The High Life on the Route of Emperors and Kings
As a political force, nobility has virtually no significance in today’s digital democracies. Yet its dignified way of life, cultivated over centuries, still holds a more or less secret fascination for us. Among other things, this attraction is embodied by the perseverance of the noble titles and predicates, such as the distinguished “von”, though they have long since been abolished by law. Still, the weal and woe of the European aristocracy provides indispensable content for more than just the yellow press, and a live television broadcast of a royal wedding is still a huge draw for viewers.