The Prince and Princess of Wales have not seemed especially close in years. They do not seem close emotionally nor physically, and their oft-rumored separation seems on the verge of being confirmed at times, especially when William keeps suggesting that he doesn’t see his kids for days or weeks at a time. We can see with our own eyes that William and Kate seem strained in each other’s presence, and that they seem to take pains to avoid touching each other. But this is the marriage everyone seems especially invested in, especially the royalists. Which means that it’s up to royal reporters to try to convince people not to believe their own eyes.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s love story spans decades, and it’s still going strong. Roya Nikkhah, royals editor for The Sunday Times and co-host of the podcast “The Royals with Roya and Kate,” told Fox News Digital that the Prince and Princess of Wales are “still very into each other” after weathering a turbulent year.
“When you see them on engagements, they’re obviously still very into each other,” said Nikkhah. “One’s always looking out for the other. Recently, when they were in Southport together, you could see that… she was a bit more vulnerable. I think they’ve got each other’s backs. I think when you have that weight of public scrutiny on you, it’s very hard to keep a little bit of your private life private because you are so publicly scrutinized,” Nikkhah explained. “But if you look at the video they put out when [Kate] announced she’d finished chemotherapy, we never get to see them like that.”
“He postponed beginning full-time royal duties for as long as he could for this purpose,” said Fitzwilliams. “William and Catherine… have always indicated their private closeness and harmony, which they project publicly so well, as does their competitive spirit, especially when they relax during royal tours that involve competitive sports. As the future king and queen, they have a loving family who are the center of their lives. The recent video when Catherine told us she was clear of cancer showed intimate moments between them. The royal family is not known for public displays of affection, but their body language spoke volumes. Catherine’s illness with William spending so much time with her will, if that is possible, draw them even closer.”
I think the timing of this story is supposed to be “the fourteenth anniversary of William and Kate announcing their engagement.” The purpose of this kind of story is muddier though – it’s not enough that Will and Kate are still technically together, it’s not enough that no one has sought the counsel of a divorce lawyer. It’s not enough that they trudged through a couple of joint appearances this year. Roya and the other royalists have to convince people that we’re witnessing some kind of grand love story. And very few are buying it. I also think that nothing has put Will and Kate’s marriage problems into sharper relief than the visible affection and love Harry and Meghan have for each other. It’s not enough to spread this fan-fiction about Will and Kate – they desperately need to convince people that the Sussexes are unhappy and on the verge of divorce.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Kensington Palace.
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- 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
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- 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
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- Image Licensed to i-Images Picture Agency. 10/11/2024. London, United Kingdom. Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales and Sophie ,Duchess of Edinburgh attend the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph in London.,Image: 932704666, 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
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- Image Licensed to i-Images Picture Agency. 10/11/2024. London, United Kingdom. Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales and Sophie ,Duchess of Edinburgh attend the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph in London.,Image: 932704679, 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
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- Handout photo provided by Kensington Palace of the Princess of Wales with the Prince of Wales. The Princess of Wales said she has finished chemotherapy and is “looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months” Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Sep 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- 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**
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- 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**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales speaks with a paramedic 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 Where: Southport, United Kingdom When: 10 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Who is she trying to convince?
And why? Seriously, who really cares about this marriage?
I will never stop laughing at the looks on Louis and Charlotte’s faces in the screenshot from the beach video. Yeah, those are not kids used to seeing their parents being affectionate. Louis flat out looks like he’s observing another species at the zoo.
Oh same. Charlotte’s face as her parents are rolling around in the sand??? It’s funny but also sad. How confusing for the kids.
And the look on William’s face at times, he clearly wasn’t happy about it. At one point he looked bored, I wonder how she got him to do it.
They looked concerned for Kate. It looks like Will is attacking her. It’s clear they are NOT used to this.
“And why? Seriously, who really cares about this marriage?”
Exactly! I don’t understand all this handwringing over it, trying to insist it’s actually H&M on the verge of divorcing, saying WanK are fine even as William looked like he couldn’t stand to be near her for years at this point.
It’s mystifying. No one would care if WanK divorced.
@sunnyside up — with threats to go public about *what* really happened.
Great question, MSS!
When I was helping immigrants with English, one of the nuances was “think” vs “believe,” where the latter word is (much) stronger. This is what RN said: “I think they’ve got each other’s backs.”
So it sounds like she’s supportive, but there is doubt.
Yes so into to each other that he can’t stand to look at her. So into each other they don’t even live together. What a load of shit.
All those video stills show him looking in pain to have to touch her. He can’t even pretend enough for a staged video. They need to stop with the gaslighting.
Well, Kate’s 6 mouths mia was clearly her (and her parents) negotiating new terms to technically staying married, but physically seperated, and after 2 years of her living at Adelaide Cottege by herself (with the kids).
It seams like finally, after Kitty played hardball (refusing to work, faking happy family together /manipulating photos,faking a deadly illness, etc.), everybody is happy with the outcome of the negociations (reg. money, accomodation, amouth of ‘work’ and fake joined apperances – meaning the minimun, etc..), … until the next round, in about 1 year from now.
Sorry for the typos☝️😏
Herself
Oh Kate, give it up. This train left the station a long time ago and we all know it. This nonsense would make me laugh if it weren’t so pathetic.
William has never shown a lot of affection towards Kate especially in public,you can tell how eager she is for more attention and the way she reacts when he does throw her an affectionate bone every once in a while. I think he is cold by nature, but I think what makes it worse is Kate rearranging her whole life to catch him. I think it’s off putting and slightly unattractive for someone to be soo needy.Now Look how William acts towards Jecca,he is like the Kate in the dynamic and it’s because Jecca paid him dust.
There was def a few years, especially when the Sussexes were around and right after they left, that Kate really did seem to seek out those pda moments with William for the camera. It always felt like she cared more about them getting the camera shot to compete with Harry and Meghan than anything else. At some point though, more recently, after having him drop her hand for the cameras or swerve her hand when she tried to reach for it, she started the ass-grabbing. We’ll see what happens as they possibly do more events, but I wonder if she’s still going to try and seek out those moments for the camera. She might be done. But at the same time, that video seem to be trying to sell that they’re more affectionate in private.
They are not in private surrounded by a camera crew
It’s like it didn’t occur to whoever masterminded the video that it could, and would, be broken down into individual frames that are so much worse, and tell a very different story. I just don’t get who benefits from the Wales being a true love match (it really pained me to I type that)?
Oh for sure, Tessa. But I think that’s the idea they wanted to sell with that video. That they’re actually affectionate when they’re not in public. Not saying they did it well😂. One of the things about the Netflix doc is that Harry and Meghan combined bits clearly filmed for the doc with their own candid cell phone vids and pictures taken from throughout the years.
@christine, I mean I’m guessing the Wales feel like they benefit from seeming like a love match?
William has never looked comfortable touching Kate the bare minimum that he does. The staged photos are always awkward looks from him. Kate puts on the large hyena grin but none of their photos show a couple in sync.
Charles and Camilla show much more affection in their photos and interactions. They don’t force it either.
The grand love story being: girl switches universities to capture prince who pays her no attention until she decides to use a charity show to take off her clothes to capture the attention of said prince who at the time had a girlfriend who then doesn’t rate Kate for her intelligence, her kindness, her adventurousness, but says “wow Kate’s hot”, then dumps her, begs other girls to date him, then gets back with her, then dumps her again, she immediately hops onto his friends, then shows up to a party dressed as a nurse, which William likes (again it’s not her personality), then they get back together, then he lets it be known he has no intention of marrying young, she starts no business, gets no full time job, makes it clear her attentions and intentions revolve around William, he gets pushed to make his intentions clear, he takes her to the safari owned by his ex girlfriends family, he proposes to her, he comes back and doesn’t tell his own brother he’s engaged. Love story of the century.
Lol, Hallmark should produce this as an antidote to their Christmas movies.
I think the last part about the safari and William’s proposal is a piece of science fiction : he probably stole the idea of the proposal from a close friend of his, if I remember correctly…so, no, it’s definitely not a love story. They were never into each other…they even spent their honeymoon with friends! At best, they were good friends and colleagues…
Harry had no idea he was even in Kenya since he was there around the same time. That’s not exactly credible for the alleged closeness between the brothers or a guy really in love and wanting to propose to his “love”.
Plus Kate made it sound like he proposed in Scotland.
He married his stalker because he had to, and was under pressure from both Liz AND the Middletons.
She was into him. She was obsessed with him. Because he was the prince, but still. Obsessed.
William liked the family atmosphere provided by the sycophantic Middletons and since no one else wanted him, he settle on proposing to his fuck buddy who was desperate enough to put up with anything to get the ring! A real love story for the millennium!/s
I don’t even think Taylor Swift could turn those facts into a love song. 😄
Looking back, it’s so weird that he didn’t tell Harry about the engagement. Obviously, it’s evidence of how much the brothers weren’t close at all but still. Like why wouldn’t he tell his brother? When did he tell the queen? Was it after the fact? I genuinely can’t remember. Did he get permission? Whereas Harry was sweating bullets to get the queen’s approval.
The engagement story is actually a perfect encapsulation of these two. I think it’s clear that the proposal in Kenya wasn’t some romantic thing William had planned on. Nothing we know about TOB has ever shown that he is capable of that kind of planning, nor frankly that he would ever need to or care to make the effort. I think it’s more likely that QEII/Charles told him to sh!t or get off the pot, that he should get going on producing those all important heirs.
And whatever, the Wales certainly aren’t the first or last couple to gloss over their engagement story, especially with the papers desperately trying to sell the “fairytale” happy ending. Having a fake story for the papers to get some good press? That’s a smart move! But they obviously couldn’t even be bothered to get their stories straight, something that even the dumbest criminals can do! William let it be known right away that he would not be wearing a wedding ring, and he barely looks at her. He publicly treats her with contempt – we all have eyes! And a gushing tabloid write up about a cringe worthy, staged video shoot can’t change that.
It’s frankly insulting how little they think of the public they are performing for.
Yes, it’s the we all have eyes and he has treated her with contempt for the cameras. But then roya or Becky writes about their love for each other immediately after.
There is an article that might not have been scrubbed yet where they essentially said that William told the Queen and Charles about the engagement only a few hours before they went public with it. BBC had to scramble too to set up that photo shoot.
Interesting @nic919. I feel like I’d heard that before but it’s wild to think about how drastically things are reported for the wales v the Sussexes.
Sure, Jan. He’s so into her, he didn’t even want to marry her in the first place.
And let’s add why he doesnt wear a ring, I cant remember the excuse but like Harry if he really wanted to he could. Just another way to blatantly show her he doesnt even like her.
I remember when they announced before the wedding that he wouldn’t wear a ring. They framed it as upper classes don’t always do that and it’s very normal, but now that I’m more aware of the royal PR system, I see they were just blowing smoke up everyone’s asses. His outright refusal to wear a ring from day 1 was and is weird.
I said at the time that his refusal to wear a ring (or even have one laying around) was a giant red flag. People I said it to didn’t agree. Now we know.
They also lied and ignored how Philip, Charles and Edward have a ring. William couldn’t even be bothered to get one just for the ceremony and to commemorate it. It’s not like the guy can’t afford it. His father and siblings all wear rings although I think with their signet ring, but it’s still wearing a ring.
@brassy: oh the excuses we got about how it’s just an aristo thing to not wear a ring. Even though his own family members have their own wedding bands.
I just think the he just couldn’t be bothered to get a ring because, he’s bloody cheap and also, would never take fuck -buddy Kate’s feelings or the symbolism of a wedding ring, into consideration because it was all for show! It’s almost like the whole engagement/wedding was just an exercise is getting his family off his back re: marrying and producing an all-important heir, to keep the grift going for the next generations. How romantic!
How is it that QEII and Prince Phillip managed to fake being together, after Penny came on the scene, a lot better than these two?
I would guess there was genuine respect between Philip and the Queen, they both respected the monarchy as an institution and understood they had roles to play in that. Neither one would want to do anything that messed that up. I see no respect from Will and Kate, for each other or the roles they should be fulfilling.
Maybe they respected each other? Or maybe it’s because Elizabeth had the power and she dictated how things would look?
I mean – Penny certainly wasn’t the first! But Elizabeth decided that she wanted to marry him and to stay married. I hope that she knew what she was getting into, but she had a lot more power than Kate does.
I also think that there were different expectations then – aristocratic marriages, particularly royal ones, were understood to be more like business arrangements. Young Elizabeth probably grew up thinking that was the norm. I remember some reporting that either she or her mum thought that Penny was great because it “kept it in the family”, as in Penny could be counted on for her discretion. Gross, right?
Elizabeth and Philip seemed to do a much better job of putting on a public face. For one, they were able to make appearances together without it looking like a painful tooth extraction. Elizabeth and Philip also didn’t put out some schlocky video/photoshoot cavorting on the beach (omg can you imagine what she would have made of that?).
@Jay – OMG is right. I’m trying to imagine what Elizabeth would have made of this entire year and all the KP missteps.
I think because most of us weren’t alive or adult to see them when they couldn’t stand each other through the 50s. They seem to have reached an agreement in the 60s on how they would proceed, and I think that they did have a fair amount of love and friendship between them. They were a team, even if not romantic anymore. I guess time will tell if Will and Kate can push through this period and get to that point.
I think the queen and Philip started from a point of there being some romance at the beginning. Kate and William were never there.
Agreed with the comments above about respect and they both knew what their jobs were. I think they were a strong partnership who knew what they needed to do and the roles they played.
WanK wouldn’t have been so exposed in H&M hadn’t arrived on the scene and been so blatantly in love with each other. The contrast is stark and no matter how much we’re told that PROTOCOL and PRIVACY are the reason WanK act like they do, the story starts to look a bit thin when his brother and wife are so blissfully happy together.
I think the balance of power makes a difference, too. If Philip had been the monarch, then he could have pushed Elizabeth to the side. But with Elizabeth in charge, he had to keep his place. It’s the opposite with W&K – he has the power. And even if he dearly loved her, Kate would always come second – or maybe 5th, since the children come before her.
The Queen understood how difficult it was for Philip to leave his naval career, relinquish his freedom and become someone who had to adhere to the protocol of always being two steps behind Elizabeth and showing constant deference. She gave him the titles Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich when they married in 1947 but it wasn’t until 1957 that she made him an official Prince of the United Kingdom through new letters patent. She was madly in love with him when they first married but once her father died and she became Queen her first duty and love was to the Anglican church, the country and her subjects. That she chose to turn a blind eye to his extramarital relationships shows how was sensitive to all that he had given up to become her “liege man of life and limb”.
I’ve always believed that the anger that the royalists and press had towards Harry and Meghan’s PDA was because they showed up the lack of affection between William and Kate.
The Wales lack of affection was always there but your right it became glaringly obvious with the Sussex’s very visible affection towards each other and how much they mutually loved and respect each other. It was hard not to compare they were so vastly different.
I’ve just said much the same above, I should have read more comments first! It was nowhere near so obvious until H&M.
Thats why they used ‘protocol’ to attack H&M’s affectionate behaviour. It really shone a light on the coldness of the Wales’ marriage.
It’s not just W&K, it’s all of the BRF. Each and every couple acts like they’re allergic to each other at appearances, the way they make such a point of standing 2ft apart with their hands clasped behind their back always looks so awkward. I don’t why they think this makes them look “better” or more “proper” somehow. None of the other royal families do this and their kings and queens and princes and princesses look completely natural holding hands in public. I could believe Kate still has affection for William, but he barely conceals his contempt toward her.
I disagree here. Charles and Camilla aren’t as distant as the others. And in their photos they will brush against each other. It is William and Kate who make it a point not to.
Why trust your lying eyes, and miss the love story of Wails.
This is such a hard sell. And trying to have the Sussexes on their way to divorce court makes it more obvious. Some publication is going to figure out there is more money to be made to exposing the Waleses’ marriage than covering up the problems within. Throw in the angle KP ordered the press to target Meghan and Harry to hide the cracks and it’s gold. With the low pay the staff gets they’ll get someone to talk for the right price. For all we know the marriage expose may be written as we speak. Who had the Dispatches exposé on their bingo card?
I am surprised an American publication hasn’t gone there yet. They don’t have to worry about the publication bans and access to them.
William seemed to grit his teeth when Kate had that shampoo commercial where she could grab him. Probably one of the agreement with the middletons. They probably spend very little time together. She is also hanging on no matter what.
It’s almost enough to make me pity them both. Almost.
The press does them no favours with silly stories like this. You can’t write about their grand love story and then when we see them in public they look stilted and awkward with each other. Its the same when they airbrush Kate’s pictures to such a degree that when you see her without airbrushing or only light airbrushing she looks awful. The gulf between what the press publishes and what people can see with their own two eyes keeps getting bigger.
The biggest “Sure, Jan” to have ever “Sure, Jan”-ed.
“He postponed beginning full-time royal duties for as long as he could for this purpose,” and not because he’s a lazy slumlord.
Even in recent memory there have been things that seemed off for a supposedly loved-up couple. Why would Charlotte “burst into tears” at seeing her dad with a beard (unless she hadn’t seen him in days?). Why would a husband who leaves his sick wife at home only to excitedly announce to the world he’s gonna spend his work trip hanging out with supermodels (instead of scientists). And we can go on and on with examples of this callous hot single dad stuff all day. So yeah, Rikkhah is laying it on a bit thick here.
Judi James “body language expert” claimed that William was against PFAs because he didn’t want to attract the press attention that bedeviled Diana ‘s life! Well that is her view! Ocrams razor Will can’t show any affection for a wife that he doesn’t care for.
It’s part of the same question around “what is wrong with William?” Why can’t he feel or show respect and affection and attention to the mother of his three children? Why does the palace push the family man narrative. Why is it such a strain for him to play along for his own best interests? What happened to him last winter so now Kate and the Middletons are back in the fold??
It also becomes more obvious that he doesn’t like her when you see him with his kids. He is not cold with them at all. He just saves that for her.
So it’s interesting. I didn’t start following royal stuff till Meghan. But looking back at past photos, while I don’t think William and Kate came off as a particularly romantic couple, there did seem to be a real friendship in the early days. Am I crazy for thinking that? I mean as much friendship as their could be with a man who was pretty disrespectful during the courting years. I just mean it almost looks like their was potential for them to be more like Phillip and Elizabeth. Maybe William’s original disrespect doomed them from the start. But at some point, aside from romance, the friendship ended, which is the biggest problem. And I do think there was something there at some point, friendship and mutual understanding. But that seems to be gone. Was it Rose? Was it the juxtaposition of the Sussexes? Was it an accumulation of everything? But yeah, the issue is they don’t seem to like each other anymore.
The difference is William. He used to look more friendly toward her. But it changed before Harry and Meghan. I would say after Charlotte was born. Keep in mind the Verbier dad dancing was around then. Harry and Meghan getting all the nasty coverage kept things under wraps but now that they aren’t there anymore, the focus is back on William and Kate. And post Oprah interview is when William just stopped trying.
Huh. So is Richard Fitzwilliams authorized to say that Kate is clear of cancer? And I don’t remember seeing William acting that protective or affectionate or loving during the Southport event. They sat next to each other and that was about it from what I can remember. They showed the most affection in the pre-packaged summer’s eve vidoe-cringe.
Listen. If you need to have 3rd party reporters write stories about the level of or lack of love between you and your spouse or use publicists OR cringe inducing COMMERCIALS … YOU’VE LOST THE PLOT. I guess Mumblina Middleton and Willwont next commercial is when? The Super Bowl. May as well.
If you have strain to show it and jump up and down waving your hands to get people to notice it then sorry y’all ain’t about it.
The real question will be about the Christmas photos this year. Maybe they’ll just use a still shot from the video or someone was there taking photos to be used for Christmas. So they could do it all at once.
RRs insisting this much instead of W&K actually showing it says enough imo. It’s not like they’re divorcing. No need to do all this work trying to convince people otherwise.
That’s why these articles seem like trolling more than anything. It only brings attention to how they don’t act like a normal couple in love. Instead we get a hundred excuses.
These articles that play up how they are “sooooo in love”.. always remind me of the perfect wife mom and life women who posts all about their perfect husband and family, it’s all so perfect and from the posts looks like a Hallmark movie come to life until you find out they are swindling the public and she’s a closet wino and he’s a serial cheater and the kids are the class bullies.
And Social Services insist on visiting and inspecting their, various, living arrangements.
So, the year is approaching its end. There’s only the Christmas concert and the Christmas walk left, save an unannounced engagement or surprise Middleton embiggening gambit. Have the Middletons only managed to buy themselves a year? Will William divorce Catherine anyway? Surely Kate can’t plead serious illness again as a deterrent, particularly now that her ‘pre cancerous cells’ are being increasingly discussed by the BM.
Just reading the headline and only skimming the article, it’s obvious that Roya Nikkah is obviously still completely full of it.