Royalty on Chartres Street in New Orleans

Meeting King Charles on Chartres Street in New Orleans last week makes me wonder how one can proclaim herself royalty.

"I am King Charles, and this is my body guard." The no-name body guard was drinking a cocktail. He held out his left hand to me.  His right hand has held several cocktails just this morning, I thought. His eyes had that all night on-the-town look.

King Charles extended a hand, cuffed in a linen tuxedo shirt, which was  fastened at the neck with a broach.  The right hand adorned with rings met mine with a gentle finger shake. He wore a paper hat colored black and gold with a black feather cocked to the right.  A half-raised smile followed the fingertips. Next came an out pouring of indignation about the shop owner next door who had "disrespected his creations."

He wanted to dress me and have me promote his hats and style. What an interesting offer. How does one delicately reject such a majestic command?

The phone rang, and I hastened to answer it. I pretended that the robo call was very important and shook my head and motioned to the King that I had to take the important call. He nodded an agreement and sauntered out of the door.

When I was a teenager there was a lady who walked through the Quarter accompanied by a duck. We all called her Ruthie, "the Duck Lady."  I add King Charles to the list of many other nobles who have walked these streets.

When we lived in Virginia post-Katrina, I walked the streets of Old Town Alexandria and imagined that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin had left some creative energy there. In New Orleans, our street royalty is not elected, selected, nor born into position, but wake one morning and decide to become nobility.

We have had the self-proclaimed King of the Universe, Ernie K-Doe, and others who live and die here. Many large men have identified themselves as Drag Queens. We do have Kings and Queens, maids, and dukes for carnival. So perhaps we have more royalty than any other country on earth!

Please join us, and proclaim your noble heritage on the streets. Create your own attire, make a crown, and parade yourself down Chartres Street.