Chapter 25 (Part 2)

Prince Edward

Let me start by assuring you that I am a monarchist.

Yup, I am a card-carrying supporter of the monarchy ……. in UK!
True, I do not support all the members of the monarchy in Britain, but my admiration for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is absolute.
I would like to say the same about most of the rest of the Royal Family ….. but I cannot.
The word "Royal" in Spanish translates as "Real".
However, I have yet to find the proper adjectives in that language for the English word "Regal".
There is a big difference between the two. Every head of state who wears a crown is called Royal. But it takes someone of the calibre of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to give meaning the word REGAL.
Sadly, none of her present descendants make the cut …..  with the illuminating exception of Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and his most Regal wife, Kate!

Be that as it may, let me continue with the sequel to Part One of this chapter.

Fast forward to 2012.
By then I was married to my second wife (now Ex-2) and we received a beautiful invitation to attend a dinner at the Rock Hotel in honour of his Royal Highness, Prince Edward.

This was to be held at the sumptuous restaurant and I was both flattered and highly surprised that I should have been invited. My first reaction was to find out why and possibly even to respectfully decline, but my wife was over the moon at the possibility of meeting the real-life Prince.
She was Israeli and to her, the idea of Royalty was a close second to the idea of Hollywood.
For us men, it is a simple matter of taking out the trusted dinner suit from its protective plastic cover and trying on the trousers to see if they still fit since last New Year.
With ladies it is a whole other matter.  New dress, new shoes, new hairdo ….

The date arrived and we made our way up to the Rock Hotel to hobnob with all the glitterati. This being Gibraltar I was actually meeting people I knew, most of whom are friends anyway, and their wives. In fact, it was very congenial and the arrangements included a personal introduction to the Prince prior to a wonderful 3 or 4 course dinner, which catered for all our kosher requirements as well. I was not particularly keen in meeting the Prince, what was there for us to talk about?

Aaaahhh ... but yes, I did have a subject of possible common interest!

So, when our turn came:

"Your Highness, this is David Bentata & Mrs Bentata. He is a prominent businessman ... blah blah blah ..."

We shook hands, my wife simpered appropriately and it was my turn to say something to the man, and it went something like this:

"Your Highness, I have had the pleasure of meeting a member of your family before."

"Really? And when was that?"

"1954"

"Oh, that was long before my time!" he smiled. "You met my Mum, I take it?"

"Yes I did, more or less"

This seemed to intrigue him beyond the usual patter of such introductions to so many people in so short a time when nobody really remembers who anybody else was.

I then told him about the parade at Alameda Gardens and how his "Mum" passed by me and my own Mum filming with an empty camera.

"Oh that was unfortunate!"

"Yes  .... Do you think you could ask her to visit Gib again so we can do a re-run?" I asked mischievously

His reply?

"Ha ha ha ... what?  Just so she can see you in short pants again? I rather think not!"

Who says Royalty doesn't have a sense of humour?

After that the rest of the evening was rather uneventful.