For someone who has been a part of The Firm for nearly eleven full years, it’s pretty strange that the Duchess of Cambridge has so few honorary military appointments. Her sole honorary appointment was foisted upon her one Christmas several years ago: she’s the Honorary Air Commandant of the Royal Air Force Cadets. During a trip to Canada, she was also made an honorary Canadian Ranger. End of list! I also remember that when it was clear that Prince Harry would be stripped of his honorary military appointments, there was a lot of talk about how William was especially keen to take those over, except oh right, he didn’t actually want to work, and so now most of those appointments are just still sitting there. Not even Kate took them up. Now it looks like one of Prince Andrew’s biggest military appointments might go to Kate:
The Grenadier Guards want Kate Middleton to replace Prince Andrew as their colonel, it has been reported. Senior officials have said they want the Duchess of Cambridge to take on the role after the Duke of York was axed from the position this month.
Kate would be the first appointed female colonel in the regiment’s 366-year history if she were to take on the role. And she would replace disgraced Prince Andrew who was stripped of his military patronages over allegations he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre – something he has always strongly denied.
A senior source in the Grenadier Guards told The Times: “From straw polling through the ranks, they would all love it to be Kate. We all admire the way she has fitted in and behaved, she never seems to put a foot wrong. Everything she has taken on she really commits to and we want someone who will really engage with us.”
The appointment is decided by the regiment and the Queen, 95, who has so far taken on Andrew’s role by default. But it is understood the announcement about the new colonel role has been delayed. A military source told The Times the name of the new colonel was “due to have been announced on Monday” but it “wasn’t the Duchess of Cambridge”.
“That it wasn’t announced means they have been thinking about it again,” the source added.
Andrew, 61, became colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards in 2017 after inheriting the position from the Duke of Edinburgh.
I also think it would be nice if Kate took this over – they clearly want her, and it would be cool to see the first woman take that honorary position. But the Grenadier Guards are smoking crack if they think Kate will work hard for them or do a lot of events with them. If it happens, they’ll be lucky to get to see her flapping jazz hands once every two years. I also think that’s why it probably won’t happen! Maybe that’s what the delay is about… no one at Buckingham Palace wants to give this prized military honorary appointment to someone who won’t show up.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- STAMFORD, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 14: Catherine, Duchess Of Cambridge visits RAF Air Cadets at RAF Wittering on February 14, 2017 in Stamford, England.,Image: 513308603, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- STAMFORD, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 14: Catherine, Duchess Of Cambridge speaks to Air Cadets during a visit to RAF Air Cadets at RAF Wittering on February 14, 2017 in Stamford, England.,Image: 513308714, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- His Royal Highness Prince Andrew The Duke of York the new Regimental Colonel of the Grenadier Guards inspects and speaks to members of the Grenadier Guards during the parade. The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of York, was today received in St George?s Hall, Windsor Castle with a Royal Salute by the Grenadier Guards to mark the appointment of The Duke of York as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. His Royal Highness inspected the parade which was made up of soldiers from The Queen?s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, and Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards, the Public Duties Incremental Company which bears the former 2nd Battalion?s Colours and Battle Honours. The Band of the Grenadier Guards provided music throughout. Afterwards, The Queen and The Duke of York attended a reception which included members of the Grenadier Guards Association in the Grand Reception Room, Windsor Castle.,Image: 535057556, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Sgt Paul Randall RLC / Avalon
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- His Royal Highness Prince Andrew The Duke of York the new Regimental Colonel of the Grenadier Guards addresses officers and soldiers of the Grenadier Guards during the parade. The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of York, was today received in St George?s Hall, Windsor Castle with a Royal Salute by the Grenadier Guards to mark the appointment of The Duke of York as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. His Royal Highness inspected the parade which was made up of soldiers from The Queen?s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, and Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards, the Public Duties Incremental Company which bears the former 2nd Battalion?s Colours and Battle Honours. The Band of the Grenadier Guards provided music throughout. Afterwards, The Queen and The Duke of York attended a reception which included members of the Grenadier Guards Association in the Grand Reception Room, Windsor Castle.,Image: 535057560, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Sgt Paul Randall RLC / Avalon
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- The Duke of York attends a medal presentation ceremony and parade for the Grenadier Guards at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. . Picture date: Friday March 22, 2019.,Image: 535649577, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visit the Air Cadets at 282 East Ham Squadron Air Training Corps in East London. The Cambridges wore black as the royal family is still in mourning.,Image: 607001786, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon
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- Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visit the Air Cadets at 282 East Ham Squadron Air Training Corps in East London. The Cambridges wore black as the royal family is still in mourning.,Image: 607001864, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon
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- Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visit the Air Cadets at 282 East Ham Squadron Air Training Corps in East London. The Cambridges wore black as the royal family is still in mourning.,Image: 607001953, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon
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- Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visit the Air Cadets at 282 East Ham Squadron Air Training Corps in East London. The Cambridges wore black as the royal family is still in mourning.,Image: 607001960, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon
This made me laugh because just a few hours ago I saw a tweets from several posters who said they were actually Grenadier Guards and they made statements that this was false and they have no desire to have her as a Patron. Looks like the bloom has fallen off the English rose for a lot of people.
I was just about to say that the Grenadier Guards source is the same one that was at the wedding dress fitting and also contributed to the Catherine the Great mess with Tatler.
I was about to ask when Carole Middleton became a Grenadier Guard. The phrasing “never put a foot wrong”, “really commits to” and “really engage with us” are so similar to the other hot air up the rear end articles.
Since the statement sounds like the usual “never puts a foot wrong” PR put out about her, I’m sure this came from her people and not the Guards. Somebody pointed out on Twitter that her not riding could be a problem with the military appointments.
@equality That’s what I think, too. “Never put a foot wrong” is a Middleton PR phrase. (And what is with the British affection for that phrase in the first place? If you’ve “never put a foot wrong”, all that means is you always do what you’re told. Maybe being a good little girl is enough for praise in some quarters, but not for most of the world. You can’t depend on people who “never put a foot wrong” to stand up for what’s right.)
Yeah, when that phrase comes up…. well, if you don’t do much and don’t have opinions, you can’t go wrong! It’s a working strategy!
so another fan fiction from the royal so called “press” ….. why do these guards even need a patron? H is more suited for this kind of roles than anyone else in that fanily
I sincerely hope this is a fake story. Because IF this is true (“We all admire the way she has fitted in and behaved”) then it shows the Grenadier Guards to be racist misogynists. Maybe one of them can sue for painting them in a false and negative light?
I saw on twitter this morning an actual serving member of the Guard said he wasn’t asked and doesn’t want Kate as his colonel, so she is not universally adored as the press would like us to believe.
In other words, this is Ma Middleton trying to get her daughter some more cloth and medals in her attempt to save the marriage.
I laughed out loud when Bulliam’s name was not mentioned anywhere in the article. Like, no one wants the future heir to be their mascot?
Yeah, no. This is Middleton PR. If it were true we would just get an announcement telling of her appointment. Instead what we have is a story about how the Guards supposedly really want her for a list of reasons that big her up again followed by denial of the first story and an announcement that there is no appointment and watch this space.
After the Irish Guards bullsh*t, I can’t believe any military related group would want her.
Quite! She let the Irish guard’s know not to expect each St Patrick’s Day handing out shamrock. She’s done it twice (?) in 10 years…..
I think it’s weird that a senior Grenadier Guardsman said Kate has never seemed to ‘put a foot wrong’. Either that person has been hoovering up the press from Kate’s birthday month and just now naturally speaks about her the same way or someone has been given a talking point
I love how we are all pointing out the exact same thing lol. Either KP is becoming stiff with their pr or we are becoming smarter
Lol I just saw that. All of us had the same idea at the same time. Ordinarily I’d say we’re getting better at seeing through this stuff but, to be quite honest, the Windsor-Middleton PR brain trust is a pile of clown shoes. They are so so lazy
They specifically said a “senior source in the Grenadier Guards” not an actual guard member. That could mean anyone who might qualify, even a senior citizen.
I doubt this is from an actual guardsman. This is more Middleton PR with the same talking points.
It sounds like the senior source in the Grenadier Guards is reading KP talking points.
My thought is that the “senior source” is Carole LOL. The “never puts a foot wrong” was the giveaway.
Yes, that was my initial instinct too. I bet it is her.
Carole is one of the carnival rota clowns. She always inserts her daughter. Good that the Grenadier Guards themselves gave her a wrist-slap.
“A senior source in the Grenadier Guards told The Times: “From straw polling through the ranks, they would all love it to be Kate. We all admire the way she has fitted in and behaved, she never seems to put a foot wrong. Everything she has taken on she really commits to and we want someone who will really engage with us.”
“Never puts a foot wrong” hhmm this sounds a little too much like what a KP mouth piece would say. Instead of an actual representative.
The whole things is a dig at Meghan—i.e., that Kate is “admired,” “fitted in and behaved” and “never seems to put a foot wrong.” None of those words was necessary to say that the Guardsmen want her. Pathetic!
It’s the “everything she has taken on she really commits to and we want someone who will really engage with us” part that has me on the floor! COME ON. No one believes this shit, right?!? Are there actually people on this planet who believe Kate works, even a little bit?!
The fact that the ‘source’ is quoting the favourite ‘she’s never put a foot wrong’ line suggests that they either work for KP or were given a statement by KP. It’s the new ‘keen’.
The senior source for the Grenadiers sounds just a like a Royal source, no 😂
Lol all day. What nonsense.
Dude standing in the back with his arms crossed looking at Kate like William does…😆
What a bunch of deluded men. Kate? Kate? And does anyone think William is going to let this go to Kate? Even if he didn’t want the patronage before, he would suddenly want it instead of letting it go to her.
I can believe it…think of it..if you were asked which one of the royals you prefer as a patron, Charles, camilla, William or Kate, the choise is pretty clear…. I mean, despite her lack of work ethic, she’s the only remaining royal with some glamour. Perhaps, they hope to restore their ‘name ‘ after the disaster of having Andrew as a patron…not that she deserves it…
Oh I totally agree with you. When it comes to having a royal patron what group of primarily men isn’t going to pick the only pretty one out of the bunch? But those who pay attention to Kate’s work ethic have to laugh at the idea.
Bad choice. Kate is another disaster waiting to happen.
They are guardsmen, not idiots. A pretty face is nice, but who wants a lazy patron who won’t do any work for you. Its not like she’s done much for her other military patronages.
This is why its a royal source, not an actual guardsman. Or they just picked a royalist guardsman. I doubt they actually asked around.
@ goodpuff, this is all CarolE!! You can see it a mike away!! Never puts a foot wrong? Please, she can’t be trusted to visit any patronages this year on her own, what makes CarolE think her perfect English Rose is prepared for anything other than just sitting around doing nothing!!
Give it a rest CarolE, your daughter is a lazy, lying, sniveling dreck of a woman! No ONE wants their patronage to collapse, which is the only thing Mumbles McMutton is capable of completing!!
I Think Kate and Her People leaked this story to tried to make her look good and popular I don’t Believe given her track record that the military wants her as there Parton . This is just kate and her mom trying to make look her good I like how it all starting to blow up and I guess the perfect never putting a foot wrong English future queens is not as beloved as she thought .
Question: has Kate ever done anything to help or honor military wives?! You’d think she would given how she described raising George alone when he was a baby.
The fact I even have to ask is a damn shame. This lady has zero intuition and is totally incapable in the empathy department.
No, she hasn’t (not that I can remember anyway) and it really is yet another missed opportunity for her. No outreach for military wives, children, etc.
Wait now that I’ve said that I do think they have done something at KP around Christmas time for military children whose parents are deployed. But only once or twice. Maybe a few other similar things but nothing really noteworthy.
Considering that she was stationed in Wales with William at the beginning of their marriage, you would think she could have really made “supporting military families” a hallmark of her royal work but……nope.
Yeah, but they’re peasants. You can’t expect the future future Queen to associate with them, can you?
Kate did not even bother to join the RAF spouses group when they were living at Anglesey. She spent more time at Buckleberry than at the base with the other spouses. That was sign number one that kate doesn’t care about helping with military anything. The other was skipping the st Patrick day event for no valid reason because she didn’t want people to expect her to be there every year.
I will never get over that. The audacity and sheer laziness to actually say out loud that she wouldn’t be coming every year because she didn’t want to be expected. It’s not like it was even a tough gig. She gets to prance around some military guys and pet a cute dog. The exhaustion!
Oof, I had repressed this memory.
I know there are honorary titles and degrees etc but the people awarded are usually deserving. Honestly unless you are the sitting Monarch and/or you have had some training or action you should not get an millitary honors. Harry ,Andrew and Edward atleast did something.
You would think they would want somebody who had actually served and maybe, not necessarily, a royal. What’s wrong with somebody who has served in that actual branch with high honors?
This is where I’m at. I guess it’s tradition to give these roles to royals? But yeah give the honorary titles to deserving people in the actual military, royal or not. Giving more honorary titles to royals because…they’re royal just doesn’t make sense to me. Admittedly, I’m probably not the right audience for this as I just can’t with some of these traditions.
Andrew and Harry served. Famously, Edward did not even complete Marine training and dropped out.
@Equality exactly…This is the monopoly of the monarchy. Please explain to me why the patron should be from the current serving House of Windsor? Why not an actual colonel? This is absurd. There has to be some Lord Something or other, who has actually served that can do this on behalf of the Head of State. They have too many charities and patronages and they are all under-served. Their problem is they want to be outfront leading everything while doing nothing. This is not being a patron, it’s being patronising. It’s lip service.
Slim pickings, honestly! You know they would take Harry in a heartbeat if they could!
What????? Take an ACTUAL military veteran over Kate the Keen???? Never!
😎
Add enough buttons to that uniform and she will be there!
Very true!
After all these years of wearing military-looking coats she will get to wear real uniform, dream come true for her. For grenadiers I hope they will see her more often than once in a eight years
🤣🤣🤣
Thank you @ MrsRobinson!!! I desperately needed that!!!
Why would they want Kate? Of all the royals it would seem that they would want someone who will work. I don’t care about her new found “popularity” she still has the reputation of not working. They would probably rather have Edward no?
“Everything she has taken on she really commits to and we want someone who will really engage with us”
Wow. Someone said that with a straight face? No one asked the Irish Guards how that works out I guess. Or even a quick “straw poll” of her charities and patronages, how often do they see her? how much does she contribute time wise? what exactly does she do for them besides wear buttons and wiglets and be photographed with them every few years?
This has to be a joke. Poor Grenadier Guards
Yes, totally agree. It’s just more fluff to make her appear … well, to justify her existence now that the heirs have been produced.
I can see where Kate’s people would think she’s perfect – the ceremonial role they perform involves doing precisely what they are told, looking a certain way (there’s a height requirement) and wearing lots of buttons but that’s not all they do.
Harry’s honorary military appointments haven’t been given to anyone yet, or did I miss something? Last I heard they tried to say they were going to Anne, then Billy, then crickets.
Sounds like the military is in the background being very firm on who any military appointments go to. They will probably leave this decision until Charles officially takes over.
If PC really is going to downsize the monarchy, he may have plans outside a royal appointment.
Sounds like Carol(e) is out hustling to get Keen this gig, if true she would be the first woman to hold that rank – also isn’t this Baldilocks’ regiment?
If not Carole then someone like Camilla Tominey. The talking points are a little too obvious.
This reminds me of the time the Queen (?) and/or Prince Philip basically ambushed her at a luncheon with a new patronage so she couldn’t say no LOL. Does anyone else remember that?
I do! Pepperidge Faahm remembers!
PC is likely running most things now. If it’s a big honor because it would be the first woman, I could see him wanting it for Cam and not Kate.
AGREE!!
Yes!!!!! Much better choice as Cam would actually visit and keep up with her duties. Mumbles McDoNothing couldn’t get out of a paper bag on her own yet alone another patronage that she will ignore!!
Lol, this is like when William released a story that he was thinking of going back to flying helicopters to help in the pandemic. Kate’s not going to take on any extra work but she will release plenty of stories pretending she’s going to work and that will be good enough. She’s so Keen.
Waity Katie, Keeper of the Keenest, Most Well-Behaved Feet and Jazziest Hands in the Realm.
So sayeth the Carole-with-an-E, so sayeth the Rats.
I also recognized the KP applause for Buttons Galore and after being without an active patron for 2 years lazy bones ain’t going to show up anytime soon to make up for the neglect! LOL!
I think this will go to Charles, Future King.
Or to Anne, as she’ll actually show up for work. And she always looks battle-ready, anyway.
Both are likely candidates but I’m also tossing Lady Louise into the pool of potential patrons. If the Queen is truly still in charge of things, I can see Sophie and Edward pulling out all the stops to establish their little HRH in such a prominent position before King Charles slams the door on the lot of them.
I hope not. Louise has mostly been under the radar of the BM. Hopefully she can maintain that and have a mostly normal life. If she starts getting involved in the monarchy nonsense, she will be open game for media distraction.
Well I suppose she could put on a miming act as a way to raise funds for them, she is a natural dummy.
Oh Carole, when will you quit your keen to be queen mom game?
Speaking of taking over, what happened about the rugby patronages?
Considering the Grenadier Guards “celebrated” Martin Luther King Jr. Day last week by playing HAPPY BIRTHDAY. *eye roll* They didn’t even bother googling because MLK Day isn’t even Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday! Never mind how stupid the Royals look even speaking MLK’s name when they’ve never celebrated MLK Day before, also daring speaking his name while abusing their first African-American royal…. I’d say the Grenadier Guards are about as smart as a sack of wrenches.
“Happy Birthday”?? They played “Happy Birthday”?? Oh dear lord. I’m shocked they didn’t play “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Mis. 🙄
LMAO!!
@dido The holiday DOES commemorate his birthday though. He was born January 15 and the holiday is the closest Monday to it. (15th through 21st) The GGs played the Stevie Wonder version at the changing of the guard. He wrote that version as part of the campaign to make MLK day a federal holiday. It has no relation to the children’s song. You can see a video here https://www.tatler.com/article/royal-gestures-pay-homage-to-activist-martin-luther-king
Kate botched passing out shamrocks for the Irish Guards. KP must have seen the online blowback and this article walks this back.
Don’t you know guys she never puts a foot wrong so can walk in lockstep with the rest of them.
Wasn’t Kate recently made the patron of some battleship or submarine or naval something or other? They just went ahead announced it, nothing before about her being considered or quotes about her being loved and nothing about her feet – just “this happened.”
Lady Louise would be perfect for this. She rides well, is at home on a horse, and has the required gravitas to pull this off. She was Prince Philip’s protege.
I commented similarly above before seeing your post! I agree 100% that Lady Louise would be the perfect choice. She’s steady, was close to Philip, got to spend more time with the Queen than most of the older grandchildren, and she’d be able to be an inspiring patron while still creating a semi-private life for herself. I’m certain Sophie at least will have been lobbying for this too.
The bar for Kate is subterranean lol.
The grenadiers want her and they’re using the same exact White Princess phrasing, “never put a foot wrong…”
Not suspicious at all.
“Never put a foot wrong”. Gee I wonder where that talking point came from. Because if Kate didn’t provide that for them to say, then that must be one of THE most common expressions in the UK, considering the sheer number of people who have used it to describe our Kkkatie.
I honestly have to wonder if the Grenadier Guards ACTUALLY requested Kate, or if they just agreed to pretend that they did, perhaps to kiss TQ’s arse a bit? Maybe in exchange for more funding? After all, it certainly does make Kate look a semi-valuable membrr of the RF, if groups like this are requesting her. But I KNOW those talking points they provided were not their own…..
what a travesty, if true.
Maybe she can pose like Marylin