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Showbiz Tonight
SHOWBIZ SPECIAL EVENT: The Royal Wedding
Aired April 22, 2011 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: Right now, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event, "The Royal Wedding."
BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: An unbelievable inside look today at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton just days away.
HAMMER: Lessons for Kate from Diana.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HRH PRINCESS DIANA OF WALES, UNITED KINGDOM: It`s been worthwhile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What the princess-to-be can learn from the late princess.
ANDERSON: The hunt for Kate.
The shocking revelations today about Kate`s scary paparazzi chase.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARTHUR EDWARDS, THE SUN`S ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHER: It was chaos. They`d follow her to work. They`d stop her in traffic, flashing through the window while she was trying to drive the car.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The big William and Kate breakup. The explosive story behind why they almost didn`t end up together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She thought she`d be getting that proposal. Instead, he gave her (INAUDIBLE) an enamel compact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And what to wear?
HLN`s royal wedding contributor and "Real Housewives in Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump. Her must-hear advice to me today on royal fashion, dos and don`ts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is unlike any calls that I`ve ever seen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event, "The Royal Wedding" --
ANDERSON: -- starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: Hi there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
And this is a showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding."
HAMMER: With the royal wedding now just days away, the excitement is out of control. For the next hour, we are bringing you the fanfare, the celebrity, and the amazing worldwide fascination.
ANDERSON: Yes. And we start with lessons from Diana. The late Princess Diana is easily the most famous British royal of the past few generations. And her son, William`s bride-to-be Kate Middleton has quickly become a royal fan favorite.
But as Kate gets ready to marry Diana`s first born son she is stepping into a world that, unfortunately, Diana learned the hard way is full of risks. So what can Kate learn from the people`s princess?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Diana`s legacy and lessons for Kate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has it been a strain trying to carry out a courtship without anyone knowing?
PRINCESS DIANA: Yes, it has, but I think anyone in this position would feel the pressure and everything. But it`s been worthwhile.
ANDERSON (voice-over): She was the people`s princess, and she is the princess to-be of the people.
KATE MIDDLETON, PRINCE WILLIAM`S FIANCEE: I would have loved to have met her, and she`s obviously -- she`s an inspirational woman to look up to.
ANDERSON: Two chosen women, two extraordinarily different lives. Both destined for royalty.
But now, that Kate Middleton is about to inherit the title of world`s most famous princess, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask: what could Kate learn from Princess Diana`s life as a royal?
NANCY JEFFREY, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: People have been comparing Kate to Diana since they started dating, but they are very different women and very different situations.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do find it a daunting experience that yesterday, you were a nanny looking after children? It`s a tremendous change for someone of 19 to make all of a sudden.
PRINCESS DIANA: Charles and I can`t go wrong. He`s there with me.
ANDERSON: "People" magazine senior editor Nancy Jeffrey tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Kate already has a royal advantage by simply being older than Diana.
JEFFREY: You have to remember, Diana was only 19 when she got engaged. Kate is about to get married at 29. So, she`s had a whole decade to build her own life.
MIDDLETON: I`m also glad that I`ve had the time to sort of grow and understand myself more as well so hopefully do good job. Yes.
JEFFREY: Bit by bit she slowly is taking on the duties of a princess, and sources tell "People" that the palace has been very careful to make sure that she is brought slowly and gradually into the role. I think we can all see, it`s working.
ANDERSON: Although Kate`s been looking every bit the princess, Princess Diana took the role to new heights. Even though her marriage fell apart in 1996, Diana`s resilience and remarkable fashion sense made her a worldwide phenomenon and the most photographed woman in the world.
Now, it`s Kate`s turn.
So, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has to ask: what can Kate learn from Diana about dealing with fame?
JEFFREY: When Princess Diana and Prince Charles got engaged, no one knew who she was. She was a fresh face and the paparazzi descended upon her -- whereas Kate is a familiar face already. We all feel we know her. And this has made it much easier for Kate to deal with fame because it`s come upon her gradually.
ANDERSON: There is another lesson Kate could learn from Diana`s ups and downs as a royal and that`s gaining the acceptance of the royal family. Something Diana lost near the end of her life in 1997.
JEFFREY: Unlike Diana, who was thrown right into the middle of things, Kate has had eight years to prepare for this job and has been slowly brought into the royal family. Every step of the way, there`s been a different test for her and every step of the way, she`s passed.
ANDERSON: It sounds like Kate`s got all the makings of a new people`s princess.
But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you perhaps the biggest lesson Kate can learn from Princess Diana`s life is the lesson Prince William hopes to teach Kate and the rest of the world.
PRINCE WILLIAM: It`s about carving your own future. No one is going to trying -- you know, no one is trying to fill my mother`s shoes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So the big question today is: how will Kate Middleton take Princess Diana`s legacy and turn it into a fresh story of a modern day princess?
Joining me right now from Los Angeles, the one and only Lisa Vanderpump, who is a star of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and HLN`s official royal wedding contributor.
It`s great to have you here, Lisa.
LISA VANDERPUMP, HLN OFFICIAL ROYAL WEDDING CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you.
HAMMER: We all remember that the life of Princess Diana was filled with so much glamour and, obviously, so much tragedy. But more than anything, I personally think that Princess Diana`s greatest legacy was how beloved she was.
Do you think over time that Kate Middleton can achieve that same level of admiration?
VANDERPUMP: Well, I think what`s really important is the fact that she`s got to keep that attainability, that approachability, that Princess Diana had, that made her so loved. I mean, I remember as a very young girl watching Princess Diana, watching her interact with the AIDS victims and the patients, and she was just so different. She broke down barriers.
Whenever she was around the little children she bent down to them. You know, she was just very much a people`s princess. And I think Kate Middleton will do an excellent job. I think they`ve taken a long time integrating her but I think she is ready. I really do.
HAMMER: Yes, accessibility really would be the key that was so much a part of who Diana was. And Kate obviously painfully aware that there are a lot of people who are comparing her to Princess Diana. Listen to what she and Prince William say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: William`s mother was this massive iconic figure, the most famous figure of our age. Is that worrying? Is that intimidating? Does that -- do you think about that a lot, both of you, you particularly, Kate, obviously?
MIDDLETON: Well, obviously, I would have loved to have met her, and she`s obviously -- she`s inspirational woman to look up to. And, obviously, to this day and, you know, going forward and things, you know, it`s a wonderful family, the members who I`ve met have achieved a lot and, you know, very inspirational. And so, yes, I do.
PRINCE WILLIAM: There`s no pressure though. There`s no pressure, like Kate said, you know, it`s about carving your own future. No one is going to try -- you know, no one is trying to fill my mother`s shoes, and what she did is fantastic. It`s about making your own future and your own destiny and Kate will do a very good job of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So, clearly, Kate is inspired by Diana`s legacy.
Lisa, because of the shadow of Diana, does Kate, perhaps, have to work even harder to carve out her own niche as a princess?
VANDERPUMP: I don`t think there will be so much of a comparison as time goes on. I think that was the initial kind of kneejerk reaction. I think Princess Diana`s greatest legacy is her son. And I do think that Princess Diana had far less support than Kate Middleton is going to have. She`s 10 years older but also I think Prince William will be a lot more sympathetic to her plight rather than how Prince Charles was.
And it`s funny, it`s ironic, because Princess Diana came from an aristocratic family where Kate is technically a commoner, but I actually think Kate is much better prepared. I really think that they`ve taken a long time to integrate her and we won`t be disappointed.
HAMMER: And you mentioned she`s 10 years older.
Let me bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson who, of course, will be right there in London to cover the royal wedding.
So, Brooke, Kate is older than Diana was when she married Prince Charles, as we`ve been talking about. That`s got to work to Kate`s advantage, doesn`t it?
ANDERSON: Oh, absolutely. Like Lisa said, 10 years older. Diana was just 19 when she got engaged, Kate 29. And I think that makes a huge difference in terms of life experience.
But I don`t think you can ever really prepare for the outrageous, all consuming media frenzy that comes with the title of princess -- and Prince William has said that he is incredibly protective of Kate because of that.
And, Lisa, you have experienced media frenzy, the paparazzi first hand. The British paparazzi, that situation will get a little bit more challenging for Kate, won`t it, once she`s married?
VANDERPUMP: Yes. But she`s going to have her own protection, which she hasn`t had really until now. But I think it`s a shame that, you know, 14 years and we really haven`t learned anything. I mean, when you look at the whole catastrophe and the fatal, you know, of Princess Diana`s death, that was largely due to paparazzi chasing her and it happens now.
I mean, where I live, it constantly happens. The paparazzi jumping on the wind screen. They`re kind of putting cameras in your face so you can`t see. It`s unacceptable. But what do we do? I mean, when they`re offering so much money for these pictures, it`s hard to solve.
ANDERSON: Yes, it can be very, very dangerous situation. And, luckily, Kate has had eight years of experience, sort of, with her long courtship with Prince William. So, hopefully, she`s used to it to a certain extent and she`s well-equipped to handle it.
Lisa Vanderpump, always good to see you, friend. Thanks. You`re a natural.
VANDERPUMP: Good to see pup?
ANDERSON: All right. I want to invite all of you to see a front row seat to the royal wedding. I will be in London next week, all next week to bring you the biggest and best coverage right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and HLN.
HAMMER: Much more coming up on this showbiz special event, including the hunt for Kate. The shocking revelations about the paparazzi chasing Kate Middleton and the disturbing similarities to what Princess Diana face.
Also, the big William and Kate breakup.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They started to quarrel bitterly. She really demanded that he commit. And William wasn`t ready for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Today, the explosive story of how William and Kate almost did not end up together.
HAMMER: And royal wedding mysteries revealed. What will Kate wear? Why won`t William wear a wedding band?
This is a showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding" on HLN news and views.
And now, the showbiz royal news ticker, more royals stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(SHOWBIZ NEWS TICKER)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HELEN MIRREN, ACTRESS: I will watch along with everyone else. I will see what she`s going to wear. Won`t we all?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: This is very cool. The a capella group of the school where Prince William met Kate Middleton does a very special tribute to her. It`s Lady Gaga`s "Bad Romance" done as "Royal Romance" by the boys of St. Andrews.
Welcome back to this showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding." I`m A.J. Hammer in New York, with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
ANDERSON: Right now, A.J., royal best sellers.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is teaming up with "People" magazine to bring you the best coverage of the royal wedding. And with only days to the big event, William and Kate are on magazine covers all over the world.
Here are "People`s" best selling royal covers of all time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Joining me now is "People" magazine`s staff writer Blaine Zuckerman.
Blaine, I think a lot of people will agree that Prince Charles and Princess Diana`s fairy tale wedding was easily the most memorable royal moment of the last generation. And sales of that issue really prove that point. "People" magazine`s cover from August 3rd 1981 sold more than 2.5 million copies. Considering the wedding was watched by over 750 million people worldwide -- Blaine, did the "People" magazine team really have to work overtime to keep up with the demand?
BLAINE ZUCKERMAN, PEOPLE MAGAZINE STAFF WRITER: You know, we did have to keep up. And it was difficult but really the most interesting thing is that since then there have been many royal covers that have done even bigger numbers. That was really the point when America fell in love with these two. There was so much hype leading up to it.
And I`ve got to say -- while it was a huge seller, we`ve had even bigger numbers with the royals since then.
ANDERSON: Really? Incredible. I couldn`t get enough of that wedding a as a child and that long 25-foot train.
OK. I got to move on now. Next on the list of "People" magazine`s best selling royal covers -- let`s take a look, the cover from July of 1982 announcing the birth of Prince William sold well over 2 million issues. There had to be a lot of buzz around this issue considering that this little boy would be heir to the throne, Blaine.
ZUCKERMAN: Exactly. Here`s the situation where, again, people had met this new couple and they were so excited and, obviously, with a child, you know that this is coming up. It wasn`t as if this was a surprise. But by the same token, the world was so excited for this beautiful baby and that was a huge seller for "People" magazine. We were really excited.
ANDERSON: People love babies and here was a baby who would be king, quite possibly.
OK. In August of 1986, a photo from Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson`s wedding was the cover for "People" magazine. Were you surprised this cover did so well?
ZUCKERMAN: Well, frankly, I mean, it`s just shocking to me that that did better than Prince Charles and Diana`s. And it`s so interesting because if you think about it nowadays, first of all, marriage didn`t last and certainly Fergie and Andrew are not quite the royal couple that we think of when we think of that family at this point.
But back then, it was a huge deal. And I think the world was still so excited from Prince Charles and Diana`s wedding -- or Prince Charles and Diana`s.
ANDERSON: Well, the top-selling "People" magazine royal cover of all time, speaking of Diana, was the 49-page special edition that was released September 1997 after her funeral. It sold almost 3 million copies.
Blaine, very quickly, it just shows how beloved she was.
ZUCKERMAN: You know, America fell in love with her, just as much as they did all over the world, and sadly a tragic, tragic ending. But when there`s something that`s surprising like that, the whole world stops. And, yes, it was a big, big moment for the whole world. We all remember when it happened. And we just wanted to grieve and look at beautiful pictures of this amazing woman.
ANDERSON: Blaine Zuckerman, thank you so much. Good to see you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: And to read more about all the preparations for William and Kate`s wedding, pick up your copy of "People" magazine on newsstands now.
HAMMER: More coming up on this showbiz special event, the hunt for Kate. The shocking revelations about the paparazzi chasing Kate and the disturbing similarities to what Princess Diana went through.
ANDERSON: The big William and Kate breakup, the explosive story behind why they almost did not end up together.
HAMMER: Well, I`m happy that they didn`t breakup.
Next, the story of how William and Kate met. Their remarkable courtship as told in a brand new movie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAMILLA LUDDINGTON, ACTRESS (as Kate Middleton): Kate Middleton.
NICO EVERS-SWINDELL, ACTOR (as Prince William): William of Wales.
LUDDINGTON: Yes. I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are. You`re very popular.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The stars of "William & Kate" right here. You`re watching the showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding" on HLN news and views.
And, now, the showbiz royal news ticker, more royal stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(SHOWBIZ NEWS TICKER)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD DENNEN, FRIEND OF WILLIAM AND KATE: They both have a really clear sense of GTU, which is a couple of year`s time. It`s going to be hardworking royals. And as a result, they`re not sort of messing around. They didn`t have friends going crazy. It`s not good for their look. It`s not good for their business.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUDDINGTON (as Kate Middleton): Kate Middleton.
EVERS-SWINDELL (as Prince William): William of Wales.
LUDDINGTON: Yes, I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s William and Kate in "William and Kate," a lifetime movie that dramatizes how the prince met and fell in love to the soon-to-be princess. And right here, right now, the stars who played the royal couple.
Welcome back to this showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding." I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And, right now, Prince William and Kate Middleton visit SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Well, the actors who play them anyway in the Lifetime movie "William & Kate," Nico Evers-Swindell and Camilla Luddington. Listen to them reveal to me what it was like to walk in William and Kate`s royal shoes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: What`s the strangest thing that has happened to you since you took on this role?
CAMILLA LUDDINGTON, PLAYS KATE IN TV MOVIE: I think one of the strangest things that happened to me is being followed by reporters because I`m never really doing anything that interesting, I think, but it actually helped with the role because, you know, Kate does get followed by paparazzi and stuff and it`s an uncomfortable feeling.
HAMMER: Sure.
LUDDINGTON: So, it really did help me with certain scenes.
HAMMER: There`s one scene in "William & Kate" I found particularly interesting, where William and Kate have an argument about whether or not they wanted to make their new relationship public. I want to take a look at that. Roll that out, Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVERS-SWINDELL (as Prince William): I want to keep our relationship private. As soon as they find out about us, they`ll follow us everywhere and make our lives miserable.
LUDDINGTON (as Kate Middleton): I`m your girl friend. I just thought you`d want to spend some time with me.
EVERS-SWINDELL: Of course, I want to spend time with you but have I responsibilities.
LUDDINGTON: People think she`s your girl friend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s ridiculous. I don`t care what other people think.
LUDDINGTON: I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: See? Now, that`s a side of William and Kate you never see. You look at what we see in public, they`re always so lovey-dovey. But, Nico, you know, from what you were able to learn and what we see in the movie, it`s not really always that way. I mean, they`re like any other couple, think have their spats.
EVERS-SWINDELL: Right. And I think that`s what this film intends to show is that, you know, there was a real dilemma on their hands. You know, here you have a boy, a man, becoming a man who comes from a very extraordinary background trying to be normal, who meets a normal girl who is moving into an extraordinary circumstance and their worlds collide, and they have this dilemma, and they`ve got to try and make it work.
HAMMER: You do have some special insight into Kate and what her life must be like. If she were to call you up and say, Camilla, you know, you kind of have a sense of what I`m going through, what kind of advice would you have for me? What would you tell her?
LUDDINGTON: You know what I would tell her is I would say don`t read newspapers or listen to other people and just really concentrate on your relationship and what you guys have, because it`s obviously something special.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. Here`s what`s coming up on this showbiz special event, the big William and Kate breakup. The story behind why they almost did not end up together. Can you imagine?
The great royal wedding mystery solved, what will Kate wear? Will Kate and William`s exes really be at the wedding?
And what should I wear? HLN`s royal contributor and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" start Lisa Vanderpump helps me decide.
This is a showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding" on HLN.
HAMMER: Now, the showbiz royal news ticker, more royal stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(SHOWBIZ NEWS TICKER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT special event, "The Royal Wedding." An unbelievable inside look today at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The hunt for Kate. Shocking revelations today about the would-be princess hounded by the paparazzi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON, AUTHOR, "WILLIAM AND KATE": Literally, she really demanded that he commit, as they say, and William wasn`t ready for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Exclusive story behind William and Kate`s shocking split. How they almost did not end up together.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT solves the great royal wedding mystery. What will Kate wear? Will Kate and William`s exes be at the wedding?
ANNOUNCER: TVs most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
HAMMER: Welcome back to this showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding." It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Right now, the royal roller coaster. It took nearly a decade for Prince William and Kate Middleton to finally get engaged. Their road to the altar has been complicated and, at times, dangerous. In her new fantastic documentary, "The Women Who Would Be Queen," CNN Soledad O`Brien looks at the crushing media scrutiny of this couple over the years. I spoke with Soledad about what she uncovered about the ups and downs of William and Kate`s courtship.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Soledad, you have this really compelling documentary airing this weekend called "The Women Who Would Be Queen." You take an in-depth look at Kate Middleton and her, sometimes, rocky road to becoming royalty.
Now, we know that Prince William and Kate were able to enjoy their privacy when they were at St. Andrews University, but you discovered that all of this changed when Kate was living in London and William was off at the naval academy. I want to take a look now at the hunt the paparazzi went on to get a photo of Kate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOLEDAD O`BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): In the months after graduation, the press followed them everywhere, to weddings, to polo matches. There were rumors of a breakup. Fleet Street was on fire. And in January 2006, it only got worse. William began his royal military training in the English countryside leaving Kate alone in London.
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON, AUTHOR, "WILLIAM AND KATE": He was beginning his military career in essence around a lot of other young men who were going to make their lives in the military, and so, there was a lot of heavy drinking going on. There`s a lot of partying going on.
O`BRIEN: Was he faithful to her with the drinking and the partying?
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON: Yes. Yes, indeed, he was. There were some indiscrete moments in bars when, you know, girls would come up to him, and there`d be kissing. She handled it well. She wasn`t happy with it, but she didn`t end the relationship that they had.
JULES KNIGHT, FRIEND OF PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE: It was probably difficult on their relationship. She was having that incredible scrutiny from the press. She`d walk out of her flat and be besieged by 20, 30 photographers and that really couldn`t go on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that was chaos. They`d follow her to work, stop her in traffic, flashing through the window while she was drive a car, sit in the wool of her office, waiting for her to leave, waiting to arrive. That`s when it`s really stressed her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The crush of photographers that we saw in that video and in those photographs, that had to be really difficult for her. The paparazzi, they were relentless in their quest to get a picture of Kate. Soledad, a lot of people compared the constant attention Kate got to Princess Diana`s experiences with the paparazzi.
O`BRIEN (on-camera): Yes.
ANDERSON: So, what type of follow did it take on Kate?
O`BRIEN: You know, it`s interesting, it`s a very fair comparison, but I think the toll was very different. I think she learned a lot from Princess Diana, and there was no question that she got advice from both Prince William and also the palace. But, you know, there`s a story where, at one point, she was being chased by the paparazzi and Kate pulled her car over and she said to the paparazzi, listen, you`re either going to kill me or you`re going to kill you.
This has to stop. She had a very level-head about it, and I think that`s a much different approach than Princess Diana had. And I think because she learned a lot from Princess Diana`s experience.
ANDERSON: Yes. And much older than Princess Diana was when she married Prince Charles.
O`BRIEN: Right.
ANDERSON: So, maybe, she feels more mature, better equipped to handle it all, but Soledad, I would think that seeing the frenzy surrounding Kate had to make Prince William concerned about Kate`s safety, was he?
O`BRIEN: Yes, absolutely. At one point, lawyers were brought in to try to get the paparazzi to back off. Also, you know, one of the things that the problem was that the girlfriend role is not a role that gets any kind of official palace protection. Fiancee is official position. So, you get police protection. You get security protection, but girlfriends don`t. So, until she was elevated to fiancee, she was kind of left on her own.
You know, it was said by many insiders, told this about this recurring nightmare he had about his mother`s death, and we were told that nightmare then transition to sort of starring Kate as opposed to his mother because he was so worried about Kate sort of befalling the same fate.
ANDERSON: Oh, what a difficult situation to be in, and the thoughts, I`m sure, that went through his mind. I think everybody was really stunned back in 2007 when William and Kate called it quits. I want to talk about that, because in your documentary, you were able to get the real story behind this shocking split. Let`s take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy birthday.
O`BRIEN (voice-over): January 2007, Kate`s 25th birthday.
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON: The inquest into Diana`s death is raging. Headlines every day about the circumstances of Diana`s death. There`s a party for Kate at Boujis, their favorite night club. They come out, and all of a sudden, they`re descended on by hundreds of paparazzi. And this huge response of bodyguards that shoved into the Land Rover as they speed away, but it was a moment which became quite obvious that it was just history repeating itself.
O`BRIEN: Lawyers for William, the palace, and the Middletons lashed out. Two newspapers responded and stopped publishing paparazzi photos, but the pressure on William and Kate was still mounting. According to biographer Christopher Anderson, everything came to a head on Valentine`s Day 2007.
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON: She thought she`d be getting that proposal. Instead, he gave her (INAUDIBLE) enamel compact. They started to quarrel bitterly. She really demanded that he commit, as they say, and William wasn`t ready for it. He went to his father Prince Charles. Prince Charles said you can`t keep stringing this girl along. If you`re not ready to ask her to marry, you break it off. And unfortunately, he listened to his father`s advice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A compact instead of a ring. I can understand --
O`BRIEN (on-camera): Ooh, a compact.
ANDERSON: Wow, thank you! Well, Soledad, I can understand why Prince Charles was trying to stop history from repeating himself, have a son end up in marriage if he wasn`t ready at the time, but, Soledad, Prince William and Kate really handled this breakup very differently. What can you tell us about that?
O`BRIEN: Yes, you know, insiders told us that she was absolutely devastated, but she sort of felt like revenge was a dish best served cold, and she rebounded, and she went out, and she lost some weight, and she started dressing nicely, and she started going out with other people and didn`t try to win him back and that was actually a very successful strategy, because what she was able to do was to sort of say, listen, hey, this is what you`re missing here and that strategy worked.
ANDERSON: Yes, life goes on. Do you think it was any surprise that Prince William and Kate found their way back together eventually?
O`BRIEN: No, I don`t think so.
ANDERSON: They seem like a match made in heaven.
O`BRIEN: Yes. You know, I think maybe even better than a match made in heaven. I think their friends describe them as a match that was made very much in reality. They sort of got each other. They respect each other. They understood each other. They were older. They were genuinely in love. They were a terrific match.
So, instead of being sort ethereal (ph), really kind of both them feet on the ground, really understanding what they were getting into so that they felt like the long-term prospects for their friends that, you know, they were meant to be together.
ANDERSON: Well, Soledad, your documentary looks fascinating. I can`t wait to see it. Soledad O`Brien, thank you so much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You can see Soledad`s fantastic documentary "THE WOMEN WHO WILL BE QUEEN" on CNN Sunday at 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. eastern
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT investigates the great royal wedding mysteries.
What will Kate wear and what`s up with Prince William not wearing a wedding band?
ANDERSON: Yes, what`s up with that? And what is it really like to be a royal? The surprising perks, the biggest misconceptions.
Plus, it`s what everyone has been acting me about. What will I wear to the royal wedding? HLN`s royal wedding contributor and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump is here to help me.
ANDERSON: Lisa is going to help me get ready for the royal wedding. I need to know what to wear.
VANDERPUMP: Well, I have a surprise for you. Upstairs. You`re going to be very excited.
ANDERSON: I mean, wait until you see the size of Lisa`s closet.
This is a showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding" on HLN, news and views.
HAMMER: And now, the Showbiz Royal News Ticker, more royal news from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGIS PHILBIN, HOST: I just hope they have a wonderful life together. Naturally, there`s a lot of emphasis on them and a lot of pictures and a lot of people whispering about them and so on. So, I know it`s tough, but I wish them all the best.
HAMMER (voice-over): SHOWBIZ TONIGHT invites you to the ultimate royal wedding.
ANDERSON: I`m Brooke Anderson, and I`ll be reporting from London starting April 25th only on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER (on-camera): Welcome back to this showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding". I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with Brooke Anderson in Hollywood. Now, the great royal mysteries uncovered.
ANDERSON: A.J., I`ve done all kinds of research to prepare for the royal wedding, and I`ve got to say, some of the biggest wedding secrets are locked up tighter than the crown jewels in the tower of London, but that did not stop us from investigating these great royal wedding mysteries. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PRINCE WILLIAM, UNITED KINGDOM: We`re like a duck, very calm on the surface, little feet going underwater.
ANDERSON (voice-over): The wedding.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the horse carts and the carriages.
ANDERSON: The dress.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, HOST: Once William saw her in that on the catwalk, you know, he said, hey, Queeny!
ANDERSON: The ring.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t get over the ring, that he`s not going to be wearing one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tied anywhere.
ANDERSON: So many mysteries, so little time. So, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is about to blow the lid off of some of the biggest royal mysteries of William and Kate`s blockbuster wedding.
PRINCE WILLIAM: I wouldn`t believe everything you read in the paper.
ANDERSON: We wouldn`t either, Prince William. So, let`s start with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s great royal wedding mystery number one. For crying out loud, can someone tell us who will design Kate`s wedding dress? "People" magazine senior editor, Nancy Jeffrey, reveals the details.
NANCY JEFFREY SENIOR EDITOR OF "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: From Bruce Oldfield to Alex Timberlane (ph), for a while Esa (ph) was named. Esa is the designer of Kate`s blew engagement announcement dress, but many people think that Kate will stick with a British designer?
ANDERSON: But will Kate take a page from Princess Diana?
JEFFREY: Kate`s will look very different from Princess Diana`s. Don`t look for a big, poofy dress. Look for long, thin lines and sleek, modern look. That is Kate`s signature.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`ve been going out a bit and you split up?
PRINCE WILLIAM: In that particular instance, we did split up a bit.
ANDERSON: That`s true. Back in 2007, which leads to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great royal wedding mystery number two. Are Prince William and Kate really inviting their exes to the wedding?
JEFFREY: Will dated a number of really beautiful, young English women. Kate had a boyfriend at St. Andrews before will. Sources have told people that, at least, a couple of the exes are going to be at the ceremony.
PRINCE WILLIAM: I don`t think if (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: Too late, she`s already your princess-to-be. At least, we think so. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great royal wedding mystery number three, what the heck should we call Prince William and Kate after they get married?
JEFFREY: The morning of the wedding, the palace will announce their new royal titles, and it might be that Will is getting a dukedom, but either way, Kate will become a princess.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of ring is it? Are you an expert on what --
PRINCE WILLIAM: I`m not an expert at all. I`ve been reliably informed it`s a sapphire and diamond.
ANDERSON: We know Kate`s getting a wedding ring on the big wedding day, but what about Will? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT great royal wedding mystery number four, why won`t William wear a wedding band?
JEFFREY: Sources have told people that William just isn`t a jewelry kind of guy, and that, in fact, in the aristocratic classes in which he mingles, it`s not uncommon for the man not to have a wedding band.
ANDERSON: Women around the world may be outraged, but hey, it`s not like we won`t know that this prince finally found his princess.
PRINCE WILLIAM: We`ve come to a decision, you know, pretty much together. I just chose when to do it and how to do it and being here. It really reminds my confidant (ph) extremely well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So, a lot of people are dreaming of being a royal, but what`s it really like? Well, I`m going to reveal the secrets behind more great royal mysteries right now, and I have genuine royalty with me here to do it. With me in New York, Italian, Prince Lorenzo Borghese. He starred on season 9 "Bachelor" and he is also the author of the brand-new book, "The Princess of Nowhere." Good to see you, Prince.
PRINCE LORENZO BORGHESE, AUTHOR, "THE PRINCESS OF NOWHERE": A.J., good to see you. Happy Friday.
HAMMER: Happy Friday to you.
BORGHESE: Thank you.
HAMMER: So, here`s the deal, not millions but billions of people are supposed to be tuning in to watch this royal wedding, getting to see Kate and Prince William get married in London next Friday. Of course SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and HLN are going to be there, but for all of the royal watchers, what`s the biggest misconception about actually being royal?
BORGHESE: I guess, there`s a lot. One is that we`re born as frogs. Another one is that we always wear a crown, that we play polo, and that we`re good at it. That we fence. That we have high tea. That we`re boring. You know, we`re just like anybody else. We are real people that we`re just born into a royal family.
HAMMER: OK. I can see the crown thing, obviously, not through the frog thing. I have real no proof that --
BORGHESE: I don`t know. You know, I don`t remember my childhood, either. Maybe, u was a frog, who know?
HAMMER: After William and Kate make it official on the 29th, you know, the wedding is over. All the pomp and circumstances gone away, and now, Kate begins her life officially as a princess. What`s the most surprising thing about being a royal?
BORGHESE: I would say -- I wouldn`t say surprising. I would say the best thing about being a royal is it`s something that you`ve been born into. You haven`t earned it. It`s one of the only gifts in life besides life itself that is given to you. Everything else is hard work. All your accomplishments are hard work.
When you`re a royal, you get special treatment just because you`re royal. You`ve done nothing. So, she`s going to -- she`s already found out that she`s going to get special privileges because she`s going to be royal.
HAMMER: Well, she certainly knows what it`s like to get a lot of attention. You know what it`s like to get a lot of attention when you were on "The Bachelor," looking for your princess, unfortunately, unsuccessfully, but, really, America was following your every move. In her case, the entire world watching both Prince William and Kate Middleton now.
When you`re a royal, it`s just common place that everybody is going to be so interested in every facet of your daily life, and the cameras are always going to be there. Does it come to a point for them where they just ignore it because it is a part of daily life?
BORGHESE: No. I really don`t believe so. I mean, look at Diana. She tried to ignore it as much as she could. She was hiding from the press. I think, now, it`s gotten even worse. I think what we`re going to see is that they`re going to be like turtles. They`re going to be in their shell. I guarantee you, after this wedding, Kate is going to disappear for a long time and so is William. I don`t think -- how can you get used to it?
HAMMER: Yes, I suppose. And hopefully, they`ll just be able to use the press and be able to use the cameras to their advantage for whatever causes that they --
BORGHESE: Right. Hopefully, some charity.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Prince Lorenzo, it`s good to see you. I`m going to look into the frog thing, but I appreciate you straightening that out for us.
BORGHESE: I love ponds, but maybe, I was a frog, I don`t know.
HAMMER: All right. Prince Lorenzo Borghese, we appreciate you being here.
BORGHESE: Thanks, A.J.
ANDERSON (voice-over): I really hope William and Kate don`t disappear after the wedding for a while. OK. So, now, we do know all about how William and Kate fell in love, right? But it is time now to talk royal fashion because that`s really important, and a lot of people are asking me what I`m going to wear to the wedding. HLN`s royal wedding contributor and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump, helps me out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Lisa is going to help me get ready for the royal wedding. I need to know what to wear.
VANDERPUMP: Well, I have a surprise for you upstairs. You`re going to be very excited.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Hat or no hat, long dress, short dress? So many decisions, next.
This is a special event, "The Royal Wedding," on HLN, news and views.
HAMMER (voice-over): And now, the "Showbiz Royal News Ticker," more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
VERA FARMIGA, ACTRESS: We watched Diana`s wedding, and we`ll watch her offspring`s wedding, too. Sure, sure. I love wedding. I`ll watch any wedding.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON (on-camera): Well, my bags are almost packed for my trip to London to cover the royal wedding. I`m a procrastinator when it comes to packing, but anyway, I`ve been told when I`m in London that I really need to dress the part. So, lucky for me, a royal expert came to the rescue. HLN`s royal wedding contributor and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Lisa Vanderpump.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I`m here with my friend, the fabulous, Lisa Vanderpump from the "real Housewives of Beverly Hills".
VANDERPUMP: Thank you, darling.
ANDERSON: We`re at her beautiful palatial estate. Here`s Jiggy. I don`t want to forget Jiggy. But Lisa is going to help me get ready for the royal wedding. I need to know what to wear.
VANDERPUMP: Well, I have a surprise for you upstairs. You`re going to be very excited. I have a designer waiting upstairs that does the absolute perfect thing.
ANDERSON: Shopping at Lisa Vanderpump`s. Let`s go.
So, Lisa, tell me, what are British weddings like?
VANDERPUMP: Well, they`re very different to American weddings. I have to be honest. For a start, normally, you get married in the day, which is, I mean, often in America, you`re getting married in the evening. So, normally, people are kind of wearing suits, and it`s more of an afternoon feel.
ANDERSON: So, what do you recommend based on your experiences with British weddings?
VANDERPUMP: Well, obviously, it`s going to be the most formal wedding ever. I mean, absolutely. A royal wedding just takes it up a notch. I think that you should wear a hat or at least a fascinator, because, I think, if you get a chance, like when they say black tie, if you get a change for a long dress, I think you should go for it.
OK. So, come in.
ANDERSON: This is unlike any closet I`ve ever seen.
VANDERPUMP: No, it`s amazing, but I thought it was too big, but it`s like handbag. A certain size and you just fill it up. Anyway, you have to make --
ANDERSON: Look at these wonderful dresses that you have. Can you tell as a little bit about them?
VANDERPUMP: This is just (INAUDIBLE)
ANDERSON: Beautiful.
VANDERPUMP: It`s an organza duster.
ANDERSON: Kate Middleton needs that.
VANDERPUMP: This is so much better than going shopping. Come on.
ANDERSON: Isn`t it? OK. So, let`s try some things on and have some fun. Here I am.
VANDERPUMP: Oh, that is pretty. I like that.
ANDERSON: This is lovely.
VANDERPUMP: I like that, but my feeling is it`s a little lightweight because of the weather.
ANDERSON: So, back to the drawing board?
VANDERPUMP: Yes.
ANDERSON: Oh, my God.
VANDERPUMP: I like that. I mean, I have that dress. I think that`s beautiful, and I like it accessorized.
Wait till you see the hat.
ANDERSON: I have to have a hat.
VANDERPUMP: Oh, it`s beautiful. Oh, I look that.
ANDERSON: Is it too much?
It can never be too much.
VANDERPUMP: Oh, yes, it can.
ANDERSON: More, please, more.
I have a little spring in my step with this one.
VANDERPUMP: And you don`t have to worry about the color. It`s ivory, but you`re not actually going to the wedding.
ANDERSON: Yes, I really like this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You like the hat?
VANDERPUMP: Why don`t you try a fascinator?
ANDERSON: Pop of color.
VANDERPUMP: OK. So, what do you think?
ANDERSON: I love it.
VANDERPUMP: Which one? Fascinator or hat?
ANDERSON: I think hat.
Thank you again.
VANDERPUMP: You`re welcome.
ANDERSON: You`re wonderful. I love you.
VANDERPUMP: We`re going to have tea.
ANDERSON: Let`s do it.
VANDERPUMP: OK, come on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: For the showbiz special event, "The Royal Wedding," I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
ANDERSON: And I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.
Join me in London for a front row seat to the royal frenzy. Stay with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and HLN for the best coverage of the royal wedding.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
