Don't Live Like Royalty!

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Many little girls dream of growing up to marry a handsome prince who takes them away to a magical castle to live happily ever after.

American actress Meghan Markle is living out that dream before our eyes, just as Grace Kelly did for a previous generation.

The Duchess of Sussex, however, doesn't seem enthralled with the reality of life under the royal spotlight.  She and Prince Harry have publicly proclaimed their desire to spend much of their life in Canada, which is still part of Queen Elizabeth II's kingdom.

I heard something about Meghan striking a deal with our generation's primary purveyor of the Princess Fantasy, the Walt Disney Corporation, which strikes me as a bit ironic.

In any case, long ago it was certainly better to be a member of royalty than one of the serfs struggling to make ends meet.

Even 300 years ago during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa and the Habsburgs, the reality was that the royal family sought respite in simpler environs, even if they did so rather ostentatiously.  

When Maria Theresa's daughter Maria Antonia left her home forever to move to Paris to marry her French Prince, she was accompanied by 57 coaches carrying "ladies in waiting, officials, couriers, doctors, cooks and dressmakers" plus 20,000 horses "commissioned to ensure that journey stages went as smoothly as possible," according to the linked book that I read on my Kindle.

That hardly sounds like an easy-to-plan pleasure trip.  In the end, that Princess who became better known by her French name, Marie Antoinette, had a most unhappy ending to her fairy tale.

Prince Harry's mother Princess Di walked away from potentially becoming Queen, only to be chased to her death by paparazzi.

No, the royal life is not what it's cracked up to be.

Aren't we all far ahead being average Americans, free to travel where we want, without unnecessary security concerns or cameras capturing our every misstep?

Sure, it would be nice to have a seemingly unlimited bank account, but we each have opportunities to earn the money to live our dreams. 

So, what is your travel dream?

You can live like in royal comfort and style for a week or two any time you want, if you're willing to earn, save and spend the money to do so.

And you won't be trapped in a gilded cage afterwards.

No, you get to return home and tell your friends and co-workers all about the wonderful places you went and what you did.

Or you can be a rugged adventurer, epicurean, spiritual searcher, hedonist, historical researcher.....you name it.

You're free to live your life your way!

Enjoy it!