Happy birthday to Duchess Kate – she turns 31 years old today. Many don’t even realize that she’s six months older than her husband, but it’s true – he doesn’t turn 31 until June 21 of this year. Just for fun, here’s a trip in the Way Back Machine – on this day in 2007, Kate was swarmed by paparazzi in London following widespread tabloid speculation that William was going to propose to her on her then 25th birthday. What people didn’t realize until a few weeks later was that William dumped Kate on or around her birthday. That was the big breakup where they spent months apart while William dated other, much more aristocratic girls, and Kate patiently waited him out, going out to parties with all of his friends and wearing revealing miniskirts and pushing sympathetic stories to the press. William came around eventually, although Kate had to wait another three and a half years until he proposed. And personally, I think William only proposed to her at that point because everyone (his family, the military, the press) threw a hissy fit over the prospect of Kate (as his girlfriend and nothing else) coming to live with him in Wales, which is what he wanted.
And that was your brief moment in the Way Back Machine. Because today’s Will & Kate industry thrives on royal propaganda about how normal these two are and how they’ve always been super-duper in love and William always knew that Kate was The One. So, how will Kate celebrate her birthday? Quietly. Normally. Privately.
Even with so much to celebrate, the Duchess of Cambridge is unlikely to be partying into the night or toasting her 31st birthday with glasses of bubbly.
Pregnant Kate, 31 on Wednesday, and entering her second trimester, is said to be keeping a low profile and spending her special day “privately,” according to her office.
Having spent the recent New Year’s holiday apart, Kate has since been reunited with husband William in time to spend the day with him.
Some reports suggest they are at their rented home in North Wales – a perfect secluded place for a quiet walk in the winter sunshine and fresh air with their cocker spaniel Lupo.
This time next year, she will have another family member to help her celebrate her special day.
Says royals author Judy Wade, “She has already taken the world by storm and now will cap it all by giving the Monarchy an heir, which is the culmination of their dreams.”
Eh. I’m not going to slam her for having a low-key celebration at home in Wales with her husband. Maybe her parents came for a visit too. That’s the thing about birthdays beyond the age of 21 or 25 – after that point, you really don’t feel like celebrating that much. Especially if you’re pregnant and pukey.
To celebrate Kate’s birthday, The Mail has a lengthy piece with lots of photos, something about “The Year in Kate’s Style” or something – go here to see. Vogue UK also did a lengthy piece called “Katepedia” all about how Kate has developed her royal style and the gradual changes she’s made to update her wardrobe, etc. Lainey excerpted some of the story here – apparently, Vogue UK was very tongue-in-cheek and somewhat bitchy, which is hilarious.
Photos of Kate’s Year In Style, courtesy of WENN.
Huzzah! Happy Birthday to Kate and her royal bump!
”Many don’t even realize that she’s six months older than her husband, but it’s true – he doesn’t turn 31 until June 21 of this year”
This makes it sound as though there’s some massive age difference between them when in fact they’re almost exactly the same age! Why should people ‘realise’ that she’s – shock horror – a few months OLDER than him?
I am almost two months older than my husband SHOCK HORROR FAINT DIE.
Two months older? Someone please call the police!
Kind of reminds me of when I was a kid and had a friend who was born 3 whole days before me. Whenever anyone would ask us if we were the same age, she’d rush to say ‘No! I’m 3 days older!”
Judy wade sounds like a dolt. Kate has taken the world by storm? Sure, if by storm you mean a gentle spring shower that lightly sprinkles on and off for so many days you get to the point you don’t really realize it’s even still raining.
Omg. That’s hilarious!
I read that vogue article. It is seriously snarky and bitchy. Quite surprising for a main stream publication, and the general tabloid media’s wish to paint her as a fashion star. Vogue, says no!
I don’t think I have ever commented on a Will and Kate post but for some reason I feel the urge to do so today. Why do people care where this woman celebrates her bday? Why is the media trying to make her out to be some kind of fashion queen and beauty? In honesty she is pretty plain looking; nothing special about her. The only thing she did was marry a Prince.
Sorry I’m in bitch mode today.
Because it’s another example of how the image of how normal and low key she is. Nothing lavish because they’re frugal.
It is just a precursor to the articles later saying how she spent too much taxpayer’s money on herself for her “quiet” birthday. Soon will come the endless vacations again and blowing off any public events that haven’t already been outright cancelled. She sure gets around being a woman with crippling morning sickness.
I’ll tell you why. Because the Palace PR Machine (or PRAM for short . . . yeah, I took liberties) said that Kate’s HG was so serious she was staying in London or Bucklebury so she had access to doctors. Because, you know, in Wales no one is ever sick and they don’t have doctors there.
So it says to me that whatever sickness Kate has is dissipating, and there’s no reason she can’t do an appointment or two.
Happy birthday Kate!
Bluehare,
My sentiments exactly, iisn’t it amazing how she becomes fit to attend awards functions, dinner parties,galas, Christmas church with her family, travel up and down the country but when she have to do work or attend something with rf then she gets severe morning sickness that can only be treated at a super hospital only in London. It’s amazing how her hg compromise with her travelling and social plans but refuse to get along when it comes to boring non glamorous engagements.
Angelic: Not to mention she’s doing all that stuff in Bucklebury with a waft of flaming horse poo in the air (according to some articles anyway)!!
Makes me want to puke just thinking about it, and I’m not pregnant!
Well Bloody Hell, a party at home when you’re 31? What about the ponies and the sparkles?
Reunited, walks in the sunshine, fresh air with the dog and the culmination of all thier dreams.
Excuse me while I go puke! Kate I now understand you illness. BARF!
Corniest line ever!!! A walk in the crisp winter air … Falalala!!! Judy wade sounds about exciting as a door knob. I’m not a hater, buuuuut Kate “taking the world by storm” doesn’t seem fitting.
OMG why is her stomach in the first pic look like she has zillions of stretch amrks?? :O 31 years of nearly no work, countless holidays !
Those are marks from her pants or belt, because it’s tight and she sat down before.
whatever I might say about her, I looked through the vogue retrospective and her style is impeccable.
They spent New Year`s apart- does anyone know more about that…
I didn’t! But I am not surprised. Unless they’re on vacation or at a public event together it seems she’s with her mother and he’s with his friends on vacation.
Isn’t that baby such a miracle?
I missed that with the holiday mayhem. Until it passes it’s best to expect nothing of these 2.
Miracle baby indeed! I imagine the only reason Will didn’t blow the baby making off is because it came with a free vacation.
William was actually working, according to all the Brave William stories on NY day. Apparently, a poor man got swept out to sea while walking his dog, and a helicopter was sent out to look for him. And Brave William was in the cockpit.
Wait, are you saying the SJP statement that NYE was to be spent at PC’Scottish estate was lying? i wonder why….. 😉
LAK: Why would they lie? I really don’t understand that.
Bluhare – several things;
1. I doubt very much that his NYE shift was a last minute put up job. In general, most jobs have their holiday workers for the xmas week locked down in the first week of December because no one wants to work that week unless they have to.
2. SJP initially put out a statement speculating on how well Kate would be to spend Xmas at Sandrigham before there was a media planted story about Carole and Mike being invited to spend it at Sandrigham.
3. When invite didn’t materialise, SJP put out a second statement saying William would spend it in Baerkshire. Statement was careful to say that POW and HM approved.
4. when that created a backlash, another statement was released saying WK would spend sometime at Sandrigham and Scotland at PC’s estate. [implication he would be spending time with HM and PC over the holidays]
5. Sandrigham happened alright. if only for william to participate in the shoot. However, PC wasn’t there because he always leaves on boxing day.
6. Scotland was obviously a lie because he had a NYE shift.
as i discussed with another poster, SJP really needs to learn that silence is golden plus all their statements should always be read as INTENTIONS and reviewed later to see if they actually happened.
The majority of time they are trying to claw back goodwill but in the process they create other problems either by saying too much which invites negative criticism or by putting out definitive future plans that don’t happen making them look like liars.
LAK once I realized you weren’t talking about Sarah Jessica Parker …
With Kensington the official press house of Wills, Kate, & Harry with Charles & Camilla at Clarance and HM at Buckingham… Why is SJP releasing statements? They have no one to speak for but uh.. all those girls? Right? No?
LAK: OK, I understand now. They should just shut up because they keep digging themselves deeper, in other words.
But I don’t understand why they wouldn’t say Brave William would be sacrificing his NYE with Kate to work. Especially if it could be worked in that Housewife (and Now Pregnant) Kate would be in Wales frying up a big British breakfast for him on New Years Day (whilst holding back the vomiting, of course).
@lem – The office hasn’t officially transitioned to KP. The official move will be when WK move into their apartment. After that date, they will start releasing statements as KP. For now, they remain SJP.
@Bluhare – Have you noticed how his ‘rescues’ always happen when he is getting backlash for not working or when comments appear questioning his work commitments?
Also, Kate is the ‘brave’ one. Not William.
Kate’s facial features are harsh just like Anne Boleyn. She could be her reincarnated. Poor William 🙁 esp today.
yes, i also think that she looks like Anne Boleyn.
All she needs now is a necklace with a big gold “M” hanging from it. LOL
LOL, yes Kate features are harsh. Poor Anne Boleyn, but at least she was a very strong minded, intelligent woman who single-handedly starting the English Reformation and change the english history for ever, becaming the most influential Queen Consort in the history of England. Kate in the other hand….is very good at shopping.
Hm…I see your point.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anne_Boleyn.png
She got that same ‘cat who caught the canary’ expression on her face. Triumphant.
Yeah, too bad Kate appears to dig shopping rather than very seriously help matters.
Perhaps the Diana mystery scares her?
Will we ever know?
…But Anne B was said to be charismatic and spell binding despite her plain features. I don’t mean that in a witchy way. just someone to whom people were drawn and who could apparently flirt for England.
I don’t think anyone can accuse Kate of any of these things.
No, however it was a proven fact she and William were caught lying and playing hookey last summer. Whatever.
In any event, Diana’s mother is a liar.
Diana suffered in life and just before she died. She did not die instantly and painlessly as the mother claimed in writing. There is also photographic evidence to prove such.
Again, poor William.
@Less is more – what am i missing here? was this comment meant for me? I was describing Anne B’s presonality rather than anything she might have done.
Way to insult Anne Boleyn! (One of my heroines.)
@LAK- no worries. I was generally responding to anyone who cares to read my occasional drivel.
The real point is today 9 JAN is the future Queen’s ( or Princess Consort if others get their way) b-day.
Remember, there’s only twelve families who control the world. The British Royals being one.
No disrespect to the memory of Anne Boleyn.
Now, if Kate delivers a girl on JUL 1, 2013 naturally ie- no med intervention re- birthdate, and the child is given middle name Diana, and grows up to bear an uncanny resemblance and mannerisms of late great Diana 1961-1997, I’m seriously going to wonder about reincarnation on that one too.
Only God knows how Anne Boleyn looked like! All her portraits were destroy. Remember Henry wanted nothing to do with her after her fall. Historians said she was small (5’3), dark eyes, dark skin, dark hair. But the most important thing is Anne Boleyn wasn’t a lazy ass. She wasn’t an accessory. When Henry was abroad, she was in charge. Kate is harmless. She only wants to wear nice dresses and go to the hairdresser.
I don’t see how they could resemble at any level.
I like going in the Way Back Machine. We should do that more often. Celebitchy is one of the few major gossip sites who brings up details of Will and Kate’s 9-year long on-off relationship that led to them getting married. The media and the Royals are trying to erase history and make their courtship look like a fairy tale romance.
I agree that Wills was pressured into marrying Kate, but they seem to be made for each other. Two lazy and entitled brats whose idea of work is showing up for a few photo ops each month.
Who at British Vogue hates Kate? That piece is not at all flattering.
I agree, kibbles. I’ve learnt a lot from the Brits who post here. I’m British too, but living in the US, we never really heard of Kate until she got engaged to William. Certainly not the stories that were in the British press.
It’s interesting about British Vogue too. I remember a while back, Kate was asked to pose for the cover and the Palace said no. Maybe they’re ticked off about that, because Diana posed for them. Plus, if I recall, Diana used them to help her with outfits for her engagements, and Kate hasn’t.
Blue hare,
Kate is boring, most of get clothes are average and every once in a while she looks good. She might not make major offence when it comes to fashion but she is safe and average who looks every now and then. I don’t think vogue is mad about her not poising, that was almost two years ago. IMO the media love affair is slowly fading, vogue is a fashion magazine so not controlled or dependent on rf unlike tabloids. She is as I said boring safe with her fashion with no personality , so I don’t think they will be as memorised by her. to be fair they did try to make excuses for her lack of style and said nothing that is not true. They are just not as wiped as rest of the media outlets so it looks very harsh but in reality it’s not.
Kate is so conservative, EXCEPT she doesn’t seem to understand about wind. (ie. her skirts flying up). Or the paps. (her nude top AND bottom photos!!!!!). Since she’s been the Duchess, quite frankly she hasn’t really been what I would consider any kind of so-called fashion icon – she dresses like an old lady. (that pale yellow monstrosity from last spring/summer is a case-in-point.) The media blitz is absolutely ridiculous and finally a bonafide fashion magazine has called their bluff.
I like Kate and don’t really blame her if she wants to lie low right now.
SHE has been laying low for 31 years of her life. There is nothing to write about a collage educated woman other thenher clothes, she us the most overrated wag.
People is the only one reporting that she is in Wales, everybody in the uk is writing that she is still at the Middleton Manor. LOL at “taken the world by storm and now will cap it all by giving the monarchy an heir, wich is the culmination of their dreams.”
True. The royal reporters all assume that she would be still at Middleton Manor, and I trust them and their first-hand Palace insider info more than People.
So the lazy git stays home for another day what’s new?
Please, stop the Anne Boleyn’s comparisons. Let that poor woman rest in peace. Comparing her to Kate is almost insulting to her memory!
I agree, La Calabaza. It *is* insulting to Anne’s memory. She actually made history. All Kate’s done is made jam or something. I think part of it is the ambitious family aspect, though, as the Boleyns got a lot by way of Henry through Anne. Same thing’s happening to the Middletons.
“made jam or something” LMAO
This website is FANTASTIC!!!!!
Yea for Celebitchy
+1
I love Anne Boleyn (and her daughter Good Queen Bess). She was a major figure in history and had a great influence in real matters of state, unlike Katie Cambridge, whose only influence is in hight-street fashion.
That snarky Vogue article is disputing any and all influence on fashion or sales including the high street. Business managers from her favourite high street brands like Reiss and Whistles state flat out that she has no influence at all on their sales.
As much as it pains me to write it, Kate really is just a breeder in this family. Nothing more and nothing less. And unlike some of the females who have married in before her, she meekly accepts her position.
@LAK,
Kate is purely a breeder.
In this day and age, wouldn’t a woman want more than that???? I guess if you are Waity, the answer is: NO.
@LAK,
Truer words about Waity have rarely been spoken. I think you nailed her entire raison d’etre for the royal family. Which is sad in itself.
And then there is her acquiescence. I don’t think she cares about how she is perceived given her (and her family’s) gimlet eye on the main prize. Can’t feel sorry about her.
I want the monarchy to die. Their values in contemporary times are an abomination, IMO.
Once Anne Boleyn lost bipolar Henry’s interest she had no choice but to become a pawn in the hands of powerful men (i.e., Uncle Howard). If the scenario took place today, Henry would be prescribed strong meds and Anne would be the equivalent of Hillary Clinton. An intelligent respected awesomely powerful woman!
I’m not sure I agree with your assessment here.
Agreed. There are some excellent books on Anne Boleyn, but for the sake of not turning Celebitchy into a history class, here is a quote I found on Wikipedia by a historian describing what Boleyn was like as a person:
The American historian Retha M. Warnicke writes that Anne was “the perfect woman courtier… her carriage was graceful and her French clothes were pleasing and stylish; she danced with ease, had a pleasant singing voice, played the lute and several other musical instruments well, and spoke French fluently… A remarkable, intelligent, quick-witted young noblewoman… that first drew people into conversation with her and then amused and entertained them. In short, her energy and vitality made her the center of attention in any social gathering.”
Yes. To compare Anne, a woman in the 1500s who was bilingual, fashionable, talented in music, and well-spoken, to Waity Katie is an insult to Anne’s memory. From what I’ve read about Anne Boleyn and from the somewhat fictionalized portrayals of her in television shows and movies, she seemed to be a very intelligent, fashionable, and assertive woman for her time. Anne was ahead of her time while Kate has reverted to a more traditional feminine role. In no way is Kate going to rock the boat the way Anne did. The only comparison is that both came from a family of social climbers.
yes, “Katepedia” is a little bit bitchy, but it´s the Vogue (Vogue = bitchy)! Kate is no real style icon and Vogue knows it. Was Kate really asked to pose for the cover? Evidence? Or only wishful thinking by her hardcore-fans?
“The peoples princess she is not”
http://katemiddletonduchessordiva.wordpress.com/
Liz, thanks for this link. I’ve been missing Enclave24.
I don’t know who Judy Wade, is, but either we live in parallel universe or something is off about how she perceives reality.
To say that Kate “has already taken the world by storm and now will cap it all by giving the Monarchy an heir, which is the culmination of their dreams.”
Kate is a very plain woman who wanted to marry a guy and did nothing else. Which is fine. How would anyone’s in the world, or just in England change or what impact is there if she gives birth or not?
Not to mention to say that she had any impact on the world?
That’s ridiculous.
Her husband does not have any impact, not does his grandmother.
They are merely paid celebrities, living off public funds.
I wish her all the best as I would to any other person on earth, but nothing she or any of her husband’s family has done, bears any importance of any kind. They are fluff.
Very expensive one, that I cannot fathom why would a nation pay for, but nevertheless, they are still fluff.
At least Kim Kardashian’s family doesn’t demand any public funds to support their lifestyle.
One thing: I think WaityWills were living together for years before he proposed. In Wales and elsewhere. What an insufferable pair. They deserve each other.
Yay, Harry comes home next week!
Hm. Everyone has focused on her weight a lot since the wedding, and while I don’t deny that she surely dieted beforehand (I did too for mine :P), looking back at that Vogue piece, she’s always been quite the skinny-Minnie. More than I’d realized, anyway.