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Marketing the Monarchy
Saturay October 8 at 1 pm on CBC-TV
Marketing the Monarchy is a whirlwind journey through time that maps the growing fascination with all things majestic. Even in the Middle Ages, memorabilia such as medallions, ceramics and tapestries were best-sellers at royal events. In 1649 a unique (and rather macabre) souvenir unfolded from the execution of Charles 1st: eager collectors dipped their handkerchiefs in the king's blood. Royal fans looking for something with a bit more material could always snap up a (very large) pair of Queen Victoria's bloomers, which recently sold for over $7500 USD.
Join us as we take you through the fascinating world of retailing the royals. Savvy marketers, discriminating collectors, and a big dose of palace intrigue will guarantee that you see "the wedding of the century" in a whole new light.
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The goings-on in the House of Windsor has been Britain’s most popular soap opera for years. But now more than ever, all eyes AND flashbulbs are on the Royal family as they prepare for Will and Kate's wedding.
The British Royal family has always had a love/hate relationship with the media. From Edward VIII’s abdication from the throne in 1936 to marry an American divorcee, the very public and controversial divorce between Prince Charles and Princess Diana and in more recent times, Fergie, Duchess of York caught on tape by a tabloid promising business access to her ex-husband Prince Andrew in exchange for money.
For paparazzi, the chase is on to capture unauthorized revealing photos or text messages by any means necessary. These spark bidding wars among the tabloids and the payouts are enormous.
Princess Diana was notably the most sought after Royal. She has graced the cover of countless magazines…did you know Lady Di has appeared on the cover of People magazine 57 times? However, her untimely death while being chased by paparazzi in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris brought heightened public awareness to the dangers associated with aggressive paparazzi.
Constant media scrutiny and tabloid stories have raised the ire of many, including Prince William. On the heels of their engagement announcement, Prince William is said to be observing a ‘zero tolerance’ policy toward paparazzi and intends to counteract any extreme cases of privacy invasion with legal action.
Throughout their courtship, Kate Middleton has expressed frustration with the harassment she endured from photographers. At one time, she appealed to the Press Complaints Commission when photographers would camp outside of her home in London. In 2010, Kate was awarded $8,000 (Can.) £5,000 for breach of privacy when photos surfaced of her playing tennis during a Christmas holiday.
Chasing the Royals explores the Monarchy’s constant battle for the right to privacy against the paparazzi’s dogged pursuit to expose their personal exploits. What will the future hold for the next generation of Royals as they attempt to maintain ‘normalcy’ while living in the public eye.
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