OMG Duchess Kate is going back to work! Kind of. Maybe. Kensington Palace announced this morning that our long lost royal recluse, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, will make an appearance on September 17 at the Anna Freud Centre to see their work in children’s mental health care.
The Anna Freud Centre is a children’s mental health charity focusing on reducing the burden of mental health difficulties carried by children and young people. The Anna Freud Centre brings knowledge from neuroscience and social science research to help children, young people, and families find solutions to their difficulties by putting the child and their family at the center of their own care.
Kate and her team are really doubling down on children’s mental health. Does this mean children’s mental health is Kate’s big cause now instead of children’s palliative care? Did they make this change due to the fact that Kate still cannot correctly pronounce the word palliative? Or will Kate focus on both? What ever happened to Action on Addiction?
I wonder how many appearances Kate will make between this one and the State Banquet in October. She’s got to get a good amount of them in there if she’s going to take her Mustique holiday in November.
Photos: Place2Be / video message screengrab / Oliver Dixon/Imagewise via Place2Be Facebook
Oh my stars! Kate’s getting out of the house?
The only surprising thing about this is that her pr was telling the truth about her taking on engagements this autumn. They lie so much that it could have gone either way.
The tabloids are saying she’s pregnant again. Just in time for her to take to her bed with HG.
“The only surprising thing about this is that her pr was telling the truth about her taking on engagements this autumn. ”
Lol, I know right.
Which tabloids are saying she’s pregnant? I read about the bookies slashing odds for a 2016 announcement and a 2017 baby, but I didn’t see where they actually think she’s pregnant now.
EDIT: I found it. It’s OK quoting Star. Two things stand out to me:
1) ““Kate has the Queen’s blessing to forgo royal duties for at least two months, until she overcomes the threat of sickness,” the insider said.” – Kate has an appearance in two weeks and the State Banquet in October. So she’s clearly not taking the next two months off.
2) ““She always insisted she wants four children before her 36th birthday,” the insider said.” – Every report that has mentioned how many kids Kate wants has said she wants 3, not 4.
We’ll wait and see I guess.
I figure it’s bunk because the headline I saw said that she’s canceling seven appearances. Kate has never had seven appearances scheduled at one time in her life, aside from the tours.
She gets out of the house plenty. Shopping, hair dresser, shopping, personal trainer sessions, Wimbledon.
This will be a new patronage no?
Somewhat unrelated: hate all you want on Kate’s fashion but her shoe game is on point. I hate the designs people have been coming up lately—those Valentino stud shoes looks ugly to me. Kate’s shoes are always very classic, a but boring yes, but very wearable.
Re this becoming a new patronage: Lots of people thought Kate would become patron of the Fostering Network after she visited them, but that didn’t happen. I could see this becoming a new patronage since her people are really pushing the children’s mental health cause, but it could just be a one-off.
Re Kate’s shoes: Kate has several pairs of shoes that I like. My main problem with Kate’s shoes is that she has 15 pairs of black suede pumps that are so similar you can barely distinguish them. No one needs that many pairs of black suede pumps.
Not a fan of the valentino studs but would never think Kaye has great shoes. She has a few nice suede pumps and I’ve seen some nice super high-heeled sandals (Louboutin?) but then the cork wedges of doom and the nude sledge – that we’ve seen more than enough, amazing I can’t remember the name – kind of ruin it all. Yeah, her shoes: boring
Like everything Kate related…
I’m a fan of Mary’s and Letizia’s shoe collection.
Kate has amazing shoes. What really made me realize this was looking on facebook My Small Obsessions page, specifically the “Duchess of Cambridge shoes ID’s and few ufo’s as well” album. Kate has worn A LOT of shoes throughout the years and I don’t even think this is all of them even by far. Must be nice to own that many beautiful shoes….
If Kate has that many shoes then she could dump some, like that tired pair of scuffed boots and the scruffy boat shoes she wore to Ben’s America’s Cup non race.
Yes! That’s a pet peeve of mine. Take care of your shoes regardless of how much they cost. Scruff looks yucky.
I keep having this recurring vision of Kate huddled on the floor of her closet in a large pile of jeggings while Her Majesty is standing in the doorway with a biscuit gently trying to coax her out… I guess it worked.
OMG, if it takes the Queen having to sweet talk Kate into doing something then what hope for the British Royal Family? If that is what happened then Imo that will fed Kate’s ego even more.
I have a vision of Ma Middleton as a Bond villain scripting the whole thing… “tell them you will only attend if HM asks… “
HM probably told her that she would give her some shiny new jewels.
Except Kate seems to prefer her dinky little jewelry to big, shiny things. She didn’t look comfortable in the Nizam necklace and didn’t really pull off those emerald and diamond earrings in NYC.
Yes, Kate is overwhelmed by statement jewelry and barely styles her hair accordingly to showcase these pieces. She may as well stick to her exorbitant, overpriced miniscule jewelry, but if she attends that state banquet in October, hopefully she’ll get her hair game on if she’s wearing a tiara.
Kate in an up do? any tiara she wears will be fighting with dozens of hair clips (bobby pins) on view. Yikes!
Or maybe she lures her out by promising free tickets to her parents and siblings to royal events.
Or Charles said, “Of course I will pay for the tennis court. And here’s the Duchy charge card for you to buy all new clothing for your 1 hour of work.”
and those arms and hands, geez soo rough and big looking geez !!!
Funny how things look in pictures, but if you saw her in real life adam, I’m pretty sure you’d be like “Oh…wow. OK, I take it back”.
I always thought Kate’s hands looked out of proportion to her body. Maybe just an illusion/maybe that is why she always carries a clutch. I love KMR….so much fun to ask questions to see if others perceptions/ideas are like or unlike your own. I am getting addicted to MKR….should be out doing something to make the world a better place LOL but here I sit discussing the size of snowflake’s hands!!! What fun!!!!!! Thanks to everyone who shares my escape from laundry, cooking, etc. by reading all your posts! ( saving me from the sugars too!)
I think that if Kate was the size her body was meant to be naturally then her hands wouldn’t look so huge, I think it’s because she is underweight most of the time that her hands look big. This was most noticeable to me when she wore that black dress with the silver thingy clawing its way over her shoulder, on video clips and in photos her hands looked out of proportion to me.
Thanks Elizabeth! Glad you enjoy the blog! Re Kate’s hands: I agree with Cathy that it is probably due to her size. If she were a bit heavier her hands wouldn’t look so disproportionate.
Kate’s hands remind me of how Sarah Jessica Parker is so tiny her hands look big in proportion to the rest of her.
All I can think is that the negative responses she’s been getting are beginning to hit home and they are trying to show she really does work. Hah!! We’ll see how long it lasts. And she also needs to counteract her two upcoming island vacations – oops, I mean one vacation and an official tour. As for her shoes, I think she could step up her shoe game without going into the ridiculousness that is some shoes out there today. Dull and boring and not properly maintained.
A+ for work. I’m glad she’s getting out there. But, I question this. Princess Mary is lapping circles around her in this genre. All this will be is lip service. She will stay less than an hour, look concerned and bored. She will have glossy hair and the sugars will be happy. Let her do 10 more of these then I’ll applaud. Oh, and contribute versus being a mannequin.
While it’s good that she’s visiting a charity, when she starts goes beyond making a token appearance or two then I’ll starting giving her A’s for effort. The bar is set so low for this woman that she gets applauded anytime she sticks her nose out of her cubbyhole doing what she should be doing in the first place.
Mary has been making the rounds a lot lately. Kate would have to do a tour in order to make up all the work Mary has done in the last month.
Kate going back to work? Kind of. Maybe. So funny, KMR.
Well, she’s stepping up her game, I see. This appearance and the State Dinner at Buckingham Palace. My goodness.
I hope she is sincerely backing this cause and interested in working on behalf it. Obviously, there’s an interest there. Hopefully, I must add.
Wow, I forgot that photo of her televised appearance on behalf of children’s mental health. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Frightful. And, the photo in the pink dress? She looked really old. For all her time off and seeming to lounge around, she doesn’t take great care of her skin, does she?
Or was that deer caught in the headlights a televised spot for Children’s Hospice? Whatever, she looked terrible. It’s sad that she cannot relax and be genuine in such situations.
The screengrab was from the children’s mental health week video message released in May.
Thanks for the reminder, KMR.
Really, I hope that Kate is sincere in her efforts and that she does step up her game. It would be nice to see a more caring, interested Duchess. People are really losing hope and wouldn’t it be great if she started to prove them wrong? Am I dreaming?
If you’re dreaming then so am I. I really want Kate to succeed. I’m constantly disappointed because I constantly get my hopes up that she will get better. I really do want her to turn things around.
It really would be nice to see a major turn-around from Kate.
Not eating healthy and adequate food and smoking takes its toll
When I watched this video for the first time I was so distracted by her poor posture that I didn’t hear a word she said.
Lol me, too. Her posture was very poor in that video.
But she needs the posture to convey her, “I an really trying to look like I am caring and give a sh*t” look. It would not look as good if she were sitting up straight. She wants us to believe that she is earnest.
All that she does is come across as someone who wanted to get the h*ck out of there as fast as she could and has no idea of how to speak in public. Time to get your game on Kate, you have been in this job for four years now, time to learn how to speak properly.
The Middleton women all have terrible skin – all of the tanning and drinking probably don’t help. And the extreme weight loss just makes it all more obvious. But also I don’t think it’s fair to say Kate looks terrible in that one video – she was pregnant! Pregnancy wreaks havoc on your body (and tires you out), and you can’t use half of the products you would normally use to make yourself look better. So yeah I guess she doesn’t look great, but it just seems a little mean to point that out about a pregnant woman.
Some women look better when pregnant. They glow! I do agree that it’s mean to judge a pregnant woman, though.
Love this blog!!
Thanks, Jane!
Hi, Jane:
We all love this blog, too!
KMR, thanks for the heads up concerning an upcoming Kate appearance. Here’s to some thoughtful planning going into it. Not just by her staff, but by the Duchess, too. I hope she does a little research herself and studies the book I mentioned in a previous post about how Princess Diana prepared herself for her appearances and worked so hard to make those she visited feel comfortable, as well as confident in her sincere interest in the work that they do.
It’s been written that Kate does not like to be compared to Diana, but there’s something to be said for studying Di’s ability to connect so well with people. Kate is her own woman and should find her own ways of doing so, but I hope she makes a real effort to understand the organization she will be visiting and honor the work they do.
That’s the thing, Mary Elizabeth, being compared to Diana in terms of work ethic and connection with people would actually be a huge compliment. Being compared to Diana in terms of dress, is dumb. Kate should be her own woman with her own style. And we should let her be that (if she’d actually get her own style, but that’s a different topic). But being compared to Diana’s work is a good thing; it would mean Kate was doing well. I guess Kate doesn’t understand that.
You are so right, KMR. I don’t think Kate gets it. By doing a bang up job with her duties, she would garner a huge amount of credibility and people would really start to approve of her. Obviously, that is not important to Kate. Although, how it cannot be baffles me. She is so lackluster, so boring. There must be causes — besides sailing – that interest her. There must be issues she has some passion for. She is in a position to do such good and she just fritters the possibilities away.
Sure, being a mother to two little ones is a major responsibility and I know she must want to be a positive parent, but she has the chance to make a difference in other people’s lives, too. She can throw herself into some worthy causes and rest easier at night, knowing she has done hard work to make the world a better place. I guess those of us who volunteer for organizations we believe in, think others must feel equally interested in making a positive difference in a world that needs help. Perhaps, others just don’t feel the same need to do so. I am not one to call attention to my efforts, so forgive such a statement. I just think that when one has a chance to raise awareness and help others, one should do it. Especially, when one is a celebrated individual whom others want to emulate. With Kate, others are just emulating her boring wardrobe.
As much as I hope for a caring, witty, intelligent duchess… The reality is… this is as good as it’s going to get for waity.
Kate has been married for four years now and has demonstrated that she doesn’t care. She’ll put in the bare minimum and that’s it. Don’t expect much more.
Sincerely, Debbie Downer
Totally agree with you.
Signed, Skeptic Susan
Getting down right there with you, Kip.
Totally agree with you
Signed Frustrated Fanny
So spot on Kip!
This is announce now and before HM milestone Balmoral meeting – so Petulant and lazy snowflakes km can save face when HM private talk with the two laziess, in hiding/over pampered family members get their Orders.
I had such high hopes for Kate when she started her career as a Royal. I don’t begrudge her maternity leave but in 4 1/2 years, she has not proven her worth as a working member of the Firm. it isn’t enough to show up in skin tight jeans and wedge shoes with well-coiffed hair. There is no substance to Kate and she is bringing down the reputation of the entire Royal Family. She knew what she was getting into when she became engaged – she has had ample time to learn the ropes and her probation period has officially expired in my opinion.
Well said. I, too, had high hopes for Kate 4 years ago. She has sadly made me into a huge cynic.
Kate seemed happy enough to show herself off when she was single. LOOK AT ME! I AM PRINCE WILLIAMS GIRLFRIEND. Pretty much MIA since the wedding.
OFFICIAL GIRLFRIEND A phrased apparently coined for waity katie…
She’s pregnant! Victoria is pregnant!! Announced 10 minutes ago!
I am so excited! Like, she’s family or something level excited!
ME TOO!!!!
Same goes – wonderful news for the people royals.
Congrats to Princess Vic/Dan and Estelle!
Was getting a bit lonely for Estelle now that Princess Maddie moved to London with baby cousins.
Yaaaaayyyy! I am so happy. The first picture of Estelle and the baby will be the end of me.
Now THIS is newsworthy; how wonderful. Congratulations to the happy parents.
OMG, that is such wonderful news! ! Congrats to Victoria, Daniel and Estelle.
Congratulations to Daniel, Victoria and Estelle. Estelle will be a wonderful older sister no doubt showing the baby everything. The photo will be very cute of them together.
The announcement said that there would be no change to her existing schedule. Others royals could watch and learn something.
Ain’t gonna happen.
Yep. If watching Maddie two days from delivery without a Norland nanny by her side didn’t help…
🙂
Victoria worked up until a day or two before the birth and was in the hospital 4 hours total. That’s the way she gets the job done.
At this rate, Kate will have to give birth in the field to top that. 😉 Or a tennis court.
If William and Kate had half a brain between them, they’d look at how Madde/Chris, Albert/Charlene and next year Victoria/Dan handle the pregnancies, birth announcements and introduction of the children to the world. They have ALL done it so much better. They kept it royal but let the world in to share their joy.
No parades with set piece prams, daddy’s old clothes and coordinated outfits with the favored family. No parking the public in the paddocks, no limiting the press access to 2 or 3 favored/approved photographers and the baptisms were televised. I’m not sure if Maddie will do it with the little guy, but there is so much that can be learned. But I forget they went to university, one of them is a blood royal so between them (with help from Ma Midds) they know everything.
Amen!
Sad they comment to the other marry in… that hardworking, people royals see pregnancy NOT as an illness (no need for made up/insulting illness -HG), to excuse duties and giving to their people. If anything, the Danes and Swedes include the people in their family lives – Princess Estelle started serving/duties years ago!
I don’t normally care about any royal but I am actually thrilled at this. Because she and Daniel seem like loving and fairly wise parents
That is so exciting! Such wonderful news!
Oh, how nice for them! I wondered if Victoria and Daniel had decided that they only wanted one child–apparently not! They seem well-prepared to raise children in a loving home and teach them to be strong of character.
Yah! Congratulations to Victoria and Daniel!
I’ve pretty much given up hope that Kate is going to be a successful patron of charities. She has demonstrated time and time again that she doesn’t really care unless it involves movie stars or handsome men. The woman is a huge disappointment.
As for the shoes, well she could do better. Nobody needs umpteen pairs of nude patent pumps, black suede pumps, etc. She is in a rut and she’s got the bunions to prove it.
ITA, Vava. I am not rooting for this feckless, self-absorbed loser and her childish cotton wool world. Every time appearances are announced, it simply feeds my cynicism.
On a shallow note, the shoe choices are largely dull and lacking imagination and joie de vivre, just like her, Kate the Plodder.
Thanks for saying what I was a little hesitant to say….I’m loving the blunders and bungles and I want to see this arrogant childish woman and her vile family knocked down to the dirt and back under the rocks they crawled out from under….at first I thought I really was a mean old lady and envious…(why I don’t know…I have a husband/children/job…)….but now…..I want her to be publicly humiliated as the wannabe but doesn’t wanna work or give… that she is….
“She is in a rut and she’s got the bunions to prove it.”
LOL
Spot on Vava!
People need to stop showing up/turning out – for Petulant and lazy snowflakes with the phony wave and grin (when forced out of hiding from their luxury, pampered lives!).
A day ago, Princess Anne son/his wife Autumn, attending an event with HM DOE and POW.
I’m glad she is FINALLY making an appearance. But it is not for another 2 weeks. She couldn’t do one sooner? And does that mean that is the only one she is doing the whole month of September? I know her people said she was going to start out slowly and build back up. But come on! 1 appearance is not slow it is a snails pace. Plus what is she building up to? She only used to make 2-3 appearances a month when not pregnant. Gosh, I wish she would start doing more like some other Royal women 🙁
Have to agree. Unfortunately the Duchess’s work ethic leaves much to be desired, it is way below acceptable. Yes she has had a baby, but take a look for example at Princess Mary of Denmark, (not to mention the other European princesses) yes she is Crown princess, but is constant, very hard working, she is actually making a difference, having a family has not stopped her dead in her tracks, and for that matter the Queen and Prince Phillip, need I say more, but honestly enough already! The worst part of it is, she could do so much and make such a difference. How many charities and people in need, would benefit from her patronage? There are so many worthwhile causes she could be assisting. It is disgraceful really. Holiday time must definitely be coming up. Who on earth is advising the Duke and Duchess? It seems like she just goes through the motions and just does enough to keep her head above water! you certainly don’t attract bees with vinegar!
Absolutely right, Sophia. There is no discernible intelligence or work ethic, despite the privilege of private school education, then university, and for several years now, the Royal Family’s embrace. What a dud! The comparison to Princess Mary of Denmark is stark indeed: here is an Australian who learned Danish, fits into the Danish way of life and contributes to her adopted country, behaving with maturity and empathy. I wish the press would stop perpetuating the myth that Kate is someone to be admired, a role model, the children’s princess (how ridiculous!); she is not any of these things by any measurable standard.
It is disappointing that Charles and Diana, two people who have/had both worked very hard to be so involved with the world in many diverse ways produced a child like William, who doesn’t seem to have any hobbies other than drinking/partying and holidaying. Charles has his faults but you can tell he legitimately cares about the world and looks for ways to make it better. And he has hobbies outside of partying. Diana was similar – not only did she look for ways to help but even in her private life showed interest in things other than partying and holidaying. William, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have interests in things like reading or the fine arts, etc. So I’m not surprised he married Kate, who also never showed any interest in anything other than partying, holidaying, and exercising. Like even if we all let the Kate fanatics have their way in insisting that Kate couldn’t have a full-time job pre-marriage because of the pressures of the paparazzi, why didn’t we ever see her doing anything other than clubbing or holidaying in her private time? That’s what worries me more than her lack of a full-time job in her twenties.
Yes, Maggie, exactly. Kate, by marriage into the Royal family, has been handed a brilliant opportunity through which to make visible any number of issues deserving public support, and it seems, doesn’t want to. So many people with a well-developed work ethic would feel privileged to have a ready-made platform to help others. That people feel disappointed and dare I say, disgust, in Kate and William is not the result of envy, whinging and so on; it is the exasperation felt with this couple who have been given so much but are, simply, more self-interested than public-spirited. Various excuses made over the years for not engaging are just tiresome.
Jen perfectly well put. You have made some excellent points. Bear in mind the Duchess had been waiting in the wings for years the perfect opportunity to observe and learn, she didn’t really have a career to speak of after university what a shame she didn’t make the most of her time. I wonder does she think she doesn’t have to make an effort, that being married to the Duke is impressive enough. As Maggie comments below: Charles and Diana did have a certain level of duty that was certainly commendable, Charles is still out there trying to make a difference. There seems to be a total lack of drive, and focus. YES a holiday would be nice, but seriously, at least after you have been deemed to get out and about and make a difference in this world. When you look at LadyBlueRibbon’s breakdown of the last quarter engagements by the Duchess it is incredible that the advisors of the Duchess cannot see the writing on the wall here! Look at all the mothers out there in struggle street, working, looking after families, trying to make ends meet, probably never been on a holiday. A very substandard performance all round.
Good points, Sophia. Both Charles and Diana understood duty. And Diana, ever so young when married, clearly put much thought and effort into her obligations. As you say, Charles is doing alot and has ideas to make the monarchy’s role more substantial and/or meaningful to not only the royal family but the general public. Brilliant move to make roles more relevant, and – with all due respect to the Queen – why not start to model that now, even in a small way? What a fantastic full-time job that would be. The key words in your post – drive and focus – are what’s missing with Kate and William, and I would add, lack of empathy with the plight of others. The very regular and lavish holidays seem premature when there is little work to recover from! If, as KMR suspects, the Kate and William are taking no advice, well, that adds another layer of problems to the mix.
I agree with Jen, “Both Charles and Diand understood duty”. I hate to sound snobbish but duty is something which is breed into the class they come from, or in other words… Noblesse oblige.
(“Noblesse oblige” is generally used to imply that with wealth, power, and prestige come responsibilities.)
I am at a loss as to why we don’t see this in William. Is it due to the Middleton influence?
I think they are advising themselves. They have a team behind them but the team can’t force them to do any they don’t want to do. They’d simply fire the team if they tried.
KP usually announces Kate’s appearances two weeks in advance. This is not anything out of the ordinary.
KP also announce Caribbean Tour and name a few islands before any confirmation – was this to pressure the Caribbean islands to host/fund pampered, duty-avoiding Petulant & delicate snowflakes (family) …
I have not read comments above yet.
Kate and kids. To me, a marriage made in hell. She doesn’t care remotely about children, IMO, but it’s easy pickings for her. They will adore and will not criticise, this ‘Children’s Princess’. No kid is going to go to the press and kvetch about her discomfort and indifference. The PR continues doggedly and shamelessly apace. Think of the children!
Btw, I don’t think she’ll be researching mental health and Anna Freud anytime soon. I’m guessing it’s a photo op. She’s the last person I would think of being into self-reflection and the psyche.
I don’t know about the rest of your comment, Maven, but I’ve thought for a long time — maybe even the beginning — that the children’s issue is a PR manufactured one for Kate. I too think she does not have any special rapport with children and the one time everyone touted how great she was, it wasn’t her at all. It was the little firecracker who wasn’t having any of Kate just walking by!
I completely agree with you Bluhare that the children’s issues are simply a PR thing for Kate. Her team chose it for her because they know people are nice to kids. Especially sick kids. It’s really the safest charity choice there is. No controversy there at all.
I agree, MavenTheFirst and bluhare. I also think that she is just more “comfortable” with children because she doesn’t feel the same pressure as she does when speaking to adults, who are more likely to make actual judgments about her as a person.
I think that the promotion of her as the “children’s princess” is a result of the desire by the media for her to be one (as a repeat of Diana). Once they started that I’m sure the Palace decided to keep that image of her going.
I mean, for goodness sakes, if someone puts on a smile and hugs a cute kid, who DOESN’T look good doing that? I suppose Kate seems more natural than many of the other royals would – like the Queen might looked awkward doing it, or Charles. So she benefits from that comparison. But for most people, this is just normal stuff.
I think a great example is when she was playing with children while pregnant with Charlotte in that flowery blue maternity dress (visiting the Cape Hill’s Children Center in February) – she sat on the chair the entire time while the kids were on the floor around her. We’ve seen her go down slides and sit down in hay with George while even more pregnant, but she couldn’t do it for these kids? It may sound like a petty observation, but that moment was a little telling for me. Of course it’s probably hard to sit and play on the ground with a dress and very high heels on – but that’s actually another reason I don’t think Kate cares that much about children. She goes to play with kids and wears a dress and very high heels? That’s something she does all the time despite those clothes not being conducive for interacting with children. If she actually wanted to interact with kids, I think she would choose her outfits better. So yeah, I think she “connects” with kids insofar as she is less self conscious with them and so focuses on them because she feels less pressure to “perform” constantly.
I don’t think she connect with kids at all. The “cute” photos of her with kids are taken in a split second. If you watch the videos, it is the kids who instigate contact while she just stands there.
I agree. I put ‘connect’ in quotes to mean that the connection is solely that she wants to interact with them more than adults because they make her less nervous. But that’s not actually a real connection, I agree.
Does this mean the maternity leave is over, or is this just a break from the leave.
Great news about CP Victoria and Daniel.
My guess is it’s sort of over, but more the start of a ramp up to the flurry of engagements that will happen right before they go on vacation.
There’s always a motive to increased appearances which is usually a prelude to upcoming vacations. Typical and predictable MO.
This engagement gives her something to tell the Queen while she’s at Balmoral.
Oh look she might come out of the house! Let’s hope she actually attends, it would be awful that she backed off after the announcement.
I’m sure the pro-Kate crowd would find an excuse but it would just look awful on her to ditch, especially if it’s at the last minute.
If anyone really wants to feel ill, they should read this article by Simon Perry about Kate. As usual, it’s his usual fawning crap.
http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20395222_20950397,00.html
Did you know that “Really Get Going’ with Work” means visiting ‘a few places between now and Christmas”? Barf.
What surprised me was that the comments weren’t a total lovefest!
The “national icon” comment, though, made me roll my eyes into the back of my head.
I noticed that and was really surprised too!!
Oh, was looking forward to this, but when I clicked on the link, nothing came up.
BTW, Maggie, I loved your comments about Kate and her appearances with kids. I think it would have been amazing for her to kick off those heels and sit with the kids on the floor, but that would never happen. She should definitely give more thought to what she wears when she makes appearances for children. That way she could really get down to their level and actually show how much she cares for children.
I think it didn’t work because for some reason only the first half of the link is actually included if you just click, but if you copy paste the whole thing it should work. Sorry about that!
That always happens with People articles. I don’t know why their URL is so funky. It always cuts off at the double commas. And they have those double commas in every URL. It’s a pain.
Thanks, Maggie. I was able to read the article!
Perry/People is really getting all the palace inside information. It’s like Jason has Perry on speed dial or something.
Well he’s the only one still writing positive stories about Kate these days so I’m not surprised haha.
KMR – The Quarterly Report is going to be a piece of cake this quarter!
Her child’s Christening, A canceled sailing match, and now this!
We agree to disagree whether Wimbledon counts as official duties. (I say no!)
The letter complaining about photographers was probably the most effort she gave during this period.
I didn’t count Wimbledon as official duties. I put it under “out and about”.
I’m not sure but wasn’t Charlotte’s birth an official engagement. How is that counted?
Yes, for some reason the birth and the Christening were counted in the court circular. Not sure why, especially when George’s didn’t.
It’s probably ‘counted’ because the Palace is desperate to include anything remotely relevant that this woman does…
The Court Circular is not meant to be a way to count a royal’s engagement numbers. It’s supposed to talk about when royals do things on behalf of The Queen. The birth and christening of a Princess falls under that category. This is also why a lot of Harry’s work isn’t on there, and not even all of Kate’s appearances from January and February are on there. It’s also notoriously inconsistent which may be why George’s birth wasn’t on there but Charlotte’s was. But the main point is what I said before – the Court Circular’s purpose is not to provide an official count of engagements or contribute towards that. So I don’t think it’s fair to say that they are including things just to add to Kate’s totals.
Is giving birth really doing something on behalf of the queen?
It was counted as an engagement – but it actually occurred last quarter. The baby was born May 2nd. Kate’s last engagement with the public before that was March 27th.
It goes:
March 27 – public engagement
May 2 – had a baby
June – Went to Trooping the Color (seen, not engaging)
July – Went to Wimbledon – unofficial
July – Had her Baby Christened (seen, not engaging)
July – Went to see some canceled sailing – official
September 17 – public engagement
She’s been relaxing for six months.
Lady BLueRibbon, I love your tally of Kate’s appearances and your comments.
It amazes me that she gets by with all this laziness. I’m all for maternity leave, but for goodness sake, Kate looks to be in incredible shape and with a nanny and Carole to jump in to PG and PC watch, couldn’t she spend a few more hours and a few more days doing something to benefit others. Not that her previous engagements have done more for most organizations than shed temporary light on them, but still……
She gets away with it, though.
I certainly agree that Kate could be doing more than she has been, given all the help she has. However, she’s still the mother of a newborn and a toddler. I wouldn’t call being a mother “relaxing” by any means. I know she has a nanny but that doesn’t mean she uses the nanny all the time.
Now don’t get me wrong. I have less respect for Kate for choosing to accept all of the benefits of being a royal but not “paying back” the public for them and instead staying at home. But I also don’t think it’s ever being lazy or “relaxing” to choose to focus on being a mother, especially when it’s less than half a year after giving birth. She can be a stay at home mother and not be lazy in the process, she just should have waited to accept millions of pounds of taxpayer money to fund her security and renovations until she was willing to work for it.
What she uses all the time is the housekeeper/cook/gardener and the nannies when she wants some time for herself. There are 24 hours in the day – do you imagine she spends all of it with her children? Do they not take naps and sleep quite a bit at that age? Pretty sure about 14 hours of that time the kids sleep – whereas Kate probably gets 8. That’s a six hour difference. Do you think Kate spends the entire 10 hours they are awake minding them? Or do you think their father and grandparents and other family spend some time with them?
Uhm a 4 month old might sleep a lot, but not too much all at once, so it’s hard for new mothers to get a solid amount of sleep all at once. Especially when they have two young children whose schedules may not match up in a way that helps the mother get a lot of free time. Look, if Kate used her housekeeper and nanny to do all her work for her, sure she’d have a bunch of extra time. But just because she has them doesn’t mean they do everything. And in a normal scenario, having a 4-month old and a 2-year old is EXHAUSTING, even if you are a stay at home mother. Obviously a lot of mothers deal with that and working full-time, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s tiring anyways. Especially because this is a very important bonding time for their family what with a new child and an older one who needs to adjust well.
Look, do I think that Kate could absolutely do like 1 appearance per week during this “maternity leave”? Absolutely! She has the help and she could choose to use it. But my issue is with saying she’s “been relaxing.” Nothing about being a mother is relaxing (assuming that the nanny is not raising the children entirely).
I think it is absurd to think that someone employs help – so that the help can sit around and be paid to relax while Kate does the work – which is what you have stated. These are circumstances that don’t compare to the average mother – who usually has to provide ALL the care for her children. What is exhausting is juggling all the prepping meals, feedings, kitchen cleaning, diaper changes, dirty laundry, linen changing, house cleaning, grocery shopping, errands and playing with children. If you take all that out – you are left with feeding children, changing diapers, and playing with them. The actual contact portion of child raising. Do you think Kate is getting up with the baby – or the help? My money is on the help – since she has George to play with the next day.
Let’s not get heated, guys. It’s hasn’t gotten bad yet, but I don’t want it to get there. It’s completely acceptable to disagree with other’s opinions, and to argue against those opinions, and to argue for your opinion. But please don’t call other posters, or their opinions, names. Thank you.
KMR – I have great respect for Maggie’s opinions. In this one area we differ on how easy or hard it is for Kate as a mother. Kate is nothing like the average mother juggling two small children. Folks tend to focus on the nanny, like that is the only other staff in the house. I’ve said my piece.
I understand. I felt like it could get heated, so I wanted to say something to prevent that from happening. Things have gotten heated in the past on here, so, just in case, I wanted to stop tempers from flaring before they started, you know. It’s all good.
Was every labor pain counted….every trip to the whatever they call it in high society Britain to hurl counted….I don’t see why it matters….there are no consequences or taking away of goodies no matter how low the numbers…and now she’s getting an award …..which another poster shrugs shoulders at….I, petty little person that I am, want her to receive nothing however common the award is…but then again….it just solidifies the lowering of the standards re the ‘firm’ so heck….six of one….half dozen of the other…
I think most people would go “stir crazy” staying at home for so long and would jump at the chance to get out for a few hours.
So true Grumpy!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3223636/GIRL-TOWN-Kate-Middleton-draws-Royal-portraits.html
LOL, this made me laugh. Personally I don’t think we have seen anything from Kate that suggests she can actually draw. Especially well enough to exhibited. But at least we now know that she has just been relaxing all summer 🙂
Or, if you want to believe what is printed in “New Idea “, Kate and William have been busy preparing to adopt.
Between drawing and getting ready to adopt Kate must have been really busy??
I remember back when Will and Kate first got married, there were a bunch of reports about how they wanted to adopt. Of course I haven’t read anything about that lately since George came along and they got their bio heir kids.
I never understood how adoption would work, though, in terms of the line of succession. Because the kids have to be of the blood to be heirs. So if Will and Kate adopted, would those kids just not be in the line of succession? Would the adopted kids feel less than because they aren’t heirs? How much differently would they be treated (by Will and Kate, by the BRF, by the press, by the public)? Would they do royal duties when they got older or would they be off the hook for that? Would George and Charlotte feel envious of the adopted kids if G and C have to do royal duties and the other kids don’t? So many questions!
Heck, I think *William* would feel jealous of the adopted kids for not having to do royal duties!
I feel like the most differently they would be treated is as though they married into the family (except without a divorce option lol). I cannot imagine they would adopt and then truly treat the child differently. They would maybe not be in line for the throne, but aside from that, I would imagine that they would still receive security and other benefits, and be treated as a member of the family (and so would perform duties). Otherwise, why adopt?
I think all the questions you have KMR are fair and that is why I highly doubt any Royal will ever adopt. There would be too many questions. Kate and Will adopting was just a rumor and for all we know it was started to make them seem more carrying and relatable.
The star magazine said kate is pregnant with 3 child,is true?
I predicted in six moths!!!lol
If the Duke was more switched on he would play the game a little bit smarter re: the tabloids. If a little access was granted meaning the occasional photo of little George and his sister, maybe there would not have to be so much energy and time used in trying to control what the tabloids can and cannot do. The same applies to the Duchess if she made more of an effort there would not be such a surge when she does come out of the woodwork! They are both going to have to face the fact that there will be huge interest in there family. The pair of them could knuckle down and get out and about and make a difference and at least try and contribute something, they have the help required to assist them. Show some support to the Queen, how long can she and Prince Phillip keep up what they do at there age?. The Duke and Duchess have youth on there side, it would be refreshing to see a turnabout in there so far very lacklustre performance.
I wonder how many children they will have. The token girl has been born, the one Charles apparently wanted Harry to be. Hmmm