Kate’s Malta trip itinerary was released, and it looks like her two days there will be full (-ish; she’s not on Charles’ level but at least it’s better than the “work for an hour” crap she and William pulled in Oz and NZ). Kate will visit Malta on September 20 and 21 to mark the 50th anniversary of Malta’s independence from the UK. She will have five events per day, for a total of ten. Man, ten events in two days, no wonder our dear Kate needs a month and a half of rest time before she goes. She will certainly need a good month off after returning, too. Anyway, let’s run down the events, shall we:
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September 20 (Saturday): Day 1
Event 1: Call on the President of Malta (San Anton Palace)
The first event will be a call on President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. The venue is the San Anton Palace, where the Duchess will be staying
Event 2: Call on the Prime Minister of Malta (Auberge de Castille)
The Duchess will call on the Prime Minister of Malta, Hon Dr Joseph Muscat, and his wife.
Event 3: In Guardia Pageant (Palace Square, Valletta)
The Duchess will view a re-enactment of an historical event – the inspection of the fort and garrison by the Grand Bailiff of the Order of the Knights of St John. A variety of military drills will be displayed.
Event 4: National Library (Valletta)
The Duchess will view a number of historical documents, including letters from King Henry VIII and George II, and the original citation awarding the George Cross to Malta.
Event 5: Independence Day Celebrations (Upper Barrakka Gardens)
The Duchess will attend an evening celebration. The backdrop to the celebration will be the spectacular view of the Grand Harbour.
September 21 (Sunday): Day 2
Event 6: Independence Day Service (St John’s Co-Cathedral)
The Duchess will attend a church service. She will later view the two Caravaggios in the Cathedral Museum.
Event 7: Access Centre (In Vittoriosa)
The Duchess will visit Agenzija Zghazagh (Agency for Youth), a government agency which runs a number of initiatives for young people. HRH will hear about the work of the agency from the young people who use the centre and their support workers.
Event 8: Short Walk (Vittoriosa Square)
The Duchess will take a short walk through the town square. She will then be taken to the Church of St Lawrence to view Maltese art before leaving for the harbour.
Event 9: Boat Tour (Grand Harbour)
The Duchess will take a short boat tour across the Grand Harbour to see some iconic views between Vittoriosa and Valletta.
Event 10: High Commissioner’s Garden Party (High Commissioner’s Residence)
Kate will attend an Independence Day Celebration hosted by the British High Commissioner.
First off, (because it’s Kate) I wonder how many outfit changes we’ll get. I’m going to guess five–two the first day, and three the second day. She’ll probably do one outfit for the first four events on Day 1, and a second outfit for the final event on Day 1 (possible she might make an outfit change between meeting the president and prime minister and the pageant and library visits, so may be six). Then she’ll have one outfit for the church service, then another outfit for the access center, walk and boat tour, and a third outfit for the garden party. So five-six outfits, I’m guessing (unless she decides to be even more boring and not give us any cool clothes to look at).
Anyway, let’s break down the events. There are two “meeting dignitaries” events, which… what does Kate have to talk about with a president and a prime minister? I mean, with the Queen or Charles, I’d get it, but what does Kate chat about with heads of state like that? I mean, I know Kate is supposed to represent the UK, but she’s not really a dignitary, you know. To be fair, neither is William (because he wants to be a helicopter pilot instead; poor little tantrum-y baby), and I thought about this when he met the prime minister of NZ, what does he have to talk about with someone like that? Huh. I hope we get some good video of their meetings, I want to know what Kate says to them.
Kate will watch a military drill/re-enactment. She’ll probably meet some of the people, too. That event will probably be similar to her at the St. Patrick’s Day event.
Kate will visit the National Library and view historical documents including letters from Henry the f-cking VIII. How awesome is that?! I’m envious; that sounds like a really cool event. I doubt Kate will find it as interesting as I would.
I don’t know what the evening Independence Day celebration will be (“evening celebration” is so very vague). I’m guessing it’s going to be a cocktail party or the like (which is why I’m guessing she’ll have a different outfit for this event), possibly with fireworks if it’s outdoors.
After the church service Kate will view two Caravaggio paintings in the Cathedral Museum (The Beheading of St John the Baptist and The St Jerome). Again, so envious. How cool would that be to view up close. Kate does have a degree in Art History from St. Andrew’s. I wonder if the Baroque period was her specialty. Actually in general, I wonder what her specialty was; what period(s) of art were her favorites, which ones she spent the most time researching, which artists and artworks were her favorite. Man, there is so much she could tell us that would give her some personality, but she refuses to. Maybe this event will give her the opportunity to show us how much she really knows/cares about art history.
Kate will visit some sort of youth center. This event will probably be like every other event where she visits a school/youth center. Eh.
I don’t know what the “short walk” is. Is it like a walkabout or something? Or is it literally a short walk from the youth center to the church to view the Maltese art? Like, the walk from one event to the next is considered a separate event? There has to be more to it than that right? The church to view Maltese art is included in the walk event, so maybe the artwork is going to be displayed outside of the church, so she’ll walk around the square and view the art at the same time? Sure.
I’m not sure how taking a boat to see “iconic views between Vittoriosa and Valletta” is considered an event, but whatever.
I wonder how formal the High Commissioner’s Garden Party will be. It will probably be in the afternoon/evening, right? I don’t know. I’d love to see a nice gown and some great jewels on this trip (or any time really, I love looking at jewelry), but considering we got next to nothing during the NZ/OZ tour, I doubt we’ll get much on the trip to Malta.
So Kate’s ten events will be pretty easy. Chatting to people, standing around looking at stuff, being shown stuff, chatting to more people, taking a boat ride. Her job is not demanding. I know I’ve said this before, but I really don’t see why Kate and William complain so much and find any excuse to skip out on duties, their jobs are really easy.
Kate is going to Malta “on behalf of the Queen” and has “discussed the trip at length with the Queen”. I’m sure the Queen has told Kate not to flash her ass or vadge this time… at length because Kate can’t seem to get that into her head. The Queen has probably also instructed Kate on what to say to the Malta president and prime minister, because seriously what does Kate have to say to them?
And what about speech? On the tour like that I was expect that she give at least one speech.
I also wonder if Kate avoid mishaps with her skirt, it’s only two days so isn’t long.
I hope that someone understood my English:).
Your English is great. There is a possibility that she will give a speech maybe at event 5 or event 10 (the evening celebration on Day 1 and the garden party on Day 2). I would hope she would say something about Malta’s independence when at an Independence Day celebration at which she is the guest of honor. I really hope Kate wears appropriate clothing–either straight skirts or weighted hems–to avoid mishaps.
It does seem like a wonderful vacation, doesn’t it? Sitting down with the heads of a country, picking their brains, being shown internationally significant historical artifacts, getting dolled up for some evening events, going to a museum (I usually have to pay outrageous amounts to go the museums where I live) and then walking through a square where basically everyone is there to wave at you and tell you how pretty you are. Seeing as she chased after this title so avidly, you’d assume this is the sort of stuff she’d have wanted to do all her life — but she comes across as being so “meh” about it all, and I literally cannot fathom why. Does she enjoy it, but act like she doesn’t because she’s self-conscious about seeming like a non-royal? Or did she eat lead paint as a child, and there’s literally nothing in life that interests her or brings her joy?
It would be a wonderful vacation, indeed – one especially fit for a princess. Kate, with the encouragement and support of her parents, has desired and worked hard toward being William’s wife and achieving royal status for almost close to half her life. Now that she has attained her goal, I wonder if the “meh”-ness you note is more about being careful what one wishes for. Does Kate really like her royal role? Does she feel comfortable in it? Does she have what it takes to embrace it fully and do the job: to serve the people of Great Britain and to represent them abroad, to put duty first, to embody the values and tradition that the world thinks of when one thinks of England. That’s a tall order, I know, and Elizabeth has set the bar very, very high. The Malta trip is a golden opportunity for Kate to put aside her self-conscious little girl ways and to present herself as a self-confident womanly royal. Whether one likes Jacqueline Kennedy or not (I happen to have admired her), think of the effortlessly elegant and self-confident presence she presented to the world as America’s First Lady when she was Kate’s age.
Sometimes it seems like Kate is more confident when she’s not doing appearances with Will, so maybe Kate will step it up in Malta. I’ve been let down so many times by her, though, that I don’t want to get my hopes up too high.
this is what I’m thinking also; there have been many occasions where Kate is almost constantly looking to him for guidance, i.e. where to stand, which direction to look etc., maybe she really is so anxious not to put a foot wrong, but we really don’t know do we…suppose that’s my point!! we know nothing of her – this is her chance to shine……
To continue with Jacqueline Kennedy – since both are considered style icons for their times, this is the “decorating” project that Jackie initiated and successfully undertook for the American people when she was just 32 years of age: http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/The-White-House-Restoration.aspxv
Eating lead paint…..that’s hilarious!
It could be a case of she focused so hard on getting the ring that she never really thought about what she would do after she got it, so now she’s just floating and doesn’t know what to do with herself. Or buyer’s remorse–from the outside it looked like something she wanted, but once she got it she realized it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
“there’s literally nothing in life that interests her or brings her joy” – It does kind of seem like this doesn’t it? I wish she’d show us some real personality.
I’ve had a similar impression of her focusing so hard to get him (as well as concentrating on the wedding) that she didn’t give much thought to all the Duchess expectations, or assumed they were easy enough to wing it by waving and smiling (and picking out something nice). She chased William, and definitely not the infinite expectations that come with performing as a working royal.
I hope she’s hungry enough to reinvent herself as a solid royal, because I wouldn’t want to spend the rest of my life known as Waity Katie or Two Kitchens Kate. I’d like my Duchess title to carry the weight of a good reputation (and not just hems).
Thank you for the itinerary KMR! the visit has just started to gain press coverage here (in Malta). The two days of events are certainly not onerous, I would say, and the different venues are very close together. Valletta is a very beautiful city!! I hope that I can say that….I really hope that she has done her homework on at least some of our history, as that will help her when conversing with dignitaries; otherwise it will I fear, be dire………….also, it would be totally unthinkable that she did not make a speech! as guest of honour it needs to be of substance and sincere..I’m thinking that this being a solo trip, i.e. without William, that she may have gained a bit of confidence! Please that she does something with the hair though!!! the weather will still be very warm and likely sticky…all that hair around the neck YUK..as a representative of the Queen Elizabeth she will surely have noted all the advice regarding skirts/wind/underclothing…..please….
It would be very unusual if she didn’t give a speech (and quite rude, too). Hopefully it will be good. She should be practicing (her speech giving skills leave a lot to be desired); she certainly has the time to get ready.
I hope she puts in the effort and learns something about Malta and is able to converse intelligently with people. There will be no excuse, she has had a month already to prepare and she has another whole month to go until the trip. She should be using her time wisely.
I hope that she learns how to give a proper speach or do better small talk. It is cringe worthy.
Yes. No excuses, she has all the time in the world to prepare for this two day trip.
I predict at least one recycled outfit, and photos of hair-twirling from event #3.
Let’s see how she does.
Re event #3, yes lots of hair twirling. She’ll probably be super bored; as she usually is at those types of events.
We will probably get a recycled outfit or two, but hopefully some new stuff as well.
Please say that Kate doesn’t start sniggering when she sees someone in traditional dress or costume (as she seems to usually do)! And I hope we aren’t going to see pictures of her underwear (or lack of underwear) – also as per usual. The fiddling with her hair WILL happen (unfortunately). But on this trip Kate will be the main event and not be there as a “plus one” so all eyes (and cameras) will be on her.
Please no flashing, please no flashing… is all I can think of. I hope the Queen put the fear of god into Kate about flashing the public. I really don’t need to see her bare ass again.
There’s a brilliant article in the Daily Mail today about how Carole Middleton’s family has been completely frozen out by her b/c she’s a callous manipulative b***h. Very interesting and pathetically sad for them. Granted families of those marrying in are usually frozen out (unlike Waity’s), but that Carole doesn’t talk to her cousins anymore is pretty bad.
If the story in the DM is true, then it is both a sad and heartless one. It’s odd because Carole reportedly places great emphasis on her family. I feel sorry for Kate’s elderly great aunt Ruth and great uncle Ivor, if they have not had the opportunity to meet their new grandnephew Prince George, the future king of England. Had these events evolved differently, this could have been a touching story and photo-op of the “middle-class princess” connecting with the people – her real people. Kate looks sweet and unpretentious as a little girl in the casual family photo.
It is always sad when families fall out; but that’s what they do and I don’t suppose the various branches of the Middleton family are any different; suffice to say that the person who took this to the press will most certainly regret doing so, if not now, then in months/years to come. If the reported detail is to be believed then Carole has all the reason in the world to steer clear (now), but she should tell them that is what she is doing, as for instance the vague arrangements we are told were made re meeting with Prince George which did not materialise, are cruel if not intended. My republican hat gets more comfortable by the minute…………
Disagree. Being shunned by a family member can be abusive and it hurts emotionally. The young woman has every right to speak out about her pain; she’s done nothing wrong. By speaking out she will be able to, in time, move on to knowing new people in place of those she had expected would include her in the family mix. A fairy tale ending it is not. Ok for the truth to come out.
I agree with Wise Counsel – Carole has snubbed the rest of her family. Carole and Carole’s mother reportedly had always had the air that they were “better than everyone else”. I felt sorry for the lass and it’s hard she had to go to the papers to discuss this topic it will stop all her friends asking if she has met William, George or even the Queen yet. If there is any possibility that she is reading this comment then I would like to tell her that she is better than Carole because she is thinking of her family, especially those elder relatives who were promised introductions that never happened.
l hope she keeps her messy hair out of the face, that barbie doll look plus her short dresses will make her look silly, and the famous wedgies, jegging, blazer, stripped shirt combo, l do hope she wont wear that!
surely…..surely there is not one event on this itinerary which she could possibly attend wearing the wedges of doom………that’s right? isn’t it?
Personally I really hope she commits yet another faux-pas. The only way this useless woman can learn something is if she hits the bottom and has to crawl back up. The meeting with the female president ought to be interesting: accomplished politician and genuine political leader versus woman-who-slept-with-right-guy. Talk about clash between what’s good in this world with everything that is wrong with it…
Sarah Whalen’s latest report has been posted on http://www.buyoubuzz.com it gives food for thought! Nothing gets past Sarah Whalen i believe!
so, if they dont hang around with family members so the hell attended georges perty at ma midds???
Ugh that trip sounds amazing. I hate that she probably doesn’t even appreciate all the neat things she gets to see and do. When reviewing the Henry VIII letters (how cool is that?!) she will prob be hair twirling and thinking about when she can go shopping next. Sigh.
Another blog has two interesting stories. One is a Twitter story on Kate, William and the Midds at a pub together recently. The other story is about Kate’s right hand girl with a lot of pictures of her and Kate.
http://hrhduchesskate.blogspot.com/
Kate as a “Simpson” character? Priceless! He has her facial expression nailed! But the makeup job on the “Simpson” look is a bit better than Kate’s?
Kate needs more blush and eyeliner.
Kate looks like a woman with clown make up.
I can’t imagine what she must look like in person if her makeup looks that heavy in photographs.
Kate going through pre-trip airport security: “Ma’am, what is that thing with with the 2 spandex straps on it?” (Kate’s reply: Ah that is my thong.). “Oh, and why are there 25 sewn in magnets in your dress hem? They are making our security machine beep…..” (The Queen made me use hem weights.) “What is it with the 31 pair of shoes in nude beige? Are you exporting them for re-sale?” (I only know how to wear that style when travelling.) “Aren’t you, like, someone famous? (No, am just an average person married to a Prince who lives in many houses with quite a few kitchens. Nothing special, that’s me.) LOL. Thanks to Kate for the entertainment.
This Malta trip sounds more like a holiday. It would be more fitting to say she is representing the UK as a professional tourist. I agree: what constructive topics could she possibly discuss with the president and prime minister? Meeting KM is wasting their time but I guess they don’t have a choice. She will no doubt be bored out of her mind at the pageant, cue lots of hair touching if she wears it down.
Out of the ten so called events, only one is charity. I would classify six as leisure/sightseeing with the remaining three as official duty in some way.