Duchess Kate and Prince William had a whirlwind week… last week. They did Princess Charlotte’s christening, they went to Wimbledon, they released the Mario Testino portraits and William made a solo trip to the 7/7 memorial. This week has been full of stories about Prince William’s first full week at work at the East Anglian Air Service, where he is a “co-pilot,” the first major royal figure to take a full-time civilian job. Except it’s not really full-time, because it’s Prince William after all and why do one thing well when you could half-ass a few different roles?
Many thought that we probably wouldn’t be hearing much about Will and Kate’s royal work for a while. But they have just confirmed a joint appearance, their first “joint appearance” at a public “work” event since Kate was pregnant with Charlotte. They will be attending the America’s Cup World Series event one week from Sunday, on July 26th. They will “tour international team areas at Portsmouth naval base before the racing and meet team skippers and their crews….They will then visit the new Land Rover BAR headquarters at the Camber and learn more about the work being done there.” They will also be presenting the medals after the competition. So… they’ll be spending a perfectly beautiful Sunday by the water, watching boat races and hanging out with rich people. Fascinating!
Meanwhile, Life & Style has a story that seems ripped from our comment section. Apparently, the Queen refers to Kate as Duchess of Dolittle. Classic.
Kate Middleton is feeling the wrath of her powerful in-laws! In the new issue of Life & Style Weekly, sources reveal that tensions are at an all-time high — and the royals have nastily dubbed Prince William’s bride “Lazy Katie,” and the queen has even privately called her “Duchess of Do-Little.”
According to the source, Queen Elizabeth II was furious that her grandson’s wife made time to attend Wimbledon and meet with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but couldn’t spare a moment to meet with her country’s veterans. Palace sources confided, and Royal Air Force officials confirmed, that Kate had planned to skip a July 10 lunch in honor of World War II pilots attended by William and other royals. That was just two days after the 33-year-old’s Wimbledon courtside appearance and two weeks after she hosted Brad and Angie at Kensington Palace.
“Kate is getting a bit of a reputation for ducking out of royal duties,” the insider tells Life & Style. “That’s where her nicknames, ‘Duchess of Do-Little’ and ‘Lazy Katie,’ come from. If you can’t find time to pay tribute to some old men who saved your country, what message does that convey?”
A bad one, according to the queen. “She would never say this in public, but even Her Majesty described Kate as ‘Duchess Do-Little’ when she was very tired one day,” shares a Buckingham Palace source. “She comes from a different generation and has a sense of duty above all else.”
Well, we know for a fact that Kate didn’t go with William to the 7/7 memorial event to honor the survivors and victims of the 2005 terrorist attack. She was reportedly spending time with her trainer then, perhaps even getting her hair done ahead of her appearance at Wimbledon. If she was scheduled to appear at a veterans’ event and she ducked out, then yes, shame on her. But as far as I know, she really wasn’t firmly scheduled for the event. Still, I’m sure that the Queen finds Kate to be impossibly lazy, and the fact that Kate will only deign to do the “fun” work (Wimbledon, meeting Angelina Jolie, going to boat races) must drive the Queen up the wall.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
The Queen is old school. She had the babies then passed them off to the nanny, I have a feeling. That said, I think Kate does very little and the fact that she didn’t attend the 7/7 memorial is pretty rude. If she blew it off for a lame reason it’s doubly rude.
aims – don’t think for one moment that Kate is 100% hands-on with her children – she has a couple of nannies and a full team of staff to cater to her every need and deal with the kids when she’s had enough. the photo-ops may be cute but they don’t tell the whole story.
HM was also working for her dying father, filling in for him and doing some of his work. And Kate Middleton isn’t a true SAHM. She has multiple staff to do the heavy lifting, especially around child care.
The Queen is no position to judge Kate. She pretty much a complete failure as a mother,
Speaking of multiple staff, Anmer has a new FT housekeeper/nanny. Or maybe it’s old news that is new to me. Anyway her name is Sadie Rice and her former employer was a Norway royal household.
http://royalcentral.co.uk/cambridges/william-and-kate-hire-veteran-royal-housekeeper-sadie-rice-50302.
HM does get to judge her as an employee of the Family Firm, and as such, KM fails big time. Charles is the only one of the children who seems to have a problem with her as a parent. The other three children seem happy with her. Anne has spoken out against her brother’s recollections and doesn’t have a problem with how she was treated as a child.
I heard that Charles was raised after the old traditions (the nanny was basically the mother) plus the queen had very little time at that time for him (I think she had to work much and settle in as a queen). She had more time when his siblings were born and they got more attention then than Charles did. I don’t like him much, but it probably wasn’t easy to grow up at that time.
Anne is only 2-3 years younger than Charles and she was born in 1950. HM ascended the throne in Feb 1952, so the workload wouldn’t have decreased anytime soon after that. Andrew and Edward may have gotten more attention, Anne probably wasn’t raised much differently from Charles, and Anne is the one who publicly refuted Charles’s attitude.
There was a documentary about the queen and they stated that he was raised differently than his siblings – don’t know if they counted Anne to them or not.
I don’t think we will ever really know the full story with regards to the Queen as a mother but she certainly does set a good example when it comes to work ethic. It is such a shame that our future King and his wife haven’t followed her example.
I get the impression that William is trying to modernise (even revolutionise) the way the royals do business but it is only to fit his and his wife’s utter lazy lifestyle. If we think Kate doesn’t do much now, I don’t suppose we will ever really see her doing anything official once William is King. Then again, will we actually see William doing anything once he is King?
It’s really a shame that your grandpa is going to events after staying in the hospital multiple times and you are not able to attend a few events. I get that they want time for the family, but they could easily do more. It’s especially embarrassing that she is able to go to Wimbledon but not royal events.
“Duchess of Dolittle”?! That is classic! I am stealing that one.
What did the royals expect? She never had a real job, no ambitions beyond royal wifey, not all that well travelled from what I can tell. She has no sense of service. Sorry UK but your next Queen is really dull.
God I hope Harry marries a combat medic or something.
GTFO. That would be epic, I’m into that idea. Oh they would make these two look so so bad. Harry, get on that. Although, are there female combat medics in the British Armed Forces? If not, he needs to find someone equally impressive.
Btw, I think the Queen would put her foot down if she could. Can she? We assume she could reign those two in but what exactly could she do? Cut them off?
How about a paramedic then. 30 years ago when I was his age and on the job I could have given him a run for his money, and partied him under the table too! 🙂
yes, i so hope he finds a hard working, big hearted woman who truly loves him.
Imagine he finds an aristo/ foreign Princess who is a medic or a human rights lawyer or… media and royalists would go crazy that this combo is possible.
ooh, great idea. I wish him well, with a woman with a good heart and brain. I have a gorgeous smart hardworking single friend three years younger than Harry working on an animal welfare project in Namibia now, oh perhaps they will meet! Or someone like her, yes!
> I wish him well, with a woman with a good heart and brain.
Oh, please. A woman with a brain would never marry into the royal family. Being a royal is so boring. Endless ceremonies and social events but you are not allowed to do anything, just smile and do a little talk.
EN, please see Maxima, Mathilde, Letizia, and Daniel to combat the idea that being a royal spouse is only a job for idiots.
I don’t agree. You can use your brain to create a huge platform. The world can be your oyster and you can carry out the work you want to change lives. Any brainy woman would be able to see it and live accordingly. The fact that Kate is shallow and pampered and lacks basic understanding of what her role can be is not a reflection of what can be done in the same role.
Does she wrangle elephants, Liberty? 🙂
EN,
Sophie has a brain and she is a hard worker. She’s had some situations in the past (like laughing at William’s joke about the strike), but she’s a much more effective royal wife than Kate has ever been during her time as a so-called ‘senior’ royal.
I would LOVE for Harry to marry someone the polar opposite of Kate purely for the gossip/media spectacle it will bring. It will shame Kate into doing more plus it will bring out her mean girl, meaning lots of gossip being leaked – Waity is a mean girl.
I want to see him happy and be King. God, if you exist PLEASE make this happen.
Harry will never be king, but hopefully he will marry someone who has substance and loves him. I doubt anyone could shame Kate into straightening up, she’s got her own groove going and as long as there are people out there who adore whatever she’s wearing, she’s good with it.
How about the lady doctor who travels with William in the helicopter for Harry? The Kate look alike?
She’ll be gone in a week. Apparently she’s a professional, and doesn’t have time for side shows distracting her from her life.
They are all afraid of Prince William – including the Queen. He behaves like an out of control 5 year old, tantrums and all. Kate gets away with it because she has to deal with William and its not easy.
IMO William is bonkers. I hope he will wander into the doctors office one day.
Haha!
Lololol!!!
So that’s where George gets it.
Dena: I’m thinking the same. Wondering if Harry is being quietly groomed should the unthinkable ever happen, i.e. William’s abdication. He is most probably Plan B should William flake out.
It must be really difficult for the Queen to stay silent on how work-shy William and Kate actually are, and how frivolously they squander taxpayers’ millions. For a monarch who has devoted her whole life to duty and service to her country and the Commonwealth, I’m sure the issue gives her great stress and many a sleepless night. Not just as Queen, but as grandmother/GIL to such a couple of ingrates.
Sorry, this landed in the wrong place, lol.
Actually . . . .
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3165864/Think-George-little-monkey-WORSE-Wills-pictures-little-terror-prince-taking-naughty-daddy.html
Wow. LOTS of details in that article!
Why would the Queen be afraid if William?
*If* she is, it’s the A-word. Abdication.
I wonder if even she will finally, finally get to the point that she takes a good long look at Harry and at the useless Prince of Pouting, and then suddenly drawls, ‘William, I accept your resignation. Ta. Don’t step on a corgi on your way out.”
What’s to fear? It’s not like Wills represents the end if the Wales line. There’s Harry AND George (who will be an adult by the time Charles’s reign ends). And even if the Wales line did end there are still plenty of Windsors to step in. That’s the whole point of spares. (I realize war and disease are the point of spares, but not in the 21st century).
The queen still remembers Edward VIII, her mother and all that. I think it’s a big deal to her.
I wish he would abdicate, Harry would be a much better king.
As others have said she fears another failed marriage and potential abdication crisis. Its been widely believed that the stress of the throne affected the health of her father – he was only in his 50’s when he died. She wants a stable monarchy to be her legacy.
However, when Charles takes the throne – these 2 will have no option but to step up, especially as Charles has been very public in his desire to slim down those participating in royal life down to the monarch and his heirs. The ‘lesser’ royals will be out the door. Willy and Waity won’t be able to hide behind them any more. If they don’t buck up Charles will do something about it.
Bluhare
I agree.
To add it’s in line with bringing scandal/shame to their line. William is coddled to an extreme and I get the impression everyone is just hoping he snas out of it and becomes a man worthy of his station. That’s a terrible way to raise someone.
And the Queen will avoid anything and everything until she can’t anymore.
An ex-royal chef (worked in various households, including HM & CD, over a 30yr period) said it was the Diana factor that had everyone running for the hills where William was concerne such that they treated him with kid gloves.
It made me think that William pulls the Diana card even more in private and or has Diana’s temperament which both Charles and HM could never handle.
In some ways. It look as if Harry is being groomed for more. Looking at some of his charities, recent appearances with his father, his tour of the Australian Outback, and now this long “vacation” across several African countries, I do wonder what’s to come–especially if he does a tour of Canada. It’s like the understudy is being groomed just in case the lead actor fails to appear.
Maybe the people could vote on Will or Harry? There’s no true democracy in the world, but even Americans get a choice of two pre-selected one percenters for our symbolic vote.
(I’m joking. I know the UK has a political process separate from the monarchy.)
Dena
When Charles started taking on The Queens duties (because her jewels were too heavy) Harry and some others were said to be helping him with his duties. To ease a transitional burden. It was thought William should be helping the POW with POW duties, but he never stepped up.
I thinkit’s for the image. If William were to work he would be full of mistakes. Mistakes that shouldn’t be made by someone who’s had their whole life adding up to this and has never had to want for anything. No distractions like bills.
So, Harry takes on the duties with other royals.
I’m happy to apply for the position of Royal Jewel Holder if the queen finds hers too heavy. Although I’m afraid Philip will ask me to hold his. 🙂
Bluhare
Yuck! And get in line! I’m sure there are many who would gladly take on the weight of the jewels. I’d wear as many as I can and still stand upright.
I wonder what will happen to all the jewelry in the future. It seems too fabulous for a mere queen consort.
Snort, even if she doesn’t that’s a pretty good moniker to use on someone..
It is, but I bet she could come up with even better snark than that. Can you imagine the shade she is probably capable of??? Being the Queen and all….
Well she knew Churchill, the master of the put down so she’d probably paraphrase him “Kate is a very modest girl – indeed she has a lot to be modest about” given her almost total absence of personality/accomplishment/effort – that would seem to fit.
That would be some masterful shade, if anyone ever used it on her.
I just watched Walking With Destiny. A Winston Churchill Docu on netflix if interested. I was expecting to see more about his quick wit and personality. They made him sound very somber. Though it was mostly about WW2 and his role in that. Not the man.
Anyways, I was thinking how he’d flip out in his no nonsense way at W&K and this behavior. THAT would be a sight!
@ Florc – thanks for the tip, I’ll look out for that. ITA, I would love to time travel W & K back and plonk them down in front of Winnie – and watch while he demolished both of them for the lazy, no good, ‘blighters’ that they are.
Frisbeejada
Churchill is maybe my favorite person of more recent history. He wasn’t very smart from academic views, but was intelligent. He formed his own opinions and always absorbed things some would overlook. And common sense at times have failed us all because you want to believe people, but he stoood firm. Adolf hated the jewish people and there wasn’t anything likable about him to a younger Winston.
And he wouldn’t put up with the lazy. Not with how people were surviving then. That is covered in the docu and covered well!
Also, how the King and Queen refused to leave their home for fear of bombings. Sir Ben Kingsley is the voice.
All that said… If I were to meet the man he might be a bit abrasive…
And haha! Better yet Winston could see the world and all the ease we live in today compared to then and he would more than likely be outraged at the apathy they have for their country and vets.
We’ve been calling her Duchess Dolittle on CB for years now; also WillNot and CanNot. We had some other very funny names until a few posters were getting upset…
Name calling is childish. One can dissect people’s actions without resorting to name calling.
I’ve seen some really creative ones here, too. Nothing really harsh or denigrating, just kinda funny. The real zingers are over at the Daily Mail.
My guess is this article is a way to legitimize the nickname -get it off the comment boards and into the actual gossip stories.
Natalie: just as they did with ‘waity’. Started as a blog nickname that was eventually picked up by mainstream media.
We shall see if Duchess Doolittle is also legitimised by the mainstream.
“They will tour international team areas at Portsmouth naval base before the racing and meet team skippers and their crews….”
Ruh-roh…I smell a reappearance of the dreaded wedges of doom and jeggings…..
And the blue and white striped shirt plus the blue blazer with the ugly cutout in the back.
Don’t forget the extensions and eyeliner.
Or the return of the sausage curls.
LOL!
She’ll take any chance to flirt with Ben Ainslie.
So would I.
Fair point!
She’s also earned the Duchess of Mustique title, since she spends more time there than at her charities. Still, it’s not as bad as the names the royal press pack had for her when she and WillNot were dating.
I think I’d rather be called “waity” than “lazy” – It puts the burden of action on external forces.
In fairness, neither title is great!
Now I know what title to give her parents – Earl and Countess of Freebies and Complementary Holidays.
the queen should be happy to have such a striking woman making the royals more palatable
Put the kool-aid down and walk away…
This made me laugh out loud!
Allow people to have different opinions without accusing them of being stupid, please.
gf
Who’s calling anyone “stupid” or attacking their intelligence?
The only thing striking about Kate is her distaste for work.
can’t argue with that
And her love of flashing her bum, and touching her hair all the time.
You must have a very low opinion of them.
Who wants a walking billboard of the rich and famous doing very little but entertaining oneself and getting work credit for going to fun and basically useless events, having a baby, and attending her daughter’s christening. She even got work credit for walking from one place to another.
Please. She needs to do more than just her hair and makeup. She’s in a powerful position to use her influence to help other people. Instead, she’s picking and choosing fun outings with other rich folks as work credit.
Well, if that’s all it’s about — form over substance — then you’re right. Kate has a very nice form and not much substance, and her husband isn’t much better. I had hoped for so much more than just a pretty face.
you know me — I look at them and see cardboard and wasted opportunity. And then I look at Sophie and Harry and think, there, that’s more like it. W+K are hanging themselves each day.
I want Harry to come back from Africa with an elephant-wrangling girlfriend.
@bluehare – i wanted him to come back from Aussie with a no BS taking GF. Aussie women take no prisoners.
Betti and bluhare, let’s use our powers of concentration!! 😉
An Aussie large animal wrangler who happens to be in Africa right now!
Wait . . . . she’s not Aussie and I do love to stir the pot . . . and I think she broke up with her fiance . . . . but is Chelsy in Africa right now? 🙂
And again, I will keep on believing… if The Queen wanted them out on that pap stroll… they would be. I simply do not believe that William is telling the ole girl, to drop dead. He will do as he pleases.
I tend to believe, The Queen is allowing them to be a young married couple. Who are raising their young children quietly in the country. And keeping them out of the paparazzi line of sight.
Since Elizabeth has seen three of her own children’s marriages, go down in big ugly public divorces. Because no one is prepared, to have their marriage tore apart by gossip in the newspapers. And lets be honest… the press has been brutal to Kate and her Middleton family. And none of it has let up even after the marriage and children.
QE might rather have William and Kate start off on better footing. Especially since the brutal British press has been tearing them apart. With minimal contact to William and Kate.
Just image if they were out there weekly. Geez… it would be a never ending attack.
This way… the press just looks like idiots making up self created drama. For a set of folks who rarely stick their heads out to be photographed.
William is weak. He tells people what they want to hear, and then does as he pleases.
And they’re not “raising their young children quietly in the country.” They’re at Wimbledon. They’re on holiday (outside the UK, where the paparazzi have much more freedom). They’re at film premieres. They’re not at their charities or at hospitals.
It would be so, so easy for W&K to be loved. The bar has been set so low now that all they would have to do is take a proper interest in something, anything related to charity work and follow through on it. Like Harry does. Harry isn’t doing 400 engagements a year, but he’s committed to what he does. That’s all they would have to do.
william sadly is weak – instead of pretending to be ” working’ he sd actually be taking over more responsibilities – if he is to become king without doing the work then what is the point. Allowing kate and her family to take over his house is not right at all. Carole middleton is not a working member of the brf kate is – and to use the excuse of having 2 kids not to do any royal duties is silly. The other crown princesses in europe have their kids too but they have a heavier work schedule as compared to kate. William is sadly henpecked and apparently quite content to remain so. He is not a young child – he is a father with 2 kids who sd know better. rather disappointed in william –
But that’s the point, isn’t it? Kate is not the crown princess, Camilla is. I always had a feeling because of this unique situation they are being given the freedom to work les now and are expected to only step up once Charles is King.
W&K are highest in precedence next to HM&Philip and Charles&Camilla. All the other working royals are further down the line, most are past retirement age, and several have had serious health issues in the last few years (Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra).
W&K should be working more than all of the relatives further down the line of succession.
HM and Charles could both die tomorrow. Or all the 70-something working royals could all die tomorrow. Are W&K to be excused from working for decades? The UK has enormous problems. There is no such thing as “no more charity work to do because the other royals are doing it” as some would say. They need to get to work NOW, like Harry, doing something useful for the whole country.
This is a difficult situation for HM. Of course Willy and Waity should work more however Waity does not do well at public appearances.She is incompetent at giving speeches, has flashed every part of her body, does not follow protocol. So maybe HM is forced to accept the lesser of two evils.
I believe HM is doing her ostrich impression and neither she nor Charles can handle Billy the Basher and his Diana-like temperament. All the stories about the two year time off “like Malta” were lies spun by the media. We were told, by the Palace, that she would focus on being a military wife. When he was stationed in Wales after the wedding, she was caught three days a week in London avoiding the quiet country life. There are also published stories of her as girlfriend avoiding Wales when he was first stationed there, because she hated the country life. She refused to join the Wives Club after the wedding, so she wasn’t interested in playing the role of military wife.
They were together for 10 years before the engagement, plenty of time to get to know each other as a couple. The work promises made in the engagement interview have not been fulfilled. Just like we keep hearing how she’s so keen to get back to work. Back to work? We’ve yet to see more than 200 HOURS of work from her in a year.
ALL the royals raise their children quietly in the country while doing royal engagements. Edward and Sophie have been happily together for 20 years, their marriage is solid, and they’ve been doing engagements from early on. This is nothing new or revolutionary. The new part is W&K’s PR convincing people that they cannot both 1) have a country house and 2) work royal engagements.
6 hours at Wimbledon. No appearances at commemoration events. Now they’re going yachting. Typical.
Nota
You’re on fire today
This is brilliant. ITA. I also think it must be difficult for the Queen to watch Will and Kate show such a total lack of a sense of duty, especially as the Queen has such a strong sense of it and was raised to respect the throne and its responsibilities by her parents. William & Kate are so disappointing.
All W&K have to do is one public outing a week for a charity involved in helping people less fortunate than themselves, and not only those that benefit rich folks.
How hard is it for them to do this once a week, when they spend more time than that being seen going to sports games, yachting races, theaters, evening galas, hosting celebrities, etc.?
If they have time to goof around and somehow that doesn’t hurt their ‘family time,’ then they have time to do one appearance a week on a regular basis.
Kaiser, it doesn’t matter if she was never firmly scheduled for it (which is speculation). She should have been at at least one of the three commemoration events that week. That she had time to get her hair done, go shopping, and spend 6 hours at Wimbledon that week says it all about her attitude.
@ notasugarhere
True. W&K should have been smart enough to realize that she should attend at least one of those events. Even if she was specifically invited, she should have sent out a request to attend. Does she not realize that it made her look bad that she scheduled herself a Wimbledon game, but not a 7/7 event in the same week?
after the pink coat gaffe at the 9/11 memorial, I think we need to accept that Kate and events commemorating terrorist attacks do not mix well at all.
And they never will better until she does the job and learns by doing. All the royals say that the only way to learn how to do the job is to Do It.
“Even if she was” should be “wasn’t”
wasn´t the Dolittle title once a thing some people called Camilla? I remember i heard it shortly before Kate married into the royal family. If so it´s funny that the title went straight to Kate and is now so strongly associated with only her. “Duchess Dolittle” is synonymous for Kate, same with “Waity”.
It was originally used for Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, in the late eighties along with Her Royal Idleness.
Ah yes I barely remember that – she didn’t do any as Andrew was still in the Navy, they split up not long after he left from what i recall.
The difference between the 2 is that Andy wasn’t the heir so he and his wife weren’t really expected to do as much as TQ. But like Willy Andy was TQ’s favourite – so he got away with murder.
Not buyin’ this one. She does the typical royal “job,” they’re both out touring all the time, can’t see any foundation for this.
Please check Tim O’Donovan’s annual report on the engagements of the British Royal Family. These two work much less than other royals, all but one of whom is older than they are. The people doing the majority of the royal work are beyond retirement age and far below William in the line of succession. W&K, lazy and entitled.
Where are they both out touring all the time? Wimbledon? Rugby games? Polo games? Yachting races? Art galleries? Museums? Theaters? Evening galas? Daytime parties? Once in a while they’ll go on international trips which have days off every other day or so. Basically they’re working vacations.
The bulk of their engagements is a foreign tour — one per year. I suggested on another blog that perhaps they could take a tour of Great Britain one of these years.
bluhare, that is Brilliant! It would be the most engagements anyone had ever seen out of them in the UK. You’d have to find enough wineries, luxury resorts to visit and shut down for mid-tour vacations, and movie galas for them to consider it “work” though.
Bluhare, that IS brilliant. It might really help.
@Bluhare…………..LOL. great notion!
William sadly is behaving similar to Edward VII – Queen Victoria’s “playboy” heir apparent. He came to personify the “fashionable, leisured elite”. Kate and William come across as nothing more than sponges within the royal family. Seriously, they’re both completely worthless except for news fodder and for sales of children’s clothing ,etc. Oh well.
William is behaving like Edward 8, later The duke of Windsor.
Edward 7, Victoria’s son wanted to work, but Victoria actively blocked him from doing so. He was very frustrated on this point until he realised Victoria would never bend, so he settled into a life of parties and vacations as he waited.
Very true LAK – he went on to become a much loved King who created the Monarchy we see today. He started the walkabouts and reintroduced all the pomp and ceremony amongst other things. He was very accessible but i guess anyone would have been after QV who became a hermit after Alberts death.
Her relationships with her children were quite dysfunctional – i recently watched a 3 part documentary about it. She basically controlled them and their families. If you did something she didn’t like you were cut off and snarked about to the rest of the family.
I wonder how Chuck will reinvent the Monarchy? Apart from ‘slimming it down’.
So it is official.. EVERY women has to be painted as a Mean Girl.. even The Queen. .
Now that is a sad state of affairs. 😟
I don’t know if this is true, but I hope it is.
Based on some recent stories leaking info about this pair and their habits, I am wondering if the long knives are now out for them amongst the royal courtiers. When angered, they are adept and experienced at behind the scenes sniping. Perhaps they are hoping to subtly prod these two into greater responsibility by shaming them. Doubt it will work these two seem like they have the hides of rhinocerii in shrugging off criticism or suggestions that they need to step it up.
The Queen may well be frustrated and inclined to snipe herself behind the scenes, yet I am sure she avoids provoking confrontation or William tantrums. Maybe the gossiping courtiers feel they are helping her subtly convey her message….
Oh, the new Queen of Mean. I love it!
imaginaryQE: Hello, dears, good of you to come to tea. Please, have a seat.
imaginaryK: Oi, I had to skip Pilates for this, Ma’am, and I have to see my hair mentor in an hour before I see my coats consultant, so can we move this along? Plus i was promised earrings — where are they? I don’t see a gift tray for me, Willy! where is my visiting your granny gift? I always get a gift for going to a not-Highstreet place! I am waiting! Oh can I have this pillow?
imaginaryPW: ….and dear Duchess Carole and Lady Pippa are waiting in the hall, Gran, so please, let’s do as Catherine wishes! And I have to see my vacation tailor! And I want to get to darts with me mates! So yes, as Catherine says, can we move this long, spit spot! Have you the earrings for Catherine, an she have them now! My mummy died, you know!
iQE: indeed, we are quite aware of the very tragic loss of your mother, William, but that is not really why we asked you here today. Please, be seated, dear. Benedict, you may pour out.
iK: Willy I hope this is fat-free tea! Tell her I can only take fat-free tea! Where are my new earrings? Willy, may I have all new handbags for fall? Mummy says they will get me on the blogs. Pippa and James have ideas for handbags if they had more money. Lord and Lady handbags, see, wot? Can we have extra money for Pips and Jimmy? Can we have it NOW?
iPW: Gran, as you have heard, we shall need more money. And, Catherine can only have hot water, Benedict, since she has been FORCED today by Gran to skip her scheduled Pilates. I would like to know why no one minded Catherine’s schedule today?
iQ: We are quite sorry about that, dear, I feel certain it shall not happen again.
iK: Yes, it is really too unfair! I had the whole week crossed out for my own things. And I just ordered all new bikinis, so without Pilates today, who knows, I shall have to order different sizes now?I want Mummy. Mummy will know what to do. Willy, did Ma’am give us extra money yet? I don’t go to Wimbledon for nothing you know, and tell her, James got dust on his suit in the box and shall need a new suit, tell Ma’am he shall need money for that, a good one, she can hand it to my mum, who is in the hall, waiting, you know. Willy, when can mummy have tea with Ma’am? It is very unfair that she must stand in the hall every time I am forced to be here.
iPW: Gran, what about our extra money? My mum died, you know. And Lady Carole says our house needs more things before it can be lived in and now with a new baby we need —
iQ: Well, how fortuitous that you mention your house, dear. In fact, I have arranged for something splendid, you see, especially for the dear common as dirt Duchess of Dolittle here, this little warbling sponger of a woman that you married against my wishes and whose existence threatens really everything we stand for, everything that my father gave up his whole lifetime to serve. Shall I mock his memory, for this cheap Covent Garden tart, dear?
iPW: Carole says we need to move the woods so that Catherine’s bath time view is — wot, wot??!
iK: Oi Willy, I think Ma’am just said a mean thing! Mummy!!!!
iQ: Oh, my dears, surely you expected this tea time would come? William you were raised in this family, and I know our dear Harry knows the rules, and he was in the same household. So, I am afraid you must really be flouting them, and so, after much consideration, we must finally weigh a punishment upon your silly heads.
iPW: I say!!! What is this!
iQ Now, now, it won’t be so bad. I decided against beheading, the nay votes just squeaked passed and you can thank Sophie for that, so kind that girl. But we have ordered the Tower of London “done up” as your shallow little wife and her people might say, and you shall move in and finsih the painting yourselves, and live there, where you will daily greet the crowds of your people and talk to them and perform service in the gift shop. Dolittle, and take tickets, William, and keep the place nice and clean. You shall be finally seen to be doing your service hours, you see, and getting to know the people, such a lovely thing, my mother did go among them in the war, you know, brave as beans, she was! And once you have served 325 days, why, you shall be allowed a quite nice vacation in any cottage on your father’s lovely biscuit farm! Isn’t this nice! A chance to raise those children of yours to have the real common touch, that common thing you do go on about, and you shall of course live on the salary of the TowerKeeper, which we figure at 50K pounds per year, since you will get free room and board, which we feel is quite generous. Oh. we sold your helicopter to Sir Richard this morning, love, so no need for a parking spot, thoughtful of your Aunt Anne, wasn’t it? She is so thorough when it comes to worrying about the two of you.
iPW: Wot! Wot! I won’t! Serve the people! take tickets! How come Harry can do as he please and I am punished!
iQ: Well, dear, Harry, isn’t a brainless whining sponger, is he, now? There, there, don’t cry, Dolittle, we have fired the Royal photo retouchers, so you must try to look your best naturally, now.
iK: Mummy! MUMMY!! SAVE ME! You won’t get away with this, you old porridge-faced horrid old poot! Your hats are ugly! I hate your shoes!
iQ Oh, my dear, your mother and sister and brother have been removed to go live in a South American landslide refugee camp to give parties for the poor suffering people. Such good work! They will be splendid at it, don’t you think? We have arranged for bicycles for your siblings of course, I do admire their interest in fitness and outdoor activities. They shall raise goats, too.
iK! Boo hoo, what of Daddy!
iQ: Oh, we took pity on poor Michael, are making him a lord, he shall move into your houses on his own and relax without that whipping leash of a mother of yours, poor thing. Nanny Maria will be running the family company now as a gift to the Duchy enterprise, so kind of you! Now, you may go, and pack two bags each, you start work first thing tomorrow at the Tower, a nice busy July Saturday filled with tourists and people eager to see you both! Spit, spot, go! I think they’ve called a cab for you!
Oh, Liberty. I love this one! The biscuit farm!! (That brings some entertaining images, actually, some of which I’d like to unsee.)
Oh bluhare, I am laughing in horror because after I typed that word in I suddenly thought – whoops! but it was too late. Because Charles and his history of fine “biscuits”!
Ah well. I am imagining a sort of farm in which all Chuck’s workers look like extras in the old Peter Cook/Dudley Moore 1967 version of Bedazzled. Which oddly enough, is my mother’s favorite movie.
** passes mental eye bleach to you anyway **
Love Actually ruined me for Peter Cook. Now all I think of when I see his name is, “Mawwidge . . . ” I see the Monty Python twits on Charles’ farm. When I’m not seeing biscuits as far as the eye can see, that is. 🙂
Love Actually reference re Peter Cook? help me out?
I love the Python twits so much, I never fail to laugh!!
Everyone, too kind, thank you!! Just a laugh for a Friday! Seemed ripe for a bit of fun. 🙂
Edit: sorry stuck this reply in weird spot
GAH!! Not Love Actually! The Princess Bride!!!! How the hell did I get those two confused?
Lol!!! Brilliant. If only she could send those two packing, carrying two bags each—eyeliner running & bald spot sweating. It’s a shame that Katy Price is more relavent than Kate M. And William is such a sorry sack that I don’t even have a good comparison for him.
This is hilarious! Sadly, parts of it probably are not too far fetched when it comes to the lazy duo!
Brava! Bravissima!
My gosh Liberty, you are so talented. What an imagination! You have them all figured out. I love it. Please write more….
I’m so glad that you are telling us stories again, Liberty! You make reading pages great fun!
It almost goes without saying. I giggle if not laughing loud enough for FMORC to shake his head with every story.
Keep them coming!
🙂
LOL! Liberty, you have a hellava imagination and skill at conversation! I was so immersed in the *story*, I got pissed when it ended. Great job! BTW, James reportedly has a modeling contract now. We need a story on that soon!
I’d like to see James steal Cressida2 with his blue steel look!
@bluhare, ha! James is one pretentious poser. He may think he looks suave and debonair with that beard, but I think he’s reached the top of his social climbing ladder with Donna!
So I guess you’re saying he could do his platinum titanium look and Cressida2 wouldn’t buy it? Maybe she likes a guy who looks like an old timey elixir salesman.
bluhare: “As you wish.” —>
imaginary James M: Where am I? Why am I wearing this quite dark-making hood! it crushes my Henry VIII beard statement! How odd, really, and I seem to be handcuffed and in a fetal position? where have they taken my mother and sisters and brother in law, the King of France? I say, I hear someone, oi, are we in a car boot?
imaginary Cressida 2: Hsssht, be to the quiet! We are to being save from most dreadful exile! Well, you are to being save from exile! I am to being save from, worse than death; working in Anmer Hall, like slave for mad woman with the tiny eyes and the daughter of this woman!
iJM: why, that is my sister Kitty’s Christmas-time and every-fifth-Saturday house she shares with the King of France!
iC2: ha! he is no king, just silly British Duke and part-time pilot and you know, a great big poser ,like child walking in shoes of grandfather, “look at me, look at me!” I shake mine fist at this Duke what he make me wear the tiny leather clotheses for being nanny? is he big child man and I must do all the works! As Shakespeare wrote once about another royal, “Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home,
I quickly were dissolvèd from my hive
To give some laborers room. ”
iJM: Why, are you some sort of Spanish literature student? Donna has a book! I say, wait, haven’t I heard you making toast for little Prince Gary George and little Princess Carole Diana and their father, King Willy?
iC2: Shhh! Yes! It is I, the one they to be calling Cressida 2! Please, they mustn’t hear us, until we be through the Chunnel! Oh. god bless his ginger holiness for sending the Miss Eugenie the money to save us! I never thought he would to answer my text of sorrows! Oh, if we make it, I will not to have to be the Anmer Hall Nanny/Butler/Housekeeper/Cook/Upstairs and Downstairs Maids reporting to Mrs M after all! Yes I could use the 45,000 euro salary, to send the foods and tax money to my starving village, but, the gods of poverty be with me, I do not care, I could not to be work there as nanny anymore! he cries too much and throws is food and punches people too when he is angry or hungry or sleepy! I speak of course of the too much baby man Duke William! How I suffer!
iJM: I say, we all thought you were, you know, quite liking it! I mean, didn’t my sister give you all her old eyeliner as your holiday bonus?
iC2: The paints of shame! In my village, a girl like me, working for such people, to look this way, to be wearing the little bad skirt of shame they give me, I look so bad, dressed like bad girl, like desperate barrister married to older American movie star, like bad hooker of the drinking streets where worker-mens of the nice mother Queen go at night to meet the men who writes in the tabloids, I know this, because this is where William he sends me to sell pictures of the Ginger God and oh, shame! in my village, they call my sort of the work job “the mule of no hope, for the master of no balls.” Now at last I shall be free again! No more to shovel the beef and beer-bread into that little child Gary George! Oh, hear me angels and God in Heaven, I will never hitch-hike through a big Spanish game camp again while on religious pilgrimage, I swear this! oh, thanks god for the kindly saint of the most tall and helpful spoonful of Esqueixada: Harry, the Last Royal! May he rule forever!
iJM: But why did your Ginger God save me? I have only met him twice,and both times he told my and my sister to go piss up a willow. Once he made me park cars — it was at my sister’s wedding actually! that is the night I got the idea for marshmallow squares, actually. I found a cupcake on the seat of a Bentley and said to myself, Ho, Jimmy, here’s a thought! See! Want one? it is probably a bit crushed but it has a nice picture of Katie Price on it?
iC2: Thank yous, but, to be, no. Well, you are to be my cover through France until I can reach Spain! You will pose as a new male model, who is working for Model 1, the company that has special models for special needs, and I will play your manager!
iJM: oi! me! A model! me! An educated nephew of millionaires, brother-in-law to the King of France, a model? Well yes. perhaps I have always dreamed of this, and marshmallow squares have not fulfilled me as i thought they would — oh thank goodness I hired a young eager intern to handle things while i took the summer off to pose with Pips in international feats of skill! — but why, a model, why, who thought of such a splendid cover story for me? Is it my eyes? My small well-placed ears? My trending beard? My almost obsessive attention to clothes?
iC2: Well the truth to say. you will to become a cane model, yes? Pictures of you using many nice fancy cane with your skills for to be walking, for a medical purposes, in a magazine of business.
iJM: What! But I have done a very fantastic how to tie a bow tie tutorial video in which I had many a sultry moment! I am a celebrity, I should debut by modeling top cars and Burberry! I am like the missing Kardashian brother!
iC2: Ah, how comic it is that you to say this, for you see, it will be your new passport it does say “Rob Kardashian” and you will be sent to live in LA as the newly slim brother person, of thems, with a new face! They loves this bow tie video you do, and next you do one for the socks, and It will be a happy life, yesI I told you, the glorious ruddy angel of light that finally gave the gods of Life a reason to have produced the big-ears of Prince Charles, the reason it is being Prince Harry, set this all up! He says, oh a good thing and a funny thing at once! Oh I wish I could thank him! But alas, he is with to help a rhino. Such good man!
iJM: Me! A Kardashian! It sounds quite — why, quite delightful! Will I have cars and money of my own! No uncle Gary? I quite fancy that Kris! I think she will like me! She is like Donna but with a different face!
iC2: Yes! and, no more to be the marshmallow cakes! Your story is to be now, you are from a diet of the no food, all new and slim and handsome, and they will make your eyes less crazy, okay, and some tan oil, then, voila!
iJM: I say, and now my sisters will be those quite bold strumpets! And the mother, really just like mine! And I shan’t have to go to do parties with my mum and Pips in South America! And yet, I won’t have to start thinking or anything either ! Why this is quite thrilling, really! A model AND the new Kardashian! Brilliant!
iC2: already it is to be! Now, just relax in your head, and handcuffs, we will be in Spain by tomorrow! No more to be bite and kick by big babies! I weep in joy!
Oh my god, Liberty. I actually didn’t want it to end!! But where’s the holy ginger god? Will Cressida2 ever see him again? I love Cressida2.
I am shameless, I admit it freely. I don’t know how you come up with this stuff!
Liberty, I hope hope hope you are keeping copies of all of these for a writer’s portfolio. They are too good to be ephemera.
@Liberty, another great installment! @bluhare, I was confused earlier about Cressida2! It’s all very clear now! LOL!
Wonderful! My only edit would be to add a couple of “My mum died, you know”s and maybe Katie should say, “His mum died, you know,” a time or two.
Brilliant, Liberty. Kate and her demand for fat-free tea had me howling! And I loved the happy ending for the Middletons. 😁
Brilliant, Liberty. Kate and her demand for fat-free tea had me howling! And I loved the happy ending for the Middletons. 😁
If the LK Bennet fits, then the moniker fits.
I love this — perfect.
LOL From the title alone! I’m sure story is comedy too.
Now I have a picture of HM throwing her feet up somewhere and sarcastically asking a courier what “Duchess Dolittle” got up to today.
HM calls her DD (for short).
not sure why my earlier comment got eaten, but never mind the two royal nincompoops, I’m more interested in the Battle of Britain.
If anyone is interested, please do read The Battle of Britain: Myth and Reality, by Richard Overy. It’s quite a well-written book that very nicely breaks down the runup, behind-the-scenes and how, where and when of that time. And it’s a slim little book too – not more than 200 pages. It kept me nicely occupied on the bus ride home the last week or so.
Thank you for the recommendation. Will add to my reading list.
Franklin and Winston by Meacham was interesting.
Has anyone read the fiction book Leonardo’s Swans by Essex? It is about the d’Este sisters. I got a copy at the used bookstore but haven’t started it yet.
As for choosing the ‘fun’ things — Don’t we all know people like this? They show up for the easy, breezy things, but let there be anything that might possibly tax their little self-centered world and they are completely scarce.
Kate’s laziness is like performance art to me. The woman counted attending her own child’s christening as work. I’m fascinated to see how far she’s going to push it.
Giving birth to her daughter was considered work and was in the court circular. Though out of interest were other royal births put in there?
It’s not commendable that she did that, but even that I can stretch to say having to stand before the press the day you give birth must have been a struggle. The christening was just a pr move and a tax write off.
I don’t know if other royal births counted as work. I’m assuming not because the press wasn’t as neutered then.
I think the kid glove treatment is largely due to fallout from the hacking scandals and only a little from the legacy of Diana’s death. It’s going to be interesting to see how far W and K push their luck especially once Prince Philip passes away. No one will support William’s dithering over a widowed Elizabeth continuing doing engagements. It would be a pr disaster.
Natalie
This behavior and coddling has been around for many years before the hacking. With both William and Kate.
And as long as the press keeps spinning William’s lack of duty to his people and entitled behavior to normal family man with maybe some kid pictures people will forget. They won’t care until it impacts them more directly.
Like those with disabilities. But hey! Look at the babies! Shiny keys *jingle jingling*
The Queen has accepted the likes of Camilla and is rather fond of her so I doubt very seriously she dislikes Kate as much as the media likes to portray.
Yes, Waity Katie has officially morphed into Lazy Katie. I love it–there IS something in a name. I wish the Queen or Prince Charles would rein in these two layabouts. Make Wils and Kate accompany the Queen on every engagement–they’d be crying for mercy in a week.
“morphed”?? are you kidding me Beatrice? She has been lazy from day 1. Looking back to when she became a “royal” I can’t think of one instance where she really looked the part of a true “working” royal and really pulled her weight (couldn’t resist) in terms of taking on a respectable amount of engagements. Fancy clothes, feigned interest for a set period of time may fool some people, but I think most can see through this and can spot a phony.
She loves the attention and benefits she receives but gives precious little in return. In a way it’s surprising because her parents built a company from the ground up and are self-made millionaires.
OMG I can’t believe the nature of their joint engagement – sailing and range rovers, things they like. Talk about pandering to these 2 twats. MAKE THEM VISIT A CHARITY, VETERAN OR HOMELESS CENTRE!!!!! Enough of the fun glamorous events that are tailored to things that interest them.
These 2 just wind me up soo much.
It really is a disgrace. The Queen should be embarrassed if she’s not. And Charles should be.
I think this is one of the reasons for the recent frost between a Harry and Duchess Dolittle. She does nothing while his Grandmother works like a dog.
I wish I had known I could count sailing as work…….here I was lucky enough to do it once on my day off, thinking I was simply relaxing, but I was really working!
I am no fan of Will, but what is up with all the Harry adoration? Harry has no depth either. He is likable but reminds me Eddie Redmayne. He is not statesman material. None of the royals are, actually. None of them appear very smart. I am wondering what happened there. Princess Anne and the Queen seem very shrewd but then the smart gene got lost. I am going to blame Prince Phillip and his genes for the disaster.
I think a lot of the love for Harry(at least my love comes from the fact that in sharp contrast to Will & Kate, he has shown real dedication to the royal causes he selected, especially his work with veterans.
Sunny
It’s worth mentioning Harry is dyslexic. That’s a condition that if caught early can be very well managed. Harry’s was caught later on. That he has come as far as he has with piloting is evidence he worked hard to overcome it.
I agree with you. They are a couple of dunces who were brought up like typical shallow rich boys. Charles at least has great interest in his role and actually thinks.
Wonder how Will’s mid-life crisis will be?
Let’s fast forward 10 years, when he will likely have to step up or step to the side. Add to that if he starts becoming more distant to his wife, and it could make Ben A’s mid-life crisis look positively tame by comparison.
I do wonder if he will make a big deal of his late 30s, and remind everyone that his mother was just 36 when she died. I think he/they will pull any card to keep the woe is Will excuse going.
Willy’s midlife crisis will go along the lines of Goodbye Kate, Hello Jecca.
He will milk that sympathy bottle beyond empty.
Sounds like a plausible scenario.
I just found myself today noting how much older Willy and Kate look than their chronological ages, and then the mid-life crisis thought came to mind. Plus the opportunity to milk the sympathy when he ‘outlives’ his mother, age-wise (which might actually prompt the mid-life crisis).
I’m surprised by some of the comments about William; I’ve honestly never read anything bad about him in the British press. Is there some kind of media blackout in the UK when it comes to the Royals? OK, so he doesn’t have a ‘proper’ job but he will be King one day. He lives his life out in the public eye through no choice of his own, which can’t be easy. Plus, I don’t really want to see my future King holding down a job and acting like a regular person. I mean, I don’t expect to see him lolling around in furs, hose and a cod-piece whilst eating a turkey leg, but I don’t understand why he needs to work. Or Kate for that matter. She’s a young mum. Most young mums given the opportunity would stay at home with the kids, so why not her? Maybe she’s not lazy, maybe she has social anxiety, who knows? At the end of the day, the Royal family has not really had a proper purpose for generations now so what’s so different about them? Were Charles and Diana any better when they were young? (Genuine question). I mean, I can understand why people might think they’re pointless but they’re basically harmless. I’d much rather read about them than the Kardashians.
They costs millions in taxpayer-funded security and perks every year. They have two free mansions that they’ve given because of his position to the throne, but they don’t do the work to earn them. They take the better part of $4.6 million in an allowance from Charles, money that should be spent on the people of the Duchy not these two. They take the largest amount of royal perks each year while doing the smallest amount of work. Most of the working royals are past retirement age and these two refuse to get to work doing royal engagements.
If the royal family has no proper purpose, and if William doesn’t want to do royal work, W&K can hand back every single perk, house, and penny of the annual $4.6 million allowance and live on his salary alone.
And yes, Charles and Diana did far better. Diana did over 200 engagements her first year, age 20, and pregnant. Before anyone says, “They’re trying to avoid the same mistake” – Diana said her work was her salvation from a lousy marriage and the amount of work was never the problem.
This is why the Queen is concerned because she knows the monarchy is on potentially shaky ground between people who want to do away with it completely and those who think they cost too much and want the burden on the taxpayer reduced so it is important that the monarchy proves its worth at all times.
Charles married and had children much older than his son so I am not so sure if Charles was the work horse he was when he was the flighty bachelor.
And I can’t imagine being someone born into a job you did not ask for and William had a more hands on mother who planted who knows what ideas into William’s head but on the other hand, the British press is always looking to make mountains out of mole hills when it comes to the monarchy. And don’t ever say Harry will never be king. Stuff happens that is why they want the heir and the spare not just abdications. And frankly if William would not be happy as king he should follow his heart. Mind you I think Edward regretted his decision in the end. Pretty sure Wallis did more than Edward but thank god he did step down for various reasons including the fact George turned out to be the right stuff during a war. That is the problem with inherited positions which is pretty much non existent anywhere else.
Maybe give Kate a bit of break after having two kids in close succession and being under constant pressure to look good – she may find her footing and her niche in the charities and causes she wishes to champion as her children get older and she matures and then the Royals will be complaining about Kate stealing even more of the spotlight as they did with Diana. It seems being in the Royal family is almost always a no win situation, damned if you do damned if don’t.
The bottom line is Kate has done more for the British economy than the whole Royal family rolled up together. I was just told she mentioned a shoe insole she uses and they are all sold out everywhere. She has her benefits but yes she does have to step it up a little bit if this is all true.
Charles founded the famous Prince’s Trust when he was in his 20s, way before he married and had kids. Can anybody name a hugely successful foundation that William founded and worked hard on in his 20s?
And unlike William, he never told the press that he doesn’t know what full-time Royal work is, that it doesn’t exist, and that it’s OK if he focuses on non-Royal work because his grandparents can keep working.
William is never going to give up his position, because he likes the perks too much. His words and actions have shown that his reign will probably be very much like what he’s doing now, except for attending a few more ceremonial events. Imo, it’s going to be a lackadaisical reign.
Kate wasn’t married right after giving birth. She spent her first years of marriage (pre-birth) doing very little. She spent her life before marriage doing very little. She was never pregnant one after the other, so she could have worked in between too. Even now, after giving birth, we’ve seen her go out to the ‘fun’ events, including tennis games, polo games, and now a yachting race. If she has time to spend hours at these games, then couldn’t she handle 45 minutes at a charity, one that doesn’t involve them having to throw a party in order for her to show up?
I don’t think her having any possible influence over selling a few dozen or hundreds of insoles, skirts, blouses, etc. affects the British economy at all or much. Celebrities can do that with just a tweet or Instagram photo. I think she would be more helpful if she helped raise awareness and funds for her charities, ones that don’t involve #RichFolkProblems like the theaters, museums, art galleries, yachting, sporting events, etc.
How come her worth is described by how much clothing and accessories she can sell? Why isn’t it based on how much her work efforts paid off for the less advantaged or sick or disabled? Is all forgiven because all she did is slip something into her shoes or put on a skirt or blouse? Is that all that’s expected from her? Why is the bar lowered for her more than it would be for anybody else?
The Kate Effect was proven false. Things are already several years or seasons old by the time she wears them, that’s why they are already sold out.
Tanna pointed this out about the ridiculous christening outfit for PGTips. It sold out! Golly! Then it turns out they only had FOUR in stock.
Nobody cares how The Princess Royal looks, because Anne gets the job done. It isn’t about hair extensions, high heels, or caked on makeup. It is about getting the job done, which Kate Middleton fails to do.
The Telegraph
07 Sep 2013
“Prince’s pride as charities inspire 125,000 to start their own business
The Prince of Wales has told of his passion for supporting entrepreneurs in the UK and overseas, with new figures showing that his charities have created 125,000 entrepreneurs and given business support to 395,000 people.
Aid from the Prince’s charities stretches far beyond the UK. Youth Business International (YBI) has helped entrepreneurs to establish more than 21,000 businesses across 37 countries. There is also a stand-alone charity to help older entrepreneurs, The Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise. ”
Nope, Kate Middleton’s fripperies and shopping addiction don’t beat Charles and his impact with the Prince’s Trust. No Where Near.
Laura R: there is a black out of sorts on william in the UK press. That extends to Kate as his wife.
There is the occasional story of his negative qualities or activities, but it is always downplayed and swiftly swopped by a higher profile positive PR puff piece or Harry is thrown under the bus so the public is grateful that William is the heir rather than Harry.
It’s been going on for years. Most people don’t pay attention and are always surprised by what lies underneath vs the PR image.
Well clearly many members of the royal family have had the benefit of many media blackouts over the decades so why is William any different.
His father had the benefit of the same blackout for many years as he carried on an affair with Camilla and other women whilst married to Diana until the tide swayed. God knows what Prince Andrew has been up to all these years and Prince Phillip. It is what all families do, hide their dirty secrets.
Because there’s a difference in criticism over what William gives back in recompense for all the income and advantages he gets versus whatever he does in his love life. The former is a professional concern and the latter is not what people are criticizing.
We see Charles, Andrew, Edward, Sofie, Anne, the Queen, and Philip working. But we don’t see anything much of W&K working, because they spend most of their time not working. So the media covers W&K sparsely because what’s covered is when they actually do work. This means there’s a longer span of non-coverage because that’s when they’re flaking off and the media isn’t covering that.
No one is saying Kate can’t stay home with her kids. Just that for all the perks they need to give a little back. If you want to live private be private. And no one is asking her to work a full time job. 1 event every other day that lasts 45 minutes is not asking too much. And that is actually visiting a charity or going to events to honor those who served your nation. Not their choice events that get counted as work for them, but no one else.
She has made time for being away from her children for her trainer, hair dresser, all day shopping trips, and tennis matches as spectators. Is it unreasonable to expect her to visit her charities more than once a year for what amounts to an in and out photo op?
Oooh…burn! Was unaware that QE II was a sassy wit; recall the fictional character Eliza Doolittle in “Pygmalion” and “My Fair Lady”…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_Doolittle
“Eliza is a Cockney flower girl, who comes to Professor Henry Higgins asking for elocution lessons, after a chance encounter at Covent Garden. Higgins goes along with it for the purposes of a wager: That he can turn her into the toast of elite London society.”
Not entirely unfamiliar, no?
Well, if she does, it’s not as if we could call her grandson the “Duke of DoMuch” himself. The Dolittles…. Love it!
My dear friends. You fail to realize. Kate is probably avoiding any transportation that has been ordered by the Queen. With what happened last time, I can quite understand.
Well, the Queen had not provided transportation to the incident you are most likely referencing. And Kate routinely uses transportation provided by the Queen as well as residences and even long time staff members that served the Queen. That version of events you’re citing has little foundation outside of Con Theo(abbrv).
All that went right over my head. Enlighten, please.
I’m assuming it’s the, the “BRF murdered Diana” Theory
Oh not this again…….
I think she looks beautiful in the white outfit! Such a beautiful woman. I can’t see the queen calling her Doolittle.
When the Queen was first married and had Charles and Anne she went off and lived in Malta without the children for a year or two and did very few engagements. I doubt the Queen has a problem with Kate wanting to be there for her two small children. In a few years when the Queen is gone and Charles is King then she and William will have no choice but to be full time Royals.
No. Sorry but the Malta story is just made up. The Queen didn’t move to Malta. She was in the UK with her children fullfilling her duties while regulary visiting her husband in Malta.
“The Malta myth” was changed PR-wise to justify the Cambridges ‘absence’ for the first years after their wedding.
+1 Olive. The Official Website of the British Monarchy makes it clear. She visited four times, she didn’t live there full-time.
“Princess Elizabeth also visited Malta four times while Prince Philip was stationed there on naval duties, and enjoyed the life of a naval wife and young mother.”
I wonder if they put that quote up before or after the Malta Myth started?
I am very sorry but you are totally wrong here. The Queen did live in Malta full-time for a number of months (without baby Charles) on two separate occasions in 1949 and early 1950. I don’t even know if she spent Christmas 1949 in England with Prince Charles. I could be wrong but I think she lived with the Mountbattens who were also in Malta. Princess Anne was actually conceived whilst Elizabeth was in Malta.
This was a well known fact before William or Kate were even thought of and is mentioned in the biography of Edwina Mountbatten. I am no great admirer of William or Kate but lets get our facts right here.
Regarding Prince Charles and duties when he was in his twenties, I think it is being forgotten that Charles too served in the Armed Forces. In the navy I believe.
William does have a choice. He can remove himself from the line of succession if being a royal is too much bother for him. That said though, do you really think Kate would find him all that appealing as a regular guy? I don’t. She married him for his status and his money.
I think she wanted The Prince, not William.
Poor William. Now that he has married Kate he has to stick to being a Royal or risk getting divorced should he ever try to get out of that royal circus.
Additionally I don’t think it is a nice married life if you know that your partner married you for your status / money but not for your personality or your charm or other more individual things. It is a very naging situation and will constantly and slowly eat up parts of your confidence and well beeing. So William made his bed and has to lie in it for now. My guess is that he will look for love outside his marriage. Or at least one day it is going to hit him on the head hard. Lots of Royals have (had) affairs.
And then Kate will be the wife unloved by her husband and the prince’s wife who is unloved by the people.
Team Liz on this one. Kate is the future queen and her behind should have been at the commemorations. Charles as king in waiting is no excuse. I know that someone up thread posted about this; but I think if Harry marries a woman that is attractive, stylish and does the royal grunt work that woman would be lauded by the press. The comparisons would have been made and Kate wouldn’t fare well in them.
I’m skeptical that the queen actually made this comment. It doesn’t sound like her sense of humor to me.
If she DID make the comment, that’s sad. Even with lots of help, being a new Mother is exhausting. Royal duties are not as important as being a healthy Mom IMO.
It’s not a recent issue spanning just the time after giving birth to Charlotte and now. It’s an on-going criticism from before she was married, to afterwards, to in-between and after pregnancies.
She doesn’t like to work. Period. She wants all the perks, the money, the benefits, but she doesn’t want to give back. And the people who criticize those who criticize her work-shy attitude always dwell on the pregnancies and the kids, as if that’s how she is 24/7.
Other women work before/during/after pregnancies. They work when they have little kids. But for Kate, who can go to one sporting event after another and another after giving birth to Charlotte and not bring her kids to each game, her apologists say that spending even 45 minutes visiting a charity would be a hardship on her as a mother. Really?
So I just want to know from even one apologist, what’s the hardship difference in spending hours at various sporting games away from her kids versus showing her face at a 45-minute visit at a charity shaking hands with ‘common folk?’
What do apologists actually think will happen if she spent 45-minutes visiting the less advantaged? Do they think she’ll faint? That she’ll go into cardiac arrest from all the effort? That her kids will forget her? That she’ll forget how to be a mother? That it’s massive wear and tear on her physically?
What’s going to be so bad visiting charities in 45-minutes or less versus spending hours at fun-time stuff?
I just don’t get what apologists are saying.
Bingo, anne_000, and so very, very well said. A lot of people are refusing to see the selectiveness behind Kate’s choices while on “maternity leave.” This has been a long-held attitude of hers from when she first married, very transparent and very blatant. No one would call her out on attending the fun events if she put an equal share in doing the serious ones as well. Balance is the key here.
If Kate lived in my country she would still be on. Mat leave and not returning to work until October. If she doesn’t resume her duties then I’ll raise an eyebrow but for now I’ll give her a pass.
Mary
Kate working looks a lot like it does now. Not showing up to events where she would be encouraged and welcome to go. Not visiting her charities or having any involvement with them outside of photo ops. And what she does attend is less like work and more like fun. All while making more than enough time to spend money and work on her physical appearance.
There will hardly be any difference.
It’s just a general observation noting here. So many women value being seen physically attractive over respected for their substance/intelligence. Why praise someone that would rather be seen as pretty over intelligent?
And so what if some smart ladies get called names for how they look. I’d rather be called a cow and be respected knowing I can rely on myself than be thought of as pretty, but lacked the respect of my peers while needing others to provide for me.
To qualify for maternity leave in the UK, she has to have worked full-time for a year prior to the birth. She’s never worked 40 hours in a week. Never.
Also from what i recall she pulled out of engagements when both pregnancies were announced – oddly enough they were for charities she was patron of. She then made miraculous recoveries to go on holiday’s, shopping trips and make it to glam gala events a short time later (i.e. when POTUS stayed at Windsor Castle).
She only wants to attend hi profile events where celebs are fawning over her – she loves it. You can see the smug on her face when she meets them. She doesn’t give an eff about her charities/alleged causes. I can’t recall the last one she visited – i think it was before her first pregnancy.
For one of those events related to the Art Room, she said she was too ill to attend. It turns out she had left on a plane to Scotland the day before. Well-enough to fly on a plane for vacation, too sick to promote an art charity for 30 minutes.
If she does then this lifelong Scottish Republican’s opinion of her just Improved a little bit.
I love that they refer to the Queen as busy working, lol. Getting dressed up in costumes, jewels and crowns, attended by full staff, to go to public gatherings, to meet and greet while tax payers $ pay for it all is ridiculous. Work and royals do not go in same sentence.
Weirdly “unlikeable” Kate sorts it all out because Queenie keeps her post and Charles has a half-gasp chance … and poor old Wills has to head to work. I wish him all the best.
Work? The Queen considers honoring veterans work? It is a duty for her to do this? Now let’s contrast this with unpaid volunteers helping veterans because they want to. Let’s contrast “work” with the many unpaid volunteers that help those in need. That’s the difference between “royalty” and common decent people – commoners whose caring helps people everywhere.
As if the Royan British Family is hard working anyway.