LAWRENCE — One Kansas University doctoral student intends to be glued to the tube early Friday morning for the wedding of Britain’s Pprince William to commoner Kate Middleton. Kim Schutte’s history dissertation looks at marriage patterns of the British aristocracy from the 16th through the 20th centuries. Although Prince William and Middleton weren’t part of her research, her dissertation does mention his parents: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Schutte’s paper started with the Tudor family, especially King Henry VIII who tended a bit tough on his parade of wives. She said it was rare for British aristocrats to marry outside of their class, a pattern that lasted for more than four and a half centuries. That changed with World War I, which severely strained the British class system and culture. Over the years since World War I, it’s been increasingly rare for British aristocrats to marry other aristocrats, she said.
Tuesday, April 26, 3 p.m.
