61 thoughts on “Royal Round Up: Queen Letizia, Crown Princess Victoria, Countess Sophie, Princess Charlene (updated with some Duchess Kate)”

1. Kate “keen” to work…bah!!

   The other royal ladies continue to lap her on the work detail.

   I agree, Victoria’s boots are not the best she can do. I love the pictures of them at the ice skating event. They are obviously a very happy family. You can’t get kids to fake that.

   Sophie continues to make me really like her. As for speaking, she has real world experience in actually talking to people about things because she worked. Had Kate not just sat around waiting for the phone to ring so she could whisper her post accented sweet nothings to William she might not be so insecure, and bad, at speaking just a few words.

   And Charlene has officially shown up Kate by returning to work almost immediately. She looks so happy and I’m very happy for their family as well.

   Okay Kate, time to put up or shut up.

   1. Estelle stole the show (again) at the figure skating, IMO. Her faces are great. She seems like a really happy kid.

      Re Charlene, we’ll have to see if she’s really returning to work or if she just came out for this event because it’s for the Patron Saint of Monaco and she kind of had to.

2. The work related comments concerning Kate seem to follow the same pattern each time. If she is not going to make an event, the word comes out about how “desperate” she was to attend and how “disappointed” she is about missing things.

   Now, she is “keen” to resume her work. What work? They need to come up with some new words. The old list of go-to words have grown tired and are not longer working.

   1. You’re absolutely right. She’s always “keen” or “desperate” to work whenever she’s going into a stretch of no engagements, and “disappointed” whenever she misses something. But then she never actually does anything.

3. I saw the article about Princess Charlene in the DM and the pictures they had were great. I have to say motherhood certainly agrees with Charlene, she has never looked happier or more relaxed.

   While I can see why Victoria’s boots aren’t your favorite, they sure do look comfortable to me. The pictures of little Estelle are so cute. You can tell that she is apple of her parents eyes. Does anyone know why Victoria always wears her hair up in a bun? I can’t remember the last time I saw a photo of her hair down.

   I liked that cream coat on Sophie, her fashion sense has certainly improved over the years. I do wish her and Camilla would give Kate lessons on the art of the short sound bite. Just saying something, anything meaningful about a charity, a little quote the press could use would go such a long way in improving the public’s knowledge about a particular charity.

   Lastly Leti, I love how that woman dresses! When I saw her in those loafers I have to admit that wasn’t my favorite Leti fashion moment but wow did it highlight how tiny she is standing next to her husband. I saw an a piece in the DM that showed her walking with one PPO to an engagement that was held close to the palace. I thought wow, here is the Queen walking to an engagement, how much more down to earth can you get.

   I’ve noticed that Kate is always “keen” to do her charity work when she hasn’t worked for some time. If she’s so “keen” to do her charity work why doesn’t she then? It’s like I’m keen to lose 5-10 pounds of baby weight and my kids are 27 and 29 :). I really don’t care if they hire another nanny or nurse, as it appears any type of “work” just doesn’t appeal to these two. Also, it would be nice for George to have someone around who actually enjoys him, not like his parents who are always complaining about him.

   1. Oh yes, i hate Vic’s hair up in this bun! 🙁 Always the same hairstyle, i don’t know why! Doesn’t she have a personal hairstylist for her engagements? 🙁

      1. I have almost always worn my long-ish hair “up” because I get hot quickly and start to sweat “(perspire”). Maybe that’s it?

      2. I would love for Vic to do a half-up/half-down style. I do tire of the bun, but I love her to bits.

         1. I like Victoria also, she has a very sweet little family, but sometimes her clothing style is boring and always her hair up … because of it she looks so harsh or severe!

   2. Agree with the “hair bun” issue as well. A good hairstylist can give her a good wash and blow or a nice chignon or something. It makes her look so severe sometimes. But Estelle, she is sooo adorable. And she has such a good relationship with her parents. I somehow don’t see George being like this with Will and Kate…

      1. That’s because we haven’t seen George with his parents for a while….

         1. The last time we actually saw George with his parents in not a staged photo was the polo match in June 2014. Wow it’s been a really long time.

         2. I think we’ll see one soon after they return from Mustique, if not one of them at the airport with baby in tow. Classic damage control. Criticism of W&K? Give the public a photo of the baby, bread and circuses.

   3. I’d take Victoria’s bun over Kate’s hair all up in her face any day.

      I just think Vic’s boots are really clunky and that’s why I don’t like them. I don’t like clunky shoes.

      I really do think motherhood agrees with Charlene, and it’s great to see her happy.

      1. Whereas, I’m really clumsy, so clunky-heeled boots would be the only ones where I wouldn’t snap the heels when I trip.

   4. Please, parenting is a very difficult job, but I do get tired of all the comments about Kate being so busy with George since he was born. Now, the info about the baby nurse.

      I was raised by a divorced mother who worked 50 hours a week. From the time I was 10 years old, I took charge of my sisters, 2 and 6 years old. I grocery shopped, cooked, cleaned, ect. In my spare time, I sat for neighborhood children, including a family with 5 children, an infant girl and her four older brothers (all under 8 years old).

      I realize full time parenting is completely different from staying with children 50-60 hours a week, but if Kate had been given a lick of responsibility as a child, she would be able to handle responsibility in the present. No wonder she looked like she had never held a baby when she left the hospital.

      Some people think Kate will stop having children at these two, but I think she will have four like C.P. Mary. It will give her some more excuses to add to her pile.

4. If the rumors are true and Kate and Will are hiring a maternity nurse, I think that proves that Kate has emotinal issues and just cannot cope without Mummy. Sad.
   Loved the photos of Victoria with Estelle. She loves that child. You can tell.
   Also, Charlene does look happy and relaxed. Her smile said it all. She has found peace and enjoys motherhoodl
   Leti? Such a beautiful face, but oh, so thin. She looks very unhealthy, if you ask me.

   1. Oops. Forgot to say how I admire Sophie.

   2. I hate to bring this up, but I wonder if Leti has breast implants. Because she’s super thin everywhere except her breasts. They may be naturally very large and her body may be naturally very thing, but it seems disproportionate to me.

      1. The Royal Court has admitted to Letizia modifying her nose before. They claimed it was to help her breathe better I think. It doesn’t mean that she did get implants though.

         1. I believe that about her nose. If it had been for cosmetic reasons, she would have done it before becoming a television journalist.

   3. I agree with you about Kate having emotional issues. I think Will was sold a bill of goods about her close family, but has discovered it is not an emotionally healthy group.

      It is controllingly run by Ma, the borders are blurred between members and no one knows where the lines stop. Little is required, except what is done only to get to the next rung on the ladder.

5. I don’t begrudge new mom’s having help. But it does make it sound like Kate does very little, even with her kids. I would love to know how she spends her days. Wouldn’t it get boring just shopping all day?

   I like the pant suits that Letizia has been wearing. But if the camera adds 5-10 pounds, wow, she is skinny!

   I love reading posts about the work that Sophie does. It makes me sad to think that when Charles becomes king, Sophie won’t be working royal anymore. I think of all the royals (not including the senior royals – Queen, D of E, Charles and Camilla), Sophie and Anne are really two of the most hardworking.

   1. Hi Bookworm,

      I think Sophie, Edward and the other siblings and spouses will continue to carry out royal duties. Really who does Charles have to help with work load, Will, Harry and Kate??? I don’t think so. The Queen utilized her cousins until her children starting taking on royal duties. However, I don’t think Charles wants their children to have significant royal roles.

   2. Well, Charles may change his tune about cutting off Sophie and Edward. After all, who is going to do all these engagements? I think we have long since established that Will and Kate don’t care and/or don’t have the “stamina” to do 4-5 30-60 minute engagements per week.

   3. I think Kate must be bored out of her mind if all she does is lounge around and shop and vacation at the beach. Maybe she has a hobby we don’t know about? Eh, who am I kidding.

      Actually the hardest working royals are always Charles and Anne. But Sophie does do a good number of engagements and has outdone Camilla the last two years.

      I agree with Lauri and fairygodmom, I think Charles will change his mind once he realizes that Will and Kate aren’t going to be the hard working royals people think they will suddenly turn in to once they are Prince and Princess of Wales. Charles is going to need his siblings to help out. Plus, Anne wouldn’t know what to do with herself if she had to stop her engagements.

      1. True. I didn’t look up the numbers before I posted. I’ve always wondered about Charles’ stance on trimming down the number of working royals and whether it had anything to do with Prince Andrew and his daughters. Prince Andrew has gotten a bad reputation (currently for his personal life) but before then for being Airmiles Andy.

      2. The rest of the current working royals are aging rapidly (P&P Michael, Glouchesters, Kents), but should be allowed to work as long as they can. They’ve served their time and should be honored for it, not thrown out.

         Andrew should be kicked out. I was thinking Charles would keep Anne, Edward, Sophie – they’d be grandfathered in. The slimming down would be that none of their children (or Andrew’s) would become working royals.

         The working team would be: Charles, Camilla, W&K, H+spouse, Edward, Sophie, and Anne (because no one is going to stop Anne from working). Ten more years, Anne would be 74, E&S (60) and getting ready to retire. Harry’s kids (if he has any) will be raised like Zara and Peter – to be independent and not working royals.

         1. Prince and Princess Michael aren’t working royals.

            Why wouldn’t Harry’s kids we working royals at some point? I understand that Charles will have Ed, Soph, and Anne to help out, but at some point they will retire and Charles can’t think only W&K, their kids, and Harry and spouse can pick up the slack (Especially since W&K don’t like working and will raise their kids to not like working). And what happens when Will is king? Is it just going to be W&K and their kids?

            1. If they rely on W&K and their kids doing all the work, they should just end the monarchy now. It won’t happen.

            2. lol exactly.

            3. That is the model being put forward.

               When/If Charles is king, team will be Charles, Camilla, W&K, H+spouse. Monarch’s siblings (Edward, Sophie, Anne, and maybe Andrew) as working royals unless Charles can figure out how to dump them. None of the monarch’s nieces and nephews will be working royals (Peter, Zara, Beatrice, Eugenie, Louise, James). Extended cousins will be retired from service.

               When/if William is king, team will be William, Kate, their kids, Harry and his spouse. Harry’s children (monarch’s nieces and nephews) will not be working royals.

               Didn’t realize P&P Michael weren’t working royals. Thought there was an interview with her about KP rent and royal work. They show up at things like state dinners, which I would have thought counted.

            4. I just don’t see how 6 people are going to carry out the 4,000 engagements the RF does every year, especially when 2 out of the 6 are extremely work-shy. Or when/if Will is king, 4 out of the 6 are extremely work-shy (because W&K will totally teach their kids to be work-shy). So either Charles and Will are going to need extra help from other royals (Charles’ siblings, Harry’s kids), or the British public just won’t be seeing as much of their RF as they do now.

               Prince and Princess Michael do attend state banquets, but they are not considered working royals, which is why they have to pay rent for their KP apartment (which is a new-ish development because there was public outrage when they found out two non-working royals didn’t have to pay rent), which is why Princess Michael keeps shilling her books.

6. Loved this post. Estelle is so sweet. These women all have their own unique style that is amazing. You can tell that they wear clothes versus the clothes wearing them. That’s Kate’s issue: her clothes wear her as she seems devoid of personality.

   Vic, Leti, Charlene, and Sophie bring a unique perspective and depth to their roles. They work, not do a job. As far as Kate and the nurse, I can’t.

7. I understand why Kate would want a live-in maternity nurse. Carrying for two small children is a lot of work. If she and PW had difficulties caring for just PG, two would be very difficult. Its a nice perk to afford one, so if they can, why not. I love CP Victoria (although her booths are to clunky for my taste)! She really seems to have it all together. Albert still seems creepy to me….love Charlene!

   1. The problem I see with W&K getting a maternity nurse is a PR one. As in, they’ve tried for years to be “just like us” and “keeping things modern” and “doing things their way”, instead of just coming out and saying they are royals and they do things a certain way and they want a maternity nurse because they can afford one. It’s the “actions are different than the image they try to portray” thing that annoys people. If they were just honest and up front about things it would be different, but instead they try to have it both ways: have the good “just like us/doing things their way” PR while using all the available rich people perks that every royal has always used. No one would care if they had a nanny, or a maternity nurse, if they didn’t shove the “hands on parent/doing it for themselves” PR in everyone’s faces.

      I totally agree about Victoria’s clunky boots. That’s why I dislike them, because they seem way to heavy and clunky.

      1. I also agree, the boots aren’t my favourite!

      2. Exactly. Everyone expects them to have a nanny (or 2). Just be upfront. Don’t pretend to be hands-on parents that change diapers and are up for 2 am feedings when you are not even anywhere around your child.

         1. I’m totally with you on the maternity nurse. Kate is so lazy about her responsibilities and appearances. Lazy about caring for her child and future one, too. Yet, we are supposed to believe she’s a hands-on mother. William a hands-on dad. I don’t think Kate has the emotional strength to be a hands on mom. Truly, I don’t.

   2. “Carrying for two small children is a lot of work. ” Except W&K don’t do any of it. William disappeared for the first six months, Middleton admitted it herself. He is away from them as much as possible. She went home to mummy, nanny and night nanny in tow. They have full-time Nanny Maria plus probably at least one night nanny. All cooking, cleaning, house up keep, correspondence, shopping, organizing, bill paying — the running of a household — is all done by other people.

      All Middleton does is dump the baby on the nanny, go shopping, go to the hairdresser, go shopping, play with the baby for an hour, then he runs back to Nanny Maria. Cooking lessons. Flying lessons. Anything but working or caring for the child. The contrast in photos between those with Kate and the baby vs. Nanny Maria with the blissfully happy baby show the real story. Caring for two small children is hard work – and Bill and Kate do none of it.

      1. Totally agree with you!!!

8. What I don’t get is they say Kate wants to be a stay at home mom. Yet she has all this help, so one wonders what she really does with her time. Then this story comes out saying she is getting more help, so that she can focus on her charities more. Except, she has made it clear that her charities are not her priority. Everything is a contradiction with them.

   One thing I don’t get is why do you need a maternity nurse if you have a nanny. Can’t the nanny help with the baby so Kate can get all the sleep she needs? With a nanny and maternity nurse, I don’t understand what there is left for Kate to do? She has the easiest life.

   1. I said this above to AMG, their PR is all wrong. It’s the fact that they say she wants to be a stay at home mom and care for her children, and then they hire a ton of help that’s the problem. If she’s going to be a stay at home mom and that’s the reason she’s not upping her workload, then why does she need so much help? And if she has so much help, why can’t she do more engagements? I hope Jason turns things around because W&Ks PR has been so stupid the last few years.

      Nanny Maria will be too busy trying to keep George from punching Baby 2.

9. In Asia, where I stay, it’s common for new moms to hire a maternity nurse, or a confinement lady as we call it. Basically they look after the nitty-gritty that comes with a newborn ie cooking special food for the new moms, doing the baby’s laundry, sanitising the baby stuff such as drinking bottles etc, so that the new mom can devote her time to bonding with her newborn and breastfeeding. The confinement lady is usually hired for a month, or two months tops. After that, new moms have to do everything by themselves, while holding regular 9-5 jobs. But our Duchess here – what 9-5 job eh?!

   1. Who pays for the confinement lady? Do the moms pay or is it some sort of government thing? Because I’ve never met anyone who has had a maternity nurse/confinement lady because no one I’ve ever met could afford one.

      1. The new parents pay for it. It’s affordable in Asia, and it’s almost like a must too for most families. Even with grandparents around to help during the first couple of months, a confinement lady is still hired. Usually these are ladies who are above 50 years old and are former midwifes with loads of experience caring for newborns.

         1. Interesting. Different cultures.

10. Love seeing these other ladies, as usual. Thanks!

    Daily News has pics of the Mustique vacation. Pippa’s saggy tits and assets in a teeny bikini, Kate in a beach cover up that is inexplicably more modest than many of her public dresses, Wills in the dorkiest neon-green shorts imaginable, and PG Tips being adorable and stealing the show as usual (walking avec Kate and Nanny Maria). It’s been a long day, and I want to be amused -I hope Wills throws a fit over the pics. Heh.

    1. Hi Faye,

       I just saw the pics…yikes the girl in the pink bikini needs to find one that fits better. I actually thought Pips looked okay in her suit and I did like Kate’s cover-up, she should wear it more often 🙂 I do wonder though if W&K spent any time together or was he always enjoying himself with the adults while Kate (actually Maria) kept George entertained?

       Thanks for the heads up about this!

       1. Yeah, that girl in the pink bikini -yikes! I don’t think it’s body-shaming to say a one-piece would be way more flattering.

          I do wonder how much W and K interact on vacation. Although I guess it’s hard to find quiet couple time when your whole in-law family is there (and paying for the trip).

          1. Or even a bikini with a bit more..um.. coverage.

          2. She’s not a girl, she a grown woman. Anyone 18+ is a woman, let’s not infantilize.

       2. That girl in the pink bikini just needs to pull the bottoms out of her ass and I think she’d be fine. Though it probably is a bit small.

    2. Do you have the link, I cannot find it on daily mail (they have too many stories). I am waiting for William to get super mad at someone for them.

       1. Link is here

          http://m.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/pippa-middleton-flashes-bikini-bod-caribbean-getaway-article-1.2100723

       2. I found it on the NY Daily News not the Daily Mail.

       3. Dm dont publish the pics yet

          1. The correct is
             Dm not yet published the photos

11. KMR have you seen that? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2937176/Why-Charles-worried-march-Middletons.html
    I think that people at last begin to see that William is more Middleton than Windsor…

    1. Thanks for the link, Lily! Included it in my post about the Mustique photos.

       1. You’re welcome 🙂

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