Even bookies agree on royal British engagement
Source: Agencies |
June 2, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
RUMORS have abounded for years that Britain's Prince William will get engaged to his long-term girlfriend but one retailer is now so sure an announcement is imminent it has prepared a range of commemorative mugs.
Royal watchers and bookmakers have long predicted that William, the elder son of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, will wed Kate Middleton whom he started dating while at university.
But there have been growing rumors of an engagement announcement, fueled by a blog written in April by Diana's friend, journalist Tina Brown, in which she said the royal family had earmarked June 3 or 4 for the news.
Supermarket chain Asda has created a range of special crockery, ready for sale as soon as it becomes official.
"Royal crockery is good British tradition and this will be the biggest announcement from the royal family since the engagement of Charles and Di," said David Mills, Asda's category director.
William began dating Middleton, 28, the daughter of middle-class, self-made entrepreneurs, in 2003 when they shared a house at Scotland's St Andrews University.
They split up in 2007 because, the newspapers said, Middleton, who has been dubbed "waity Katie," was getting fed up waiting for William to propose, but they reunited soon afterward.
William has previously said he did not want to get married until he was 28 or 30. He turns 28 on June 21.
But as speculation mounts, Katie Nicholl, royal correspondent for the Mail on Sunday newspaper, said she did not expect an imminent announcement.
William and his younger brother Harry are due to carry out their first joint overseas tour, to Africa from June 14-19, and would not overshadow it, she said.
Nicholl said William would want to complete his training as a helicopter search-and-rescue pilot for the air force due to finish in September.
"There is no hurry to get married. They know as soon as an announcement is made, life for them will never be the same again," said Nicholl, who has just penned a book on the lives of the two princes.
Bookmakers believe they will get engaged soon.
"We think it will be this year," said Rupert Adams, royal-watcher at William Hill which is offering 1/2 that William will propose in 2010.
Royal watchers and bookmakers have long predicted that William, the elder son of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, will wed Kate Middleton whom he started dating while at university.
But there have been growing rumors of an engagement announcement, fueled by a blog written in April by Diana's friend, journalist Tina Brown, in which she said the royal family had earmarked June 3 or 4 for the news.
Supermarket chain Asda has created a range of special crockery, ready for sale as soon as it becomes official.
"Royal crockery is good British tradition and this will be the biggest announcement from the royal family since the engagement of Charles and Di," said David Mills, Asda's category director.
William began dating Middleton, 28, the daughter of middle-class, self-made entrepreneurs, in 2003 when they shared a house at Scotland's St Andrews University.
They split up in 2007 because, the newspapers said, Middleton, who has been dubbed "waity Katie," was getting fed up waiting for William to propose, but they reunited soon afterward.
William has previously said he did not want to get married until he was 28 or 30. He turns 28 on June 21.
But as speculation mounts, Katie Nicholl, royal correspondent for the Mail on Sunday newspaper, said she did not expect an imminent announcement.
William and his younger brother Harry are due to carry out their first joint overseas tour, to Africa from June 14-19, and would not overshadow it, she said.
Nicholl said William would want to complete his training as a helicopter search-and-rescue pilot for the air force due to finish in September.
"There is no hurry to get married. They know as soon as an announcement is made, life for them will never be the same again," said Nicholl, who has just penned a book on the lives of the two princes.
Bookmakers believe they will get engaged soon.
"We think it will be this year," said Rupert Adams, royal-watcher at William Hill which is offering 1/2 that William will propose in 2010.
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