Would you want to be a king or a queen?
A large staff would obey your every order, you’d live in a fancy palace, wear elegant clothes, and have wealth, fame, power—almost anything your heart desires.
Now for the downside, and it’s not pretty. Other people might resent you and be envious of what you have. In the past, some of those people went after the throne—and the ruler’s throat. The people of France despised Queen Marie Antoinette (1755–1793) and King Louis XVI (1754–1793). These rich, spoiled rulers lived in luxury while others suffered, so the peasants chopped off both their heads.
Kings and queens today don’t have to worry about being beheaded, but they do live in the public eye, and this presents its own problems. For better or worse, kings and queens have ruled nations for thousands of years. Some were uncaring and greedy. Others built great nations. You’ll meet them all—the wise, the foolish, and those in between—as you tour royalty from the comfort of your living-room throne.
