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JU sociologist Heather Downs weighs in on royal baby on WJXT

JU sociologist Heather Downs weighed in on the royal baby frenzy on Tuesday, July 23, discussing the new birth and its cultural implications on WJXT TV-4’s “Morning Show.”

Downs discussed the fascination with the royal offspring and why even people in the United States have been glued to their TVs, tablets and phones learning all about it.

JU sociologist Heather Downs

“We are a culture that is obsessed with celebrity. We have this one-sided intimacy with celebrities,” she said. “So when something happens that’s meaningful in a celebrity’s life, we can relate to it and we understand it.”

Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, introduced the baby boy to the world on Tuesday. As Prince William is the son of Diana, Princess of Wales, Downs said people have a special place in their heart for him.

“People were obsessed with (Diana) in the United States because they really saw her as this young, glamorous royal figure, and so then her untimely death really hit home in the United States, and we feel for her children and relate to them.”

William and Kate are also a big attraction in their own right, of course.

“They are young, they’re hip … they seem less pretentious than other royals, and so they really caught the world’s eye,” Downs said.

A new baby in the family can only help to soften the royal family’s image as well, especially that of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.

“I think it does (humanize) them,” Downs noted. “Seeing them as grandparents and great-grandparents is special for a lot of people.”

Watch the entire interview with Downs below:

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