Duchess Kate’s piano recital ‘wasn’t about being the star of the show’

Royal Carols - Together At Christmas

I somehow missed the fact that Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair had a big story about (you guessed it) the Duchess of Cambridge’s 40th birthday. Nicholl is a pure Kate-specific hagiographer and Nicholl used to get all kinds of exclusives. Not so much these days – Kate, Carole and William have other “favorite” reporters and commentators currently. As with all of Katie’s Keen Birthday pieces, there’s some inherent shadiness built into Nicholl’s piece. I genuinely think Nicholl was coming very close to saying that Kate has accomplished very little and she’s spent the past eleven years either sitting on and/or flashing her royal bum. Some highlights:

On Kate’s piano recital: “There’s no way we would have seen Catherine sit down and play the piano in Westminster Abbey in front of the cameras ten years ago. She would have been too self-conscious and nervous,” says a source who has worked with the Duchess for a decade. “Now, she is a lot more confident in her role and she really understands how to use her profile to put the spotlight on the causes that matter to her. That performance wasn’t about being the star of the show, it was about putting the attention on something close to her heart.”

Her birthday party was lowkey: “As long as she is with her family and her closest friends, Kate will be happy,” says a family friend. “She’s not one for big parties and being the center of attention. Her mother persuaded her to have a big 21st but she’s not had a party on that scale since then.”

William will have a big party for his 40th: In June, William will celebrate his 40th and there are rumors that the couple might host a joint celebration, although palace sources have insisted this is speculation. But however they choose to celebrate, there will no doubt be birthday messages shared on social media and calls with the extended royal family, including the Queen with whom Kate shares a warm rapport.

Katie Keen the Decision-Maker: The Duchess will open carefully considered presents and there will likely be jokes about Kate being the older woman in the marriage. Kate, who has a great sense of humor, loves to remind William that she is older and wiser than him (by just six months) and those who know the couple well insist that Kate is as much the decision maker in the relationship as William.

Razor-sharp focus with the nanny: For all her warmth, genuine kindness and compassion, Kate, like her mother Carole, also exudes strength and a razor-sharp focus. When it comes to the family, she and William run a tight but very happy ship. Despite the help of a nanny and a housekeeper, Kate makes sure one of them is always around for school runs, tea-time and bath and bed routine. “They are very much on an equal footing and Kate wears the trousers just as much as Wills,” says the family friend. “They are a partnership and have found a way to be a high profile family carrying out a very important role whilst being very, very close.”

The Cambridges are stronger now: While the past two years have seen the couple tested, the ups and downs have ultimately made the Cambridges stronger… One of the biggest impacts of Harry and Meghan’s exit has been the additional pressure on the Cambridges who now have an increased workload on top of their already busy lives, but Kate has taken on the extra work without complaint.

Weak William: While the fall-out between William and Harry has been particularly painful for her husband, Kate, who has always been close to Harry, did what she could to forge a rapprochement, even if that is still some way off. Fiercely loyal, she has remained a pillar of support for William, something the Duke is deeply grateful for.

Taking her time: Given the Queen’s age, Kate will become the Princess of Wales at some point during her 40s. Stepping into the late Princess Diana’s shoes will surely be daunting, but Kate’s greatest success has been taking her time and putting her own stamp on royal life. “There was an opportunity at the start of their marriage for them to do things differently and this was the direction that they wanted to take,” says a former aide. “There was quite a period of time between the wedding and Catherine’s first patronages. Neither she nor William wanted hundreds of patronages, they wanted to champion causes, and bring other organizations into that support bubble and we’ve seen that through their work in early intervention, mental health and conservation. It was a case of not spreading themselves too thinly, and really taking their time about what they want to do… She has grown into the role, and has a better understanding of what will work and what won’t,” adds the former aide.

[From Vanity Fair]

Every single birthday story has read like Opposite Day, correct? “She’s not one for big parties and being the center of attention.” She loooves being the center of attention. “That performance wasn’t about being the star of the show…” It absolutely was about All About Pianist Kate. “Kate wears the trousers just as much as Wills” = Kate raises the children with ample help while William lives in a different house and screws around. “Kate has taken on the extra work without complaint” = all she’s done is complain all day, every day since Meghan and Harry left, and she has not done one iota of additional work. “Something the Duke is deeply grateful for” = he can barely look at her without seething and balling up his fists. “There was quite a period of time between the wedding and Catherine’s first patronages” = God, this woman is lazy and we can’t even whitewash it anymore.

Royal Carols - Together At Christmas

Royal Carols - Together At Christmas

Royal Carols - Together At Christmas

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184 Responses to “Duchess Kate’s piano recital ‘wasn’t about being the star of the show’”

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  1. Mira says:

    It wasn’t? Could have fooled me.

    • Chloe says:

      Nicholls said that the performance was to put the spotlight on a cause close to her heart. So was the cause carol concerts? Is that what’s close to her heart?

      • Amy Bee says:

        @Chloe: All we’ve heard about that concert is that Kate played the piano. There’s been nothing about the causes or charities she was supposed to be highlighting.

      • equality says:

        None of their SM accounts highlights any causes associated with the concert. There’s just the “huge thanks to everyone” mentioned, nothing specific about who is thanked. So, yeah, total BS.

      • Lucy says:

        Part of what gets me is that it would be SO EASY for a staffer to add three links to the end of the tweets/posts about these events, and then we’d just be jealous b*tches who are mad in the internet. But no, they can’t even do that. I’ve seen one article in the wild about an Earth shot winner, couldn’t tell you what anyone else won for with a gun to my head.
        It would be easy to do what they’re supposed to be doing, raising awareness, if they could stand to be outside the center of attention for half a second. But they can’t.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      The mass gaslighting is strong when it comes to Mumbles McButtons. The centering of her barely mediocre self is why everything she touches flops. The piano recital centering herself, check. The birthday celebration articles slagging off her far more accomplished sister-in-law and other royal women check. The over photoshopped cosplay widow of the confederacy/wuthering heights photos check. Aside from the British media it was crickets from other decent international royals and celebrities. Kate does nothing of worth or significance and the little she does is for photo ops.

      • Christine says:

        Yeah, the surest sign the piano recital was meant to be all about her is the embiggening news “article” that it absolutely, 100% was not about Cannot. Really, we swear!

    • Yinyang says:

      😂

    • Mrs.Krabapple says:

      Yep, this is an attempt at revisionist history. But it’s too late, the whole world saw Kate for the fame ‘ho that she is. And if she didn’t want to be a star, WHY did they purchase comments praising her on their YouTube video of the piano stunt? Imagine having to pay people to pretend to like you.

  2. Scorpion says:

    🤧🙄😬😴😴

  3. Noki says:

    I learned about freeze posing here a couple of days ago.Omg now everytime i see pics of Kate I am thinking is she doing that now, how do you tell the natural poses from the freezes?

    • Wiglet Watcher says:

      It’s the most awkward thing to watch in video. She is so deliberate for the cameras.
      Maybe most people are carrying themselves better when there will be visual record, but she freeze frames it while everyone around her Carries on.

      • Noki says:

        Oh wow do you have some examples in mind?I guess it makes sense to see it on video and not still pics.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Noki there is a really clear video from the Tour de France, I think its a video. it may be a still shot, but Kate is looking directly at the camera and everyone else is looking in the opposite direction. Of course I can’t find it now, lol, but someone here linked it a year or so ago and wow, it is so obvious what she is doing.

        ETA also you can see it sometimes now if you just compare still photos to camera footage, like look at arrival footage of them at the Bond premiere, and you’ll see moments where Kate is staring at William with this huge plastered on smile on her face, and that’s what gets posted on IG, and you think “aw they look happy” but in the video he’s refusing to even glance in her direction.

      • LaraW” says:

        Okay, now I have this image of Kate standing still (hah!) at the bar holding a pose of toasting people with mealworms.

      • Belli says:

        Found the Tour de France video! Makes me laugh every time

        https://mobile.twitter.com/megxharry/status/1221989788670222337

      • Becks1 says:

        Thanks Belli! That’s the one I was thinking of. She even freezes her hand to make sure the photogs get the shot.

      • Digital Unicorn says:

        Nemo called and wants his pose back.

      • Feeshalori says:

        Hold Still.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        @ Belli, thanks for the link! My gawd, she awful in video format as well as from the photographic format….eeeeeee😬

      • Anna says:

        Oh Jesus, this is ridiculous… Why aren’t there more pictures with people looking WTF around her? Are they warned she’ll do that?

      • jazzbaby1 says:

        Saw the Tour de France video on Twitter…just when I think she can’t possibly be more ridiculous.

      • Cee says:

        This is the most dusturbing thing I’ve seen in a very long time. Maybe this is why William doesn’t look at her anymore – it’s embarrasing to witness!

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        OMG, that video! I never saw it before, it is HILARIOUS! Thank you so much for posting it.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      She is very much like the late queen mother in that regard.

    • Becks1 says:

      So its obvious at engagements when you look at the bigger picture – literally. A lot of times the pics that are on IG etc are cropped, but if you can find the full pic usually the other people in the picture aren’t even smiling, and Kate has her head thrown back with a huge laugh or something. She and William did an event maybe last spring (I think it was a farm, but it may have been a school in London with an emphasis on outdoor learning) where this was really obvious – they were doing things like golfing and she has this huge laugh on her face and everyone else is just standing there. If you just see her, you might think everyone was just cracking up. But when you see the full pictures not cropped, you see that NO ONE else is like that.

      Here, I think its obvious just because….who tosses their hair back like that as they play the piano and laughs at someone in the distance?

      • Merricat says:

        +1, lol.

      • JT says:

        @Belli I found that very disturbing for some reason.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Kate’s fixation on cameras is obvious too. Years ago there was an anniversary celebration event, Queen and W&K were there on a balcony. A special photo was taken with a massive fisheye lens to catch the whole crowd.

        The eventual shot showed Kate looking dead at the camera. Everyone else was looking at the crowd, she’s looking straight at the camera. James Whitaker said Kate always knew where the cameras were and played to them even more than Diana.

      • Eurydice says:

        It’s weird, because when I watched the video of her playing the piano she never tossed her hair back and grinned like that. That photo must have been posed at a different time.

      • Nic919 says:

        The photo only seems to show her with one hand on the keyboard as well. And while she played a super basic song, she still had two hands in the video. So here again she posed with the piano separately because she needed to make a promotional photo on top of the promotional video.

        We still don’t know which charity this was supposed to benefit.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        I don’t remember that pose in the video. But, there were *many* identical comments about how much the (paid) poster liked the “smile” she shared at the end. It was very obvious that they were pushing the “smiling” image in their purchased comments.

      • NiqGee says:

        @Nota, isn’t that what the derangers would complain that Meghan always did? That she always knew where the cameras were? That Tour de France video is wild and a little sinister to me for some reason.

      • Tessa says:

        Kate played to the cameras even during the dating years. Those around her are intent on what’s happening around them and talking to people, she knows where those cameras are.

      • Becks1 says:

        @NiqGee – they do say that, and someone on here who worked for a paper actually said the same thing, but in a complimentary way. As in, when Meghan did royal events she knew where the cameras were so she would be sure to give them a good smile or something so they could get a good picture of her arriving and leaving, which they actually appreciated.

        It’s the random posing that Kate does in the middle of events that’s so bizarre.

    • Yinyang says:

      Really? That explains why I find her so annoying to look at. That is one determined woman.

  4. CQ says:

    It truly is always the opposite of what is written. The game is up and the RoyalRats are nibbling away at Keen’s missing legacy.

    • Jais says:

      Yeah, opposites day is exactly right and it applies to most of the royals, especially Kate. Almost everything written is the complete opposite except for the little digs and shade. Ice cold veins and razor sharp focus are not opposites but the rest, yeah. A lot of the reporters must be inwardly laughing and rolling their eyes as they write this stuff. Some are legit coo coo for Cocoa Puffs and believe it but some are in the know about Kate for sure. Can also see the rest of the family reading this aloud over tea and cracking up. This is low class and embarrassing. There are so many commoners out there that are loads classier than the royal family but unfortunately Kate is not one of them.

  5. Lady Digby says:

    At least she wasn’t lying on top of the piano a LA Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys mode and flashing the audience when she dismounted!

  6. apollocat says:

    Oh god. why she is so desperate for wales title. None of the wales titled people had a happy life. Charles, Edward all are miserable in wales title. Come wills, grow a pair, and kick this woman arse. I don’t know what is stopping William. This desperate piece is beyond creep and borderline sociopath.

    • equality says:

      It smacks of “soon the Queen will be dead”. You’re right, it’s beyond creepy.

    • CC says:

      Wasn’t the first Prince of Wales Edward II, who was later deposed, imprisoned, and rumored to have been tortured to death?

      • Teagirl says:

        Yes, it was. His father Edward I conquered huge areas of Wales, and as their previous Prince was slain in battle, Edward said he would give them a new prince, and one who did not speak English. The Welsh were then introduced to the new Prince of Wales, Edward’s baby son. Didn’t speak English. Didn’t speak anything, he was a babe in arms! I believe, although I would have to check, that Edward I deliberately had his heavily pregnant wife with him so she could give birth on Welsh soil or close to it.
        Edward II was is indeed done away with after being deposed. He was considered a poor ruler, too easily swayed by his young men friends. His son, Edward III, took his place.

    • KFG says:

      Because Princess of Wales gets her a lot of money in the divorce. And she get more jewels. I also think she just wants to be Princess not Duchess.

      • apollocat says:

        Charles nearly got bankrupted in that process. I don’t think this time the royal family can afford that much money. This divorce won’t be like Bezos or gates because those are private money. Brf is funded by royals I highly doubt that touch duchy money because will and Charles may control that money but behind the scenes, all the brf members get their share.

      • Becks1 says:

        I don’t think Charles was allowed to use Duchy funds to pay for his divorce, I think he had to borrow money from his mother? But others here may know more about that.

        Re: jewels, the only jewels Diana got to keep were ones that were given to her personally. A lot of her most significant jewelry was part of the royal collection (like the lover’s knot tiara) so Kate wouldn’t be able to take that anyway.

      • notasugarhere says:

        No, being POW doesn’t mean she gets a big divorce settlement. As Becks1 writes, Diana had no claim on any Duchy funds. What Diana got was every penny of Charles’s private funds, and yes he did have to borrow a few private million from his mother to meet her demands.

        The royals have been very careful with W&K, with an eye towards a divorce settlement. Apartment 1A doesn’t belong to them, nor do any of the furnishings. Anmer Hall doesn’t belong to them, nor do any of the furnishings. The place in Scotland remains Liz’s private property, they just get precedent to stay there when/if they are ever in Scotland. Kate doesn’t even own her clothing or any jewelry purchased with Duchy funds. Diana broke the rules and auctioned off clothing that technically belonged to the taxpayers (bought with Duchy and foreign office funds).

        In a divorce, all Kate has is a potential claim on is William’s inheritance from Diana. If he used a piece of that to buy her parents new home, it will be viewed as a post-nup. Kate won’t get 19 million pounds, huge apartments at KP, and huge staff. If William plans to divorce her, he’ll work with Charles to ensure the POW title isn’t awarded until after the divorce is final. William, kids, Wife #2 will move on to POW and Wales titles.

      • apollocat says:

        In case of divorce what will happen to kate’s clothes. I always wonder that because she has zillion clothes and nobody wants to willingly buy that crap for that much money. I mean I hardly see any noncelebrities wearing McQueen or Catherine walkers. Even billionaires’ wives are not that much into buying crap.

      • TheOriginalMia says:

        @nota, thanks for that breakdown of what she’d get in a divorce.

        There had to be a pre-nup, which would lean heavily in William’s favor, but still afford her a nice existence away from the royals. I doubt William will get the PoW title immediately upon Charles’ coronation. He’ll withhold it from the Cambridges as payback for all the crap they’ve pulled. William will get the Duchy, but like Charles, he won’t be able to use any of that for Kate. The only reason they haven’t divorced is William. He might have done it prior to the Sussexit, but not now. He has an image to protect. Give them a few more years and Kate and her family will be out the door.

      • TEALIEF says:

        @THEORIGINALMIA This is a person who sees the end is near. The desperation of knowing this is seen in the PR/marketing blitzkrieg. This is seen in the retrofitting of 10 married in years of nothing and using her children as cover for a “research centre”.  William is a ne’er-do-well, but barring catastrophic malfeasance, he’s a future king. Her position was always tenuous, especially husband if  doesn’t love her- he doesn’t even try to hide his disdain. She could have gotten the public on board through working. Shelving the party girl and actively working for her patronages a la Princess Anne, not inventing something literally 10 years in. If William does have a lady in waiting with a combination of the following: she has a real job; has done charity work regularly (pro bono work if she’s a barrister going off of what I read here); is somewhat attractive; is halfway personable; well spoken and informed;has some royal antecedents or adjacents, Kate is done and dusted and Charles will back him. They already have Kate rusticating herself off the stage into retirement.

  7. Becks1 says:

    Yes, I often dress up in a red coatdress and play the piano for cameras while tossing my head back and laughing in a carefully coordinated pose when I don’t want to be the star of the show.

    • Chloe says:

      I must have missed something because did this carol concert actually do something of value? Like did they fundraise for any of the causes that are apparently close to kate’s heart or something? Because last time i checked it was just a concert. Although front line workers and the homeless were invited?

      • Becks1 says:

        No, no you did not miss anything. I can’t even remember if it was meant to benefit a specific charity, or if it was just about providing some “comfort” after the past two years.

      • Chloe says:

        @becks1: so then what ‘cause’ was that performance supposed to shed a light on? Lol Nicholl makes no sense.

      • Lizzie says:

        I thought it was a thank you but not sure to whom.

    • Over it says:

      I could be wrong because I only follow Kaiser post about these things, but other than Katie wonder, did real stars actually perform? I mean I know that they must have but what did they sing or do , what did they wear ? Because all I have heard about is Kate in red showing off her piano talents that’s so good Carnegie Hall is getting ready to book her year round.not a word about what charities or actual public workers that benefited from any of the Kate the greatest keenery

    • Marley says:

      Becks1, I also find that pinning on my cascading fake hair (of a completely different texture from my own) helps me to maintain my humble stance…

      • Becks1 says:

        And don’t forget your sapphire and diamond earrings!!!

      • LaraW” says:

        I myself find closing the grand piano’s lid and placing several candles on top to be extremely effective in properly showcasing the music.

      • Digital Unicorn says:

        I play barefoot with a unicorn in the background and a fairy swinging from the chandelier!

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      But dahling am sure you do it with much more passion and panache that Buttons!! Even when dripping in the bling bling.

    • TigerMcQueen says:

      The fact that Nicholl is gaslighting about the piano playing tells me that someone in Mutton Buttons’ circle is aware that it came off as too obvious an attention grab and decided to double down.

    • stagaroni says:

      @Beck1, she looks like she is playing in a saloon, not the Abbey. Has no one ever explained refinement to this woman? Is she trying to get in the Queens good graces by pretending to be a pony? Does she have an undiagnosed face-and-neck tic, or is it more than likely Histrionic Personality Disorder or some other personality disorder? Whatever it is, it is getting worse and she becoming dangerously close to resembling a hyena.

      • ElllenOlenska says:

        Everyone knows Refinement = kids in tights at weddings. So Kate is the Queen of refinement! Unlike some people….!

  8. Lurker8 says:

    She’s becoming the embodiment of the phrase ‘Let them eat cake’.
    Her media protectors tell everyone she is perfect, never makes mistakes and is loved by everyone. It’s my view this strategy will backfire on the royal family but especially on her. No one gets this kind of sycophantic praise not even the queen of England.
    A coddled woman-child who gets away with being the laziest member of the royal family and wasting taxpayer money on expensive clothes and lifestyle.
    I saw comments criticizing Kate for her tone deaf birthday celebration. Putting out 3 photos in expensive clothes, flying in a photographer and supposedly these photos are supposed to cheer up the citizens?

    • Chloe says:

      They pushed the brithday propaganda too far. Even Julia Hartley Brewer, who’s on the anti meghan train, was fed up with the birthday pr.

      • Ginger says:

        The Kate stans are blaming Clarence House for the backlash Kate is getting for her birthday PR. Even they know it’s excessive and want to blame someone, even though its 100% KP. The Oprah interview must have really shaken Kate.

      • Chloe says:

        @ginger: i saw that and I actually LOVE that for Charles. That is exactly what he deserves for being a shitty dad and failing harry like he did.

        However, the pr is 100% kp and if it wasn’t KP it was the Middletons.

      • Nic919 says:

        Even Anne Widdecombe complained about Kate’s portraits and normally she’s very pro-monarchy and anti Meghan.

        Very interesting that some are starting to complain about the perfect princess.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      The back lash will be brutal. They are so tone deaf it’s unreal and the back lash from the British public will be brutal. People are not stupid. Thimgs will get interesting once the queen goes.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        Yes! Once TQ passes, all bets are off!! They will take the gloves off and when Mumbles continues to be useless, the public and the RR’s will be out for blood!!

        The fact that we have had at least an entire week of Mumbles puff pieces is baffling as well as exhausting!! If the people in Britain continue to buy into this onslaught of do-nothing Mumbles, they will certainly get everything that they deserve for supporting her and continuing to turn a blind eye into her laziness and the continued attacks on Meghan.

  9. Over it says:

    Kaiser, you kill me. Lol.
    I guess I can count every article about the birthday keening as work done, I mean it’s now January 12th and the only work Kate has attempted to do since as Becks pointed out to me was either December 8th or 9th. That’s over a month people, you are paying for the nannies and household staff. There is no way they only have one nanny. Anywho , tax payers are footing the bill for all this lazy shit. She does f-all and no one complains. Think on that as you get out your warm bed 5,6 days a week to make a living to cover your basic needs so that kate and Willy can continue to be keen on your taxes.

  10. Jan says:

    Sure she played the piano in front of the cameras without an audience, then wore the same dress to the concert to fool the TV audience into believing she was playing chopsticks, before an audience.
    If the 3 ghostly pictures were the best out of hundreds taken, can’t imagine how funny the others must have looked.

    • atorontogal says:

      It reminds me of an episode of Friends, when Monica and Chandler were having engagement pictures taken. Chandler looked hideous in every picture, couldn’t take a decent photo, so they had to choose the best of the worst – lol!

  11. Merricat says:

    The world has eyes, and we can see quite well what Kate is, and what she is not, regardless of what is printed about her. Lazy, racist Kate will be cited as one reason the British monarchy fell from favor.

  12. Mslove says:

    I think this article is saying “W&K aren’t able to do more than the bare minimum. Deal with it.”

  13. Amy Bee says:

    I’ve been saying the same thing. Everything that is said about Kate, the opposite is the truth. And if she was so compassionate and kind she wouldn’t have let that story that Meghan had made her cry run for as long as it did.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      She’s the ultimate mean girl. She let that story run knowing it was all lies. This tells me she doesn’t care who she throws under the bus as long as she comes out looking good. People are not stupid. Some of the comments about her birthday photos cosplay revealed some deep-seated resentment towards her. I think the monarchy is in for some interesting times.

  14. vs says:

    so nothing about her actual WORK? what projects of hers have ever been successful? what’s her true legacy?

    • Chloe says:

      That is what boggles my mind the most. If the royal rota truly wanted they could praise her for her work, even if there is little to show for it. They could have talked about Hold Still, which was a relative succes. They could have even talked about that dumb research centre that we all know isn’t going to do much. But they could have hyped that up anyway. But there has been nothing on her work except excuses for why she did so little of it in the beginning

      • notasugarhere says:

        Hold Still wasn’t her idea or her project, and she did none of the work. As the designated royal patron of NPG, she got to show up and pose for PR. That’s all she did.

    • Agreatreckoning says:

      It really is comical that the excuse for not working much over the last 10+ years is they didn’t want to spread themselves to thinly. The time off/holidays is pretty hefty.

      • Sue E Generis says:

        But even with the relatively few non-profts mentioned in the article, what EXACTLY was their contribution and what impact did it have on anyone. Just name one person who was impacted and how. In 10+ years the RRs can’t find a single case study to illustrate some kind of impact?

        I mean, I can rattle off the direct impact and what Meghan did for all of her projects. Harry as well.

  15. damejudi says:

    I have no idea what to think of her keen piano recital performance, because Katie Keen of Buttonbury’s messaging is all over the place.

    She’s a cipher, so this is how the widely varied and contradictory PR pieces come about.

    Stand for something and try to be consistent.

  16. “For all her warmth, genuine kindness and compassion, Kate, like her mother Carole, also exudes strength and a razor-sharp focus.”
    🤮 Real subtle, Middletons. And so humble!

    “Given the Queen’s age, Kate will become the Princess of Wales at some point during her 40s”
    I mean yes, but….Kate, wipe your chin, you’re starting to sound way too eager. Your grandmother-in-law isn’t dead just yet.

    • equality says:

      Wonder if all this PR will disgust PC so much that he will withhold the title.

      • MrsH says:

        I hope Charles withholds the Prince/Princess of Wales title.

        I also hope that William snaps to attention re this PR. I can’t understand why he allows her and her Klan to put out out this narrative where they act like she will be regent and he just the insignificant consort. JT commented on another post something to the effect of they think William got played and I am starting to think that too.

        I can’t stand either of them but I really dislike her and her Klan more then him. I always believed her to be the instigator in the entire H&M saga. By now she knows what buttons to push and it would be so easy for her to tell him things to upset him regardless of their truth.

      • Lady D says:

        Does William even know or care what she and her mother are doing? He has his own pursuits to follow, and being the selfish jerk that he is, does he even notice what others are doing?

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        @MrsH — I think it’s obvious to the whole world that William got played. I think that’s also why one of the constant criticisms about Meghan is that she emasculated Harry, because they have to project their own issues onto other people. So I think William knows he got played, and knows that everyone else knows it too.

      • windyriver says:

        Sorry, don’t buy that William got played. If Kate’s true self is nasty, selfish, mean girl, Will is her male counterpart. And, he was raised to believe himself the most important person in almost every room. I doubt he ever fully bought into whatever ultimate plan Carole had. If he cozied up to the Middletons early on, it was likely a combination of things. Maybe he did find some emotional comfort, lacking in his own family. At that point, he was still antagonistic about his future. Kate and family clearly agreed not working was going to be fine, which appealed since the Windsors had probably already nudged him to get started.

        Problem for Carole et al was, things changed. Being king started to look good; Harry was making a mark while Will had nothing but his role as FFK. Maybe he thought it attracted a better class of mistress. Then Meghan happened, and by comparison Kate looked like a poor bargain. Someone said the other day Will and Kate were temporarily brought together by the common goal of getting rid of Meghan, but that’s over. She’s clinging to him, but he’s clearly done, whether they divorce or not.

        Hard to say why the RF as a whole is letting this Saint Kate PR campaign go on, but TQ’s snub mentioned below hints at what they really think. Maybe it’s letting the Middletons hang themselves, and laying the groundwork to get rid of Kate. But something is definitely afoot, and wherever things are going, I don’t think Carole will be the one with the upper hand.

      • notasugarhere says:

        windyriver, I don’t think William is that smart. Yes he used the Middletons to dodge work, for free holidays, and Kate for ‘sex waiting’. I’m not sure he’s recognized the full extent to which the Middletons have used him in exchange. Is he even aware of how deep and close their ties to certain tabloids, writers, and paps are? He’s realizing it now, with the past few years of pro-kate, anti-William PR.

    • Royalwatcher says:

      I think the PoW part was a hint to Charles. It’s not automatic that KKKeen and The Other Brother become the P&P of Wales, they have to wait for Charles to give it to them once the queen dies. I think this is the start of the ‘give us the Wales title NOW’ campaign. I hope Charles waits and waits and waits before giving it to the Cambs…but I’m sure he won’t because he’s a coward who won’t stand up to his own destructive son.

      • LaraW” says:

        I think this is the start of “give KATE the Wales title now”— I recall reading in comments here (don’t remember the article) that if William divorces her before she gets the Princess of Wales title, she gets less money? Or something?

      • Mslove says:

        I don’t know, @Royalwatcher, Charles did cancel birthday bells for Kate, that was very brave. Lol.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The titles don’t equate to money. But if William wants to divorce her, he can leave the Cambridge title behind in the divorce. He’ll work with Charles to hold off on the POW title until well after a divorce from kate is final. She loses the HRH, takes the divorced version of a title her ex and kids will no longer use.

      • Harper says:

        I read somewhere that Will wanted Kate to be styled a princess upon their marriage and wasn’t thrilled that they were offered the Duke and Duchess styling instead. Kate is dying to be a princess–so storybook! It’s an interesting angle that Will lets Kate leave as the Duchess of Cambridge– a title neither was too thrilled about, and he keeps the POW for himself and true love #2.

      • Nic919 says:

        Kate can be called Princess William if he wants. Maybe those in the family don’t pay attention to how titles work, but kate will never be formally called princess kate. Only princess of Wales, just like Diana was never formally a princess Diana. She was The Princess of Wales until her divorce and then she was Diana, Princess of Wales.

        Kate only gets her name in a formal title if she makes it Queen consort and then it will be Queen Catherine.

    • Shawna says:

      I am convinced that someday, Carole is going to over-step so far that even Kate keeping quiet about rose bushes won’t save the marriage. With Billy the Basher’s ego being so fragile, how can he keep letting Carole get away with this kind of PR? Maybe I’m wrong and he really has such a twisted relationship with Carole that he won’t let *her* go, but it’s utterly amazing to me how far Carole messes with the Cambs’ public image.

      • TEALIEF says:

        He doesn’t have to do anything. He may not be the brightest bulb, but he doesn’t have to be in this instance. I’m surmising, that he is going to let her sound off and pile on with the PR and pictures. There is only a single letter difference that separates class from crass. He’s going to use all of it against her and crush with her own crassness.  He has his own consequence, a palace full of suited courtiers, and Charles. She has her mother and closets of clothes. Let’s hope they leave the children out of it.

  17. Miranda says:

    The hagiography of the actual Saint Catherine (of Alexandria) involves her being fed by a talking dove and having her torture wounds healed by angels, and it’s STILL more believable than the Humble Kate narrative.

  18. Lady Digby says:

    As another poster outlined yesterday we tax payers wouldn’t mind if we just paid per event like anybody else on a zero hours contract. Totally up to them if she only wants to work one day a week and maybe just Carol service at Xmas to keep herself fresh but she can’t expect to be fully funded by tax payer as though she FT and also doing emergency call outs putting her self in danger like firefighters do all the time . She is not a star just a show pony who likes to be in covered fawning press but not put in any daily hard work

    • Lyds says:

      That would be truly awesome, paying-per-event! It would make them hustle and the lazy ones will actually have to rewear things and not spend what they are not rightfully earning! And it would be much more transparent what each event cost (transportation, clothes, jewelry, etc, not to mention childcare while they are away doing “events”). It’s never going to happen but how reasonable and delightful would it be if it did? Even the Queen, Charles and Anne would not be able to earn their own upkeep.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        I would relish in a pay to work program for Mumbles! That includes her clothing allowance but she has enough ugly in her closet to last her 15 years given that she bought out ALL of the prairie and the multitude of fugly coats and dresses to match!! All I that red to wear!!

        It was funny because I was reading an article from the first 8ish years and they weren’t kind to Mumbles AT ALL! In fact they criticized Mumbles for wearing red to an event held in honor of TQ!!

      • Jais says:

        There was an article a while back by Daniela Elser that discussed how Kate is not exactly a bargain for UK taxpayers. It broke down not only that Kate does the least amount of events but also calculated that Kate essentially gets around $12,000 for each official engagement. I think this number was looking at money from the Duchy of Lancaster and then dividing it by number of engagements, possibly combining her numbers with William’s then dividing the Lancaster lump of money for the couple by their combined total of engagements. Not sure how accurate that is but it makes you think. Nice gig inn’it?

  19. Jay says:

    Well, just because she failed to actually grab the spotlight doesn’t mean she wasn’t TRYING, Katie.

    Also, just out of curiosity, why in 2022 are we talking about which person “wears the trousers” in a relationship? Really?

    • equality says:

      Well, when they talk about Meghan that is a negative thing. So, of course, if you say Kate does it; it’s positive.

  20. Harper says:

    Ten years ago, Kate wasn’t sure she had the media in her back pocket, like she does now. But after a year of just showing up for movie premieres and high profile sports events, posing as an academic and then disappearing for months at a time, Kate is confident that anything she does will be praised to the high heavens as a way to stick it to Meghan. That’s where her confidence comes from, as opposed to real actual accomplishment.

  21. Couch potato says:

    They seem to conveniently forget that even though Camilla doesn’t use the title, Camilla is in fact the princess of Wales. Kate would be stepping in to Camillas shoes, but I guess that’s not as glamorous.

    I’m glad to read I’m not the only one thinking this is the opposit of the truth everytime they write these kind of storiess about Kate and Willnot.

    • Chloe says:

      If i were Camilla i would be seriously pissed off by how the press just seems to act like im not there when they talk about kate. I’m no fan of Camilla but she does more work than kate and has been far more humble than kate. And she actually IS the future queen consort. Kate won’t be queen until an other 15/20 years.

      And i hope charles is petty and withhold the title prince/ princess of wales from the Cambridges once he does finally become king.

    • Tessa says:

      And only Charles can confer the title after he is King. If she keeps on pulling these stunts, I hope the longer she has to wait.

  22. Over it says:

    Even in that picture that appears that they are looking at each other at the jazz hand Christmas special, he is not. He is looking past her. All I see is a palace full of lies. There is no love , or increase duties or devotion to anyone or anything from these two . Katie Nicholas is as always full of horse droppings

  23. LaraW” says:

    When will her birthday be over?!?!

    I swear she will be 50 by the time she’s finally come into being 40.

    • Jay says:

      Buckle up, I think we might get at least another month of Kate getting comfortable and confident and finally – finally- getting ready to step into her role in time for the jubilee. What else is there to write about? Not a lot of work events happening…

      • notasugarhere says:

        There should be some pro-QEII PR on 6 February, which is the real date of the Platinum Jubilee. She doesn’t celebrate it herself because it is the date of her father’s death.

  24. Lizzie says:

    Keen is forever stepping into either the queen or Diana’s shoes. Such a deliberate snub to Camilla. This might not be the best way to get the POW she so obviously covets. The future king can hold that back as long as he likes.
    Does KP really think these fantasy articles about Keen are really going to convince the world she is on par with Meghan? I really think that is the aim. Has Keen trended at all in the last two months even with 24/7 nonstop queen Keen coverage?

    • Tessa says:

      Kate cannot step into anybody else’s shoes. She is work shy and likes to make events about herself.

  25. Linney says:

    How much better would it have been if to highlight Kate’s birthday, her PR could list all her amazing accomplishments? Not just vague garbage about her passion, causes close to her heart, etc. but her actual accomplishments. As I’ve said to my kids, what you do is more important than what you say. Talk is cheap (not that it can’t be incredibly hurtful.) Our actions show who we truly are. If Kate were a different person (and I mean a completely different person who understood and took advantage of her huge platform), then writers could discuss all the things she has actually done. Why aren’t they? Because she has done next to nothing. So we get to hear about her beauty, serenity, steely backbone, brilliant handling of William’s rages, the Queen’s dependence on her, etc. Think of this: Let’s say you went to a job interview at the age of forty.

    Interviewer: Well, Miss Buttons, what can you bring to this job? How are you qualified?

    Miss Buttons: I’m serene. I have a steel backbone. My husband is a big raging baby and I know how to calm him down. I’m great at putting my name on things I had little to do with or will soon abandon. Oh. And I’m beautiful. With great hair.

    Interviewer: Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

    What does the British public think? Is anyone buying this crap?

  26. Mina_Esq says:

    I also call BS on Kate having any “close friends”.

    • equality says:

      Ah, but she’s “always been close to Harry” and the Queen.

      • Becks1 says:

        The Queen who snubbed her in full view of cameras last December.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Harry who knew nothing about her for the 10 dating years. Admitted the day of the surprise engagement, ‘I’m looking forward to getting to know her’. And admitted during one of her pregnancies that he hadn’t seen her in a long time and heard she was doing fine.

      • Sid says:

        Becks, I will forever cackle at that moment. In public, in front of all those cameras, the Queen of the UK did that to the spouse of one of her heirs. All the shiny “thanks for being a doormat for your husband” ribbons in the world pale in the face of a blatant snub like that.

      • equality says:

        I wonder if the Queen is getting somewhat senile so she is forgetting to play-act at liking certain people. May be why she is mostly being kept out of sight.

      • windyriver says:

        There was nothing in TQ’s recent Xmas speech to indicate she’s senile. That obvious snub (it was December 2020) was a reflection of how she really felt, either about the Choo Choo tour in particular, or Kate’s years of uselessness as a whole. Maybe she hoped that public gesture would wake Kate up and get her off her butt. Maybe it was as simple as, she was pissed they commandeered her royal train for their silly tour (in the middle of a pandemic) that no one wanted anyway.

      • equality says:

        You do realize that speech was pre-recorded and that different forms of senility aren’t always symptomatic at all times so sometimes even hard to diagnose?

      • windyriver says:

        Yes, it was pre recorded but it wasn’t that far in advance IIRC. And also yes, am pretty familiar with dementia, etc. and it’s progression and presentation over time. I just don’t happen to agree with you. I think the previous snub discussed here was fully intentional in the form it appeared, and if TQ’s been out of sight recently for health reasons, dementia wouldn’t be my first guess. Just my opinion, YMMV.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      I have been calling BS on her “friends” as well! We ALL know she doesn’t have ANY friends, only people who work for her.

  27. Laura-Lee MacDonald says:

    I’m just gonna guess that the ‘source that has worked with Kate for over ten years’ is Carole. Can’t think of anyone else who could have lasted as long.

  28. SnarcasmQueen says:

    This article becomes absolutely hilarious if you read it to yourself in the style of those 1940’s, homefront, while the men are at war news reel voiceovers.

    • Laura-Lee MacDonald says:

      I live this idea, and I will employ for every embiggening article henceforth! Thanks! I’m debating if the voice should sound like Admiral Yularen introducing Star Wars: Clone Wars, or the radio announcer from The Legend of Korra. Decisions, decisions…..

      • SnarcasmQueen says:

        I like to imagine it as the features on the League of our Own women lol.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I like the Star Wars idea, as it will be a galaxy far far away many years from now that we’d see any real work out of Kate.

        Aside. I once stayed at a themed hotel where the elevator voice was different for each floor. The sci-fi floor was James Earl Jones saying, ‘This Is Your Floor’.

  29. mae says:

    Could anyone tell me the reporters that William and Kate seem to prefer? It would be helpful to know if I happen to be reading them…!

  30. girl_ninja says:

    She and her advisors or whoever are out of control. The disrespect she throws at her husband is getting worse an is so embarrassing. What an unfortunate union.

  31. RoyalBlue says:

    The concert was all PR for Kate. BBC saw that bullshit a mile away and bounced.

    • notasugarhere says:

      BBC was still payed by someone (the struggle foundation?) to produce the silly event for viewing on ITV. So much for Billy’s anti-BBC stance, eh?

    • Agreatreckoning says:

      Exactly. If it wasn’t about her being the star of the show then why was all the PR before the show about Kate. The video clip of her sitting down at the piano before the show aired certainly wasn’t about anyone else.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      Anything that Mumbles has her staff put together is nothing BUT an opportunity for her to SHINE!!! Mumbles brings nothing to the entire country and the CW counties as well, so she has to fabricate HER accomplishments and her lack of work and her utter uselessness!!

      TQ, Charles and Camilla are ALL aware of her laziness and the exorbitant amount of money it costs the Charles to fund her ugly clothing, as well as all of her expenses regarding plastic surgery and hair recover from road kill.

      Once TQ passes, I surmise that Charles will show his displeasure as well as his regarding Mumbles constant campaign to skip Charles, as she allows Uncle Abuser to rattle off to everyone.

  32. Belli says:

    Can anyone remember when they started pushing the “Kate is just so shy” angle? Because it’s only been in the last few years.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      I guess it’s code for lazy, perpetually lazy……
      She has been lazy day after day, year after year. They had to come up with another excuse, as the laziness was at the forefront with regards to Meghan.

      And no one that is shy would seek out the photographers like a heat seeking missile in every public outing as well.

      I am so sick of these constant puff pieces!! When will everyone WAKE up, FFS!! Mumbles refuses to work or speak to those that she is supposedly thanking with the awful Christmas event, but she can work steadily to perform in playing with the actual artist chosen to perform!!!

    • The Hench says:

      Yes, the shy thing is nonsense. This woman had a wedding watched by over 60 million people according to Wikipedia. Did she look nervous? Did she look shy and retiring? Weren’t we only told a few days ago that ice runs in her veins because she was so calm all through the day? So much for not being able to cope with a big party 🙄

      • jazzbaby1 says:

        This, and also shy women do not repeatedly flash their asses in public. If that happens once with a shy woman she makes sure it never happens again.

  33. aquarius64 says:

    When US royal reporters are coming out and saying Kate’s birthday tributes are passive aggressive slags on Meghan the rota rats went too far. It’s bad when the criticism is the BM is afraid no one will read its puff pieces on Kate unless Meghan is slagged at the same time. It reads as a vote of no confidence on the future kween. Kate/Carole/KP need to stop signing off on these articles. They look life Wil E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner (Meghan), having the anvil drop on Kate again.

    • equality says:

      Well, she has so far slagged off on Meghan, Princess Charlene and Queen Letizia, as well as, PW. She has also anticipated QE’s death.

  34. Blujfly says:

    Being “fiercely” (blindly) loyal to a spouse who is deeply grateful is usually a sign your spouse was deeply wrong and won’t admit it or apologize or make amends.

  35. Yinyang says:

    Oh please.

  36. Eurydice says:

    I kind of love the little bit about William’s birthday – that it might be a “joint” celebration and that “no doubt” he/they might get a call from the Queen who has a “warm rapport” with Kate. So much weirdness. Kate can’t have just one birthday, she has to horn in on William’s, too? Did Kate not get a call from the Queen for her birthday? Does the Queen not have a warm rapport with William?

  37. Rachel says:

    The anorexia is out of control… she needs help desperately.

  38. Randie says:

    WHERE on their SM accounts highlight any causes associated with the concert?? I have notice none. This was TOTAL attention on Kate. There’s nothing specific about who was/is being thanked. What a joke!

  39. kelleybelle says:

    Balls, it was so. If they’re denying it? Of course it’s true. Just like “5 Questions is NOT a vanity project.” That’s exactly what it is. Nothing, to make it appear that Kate actually does something when she really doesn’t. Smoke and mirrors, people.

  40. dido says:

    She’s not one for “being the center of attention” ?? Gee, then who held a gun to her head and forced her to do not one, but THREE glamorous birthday photoshoots? She looked pretty comfortable there. Also, if I read that this 40-year-old adult woman is “taking her time” one more time… I can’t.

  41. Elle says:

    It was like Mary from pride and prejudice tried to play the piano at Mr Bingley’s party

  42. Ann says:

    “William will have a big party in June . . . ” . . . but will Kate be invited?

  43. jferber says:

    Of course it wasn’t! That performance was too pathetic to star in any show!

  44. MerlinsMom1018 says:

    So if it WASN’T about being the center of attention, how come there were very very few shots of the dude singing and IIRC only 1or 2 shots of backup singers???

  45. Jaded says:

    Catherine of Arrogant’s self-aggrandizing is now getting totally out of control. Someone’s gotta rein her in because she’s becoming an embarrassment. I’m surprised Charles hasn’t sat her down and told her in no uncertain terms to tone it down and to tell Ma Meddlesome to stop feeding this trash to the RRs. It reeks of pathetic desperation as it’s clear Kate’s marriage is circling the drain, if not already in the toilet. I almost wish the Queen would pop off sooner rather than later so Charles in Charge can start forcing the Cambridges to just STFU and start doing their jobs or no P/POW titles for them.

    • Lizzie says:

      I’ve got to think Camilla has been stewing over all of the Keen coverage, Keen next POW, Keen next Queen.

  46. Just Me says:

    Meghan’s 40th birthday was filled with easy comfort, laughter, genuine smiles, and a generous outpouring of care for others in the 40 x 40 outreach.
    Kate’s 40th birthday was truthfully a “Me, Myself and I” self -aggrandising event!

  47. Serena says:

    “Kate’s greatest success has been taking her time”, I guess this says it all, made me have a really good laugh lmao.

    • Lady D says:

      Well, they’re not wrong, but yeah, I laughed at that also. Katie Nicol’s comment that ‘at 40, Kate is almost a woman’ was hilarious too.

    • Ann says:

      I mean, in some cases that might be true, but here? It seems like shade.

      I am in no position to fault someone for taking good pictures. I’m not un-photogenic exactly but I tend to be animated so you never know how a picture might turn out. Also, I hate stopping even an event I am enjoying (like a birthday celebration, etc) just to take a picture, so I kind of hate picure-taking, especially as it has become increasingly oppressive with social media. But still, this seem like SO MUCH effort for her. I don’t know how she stands it.

  48. TheOriginalMia says:

    What exactly were the causes she was promoting with her recital? I legitimately can’t remember since most of the press was about her playing and that coat dress (which really doesn’t work for me in red),

  49. Lizzie says:

    It was about her HAIR being star of the show.

  50. Christine says:

    It’s time for Twitter to revive #katemiddletonsuccessstory, at least that turned all of her bullshit hilarious, for a time.

  51. Julie says:

    I still think there was something else at work with the piano playing, other than being the center of attention. (Although it was also about being the center of attention. Definitely.) It’s also about imitating Meghan. Meghan is a performer. So after eleven years as… whatever Kate is, for the first time in ever, she up and does some kind of entertainment. Just like she started wearing camel coats and trousers, changed her eyebrows, and all the other creepy stuff she’s done to imitate Meghan. She’s at it again.

  52. Tessa says:

    The Cambridges are in denial. She posed and preened in the red outfit.

  53. bisynaptic says:

    LOL “carefully considered presents”

  54. Cottage Cat says:

    What I just don’t get, is the portrayal of Middleton as the “heir apparent”, William merely her consort when she takes the Throne, and the increasingly-invisible Blood royals seem to be OK with it. If we’re still going with the “Class” system in this day and age, it is worth noting that Diana was a born and bred aristocrat, through-and-through, some saying the Spencer bloodline and pedigree is superior to the Windsors. She was married to the “first-in-line”. If they can treat her the way they did, how and why the heck are they giving the bounty-hunting Middletons such free rein? Ps, Kate looks like a pub singer in that treacly picture at the piano. “Now we’re just gonna slow things down a little. Thank you and goodnight”. Time gentlemen, please.

  55. Cottage Cat says:

    What I just don’t get, is the portrayal of Middleton as the “heir apparent”, William merely her consort when she is crowned. Diana was a born and bred aristocrat, some saying her bloodline and pedigree is purer than the Windsors. How are the “blood royals” seemingly OK with this? She looks like a pub singer at that piano, the PR cheesiness would make Liberace blush. “Time gentlemen, please…”

  56. Anne Robinson says:

    Apologies for posting twice in error