146 thoughts on “Prince William loses beauty sleep to Princess Charlotte (updated)”

1. “My Carole-shaped hemorrhoid is gone!”

2. Bilby puncher hahahhaha

   1. That one cracked me up!!

      1. These two work shy waity mattress and P Willnot is so ridiculous unroyal!

         Unbelievable a Royal heir to… receiving millions in pampered upkeep, palaces and for doing nothing seems so ‘common’. Petulant is ALWAYS complaining of his privileged secretive waste of space – what next – we pay for his royal kids to come out of seclusion and meet the people and press?! HM need to get rid of … remove PW Line, then they may go off to the country or France once more. What a waste of royal upbringing. Start preping King Henry and POW hand over the Duchy to Prince (King) Harry – not William middleton km and carol middleton.

         Seem km is early dieting (poor nutrition for breastfed moms), P’ess C may be underfed (if breastfed) as was P George and his ‘constant crying’ and hunger. P George was hungry from not having proper breastfeeding due to km immediate after birth -weight loss program.

         1. That is a horrible thought that Kate is so self absorbed that she would starve her baby so it cries from hunger. I hope the nanny has been making up bottles of formula for Charlotte if this is the case.

3. I would have called her the Stepford Duchess or Doormat Princess. Prickly is a uniquely British put-down for pain in the rear.

   I’m amazed at how Kate feels she’s exempt from work because of her womb production. I hope they don’t have a third child, because she’s going to be a useless parent to two as it is.

   My caption suggestion: “I’m getting another 6 weeks of paid paternal leave!”

   1. I am sorry to jump in here, but I am brand-new to the subscription part of the blog and cannot find a way to comment unless it is on “reply.” Can KMR help me? P.S. Looking forward to commenting on this excellent blog! Regards, LS

      1. Let me look into it and get back to you.

         EDIT: Which subscription part: the subscribe to blog via email, the posts RSS feed, the comments RSS feed?

   2. If someone is called “prickly” that means they are difficult to deal with. Approach with caution! (or the prickles will get you!)

      1. Like the thorns on a rose, cactus… other stuff with thorns.

         1. It says lots about Kate if palace staff are the ones saying she is prickly – yikes!

4. LOL, the Petulant and The Silent LOL, I haven’t laughed this much in quite a while, thanks!!

5. “So, there we are, driving away after the wedding, and I knew something wasn’t quite right aaaaaaand, sure nuff, I left the bloody ebrake on the whole way. Burnt that sucker right out of my dad’s car. Wonder if he ever got that fixed…”

6. “I’M FREEEEEE….oh, wait.”

   And Kate could be digging in her heels, it seems, if sitting on her duchess butt and not working was part of the original contract and she’s refusing to negotiate new terms. Very interesting.

   1. I wouldn’t be surprised if not doing a ton of engagements, and doing even less once the two babies are born, is a part of their marriage contract. That seems like something William would do to “protect Kate the way Diana was not protected”.

   2. DM OK mag reporting HM has ordered Km ‘back to work’!! 😉

   3. Could it be that Ma Middleton is not going to let Kate out of the house until Kate has lost all her baby weight?
      I’m guessing that soon we will be treated to a photo of Kate “accidentally” showing off a trim tummy?

7. The Petulant, The Silent and the Unseen. Terrific! I needed a good laugh.

   So, Baby Charlotte is up all night. As previously asked, “Where’s the maternity nurse? Where’s Carole? What’s wrong, anyway? Don’t normal newborns of normal people have poor sleeping habits? Oh, but that’s right, Will wants to be normal only sometimes. Other times, he prefers the Royal life of nannies, baby nurses and Mother-in-Laws who are at his beck and call.

   1. I’m sick of The Petulant’s attempts at relating to normal people. We all know him and The Silent have a night nurse, and nannies, and Carole. William is not getting up with the baby in the middle of the night, you know.

8. Boo hoo, Charlotte does what babies all over the world do and she cries. At night. When her daddy is trying to get his beauty sleep. Apparently, there has been a lot keeping him up nights the past few years.

   My caption: “Yes! Eleven more days and I go to work where I can get some real sleep!”

   1. Lol, William probably is looking forward to going back to “work” so that he will have an excuse to get away from Kate and the babies.

9. Yes, I remember a big deal being made that the Petulant’s salary would be going to charity and while the Heir pays for all of the Silent’s clothing for engagements I didn’t know that the Petulant and the Silent received money to live on from the Heir as well. Now correct me if I’m wrong the receiving of money from your father (in-law) while you sit on your rear, shop and holiday means that you are a trust fund baby, right?

   Interesting about the marriage contract bit. I actually thought that they married for love, silly me. I could totally see the Petulant taking control and saying “no she won’t do that or that or that or that” while the Silent sat well…silently, agreeing that under no uncertain terms was she to ever be excepted to exert her self in anyway in the service of Queen and Country.

   1. No, receiving money from your father in law while you do nothing but shop an vacation does not mean you are a trust fund baby. Trust fund babies have their own family money to live on while they do nothing (*cough* Princess Beatrice *cough*). The Silent is even worse since she’s living on her husband’s father’s money while she does nothing.

      To play devil’s advocate: I could see them marrying for love, but also having a marriage contract saying what she will and won’t do as far as working within the RF. Just because you marry for love does not mean you don’t think and plan ahead for your roles within your marriage – especially if those roles involve public duties.

      1. I think the idea of a marriage contract sounds feasible; after all, Carole and Kate might have had to negotiate how much the delicate snowflake has to put out any more effort after exhausting herself winning the prize in The Big Game. And perhaps William was sanguine at the beginning about Kate’s reduced role in the marriage and figured he could meet any demands on her part, not realizing that close scrutiny at their activities and the court of public opinion would hound them at the lack of public duties. If any of this is true and the details get out about a contract in that future tell-all book that we’re all eagerly anticipating, all hell will break loose.

         1. Ah I wish there would be a tell-all book instead of all these puffy praising books :). I am not holding my breath though. It would be so nice to get the truth.

            1. Katie Nicholl’s book on Kate seems pretty accurate. If you read it at a certain angle, Katie sounds like she is throwing some major shade on Kate: Kate not wanting to work because William, Kate going to St.Andrews because William, Kate apparently choosing to wear only the see through skirt as a dress because she found out William was at the front row.

            2. This is agreeing with J’s post. The first time I read it, I sounded like a love in. I just reread it the other day, and got the feeling that Katie was saying “please read between my lines!!” And it’s quite revealing if you do

            3. Hmm, that’s interesting J. I haven’t read it yet, so I will keep that in mind when I do 🙂

            4. Ray, do you think I need to read it two times to ‘read between the lines’ or can I get it the first time if I go into reading between the lines? I only ask because I don’t think I can stomach reading it twice :). I read the Marcia Moody one and it was so obviously ass kissing I wanted to throw up. I thought Katie Nicholl was on team Middleton, so I am curious to see if she really is throwing shade.

            5. I think now that you’re in the know, Overit, once will be enough! I was still on a major sugar high when I first read it ;), but the cotton candy has since fallen from my eyes

10. HAHAHHAHAhAH.

    Thanks for the laugh KMR. I love your writing. I have to wonder if he ever has a sleepless night from Charlotte or if he is just saying that to try and relate to people. Will says it to show how normal he is.

    I know a lot of what is on the DM website is rubbish, but I have to wonder if there is some truth behind that article. I wouldn’t be surprised if Will promised Kate she wouldn’t have to do anything, but stay home, shop and go on vacations. Gosh, if that is true, if she becomes Queen we will never see her.

    1. I knew people who worked at the Palace and some of the press corps. You’d be surprised at how accurate the DM and Telegraph is.

       The art is to pick out the planted stories vs the truly made up ones.

       Of course we now know that the true tabloids like the mirror, sun, NOTW relied on phone tapping.

       The DM and telegraph have direct sources from within the palace, if not the actual press officers leaking information for their royals.

       It’s hard for most people to believe it because it’s the royal family and they are supposed to be above such shenanigans and or rely on the royal reporters to put out sanctioned official information, but that has never stopped royals leaking information themselves either to make themselves look good or to throw another royal under the bus.

       In my experience, any titbit like this, that comes from ‘ephraim hardcastle’ and using ‘courtiers’ is usually coming from inside the house. And it’s leaked for a reason.

       1. Also wanted to add, that the ‘showbiz’ section of the DM can be taken with a huge pinch of salt since they source that from other tabloids or they make up articles based around pictures their paps get rather than have proper journalists writing proper stories.

          The news section of the DM is very responsible in it’s reporting even if it’s coached in language designed to appeal to little englanders.

          The femail and showbiz sections are pure clickbait and to be read as such.

          1. When I read the article and I understood the “William agreed to a number of conditions” to be the restrictions William placed on the palace as to how much (few) work/engagements Kate would do.

             Both of them.

             I recall reading that even the engagement interview wasn’t a guarantee and they (palace courtiers) were grateful William did it.

             Remember articles about William telling Michael and then reassuring him around the time of the engagement that he would protect Kate and she wouldn’t suffer the same fate his mom did – the Men in Grey’s demands, palace isolation and the obsession and with little shielding from the media, etc.

             Thanks for your insight Acquitaine, one of the many reasons why this blog and comment section are so great.

             1. Hi Gie! Do you have a link to the article?

             2. Hi Gie,

                Can’t find the exact link but here’s something similar,

                http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1331605/Kate-Middleton-Prince-William-interview-Behind-scenes-account-Tom-Bradby.html

                There was a bit of persuasion.

             3. Interesting article, Gie. Thank you for bringing it up. I actually did not know that they had to be persuaded to do the interview.

                I noticed something people do often, and especially with Kate. The guy complemented Kate but gave no evidence to back it up. He said: “She has some serious bottle and is not to be trifled with.” But gave no evidence to suggest she has any sort of bottle and is not to be trifled with. All head said was she was nervous but did the interview and than said she was not good at interviews. How does that equal “bottle” and “not to be trifled with”?

             4. Thanks for the article link Gie! I had never known that the interview was not a guarantee. Of course, leave it to Will to be difficult about this.

                Also, reading the article at the bottom it said that Kate wanted natural makeup like Sophie had on her wedding day. LOL. Kate’s makeup was not natural at all. Also, it said Kate is not wearing Veneers. I thought she did, but obviously no one really knows.

                Okay, maybe it is the different cultures. But what does it mean when he keeps saying Kate has some bottle? Also, it is funny that interviews say Kate does not like the limelight. When she was dating Will she sure seemed to like the attention and always has. I think she just doesn’t like speaking, but does like everyone looking at her.

             5. “Got some bottle”?
                It’s an English expression, means she has some nerve.
                Or you could say she is not to be “trifled with”
                I do remember seeing an interview with William and Harry around the time of the London Olympics where William said Kate had a temper.

       2. Hmm, that is really good to know. Thank you. I am glad you knew people who worked at the Palace, so that we now know some of these stories are true. Why do you think they would leak that Kate is ‘prickly”? To try and get her to do more work? I wish we knew what people inside the Palace really thought of Kate. I wish you still knew people there and could find out :).

          1. Wow, the amount of coddling this woman received and continues to receive makes me a little nauseous. She is a grown woman who can’t seem to manage her own life, yuck.

          2. This article was rather sickening. How could the reporter not have recognized Diana’s ring? Come on! Also, Kate looked so very thin in the photo. As if she was starving herself.

             Oh, the sugar started back then. Kate the great. Kate the amazing. Kate the perfect wife for the perfect prince.

             Well, time has proven the reporter to be wrong about many things. Those of us here seem to have a far better take on who Kate is and how poor a Duchess she is.

             1. I know, right. That ring is fairly iconic at this point. I’m guessing they chose that particular reporter because Kate worked with his wife at Jigsaw for a bit. So he was firmly in their sugary corner.

    2. Glad you liked the post, Overit! I think he’s just trying to relate to the “normal people”, seeing as they have a night nurse, nannies, and Carole. There is no way he’s getting up at all hours of the night with the baby.

    3. Petulant seem to believe the public buys his nonsense patronizing comments!

       The night nurse or overworked nanny Maria must be slow in calming P’ess C – which disturb PW.

11. Caption:

    “Two babies!!! Yes that means I don’t have to become King!”

12. Caption:

    “And there I was rushing to meet my mate, no, bro, Harry, to tell him, ‘Dude, I’m free, I’m free!’ And that’s when Carole came in with a cuppa and a cheese toast and asked, ‘you gettin’ out of bed or what?’ “

13. My caption “Jecca is on her way back to the UK!” Yes, I’m in a mood.

    Man, he is so not hot anymore. He looks like he is in his 40s. I’m not surprised about his comments about Char. He made George look like a grade A @$$hole, so there you go.

    I love Prince Petulant’s new title. I find it quite apropos that he showed up after all of Harry’s good press. Then to find out that he is keeping his salary and has an allowance and inheritance? He needs to donate that to the charities that him and Mumbles (don’t) support.

    I will bet that he gave Mumbles a marriage contract. She is gonna have one more baby for them to complain about and she won’t work until she is POW. I am so over them. I know that it would break HM heart, but he needs to step aside. Enough with this farce.

    1. That isn’t his entire income. He also has a royal family trust fund like all royal children. The same type of trust fund like Beatrice that allows her to galivant all over the world to a chorus of disapproval from the DM. All the grandkids have this trustfund. And I suspect the great grandkids have one set up too.

       1. How much money is in the trust funds? I ask because they seem to spend like mad, so I’m wondering if/when the trust funds will run out of money.

          1. Multi-Millions. The royals set up trusts for each newborn royal within the first year of their births. No one knows how much goes in there for sure, but the money is invested very well such that by the time they start to receive an income at *25, it’s usually a high 6 figure annual payment.

             *all the trusts are set up to start receiving an income, if not entirety at 25.

             Every royal has this trust. Including the low key ones not in our faces. I suspect George already has one.

             Further, for those royals with rich inlaws, there are additional trusts from said inlaws eg it’s rumoured that the 8th Earl Spencer AKA Diana’s father set up trusts for William and Harry when they were born. Considering the aristocratic system of keeping entire estates intact for the eventual heir, I don’t think he would have set aside huge sums for them or the other grandkids however, shrewd investments would have seen the trusts grow to millions by the time they were adults.

             People always question where private money comes from as far as royal family is concerned, but apart from centuries accumulation, the rich inlaws and obsequious friends have always bequeathed money and investments to the royals eg Camilla’s Boucheron tiara + necklace, which previously belonged to the Queen Mother were bequeathed to the Queen Mother by a rich friend, one Mrs Grenville, who also bequeathed Princess Margaret a rather large sum of money (approx £20K in 1942 which adjusted for inflation works out as approx half a million pounds). Mrs Grenville also bequeathed other jewellery to the Queen Mother.

             There are many, many people like a Mrs Grenville who have topped up the royal family’s private wealth via these sorts of bequests.

             1. Forgot to add that Camilla’s engagement ring is also part of the jewellery bequeathed by Mrs Grenville.

                There is a pair of spectacular art deco drop chandelier earrings that HM has worn for afew state dinners that came to her via Mrs Grenville.

    2. Yes he definitely made George look like a terrible kid. I would have thought the daughter he longed for so much would be above such treatment but I guess not.

       HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHA She’ll work when she’s Princess of Wales. Good one, Rhiannon.

    3. Sure did – that’s all he could say of baby PG; but hey, right back at P (for Petulant) Wills – “grade A @$$hole”!

14. The reality is there really is nothing “special” about William. He IS average. Besides being born into a wealthy family – he does not stand out in anyway. His handsome youth has faded and he is a boring balding not quite yet middle aged man. Prince William’s wife has always served just William and that is what she continues to do to this day. She is not going to serve “the people”. She’s there for him. I’m not surprised there is a contract stipulating her expectations. She never worked while dating William so why would she carve out an independent life/identity while married to him? That doesn’t seem logical does it? The only difference now is that Carole and Mike don’t have to finance her expenses – Charles does.

    I would like to add – she had a baby 3 weeks ago so it’s a bit unfair of the DM to say she’s ensconced refusing to work — that would not be applied to any other new mother. So here’s a discussion question: when do you think Prince William’s wife should be expected to begin carrying out non-family public engagements? I think September 2015 is reasonable. And then I wouldn’t be surprised if September 2016 we got word that PW’s wife is suffering from HG.

    1. I think that if she worked like Sophie or Mary, I would tell her to enjoy her kids and rest. But, she doesn’t work. Diana was much younger and immature when she married and pulled higher numbers. I wouldn’t begrudge her. But, she pulls high numbers for a shirt bit and disappears.

       She’s showing folks that she doesn’t care. Which, in a way, is good. I’d rather her not show up than show up and look like she would rather be watching Jerry Springer.

       1. Rhiannon, looks like some magazine is trying to say there’s a romance with a palace staffer and Harry. Better get going girl!

          http://royaldish.com/index.php?topic=13515.4440;topicseen

          1. Whaaaaat? And you guys thiught that Kate’s death stare was bad. Wait until you see mine. He needs a woman. Not a girl, lol!

             1. I think Harry is just trying to protect your privacy dear, throwing the press off your trail so to speak. Have you decided which designer will make your wedding dress? Really shouldn’t leave that decision until the last minute you know 🙂

          2. Funny, OK is saying Harry is getting back with Cressida. That he was so heartbroken when they broke up and he’s been trying to win her back. So much so that he and Cress visited Kate before she gave birth.

             Except that it was most likely Harry who did the dumping, and He was only in the UK for 1 day before she gave birth – and he was busy with the London marathon.

             http://okmagazine.com/photos/cressida-bonas-prince-harry-dating-again-another-try-breakup/photo/1001257372/

             1. Cressida’s PR machine at work?

                That girl went from being overwhelmed at the media attention to signing autographs real FAST.

                I wonder if Harry does want her back – I seriously doubt they broke up over her reluctance because of the media.

                He’s been to her show, has been on double dates (Sex Tape movie night) with her well after April.

                Do you think the House of Windsor wouldn’t mind their own Grace Kelly? Especially with Harry getting further from the throne in the public’s mind.

             2. I think the press want another royal wedding, especially after Harry’s “I want babies now” comment (which he thankfully retracted), and Cress is the last woman he seriously dated, so they are pushing her. I doubt Cress will get the ring at this point. She wants money and fame, hence being an actress/model/fashion girl, not to be doing royal duties.

    2. Charlotte’s birth was counted as a work engagement for Kate so I’d say she didn’t start her maternity leave until after the birth 😉

       1. I see that Charlotte’s birth was listed on the Court Circular but do you really think either the Petulant or the Silent will claim that day as a “work” day? Or is the Court Circular merely saying where they were that day?

          1. Since this hasn’t happened before, we can assume that this will be claimed as a work day.

             The rules are a dynamic thing where Kate’s work number and events are concerned.

       2. I’m thinking Zac Posen or Stella McCartney.

          1. Well, don’t say yes to the dress till you’ve had a boo at Elie Saab. Absolutely ethereal creations, and I’m assuming money will be no object…

             1. Elie Saab is my favorite wedding dress designer. If I were to get married, he’d be the one I’d go for.

       3. Oh yeah I forgot about that! I even print screened the online CC and everything and was going to talk about it, but then forgot. I think it’s ridiculous that the birth counted in the CC. George’s birth didn’t count in the CC.

          1. I counted the presentation of the baby in family appearances. Same as I did for George. I didn’t see the actual birth as the event but the public appearance. And I think George’s appearance not being in the court circular was a HUGE oversight of the communications team. If there is one thing that should have been recorded – it is the presentation of a future king.

             1. It’s the actual birth, not the presentation to the press, that is counted in the CC. I was going to count it as “Out and About in the UK”, or I guess as a “Royal Family Appearance in the UK” but with an asterisk to show it should not be counted in the yearly total. I don’t think the birth or presentation of a child, even if they are royalty, should be counted as an official public engagement. I would write it down to count it as “we saw them” but I don’t think it should count in the year-end totals.

             2. I equate it to walking to Sandringham at Christmas, Riding in a carriage at Trooping, Standing and watching Order. Presenting a new baby. What do you do with walking to church at Christmas?

          2. This Article from 2013 says that George’s birth was in the court circular: (however I also do not see this in the online version of the CC – http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/CourtCircular/Todaysevents.aspx)

             http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/kate-middleton/10198870/Duchess-of-Cambridge-gives-birth-to-the-future-king-as-it-happened.html

             “16.20 The baby’s birth announcement has appeared in the Court Circular as a late entry for July 22.
             It read: “KENSINGTON PALACE 22nd July, 2013. The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24 p.m. today. Her Royal Highness and her child are both well. Signed: Marcus Setchell, Guy Thorpe-Beeston, Sunnit Godambe, John Cunningham.”
             The Circular also listed the gun salutes today for the baby which it described as the “infant Prince”.
             It read: “A Salute of 41 guns was fired in Green Park this afternoon by The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, under the command of Captain John Gibson, and a Salute of 62 guns was fired from the Tower of London Saluting Battery by the Honourable Artillery Company, under the command of Major David Daniel, in honour of the infant Prince.”
             The practice of the Court circulating a report of the Sovereign’s official daily engagements to the newspapers was reportedly started by George III in 1803.
             Frustrated at the inaccurate reporting of royal events in national newspapers, the King created the role of a “Court Newsman” whose job was to supply daily newspapers with accurate information on Royal movements – this became known as the Court Circular.”

    3. This has probably been her sop for the past four years (as well as the decade of waiting). Shouldn’t she still be fêted in spare princess sugar? The tables are slowly turning on kate (and william?).

       Someone wants the plebs to know waity is an expensive, lazy, pain in the ass. They were very specific about the yearly costs for the lamebridges. I am not surprised william is keeping the 40,000 pds. What a cheapskate. (he also married a “cheap kate” – maybe this is a match made?)

       Whenever she and wills deign to make an appearance. They always look sour/fake about it. I doubt they will change. Their future looks bleak and dull.

       Bring on Charles and Harry!

    4. I did not read the article as the DM being unfair to a woman who gave birth two and a half weeks ago. I read it as “now that Kate has the heir and the spare, she is refusing to go back to work at all”. Like, she refuses to do even the minimal engagements she did before she got pregnant and gave birth. I didn’t think it read as “Kate is refusing to go back to work at two and a half weeks, how dare she”. Of course she’s going to take some time since she just had a baby, we can all agree on that (except for a few people – one comment on the VE Day coverage said Kate should have been there, which I disagree with). But she should come back at some point. The DM article read like now that Kate has both babies, she gets to not work at all, per some sort of agreement she made with William before the wedding.

       As for how long should her maternity leave be? I’d say about three months is normal, right? I always thought it was about three months that women get maternity leave from jobs (though I’ve never had a kid and could be wrong – my Latin prof in college got three weeks because there was no one to cover our class). Kate already took five weeks off before the baby was even born, so she has about 6-7 weeks left on her maternity leave. So end of June, beginning of July she should come back. I think that’s fairly reasonable.

       1. I seem to recall from past posts that maternity leaves vary from country to country and from employer to employer. I would agree with you however that 3 months for the Silent would be more than fair. When she does go back to “work” it will hardly be for a 9 to 5 job, so even though she is back to “work” she will still be able to take lots of time off to spend with her children (read to go shopping and get hair done). I imagine she will attend royal family events only though and not take on any non-royal family engagements until at least September. Of course, her and the Petulant still will need to take their post-birth holiday, so the new nanny can bond with their charge.

          1. I wondered about the post-baby holiday myself. Since they are now living at Sandringham it’s not a “holiday” spot for them to go to. They’ve got London, Bucklebury and Balmoral to go to switch up the scenery in the UK – but I wonder if they don’t have a France or other getaway planned. You know – for July – after William works for a month and needs a break.

             1. Hi Lady, I imagine that the Petulant and the Silent will want to go somewhere warm and tropical and many hours by plane away from their children, like they did after George was born. In fact it was that trip to Maldives that soured my opinion of them. At the time Kate couldn’t take on too many engagements and none that would require overnight stays because she didn’t want to be away from her precious child but then suddenly it was okay for her to take at trip that was 8 hours away by plane and was gone for 10 days. Just so the new nanny could get familiar to the baby? I mean they had so many other options and places closer by where they could have gotten away but I couldn’t imagine being that far away from such a young baby. As you can tell it still pisses me off 🙂

          2. Yes, maternity leave varies based on country. I think the optional 52 week maternity leave the UK offers is absolutely ridiculous. Why would any company hold a position that long? They would have to hire someone new, train them, and then what, fire them after they’ve worked there a year? And what if that new hire is better at the job than the person they were hired to replace? Should that better employee lose their job to someone who has not been in the company for a year?

             I don’t think women should be fired for having a baby, nor should they feel their job security is threatened by taking maternity leave, but a whole year? Ridiculous in my opinion. 3 months is good. Maybe even 6 months depending on circumstances. But not a whole year.

             And as for Kate, yeah she spends maybe 3 hours total on her engagements (and that includes getting ready and travel time), so to do that minimal work once a week even with a newborn is not hard. Sure she can take 3 months (total, including the time she took before the birth), but there is no reason she should not be able to come back for an engagement a week after that.

             1. I agree. I think coming back at the end of June is more than reasonable considering how little ‘work’ her job actually is. I honestly think she partly is waiting to come back and make a public appearance until she is back in her normal shape. That seems like something she would care a lot about. After George she always mentioned how she couldn’t wait to get back to her normal figure when people told her how good she looked. But we also know how insecure Kate is. I am always waiting on a holiday for just Will and Kate-no babies.

             2. I’m sorry but I think it is so sad that people think one-year is too long of a maternity leave. This is why women struggle so much in this world. Yes, it’s hard on companies to have an open position for a year. You know what’s even harder? Having just given birth and needing/wanting to take care of your newborn while also working. Children change SO much during that first year. It’s crucial bonding time, and something all mothers should have a right to. Three months is not very long at all. Or even six. Think about all you have to do, along with the huge adjustment that comes along with having a new kid. Most mothers barely sleep the first 3-6 months, and MANY have to get up for regular night-feeding up through the child’s first birthday. Women also typically get saddled with most of the housework. Imagine spending 9 months with another human living inside of you, then pushing 8 lbs of human out of your body, and then spending another year trying to take care of this human and also take care of yourself. There are potential issues with post-partum hormones. Seriously though, you’re changing diapers like every other hour and doing feedings just as often for 2-3 months, and even after that, you won’t be getting more than probably 4 hours of sleep at once for another few months after that. New mothers have trouble finding time to shower, or to catch a quick nap. They also have to worry about finding suitable child-care and getting the baby adjusted for whenever they DO go back to work. And forget just the emotional stuff – like wanting to get to know your baby and watch it grow up quite a bit. Lengthy and paid maternity leave is the only fair way to compensate for the fact that men don’t have to worry about 90% of the above. Without a fair maternity leave policy, it becomes almost impossible for women who also want to be hands-on mothers to stay at their jobs, and makes workplaces even more sexist and male-dominated.
                Kate obviously does not have about 70% of the concerns of the usual mother (although we don’t know how much she actually USES her nanny – Maria being full-time doesn’t mean she’s used full-time), but still, I won’t begrudge her the opportunity to get to bond with her children. Especially since she not only has to worry about Charlotte’s first few months, she also needs to help George with his adjustment. Kate IS definitely VERY lucky to be able to take as much time off as she wants without having to worry about losing her “salary,” since even though maternity leave is up to a year in Britain, almost no mothers feel like they can actually take the whole year. But that’s not Kate’s fault, that’s the fault of a world that makes it incredibly difficult for women to be working mothers.
                Now I really don’t think one 3-hour appearance per week will hurt Kate’s ability to focus on her family. But I will always err on the side of women should feel comfortable taking maternity leave. And don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly disappointed with Kate’s work ethic, or lack thereof, so far since she became the Duchess of Cambridge. But I think it is very unfair to not allow her time after giving birth to bond with Charlotte, help George adjust, and help herself adjust as well.

             3. I agree with you Maggie, giving people the option of a year (especially given the changes and emotional and physical complications that can take place) is actually great and gets rid of another hurdle for women in the workplace. How many women end up having to wait to have children for job security and end up with the challenges of high risk pregnancies and expensive IVF treatments (never mind the toll that takes one’s body/relationship and emotions).

                The United States and PNG are the only two countries that don’t offer women maternity leave with pay – which is shocking for all the “we love our moms” craze (recent mother’s day) and equal oppurtinty women’s right rhetoric. It doesn’t have to be for a year but at least 3months.

                Back to the UK, perhaps that’s an opportunity for recent gradutates to get a foot in the door and some work experience, or someone who’s unemployed some work for at least a year. In this depressed economic state I can’t see it being a bad thing – and if it was seriously messing up their economy they would have ditched it by now… I don’t know how many women actually take a year but I reckon it would mostly be women who are a bit more well off or higher levels of management since not the entire year is paid leave.

                Kate doesn’t work so what she is on is not maternity leave, it’s just another cover for her royal-privilege-without-royal-duties lifestyle.

       2. I agree with KMR.

          I didn’t read it as “Kate back to work” but rather “Kate’s given the Palace an heir and a spare, surely the Palace is happy but no, they actually aren’t and are trying to figure out how they can get around the prior agreement without upsetting William”

       3. Say she takes two months off. Then does one 45 min engagement, then disappears for another two months. Is that four months of mat leave or does one short engagement reset the clock? I ask because Trooping of the Colour is coming up, and if she shows, you know it’ll be all “Brave Kate bravely leaves her babies behind while she resumes her royal duties!!!!one!”

          1. Just like that day in Anglesey after George was born, she showed up to show her “appreciation” to the locals and next thing you know she’s so incredible because she’s back to work a mere 8 weeks after giving birth. Big Sigh!

             1. Actually the Anglesey thing was about five weeks after George’s birth.

          2. If she showed for Trooping and/or Order of the Garter, then disappeared until Sept. I would not count her as having come back from maternity leave in June.

             1. Thanks for the correction about the Anglesey event. I agree with you as to how her leave should be counted, however I think if she did show at the Trooping and then took another month or two off, the press would still go on about how she went back to work in June.

       4. I doubt Kate will be back end of June/beginning of July.

          Remember the articles in the DM a few weeks ago about how Kate felt she went back to work too early after George (eye-roll) and would be taking a longer maternity leave with Charlotte. Well I think that was Jason earning his keep and preparing the masses for Kate’s no-show at the Trooping of the Colour.

          1. Oh I highly doubt it, too. But I think she’s only entitled to 3 months mat leave total – including the five weeks she took before the birth – which means she should be back by end of June, start of July. But she will probably not be back until November or something, if that.

             1. We’ll see them do the Christmas morning church walk holding hands for all the world to see how much they love each other.

                And if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go rinse out my mouth as that left a very bad taste in it.

             2. Or they will go do Christmas with the Midds like they did in 2012. They have Anmer so that shouldn’t happen, but I wouldn’t put it past them.

    5. Getting back to “work” for the DoC means having herself glammed by her staff, showing up for an hour or two, smiling, and then going home. After 3 weeks, unless she has medical complications, she can do that. Why have a staff of nannies and your mother living with you if you can’t handle an outing of a few hours?

       Other people have told me I’m harsh on the DoC, but I get really angry about this “maternity leave” stuff. Maternity leave from *what*?! She doesn’t have a 9-5 job. She doesn’t do anything besides enjoy a wealthy lifestyle and give babies to the royal line. If she didn’t have any help, fine, it would be different – it IS hard work to be a SAHM with two little ones. But Kate is not the normal SAHM.

       1. I agree the terminology being used for PW’s wife is insulting to folks who work for a living and are held accountable for their time.

          I would also like to point out – is anyone really in a rush for PW’s wife to come out in public and be Silent? The world turns without her.

          1. “I would also like to point out – is anyone really in a rush for PW’s wife to come out in public and be Silent? The world turns without her.”

             Ain’t that the truth!

          2. Not me LadyBlueRibbon, I’m actually enjoying the silence and the lack of gushy DM articles about how wonderful she looks and what she wears, blah, blah, blah.

       2. Touche, Liz B, you’ve cut right to the heart of it. Can’t imagine anyone will argue with that logic.

          I’ve been a SAHM with 2 under 2. My mother did not stay one night with me, nor did I require her help on a regular basis. AND, I was a decade younger than DCamb when I was having babies (without the comfort of nannies nearby).

          Great wealth is good for many things, but maybe not for emotional development and maturity for those children of privilege. The York girls are just as bad, imo

       3. I agree.

    6. Amazing how old he has become so soon – for such wealthy, pampered spoilt lifestyle filled with many ‘gap years’.

       The middletons surely aged PW – he seem to be chasing his dad aging. Bring on King Henry!

15. William’s income doesn’t mention his private Royal family trust.

    It also doesn’t include the tax payer contributions eg covering all public expenses and living rent free in public buildings, the parts paid directly by Charles eg office staff and private staff.

    I’d say the figures quoted in the article above are the minimum income he (they) have to spend annually.

    And KMR…..this post was so funny. Can we call them your nicknames from now on? Pretty please with bows on top?

    1. Yes. The names are sticking.

       And I noticed the article failed to mention that they don’t have to pay rent on their 10 bedroom Anmer mansion nor their 22 bedroom KP mansion. And that all their million dollar refurbishings have been paid for by others.

       1. Good points, but Anmer Hall is privately owned and a gift from a grandmother to her grandson, so no reason anyone should have to pay rent in that situation. And KP is 21 rooms total, not just bedrooms. It’s obviously very, very large (and as you said, rent-free), but 22 bedrooms would be humongous.

          1. I wonder who’s paying for Anmer’s upkeep, property taxes and utilities.

    2. … with km exorbitant +30k wardrobe cost in a single year – and so few meet/greet events.

16. It’s good to see him out working, I guess. He is sooooo boring…..lets get back to Harry (please)!!! It looks like he is just checking the box; time to smile, time to make a joke, time to talk about PG/PC, ugh so frustrating!!! William do the world a favor and stop just showing up for a photo op! My take on the caption – No one ever listens to me!….you think!!!

    1. Spot on! More Prince Harry please.

       Petulant is a waste of security cost/time from AH with PW*km, wear and tear on the expensive royal autos, cost to the public hosting the visit – not worth the investment.

       1. @CrazyAMG, there’s something called “responsibility”. Don’t know if you heard about it.

          @Doolittle, does that even make sense at all?

17. This is old news someone here knew about it?

    https://m.facebook.com/notifications.php?refid=7#!/groups/465757166883914?view=permalink&id=671399809652981&ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_r2j_approved

    1. The link does not work for me.

       1. You have facebook?

          1. Yes, I have Facebook, and the link does not work.

       2. This is from a group in facebook called kate middleton its not the next princess Diana
          The old news:
          “This is a copy and paste from an article from The Mirror of the UK. Kate Middleton ISN’T a lovely person. She’s an evil, racist, slave owner! The Middletons are disgusting social climbers.

          An investigation has ­revealed that the firm’s popular party toys were made in Mexican ghettos by children as young as FOUR and their parents.
          The party firm run by Kate Middleton’s parents is ­accused of selling goods made by child labourers on just 10p an hour.

          Carole and Michael Middleton’s Party Pieces offers pinatas – ­colourful cardboard figures filled with sweets – on its website for around £12.99 a time.

          But an investigation has ­revealed that the £30million company’s popular party toys were made in Mexican ghettos by children as young as FOUR and their parents.

          Last night Party Pieces responded to the claims on Twitter, saying: “As a responsible retailer we take the allegations seriously. We will work with our suppliers to investigate these claims.”

          The firm sells 40 types of pinatas, which are popular for children’s parties. Created in a range of designs, from lions and castles to Minnie Mouse, the toys break open spilling out sweets when hit with a stick.

          But life is far from fun for the families who put them together in shanty towns surrounding the Mexican border city of Tijuana.

          They work in their own homes which means they are not subject to Mexico’s minimum wage of around 49p an hour, according to newspaper investigators.

          They lose a chunk of their ­already-tiny earnings because they have to pay for the materials to make the gifts.

          The operation in Tijuana is run by Javier Perez Quintero, who claims to be an executive working for huge American party goods company Amscan.

          Amscan supplies the Middletons’ firm and other British ­companies, including supermarkets such as Tesco.
          Quintero has an Amscan email address — but ghetto families have to buy the materials for the pinatas from a firm he runs, called Baja Pacific Paper.

          It is not clear whether this is an Amscan subsidiary.

          One family agreed to talk about life making party toys destined for Party Pieces, which has made the Middletons ­millionaires.

          Maria Villegas, who lives with eight family members in Tijuana, said she and her relatives worked for 12 hours a day last week to make pinata rockets, getting less than 19p an hour between them.

          She said she needed the work to feed her one-year-old baby and son Omar, four, who also helps her make the toys.

          Her neighbour Monica revealed she relies on the help of her son Jonathan, 18, and daughter Stephanie, five, who chips in after nursery school by sticking on barcodes and labels.

          “We are nothing more than slaves!” said Monica, who works 10 hours a day, seven days a week.
          “It is so unfair! So much work, so little money! But I need any money I can earn. My husband is a building labourer and there isn’t much work.”

          Other workers in Tijuana said they earned as little as 10p an hour for producing items shipped to Britain via a chain of distributors and sent out across the country via Amscan’s depot in Milton Keynes, Bucks. Party Pieces was founded in 1987 by Carole ­Middleton after she gave up her job as a stewardess with British Airways.

          She and Michael built up the firm and it now employs more than 30 people, including their daughter Pippa who edits its online magazine.

          Kate was a part-time buyer for the company before she married Prince William. The firm helped make the family wealthy.

          Their children were educated at Marlborough College, where fees are £27,000 a year. Before Kate’s marriage, her parents bought her a £780,000 flat in Chelsea.

          The family’s regular holiday haunt is the paradise Caribbean island of Mustique, from which they and Prince William have just returned.

          While Party Pieces investigates the allegations, there have been increasing concerns in recent years that complex supply chains mean that customers do not know where the products they buy come from.

          Joseph Zepf, Amscan vice-president, said the company “endeavours to comply with all laws and regulations, especially those relating to wage ­requirements and working conditions, and categorically denies any inference or allegation to the contrary.”

          1. Yes, I remember that article. That is on the Middletons, though. What her parents do in their company is not on Kate. She does not run that company. If her parents use child laborers, that does not mean Kate is “an evil, racist, slave owner”. It does not even mean her parents are slave owners. None of them own slaves. Using child labor is not the same as owning slaves.

             1. @katemiddletonreview is right. Don’t confuse. People might think bad of her when she doesn’t know of what we’re talking about.

18. Please, this guy REALLY needs his beauty sleep… I guess we can blame Georgie 😛 hahaha bc boy, he looks old. He looks like Prince Edward’s twin.

    Anyway, I guess he keeps talking about having a hard time with his children to sound very hands-on-parenting. Yeah, whatever Wills.

    1. I still can’t figure out what happened to William. He was a good looking child and young adult, then BAM middle age set in. It’s not just that he’s lost his hair. He is stodgy. Just looks about 50 or so. This happened way before George’s entry into the world, so he can’t blame this on lack of beatify sleep. Men usually age so much better than William. If they exercise, keep their alcohol intake low and enjoy life. William looks like he’s given up. Maybe, it’s his association with The Meddletons. They’d age anyone.

       1. You can buy party paper plates in the supermarket. We have paperchase and Clinton cards. Possibly Hallmark. You forgot the beard. I cannot remember if the beard was 2007 or 2008. It looked awful. William was hot when he did the publicity when he was at St Andrews.

    2. I would say Prince Edward looks better than Will.

    3. William does not strike me as a happy man. There is always someone to blame for his misery – the press, Harry, even his father sometimes. But by him releasing his engagement to Kate as a fait acompli to his family, he has put himself squarely in a corner and has no one else to blame except himself. I wish him a happy life though, whatever that entails.

       1. Agree!

          PW fakery is taking a toll – its as if km carol the middletons are sucking … and he is rapidly aging – sad. We all know its not from a hectic schedule (actually, if PW (km -if not divorced) become dedicated to royals duties role – his life appearance would be so much better).

          Hiding at the toff is draining/boring and he may be allergic to kids.

          1. “as if km carol the middletons are sucking …”, “Hiding at the toff is draining/boring and he may be allergic to kids.”

             OK. That was rude.

19. We should have done a poll about how long until Will bitches about his children.

20. In no way do I believe that the nursery is anywhere near those two wastrels.

    1. In “big houses” the nursery is always on another floor. Has William got really good hearing?

       1. Seriously! And didn’t they admit to hiring a nighttime nanny for Charlotte? I doubt William is getting up multiple times a night for feedings.

          1. I am sure that no matter how tired Whingy is, Nanny Maria is feeling 100 times more tired.

             1. +1

             2. I remember how fried she looked when they landed in NZ.

                It later came out that The Silent had slept most, if not all the journey, which left Fraulein Maria in sole charge of George for entire flight.

21. There’s an article in this week’s New Idea saying that Carole and Michael Middleton are divorcing. Fiction or fact?

    1. I have not read that yet, I will have to get it tomorrow.

    2. Not a surprise given the rumors about Mike disliking Carole’s overbearing tactics. This is the natural next step in the rumor mill. Naturally, I’ll believe it when I see them walk out of divorce court.

    3. It may be fiction based on previous rumors about them, or they may actually be meeting with divorce lawyers and whatnot, but until there are legal docs filed it is not a provable fact. I would not be surprised if it happened, though.

    4. I think there’s too much at stake for the Middletons to divorce – all the bad PR that would garner, on top of their daughter’s current unpopularity, and all the bad press of late. If they can bide their time with William, this wouldn’t be anything new to them, unless Carole and Mike intend to marry to the gentry themselves to hasten the process of getting those rather elusive titles they have been coveting all along.

       1. Considering they’ve staked their image on a stable divorce free family image, they will grit their teeth till death parts them.

          1. ‘They’ no – Carol, not Mike.

             Mike seem fine if he is left alone doing what he does in buckleberry. I don’t think he realize (and may be shocked) of the extend of carol s-climbing…

             Yes, a few mags mentioned divorce. P’ess C KP visit was a huge surprise on both their faces.

          2. So much ado has been made about William cherishing the “tight knit, stable family life” the Middletons give him. If Carole and Mike were ever to divorce, I think William and Kate’s marriage would be in serious trouble, too.

22. Ok, so what if Mike and Carole divorced? I assume Mike would get Party Pieces and Carole would get the kids — the kids meaning, Will, Kate, George and Charlotte.
    BTW, I only took a glance at the Party Pieces website a while back and just looked again today. Are they kidding? The stuff is horrible. Don’t they have Hallmark Stores in the UK? They have more interesting and prettier party decorations at any Hallmark shop in any shopping mall in the U.S.

    1. William’s main reason for liking the Midds so much that he married their daughter was because they had a normal, stable family life which he wanted so much. That stability is based on Carole and Michael’s marriage; if they get divorced, what will happen to Will and Kate? Kinda sucks how (if rumors are true) that they are getting divorced because of their daughter’s marriage. If I was Pippa or James, I would bash Kate’s face in the mirror. I can’t imagine what it feels like for your family to be torn apart because her sister is incapable of doing any wife-y duties other than opening her legs.

       But then again….the divorce thing is just a rumor.

       1. Why would you bash Catherine’s face in the mirror? :/

23. The birth of Charlotte accounts for an official engagement by Kate and William. That makes no sense. And, George’s birth was not considered such?

    Well, labor is work, but come on!

    I’m speechless.

    1. So was conception listed as an official engagement, too? This is really scraping the bottom of the barrel now.

       1. OMG, Feeshalori, I’m dying! But why stop there, what about each attempt to conceive prior to actual conception. They may have actually been the hardest working royals this year, haha!

24. Speaking of Petulant’s overnight stay in London…..He was apparently spotted at a cinema in Fulham in London. Considering how many of his chums live in that area, i’d say this was more than just a cinema outing.

    My caption for him: ‘i’m free!…free at last!!!

25. Caption: “The game changer! Yeehaw!”

26. I don’t really like how William the Petulant, badmouths his children. Nothing like low self esteem for them. I wonder why William does that. No photo of George with Charlotte yet or the four of them or five if you count the dog? I think William is avoiding going back to Norfolk with all these duties suddenly. Kate doesn’t have much of a charitable side does she. Goodness knows what the children will make of these two useless role modes whilst Carole is bringing them up as ordinary kids.
    I think Michael Middleton is the only one with no agenda. It would ruin Carole’s mirage of a happy family if the rumours were true. Pippa needs to marry ASAP in that case.

    1. How are William and Catherine acting like if they have useless role modes? Both work hard to maintain their children. William has been busy these days, as well as Catherine maintaining them. They now have a photo of George and Charlotte together and maybe they’re planning a family photo someday (Who doesn’t?). I don’t think William is avoiding them. It’s shown that he loves them. If not, then they wouldn’t live peacefully with their parents. If Catherine wouldn’t have a charitable side, then we could not see her working in charities.

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