Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Letter from the editor: The media carousel

Simon Kelner
Monday 02 May 2011 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

It was a sight to melt the flintiest of hearts. The handsome young man in his braided military uniform walking down the aisle, arm in arm with a woman of grace and beauty wearing a shimmeringly beautiful white dress.

Yes, Harry and Pippa made a fabulous couple. It was little wonder that, no sooner had the principals left the Abbey on Friday, that a large part of the nation, or at least those with a Twitter account, were talking of only one thing — the possibility of a future Duke and Duchess of Boujis in the Duchy of Mahiki.

Before he took Kate Middleton to be his lawful wedded wife, Prince William often expressed the hope that they might be left alone to live a quiet life in Anglesey. (Is there, I wonder, any other life to live in Anglesey?) Given how quickly the media carousel turns these days, he might just get his wish.

William and Kate? Old news. In certain circumstances, the bride might get rather irritated if too much attention is lavished on the Maid of Honour. But Kate seems a sensible pragmatic type and will surely see the advantage in the photographers turning some of their telephoto lenses on little sister Pippa, who not only looked as pretty as a picture at the wedding but, to an eye untrained on the protocol of trains, appeared to be pretty good at her job, too.

A Middleton family friend declared after the wedding party that Pippa was now the “most eligible woman in Britain”. And it is certainly true that, for some time, she is going to be someone who will be living a very public life, even though she didn’t choose to. Every boyfriend, every night out, even those occasions when she’s just filling up her car with petrol, will be catalogued and photographed for the nation. It may take some of the heat off Kate, but it will be an often uncomfortable place for her to be.

For a woman whose bottom already has its own Facebook page, she’ll need every bit of the poise she revealed on Friday. Incidentally, I heard that Kate and William’s only disappointment was that they hadn't waited a week so that they could have been on the cover of the very first Saturday edition of i! Only five days to go!

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in