Duchess Kate is feeling better these days. I would imagine she’s still a bit pukey, but overall, she seems to be feeling much better since she entered the second trimester. Thus, she finally got back to work last week, making three appearances over the course of three days. It was a stunning return to work (“work”) since she had been gone from public view since August. And now that she got some galas under her belt, it’s time for another vacation! YAY! Now we know she’s really feeling better!
Have Kate Middleton and Prince William gone away on a babymoon? According to The Sun, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have taken a vacation (with Prince George!) to Balmoral Palace this week and are relaxing before the arrival of their second child early next year.
The family of three took a flight from Heathrow Airport on Tuesday into Aberdeen, the airport closest to the Scotland estate. And while Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are currently not in town, a full staff is on hand to cater to William, Kate and little George’s every want and need.
The trip is good news for the expectant royal, who had been previously suffering from severe morning sickness. Just last week, the brunette beauty made her first public appearance since announcing that she was pregnant with baby No. 2.
I love the feeling of “our long international nightmare is over, she’s finally well enough to go on vacation!” So, should we just give William and Kate this vacation? I mean, they “went without” a real vacation this summer, choosing instead to simply not work for a few months and spend time overseeing some of the many (unnecessary) renovations on Anmer Hall. That wasn’t a “real” vacation, right? So… have they earned this? HA!
Oh, and I got the chance to read the full Life & Style cover story this week – I previewed the piece yesterday. There are some other details and the whole piece is very “woe is Kate, the Queen is such a big meanie.” Which would have been a better angle if not for the vacation, you know? If she’s well enough to travel to Scotland for a vacation, she’s well enough to work. Apparently, Kate still felt very ill when she met the president of Singapore and she almost barfed on him. Kate “was terrified she would be sick in front of all of the cameras” and the royal aides were prepared to usher her out of the room at a moment’s notice in case she needed the use of The Royal Barftorium.
L&S actually wrote this perfect sentence: “Before the queen dragged her back to the palace, Kate was being taken care of at her parents’ cozy $7.4 million mansion.” A source says: “Kate would have loved to have stayed in her sickbed, but Queen Elizabeth decided the time had come for her to take her place on the world stage.” As for Kate’s Marilyn Moments, the Queen “has long bullied” Kate over her clothing choices and the Queen believes Kate should simply buy longer dresses and sew weights into the hems. Makes sense to me?
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
How astute are Kate and William follower’s , many of us said ANOTHER vacation was coming just after she did her appearances. Same ol same ol pattern with these two.
Not hard to figure these two.
It’s no wonder we are seeing Harry do more and more.
What a pair of freeloaders.
Bingo!
Their PR plan is so obivous! Every time they want to go on vacation they have lots of appearances right before the trip, so that we all believe the vacation is hard-earned. Ugh.
She walked around in public in a pretty dress. Three times! Are you saying that the vacation isn’t hard-earned? Scandalous!!!
That is exactly what I was thinking about last night. How hard is it to be taken by luxury car, to an event where you are the last to arrive, so everyone can curtsy and dote on you, to return to your luxury digs again via luxury car, and everyone sending their most positive energy as you disappear in the night.. What?!
I try to grasp the logic of this, and wonder that the English are willing to go along with it. The blue blood theory doesn’t work for me, and even though they are representatives of a government, it is still absurd.
I think everyone believes the Queen to be a grouch because she has a permanent case of b*tchface. And I’ve never understood all the hate with William and Kate, did anyone really expect them to “work”? And I find it ridiculous as someone who was physically ill throughout my entire pregnancy that the doctors don’t just give her some anti-nausea meds & she could at least make an hour or two appearance every few days or so. But I guess that’s what us peons do when we actually have to make money to survive.
+1 I had HG with both of my pregnancies and, while I did take a two month leave from my office job the first time around, I pretty much had to take my Zofran and chew it back from then on. I was pukey literally up until those babies were out so I feel for her but I think she could bootstrap it long enough to get her hair done and wave at a crowd. It’s not like her work even requires her to DO anything.
I suspect she gets more sympathy from the public than the Palace on this one. Even Diana, who self described as sick as a dog with Wiliam, and also fell/threw herself down a staircase during that pregnancy, still managed to get out the door and go to work. I just think the family mindset is getting on with it, and there’s perhaps not a lot of understanding when it comes to Kate among the other senior royals.
Prince Philip calls one of HM’s serious expressions her “Miss Piggy Face.” That’s the especially crabby one she makes – when she’s trying hard not to cry in public.
I don’t think that this should be about the Queen, if anything it’s about time she said something! There is a serious disconnect with the way Will and Kate navigate their lives – nauseatingly jet-set on the public dime. And they are completely unflustered with their entitlement; these are not two people who are like us in anyway! Most of us have a work-ethic, and know what it is to be grateful to others.
+1 wolfpup. I think even if Charles was king there would still be huge problems with the Lamebridges. Bill and Cathy have brought criticism and disgust upon themselves. I wonder what they will do?
Actually I love quips about Lilibet and Philip.
And there IS more to the BRF than William and Kate. TBH, William should get *far* more criticism than Kate as its his family and his ‘family firm’ they both work for.
Ladyslippers
And he does on occasion here. Most of us end up pointing the finger of blame at William. And most of us look at the rest of the BRF working. William and Kate are the odd pair in the family. The others work and keep quiet about every little scandal or rumor that happens. They simply get up, put both feet on the ground and do their jobs.
IMO this is a reason why W&K are such targets. They do respond to every little rumor. And because they have such free time these vacations and scandals seem more likely. They’re only hurting themselves.
Imagine if Harry worked as much as William. The angry mob would be beating down the gates!
That’s my understanding on it anyways.
•Florc•
Kate, unfairly IMO, gets the brunt of it here and elsewhere. This is William’s family and its his ‘family firm’ and thus, William should shoulder most of the criticism. And he doesn’t.
I agree with you FLORC. I think William has got blame here, and plenty of it. However, when most of the articles are about only Kate that’s who we talk about!
LadySlippers
I do agree with you. Just not 100%
There’s something to be said about Kate on her own. Her PR campaign, her life with William prewedding. And how she has consucted herself so far only as a royal.
End of it all Yes. William knows better. He should be doing more being groomed for this part of his life his whole life.
When it comes to Kate lacking in charity events, spending habits, and superficial topics like clothes jewels she fairly gets the blame.
She is her own person. If she follows William’s example of minimal work she’s making that choice as an adult. As her own person.
•Florc•
I don’t think Kate should get a free pass at all; I just think it’s unfair that she gets the most criticism when it’s William’s lead she’s following. As someone else pointed out — the born Royals typically get a free pass. Not fair IMO.
LS: as a new royal, or royal adjacent, I was willing to give Kate a pass because William was her guide.
3yrs in, not any more. Especially at her age. IF after 3yrs she hasn’t decided what her role is as far as public is concerned, she never will.
It’s not as though she doesn’t have any free time and is swamped with decorating, grooming, talking and being with Mummy…oh wait, she does.
After 3yrs as an official royal, this is what she wants to be. I honestly don’t think she’s aware of the disconnect.
Where William is concerned, she’s a follower and an enabler. She will never strike out on her own beyond what she’s instructed to do AND she’ll never challenge William to do better or seek out a much more robust, dynamic role.
And i’m aware that i’m using the word ‘never’ which shouldn’t be applied to people because they can always surprise, BUT!! It’s been 10+yrs. The only changes seem negative. I’d say she less, now that she’s officially a royal.
*Looks around*
Bluhare, LAK, LadySlippers. 🙂
Even though we’re disagreeing I love how we’re expressing our thoughts to eachother. Greatly improves the tone of these threads.
LadySlippers
When threads are about Kate as Bluhare stated she will get most of the blame. When about William he gets much blame. If William is the one requesting all these vacations, renovatios, small schedules and Kate gets the blame I agree that’s wrong.
All that aside, Kate is a grown adult. She is responsible for her own actions. William does not own her. If she goes with what William wants that is her choice to do so. I just don’t think she aspires for more than she has. Her actions imo support this.
Pssssst, FLORC . . . . . I agreed with you. 😀
This time, anyway! Although your point is well taken. One of the reasons I keep coming back here is the civility for the most part in the face of disagreement.
I heartedly agree — three cheers for fantastic discussions!
•Florc• •LAK• •bluhare•
I think we all agree more than disagree! Lol
First, I’m rather bored with Kate and William. We are beating a dead horse and frankly, I’m not sure how ‘exciting’ they’d be even *if* they worked more. William wanted someone not-controversial and he appeared to have found just that. (Outside Royal Loonies they are very much supported). *yawn*
Second, I know women, in general, are written about more but that in and of itself is a teensy bit sexist. But it is what it is.
Third, I don’t think Kate should get off Scot free; she is an adult. But this is ultimately William’s gig and I think he should shoulder at least 70% of the blame and since posts of either Prince (William or Harry) don’t get as many comments, it tends to skew against Kate (or whomever Harry is dating).
Fourth, from everything we’ve read (and as •LAK• pointed out) Kate is not a ‘take-charge’ kinda person in their relationship. William, on the other hand, very much so. So why are we asking a follower to become a leader? Or a lamb become a lion? Pick your analogy but the fact remains, you are asking Kate to do something AGAINST her nature and do something William abhors. The likelihood is pretty remote.
All in all, I’m tired of complaining/commenting about William and Kate. We are just chasing our own tails and even a few trips in the Wiglet Wagon (with •Florc• driving!) aren’t very diverting. The fact of the matter is the BRF is full of interesting and worthwhile people to discuss. Not to mention the various other Royal and Imperial Families scattered across the globe that have fascinating members that are trying to make the world a better place.
I guess I want to change the subject! Lol
Bluhare
Hehe! I meant throughout this thread. You presence along with LAK’s and LadySlippers had been missing here for a time. I was slowly removing myself. It wasn’t a nice place to chat about all things royal or charitable.
LadySlippers
I only mildly disagree with this point. Only royaloonies take issue. I have a few friends in that area that are by far not royaloonies. While they find them celebs at best (WK) they are so ashamed when attention is brought to their country for praising the bottom of a 30 year old representing their monarchy. To hear them say it (accent and all) sounds better than I can.
And for what it’s worth, when it does come to Kate articles I think her pr should shoulder much blame. I doubt she’s there dictating her image or demanding a better image. Her PR is doing their best, but also sabotaging and fumbling left and right on these articles.
Wolfpup
+1000
HMs need to before this common waity P Wills settle for to have a doormat incubator will be the death of grand monachy and all HM and the great past recent Queens Kings of the BRF have protected nurture and maintained.
BTW doolittle ma middleton and sibs low class social climbing- the common of the middleton non class and their PR spinning for Christmas invite to Sandringham, and all the other shananigans they report trying to con invitations from HM and the royals is disgraceful!
Common ma pa middleton and sibs are NOT and don’t belong – go away, you’re not royal and never will be.
Waity Doolittle will be on countdown to Buckleberry in a few years.
I wouldn’t call going to Balmoral taking a vacation
When they’re doing it instead of working, yep, counts as a vacation from doing nothing.
Did she have something on her calendar that was cancelled? From what I have read about Balmoral and how Princess Diana hated that place because it is said to be cold, wet and dreary. A place like that will not be my idea of vacation. It is not as if the royals have engagement every day.
I don’t even care about Kate and how the media elevated her into this icon of beauty which I don’t think she is, but the irrational hate she gets on this site just for breathing is a bit over the top for me.
Not hate, criticism. Yes, she declined an invitation to an art fund raiser this week, claiming morning sickness as the reason. Turns out it wasn’t morning sickness, but a pre-planned vacation.
http://www.artlyst.com/articles/art-room-launches-new-ladbroke-grove-studio-with-patron-grayson-perry
You may not like Scotland or Scottish weather, but many other people do. Otherwise their tourism industry would be in serious trouble. Perhaps KM likes having 50,000 acres of Scottish woodlands to roam around in undisturbed. Kate Middleton is not Diana, in oh so many ways.
Many of the royals have multiple engagements in a single day, then a day off, etc. Charles and Camilla are on tour right now, 50 engagements in 9 days. As a former staffer said, the BRF are masters at looking busy. That’s what’s so crazy in all of this. It would be easy for W&K to do 200 engagements a year each and STILL have months of non-working time.
What is this assumption that they are at the main house? William has a property on the estate.
Even IF they are staying at the main house, it’s fully staffed for their visit.
Diana was not a country person. Of course she hated Balmoral. Balmoral is beautiful if you are a country person.
And it rains in Scotland most of the year. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a holiday destination. It beautiful, gothic and amazing.
Ps: when is shooting season begin?
LAK, William went shooting in Scotland days after they announced the second pregnancy. Wife said to be deathly ill, might miscarry — I think I’ll head to Scotland and shoot birds for a couple of days. Granted, he did the pap walk with HM and Charles on Sunday to try to defeat the Scottish independence vote. He could have flown up Saturday night to do that, but chose to fly up Thursday and go shooting.
Diana also enjoyed sun and warm environments. Her colors in decorating were always good reflections of that.
Also, Kate has had AH completely redone. Nearly everywhere she stays is built to her liking.
Nota
It’s always a safe bet William is far away from Kate without a camera present. Here and there on twitter you get randoms saying he’s traveled here or there when the press reports he’s helping Kate along a struggle. Later it’s always confirmed that random twitterer was correct.
And at this point it’s expected. Kate has her family to care for her and her son as well as staff. William could also feel he’s in the way there..?
P.S. Is William certified for his new job yet? What happened to that?
FLORC, the official press release (August 7) hinted that it would be a least five months.
“After completing a mandatory period of training this autumn and winter, The Duke will start work with the Air Ambulance, based at Cambridge and Norwich Airports and flying both day and night shifts, in spring 2015. The Duke will start as a co-pilot but, after a period of training, will be qualified to fly as a helicopter commander.”
“The Duke will begin training for his Air Transport Pilot’s Licence (Helicopter) in September, which is estimated to take a minimum of five months to complete.”
http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/media/press-releases/his-royal-highness-the-duke-of-cambridge-become-helicopter-pilot-east-anglian
Thanks Nota
5 months? That’s poor timing. Sounds like he’ll be away from his new baby for a good stretch of time like with George.
I rememer a rumor that the Queen was donating a new and top of the line medical helicopter for William to use while there. It will be interesting to see if that happens.
•Florc•
William’s schedule is an on/off one so he’ll be ‘on call’ for a few days and then completely off for the next few days. Very similar to various medical staff that have an on/off type scheduling.
Yes, I think William was quoted recently as studying for exams, so he’s not “working” yet, but studying for her certification or whatever it is you have to get. Apparently one can study in Scotland in between shooting grouse or whatever is in season right now.
LadySlippers
I meant more how things went with William at his S&R job or his Cambridge bespoke program. He’s not on 24/7, but he appears to not go home to his family in the down time.
I won’t be shocked if another time like the hunting trip during his Cambridge down time.
On a side note. I hate those schedules. 16 hours with a 4 day work week is some type of hell.
•Florc•
Sorry — wasn’t clear/thought you knew. He will be living at Amner Hall so his down time will be with Kate and George. That was the whole reason he took this position — to be home more (and both prefer the country and have friends in the Norfolk area). Which played into the whole reason William and Kate decided to bail on living full-time at KP and head to AH.
Make more sense now??? 😊
As a reminder, Anmer Hall and KP are roughly the same travel distance from his new job.
LadySlippers
Call me a skeptic on this, but i’m doubtful. Wasn’t he also living in that cottage so it would be easier to spend his downtime with Kate and later George during S&R days? Later we find Kate wasn’t pleased with country life and was almos full time at her parents. Confirmed early on by heavy RPO presence at the Midds, nearly daily shopping photos in London of Kate, and Tanna and his twitter. Much later A few official stories came out about Kate not liking the cottage had rats, its isolation and moved out to her parents while William stayed.
As of now they can say this is the plan. And it may very well be. It’s almost expected at this point the Cambridges rarely follow through with prereleased statements. I will believe it when I see it/read it.
•notasugarhere•
How so? AH is in Norfolk which is part of the area he’ll cover. KP is in London which is a few hours away.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/aug/07/prince-william-air-ambulance-pilot
http://o.canada.com/news/world/duchess-kate-prince-william-prepare-for-country-life-at-anmer-hall
•Florc•
I’m not sure what you’ve been reading but when I googled ‘Prince William Balmoral Cottage’ I got numerous hits that stated over and over Kate adores the country. Apparently they lived on an estate for their final years at Uni where she was able to get a feel and learn about country living (said of Balmoral too). So there ya go.
It has been said he’ll be based out of Cambridge airport. That is basically equal drive time from KP and Anmer.
FLORC, this is what they call a “cottage” – the 4 bedroom two bath Anglesey farmhouse where they lived. I would be very surprised if it had rats; I doubt either W or K would put up with that. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-william/10328491/First-look-inside-the-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridges-Anglesey-home.html
Lots of things getting stuck in moderation today. I’m not sure how many of these posts are going to get through so I’m posting a separate response to each point.
We had the work travel time discussion back on this thread, point 21.
http://www.celebitchy.com/380389/prince_williams_office_confirms_his_move_to_norfolk_new_job_as_an_ambulance_pilot/
Wow! That is a stunning home inside.
I just remember the story was Kate and Carole with George showing up at the cottage after Kate spent her time post birth of George with lots of luggage. Reportedly they were only there an hour or so and left with luggage. The story was (DM?) Kate saw rats and left. The other story was William didn’t want wailing George to disrupt his sleep between long shifts.
Link didn’t pass moderation so i’m going without it.
LS
Igot a lot of resort Balmoral stuff. Not sure why. Will keep searching. The landscape alone is giving me great garden ideas!
LS: AH and KP are roughly the same travel distance from Cambridge airport which is where he’ll be based for work.
I think there is only ten mins difference in it.
Don’t forget royals don’t deal with traffic. They travel in motorcades complete with outsiders to ensure other drivers give them right of way AND to clear path through traffic, so he’ll never be bothered by the usual traffic gripes or laws.
2ndly, I believe AH will be William’s primary residence and Kate will live with her parents as always. KP will remain empty or Kate will use it more than William.
Notasug
I agree and what a workless phony Waity. – she was soooo sick in hiding after train ride (photos of her hauling big bags), so HG for Malta duties and here she is again, ‘HG’ and so soon on a plane.
I don’t understand your comment. When someone takes a break (for a entire week, BTW) away from their regular living quarters, travels to another location for rest, recreation and/or relaxation, how does that not constitute a vacation (or holiday)? It’s apparent to me now that the back-to-work-with-a-vengeance spurt of appearances she recently made signaled this “vacation” was pending. IMO, both of them are clearly more interested in living a life of leisure and wealth than devoting their time to public service or even ceremonial duties.
It is a Vacation.
The excuses continuallly made for these two is ridiculous.
It’s because they wouldn’t have considered it a vacation.
I am a bit puzzled by this. Most of their vacations are to just travel to another area and get waited on by staff. Isn’t a vacation suppose to bring you to areas you can’t get to on a regular basis and enjoy the attractions there?
Beaches and skiing are things they do often. Seems boring when time off of work is also so regular.
P.S. Are the Midds nearby? I can’t imagine it’s William, Kate, George, staff and no one else.
@Florc and @Anniefannie (below)–I see your point. They probably don’t see this as a vacation because it really is just them “not working” from a different royal location as opposed to the home-based royal location they were not working from either. Nothing out of the ordinary here, I suppose.
I’m with you! I think a vacation implies going to a location other than an estate owned by the RF. this is just a case of them “not working”
I think that the negative (some times irrational) spin put on them often under cuts real and valid issues.
@ITSNOTTHATSERIOUS, if you think this is hate stay well away from royal blogs. Celebitchy is kittens and roses in comparison
You forgot the glitter that bursts out of our pet unicorns’ horns!
It’s all bluebells & butterflies here!
Puppies and sunshine!
I was going to say it-Balmoral doesn’t feel like a vacation. They went to another house. It’s the same as if they went to Amner or London or Kate’s parents house. Where’s QEII and Phillip right now? Are they up in Balmoral as well?
W&K are on a vacation, let’s stop pretending otherwise. They’ve traveled somewhere to stay in a luxury home and they’re not working = vacation.
QM and Prince Philip, like most of the other members of the family, are working.
@notasugar – I think the problem is that 90% of their regular life constitute a “vacation,” as most of us would define it – they just travel from one luxury home/castle/palace to the next, doing nothing. 90% of their lives are consumed with leisure activities: relaxing, shopping, seeing family, etc. So it’s hard to know when they are “on vacation” or just living their normal life.
It’s pretty hilarious that they are so transparent now – work a few engagements over the course of a few days…vacation!
I also firmly believe they (or at least Kate) have already been on a vacation over the past 2 months – they just weren’t seen. They were out of sight for way too long to not have sneaked in a vacation.
•inthekitchen•
Naw, Twitter has really killed famous people being able to do anything sneaky. Plus, it was people reporting on Twitter they had seen George out with Granny Carole that prompted all the ‘Kate and George are with the Middletons’ articles. And it was Twitter that caught William and Kate (with Lupo) in the train station. Twitter also caught the Middletons leaving Scotland last week (flying economy too!).
So I don’t think much gets past Twitter anymore. Lol
LadySlippers
Could be wrong, but I thought the train station shots were exclusive photos take by a photographer. Or were they just sold exclusively?
•Florc•
I could have sworn it was Twitter but you could be correct. Twitter has called out the Royals a lot recently though…
•Y’all•
A rose by any other name still smells as sweet…
So I think it’s not worth it to squabble about the word ‘vacation’, let’s call it their Scottish ‘getaway’. 😉
And I’m with •LAK• my guess is they are staying in the cottage given to William and Harry rather than the big house. Obviously we could be wrong but the cottage is suppose to be darling. Or Charles loaned out *his* cottage (formerly the QM’s) on the estate — that’s even nicer and nothing like the big house. What I’m saying is — William has options.
Diana DID like the country, she just hated all the stuffy rules that went along with the BRF. During her romance with The Cad, they were often in the country.
For what it’s worth Scotland sounds lovely. Especially the way LAK shortly described it. Rainy is fine. It also sets the type of mood to see such gothic architecture with the landscape.
The word “cottage” really throws me off on these threads. I associate it too closely with “cabin”.
•Florc•
The cottages and the grounds at Balmoral sound spectacular! I can do without the castle though. I’d happily stay at one of the smaller properties any day — rain or shine.
Found a few shots . Stunning gardens! The landscape, trails, random looking memorials and statues in the woods. I love it all!
It’s tough to sift through the pictures of rental resorts and the areas Charles or William have.
The British aristocratic definition of a cottage is a sizeable two-storey house smaller than a mansion, a big house for the rest of us mere mortals.
Scotland *is* beautiful, especially if you like rugged. I lived there for two years and to this day I still have a thing for a nice looking man in a kilt. 🙂
Thank You ArtHistorian
I was thinking “cottage” like a Disney style cottage. If there’s a 2nd story it’s a loft in my mind.
They could be staying at Birkhall, where they stayed often in the past
http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/the-prince-of-wales/residences/birkhall
Or at Tam-na-Ghar (I think both William and Harry are allowed to use this)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8246/8663753248_482d4f23d0_z.jpg
•bluhare•
Who can resist a good looking man in a kilt?!?
*sighs*
😍
That’s what Outlander on Starz is for! 😉
Yeah, I don’t see how this is any different from what they’d normally doing. They’re just sitting around doing nothing in a different palace.
I’m not a fan, but at least it’s cheaper than renting out their own tropical island.
Good point about Scotland vs an Island vacation. I mean getaway.
Scotland sounds like a wonderful idyllic place to be…servants taking care of them in a somewhat 5 star way, and all the toys and keepers for the meadows. Maybe that isn’t vacation for them, *just because they are royal*, however lovely it would seem to anyone else. (Doesn’t the Queen vacation there?) I think that Britain over indulges it’s royal family; it’s hard to find world leaders anywhere, who are so humored and pampered. Really!
•wolfpup•
If •LAK• and I are correct, they are probably ‘roughing it’ at one of the smaller cottages than Balmoral proper. And by ‘roughing it’ I mean they have a significantly smaller staff that’s not really anything like the big house. Kate reportedly, loves to cook, assuming she’s recovered enough to cook (my guess is yes).
And just as an FYI — ‘castle’ does not mean 5 star either. Balmoral is supposedly COLD, drafty, damp, and not very comfortable. Most people are quite (read that as VERY) happy to stay on any one of the (much nicer) cottages on the property.
Old castles aren’t generally comfortable – draftly and difficult to heat.
I hear you, yet repeat – what other world leaders live a life so humored, pampered and indulged? If they weren’t royal, but merely rich, I wouldn’t question the ethics of their perpetual holiday. This is a parody of extravagance, extended to these folks for a government job. Their work is a glorified vacation, their whims, fancies, daydreams and imaginations lavishly bestowed. It seems so ridiculous – all on somebody else’s dime. Are there state leaders anywhere in the world who are pampered in this way? Is this the method where the royal young come to believe in the blue blood bestowed by God itself? (not the tooth fairy). This looks absurd!
They must get a hoot over all the groveling…
Preach it, wolfpup!
•wolfpup•
I’m at a loss on how to respond to a great many of your posts. They used to have valid questions but you have apparently fallen prey to a whole-lotta extreme assumptions with very little that’s based in fact. Frankly, I don’t know where to start.
😢
+1 wolfpup
I agree.
From the family doolittle came to marry in BRF and giving nothing back deserves critique more than P Will who was born royal. Waity is no value to HM and sice Willnot may not want the thrown, no need for heir and spare to worry. Conparing waity to how accomplish succeddful and educated all the other EU ‘marry in’ royals are the BRF need to catch up to the regalness grandness HM nurtured for all these decades. .
A decade kept without any charity work or WORK ethics 4 yrs marriage- doolittle way overdue returns to the people.
The Queen is absolutely right! If she can work hard at 88, William and Kate have to work twice as hard. Pregnancy is no excuse, many woman have real jobs, tough jobs, and still go to work, she’s just lazy.
Just tell me what she does all day! I get shopping and stuff I do that too.
I mean does she sit on her iPad and read gossip sites, play BubbleWitch, talk trash about her friends on Facebook. Does she watch TV? Daytime marathons of the Duggars?
Just what does she do? What go rich people do all day?
^^^^Yes! I would love to know. I like Kate, but wow…it’s getting hard to defend.
If I had all the money in the world and nothing to do, I’d probably get a massage every other day or spend an entire day each week at a spa. I’d get facials, get my hair deep conditioned, shop, exercise, and plan my next vacation. I’d read, write, and take classes for fun like language and cooking classes. Maybe learn a new instrument. I don’t know what Kate chooses to do with her time, but I imagine a rich woman who isn’t very bright, doesn’t have much substance, and doesn’t have intellectual pursuits would spend most of her time decorating her house, shopping, and focusing on maintaining her beauty and looking good for her husband.
I’ve heard she spends a few hours a day working out/exercising.
@kibbles, I’ve always avoided commenting on her intellect, but the more I hear and see of her, the more I’m inclined to agree with you. And, IMO, William hardly seems much better.
It’s been confirmed she does these things…
Eats preprepared meals.
Works out a few hours at least a day. Sometimes with trainer.
Shops for several hours around every other day or so.
Watches TV. A list of her favorite shows has been out there for some time. Some reality trash in the mix.
Has a beauty regimen. She will visit or they will visit her. Hair, skin,etc.. treatments.
And on occasion it’s been said she’s tried her hand at cooking lessons, riding lessons, and pilot lessons. How far she got on these things? No one knows.
The rest of her time has been said to be at her parents home, with George, and or decorating her homes.
Kate’s activities also include:
1. much, much more time shopping in general – actually 3 times her pre-George level of shopping – she IS shopping for 3 now
2. talking to mum/Pippa on the phone (I bet she talks to mum every day she doesn’t see her)
3. taking George to swimming lessons and play dates
4. making inspiration boards for her party caterer – she supposedly throws parties and entertains on a regular basis
5. elocution coaching sessions – I have to believe that changing one’s entire way of speaking circa age 29 requires regular maintenance sessions with a coach
6. tennis
The play dates are a mystery to me unless of course she understands they are more about mummy than George. Georgezilla, because of his age does, not play with other kids. Toddlers play independently typically sitting side by side with periodic altercations because someone sole someone else’s toy.
Official list of Kate’s hobbies:
“The Duchess’s hobbies include recreational sports such as hill walking, tennis, swimming, sailing, and the arts such as photography and painting.”
http://www.royal.gov.uk/thecurrentroyalfamily/theduchessofcambridge/theduchessofcambridge.aspx
Apropos? Perhaps this is her Animagus?
http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/news-in-pics/2011/07/12/kate-snail.jpg
*snickers* Hill walking? Uphill only?
And a part of me feels Sailing is only there for 2 reasons. That it’s something the wealthy do. And her latest charity. Which appears more as a political ploy to bring the games to the area. Generate revenue and all that.
My (one and only) really wealthy friend spends her days ordering furniture, liking articles on Facebook about healthy eating and organic skincare, skyping with her therapist, taking barre classes and running, and updating her highly detailed Family Calendar. That last part is seriously like a full time job, not because it has to be but because she has the time and the proper level of crazy so she works it up into something super time-consuming and elaborate. Her life is total luxury and, like Kate, she is a frequent vacationer. She is always saying things like, “I need to take care of myself so that I can be a good mom,” as she packs up for another weekend at the spa or shopping in New York with girlfriends. She’s a genuinely nice person but completely out of touch.
As someone who doesn’t work I can tell you it gets really boring. I didn’t work until I was 26 (career student) and then when I did eventually begin working I went at it hard. I loved my job. I used to work 80 hour weeks and it didn’t phase me. But now I live in France and I can’t really work (not proficient enough in Frech) and it’s boring. Yes even in Paris. I can’t imagine how someone her age (I’m a few years younger) can spend all of those years doing NOTHING. I only worked two years but even that was enough for me to realize how fulfilling it is to have a purpose. I mean your friends all have jobs so you can’t hang out with them during the day, because they have to work in the morning they can’t party every night, your boyfriend constantly admonishes you because he has to be at work at 8am, so you’re basically by yourself all day, with no one to really hang out with until the weekends. And my iPad is not that interesting. Unless I’m binge watching something but even then you run out of things. I wish I spoke good enough French so I could work because really being on permanent holiday is not all it’s cracked up to be. Maybe it’s different for the uber rich but seeing as how she can’t do much without being photographed it seems like she’s confined to a house. Which dear god put the gun in my mouth now. I just don’t get it. She must do a lot of online shopping.
I can’t stand being bored and at loose ends either. You have my sympathy.
Could you volunteer at a local school, or with a museum where they need another body to manage school visits? Kids would be less critical of your limited French, and it might help you learn more and feel like you’re contributing. Start a http://walk2connect.com/ with other ex-pats?
Is there a volunteer connection in your area? http://www.secretsofparis.com/volunteer-opportunities-paris/
There might be volunteer opportunities where they’d be happy to see a healthy young person helping out, even if you don’t speak the language. Do fall clean up for area seniors. Offer to teach English conversation. Even if you’re just sorting cans of donated food at a church with senior citizens, it would give you the chance to do something productive and have some simple (less stressful) conversations. And get yourself to the American Library in Paris!
And for the writer in you, there’s always National Novel Writing Month as a way of giving yourself focus for a month http://nanowrimo.org/
I am with you. I am a freelancer, and it’s feast or famine. When it’s feast, I work around the clock and I sometimes (but not often, because I know better than to complain too much!) wish longingly for an afternoon off or to have a bit more time for myself. But when it’s famine, the day draaaags by and I have found it takes even longer to complete even the most mundane tasks. It sounds like it would be luxurious to do “nothing” all day, but for me that sounds like my personal hell.
I get bored too. I work from home and in a downtime now.
I have a 2 year old. So we do things, and I decorate, paint furniture, it still gets boring.
But like today being Halloween I’m grateful. I’m baking goodies, last minute costume touch ups, figuring out how to get kid to take a nap.
You are a genuinely nice person, notasugarhere, your post was touchingly kind.
notasugarhere has really good ideas.!
Besides I know there are English bookstore where you could find other expats to chat with. There are also many many exhibitions to pay a vistit to,(see website http://www.sortiraparis.com/lang/en )
And you could take some cheap classes (fitness, arts) in the MJCs (maisons de la jeunesse et de la culture). There is sooooo much to do in PARIS!
take care!
Thank you, wolfpup. That is something I’m rarely associated with on here 🙂
Nota
We all get a bad name so you’re in good company:)
And really great ideas. Sometimes you need to have a fresh mind think of these things.
All these ideas makes me want to go to France! Jealous you’re there!
I’m totally with the English as a second language thing. Even if it’s just meeting people who’d like to converse in English . . . and perhaps you could talk them into conversing in French thereby improving yours.
I think a lot of us would love to get bored in Paris. 🙂
But I totally understand what you say. I was out of work for quite some time and I drove myself batty sometimes.
notasugar, I actually find you quite sane and rational for a rabid jellus h8r. 🙂
Thanks, Blu 🙂
I think Waity spends most of the day exercising, Then she chops her daily allotment of carrot sticks into tiny pieces so she can trick herself into thinking that she is eating more.
I wouldnt call going to Balmoral at this time of year a vacation. Rain and draughty castles do not a holiday make!
I was thinking that too! I mean, really, it’s just another one of their houses. If they went to a beach somewhere, I think there would’ve been blowback.
Then stay in town and WORK.
Someonestolemyname +1
I also think it sounds like a “William” vacation.: hunting, hiking.
Don’t forget the killing.
Seriously? A week in a castle, doing no work, relaxing, and being waited on hand and foot? What is that besides the definition of a vacation?
If the in-laws are underfoot, then I have to agree that it’s not really a vacation!
+1000
The in-laws are all working and not in Scotland. W&K don’t seem to have visited Balmoral when the rest of the BRF were there in August/September. So they are having time on the estate, catered to by all the staff, with no other members of the BRF to distract the staff from serving W&K.
Green-Girl: in this particular instance, the inlaws aren’t underfoot. It’s WKG and staff. All the royal inlaws are elsewhere. Unless you mean the Middleton inlaws. Kate is rarely too far from them, so they might tag along.
Katie, me Katie, ye make it hard to defend ye.
I love the thought of the Queen making Kate work when she doesn’t want to. Hahaha.
I hope her father-in-law does the same thing to her when he’s in power. If she wants all the perks of the job then she should have to put her time in. Because getting dressed up and waving is such hard work.
Ok – as I British citizen I feel like I have to stick up for our royals.
Yes Kate doesn’t work or do anything worthwhile. She only looks pretty and is there for official meetings.
But can anyone tell me any other royal doing anything different? Besides Queen Rania – no others royal comes to my mind who has done anything worthwhile to change the country.
So if we are going to attack royals for being lazy and freeloaders then please do include others in the attack and not only Kate.
… But this article is only about Kate. We’re just sticking to the topic.
The focus here is on Kate cos she is the Queen Bee of lazy royal spouses. But Wills is just as workshy, but he gets a pass cos he’s a born royal; the house always wins
We’re not asking her to take up a pitchfork and storm the battlements. Just work at events the rest of them do a bit more often.
Those other Royal women, work all the time. They work all the time, they are constantly working and so are their husbands.
William and Kate are becoming ridiculous.
I don’t think William really cares though. I think he figures the press will just continue to roll over and laud him.
I wonder if he truly does not want the role.
Maya, I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking. You say you’re defending your royal family, then you seem to imply that they’re all freeloaders.
What people are criticizing is that W&K are lazy and don’t do their fair share of the work of the BRF. Are you saying that all the work of the BRF (or any royal family) doesn’t matter, so why criticize W&K for refusing to do that work? Prince Philip and Duke of E scheme? Charles and the Prince’s Trust? The Princess Royal and Save the Children? Prince Harry and Sentebale, Invictus Games, Walking with the Wounded (note: Harry does those on personal time not as royal patronages).
If you’re looking at spouses only, what about Queen Maxima and her work with the UN in micro finance? Or Queen Letizia and her work with orphan/rare diseases?
“(note: Harry does those on personal time not as royal patronages).”
Can you explain what that means? Why aren’t they considered/served as royal patronages? I’m confused why if he’s a Prince stuff would be classified as personal time- wouldn’t everything be official as he’s always a royal?
Anybody, please jump in here and correct me if I’m getting this wrong.
It is confusing, but it is the same as you deciding to volunteer for a charity on your personal time. You aren’t doing it on your employer’s time and you are not doing it as a representative of that company. Harry has two “companies” that claim his time 1) representative of Her Majesty the Queen and 2) full-time job with the Army. Then he has his personal time.
When he is representing Her Majesty, it counts as “official” and those events and patronages are listed on the official website or show up in the Court Circular. Harry started Sentebale when he was 19, in partnership with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, as a *personal* project not as a representative of the Queen. Likewise, Walking with the Wounded and Invictus Games are done as personal projects. He takes leave/vacation from his full-time army position in order to do them, and they are not counted on the Court Circular as royal engagements.
Thanks, great answer and I understand but, I guess I want to tweak my question:
WHY are those not under royal patronages? Is Save the Children on Anne’s personal time, too?
Was Harry simply trying to circumvent royal family politics? Is that younger generation limited in the amount of hours/events they can do (possibly not to outshine Prince Charles, etc.)?
I know he’s popular, but, it just seems a shame that he doesn’t get official credit for all he does.
•notasugarhere•
As a co-founder of Sentable he’s more than just a patron.
http://www.princehenryofwales.org/prince-harry/charities
No, the younger royals are not limited in what they can do because of Charles. I am tired of that being used as an excuse as it is not happening, no way, no how. Charles is the one who is limited future royal work to his own direct line. There is NO WAY Charles is limiting their work, he needs them to shine. They all set their own schedules, Palace is on record stating that.
The other examples I gave are of things that are done as royal patronages, that’s why I distinguished the Harry ones as being personal time. Why does he choose to do those on personal time? I don’t know. When he started Sentebale at 19 he wasn’t a “working royal” (wasn’t representing the Queen at that age), so that may be the reason.
Why he chooses to do the other things on personal time? Maybe because of politics, maybe because the amount of charity work he does makes William look bad. If Harry does these things on personal time, they don’t count at part of the yearly tally of official royal engagements, so “on the books” he is doing fewer royal engagements than his lazy brother. Or maybe because, in Harry’s own words, “You can’t just sit there, you have to give back” when handed a life of privilege.
Notasugarhere,
Thank you so much for taking time to explain that all to me!
•notasugarhere•
I can dig out my quote that flat out says that neither HM nor Charles dictates to the boys. Because you are correct, the thought that HM or Charles dictates to anyone is pure BS.
(And Harry had to fight his father about starting Sentebale as it went against the rules Charles had in place).
•What•
Anne is patron of Save the Children and has been for decades. In fact, Africa was considered Anne’s territory and both boys sought her permission to get active in Aftica themselves. It’s considered to be a Royal faux pas to encroach on someone else’s established area.
All official engagements are counted in the Court Circular (CC) but there is some argument about what should and should not be counted — which is why certain papers will end up with different numbers than another.
Harry isn’t the only Royal that is active with charity engagements that don’t count. Beatrice and Eugenie are not working Royals so everything they do is strictly on their time as well. Beatrice (more so than Eugenia) has a number of patronages that she is involved with — all in her free time.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/CourtCircular/HistoryoftheCourtCircular.aspx
•notasugarhere•
Harry’s Invictus Games DO appear on the CC. And he IS patron (as well as co-founder) of Sentebale.
http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/media/press-releases/prince-harry-become-patron-of-three-charities
I’m currently trying to see if his Walking with the Wounded counts — my guess is that it does.
And the trek to the Southpole was under Harry’s patronage.
http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/southpole2013/patron/
LS, that’s where it starts getting convoluted and confusing to me. He started Sentebale when he was 19, not as a royal patronage but as a private endeavor (like B&E’s “patronages” – they are patronages but not *royal* patronages). The Foundation of D&DOC&PH was one of the sponsors of either Invictus or WWTW, but none of his time at the meetings counted as CC time – they were all on personal time away from both royal and army duties.
Notsugarhere, Great info on Pr. Harry.
•notasugarhere•
Harry was older than 19 when Sentabale was started as he and Seeiso founded it in 2006 (per one of the links I posted above). He went to Lesetho and got the idea for it at 19 — yes. But he had the (very) uphill battle to fight with his Papa about it. Charles had laid down some very strict rules about how and when either of his sons could start their own charity and Harry, right from the get-go, was trying to ‘break’ them (for lack of a better word). However, Harry was determined and won Charles over. The rest, as they say, is history (mind you, Sentebale has had its share of growing pains).
What’s on personal time and what Royal time does get confusing. We are in good company when it comes to that! 😃
The Invictus Games were counted in the CC and sanctioned by the British Army (BA) as they created a desk job (pilots call it ‘flying a desk’) for the sole purpose to bring the Invictus Games to fruition. So the Games were both Royally sanctioned (HM even ‘wrote’ a speech that Harry delivered) and military sanctioned. Can’t beat that fantastic combo!
Hmm, my really long reply disappeared. Thanks for clarifying on the timeline. There is a recent, sweet interview with Prince Seeiso running around about how much he and the staff have seen Harry grow and mature into his role.
It gets more confusing. WWTW was on personal leave time. Captain Guy Disney – “To be honest, Harry was a really good bloke to have on the trip. Not only is he incredibly humble, but he’s also actively committed to his military career. We got rather frustrated when, at one point, the newspapers started making it seem he was just off on another jolly. We knew he was doing the trip in his own military leave time. ”
There was an article about the behind-the-scenes work on Invictus which stated he had taken X number of months of unpaid leave from the Army job in order to make Invictus happen. It was one of the more reliable publications (Guardian vs. DM) but I cannot find the article right now.
•notasugarhere•
I hate it when I lose long comments! Or even short ones. Lol
The info before and after the Invictus Games (IG) differed by a whole lot. After the Games, The Telegraph* had stated that the BA had created the job specifically for Harry to carry off the Herculean task of bringing the Games to London in a years time frame(ish). Plus, he apparently was also given a whole support group of active duty military members (and government officials) to assist him. That was not known before hand and people were very negative when it was reported that Harry took a desk job but wasn’t doing anything people thought he should be doing.
WwtW is a horse of a different colour. In an effort to change how Royals support charities, Harry elected to support them selectively while not becoming their overall patron (see Penny Junor’s recent book on Harry for more info). However, he had been patron of their trip to the South Pole as my above link states (not sure if he did the same for the North Pole).
But I think part of the confusion of royal patronages stems from the ‘representing The Queen’ idea. For example, Charles started The Prince’s Trust that is definitely a royal patronage but doesn’t ‘represent’ the Queen per se. Once a Royal is granted permission from the Soveriegn to set up a separate Royal Household — they (in effect) represent themselves. Whilst there will be times they represent HM, most times they are operating independently. Make sense???
*I now get most of my Royal news from The Telegraph. Often the info is almost identical to the DM but without all the editorial comments I dislike. Although, the DM has the best pics! Lol
@Maya – As a British citizen I’d think you’d be frustrated with Will and Kate. Plenty of people have respect for other members of the BRF. I don’t expect any of them to put in 40 hour work weeks. It’s something I do because I need the money. 😉 However, what I do expect, is for them to fulfill their duty and support British causes and patronages. Everyone except Will and Kate has found causes which they are passionate about and work to support. Will and Kate do the BARE minimum (i.e. just enough work to keep public criticism from getting too loud).
In regards to other royals, I’m assuming your comment was made without actually knowing how active they are in their duties. While some may catch some flack here and there, it’s not the same level of criticism given to Will and Kate.
Please don’t compare these two to other royal couples. It’s embarrassing to them. They ranked near the bottom of the list in royal appearances for all of the European royal families. They are lazy.
Oh, and a bit of info, Queen Letizia was a journalist before becoming a princess. Crown Princess Masako of Japan is Harvard educated, speaks several languages and was a diplomat. I believe Crown Princess Mary of Denmark worked in marketing. Sophie Wessex owned her own ad firm.
Adding:
Queen Maxima was a financier, worked in finance and Prince Daniel from Sweden was a personal trainer running his own business. In fact that’s how Daniel met CP Victoria and helped her through her anorexia.
Queen Mathilde (Belgium) was a speech language pathologist (SLP) and Princess Martha Louise (Norway) was educated as a physiotherapist (physical therapist for Americans).
Princess Lalla Salma (The Princess Consort in Morocco) worked as an engineer prior to marrying the king.
Crown Princess Masako not only graduated from Harvard (with honours) she attended both the U of Tokyo *and* Oxford as a grad student. When she took the Japanese diplomatic test, she passed after only a year of prep. The norm is 2 years or more.
And Sophie had a PR firm — not an ad firm.
Most modern day queens and princesses have a impressive résumé/CV both before and after marrying into royalty.
To add
Yesterdays royal thread a few of us went very off topic to Masako and Maxima. And then a bit further off with Letizia. While analyzing their royal lives, lifestyles, work, jewels, and stressors of the positions.
The Royaloonies here are well aware of fake news articles (like L&S we will call it out as being fake instead of blindly accusing.) And royals outside the BRF. The differences in cultures and expectations.
And we call out BRF members and other royal members for being lazy or freeloaders. This isn’t a Kate-Hate thread. She just makes it very difficult to not give the side eye to. And that’s with the bar and basic standard of expectations dead and buried. That’s where we become critical.
•Maya•
Most Royals do work, granted some more than others, but most work.
In the BRF the work horses are Charles and Anne. They usually have about 600 engagements a year — both of which are on Royal tours right now: Anne in Africa (Australia, Africa, US, and Canada), and Charles and Camilla are in Columbia.
Almost everyone else falls into the 300-400 range of engagements: QEII* (on top of which she also performs many governmental duties), Philip*, Camilla, Andrew, Edward, and Sophie.
*QEII and Philip used to range in the 400-500 number of engagements
The junior royals (and they usually command almost zero press coverage) tend to fall in the range of 100-300 engagements. (Health issues have made some of them drop their numbers too) That includes Richard and Birgitte (Gloucester), Edward* (Kent), Alexandra (Kent), and Michael and Marie-Christine (Kent).
*Katie, the Dss of Kent, has stepped away from royal duties due to health reasons with the full support of HM
Bringing up the rear is William, Kate, and Harry with under 100 Royal engagements a year. Harry, obviously is working full time and actively involved with a few select charities. And William? *sigh* Until William brings his numbers up we are not going to see Kate brings hers up.
The RoW (Rest of the World’s) Royals do work. Some A LOT. W-A and Maxima (Netherlands), Philippe and Mathilde (Belgium), Rania (Jordan), Lalla Salma (Morocco), Frederik and Mary (Dennark), Felipe and Letizia (Spain), Alexander and Katherine (Serbia), Victoria and Daniel (Sweden), and so on. I haven’t even touched on numerous other Royals.
Funny thought, Princess Catharina-Amalia of Orange, Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant and Princess Leonore of Spain are not that far away from performing royal duties themselves. Wouldn’t it be odd if they surpassed Bill and Cathy in number of engagements per year. Ouch!!
Even funnier thought, Bill will always be one generation behind these princesses as far being crowned.
Elisabeth of Belgium is already giving speeches
http://nieuws.vtm.be/binnenland/112587-lichtfront-prinses-elisabeth-leest-voor
OTT, the DM posted some really nice photos of Harry honoring Victoria Cross awardees. Included are the RPO who took a bullet (or 3) for Princess Anne and NZ’s Willia Apiata (handsome dude, if I might say so).
Correction: That’s Willie Apiate.
I know Diana,Princess of Wales was married to the heir to the throne but she was dutiful and diligent-she worked like a dog compared to Duchess Katherine. She was more drama than a stadium full of drag queens in her personal life but damn she had a work ethic in comparison
I think you should read up a bit on other European royals. Both Queen Maxima and CP Mary work with the UN in certain organizations – Maxima’s patronage is finance related and Mary’s in focused on women’s and children’s health. That includes attending international conferences and visiting abroad (Mary was recently in Tadjikistan).
Mary also has her own foundation that focuses on bullying, loneliness among children as well as help and support to children of addicts and mentally ill parents. She’s also patron of several organizations that work for bettering the conditions and treatments for people suffering from mental illness. Her foundation has instituted and supported programs to help children of parents with mental illness, something I would have loved to have when I was a child and a teen, because this is an issue that still is very much silenced and tabooed, and I can tell you from hard and painful experience how scary and hard it is to be in such a situation all by your lonesome, with no help, no support and no understanding from the establishment (or my extended family for that matter) – it wears your soul down. For that alone, I respect the woman who will one day be my queen.
the palace wants to be sure these two have a positive marriage so the things that went down with his mother and father and others don’t happen with this generation. Staying together and raising heirs is their number 1 priority. I like Wills, always have, so I am rooting for him vs the hacks.
I think it is funny that people would actually believe the Queen drags anyone anywhere…she is very hands off on this sort of thing but I guess that doesn’t make for good gossip.
So what? I wouldn’t call anything any of the royals do “work.”
This whole “fear of the barf” PR situation is odd to me. We’re all grown ups. Pregnant women get morning sickness. Sometimes they vomit. They don’t want to, they can’t control it. If she vomits when she’s doing her royal duties…such is life.
I know. I have had days on the job where I had to run to the restroom, or pull over at the side of the road, to puke. If it’s not the end of the workday, I have to wash my face and hands and go back to work. And I actually have a real job, not one where my sole duty is to wear designer gowns and curtsey for a few hours a month.
Not so odd if you remember when Pres George HW Bush vomited at dinner with the Japanese Prime Minister. It was all over the news – photo and video – and he was a laughingstock for comedians for quite some time afterwards.. It’s different when someone in the public eye pukes at work.
That being said, if she DID vomit in public because she was sick, that’s the only way she’d get my sympathy! LOL
Apparently she was one public visit short on her punch card for the Mustique vacation. I guess she’ll have to make do with a vacation in Scotland……….
Can we just let Harry be King already and be done with these lazy free-loaders?
You´re all heartless! These two public servants work soo hard for their country. Of course they need a vacation now! You all seem to forget that these poor guys have to bridge time until Christmas aka big Mustique vacation. Do you want them to use their time and energy for meaningful work? You h8ters!
I’m sure there’s an SAT/exam question in here somewhere.
“If X = work and Y = vacation, please express the scientific formula that determines Catherine and William’s work/holiday ratio. For bonus points, include in the equation methods to determine length of said holiday and possible location”.
LMAO 🙂
1 day of holiday for every single engagement.
Or is it more like 2 days of holiday for every single engagement?
Let’s see: Didn’t Kate have 3 engagements recently? So that would be nearly one week holiday — 6 days actually.
We will see.
On vacation from what? Their whole life is a vacation.
Quel surprise….Wait so E! isn’t calling it HG anymore? Just severe morning sickness.
It was down graded almost immediately by Palace and media a long time ago, even before she showed up for these 3 engagements. Ditto when she was pregnant with PGtips.
That bothers me. When news like a diagnosis comes out people run with it and never see the corrections.
Ohhh I thought they were still calling it that seeing as people were still debating it a few weeks ago. Alright then.
Reece
It was being debated with people still calling it that. Debating of opinions more than anything else.
LadySlippers
The status is interchangable. Especially for use here without any actual information on Kate’s conditions.
1 has a more severe impact on the body and fetus. The other just really sucks, but is very temporary.
At this point Kate is 2 pregnancies in and is always looking healthy. On top of great recovery times. From early mid 1st trimester to later1st/early2nd trimester she is having rough times. Outside of this window she appears healthy and in great spirits. So, as just a commentor here (which is as far as any of us can go as far as expertise having not examined Kate or seen her medical information) she is having a normal and easy pregnancy.
BTW
Why the sudden vacation? Didn’t Kate have an itch to get working as soon as possible again? Her PR should had us thinking that with so much talk of unwilling cancellations.
LOL, FLORC. Isn’t it funny that now she’s feeling better that all of a sudden there are no engagements to cancel? There was a veritable plethora of scheduled and cancelled jaunts there for a few weeks!
Bluhare
To true. It’s funny in the worst way. And I think Nota(?) posted a link upthread that showed Kate did cancel an art fundraiser event to vacation.
I was truly willing to cut her some slack if she really just wanted to keep moving instead of being inside and inactive. Many of us can be lazy, but later realise we want to do something other than what we’ve been doing. It can be boring.
•Reece• •LAK• •Florc•
I thought the same thing (that it might have been downgraded) but the press has interchangeably used ‘HG’ and ‘severe morning sickness’ and bounced back and forth between the terms. So I wouldn’t get too excited about it.
Ladyslippers: Both the media and the Palace have been more inconsistent this go around in describing Kate’s pregnancy sickness as acute/severe and sometimes HG. It depends what source you read. MinnFinn yesterday (I think) was right that once the association was made, the public don’t appear to have noticed the inconsistency.
For her first pregnancy, the description was down graded immediately all across the board and there was consistent reporting of it as severe, but not acute, morning sickness.
BTW: I think the frequent cancellations of “scheduled engagements” has also helped cement the idea that perhaps Kate had severe illness this time round.
Would have been VERY AWKWARD if HG stopped Kate from flying on airplanes to vacation spots…. Just sayin’
heehee
Oh this article made me laugh. Kate’s had shorter hemlines since the day she married William!
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2014/10/kate-middleton-stylist-natasha-archer
*snickers*
So is “Tash” the new excuse for the rise of the hemline? Kate had great style pre william and in the earlier years of dating him. Her hem lines were almost knee length and she wore slips.
And when someone tried not to dress their age as in dress younger it rarely works to their advantage.
Thanks for sharing the article, LS — it was good for a giggle. I don’t know that “glamorous” is a word I would use to describe the Temperley or Packham gowns. Sycophants.
May I just add: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Okay, I’m done now.
hahahahaha………me too.
Regardless of the amount (or time) of vacations that K&W take, at least Kate remains classy. I can think of many instances when “Princess-likes-her-toes-sucked Fergie” or “Prince-is-he-gay-or-not-partying-with-a-porn-star Andrew” or a few other “Royals” from England and elsewhere didn’t exactly act like royals. Monaco alone has had to deal with years of cray cray from Stephanie, Albert and Caroline.
All I’m saying is that despite the amount of work (or lack of) that K&W do, they don’t do anything to make the royal family look bad…. so that should count for something, right? [since I don’t live in England I’m not exactly sure what the royal family is “supposed” to be doing… so please don’t throw hate for my ignorance about that.]
So flashing your bottom to the public while on numerous working Royal engagements (roughly 17 times) is *better than* getting your toes sucked on while on private time? Wow. Okay.
I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree (I personally think people — even public people — are entitled to a private life).
Technically, LS, the bottom has only been flashed twice. Skirt flyups everywhere, but only two real sightings (Canada and Australia) right? I think that’s correct but frankly I’ve no desire to go view every skirt fly up to see if the royal bum is on display more than that. But she hasn’t flashed naked bum 17 times.
•bluhare•
Most of the ‘Marilyn Moments’ have flashed people (we don’t always see the most revealing shots) but you are correct — not all. So it should be approximately 17 ‘fly-ups’ rather than 17 flashed bums.
@Cerulean Skygirl. I will agree with you in part. Aside from their trips to Uncle G’s La Maison de Bang Bang (premarriage), their untimely vacations and her nude bathing, they really haven’t made the BRF look bad; they’ve just managed to make themselves look stupid.
Olenna
Those trips to and private use of Uncle Gary’s home should get a massive side eye. Especially after that video of him and the undercover reporters. That’s the home he hid drugs and sold them in. A part of me wouldn’t be shocked if William did drugs in that home.
Skygirl
The toe balcony incident has long been forgotten by all who don’t catalog it as an excuse to forgive current young royal behavior. Or to attach it as another weight Bea and Eug must carry through life. And it didn’t shame the royals as a whole. Not anymore than the Cambridges.
Both showed overindulgence. And Classy is far from what is happening. Granted we are on opposite ends of bias, but there have been too many flashes and too many leaks from the Midds camp to claim class.
@Florc, I agree their associations with Uncle G looked very bad and it still amazes me how his involvement with drugs and the “ladies” was so quickly dropped from the press. I think PC had something to do with cleaning up that mess so as not to leave a blemish on William and Kate’s reputation or her family’s, who appeared to enjoy their visits to Ibiza as well.
Olenna
Whatever is happening it’s happening well. To get this level of scum so closely tied to a public figure. I’m amazed it’s kept under wraps as well as it is so far.
So, lying to the para-Olympians of your country and sneaking away on vacation instead of celebrating them counts as classy?
Oh wait, I forgot William caught on video at a gala calling one of the donors a bore. Kate Middleton caught on video rolling her eyes in boredom at an engagement – was it a homeless shelter? Just this week KM telling an art group she couldn’t attend their event because she was sick — I mean already scheduled to be vacation. The two of them wasting millions of taxpayer money on the Palace reno, then decamping to the country. W&K do not equal classy in my book.
Eye-rolling at an engagement? Calling a donor a bore? These people seem very selfish!
And the fact that the entire world has seen Kate topless and bottomless, when she sneaked away for a vacation during the Paralympics and walked around outside on a balcony nude.
Yes Kate future Queen Concert TOPLESS, classy. 🙂
•Someonestolemyname•
That was on private time so I’ll give them some slack.
It was on private time. There shouldn’t get that one counted against them other than the fact they snuck out of a commitment for it. Worse it was the paralympics they snuck out on while being there full time for the Olympics.
And as a snarky comment… Someone There are plenty of other times Kate has revealed all to a camera knowingly that wasn’t on private time.
And what takes the cake (for me at least) is William almost losing his wings in the summer of 2012. He, supposedly, was working as a full-time RAF pilot so how could be be in danger of losing his wings? The requirement to maintain his wings is only 15 flying hours a month, well within reach if he was working full or even part time — yet it took him months to bring his hours back up.
That is considered classy?
It’s lazy and reeks of indifference. Class is not even a question.
Is the vacation pre-pregnancy part of the push present?
William took Kate to Balmoral whenever he was in trouble with her while they were dating. He would take her there to smooth over something. Usually him fooling around with a girl or spending too much time with his mates. Is William in trouble again? That’s my question.
India
More details about this pattern please! It’s something i’ve not heard before.
•Florc•
I have.
Anytime William needed to soothe stuff over with Kate (anything from him ignoring her at a party to cheating allegations), he took her to the cottage that Granny gave to both boys, for a ‘romantic weekend’. It was always a *very* low-key event (almost no staff and no royal fuffy-duddy stuff) and the focus was usually solely on Kate.
If •India Andrews• hunch is correct, William might be working his a$$ right now to make things ‘all better’ between him and Kate. It might be better to call this a ‘working vacation’ for William.
Ha!
Ooo! I wonder if William did do something. Kate never strick me as a country girl. Maybe it was the appeal of William only focusing on her without distraction.
Hey FLORC, it’s been reported Kate likes country pursuits, and she learnt to shoot and has killed a deer I think. But whether that’s because *she* truly likes it or because William truly likes it, I’ve got no clue.
Bluhare
We can only speculate.
IMO I think blood sports are more for a show of wealth and pack mentality. When not hunting to live ofcourse.
At this point I don’t think it’s far off to assume Kate likes what William likes. And if she likes something it takes a backseat to William’s interests 1st.
I have never seen Kate hunt alone or made a family event of it. Pippa yes. Although it was a wealthy group she was with. Kate only ever with William.
I don’t know if this recent trip is a make-up getaway, but it seems like Kate is sighted in Bucklebury a lot. What’s occupying William’s time so much that she needs such frequent companionship from her family? Here’s an article that indicates she was seen in Bucklebury on Fri., 24 Oct. with Carole, which would’ve been right after her spurt of public appearances. Did she only come into London to do the engagements, then go right back home to her parents? I guess what I’m rambling on about is that, by all appearances, they have normal, intimate relationships (hence, babies) but there’s an understanding that they primarily live apart. Beats me what this marriage is all about…
http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/571185/20141030/kate-middleton-duchess-cambridge-royal-protection-squad.htm#.VFVKGvnF-So
I live in Scotland. Don’t think it rains there any more than some other parts of Britain. Charles inherited the Queen Mother’s home near Ballater, Birkhall, which is not part of the Balmoral estate. As well as Balmoral Castle there is a secondary house on the estate called Craigowan Lodge which I think has about 7 bedrooms. The Queen stays there for the first week or so of her summer holiday when Balmoral Castle is still open to the public. This is where Charles, Diana, William and Harry mainly stayed when they visited Balmoral. I know years ago Philip, Charles and Anne used to go to Balmoral a weekend in December and I think they used to stay at Craigowan. That could well be where Kate and William are staying this week. The Queen only holidays in Scotland once a year from the end of July until beginning of October. However, she was reported to have been at Balmoral for a weekend visit “looking at the books” on Philip’s birthday a year or two ago. Have never otherwise heard of her visiting apart from during the summer but maybe she does. The shooting season starts on 12 August, I think – the “glorious twelfth” as it is called.
Caroline,
Your comment is rife with substance. Thank you.
•Caroline•
There are numerous other properties on Balmoral Estates.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1105383/Pictured-The-romantic-Highland-log-cabin-Prince-William-keeping-warm-Kate-Middleton.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1565928/William-and-Kate-take-a-break-at-Balmoral.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/exclusive-prince-williams-love-hide-577342
http://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/212810/Royal-Wedding-The-romantic-spot-where-they-learned-to-fall-in-love
http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20462063,00.html
http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/celebrity/537896/kate-middleton-and-prince-william-s-secret-scottish-getaway.html?page=17
*Ladyslippers*
I know there are lots of other properties on the Balmoral estate. There are numerous properties on most big estates. I live near Balmoral but was only pointing out the main secondary property and also the fact that Birkhall is not on Balmoral.
It’s probably too late in the day to ask, but I have a question. I just don’t understand why no one does anything about William. I’ve read here repeatedly that the queen is confrontation averse, and has turned over all things domestic to Phillip. I think Phillip looks like a mean SOB, and apparently he can’t, or won’t, do anything about the situation. This leaves Charles. Charles is the only person who knows exactly how William may feel about the inevitability of his life. Does he sympathize too much? Is he afraid to be tough with William because of his own difficult relationship with a father he felt was impossible to please? Has William been babied because of the death of his mother? I just don’t understand why nothing is done, and everybody seems to know it’s a problem. After awhile, it becomes almost laughable, and they can’t want that.
•mayamae•
QEII is *very* adverse to confrontation; Philip will do it but not because he’s an SoB, but because he’s blunt and is willing to get stuff done. (Anne is very much like her father — no nonsense). On the other hand Charles, is very much like his mother, equally unwilling to confront anyone (he has his staff reprimand his children or coerce them into doing stuff because he won’t). He, as you suggested, does greatly empathesise with William and that compounds matters. Not only that, the problem can be partly attributed to the culture in the British upper classes, all the eldest boys (direct heirs) are catered to and coddled — this is dying out but still seen. Also, the family doesn’t want to impose anything on anyone because they know Royal duties are stifling and dreadfully boring. They keep hoping that one day *snap* William will embrace his heritage and roll with it. On top of all that, the British public, in general, doesn’t seem to mind that William is not pulling his weight. Inertia (for a lack of a better word) helps William here. It’s only the Royal Loonies (on and off CB) that notice or keep track of what the Royals are doing.
So it’s a combination of many things at play that keeps William floating along at 32 and not yet a working Royal, senior as he is.
(I just wish he’d sh!t or get off the pot. But that’s just me)
LS: the strangest thing of all is that the palace (KP) is fully aware of his apathy hence the frequent laughble PR to convince the public otherwise AND of his pig headedness ie won’t take direction.
His entire office is engaged in continuous quest to come up with cunning plans to solve the problem of William which never go to fruition because of the aforementioned pig headedness.
It’s funny that the pig heaadedness is sold to the public as strong minded and when he mentions it in interviews, you can see his absolute belief and pride that it’s a fantastic personal trait except in his case, and for the people who work for him, it’s a nightmare.
LOL at cunning plans, LAK. I will be Baldrick to your Black Adder any day! I may have to change my posting name to that. 🙂
•LAK•
Charles’ office similarly scrambles to make their boss likeable — but at least he now works. I don’t envy the staff of either Charles or William.
I think of the senior Royals, only Philip, Anne, and Harry (excluding HM) have staff that are ridiculously loyal to their respective bosses. That says, at least IMO, a hell of a lot.
Lol they should try working on minimum wage and not having a holiday in years. GTFO
It’s bemusing to me why anyone expects more from Will and Kate. As listed somewhere here, it’s not as if she had some amazing – or any – career prior to their marriage. And William? Pfft.
It’s like staring at two kumquats and expecting them to be onions. “When will you ever become the onion I know you could be, oh kumquat??”
Some people are simply less motivated in life. Some people are simply… less. I find that the case here, and the more people will them to change into something they aren’t and have never been, the weirder she seems to become. It seems to not take much to push her into another 3 lb weight loss. Adding glossy hair extensions and pounds of makeup cannot completely hide the physical responses she has to any amount of pressures, imo, and William simply couldn’t care less, frankly.
Ten years on from now we will see these two in similar circumstances regarding little accomplished, yet quite satisfied with that fact, the both of them. IMO.
They’re in the wrong spot to be “less”, although I can’t disagree with what you wrote!
William chose someone as inert as himself, so it’s no surprise that they’re both sitting like lumps on a log. If he married a woman with more motivation and drive, it might have lit a fire beneath him to make more of his role in life. Fine if you’re an “ordinary” person, but in the position he’s in, he should have chosen more wisely. However, William doesn’t seem to have wanted anyone to have pushed him out of his comfort zone and wound up with a wife who fully embraces and revels in her privileged lifestyle.
@ Feeshalori, right on with that. She is INERT. Just like him. They both underwhelm me.
BluHare
Nor I with you; great point. Definitely not the “spot” for these two, lol. I can imagine the woes bemoaned, the why-fors belaboured. “Why must we be put in such a glaring light? Its all so very difficult. So draining..”
I’m actually laughing out loud at the images conjured.
Upshot- very interesting observation. It seem that William and Kate are less than the sum of their parts. They both have university degrees yet there is just no there there. Harry, on the other hand, never went to university, yet he seems greater than the sum of his parts. He has really stepped up to the plate recently with the Invictus games, representing his father at the Victoria Cross event a few days ago, and all of his other activities. It just shows how different siblings can be. Guess Harry’s the onion!
JulieM
Well stated! The onion, indeed. Layered, complex, a nice rough edge… And could bring you to tears, lol 😉 ICAM re Harry.
I think as the years go by and William and Kate’s lethargy about taking on anything but the most leisurely and pleasurable of royal duties continues, whilst enjoying all the benefits, they will bring about a definite diminution in the royal family’s worth. Nobody wants to see royals swanning around spending public money living like gods in multiple richly accoutred estates but not doing anything to deserve it other than being part of the royal family. Diana must be turning over in her grave.
You can´t teach an old dog new tricks.
They´re now in their mid30s and i fear both (especally William) won´t manage fulltime duties in a few years. For every gala there will be 100 “boring, unglamourous” engagements. They will hate it. Instead of avoiding royal work and playing part-time pilot William should have accepted his destiny and slowly taken over more responsibility. His father did his own thing with the Prince´s Trust and that was a great idea. Charles is prepared for what will come. William isn´t. He will likely collapse under his new schedule because he never worked more than the absolute minimum. He hates the cameras, he hates smiling. He doen´t look like a happy human being to me. He never accepted his role in life.
What will happen if The Queen and Charles die at the same time? Weeks, months apart or in the same year? Could happen. What will William do? Will he steal a helicopter and fly into the sunset?
Agree with your first 4sentences and your observation about his unhappiness –clearly he lacks the temperament, work ethic etc. for royal work. the solution is rather obvious …
Why,I ask does he not just walk away from the hardship of royal life? The guy has millions and can easily continue to live the life of Riley without lifting one of his delicate fingers….
William gets a lot more from being a royal than his bills being paid. He gets press protection. Perks and freebies because of his status. If he was on his own he would have to start spending and at his rate of spending it wouldn’t last long from his own funds.
It would be honorable if he walked away because he isn’t giving even 50% into his role. He has too much to lose.
The Queen allegedly is worth 200-500 million pounds – depends on which source you prefer. That means Charles will get at least 50 million pounds if the Queen manages her fortune well and I believe she has good advisors.
So you can go figure what William will inherit. Nothing to sniff at.