Dear Kensington Palace: I know America is not the center of the universe, I know America isn’t even the center of the British Commonwealth, but did you have to announce Prince William‘s Japan and China tour on Thanksgiving? I mean really, I’m sitting here preparing for a turkey food coma; you’re lucky I was even paying attention to you at all. But now I’ve got to spend time thinking about the New Grumpy Face (because he’s got a serious case of Resting Bitch Face) instead of getting my comfy pants ready for later. I mean, I know we kicked your butts in two wars, but we’ve also helped your butts win two wars, and we’ve been tight since then, so why you got to be like that, KP?
As a Happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans out there, Kensington Palace announced the Duke of Cambridge’s tour to Japan and China for late February to early March next year, 2015.
The press release reads in part:
- First, in Japan, His Royal Highness will undertake engagements in Tokyo and elsewhere on behalf of the British Government, focused on UK-Japan relations, commerce and cultural exchange and in support of his own personal interest in combating the illegal wildlife trade.
- Then, in China, the Duke will officially open the GREAT Festival of Creativity at Shanghai’s Long Museum on Monday, 2nd March. The Duke will also undertake engagements in Beijing and elsewhere to promote UK-China relations, people to people links, and in support of his work to combat the illegal wildlife trade and support wildlife conservation.
Further details and the itinerary will be released closer to the start of the tour.
There was no mention of whether Kate Middleton was ever going to be a part of the tour and she dropped out due to her second pregnancy, or whether it was always just going to be William going. Kensington Palace and Japan and China have had, at least, over 11 weeks to rearrange any schedule they previously had to take out anything related to Kate. Instead of, you know, changing when the visit would be, or something.
By the way, I don’t blame Kate for not going to Japan and China, she’ll be in her third trimester by then. That’s a long way to travel while heavily pregnant for just three days in each country, plus whatever business she would have to do while there.
I will be curious to see which royal reporters and photographers go on the tour to cover William’s visit. Only a few joined Prince Harry in the middle east recently. And Richard Palmer dropped out of Malta when Kate did. A solo William isn’t that much of a draw, so I will be very interested to see who joins him in Japan and China.
Peter Hunt of the BBC keeps harping on the fact that William’s trip highlights the fact that Prince Charles has not toured China at all (though he and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall visited Japan in October 2008). Charles is tight with the Dalai Lama, who is seen by the Chinese as a separatist threat. I don’t see the problem here, Charles is tight with a dude the Chinese don’t like, why would they WANT him to visit? Am I alone in not caring that Charles hasn’t visited China?
You know what I need to cleanse my soul and prepare for my turkey food coma? The OG Grumpy Face and his OG “treating his father as a servant” ways.
Wow, I just put my dressing in the oven and saw this. Talk about a snooze fest for the Japanese and Chinese. Hope he makes up for what his father and grandfather said. I bet Kate is kicking herself for not being able to go. I’m sure she was “keen, really keen” to see Japan and China because she’s never, ever been…lol
She’s probably bummed that she didn’t get to visit a new place, but happy she doesn’t have to work. It’s a double-edged sword.
Here’s the thing… these people don’t care about Kate. They are business people wanting to make trade deals for the purposes of making themselves rich. Kate offers nothing to them – the future King of England and the Head of the Commonwealth however is a key contact. They may have deliberately scheduled when she couldn’t come. William wants contacts for his conservation efforts – Asian markets are where most of the illegal trade happens. Now no one has to find a sad children’s charity for Kate to visit.
Very true. Asia is where William should be focusing his conservation efforts, since that is where most of the poached animal products are sold. Making videos for UK and US audiences is a waste of time when it’s the Asian audience Will should be focusing on. And yes, in terms of pure business and trade, William is a more important contact than Kate. Kate is not important at all. I still say in terms of publicity, Kate would offer more since not as many people care about William, but that might not be what they are after. If it’s just about business and William’s conservation efforts, then there is no reason for Kate to go. Which may have been the plan all along; the trip is clearly short and focused, kind of like how Prince Charles rolls during his overseas visits (though I have doubts whether they scheduled it knowing she couldn’t go, since the trip would have been in the works long before they knew she was pregnant, but maybe). I will say, though, if this is solely about business and nothing else, then they don’t need the UK royal press pack at all and they can all save themselves the expense (the UK press don’t care about the Chinese and their business contacts, they care about selling papers and William doesn’t sell papers). Like the Duke of York and his foreign business stuff; he doesn’t travel with a huge press pack, just some people to take photos for his Twitter to prove he’s working.
You know, I don’t believe China even cares about Kate. That may be part of the reason as well for her not going. I don’t believe there would be the crowds there to greet them like on every other tour. Kate has to have her fans and praise. If they both went and no one was really there, then it would look bad. That’s my opinion.
I only think they don’t care about Kate because a recent report stated that they sent out a reporter to a park in China, where they showed a photo of William and Catherine. Most of the time they were not recognized. The Chinese are not as enamored with these two.
China also doesn’t have “freedom of the press” so the people have no way of knowing about the royal family of the UK. They have limited access to the internet and are not likely following blogs and media.
Charles may not be popular in China for saying they looked like wax figures either. 🙂
Was just doing the last basting when I saw this. How dumb to release today, but KP probably didn’t want this Kate will she, won’t she fire to keep burning, especially with NY so close. Didn’t want the US press asking about China, wants it all focused on the visit dossier so Kate can shop in peace. Be sure that come March, she’ll be tyrannizing that Bucklebury park and all of Will’s efforts will be lost to crying toddlers tears being turned away from the park.
Oh and cracked up over your post KMR! Didn’t think I’d feel my abs today
I’m not a huge fan of China. The way they treat animals raised for food and other products is abysmal, the way they treat humans with divergent ropinions is dismaying and Tibet, let it go already. So, I can back Charles on staying clear and son’t think William should be giving them any legitimacy by gracing their border with a visit.
Yeah Kate will be seven months along, so she really shouldn’t be making long haul flights. But they could have rescheduled this for May, or July (not June with the Order of the Garter and Trooping the Colour ceremonies) and had her go along. It signifies to me that there is a serious problem in Willy and Waity’s marriage (not that we didn’t know that already) that he would embark on a major tour of China and Japan without his wife. Formal separation will probably follow within a year. If not, I will be wrong. But I have a bad feeling about this, like the South Korea trip with Bonnie Prince Charlie and Whiny Di in ’92.
I guess I don’t see why everyone thinks there is trouble in William and Kate’s marriage? I am just curious why people think that because to me you can’t really tell either way. They are always so closed off, it is hard to really know much about either of these two as a couple or as individuals.
Hi Overit,
I agree with you on this. Personally I don’t think W&K have any more problems that any other long time couple would have. Plus they seem pretty used to spending time apart so her being in Norfolk while he’s in London doesn’t ring any alarm bells for me. I’ve been married 15 years and my husband works far away from home and is gone for weeks at a time, which I happen to love, it’s like a honeymoon every few weeks plus it’s great to miss him and look forward to him coming home! But I understand that this arrangement isn’t for everyone.
Hey, Lauri. I am glad to hear that being apart from your husband so much is working out for you. That’s good. Unfortunately, I must say that’s not the norm for married couples, most especially once they have children. Pretty hard to be a family when everyone is going his own direction. I think that is the issue with Will and Kate. It’s not so much the few day foreign trips he is taking without her, it’s the real overall pattern of these two not spending time together or with their child. Now, everyone needs a little “me” time, but there is a clear dysfunction in the marriage when couples intentionally spend days and weeks apart.
KPs announcements about William and Kate are always ill-timed because they actually think people care about them and so are dying to know what they are doing next, NOT. Only the press cares.
KP should’ve waited until W&K got back from New York to announce his solo tour of China/Japan next year. Again, its all about them.
So KMR I don’t know if you have read this but it made me laugh. Kate gets praised for everything and the stupidest things. I like her, but she is not as perfect as magazines try to make her. Apparently she is ‘posh’ for never looking at cameras at events. And it is ‘an uncanny ability’ in order to be able to do this. All this shows how posh and classy she is. LOL. She probably gets praised for her sneezes too 🙂
http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/574281/20141128/kate-middleton-duchess-cambridge-public-appearances-posh.htm#.VHf2EY10zIU (this is just a review of the Tatler article and more)
They must not have seen her early royal days. Homegirl knew exactly where that camera was and sought it out, staring directly at it. They are right, though, that she almost* never looks directly at the camera in recent appearances, but they are totally wrong in calling it an uncanny ability. That takes total concentration. She must know where every camera is at all times to make sure she is never looking directly at it.
*There are times when she still looks at the camera, but it’s not super noticeable anymore like she’s really searching for it or anything.
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-is-seen-leaving-the-the-news-photo/458929080
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-fans-herself-with-her-news-photo/452867470
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-watches-the-athletics-at-news-photo/452885968
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/britains-catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-smiles-as-she-news-photo/457591006
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-visits-the-tower-of-londons-news-photo/453204616
Ya, I though it was silly. She loves the attention! But I think she would be in trouble if she were to look at the camera now, as it would be considered crass to seek attention given her status. I think if it were up to her she would smile at the camera.
Oh brother, I bet being called posh just makes her day. What a waste of time and space that article was. She does so little for people to actually talk about that they have to come up with something to say about her. This was pure fluff.
There are a few great examples about Kate Middleton and her love of the camera.
Inside the taxi laughing in glee at the paps outside and taking their picture.
Crowd in Nottingham during the jubilee year. Billion pixel camera to shoot the crowd. Zoom in. Middleton starting straight into the camera.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2159265/The-Royal-Familys-visit-Nottingham-captured-huge-FIVE-BILLION-pixel-camera.html
There is also a quote from James Whittaker about how Middleton always knew where the cameras were and posed for them. One of the many reasons why he thought she was unsuitable.