The Daily Mail had a very, very interesting article over the weekend about the on-going controversies regarding Duchess Kate and Prince William’s living arrangements. We already know most of this stuff, but there are some added details that I think the royal-loonies will enjoy. As we know, Will and Kate had Kensington Palace’s Apartment 1 completely overhauled to the cost of £4.5 million, plus God knows how much they spent with “private funding” (Prince Charles’ money) to personalize their space with decorations and added kitchens, etc. This was all done as an emergency, because the Queen believed that they needed a truly royal home in London, and it was believed that they would make London their permanent home base. Not so much.
Now that we’re coming to the end of William’s “gap year,” we’re learning that he wants to move his family to Norfolk full time so he can become an air ambulance pilot. There will be a formal announcement (I’m assuming) in September. And Will and Kate will make Anmer Hall their permanent base and barely use the massive KP apartment at all. Anyway, you can read the full Daily Mail piece here. Here are some highlights:
*“The Cambridges have decided that they would rather be in Norfolk” despite their formal protests that of course KP will be their home base. The announcement will come soon.
*Their intention is to spend the next two years using Anmer Hall as their homebase because, according to a source: “William and Catherine are not pavement people; they prefer the countryside. They really miss Anglesey. They can’t wait to move into Anmer Hall. All of George’s things will be there – it’s very much going to be their family home. William has told me that while Kensington Palace is their long-term home, and I think the plan is that it will always be so, they both love the countryside. They enjoy the quiet life they can have there, and feel somewhat imprisoned in the Palace. Anmer is going to be perfect for a couple of years – that is the plan.”
*Kate is bothered by how much paparazzi and commoner attention she attracts in London. The poor sausage no longer walks Prince George around Kensington Park because she’s been photographed there a few times. She also hates that people pay attention to how much she shops in London. She misses the freedom she had in Wales to go undercover.
*Will and Kate will spend much of August in Norfolk, overseeing the final renovations to Anmer Hall – which got a £1.5 million refurbishment, paid for by Charles.
*Apparently, Charles is fine with William and Kate’s decision to move to Norfolk: “Charles is very much behind it. He wants William to have as ordinary a family life as he can before he becomes a full-time Royal.”
*Many of Will and Kate’s posh friends live in or around Norfolk. They even have a group name – the “Turnip Toffs.” And when I say “Will and Kate’s posh friends” I pretty much mean William. Kate knows a few people in Norfolk, but mostly we’re talking about William’s set of friends/enablers. A source says: “The North Norfolk scene is incredibly tight and very posh. William and Kate will fit right in. They know the area very well already. They will be very well protected here and they will be able to come and go without being worried about the paparazzi. Historically the Royals are very social with their neighbours and that’s largely because most of them are aristocrats and wealthy landowners.”
*Will and Kate will keep their public offices in London, which basically means that they’re throwing off the shackles of their bloated and barely-tasked staff so that they (Will and Kate) can play in Norfolk for the next two years.
Do you believe Charles is fine with it? I’m not sure. I think Charles doesn’t like how much attention Will and Kate get in general, so I could see how having them tucked away in Norfolk would suit Charles. Then again, previous reporting seemed to indicate that Charles really doesn’t know what to do with William and Charles doesn’t understand William’s constant reticence about royal work. Anyway… prepare yourselves. The next two years are going to be full of barely any royal work and lots and lots of vacations.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
I’m pretty hard on their lazy lifestyle, and London is one of my favorite cities, but if I had small children, I might prefer to be in the country. Shame all that money was wasted on the KP flat, though.
Here’s the thing, though. People said the same things when Charlie bought Highgrove. And he also renovated Clarence House when he took it over in 2002. What Will and Kate are doing is actually completely in line with Royal protocal. Their rooms in KP needed renovation. I bet no one in the Firm thinks a thing about them having renovated KP and Anmer Hall. It’s par for the course, I think.
Very true. And they will probably use it more when they finally decide to perform more royal duties.
Ninja, GiGi was just expressing her opinion, which has a lot of validity, but even if it didn’t, no need for such hostility. Really, those kinds of comments are making these royal threads unpleasant.
Gigi, I agree. I don’t think it’s unusual. Charles is known for being one of the biggest spender, I believe. Anyway, I think people would forgive the issue if they did more engagements. But really, Charles’s office controls their schedule. He must have his reasons.
Ninja, please…. I wish! Then I wouldn’t be avoiding my actual work and commenting on gossip sites would BE my work.
My only point is this: William is Charles, Jr. in many ways. Charles was also seen as lazy and as ambivalent regarding the throne. But it doesn’t matter how those in succession feel about it – they believe they’re born to it. Edward 8 was a complete anomaly. The line of succession will remain as it is now, and eventually William will fall in line, just like Charles did.
I’m not a huge royal supporter, but to call out Will & Kate for things that royals before them have done seems odd. Their lives aren’t something I relate to, but I believe they have full support of the Royal Family.
GiGi is right. Exactly the same things *were* said. And it *is* par for the course.
The difference between William and Charles, however, is that Charles never ducked out of a fair share of engagements (actual duties) or engagement (general commitment to service, as royals see it). Even so, he was regularly reported as too much of a playboy and not enough of a dutiful royal.
ETA: as GiGi notes, and as I’ve said before here many times, it’s not as though William is the first recalcitrant royal princeling. He will, eventually, fall in line rather than become obscure. However, during that time, the less of my money he wastes by not doing a royal job, the better I shall like it.
I agree. William won’t be king for a long time most likely. He’ll, if Charles inherits his parents’s longevity he could actually reach a jubilee of his own. So KP will be the home long term. These things are always renovated on the turnovers. (The kitchens were a bit much though IMO). And they all have country homes–or more than one. William and Kate’s performance of duties is a separate issue from the KP renovations.
@ Talie. “But really, Charles’s office controls their schedule. He must have his reasons.” No, the Palace has stated multiple times, on record, that W&K set their own schedule.
@ Gigi. “Their rooms in KP needed renovation.” No, they did not. It has been proven time and again that the rooms were just fine. If they were not fit for human occupation, the charity would not have been allowed to operate there much less have public exhibits.
The 57 rooms at KP were *only* renovated because W&K demanded that space instead of the three others they were offered. It was taken from the charity, HM wasted money reimbursing the charity, W&K wasted millions of taxapayer money on it, and now they’re moving to the country instead.
When events are hosted at KP, they are not hosted in their private residence but in a different space, so there was no need for this grandiose space to be renovated only to be empty 99% of the year. If they had no intention of doing their royal duty for the next few years, they could have kept the Cottage they were in at Kensington for when Kate needs to go shopping (7 days a week). Or, like other royals with country homes (Andrew, Edward & Sophie), they could have had a small apartment at Buckingham for when they are in London.
At least Charles used his own income to fund his rennovations. If the “private funds” for KP were from Williams’ own fortune and not from his Daddy’s, this would be a lot less annoying.
Ok maybe just slightly less annoying.
They do control their own schedules but it is equally obvious that Charles is comfortable with the choices his sons are making. According to Nicholl’s sources William has his father’s blessing and Charles is keen on them taking it easy for several years to basically be parents and country squires. I believe this. Charles did not have the benefit of a warm, nurturing childhood. He sees how close Kate’s family is and how close Camilla’s family is.
Personally, I think Charles is the closet republican and is teaching his sons to think along those lines. I also think Charles is positioning his children to get everything they can get their hands on before the monarchy dies a quick death. The rest of the charade is to keep qE and the DoE happy.
I agree with you.
So, am I to understand , their friends are “posh”. Lol.
Poor poor Billy and Katie. Absolutely no privacy or freedom in that nasty old Kensington Palace. Those two down to earth Kids need their space and nature. So difficult being a royal. I hope they can get through this.
I am so over these 2 useless spoiled welfare brats.
If William makes it to the throne, I’ll be disappointed in the English people – and this comes from a fan of the whole tiara-wearing pageantry thing.
Does Prince Charles still have Highgrove? I can def. see him supporting William having his “own” country home base. And I think you’re right. I think they’ll have a quieter life during the baby making years… but I bet their children will be at preschool in London.
Yes he does. And Camilla has her own country ‘bolthole’ to escape to separate from Highgrove.
If they perceive their life to be so riddled with problems, they could request to be removed from the line of succession, start living completely off their own private wealth, and live in the countryside for as long as they please without the ‘obligation’ of serving their countries/charities. What they ought not to do is continue to make a mockery of the British people by taking public funds, living a lavish lifestyle whilst so many struggle and then complaining when the public criticizes them for not working!
Original N
That’s easier said than done. From my understanding regarding the removal/succession it takes a lot. If William really did want to be out he could at the very least live the way he does, but not take like he’s a hard working royal. He has private money.
Hiya FLORC – my understanding is the same. However, it IS possible … And that was more my point. Regardless of how much time/work it may take, if his fate is such a punishment, he has the ability, with help, to change it, does he not?
Changing the line of succession takes an Act of Parliament.
@Kori – yes, I am aware … It may take time and resources, but an Act of Parliament = it IS possible.
If Will gave up his royal future he would still receive royal protection courtesy of the British taxpayers for life right? He would still be a target, royal or not.
I think it would be difficult but possible to be removed from the succession. The taxpayers would push through the legislation in exchange for getting rid of these two.
Note: Bea & Eugenie no longer have taxpayer funded protection and they are targets too.
W&K’s level of protection would change and be much more limited. They would be required to pick one home and stay in it (no more wasting $20,000/day of the taxpayers money every time KM runs home to mummy). No more $500,000 of taxpayer money on security for their holidays to Mustique and the Maldives, etc. it all comes out of his inheritance.
Lady D
As it is now William is a target, but he enjoys lots of protection from negative press. If he wasn’t to be king all bets would be off. The press would have a field day.
Although, if William was out i’m still unclear if George would remain in line or it would jump to Harry.
FLORC, As a high profile person, I meant a victim of crime, like kidnapping, extortion, etc. I know ex-presidents get protection for life, I think their children do too. I just wondered if it applied to ex-royals.
Lady D
Ah ok. I would think William is as much at risk as any other royal if he stepped out of the line to the throne. And because he removes himself that doesn’t mean he gives up his RPO’s, right? William is royal by blood. He couldn’t be an ex-royal like Fergie and get caught up or exploited for profit.
And as far as extortion goes. Don’t do anything foolish that you’d be ashamed of others finding out and you’re fine.
As it is now you could almost argue William is preparing for his future life outside of the royal life. That he goes for jobs that not only distract him from royal duties, but create an all or nothing atmosphere is something to note.
FLORC. Beatrice & Eugenie are also royal by blood, relatively high up in the line of succession, and do not have taxpayer-funded RPOs. If William (and PGTips) stepped out of line and continued to have taxpayer-funded security, I doubt Andrew would keep quiet about it, especially since B&E would then be closer to the throne than William.
Yes William has his own money but not nearly enough to support his lifestyle. Think about how much he would have to cut down on. It must be so awkward living off your father at the age of 30. He’ll spend the rest of his life getting all of his money from Charles.
But the press is always telling us how wealthy the Middletons are from selling cheap, party tat. So Surely William can live off of them? Ha. Doubt it. They’re wealthy because of their connection to William. I’m sure more people would find it easier just going down to Party city than catalog ordering or however they sell their wares.
Notasugarhere
I was thinking about Bea and Eug regarding their private life, but thought they had some sort of security. I knew Charles was trying to strip all royal perks from Andrew and by default his whole bloodline, but that the Queen is still looking out for him and her grandchildren. I might be wrong though. They might have absolutely no security.
Can you imagine? Working out in the world with no security while still finding time for charity work you’re not getting paid to attend? How guache!
Iseepinkelephants
William’s money could support his lifestyle for maybe a year.Then it would be all dried up. I wonder if his friends would stick around though. Would they give him places to stay like other former royals do?
And th Midds are wealthy through Gary. Party Pieces was launched as an online party supply company at a time when most of those businesses flopped unless they were part of a corporation selling items that must have come from sweat shops to keep costs so low. Yet PP was a new business selling cheap items much higher than those corporate stores plus shipping costs. And they still turned a profit? Yea, anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together can see something isn’t right with the books in that company.
And now it’s more well known the Midds have huge debt greater than what their estimated wealth is.
Never going to happen …
Give us King Harry , King Harry!
Willnot wants it both ‘nature and simply life’ in a workless, Willnot and know as future monarch doing NOTHING for the people, less fortunate ‘commoners’. . Enjoying wealth and previlege giing nothing back behalf of HM the Firm and the BRF.
Workless waity Cannot only want to be selective pose and PR for the pap, while indulge her hangers on social climbing family. These two are such waste of tax payers money.
HM the firm and the powers to be, should bypass retire Willnot line, send them to Buckleberry. Move up the Yorks line along with King Harry!
What makes you think Harry wants it ?
The diff between Harry and William is that Harry would step up.
i believe that Diana once said the she felt that William would make a reluctant king whereas Harry might just take it in his stride. in this respect, I find it odd that she was pressing for Charles being bypassed in favour of William, why would she want her son take a position he wouldn’t like earlier than necessary? I always put that down to petty revenge from Diana’s side.
Reading the transcript of the interview is interesting years later. Petty revenge, entirely possible. She is also expressing what Charles himself has said – that he enjoys far more freedom as Prince of Wales and that he would find being king limiting. She started out expressing things she and her husband had (possibly) discussed at length, how torn he was between what he could accomplish as POW vs. the highly-limiting duties of king. She veered off into petty territory with the assistance of the interviewer who helped her down that path.
www(dot)bbc(dot)co(dot)uk/news/special/politics97/diana/panorama(dot)html
To read, replace every “(dot)” with “.”
Notasugar
Hmm.. is writing out dot what I need to do to post links here? I’ll give it a try soemtime!
King Harry yes!
+1000000
So when the press and civilians thought they could do no wrong, London was fine for them. Now that they are getting called on their crap, it is too congested. These two…idiots.
Agreed Tiffany.
The discussion about removing Willnot and Waity from succession is interesting and I hope the British public are having that discussion. Wills and Waity are lazy, spoiled and should be living off of Wills substantial inheritance from his mother . Go be private citizens and quit soaking the British taxpayers.
“She also hates that people pay attention to how much she shops in London.”
Of course, she could always address that by not shopping so much and engaging in other, more noteworthy activities for people to pay attention to instead . . .but I guess moving to the country works as a solution also.
Whatever with these two already. They have basically done nothing all their lives. I suspect they will continue to do mostly nothing with their lives. They’ll continue to do nothing while living a life of luxury on the public dime, while having barely veiled contempt for said public. What can you do about it? Not much. C’est la vie.
Another abdication! Retire Willnot Line- give us hardworking. King Harry! King Henry!
I fail to see how rushe waste of taxpayers million to renovate KP for their ‘home’. And now AH was and is expected.
Willnot is expected to hide workless live nature ‘away with his wealthy friends while doing nothing as a RF and for HM GB UK and the Commonwealth but live like a King
He and workless waity doolittle Cannot enjoy all the RF previledges, select PR with commoner paps when they need, give all to the social climbing hangers on waity workless family. What a waste. Move up King Harry (Henry) and the Yorks.
If this couple really wants to raise their son in a country setting that’s fine. That they spent all this money on KP and at some point kept spending while knowing they had no intention of remaining there. How they can’t see an issue with that, I have no clue.
And Kate enjoyed Wales so she could move around with little attention? Is that why she barely existed in Wales and was caught more in London shopping and taking residence in her family home?
It’s almost shameless of them to take the perks, spend endlessly, and complain about how much they have to work when they barely do so.
I very much suspect that Kate will continue to spend as much time in London as she did when they loved in Wales. William might not bea pavement person, but she has shown herself over the last 10 years to prefer the city.
Agreed on pretty much everything, FLORC, except the “almost shameless” part. They are shameless in their abuse of these perks in exchange for basically no work.
What is not being discussed is the subsequent decrease in their pathetic engagement totals that will follow. Live in the country, fine, but that doesn’t prevent you from doing royal engagements. He’s “working” (we’ll see how long that lasts) X number of days a week, but she still has the 1.5 nannies and all the staff that will take care of Anmer. Now that they have the use of the newly-rented helicopter, moving to Sandringham is NO excuse for a decrease in duties.
The article already notes the places they are hanging out and shopping, so the paps will just camp out there. Harder to hide in a smaller place I’d think. She’ll still be papped shopping in the area daily, except the three days a week she’s papped shopping in London. Trying to hide away and limit their public exposure is only going to backfire on them.
There is growing anger, rumblings and discontent with Wills and Kate in Britain and Wales, and I can’t say I don’t concur with the collective simmering pot. What the mainstream media purposely downplayed was the absolute outrage felt by millions of Britons over the announcement that Kensington Palace, after millions of pounds poured into the apartments refurbishing, will now sit unoccupied.
This may sound dramatic and over-the-top, but it’s not: William and Kate, through their blind ignorance, apathy, and arrogance, are playing a very dangerous game. Sooner or later, the lid is going to blow off the pot, and it will be due to both their own personal indiscretions and actions and a build-up of repressed anger felt by the public towards the Royal family for many decades.
I could be wrong, but me thinks these two imps will be the principal antagonists that trigger the coming downfall of the House of Windsor…no, excuse me, the House of Saxe Cobourg-Gotha…the Windsor family loves to hide their German dark roots under a royal shade of henna.
I bet it’s blood boiling, especially when you hear about stuff getting tougher and tougher for the working and middle classes. I would be livid if I were struggling, and there’s Will and Kate, renovating a house they’ll never use for 4.5 million dollars/pounds/whatever. I would be seething!
Just curious, though, what do you mean by this: “…no, excuse me, the House of Saxe Cobourg-Gotha…the Windsor family loves to hide their German dark roots under a royal shade of henna.” I googled and tried to figure it out on my own, but wasn’t sure exactly what you were referring to.
The current Rf of England has German roots. This goes back to the early 18th century, when the House of Stuart died out as Queen Anne had no surviving children after something like 16 pregnancies. Since it was very important to the British people and Parliament that the exiled heir of the deposed (and Catholic) James II didn’t take the English throne, they invited the House of Hannover to take the throne because it was protestant and had a smidge of Stuart blood. There were closer descendants, but they were catholics and the Act of Settlement of 1701 prohibiteda catholic from taking the English throne.
The House of Hannover developed into the House of Saxe Coburg-Gotha through marriages into German princely houses over the years. King George V renamed the House of Saxe Coburg-Gotha to the House of Windsor at the time of WWI because of a strong anti-german sentiment in Britain.
16 pregnancies? All in the name of duty? My heart hurts for this lady.
That’s the old dig about the royal family assuming the name of ‘Windsor’ 100 yrs ago, in light of (wartime) anti-German feelings in Britain. Harping on the older family name implies that there is, in 2014, something shameful in having German ancestors. Before the Hanovers came in 1714, we had Dutch, Italian, Danish, French and possibly Venusian blood at the top ….. so what?
You’d be hard-pressed to find ‘pure English’ blood anywhere, there’s no such thing.
Lady D,
It was for duty in that she needed to provide an heir, but I think that she also really wanted children. She was heartbroken when they died, especially those that lived for a couple of years. All those pregnancies must also have taken quite a toll on her body.
Incidentally, she was married to Prince Jørgen (George) of Denmark.
Chris,
I agree, the dig at the Windsor’s German ancestry is a low-blow. Not any of the European royal houses are “pure” English, Danish, etc. In the past, royals married for political and dynastic reasons. Today, they marry for love, which is a good thing. Not only for personal happiness but also because it widens the family’s gene pool. All the European royals are related, sometimes in very tangled degrees. Ex-king Konstantin of Greece descends from Christian IX of Denmark on both his mother’s and his father’s side, and his wife Anne-Marie of Denmark also descends from Christian IX on her father’s side. It squeaked me out a bit when I learned that, but not as much when I learned that one of my ancestors (not in a direct line) married his niece!
Tangled family trees indeed, Arthistorian. Just as Europe in the 17th century was knee-deep in the royal offspring of Elizabeth (Stuart) of Bohemia, so it is these days with lines radiating from Queen Victoria’s nursery.
And pedalling backwards to the weeks before the Battle of Bosworth, there’s a slender sprig of the Plantagenet line still flourishing , though fortunately with no interest on the Crown! The Windsors aren’t a crowd of chancy invaders, still less are they ‘non-nationals’.
Hey ho.
How immensely interesting it is to ponder the European royal families today, looking back to the start of WWI. In some ways it seems more like 400 than 100 yrs ago.
Chris
But it was my understanding that the Plantagenets, indeed, are on the throne thanks to James I.
The last Plantagenet king of England was Richard III – and he was defeated and killed at Bosworth. It is true enough that Henry VII had Plantagenet blood from his mother Margaret of Beaufort, but he was also assidiously exterminating most of the Plantagenet claimants.
After the Plantagenets, the royal dynasties of England were:
The Tudors
The Stuarts
The Hannovers – Saxe Coburg-Gothas that became the Windsors.
The current royal family actually has a lot of Danish blood and Scottish blood (thanks to the Queen Mum). Diana also introduced a lot of pure English blood and hers was considered more royal than the royals.
Edward VII was married to Alexandra of Denmark. She was very beautiful – but had a horrible marriage and secluded herself at Sandringham in her later years when she started to loose her hearing.
The Spencers were never royal – they are, however, an ancient noble family with roots that go back to before the Norman conquest in 1066.
ArtHistorian
Thanks. Was aware of this and just think it is cool that there is someone walking around with Longshank’s DNA lol.
Arthistorian……just further entertaining musing on ‘bloodlines’: Zoffany’s group portait of Queen Charlotte and her family (sans Geo III) shows in that queen the very strong almost equine look about the jaw that we see in QEII, Princess Anne, Viscount Linley, inter alia. But then there’s the rumour about Queen Victoria’s parentage….that she was in fact fathered by a groom. So how could Charlotte’s face reappear over a century later? Aha…. perhaps even as late as May of Teck’s time those genes were being blended and reblended into the royal family, through close alliances necessary to continue the stock.
Harmless stuff to tangle with and enjoy. But as for the Spencers….that bit about being supra-royal keeps cropping up doesn’t it?
Did you know that my own family goes back even farther than the Norman Conquest? The only thing lacking is a written record, or any other proof. 😉
Lady D…. Re Queen Anne’s sad births:
It’s widely asserted that she and her sister Mary inherited compromised reproductive organs through Anne Hyde, their mother, infected with syphilis by the Duke of York (later Jas II). That’s part of the reason so many claimed that James’ 2nd wife, Mary of Modena, did not give birth to a genuine Stuart heir, since her husband was supposed sterile by that time. ( A handy story of course, of you wanted these Stuarts off the throne for good. Even so…..hmmm, it does tie up many loose ends and anyway, historical conspiracy theories are brilliant fun)
Chris,
That is seriously cool – that bad about the documentation though.
I can only trace my family back to the 1680s, but they were peasants so they have probably been in in the area of their village for centuries. A lot of documentation, i.e. church records were destroyed in wars (like the Swedish occupation in th 1640s – they were some serious looters – stole a ceiling in one castle and a big fountain in another).
One of my later ancestors was a sculptor and worked with porcelain – one of his pieces is in The Victorian and Albert.
Arthistorian…..I was joking!!!
Just meant that doubtless everyone can be sure they had ancestors living in 1066, no matter how lowly their station
I do wonder how it must feel, for a prince lurching through palace halls and seeing one’s actual family from the 18th century staring back from the wall. And would you have a special affinity with anyone in particular? (What wouldn’t one give for a few months of studying royal archives, the art collection, the skull of Henry VIII as a child (tee hee) etc.)
Must get to the V&A ….how wonderful!
Chris,
You never know. I watched a program where a Danish celeb were to trace his roots. He’s made a living as a sort of modern hipster farmer and he found out that not only was one of his ancestors a important nobleman known as the “Peaseant torturer” (He bleed the peasant in taxes) but that he actually descended from one of the great medieval kings of Denmark, Valdemark the Great (ruled 1157-1182), from a mistress! And it was documented – that is actually very rare and he had absolutely no idea.
My own family descend from peasants and later shopkeepers. Though there are a lot of both juicy and tragic stories: children out of wedlock, a older widow seducing a much younger man, runaway husbands, bigamy and many many dead children, a distant relative murdered by the Nazis and one that married his niece.
ArtHistorian
Wow, you have the bones of an enthralling novel in that comment!
Here’s the plan:
Get tenure for the Phd , round up your tutorial groups and leave them to write essays, and you get on with the family history. Must be fascinating!.
I have often thought that there’s material for a great novel in my family history. Most of the more scandalous and sad stories are on my mother’s side – and my dad had to puzzle the stories together through archival material because my maternal grandfather wouldn’t talk about his family. That isn’t really hard to understand with all the scandals and all the grief. He and his brother were the only ones of 7 children that survived to adulthood.
My father’s family, on the other hand, were perfectly respectable city people (expect the one one married his niece). My mother’s family is from the country, guess that didn’t have much to do when the lights were out.
My paternal grandmother was a fencer for the Danish national team at the European championship in Hungary in 1937. Her sister was an Olympic fencer. She married a French cavary officer and fencing instructor that once fought a duel on horseback with a sabre. He won!
Arthistorian….do it!
I have recently completed a history of my immediate family. My father died 35 yrs ago, Ma only last month. So now tis just my brother and me, and he asked me to write it as he seems to have been oblivious to much. So he wanted their modest story to be on record.
It’s been an excellent task, and a revelatory one. I wrote in the third person, if that; very liberating.
So don’t hesitate, interrogate the rest of the family!
Chris,
My father is doing this – and it is great that he has a meaningful hobby to balance out all the hardship of my mother’s illness, He’s actually working a lot with a distant cousin from Vienna, whose family comes from all over Europe. He has already written a 100 page document with pictures as well (it is good luck that his side of the family has been interested in photopgrahy for a 100 years). I have really encouraged him to put in all the funny family anecdotes because they give a lot of colour to the story.
I have often though that when looking into family history that a lot of interesting stories are hidden there, especially when seen in relation to historical context. I know that some very well-establish danish authors have written novels about their family history. However, I really suck at writing fiction.
And I am very sorry for your loss. I dread the day that I loose my father.
I agree
Speaking of the British Royal family, I’ve always thought it quite unfair and unjust that Prince Charles has received so much negative media and public scrutiny for his passion for organic farming and proper and viable urban planning ideas. Personally, I think Charles is spot on with his ideas, and it’s a shame that his speeches and writings on the subjects are met with such ignorant scorn. His charity, The Prince’s Trust, does absolutely amazing and much needed work throughout the UK, and his projects have enabled countless young Britons to set off on career paths that otherwise would not be made available to them. Charles, along with Princess Anne, are tireless workers whose myriad of solid achievements are sadly overshadowed, or worse, simply ignored. True, both have their shortcomings and faults, but who doesn’t?
Prince Charles has had some funny things to say about that, now he is “fashionable and on trend” or something. Prince Philip was the one who started him on organic agriculture (Philip implemented it at Sandringham trying to make the estate earn its own living).
Here here! Thanks for sticking up for Charles.
Charles was ahead of his time. Starting to get a lot of credit for it, now, but it probably irked him for a long time.
I’ve always been a Charles fan, even back when everybody was doing the same thing to him with Andrew that they’re now doing with Harry and William.
DameSnarkweek hi
Yeah, he’s a sheep farmer in Australia I think. And not just any old Plantagenet!….I think the connection was via Clarence’s line, away from the claims of, and investigations into, the heirs of other siblings of Ed IV.
Living a “normal” life would be completely fine if they used all their own funds. Using tax payer funds to live normally does not seem fair to the taxpayers.
I am not British so I do not know if it works like America does. The families of Presidents here may actually pay for their own vacations however, the tax payer funds all the security etc.
I wonder if Kate and William were more likable would people look the other way? Obama’s girls and Michelle just went to a Beyonce concert. The people who like Obama are fine with it, the ones who dislike him talk of the taxpayer waste of money.
The Obamas and the Royals are SO FAR APART and for so many reasons it isn’t even funny.
I’m with BeckyR
It’s not even apples to oranges. There are too many differences.
I can only compare to other royal families and why royals do charity work to begin with. It is to make them more likable and so the public doesn’t begin to question why these people are born into a family that must be supported by them while giving nothing back.
Maybe if Will and Kate were seen active more and spending less.If William didn’t seem so pleased to accept the perks, but unwilling to accept the responibility. Maybe then it would be a different story.
Guess everyone has a theory or an opinion, but at the end of the day, it’s THEIR business. I wish them well.
It is the business of the taxpayers who are being soaked for millions every year by this lazy duo.
What happens in their bedroom is there business.
What their favorite colors and foods are is there business.
When it comes to anything regarding funds from the tax payers it’s not their business. But that is the trade off. It’s a trade off many women weren’t ready to make and why William was not such a catch in the wealthy, titled circles for a husband.
Actually it is the tax payers business when their lifestyle is funded by them.
The article said that they would move back to London in two years when George begins school. So…will they suddenly like London then? Or will William stay in the country (like Charles did) and Kate will stay in London, at least during the week. Wonder if Jecca will be around like Camilla?
Somewhat OT – I can’t wait for Dickie Arbiter’s book! Larry King always had him as a guest, I remember him being asked if Kate knew the life she was marrying into and that royal husbands sometimes wander, and he looked right at Larry with a bit of a smile and said, “She knows, she is aware.” 😉 Like, ‘she will put up with anything William does.’
Here are some recent links:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-charles-furious-former-aide-3957404
http://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/495095/Prince-Charles-furious-royal-aide-Diana-divorce-book
Sharon
Jecca and Kate are said to get along so if they got together Jecca wouldn’t Camilla. She’d be Kanga.
If they turn Amner Hall into a thriving enterprise as Charles did with Highgrove, I would be impressed.
Actually, I could see Kate spearheading an initiative like that. She seems attuned to country life, seems to like gardening and crafts, and seems to have a lot of undirected ambition/energy.
William? I can see him wandering in and out of the place, dithering about wondering how to proceed with his prince hood.
Suze – I absolutely cannot see Kate initiating any sort of enterprise similar to Highgrove.
Suze, look up a map of Sandringham or photos of Anmer. Anmer Hall is just off the official visitor map, next to the church the royals walk to for Christmas mass every year. There’s no acreage like Highgrove, it is basically a mansion with maybe an acre filled with swimming pool, multi-car garage, parking area, tennis court, etc. W&K will not be managing the Sandringham Estate, they’ll be living in a mansion on someone else’s (HM’s) estate.
I think KM’s sole ambition for a decade was to land the Prince (not William). I’m not sure she has any left for other things – like her required charity work for instance.
Suze
I partially agree with you. I think Kate has a lot of energy that just isn’t focused. I just don’t think she has a genuine interest in gardening or crafts, past a timewaster. No interest that could last and see something through. She has proven she’s driven. If she was truly into that she would have made something happen by now imo.
The problem is that they have their PR people keep pushing stories about how hard they work & how busy they are. Soon as they get honest with the public about what lifestyle they ACTUALLY have, then the sooner people will accept them as they are – though maybe not accept their choices. But at least ending the deceit would decrease some of the negativity. You can’t lie to the public and expect them to like it.
Yep. The dissonance what their PR (and the press) spin compared to what they actually do is glaring. People are not stupid, they can recognize spin when the see it. I often wonder who exactly run their PR – are they professionals like the fx the Dansih RF employ or do their PR people come from elsewhere?
I just have to add a comment that I currently live in London and couldn’t imagine living in Kensington Palace. I’ve visited a few times and it is definitely a “trapped” area. No privacy, not a lot of space. I couldn’t imagine living there, or even in London long term. No idea how much money is “okay” to spend refurbing an appt you live in for a year (or return to at some point), but I’d need to refurb MOST of the housing situations I’ve seen in this city. Don’t know these guys so can’t approve of THEM, but this story makes perfect sense if you’re here on the ground.
Yeah but it also looks bad when you’re lucky enough to have a home in London and all you can do is complain about it. How many people who struggle in. London daily wouldn’t give their right arm to live in even one of those rooms in their Kensington Palace apartment? So in addition to the cost of a complete reno, it looks pretty bad on their part. I’m sure plenty of people who live in London in unrenovated apartments won’t whinge about it half as much as these two.
Hear hear! They could turn over those rooms to needy families and make a lot of friends 🙂
I’m sure the Centrepoint homeless charity is thrilled their royal patron is too spoiled to live in a 57 room palace, and that he’s running off to live in a mansion in the country instead.
W&K weren’t complaining when they lived in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington. It wasn’t until after $6 million was wasted on the giant property they demanded — in full-view of the park — that suddenly they feel exposed.
Or is it that, once that space was given to them, it was made clear that NOW they would be required to step up and do their royal work in exchange? They feel watched by the courtiers who shake their heads in shame at what the golden child has become, so NOW W&K say KP is too exposed and they long for the country life? Right.
Excuses, excuses. What will the excuse be two years from now when the sources indicate they’ll move back to London for PGTips to attend school? Because you know William will come up with another excuse in 2016/2017.
Question: When does one become a “full-time royal”? Also, is there such a thing then called a “part-time royal?” …. or does it just mean, you can do whatever you want..? Is it all just rhetoric for the lazy?
No such thing as full-time vs. part-time royal in the BRF. Rhetorical but answering anyway.
I know I’ve said on several threads that the remote country aristo life seems tediously dull, but I’m a tad under the weather today, with two jobs to keep tabs on while sick, and suddenly the country life sounds heavenly. Also, I get it now about the non stop soirees with the other country aristos. That’s how they stay busy.
I’m finding it hard to picture Kate being comfortable in that repetitious soiree scene. She seems somewhat self-conscious and tentative in her public role. But, then again, maybe she’s totally outgoing and confident with the “posh” crowd as long as the cameras aren’t rolling and clicking.
Olenna- I’ve never understood how Kate the shrinking violet is the same Kate who finessed her way into posh circles and landed herself a future king walking a runway in her panties.
Bettyrose
Although your characterization is the popularly held one it is slightly different than actual events. Kate was never one to finesse her way into posh circles and never ram with a large retinue of wealthy girls or fought to be queen bee. Truth is Pippa was always the one everyone would have assumed would run in royal circles or landed a nobleman. Pippa was more aggressive, socially and more snobby.
And yes, Kate famously walked the runway in her skivvies but she and William were already friends and the whispering about them had started by the end of their freshman year already. The undies runway stunt was Kate’s way of cinching the deal, in my opinion, basically showing Will what he could have if he really wanted it – both were dating other people at the time. But even prior to this event William had bid £100 for a dance with Kate at a university charity event. They used to study together and Kate would take notes for him. William saw her as a gal pal in a way and preferred her company because she was discreet, funny and wholesome in an athletic, healthy way. The posh, wealthier girls at St. Andrews resented Kate for this and did not understand why William favored Kate over them. Will falling for Kate was something that happened gradually as they spent more and more time together. They even used to meet at sunrise to go running while everyone else slept to keep whispers down.
Oddly, the more Kate stopped being herself and the more she wound her every waking moment around him the more he felt suffocated by her. But I do think the early stuff was really cute.
Dame – Thanks for that explanation. I honestly find that much easier to swallow than the narrative that has her stalking him, following him to college, and inserting herself into his social circles – because who wouldn’t be turned off by that? We all (but men especially if pop culture is to be believed) prefer an air of mystery about a person, a challenge, not an easy target. So, I can more easily believe that he was drawn to Kate’s folksy ways than that she merely snagged him by behaving like the typical high maintenance aristo play girl. I think that’s what you’re saying, anyway. I do realize that she held on to the bitter end in later years, but waiting out someone you’ve already been involved with is certainly different than stalking someone you’ve never (or met only in passing) met.
Bettyrose
Loved your take/comment. I’ve often said that the truth is always somewhere in the middle. Your inclination is correct. The Kate William met barely resembles the Kate we see today. Their relationship ha turned into its own marriage of convenience although I sincerely do believe that they are best friends. But Kate caught William’s eye in small ways and then, of course, in big ways. By the end of their freshman year he had already asked her to be one of the three mates who would live off campus with him.
She used to try to get him to eat less crap and exercise more and he was surprised that although smaller, she always trounced him at tennis. It really seemed to be acase of not knowing what is right in front of you. Classmates began whispering before William ever dated Kate so I guess there was chemistry.
Too bad that getting a prince proved easier than keeping him. Kate turned herself into a mess with the stress of dealing with William’s foolishness, imo. But the one and only thing that eventually made most of Will’s circle accept Kate was her always wanting the best for Will and having his back. Again, too bad she lost so much of herself in the process.
Kate once told a friend that William was absolutely perfect when no one else is around. What a terrible statement lol! I think William is probably a dork and only Kate thinks he is charming.
I really hate how William looks in the first picture. His eyes are looking in two different directions and his mouth is frozen in this grimace–as if saying “oooh pretty” in the most affected manner possible. It is completely unsuitable.
And in the bottom pic at the Commonwealth games he looks plain bored.
I guess no amount of photoshop can make people look smart, engaged and interested…
Lovely photo
I don’t think Kate felt that way. I believe Prince William does feel that way.
I don’t care if they have a country estate, most of the really rich in the UK do have two residence. One in town, one in the country. No harm there. Once the kids are in school they will be back in London during the week and the country on the weekends. It’s how these people live. I don’t think anyone would fault them that if they did anything and taxpayer money wasn’t involved. They seem to be OK with always having their hands out for more without doing anything.The talk about ‘private funds’ is just a grey area no one ever clarifies. Charles’ money from the Duchy estates? Will’s money from his inheritance? Money from Kate’s parents and shady uncle? Private funds could mean anything. The whole money thing just seems shady to me.
One reason Charles chose Highgrove was that it would be just his and no one could say boo about it because it was all his money with the exception of security measures. And with the exception of the years around the end of his marriage and when he broke his arm no one could ever complain about his work schedule. While we all remember hard working Saint Diana, even she adjusted her schedule when her kids were in day school and took on more after they were both at Eton. Are the old schedules online somewhere that show all of their engagements? It would be great to compare and contrast the schedules. And factoring in the Diana didn’t have a 10 year royal girlfriend apprenticeship and a three year training period and she was also dealing with an eating disorder and other emotional issues and had two babies in pretty rapid succession I’d love to see how Willnot and Waity compare to Diana in Charles
There is a serious trend in Scotland to become a Republic. I wonder how reaction to these two goof offs is helping that. How quickly can these two destroy any good will that the Queen has created?
Mark my words William will have a big midlife crisis in a few years. This guy always looks so dissatisfied with his life, duty and future
Im surprised th word commoner is allowed to b used but it is rather ironic wen talking about kate…
Know what you mean of course, but ‘commoner’ should be understood as non-peer’, nothing more, no value judgment. Too late now though…..it has an unfortunate whiff.
Also boggling, this late in history, is the characterising of UK citizens as ‘subjects’
Kind of like when some insist on using the word “servants” instead of “staff.” 2014 anyone?
What is the story with Prince Charles cutting out the rest of the royal family? For example, Princesses Bea & Eugenie not getting protection anymore? I’ve read he wants a more streamlined Monarchy but there seems to be an element of almost sibling rivalry? Like maybe he’s a little bitter Andrew was more popular when they were younger?
Even Charles would set aside sibling rivalry to advance his goals. He asked Andrew to help him take the reins and step up the York presence in the monarchy but Andrew declined. He opted to become commerce ambassador or some such thing which ended in utter disaster. Charles hasn’t looked back or reconsidered. I don’t blame him but it is quite unfair to freeze out the princesses royal for their father’s foolishness. Charles may yet regret that, imo.
Did they actually call Kate a “poor sausage” in that piece?
A journo was saying that Kate actually finds boring the Country life William wants, she much prefers the city. She’d rather be in London.
The trapped reports are mostly about Pr.William.
Boo hoo. It’s so tough being Royal 🙁
Wombat has turned out to be a massive disappointment. I expected so much more from him.
Just as well George was born…fabulous PR for them. They need it.
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