115 thoughts on “Kate wears Diana’s pearl bracelet in Germany”

1. Harry has outright said William wants to get rid of the bread-and-butter thing, which is why I assume W&K don’t do them at home; it’s all well and good to do ’em on tour bu why not at home to increase your relevance, meet people, you know, all that? Same with not showing their kids in Britain but bringing them on tour. It’s just weird.

   1. Agree Ellis. I read many comments about William and Kate not showing George and Charlotte in UK but doing it abroad. This is unfair to the British people, IMO. And some people also complained that George was called spoilt when he refused to leave the plane but Charlotte was called adorable when she throwed herself on the ground. How people doesn’t see the kids more, the criticisms are harder. Re: Harry, I read that he received many jewls which were from Diana, she divided her jewelry equally between her sons, like her money.

   2. I agree too. That was my first thought. They need to do those bread and butter engagements at home. All well and good to do these on tours, but if that’s the only time what does it say? It comes across as being nice to the guests but family gets to lump it.

      1. I have hoped for quite some time that they will do a sort of mini tour of the united kingdom with george and charlotte. It would be so easy to get positive pr and introduce the kids to their people.

         1. Charles does mini tours of the UK all the time. He’s been in Cornwall and will be doing engagements in Scotland in August.

            So it can be done, William please take note? If your father can do these “bread and butter” events, opening fairs etc then why can’t you? Spend some time in your own country and then maybe the press will not be so bad?

2. I don’t know how much they pay attention to G o T if they are asking the actor who plays Jaquen about spoilers.

   These bread and butter type engagements should really be done in the UK and not in countries where the people don’t pay for their lifestyle. None of these engagements though will actually have any impact on Brexit negotiations. First they would have to visit every single EU country because a joint decision will need to be made, second leaders really won’t make a decision based in Kate making pretzels or wearing local outfits. Will and Kate actually talking to the decision makers about what the UK offers to the EU would be what is needed, but neither are smart enough or ambitious enough to be able to do this.

   Basically they are visiting other countries and being shown stuff when really if this is going to be about Brexit, they need to be selling the U.K. to the outside. Their mere presence is not enough to change anything, which is why this tour was pointless and a waste of money.

   It’s like when they visited the indigenous people in BC and sat there and watched them perform as colonialist overlords did in the past and have done absolutely nothing to help the reserves that have serious crisis issues like the youth committing suicide. I mean mental health is supposedly their issue and they did sweet FA to help the indigenous people who have serious mental health problems. (Ok they aren’t qualified to help, but maybe donating some money from their own pocket would help?)

   1. Completely agree! Both with everything you said, as well as El’s comment right below yours. You ladies nailed it!

   2. Nic919: I completely agree with you regarding young indeginous committing suicide. It’s a huge crisis here and indigenous communities are suffering across Canada. Almost every week teens are taking their lives. It would have been a great opportunity for Willam and Kate to create some awareness about the mental health issues of indigenous people. Instead they spent their time watching some performance (I also remember how bored they looked doing so). Probably they are not even aware of the situation. We must not forget that William doesn’t bother to read briefings; let alone a social condition of the visiting country.

   3. There are fan theories that Jaqen H’ghar is very important. Tom’s character is still in the show, although Arya is back in Westeros. Check out the videos of the Last Harpy on YouTube. Spoilers abound.

      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sMIZs-SJNLI

      1. I have never watched GoT (hubby loves it), but I had to laugh at the actor being surprised that they have time to watch. They do sweet FA! I doubt he is a royals watcher, but W+K really do have a lot of people fooled, don’t they? SMH

3. This tour has been packed with events so I agree it’s not a holi-tour. They have also done much better at engaging with people than in some of the previous tours. However I doubt this tour will have any benefits to Brexit talks. The people negotiating were not in those crowds, and William holds no political power so even if they had met him and liked him, I don’t see how that translates to a better deal. It was purely bread and butter, which is fine, but they should consider doing more of those at home because it makes more sense to butter up the people who pay for the monarchy.

4. I have the same questions about Diana’s jewelry; it will be interesting to see what pieces, if any, Harry’s wife gets.

   I’m curious about what others thought of the yellow dress. I disliked it because yellow is not my favorite and the fabric is too formal for a day dress. It looked, as someone said, like scrambled eggs.

   I liked the Sparrow dress (though I thought it looked more like hawks), which was a different silhouette and quite bold for Kate. I didn’t think the belt, clutch, or bracelet were the right accessories.

   KMR, that is a good point about the types of events on this tour. It was busy, and that makes the decision to take the kids even more odd. I don’t know why they don’t do more of this in Britain. Maybe William resents the British public for some unfathomable reason?

   1. When I first saw the Sparrow dress I thoght it’d look lovely as a wrap dress as I really like the colors and print. But this dress is somehow shapeless. The yellow dress is identical to a bed spread my parents had in the 70’s, and which I have always hated. It’s an odd dress as the material makes you think about a coach or cushions.

      1. Yes I agree the bird dress is very odd and a bad length for me too. It needed to be longer or shorter. We too had bedspreads like that although my granny’s were pink!!!

         Why don’t they do things like this in the UK and bring out the kids? Security is the usual excuse which doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. And where is their mental health focus? And when did Kate last rewear a dress?

         My intelligent son aged 22 asked who the child was on the front page of the papers, when I said Prince George he couldn’t understand why his photo should be on the front page. For him there are too many far more important things going on in the world. That reaction is not unusual and they should take note.

      2. One web site is stating how smart Kate is for wearing Germany’s national bird!! They are claiming those sparrows are EAGLES!!! Weird looking eagles

         1. They may be weird looking eagles but they are downright frightening looking sparrows!

   2. I love yellow, so the color didn’t bother me. In fact, I usually have a positive bias toward yellow and will like a dress I would otherwise dislike if it were in any other color. So this one is kind of “Eh” from me since while I love the color, the floral pattern I dislike since it looks too much like lace to me. I like the silhouette, though, which is basic but looks fine.

      1. I must admit I hate yellow because I had my fair share of it as a kid. My mother always used to dress me in yellow when I was a kid, and we know what the hues of yellow were like in the 70’s, not to mention what they look like in the faded 70’d photographs… The color did me no favors, and as soon as I had my say regarding my clothes, yellow was over and done with!

      2. I love yellow, but those ghastly shoes spoiled the look. The shoes belong at a sporting event, not with a dress that needed — dare I say it – her nude pumps!

         Two visits pertaining to the Holocaust certainly made this a more serious tour. Although, the pretzel making and the pastry stuff and the boating were really the usual types of things they do.

         For Kate, I see major improvements in her demeanor and her dealing with the public. William? Not so much. She really engaged quite nicely during the tour. She seemed to really be interested in all the appearances she made.

         Why they brought the children? Who knows., The kids certainly gave them a bump on the popularity meter, but why not let the people in Britain see them more?

         As for Charlotte’s little tantrum, I have to admit, she was so well behaved for the entire trip, it seemed. She’s only two and for goodness sake, the little outburst, which wasn’t that much, made her seem more lovable. George is a bit older and his sensitivity was not so welcomed by many I think these events are tough for him. Mostly because I feel he has picked up a lot of his Dad’s dislike of them. Charlotte, has not appeared to have done that. And, the children have such different emotional make-ups.

         As for Diana’s jewelry. I simply refuse to believe that Kate will get it all. Diana would not have appreciated that, I don’t believe. Harry better take a stand, if he marries, and insist that some of his mother’s precious items be available for his wife, too.

         1. Charlotte’s outburst was very cute and to be fair Kate took something from her, and I’ve never met a toddler who appreciated that!

            1. Oh, what did Kate take from her? I’m interested to know.

               I just am so partial to kids of her age — and George’s. When she got down on the ground, I thought, “You go, girl.”

               Of course, I am not her mother having to deal with a mini meltdown in so public a way! Still, and I must sound weird, I thought it was kind of charming. She just looked so out of the character we have come to expect from the few times we have seen her. She also looked so darn cute expressing herself, all dressed up so sweetly in that dress and those shoes. She got out of the tantrum rather quickly, too.

               You name it, toddlers are darling!

               And, George, how he broke my heart to see him so uncomfortable out in the spotlight. Just a sweet and dear little boy. Loved him on the helicopter. Now, that was more to his liking!

            2. A coloring book that was given to the kids as a gift. I always thought Charlotte was a handful based on what her parents have said about her. George seems more reserved but very boyish.

         2. I liked that William helped her up the plane steps. It was the first time I can remember that Kate wasn’t the one clutching her. I think I would like him better if we saw him interacting with the kids more; he was very sweet playing with the Young cousins that time.

            1. Thanks for the coloring book info.
               I saw the video of William’s hand holding Char’s and I thought it was sweet. Then, I saw Kate, quickly take over. William dropped her hand and Kate, from behind, made sure little Charlotte got up the steps ok. I would have loved to see William continue. Gee, we never really see him with her!

   3. I think so, too, that it is sad they don’t have more engagements with their children in their home-country.It would be much easier for the children to go to a farm or a farm market, eating there and play.Charles often visit such events.It would give the Cambridges some positiv feedback.

   4. I hope we see the emerald choker again, hopefully on Harry’s wife. It is only a matter of time before Kate wears the giant blue sapphire, since she seems to have claimed Diana’s other sapphire jewelry.

   5. I thought the yellow dress looked like When Maria used the drapes for children’s play clothes from sound of music.
      Liked the bright color but that’s about it

      1. I was going to say it reminded me of material on my grandmother’s old couch, but same thing. Kate just seems to have bad taste and no style. If you look at all the outfits she wore and spent 26k for, they look really boring.

         1. I don’t think there was one outfit or look that I completely loved from this tour. Which I usually have at least one.

5. I think she looked nice and engaged.For me, it was an interesting tour, with several different aspects.

   1. They do seem to be happier when away from the UK. Places where there are no expectations of them. For me I think the kids, though cute, should have stayed behind. This was work and it is not usual to take kids to work . I dislike many of her outfits, and nothing that she wore was memorable. But she did look happier than usual. But then she does love spending money and apparently she spent £26k for this 5 days.

6. Kate and Will do carry out bread and butter engagements in the UK.
   Just. not. enough. of. them!

   Yellow is not one of my favourite colours but I loved this dress on Kate.
   Perhaps it is because it is almost gold broken up by the white.
   It suited her so well as did the silhouette.
   Not so keen on the wedges but a sensible choice for walking around on uneven surfaces.

   I also liked the Sparrow dress.
   Kate looks really good in green.
   Some of her accessories were well chosen such as the belt and clutch.
   However, the shoes let down what is quite an edgy look for Kate.
   Maybe the same shoes but in black.
   I love her pearl bracelet. I do covet it somewhat.
   But it was wrong for this look. Too pretty and romantic.

   KMR – the two photos that you selected showing William watching Kate fold the pastry into a pretzel and the final pic of the two sharing a moment – adorable.

   1. I think you just said literally every thing that I was going to say. I always kind of giggle because KMR (and a lot of others) and I have such different tastes in clothing. I loved the yellow dress but the wedges were not the right choice. And I really liked the sparrow dress but the light colored sandals were not suited well to the evening.

      1. Em: 🙂

7. I definitely agree that this tour is more of a “bread and butter” type. There are a lot of complaints in general about their tours being vacations. To be honest, I don’t follow any other royal’s tours but a comparison in terms of duration and numbers of engagements would be interesting. I might have to check out the Court Circular or something.
   I haven’t found this tour to be very exciting. Their first tour was, but I don’t think in general that kind of “magic” can be captured again.

8. I thought they seemed happy and engaged with each event. You never used to see Kate eat or drink in public, I’m glad she’s over that now. I remember her refusing to take a tiny taste of something before. It certainly wasn’t a holiday, but I do wish they’d do more of this in the UK. William said he’d return here to Manchester, I hope he does.

   1. The tasting of food in public is the one thing i’d struggle to do or even outright refuse to do.

      I dislike being photographed eating, and i am a fussy eater. My idea of hell is the chef’s table at a restaurant, and lots of foods are just plain wierd.

      1. Haha, Herazeus! I did a chefs table once and never again!!!

         1. Lol

            I’ll add that i worry about the hygiene of the kitchen, utensils, chef/ cook’s hands. What if the food smells strange. I’d never go near it.

            Nope, this is one thing wouldn’t do publicly.

            At best, i’d request they boxed it up for me to try in the privacy of my hotelroom.

      2. I would never want to eat food as a royal! You never look good when you eat, you make strange faces and chew, and being photographed during that would be my nightmare.

         1. M from Germany: +1

      3. When we were photographing weddings we insisted on taking off 20 Minutes for the beginning of the meal. The chances of finding a photographic moment were nearly nil.

9. I like doing this tour overall – seemed like their days were busier than in Canada, when they had to travel far distances and not start until mid afternoon as they were based in Victoria. I thought Kate was very happy and engaged throughout, and took some fashion risks. As usual, the accessories were a bit off…the bracelet is gorgeous but didn’t seem right for the dress, belt, or shoes.

   The price tag is astounding – the red dress for example should not be over 2000 pounds. And, I’m sure with all the recent happenings security costs would be justifiably astronomical. I wonder if it really is worth the price for Germany and Poland…do tourists come to their countries because they saw photos of Kate there? Does the scientific lab get an extra grant or a deal to work with Cambridge/Oxford on research because of Will and Kate’s influence? Somehow, I doubt it, but maybe I’m wrong.

   And, I’m beginning to think these Brexit tours are not for Europe at all but really for the rest of the world to say “Look, Britain still matters. Everyone knows Prince William and he’s engaged with the world. His son is on the front pages and he’s only four!” Theresa May doesn’t impress the world too much, but George and Charlotte do. Having W&K go to Queen birthday parties after her birthday reminds everyone tradition, pomp, royalty, history = Britain.

   1. Hi Ann, Your last paragraph pretty much sums up the reason for these types of tours.
      I know many of you felt that bringing the children along was not necessary and probably made this trip even more expensive for British taxpayers, but if this is what their parents wanted then so be it. Also, since it was George’s birthday maybe that played a part in their decision.
      W & K did a much better job of being engaged on this trip and either they were really more interested in what they were being shown or someone told them to be better actors They appeared to not be as stiff, although I think this will always be a problem for them because they are not interested in much of anything outside of their own world.
      Kate’s clothing on this trip was really boring. I can think of nothing that stood out. The red off the shoulder Alexander McQueen was like a beach cover-up and that Jenny Packham brocade lace (sigh) dress was awful. The worst thing to me were those horrific wedges……..toss them on to my ever burning Kate bonfire of horrible clothing and accessories.
      I think it is just her lack of “it” factor and lack of a real stylist that makes everything look dull on her, jewelry in particular loses it’s lustre on her.

   2. Well, the mayor of Heidelberg said that the cost of William and Kate’s visit and especially security and stuff was about 80,000 but he expected the city of heidelberg to gain millions from tourism in the future because of the promotion of the royals’ visit.

      1. Mayors always say such things and it is rarely quantified. It’s an ego boost for the local officials and presumably Kate and William, having everybody so delighted they deigned to visit. The visit was a success for me, because they went to a holocaust camp. As they should.

      2. BC didn’t get a boost because of them. Especially not the areas that aren’t already full of tourists like Vancouver and Victoria. That’s wishful thinking on the mayor’s part. No one is going to actually check in a year to see if there was an increase anyway.

10. I wonder if Kate was really taking a drink. Why do I think this was to throw people off and an announcement will come in the next month or two. Just a thought.

    1. A sample of beer is not going to do any harm, especially this early in a pregnancy (if she even is pregnant).

    2. In addition to apparent sips of beer, wine, and champagne Kate was photographed definitely drinking that strong liquor with gold flecks in it. I doubt she’d have done any of that if she knew she was already pregnant. A few sips a day over a 4 day period might not be harmful but would she really take that chance? Or want it known she took the chance?  Early drinking likely won’t cause FAS but may increase the risk of miscarriage and lower birth weight. And drinking in public if she knew she was already pregnant doesn’t fit the image of Kate as earth mother, organic farmer, juicer/seaweed smoothie drinker, and nutrition expert that has been carefully cultivated.

    3. I thought the same thing G but not for the same reason.

       I think Kate needs to be clear headed and keep her wits about her at these functions.
       It would be so easy to make a gaffe and a fuzzy head wouldn’t help.

    4. There are pictures of her pregnant with Charlotte with a bottle of white wine at dinner with William.

       Anyway, a bit of drinking won’t harm a growing baby. Once in awhile is okay.

       1. Almost everyone on here at the time criticized her for that bottle of wine while pregnant with Charlotte. Undoubtedly, people on here would criticize her for drinking so much on this tour if she knew she were pregnant.

          1. I remember that. I also remember the media playing up it was her own bottle, and he had something else, so who knows how much she drank. Or if she even knew she was pregnant yet; wasn’t it a few days before they announced?

             1. I don’t remember the exact time frame off the top of my head, but it was about a week or two after the wine pics that they announced the pregnancy.

11. I still think it was a holitour and as for ‘bread and butter’ engagements, it was more like toast and caviar. There is a huge qualitative difference between touring a local factory, hitting a county fair, visiting hospitals, opening/ dedicating something, being amongst plebs and local dignitaries, eating cookies and drinking lemonade, and being in luxe accommodations, hitting the best tourist sites, having an entire country wine and dine you and fuss over you like you were really, really, really important, surrounding you with all the highest echelon bigshots, hobnobbing with them in grand houses, and having one’s every whim catered to, like bringing the kids to show off easily on tarmacs and so never having to really wrangle them for more than a few minutes during a visit. Easy peasy. And my gosh, the worldwide coverage! And the platinum entertainment! The obscenely expensive new wardrobe! They barely have to put themselves out besides showing up and looking clean.

    Meanwhile what do they give back besides their celebrity? Their concerns for non UK citizens only run as deep as nodding and frowning and they never have to follow through on anything- they are not accountable to them. Why are they not at Grenfell, for example? Right in their own back yard. What do they know about their own country and its concerns as they really don’t travel around the UK at all, mucking in and engaging the populace (as in being informed and engaging in substantial dialogue)? Being engaged is more than smiling, looking keen, and having fun or putting out a grand press release.

    1. +1 Maven. The bar is set so low for them it is practically on the ground. So when they do a 1/2 step more than the absolute bare minimum required/expected, they are suddenly setting the world on fire with how busy, engaged, dedicated, etc they are. It’s like KM declining to visit the Irish Guard on St. Patrick’s Day last year so as not to create the expectation that she will be there each year. What did she think marrying into the BRF was all about? Putting her life on hold for William for 10 years was all about the perks that she would get; no sense of duty with this person whatsoever. And sadly she continues to get away with it (as does William).

    2. +2 Maven! I said this before, they need to do more of these “seeing is to be believed” bread & butter engagements in UK & when appropriate, bring their kids. If they are going to go on foreign tours, then they should be coming with a delegation of professionals in different industries for the purposes of cross-learning, networking and exchange.

       Sure, it helps raise tourism for the short term to the places that they visit and promote awareness (for example, I’m Canadian but didn’t know about Haida Gwaii until WK visited it last year. I’m now hoping to go on a cross-country road trip and make it to Haida Gwaii next year), but what is the long term impact? We need numbers and figures of these impact to justify the cost of these luxury foreign tours undertaken by the BRF, in a world that is increasingly being dominated by your 99% having to pay the price for austerity!

       And why does Kate need an entirely new wardrobe again? While her style here was better than in the Canada trip, why can’t Madam re-wear or re-purpose her considerable clothing? Why can’t she do an auction of her clothes to raise money for one of her causes, like EACH’s Nook Appeal, for example?

       Last thoughts: how long do WK spend at each of the sight/location? Probably not more than 30mins-1hr? Considering that so many things are crammed into one day, I doubt if its any meaningful engagement with the public minus many 10mins of shaking hands & hugging a few members of the crowd & getting photo ops?

       1. Why does Kate need a new wardrobe again, Red Tulip?

          Because that is how she shows how much research she does on her host country. By wearing the colours of the flags! Or a dress with the national bird on it!

          SO clever, full of thought and effort. Many wow!

          1. Lol -Stephanie!

          2. HAHAHAHAHHAH Stephanie! Its funny and sad that this is the extent of Kate’s research & work, pre-tour.

    3. +3 Maven!

    4. I had explained why I believed it was Holitour after so many claimed that a Concentration Camp is not a Holitour. I’m happy to hear that someone else understands what they did. I lived overseas for many years and entertained quite a lot of family. We took them to many of the same types of things. No, not specifically at an embassy, but very similar.

12. I adore the last photo, William and Kate look so in love – the way they look at each other!?

    1. The cynic in me says it’s to counter the photos earlier in the week that showed them stone faced.

       The Princess Bride fan in me says it’s True Love.

       1. Wuve, tru Wuve!! 🙂

          1. Do you have da wing?

          2. Indubitably, Queen Lauri!

          3. Mawidge. Mawidge is what brings us togevah today…?

          4. LOL, you guys are killing me!!! 🙂

       2. Ha I said that on palmer’s twitter feed when he was promoting the nauseating article the look of love ? Plus kate usually gives William looks like that, he just never reciprocates

       3. I loved that photo too and thought it was the look of love. ❤️
          Absolutely darling.

    2. I’m struggling to see anything romantic in William’s look.

       1. He always looks like he’s got indigestion. I was referring more to her.

       2. I don’t either. She looks so adoringly at him and he looks as if he’s saying she’s tolerable, he supposes. At least Lizzy had a backbone 🙂

       3. He always looks irritated by her, while she gazes at him adoringly. It’s a bit sad.

       4. Their “love story” is actually quite disturbing for any woman to emulate. What is romantic about making yourself sexually available for a man for a decade and sacrificing all aspects of your life in the hopes that he may propose? During that decade he cheats on you consistently and is always looking for better options and then finally decides to take you up on the offer because he has been rejected by others. And then when he does propose he later proceeds to make fun of your hair or tell you to lose weight after a baby and then in public blow you off so that the press captures it. And then you still have no self respect because you make puppy dog eyes at him and he still ignores you. This is one of the most dysfunctional relationships out there with Kate being submissive and having no respect for herself. Hopefully one day she will wake up and realize who she is marrried to and decide that a title isn’t worth all this garbage.

          Will never had to work for her affection and he is never going to try. He doesn’t have to. Just look at what Harry has done for his one year girlfriend and what Will has never done in the decade plus of their relationship. The difference is huge and there is no romantic tale to be told.

          1. +1 Nic919. Once William went around shouting “I’m free, I’m free” or whatever it was, any woman with any shred of self respect would have never given him a second look. How can anyone admire someone like that?

             Never bought the ‘true love’ story with them or with his parents.

          2. I’ve often wondered what’s going to happen when menopause hits Kate like a ton of bricks? Will she look back on her life and what she’s sacrificed and think it’s worth it or not? It will be interesting.

             1. Oh, wow. Interesting thought. I wonder if she and Will are going still be married by then? Somehow, I keep thinking that she may wake up and realize what her Mum did to her and how poorly (it seems) William treats her.

                Do you think she will take a lover? Will she have an awakening and realize she wants to do things other than hang
                on to Wills?

                I hope her relationship with her children will be happy. Who knows how they will be when they are aduts or teens?

                Do you think William will become more sour with age? Will he ever make it to the throne? How long will Carole be around to make the cheese toast for him?

                So many questions. Oh, one more. Will Kate become even more hunched? Shoulders back, Missy. And, pulease, pulease stop tilting to your right. It’s evident in many of the photos in the green print evening dress. Even more evident in many of her wedding pix. P.S. I hope this is not due to a spinal problem. I should not be mean., I have been trying to be nicer of late. So, if there is a problem, I am sorry.

             2. Jenny, I don’t think they’ll ever get a divorce. Kate and Carole worked too hard to get her there. Plus, if they divorced she might have to go out and get a job and we know how work averse she is =)
                William no longer has his looks and he doesn’t have the charm Harry has or the intellect to make him an attractive catch. We see from the ski weekend that girls still want to be around him but I can’t see them wanting the full time gig. I guess there is always someone who wants the title tho. Also I think his parents divorce did a number on him so he’ll keep in it.
                I see them living separate lives in their own wings =)

             3. Wow, separate lives in their own wings That’s sadder than havianag the guts to divorce, Of course, there are the kids to think of, but I just could not imagine living such a life. Do you thinjk she has a lover, or will?

          3. I find it odd that both William and Harry have placed their mother on a pedestal and rail against her treatment by men when in many respects they behave just as bad. If we only look at Kate and William than William is no better than his father if we believe that Charles was a brute to his poor innocent wife, Diana. I am sceptical that she had no idea what she was getting into as her sister dated him. Both families were pushing for this union and both Diana and Charles were not pure as snow in the relationship. They just were not suited for each other’s temperament.

             Kate also knew what would be expected of her once they got married as they dated long enough for her to know. Plus she lived with him for quit some time. Is Kate’s mother, Carol, as pushy as everyone makes out? I would not know but if we go off the claims Carol is the dominate member of the family and just like Mrs Bennet pushing the female children in the way of wealthy men preferable with titles to go with the bags of cash. William was easy pickings because to me he appears to have “mother” issues and Kate’s family in many respects from the outside in looks wonderful and normal. My guess inside looking out is something completely different. The Middleton family receive loads of discounted and freebies going their way because of Kate’s marriage. Land Rover deals, free tickets to multiple Wimbledon and Ascot events. And that is what has been reported. Something Carol would not have had in her childhood but as an adult craves.

             Are Kate and William a loving couple? Who knows. Kate worked hard in many respects to get to where she is and I think William wanted to marry someone else i.e. from his circle of friends and then realised during the separation that women of his social standing do not wish to deal with the issues of being a royal family member via marriage. So he settled for what he could get. In many respects just like his father who married someone because he was told he should.

             I find that Harry is probably in the same boat. The people he might have wanted to marry do not wish to have to deal with the constraints of the royal family. Both have dated women who come from families who are quit wealthy in their own right so it would be a lateral marriage with little to no improved benefit to their lives but with added negativity.

             Therefore, I find maybe Kate’s behaviour is a bit of her mother i.e. controlling but in a way controlling what she can. I always wondered if Kate has an eating disorder…but I think it is more an addiction to working out to stay slim and controlling food that comes into the house. She looked so nice when she was her normal weight in University. It is sad to see her life being what it was and what it is now. My heart goes out to her as she is more than likely living a life for her family more so than for herself. Do not get me wrong I think she loves having a family and she has said several times she loves being taken care of but is that living? Maybe for her it is.

             1. It appears that having the moniker ‘royal’ is a license to behave contrary to dreary bourgeois ideas such as fidelity. Of the Queen and her immediate family, I can only think of Elizabeth, Edward and Sophie honouring their vows. Nor did Diana have qualms in being the third person in others people’s marriages.

                You’re right about William, and possibly Harry but I’d add their petulance and entitled temperaments also make them Men To Avoid Bigly. You’d really have to want that life and go after it with determined resolve (as Kate and family did) to tolerate both of them.

                The sanctification of their mother is understandable as young sons might do, but as men approaching middle-age they appear determined to re-write history in a fashion that absolves their own guilt as teenagers when their last interaction with Diana was nasty. I am curious why the British public preserves these men in aspic aka referring to them as the ‘boys’. Infantalising them has done them no good at all, and I think has contributed to their lack of maturity. If they really wanted to honour their mother, they could get stuck into work rather than spouting empty rhetoric.

    3. Why is the world such a negative place…:(

       1. M from Germany: +1

       2. Really? I was just having a little fun with it.

       3. So, now anything not unreservedly positive about W+K is negative? I just looked at a photo without rose-colored glasses. I guess I’ll be voted off the island soon.

          1. I agree, it’s all becoming a bit OTT. It’s a critical blog which does not mean cruel and hateful- but keeping Kate accountable. Praise when deserved and come uppance when not. Mixed in with a lot of dry humour and sarcasm and plenty of intellect. That’s the general tone here, and has been since it’s inception. KMR reins it in when it starts to get pointlessly nasty on the subject and to other posters. I guess all the commenters who rail repeatedly against anything slightly negative confuse me. Have you not read the archives of this community?

             1. Amen, Ray.

                Also, see the positive responses many, many commenters make to others who are going through problems, or experiencing happy life experiences. This is a caring community, but we call it like we see it, when it comes to Kate. Some praise, some rants, some negativity. But, when she does well, people usually are very pleased!

             2. +1, Ray

          2. Not if I get to vote 🙂 I suspect there is a boat waiting to haul me away, hopefully with a life jacket in it since I can’t swim. I see things in a different manner and there’s enough sugar and syrup, pr elevation and sycophants, I figure I just balance things out a bit. Not a snark at you M from Germany, just a different take. Quite frankly, here on KMR the negativity is mild compared to other sites, and those sites I avoid because they get downright ugly and vicious.
             The gag worthy, hurl inducing articles with gorgeous, daring, glamorous, stunning, knowledgeable, hugely welcome and so very very good for the economy and whatnot simply by hanging out doing touristy things are almost embarrassing. I rarely read thru them and head to the comments. Here and on other researched and thought out sites, I learn and have fun. Another American commented on another site that places such as KMR are escapism and distract from the God awful mess the USA is in. I agree. Scary times, and yet Billy and Cathy are prancing about like tourists entitled to deference and fawning just because, and a whole lot of money is going down the drain, money that could feed hungry people, help sick children, rebuild families, shelter the homeless and I know, shut up fat lady.

             1. We all need to be aware that the palace PR machine is highly-skilled in creating and perpetuating myths for and about its clients; nothing is left to chance. The BRF’s status and future privilege rests on a ‘we know best’ narrative of being the arbiters of stability, values and therefore, superiority and worth paying – literally – a Queen’s ransom to sustain. Such narratives are smuggled into UK lives in all sorts of ways. People need to be vigilant that they question all power narratives, even in the seemingly benign guise of images of children dressed in ‘traditional’ English clothes of the 50’s-60’s walking hand-in-hand with parents, a couple (oh well, one half of it) looking lovingly into each other’s eyes etc etc. I have no idea whether William and Kate’s marriage is good; it’s impossible to see inside other people’s relationships. But I wouldn’t trust doe-eyed pics and royal ‘reporting’ as reliable sources one way or the other.

                The amount of control by the BRF exerted over the press – what they will and, more importantly, what they will not or cannot report on and the pure pablum of it all – is astounding. No transparency, no accountability, sucking up hundreds of millions annually… I believe citizens deserve truth and transparency about all forms of governance so that fully informed decisions can be made about how those forms of governance should evolve or be discontinued.

       4. M from Grmany,

          I believe this is a rhetorical question but I would like to answer. I do not believe the world is negative as most people are nice, kind and caring. With the internet it is very east to be mean and negative because we do not see each other. Hence, if we are on negative fuelled sites then it becomes easy to go with the flow and start being negative ourselves. I am sad when people are not nice. There are ways to be truthful about situates without putting another person down or degrading them. The problem is that it is always easier to say hurtful things than try and find the words to be honest and uplifting at the same time.

          1. TC-P, that is what I think I was trying to say. As Jen said the press shoves this pr nonsense down our throats and worse expects us to just buy into it w/o question. When we don’t question we not only lose out ourselves, but sometimes miss an opportunity to effect some change. I don’t get vicious, sarcastic and snarky yes, but not vicious. I hope. However, I have been attacked for my views, and insulted called names on a personal level when the yahoos are desperate and can’t defend in any other way. Not on Billy and Cathy I wanna be normal, I want the title and prestige but on other issues. Yes, sitting behind a computer spewing venom is a way to anonymously attack and tear apart people and situations. Cowardly. What I’ve seen lately on some sites is that these keyboard warmongers veer off onto tangents that have nothing to do with the subject at hand, and I don’t bother to respond. You can’t argue with nor change someone who has a set agenda. Jen, I absolutely agree that a public funded business owes complete transparency, I am more than willing to donate money to a charity but I want to know that it isn’t going to admin costs. Lining pockets. A little off the beaten path but the public does support the ‘firm’, and to be lied to and patronized, all but insulted by expecting the titles to justify and solidify whatever is written as truth is, in my opinion, nothing but a dictatorship in fancy duds. It diminishes trusts, destroys credibility, and generates more questions which can become quite invasive. You want privacy? Tell us the truth and stop hiding behind the pr peeps and treating us like ignorant morons.

       5. I believe the world isn’t a negative place, however it appears that you want to say why is the blog not going over the top and talk about how wonderful Will and Kate are. I noticed that you are super excited about Kate and think everything she does is amazing. I believe the exact opposite. In fact I found this blog while I was googling “Kate is lazy” when I couldn’t understand why she was allowed to do so little while being given so much.
          I got off the sugar sites because it was very much the same thing. You can’t say anything against them, because they are so fabulous. Bottom line is I don’t believe they are fabulous at all, I still believe they are lazy, and I think we are doing a disservice to the world if we allow them to get away with doing so little.

13. I am channeling my inner Kimothy. Why does William wear his trousers so tight in the crotch area? We talk about Kate, but how about Wills? Yikes!

    1. My eyes!! My eyes!!! Thanks Jenny, now I can’t unsee this!!! 🙂

       1. Sorry, Queen Lauri.
          He’s just a manly guy, that’s all!

    2. Will just wants to show the BRF in the best light by displaying the “Royal Jewels”.

14. Imho, Kate left her best fashion choices back in Poland, I loved that white/black cut-out dress with large pearls and black accessories. And while I don’t generally care for Erdem, I did like the skirt/top combo, although the necklace was lost in all the floral print.

    I just don’t get the styling for this evening look. The designer styled it with a rather industrial look which Kate tried to emulate with the chainmail belt but then went all dainty with the strappy, beige sandals and the pearl bracelet. Such a confusing look in my opinion. This seems to be the problem with almost all of Kate’s outfits, the styling is either almost nonexistent and boring or a confusing mishmash of what ever she puts together…sigh

    This yellow Jenny Packham is just horrible, in my humble opinion. If she was going for a gold outfit she would have been better served by re-wearing the gold Emila Wickstead coat dress she wore to William’s investiture to the Order of the Thistle.

    Lastly, I’m shocked at the number and cost of all the new clutches she’s carrying on this tour. By the looks of it the one she carried tonight had nothing in it, so why spend the money?? The only one I liked was the ostrich skin one by a Polish designer but it is so similar to others she has I just don’t understand why??

    1. I so agree. If you are re-wearing a dress, then new accessories can jazz it up. But if every dress is new, then re-use the many used once or twice clutches. At least be a little thrifty.

15. Just a question but does Kate’s team ever win or do they always let William? I didn’t really follow the 1st Canada trip but I remember they did something like this too.
    Also we usually hear about their need for private time and I didn’t see that on us trip or did they finally realize how terrible it makes them sound and just not publish it?

    1. Yes, Kate’s team does win this type of races. In Auckland, her boat team won.

       1. Thanks I didn’t follow that tour either. I was beginning to think they always let William win

    2. She won big time when sailing in New Zealand
       http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2602020/Duke-Duchess-Cambridge-casual-New-Zealand-naval-base.html
       Also, many reporters noted that on the day in heidelberg, Kate was better at most other things they did (making brezn/pretzels,…)

    3. I was wondering about that ‘private’ time they usually require on each tour as well.

16. I really hope Kate doesn’t take all of Diana jewels. Hopefully Harry has the famous sapphire choker. Wouldn’t be fair if Kate gets that as well since she has the big blue ring.

    1. I hope Harry’s wife gets those gorgeous diamond dangle earrings with the enormous pearls.

       1. At this point I hope Harry’s wife gets something.

          1. Harry’s wife already dodged a bullet by not having to wear the engagement ring. It’s too big and I’m not fond of colored gemstones for engagement rings.

             1. Well Jessica, who knows Harry might give her Diana’s aquamarine ring.

          2. I am surprised there is anything left. I do like the bracelet though. It is very pretty.
             As for the dresses, the only one I like is the green dress with the eagles on it. The only other truly piece of clothing was that blue cardigan on the Canada tour.

17. If Kate does get to keep Diana’s jewelry and hands it down to Charlotte will it then become Kate’s jewelry worn by Charlotte? I am a total cynic. I see this little jaunt as simply moving to another playground and acting like ditzy tourists, and even at that what does playing with a baton pretending to direct an orchestra, messing about with bread and should anyone care to eat it? Think
    hair. What does this do for international relations. Heck, send me, I can play just as well as Bill and Cath, and I’m sure as I’ve said before I can dig up a royal or two in my ancestry. And the open toed sandals and painted toe nails, not to mention a rather flowery outfit at the concentrations camp? The apologists say that these survivors have seen horrible vile things, lived thru unspeakable cruelty, and so Kate’s outfit is no big deal.. I **disagree**. Bare legs, open toed shoes with painted nails on display is making this all about Kate, look at me you lucky people, got that shot right cameras? These people deserve more respect than Kate or William do, and Kate totally showed none. I’m angry and ranting, but c’mon . incredible people, these survivors and to say ‘well, they’ve seen so much’ is to me like saying, well they almost drowned so what’s another dunking in the water. They didn’t need to be treated to a gander at a supposedly mature rep of the UK’s bare legs and painted toe nails. I simply see this as a photo op, drag out the kids for PR and increased interest, play to the cameras with a lovesick puppy look at a petulant prince and call it ‘work’. I do agree with KMR that it’s not my idea of fun, I’m a hermit, but I can’t see it as doing any good whatsoever either. Any. At. All.

    1. Amen!

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