What's happening in your world?

[Farseer]

The flaunting of all that wealth when the economy is in such dire straits and people are losing their jobs left, right and centre doesn't sit quite right with me and a good many others.

That's a fair comment and I can see why it would all be difficult for many (even most) to swallow.

I don't really think on it all much, especially from that perspective , except that it's kinda 'cool' to have royalty to watch now and then (I don't buy magazines to 'royal watch' or anything!) so that I can compare it to/think on things that have happened in the RotE. Knowing that there is an English/Australian connection to the plot simply makes it even better for me. I'm a twit, I know, but Robin Hobb has made me far, far more interested in the monarchy than I ever was before. I have spent hours upon hours reading far back through the history of the English and other royals!

The whole abdication of the throne followed by King George's, and then Queen Elizabeth's, reign and all that happened between Charles and Diana...well, it's like reading RotE and other such tales of castles, kingdoms and reigns for me. A part of my world and my history, sure, but it's all still very much a storybook tale from a foreign land. I see what's on the screen and am thus better equipped to properly envisage other such scenes from my favourite books. I am sure that it would be far less fanciful if it were right in my own backyard.