300 thoughts on “Royal Tour Day 2: Prince William didn’t read his briefings before Sheway visit with Kate Middleton”

1. All buttoned up, like a virtuous young lady of good character (blech).

   I have way more style than Kate. So unfair. At least I married a real man. Not some man-child.

   1. There’s too much going on with this dress. The pattern is busy, then we have frills, an asymmetric hemline, a clollar, buttons… I think the pattern could have worked in a simple sheath dress or a skirt, but this is just too much. Loose hair flying around and this busy, short dress make Kate look like teenage girls I see hanging around in my local mall every day. I really hope this doesn’t mean the put together look we saw on the arrival day wasn’t just a random grab someone handed ovet to her. And what comes to William admitting he doesn’t read his briefing notes, I’m just speechless. No normal person could ever have such an attitude to his/her job. That reveation was an all-time low.

      1. “Why should I have to read anything? I came for the outdoor recreation.”

         Wonder what book he read last. I’ve probably read more British history than he has. And I’m American!

         1. I can only imagine Poor Jason’s epic face palm.

            1. I want to see that face palm….so that we can turn it into a meme! Lol!

         2. +1

      2. I agree with you Grace, Kate’ s dress is way too childish for a 34 year old woman and Will’ s careless attitude is inexcusable.
         I couldn’ t believe Will said that ( you may not care at all about your job, but you don’ t say pubblicly that you don’ t read your briefings) !!!!
         Yet it is very telling about Will and Kate’ s lack of preparation

         1. +1

         2. +2

            Childish frilly and inappropriate for the charity event. The patterned like curtains or tablecloth and too short!the PM wife looks more appropriate.

            The entitled lazy heir to ‘I am a Prince’, and cannot is useless – time for all the millions and status gven to bill Middleton STOP! He is so much Middleton, he has stopped protecting his mums legacy, duty and charities. Nothing like his brother caring dedicated Prince Henry, who has less family expense and do HM GB and the BRF proud!

            Secret hidden george behavior at the airport is rude, for all the millions the RF POW and the Duchy spends to upkeep the middleton family of 4+, in entitled luxury royal lifestyle. To refuse shaking hands or speaking to the PM is no excuse (with lazy dutiless parents). As a royal child he should be better trained and prepared. Super Nanny Maria cant be everywhere and, Princess Estelle, Sweden at a much younger age, could teach George and his parents a thing about duty and regalness.

            1. It looks windy and cloudy today. Who wants to bet that busy dress will blow up and we’ll have a flasher day today.

               I doubt that George has been trained to be polite to other people. It’s his parents place to instill manners and good behavior in their children. But, considering how self centered his parents are, especially Kate who does not know proper etiquette, then we have to give George a pass. I used to walk with my little ones and stand with them if they encountered unfamiliarfaces and tell them to say hello.. Kate and Willy are overbearing dim-witted parents.

      3. Grace, I am with you. Way too much going on with the dress and the two flounces and the shorter skirt (not as short as the one on the model) were very teen-aged to me. She’s a woman. A 34 year-old woman, and when she’s not all buttoned up and looking boring, she’s pulling a teen-aged thing and this dress just didn’t work. Not to me.,

         As for William not knowing that his mother had opened such a center in Glasgow and for his admitting he doesn’t read his briefs, I am beyond shocked. Why go on these trips? Why make appearances? If you don’t know what you are doing, isn’t it going to show? You can just bet Harry would nave known this. He would have expressed his great love and pride in what his mother accomplished during her short life, too.

         And, is “amazing,” the new catch word here? Goodbye Keen, Hello Amazing? Ugh!

         I did like how Kate interacted with the darling little girl in the pretty dress and tights who gave her the flowers. Very sweet.

         But, if I may add again: Oh, that frou-frou dress and the red shoes and clutch. Those accessories should be kept for other ensembles to really add oompth to other more boring looks. This dress was not boring, just juvenile, imo.

         1. Thank you KMR for Day Two of coverage. I hate this dress. Extremely juvenile for a woman of thirty four. I am happy she wore a different color on her feet. Instead of nude or beige. Yet it does not save this entire ensemble.

            I cannot believe he made that statement. I mean I figured that they do not prepare themselves ahead of time. Yet to come out and say it is completely rude. He is a man child riding a wave with his crotch clutching, deer in the headlights, useless wife,along for it all. The British Royal Family should be embarrassed and mortified. The Queen at ninety reads hours worth of briefs, government papers, etc. Why can’t Lazy Bill? It’s not like he works a full time job??? If you combine his royal engagements and his playing air pilot. It still doesn’t equal a full time job. So why can’t he read briefs? What a waste of time these two are.

         2. +1000 on the comment about not being prepared for an event that his mother had a hand in
            +1000 on the comments about just not being prepared in general, like in India – you’re meeting Bollywood stars and can’t be bothered to watch a few of their movies before you get there?

   2. Why are you comparing yourself to her?

      1. Ninety-percent of all comments on this site make basically the same point: that these two unexceptional people born into great privilege, fame and fortune don’t deserve it, have not earned it, will never earn it. There are millions of talented, intelligent, hard-working, interesting, capable, charismatic, inspiring people who could do the job better. That is my point.

         1. That’s the problem with monarchy. It’s not about competence, popularity or charisma.

            1. That’s why an elected head of state may be more beneficial in real terms. Like imparting perspective and reassurance during divisive, precarious times like Brexit. What good is the monarchy when people are stressed out about their economic future and employment prospects? The royal family have no worries in that dept. They can’t relate. Whereas an elected official is in the same boat as everyone else. Cos his job is on the line as well.

   3. Yes, top and bottom of dress an odd mismatch – all buttoned up on top, frothy at the bottom (looking as if a wind could blow it up….).

      Has anyone noticed Kate’s facial expression / body language when greeting Justin Troudeau this day? Looks flirty to me…..
      http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/duchess-kates-reaction-to-justin-trudeau-is-all-of-us-w442542

2. Great coverage of day two! Thanks KMR! Why can’t they care? How hard is it to read a set of cliff notes of where you are going and who you are meeting? That is so rude not just to the people and organizations you are visiting but also all the tax payers that are funding you.

   Why do we get a dress that up top looks like something Caroline Ingalls wore and on the bottom looks like a table cloth from my fourth of July picnic. I do love the shoes and clutch; those were very nice.

   Thanks as always for a wonderful post!

   1. That skirt looks like two nesting, silicone cupcake molds. Upside down. Not very flattering.

      1. Elizabeth, a good description!

         When I first saw the dress, all I could think of were the little Valentine cards we made in school for our parents when we were kids. Little red hears pasted onto white paper doilies! Thankfully, my daughters’ teachers are far more clever when having them make Valentines for their daddy and me!

         Obviously, I did not like the dress!

         1. I like the dress, but that imagery is awesome! You just took me back to third grade. Thanks! 🙂

      2. hahah Elizabeth– that is a *perfect* description.. now I can’t stop thinking about that every time I look at this dress 🙂

3. William looks smart.
   Kate looks….all dressed up and a bit costumey, don’t you think? A bit frilly and over-accessorised and matchy-matcha I’m in Canada lets go with the full red and white. Love the bright color – it’s very eye-catching. I’m undecided as to whether I really like it though.

   1. Kate goes too-matchy for me pretty often. I think her and Tash’s default is just to pick all the same monochrome color because they don’t have a professional fashion eye. Her monochrome beige outfits really kill me..

      1. I saw the same picture and then another with Sophie doing the same thing. The Trudeaus are absolutely working overtime with these two in terms of trying to keep the conversation going.

         1. +1

   2. The dress reminds me of frilly pretty little party dresses we wore to Birthday parties and going to dinners at relatives homes back in the 50s. My mom always had white socks with lace around the top of the socks and either black or white patten leather Mary Jane shoes for me. Gosh those were wonderful sweet times.

4. Why is Trudeau babysitting them at every event?

   1. My thoughts too – doesn’t he, I dunno, have a country to run?

      1. He loves to get in front of a camera

      2. Hosting visiting dignitaries is part of his job.

   2. I agree, but I’ve also enjoyed the juxtaposition of the Trudeau’s and Kate and William. The Trudeau’s seem much more in love, and the pressure of their position is incredibly great. Yes, William will be a figurehead in the future, but Justin is *actually* running a whole country right now. I enjoy that the Trudeaus have still managed to maintain their spark, while Will and Kate look so plastic in comparison.

   3. I don’t understand why the Trudeaus had to be with them on the second day either. I don’t understand the purpose of this visit which concentrates on BC only. I just think that the Trudeaus want this visit so people will look at them as if they are the Canadian royal family.

      1. Totally nailed it Beatrice. That’s exactly the image that I think they’re trying to portray. Notice how they don’t take them to the reserves in Ontario where they don’t have clean water, or take them for a ride down the Highway of Tears.

         1. Being in the highway of tears actually scared me for a bit. I was in the car by myself and remember seeing a billboard warning women not to hitchhike. Almost made me want to turn around

            1. That is scary and heartbreaking

   4. To me it lookes like Kate is snobbing the PMs wife. When the PMs wife try’s to talk with Kate she will look at her for a few seconds then either turn her head away or turn her back to her. It comes across to me like Kate is jealous of her.

      1. Do you have links for this?

5. Kate’s neckline looks like it’s strangling her. In fact both women look like their neckline is strangling them. I love the red clutch and pumps but the dress looks too little girl like with a horrid strangling neckline.

   1. Agree, I hate necklines like that and never wear them.

6. Thanks, KMR. Really appreciate your hours of work.

   I don’t know what to think of KM’s red dress either. At first I thought it fresh looking, then I became confused, even slightly nauseated. It has the effect of a cascading billboard. I don’t know where to focus.

   Will’s comments about not reading up on his briefings confirms what everyone suspected–that the Cambs don’t give a toss about fully participating in their duties. For gosh sakes, educate yourself. Your mother was amazing, you and KM are not. Doesn’t that make you want to be better? But they are too self involved to care.

   At least Wills looked somewhat engaged walking with the Trudeaus. KM looked marginalized as she walked looking off into space. Then we get her over the top robotic facial expressions set off by having her picture taken at events. Completely mind boggling. However, there is one wonderful photo of her kneeling down next to that lovely little girl at the immigration services event. The little girl was grace personified and glorified the moment with her gorgeous smile.

   I am really starting to like the Trudeaus. I love their warmth and obvious love and respect for each other. They get a lot of grief as politicians always do, but you can’t deny their vitality and how they want to make a difference in the world. And they are brave enough to show us who they really are. Lovely couple!

7. So privileged yet so lazy. Who cares about her IMO hideous, expensive dress if she cannot read her briefing papers?
   Why do they have to do everything together?
   I give up on this couple but enjoy reading about the amazing places they are visiting. I’m also impressed by the Trudeaus although I cannot comment on their politics. So far Sophie is not trying to outshine Kate on the fashion front but looks appropriately dressed and I hear she wears Canadisn designers…. Take notes Kate. Thanks KMR.

   1. +1

8. It is not good that preparation might not get done even though briefing notes are provided. At least William admitted it though I am not sure that is a good thing either.

   I am not a fan of tight collars or neck lines so I.am not sure I should judge this dress. It was great though to see colored shoes.

   Justin and Sophie Trudeau seem to be a delightful couple and gracious hosts.

   1. It reflects badly on everyone when the principal can’t do their job.

      To admit to it is sheer folly and not charming.

      Especially when this is a once in a lifetime visit for this centre AND tying himself Diana’s image is the cornerstone of his PR.

      Those people will have put their best foot forward and he tells them they aren’t important enough for him to learn about.

      If you haven’t read it, deflect with a different observation that makes them feel important. Since this centre is modelled on a Scottish one opened in the 90s, ask about the differences in countries ( as an example).

      1. No, it is not charming to tell people you didn’t get round to prep. That says the people at these centres and charities are not respected by William and Kate. It’s not that William and Kate can’t do their jobs, limitations aside; it’s that they will not do their jobs unless it’s on their terms. This translates to no prep, just turning up, saying nothing of value and scooting off asap. That is unsatisfactory and pressure should be applied higher up the chain to make sure they either do their jobs to an accepted standard or be quietly removed. The taxpayer should not be burdened further.

         1. It was very insulting to the people at the center! So true. How can you make such a visit and not be better informed. This is laziness beyond belief. Diana must be shaking her head. She had such hopes for William!

            1. It’s almost similar to someone sending an invitation to a wedding from a friend and stating, in a phonecall/email, yes, I saw it with the rest of the mail yesterday, but didn’t bother open it.

         2. Headline: HeDoesn’t Care
            Article: Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and future Head of State for The United Kingdom of Great Britiain and Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth countries admits he doesn’t prepare for his meetings with the public. His staff, paid by public taxes, spend hours researching the history of the locations he will visit, as well as the backgrounds of the people he will meet and summerize this in briefings so the Prince will seem knowledgable and interested in his future subjects. Today, while visiting a women’s health care facility in Canada, the Prince casually stated that he should have known the center was based off a Scottish center his mother, the late Princess Diana, had opened years earlier, because that fact was probably included in the briefings he was given but didn’t bother to read.
            Which is worse, not reading the briefings, or admitting it casually in conversation to the people who have taken time out of their days and money out of their treasury to put together this visit he didn’t bother to prepare for. The Canada tour is basically a good-will holiday for the Cambridges, one they couldn’t possibly mess up due to the popularity of the elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, who would be escorting (re. Babysitting) the couple about the country. Although a seemingly polite and entrenched member of the Commonwealth, a 2009 poll by Angus Reid found that only 27% of Canadians to remain a monarchy. A 2009 Ipos Reid poll found that 53% of Canadians want ties to the monarchy severed after the current Queen dies. One wonders, after this latest gaff, if those numbers aren’t a bit higher.

            1. + 1000! Send it to the Daily Mail.

      2. If they can’t be bothered with reading the briefings then the team needs to start giving them to him orally! Just when you think they can’t go any lower, they seem to find another layer to crawl out from under.
         What’d he do on the flight over?!? Sit with the pilots and try and fly the plane for a bit???
         I’m surprised they even know what’s going on in Syria. They don’t seem like people who are up on current affairs.

         1. Oh, but would they listen? Giving the briefings orally is an idea, but I can just see the D and D zoning out!

   2. They had a long flight across the Atlantic. I doubt they were actively watching the kids the whole time, they have a nanny and the kids have to nap. Seems like they could’ve found an hour or two to run through their notes. That’s just pure laziness.

      1. I just said the same thing! Most people read and watch movies on flights. Very easily could have read them on the flight

9. Kate looked so elegant and ladylike yesterday. But today……her dress was all over the place. It looked very juvenile which was sad after looking so regal yesterday. There were so many things going on with the dress that it was too busy and all over the place. The sleeves were also too short and kept riding up around her wrists (the cuffs reminded me of a sweatshirt). I do love her red shoes and bag. I don’t know why she only gives colored heels a try in Canada. So, yay for her trying something different today, but sadly it didn’t work.

   I actually think William looked good today. I really liked his outfit.

   I can’t believe William actually admitted to the fact they don’t read their briefings. How daft can you be? Either that or he thinks he is untouchable, so he can do no wrong. It is even more pathetic since they don’t work the few weeks leading up to a tour to ‘prepare’. Yet he just admitted they don’t prepare at all, so their excuse went out the window. It honestly just disgusts me that they really don’t care about their ‘work’. It is just so selfish. And yet their PR keeps pushing how much they care, yet their actions don’t show that. They are not even embarrassed. I am shocked the press isn’t reporting more on the fact that they don’t prepare for engagements. Gosh Will and Kate really do think they are the golden couple and can say anything with no repercussions.

   1. The express reported it.

      What needs to happen is for the DM to report it.

      1. There is a every possibility that the DM might pick it up as Twitter seems alight with it. Watch this space.

      2. I think if the journalists started to band together like they did for the work shy comments, they’d realize they actually held some power. Instead they just go with the sycophant attitude that they’re wonderful, can do no wrong and genually get treated like crap them.

   2. I wish the doctor he was speaking to had called him out. Tell him he is clearly not his mother’s son and is in fact an insult to her memory. The women at the center deserve better and since he couldn’t be bothered to read a few pages of briefing material, they all had better things to do with their time. Good bye and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

      That would have really gotten everyone’s attention and maybe opened some eyes about these two. He is becoming more like the Duke of Windsor every day. Frankly, while I was glad to see Kate’s hair up for the arrival, that low bun of hers makes me think she is channeling the Duchess of Windsor.

10. I think Kate wins Round 2 of Kate v. Sophie. Sophie was a little on the boring side, and though I have some issues with Kate’s styling, overall, I like her look better. I hope we get a round 3 to break the tie.

    I actually like the dress quite a bit. It is the matchy-matchy red shoes and useless clutch that drive me nuts. Of all the times that she wears nude shoes, here is the one time she SHOULD. Ugh. And I despise all of the clutches. They just make her look awkward, and for heavens’ sake! Isn’t that what Rebecca Deacon (or some foreign dignitary – insert eye roll) is for? What can she possibly have in there that she needs while on public display?

    The dress would have looked better if her hair had been up in a ponytail. Her hair would have looked better, too.

    Sad that the clothes are truly the only thing worth mentioning for me.

    1. I disagree about her wearing nude shoes with this dress. I would definitely dislike the outfit much more had she not worn the red pumps. The red shoes are the only thing I really like.

       1. Same here KMR, the shoes and clutch are the only saving grace of this outfit. Nude heels would have been really blah. I love red heels and I would buy the clutch if it were in my price range because it’s hard findings a good red clutch.:)

          1. But…but….ugh. Too much matchy-matchy. And it is the wrong red anyway. Complimentary is so much better. Maybe she should have put on red earrings and a red hat just to complete the scheme. And red lipstick.

             Side note: Notice I didn’t say nude pumps. I’m so sick of boring pumps – whether nude or red I could puke.

             1. I agree with the too matchy… and that it’s the wrong red. I believe they are the same shoes from the first tour.
                https://www.google.ca/search?q=duchess+of+cambridge+white+dress+red+hat+canadian+tour&espv=2&biw=1122&bih=743&tbm=isch&imgil=uZySVMeFT6ai6M%253A%253B9z6Am58-LG3F9M%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.pinterest.com%25252Fpin%25252F86975836524244971%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=uZySVMeFT6ai6M%253A%252C9z6Am58-LG3F9M%252C_&usg=__Pot7hDTtxaj7d7shSdhL2xAOeXk%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjmz_uT2a3PAhVM04MKHf3oDTUQyjcIOw&ei=dm3pV-a8BMymjwT90beoAw#imgrc=uZySVMeFT6ai6M%3A

             2. Those shoes were patent. These are suede.

          2. I love the shoes and clutch but not with this outfit. It’s too much red for me. Especially with the pattern on the dress. It makes my eyes hurt.

       2. Good morning from Vancouver Canada. I stood outside for many hour yesterday to hopefully catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess. I was fortunate enough to not only see them but I was able to shake Catherine’s hand and have a very brief conversation. It truly was a very special day.
          I must say that in person the dress was absolutely gorgeous!! The pictures do not do it justice. Her entire outfit was beautiful. She was also very charming and spent quite a few minutes speaking to the little girl in front of me who had made a sign for her. She focused right in on the little one and gave her undivided attention. She thanked her for the sign and told her how beautiful it was and thanked her for spending so much time on it. She was very gracious.
          She really seemed to be enjoying herself and talked to as many people as she could. It was a beautiful day. She even more beautiful in person.

          1. How exciting for you! I’m glad to read that she was gracious and beautiful. I really liked her red & white dress with red shoes and clutch. I also thought she looked beautiful in the blue when they arrived. William’s clothes are looking very nice, too.

          2. That’s good to hear. It sounds like she’s getting better at small talk.

          3. After waiting for many hours your senses are so starved that seeing finally something passing by in bright colors will feel rewarding.

    2. Jenni and what’s really sad that clutch cost almost nine hundred dollars.

       1. Sick and wrong.

       2. $900 and what does she even keep in it? Nothing that Rebecca couldn’t hold… I’ve always found it weird that she carries a clutch around. It’s not like she’s going to open it up and pull out her lipstick or cell phone in the middle of an event. Leave your stuff in the car, with all the security no one is going to steal it!

          1. I don’t get it either. I think it’s her security blanket, she can knuckle grasp when needed. I’d get it more if she was promoting some new and up and coming brands but she wears established fashion houses that don’t need the added attention.

             1. The clutches she always carries are always very very expensive. A complete waste of money. I really do believe Kate has no thought of money. Her mommy made sure to provide the best in order to try to catch the Prince attention. Then once she married her Prince she feels money is unlimited. She wants she gets. Why in the hell does she need a $900 bag. Just stupied and thoughtless. Her carrying a $900 bag does not make her more or less a royal. All the people she met and the people that saw her pass by they could care less about this bag. Most people now days would look at that bag and think about how much food they could have bought with that $900. That’s why I say she’s very greedy and no care for other people.

          2. It’s so stupid, and Trudeau not having one really drives home the stupidity of having someone in your hands all the time when you are interacting with people and having to shake hands, etc.

    3. I guess I’m the only one that liked this outfit of Kate’s today? I don’t love it. I especially don’t love the price, £5,200! But she rarely wears prints, so I like that. I’m okay with the red and white. At least it wasn’t a bunch of red maple leaves on a white background (remember Diana’s red and white polka dot dress in Japan). I like the red purse (again, not the price) and the shoes. I like the tiered skirt. I like the sleeves much better on her version than the model. But she should have put her hair up, or styled it more than this. But overall I like it.

       My first thought on seeing Sophie’s dress was that it looks like something Kate would wear. High collar, conservative, dull monotone color… I expected more from her.

11. Oh dear – after a promising start yesterday we are back to a B effort – at best. Dress – shudder – cowgirls meets I am not sure what – Accessories – nope, and Hair – down again. I thought earrings might be OK – but there is a suggestion that they come from Heavenly Necklaces – nothing wrong wih that – if you want faux -but she has so many of this type of thing. Why not stick with the diamond and pearl Kiki earrings. Maybe she thinks this is what Canadians wear – my neice lives there and she laughed when she saw the photos . . . . . just as well the PM and wife are out and about – otherwise the crowds would be small

    1. Hey Oz, did your niece who lives there say if Canadians are excited for Will and Kate to be there? The media makes it sound like the average Canadian is bubbling over with excitement that these two are visiting. I am curious to know if that is true 🙂

       1. My neice lives in Vancouver – apparently the level of interest in W&C is low amongst the locals – even with the kids along. She is mid 20s so a lot younger than the target audience I suspect. Her only interest in the Royals is the Crown Jewels which she and I drooled over at the Tower of London in 2004

       2. I live in Toronto and hardly anyone cares

    2. Hi Oz, hope you are feeling well. Sending some good thoughts your way.

       Laughed over your cowgirl reference! Someone needs to learn to step back with a critical eye to edit.

       1. Thanks – my sight gets better ever day – obviously too good not to critique Day 2’s efforts …. Can’t imagine what is to come yet … How will Kate do “First Nations” if this is the best cowgirl impression ?

          1. Hahaha! Glad to hear it’s getting better! Can’t even begin to imagine what day 3 will bring. Hopefully something a little better and not a theme piece.

12. I only recall her wearing bright red heels on 3 different occasions, but sll 3 times she wore a brand new pair. Why does she need 3 different red heels if she’s only going to wear them one time each?

    1. Because Canada pays for them!

    2. I really think one of the reasons Kate debuts so many new things on tour is because she can get away with it because it is the host country paying. There is no reason for her to buy these shoes or clutch when she has a pair of red suede shoes and a red clutch already. But since she’s got Canada paying, I guess she thinks why not buy all new stuff.

       1. If so, that is so sickening. I really struggle to understand ungrateful people.

       2. Reading is too onerous to do in preperation, but shopping is not, especially with someone else’s money.

       3. Astute observation, KMR. I think that is exactly the case. I don’t understand the need to take all the damn time.

       4. The money that was given to these wasteful duo for their Canadian trip shopping should have been donated to Sherway instead.

       5. I am only asking this question as I cannot seem to locate anywhere. I know the hosting country pays for lodging food security and travel expenses but do they also pay clothing expenses? It doesn’t seem quite fair to pay for everything or rather costly too. Is there some kind of cap put on the expense the country can afford such as a budget? Hope I am making sense of my question and comments. The benefits the hosting country hopes for as I understand is increase of tourism to off set some of the cost. It can be quite expensive from what I have read just in 2010 for the Queen and husband and 2011for William and wife in Canada for example. Thank you in advance.

          1. I don’t think the host country pays for clothing. I think there is a foreign office budget for it. Ken Warfe’s book says Diana’s bills submitted to FO were whoppers. So the British taxpayer is paying. Please if someone has better knowledge, correct me.

             1. That was also my understanding. But whatever it is she does up the ante when someone else is footing the bill. I don’t think we’ve seen one of the outfits worn for India / Bhutan since then.

          2. I’ve never heard about the host country to pay for clothing. It most likely comes from Charles/ the Duchy of Cornwall. He pays for any clothing used on engagements in the UK, I doubt there is a difference.

             1. I thought when visiting a Commonwealth Country of which HM is HOS that country paid for everything. Clearly different when they visit countries where they are not representing HOS. I may be wrong…over to you Herazeus?

             2. The Foreign office pays for clothing and grooming bills.

                The Host Country picks up everything else.

                However, budgets are negotiated, which is why a big deal is made of Charles picking up the hairdressers’ bill to make it seem as if there is an economy. Yet he gets it all back on tax so he is not doing anyone any favours.

          3. I thought the Foreign Office paid for clothing, so ultimately, UK citizens bear the cost. I can’t imagine why Kate needs completely new outfits for every engagement at this stage. It seems unnecessarily extravagant. However, if the signals to Kate are to spend, spend, spend, and with no cap to that spending, then spend she will.

             I know ‘increasing tourism’ is always mentioned as justifying these trips by royals but there is never any evidence provided to prove this claim. In any event, it would be hard to isolate the royals’ contribution to an increase, if any, given the number of campaigns run simultaneously by the tourism agency of any particular country. Plus the data of tourism patterns would be available a couple of years down the track when everyone has forgotten.

             On another note, has the DM mentioned William’s lack of prep yet?

       6. Why does the host country buy her clothing?

          1. Why does the UK taxpayer pay? HM is HOS do Canada why do I pay for her to visit Canada?
             Must dash just off to buy my fourth pair of red shoes in exactly the same style…..

             1. Birdy I hope you are well. I got my ears pierced at Claires, uk. So far so good.

                KMR, May I ask if the host country pays for the children’s wardrobe? Charlotte looks like she needs a new dress.

       7. The host country pays for her clothes, etc.? I had not heard that before. Why would that be?

13. Is it weird that I think that Justin Trudeau looks more like a royal than William does?

    1. He has some gravitas – W&K don’t

    2. And the 5 young people in the photo with Kate oozed way more confidence than her!

    3. No. Trudeau is very commanding and charming; William is neither of those things.

    4. No, it’s not actually. Well, maybe one can’t blame William for his looks but his whole attitude doesn’t scream royal.
       Anne isn’t a warm person either and like King Philippe isn’t most charming maybe and don’t have the natural “royal” look and smiley character but they work! William even lacks that…

       1. Anne still has a sense of gravitas when she walks into a room. She carries herself with a special something. William and Kate don’t have that. William comes off as too arrogant and Kate comes off as too self-conscious. It’s hard to describe what Anne has. Almost she can walk into a room like she owns it, but still be respectful about it? Will is missing that respect.

          1. I don’t think the public see the real Anne if you know what I mean. We see the face and manner Anne gives at face value. If I was lucky enough to have a chat with Anne at Sandringham, one on one and Anne knew me well then it would be a different face. Anne does have that gravitas. I think it is because Anne values herself. Has dignity and would not ever walk down a catwalk in a see through nightie.

    5. Plus he has swoon worthy hair=)

14. Can cross something off my bucket list . I can saw that I have seen a royal ( even if only for five seconds). My friend and I went down to Vancouver for the morning to see them. We went to go see them right in the morning when they did their walkabout. The first thing I saw was Kate hair and then her face very about two seconds and like that my first royal viewing flashed right in front of my eyes. We got to the walkabout area around 9:15 and the crowd was starting to just to form. Some people had gotten there as early as 5:30 in the morning to get a good spot. People were on their phones watching the live feeds to see when they would arrive. When they arrived there was big roar on the crowd. I was standing in the side that Kate walked by and as soon as she came close the phones and arms went up so it blocked the view of her. She also kneeled down to talk to somebody. People had three different views of Will and Kate
    – either you got a great view of them
    – got a glimpse like me and my friend
    – or like many did not see them at all
    Some things that people were saying in the crowd included
    – not a lot of people liked her dress/ some people thought that she would be cold
    – excited to see them
    – talked about getting pictures of them
    – talked about waiting for them was a fun memory
    I did not get any picture on them because if I took time to take a picture I would have missed them. In whole the walkabout lasted about 10 minutes and they missed a big part of the crowd because of were their car was parked. I would say that the was maybe around a 1000-2000 people.

    1. Westcoastgirl, thank you for sharing your experience today. I am sorry you didn’t get to meet them. That would have been fun to hear how they were. But I am glad to know the crowd was happy even though they didn’t come over.

       Was it pretty cold in Vancouver today? I was curious if her dress looked any better in person. It sounds like it wasn’t. So, it was good to hear what people thought around you. Thanks again

       1. The weather in Vancouver was a normal day around this area.In the morning it was chilly and it rained a bit when we were waiting for them. As the day what on it got warmer and the sun was out. They got very lucky with the weather , the past few days had been a bit rainy. As for her dress I the top of it for a brief second. Her dress looked pink in the moment I saw it and I thought the pattern was eyelet at the top.

          1. Westcostgirl, thanks for the eyewitness view! Interesting to hear how things actually go for the people who wait to see the Royals.

             I’m sorry you did not have the opportunity to shake Kate’s hand, or have a brief word with her. Hope the day was worth it for you. You gave us a nice view of what it’s like to attend such an event. Thank you!–

    2. That’s so cool, westcoastgirl, thank you for sharing!

       I’ve been thinking about how when there are so many people in the crowd, most of them cannot see the royals walking by. But at least people had fun.

15. Remember when Scarlett O’Hara had to make a dress out of curtains? I think Kate did too, because these are the spitting image of my grandmother’s curtains. I really hate the dress and matchy accessories. I also think it inappropriate to wear a $6K CAD dress to one of the poorest neighborhoods (if not THE) in the entire country.

    I also don’t understand why Justin and Sophie are following them around. Are they going to do this for the next 8 days?!

    1. I’m going to guess the Trudeaus will be at the Government House reception tonight, and then maybe we’ll see them again when W&K leave. I don’t think the Trudeaus will follow W&K around for the rest of the time.

       1. Justin Trudeau’s latest tweet sounds like a good-bye to the Cambridges.

          1. Yes, they do. So the Trudeaus probably won’t be with the Cambs again. Or at least not until the departure.

16. I agree with the idea of her wearing yesterday’s shoes with today’s outfit as well. The red in her dress came across a bit pinkish due to the white background and I felt her shoes and purse really didn’t match in shade. And she doesn’t need the purse anyway, that’s superfluous spending if anything is. I have a hunch that most of her clutches still have the packing tissue inside from when she bought them!

    I also didn’t like the detail round the neck. The rhinestone/ studs made it looked like a pet collar.

    1. I agree about the buttons on the collar making it look like a pet collar. Not a good look.

17. I’m not sure about the whole William thing. When I read Palmer’s tweet it seemed like he had made a big deal about not reading up on the charity but then reading the whole quote it seemed more like an off the cuff remark that he had missed that one point or just not finished his notes, not that he didn’t care where he was. I liken it to me not doing all my readings for a class but in general I still care a lot about my class and education. Guess it just didn’t urk me, and ya at least he admitted it.

    I really did like this look, the shoes and bag are fab and the dress shape is so different for her and very modern looking. I do like the idea of a skirt better but I also just hate prints cause they make me look fat.

    PS: those protestors are scary and disgusting, if I saw that I would have run away crying, no wonder they didn’t do a walkabout there. Or props if they did and I just missed it.

    1. But this was information that even we knew. There’s really no excuse.

    2. William had ample time to read all of his briefing notes. There is no excuse for him not knowing things. I can relate to your analogy about readings for classes… but I always had ample time to do my readings and there was never an excuse for why I did not do them. If I ever did not do the readings for a class, it was just laziness on my part (which I will fully admit). William not doing his briefing readings is just laziness on his part. If a professor had asked me about something I should have read in the class readings and I didn’t know the answer, the professor would have given me the side eye. I think it’s plenty fair to give William the side eye here.

       I totally agree about the protesters. That is scary and if I were W&K I’d be terrified for myself and my family.

       1. They had a long flight over the ocean to read, not to mention weeks before that. This wasn’t a last minute trip, and if their briefings weren’t ready in time for them to have time to read them, they need to scold their staff (wouldn’t be the only reason to scold their staff…). This is different to me than reading for class because the taxpayer is footing the bill for this trip and for them to be productive members of the family. If they can’t even be prepared, that’s not good. It would be more like me showing up to a big public meeting for my job and not having any idea about the basics of the meeting and looking like a fool. I’d probably be fired or at the very least, get a good talking to afterwards from my boss. I hope the Queen gets them for this.

       2. They had that long flight in which to read through notes. Also, the night before the event, couldn’t they – or William — we can only imagine what Kate did or didn’t do.

          To me it is the worst sign of laziness and disrespect for the people he was visiting. An affront to all Canadians, too. Come on, know things about places in a country that are doing wonderful work! Even if William didn’t remember his Mum working on such a center in Glasgow, isn’t that something staff should know? They should be researching and looking for such things. William is always using Diana as his trump card. At least, as Jenny pointed out above, Harry would have known.

    3. I’m sorry, but this doesn’t equate to reading for your classes.

       I’ve worked for people in positions like this and unless i am writing briefing notes for someone who appreciates detail, i keep it very simple.

       2 grades of briefing notes. Semi-detailed for back ground which are delivered days or weeks ahead of the visit. Those will include a briefing meeting of principals and team to make sure they understand purpose and who they are visiting. Even if they do not read the notes, the meeting covers all the detail so they do not have to.

       The other set is 3-5 things on one sheet or note card that are put in their car/travelling vehicle to read as they travel to the meeting. This one is quick brush up and or trigger notes according to preference.

       His admission of not reading the briefing notes AND the fact that he didn’t know the information when he is told by person he is visiting points to the fact that they do not have briefing meetings ahead of time. The office plans their appearances without them and they simply show up.

       I know Harry gets flack for publicising some of his briefing meetings ahead of tours, but at least we know he has them such that if he should miss something in his notes, he still knows what is what.

       1. When did Harry get flack for publicizing his briefing meetings?

          1. Comments on various articles every time he does it.

             1. I don’t remember Harry ever getting flack for publicizing his briefing meetings.

             2. He only ever had one briefing meeting in the CC and that was before Nepal with MapAction. Don’t think anyone cared.

             3. If I remember correctly, everyone loved that he did the MapAction briefing, saying that it was the type of thing W&K should be doing.

             4. The media wrote favourable articles, the comments were scathing.

       2. The difference is that William and Kate have not earned their positions. They are choosing, very deliberately, to not do their jobs properly.

          Harry has the humility and brains to realise that people briefing him are making him (as UK rep) look good.

       3. When I worked in PR, I prepped celebrities – not Royals – for appearances they were making on behalf of charities. Believe me, the kind of thing that William did not know, would have gotten me fired. The celeb would have hit the roof if he/she did not know such a tie-in such as the one that confronted William. We were taught to look for such things and make them available to the people we represented.

          The staff is not doing W and K any favors. We’ve said that on other trips and regarding other appearances. And yet, some of the blame goes to the laziness of the couple, too. It’s not just dress up, look interested, smile and split when you’ve had enough! There should be more interest in the people you are meeting and an actual concern and appreciation for the work they do.

          I give up!

          1. I’d say the bulk of the responsibility is with the Cambridges. They have been given the briefing notes (so staff did their job), but they didn’t read them. Like the saying goes, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink!” 😉

       4. I’m saying the approach is the same. I’m not always fully prepared for my life so I’m not going to be a hypocrite and call out someone for doing something I do all the time. Although it is understandable to be annoyed with William about this, I’m just saying I can relate. If you can’t, great, but still please be respectful of me and of William.

          1. I think it’s slightly different when you’re 18-22 slacking off in college vs 34 old preparing for his “job” what’s acceptable in college or even just starting off in job is different then a grown man.
             My pts wouldn’t understand if I slacked off on reading the latest drug info/protocol for new procedure. In the real world people get fired for not being prepared.

             1. Exactly, Sarah, there’s no way you can compare school/college with real working life. Try going to a meeting and telling your boss and colleagues that you didn’t read your briefings. I doubt they will just laugh it off.

    4. I wonder if the penny has dropped yet for Trudeau that this is one thoroughly vacant couple? William and Kate have insulted their hosts twice in two days.

       The comments made at each event so far have been generic, vacuous, and utterly devoid of any knowledge of the people or organization. This ‘once over lightly’ formula is what they do everywhere they go; so unprepared, so passive aggressive.

       There is no reason to be unprepared. None. Their staff is putting papers together but they can’t be responsible for William and Kate’s refusal to engage with them. However, it proved what some of us suspected. And this is just one reason (among many) why they don’t deserve our trust or respect.

       1. Jen, I wondered too if Trudeau feels disappointed in W&K’s interest in the tour. They come across as a couple of boorish rubes. KM is so dull and indifferent to her host.

          1. I agree. I saw a video of them walking and Justin was excitedly talking to Kate. Looking engaged and full of life. Kate looked so bored and like all you could hear in her head were birds chirping. How rude to look so disinterested in what one of the Commonwealth PM’s (not to mention another human being) is saying! The Trudeaus are a couple of substance and passion. Reminds me of how bored Queen Maxima must’ve been upon meeting Kate.

    5. It would have been fine without the guilloutine! That’s what’s scary.
       I’m actually shocked that there aren’t more people protesting. Victoria and Vancouver always striked me as pretty liberal places. The first time I went to Victoria was during the Iraq war and there were signs all over the place saying “together we can stop Bush’s illegal war”! So I can’t see them being cool with a foreign/Royal head of state.

18. Argh these two! Dod they even realise that to read the briefings is part of their job? That to show up informed is what they need to do, also to show respect to the hosts? It’s not like the Canada Tour was smt they got to know about 2 days ago – they had weeks to prepare and read everything. They even have staff to help them to make notes for the day and give them the most important information. It wasn’t some tiny, little, unimportant detail either… it’s just bad.

    I’m not sure about the dress either. I don’t think it’s that bad and like the colour though there is a lot going on.
    But I don’t like it for the occasion. She looks a bit out of place visiting those charities and meeting the people. A dress which doesn’t take all the attention would have fit better and maybe also some which isn’t that expensive imo

19. A photo from yesterday’s coverage stood out for me due to my professionall work. The baby weighing session – with a fully dressed baby on the scale. To get an accurate weight the baby should be naked but I’m guessing a naked baby somehow messed up the PR brief? Sad if that’s so. I was once asked to weigh a dressed baby for a piece for a local news and I wouldn’t – I didn’t want to look clinically incompetent on camera. I’m surprised that the professionals agreed to this. I should say that I work in the UK and am not familiar with Canadian practice & policy.

    1. I thought of that too. When Kate mentioned that her children wiggled on the scale, I thought, “mine did too, probably because they were naked and cold.” Just as well she didn’t draw attention to that fact, though. Just imagine the chatter if she talked about the naked future King!

20. I love the look of yesterday.
    For day 2 : I love the shoes and the clutch.
    Good for her to try new style (we often say that she is boring in the matter of style), but I dislike this dress : person on twitter say that it was maybe a dress for India that she didn’t use.

    About William for his briefing notes : I think that his notes are not 100 pages, so read the integrality is not really hard…
    Interesting to see that the first engagement last between 30 and 45 min. The comptability of the number of engagement is interesting : I read peppermint on twitter (fan of Harry, maybe a little biaised sometimes about WK).

    1. Even if the notes are 100 pages, he had weeks to read them. There is no excuse for him not reading his briefing notes.

       1. I agree with you there is no excuse :I think the memos are not long (maybe there are a part of history of the charity, about the concrete role and some statistics). I don’t think it is a thesis : so why not read?

          1. Agreed; even if the briefings are crap, put together as non-broken up pages of blocks, Will should know better to ask for a clear idea of who and what he’s visiting every day.

             If Miguel and crew aren’t getting it done, they should be fired along with Will getting a tongue lashing from PC. He’s the de facto head and supplying all the candy at home.

             1. If William and Kate are not reading the briefings, why do they need the entourage for this trip?

             2. Well I know the take a secretary to handle all the mail for the thank you gifts they receive. Diana & Charles used to have a Master Surgeon and a Baggage Master in their entourage but I’m certain the BM has been cut as we’ve seen Natasha Archer & Amanda Cook Tucker with the luggage on other overseas jaunts. I can’t imagine the luxury of a MS would be included in the second in line’s tour party but there are two Private Secretary’s, Head of Media, Asst Private Secretary’s, Hairdresser, Nanny, Admin secretary. That’s eight so far. I heard the entourage was 12 plus the Cambridge’s.

21. They only spent about 35-40 minutes at Sheway as they were late on arrival and William managed to insult them. 45 minutes to the point at the immigration centre, but over an hour for lunch. The reception lasted for almost an hour- they did meet Olympians there so that might have kept their interest. Last engagement about 50 minutes before taking the hovercraft back to Victoria.

    “It’s probably in my briefing notes somewhere. I’ve got this huge file of notes I haven’t managed to get through yet but I’ll get there.”
    When will you get there? When the tour is over?

    1. “When will you get there? When the tour is over?” – LOL. Right! The point of the briefing notes is to read them *before* the visit – there is no point to reading them after you’ve already made yourself seem incompetent and insulted your hosts.

    2. How inept he is! He could have made a remark like: thanks for bringing that up, what an important point, or, yes it’s remarkable isn’t it, great to carry on the work. Who would even think about mentioning they hadn’t read their homework!!!! I think he must be s bit of an idiot!

       1. Exactly! Even if he hadn’t read it or forgotten about the point due to whatever reason there would have been tons of ways to get out of the situation better than he did and to be less rude to the host… why not be like “now that you mention it…”, “glad you mention it…”, “we are happy to be here too.” “And you still do such a wonderful work.” Whatever, just say smt nice and smart – but maybe that’s what you get when you neither read briefings nor care about small talk in general

22. In regards to the guillotine, does anybody else find it really tasteless that the protestors would bring that to a refugee centre? A refugee centre that is dealing with Syrian refugees? Syrian refugees who may have seen some of their relatives beheaded? I just thought it was abhorrent and tackless.

    1. I think we must allow the freedom of expression in a free society, but this kind of protesting, no matter who the target is, is just abhorrent and tackless, I totally agree with you. Even the protestors have responsibility for their actions, no matter how much they hate someone or something. If you have a certain freedom, use it wisely and in a constructive way.

       1. I completely agree – if freedom of speech isn’t used in a constructive and thoughtful (in the sense that actual thought went in to it) way, then whatever message you’re trying to convey, even if it’s a message with real intelligence to it, just ends up being lost in the aggression. Also, you’d think that the protesters would have realised that there would be children there, and putting a model guillotine in front of children serves no intelligent purpose.

          1. Agreed!

             1. +1 freedom of speech is a priveledge and should be used as such.

          2. I agree, it’s rather like getting all in a lather and starting to swear and curse, no matter the message it loses credibility.

       2. The sign would have been effective without the prop. But just think about it- we’ve been referencing Petit Trianon and Marie Antionette for a long time. Ironically, the guillotine is fitting in a perverse sort of way. Perhaps they read comments on royal blogs? LOL

          1. That does not make it okay.

23. Kate’s dress is fugly and they are both incompetent. Kate can’t give a proper speech after 5 years.
    William can’t bother to memorize a simple phrase in French or be bothered to read up on an organization before he visits. Both have access to the top advisors, linguistic educators, and professional speakers in the world. Hopefully they will get their wish when the Queen dies, they can be normal, and no more tax dollars will go to support their complete incompetence. I give them no more free passes, they’re pathetic.

24. The only thing i like about her outfit is the clutvh and the shoes.

    Burn that dress.

    Correction: do we have a 12yr old in the house? That is the only age that would carry off this dress.

    1. Or a 12 month old.

25. Love Catherine’s dress!Not a fan of those red accessories because the red accessories are considerably brighter that the red in the dress.White would have been better.But oh William!Come on read your briefing notes.He actually said I don’t know when one of the REASONS for his visit was because of the Diana,Princess of Wales connection .*facepalm*

    1. I tought the same thing! 🙂

26. I loved the blue dress on day one – don’t like this. I always worry now that her skirt will blow up again, and this looks like a contender.
    Did you see Sophie Wessex’s interview on bbc news following the bike ride? She was so down to earth, friendly and charming.

    1. Love Sophie!! My favorite member of the BRF!

       1. Me too! She had a normal voice, was really lovely and pleasant. I live not too far away from her and she goes to the local shops, not pretentious at all.

    2. Sophie is fantastic. I would have enjoyed and respected Kate for going along with Sophie on this ride. Since Kate gets so much more coverage, it’s possible together they could have raised triple the amount. It would have been a win-win rather than an expensive jaunt like this is so far.

27. I really like the dress 🙂 But I would wear the pumps in a slightly darker red, same with the clutch.
    I think in general, Kate is a little bit more shy than others. But I don’t think that’s something bad. It’s important that there are different types of people. Also, you can learn to be self-confident, to have a good heart that’s what is not easily to achieve.

    1. I don’t think a woman who struts down a runway half naked- due to her wearing a skirt as a dress because she thought it was sexier-is shy. Kate likes attention, which is fine. I just don’t think she is shy but rather plays the act of demure/quiet wife in certain situations

       But I agree,a good heart is harder to achieve. Which sadly we learned today Will does not possess since he couldn’t be bothered to prepare before visiting a charity 🙁

       1. +1000.

       2. You’re right with the skirt, I never saw someone doing such thing just to get attention x)
          The same was at William and Kate’s wedding. Pippa should have known that everybody would just see her in this dress. What is really sad, especially at your sister’s wedding.

          Yes, William should have known this. I know he loves his mother, but he seems to stumble around the world wondering about all the funny things he didn’t know before. He will become King one day. I hope he knows what he does.

       3. I’m have suffered from anxiety and panic, and sometimes I can be quite shy, but I volunteered to give a speech in front of thousands, and then followed through and gave the speech. I did it to try to prove to myself that I could. Actually I give quite a few speeches, and have gotten lots of compliments, but I have have major panic attacks quite often before speaking.

          In short, I don’t think you can judge whether or not she is shy based on one event. I also think it’s entirely possible that someone can both have anxiety and be an exhibitionist. Personality and disorders or illnesses don’t (always) make sense…

          Edit: To clarify, most people would never guess I have panic attacks regularly before speaking in public, and I get nominated to give speeches quite often. Therefore I am really skeptical when people make an assumption that someone isn’t shy (personality) or that someone doesn’t have anxiety.

          1. Awesome Jennifer!! This may be a bit off the subject but there are lots of actors and actresses who actually get sick before a performance but then they go out and you’d never know it.
             I don’t see Kate as shy, rather I see her as lacking confidence in herself as indicated by her looking to Will for almost permission to speak or do anything. However, you are correct. No right to assume anything, opinions are fine but no one really knows what anyone else is up against or for that matter why. However, having said that if Kate is indeed too shy and timid to speak in public she’s in the wrong job I think. She owes it to the people who fund her to do what you did in essence, suck it up and get ‘er done. I think if Kate set out to prove to herself that she can do things on her own as you did she might actually find that she’s not just an extension of William. I don’t think that will happen though, Kate seems to like ‘being looked after’ and has said that on at least one occasion. I know people like that are out there and they are clingy, needy, and very very draining to those who have to deal with them. They will do anything for attention and there’s never enough attention for them. (experienced one and it was horrid horrid horrid). They don’t care about anything but their own needs and wants, and the cost to others is not relevant or taken into consideration. Your statement that “Personality and disorders or illnesses don’t (always) make sense…” is profound and true.
             Anyway, kudos to you!!!

             1. Thanks 🙂 It is a good feeling to suck it up and accomplish a goal despite the problems and challenges. I too hope that regardless of the reason Kate has been reticent to give speeches or appear at events, that she does get over it and learn to be a confident public figure. She would enjoy her life so much more, I’m sure.

28. While I join the discussion from time to time and white knight for them, today I will not cut them any slack. I am shocked about the whole ‘did not read the notes’ incident. That is their f* job! And even if you do not prepare always as deep for what ever reason than act like you did. Have a good phrase like ‘it is so nice for me to visit the place that inspired her so much blabla’. Do not tell people that you did not care to prepare yourself for them. That is just rude and derogatory!

    1. Word

    2. + infinity

    3. +infinity +1

    4. Preach!

    5. This is the behavior that will cause the public to vote against the monarchy.

       1. +1

29. I feel like I am on a Cambridge rollacoaster yet again. I’m wasn’t too bothered about the airport as what else would you do with a young toddler, obsessed with planes but keep a very close eye on him and had they not brought the children out there would have been uproar not least by us commentators but the briefing notes debacle no matter how self deprecating is just insensitive and appalling beyond belief.

    And this for me sums William up. Capable of great charm, kindness and a bit of statesmanship thrown in and then undoes it all with the most stupid, crass, foot in mouth comment. It actually hurts that he could be so flippant and disrespectful to his ‘people’. What the hell was he doing on the plane journey out to Canada? I remember even prince Charles taking the mickey out of Diana on a official trip to Brazil spending the whole journey reading & rereading her briefing notes.

    Somebody needs to sit these two down and explain things in very clear and unambiguous terms before this whole tour and their children’s futures blow up in front of them.

    Kate, so far, is doing better then William. Who’d have thought? I don’t mind the red McQueen. It’s not what I would choose and I do find this incessant theme dressing beyond immature, and her constant use of suede baffles me but so far she has managed to up her game and looks fairly regal. Her speaking comments made me want to put my head in my hands because she is so inarticulate but one can understand her bland soundbites simply because the alternative is to do what William has done and comitt a major blunder. She’s just so scared of appearing imperfect in shape or form she’s strangling all personality from herself to the point that people really do wonder whether there is any personality to strangle? I wonder whether the hushed speaking tones are because she’s taken such a battering over her faux posh voice?

30. Pros: the clutch and those shoes, love that shade of red in general.

    Cons: holy sh!t, William!!! WHY did he just confirm what we’ve always suspected: that he doesn’t give a rat’s ass about his job as a royal?! Oy vey!!!

    Also, Kate’s dress was making my head spin. Like you suggested, KMR, it would look much betfer as a skirt, solid white top, long light red-colored necklace with a low ponytail and the clutch and ahoes. One step forward and then two steps back.

    How much do you wanna bet that 1) William received one hell of a tongue lashing from Granny, Grandpa AND daddy and 2) they bring out the kids to curtail the reaction of the public after yesterday’s foot-in-mouth episode? I can seriously see both happening.

    Sigh…..

    P. S. That wave to the adorable little girl gives me a creepy uncle vibe.

    P. P. S. That fake guillotine scares the you-know-what out of me. I’m glad G & C weren’t there to see it.

    1. Oh that awful dress! I can’t believe that was produced by McQueen. Did someone buy the fabric, get a quick look at the original dress and then start sewing? The original dress looks different to me, the only things in common are the fabric and that the skirt has a double layer. The proportions are wrong on Kate too. Such a fail after the blue look from the day before IMO.

       1. Someone up thread mentioned how the dress reminded them of curtains and you know what I was immediately reminded of? The film, “The Sound of Music.” Why? Because of the clothes Maria makes the children via her curtains **evil grin**

          Yup, I now christen this dress as the “von Trapp play dress” which is, in reality, what Kate is doing. She’s “playing” at being a duchess (and totally screwing up the game). 😀

          1. Although I liked the red & white dress, I laughed about the “von Trapp play dress”!! Good one, Kimothy!

          2. +1

             lol

             “Whiskers on kittens” right back at ya Miss Kimothy!

    2. Vamp it up with leopard print pumps… It would look such fun and show some personality

       1. With red pencil skirt, white blouse with striking collar, jewelery as mentioned above and then have fun with accessories. Make it pop

31. William and Kate admitting that they don’t read their briefings. You are right KMR, it says so much about how little they care about their jobs as royals. Well, has anyone surprised? For this reason I always laugh when I read comments from sugars saying William and Kate will be fantastic King and Queen because they will be “horseworkers”, or worse, when the sugars say the couple are “concerned” about their duties. RIDICULOUS. I second you KMR, Oh. My. God.

32. Everyone’s said it, who admits in public that they don’t bother to prepare for their job? He erased any goodwill generated by this day in one sentence which will be the only thing people will remember. PTB should stop sending him out on tours.

    Boy, I really dislike this dress. As others said, it is a regression to the I’m-a-young-girl silhouette, and far too busy. I will says it looks better than the original. I can’t believe she bought it after seeing that. That bag had a chain strap; she should use it. I always love a red shoe. I think she wears suede because it is more forgiving and comfortable than calf. I could never walk all day on those stilettos.

    1. Fifi, I think that is why she wears suede shoes, too. Any suede pumps I’ve ever owned were much more comfortable than plain leather ones. I never wore more than a 3″ heel; comfort would be much more of a factor in the 4″-5″ heel range. Kate amazes me in how she negotiates without a problem in those high heels she loves. Especially the walk down the plane steps.

       1. Have you seen her poor feet.? Bless her heart, I don’t understand it either

33. When I saw Palmers tweet, I thought it was Will’s bad humor and a one-off remark. But reading the whole quote, it sounds like he was just being honest and not joking…how in the world can he not read briefing notes? It’s mind boggling.

    I figured out why I like dislike Kate’s look so much…it’s a bespoke version of the McQueen creation, which means she obviously thought she could make it into a themed dress (which drives me nuts since it’s very unoriginal to think Canada=flag), so she spends $4000 on something she probably won’t wear again so she could visit places like a refugee center. The next time they go to Canada will be…what, 5 years? And this style may not work for her as she gets close to forty or it may look outdated by then. Plus, the Kate effect the press likes to talk about can’t possibly help the British fashion industry. The original dress is Spring/Summer 2017, so it’s not even available now. And, McQueen is a very well established brand so it’s not as if Kate helps their bottom line. And she now has three pairs of very similar shoes she has worn once publicly. I like red shoes, but I don’t need to see a new, similar style each time she dares to ditch the nude color.

    I was pleased with day one, and obviously very disappointed with day 2. But, I agree with everyone that the protesters were out of line. There’s a proper way to show displeasure, and this way was flat out wrong.

    1. I also want to add I find it surprising that the fact William did not know was about his mom. Diana was known for really going over briefing notes in detail. Her sons always talk about her being an inspiration and how they want to carry on her legacy. It sounds harsh, but – William, I’m sorry, but you just let her down.

       1. +1

       2. Right, and not to forget all the Diana critics who say she was an immature child who was all out for the photo op–whatever. She helped a lot of charities and it started from doing her homework. William was old enough to see his mother preparing for visits; he went on some of them, so there is absolutely no excuse.

          He’s been pampered by the royal family–too many excuses and allowed to snivel, and this is what you get–a petulant baby that expects to be waited on. Very disappointed in him. Crown Harry and lets get on with things I say.

34. William thinks he’s being clever when admitting to such foolishness. I wish I came to a meeting unprepared. I would have a stern talking to. I find it to be disrespectful to the entire charity. Add to that the opulence of her entire outfit.

    Kate…I love the shoes. I love the clutch. That dress is beyond ugly. It belongs on Little House on the Prairie. There’s too much going on. And the wiglet is back. There was a noticeable dent in her hair. I can’t believe it. It looked bad. I found it interesting that the Trudeaus were more affectionate vs the Cambs. I don’t expect a love fest, but at least some warmth.

    Thanks for the recap, KMR!

    1. It’s shocking to me how ill done her wiglets and extentions are handled. They have the money for the best in the world.

       1. I think she needs to find a new hair stylist. This one is doing her no favors. Her ‘up dos’ are always low on her neck, matronly and just boring. She could do some braided up dos and look great. And as you said, poor execution of extensions.

       2. But how did they made her wrinkled forehand smooth again?

    2. I agree! Beautiful shoes and clutch but the dress is too busy, frilly and short. The hair looks terrible. And I absolutely can’t believe William’s comment. Never mind not reading the briefing notes, his comment shows he doesn’t get involved in the planning of these tours. So all this “William and Kate care about …. and that’s why this is included” is just pure BS. If they cared, they would be involved in deciding which charities to highlight during the tour and they would read those notes so they could a. promote them well, b. be able to intelligently discuss issues with the staff to learn more so they can do more and c. be able to truly appreciate what the staff do in these places and really make their day by commending them on the work.

       I’m so disappointed with these 2.

       1. I would have loved to see the face of those on their staff that writes these briefings for William and Kate when Will said they didn’t read them. All the time and work out into these to just be thrown into the garbage. This just shows just how much respect they have for the work that their staff put into their jobs. The staff do this to make W/K look good to look intelligent.

35. Zero rapport between the Trudeau’s and Cambridge’s; just awkward. And yes, the wiglet was really noticeable this time around.

    1. DM has a photo of the Trudeaus holding hands and smiling. Wills is turned towards them but KM is off to the side staring into space with a miserable expression on her face. It was sad.

       1. Yeah, the body language was interesting. I’d guess William holds a lot of contempt for Kate.

    2. Serves Justin right.

36. I have two thoughts about William and not reading his briefings the first is that he’s just flat out lazy and truly doesn’t care. He’s living off of his status and being Diana’s son so he assumes he can make these admissions and all will be forgiven.

    Secondly, he seems to be purposefully sabotaging himself as future King. It seems that if he does a half-assed job, admits he doesn’t even bother to read the briefings (which means he’ll have a stack of red boxes a mile high) and is all about the perks maybe he’s hoping it will all work itself out with he and Kate being packed off with a substantial settlement not to take the throne and end the monarchy.

    Then he can bum around Africa in sandals with George all he wants. And where William leads, Kate follows. Personally I now truly see these two as the money grubbing idiots they are and I hope they never get to the throne. I’d really hate to see all that history ended, but I’d rather have it end with Charles, who does care than these boneheads. I once thought they would sort themselves out at some point and take their roles seriously, but it’s pretty obvious they don’t care. And it has nothing to do with being second in line, it’s about who you are as a person and if you want to do the job.

    1. Lisa, Agree he hates his job as prince and doesn’t want to be king. He should run away and live on Jecca’s estate.

       1. I get the feeling Jecca would have been a better choice. The more Kate does the more I just don’t take Kate seriously.

    2. Wow – a match for sure – he is lazy and can’t finish anything and she is a stepford wife – whatever they are like at home they come across as waxwork figures on the job – the next country that gets offered a royal holiday tour opportunity should turn it down – or ask for all the clothes jewels etc to be left behind – and them auction them off for charity

    3. +100 to what you said Lisa! But you know these 2 will clean out the treasury before they are packed off to live their normal lives as idle rich socialites!

37. Lisa, I’ve wondered about both scenarios and agree with all that you say. I think William should call it quits asap. No settlement though. There’s no need to pay William off. He’s had more than enough at people’s expense. I can’t see why UK citizens would want this man representing them.

    1. +10000. No settlement.

    2. Indeed no settlement – he will inherit trust funds from HM and his father and Waity will get 1/3 of her parents money

    3. Exactly right. Then he could live the normal life of paying your own way and paying your own bills. He might not like being so normal after all!
       It’s another reason the duchy of Cornwall shouldn’t be given to Charles as a private source. If the monarchy ends, they shouldn’t get that revenue.

38. I really liked the dress. It’s different from her usual, it’s flattering to her figure, adorable! Loved the red shoes and clutch. William is looking well dressed this visit. Not sure what Sophie was wearing but it was kinda bland and she wore nude shoes which I am really starting to dislike. I’m really enjoying the photos of Canada. I hope I can see more of Canada in the future. One trip to Niagara Falls and a visit to a store doesn’t really count does it?

    1. I’m with you Jules! I love Kate’s dress and the accessories too. I feel that Sophie tries to match whomever she is spending time with. I think she’s still finding her stride. I remember a while ago, she and the PM visited London and she wore a hat then, just like yesterday. I think she tries too hard sometimes to be our version of Kate and the trying too hard really shows.

       I am so glad you like what you’re seeing in Canada! You should come visit us some time!

       1. Yay, some others who liked Kate’s outfit! I knew I couldn’t be the only one. I agree with KMR the print is a bit much, and would have worked better as a skirt with a solid top, but it isn’t bad. But it is overpriced.

          1. Hey JET, I didn’t hate it, and I liked the shoes and clutch. Wasn’t a fan of the skirt frill which has gotten hit for being too cowgirly flounce, but it’s not terrible. I agree too that the print only as a skirt would have been better. A little goes a long way.

39. William reminds me of Edward VIII, he loves all the privilege and perks and money of his position, but he has no interest in any of his “kingly” responsibilities, which is why he is unprepared and like a child he does not care who know it. I am sure the BRF sees this.
    Kate is like Mrs. Simpson, an opportunist who got the prize, but the comparison ends there because like her or not, Wallis Simpson was fashionable and could carry on a conversation. Kate is a terrible dresser, has no social graces and is not intelligent, she can barely utter a coherent sentence.
    Both are an embarrassment. The way I see it, a royal tour is also like a business meeting, and you should be prepared when attending a business meeting. For W & K and kids it is nothing more than a holiday.

    1. W&K resemble Edward VIII and Wallis in so many ways. Him: never grew up, disfunctional family, insistence on being addressed by royal titles, clueless regarding geopolitical world events. Her: vapid, nothing to offer others so focuses on weight and clothes, says dumb stuff, makes snide comments at W’s expense, too obvious desperate need for other male attention.

    2. I think he looks like Prince Eddy, son of Edward VII and Alexandra, who died, allowing George V to inherit the throne. Eddy was known to be unsuitable, and many rumors swirl about his life and death.

40. It looks like a ranch Mexican outdoors wedding dress for a little girl. I think I would have liked it more if the skirt had been a single tier and perhaps been a skirt and red top combo. The collar area with the buttons/stones on top are unflattering. I do like the length of the sleeves though. Maybe a belt?

    1. That’s it, a ranch Mexican wedding dress! I couldn’t find a fitting comparison of the dress but you are right!

       1. Lol, the only reason I thought of it is because I have been to 3 weddings this summer and they had either the flower girls or the bridesmaids in the eyelet/cotton style dresses.

    2. Oh my goodness, YES?

       All she needs is cowboy boots and this dress would work…..

       For a Texas shindig.

       The dress and hair are already there.

       ( apologies for stereotyping Texans)

       1. I’d take offense but I’m not from this state, I just live here, so stereotype away!

       2. I’m originally an okie and my sister and I talk about the small town/Texas hair. Bigger is better is the motto. Probably bemoaning they can’t get the good ol aquanet hairspray in a can =)

       3. It’s definitely a shindig dress!

    3. Haha this made me laugh! Thanks does she still have her cowboy boots from their rodeo engagement on the 1st Canadian tour? Maybe the hat too=)

       1. Think of this dress restyled with cowboy boots and hat has reversed my dislike.

          I can’t see it any other way.

          1. It just proves the accessories can make or break the outfit! =)

             1. Lol!

          2. A mountie hat?

             1. Texan cowboy hat.

                I believe she was gifted with hat and boots during her last visit to Canada.

          3. With unbutton neck and rolled up sleeves?

41. Ugh, today was a total fail for me! How can one dress manage to be both too tweeny and too overmuch at the same time?! The buttons, the dog collar neckline, the layer skirt, the baby buttons up the front and of course the matchy-matchy shoes and clutch. Of course, her horrible posture doesn’t help this look either, even a potato sack could look good if it’s wearer carried themselves well and stood upright. Ugh! Although to be totally fair, Sophie’s dress was a fail imo as well, much too matronly and the lace underarm panel needs to go.

    By William admitting that he didn’t/doesn’t read his briefing really helps me understand why Kate is so unprepared for her role as well. As I recall around the time of the engagement, it was put out there that William would be teaching Kate the royal ropes, not Sophie, not Camilla but William. So far under his tutelage she has flashed the press on every royal tour, she can’t string a coherent sentence together, isn’t capable of showing true compassion or empathy and probably doesn’t read her briefings either. Way to go William!

    Lastly, the photo of the four of them coming down the steps was rather sad imo. Justin and Sophie holding hands and Sophie looking like she just won the lottery compared to William and Kate walking several feet apart, William totally ignoring Kate and Kate looking like she’s completely lost and hating life.

    1. One more thing…thanks KMR for including the photo of Kate walking with her arms by her sides, I feel like I’ve just seen a unicorn and Bigfoot walking down the street together!!! Never the less, her posture is still poor even with her arms at her sides.

       1. Too funny, Lauri from CA!

    2. Yes Lauri, that photo of the 2 couples was very illuminating for me. The Trudeaus look like they are loved-up, happy and are putting a united front/their body languages are in-sync with each other. The Cambridges have a physical distance between them and are looking off in separate directions. I don’t think the Cambridges are the happy and in-love royal couple, the antithesis of Diana and Charles, that the press is trying to make them out to be.

42. I just went to the Express site to read Richard Palmer’s article and wow, the comments there are mindboggling. Okay, there are only 7 but every one was defending William and one even called Richard out for daring to report on this. How can people defend this type of ignorance and arrogance?

    1. His PR people?

       1. Yeah, or his friends.

       2. Definitely his PR people trying to cover up his mistake. I bet they are working overtime trying to make sure no one else reports his comment. They are trying to bury it

          1. I’ll post it on the Toronto Star and see what they say

    2. Most people think William is amazing, wonderful, and remember DIANA.

       They only read the PR and care nothing for the rest. He’s a hard working pilot and she’s such a great intelligent stay at home mum!

43. The all over print is too busy and pairing that dress with red accessories just adds to the busyness. Not to mention her clothes and hair always have a little girl quality to them. This outfit isn’t an exception.

    Girlfriend needs a real stylist. Sophie Trudeau looks like a grown woman.

    William admitting to not reading his briefings. Wowzers. Does he not understand he has an important role to perform and reading your briefings is the least you are SUPPOSE to do.

    William is a poster boy for why the United States was smart not to keep the British royal family because you get what is born into the role. Yes, I know you can overthrow someone and there are British royals who didn’t keep their positions but look at the bother you have to go through in order to place someone else in the position compared to regular elections for a president or prime minister.

    1. Actually you nailed it: Kate often chooses to project that ‘little girl quality’ while Sophie Trudeau looks like a grown woman. Kate’s long messy hair and short flared skirts are a tad youthful and unprofessional looking.

44. This tour would not be covered in so much detail if it were not for KMR. Please reward yourself after this. The first thing I thought of when seeing this dress was Minnie Mouse. It looks like theme dressing crossed with what a girl would wear to a hen night. I can’t describe it any better. Please Kate put your hair up.
    William not preparing. This seems strange since he knew about Tsunamis back at university. It is lazy and disrespectful. The Canadian couple shone on this outing.

    1. Bahahaha!!! Minnie Mouse! All that’s needed are a pair of mouse ears and this outfit would be complete.

45. Another FAIL for the Cambridges. For William it was what came out of his mouth.

    For Kate it was her appearance. What the heck is she thinking about that ugly dress? I’m trying to figure out how it could be fixed. Sort of inclined to think if the top was cut off and the bottom made into a skirt and worn with a red jacket, it might be sort of nice. I really hate that dress from the waist up. The shoes are OK if you like that style. I find court shoes to be rather mundane, myself. I don’t really care about the bag, and I don’t understand why she even needs one with her since her assistants could carry it for her. Oh and that hair – awful. You could see the extensions!

46. After seeing the 1st day outfit, I started to excited. Maybe she finally got her touring wardrobe down. Nope, right back to square one for me with this outfit.
    I think I’d like the new earrings if I could actually see them. Diamonds and pearls, what’s not to likes?!?
    I thought Sophie could have walked off the set of that 70s show. Not a win for me either.
    Do younthink Jason and team reads comments to them about what people are really saying or do they go on obliviously? It would be smart to do a post tour briefing. Read to them what newspaper and commenters say. A sample, say 10 pro/con comments. Considering that everyone pretty much said India was an anniversary trip for them and then they plan this trip that sounds more vacay than real work ii’d imagine not.

    1. Well it is his job to make it appear that they are really, really busy but actually doing as little as possible. Mark Bolland who was Prince Charles spin doctor in chief said that was the main (unofficial) part of his brief. I imagine William wants to put as little effort in as possible and resents everything he’s asked to do. At least PoW has a sense of duty to his people. I wouldn’t have Jason / Miguel’s job if you kept me dressed in Emilia Wickstead & Jenny Packham for life.

       1. I’m actually surprised that Jason has stuck around as long as he has. Must be a glutton for punishment type.

          1. Hmm… wondering if he is waiting to see if Helen Clark wins the UN Secretary-General post? Jason once worked for her. His past reputation was as a ‘wunderkind’ but this KP stint has seen him really flounder. His abilities might be more critically assessed these days.

             1. I remember people saying how great he was when he landed this job but don’t see it. Part of it could be blamed on WK but he owns it some extent too. He needs to up their social media game and be their No man to some degree.

       2. Seems like PR for the BRF is to keep up the smoke and mirrors routine at all costs. It works because most people don’t look carefully enough at what the royals are doing, and believe the spin. Interesting, though: if Charles – always spoken of as having a sense of duty – was/is doing very little and appearing to be busy, as Bolland claims, imagine how little William and Kate are doing.

          1. I do believe PoW puts the hours in when he’s working but his holidays are somewhat sacrosanct. But then apparently these black spider memos come at all times of the year. Maybe he developed with age? I don’t doubt his love of his people and that he wants to make things better. William I think, just views us all as plebs who get in his way. Rather like customers and patients that stop shops and hospitals running more smoothly.

    2. Their engagements began after noon. So they are getting to sleep in. There’s so much they could do and people to meet with the half a day they are wasting.

47. I am of the belief that waity was warned not to flash. That her clothing was chosen for her as far as the outfit coming off the plane. Horrendously expensive new outfit but flash proof. The high heels with Charlotte in her arms made quite a few people shudder and Billy’s lack of attention to the fact that his wife was on the steps with his baby and might need a bit of support tells me that he really is indifferent. The woman got her heel caught in a grate, and he just essentially goes all ‘here I am the one for whom you have been waiting’ and didn’t seem to consider that she could very well trip and fall. Anyone in those heels could, and she was holding a baby who could have decided at any moment to do something to distract Kate. I noticed the Trudeaus holding hands, and they look alive. That second dress has been described so deliciously by other posters, 3rd grade valetine’s day, cupcakes, and other things that are very appropriate. What that dress most assuredly is not is professional. I wonder if it was Kate’s idea to lengthen the skirt. The original was a flash waiting to happen for this overgrown teenager.
    William. Could he make it any more clear that he doesn’t give a rat’s patooki about his job? Didn’t have time? Would get to it later? For a mummy’s boy who has used his mummy’s death as an excuse for everything you would think he would know that at least and be all emotional and sentimental. Proud. But no, he admits that he didn’t bother reading the briefings. Admits it. Doesn’t even try to fake his way through, smile and nod, or solemn face and nod. Nice to know???
    I wonder what the queen thought, and Jason must get paid a small fortune to stay with these two nimrods. I don’t think I could handle the stress and the unpredictability, no way on earth would I think that even Billy would say something so utterly and absolutely stupid. All those people who worked so hard for this useless senseless expensive boondoggle and he spits in their faces. I am Prince William. I am here among you. I even granted you a glimpse of my children. Be grateful and expect nothing more. Now take me to all the places where I can play and have a nice fun time.

    1. I think everyone dreams about being born into a carefree life, but after reading critiques of William and learning about how inept he behaves at events, I think it’s a real curse to be in a position where you never really have to grow up and act like an adult.

    2. Agree. Agree. Agree with everything you said, @royalsareajoke… well put!!

       1. Thank you!!

    3. I will never forget the story that came out at the time William and Kate broke up. One of the guys he was in the service with told the story that Kate was talking with William on the phone about all the pictures of him out on nights he had a leave. He was always wrapped around a pretty young woman in a club. William ask Kate did she know who she was talking to. In other words she had no right to question him or tell him he was wrong the way he was pictured with the women. I’m sure that’s how he feels when he’s on your, do you know who I am, who you’re talking to. He don’t want the hassle of dealing with the public or prepare himself for an engagement but yet show him honor and respect because he’s a Prince. And for sure don’t stop the money coming in.

    4. I’m of the impression that the Queen probably had a stern discussion with Kate when they went to Balmoral recently about her exhibitionistic tendencies, hence the skirt length and change in style, maybe Kate’s way of endeavoring to please the Queen. But then again, if the Queen did say something, why would Kate wear this dress? On a windy day, that skirt will definitely blow up. I’m baffled. At Kate’s age she should have mastered the art of dressing and behaving in public.

       William is aware of the impact of his words on others. He’s just fishing for compliments. By mentioning that he didn’t read his notes, yet was able to ad lib, he would garner compliments from many, e.g., maybe Justin, or other high ranked Canadians would probably tell him that he’s very eloquent and brilliant to be able to give such a great speech without the aid of notes. He’ll then be made to think that he’s the 8th wonder of the world, walk around with a permanent halo and congratulate himself for being such a boy wonder; narcissism at its finest.

       William is the sort of person who will take as much as he can get and then distance himself. He is 34 years old, and it would take an act of God to get his attention. Just look at the manner in which he treats his father who is his source of such a generous income. Normally, someone in William’s position, would not want to offend his source but treat the benefactor with the highest regard possible. However, William does not need to do any of that because he’s all too cognizant that having tested the waters, in this instance, Charles, and has come out of it, smelling like a rose, thus, why should William care about anyone else’s feelings? The deck is stacked very high in his favor, and he’ll continue to take whatever and whenever he pleases. He’s got Charles .. realize that in such circumstances, brother, as lesser than. Unfortunately, there’s one or more of William in every family. It’s as though he believes he is the be all and end all. It’s often best to leave his type alone and expect nothing in return, because expectations only causes hurt.

       IMO, William is one of those passive aggressive types. I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s holding onto a lot anger against several people, for his mother’s death, viz., (1) His grandmother, the Queen, for being critical and unkind towards Diana, and ruling over her with such an iron fist; (2) Charles, his father, for cheating on Diana and causing her so much grief — William had to bear a lot of Diana’s grief, because he witnessed her sorrow and most probably felt helpless because he was too young to do anything to help her; and (3) Camilla, whom he blames for the disintegration of his parents’ marriage.

       William, IMO, is someone who is suffering emotionally from a significant amount of unresolved anger = a very tortured mind. He is carrying a burden that’s probably too difficult for him to bear alone, and in his case, it does not seem that time is a healer. While most people are able to let things go, with time, and move on, William is the opposite, as he keeps on regurgitating his feelings, and has used same as a crutch to get himself out of sticky situations, by using the *poor me*card. However, that is now a double-edged sword, and what was once his get out of jail free card, has now become his albatross. He definitely needs psychological intervention, and the longer he delays it, the more difficult it will be for him to divest himself of the mental torture and anguish he’s suffering. I feel that a lot of what he says and does is a cry for help.

       In view of the foregoing, I don’t think Kate is the ideal partner for him as she has a huge amount of psychological issues herself. Hence, instead of being his helper, and/or someone to whom he can bare his innermost feelings, she hangs around his neck like an albatross.

       1. Vonnie, awesome post! I want to add that William seems to have been frozen developmentally. He still seems to see himself as a cute blond boy who can get away with bragging that he didn’t do his homework – he expects admiring snickers from his classmates and an affectionate growl from his professor!

48. Kate dresses either too juvenile or matrimony. the worst part her kids were poorly dressed. is there anything that this woman can do right. ??? she’s good at wasting money and being idle. but l hate William more for marrying this doormat !!!

49. So today’s engagements should take about 3-3 1/2 hours total. I’d love a “work” day like that 🙂

    1. And isn’t a portion of that touring the rain forest? An even better gig!

       1. Well Sarah, they were going to have a 20 minute flight over the rainforest but that’s been cancelled due to bad weather.

          1. I was hoping it would rain. All. The. Time. This is the season for it. My Schadenfreude has been happily revived.

    2. I used to justify the short working days by adding the pre engagement work such as reading their briefing notes, research etc. After today I now know better.

50. Oy vey, that is one travesty of an outfit. Methinks Katie is permanently possessed by a naughty schoolgirl screaming to get out.

    To me, Kate (with Willy) is becoming a black hole hoovering bits of my brain out. Yet, I can’t look away from the trainwreck and the dying days of royalty.

    Katie looks to be very happy these days being nothing but an expensive adornment on the arm of her prince. I imagine it’s a dream come true.

    1. She’s been tenacious in carving out a role of ‘no expectations’, hasn’t she? Outwitted the Queen and the rest of them by standing firm in doing as little as possible, as poorly as possible. Poor demure little me! Take care of me! I’m so shy! Nice con.

    2. She’s a high maintenance woman who *had* to hook a rich man to support her lazy habit, plus a huge staff for her every need, and more importantly, a hairdresser on speed dial to fix every stray hair. An absolutely indolent and lazy woman whose tolerated because she had to replenish the Royal line. The airs and graces she has adopted, in her mind, makes her feel she is far more genteel and superior than all the other members of the Royal Family.

       I think the reason she is so happy probably concerns the fact that she received the go ahead from William to begin gestatiopn. I read an artice, (I cannot remember the source) that William now wants more children. If it’s true then I’m sure that an announcement from BP will be done by Christmas. Another child will definitely add more helplessness (she couldn’t push a button on a large piece of equipment) to her already useless standing and cement her future as the Royal trolphy wife.

       Of course, all of the foregoing are only conjecture on my part and the article I read is probably not a credible source. However, I do think that Waity is working very hard to replenish the royal stock, because she’ll have not two (2) but three (3) kids and excuses as to why she cannot work. Another child will up their 4.6 million pound allowance to maybe six (6) million pounds. I hope Waity will spend some of the money on better clothes for the children.

       1. I didn’t know that having another baby would up Kate’s allowance.
          This is exactly what used to happen with welfare mothers, the more kids, the more money. Until the powers that be got a clue some of those mothers spent the money on well, not the kids. Kate is simply a well dressed welfare mother. And of course there is the little old I have 3 small children and (HG?) so I have to be there for them and can’t go about doing silly things like talking to people and all. Oh, I can unveil a plaque every now and then (with Billy’s help), and maybe break a bottle of champagne over a new ship but anything more strenuous and anything that takes me away from my precious wee ones is simply unreasonable. (I’m not saying that waity doesn’t care about her kids, but they are certainly props when needed and for sure she can take an extended vacation without them because all hands on mummys need time away to rest and recharge.)
          I love the term ‘replenish the royal stock’, it just seems so perfect. I doubt that Nanny Maria will quit, that woman has character and while I haven’t seen her out and about with Charlotte she is clearly devoted to George. It’s a credit to her that he is as well behaved as he is, I don’t think his behavior at the airport was in any way out of line. I do think that waity’s show of ‘scolding’ him was for show. All good mummys keep their children in line and forget the fact that the child had just gotten off a plane, was tired, saw a bunch of strangers and acted in my opinion just like that. Pick him up, comfort him, let him enjoy his view of a helicopter and pay attention to the ones who probably drew the short straws and had to come and greet you. He did nothing whatsoever in my opinion anyway to warrant having that made up face in his little face. All for the cameras and all for the show.

          Someone referenced Diana and her taking William to NZ. Personally, I thought then and I think now that she did that because she couldn’t stand being away from him that long. I don’t see that as putting on a loving mother show, nor did I see William being used as a prop. That’s my thought on it anyway. Diana was a very young mother and had I been in her situation with my first baby I would have fought to do the same thing. I didn’t trust babysitters and I needed my baby perhaps more than he needed me, but it wasn’t an issue in my case. Of course, I should take into account that I’m not in any way shape or form, nor would I ever want to be aristocratic. I don’t take rich people seriously, and I don’t take their problems seriously (don’t hate me). They totally lack credibility in speaking of their fellow countrymen for the most part, there are exceptions but for the most part. I think they’re talking to the other rich and ‘powerful’ people, not us.
          Fun Fact: Maybe you already know this but in reading I found that being on the bottom of the totem pole is being very important, not being on the top. Me, I figure that as I plug along in life I’ll manage to leave the world a better place than it was when I arrived, granted it will be a case of stumbling across the chance but still. KMR, I don’t know if you are aware of it but you make a very very big difference in people’s lives, and it’s good. I don’t know you, I will never know you, but coming here is fun and educational so thanks!!! That goes for my fellow posters as well, countries apart, thoughts differing, opinions expressed..we make a difference. Good people, the lot of you 🙂

       2. Very well said !!!!

          I have read this forum for a while now and am in wholehearted agreement with many of the comments made. As a man, I really don’t care what Kate is or is not wearing – I’ll leave that to you ladies – but I do care that this totally irrelevant institution called the Monarchy should be allowed to get away with so much, and that the press kowtow to them all the time.

          I freely admit that I am a staunch Republican. It is my sincere belief that the older generation – older than me that is – have, in many cases, been brainwashed by the Royal family myth. In the days when I was born (the early 1950’s), we were brought up to not criticise the Queen, as if she were some kind of God, and they used to play the National Anthem at the end of cinema shows and the TV coverage. At the time, I never understood why I was supposed to pay homage to some woman that I did not know and who certainly was totally unaware of my existence. To me, she was no better or worse than any other person and would get the same treatment.

          With the advantage of age, I can see clearly that today, the Monarchy is little more than a total irrelevance – a sideshow which affects the vast majority not one iota. Has it stopped us going to war ? No ! Has it brought in masses of tourists ? Emphatically no !!! They come to see the buildings, not the Royal Family. After all, the French got rid of their Monarchy in 1789 and as far as I am aware, people have not stopped going to Paris or the rest of France. Most of the myths are spun by their PR department, and heaven help any newspapers that dare to go in for serious criticism.

          However, I do detect that things are changing slowly, with great websites such as this. In my opinion, William and Kate don’t even know the meaning of the word work – why should they ? They have never done any real work, after all (I do not count William pretending to be a part time helicopter pilot as this smacks of a PR stunt) and since their wedding several years ago, I have never once heard Kate Middleton open her mouth and make a speech. So why is all this money showered on them when they have done absolutely nothing to deserve it or warrant it ?

          I once heard a BBC commentator describe Kate Middleton, when they were looking at the fantastic display of poppies outside the Tower of London as “always beguiling” , and nearly split my sides laughing. What he should have said was lazy, thick and cannot string a coherent sentence together (based on what others have said, my not having heard her !). I simply cannot get over how people are so taken in by them. Hugging Ben Ainslie at every suitable opportunity is not what I call work !

51. Interesting juxtaposition of articles in the DM: very positive coverage of the royal tour and an anti-Charles article raking up Diana’s death and funeral.

    I have long thought the DM has an arrangement with the Middletons (like the Kardashians), for positive press, but that made little sense as Rupert Murdoch is a known anti-monarchist. Now I think Murdoch either just hates Charles, or he is promoting WK to inherit because he sees them as ending the monarchy through stupidity and laziness.

    1. I think the Murdoch’s will be on whatever side will get them more money, so they are passive-aggressive covering right now. People seem to be split on keeping or getting rid of the monarchy, and the press will sway with the people.

       That’s why Charles should keep Sophie on major retainer rather than cutting her from engagements. She’s one of the few royals that has watched her Ps and Qs lately to help get better PR for the BRF.

    2. Murdoch’s MO is to create sensationalism. He’s been very successful with the New York Post channeling tabloid scoops to create a state of unrest by using bits and pieces, some of it partially untrue. The NY Post’s sensationalistic headlines made it difficult to ignore. Travelling on the subway in NYC at the end of a workday, it’s easy to measure the intelligence of the NYC Post’s patronage, and even though many decry the paper’s insignificance, Murdoch has made tons of money as the paper appealed to the masses.

52. He didn’t read at University why would he read now? It’s not as if his job is merit based. His people will just make the onerous job of reading briefings easier for him. Eg: you are in Canada, there are poor people to visit and mentally ill people in Canada, same as England. The End.

53. Good point. Lazy then, lazy now. There’s a whole thing about leopards and spots and not changing…

54. William’s comments re: his briefing notes made me so mad… They literally have one professional job to do.. no one is asking him to run any of these organizations.. simply read your briefing notes.. it’s not that hard…
    My first reaction to Kate’s dress was: um.. No. It’s not so terrible now that I’ve seen many pictures of her wearing it in the press, but my immediate first reaction to seeing this dress was dislike… don’t like the tiered skirt, it’s borderline a little short… not to mention that’s not the type of skirt I would wear if I’m going to be near a harbor/ dock with wind and trying to get off a plane.. but it’s not the ugliest thing she’s ever worn so I’ll let it go… looking forward to the next post! Thank you for all your hard work, KMR!

55. Dear old New Zealand Herald has a “replay” of a DM Story “Kate Middleton’s parenting technique revealed”. It’s all about Kate and her great parenting technique of getting down on the same level as her kids to talk to them “positively” and that the Queen doesn’t like it. Well if Kate really wanted to relate to kids properly at her engagements then why doesn’t she get down on the same level with them instead of looming over them with her b*m in the air? Plus, IMO, in the photos with the article Kate looks like she is angry with George, and he’s not looking at her which also makes me think he’s not being talked to nicely?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11717483

    1. From Kate’s facial expression she was definitely scolding George. It’s very plain to see that George was not paying any attention to her. It’s as though she was talking to the wind, and she was ineffective at getting her point across to him. IMO, Kate does not have the patience required to deal with the children. She’s 34, nearly 35 years old, which leaves no room for her to change, except a miracle.

       There was an article with a pic showing Kate walking with George on one of the busy London streets and while they were waiting for the stop light to change, she was literally dragging George by one arm while admonishing him. Apparently, from the article’s source, the Queen saw the pictures and it made her angry that Kate was behaving in that manner towards England’s future monarch (not verbatim) and I don’t remember the source.

       Is it any wonder that George is so timid and is always looking so grumpy? Kate is killing his spirt with her behavior. Kids emulate their parents’s behavior, and from most of the pictures shown, George, IMO, appears to not be a cheerful/happy child. He is fortunate to have nanny Maria. That scene on BP’s balcony with Charlotte’s discomfort has left an indelible mark in my mind. IMO, if Kate is so heartless to a child that she has, then no one should expect empathy/sympathy from her.

       Kate will do anything to have the cameras depict her to be the perfect mother, wife, etc., when she’s anything but perfect. It’s sad that both Kate and William are so very narcissistic and full of themselves.

       1. KMR, The comment with screen name “undefined” was written by me, *Vonnie*. I don’t know what happened. If at all possible, can you please change the screen name on that comment? Thanks.

          BTW, you have outdone yourself with the of the Cambridges. Thank you for such wonderful articles.

       2. I’ve often thought that Kate is all good perfect mommy for the cameras. Glad to know I’m not the only one that sees that. George never looks happy. But they keep C and G so hidden away when they are brought before oodles of cameras and hundreds of people of course the children are frightened. Look at pic of William at George’s age there’s no comparison. And when Diana spoke to William she always had a smile and would give him a hug.
          Kate wanted that perfect family pic of them coming off the plane she put her own daughter at risk. If she would have fallen none of it would have had a good ending.

          1. Yes, Shirley, I also felt fear for Charlotte falling, but it appears that we are more concerned for C’s well-being than her own mother, Kate. I truly feel for sweet, little Charlotte, who has to chew on her fingers to relieve her pain. Gosh, would it hurt to give her a teething ring? All for a stupid picture, sheesh!

             Kate is all about *show*. She would have made a very good actress, fluff without substance. Only God knows how much the kids need nanny Maria’s presence. Somehow, I get the feeling that Maria will eventually quit. She has too much to do. I don’t understand why they are so cheap with respect to hiring adequate/enough help. Charlene of Monaco, immediately hired 2 nannies when the twins were born. And, Kate has one nanny for both children. Kate’s saving money on the household help (I believe the housekeeper quit?) but wastes it on her ugly dresses, shoes and Kiki earrings, which look like costume jewelry. For the perfect pictures Kate should begin by dressing the kids in better clothes.

             1. I’d have been happy if Charlotte was wearing something warmer. She looked like she was wearing a summer dress but the weather was cool. I hope she wasn’t cold?

       3. Vonnie I agree with you. This is all a show, starting with the ‘fairy tale’ romance and wedding. A reality show missing only the commercials and the fact that there are two innocent children, and now maybe three makes it a reality show that reeks of future problems and damaged self images.
          There is no such thing as a **perfect** mother, and Kate is a moron. Playing to the cameras and using her little ones. Thankfully, she and her overgrown spoiled brat of a husband are not the only ones in those kids’ lives. I comfort myself with that however small comfort it is.

56. $5000 dress to visit refugees plus William telling them, “Well, good luck.”

    Typical W&K.

    1. Such a future head of state is Billy Middleton. He will also be the head of the Church of England so no matter the sincerity (and I can’t judge) a simple ‘God Bless You’ might have been a more appropriate adieu. Good luck I should think would be something you might say to a person playing a slot machine in Vegas.
       Just another indication of one engagement down and how many ever to go before I can get back to my game boy and oh yeah, the heliocopter that I co pilot.
       Personally, I have more respect and admiration for those refugees than I will ever have for an ungrateful, entitled, spoiled rotten, thoughtless, punk of a prince. Or his frilly dresses ‘aren’t I ever so adorable and cute’ wife.

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