[Opinion] Royal Family

The wedding of Prince Felipe, heir to the throne of Spain, held three days ago, was a wedding of the century where the government heads of over 30 countries, one million citizens, and 1.2 billion TV watchers were invited. Anchorwoman Letizia Ortiz, who was once divorced, was as pretty as Grace Kelly (1929-1982), a Hollywood star turned into the Monaco Queen. The weddings of Norway and Denmark princes faced difficulties because of the status of their wives-to-be and their backgrounds. However, love won over the throne.

--Thirty royal regimes exist around the world. U.K., the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, and Spain, which resurrected its royal family after the Franco monarchy, make up Europe’s 11 royal families. Queens rule in the U.K., the Netherlands, and Denmark. Italy seems to regret voting out the royal regime in 1946 due to the fact that Savoy helped Mussolini. Eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia, are specifying the return of the royal family.

--The Chosun Dynasty fell after the 1910 Korea-Japan amalgamation. The last King Soonjong did not have any children, but left two half brothers, King Youngchin (Lee Eun) and King Euichin (Lee Kang). After the death of King Euichin in 1955 and Youngchin in 1970, the royal family slowly disappeared as well. However, the royal family’s vein is still there. The “Last Prince” Lee Eun’s son, Lee Ku (73), still lives although he is without his family, and nine out of Euichin’s 13 sons and nine daughters reside in Korea. The Korea Empire Imperial House Restoration Committee is already working actively. Of course resistance exists.

Is an “existing but a non-ruling royal family” just romanticism? The scene of the king and queen walking around the palaces and diplomats entering palaces by carriages is a happy thought. What would it be like enjoying a democratic regime by capturing liberal princesses jumping over walls to meet their lovers in cameras and watching drunk driving princes get caught by police? Just an imagination that hit me while watching a royal wedding.

Editorial Writer Oh Myung-chul, oscar@donga.com