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| Thursday, 03 November 2005 | |
 AMANDA JOYCE: Our American Correspondent offers a timely opinion on Charles and Camilla's visit to the United States. But will a certain lady manage to overshadow the visit and should Americans finally forget their love affair with Diana and actively embrace the woman who is Princess of Wales in all-but-name?
“Did you know Prince Charles was in New York this week?” I asked a friend.“I knew that,” he replied. “It was on the news. So?” As far as I am aware, at least in my little corner of the southwest, this is the sum of the discussion of the first official visit of HRH The Prince of Wales to my country in twenty years. Most people I know aren’t even aware of it. Unlike most of my acquaintances, I am actually interested in the royal visit. As I got ready to go out the door earlier this week, the only mention I heard on the morning news was that President Bush would be having dinner with the royal couple. Later in the day, there were articles about the visit in the American press, and cable news channels showed footage of the Prince and the Duchess, smiling and holding flowers. They appeared happy and well dressed, and those who saw them in person may not have been aware of the spectre that was hanging over them. It seems that Charles may be unable to escape his first wife in this country. Specifically, he may be unable to escape the fact that his first wife once danced with film star John Travolta in the Reagan White House. What possible use that information could be to anyone, I am not sure, but that fact has featured prominently at the end of every single news article I have seen. At least one cable network even showed footage of the dance. I believe this country is at least willing to welcome Charles and Camilla with an open mind and offer them a fair chance, all of which is more than it seemed they would receive in Britain before their marriage. Therefore, I find it sad that their names cannot even be mentioned without reference to his former wife. It is a pity that we cannot welcome the newlyweds on their own merits. Their faces may not sell magazines here, but I wish them nothing but the best. I hope that our nation will open its arms and show them everything that is good about our society today. I hope too that, while on this tour, they will find time to have a leisurely dance not with celebrities but with one another. Above all, I hope the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall can inspire at least one news article that does not mention the D-word. Comment on this article
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