Oh, how times have changed. The last time an heir to the throne was born (sorry Harry, you're hot but no cigar here) it was the '80s. Hair was bigger, hair metal was bigger-er, and Margaret Thatcher was in charge of the lovely Isles we call the U.K. However, with the birth of the newest prince, one can't help but think of all that's changed since Prince William's birth in 1982, and all the things that seemingly never will.
Continuities and Changes
1) Change: In 1982, the Royal Family released a statement the morning after William's birth, and the press camped outside the hospital knew an hour after the fact. Today, the press found out 9:29 PM London time that a baby prince had been born ... at 4:24 PM London time. It took five hours for the press, and therefore the public, to get word of a new royal.
2) Continuity: The birth was announced on an easel outside Buckingham Palace, just like they did with baby William. Good ole Royals, they know how to spread the news medieval-style.
3) Continuity: Both Diana and Kate had slow labors. Diana was in labor with William for 16 hours, and reports of Kate's labor and admittance to hospital began 13 hours prior to the birth of Baby Royal.
4) Change: Check out the press coverage, then and now.
If that doesn't set the scene for the takeover of our world by robots and machinery, nothing will. Bye bystanders, hello cameras.
5) Continuity: Kate decided to go with trendy Diana's decision to have her own Baby Royal in a hospital instead of Buckingham Palace. Good going Kate, science is magical and although I'm sure the palace is equipped for anything, a hospital is probably better going.
6) Continuity: Last time around (in 1982), the public was convinced that the new little prince was going to be called George. As of a few hours ago, we were all sure Kate's baby was going to be "Alexandra" — looks like the joke is continually on us. We're never going to be privy to any information when it pertains to the royal family; we'll only know the name whenever they decide to tell us, and not a moment sooner.
7) Change: The current royal couple, Kate and Wills, actually appear to be happy with each other. Diana famously said that William was induced on a date that fit Prince Charles' polo schedule. Not that we know for sure that Kate and William are the real deal, since, as I just said, we don't know a single thing the royals don't want us to know, but they were the only two in her labor room, and by all accounts, seem to be overjoyed.
Some things change, and some stay the same, but one thing that will never change is the mass media addiction to royal babies, no matter the decade. Who knows, maybe next time around we'll get an Instavid of the birth itself.
Cameras are taking over, after all.
