A very royal preoccupation

Aside from the usual expat questions of "where are you from", "what brought you to Chile", "how long have you been here" etc., one of the most intriguing topics I am asked about as a Brit is the royal family.

No, I don't have an invitation...

I didn't notice it at first, but a couple of weeks ago it suddenly dawned on me that I get asked about the British monarchy a lot. And more than this, people want explanations!

For instance, the most frequent question on the lips of the non-Brits I meet is what do you think about the royal wedding? Now this is easy; I'm not particularly a royalist, but I love a good wedding, and I think it's nice that two people who love each other are being allowed to break with convention and marry for happiness. I'll be there watching the whole thing online (hopefully) come April 29th.

Inevitably, this leads on to the Diana / Charles / Camilla debate. Do you think Charles will become king or will the crown pass straight to William? Would Camilla be Queen? Do people like Charles and Camilla? Most astonishingly, do you think the Queen was behind Diana's death?

Of course, I know that all of these questions, along with their respective opinions and conspiracy theories, have been banded around the (clearly international) press. But I have found myself having to explain tricky concepts such as the rules of ascension. Shuffling my feet in embarrassment, I confess to having only a limited knowledge of the workings of the monarchy. Except I'm British, so I should know!

Truly a global preoccupation, I've been asked these questions by a whole range of nationalities - Chileans, Australians, Americans, Spaniards and more. Funny as it is, it's also a fascinating indication of how Britain is observed from afar.