Something interesting: even with several huge distractions, people are still talking about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Colonialist Flop Tour. The tour went so badly that it’s likely no royal will ever do a similar kind of tour. That’s where we are now. Over the weekend, The Times ran an editorial by Janice Turner, “Royal tours are now as passé as pith helmets.” She wrote in part that “gurning princes only remind people they’re still subjects of a distant Queen…Anyway, isn’t that legacy now embarrassing for Britain, too? In a modern Commonwealth we should meet these democratic nations eye-to-eye, without colonial cosplay.”
It’s remarkable to see the royals try to adjust their frame of reference from “I thought the natives loved carrying us on our thrones” to “well, if they don’t like our colonialist cosplay, then we’ll never visit them again.” Like, there’s seriously not a discussion of “we could just visit our friendly allies without the colonialist cosplay.” They’ve just gone straight to “we’ll take our colonialist toys and LEAVE, it’s clear we’re not wanted!” Speaking of:
Members of the Royal Family will do less tours overseas and focus on places where they feel they can make a real difference, a royal commentator has said. The future of the monarchy and the Commonwealth has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s tour of the Caribbean. In the wake of the criticism over the ‘colonial-era’ optics of their tour, many have called for an end to similar overseas trips by members of the royal family.
Sunday Times Royal Editor Roya Nikkhah believes the tour ignited a rethink of how the royal family plans overseas visits in the future. Speaking on the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme, she said: ‘I think it definitely will [spark a rethink] and to be honest I think that rethink had started before this tour got underway because I know that William thought long and hard about how to approach certain things. There have obviously been a few missteps. We had that extraordinary statement from him on Saturday night setting out the fact that he takes that on the chin and he wants to sort of look at things differently.’
Asked if she felt there would be fewer trips overseas in the future, she added: ‘I think that’s definitely right and that’s very much a legacy I suppose of the Queen who has been head of the commonwealth for so long and is the biggest, most travelled monarch of the modern age. I think we will see fewer tours, to places where I think probably the younger royals feel they can have more impact and it’s not just a case of going there because they feel they have to.’
“I think we will see fewer tours, to places where I think probably the younger royals feel they can have more impact…” I’d be curious to know which “places” William and Kate will choose to “have more impact.” I suspect that none of those places will be communities of color, don’t you? We can’t have Kate recoiling from Black folks again, or being forced to interact with anyone darker than Pippa’s shade of orange.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instar.
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220324-Royal Visit to the Caribbean – Day 6 Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean who have recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy’s Officer Training Program, in Kingston, Jamaica, on day six of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Jane Barlow/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220322-Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica, on day four of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Jamaican MP Lisa Hanna -PHOTO by: Jane Barlow/PA IMAGES/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220324-Royal Visit to the Caribbean – Day 6 Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean who have recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy’s Officer Training Program, in Kingston, Jamaica, on day six of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Jane Barlow/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220322- Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge meet locals during a visit Trench Town, the birthplace of reggae in Kingston, Jamaica, on day four of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Chris Jackson/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220322- Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge meet locals during a visit Trench Town, the birthplace of reggae in Kingston, Jamaica, on day four of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Chris Jackson/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220324-Royal Visit to the Caribbean – Day 6 Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean who have recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy’s Officer Training Program, in Kingston, Jamaica, on day six of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Jane Barlow/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220324-Royal Visit to the Caribbean – Day 6 Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge attend the inaugural Commissioning Parade for service personnel from across the Caribbean who have recently completed the Caribbean Military Academy’s Officer Training Program, in Kingston, Jamaica, on day six of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Jane Barlow/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Kingston, Jamaica -20220323-Royal Visit to the Caribbean – Day 5 The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness and his wife Juliet with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a meeting at his office in Kingston, Jamaica, on day five of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Jane Barlow/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only – Nassau, Bahamas -20220325-Royal Visit to the Caribbean – Day 7 The Duke Duchess of Cambridge in Nassau, Bahamas, on day seven of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: PA IMAGES/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- Nassau, BAHAMAS – Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are treated to a parade at Nassau, Bahamas during the Royals 3rd and final stop on their 2022 Platinum Jubilee Caribbean Tour. Pictured: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge – Kate Middleton BACKGRID USA 25 MARCH 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- North America Rights Only – Abaco, Bahamas -20220326- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Daystar Evangelical Church Abaco in The Bahamas, to learn about the impact of Hurricane Dorian in 2019 and to see how communities are still being rebuilt, on day eight of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee. Abaco, a chain of islands and barrier cays in the northern Bahamas, was hit by winds of up to 185mph during Hurricane Dorian in 2019 leaving 75% of homes across the chain of islands damaged and resulting in tragic loss of life. During a visit to Fish Fry in Abaco, a traditional Bahamian culinary/. During a visit to the Memorial Wall to remember victims of the 2019 hurricane at the Memorial Garden in Abaco. During a visit to Grand Bahama Children’s Home, which provides a home environment to vulnerable children who are not able to live with their families -PICTURED: Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated
I hope they don’t think Canada wants more royal tours – or I’ll be there protesting them, even if I’m alone!
I know I don’t want to see any, but there are people here who do. And I am watching with interest to see how this announcement affects the people who still think the royal family matters.
You shall not protest alone, I’ll happily join you! I am also stunned that there is no indication of growth from ANYONE still in this institution. The world is leaving them behind, including Canada.
I’ll be right there beside you!
Count me in! I am from Quebec and I was telling my boyfriend last week that if they would visit in the future, I will go protesting for sure. I cannot wait for changes in our constitution.
There have been protests when Will and Kate visited in 2011 after their wedding.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/03/prince-william-canada-protest-quebec
The next survey email I get from my political party, where they ask about issues that are important to me, I’m adding becoming a republic.
and please don’t come to Australia. I really resent my tax dollars paying for their PR porn and luxury holidays.
I’d much rather host Andrew and Fergie than that odious, vapid bitch, and her ghastly, petulant dick of a husband.
How does this fit in with their plans to “take America back?” Do they think they can make an impact here? Because I don’t think Keenshot will do diddly in the states.
I’m sure they’ll come to NYC. They’ll visit some monuments and memorials, meet with whatever officials can find the time to meet with them, and try to persuade the UN to let Bulliam make a speech. They’ll cosplay H & M’s NYC visit as much as they can, even to the trip to Harlem for chicken and waffles — only they’ll spin it as “following in William’s mother’s footsteps.” Ugh. There’ll be nothing of substance in the visit, but they’ll get their photo ops.
They can do that, but the city of NY has no obligation to pay for it. I imagine there’d be a police detail and, no doubt, an Earthshot fundraising dinner hosted by somebody or other, but W&K would be on their own for the rest. By “on their own,” I mean the Sovereign Grant and the UK government.
Let’s guess what the headlines will say, shall we?
“Take that Harry and Meghan: Will and Kate show how it’s done when speaking at the UN about too many poor children born in the world”
“Kate regal in highlighter yellow at the 9/11 Memorial: brings a much needed sunny aspect to the gloomy location”
In Diana’s footsteps: Kate hugs little children of color in Harlem whilewearing gloves, ever thoughtful about the pandemic”
Ugh. How do people stand making up his tripe every day?
@Roo – your comment is hilarious!
@ROO 👏👏👏
😂😂😂
This, and we’re not even in the Commonwealth and they still presume to come here.
How about they confine their “tours” to their little island? To quote Beenie Man, “nobody wants to see that”.
@Zut Alors LOL LOL LOL! And that is the TRUTH.
I agree it comes from a place of petulance, but I think it’s ultimately the right answer.
The tours are pointless and expensive. There isn’t anything of real substance accomplished when leaders meet with royal “dignitaries,” and that would be true even if Harry and Meghan were still part of the family. They would make the most of their tours rather than bungle them at every turn, but in the end, is there anything that can be done on these trips that involves figureheads visiting in person?
I wouldn’t want to pay for any of these people to come visit Denver, though if Harry and Meghan want to visit of their own accord, they’re certainly welcome here.
This is interesting. And I think will have unintended consequences. For example, the Queen is the Queen of Canada. Canada is not a part of the UK. So if the monarch IN the UK is saying, well, we just won’t visit overseas, then what exactly are they doing for those of us who ALSO have them as our monarch, overseas?
I know, the answer is “nothing,” in reality. But symbolically, what relationship do they have to the people who they are monarch over if they never even come wave their hand at us? We still send them millions in taxes.
So, if they’re basically saying they’re never going to visit the countries that are sending them millions every year, they’re going to see a lot more republican energy around the world.
AFAIK Canadian taxpayers fund the governor general and lieutenant governors (a price tag that includes those people’s official residences, staff, admin & office supplies, travel, and security) but they do not pay directly for the upkeep of the British royals.
They said fewer tours, not no tours. Reading between the lines, they won’t be visiting countries where the skin complexion is darker in general than that of Kate with a tan. This leads to a harsher critique because even the RR’s are having a tough time covering for their failures and excusing the cosplay. They don’t want to look racist themselves!
But I do agree this will have consequences on what the role of royalty is in the modern age. If they can’t be expected to carry out difficult tours for soft diplomacy reasons and they can’t speak on politics back home…what are they good for?
They’re only go where they “think they can help” and not to places “just because they feel they have to.” What a ridiculously tone deaf slap in the face. “Oh we didn’t want to come, we didn’t think we could help in any way, we felt like we *had to* come, like you were *forcing us* to come with your whole ‘Please don’t come, we don’t actually want to host you,’ comments.”
Yeah, Amy Too, that was a really insulting sentence, to which the writer was no doubt oblivious. W&K as well.
Word, nothing tells on them more than that one sentence.
‘where they can make a difference’
What I’m about to propose is truly shocking, possibly terrifying and maybe illegal for the Royal Family. I just want to provide a warning for anyone with a delicate constitution.
What if the Royals tried acting like they could learn something from the places they visit, instead of treating everyone less fortunate as if they are in need of a savior?
X1000
Well, now you’re being radical. 😉
Speaking for the American taxpayer, if I can be so bold, I refuse to financially sponsor an all expenses paid vacation for team Cambridge. My family cannot afford the gas prices to take road trips to attend various functions this summer. If I need to live within my budget, they can live within my budget also and stay home.
I’ll get the tea, you find the harbor 🙂 🙂
“focus on places where they feel they can make a real difference”
Focus on places they know will kiss their asses. FIXED IT.
And if they think America is one of those places, they’re in for a rude awakening. Multi-cultural big cities won’t be kissing their ass. And our press won’t act as their personal PR. And, as you know, we LOVE to protest and our government allows it.
Unless they plan on going on a MAGA road trip, it’s gonna be a rough ride.
They could hang out in Florida at Mar A Lago. You know DT would LOVE them.
But NYC, LA, DC, SF, Chicago? There’s no way they could “tour” there without getting protests, nor can they control the press.
Nor can they ‘make a difference’ in those cities. Those cities don’t need them for anything, not unless they cough up some money, ’cause their smiles ain’t gonna do jack.
Oh, I don’t think it’s just a MAGA thing. There are plenty of rich liberals who would be thrilled to host a big ass society dinner featuring the Future Futures. They’d charge $20,000 a plate and tie it to Earthshot and Save the Penguins and the local moguls would be tripping over each other for an invitation. In DC, I’ll bet they’d get politicians, too, if somebody else paid for their dinner. It has nothing to do with W&K, just about being seen with the “right” people.
They should change tack and start leading trade missions, like all other European royals do on their official visits. Highlight British business, sprinkle that royal fairy dust, get some big contracts signed, etc. God knows the UK needs trade partners after Brexit.
Also, they should do more engagements/tours in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. William and Kate act like future monarchs of England, not of the UK.
When they did Scotland that was a mess also that the Queen had to mop behind.
Scotland does NOT want them. Would prefer they stick to their racist conservative base that is England.
My point was more that they’re FFK and FFQ of a country that they know nothing about beyond their bases in Norfolk and London; shouldn’t they at least be familiar with the different cultures in the British Isles if they’re going to rule them… Life would probably be a lot easier for them if they were just the English (not British) royal family.
Realistically they could come to the US and get a crowd just like Harry and Meghan can go to the Uk and get a crowd.
People don’t hate them enough/there’s really no great incentive to go protest them.
I personally would and would get my friends to but I’m also aware of what they’ve done to Harry and Meghan. A majority of people aren’t aware.
They aren’t that important to people in the US but they will still get some attention. And there will be media fawning over them like people, us weekly, etc but also I could see tmz being petty.
People need to be realistic…
That’s sweet you think a visit to the US would be smooth sailing. At BEST it would be a mixed bag. Yes, there would be people excited to see them. But there would be just as many people telling them to fuck off. ESPECIALLY if they find out their tax money is paying for their vanity trips. Same for our press. Of course there will be some light weights willing to suck up, but there will be even more who will view any visit with a critical eye. And since our media relies on clicks, and salaciousness rules the day, they will be looking to judge the fuck out of EVERYTHING they do and make ENDLESS comparisons to Harry and a Meghan.
They will try to stage manage the fuck out of every moment but it will go about as well as their Caribbean visit did.
I did not know America is CW realm! Why compare apples to orange? America is huge country and 95% of Americans do not know them!
@snuffles
Trump..one of the most hated men in American doesn’t get protested everywhere he goes. He gets ignored which is even worse for him.
Yes they’ll stage manage everything just like the did in the Caribbean and the BM will consider it successful like they tried with this last tour.
I just don’t see people creating Facebook groups to go boo them especially because the elections will be right around the corner if they show up this fall.
If they come it will be a little blip on the radar UNLESS Harry’s book comes out before it. Then it could get messy.
It was the second part of that sentence that struck me: “…and it’s not just a case of going there because they feel they have to.” This is it in a nutshell, W & K whole approach to working, period. Charles needs to shut the whole thing down; when he goes, the British monarchy is buried with him.
Well, boo hoo, they were forced to go to the Caribbean.
Would say they did this on purpose to do less “work” but that would be giving them way too much credit and imply they have some intellect.
Seraphina, exactly what I thought when I read the headline.
Is this like when your Mom tells you to do the dishes, which you hate, so you do the worst job possible at it hoping that Mom will never ask again?
Oh Kaiser, how I cackled at “Pippa’s shade of orange”. Thanks for the giggle, I needed that today.
The thing is W&K tours always rely too much on tourism like engagements. More roundtable on specifics topics, more speeches, and less throwbacks to the queen times and they would have avoided all of this. Royal tours are for the royal watchers their hard-core base so I don’t think tours are over.
The Sussex South Africa was literally the playbook on how they should have done their tour.
@Woke: The funny thing about that is the photographer from the Mirror said that the Sussex tour to South Africa was boring and the only exciting part was when Meghan and Harry danced with the women during their first engagement. So the press share the same colonialist viewpoint as the Palace when it comes to tours.
So this would be a fab idea:
“In a modern Commonwealth we should meet these democratic nations eye-to-eye, without colonial cosplay.”
But as A points out, these places get treated like some kind of 90s tv commercial for aid in Africa so countries who were and are colonisers get to feel like white saviours.
Add in that certainly a lot more UK folk than just the royals believe they are inherently superior to people of colour… and meeting these nations eye-to-eye will never happen. They’d need to act entirely different which… seems far too modern?
Also “gurning” is heavily used in the UK as slang for what happens when someone is on MDMA or coke and can’t stop grinding their teeth so…
Interesting choice of language to describe the FFK is all I’ll say.
@CEEJ Thanks for the super interesting detail re: ‘gurning’! Have not come across the term before. Def seems like shade based on what you’ve said…
Whelp, CHOGM in Rwanda is going to be interesting.
LMAO so instead of doing better they’re gonna do it less (& and probably not at all for majority POC countries)?
I said it before but Harry and Meghan should feel vindicated after last week. They tried to tell the Royal Family that things need to change but the family smeared them instead. They saw Meghan as an interloper who didn’t know her place instead of a catalyst for change. All William and Kate have done in last two years is play catch up to Harry and Meghan. So after this disastrous tour they now see that colonialist cosplay and royal traditions are old fashioned and that they need to find a progressive way of doing things. My guess is they will just stick to visiting majority white Commonwealth countries and if they do plan to visit the US later in the year, it’s going to be equally disastrous.
Ha! I said yesterday that we’d know the level of Charles’ displeasure by how abbreviated W&K’s schedule would become. No public chastisement, just “no way are we gonna let those two out there again.”
Or actually do work every day of the week to support their patronages and not this once in a year mess they keep getting away with.
So the takeaway for these two is basically “less work.” Got it. Glad I’m not a British citizen and have to foot the bill for them.
I agree, I think we will see that esp during Charles reign. Royal tours are outdated and useless.
“places they feel they can make a difference” 🤦♀️ They can’t make a difference in London, what makes them think they can make any kind of difference in another country?
If they are so hell bent on traveling to other countries on the taxpayers dime they need to rethink their whole process. Stop calling it a “tour” first off, that just reeks of colonialism. What do other European royals do? I know they travel but it feels more business-oriented, or is that just my perception? But look to how they handle these things. Look at how someone like FLOTUS handles it. Most First Ladies travel a fair amount by themselves and there still usually isn’t this same colonial vibe to it (Melania’s safari cosplay aside.)
But really, they’re the British royal family, maybe they should stick to Britain for a bit.
Some of the royals like Charles and Sophie throw in specific issues they are to discuss when they visit other countries. They still call them tours, which needs to change, but the main problem with the Cambridges is that none of their tours were anything but them visiting tourist locations. And then they take some time off to holiday during the tour, which makes it worse. Although this issue didn’t come up during the Pakistan tour, it certainly did when they visited India and Bhutan. It is likely the Pakistan tour didn’t get criticized because Meghan and Harry were still there to be attacked by the UK media.
Right! The other royals don’t tour like this in 2022. People were talking in a thread today (may have been this one, its all running together for me) about what Sophie and Edward were going to do on their Caribbean tour coming up. First they get a lot less coverage in general, so no one is really paying attention to whether they have a light schedule or not. But second, they seem to do a lot more…..business trip type of work. Sophie usually visits a few places associated with women or girls (especially education, cough Oprah’s school cough) , or vision-related charities. I don’t know about Edward bc he’s Edward.
I think part of what I think is weird and offputting about the Cambridges tours (I was going to say this to your comment below but I’m here so might as well LOL) is that it IS 2022. It’s not just that our perspectives on race relations and colonialism have change. Its also that the idea of wealthy, privileged people traveling to other countries (at taxpayers expense) to “experience” their culture as some sort of service for both countries seems incredibly outdated. If William and Kate want to visit western Canada and see a rodeo, no one is stopping them from doing that. If they want to visit the Bahamas instead of Mustique one year, or visit Belize or costa rica or another central american country, no one is stopping them from doing that. they can go to New York for a long weekend if they want. they can visit Germany or Poland on their own. They take enough time off over the year, they can go to New Zealand for a month and no one would miss them.
But doing it privately would mean they wouldn’t get the ticker tape parades they think they deserve, I guess.
Oprah-Who-Sophie visited Oprah’s school? WTF
@Becks: This is why I didn’t like people calling Harry and Meghan’s visit to NY a “tour”. It wasn’t the same as a royal visit, it was a business trip. If they are really serious about change, look for William and Kate’s next tour to look like Harry and Meghan’s visit to NY.
The tours have always had an element of being entertained by the locals and their “different” customs, which may have worked in the past, but is no longer acceptable because it came with the premise of the UK having the superior common culture and the local one being “unusual”. William and Kate don’t understand that people in different countries don’t believe their own cultures are unusual and entertaining to two white dullards with a made up title and made up trinkets doesn’t have the cachet it used to have.
It was also interesting to see the huge difference with PM Holness meeting with VP Harris. This was a meeting discussing trade and other mutually beneficial issues.
On the other hand, the grandchildren of the UK monarch show up expecting to be entertained and do not offer anything in return, which is why these tours are useless and confirms that soft diplomacy is not something other countries want from the UK. Especially not from countries where the UK has taken their resources and labour without anything provided in return.
So basically they’ll just be cutting ribbons at home to the adoration of the rota rats and the few royalists they have left. LOL.
I really don’t believe much of this because without royal tours what will they do?
There really hasn’t been anything to indicate that they are changing…just speculation from royal reporters. What we have heard from William has been blaming his staff, foreign office, social media and Jamaica for their failures.
They will keep going on tours but probably not another majority Black country for Kate and Will.
Sophie is still going to the islands and I doubt anyone will care cause no one knows who they are and Charles and Camilla are headed to some part of Africa soon.
But i guess only time will tell.
This whole thing is so messed up. I’m reminded of Czar Alexander III’s refusal to include his heir, the future Nicholas II, in anything of substance relating to governance because he thought he was too young. Oops, Alex died unexpectedly and Nicholas was so unable to intellectually, emotionally, and politically deal with Big Issues that he and his family ended up dead at the bottom of a mine shaft in 1917.
To be clear, I don’t think William’s going to end up murdered by revolutionaries, but that his father and grandparents have not inculcated in him a stronger sense of duty, morality, and intellectual curiosity does a disservice to the Crown and to the UK. And this is what I don’t understand: if the queen believes her first duty is to the Crown, then why has she not ensured that it will be in good hands in the future?
Maybe they’ve tried and William wouldn’t listen. If he has a terrible temper tantrum whenever he doesn’t get his way, he’s probably just been placated and “managed” his whole life. Plus the men in grey are still there, that’s who really runs things. So I’m guessing the queen and Charles figured the beat will go on.
And they were all dead-sure Harry would be covering for William forever. Nope.
Maybe Bill and Cathy flopped the tour to ensure that they don’t ever have to work overseas again.
Anyone think this is coming from the UK government, which is being publicly smeared and blamed by the incompetent royals and doesn’t want to keep setting up these junkets for lazy and offensive W&K?
Well, that’s certainly convenient.
Sounds like an attempt to save face–sounds better than saying “The Commonwealth is collapsing because we’re awful.”
I like that they’re still trying to pretend that Prince William knew there were issues with this tour; problem is, folks, they went ahead with it anyway!! They didn’t change one doggone thing with what had been planned; the change in cacao farms in Belize only happened because of protests, not because William realized it was a mistake. And I bet the rest of the family will be irked that their overseas vacays–oops, ‘work’ trips–will now be cancelled. Bet they’ll just be W&K doing these. How nice for them.
Well Sophie-Who was undercover in the states and it seems we have no interest in Who’s visiting America. The Coconuts flop tour was such a disaster that they’re no longer inclined to vacation officially. They have found their perfect opporutnity to announce that there will be even less work in the future! Egos are hurt – thin skinned future Prince still incandescent about being humiliated by getting fired live. In the face of adversity, they prove not to be resilient enough to show face outside Britain in the near future. How small. His future Queen finds this twist very convenient, even less work to do!
Can anybody explain to me why they’re being called Coconuts, please? Because in my neck of the woods that’s a racist slur and it’s kind of jarring to find it here.
Sense of the Absurd, it’s been bothering me too. Also, these two don’t qualify as coconuts. Myjobistoprincess, what are you meaning by calling them coconuts?
This sounds similar to what the Cambridges said about why they were not going to do the “bread and butter” type engagements. They wanted to just do a few “big” events where they can “make a difference”(Definitely not that they are both lazy and don’t want to attend ribbon cuttings all up and down the coast if they don’t have to). I see the same excuses here.
The thing is, I don’t think any of the royals or their advisors really understand why this tour was so bad. They see the bad press, but I doubt they could put into words why it went wrong, and what they could do differently. They were just doing what the Windsors have always done on tour. And isn’t everyone in the world thinking mostly about the jubbly? Keeping the same mindset, but just doing slightly less of it, is not the answer here.
Furthermore, if they are truly interested in making a difference, they should be visiting countries that are still developing economically. They should be fundraising, not taking funds from already depleted treasuries, and promoting commonwealth-led initiatives to help people.
Your first paragraph – yup, first thing that occurred to me. Just like what they said about patronages. Which one remarked they hadn’t seen Kate in 8 years?
Your second paragraph – IMO Charles is smart enough and experienced enough to know perfectly well what went wrong and why (see: his trip to Barbados). My question is, at what point does he step up and act like a leader? People comment how he plays the long game, ask if it was actually a plan of his to let hang the Cambridges out to dry and embarrass themselves by letting this tour proceed. Enough of this behind the scenes game playing and BS (including communication via press leaks). And stop hiding behind “TQ thinks/says/feels/is hurt/was snubbed”. Charles helped unload her private secretary in favor of his own man so he could start moving into his role of defacto regent. Whatever long game he’s been playing, unless his ultimate aim really is to have the monarchy end with his reign, it’s time to start looking like the future king and get the sh!tshow that is the Firm under control. Between the racism, incompetence, laziness, extravagance, and corruption on display on multiple levels just within the last 6 months, he can’t afford to wait until TQ actually dies if he wants to start moving perceptions in a different direction.
Every time I see the pic of them in their little car parade, I think, “Which stupid comedy was that from?…”
My favorite part of the photo where Kate is “embracing” the little girl is the look on the face of the man behind her standing under the umbrella. Zoom in and take a look at his expression. His face just says it all.
Hahaha YES, I noticed that too! All the men in the back are so wary of Kate. She DOES look like Stranger Danger incarnate. Run away and don’t accept her candy!!!
OMG that look is everything! I’m so glad you brought this up cause it’s my favorite. It reminds me of Melania on her safari tour – the look on the face of the woman in the vehicle with her.
Were they trying to make a difference somehow? If they were, they failed to communicate that. They should be proud, they helped announce a big difference for Jamaica.
I can’t help but see this Flop tour as a Waterloo moment at the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. It’s a time of transition, of endings and new beginnings for the monarchy.
There is turmoil surrounding Queen Elizabeth in her family and overseas. It’s turbulent, erratic energy that shows the public that things are gradually getting out of control in the monarchy: from exiling the Sussexes, through the mishandling of Prince Andrew’s child abuse lawsuit to the constant rivalry between the future heirs Charles and William for influence and power. Ilness can also be seen as a symptom: all three heirs respectively had Covid. Also losing more nations as Head of State, the uncertainty of Brexit with possible breakup of Britain and uncertainty over the future of the Commonwealth, a loose association that is only bound by historical and cultural informal ties, not military or economical. Only 9% of the UK total trade comes from the Commonwealth.
The royals’ relevance (soft power) will decline further after Elizabeth due to Charles’ old age and William’s incompetence to rule. On top of that the British government is losing influence on the global stage because of its hard Brexit stance (self-isolation).
So it’s not so much the British royals or government that will decrease the number of royal tours but the DEMAND for it from the Commonwealth nations will implode dramatically before the UK has reinvented itself.
Such endtime turbulence Is not uncommon in British royal history. The year 1900 had been Queen Victoria’s annus horribilis: “a horrible year, nothing but sadness and horrors of one kind & another” she wrote in her journal. She died in January 1901.
If they ever publish a true cost of the Cambridge Caribbean Vacation I think there will be a public outcry. Private plane, 20+ staff, parade of new clothes multiple times per day, penthouse accommodations, let alone security which the hosts have to pick up.
But they came and didn’t help , they never help so they might as well not come . Oh I forgot, they offered flinching and recoiling. Never mind, carry on keens
Wherever she shows her face they fail
It is finally dawning on the Windsors that the world has changed and they are not as important in their former colonies as they thought they were. I almost feel sorry for them. Almost. I can’t really feel sorry for people who are so wealthy and enjoy so many privileges. The Royals need to have a long, hard think about their purpose and carve out a useful role for themselves in the new world, and they are struggling. They seem to think they have to “make a difference” and have an “impact” throughout the Commonwealth. They don’t.
I, for one, do not want them to try and make any differences here in Australia or have any impact here. Only one of them at a time has any constitutional role here at all, and the tasks flowing from that role are delegated to one of our own: the Governor-General. Until such time as we effect the transition to republic, we can manage our affairs just fine without any input from any of the Windsors.
These people are so disgusting. I love how hard this flopped. I’m kinda tired of looking at them. Gonna take a break.