I didn’t even think about how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge/Earl and Countess of Strathearn would return home after their visit to Scotland. I guess I kind of thought that William and Kate would actually stay at Balmoral for a full week? But they did not. They went to Scotland last Thursday, happily setting up the photo-op with the budget airline… a photo-op which was an eco-disaster involving two empty planes being flown across the UK. They happily rode out the PR storm at Balmoral and smugly posed in a car with the Queen on Sunday. Then by Tuesday (yesterday), they were out of there. They made sure to get photographed taking another “budget flight” yesterday too:
Kate Middleton and Prince William were seen boarding a budget plane back from their trip to the Scottish Highlands with their three children. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, reportedly flew into Norwich Airport in Norfolk at 3.26pm. They were pictured after reportedly getting off a Loganair plane from Aberdeen International Airport.
The Cambridges were returning from their yearly visit to the Queen’s Balmoral Estate. Richard Pace, managing director of Norwich Airport, told the Eastern Daily Press : “It’s always a great privilege to welcome any member of the Royal family to our airport and we are always happy to welcome them.”
You know what I find interesting? That the Daily Mirror got this exclusive. Maybe Kensington Palace’s communications office realized that they were being WAY too obvious with all of the planted stories, photos and videos to the Daily Mail. KP even ran to Rebecca English at the Daily Mail to massage the “empty planes flying across the UK” story and assure everyone that the Cambridges had NO IDEA. Sure. That’s why KP ran to the DM ahead of the Scotsman, right? So they worried they were being obvious and they knew that they had to use a different outlet but have the same kind of set up: “Aren’t the Cambridges just bRilLiANt for flying budget airlines! Look, there are even photos of them being so humble and middle class!”
The #DukeandDuchessofCambridge, #PrinceGeorge, #PrincessCharlotte and #PrinceLouis flew into Norwich Airport in Norfolk at 3.26pm from Aberdeen.
➡️ https://t.co/OxrgRbhrog pic.twitter.com/S5w477YlOf
— Christin Zi (@PackhamGown) August 27, 2019
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Ah yes so budget. Were they getting groped at TSA like the rest of us? Then I don’t want to hear it.
I want budget from William all the budget time. Ok Cambridges, that means budget airline to Budget rent-a-car. And wait in line there too normal Bill Middleton.
But they’re just like us! Look here’s Willy unpacking a sandwich he brought from home!
So what if they’re the only ones on that flight, they’re normal I tell you! Normal!
By the TSA…. in the UK….
Um. No?
To be fair that doesn’t happen in Britain at all, or anywhere outside the US. At most small British airports you just waltz through security in two minutes. They often don’t even care about standard stuff like taking liquids out of your bag (obviously major airports like Heathrow do).
I flew out of Edinburgh airport a couple of days ago and an American in front of me in the security line actually took his shoes off. Apparently that’s something they make you do in America? There were a few chuckles about it.
Well to be fair, Britain didn’t have four planes hijacked in a kamikaze terrorist plot or have some nut job pack his shoes with C4 to blow up the plane in mid flight. We Americans have been a bit paranoid about that since:) I lived in Washington during 9/11 and had to fly 2 weeks later. Security was a mess!! It took an average of 6-7 hours to get through security to your gate!! And that was BEFORE we had to take our shoes off, lol!
the TSA is only in america, it’s not international. that’s why it has “america” at the end of its name.
You get mad when they fly private. You get mad when they fly commercial. What do you guys want? Lol If the next flight the Sussex’s take is commercial, are you going to be this mad too? Lol
We get mad at the hypocrisy
So yes, you will he just as mad at the DDoS if their next flight is commercial? Completely hypothetical but if it does happen, I’m going to love to see the comments about the hypocrisy too.
The hypocrisy in how this was treated by the MEDIA. These people will continue to do what they want and pay us dust.
The fact that this is so clearly a PR tactic, a tragically pathetic one at that, and we know good and damn well if the Sussexes did something like this people would be on the floor
+1
Lots of folks who tacitly agree with the UK Media’s racism and bullying of Duchess Meghan are exposing themselves in this discussion. Good.
Those moving the goal posts and willingly playing dumb about the point Kaiser is making are also exposing themselves.
@ OH NO I’m not talking about the PR or the Media, I’m talking about you guys right here on this thread. Will you be mad at the DDoS if they choose commercial for their next flight? No one seems to be able to answer me because deep down I believe that all of you would give them a pass and aren’t willing to admit it.
@NICO
seems you are not understanding.
Royals use private planes all the time.
Only Harry and Meghan were abused over it and they were abused for flying commercial to Morocco.
Only William and Kate used their children to score pr points over booking a last minute budget flight then posting pictures.
Not hard to understand that if you are going to call out one couple for something you have to call out everyone.
I can’t say deep down I feel some kind of way about their private plane usage. Because to be honest, there is no deep down with this, just the reactions. And I don’t remember that much noise about the Cambridges flying private the Mustique, only that they take a lot of vacations for people who break a sweat pushing lift buttons
I wasn’t mad at them taking a private jet. I think the whole thing is much ado about nothing. In other words, until Meghan gets back from maternity leave, the press will continue to grasp at straws.
Deep down you are being obtuse and trolling.
I think people aren’t answering you because they don’t feel they need to explain that they have the right to their OWN OPINIONS.
I hope ALL BRF family members fly, drive, ride… budget for the rest of their lives!!
@NICO – this IS an issue run by the media and PR. The Cambridges think they’re playing us but we aren’t stupid, we see right through the fact that 2 – YES TWO – airplanes were involved in several flights to prove that Normal Bill and Kate fly with the peons thereby using much more fuel and most likely bumping numerous people from the flight to accommodate their protection officers, nannies, fart-catchers and so forth. So from a PR perspective it was a total fail. I don’t give a flying f*ck if either the Cambridges or Sussexes fly private – what I DO resent is that the whole thing was a complete, manipulated farce.
I agree with Nico… the commenters on this site rip Will & Kate apart for everything they do, so they can’t win. And Harry & Meghan can never do no wrong. If people would read other sites, you might have some objectivity regarding both couples. Neither are particularly environmentally conscious or aware. I mean, taking private jets for vacations??? Jesus. Camp Google? Unless they actually practice what they preach & I mean recycle, reuse, don’t wear leather, fur, etc, I don’t want to hear anything come out of any of the royals mouths. Any. Of. Them. Don’t tell me what I should be doing unless you’re doing it & they aren’t. That’s what I find hypocritical.
I agree with everything you posted. It seems to be if you don’t like something that Meghan does, you are automatically a racist. And defending the Cambridge’s means you don’t understand “how they manipulate the media.” As far as I am concerned, neither couple is all good or all bad. But, if one couple is criticized for something, then the other couple can be criticized if the do the same thing. Equal opportunity criticism.
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I prefer not hearing about their travel arrangements and not seeing staged photo ops. I don’t care what they fly, but please don’t make it sound like they’re just like us.
Which couple are you referring to? Just one? Both?
No worries Nico, as Boris Johnson is making sure Royals won’t exist anymore so not really an issue who flies where and with what.
The effect to the UK population is disastrous and I have no amusement there but I’m kind of wanting to get the popcorn out to see what happens to the BRF in this mess.
ooof that would be the only good thing to come from brexit- no more high class scroungers! GET A JOB ROYALS- and no, shaking hands and going to wimbledon is not a job.
@Maria
When food and medicine shortages will happen, the gravy train of the BRF won’t be tolerated anymore, “let them eat cake” doesn’t cut it I guess
+1 Nico
They should take the train. That simple,
If you travel nationally on a comparably tiny island like Great Britain and you have the time (which they have without any proper job whatsoever) : TAKE THE TRAIN!
William and Kate probably think trains are for peasants… Plus add that our train service is pathetic if compared to other countries like France, Germany or even Italy.
At least you have trains. We almost had a train, but the republicans love fossil fuel money so much they killed it.
A simple google shows dozens of stories about Royals, including William and Kate, taking trains.
Pictured taking a train for work vs. pictured taking a train for vacation. They don’t do the latter, and when they do, it is easily attached to PR. See the train trip from Sandringham in the midst of the Anmer debacle. Wasted 7 million on KP but were moving to the countryside instead. Train trip conveniently photographed.
I think people are underestimating how long of a car drive and train ride it is between Aberdeen and Norfolk (and Aberdeen and London). Maybe someone from Britain can chime in with better info, but Google has a car ride between Aberdeen at Norfolk at just shy of 9 hours and I’ve found various train travel times that involve multiple train switches and clock in at about 10-11 hours??
Thank you ! Exactly what I was going to say. Are the Cambridges supposed to fly on private jets days after what happened to Harry ? If they get the outrage and fly on a regular plane they must be “plotting against” the Sussexs. If William acts normal he is shamed, if he acts privilege he is too. I mean I don’t particularly like him but this site is way too much
I’m assuming a family memo from TQ went round this week warning that anyone spotted boarding or disembarking a private jet for the remainder of this month will be cut. off. effective immediately
(except for you dear andrew, TQ’s special snowflake)
I agree, what choice did they have?
There’s an agenda against H&M. The problem isn’t that they fly private. It’s that Harry talks about his concern for climate change & then flies private, frequently. Because his wife is disliked, they want to call him out on it.
The media wouldn’t have gone after Will & Kate’s use of a private plane in the same way.
THEY made a deal of it themselves, presumably to stick one to the Sussex’s.
Don’t worry, Nico.
You will see them.
You will probably be posting them yourself! Because NOTHING is good enough when it comes to criticizing Meghan and Harry.
What really stands out to me here is how miserable both Catherine and William look in these pics. Their hands are *thatclose* but they’re not touching.
He doesn’t love her. She gets it. They’re both just working for the Firm.
Meg and Harry are IN LOVE. You can’t replicate that.
The Sussexes are just living their lives. They’re not trying to put on a show of being normal and middle class.
I think they should consider taking the train. Or, you know, stop trying to turn all their travel arrangements into passive aggressive PR stunts against the Sussexes.
This.
FWIW: If they are the only ones on the train, the train isn’t any better.
+1000
So how many empty planes had to be juggled around the UK this time around?
And Kate even dressed up for the so clearly not obviously set-up photo op!
The photos aren’t from their flight yesterday. They’re from a military Christmas thing in Cyprus. Yesterday’s were just some pap shots of them getting into their car near the plane.
Kate was actually wearing a dark green dress in the pap shots yesterday that were identified by some as Michael Kors.
So she did dress up.
Out of curiosity, how do you think the paps got photos of Prince Andrew around airports recently?
We sit around and talk about feuds and flights, while they are vacationing without a care in the world.
But William cares.
That’s the sad part.
LOL, they care. Why else would they put out these pieces?
With Boris Johnson asking the Queen to suspend the Parliament she’s the only royal I’m looking at right now. This is going to be chaos.
I agree. The Queen/ Parliament and Andrew/Epstein are the most important royal stories. Guest editing Vogue, private jets, and articles about the brothers’ feud are all distractions.
Why does the press keep referring to Epstein as the billionaire pedo when his will documents were released, showing his estate worth around 500 million?
likely because he had the financial means to hide so much of his money…I’ve assumed the 500 million was the tip of the iceberg. Its all the money below the waterline that will disappear though…
Piptopher, that’s what I figured too…remember also HM et al listed in Panama papers….the intl greed is so out of control… and closer to home: the state of California is heading towards disaster.
@Citresse: I think its because at one point he was a billionare (I think) and plus he’s hidden much of his wealth. Am sure its tied up in assets already belonging to his brother.
Exactly this is a non issue- uk is facing a constitutional crisis and the pound is sliding.
So I guess we’ll see a few more inane royal stories over the next few weeks for distraction value then?…
@kay- there’s already a stupid story about Meghan and harry going for a ‘normal’ sunday roast
I think it’s a relevant thing when the third in line to the throne is pulling these moves when Brexit is happening.
Exactly.
This stuff is all distraction from the coup
Serious question: can TQ REFUSE to dissolve Parliament?? And if she does, what happens?
The Queen has to defer to the Prime Minister. As head of state she can’t be involved in political decisions, she has to remain neutral. She can’t even vote. However if the Prime Minister has no majority, e.g. a vote of no confidence, the Queen can refuse to follow his or her advice.
They don’t look very smiley in any of the pictures, which makes me giggle a bit. I imagine there was some conversation about the contrast with their usual private flights. So much roomier and one can avoid the hoi polloi, doncha know. Oh, the suffering they went through to look more environmentally concerned!
These are old photos.
They need to stop. They’re doing this because of optics, not because they really want to and everyone knows it.
The joke’s on the Cambridges. They are stuck using commercial for private vacations for now on or get dragged.
This! Because obviously they can do it, so in the future they should be able to continue. But who knows what PR spin they will put on flying private later: security I’m sure will be their excuse.
The point really is the Cambridges will not need an excuse. They can do whatever they want.
Seraphina- the Cambridges will just go on the downlow and we won’t hear about their travels at all. Problem solved.
That and the media will bury/spin anything that might look hypocritical.
++ Yes!!
Now for me they are dumb and dumber
Did they take the 🚁 back to KP?
The Cambridges are going to get uglier and uglier.
I wonder if they will announce Kate’s pregnancy during the Sussexes’ tour?
@Kittycat, Do you think Cathy Cambridge is really pregnant for the 4th time or just being sarcastic? I could not tell! LOL! LOL! I cannot believe the Cambridges (at least William) would want another child..
I do think Kate is pregnant but what do I know. I’m nowhere near her!
But I’m sure the Cambridges have learned their lesson and will try to pull focus during the south African trip.
If not a baby maybe Kate’s fix broken Britain plans?
If she was pregnant she wouldn’t be botoxing her face which she has had done recently. However I do think they will do something to pull (or try to) focus away from H&M’s upcoming tour. And yes I think Big Willy and his Babykins are THAT petty.
That was a short trip to Granny’s, no? I thought they usually stay longer?
I think William’s continuing passive aggressive behavior: he will not surround himself with other senior royals at Balmoral on the very charged date of 31 August.
Why is that a “charged date”??
Diana died on 31 August.
Poor Kate. Forced to use budget flights from now on, has to step up and work regularly and now shops on high street. This is not what she was expecting life would be I bet.
Stunt queens is a great term for these two
I mean, really though, all Royals of all nationalities are kind of stunt queens are they not?
They all are performative, bringing ‘awareness’ to pretty safe issues and constantly self-promoting. It’s kind of the gig they have.
While I do get why they’re getting flack for any staged photos, I also wouldn’t be surprised if PR teams, Her Maj or Charles told them to trot themselves out for a photo call to try to prove that they’re just like us in an attempt to take some heat away from the Sussex’s and of course Andrew. It’s really a lose-lose kind of scenario. If they flew private, there would be calls for their blood and ‘how dare nobody treat them in the same way that we call appalling when the Sussex’s are treated as such’. They fly public and then it’s a case of ‘ugh, they’re obviously doing this to hurt H&M’.
I think they should ALL try to do things the cheap way when possible, tbh. 🤷
There isnt much interest in the Cambridges.
The Cambridges do whatever since they are in an alliance with the royal reporters.
And I’m sure the queen and Charles wouldn’t have encouraged the Cambridges last minute pr stunt.
@Erinn, totally agree. They’re all stunt queens playing PR moves. I have little patience for the lot of them and can’t wait until monarchies are done.
Erinn, you are the voice of reason on here, TY!
Sooooo, are Meghan and Harry in Scotland?? Or are they arriving today And that’s why the Cambridge’s bolted so soon?
Ha!!! Good one!! 🙂
Chris Ship is on twitter talking about how there is no outrage about Randy Andy using private planes for his current Spain vacation due to… Elton John not stirring up outrage like he did with Sussexes. WTF? And what a bold faced lie too from Ship.
I still don’t think Ship has commented on his “tickets bought months in advance” tantrum defense tweets of the Cambridges flight to Balmoral despite being called out on twitter about it.
Private plane rides are the least of Andy’s problems right now.
At least they’re not on the “Lolita Express”
Having walked most of the miles from South to North in England over time and having used a train to cover the return, I’d say, flying is the wrong choice anyway. Peterborough to Newcastle, change train there to Aberdeen. Hell the Queen has own train carriages, they can even ask for one of those and stack it to the roof with Middletons and nannies.
Is there a reason they can’t take the train?
The train is about 8 hours and they have to change at Edinburgh Waverly as its not direct. Balmoral is out in the sticks and flying to Aberdeen is sadly the easiest of routes.
Its not the flights to Aberdeen we should be complaining about but the helicopter ride you know they took from the airport to Balmoral (it does have a space to land heli’s) as there is no way they would have driven 1.5 hours from the airport to the estate.
The eye witness in the original article describes them as getting off at Aberdeen and loading up into black Land Rovers on the tarmac, so maybe they did end up driving this time? Of course, they could have just been driving to a different part of the airport to take the helicopter, too.
There are trains running numerous times a day from Scotland to England. Im more than sure they could finagle themselves a first class carriage for their sole use. This “oh look at us using a chartered low cost carrier plane” is a load of bollocks. This lot and the rest of their ilk can all just feck off. Im in a really pissed off mood today, Johnson & the queen can go eff themselves.
Very often those first class carriages are empty anyway, so they probably could have done with little effort that depending on travel time
So I guess Normal Bill and the missus will be flying economy on their tour of India. Maybe they’ll take the train while they’re in India, just like the ‘normal’ Indian people do.
Of course they did, gotta make sure that everyone knows just how normal and conscientious they are. Still no way they paid for this, given the PR mess am sure they ‘asked’ for freebie from Flybe to make up for their bad PR.
No more private jets for the very normal Cambridge’s.
How about the government just dissolves the BRF altogether? Aside from gossip, which is juicy, they really don’t serve much purpose. Ambassadors should just be appointed by the state and accountable to the state. Royal families in general are a portrait of inequality, in my opinion.
So sick of these lightweights. Maybe he should be focusing on the political mess that is happening in his country, since his grandma just acquiesced to suspending parliament so Johnson can use Brexit to maneuver his way to reelection. What a clown show.
Just like a one man who is not worry about everything
Look……I am a Harry and Meghan supporter and I was absolutely disappointed with William after the Sunday Times article because to me it showed that he was enabling and encouraging the bad press that his brother and sister-in-law were receiving. But it really made perfect sense if you consider that the negative articles increased after a successful tour by Harry and Meghan.
However, given what was happening with Harry and Meghan i would not expect William and Kate to fly private. The photos now…..that’s another story.
What I am wondering is…how will Harry and Meghan travel to Balmoral. The Mail has recently been asking for photos and saying that they are willing to pay (specifically the trip to Ibiza). This will make it very difficult for them to maintain their privacy.
Perhaps they should not go..
Meghan and Harry can one up them by taking the TRAIN.
Eventually people will end up going by horse to be the MOST eco friendly.
Ha ha
No, then you would have RRs quoting PETA about animals being abused.
I think their clothes really give them away. They are dressed the same way they were for Kate’s garden unveiling. Kinda overdressed for budget flight travel, no? I could be wrong if they have to be dressed like this when they are in the queen’s presence?
I think the return photos are from Sunday afternoon post-church? Kate’s wearing the same dress she wore to church (under her coat) and her hair is still up.
I live fairly near Balmoral and it is not easy to travel between there and Norfolk. I would love to see Norfolk but have never been because it is a very awkward journey. Some of the train rides in the north of Scotland are terrible. Central belt gets all the best trains and the north left with the rubbish. Trains are quite often packed and one of the train companies, Scotrail, has virtually no differentiation between first class and ordinary. Balmoral is also difficult to get to and on quite bad roads.
I think the Cambridges are a sneaky pair and playing off the Sussexes but the Sussexes are giving them lots of ammunition. I wanted to see Meghan doing great and making a real difference in the world but you have got to practice what you preach. You cannot go out amongst very poor people but wear outfits costing a colossal amount of money or go on about climate change and then take multiple flights in private planes. If you are going to embrace a very rich lifestyle then shut up about helping the world. It is not just Meghan. Once Diana presented a cheque for £3000 to a charity wearing a £4000 dress. That did not go down well either. Kate’s work ethic is a disgrace but at the moment I don’t think either Kate or Meghan, or their husbands, actually get what it is to be a true member of the BRF and that is to work for and support the British people – not just niche groups; all the British people.