Are Prince William & Kate Middleton doomed?

Today, as I was buying yet another commemorative royal wedding issue, the clerk looked at William and Kate on the cover and asked, "how long do you think they'll last?"

She couldn't have been more than 19 years old. A mere babe when the War of the Wales' was at its height and possibly too young to understand the impact of Diana's death a few years later. But then I realized something. If a Walmart cashier can be so cynical, then what chance does William and Kate's marriage have if we're all timing when it will end?

William and Kate's relationship is no great love story for the ages. There was no public moments of being swept away, no fantasy, no star-crossed longing. Just a compatible couple taking a pragmatic approach towards the future.  This is not the stuff that fairy tales are made of. And no amount of commemorative issues about their 'love story' changes that.

Despite their inherent idealism, happy endings are boring. They elicit envy and jealousy that warrant tearing them apart to see if they're genuine. If it isn't, then so much better. Drama is entertaining when it doesn't belong to us. Would you watch a reality show where everyone got along?

So go ahead, set your timers. My money is on their marriage lasting.

© Marilyn Braun 2011