Does anyone else think it’s somewhat interesting that Queen Elizabeth asked Prince William to travel to Scotland with her this week? It felt like a last-minute decision to include William on this visit too. Liz is in Scotland for the week and she’s visiting Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling. William was/is with her during her events on Monday and Tuesday, then he’ll go back to London and Princess Anne will be by her mother’s side for the rest of the week. It’s clear that everyone (courtiers, family) is wary of the Queen traveling “alone,” so the idea that she’s got backup in the form of Anne and William isn’t surprising. But I think William was invited specifically to get him out of town for a few days so he and Harry didn’t end up in some kind of brawl. Plus, the Windsors are just desperate to “keep” Scotland and stop Scottish independence. What better way than with personal visits from the Future Future Mad King and the 95-year-old Queen, I guess.
Prince William is supporting his grandmother Queen Elizabeth on a day of outings in Scotland. The prince joined the Queen, 95, who is undertaking a week of royal duties in Scotland for the first time since the death of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, in April.
William, 39, and the Queen started Monday at an iconic soda maker’s factory in Cumbernauld, near Glasgow. A. G. Barr create the famous Scottish soda Irn Bru, which is said to contain 32 different ingredients in its secret recipe.
The Queen officially opened the new facility, and she and William – who is titled the Earl of Strathearn in Scotland – were given a rundown on the history of the company and met employees to learn about the 140-year-old company’s place in local community life. Before jointly signing the visitor’s book, they were shown some of the company’s other brands, including Rubicon fruit and juice drinks and Strathmore Still Spring Water.
The Queen is said by the palace to be “celebrating Scottish community, innovation and history” during the week in which she will be in the capital, Edinburgh, and visit Glasgow and Stirling from Monday through Thursday.
She will stay at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, her official residence in Scotland. Usually she hosts a garden party during Holyrood Week or Royal Week, but that has been ruled out because of the coronavirus pandemic. In line with government guidelines, the Queen did not travel to Scotland for Royal Week in 2020 or host large-scale events, such as investitures, normally hosted at the Palace. While William is with her on Monday, her daughter, Princess Anne, will be by the Queen’s side on Wednesday and Thursday, the palace said.
The Buckingham Palace social media posted several photos of the Queen visiting Scotland over the years, and trying to emphasize Scotland’s importance to her personally, and to all British people. Which… I mean, they said that the royals were going to do a charm offensive, so I get that. They’re all going to show up and wear tartan and pretend to like bagpipes. But at this point, it kind of sucks that the Queen is the one who has to hold this sh-t together because no one else in her family is capable of it. That’s also why William is along for the ride – he was duller than dull when he was in Scotland last month. His 95-year-old grandmother is capable of outshining him.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Getty.
She really does outshine him by 1000% even in these photos
She also didn’t acknowledge him. For the entire event The Queen never looked or spoke to William. I watched the video of the event and she pretended he wasn’t there. It was so odd. William being completely iced out by The Queen….it leaves so many unanswered questions for me.
Maybe it was because of the big media blitz from KP about the naming of Lilibet. I agree if she didn’t interact with William at all that’s pretty telling and very strange.
I noticed that too, there seems to be no interaction between them, its kind of odd considering she’s his grandmother and boss.
Maybe it was a case of “Now, William, you just watch me. Watch what I do, and try to learn from it.”
She’s giving him a diplomacy lesson, or a second chance with the Scots, who are unimpressed by tartan buttons?
It wouldn’t be the first time she’s blanked him recently. She’s probably pissed that he is ruining her last decade as a monarch.
Between this and he and Keen getting iced at the Choo Choo Tour culmination photo call back in December….Granny may be cutting your ass out of the will if you don’t shape up, Billy boy.
I think he was told to shadow her so he can learn the job.. he messed up the last tour with the not-so-secret Gordon meeting & the media saw it.. now grandma has to show him diplomacy.
I think it might have to do with the “queening can’t be alone” narrative pushed out by the media. This is the guy who couldn’t get through a funeral standing next to his younger brother for around 10-15min total, without crying and demanding his cousin stand between them and he’s assigned by her idiot staff to chaperone her?
Queenie is like, “unclench your jaw. Now unclench your fists. Ok, now SMILE and act like you’re happy to be here.”
I also hope she’s lecturing his ass on how he fucked up everything with Harry and Meghan and better start acting right or she’ll cut his ass out of her inheritance.
Oops, Snuffles, I made my comment before seeing yours. We’re on the same page.
I hope she lectured him on the car ride over. Technically she saw Harry the day before at Frogmore so maybe she was also like Harry is looking so great and happy. He told me all about Meg Archie and lilibet. Or maybe she told him no inheritance if he divorces Kate?
I guess he didn’t listen because in half the photos he looks like he just drank prune juice.
LMAO….is that a step up, or a step sideways from his usual look like he just sucked a lemon? 😂
She could find all sorts of things to lecture him on: H&M, the Middleton PR, his behavior around his wife, his own PR, the Lacey book, how to display some charm….
I am with you Snuffles (and Merricat!). I think Liz saw William royally f**k up his Scotland visit and then watched Kate royally f**k up the Biden visit. I think this is definitely the queen attempting to show him how it’s done. I’m beginning to wonder if everything is connected–Kate’s behavior at PP’s funeral, the Scotland disaster, the Biden disaster, the Lilibet freakout disaster. I’m beginning to wonder if Liz gave William a major talking to and told him he and his wife need to get their acts together and do their jobs, and to knock off all the nonsense. I could easily see William reacting to that like “Kate, you’re not going to the statue unveiling and turning this into the Kate show. I am NOT going to get dressed down by my grandmother again right now.”
I think she took william to show him how a “charm offense” is properly done. Because he f’ed up last time he was in Scotland. Its funny how everybody loses their mind at harry & meghan for giving up their “duty”. But the only reason the queen needs to go back out there is because the cambs can’t do their job properly.
If h&m were still part of all this i suspect they would have sent them to Scotland
Remember when h&m went on tour to Morocco and a few weeks later the uk signed a trade deal with morocco?
Of course there are proper diplomats negotiating on behalf of the uk so it wasn’t all h&m’s doing. however when they speak of soft power, that is exactly what they mean.
Remember how excited the UK ambassador to Morocco was about that visit? It was so cute. He was THRILLED.
I can’t remember anyone being that excited over the Cambs.
I think the Queen took William with her bc his last two tours didn’t go so well and so she was like “omg come with me so you can see how its done.”
@becks1: he called them both perfect ambassadors for the UK. And i recall that he was especially impressed with meghan. But they want us to believe that this woman is a bully?
It was really sweet. Especially now that we know what meghan was going through at the time.
Im going to try and look the tweet up.
Isn’t a huge part of the lack of Cambridge excitement over the fact that everyone knows they barely prepare, are uninterested in being there, etc? Like I get that Harry and Meghan are naturally photogenic and charismatic, but their doing the preparatory work prior is really what makes the difference. They know their business, same as TQ, same as Chuck. The Cambridges can’t be bothered and no one likes being told so directly that your issue doesn’t matter.
Betsy, I agree. Charisma is the art of making people feel special when you speak, and doing the proper research definitely adds to that feeling.
@Betsy I do think that’s a huge part of it. H&M are charismatic and photogenic like you said, and naturally get a lot of attention, but then add in that they actually do the work and are professional and prepared and knowledgeable about their visits and I think the total package is the big draw. “We can get attention on our cause because they’re famous AND they are genuinely interested??”
He was so funny. Tweeting pics about which patriotic socks to wear, how excited his daughter was to meet Meghan, all of it.
@becks1 the ambassador to Morocco was positively fizzing! He instagrammed his socks everyday. When the Sussexes met with the King and Crown Prince, they were so taken by Meghan and she was heavily pregnant then. She also spoke French fluently to the school girls and to the chefs. Happy days.
Why is there another tour?! Here in the US there are headlines about a delta variant surge in Scotland, is that just fear mongering hype? I would have thought the whole place would be locked down again.
It’s also hear in the U.K. too. Cases are rising again. Last I heard it was around 9k, 10k and especially in schools now too because of the delta variant. These people need to use their brains!!!
You want to value your subjects lives that you only seem to care so much about when you’re about to lose them, then STOP RISKING THEM iN THE FIRST PLACE!!
Also, why the h-lol is William on this trip anyways? After his f-ck up last time, I doubt anyone wants to see his clenched jaw and hands again.
No, it’s not fear mongering hype. It’s true. I live in an area that has been particularly hard hit and has been doing surge vaccination. However, we’ve also hosted international football matches over the last couple of weeks. Everyone I know is aghast at the contradiction.
Don’t be fooled, Delta is here in the US, too. WHO wants everyone back in masks indoors. My kids are too young to get vaccinated and I’m just worried all over again like March 2020.
Its Holyrood week .HM spends a full week there at this time every year
Humbugged, I would like to think that the people TQ and W are around have been vaccinated. It’s been a very long year and 3 months here, and I’m sure it’s the same in the UK. That said, I can understand that TQ really wants to project a sense of normalcy. If she’s always made this trip (except for last year) that may be why she’s doing it this year. Whether it’s a good idea or not? I honestly don’t know. I know that I’m ready for some normalcy–I’m more than burned out on the restrictions. I will continue to wear a mask when indoors at public places, but I have to be honest and say that a little normalcy would be a relief.
The Queen always goes this week (remember this week is why she missed Archie’s christening, she was in Scotland.)
I think it is probably a combination of things – trying to boost his public profile in a more positive way than rage hound, her not wanting to travel alone, and him not being in the country where Harry is. That way, if Harry says Will made no attempt to get together, they can say “He was selflessly traveling with his 95 year old grandma to fulfill his duty.”
Also keeping him away from Buttons and her family’s attempts to strong arm him into her attending the statue ceremony.
I have to think TQ would have been pissed at how Buttons made herself the centre of attention at PP funeral.
Seaflower, I think more than just TQ was pissed at Duchess Keen Cant. And, I have a feeling all of the Keen & Ma Mids media blitz over the statue is also pissing off a lot of people. I’m here for it. They are their own worst enemies.
This move has tremendous “exasperated parent must accompany petulant teen on their senior trip” energy. But…has Kate been benched again? 👀
It’s really sad that his 95-year-old grandmother had to go on a Scottish tour after he and his wife bombed the last two. Betty looked like she didn’t want Baldingham anywhere near her in those photos.
I think she’s determined that Scotland should like him. He stuffed up that recent trip with Kate (not to mention that Covid spreader trip), so she’s dragging him up there again to see if a bit of her shine will rub off on him.
I mean if she wants Scotland to like him? Was thinking if he and Kate ever divorced, in the old days, a marriage would create alliances. William needs to remarry an accomplished Scottish woman to forge the union. Lol but maybe that would backfire big time 😳
I just read that the Queen appointed Kate as sponsor of the HMS Glasgow, the naval battleship being built at the shipyard the Queen and William visited today. So there’s the “alliance” between the Cambridges and Scotland, lol! For many years to come Scotland can look forward to buttons-and-tartan visits.
2 more helicopter trips to add to the running tab for wills.
He’s more tan than Harry, who lives in Southern California. I think his absences from the public eye have been spent on a beach, and this is the queen’s way of dragging him back to work.
I thought the same thing too. He has lost the death-warmed-over visage of the last charm offensive.
When did we last see Kate? Wasn’t it last week? Or the week before? Just wondering if he went on vacation solo or if she was with him….
Oh she’s out today in full England flag cosplay for the Eng vs Ger football match. And this time they’ve paraded George around too. I get that this kid loves football and that’s perfectly okay but at least don’t make him act older than his age. He’s only 7 (?) he doesn’t have to wear a full suit and tie outfit
they are going to kill this woman with all this work
She could hand it over to Chuck any day.
How embarrassing. It really does feel like Lilibet had to take her head out the sand and intervene between her warring grandsons before she witnessed her reign collapse before her very eyes.
Not to say that I think Scotland should stay if the Scots truly want to go but can you imagine the charm offensive with the Sussexes at the helm? The glamour, the thoughtfulness, the impact, political savvy and tangible results that could’ve been made! 😩
The Windsors really screwed the corgi this time.
The windsors really screwed the corgi this time! 😂😂😂
And keen wore plaid and everything.
I think she is going to tell him to be nice to Harry in addition to wanting company. He’s not getting that advice from is MIL.
Princess Anne is very popular in Scotland.
All part of the Scottish charm offensive and maybe the Queen thinks William needs to focus more on his work instead of Harry and Meghan. Btw, Sophie and Edward are in Scotland too.
Poor Queen Elizabeth
She must be thinking of only Sophie and Edward were the heirs.
Sophie and Edward who? Lol
I saw a video of him tasting somw drink amd then trying to guess whats in it,was it irn bru ?Why are the ingredients a secret ?
Eh, Coke’s recipe is a secret. My guess Pepsi’s is, as well.
Yes it was Irn Bru they were at Cumbernauld.Robin Barr is the mixer and added the secret bits and the recipe will go to his daughter
Its where Craig Ferguson is from
I don’t understand why Brenda isn’t wearing plaid. I thought all powerful women knew to wear plaid in Scotland. 😀
The most fascinating thing about this article is the mysterious (to me) Irn Bru soda with 32 secret ingredients! What does it taste like?
It’s orange in color but tastes like bubblegum—I think it must be an acquired taste…
It tastes vile. It’s one of those things where you know you’re drinking something totally made up in a lab. The ingredients are no doubt secret because it is near toxic. I suppose Coke is like that, but it doesn’t make you feel that way.
Thanks for the explanations. The “32 secret ingredients” make it sound so special. I would have tried it based on that marketing ploy and the cool-sounding name alone. 🙄 Reminded me of Futurama’s Slurm. LOL
It’s really nice (says a Scot) and is the best hangover drink ever due to the massive amounts of sugar in it
Toxic bubblegum.
Probably one of those things that you love if you grow up with it, but is hard to get a taste for as an adult.
Did anyone notice William’s suit? It looked weird to me. Like the fabric was crinkled. William also looked really red. Made me think the rumors of his drinking are actually true.
All in all a weird event between the Queen & FFK. William was clearly the employee to the boss, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that between them before. I wonder if QE let it be known she didn’t appreciate the headlines in her name against H&M.
He’s lost weight and had his suits tailored to show off his new physique (red flag for someone getting back in the dating pool).
Could it be the divorce is nigh diet, or the I’m getting loads of sex with the lawyer diet?
I mentioned this below. The suit doesn’t fit at all. Wrinkled, way too tight at the waist, too short at the hip. Poorly made, not even steamed before he put it on. Shows how little he cares about what he’s doing frankly.
Thanks! I thought maybe I was seeing things, but he was a mess.
Third trip in less than a year, two trips that cost so much, the lamebridges muff up.
Saw a tweet from a Scot, calling Cain the bald brother with the clothes horse wife, who dresses in tartan, when visiting Scotland.
Awww, the royals have decided to visit their Tartan Disneyland. I wonder if Wills will get a pair of ears?
He should get a pair of b@lls.
He looks like her bodyguard. Lol. Nowhere near the presence or charisma of the queen
W and Albert of Monaco are so similar looking. Unremarkable and boring. It’s not the bald thing- it’s the general disgustingness spilling out.
There is no way William and Harry could get into a brawl since Harry is isolating and at this point they are probably only communicating through their aides. I think that last trip by William and Kate to Scotland was supposed to be a solo “look at me I’m a statesmen” trip for William. Certainly, last year when they announced his appointment by the Queen that was the buzz. I think they added Kate at the last minute thinking it would boost the trip. They are still trying to get some bounce off the anniversary “look at what a great couple they are” PR. It didn’t work though. They both looked uncomfortable and I’ll equipped and the Gordon Brown meeting was a disastrous end. Then William was largely invisible at the G7 while they propped up Kate. I think him accompanying the Queen this week was a way to soothe his ego and to hopefully get him some good PR from his association with the Queen. It certainly was interesting that the Queen made such a public show of driving down to Frogmore before though. They know where on the grounds they can be photographed and where they can’t. That’s why we never saw photos of Harry and Meghan when they were at Frogmore. So she was definitely sending a message with that little drive. They know William is awful. I think they are finally realizing that Harry is not longer going to let himself be used as a prop so they are trying to figure out other things to give him a leg up. Harry’s video was a surprise to us but behind the scenes the BRF knew about it because both Harry and William are involved with that organization. So William would have known what was being planned for the awards ceremony. This last minute private viewing for William is another attempt to give him some edge over Harry.
Don’t you wish that Betty would slap the incandescent out of Baldemort? He is so sad . Sad and pathetic
The Queen tours soda factories in Scotland as it’s part of her duty to promote Scottish business-I just can’t read more into this. Wills needs to get out and engagements with the Queen have to top the list.
Will repeat my fan fic:
Harry doesn’t care about anyone in this family the way most of us here care for our extended family: those bonds were never formed. And I am including everyone here. His grandmother doesn’t have the relationship with her family that our grandmothers have with our families. The Queen does not spend 1 minute of 1 day worrying about a rift bw her grandsons.
Remember: not long ago, a monarch would seed discord to prevent alliances in the family.
Is there an arrangement with a Scottish besom being set up?
For a second I thought you wrote “Scottish bosom”! A new side chick for William, lol!
He looks like he’s in his 50s.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I have something in common with the British press – if the article is just about William, I can’t bring myself to care. Can someone have negative charisma?
This the Queen calling him on the carpet. Similar to when Kate was called to visit her after the pool debacle. He’s getting yoked up and it’s about time. This is the sboddiest comms job I’ve ever seen in my life.
I don’t remember the pool debacle? (Moreover I can’t tell if you mean “pool” like water or like a press pool.)
The one where Kate took the kids to a private club to swim in full makeup and jewelery and the other moms supposedly remarked upon how glamorous and normal she looked.
Like, a week or two later, she was called to a meeting with the queen. It was during a time when Kate was particularly doing the most about prepping for her role as future queen.
It was a week or two before the news of Rose hit. The Middleton PR was hitting hard with, ‘Kate’s the best most glam mummy ever, doesn’t everyone think so’ routine.
Pool debacle? Was this when she was sunbathing topless?
He’s probably there to shadow and learn how to properly do these trips.
That and his schedule is so light it literally gives him work to add to the court circular.
HM tends to do engagements in Scotland around this time so it has nothing to do with the Cambridges’ tour. I’m guessing William has been brought along because a) it’s time to get him back to work publicly and b) try and teach him /some/ diplomacy skills like acting like you’re interested even if you’d rather be in Mustique.
Winner ,winner Haggis Supper dinner
I just wish he’d get some pants that fit him in the crotch. Soooo sick of seeing his left side bulge.
Did his suit shrink in the wash? Wrinkled all over, too short at the hips, too tight at the button.
In April after the funeral of Prince Philip it was reported that for all future pubic engagements the Queen would be accompanied by another senior royal. The Independent reported : ‘The Queen will never attend public engagements alone, with senior aides coming together to ensure she is accompanied by a member of the family following the death of Prince Philip.’ These were listed as :
The Prince of Wales
The Duchess of Cornwall
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The Earl and Countess of Wessex
Princess Anne, The Princess Royal
It will be interesting to see if Kate is ever called upon to support the Queen in this way.
I remember that but the thing is, she has done a public engagement without anybody. On the 22nd of May, she went to see a ship before it did it’s last journey or something. I had to see the royal family Instagram to find it but I couldn’t see any other royal there.
Some elderly Duke (cousin) went with her, not the Russian spy.
Not funny, but he was so old and creaky, like a high wind would blown him down, people were saying he look like he needed more help than her.
I found that engagement. It was a visit to Portsmouth and HMS Queen Elizabeth. There was a news item that included Prince William’s name but he wasn’t there. The Queen was in a bright red outfit and was accompanied by a lady-in-waiting and a male aide. Perhaps William was meant to be there.
@Jan: I didn’t see any Duke mentioned in the post. Probably the Duke of Kent then. He’s 85.
Duke of Kent in always involved this week as he was in a Scots Regiment for 20+ years
Duke of Kent in always involved this week as he was in a Scots Regiment for 20+ years
@Humbugged: We’re talking about an engagement done a month ago, not what’s happening this week
Was looking at the photos of Billy and the Queen. I wish Bulliam would wear a kilt, not trousers. He doesn’t look good in his suit, especially in the pants area.
He is negotiating the timeline and terms of his divorce, with the Queen and her trusted advisor imo.
QE just gave Kate a keen new job as a sponsor – now she can move closer to home.
He is trying to …. my comment should have read.
I think it is shameful the queen won’t be there for the statue unveiling. She was vile when Diana died. VILE. And she can’t even figure out how to look less shitty now.
It is Holyrood Week ,should she just have cancelled it as they spent month/years planning things out and there is a Garden Party
Any possibility he pushed for her to bring him along because she was seen possibly driving to Frogmore to visit Harry a couple of days ago? I would think he would want public attention from granny too so as to ensure her visit with Harry wouldn’t look like she was taking sides.
Someone…anyone…please give this man some chapstick!
(In response to the article title) because he’s a whiny, moody b*tch who can’t do his job properly?
Would be interesting if this ended up being a ‘farewell’ tour with Scotland going independent soon.
Yikes. His coat sleeves are too long (an inch of shirt should be visible at the cuffs), the coat also looks like that one button is fit to burst it’s so small, he’s got a moose knuckle situation going on, and the whole thing doesn’t look like it’s been ironed at ALL.
His staff must hate him, or at the very least his tailor and his valet.
SNOODLED, 😂😂😂🤣🤣 Moose Knuckle ? I have never heard that term before. I’m guessing you mean his private parts? I hate the way his pants Always seem to fit in the crotch. It’s like that in most of his pics. I can’t help noticing it, it stands out and I really wish someone close to him would tell him that it’s unattractive and I’ll fitting. However about a year ago I read somewhere that he’s Well Endowed, maybe that’s why his pants fit like that🤢
Maybe it was a “grandma, I know you don’t like divorces, but, this woman is getting on my last, freaking nerve.”