Royal engagement leaves British cold

When the British successor to the throne Prince William announced his engagement to Kate Middleton, the media reported public enthusiasm at the news as bordering on hysteria: But the left-liberal Sunday newspaper The Observer sees widespread indifference: "On BBC message-boards, however, snarls of 'bored already' and 'excuse me while I throw up' seem to tell a more nuanced story. And is it wrong to discern, in the absence of any crowds, a degree of public apathy that might one day be more troublesome for William than all the old ghouls and republicans put together? In 1981, Charles's engagement brought a crowd of thousands to Buckingham Palace, just as there had been for his mother's. This time, the only outward sign of collective approval was a run on Kate's slithery, sapphire dress, which sold out within 24 hours."

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