Kate Middleton Is Probably Not A Virgin, And That's Okay

Everybody relax: neither Kate Middleton nor any of her male relatives will be required to make a public statement about her virginity prior to her marriage to Prince William. The royal family is all modern these days — unlike when Charles and Diana got married.

The AP reminds us that before Prince Charles married her, Diana’s uncle stated publicly that she was a “bona fide” virgin. This was supposed to reassure everyone that she wasn’t about to bear an illegitimate child, and also that the royal marriage represented a return to a kind of “social purity” supposedly lacking in then-divorce-prone Britain. It also sounds like pretty much the creepiest speech ever. Luckily, Middleton will not have to go through that. She has lived with Prince William off and on for years, and also one time she wore a sexy outfit in a fashion show, and that is all okay because Britain is totally liberated now. Prince William could even marry a total slut, says royal scholar Noel Cox: “Obviously it would present difficulties if the heir chose someone who was notoriously promiscuous — that would be unpopular — but they could do that if they wanted to.”

Of course, given how disastrously Charles and Diana’s marriage went down, it’s kind of sad that the royal family thought her virginity would protect them against scandal. And while the AP notes Diana and Kate’s age difference — Diana was 19 when she got engaged to Charles, while Kate is 29 — as an explanation for relaxed chastity requirements, an older royal bride is probably a good thing for all concerned. Middleton has been dating Prince William for eight years, and knows what she’s getting into with him and his family — and they likely know what they’re getting with her. She’s also had some time to lead a relatively normal existence, rather than being sucked into royal life as a teenager with little life experience. Middleton’s age and history with Prince William will hopefully help bring stability to the royal marriage — and for that, giving up a pervy speech by one of her uncles probably seems like a small price to pay.