Sometimes, I think back to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding, and their wedding guest list. Like, they were already building their couple-brand as “normal, middle class,” and as such, there were very few celebrities or A-listers invited. At the time, I thought that was a choice, a conscious choice made by Will & Kate to avoid looking too glitzy. But in the years that followed, it’s become clear that they are interested in sparkly things and celebrities and glamour. But they’re careful about where and when they’ll do the celebrity thing. So no surprise, they didn’t attend the big, A-list Camp Google thing this week.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did not fly out to Camp Google to attend an A-list bash with some of the world’s biggest names, the MailOnline can confirm. Local media in Italy claimed that Prince William and Kate rubbed shoulders with guests such as Tom Cruise and Katy Perry at Monday night’s event inside ancient ruins of the Greek Temple of Hera on the island of Sicily.
However the royals in fact flew directly home to the UK following a two-week villa holiday on the idyllic Caribbean island of Mustique, where they rented the exclusive £27,000-a-week Villa Antilles with their three children. The pair’s attendance was reported by two local outlets, Diretta Sicilia and Giornale di Sicilia. Prince Harry attended the event back in 2017, and may have brought Meghan Markle along with him on that trip. Markle was later spotted in London the following week with her mother as she celebrated her birthday.
Present this year but managing to avoid detection according to those reports was Tom Cruise. The Mission Impossible star were among a select group of billionaire businessman, world famous pop stars, doyennes of design and Hollywood A-listers who descended upon the ancient Greek city of Selinunte. Private planes and megayachts shuttled guests Harry Styles, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, Stella McCartney, Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg, Gayle King, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper to the Verdura Resort in Sicily.
Camp Google sounds like Peak One Percent, like “Nero fiddling while Rome burned” sh-t. So I understand why Will and Kate would avoid it – the optics would have been terrible, especially coming on the heels of their luxury vacation to a private, no-peasants-allowed island (in which their house rental was probably comped, let’s be honest). But my question is: were they even invited to the Camp Google thing?
As for their likely-comped Mustique rental, The Sun had an exclusive look inside the house now that Kate and William are back home. This was the tit-for-tat – this is how the Cambridges either got a steep discount or a free rental. The Sun got to run this ad for the rental. Also: just imagine what the headlines would be if *someone else* had taken a two-week vacation at a £27,000-a-week luxury rental in Mustique.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Avalon Red.
That Google Camp is so ridiculous pretentious, under the guise of ‘how can we save the world’. Every celebrity that attended this will always be side eyed by me.
This boggles my mind but why would they be allowed to party in ancient ruins? Really? Is no place sacred any more? Why not party in the Colosseum?
I just read about Camp Google, and for the life of me, I cannot understand how anyone can praise or look up to billionaires.
Ugh that Google Camp thing, just ugh. The 1% who likely use up huge amounts of the world’s resources for their lavish and extravagant lifestyles shouldn’t try to “save the world” unless that means taking a long, hard look at themselves first.
also, I thought the royals couldn’t accept freebies? and if not, was this trip also funded by taxpayers? and more importantly, will the Daily Fail even mention it? Will Piers Morgan write numerous articles telling Kate what a hypocrite she is?
DId LDC and BCoop go as a couple?
£27k a WEEK. So…where’s the outrage about taxpayer dollars and loving the glamorous life?? All those people who bitched about Meghan’s 100K baby shower – that she didn’t even pay for- WHERE ARE YOU?!?! Crickets.
RIGHT. I want to hear about the bad optics, how this is too much of a “celebrity” island, taxpayer dollars, Brexit, etc.
I know, I know, its not happening.
Yeah I think the thing here is that William & Kate didn’t pay for the holiday & it didn’t come out of taxpayers pockets. If they did, I’m totally with you on the outrage but it seems very likely that this was a free as long as the sun then got to advertise the place.
Man, this only hardens my resolve against the monarchy, for real.
So very true, however I kinda think the Google Camp story in the fail was a passive aggressive snark at them and you can bet that they would have loved to have gone to Google Camp for the freebie holiday mingling with big name celebs. It was probably also due to the fail being pissy that the Sun got the photo exclusive of the villa they ‘rented’.
LOL, did you also say that Harry went “for the freebie holiday mingling with big name celebs” when he *actually* attended this ridiculous event back in 2017?. Because that is exactly what he did.
I have my doubts.
They paid for it privately, it’s not funded by taxpayers. It would be listed on annual report if taxpayers funded it. So, either Middletons or PW paid for it out of private funds (he has money from his mother, Diana). It won’t have been a “freebie” because PW doesn’t do that. He has used the Duke of Westminster’s jet before as they are friends, and that was disclosed to the public. PW doesn’t make commercial trades. Period. Ralph Lauren is still mad. PW isn’t …. look, the BRF are proper snobs. They won’t be used. It’s not like America over there. To rise in British society celebrities have to pay through the nose, from the Astors to Amal Clooney, David Beckham, to Ralph Lauren- who finally got his title, bless him. It takes decades of work and charitable donations. The BRF keeps access limited, to keep their worth high. So “goggle camp” was never going to happen, it’s laughable. PW isn’t trying to get to A-listers. A-Listers are trying to get to him, TQ, PC, etc. Why? To get a title, to get their children into the right schools, clubs, events. Eton, White’s, Cambridge, Oxford, etc.
Prince William doesn’t do freebies? hahaha
You are going to be so disappointed in the poor ethical dear prince
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-385384/William-Id-like-to-Mustique-Im-poor.html
It’s adorable how the Cambridge stans love to act like Kate and William are the best thing since sliced bread.
And it’s also adorable that you think that Diana money is enough to last W&K for their entire lifetimes (spoiler alert: it’s not)
Paid for privately? Like Meghan’s baby shower for which she was dragged for weeks due to “bad optics”?
Also, William loves celebrities. So does Kate. I’m not sure where it is coming from that the celebrities are desperate to meet THEM. Remember the LA trip? That was because Kate wanted to go to Hollywood.
Who wants to meet with this incredibly boring couple? Feh!
Oh, no. If your child is male, has half a brain and you’re prepared to pay the fees, you can get him into Eton. Oxford, less likely, they have to care about public opinion so if you want your child to get in you’re much better off sending him or her to the local comp. Cambridge who knows, put them in for classics. Or give them a building.
But White’s – no, dear. There are certain circles that are closed to foreigners, and that is one of them. I don’t like it, and I think clubs like White’s (and, more particularly to my interests, the Garrick) ought to be abolished. But money won’t get you in there.
All costs of security, including the pre-trip security recon, is paid by taxpayers.
The optics of spending over $50,000 for a two week vacation are horrible. If the tabs could pull themselves away from harassing Meghan for one second, they would have a juicy little story.
And while I already see the excuses that it was a freebie, the cost of the RPOs weren’t free and with the entire family there, there were certainly plenty of them on staff. The cost of RPOs were certainly levelled against Meghan when she went to NYC even though Serena Williams flew her there and her friends paid for the shower.
Where is the energy from the people who were criticizing Meghan about this?
Yes, I’d like to know where those phony advocates for the UK taxpayers and the fake environmentalists are as well. It’s 9:00 pm and there are only 40 comments. Are the Keen fans and Meghan stalkers hiding in shame or embarrassment for the FK and FQC’s blatant display of wealth?
There is always crazy gossip about the BRF, but this truly bizarre. Why report W+K were there when it is so easy to disprove? It’s not like the event needs royals to raise its profile.
It was first reported by the Italian media. It just goes to show you that these tabloids make up stories and don’t fact-check sources.
I wonder if anyone else on that guest list was reported to be there incorrectly.
I am trying to be positive today (and distract myself from the *crickets* from the UK press about their expensive holiday – who we know would’ve been frothing had it been H & M) so I will just say that olive blazer & black pants combo is one of the best things she’s ever worn.
@Redgrl, I was just thinking the same thing about that outfit.
It really gives her a completely different look, which is good !
Camp Google. Wow. That’s insane. And I like how the article got in a dig about Harry possibly having gone in the past with maybe Meghan too.
The villa is incredible. I cant even imagine that kind of lifestyle.
Oh I’m imagining my family in that Villa right now! How dreamy.
@Becks1
“a dig about Harry possibly having gone in the past”
Harry DEFINITELY went to this ridiculously pretentious event back in 2017. Someone took a sneaky picture of him while he was there.
Okay, but it didn’t have to be brought up in the article, and there is no proof Meghan was there. That was just a reminder that Harry and Meghan are the celebrity-obsessed members of the BRF, and Will and Kate are just normal people who want to get home after their 2 week vacation!!!
Not a fan of William but the camp google story doesn’t seem to fit with his agenda. However he wants to keep up with the Sussex’s so I can’t completely rule this out. Maybe smoke and mirrors to hide the $27,000/night vacation!
They really wouldn’t have had an enormous say with the wedding invites.
27k a week? Are you kidding me?? I know it’s owned by Andrew Dunn so they probably didn’t pay (except for security, flight, expenses etc all on the taxpayer’s dime) but my god, what a waste. An embarrassment of riches. Jfc.
Their flights are supposedly privately funded. Like their vacations’ accommodations. If we believe this for other members of the family,who certainly have their holidays and private trips,we should believe it for the Cambridges.
It’s amazing how the same handles who were attacking Meghan on the bad optics of going to NYC are now the one saying that “they all do it so its ok” when many of us were pointing out the annual Mustique holiday. The hypocrisy is enormous.
Eh.. did I say the optics are especially “good”? The closest comparison would be M&H’s “babymoon”,when you had Emily Andrews (if she was the one reporting about it) emphasizing the luxury of it,but it ended there in terms of reporting and outraged tweets and comment sections. It’s not like nobody has called the Cambridges out either..
In both cases we have not seen pap strolls outside super expensive hotels and restaurants for three days,a constant feed of new stories even coming from royal reporters that were intentionally briefed about it,Gayle King talking about the event on GMA,etc..
I think we all know they go on vacation in luxury locations,they travel privately with their RPOs, etc… Including Meghan and Harry. Unless we pretend the Cambridges are the only ones who have ever gone on a skiing holiday (Sophie and Edward went some months ago),on some luxury beach resort (we know Meghan and Harry did it for a couple of days during their tour).
The point is that most of the time they manage to keep everything out of the news,or with minimal “leaks”,hence the “optics” talk. We talk about “optics” because in the end we accept that,security aside,they pay for the vacations,the flights. Personally speaking,I’ve never said they lied about the baby shower being funded privately.
Another argument I also saw a lot here was that the security costs don’t change,whether they’re in London or in New York,so British taxpayers paying for her security wasn’t a big deal. K&W should have the same RPOs they already have in London.
And if we accepted that version and that their private trips are privately funded,we shouldn’t say now that taxpayers are paying for the villa,the flights,their staff like the nanny who is not paid via the Sovereign Grant.. or spending extra money for the security. I was responding to that point.
Neither of these stories are going to gain much traction because the British press is obsessed with hounding Harry and Meghan.
“Camp Google sounds like Peak One Percent, like “Nero fiddling while Rome burned” sh-t.”
like, seriously. them one percenters better continue keeping these shindigs on the down low, because i don’t think us peasants are going to take too kindly to it if they rub our faces in it.
Why link them to something they’re not at? What’s the point of this snark?
That Camp Google thing sounds boring. I rather explore the island& the ruins than be stuck having to talk to those people.
Sicily is stunning, esp the area the event was in – its called the Valley of the Temples. If you love ancient Greece then you will love that part of the world.
I’ve stayed in Sorrento, Positano, Naples and Capri but missed out on visiting Ischia (maybe next time) – that part of Italy is one of my favourite places.
Digital unicorn, have also done those towns plus others in the area. The place is stunning. That being said – Positano- never wanted to see another stair or step in my life by the time I finished my stay. Capri – stunning but the sheer drops as one drives ( though one would argue that it is the same in the whole of the Amalfi coast ). Have been to Sicily, mostly based in Taormina , but have visited Palermo, Cefalu, Messina, mt Etna, Catania .
As soon as I read about this Camp Google, my first thought was that the Cambridges were not there, they are just too provincial for it. IMO a Cambridge vacation is Kate with the kids and the Middletons in some villa in Mustique, William the dark horse partying elsewhere with some buddies and some sophisticated girls. For some reason the press planted this story, maybe to do what they have done, slum Harry and Meghan for mingling with the 1%, with fake outrage of ” Oh no William and Kate are not like that “. I think the BM is already imagining how Meghan and Harry will spend their holidays and are getting ready with the fake outrage.
As someone who likes travelling and experiencing the world, I would never begrudge the Royals their holidays and travels, maybe because in my small part of the world travelling both in summer and winter is the norm for almost everybody, and this has nothing to do with wealth. If anything I would be dying of boredom if I had to visit the same place again and again, do not care how beautiful the views are. So in my opinion the Cambridges can holiday however they want. Their budget is just higher than others.
According to the Mail, Harry attended and gave a speech!