209 thoughts on “Kate Middleton writes birthday message for a patronage she hasn’t visited in 17 months”

1. Yet another example of Kate failing in basic Royal duties. She really gives no shits for anyone or anything, imo.
   Makes me so cross I have to pay for this lazy woman, yet get nothing in return. Enough.

   1. Here’s what I do not understand, JL. She was in London. It was an hour. It was a celebration, a milestone. And she couldn’t come. I am shocked. Truly.

      1. She really is as bad as we think.

         1. She is preparing for her trip and needs every last minute of her 3 or is it 4 week break from public activities??? She has no respect for her role, the BRF or the Charities that she is supposed to be supporting. If she did not attend to the Irish Guards, why would she show up here? She is pathetic

            1. You know, this makes me think once again about the contrast between Kate and someone like Victoria.

               At their wedding, Daniel gave an extremely beautiful speech to his bride. One of the anecdotes he chose to illustrate his new wife’s character was a story about her preparing for a trip to China that would keep them apart for a whole month, and he told their guests about how she had arrived home late from an official engagement the night before and had a lot to do to get ready for her trip. She set aside some of that time to write him thirty letters, one for each day they’d be apart.

               So, the takeaway: Kate takes a month, more or less, off from her engagements because she’s getting ready for a week-long trip.

               Victoria attends an official engagement the night before she leaves on a month-long trip (and still takes the time to write Daniel thirty letters).

               Now, for all I know, Kate might stay up late right before her departure and write her kids special notes, but the contrast is remarkable.

            2. ABKM,that gave me goosebumps. So romantic and thoughtful. I leave my daughter notes when I don’t see her in the mornings and she carries them with her all day. My son is not as moved! That takes empathy, an understanding that while you may be dreading being away someone else may be feeling just as bad. It also shows so beautifully how one can manage official duties, or in my case a job, and still commit to family with all your heart. I love that story. Thank you for sharing!

            3. Oh, I have goosebumps, too. What an amazing woman Victoria is and how special Daniel must be for her to love him so much.

               Wow! That’s all I can say. My heart is just beaming. Such a lovely thing Victoria did!

      2. Judging by Twitter she was busy shopping. Far more important than doing her job and showing up for a gala for an hour or so! Too difficult for the special snowflake.

         1. That letter/note isn’t dated. My guess is that this was a job lot of signatures of notes put infront of Kate to sign.

            She can’t even stretch to warm wishes/regards/anything that would give this letter personality or warmth and take it out of the realms of ‘letter written by an assistant’.

            Just like her signature in condolence books. No words. Just catherine on a page. No indication what it relates to or even why she added her name to a page.

         2. I teared up when I saw Daniel talking about the letters. Victoria was determined to keep Daniel and that was a demonstration of love.

      3. I’m not shocked, rhiannon. This is exactly what I expect from Kate and she never “disappoint” me. She is REALLY ridiculous and as JL in England said, as bad as we think

   2. I totally agree!

      Lazy entiled fake quitter Cannot is such a waste of and an embarassement. Hats off to the pros at 100 Women of Hedge who saw and was not about to accommodate such nonsense, and partnering with dutiful profesional of The Countess Sophie, Wessex.

2. Well, another golden PR opportunity wasted for Kate. I suppose she can’t spare any time between her last fittings for the tour and the children. What a shame for these organisations that know Kate is no longer focusing on them because of the reported mental health prioritisation. What SportsAid is supposed to advertise now? Rebecca’s letter?

   1. “What SportsAid is supposed to advertise now? Rebecca’s letter?”

      That’s what they’ve done. They had an article on their website about it. They’ve also been retweeting other articles about it.

      1. Talking about scraping the barrel, eh? Oh well, it could have been worse with no letter at all.

   2. That’s all they got. That’s a total shame, too.

      1. it is very sad. this is a charity not the premier of a Hollywood movie. they need the help. if they are stuck scraping the bottom of the barrel, then what good is she?

   3. I would think that this would be the perfect opportunity to focus on mental health and how sports help children and teens with self esteem. Statistics have proven that if young women are involved in sports there is a minimal chance they will become pregnant and an excellent chance they will finish high school. It gives them something to focus on. Being a young woman who was focused on sports and had their college paid because of it, I know the positive effects that it can have on one’s life.

      It’s sad to see that if she made a minimal effort in research she would discover these herself, but she doesn’t.

      And yes, I was one who believed in the fairy tale until the past year when I could no longer excuse the lack of effort she places on anything but vacations and appearances that she will move heaven and earth to attend ie: tennis and sailing. 🙁

3. I believed that the goal to having small charities was to concentrate about them…

   1. Small and few, yes.
      Sadly, should and hot men on yachts or tennis courts have anything going on shevhas proven she will jump at that. Requested or not. Room or not.

      The letter is good, but it shouldn’t be credited to Kate as we know how she writes. It’s just something done in her name. Which is all she is sadly. A name that accepts credit.

      1. It is like for the HuffPost, she said herself that she didn’t do much.

      2. And nowhere in that note does the word keen appear, so probably not her work

         1. Clem
            Ugh That day of guest editing was a joke.

            Ray
            To be fair has Kate ever used that word? Or was it always used in reference to her via her PR? Always thought PR. A better way to tell is using an apostrophe correctly. Or Their,There, and They’re correctly.

            Things that are safe to assume. Kate likes shopping. She likes getting dressed up and going places. She’s only nervous when she has to interact on an unscripted scale. Outside of that she smiles lots and appears relaxed. So if she was going to do something it would be more likely an appearance which is a strength vs. her poor skills of writing.

            I just doubt Kate did more than sign off on this. Not even suggest it be done.

            1. Agreed. A sign off on a letter would be the least expected, and Kate, at her best, does the least expected. Nevertheless, it is a useless gesture and reminds us to the fact that Kate has done next to nothing for this and her other patronages. Her office staff has the job of keeping an up-to-date diary of events and milestones so of course it would not have been Kate thinking about it. I suggest that any writing done with Kate’s name attached is largely written by staff, with Kate’s final approval.
               I think she enjoys certain fun events, but finds most a bore. The reception of a few days ago would be firmly placed in the latter category if the forced grinning is anything to go by.

4. “Young sports people”… I couldn’t read past that part. Assuming she did write this herself, how in the hell did she graduate university? Scratch that, how did she graduate elementary school?!

   1. What’s wrong with “Young sports people”? Should she have said young sportsmen and women? I mean, athletes would have worked better probably but I think she/Rebecca was trying to be inclusive with the people part.

      1. It just sounds juvenile. “Young athletes” would have been preferable.

         1. My thoughts exactly!

            1. Second that! While juvenile didn’t enter my mind at once when I read the young sports people part it made me pause. Do you think that was supposed to be edited but was overlooked? And I agree with KMR that seeing SportsAid shill her as their patron even though she hasn’t done much for them is incredibly sad. I hope her name really does bring in the donations and publicity they need because if not then what’s the point of making her patron? On that front at least she’s useful to them.

   2. Don’t forget that this is the same group of PR folks who had an obvious typo on their departure date to India as March 9th.

      1. Exactly, Rhiannon.
         Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.
         And, they get paid well, I am certain.

5. This letter has some grammatical errors. Sports is should dump this lazy, good for nothing woman as their patron and get a patron who actually attends their events.

   1. Thank you, Red Tulip, for noticing the inferior composition of this letter. I’m heartened that I am not the only person left alive who values careful attention to grammar and sentence structure.

      I noted a mistake in verb-subject agreement: “…help and recognition [plural subject] … gives[singular verb]….” The singular verb can stand only if “help and recognition” can be deemed a single entity. I interpret them as two separate things, for recognition is only one of the many kinds of help offered to these athletes, is it not?

      In US English, the words “all important” should have been hyphenated when presented in tandem as an attributive adjective modifying “support.” Without the hyphen, the sentence seems confusing on first reading. In lieu of the hyphen, the author could have omitted the “all” to aid clarity.

      “Thank you to those who have, and are, supporting SportsAid.” The sentence is a mess, since there is no word to complete the helping verb “have.” Although the words “…who have supported and are supporting SportsAid” corrects the error, that construction is quite wordy, weak, and awkward. Why not say “past and present supporters of SportsAid”?

      The comma after 40th is also considered an error in US English, since it joins two simple infinitive phrases. However, British rules may be different.

      At any rate, I am quite disappointed that an honor graduate from a renowned British university penned–or simply signed?–such a sloppily written letter. Perhaps it was written in haste.

      1. I appreciate people from around the world take great pleasure in slamming my royal family, but English English is the original Mother Tongue, and to suggest we allow this sloppiness is not really fair. Kate or her advisors need some help, and even Word autocorrect might help. Nevertheless the average reasonably well educated Brit can spot the grammatical errors a mile off.

      2. Lyme, thank you for the analysis. Moreover, as stated above, ‘sports people’ or even the use of generic word ‘people’ should not have a place in a formal letter. As we all know, written speech should be precise as opposed to oral speech which can be more sloppy. One would also think that especially letters coming from KP should be carefully edited and checked. Details can make all the difference.

      3. I would hate for you to dissect my writing this much.

         1. Please, KMR, your writing sparkles! You also do amazing research and are very dedicated to your work. It shows in all you do!

            1. + 1000!

            2. I second that for KMR! The critique is only for KP!

            3. +1 +1000

         2. You’re lovely. Just as you are. 🙂

         3. Your writing has always seemed fine to me, KMR. However, a formal letter with a royal letterhead should be more carefully crafted than are informal comments on the internet. I also apologize to Birdy, who misunderstood my point. Her point that the average well-educated Brit could spot the errors corroborates my argument that the Duchess should do better than she did. I offered specific examples, not to seem pompous or to insult the British people, but rather to bolster my argument. My observations concerning the possible differences between US and British usage were not a judgment that the US way is the correct way. I simply wanted to acknowledge that differences do exist in our common language. However, in the US and in the UK, I think all can agree that Kate’s letter was sloppily written.

      4. You pointed out the errors more eloquently than I could, Lyme

6. Rebecca has got a special stash of KP letterhead that Kate has already signed about 3/4 of the way down the page. She can then insert whatever greetings, comments are needed and send it off.

   SportsAid should be a natural patronage for Kate. I wonder if SportsAid reached out to Kate for a letter because if she hasn’t visited in 17 months I don’t think they are on her radar.

   1. I thought the same, it should be a natural patronage to her. It says a lot that she can’t even bother to visit a charity dedicated to one of the few things she seems to be interested in. I would be so infuriated if I worked there, supporting these causes is her only job!

   2. Is it a documented fact that KP has pre-signed, otherwise blank, letters?

7. When I read that letter I ***heard*** it in mumbles Middleton’s fake/posh accent.
   Heck, I get birthday cards from my dentist, accountant, and other people with whom I’ve done business. Years ago. So, yes, Kate took the time to write a letter which is nice, but I see it as more damage control and pr. Quite nice of her to take the time but I rather wonder if Jason didn’t hand her the paper, the pen, and bring in help for her to write it. As in, do something nice and sweet Kate, we need to feed the sugars you have and maybe snag a few more, if they haven’t read the news lately and this is the first they’ve heard of you for a while. I’m sure that if he said anything at all, assuming it was his idea it was more along the lines of, your rh this charity you’re ever so keen on is having an anniversary, would your highness care to send off a little note? I’m sure they would be absolutely delighted to receive it.

   1. royals I just reread the letter imagining Kate’s voice and actually started to mimic the head movements she makes as well. And don’t forget the concerned look with it all. Oh boy, that was fun!

      1. 🙂

8. She’s their patron, and the only photos they have of her, THEIR PATRON, are a few years old? That’s just pathetic. Is she ever planning to put her nose to the grindstone and actually do something for all her patronages on a regular basis? I would be seething if I lived in the UK and my hard-earned tax money supported such a lazy monarchy. I wish the Queen would give her a stern talking-to.

9. I do hope that all of these royals actually write their own speeches and messages.I expect that the Duchess will schedule a public engagement to SportsAid after her India and Bhutan tour,because of the impending Rio Olympics.

10. I think you’ve answered my question from the other post KMR. When the Queen passes, there will be a public uprising against these two lazies. SportsAid and others will see how little benefit they get, or even hurt a little by people having a laugh at these two being “patrons.” The public and charities will rise up and demand they be skipped over because they are of limited value and heavy cost. Even if they want to “change” to keep the gravy train rolling, I don’t think public trust can come back nor do I think these two, whatever they pledge, will be anything other than lazy and looking for others to wait on them.

11. I just wish she would STOP clasping her hands in front of her like that. Its very….funereal looking.

    1. Did you notice the group photo from 2014 workshop? Heck, they all do it! Even the ones on the wheelchairs. It’s like Kate gave them the signal: OK, let’s do it all together now…
       I tell you, it’s airborne. People catch it around Kate, it’s true! Either that, or they all think it’s a church service!

       1. Oh, Elina, that is so funny. The clasping of her hands being contagious! Or, the people think they are at a church service. I needed a laugh, today. Thanks for the big one!

          1. Happy to make you laugh. 🙂

12. Yesterday several of us discussed whether or not Kate is overwhelmed by her life and role as Duchess along with the “work” that comes with the role. It was also suggested that perhaps she is faking the anxiety/nervousness to gain sympathy. I have to say at this point I really don’t know what to think of her. I look at some photos of her attending events and think ‘this is not a woman who is enjoying her life, this woman is not happy” and then she attends a sporting event or gala and some of the old spark is back and she looks fine. And then there is a chance, like this gala, to support one of her charities that she has not visited or done anything to highlight in over a year and the best she can do is send a letter? As we all know most of her engagements only last about an hour, it probably takes far longer for her to get ready for said event, so is she so unwell that spending an hour at a gala is too exhausting or is she really that clueless?

    I’m sorry that my post doesn’t have much to do with today’s post but again I just don’t know what to think about Kate.

    1. Hi, Lauri!

       I worry about her. If she is struggling like this as the Duchess of Cambridge, how will she do as the Princess of Wales or the Queen Consort? I truly wish her luck, but she’s going to have to either dig deep and start to work or reconsider what her future is going to be.

       1. I recall a post on LolaLovelyHeart’s blog and she stated a source who knows Kate and apparently Kate believes herself to be a great mind and a puppet master controlling those around her. If that’s the case then perhaps Kate is trying to play on public sympathy and also knowing that the Palace fears another Diana-like scenario, uses that to get out of doing engagements that she really doesn’t want to do.

          1. My thoughts entirely.

             1. Mine too. Kate’s a player.

    2. Lauri, I know. OFten, I feel guilt pangs for the critiques I offer here on Kate. And, then, she does something like this and I think, “Now,wait a minute….”

       She does seem to enjoy the sporting events and really thrives when attending them So, why not attend this gala for an organization dedicated to helping to support athletes?

       The letter seemed a rather simple solution to the problem of “Should I attend, or not?”
       But, a letter is pretty meaningless, in the long run. Oh, I just thought of something. Maybe, they should have sent William with Charlotte. She can kick a soccer ball, can’t she? And, I am sure they would find something adorable for her to wear!

       1. Oh, no, we can’t have that. That would mean the press might actually see Charlotte!

       2. Hi MaryElizabeth, I go through the same thing, feeling slightly guilty about writing not nice things about someone I don’t even know and then in the next minute feeling more than a little annoyed at all the lost opportunities to be of help and service, all the lost opportunities to highlight others who are trying to make a difference. I might have to take a break from all of this just for my own sanity.

          1. You are so on target, Lauri. There are too many squandered opportunities where Kate could help others. I guess that is what irks me the most. Please don’t take a break. You are a joy on this site. SOmetimes, I think I should just read the posts about the other European Royals. And, those of other nations, too. I’m fed up with the Cambridges. Oh, and Harry and Sophie and HM deserve to be seen and read about, too!

    3. Hi Lauri, I miss talking to all of you. I am so swamped lately, and it’s disappointing to wade out of everything to see Kate so continually feckless. I think everyone who has called her lazy is right. I think everything in her life pre-marriage was to get that ring. You’d think she’d have to be intelligent to pass St. Andrews, but I think Carole got her tutors and Kate’s primary job was to short term remember until she took the tests. Hurdle jumped. Now that she DOC, it’s clear that she’s a incredibly shallow person who’s primary feature is being Will’s pillow friend.

       1. Hi Sunny. It’s good to hear from you, I’ve noticed your recent posts. I agree with you guys in this thread and expressed my view yesterday- while speculating of course- that there is probably an underlying situation with Kate. I don’t really think she’s faking it for the sake of positive attention because I personally consider that behaviour as the other side of the same coin, i.e. coming from a person with low self esteem and deep insecurities who may develop a mental disorder.
          I prefer not to call her lazy, rather with a poor work ethic that basically roots in William’s ideas of royal duty.
          But truly, as said yesterday, my guess is as good as anyone else’s. The difference is that I’m willing to give Kate all the slack that she needs if she’s really in need and finally, I still believe she can change and be trained, providing that she’s willing to accept help. IMO everyone deserves that and I’m not going to deny her a second chance, that is if the British public will accommodate.

          1. Hi Elina,
             It’s good to be here with all of you.
             There’s a lot of good advice and positive will for Kate on this site, and there’s ni where for it to go because she (they-W&K) constantly disappoint. They both benefitted from Will’s tantrum to keep the press away during the college years. Now Will thinks he can manipulate what he wants them to say and print. Kate follows his lead because that’s what she’s always done. She’s never showed independent effort to do anything other than chase Will. She has no personality or persona other than the title facade. Will brushes off BAFTA, Kate flicks away SportsAid. They are taking a vacay-tour of India after doing nothing. Pictures of them having an expensive tax-payer vacation aren’t going to please.

             1. After the roasting William got for blowing off the BAFTAs, I would have thought that Kate, as patron of SportsAid, would have attended their 40th anniversary celebration.

                Perhaps not because she actually cares for the charity and wants to be there but just to save face. Oh well, I guess that’s what this letter was supposed to do…

                I think William has borne the brunt of the changing sentiment towards this couple – at least in the press – and it is probably time for Kate to face the music too. Like William, she blew off one of her charity’s major events and journalists need to ask why instead of giving using motherhood as a free pass for her. I, for one, cannot understand how some of those female journalists – with very little flexibility due the demanding nature of having to break news, scoop your competitors and follow up on their stories all within deadline, and then go home to tend to their families – can actually write such drivel about her being a modern mother. I doubt they’d want their own children to look up to her so why are they so happy praise her to the extent that others’ children may consider her a role model???

                I really do hope that Kate is called out publicly – not because I’m mean, jealous or harbour any ill will – in the hope that it prompts her to think long and hard about her life, role and responsibilities. I don’t buy theories about her fragility and need for constant supervision or care – did she not live away from home for several years, take care of herself, lead a relatively happy/carefree life at university and earn her degree within the stipulated time frame?
                She has a mind of her own and needs to start using it. For her own sake and that of her children, she needs to come to a decision about her own life that will make her happy and hopefully restore some of that lost spark. She needs to find a purpose, her raison d’etre and hers alone. Whether it be throwing herself into her charity work or leaving the royal family and retiring from public life all together, I doubt anyone would begrudge her for choosing to be happy after all we all want to be happy- it is human nature.

             2. Wow Em!!! Bravo for excellently written comments. This would be one that I wish Rebecca Deacon or whomever in charge of this part (re: the Duchess)….take note or have Mrs Kate take note. This is constructive criticism (classy). Thank you.

             3. +1000!

             4. @Em ~ you are saying, in a much more eloquent way than myself, what I have been feeling towards her. You would think that she would want to save face, but I get the feeling that she feels she is above it.

             5. I totally agree. It’s obvious that she has absolutely no purpose! Very sad.

13. Bless her heart. Kate is saving her energy for center court tennis (men, only).

    1. Ha ha, G. That’s right! 😉

14. I believe most people would feel ashamed or embarrassed to be so negligent in their responsibilities toward this charity. But time after time Kate shows that she has no intention of doing anything she deems unimportant.

    Her parents raised her to care only about her hair and landing Wills. Look at Pippa, who seems to think she is adored by the public but doesn’t have a clue to how ridiculous she is. The Middletons and Wills are self centered horrible people.

    I think Wills contributed plenty of his own contempt towards the public and duty. So the RF has a subset of seriously degenerate, self centered middle aged adolescents in their midst. And the senior royals are letting it happen.

    Let W & K step down and live their sad lives in their country estate. The Middletons can support them.
    They are completely uninterested the other humans that inhabit the earth and that makes W&K unfit for royal life.

    1. +1 this sums up my feelings, Indiana.

    2. Couldn’t agree more.

       1. Agree. No one wants to be around insincere disengaged people who clearly don’t want to be there. It is so disappointing. Kate was raised differently, but W was raised watching the BRF work and work hard.

15. Does anyone know when the annual SportsAid ball took place in 2014 and 2015?This is the type of event a patron should make sure of attending isn’t it?If it always takes place in the month of November,then I can only see a lack of dedication on the Duchess’s part for not attending this event in 2015.In 2014 she was suffering from hypermesis gavardium in the oct-nov time period,so I’ll give her a pass for that.

    1. It always takes place in November usually on Thanksgiving.

       In 2014, Kate was suffering HG in the September and early October timeframe. She was back doing royal duties by October 20 and did several in November. HG wasn’t the reason she skipped the SportsBall in 2014.

       1. Lack of dedication it is then.

16. Am I correct in understanding from this post that Kate has only visited SportsAid TWICE since becoming its patron THREE years ago? And that SportsAid is one of just EIGHT charities of which she is patron? Other than holidays and extensions, Kate doesn’t do anything in double digits, does she?

    1. According to Middleton Maven twitter : The Duchess of Cambridge is out and about today in London shopping for some last minute items before she leaves for #RoyalVisitIndia

       -> but no she couldn’t do more than a letter to Sports Aids. When sportsAid’s will offer shopping like an sport, she could go the charity.
       After a day of work, a day of shopping : I see more and more shopping like a reward after an effort from her.

       1. I don’t begrudge a woman shopping. Heck, I just came back from a sporting goods store. I think that I finally found a good pair of trail shoes…Okay, I digress.

          Due to the state of affairs right now, Kate needs to lay low and send someone else to do her shopping. Or have it sent via courier. If people questioned my work ethic, I would work more. Apparently, she told us during her engagement interview that she doesn’t care what people think. That was foreshadowing.

          1. Yes she has the right to shopping.
             But it is not a wise choice in the context of the critics like you said.
             What do you mean by “foreshadowing”? My traduction in French doesn’t make sense, sorry

             1. She also took several weeks off to be with the kids and to prepare. I find it very hard to believe that she could not take half an evening of however long it takes for her to get ready to attend this event. To me it would have been a nice break from all of the focus on the trip. Again, this trip is all of 6 days. I don’t think she wants to go and is throwing a tantrum that began around St Patrick’s day and will carry through the summer.

                It is not professional and shows her consistent lack of empathy for her charities and basically anyone or anything.

             2. I’m not Rhiannon, but Clem asked “What do you mean by “foreshadowing”? My traduction in French doesn’t make sense, sorry”

                What I think she meant, and what I understand by that, is that Kate said she doesn’t care what people think of her, meaning that she doesn’t think their opinion is important. In other words, their opinions don’t matter to her.

                “Foreshadowing” in this context, is the equivalent to: warning, prediction, forecast.
                P.S. there is a website called dictionary dot com that helps with synonyms if that helps you. The translation there is “to indicate beforehand” (or in advance).

                Hope that helps.

          2. She also mentioned in that same interview that she was hoping to make even the smallest difference, I’d say she is holding true to both statements, as I don’t know how much smaller of a difference she could make.

             I guess when someone tells you something about themselves it’s a good idea to believe them.

       2. Will no one think of the children?!

          1. Oh HyacianthBucket, George and charlotte are the children of the world!

       3. Fingers crossed she’s buying underwear!

          1. Bahahahaha!!! from your lips to God’s ears LadyJenn!

          2. omg! Yes, let’s hope.

          3. Yes…. in any other case, I’d say that was a non-concern… but in her case— they should sew the panties into her clothes!

    2. That is incorrect and I’m sorry if I have implied that. I only mentioned though two appearances since they were the only ones I thought relevant to this post. But Kate has made two other visits to SportsAid since becoming patron in 2013 – once more in 2013 and once more in 2014. She did not visit them in 2015.

       1. Thanks for the clarification! Sometimes things have to be spelled out very carefully for me lol. But, that still makes just four visits in roughly three years. Quite sad, really.

17. Does she really deserve praise for sending this letter out? If she didn’t that would be truly inexcusable. I am certain the staff has a list of important days for each charity for which she is patron . And, others that are of special interest to her, too. Of course, they need to be contacted — or visited– on those days. Oh, and 40 years is a milestone! It’s not as if this was a third or fourth anniversary!

    The letter was not that special, imo. And, the use of sports people was so strange!

    How sad for any non-profit to think they are lucky to have such an important patron — only to find out in time that her interest is non-existent.

    Jason or Rebecca did not pen a gem, if you ask me. And, Kate? Well, she just signed it! How long does that take, anyway?

    1. I don’t think Kate has even spent a thought on SportsAid. Her staff organizes her “work” and correspondence with her patronages. She has just to sign the letters.

       1. Or they have a job lot of signed blank pages that are simply waiting for text as needed.

          It’s quite common practice.

          1. That’s my guess Herazeus. Signed about 3/4 of the way down the page so they have room to insert the necessary statement.

             I had pre-signed photos of the recording artists I worked with ready to be personalized (and I became quite adept at mimicking the handwriting of a few to add those personal touches over the authentic signature.)

       2. I bet it’s an electronic signature, I don’t think Kate signs them at all.

          1. Think so too.

    2. Her nonexistent interest may, though it shouldn’t, reflect poorly on the charity. She does more harm than good here.

18. Kate always looks very unhappy and anxious and out of her league when she is at any non-sporting engagement. I wonder if she is actually an introvert and these engagements are mentally taxing for her. She just doesn’t look content.

    I did like Kate’s dress yesterday…at least the bumflashing and upskirt shots are in the past.

    1. Don’t get too carried away……we’ve got six days in India & Bhutan to get through yet.

19. Thank you for a fact filled post. I wonder what is the protocol for being a Patron of a charity. As in a description. Even volunteers have a description of their duties.

    1. There doesn’t appear to be a common understanding of the word patron. Oxford reads: A person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, cause, or activity.

       One weekend I went through all of the available annual accounts for the Royal Foundation of D&D of Camb and PH (2011-2014) and made a spreadsheet of the charities and agencies that it supports along with the amount of support. I also went through the available sources and made a spreadsheet of the patronages of W, K & H. Based on this, being a patron means different roles for each of the charities that list them as patron.

       The Royal Foundation has not given a direct grant to SportsAid in the years 2011 -2014. (2015 accounts have not been published yet.) As far as I can tell, they have not given any restricted grants either to the organization. So, for SportsAid, the Duchess’ role as patron is “A person who gives…other support to a(n) organization, cause or activity.”

       So what kind of support is it? Often it is showing up at the gala (celebrity/famous person, everyone wants to buy a ticket). The other is the networking that goes on behind the scenes. Someone knows an agency, foundation, trust that is distributing grants for specific activites and they make introductions to get the get the ball rolling. (The Charities Forum operates this way. The Royal Foundation is a member of the Charities Forum.) Someone knows an individual who is willing to support an activity with annual donations if certain criteria are met. Another is helping an organization get better returns on their funds by directing them to companies or individuals who will manage the funds for income (with proper oversight) to make their assets grow.

       There is also an implied vetting that goes on before a member of the BRF will agree to become a patron. That becomes a ‘seal of approval’ that can encourage donations to an organization.

       What kind of patron is Kate? I suspect a bit of the celebrity, another bit of putting SportsAid forward at the Charities Forum and a last bit of the ‘seal of approval’ fairy dust that comes from having a royal patron. The part that she doesn’t fulfill (as part of the Royal Foundation of D/D Camb & PH) is making grants to the organization. The RF does not give financial support to them. (AFAICS)

       1. PFairfax, thank you for your informative post about a patron’s role. I was also wondering lately about the Royal Foundation’s support and where it goes.
          As for your question “what kind of patron is Kate”, my answer would be “a bad one”. I can’t see her being personally involved with any of the finances, the networking or even the high profile events that charities may organise for more visibility. It’s a competitive world out there, even for charities, and organisations have to fight for every inch of support for their causes.
          At the best case, Kate would show up and pull a concerning face. She offers the charity her title. That’s it. I wonder if she’s even interested what her own office does or could do more for these charities.
          My view is that the organisations who got Kate as patron, probably hurrayed at the beginning, only to realise later that they are stuck with a basically oblivious and a no show royal. SportsAid is a good example.

       2. PFairfax, perhaps you can shed more light on on how patronages,royal or otherwise, work.

          When one becomes a patron of a charity, are they a patron for life? Should there be some sort of breakdown in the working relationship is it acceptable for either the patron or charity to sever ties with the other? Or is one patron for a specific amount of time and does this role come up for renewal? Is it acceptable for charities especially those linked to royals to have other patrons too? Do patrons sit on the board of their chosen charities?

          1. Good questions Ella.

             A patron’s role in an organization is determined between the organization and the patron. The length of a patronage, the activities as a patron and the degree of monetary support are agreements (if any) between a patron and an organization. There could be goals or restrictions that each agrees upon. A length of term, the number of public appearances, the types of appearances and the use of a patron’s name are negotiable. There can be more than one patron. Look at the web sites of any of the charitable groups that the Duchess supports to find if there are other patrons, royal or not.

             Board membership is a separate position and not necessarily joined to a patronage. A board membership can be condition of granting funds to a group. A patron granting money can restrict the use of their donation to particular uses or activities. The amount to be given can be structured as a matching funds scheme. For example, for each pound received from other donors, the granting patron will match that total.

             The confusion with the royal patronages is that there is no explanation offered of the type of patronage that a royal is fulfilling when it is announced. It could be a service patronage with or without a time limit (4 appearances in 2 years or attendance at an annual awards gala for 3 successive years) or a recorded video appeal to be used during an annual appeal drive. When the D&D of Camb have gone to events that are supported by the Royal Foundation, the connection is rarely mentioned. It seems as though their media staff do not want to clarify the type of patronage held by the D&D. The fuzzy nature of their patronages, bursts of activity for their patronages one year and then none the next, and rare mention of private meetings that have taken place make it seem that they aren’t supporting the organizations of which they are patron. Private meetings are probable — how else to discuss what role a patron will be taking to further an organizations cause for another year, if at all?

             I’m not taking one side or the other with the D&D’s patronages. I am saying that the BRF has not explained what a royal patronage is and the D&D have made little attempt to clarify their roles as patrons to chosen charities. They could. They don’t. As a result, they get criticized loudly and often for avoiding their patronage roles and not supporting the charities that they have chosen. It’s time for them to define their roles as patrons, to let the public know what those roles are and to show support of their patronages in a cohesive way so their ‘work’ can be seen in regular calendar of appointments for the charities.

20. Have you all heard about the scaffolding row? Open mouth – insert foot, the only thing they do really well.

    1. Major facepalm. Seriously, who does that? I’m still not entirely convinced about the veracity of the story because the whole thing sounds like something taken out of a comedy skit. It takes a massive sense of entitlement to make such a request – it almost reminiscent of the garden workers at Versailles frantically turning the fountains on and off so Louis XIV never had to pass a dry fountain when he took a walk.

       1. Two things:

          1. It says alot about WK’s current image in the world that such a story can be made up. And taken seriously enough for the Foreign office to issue an official denial instead of ignoring it as nonsense.

          2. This story isn’t too far fetched when you consider the things they’ve brazenly lied about or demanded eg

          – free Mustique Villa on the basis that even though he had no money, he still wsnted to go on vacation.
          – helicopter joyrides that the RAF had to scramble to pretend to be part of normal exercises.
          – skipping out of ParaOlympics due to tour prep and instead found to be vacationing in France.
          – refusing to invite world leaders to their wedding on the grojnds that it wasn’t a diplomatic occassion, nevermind that the state paid for it and the day was declared a public holiday.
          – lying about work, both Kate and William continually do this and blame other people when they are caught out.
          – speaking of lying, they always blame institutions or people who won’t push back because of a code of silence.

          That is a tiny sample of things they’ve done wrong for years.

          However, given they have publicly linked tourist traffic to the Taj Mahal to public support for Diana, not to mention that they want to create new memories at this monument, is it too far fetched that their team might have asked, even if the foreign office did not?

          1. Herazeus, I love your wonderful memory and well written comments. I forget over half of the crap these two pull.

             Last year I started to think I was overly critical of these two and thought I should calm down. Except, here comes 2016 and their bad behavior escalates. I feel badly about criticizing members of the BRF because I am from a different country. There must be many who feel my poor opinion should be kept locked inside my head. In my defense, I am a huge fan of several of the members of the BRF.

             These two get under my skin. I feel like I watched Will and Harry grow up. I had expectations they would be as hard working as their parents and understand the importance of duty. My opinion of Will changed slowly after the wedding and I became truly fed up the last couple of years.

             Why do I continue to watch this couple? I cannot help myself. The bobbing and weaving is interesting. Before the final train crash happens I will enjoy watching it in slow mo.

          2. If they truly do have a problem with the scaffolding being there, they can always Photoshop it like they do their family pictures.

             1. Regarding the scaffolding at the Taj Mahal…..
                Last night I looked at the recent reviews and photographs of the Taj Mahal on Trip Advisor. It appears that the scaffolding is round 2 or 3 minarets. These are clearly shown in tourist pics. We now know what to look out for. Could be you are correct and they will be photoshopped out. It will be interesting to look at reviews and pics after the tour is over.

          3. It’s not far-fetched at all, and is very much in keeping with the general m.o. of this couple.
             The level of psychological illness/ arrogance is high if William honestly links the Taj Mahal’s tourist traffic to his mother sitting on a bench in front of it, once, in 1992. It’s an iconic image to some, but there are many millions of people in their twenties and younger who have no memory whatsoever of Diana.
             The litany of awful behaviour from the Cambridge’s over years signals that no-one has influence over them, and that it will continue unchecked.

             1. Imma be totally honest with you. I had never seen that “iconic” image of Diana in front of the Taj until I looked it up to post it in an earlier post. I thought I had seen it, since I had a memory of it in my head, but it must have been me making things up since I’d been told she posed in front of the Taj because what I thought was it was nothing like the actual photo.

             2. To be honest with you KMR, I had to look up the date, but only vaguely remember the image myself! It was a piece of manipulation on Diana’s part and signaled to the world that the marriage was well and truly over, yes? Her F.U. to Charles. And that’s why people recall it. William and Kate should ‘create new memories’ in private if the Taj Mahal means that much. If I were them I’d avoid the inevitable comparisons. You just know it’s going to come back and bite them on the bum sometime.

    2. Sounds like someone who can remove the scaffolding will get a request from someone who wants a WK photo op to not have that in it. If it’s gone we’ll know a request specifically for them was made. And you can bet there was a strong sense of entitlement behind it.

21. First and foremost, thank you, KMR, for keeping us in the loop with updates from Kate. I appreciate your hard work, dedication, and sleuthing you do for us.

    I don’t know what else to say. I feel sorry for her charity as they need the fundraising and the focus.

    1. +1

22. After a week or two full of work, duties (household, family, friends) and taxes (why are those tax systems always sooo complicated) I had 5 minutes to check into my favorite blogs (KMR!)….and I have to read about about Lazy, Lazier & Sons…. Why am I still paying attention to this bunch of Never-Do-Nothings???? Why? Those two are not an inspiration! Those two are an excuse for freeloading, for…. I can’t even find the right words! (English is not my mother tongue)

    1. Greta, you said everything just perfectly!

       1. +1

    2. Well, Greta, English **is** my mother tongue and you said things perfectly! I loved your post, just loved it!
       I actually admire anyone who is bilingual.

23. If you’re a Patron surely when you have the biannual diary planning meeting, as all the Royals do, the first thing you do is put in the diary visits to your patronages say 2/3 times a year at key events in the patron’s diary. I.e BAFTA Awards night? Then you fill the diary up with the bread & butter Royal events…..Trooping the Colour, Garter Ceremeony, Irish Guards on St Patrick’s Day etc…. Seems kind of obvious to me and it’s a quick win. Then you fit in other requests such as foreign tours, pleasurable activities such as Wimbledon, Ascot and then finally you block off sections for private time and holidays. It’s not rocket science so why do they manage to screw up something so simple? If you take on patronages you have a commitment to them. They need your profile and input. Even Princess Margaret used to make sure all her patronages got at least one visit a year and she wasn’t the hardest worker in the Royal Family. Of course we know that William Wails doesn’t want to create expectations of his family but that’s the bloody point of Royalty. Arrrgghhh. Give me strength.

    1. I’ve never understood the “not wanting to create expectation” bit. As you said, isn’t that the point of the Royal Family, isn’t that why they get so many perks?? Dependability, duty and service to others is the hallmark of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and now her grandson and future heir can’t be bothered?? Arrrrgggghhhh indeed!

       1. though we clearly focus on these two, there are members of the BRF who honor commitments and expectations, despite whatever else is going on in their personal lives. the Queen has set an exceptional standard. I don’t know what went wrong with W and K. maybe Charles is waiting to be King to straighten things out. the Queen must be tired of the family drama.

          1. I know they say not much goes past her Majesty but she doesn’t have the best reputation for dealing with the unpalatable. I think once her 90th is out of the way if there is not a sea change in the work ethic of these two she might have a revolution on her hands. I am hoping that once her 90th celebrations are over she does start to cut her workload significantly. Her & PP should be enjoying their twilight years together doing what they want to do.

          2. What went wrong with William is that he was allowed to get away with too much all his life; apparently Charles and Diana found him charming… no surprises then that he is a totally awful adult who has chosen an equally awful woman for his wife. It is way, way too late ‘to straighten things out’. Not gonna happen. The Queen and Charles choose not to see or deal with unpalatable aspects of their family. There are no consequences – as yet – for anyone, so why bother? Only if ongoing privilege is threatened will they do anything.

             1. So true Jen, W&K have been treated with kid gloves and coddled their entire lives so I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that they threw little temper tantrums to get out of doing what they don’t want to do.

                While I admire the Queen very much, her habit of letting poor behavior go on for too long before taking action might be the one thing that could spell the end of the Monarchy. Look at how long she waited to take action with Charles & Diana, now she’s doing the same thing with William and Kate. Sigh….

       2. Interesting, my job has expectations. And expectations in the ‘rf’ mean tradition to me, long standing traditions that appeal to people from all over the world. Apparently, Wimpo thinks that even in his own country it’s just funny clothes and silly stuff. I personally don’t like the idea of having to settle for whomever shot down the right chute as an ornamental head of state but it comes with a lot of perks and privileges and seems very important to some people so it might be nice if the future king at least pretended to care. And advised his wife to act like an adult while on duty and then go back to mummy’s for her feeding. They’re just spitting all over the people who support them and I hope the wind changes and it splatters all over their smug faces.

    2. One more thing MrsBBV, I think W&K arrange their diaries the opposite way of what you suggested. They pencil in family time, holidays and the like first, then look at the requests from their charities and decide which of those they don’t want to attend, then look at “Royal” events and decide which of those they don’t want to attend, then they look at polo matches, tennis matches and decide which of those they do want to attend. How else could they manage to only work 40-60 something days a year??? It takes a lot of time and effort to not schedule things.

       1. Actually I do remember Patrick Jephson saying that Diana would block out half term / end of term when the boys were school age before agreeing to anything else…..seems fair enough to me I’m not exepecting total sacrifice. I expect you’re right Lauri, such is their mentality to work they probably do decide what they don’t want to do rather than what they actually want to do. What a waste of such a privilege. I would love to be able to have a full time career in philanthropy…….it’s actually my dream if I ever won the lottery to work with the causes that mean the most to me. If real life didn’t intervene and make it a pipe dream I would do it. The fact that they don’t even want to do a couple of hours a week infuriates me. William’s comment about the India / Bhutan tour is very telling. They don’t see it as work more an escorted guided tour with a bit of diplomacy (Kate’s wardrobe planning) and media involvement thrown in.

       2. Lauri, you nailed it. That’s exactly how they plan their schedule!

    3. I love how you put in William Wails-because that’s what he does, wail and complain about his unjust and unfair lot in life! Oh what a tragedy it is that he can’t get blanket privacy as a public figure and he is expected to put in work!

       1. I expect when Willam comes to the throne I shall be off to the Tower of London for calling him that. Xx

24. It is hard to feel anything for K & W. They are like 2 sticks of wood and nothing has been done to humanize them. If there are problems with Kate-severe social anxiety, panic attacks, post-partum depression, marriage problems, issues with one of the children etc…I would prefer if some type of a vague announcement was made, something like, the duke and duchess are taking a sabbatical from their duties to focus on family. I do not believe the BRF would ever be specific, it is not the way they do things. While it sounds lame and speculation would be wild as to what is going on, at least something will have been said. I think we will see some photos of Charlotte for her birthday and then W & K will mostly disappear until early September, with the exception of the Queen’s Birthday. Or maybe nothing is wrong and K & W are simply arrogant, not very intelligent and lazy and are not bothered by public opinion. WHile I do not wish anyone to be unhappy, I am kind of hoping something is going on with them, that it can be resolved and that they can move on and step up to their jobs. I do not think they will ever be very warm and personable and universally admired, it is not in their natures, but I think they can do an acceptable job.

25. So I’ve only read about half of this article and almost cried from laughter, especially the photo captions.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3530869/Duchess-Drab-s-mystery-cosmos-DOES-beautiful-woman-make-designer-outfits-look-frumpy.html

    1. ^ I almost choked on my evening glass of cranberry juice: “There are Carmelite Nuns who look foxier.” I can almost hear the claws come out of hiding on the author’s paws: “It’s as though — whatever she wears — she is anxiously trying to preserve the image of the jolly, dimple-cheeked university undergraduate she was when they first met, all pussy-bows and Boden, fearful still, perhaps, that if she deviates from a tried-and-tested formula he might once more turn his back on her as he did at the start of their relationship.” Yet it ends with a practical appeal: ” Stop it now with the schoolgirl hair, the submissive air and the stiff standing on ceremony. Find someone who can help you choose the little details that make an outfit sing.” Will the target of the critique take notice?

       1. I loved the “Princess-on-Parade stance”, too true! “Kate is, quite simply, style kryptonite” lol!

          No, PFairFax I don’t think the target of this critique will take notice. However, if Tash is the advising her I she takes notice.

       2. She might. After the DM wrote a negative article about her eyebrows following the air cadets event, she hasn’t been pencilling them in so thickly.

    2. Was this reception as miserly as described in articles? Cheese cookies and orange-flavored beverage? Not a scribble of fresh food appetizer on the tables? Has the entire quarterly KP budget for reception nibble food been spent already? Perhaps Kate could have sold a pair of her shoes to cover the costs. Now the guests can all write home to their families about the short visit and sparse refreshments and scarce food nibbles offered to them. How sad.

    3. Ouch! And true. Finally an article that doesn’t praise her ‘style’. Kate picks some great dresses but has no idea how to style or wear them.

       One thing I found odd though, was the article starts out saying how Kate is ‘an uncommonly beautiful woman’. And yet it look like they chose on purpose very unflattering pictures of Kate. And I am not talking about clothes, but her face/body pose in the photos. The article starts with one of the worst photos from the reception this week and it is right where they are praising her beauty. Then the Goat red dress one is even more harsh. It just seems like they are praising her beauty, but not really because they choose unflattering photos. Don’t get me wrong, I think Kate is very pretty. Even the most beautiful women have unflattering photos. It is just a subtle, or not so subtle, way to say one thing and show another.

       1. Hi Overit, apparently with the British press one must read between the lines so to speak. I’ve seen this said many times about articles that on one hand appear to praise someone but is accompanied with bad photos.

    4. Love the Queen Victoria comment.

       Though I do disagree with writer’s take on the nude pumps, I do agree with her that Duchess of Cambridge has absolutely NO STYLE. This was very evident from the dating years. Every time I look down to the nude hose and black shoes, I just sigh. Wear black hose with black shoes!!! And never wear black shoes with light coloured outfits!!

       Closer look at the blue polka dot gown from this article, it just did not fit her. Sigh…

       1. What’s wrong with nude hose and black shoes? I always wear nude hose anytime I go to a fancy function and I wear black pumps with them.

          1. Me too KMR. I don’t think that’s a fashion faux pas, it depends on what you’re wearing.

             1. Totally agree and like anything else, there are a thousand brands of hosiery and a thousand textures. I think nude hose is elegant.

          2. Who decided that there is something wrong with nude hose? It goes with everything and fulfills the professional card. And will always fulfill it. This is not a fashion faux pas. This is fashion sensibility. WTH?

             As far as the DM article goes, I believe they are taking the piss even though most of the article is spot on. It’s also cribbed from sites like this.

             1. Totally agree, Maven. The article takes a lot from this site and also uses the snarky tone of a lot of our comments! It actually says what we were saying the other day! I actually enjoyed it, but didn’t necessarily agree with all the points made, however the mere fact that this article is out, is interesting. I can’t recall any other article taking the piss of Kate’s style. Honestly, I thought it was our prerogative!
                I also find that articles in DM or mainstream media may often camouflage their criticism with a passive-aggressive way of writing. The hidden meaning sometimes is ‘we can’t say this openly but you can figure out what we mean by e.g. looking to the picture’.
                I wonder if the article is a precursor for more fashion criticism during the tour.

          3. There’s nothing wrong with it at all KMR. I think what they are saying with Kate is that with her bespoke designer outifits she needs to step up her accessorizing game. She can continue to wear the nude hose, it’s everything else, including her demeanor, that frumps up everything she wears. We’ve all cried out for her to up her shoe game and to accessorize her outfits better. Then there’s the hair and the posture. This article just gave a public voice to everything we’ve been pointing out over and over. Kate is not dressing to go to the office, she’s representing the BRF. And she can actually find a hose that’s not so shiny. And to be honest, I expect her to be immaculately styled when she hits the door, it’s all part of the image. There are some events that require dressing down, but even then she should be immaculate in presentation. It’s time for a professional stylist, dresser, new hair person, make-up artist and someone to coach her on how she presents herself to enter the picture. She and William don’t want a lot of people around them, but they aren’t getting it right. Just my two cents worth.

             By the way, I loved every word of that article.

             1. Amen for a professional stylist, Lisa. Long overdue. Do you think after this article Kate/team Kate will consider?

             2. We can only hope Elina. Unfortunately, if they do I’m sure they (W&K) would consider it admitting that they were wrong in some aspect so you can pretty much count on that not happening. And remember the comment from the engagement interview that she doesn’t care about what people think.

             3. The woman who wrote the article probably visits this site. Anyone of us could have written it. In fact, some of our comments were “stolen!”

                I take exception with a few of the remarks. Kate, to me, is a “girl next door” type, not beautiful. Also, I don’t envy that figure and I know few women who do. She is way too skinny. And, I think her lack of a bust is not sexy at all. (That is just my opinion and I don’t mean to criticize women who are flat-chested. I just resent the fashion world thinking flat is best).

                And, what is the remark about the American tights, please? As Lisa stated above, nude stockings are not her problem — for the most part. It’s those awful shoes and the terrible dresses she chooses to wear. She doesn’t have a clue about what makes her look good. Ok, that was mentioned. But, really, I got more from the captions written under each photo than from the article. I’ve read the same things here. We should be paid for our comments. Oh, and what was Kate doing in that one photo where her feet were wide apart and at a strange angle from the rest of her body?

                Gotta go, the littlest fashionista I know is calling. Have a good weekend, everyone. Her daddy is dressing her. God help us all.

             4. Elina, there was a story about how her makeup was professionally done for the engagement photos. She washed it off and did it from scratch by herself. Arrogance. I like my makeup a certain way and if you have a professional artist working on you what could go wrong?

                Kate thinks she knows best. Heaven forbid she ask for help and learn.

          4. As Cat said it depends on what one is wearing. Take for instance the 60’s style gingham suit Kate wore, black pumps were totally wrong for that outfit. Not only was the style of shoe clashing with that outfit but black was much to heavy of a color for such spring colors. A box heel in a contrasting color would have been better and also she shouldn’t have used that black clutch she can’t seem to put down.

             I still adhere (somewhat) to the old fashion rules of no white shoes before Memorial Day (the end of May for those who aren’t Americans) or after Labor Day (the first weekend in September). Silly how some of the things our mothers did still influence how we do things 🙂

             1. Nope not silly at all Lauri. After May, all my black and dark shoes go into the closet and I don’t wear anything black until October.

             2. So do I Laurie! And i am teaching them to my daughter. If you are going to change it up and try something new, you have to go all they way. Not sure you need a stylist to tell you that spring clothes do not work with winter accessories.

          5. KMR, If you’re looking to elongate your legs and extend your silhouette, the hose should always match your shoes. I 99.9% of the time match my tights, hose to my shoes. So of course, I don’t do orange or blue shoes. :))

             Having nude hose with a dark ensemble on top with black pumps cut everything into sections.

    5. LOL…Duchess of Drab (and Chutney).

    6. The article said the tights were “American tan”. What does that mean? Why does the author object? The color, or that she wears tights at all? Also what is wrong with beige or black court shoes? What should she wear instead? I’m not defending the article but the author never states why she objects to these accessories or suggests an alternative.

    7. For all the money spent on her wardrobe, she should look much better and that is forgotten by the sugars.

       How many other royal women have fantastic style? We all have our favorites. Mine tend to be Mary, Madeleine and Victoria most of the time and the Queen of Jordan (forgot her first name), Sophie and Max some of the time. You can dress youthful, stylish and appropriate for the occasion. Kate had some beautiful looks over the years. I wish she would dig in the back of her wardrobe and wear some of the hits, instead of spending money on some of the dreadful items she has worn in the last couple of years.

26. What exactly are Kate’s responsibilities?

    1. Are you offering to make a list? Do tell.

       It might be a good exercise in Duchess expectations to put forward a list. Please start the list.

    2. I believe, like other royal wives, her “job” is to support her husband and Queen and Country. She’s already completed her most important task though, she’s produced an heir and a spare.

    3. Look at other royal women who are doing their jobs and make a list at what you see. Decide for yourself if Kate is measuring up.

27. A very short article but a hoot. You should read it.

    “Prince splashes out on a trendy new look from men’s website Mr Porter ahead of tour to India and Bhutan”

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3530954/Wills-goes-young-fogey-maharaja-fashion-Prince-splashes-trendy-new-look-men-s-website-Mr-Porter-ahead-tour-India-Bhutan.html

    1. I saw it, the first two photos were hysterical!!

       1. I think that PW has 1,000 yards (914 m) of ‘royal blue’ suiting fabric in store at his tailor and will not consider a suit made in any other color or fabric until all of it has been used. :-/ On a current note, that jacket he wore to the reception was showing some strain at the waist buttonhole. ??

          1. Hmm, “strain at the waist buttonhole”
             Too much Cheese on Toast?

             1. You mean cheesy biscuit snacks…

          2. I actually think it was one of his new suits. Seriously, it’s a more modern cut that his previous suits and the pant legs are slimmer than he usually wears. Think about Fred of Denmark’s suits, William went towards that direction. That’s why it looks smaller, it’s a slimmer one button profile.

          3. Sigh…I’m sure you’re right PFairfax. I wish he would try a dark grey or charcoal suit, I think it would look great on him.

    2. It just goes to show the emptiness of the Cambridges. Imagine promoting his choice of clothes alongside hers. It just goes to show he’s a dummy too.

28. Crash goes the theory that Kate would invest more effort into a sport related cause?
    And as for that letter, does no one proof read at KP? I’ve seen spelling mistakes in Instagram posts too.

    1. It’s possibly the same person doing all the social media, letter-writing and press releases since there are conspicuous and consistent errors through these types of communication.

       1. I think she probably proofread it herself. Both her and Will made a point of saying in their engagement interview that they would do things their way and modernise the monarchy. I interpret that as “we won’t need help or take guidance from those that know what they are doing, we will forge our own path”. As twitter, instagram and the like are 21st century methods of communication and deemed ‘modern’ they are willing to take initiative and make use of them, and as such make careless grammatical mistakes as they do not consult others, not even for a quick proofread!

          1. I doubt that she proofreads anything. At best she leaves it her PR team or Willy. The strain would be too much for her. And the skill needed.

          2. Social media aspect of their communications didn’t start until Jason joined the team. I took it as his one and only innovation.

             1. Surely he’s not so incompetent that he allows grammatical errors to be published regularly? He either doesn’t take his job seriously or his employers don’t listen to his advice. I’m leaning towards the latter of the two.

             2. It could be that he stopped giving a sh-t. Like, he was super excited when he first came on board, implementing the social media angle and everything else, but it’s now been over a year and he’s realized that W&K aren’t going to do jack so he’s stopped caring and gotten lazy instead.

          3. I think they employed people they liked (= their age group, personality traits they liked aka compliant) but who did not necessarily have the ability or experience to do the job as well as it should be done. To be on the world stage you really need everything going for you, including staff who can proofread.

29. According to Royal Dish, Dolittle was spotted shopping in London on Friday which explains why she had no time to celebrate SportsAid’s anniversary by bringing the body.

    1. The gala was Thursday night. Kate could have gone and still gone shopping on Friday.

       1. Not to mention the last three weeks during which she has not been seen. How much shopping can on woman do. It is a SIX day trip!

          1. Well this is Kate’s chance to stock up on the wardrobe that she is going to put into her time capsule to be worn a few years from now so no one can copy what she’s wearing. That and she’s taking the chance to spend as much as she possibly can under the guise of an official tour. It wouldn’t surprise me if PC said if you’re not working regularly there’s no need for additional clothes. She’s got more than enough coats already.

    2. She was spotted earlier this week shopping in London as well. I guess she needs to shop a lot before a 6 day trip. So much for not being able to work so she can spend time with the kids!

30. How great to see Zara Phillips support her cousin Harry and the Invicitus Games. When I think of the perfect woman for Harry, I think of Zara (not in a creepy way), someone sporty, not overly concerned with her appearance, someone who could spend the night in a hut in Nepal with him rather than a 5 Star hotel.

    http://worldofwindsor.tumblr.com/

    1. I love Zara, a fantastic woman who works extremely hard to achieve all that she has done, yet able to support her family where appropriate. Many said Anne was not a very hands on cuddly mother but her kids and their families have turned out very well so she obviously got something right.

    2. Yep, exactly the sort of girl Harry needs.

31. If Kate had a work ethic, most of this fashion stuff would fall by the wayside. I’m sure people would still be interested in it (I love fashion, love reading about it), but it would not be the main emphasis. The only one who is in the position to change the conversation is Kate herself.

    That said, the way she accessorizes leaves a lot to be desired and that’s where a talented stylist could help her out. Including getting the hair right.

    The most interesting part of this tour for me will be to see how the two of them interact with each other, and everyone else they encounter. Something has seemed very “off” lately and hopefully it’s nothing serious.

    1. +1000

32. Did Kate not get the memo.That being a member of the Royal Family is actually a job. She couldn’t give up an hour of her time??? To show up and engage herself. She is the patron to this organization. She needs a month off to prepare herself for her and the Billy Boy Tour?? These two are so underwhelming. The tour will be a snooze fest. Nothing to show. The only thing will be them taking a picture in front of the Tag Mahal. Evoking Diana once again. For they’re cheap and creepy tribute.

33. Hello everyone. I have been thinking on the last few KMR articles and wanted to add my thoughts. The Mail was quite definite in their disappointment regarding the clothes Kate chooses to wear and I think they may be reacting to the Huffington Post situation. I would want the person representing me to put on a good show, turn up at events well dressed and be seen to make as much effort on home soil as well as overseas. The media and royalty have a symbiotic relationship which is increasingly deteriorating. Britain should always come first.

    I did wonder about the cheese snacks served at the reception. Due to the climate, India and Bhutan cuisine does not contain a variety of cheeses however they do have a type of cheese called Datshi which is nothing like cheddar, it is made in the style of fetta . In the north of India they eat a cheese called Paneer which is used for savoury dishes and sweet desserts. Those cheese biscuits were an odd choice.

    That letter signed by Catherine showed a wound up, closed off writing style. Quite tense and done rapidly.

    I am aware Kate is banking on people not repeating the same mistakes they did with Williams mother, in fact he hammers it home on a regular basis to remind us all to back off. I am also aware she does have the time and energy to be out and about in a private capacity. People see her shopping, eating and so on. The nervous clasping of hands and seems to make William go into a tailspin and become more reclusive although it annoys the rest of us. William does believe he still has time to be private as he is not the heir to the throne and I heard he is adamant he and his family are to be left alone, basically until the Queen passes.

    I recall Sarah Ferguson complaining Andrew was boring, watching TV all day and going off to do what he wished, whenever he wished, as that was all he knew. I think William does have a similar attitude to his uncle.
    The problem is that he thinks we all acquiesce because of his poor childhood. Harry goes out and about, will eat, sleep and muck in with people so understands more than his brother what we think but of course they will never have a real idea as everything is laid on, freshly painted etc but Harry does not object to touching people or eating with them.

    Kate , with the prodding of her mother, seems to need complete control of her life and that includes who is allowed into her orbit.
    I don’t see Kate leaving if she can help it. She never grew up with such wealth and privilege and I imagine she is becoming accustomed to it. I remember Sophie musing on whether people wanted her on a plinth, to be the next Diana, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Kate’s mother thinks along the same lines.

34. Hello everybody, I’m a long time reader and first time poster!

    I have become more and more disappointed with William and Kate as the years go on. It seems like Kate has neither the work ethic (which we already knew!) nor the desire to fulfil her role properly.

    An hour for Sportsaid would not have killed her, but instead a written tribute (I wonder did kate even read it!)must suffice.

    W&K need a serious reality check.. being a “patron ” to an organisation by name only is a waste of everybody’s time.

35. Good morning everyone.
    As sad as this is to say, and I mean this most sincerely, I am starting to think that this is really the very best the Duchess can do. I think we are wanting her to be different, we were all so hopeful when the Duchess joined the RF. Lack of initiative, drive, minimum work ethic, wanting to get out and make a huge difference in this world to what we are seeing her do, which is very limited and controlled. 17 months since she has visited Sportsaid, that is really very sad. I don’t know how she can be called a Patron. 5 years have passed since the wedding and before that one would have assumed that all the years previous should have been spent productively as we witnessed for example the Crown Princess Mary and all the preparation, planning and study she underwent to be the successful CP she is now. Look how the European Princesses, Queens, function, carry themselves there is no comparison.
    As Sequin Queen so rightly said the fashion stuff etc. Would all be pushed aside. But seeing similar dresses, coats, multiple lace numbers all looking the same, the volume of clothing , the sheer waste of money and lack of royal duties on her part, what is the point in buying all the garments, when little is done in return?
    The Princess of Wales had drive, energy and a keenness about her, wanting to make a difference, look at all the charities she was Patron of. She did all of that as well as become a mother, trying to keep her head above water in her marriage, learning to cope with royal life, she certainly did not have life experience or maturity on her side at the time, nor was there any leniency shown to her with regards her own extended family or what was expected of her.
    Whoever is advising the Duchess needs to reassess as what she is doing up until this point is not working out at all. These charities deserve so much better.

    1. I think it may be the ‘most’ you are going to get from Kate; ‘best’ has never been on the table. After five years of marriage, and a further ten of ‘waiting’, this woman has exhibited no desire or need to do much more than indulge herself.
       There has been endless rhetoric of the ‘hit the road running’ variety since the engagement with no evidence to support it; ‘filling up her diary’, with no evidence to support it; ‘keenness’ ad nauseum, with no evidence to support it. And on it goes…
       When it comes to royal ‘work’, Kate does little more than play the gushing enthusiast, with the manic grin and dead eyes. There is no evidence of Kate working with her few charities beyond the increasingly brief ‘meet and greet’ engagements.
       There IS evidence of a great sense of entitlement, with an attitude accompanying it, and an obsessive personal vanity to the point where her body is her trading card. Hence tight clothing, inappropriate clothing et al.
       I believe the statement once made that Kate sees herself as the ‘grand puppet master’. I do think she genuinely thinks she has people conned. All I see is a highly-manipulative woman – she is her mother’s daughter after all. The phony accent, channeling Diana in any way possible, including exuding ‘fragility’ of late, her version of HG, etc etc are all examples of manipulation to cut her slack, elicit sympathy and excuse her from stepping up.
       When it comes down to it, there is not much to Kate despite so many excuses to give her space, time, help, whatever. If there has been no change in Kate since she came to public attention, why on earth would any of us expect change after fifteen years?

       1. Sadly Jen I think you are 100℅ correct.
          I don’t think we’ll get anymore from Kate than this.IMO the only conversation will be about Kate either no caring enough to make an effort or just not able to make an effort.
          I feel for the Queen and Charles.

          1. Yes, Cathy, I wonder what the Queen and Charles think. They have let William have his head too often as he grew up, and then to the point where he married a really unsuitable woman. I suspect he did so against all advice. William and Kate appear to be rather nasty sorts of people, from accounts we have had, and both bring out the worst in each other. I dread to think how the children will fare with such parents and some of their extended family. At least they are cocooned by wealth.

          2. Sophia, Jen and Cathy, I too am fed up with Kate’s mannerisms and the fact, as openly stated, that there should be ‘no expectations’ of her.The sheer indifference and arrogance of this statement is just shocking.
             I agree she will go on this way, as long as she gets away with it. And why not? Nobody, even in the royal family seems to care. I keep on hearing that things will change after HM’s 90th birthday or after Charles becomes king. I think the Queen should retire from most of her duties or even abdicate. I doubt if the latter will happen, but if she really backs off, will this make a difference to W&K?
             It’s clear that unless they’re forced, they’re not going to change. The question is, whether they are going to be forced, either from BRF itself or the British & Commowealth public.

             1. Hi Elina
                It will be interesting to see what changes are enacted after the Queen’s 90th birthday. I think we know that Charles will take on more of a de facto monarch’s role, which is only sensible given the Queen’s advanced age.
                God knows what he’ll do with William and Kate. Royals don’t seem to interfere with each others’ lives and William seems to have his father over a barrel (the ‘you helped kill my mummy’ card).
                It’s all very well Charles wanting to trim the monarchy to his own line, but his line is neither willing nor able. Harry seems to have found a worthwhile path, and possesses the empathy and guts for a senior role, but has to tiptoe around his brother and sister-in-law’s enormous egos and entitlement. I agree with you that the Cambridge’s will continue to milk the situation for as long as they can.

36. Ridiculous, 17 months without visiting the patronage and then she “remembers” the charity, writes a birthday message and everything is alright. If I was a patronage I would never want Kate as my patron.

37. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/10/the-duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge-begin-their-seven-day-tour-of/

    How in the heck can Kate play cricket and participate in an obstacle course in wedges? I must say that she looks like she is really enjoying herself, though. Is it just me or does Kate only seem happy when she is playing sports? There is a picture of her from the Daily Mail where her eyes were so puffy I thought maybe she had been crying on the airplane. It’s one of the close ups of her from the hotel when she was in the red dress. But she seems overjoyed to be playing sports in these pictures from the Telegraph. I just wish she had pulled her hair back and wore sensible shoes, but that’s Kate I guess. She should do more charity work with sports if that is what makes her happy, IMO.

    1. I agree with you 100%. I look forward to reading KMR’s take on day 1.

    2. She looks pretty, but those wedges…..

       1. I really like the second dress. she seems comfortable in it and it seems appropriatefor the activities. I did not like the first one at all. the first seemed heavy and formal for just coming off a plane. I laughed out loud when I saw the wedges. sometimes there just aren’t words . . .

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