(Found) Story ID: Perfect royal child

[C10]

Trying to find a short story, probably ca. 1970, about the marriage of the magnificent prince of an interstellar empire. His bride, likewise magnificent, was raised to be a royal mate. Everything seems as perfect as can be. When their first child is born, it has

Spoiler: a surprising attribute

a halo.

Thanks in advance - it is intended as a sort of gift to friends who are expecting!

 

[Pete_100]

Wife To The Lord, by Harry Harrison.
Part of One Step From Earth.

Review:
A desperately poor world pins all their hopes for prosperity on one beautiful girl. She can surely be sold to a suitably wealthy husband. The oligarch who pays her bride-price proves to be not just incredibly rich, but a living god to his ignorant but contented subjects. There are consequences.

Comments

If you’re expecting the young woman to overthrow the patriarchy or establish an egalitarian society, it’s clear you’re not familiar with the values of this era of science fiction.

The sexism and the lie-that-came-true-because-people-believed-it elements led me to believe this must have run in Analog. Not so! It appeared in Ed Ferman’s The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, June 1970 (about a decade later than I would have guessed).

 

[sueelleker]

Thank you! I didn't post the original query, but I too have read this story, and wondered what it was called.

 

[C10]

Yep - that's the one! Much obliged to Pete_100. Different flavour entirely from half-century-old memory,, and actually much more interesting.

Thanks yet again for this great forum!