Monarchy feeds people's dreams

Around two billion people watched the nuptials of British Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday. The huge interest generated by the wedding is proof that monarchy is not passé and fits in with modern democracy, writes Mia Doornaert, adviser to the Belgian prime minister, in the daily De Standaard: "No one can say that the constitutional monarchies in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway are less democratic than the republics in southern Europe. On the contrary. ... In our constitutional monarchies the rulers have no power, for power is wielded by the representatives chosen by the people, as it should be. ... But thanks to succession royal families embody the continuity of a country. ... The royal families also convey a sense of warmth and stability because they don't come and go with elections or changing fashions. And they are there because the people want them to be there. Because royal families allow us to dream, and people - particularly young people - will always feel the need to do that."

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