My perspective on Prince William’s Cape Town trip was that it was boring, unmemorable and a net neutral rather than a total flop. Like, people weren’t even paying attention to William or the trip either way, to boo him or to praise him. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see how much the British media hated everything about the trip and how they seem to have turned on him this month. Tina Brown’s Substack column – in which she called him a “performative pinhead” who needed Prince Harry to come back to “take him down a PEG” – was widely amplified in the British media. Then came William and Kate’s boring, tired and weird appearances at the Remembrance events, and then King Charles went solo to the Gladiator premiere. For monarchists, it feels like the wheels have come off. It feels like the Windsors are no longer glamorous or interesting or noteworthy whatsoever. Historian/commentator Tessa Dunlop recently spoke about how the distinct lack of glamour is ruining the monarchy.
For royal historian and expert Dr Tessa Dunlop, Charles’s solo appearance at the premiere and William’s small-r royal trip to South Africa shone a huge spotlight on how much has changed lately for the royals – especially since the memorably glamorous Bond premiere back in 2021.
She explained to the Mirror : “He was up against Gladiatorial men, (squaring up to Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal is no mean feat) but the King looked inescapably alone on the red carpet in Leicester Square last night. There was no retro glamour, no tinsel, no tiaras. Even Camilla (still battling a nasty chest infection), was missing. To compensate, I longed for the King to wear an ermine gown, or pop a crown on his head. Instead, he dutifully made his way down the line of stellar names. That fabulous ‘No Time to Die’ Bond premiere when Camilla and Kate waltzed out in a haze of designer sequins felt like a world away. One small glimpse of the Princess of Wales in Remembrance black on Sunday was a painful reminder of what we are missing.”
“There is a vacuum at the top and the problem with vacuums is that they invite all sorts of unwanted intruders. The royal machine has clearly decided that they can compensate for a depleted public presence with relentless philanthropy on ITV. This is definitely William’s happy space – Earthshot speeches and homeless documentaries are his version of royalty with a small ‘r’. But royalty needs to be careful. The public will tolerate a bit of charitable hectoring but only if accompanied with a large dollop of fairytale glamour.”
And with the potential for a glitzy and glamour vacuum to form according to Tessa, there are two people who she says could easily fill it. She added: “The Royal Family might think they are above such glitzy gimmicks. That would be a mistake. After all, waiting in the wings are ex-royals the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Instinctively glamourous with bundles of razzmatazz, the Californian couple have an effortless knack for combining showbiz-gloss and public do-gooding. Already estranged from the House of Windsor, Trump returning to the White House gives them another excuse to regroup, with a new house in Portugal the perfect launch pad for a European offensive. William beware! It would never do for the royal brand to be upstaged.”
Tina Brown’s Substack piece was all about how the Sussexes need to be brought back into the fold so they can do all of William’s work. Dunlop’s commentary is that the Sussexes are a million times more glamorous than the left-behind Windsors and that William needs to watch his ass because he’s being regularly overshadowed. The mood has definitely shifted. It feels like people are trying to get through to William, that wandering around looking like a hairy egg isn’t cutting it. But here’s my thing: what the hell is William supposed to do differently at this point? Kate is either on strike or William has made arrangements for Kate to be less visible on a permanent basis. Are they trying to encourage him to get a divorce and marry someone glamorous? LOL.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
-
- The Prince and Princess of Wales speak to members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town on July 29. Picture date: Thursday October 10, 2024.,Image: 919121397, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Danny Lawson / Avalon
-
- The Prince and Princess of Wales speak to members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town on July 29. Picture date: Thursday October 10, 2024.,Image: 919252435, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Danny Lawson / Avalon
-
- Image Licensed to i-Images Picture Agency. 10/11/2024. London, United Kingdom. Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales , at the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph in London.,Image: 932704778, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / i-Images / Avalon
-
- King Charles III attends the Royal Film Performance and Global Premiere of “Gladiator II” at Odeon Luxe, Leicester Square, London, England, UK on Wednesday 13 November, 2024.,Image: 934094040, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/Retna/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
-
- King Charles III meets the cast at the Royal Film Performance and Global Premiere of “Gladiator II” in Leicester Square on November 13, 2024 in London, England,Image: 934094625, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph / Avalon
-
- The Prince and Princess of Wales speak to members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town on July 29 Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, William, Prince of Wales Where: Southport, United Kingdom When: 10 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Prince and Princess of Wales arrive for a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died after a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town on July 29 Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, William, Prince of Wales Where: Southport, United Kingdom When: 10 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Prince of Wales attends Earthshot+, at Portside Tower in Cape Town, a day of impactful conversations with world-leading experts aimed at multiplying the impact of The Earthshot Prize, on day two of his visit to South Africa for the fourth annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony on November 6 Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Cape Town, South Africa When: 05 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Earthshot Prize Awards at Green Point Shared Fields in Cape Town, on day three of the Prince of Wales’ visit to South Africa for the fourth annual Earthshot Prize Awards Featuring: the Prince of Wales Where: Cape Town, South Africa When: 06 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attending the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Prince and Princess and Wales with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attending the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- Celebrities attending the Royal Film Performance and world premiere of Gladiator II, in aid of the Film and TV Charity which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, central London Featuring: King Charles III arrives for the Royal Film Performance and world premiere of Gladiator II, in aid of the Film and TV Charity which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, central London. Picture date: Wednesday November 13, 2024. Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Am I mistaken but other than Queen Elizabeth fun sister and Lady Diana, glamour was never a staple for the Brits. Willy was attractive for a minute so that was some popularity void that his mother left. Then he married Kate and she definitely didn’t fill that role either.
Not until Meghan arrived they were glamorousless and she and Harry stole the spotlight everywhere they turned up.
They all got the taste of money made from clicks all around the world, the exclusive articles to the American media paying better than their own media. That is what they are talking about when they say “glamour”. The remaining bunch doesn’t make money for them like Meghan did. While Meghan was there, the royal reporters would go to the American morning shows regularly. All those opportunities dried up for most of them.
I will say QEII was very charismatic even in a colorful day suit with her sensible shoes and patent bag. Pictures of her meeting a goat or christening a boat were interesting and fun. Pictures of Prince hunchy moose knuckle leaving one of his many houses a couple times a month are not.
And remember how she had to dim her light to try to fit in.
Thise british media “reporters” eanted her out, so be it and eat crow.
@Pinkosaurus
Sowwwy…..betty was never charismatic. Interesting, yes – mainly because of her longevity and the constancy and repository of a great deal of British traditions, BECAUSE of her longevity.
And yes, she was colorful……………..and of course, that was a deliberate choice by her and her handlers (nevermind the reason(s) they offered by way of explanation.)
The royals have never been particularly glamorous (with the exception of Diana) but for years they had Queen Elizabeth as a figure head. Who although not glamorous had a certain presence that carried the monarchy and was its face. Without her and without charismatic Harry and his wife everything about them now seems flat.
QE was beautiful, glamourous and she had a mystery about her. Diana was beautiful, was full of wit and had a big heart. Kkkhate is just a gurl who never worked and followed a boy around, strategized to get him to marry her. She had a beautiful memorable wedding dress and she is …skinny. Yup that’s it! No wonder why Meg snatched all the glamour with all the fashion, the intelligence and the beauty! Nobody has any idea who the fck is waity kaity. She has not a veil of personality.
Queen Elizabeth had a frumpy period in middle age but she was a gorgeous geriatric queen
Yeah, I agree what do they expect at this point? His wife very clearly has no intentions of doing any real work, and the work that he wants to do is about him getting all the attention. Problem with that is that you need someone who is charismatic, approachable, and has a self-deprecating sense of humor to blunt the edges of immense privilege that you have, and no one is going to accuse him of having any of those things. I think if they did the grunt work, and also showed up for the glamorous events they would never be the super popular couple because it just isn’t in their personalities but people probably would feel like they were getting more bang for their buck then they do now. And by people I mean the media. I think even they are bored of constantly rewriting the same stories about things that happened 10 years ago, or making mountains out of molehills of everything Harry and Meghan do.
Yes, I don’t know what William’s supposed to do here. He is what he is, and Kate is what she is. The public (i.e. the media) want the royals to look royal. Perhaps William can entice Kate out of the house with promises of jewels and tiaras and expensive clothing. An appearance like that every month or so should soothe the beasts.
I think in general they want William to work more – and Kate as well. Based on what we’ve been told, there is no reason for Kate to be so MIA. We can speculate on why we think she is, but based on what KP has told us, she should be working more.
The iTV quip was because William isn’t giving the press anything to write about. He’s making documentaries or whatever but he’s not doing the bread and butter events. William is boring on his own but at least it would be something.
I also think the press knows what’s going on, they know Kate’s absence is the new normal and they are not happy about it.
@Becks1 – by “work more,” they must mean “do more visible public events,” because that’s what they’re complaining about. If we suppose that William’s actually serious about homelessness and the environment, those issues require a lot of work behind the scenes, which is not what the media is interested in. They want him to represent, to be the UK on two feet, to be vigorous and charming and energetic, to be Harry. Sadly, he’s not and he never will be.
I think Kate is being phased out and will only appear WITH incentives like Melania Trump who gets paid to appear next to her husband. Willy and Kate are done with each other but Willy has not the balls to make their separation/divorce public and official as he is not confident he has the public support on his side. Willy is chicken and Kate has a huge thing over him that scares Willy. Hundreds of millions might make Kate happy to divorce, but no less than that and titles for her parents and siblings.
The BM know WanK have zoomed past “trouble in paradise” and that H&M aren’t having marriage issues at all. Trying to sell the reverse on both couples all the time when other country’s media get to feast on H&M appearances unencumbered by the BRF’s vendetta is losing them money.
Worldwide, companies and organizations wished Harry happy birthday of their own volition. CIII’s birthday was barely acknowledged in England let alone internationally. Meghan appearances get coverage everywhere. Everything they keep trying to manufacture for Kate (who’s name wasn’t even on the wreaths this year as she looked haggard at Remembrance in the light of day.) The Royal aren’t giving value to the BM and they are finally getting fed up with it.
Oh I quite like “ performative pinhead” lol. They have no rizz or glamour and they are lazy and useless. Maybe they are asking him to marry someone glamorous but who will have him. He was a bit good looking when Can’t started stalking him but he has grown into his ugly human phase.
I am home, ill, and was really confused by the headline. Good lord I’m not fit to go anywhere today
don’t feel bad. the headline confused me. I was wondering what brand qualified as a “glamour” vacuum, some kind of fancy new Dyson technology that cannot only suck up all the pet hair, but weave it into a cozy and tasteful cloche hat?
…and here was me, getting brain-stuck on the fact that they might even own a vacuum!
Dunlop ended with this, “William beware! It would never do for the royal brand to be upstaged.” To which I say a giant huh??? Beware? It’s already come to pass. Harry and Meghan have already upstaged the royal brand. They have been for years. That ship sailed. So yeah, what exactly do these “royal experts/historians” want at this point?
Yeah, talk about a ship sailing. The world has already judged and found Harry and Meghan the only ones worth inviting anywhere, we have had endless proof this year.
While it was happening in front of his face, William was too busy briefing about how he was never forgiving his brother. Ever.
There is nothing to do, William didn’t notice that he needed Harry more than Harry ever needed him.
I have a feeling that Chuck has been behind the distinct lack of glamour. No1 is allowed to upstage him now that he’s only going to have a short reign with the cancer. Keep the focus on him and only him, as he likes it.
My harried eyes caught “vacuum,” “top” and William’s big, bald head – my logical brain said “Yes, there’s definitely a vacuum in there.”
A giant sucking sound…
There’s also an ethics vacuum. Slumlord Willy and Moneybags Chuck with their ill-gotten Duchy and “titles for favours” money are no better than the grifting felon POTUS and his filthy offspring.
The Burger King sign in the reflection on Charles’s car window is EVERYTHING!
The royals do not need glamour; they need to work more and harder to justify their ridiculous unearned wealth and titles. Or they should pack it in and let the UK become a representative democracy.
I don’t think there’s any amount of work they could do to justify their wealth and titles. The glamour part is what reminds people of the RF’s elevated state – like “Oooh, they’re so special, that’s why they deserve all that. And look what a special thing we have that the other countries don’t”
For the left behind royals to be glamorous requires sequin dresses and stolen bling apparently. H&M manage with just their personalities.
Disco ball sequins and dynasty hair iirc.
Is this why Heidi Klum was invited to Earthshot, to provide Will with a glamorous companion for photo ops? BM liked those university students posing with dull Willy on Friday. Will doesn’t have main character energy and he has never been too sexy for his shirt. He looks like Mr Burns and acts like Mr Bean so BM are keen for glamour to focus on instead. What a pity RF and BM conspired to drive away Harry and Harry and capitalized on their charisma and glamour!
Oh now they’re complaining about the boring Windsors now that the most interesting family members aka the Sussexes are gone? It only took… *checks notes* nearly 5 years! I guess Queen Elizabeth was considered “glamorous” because she was so young when she became Queen and her presence was larger than life but I attribute that to her being very inscrutable and because she was queen for so long. Her sister Margaret was way more interesting and charismatic. Princess Diana had charisma and so do Harry and Meghan.
Charles is mostly interesting for his affair with Camilla and cheating on Diana and his fraught relationship with Harry. He’s also king now and dealing with cancer but he is definitely not “glamorous” or charismatic. William and Kate are not charismatic or glamorous either. The most interesting thing about them apart from Kate’s health journey that may or may not be related to cancer is the weird state of their marriage.
We don’t know which of the Wales kids will be the “star” out of the three yet as they are so young. None of them may have their grandmother’s charisma (none of Queen Elizabeth’s kids strike me as particularly charismatic) but if I had to guess, maybe Louis.
Should have posted my other post under yours… one point I overlooked is that there is absolutely no elegance left either.. Princess Diana and Princess Meghan beyond having beauty(glamor) and charisma they both have/had a natural elegance from their walk to their gestures.. maybe because they both had dance lessons. Even in full tiara dress there is no elegance left in that family. The three children aren’t going to fill the void either no matter how hard the rota push it.
Charles affair with Camilla was not interesting it made him look petty and the royal family lost some reputation on account of it.
I hope none of those children are typecast. No way would Louis and Charlotte be allowed to outshine George. In any case.
The Sussex’s escaped over five years ago, it is astonishing that any of these people believe they would ever return to the Firm and that toxic family. Especially to raise their children in that environment. They bullied the glamor and charisma out of the family business with the racism and hate no sane person would ever return for more. They deserve the dullness and laziness of chucks slimmed down, and Peggy’s future one.
But but, did Willy not win the tittle “the world most sexiest balled man” recently, for the second time, beating the hottest men in Hollywood? Was that not glamorous enough? No?
PS: Ms Dunlop can’t be a serious historician. This is gossip mongering, and indeed, royal expertism a la Britain.
Dunlap is dead on. But neither she nor Brown are able to argue why on Earth H&M would ever want to return. They have carved out a sparkling niche for themselves with no palace functionaries butting in on their smart and lucrative global life of service, advocacy and business.
Charles should have asked them to produce his coronation festivities and assume occasional stand in roles for him abroad. It would have been win-win. Instead, they have a mess on their hands in London while H&M continue to soar. It will only get worse when the Egg takes over.
the British media hits a new low every day …. wish they would keep Harry & Megan’s names out of their papers.
This piece just shows that the British press is desperate for Harry and Meghan to return to the royal fold. However they’re also deluded in believing that all that’s preventing Harry and Meghan from returning is William’s forgiveness or Harry dropping his lawsuits.
Spot on advice but about 5 years too late. When Harry and Meghan asked to become part time QEII should have approved and never created this on-going smear campaign. First of all the smear campaign did not work and most likely brought Harry and Meghan even closer, second it was a morally repugnant decision. Third, the concept of a part time royal was not new. And fourth if it hadn’t worked out then it would have been time to sit down and say either in or out.
Is the pic of Charles in the car with the Burger King reflection real?! 🤭
Well you can’t get oil from a stone so I say small r willy and buttons is what you wanted so therefore these two are the consequences of your actions towards the glamours hard working Harry and Meghan. Should have treated them better and then maybe they would still be there to add some glam and attention to that sleep fest known as the Windsors
QE2 didn’t become the beloved grandmother everyone loved until about 2000. No one has really studied the image makeover she had about that time. Of course as a young woman she had a degree of regal glamour, but it was tied to the idea of being royal. She was pretty dour in the 1960s-90s to be honest. Her kids were duds as well. Diana shook things up, injecting celebrity back in the monarchy that they feared and hated from the Edward VII era and we see how poorly that fared. They have tried and failed to be celebrities when the heirs should aspire to quietly remain in background, the safest place. Let the Dianas, Harrys & Megans be out front to the public with only careful guidance by people who truly understand the culture of celebrity. The heirs can last much longer that way and be loved for the symbols they are, like QE2 was.
@Jencf
That ship has sailed. In fact, the entire fleet is under water.
You say: ” Let the Dianas, Harrys & Meg[h]ans be out front to the public with only careful guidance by people who truly understand the culture of celebrity”…………whatever that means for the RF in 2024. Like I said: ship < sailed.
PS: celebrity is like charisma, you have to be imbued with a je ne sais quoi that makes people want to celebrate you. Chucky doesnt have it and never did; Bully doesnt have it and never will; and they seem to have run out of the proverbial lipstick on a pig where kitty and mean-girl sofiesta are concerned. That is to say, sofiesta is as dull as dishwater and always was; and kitty had her chance and blew it.
In conclusion, youve missed the entire premise of the monarchy: they WANT the trappings of celebrity, which include the adoration of the crowd (all the front pages, remember?) but also, they WANT the aloofness and superciliousness of royalty. The last time the brit royals managed to combine the two, (beyond the brief period of H&M's stardust) was the era of Margaret in her youth. Back then, there was also the queen mother, with her blatantly displayed sense of superiority. There was glamour and celebrity and royalty.
But then, the world was a much different place, with more plebs willing to remain on bended knees and to kiss the ring/doff the cap/tug the forelock.
Today and for the foreseeable future……………….not so much.
Rejection their offer of part time was the best thing that happened Harry and Meghan. Their attempts to earn a living would have been stymied at every turn by the palaces who would still have a say in all the ventures. Although the motive was wrong, the Windsors gave Harry and Meghan complete freedom to determine how to support themselves. I think their lives would have been made miserable by a half-in half-out situation. The Sussexes are succeeding well at making their own place in the world. Both Harry and Meghan already had firm foundations prior to their marriage. They just took their bricks and set up their house elsewhere- clumsy metaphor but you all know what I mean.
Truth is they’re all the wrong age for this glamour stuff. Even if Kate was well enough/bothered enough to work every day, she’s a mum in her 40s. Naturally, she’s hardly cutting edge of fashion*. They need someone in their 20s and they won’t have that till William’s kids grow up and they can have all the speculation about who they’ll marry etc. Poor things.
*Obviously Meghan always looks really glam but even if she hadn’t been driven out, she and Harry would also be ageing into another category very soon, so that wouldn’t appreciably change things.
Disagree. Meghan and Harry would always have the attention for their empathy and personalities. Same as Di would have had she lived.
Harry and Meghan will always outshine them. The mean girl kate and her incandescent husband are the turn offs
Imagine if H&M did go back. It wouldn’t take long for their natural glamor and style to be ground right off them. All shine dulled, etc. Meghan would go back to wearing the absolutely hideous clothes she thought she had to wear, etc. Honestly – RF just own your frump. That’s a valid style in its own way.
Diana wore less than glamorous outfits at first. Once she became more stylish she never went back to the bland wardrobe