At a Buckingham Palace reception for diplomats last December, the Duchess of Cambridge was the only royal in attendance not wearing any special honors, orders or medals. Prince William, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and pretty much every other “major” royal has some kind of honor bestowed by the Queen, even the women who married into the family. It’s been discussed for a while that royal wives usually get the Royal Victorian Order or the Family Order from the Queen after a few years of marriage. Kate and William are coming up on their sixth wedding anniversary, and there’s still nothing for Kate. That might change this year. Maybe.
In this Sapphire Year celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne, I hear from my Palace moles that it is highly likely the Duchess of Cambridge is to finally get a Royal gong. Kate is currently the only senior Royal wife without either the Royal Victorian Order or the Family Order, which are uniquely given by the Queen personally for service to the Royal Family.
It is a state of affairs that prompted one guest at the recent Diplomatic Corps reception to remark that Kate ‘looked naked without an honour’ – as the other Royals sported sashes and badges signifying the Orders to which they belong. It seems the Queen may agree and Royal sources say Her Majesty may finally be willing to give the Duchess an honour as part of the celebrations for her upcoming jubilee, in recognition of Kate’s work with mental health charities, an initiative that has become very popular.
One courtier tells me: ‘The Queen wanted Kate to put more effort into her charity work before giving her a Royal Order. Now her charity Heads Together has taken off, she thinks it’s time to act.’ Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
I kind of love that the Queen was all “I’ll give her a royal order when she actually works a little bit.” And while Kate did not put her nose to the grindstone in the past year or anything, I guess the Queen is feeling a bit more generous. Or maybe not? We’ll see if it happens, just like we’ll see if Will and Kate really move to London full time this year and get to work.
Meanwhile, two more royal stories. One, William and Kate want to ensure that the peasants never, ever see them when they are in London. The grounds around Kensington Palace are now getting a huge “privacy hedge” to ensure their privacy once they do move to London. And once they’re in residence full-time at KP, William wants to be able to look out into the garden and see a statue of his mother. William and Harry are commissioning a statue of their mother to be erected “in the gardens outside Kensington Palace, so her sons will also be able to see it from their apartments.” Considering the privacy hedge, I think that means that the statue will only be seen by people within the KP compound. So it’s not “a Diana statue for the people,” it’s a statue just for William and Harry. They’re apparently raising funds to have the statue built, so I don’t think taxpayers are paying for it?
Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News.
Am I the only one who finds the statue idea creepy?
No, I agree, mainly because it’s not a public memorial. But it’s significantly less creepy than whatever Mohammed Fayed has going on over at Harrods.
Is the statue still in Harrods? I thought when the store changed hands, it got removed? But yeah, that statue was a joke.
Oh maybe it did. I saw it years ago when it was practically a whole exhibit, including champagne glasses allegedly used by Diana and Dodi. **shudder** It was serial killer-level of creepiness.
The whole exhibit is still there in all it’s creepy ‘glory’
It is SO creepy. It also seems like something Diana wouldn’t want. Wasn’t there a quote of hers saying how she didn’t like having to look perfect and be starred at? This statue is everything she didn’t like about her role: it doesn’t help anyone/does no public good, it’s a vanity project, and she’ll be starred at for all of time.
I love my mom more than anyone else, but the idea of having a statue of her outside my house seems beyond weird. My friends would comment on that, endlessly. They would probably recommend therapists before helping me find a sculptor.
Very creepy. Maybe they can get a wax figure of her in their house, too.
Very creepy indeed. How about doing more work for the charities near and dear to Diana’s heart to keep her memory alive.
It makes no sense. Why would you want to look at a bronze likeness of your mother out in the garden, when you can keep actual photographs of her right in your house?
Leylandii are banned in my village.
I wish Normal Bill and Katie Keen were also banned.
Why raise funds?? Didn’t their mother leave them millions that they don’t ever spend since they live off Charles, they should pay for it themselves.
Especially if the public can’t even see it!
Right? Unless it’s going to be solid gold and encrusted in jewels, a statue should be a drop in the ocean for them.
It’s like they’re just so used to being subsidised, whether by taxpayers or more indirectly through their father, that they can’t fathom just paying in full for anything.
I agree, they should pay for it. Wills and Harry are spoiled kids.
That was my first thought, too! It’s a statue, not a palace, surely they can commission it out of pocket, especially if the intend for it to be for private enjoyment.
If they want the statue they should fund it. I hope they won’t be expecting the public to contribute. They really are the most draining family on welfare.
Does her parent’s party supply company make something for a birthday princess that she could just use? Or she could become keen to learn to sew and create her own, adorned with acorns and she can add badges for her work, such as the chutney badge, photography badge, and so on. Apologizes for the heavy snark…I’m trumpatized and feeling gloomy.
This made me laugh, which I desperately needed to do. Thank you.
I have decided that I want a sash with badges too, but where to put all of my badges? What if I wear it wrong? Is it best to wear the jeggings badge below the hip? How much clearance do I leave so that no badges are covered as I maintain my crotch block hand position? Can I have a bright pink pussy cat hat badge? Where’s Pippa Tips when you need them? Pippa Tips stat!!
Where to put the flashing badge? And the mattress badge? The keen badge?
A chutney badge!!
I bow to thee, Mumzy…
Chutney badge FTW! I can just picture Queen Carole handing out sashes to Pip and Kate like Oprah: “You get a sash, and you get a sash, YOU ALL GET A SASH!!!!”
Chutney badge!!! 😂 this can go over the crotch clutch badge! LOL
Ha – HER charity taken off, pff it was already up and running when Waity got involved. Me thinks someone chucked a paddy and demanded that his little wifey gets an honour or they won’t move up to London full time and maybe do one or two more engagements this year.
Waity deserves NO royal honours as she has done sod all but what she has been made to do. For senior royals they do very little for what they are given. She’ll prob bring that in disrepute by flashing the royal biscuit first time she wears it.
Me wonders when TQ will finally give these 2 the kick up the ar@e they so desperately need – thou i think they did get a talking to hence why the are begrudgingly moving up to London full time.
I hope it’s a Family Honour and NOT the Royal Victorian Order. She does not deserve that honour. It took Sophie AGES to earn it.
Agreed.
I hope she never gets one from the Queen. Leave it to Charles to pretend she’s not a total waste of space.
THIS! Whether she looks “naked” without a sash or not, she’s done nothing to deserve one.
Well if Ma Middleton can connive to can get the Queen to give Katie Keen as Mustard an honour for nothing, it will be easier to get Bill to give Pa Middleton an Earldom when the time comes, if it ever does, I remain convinced as ever that as soon as the Queen passes, Normal Bill will pass out of the succession and I doubt even Ma Middleton will be able to do anything about that.
I agree that when TQ passes he’ll be pushed out of the succession by Charles and the gov. The influence of the Middleton Mafia and their dodgy connections should not be ignored.
What i think will happen is that when Chuck becomes King he will throw the Middletons under the bus and use that scandal to force William to walk away from the succession. Chcuk despises the Middletons enough to do it and make sure that they have no influence over the throne. William won’t be allowed to divorce her and stay in the line with the kids as you know Carole has a tight grip on George and Charlotte.
There is no way William will be allowed to walk without removing his children as well. The Middletons need to tread carefully.
@ DU (aka Betti) well we’ve been saying this now for yonks haven’t we? I do think Charles will be behind it, never underestimate the ruthlessness of these people, they threw David under a bus, he would NEVER have succeeded as a known Nazi (one the the reasons the old Queen Mother despised him) William won’t because even Charles must see he’s just not the right material to be a working Royal – he’s also got a lot of Uncle Charlie Spencer in him in that he’s equally selfish, self serving and flaky.
@ Betti:
“What i think will happen is that when Chuck becomes ………….. force William to walk away from the succession…”
Ain’t going to happen.
A lot of things have changed since the abdication 80 years ago. The only way it won’t be Charles – William – George is if the monarchy is abolished.
@ spidey, some things never change, mainly the Monarchy’s need to perpetuate itself. you don’t last over a thousand years (in one way or another) by being squeamish and nothing will get in the way of continuation, if the British establishment (including Charles ) decides William is a liability to their survival he will go, either pushed or more probably walk away himself, I just don’t think he wants the job.
spidey, the world is changing. With Brexit and Trump as president. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
@Spidey,
I agree that either you will have King Charles (and Queen Camilla) followed by King William (and Queen Katherine) or the monarchy will be abolished.
I don’t think that the picking and choosing heirs is going to be allowed. What would then be the point? Let’s say you did bypass William (and family), what’s to say Harry wouldn’t step away too? I just don’t see that working. All in or all out. Ask Princess Diana.
Tulip Garden, Harry has a sense of duty though.
@ Tulip Garden, if it ensures the Monarchy continues – heirs will be picked by the establishment/men in grey suits/ all very hush, hush, it’s how it works, it’s how it’s always worked. Kitty is right, Harry does have his father’s sense of duty and his mother’s sheer ‘star quality’ – if they can persuade him to do it that is. As a Republican I would love to see the Monarchy abolished – but I can’t see that happening either, it would take a national referendum. Would we even bother to have one. What would instigate it? Even if we did I can only see a mass outbreak of apathy from most of the population on an ‘if it ain’t broke don’t mend it basis’ – most of us have far better things to do/worry ourselves witless about right now than the Windsors. Even if we get rid of the Monarchy what would we put in it’s place, an elected President? What if somebody like Trump get’s in, if we are capable of voting ourselves out of Europe we are certainly capable of voting for a Trump – we have a similar crap electoral system that allows these people in despite not winning the popular vote.
I hope this is just a rumor and not true at all. Unlike Kate The Queen knows duty and work ethic.
I’m at a point where I believe that the monarchy has no chance to survive with King William and Queen Consort Kate.
MIKASA, honestly I think the monarchy won’t sustain once The Queen passes unless there is a miracle.
I think Prince Charles will be a good king – William doesn’t even want to be king. They’re not very popular and that won’t change.
I think Charles will be the last monarch. But he wants to be the defender of all faith which conflicts with the Church of England and has political voice as well which won’t go down with some people. W won’t be King though.
@Mikasa,
The Windsors seem to have incredible longevity. There is so much time between now and whenever William might be called upon to take the throne. If the monarchy lasts past Queen Elizabeth at all, I believe that forestalling a King William is way too far in the future to be called. The man will have many more years to make or break his legacy, imo.
The UK citizens (on the Internet) are not amused that they have to pay for the hedge and the statue.
Anyone else find the idea of having a statue of your dead mother visible from your window, a little creepy?
Yes, it definitely is. They have photographs, right? I can honestly say that I have never wanted statues of my dead parents but we’re a family of peasants, so…
I just hope at the very least, they have her kneeling down and reaching out to children, in one of her hats that looked like a space ship with a veil, that is how I remember her !!!!!
What’s the point of a statue when only the royal members can see it?
I can see the public trying to get a glimpse of the statue and William using it as a reason to put up more barriers to keep the public and press out of his business.
@DeeDee, exactly! If this is going to be a statue for their private enjoyment only, why on earth did they make a public announcement about it?
I think you’re on to something. William knows people will want to see/photograph it, and that will give him the ammunition he needs for more “privacy” and “security” measures.
Good grief, he really turned out to be such a disappointing jackass of a man.
Maybe the order will inspire her to do more.
LOL no, I mean, we’re talking about Kate. 😉
I really doubt it. It will only confirm to her deluded self that she is doing a good job as well as diminish the meaning of the honour. It will also embolden the Middletons to ask for more and more favours. The only thing Kate has done for the Royal Family is birth two heirs. Other than that it’s been nothing but laziness, bad fashion, flashing her biscuit, ridiculous hair days and spending like there’s no tomorrow. I hope this is only a rumour. Personally, I will think less of the Queen if this actually happens.
It really wouldn’t take much for her to double her efforts, would it?
Deedee, one day a week versus one day every other week, and 10 new outfits if she manages to work on a weekend once a month, I mean they really must bribe her just my silly little guess !!!
No.
This won’t happen until she does something to earn it.
She has to DO something, not just SAY she is going to.
This is just wishful thinking PR, probably planted by Carole Middleton.
@Murphy I hope you’re right. It would also lessen my opinion of the Queen if she did give Kate one for, basically, nothing.
And if Carole is behind these rumors which seem to pop up annually, she’s an idiot. Because it only makes Kate look WORSE when she ends up not receiving one after all. It would probably never occur to most people to wonder or notice if Kate had an order if not for all of the speculation.
The Streisand Effect: Carole should familiarize herself with it!
What is the Streisand Effect?
@TheOtherOne: here you go:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
I also think the upcoming court case about the photos from France is another example. All it’s going to do is rehash the entire story and have it make headlines all over again – and possibly end up with *more* of the photos at issue published! 🙄
Waity has done nothing to earn an honour except for giving birth to an heir and spare. To give her something would just devalue the awards for those who already have them or who will get them in the future. I agree with a previous comment that Whiny has probably had a tantrum about it.
Regarding the statue, I thought I was the only one who thought it was a bit creepy so I’m glad others think the same. If Whiny and his brother want a statue then they should pay for it themselves.
No, I don’t find the statue creepy if it’s tastefully done. There’s some ugly statues around the world. Diana should be shown in long, conservative dress with Spencer tiara. And seating around base of statue is a must.
But it should be placed in a public place for everyone to enjoy if the public are being forced to pay for it. To me this whole thing smells of Jason and Whiny’s PR machine. It’s disgusting to use their dead mother’s popularity for their own ends. I hope it backfires on them.
@Chrissy, agreed!
If the statue isn’t going to be visible to the public, Jason really shot himself in the foot by making a public announcement about it in the first place.
Why are these people so tone-deaf and incompetent?!
Lorelai, It’s like if someone tells you, you can’t have something you want it that much more!!!!!!!
Hedge shouldn’t be covered by taxpayers but it will anyway. Kate wants to be able to play with the children on KP grounds in privacy. William is often away but he keeps on controlling everything. The hedge is only a start.
They already have a walled in garden near their apartments. This hedge isn’t anywhere near them.
I thought Kate was feeling uncomfortable – or William more like – with George being photographed in his pram during the early days ie- walks around the public areas of park adjacent to KP.
It’s part of royal life.
W&K are selfish, lazy and the most uninspiring royal couple in modern history. They should feel grateful at this point in time, with regard to any press interest off or on duty . They do nothing for the greater good.
But @Citresse, won’t those areas you just mentioned STILL be publicly accessible even after the hedge is in place? Maybe I don’t understand the layout of KP grounds, but it seems that what Kate “wants” is literally impossible given the fact that KP is partly public?
Lorelei, I’m also not familiar with the layout of KP grounds with regard to exclusive areas v public access. I saw KP from the back of a cab.
Perhaps LAK knows or Londoners familiar with that area know.
I know Diana liked rollerblading sometimes around paved areas near KP grounds. She was moody in terms of the attention in public. Her detective Mr. Wharfe described her as wanting to break free from her bodyguards and actually doing so, long before the divorce.
Yep – there will be a moat and a dragon named Carole next!
A “royal honor” for what, exactly? That whole family, with their useless pomp and nonsense, while the world is sliding into chaos…
I’m really sick and tired of these two clowns. They’re so f-ing obsessed with privacy; they have more privacy than private citizens so frankly they should just BE private citizens. There’s probably something going on they don’t want us knowing about.
I can’t believing they’re using taxpayers’ money for this crap. 25,000 at that. They are beyond arrogant and selfish. They don’t care about the people, they just want to throw the middle finger up at the very people who pay for their stupid lifestyle. All they want to do is take take take with nothing to give. They are nasty, horrible, crappy people.
I didn’t sleep well so I’m grumpy. I’m also just fed up with their BS.
@Llamas: when was the last time we even SAW a pap photo of them? Months ago? They bitch so constantly about privacy and harassment but I literally cannot remember the last time we saw a photo of any of them, especially George or Charlotte, which was not sanctioned by W&K.
The way they act, one would think they’re hounded on a daily basis!
Any pap shots of them taken while they are on ‘private’ time are not published by the UK press, the international press yes. Yet, given that the UK press are restraint, it still doesn’t stop these 2 b!tching about how they are hounded by the UK media.
They’re so self righteous. I can’t stand them. I bet, with a heavy heart, that their poor children don’t stand a chance in being different from these 2.
Someone put the kibosh on the Middletons selling pictures to international women’s magazine.
Honors for what? This self-congratulatory tradition is so weird. I get giving honors for doing something outstanding, like I’d be cool with Harry getting some honors for serving in Afghanistan, or maybe to royals who put in 20+ years of solid charity work, but short of that… Honors for what?
Honestly I do not think it’s WK destiny to be King and Queen.
The Fayed memorial is as ghastly as th man himself. th whole affair that summer was stagemanaged by that odious little toad and ended in th most horrendous circumstances.
Anyone here up on royal etiquette/trivia? I’m curious why Camilla is wearing her sash on the opposite side.
As for Waity, she should live up to her nickname once again and not be given any honors until she actually earns them.
There will be a test later!:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sash
Camilla has an RVO (Royal Victorian Order) which has the sash in that direction. Notice the red edging on it too. Phillip, the Queen and William all have the Order of the Garter sash which is in the other direction. Camilla does not have an Order of the Garter sash or else she would wear it, as it is the highest honour.
If I were Poor Jason I’d shut up with the ridiculous fluff and get those two out working, doing charity work in ‘old’ clothes and show that they’re trying to make the world a better place, not spur further rebellion. I’m no historian but I don’t recall lazy out of touch royalty faring too well in times such as these.
The “sapphire jubilee” is not really a thing and the Queen isn’t celebrating it. If she makes it to 2022, though, a platinum jubilee would be amazing. And I bet Kate still won’t have an order by then.
Yeah The Queen will celebrate the Platinum Jubilee not the Sapphire Jubilee.
Waaaaaaait a minute – Heads together is meant to be Kate’s charity? Others pull everything together while she sits in meetings colouring in.
And haven’t we not even really been able to establish what exactly Heads Together actually…accomplishes? All I know is that it’s an “umbrella” organization of other already existing, productive organizations, and that William, Kate and Harry have simply continued to reiterate the *same exact vague talking points* ever since its inception.
I would be happy to be proven wrong, but it seems like a lot of self-congratulatory talking and not much action.
Well they are so good at promoting themselves… Waity is so big headed and a useless mannequin only good at doing nothing of substance
Work? What work?
Why are they raising funds for a private statue? They have enough money to pay for it. They should pay for their own hedges too. And why do they need a statue? Can’t they put a picture of her in their home? Or are portraits just for peasants. Next will probably be a statue of Carole.
All she’s done for the Firm is pop out some kids and spend a boat load of money on overpriced dollies and coat dresses. I wouldn’t give her a honor, and I doubt QEII will either. Just William/PoorJason and/or Ma Midds floating the idea again to gauge the public’s opinion.
Soo creepy about the statue …and then to have it hidden from the public just terrible
also Waity Lamebridge does not deserve any type of honour what has she done in the years she has been married produced two children BIG DEAL. … she doesnt do anytbing of merit it devalues the medal of other members of the Royals who work very hard waity is just a coat peg dolly head nothing more ……..