When I was young, some of my favourite books were fairy tales such as Cinderella and the Princess and the Frog. All that was needed from the Prince was that he was indeed a Prince, with the natural requirement that he was handsome. The would-be Princess was beautiful and kind. The important part of each tale was the final phrase: ‘and they both lived happily ever after’. I think many little girls expected to grow into beautiful ladies and meet their handsome Prince.

Unfortunately, it seems that real life doesn’t quite work out that way. When the pretty lady meets the handsome prince, of course he falls for her, even though no glass slipper is involved.

The two happy young people have a fairytale wedding, and live in a beautiful home: and then reality sets in.

Perhaps one of them has to move to a different country and becomes homesick, or maybe the two families are too dissimilar. Whatever the reason, the honeymoon is over, the rose-coloured glasses no longer work, and the Prince and his bride have to cope with the demands of real life.

How sad that the ‘happy ever after’ part of the fairy tale is elusive.

Pamela Brown,

Goodwood Grove, York