Marriages and Divorces

Institution of marriage in Britain is heading towards near - if not complete extinction, writes Vijay Dutt.

It was big news, about Prime Minister Tony Blair and his QC wife, Cherie, celebrating silver jubilee anniversary of their marriage. In these days and time, this indeed is a remarkable achievement, of having lasted together for 25 years and still going strong. Particularly when Blair is pre-occupied with matters of the state and Cherie Blair being busy with her legal work and the two having very little time for each other.

The Blairs indeed buck the trend by reaching their silver anniversary. The institution of marriage in their country is heading towards near if not complete extinction. One marriage in four now ends in divorce within five years. The Blairs should be congratulated for reaching an increasingly rare milestone.

Tony Blair admitted some time ago that he never sent flowers to his wife, not even when he was wooing her. But he insisted there were many other ways of being romantic than just sending red roses. I hope he tells those other ways to his voters. On the Valentine's Day, roses worth millions are sent, but that has not helped the cause of marriage. The divorce rate in England and Wales has reached a seven-year high, with 153,490 couples getting divorced in 2003.

Experts opine that nearly one-third of marriages involving people approximately of the Blairs' age when they got married - he was 26, she 25 - have now ended in divorce. In other words, two out of three "comparable" marriages have not ended in divorce although a smallish number will also have ended in separation or more rarely, a spouse's death, hence the figure for surviving marriages is probably three out of five.

Statistically put, the finding is that about a third of people who married about 25 years ago and were the same age as the Blairs will be divorced by now. Worse, for couples that married more recently the picture is even bleaker. The institution of marriage is thus considered to be under siege.

Nearly a quarter of divorcees consider leaving their partner within the first two year, according to the firm of solicitors who handled Diana's divorce. One in 10 splits up before the first anniversary. This is called one-year itch.

The reason for fast breaking of marriages is said to be work pressures and the ease with which office staff could have extra-marital affairs. The prediction now is that about four in10 current marriages are likely to end up in divorces. Peak age for women seeking divorce is 25 to 29 and for men, it is 30 to 34. So the solution possibly lies in marrying after the danger peak years. Until then I suppose one conducts extra-marital affairs and swell the statistics for divorces.

The Blairs should I think campaign on family values for winning the forthcoming election. They would have no doubt the Tory leader to do contend with, he too being happily married for a long time. But then the Blairs are one generation junior. The current generation of Royals cannot be role models, specially now with Charles leading a divorcee to the civil register.

The Royal issue

Now hardly a few days are left for Prince Charles to get his relations with Camilla Parker Bowles legalised. But the media and a few legal luminaries continue to question the Royal union. A leading Church of England bishop, David Stancliffe, the Bishop of Salisbury declared that the Prince of Wales would have to apologise to Andrew Parker Bowles for breaking up his marriage to Camilla as per church rules which dictate the prince must atone for committing adultery. Some one else demanded that he apologise on TV.

But royal columnist Richard Kay believes Andrew Parker Bowles would be the least likely person the Prince would apologise to. He quoted a friend of the Prince saying he "can't stand Andrew and blames him for criticising Camilla and putting her down during the final years of her marriage - and for sleeping with her friends."

I am quite sure that not many of his subjects would be bothered about it. Most indulge in similar outings with greater variety than the Prince who remained stuck with only Camilla for reasons known to him only. Even his Royal mother, I am told, wonders about his steadfastness to Camilla.

But the average Briton would surely be bothered if she became Queen Camilla. When the issue comes up, Prince Charles could find himself in a bit of trouble. I feel that he would not emulate his grand uncle and abdicate but would ascend the throne and keep Camilla as the consort. But between then and now too he has little chance of peace.

Problems seem to be surfacing almost on a daily basis. A 50-year-old Government document has reopened the debate about the legality of the marriage. Papers released under the Freedom of Information Act show ministers refused to countenance a civil marriage for Princess Margaret and Group Captain Peter Townsend in 1955.

Some family law experts claim legislation passed by Parliament in the 18th and 19th centuries still means members of the Royal Family cannot marry in register offices. But the Government is standing by the argument that subsequent legislation supersedes the laws preventing royalty from marrying in civil ceremonies.

A question of taste

Have you heard of a chilli ice cream. Lavender-flavoured custard and ice cream with a hint of green tea or chilli would soon be available. Chilli ice cream is, I am told already available in Roma. Those who are braver could try bacon and egg ice cream at a restaurant in Berkshire.