Doomed Queens (46 page)

         b. Diana thought Laurens van der Post was a Dutch designer.

         c. Charles liked the royal tradition of a wife at home, a mistress in the field.

         d. Diana had read too many Regency romances and mistook Charles’s last name for Charming.

ANSWER KEY

1, c. 2, c: George hated Caroline more than he hated Napoléon. 3, a: Alexandra’ devotion to Alexei blinded her to Rasputin’s less-than-honorable ways. 4, b is most accurate though a, c, and d were factors. 5, a, c, and d: Trick question. Diana knew who Laurens van der Post was since Charles read his books on their honeymoon.

CHAPTER FINAL

Are You a Doomed Queen? A Quiz

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

The good, the bad, the hardship, the joy, the tragedy, love, and happiness are all interwoven into one single indescribable whole that is called life. You cannot separate the good from the bad. And, perhaps there is no need to do so either.

Jacqueline Onassis

T
o become a queen, do you have to rule a country or marry a king? Not necessarily—there are other ways to be considered royal today. For example, take Elizabeth Taylor or Jacqueline Onassis. Would you dare to call either of those grandes dames less than regal? Nowadays, heads of major corporations also bear the all-encompassing powers that rulers of ancient times gained through birthright.

If it’s possible to be a queen without royal blood, then it’s also possible you may be a doomed queen. Take this quiz to ascertain your royal risk factor. And let the head that wears the crown beware.

Choose the answer that most closely reflects your situation.

1. Your main childhood memory is:

         a. Playing with your friends after school.

         b. Bucolic summers at the beach house.

         c. Visits to your rich childless aunt so she would remember you in her will.

         d. Listening to your family fight, bicker, and haggle.

2. Your education was:

         a. Public school all the way.

         b. A good liberal arts education.

         c. Private school. Then Ivy League with a soupçon of graduate school.

         d. Why go to school when your family has money? Life is for living, not learning.