I didn’t even really catch the interesting “staging” of the Windsors on Remembrance Sunday, but the Telegraph made a point of dissecting it. For most of QEII’s reign, she was down on the ground at the Cenotaph, laying her wreath. When she got much older, she gave Prince Charles the task of wreath-laying while she stood on the balcony of the Foreign Office, flanked by the most senior women in the family. QEII was always supposed to be the “center” of the image, whether she was physically laying the wreath or whether she was on the balcony. But it’s different now that King Charles III is in charge. He was centered on the ground, with William directly behind him, then Anne and Edward behind William. On the balcony, Kate and Camilla were given equal prominence.
The Queen and Princess of Wales were given equal prominence as they shared a balcony to watch the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph, ensuring that neither took the place of Queen Elizabeth II. In a break from tradition, the two senior royals stood side by side, while the Countess of Wessex stood on a separate balcony alongside the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The arrangement meant that no one was deemed to have replaced the late Queen by taking her central spot at the first Remembrance ceremony since her death. The monarch had stood front and centre on a Foreign Office balcony overlooking Whitehall since her son, then Prince of Wales, took on the responsibility of laying her wreath in 2017.
The late Queen missed last year’s service due to a back strain that put her temporarily out of action. Her absence meant that the Duchess of Cornwall, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Cambridge stood together on a balcony, with the latter in the middle, suggesting that Camilla had opted not to pull rank by substituting herself for the monarch. However, royal sources insisted at the time that the arrangement was spontaneous, rather than being pre-planned.
This year’s arrangement ensured the family neatly avoided the issue altogether.
So last year’s balcony placement made it look like Kate was super-eager to “take the place” of QEII, with Camilla off to the side. This year, Kate and Camilla stood as “equals” on the balcony, and shifted the Countess of Wessex to a separate balcony. Really, the staging would have made more sense with Camilla in the center, flanked by Kate and Sophie on either side. Camilla IS the Queen Consort after all. But it was seemingly more important to “mean girl” Sophie. I wonder who made that call?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 13, 2022 in London, England.,Image: 737178522, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- 13/11/2022. London, United Kingdom. Camilla, Queen Consort and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales , at the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph in London.,Image: 737222018, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / Avalon
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- 13/11/2022. London, United Kingdom. Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales , at the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph in London.,Image: 737222029, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / Avalon
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- 13/11/2022. London, United Kingdom. Camilla, Queen Consort and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, at the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph in London.,Image: 737222202, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / Avalon
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- 13/11/2022. London, United Kingdom. Camilla, Queen Consort and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, at the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph in London.,Image: 737222250, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: (L-R) Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex attend the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 13, 2022 in London, England.,Image: 737225545, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 13, 2022 in London, England.,Image: 737225563, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 13, 2022 in London, England.,Image: 737225924, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- (L-R) Britain’s Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Britain’s King Charles III, Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales and Britain’s Princess Anne, Princess Royal attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London, on November 13, 2022. – Remembrance Sunday is an annual commemoration held on the closest Sunday to Armistice Day, November 11, the anniversary of the end of the First World War and services across Commonwealth countries remember servicemen and women who have fallen in the line of duty since WWI.,Image: 737226865, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: ISABEL INFANTES / Avalon
Maybe someone didn’t like all those “the queen’s favorite daughter-in-law” articles, lol. No Duchess Sophie (yet), no Princess Louise, wonder what happened? Was someone counting their chickens too early?
Sophie can’t do anything about her title, but as I understand it, the letters patent issued by George V designate the children of a monarch’s sons HRH with princely status. Louise has been since birth as much an HRH and Princess as Beatrice and Eugenie, she just chooses not to style herself that way (first, by her parents’ choice, and now hers, since she turned 18.)
Stories like this tell me that there is some mean girl shit going on the in background – it’s obvs that Cams, while makes the effort and does her duty, doesn’t really crave the attention as much as a certain other person on that balcony. kHate and Carol(e) are being their usual pushy ‘putting ourselves front and centre’ selves and while it seems that for the moment Cams is happy to allow that, at some point Chuck 3.0 will have an issue with it. It could also explain kHate and Ma’s recent boldness and public arrogance.
I really really really cannot stand Waity Katie and her family.
As for the Wessex’s – I think Chuck making Eddie a counsellor of state is to soften the blow of not giving him the DoE title (which was the wish of both parents).
I actually wondered if Camilla knew someone at the daily mirror and had something to do with that terrible picture of Kate being on the cover. Like I can see Camilla playing a long game of seeming welcoming but not actually being so behind the scenes. This is obv a tin foil hat theory though.
The fact that a tabloid but that terrible photo on the front page tells me all I need to know about how they really feel about Waity – they were trolling her.
The UK tabloids in general have a history of trolling her with photos – sometimes they will photoshop the sh!t out of her others they don’t bother. They know her appearance is very important to her which is why they do it.
I could see Camilla (or Charles or someone on their team) at least giving the go-ahead for that picture. I’m sure they laughed when they saw it.
Someone yesterday made the comment that they interpreted that picture as a sign that the tabloids are not protecting Kate anymore (are at least def trolling her like DU said) and also that it means that William is not protecting Kate anymore, which I think is an interesting angle on this.
I read somewhere yesterday that they were punishing Kate for not getting kid pictures last week?
The bad photo was an act of aggression. The idea of Cams hitting Kate where it hurts is a good one. Does Cams respect Sophie? I wonder what the behind the scenes is between the three of them when Meghan isn’t around to other.
The photo was very embarrassing for Kate. It’ll be interesting to see if she hides for a week or two now because if it. Or, will she set herself up to be papped and photoshopped by Chris Jackson wearing Meghan’s Archetypes’ profile photo white tank and middle-part hair to deflect/change the narrative?
Rmbr…….among all the britshidtmedia, including those that we’re suppose to believe aere NOT sycophantic monarchists (such as the times and telegraph etc. even the independent) the Mirror is supposed to be pro-republic.
However, as with every other animate being in the uk, the Mirror is NOT an all-out anti-monarchist and like the others, will pile-on on everyone who the britshidtmedia believes must be “put in their place.” In other words, the owners, editors and all the plebs that inflict the Mirror on brits, are just as bigly snobbish, classist and racist as every other brit.
My take on it was something similar. I don’t think think this was about mean girling Sophie (although that was a side effect) as much as it was about putting Kate in her place. Last year Kate made sure she was in the center. We’ve seen her push her way onto the BP balcony with enough regularity (and refuse to move unless William basically makes her) to know that she wants to be front and center at these appearances. By removing Sophie from the balcony, it meant Kate and camilla had to stand a little bit farther apart to make it look balanced so no one was in the center.
So they can cover it up by saying it was honoring the Queen, or it can seem like a pointed move to exclude Sophie, and maybe both of those things were part of it, but it also seems to put Kate in her place.
Hmm thats an interesting take and its def the kind of move Chuck 3.0 would make.
And yeah something is going on with kHate and the tabloids however William stopped protecting her from them years ago which is when they (her and Ma) stepped up the leaking to the tabs to get good press/keep the beast on their side.
This could be the beginning of setting her and her family up for a divorce fallout.
Kate is not smart and she does not have William’s support whereas Camilla is supported and protected by Charles and he is not afraid to use that power. Camilla is more confident because she knows Charles will back her. Kate acts out with petty power moves because she is massively insecure.
That photo served to show that Kate is not the young beauty she has banked on as her selling point and we will see more and more of this as Camilla gets more settled in her position as the top lady in the UK. Camilla also has the aristo ties and support that kate will never have. Camilla plays the long game in a way Kate and Carole do not understand. They thought the dating effort for about ten years was a long time…. Camilla has decades on them and a spouse who is now monarch and who has proven he will sacrifice a lot to protect her.
@ Becks1: Exactly. Well said and probably right on the money
@digitalunicorn or the others below, do you have a link to that pic/article? I tried googling and there are just too many pics and articles about her but I’m kind of dying to see what it was.
Kaiser linked to it the Remembrance post from yesterday!
Kate’s hat was such a strange choice. It makes her look almost bald in the photos because the dark hat swallows her hair, so her paler face just sort of floats out there.
I think she did it to “protect” herself from bad images? It looks like the natural lighting was not exactly flattering. I bet she picked it purposely keep her face shaded.
Maybe. Though I think the black hat is just as bad. It combined with the black coat creates this stark backdrop where she becomes a weird floating face.
The shadow from the hat on her face brings out all the sags and bags, and highlights all the droops. It’s not the answer for someone as shallow as she is.
I thought the hat looked a lot like Meghan’s recent hat(s). Perhaps I am misremembering
I, too, thought it looked like Meghan’s hat at the QE funeral but perhaps that fabric is lighter and allows light through. Also, the way Meghan’s hat slants is more flattering and blocks less of the face.
https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/09/queen_markle.jpg
That said, this is a horrible job. Imagine aging in place. I would not want to be Kate or Camilla, but Camilla does have the better attitude.
With Meghan gone, I guess they need to create new victims to bully. Problem is, that kind of system doesn’t care who it bullies and belittles, and Kate has to watch herself. If Will wants a divorce, they’ll figure out how to come for her. No woman is safe from the public hatred that can be brewed up for women.
I don’t think even William is idiotic enough to divorce her, even if he wanted to. Not when he leans so heavily on his “cute happy family” image to avoid work.
I mean, why would he? It seems to all work for him.
The cute happy family image stopped working for these 2 a while ago – no one is interested in them or their kids.
Margot, I think he could milk it. There would be heart-broken dad Will, overcoming his heartache and going on a few dates Will, seeing someone more but keeping it light Will, ready to see someone seriously Will, and eventually, ready to bare his heart and marry again Will. All the while, of course, he’d be too fragile to do much work and he’d have to spend lots of time with the kids. 🙄. Oh, and can’t forget the wants to mend fences with his brother now Will.
My point is only that public opinion can turn on a dime when it’s a woman we are talking about, and she has no good will outside of her position as his wife.
@Josephine is right – public opinion re: Kate could turn on a dime IF william and charles wanted it to turn.
Re: the divorce – I don’t know if it will ever happen. But what I think is NOT working for William is having to appear in public with Kate. That’s what he gets out of a divorce -not having to play the happy married couple in public anymore. If there is a divorce, then Kate disappears from the balcony appearances, she disappears from the christmas morning walk, etc. If they could keep up appearances better I would think a divorce is less likely. But as it is…..
Charles was able to get the media to turn on Diana even though she was popular. And prior to her tragic death she was attacked significantly by the media. The entire James Hewitt is Harry’s father nonsense is a legacy of those attacks even though she never met Hewitt until after Harry was born. There are tabloids printed prior to the news of her accident dated the morning of her death that are quite vicious. Diana was only mythologized after her tragic death which is why Charles had to get Mark Bolland and really work on changing his image as much as Camilla’s.
William wouldn’t have to do a fraction of the work to get the media to turn on kate. There was never any great love for the Middletons, especially Carole, and kate has not made herself relatable to the public generally and there is a segment who already dislike her for her actions toward Meghan with the fake crygate story and the public aggression toward Meghan at various events.
I guess my take is that William’s defining quality is being incredibly lazy, following closely by being incredibly boring. I just can’t see him doing anything that would require even the slightest effort or public unpleasantness. Even if it would make him happier in the long run.
Right now, the lazy choice is staying in his marriage and relying on his cute kids and pretty wife to do the PR work. Their ability to do that will erode over time, so the laziness calculus might change in a few years. But for now? Staying married is easily the path of least resistance.
Like, deep down, I think his issue with the Sussexes is that their easy charm and strong work-ethic, meant that he would need to exert himself to just approach their stature. He and Kate wouldn’t be able to lean on just existing and being vaguely well-dressed with the Sussexes around.
They are NOT divorcing! Never will!! I don’t know why ppl think they will. They have been together for over 20 yrs.. she knew what she was getting into when they got married. Has the support of her family, the institution, media. She has more support and protection than any married in and the general public likes her and the media always praise her. She may not have the love and affection of William but I think her bigger goal which is the titles trump that. Whatever agreements they have is working for them. They will Not divorce.
@Margot oh he definitely is lazy. So I think the only way he would put forth effort to change his status quo (i.e. divorce) is if there was a very very good reason that motivated him. Maybe he wants to marry someone else, maybe he just starts hating Kate and her family THAT much, IDK.
@SanDiego I think the point is that whatever agreements they have is NOT working for them. William visibly cannot stand to be around her in public. Kate is clearly struggling big time.
Does that mean a divorce is inevitable? No, I think its entirely possible they limp along for the next forty years, miserable and bitter. But I don’t think its accurate to say they will NEVER divorce.
Harry’s with Meghan, which is why I doubt Will is planning a long term future with Kate. Will wants some of that – and I don’t just mean, a beautiful woman sharing his home; it’s also having one on his arm in public. And while a person like Meghan might be more than Will can handle, I’ll bet he’d like to have a working partner much more capable of doing the job, one that would make him look good, that people would envy. That isn’t Kate. ( I can’t imagine what people who meet her at her various patronages must think of her and her schtick.). Will wants to be respected and admired – like Harry – that’s what Earthsh!t is really all about. He’s put a lot of focus on that project, and chances are it’s not going to get him the notice he wants. He’ll want to try something else. He’s a lazy guy, but doesn’t seem too lazy to put effort into competing with Harry.
Also, I think any “family man” image is weaker these days, since he and Kate have being doing appearances separately, he obviously pays so little attention to her when they are together (she’s should be part of the “family” picture too!), and the kids are older, in school. I don’t think it would be a big shift for him to be portrayed as the divorced but dedicated dad (and things have changed since his position has changed, he’s now the direct heir, etc. etc. It can be spun, for sure).
I don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon, not until Charles is settled in his position as king (doesn’t he have to give permission?), or while the UK is in such disarray. But I wouldn’t bet against it happening, ultimately.
Petty bitter adults who literally have everything are truly pathetic. Zero respect for any of these awful people. They are the kind of adults no parents are proud to raise.
I don’t believe they will divorce. I think the pressure on them as single royal parents, sharing the children, with the media on them would be so intense. Better together in the tent. I’m not even convinced they are living completely in separate houses; I’m sure that would have been leaked. However, what they could be doing is living separate lives, together. This is possible, especially given the size and number of their houses. My friend is doing it now. Her house isn’t big, and she still sleeps in the same bed with her husband but with no sex. They co parent and will split later, with the majority of their me time spent in different rooms after the kids have gone to bed, going out at different times etc. Her husband has no affection for her and she is looking elsewhere, in the meantime they have this arrangement because they need it financially. William and Kate need this kind of arrangement because of the media spotlight on them. They could even have one of those interconnecting rooms that keep popping up in The Crown!
Really starting to think that Kate is far more devious than people give her more credit for.
Charles is pretty Machiavellian himself, so for Kate to be given this level of “prominence”, she must have served his interests in some very significant way (and I’m not just referring to chasing off Meghan).
It’s also interesting that Sophie was far less visible this Remembrance Day whereas the Gloucester’s were also given more prominence. I cannot see Charles giving a feck about the Gloucester’s, or his mother’s wishes that they continue to have their place, so the current lineup is very interesting.
That said I can see how both Chuck and Kate prefer the dull, but dependable Gloucester’s who don’t draw attention away from them. In any case I suspect they’ll get the memo once they have to expend more and more budget on social media bots for engagement.
Charles is actually really close with the Duke of Gloucester. There’s mentions of it going back to staff bios from the early 1980s.
Charles and the Duke of Gloucester are only a few years apart in age (1948 and 1944). They played together at family get- togethers like Christmas. There are some really cute pictures of young Prince Richard with little Charles (and Anne). When Charles first went to Cambridge, Richard helped him in his first days to get acquainted with the university (he was in grad school at the time). Charles is his son’s godfather. They go back a long way. The Duchess is a year older than Camilla (although her health seems much better so she comes across as younger.). And apparently everyone in the Royal family likes her.
So, Remembrance Day is a holiday to celebrate the royal family?
Forgive me, I’m not British. But I’m sure that this must be done to do with remembering or celebrating the royals. Because if it were a day meant to honor, say …… those who fought valiantly in war and gave the last full measure of duty, it wouldn’t be so important who stood next to who, and surely the British papers wouldn’t waste column space on the placement of women during a more solemn occasion, right?
(Please note, I am not shading Kaiser or Celebitchy at all for covering this. I’m shading the British media and the royal family for worrying about musical chairs during a ceremony about dead soldiers)
I commented on the Festival of Remembrance post about how it’s not really a sombre tone (at least, not exclusively,) and it’s not something we get over here in North America. It’s a concert and military spectacle, too, and definitely celebrates the monarchy. They literally ended it with 3 shouts, led by a military officer, of “Hip Hip Hooray!” for Charles.
In Canada we have Remembrance Day and it is always on November 11 regardless of the day of the week. It consists of various ceremonies around the country at around 11 am local time and it’s a solemn ceremony recalling the sacrifices made by the soldiers who fought in all the recent wars. We don’t have royals with their fake medals but real veterans show up. It is not the pageant the royals make it to be in the UK.
@Nic919 Indeed. It’s exclusively sombre for us here in Canada.
Just to say, as a Brit the ceremony is a very sombre event for those who watch on TV. It is incredibly moving. Poppies are still worn by a fair few in the lead up and we ourselves go to the main event locally. I know several who have served in the RAF and it means a lot to them personally. It is hard to untangle those who died and the crown on this day, particularly at the cenotaph, which is the scene a lot of people watch/hear via the BBC. However, for Kate it has become about how she looks and what she’s wearing, where she stands, how the papers capture her.
Sparrow, you expressed what miffed me much more eloquently and with much less snark. Thank you. This was not an occasion that was supposed to be about who was standing next to who among the royals.
Camilla is first lady. Kate is second no matter where they stand on balcony. If Kate is given equal prominence she should be working more
Camilla is not going to let Kate act like she is number one. She’s giving kate some rope but there will be pull back.
Exactly. Both Camilla and Charles will give her and Ma Meddlesome enough rope to hang themselves, then William can divorce her. She’s walking on a tightrope right now and better watch her back.
Huh. And here I thought the focus was supposed to be the veterans, not the pecking order. Silly American.
Please, nothing is ‘spontaneous’ with this crowd. Everything is negotiated and planned, otherwise how would the men in grey fill their days?
The choice of heavy black eyeliner is so harsh on aging features with the broad hat and yet another coat dress. It’s a old dull look. Part of me feels sorry for her. She wanted it all, got it at such a price and is losing the only thing she brought to the role. I wonder if she wants another child just to have William touch her.
There will be no Princess Louise because she is not the granddaughter of the sovereign of the male line according yo the George V convention. The title upgrade should have been done when the queen was alive. The DofE title I think is being withheld to keep the Wessexes in line. Sophie is being mean girled. Karma.
She has been HRH and Princess since birth by George V’s letters patent. It was simply her parents’ choice not the style her as such, and her choice since she turned 18.
She was born as the granddaughter in the male line of the sovereign, so the queen’s death does not change that. The same way that Beatrice and Eugenie are still HRH Princess even though they are not grandchildren in the male line of the current sovereign.
The DoE title could not have been done while the queen was alive bc at that point Charles held the title.
Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent, Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Richard, current Duke of Gloucester were all born after their grandfather George V died. But they were born in the male line so were HRH from birth.
Tinfoil tiara: Chaz stole William s thunder by granting him Prince of Wales so soon. Nobody expected that as per Kensington changing titles on their sites twice in two days.
Not only Chaz made Kate the new princess to make people no longer attach the title only to Diana but also is forcing William to spoil his own ” I am better than my father” PR if a divorce ever happens.
William would definitely get closer to Harry and run with the narrative ” Kate lied about Meghan and drove me away from my brother.l” partially why he needs Harry so much…
Moderatelywealthy, you make good points. What has puzzled me is that people will think of either of them as P&P of Wales. Di became PoW upon marriage. Everyone calls Wails Kate Middleton and Fails is called Prince William. I don’t know how you get past that–at least in the next decade or so (maybe never). Too many people will continue to think of Di as the Princess of Wales. Nice try, Chuck, but you’re just not going to get what you want when you want it.
Also, can someone tell me if Harry’s last name now is Windsor? The man needs a last name, but I think it changes now that Charles is King? Or is his last name Sussex? I think he ought to go with Sussex. It makes sense.
Yes, Sussex is Harry’s last name since being granted the dukedom
I think his last name is Mountbatten-Windsor (that is Archie and Lili’s last name at least)
Sophie was all too happy to mean girl Meghan at the commonwealth ceremony and then at Betty funeral. So as they say , what goes around comes around. Swim with sharks , you get eaten.
Camila, Kate and Sophie all deserve each other and a lifetime of unhappiness and misery
They say seek and ye shall find. I hope your last sentence is prophetic.
I’m not body shaming, but I truthfully had no idea that that was Camilla. She looks like an entirely different human to me. It made me think of the recent Celebitchy podcast episode where they wondered if she’d gone off to another country to get some cosmetic surgery done. Cuz that’s a whole different head, in my very distant opinion. (I will def own that I haven’t seen her a lot, but when I did, she always looked unmistakably the same to me.)
It’s clear that Sophie was relegated and shown her place. I wonder how she feels about that. I’m sure she would have expected to be on the same balcony as Camilla and Kate.
Jais, I am living for you theory on Cam’s long game– at least she could learn that from Prince Charles, who plays the long game, too.
It just occurred to me that Keen is attempting (bless her heart) to copykeen Meghan’s funeral look. The wide-brim hat. The uncommon neckline details. The somber expression. She looks more somber here than at QE’s funeral. Her Meghan style inspiration board must have clued her in to the fact that guffawing at remembrance events is not appropriate.
I didn’t immediately recognize the cosplay. I think the earrings threw me off. In fact, it throws off the cosplay, period. Also, should have left out the brooch. Meghan’s only adornment at the funeral was the Queen’s gift. I think that was really respectfully honoring her.
Roo: genius.
Reign: Agree, this is the copykeen of Duchess Meghan at the Queen’s funeral. Kate is one sick bitch. She has a mental disorder or two.
All three copied Meghan, the two were less obvious about it, than triggered Kate.
Their status anxiety is off putting. Materialism and percieved ranking cannot fill that emotional chasm. It is persistent hunger for more.
This is about Meghan given priority to stand with the German President a while back on a previous Remembrance Day, Kate was once again “triggered”.
This ranking , would replace the necessary therapy that she needs.
The memorable comment that I read about Kate Middleton, is that she can be replaced by a mannequin and no one will notice.
Poor Sophie….She now understand the saying we were taught in the old country
” it is nice to be important, but more important to be nice.”
Reference: Commonwealth Day service
I wouldn’t be surprised if C&C or only one C asked Kate to wear the earrings. They completely wreck Kate’s 1920s cosplay with her deco pin, the drape of the wide-brimmed hat, the hair, the lines on her coat. This doesn’t look like a Kate selection even though big, shiny.
The Spock brow is probably botox injection error and completely the fault of her doctor, who should skulk around in shame. No excuse for it to begin with. No excuse for not fixing it.
For the nth time, Kate needs better people around her. She looks wrong even for her. Her makeup is horribly bad. Her hair is horribly bad. But worst is the grimace. Tough to see on anyone. It’s a look I associate with dire existence.
Kate looks so unhappy in these pictures.
She is beginning to understand that she sold her soul for a title.
The first thought I had when seeing this photo is that Kate is just waiting for Camilla to die. There is no mutual affection there, nothing resembling friendship. Just two bitter, aging status seekers jockeying for public attention.
When they mean girl the other woman of the RF, after having virtually tortured Meghan out of the country, what have they gained except a secret, simmering contempt for each other.
And they and their friends in the press keep telling themselves that Meghan is eaten up with jealousy and resentment because she was “kicked out” of this glorious life. It is laughable.
Meghan dodged a bullet. My god, these two are wretched.
Dee, Insight of the day. You nailed it. I especially enjoyed your first sentence, about Kate waitying for Camilla to die. This bitter biatch is always waiting for unpleasant things to happen to other people or causing them to happen. No way will she f–k around with Camilla, the Queen Consort. Charles loves and protects her. Yet Kate proceeds with her mean girl games only with the support of Mommy, since William has finally found his good place what with the Duchy money, de facto split with Kate and so many palaces to choose from, he’ll never have to co-habit with Kate again. He’ll always be in another mansion. He’s happy and she’s still treading water, in Meghan’s clothes.
Kate has been an absolute disgrace on balconies. Pushing and shoving and charging. Standing next to the Queen on one Platinum Jubilee appearance where she had no right to be. Interesting that the Queen ignored Kate’s attempts to strike up conversation and turned to speak to Charles. It could be that this year it was decided that no other royal lady should be centre stage hence Sophie’s non appearance. Since the Queen said earlier this year she wished Camilla to be Queen Consort, Kate has been downgraded. For years after she married William she was going to be next Queen because Camilla was only going to be Princess Consort but then it was all changed. They will all have to curtsey or bow to Camilla.
Ok Carole.
The saddest thing about these pictures is that Kate did every thing in her power to get to that balcony PoW and the human cost is written all over her face and embodied by her near skeletal figure. Not to mention the fact her husband barely tolerates her.
It’s probably why she adorns herself in all of Liz and Diana’s jewels – trying to get those historic shots in before the inevitable breakdown.
The sad this is that both Kate and William are still very young and could still live very productive meaningful lives with loving partners – but still Kate chooses this miserable existence which is literally hollowing her out from the inside.
Carolind, I think you’re mistaken about Kate being queen when (if) William ascends to the throne (and they’re still married). Just as Philip was Prince Philip, because Elizabeth was the queen (no outsiders to the line of ascension will get the queen or king title), Kate too would be queen consort or princess consort. I’m not really sure why Philip was not king consort instead of prince and Camilla gets to be queen consort, both outsiders to the line of ascension? I know in the past the Brits wanted to prevent a foreign king (or queen) from laying claim to Great Britain. I’m sure British readers can clarify this. Thanks.
A King of any sort “outranks” a queen. Since Elizabeth II was a queen regnant, none of her subjects were allowed to outrank her, including her husband, which is why Philip was given a princely title after her coronation (I believe, but don’t quote me). Although Philip was born a Prince of Denmark and Greece, he was forced to renounce those titles in order to marry the then-Princess Elizabeth.
Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, was also a prince. King consort doesn’t exist. You can be King through birthright or conquest, but not by marriage to a sovereign queen.
@aviva you can it’s just very rare. Albert’s cousin Ferdinand of Coburg married the queen of Portugal. When she had their first child, he was made King Consort. When Francis, Duke of Assiz (sp) married his cousin queen Isabella II of Spain, he immediately became king. (Wonder if Infanta Leonor, who’ll be Spain’s first reigning queen since Isabella will follow her great great great great grandmother’s example?)
@jferber the wife of the king is a queen consort. My guess is in time we will stop referring to Camilla as Queen consort and just queen. There was just a queen regnant for so long that I think they’re adding “consort” for clarification.
What Carolind was referring to was how Camilla was going to be Princess Consort, which isn’t really a thing in the UK so it never really made sense, so if that had happened Kate would have been the first queen after Elizabeth (albeit Consort and not regnant). So Kate lost that to Camilla in this instance.
Flower, you are surely kinder than me because I have no pity for this woman, this Kate. Because she was greedy, selfish and grasping, she only wanted everything for herself, never to be a good servant to the British people, which is what all royalty is SUPPOSED to be. So if she wore herself out to get all the goodies and eliminate all competition, I’m glad it took a toll on her (if it did). We really don’t know her emotional state or psyche (thank God) from a bunch of pictures. Even if she were to try to explain herself, a) she’d lie and b) no one could understand her because of her unintelligible posh accent that no one ever had or understood. So, tough noogies to her. Lastly, she is no longer “very young.” And she would NEVER choose to be “productive” or “meaningful.” She spits on those words, sad to say. Sorry, I should add William to this list of not young and spitting on a productive and meaningful existence.
Man, Sophie and the Gloucesters look P.O.-ed.
Also first pic of Kate & Camilla totally like theyre giving the stink eye to Sophie (and I guess the Gloucesters. Also who are the Gloucesters???). The other pics of them look like they’re all gossiping about Sophie. I think Sophie can tell. I think she’s also still mad about getting screwed over for the DofE thing
The Gloucesters are two of the hardest working and most respected in the family. The Duke is the late queen’s yiungest cousin, born just a few years before Charles. He was the second son of the queen’s uncle the Duke of Gloucester. His dashing brother William (who Charles idolized) was killed in a plane crash just weeks after Richard married the lovely and shy Danish born Birgitte. He was a trained architect and never expected to carry out duties. They both have worked hard since the 70s albeit with less attention over the years. There’s no scandal attached to them or their 3 children. The closest is when their daughter divorced her Māori husband and even that was very private and quiet.
I think Sophie is also mad at Edward for accepting the chump condolence prize that is the Councellor of State thing, when he should have been made D of E. I mean, when was the last time a monarch even used a Councellor of State??
This is just my conspiracy theory, but I think Charles offered the D of E to Harry right before the Queen died, which Harry declined, infuriating Charles, who thought it was more than prestigious enough to lure Harry back, but it just showed that he doesn’t KNOW Harry. I believe this is also why Charles was telling the world he invited Harry to Balmoral one day, and then literally the next day was telling the world that he would “ice out” the Sussexes. I think this also one of the reasons, maybe even the main reason, that Charles seemed so determined to degrade the Sussexes as much as possible during the funeral stuff. It was like he had to be FORCEDLY prevented from putting whoopie cushions on the Sussexes seats, he so wanted to embarrass them….
In a way, I DO think Charles is wise not to give the D of E to the Wessexes, because Edward could unintentionally do more for Scottish independence than a hundred Bravehearts.
LoL. Equal prominence for standing on a balcony during a ceremony for remembering people who served. What a F*cked up point of view, I hope the QC and future QC slept well after their ‘equal prominence’. lol /s
This sh-t is all these people live and breathe for. Jockeying for who stands where on the balcony. Who walks how many steps behind who. Who has the tackiest jewelry, whose inbred ancestry can be counted back the most generations. If they didn’t care about these things, then why does Debrett’s and Burke’s still put out books listing all the titled peers and their heirs and their genealogies in the year of our lord 2022. Why are there still ranks and orders of precedence? Why was it ever a significant news story that the former monarch’s granddaughter may or may not start utilizing a royal title vs. a noble one?
The entire point of marrying into, or even being born into, the monarchy and the aristocracy boils down to exactly this: the eternal pissing contest about who stands where, who curtsies to whom, who gets the most attention, who gets addressed as what title, and who ranks above who in all of those.
Royals and aristocrats LOVE to talk ENDLESSLY about how they just don’t think about these things. They don’t think about how they are Lady So-and-So, born to Earl and Countess So-and-So, married to Duke This-or-That, they insist. “Please just call me Susie,” they say, in glossy magazine spreads on their sprawling country estate, where they are dressed down in the latest designer riding attire and boots. “I’m just a simple country girl at heart,” they insist. “I didn’t even know what a diamond was until the age of 34. All I care about are dogs and horses and dog hair on dusty antique furniture in my drafting, freezing, falling apart country pile, I promise.”
Please. Spare me. I’ll believe that these people are actually normal the day they stop associating vacuumed carpets and cleaned floors with tacky, nouveau-riche upstarts.
@A I am laughing my ass off at this comment, thank you
They care so deeply about who stands where on balconies. What a pathetic existence.
Who Are Ya? is the same as the original. You have a set number of tries (eight in this case), and each one tells you something about what you and the target player have in common. When you first start the game, you see a blurry picture of a player. All of them will play in one of Europe’s five top leagues: the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, or the Bundesliga. The game will tell you if your guess about a player’s country, league, club, position, or age is right.