Here are some photos of Duchess Kate & Prince William making the trip from Kensington Palace to Buckingham Palace yesterday. They were attending the Queen’s annual pre-Christmas London luncheon. Prince Harry and Princess Beatrice were also seen arriving around the same time. There was some mixed information about whether Prince George came along? Some sites said George was definitely there, some said Kate and Will arrived alone. I’m sort of pleased to see William driving the car by himself – these days, it does feel like Will and Kate are driven everywhere and surrounded by a massive security phalanx. As for Kate’s look here – she repeated that gorgeous red McQueen suit which she wore for the first time in 2012 (go here to see some photos of the suit). Meanwhile, Radar/The Enquirer has this OMG SCANDAL.
The future King of England and his pregnant wife have been blasted as royal hypocrites for fooling Americans! During the couple’s whirlwind three-day trip to the United States, Prince William preached animal rights and wildlife conservation, telling attendees at the World Bank: “I am determined not to let the world’s children grow up on a planet where our most iconic and endangered species have been wiped out.”
But behind the expectant father’s defiant declaration is a deep and dark secret, The National ENQUIRER has exclusively learned. In a shocking act of hypocrisy, William and his 32-year-old wife, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, flaunt “trophies” at their 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate, including elephant tusks, a stuffed lion, a tiger rug, a rhino head and other exotic animals.
The menagerie of slaughtered animals at the private home of British monarchs since 1862 also includes a stuffed baby rhino and displays of animal heads with antlers.
Well, that’s sort of old news. Sort of. I mean, I didn’t know the Queen has tiger rugs and a rhino head, but there’s always been a gossip about William’s insistence that all of the poaching wares must be destroyed, even if they’re part of the royal collection. Some of this stuff is really old, you know? But I get their point – William’s activism should start at home. If he feels that strongly about anti-poaching efforts, then convince his grandmother to stop displaying those tiger rugs and a stuffed baby rhino (good lord).
Photos courtesy of Getty, Pacific Coast News.
Whose decision was it to decree him the face of anti-poaching?
It makes sense for him to lead a cause that he was more devoted to (homelessness, Centrepoint)?
Also, not a fan of his frames, too small for his face. I will say this, Will can rock a cowboy hat!
William does want to destroy the royal ivory collection, but he seems to hold the minority BRF position on that matter.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/africa-wild/2014/feb/19/royal-ivory-prince-william-destruction
The art professional in me find this idea an appalling form of vandalism. I’m never ever going to be in favour of destroying art for ideological purposes (that evokes all sorts of unhappy historical incidents where art and literature has been destroyed because of religious and/or political beliefs).
I don’t really find the arguments of the article convincing either. Destroying old artifacts is not going to have any influence on the real problem – the market that demands ivory in the far east.
•ArtHistorian•
I’m not a professional in the arts like you, and I still see it as horrific. if nothing else, let it collect dust (figuratively speaking) on a shelf somewhere.
My son MasterSlippers (who wants to work as a wildlife biologist), thinks we are tackling the problem of poaching all wrong. Poachers often have no other way to support their family so one option that needs to be discussed is we need to find a legal and viable option to support their family.
LadySlippers
That’s what I’ve been thinking as well. People do what they have to do to support themselves and their families. I think that the biggest problem is the demand for ivory, rhino horn, etc. in certain markets – if there is a demand, then someone will try to fullfill it to make money. I think that poaching is as much an socio-economic issue as one of wildlife conservation.
This is no secret. The poaching to care for your family. When good people with good intentions are desperate there’s usually someone not so good willing to exploite their situation. Sad.
Trouble is no one wants to invest the time or money to get to the root of the issue. Better to put a bandaid on it and call it a day. The animals become the issue. Not why the animals are the issue.
•Florc•
•ArtHistorian•
Rarely are the socio-economic issues addressed in anyway, shape, or form on any topic. I find that maddening as people will often make much better choices if they have a way to support themselves and their families. I am a huge believer in finding out the ‘why’ of an issue rather than applying a band-aid.
It is why I try to support organizations that give aid to self-help. There’s a Danish aid organization that has different programs for help to self-help among people in Africa. The most popular one is called “give a goat” where you donate to a program where a family fx gets a nanny goat, instruction and so on. There are similar projects with other animals, school materials etc. The central idea is that you give people a boost and that the donated goat can become the basis for a steady income.
LadySlippers,
It is much easier to apply a band-aid. I met a guy a few years ago who had worked with a project that mad and distributed free water filters in Africa. He told me that just getting people to use those filters was a very long and frustrating process and that they operated with a 10 year horizon for actually influencing people’s behaviour.
AH, a similar one is Heifer(dot)org
It is that teach a man to fish philosophy that can make the difference.
•ArtHistorian•
Not only is it ‘easier’ to apply a band-aid, people can do it and still feel better/superior to the people they are attempting to help. Which to me is not really helping at all.
Getting to the root cause takes a lot time, a sincere desire to help the people (while allowing them to retain their dignity), and a willingness to learn yourself. It’s more introspective and long lasting though.
Nothing is ever simple. Joan Root took that approach in Kenya, employing the poachers to do other jobs to give them and their families income and to protect the animals. It worked for a while and then those same men machine-gunned her to death in her own home.
You also have the fact that not all poachers are poor. Rhinos and elephants often get hunted by guys flying in via helicopter. That’s not some poor locals. That’s well-funded criminal activity driven by greed.
The rising demand in Asia for Ivory, rhino horn, shark fin, etc. desperately needs to be addressed too before any change will happen. Yes, poverty needs to be addressed (doesn’t it always?); but it’s just not that simple.
Dare I say? Those glasses really work on William!
Yeah they give him an air of intelligence and mystery. I mean if you saw him across the room without knowing who he is.
Lol
You’ve missed the real big royal news of the day – British bookmakers have withdrawn betting for an abdication after a rumoured leak of Her Maj’s Christmas Speech. The Palace had to come out and officially deny it and all sorts. I thought poor Bill on BBC Breakfast was going to hyperventilate at one point (not really, but I was praying he would. All the other news was depressing).
Since ISIL came to prominence, i’ve given up watching the news. Even sneak reading newspapers over someone’s shoulder on the tube.
I.can’t.take.it.
It’s giving me nightmares. Every day it’s something more depressing than the day before.
The news channel has now been turned to BBC Parliamentary channel. That’s more upbeat than what’s going on in the news.
On a different note, I was at an auction house last week end and one of the lots was 3 mounted animal heads. Stags, if I remember correctly, and they fetched a lot of money.
I don’t know how a person can live in a house with animal heads staring down at you from the walls. Creepy, creepy, creepy.
Ditto stuffed animals.
I’ve given up on news as well. Back to reading history books for me.
When you grow up in a house with stuffed/mounted animals, it really isn’t something you think twice about when you’re grown, trust me. I never found it creepy, though a few non-hunting friends did. I doubt any of the royal family are bothered by them.
•LAK•
I gave up on watching the news ages ago — it makes me a lot happier.
I like cute stuffed animals (teddy bears) but also dislike stuffed real animals. In the Midwest it’s a fairly prominent thing with families that hunt. I just prefer the animals that adorn my house to be alive. I know I’m a bit odd….
*shuffles off to the odd corner*
•notasugarhere•
I love me some history books. Whatchya reading now? I’m almost through with a biography on Lady Randolph Churchill (good) but struggled to get interested in a book about Alice Keppel.
Nothing scholarly. Right now, Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis is a good Christmas-time read too (provided you like a serving of Black Death with your festive season)
LAK
Way off topic, but it’s a carried oer question only you would likely know.
Where did the nickname PGTips start? The DM, W&K, elsewhere?
Notasugar/LS: i’m currently wading my way through a biography of Mai Ling Soong aka Madame Chiang Kai-Shek. It’s fascinating beyond belief and as I read I am increasingly ashamed to realise I didn’t know China ever had a democratic government. It’s full of fascinating details about China on the whole, the rise of communism as well as the lady and her family.
Curiouscole: I shudder. It’s the eyes. They watch you no matter where you are in the room, or so it seems.
Florc: someone on a royal forum made a joke about it which I can’t remember now. Something about PG (his initials) and PGtips tea. PGtips is a very popular brand of tea. Since then, many people, including me have used it. It seems fitting.
•LAK•
Which biography are you reading? I’ve been eyeing the one written by Hannah Pakula… Asian history (actually ANY history) is fascinating.
And totally agree about the eyes. *shudder*
•notasugarhere•
I have that book on the floor in my bedroom! But alas, not much in my personal library on the Black Death. Although I just picked up a memoir written by a medieval woman (The Life and Times of Margery Kempe) as I tend to read renaissance stuff or later…
(Love Half-Price Books!)
Doomsday Book is helpful because the plague is explained as part of the story, so you don’t need a history background. It tugs at heart strings by personalizing what it could be like to experience that first hand. The Great Courses (Medieval and Renaissance series) are good if you enjoy audiobooks.
I’m currently making forays into historical fantasy, which is a lot of fun. Just finished “Valour and Vanity”, the 4th novel in Mary Robinette Kowal’s series of a Regency Europe with magic. It is a heist story that takes place in Venice. I’m in the middle of Naomi Novik’s “The Blood of Tyrants”, the 8th book in a series about the Napoleonic Wars – with (intelligent) dragons! Both books a light-hearted fun.
@ notasugar- I love Ian Mortimer! Did you see that he made the Time Traveler’s Elizabethan volume for BBC2. It made great telly!
I think I’ve said on here before that Chris Skidmore wrote a great book on Edward VI. And he’s the oft-ignored Tudor, so double the reason to read.
And if anyone’s looking for something a bit different try Remember, Remember by James Sharpe. It starts with the Gunpowder Plot and goes on to trace Bonfire Night traditions over time in the UK. Might be of interest to Americans – what with the differences and similarities with Halloween. It’s nice and lively and has a bit of dry humour about it.
Great suggestions, Ladies! I’m adding them to the long list of “To Read”
It really is a problem when you work from home and need some noise in the background. I tend to surf around the 24-hour news channels and go for whichever has the “unreported world” type of segment on at the time.
I can’t abide stuffed animals of any kind.
Perhaps that’s why Her Maj isn’t really abdicating?! She can’t bear the thought of looking at that all day long?!
•Sixer•
I use the classical station for background noise. The local college does a great job or I listen to MN Public Radio (MPR). So I’m usually all set in that department.
Hey, what made anyone start thinking HM would actually abdicate?!? The betting isn’t random is it?
I think there were several big bets in succession and this caused them to have kittens and suspend further wagers. Because it was withdrawn, and because the Christmas address to the nation got leaked once not so long back, the excitable amongst us put two and two together and got ABDICATION!
I highly doubt that Will has had any luck getting the Queen to change her stance on the royal collection BUT that doesn’t mean that when it is his turn, he won’t have them destroyed. I can’t really hold it against him for the action/inaction of his grandmother.
I agree.
Yeah, Sandringham isn’t their house. It’s almost a museum at this point, I’m sure.
And even if it was “just” a house, it belongs to his grandmother, not to him.
George was there. He is in the back seat with his nanny. Pictures are here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2877594/A-Christmas-feast-fit-Queen-Royals-including-William-Kate-Harry-descend-Buckingham-Palace-festive-lunch.html
•Vivee•
William and Kate arrived alone but left with the nanny and George. At least that’s what I read.
So…George & Nanny Marie came by themselves. From where? Odd.
•Mia•
I don’t think its unheard of though. Perhaps William and Kate needed/wanted George to get a nap before the lunch or he wasn’t there the whole time — just long enough for everyone to coo over him and leave with his parents.
Isn’t it also not safe for 2 heirs to travel together? I remember that was a big deal on the tour flight. Does that carry over to car rides? Not without special permission?
•Florc•
As far as I know, the two direct heirs/heiresses in the same mode of transportation, is only applicable while flying.
Just read on Royal Dish that George was at a swimming lesson at BP. He was already there when W&K arrived for lunch and left afterwards. Mystery solved.
George is so cute. He is just sooooooooooo adorable.
Give any offensive old relics to George. He will destroy them in no time
Could you imagine him chewing on tusk or trying to ride a stuffed baby rhino from 1898. I always tell my kids “this item has survived for 70 years…….until you came along” 🙂
LMAO
Sandringham is not their 20,000 acre estate, Enquirer. They are allowed to live in one house (Anmer Hall) on 1.5 acres or so on Her Majesty’s 20,000 acre Sandringham Estate. If it wouldn’t be so loathsome, one of the royal experts here should offer themselves as fact checkers for the tabloids. Ha. Facts and tabloids?
p.s. PGTips was photographed in another car with Nanny Maria on the way out.
•notasugarhere•
Royal Loonies should also edit a lot of royal biographies too! Lol. But yeah, facts and tabloids rarely meet one another….
Not intending to thread-jack, but in other royal news, I’d love to see Harry’s Lesotho / Sentebale trip covered – the DM has tons of pics and they are really remarkable. The contrast between Harry / WK is sharper than ever, especially in light of the recent US trip. I’d post a link but never have been able to get them through the filters. But really, worth checking out, and I’d love to see a story about Harry’s trip here.
Kate’s McQueen seems to be a much cooler, bluer red in these photos than on its initial outing. Yeah, that’s all I got. The photos of the other guests arriving were interesting too – Beatrice looked fantastic!
Yes! Harry’s trip to Sentebale was great. He’s a really good photographer.
I took your advice to see Harry – what a beautiful MAN. Here’s the link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2878923/Portrait-modern-Prince-Harry-cuddles-group-orphans-tries-hand-photography-Lesotho-visit.html
Great pictures. The photos he took are actually quite good, colour me surprised! And he really connects with those children in a very natural and effortless way and it is very sweet to see.
Love his purple, tie-dye apron as well. 🙂
•Elizabeth R•
I’m still swooning! 😉 Hehe.
The Daily Telegraph has a nice write up with a few different pics than the DM. 😊
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-harry/11301075/Prince-Harry-talks-of-saving-a-generation-of-children-as-he-shares-his-photos-of-Lesotho.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/royalty/11300980/Prince-Harry-visits-Lesotho-to-photograph-Sentebale-charity-projects-in-pictures.html
Wolfpup/LadySlippers/ElizabethR/Original Mia
Wow Harry is hot! The 1st few photos I looked at I was not impressed. Anyone can have a high quality camera, be in the right place at the right time and produce a good photo. These though… All of these. He’s connecting with the subjects. He’s not simply snapping shots, but he’s bringing out something to capture in an image. Emotion.
And Harry with children! Is it Christmas already?
And as a remark to Harry and his charity work. It’s not what Harry wore. It’s not done as pr to cover his latest mistake. He’s always doing this stuff.
Ooh, thanks for posting the Telegraph article, LS!
And Wolfpup/ LadySlippers / Original Mia – Yes, I was impressed by both Harry’s photographs and the person he has shown himself to be. The sincere emotion, warmth, affection and genuine CONNECTION that Harry exhibits really moves me. He’s the real deal.
I’m old enough to remember him as a little boy, and feel oddly proud of the man he seems to have become.
•Florc•
Harry is HAWT! And your married, so the Hawt Ginger Prince IS MINE!!!!
*grabs a hold of the new LordSlippers tightly* 😉
FYI it IS Hanukkah though…. 😜
•Florc•
•Elizabeth R•
•Mia•
•wolfpup•
To be frank, I like two of Harry’s pics and the other is okay but I don’t feel the emotional connection to it as I do the other two.
LadySlippers
I am married, but i’m not dead! I can gaze 🙂
•Florc•
Hmph.
*eyes narrow*
I suppose….as long as its gazing ONLY!
😜
Amazing.
Love Harry
Wow. After looking at all those pics, I can no longer resist the allure of Harry. It’s amazing how much he has his mother’s spirit, her ease with others, her natural warmth and affection. It radiated out of her, and cannot be faked. Harry has the same genuine warmth shining out of him. William and Kate, sadly, pale in comparison to his authenticity. I teared up looking at those photos, because I thought of Diana, and how happy and proud she would be to know he is so much like her.
Also, I cannot WAIT to see him as a dad. He will be warm, loving, and hands-on.
Me too. (tears and sniffles)
*hands wolfpup Kleenex*
Glad I’m not the only one who got choked up seeing him like this. I thought of the little boy walking behind the gun carriage…I’m so glad to see who / where he is now, despite all of that. Yes, ridiculously sentimental, I know. 🙂
•Elizabeth R•
No, you definitely are not the only one. Harry knows how to tug on heartstrings that’s for sure.
I doubt that is the McQueen dress, I think it’s the one she wore a couple of weeks ago.
She looks pretty in red, very festive.
I don’t care for Will’s glasses.
Yes, that’s a Katherine Hooker dress. Also, the car pics are good ones for those who doubt she wears extensions.
I’m doubting it the original. Only because Kate is now pregnant and gained appropriate weight. The original was very tight on her when she was very thin. She’s known to have multiples of everything so it was propably a look she wanted to repeat no matter her size.
Yeah, I really doubt she could fit in the McQueen one right now. It had a very nipped waist.
Yep – I don’t think it’s the same dress either, was trying to subtly get that across in my original comment, although why I felt the need to be subtle I don’t know. 😉 I do prefer this shade of red, both in general and on Kate specifically.
Agreed! She looks fantastic in blue reds. I think she typically looks great in jewel tones in general. I remember loving her in something purple at some point, and she looks lovely in saturated blues, too, and not super light ones (but also not necessarily so dark as navy).
•Vava•
I actually like William in glasses as it breaks up his very Windsor face.
there is that! LOL.
Who cares about the McQueen or musty/dusty/icky old hunting trophies. I want MORE GEORGE!
George and Harry! Give me those two any day!
Harry with babies on his lap and kissing children! Swoon….. He’s got the Spencer charm in droves. And he can cook in my kitchen any time wearing that tie-dye apron. 😉
•Feeshalori•
No, no. I don’t share. Find your own Ginger Prince to drool over!!!! 😜
Harry just doesn’t do it for me. He looks way too much like a Windsor for my taste.
But, LS, everyone needs some ginger in the kitchen!
•Feeshalori•
I prefer ginger/hawt spice in my bedroom…Especially on a chilly night. 😉 But I’ll take it anywhere in the house…
Got that straight, LadySlippers. 😀
I want more Estelle!
She’s adorable!
She’s my favorite toddler aged royal. You know she’s going to be awesome as she grows.
Not that I like trophy hunting , but legal hunting is NOT poaching. All those animals were hunted legally with the royal families’ hosts at the time. Some of these animals might be endangered now but they weren’t then. It’s not like they snuck out to get a rhino or something. Peoples values and morals change over time, think if your ancestors pastimes were brought up to you all the time. Get a grip.
Well William said all should be destroyed during the drinks and mingling portion of an event.
Even if it was legal when claimed the act of doing so is now looked upon as illegal and morally wrong so he said it should all be destroyed.
It’s just this kind of trophy hunting in the past that contributed to the endangerment of some of these species! It’s not all loss of habitat, nor can it all be blamed on the extremely poor, or eastern medicinal practices.
I was wondering how many homes are on the Sandringham estate? I’d never heard of Anmer, so perhaps it went by a different name? William does look good with glasses.
•Citresse•
Anmer Hall has a history, other notable people, including a few royals, have lived there as well.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/515569/Anmer-Hall-Prince-William-Princess-Kate-Norfolk
Citresse
Please search out your question. There’s just too much info to post. The quick answer is around 150 houses for private, public and commercial use. As well as many incredible gardens. And I think I recall Wiliam was given a cottage Wood something to use there, but he needed something bigger to house his family and any guests inlaws for the holidays.
I’m sure you know that whole issue where Anmer was already occupied and leased when the cambridges claimed it.
•Florc•
Wood Cottage is typically where Sarah goes for Christmas — so my guess is this isn’t one of the ones that were given to William and Harry (I could be wrong though).
Wood Cottage wasn’t leased to William but he might have used it sometimes. Darn this no links thing. Check Daily Mail, June 23 2014, Sebastian Shakespeare (tons of salt), Wills Gives Middleton’s a Right Royal Anniversary. W&K and Michael and Carole Middleton spent the weekend at Wood Cottage after looking at progress for Anmer.
I think William used Wood Cottage for hunting vacations then. That sounds right.
I’ll bet almost anyone (within reason) can use/rent Wood Cottage then.
William and Kate and Hatry also took their staff to a Christmas lunch at a place owned by one of the ladies on the Ladies of London ,a Bravo tv show. I forget what the place is called.
•Someonestolemyname•
Where’d you see that info? I’ve looked and haven’t been able to find it.
Mr. and Mrs. Blah go for a drive.
ZS, your comment just cracks me up!
Meanwhile in Sweden, happy news for Maddie and Chris! She should be heavily pregnant at the time of the snake wedding. Excellent timing, Madds.
•notasugarhere•
I don’t wonder if Daniel and Victoria are struggling to get preggers again. That makes me sad if that’s the case.
But Mazel Tov to Maddie & Chris! 😊
I think that is a strong possibility. But Yay for M&C!
I was at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday and saw them all 🙂
•Qatar2•
Do explain!