137 thoughts on “Royal Round Up: Queen Letizia, Countess Sophie, Princess Charlene, Prince William (Harry polls)”

1. Huh. 35 votes, but no comments yet. KMR would you consider doing a post roughly outlining the blog’s metrics? Unique visitors daily, weekly, geographic dominance, stuff like that. I’m here every day, even if I don’t post. I wonder how many do the same.

   1. I read daily (KMR + comments), but make my own comments here and there.

   2. Agreed, I come everyday but don’t post that often.
      However much coverage you can handle I would relish, but don’t kill yourself:)

   3. Here everyday too but don’t comment much

2. Charlene reminds me so much of Tilda Swinton.

   I’ve been following Sophie’s work more closely lately and she’s basically out and about every day. I love how she doesn’t mind doing these ribbon-cutting engagements. I wish the young royals would take a leaf out of her book.

   The problem with William is that not even he can explain why this cause is important to him. I wish he was consistent with his work and more well-informed so that people would take him more seriously. And I still think it’s hypocritical of him and Harry to be preaching about conservation while shooting animals to have a good time. Doesn’t matter if the species they “hunt” aren’t endangered, killing for fun is cruel and this sends a mixed message to the public.

   Regarding Harry, I voted for an every day coverage of his tour, but I wonder if it won’t be too demanding for you? If I remember correctly he packed a lot of engagements during his Nepal tour. And I think the flurry of articles on him and Meghan will die down now, so you’ll probably won’t have much to cover in the future.

   1. I’m so intrigued by Charlene. She always looks so regal, modern, and fashionable. She comes off a little cold, but then also seems approachable in some videos. I appreciate that she sticks to her style and personality and doesn’t seem to bend just to satisfy people around her.

      1. I agree completely about Charlene.

      2. I agree! She does come off as cold, but I love the fact that she’s not out there smiling like crazy and pretending to be something that she’s not. She’s true to herself, and I believe that’s why she seems approachable when you see her interacting with people.

3. I get that there is interest in Harry and gf but I don’t need to read about them daily – after all they have not been seen together so what is there to write about ? We’ve all seen the speculation – let’s wait for something to actually happen

   1. I wouldn’t mind never writing about Meghan/Harry&Meghan again. The saturation up until now has been ridiculous – and every publication is still conflicting every other one. I’m sick of them already and we haven’t even seen them together yet.

      1. I totally agree with you KMR! I voted for no coverage of them, unless something officially confirmed happen.

         As for the tour you should do as you please. I love Harry but a full coverage might be too much. The impression I got from his tours is that he does a lot more than expected by spending a lot more time in the engagements and with the public.

         So do whatever you decide is the best for you and the blog. But thank you so much for taking the views of your readers into account, you’re awesome 😀

         1. I agree!

            Prince Harry’s Tour will be better reported by local and global media as well as his relationship – due to PH respect and duty bound of his status duties, compared to lazy, secretive whiny Willnot, who is reaping what he sow with lack of respect to the British press.

            Without interfering with Prince Henry’s HM Official duties – would Meghan’s presence at the Barbados’s Concert be a possibility.. .(.?)

         2. Ditto Snowsie

      2. I really don’t care about Harry’s girlfriends. I won’t care until there is an engagement. There is so much media coverage on it elsewhere anyway.

         1. I see last weeks full on …. was to confirm and introduce her to the people…

      3. The very last thing I would wish for you, KMR, or for anyone else would be to have to follow Meghan’s social media, analyze The Tig, or keep up with Suits publicity. I think you should just cover Harry to the extent you’ve always done, and if they are seen publicly together or if Jason embarrasses himself with another press statement then fine, report on that. But otherwise, no more Meghan. Please.

      4. You’re so right – can you imagine when they’re actually pictured together?! It’ll be crazy!

      5. Agreed. Until they are official in some capacity there is too much chaotic gossip and speculation and outright lies surrounding this couple . I find it boring. If I want that kind of stuff I would go to twitter and Instagram.

         I like that this site is a sane oasis from all of that.

         I would prefer coverage of Harry’s tour to be minimal as well, because, really, how significant is it? You might as well just throw up pics of Harry charming his way through Paradise with no comment.

      6. I concur… I really don’t want to hear about it unless there is actual news. They did something together.

      7. Totally agree KMR, I’m sick of them already TOO.

   2. I’m so over this relationship already! I was at the grocery store and the mags still had them on the cover?!? I know we come here to escape real world problems but print media has bigger issues they should be reporting on.
      Bleh

4. You may as well keep us updated about Harry’s life because Kate is doing jack-all! She’s been so quite for months. It really does seem they just do royal tours to get their numbers up to avoid working on home soil. If I were the UK public I’d be upset by their lack of effort.

   1. I does seem like Kate has been quieter this November than previous years, but I haven’t looked at actual stats to see if she has been or not. It’s just the feeling I get.

5. As much as you can of the tour for Harry, but I don’t want you to stress yourself getting stuff out every day!

   Re: Harry and Meghan I just don’t care and am sick of it already.

   Thanks for covering Sophie. She’s always so warm and involved; I love hearing about her and what she’s up to.

   1. I second your comment about Sophie. I love reading about what she is up to!

      1. Thanks for the Sophie coverage.

6. I haven’t known what to think of Sophie since the Sheikh incident

   1. Sophie has learned from her mistakes and has become a true gem for the BRF. Kate could learn a great deal from her

      1. She is the real deal. Kate should absolutely ask to be mentored by her, a relationship like that could only reap benefits. Personally and for the Firm.

         1. During the engagement period, Sophie was recommended as a mentor to Kate, but William turned down the suggestion on the grounds that he would ease Kate into it himself.

            1. Well no wonder Kate has regressed

   2. What incident?

      1. A journalist from the now closed News of the World newspaper tricks celebrities into talking candidly such that they reveal themselves or others and writes it up in a newspaper.

         His usual disguise for the trap was to pose as a wealth shiekh who was prepared to use it to the benefit of whichever celebrity he was tricking.

         Sophie was tricked into being indiscreet about the royals, the Queen specifically. Boasting about her relationships with different members of the family.

         He tricked Fergie into revealing a cosy arrangement she had whereby she sold access to Andrew for a 5- 6 figure figure.

7. I voted for Harry coverage every few days but really you should do as you feel like doing. Nice of you to call for a vote.

   I thought Harry and Meghan in the news had died down considerably. I chose weekly but not much going on and when it does would depend….

   I would so like Princess Charlene to grow out her hair for a softer feminine look but always appears I am in the minority. In.my opinion she always looks too harsh. Hair doesn’t have to be real long just longer than now.

   1. She seems to have fine hair which lacks volume the longer it grows. To that end, a crop is a better option for her, but it needs to be styled properly to really compliment her.

      Often times, people assume short hair is an easy option, but it needs alot of styling to get it right.

      1. It is the same problem Sophie has, fine thin hair.

         Charlene is also very active, swimming every day herself and also spending time teaching the twins to swim each morning. That came from an interview with Albert a few months ago. Chlorine and fine hair are not a good mix, so the shorter the better for keeping it manageable on a daily basis.

   2. We’re in minority together then. I, too, think Charlene looks better with longer hair.

8. Also, goodness me, William looks sour and miserable. The crotch-clutching, the I’m better than you scowl on his face… That’s real stately and welcoming, Wills.

   1. The crotch clutch runs in the family – Waity is famous for it. William – buy trousers that fit – I don’t want to know your shape – very non acceptable – leave the “view” to your wife

      1. Before carol, wm ‘i am a prince’ used proper royal behaviour – since marriage whiny BM pick up the messy middeltons mo.

   2. Im generally Will positive but YES the crotch clutching is really off putting and it creates a barrier that closes him off optically when around others. Is it protocol?? Kate does that also and it makes them appear stiff, closed off and superior to others……

      1. It’s not protocol. It’s actually somewhat gauche. Keeping control of your hands (don’t pick your nose, don’t play with your hair) is part of being well-mannered. Keeping them, especially both of your hands, out of your pockets is also important. But the low, front handgrab that the Cambridges specialize in, has always been vulgar. Until now. With their social standing and visibility, more and more people emulate that stance thinking that it must be correct.

      2. When they’re photographed, the people in the group crotch-clutch as well. Whenever I see that stance on PW it reminds me of a little kid that needs ‘to go’ and very soon. I won’t tell you what I think is in KM’s clutch purse when she presses it so close. It is a graceless and off-putting stance for both of them. Too bad PW doesn’t take up the hands-behind-the-back mode as his grandfather does. KM needs to just put her hands at her side. Emulate the other ‘big girls’ in the other RFs in Europe.

9. I think that if William is out and about more frequently on this issue AND finds a simpler way to discuss it AND per your suggestion to communicate why people should care beyond their own and his (invoking his children) selfish inpulses, then he may succeed in gaining traction on this cause.

   And stop hunting because with few exceptions, most people don’t understand the difference between hunting for survival, hunting for sport and hunting for conservation. It’s all the same ie hunting.

   The other thing that struck me about his visit to Vietnam was a a stop he made to a children’s centre ( i think) where he played soccer and engaged with the kids and was unlike his usual grumpy self ie more like Harry to general indifference from media and the commenting public underneath the article. This is what it has come to. His sour, stiff, unbending resentful public demeanour has got him what he wanted. Public indifference. He was really amazing in that engagement and no one cared. It feels like it’s too late for him. Not just because he can’t or won’t do this more often, but the media won’t cover him and his name is no longer click bait which brings us back to the aforementioned problem of getting his message out.

   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3941080/Prince-William-touches-Vietnam-prepares-make-passionate-speech-Far-East-s-illegal-wildlife-trade.html

   1. I agree and would add that media doesn’t want to play a aggressive-passive game with him the way he does with everyone else. They probably see him unbending but know if they run over to cover, he’ll start making more demands for control.

   2. I think the main focus of the trip was the Asian audience, so the success comes from how his trip was covered by that audience.

      1. Irrespective of intended audience, that’s not how media works.

         If they love you and you pull in the crowds, you are given prime real estate in the media and all your efforts are highlighted.

         Look at the parade the media throws every time Kate or increasingly Harry do official duties in Britain or abroad.

   3. I agree. William and Kate have reaped what they have sown. An uninterested public. All they want is privacy. Well when they actually do show up for an engagement. Nobody cares. They have really hurt the monarchy for the long run. Constitutional monarchies need the goodwill of their people. Along with popularity. I will say though I think William does much better when alone at engagements. Kate is like an anchor for him. Just sinks to the bottom.

      1. That’s a very interesting point, Eleanor, and one that has occurred to me. They are desperate for privacy and fiercely guard it – what if people lose interest in them? They really need to balance it a bit more and be less defensive.

      2. One of the reason hopes of a King Henry and the interest in his relationship. Recently,MM sent out thank yous to her long time friends of her Tig, is she saying goodbye, and is moving on (!??)

         1. Dolittle, that was what some articles reported, but some people actually took a look at the comments and saw she thanked to long time fans of hers.

   4. I also agree about the comment about grumpy William finally getting what we wants, no coverage. I was initially interested in what he had to say but couldn’t find it (I didn’t look that hard) but still. Does this mean that the people generally aren’t interested in him or is the media finally playing his game? If they don’t cover then does that make them even more irrelevant?
      What William should address is that these animals aren’t being used for nourishment or sustainability but for one part of their body and then left to rot for an out dated belief that these parts will cure whatever ails them.
      I’m sure it’s poor manners to go into a country and say their ways are outdated, holds no scientific backing and just generally wrong but still…
      My problem with William and Harry’s hunting is that it’s mainly done for sport. I don’t personally agree with hunting but growing up in OK, I had classmates that got through tough times from the deer hunting. As a vegetarian I’m cognizant of the fact that if I lived somewhere else or had a different financial situation that I may not have that luxury to choose this way of life.

      1. In the full transcript of the speech, William does make one comment about native customs: “Are we doing enough with the traditional medicine community?” But that was it. He’ll never actually research approaches or offer detailed strategies himself. He’ll never understand the difficulty in trying to educate people while respecting their culture. He might pull together organizations that are already addressing this issue and form some sort of initiative within his Royal Foundation–which will give him all the glory and credit, and help fund future “working” trips to Africa.

         1. I thought that too. His briefings should provide more in-depth detail, but if he continues to not read them and expects to wing it, he misses key moments beyond the cupcake photos that aren’t going to draw anyone except for the die-hard royal fans. It’s the independent yet interested in historical relics transitioning to a new age range of people that they need to grow both readership and support.

      2. I agree Sarah. For some people it is a way to survive financial hardship. For others like William and Harry it is perk I guess for their lifestyle. It’s not necessity. They will never know the life of everyday person. They have no worries in the financial sense. Where I grew up there is pheasant hunting every fall. Yet these poor animals are hand raised by humans. So to me how is this sport? They are just let go to be hunted by humans which they have been conditioned to trust for their food and shelter. In my opinion, it is cruel thing.

         1. I completely understand the arguments against hunting from vegetarians. Most people, however, are unrepentant omnivores and have accepted the fact that animals die for their table. The moral issue then becomes how well do the animals live? Those hand-raised pheasants have a sweet life compared to the majority of chickens that end up on dinner tables in the U.S., for example. So as I think about the issue, I eat less and less meat, but end up supporting hunters more. JMO.

   5. It’s too late for him, IMO. He’s used up all the (my)good will and is a first rate hypocrite. He would actually have to have a personality transplant for me to care. He showed us who he really is. Let’s believe him.

      1. + 1. I find myself wondering how I ever thought he was attractive, either physically or personally. He repulses me with the snobbish entitlement and disdain for the “little people.”

10. 1. Harry & Meghan-when they are shown actually together, then you can report on them. I think if she is really the girlfriend, her quick trip to London was probably a BRF girlfriend behavior crash course and to tell her to temper all her cutesy social media posts because things have been quiet.
    2. The little Spanish princesses are such pretty girls!
    3. Sophie rocks, she always is so engaged at her events.
    4. I love Charlene’s look, but as others mentioned, wish her hair was a bit less severe. I like her and think she is doing a good job.
    5.William- I wish he would stop hunting….period. It would make him so much more credible.
    6. I think Kate is pregnant which is why we have not seen her.

    1. She was seen a few days ago at the Remembrance events, so if she is pregnant then she won’t be able to claim she has that horrible version of HG that stops her from working the first few months but is resolved later on to do some shopping, as opposed to how every other person experiences HG where it lasts the entire pregnancy.

       1. You are right, forgot about the Remembrance Day concert and the balcony appearance, but other than that, she has not been doing much at all, which is typical of her anyway.

          1. Yeh, I thought these last months of the year were meant to be their busiest… Kate’s barely done anything.

       2. My take on the Kate and the HG is that she probably had some severe morning sickness but somehow that got construed into HG…

    2. +100 except the last, but something is coming to… for whiny and snowflake..

    3. Tuesday the 22nd, Place2Be Awards at Mansion House

11. I come here daily too, sometimes more than once a day to catch up on the blog and the comments. I don’t always comment, but I love reading the blog and most of the comments made by others. This new relationship between H & M is interesting but just seems off to me. She’s beautiful and I hope they are happy, but it just seems like a grab for attention, but I know I could be so wrong about that. Thanks for the coverage, KMR!

    1. Harry’s girlfriends always get attention no matter what. Meghan is actually the least seen of Harry’s girlfriends. She has practically gone ghost. If she wants attention, visible attention and not just people piggy backing on her narrative, she is doing it all wrong.

12. While I’m really interested in Harry and Meghan so much that is printed is speculation. I think coverage of them should mainly be based on reliable news sources. Most of what I read I take with a grain of salt unless the sources are well known.

13. I want to say all Harry all the time! However, it would exhaust you, KMR! As much as you are able to do, we will follow!! I know, I will. I am also already tired of the Meghan/Harry hoopla. I guess if she was with him in the Caribbean, it would make sense to cover her, but I am really tired of the avalanche of coverage all the media gave to this relationship, which could be only a fling, yes?

    Loving the Spanish princesses with the braids in their hair. They are very pretty young ladies.

    Love Sophie and Kate, pay attention. She wore trousers and then was able to bend down easily to be at the level of the kids. Loved her coat, too.

    Charlene is very beautiful. The white coat was lovely and I do like her hair — though, I also liked it a bit longer. I loved her red shoes. Wish there was a pop of color somewhere else on the coat, but she is a minimalist and always looks very chic. I’m a major fan of red lipstick and nails, too. I think they are old Hollywood Glam.

    William bores me so much I only scanned the speech, looking for any comments about especially saving the wildlife for Charlotte and George. At least, in the part of the speech you printed, KMR, he did not. He did speak to others about how important things are for their kids and future generations. Still, he doesn’t rock my boat.
    Oh, and the photo of him standing next to the person in the Rhino suit? William looked so stuck up. Imagine if Charlotte was there, she would have run up and hugged the rhino character!

14. Dear God, they have announced the Queen is going to get 364 million pounds for a 10 year refurbishment of KP on Children in Need day.

    1. I though KP had been done recently? Doesn’t buckingham palace need it? Charles will probably give it back to the state when he takes over, with it in need of desperate renovations but people will think it’s a great selfless act =)

    2. It is going to Buckingham Palace. However, KP did get money that should have gone to BP because Will and Kate needed a new kitchen even though they spend all their time at Anmer.

       Brexit changed things and I don’t think the public is going to let this go so easily. There are a lot of services being cut in the UK and what exactly do the royals do?

       1. I remember that. Wasn’t there (rumor?) something about it having to be painted twice? From beige to cream or some such none sense?

          1. Because a pregnant Kate chose purple the first time – oh the horror – so it had to be repainted.

             1. Now a purple room I could totally get behind and think Kate my actually have some personality!!
                I know in the grand scheme of the budget that painting a room twice isn’t going to cost that much. It’s what painting the room twice means in the bigger picture. That these two have no care of costs because becuase they don’t pay for anything themselves and just expect other people to pay the bill. Especially for a place they don’t spend a lot of time in. Wasn’t there some hoopla about the kitchen in Anmer too?

             2. Yes. The former Anmer Hall residents had recently paid something like 30k (or was it 50k?) to renovate the kitchen at Anmer. It was new and up-to-date and everything. And then when W&K moved in they spent another boat load of money renovating the recently renovated kitchen.

    3. I saw that, but it’s actually for Buckingham Palace. Dickie Arbiter commented that the BP refurbs were coming out of the Crown Estate and palace of Westminster work comes from the taxpayer.

       1. The crown estates ARE taxpayer funds.

          It’s so misleading and i’m livid that the media is saying the crown estates once belonged to the royals and thus implying it’s ok for the queen to get this money.

          And it implies that the taxpayer money raised from direct taxes is somehow different from monies generated by the crown estates.

          If all had been managed well and we lived in utopia, there would be no need for taxes. The crown estates were set up to pay all government expenses from parliament to army to public services to judiciary. Since the estates can’t pay for all of it, we are taxed to pay for the surplus spend.

          Sidebar: fun fact, did you know that income tax started as a temporary tax to pay for Nelson’s Navy to beat Napoleon?

          Further, for the 60yrs she has been Queen, she has been receiving money for buildings maintenence and repairs. And every year the money is diverted to sometjing else, usually personal. As an example, the money for WK’s refurbishememt came from money in the buildings fund earmarked specifically for repairs to Buckingham Palace. The Palace told us so and justified it by saying WK needed official residences to start official duties imminently. As we know they decamped to norfolk instead.

          They spent over £10M on those refurbishments, spread out over 3 yrs. £6M in one year that made the headlines, £4M in the other years including over £1M in upgrading some sort of suite of rooms for their family at Middleton Manor.

          Refurbishments for QM, Charles, Margaret, WK have all come straight from the buildings fund over the years and none were cheap.

          There is a scathing report on this from the Parliamentary select committee that deals with royal finances that said that the royal household have never bothered to repair anything nor do they know what cost of any repairs or damages. They over-spend and use the reserve fund to hide the over-spend.

          http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news/sovereign-grant-report/

          Dickie Arbiter is part of the problem if he is continuing to peddle these lies.

          The question that needs to be asked is why after 60yrs has she so mismanaged her annual buildings stipend that 10% monies have to be curved out of public services monies to pay for one building.

          Further, there is an inbuilt rotal law that says royal funding can not be less in any year than that given in previous year…..which means that after 10yrs, are we really going to break a 300yr iron clad law and reduce her stipend back down to 15%? I don’t think so.

          1. The Queen could care less, especially about BP, which I don’t think she likes. I agree with the commentator (can’t think of his name) who said she behaves as if she will be the last monarch. She has mismanaged her finances and her family.

          2. I’m not a UK taxpayer (at least not yet) but I would(am) be furious over this and people should use this to bring up FOI and make the Royals be more transparent! They should be asking where that money has been going (is it going to personal coffers or some place else) tine for some good ol investigative journalism and general people asking questions

          3. I think HM just wanted to let it go until she kicked it, so it would be Charles’s problem. After all, she sticks her head in the sand with everything.

             The real question here is why the hell hasn’t there been any steady updates over the, I don’t know, DECADES she’s lived there? Goodness. She is not a very good steward of the Crown properties, is she?

          4. this truth just leaves me speechless. But it will be fixed -eventually. Times change. Governments change. They’ve decided to do this while we’re all distracted with Brexit And Trump. And Syria. And fear.

             The way that William is going. And Kate. And with Charles popularity not as strong as the Queen’s, this overpayment will seep into the public consciousness. It is hard to know what ‘the tipping point’ is or will be.

             But people grumble. And they remember.

             ‘half a billion for ONE building -why wasn’t she given the money to do this before…?!’

             it will only take one knowledgeable person, with the right platform to say:

             ‘…oh but she was. She just used it for OTHER things.’

             (3-kitchens-kate, anyone?)

             1. Yes, there will be a tipping point for the reasons you mention. There is a change in mood that has lit the world and no-one i immune. I hope someone with some integrity will provide chapter and verse about the fraud perpetuated on the UK public by the Queen, aided by a weak Treasury not keeping a strict eye on where public money goes and how it is spent. The lack of transparency from being exempt to FOI inquiries contributes enormously to this, allowing all manner of indiscretions. In short, corruption.

                Over a third of a billion pounds for one building? Why would the public object when they pay the same amount per year to keep the BRF in the style they think is their due?

    4. Here’s a BBC article on it. I like how they’re already trying to justify it by how people come to the UK to visit these places (and to see royals) thus employing thousands!! I’ve been several places in the UK never thinking, ‘I sure hope to see a royal’!! I walked by BP -and KP but never toured. I’m more interested in the dead royals! They only briefly question why it’s been this long since renovations shaven’t been done until now.
       Buckingham Palace to get £369m refurbishment
       http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38025513

       1. I don’t know anyone who has expressed an iota in seeing a ‘royal’ when visiting the UK; too many other far more interesting things to do. The doe-eyed forelock-tuggers who peddle such drivel cannot produce hard and consistent evidence that can withstand scrutiny that the BRF accounts for ‘x’ amount of tourist revenue. Sadly, the general public doesn’t question this fakery for many reasons, one being that they are trying to survive on zero hours contracts and disintegrating public services.

          1. Jen, I’ve missed your comments! Welcome back =) hope you were off on a lovely holiday

             1. I did thanks! I was in Italy, though had work in the mix too. Never long enough though…

          2. Do they mean the living royals or royals in general add to tourism? Because the royals would be a reason I would visit the UK, but not the living royals. I would be interested in visiting BP, KP, and Hampton Court which only exist because of the royals, but not the living royals, the past royals.

             1. My take from the article was both. That people are visiting all these Royal sites, spending billions thus employing people in the palace and gift shops. Yet Jen is right about the zero hour contract so not such great and stable work. They should clarify what sites they are talking about. If they are raking in billions why make the tax payers pay for bulk of renovations?
                I believe Versailles is still the #1 visited site/top grosser. No living Royal needed…

             2. They mean both but claim that the living royals bring in tourism revenue and this is the reason advanced to keep funding them. The common line is that ‘x’ amount is brought in because of the BRF. Reference is then made to historic buildings but these would continue to exist if the Windsor’s were given the heave-ho. And if current royal residences were freed up, or open for more months of the year, more revenue would eventuate.

    5. BP, not KP.

       1. Yep, my fault and it was too late to edit. Sorry!

15. I used to be a big Harry fan but am starting to wane. I think he needs to step things up or find a job and the way they handled the relationship just turned me even more off of him. I still think he’s better than William but that in itself isn’t saying much. A pet rock has more charisma and empathy than William.
    I so enjoy the Spanish royals. I think Felipe looks so dashing with his beard and I’m not generally a fan of facial hair on men!?I liked Leti’s hair in the short bob but this is a good length too.
    I think Charlene has that French chic look to her and actually really like her short hair =)
    Thanks for the round up KMR!

    1. Sarah, I agree with every one of your opinions. You said everything I would have said.

       1. And me. I love Charlene’s look I think it is very chic and as someone who also has very short blond hair I get frustrated by this current trend that seems to be that all women should have long hair. Like Charlene I swim a lot and have to take very good care of my hair because of chlorine, I’ve even taken to wearing a very unsexy swimming cap!
          I’m always interested in the Sophie sugaring here. Edward is so far from the throne why do people question funding for others nearer the throne but think it’s ok for her ? She has an incredibly expensive often foreign wardrobe too. I think she does a great job, but why am I paying for her?

          1. I’d love to know how much Sophie spends and how much she repeats clothes, and then compare that to Kate. Because it does seem a bit odd that Sophie is never called out on the cost of her clothes (although I have called her out for her more pricey dresses in the past), but Kate gets raked over the coals for hers.

             1. Because she’s not trotted out as a “sit still look pretty”mannequin. She works and she cares about it and she is a genuinely important part of the BRF’s public face. People won’t tally her wardrobe or begrudge her the occasional pricey dress on a daily basis for that very reason. Kate ( and co.) has placed all of her eggs in the physical appearance basket since her marriage, and so she gets raked.

          2. I like Sophie for the work she does but understand the frustration and also question her clothing budget.inaslo think that the women should wear more common wealth designers and less established fashion houses and help give some new designers a break. I think part of for me is that Charles pays for Kate’s clothes so not spending her own money added to the fact that Kate has made it where all we essentially talk about is her clothes. If she was more of a woman of substance we could actually talk about her work. Despite the comment about not being a silent mannequin that’s essentially is what she is.

    2. Sarah and BamaLynn, ITA. The Spanish royals are amazing. Leti has an engagement if not every day then nearly every day, and I have a theory about that.

       Work is a habit, and Leti has been in the habit of working her entire life. Kate, nor William, ever developed that habit. Harry, in my opinion is at a very dangerous crossroads in his life right now. He was superb in the army because, in his own words, he had the built-in structure that was so good for him which is why I’m a bit worried for him now. I think he’s got too much time to let his work habits get soft. The older royals, except for the Yorks, all have excellent work habits.

       To me, the most interesting thing to come out of Kate’s Vogue spread was when the Vogue team revealed that Kate couldn’t believe how long it took to set up a shot. Even if you’ve never worked editorial and don’t know that particular tidbit about how laborious the process is, for some reason that comment just stuck out to me, as, oh yeah, she’s just never collaborated on much of anything with anyone because she’s never really worked. I think Kate, at her core, will always feel like an imposter. This is why she always looks like little girl lost. And never has the presence of a woman.

       1. That’s also such an odd comment because there are constant mentions on how Kate is such a “keen photographer,” and has take so many professional-level photos of her children as well as for party pieces.

          Even if she didn’t spend so much time with shoots that she has taken, she should still be somewhat familiar with the general concept of how time-intensive photography is.

          1. Green Trees and E, I agree with you.
             Kate doesn’t have a clue about too many things when it comes to work.
             I truly wonder what she does at home. It’s reported that she likes to cook, but does she give up when she realizes how long it takes to put together a well-balanced, tasty meal?
             How about child-care? Oops, I forgot about the Nanny. Still, if she and William are so hands-on, is there a clue as to how much work taking care of kids is? Especially, those as young as George and Charlotte?

             Yes, they seem to crave their privacy, but the public is getting tired of them

             KMR, you ask how much coverage of Harry’s trip we want and I must say that I find him more interesting than William and Kate. But, this is your blog and we don’t want to exhaust you. Does not seem as if Kate is doing much of late, but that could change when she and William see how much of a splash Harry is making in the Caribbean It’s your call!

             Thanks for this coverage. I have not been able to focus as much as I want on all the threads. I hope to carve out more time soon.

16. Sophie looks lovely, it’s nice to see a royal lady in trousers. She looks smart and professional and of course it’s better when you have to crouch or bend down. Leti often wears smart trousers and well. Very business like.

    1. I noticed that too. Non skin tight trousers are very professional and there are no near flashing misses when you crouch down to be with the kids.

       I believe Anne wears trousers often as well.

    2. Agreed, she’s like a breath of fresh air continually. A happy mom and wife who’s interested in people and wants to do the best she can to encourage and support what is going on around her. I never see or hear that simple attitude from Kate; it’s always a pose.

       1. Sophie’s eyes are alive when she’s working. Just like Charles’ are and just like the Queen’s are. She’s present and feels a purpose. A stark difference from Kate I think. Attitude is everything. Also she has gorgeous skin.

17. Nice round up. I love Charlene’s look. She does that sleek look so well.

    Felipe, Leti and the girls look wonderful. They look a lot like their mom. Nice to see them out at an official function.

    Try as I may, I find it hard to focus on William and his save the rhinos plea. I think that if he had been more outwardly involved from the time he made his first comments I would care more. I do care about the animals, just not him. Seeing him give a speech about doesn’t affect my level of concern. It was there before he decided he needed to save the animals so his kids could see them in Africa. I know that’s not the main reason, but it’s one that sticks out for me.

    On the coverage of Harry’s tour, please do what you believe to be right for you. Sporadic is fine for me. Same with his relationship. I would even change it to when an official announcement is made. The media has gotten hold of this like a dog with his bone and they aren’t letting go.

    Sophie did her usual great appearance. I like that she wore something that was gifted to her. I wonder why Kate never does. Have they been whisked away, catalogued and will never be seen again?

    Good round up KMR, thank you!

    Also, it’s OT, but Beatrice won a judgement by IPSO against DM for some bikini photos.

    1. Good for Beatrice.

       Here is the article.

       http://news.sky.com/story/princess-beatrice-wins-bikini-photo-privacy-battle-against-daily-mail-website-mailonline-10662121

18. KMR,

    I asked for wall to wall coverage of everything which made me realize what a total schmuck I am. (I may have mentioned I have a newborn at home so this blog is a godsend to me?.) But I must take a minute to thank you for all your work. I’ve been reading far longer than I’ve been commenting but still not nearly long enough to know much about you. I don’t know if this is your full time job or simply something you do on the side. I only know it’s top-notch and that I get a great deal of enjoyment from this community. Many thanks!

    And many thanks to all you brilliant commenters who offer insight and also make me laugh.

19. I would love whatever info you provide for Harry’s tour. Tours are busy for you, so do what you can. As far as Meghan….I’m already over it. I don’t care until anything major happens. They are overexposed at this point. My fear is that Harry’s tour will be woven with Meghan tales.

    The Spanish RF is beautiful. I love to see the little princesses. They stand so stall and self assured at such a young age. Sophie was great as usual. I love that she, like Cam, support organizations that sometimes gets little to no coverage. I’ll be the minority and say I like Charlene’s hair short. Even when it was shorter than this. I think it adds to her beautiful couture and bone structure.

    I totally forgot that W was in Vietnam. Good on you, Will. You created such an untouchable bubble around yourself and now no one cares.

    I appreciate all of your hard work, KMR.

    1. I kept hoping you Were Meghan in the beginning, Rhiannon. But after what all has gone down, I’m so glad you’re not. You are worth more than a hundred of her and I hope Harry ditches her quickly!

20. On another topic, I think one day it might be interesting to have a discussion on how Charlene has managed Princess Grace’s legacy versus how Kate has handled Diana’s. It seems to me that Charlene has found a way to establish herself separate from Grace while Kate continues to exploit Diana when needed and yet still cannot escape her shadow. I read a very interesting quote by Charlene recently where she handled the situation rather deftly, which made me think if it. Just food for thought….

    1. +1

       1. Green Trees, so astute of you.
          I really like Charlene. I think she is very gracious and beautiful and appears to be a very loving mother. Whenever I see her I am struck by her style. She has her own look and wears clothes so well. There is something warm and caring about her when she is with children and I also see that at times, she is uncomfortable with all the publicity that her appearances garner. Still, she always looks in control of herself and doesn’t shrink the way Kate apears to do so.,

          I also am impressed by the Spanish Royals and, of course, Sophie. Lots of hard work with all of them. A commitment to their Royal duties.

21. Regarding your comment that we need William to tell us why we should care about the lives of endangered animals in light of everything else going on in the world, I don’t need him to. I care very much. I do not believe the world belongs only to humans and every other being is here for us to do what we will at our whim. I do thank William for shining a light on this very human evil. I understand many people are in dire situations but I believe we can care about both.

    1. The “why should people care” question and answer is not for the people who already care. It’s for the people who don’t currently care. William understands that not everyone shares the same enthusiasm for protecting wildlife that he, the people at the conference, and you and many others do. For the people who do not share the same enthusiasm, they need a reason to care. Not everyone can or wants to see outside of themselves and their immediate needs. For the people who care about their own jobs and family more than wider people’s rights and the environment, we who are fighting for people’s rights and the environment need to find a reason for them to care in order to convince them to care and support us. As I said, the “why should people care” question/answer is not for the people who already care about a cause, it’s for the people who do not currently care about the cause.

    2. I don’t think it’s meant that we need William to tell us why (really to do anything) but if people are going to take him seriously he needs to expand on his concerns and love of conservation.i’d like to think his comment about Charlotte being able to see elephants or rhinos was meant in the abstract and that it was that they would be around for future generations. I found his confidence statement stupid, really! Build confidence?!?
       I’d like to think that the posters here are well informed individuals that do due diligence in the causes that are important to them but sadly, a great many people follow royals/celebrities and get their information from them. For that reason, he needs to come up with better reasons. So people will then be interested and expand upon that interest into action!
       And you are most define right, we are not (hopefully) one dimensional and can only care about ourselves but for those that don’t have a voice to speak for themselves =)

       1. For me, he ostensibly loves conservation of *some* animals. Otherwise, let’s blast away.

          1. I’d agree. It’s part of the reason why I can’t take his conservation effort seriously. I feel it’s just lip service and do as I say not as I do type of thing for him.

22. Good for Will to give a speech at an international conference – I thought it was a fine speech, and I’m glad he has kept an international presence – writing articles for the Financial Times, giving speeches like this, etc. I’m never inspired by him, but he has shown more consistency with this charitable cause than others.

    I thought the video of him playing football with the Vietnamese children was very nice but find it odd how he clams up for official photos. It seems to me he still struggles accepting his official public role.

    But, then again, this is the guy who revealed earlier this year that he struggles dealing with the EAAA tough calls, and just gave an interview saying he struggled with the transition from singlehood to marriage and kids, so maybe we should expect him to also struggle with the transition into accepting more royal duties. But, at some point, he needs to embrace his role, as it will make it better for him and everyone else.

    Thanks for covering Sophie, she is one of my favorites. It is nice to see the Spanish royal family, the girls are often involved in royal appearances and have such poise.

23. Bit late here (again)
    Letizia and Felipe seem to do a wonderful job raising Leonore and Sofia! Always nice to see them out and about.
    Sophie is great as usual (but also really would be interested on the money she spends on clothes and how often she recycles. It’s not fair to criticise one but not the other if doing the same…)
    And good to see William to continue to work on the topic, hope he continues like this and improves over time!

    I have to say I’m not really interested in reading about Harry and Meghan. It already feels like we got too much articles (general thought, not on KMR) with too many speculations and scenarios. Beside them being seen together or smt like this I can’t imagine smt to cover either tbh.

    On Harrys tour, I was really looking forward to it so I would prefer if you cover as much as possible but I also understand if you don’t have the time or smt else to do, KMR. No need to stress yourself! And if it’s daily updates or one post, you will do a great job anyway so looking forward to hear about it!

24. Woah William’s comment on fatherhood being tough. How many times does William need to make it clear he finds his life awful, from royal commitments to his family to being grumpy all the time at events?

    A challenge to move from being single? He was in a relationship for years, hardly a shock in the change to married.

    And on a PR angle, he really is a dunce. He always says the wrong thing. Why would you say this?

    1. I found it strange that he said he had difficulty in transitioning from ‘single, independent man to married man’

       Stop the clocks.

       Was he single for 8yrs? Wasn’t he in a long term relationship for those 8yrs with Kate, most of which they lived together?

       Was this a freudian slip?

       Is that why it took 8yrs to marry because in his unconscious mind he was single all that time?

       Poor Kate.

       No wonder she couldn’t do anything else. She needed every effort to remind him for those 8yrs that they were in a relationship!!!

       1. +1 I was astounded.

       2. I agree, that was totally a freudian slip. And the ‘independent’ comment really bugged me too. Obviously any kind of relationship involves compromise, but married people are still independent.

          I get the feeling William is the kind of person who’s not happy if he’s not doing what he wants 100% of time, so marriage probably feels like a prision to him.

       3. William’s comments in that interview just confirm what many have said about him and Kate during all those post-university years–that the “relationship” was only one-way. No wonder Kate was given the nickname “the mattress” by Will’s security and called the “limpet” by Harry–she dug her nails in tightly to Will no matter how badly he treated her. No woman with any amount of self-respect would put up with his behavior.

          And his comment about the materialism of the world and “people living with an enormous amount of stuff that they don’t necessarily need”….oh my word. Did he really just say that as well?

          1. I wonder what William’s idea of a simpler life is?
             I’ve decided that his notion of “normal” is actually rich aristocrat normal.

             1. Yes! His rich aristocratic friends can do whatever they want, and in complete privacy. They are not beholden to anyone for their lifestyles. Meanwhile, ‘poor William’ has to ‘work’ because those pesky plebs paying for his lifestyle demand some – but nowhere near enough – accountability. William is a perfect example of what happens when truly unexceptional people are exalted for no reason but birth: extreme privilege corroding what little character they possess.

             2. Petit Trianon

    2. And just one other point: Any good press that resulted from William’s keynote address at the Wildlife Trade Convention was greatly diluted by this interview. Like you said, he really is a PR dunce. Of course, he won’t accept any of the blame for the public’s lack of sympathy at his “struggles.”

25. Okay I voted to have you cover every day so I could see you list it under “annoying articles”. I know I’m being redundant, but it still makes me laugh & we can all use the happiness that you bring in to our lives KMR! 🙂

26. KMR, tbh I don’t care who Harry dates and bangs. Anyone, “commoner” man or woman, who gets together with a Royal must be handed a gold shovel, as a trophy for winning the gold digging award. The amount of public money that these royals waste in order to maintain their status of fawning privilege, makes me ill. I would suggest covering the recent article that the Queen is going to receive hundreds of millions of public money to renovate her home, Buckingham Palace. Because of course the money that she’s been given for her 6 decades of reign to
    Maintain these heritage properties, she has frittered it away elsewhere! Like renovating WK’s KP beige apartment in which they barely live in.

    1. While I think the Queen should be raked over the coals for her past mismanagement of public funds and allowing BP to fall into such disrepair, I cannot fault the government spending money to fix a government-owned national landmark that is used as a residence and office for the Head of State. I would fully expect the US government to spend money to fix the White House, and would never even consider asking the President to do it even if a past President mismanaged funds and allowed it to fall into disrepair. I do, however, think the current and future repairs to BP should be kept under hyper-surveillance due to HM’s past mismanagement of funds.

       1. Well said, KMR ^^

       2. Except the the White House is actually a National Park. Thus repairs and maintenance falls to the Dept. of Interior. So situations like this don’t/shouldn’t happen. One could always bring up Congress and the budget they give but that’s besides the point.
          It sounds like there needs to be a separate oversight/organization set up for the royal households and their maintenance too.

          1. But the funds for the Dept. of Interior still have to be allocated by Congress.

       3. It’s actually been a brawl in the past, to update the White House. Jackie Kennedy was appalled at the disrepair when she moved in and sought private donations to restore it. That’s what lead to the tour of White House on television, led by her.

          I agree with you that the government OUGHT to do it, though.

          1. It was Jackie that actually got it issued as a museum/landmark and her updates if I believe were more cosmetic. So anything before the 60s I guess could fall under KMR’s analysis but now should be looked at as dept of interior issues. And BP’s issues aren’t cosmetic but rusty pipes, wires and boiler issues.

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