It seems like we’ve got a lot of royal stories today, right? I’m sorry, that’s just the way the crumpet crumbles. All of the American celebrities are pretty boring today. So, even though Duchess Kate is on her maternity leave and being cared for by a house full of staffers and her mother, Kate still managed to find the time to write a short letter in support of Children’s Hospice Week in the UK. As you may remember, Kate is patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and she’s done a handful of visits to individual hospices over the past few years. This is the letter that “Kate” sent to the charity Together for Short Lives to recognize Children’s Hospice Week:
“For families of children with life-limiting conditions, every moment is precious and every memory needs to be cherished and celebrated. Children’s hospices strive to create happy moments in the most difficult times any family could face,” she wrote. “I hope you will join me in supporting Children’s Hospice Week and work to make every moment count for all of our families.”
Together for Short Lives also asked people to support Children’s Hospice Week by sharing a memorable moment on social media using the hashtag #momentscount.
You can read more about the Together For Short Lives charity here.
I don’t really have a problem with this. I mean, she just gave birth nine days ago. Of course she’s not going to make a public appearance for Children’s Hospice Week. No one expects her to do that. And releasing an open letter is a great way for Kate to put in some slight effort just to bring some attention to the special week. The only problem I have is that even if Kate hadn’t just given birth, this still would have been the only thing she would have done. I feel like the royal handlers have given up on Kate’s public speeches and public schedule, so they just release “statements” or letters allegedly written by Kate (which are not written by her, but perhaps authorized by her). What will be funny is waiting to see if releasing a letter “counts” as a royal event when it comes to her 2015 numbers.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
This does read like any speeches she’s given. I imagine she just signed this notice written by the new PR guy.
But at least it brings notice to the issue.
I dunno, based on the post from yesterday it may have been Carole that gave it the ok. Don’t want Kate to have to think too hard and work 😉
I actually had forgotten she was patron for them. Good job with the letter, Jason. Hope it helps to raise money for the charity.
+1
All she did was sign it. Not much effort, at all.
+2
Yes, good job Jason.
Could have released it right before the birth so that the charity would have gotten way more attention, but then that would have distracted from Kate’s pre-birth PR.
Last year she visited Treehouse Chlidren’s Hospice to recognize Children’s Hospice Week so why assume she would not do the same had she not just given birth?
I’m sure she totally added that hashtag on her own.
She’s just like us, you know? #common touch
Ha!
You know, for a site that loves Harry, you guys seem to lack some Harry posts. That being said, has anyone read abt his school visit in NZ? Amazing. In royal-adjacent land, The Evening Standard one of the snarkiest articles in millenia: search for “Upper Middletons”. There’s even a quiz. Laughed MAO.
Think there’s a Harry post today but it’s on page 2.
Oops. Didn’t see it a few hours ago!
Just the thought of children’s hospice makes me cry.
GNAT
Did you read that Big Bird article the other day?
If not do so, but be prepared to be a sobbing mess.
I had to do a rotation as a charitable hours count in one. It’s the most positive and uplifting place you can imagine and made so for the children. Behind every closed door though adults were breaking down. Then you splash some water on your face and perk up. It’s their end days and you can’t be sad while there’s still a chance to make them happy. Easier said than done though.
So, you can’t criticize any effort put towards a good cause, but surely it’s not necessary to praise her for a letter someone put in front of her just long enough for a signature. Still, it’s great if they can deputize staff to continue raising awareness on good causes with their names attached to increase publicity.
bettyrose
Well, she didn’t have to allow her name attached.
And no. It’s not the same as her actually being seen caring. We’re just told this. Did she write it? There’s no way to prove she did and it doesn’t match her past writings. Still. Who’s really going to care? It’s a good cause attached with Kate’s name and we’re being told these are her words.
End result this is a good thing and should continue to happen as the bare minimum.
@ bettyrose
My thoughts exactly. The letter sounds rather stereotypical and it doesn’t sound as if Kate or whoever wrote that letter made some kind of an effort.
And if Kate is let off the hook e.g. if Kate finds out she can get away doing charity work by signing letters then she will do that in the future.
This is what royals are supposed to do. It doesn’t deserve praise or snark.
Agree.
Yep. Others do more but don’t get not even half the press attention. TBH, this org is probs the only one I can recall her being patron of. How many does she patronise anyways?
She’s a patroness of Sir Ben Aisley’s yachting club whose main goal is to get funding to race in the America’s Cup. It has to do some charity work on the side to fulfill the requirements to get certain types of funding.
I think that some of the evening galas and theatrical events she goes to is part of her ‘charity’ work.
It’s hard being a patroness of rich folk issues….
The Art Room
Place2Be
National Portrait Gallery
Natural History Museum
Sportsaid.
Action On Addiction
1851 Trust
And sadly Kate becoming a patron hasn’t really helped any of these. She attends the galas. And some didn’t need her at all. NPG. It was thought to be padding the resume.
Then there was that charity auction that cancelled the fundraiser from lack of ticket sales. They became very upset when Kate made a donation of what whas thought to be the least desirable freeby she got as an expecting mother and included no personal letter or gift wrapping like many that regift/donate for those events do. It was said they wanted to remove Kate as a patron, but feathers were smoothed. They also denied seeing her for about a year and denied any secret charity meetings. Side point. Gifts royals receive if not donated elsewhere get destroyed. They’re not to be kept though it happens.
And the gala that was thrown at KP. The charity took a bullet saying they were wrong to claim Kate would attend. By all accounts she was to attend, but pulled out days prior leaving the charity to act like they lied. It was very odd.
The Art Room and Sportsaid seem to be things Kate chose. The rest were smart choices or passed to her from other royals having taken them on at some point.
It’s not a tough job in the end. Not at this pace. At least she’s doing something. Though I hate having to defend actions with the phrase “at least”.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/TheDuchessofCambridge/TheDuchessofCambridge.aspx
@ FLORC
Thank you for your summary of Kate’s work.
Her work record is a shame. Instead of supporting a charity she forces the charity to take a bullet for her. She should put in a lot more effort or start to put in any at all.
Btw. Not all gifts to royals are destroyed. If they come in the shape of artfully polished bling of substantial value they are very much beloved. Kate received some kind of tiara/necklace – can be admired if you google pic “Kate middleton velvet gown”.
Thanks. Good Lord, and she’s been in the BRF for 4 years now?! This meagre list? How do the fans explain away this? If she was truly “shy” she could have focused her energies on those few. In fact, such a small amount would have brought more significant press for those organisations than patronising 400 orgs. Blown away…
That bit about that charity function… I deal with organizations that put together events that include appearances by local celebrities. At that level, even they triple-check that said celebrities will be at the event before they would even dream of making an announcement.
Green Girl
On top of triple checking the news was out for a while Kate was attending this function at KP and decorating/organizing it. That she suddenly wasn’t coming after being so heavily promoted that she was seems very odd.
I agree. It’s possible that mistakes happen, but I think attending would have been a better choice.
Kate doesn’t really patronise charities. She merely pretends to …
*mebeinghonest*
And it is hard to turn the Royal Family’s behaviour into a satire nowadays because they mostly are … already.
I agree that it seems like instead of public appearances and speeches, letters are sent out to fill in the void of no activity by Kate.
Does William send out letters too?
Like I said before, good job Jason.
This was likely written by another, but hey. That doesn’t matter. She only had to allow her name to be attached to something and it’s enough to impact a cause greatly for the better.
No issues with this and it’s a good thing.
And if there’s a letter count to add to work counts that would be rather hilarious.
And Jason is doing an amazing job.
I think I’m beginning to like Jason’s work…
I know he’s not doing this primarily for the sake of the charities, but to make his employers look good. At least some good is coming out of all of this for the charities, though only because Jason tries to make it look like Kate actually has a thought about her charities from time to time.
Something a bit more substantial could have been written, but at least this time the letter didn’t include the phrase, “William and me.”
This is a VERY VERY VERY SLIGHT effort. Slight to the point of near non-existant.
When was the last time she visited the children’s hospice?
And wasn’t there a terribly delivered speech at a children’s hospice by Kate?
Don’t let Kate off the hook so easily or else she will send letters and do nothing else for the rest of her royally pampered by taxpayer life.
She’s not getting off easily. The bar has just been set so low you you do anything it should be praised a bit. Because it is something. So, when she does do something/anything no it shouldn’t be praised just because she did soething. And it shouldn’t be attacked because it wasn’t as good as it could have been.
Yea ok its hardly taxing but wtf is william doing? He was born royal unlike kate – shes having children which is what she was supposed to do – when is he goin to step up to the mark and give something back to the country that subsidises his idyllic lifestyle – theyre holed up at Anmer with Carole in charge – making sure evrything is perfect and they have evrything they want so basically not only do they do hardly any royal duties or charity work they do sod all at home as well – which would be fine if we werent helping to pay for it.
Don’t apologize for royal stories, they’re waaaaaaay better than Kartrashian stories.
Does this count as an appearance?