These days, I prefer to get my passive-aggressive royal gossip from the British tabloids. But every so often, the American tabloids have something worth covering. This week’s In Touch Weekly cover story is one of those moments. It’s not that In Touch has an amazing scoop or anything, it’s just that I enjoyed the story. It’s all about how Prince William and Duchess Kate are really having a tough time now that they’re five years into their marriage, and William isn’t supporting Kate like he used to, and Kate feels “bullied” by the royal family because they all roll their eyes at how little she works. Some highlights:
The Cambridges are having issues. They didn’t even sit together at the Queen’s horse show last week, and sources say that their marriage has become “strained.” A source says, “They’re dealing with all the usual problems married couples face but they also have the extra pressure of being in the public eye… they are constantly arguing at the moment about the pressure Kate is under, William’s attitude about it and how to raise their kids. They’re going through a very rocky patch.”
Kate is miserable. The insider says: “She’s been nicknamed ‘the Duchess of Do-little’ and ‘Lazy Katie’ which she hates.” The criticism reached a fever pitch when she skipped the Irish Guards ceremony, and “that’s why she’s recently started to do more appearances than ever before.”
William doesn’t care. Whenever Kate complains about the pressure she feels, William has started taking the Queen’s side. “Kate feels very unsupported by William. He hasn’t comforted her at all and thinks she should ignore the criticism. It’s driving a wedge between them.”
Moving to London. In Touch says that William has come around to moving back to London and sending the kids to school in the city, but Kate doesn’t want that.
William hates how much money Kate spends. Kate blew through $9 million on renovations and decorations for Anmer Hall and Kensington Palace, and an insider says: “They’ve had endless criticism over the lavish interior decorating and he finds it humiliating and over-the-top.”
Carole wants them to go into marriage counseling. “Things are so bad between them that they’re thinking about going to marriage counseling. Kate’s mother, Carole, wants them to stop arguing before things get out of control and she thinks therapy will help them.” But: “The queen won’t approve at all. It’s just not the royal way.”
[From In Touch Weekly, print edition]
The vibe I get from this story is that Kate – not William – is to blame for everything. Which I don’t think is true. At all. I think William wants to stay at Anmer and people just say that Kate wants the same thing. I think William wants his wife to be criticized for being lazy, because that way he’s not getting the brunt of the criticism. I also think William is sort of tired of taking care of Kate? Many people, from royal courtiers to media figures to actual royal family members, talk about Kate like she’s a naive and inexperienced. She even talks about herself like other people need to take care of her, like she’s not a perfectly competent 30-something mother of two. And that must get exhausting. And no one has even mentioned Jecca Craig!
Photos courtesy of PCN, WENN.
How on earth does she look so bad for her age? She is living THE LIFE; she should not have skin so weathered looking.
I know! She’s not going to age well at all…
She over-exercises and smokes.
Is she still smoking? That’s highly irresponsible with two small children around.
It’s the smoking and poor diet. I saw an old friend this past weekend (we are both 50) who has been smoking and dieting for about 35 years. She looked so much older than me which is quite sad because she was always very pretty.
And she is way past due for a refresh of the Botox and fillers.
The effect of smoking on the skin is not half as bad as tanning. Wear sunscreen and you’re good. I know a lot of smokers that look 10 years younger than they are. And I know a couple of non-smokers that are super wrinkly from all the tanning. I think Americans are just very anti-smoking.
@Anna
I think it’s a combination of things, but a lifetime of smoking shows in your skin, especially around your mouth. But you’re right that everyone is different and some people, my sister, for example, are lucky in that they don’t show the effects of smoking as much as others. And tanning, I agree is far worse for the skin. But a heavy smoker isn’t getting the same oxygen to their organs as healthy nonsmokers, and as skin is your biggest organ, it takes a toll.
The other thing that makes a person age faster is how much stress they’re dealing with and how they are able to handle it. Those who feel chronic stress will have it show up in their face quickly, whether it’s self-induced or not. The more insecure, anxious or unhappy the more quickly they age. I see this over and over again with friends that are my age or younger that work long hours, experienced significant loss, divorce or who are depressed and constantly worry.
Kate strikes me as someone very insecure who would feel the stress of dealing with what’s expected of her — a role that she should have been better prepared for emotionally and psychologically. This is combination with the other factors mentioned above are going to cause her to look older than her years.
I know a fifty something colleague who takes care of her skin but couldn’t give up her smoking habit. Her teeth is awful but her skin isn’t that bad. She stays away from the sun though. I know Kate and Pippa are sun worshippers. Pippa looks tanned all the time.
It is smoking, tanning and dieting and over-exercising.
Smoking and tanning age skin.
Dieting and over-exercising removes the remaining layers of fat under the skin which makes it look more wrinkled.
Add to that the stress and anxieties and lack of work experience and adult life, als NUTBALLS described.
I know!! Every time celebitchy posts a pic of her I’m baffled at how awful she looks! Maybe she just has really bad genetics? But she also does her makeup poorly… so ridiculous. She’s a damn duchess!
I thought the same.
Maybe she’s secretly very introverted and would rather just stay home. Sometimes, for introverts, just being around other people is exhausting. :-/
@ annaloo.
I hear you, madam, I hear you so well.
@annaloo.: even if she’s really an introvert, it’s not as if we introverts can’t go out and do this, we do it all.the.time. It’s exhausting, but there are coping mechanisms and that sort of thing. I know there are plenty of real issues that she might have. But 10 plus years into this, you’d think she’d learned/asked for help.
At this point It appears she doesn’t want to do it, whatever the underlying reasons.
@ annaloo
Kate spent 5 hours at an event last week, sailing. That’s hardly someone who feels exhausted being around people.
And even if she was an introvert, she knew what was expected of her when she married into the royal family. That’s not an excuse.
@annaloo – That could be true but if it is, she shouldn’t have waited around for him for 10 years. She should’ve just moved on with her life and I don’t believe it was a fairy tale romance where they both just couldn’t live without each other. She knew from the get go that getting involved with him meant she could be queen one day. That means you can’t hide out in your palaces forever, it means work. He even said in the engagement interview that he wanted to give her time to see if should could handle this life and she obviously said yes. There are no surprises here as to what was expected of her but they act like it.
@ paula – a sailboat accommodates a limited # of people & it’s easy to feel alone on the water. It’s an activity both soothing & thrilling for introverts.
That top picture…I know women twice her age who look younger. Even with the smoking, the tanning, the dieting, the genes, I don’t get how she looks this bad at 34. She should have had at least another decade before it hit her like this. Even her mother has better skin.
Right? And really, what pressure is she under? If she showed up and did her job, quietly and without fanfare and helicopters and excuses about not wanting the Irish Guard to count on her every year, she would get a lot of credit. I do think she is pretty helpless, though. Let’s be real here – how many of us know a college educated woman who did nothing but party and wait for a guy for an entire decade in her 20s??? I don’t know one. Some women got married young and kept working, others got married younger and had kids and stayed home with the kids, and that certainly matures you!! But to just sit around and be supported by Mommie and Daddy for a decade? Of course she is emotionally stunted and unable to be appropriate in most situations – she has ZERO real life business experience!!! And I think William, who I”m sure isn’t the most patient, kind or accomodating man, is frustrated with her helplessness. Ugh. I would be.
I do believe that Carole may be pushing for counseling, and I don’t believe the Queen would interfere and say No. That seems absurd. I also believe that Wills may want to move back to the city – more “fun” around there, as I get the vibe that he is stepping out, and not with Jecca. But I firmly believe that he is just as work-shy as she is, and just as determined to live a life of leisure on the taxpayers’ backs as she is, so they are a great couple in that aspect!
I think the pressure is she doesn’t want to. And look at the pressure. The internet is filled with blogs complaining about her. It’s easy for us to say “what pressure?” but I do think there’s a different kind of pressure for her. Maybe I’m too kind; not something I’m normally accused of, but if she really is a shallow person who doesn’t care much about others, or whether it’s painful shyness or whatever it is, being forced to do just that could really be difficult.
But Bluhare, she said in her engagement interview that she didn’t care what any of the plebes think of her, only what Wills thinks. And I do believe that. She may be annoyed at these names, but if they really bothered her, she’d do some work. RIght? I don’t think she’s shy – she certainly didn’t look shy around Ben Ainslie in those pics last week. I do agree that she is under pressure because she’s expected to work and just doesn’t want to do so. She didn’t work in a decade in which most people work and learn who they are; she sat around and partied. Even really wealthy girls like Chelsy Davy worked; not Kate. So yes, the pressure to work may be crushing her. My sympathy is limited, though.
Then if this headline is to be believed, she actually does care what the plebes think about her. Or at least cares that they aren’t calling her Princess Kate and lauding her to the skies.
Kate doesn’t want to develop into that job that she is required to do. She doesn’t want to do charity and she doesn’t want to pick causes. And this avoiding all the time is what causes the stress.
Her mistake was to not do much at all after her uni degree but wait for William. And he was not so smart / apparently he didn’t care that Kate was in professional stillstand for him.
@bluhare, @jib – Something has got to give here though. Kate dated William for far too long to succumb to the public pressures of this job if she is incredibly shy or incredibly lazy. William said as much in the engagement interview that their dating period was also a trial period. And while her public presence has gotten much larger after the engagement and marriage, she had enough public eyes on her to know it was only going to get worse. Admittedly, nothing could have truly prepared her for the role, but she had the opportunity for a great (and lengthy) head start. At the same time, her incredibly thin frame does seem to indicate something may be wrong.
I think Dolittle always plays the victim. Pressure is a good excuse. Victims like her take all they can get and give nothing back. “J’accuse”.
She really doesn’t care what others think. She has found ‘pressure’ to be a reliable excuse for doing nothing and damning the world.
I’m with hmmm.
We’re supposed to feel sorry that she feels pressured because the world has caught on to her apparent lazy game? Really?
I feel more concern for the charities who counted on her role’s patronage, than I do for a spoiled, hair-twirling smirker who has spent her life like a great spoiled infant. Whose shyness magically disappears at posh actor-thick red carpet events, and who is never too shy or lazy to shop. WHo can’t be bothered to do a tiny dab of basic homework, as evidenced by her peculiar comments even as recently as the trip to Nepal. She knew of the job’s “stresses” as did her mum. They just assumed she could do as she pleased, forgetting there are clear-eyed people watching.
All she has to do is work, or at most, try to get the help she needs to feel something like curiosity, sincerity, and interest in something more than the Middleton World. But as hmmm suggests, she probably simply doesn’t care. This is just likely more of Poor Jason trying to get the public opinion to go silent.
Totally agree, Jib!
What kind of overwhelming pressure does she have? She barely works, she’ s got nannies taking care of kids, housekeepers, no money problems, no stress about how to pay the bills. She may be insecure and shy ( in my opnion she’ s not at all, she showed offnearly everything in the catwalk to get William’ s attentions, she took the sun topless- which I’ ve never done for example- ) butit’ s been 5 years since she married William, she’ s a senior royal! And she’ s 34! Plus she dated William for nearly 10 years, so it’ s been almost 15 years since she stepped into William’ s world. And she didn’ t learnt yet. She’ s got money to get help if she needs, yet the point to me is that she just doesn’ t want to improve herself, she’ s too lazy and she doesn’ t mind
Liberty, totally agree with you.
This. She’s 3 years older than me, and I feel like she looks much much older. I have two kids and don’t sleep much because I work at home… But hopefully my skin does not look like this!
Good god, I thought the same. More saggy than this quintagenarian.
A lot of folks in the UK hate living under austerity and cuts, while tax-dodging corporations and privileged aristos continue to thrive. Meanwhile, the Cambridges are burdened with unflattering monikers. Life’s unfair like that.
1
It’s all so burdensome for the poor dears.
Here she is in her burdensome shoes at the yacht race
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3609859/Are-Kate-Middleton-s-snazzy-Adidas-trainers-worth-90-price-tag.html
+1
One of the few things they’ve earned in this world are these nicknames.
HA! That’s fantastic, and you are absolutely right.
I think that is why they dislike them so much, they earned those nicknames. Poetic justice. 🙂
Excellent Nota. I feel no sympathy whatsoever for either of them. They deserve as much disapprobation as people can give. I am tired to screaming point of apologists finding pathetic reasons as to why neither can do their jobs. Both Kate and William are coddled and lazy. Both are unpleasant people. Both are not going to change. The BRF should retire them and keep them with their own money rather than public money being squandered on them.
LOL!
@Maya Memsaab
Now that’s genuine pressure, living under austerity. Unlike the accusations flung by the privileged whingers.
I assume this can be linked back to #poorjason because it’s so full of bs. Is Willnot now throwing his own wife under the bus? If so, wow, just wow. She’s really paying the price, isn’t she? OTOH, it is In Touch.
She looks really rough in the top photo. At least twenty years older. SMH
I definitely get the feeling that something is up within the Cambridges’ marriage. I’m sure they’ll weather it, though.
Carole will never permit a divorce. Yes they will work it out.
LOL!!!!
Looking at photos over the last several years of W/K and then seeing photos of Kate with Ben Ainslie (one of the royal blogs posted a bunch of photos of Kate and Ben at engagements going back several years) there is a remarkable difference in the body language. There are numerous shots of Kate and Ben so close their arms are touching, even when they were just walking next to each other (and this is at different times, different engagements over several years) and her level of engagement is clearly so much more than when she’s with Willy.
So yeah, I believe that not all is rosy inside the Cambridges marriage; that Kate always needs to be taken care of; that they’re both lazy and Will’s a difficult person to be around. And now they don’t like being called lazy and work-shy, so is Will now throwing Kate under the bus like he does everyone else.
Even in the best of marriages, crushes happen. It’s especially understandable for a woman who never dated/explored her desires. Still, I agree those pictures of her with Ben made me kinda feel for her. Was Will even her choice or was it completely on Carol?
@ Bettyrose
Perhaps Kate didn’t look for other choices but William. She was nearly only with William after uni, right?
At least two of her exes were invited to the wedding, so William hasn’t been her only choice through the years.
@bettyrose
“It’s especially understandable for a woman who never dated/explored her desires.”
You make her sound like she’s 14. Who knows what she got up to before Willy and during Willy.
I thought she’d exclusively pursued W since she was 19ish? That seems extremely young to me to never date/ sleep with anyone else. Especially since we don’t really know if it was true love/ great sex, just that she pursued the status.
@Bettyrose She did not exclusively date William.
Of course she hates the nicknames — the truth hurts.
@ Alix
Exactly my thought when I read the headline.
I feel badly for Jecca Craig. By being friends with William she is constantly accused of having and affair with a married man and cheating on her husband. It’s so disrespectful to her.
That rumour can be placed squarely at the Middletons’ feet. At a time when Kate was playing media games with William, their favourite pap tweeted out that Jecca was William’s Camilla.
And proceeded to make further hints along those lines. At the time, he was very much in the Middleton fold and was known to tweet accurate information.
A story that had been about William and his hypocrisy with regards hunting shifted to William is on holiday with his ex-girlfriend. Wink wink. No one had paid attention to Jecca in years. She barely got a mention or photo during the royal wedding.
After that tweet episode, stories involving Jecca took on a different tenor. She went from a barely remembered footnote to having entire articles written about her including her baby news being reported in a highly speculative way that throws doubt on it’s parentage.
The pap seems to have been put outside the fold, but the damage was done, and it’s longlasting. The only way to disprove that tweet as far as public/media speculation goes is never to have a romantic relationship because should they cross that line, the ensuing headlines and articles will be written along those lines.
So says Tanna. His entire career is gossip and he spreads plenty of it knowing the BRF and Midds will never comment on what he writes.
For what it’s worth, i don’t think he is as close as he used to be. William has taken very aggressive stance towards him. Every time William complains about ‘paps’ following him or his family, that’s usually code for Tanna.
They’ve exchanged legal letters and Tanna is the only pap without a photog licence for the royal parks.
Until the last round of legal threats, Tanna was still getting information from inside the house named Middleton.
Do i think the Middletons use him to further their agenda? Yes. He’s taken plenty of exlusive photos of them, with or without Kate, and sold exclusively to Hello before rest of media.
I’d say that the William’s Camilla tweet was in the realms of gossip because no one has ever been able to prove or disprove it. The other times, he has tweated out accurate information, not gossip. However, the point remains that it was that tweet that lit the fire under William and Jecca may be having an affair storyline.
And finally, the Middletons have sued him. At the instigation of William. That only served to reveal how close the Middletons were to Tanna and in the end everything was settled with Tanna curiously having greater access and information for a few more years.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/165633/Royals-target-scapegoat-in-privacy-fight
The article says he had a knack for catching out Harry with women other than Chelsy. We’re the Midds leaking information about Harry, too? Doubtful.
No. He started out as a regular pap. Getting information and photos like all the other paps. However, with time, he formed a relationship with the Middletons, to extent that they would ask him for photos for their family album.
Let’s be very clear, he doesn’t have nor has he ever had a relationship with William or Harry, but he developed one with the Middletons that lasted for several years into the marriage.
Since last summer’s latest round of legal threats from William, he has been put outside the tent by the Middletons.
While he was in the tent, he would take exclusive pics or publish accurate information about Kate or Kate’s business. Very rarely did he publish insider information about Harry or William. Any insider information about Kate’s business that brought up William’s name usually came straight from the Middletons.
ETA: William has tried/threatened to sue Tanna several times. The above article details the first time though that was instigated via the Middletons.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/06/08/why-william-and-kate-held-off-again.html
The latest time was last summer.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29460858
That shows that whilst the royals don’t answer back, they can use other legal means.
Thanks for the links LAK about Tanna, I didn’t realize how interwoven with the Middletons he had been at one time. How did he get all this pictures of Harry on dates back in the day though?
I agree, Megan. She never asked for this and people have been so insulting, even suggesting that her new baby is William’s. It’s so unfair.
Jecca Craig appears quite dignified, though, working and apparently having a relationship and getting on with her life.
Kate, take notes!
The problem is Kate has had everything in life handed to her. She has never suffered any real setbacks. She got a place in a good University (funded by Mummy and Daddy) She never had to enter the job market and suffer rejection after rejection. She had a nice flat in a posh part of London given to her (never had to pay rent) and was given a generous allowance by her family to do whatever she wanted with it (shop and party) and now things are starting to go wrong for her she can’t handle it. She has never had to look after herself, and basically grow up.
@ Sarah
It is even worse than that. Though I don’t believe that everybody has to work for his or her upkeep (some people have enough money to not work so why not?) – I do believe in attempting to develop oneself. Kate didn’t do that. Although she has all that money at her disposal she didn’t develop any interests into fashion, politics, charity causes, the environment, science, art, literature, music, museums … whatever. There is a lot of the latter stuff in London but it did apparently not touch Kate in any way nor did Kate touch that stuff. Thgrough William Kate could have gained access to a whole lot of interesting things and interesting people. But Kate apparently didn’t use that route.
The tragedy is that apparently the Middletons never really understood what Kate would have to do if she married William: charity, speeches, appearances, art, music, meeting diplomats and such. Therefore they didn’t prepare her for that.
And even worse than that the Middletons allowed both their daughters to be lazy for nearly a decade as long as the girls would try to get aristo / rich husbands, apparently.
What kind of idea do the Middletons have of aristos and the rich? Both love art and both do usually have some causes they support. They usually aren’t lazy but often go out and enjoy art and meeting people. But Kate and Pippa? Silly partying and not much else, apparently.
If she’s fed up with Duchess of Do-little and Lazy Katie, I have more rude names for her than she will EVER have extra appearances. Jus’ sayin’.
I think they are twin enablers. Both as bad as the other. One’s the Twit. The other’s the Twat.
OMG, those are the perfect nicknames!
Hahahaha! I’m sure you do.
Has she even been called Lazy Katie recently? That was from the girlfriend years. Can I also say that it never fails to make me laugh hysterically that she got a part-time job to prove she’s not lazy?! At a time when she was doing absolutely nothing but vacations, she said thought a *part time* job was putting in the hard work?!?!? That’ll show ’em, Kate! Aaaahahaha!!! That along with them following their workshy/vacation rumors with photos of a family ski trip? WHAT?! LOL. If they weren’t on the public dole, they might be endearingly clueless.
love it HH! thanks for a good laugh this morn
Waity Katie was from the girlfriend years. Lazy Katie is new.
@nota – I was aware of the “Waity” moniker, but I thought Lazy was in their too. I thought that was the reason she addressed such rumors in her engagement interview. Speaking of, it’s weird that she wouldn’t care about such titles when she was just starting out, but somehow cares about them now.
Spot on, that they both enable each other completely.
Well, Kate, you could actually DO something, you know? Like you could have given out shamrocks to the Irish guard and Domhnall. You could have brought the kids with you.
Now, can we talk about how that Camilla is chasing after my Tom Hiddleston? Twice in three weeks, Camilla! I’m onto you!
I SHOULD BE AT 500 WORDS! I had to go to the hospital with Mr Sixer Senior this morning for his pre-op for his eye surgery and had to cancel. Had no idea LEGS was going to read. Didn’t care about Camilla. You should go to the website, Lilac, and read some of the stories. Our children are FABULOUS!
Will do. It sounds like a great event and a great project to get kids to develop their talents.
Hope all goes well with Mr. Sixer’s surgery and recovery.
As for that, that CAMILLA, well, I don’t need 500 words to tell her to back off MY LEGS!!!
Fingers crossed he’ll be ok. They put the fear of God into him over this posturing lark, however!
Here are the 5-9 year-old stories. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this competition. It’s its third year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Kn6c4746XcrhYVNq1KtvJX/top-50-stories-2016-age-5-to-9
Loved the story about the grannies going into space. This is a great way to encourage and showcase creativity.
Damn, I knew a celebrity might read my essay, I might have been more motivated to write at that age. I’m stuck at the car mechanic this morning before hitting the road for our first camping trip of the season, so I’ll check these out.
I think that contest is brilliant. I’m going to go read the stories today. Whether you think Camilla’s an evil scheming witch or not, she’s really had a couple of great public initiatives.
Fingers crossed for Sixer Senior, Sixer!
500 Words is amazing.
Also, best luck to Sixer Senior!
Well Katie, the nicknames are well-earned. And #poorjason (we know you read this stuff), your tactics aren’t working. We still think Wee Willy is an insufferable lazy jerk.
While I understand that living in the public eye adds pressure to any celeb /royal life, the amount of time they have had to get used to that and learn coping mechanisms pretty much erases any tenderness I would normally feel. He was born to it. She chased it for ten years, and as a well to do, tecnicalky well educated woman she had a lot of time to decide whether that is something she wants to put up with. They have both been coddled, protected, extended courtesy and time to learn the job. They could have started media training, counselling, public speaking lessons or anything else their hearts desired anytime.
As for the rest – excuse me, but not feeling the “pressures” of any other kind. I am not even talking about blowing millions on new decor or moving tennis courts, just basic life issues that range from a lack of job security to worrying what kind of retirement you would ever be able to afford.
Unlike most thirties couples, dealing with mortgages, school loans (in North America, anyway, where they can be crippling – we have had to pay two grad Ivey League level loans, and it is brutal), school tuition and any other child care costs (if you don’t choose private school of course that is less once the kids hit first grade), health care costs out of nowhere (2 years I to parenthood I develop a debilitating chronic health condition), aging parents who all of a sudden need as much support as your kids, they don’t really have any material cares in the world.
And maybe money does not buy happiness but it sure as hell makes it a lot easier to avoid unhappiness. What tensions in the marriage? No one needs to rush home in traffic to pick up groceries, cook dinner, do some laundry, call for appointments, take an unpaid day off to wait for a plumber, change diapers with one hand while answering the phone with another…. Are you kidding?
They are both equally to blame for the bad press they are deservedly getting. The only thing I don’t get is the repeated Jecca mention. I find it terribly disrespectful to her – all I know of her is what I read in this blog and by all accounts she is newly married and a new mom and other than inviting an old friend to her wedding…. What exactly is she guilty of that she keeps getting dragged into this for?
You know how the Princess of Wales dealt with the stress of raising two small children within a strained marriage? SHE WENT TO WORK. And people loved her for it.
You’re right-she did. I don’t think she really thought she had to cultivate a real relationship with her in-laws because she’s married to William. People like Sophie, Camilla & The Queen have been through lots of bad press and have been working for years. They’re also women, and there are things that they know that William (being as self-absorbed as he is) wouldn’t pick up on. If I had those three women as a resource I’d attach myself to them like a barnacle . Money aside, I think this life is harder than it looks and the reality of it must be sobering. However, I’m not sure she’s bright enough to do anything I’ve said.
@HK9, she’s terrible at networking within the BRF, isn’t she? I suck at networking, but at least I understand the need, and if in her shoes, would have been asking for guidance from the get-go. She either doesn’t see the need for it, or is too afraid to ask.
Do you think they’d give her advice at this point, though? I feel this is a conversation she should have had with them not long after returning from their honeymoon, or even when they were engaged. It would be like if a coworker who’s been at your organization and in that same position for a few years starts asking you how to do something that’s been part of their job since day one.
What’s sad is that there is an abundance of cousins of her age within the royal family who could be her support and allies.
Everyone from Anne’s kids to the various Kents and Gloucestors. All have kids within the same range as Kate’s kids, but you see her attend the Gloucestershire Polo as though for the first time and never set eyes on any of them.
I have a feeling both Camilla and Sophie did try that. Remember that the three of them used to stand next to each other on the balcony on Remembrance Day more than once?
Camilla can only win from a good relationship with Kate as she will be the crown princess to her as who will be (probably) the king’s consort. Camilla gave Kate that bracelet just before her wedding. Though I don’t think Kate has ever been seen wearing it.
Sophie is closer to Kate age-wise (compared to Charles or Camilla) and from a rather “normal” aka non-royal non-aristo background, too. And Sophie worked in PR so she understands the need for a company = the Royal Family to have a good marketing strategy.
I am not sure about Prince Harry. In public he said all good things about Kate. But then there is this gossip that he called Kate “the limpet”.
I’d have grabbed on to Sophie, Camilla, and Anne and begged for help and advice. And I’ll bet Harry’s one of those people who helps you professionally even if they don’t personally like you. He seemed determined to be nice to her when he became her brother-in-law, despite having contempt for her before that.
But William said he’d train her, and then he trained her to do nothing and she happily floated along doing that.
Well said!
great comment. spot on. I’m sorry to hear about your troubles, I can empathize with the parents thing. How wonderful it would be to know that we would be able to provide them with the care they need. I can’t even fathom that type of security. (Senior care is expensive. Moving someone into a nursing home is expensive, and it also SUCKS, but having someone in the home with them even part-time is sky high expensive. And you can’t just pay a nice person to do it, if there are meds that need to be taken, then you need skilled nurse. Some meds are super duper expensive. Laws must be complied with. All that insurance stuff is so fricking confusing. You worry constantly.)
Yeah, the remark about her “hating” her lazy nicknames really grated on me. Then go do some work. It’s not that hard. I really can’t stand this woman or her husband.
Also, the jecca craig thing is so insulting. Having been close with a male, and then rumored to have slept with said male, I can say it is so boring and dumb to make such assumptions. So he can’t be nice to me unless we’re sleeping together? He wouldn’t want to hang out with me unless there was something else going on? F-you!!!
Thank you Manda. I mean, hearing that someone is hurt because she is being called out for very visibly avoiding doing almost any kind of work in exchange for the huge privileges she (and Will) are getting feels terribly insulting.
I remind myself constantly that I am fortunate to have excellent insurance on top of free Canadian health care, that I was lucky enough to get ill after at least having one baby (a second pregnancy was made impossible by the constant drug cocktail I have been on for a decade), and by having financial support from loving relatives, without which we would have been up a proverbial creek….
I would be so thrilled to be healthy, wealthy, and have the visibility and means to champion the causes near and dear to my heart, much more than the small donations we can make every year. It would feel like a privilege, not “work”. That is why I admire Harry – not for his hotness, but because when you see him in action with his charities he is engaged and visibly happy to be there and lend his name. Oh, and to get couture clothes and spectacular jewelry on top of that? Gee, the hardship….
@Valuvert
I would be so thrilled to be healthy, wealthy, and have the visibility and means to champion the causes near and dear to my heart, much more than the small donations we can make every year. It would feel like a privilege, not “work”.
Me too! How fabulous it would be to be able to pick a cause and run with it. To have all the doors open to you to get an insider view and have the sway to get the word out to the right people. It would be completely amazing to be able to immerse yourself in all that good karma and hope. Kate really doesn’t get it.
Exactly. I, too, count my blessings because, despite the bad things in my life, I know I am so freaking lucky in soooo many ways. And that’s all it really is: luck. To be born to people that love me, in a relatively safe and wealthy area with decent schools, etc. The people that don’t appear to really appreciate what they have just grate on me so. Too true about Harry, he is obviously passionate about what he does.
What a great recap of the privileged life they lead, and the lack of real pressures that they have to deal with! I do agree that being in the public eye adds some pressures that the rest of us don’t have to deal with, but they bring a lot of the bad press on themselves by being scornful of the press and, by extension, the people who fund their top 99.9% lifestyles. I can’t say it better than you did – they have very few issues to deal with compared to any married couple their age.
Maybe not having any real focus or passion or reason to get up in the morning is why they are both so unhappy looking all of the time. Princess Anne has her charities and horses, Harry has his charities, Sophie does, too. These two obviously don’t feel much of anything for their charities, but don’t have meaningful work or a passion for anything. They have the children, and that and her hair and make-up and clothes is probably enough for vacuous Kate, but William just seems to carry an air of discontent around with him. He needs to get out and do something real, not part time pilot work, and stop being such a prima donna.
This! I wrote the below before reading your post so moved it under here because it’s basically the same thing!
“They’re dealing with all the usual problems married couples face but they also have the extra pressure of being in the public eye… they are constantly arguing at the moment about the pressure Kate is under, William’s attitude about it and how to raise their kids. ”
I agree with the later but NOT the former…what “usual problems married couples face” do they face? Financial problems? No. Arguing over who has to pick up and drop off the kids on their way to work? No. Arguing over chores? No.
yeah they might have problems but “the usual problems married couples face.” No. Just no.
@vauvert — all this.
In engagement interview she said she does not care what peasants think of her; it is only William the babe she cares about. I feel sort of sad for William. He is such a lost boy who also happens to be a bully. Royals are like animals kept in zoo where other people stare at them. Royalty has no place in 21st century.
I think it is absurd. Power corrupts and degrades man.
I don’t like this overrated couple but i truly want them to have a successful marriage. I love the idea of prince marrying a commoner in fairytales and movies. In real life, not so much. But then again monarchy has its plus points. Presidents change and other countries don’t remember them while a king or queen is a constant, familiar face representing their people on the international platform.
Charles is intelligent and has that mysterious royal vibe; William not so much. He is a brat with serious mommy issues. I am still somewhere rooting for William.
I don’t think that Willy is at all a lost boy. He’s an entitled *ss.
I think Kate didn’t realise she would actually have to work.
Prior to her wedding she attended state occasions where she just smiled and waved at the crowds. Her wedding? Smiling and waving.
She probably saw footage of Diana and thought that is all Diana did too.
Then she was hit with the reality of meeting various people, learning about the (few) charities she was patronising, speeches, people asking her things etc and she freaked.
Her and William are the perfect nineteenth century royals- unapproachable empty vessels to be paraded as symbols of their countries.
Too bad that twenty-first century royals are expected to actually do stuff.
As for the moving to London story? I don’t believe it. It would make much more sense for Kate to want to be closer to Peter Jones and the Kings Rd. She really doesn’t seem to be a country girl at all.
Or William told her she would not have to work.
This. See the DM articles in the past year by Richard Kay etc referring to the “Middleton Rules” worked out between Michael Middleton and William and the powers that be. To ensure Kate could live inasmuch as possible within a “protective bubble” and not be “ground down” by duties and expectations.
Gosh yes, the Mike Middleton talk with willie. Laying down the rues that kate was not to be a fully fledged royal in the firm. They knew kate was lazy. Kate and ma chavelliae just wanted the good bits. Lolz, when the counselling starts you can bet ma chav will be included becuase we all know the marriage is a bit crowded with 3 in it.
As far as the Middleton Rules, the family probably didn’t factor in the reaction of the public to Kate not performing her duties as expected of a senior royal. Or if they did, they perhaps didn’t expect this level of criticism aimed at her. This private deal isn’t cutting it with the public. As someone else commented, if it was plainly stated that she’d be a SAHM while William performed his royal duties full time, there may not be this reaction. But William apparently included himself in the rules as well.
I give the moving to London story credit for a couple of reasons. (a) the rumor William will quit his EAAA job next Spring. I think that might really be true, after all the stories about how he’s never there anyway this year. And (b) the story that they’re putting George’s name down at the same school William and Harry went to in London. If William is going to quit part timing it as a pilot, it would make sense they move back to London if he’s finally taking on the mantle.
I wonder what kind of work is it that she is so incapable of doing though?
Like, what IS a royal work if not showing up, talking to people, looking engaged?
She doesn’t have to report to her boss with quarterly results.
She doesn’t have to make a goal of selling 1000 worth of facial cream to keep her job.
It’s just play-pretend work. Wear nice clothes, pose for pictures, shake hands and then come home dead tired to drop face first into your luxury linen.
Really terrific points, Apples. The definition of royal work at its best is kinda lame. You are right- it’s play-pretend. And yet people are still buying it as if it matters.
I totally agree with you, Maum !
I agree that he’s probably tired of taking care of her. It was part of their deal that she would step up to the plate and be a royal wife, but she seems stuck in the phase where she’s too shy to give speeches, has to be looked after and coddled by mommy and William – grow up, Kate.
yes.
The chickens are coming home to roost now.
Really interesting point, GNAT. What if Waity promised stepping up to the plate and won’t deliver? The fairy prince would be mad as hell I imagine.
Kate is lazy with both her job and her appearance.
Diana also felt abandon, neglected and thrown under the bus by Charles. It took her time to figure out how to handle it all, and for a while she was an emotional mess. But eventually she pulled herself together, got a lover and moved on. She found herself and that’s what we are watching Kate do now. However, Diana had a better work ethic, a likability factor and a little real world experience, so we shall see how this all plays out. Just happy I’m not Kate.
Diana might have taken time to figure herself out but she constantly worked. She was engaged at 19, married at 20 and had two babies in quick succession. The whole time? She worked.
Kate met Wills while they were both students and he was under a media embargo so free to be a student, live with Kate and be as normal as he wanted.
They dated for years and married at 30. If Kate hasn’t found herself now she never will. Do you realise Diana was only two years older than Kate is now when she died? Think of everything she accomplished.
Do you think it was because Diana grew up in that circle and Kate didn’t? I think Diana knew how to do it. She certainly could have used Charles’ support and love, and the lack of that increased her insecurity and inner turmoil, but I think she was confident that she knew what she was doing as far as the “job” went. She was so young, and she handled it all so well, at least on the outside. If Charles had been half a man, she could have been his partner in a great marriage.
Probably.
Diana grew up as the third daughter of an abusive mysoginistic Earl who was desperate for a male heir. She must have been raised to shut up and get on with things.
Kate, OTOH, was a pampered older child who was spoilt by her parents all her life. I think she expected to be welcomed in the royal family as the second coming of Diana and thought everything would be about her. Whatever his faults and laziness Wills understands how ‘The Firm’ works and there is no way his wife would take precedence over the institution.
Sophie (Wessex) is doing well and didn’t grow up “in it” and Princess Sofia of Sweden is managing and didn’t grow up in it.
Kate thus far appears work-shy, self-involved, shallow, uncaring, and spoiled — and that is NOT the life of most “commoner” women of her age or era.
I totally agree with you maum!!!
We’ re not talking about a 20 year old girl who hasn’ t figured out how the world works. We are talking about 34 year old woman, an adult who has been stepped into the BRF world for nearly 15 years. Kate is 34, not 20. kate has been married with Will for 5 years, she’ s a senior royal.
Kate’ s bone idle, that’ s the point. She’ ll never ever change.
About the pressure of being always in the public eye: she chased William for nearly a decade and married at 30, not 20 like Diana. She knew what she would have been through
Queen Letizia is doing fine and she was never royalty…
And considering Letizia is 10 years older than Kate and looks younger than her… Ouch…
Why do people constantly rewrite Diana’s work history to make Kate look better?
Diana worked 200 engagements in her first year. Did her first solo foreign engagement 18mths after her wedding, attempted her first public speaking, in welsh no less, 6mths after her wedding AND had William during the same time frame.
It’s true that her causes celebre didn’t happen until later, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t working or hadn’t hit her stride before then.
Infact, she was so confident in her work efforts that she went against the establishment and established thinking when she tackled her first cause celebre, AIDS, in 1986, 5yrs after her wedding. Unlike Kate who at 5yr mark still can’t string a sentence together in public or on paper.
And when Diana married at the ripe old age of 20, she had more work experience than Kate did when she married at 30. Diana hit the ground running because she had career ambitions. Kate does not now, nor has she ever, sought personal growth and fulfillment through work.
“Kate does not now, nor has she ever, sought personal growth and fulfillment through work. ”
Perfectly put Megan.
If Kate wants to be a SAHM with her kids (and the nanny), I think she should. Because I agree she doesn’t get personal fulfillment from work. Not everyone does. If she does one thing well, that’s a good one to do well. But everyone should quit dithering around about it, and just say it — She’s going to stay home with the kids and William’s the “breadwinner” for lack of a better term. That would be a tougher sell when the kids are older, but it could work now. But that means William would have to take up all the slack.
All: agreed and perfectly put.
B: if only William was a worker bee. That solution would work.
Further to their needing to clarify Kate’s position instead of fudging it, they also need to stop saying negative things about working parents.
As the future Queen Consort she is not ‘allowed’ to be a SAHM. The Queen had to step up, Princess Diana had to step up and she does too.
She lives an incredibly privileged life but as the wife of the future King of England she has a duty of service to the nation. She knew that before she married (or she should have).
If she didn’t want a public life she shouldn’t have married him. As it stands it looks like she wanted to keep her 20s Sloane Ranger lifestyle but with the royal perks.
I think William got a lot of slack because of his mother’s tragic death and there were probably arrangements to allow them a relatively normal life for the first few years of marriage. But they are now in their mid-30s with kids and they both have to work.
Maum, I think she could if she wanted to. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t working consorts a fairly recent (ie, Windsor) thing? Prior to that I didn’t think they had much of a role except for bearing the heirs and appearing at ceremonial functions.
You’re going back two centuries. Prince Albert was the first official consort (he was quite resented for it)- if you look at all modern Royal families all the consorts are expected to work. The British royal family is riding on QE’s popularity- once she dies things are going to change.
Prince Charles is not universally liked (to say the least) and William has more or less lost all the goodwill he earned from his mother’s death. If Kate wants to be a Marie-Antoinette she is going to get even more slated than she already is.
Generally speaking I don’t think Kate has any choice in what she does. She will be told what to do and will do it. Wills might seem quite happy for her to be panned by the media right now but if the monarchy as a whole suffers things will change drastically.
I thought the working consorts really started with George V. Could a history expert enlighten me? I think Albert really had to fight for his role — and he was a man in an era where women were really relegated to the background.
I don’t think it’s about precedent, really. There’s a social compact. The public funds a royal family. In return, the royal family does worthy things. Exactly HOW the royal family does worthy things is entirely up to them, provided there is enough in the way of said worthy things to satisfy the public.
It really is that simple.
Public expectation is that this couple pulls its weight. Whether one of them does double while the other brings up the kids doesn’t really matter. That both of them are clearly doing everything possible to avoid meeting expectations does matter.
But if Idiot Bill put in the required effort and Idiot Kate showed up to the Cenotaph once a year and didn’t giggle or twiddle her hair but otherwise stuck to raising the kids, you wouldn’t hear a squeak out of anyone.
The problem Twit and Twat have is that they think if Liz and Phil and Chuck and Anne do all the work, the social compact is satisfied. But the public and the press disagree. As I’ve said many, many times before, this is a battle Twit and Twat simply cannot win. They exist purely because the public considers the social compact to be met. And if the public decides it is not being met, the public will win.
That, Normal Bill, you utter idiot, is what monarchy by consent looks like. You, my boy, are on a hiding to nothing. I hope you carry on, frankly, and the result is that we are rid of you and all of your ilk. So there!
Thanks Sixer. That’s pretty much what I meant. If William put forth an effort, a lot less would be expected of Kate and she could just show up for the ceremonial events.
Sorry; not tracking well today!
Working consorts in post-1066 England started in the plantagenet era if not sooner. The word Queen in it’s earliest incarnation simply referred to the wife of King without any duties or expectations beyond providing heirs, but the demands of Regency changed that role forever, and provided an upgrade not just for the consort, but also position of Queen Regnant.
As early as 12th century England when Eleanor of Aquitaine was appointed Regent for her son, Richard Lionheart, the role of the wife of the King (or in Eleanor’s case the mother of the King) had changed such that expectations were not limited to child bearing or ornamental. The words ‘Queen’ and ‘Queen Consort’ started to carry significant weight.
By the time of Eleanor’s grandson, Henry 3, it was perfectly normal to appoint his Queen Consort as Regent of England whilst he went off to various wars. As Regent, she had the full apparatus of government.
We’ve had some fantastic consorts who’ve enhanced the reputations of their dullard Monarch spouses and we’ve had indifferent ones who’ve impacted their monarch spouses negatively. We’ve rarely had consorts that made no contribution beyond providing heirs without a *significant reason. And these rare women have been completely forgotten. Based on current showing, Kate is looking to join the rare, forgotten women.
*Caroline of Brunswick whose mutual hatred and disgust at her husband, George 4, and other shenanigans meant that she spent alot of time on the continent as her husband tried to invent ways to divorce her.
*sophia dorothea of Celle, consort of George 1, was divorced and shut up in a castle for allegedly having an affair.
For today’s tax paying public, the precedent was set by the Queen, Prince Phillip, Anne, Charles, Camilla, Diana, Andrew, Fergie, Edward and Sophie. They all work and they work a lot. The public expects William and Kate to be just as hard working as the generation before them. Frankly, that seems like a fair trade off for a life of unimaginable luxury. So, yes, Kate does need to work. And she needs to do good work. Popping in for a quick photo op is not enough. Her work needs to make a measurable difference be it in people’s lives, to business, to tourism, or to whatever but it needs to be about more than modeling a new outfit.
The Duchess of Kent was criticized for leaving public duties, after a late-term miscarriage and nervous breakdown. I cannot see the taxpayers saying, “Sure let KM kick back and just be home with her kids cause she doesn’t like working. That’s why we’re working so hard, so she doesn’t have to.”
If William doesn’t want the job and she willnot-or-cannot learn to handle it, he needs to remove himself from the line of succession and take their kids with them.
Perhaps it’s the way I worded it, but I agree with everyone that Diana had a better work ethic, even that she had a remarkable one. I was looking at the emotional growth going on here. Diana did fall apart emotionally there for a while and she struggled with it. But she got past it all and came out the other side seemingly untouchable. She was young and naive when she married and although Kate isn’t as young she is still naive in some ways. She has never had to take responsibility and has never been put through the fire that forces growth. I guess my point is that she is now in a situation where she has no place to hide, she has to face this challenge or risk losing her husbands support, his family’s respect and the goodwill of her nation. But, if she can face up to it, she will grow immensely. Do I think she can do it? I’m not sure she has the character and metal Diana had, but maybe?
All you have to do is view you tubes of a young Diana’s early public appearances with crowds in villages, or visiting a market, etc and you can see the raw difference — a kind, interested, curious young woman who while very new at the job was happy to oblige and engage and learn.
K can barely evince interest in most of her few appearance, and no warmth.
If she hates the nickname there’s an easy answer to that. Work.
Agreed!
The only thing here that I can agree is not total nonsense is the bit about William being tired of taking care of her. The thought had never truly, consciously occurred to me until the India/Bhutan trip where there were a few moments–Like the handshake weirdness at the “preparation” get together, the memorial flash, the refusal to try the damn dosa–where I actually thought, “And this is why William always looks pissed and miserable around her.” Don’t get me wrong, ya’ll know how I feel about that lazy, ill-prepared, smug, boorish, entitled nightmare that is Billy “bring-me-my-cheese-toast-that-my-AWFUL-biological-family-pays-for” Bucket. The fact that Kate’s even in this position is his fault on soooo many levels. But I think it really hits him how poor The Hair is with all this when they’re out together. (Mainly because he pays her no mind otherwise.) Again, Willy’s nothing special either. He’ll NEV-VAH be like his mother and Harry. And do to a lack of trying, a lack of curiosity and intellectualism, and an over-abundance of ego–He’ll probably never even come close to his father or be like QEII either. But he’s still not as clueless as Kate. And the results are skewed anyway because she isn’t asked to do much or put herself out there. Instead of her being an equal to William or a support she’s something that everyone has to manage, when the Cambridges are already two screw-ups operating from a deficit. Like it’s still the jubilee year and she’s delighted that the freakin’ Queen celebrating her own jubilee is taking the time to support her and make sure she’s happy and looked after. WHAAA?! Whether that’s true or not isn’t the point for me. (It does go a long way to prove what I’ve always thought, that they’ve got nothing if they ever wanted to start some sh*t and argue that the BRF aren’t supporting them. It seemed like they took turns going out of their way to be nice to Kate.) The point is that Kate thinks we should know that. And the clumsy (but tellingly) oblivious way she worded it and went on, making her comments about QEII all about herself, well… And she’s still that person. It’s no biggie in 2012 when you walk ahead of the Queen and Prince Philip. But when you do it again in 2014? You’re not trying. Or you can’t learn. But that might have been part of the attraction. In his distorted completely batsh*t quest to correct his parents’ mistakes, Bill found someone that he could take care of. Guide. Baby. Inculcate. But it’s like the bitter and ignorant blind leading the vapid, insipid, and blind. (Nevermind that Diana clearly didn’t actually need to be taken care of in that way, in her work, at all.) And Will only deserves so much blame given that Kate and her siblings were already like this thanks to their upbringing… And Will isn’t really the person to care for others anyway. It’s not what he really wants and he likes to be cared for as well. So speaking of the cheese toast and being cared for, that’s why I can never give either one a pass. It’s not either/or. It’s equal. They are made for each other in that way. I’d actually say that they’re kind of each other’s creation, that was then molded by CarolE. It’s a marriage between two gormless gardens, (and Bill and The Hair have allergies, poor things), where the only gardener around is Ma Middleton.
Bravo. Excellent analogy.
Gormless gardens. 😀
IKR!!!😁
Lots of wisdom in this. I, too, think Wills is an entitled, spoiled brat who needs to get some good therapy and get on with it, but don’t tell me he’s happy when they are at a war memorial, for Pete’s sake, and her dress flies up so high her stomach shows. I don’t think he’s that clueless and he finds that sexy or cute. He was raised in the BRF, even though he rebels against all that they expect of him.
I also think Kate being basically useless and powerless was an attraction and a big “F you” to his family, who he told 1/2 an hour before his formal announcement. What do they say? Beware of what you wish for. He creates enough of his own poor will, then add her errors and lack of caring and there is a real stew of ineptitude and lacking of caring for a big huge blowback to both of them.
Now that you pointed it out I can’t “unsee” the facts – Kate is actually useless. She isn’t “waiting to come into her own” nor “trying not to make a mistake” or “a hard working but shy person.” She is just not a good partner for someone who is pretty much viewed as a politician in that he represents the country at the highest levels.
I think in marrying her he thought he would get himself a well-mannered, well behaved woman from a good family who can pull her weight. Instead, he got someone who just doesn’t get it.
May I add my bravo….and gormless gardens…amazing way to put it.
You hit the nail on the head. Even Charles, who I’ve never been a fan of, has a certain charm & gravitas, & he certainly works hard. Watched a documentary this wk on PBS about the Queen. Charles hosted & was quite engaging telling anecdotes & commenting on all the old footage. Kate & William are a waste of space.
I think Carole’s style of raising her children has made them all so dependent on others, that they DO feel that they still need to be taken care of into their 30’s. But I also think that William was raised that as the heir, others SHOULD fall on their swords to protect him, his image, and his reputation. Unfortunately for Kate, shes learning the hard way that its her turn to fall on the sword to draw criticism away from William. I don’t buy for a second that Kate calls the shots in their marriage when it comes to royal work. I think she follows his lead.
I don’t think she wants to work. She didn’t work for a decade, that is her natural state. If she was being held back by William, but longing to work, she’d be brilliant at the job the few times she shows up.
+1
SPF daily, sunglasses and a hat to block the sun! I have been doing this for 15 years and I’m only 30. I get mistaken for a teen a lot. When I was pregnant and my wedding band wouldn’t fit, I got constant looks of OMG THAT TEEN IS HAVING A BABY. Little did they know I was 29, four college degree and married. I also have never smoked and only drink a few times a year. And moisturizer all day long! Anytime I feel dry, I slap it on! It doesn’t help she is super stressed and picked on for everything she does. Does she really still smoke?? I doubt it. We would have pap pictures if she still smoked!
We do. They were removed. Airport in NZ and that balcony, scene of infamous nuddygate.
May I ask, how do they get the pictures completely removed, like scoured from the Internet? Does anyone know? Because Brad Pitt won a lawsuit to get his nudie pictures removed but you can still find them. They are out there. Still just as disappointing, but definitely out there.
Yeah, I don’t buy that there were ever pictures of her smoking. I don’t believe she smokes either. I think that some people like to vilify her in all ways possible and so she must smoke.
Don’t believe everything you read online. I am no fan of Middleton and her work ethic but I don’t like the blatant lie-mongering that happens online either.
There are photos when she was younger with cigs in her purse. Perhaps she took up smoking to be closer to Will.
There were cigs in her purse. None of her actually smoking. Maybe she was an occasional smoker who lit up once in 3 months. There are zero pictures of her smoking among the literally 1000s of pictures of her online, yet we have read here over and over again that smoking is giving her bad skin. I don’t understand why as a public we are so willing to believe statements for which no proof has existed in the 14 years that she has been photographed.
On the other hand there is plenty of evidence that Kate has lost a ton of weight. To me that seems more likely to be the cause of her shallow cheeks and jowls. Why do we need to perpetrate untruths? There is plenty *plenty* to criticize about her already !
And I have to say that I also take exception to the rumor that she was smoking on the balcony when she was sunbathing naked and those pictures were “suppressed”.
Yeah. That’s believable. So the photographer sells her *naked* pictures, but not the *one* picture that has eluded them for 14 years – that of Kate Middleton smoking.
Come on. I simply don’t buy it. It is not rational and does not make sense to me at all.
I stated a fact, plain and simple. There were cigs in her purse. I don’t smoke and have never carried cigs for anyone. We also know that Carole smoked at one time and quit or tried to quit by chewing gum. Will smokes or smoked and several others in their circle. As much as Kate wants to fit in, it’s not a big jump to conclude that she has smoked also. Her mouth looks like she has smoked. Her teeth are all somewhat new veneers, so there’s no yellowing there yet.
Maia, Wow, you seem to be very naive. Media has had an unwritten rule for years to refrain from publishing photos of celebs smoking because they don’t want the collateral damage of the photos influencing young fans to start smoking.
Here’s a photo of Kate and Will from 2006 very clearly holding cigarettes. Wills cig was photshopped out but they forgot to correct his cig-holding hand position.
http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/celebrity/pictures/12035/prince-william-and-kate-middleton-moments-prince-william-and-kate-middleton-engaged.html
Also, there are PR firms that specialize in buying unflattering photos before they become public as well as scrubbing the internet of unwanted material. Celebs pay A LOT of money to have this done.
Maia: at the time of the naked pictures, Kate’s nakedness was the scandal NOT the ciggies. They posted many, many pics from the balcony in showing a range of activities. Some of the pics had her holding a cigarette.
The re-issued photogs only reprint the naked pics rather than the other boring photos because that is the only point of interest.
Other times she’s been caught out smoking, she’s been outed by reporters who mentioned it in their articles eg Katie Nichols who used it as a basis for several ‘Kate is preparing to get pregnant by eating better and cutting down her smoking and drinking’ sycophantic articles.
She takes great care not to do it too openly and or pics have been removed. Just like William and Harry.
Well all of you seem quite convinced that she smoked. I am not yet convinced. And for what it’s worth I am not naive, just skeptical.
About 1 week ago I saw with my own eyes a photo of harry smoking. It was online. I also read online that on the weekend of the full nude on the balcony extravaganza waity was spotted by ground staff air side at a french airport fagging away. I am in NZ, and yes she was seen here smoking at the airport in Wellington. Why so many doubters?
Because smoking is not an ethereal image for a fairy tale princess. She’s not permitted to have feet of clay as viewed by those wearing rose-colored glasses.
There is a tweet on Kensington’s page pointing out how much money she has raised since 2007… hmmm, not sure but 10 million pounds, really?
Well, she wouldn’t have raised much from 2007-April 2011, would she? I thought a lot of that was money through their royal foundation, which is not just her. I’ve not seen any stats on how much money raised by her patronages is directly attributable to her involvement, though.
Oh please. They said it themselves that being called lazy is “part of the role”, they also said that they will focus on the children regardless what people think of them. Well this is what people think of you. Don’t like it? Work.
Poor little Snowflake doesn’t like being called lazy. Well, try to work and maybe the tag will go away.
The article was interesting reading about the relationship between Willie and Waity. I have always believed that Waity is the wrong person for William. He has huge issues due to being caught up in the War of the Wales’ and his own reluctance to accept his future role. He needs someone pro-active and encouraging not a doormat. However I don’t think they will ever divorce no matter how much Kate struggles with royal duties. All the perks will compensate.
If there is ever a night I can’t get to sleep I’m going to read one of these threads. So repetitive. Same people, same story.
Including you, Joannie. Your name might be different but your sentiments aren’t.
So the insults begin. Not sure why you take my comment personally or exactly what your insinuation is but would you not agree the stories are repetitive as are the comments?
I didn’t insult you, Joannie. You made the first comment and I agreed with you and said your comments are the same too. If you want to put a personal insult in there, go right ahead, but understand that’s you, not me.
I thought my comment was rather original. And to be honest I wish there was something else to comment on other than her laziness and clothes. I’d like a little scandal for a change! Like everyone else on here I agree she looks awful in the header photo. I prefer to be more positive if possible.
I know, right?? If only the Cambridges would work, it wouldn’t be so repetitive!!!! They keep doing the same things over and over!!
Joannie it’s funny you should say that, because I suffer from insomnia and occasionally I’ll put on the Will & Kate “love story” in the background to help me fall asleep. It’s 50-50; their boring and unambitious union always makes me sleepy, but half the time the syrupy, sycophantic commentary agitates me into staying awake. I’m afraid I can’t stomach unquestioning praise and loyalty, especially given that neither William nor Kate have made a discernible charitable impact.
And what have you done that is so charitable? Perhaps you are more exciting than her.
Joanie, quesrioning what CuriousCole has done for charity is begging the question. As far as I know, most of us here aren’t supported by the taxpayers of england with the understanding that we give back,for all of our privileges. Kate is. As some posters said above, it’s the social compact the BRF have with the public and if the public starts to,think the monarchy isn’t earning it’s keep, that will be the end of It. The Qieen, Chatkes, Anne, Harry, Sophie, even Camilla all understand this. Kate and Wills don’t. They will be the me of the monarchy if they don’t get a clue.
Jib, that’s my fear too. I just saw something the other day; can’t remember where (twitter??) that said William’s popularity is dropping. It’s still pretty high, but it’s dropped in the last few years. And this is the time he needs to be shoring it up, not letting things slide.
Mentioned on some royal blogs and forums. Ipsos MORI survey saying his popularity has gone down 11 percent since 2012.
Jib, perfect response.
Sigh. So I think it’s a few things going on here. I think the problem is more Kate related than anything having to do with her marriage to William. I think that their marriage is fine, but Kate isn’t. I do like them and think that they come under a lot of criticism that is equal parts justified and unjustified. Like honestly, the Jecca Craig stuff…I’m just not buying it. Let’s be honest about one thing…after Charles and Diana do we really think that the Queen will let Katiam divorce? I doubt it. But I do believe that Kate smokes, and I’ve long suspected that she’s dealing with some post-partum depression. I don’t know the exact time but at a recent event she did make a comment about depression after birth and not really having a outlet for support. I’ve always felt that after she birthed PG, she suffered from severe depression and perhaps now whatever the fix was to get her through that bought of depression isn’t working as much these days. In her pics there are times when it looks like she’s got something on her mind that she can’t not think about. Maybe she’s thinking about how her own marriage ruined her parents marriage because Where IS Michael Middleton? Someone tell me because that man hasnt been seen with Carol in like a half a year at least.
My other thought is that she’s lost 10-15 lbs too many.
I would say Ma Chav and Mike aren’t together anymore. But wait their bi-annualcontracted photo op of togetherness at say a rugby /tennis game / exotic holiday should be coming up very soon as we are heading into the half way mark of the year.
I have to disagree, I think the marriage is truly on the rocks, as in when she sees him at home he treats her like dirt!!! She is getting hit in 3 arenas, at home when he decides to come home, the public and the media, oh my gosh be careful what you wish for. His family is all together a whole other ball game, so really 4 arenas !!
I really doubt Kate makes ANY decisions aside from what her children can eat and wear. It’s all Will’s fault. Will decides on everything.He is lazy, entitled and not very bright one.
My opinion is there is nothing bothering Kate. She works when she feels like it to meet the bare minimum that William has stipulated to please the Queen. But as others have said above, her true fulfillment is from family and other hobbies. Work is something she has to do but clearly does not give her enjoyment. She seems very happy to me.
I think that she looks so haggard because she has lost too much weight and may not be sleeping a full 7-8 hours for whatever reason – insomnia? If she gained 10 lb back I bet she would be glowing and look rested.
“Kate feels “bullied” by the royal family because they all roll their eyes at how little she works.”
OK I know those are Kaiser’s words, not directly from Kate herself but I can believe she thinks that, which makes her “KEEN” involvement in children’s mental health all the more ill-fitted. Being criticized for something you CHOOSE to be isn’t being bullied. Kids are bullied all the time and some don’t have a mumsy to run home to.
And if she wants to shake this reputation of being lazy, she can get up off her backside and work instead of offering up bizarre, mealy-mouthed excuses of why she can’t. She has been coddled her whole life: she never had a real job or career ambitions of her own, no hobbies or interests that she’s shared with the world through her royal work, she clings to mummy all the time, and barely works. When she does, she makes says and does things that are so tone-deaf and vapid that I can’t possibly understand what these oft-touted “princess lessons” were even good for.
I didn’t know she smoked? But, either way she is NOT aging well. I’m not one to tear people up or criticize but she is really looking rough!!
Not sure how many here are into astrology? I could try and look for the link. There was a site that did William & Kate’s compatibility and they are quite compatible. The interesting bit is that they seem to trigger a laziness in each other. Its an unfortunate aspect. It makes me wonder if they’ll ever overcome this issue.
I have a friend that’s into astrology. I asked her about Kate and Will- LOL. She said that positive couple report is inaccurate because they simply guessed at Kate’s birth time. It’s been driving astrologers crazy not to know what time she was born. A few years ago (?) Kate was asked (or her office) and she would not give an answer. Also, the info was blocked in some way, maybe the town hall?
There are still some things astrologers can figure out without her birth time, and some things are of a concern for a long term relationship.
Many of the astrology reports out there about them aren’t favorable for long term. Oh the ones written at the time of the engagement suffered from the general whitewashing, but pre-and-post engagement there are a lot of negative ones out there. Ego clashes and constant competition, scratchy domestic relationship, significant challenges to keeping together. Wonder if William believes in astrology as firmly as Diana did.
I see this all the time with friends & relatives who have children the same age as Kate. The parents are self made, worked hard, weren’t given anything. They over compensate by spoiling their children, giving them everything & not teaching them life skills. She is so immature.
Who would want her turning up though? She has hardly any patronages and those she does frequent she flies by in under an hour. The only ones she shows interest in are Wimbledon and Ben Ainslie and they are limited in how often they can host her. If you were a charity would you want to go to the expense and hassle of hosting a bored and disinterested Duchess who will leave in 20 mins with a “well done, keep up the good work” flick of the hair? I wouldn’t. I can’t forget her 15min visit to that hospice on the Aus/NZ tour. How disappointed they must have felt, how disappointed we felt for them. I wouldn’t be surprised if, after her recent press, the invites have dried up.
This is NOT an excuse however. She has staff, they can hit the phones, they can fill the diary, they can make sure organisations are not financially out of pocket for the honour of her perfumed presence. They can push her on social media, ‘what Kate and the kids did today’ etc, make her look busy even if it’s just being a busy Mum. She can piggy-back other Royals if she has no visits of her own. There’s stuff she can do – she just doesn’t want to do it and in a future Queen Consort that’s extremely sad and disappointing to say the least. She deserves the lazy and other nicknames, so does William. After 5 years they should and could be better than this.
I am not sure if she smokes but she certainly looks like she bites her nails. Mind you so would most married to a family whose scrutiny must be beyond the bench mark. Kate is no Jecca, Jecca was heavily nvolved with charity work before she got married and probably had a huge circle of friends and would have probably expected her man to put up with her work load and independent social life. Kate just seemed to put everything on hold for Wills – work friends etc to be at his call. I do think that is how the UK public see her so she seems to have morfed into this needy wife who needs Wills always by her side. Note in the interview re Queens 90th she said she was a bit nervous because Wills was not with her when she had to attend an event without Wills and the Queen. Nothing wrong with that but the aristocracy have always been stop moaning and sniffling just get on with it.
Prince Oscar of Sweden was christened today. Godmother Maddie wore an outfit worthy of Maxima and looked fabulous.
J’adore Princess Estelle.
I love the Swedish royals, lol. Charming in a different way.
Madeleine was definitely channeling Maxima with those sleeves. 😉
It reminded me of the mustard yellow outfit Maxima wore to the Lux wedding, although I like Madeleine’s outfit much better.
I think the marriage is definitely in trouble. Here’s a picture from last week’s horse show. The other pictures from this event also show tense body language between them: http://www.gettyimages.com/event/royal-windsor-horse-show-638683299#catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-and-prince-william-duke-of-cambridge-picture-id531658544
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is ‘In Touch’ we are talking about here, they take a grain of truth and turn it into a bakers dozen, the one true grain is that she probably hates being called ‘Do little” and ‘Lazy’ but I’m pretty sure all the recent ‘royal jobs’ are not her idea but Williams. If William is tired of her needy ways then it’s his own fault, more respected royal sources have said he used his ‘need to protect her’ as an excuse for them to stay out of sight. My personal opinion is that she suffers from depression and has chosen entirely the wrong job and life partner.
So William throws his wife under the bus instead of Harry. The man has no decency.
William is such a disappointment. I was hoping that he would be more Diana than Charles, even though she passed while he was still an adolescent, but apparently not. This sounds just like when Diana was first married and Charles was a stodgy, uncaring, aloof turd. Of course, Diana was 19 so totally different situation as far as Kate goes. I can totally picture poor Diana spinning in her grave! Kate looks awful!! She looks nearly 50, so many forehead lines!!! Seriously, I’m 45 and she has at least quadruple the wrinkles I do. I had no idea she was a smoker. That ages you immensely. Girl needs some moisturizer and a nicotine patch, STAT!
After all the talk, thoughts, opinions, etc. it comes down to a very simple bottom line. If Kate was bothered by anything, she’d change it. She doesn’t care, it’s too much effort and she knows she isn’t going anywhere. So the world and it’s opinions, be damned. She’ll do as she pleases.
No one is infallible in that family. Look at Sarah, the Duchess of York. Diana was the mother of the heir and spare and look what happened to her as well. Once you’ve done your duty but prove to be a problem or embarrassment, the RF will find a way to shuffle you out the door.
Kate is caught up in a world of her own making which could very well implode on her. And this goes for William, too, but the repercussions could be harsher for Kate since she’s more expendable.
I don’t really follow the royal family except through here, but I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. She looks upset in that above picture, and I can empathize to a certain extent. Not only is she being held up in comparison to a dead woman (Princess Diana) and is doomed to always fall short, she may very well be an introvert who prefers to focus solely on her children and family and maybe some outside interest but not being trotted out like a show horse. Especially if William isn’t treating her well, the last thing she may feel like doing is kowtowing to his family. She hasn’t struck me as offensive at all. As far as the waiting, I think that’s smart. She has exes, so she obviously did her own thing at times. And, if my parents had a successful business and offered me a job there hell yes I would take it, why wouldn’t you? The hate on her is all a little silly imo. She looks fine. She seems to be a good mother and faithful wife – that, right there in and of itself, is admirable and, though some choose to disagree, it IS a calling that is important and should be valued. Kate, if you’re reading, haters gonna hate. Keep Will in line and you do you.
Criticism isn’t hate, and the constant attempt to equate the two is tiring. All the work they claimed she did for PP was credited to someone else publicly. Even her own sister couldn’t answer, on camera, what Kate Middleton did for the 30-person company.
An introvert who has no problem flashing her bum to earn the nickname MiddleBum? Or who has no trouble spending hours publicly flirting with Ben Ainslie? It is only when she has to do something like sit still and act as if she CARES about anyone around her? Then all of sudden the excuse of her being an introvert is thrown around.
If she wants to be a SAHM (or more aptly WAG) she married the wrong man. I’d bet even if they were private citizens they’d have the two nannies they have now. She’s papped out without the kids too often to believe she’s the 24/7 hands-on mother some like to think.
If they supported themselves and he took himself out of the line, they could do what they wanted. They live the wealthy lives they have merely because of his position to the throne. They need to grow up and do the work in exchange. Since that work involves the incredibly light job of 10-20 hours per week for charity, the hand-wringing over them being stressed and overworked is fan histrionics in my book.
People (including Kate) talk about her as is she can’t take care of herself because she hasn’t done anything to actually take care of herself her entire life. She never worked and paid her own bills. Her parents paid for them, then she married William and his family is picking up the bills.
Her mother stepped in to get Anmer Hall in control. Rumors are she’s practically moved in and oversees things while making sure William and Kate are looked after as well. Most 34 year old mother’s of two would probably go crazy if their mother was there as much as Carole appears to be.
And let’s talk about the fact that they can’t seem to take a vacation without being accompanied by a Middleton, usually Carole. Again, family closeness is one thing, not being able to stand on your own two feet as an adult is another. I agree with a lot of the people here, I don’t understand how she’s living the life of Riley and looks like she’s slaving in coal mines some where. If working 2 to 3 days a month is that stressful on her she married the wrong person and should have hooked up with an aristo or professional sports star and lived a proper WAG life. It is truly only going to get worse as they get closer to the throne. And to be honest, I’m not thrilled at the possibility of these two as King and Queen Consort. The idea is actually quite frightening.
Kate knew what she was getting into the moment she said “I do”. She waited 10 years to get the ring, and now she’ s mad that people are expecting her to earn her keep. She married a man who will be king, as well as her son. I look at the other royal houses and the work some of its members do, and they don’t get the press they deserve. At least not from the American media. I’m surprised a U.S. magazine ran this story.
As for Carole, the only reason she’s pushing for counseling is if there’s a divorce, the Middleton family’s descent down the social ladder would be swift & hard. The Middletons have ties to the House of Windsor through George & Charlotte, but it won’t mean much if the kids are raised more like royals.
She’s a he.