Great Expectations

‘OH MY GOD! It’s Diana. She’s escaped. Release the Burrell hounds!

Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium

Sorry, our mistake. It’s not Diana, but Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium, bringing back memories of Diana as she cares for the world’s impoverished and sick.

Having left the comfort of the Belgian royal court, Mathilde headed to Niger on a humanitarian mission of mercy.

A child is crying and Mathilde, just like Diana did all those moons ago, must go and give one of them a hug and make everything so much better.

And what luck it is that the child is black and photogenic.

‘Wherever she went she expressed a profound wish to meet with women and children regardless of their backgrounds,’ says a spokesperson for UNICEF, which sponsored the trip.

‘Despite her social rank, she remained humble, modest and agreeable.’

How the locals must have thrilled to have the elite of Belgian society among them!

But they kept their heads and remained cool in the face of so much fabulous blonde hair, clean white couture and pashmina.

Meanwhile, in the garret high above a florist shop in Wales, a wilting English rose remembers when brown faces turned in her direction, as flowers turn towards their sun.

And she resumes her slow, painful tapping on the door…’

Posted: 3rd, March 2004 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink