Why is he not married?

[Preebs]

He bangs on about his partner and two kids all the time. I'm talking about Charlie btw. Do you think he's a commitment phobe?

 

[Nicky-j]

Presumably he, or his partner, or both of them choose not to.

 

[Silver Fox]

Some people seem to think marriage is a greater commitment than having children.Of course JR ( I think I am right here) is not married to her partner so it's a very personal choice between 2 people.

 

[Ellaaa]

Oh here we go again, the judgement of people who choose not to marry is that they are commitment-phobes. I don't need a piece of paper to demonstrate my love and commitment to my OH. Marriage does not always equal happiness and a stable relationship, you only have to look at divorce figures.

As long as a couple are happy with their situation why is it any business of anyone else to pass judgement.

 

[Caroleanne]

I married at 19 because it was expected I suppose ..you didn`t give it a second thought 44 years ago !! In fact in those days it would have been frowned on and you were said to be `living over the brush` whatever that means ..in hindsight I personally don`t see the need at all. A lot of expense that could be better spent in setting up a home !! My daughter has been living with her partner for over 10 years and they were seeing each other for about 2 before they bought a house together ...now these days with the price of property that`s commitment!! I really don`t see the need for a worthless piece of paper!! Each to their own on such a personal choice!!

 

[Nicky-j]

Oh here we go again, the judgement of people who choose not to marry is that they are commitment-phobes. I don't need a piece of paper to demonstrate my love and commitment to my OH. Marriage does not always equal happiness and a stable relationship, you only have to look at divorce figures.

As long as a couple are happy with their situation why is it any business of anyone else to pass judgement.

My point precisely! Married or not? Kids or not? What business is it of any else's? And why should it really matter?

 

[Whatsgoinon?]

My partner and I aren't married, we got engaged 19yrs ago and were going to get married before too long after that, then my dear old Dad went to sleep and the thought of him not giving me away really upset me at the time so we put it off and here we are 19yrs later, which is a marriage in itself...maybe one day we'll tie the knot, just go off and do it, who knows, as they say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Scout]

I really don't think you can say that a man who has two children with his partner is afraid of commitment, married or not.

 

[Kathy]

I can't believe that anyone would really care whether Charlie is married or not, surely we have left the living in sin era behind us....

 

[Bid Up Side Down]

...but if Charlie should propose, - just imagine the well crafted, slow reveal of the engagement ring to his intended, as he announces his intention to her..

 

[iloveshopping]

There used to be big drawback in not being married if you had children. Some of them may apply even now. A friends aunt had 2 children by her partner. He worked and she stayed at home bringing up the children. Tragically he died when the children were teenagers and she was not able to get a widow's pension and then later a pension from her husband's employer. The family's circumstances were dire. Poor financial planning on their part. I think there was some life insurance but no pension arrangements. My aunt by marriage husband died (my uncle) and he had only paid his pension contributions as a single man so no pension there either and they were married. Fortunately she had always worked as they had no children so she had a reasonable pension.

 

[louise66]

Marriage does not, imo, endorse one's commitment to another person. My fiance and I were engaged for 13 years and, in retrospect, I am glad we didn't marry (my choice), as the break up would have been made more upsetting and difficult. Had we had children, I would have wanted to be married, but that is personal choice. If both partners are accordant with the situation, and are happy with the relationship, why change it? When I was at school, a stigma was attached to single mothers. These days, they outweigh married parents. If Michelle was unhappy with things as they are, she wouldn't be with him. Obviously, it's working fine for them. As the majority of contributors to this post have said, whose business is it anyway?

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

If both people in a relationship are happy with whatever status they have then that is dunky dory as far as I am concrened.

Where I do find things a bit odd is when one person very obviously hankers after being married and the other doesnt. I dont mean to offend anyone but as in Julias case talking about being engaged for over 30 years is plain daft. Engaged is a precurser to marriage.

Again it is just me but I find the term Girlfriend or Boyfriend for anyone over 35 years not quite right and people over 60 using the phrase is even worse. I suppose it is hard to find a term which shows more than just friends but not a long term relationship.

I think CB's lady has a ring similar to one selling on Q at present - well he keeps saying that!

 

[JR's Ego]

I believe the only advantage of marrying as opposed to co-habiting is, funnily enough, when the dreaded moment of splitting up arrives. If this did happen, legally the co-habiters have no leg to stand on. Whether the split is caused by broken down relationship, or illness or death of spouse. For example if the 'living together' couple were in huge accident, the common law partner has no say on the welfare of the person in a coma, or dying UNLESS they had a document of LPA (finances/and or mental health) Whereas, if married, the welfare of the wife/husband can legally be tended.

I might be wrong. I am no lawyer. However living together is fine, until something happens which might require legal support if one partner dies/leaves/mentally ill
helpful link

Im a what they might term in the old days (ahem) 'a spinster' People ask me all the time 'why have you never married' My answer is "Im too rich and stupid to marry"

 

[Mazza]

This girlfriend/boyfriend thing - I was watching TOWIE (I know but it keeps me in touch with da yoof) and was amazed that a boy and a girl would be going out for a few weeks and usually having sex but she would not be accorded the official title of girlfriend! There would be discussions as to whether the girl was actually his girlfriend yet. I even checked this out with a friend whose daughter is 20 and her Mum was able to confirm this was true (oh, just remembered they do live in Essex so it may be localised). It just made me think that feminism has taken something of a backwards step if blokes were still sh***ing away without having to even think of her as his girlfriend. I mean I am not talking one night stand but seeing someone for a few weeks. I blame Facebook status, it was much easier in my day! If you saw someone for more than a couple of dates you were going out together as boyfriend and girlfriend. If it only lasted a month, so be it. This lot seem to spend most of the relationship obsessing on whether or not it is a relationship. Sorry if a bit off topic!

 

[Autumn]

Tbh couldn't give a dam if hes married or not , hes a presenter of a shopping channel , hes there to sell things that it . I wouldn't walk into a shop and ask the shop assistant if they were married or not.

 

[Julius]

I don't think a marriage ceremony, a party, a ring or a certificate matter. None of those things affect how two people feel about each other - that's the only thing that matters.
I'm not a Charlie Brook fan but I think his marital status is largely inconsequential.

 

[Bettyboo]

I don't care who's married and who isn't it's not my business but I hope couples who aren't married (especially if they have children) have made sure they are both secure financially if something unexpected happens like serious illness or death. I know people who have been left high and dry at a most upsetting time in their lives.

 

[carrots]

Well it depends on what you both want. OH and I lived together for 4 years and then decided to get married but for different reasons........ I preferred being married as I wanted a child (I'm old fashioned that way) and felt it important because if anything had happened to me then OH had more rights - this was 35 years ago.
My OH wanted me to have financial security if anything happened - house, works pension etc and it was simple back then if you were married but not so easy if you lived together.
It's down to what you want but at the end of the day it's nobody's business but your own and shouldn't matter to anyone else.

 

[Julius]

Human beings are survivors. The instinct to survive and be resourceful sees one through difficult times. Planning is great but sometimes life simply throws things at you that cannot be planned for. Now I'm older I realise just how much hardship my mother endured to support me. I was a total millstone round her neck, yet she gave so much. It upsets me to think how oblivious I was to it all, and how I never said thank you...and now it's too late. The skills I have, my resourcefulness - I owe it all to her. I learned to swim because she taught me. I learned to drive because she wanted me to, I learned to cook and be independent, travelled to so many different places and did many things, all thanks to her. She got dealt a bad hand in life and made the best of it. My mother never married, and it never mattered.