Royal Round Up: Kate, Sophie, Camilla, Silvia, Letizia, Maxima, Mathilde, Victoria

British Royals Camilla Duchess of Cornwall Crown Princess Victoria Fashion Kate Middleton Middletons Queen Letizia Queen Mathilde Queen Maxima Sophie Countess of Wessex Swedish Royals Tiara Event

Royal Round Up: Kate, Sophie, Camilla, Silvia, Letizia, Maxima, Mathilde, Victoria

by katemiddletonreview95 Comments on Royal Round Up: Kate, Sophie, Camilla, Silvia, Letizia, Maxima, Mathilde, Victoria

Royal Round Up! Lots of stuff this week with a bit of Kate Middleton, a bit of Sophie Countess of Wessex, more tiaras from Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and Queen Silvia, Queen Letizia kept busy, as did Queen Maxima and Queen Mathilde, and there’s a little bit of Crown Princess Victoria there at the end.

The Goring Hotel posted a photo to their Facebook page of Kate Middleton painting on their wall during her visit for their 105th anniversary. Apparently a white-gloved butler brought the paint brush to Kate on a silver platter carried on a red pillow. Because royalty can’t use normal paint brushes, you guys, they need special silver-platter paint brushes.

According to this Daily Mail article, Carole and Michael Middleton have moved into Anmer Hall and have taken over the responsibilities of the housekeeper and gardener husband and wife that quit recently (while they help look for replacement help) – Carole is running the household and Michael is overseeing the gardening. Interesting bits of info from the article: 1) Anmer Hall has 100 rooms? (this DM article says Anmer only has 10 bedrooms, so what are the other 90 rooms? Or did the first article mean to say 10 bedrooms and there was a typo?); 2) Kate “has endured another difficult pregnancy” (eyeroll) and “has been ‘tetchy’ and can only be truly placated by her mother” (lol, cling to those apron strings, girl); a “family friend” says the baby is due around April 25. One question: Who is running Party Pieces while Carole and Michael are tending to Anmer/Kate for the next few months?

Kate Middleton Goring Hotel 105th birthday painting

Speaking of Kate, you know how she’s going to visit the Downton Abbey set next Thursday? Well Sophie, Countess of Wessex visited the set last Wednesday with the First Lady of Mexico. This is not the first time Sophie has met the cast of DA, she’s done so a few times now.

Camilla at State Banquet for Mexico Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf at Reply Dinner in Finland

The Tiara Tour LIVES! Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall also attended the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday wearing the Greville Tiara/Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara. She’s also wearing her Royal Victorian Order and her Royal Family Order. On the second day of the Sweden/Finland state visit, Wednesday March 4, the Swedes held a Reply Dinner where Queen Silvia wore Queen Sophia’s Nine Prong Tiara. Also on Wednesday, The Lord Mayor of London held a banquet for the President of Mexico where his wife, Gilly Yarrow, and the Duchess of Gloucester both wore tiaras. The Duchess of Gloucester wore her Turquoise Tiara and Mrs. Yarrow wore her own tiara.

FINLAND STATSBESÖK

Speaking of Queen Silvia, while in Finland earlier this week she confirmed that Princess Madeleine is due to give birth to her second child in June however she insists that Maddie will be at Prince Carl Philip‘s wedding on June 13, so Maddie is probably not due until late in the month. Also, Silvia wore this beautiful green skirt suit and matching beret upon her arrival in Finland. Can I steal this outfit? I want one.

Queen Silvia in Finland 2

And speaking of Camilla, she (along with Prince Charles) was present for the ceremonial welcome of the President of Mexico earlier in the day on Tuesday, March 3, having visited Mexico as part of a tour last fall. Cam looked pretty in a nice purple coat and dress underneath, with a matching feather-covered hat. She wore two purple and orange flower brooches which I love.

Before Queen Letizia showed us the bling on Monday, she, alongside King Felipe, welcomed the Colombian President and his wife to Spain on Sunday, March 1. For the welcome ceremony, Letizia chose a dress by Oky^Coky that she previously wore in 2012. It may look like a skirt and a blouse, but it is actually all part of one dress. Leti wore a new Felipe Varela black crepe wool coat, nude Magrit pumps, and pearl and diamond earrings.

The Colombian President and his wife held a reply dinner on Tuesday, March 3. However, unlike the Swedish reply dinner, this one was much more relaxed (so no tiaras). Leti wore a black, double-breasted Felipe Varela tuxedo dress (second photo below). It’s really short, like well above the knee. I’m not a fan of the tuxedo-dress thing in general, and don’t really like this on Leti. Leti accessorized with her Lodi “Sara” black and burgundy pumps, a new black clutch with gold band (the Nina Ricci Arc Clutch $1,200), and new gold dangle earrings. She wore her hair in a fake bob, which I am also not a fan of. Not a fan of this look overall.

On Thursday, March 5, Letizia attended a ceremony at the Spanish Senate to mark World Rare Disease Day, as Honorary President of the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases (FEDER). The theme of the ceremony was “Living with a rare disease: There is a gesture that changes everything”. Letizia gave a speech, saying in part (transcript here): “A country with strong science is a country that progresses, it moves, which allows its citizens to live better. Investment, public and private, in scientific research is always profitable, always convenient. Today more than ever, we repeat here that research is a prerequisite for progress in all areas.”

Leti rocked her BusinessQueen style repeating an outfit she wore last November at the 75th anniversary of the CSIC: a red blazer and floral print blouse by Mango; black trousers; and black Carolina Herrera heels. She switched up her earrings this time, opting for the Links of London Hope Egg earrings.

Letizia and Felipe with President of Colombia and wife to start visit Letizia and Felipe with President of Colombia and wife before El Pardo reception Letizia at World Rare Disease Day 1 Letizia speaking at World Rare Disease Day

Here’s Leti showing her human side while greeting a child who suffers from a rare disease at World Rare Disease Day.

On Thursday, March 5, Queen Maxima opened the Maxima Channel (a new waterway) wearing a black and white patterned dress from Natan and beige hat and gloves. Then on Friday, March 6, Max attended a meeting of WOMEN Inc., and the 35th anniversary conference of Nibud (National Institute for Budget Information) where she gave a speech, saying in part (transcript here): “Research shows that we as consumers are much less rational than we think. At the same time, our financial environment is increasingly complex. So it’s good that Nibud holds up a mirror and gives us guidance. So we get a better handle on our own wallets.”

Queen Mathilde is still hobbling around on crutches, getting her work done, attending a conference on Ebola in Brussels on Tuesday, March 3. She even traveled to Washington, D.C. on Friday to attend a symposium to give a speech about ending violence against women in conflict, saying in part (transcript here): “Sexual violence in particular has been used throughout history as a weapon of war. The incidence of such attacks increases when conflicts or crises displace adolescent girls from their homes. To make matters worse, families and communities may consider that violated girls are a dishonor to their families.”

On Wednesday, March 4, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel visited Östersund where they visited the Östersund football club. There was an afternoon full of visits, which Daniel attended alone as Victoria had to drop out due to the flu.

Victoria and Daniel visit Ostersund

Photos: The Goring Hotel Facebook/video screengrab/Kungahuset/Getty/Casa de S.M. el Rey


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95 thoughts on “Royal Round Up: Kate, Sophie, Camilla, Silvia, Letizia, Maxima, Mathilde, Victoria”

  2. Great round up, thanks KMR! Nothing has been going on at Harry-ville other than him quitting the military and the fake Emma&Harry stuff. I miss him, lol.

    LOL at Kate. I do understand that sometimes in terms of difficulty, we would want our parents to help us out. But considering that they run to Carole and Michael all the goddamn time makes me wonder if those two are capable of standing on their own two feet. They’ve done it during college, why can’t they do it now?

    1. Also, I’ve read comments that it is suspicious that so many terrible rumours have been started about Kate. People wondering if it is another smear campaign by Charles. Hope not.

      1. Hi J.,

        What terrible rumors are you referring to? If it’s the ones we are talking about here, then I wouldn’t say that they’re terrible, I mean it’s just C&M moving in, not like she’s having an affair.

        I do wonder if this is Charles’ passive/aggressive way to let W&K know that he’s not happy with only seeing his grandson infrequently. He obviously can’t talk to Will directly so he has his staff talk to the media. Hmmm….

      2. I don’t think Charles (or Charles team) needs to be making up stuff to smear Kate, she seems to be making the mistakes all by herself.
        I must say though, after the past few months Kate is showing she could have an alternative career (if she gives up Princessing) as a mural painter? All she will require on the job is a servant to follow her around with a paint brush on a silver salver? Oops, sorry I forgot to mention the red velvet cushion?

    2. As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge prepare for the arrival of their second child, Catherine’s mother Carole Middleton is said to be throwing her weight around, sharing her opinions on “everything from child-rearing to housekeeping” as she stays with the couple at their Norfolk residence.

      And apparently that’s why William was so quick to put his hand up for a recent royal visit to Japan and China.

      “Carole really gets under William’s skin,” an old friend revealed.

      “He just moans about her all the time and keeps asking when she’s going home. But Kate likes having her there – and that’s the problem.

      “The only saving grace about having Carole around is that she’s quite a good cook – but the trade-off for all the grief isn’t worth it.”

      Just read this off: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/67129640/will-prince-harry-meet-his-kiwi-bride

      kinda seems doubtful, but idk. idkkkkk

      1. And if he doesn’t find love in Australia/New Zealand, there will be a slew of articles about him finding love in South Africa or getting back with Chelsy. I really feel sorry for the guy. There are a lot of women who are going to throw themselves at him and the really good ones are going to run rapidly in the opposite direction.

  3. Love the wrap-up KMR! Mathilde is stellar, she might start a fashion trend of knee braces. I’m wondering what Kate actually painted on the wall. Everything is so deferentially scripted it’s nauseating. This latest effort to make it seem like she learned something other than “50 ways to screw your way to the top,” (sorry for the vulgarity) by attending lecturer Monica Lewinsky and skyped in by Sofia Helquivst is pretty pathetic. She could paint George’s nursery and share that since she doesn’t want to share her son. Silva looks beautiful with her tiara. The SRF jewels history is very interesting. There is speculation on another site that Sofia might chose the 9-prong for her wedding because of its history, but it’s doubtful she’d want to battle the inflexible base. However, she’d get points for pulling it off if she could, and it looks better on brunettes.

    1. I hadn’t thought about which tiara Sofia might wear for her wedding. I think Silva and Victoria both wore the Cameo tiara for their weddings but Maddie didn’t. I don’t think this 9-prong tiara would really work for a wedding, it’s simply too big. I’ve heard it described as the Moose Antler Tiara :). It will be interesting to see which tiara Sofia choices.

      1. I think Moose Antler Tiara would be very appropriate for Sofia, but she may make me eat my words and not only wear it, but wear it well. She has a little head, but if she anchors it right, she could look good taking down her kill at the alter.

    2. ““50 ways to screw your way to the top,”… by attending lecturer Monica Lewinsky and skyped in by Sofia Helquivst”

      HAHA that’s great!!

      I doubt Sofia would be allowed to wear the Nine Prong seeing as Victoria and Madeleine haven’t even worn it. The Nine Prong is a Queen-specific tiara.

  4. I’m so happy to see the other royal ladies get it right while Kate continues down her clinging path. This thing with her parents moving in just has me so disgusted.

    Bravo to the round up and to the royal ladies who are women and get it right. Kate and William both need to grow the hell up. (Excuse my language)

    1. As soon as I read the bit about the housekeeper/gardener quitting, I figured it wouldn’t take long for C&M to move in. With two huge and expensive palaces K&W can’t really run off to Berkshire after the birth of the spare, people would just explode, so they are getting the next best thing have C&M uproot and come to them.

      1. Sugar/ You guys are so mean! Kate’s just a young girl, she’s not even forty! And she’s only been married for four years, she needs time to catch her breath and figure things out. Princessing is hard! And she’s the only woman in the history of the world to have a toddler and a baby on the way, no wonder she needs her mother. You guys would crumble under the pressures Kate faces on a daily basis, she’s so brave, and she’s yet to put a foot wrong. Please examine your own jealous and bitter hearts before posting your vile comments. /sugar

        Ps: I mean sugar as in the Kate sugars, Not Sugar the individual commenter

      2. Since they kicked out a charity and spent millions redecorating it, I’ve never heard Kate and William stay at Kengsinton Palace. Did I miss something?

          2. W&K&H’s staff occupy part of Diana’a old KP apartment. Apts 8 and 9 were split back into two apts in 2011 I think, and their team work out of there.

  5. Thanks KMR for this royal roundup! I really liked Max’s look this week, the printed dress with beige accessories was spot on. I liked Camilla’s purple outfit, she sure does like those big, feathery hats doesn’t she? For me, sometimes she goes overboard with them but she can pull them off pretty well. I agree with your comments about Leti’s tuxedo, faux bob look it’s not her best. However, it was nice to see her human side, we don’t get that very often but it’s beautiful when we do.

    Is it just me or does Mathilde look older than she is? In my opinion, her seemingly stiff hair do just ages her. I’d love to see her something softer and looser.

    I just don’t know what to say about all the recent news regarding Wills, Kate Carole, Charles, et al. While it’s great to have a close family relationship, it seems that C&M are the only friends that Kate has. And William seems eager to turn any child rearing duties over to someone else. I hope that by the time William ascends the throne, people won’t be completely fed up with these two.

    1. I think Mathilde has always dressed and styled herself older than she is, to downplay the 13 year age difference between herself and her husband.

      1. She is, however, still a very beautiful woman. She has the most lovely face and warm smile. I’m really applauding her for diving into such a hot-button topic as wartime rape as it is a very important issue that have been ignored far too long with the argument that women are always raped in war.

        Silvia alsways know how to rock a tiara. I don’t think I’ve seen her in a tiara that didn’t suit her though the Nine-Prong really isn’t my favorite among the many gorgeous Swedish tiaras.

        I love Camilla in purple – and she is IMO the only lady who can pull off those overloaded Edwardian-style hats.

        I’m kind of laughing about Kate’s visit to the Goring – a paintbrush presented on a silver platter and a red velvet pillow! I don’t think that the Goring could be anymore pretentious if they tried. I guess that’s why the BRF likes the hotel so much.

        1. I do think Mathilde is lovely and very good in her role. Some of them are able to take on these controversial/political topics (MT in Lux also takes on FGM and war zone violence against women and girls). Camilla works on comfort kits for rape survivors, so we know the BRF can address more difficult things if they want.

          KMR, I’ll take the suit from the other lady in the Finland photographs. I don’t know about her gold shoes and orange purse. Maybe the fabric is a black tweed with gold and orange flecks?

        2. Mathilde had me when she ribbed Hollande about his affair with Julie Goyet.

          Totally agree about Camilla. She can rock the hell out of a hat.

        3. I don’t know why people dislike the Prong tiara. I think it’s pretty (and big with lots of diamonds, always a plus). It’s not my favorite (that would be the amethyst), but it’s way better than those button tiaras.

          1. The button tiara is undoubtled the ugliest tiara in the possession of the SRF!
            I’m partial to the Baden Fringe, the Cameo, the Amethyst and the Connaught. There is also a very nice art deco tiara (the Vasa) in the extended family.

          2. I love the Baden Fringe as well. It just seems so light, unlike a lot of other fringe tiaras.

          4. The Baden Fringe really suits Victoria. I hope she ditches the Button Tiara and wears the baden more often. She can also pull of Princess Lillian’s very tall wreath tiara and that is an exceptionally difficult tiara to wear.
            I have very mixed feelings about the Steelcut Tiara. However, Victoria has worn it to great effect, especially with the taupe Elie Sabb dress that gave the whole ensemble a wonderful napoleonic “look” that really suited the Steelcut Tiara, which is from that era.

            Queen Silvia wears the Connaught Tiara very well and that is another tiara that is diffuclt to pull off in this day and age. It is a belle-epoque loop tiara and it is very tall and large since it was made in an age when women had some really big hairdos.

          5. At Madeleine’s wedding, Victoria’s hair (with Lilian’s tiara) was one of those “Nobody does tiara hair like Sweden Does Tiara Hair” moments.

            http://royalweddings.hellomagazine.com/imagenes//madeleine-of-sweden-chris-oneill/201306101391/royal-wedding-hair-make-up/0-8-325/recogidos-2–z.jpg

            https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/db/bc/37/dbbc374f05a262fed5a7414c34b97afc.jpg

            Was Lilian’s tiara a private/purchased gift from Bertil, or was it something he inherited and gave to her?

          7. The Swedish royal ladies do have the best tiara hair. The SRFs hair stylist ought to give a masterclass in tiara hair.

            CP Mary also has some very nice tiara hair (though I wasn’t keen on her wedding hair). Her hair stylist was actually an official commentator on the Danish broadcast of Will and Kate’s wedding and he wasn’t impressed by Kate’s hair. He said someting anlong the lines of “if you marry into an ancient royal house, you ought to make an effort”.

  6. What a great round up! I decided that I want Maxima or Leti’s wardrobe. All the ladies look lovely. It’s amazing the good that you can do when you are in the spotlight. While I know that the Dorchester is quite posh, I find it ostentatious that Kate was given a paintbrush on a silver platter.

    1. It may be that they’ll keep and frame the paintbrush for commemorative reasons. That horrible animal print coat she wore to christen a ship last pregnancy? It is now on display on the ship (so much for re-wearing that piece of maternity gear).

      I looked for a picture of that coat on display and found this instead. Nice and classy in the middle of an engagement. Maybe she needs to read Sandra Bullock’s speech about using a tissue.

      http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/pc/Catherine+Duchess+Cambridge+attends+Princess+Kqk5CeECngKl.jpg

      1. Lol and eew at that picture!! I mean, no one has a hankie? I found that coat to be horrid and her makeup was caked on. I would love to hear about Sandra Bullock’s speech.

        2. Oh yuck, thanks for the visual – I will not be able to get both those images out of my head today!
          My rather snobby grandmother used to say “breeding will out”. Looks like it is too true in the Goldsmith/ Middleton household? (you don’t have to live in a castle to have good manners, it can be taught anywhere!)

      4. They put that animal print coat on display? Why? It’s not some iconic piece of clothing, it’s just some normal coat that I’m sure a lot of other women have. How pointless.

        1. But Kate, the Maternal Goddess who lived through the ravages of HG and dragged herself to the ship to christen it wore it!!! Come on KMR you know it’s a holy relic now. King George was behind that very coat!

  8. Having trouble posting. I write and hit comment and nada. So, here goes again. If this is a duplicate post, I apologize.
    First off, thanks to KMR for another wonderful roundup. Leti is amazing. The photo of her with the little girl who is ill was so touching. Now, there’s a Queen with a heart.
    Maxima continues to exude beauty, grace and a sense of purpose. What a lady!
    Camilla surely has wearing a tiara down pat. She looks great in her diamonds.
    As for Kate and Will welcoming the Middletons into their home: Well, now Carole knows how to get what she wants, doesn’t she? I know that all new Mums want their Mums around for help and support, but Kate just will never grow up, will she? PC and Camilla must be irked beyond belief.
    And, where,oh where, is Harry?

    1. Hmm… usually if a post doesn’t show up right away it’s because it went into moderation for some reason, but there weren’t any posts from you in moderation. I don’t know where they went.

      I’m not sure what Harry’s been up to. He hasn’t done an engagement for a while.

      1. I think he was told to lie low while William was overseas so he didn’t steal what little thunder he got.

        1. The gossip / rumor / story about Harry possibly leaving the military bumped William’s trip out of the news, though. Still no confirmation or denial from the Palace.

  10. I do feel that Carole has made a mistake by moving into Anmer as the housekeeper. She will now always be viewed as “the help” and as downstairs staff (even if they are the ones telling the other staff what to do?). Will she take kindly to guests asking her to do things for them? And will Kate be reclined while Carole pushes a vacuum cleaner round?
    Who is running Party Pieces while Ma Middleton works as a house keeper and Pa Middleton works as the gardener?

      1. Bluhare, I agree with you. But I don’t think that Carole realises that even though the butler or housekeeper may be the boss of the staff they are still regarded as “down stairs staff”.
        The housekeeper or butler would never sit down to dinner with “those upstairs”.
        For example Carson would NEVER sit down to a meal with Lord Grantham!

      2. I agree. The Midds have a history of asking W&Ks staff and bodyguards to do their bidding, so I’m sure Carole tried to order the staff around, and frequently since she’s been there a lot. And the staff got tired of the BS and quit.

    2. But that’s the thing! I don’t for a moment think Carole views herself or would describe herself as a “housekeeper”. She probably sees herself as a Chtatelaine, a decision maker, a female head of house, overseeing the details while Kate… Does whatever. By calling her Housekeeper, and Mike a gardener, the Daily Mail are throwing massive, massive shade. Deliciously so.

      I actually think this deserves it’s own thread (KMR?) but there have been a slew of articles in the lat few days. William effing up with the elephant sanctuary (did you guys notice the Fail journo dropping by for story ideas? From a blog?). Charles doesn’t see George because of Carole. Charles doesn’t see George because of William. Now Carole is an unpaid servant in a royal household. I am fascinated by this turn of events, what do they mean? I can’t wait to see Kate with the Queen later this week. Should be good.

      1. True!! I find it weird they couldn’t keep stuff hushed up. I’ve come to realize that anything that have the words : “Charles complained” is definitely from Charles spreading stuff up.

        Especially parts with Carole in it. I do wonder if it’s Charles’ doing.

        1. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s Charles. He doesn’t want to take a chance that he’d get skipped to be King. It’s in his blood to cut his own son’s throat if necessary for the throne.

      2. @ Red Snapper. Noticed. Definite uptick in negative press; Jason is a fail so far– we did tell him to keep reading this blog for free data mining, but he scooped the cream issues like Lazy Kate and meaningless Will, and left the rest. Stupid is as stupid does. I think the press is majorly PO with Will for all the years of hate and the latest legal threats and is gunning for him, carried on a public wave of people who look down on him being stupid or weak enough to be scammed by the Midds. Here’s where he burns as Di’s son. He has her same neediness; in her, it came across as girlish- her vulnerability, yet work ethic endeared her to millions. In a guy, this just comes out as weakness which no one will respect, and as Will showed with the elephant visit, he’s all stage manage. He’d better find some castanets. That goes for Kate too.

          1. Will knew about or should have known about the elephant being used in a derogatory way from the numerous articles before the visit, if he reads. If he lives in a spoon-filled bubble, I’m right about him needing better management.

      3. There really have been a plethora of articles that present Will and Kate in a negative light. I’m not sure if this has been posted yet or not, but this is an article talking about how it’s William keeping George from Charles. It’s interesting that the article is pro-Carole as just a caring mother, but throws William under the bus.

        http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2983575/Just-stopping-Charles-seeing-grandson-week-Mail-revealed-Prince-says-hardly-sees-George-friends-blame-Carole-Middleton-does-real-answer-lie-William-Kate.html

        What is going on behind the scenes? I think it was alluded to before that Will doesn’t have the greatest relationship with Charles, and articles like this seem to reinforce that idea.

      4. A post about the slew of negative press would be good. I’ll get that going.

  11. Cathy,

    So there are speculations about the Middletons controlling W&K? This move will certainly add more fuel to that.

    I love Camilla’s suit. But sad thing is, she looks older than QE.

  12. Not surprise that Carol has taken over Anmer! The Middletons must be checked by HM and PC!! Has PW been brain washed? This seems to be over-reaching by Carol and Mike….I don’t get why this is being allowed! Carol is not only raising a future King, she also has complete influence/control over another!

    1. The staff just quit and they needed someone. The sensible thing is for HM to send some from her castle temporarily. Or maybe they could not spare anyone hence K&W truly needed someone.

      Idk

      1. The staff originally came from HM. They left after 5 months. They probably told the other staff at Sandringham the chaotic nature of working for W&K. No one else was willing to leave the calm workplace of HM for the chaos at Anmer.

  13. Everything people said about carole is certainly true,She really has no business running that home, that is mostly kates job, everyone said kate is not fit for her role, and its getting worse, if she cant manage her husband, her home, what can she do for this country nothing!! Even william looks suffocated by them, hes surrounded by midds, where is his family or friends?!!

  14. So I know Kate was an art history major, but does anyone know if she actually has any artistic skill? That major doesn’t require it but with these two paintings it’s made me wonder if she can paint/draw at all? I figured she was an art history major because that’s the Mrs. Degree

    1. Once again I have to point out the Art History isn’t a Mrs. Degree! In fact, I have never met anyone during my studies in both Denmark and England that has used the study of art history as a way to catch a rich husband!

      It is in fact a comprehensive and rigourous field of study that require not only a broad knowledge of art through the ages (one of my exams required that I had an overall knowledge of 4000 years of art history), it also requires knowledge of sophisticated theory as well as knowledge of at least French and German besides English.

      I really have no idea of why so many people in the English-speaking world seem to think that art history is a unserious, fluff academic field studied by slackers and women wanting a rich husband. This is not “Mona Lisa Smile”!

      1. ArtHistorian, you raise good points, and I think that’s what has so many scratching their heads. I’m sure that St. Andrews taught a rigorous education so why not have her show it off a little by having a speech at the British Museum or somewhere else? A special unveiling, QE special exhibit that Kate hosts, something. All we get to see is her twitch her paintbrush like a Harry Potter wand, and I’m sorry but Expelliarmus isn’t going to disarm criticism if all she can do is paint squiggles. As you’ve deftly pointed out, she should have more depth than just a toned and ever-ready body.

        1. I wouldn’t go to St. Andrew’s for art history, they don’t really have any big names and the interesting research comes out of other universities in Britain. I took my MA degree at the University of Leeds, which have an excellent art history and cultural studies department and a really famous professor, who is just brilliant.
          Bristol, York and Newcastle are also good places – so is Goldsmith and the Courtauld Institute in London. In fact, the really interesting and cutting-edge research doesn’t really take place in the posh old universities, at least not in art history.

          In the US, Colombia, Stanford and Chicago are good places. Yale has a really excellent art history program and their own art museum to boot. I actually toyed with the idea of applying for a Ph.D. there but it is too far from home and my mother is very ill.

          1. I would also add that the demands and requirements are different from country to country. An English MA is far less demanding than a German or a Danish degree.

            An English MA is only one year with four 10 pages essays and a 30 page disseration. My Danish MA was 3 years with two oral exams, four 30 page essays and a 100 page dissertation. Furthermore, the English degree didn’t have the same language requirements as in Denmark where we were expected to read texts in German and French.

            Each system has its strengths and its drawbacks. In England, there is less time but it is very intense and they offer smaller classes with longer hours whereas in Denmark the classes are larger and there aren’t as many courses so it is much more geared towards independant study.

      3. ArtHistorian,

        At least Kate “studied” at the same university.

        My background is in the medical sciences. I used to see girls “studying” in the medicine faculty libraries all the time. A lot of them didn’t even attend my university. My brothers told me stories about girls gallavanting in their engineering library.

        One of my highschool friends “studied” economics/business at the same university as I went to. To this date, I don’t think she owns any degree but an MRS. The minute she got an engineer with an MBA, I never saw her at the university again.

        It’s laughable but you gotta do what you gotta do to get a husband.

        1. Can I ask where you come from? Because it is quite unusual for young women not to pursue a career, marriage and children at the same time here in Scandinavia. In fact, people tend to look a bit askance at women who are not employed – furthermore, most households need two incomes because Denmark is an expensive country to live in. I also think that people are older when they get married and have children than in other parts of the world.

          When I studied in Copenhagen there were quite a few older married women with wealthy husbands and grown-up children who studied art history (as well as some retirees). However, I never had any problem with it because the institute got money per student and these women were never going to pursue a career in a limited field, so it was a win-win for those of us who were pursuing a career.

          1. Hi Arthistorian,

            I am a Vietnamese-Canadian. There are still populations and I have to admit a lot in the asian communities that still think this way.

            I don’t want to name specifically what ethnic/cultural background in fear of starting a war but it is pervasive. A woman would get into a high profile field like pharmacy, dentistry or medicine. She would get her degree and in the meanwhile catch a husband who is of equivalent status or higher. Once that’s done, she works only part-time at the most and finds joy in it.

            I’ve seen this happening with my some of my own classmates. Everything was planned right at the moment they entered university. One is married to a doctor, one to a dentist, one to a pharmacist. One couldn’t find any good enough so solo she stayed until now.

            My girlfriend went to the same highschool with them and she described to me their “oh, I see” reaction when she told them that her husband is an engineer. :))

          2. Beatrice,

            Thanks for your reply. I asked because attending university in order to find a husband is simply such a foreign concept to me.
            I guess things differ greatly according to countries and cultures.

    2. She may have a degree and I know she went to a really good school, but I seriously wonder if she truly earned that degree like her classmates. Same for William. Anyway, to answer your question, she painted a wicked little snail on her trip to Los Angeles with William. At least that what’s she said it was. And Art History as a major is no joke. I loved my art history courses and did very well in them, but they required a ton of focus, memorization (we regularly had tests that involved slides and identification, etc.) and Kate can’t even remember to curtsy to HM so I wonder how she managed them.

      1. I do think that she earned her degree. I have no reason to believe otherwise – why would a prestigious university award an unearned degree to a young woman who just happended to be the girlfriend of a prince? She certainly got accept on her own merit and that would indicate that she was perfectly capable of earning her degree.

        Whether William was eased through is another matter entirely since he is the heir to the heir and it would be highly embarrassing to the BRF if he failed. However, it would also be very damaging to the university if they gave him an unearned degree and it came out. They would lose a lot of prestige.

        1. I go back to what I originally said, which is, IMO some of her recent functions have featured her painting, ie her Art History degree. If her PR is trying to combat the negative press of Kate being an airhead with an empty degree, these functions aren’t helping because they prove she has little skill and nothing to say. If her degree (and I looked it up on the St.A website), focuses on gallery/museum, ok fine, then have her as I suggested, host a specially pulled together exhibit that she should be able to say something knowledgeable about, or have her attend a gallery and connect in some way. But that doesn’t happen, so it leads many to say she was there to get a MRS degree. No one is downplaying the intelligence or difficulty of working in your field. “Why would a prestigious univ award an unearned degree?” Because her parents paid tens of thousands for her to attend and she was the girlfriend of the prince, plus probably paid St.A tutors helping her through, nothing wrong with that but shows what a clinger she and family were. What do you think Will was doing on Mustique? Hiding away from press while being tutored for his flying exam. He’s not really tan even though they had the very papped shot of W/Midd crew, so what was he really there to do except study. Kate was tan, and remember all the TLC she got from the lapdog media that she didn’t want to hurt the baby with chemicals, but UV from the sun is just dandy.

          1. Art History is an academic field, not a practical one. Fine art is generally not part of an academic art historical curriculum. Some universities have fine art degrees as well as art historical ones, Leeds where I studied had both degress in art history, cultural studies and fine art.
            Otherwise, an education in fine art can be pursued at Art Academies.

    3. At my university one had to take several art classes as prerequisites just to minor in Art History, not even major in it. Not sure what the curriculum is like at St. Andrews, but I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Kate had to take a few art classes for her major.

      However her snail she painted during the LA tour wasn’t exactly what you’d call great.

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