This Is Much Better, It’s Like I’m Not Here

Great news this week about the Royal Baby, who has been named George Alexander Louis. Henceforth he will be formally known by his full title: His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. A big name for a little guy.

But what about his Mum, who is officially the Duchess of Cambridge. The enduring story about Kate was/is her transition from ordinary (OK, Upper Class) person to Princess (OK, Duchess). In the media scrum surrounding the Royal Birth even our serious newspapers of record are reluctant to let go of that enduring back story.

The New York Times reminds us she’s now become the wife of a Prince,

… Prince William and his wife, the former Kate Middleton …

While the Wall Street Journal goes one further and puts her in a suspended netherworld as only “the former”,

… Prince William and the former Kate Middleton described …

Which reminds me of one of my favorite scenes in “Something’s Gotta Give“.

While sitting around the dinner table, having just met Harry (Jack Nicholson) who is 63 and dating her daughter Marin who is not yet 30, Erica (Diane Keaton) and her sister Zoe are trying to remember who Harry was engaged to when he was profiled as ‘The Escape Artist’ in NY Magazine.  All they could recall was that the fiance was famous. As the conversation spirals out of control, Marin interrupts to say they should just ask Harry since he is sitting right there!

At which point Harry says,

No this is much better, it’s like I’m not here!

Jack Nickolson as Harry Sanborn, and Kate as … The Former Kate Middleton

There’s no denying that Fame is another world, where the price of admission can be pretty steep.

Certain of us, like His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, are born to it, and will never know anything else.

Be careful what you wish for …