William and Kate

My mother was a Lady Diana fan.  They were close in age, and I think she somehow lived a bit through Lady Di.  My mom never really traveled much, certainly not outside the United States.  Her life was not glamorous.  I think she found excitement in Lady Diana's adventures, and a kindred spirit in her struggles. 

I grew up knowing about the Royal family.  Like the Princess and my mother, William and I are close in age.  Books, magazines, news specials, and all things Royal found their way into our household at some point or another.  When Diana died, it was as if someone in the family had been killed.  It was strange to realize just how much she had become part of my life without my consciously realizing it.

The image of William and Harry walking behind their mother's casket is one that still pulls on my heart.  Especially now that I have known the loss of a parent, I cannot imagine what they went through, so pubicly, and so young. 

I was very excited about the news of William and Kate's engagement.  So much of William's life is dictated as if it were a play on the stage of the Globe Theater, that I truly hope this is the one aspect in which he's had a measure of control and has found true happiness.  This picture was released recently, and I find it beautiful in that it seems to show a hint of that happiness.

Their lives will not be easy, but then again, neither are those of us non-royals.  Here's hoping that we can all capture a moment frozen in time such as the one in this photo.