Lynda Boothroyd Prince Questions

2019 is the year of the prince!

Throughout 2018, I asked friends and contacts what they thought made a good princess. You can find the answers to those questions here

This year, I will be asking authors from a variety of genres as well as a host of others from editors to academics, what they think makes a definitive prince.

This month we are joined by Prof Lynda Boothroyd. Lynda is Professor of Psychology and does research on how biology and culture both shape our ideas about what is attractive. Recently, this has included work on the impacts of TV and dolls on body size ideas. In her free time, she’s a lover of fantasy and historical fiction and occasionally still plays medieval dress-up. She wanted very much to be a princess when she was a child.

1. A prince has to win the trust not only of his people but of his chosen princess - and very quickly! What three qualities would you need a prince to show before you’d be won over to their cause?

Intelligence, kindness, and integrity. Princes in most settings have immense power to change the world - for good or ill. For me, a prince has to see what needs to be done to make the world better, and the brains and motivation to see it through. If I were a princess, I’d be wanting my prince to take my hand and say, “Let’s make it better.” (That’s important too - it has to be a partnership of equals, with a shared purpose.)

There’s a caveat here that royalty is, in itself, part of a system of inequality and often oppression and maybe can’t escape that framework. But in the history of civilisation, absolute monarchy is a common point on the shift towards representative democracy, and I don’t see why a benign ruler can’t help that process along by building schools and increasing popular representation.

(Okay, disclaimer: I once half-wrote a high fantasy novel in my teens and this is basically what the lead characters tried to do! So, I’ve had years to think about it.)

2. All princes are armed, but what is the best weapon or weapons for a prince? (Magical weapons are allowed).

Tactical brilliance. Seriously, leading from the front is a fool’s game; someone needs to be able to see the bigger picture and avoid needing to wield their own sword in the first place.

A dagger may also be useful for personal defence on occasion.

3. Disney princesses often have an animal companion to share their trials with. If the same applied to princes, what kind of animal would be a good choice for a prince?

A cat. They go everywhere, see everything, and they’re just so damn elegant. Plus they have claws. In case the prince’s tactical genius fails him for a moment.

4. The Disney princes were a pretty unmemorable bunch. What kind of prince - or saviour-hero - would you like to see in future Disney movies?

Disney princes have a tendency to be dashing. I’d like to see one that’s more bookish. Learning to rule is a serious business, and a sound grasp of economics and political theory should be aspirational. Just imagine if Belle had met a prince who loved to sit and read with her rather than shouting a lot and fighting off wolves (and, okay, dancing and skating)?

5. The focus on princesses is often what they wear, but what would be a good look for your ideal prince?

Smart casual in whatever era they come from. Needs to be practical but has to be suitable for meeting dignitaries. Shouldn’t be overly elaborate. Less George IV, more Prince Harry.

6. Which fictional prince is your favourite, and why?

I have adored Jonathan of Conte from Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness series since I was 11. He’s a bit of an arse at times, but he’s smart, studious, a bit dashing, and loyal. And he grows up to do great and good things. Also, he’s tall, dark, and handsome, and so that’s basically the full package as far as I’m concerned.

I also really like Imriel de la Courcel in the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey. The core of his character arc is his desire to be good, and to overcome the fraught and violent context of his birth, which is a pretty good driving motivation. Plus there’s a lot of angst and a silly song about a goat.

Lynda Boothroyd Prince Questions

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