Hard to escape all of the media coverage of the Royal Wedding festivities, but I almost rear-ended a car while listening to NPR yesterday morning. Tina Brown, Newsweek's editor in chief, said that expectations for Kate Middleton were that she "breed" - yes, that was the term used. She said that she should breed soon and have several offspring.
My first thought was - "oh - have I just been transported in a time machine back to the 1850's when that was a princess'/queen's sole responsibility to produce heirs (preferably sons)?" and, as an infertile, my second thought was, "what if this poor lass has trouble conceiving?" I can't imagine the pressure she's under anyway; let alone the fact that the whole world may be waiting for a quick pregnancy announcement.
You might remember that the Princess Masako of Japan waited a long time to have a child - she resisted the pressure and expectation that she would quickly give birth to a child and waited eight years after marrying.
I know it's not easy for any of us pregnancy virgins, but at least we're not in the spotlight trying to conceive heir apparents to a throne.
I thought the same thing when I heard her duty was to produce an heir ASAP.
ReplyDeleteI read on another blog that Kate was actually put through extensive fertility tests before she was able to marry prince William!
ReplyDeleteI break out in a cold sweat on behalf of Kate Middleton every time I hear this on the news. I wonder if he had to go thru fertility tests too? Ack..the whole world is going to keep watch until she produces and heir and a spare. The poor dear.
ReplyDeleteOh, I already saw a tabloid cover that claims she is already pregnant and if it's a girl, her name will be Diana. (eye roll) Leave the poor kids alone, will ya??
ReplyDeleteLu, I believe Masako didn't just wait, she was actually infertile & they wound up having their daughter through IVF. She basically had a nervous breakdown from all the stress.
Prince Edward's wife Sophie is also rumoured to have had both their children via IVF... her first pregnancy was ectopic, and their daughter Lady Louise, who was one of the bridesmaids at today's wedding, was born prematurely, if I remember correctly.