When I used to live in Italy in the 90s I was surprised how interested the Italians were in the British Royal Family. There'd always be stuff in the news about it and their pictures would appear on the front cover of magazines in News Stands. A lot of my students would ask me about them and know far more about them than me. It hadn't occurred to me until then what a global industry they were and why the Italians would be interested. I don't know anything about, for example, the Dutch Royal family so why the Italians should be interested in us surprised me.