Surprising no one, Duchess Kate’s people canceled her scheduled appearance today at the opening of the Invictus Games. Kensington Palace has maintained since Monday that all of her future appearances are going to be played by ear. If she’s feeling unwell, they will be canceled. She had to cancel the joint appearance on Monday at Oxford (William went solo), and I guess the Invictus Games opening today will just have Prince Harry and Prince William. And maybe a few more royals.
Kate Middleton has been forced to cancel two more public engagements as she continues to suffer from acute morning sickness, Kensington Palace tells Us Weekly in a statement. The Duchess of Cambridge, who announced her second pregnancy on Monday, September 8, is suffering from the same hyperemesis gravidarum she experienced when she was first expecting Prince George. And while, so far, Kate has avoided having to go into hospital for her treatment, she remains too unwell to fulfill her royal duties, which means missing brother-in-law Prince Harry’s launch events for the Invictus Games on Wednesday and Thursday, September 9 and 10.
“The Duchess of Cambridge will not attend the Opening Ceremony of the Invictus Games this evening or the Athletics event tomorrow,” the Palace told Us.
The Palace also explained that no decisions had yet been made regarding Kate’s anticipated first solo tour of Malta later this month.
“The Duchess’s attendance on the forthcoming visit to Malta will be kept under review and a decision taken closer to the time,” they said.
In the meantime, Kate remains under close medical supervision at Kensington Palace.
“The Duchess is at her home in Kensington Palace and is being seen regularly by doctors who are treating her,” a Palace aide told Us. “She is being looked after by the surgeon gynecologist to the Queen, Alan Farthing, and the surgeon gynecologist to the royal household, Guy Thorpe-Beeston.”
I’m guessing the Malta trip will be canceled completely or someone will be sent in Kate’s place. I guess William is beginning his air ambulance training? Is that the reason why he wasn’t going with Kate in the first place? So, maybe we’ll get Harry on the Malta trip. And maybe Harry will get to meet Dame Angelina Jolie in Malta.
Meanwhile, Prince Charles was out and about yesterday, and various people congratulated him on another grandchild. Charles seemed “chuffed” (that’s the right Brit-slang, right?) and he said he really hopes this one is a girl:
Prince Charles has stepped up to where many would-be grandparents might not dare – he’s said he’d like pregnant daughter-in-law, Princess Kate, to have a girl. Charles, 65, made his pronouncement when chatting to a well-wisher at an event for his charity, the Prince’s Trust, on Tuesday.
Corey Johnson, 36, had passed on his congratulations for the prince’s again becoming a grandfather, and Charles replied, “I am already!” Then, according to Johnson, he added: “But it’s wonderful to have another one. I’m happy I’m going to be a grandfather again. I’m looking forward to it – but I hope it will be a girl this time.”
At the same event – to highlight entrepreneurs who have been helped by the Prince’s Trust in south London – Charles told Toying Owoseje, 26, of his joy over the pregnancy news.
“It’s wonderful,” he said. “We are very happy. It’s splendid, very exciting.”
When she was pregnant with baby Prince George (now 13 months) in March 2013, Kate, 32, said that husband William wanted a girl, and that she was hoping for a boy.
William’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales told biographer Andrew Morton in his 1992 book, Diana, Her True Story, that Charles always favored a girl when they were expecting their second child. That infant turned out to be a boy, Prince Harry.
“Charles always wanted a girl. He wanted two children and he wanted a girl,” Diana said. “I knew Harry was a boy and I didn’t tell him.”
Diana also claimed that Charles was disappointed with Harry’s ginger hair too. But those are the Spencer genes! And I think Prince George has some ginger too – my guess is that he’s going to be a sort of strawberry-blonde toddler, then he’ll turn dirty-blonde, like William. Anyway, yes, I’m also hoping Kate has a girl but I doubt anyone is going to be mad if she has another boy. So much pressure! Oh, and Kate’s “friends” are still telling people that she wants three kids. The friends say she wants three before she’s 35 years old (she’s 32 now). That’s what she knows – she and Pippa and James are close in age. She’s probably trying to replicate that.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Have you all seen the video of Harry talking about the new baby – it’s darling. At the end the interviewer says something about Harry’s chances of being King being even lower now. To which Harry gets a huge grin and says, “Great!”
Happy to be pushed down the line! I would be, too.
See, now I can’t even feel bad for the poor woman who’s barfing up her knickers because she is so lazy that she doesn’t need an excuse to not work. So when she has a legitimate one, I don’t care! Get you butt to work!
It is diifficult to imagine how hard it must be for an ordinary pregnant Lady with the same working in retail/restaurant industry with the extreme nausea and the myriad of horrible smells – perfume, garlic, thick deodorant, laundry soap, cilantro, aghhghgh It would seem more bearable to hear nails on a chalk board for nine months straight. At least Kate, as a Royal with a choice to work or not, doesn’t have to be exposed to any of the aforementioned horrible smells and has a very good reason to totally ban Wills Harry and Charles from wearing any Axe products.
I wonder if the Queen gives her a timetable of when to get pregnant by, when and where to conceive, etc. Her job is to get pregnant and create an heir. How boring.
Likely not. I think the only request when it was around to conceiving an heir was not until after the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. That was the Queen’s time and she will not be overshadowed.
Also, no accidental pregnancies if Kate’s pills are highly monitored and preconceiving diet rumors are to be believed.
Uh, no.
Did anyone read that Slate piece by the stay-at-home dad raising three kids close in age? My thoughts were WTF? You complain about no time for your work but keep having kids?? Sympathy, zero. But if Kate wants three, close in age sounds nice.
I know. I’ve dated divorced parents and thought the same thing. Why did you have kids? What did you think would happen?
Last week when Will declined to throw a pee pants hissyfit over the pap pics from date night/train station, we said there must be a scandal on the way. Now she’s pregnant, not a scandal. So why the calmness over the pap pics? My tin foil hat is perched, ready to go. Interested to hear others people ideas about this.
I, for one, am horrid at detecting conspiracies, but it seems to me it was just a build up to the pregnancy news. You know, so the populace can look and see how young, fertile, and in love they are! (And forgive the fact that both of them are going to take the next year or three off from work! For her morning sickness, and his… Uhh… Stress! About being a father! Yeah, that!)
RedSnapper
I think it was more to show an image of happy, healthy Kate wnjoying normal couple time with Will. That it lined with with Scotland was a pleasant distraction?
Anyway, this is a different picture from when they announced George. William was gone and the Midds called in Tanna t be at an undisclosed location to anyone else where Kate was headed. And Tanna is given the best scoops it seems to shame William in to returning to Kate’s side.
It was happy news. Not a scandal. Still, it was planned pr for image control. William will complain about every shot unless it’s been preapproved.
I wonder why they had the story about Kate drinking to go with the picS? Why would she drink wine spritzers in a bar with William when pregnant?
You *can* have a glass or two of wine when pregnant IIRC, maybe she though it was okay?
Don’t really care about the royal family one way or the other, but I have morning sickness right now, not even a particularly bad case, and it’s awful. I feel sympathy for any woman going through it, and I cannot imagine being judged, ridiculed, and questioned by the public on top of feeling so crummy. “She’s faking”, “she should just suck it up”, um, no. Also the, “well I worked three jobs and ran a marathon while pregnant” reactions are insufferable. One of the most important aspects of feminism that I often see overlooked, is the proper respect and consideration for things that only women can do. Women are regularly praised for excelling at activities and endeavors that men are also good at, and I think it’s an important step, but all you have to do is look at the ridiculous policies we have in the U.S. surrounding maternity leave, maternity health, and female healthcare in general to realize that something is very wrong. You’ve done a good job if you stayed thin, never complained, looked exactly like your old self ten minutes after delivery, breastfed in a way that no one ever notices, and resume all your normal activities immediately without issue. It’s a bullshit standard and I want no part in perpetuating it.
@Lia, I agree.
+1
Here, here! Well said, great point.
Thank you, Lia. This is important. Unless you’ve had horrible morning sickness, it’s unlike anything else…. Think never end seasickness for weeks or months on end. The days I could call in sick, I did. If Kate can, good for her. What good does it do her to puke in some petunias during an appearance for the whole world to see? Stay home Kate. Healthy baby to you and your family.
Well said, Lia ! I’ve been super sick for 3 months during both of my pregnancies. Couldn’t work, couldn’t go grocery shopping (food smells were unbearable to me), couldn’t cook… all I could do was sleep and throw up, basically. So, duchess or not, I feel for Kate, as I feel for all the women in this situation. And the “She’s faking it” comments are really annoying.
I don’t think anyone has honestly declared she’s faking morning sickness.
Although, it’s the internet at this point saying she has HG. Kate has still been seen by various civilian shots looking well. Maybe just well enough to walk, shop, and smile, but well all the same. And when faced with work before her people always cancel citing Kate is too busy renovating or chasing George. Then we find she’s secretly vacationing, shopping, or has the nannies with George.
The morning sickness i’m sure Is Real. And going to work while sick is Not fun. If it can be avoided it should imo. But let’s not act like she’s never avoided work for no reason before. I think too many here are acting like being pregnant is a disability. I know many woman with morning sickness currently that find that really offensive.
FLORC: It’s been stated by KP that she has HG. The internet didn’t make it up. I don’t know why this is so hard for everyone to accept.
Last time the Palace jumped on the HG diagnosis too early for it to have been diagnosed. As the pregnancy progressed it was gradually revealed to have been regular morning sickness. LAK wrote that up in another thread, post #54. The Palace has a history of backtracking on this issue, so many of us suspect that might happen again.
http://www.celebitchy.com/386024/duchess_kate_is_pregnant_again_less_than_14_months_after_giving_birth_to_george/
Well said.
Good for you, Lia! I agree. And if Kate wants to have a pregnancy without public scrutiny and doesn’t want to have to deal with people wanting her to work while pregnant, then she can give up the portion of taxpayer money that enables her luxurious lifestyle in order to do so. That money by the way partly comes from the backs of working women who had no respite from work even with HG due to financial tightness or workplace policies (those policies you rightfully disparaged).
I very much agree.
+1
CP Mary Denmark with 4 children did 3 consecutive days of duties in regal royalness – no flashing on one windy day. CP M seem to be an involved parent spouse to her kids and found time for duties.
CP Fred is supporting Prince Harry Games and not just the Opening in another country!
Waity muddleton and P Willnot could learn A lot from HM DOE BR POW BRs who work. And EU royals (not just how to renovate to spend tax payers pounds). .
Hear, hear. I am so tired of the devaluation of motherhood. Yes, there are a few things that only women can do. What is so wrong with that?
Trans masculine people who have retained reproductive organs can also have babies. Centralizing motherhood to cis gender “femaleness” is a problem.
I think she’ll have another boy.
I think so too. Boys seem to run in that family. I feel sorry for her though. It must be a lot of pressure to produce an heir and a spare. Guess that’s why she got pregnant again so soon.
Shocker.
Now if she’s really sick with this kid, I feel for her. I hate throwing up (for the past few years I’ve been getting a particularly nasty virus that causes me to expel from both ends–ain’t fun). But this is just eye roll-y to me. I can’t help it. She and her husband are both lazy–but at least she has a better excuse than Mr. Don’t-Criticize-Me-It’s-Been-X-Years-Since-My-Mummy-Died…….
Yes, it has been a bit too much as if Kate is the evil one trying to get out of work, but I’m suspecting it’s actually Wills who is in the driver’s seat on these things. He seems such a petulant big child and has given that vibe for ages now.
I do think, in the end, that’s why she barely does anything but shop and trail after him. How do you think Mr. Whiny Pants would act if she became more popular than him, for any other reason than her (questionable) fashion sense–she became more popular because she actually did something?
I gotta say, at least he was smart enough to pick one who would do whatever he wanted her to do, as opposed to trying to change someone.
But I still put the blame equally on both–she’s a grown ass woman. If she wanted to do more, then she would do more. It’s not like Will can divorce her over wanting to work more……
I still don’t get (well, I do) why she didn’t marry some rich aristocrat, so she could trophy wife all she wanted. Maybe we should just blame her mother.
I think she is constantly shopping out of boredom. If I were in her position, I would learn languages (I do now but not as many as I like), educate myself, not only work for charities but also try to make England a better place. I think William wants her to stay out of spotlight so she goes shopping. She shops to fulfill some void.
Luciana
William’s ex’s were all wealthy, established women who were/are heavily involved in their charities. Strong ladies they were also left him when he showed his wandering eye is something he acted on. If William wanted that kind of woman I think he would have fought for 1. Stopped cheating and became the man they needed. He picked Kate and she has never displayed a desire to work or volunteer. Her only job not employed by her mother was to be employed by her mother’s friend at Jigsaw after the Queen asked what she does for work.
Why would she start now when there’s no need?
As for shopping. In my vapid days I knew a bunch of wannbe socialite types. Shopping, gym, and salads were daily routines. It gets old unless you never feel the need to grow.
I agree that a big part of her not wanting to get out there and do more has to do with William. Something about him is a bit ‘off’.
The thing is, having a job – or purpose – in life is what keeps you going. When you’re a lady of leisure where the only commitment you have is the hairdresser or beauty therapist, the routine soon gets old (trust me, I know!!!). You soon find shopping becomes same-old; you no longer look forward to catching up with friends for coffee or dinner because you do it so often you take it for granted; and as the saying goes, “idle hands are the work of the devil”.
I wonder how long before Kate tires of this ‘nothing’ lifestyle. I give her 10 years max.
Let’s see if her morning sickness goes away when it’s time to go to Italy for the wedding & when Harry’s b-day party comes around.
I think we’ll all be waiting to see if she cancels Malta but makes it to Italy for fun. We know she won’t miss Mustique in January/February when she’s 6-7 months along. Mustique could get moved up to December and be the excuse for missing Christmas at Sandringham.
NAS – Do you really think the Middletons would change their vacation plans just to screw over the queen on Christmas? You are just inventing reasons to criticize William and Kate.
I was thinking that it can be dangerous to travel by air at 6-7 months, especially if it is considered a high risk pregnancy (you know, if she really was throwing up 30 times a day for 7.5 months). They usually travel to Mustique around the last week of January or the first week of February. This has been their pattern for a decade.
If Tanna is to be believed, she’ll be more like 8 months along by the time of their usual trip. I can see them moving up their annual trip to a time that is less risky for a pregnancy, yes. If it coincides with a Christmas event – a Christmas event they have avoided 2 out of 3 years – I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m not inventing here, they used the last pregnancy as an excuse to get out of Christmas Day with HM. It is not my invention; they’re the ones who established the pattern.
What useless clowns _ ‘Turnips’ P Willnot and Waity: “Prince Georgie is exhausting”! (Not shopping hair shopping)
First P George need the country. Can’t work royal duties to spend time with PG. Now W*W need nurse for #2. Are they expecting a sick baby?!
If not HM QE2 DoE then Prince George with PH will attend Unc Harry Games; PGTips would be such a boost to the injured servicemen. King Harry (PH) and P Georgie stocks are in demand than PG workless parents. W*Waity can stay home- Turnip or KP.
As one who has had sever morning sickness (actually mine was 24/7 sickness for two months), I sympathize with her.
This is going to sound insensitive but here goes. I have had two pregnancies and was terribly sick with both. More so with my twins. I had to take zofran to keep from throwing up and generally felt pretty crappy all f-ing day. I also had to work in a classroom teaching kids during this time and I know there are lots of people out there who work while dealing with all day morning sickness. I will admit I was never hospitalized for it but to me it seems a little ridiculous that she can’t make an appearance. Okay….I’m done being mean:)
I had to work during my pregnancy as well, but if I was Kate, didn’t have a real job, could have my mom and physicians come to me and take care of me, I would’ve done it.
Oh you did it. You managed so it’s sinful/inexcusable for any other woman with morning sickness (royal or not) to take a day off? Nice attitude.
Sunny – if non royal women have to do that and then give up part of their wages in taxes so Kate can have the luxury of not working at all – that seems a bad attitude too.
+1 Christina.
Christine
+1M
It s many years off- (;not counting hunting years with ma and pop hanging in school parking).
Dressing up to shake a few hands small talk is not enough. for Waity to blow millions of tax paying pounds.
Heck P Wil Waity should be out giving speeches on awful HG (they throw the illness around enough).
What if she threw up during the opening ceremonies for the Invictus Games? On live television? Wouldn’t people be screaming that she was distracting from Harry and/or the athletes?
Or if she came and was ashen-faced and queasy-looking, it would be the same. People would be complaining that she had made it all about how brave she was etc. etc.
If the woman is sick, she is sick. She is fulfilling her main function as wife of heir to the heir. Nothing else she does really requires her presence.
Remember when George Bush threw up on the Japanese Prime Minister? If Kate went to the opening ceremony and puked, it would be a social media feeding frenzy and totally overshadow the games.
It is disturbing to think that a women’s only job is to have babies (and look pretty). I wonder who Kate Middleton is…yawn.
+10
Why would you want a sick Kate there distracting everyone from the events? That seems like terrible logic.
Keep in mind that it’s not just her not wanting to work, per se. Would you want to be photographed looking like death warmed-over? Those pictures would be brought out for years to come. How about having to run to a trash can or something to puke in the middle of a meet and greet? She has pressure to uphold an image (whether people think she does it well or not), and making herself sicker by trying to be a hero and show up, stand for long periods listening to boring speeches, shaking hands, etc. is probably just a bad idea. You aren’t in her shoes, so maybe chill out a little?
Would I rather be praised for doing my job, or worry more about how I look in photos? I’d rather be praised for doing (or trying to do) my job, especially if that job was funded by taxpayers. Charlene of Monaco has always outworked Kate Middleton and she’s having a difficult pregnancy. She cancelled some events due to illness, and when she does show up, you can tell she is ill but working anyway — because she has a job to do just like millions of other women.
Stand for long periods of time? A visit to a hospice in NZ was clocked at 15 minutes. If she had been a hard worker in the last 3 years, she wouldn’t be receiving the level of criticism she’s getting now. Her image was not improved by ducking work while pregnant last time but being healthy enough to go on vacation multiple times. Either she was ill or she wasn’t. If she was too sick to work, she would have been too sick to fly 10 hours to Mustique.
They cry wolf a lot, hence the skepticism being shown by many here.
It is just like when one of us calls in sick. The boas had better not find out you were in Vegas instead of in bed at home.
So does this mean that the loud-mouthed friend of Kate’s was right? Again? Everyone assumed she’d been jettisoned because of blabbing the first time. Not so much, I guess.
For all the “BUT I did X, Y, and Z all while pregnant and puking 24/7, so she should, too!”
No! That should not be the response! The response should not be to call on a very sick woman to throw on a dress and haul it to an event, but rather to take aim at the policies that force people – and, disproportionately women – to work while ill, to come back to work right after delivering a child, to work through the very end of pregnancy.
If Kate’s ability to take downtime while she is very ill is bothering you so very much, then get out and advocate for better maternity leave policies, better sick leave policies, better child care policies. For heaven’s sake.
+1
Amen, sister.
Bucky
Agree. It’s just not that easy or simple. It’sa very complicated issue. It shouldn’t be, but it is. Unfortunately this is how change does start. People become outraged at the unfair treatment of few to many. It’s not private money keeping Kate from working. If it was there would be less to be outraged over.
Let’s not oversimplify a much larger issue.
@ Florc
I’m keeping this part of Kate’s behavior separate from her general work-shy behavior, because it’s a different set of circumstances.
I work in child and family advocacy, so I am well aware of the barriers facing women in terms of professional support and childcare, as well as how difficult it is to move policy. But it can be done and, as you point out, it has to begin somewhere.
Same here Bucky
She has a legitimate reason to cancel. Although, it’s not easy to overlook this as a case of crying wolf. Especially if we see her on those 5 or so hour shopping trips, but claims she too sick for a 45 minute event.
YES!
And in addition, we need to consider that this is not different from her normal workshy attitude. Will and Kate have lied to the public before. Just because she is pregnant does not mean they wouldn’t use that. I’m not going to say she isn’t sick. But we aren’t dealing with normal people here.
They lied about where they were during the Paralympics.
Kate was seen vacationing, shopping and making Starbucks runs during her last round of HG.
Her situation is similar to our situations at work in the sense that if you take a lot of sick days, you’d better not be seen enjoying yourself somewhere.
Ach, poor duchess.
It’s a shame if she has to forgo Malta…..with her Art History degree, she’s surely keen to check out the never (I think?) loaned-for-exhibition Caravaggio there.
(And to get Brad and Angelina’s autographs?!!)
Hope she feels better soon; it must be lousy for women who have this, spoiling their happiness about a baby
There’s a Caravaggio at Malta! Do you know which one?
Kate has never really used her Art History degree and she won’t break pattern just because she is on an official visit in Malta.
Probably Kate “Are-Faberge-eggs-still-produced” Dolittle doesn’t know which Caravaggio is in Malta. She wouldn’t look it up before visiting but during the visit in Malta she would want to know if she could meet Caravaggio to ask him if he could paint her portrait.
;-D
Hello AH
Tis the ‘Beheading of St John the Baptist’, immovable in that cathedral of St John in Valletta. Didn’t Caravaggio take refuge with the Knights of Malta after fleeing Rome? Something like that.
There’s something interesting about the way or the place he signed it too; damn what was it?……..I must fossick around and find the Andrew G-D book now!
🙂
Sounds interesting – and Caravaggio’s highly dramatic narrative paintings are just wonderful. Look out for dirty feet – it is a bit of a signature for him (dirty foot soles are often included in his paintings, something that his peers at the time didn’t much care for, finding it undignified for such elevated subjects as Biblical stories).
Caravaggio certainly led a very dramatic and scandalous life, didn’t he. He was quite the enfant terrible. 😉
Chris
+1
Me think if Malta was in the cards PW WD would wait conceiving (they said this manu times – “we will wait until after the Diamond Jubilee year”.
But the country pals a calling, and many workless months abd luzury vacay. millions to renovate awaiting
Lia
+1B
I agree, there are millions of women who can’t take off from work because having a baby.- women should have mandatory Childbearing time off perks globally.
Some excused workless WillNOT Waity. Muddleton as PC POW Jealoust holding them back – Ha!
What Prince Harry achieve today creating Invitcus Games is waaay. Out there – pass HG and organic wealth. Clarence House nor. the HM Firm did not stop or interfere, quite the other.
P Willnot will become King for the records then abandon his Line to King Harry. Willy have stated he hope the monarchy not around for PG)
Damn! She just did all that shopping. I was looking forward to some new outfits.
“This is going to sound insensitive but here goes. I have had two pregnancies and was terribly sick with both. More so with my twins. I had to take zofran to keep from throwing up and generally felt pretty crappy all f-ing day. I also had to work in a classroom teaching kids during this time and I know there are lots of people out there who work while dealing with all day morning sickness. I will admit I was never hospitalized for it but to me it seems a little ridiculous that she can’t make an appearance. Okay….I’m done being mean:)”
^^^ I don’t think you’re being mean. I do think you need to be more sensitive though, with YOURSELF. If you wanted to work while sick, that’s fine and that’s your choice. If you were forced to work by your workplace/unsupportive partner/horrible national policies that’s a damn shame. If you needed a break, you should have been able to take one. It’s admirable that you could struggle through and do what you had to to take care of your family, but the point is, you shouldn’t have had to.
I can’t remember his name, but I heard a funny clip from a comedian. He was talking about how “lazy” his wife was while she was pregnant. She would just sit on the couch day after day. He would leave in the morning and when he returned home in evening she’d be in the exact same spot. Finally he snapped and demanded to know what she did all day. Her response, “I grew a liver today”. Put it all in perspective for him. It was a very cute joke, but the underlying message is seriously important. We give special treatment for the “special abilities” of men all the time. Huge paychecks for athletes, way more funding and research for male only illnesses. On and on. If you believe that pregnancy is nothing special, worth consideration and relevant allowances, then you’ve been duped by some woman hating bullshit. Fair treatment does not mean “same” treatment. If men could give birth the policies and services available would be drastically different.
Lastly, “are all women good for is to have children?”. No, but what a bullshit thing to say. Feminism is about choice. Taking care of children and a home full time is a JOB. Turns out if you want someone else to watch your children or clean your house or provide your meals you have to pay them to do so. Success should be defined but what makes a person feel valued and fulfilled. Pregnancy is a huge deal, on its own. Not because you grin and pretend it’s not happening, not because it’s a little extra side project, because you’re MAKING AN ENTIRE HUMAN BEING.
Lia, I love you so much right now! I don’t know if you plan on finding out the sex of your baby, but I kind of hope you have a boy. He will grow up to be one fierce feminist! I’m hoping the same for my son. 🙂
@ Christina, I don’t live in the UK and don’t know anything about tax payer + royal family politics or financial entanglements. I live in the U.S. and we have some of the worst policies and care outcomes for pregnant women in the developed world. I think the class issues at play given Britain’s history bear consideration, but attacking a sick young woman who married into the royal family seems like more of a petty distraction than a legitimate call for substantive change.
@ Lia
Attacking a woman for alleged pregnancy-related medical issues just SEEMS petty.
Any other non-royal woman would be told to “get over it” and “get some more rest” and otherwise “keep working” pretty much up to the date of birth (7th, 8th month is not unusual).
I don’t think many people believe in the gravitas of Kate’s alleged claims of HG. Kate was workshy before marriage and during her marriage and her workshy-ness reached new heights since she got pregnant for the first time. Basically she is going to take another 14-month-holiday.
All the while she is perfectly capable of doing 8-hour-flights to the carribean but she is not capable of doing a 45-min engagement for one of her charities in the afternoon. All the while this is what the taxpayer is paying for. The taxpayer paid for super-expensive superfluous luxury renovations. In exchange for that Kate is expected to support charities and she doesn’t pull her weigth.
Understandably people are pissed.
(William and Kate are financed by Prince Charles who in turn gets some money out of the Duchy of Cornwall which belongs to the taxpayer. In short: in order to finance Prince Charles and offspring the taxpayer forgoes some 15 Mio Pounds from the Duchy.)
Kate and William keep piling up many things which will make people call for substantive change.
Also the Brits are used to the Royals being lazy so that only once in a while when a Royal fu**s up big time then the Brits get somewhat more vocal about this obsolete royal institution.
So they finally started to call her “Princess Kate”?
I bet soon it will be “Princess Catherine”. During her engagement there were reports Kate wanted to be called “Catherine” from now on.
As far as gossip blogs and publications, People and Lainey Gossip are the two places that absolutely INSIST on calling her Princess Kate. Most, if not all other reputable journalistc outlets, correctly refer to her as The Duchess of Cambridge.
AP Style. It’s literally in the book under royal titles.
Kate is still trying to be called Catherine. It’s how her name is signed, how pro royal papers refer to her as. And it was princess Catherine on William’s form.
The day where the masses accept Kate Middleton as Catherine in regards to any title will be a hard fought victory.
And let’s not forget it’s funds straight from the tax dollars for the upkeep of their homes. Homes that otherwise would have renters paying to be there and paying to renovations/upkeep themselves.
Now, Kate is pregnant and experiencing morning sickness.. I don’t think anyone is upset about her taking time off for that. What is getting complaints is when she’s not with child there’s still many occasion when she simply cancels events for not feeling like it. Then caught elsewhere having a good time.
People should defend her past behavior. How she has avoided work at every turn unless somehow bribed or cornered into it. (cornered being Charles or Queen also there. Bribed being worked in vacations extra clothes shopping.)
To say “she’s pregnant give her a break” is fine, but that doesn’t excuse her past behavior. Only that now she has a very good excuse to continue the same behavior.
Lia – I am a US citizen and have lived in the UK. I am aware of what you speak. But if you do not know the financial ins and outs of this situation you cannot comprehensively comment on it. I am sympathetic to everything you have said, but so far you have ignored this: is it truly feminist to allow Kate to stay home and do absolutely nothing because she is pregnant while lower class women (pregnant ones too) have to bear the rest of the socioeconomic brunt *and* pay for Kate’s luxuries too? It most certainly is not. It’s as Harry said: “you’ve got to give something back.” Kate does very little of this. The other royal women did, even Sophie who nearly died. Is that fair? No. But is it fair that they have the wealth and privilege they do over the rights and bank accounts of their subjects? No. Even their “work” is less taxing than the daily grind most pregnant women have to deal with. There is nothing inherently feminist about defending Kate on gender platforms given the socioeconomic issues of a monarchy which is essentially obsolete.
The Monarchy needs to be seen as in touch and relevant with today’s concerns. If they cannot do that they will founder. Kate is supposed to be making appearances to help that and to justify the millions of pounds she and William have spent. She is not doing so. As she is not a privately funded citizen, that is a problem.
Well said, Christina.
Kate is just a higher echelon welfare scrounger. She lives off social benefits. Feminism has better things to do than be supportive of and defend her for her indefensible life style.
If the Dolittles paid their own way, this conversation would be moot. Who cares what they do with their lives then? She could live a hedonistic life of luxury and no one would bat an eye. And she certainly wouldn’t be touted as the poster child for the feminist cause.
I know your argument is Kate-specific, Christina, but I’m much more swayed by Lia’s, which is more woman-specific.
The class point you bring up is, I think an incredibly important one:
“…while lower class women (pregnant ones too) have to bear the rest of the socioeconomic brunt…”
I think Lia is making a class argument too, but I have to admit, I find hers much more constructive. Rather than argue in favour of the same shitty situation for all women (that’s equality, right?)–which, let’s face it, is never going to happen in a world where the richest are amassing wealth more quickly than ever and the middle classes are in financial free-fall–why can’t we get behind an argument like the one Lia’s making and set the bar higher for all of us? Aren’t we ALL deserving of the same benefits and good treatment? Just because most women have to work throughout pregnancies while also dealing with one complication or another (I’ve done it twice) doesn’t mean it’s not a broken system.
Also Lia – since I think you have come to this debate fairly recently but correct me if I am wrong – this is not about Kate being busy and then taking time off during a pregnancy. It is about how she has done her best to completely avoid doing any duties of service to the country and institution she represents, the family she worked ten years to marry into, and the people who fund her. The lengths she and her husband have gone to to avoid working in the past make this look suspicious. She may well be sick. But it falls in line with her usual pattern, so it has created skeptics. As with other times I hope she will pick up slack once she is doing better, but this has basically never been the case.
It is neat how Charles got his teeth golden – Jay Z should try this 🙂
Surprising noone Waity Doolittle MIA –
I LOVE LOVE – P Harry Games pictures….what a RF benefit (smackdown), by none other than hardworking Prince Harry!
So Proud of Harry; and is that CP Fred, Denmark supporting PH- Way to go!!
We should be seeing older P WillNOT Waity doing something similar soon to play catch up- hiding from RF duties. Like US FL O was supporting PH as well) – King Henry!
Woman is sick early during her pregnancy. OK, I buy that. If she really does have HG, why doesn’t she take this on as a cause when she’s not pregnant and feeling good? That would be awesome. Royals are supposed to work with charities, you’d think Kate would do this.
Not surprised she cancelled the engagement. My guess is she will disappear now for at least a month or so. Good for her. Get through your side effects, Kate. Hope you have a healthy baby. Let William do the public appearances, it will be good for him.
So true. Angelina and her press people would be all over this issue.
Can’t blame her for this one. If I were her, I’d just cancel the Malta trip and I think she will but maybe she’ll go.
@ Christina, fair enough. I openly stated that I don’t know very much about the royal family, or particularly care. If people had kept the criticisms confined to British tax reform, or any number of actual topics that directly relate to the lingering and still damaging de facto caste system in England, I’d be all for it. The only thing I saw were bitchy comments about how everyone should suck up their extreme, medically diagnosed morning sickness. I’ve been in reddit all day, my misogyny tank is full.
Do any of the royals actually work to the degree that could actually fund their lifestyles? No. Why isn’t everyone else, with no legitimate medical reason, being criticized. Again, don’t care about Kate. Don’t find her interesting or compelling. I *do* take issue with her being criticized for taking a break while ill and with child. We should all be far more consumed with how to get that basic consideration for all women, than trying to drag others down.
We can agree to disagree. I have morning sickness, it’s not an excuse, it’s a legitimate, horrendous, physically and emotionally exhausting reason.
If you want to complain about paying for her hair, makeup, clothing, vacations…that’s all fair game in my book.
But this is the typical problem on these threads, Lia. People get so consumed by the Kate-hate that they can’t be reasoned out of a cardboard box. I see the point you’re making, and it has nothing to do with Kate. She is irrelevant to your argument. And there’s the rub.
It’s okay to use the Ray Rice forum as a place to have a general but very important conversation about domestic violence. But it will never be okay to make a Kate post about anything other than Kate.
Ugh, for some reason my phone failed to load all of the comments. I missed this:
“There is nothing inherently feminist about defending Kate on gender platforms given the socioeconomic issues of a monarchy which is essentially obsolete.”
^^^ I disagree with this. My entire point is that pregnancy is viewed as something extra. Just something that’s ok and admirable if you’re able to easily squeeze it in between working long hours and keeping yourself thin. It’s an agenda that has been pushed by male driven policy and culture for decades. The royal family is utterly pointless (in my opinion), but if you’re going to assign any of them value, surely growing and sustaining heirs with your own body counts for something. The socio-economic issue may intersect with the gender issue, but one does not negate the other. Kate dragging herself away from the toilet to wave at people does exactly nothing. Her bill, and every other royal’s bill (if you’re correct) are paid by tax payers 100% of the time. It seems like her being weakened and ill, defying what we think of as a “good little woman/wife” has made it open season. No one is griping about the queen, or any of the other useless relatives. It’s easy to criticize pregnant women because our collective contempt for uniquely female contributions is already woven into the fabric of public acceptance.
Lia – My sympathies! I avoid reddit at all costs, makes my blood boil and can’t stand the nasty place. Misogyny overload indeed. I am sorry you are ill as well.
But I think I personally disagree. I assign value to royals when they show they are reinvesting the resources that have been given them back into the country they represent. Producing a bloodline heir is something that’s mostly in *their* interests. I’m not going to quibble over the significance of pregnancy in general as I agree with you – but I can’t say that Kate being pregnant is something that should override these previous concerns. After all, she frequently uses her son in the same PR methods to avoid work (ie she can’t work because she has to be an actively involved mother) as she did her first pregnancy, but we see him out more often with his nanny than her and she takes plenty of vacations without him, so why not some royal work too? It’s very questionable to me. And I also, I don’t think you were implying this but I want to state, I would caution against the idea that her value and the value of other women increase when they are pregnant. Actively child free women are also of value – and I’m going to venture the opinion that if Kate were by coincidence unable to produce an heir but worked every day, it would have less of a negative effect with the general public than it would with the courtiers, the Queen and other people within the royal circle who are anxious to preserve the line.
A last word – people don’t gripe about the Queen because she’s an octogenarian who has worked every day of her life. Does that necessarily mean her throne isn’t obsolete? No, but she is out there connecting with people and presiding over real issues so she is very much loved. She is attempting to slow down her duties but cannot because the younger generation who should be doing so are largely shirking (because of this she relies mostly on Harry as he is the only one who can be depended on). There are other females who at criticized sometimes – Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie come to mind, but they are criticized less because they are private citizens and still do more charity work than Kate. The reason Kate is in the news more is because she is married to the second in line to the throne. She has more perks and therefore more responsibilities. So far she has been happy to enjoy the perks but she shies away from doing more than a handful of engagements a year. The Invictus Games were mostly the product of Harry’s work and initiative and yet the seal of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is on it too, for the sake of their Foundation. Wouldn’t a half hour have been acceptable to honor those who served their country? Just my two cents.
Last one tonight, I promise. 🙂
Lest you see any of my comments and feel like I’m picking on you, Christina, I want to start by saying that it’s not been my intention. I’ve read your comments on other royal threads and appreciate your willingness to engage in respectful debate with those who have an alternate viewpoint.
So I thought I’d go to bed on this note. You wrote, “I would caution against the idea that [Kate’s] value and the value of other women increase when they are pregnant. Actively child free women are also of value.”
I’m so glad you said this. I think it’s another great point that actually fits really well with the argument Lia’s making, as I understand it. What we need is a paradigm shift whereby men and women are not only allowed to be equal, but our differences are also celebrated. Like Lia says above, there are many gender-specific strengths that men and women each bring to the table, but those things that are within the realm of men tend to be celebrated and financially rewarded in a way that things unique to women are not.
Okay. I really am going to bed because I don’t know if I’m making any sense. I’m just a few days post-surgery, and I think my nighttime pain meds have kicked in.
Petrichor – of course I don’t feel you are picking on me. I leave a lot of comments so I’m happy to have replies.
And of course there should be more universal standards of compassion, care and professional allowances for both pregnancy and women in general. But it’s very difficult for me to generalize beyond that in a Kate post, as you mentioned, because her position is unique. She is not just a member of the financially ruling class but now she is part of “The Firm”. She has dealt with what I would call an emotionally abusive relationship with Prince William for a decade and all those she was close to encouraged her to drop her own identity to accommodate his. That is sadly not unique. But she did know enough of royal life that she knew she would have to work to represent her country. She has not wanted to at all really, so far. And that is sad, as she could be using her platform to do a lot of good.
I would hope that the ins and outs of her relationship with William wouldn’t affect her perception of what she needs to be doing for the country who funds her and that she represents. But you never can tell. She is fine to use plenty of public money for play, but not for work. And these reasons are why the maternity debate isn’t centered on gender equality, in Kate’s case. There is much more at play than just “we need to respect her autonomy while pregnant”. She married into a *royal* family, which by its very definition is backwards and misogynist still in many ways. The attempt to modernize the customs of an institution which still claims constitutional power due to accidents of birth and lays claim to public money for no other reasons than those accidents of birth – it’s a tough one in an debate, to me. Because of these things, the pregnancies of other women rank as much lower priorities than Kate’s pregnancy. Hers is the most important because she is seen as a vessel for heirs. And in the system we *currently* have regarding maternity leaves and child care, allowing her not to work ever while other pregnant women have to pay for her, because socially their pregnancies aren’t important compared to the birth of an heir, is extremely antifeminist, to me. I don’t know if I can really support an argument in favor of real feminism and bloodline monarchy coexisting in a society. Actually, the normalization of Kate’s status as mother of an all important heir is problematic for women overall. Particularly for trans* women and actively child free women, as I mentioned.
“And in the system we *currently* have regarding maternity leaves and child care, allowing her not to work ever while other pregnant women have to pay for her, because socially their pregnancies aren’t important compared to the birth of an heir, is extremely antifeminist, to me. I don’t know if I can really support an argument in favor of real feminism and bloodline monarchy coexisting in a society.”
This is a really good point, and one I was either ignoring or not really considering. All my previous statements in support of Lia’s arguments for women in general still stand, but I totally see your points about Kate specifically in a new light.
Petrichor – I enjoyed your comments as well. Please do not think I disagree with the general ideas about gender that went back and forth. It’s merely Kate’s specific circumstances that give me pause. If she were privately funded, I would have no issue.
Christina
+1
CP Mary Denmark with 4 children did 3 consecutive days of duties in regal royalness – no flashing on one windy day. CP M seem involved parent spouse still found time to duties.
CP Fred is supporting Prince Harry Games and not just the Opening in another country!
Waity muddleton and P Willnot could learn A lot not just HM DOE POW working BRs; and EU royals with not just renovation tips ( to spend tax payers pounds).
Although I’m not happy to see anyone sick, I’m happy for Harry that he won’t be overshadowed at the Invictus Games. He’s been involved with this event from start to finish, and I would be annoyed if the headlines were all about what his sister-in-law decided to wear and how she put on a brave face even though sick, etc., etc. Harry deserves to be in the spotlight for his efforts.
India
+1000
Waity doolittle “Turnip Toff” (DM), can’t perform duties due to HG but have been out shopping lattes shop.
I’m curious who let the hangers on muddletons into Prince Harry’s Games! Waity and her muddleton climbers family, PR and photgs needy.
Get a job or actively support a charity cause instead of this entitlement hangers on.
Ma muDdleton Waity can’t wait to get to the country, busy strategizing for wealthy Titled spouse for the other two hangers on muddletons.
It’s been great reading your comments today, ladies. I especially thought Lia, Christina, & Petrichor to be particularly thought-provoking & well-written. Thank you!
Christina Notasug
+1000
Will be interesting to see workless Waity travel with ma muddleton to vacay mystq. Waity is sick will be staying with ma in buckleberry for Christmas again, with or without PW.
Prince Georgie can walk run to church with ggrannie HM, DoE grandpa PC POW P Harry and greet the kids, take HM flowers.
Let’s hope PG visit P Harry Games. Waity would really have HG. Missing PR photos.
Reminder: Saldanha inquest yesterday and today.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/11/jacintha-saldanha-inquest-no-depression-duchess-of-cambridge
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2751882/Australian-radio-DJ-centre-royal-hoax-call-controversy-nurse-hanged-arrives-inquest.html
Thank you for posting the links.