I follow a few of the Habsburg family members on twitter, and I just realized how strange that phrase sounds in historical perspective. Eduard von Habsburg (@EduardHabsburg), the grandson of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph, is the Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See. Most of the account is pictures of various churches around central Europe, Papal visits, or various church related news.
However, in another universe this person could've been the head of state for tens of millions of people, with a public following as big as Queen Elizabeth's. The Habsburg family aren't in the headlines anymore, but how would a world with more monarchies in public life change pop culture and society?
Scenarios where most or all of the monarchies in 1914 survive or new countries become monarchies (Baltic Duchy in a Kaiserreich TL, etc.) only have the monarchies as a side consequence, and the scenarios are attempts to avoid the more gruesome violence of the 20th century by avoiding fascism, communism, and one or both world wars. However, this raises some interesting cultural questions.
How would a scenario where Germany, Italy, and loads of other countries and many other countries are still monarchies react to today's social media? Would monarchs have a carefully focused-grouped and formal twitter feed, or would they use it as an unfiltered way of communicating directly with the people, the way Trump does? I could see a hothead like Kaiser Wilhelm II getting into frequent twitter feuds with the Czar or the Japanese Emperor.
Would Hollywood stars frequently intermingle and marry monarchs or minor nobles. Would there be gossip magazines and entertainment tonight style media devoted specifically to royals of various countries? The King of Yugoslavia having an affair with a Hollywood actress would occupy the headlines of ATL gossip tabloids for several days.
Could there be reality shows about royal families arranging marriages between different dynasties, or a Bachelor/Bachelorette style series where a Prince or Princess chooses a commoner to marry from several suitors?
However, in another universe this person could've been the head of state for tens of millions of people, with a public following as big as Queen Elizabeth's. The Habsburg family aren't in the headlines anymore, but how would a world with more monarchies in public life change pop culture and society?
Scenarios where most or all of the monarchies in 1914 survive or new countries become monarchies (Baltic Duchy in a Kaiserreich TL, etc.) only have the monarchies as a side consequence, and the scenarios are attempts to avoid the more gruesome violence of the 20th century by avoiding fascism, communism, and one or both world wars. However, this raises some interesting cultural questions.
How would a scenario where Germany, Italy, and loads of other countries and many other countries are still monarchies react to today's social media? Would monarchs have a carefully focused-grouped and formal twitter feed, or would they use it as an unfiltered way of communicating directly with the people, the way Trump does? I could see a hothead like Kaiser Wilhelm II getting into frequent twitter feuds with the Czar or the Japanese Emperor.
Would Hollywood stars frequently intermingle and marry monarchs or minor nobles. Would there be gossip magazines and entertainment tonight style media devoted specifically to royals of various countries? The King of Yugoslavia having an affair with a Hollywood actress would occupy the headlines of ATL gossip tabloids for several days.
Could there be reality shows about royal families arranging marriages between different dynasties, or a Bachelor/Bachelorette style series where a Prince or Princess chooses a commoner to marry from several suitors?
