I’m starting to feel sorry for the Cambridges’ press secretary Jason Knauf. He’s an American and I’m sure he was brought in to stoke the American and Canadian interest in all things Cambridge. The problem is that his sheer American-ness is causing so many problems in the UK press and they’re in revolt. The threatening letter Knauf sent out to the press last week was seen as whiny, self-pitying, undignified and “bizarre” in British circles and ever since, the UK tabloids have been showing Knauf that they have some ammo and they’ll use it.
So because the 72 hours post-threatening-letter did not go as planned, poor Jason has to try a different tact. And by that I mean the same old “NOTHING TO SEE HERE, FOLKS” method that Prince William has been employing for years. Whenever William gets criticized about anything, People Magazine (and several other outlets) get a “tip” about William’s latest life-saving mission. On August 6th (meaning Jason Knauf held on to this not-so-life-saving mission story for 10 whole days, the very definition of “saving it for a rainy day”), William was “co-pilot” on a East Anglian Air Ambulance mission to save a man in Essex. The man later died and as it turns out, someone’s going to be charged with murder because this poor guy died from his wounds. Magically, this murder victim’s death is being packaged as just another day for Life-Saving Hero William.
Meanwhile, Jason was really busting his ass to announce something, ANYTHING for Kate. Even if the announcement just makes it even more clear that Kate doesn’t care about anything other than galas, fancy dinners and flirting with Ben Ainslie. Yes, Kate deigned to put something on her schedule. She will – sigh! – attend a state dinner for the Chinese president (Xi Jinping) and his wife in October. SO OVERWORKED. This is how People reported it:
Time to dust off the royal tiaras! Princess Kate has only been seen in a tiara a few times, and for many royal fans, a glittering repeat is long overdue. Most of her royal events have not been ones that call for glamorous headpieces, but that may soon change if she and husband Prince William are called upon to help Queen Elizabeth welcome the Chinese president to the U.K. in the fall.
President Xi Jinping and his wife Madame Peng Liyuan will head to London for a few days in October. The couple will stay at Buckingham Palace. Palace officials tell PEOPLE that plans are still being drawn up for the events around the State Visit, but The Sunday Times reports that the royal couple is definitely in the line-up for the big evening. William has helped smooth the way for the arrival of the Chinese delegation after his successful visit to the country in March.
Citing the brief tour that helped renew and improve relations between the royal family and China, the paper reported, “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend the banquet with the Queen and Prince Philip.”
Whatever the plans for the high diplomacy meetings, Kate, 33, will have plenty of tiaras to choose from – loaned by the Queen from the palace collections, tiaras – worn by all senior royal women – are part of the pomp and ceremony of the evening.
The mom of two has rarely been seen in the fairy-tale royal accessory. She famously wore the Cartier Halo tiara for her 2011 wedding and, at a white-tie gathering for diplomats at Buckingham Palace just before Christmas 2013, she was given a diamond-and-pearls piece that the late Queen Mother wore when she was Duchess of York in the 1920s.
Will an appearance from a diamond-encrusted Kate really improve her image? Doubtful. Maybe I’m all alone here, but Kate doesn’t know how to wear big, important jewelry and whenever I see her at yet another gala/dinner/fancy event, I just think “what a waste of time and energy.” The rare times when she is allowed to borrow something special from the royal collection, the pieces are covered by her sausage-curled extensions. Anyway, I think it’s safe to say that Will and Kate believe they have “managed” this PR crisis. They had Jason drop a 10-day-old story about William performing his job and then they confirmed their appearance at a state dinner seven-to-eight weeks from now. It will be funny if that is the only thing on their schedule from now until their Mustique vacation in November.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
As any fule kno*, this one makes me FROTH.
*for Liberty
I think we ought to form ‘The Spittle Sisterhood” or possibly “The Hood of the Sisturs of Spittel” head to tow (sorry toe) waterproofing not essential although possibly advisable.
I could get with that. Perhaps we could get a repurposed tricycle (I know, I know, wrong thread) and sell froth-based marshmallows to raise funds for the campaign?
You’re on – we can do it in the style of Monty Python – I’ve detailed my “vision” on the ‘James’ Thread – it involves Eric Idle, wearing strings of Marshmallows like necklaces and shouting insults in a dreadful French accent at anybody who refuses to buy them “your muzzer smells of elderberries….I fart in your general direction” might as well keep is totally (sur)real.
I think we should commence crowdfunding at once.
Getting the toothpicks and Q-tips out to clean between the keys of my keyboard.
@Sixer!!!! *bounces w joy* Caesar adsum jam forte! Omg, crowdsourcing! this this this. We each send in a dollar or a pound and hoist his shy earnest tailored petard back up on his sweeties-cycle! My story today had to do with a misreading of Uncle Gar’s biz plan, due to Jimmy’s lazy eye. But I like frisbee’s vision better!
Crumpet: please pass a Q-tip, dear, frisbee made me soil my keyboard as well at “your muzzier smells of elderberries”!
Indiegogo-agogo. Chiz.
Mmmm, elderberries. It has been said that he who drinks elderberry wine keeps his teef in situ.
Q-tip passed.
Crumpet, many thanks.
Sixer, “He is much worse than this aktually as his Mummy calls him darling and kiss his ickle-pritty face.”
I wish I could wear one of those tiaras. They are so beautiful.
I wish I could flog one of those Tiara’s – so useful…
*falls over w guffaws, dies*
Royal Order of Splendor is a great place to go to ogle tiaras, the beauty of some of them is mind-boggling. Just exquisite design.
As for me, the best place for tiara-wearing will always be the bathtub, Princess Margaret-style. I always picture it with lots of suds, a couple champagne buckets chilling on the side, and music playing at eardrum-shattering volumes, the ruder the better (my current playlist candidate is Nicki Minaj).
Though I don’t love the Poltimore that she’s wearing, I do like that photo very much – is says: “yes, you CAN wear your tiara in the bath, doing the dishes…. 😉
I have a secret dream of staging a heist on the Dutch Rf’s vault and steal way the Diamond Bandeau Tiara, which I then would wear in every conceivable situation.
These pictures are awful.
I think they are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
SMH. I’ve never seen anyone capable of sucking the life (and spark) from giant blingy rocks before. That girl has special powers.
I gotta say, I personally love Kaiser’s photo choices. Especially when it comes to those two. Makes my morning 🙂
I just don’t get it. It would be SO easy to placate people at this point by just doing two things a week. TWO things. Why are they so stubborn or clueless or whatever? I saw lots of theories here yesterday about anxiety disorders and depression and such. Maybe one of them really suffers from some disorder, but I really find it so baffling.
i’ll settle for one event a week. for 1hr. let’s not tax the poor dears.
There’s so much humor in this truth LAK.
Does that hour include travel time? Remember, her “oh so touching” hospice visit in NZ lasted all of 15 minutes.
That’s so strange when you think of a day and a half inside an aircraft esp with a grumpy baby, then ground travel, protocol etc… to spend all of 15 min inside a hospice.
Nota: nope. and walking across a square doesn’t count either.
sporting events are only once every 3 months. we’ll be generous there and give her all the time in the world to attend those events eg all day at Wimbledon.
Wouldn’t she still be considered on maternity leave as of right now, though? Is she expected to work immediately after a baby?
Citresse, are we quite sure the baby doesn’t travel in a pet carrier in the back?
PC, Sixer gave an excellent overview of maternity leave in the UK in yesterday’s “Duchess Kate & Prince William planning a November vacation in Mustique” thread. And to qualify for maternity leave in the UK, you have to work full-time for a year prior.
She can get all dressed up and leave the kids for 6-8 hour to attend Wimbledon for fun (not an engagement). But she cannot attend one of the four war commemoration events that have happened in the last month? It is things like this that keep people questioning.
I think she could get away with being on “maternity leave” right now a) if she had actually been making an effort beforehand and b) if their office would actually issue a firm statement that “the Duchess will be taking X months maternity leave”. But they’re always kind of vague and trying to make out that she’s oh-so-busy, but! she has this baby. W&K (or their handlers) can’t seem to make up their minds. I honestly think she could get away with doing very little and use SAHM as her excuse IF they were actually willing to just flat-out SAY that. Like “the Duchess’s primary duty right now is being a mother, and she will be making limited appearances until the kids are in school”. Women do take years off sometimes and if Kate would say firmly that “this is what I’m doing, back off and let me”, I think people probably would be okay with it. It’s this whole business of sort of trying to look like they’re working and then just totally, obviously NOT working that I think is so off-putting. Also, William seems to do very little work AND he doesn’t seem to be putting in an exceptional amount of time with the kids, so that really looks bad. If Kate was staying home and Will was going to events and appearances non-stop, they could make the argument that he is simply the “primary” worker in the family while Kate is doing the home stuff and supporting him behind the scenes, but they won’t really do that either. Instead he comes up with this ridiculous pilot “job”.
I think they’d have to give up 80 percent of the staff and at least one home to get away with that. There would also need to be an announcement about what percentage of their security and costs would be paid out of William’s inheritance. No more unlimited security for vacations and $4 million allowance from Charles for the duration that neither of them works as full-time royals.
that’s what I don’t get. A couple of events, some visits to children’s charities with George, and all will be forgiven, in a snap! I don’t know if there’s some kind of a disorder, I get the feeling it’s more about entitlement and the whole woe is me and my difficult life syndrome.
Really, I’d be looking for any excuse to a) give visibility to some amazing charities and b) wear a tiara!!!
I don’t get it, either. It would require so little on their parts to please the people whose tax dollars keep them in the lap of luxury. Just one or two engagements per week on a consistent basis, not when they’re on a lead up to another vacation or to head off bad press, and people would go much easier on these two. Personally, I’m curious how they can do so little and not be dying for something more. A few days without purpose, and I’m climbing the walls.
I suspect the simplest explanation is that they are both essentially quite dense and are also embroiled in an ‘enabling’ relationship that allows them to support each other’s dire decisions not to step up and fulfill their obligations.
This!
+ a million, frisbee
This. They don’t seem to have the same attitude about ‘fun’ activities.
Because they do not care.
nota — Bingo!!!
Lazy is absolutely NOT the reason those two do so little to give back. The reason is self-centeredness and apathy.
Ding! Ding! They don’t!
No truer words…..
She worked so hard for years to land her Prince, and then, of course, bringing forth the royal seeds. I believe, she must be retired, poor dear! Her work is done!
She must be exhausted!! And carrying around that much eyeliner would wear any poor body out. *blink blink*
This exactly!! Two things per week! For crying out loud…they have nannies, cooks, gardeners, drivers and lord knows who else on staff. Even I could attend one event per week and I have a full time real job and no help. How much easier it would be if you were Kate. Tend to your hair, review notes, eat meal prepared for you and pop into a car driven by someone else. Starbucks run on the way home. Arghhhhhhhh!
So true its unbelievable that kate is so useless
they are so entitled lazy brats
they have loads of staff running around after them
why cant she do Royal duties I feel the courtiers ought to tell them both to get over themselves and take away their priviliges why should she be allowed to be
a duchess when she doesnt do the job that comes with the title
its disgraceful for our country to put up with these drones
Because.
William is busy doing his hero work.
Kate’s a woman. Women can’t handle much after they’ve given birth, even if it’s months ago. Their bodies and brains can’t bounce back like men’s can.
Thank you. You always clear up my confusion. I forget about the hero thing sometimes, but that is due to my weak female brain. Thank god we commenters are here to help one another.
I think the name of the disorder you’re thinking of is “chronic laziness”.
Its a Chinese state visit, they have to go. I really doubt the Cambridges had a choice in the matter. The UK Gov always pulls out the stops when China visits because its China. They need a strong showing of royal support and its not like Charles can go given what he has said about the Chinese and Tibet in the past.
It’s so unfair that they get to go to important state dinners that mean nothing to them. How fascinating would this be to attend? Plus, I’m imagining the food, like a Chinese banquet with western touch.
this is the part that makes me weep. When I think of the conversations one could have, how much you could learn and experience….sigh.
Maybe we can suggest that she give up each event seat she doesn’t wan to a fine caring citizen who would do the honors with more interest and aplomb? But no, that would mean less reason for her to go shopping, wouldn’t it.
@bettyrose – “unfair” is the way I feel whenever I see royalty attending events with prestigious prize winners or even more, giving out those prizes! Those people actually DID something incredible in their lives, worked hard and made a difference. Royals are just play-pretend.
Yep, nothing like getting the royals out for visits of heads of repressive regimes. They are hardly beacons of democracy themselves of course.
OMG, Liberty . . . the possibilities!! Why we could nominate one of the regular posters here who could go in her Steel Cut Froth Tiara!!!
@bluhare, yes! THIS!! The Steel Cut Froth Tiara will be the perfect symbolic tiara for the Royal For A Day: well-made, substantial, touch of fun. ! I love it. And yes, how right to nominate one of you knowledgeable, intellectually viable and elegant regulars! It would be too brilliant! What good press for the palace, too!
And…perhaps .these Royals For A Day can also have one public-agenda-scheduling round-table with the Ginger Prince & Anne per year? Where do we write to suggest this????
It would also likely be seen as a major insult if Duchess Kate skipped out. The Queen likely has insisted that Bill and Kate show up lest the UK government and the BRF “lose face.”
I would love to be a fly on the wall if she DID pull out of this at the last minute.
I can just see The Queen saying, “Off with her head”
I just can’t begin to understand how doing nothing is so fulfilling to her, I mean why did she even bother going to Uni.
She went to uni for her Mrs. — or, in her case, HRH Degree.
To get her prince, didn’t ya know?
Yup- to try to land William. I mean she changed her plans(wasn’t planning a “gap year”) and changed what school she wanted to attend all in pursuit of her prince.
I am not disappointed by their total lack of work ethic but as someone who supports/works for several causes in my free time, I would love to have such a platform. They have such an opportunity to bring attention to huge issues but they are both too self-interested and stupid to do so. Sigh.
I grew up in a monarchist household(my mother is from Jamaica and went to school in Britain where she met my father, and I was raised in Canada.) This is the first time I have heard her openly critique the royals work effort and values. The other day she mentioned how often those Cambridges seem to be on vacation. LMAO
Well if she was that determined I am sure she would have been able to wiggle into his circle regardless.
I have an elderly neighbor of 81 who I love dearly – even if she is a rampant Monarchist (she gets tearful over photo’s of George – forgawdsakes!) and even she and her friends have started criticizing their work ethic and lack of contribution. These lovely older ladies ARE Royal family’s demographic so if these two twerps are starting to lose them they are ultimately done for.
frisbee, my mother and my best friend’s aunt (she is from the UK but lives in Boston) are staunch monarchists, raised with a vision of the hardworking proper current queen. I work with another woman in her 50s who has a subscription to Majesty and great love for all things royal.
And even they are now very openly disappointed. That’s a tiny sampling, but if these hardcore “all things royal are okay” types are feeling this way….they are quite disappointed and puzzled.
@ Liberty – and if cracks are showing amid their major supporters they are in trouble and it’s entirely of their own making. Like a lot of people on this site I get most upset about the wasted opportunities – for everyone.
Oh Boo-hoo. She has to wear a fabulous (probably) McQueen gown, load herself with amazing jewels, go to a dinner, and smile a lot for a few hours. The Horror!! I’d love to have that job, but then you’d have to put up with William. On second thought, give me the job and I’ll let Jecca put up with him on the side!!
I actually think Jecca would have produced a different William. When she calls, metaphorically speaking, William works. Her charity is the only consistent work William does. i’m sure her family and organisations appreciate his pull and do the necessary to get his help, but the fact remains, that he always shows up. no excuses.
I would like to ask a serious question. Given that Diana’s marriage (privately) unraveled around the time of Harry’s birth, isn’t there a chance that Kate could experience the same fate, especially if public sentiment continues to go against them?
I’m just wondering if William would throw her and the Midds under the bus to save his perks? Maybe he is truly loyal to them, but I do wonder if push comes to shove what will go down.
LAK I think you are right. I think if William had married Jecca, she would have been more involved in charity work and encouraged him to do the same. He seems to need someone to push him, not sit back like Kate who is self absorbed and content to be lazy.
I still think he will see the light and divorce Kate and then marry Jecca – as i said this is history repeating itself. Jecca might actually save the Monarchy if she hooks up with him – she gives him purpose.
I sort of think William respects Jecca and her family. With that respect comes a desire to not let them down and to be seen in a good light/tone. It’s enough for drive/purpose.
In contrast Kate’s family is fine with William as he is. Never wanting from him except to marry Kate.
I doubt William and Jecca will ever marry. She loves her area of the world and broke off at least 1 engagement with a reason being she didn’t want to move away. I doubt she will relocate.
Christin
Hmm… I’m doubtful of that. Diana was of a stronger will. She rebelled against the BRF and some expectations. Some she was accepting and fine of. Kate appears accepting of this as long as William returns and she stays married. It would take a lot for him to start a divorce. 1. The BRF would put their foot down to William’s request of it. 2. W and K have lived seperately for the majority of their married life (supported by location timelines/ pics/ and Kate’s own admissions) so to divorce when you can live seperately and keep the peace is illogical imo.
It’s thought that if the skeletons in the Midds closet ever spill out distance might need to be created. Though, there have already been some news cover ups for Gary. If it comes down to it the firm will cut the dead weight and save themselves if considered guilty by association.
Christin: i hope not, BUT as Florc points out, if it came down to saving the monarchy, Palace would win. look at Andrew and Fergie and their divorce. they weren’t given any room to work out their differences. it was straight to divorce court. yet Andrew is HM’s favourite.
LAK, I think you are absolutely right. Why didn’t Jecca work out to begin with? Was everything back then down to “I don’t want the circus of marrying a royal” as it was (supposedly) with Chelsy?
Thanks for answering. So many great points, as always.
This wave of media push back may subside, but it seems (as an American observer) that things may be unraveling quickly in terms of public support. The new baby lift certainly seems to have faded.
I don’t understand why W&K cannot strike some type of near-middle-ground schedule and stop appearing so self-absorbed and petulant.
Liberty: As with all women who ran screaming away from royalty, Jecca’s priority seems to be her life in Africa and the family conservation business and general raison d’tre.
Right now she seems to have the best of both worlds. Royalty adjacent and her life of conservation.
That said and slightly OT, I find it curious that William hasn’t said a thing about Cecil the Lion. Poaching is one of the big points of his new conservation foundation. Perhaps we need to write to Jecca to prod him.
She is the laziest woman in the world and he’s not far behind. She’s been unemployed since she left university and has a house full of servants and nannies so she doesn’t have to do anything during her inactive days. These people are beyond embarrassing.
I find it so absolutely bizarre that Kate doesn’t attend the social occasions hosted by her peers anymore. Skipping one wedding, fine. But this is habitual, patterned behavior. Weddings, christenings, birthday parties, Spanish hunting trips… Pippa goes to all those type events. As does William. While Kate seems chronically under-socialized. Anxiety?
She never seemed to have problems going out and being seen prior to getting married. It seems, to me anyway, that she’s gotten her HRH and no longer gives any f*cks about pleasing anyone but herself.
Crown Princess Masako of Japan has mental health problems; seemingly because of the rigid structure of the Japanese court. It is a bizarre and confining arrangement.
And I know that it isn’t fair to compare two different people and their mental health.
But saying all that I still give her the biggest side-eye.
Masako of Japan was treated abysmally by the Japanese court, which remains mired in the 13trh century, and when the one child she was able to have was a girl, her daughter although the rightful heir, was shoved aside, the wife of her husband’s younger brother was pressured to have a third child (they had two daughters) who turned out (oh so thankfully for the Japanese court!) to be a boy, who is now the heir to the Japanese throne, despite being the youngest child of Crown Prince Naruhito’s younger brother, and despite the position being entirely ceremonial, like so many modern monarchies. It took years for Naruhito to persuade Masako, who was very well educated and had a career of her own in the US, to marry him, and he promised to protect her from the court. He did nothing of the kind and her life has been a misery from the moment that one second-class female princess was born and it became clear she wouldn’t have any more children. I’d have mental problems in her shoes, too.
Princess Masako was also highly educated. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in Economics. She had rich life experiences, living in Moscow, New York, Boston, France, and Oxford just to name a few. She has at least 5 languages including French and German (she won an award for her German Poetry).
Her personal resume puts Kate’s to shame. Heck, most acne-ridden, braced-faced high-schoolers’ resumes would put 33 year-old Kate’s to shame.
With those 2, you’re comparing oranges to a dried up Apple.
My point is Masako was a woman with intellectual curiosity, and a drive to satisfy that curiosity by traveling, pursuing education, learning languages, and having an actual career in the high-flying area of International Diplomacy. I don’t believe Kate Middleton has even one iota of that quality.
Masako’s breakdown is akin to the caging of a wild bird to a confining cage. Her situation was also exacerbated by her inability to produce a child immediately, while her husband’s younger brother had 2 children in short order.
Masako was too much of a modern accomplished woman to be a suitable consort of a Royal Court that is so restricted in their views of women and their roles. By contrast, I think Kate will endure because she is where she wants to be, and I dont think she ever wanted anything beyond what she has now.
I think Naruhito tries to protect Masako, against overwhelming obstacles. His public defense of her during a press conference was considered shocking. He always looks so happy and proud when she is with him at events. It could be he didn’t love her enough to let her go, or he really thought they could make it work.
If they’d embraced her, she would have been the next royal star after Diana. Remember when she was slapped down for speaking multiple languages at a dinner? “That is why we have translators, know your place” from the Imperial Household.
In the last year, she is doing a little better. She attended the ascension ceremony of their good friends, the Dutch king and queen. Attended a UNESCO education event. Went to the coronation of the Tonga king and queen. They’ve started to receive more official visitors in their home as part of their duties.
@seesittellsit, @becks, @notasugarhere
All of this is why I will always root for Princess Masako. She is everything a royal family could hope for in a consort.
The fact that she gets treated the way she does is the definition of a tragedy.
And my mum can’t understand why I dislike the Cambridges so much.
Nota
He sure did! Their love story makes me weepy, but it’s so very beautiful.
They’re both so strong and so inspiring.
I’ll add another example to this: Letizia of Spain. Her critics still love to say she is rude and arrogant because in her engagement interview, she asked the Prince to be quiet and let her finish, even though the Prince DID interrupt her and she added the endearment “cariño” at the end. The press only ever include “Let me finish!” and omit the “my love” and the soft, gentle way she said it to make her look bossy and bitchy in a “how dare she?! she’s a commoner telling the Prince what to do?!!!” way.
Of course we see her now as the Queen of Spain but her life as Princess was anything but cushy. 10 years she was attacked by the Spanish media for things she did and didn’t do. Every time there was a whiff of scandal for the born-royals, out came the awful gossip about Letizia’s “anorexia”, depression, her fake abortion, and that she was a bitch who fought with her SILs and ruined Felipe’s relationship with his sisters, was going to be the downfall of the monarchy because she was outspoken and was a taxi driver’s granddaughter (funny how that turned out, the born-royals Juan-Carlos himself and his daughter Cristina, as well as her douchebag husband, ended up bringing so much problems for the Spanish royal family).
There were times when she looked like she was going to have a nervous breakdown. 2007 was a very rough year for her.
Last year, she was called a pig by a gossip show host on live TV, a show watched by millions of people in Spain, because she asked a woman not to photograph her kids during the Three Kings’ Parade, an event that was not official nor publicized and her daughters were part of the public audience.
In 10 years she never said a thing, just went on to work and held her head high. The Palace never defended her either, and there were several times when it was the Palace who fed the gossip re: marriage troubles in 2014 to counter the growing buzz about Juan Carlos’s abdication.
Like Masako, Letizia is accomplished, independent, outspoken, charismatic and charming, and has a personality. A sexist, outdated institution like the Japanese and Spanish royal courts never would have accepted a woman of Letizia or Masako’s calibre. They were, IMO, far superior to the born-royals and had they been allowed to shine a la Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and retain the same independence and outspokenness they had pre-marriage to the Prince, then they would have either 1) overshadowed the royals themselves like Diana did (the Spanish press often said the Spanish court did not want Letizia to be another Diana and be the the star of the Borbons) or 2) raised the profile of the families they married into. Unfortunately, the courts chose to go route #1. It is only now, many years later that I see both Masako and Letizia looking more comfortable, happier, and relaxed.
Kate is very lucky because no matter how inept and vapid she appears, the British media still heaps praises on her for every little thing. 4 years since the wedding and she’s still as unimpressive as a potted plant. But the Palace protects her, lots of people still sympathize with her “poor me” PR stories. I can’t imagine how she and her family would have fared in a court like Spain’s or Japan’s where she is not only expected to be quiet and docile, but to also do a substantial amount of work in addition to providing heirs, and the country’s media always pouncing on perceived weaknesses, dismissing her strengths and attacking every aspect of her person.
I remain a Masako fan and I love her husband for standing up to care for and protect her even though “it’s not done” — I always hope she’s okay. She is so accomplished, so much to offer, and how she was treated was shocking.
The image of her begin a bird trapped in a cage is so heartbreaking.
Krishan, I am with you on Letizia. A big part of the blame for her sister’s suicide goes to the yellow journalists of Spain.
I’m sure you’ve heard this one: When someone accidentally called her “Queen Felicity” her response was, “Well, you can call me Queen Happiness…it sounds great!”
I think those 10 years of being bashed took their toll. The fact that she’s taking the world by storm now? Best revenge.
Kaiser, I’m putting in a request for you to please please please cover Felipe and Letizia’s trip to the US in mid-September.
notasugar, I agree. The Spanish yellow press is brutal. Remember the pics of Letizia’s sister Telma being chased by paparazzi that she almost crashed her car? Even when pregnant Telma was harrassed and followed around when she never wanted to be some celebrity due to her sistrr. She had to live and work outside of Spain just to escape the media pressure. The paps only left her alone when she married a guy whose family is very well-connected and has ties to Spanish media.
Letizia is reaping the fruits of her hard work, discretion, and dignity. How she is now as Queen is what the Palace tried to quash and I’m glad she remained strong. I think Felipe and their daughters also gave her the most comfort and support.
I 2nd that request of Nota’s.
That’s the funny thing. These women that had to overcome more and have a greater uphill battle handled such awful treatment with grace. And when Kate isn’t praised it’s unacceptable criticism? Why can’t we simply have a standard for women to be seen as more than their husbands wives? That can stand on their own and be a great example. I’m not saying Pull out the torches and form the mob because Kate doesn’t live up to this standard. Just that she can do more and should do more for her station. Because she’s a mother though is no excuse to not visit an honor veterans event. She’s afforded luxuries so she can do these things. Honoring her country and improving it with small touches. Being a housewife and SAHM (with staff) is fine, but is that stopping her from 1 hour a week promoting a worthy cause she agreed to patron?
Here’s a thought – she may have been on some kind of anti-anxiety medication, but has stopped it while pregnant and breast feeding. Social anxiety can be crippling and would explain her difficulty with public events.
*puts on anti-froth gear in anticipation of being frothed upon*
In the header pic the Duchesslooks like she’s been on the rack. Allegedly.
There is a strange coded article in the UK mail. that I couldn’t decipher – about how Kate didn’t show up to a wedding she was supposed to attend.
With 1,500+ catty comments, and it’s running as their top story. Interesting.
I’m perpetually confused by the Daily Mail comments. It’s tough to get a good gauge on how UK citizens feel about the Wales. In a single day,there could be two articles about them: one will elicit tons of negative comments, and the other loads of positive ones. It reminds me of a debate I once watched. The central question was something along the lines of: Should we get rid of the Monarchy. The “Chuck the Monarchy” side clearly won the debate. Not just in a technical sense, but the audience was clearly and loudly behind her the whole time. But then, at the end, the organizers allegedly took a poll of the audience, and something like 90% voted for keeping the Royals. The optics were confusing. I was all, “what just happened? Did they rig the voting machines?” That’s how I feel now reading Daily Mail comments…..something seems…off.
The comments are totally astro-turfed. There tends to be a lot of repetition, Kate is usually referred to as Catherine, and the praise is totally fawning and over blown -aren’t we lucky to be represented by these two shining examples of humanity -level praise.
Could it be she did not attend because 2 has a two year old and an infant, maybe something happened in that respect. Why its even a topic there is beyond me.
Could be. If you’re right, then the Cambridges really gotta step up their PR game. Obviously it was nothing catastrophic, as we would have heard about it. So, why not release a statement, which appeals to the “Mom Crowd”, explaining that Kate had to miss the wedding at the last minute because one of the kids got chicken pocs, or broke an arm, or got the flu, or whatever it is……? They really gotta improve their PR game. The optics are consistently off.
They rarely give excuses when it is a public event, they’re not going to give excuses for a private one. She has a history of cancelling last minute. There were two serious charity events where she was expected but didn’t show. One was at Windsor with people like Ralph Lauren. No explanation given for her absence. For the other, her name was on the announcement promoting the Centrepoint event. Their PR blamed the charity, saying they had printed those without approval. As if that type of mistake for an event at that level would happen.
This was a private event, so they will not comment. An excuse involving the kids would include giving out information about the two mini Howard Hugheses in the making. W&K would rather withhold simple facts than share something so harmless as, “PGTips has the sniffles”. (“How dare you ask? How dare you question? That is OUR PRIVATE business!”)
I can’t stand the excuses of kids. They have staff (not help 😉 ) to do everything regarding children, household, and arranging for smooth event visit. Why can’t they put aside some time for this? They did it for a cancelled yacht event and tennis match.
To avoid a social call or work by using kids as an excuse is insulting and paints them as incapable of multi tasking. Not applying this to extreme scenerios like fevers. Just every day.
It’s because they don’t want to and it’s unfortunately proven pattern behavior.
And something tells me if there was any true excuse it would exploited. Probably because their pr has played that card a lot before.
FLORC — absolutely agree with you. They have vast amounts of staff and Carole too. This isn’t a normal case of a harried worried young mother. It’s either an open insult, or weirdly passive aggressive, or more sign of being utterly spoiled, selfish and coddled. She took a job she has no intention of doing, just the fun and “gimmes!” bits, and, IMO, it’s absurd.
Well its a glam event so go figure. Re: pips going to events instead of Kate. Me thinks they r trying to marry her off to someone with a title. Rather than something wrong with Kate which could also b true. But I think it’s all for pips benefit and create a public profile for her to push her celebrity status.
Despite all the trappings and all her Mum’s efforts, Kate never looks like anything but what she is, a middle-class climber doing an imitation pf an aristocratic English rose. Partly that’s because unlike a few other middle-class girls who got lucky and married European Crown Princes (Mary of Denmark comes to mind), she is too foolish not to make it clear that she wants the perks without the price tag: at least a pretense of interest in her work. Mary of Denmark married Frederik at 32, had four children in five years (one set of twins) and despite that is rarely out of the public eye, takes on foreign tours on her own, AND had to do so while mastering a difficult foreign language (learning a Romance language is a piece of cake compared to learning Danish for the first time in your thirties) in which Mary is now fluent.
Kate was never interested in anything but the life of a rich sheltered young matron. She should have married a nice investment banker in the City with a townhome in Hampstead or Primrose Hill.
Totally agree. I suspect Duchess Kate might have been much better treated if she had not tried so hard to be someone she is not all those years. And she would be viewed in a far more positive light now if she would fully embrace her role as the future Queen and mother to a future monarch and do her duty.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, does a great job and nobody goes on and on about her middle class roots. Show up, do the job, act like you care.
I’m impressed by how Mary has managed to master Danish reasonably well. The former Princess Alexandra mastered the language quickly and very well but she was also multi-lingual. Danish is apparently quite hard to learn with haphazard grammatical rules, extra letters and weird phonetics that is very hard to learn and pronounce correctly. It is a bizarre little language.
Heck, even Christopher Lee who was multi-lingual found Danish too difficult to learn even though his was was Danish.
I’m so very glad you brought the former Princess Alexandra into the conversation.
She’s quite interesting. Born in Hong Kong and 1/4 Chinese, this is another woman who had life experience living abroad and a career BP (Before Princessing). The Danish public really respected her, understandably as she took her role seriously. Even though she was only wed to the younger brother of the Crown Prince, she still worked hard in her duties. She mastered Danish after only 3 months (Pretty sure this is right, and quite remarkable if correct) and was said to speak it with virtually no accent. (As ArtHistorian pointed out, she was helped by her fluency in the German language). Still , it’s not easy picking up a new language as an adult, and shows a very real work ethic and determination.
She was extremely hard-working, and like all the other Royal spouses mentioned by others, did not use the birth of their children (in her case, 2 boys) to shirk her Royal duties. As a measure of their respect for her, upon her divorce from Prince Joachim, the Danish Royal family decided to put Alexandra on the Civil List for life, with the full approval of the Danish Parliament who voted their support of this decision.
I can NOT imagine the British people doing the same for KM.
Alex was such a star! She just won over the public so fast. I remember that the engagement felt like it came out of the blue for the public because they’d managed to keep the relationship carefully under wraps. There was such excitement about the wedding (the first royal wedding in a generation in DK) and it was beautiful! It took place in the chapel of Frederiksborg Castle and her wedding dress was beautiful but simple with a slight nod to her asian heritage. it is still among my favorites when it comes to royal wedding gowns.
She did work hard and she’s also a very charismatic woman and she certainly was the most popular member of the RF for quite some time. The news of the divorce also came out of the blue! However, they certainly managed that with discretion and dignity. Apparently, she has been on good terms with her ex-husband and his new wife for many years now. They all celebrated her 50th birthday together not long ago.
I do have to say that she and her new husband have taken quite a beating in the tabloid press in recent months – mainly due to the fact that she still gets an apanage from the government and because they live a rather extravagant lifestyle that has put them in a lot of debt. There are a lot of people who think that since she’s no longer part of the RF and thus shouldn’t receive government money.
Sadly, the lovely Alexandrine Drop Tiara went out of the DRF with the divorce. It was given to her my QMII and it was deemed her private property in the divorce settlement, This is probably the reason why the lovely floral Dagmar Tiara that Princess Marie wears is a permanent loaner.
The Alexandrine Drop Tiara:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/469359592385686798/
The Dagmar Floral Tiara:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/63683782205056963/
“Whatever the plans for the high diplomacy meetings, Kate, 33, will have plenty of tiaras to choose from – loaned by the Queen from the palace collections, tiaras – worn by all senior royal women – are part of the pomp and ceremony of the evening.”
Can one of us be hired by People to do their royal reporting? We all know more about royalty than they do.
Middleton doesn’t get to choose the tiara. She didn’t choose her wedding tiara. Sorry kids it wasn’t “Oh she’s so humble she chose the smallest one.” Nope. Her Majesty loaned her the smallest one. A tiara HM has never appeared to like. HM decides who wears what when.
Better alert William, they’re calling her a “senior royal”. We know in his mind they are part-time and not senior. Well, he demands they be senior when it comes to perks.
Since she was given the HST for her wedding, I’m betting on a repeat. Do you think she’s gonna borrow extra baubles to compliment HS? It seems HM doesn’t seem to keen on handing a bib or two to her. Does anyone know HM wedding gift? I’ve never heard a report of DK getting one from her.
Halo or Lotus / Papyrus since she’s worn those before. She does have the earrings from St. Andrews event but I don’t think the source of those was confirmed. iirc they are not historic pieces from the BRF collection. Wedding gift from Middle East?
Whatever your opinion on Camilla might be, that woman can wear a tiara with style and panache. The ropes of diamonds she’s been sporting lately look classy on her, not tacky. Kate needs to take lessons from Cams here.
She does carry off those massive tiaras well. At one point she admitted that she isn’t into jewelry, but Charles likes to see her all decked out and sparkly.
Yes, she does pull off the massive Honeycomb and Delhi Durban splendidly. Very biig or very tall tiaras are not easy to wear – especially with modern hairstyles. Many tiaras were made in the late 19th century, during the Belle Epoque/Edwardian age, and they were made for women who had really BIG hair. Just take a look at The Manchester Tiara!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660857568614/
I’m not quite sure that the Halo was chosen for her. The second tiara she wore was the Papyrus. Both are lovely, comparatively “small” art deco pieces – “starter” tiaras so to speak. Rather, it indicates that she favours the art deco style when it comes to diamond studded head gear.
It will be interesting to see which tiara she’ll wear – I think she’ll wear an art deco tiara, either repeating the Halo or the Lotus or perhaps debuting a sapphire deco tiara that was worn by both Queen Mary and Princess Margaret. I’m hoping for the latter (unless it has been sold off after Margaret’s death). I would love to see that rare art deco beauty in colour. I do hope for proper tiara hair because Kate’s record has been rather lacklustre so far (even if it is just two tiara events).
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660853871351/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660851611562/
HM always chooses who gets which tiara. The exceptions are 1-2 of the ones Camilla has, as those were inherited directly by Charles via the Queen Mum.
The article says “if they are asked to attend”. I doubt the Queen wants to risk insulting the Chinese premier and his wife by foisting unprepared and duller than dirt Kate & William on them. We know Charles won’t come, but I bet she’ll invite Edward and Sophie, who are old hands at this thing instead.
William visited recently, although China was rumored to have requested Harry. He was his typical buffoon self, putting his foot in it with things like the elephant park visit. Still he is “the heir-the-the-heir”.
To keep them away from this event might be seen as an insult to the Chinese. W&K might be invited and seated where they can do the least amount of damage. Like between the potted plants in the corner.
The foreign office outright said invitation was for Harry because he is the most requested royal after HM.
William created his own blunders while in China. If Harry were married, you can bet there wouldn’t even be a discussion of who would be invited.
Kaiser, I so enjoy your photo selection. That top one is a classic.
My favorite is the 3rd. That’s the real Kate, IMO.
Why does she always look like her lower back is getting tasered every time she smiles?
Well, the whole thing will be fun to watch, that’s for sure. I wonder when the moment will arrive when she is loaned the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara. When that day comes, Kate will surely feel as if she has accomplished something…..LOL.
That second photo of her gives me the creeps.
That really is a stonking piece of jewelry…fantastic workmanship and I’m not even a glimmer bunny.
But Waity would just plop it on top of that hank of hair and it will look like crap.
It suits her better (her colouring) than gold. I thought also the gown looks good on her too. Too bad about the hair. It just looks messy.
you guys sent me down the tiara rabbit hole last time CB posted about royal jewels, and from what I’ve learned, the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara is apparently a pain in the ass to wear because it’s heavy.
It’s interesting, thinking of jewellers having to balance sparkle with wearability for this stuff. HM apparently likes her favourite tiara because it doesn’t weigh her head down.
Ah the sartorial problems of royalty 😉
Reportedly the Cambridge Lover’s Knot is heavy and the pearls dangle and clink on the frame. I don’t think that we are going to see this tiara anytime soon. It seems like QEII likes to leave some in the cupboard that have been heavily used by earlier wearers. Furthermore, I find it interesting that the two tiaras that Kate has worn so far are pieces that have been specifically associated with Princess Margaret. Personally, I hope we get to see a piece that has been hidden away for a generation.
I once saw an interview with Queen Silvia of Sweden and she commented on the wearability of a couple of tiaras. Apparently the Leuchtenberg Saphhire Tiara is light and comfortable to wear as well as easy to travel with because it can be taken off its frame. On the other hand, the gorgeous Braganza Tiara is exceedingly heavy and very difficult to fasten to the hairdo.
The Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660851619422/
The Braganza Tiara:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660851548285/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660854450498/
@ArtHistorian – I don’t love the look of the Leuchtenberg tiara but if I were its owner, I bet I would appreciate the hell out of flat-pack jewellery! Like the Ikea of precious stones.
I wish my biggest problem was which tiara to wear and/or how to wear it without straining my neck/back with its weight!
#royalproblems
Indeed, a certain degree of practicality is a good thing. In fact, many of the late 19th and early 20th century tiaras are convertible. Usually fringe tiaras can be converted to necklaces when taken off the frame. Quite a few floral tiaras can be broken up into brooches and some art deco bandeaus can be converted into bracelets. Voila, several pieces of jewellery in one!
TQ and Charles must see the damage that these 2 are doing to the Monarchy, its about time something was done. They are blatantly giving the ‘eff u’ to his grandmother – someone he ‘allegedly’ adores. Given that the Chinese reportedly asked for Harry and WillNotDo instead shows how they are viewed international – he’s his generations Uncle Andrew, the family embarrassment. And she is another Duchess of York.
It’s creeping to the point that TQ will have no choice but to give them an ultimatum – either your in or out.
William married the wrong person. Period. Kate is as dumb as a bag of used hair and can’t seem to string 3 words together to form a sentence. The fact that she consistently bails on social engagements with William’s friends speaks volumes as despite bagging the big one, they still don’t accept her and treat her as a social-climbing, conniving “arriviste”. I can imagine the sniggering and eye-rolling that goes on behind her back, and the thinly veiled barbed witticisms must be hilarious.
That being said, she has a golden opportunity to step up to the plate and make a difference, be a shining example of what it means to do one’s duty to country and people. Given her luxe lifestyle and abundance of staff, she could easily spend several hours a week with charities, at hospitals and hospices, at children’s organizations, engaging meaningfully and promoting these wonderful causes. But no, she continues to fritter away time and money on shopping, vacationing, getting her hair done and exercising. She’s a child-woman who seems only to want to spend time with her family.
William may have chosen her because his other girlfriends didn’t want the responsibility, and given his work-shy avoidance of public duty and disdain of the unwashed masses, thought she would be the best of a bad situation. But the two seem to compound the worst in each other and as a Canadian and a Commonwealth member, I really resent the money we spend on these utterly useless wastes of space.
I love that expression “dumb as a bag of used hair.”
I’d say you pretty much nailed it, Jaded.
Very well said and simply put.
How this gets defended is by infantizing them both. Because as adults there’s no excuse.
I’m a broken record on this, but it’s apathy. They will make time and find time for things they want. It’s no secret they both find listening to others on topics they don’t sharre interest boring. Yet people try and defend apathy.
Regarding William’s exs. Many have gone on to do great charity work and made a personal commitment/involvement in better the lives of others.
I think he figured she’d be lousy at this, that’s part of why he picked her. Her main interests appeared to be 1) him and 2) grooming, shopping, partying, and vacationing. If he had landed a Maxima or Masako, he’d have to work.
Bingo!
Nota: This!
Perhaps not necessarily “lousy”, it sounds a little harsh, but rather Kate is a non-entity, incapable of upstaging anyone. I think that appealed most to the BRF after the huge effect of Diana -mania.
Citresse, I see little in Kate Middleton’s actions for the past 14 years that the BRF would find appealing in either a royal girlfriend or royal wife.
Perhaps the RF don’t want another ‘star’ like Diana on their hands. If Kate was doing more public engagements, charities, interactions with the public,, etc. the interest in her would mean that she would outshine William and the other RF members in no time. And that popularity and potential star power can a powerful weapon when turned against them, as they’ve learnt to their cost with Diana. Perhaps its the RF and William in particular who is dictating Kate’s meagre schedule to keep a lid on Kate’s visibility and thereby mute her independent relationship with the press.
On the other hand, maybe she really is just as lazy and pointless as she appears.
The Palace has gone on record, multiple times, that she sets her own schedule. That they all set their own schedules. All of the royals have admitted it themselves at some point.
The Palace is not holding back W&K. W&K are refusing to do the job. Whatever full-time royal means.
+1
lol at “whatever full-time royal means”. hilarious.
She doesn’t seem to have ‘it’ — the energy, charisma and presence that Diana brought to her public appearances and charity work. Even if she increases her schedule, her lacking ‘it’ would just show more and more.
Anne, Camilla, Sophie, Alexandra, Birgitte. None of the full-time royal females are charismatic stars. They show up, do the job, act interested. Meat and Potatoes. That’s all it takes.
Which makes it even more baffling. She rarely appears interested when she does an appearance. It’s as if she is the polar opposite of any of them.
In the photos here, it looks like she has been hastily called inside after a hair appointment and smoke break to try on a gown and jewels.
Betteboo
What Nota says is true. There have been several official statements from palaces saying Kate is the only 1 in charge of her events and schedules. She sets the pacce and she is happy with it.
No one can say Kate is not the one dictating her own schedule.
How would a woman who can’t make a three-sentence speech without looking at her notes every other word be able to outshine the rest of the BRF?
She can barely make small talk. Instead, she uses her hands to do the talking her mouth can’t. She thinks her hands create words for her that her brain can’t.
I’m not saying she’s stupid. I’m just saying she’s mentally lazy, just like her siblings.
that hand waving she does is very distracting and not very professional looking. If I did that in my job, my supervisor would be talking to me about it…..
Oh sh*t! I thought the October event was a the actual trip to the airport they’ll make for their semi-annual trip to Mustique but then I remembered that that “event” doesn’t happen until November. So perhaps the October event is preventive strike to shut people up prior to the November travel. However, I bet my own dime store tiara that come October a lot of noise will be made in terms of Wiiliam’s recent visit to China–raising him to some quasi-diplomatic, super informed, pseudo-intellectual status.
BTW, I wonder if Jason has been put on probation yet? Lol.
I guess this ‘little’ event is to counteract the one Harry has in October when he’s in the US to launch the 2016 Invictus games AND an official trip to Africa in November where he will be opening a new Sentebale centre for children affected by Aids/HIV. Hazza, Diana would be so very proud of you.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3202312/Prince-Harry-set-travel-Washington-DC-October-launch-2016-Invictus-Games-s-Africa-AGAIN.html
He’s still outshining the DoLittles. Jason, you need to up ur game mate!
I love the photo of him with Michelle Obama in that article – she clearly has been smitten by the Ginger Snap.
It irks me the Invictus work he’s done (assembling, organizing, excuting with help ofcourse) in such a short amount of time was counted as not work because he used his private time to work his tush off.
Me too – he’s found 2 things that he is soo passionate about that he’s really dedicating himself to it. But he is the spare – whatever he does won’t ever be grand or good enough because its all about big bro. And Harry bless him doesn’t seem to care.
It’s nice to see William doing a service such as this. Working in life and death situations is very grounding. Makes a person realize how fragile life is. This is far more important than going to some charitable fundraiser and shaking a few hands. Williams job puts him in touch with the realities of life and everyday people.
On another note I think all that Royal jewellery looks gaudy. Not my cup of tea!
But he works 2.5 days when others work 4 on his shift patterns of … 8 days?. The rest of that time he doesn’t have to be shaking hands and securing donations that does indeed help people. Let’s not belittle fundraising and galas. They serve their purpose. That WK choose those events to attend is not because they are the only options.
To be copilot on a machine that doesn’t need a copilot is a job, but he’s not the factor that saves a life or flies the helicopter. That’s the pilot, doctors, and paramedics.
Meanwhile the EAAA could desperately use William for donation raising. An organization that helps people in need needs millions to keep funtioning. I would think it incredibly noble of William to fundraise for such a worthy cause. I wish he would. He could do that AND work for them.
And what if there was an auction for a seat in a helicopter piloted by William. That would bring in funds.
Florc in my opinion what he’s doing is far more important. And the ambulance service has benefited greatly by him working there. Do you think he just sits there and does nothing? You diminish everything he does. This job puts him in direct contact with the needy not the upper crusts who’s simply want to look good.
@ Ski bunny
It ‘puts him in direct contact with the needy?’ He’s the co-pilot. Not the medic.
And he flies out to ‘the needy’ only if someone calls in with an emergency during the 2.5 days out of 8 days that he shows up. If nobody calls in, then how is he going to go out and ‘meet the needy?’
Like the dead man mentioned in the article, how would Wiliam have been able to help him? Was he going to unbuckle his belt, get out of his seat, go introduce himself and shake the guy’s hands, and then patch up his wounds?
Anne it appears you’ve made up your mind about the William no matter what. There’s no point in debating any further. I see him trying to do some good working with the average joe in crisis. I’d rather see the positive in someone and give them the benefit of the doubt and a fair shake. I see him trying something different than the royals of the past.
@ Ski bunny
If he wants ‘direct contact with the needy,’ then why doesn’t he visit charities for the needy and do fundraising for them? I think that would be more effective than being a co-pilot 2.5 days out of every 8 days.
Yes, he’s trying something different alright. He’s not only taking the money, the perks, the title, but announced that he doesn’t need to do anything to repay it in full, i.e. do royal duties, like working with charities for the less fortunate.
That he excuses himself from actual work for ‘the needy’ by saying that he’s too busy doing something different like joy-riding 2.5 days out of every 8 days is a sad excuse. What does he do the other 5.5 days?
Ski bunny
Everything? No, hardly. I didn’t diminish any galas he does either. You did.
Also, This job is only to make him look good. That and he likes flying. Truth is he isn’t required for this job because this job never existed until he wanted it and hiring him would get the EAAA a helicopter they’ve waited years for, almost overnight. I’malso not diminishing the job of air ambulance pilots. Only saying William’s presence is neither helping or hindering the operation of the machine or rescue abilities.
And while you claim we have made up our minds you must admit the same. I’m not sure how it can be denied he is in a position to better lives on a massive scale with his unique role. And while he chooses to do this job of copilot he also refuses to work to better lives with the rest of his 5.5 days between shifts.
Lastly, William can do charity work that isn’t rubbing elbows with the upper crust. He can do amazing things no one in the world can accomplish like he can. So, what is stopping him? His 2.5 work week and dislike for the upper crust he hangs out with because he wants to is no excuse.
Keep in mind I was so for the Cambridges until their laziness shined through. And even now I still hope they pull out a fooled you and start working like they should be.
But really. William is in his early 30’s. Is he really only capable of working 2.5 days every 8 days and can’t make time for anything else? I have a hand in saving lives weekly and can still find time for charity work weekly with no staff or allowance. Surely he can manage the same?
excellent points, FLORC. I think Will just likes to fly, and also be away “from the missus”………..that’s why he invented this job for himself.
Ski bunny
yes, I agree with you re- the Royal jewelry. However, the piece Kate is pictured wearing top photo really appeals to me and I don’t know why. I usually prefer a brand new pair of running shoes to wearing jewelry.
correction: I mean the photo second one down from the top.
Ski bunny – He could have direct contact with the needy and or dying by visiting homeless shelters and hospice facilities. And there he can focus 100% on ministering to them.
Wm staying in touch with the needy and fragility of life via co-piloting is a very inefficient means to that end.
wow! I’m not even a supporter of royalty and I can clearly see he’s trying to do something worthy. Hes a member of an antiquated establishment who is trying to break out of the old by actually physically doing something that puts him in touch with the common man. Im not going to slam him when I don’t know everything he does or doesnt do. That would make me rather small minded.
His role is to raise money for charity. Everybody’s charity. Please go investigate The Princes Trust to see the kind of work William is supposed to be doing. Leaving a 50 room mansion in London empty but claiming to care about the homeless? Try again.
He skipped out of working at SAR so much he nearly lost his wings. The staff admitted they were ordered to tell people William was on rescue missions even when he wasn’t. I fully expect the same thing to happen at EAAA.
He isn’t trying to do something worthy. He’s looking for an excuse to keep refusing to do full-time royal work. He’s clearly fooled a lot of people.
Nota
I remember a time (Wales flooding?) Where William was snapping in a pub when he was suppose to be on duty and extra rescuers were brought in to handle the high demand of people needing to be airlifted from their flooded homes.
Ski Bunny
William benefits the most from that antiquated system. Although, it’s argued he’s a closet republican because who would be that reluctant for his role and openly discuss what a burden it is and how he’s actively avoiding it.
Also, if being in touch with the common man was his thing he’s missing daily oportunities to do it. This copilot job aside what other instances has William made an effort to hang with the commoners? He’s not even doing a full part time shift of 4 days. He’s getting the special treatment he claimed he wouldn’t take.
P.S. William is a copilot because he never put in the effort for more flying hours and training to do this job of saving lives. And he’s had the time and then more to get it. The EAAA would have given him all the time he needed to get it done. So, him wanting to truly help wasn’t great enough for him to add in that effort and training.
I’m just not sure how else to phrase this.
Please don’t discount the impact of fundraising. Somebody in William’s position could help bring in the funds to pay for the pilots, medics, supplies, etc. needed to provide those services. He could be much more effective in that role.
Yea, I don’t like that either. Having to belittle what he should be doing to praise what he is doing. It works if you believe he’s not capable of doing 2 things within a week. Fundraise or pay respect to… vets in the land you will be King. It should be a priority, especially when you have days off.
I think there is great value in doing something that helps others. However, I’m not sure this is it. First off, the organization had to get a helicopter big enough to house William and his security person. Then they have to pay him a salary. He’s supposed to be donating it to charity, but he’s still being paid by the ambulance service. Therefore quite a bit of funds are/have been expended so he can do this. He picks up severely injured people who are most definitely in need of emergency transport and care, but I don’t know if they’re “needy” as in the usual definition of the word.
So perhaps William does get personal satisfaction from doing something like this. But it’s not really helping the needy, is it? He’s also already been quoted saying something about when he leaves in two years. He’s barely started and already talking about leaving? I swear I saw that somewhere. what a great use of all this training he just had too. That cost someone something as well.
why does he donate his salary to charity anyway? His salary is FROM a charity. He should just tell them not to pay him so they can keep it…
This is a private company dealing with dangerous machines and life & death. If William does something wrong, can the company be sued? For that reason, I think he legally has to be a paid employee not a volunteer. They could probably get around that paying him a pound a year.
Lou
Nota is correct. They have to pay him something. The issues come in that this job was created for William. His role as a copilot is redundant and unnecessary. So his salary was donated so it can be directly used to pay William since the EAAA runs on donations and had no way to spare that amount.
What’s awful is William is accepting this money and says he’ll donate it to a charity of his choice, but has yet in the last (almost) 2 years since it was announced named a charity.What is likely going to happen is William get the money. Puts it into a high yielding account. Collects interest and then much later donates it out to be counted as a donation from his private accounts. It’s legal, but shady. And that he has yet to name any charity is also shady.
Watch the donation go to William’s charity just announced.
The charity could pay him a small fee of perhaps a pound to make it legal. Mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York only accepted $1 for his position, but the man is a billionaire and certainly didn’t need the salary. At least he recognized that to take a full mayoral salary would have not been good PR. William could have taken a page from this man’s book.
So the best news Jason could tell about William’s ‘hero job’ is to say the patient died?
A 1920s diamond-and-pearls piece owned by the late Queen Mother? Now I know where James’s recently-reported £1 million investment money might have come from. Hope Kate is able to prove she still has it.
I bet Kate supporters are glad that the ‘work’ scheduled for her is a tiara-wearing gala. They must be relieved that it won’t be such a strain on her recently-strained female parts and her female brain. Because you know how it is for women.
What ogre is making her work within the 1-year maternity leave period? Kate should sue somebody.
Heh.
It’s been 4 years and the so-called 2-year leniency period has come and gone without anything changing. Remember all the comments about how Kate needs a lot of time to grow into her role? That she would change after 2 years of learning her royal role?
She has, what, 5 charities? How many has she visited in the last 4 years? Many of her charities she’s only visited once.
Until when are people going to excuse these two brats’ laziness? First it was Kate learning the ropes. Then it was her butchering speeches because she must be extremely shy/has anxiety disorder and public speaking is so hard (ever heard of practicing in advance?). Then she is pregnant and it’s hard to work when you’re pregnant. Then she’s a new mother so she needs to spend time with her baby. Then she’s pregnant again and must stay at home. Then she has 2 kids and she can’t work because having 2 kids is difficult.
The most disturbing thing about this is the trend of the excuses: it never stops. If it isn’t because Kate has kids, then it’s probably because she’s shy and has a social disorder that incapacitates her and serves as a disability as to why she can’t perform even the shortest 45-minute charity appearance. And the ongoing excuses have now trickled down to George and Charlotte being used as reasons why Kate can’t do a lick of work even once a month. Now people are saying Kate can’t go to work with 2 young kids and can’t do anything else (except shopping and vacationing of freaking course).
She managed to leave George behind in the UK to go to Maldives with William, and again in Australia for a “private night” together, but she can’t travel by car to a neighboring city to sit in with sick kids for 30 minutes? LOL.
And William. Fickle and feckless. This man is hopeless. Won’t step in to assume his role as future King but wants all the perks, throws tantrums when he can’t control everything, and always has to have positions made up just for him. What does it feel like for him, I wonder, to have no major accomplishment as a 33 year old, just waiting for things to be handed to him on a silver platter, and other people have to find loopholes for him to get the positions he wants (RAF pilot, and now his current “job”).
The excuses started when she left university.
She can’t work because of the paps.
She can’t work because she’s a royal GF whose position hasn’t been formalised.
She will work when she’s a royal. Infact, she’ll be amazing at it.
Post wedding, as well as the excuses you’ve given, there is also the following:
She can’t work because she’ll upstage William
She can’t work because the Palace doesn’t want another Diana
She can’t work because she’ll be over-worked like Diana
She can’t work because her star quality will be such that she’ll outshine the royals
She can’t work because the Queen and Charles don’t want her to.
She can’t work because she’s the wife to the heir to the heir
She can’t work she’s not Princess of Wales yet.
She can’t work because Charles is a jelli h8er.
Every year, there is a steady stream of new excuses. All are invented by the public because in the modern age, the public can’t believe or accept that a person can simply not work. And show no inclination to work. And only desires to be a pampered cheshire cat with no outlook beyond themselves or their nuclear family. With no depth or interest in anything beyond vanity and shopping.
People actively leave their brains at the door to come up with excuses to explain what’s plain as day.
To add to that Fabulous froth-inducing list, the Malta 2-year excuse which was made up by the press and taken up as a rallying cry by their fans.
I honestly don’t know who is more embarrassing, Kate or the people who actively seek out excuses to absolve her of responsibility and accountability.
The other thing that is common with these excuses is the ‘I would be the same” factor where people sound like they see themselves in Kate’s position and lifestyle of luxury and excess, and so they dismiss criticisms as jealousy and support Kate’s laziness, and putting themselves in her shoes and say they’d do exactly what she is doing now.
LAK, I wish we could embroider this whole comment onto a cushion and send it to the Queen.
IMO followed by the suggestions of
William must be depressed or have a mental disorder.
Me: Nope, he’s just entitled, lazy, and temperamental.
KM must have an anxiety disorder or PPD.
Me: Nope, she’s just lazy and selfish.
Occam’s razor. All things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be true.
Well to be fair, she is working very hard at not working.
Lol LAK
Nota Completely Occam’s Razor. Backflips are being done to excuse 2 adults only working when it’s something fun. Anyone else acting this way? Crucified.
And Krishan is right to a point. MAny look to the Cambridges and impose their life on them. That they would be that lazy if they could be. Does that make it justified? Or just reflect poorly on people who wish to be lazy?
Vine has a new DM opinion column saying Kate is a stressed out mom and needs William at home. The typical astroturfers are in the Top downvoted comments. I’m heartened to see that many of the Top upvoted comments are everyday moms criticizing KM for being a snowflake with staff.
she can’t perform even the shortest 45-minute charity appearance.
————————————————————————————————————————————
this sentence really hits the nail on the head and the word “appearance” is key. Kate does not “work”, she makes appearances. There is a distinction between what she’s done thus far (and what seems to be her role going forward) and what certain other royals do (e.g. Harry, Sophie, Anne). Kate “appears”, they “work”.
He should be doing at least one public engagement a week on top of his job, and she should be doing at least 2 weekly while she has very young kids, and 4 when they are older. (That’s still far less than the average person works, but in fairness there are probably unique stresses to that level of attention, too.)
They are massively, massively privileged. We pay for their lifestyle. It’s not okay to blag the spoils and not put in the work. If they don’t want the job there will be plenty of candidates.
K!
We completely agree. It’s not unreasonable imo to fit in 2 45 minute engagements over a week.
Ahi! Kate looks very rough in those pictures. Skin looks de-oxygenated and dehydrated and a bit bloated. Girl, add spa time to your shopping, smoking and Mustique schedule. So much at your fingertips and you look ketch-a$$ and hardlife. Oi.
This is going to sound catty, but here goes. I am a decade-plus older than Kate, and it gives me a bit of joy to see that a pampered, non-working, wealthy woman who is supposedly quite vain looks about the same age as my mid-40ish friends and I.
Smoking, tanning, genetics — it all shows up, regardless of age.
Doesn’t it take MORE effort to weasel out of commitments and dream up excuses than to just show up to the event for an hour?? Seriously! I think about when I back out of something, I am all stressed out about it for a million reasons. It would have been easier to JUST GO. Frankly, I can’t imagine how exhausting it must be to constantly lying about everything and flaking out on commitments. Ugh!
They need to pack their bags, go to Mustique and stay there. Seriously. Hand over the titles and such to Harry; let him be Charles’ heir and become POW & King. With all his charity work (on the books and off; unreported (and there’s A LOT) and reported), Invictus, etc., he has shown himself to be far more suitable for the role than William ever has – even the number of supporters, fans, etc., make him seem like the heir and not the lazy, unlikable, paranoid git he calls a brother. And since Whiny & Waity never get off their butts very often anyway, I doubt anyone would miss them anyway – certainly not their charities.
And yeah: I’m so over them. They have no excuses for their laziness – and I have no craps left to give. Something or someone (you listening Parliament?) needs to put an end to this. Please, God.
Dedicated to new friends from the other thread,
our imaginary tale thus far,
(@bluhare, pardon the slight burp in continuity),
in revised, in easy-to-understand friendly American–style language:
Imaginary DuchessK: I will wear a tiara approved by HM the Queen when I attend my first state banquet in October, nine weeks from now.
ImaginaryPrinceW: Yes. The Papyrus tiara again perhaps, or another selected with the aid of our advisors. On the subject of aid, by the day of the state banquet, I may have saved more British lives by serving as a two-to-three-day-per-week co-pilot to the Captain of a helicopter containing a trained emergency paramedic.
iDK: Yes, in even eight or ten weeks, much can happen. In that space of time, two issues of Vogue can appear, for example.
iPW: Yes. And four or five weeks after that, we have the trip to Mustique. By the way, I sincerely hope you are feeling better?
iDK: I am, and our children are also well, as are their nannies, and my mother. Your father is well?
iPW: Yes, but Father will not be attending the state banquet, only the preceding lunch. That can mean anything, or nothing.
iDK: It would seem that way. Will Harry attend the banquet? Will Sophie?
iPW: I do not know. Maybe yes, but maybe no.
iDK: I understand that Harry may be busy organizing the upcoming Paraolympic-style Invictus Games in the US, or with rhino-saving work and Tusk Trust, or with his Sentebale charity for vulnerable children in Lesotho, that ongoing work he does with Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso. Perhaps Harry is also occupied with Free the Children, WellChild or SkillForce and the Prince’s Rainforests Project. Not to forget, the needs of Canine Partners.
iPW: I see Harry currently lists 21 charities and 25 causes, and thus may need to adjust his weekly diary for the state banquet, which is around eight weeks away.
iDK: Yes. As to Sophie – whose grandparents were called Molesworth, I have just learned – she is busy with Right to Sight and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, as well as being President of Girl Guiding UK, and handling work for numerous Agricultural patronages, as well as being named the first ever patron of London College of Fashion as of 2013, and supporting your father’s national Campaign for Wool.
iPW: And, as Sophie is in addition a regular supporter of the 5th Battalion, visiting them in Gemany as well as in Afghanistan, and holds two military positions in Canada in the capacity of Colonel-in-Chief, I find myself uncertain of her RSVP for our state banquet — particularly if her two young children, the young boy, or her small girl who has dealt with vision issues and several surgeries since birth, have conflicting skool events.
iDK: Yes. I will remember to send her a beautiful postcard with our love when we are on holiday in Mustique in November as man and wife, with my mother and sister.
iPW: Our Mustique holiday as man and wife is now, per my diary, only twelve weeks away.
Just to reply to long ago made posts, Alexandra will be 80 next year but when she was young, she was immensely charismatic and loved in Britain because she was happy and natural and sometimes wore off the peg clothes. The Duchess of Gloucester has never had much of a press but Sophie has upped her game and is beautifully dressed now – and on the Best Dressed lists – and always carries out her engagements professionally. She is also adored by the Queen which counts for something. As for Princess Anne she does not try to please anyone but works so hard. We also had the Duchess of Kent in times gone by who did a good job. Not true to say the royal women are not charismatic.
As for Harry I am sorry but I am glad he is not in the direct line of succession. He is charismatic like his mother but he is not responsible and not to put too much a point on it, not too clever. I also think he is far more like the Spencers than William who apart from his own quirks I consider to be a Windsor. I think the change in William’s looks is due to the fact he is looking more and more like the Windsors and not his beautiful mother.
Leaving William and Harry aside you get the two York princesses – no and no. William is the best of a bad bunch.
William isn’t going to be a good monarch unless he changes his tune in the coming years. Personally, I think of the four young royals, Harry is best suited because of his charisma. You don’t need to be “clever” to be a monarch, do you? As long as you work hard, educate yourself on the issues, and live a public life, you can be successful! Those dudes in Buckingham Palace would help him. The more I see of William, the more I’m seeing another Edward VIII in the making and that should scare everyone! Mr. Selfish.
As for Kate, she’s really out of her league. Not even the best designers or hairstylists can make her regal. I really don’t think she’s capable of doing much of anything worthwhile. She doesn’t work hard, could give a rip about social issues, and as we’ve seen lately, she’d rather hide out in her mansions. I laugh at the thought of her doing a meaningful speech.
I know it will never happen, but King Harry all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Monarch does not have to be intelligent. King George VI ( The Queen”s Father) was not especially smart and neither was HIS father, but they managed just fine.
They have a heap of advisors and they do just that, they advise. William does exactly what he wants and if his advisors try get him to do something, he does the opposite, not exactly the person you want for the top job.
Harry is finally starting to find his feet and in my humble opinion, he is doing a heck of a lot more for the Monarchy than Wills and Kate are. He is getting out there and trying to make a difference. He is adored by the public and he looks as though he enjoys himself when he is in public, unlike Wills, who looks like he would rather be having a tooth extracted.
Wills is selfish and lazy and only wants to be part of the Royal family when it suits him.
Kate did not think beyond the big shinny sapphire ring and it starting to be very obvious that she is not cut out of the job. Even before she had kids she was not seen in public very often and she did anything that she could to get out of duties.
Now she is just using the kids as an excuse.
Not to turn up to the VJ Celebrations was disgusting. Both Wills and Kate should have been there.
The Queen is starting to slow down and Charles is stepping up and doing more when at a time when many of his contempories are starting to slow down. He is going to need help from the younger generation and what does he have?
His Heir is off playing helicopter rescue for 2.5 days out of 8 and then playing “Where’s Willy” for the rest of the time and a Daughter in Law who is content to twirl her hair, shop and put on eyeliner.
Harry will step in to help his Father out but he will still need more support.
I really feel sorry for HM and for Charles. They are not stupid and they know that the tide is turning against Wills and Waity but they can only stand by and watch.
InvictusGames, Walking with the Wounded, and Sentebale are not responsible choices? There are a lot who would disagree with that assessment.
I see the prigging is up to snuff! Lol
Im’m glad other people can see through their BS excuses too.