Last year, the Windsors made a big deal over the Princess of Wales’s second piano recital, her “Together at Christmas” event at Westminster Abbey. King Charles, Queen Camilla, and almost all of the left-behind Windsors made a point of coming out to the event. Many of the women wore matching burgundy coats, because the Duchess of Sussex talked about all of the fashion rules for royal women, so the burgundy coats were seen as some kind of “dig” at Meghan. This was happening at the same time as the Harry & Meghan docuseries aired as well, so you get the picture – united front and all that. One year later, and the front is no longer all that united. Harry’s memoir was a huge cultural moment, and the Windsors are currently trying to ignore Omid Scobie’s Endgame and the outing of two alleged “racist royals,” Charles and Kate. Hilariously, Charles and Camilla made a point of scheduling something out of town on the night of Kate’s third annual piano recital.
King Charles III will be 100 miles away on the day of Kate Middleton’s major winter project as the pair are swept up in a media storm over Meghan Markle’s race allegations.
Charles was named in the Dutch-language version of new royal book Endgame, released on Tuesday, November 28, as the royal who commented on the then-unborn Prince Archie’s skin tone; the Princess of Wales was said to have been present at the time. The names have not been officially confirmed, but were included in the Dutch-language version of Endgame in error, the book’s publisher said, and copies were pulled from shelves. Since the revelation, Charles and Kate have been engulfed in a frenzy of news stories, although the British press has largely been supportive of the royals while condemning author Omid Scobie.
The saga will almost certainly be the backdrop to Kate’s Together at Christmas Carol Service, at Westminster Abbey, in London, on Friday. The press release said that “other Members of the Royal Family” will be present, sparking a headline in the U.K. newspaper Daily Mirror about family unity.
However, hours later, Buckingham Palace announced that the king has an engagement the same day at his Highgrove Estate, in Gloucestershire, England, more than 100 miles away.
A Kensington Palace press release read: “Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales, and other Members of the Royal Family will attend the Together At Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on Friday 8th December.”
On the same day, the king will attend what the palace described as a “Celebration of Craft” Reception, hosted by his charity The King’s Foundation at his Highgrove estate.
Charles reportedly prefers to spend his weekends at Highgrove, so I can understand (logistically) why he wouldn’t stick around in London on a Friday evening just to attend Kate’s dumb event. Although it IS funny – he would rather celebrate local crafters at Highgrove than put on a united (racist) front with Kate, William and the left-behinds. I absolutely wonder if this whole controversy might be the beginning of the institutional cooling-off for Kate.
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Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.
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- North America Rights Only/Special Restrictions Apply-Please See Caption – London, UK -20211224-Royal Carols – Together At Christmas Copyright is this image is jointly vested in The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Alex Bramall. Please credit Alex Bramall. Not for use after 31st December 2021 without prior permission from Kensington Palace. News editorial use only; no commercial use including any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-editorial use; no charge should be made for the supply, release or publication of the photographs; image must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. The Duchess of Cambridge accompanies singer Tom Walker on the piano during a performance of his song ‘For Those Who Can’t Be Here’. This was pre-recorded in the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey, the day before The Duchess’ carol service and the performance features in Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, which was broadcast by ITV on Christmas Eve 2021. Issue date: Friday December 24, 2021. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Alex Bramall/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- North America Rights Only/Special Restrictions Apply-Please See Caption – London, UK -20211224-Royal Carols – Together At Christmas Copyright is this image is jointly vested in The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Alex Bramall. Please credit Alex Bramall. Not for use after 31st December 2021 without prior permission from Kensington Palace. News editorial use only; no commercial use including any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-editorial use; no charge should be made for the supply, release or publication of the photographs; image must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. The Duchess of Cambridge accompanies singer Tom Walker on the piano during a performance of his song ‘For Those Who Can’t Be Here’. This was pre-recorded in the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey, the day before The Duchess’ carol service and the performance features in Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, which was broadcast by ITV on Christmas Eve 2021. Issue date: Friday December 24, 2021. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Alex Bramall/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- The King and The Queen Consort, The Prince and Princess of Wales, and other Members of the Royal Family attend the Together At Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey. Photograph by Richard Pohle,Image: 744843163, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Richard Pohle / Avalon
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- (Front row left to right) King Charles III, the Queen Consort, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Princess of Wales and the Countess of Wessex during the ‘Together at Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in London. The service will be broadcast on ITV1 on Christmas Eve as part of a Royal Carols: Together At Christmas programme, narrated by Catherine Zeta Jones and featuring an introduction by Kate and tributes to Queen Elizabeth II.,Image: 744946582, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok / Avalon
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- King Charles and Camilla arriving at Sandringham Church for Christmas Day service,Image: 746498358, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Malcolm Clarke / Avalon
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- North America Rights Only/Special Restrictions Apply-Please See Caption – London, UK -20211224-Royal Carols – Together At Christmas Copyright is this image is jointly vested in The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Alex Bramall. Please credit Alex Bramall. Not for use after 31st December 2021 without prior permission from Kensington Palace. News editorial use only; no commercial use including any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-editorial use; no charge should be made for the supply, release or publication of the photographs; image must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. The Duchess of Cambridge accompanies singer Tom Walker on the piano during a performance of his song ‘For Those Who Can’t Be Here’. This was pre-recorded in the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey, the day before The Duchess’ carol service and the performance features in Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, which was broadcast by ITV on Christmas Eve 2021. Issue date: Friday December 24, 2021. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Alex Bramall/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- Royals Attend ‘Together at Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Featuring: King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Catherine Princess of Wales and Sophie Countess of Wessex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 15 Dec 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- Royals Attend ‘Together at Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Featuring: King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Catherine Princess of Wales and Sophie Countess of Wessex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 15 Dec 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- Royals Attend ‘Together at Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Featuring: King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Catherine Princess of Wales and Sophie Countess of Wessex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 15 Dec 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- North America Rights Only/Special Restrictions Apply-Please See Caption – London, UK -20211224-Royal Carols – Together At Christmas Copyright is this image is jointly vested in The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Alex Bramall. Please credit Alex Bramall. Not for use after 31st December 2021 without prior permission from Kensington Palace. News editorial use only; no commercial use including any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-editorial use; no charge should be made for the supply, release or publication of the photographs; image must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. The Duchess of Cambridge accompanies singer Tom Walker on the piano during a performance of his song ‘For Those Who Can’t Be Here’. This was pre-recorded in the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey, the day before The Duchess’ carol service and the performance features in Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, which was broadcast by ITV on Christmas Eve 2021. Issue date: Friday December 24, 2021. -PICTURED: Catherine Duchess of Cambridge -PHOTO by: Alex Bramall/PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
I too would prefer to celebrate local crafters than go to this second tier embiggening/button extravaganza. KC3 and I have so much in common!
I’m with you on that!
All of what was said + the concert is a complete snooze fest?
No pianist preen s and poses like keen does
She is so fake. I doubt c and c are fans of Kate and her hitting a few chords
I thought her piano recital was a big deal? I mean it’s televised isn’t it? Looks like she’s not getting the love…
Yeah, it feels like a pointed burn when they’re supposed to show their united front against racism.
They did just take pictures in tiaras and fake medals together so maybe they figured that was enough togetherness time. Or they really didn’t want to support Kate at her special yearly event.
Yes, the entire pout of this is “Together” at Christmas lol. And the royal family survives by presenting as the family of the country and church.
The Queen knew no one sees a dysfunctional family as aspirational, so she made sure hatchets were buried enough to present a United front. Charles and Camilla are way too sensitive, power mad and fixated on revenge to do that. There’s no way Camilla isn’t behind this.
Hah! There is no RF united front against racism. It is a united front against being exposed for racism.
Her piano recital was in 2021 when she wore the red coat dress and slip dress combination. She didn’t play the piano last year or, afaik, do anything in the way of contributing to the evening. Her second piano recital was for the Eurovision Song Contest when she appeared in a pre-recorded segment playing the piano in a flowing blue ball gown.
Charles didn’t attend the first carol concert. The second was when the royal family were supposedly still in mourning after the Queen’s death and that was why subdued colours were worn. (Camilla’s white coat didn’t look subdued but white is an accepted colour for mourning).
I wonder if the Middletons will show up this year.
Same! I wonder if the Middletons plan to attend, which is why C&C decided to bail. If they do, it’ll be “Together: A Bigot White Defrauder Christmas,” with Uncle Gary doing a special reading.
That event (and still being in mourning) when Camilla wore white: I felt like it was a sartorial dig at the late Queen who, by choosing to wear white to Chaz & Cam’s wedding, used protocol as a weapon so that Camilla couldn’t wear white to her own wedding.
Doesn’t Kate film and edit her portion ahead of time? I don’t think anyone gets to see her play piano live.
Yes. It is prerecorded and there is.other music on the background drowning out kates keyboard plunk. Kate has no shame hijacking the concert
Can you imagine if it were Meghan doing these self-involved, self-serving displays? Kate hijacked World Vision last year while copying Meghan’s outfit. She sits around pretending to play the piano and gets all kinds of azz-kissing coverage from the (not so) invisible contract media. I’ve seen footage of Princess Diana effortlessly playing the piano, impromptu, with very little fanfare. That was real. What Kate does is abject fakery; and I think her in-laws know it too. When Scobie talks about the infantilization of Kate by the media, my response is, they are working with what she’s giving them. She likes the ridiculous coverage she gets. Substance free, begets substance free.
You are right! So what do they do at the event? For the life of me, I’ve never seen people so intent to pretend doing something by doing a lot of nothing. In french we call it “moving air” (brasser du vent)
That is such a great phrase. So exactly them.
I don’t think she pretended to play piano last year. I think it was only the burgundy solidarity tour.
Nice! Thanks for the smile.
“I absolutely wonder if this whole controversy might be the beginning of the institutional cooling-off for Kate”
Kate and Carol have absolutely been in the trenches since the Oprah interview. I think William and the Firm realised that Kate told more than a few lies about Meghan to further her own agenda. Kate’s also been on borrowed time being named as the Royal racist since then. The cooling between William and Carol, the Diana statute unveiling, Kate moving to her separation cottage and Party Pieces imploding all comes back to the Oprah interview for me.
She would have kicked it off with trying to free out Rose Hanbury. That probably humiliated Willy, as he fully expects to carry on as he wishes.
I think that moment was the beginning of the end, but the wheels really came off after the Oprah interview imo.
You are not the only one who thinks something was revealed in the Oprah interview that triggered William being more obvious in distancing himself from her. I know that Becks1 and I and a few others were trying to sort it out but we did it based on the bridesmaid dress reveal. But perhaps it was the skin colour comments.
Let’s not forget that William suddenly showed up to her first engagement post Oprah interview and made sure to say the family wasn’t racist. Maybe he did that because he knew Kate was the one who ,and the comments.
(That said I still don’t think he’s in the clear about being racist, but it seems like the media knew Kate was a part of it all along).
Yeah, I’ve been turning this over in my head over the past week. I said in one of the Middleton posts that I really think the “concerns” may have been an issue for William.
We’ve long tried to figure out what could have happened to trigger the move to Sandringham, and for William to bench Kate from the statue unveiling. Many of us figured the latter was bc of Carole’s over the top “I’m better than Diana” push and Kate’s behavior at Phillip’s funeral.
But maybe Kate really did have some racist “concerns” about Archie’s skin color, and maybe William never knew about those conversations until Oprah.
And like I said the other day – I dont think this is about William NOT being a racist and being disgusted that Kate is. William is clearly racist. But many on here have said that they don’t think the conversation would have happened with Kate because it wasn’t her place, she’s not a blood royal, she probably said something to William who said something to harry – but what if it was her and William agreed with the argument that it shouldn’t have been Kate?
Meaning, what if william got angry bc Kate didn’t know her place, she’s not a blood royal, it wasn’t up to her to say anything to Harry about his children, that’s William’s role, etc. It wasn’t about what she said per se but the fact that she felt she had the right to say it when she’s a married in. In a family obsessed with hierarchy, I could see this being a problem for William – especially if Kate went to Charles with her “concerns.”
Take this and add in Kate’s behavior at Phillip’s funeral, where she put on a fashion show and made it all about her, and again Carole’s comments…..so much seems to come down to Kate “knowing her place.”
I dont know, just a tinfoil theory here, but it has felt like things shifted after the Oprah interview and Kate going over William’s head about this “issue” might explain it. He’s okay with the racism, but in his family HE’S the one who gets to be racist.
ETA sorry super long post 🤦♀️🤦♀️
So playing around with this theory and timeline. Let’s say William didn’t know that Kate had said something to Charles or Harry. So after the Oprah interview, she gives him her version of what was said and he goes out and does his whole not a racist family spiel. But then Charles writes Meghan and she writes him back being more specific about what was said and it doesn’t match what Kate said and now there’s evidence in a letter of Kate’s behavior. Maybe that was when William fully knew. The letters were in April? Again, just theorizing.
@Jais and let’s play this out – I’m not a Funeral Truther (I forget why i’m not at this point, lol, just that it didn’t play out the way the FTs insist) but it is on video that Kate approached Harry and then stepped back for some reason. Wonder if she said something to him like “I didn’t mean what I said” and Harry blatantly ignored her or William snapped at her.
I dont know. But it feels like a lot traces back to that general time period and something coming out at the Oprah interview. It was after that – summer 2021 – when we started to hear about the move from KP.
Maybe William is more offended that Kate, the non blood royal, dared to question his own brother’s children. The nephew and niece he is related to but not her.
And his attraction to Meghan from her days on Suits probably plays into this too. He would know Kate is also saying this from a place of jealousy of Meghan.
This doesn’t mean William isn’t racist, but maybe it’s a case of “ I can criticize my own family, but you cannot”.
Hmmm. @Becks1, your scenario makes a LOT of sense. Up until now, I’ve been doggedly convinced that the Royal Racist was William — but now I’m thinking that your theory fits the data that’s publicly available so far MUCH better. It adds the how-dare-she piece that fits well with what we know about both William and Kate’s personalities. It even explains William’s ability to publicly behave well with Meghan during the funeral walkabout while Kate appears to be not just threatening to Meghan, but cut off from William.
I can see Kate blaming Meghan for, well, everything she can think of, rather than admit that her own behavior and attitudes got her into a royal mess. I think the whole family is deeply racist, but most of them, most of the time, are better at containing it in public.
Kate’s major strengths for the BRF are that she’s thin, white, and capable of having kids — and, once upon a time, was willing to marry William. She has little value for the BRF now that she’s had the kids, and she brings huge liabilities— from her problematic behavior in public and in private, to her tacky, striving, family.
I think that while William’s reactions to Meghan have always included a racist component, William’s feelings have also probably been much more complex than Kate’s reaction, and included his feelings about his relationship with Harry, an attraction to Meghan, and perhaps some genuinely complicated stuff — including having to see Kate and her many deficits as a person, as a partner, and as a future potential Queen in a different light.
@Becks1 – I think you may be on to something here. How about William wasn’t bothered about what she said BUT was seething because she was having conversations with Charles that he wasn’t aware of? Given how little love is lost between Charles and William he would have seen this as the ultimate betrayal by her. Then if you add into the mix that Camilla didn’t know Kate and Charles were in cahoots. Then it will also stand to reason that she’s going to break up that partnership at the first opportunity. Therefore when the Dutch publication made their ‘mistake’ she was on the phone to Pier Morgan and gave him the green light to ‘name names’
Also in this timeframe would be Willnot finding out Party Pieces was going tits up, and I’m guessing Kitty begging him to bail them out. We found out well after the fact, but he would have known much sooner.
@Nic exactly! William can say racist shit to Harry, but Kate cannot, especially without William’s knowledge.
And @LauraD – yes, if Kate is having conversations with Charles without telling William? I can see that being a big problem (especially if one of the things they’re discussing is how to prevent a divorce, ha.) William doesn’t want Charles on Kate’s side in any situation.
I don’t know. It’s something that didn’t occur to me until last week but I think it fits, especially if we look at it as “Kate overstepping her boundaries” not “William mad that Kate is racist.”
Okay, here’s another thought in regards to the post-Oprah fallout. At the time, a lot of us theorized that William was just learning about the crying story being fake. But Meghan said the whole family knew and then in spare it’s revealed that Camilla possibly leaked it. Or that’s what William and Kate said. But what if William really thought it was Camilla but then post-Oprah, it became clear that it was a Middleton production. And that was new info to him? Idk, as I write this, it feels silly. Im not wanting to exonerate William of anything. He could have been privy to everything. His dealings with Christian Jones are clearly such a betrayal. But it’s possible, he wasn’t aware of the Middleton side hustling at the time bc he was too busy with his own whatever. And for him, it could be another example of Kate and her fam not knowing their place.
@becks1-i think what you say makes a lot of sense, but what do you think about meghan saying kate is a good person during that oprah interview? to me, that always stood out as something she wouldn’t say if kate was the one who made the racist comment. it sounded like she had empathy for the stresses kate was under and understood her lashing out (with regard to the bridesmaid stories). that’s what always made it seem to me that it was william who talked about skin color, because meghan didn’t say anything to defend him (unless i’m not remembering something).
and it’s the same thing with charles-if charles was one of the people who mentioned skin color, would meghan have written to him? she might have, especially if he reached out first. i don’t know.
i do agree with the sentiment of you can’t criticize my family, only i can (see: my thoughts and feelings about my own family).
i’ve just never been sure how to reconcile meghans (slight) defense of kate in that interview with kate being the person who remarked about skin color (not that she’s not capable of it, but in this specific instance).
i’m curious how others see it!
@Mblabes –
I think Meghan said “she’s a good person” for the same reason she wouldn’t name the person having the conversation with Harry – she would want to be a better person than the royals and protect them.
Also, the good person comment came in context of the BM dress fitting and Meghan crying and Kate then sending an apology note – and then Meghan says “you don’t have to hate her if you like me and you don’t have to hate me if you love her” – I think the good person comment was an attempt to stop any social media hatred from being aimed at Kate because Meghan knows how that feels.
I dont know. I used to think that comment meant it couldn’t have been Kate. But I look at how Kate has publicly treated Meghan over the past few years and……something is not right, and its not just because Meghan “took Harry.”
@Jais its possible he really did think Camilla was the one who leaked it. And honestly maybe she was – but if she was then it was with full approval of Kate.
I think this is a weird convo for so many of us b/c we’re not exonerating William. He was rude and cold to Harry, he attacked him, he was aggressive with Meghan (putting his finger in her face etc), but the timing has long hinted that “something” about the Oprah interview changed things for him and Kate.
Well we know William was using Christian Jones to feed the tabloids with negative H and M stories. But maybe the concern about skin colour stuff is kate, and maybe William really did think Camilla put out the fake crying story.
Whatever happened, he distanced himself in public from her not long after the Oprah interview.
Meghan calling Kate a good person in that Oprah interview was NOT exculpatory. It was a lie she had to tell. Think of it as recently released hostages publicly stating their captors treated them well in order to keep said captors from harming remaining hostages.
Becks1, you know what everyone forgets that happened after the Oprah interview? BP’s ongoing ‘investigation’ of the bullying charges. In Spare, Harry said that they submitted a 25-page document in response to the allegation of Meghan bullying anyone. I’ll bet that document was a real eye opener. What do you suppose Khate was doing or allowing (or ordering) staff to do to Meghan? It’s interesting that they’ve never really come out with what’s what with that. It quickly changed from investigating the bullying to we’re investigating procedures. I would LOVE to see the document Meghan sent them.
Gabby – your point above very perceptive.
Excuses, excuses! No one wants to sit and watch while Kate pretends to play the piano.
“Wanna come to my Christmas recital?”
“Sorry, I’m going to a craft fair that day.”
Exactly. Or “sorry, I am cuddling with my cat and watching anything but that”
I would far rather go to a craft fair than sit through her showing off and nonsense.
I’m pretty sure the dates would have been set FAR in advance and C&C could have been in London if they had wanted to.
I do like a Christmas craft fair. 🙂🎄
Love me a Christmas craft fair! More than watching a gurning idiot, that’s for sure …
That is so funny! “I’m filming my major TV do of the year. Do you want to come?” “No can do. I need some mittens and Camilla’s after a jar of chutney.”
sparrow, I suspect there will be Christmas bobbles galore for them to choose from, too. They wouldn’t want to miss out on those.
Will Kate be playing Ebony & Ivory by Paul McCartney?
Just kidding!
I needed that laugh this morning. Can you imagine? But as tone deaf (pun intended) as they are and paired with how they can’t read the room………….nothing surprises me. They could tell her it’s an ode to the piano keys while setting her up to down in flames.
Hmm, ebony and ivory, two natural materials on the edge of extinction, arguably due to the colonialist practice of resource extraction? ☹️
@MSLOVE, NO, but we will most likely get a 2 fingered version of “white Christmas”!!!!!
They have ensured that every christmas is a white christmas in that family so this would be extremely appropriate.
Thank you, @Mary Pester, for my first, full-on, snort laugh of the day! Lol
😂😂😂
Lol Mary Pester for the mic drop! Ha ha
@MSLOVE… yes! Except it will be Kate’s special version.
Ivory and Ivory.
Side by side on the all-white balcony.
🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
I don’t know if I would be super excited to go to a recital but isn’t this supposed to be about the holidays and family and love? Guess they decided to stop pretending any of that exists in the Windsor family.
The question is, will the Middletons show their faces, or are they in hiding…
I think part of the reason why KCIII won’t be attending is because Kate has insisted her family should be there. Unfortunately for her, KCIII won’t be there to assist in the rehabilitation of the Middleton name.
Haven’t we heard that the king’s diary is planned months in advance? And we’ve been hearing for weeks about this piano recital of Keen’s…so my question is when KC and Camz decided to bail on her, because unlike in the past, they didn’t immediately say they couldn’t make it.
Well you have to figure that this kind of event at Highgrove would have been planned months in advance, right? I wonder if they just threw this together in the past month to give charles an excuse to skip it? Or if his attendance at the Highgrove event wasn’t confirmed until this week?
IDK, but it seems weird to me that we are hearing two days before the concert that the king wont be there, when he attended last year.
I think the Middleton presence is what decided this. Even a few months ago Charles wouldn’t have wanted to be in the same space as the Middletons.
I said much the same above, both these things would have gone in months ago so Charles could have made it work if he’d wanted to. He did not, a long time back.
Keep watching your back Buttons.
I don’t see anything on the Highgrove website that mentions a craft fair. There is a Christmas shop, Christmas luncheon at the cafe, and some very lovely workshops on wreath making and stag willow weaving that are already sold out. (I would go to those workshops in a heartbeat).
Highgrove Crafts is a set of restored buildings on the Highgrove estate with training programs on textiles, furniture making, stonemasonry and other traditional crafts. It’s very possible that CRex is holding a private reception for those involved in that program. Whether he moved the date up or back in order to conflict with Mumbles’ A Very Special Christmas, we don’t know. They did announce that he wasn’t coming in a way that made me think he was expected to be there.
I definitely would want to attend Charles’ event. Highgrove is also where they have collaboration with Chanel on embroidery arts.
That sounds good. You’re selling it to me – I didn’t know about the Chanel.
So much for showing support for Kate…a repeat dress/tiara yesterday, and a no-show at her big Christmas event? You in danger, gurl…
Although if Kate plays nice and keeps shtum on William/Camilla being involved in racist behaviour, I bet there’s a Charles ribbon in it for her a la QEII with the Rose affair rumours!
Kate will get a family order from Charles because if she didn’t it would look obvious. Unless he wants to give one only to Camilla first and then make the others wait.
Kate only touches the white keys.
😂😂😂
Hmm maybe that’s why her playing sounds so off-key
Ahem, “the Princess of Wales was said to have been present at the time” the remarks were made by Charles. Poor Kate, she’s just a bystander!
Why on earth would Chuck go to this event? He won’t be the centre of attention.
William always looks bored at best, one of these years he’s going to find a way to stay home. Maybe this year? We’ll hear that Kate is getting so comfortable now with public speaking and doing events that she no longer needs her husband to support her – he would just draw focus or stop her from spreading her big girl wings or something.
Maybe he can stay home and help assemble the Christmas presents
I think he’s listed as one of the speakers. They released a photo collage of the special guests – got their requisite POC in there too! I wonder if Camilla T will count the white people the way she did for Vogue.
Camilla could still come if she wanted to show support for the racist, right? She could bring her kids and grandkids.
I don’t think camilla likes Kate. She would take her children and grandchildren to raymill.
If camilla wanted to go, she could still go I’m assuming. She’s not going to because she doesn’t want to.
That close-up of her leaning back in the red dress always reminds me of the face my two year old used to pull when she was pooping in her pull-ups 😂
Yes I would believe that Can’t is being put on ice. She doesn’t even play live at this event so why bother going.
She can’t play live because she fakes playing piano. And she can’t pose if she has to look at the piano keys.
Charles booked this other event to make sure he wasn’t in the same space as the Middletons.
Yeah – her family will be out in full force for this, will be interesting to see if Peggy attends with the kids like last year.
The kids will absolutely be trotted out to act as a distraction. One tell in my opinion is how much interaction she has with the kids, other than walking them in
Didn’t the press say that the Royal Family was going to put up a united front and all appear at the carol concert? What happened? Or was the press yanking Charles chain and telling him that he needed to be at the concert?
The Highgrove things will have been scheduled for months so I vote for yanking his chain and trying to get him to attend the concert when they know he wasn’t planning to.
Oh it’s time for the new annual “Karen” Christmas where all the racist Karen’s wear burgundy so they are easily recognized. I’m sure the Middletons will show up proud as peacocks and broke as the church mice.
Broke as church mice lol. I’m hoping for a repeat of last year: pinched and depressing faces that haven’t been moisturized, bitter rivals pretending to be friends “to spite Meghan”, old-fashioned clothes…my goodness! The most wonderful time of the year! If I were Kate and her team I mean…wouldn’t these recitals be better moving around to different realms every year? I don’t know. It would give it some life if they highlighted Christmas traditions in Wales or a Scotland or something.
That might mean she actually had to learn something, and we have all seen that isn’t going to happen with this Karen. (I like your idea though a Christmas traditions past and present from around the world or the UK that would be interesting)
I bet the whole production crew wishes they could do the same.
She made the last one about QE, didn’t she? Maybe that was why KC felt obligated to attend it. I wonder if she has to pay the non-“working” royals to attend.
I mean, who can blame him??
@,becks1 my biggest fear, is that she will force Charlotte to play, as she has been having piano lessons for over a year!! And this 1st class BCH would think nothing of useing one of her children as a distraction. We never know, maybe Louis will be there, and decide to slip away from George and his dad, and practice a bit of Bell ringing, or stand up while his mum is playing giving it La La La La La, mum why are you pretending to play the piano 😂😂
When the press release said other royals it was evident C&C would not attend. Like it or not, they are King and Queen, higher in status so would be included by name in the press release. Surprised the RR didn’t mention this. Oh, that’s right, they don’t point out anything that doesn’t go along with the royal PR of the Charles and William being in lock step. Charles and William only appear together at events they must attend. Nothing that is optional. I wonder why? United front my ass.
Also, C&C only attended last year because it was in honor of QEII.
Kate can get a video of a real pianist and close up of hands playing to do it seems Kate is playing. It is not going to be a live performance. This is what was done in old movies when an actor or actress was playing a famous pianist. They did this in bio pics of famous composers and
Pianists. I am surprised Kate has not tried this yet.
Ha ha! I was a pretty serious player years ago, turning down music school. What I see with Kate is playing on top of the keys, rather than leaning into them. It’s a continual fragile touch that comes with uncertainty. She can play, but let’s not run away with ourselves; she is just about OK, which is strange given how much brilliant teaching she could call in. So, yes, they could always edit in a talented player’s hands with shots up to Kate’s face pretending like she’s on Young Musician.
Kate has the skills of someone who took enough lessons to not be a total beginner, but she would barely be an intermediate player. Modern pop songs are very easy to play and she has done nothing to show advanced piano skills. I don’t even think she could pull off Fur Elise, which is an intermediate classical piece.
They wouldn’t show close ups of hands because it would be obvious they didn’t belong to Buttons
Isn’t Charles supposed to be cultured and a great lover of the arts? He absolutely loves classical music and all that jazz. How can anyone expect the man to sit through another one of kate mauling of the piano? I know we don’t support chuck but come on. No one deserves to suffer from Karen racist not keys lack of performance
Something BIG has happened behind the scenes. Oh they will put on a right royal show like they did yesterday, but keen is definitely skating on very thin ice. I think they have looked at the letters again and realised that keen is a liar, but an even bigger one than they thought!
They won’t want to be part of the Christmas carol farce, because they, like the rest of us know, keen does NOT play the piano, her posture is indeed wrong, but even more obvious, are her fingers, they don’t match the notes being played!
So sorry keen, your on your own, and on your final warning /!
ITA – I think she’s been both caught lying and briefing to the press. She clearly over stepped and majorly p!ssed someone or someones off.
Plus her bad sh!t copykeening of Meghan is even being called out in the press and she clearly ain’t going to stop that.
She has fast become a liability to the firm.
I hope she pissed off Camilla as that would have the most entertaining results.
Kate might have succeeded as a ‘Royal Wife’. If she’d learnt to give speeches, properly supported (local) charities and been her own person. But she’s a cardboard cutout with strings pulled by Carole and Uncle Gary. Quite honestly this will be the last embiggening. Get your tickets now there’s plenty left!
This is very embarassing. The snub and the whole stupid pointless recital. Can you imagine what Princess Margaret would have had to say about this dumb piano playing? (on Kate’s part)
Charles has talked to Meghan and apologized for his failure to respond properly to her concerns. She wore his bracelet as a show of solidarity with Charles. Aware that Wills and Murdoch have been involved in pushing him out of his reign prematurely he is fighting back by aligning with Harry in a rapprochement. Kate and her family will be sent into exile to their home with Kate separate and coparenting responsibilities. This works well for Pegs as he rightfully comes from his closeted position
I’m not convinced that Meghan wearing that bracelet was a sign that she’s cool with Charles. The man has put her kids in danger by denying security. That said, he did reach out in a letter which is more than William and Kate have done. I don’t think anyone should be getting any cookies but Charles at least made an effort to reach out about the “concerns.” Feel like it was probably done out of a concern for his own protection but it’s still more than the wales. However, until he makes any kind of efforts with RAVEC and the security, I don’t know what kind of rapprochement he will have with Harry.
lol. what? Did you forget the funeral from hell? Charles put them through hell during queen’s funeral, talked sh*t about Meghan to Harry, then to tabloids. There is no way in hell, Meghan forgave him.
@Rynee
That scenario would be wonderful if true. Where did you read about this?
Mmm. Kate, you in danger, girl!
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer Royal Karen.
In the selection of photos for this article, the dress underneath the “coat” here seems a lot longer than the mini dress under this same coat dress Kate wore for the arrival of the South Korea state visit. Did she have two dresses made, each a different length? It seems to me that the original dress underneath was almost as long as the coat.
It is perishing cold here at the moment so let’s hope Karen avoids a festive flash when getting out of her car! Or to be classy, maybe Karen intends to sprawl on top of the piano a la Michelle Pfeiffer and pur along to Making Whoopee to cheer up the Chelsea pensioners?
That is SO funny -Yes, it’s bitter here. Forget the festive flash of your holly bush, Kate, and get those M&S tights hoicked up to your chin!
So, let me get this straight. Highgrove is approximately 100 miles from London, but that’s simply too far to expect KC3 to travel to attend a Christmas service featuring his racist DIL Triple K.
But somehow the tabloids want to make people think that the 92 miles between Montecito and Los Angeles is somehow should be no big deal for Meghan and Harry to just pop over there…in famous LA traffic.
Yeah, right.
#AbolishTheMonarchy
Yup, and it’s not even specific to California. In the past, the British media was always urging Harry to “pop over” to visit his father in Scotland, even if he’s only staying one night in London.
But, but 100 miles is a long way to us Brits. My mum would’ve been saying, make sure you’ve packed a flask for the journey, you’re going half way across the country! You’re right, tho, it’s absolutely nothing – he can’t be bothered with the Middleton knees up.
Beverley, that’s what I was thinking, too. I guess it’s a different perspective in the US than in the UK. I’ve gone farther than that with friends for a day away, which means it was a round trip in one day. It certainly seems KFC doesn’t want to be there.
My partner will easily drive 600km, about 380 Mi, in a day drive. 300 km each way in the day. He does that once a month to an appointment. No big deal.
I get it’s not the norm there. But gasp! 90 miles. Lol
They really like to pretend that Kate was the only one exposed as a racist *sshole.
What? She’s gonna pretend to play the piano again? I had fully expected her to bust out her accordion & wow us with a jaunty & jovial rendition of
“Wade In The Water”. I heard somewhere that her all time wish is to have Harriet Tubman accompany her on vocals and to double as her chief scullery made. Oh what could’ve been. This world can be a cruel place sometimes.
“Wade in the Water” made me guffaw. And now I’m afraid Kate will actually considerate it at some point.
Don’t we all need more guffawing in our lives? I know I do.
LMAO so much for “together at Christmas.” I love this unravelling for Karen
Greetings Everyone,
Well this is just what it looks like KCIII “Crisis talks” have dealt with this just the way KC wanted it to – meaning:
Billy Boy, she is your wife, your problem – I am washing my hands of this. Now, if I was a betting person (unfortunately I am not) but a good guess is that KCIII is not having a bar of protecting Katie Wails or his petulant son so hard luck.
Wild Rose
wildrose, this would fit with KFC’s inability to discuss anything head on. He either leaves town (ala Harry), or passes it to someone else to deal with.
I guess Khate and his petulant son shouldn’t be working so hard to let the world know that they would be better at the job than Daddy and his Escort.
“Since the revelation, Charles and Kate have been engulfed in a frenzy of news stories, although the British press has largely been supportive of the royals while condemning author Omid Scobie.”
That’s what galls me — the reflexive defense of the racist royals. No amount of carol singing or piano playing is going to put a shine on Kate’s ugly soul.
I have No pity for Charles Kate William and Camilla
Does Kate really have to do this piano bs ever again?
It is embarrassing. For everyone.
The real performers are ignored. I hope she stops the so called piano playing
The aggressive way she steps toward Megan to obviously intimidate her at the walk-about video is sooo telling. I’ve always wondered why she would be so angry to her SIL….
They tend to overlook the fact that others also displayed racist behavior.
Charles has King Sh!t to do. He went before to be nice, and has been looking for an excuse not to attend ever since, I’m sure.
It’s not like Together at Christmas is the Invictus games (which he also does not attend).
“Charles was named in the Dutch-language version of new royal book Endgame, released on Tuesday, November 28, as the royal who commented on the then-unborn Prince Archie’s skin tone; the Princess of Wales was said to have been present at the time.”
—who said she was present at the time? They’re collapsing the multiple “conversations” into one? Is this the new press tactic?
I think William and Kate were initially NOT invited to the tiara event that just took place at Buckingham Palace. Why? Because she re-wore a gown and tiara from a previous event. She never re-wears a gown to a tiara event. A tiara, yes. Jewelry, yes. Gown, no! It was last minute.
Charles and Camilla also were never going to or were not invited to Kate’s concert performance- one or the other.
However, Omid’s book came out and the Royal Racist Fiasco blew up last week. The BRF was caught flat footed and had crisis talks Monday, William/Kate were quickly invited to the tiara event to “show a united front” but Camillla refused to change plans to attend Kate’s concert (likely because her grandkids/family are already at or heading to Balmoral).
Those are my two cents. William and Charles are definitely NOT united. No one can stand Camilla or Kate. The new year should be interesting and full of “revenge.”