Congratulations Britain! Celebrations are underway among royalists after Duchess Kate gave birth to a healthy princess yesterday. So male-dominated is the current royal family that a large sector of the British public, including Prince Charles himself, were (not so secretly) hoping and betting for a baby girl.
Regardless of whether you are pro-royal, anti-monarchy, or couldn’t give a hoot, this birth is momentous for two reasons that every Brit should actually care about.
Firstly, the princess born yesterday is fourth in line to the throne, and she can’t be demoted because of her gender. She is the first royal baby to benefit from the March 2015 abolishment of the antiquated law which gave boys priority over their sisters. It means that Kate and Will’s second child will be the so-called ‘spare to the heir’ even if she has younger brothers in the future. Although she probably won’t become Queen if her older brother George has children, at least the country recognizes that she is equally able and deserving as her male relatives.
Secondly, this newborn is destined to give the British economy a well-timed and significant boost. If the ‘Kate effect’ and ‘George effect’ are anything to go by, the princess will be a trend setter from the second she’s seen in public. Fashion designers and toy stores are almost guaranteed to sell out of any blanket, clothing or play items that she’s spotted with, and the high-street will rush to produce copycat versions. She’ll also help magazine and newspaper editors to sell record numbers of their next editions, will raise the profile of the monarchy abroad, thus boosting tourism, and will increase the production and sales of royal merchandise.
That’s not to mention the lifetime role that the princess will play in representing the country and her chosen charities, supporting the monarchy, and contributing to its much-needed, family-focused and modern brand-image that her parents are working hard to cultivate. Some analysts estimate the baby’s value at $1.5 billion. Not bad for someone without a name yet! Oh, and of course, the betting on baby names is itself worth a fortune.
Our verdict: you go girl!
