A few days before Christmas, St. James Palace announced the stunning news: Duchess Kate and Prince William would not be spending Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham. This is a BIG deal. If you are a member of the royal family (whether by birth or marriage), you always, always go to Sandringham for Christmas. It is a given. If you have commoner relations, you cannot spend Christmas with them. You are too busy doing ten costume changes at Sandringham with the Queen, who keeps the holidays going on a very strict time-table of events.
So how did Kate and William manage to break the royal pattern? Well, Kate is pregnant and super-barfy, and there were some concerns that A) she shouldn’t even leave London, lest she need emergency care and B) that a woman in her condition really shouldn’t have to adhere to the Queen’s schedule, lest Kate need to spend Christmas with her head in the toilet. The Queen seemed understanding of those concerns, even extending an invitation to Sandringham to Carole and Michael Middleton (but not Kate’s siblings, James and Pippa). But… at the end of the day, William and Kate chose a low-key Middleton Christmas. SHOCKING!
There’s even a photo of Kate and William attending church in Englefield, Berkshire, which is close to the Middleton home. You can see the photo here. That photo is controversial, by the way. Apparently, the palace issued a request to all of the royal correspondents that Will & Kate’s Christmas plans were “private” – but then Reuters and other agencies sent people to Berkshire anyway. Here’s an editorial note from The Mail:
Last week, the Palace sent a note to hand-picked Royal correspondents saying the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wished to spend Christmas privately with the Middleton family, and there would be no photo opportunities with the media.
Duly, the newspapers involved did not send photographers to Bucklebury, where the Royal couple are staying.
However, because some reputable news outlets – including Reuters – did not know of the request, they did send their staff to the village.
And, yesterday, they took pictures of Kate and William as they attended a church service with dozens of members of the public (all of whom could themselves have captured an image of what was a wonderful event).
Police had cleared a space for the Press to stand and even moved away some vehicles to give photographers clear sight of the church.
Yet, last night, the Palace insisted this very public event should remain private, and that none of the pictures be printed – a request we have reluctantly agreed to.
The Mail, of course, wishes the couple a happy and relaxing Christmas.
But we also hope the Palace understands the frustration it has caused by adopting such a baffling and illogical position.
I know it’s super-American of me, but this bitchy editorial note made me laugh. The UK tabloids are bending over backwards to do whatever Will and Kate demand, only the tabs get c—kblocked by more legit news outlets, outlets that the Palace would never publicly berate. Who’s running Will & Kate’s press office these days? Because they’re doing an awful job.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry celebrated Christmas at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. Well wishes to all of the servicemen and servicewomen serving abroad!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Is Pippa really slightly crosseyed or is that just the angle of that particular picture?
In the photos of her at church with her family and William, she really looks awful-so I’m guessing she still feels really sick. I think it’s great she got to spend a low key day at home rather than having to dress up multiple times and be formal at Sandringham.
…or maybe that’s just the way Kate looks without her hair and makeup people around to work their magic?
No-her hair actually looks good. She looks like she feels barfy.
No, that’s what people look like when they’re trying really, really hard not to even think about how much they’re puking.
Right. Because you can tell exactly how someone feels by looking at one photograph. What talent you have.
Actually I think you can, Emmie, if you’ve ever had appalling and sustained nausea. There were a series of pics on the Mail in UK am time, now removed, and in all she has a set to her mouth that looks like she has a horrible taste in it, and her jaw sort of tightened. She also looks very tired and fed up, and while that wouldn’t tell you much with someone random, given her recent situation I don’t think that’s a massive stretch. Huge bags under her eyes as well, and her skin looks grey and like paper, even with the endless slap she always wears. She really did look bloody terrible, HG or just severe morning sickness, she still looked bad.
Yes because you or I would look fantastic with hyperemesis gravidarum…pale and sick from such severe morning sickness but that’s it. Nothing to do with ‘magic’ as you put it…what a rude, thoughtless thing to say.
Saw pictures of the royals at Sandringham. That was a happy bunch that didn’t seem to miss the drama that surrounds Waity & William.
I find it highly ironic that the narrative is that poor widdle Kate would have been forced to play dress up and go to church with the royals, when that is the exact thing she did with her family. If Kate was truly too sick to attend services or do the walkabout, then she should have stayed at home in bed.
If 90-year-old Philip can brave Sandringham then there’s no reason a woman with selective HG couldn’t. She looks more pathetic every single day.
Sometimes I wonder whether Carole had a hand in all of this. She wants her precious little snowflake to have a rest because she’s currently incubating the Messiah aka their meal ticket to the top of English society. I’ve never seen a bunch of RF in-laws make such a fuss since… well, never!
So much hate and carping at Kate! Personally, when I was pregnant and experiencing severe morning sickness over the holidays, I wanted to be close to my family where I wouldn’t feel bad if I had to dash out of meals to puke or if I just didn’t want to join meals. She’s entitled to that and I’m sure her husband and the Queen are more understanding than you mean spirited lot!
To be fair, going to church with the family was never the issue. It’s the 10 different behind the scenes events that the queen requires everyone to attend, with a different outfit each time.
I’m sure Phillip got to take it easy as qe2 always seems to have different standards for him.
Phillip is 90 years old & QEII’s husband. Of course, they are going to have different standards for him.
As Kate is carrying the next generation of the monarchy, I’m sure she wouldn’t be expected to do more than the church stroll, which is what she did with her own family. She could have rested at Sandringham if she wanted to. William wanted to make a statement and he did. Now, the public is making theirs.
I am sure they all have servants/valets to lay out their clothing and accessories for the changes and to pick up the worn ones. I can’t imagine they lift a finger to do anything. I don’t see the big deal on this score. All they have to do is show up and look pretty.
This is a reply to Hmmm:
During the royal Christmas holiday the family takes pride in making their own beds and basically taking care of themselves. It was one of the things that Diana hated; she didn’t want to make her own bed, etc. and was pretty much done with it. Duchess Duckface probably feels the same way.
She looks almost miserable in the picture of her attending church.
Its not too shocking…the Queen has always let Will do whatever the hell he wants. I kind of like how he is determined to lead his own life and not have every aspect of his family run by protocol tho.
Kate better enjoy the power she has while she’s bearing the royal progeny as soon as she spits out the required two kids she’ll be towing in line or be shown the door ‘kindly’ just like Di and Fergie.
Oh good! I was hoping this would get coverage here!
I’ve decided on a theory around the palace request to respect the Cambridge’s ‘privacy’ – I think they didn’t want dueling Xmas narratives in the press. This was SUCH a break with tradition – I can only guess at the behind closed doors goings on.
When I read the Fail this morning, the Comment about the palace request was posted as a stand alone story which invited reader feedback. The most popular were along the lines of ‘Will is not a private citizen and if he wants to be one he should step down’. No wonder they then lumped the bit into the broader story about the Queen’s day.
That sounds more like the wheels are coming off the bus. They’re starting to push back. You can’t control the media Willy.
On a brighter note: It’s almost January!
Yea the gloves are gonna come off and he’ll finally stop being babied and treated with kid gloves.
yes, i hope the press starts to treat him like the spoilt Prince he is. He was lucky with the “poor Dianas son”- factor long enough.
Now he is a man and has to accept his duties. All he can do is moan about his “hard” life and tha bad press. I hope he´ll never become King, he is the wrong man for this role.
The boring,whiney Kate and William are beginning to really bug me. If they don’t like all of the attention, then Will should give up his rights to the throne. Let The charismatic fun loving Harry be king.
Williams needs to realise that HE NEEDS MEDIA for his survival and not the other way around. British citizens pay for their lifestyle and they have a right to see them or know where they are and what they are doing, if rest of the world is publishing theses photos then there is no way british press should be censored. He will regret his behaviour, postive press is ALL they have, they lose them they lose everything. I don’t mind then spending Christmas with Middleton family but censoring british press when thethe photos have been taken legally and published by worlds media is not right, but I did feel sorry for Charles he didn’t have any of his children on Christmas.
I like Pippa’s dress- at least I like the color– but I cant see the whole thing. The color is flattering for her- lightens her up 🙂
“But we also hope the (fill in the blank) understands the frustration it has caused by adopting such a baffling and illogical position.”
I sending this to every government head in the world.
The tradition of spending Christmas at Sandringham might be very silly but it’s one that has been kept for a long time. It’s all about the Queen being able to spend time with her family. Of course, everyone there would like to spend time with their own in-laws but they respect the tradition so they enjoy Christmas with the Queen.
It’s RUDE for these two twits to f**k with that, esp. when this might be Philip’s last Christmas EVER. Then again this is the same couple who skipped the Queen Mother’s memorial to go skiing. They aren’t very dutiful. But entitled, spoiled brats? Definitely.
Bingo! It’s about respect. There are traditions to be upheld in every family. You pull up your big girl panties and deal with them.
You’re exactly right. I don’t care how much of pain in the ass it is to hang out with the Queen. It’s their duty and Kate is whiny and she whined her way out of it. That was disrespectful. Seriously. I’m sure they have a perfectly good toilet at Sandgringham.
The royal family are all evil as hell.
Off their rockers, maybe, but not evil.
Why are they evil?
YOO HOO!!!!!! LAK!!
She’s so good at this press business.
I think it’s great they could have a low key Christmas. Somehow, thinking of the formalities of Sandringham and Michael Middleton in fancy dress, I’d pick the Middletons too.
The Daily Mail spoof of Christmas at the Middletons’ says it all I think 😉
My guess is that Kate is really sick and will remain so for a long time- quite possibly for the whole pregnancy. Hyperemesis is serious and debilitating. Trying to look cheerful while trying to avoid tossing your cookies is quite a challenge. Not good for Christmas with the Queen, who most likely realized the color of upchuck would clash with everything and so didn’t push. Really, there’s a reason for the hyper in the word hyperemesis. All day and night, people.
I can’t believe how hated she is, and for what? By all accounts, she is legitimately ill. My aunt determined 15 years ago that Christmases would be held at her place, which is eight hours away. My parents choose to go but I say screw that crap. Why should one family hog Christmas? Let Kate spend it with hers every other year.
On the hand you are absolutely right but on the other, these two days are the only days HM demands from ALL her family. The rest of the year, they can do what ever they want with whom ever they wish to do it with.
This has gone down badly because William has spent every holiday and spare moment and several vacations since last christmas with the middletons which has not gone unnoticed.
He is not being protected by the press to degree he was before the wedding, which was his official coming out party. Sort of. People don’t like what they see.
tmbg, is that you? If so, you know me well in our “real” lives…if the name Quinn–and Diana!– ring bells. If not, sorry!
If so, lovely to see you here, my friend! <3
If it’s ‘all day and all night’ then why was she up and about attending mass, not to mention attending lunch twice in a row and handing out awards? Shouldn’t she be strapped to a bed resting, as some ladies here have previously underlined the seriousness of HG? The fact that she is capable of walking around looking under the weather but not seriously incapacitated (as we are led to believe by the media) tells me that she does NOT have HG and the Palace have simply overplayed the sympathy card.
It seems like she has selective morning sickness. She isn’t sick when she gets to get dressed up and hand out awards but she is sick when she has to hang out with her in-laws.
I was really lucky, because mine cleared up at about 14 weeks, but those weeks I would no more have gone out for anything I didn’t absolutely have to than fly. I wanted to die. I’m ashamed to admit this, because I wanted a baby so badly and I love my son more than anything, but I was actually fantasising about an abortion, just so it stopped (at that stage I was being warned that it could last the whole pregnancy, as it had with my mothers’). It was that horrible. And my doctor told me some women did terminate, because it’s so nasty they couldn’t cope.
I do think she’s ill. She looks bloody awful in the photos. But honestly, if she was really as bad as all that, she’d not have gone to church, no. Nobody could have blamed her for staying at home on the sofa in her pyjamas. And I’d have been so scared I could have barfed in church.
Having said that, someone lower down said she had periods of being relatively symptom free. And she craved fat, where it was my kryptonite. So I suppose it can vary?
Oh goody…the Royal hater’s hating on boxing day! So much for the Christmas spirit and all that.
Hating haters hating is so overrated.
Wills comes across as petulant and ungracious. He should just let things slide and get a life (or his own planet).
How arrogant of Wills to suggest that photos of him and the missus leaving church are somehow ‘private’. Seems pretty public to me. I can understand his anger with long-lenses photographing his wife’s tits on what they thought was a private balcony, but there is no way a church is not a public place. Yeah, I know he hates he press because of what he believes they did to his mother, but his arrogance is going too far.
The DM is very rudely, but politely, pointing out that WK requested privacy from ONLY A FEW media outlets in Britain, rather than a blanket ban.
DM had the pictures up most of the day and had to pull them down in the evening to be replaced by a note saying WK had requested privacy.
The fact that they went on to publish a bitchy comment outlining the selective case of privacy from favoured papers rather than a blanket ban is serving notice to WK. And they are doing it under the guise of concern trolling or being ‘baffled’ by WK.
Ps:- the pictures in question were exclusives from Middletons’ personal pap photographer’s agency.
If WK piss off a royalist paper like DM, as they look to have done,they will lose the media protection they have enjoyed because DM will start to print the truth about them which will be more damaging than the revelations of their parents because people will come to know just how useless they are.
And pointing out how useless they are is the last thing a public opinion dependant monarchy needs or wants.
But who asked for the ban? Buckingham or Kensington? I see differing motivations.
Definitely Kensington (SJP). Buckingham is never this sloppy.
The same pap who was hinting at the pregnancy days/weeks before the hospitalization. Is William gullible, being used, or is just that hypocritical? I can’t decide. All I know is this: William & Kate are the future King & Queen Consort of England and as such…public appearances are a rule of thumb. Like others on the DM have said, don’t want the job, then drop out, abdicate.
I speculated on another board that those loyal to QEII are going to allow William enough room to truly mess up before he’s reigned back in.
Yep. Same pap.
I can’t decide if William is just being wilfully or genuinely obtuse. The man is trying to control the press, but has a wife with paps on speed dial!!!
I agree. If even a sycophantic, pro-Royal, little-Englander ‘news’paper like the DM is getting sick of Kate and Wills, that really doesn’t look good for them. And if you scroll through the comments, they’re all pretty negative too. Seems like even those who might be expected to favour the ‘royals’ have had enough of Will’s petulance and Waity’s laziness.
Correct me if I’m wrong but Kate said in her engagement interview that she didn’t care what people thought of her. Thus same goes for those who get offended with people who are negative about her. Either way, Kate just does not care what we think. She is lazy and has not/will not do a days work in her life and she just doesn’t care that the vast majority of people think this is unacceptable. She may pull a PR move once and then but overall she doesn’t care as we can all see.
So unless there is a major revolution by an entire Kingdom running down BP with flames and torches (exaggerating here I know) screaming this has to stop and thus QEII reacts with a “ruh-oh!”, nothing will change much, and meanwhile I stupid citizen shall keep FUNDING with taxes this overpaid, over-pampered non sense called “young royalty” who looks upon us like peasants.
This is what happens when we put one human being above another one.
Perfectly stated!
True Ms Kay. So True.
However, it’s not hopeless.
If Diana’s funeral showed the Queen and rest of that generation of royals, the media can mobilise a mob in less than a week.
@ LAK
Indeed I remember when Lady Di died the media and people gave The Queen a royal side eye. At I still wonder if it was genuine when she bowed as the coffin drove by…
However I sometimes believe it’s a shame that only after someone died that The Queen gave her somewhat praise through that speech. Not that Lady Di was a saint, she was a grand canyon cry from but oh well the Royal family also had their share of responsibility bad events wise, and it took her death for everyone to react somehow… Eh. Anyway one forget that media can make and/or destroy someone image, so WK better be careful as they think they’re above it all.
Honestly I sometimes wonder who is best qualified for the throne succession…
Ms Kay,
That’s the unspoken truth about the Queen. We love her, respect her yadayadayada but the truth is she doesn’t do anything unless forced to do so by some sort of crisis.
I am an American. However, I love the Queen. Long live the Queen! I also like Prince Charles. Princess Anne is tireless public servant. Prince Andrew: I blow hot and cold on him. I’m not so sure about Prince Edward (what he does and whether or not I view him favorably).
I wanted to say that before I said this: I think William, particularly, and Kate have lived too much in a certain and deferential type world. It’s a world where they really have a skewed sense of importance. Of course, some of that would happen but, IMO, given the political-economy and how quickly wealth has been amassed by “common folk”, who really needs the royals? What type of influence do they really wield–in a modern world? This is William has failed to realize. He doesn’t understand just how precarious his role is. People think that the monarchy will be lost under Charles. I say that if it is to be lost that it will happen under William’s regime/reign.
I think the older generations know and realize how the bread is buttered. They have also tried to find a place for themselves in the world. Prince Charles has his Trust and other pet projects and love. Anne has the world of service and her equestrian past. Edward tried media. Andrew went the route of military and now he is some sort of buisness ambassador to Britan.
In a modern age and world (England has ushered in so many of those. Here I am thinking of Elizabeth I), not many people have sympathy or are sitting in awe of priviledged 30-year olds who feel sorry for themselves, who feels that s/he hit the jackpot with their marriage, and/or who fail to make a contribution to the world.
W/K need to get it together.
Dena! Perfect! I do have a soft spot for Harry, Eug, and Bea. They have kind hearts and good understandings of the positions they’re in. They’re busy, self aware, and roll with the punches.
William doesn’t seem interested in being a royal in any laboring capacity.
An as an American. I respect the Queen and will put her up there with the women I admire most
Yuck, Kate really isn’t feeling that well. In the Christmas church pictures she’s looking pretty rough.
Can someone please explain in this day and age why a “royal family” that drains the resources of a country is in any way, shape or form necessary?
They aren’t necessary. They’re figureheads.
The Queen stands as head of state but has no real power, and those powers she has can easily be overturned by parliament. The Queen has no decisions regarding for example the War. She did not stop the banking crisis, though she did ask the question which every one else did as well, but it makes headlines when The Queen asks.
Indeed like the previous poster said, the royalty are figure heads.
The constitutional argument is that you need a President or a monarch in charge of the military and the courts, so that the legislature (Parliament, in our case) don’t control them. It stops power being centralised in one set of hands, basically. That’s why France, Ireland, the US and so many other countries have a President as well as the equivalent of a Prime Minister – they get to represent/embody the nation overseas, and safeguard against a coup at home.
The problem is that when you have a constitutional monarch, the legislature have all the power anyway. So whatever the legal pretence, our Prime Minister is in charge of the lot. The Queen can only offer opinions and try to influence. A President usually has some actual power, too. So even without getting into the insanity of birth deciding who is head of state, and their being in that role for life, it’s less effective in doing what it says on the tin. (Though, admittedly, if you can get them to be politically neutral they’re better at uniting the country – you only have to look at the US culture wars to see that.)
Basically we have an expensive and snobbish way of weakening a constitutional safeguard.
My theory is that they are a distraction for the masses.
How is the country doing about poverty and unemployment?
Oh look everybody at these useless people, they are spending the holdays with the brides’ family.
How is England helping the sick and disabled?
Kate just wore this dress. Please discuss that.
Is there any misappropriation by powerful people of public funds?
Did you see what she did with her hair?
and what do you about her makeup?
Aren’t they so cute together as a couple?
Mimi I’m sure this wasn’t the intent, but rather a side effect of W&K being disrespectful to their country.
Side note..
Didn’t Kate blow off her pledge to participate in that homeless sleep on the streets charity event?
Good questions about HG.
I can only relate my experience, which lasted 8 of my 9 months of pregnancy. I would be terribly ill in cycles. Either 48 hours or 72 hours. By that I mean I had to lay flat, perfectly still in a bed and NOT MOVE. If I turned my head left, I threw up. If I turned my head right, I threw up. If I rolled on my side, I threw up. Getting up to pee took an hour, because every two steps ( I counted ), I threw up. And, on top of that, I just randomly threw up about every ten minutes for the duration of the 48 or 72 hours. I had puke bowls on each corner of my bed. I equated HG to the worst, never ending seasickness you could imagine times a billion.
But, after the 48/72 hour cycle, I was okay. No throwing up. How long that lasted was variable, but never more than two days. I could get up, shower, walk around. Always in fear of the next puke cycle. I could eat a little. All my body wanted was FAT. Fried food, ice cream. I lost 15 pounds and broke a rib puking so much. It was so awful, there is not a word to describe it. I would gladly have died a couple of times to stop the constant, constant every ten minute puking. No meds in those days were allowed pregnant moms.
But on the one or two day reprieve, I could get to the doctor or do the absolute necessities. Getting dressed was awful, standing up straight was awful.
My advice if you have HG? Drink Hawaiin punch. It tastes the same going down as coming up ( only it is warm coming back up). You get so exhausted from the horrible taste of bile.
I had a nurse come in to change my IV every other day, and that was it. I could not eat, could not take vitamins.
So, yeah I could make it to church if it was a non puke day. But it would be horrific. And exhausting. And hard. Once your body goes down with the puking, it all starts again. It. Is. Hell.
The baby was healthy and fine. I could not breast feed either:(. He never had illness, or ear infections, or any health troubles, thank goodness. I was terrified of what would happen to the baby the whole time I puked. But, thank you God, he is awesome. 17 and a junior in college. Has his own little company, a lovely girlfriend, a good life. I would do it all again for him in a heartbeat.
But HG is NOT cakewalk. And I did get a tiny reprieve of non puke days. But nothing made me feel human again until the baby was born.
I love hearing stories about true love, and how fitting for this season. Your detailing is exceptional, and I thank you for that; it gave a real sense of what HG can be like. I’m so glad it all ended beautifully.
But, the thing is – could you plan the non-puking days? That’s my issue with Waity. I understand and believe everyone who has had HG in that there will be days when you are capable of going out or doing things, I just think it’s all bull*hit for Waity, because she seems to be able to schedule in which days she is sick and which she is well – fancy sports gala award show, holiday lunch with 27 staffers, Christmas…it all just seems like such a convenient excuse for her.
If she had been really busy, hardworking, etc., before getting pregnant and then needed time off, I’m sure she wouldn’t be getting slagged off so badly…at least, not by me!
W&K are victims for life fighting an uphill battle. Kate all along was going to have a hard pregnancy so other women would show sympathy and solidarity. William is a victim in the sense that No one will leave him alone to just live the life he wants. He is after all Diana’s 1st son and therefore can do no wrong.
We all know how this will play out. In the end Kate will endure 2 pregnancies and William will divorce her. I can’t dislike Kate here. She’s only living for William it seems. Her actions are a direct reflection of William. Not her. She is however not putting up a fight.
And HC Punch is awesome if you’re going to throw up!
Good questions about HG.
I can only relate my experience, which lasted 8 of my 9 months of pregnancy. I would be terribly ill in cycles. Either 48 hours or 72 hours. By that I mean I had to lay flat, perfectly still in a bed and NOT MOVE. If I turned my head left, I threw up. If I turned my head right, I threw up. If I rolled on my side, I threw up. Getting up to pee took an hour, because every two steps ( I counted ), I threw up. And, on top of that, I just randomly threw up about every ten minutes for the duration of the 48 or 72 hours. I had puke bowls on each corner of my bed. I equated HG to the worst, never ending seasickness you could imagine times a billion.
But, after the 48/72 hour cycle, I was okay. No throwing up. How long that lasted was variable, but never more than two days. I could get up, shower, walk around. Always in fear of the next puke cycle. I could eat a little. All my body wanted was FAT. Fried food, ice cream. I lost 15 pounds and broke a rib puking so much. It was so awful, there is not a word to describe it. I would gladly have died a couple of times to stop the constant, constant every ten minute puking. No meds in those days were allowed pregnant moms.
But on the one or two day reprieve, I could get to the doctor or do the absolute necessities. Getting dressed was awful, standing up straight was awful.
My advice if you have HG? Drink Hawaiin punch. It tastes the same going down as coming up ( only it is warm coming back up). You get so exhausted from the horrible taste of bile.
I had a nurse come in to change my IV every other day, and that was it. I could not eat, could not take vitamins.
So, yeah I could make it to church if it was a non puke day. But it would be horrific. And exhausting. And hard. Once your body goes down with the puking, it all starts again. It. Is. Unreal. And. Awful.
The baby was healthy and fine. I could not breast feed either:(. He never had illness, or ear infections, or any health troubles, thank goodness. I was terrified of what would happen to the baby the whole time I puked. But, thank you God, he is awesome. 17 and a junior in college. Has his own little company, a lovely girlfriend, a good life. I would do it all again for him in a heartbeat.
But HG is NOT cakewalk. And I did get a tiny reprieve of non puke days. But nothing made me feel human again until the baby was born.
Oh you poor dearie, thank you for sharing a horrific experience. Least you have a healthy boy now!
In addition to the illnes, Kate would have had to bow to just about everyone there.
you people are just jealous lot. you’ll find anything to discredit kate. so what’s wrong if she spend christmas at her parent’s, that’s what everybody do.
dont forget she is ill. i bet if you were in her position, you wont expect to have christmas with grandmama.
Did you just drop the J word? You are kidding right?
We UK citizen PAY for Mrs Idle fancy lifestyle via tax, so therefore we have a right to comment on how this money is used. We are in a deep recession and Duchess Do-Little is rubbing it on our faces what she is doing with that money, and she stated she does not care what people think. So meanwhile we must work to maintain her high maintenance lifestyle. That she was back then Kate Middleton living off her parents money is one thing as clearly it had nothing to do with the public as she was a private citizen, but now it is a concern as we are paying for that addition to the Royal Family.
And no it is hard to forget she is “ill”. It was never HG, just either a bad oyster or most likely a norovirus. God knows because of the bad press she got between skipping Olympics duties to fly off to France for vacations instead, TittyGate and more vacations, they had to announce the pregnancy so early with a HG excuse to gain sympathy, they could have said she had norovirus and allow the world to speculate whatever they wanted. Might have saved the life of a nurse in the process (bitchy I know but honestly even if she already suffered from depression to start with, that unfortunate hospital admission, call prank and blame certainly was the final straw). Point is HG is a serious condition and you don’t step out with 10 centimetres heels and fancy dress to attend a sports awards show nor even less attend a staff dinner given that the food and other booze smell would get you nauseous right away.
No Ma’am she may go and spend Christmas and use illness to get her way but people aren’t dupe.
Jealous much?
Lol, I always love it when people say that their taxes, their backbreaking labor, is whats putting that coat on the back of a royal. When really, the royals are pretty rich to begin with and well, you guys have NHS, and other handouts to the more needy, I am sure your taxes are going there, for your healthcare and your roads and your kids schooling, if anything, even if its paying for royal security, its keeping security in jobs…those guys need a job and a paycheck too and no doubt, they pay taxes for your kid to go to school and for your neighbor to get breast implants on the NHS.
*SMH* its only in the UK you hear these kinds of rants, next you will be on to whinging about immigrants too and how all those folks are stealing good jobs that you wouldn’t want to do anyway! Lol
Bless, and the poor tiny tittayed Kate couldn’t even sunbathe in peace without the whoring media hounding her with the most expensive telescopic lens to feed the ever festering need of the trash reading british public!
@Lishka, yes, because UK citizens are the only citizens to ever complain about paying taxes.
sure the british royals are rich, but i’m not sure how liquid their wealth is. and lets not forget how they got rich in the first place – centuries of pillaging, exploiting, stealing, taxing, etc. if they’re so rich, then perhaps they should pay for their own expenses – such as paying for will & kate’s kensington apartment refurbishment (the apartment that belong to an independent charity and the charity had to give up their office when the royals “intervened” so that wk could get the apartment).
@ Lishka
Please I do know what I’m paying for. And yes I rather have my taxes going to pay school teachers, fix roads and other healthcare and other useful thing for development rather than some part of that money going into the pockets of two people who do nothing but have what a right birth? And yes part of that money is paying their lifestyle. As for royal security jobs, um they’re not that well paid either, for people who’d put their lives at risk to save the RF. Now there is a difference.
And before you go chanting on about immigrants, I happen to be one and could go on on about The Queen diamonds she got from African slaves who died in mines and other pillages. I know my story but I shall stick to the Kate subject for now so please before think you talk. There is struggle *everywhere* now don’t single out the UK on that matter to make your point.
Could William not go by himself? The Sandringham trip sounds almost like a royal duty and he’s not the one who’s allegedly not feeling well. Also, the Queen didn’t back out of events when Prince Philip was hospitalized.
It’s not a surprise that William and Waity spent Christmas with her parents. What do you expect they spend their holidays and every time they go out with her family so what’s the SHOCK ??????????????
They should give her a new title cry baby waity Katie
Which christmas get together do you reckon would be more laid back and fun? I’m guessing a “commoner” one would be more fun…right? I think they had a right to choose to spend their christmas not knee deep in all that stiff upper lip stuffiness of all things royal.
Lishka, they have every right to drop out of royal life. They’re doing it, effectively. What they don’t have a right to is all the money and perks, while not doing the duties.
It’s that simple.
She didnt attend because she is sick, the press release said that the decision was made before she even knew she was pregant.
Why is it that they think that they can skip when other royals like Beatrice and Eugenie are forced to be away from their mother? They should be the last people allowed to skip, this is only Kates second Christmas as a royal and she hasnt earned that right yet. Plus, she was well enough to be able to go to church with the Midds so obviously she could have gone with the royals. They didnt say that she skipped because she was ill, she skipped because she wanted to. Actually, William had them skip, we all know it was his idea and Kate has no backbone so she wouldnt object.
Of course it would probably be more relaxing and enjoyable to spend Christmas with Kate’s parents… but that isn’t the point. I don’t doubt that Kate is not feeling well. As I’ve posted before, I think her HG diagnosis came much earlier than that diagnoses is usually made. A few days of nasty puking/nausea… and the need for fluids (and possibly medication) doesn’t immediately mean HG. But… whatever. I think she probably has morning sickness that has, at times, been quite nasty. So, some days she feels crappy, but manages an appearance… other days, maybe she is much worse off. Either way though, I think the RF would have been accommodating, and Kate wouldn’t have been forced to participate all day if she wasn’t feeling well.
Actually, the more I think about it, this was probably a time where Kate and Will shouldn’t have opted out… rather done their ‘duty’ and spent Christmas with the Queen. They could have been viewed as doing the proper thing, and still could have opted out of much of the celebrations, if need be. If Kate was too sick to go out and about at all.. then I get it. But if she managed to go out to church, possibly not feeling well, but still able to go… then she could have managed the same with the RF. They just chose not to.
This is much clearer.
uk.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20121125/reg_634.will.kate.ls.122512.jpg
She doesn’t look well. Poor thing.
Whether you support the Monarchy or not, you wouldn’t wish nausea 24/7 for months on anyone.
Like everyone else, I had doubts about the extent of Kate’s illness… but after viewing just a handful of pictures from yesterday, I’m certain the royal family is telling the truth this time.
There is no way to fake the signs she’s showing (sunken-in eyes, colorless hands and face, scarf loosened just-so to stay warm without setting off her nausea again, etc.)… in fact, she’s clearly trying desperately to look *less* sick.
I’m not a big WK fan, but I admit she looks like she feels terrible in the photo. It looks like she burst some blood vessels under her eyes, a sign of violent puking. Maybe that’s why they didn’t want pictures taken?
uk.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20121125/reg_634.will.kate.ls.122512.jpg
I suspect a good deal of England’s dollars come from tourism, much of which is related to its royalty and royal past. (compare and contrast to say, practical modern Germany). The Monarchy, with its many quirks and entitlements, are most likely a significant portion of the GNP. I suspect there’s more of a mutual win for the British public than they may feel comfortable with. I understand the frustration, the feeling that the royal family has too many people on the “list” etc, but I dont think it’s going to disappaear any time soon.
I’m not a William fan, but it is possible that he and Kate are operating from the idea that it may be 30 years before he rules and that he should be approaching things differently. Not that I agree with his choices and Kate needs to keep her top on, but his father spent a good deal of his early “prince” years looking fairly useless until he embraced his projects. And most of them were mocked severely at first.
Actually our largest earner is finance, which accounts for around 15% of GDP, with manufacturing second at around 11%. We’re up there with Tokyo and New York as one of the main three international financial centres. London handled 38% of all international currency transactions last year, for example. That’s pretty modern, really – Germany’s big earner is manufacturing. Tourism, on the other hand, was only 6.7% of overall GDP last year. It does provide lots of jobs, but that’s deceptive, because most such jobs are unskilled/lowpaid, seasonal, and ad hoc (so “at will” positions, where you work the hours you’re wanted, and no more/less). It’s definitely helpful but hardly a mainstay of our economy.
I think there’s a risk in seeing how a nation markets itself to foreign tourists, and assuming that reflects the reality. A village near us – Bibury – is so famously beautiful that they have signs up in Japanese over the summer. Yet most British people have never heard of it and would never visit in a million years. It’s a small rural village, made up of old cottages in Cotswold stone, whereas almost all Brits live in cities and towns, in relatively modern homes. Similarly, most Brits think of New Orleans and think it’s all French Quarter houses. The reality of a major modern metropolis isn’t the marketing image presented to us.
Heritage definitely sells overseas, but you do have to wonder if we’d see less tourists if they were allowed to look all over Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle rather than some selected rooms for some of the year. And the military pageantry could work just as effectively with an elected President as well.
I’m torn on a monarchy as it does have some uses, too. But I think the tourism argument is overplayed. There’s no shortage of visitors to Versailles, after all. And people don’t seem disinterested in the Winter Palace without any Romanovs in residence.
i’ve been to the uk plenty of time and i have family and friends there, but i never met anyone who traveled there with the sole purpose of hoping to meet of someone from the royal family? to see buckingham palace or other royal sites? sure. but people also visit versailles in france or neuschwanstein in germany. so even without the royal family, i’m sure britian will still be bringing in the tourist money.
Sorry, didnt meant to imply it’s all tourism (I work in finance so I’m familiar with the UK’s role!) and my Germany reference was perhaps more the perception of Germany here in the states…
I dont think most people travel to the UK to see royals but I do think they’re part of the pull…and the pageantry a semi-regular reminder of what’s “special” about Britain.
What they could of done was combine both families..
If W/K get things in order then they will be in for a rude awakening.. The people of UK pays their bills which means there are obligations that needs to be filled…
If they continue down this path I see nothing good from this
What they could of done was combine both families for the holidays
If W/K get things in order then they will be in for a rude awakening.. The tradition has been with the royalty for decades and K knew there were obligations before hand which means those obligations are to be filled…
If they continue down this path I see nothing good from this
If HG has a strong hereditary link, it’s amazing Carole Middleton had three.
My mom had three kids and never threw up once, but I had HG quite severely and never want another child after one. They say it is hereditary but I am the only one who has had it in my family so far. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone and hope my sisters never get it.
She is pregnant and should be relaxed, calm and happy.
That means spending the holdays with her family rather with the dysfunctional group of people who do nothing for a living and live off the tax-payers of England.
I am sure no one would make her the target of snotty comments coming off people who never worked a day in their lives and got their “academics” thanks to connections rather than brains.
I’m sure her husband enjoyed his time with her family, more than with his.
william belongs to the same family and is described exactly like you described rf and kate was desperate to be a part of them and nothing more then a glorified wag . also everybody in that family works way more and harder then these two useless spoiled entitled brats and if being part of rf is so hard for them or if they are so better then them or don’t need them ,then they should do themselves and others a favor and abdicate . the rf will be just fine .
Of course he did. There’s a big difference between duty and respect. And also applies to his father Charles aka douchebag. Hey Chuck; do you still have three butlers to help you brush your teeth? ( esp in this world recession).
ha! I’ve been saying for years Kate is a plain-jane, Kate is just a plain looking girl, she always has been. She is a average looking girl, nothing really special,except that she managed to get IN the sheets with a naive inexperienced Prince just out of his teens, who had not seen many girls naked before. This girl is a over-hyped plain jane, that’s another reason she always had all that hair(extensions added) flowing. She’s average at best,both she and Pippa.
Now for the social indications of the Middleton’s verses Windsor Christmas outing. It is soooooooooooooo glaringly “obvious” that there is no love for Kate from the Royal household, the Queen is not kissing Kate’s but!!! and neither are the other Royals. IMO it’s obvious that Kate does not feel comfortable around the Royal women. I don’t think Kate likes anyone really, except her Mother(and her family, she has no real friends except people who were always William’s friend first) and I don’t think the Queen, Pss Eugenie,Beatrice,Pss Anne care much for Kate or they don’t give her special treatment and it bother’s her, because her mother and the press are so use to kissing her skinny rear.
If the press and some Kate fans still want to believe that everything is moonlight and roses between(the Middletons) William-Kate and the Royals then they must be blind.
Much of this Christmas arrangement of having Pr.William stay with the Middleton’s and then make a big show of it in the press was all about ‘CAROLE’ Mama Midds NOT being invited to Sandringham for Xmas with the Queen,imo.
The Queen told PW ‘NO’ when approached about the Middleton’s joining the Queen’s Royal Christmas at Sandringham and imo CAROLE moved her little finger of spite and asked her puppet William to stay with the Middleton’s instead. Carole is trying to show the Queen that “I have your Grandson, the future King, by the balls and he will do Mama Middleton’s decides!” This is going to get interesting after the baby, so please pay close attention. Carole did not push Kate into William’s dorm bed to be a sideshow to the Royals, so get ready for more fireworks.
too much fantasy in your story.
william and kate just two person who fall in love and finally decide to get married. all they want is a normal life. i know he’s a prince, a future king and whatnot, but first of all he’s william windsor and marry to catherine windsor nee middleton.
yeah a normal life with 10 vacations, no work, mansions, palaces, servants all paid by tax payers plus all the other perks of being a royal,ohi also wish to be as normal as they are.
Many clear messages were sent by the Queen during these Christmas outings. In Countess Sophie’s first years as a new bride, Pr. Edward’s wife, the Queen had her ride to Christmas in the car with her in the past it was to show that the new Royal wife was accepted(and because the UK Press gave Sophie a hard time about being a Commoner the Queen wanted to show that she was definately liked and part of the Royal Family not just only in marrigage but geuinely, liked, etc and this year a clear message was sent when she had Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice ride in the car with her. (Kate can’t stand these two Princesses, especially after the Queen told Kate she had to curtsy to them and they outrank her being born Princesses and Beatrice and Eugenie remember Kate from her years of club outings, she was never nice to them and even made one of the Princesses cry with some mean girl treatment at a club party. A lot of stuff went down behind the scenes with Kate and various royal ladies over the years and they are not going to suddenly like her, no matter what title William bestows upon her through marriage.) The Queen said in 2007 when William went back to Kate, it will end in tears. It may take years, but I believe it will. Kate wants to be a Duchess who forms her own Court with her own family the Middleton’s, but Royalty doesn’t work that way, Kate is going to eventually have to suck it up and go live within the Royal fold, running home to mummie will not be an option after awhile the Royal handler’s will tell her divorce is an option if she doesn’t like life with the Royals.
TELEGRAPH: Says Kate is fully recovered from HG.
…Quote: Thursday Dec.27, 2012-*TELEGRAPH
the Duchess, now thought to be three months pregnant, suggests she is fully recovered from her bout of extreme morning sickness. TELEGRAPH:
Quote:……………………………
William was 15 when his mother died, right? I do not think he was unconscious about what went on regarding his grandparents’ behaviors at that time. In particular, their failure to return to Buckingham Palace for 5 days after the death.
In addition, there have been several books published since that have revealed the reticense of The Queen regarding planning any kind of a royal funeral for Diana. Tony Blair had to take it upon himself to “make suggestions”. And Charles had the decency at least to go over to France and claim her body. These same books make it clear The Queen felt that since Diana “was no longer a royal” that everything regarding her death and funeral should be handled privately by her family.
And last but certainly not least, does anyone really think William has forgotten who stripped his beloved mother of the Her Royal Highness title?
I surely think William loves his granny. But I don’t necessarily think he’s going to lead his life “her way”.
And neither William nor Charles is going to “abdicate” – which one can’t do unless and until one is actually king or queen, by the way.
We American taxpayers pay plenty of our tax dollars for our “Head of State” and so do many other countries. None of whom, even our wealthiest presidents, would come anywhere near to the private wealth of the British Royal family. My God, just the artwork and the jewels alone would outdo any of our president’s wealth.
To many Americans, myself included, the bloated royal family seems like it would be quite some drain. And it is not even those who are “in the news”. There are tons more of them who are “on the List” – uncles and cousins and who knows who?
A few of things;
1. Diana voluntarily and willingly gave up the HRH style as part of her divorce negotiations to NOT remain tethered to the family Fergie style. Later she realised what giving up the HRH would cost her in royal privilege eg curtseying to minor royals etc. She ran to the media to try and bully HM into giving it back but HM held firm. The tale that it was stripped is as true as Harry’s parentage legend.
2. Whatever books have been written by various people about the royals or Diana, those boys know the truth from inside as they had ringside seats.all the authors’ version of events is filtered through various sources.
3. Do you realise that Buckingham Palace is essentially an office building. The boys were in scotland with their family. The royal family is as much as their family as the Spencers. It wasn’t as though they were in Scotland by themselves. They were with family members.
4. Abdicate is the wrong word granted, but the sentiment of it can happen. William can remove himself from the line of succession without being King. That’s the point of the spare. The spare is the insurance policy so that should the Heir fail or remove himself from the succession, there is someone else to step up to the plate.
Deeana – the reason the Queen stayed in Scotland for 5 days after Diana died was to give the princes privacy from press and public for a few days and to look after them in a private setting – ER did this for them and yet look how willy treats her and PP now. ER took a lot of flak from the public for making this decision to put the princes first so it was certainly not a selfish act on her part.