Last week, there was a sudden announcement from Buckingham Palace. The day of the palace’s big diplomatic reception – one of the few annual “tiara events” left on the royal calendar – the palace announced that King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William would be the only royals in attendance. It was the palace publicly benching Princess Kate. The palace didn’t even offer some excuse why Kate wasn’t attending the reception she’s attended for years. I have my theories, of course. But I suspect that William, Camilla and Charles are all in agreement that Kate is no longer allowed to preen and gurn in a tiara any longer. Speaking of, the palace is preparing for a big state visit next week. The Amir of Qatar will make a state visit starting on Tuesday, December 3. While Kate has been announced for the welcome ceremony, ol’ Waity is not welcome at the state dinner. Yiiiikes.
Kate Middleton’s next royal outing has been revealed, where she’ll join Prince William to kick off the incoming state visit from Qatar. On Nov. 25, Buckingham Palace announced that the Princess of Wales, 42, will join her husband on Tuesday, Dec. 3 to welcome the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, on the first official day of their two-day state visit to the U.K.
PEOPLE understands that Princess Kate will participate in the state welcome, which traditionally begins at the visiting guests’ residence, followed by travel to Horse Guards Parade for a Ceremonial Welcome, greeting from King Charles and Queen Camilla, ceremonial presentations and a lunch at Buckingham Palace, where a curated collection of items from the Royal Collection Trust relating to the visiting nation are displayed.
Though the later daytime programming varies, the first day of incoming state visits are traditionally capped with a glam banquet. It’s understood that Princess Kate, who announced in September that she completed chemotherapy treatment, will not be at the palace party.
“It’s understood that Princess Kate, who announced in September that she completed chemotherapy treatment, will not be at the palace party.” This is similar to last week’s announcement that Kate would not attend the diplomatic reception – the palace is making a point to blank Kate and not give a reason for the public benching on the record. All of the royal reporters got the same information too, that Kate would not attend the state dinner. But she managed to get the consolation prize of going to the daytime welcome ceremony. The last time she participated in a state visit, she hiked up her skirt and flashed the South Korean delegation. What will she do for this welcome ceremony?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- HRH King Charles III, Queen Camilla, William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Prince of Wales receive President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol during the state visit ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade in London, UK, 21 November 2023,Image: 823419093, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales and Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive at Buckingham Palace in central London on November 21, 2023, on the first day of a three-day state visit to the UK. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee began a three-day trip to the UK on Tuesday, with King Charles III’s hosting his first state visitors since his coronation.,Image: 823426213, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: DANIEL LEAL / Avalon
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- HRH King Charles III, Queen Camilla, William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Prince of Wales receive President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol during the state visit ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade in London, UK, 21 November 2023,Image: 823428310, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- HRH King Charles III, Queen Camilla, William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Prince of Wales receive President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol during the state visit ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade in London, UK, 21 November 2023,Image: 823453996, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- HRH King Charles III, Queen Camilla, William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Prince of Wales receive President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol during the state visit ceremonial welcome at Horse Guards Parade in London, UK, 21 November 2023,Image: 823454013, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales, at a State Banquet for the President and First Lady of South Korea at Buckingham Palace in London on the first day of their State Visit to the United Kingdom. London, UK, 21 November 2023,Image: 823485372, 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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- The Prince and Princess of Wales (left and right) greet President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee (centre) at their hotel in central London, on day one of the state visit to the UK. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales (left and right) greet President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee (centre) Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Nov 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during the ceremonial welcome for President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, at Horse Guards Parade, central London, on day one of the state visit to the UK Featuring: William, Prince of Wales with Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Nov 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales leave Buckingham Palace, central London, on day one of the President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to the UK. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Nov 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
I thought all royal women had to wear pantyhose or did that rule die with QEII?
It applied to Meghan only.
No, lol.
At first I thought she didn’t have pantyhose on. Then someone mentioned that they are extremely sheer. If you look at her shoes, you can just see the outline at the top of her foot near the toes of what looks like extremely sheet hose. Also, I doubt her legs are that smooth.
Will they be having a say in what she wears so that she isn’t allowed to put on a naked legs show up to almost her lady parts?
I do not think she is wearing pantyhose. I could be wrong, but legs are too white.
Kate always wears pantyhose. They are just super thin and super expensive.
Are they invisible pantyhose?
@QuiteContrary – Basically yes. Many articles have been written about Kate’s super sheer and super expensive pantyhose. My Boomer generation would never leave the house without stockings or pantyhose, even in summer. You weren’t properly dressed without them. Times have changed of course but Kate has been influenced by her mother who is the same generation as me.
She still puts on “naked” leg up to her lady parts shows. Hopefully they will monitor her wardrobe so she can’t do that anymore.
Carole M likes to show her bare legs in her 60s, so Kate was not influenced by her mother.
@Convict – You cannot wear the formal outfits that Kate wears without tights/pantyhose. It’s regarded as “un-ladylike”. Mind you that photo of her getting out of the car is hardly ladylike.
@Deborah: I agree. But I was rebutting the point that Kate wears pantyhose because she was influenced by her mother. I think the only time I’ve seen Carole wearing hose is at the wedding.
@QuiteContrary, why yes they are invisible pantyhose! Super sheer & expensive ones! Ones, that show bare legs, freckles, moles and ankle/underknee wobbles. I’m totally going invest in pantyhose that hide NOTHING. What a great deal! Did the super expensive, sheer pantyhose hide her lady bits at least? Maybe, I don’t want to know?
Thank goodness they were expensive.lmo
I’m in my 70s, my mum very rarely wore stockings, winter or summer, they didn’t have panty hose when she was young, it only came in when I was in my teens, and was most uncomfortable, crutch in the middle of your thighs, I continued to wear stocking for work until they were improved and always an extra pair of knicks over the top to hold them up.
I wonder how much she spends annually on hosery? Are we talking about rent or mortgage money?
And imagine the press’ reaction to that particular budgetary line item…
International press: Burn the monarchy!
British press: crickets
My mom is a boomer and I don’t think she’s worn pantyhose in 30 years, LOL. I was raised by her and I haven’t worn pantyhose since the first few days of my law school job (and then I stopped.)
She might’ve won a battle or two but it’s looking like she didn’t win the war. Yeah, they’re still married and all but she lives for the royal part of royalty and it looks like they’re set on denying her that.
She doesn’t mind sleeping in a literal doghouse house as long as publicly she’s queen. She so desperate to prove she’s important to people that can clearly see right through her and she won’t be getting their approval then she will do whatever she can to get the public’s approval
Yeah. Looks like they are sticking her out there for a few minutes to give the illusion she and Bill are still wedded, then, slamming the door in her face. Nooooo self respect.
Willing to bet they’ll bench her from even this kind of stuff if she does a repeat of the flashing car-exist. Just guessing here, but I think Qatar is even more conservative than South Korea.
I cannot imagine even for a second that she would repeat that. It got attention in the moment but at what cost. She’d be best to go very demure and mindful. Unless she’s in destruction mode but the summers eve vid suggests she is not.
Yikes, this is pretty humiliating, especially for Kate. It’s like they told her she would never wear a tiara again. This is fascinating.
Hopefully she keeps her legs closed this time
Kate blah blah blah sigh. I have thoughts but can’t be bothered to formulate them clearly.
But, what about:
where a curated collection of items from the Royal Collection Trust relating to the visiting nation are displayed.
Are these typically ‘gifts’ or ‘hey look at the stuff we stole and looted from you!’? Or does that depend on whether its a country we ever colonised?
I’m so glad you commented on this! That’s something I never paid attention to before, but now it sort of smacks you in the face! They always display cultural items from the country of the visitors, and it’s got to be stolen items, right? Oh, sure, there’s an exchange of ‘gifts’–with the BRF always giving out framed photos of themselves–but I think a lot/most of it are items the British stole over the centuries.
Which reminds me, I sure hope the podcast, ‘Stuff the British Stole’ gets back into production!
You realise this cancer can be used to explain Kate’s absence for the rest of her life? She is never going to do anything she doesn’t like because of this. And her promise to stay cancer free.
There’s no way she’s voluntarily missing a tiara event
Absolutely – she (or Wills?) will cherry-pick her events and every comment will be disregarded with “oh she had cancer!”.
They’ve eased away from pretending that she’ll attend events only when she’s up to it. Announcing this far in advance means that she is capable of going to any event, she just doesn’t want to work, and they don’t want her at the parties.
Yep! I noticed that, too. The whole plan was for her to work when she had a “good” day. This event is a full week away.
I wonder if it’s a mental health issue, like she can’t be trusted not to do or say something inappropriate. Remember that time she tried to give will some bugs or something at some bar event a couple years ago?
@samipup: She tried to give Will some bugs? Now I’m curious…do you have a link to that? Seriously–this is my kind of bizarre! lol
***EDIT: OMG I found it! Kate “offered him a tub of dead larvae.” She did this at the COP26 Climate Change event!
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/kate-middleton-offered-prince-william-191800736.html
@TuxCat5 Thank you for the link! The photos are amazing! This bug story actually makes me like Kate more – haha
Those bug party pictures are from just 3 years ago. William actually looks pretty good there. It’s actually shocking how much worse he looks now.
While I agree generally with that, I don’t think that’s what’s happening in these specific incidents. Last week, with the diplomatic reception, there was nothing about Kate’s health put out there as a reason for why she missed it. The rota went with “preparing for her christmas concert” which no one really believed.
What we heard in June was that she had good days and bad days and what she would be able to do would depend on whether it was a good day or not (conveniently Trooping and Wimbledon were good days.)
But now she has told us she is trying to stay cancer free, she’s completed chemotherapy and is going to ease back into events that bring her joy.
Tiaras, jewels and new designer gowns bring her joy, so if she’s not at these events, its because she’s been told she cant go.
Even here, we aren’t hearing that its because of her health (which is a hard sell currently anyway considering Charles’ schedule and health.) So there is something afoot here.
@Becks1 – I do wonder if it’s because the BRF don’t want her attending any function where she has to make small talk with the guests in case she slips up and reveals what’s really going on with her. By only allowing her to attend the welcome ceremony for the Emir of Qatar and his wife and not the state banquet afterwards means she will be in the company of William and won’t be able to speak freely to anyone. Either that or she has such a severe eating disorder that she can no longer attend any event where food is served.
This is a woman who spent 30k for a fake tiara when she was told she couldn’t wear a real one. There is no way she’s skipping tiara events of her own volition. This is William showing he has power too.
The good days bad days reason is a double edged sword. It may help her get out of work but it also can be used by William.
Like Becks said, they are barely even pretending that the good days bad days thing is why she won’t be at the banquet. And the absolute silence from the UK media on her not going to these formal events confirms there is way more to the story. She is the princess of wales and it looks odd she isn’t going.
I don’t think Diana was ever benched like this until the separation was formally announced. This is unusual.
@Deborah1 the ‘keeping Kate away from people so she doesn’t spill anything’ theory is the one I believe. There’s no way she voluntarily misses a tiara event voluntarily.
But they’re not keeping her away from people, not entirely. She went to Wimbledon and sat there for hours and could have talked to any of the people around her. She will be at the christmas concert mingling with the peasants. She’ll be at the formal welcome lunch for this visit.
There’s a reason they’re not spinning this as “health related.”
@Nic919: Diana didn’t need to be benched. She was raised as an upper-class aristocrat, and her manners as such were impeccable. To that, she added warmth and relatability. She was just the sort of person one would want greeting heads of state and diplomats.
On top of that, Diana COULDN’T be benched. Her international star power was such that a diplomatic reception or tiara’d state dinner without her would have been a tremendous disappointment to visiting heads of state and/or diplomats.
Diana couldn’t be sidelined. Waity, on the other hand, has no star power of her own and is easily missed. And Camilla may be at the upcoming reception and dinner, but she’s no Diana.
There is a reason they are not spinning it as health reasons and a reason the press is keeping silent about it. That is key. Agree about Wimbledon bc she was talking with the winner In front of the cams. Which would indicate her being absolutely capable. That said, her sister accompanied her. Maybe to prevent her from saying anything she shouldn’t. Not saying I necessarily believe that’s the reason but has she done a truly solo event yet? I can’t remember. I’m not a hundred percent convinced on that theory. I think she’s capable but also that there’s not necessarily a trust there from the other royals.
That can’t be a year’s long strategy though or people are going to reasonably assume that she’s much sicker than they are letting on. She got a bye year so to speak this year, but I can’t see it lasting more than a few months into next year without very vocal, where is she going on. Who knows maybe that’s their long-term plan, every spring have the entire world do Where’s Waldo in relation to her.
I keep wondering if she can eat. Is that why she’s missing dinners? Because she is getting food through a tube? Or the ostomy bag can’t go that long without being emptied? I don’t know.
I hadn’t thought of that, but there could well be something in this.
This is precisely my thought. It’s possibly dinners she’s avoiding. Due to an ostomy bag or ED treatment where she can’t eat in front of people.
Yes! That’s what I think! To me it’s such an obvious explanation–that there’s something physically wrong with her that would be obvious in certain settings–that I think we’re overlooking it.
I’ve had relatives with ostomy bags and I guarantee they’ve never worn the very fitted, slim dresses that Kate’s been wearing. IIRC, her Wimbledon dress was even silk or crepe. If she can sit through a men’s tennis match, she can sit through a dinner. If it’s an ED, well, people with EDs are pretty good at moving things around their plate and tricking people into believing they’re eating.
Bingo. I really do think it’s about the bag. Pre-cancer=colon polyps? Many people, especially women, suffer from ulcerative colitis and regardless of whatever laid Kate low over the past year, she has a platform to educate and bring attention to chronic conditions/diseases unparalleled by many who struggle. IMO she has an utter lack of integrity and civic concern, and should just stay home.
But she’s going to a lunch at BP as part of the welcome party so that’s not it. It sounds like the welcome ceremony and lunch will be just as long as the state dinner (where she wouldn’t have to eat, she could just move food around or something) and like others said she stayed at Wimbledon for hours. She wore a slim fitting white dress for Trooping which also was a few hours. And I don’t think the diplomatic reception is a sit down dinner but more of a cocktail reception, so that would be much easier for her than a formal lunch at the palace.
The diplomatic reception was not a sit down dinner. The photos show Charles, Camilla and William greeting people in a receiving line. Kate could have attended that.
The most obvious answer is that she’s just not wanted there.
It’s not an ostomy bag issue. She still wears tightly fitted dresses and you’d be able to see it clearly (I have a urostomy bag so I know). I think she’s simply become an embarrassment to the BRF because 1) she lacks the skills necessary to carry on an intelligible, interesting conversation with world leaders and diplomats. She guffaws, gurns, looks vacant-eyed and twiddles with her hair. 2) Add an eating disorder to the mix and you have an untenable situation. I knew someone with an eating disorder who would literally gag when she attempted to eat at a dinner party where she couldn’t control what was on her plate.
They are saying she will have lunch… ok I accept that may be a quicker meal but it is food.
I think she has a gastrostomy tube. I don’t think she has colostomy bag due to how fitted her dresses have been, especially the Wimbledon one! But if she has a gastrostomy tube, she could easily have Mic-Key button that is fairly flush to the skin or easily hid with a single pleat or seam.
Yeah, but she likes the gowns & jewels & tiaras & deference paid. Her home life is that of being ignored by her husband, her kids are off with the various nannies and/or her mother, she has no friends, so this is it for her, the only time she gets to be the center of attention.
I guess Charles won’t announce she’s the daughter he never had. Anymore.
Qatar which has an awful record re human and womans rights?
Why do they keep cosying up to the middle east?
Have more bags full of cash changed hands?
@Inge – Quite possibly. The Qataris also own considerable property in London, including the Harrods department store.
I don’t think they’re keeping Kate from going to the dinner, but that it was her decision not to go. I really feel like in return for maintaining the charade of a happy marriage to William, she gets to pick and choose the events she’s willing to do.
If only we could see the guest lists for the state dinner and the white tie event to see which “friends” attended. It has been hinted before on this site that there’s “someone” who the Slumlord is close to (and it’s not Rose) who is always close by at events like these.
Oh that’s a theory- Kate’s refusing to go to events with the sidepiece. Or Will/the sidepiece doesn’t want her there. If Will wanted to divorce Kate for a sidepiece but couldn’t due to her illness, this could be a compromise they reached.
William’s been looking so rough that I question whether there is even a sidepiece around right now. If there is, that person needs to recommend moisturizer and yoga/Pilates core strengthening.
Above all that person would have to recommend some sort of lip care, yikes.
The mouth no longer looks like it’s just chapped, but cracked, like there’s something seriously wrong.
Hence I tend to think Harry’s brother has no one in his life right now.
Not even his wife.
I agree with you @Jais. No sidepiece because no one wants the job. He’s. Not. Getting. Any.
@Jais….Thank You! If there was someone I was interested in looks as bad as he does, it would be Speedy Gonzalez in the opposite direction. Interesting, all their “friends” group are kind of silent right now. Where’s 🌹 and hubbie, the supposed blond lawyer. Even Uncle Gary has lost his voice. Something strange is going on.
I’ve wondered if there was a somewhat serious sidepiece and it ended. Put William in a bad enough mood that he made life stressful for Kate. This is me absolutely spitballing and there is no evidence to support this to be clear. Just that William has appeared to be struggling and fair enough it could just be due to his dad and Kate.
Official separation announcement next year, something along the lines of Kate reassessing things and wanting to step back; usual nonsense about raising the children together in mutual respect blah blah.
Kate’s health problems – whatever it may be – only delayed the inevitable. William needs it official before he ascends and he’s running out of time.
I think there has to be something coming down the line like that because if not, what’s the end game here? They’re just going to bench Kate from all the big ticket glamorous events until when, she’s queen, and then William will pretend to be nice to her in public again?
Kate missing two high profile events is significant and its not just bc Camilla wants to be the only one in a tiara.
@Becks1
I agree. They may be stupid enough to miss how this endgame will hurt them. They are low skilled emotionally. They seem to like punishing family that buckle under their meanness.
But their shortsightedness aside, a gradual absenting of Kate to pave the way for divorce makes so much sense.
As someone old enough to have watched their eight years together before they were married, I find it disgusting how he has turned on her. Say what you want about Kate, but she’s been loyal and done her part (no, I’m not a fan and am not defending her actions towards Megan).
Back in the day, I thought it was wonderful after what he watched his parents–and how is mother suffered!–he was in a long term love relationship and this was such a solid ground for a marriage and good life together.
I can’t even look at pictures of him any more.
William never treated her with respect during the dating years but the Middletons wanted her to have the title so bad they sacrificed her dignity. This was predictable from day one. The longer she waited and tolerated the cheating the more William knew he had power and could get away with anything.
She also could have had an ally in her sister in law, but she was too insecure and jealous. This is a situation of her own making along with a boost from her parents.
William was never in love with Kate. That’s the fairytale narrative pushed by their fans and the media. They were friends first and much has been made of that. But you can’t force someone to fall in love with you.
You only have to read their leaked phone messages to see how ungentlemanly he was toward her. She was a convenience, who was loyal and hung around long enough that he was trapped into marrying her, whether he wanted to or not. That’s on him, not her.
The old royal reporter who passed just before the engagement, Whittaker, said W loved Kate, but was not “in love” with her. He also stated that Kate would do “anything” to be Queen, but that she lacked “the breeding”. Whittaker was scorned as a snob, but he was right.
W married K for the wrong reasons, mostly, that she was loyal and would acquiesce to his dictates. Unfortunately, that does not a marriage make.
As Nic said, the Middletons were a huge part of sealing the deal. W doesn’t have the capacity to think long-term. He only thinks about his short-term pleasure and what he wants now. He likely thinks he has so much power and money that he can manipulate any outcome he desires without consequences.
Good question, what is the end game? Let’s say they get rid of Kate, then what? The RF has been running on empty as it is. Is 2024 the preview of the monarchy to come? Or will we have King William, the sexy single dad, auditioning for a new queen?
Is it at all possible this is more about Camilla and Charles v Kate and possibly William? Maybe Camilla won’t give her the tiara she wants so she’s not going and willaim doesn’t care either way? Just spitballing here. Or they know Charles won’t have too many state dinners left and they don’t want her there? And she doesn’t care bc she knows she’ll be queen soon? Again just spitballing. Bc yeah otherwise, all three of them are benching her from tiara events.
Well, I definitely think Charles is on board with the benching-Kate theories. I don’t think its about Camilla denying her tiaras unless Kate is angling for a bigger/newer tiara and Camilla is saying no. But letting her use the Strathmore Rose was pretty significant; even if its not the biggest tiara, its historic and beautiful and hasn’t been seen in decades (and there has been some speculation that it would never be worn again bc it was too delicate.) And Kate has worn the Lovers Knot at least once during Camilla’s tenure as QC.
Maybe in general Kate expected a significant tiara upgrade (although the Lovers Knot is pretty significant already).
I dont know whats going on. It seems to me if this was about health issues, the state dinner might be easier – she proceeds in with an assigned partner, sits and eats and makes small talk. If she really didn’t feel well or had issues sitting it would be easy enough for her to leave without it being a scandal due to the cancer excuse.
bUt now they have her going to the ceremony where she will be on her feet, part of the procession to the palace then lunch at BP. So that seems like a pretty long day in itself.
Yeah, idk either. I just can’t imagine Kate not wanting to attend a tiara event. They said bc she was planning the Carole event last time. But here, no reason is given. So unless they come out and say it’s for health reasons, I wouldn’t assume that’s the reason. I’m just curious if the call is coming more from William, more from Charles and Camilla, or from all three of them. Or from Kate herself. But honestly there’s no way of knowing. I’m just honestly surprised bc while Kate has scaled back, the tiara events were not the ones I would’ve expected her to miss.
This is William first and foremost. Charles probably doesn’t care enough to get involved. And Camilla exhibited her power with no tiara at coronation rule. I don’t think she would keep Kate from these events just because there are a few tiaras linked to Kate that Camilla won’t wear.
That said if someone else is wearing the Cambridge Lovers Knot at the state banquet then I will change my position.
It will be interesting to see who else attends, I.e. Anne or Sophie. And if either of them wear the new family order.
Convict – I suspect William married Kate mainly because he was approaching 30 and needed someone to produce an heir and a spare for him pronto and no-one else wanted the job.
I remember thinking that when their engagement was announced, that it semed a bit odd that he was suddenly back with his ex and then suddenly engaged. That may be cynical of me, but pretty much every marriage in that family is an arranged one, or at least Palace-approved.
They are really messing this up from a PR and marketing point of view. They are benching all their best players. Charles is not and will never be as popular as his mother. William is the same. He may outshine Charles but never Diana. And Camilla no one likes at all. If they want to keep the royal family relevant they need Kate, Meghan, and Harry. Need them! They are the stars. They are the relevancy. With them the anti royal sect is a little quieter, a little smaller. And they need those folks to be diminished because giving them a platform gives them more power.
Only thing is Kate is rude to Meghan. William is jealous of harry.
I’ll never understand why the Windsors go out of their way to be petty in this fashion. Kate isn’t just the only “star” left in the family, Kate is also William’s wife! The heir and his wife are supposed to attend these little shindigs. Full stop. But they don’t want her there. That’s cold and cruel–I don’t know Kate, but between the four of them she is certainly not the biggest embarrassment (that title belongs to Camilla now and forever). It boggles the mind that they can’t even fake harmony for one or two evenings per month. What is wrong with these idiots? That invisible contract must be airtight. I understand making a public show of freezing out Andy, but this feels ridiculous to me. Oh but wait, is Miss Rose going to be at the party? Is that what this is all about?
Is Kate herself that big a draw? Outside of what she’s wearing or what bling she can borrow or wears?
I think she’s a draw for the tabloids. They like to put her on the cover. But we know that Charles wants him and his wife on the cover.
Neither Kate nor Meghan are relevant in the sense of the line of succession. That was Diana’s problem also.
They survived the War of the Waleses and Diana’s death. They will survive Kate being benched.
What they may not survive is the growing conscience of the British public that the royals are major grifters milking their public money and land.
True; but Kate can’t help them in that regard. Since she’s had a year off without proper scrutiny and people questioning whether she really had cancer, she can only hinder.
I just think it’s weird that they are keeping their most glamorous member from the big tiara events – that’s what people really want to see from royalty. The glamour is the distraction. And sorry, but Camilla and Sophie aren’t going to cut it.
It’s giving a deal was made or that she legit can’t last through reception that is hours long due to her health. Either way, it’s a red flag.
Kate’s not a nice person and glamour is not enough not that she has much glamour. She could have befriended Meghan but chose to be rude
Well they had better go over Kate being the ‘glamour’ because she looks old already. In 5 years, her glamour will be gone and Charlotte will still be too young.
Oh they will exploit teenage Charlotte and George and Louis to the max. Every step they take.
They already do. My point was that they can’t put 13-year old Charlotte in a tiara at a state visit.
If Kate is well enough to go to the welcome ceremony for the Qatari state visit she’s well enough to go to the State Banquet. Kate hasn’t won anything. The Windsors are controlling her by limiting her appearances, making her look more like arm candy than a woman who can be taken seriously. William is getting out more to make sure the focus will be one him when the time comes. If Kate and the Middleton’s thought they had they upper hand with the BRF with what happened on Dec 28, 2023 they are sadly mistaken.
Diana, who had the guts to separate, said the Windsors wanted to wheel her out when it suited them. This is what they’re doing to Kate. You’re right Aquarius – she hasn’t ‘won’ anything.
Harry felt the same, that the Windsors wanted to use their popularity when it suited them but then turn around and denigrate them when it suited them. Such a horrible family. 🙁
Agree. This is a family that was able to move on from Diana, the most popular royal globally in a century. If they can do that they can surely do without Kate, who really brought nothing to the table except for being skinny enough to wear nice dresses. Now that she’s aging, she is not bringing anything else to the table and the most important reason is that William is tired of her.
And really it was only Kate going missing that was a story. There were weeks before the surgery announcement where she wasn’t seen and no one cared.
My observation is that Kate can really only wear the two tiaras Camila won’t: the Lover’s Knot (for obvious reasons) and the Strathmore Rose (doesn’t sparkle enough). However, I doubt Camilla would allow Kate to wear the Lover’s Knot at any function they’re both at. So, my theories are:
1. Kate also hates the Strathmore Rose tiara and refuses to wear it.
2. All Kate’s bling privileges were taken away because she’s been caught making replicas and selling originals to save her family from debt (like Andrew has done with items from Royal Lodge).
3. If you’re not a princess you don’t get to wear a tiara (she and Egg are separated).
4. All of the above.
Kate has worn the Lover’s Knot since Charles became king.
I don’t think Camilla would wear the Lovers Knot. She has access to so much more and this would be an obvious message of Kate being benched. Camilla wouldn’t do that before any type of official announcement. She also is unlikely to want to draw the ire of the Kate fans, however many there are. She will let William take the hit if Kate is being benched.
“she’s been caught making replicas and selling originals”
I wonder if we’ll ever get the real story. I suspect the Middletons were cadging jewels over the years too. That perpetual “William fretting over Meghan’s ring” story was rehashed incessantly by the BM and rang false every time.
Your Number Three makes the most sense. No wifey, no blingy…
It would actually be amusing if someone stole them from the original thieves. I wonder if AK made off with anything.
No tiaras until you bring back the Nizam of Hyderabad? Hmm, I like that explanation.
Mumblina Middleton got told you can come for the prep work but not the actual cookout….
The petty side of me loves this whole thing for her.
I wonder if she got the invite for the Christmas walk about but to be somewhat fair, that could almost be too triggering for her, especially if something really, really, REALLY bad happened to her (say 3 days after that last year)
Man. Karma and Kara’s red bottoms heels are wearing those leftovers out.
I think they don’t trust her to talk to people, which she’d have to do at a dinner.
If she were free to talk with people they would lose control. She might signal “help me” and we can’t have that. Princess Charlene?
What I don’t understand is why Charlie and the gang thinks this is a good idea.
These losers need to understand that they need everyone out and all shiny at the few events they do attend. Their sun is setting and it shows.
Guaranteed, the RR wanted photos of Kate wearing a gown and tiara. That sells. Presumably, Kate would be amenable to doing so; I do not believe the message that she was too busy with her Christmas Carole planning to attend the diplomats’ shindig.
Camilla and Kate may have a tense relationship, but it’s Charles and William who have the power to bench Kate.
William just appeared in a treacly lovefest video, completely offbrand but he was a willing participant. If this is William signalling a divorce a couple months later, that could be interesting. Let’s say that it’s an unusual way to announce it.
I think Charles is the one who’s primarily pissed off at Kate. Her being there would steal his shine (not the right words), show his wife to a disadvantage, and help his son.
The Christmas Carole excuse disappeared from the news the next day. I don’t think William came up with that ridiculousness and Charles erased it from the news–I think that came from BP and KP cleaned that up.
I do think WanK are technically living apart together so to speak. Unless William totally wants out, this arrangement is beneficial for him.
Interesting. So you’re seeing it as primarily coming from Charles. Then of course the question becomes why doesn’t William say no my wife should be there. Bc William isn’t saying that. Messy.
Jais, This past year has been weird: William was out there trying to sell a narrative about K being healthy when she was missing. He acted odd. The ones who went against that narrative were Charles and Camilla. Then as of this June Kate has reappeared a couple of times, William’s been willing to share space with the Middletons in public, and there’s that saccharine lovefest video where WanK frolic and declare K cancerfree or whatever. W wants her healthy and he wants to sell a love story of sorts. KC and Camilla have seemingly distanced themselves from W (and K?) since the spring. They hated that treacly video, too. For what it’s worth, KC, W and K all seem to have circulation issues that sometimes show up on their hands. Camzilla doesn’t. KC looks the worst, but WanK are noticeably skinny at the moment. I believe KC has cancer; IDK what is going on with W or K, but they don’t seem 100% okay.
I think W benefits least (not knowing what’s playing behind the scenes). I actually think he’s not dumb enough to say his wife was planning a Christmas concert, which caused her to miss a dinner. Not her health, but a concert. Because I believe only KC or W has the power to make that disappear from the news, I think those two are not getting along. This family always tosses someone to the wolves (media) to buff their image. I also think they’re trained to blackmail each other. It’s notable that BP no longer has access to KP’s information: Benching K may be a reaction to that.
Edit: K has no voice at the moment. She also has no power–she’s dependent on the rest for money, clothes, where she may go, etc (Think Meghan’s experience). Down the line, George and the rest are going to have an opinion about how their mother was treated. I don’t think KC cares about what his grandkids think, but W might.
William might. That’s true. I actually don’t think he wants to see Kate torn apart in the press, for his kids’ sake and maybe for his own ego. That said, I think he’ll do what he has to do at the end of the day. I was just thinking about how that usweekly article is one of the first to talk about tensions bw Kate and Camilla. Which is probably true. But also probably from KP. So while I’m sure Camilla and Kate have tension, it’s awfully convenient for William to emphasize it’s about Camilla. Blame her for Kate not going to the tiara event. But Kate not going is likely due to Charles or William but now Camilla is possibly being used as the scapegoat. Not sure I see charles throwing cam under the bus which leaves William but hey who knows?
Ultimately, Diana, Meghan, Camzilla and Kate have all been conveniently thrown under the bus when it suits this family. The monarchs and heirs get spared. So to a much greater extent (Harry’s coverage vs Meghan’s, Meghan or Kate in the press vs Edo or Mike) do the men. I agree that this was sourced from KP–BP rately gets in touch with American publications.
I still think that if KC has an issue with W, he as it in him to use K for (sounds dramatic) revenge. I think Meghan was also kept away from thr tiaras when she lived there: It’s definitely something the royals do to show favor or status.
So they’re punishing her in small ways that are not so obvious. I wonder how long she’ll hold on to this life and subtle public disrespect?
Well Kate’s been publicly disrespected by William for years, since early in their marriage, so I image that she’ll hold on until the consorts crown is firmly on her head.
His RPOs called her the mattress during the dating years so she will put up with a lot of humiliation to get that crown.
I remain firmly in the tinfoil camp of eating disorder. Food + glamour is too triggering. And she can’t maintain the cancer lie for full conversations, so pleasantries only.
How the wheel turns. The BM said the Middletons gleefully said ‘no ring, no bring’ when it was Pippa’s wedding. Have they been hoisted on their own petard by the Windsors?
I do not get it. She is the only person who gets any buzz even if for wrong reason. Maybe Wills can’t stand her company even for a minute.
That’s what continues to be so strange. The BM seemed to be bewildered too after that ‘cancer free/happy families’ video. If William is that unable to be civil towards the Princess of Wales why pretend everything is fine and then treat her like this? Why are WanK so squirrelly about getting divorced?
You’re right, she gets attention, buzz, moreover it’s supposed to be her role as William’s wife!
Huh. Wrote a comment earlier but got busy and never hit send😂. But yeah, the timing of the article about the midds icing out Meghan is interesting now that that Kate is being iced out from a tiara event. Messy.
I would love to know the story behind the day she flashed the South Koreans. That move was a conscious decision. She was screaming something, but what?
Me too! To be swathed in so many layers of that crazy red outfit and then do that made no sense at all and was just disgraceful!
@Amy – It was “Look at me! Look at ME!” Although the reasons for such a desperate display of flesh remain a mystery. You could clearly see that William was furious though.
I’m going to suggest that W was angry that she chose that siren red outfit for a state visit. They had a huge fight on the day of the coronation too and were late because of it. She had that makeshift tiara and I’d bet big money that W was angry about that too because it was provocative after Camilla made the edict that there would be no tiaras.
Whilst I’m sure W doesn’t like Camilla, he doesn’t want to make waves, either. She still has pull whilst Charles is alive.
I still think her under eyes looked a bit puffy that day. Even with layers of make up, if someone cried, you can still see some puffiness.
That whole look, from the outfit to the flashing, was a walking temper tantrum.
Absolutely, it was so aggressive from start to finish, her smile, her curtsy, her legs out every which way…
From that perspective closely controlling her behaviour at a state function makes sense from the BRF’s standpoint.
I still can’t figure out how Kate’s calf length dress managed to make it’s way up to her high thigh area without Kate actually hiking it up. To what end? Was there someone in the S. Korea delegation that she wanted to impress with her wares? Is her exhibitionism a sign of an internal/mental health struggle? Enquiring minds must know.
I am gonna guess, she was pissed at Will, Charles, Camilla. So, she thought by exiting car like that, she is gonna get all the headlines as a revenge. Even her dress was absurd for a diplomatic event. She was shining red among muted colors.
@Harla – The dress wasn’t calf-length but the cape over it was. You can see how short the dress was in the photo where she is walking up the steps. It isn’t the first time she’s flashed her legs and QEII told her to lengthen her skirts at one point. I think this incident during the South Korean state visit was when the rot really started to set in between WanK.
@sevenblue: 100%. It was revenge. She’s been compliant all these years, W fell for it, but now Kate is rebelling and they are having to deal with her by benching her.
Back in their dating days, when she was mad at William, she’d have a public wardrobe snafu to get pictures in the paper and get William’s attention. Numero Uno is her wearing those hot pants to the roller skating party and falling flat on her back with her legs up seeing straight up her shorts. This was right after William announced he was going to do more military training when the palace (and Carole) had been briefing they thought an engagement was coming.
As soon as I saw the pictures from S Korea, I knew something big was going down, and this was Kate making a statement and grabbing headlines to get back at whatever William was up to. IMO she also looked like she was on a Xanax or something similar that day.
Oh, that was really something! I remember that was when she made Beatrice cry because she didn’t tell her it was retro dress code or something? Kate was a mean girl way before she got the ring.
I knew Kate would be involved in the State Visit but I thought she would attend the Dinner. It’s very surprising that she won’t be there. The question now is will she wear a new outfit to meet the Emir or will she rewear one of her many coatdresses?
The poor sausage hasn’t been able to buy new frocks for ages so I’m betting that entirely new outfit, from head to toe, will make an appearance. But, but now that she’s spending William’s coin her clothing budget might have shrunk.
Anybody with long memories remember if prior to their separation announcement, did Charles ever bench Diana like this? Asking because I am wondering if there is a precedent for benching the soon to be royal ex?
Diana wasn’t like Kate. She was always working and had her events, schedule. From what I have read, they did separate events more when their relationship got worse, but Diana was always working. I think, Will is more controlling than Charles though.
Lady Digby, I don’t know that they could have benched Diana. As sevenblue said, she and Chuck did separate events when things got bad. Princess Di had a busy calendar and worked. I don’t know how they could have benched her. The public wouldn’t have gone for that.
The work Bone Idle has done is to NOT have to work. The public doesn’t expect much of anything from her other than she turns up once in a while. Frankly, I believe they can just have her do less and less and at some point, people wouldn’t even notice her absence.
I think it would have been obvious if Diana skipped a state banquet, even in 1991 or 1992. There would have had to be a really good reason.
No but there was never a frankenphoto with Diana. She never hired a tv crew to do a sit-down bench announcement about her health. So Kate has a reason to not do events. Or she did. Bc then she did a whole video about being cancer-free. So it’s not health. So why is she being benched? And if we go back further, why was she benched during the Diana statue unveiling? Are we going to get another bench video about a health relapse? Timed for after the Carole event?
It’s hard to imagine a more blah two people. I like to think that the other royals of Europe roll their eyes at cocktail parties over the state of the British Royal Family as in how the mighty have fallen.
Having to do the daytime event without being invited to the nighttime event is a snub, for sure.
She’s definitely being benched.
And not for her sake, but for ours, I hope her benching dominates the state visit coverage. The rota are going to have to contort themselves to explain it away.
My theory is that the Amir’s people specifically expressed desire to see Kate. And this is the best they are willing to give in order to appease themselves and the Amir.
Oooooh… That’s plausible…
Many possible theories. KC & QC don’t want to share attention. Kate doesn’t want to see Will’s girlfriend. Kate isn’t up to doing night events. If Kate has an eating disorder, eating in public or watching everyone else eat may risk her getting sick.
If some are right that a separation is coming, why the Summers Eve video? Won’t they look really dishonest to have acted all lovey-dovey a few months before they announce splitsville?
@Agreed FWIW why release that Hallmark video if it’s the prelude to an official announcement? But then Will followed that OTT display of marital bliss with 2 public work outings where he iced her out again. Will have been Ben Afflecking around his wife for years but how can he divorce her now, without looking unempathic??
Didn’t some royal reporters comment that the video was so glossy and sugary that it would be embarrassing them in the future? It felt like they were saying that they knew W&K were playing for the cameras and when they decide to get a divorce, this video will be embarrassing for them and make them look like liars.
It could possibly play into a separation by saying, look, we love each other, we’re happy, we’re a great stable family etc. etc. but… Kate’s health means she can’t be the kind of queen consort that William needs and regretfully, despite their great love… and they will continue to have great respect for each other and to co-parent yada yada yada.
Oh, I can see them pretending that video never happened; or they bring out the body language experts to tell us that see, with this right here, he’s signaling he hates her & this, this motion of hers, she’s so over him, and so on.
@Beaniebean…😂 Nothing gets past the eagle eyed commentors on this site. Lol
Beginning to believe that Charles has Kate going missing so as not to outshine himself and Camilla.
Please notice there are no stories about Charles urging Kate to get back to work.
One of the reasons, I believe, Kate wasn,t given access to the Royal tiaras for his coronation. He knows that would have eclipsed his Queen.
So many scenarios..I think the most plausible is the one in which something isserious wrong with Kate and they have to control her appearances especially in front of the media…they definitely don’t want a repeat of Kate’s last year performance…and things might be even worse this year… it’s obvious that William can’t stand her lack of intellectual ability in various discussions in public… and she can’t stand him, fullstop..
There are three possible explanations and none are good for the royal family:
1. She’s been benched
2. She’s too ill to make it through a state dinner
3. She doesn’t want to be a royal anymore
To me it feels like there has been an unofficial separation between will and Kate that’s why she’s only going to a handful of events. And the ones where she doesn’t have to wear a tiara. The justification is that she’s prioritizing not catching cancer again.
It does seem like Kate has been sidelined. And I picture Camilla like the soup guy on the Seinfeld show, the guy who would yell “ no soup for you” when he was mad. But Camilla is saying “No tiaras for you!” to poor little Kate. She’ll have to wait until Will is king and then he still might not let her have access to the royal jewels. Just think, all this is just not working out very well for Kate.
Does anybody care ? Of all the useless cardboard cut outs , why did William marry this one, surely he had options more like Jecca, Isabella and Rose . What are her skills , or interests or achievements ..maybe she was trained to seduce , trained to be a doormat in waiting . But what a completely empty personality ..even Camilla has friends , reads , rides , shares a joke and a drink with her ex and current men and has a pedigree . Kate is nothing, even a scullery maid of old had an actual work ethic and pride . After exhibiting her unappetizing legs to the Koreans, I wouldn’t trot Kate out at state functions again ..what an embarrassment ..and they dare to poke at Meghan who is dignified , empathic, has masses of devoted friends, is a lovely wife and mother ..and has genuine interests and projects .
After reading through all the comments again I start to question, are they punishing her or is she punishing them?
Seems strange the day that a documentary about Harry and Meghan is released Kate is making an appearance. The documentary is thought not to be flatteringly and some strange rumours about Meghan having a secret child. It’s some German female film makers piece which has been delayed several times. Apparently she was in Monticeto annoying the locals for some juicy gossip about them. Anyway she is not a fan of Harry and Meghan and the piece has been privately funded, I wonder by whom
Yes I saw that and it does sound an unflattering documentary .
Who would have guessed , they are throwing everything at them that is negative and not talking about all the good things they do .
Just the usual abuse .
About Kate , well it’s all about keeping secrets I would think .
So many lies told , would be hard to keep everything quiet .
Got to keep covering up the truth , it’s what they do in Windsor land .
Apparently the person who they interviewed about Meghan’s first marriage is no longer in the documentary. Seems it didn’t pass legal checks. The documentary now seems to be focused on Harry. It’s called the lost Prince. Don’t listen to online trolls no tv documentary is going to include lies about Meghan having a secret child.
This sounds like a lot of projection from trolls. There is no way a tv documentary is going to mention Meghan having a ‘Secret child’. Seems like it is commissioned hit piece but I doubt it will include ridiculous conspiracy theories for obvious legal reasons.
Deranger talk about additional husband and extra child.
My speculative theory is: Kate may be an alcoholic who drank herself into an acute liver failure/coma last January. Now they keep her from any function where alcohol is served