La Cañada High student named to Tournament of Roses’ Royal Court
When Natalie Petrosian was a little girl, she and her parents would watch the annual Rose Parade pass by the window of their Pasadena living room, in awe of the spectacular procession that unfolded before them.
But as the years went on and the family moved to La Cañada Flintridge, the young student became a bit of a tomboy, more interested in math, science and playing tennis than in queens, princesses and crowns.
So it seemed unlikely, in her senior year at La Cañada High School, when mom Rebecca Nash urged her to consider trying out for the Tournament of Roses’ 2017 Royal Court, that anything serious would come of that request.
But sometimes mothers just have a way of knowing.
On Tuesday, Petrosian, contestant No. 617, was one of seven young women chosen from among 34 finalists and nearly 1,000 hopefuls vying for a spot on the royal court, which will preside over the 128th Rose Parade and 103rd Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 2. The Pasadena Tournament of Roses 2017 theme is “Echoes of Success.”
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The LCHS Spartan, who plays on the varsity girls tennis team, said she was shocked to learn she’d earned a coveted spot in this year’s contest.
“I didn’t hear my name, I heard the number,” Petrosian said. “When I heard my number, I heard my mom scream. Then I was just thinking about getting down the stairs.”
Nash said afterward she knew all along her daughter had it in her. She lovingly supported her through the interview process and the suspense that followed.
“She was a little bit nervous at that first interview, but I told her, ‘Natalie, it’s like we’re going home,’” Nash said, recalling mother-daughter stroller walks past the Tournament House. “I told her this is a unique experience. This is something special — you’ll thank me later.”
Petrosian is the only one of 10 La Cañada students among the finalists announced Sept. 28 to make it onto the 2017 Royal Court. Her fellow court members are: Audrey Cameron of Blair High School; Temple City High School’s Victoria Castellanos; Shannon Larsuel from Mayfield Senior School; Arcadia High School’s Maya Khan and Lauren Powers; and Autumn Lundy of Polytechnic School.
The group will make more than 100 public appearances between now and the day of the festivities, and from them the tournament’s 99th Rose Queen will be named in an Oct. 20 coronation ceremony at the Pasadena Playhouse.
With less than two weeks to go before her 18th birthday, Petrosian hopes to use her moment in the spotlight to encourage young people to participate in the upcoming presidential election. On Nov. 8, the princess plans to work the polling station at La Cañada Presbyterian Church.
“I’m really looking forward to inspiring young women and men to exercise their power in society,” she said. “I would just like to see a lot of young people and millennials come out and vote.”
Father Shahen Petrosian, who attended Tuesday’s announcement ceremony with Nash and LCHS tennis coach Will Moravec to cheer for No. 617, said despite his daughter’s initial reservation about entering such a high-level competition, she quickly warmed to the idea.
“After the first (interview) she came home and said, ‘I love this.’ From that point on I was into it,” he said, admitting he was overcome with joy at hearing her name called out during the announcement.
Tuesday morning found the LCHS senior glad she’d listened to mom.
“When I came up, I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know if I wanted to go through the stress and waiting,” she confided with a crown-winning smile. “But mother knows best.”
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
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