UK's Royal Baby Watch

[GGT]

Media has been camped out, bookies have been making odds, the UK is obsessed, and the world is fascinated.

The English monarchy, and its aristocracy, are vestiges of a history long gone. Anachronistic, but still entertaining in the modern age. Pomp and circumstance, ritual and tradition. The stuff of fairy tales, Disney movies, theme parks.

I didn't pay much attention to British royalty before Princess Diana. She inspired a whole new "era" of Royal Watching....that ultimately contributed to her death.

I can't shake the feeling of sympathy for this new child, and the parents, borne into great expectations and impossible standards on the world stage. I feel a bit guilty about my voyeurism, too.

What do you think about this Royal Baby Watch?

[Timbuk2]

the UK is obsessed

No, it really isn't. Though you wouldn't get that impression from the media, of course.

Had dinner at a restaurant in town on saturday, so took a cab from Victoria station to Picadilly, which goes past Buck Palace. The media encampment there was astonishing. Arrays of satellite trucks and acres filled with dishes and broadcast towers and media hustle and bustle. Such a palava over just a wee bairn.

What do you think about this Royal Baby Watch?

Gets a shrug of the shoulders from me.

I like the royals and their quirks, and they are a part of the tradition, culture and heritage of these here islands, which is great.

But when it comes to any kind of media circus like this; a gluttounous feeding frenzy of speculation, I just shut down and try to ignore it all.

[GGT]

That wee bairn is an automatic economic stimulus for the UK. Including any English purveyor of The Royal Baby's bedding, clothing, diapering, skin care, infant stimulants or soothing pacifiers.

Tim, since you work in the British financial industry, how can you "shrug" or "shut down" what the royal birth means?

[DecoyMilk]

That wee bairn is an automatic economic stimulus for the UK. Including any English purveyor of The Royal Baby's bedding, clothing, diapering, skin care, infant stimulants or soothing pacifiers.

Tim, since you work in the British financial industry, how can you "shrug" or "shut down" what the royal birth means?

What the fuck, are you actually saying we should be excited about a royal baby because it will make the country money?


Here's the extent of my excitement. I read that she'd gone into labour on BBC news. I said to my wife 'Kate's gone into labour', and she said 'Yeah, I saw that'.

[RandBlade]

the UK is obsessed

News to me. Not really heard anyone in real life talk about it. Only time I've ever heard someone mention it was once yesterday and then only in passing as it was in context about a conversation about something else entirely.

Have heard that America is more obsessed. Not exactly surprised, Americans seem to pay far more interest in the gossip etc about the Royals than we do. I will join my fellow Brits in this forum about not giving two shakes about this baby's birth. Supposedly a future monarch though I don't know whether we'll even still have a monarchy by the time it gets around to this unborn squirt.

EDIT: Britons urged to enjoy last few hours before explosion of baby bullshit

[wiggin]

RB, I think that only people like GGT are obsessed. I didn't even realize the baby was due until I saw this thread - I almost forgot whats-her-name was expecting. There's a weird phenomenon among a small subset of Americans I've met - mostly women - who are absurdly fascinated with all things Royal. Is it some secret princess desire from childhood? I don't know. But for the rest of us, we shrug and move on with our lives. Personally I find the whole enterprise - that is, the idea of royalty in the first place - a silly relic. Most people I know couldn't care less, though I have no doubt that plenty of cable news channels are covering it to fill in the fluff on their news cycle.

[Loki]

Definitely a higher priority news item than the protests in Egypt and Brazil, the violence in Syria and Iraq, the kidnapping of an American in Colombia, or the jailing (and then the release) of a raped woman in Dubai. Each issue could be delved into over a period of days. Instead, these issues will get their 15 second mention (if that), while crap like a royal birth will get 2/3 of the news coverage.

[RandBlade]

Couldn't have put it better myself wiggin. I feel exactly the same.

[Veldan Rath]

It gives cable news free filler and not to pretend to do any other real reporting either. That's why it appears to be obsession. It's obsession by the Media.

[Ominous Gamer]

I'm only up to date on the status because of all the news stories about the news surrounding the baby

[GGT]

RB, I think that only people like GGT are obsessed. I didn't even realize the baby was due until I saw this thread - I almost forgot whats-her-name was expecting. There's a weird phenomenon among a small subset of Americans I've met - mostly women - who are absurdly fascinated with all things Royal. Is it some secret princess desire from childhood? I don't know. But for the rest of us, we shrug and move on with our lives. Personally I find the whole enterprise - that is, the idea of royalty in the first place - a silly relic. Most people I know couldn't care less, though I have no doubt that plenty of cable news channels are covering it to fill in the fluff on their news cycle.

Wait, how am I the one who's "obsessed" here? Did you see the throngs of international media outlets camped out by the hospital and Buckingham Palace? What about the English bookies that have been making odds and taking bets since the pregnancy was announced?

You might be right about women being more attuned to this, but that's a rather large 'subset'. Women are probably attuned to "celebrity" in general, either from tabloids at the grocery store check-out line, to "designer fashion trends".

Definitely a higher priority news item than the protests in Egypt and Brazil, the violence in Syria and Iraq, the kidnapping of an American in Colombia, or the jailing (and then the release) of a raped woman in Dubai. Each issue could be delved into over a period of days. Instead, these issues will get their 15 second mention (if that), while crap like a royal birth will get 2/3 of the news coverage.

Sure, but negative news is constant, unsettling, upsetting, unpleasant. There's something fresh and optimistic about celebrating a birth, even if it's from an elite ruling class or Royalty. For women, it can be a great equalizer.

[Loki]

Stick to Us Weekly.

[Hazir]

Funny how people make their own ideas about monarchy the yardstick as to whether or not the birth of this child has relevance. I would say that, given the chance that this child could be the head of state of more than a dozen of countries at some stage of his life, his birth had a more than average relevance. Also I find it odd that people would dare call it the obsession of a single member of this forum where there is a positive feeding frenzy going on in the media, both old and new.

[Dreadnaught]

Going out in front of the cameras and hold the baby not 24 hours after birth? Ouch.

[Hazir]

Going out in front of the cameras and hold the baby not 24 hours after birth? Ouch.

If the child is healthy why not? Not so long ago women would pop out one, bundle it up in some rags and continue harvesting potatoes.

[GGT]

Funny how people make their own ideas about monarchy the yardstick as to whether or not the birth of this child has relevance. I would say that, given the chance that this child could be the head of state of more than a dozen of countries at some stage of his life, his birth had a more than average relevance. Also I find it odd that people would dare call it the obsession of a single member of this forum where there is a positive feeding frenzy going on in the media, both old and new.

Yeah! It's odd to find posters who could go on about sport teams, theater and cinema...politics and international relations.....dismissing "Royal News". Especially since it includes a dose of political and diplomatic heft along with its entertainment value.

[DecoyMilk]

Going out in front of the cameras and hold the baby not 24 hours after birth? Ouch.

My wife was home 2 hours after giving birth to our 2nd baby. If it's an uncomplicated birth then no point sitting in hospital all day going mad.

[Ominous Gamer]

Its a 24 hour stay around here, to make sure the baby takes to the tits, the mom knows how to hold, and which end the poop comes out of, they kept us an extra day because of her weight.

but yeah, once we were released I did the whole "look at what I helped make" at work before we made it home.

[littlelolligagged]

Go home, yes.

Go home, stopping to stand and chat (with reporters or anyone else) after popping 8 pounds and 6 ounces of baby out - being sure that you look attractive, happy, and not exhausted? I'm sorry, Dread was right. Ouch.

[GGT]

Hang on, Decoy has a second child? Belated congratulations, Daddy Decoy.


My first son weighed over 9 pounds, and the second one was 8 1/2 pounds. They were both C-sections, and I went home 24 hours later, well before the 'allotted' insurance time. I hated the hospital. I also looked like hell, but didn't have to worry about photos like a public figure would. OMG, that would suck.

[Unheard Of]

Wait, how am I the one who's "obsessed" here? Did you see the throngs of international media outlets camped out by the hospital and Buckingham Palace? What about the English bookies that have been making odds and taking bets since the pregnancy was announced

Bookies will give odds on almost anything - novelty bets net them publicity, all the better to attract saps. Nobody outside the media and a few care in the community cases gives a flying fig about this.

[DecoyMilk]

Hang on, Decoy has a second child? Belated congratulations, Daddy Decoy.


My first son weighed over 9 pounds, and the second one was 8 1/2 pounds. They were both C-sections, and I went home 24 hours later, well before the 'allotted' insurance time. I hated the hospital. I also looked like hell, but didn't have to worry about photos like a public figure would. OMG, that would suck.

I surely do! He's 6.5 months old now, and is the cutest baby you ever did see:

[GGT]

Aww, he is a cutie! Love baby hand dimples.

[RandBlade]

Congrats Decoy

[Dreadnaught]

Babies.

[RandBlade]

Babies.

Are we going to be seeing a little fireman sometime soon?

[Loki]

With a semi-automatic.

[Dreadnaught]

Second amendment rights don't get explored until at least 16, maybe 18. Those tiny hands and the kickback...

[Kerberos2002]

"Nasceu o bêbe real"

Born royal baby