NEWS-英国查尔斯王子即将迎娶卡米拉·帕克·鲍尔斯

Britain's Prince Charles to Marry

Camilla Parker Bowles

 

Britain's king-in-waiting, Prince Charles, is to marry Camilla Parker Bowles, the woman widely blamed for the collapse¹ of his first marriage to the late Princess Diana. The wedding is set for April 8 at Windsor Castle.

 

Charles's parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, say they are very happy for the couple. His sons, Princes William and Harry³, say they are delighted.

 

Prime Minister Tony Blair also welcomes the engagement.

 

Tony Blair: It is very happy news, and when the Cabinet heard it this morning, they sent congratulations and good wishes on behalf of the whole government. We all wish them every happiness for their future together.

 

The announcement ends much speculation⁴ about the future of Prince Charles and Mrs. Parker Bowles, who became romantically involved in the 1970s and continued their relationship after they both married other people.

 

The prince's first wife, the late Princess Diana, in a famous interview on British television after her separation from Charles, blamed Mrs. Parker Bowles for the collapse of her marriage.

 

Princess Diana: Well, there were three of us in this marriage. So it was a bit crowded.

 

Two of the biggest questions hanging over the marriage have been resolved. Mrs. Parker Bowles will not be queen when and if Charles becomes monarch⁵. She will be known as Princess Consort⁶.

 

Also, the couple will be wed² in a civil ceremony so as not to offend Church of England members who oppose the remarriage of divorcees. Mrs. Parker Bowles is divorced and her former husband is still alive. The issue is delicate because as king, Charles would head the Church of England.

 

In 1936, King Edward the VIII abdicated⁷ so he could marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson.

 

But many royal watchers say times have changed, and the couple has gotten tacit approval from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

 

Archbishop Williams: A marriage is a matter for the persons involved. It is a decision of great import, great significance for these individuals, I hope that will be respected, and as I said earlier, I hope that many people will hold them in their prayers.

 

The latest opinion polls show nearly one-third of Britons favor the marriage, a little less than one-third oppose it, and another third do not care.

 

Michael Drudge⁸, VOA news, London.

1 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

2 wed   

v.娶，嫁，与…结婚

参考例句：

• The couple eventually wed after three year engagement.这对夫妇在订婚三年后终于结婚了。
• The prince was very determined to wed one of the king's daughters.王子下定决心要娶国王的其中一位女儿。

3 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

4 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

5 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

6 consort   

v.相伴；结交

参考例句：

• They went in consort two or three together.他们三三两两结伴前往。
• The nurses are instructed not to consort with their patients.护士得到指示不得与病人交往。

7 abdicated   

放弃（职责、权力等）( abdicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 退位，逊位

参考例句：

• He abdicated in favour of his son. 他把王位让给了儿子。
• King Edward Ⅷ abdicated in 1936 to marry a commoner. 国王爱德华八世于1936年退位与一个平民结婚。

8 drudge   

n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳

参考例句：

• I feel like a real drudge--I've done nothing but clean all day!我觉得自己像个做苦工的--整天都在做清洁工作！
• I'm a poor,miserable,forlorn drudge;I shall only drag you down with me.我是一个贫穷，倒运，走投无路的苦力，只会拖累你。