178 thoughts on “The Sun has had it with Prince William”

1. I don’t know how the paste-up looks on others’ electronic devices, but the Daily Mail yesterday buried Kate’s HuffPo assignment below two fashion stories on two other queens. Interesting.

   1. Gosh don’t know what I was posting above. ^^^ Think I was on the wrong story!

2. I love that Emily has had the guts & confidence to do this.

   It’s gathering pace too – in the Guardian, media commentator is in agreement & highlights other critical articles.

   http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/feb/18/the-sun-gives-both-barrels-to-prince-william

   The Royals must be held to account. Its only right and fair.

   1. The Guardian article had a link to an Independent article from 2013.

      http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/special-perks-for-duke-of-cambridge-who-but-prince-william-gets-a-year-s-paternity-leave-8816796.html

   2. I hope others come on board. HM must be so proud.

      1. Every time I read this, it tickles me. My favourite comment, in the end. Love it!

         Sadly I don’t think her maj sees it the way we do. She will want to shore up the monarchy even if it means lying, dissembling, covering, and killing ( well, not so much killing in this day and age :)).

      2. I totally agree. Only a matter of time for the announcement that Prince Harry is Prince Charles.

         I wish lazy petulant Willnot middleton would leave hardworking, duty and people princess – Diana Spencer POW name alone from his ungrateful lazy, arrogant, dutiless and entitled ways. Does he realize farmers do work, or that too will get boring.

         Go away willnot*cannot, go live in buckleberry with your children and carole or better – in Africa where you can kill and hunt . Stop using taxpayers hard earned millions to maintain your family of four luxurious lifestyle and for staff.

         1. “Only a matter of time for the announcement that Prince Harry is Prince Charles”

            HUH?

3. Your “da dum” blew me away, KMR As I read this, I kept saying to myself, nearly the same thing. All of this has been hashed to death here on this blog forever. Still, as you said, it’s nice to see it in print elsewhere.

   My goodness, as Lauri says, “the gloves are off.” Finally, the Petulant Prince is being called out for his desire to be a country gentleman with the perks of a Royal. If I lived in the UK, I would be even more upset than I am here in the States. The people’s tax dollars (pounds) are paying for a lush live for the Cambridges with so little work from them in return.

   Reading the number of events attended by HM and her husband and Princess Anne was a good thing for the article to point out — as it’s done here so often. Also, the discussion of William and Harry’s hunting trips was appalling to me Especially,, since wildlife are so important to Wills.

   I think Harry makes far more appearances than William, so I didn’t like the dig made against him. And, when he shows up, he really Shows Up. He is a joy for people to be with and his work seems sincere.

   The grumblings within the air ambulance staff are intriguing, too. William’s larger than life on and off again schedule surely has to grate on the nerves of the dedicated and hard-working others. Whenever you post how quickly he gets bored with things, KMR, you sum it up so well.

   I’m working here on so little sleep, so if this is not too coherent, forgive me. The only other thing I can think to say is W O W ! ! ! !

   1. I am upset! As are many Brits. I don’t mind paying for the Monarchy at all, but these two are taking the Mickey. No work, no dedication, no sense of duty AND they have the nerve to hide away like we, the paying public, are something dirty & disgusting that their precious selves need protecting from.

      They need a kick up the backside.

      Noblesse Oblige!

      1. I agree JL.

         1. Me too.

   2. I was actually taken by the quotes they attributed to his friends. It seems they are even beginning to question him. And he can’t get all pissy and cut them off because he really will be all alone then.

      We should mark this date on our calendars. The day the media began to turn.

      1. They have begun to turn, but we have to remember how easily they forget. It would be so easy for W+K to turn this around if they would make an honest effort.

         1. Or showing George and Charlotte. Using the kids seem to work with the media and the public..

      2. Can you imagine how paranoid this will make him? Wow!

   3. So agree with you on this one (and more but this one a lot):

      “I think Harry makes far more appearances than William, so I didn’t like the dig made against him. And, when he shows up, he really Shows Up. He is a joy for people to be with and his work seems sincere.”

      Beyond offical appearances Harry does a lot of private work. Not only has he spearheaded and championed hard for his causes, events and charities he has done so even against the wishes of others, i.e. creating Sentebale, had it not been for Harry the Invictus Games wouldn’t have happened. The Pole treks were no joke, so dangerous that the first one they called off the race and joined all the 3 teams. Harry is deeply involved and comes up with initiatives and not only attaches his name or contributes or draws funds. He actually showed up for his “normal job” when he was in the military, including when he was office based for the last while before his retirement. He could have ducked out, and if he had the press would let us know instead of hiding, misleading and making excuses for, like they do Willima and Kate. Harry didn’t take a another gap year like William when he left the army, we saw a fraction of the work he was up to in Africa through his video journal and social media posts. It annoys me that the media won’t give him credit for the work he does. He returns from a royal tour and the next day he’s at the Chelsea Gardens show for his charity.

      I’d love to see William and Kate not go on a week+ vacation before one of their tailor made light tours with little private gateways each time in remote and luxurious spots, let alone come back and immediately work.

      1. Very true, Gie.

      2. Oh, yes. So true. He works very hard and those Polar trips/treks. Amazing.

4. When every action and/or inaction these days is broadcast within seconds around the world, it is no longer possible to truly “hide out”. I think what upsets people the most is that they are not seeing value for their dollars or a return on their investment. The Royal Family has traditionally been one to look up to with respect but as the years have gone on and reporting has become more invasive and instant; as the Royals themselves have colluded with the media to reveal family secrets; as social media has taken over and people who put in 40+ hour work weeks while raising their families see the Cambridges as nothing special. William and Catherine (in my opinion) have done more to discredit the Royal Mystique in less than 5 years of marriage than any other members of the BRF since WWII. Sorry Wills and Kate – it’s time to put up or shut up. Enough of this half a*ssed “dedication” to your Royal Obligations. It’s time to get to work. The 2 of you have the opportunity to prove the nay-sayers wrong – run with it or run away completely.

   1. +1000

   2. Well said!

   3. Big round of applause from me.

   4. Spot on.

      1. Standing Ovation my dear! That was fantastic.

5. I find it very interesting that you think the press has the right to be harder on blood royals than the spouses. I sort of agree, but also think there’s an argument the other way as well because the blood royals didn’t sign up for this, they were born into. The spouses made a conscious decision and knew what they were getting into. I certainly agree that, “William is the heir, he should be leading the young royals, not slinking away and hiding behind them.”

   1. The blood royals have been groomed their entire lives for their role, though. They should know more than the spouse how things are supposed to be. They should be leading the spouse, showing them the ropes.

      1. Quite frankly they are both accountable. Will has been groomed all his life, and I am well know Diana sugar, but I think she did try to instill in him an understanding of hard work etc. Even at her lowest and yes while having affairs she still went out head held high and worked. Kate equally spent 10 years gunning for her position. She knew exactly what she was letting herself in for. Both need to work harder or renounce their position in the line of succession, the British public would certainly not say no to good King Harry IX.

         1. That actually reminds me of this CNN article two days ago:

            http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/17/opinions/uk-royal-duchess-huffington-post/

            I found Diana’s way of educating her two children are actually spot on for raising an heir and a spare. She prepared them step by step, telling them whether you like it or not, it is a part of your life, and you have to learn to accept it. She was also taking them to see the homeless life, people with AIDS, in other words “the reality of life”. The way Wills and Kate now, not only hinder George from learning about life outside his golden crib, they are not setting a good example of how a future king should be. Poor George and Charlotte will need a lot of therapy when they finally face the reality.

   2. They certainly signed up for the millions they get from taxpayers every year, WK being the most infamous example.

      1. Funny that.

         Though partisan, Republic’s ‘Royal Expenses: Counting the Cost of the Monarchy’ (2015) claims the following:
         “Prince William was reported in the press as having done just 47 days of royal duties in 2014. His earlier decision to leave his job as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot after serving only one three year tour of duty had left the taxpayer with a £400,000 bill in training costs that were never recovered.
         Yet despite having more time on his hands Prince William has declined to pay much back for the privilege and wealth granted to him. A lot of these engagements have been entirely self-serving, promoting the royal brand as much as performing any kind of public service.” (p.33)

         Clarence House confirmed that the average engagement lasts approximately one hour. That would give William a little over a total of a week’s ‘royal work’ in 2014. Let’s be kind and add in prep time, behind-the-scenes meetings, follow up and miscellaneous activities connected to each engagement – including attending a sports match or a film – to the tune of, say, 10 hours each. That totals 470 hours per year (11.75 weeks pa x 40-hour week, or 12.37 weeks x 38 hour week) leaving ample time for personal pursuits.

         To whinge about pretty much everything is pathetic and William should be called on it. He does have alternatives: step up or go.

         1. I personally don’t know anyone who works and can get away with those kind of hours. William lives in a bubble of his own making.

6. Wowza! This is pretty well what we’ve been saying for quite some time. It’s great to see someone in the media take him on! I wonder what kind of fallout there will be from this.

   So, he is a bored slacker, after all, in the flying department, inconveniencing his colleagues.

   I still think he sneaks around and doesn’t want the press to expose his comings and goings. I also don’t believe he is a devoted husband.

   1. Agree with your last two sentences, Maven.

   2. Interesting timing too, just after the Kate/HuffPo event, effectively shifting the story. No other publisher will want another outlet featured in their stories. Much easier to rattle the can.
      I’d like to think that the media would lead discussion about the real value and cost of royalty to the UK though the cynic in me suspects it’s just payback because KP and HuffPo struck a deal and they simply want to change the headline.
      BRAVO to JL of England: “No work, no dedication, no sense of duty AND they have the nerve to hide away like we, the paying public, are something dirty & disgusting that their precious selves need protecting from. They need a kick up the backside.” Bloody oath they do.

      1. Haha thanks Jen! (my namesake in real life!)

         1. Your phrase, “…the paying public, are something dirty & disgusting that their precious selves need protecting from” could not have resonated louder. It sums up every question and remark made on this blog as to why W+K behave the way they do.

            1. I have always thought they felt that way about the public. I really didn’t realize it at first but we all know Amner is their bubble and hideout to escape the filthy peasants that want to see their every move.

            2. I noticed that too. I think it’s called biting the hand that feeds you. 🙂

            3. I never saw that. But it makes so much sense. Filthy plebs.

               I would love to meet him, just to see if I get that vibe.

               Thanks for the insight.

      2. +1000

   3. Sorry for the Dr. Phil quotes, but doesn’t he say something like, “Those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.” It makes you wonder if Will is trying to hide from the people or trying to hide something from the people.

      1. Apart from being above accountability?

   4. I totally agree.

      1. + 1.

7. This calls for celebration! Who wants popcorn? I’m buying! 😉

   1. Salty for me please! By US sizes a small will do. ☺️

      I hope W & K take careful stock and listen to some proper advice. As others have said they can easily turn this around if they want to.

   2. I’ll pay for some good dark chocolate.

      1. May I have some of the popcorn as well?

         1. Of course Tanya S! The more the merrier!

            Yeah, our US sizes are crazy Birdy. And oooh thanks for the dark chocolate Rhiannon! 😀

   3. Please pour on the butter!

      1. **hands Yorkie her container so that she can drown her popcorn in as much butter as she wants** 🙂

         1. Yay!

   4. Can I ask for a round of Popcorn to be sent to KMR who should be sleeping after all the research and blogs posted in the last few days?
      (you are catching up on the ZZZs KMR?)

      Thanks for the great work KMR too!

      And can I get some dark chocolate Rhiannon?

      1. Of course! **hands Cathy KMR’s container of popcorn**

         And I’m sure Rhiannon would be happy to give you some of her yummy dark chocolate. 🙂

8. As time goes by I think William is the real problem. Kate’s not innocent, and really shouldn’t have married him, but the more I hear about how childish and volatile he can be the more it makes me think that she really just walks on eggshells around him constantly. She can’t do more appearances than him because obviously it makes him look worse. I don’t think he likes any of the attention she (or the children, really) receives, so she tries to keep it minimal. I wonder if the reason she runs to Carole all the time is because she’s trying to give him space and get out of his way and that’s the easiest option, where she feels the safest and can bring the kids. Her family knows how he is and won’t question her, probably like some of those old friends of hers would. She may not be involved in every part of her children’s day but I’d bet she’s more involved than he is. Obviously there had to be signs of this before they married and she should have considered that before chasing the ring, but things definitely seem to have blown up more so after the kids.

   1. You may well be right, Brighton. Your analysis sounds feasible. William comes across as a complete prick, plus makes appallingly poor judgements in almost everything he touches. Like a broken record, I blame poor parenting. No-one is entitled to whatever they want in life, and definitely not when others are paying the bills.

   2. +1000 to this

   3. This rings true to me too. I’ve notice that Kate bends over backwards at any solo engagements to always speak of “William and I.” I think she does everything she can to avoid taking the spotlight from him, and that means doing less than he does. She looks so sad in some of the pictures it really seems like the scenario you mention could be the cause. Yes, she should have thought this through, but I do feel some empathy for her.

      1. Interesting thought Heather.

         I had felt Kate was saying “William and I” because she wanted to copy The Queen and her use of the phrase “My husband and I”.

   4. One thing that struck me in that article was William’s need to control both his and the kids’ image, but hers as well. Made me wonder how big the need for control is; it would make sense to me as his childhood had to be a bit on the chaotic side, even without his mothers’ death.

      1. Terrific point, bluhare, about the need for order after the chaos, emotionally.

         But I don’t know how that has to do with controlling image. Because it is, indeed, about image and nothing else, IMO.

   5. “She can’t do more appearances than him because obviously it makes him look worse.”

      ” I think she does everything she can to avoid taking the spotlight from him, and that means doing less than he does.”

      I see these guesses a lot. And I wonder how that came to be, considering that pix from her engagements show her largely to be indifferent, disengaged, often bored, and willfully ignorant.

      So, I don’t understand the reasoning that if Will didn’t hold her back, she would be a dynamo.

      1. I don’t necessarily think Kate would be a dynamo if he didn’t hold her back. She doesn’t really seem to have that kind of spirit in her. I just think as years have gone by he’s become more controlling of their situation and part of that includes controlling Kate and the kids to a degree. He wants what he wants and for whatever reason, he seems to get it most of the time.

9. Can’t wait for the crisis-management article to come out. What the hell is Jason going to do- the Sun article, to me, is a really big deal. I actually am not sure they can turn it around completely

   1. If Charles and Camilla could turn it around after all of the nasty divorce/affair/Diana’s death, Will and Kate certainly could, I think.

      1. William and Kate would have to work every day for the next year and do it willingly, not walking in with a giant chip on their shoulders and faking their way through, to dislodge a bit of the enmity that is developing against them. And even then, I don’t know if it would be enough.

         Sometimes the best reaction is none at all. To suddenly push out pictures of the kids would be such an obvious ploy. Not to mention they would be using their children in a way they allegedly don’t want the press to use them.

      2. Charles recognises the gravity and substance of his position and works for its benefit. William totally rejects it. Unless William, the trust fund baby, gets a clue, it will never happen. What Wills is using instead, is American influenced PR, hoping to put one over on the plebs that he is indeed, a worthy future king, without ever subsuming himself to the demands of monarchy; what he wants is the filthy lucre, the continuance of his obscenely opulent lifestyle and the almost absolute cachet of a British king while giving almost nothing back. Not because he thinks he is divinely chosen like his granny does, but because he feels entitled by birth.

         1. +1 – and well said!

         2. +10000!

            And when the inevitable happens and William is the bald, crotchety king in his 50s or so, what then? I can imagine he would never leave Buckingham Palace. He’d just stay there with the gates locked.

   2. Maybe something about William being back to work with the helicopters – with pics of course. However, that would just deal with one issue – his alleged boredom with his custom-made helicopter job. The rest will be harder to counter.

      This criticism has been long in the making but I can’t shake the feeling that him snubbing the BAFTAs yet again may have been the spark that lit the bonfire. It was apparent that he pissed off some people who are important within their own business and he was called out on a radio show with a big audience (as I understand it). It like the first crack in a structually unsound dam. At first it trickles, then it pours – if it isn’t shored up. I guess now we’ll see what Jason’s mettle is, him being a specialist in crisis PR and all.

      1. I sense some usual Harry bashing, too, in the near future to divert the negative attention from William. The usual ploy that’s getting very, very stale.

   3. It’s not really a big deal.

10. I bet that we will get a pic of George and Char in 3,2,1…

    It sounds like Will leads a life of folly. He wants to play helicopters, join the RAF. He finally decides to marry Kate, go back to school to understand farming in his prep for the Duchy of Cornwall. Time for duties, he wants to play with choppers again. It is proven that he doesn’t want to work. As an American, I have no skin in the game per se. But this is getting ridiculous. Will is showing by his actions so that he doesn’t want to be king. However, I think he’s too arrogant to step aside.

    This angers me as he comes from a family, despite.salacious headlines, believes in service and hard work. Too bad he was spoiled and indulged to this point.

    Great post, KMR!

    1. And also a great comment, rhiannon.
       Many great comments here.
       I think poor Princess Diana must be looking down at her son and shaking her head.
       She tried so hard to instill a sense of duty in her sons. She wanted them to know the issues that everyday people face and work on behalf of everyone. At least, with Harry, there’s hope.
       I don’t know if I can truly think that W & K will turn it around.

       3,2,1… indeed. Here come those adorable kids in a really cute photo!

       1. I now think that Harry is being groomed just in case.

          1. Then you’d better get yourself ready too!

             1. Right?! Bring it. I just need for y’all to have my back when Kate and Will go on the attack.

             2. We will set up a private KMR support group to advise you Rhiannon – and you know us lot we will be kindly honest if you are getting things wrong while learning! But I think you and Harry will hit the ground running.

          2. Too easy Rhiannon; they haven’t got a chance.

             1. Trust us Rhiannon, we will all have your back Sweetie. And with the intelligence and knowledge between us, Kate and Big Willie don’t stand a chance.

             2. Yep from NZ too!
                W & K won’t have a snowball’s chance in H*ll!

             3. So Rhiannon, the Southern Hemisphere has your back. Us Aussies and Kiwis are not to be crossed.

             4. Oh, rhiannon, we have your back! For sure.

             5. Count me in! We’ll advise you who to trust and whom not to trust. IMO: I’d be friends with B & E plus Sophie and definitely shadow Anne! You’ve got this! 😉

11. I wonder if Willie ever wonders in his head how to dodge all his royal responsibilities completely, and give up the throne so he can be a country gentleman farmer like his buddies. His wife isn’t very well suited to be a queen consort, I wonder if abdicating crosses his mind.

    1. William expects to become King. He is on the record as saying ‘those who say he does not want to be king are wrong’.

       From 2003:
       http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3009672.stm

       Interesting comments in there too about how ‘only the mad girls chase him’ and his denying he has a girlfriend despite allegedly having dated Kate for a year by that point, lolz.

    2. “I wonder if abdicating crosses his mind.”

       I bet it crosses the minds of others! LOL

       I doubt that he ever gives it a thought. I think he wants the power, status and endless supply of money that comes with being king- he will never give that up. I think all of his time is spent trying to figure out how to weasel out of commitments, while making himself look good via PR and keep the goodies flowing, or just not giving a damn.

12. Wow! Thanks for this- really interesting. Question- can William “step down”? What would that look like- can he abdicate his position as heir to the heir or can only the Queen change that? It does seem that he resents the whole concept of being the future King.

    I agree that it should be him, and not Kate, that bear the brunt of this criticism. He is the future King. She is only the future Queen because of him- and it seems pretty clear that he dictates the scope of her role. Also, its been shocking to me that as little as she has done this year (and in fairness, she probably spent at least some time preparing for the Huffpost event beyond the time at the event yesterday) William has done less. What has been doing- it doesn’t sound like working!

    And so glad to see him taken to task for being “passionate” about conservation and saving endangered animals while being an avid hunter- so hypocritical.

    1. Technically, yes he can abdicate like his great-uncle, the former King Edward VII/Duke of Windsor. I think, in his head, he’s been debating it for a while but he only imagines the abdication/stepping out of line. I don’t think he can envision the incredible backlash that would (justifiably) follow. For one, the public would be shocked. Diana’s golden boy! With his mother’s hard work drive and his father’s devotion to duty, he shouldn’t have failed like this but instead, the one who clearly inherited both of those great qualities from Diana and Charles was Harry, not William. For another, Charles and Harry (especially Harry) would flip their sh*t!

       And yes, William was the one born into this life, Kate wasn’t. HE should have a clear grasp as to what his duties entail but instead, he gives everyone the proverbial middle finger with his actions and behavior. Disgusting.

       Last, I would loooooooooove to also know what he’s been doing.

    2. It would take an Act of Parliament to change the succession and remove William.

       1. Oooooooops my bad!!

          Just William or the kiddos too?

          1. I’m not sure but I assume no to the kids. ArtHistorian could confirm I’m sure!

             1. Dang! Cause taking out the kids too would really give him/Kate/Middletons a jolt!

             2. I know, right? I don’t think William could abdicate for his own children, but who knows. Edward VIII abdicated for himself and any potential children, but that obviously never happened nor was a concern considering his age and the theory he was impotent. George and Charlotte exist; they’d keep their positions, I’d imagine. But what would happen with raising them is an interesting question if this did happen…

             3. I’m very flattered by your faith in me, Ellie. However, I must disppoint on this issue. I’m not well enough versed in the intricacies of the Law of Succession in Britain.

                But I think it would be quite possible to alter the Law if such a situation should arise. It would be completely unprecented but I have to say I kind of like the idea of a sort of elective constitutional monarchy since it isn’t always the first-born that has the qualities needed for the top job.

                The only examples that bear a slight resemblance to this hypothetical issue are the ways the Laws of Succession were changed in Denmark and Sweden. In the Swedish case it was a matter of gender politics (Sweden has been a general front runner in this area) – they made absolute primogeniture the law, meaning the first-born, regardless of gender inherits the throne. That mean that the infant Carl Phillip was disinherited in favour of his older sister Victoria, which the king was very unhappy about.

                In Denmark, the case was different. Our Grundlov (Constitution) was changed through a democratic referendum, which allowed for a woman to inherit the throne if the monarch had no sons (that has since been changed to absolute primogeniture). This happened in 1953 (QMII was around 12 at the time). Queen Margrethe II was thus not born to be Queen, she was in a sense elected.

                There was a specific reason for this change – and that was a wideheld opinion that King Frederik IX’s heir and brother Prince Knud was unfit for the role of monarch. It isn’t really something that has been discussed much in public and it was long before my time but the rumour is that Knud was not particularly bright and that he had a severe alcohol abuse.

                So while the election ostensibly was about allowing female inheritance to the throne, it was really about sidestepping an heir that was deemed unsuitable.

             4. You’re quite welcome, AH, but I think my faith in you is well placed! 😉 I love reading your posts. Always something new to learn.

                It would be interesting if the laws were changed somehow. All I know is that there would have to be an Act of Parliament–and what about the other realms such as Canada, Australia and NZ? It would cause a massive backlash, I’d imagine the BRF would lose the crown in those nations and that’s the last thing they want…

                Better for Britain, though, to not have William become king. Who was it here that said he probably would just send an apology, sorry, not showing up to his coronation? Even if he would have one. There’s such talk of William hating flummery but it is to me about hating one’s nation’s cultures and traditions. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t have one at all. /end random thinking

             5. Well, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

                If this should happen there would be a huge backlash. However, I think parts of the Commonwealth will “defect” when QEII passes anyway.

                I do think that the BRF is desperate for such a situation (Will having himself removed) not to happen, mainly because such a move would open the door to a debate on the relevance of the monarchy as an institution in our modern world.

                Historically speaking, old monarchies are extremely hard to dislodge but that doesn’t mean that the BRF wouldn’t go to great lengths to prevent such a discussion taking place among the general public and the political establishment.

                William has made no secret of the fact that he doesn’t relish the prospect of kingship and I wouldn’t be surprised if he holds abdication as a threath against his family – and they appear to go to great lengths to accommodate him. Giving him and Kate the largest appartment in KP with an expensive refurbishment, then Anmer Hall and yet another refurbishment, then the tailor-made job at the helicopter charity where an anonymous donation made it possible for them to give him a position -und so weiter, und so fort.

                This pure speculation on my part but if that is indeed the case, then I bet both his grandmother, father and the courtiers are terrified about the possible repercussions. However, it also looks as though Harry is being subtly groomed, as a sort of contingency plan in case William does bolt. The BRF’s first priority will always be the continuation of the monarchy, whatever it takes.

             6. That is something I’ve wondered. Does he use it as a threat? It is the worst word to ever use in that family. Threatening to abdicate would make the Queen do anything to placate him, the idea I am sure making her very ill indeed.

                I think the houses were also part of just the fact William is the future king. It’s all about hierarchy in that family as well, even if you don’t deserve it.

             7. The abdication of Edward VIII impacted QEII’s family badly. Her father died fairly young (a death related to his smoking) and the Queen Mother blamed the stress of having kingship forced upon in a time of political and war for his death – and apparently laid that at the door of Edward and Wallis as well. So I bet that the word “abdication” carries a lot of negative association within the BRF.

       2. They made it happen for Uncle David, they can make it happen for William and the children.

          1. Thanks all- interesting. It does seem like he should make the call to step up or step out of the way. He isn’t doing his grandmother any favors by undercutting her hard work with his lack thereof. And I say this as someone who has generally been a fan of W&K- so much good will wasted.

          2. The general vibe in Australian politics is that the Republic question will be re-visited after QEII dies. It is unlikely that William will ever be King of Australia. Charles will be the country’s last monarch.

             1. New Zealand may not follow suit straight away as the ties to Britain are still strong here. There is also the question of who would replace The Queen as Head of State as that figure would need to be non political.

             2. I think that you might be right Jen. Where in Australia are you? I am in Sydney.

             3. Charles will not even make it as monarch in UK nevermind Oz & NZ.

             4. Alis,

                I don’t understand what you mean here. Charles will most certainly become king when his mother passes since it is highly unlikely that the monarchy will end with QEII. I do, however, think that both Australia and NZ will leave the Commonwealth, possibly other countries as well.

             5. Hi Tanya
                Sorry – just saw your question: I am in Adelaide.

             6. I can see a revolution happening in UK when the Queen passes. People wont have Charles as King and Camilla as Queen after their history.

             7. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens when QEII passes. However, I really don’t think that the monarchy will be abolished. Historically speaking, monarchies have only fallen through radical and violent upheaval, so I remain highly sceptical.

          3. Yes, I think the very fear of the “A” word might be exacerbating the situation since the RF will do anything to placate William to keep him in line, literally and figuratively. As a result, he knows he’s got them under his thumb and acceding to all his whims and demands. I think they should call his bluff and their strategy should be that abdication was done before, it can be done again and there are many others more qualified to step up to the plate, or throne, starting with Harry if William refuses to get his act together.

13. So William wants to be a country gentleman. Something tells me he has his role modes cut out from Julian Fellowes’ ideas of landed gentry. The life of a country gentleman was actually hard work. He had to manage and be responsible for his estate. It is not all dinner parties and hunting. It is time William grew up. Life is not an ITV costume drama series.

    1. I’m sure he thinks it is considering he has no concept of managing an estate. Can you imagine the hell that would be the duchy of Cornwall under William? He knows best, so he’d probably try to fire everyone….

    2. Well we know that they do like Downton Abbey, but seemed to have forgotten that the Earl was always going on about duty. Or maybe Will was too busy eating his cheese on toast to hear that bit.

14. Frankly William has grown into the face that he deserves. Bitter and ugly on the inside as he is on the outside. I will say it frankly: I hate him, his sense of entitlement that the world owes him all this luxury without any responsibility!

    1. I think he has burnt out. It’s happening to a lot of young people.

15. Oh and quit blaming the media for your mother’s death William! It was she, who decided not to wear a seatbelt! I had seen a TV investigative piece years ago that detailed how Princess Diana died and the type of injuries that she suffered; conclusion was that she would’ve avoided her massive head injuries had she worn a seatbelt.

    1. Unfortunately you are so right Red Tulip as the only person to survive that crash was the bodyguard who was wearing a seat belt.

    2. He has never blamed the media solely. Both of them accepted the inquest’s conclusion that it was partly caused by her not wearing a seatbelt. The one who wanted to blame the media was her brother.

    3. Agree Red Tulip. I hate all the “the media killed Diana”. If she were wearing seatbelt she could be still here. There was no reason for the driver speeding, even with the paparazzi following them.

16. My reaction when I read this article: There IS a God! I only took issue with the term “country farmer,” though lol. I think the term “country gentleman” is more appropriate. It’s because the word “farmer” suggests someone who works desperately hard. NOT the picture of William Wales.

    I now see that he chose the whole Middleton clan not because he felt comfortable with their normal Joe lifestyle and not because they were the family he never had. Rather, he picked them because his whole being is/was repulsed by a woman who had any sense of noblesse oblige. The Midds are his escape hatch. If he’d married a woman who came from an aristocratic family, like his mother’s, he could never even attempt to pull off this country bumpkin cr*p. There would be expectations. The Midds, though, are SO low on the ladder and only grasping…. for things like invitations to charity events, free Audis and clothes, etc. Why would they/she encourage him to DO anything? ARRIVING was everything! They have their Buckleburry abode and George and Charlotte and an oak tree coat of arms and that’s all that matters. Oh, and their little pinky rings lol. Of course he “promised” dear old Michael Middleton that he’d always “protect” Kate and the family from intrusions and photographers and interviews and anyone/anything that would seem to take away from the seemingly normal Middleton way of life. Protect, my foot. Just a well-designed plan to keep himself home and lazy.

    1. Bless you Sage for the pinky rings mention. Visual finger nails on a chalkboard!!

    2. “ARRIVING was everything!” : so true.
       Those pinky rings…yuck.

    3. “Rather, he picked them because his whole being is/was repulsed by a woman who had any sense of noblesse oblige”
       I think you have answered that question of “why did William marry Kate perfectly”

    4. I never thought of it that way but OMG you’re sooooooo right!!!!!!! THATS WHY HE PICKED KATE!!!!!! It all makes sense now!!!!!!

    5. I sometimes wonder if he approves of Pippa’s (and sometimes James) gadding about doing the charity races and stuff because as they are now his family, in a way they represent him when they do these things. Then there’s Pippa accompanying him on a couple of things when Kate backed out at the last minute. If William had his way, the Midds would have titles and Pippa would be Kate’s lady in waiting. He’d have them involved in some way with the BRF.

       1. I really think that her family is doing Kate no favours when they so obviously court the media and try to make money off their royal connection. They just come across as so grasping and that does hurt her public image to a degree.

          There are numerous examples through history that grasping royal in-laws really hurt the public image of the their relative who was royal-by-marriage.

       2. No Lisa, please no! No titles for the Middletons!!!

          1. Maybe they should do their history and find out what happened to the Boleyn’s?

             1. The Boleyns were amateurs when compared with the Wydevilles.

             2. I have not heard of that family ArtHistorian, but I shall look them up tomorrow. I learn so much at KMR.

             3. Oh, ArtHistorian brings up a good point. The Wydevilles/Woodvilles… Boleyns got nothin’ on them! Marrying into every eligible family they could and taking whatever they could for themselves.

             4. OOHH!!! I know who the Woodvilles are!! Elizabeth was the maternal grandmother of King Henry VIII!!!! Thank you Phillipa Gregory haha!!

                P.S. Sorry that I’ve been MIA. I went on a church retreat today but could only stay for half of the day. I started a brand new medicine to help regulate my diabetes and, unfortunately, I started to feel the side affects immediately while at the retreat hence why I left early. I came home and took a 2.5 hour nap! I’ve been up for about two hours and am just now feeling like myself!

             5. They were really hated. I am, however, completely fascinated with Jacquetta, Queen Elizabeth Wydeville’s mother. She was the daughter of Peter I of Luxembourg and was married to the Duke of Bedford who was the third son of Henri IV of England. After her first husband’s death she married Sir John Wydeville in secret.

                I think she was behind the advancement of the family after her daughter Elizabeth married Edward IV because she was really the only one in that family with enough knowledge and experience of court life. She was even accussed of witchcraft during the Wars of the Roses but she was cleared by the King’s council.

                PS.

                I am glad you’re feeling better. *cyber hugs*

             6. And what’s kind of ironic is that King Henry the VIII accused Anne of witchcraft–exactly the same thing his maternal great grandmother was accused of! Isn’t that also what kind of pushed him over the edge (in addition to the accusations of numerous affairs) to execute Anne?

                I’m sorry if I worded that poorly.

                P.S. Thanks! Gonna go and start making some yummy Tuna Helper! I know it’s not healthy but I’m sooo craving it right now.

             7. He wanted to get rid of her and thus a case was built against her. The charges were outrageous. Witchcraft and incest besides the charge of adultery and treason. Those charges weren’t made because there were evidence – it wasn’t that unusual to pile on charges of heinous crimes when the authorities wanted someone convicted and executed.

                IMO, Anne Boleyn was innocent but became a victim of the fact that she hadn’t been able to produce a son (and her miscarriages – Henry saw those as a sign from God that the marriage was unlawful). She was also a victim of the faction politics that dominated Henry VIII’s court – the was a major problem throughout his reign. He really was a good example of why a king was best served by marrying someone foreign since local brides came with families of a lower social status, families that would want to get everything they could from their royal connection – making enemies among other noble families, courtier, etc.

             8. “He really was a good example of why a king was best served by marrying someone foreign since local brides came with families of a lower social status, families that would want to get everything they could from their royal connection – making enemies among other noble families, courtier, etc.”

                And why does the above sound so familiar in today’s era/BRF way of life? 😉

             9. I hope you’re feeling better! We’ve all been sick here with bronchitis. It’s awful.

             10. Thanks Ellie! For me it was a combo of drowsiness + upset tummy + gas = an unhappy Kimothy!

                 Since I got home early from the retreat, I took a nap…..and woke up 2.5 hours later! Needless to say, my body was asking for that nap!

             11. There was a good reason why QMII advised both her sons to find brides abroad.

                 There were rumours that Frederik once was quite serious about a Danish underwear model but the the Queen didn’t approve.

             12. @ArtHistorian
                 Thanks for the history on the Wydevilles.

                 And I agree with Kimothy, “He really was a good example of why a king was best served by marrying someone foreign since local brides came with families of a lower social status, families that would want to get everything they could from their royal connection”

                 We could all do without the Middletons social climbing and pushing themselves (well Ma, Pippip and Boomfboy) into every possible event covered by the media as quasi royals.

                 The thought of Ma Middleton with a title makes me shudder. And reminds me of something my rather snobby grandmother said about a social climbing woman who was about to marry a man with a title…
                 “Marrying a Knight doesn’t necessarily make her a lady”.

                 @Kimothy
                 I hope your drugs are sorted now and everything is working better.

17. Thank you KMR for all the work you do. Just love to read the latest happenings especially that this blog is so up to date. The Sun piece or one like it was bound to happen. The lack of drive, commitment, work ethic, from both the Duke and Duchess is most appalling.
    When they were first married there was so much promise but it has all just fallen flat. Many mothers have to work full time and raise a family. Men supporting families have 2, gracious some have 3 jobs to make ends meet. The same families would not know what a holiday was. The Duke seriously needs to lose the attitude and get on with things. Honestly when you look at the figures for the Queen, Prince Phillip, Anne, even his own father, he simply cannot justify the decisions the pair of them are making regarding the very little they are doing to support the Queen and Monarchy. The helicopter ride (if the Duchess had multiple engagements on the day and was making the optimum out of her work commitments you could overlook it maybe, example the Queen re: took the train), and refurnishing’s at KP. This all needs to stop. Taxpayers money could be much better spent. The pair of them are living very lavishly and giving back the bare minimum that they can get away with, they live a very privileged life and William especially had a great example in his mother, say what you will but the Princess of Wales supported her charities and had a wonderful work ethic even with trauma behind the scenes in her married life she did get out there and make a difference.
    The Duchess has not done the background work before she was married to prepare her for her role. Take one look at CP Mary, she was already polished when she took on her role. Her work ethic with a small family is a shining example. Her adopted country have much to be thankful and proud of. The powers of being need to have a serious talk and explain a few home truths, I would love to be a fly on the wall.

    1. Maybe the public money being wasted on WK should be diverted instead to the children mental health charities that KM so ardently supports? Now THAT would be an intelligent use of money, while Wills plays at being a “gentleman farmer”.

       1. Red Tulip that is a wonderful idea. Just think of what could be done with all that money and the achievements. I do think though for a better attitude it should be explained to the pair of them that until they are working and functioning in a positive manner, no more funds, enough laying about!

18. Couple of Thoughts:
    1. Kate’s working with only one media outlet on a project creates a void for all the other outlets and leads to the type of reporting The Sun did in order to provide their readers with relevant royal content. I think working with HuffPo was short sighted.

    2. William lives the life he does because Charles and the Queen provide it for him. They deserve credit for the backlash and criticism as well.

    3. Everyone will be back to reporting on the trip to India and Bhutan and I expect a family photo will be released ahead of time.

    1. I haven’t checked myself but I’ve read that the other media outlets haven’t really picked up the story of Kate’s stint as a guest editor on children’s mental health.

       I think that the arrangement was entirely in HuffPo’s favour. It appears as though they are trying to establish themselves in the UK and they have used Kate to do it. Remember, they were the ones that contacted her people. Understandably, the rest of the British press wouldn’t necessarily be interested in directing traffic to a new competitor. Combine that with the way the Cambridges have pissed off the press, then the non-coverage of what seems to be Kate’s most substantive effort to date can perhaps be explained.

       I do wonder at the competency of her team because when the whole exercise on shining a light on children’s mental health didn’t get much coverage in the whole media landscape, that it in fact seems to have been almost deliberately buried, then the cause suffers tremendously. In this light it is mainly HuffPo that benefits from this event, plus Kate gets some good PR with minimal effort (a message that the many many photos of her in the blog kind of supports). However, the cause suffers because the news and information isn’t widely disseminated.

       It makes me wonder what the Duchess and her team deemed more important: her PR or the cause? If it was the cause that came first, then they should have taken steps to inform the public in the most efficient manner and through the channels that would reach the most people. I haven’t researched it myself but according to a reliable poster on CelebBitchy, the BBC covered the issue very well, from many different angles. So I do wonder why Kate didn’t work together with what is possibly the largest news outlet in Britain, a news outlet that was already covering the issue extensively.

       1. No publishing outlet would want to report HuffPo in the frame with Kate; who couldn’t see that coming? The BBC, as a publicly-owned network, would report it intelligently. I think Kate’s team would have needed to approach the BBC re. collaboration. However, they may not care to be the vehicle for Kate’s PR.

          1. That is what is making me angry. This cause derserves the very best effort to get the message out to as many people as possible. If you care about the cause (and know how to do you job), that’s what you’d work to do. This whole set-up and how is was treated as a non-event by the established media makes me think it was mostly a PR exercise for both parties.

             In general, I also think it is dangerous for a royal to be too closely associated with a for-profit organization.

       2. I agree. I wonder if the Huff UK was just using her too.

          Seems everyone is being very shortsighted though. Billing it as ‘guest editor for the day’ but she only stayed half an hour. Do they really think people are not going to pick up on this and not be pleased?

19. The MEDIA has finally awaken! Be the voice to declare to the British subjects that their prince & future heir is really a free loader. Now William is getting the full wrath of the media that he despises & the press is sick of him hiding behind the memory of his mother. So stubborn & full of himself! He is 33 yrs old, a father of 2, show some backbone by working hard in his royal duties/ charities & giving back to society. Since he doesn’t listen to anyone, the criticism from the press will FORCE HIM TO LISTEN! And hopefully take some positive action. If not, let there be King George VII & Harry be the regent if he is still underage. Thanks KMR for well written blog. And the space for me to let out my rant!

20. Well, we are beginning to hear “the peasants” revolt. I am sure William will be sulking and plotting to get his revenge on these nasty reporters. I am so glad these matters are being brought up and out. Let’s hope the trend continues. I am an American, but I just cannot imagine how outraged I would be if I lived in the land of my ancestors and had to pay taxes for the Waity and The Petulant. Someone recently mentioned perhaps William suffers from depression. Wasn’t it speculated that Diana had Borderine Personality Syndrome? I had read that there is a genetic predisposition to that. One of the traits is taking on things that you soon lose interest in. Sound familiar? The many undertakings from school to our current day. Just a thought.

    1. If he is suffering from depression or other problems, the Royal Family should be more open about this. Then maybe the people & the press will be kinder & more understanding about his behavior. Still, less work means less perks. What irks the public is him spending the taxpayers money ‘cos of his royal position & hardly doing anything. If he wants to live the life of a prince with hardly any charitable work, then his expenses must come from the royal family’s personal fortune (if there is such a thing) Diana would be so ashamed of him. She did not bring up Wlillam to be this lazy & ungrateful royal. What a disappointment!

21. Sorry but I don’t think this will ruffle him or Jason that much. Who cares what The Sun says. It’s The Sun. A junk rag if ever there was one. It would be like McDonald’s barring you as a customer. Why would you give a damn?

    The Sun, Mail, Guardian etc wont matter to them. When The Telegraph or God forbid, The Express, start taking them down then they’ll worry. Can’t see this happenng though. Ever.

22. They will care because a lot of people who love the monarchy read the Sun. They will also care because Murdoch has always been a supporter of the BRF yet is allowing such a damning article to be published.

    1. I can only speak from the past. Murdoch was always very anti BRF, it was well known that his newspapers were the most critical and really loved to dish the dirt on them. News of the World was one of them.

       1. INTEResting.

23. William is being paid in advance, and the boy/child that he is his reasoning may very well be, I have my goodies so why should I do anything. Not so sure about his reasons for marrying Kate. I always thought that he had run out of options and she was it. However, the normal Joe theory makes sense too. I think he gets bored easily because he has no passion in life other than whirlybirds and he absolutely doesn’t fit in with the air ambulance people and knows that he’s just being allowed to play in their world. Maybe the Sun isn’t the most credible/acknowledged sort of paper but here in the US it has often been the rag mag National Enquirer that poked around and the next thing was that other news sources became interested. And found out that despite the exaggerations and distortion of **some** facts the story was true and worth telling. It all starts small then builds momentum. I really think that the queen is the reason that the newspapers have been lenient and even at that shots are being fired, however passive aggressive they may be. I also think the Middleton’s craving and greed are keeping William and Kate in the news. Had they gone away perhaps the spotlight would have been less glaring, but that’s not going to happen and William is deserving of every single solitary slap in the chops he gets. Seems that being Diana’s first born son is getting to be less of a ‘get out of work free’ card, that his being her son is not only not enough, but the fact that despite a less than flawless life this woman was deeply loved in the UK and admired for what she did irregardless of the motives behind it. What I’m saying here is that people are starting to expect more from Diana’s son. He can’t have it both ways. The world has changed, there’s more focus on poverty, lack of medical care, affordable housing and people may be less inclined to drink the kool aid and the fairy dust is being blown away by the flat out facts. He was stupid stupid stupid to skip that BAFTA. One hour of his time might have really paid off for him. He’s really tempting the press and again, when the queen is gone and with her some of the mystery and history of the monarchy William may very well find himself at the mercy of the press. As far as Kate and her interest in the welfare of children. PR. My opinion. And, really it’s understandable. People tend to take on what hits close to home, having a child with a rare disease motivates some people, MAAD was started by a mother who lost a child,etc. and Kate hasn’t anything to bring to **any** table that I can see so hey, kids are always a safe bet. I’m posting this before I read the next KMR so who knows, by the time I get there William and Kate will be hailed as wonders. I no longer resent Kate for her using *IMO* kids. For one thing she’s a joke with curly hair, for another as had been said before **anything** that shines a light on this is good. Kate might just be a walking National Enquirer.

24. Hi! I have a blog as well. Mine focuses on royalty from around the world, but especially fashion. I have been reading your blog for a couple of days now and I have to say that although I was initially a big fan of Kate’s and I would often defend her when she was first married, I think this article from the Sun is on to something. My readers by and large are still fans of Kate’s. But since I started my blog in August I have noticed just how little Kate and William do compared to other young royals around the world, even those who are not in direct line to the throne. For me, this became especially obvious this year. The month of January was so slow I barley had enough information to write any posts about the British royals. Thankfully I also write about other royal families. I find myself waiting each month to see Kate. It’s kind of like waiting to see the groundhog on Groundhog Day. I feel like I will know it’s Spring when Kate finally shows up . 🙂
    I am starting to get a little annoyed with William and Kate. What would it take for Kate to take a few more pictures of George and Charlotte and release them on Facebook? It makes it feel like they don’t think we are good enough to see their children, it’s pretentious and aloof. Why couldn’t William go to the BAFTAs this year? And why is Kate absent on so many occasions when she should be supporting William? If Kate were a regular working mom she would be working Mon-Fri. Even if she worked part-time it would be about three days a week. Why can’t she do one appearance a week? Or even every other week? I’m getting fed up with their apathy and sense of entitlement. William is arrogant and Kate has no passion or ambition. The rare occasions when I have seen her this year I didn’t even want to write about her fashion because she is so lackluster. It used to be that Kate wore skirts that were far too short (even when pregnant) and no underwear so she would flash us but now it seems that Kate has gone completely in the opposite direction and she dresses so frumpy it’s sad. That Michael Kors skirt suit was positively dowdy and she hardly wears color anymore. She really doesn’t have any style. The spark is gone and she doesn’t look like she wants to be there. Queen Maxima puts Kate to shame with her warmth and genuine enthusiasm.
    I think these two need to swallow their pride and take advice from stylists, historians, and people who can coach them on their speech and deportment. Heck, I would be happy if they shadowed Sophie or Anne to learn a thing or two. Or maybe they could watch how the Swedish royals work or the hereditary grand ducal couple of Luxembourg. I know that Charles is the heir and William only heir presumptive, but in this case he really needs to take his grandparents’ and father’s ages into consideration. Although William is not the Prince of Wales, he is in his thirties and as such I expect him (and Kate) to do more than they are. For heaven’s sake, the Queen is 90. Prince Philip will be 100 soon. What is wrong with William and Kate?
    I just know William will not do half of the work that his father has done as Prince of Wales. I am starting to wonder if the monarchy will survive after Charles.
    Until I started my blog I never realized how little the Cambridges actually do. This is very disheartening, indeed. I actually feel bad for Kate sometimes because I suspect she has anxiety, which I can sympathize with. I am harder on William because he isn’t shy or nervous like Kate, he’s just arrogant, petulant, and controlling.
    Hope you don’t mind me giving a little rant on your blog! 🙂 Thanks for all of your great work! Let’s just hope that this Sun article will change William’s attitude. The future of the monarchy may depend on it.
    Angela

    1. KMR is it okay if Angela shares her blog address?

    2. I agree with you on most points, but I can’t see the flasher as shy or anxious. Well, maybe anxious because she managed to get herself into the family that puts the ‘dys’ in dysfunctional. I think if she had her way she’d be all over the news, the media and so would the kids. Her ‘fam’ is and it must be grating to her that she’s the ‘royal’, has Diana’s ring and the control freak she married won’t let her show off. Everything Kate is or isn’t appears to be defined by William. And before William her mummy. These are just my thoughts. I think William will just see the Sun article as another reason to hate the press, I highly doubt that anything short of pulling the plug on all the goodies and treating him w/o deference like a ‘normal’ dude will make any impact on this brat. Time will tell, but William might be wise to consider ‘be careful what you wish for, you just might get it’. source unk. My own personal opinion is that when the queen is pushing up daisies the tide will turn, and that the only thing between William and Kate and ‘the revenge of the press’ is respect for the queen.

25. I don’t know if anyone has watched Reinventing the Royals last year. The first episode was primarily about Prince Charles and the second about Prince William. It was said that, looking back, Prince William was protected and Prince Harry was left as a “decoy”, meaning Prince William got a press deal and Prince Harry had to deal with bad press and was even used by his father’s PR. Prince William is used to getting his way, he has always hated the press, he tried not to be photographed when Princess Diana was still alive. He climbed out of cars just showing his back, it was bizarre. He will be the next heir and they will bend over backwards to accommodate his every wish. Make no mistake, this family is not like a normal family. Prince Charles had contact with his children, but he has never played the part like we would know. On weekends he had Tiggy Legge-Bourke taking care of them. It’s not like we know it. We see them on Christmas going to church, but basically they get together at certain dates and the rest of the time they have no to very little interaction. They deal through press secretaries with each other and their PR people are not necessarily on good terms. It’s a deeply functional dysfunctional family that, for good PR, won’t mind slagging each other off. Prince HArry is smart by keeping close to William, otherwise he will end up like his uncles. I’m sure PW finds it quite fascinating to have a family that appears to be normal, or what he perceives as normal, with the Middletons now, albeit one that is in awe of his position. What I actually wanted to say is, that he has never had boundaries. At Sandhurst ,the RAF and at St. Andrews he had preferential status but he thought it was normal. After St. Andrews he gave an interview where he said that he has had to live with constant press intrusion all his life, when actually he had been sore or less protected from the press. He had to live with press interest, but not necessarily intrusion. Princess Diana’s death gave him the perfect excuse to get his way even more. It won’t change, he won’t change and he doesn’t have to if the majority of people still thinks they are better off with a Royal Family. And despite the comment board on the DM, the majority of people in the UK like the RF. It is a deeply rooted class system.

    1. I agree with you, except for one point…

       It is not wise for Harry to be close to william (office wise) because KP (aka william’s office) and the british media have absolutely no qualms about shoving Harry under the bus to save the heir to the heir. Especially, at a time when the only press will and kate generate is quite negative.

       Not to mention Harry looks pained/subdued every time he attends an event with his dear brother.

       Bill is 34 going on 8. Harry is 31. They really should have separate offices. Can you imagine Charles and Andrew sharing a staff at that point?

       All around it sucks for Harry because by the majority of accounts he is a genuinely good egg, who is stuck in a weird situation with reluctant NormalBill.

       Has anyone else noticed that Harry’s private secretary ELF has been mia for both of Harry’s 2016 engagements. He was accompanied by one of Bill’s goons.

       Did Elf leave, get fired, or was simply busy elsewhere? (ELF has rarely missed an engagement, let alone two in a row)

       1. I saw Richard Palmer say about ELF being away. He’s still working with Harry, but was on different duties those days. Perhaps with Invictus? Nothing suspicious, according to Richard.

          1. Thanks for the update 🙂

             I certainly hope it’s nothing. ELF has been a solid addition for Harry.

       2. I’m not really sure. He has to be wise. If he doesn’t work together with him he will be ousted just like Prince Andrew and Prince Edward will be,once Charles is King. Prince Charles had offered to work with Andrew but he wanted to do his Trade Ambassador thing and thought he could carve a role out on his own. We all know that this backfired dramatically. He is the spare, so he has to be around, but he doesn’t really have a role. By working with William and Kate he secures, in a certain way, his relevance in the future. He is more outgoing and obviously has his mother’s charisma, so who knows what the future will hold for him. Right now I suppose he will try to work for his own causes with not getting too close to William’s causes and he will probably try not to upstage and therefore upset his older brother too much. There was a very telling little piece on the BBC last year. At least I think it was BBC, where they showed up for a housing project for wounded soldiers. Harry was outside helping with a terrace and he really did something. William was inside pretending to help paint a wall. In the end William left and got told off by someone because it wasn’t finished. William looked annoyed and left, Harry came through the house, saw the wall. picked up a brush and at least finished it sort of. William does it for PR and his “just call me William” is obviously just show and it looked like he couldn’t wait to get away, whereas Harry seemed genuinely engaged. At least he tried to do something. I suppose if you are the future heir there isn’t really anyone that can tell you what to do. I doubt he cares what polls are saying, because let’s be honest, with the right spin doctors his image can be changed and fixed in a few months. His father is the prefect example. Charles is spoiled and quite removed from the general public but at least he has worked tirelessly for his Trust. William doesn’t even do that. Right now he plays being “copter pilot”, at least occasionally. And since the press is so intrusive, we have no clue what he does the rest of the time.

    2. I wonder if Harry isn’t so happy and outgoing because he is the ‘spare’ and not expected to be king, but has the Prince factor going for him.

       1. IMO they have distinct and different personalities regardless of birth order.

    3. It’s been pretty out in the open for ages that William’s indiscretions, idiocy, and the like have been covered up because he’s been protected whilst the media used Harry to eat alive because they couldn’t touch William. The stories I’ve heard of William! Sex in public. Cocaine (at Boujis). And we know the constant stream of every night drunk with Kate. Protecting him when he didn’t really live much in Anglesey. Etc, etc.

       I don’t doubt Charles loves his children, and I do think he did his best to be there after Diana died and be involved, but his life is busy and quite frankly he needed to get his PR in order because everyone hated him. And still does, despite it all. (I think y’all know I do like Charles and think he will be an excellent king just as he has been an excellent Prince of Wales. It is a damn shame William won’t continue his father’s amazing charity work and the fact Charles has created a ROLE for the heir..)

       That was a fascinating documentary. I quite enjoyed the comments on William and how awful he truly is but how they hide it and were even being diplomatic about it.

26. So has Platell…

    At the DM.

    I think a lot of Kate’s problems stem from William. He must be horrible to live with and appease constantly. It makes me want to cut her some slack, though she knew EXACTLY what she was getting into. Doesn’t mean it still must be difficult to be his wife.

    1. When the Telegraph says something it’ll be a story. I can’t see the royals getting hot under their collars about any of the press so far TBH.

    2. Thank you for that link. Someone, I think it was here, suggested that this may be a tactic from one side or the other. I don’t care which side is doing it I just hope it results in something other than the status quo.

    3. The Mirror has weighed in

       http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/carole-malone-asks-what-point-7407749#ICID=sharebar_twitter

       1. It will be interesting to see whether the press discontent gathers momentum or whether it is a form of temporary payback for HuffPo and lack of access from William.

       2. Katie Nicholl also wrote an article…

          Ouch.

          I think the tide perhaps may be turning and a private meeting with the press to threaten them won’t be enough to shut ’em up this time.

27. I see that the Daily Mail are having a wee go at Kate too. There’s a less than flattering photo of Kate out shopping in £1645 Temperley clothing and dirty trainers.
    Chic? Not!
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3456584/Dressing-like-Duchess-means-pushing-price-tag-Kate-s-duty-look-worth-3-028-not-including-5p-shopping-bag.html

    Question: was Kate trying to SWF Diana by wearing that high neck top with a ruffle trim around the top of the neck to the HuffPo day?

    1. We’re criticizing Kate for having dirty sneakers now? Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to criticize about Kate, but having dirty sneakers is not one of them. Everyone has dirty sneakers. I have dirty sneakers.

       Personally, the dirty sneakers are the last thing about that outfit I would criticize. £1,250 for a vest? Geez. Waste of money.

       1. ‘Everyone’ is not rich and surrounded by staff though.

          1. Kate gets criticized for buying dozens of black suede pumps that all look alike and only wears a few of them multiple times. And Kate also get criticized for wearing worn in sneakers? Either we want Kate to rewear her stuff or we don’t, we can’t have it both ways.

             Personally, I’d rather see the worn in sneakers than *another* new pair of black suede pumps.

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