I think we are fascinated by royals for two reasons. Disney and Princess Diana. All little girls from the early baby boom generation on have been getting these tales of Prince's and happily ever after force fed to them at a very impressionable age, which leads to a life long fantasy infatuation. Princess Diana brought royalty into everyone's living room. She was beautiful, down to earth, charitable, and a paparazzi dream. She was the living embodiment of royalty for millions of women with many living vicariously through her ups and downs of motherhood, divorce, etc. She just seemed REAL unlike most royals before her, but I digress. I think these were the events which led to an American fascination with English royalty.