I was quite confused by the Princess of Wales’s visit to the Leeds Market yesterday, because the stated goal was to promote her idiotic Shaping Us awareness campaign, and she apparently wanted to talk to market vendors about their childhood. There was another purpose for the photo-op though – she was unveiling some billboard or something for Shaping Us, and she actually talked to vendors about what they thought of her campaign. Like… they sent her to a market and tasked her with asking working people what they thought of her billboard? Meanwhile, one of the flower vendors was just trying to make a sale and he ended up getting the scoop of the day:
Kate politely ignored a distinct wolf whistle as she made her way through the busy market.
Optimistic florist Neil Ashcroft tried his best to make a sale, giving the Princess his sales patter as she inspected his merchandise before gifting her some of her favourite hyacinths.
“No doubt William will be buying you some red roses,” he said. Mr Ashcroft revealed afterwards that she had replied: “I don’t think he will do.”
The florist, who has run the M&D Flowers in the market for 32 years, lamented failing to make a sale.
“I offered her a discount. I said I would give her a card and knock off the VAT,” he said, but to no avail, although he did enjoy talking to her. “She acted very genuine.”
I’m surprised she didn’t hiss “he better not get me ROSES.” And if you’re going to send Buttons to a market, give her some cash so she can buy some stuff. These are working people and they’re just trying to earn a living, and Kate’s all “what do you think of my billboard, how did your early years shape you to the florist I see before me?” Buy something or move along, damn it. Speaking of Kate’s busy work, an authentic group of credible Early Years experts has questioned why Kate is sucking up time, money and resources for an awareness-raising campaign:
The Princess of Wales has launched her new early childhood plan in Leeds, but a campaign group has said long-term investment is required instead of raising “awareness”.
The group Practitioners of the Early Years Sector said: “We are well accustomed to MPs and royalty visiting early years settings, praising the invaluable work of practitioners from David Cameron to Gordon Brown and the Queen Consort. But nothing is done. The time has long passed for ‘awareness’. We need action – long-term investment and funding in the early years.”
The group said early years’ centres are “having to close, with staff laid off due to being constantly underfunded and under-resourced…. Childcare providers are having to turn to food charities to provide nutritious meals for children while stagnant government funding still is not being directed to the sector – the paltry government funding of early years that is provided does not cover the provision of any food.”
The group also said that no early years experts were on the team that wrote a key report for the princesses’ Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
Thank you, Practitioners of the Early Years Sector, for speaking the truth. Yet another awareness-raising campaign which does nothing but waste everyone’s time and money, and it’s just busy-work for Kate, it’s just Kate turning up at events in her new frocks and wiglets, mumbling about the Early Years. “The group also said that no early years experts were on the team that wrote a key report for the princesses’ Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood” – I could have told you that! The “report” was basically “the early years are important, baby brains are important” and that’s it.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
-
- Leeds, UNITED KINGDOM – Kate Middleton The Princess of Wales pictured visiting the iconic Kirkgate Market in Leeds. The Princess of Wales will meet vendors and members of the public. Her Royal Highness will briefly tour the market before joining a discussion with vendors and local people about their experiences of early childhood. Pictured: Kate Middleton The Princess of Wales BACKGRID USA 31 JANUARY 2023 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*
-
- Leeds, UNITED KINGDOM – Kate Middleton The Princess of Wales pictured visiting the iconic Kirkgate Market in Leeds. The Princess of Wales will meet vendors and members of the public. Her Royal Highness will briefly tour the market before joining a discussion with vendors and local people about their experiences of early childhood. Pictured: Kate Middleton The Princess of Wales BACKGRID USA 31 JANUARY 2023 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*
-
- Catherine, Princess of Wales in Kirkgate Market in Leeds, West Yorkshire, where she is meeting vendors and members of the public for the launch of the Shaping Us campaign which is raising awareness of the unique importance of early childhood. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Leeds, England, United Kingdom When: 31 Jan 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Catherine, Princess of Wales in Kirkgate Market in Leeds, West Yorkshire, where she is meeting vendors and members of the public for the launch of the Shaping Us campaign which is raising awareness of the unique importance of early childhood. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Leeds, England, United Kingdom When: 31 Jan 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Catherine, Princess of Wales arrives at the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, where she will join students on the Childhood Studies programme which focuses on a broad approach to early childhood development, during her visit to the city for the launch of the Shaping Us campaign to raise awareness of the unique importance of early childhood. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Leeds, England, United Kingdom When: 31 Jan 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Catherine, Princess of Wales in Kirkgate Market in Leeds, West Yorkshire, where she is meeting vendors and members of the public for the launch of the Shaping Us campaign which is raising awareness of the unique importance of early childhood. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Leeds, England, United Kingdom When: 31 Jan 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Catherine, Princess of Wales arrives at the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, where she will join students on the Childhood Studies programme which focuses on a broad approach to early childhood development, during her visit to the city for the launch of the Shaping Us campaign to raise awareness of the unique importance of early childhood. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Leeds, England, United Kingdom When: 31 Jan 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Catherine, Princess of Wales arrives at the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, where she will join students on the Childhood Studies programme which focuses on a broad approach to early childhood development, during her visit to the city for the launch of the Shaping Us campaign to raise awareness of the unique importance of early childhood. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Leeds, England, United Kingdom When: 31 Jan 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Catherine, Princess of Wales arrives at the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, where she will join students on the Childhood Studies programme which focuses on a broad approach to early childhood development, during her visit to the city for the launch of the Shaping Us campaign to raise awareness of the unique importance of early childhood. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Leeds, England, United Kingdom When: 31 Jan 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
Finally! A voice of sanity!
Yeah! Finally someone to say it as it is! And “baby brains” are important lol do not pun about her hormones lol
So cheap! Never bringing anything and not buying to encourage local business people in a market!! Pa, give her some cash!!
Yeah, that was bad. Going to all these different stalls & not buying anything! She’s got plenty of assistants to carry her haul & her debit card.
Not only did she waste their time by not buying anything, but I’ll bet you anything that if her security team didn’t fully shut down the market to other shoppers while she was there, they at least heavily reduced how many people could come through.
So she didn’t spend any money, AND she lost them opportunities to make their regular sales as well. She very well likely cost THEM money.
Why are BRFCo principals sent to the market without money? That’s assuming she was sent, rather than initiated the visit herself. Does the vendor get a tax break for his gift to the “working” royal? Is he allowed a valid COGS deduction for his royal gift to calculate gross profit? Or should I call that royal grift? The florist offered her a discount and to “knock off the VAT” but would he still be responsible for remitting VAT to taxing authority?
OTOH suppose it’s good she comes across as “genuine” to somebody. Even if it did require a giving a gift to wealthy Duchess of Cornwall.
Yes! I was wondering when someone with some knowledge would stand against up the avalanche of fluffy and at the same time cynical nonsense
Shocking, but most of us already knew that Willis is no longer interested in his wife. She admits it to the vendor, in her response to his prompting… “No doubt William will be buying you some red roses,” he said. Mr Ashcroft revealed afterwards that she had replied: “I don’t think he will do.”
How sad, really. I almost feel sorry for her, but she stands for nothing, and does not stand up for anyone. Not even herself.
I think when Kate hears roses, she thinks of Miss Hanbury. The vendor is either sly or was just trying to make a sale.
OT: Just what is Rose’s official title? She seems to have a whack of names.
@Lady D — Sarah Rose (née)Cholmondeley, Marchioness of Cholmondeley
Although I think it would be great if the florist is a true celebitchy who saw an opportunity and RAN with it, I think it was truly an innocent comment. So weird that Kate didnt add something to her comment like “he always gets me other flowers instead.” It doesn’t dispel any rumors.
Thanks, Jaded.
@Usavgjoe: To put it bluntly, William was never thoroughly infatuated with Catherine, but he eventually caved in and married her because Mamma Middleton pushed hard to convince him that provided she be made Queen, the girl would turn a blind eye on his infidelities and deliver her share of the deal: healthy heirs.
Kate is now living her best moderately useful life: wearing outrageously expensive designer clothes, being the most photographed person on earth without merit, aping Meghan Markle’s compassion. But her performance isn’t fooling working people with a solid common sense and work ethics. The Brits have very subtle ways of shaming those they despise: the flower vendor knew exactly where she headed when she mentioned the absentee husband and when she mentioned money: she cleverly killed 2 birds with one stone, and that was priceless, savage on her part.
After the working-class lady pulling Copykate by the arm in Northern Ireland, and the egg tossing at Chuck 3, this interaction between the peddler and the princess sheds a damaging light on the class divide in England: women LOVE Diana but LOATHE Kate. I believe that unlike Diana whose radiant charisma and genuine selflessness ignited worldwide interest in a musty institution, the years to come might show Catherine Middleton playing an instrumental role in bringing down the monarchy for lack of relevancy and relatability.
Awareness (the élite’s babbling) versus action (working England’s pragmatism) is way too conflicting for people to let go of the ideological divergence: keeping the conversation going gives a Great Gatsby whiff of flippant, mundane carelessness. Karen doesn’t seem to grasp the social emergency. If she cared that deeply about early years, why didn’t she come up with a way of supplying the food bank with packages including useful and nutritious items for babies? But hey, Harry’s autobiography and Meghan’s uppity sense of style must be the problem.
I’d bet a dollar that if that group continues to speak out they’ll find themselves on the receiving end of an ethics investigation and press attacks like Ngozi Fulani.
I thought the same thing. But I am glad that she is getting her comeuppance with regards to her “Aerly Years” campaign as she continues to deliver nothing. Keen should be embarrassed and ashamed of her antics.
As many have suggested, there are incredible opportunities for her given her platform. Keen could yield her position to host parties that have deep pockets to make donations. Cultivate parties of supporting certain charities in desperate need of funds and provide links and a brief synopsis of what these organizations are doing for early years or other children’s needs.
But alas, Keen has nothing to offer but another day of ridiculously expensive clothing, a public PR puff piece and did not buy anything from these poor vendors trying to make a living.
Sanity is sorely lacking among the Royals it seems. As a contrast I just listened to a podcast about how to promote language and communication development in babies (I’m a new mum) and they had free and sensible advice like imitating baby’s facial expressions and babbling, telling baby about what you are doing as you do it, and starting reading right away. The exact kind of thing a non-political (theoretically) royal could do in this sector!! (Telling the government how to spend money being beyond their scope).
Doesn’t she now have access to Duchy of Cornwall lands? What a time for her to take up Charles’ projects and expand them. Charles went organic, fresh organic produce for the Early Years facilities on a grant from the Duchy of Cornwall. How about that? How about honey from her mother-in-law’s bees (Camilla has an artisinal honey project to raise money for charity.) Kate is literally sitting on actual food that she could provide.
There are things they could do with their own money that do not require a vote or the permission of Charles. It’s time for her to get out in the trenches – perhaps invite Michelle Obama over to talk about how to help with actual food. Obama had gardens put in at schools so the kids could actually grow what they ate, and it made them more likely to want to eat it, “Because we grew it, yay.”
I admit, I misread the first sentence as “Idiot Shaping U.S. Awareness” campaign.
It’s galling. Wasting time and money on this vanity project she has no real knowledge about just to complete with Meghan. That’s what it comes down to. She could be heading up fundraising efforts to put money back into the preschools that need it. Or appeal to the government but no. It’s all wigs and new ugly frocks. Awful woman.
It absolutely is galling. She’s literally prancing around playing pretend serious business woman just to show off pretty new outfits and show the UK, see, I do important stuff that requires carrying a notebook too! And these stans just eat it up like soup and twist themselves into pretzels defending how utterly simple and elementary this all is, trying to convince themselves it’s rocket science.
I don’t know what her campaign is about. Yes raise awareness about the early years being important but what else? Why is it important? What does she want to do to help? And a thousand of other questions. It doesn’t seem there’s an actual goal.
My whole thing is like…why not find a passion project? Don’t people get bored not doing anything daily lol? Take up needlepoint or something. I don’t know. I just feel like no amount of money and fashion could make me want to sit around all the time. It would be one thing if she was raising her own children because that’s absolutely a full time job, but we know that’s not the case.
@Veronica, you’re being unfair, we already know that Kate likes coloring in coloring books! She has a hobby! I don’t know if she could handle more than one.
Ridiculous woman. Truly a waste of oxygen (Kate, not you!!)
Even Harry said in his book that he would see their nanny outside with the pram all the time!
Speaking of Meghan, Kate never once carried a top-handle purse pre-Meghan days. So we now have credible, solid people actually saying, in so many words, that it ‘s empty busy-work. Without this? She has nothing.
Yup @kelleybelle I noticed that purse choice back in 2018. She’s so empty and refuses to fill up her mind with anything real or anything of substance.
@KelleyBelle- I noticed her purse too! IIRC, it looks just like the purse Meghan carried when she wore that amazing green outfit for her and Harrys final event as working royals, on commonwealth day.
I wonder how many kids would be fed from the cost of all the new outfits, jewelry, shoes, purses, blowdrys, etc she spends for these “listening and learning” events, and from that inane claymation video/billboards. Quite a few I’d wager.
She should just donate the ££££££s and keep her bony ass at home.
I wouldn’t have believed it if i hadn’t seen it with my own eyes but it seems like this pr tour is blowing up in her face a bit.
People really aren’t satisfied with just awareness. They want action
I’m surprised the Kate fans are not even buying this mediocre campaign, they praise her for everything. Elizabeth Holmes made a post on her Instagram and the comments were not in favor of Kate and she had to close her comment section (no one was bullying Kate, they just weren’t buying this campaign) I’m glad people are opening their eyes when it comes to her. Finally.
Well we know that Kate “fans” are just racist, jealous Meghan haters. I doubt many of them really admire or love Kate.
@ girl_ninja, they chose to support Keen as the playing field is so small. They don’t actually support her they just refused to support Meghan, as the mixed raced, American divorcee that was an actress.
Interesting that Keen didn’t have a large public show of support until Meghan came onto the scene…..
@Chloe, the PR should blow up. Vapid twat. Her first reveal after five years of learning was, Don’t be poor. This new reveal based on her media, Don’t be a black man.
Experts have been warning for decades at this point that the cutting of schoolbudgets, daycare and other initiatives that are supposed to help young families will grossly impacted children, especially the younger ones. And now miss keen thinks she can just walk in, claim 10 years of listen and learning and all she has to say is that early years are important and that there needs to be more awareness.
I would be pissed too.
Awareness isn’t the issue.
So yes it should blow up in her face because if you really pay attention it all just so ridiculous and empty. Which is only more frustrating because it’s such an important issue
I mean, this is the stupidest subject to try to raise awareness about because people are already f***ing aware! It’s like raising awareness that eating oranges during long sea voyages prevent scurvy, or raising awareness that wearing shoes prevents getting splinters in your feet. Shaping Us is Pippa Tips level of inanity.
@Tigermcqueen: you mentioned pippa tips and i laughed. It really is just as empty and obvious as her sisters groundbreaking book on party tips
@TigerMcQueen what is so infuriating about her awareness campaign is that her original Early Years survey results showed that the majority of respondents were already aware. Most respondents felt that all of the formative years were equally important, and that included the 0-5 group. Only a small group singled out the 0-5 as the most important. Kate latched onto that and is trying to raise awareness of something that is only a partial truth. It really is a stupid goal to try and say one phase of childhood is more important than another, rather than saying that there are specific gains that are made in the 0-5 years that one can focus on. Then say what they are–attachment, verbal skills, nutrition, play/socialization. Just walk away from the mirror for five more minutes Kate and say what people should focus on.
As argued here by many more compassionate than her, life doesn’t stop coming at you when you turn five years old. Her husband’s traumatic post-year five childhood is right there, staring her in the face. Kate’s insane enthusiasm for her “discovery” is embarrassing. Yesterday’s appearance with the flowing hair, the expensive McQueen coat and useless little handbag, the cat call, and the cordoned-off crowds excited to meet her feels like Kate’s vision of what it must be like to be Meghan. Meghan, Meghan, Meghan. She wants to be Meghan and needed a cause and a slogan. That’s why the campaign doesn’t go any deeper.
Back when she cared about Heads Together, it was the same exact BS. Raise awareness (as if there’s a soul who’s unaware that people suffer from mental health issues), start the conversation, continue the conversation. That was it. Then she and William both seemed to abandon it completely, never to be mention it again. Ridiculous
Can I nominate this for the comment of the week? It is totally Pippa Tips
I saw one comment on twitter that was like, she’s raising awareness so that people are aware and can then lobby the government for change, since she can’t lobby the government.
Let’s pretend that’s what she’s doing. WHO do I call about this, WHO do I lobby, WHAT am I specifically advocating for – “better early years for our children?”
That’s not getting into the idea of someone whose FIL meets weekly with the PM needing her minions to lobby for her.
The lack of specifics here is just mindblowing that I’m not surprised its blowing up a bit. She’s coming across exactly how she is – lazy, vapid, unintelligent, etc. That’s the problem. This campaign is supposed to be her “big moment” and instead people are seeing that the princess has nothing BUT clothes to offer, you know?
So, no thesis. No call to action. No observable, measurable work product. No lifting up of others.
We’re aware.
So she is expecting others to do the real work on this issue? That’s how they justify the money spent on this “awareness” campaign?
The bots need to work on a better talking point.
It’s not like there isn’t a model for Kate/her team to follow. Kate copies everything else Meghan does – her clothes, her hair, her jewelry, her PR environment (remember copying the Zoom set up with couch, pillows, etc. during the pandemic) – so how come she won’t copy some of the projects Meghan has done? It’s all out there, and there’s a recent helpful report outlining additional projects the Archewell foundation gave money to. She and Bill also have a foundation, presumably with assets – is any of that money being used for anything worthwhile? As someone said yesterday, you’re discussing early years, why not fund playgrounds – like Meghan just helped to do? That would be a worthwhile photo op.
The truth is, and has been glaringly obvious for some time, that Kate’s only interest when doing anything public, including appearances with the RF, is attracting maximum attention to herself. I can’t imagine being so useless and empty-headed. It’s sad and pitiful, but she has no apparent comprehension the reason Meghan is appreciated is because of the work she does, and the way she does it, with the focus on the organizations she works with, not herself. Her husband is similar, he also needs to be celebrated, like Harry, but it’s essentially the same thing – how something looks, instead of what is accomplished. At least he isn’t copying Harry’s necklace and bracelets…
I can’t believe sensible people are still willing to associate themselves with anything these two useless people do and give them any appearance of respectability.
They could have gone with interests she appears to have that involve tangible doing rather than thinking—Kate enjoys sports, or Kate is a photographer, or Kate likes to chat with older folks. Why the courtiers ever thought Kate could pull off a long-term commitment to early childhood issues on her own is a puzzlement!
Even for “awareness”, this is extremely lame. Awareness of what?? I could see an awareness campaign with 3-5 things about early years that you want people to know (disclaimer: not an Early Years expert so just guessing on these!), like how reading to babies impacts brain development (with commit to reading x books/month to child), visual stimulation of being outside/in nature, nutrition, etc.
I actually think a well thought out, targeted awareness campaign with concrete and practical information that people could use would be viewed favorably. Stage 2 could then be linking/highlighting resources for those activities (people mentioned Dolly Parton Imagine library as example). But, what she’s doing so far is not even informative or at all helpful info to be aware of. 0-5 years being *important* on its own, as the whole dang campaign, is not a useful thing for everyone to be aware of…
And that’s truly it! Once again she has an enormous platform that could be used to share important brain development information that is accessible to almost everyone (being outside is good – almost everyone has some kind of park access; read to your kids at least x books a day – libraries are free; don’t let your children watch violent or sexual media – many parents seem not to know that and I’m thinking even of the middle and upper middle class parents at my kids’ school!) but she’s just raising awareness of that which everyone is already aware (lol at Tiger McQueen’s oranges and scurvy “awareness raising”).
I don’t think it’s just about her, though. It seems like a lot of Brits were just waiting for the Queen to die so they could really come out against the vapidity of the royal family. Between the death of QEII and the economic crisis, the UK has just opened the flood gates to truly express their frustration at the do-nothing Windsors. It’s incredible to see.
Apparently there was an early years program in the UK called Sure Start that covered this area and was very successful but was recently cut by the Tory government. So this “awareness” campaign is pointless just like everything they do if they’re not going to enact anything substantial.
The Royal Family can’t get involved in politics so she couldn’t really advocate for the return of Sure Start or any other specific changes that would make a difference as suggested by the EY practitioners quoted in the article (additional government funding etc.) So, while I agree her whole Early Years thing is pointless and she has no relevant expertise I’m not really sure what she can do at a practical level.
That’s the thing with all of these “campaigns”, isn’t it? That the most effective solutions are usually systemic and therefore political. But I am absolutely certain there are still plenty of community groups and non-profits that are doing practical work on this front that she could visit and develop fundraisers and awareness to support. I don’t know of an urban burrow in my city that doesn’t have a community group focused on improving access to early childcare, after school programs, parent and child classes, postnatal parenting groups, etc. There are definitely things out there, if only her team was remotely interested in looking.
As many have suggested she can do something with tangible results. Set small achievable concrete goals. Dolly Parton’s books program is a good example.
@tricx: there is plenty she can do for early childhood without getting political. Supporting charities that already do this line of work and try to support parents as best as they can is one thing. I don’t understand why she doesn’t just set up a fund specifically for this. Or give out grants to charities that provide support for parents and young families or research centers that already focus on this
Like we’ve stated so many times regarding kate and her “work”: she doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel.
Look to The Princes Trust.. I am no fan of Charles, but he set the trust up and raised money and has made a real difference to the lives of many young people. Ok there is a bit of dodgy cash in carrier bags, but there has also been a huge amount of good done. This is the sort of thing she could be doing. But it takes work, it takes the time to have the cocktail parties etc where the wealthy donors can be schmoozed and persuaded to donate to the cause. I would say the same of the Dof E Award scheme which is popular in many Commonwealth countries… but I am not sure how that is now funded, but originally it was through donations to a charitable trust (I believe… but prepared to be corrected.)
Can’t or won’t….. we all have to make choices about what matters most and Kate makes her priorities clear with every single stunt.
And yet, TQ managed to get herself excused from certain laws. (Ahem, political) King Charles has campaigned for environmental things (political). Sounds like an excuse. And, even without making it political, she could have actual centres that provide the things needed for children as a charity.
If she can’t get political then she could donate money to organizations that CAN do something or bring food to a food bank since food security is a major issue for early childhood. This is why no one can take her seriously.
I hate to break it to you but the RF are ALWAYS involved in politics – that benefit them. That’s another fairy tale they tell along with never complain.
The Grenfell cookbook and smartworks had tangible results. Surely, something similar within early childhood could be done. Raising awareness for 10 years(even though it was only announced in 2019?) is just not going to fly. Even her supporters are struggling to praise this empty campaign.
But they don’t mind being political when they hire tory politicians or the tory press. or the Royal family having meetings with the Tory government. It’s all BS.
But Charles started the Prince’s Trust which did actually fund things and did good work. They paid for Idris Elba’s actor training!
But Wills is an ass and refused to take it over. Princess Margaret’s son is running it now.
The “not getting involved in anything political” is a smokescreen for “not giving a f*ck”. Since when is fund-raising to provide babies and pre-schoolers with books, toys, food, staffed nurseries, etc. political? These are basic human rights that Mrs. Moneybags can well afford but takes the lazy way out with “raising awareness” — the awareness is already there Kate, it’s time to open your wallet.
That’s just an excuse. These grifters are more than happy to get involved in politics if it’s for their own financial benefit.
First off, obviously the RF does and has gotten involved in politics. Most of their staff have a decidedly conservative bent as well.
Next, if charities are off limits, what is the point of this family in the first place?! This woman showed up at a food kitchen without food and essentially made a video of herself doing good work. She should show up more often and actually do something.
Lastly, this early years crap is obvious: of course children with advantages will have a much easier time than children from disadvantaged backgrounds. She’s been at this for years and has done absolutely nothing to improve the situation of those children in need. She doesn’t volunteer to work with them, she hasn’t furthered her education, she doesn’t donate things like clothing and glasses, she’s not teaching immigrant children English, she has no foster children, etc. Kate is essentially wasting everyone’s time and she’s getting paid to spout drivel.
Especially since the Tories and the Royals are rowing the same boat, it makes the claim that she can’t do anything even worse.
The entire royal family sees Tory members of government socially and the royals even hire from tory membership.
Blame thie early years 2.0 disaster on the staff at Kensington Palace. They think this is good. Really explains why Meghan had issues with their incompetence.
@snuffles Yep, correct. Sure Start was in place when I had 1st kiddo (now 7) and gone by the time I had my 2nd kid 2 years later. Well before brexit, covid etc. The tory looters have been pilfering and stripping social funding for years
Yep, Sure Start was around when I had my daughter who’s almost 23 years old. Tories came in and closed down everything that was a help to the working classes!
She could take inspiration from Sweden’s Prince Daniel who launched his Generation Pep initiative seven years ago https://generationpep.se/sv/ . This organisation has the goal of making kids more active and to promote good health in kids and they have done, and are doing, tons activities that directly involve and benefit kids. You know actual work, measurable work with resources for schools etc. No one has accused him of being “too political”.
She could take interest in mine fields like her MIL lol
He was a personal trainer and owned several gyms. That’s perfect for him.
M can carry those tiny handbags in a stylish manner and looks comfortable. K uses them as a shield to stop the plebs coming to close.
And apparently, there’s no money or even a credit 💳 in there.
But Will claimed Kate did the shopping and she has been photographed out shopping, so she has to pay somehow. Does she get all the stores to offer freebies?
I think Kate rarely shops except for photo ops.
She used to be a civilian and would have carried a card/money etc. in her bag, but I guess now that she’s royal, she’s too good for such practical things. ugh.
Kate only started carry top handle bags after she saw Meghan doing it when she joined the family. Before Meghan, Kate preferred to carry clutches.
And she’ll have an assistant nearby carrying two totes–her own & Kate’s–because those silly little bags are useless for work purposes.
So she took up the florist’s time and didn’t even buy some flowers even when he offered a heavy discount? Instead, he gave her hyacinths. Maybe she got all bent out of shape because he suggested William would be giving her roses. That’s the kindest spin I can put on it. And raising awareness of things most people are already well aware of is just their way of trying (and failing) to appear useful.
I’d like to believe the gifted hyacinths were because Kate strongly reminded him of Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “bouquet).
“Keeping Up Appearances” reference! Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet!) is one of my favorites. 😉
That’s hilarious. Thanks for the laugh and memories, from a Brit.
My fav part of this whole story! 🤣
Perfect connection, thank you!
He probably couldn’t understand what she was saying so gave up trying to sell her anything and gave her the flowers so she would go away.
Yes, Hyacinth Bucket, a well known, but unsuccessful social climber. Only remembered for her candlelight suppers. 🤣🤣🤣
And problematic family members.
Well I think you’re being rude and dismissive about awareness campaigns! Until Kate brought it to my attention, I had absolutely no idea that children didn’t emerge from the womb as 6-year-olds, or that it was inadvisable to chain them up to a pipe in the basement with a bowl of water and toss them some stale bread crusts every few days.
Surprised she didn’t snap at him ‘you don’t know me well enough to talk about my husband buying me flowers, how dare you!!!! I’m owed an apology!! SOB”
She would have, but the actual mention of ROSE sent her into a spin. I hate to think what would have happened if he had handed her some roses, she would have shrieked “of to the tower with him NOW!!
@Mary Pester – I am … not at 100% today and didn’t catch this part til your comment – wow, and thank you for stating this!
So does she think she doesnt need experts on her team, or did it not even occur to anyone to be affiliated w people who know what they’re talking about? Is it stupidity or vanity or both? These people just don’t know how to do anything right
Manda it’s just a vanity project. Just like william doesn’t actually give a fig about the climate, kate doesn’t give a fig about kids that aren’t her own.
Oh I’m sure about that, at least not poor kids or kids of color. But, doesn’t she want to do the best job she can? Wouldn’t vanity dictate you at least try, or get people who know what they’re doing to make it look like you try? I just don’t understand why she isn’t embarrassed by her own mediocrity
@manda; I honestly think the criticism isn’t reaching her. I saw a few clips of her visit to the market yesterday and she was on a high. It was just so obvious that this was her feel good project. She happily posed for the camera’s in front of the billboard as if she was a movie star on a red carpet and she was LOVING it. As long as she gets to enjoy the attention i really don’t think she cares much.
@Chloe Do you remember when Harry said no matter what is going on behind the scene, they have work to do and have to put on for the cameras and crowd? One of the RRs tried to defend her yesterday, but that didn’t go as planned. Plus, I saw a couple of RRs called her out about “awareness and wanting more. They wrote an article. It was Rihonne Miller, however., you spell her name. I think she is aware. She’s just keeping up appearances.
I saw a screenshot of what Rhiannon Mills wrote but couldn’t see the publication. Maybe it was for sky news? But yeah she was very nice in the way she wrote about Kate, but it was still pretty critical. At least for a RR.
Maybe experts don’t want to be associated with this BS?
This is probably it, which is stupid too, because she could be used to get a pretty wide audience. But yeah, without action, it’s an empty gesture anyway
This nonsense really makes me wonder about the state of her relationship with Pippa. It seemed they used to be close back when they were in their 20’s, and obviously things change after you have kids, etc. They’re not going clubbing together every night anymore. But they most still have some sort of relationship? Unless there was a falling-out that the Middletons are determined to keep out of the press.
This is exactly what Pippa studied, did Kate discuss any of this with her at all? Pippa might have been able to actually give her some useful information, and, uh, “edited” some of the BS Kate is spouting. Pippa must be laughing her ass off at that video, not to mention the inane claymation. They may not be as close as they once were, but I’d like to think if I was in Pippa’s place, I’d at least want to help my sister look like less of a complete idiot on the world stage?
Is William’s, um, gardening hobby widely known amongst the UK public? Because I really, really hope that florist is just a shady motherf–ker after our own hearts.
I hope so too!
Omg. Didn’t even think of that🌹🌹🥀
I thought it was more because Valentine’s Day is coming up, but I enjoy that theory more lol.
Ooooooh! Oh my gosh, buying roses lol. Ha, that does put a different spin on why Kate was weird about the comment! I doubt that’s what he meant, but maybe it was triggering for her
Ah, but how perfect for heir’s wife and king’s DIL, she’s dull, vapid and useless. That’s all Chucky and his Kween can handle for competition.
Kate” Early Years. Everyone who is living was 4 once. But you are 4 only once. This is important!”
Moderately wealthy, t😂🤣😂I expected her to add “oh sorry, unless your born in a leap year” 😂
Kate’s head would probably explode if someone asked her the effect of a child being born in a leap year 🤣
I am sure even her team are laughing behind her back at this falacy. It’s embarrassing that they have to make up stuff for a woman of her age and resources. It’s like entertaining a child, it’s a shame that Carole didn’t instill some work ethic during all her scheming.
I think carole tried but when she figured that kate wasn’t the sharpest, just shifted her focus to making sure she married rich.
About kate’s team: they are probably just as clueless and disengaged as she is.
Yeah was gonna say, at this point, her team seems just as clueless.
What’s left of her “team”, though, other than stylists and hairdressers? Didn’t she lose her private secretary last summer? Has that person even been replaced? Maybe I missed it…
Kate goes on hikes with aa stylist and hairdresser. There’s zero hope she will ever do anything substantial. She is all surface.
Carole enabled her bad work ethic and Kate never had to support herself. Carole wanted Kate near the phone should will call.
Exactly. I bet she regrets never showing an interest in anything AT ALL during her youth, education, and early years of marriage. Trying to pretend you have a social passion after all this time is a joke and an insult
She certainly showcased zero regrets before Meghan came on the scene. Now all of a sudden she’s the queen of early childhood development? Girl, bye! All her years of lazing around has come back to bite and it’s eating her alive. I love it.
Geez, she can’t even be bothered to buy a few things at the market after using the vendors for her own promotion? The woman pays thousands of pounds for bespoke coats, and she apparently couldn’t muster a few coins for flowers or some ingredients for dinner. It’s such an easy win – “oh, how special, we’ll have this fresh pasta tonight!”.
I’ll bet her security and entourage also prevented other customers from making purchases.
I’m glad that the early years practitioners are calling out Kate’s stunts for what they are.
I saw some photos yesterday, I think on Twitter, that made it look, as if all of the members of the public were held back from entering the market, while Kate was there. If my understanding of them is correct, then you are so right. not only did she not buy anything, but she probably also actively prevented vendors from making sales to others!
IKR? It’s like they’re constantly looking for new ways to stuff their feet in their mouths and low-key offend people
Such a win-win for her. I know that her defenders will say “well if she bought something there then she would have to buy something everywhere!” First – she doesn’t often go to these types of venues/settings, so its not going to come up every week. Second, so what if she does buy something every time she visits a business or a shop, rather than them giving something to her? She should be embarrassed, refusing to buy a bouquet of flowers from a local florist but accepting free flowers instead.
They say that? LOL. She would NOT have to do that for every place she went to and they know it.
Yup. She cant buy something bc then she would have to do it all the time. She can’t donate bc then everyone would expect donations. She can’t actually pitch in and help bc then she would be expected to do it all the time. etc.
@Becks1
Couldn’t she have bought goods in excess to donate to the food bank and followers to send to hospitals
It’s amazing how dedicated to doing nothing, she is
@Becks1 I mean what’s the problem with that? She does 100 “engagements” a year, maybe 50 or 60 of those are at actual places. If she gave a thousand pounds at each place (which would probably be a huge boon to them), it still would come out as less than what she spends on wardrobe yearly to go to these events. As an argument given her spending budget on clothes (which we know is underreported) it doesn’t stand up. They don’t give because they think their presence is the gift like medieval kings.
@dee(2) oh I agree with you. It’s a stupid argument. She could absolutely donate or bring something everywhere she goes, and it doesn’t even have to be a thousand pounds. She could bring a few dozen doughnuts when she’s visiting first responders (I always bring doughnuts or candy when I’m in the hospital, LOL), or old blankets when she’s visiting an animal shelter (our animal shelters are always asking for old blankets), or yes, just a donation. Mention it on your social media! “the princess of wales was pleased to make a donation to this center and hopes you will do the same, please click the below link to donate.”
But you’re right that they think their presence is the gift, its all they can offer (all they’re willing to offer I should say) and they just don’t want to do anymore.
I should stop giving them ideas, but omg, they are just the WORST.
This reminds me of when Meghan was on Ellen and she did that skit with the vendors on the lot. The lady with Crumbl cookies said that afterwards Meghan purchased cookies from her and was also very sweet. A simple gesture of kindness that Kate couldn’t muster up even though her bank account has grown exponentially.
Another cliche by the flower seller she is so genuine.
100000% this
The stats for how many early care centres closed for good during covid is horrifying and the government did so little to help the industry, all while wasting billions on companies who couldn’t even make any/adequate PPE equipment so none of it was used. Maybe she could raise some awareness about that.
A really bad outfit. Overlong unflattering coat and tiny purse.
I personally think the boots are hideous
They are indeed horrible. To me, as a Brit, this is a classic look of ours – long dress/skirt over knee high, chunky heeled, black suede boots. Can anyone else help me on this? Are these boots a universal thing, or just us!
@sparrow: I’ve noticed that for years! I think of that as distinctly British. Sorry! 😉
@Sparrow I feel like that was a look here years ago but not so much anymore. Last year and the year before that, whenever kind of midi skirts came in for winter, I do see some styled with boots but its a different look than what Kate wears. Like her boots are almost too chunky, maybe?
I’m not in the most fashion forward area lol and I am not the most fashionable, but in general I don’t see too many of those chunky heeled suede boots anymore.
I hope I’m wrong because I don’t want to care one way or another about this woman… But that last photo of her sitting down – right under her belt…. Those points…Are those her hipbones jutting out? I hope it’s just the angle bc my god, this isn’t just being really thin it even unhealthy thin, it’s dangerous.
Wait till you see her in her blue Packham dress today. It is seriously alarming.
@Lurker25: no, that’s some weird fold/roll of the dress. It may be Victoria Beckham, but it’s a cheap cotton/poly/viscose/other non-natural fabric blend.
@BeanieBean, I didn’t zoom in to look super closely, but from what I did see of the Beckham dress, it looked SO cheap! Considering what Victoria charges, that’s inexcusable.
@Sparrow: Dear god she looks skeletal…she must be living on benzedrine and sleeping pills, she looks like she’s half asleep in the Shaping Us video.
Doubt he was trying to shade her. He probably genuinely believed William would be surprising her with bouquet and doing something romantic for Valentines Day, when it is quite obvious he never has and certainly never will.
What a sad state of affairs. A tame awareness campaign sucking up scare funds and resources. Who should we blame ?
Kate, The Princess of Wales and The Royal Foundation for overreaching beyond their skills sets
The Press for scrutinizing and not seeking accountability on the awareness programme
I mean the press for not scrutinizing the programme.
Isnt it their role to hold the rich and powerful to account.
They lost that purpose two hundred fifty years ago. The press peddles in propaganda. There have always been tabloids, gossip columnists, and press spin. Any neutral paper has long since been bought out by the wealthy. We don’t get unbiased news from anyone. The public has to be the critical thinker and put two and two together by gathering info from several sources. The onus for protecting democracy, unfortunately, is on the “uneducated” plebs and “unwashed” masses.
Of course not…. it’s H & M’s fault…. everything is H&M’s fault. Always.! (This is sarcasm)
This whole mess is generating so many negative comments across social media here in the UK.
A lot of it is very considered and thoughtful, one comment I read called it obscene and all it will achieve is making parents feel inadequate, but no comments from her about the number of under 5s dependent on food banks and a lot of families clearly aren’t ‘thriving’.
There are also a lot of hate comments, saying this is a coordinated personal attack on Khate by the Sussex Squad because their girl is shining.
@Roseberry, their reliable fallback, whenever Kate (or William) receives genuine criticism: “It’s all the Sussex Squad!”
Grow UP. It was always a ludicrous claim, and now it’s just getting old and tiresome, blaming everything on the SS.
Yeah, it’s just not correct to say this is SS. These are legitimate critiques from people that are questioning why she is raising awareness on something that is already known. Honestly, people are being extremely kind in how they critique Kate and this campaign, which is fascinating. A lot of clearly she means well and really does care about this issue statements to preface the criticism. Again, it’s v kind. It’s just sad that so many did not afford that kind of kindness to Meghan ever. Her royal projects were tangible and yet she was never given this kindness. Does that mean that Kate should be torn apart? No. But that still doesn’t explain the kids gloves and cotton that every critique is wrapped in when it comes to Kate.
Just want to thank @zebz for telling me yesterday that I was not being extra about the font. The Shaping Us font with that green background behind Kate looks a lot like the Archetypes font. Just saying. Maybe it’s a trendy font that everyone is using right now? But why wouldn’t you want yours to stand out apart from what your sil does?
This woman is a complete idiot. The research is already available. What early learning programs need are resources not someone using this field of study as a vanity project. The most insulting part is foisting herself in this critical field with zero credentials while adding zero substance. Either her folks, advisors are idiots as well or these folks just enjoy seeing her make a fool of herself because she does with her every utterance.
She has visited Mary of Denmark, whose foundation has teamed with experts to create e.g. anti-bullying programs and programs for refugee children, and these programs have actually had impact. She has met Prince Daniel of Sweden, whose Generation Pep project has worked to get children interested in sports and physical exercise. Not to even mention Daniel’s MIL, Queen Silvia, whose Childhood Foundation is working globally to help abused children. She has visited many organizations and academic bodies who could have told her about actions needed and results of research. But now she’s behaving as if she’d re-invented the wheel and keeps telling early years are important. Did she need her questionnaire to prove that? Does she really think her message is so powerful it will change the world? Could she tell us how this environment she’s talking about is created for children, and what she’s actually doing in order to help? I read in some article that her campaign was successfully launched. What made that launch successful, and someone please tell me how all those celebs are going to be involved.
These are all excellent examples of how she can have more impact without getting political. I didn’t know this about other royals so think you for it. But this is the type of work she SHOULD be doing.
The root cause of the problem is Kate herself. She doesn’t care about helping people. She cares about making herself look good and the only way she relates to royal “work” is that they are photo ops for her. She’s just too lazy to make an effort beyond dressing up.
The more I have learned about the other royals the worse the British royal family in general and Will and Kate in particular look.
She also CopyKeens Mary’s wardrobe. This girl doesn’t have an original thought.
Which key report are they talking about? Because there was that one “key” report that supposedly was co-authored by London School of Economics and Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child. Was that a lie or was it some other “key” report, like the pie chart? Isn’t that why she went to visit Harvard when she was in Boston?
I wondered the same thing, although I’m NOT going to give the Centre for Ahly Yahs a google hit. No matter which report, the experts say there were no experts involved. Doesn’t take an expert to see that they are right. Conversely, someone who is decidedly NOT an expert might see this campaign as an extremely sound undertaking.
And THANK YOU, experts! You deserve the standing ovation meme on endless loop. Thank you for publicly extinguishing that gaslight—the Groundhog Day announcements/Big Brother PSA tone made me think there’s been some collective brainwash/“Eternal Shaping of the Useless Mind” thing going on, with Celebitchy as the only sane space. To paraphrase Mugatu, no we’re NOT all taking crazy pills—the campaigns are all the same and they’re USELESS!
Does the House of McQueen need a sales boost on their end of season coat sale? That’s the only reason I can conceive of for this outing.
Kate should have bought a couple of buttercups, or something, truly.
But I agree with the experts, and everyone else: the awareness campaign is nothing more than “rich lady preaching to the poor”. Poor Kate, she has no concept of money, or of structural inequality. The poor should mind their children, as they’re told, and they can always eat cake if the cost of living crisis eats into their bread budget, do not bore her with details, she has to go buy yet another coat. Ugh.
Even poor people have access to the internet. What they don’t necessarily have is access to good childcare, healthy pediatric diets, safe and warm home environments, and the time to adequately attend to their kids needs.
Florist Neil is one of us. That quip about ROSES gave it away.
I’m sorry but is she wearing a child-sized belt? She’s got it on the first hole (i.e. belt is at its widest position). I can’t imagine there are many full grown women who could wear it even using the same hole, much less any of the other ones.
I think it’s an adult-sized belt that’s been cut down behind the buckle. That way she doesn’t have the other end flapping around.
I think that it’s a custom made dress, therefore even its belt is made for her measure
Oh oh, articles screaming “this experts won’t be invited to the coronation!!!!” are coming soon!
So forgive me if this has already been covered somewhere (I’m guessing it has) but when I read that her Aunt by marriage to Diana’s brother (Countess Karen Spencer) started and has been repeatedly honored for a charity called Whole Child International that focuses on the emotional needs of society’s most at-risk children and is well-regarded, peer reviewed, and (the Dalai Lama gave his personal endorsement) and named her daughter “Charlotte Diana” three years before Kate named hers “Charlotte Elizabeth Diana” I almost fell out of my chair. Maybe that’s who she’s copying? LOL https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Spencer,_Countess_Spencer
Hahha so she copies her, Pippa, Meghan, and her late mother in law?
Excuse me, that’s “Aarly Yers” to us peasants.
I’m shocked but not surprised that not a single expert was involved in her Keen report. I AM surprised it took this long for experts to call out this nonsense for what it is – useless.
Kate’s early years campaign (spoilers ahead):
Year 1: EARLY years are so important.
Year 2: Early YEARS are so important.
Year 3: Early years ARE so important.
Year 4: Early years are SO important.
Year 5: Early years are so IMPORTANT.
I see what you did there !
“I don’t think he will do” Hmmmm she and I finally agree on something.
He will not do indeed.
Her whole personality is just oooof. It’s like someone picked her up from her shoulders and dipped her in a giant bowl of mediocrity. And yet she seems so pleased with herself…
Kate has officially reached Marie Antoinette levels of infamy.
If you want to talk about someone who didn’t have support in childhood, compared to typical education for her station and even compared to her siblings, look at Marie Antoinette. Her behavior is much more understandable than whatever Kate isn’t doing.
If she weren’t so awful in so many ways, I might feel sorry for her. She seems to think she did something—my hands were in a lil movie and wrote phrases! I hired claymation creators!—but it is all going over like a big pile of manure on a summer day. That would hurt most people, but I honestly don’t know if she is aware, or made aware, of the giant failure she’s sitting atop. I guess her minions just tell her it’s great, so for her, it IS great? Or will William scream at her for making him look stupid yet again??
If you want to create awareness by just showing up and posting about it, it works with issues like missing people or a humanitarian crisis. Someone might just have seen someone come by looking like the picture of the missing person or someone might just want to go to a place to donate supplies.
I don’t think it works much with things like this, if you don’t put money behind it, or a lot of networking power or immediate things the general public can do.
Then it’s just: “okay, something needs to be done, but I’m no expert so not qualified to do anything really.”
Baby brains are important, but don’t you dare mention baby hormones!
Brilliant! That is so funny.
How about crack babies? Are they important-er? She wants to learn!
She doesn’t know those children well enough to talk about their brains.
This needed to be said.
I wonder what would happen if the public’s anger with Kate’s fluff and nonsense on this issue were to derail the whole project and call a halt to it. Would the newly minted, passionate early years campaigner carry on, despite the criticism, and fight the cause for the rest of her life? Or would she ditch it, sigh a deep sigh of relief that it’s all over, cross it off the list and ask her team to come up with some other cynical attempt at “Kate looking socially relevant” and worth our money. Me thinks the latter. Which shows exactly how deeply Kate feels about this whole early years scam of hers.
Well, it’s being touted as her life’s work to bring this awareness to the masses. Not sure if it would just be ended but they need to pivot to something smaller and more tangible within this topic. Can they do that? And do it in a less offensive way? Guess we’ll see.
I think when Louis ages out of the early years, Kate will want to raise awareness about how ages 5-10 are so important.
She’s like most conservative politicians who only care about something if it directly affects them.
I’m glad this group of credible experts spoke out about the shallowness of awareness-raising, but I’m worried they might reap the whirlwind now.
So her end game when she is old, would be LEARNING about Later Years?
She’s sooooo bad at this. She’s been married to the Rager long enough to be better at this.
It is so self-absorbed and disrespectful to close down an entire market so you can preen and then refuse to buy anything. Those vendors are effectively closed for business as long as she is there.
I think people are maybe making the mistake of thinking this “campaign” is in some way related to children’s early years. It isn’t. Its ONLY purpose is to build up Kate and pretend that she is somehow doing something useful.
Obviously it was felt at some point that she needed to have a “project” (cos Meghan was making her look bad) – I suspect a team of advisers was gathered to throw various suggestions at her while she yawned, twirled her hair and looked vacant, and “children” was the only thing that stuck – because after all she does have some of those.
And after all these years of “work”, we have .. a few billboards and a creepy claymation thing that is saying .. what?
It’s pisspoor TBH and will achieve absolutely nothing.
Not difficult to guess why early childhood. She was trying to steal off Pippa and pathetically outdo Meg. She is technically a mother. Younger kids won’t roll her eyes at her or ask challenging questions when she visits. So early childhood it is. Somebody should warn the brilliant and youngest Ted talker who spoke about early years without notes. She should lock up her notes cos KKKate would wanna steal, look down and read, look up, look down again and then look up to say Thank You I’m here to learn.
I am utterly perplexed that Keen has resorted to copying a small child when it comes to her supposed ‘academic’ work. This woman is absolutely useless personified. More people should be calling out how much of a farce this all is. There’s only one cause she’s trying to create positive awareness about and that’s her own image.
@Alexandria, the funniest part is that some of the small children she’s visited HAVE rolled her eyes at her, or at least side-eyed her and looked at the camera with a “What is wrong with this person??” expression.
Even they can see there’s nothing there. A skinny woman in expensive clothes making ridiculous faces at them so she can get her picture in the newspapers.
@alexandria I think you’re wrong haha I’m sure small children have rolled their eyes at her, we just haven’t seen the pictures!
And the think the last Princess of Wales walked through minefields, both literally and figuratively.
Without Harry and Meghan taking the heat or doing the heavy lifting, everyone, including the British public, can see the truth about what’s left of this family.
The last Princess of Wales is a good example. For all her faults, she did do impactful work that we remember today – especially around AIDS, landlines etc. – even though she died 25 years ago and was only 36 (several years younger than W+K are now). In terms of “legacy” work, Philip had the Duke of Edinburgh scheme for young people, Charles had the Prince’s Trust. Harry had Sentebale and Invictus.
What do W+K have? That Earthshot thing (which is more about celeb parties than the winning projects) and this vacuous Early Years rubbish. It’s just not good enough, and people ARE starting to see it.
DIana was human she did not have a lot of faults as far as I’m concerned. Her “faults” as far as C and C are concerned is that she did not turn a blind eye and wanted a real marriage, I think she was treated badly like Meghan is today. She was only a teenager when she got engaged to Charles who just used her to have the heirs. I think because of Charles’ faults, she had a raw deal and he never learned a thing, he’s repeating the same mistakes with Harry and Meghan.. Diana was not a fake like Kate. She would have given credit to the real scholars in the field and practitioners. Diana never talked down to people the way Kate does. Her elder son is giving Diana a raw deal posthumously labeling her as paranoid and wanting to censor her interview. THankfully Harry is around to appreciate his late mother.
To add to post, Diana would certainly have given the real experts credit and not pretended she knew All About Early Child Psychology. Diana had a lot more depth. Harry took after her and has more depth than his older brother. Diana had curiosity about topics and wanted to learn she unlike Kate did not pretend to be an expert. Kate needs to stop just stop this campaign. Sooner or later she may well be challenged by a scholar in the field by article or presentation at a conference.
I’m just thinking of Diana’s work with AIDS patients and with landmines and comparing it to Kate saying “the early years are important, good luck everybody!” and I just can’t get over the contrast.
It’s the sheer arrogance of it all. She doesn’t seem embarrassed. She’s probably proud of herself and as always thinks she’s better than anyone else including experts.
Unless she’s advocating and lobbying for funding and partnering with experts and those in government/private sector who specialize in this area, it’s not really effective and is there just for PR to make her look like she’s doing something.
As a researcher in a similar field, this has been so upsetting and disheartening. Between Earth Shot and this, it’s all so performative and it stalls any potential movement forward. It’s tokenistic at best and I can’t imagine how the actual experts feel about this.
Let’s hope Archwell demonstrates some more real impact and the Keen Beans are motivated to at least try to do the same….
Poor wealthy baby. The Diana-Meg cosplay isn’t working for her.
Diana cared about children dying in land mine explosions, and she cared about AIDS and HIV patients. She held children close who were sick when people were still shunning patients. She spoke about the cruelty of children in who were dying from land mines playing outside during and after war. She rolled her sleeve up and DID stuff, even if the palace didn’t give her money to donate. And Meg is the same.
Poor, stupid Kate. She is as serious as a comedian, and most of them are cracking jokes about hard stuff, so they are often more serious than she is.
At no other time in all of this have I seen her as so dumb. Poor Pippa COULD help her, but she doesn’t seem to want her sisters genuine expert opinion. It would be so easy if she just pulled in Pippa to make sure didn’t sound like a moron.
If only they had someone from the common world to help them find and implement changes to the real challenges facing people today. Someone that could connect with everyday folks. Sigh. These people are literally destroying any chance their kids might have had at sustaining the monarchy.
This market is my home turf and I frequently go there to buy supplies. Anyway I don’t feel in the least bit sad at missing Kate’s visit, when I very nearly went to the market yesterday. If it was Meghan, I would have been devastated.
Anyway her early years campaign is so tired. Who is she actually campaigning to, is it parents, government (obviously not lol) or educators? It serves no purpose and there is no cause of action.
*course of action
The experts remain unimpressed with Kate’s ‘Water is wet’ theory.
Seriously, the expenditures spent on this mindless exercise, could have at least, improve the lives on a small proportion of children.
It would have been money well spent.
That, and no cameras.
I will repeat once more, what a utter was of time, resources and energy.
If this is her life’s work, then she should have foregone trying to get into the same classes as william by copy keening his (original) major in art history). Or even if she got the art history degree, she could have gotten a degree in Early Childhood Psychology, It took YEARS for WIlliam to pop the question. But I guess she was worried he’d call someone else if she had to write a paper.
We are at the end of/middle of a world wide pandemic. How about things we could do to mitigate lack of social interaction with those kids born during quarantine? How about those early school years done at home instead of school? How about older kids who are just now seeing things go back to a mostly normal pre pandemic state?
There is so much this woman could do to help out parents right now, without reinventing the wheel. We know reading to our kids is important, we know socialization is important. Sitting around copying Meagan instead of giving parents real options is ridiculous.
Can buy some really lovely stuff in those regional markets too. Why no advocate for markets which are suffering in the economic down turn. Wtf have markets and traders to do with ‘Airly years’. ? Proper doff yer cap working people? I expect everyone was puzzled
Please stop saying the royals don’t engage in politics. The Parliament, media, and monarchy sleep in the same bed, and the Q request and receives exemptions from several laws. If that isn’t engaging in politics, then I don’t know what is. Most things people in powerful positions do are politically connected. They feed their subjects the bs so they can escape accountability.
K actively engaged in the bullying of a pregnant woman who happens to be her sister-in-law. She was encouraged and supported by a large group of predominantly white women with the same feelings of entitlement and jealousy. The closest I’ve seen K to Archie is at the Christening. Harry and Meghan seemed more comfortable positioning themselves as far away from WanK in that photo as possible. I wonder if they were not invited or chose not to attend Lilibet’s first birthday party. Both Sussex children are in their early years.
WanK use their children for PR. Louis’ behavior at the Jubilee event was standard early years behavior, and he was restless. Most children at that age mimic what they see in the home. In the M&H Docuseries, you see Archie continuously kissing his mother – learned behavior.
Copying Meghan’s fashion is easy, but she can NEVER duplicate Meghan’s style. So who is the real actress?
It’s Black History Month. If Meghan makes a public appearance, I hope she wears an African print. Copy that, Ms. K!
The Wales PR team needs to realize that for H&M, this is not a competition; it’s what they do.
Forget early childhood, there is nothing useful in her unintelligible mumblings. Have the perfect project for Kate. She could run short courses on how to shop for designer clothes, shoes, handbags, botox and wiglets when you have an umlimited budget, plus a bonus course on how to copycat women of style, and manipulate the media into claiming you wore it first.
I can’t believe the expense being lavished on her useless campaign: hundreds of thousands of pounds on self-promoting videos, tens of thousands of pounds on more new dresses and coats. All for her shallow message that ‘the early years SHAPE us’. It is as useless as saying what we eat shapes us.
The problem with both Silly and Willy is that they believe awareness is sufficient for creating change and that ‘learning, learning’ is an actual job as if they are eternal students and this is their excuse for not being able to do any real work.
Imagine if her ‘life’s work’ had been to create one new park and play area in a different city every year? This small but consistent effort would have improved the lives of all the early years and their mum’s who live in cramped apartments with no decent gardens in that area.
Yet here we are, whilst families are taking their children to warming banks, too frightened to turn on the heating at home because of exploding costs, forced to rely on food banks to keep their families from constant hunger, teachers are striking because their salaries are insufficient in this cost-of-living crisis, this privileged princess who doesn’t understand the value of money parades herself daily in expensive new clothes just to inform the public that the early years shape us. Shameful!
(And one cannot help but wonder what happened to brother James in his early years? Why did he not become a ‘healthy , happy adult’ after the perfect Middleton home environment but has suffered with clinical depression instead? It is quite clear that the privileged princess understands nothing at all.)
This probably has been engineered behind the scenes to stop the conversations about the revelations from Spare and Kate is the scapegoat and maybe she isn’t bright enough to realize it
Hold on, the royal palace phoned something in without putting real work and research into it?! I’m shocked!!
They can’t even fake interest in caring. Good lord.