After Diana and Charles divorced, she sought companionship in myriad ways and was tricked into spending time with Dodi Al Fayed (who died in the car crash with her) by his scheming social-climbing father.

One theme all the royals (except the Queen) complain about is the need and desire to be loved and appreciated. All wanted to be acknowledged for their special gifts. Charles wanted to be King long before Mummy died. Diana wanted lots of love, attention, affection, and purpose. Dodi wanted his father’s respect and money. Everyone was miserable.

The storytelling of this mostly true drama is quite something and for me very watchable.

The lesson is this: if you want to find true love and happiness, stay far, far away from anyone with a royal title. These folks are jinxed!

Wishing you love, laughter, and magical kisses.

Arielle