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Report: Prince William, Kate Middleton on verge of engagement

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Prince William of Wales, the son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, may announce his engagement to Kate Middleton in June, a new report says.

Daily Beast editrix and British royal expert Tina Brown reports that June 3 and 4 have been ‘mysteriously blocked’ on the palace’s calendar. The dates will be used to announce a fall wedding for the young pair, according to Brown’s source.

Middleton, the daughter of an airline pilot and flight attendant, met William in college in 2003. Barring a brief split in 2007, the pair have enjoyed a successful (and extremely public) seven-year courtship.

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As in all royal affairs, this union is nothing short of complicated. Brown notes that the British press is always quick to reference Middelton’s working-class roots. And then there’s the tragic shadow of the last royal wedding to capture the world’s attention.

‘More important in planning a winter wedding for the royals is to avoid any throwback seasonable resonance with the legendary February engagement and July wedding of William’s parents, Charles and Diana,’ Brown writes.

Indeed, William and Kate have expectations to meet, namely ...

... avoiding the legacy of his parents’ ill-fated union. Brown thinks Westminster Abbey is the most likely choice for the matrimony site, a spectacle of a holy house that seats 2,000-plus -- yet something that directly conflicts with the modern couple’s sensibilities.

‘Kate herself may be shrewd enough not to want the full royal monty,’ Brown says. ‘... She knows she will get her shot at Westminster Abbey when she is finally crowned queen, and that’s always been the finale Ms. Middleton has played for.’

Are you excited for a royal wedding? Is Kate a girl who could be queen? Tell us in comments.

-- Matt Donnelly

[For the record, 5:30 p.m.: An earlier version of this post insinuated that Princess Diana struggled with references in the media to her middle-class roots. Diana was the daughter Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp in 1961 when she was born; in 1975 he became the eighth Earl Spencer, and she became Lady Di. Thanks to commenter @britgal for the catch. Now the facts are straighter than Gwyneth Paltrow’s blowout. //@MattDonnelly]

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Photo: Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2008. Credit: WireImage

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