From Trifle To Tragedy

The hugely celebratory public mood over revelations last week that the former Kate Middleton is expecting hers and her husband's first child presented people - with presumably little other in their lives to be excited about - the opportunity to rejoice.  Why it should be a matter of public joy that a young, recently-married couple whose importance to society has been pumped up out of whack with reality, anticipates parenthood presents as a mystery to most thoughtful people.

However, the reality is that despite being virtual nonentities whose relationship to the British monarchy has succeeded in making of them public figures of great esteem and popularity, anything related to the pair does excite public interest and enthusiasm.  A mystery of the celebrity-obsessed that eludes the values and interests of people who do have things of somewhat more importance to grace their thoughts.

There are some traditions that do seem to elevate peoples' preoccupations and thoughts and the British royalty is one such tradition.  On the surface, it is an estimable institution, but one which owes more to heritage and the respect generally given it than any intrinsic value in the continued place British Royalty is rendered with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. 

Not only of the British Isles but the vast Commonwealth of Nations; former British colonies as well.
It took a mischievous trick by a pair of other young people in one of those British colonies to turn a trifle of triumphant public attestations of joy to a sneaky little travesty of one-upsmanship in cornering the market on pranks targeting celebrities. 

The newly-minted duchess was admitted to King Edward VII hospital in central London for extreme morning sickness symptoms.  Symptoms quite familiar to a large majority of women in pregnancy. Hers was said to be extraordinarily acute requiring medical attention. 

What gripped the public's attention was that the hospital admission was a concomitant admission of pregnancy.  Upon which an absurd display of public fascination with the eventual birth of yet another little royal, its gender, its potential naming, and the accession fascinated and thrilled the sensation-seekers.  It would have to be adorable.

The antics of two Australian disc jockeys in calling the hospital and convincing a nurse-receptionist that they were indeed the genuine article - Queen Elizabeth and her son Charles - had them put through to the nurse on duty looking after the wife of Prince William.  That nurse effusively assured the duo that all was well. 

When the hoax was revealed, no criticism was levelled at either of the nurses who had assumed the credibility of the callers.

Yet one of the two women, 46-year-old Jacintha Saldanha, who had received the call initially and transferred it to the second nurse who had revealed the condition of the duchess, appeared to have been left in a most vulnerably emotional condition.  The result of which was that she committed suicide. 

As a result of which Australians are outraged and infuriated at the Australian station that had placed the recorded conversation on its website, and the two hosts who had placed that call, removing them from active duty on their radio show for an unspecified time.  People do lend themselves to silly antics in an effort to draw attention and celebrity to themselves.

All those same people who adore celebrity and its status and dream to achieve it themselves.  Of such unambiguously light-headed, cerebrally-starved incidents is society comprised of.