Some of you wish I gave Kate Middleton more of a break. You think she’s lovely and that she’ll make a great Princess of Wales, and one day, a great queen. You think she’s a perfectly fine choice for Prince William, and that he’s lucky to have her. I disagree. I’ve tried to give Kate a break at various times, but on the whole, I think this girl is AT BEST lazy, entitled, boring and vapid. At worst… well, I’m not even going to get into it. Anyway, People Magazine has an interesting piece about how Kate Middleton won’t be bothered to do any charity work for months or even years, probably. This likely plays into the whole “they aren’t going to have servants” thing – because Prince William is so narcissistic and deathly afraid that Kate will overshadow him like Diana overshadowed Charles, and William doesn’t want Kate to have even a press secretary to help her with her royal obligations.
When she becomes Princess Catherine, Kate Middleton will be a sought-after figurehead for many worthy causes. The palace reveals that they have already started receiving bids for Kate to join charities as a patron and help put them on the map. But the organizations are going to have to wait.
It will take “months or even years,” for her to gradually build up her set of patronages, says a palace source. Prince William has similarly added a number of charities – from those that deal with homelessness to others that support injured servicemen and women – to his roster over the years.
“Inevitably we have had approaches, but we are not making decisions before the wedding,” says a palace spokesman. “Catherine wants time, once she is a member of the Royal Family, to come to a decision about what she wants to do. She wants to decide what her own interests are and develop those over time.”
It is likely that Kate, who turned 29 on Sunday, will join William, 28, at some public engagements before her April 29 wedding in order to continue to learn the ropes from the inside, alongside her fiancé. This will enable her to see what expected of her in her public role, and also gauge what causes she wants to get behind.
“Her thinking is that she wants to commit,” adds the source. “She wants to do something that she is genuinely passionate about.”
[From People]
It probably means that Kate is going to get pregnant right away – and if she doesn’t get knocked up, then what the hell is she going to do all day? She won’t deign to have a job, she won’t deign to involve herself in charity work, and William won’t allow her to have any staff. I realize William is not eager to repeat the mistakes of his mother and his father, but this is just stupid. Kate is 29 years old, and she’s had her eye on this prize for nine years. And she really doesn’t have a list of charities that she’d like to work with right away? Then what has she been doing? Oh, right. Her full-time job was trying to land William, and after that exhaustion, they just go on 11 holidays a year. Because they’re so “normal”.
By the way, Diana’s charitable work began right away, she had her own staff right away, and at one point, she was involved with more than 200 charities. TWO HUNDRED.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I think any and all comparisions between her and Diana need to stop. She is clearly NO DIANA.
I know you can’t stand this girl-but in her defense, why not ease into this horrible job? Diana was the patron of a ton, yes-but was that really in her best interest? From my limited understanding, they’re going to be living in the middle of nowhere and she’s basically going to be a military wife. She has years to pick charities and causes-and I’m sure she will pick a few to focus on at the start. Give her a break.
i love the photo of her photographing the paps! she needs to be tough to deal with that and that shows a great attitude!
maybe not pushing charity work for a few years will help diminish the outright diana comparisons?
Can she at least walk down the aisle and become Mrs. Prince William before we tear her to shreds?
She’s going to be criticized no matter what she does or doesn’t do, I almost pity her (almost).
And what will she do?
She didn’t work before she married him and she won’t work afte the wedding but live of tax payers money.
You really do have it so wrong!!
I saw this article in People and wondered if you would mention it. I don’t normally have the same vitriol for her as you do but I have to say, this offers some pretty strong evidence of your assessment.
“She wants to decide what her own interests are and develop those over time.”
What?? She is almost 30 years old and doesn’t even know what her own interests are? I think about what kind of causes I would adopt were I a millionaire all the time; surely, during all those year’s she’s been dating the prince she’s had time to consider what her “interests” are!
Maybe they are just trying to preemptively deflect all the speculation but this phrasing just makes it sound like charity work is very low on her list of priorities.
I don’t blame her for not jumping into stuff instantly – I’d assume she’s very busy with wedding plans and all the other transitions in her life. If a while after the wedding she’s still not doing anything…
I do wonder what she’s been doing all this time though, if she doesn’t work – not even for her family’s business?
“It will take “months or even years,” for her to gradually build up her set of patronages”, says a palace source.
The source went on to say, “The public should not expect to much from one that is starting from scratch.”
I like Kate and agree that she needs time to come into her “royal own” and should not be compared to Di, but I’d think she’d know what her interests are by the age of 29…this thread and article certainly makes her look like a “standby princess in waiting”.
Well, at least she’ll be expendable if the marriage doesn’t work out. I think that was the problem with Charles and Diana – nobody would let go of “Princess Diana” who was their favorite royal, and Charles would be living in her shadow to this day if she had lived. After all, don’t most of marriages in that family fail (exception being the Queen and her youngest boy)?
I don’t blame her for not really working. Marrying into that family is a full-time job itself. What if she had a real job that she loved, and then was forced to give it up after marriage? Wouldn’t that be more tragic?
I’m not sure why I should care anyway, what’s going on with Lindsay?
That’s cool, Darfur can wait.
Her job, let’s face it, is to have babies. Preferably boy babies.
If her full name is Catherine, why isn’t her nickname Cate?
I love her! I think she’s going into this with the right attitude.
At the risk of voicing an unpopular opinion, if she doesn’t have staff and she does stuff like cook and clean she’s basically a stay at home wife. I’m not going to knock it – before we had kids that’s what I did. I know it’s not a popular option but Wills is trying to avoid the same mess that happened with his parents. Kate ISN’T and SHOULDN’T BE Diana. Yes, Diana was a fantastic humanitarian. However, that was Diana. Let Kate figure out her own place. Yes, she’s spent 9 years trying to land Wills but why don’t we let her get down the aisle before we tear her to shreds for not being Diana.
her full time job will be to make royal babies and be a mom. Then she will do charity work.. if she wants, or is told to do so. I don’t think William is afraid she will over shadow him. He is very protective of Kate because of what happened to his mother.
I realized the other day that there seem to be a lot of money-chasing, social-climber Kates out there right now:
Kate Middleton
Kate Gosselin
Kate Bosworth
Kate Beckinsale
Katie Holmes
(Notable exceptions: Cate Blanchett & Kate Winslet.)
Apologies to all Kate & Cate CB readers!
Okay, that last photo is what I’m talking about. In her eyes she is the spitting image of Camilla with her smarmy little ‘didn’t I pull a fast one, aren’t I a lucky and aren’t you sad’ shit-eating grin. She just does not look like a nice person.
We have no idea what goes on inside that relationship and the royals. I think the official statement was poorly worded, though. I do think she’s entitled to get through the royal wedding and settle into her life before having to jump into charities. However, they’ve known this announcement was coming for 3 yrs. I think the statement might have mentioned one or two charities she’d kick off with in 2012. But overall, whether she is vapid or not, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her wanting to build her relationship & marriage privately before he becomes King and then any chance at even a bit of normalcy is completely gone. We really have no idea what it’s like to be in that royal life, but it’s got to be tough in a lot of ways. Even though we have our fairy tale fantasies.
9 years dateing so at least they know each other , would you rather he did what his dad did to diana. let them be .
I really think William is protecting her.
Princess Di was so overwhelmed in the first years of her marriage. I dont think he wants his wife to have the same struggles.
um, honestly, i dont think it’s ‘her choice’ people…
it will take years? that statement reeks of royal PR and them preparing people for what they decide her role will be. THEY clearly don’t want a repeat of diana’s popularity and celebrity….they don’t want another ‘people’s princess’, in my assessment…
so i don’t know that blaming her solely is the way to go.
Sure, she is going along with it, but that’s what royals do-they go along with the plan laid out before them.
I have a feeling tey gave diana some leeway, and it didn’twork out so well for the royals, in their mind. they will not do the same again.
I don’t get the hate for her, Kaiser. I mean, she seems harmless enough and as long as she and William are happy, who cares how she spends her time? She wants time to figure out her role-I can’t blame her for that.
It’s interesting to me that she is being compared to Diana so much, as though Diana were the person she should aspire to be. I am not knocking Diana-I think she did have some special qualities and did some great works-but remember when she was still alive? Remember how the tabloids tore HER apart? The bulimia. The arguments with Charles. The drama over Camilla. For years she was taunted by the media for being weak and tolerating the cheating, etc. It was only near the end of her life, after her separation and subsequent divorce, that she started actually being treated with a modicum of respect by the media. She only became considered saintly after her death.
So I think it’s unfair to judge Kate this soon. She is a different person, and who knows how royal life will change her. She may not be well liked now, and she may never be. On the other hand, we can’t predict what she’ll be up to in a few years. For now, she should just enjoy her role as a bride who landed her prince. Good for her.
i think that they are very clearly putting their relationship as the top priority and william, knowing the royal world, is helping her make sure things stay sane and they stay connected. didnt fergie and her husband only get a few days together every year? and diana never saw charles. and it wasnt just cuz he was banging the other one.
i think a change is coming with this new batch of royals. i think they have done everything they can to protect their relationship and make sure its on their terms.
i also dont think there was any waity katie. i think they both wanted to wait and really establish a foundation before entering the circus. i bet they might have been fine not getting married ever, but they wanted kids, and that means marriage in the royal world.
some people may think that i am naive, but really, i think that this makes the most sense.
Lol those pics are so unflattering- and so perfect for illustrating your view of her hahaha
I do not want to disparage Ms. Middleton in any way, but how is it that a 29 year old does not have any clue as to what charity they are passionate about????? It sounds like she has led a very isolated and sheltered life. I would not categorize this woman as a typical commoner.
I think this post is completely misinterpreting what the royal spokesperson told People. I am very sure they meant Kate will develop her charitable patronages over the years as she learns the ropes, NOT that she won’t do any charity for years. She definitely will as soon as she’s officially a member of the royal family, perhaps starting with William’s causes. Personal patronages will progress later as she finds her feet and delve into causes that not only interest her, but also don’t step into other causes already established within the Royal family.
Who needs Princess Catherine when the world has St. Angie?
Add me to the list of those who don’t get the hate. Hell, I’m not sure I know enough about her yet to even judge her!
And I also agree the comparisons to Diana need to stop. She’s not Diana and Diana wasn’t her and this isn’t 1981. These are two different people in a different time.
That being said, I don’t see what the problem is with easing into this shit. I mean, apparently Diana also had some serious struggles adjusting to and becoming a part of the royal family, for various reasons. I would imagine marrying into one of the most visible and recognized royal families in the world would be an adjustment enough for quite a while!
And I’m not sure I totally believe that it’s going to be YEARS before she does any charitable work. With William already being a patron of many, I see no reason why she wouldn’t do the same once she was ready.
I don’t know. I’m not feeling the hate. Indifference, yes. But not hate.
@Delta Juliet: Took the words right out of my mouth! She may wear her ring, but she is DEFINITELY no Diana Spencer.
I guess, Kaiser, that I am one of the few who agrees with you. How can anyone be surprised that this young woman, who never had a meaningful job (and she’s pushing 30) would all of a sudden hit the ground running and pitch in to help the royal family. Or not know what her interests are. The woman has a university degree, for heavens sake; she can contribute to any charity she wants with her new royal position. She doesn’t have to take on 20 at once; one to start would be nice. I, for one, will not go easy on her. At least I will never run out of excuses as to why she does nothing.
ummmm Years to participate in charities? How hard is it to dress up, show up to a place, smile, and look interested? Didn’t know it took years to do something as simple as that.
By doing something as simple as that, it generates press for charities. I’m sure there are staff who check out the charities to make sure their legit. She could have staff to dress her up, drive her there…. She’s too lazy to even do that?
JulieM – Thanks!
lin234 – Yep. Granted, some charities might want her to, you know, help plan a dinner or something. But many of them just want a royal patron who will show up to a yearly event and make a speech.
I guess I can get the hate. Most people have to work really hard and they are still struggling. Yet, this average-looking woman comes along and snagged a prince. She’s hardly ever worked her whole life. I think we are all just bitter LOL.
Sorry, that’s the end of my rant.
i don’t have any feelings either way about her but there’s no point comparing her to diana. she’s a different person and she hasn’t made up her mind about what to do yet. she has worked before and maybe she’s enjoying being “a princess” so what? what’s wrong with taking time to adjust. it said she’d take months or years to build up her charities- not that it would take her years to do anything with any charity. give her a break.
@kaiser: Will would be by her side and if any speeches would have to be made, Will would get the honor. Even if she did it once a month, she could support 12 charities! Obviously she can dress herself AND walk whiling smiling. It’s not hard to find causes that are non-controversial like any charities that support children, soup kitchen if they are worried about the recession, etc.
I was a huge fan of Diana but she wasn’t a saint. Her staff would prepared things for her to read and she couldn’t be bothered so she would ask them to tell her the basics. Even if you don’t compare her to Diana, I would think supporting charities is one of the most basic and decent thing to do as a royal – you’re taking money from the people so you should give back to the community.
Btw, I don’t think she’s eating carbs at all. Her face bloats unless she doesn’t have an extra ounce on her. Lately her face has been looking thin in pictures.
Hmmm you could take the uber-positive/romatic view of this and say what others have suggested, which is that she is no Diana and should not be expected to become a Diana. And that Wills is a nice enough dude to not push her to fill a role she doesnt really want to fill and that doesnt fit her — eg she does not have to become an imitation-Di.
I know charity work is expected, and community involvement, from authorities. But I think the heavy duty and constant charity work was Diana’s choice? Especially since she really became fully absorbed in it after the marriage was over eg she wasnt necessarily obliged to do so much. She had a huge hole to fill in her life and I think in some way charity work made her feel better and more connected and alive than her empty and lonely royal position could. So I dont know how much of ‘charity worker’ belongs to ‘princess’… they arent one and the same, but Di definitely made them that.
Kate is a different person/princess and she’ll make her own mark…..somehow.
Ditto Kait 110%
Re: Cate’s appearance. The Mail UK online had a segment today about her braces and her “new” smile for the engagement. Check it out – she definitely did not have straight teeth in the pictures here and her new teeth are gorgeous and much whiter.
I think as former colonists of England, we should petition Parliament for a “No Hat Day.”
And feathers. Did Kate endanger a species just to put that ridiculous thing on her head?
Diana was giving her all (except when she was pregnant or being a mommy) front and center, from the very beginning. She even had to leave one of her babies to go on some world tour with Flappy Ears, even though she didn’t want to separate from her infant and was probably suffering from post-partum depression.
I wonder if Kate will (literally) touch people as Diana did. Or get involved in anything meaningful (AIDS, land mines?)
I sense the grave rolling (with all due respect, for I loved Diana) starting to begin now.
So… what yer sayin’ is that Kate and William deserve one another. She’s vapid and he’s so vain and arrogant.
I think first we should remember what happened with Princess Diana. Yes, she may have started right away being patron of this and that. The woman was run ragged, pulled in all directions. And turned kind of whacko and paranoid.
That’s the last thing the royal family or William want for Catherine. Let the two enjoy private married life for a few years. There’s plenty of time for Catherine to get involved as patron of this and that.
I know it’s lame…but I do so love a fairy tale. I like both of them.
I’m sure Diana would be happy that her son found love and is chosing to act cautiously. I doubt she’s be dissapointed in his choice, and the few people who dislike her now will probaby warm up to her when she starts popping out some photo-friendly royal babies.
But honestly, can you even imagine trying to fill Princess Di’s shoes? Impossible
She looks like so many clean cut American girls working in the New York offices of Corporate America. She even dresses like that!
So, she’s 29, and she needs to take a few months to figure out what her interests are and develop them? WTF? Who the hell doesn’t have their interests sorted by that age? I think Kaiser’s right, the only thing in this bitch’s head has been how to get The Ring. Sad.
I agree with you, Kaiser. She does kinda rub me the wrong way. Like she’s gonna be a lot like that other KatE we have. Ya know, the Stepford one who pretends like she’s interesting, but she really isn’t and her only “claim to fame” is her husband.
It just feels wrong. Like there are plenty of other 29-year old self-possessed girls out there who would be so much better at bringing the monarchy into the 21st century. But maybe that’s exactly what they’re trying to avoid!! I don’t get the fascination with it. I find it all very dull.
Kaiser Couldn’t agree with you more on this
I have never liked Kate. I’d be surprised if this marriage lasts.
I never liked Diana either, She used the media to her own advantage. Then cried Wolf, Well know fact she used to tip the media to were she’d be.
She also new about Camilla and Charles as well before she got married.
It will be interesting to see how this pans out.
Debbie
Maybe the royals are afraid her popularity would overshadow William’s (like Diana’s did Charles’) if she became too high profile by doing a lot of charity work. If they keep her low profile, that is not likely to happen, is it? I reckon as long as she acts like a lady and doesn’t do anything scandalous, the royal family will be wetting themselves with delight.
She’s not isolated or lived a sheltered life! She’s a spoiled woman who went to school and decided not to work after and live off her parents money and waited patiently until Windsor boy made up his mind to marry her. She’s plain looking and has no charm (IMO) at 29 she should have had more than enough time to decide what she was going to dedicate herself to especially if she thought she would marry the future king
It’s partly the perception that Kate waited so, so long for the proposal from William that draws ire / fire. She’s not a role model I would choose for my daughter, if I had one – but I wish her best. She’s waited this long for the man – and the life – she wants, and comparisons to Princess Diana will shadow her for the rest of her life.
On a side note, it’s never a good thing for a future princess to display such a prominent sneer on her face instead of a sincere smile. (And she does this alot). I smell a RAT….
I’m with Kaiser on this one. I don’t get why she gets a pass for doing very little for the past nine years other than boning a prince, keeping her mouth shut and waiting for a ring. I’m of the opinion that the least she can do is take on some charities and do some good with her new title. Sure, wait until after the wedding but then get to work. What kind of 29 year old doesn’t have a sense of what charities she’s interested in? If she’s known for the last three years (as I’ve read) that she would one day be the princess of Wales then she’s had ample opportunity to give some thought to public service. I think she’s going to be the ” non-princess.” A total dud in the personality department who gazes adoringly at her husband and breeds heirs. She’s certainly not going to modernize the monarchy by any stretch.
For all those out there complaining that she hasn’t got a job there is huge unemployment in the England at the moment. I’ve seen a recent figure suggesting 50% of graduates can’t find work after leaving university, with it taking on average a year to gain employment. As Katie is “normal” she hasn’t got the secret handshake that will get her immediately into a posh job.
Kate also has the extra disadvantage applying for jobs in that she is a recognisable face with the tabloids chasing her all the time. Unless it’s an advertising agancy they won’t want to know. Her normal life has already been distroyed.
I’m glad that she is going to wait before becoming a figurehead for a 100 charities. I’m going with quality over quantity any day of the week. I’m betting if she supported a charity she’d get her hands dirty. Rather than doing the celebrity thing of getting out of a plane, getting a few photographs and then getting out of there as soon as possible I thinking she’d want to play a more active role.
lindad99, you’re right. My guess is that with all the need out there right now, she is getting thousands of requests for help. If she helps any charity, it will be a huge deal and if she then wants to do something else, it will be seen as a major rejection.
I see her as a cautious personality and wanting to do things right. My guess is that she will work hard and I take issue with anyone who says she did not work. She worked for years at her family’s business. They came from nothing and are now solidly middle class because they worked very hard and worked well. I doubt she was allowed to sit around doing her nails all day.
Also, she is expected to produce royal heirs and more than one. That is part of the job description of marrying heir to the throne. She has a lot to plan for and a lot of protocol to learn. The idea that she is sitting around now doing nothing is ridiculous.
“On a side note, it’s never a good thing for a future princess to display such a prominent sneer on her face instead of a sincere smile.”
Maybe that is just her face…
Haha Jasmin (comment #54) you made me laugh so hard! I’m with you and Kaiser! I smell a big RAT here. Let’s wait a little more and see.
just more coffee mugs i will have to wade thru at yard sales to get to the good shit
the paps will hound her and for that I feel sorry for the girl. I hope there is never a comparison to Dianna. We all know how that ends.