The idea of monarchies may seen quaint and anachronistic, and a recent FP List, "King for a Day or Two" even examines some of the royal families whose time may be coming to an end.

But it seems the public's fascination with royalty will never die. All the pageantry, intrigue, and fairy-tale qualities associated with kings, queens, princes, and princesses infatuates us. For many, a world without monarchies just wouldn't be as fun. (And it would probably put Hello magazine out of business.)

Following the 10-year anniversary of Princess Diana's death, the most recent example of the public's obsession with royalty is today's celebration of Japanese Prince Hisahito's first birthday. Last year, he was the first male heir to be born in more than four decades, relieving a succession crisis in a country where only males can ascend to the throne. Today, photos of His Cuteness were splashed across newspapers' front pages. Articles about the royal birthday detail the 30-inch, 20.4-pound prince's impressive skills, which include crawling on stairs, playing the xylophone, and turning pages of picture books all by himself.

Of course, the attraction changes from cuteness to romance once royal children hit adulthood. Forbes magazine, famous for its ranking of the world's richest people, just produced a list of the "world's most eligible royals," complete with a slide show.

We just don't want the fairy tales to ever end, leaving the royals to live happily ever after.