One often equates royalty with fairytales and romance. Ironically, when you look at the British royal family, much is made about love matches. Historically royal weddings were often strategic affairs: “Let my child marry your child and create a great alliance.”
It may seem as though wedded bliss skips a generation. 1992 the Queen Elizabeth, II saw three of her children’s marriages collapse, most notably Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Thankfully, the Queen’s grandchildren have gotten it right. Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, married for more than a decade, represent “the stuff of which fairy tales are made.”
Baroness Fiona Shackleton of Belgravia LVO, often referred to as the “doyenne of family law,” has represented British and pop royalty like Sir Paul McCartney and Prince Charles. Her mission is to ensure that everyone, royal or not, can achieve their “happily ever after.” Her dedication to this cause is both inspiring and hopeful.
Despite being a sought-after divorce attorney in London, Baroness Shackleton, known for her discretion, judgement, and flair, believes that children should be taught in school how to make a marriage work. She told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that it is a “mistake to believe the that marriage is just about the heart.” She stressed the importance of considering the character traits of one’s prospective spouse and realizing that fundamentally, people do not change. She further remarked, “if you think about these things, not about the white dress, not the love element, but the practicality, before they enter into it then I would probably be doing myself out of a job more often.” This view encourages us to be thoughtful about our relationships.
Baroness Shackleton is dedicated to fostering strong relationships. She has collaborated with the University of Exeter to establish “The Shackleton Project,” which explores the compatibility and ten key aspects of successful relationships. The research resulted in ten crucial questions that partners should consider individually and collectively before committing to “till death do us part.”
Ten Critical Questions
- Are my partner and I a “good fit?”
- Do we have a solid basis for friendship?
- Do we want the same things in our relationship and out of life?
- Are our expectations realistic?
- Do we generally see the best in each other?
- Do we both work at keeping our relationship vibrant?
- Do we both feel we can discuss things freely and raise issues with each other?
- Are we both committed to working through hard times?
- When we face stressful circumstances, would we pull together to get through them?
- Do we each have supportive others around us?
“The Split,” a BBC series written and created by Abi Morgan, offers a captivating glimpse into the world of high-end divorces in London. The show follows a family of female divorce lawyers navigating London’s divorce law circuit. The characters, wardrobe, and soundtrack make it a binge-worthy treat.
“Who is your favorite royal couple? What is the best relationship advice you have ever heard?”
Until we meet again,
