I saw some comments about Duchess Kate’s royal work yesterday, something about how she showed up late to the Anna Freud Centre? I haven’t seen any report corroborating that though. If she showed up later than expected, it probably wasn’t by that much time? Like, some people said she was an hour late, but I suspect that would have made it into the British media reports.
Which isn’t to say Kate’s royal work was completely without fault. Almost immediately, people noted Kate’s inability to avoid exposing various body parts, this time with a seemingly altered Ralph Lauren shirtdress that seemed to have some buttons removed so Kate could flash some thigh… for the children. The hair was also a mess, because it was flying everywhere and there always seems to be so much of it (I’m providing a photo of the back of her head for those of you on Wiglet Watch). All in all, I’m guessing that #PoorJason the press secretary was putting out PR fires for hours. Which might explain this People Magazine story, in which someone says that Kate is basically the second coming of Princess Diana because she awkwardly shook hands with a few kids before escaping after an hour for some much needed retail therapy.
Kate Middleton high-fived youngsters, wore 3-D goggles, played a motion game in heels and called to mind another princess who had a special way with children during a visit on Thursday to a school for kids with mental health issues. Diving into FitLights, part of a Smart Gym “brain-training system” with 12-year-old Kai, who copes with ADHD and an emotional disorder, she tested her reactions and impressed his watching mother, Chantel. (The center preferred that last names remain private.)
“She’s a fantastic woman,” Chantel tells PEOPLE of meeting Kate, 33. “Her aura reminds me of Princess Diana very much, which to me is a very warm feeling.”
After the game, Kate jokingly told Kai, “I’ve pulled down your average! Well done. It was very well explained. Thank you very much for looking after me.”
Chantel was also impressed with Kate’s well-proven agility in heels. “Considering she’s in high heels, she did extremely well,” she says. “She’s a very active, fit young mother and hands up to her. She’s very warming. It’s just in her nature. Its not someone who’s high up there, as the children said, she’s very welcoming.”
One of those, Capone, 12, who worked on the neuro-tracker with Kate, says, “She was really good. She wasn’t that competitive because I’m a little boy. But she was working with me, rather than try to beat me. She is a very nice woman, gentle with her words but down to earth. She spoke nice and calm.
Charity CEO Peter Fonagy told PEOPLE that Kate was “extremely knowledgeable” about children’s mental health. “She was a delight to speak to and spoke delightfully.”
There are more quotes from other people in that article, but it was pretty sugary. In my mind, Poor Jason is handing out pre-written scripts for people to read out to the journalists. “Oh, Princess Kate’s hair was so shiny, my favorite part of the visit was when she leaned over and her skirt blew up, I mean, she related to us like something – I can’t read that – ugh, just like Princess Diana, God bless the Queen.”
The Duchess of Cambridge has a go at the SmartGym learning technology @AFCevents Family School pic.twitter.com/zwQfR2tqrn
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 17, 2015
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, WENN.
That is a lot of hair. Thanks, Kaiser.
I don’t know. I am in the odd position of feeling sorry for the Duchess. These photos of her are so awkward. She seems so uncomfortable doing these appearances. She may well have a genuine passion for the cause, and may love meeting with people, but it simply doesn’t come through in photos. Maybe it does in person. Maybe the press releases are right and she must be seen to be believed.
What she doesn’t have in common with her late mother-in-law is the ability to charm the camera. Diana’s genuine charisma absolutely shone through in photos. Kate looks lost.
Not even going to comment on her appearance. It’s all been said. It’s all the same as always.
I’ve seen her in person meeting and greeting people and she is just as awkward. I think it stems from not knowing how to act or what to say – but the more she does it the better and more comfortable she will become. She needs to shadow TQ or her step- MIL to see how its done and take pointers from them.
Though by the sounds of things she may have started to make an effort in yesterday’s engagement.
I agree. She should go on a few joint appearance with Sophie or Cams, or even a lesser light like Princess Alexandra or the Duchess of Gloucester – they all appear much more relaxed and engaged in the moment. If she paid attention, she could learn from them.
I would suggest the Princess Royal but that might be a bit too intense for Kate.
I also agree that Kate should shadow other more experienced royals.
The videos of her really do show how awkward she is with people. By now, you’d think she would have gotten past that.
vava – a lot of it has to do with wanting to be there or not (v.s. shyness). Diana was painfully shy, but because she loved people and was very sincere, the shyness was something she could overcome because people sensed her genuine nature and responded to her. Kate is going through the motions and clearly is in it for #1 (me, me, me). You can see it in her eyes and the mechanical way she moves around and interacts with people, forcing herself to seem interested – she clearly is not cut out for this role, and knows it.
@ caitlin
Exactly.
Kate isn’t genuine nor genuinely interested in anything. Her only interest ever was marrying the prince. And that comes back to haunt her.
She is like a career politician and baby kisser who only does what needs to be done to get elected. Voters sense that, too. Though most political baby kissers are better actors than Kate.
Though most politicians do have at least some genuine causes and interests despite their baby kissing. You can’t do 15-hour-days as a politician without any interests or causes.
“Shy Di” was invented by the media. Diana was not shy or retiring.
I’m amazed at how un-sporty , for someone who is supposedly “oh so athletic” … she appears in the video with the little boy.
She looks like she’s never moved in her life, let alone done anything that requires hand-eye coordination! Just wow.
Megan
Diana was nervous. Not so much shy as she was incredibly nervous until she found her flow. And starting out so strong in her number of engagements certainly helped.
The “more she does it the better and more comfortable she will become.” I think you’re being kind to her, and that’s very nice, but she’s been at this 5 years. The cub years are behind her and I’m afraid this is as good as it gets.
Someone like….her husband?!?! No more excuses for this lazy woman!!!
After the engagement the Queen reccommended to William’s peeps that Kate spend a few weeks shadowing Sophie. Kate never did it. William felt she didn’t need to, he said HE would teach her.
Lol terrible job hes doing.
I’m afraid this is as good as it’s going to get. To steal a phrase from a writer I follow (Lola), Kate is a Paper Doll Duchess. She views her role as arm candy for her husband.
I wonder if she’s done as many engagements yet over her entire marriage as Diana did in her first year?
Maybe it’s hard to pay attention to people when you’re worried about your dress flying at the middle in an odd direction. I don’t know why she doesn’t do something about that — well, I would if it allowed me to focus better on looking good for the people and the camera. I feel more at ease when I know my clothes will be an advantage, not a hindrance to what I’m trying to do.
That is why the dress and hair are supposed to be taken care of, so she can focus on the people and the event. If your dress is secured and your hair is out of the way, you don’t have to worry about them. If you’re always grabbing at your skirt and shoving your hair out of everyone’s way, you aren’t focusing on your hosts.
I think Kate doesn’t do anything about her fly-up-dresses and fly-around-hair because:
1. she genuinely doesn’t care about her engagements so she doesn’t put any thought into her clothes
2. she needs something for her hands to do: flipping hair etc.
3. her way of showing a middle-fingered salute to the Royal Family by planning Marilyn moments.
4. by doing 3. everybody starts thinking that Kate shouldn’t be pressured to do to many engagements in order to not give her any chance to do another Marilyn moment
Kate doesn’t make an effort to understant what her role is: her appearance should gratify people and highlight their cause but she somewho doesn’t get that.
She doesn’t get that because she made no effort to understand what kind of role she married into. She thinks she can get away with not bothering what role the Royal family will play in the future. No, she can’t and she won’t.
I was reminded of Princess Diana as well: when she was newly engaged, the press took pictures of her at the kindergarten where she worked. The ways she was posed, the sun shone through her skirt revealing her “piano legs”. The differences are: (1) Diana had paid employment before her engagement and for at least some time after her engagement; and (2) she (and her stylist) learned from the mistake. When she did royal appearances, she was always appropriately dressed for the occasion and still managed to look young, beautiful and, at times, sexy.
Kate would also do well to remember the Queen Mother after WWII. When asked why she was dressed in nice clothes (including hat and gloves) to visit towns ravaged by bombs, she said “because they will be dressed in their best clothes to meet me.” She understood that she had a role to play and she did it very well.
I remember that photo when she was age 19 or 20, and agree that she never repeated that rather innocent mistake.
Kate has more than a decade of additional life experience and doesn’t seem to learn very much. Is she incapable or simply doesn’t care — or maybe a bit of both?
Christin, She does not care. She cares most about trying to look sexy. Kate’s priority in doing her pap walks is to display as much of her legs and/or ass as she can get away with. And yesterday, she removed all doubt that exposing her upper thighs was an accident. That’s because she removed the bottom 2 or 3 buttons on the skirt of that dress. Compare Kate to retail photos and video of models wearing that same dress and it’s clear the original dress has 2 or 3 more buttons on the bottom of the skirt.
I wonder if her target audience, the children, were titillated by her vampy appearance.
REPLY TO MINNFINN
Google “Ralph Lauren houndstooth shirt dress neiman Marcus”
The video shows that this dress comes as KM is wearing it; she didn’t remove buttons.
Ramona Q – I disagree with you. There was no inner thigh that could be revealed on the original dress. There was at *least* one more button.
I’m always puzzled when people talk about Diana’s natural charisma. I was never a follower, and was rather young when she died, so I don’t remember her all that much. But I watched “Diana” with Naomi Campbell the other day, and some of the things in the movie piqued my interest, so I actually went and looked them up (photo in the taxi, Bashir interview) and was amazed at how uncomfortable and awkward Diana seemed on many of those occasions.
If Cumberbatch’s fans read what they want into his body language with Sophie Hunter, is it possible there’s also some confirmation bias going on among the fans of Diana that those of us who are impartial cannot see?
Kate will never come close to Diana s charisma, when Diana came on the scene it was almost like The Beatles arriving on the music scene. She was a one woman charismatic phenomenon.
Diana was so good at her role, that she has basically become the “Princess-Kit” to examine , as far as Charitiable work , Royal duties go.
You do realize that repeating the claim emphatically neither makes it true nor enables me to see things your way, right? From where I stand, both women are quite awkward on camera. It’s possible they translated differently in person, but only those who have met both of them would be able to verify that (and even then subjectivity is a thing), and I don’t think there are a lot of such people here today. I am sorry, I do not see a charismatic phenomenon.
And I never made any pronouncements about Diana’s charitable work. It is possible to do great work and still look uncomfortable on camera while doing it.
Oh please. Here’s Diana when she’s 21 at the School for the Blind, showing her casual Harry-ish side w residents and “engaging so much, she stayed longer than planned and her schedule fell behind” per tape:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvkLl7-Otwo
And in 1990 when she was just 29 doing a forced march through Tesco for a shopping event and she manages to be cheery, go thru the motions with good grace and engage with people – rough behind the scenes footage too, so you can see the people telling her walk stop, wait, turn and she is stiff at points per the orders (maybe the awk bits you refer to) and then moves on, and starts to take control back and manages to engage and make people smile and laugh and relax. Hear the excitement — she’s comin’! at 9:00 from the thrilled kids. She had “it” — no question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl7YPbSu1O8
And early Diana clips at ages 20-22 connecting easily w kids and crowd, talking, natural — it’s new to her but she’s going for it within her new role.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q8oCXF-KyY
Timbuktu: are you referring to Diana in a black strapless evening dress emerging from a taxi which was her first engagement?
If yes, she was horribly embarrassed by that dress, it showed much more of her bosom than she intended – confirmed by her biographers. Every photo from that evening shows her holding herself rather awkwardly. She never repeated that mistake.
Regarding the Bashir interview, that was Diana play acting to the cameras. She deliberately styled herself to look awkward, pale, dressed in black with that horrible black eye liner against a very pale background. All the better to convey the message that she was a sacrificial lamb. That interview shows Diana at her manipulative best. Personally, I remember being completely horrified by it. And so did the media because after that the media started writing articles pointing out how manipulative she was.
If you want to see video footage of Diana, I would suggest youtube. Lots of good documentaries. It’s interesting to see her progression from the 19yr old to becoming becoming woman, the good, the bad and the ugly.
ETA: didn’t see Liberty’s answer. Those are some excellent examples.
Thanks for those clips, Liberty!! They reinforce what so many of us have been saying — Diana was a natural at interacting with people in a genuine, empathetic way and was interested in people – (with or without cameras present) and did not need a pr person to create her image (ahem!!). Kate can’t even begin to compare because she lacks these important qualities, but since she also lacks a work ethic, it’s a lost cause imo.
@LAK …good comment and thanks for pointing out that Diana was young, was surprised by the press’s see-through skirt photos and immediately learned from it and avoided future errors. I think sometimes that her learning about the press and how to both cope w it and later use it started with that skirt. Kate is unwilling to learn, or ridiculously contrary. A sort of mental slipped disk?? Re the you tubes…so many good ones, hard to choose and I am so glad you mentioned them too.
The you tubes showed me the stark difference between the two royal brides. One a child-woman who turned into the most recognized woman of her day who tried her best and brought attention to AIDS, land mines, etc.; the other a woman-child content to let mum coddle her even into her first grey hairs.
@Caitlin, I agree with you, it is a lost cause.
Diana undoubtedly had charisma but don’t think she was always perfect at public engagements. She wasn’t. If she was in a mood she would not talk to the people present. One of my friends once attended a lunch engagement at the local Town Hall in Diana’s honour and she would not eat with them. She went into an ante-room and ate (if she did) with her lady-in-waiting and private detective.
Kate does flaunt her body and dress inappropriately. She should never have worn that outfit to meet children. However that black dress that Diana wore to her first engagement was also inappropriate. It was so bad a British newspaper (not a tabloid) even had a photo wondering if one of her nipples was on display. At that engagement, Prince Charles even announced to the press as he got out off the car before Diana “wait until you see what’s coming” or words to that effect. This was a mistake made by a 19 year old girl though but even right to the end Diana’s skirts were often deemed too short to be sitting on platforms. Kate – lazy. Diana – manipulative. I prefer Kate. I was never, ever a Diana fan.
I think there are different kinds of charisma, and I think Diana was charismatic in the way a royal is supposed to be. Royals don’t say much, but she was able to command attention when she walked into a room or got her photograph taken. I suppose her charisma was more like that of a movie star rather than a politician’s. She wasn’t charismatic in the vein of JFK, who was a great public speaker and gave great press conferences, but then I don’t think she was supposed to be. The role of American President requires a different skill set. For the kind of royal role (which is kind of dull when you think about it) Diana was supposed to play, I think Diana had the kind of charisma that moved magazines from the start. I can believe that some people didn’t find her charismatic (or even beautiful) at all, since no figure is universally beloved and everybody has their detractors) but I think the mass phenomenon she generated in terms of magazine sales (even before she and her marriage went off the rails) and the like, and children getting excited to meet her was real. There’s even a picture of Charlie Sheen where he looks thrilled to meet her, and looking at it always makes me laugh given Sheen’s image now. Tom Cruise also looked excited to meet her, and I figure if even male movie stars who are so used to seeing everything in extremes but are not generally into princesses (I don’t think guys usually are) can looked pleased as punch to meet you, I figure you must have some kind of natural “it” factor.
Yes, perplexed, but then again, Kate is also generating magazine sales (and not just magazine), yet many people are not impressed. So, there’s a manufactured aspect to such popularity, as well as a “built-in” aspect: any British princess gets a lot of attention, everything else is an icing on a cake: if she’s pretty, if she’s a good dresser, if she’s a good speaker, if she champions good causes, she can boost her popularity, but a lot of it is a given. Read how many people gush over Kate on FB, for example. For many, her slender figure after 2 babies alone is worthy of adoration.
Basically, I suspect that a lot of us view Diana through a prism of nostalgia, we tend to overlook or minimize her mistakes, and to extoll her accomplishments. We were also quite different people when she was around. If she was doing now what she was doing then, who knows if we would’ve had the same take on her. Heck, if she were still alive, I’m not sure how kind people would be to her. She certainly had her flaws and her issues, I’m sure there would’ve been a lot of speculative drama about her relationship with Kate and the children.
I think Kate has her admirers on social media and Facebook (as everyone does, including the Kardashians), but in terms of media coverage I don’t really get the impression she sells as well as Diana did (or even 2 year old George does.) That’s probably why Diana’s name has to be brought up even today — to generate the same sales of yesteryear. Even the crowds look bigger in the old documentaries on Charles and Diana.
I also think Diana was criticized while she was alive. I don’t think the coverage was constantly fawning. Even her fashion sense was scrutinized — probably much more so than Kate’s. All of them got criticized at some point (Charles, Diana, Fergie, the Queen, etc.) but the coverage was sort of up and down — sometimes they got praised, sometimes they got criticism, and I think Fergie may have gotten the worst of it (yikes.) Comparatively, I don’t think William and Kate have suffered as much in the media, but then I’m not sure if that’s because the media are sitting on some weird tapes and waiting to unleash at the right time.
Diana’s fame was so intense that I tend to think she would have adjusted the same way to today’s media as she did then. I have yet to see anyone as famous Diana again sort of like I haven’t seen a guy hit Tom Cruise’s level of movie star fame in Hollywood as of yet in the next the generation. The famous people today seem more fragmented in their fame — in some ways, it might be easier to ride out a scandal today than then because everyone has such a short attention span now. She might have gotten more privacy today because we move on so quickly from star to star in today’s media age. Even someone like Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t seem THAT famous in today’s celebritydom because there are so many celebrities to choose from to either praise, criticize, and then forget about the next day.
I don’t personally have anything excruciatingly bad to say about Kate — I just think she’s dull. I’m not offended by her presence on the cover of a magazine. I just won’t go out of my way to pick up a magazine while I’m waiting in line or buy a magazine with her on the cover either. I will read about her (or a Kardashian) on a blog, however, because the information is free and a click away.
Not to be mean but…this new generation of royals fans must not know much about Princess Diana if they’re comparing Kate to her at all.
IKR????????????? The only royal I ever admired was Diana………….RIP
not even remotely mean. youve phrased it much nicer than i would.
Comparing Kate to Diana: They wear the same blue ring. Um, that’s about all I’ve got. (shrugs)
Exactly. I cannot think of any similarities beyond the ring. I’m not seeing style similarities or anything else.
They probably don’t remember The Stepford Wives either…..that would be a better comparison. 😉
Just saw the original movie recently. It’s so good! And comparing Kate to that is perfect.
exactly, Anaya. I’ve said it before — it seems like Jason’s past rush of a flurry 9-month job stints (only one of about 3 years) is now probably showing up as “what do you do when it’s tough and you can’t just hop to the next job or count on a more senior colleague to bail you out.” All this clumsy PR, sugar candy PR work is the result. Unbelievable.
I’m glad that you took a thorough look at Jason’s resume, Liberty.
@wolfie…I’d heard about his impressive CV and took that at face value, and assumed from all the gaffes and tone-deaf nonsense that he was being imprisoned by the palace and Scotland Yard or something. Then a friend in Chelsea strongly advised me to look more closely a couple of months ago, and lo and behold……
What an insult to Diana………….
I agree Jules. Even with all her issues, Diana always worked hard and was a real people person. If she were alive, she would have see right through Kate and her family’s agenda from the beginning and William would not have married this lazy woman-child IMO. #Poor Jason’s getting desperate, isn’t he?
Is he the desperate one though?
I agree with Jules too.
I think will is regretting marrying Kate…
@ladybosca, if he is, then Will isn’t the only one regretting he married Kate. Actually I think he doesn’t regret it, he would never have married someone who could potentially outshine him.
The mother of a participant at the Anna Freud Center was simply expressing her own feelings and opinion about a member of the BRF taking an interest in her child. Seesh.
@Megan,
I’m far from being Team Kate but that’s how I read it. The mother was a teen when Diana died and Diana was likely a known figure to her. I disagree with her but she has a right to that point of view.
This hair is killing me.
And the face is still smug as hell.
Cousin Itt
I know it’s supposed to be all her hair at this point, but that back hair looks quite heavy. Looks weavvy. Lol even if it might not be.
Oh dear, #poorjason indeed.
I don’t recall anyone else being treated like a puppy who gets a pat on the head for pee’ing in the tray like their supposed to.
Betti, I just have to say that this was the best comment that I have read all day. Thank you so so much for making my day!
Sorry, no sympathy for #poorjason.
+ 1 gazillion!!!!!
Another stab at ‘Queen of Children’s Hearts’ then. #poorjason. Hang in there, buddy, we’re thinking of you.
I know. Kate must have some powerful stuff if she’s exuding Diana levels of charisma in her hour long visits. Keep it up #poorjason.
I can stop laughing at this thread. Has anyone started sending those sympathy cards to Jason? I think there was talk of that here a couple weeks ago, poor guy.
We really are! Positive vibes, #Poor Jason. We don’t blame you at all for your lazy clients.
I’ll bite on wiglet watch. She seems to be wearing a fall/piece in the back. Hair is awful.
Agree. I thought there was something strange about her hair–like there’s far too much of it and it looks very heavy and clumpy when flying around.
And she has the Princess Diana aura? Please. Only in some PR flack’s dreams. An insult to Princess Diana.
Yes lot’s of inconsistencies and unnatural things with that hair. From about nape level to the bottom, the color is much darker and unnaturally full and thick. I wondered if she’s wearing clip-on extensions which would account for the sudden swell of fullness in the bottom half of her hair.
FLORC!!!!!!
I think she could be too. Difference in texture and color.
Bluhare!
I say extensions!
Sorry for the late assembling on Wiglet Watch. I was besy being isulted as a nurse by the view.
There’s absolutely more volume, but i’m not seeing a wiglet…. LAK has better eyes for this.
And how there are locks of hair that always stand out on their own after a few run throughs with the fingers. This is not all her own hair.
And for the record, when I first saw the gringe photos (Kate and William on their way to church), I thought it looked good because it looked like she’d had 3 or 4 inches cut from the length. But the photo was deceiving.
I had another look at the DM photos. The gringe does have a different colour and texture from the rest of the hair IMO.
#poorjason should organise Dismaland as her next engagement. She’d be kept as an exhibit. Permaflashing.
OMG Dismaland is inspired. I’m trying to get tickets for the final day, but my computer is playing silly buggers with me and won’t play…..
….or it’s trying to tell me something, in the spirit of Dismaland 🙂
There is something so horrible, yet incredibly compelling, in that thought, Sixer.
She was a delight and spoke delightfully. Yes, that’s what I’d say about someone knowledgeable in my area of expertise.
LAK – hope you get a ticket. We went – not too far from us. Loved it.
Bluhare – I read this and just got a mental image of Stepford Kate stuck at Dismaland, in some kind of anti-Tussauds posterior/posterity!
I saw a piece about it on BBC and wished it could be installed in other cities so the rest of us could visit easily. That said, I’m amazed Disney hasn’t sued.
I think because it’s an art instalation of sorts and protected by satire too?
Sort of like that “Dumb Starbucks” store. They could use the starbucks font and coloring, but putting Dumb in there was their safety. And they sold coffee. I think same applies to Dismaland.
Harry got his mothers heart — his joy at seeing and being with kids couldn’t be manufactured. Kate doesn’t and won’t ever have that — she doesn’t even have it with her own kids — she always seems slightly uncomfortable holding them. I think her long absence and crazy hair point to some careful bit of eye-nose work. And the dress – it’s supposed to be this loose affair, not clinched to show how ridiculously thin she is. I am guessing she must be breastfeeding because her boobs look different – or maybe she had them re-touched a bit?
+1. Her nose looks *completely* different. I was surprised no one talked about it yesterday.
I have to agree about the nose and I think she’s had a lift, too. All minimal work, maybe no-cut, but something’s been done.
Re: her nose. She def had her teeth done pre-wedding and others have noted that she prob got her nose done pre-wedding as well.
She def has had work done over the years.
Teeth look fake-ridiculously white.
Veneers were on for George’s christening. See photos where Kate is in profile, gazing down at baby George. You can see where the veneers end and real teeth begin. because the photographer didn’t bother to photoshop her real tooth to match the Chiclets.
Difficult to believe in 2017 it will be 20 YEARS since Princess Diana died. I can see Kate starting to do more appearances like this and seriously “work”. With the explosion of social media there will be more criticism of Kate online and comparison to Diana as the anniversary approaches.
Your last sentence has been expressed by everyone, every single year, since she joined the royal family. Heck it was expressed when she was still a GF and the only thing holding her back then was her being royal adjacent rather than fully royal. Unfortunately for all who express this view, her numbers, and performance at her engagements, are more dismal than the year before since she became an official royal.
This PR story is in line with their PR office trying to convince the public that she’s working or going to be working very hard. Sadly it never materialises. At least this time they didn’t call her the children’s princess even if they invoked Diana. #whateverworkmeans.
Perhaps they are testing how much rejection the idea produces? If they compare Kate to Diana as a test ballon how public opinion reacts to that idea.
Comments on the Daily Mail are mostly negative.
Oops! Correction; I mean second sentence.
LAK agreed. I was annoyed w a comment above and just flipped through a few youtubes of Diana — young, early 20s, doing far better even then than Poor Kate with all her training, hand-holding, endless hours to lay about getting over the vapors, “degree” and etc. it’s takes a bare minute to see Diana was hands above Kate in dealing with her role.
I remain astonished at her vacuous, even icy, disinterest in doing the job she married into and accepts payment to do — and more, I am bemused (at this point in time) by the persistent idea in some quarters that she took the ring for anything more than a title and luxurious lazy free ride. I had great hopes early on that she might “get it” and step up and be a fresh source of engagement and modern energy. Now? I accept that she’s probably just a self-interested WAG without a clue or a care.
Liberty: I quite agree. I came to that conclusion soon after the wedding when the palace had to do an embarrassing u-turn about her royal work, having spent the previous 6mths telling us she was going to work.
I knew then she was a self interested WAG. What I didn’t realise was that she would brazen it out. I genuinely thought that her lazy, waity tag *was* a consequence of being royal adjacent for so many years. Whilst I thought her many excuses as a royal girlfriend were hollow, I had some sympathy because they always sounded so plausible and reasonable.
I’m not happy to see that my gut feeling was correct, but i’m even more unhappy to see people actively set aside their rational brains so that they can excuse her. Is the allure of a royal title that great?
It’s one thing for her to lack Diana’s charisma and genuinity, but she doesn’t even have the inclination to try and it shows. You’d think she’d have the work ethic hands down when you look at her parents’ example – self-made millionaires who started from scratch – but she seems to want/need everything handed to her.
You can tell that she’s really enjoying herself from the rictus-like maniacal grin and lack of expression in her upper face.
HA. “Rictus-like maniacal grin” is a perfect description — there’s something very off-putting about her frenetic smile that never reaches the eyes. Even in the photo of Will & Kate driving to church in Scotland the other day, she has that fake smile going. So Stepford.
She has an overbite and when she smiles she tends to jut her lower jaw out creating a grin that looks like she’s grinding her teeth. Nothing wrong with having an overbite – i have one. My dentist has gently suggested i could get it fixed but i have NO intention of going through the hell of having my jaw broken and reset just for vanity,
She has an underbite.
I didn’t notice the issue with her bite until she got the veneers — they look so uncomfortable and there was nothing wrong with her natural teeth from what I could see. SMH .. vanity.
I have Duchess Kate fatigue.
It should get me out of work for a good 6 months.
Ha, agree!
God, no kidding.
It really should not be that difficult to come up with a cute casual outfit and a pair of low heels (wedges would work too, just not her usual sky high ones) and a French braid for her hair so she can actually move without whipping it all around, particularly visiting a kids’ centre where you have to bend and twist and lean over. How hard is it?? Particularly when you are so slim and can look good in anything. Lord help me, I just want to shake this woman up.
And seriously, if you are so dumb you can’t come up with a way to talk to children on your own, if ten years of waiting and several years of marriage have not been enough to prepare you for the job, HIRE a few media experts and practice how to speak to strangers. It’s not like you have to worry about dinner, dental appointments, laundry, picking up groceries, handling the bills or replacing the three burnt bulbs, weeding the flower bed, getting the mail – or, as the rest of the world calls it, life.
Sorry ladies, rant over.
What kills me is when she’s on her own time, she often puts that mop of hair up in a bun but when she has these pap strolls the wiglets, extensions, and goonish behavior come out. Kate needs more practice, whether she wants it or not. Her life is just going to become more intense and so she had better get started NOW, and take advantage of some of help available to her if she’d just get off her bony ass and do something.
She’d look great in a French braid, cute outfit and less formal shoes. I’d love to see her in some wool trousers, or some stylish dresses/skirts that don’t flash the audience. She needs a stylist right now because obviously she can’t do this on her own. Someone mentioned yesterday about how odd it is she wears dour colors when she meets kids. That seems odd to me, too.
Oh Vava, do you know what? You’re so right! They aren’t engagements as we know them, captain. They’re pap strolls.
I also noticed that it’s not uncommon for Kate to pull her hair back when she’s off-duty and find it perplexing that she so often wears her hair full out when she’s on duty when it’s clear that she’s not averse to pulling it back.
I also agree very much that things are going to get more intense and Kate needs to pro-actively try to improve herself when it comes to her job. I agree that she needs to do this by both working more and also by being trained/coached behind the scenes.
Vanvert and friends, you are making such reasonable arguments – Jason’s job could be so simple, She would do well with some coaching from other royals, if she’s not too proud (and *someone* has to show her how to wear jewels). Invoking Diana’s compassion on the poor girl would be more logical than saying the girl is like her – because Kate is floundering. The job requirements are not a part of her background, and she is desperate for a stylist. In my imaginings I see a grand dame sweeping into the room, and teaching her how to be a real lady like Diana. It is poignant and pitiful that she only able to do pap strolls.
She likes her hair down, full and flying all over when she’s out at public events wearing outfits with a peek-a-boo element to them because she thinks it makes her look sexy.
I think she appreciates public comments about her looks more than she does the ones that flatter her level of involvement with other people at the charities.
Her whole life’s ambitions were gotten based on using her looks to get what she wants rather than on the strengths of her character.
So of course, Kate isn’t willing to change her ‘public sexy look’ because she probably thinks that’s how she’ll get the public to like her.
If #PoorJason would stick to pushing out compliments about her looks, then maybe Kate would do more charity visits.
How would a stylist be effective if Kate has a certain look she’s going for and refuses to steer away from it?
“Her whole life’s ambitions were gotten based on using her looks to get what she wants rather than on the strength of her character”.
Anne, I agree about using her looks to get William, but I would add her ambitions were also delivered on the strength of her mother’s character. It does seem as if Kate feels that her body is all she has to recommend her. I wonder if Kate is flashing William on her pap strolls.
She is as clueless as Kim Kardashian when it comes to clothes that flatter her figure. She looks like she cinched an oversized Gap shirt from the 1980’s.
Oversized Gap shirt from the 80s. Ha! Perfect description, Megan. I knew I loved that dress for a reason. It would be so cute with black leggings. But not for an official RF appearance, of course.
She showed up an hour late. Stayed an hour and hightailed it out of there. The only thing she and Diana share in common is the Ring of Doom. She lacks the genuineness and true empathy of Diana.
+10
There is no evidence that she was late – if she was the Fail would have been all over it.
Betti: people who were following it on twitter timed it. There were postings on expected timings, when she finally arrived and when she finally left….an hour late, stayed an hour and left.
The DM doesn’t always mention the length of her engagements and whether or not she’s late. perfect example is her visit to a hospice in NZ where she spent exactly 15mins, but the headline was that she gave a speech.
Ah – that’s really bad if its something she does regularly. Unprofessional.
LAK — yes. Heard the same from a friend.
When is this “personal non-fotg” end? I am done with his pitty party.
I have to give credit where it is due – she’s a mom to a newborn and a toddler and also, as long as she dated William, she’s still pretty new to the public role as Duchess. It took Diana a few years to fall into her groove as well. Kate handles herself with dignity and grace under such intense public scrutiny and pressure. I applaud her – Team Kate!
I hear this all the time: “It took Diana a few years to fall into her groove as well.”
It didn’t. Diana was doing rounds of engagements from Day 1, almost immediately charmed the press and public, and by her fourth year of royaldom (which Kate is in) was able to speak capably in public, handle solo engagements and trips, and work crowds like a pro.
Whatever you think of eighties fashion, Diana also consistently dressed well for her job.
You can promote Kate’s interests, but for whatever reasons, she is not taking to the job as well as Diana did. Diana was a royal for 10.5 years. Kate has been a royal for 4.5 years. Think about that. Kate should be MUCH better at her job at this point.
+1 Christina you obviously know NOTHING about Diana. Diana was a pro right from the get go. Work work work from day 1. Kate has been nothing nothing nothing from from day 1.
I hear and appreciate your points, but have to note that Diana could not possibly have been so heavily criticized, as social media didn’t exist as it does today. Also, the anti-monarchy views were not nearly as strong as they are today. Of course she will get more negative notes for that and not charm everyone, due to the anti-royal sentiment alone.
That said, of course not every outfit she wears is great (hey, at least she is wearing less button outfits!) but *overall*, I find her style to be lovely (again, just a personal preference).
Could Kate be doing better and trying to please the masses? Sure. (But then, couldn’t we all?) Hoping you have a great weekend!
Further to Suze’s comments, Kate had 8-9yrs of being royal adjacent. She knew what was expected of her as she very blithely told us during the engagement interview and confirmed by William in the same interview.
At 4yr into the marriage, Diana had 2 kids, and was clocking in 200+ engagements per year. No excuses. While we are here, Diana’s pregnancy with William was also rough, yet she carried on with her engagements.
The only proper comparison we can make here is Sophie The Countess of Wessex. She dated Edward for 6yrs before she married in. She had her list of charities organised and visited within 6mths of her wedding.
She carried out 100+ duties every year whilst also continuing to run her own business in the first 3yrs of marriage.
She had 2 very difficult pregnancies that nearly killed her (none of this HG stuff, but hrs from death’s door stuff), yet after recovery, she took up her duties and has gone from strength to strength since then.
The counter excuse is that Sophie is down in the pecking order, which is a rubbish excuse since by that definition Sophie should be the one vacationing and not working at all.
Christina: you are wrong about the anti-royal sentiment in Diana’s time. When she joined the family, it was seen very much as a remote, isolated, institution that had nothing to do with regular people.
People were critical of HM for not paying tax. There are articles about the idiocy of holding an all expenses royal wedding in the middle of a terrible recession.
Diana’s personal charm and way of working is what reinvigorated the monarch and reinvented it to seem glamourous and useful. She helped them to connect to the public in ways they had not done so for many years.
That’s her legacy for them. And if you notice, since her death, they worked in subtle ways to maintain that less than useful, in-touch-with-the-people image. Including HM.
Christina, the spring before Charles and Diana married saw violent riots in south London, powered in part by class and race disenfranchisement.
I would argue that due to that, anti-monarchist feeling was as strong at that time than it is now.
I do take your point about social media. Diana did not have to deal with it. But Kate knows criticism via social media is part of the job, and she, and #poorjason, will have to figure it out.
Hi Christina, I understand what you’re saying and I do think Kate’s learnt. But she still doesn’t get out there as much as she ought by my standards, anyway even with small children.
I take your point re social media; however, back in Diana’s day she still had criticism/exposure — then it was the front page of the papers where she was splashed virtually every day. It was also said, that if someone else got the top spot she wasn’t happy. The one area where I do think social media is a lot more intrusive is cameras. Everyone with a phone posts photos on twitter. That I would find unnerving and I think you’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel a bit for someone who can’t step outside without Joe and Josephine Public taking photos.
Christina – I hope you continue to comment here.
I do not want to pile on commenters who have positive perceptions of Kate. It’s just that rewriting history vis a vis Diana really pings my buttons.
And I am not a Diana fan. She had flaws. Major flaws. On a personal level, Kate is probably a much more stable person.
But on the royal front, the work front, Kate is not at Diana’s mark.
Although social media didn’t exist during Diana and Charles’s time, they were pretty scrutinized, I think. Diana seemed far more famous than any celebrity I’ve ever seen, and that includes the royals today and other celebrities like Brad and Angelina. She was in the news practically every single day, even on American channels. And the number of photos of her are staggering when you consider that smart phones didn’t exist then. The coverage of Diana was more intense than that of William and Kate. She did come in for criticism of spending habits — that was noted in some of those Diana books my mom has. And there are old People magazines in the library that discuss the disintegrating state of Charles and Diana’s marriage — and that was before Andrew Morton’s book came out. So I don’t think the coverage of Diana or Charles was always rosy. The tabloids at that time seemed to come after them a lot even in the 80s, if the documentaries on Charles and Diana are to be believed.
Diana and Fergie even got criticized for dressing up in some kind of costume for one of Andrew’s parties, so I’m kind of surprised we see less news about Kate and Williams’s marriage and how they’re behaving. Even when they’re being criticized, they’re still being praised. I don’t know if the tabloids are waiting another decade for the true knives to come out though…..like, are they waiting for the right moment to strike? Rumours of marriage trouble between Charles and Diana started way before the 90s… maybe Kate and William have a truly stable marriage though and there’s nothing to write about. But I suppose my main point is that even though social media didn’t exist, Diana was so bewilderingly famous (probably even more famous than Jackie Kennedy who was also heavily watched well into her 60s), and thus so heavily scrutinized as a consequence, that I don’t think it much matters that social media didn’t exist in her day. The only difference between now and then that I can see is that we, the peasants, can comment on Kate on celebrity blogs, but it’s not like the media really cares what we think anyway. The media’s narrative triumphs over ours, and I think that’s ultimately what William and Kate pay attention to. And I don’t really see anything in the media about Kate and William that really is as negative as what Charles and Diana had to go through when they weathered tough times PR-wise (and ditto for Fergie. Maybe even Harry…)
Even on the social media, the worst I read about Kate is that she wears too much eyeliner, doesn’t work hard, isn’t truly like Diana, and why do her hems fly up? None of these really strike me as criticisms, but facts. The whole Diana thing wouldn’t even come up if the media didn’t try to make her out to be another Diana. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying she’s not like Diana, because she’s not. No one really is, if I’m honest. Diana was a bit unusual in the charisma dept. Maybe George got some of that charisma since a lot of us seem more enamoured with him than his parents, and he’s only 2.
Diana also started working even before she was married. Kate has never had a job and is 33. And she could have easily worked during the waiting years.
Well, let’s agree to disagree, as I completely respect your opinions, yet, I simply don’t dislike her…
Wishing you all a great weekend!
Sorry to see you leave, Christina.
Christina, it’s not a matter of liking or disliking Kate or Diana. It’s all a matter of fact.
The facts of Diana’s working life before, during and after her time with the royal family are easily available and a comparison made with similar time frames for Kate.
Kate had the advantage of a 8-9yr long apprenticeship before she was plugged into the spotlight. How she used that time is a matter of record and the results are evident in her work performances.
Still, even if you discount the waiting period (8-9 for Kate vs 6 months for Diana), how they transitioned, sort expert help, worked in the first 4 years as royals is also a matter of public record that can easily be compared. With Video if I may add.
As for their personal lives and personalities, we can agree to disagree on that point depending on your POV, but Diana’s work record is solid and indisputable. She really hit the ground running. That is fact.
Social Media may not have been available, but she was hunted nonetheless because she was a proven seller of media copy. The no 1 pap target in the world despite the palace protection.
And if you watch video of her engagements from those early days, she was greeted like a rockstar by the crowds as if she were a beatle or 1D.
Christina, I can totally see why you’d feel this way, your opinion is as valid as anyone’s. I echo bluhare.
That said, I take an opposite view, because of existing tapes of Diana that show her skills at public appearance, her professionalism and warmth, when she was younger and newer at it than Kate. Here at age 25…..with two little boys at home,
engaging with the elderly as Patron of Help the Aged — professional, engaged:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kh8wUb8L-M
Age 22, at a hospital for people with mental challenges:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF3kgO4H2Ws
Age 21 at the School for the Blind, when William was about 5 months old at home,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvkLl7-Otwo
So….you see, this is why some of us feel that Diana outperformed Kate in her job (and it is a job) from a young age, and shake our heads at excuses and false comparisons provided by the palace office.
Thank heavens for Youtube and this documented proof of Diana’s work commitment and dedication at such a young age. This blows any comparison to Kate and excuses for her out of the water. Any doubters please look at all these links posted here and upthread and see what Diana accomplished so quickly into her marriage and after the birth of her sons. Can’t argue with proof, but the Kate apologists will see what they want to see to protect their chosen one.
I think Kate is pathetic. She’s 33 years old and is making the same old mistakes over and over again. I didn’t think she deserved a pass at the beginning, since she was much older than Diana when she, Diana, began doing engagements, but she gets even less of one now.
I think it’s embarrassingly obvious that Kate isn’t a people person. Which is fine in and of itself – I’m not a people person, either – but she married into a position that requires of one that one be a people person. If she had half a brain and an ounce of self-awareness, she would have recognized that this job was not right for her. But she wanted money and prestige, and she got them with William, who, I will always believe, married her because no one else would marry him, and he was reaching the age where he needed to start producing heirs.
She is taking and taking and taking from the taxpayers – so is William, actually – and not giving anything back. She has such an amazing position, with absolutely astonishing resources, from and with which to do so much good – but she isn’t doing anything except shopping and vacationing. The role of monarchy (and I’m anti-monarchy, but it doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere) has shifted from a purely governing role to kind of a social betterment role, and Kate and William didn’t get the memo. Even Charles, whom I hold in utmost contempt for his arrogance and cluelessness, managed to find causes that meant something to him and push for them despite public ridicule.
Kate and William are just a resource-suck.
+100
Well said.
And as stated below, she can find something that doesn’t require warm people skills, like attending events at athletic organizations (for healthy people, not the disabled though).
So there are options for her that don’t have to be difficult for her or which goes against her nature.
But even so, it should be a case of ‘faking it til you make it.’ She should just keep practicing her people skills by going on regular charity visits. Even if she can’t get the hang of showing actual empathy, she can at least learn to fake it.
Nymeria, fantastic comment.
I have a friend who works, is raising a young child and volunteers too. She cheered the wedding, and is now appalled that this lazy cold WAG-royal takes even one penny out of the taxes of an elderly couple she knows and helps, or that could have gone instead to the tight budget of a health org she supports. It infuriates her. As she says, “I’d love a few tiaras too, and servants, but god, get off your arse and show you’re worth it.”
I want to know what 12 year old boy talks like that?
that’s exactly what I was thinking!!! “She is a very nice woman, gentle with her words but down to earth” — yeeeeah right 😀 they can’t even manage to make it sound realistic
Putting so many words in a little boys mouth was a fail, Jason.
Right? Such natural 12-yr-old speech. I just love how badly this is being handled and shoveled. It is now like a class in The Most Ludicrous Gaffes and Clinkers You Can Make in PR, Level Three.
There could never be another person on this entire planet that is LESS like Diana!
Its bad enough to insinuate that Kate is anything more than a lazy limpet but to insult Diana’s memory by comparing Kate to her is inexcusable.
Sooooooo true! Kate Middleton, I crown you the very best nickname “Katy the Crazy Lazy Waity” of Arrogance!
I met Diana in the early 90s – total fruitcake, and ruined my 11th birthday by being such a massive flake a huge ballet gala that hundreds of people had bought very expensive tickets for had to be delayed by two hours (even though she was in the building – she just arrived and then point blank refused to take her seat, for hours). I’ve learned more about her charity work and stuff since then, and about her personal troubles, and I can appreciate that she did good work as was probably suffering a lot. But we shouldn’t forget that for all her good work, she was disturbed individually who did some pretty awful things. I mean she developed a crush on a married man and stalked him/his wife so badly, the police had to speak to her.
I don’t like Kate (I’m a diehard anti-monarchist) but her only crime is just being lazy and workshy, which kind of pales in comparison to the kind of havoc Diana and Fergie caused (let alone Andrew, Edward and Charles, not to mention Harry!).
Diana had many well documented personal problems. I can imagine that some of them bled into her work. I am sorry that your experience was ruined – although I would think an expensive ballet gala where you get to meet royalty, late or not, would still be a great experience for an eleven year old.
Diana’s overall work legacy is still unparalleled. She changed how the monarchy is perceived, and what is expected of them.
I always love first personal accounts! Did the show go on, albeit late? I think Diana’s been canonized after her death, and I think she would have been very difficult to deal with sometimes, if half of what has been written has any truth in it. The not knowing what you’d get would be the worst. And I don’t think any of that takes away from what she was able to do, and how kind she could be to people. It’s really unfortunate you got one of the off times. But I don’t think I’ve ever read that Diana misbehaved publicly while she was ostensibly on business; yours is the first. Did I miss others?
Did you ever hear what the problem was?
Yes, the ballet did go on, but my mother took me home as it was too late. It upset me because I loved ballet, and only got to go once a year (it was our tradition to go see the Nutcracker on my birthday, which is in December).
I have no idea what the problem was that night. It was at the Royal Festival Hall and we had box seats, so I was able to leave the auditorium and roam around freely. Just from listening to the adults (ushers) gossiping outside the auditorium, she’d arrived at the RFH but just wouldn’t take her seat. I vaguely remember something about waiting on or wanting dinner or something to do with dinner. I remember reading about her bulimia years later. Not sure if she was suffering from bulimia at that particular time but I always wondered if that was part of whatever was going on that night.
As I have already written on here, I have a friend who had exactly the same experience of Diana as you. She was at a lunch engagement and refused to have lunch with everyone else but took hers in a room by herself except for her lady-in-waiting and detective. It is well documented that if she was in a mood she would not speak to people at engagements and refused to do her “homework”. She had immense charm but she had a lot of other bad qualities. She was a liar and manipulative. She sacked her nanny because she was jealous of her. The press fell in love with Diana even more so than the people did. Diana was also a very English girl. When she died life in Scotland went on as usual. I wonder how many of the people in this forum were even around, living in Britain, when Diana was one of the BRF? Only seeing selected videos etc can give a very different viewpoint from the way it actually was. Also, not being snobbish but it was a certain type of person that was taken in by Diana. People who did not look far beneath the surface.
“Also, not being snobbish but it was a certain type of person that was taken in by Diana. People who did not look far beneath the surface. ”
I think that could be said of fans of Kate Middleton.
I was alive at the time. I don’t think Diana was a god. She was a young woman from a broken home who fell for the idea of Prince Charming. I think she had a difficult temperament, inherited by William, and many people didn’t know how to deal with her.
But she did work hard and try, in spite of everything. She didn’t always succeed and she wasn’t perfect, but she did try.
I find the extreme revisionist history used to justify Middleton’s laziness and ineptitude 4 years in tiring.
Kaiser – you missed the quote from the mother who said Kate complimented her on her manicure. As far as the comparison to Diana – GMAFB!!! As we saw in the comments yesterday and countless other occasions, people are not buying that.
Kate can play dress up, make up and put on that maniacal grin for a few minutes, but compared to Diana, Kate is sloppy seconds. Despite her flaws Diana was the real deal – genuine, keenly interested in people and charismatic. Not to mention a work ethic that Kate also lacks. Sorry Kate, but your aura falls short of the mark.
Youjust know if Kate offered anything of substance to what the cause does and the impact it has or thanking that mother for her actions, etc… rather than complimenting something superficial like nails Jason and the DM would be all over it.
Nope, Diana was not the real deal. I was around In the same country and although she was charismatic with many good qualities, she was manipulative and an actress. To hear people on this site you would think she was God. What is the saying – “if something seems too good to be true it usually is”. Fits perfectly.
Yes, the only thing Kate has in common with Diana, is the ring.
And the last time Diana wore long hair somewhat similar to Kate, she was a young teenager.
And I’m not sure why Kate keeps trying the bangs/fringe/gringe look? It didn’t look good in 2012 and it doesn’t look good now. Kate’s hair looks good when she styles it away from her face and/or when worn up such as in the Charlotte Christening photos.
We’ve had this discussion before, but it’s really like she’s scared to update/change her hair as she matures. She seems comfortable keeping it perhaps as some kind of reminder of her school days like she’s afraid of getting older.
I think also, she has a habit of running her hands through her hair, esp when she feels nervous so her hair is like a security blanket.
The only time I thought she looked good with a fringe was at her engagement and engagement interview. Then again, her overall hair style was shorter and layered even if it was sausage curled.
YES every bit of this. Pulled back, her hair is flattering.
Yes, as an example, the appearance she made arriving at Adelaide last year was stunning. The pale pink outift (pastels look very nice on her) and her hair worn in that half up-half down look (and the half part up was pulled up, completely back) really suited her. She knows by now what works and what doesn’t so I’m not sure why these little mishaps continue? If the objective is to get us talking and then attention is placed on her charity, then in that regard, her strategy? is working.
Citresse, the hair was good that day. The pink outfit was good until she bent over to talk to the children at the children’s event. Showed side B, under B, and bra. Another custom piece where they (the royal team of KM, stylist, personal assistant, and designer) didn’t think about how the clothing functioned but only focused on how it looked standing still.
The hair completely up when she wore the gray Roksanda Ilincic was one of her best looks IMO.
Yes notasugarhere, agreed- the Roksanda with her hair up, certainly in the top five list of best looking appearances. The earrings were nice too.
Kate may also not be terribly photogenic. It would be interesting to hear more from people here who have actually seen her in person.
Citresse
Within the 1st year of the marriage a friend of mine was in London and stood at the barracades to see Kate. She too a phone pic and sent it to me. Blurry from movement, but you could see why she was dissapointed. Hair was fried and makeup was theatrically layered.
She has come across very pretty in her youth, but once she dropped the weight and started altering her face that pretty went away.
I googled that pink blouse mentioned above. It was very low cut. Adults know that if you bend over in that blouse, you’re going to be showing something. That’s why they bend at their knees and avoid bending over if they’re trying to save their modesty.
To me, it’s just her pattern of wearing something that might seem semi-conservative, but it has that peek-a-boo element to it.
FLORC
It doesn’t surprise me- the comment of Kate’s hair looking fried. You can see Kate’s hair as it really is when she was on tour with William in the south seas. It’s curly, frizzy even, in high humidity. It must take a lot of work getting it straight much of the time so it gets damaged.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3238065/Duchess-Cambridge-looks-glamorous-Ralph-Lauren-dress-resumes-royal-duties-birth-Princess-Charlotte-visit-mental-health-centre.html#
There are more than 4.000 comments on that article but I can’t read any of them as the comment section won’t open.
Purposefully closed?
Also the Daily Mail still calls her “Kate Middleton” in the headline.
And no, Kate is nothing like Diana. Diana really cared. Diana worked for certain causes. Diana did her best to make the people feel special and honoured their causes. When Kate meets people it is all about her and she tries to trump everybody in a cold way. When Kate goes out she wants to shine for her own gratification. Diana did (mostly) shine for other people it was her gift to them.
Thanks for the link, I was able to read the comments, they’re delicious. A favourite is this one:
Barry Garlow, Derby, United Kingdom, about an hour ago
“One needs to tone down the smile so one does not look like a mad woman.”
Wow, that was a massive lot of pictures they posted in that article!
p.s. I love your last sentence.
@ bcgirl
Thank you 🙂
Ridiculous!!! Kate Middleton is not fit to
Wipe the boots of Diana – and
I acknowledge Diana had many personal
Issues. Kate is 33. Diana died at 36. Compare their accomplishments. Diana did much of what she did starting in her early 20s, with two babies, and continuing until her death. Kate sat around for the last 12 years. She is not now “a young mother.” Diana was a young mother.
Not fit to wipe Diana’s boots. (And I think Camilla is a very good representative and hard worker so this is not about Diana worship.)
The “young mother” thing always makes me laugh. Granted, she’s not old but still…
Yeesh, old enough to know better!
Meanwhile, Letizia and Felipe have had a successful visit to the US and made a good impression I think. A few sartorial question marks (flapper gown, odd placement of beading on the black Varela), but otherwise her usual stylish self.
I loved their style and how they carried themselves. This wasn’t a vacation and they still appeared at ease.
I loved her flapper gown. I think she is impeccable. I really enjoyed looking at the pictures of her and Michelle Obama interacting – they were so warm with one another. Letizia is simply beautiful.
Wasn’t the whole point of the engagement interview to dispel any comparisons? That’s why I don’t really get this article. It’s obviously PR fluff put out by Jason, since no one in their right mind would put her on Diana’s level.
I think the duchess’s apologists and sycophants may be even more vapid then she is.
She’s frozen at age 20 (or whenever it was she met William). She seemed to have lost all initiative after that point. I would hate my daughter to be an affected stage prop at age 33, no matter how much money and position she married.
It’s such a pity…she could have a positive impact beyond hair and clothes if only she worked hard at it. And we know she can work hard, because she was good enough to get into a selective college (Edinburgh, I think? which is not easy)
I think she’s frozen at the age she met William and he’s frozen near the age his mother passed away. Two people stuck in extended adolescence, still refusing full adult responsibilities.
Depending on the A levels she took, a lot of the work may have been course work and the top private schools are very good at dragging even the thickest students to A level grades that get them into the better universities (even if not onto the most academically rigorous courses). That’s what Mummy and Daddy pay for after all.
I’ve checked and she actually got good marks in at least two science A levels which aren’t easy so she isn’t stupid. Also, she got a gold Duke of Edinburgh award which takes a lot of dedication to get (I think the U.S. equivalalent may be Eagle Scout). It’s a pity she couldn’t carry that work ethic over to adult life.
Kate did work hard in school. And learning did not come easily for her as it did Pippa. She had to work often with a private tutor throughout her schooling.
While Kate isn’t a natural genius, she does improve when applied. She improves heavily with 3 or 4 events in a week or 2. Any time away though and there’s full regression.
I still think #poorjason is on the wrong track. What he needs to do is sever this whole Diana comparison – or at least as much as it can be severed.
Find Kate causes that are far, far from the causes Diana supported. Stay away from kids and diseases. Run toward kids, or adults, and athletics (Diana was, by her own admission, not an athlete).
Kate’s interested in diets, make healthy eating her one of her tasks. Kate loves gardens – take a page from Michelle Obama’s book and make local, sustainable agriculture her focus – get her father-in-law to help her.
Kate is an art history major, for chri*sakes. Make her patron of some art museum. Diana wasn’t into visual arts – her thing was ballet.
Kate was a natural with the older folks at the DD Celebrations. Make the elderly her focus.
Just get Kate away from anything Diana would have touched. Get her into something she can DO.
Don’t publish the “so like Diana” quotes. Publish the Kate is terrific on her own quotes – I know we diss her here but I am sure #poorjason can come up with some.
I think all the advice she is being given stinks.
I’m not sure if Diana took on any sports causes, but I think she was interested in sports on some level. She was an avid fan of tennis. She invited Steffi Graf over for a game of tennis. There are photos of the two in their sports gear somewhere on the internet.
I think Kate would do well in athletics. It’s just so hard to tell what she’s actually interested in though. Like, I know she can hit a volleyball in wedges and leggings, but I have no idea if she takes an active interest in the sport.
Yeah, Diana was a fan and she played tennis, but in general she never self identified as sporty, the way Kate does. Or supposedly does – I think she played field hockey in school and I know all the Middletons are supposedly tennis nuts.
I think the ones seeking/pushing the Diana comparisons are Kate and Carole.
I tend to agree. Carole supposedly has a Diana fetish. But she failed to realize that the whole world saw Diana, recorded Diana, and knows that Diana stepped up. A few similar “just had a baby” frocks does not make her daughter Kate into a comparable person by any stretch of the imagination.
I agree with your overall premise.
I agree with you that she and her team shouldn’t even try to have anything with Diana in it. They should stop trying to reference her (Diana), including dressing George up in clothes that Diana picked out for William at that age. She needs to be her own persona. She might even have to stop wearing the blue ring so she would stop with the constant wrist bend to show it off. (There’s even video of her refusing to let the public touch it or her hand when asked to let them see it closer up.)
And I agree with you that Kate’s strengths aren’t in showing sympathies and warmth towards people with ailments or in dire straits. Even at a joint appearance with Denmark’s CP Frederik & Mary, Kate refused to taste the paste given to help starving people even though Mary and their respective husbands did. Then there’s that typewritten letter to a terminally-ill child in which the only mark of personal involvement was her signature though it was misspelled. There is that PSA video she did for children with mental health issues, but it looks like it took a lot of takes and therefore was a choppy presentation.
You’re right that she should stick with healthier people, like in athletic surroundings. But even then, she dresses in inconvenient clothes and shoes or clothes that are too tight, and, at times, won’t put her hair back while participating in activities. Again, it should be with healthy people, because didn’t W&K cancel or begged off appearing at an athletic event for disabled people so that they could go skiing in France?
I disagree with the kitchen garden theme, because I doubt she ever would touch soil in real life, even with a shovel (like in that video in which it looked like she was hesitant at having to put a shovel full of dirt at the base of a tree).
Every time I see Pippa & James do a joint bike marathon, I wonder why Kate didn’t join them. They all seem to love wearing tight clothes. And it would fit in with the type of event Kate might want to do though it’s not a fancy, gala event.
But that would require Kate to stand on her own and she seems to prefer status by association -copying the tried and true like Diana, Jackie, even Jecca, and hiding behind other more openly forceful personalities like Carole or William.
She doesn’t want people to look directly at her or try to know her -at best they can look at the image of hair and thiness and heels but not her as a person. She’s just getting the picture done so she can leave.
I don’t think it’s so much bad advice as it’s Kate wanting to deflect direct attention. She doesn’t want too much focus or consistent attention on any one thing she does (because she lacks the interest and discipline to see it through) and she doesn’t want to really lead anything. We’re seeing what she wants in terms of her work choices.
Very insightful, Natalie. I always enjoy your thoughtful, alternative interpretations.
It’s easy to look biddable as long as it gets you what you want; it’s not like you have to really commit to anything.
I would agree that she doesn’t want anyone to get to know her, I doubt she knows herself. Ironically, we do really know her, by her behaviour, not the image. While she is clueless. She is driven by her desires, needs, and greed. In essence, there is no “there”, there.
Minus, of course, the natural-born gorgeous English Rose complexion and the aristocratic bloodline and the charisma . . .but apart from that, one hopes for the BRF’s sake that Kate’s aura is nothing like Diana’s because despite Diana’s other natural advantages her narcissism and emotional difficulties nearly did them in.
It just occurred to me that the bangs are to hide forehead wrinkles because she won’t get botox while breast feeding.
how do you know she’s breastfeeding? she attended wimbledon for hours without leaving to pump/bf…seems unlikely
This. 👆🏼
To add to Caitlin’s comment Kate has been away from her children for days at a time and with no need to pump. She’s not BFing most likely and that’s ok. There could be other reasons Kate isn’t BFing. Charlotte is allergic to her milk? She needs special formula? There’s trouble lactating? Anyone way you slice it she’s away too often wth no pump.
@Kaiser,
Loved your comment, “Oh, Princess Kate’s hair was so shiny, my favorite part of the visit was when she leaned over and her skirt blew up, I mean, she related to us like something – I can’t read that – ugh, just like Princess Diana, God bless the Queen.”
It truly represents the truth 🙂
Anyone would have been stuck in Diana’s shadow, and it’s not fair to expect anyone to be as beloved and charismatic as she was able to be.
HOWEVER. Kate has got one of the cushiest jobs in the world. (Her husband’s is cushier, as he doesn’t have to be pregnant or give birth. Also he seems even lazier.) She should be able to figure out a way to do it well in her own way. But that’s only if she actually cares and wants to.
Her “job” for her entire adult life before marriage was to land the future king, and that’s it. A couple hundred years ago, that would have meant learning politics, but not now. It’s not preparation for anything, including marriage itself. And it’s showing. She keeps trying to be sexy because that’s what caught the prince, so that’s all she knows. It’s rather sad, but it’s also past time for her to grow up and do the job she’s paid so extraordinarily well for: namely, PR for the monarchy. They claim it’s charitable work, but “charity” is when you don’t get anything but good feelings back. It certainly doesn’t pay in castles and private jets and massive amounts of wealth.
Can I have some of whatever you’re smoking, Chantel? I’d love to be in a mind space where I can see even a drop of Diana or her aura in this lazy waste.
Thanks. 🙂
LOL!!! Was there audio with this article from our trusted friends at People?? Unless I hear it, I’m skeptical (that’s putting it politely). Methinks there’s been some verbal photoshop going on and “Chantal’s” actual quote is quite different.
Wow … she is not aging well …
Diana was an English aristocrat. I read she had more English royal blood in her veins than Charles, with his Germanic ancestry. William may have been better off marrying an aristocrat because of the grooming from birth. People think aristocrats are lazy and some are. Many are incredibly hard-working, almost overcompensators, due to their awareness of their privileged position in society. Diana was, at one time, the most photographed woman in the world and a phenomenon. I agree with Andrew Morton. I don’t think we’ll see another one of her in our lifetimes. It may be generations before the greatness and the goodness of the Stuart dynasty is brought back again in such swinging, charismatic style. I may be the only one, but I thought Kate looked awful with her hair up at Charlotte’s christening. She looked skinny and aged. I love how George works his hair by pulling it and when he lifted both of his arms to pull up his christening dress. That kid’s got great style. His mom may not like buttons, but her son is one cute button.
Small correction: the royal family does have Stuart blood even if they are a different, germanic branch of the family. They are descended from the daughter of James 1 and 4 of England and Scotland, Elizabeth Stuart who was married off to Bohemia.
As far as Diana (and Fergie) having more English aristocratic blood than Charles, you are right, BUT!! That means that William, Harry, PGtips, Charlotte, Beatrice and Eugenie are closer to the Stuart bloodline than Charles and the previous generation of royals because Diana and Fergie are direct descendants of Charles 2 via his illegitimate sons.
When William becomes King, he will be the first King since the James 2, to have direct Stuart bloodline, even if it is from an illegitimate son of Charles 2. In that way, one could say that the *Stuart line will have been restored.
*i am aware that there are legitimate Stuart line descendants, mostly residing in Europe, but that ship has sailed as far as their claiming the throne of UK and Ireland and 16 realms.
Just to get your James’s right – James the Sixth of Scotland was James the First of Great Britain . James the Seventh of Scotland was James the Second of Great Britain. James the Fourth was only James the Fourth of Scotland. I don’t know if you are taking into account the fact that the Queen Mother was of Scottish aristocracy. She was Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon before her marriage. The most well connected current member of the BRF is Princess Alexandra. Her father was the son of a King and her mother was a Greek royal princess. I think that beats all the rest.
All of the people going on about Kate’s appearance and how thin she is – are you aware that Diana was anorexic and bulimic? Have any of you seen the photograph of her taken a few months after William was born in the one shouldered blue dress? Are you aware of the money that Diana spent on clothes?
I am no fan of Kate’s but when I see the mindless rubbish written about her here and the comparisons with Diana, it does irritate me a bit.
Yes, I’am pretty sure everyone knows about Diana’s history with eating disorders. How does that negate or bring into question the (accurate) comments about Kate being very thin? Or, are you suggesting that somehow having an eating disorder diminishes all the good Diana did with her charities? In spite of her problems, Diana accomplished quite a bit and knew the meaning of hard work – unlike Kate I’m afraid.
Diana’s problems with eating disorders weren’t public knowledge until well after the fact – things were kept hidden. Looking at Kate, it’s painfully obvious that she lost a ton of weight since her engagement and it’s widely known that she is very weight conscious and will do what she has to in order to maintain her new super-thin figure (seldom eats – at least in public when she’s offered food, follows a rigid exercise regimen). I suspect Kate has some issues as well and it’s even been speculated on this blog that she has ppd or some other psych disorder (NPD?) as well.
PS – As noted in the title of this article, the comparison with Diana was supposedly made by a parent at the 45 minute ‘meet and greet’ Kate attended. Posters for the most part did not see the similarity and were merely showing their disagreement
I don’t think KM being an aristocrat would have helped. Lazy is lazy, whether you are an aristocrat or not. Most young consorts were not aristocrats – Maxima, Letizia, Daniel, Mary, Rania – and they’re doing just fine.
For his country, William needed to marry someone hard-working and who cares about those who fund their lives. If he wanted to marry KM anyway, he should have stepped aside at the time of the engagement.
Will, Kate and the Middleton’s seem to be changing the face of the monarchy. #whateverworkmeans
Sofia of Sweden has been on the job a split second and is doing fine too. Agreed.
Wolfie, I love your hashtags. #moreplease
I’m thinking the comparisons to Diana need to stop in the media. Kate is who she is. If she wants to be a Paper Doll Duchess, then so-be-it. Stepford Wife, OK. We can comment on her appearance if that’s all she is about (and clearly that seems to be all she’s interested in). She is who she is, and does anyone really expect her to be Diana 2? I don’t! I’d just like to see her do something meaningful – and I don’t mean shopping for dresses, shoes, coats, or have her hair worked on. UGH.