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April 9, 2005

Wuvv... Twooo Wuvvv...

Lani, who has apparently watched The Princess Bride too much...

You know, everyone's talking about this Charles and Camilla thing - giving opinions, passing judgement, sending well wishes. I'm not really qualified to comment, as I know very little about it, but then again, I've never seen a bandwagon I wasn't anxious to explore so let me start by saying, "Get him to put the toilet seat down, Camilla, and you're my girl!"

I'm ignoring the fact that they probably have six bathrooms a piece while I share one with my husband and two daughters. Because this isn't about that.

This is about Camilla, her great-grandmother and Royal Mistress to none other than Charles's great-great-grandfather, which feeds into why I write about love. Because, really, you give me any subject, and eventually, I'll make it about me. I'm really good at that.

One of the things I shoot for in all my books is a happy ending. I love them. I adore them. I don't care if they're not realistic. I got one, single toilet issue aside; I want everyone to have one. So, that's why I write about love. Just makes me happy inside.

So, I started thinking about Charles and Camilla, and I have to say that despite the roadside casualty that was Princess Diana, I like them. In a world where most men Charles's age are going for shiny cars and the vapid 20 year-old-models selling them at the local mall, Charles is choosing Camilla, the woman he's loved for better than thirty years.

He is choosing her, in the face of scandal, in the face of disapproval from his subjects and likely his mother, although with that face I think she pretty much disapproves of everything. She's the picture I show to my children when I tell them their face will freeze that way. The kids are, appropriately, spooked.

But this isn't about how I spook my children.

It's about the fact that I believe he loves her and always has, and I say good for him that he's finally strapped on a pair and told the world that she will be his.

I especially love that while Camilla's an attractive woman, she's not model-pretty like Diana. She's not young. Reports have her as smart, vivacious, witty and kind, despite the fact that she carried on one of the most scandalous and ruinous affairs in recent memory. But here's the thing - he's always loved her, I believe. Real, true love, and had it denied him by duty and birthright. Now he gets to be with the woman he's loved all these years, and I say, God bless.

Now there are many sides to this story, I understand, but I like mine best. It's admittedly shallowly researched, which doesn't bother me because most of what's printed is crap anyway. And having all the facts can be so inconvenient, especially when the small handful of the ones I have paint such a pretty picture, one of love and romantic karma passed down through the generations, from Charles's great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII and his royal mistress, Alice Keppel - Camilla's great-grandmother. How's that for irony?

If you ignore the slightly incestuous overtones there - my understanding is that there are no crossings of the genetic wires between Charles and Camilla, although I don't know for sure, see above re: shallow research - the story becomes terribly romantic.

In 1898, Alice Keppel started an affair with the king. She was his final and longest lasting affair. Oddly enough, Queen Alexandra - like Diana - was known for her fashion sense and charitable deeds, while Alice - like Camilla - was known to be highly influential and a true companion to the king. When the King died, however, Alice Keppel lost all her power. She wasn't even allowed to sign the condolence book to mourn her lost love.

In the world of a romance novel - most likely a paranormal one - Camilla and Charles would have been born to play out that karma. I'm not entirely certain that, in this world, they weren't. It seems too much of a coincidence, too parallel not to have some meaning. So now, despite all the crap, I'm glad to see them get married and complete that circle, lest two other fools a hop, skip and a jump down the generational line end up in the same mess.

So, to Camilla and Charles, I say, have a great time, and thanks for the happy ending.

Posted by Lani at 12:36 PM