Well, I don't know about you, but I think this is an awfully encouraging glance, shared as it is between two people married these 66 years.
They're on a state visit to France, en route to attending the commemoration of the Normandy landing. It strikes me as both inspiring and melancholy that they'll be participating, among the ever-fewer people who were, if not there, at least on the scene at the time. She was an eager young princess, leaning how to repair jeeps, and he was a dashing and slightly exotic presence in his naval uniform, a Greek prince slowly morphing into a British sailor destined for a life of being consistently (if at times a tad acerbically) supportive of his wife's career.
All these years later, they're still at it, a record-breaking duo act - from the look of it, it's one that still has some miles on it. It gives one hope that even though we're comparatively newlyweds (what's eleven years to someone who got hitched during the Truman administration?), the Mister and I have the prospect of a good run ahead of us...
Y'know, I reckon she adores him. Watching (in passing) her jubilee celebrations a year or two back, there was a great moment when she boarded the royal barge as a slightly cranky old woman (the weather was vile). This old woman turned, and was surprised to see her husband immediately behind her. She lit up like a schoolgirl - it was a lovely moment and one we can all hope for after even a few years, let alone as many as they've shared.
ReplyDeleteAt the grand old age of 93 next week, he is officially the oldest-ever male member of the British royal family. One forgives him the occasional gaffe... Jx
ReplyDeleteMore than forgive - I think one should celebrate him for them. Almost as much as his wife, he's done a remarkable job all these decades, and while I think we would have almost nothing in common at all (although he is a rather creative jewelry designer and a painter, so you never know), I admire him enormously.
DeleteThey get a rough treatment by our press, especially here in Scotland, but I think it has always been a love match. They both started out on this process decidedly prickly, (her 'speak when spoken to' moment decades ago, his generally crabbit nature and clumsy words) but they've softened considerably in the past few decades. Consider how young they were when she ascended.
ReplyDeleteTime will be kind to these two. They'll be missed when their final bows are taken.