150 thoughts on “William gives interview on Diana, pictured with Kate, George & Charlotte”

1. “We cannot go anywhere much until that is done.” – It will take a lot to break the stigma. Far beyond talking it out. People have to be educated on how to appropriately respond when others seek them out to talk, policies would have to be put in place to protect employment status etc. If this is the position Heads Together has chosen, then I hope they devise more programs to address public education and providing confidential help lines.

   It still breaks my heart whenever I see photos of William and Harry walking around KP and behind their mother’s coffin. It must have been so difficult to not have privacy at that time and even since then. She is always brought up in interviews and in the media. I’m glad he feels more comfortable talking about it now.

   1. It must be difficult when other people claim to know your grief and share it when it is your mother who died, not a stranger as it was for so many people who grieved Diana in the hysteria surrounding her death. Especially being a teenager.

      1. I would say that’s true for anyone, though. If anyone who casually knew your loved one you’re grieving and were to say that they share your grief, you would think it’s not the same and may be put off by their comment.

         1. This is true.

            I think just on a magnified scale for William and Harry considering the mass hysteria that surrounded Diana’s death and people seeming to, I don’t know, co-opt as their own. It being such a huge, huge thing couldn’t have helped.

            1. He should follow through on Diana’s plan to meet with JFK’s kids.

               Parent dies in a global spotlight, public co-opting the death and grief as their own.

               Numerous articles, theories, tv, film, documentaries etc about parent as well as the death.

               At least he has one advantage over JFK’s kids, he doesn’t have to relive the moment of death like they do.

            2. RE: Meeting JFK’s kids. JFK has only one surviving child, Caroline. Arabella died on the day of her birth in 1956; Patrick Bouvier, born in 1963, lived but two days. John F. Kennedy, Jr. died in a plane crash in 1999,

            3. Lyme: i know.

               I don’t think there is anyone on this planet who doesn’t know. The relentless industry in JFK won’t let anyone forget. Just like Diana.

               That said, when Diana allegedly wanted to meet JFK’s kids, both JFK jr and Caroline were alive. I thought that would have been obvious since at her death in 1997 both of them were still alive.

               At the time, it was said she wanted to meet them to get advice on raising kids in a spotlight as relentless as they had grown up in.

               It’s not a bad idea for William to ressurrect that long ago plan given his statement that he thinks his situation is unique.

               Throw in the violent death of a beloved parent who is still being discussed ad naseum, and he might as well move in with Caroline for a full time tutorial about growing up normal and raising nornal kids under those circumstances.

               I mean global birth announcement and parading baby to the world? Check.

               Ferocious public appetitite for baby pics+ family pics of world famous parents/ growing family? Check

               Public hysteria and relentless PR about the family? Check.

               Violent death of beloved parent? Check.

               Relentless ad naseum industry of beloved dead parent? Check

               Public co-opting of grief for dead parent as if they personally knew them? Check

               paraded as children at funeral? Check

               Relentless media interest in growing children to extent that JFK Jr’s exam results were published in newspapers? Check

               Public (and familial)expectations of public service regardless of personal desires and ambitions? Check

               Being dogged relentlessly by paps? Check

               The list goes on.

               The only difference in their lives is that Caroline and JFK jr couldn’t call on the hovt to protect them nor do William and Harry have a piece of film showing the exact moment their mother died as Caroline and JFK jr have of their father being shot.

            4. William has co-opted the Diana industry and has added to it. I don’t see Caroline yammering on about her loss or using it to excuse a myriad of character weaknesses, poor behaviours, and failure to launch. William is helping to make a veritable industry of it- to whit: it’s the 20th anniversary of her death but why is that a big deal? Why not 25?

               He continues to portray her as a victim to justify his rationale that he is victimised as well (and therefore, exempt from accountability and work) and has done little that is positive in her memory. Yet he keeps her memory going by riding on the coattails of her loss.

            5. caroline kennedy is an amazing example of using her father’s legacy for good. she (to my knowledge) has never had a woe is me complex. she is incredibly educated and stable and raised incredibly educated and stable children. humility is a word that i use with her. william is all hubris

               and i’m not going to compare tragedies. but kennedy was a bigger figure than diana in history and in people’s hearts. he inspired a generation. william can go talk to caroline but i hope she gives a side eye and tells him to sit down with his baggage.

               now, i’m on a tangent, haha.

               AND it all has to do with Jackie. She never let the kids wallow. she kept expectations high. she raised good people. no free rides. it’s been stated on here and elsewhere, charles and diana’s parenting skills were lenient on william and even more so after the death. perhaps that had more to do with the making of his character than the death of his mother.

   2. The two boys walking behind their mother’s coffin was the worst part of the public spectacle that was Diana’s funeral. They should have been mourning privately, but because the public co-opted their grief and was baying to end the monarchy, the boys were marched through London for all the grieving public to see. They had to take flowers and talk to strangers about the strangers’ grief instead of working on their own. If William or Harry have issues dealing with the public because of that day, I understand.

      1. +1 JET Texas

      2. +1000
         A comment on a news site likened them to performing animals in a circus. I look at that footage and can see William was not happy marching behind the coffin.

2. “I want George to grow up in a real, living environment, I don’t want him growing up behind palace walls, he has to be out there. The media make it harder but I will fight for them to have a normal life.” – What does this mean? You want him to have a normal life and be out there? I’m sorry, William, you and your children ARE NOT NORMAL. Let’s blame the mean ol’ media when you are pimping them out for magazines such as this or to avoid criticism…

   Also William saying he comes across as reserved–yes, he does, but that’s fine; it’s also that he comes across as total jerk to so many people is the issue here, because of his own bullying behaviors.

   Terrible pictures. So strange, Charlotte off there, George you only see the back of his head, Kate looks crazy and William looks like he wants to kill the photographer with that fake grimacey smile. So bizarre!

   I agree with what he is saying about mental health and mental illness but really, I could go on about the same stuff I’ve gone on about before regarding this.

   1. All SELFISH ENTITLED FAKE PR Nonsense!

      This whiny man-child ‘I am a prince’, and his middleton family is so disgusting. Grow up bill it Middleton – there are more serious matter than a 30 something keep using dead Di for his lazy PR matter. The world do not hold their breathe or revolve for this phoney useless bill waity middletons and kids, on luxury entitled lifestyle on taxpayers funded life.

      Taxoayers fund them with the most bodygurads, while they stay locked private – enjoying royal perks at taxpayers expense, while the people and the country is left short of funds to securing even an arena and security staffing to get to the bottom of possible attack. Wake up whiny the useless waste of …

   2. He’s not much of a grown up, is he? I guess now he’s found his sensitive feminine side- mouthing platitudes? LOL He’s 35 years old but is stuck in adolescence. And it shows.

      1. I feel with carol guidance this his is way of profiting from the Di industry. I hope Prince Harry don’t join this mockery…of middle!eton whining. Bill is in ans entitled world with carol and waity.

         Note whiny bill middleton is hijacking the work of mental health done by Prince Harry – by giving this interview as if he did any sincere, serious work for this cause. Can’t have Prince Harry BP Garden Party, May 30, outshine his uselessness.

      2. What does being feminine have to do with being sensitive?

         1. It was a joke. Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill.

            1. And I simply asked a question. Not mountains nor mole hills present here.

               In any case, that wasn’t a funny joke. Do with that what you will.

   3. @Ellie – the thing that gets me about that quote is that the children are literally being photographed (and will live their whole lives) behind palace walls! They are sitting behind a tall, solid brick wall, with barbed wire along the top. Yes…that’s soooo normal. The irony is rich, IMO.

      I can’t even get over how disconnected he is from reality. It’s like bizarro-world. “I want my children to be normal” …but no one look at them or ask to see them or photograph them or ask for regular professional photos or expect to see them more than 3x a year, etc etc.

      Also, there is nothing stopping him from removing himself and family from the line of succession and going away to the country to live a “normal” life. Say goodbye to royal perks (although I’d bet he’d be able to keep many of those anyway) and go away! However, if he doesn’t want to do that then he should SHUT UP and accept his poor, sad, hard-done-by lot in life [insert eyeroll here]. For goodness sake, you’d think he was a poor urchin forced to work as a chimney sweep or something. He is so clueless about how well he has it, how well he has ALWAYS had it, and how well he will have it for the rest of his life. Yes, he’s had adversity with his parents separating and in losing a parent in such a dramatic way, but enough is enough!

      Sorry…I know this sounds cold-hearted but he’s just so annoying sometimes in his lack of real awareness about the world and other people’s real lives and struggles. I feel like his life would be so much happier and more fulfilling and relaxed if he could learn to come to terms with being a future king and accept who he is…and that he is not “normal.”

      Anyway…grumble grumble.

3. I will actually applaud William for this interview. It seems as though he actually let people in and had a touch of a personality, which is great. He will never be as charismatic as Harry, but I think he did well in this interview.

   I think moving forward Heads Together needs more fine tuning than “talk about your feelings.” KMR your point about educating the public is a great point and a logical next step for the campaign to take. I truly doubt it will go beyond “talk about your feelings” or their second favorite point “if you broke your [insert limb] you wouldn’t hesitate to seek help so you shouldn’t hesitate to seek help for mental illness.”

   I have a feeling they may be doing George and Charlotte a disservice by feverishly pursuing this notion of “normal” for them. They aren’t normal. They will never be normal. The sooner they get them used to the attention and equip them with the tools to deal with it, the better off they will be in the long run in my opinion.

   That picture is so bad. It’s photoshopped almost beyond recognition. George is facing backwards. Charlotte is off in the corner. Kate is manically grinning. Sigh. We have hardly any pics of the family like this and it doesn’t even show both their children properly.

   1. Isn’t this repetition of I want to be normal, I want to go to war normal that William gave in an interview? It is sweet that William talks about George and Charlotte but there is no sense of togetherness.

      William is opening up to Alistair Campbell about his mum is a good sign. But what about opening up to Kate. I doubt Diana would have loved someone who stalked her son for years.
      Or didn’t have a job or interests etc. I am sorry to be sarky.

      Kate was doing so well with posture. Close your legs Kate and William’s posture is awful.

      Thank you for the article KMR.

      1. Why does Kate need to close her legs? She’s sitting in the grass with pants on, and her legs aren’t even that wide apart – my legs are wider apart when sitting cross legged. Both she and William are leaning back on their hands/elbows casually. And since casual/candid is what they were going for, I don’t think it’s a big deal that they weren’t sitting up with proper posture.

         1. No reason really. I think it is just context but it is a better photo of them than I have seen. It is good to see Charlotte and George together.

      2. The two useless lazy, entitled mddletonsseem in a phony production PR pose for the photo.

         Not interested in viewing a timed production for this insensitive, entitled useless bland, ‘ my mom died 20 years ago’ toff – phoney PR. How about getting out of your comfortable entitled luxury palace life, and spending time with charities, working for the hospitals fundraising – out helping the needy. Even the homeless with so much less are saving lives with the attack…..

   2. +1
      Perhaps, William and Kate mean “normal” in not being up-tight or spoiled.Kate is spoiled in many ways but I don’t see her as woman without substance who doesn’t know real life.The Middletons know real life and that they worked for their fame and money, they just don’t want to live the ordinary life that we live. I hope this does not sound strange :/

      1. Carole and Mike worked for their money. None of their kids ever have and it shows.

         1. Yes, but I would say that Carole and Michael play a big part in that.They had all the ties in their hands.They could have supported their children and still push them to stand on own feet after university.
            Instead,Kate and Pippa chose the lazy way and married rich, it comes across that said parents don’t have a problem with this “work”-attitude.

4. This is such a horrible photo. Why can’t they take a normal photo with everyone close together & facing the camera? It looks like everyone is in their own world ( scary Kate with that maniacal grin). Even Lupo isn’t Lupo. Isn’t he supposed to be a big dog? In the photo he looks like a puppy! Very bizzare!

   1. Lupo is a small/medium sized dog. William and Kate can both pick him up easily. He’s not a big dog. Here is the most recent photo I have of him: http://katemiddletonreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Prince-Georges-3rd-birthday-photo-4-768×512.jpg

      1. Sorry! I thought Lupo looks bigger than that. It looks so fake and blurry. If this kind of photo is supposed to be trendy & stylish, well, I don’t like it. Why can’t we see the 4 of them hugging one another, warm & tender? Too much to ask?

         1. I have a working cocker spaniel and all my photos of him look just like this!! He is never still! Is the same size as Lupo too, they look much bigger when sitting.

      2. He is a cocker spaniel and not that tall

   2. I thought the same thing about Lupo. I thought Lopo was a black lab, so in my mind he should be bigger now. Perhaps I thought that because William used to have a black lab named Widgeon (?) and I assumed incorrectly Lopo was a lab too.

      1. Yes, that was his dog as teenager and both dogs were/are black so many assumed (myself included) that they were the same size.

         My family and I used to have a black cocker spaniel and he was on the small-ish side too.

5. And this is the best a professional photographer could do? It looks like some bad holiday snap reject. Bending over backwards to show ‘normal’ Cambridges and not posed I suppose? Katewilly look horribly unnatural and uncomfortable like that. Black and white too, god it looks like the start of a horror story. Very disappointing Norman Jean Roy. Whatever happened to a nice happy family pic where you can see everyone’s faces?

   1. At a glance, is all I give as this looks very creepy and spooky!

      These two entitled useless middletons. are raising royal children who are always alone, scared of people as no other royal cousins their age are allowed to interact – (waiting on snob common, the other wisteria middleton sister to produce playmates).

      For carol waity bill middleton the RF is no good except the status, perks luxury from the people.. What selfish useless out of touch children/adults. By then fingers cross whiny bill middleton Line will be forced out.

6. On a more serious note it is interesting to hear William talking about his mother. I think as you age you miss an absent parent in different ways, particularly as you transition to adulthood and have children of your own. Now that William is about the same age as Diana was when she died, the enormity of the tragedy must be fully apparent. How complicated it must be for William and Harry to have lost a loved mother and have all the other stuff to deal with – the failing marriage, the infidelities, the public interest AND being part of quite a dysfunctional clan anyway. It really is a wonder that they are not very damaged young men.

   1. His answer on missing Diana is heart-breaking.
      I think, William and Harry try to stay calm, like we all mostly do when life-changing things happen.He said not long time ago in an interview that he could cope with all that happen in his own way or become crazy and end in prison(something like that).
      And he still had his father, Charles, who loves his sons and the rest of his family.It’s a big protection to have family.

      1. I agree Lovely Blossom. William’s answer on missing his mother is indeed, heartbreaking. Another anniversary of her passing, this time a major one, is diffficult, I am sure. And, as stated, William is close to the age his mother was when she passed. It must be an especially tough thing for both he and his brother to endure.

         I am not one who wants to rush to judgement on the boys’ response to grief because everyone handles grief differently and their loss of a beloved parent happened at a time when their youth was such a critical point in any type of response.

         Diana made a positive impact on the world for many people. She is remembered for touching lives very positively and some people complain that her serious flaws are not portrayed strongly enough. When I think of her I guess I will always remember the light she shone on so many issues that needed a positive brought to them I also think her great spirit and love for her children was something they must miss to this day. Yes, she made mistakes by exposing young William to her plight during her terrible marriage and divorce, but she obviously did other things that were important to him because he seems to remember her well.

         Harry and William were so young and Diana died without any warning. The way the loss was ignored the next morning as per instructions of HM probably added to the difficulties they experienced. Still, she assumed she was doing the best thing for them. turned out — well, not so much.

         When it comes to some of the ways William acts and the stubborn way that he clings to his desire to lead a “normal person’s life,” I sometimes can’t help but feel sorry for him Still, if you take the perks, then pay your dues. That’s the bottom line for me But, I do feel a sadness toward him.

         As for the photo on GQ’s cover. Hey, that is a really nice shot of the Prince!

         The photo of W and K with the kids shows a happy family having fun Something, we don’t usually get to see. Still, it does seem off kilter to me . Was it photoshopped? Why didn’t the phototgrapher catch a better angle of this family bit of fun?

         Cathy, fyi, just loved your comment and description of the photo. Lupo lives! Thank God.

   2. Sadly I think they are both damaged in some way. According to various publications, William was his mother’s close confidante from a very young age – not always healthy for a child/teenager. Judging from his relationship with the Middletons and seemingly distant relationship with his father, looks like William might still need some more counselling.

7. If William walked the talk, imagine what could happen with HT and mental health campaigns all over the UK. He says words but they don’t appear to be based in any kind of reality. It’s such a shame. Wanting the kids to not be hiding behind palace walls yet they imprison the kids behind palace walls and hedges. Huh???

   1. Yep.

      There is also the fact that tuis interview is conducted by Alistair Campbell. A man infamous in the UK for bullying in his efforts to spin doctor Tony Blair as well as for ‘sexing UP’ the dossier that was used to make the case for the Iraq war.

      Not a good or smart choice of interviewer.

      1. +1

      2. I’m American and am not well versed in most UK politics or journalism, so I really appreciate the context you and other knowledgable folks here provide.

         1. +1 Yes, thank you from another American across the pond!

            1. Alistair Campbell is deeply divisive. Mental health issues aside, there are people who think he was merely lucky that he hasn’t been accused of war crimes.

               In the movie ‘The Queen’, he is the sneery character in Tony Blair’s office who doesn’t have time for HM and is eventually reprimanded by Tony himself for being disrespectful.

               This is a man who was such a known bully in the workplace to extent that it is widely thought that the character of Malcolm Tucker in the tv show ‘the thick of it’ is based on him. Ditto he was the inspiration for the show.

               For those that have never see the show, here is a sample.
               https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xUky4_A7Zw4

               The sexed up dossier is best described in this article about the whistleblower who committed suicide over being exposed by Campbell.
               http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10192271/The-betrayal-of-Dr-David-Kelly-10-years-on.html

               This is the person speaking with William, on the subject of mental health whilst ignoring the elephant in the room of this man’s actions and who this man is.

      3. So this is just another PR ploy to elevate his image by employing a ruthless spinmeister. Does he see his star falling?

      4. Alistair Campbell has been very open about his depression and nervous breakdown, and has been part of the Heads Together campaign already, so it makes some sense to me, politics and Iraq war aside.

         What makes less less sense is to lead with the headline ‘Prince in his Prime’ when William isn’t even suggesting he’ll move to full time royal duties until summer at the very earliest. Maybe ‘Part Time Helicopter Co-Pilot in his Prime’ wouldn’t fit on the cover?

         1. I’m not suggesting that Alistair Campbell was parachuted into this interview to score points. I am saying Alistair Campbell, with his very problematic background and contribution to public life is the wrong person for this interview or any interviews period.

            The man should stay as far away from public life as possible due to the harm he has caused. Do a Profumo so to speak.

            I have sympathy that he has suffered poor mental health which if i recall was ongoing for decades, but that never stoppec him bullying other in the workplace, bullying others into sexing up a dossier that led to the Iraq War, and when the BBC pointed out that the dossier was filled with wrong information, he employed those bully tactics against the organisation to extent that he exposed sources in the intelligent community leading to those sources commiting ‘suicide’. A fact Alistair likes to skate over.

            He doesn’t have any credibility and is as bad as Tony Blair.

            1. I always thought people liked Tony Blair in his first days in office.But it seems, not today anymore.Was it because of Iraq war?

            2. Lovely Blossom: i think people liked Tony Blair because we’d had 18yrs of conservative govt. 1979 -1997.

               Tony Blair changed the Labour party into corporate democrats which made the party electable.

               He also had Alistair Campbell as his guard-dog / attack dog press secretary. Woebetide anyone who wrote anything bad about him.

               And the PR started right from the beginning. The famous walk from Buckingham Palace to no 10 where the public is formed a welcoming corridor of welcome, hugging and kissing him was sold to the world as spontanoeus, grateful, happy British public celebrating his election. The mood of the country might have reflected that sentiment, but those crowds were actually bussed in activists told to cheer him along the route for the TV cameras.

               That demonstrates what how much Tony Blair relied on PR for his positive image.

               I think he probably started with good intentions, but somewhere after the success of Kosovo intervention, he started to believe his own media. He sidelined alot of govt processes which led to unchallenged events like that sexed up dossier to a cowed parliament.

               He never recovered from the Iraq war debacle, but there were no credible opposition to his policies and that helped him stay in office for years.

               And of course the economy was going well for most of his tenure so the public wasn’t as bothered by his policies.

      5. THAT Alistair Campbell?! I knew the name was familiar and yet I was like, nah, couldn’t be…

         Well, KP employing spin doctors isn’t unusual, is it!

         1. Yep.

            THAT Alistair Campbell.

            1. Whooo.

               I am keen (ha!) to read this article and see the sugary PR rubbish that helped Blair attempt to help William. I think William doesn’t need it, though; people seem to have such a high opinion of him and think he is some hero. I understand where he comes from in these quotes but from what I know of him he is just not a nice person which makes it hard for me to empathize. I do empathize with those sweet children who are being harmed by his paranoia.

      6. Oh man William’s office needs to get their stuff together. Alistair Campbell is a terrible choice.

      7. Not a good or smart choice of interviewer.

         In theory, no, but the term “the medium is the message” came to mind when I saw Campbell’s name.

8. It’s a very odd black and white photo, I had to look at it for several minutes to understand the poses. Lupo does look like a puppy and Kate looks forced in the face and in her body language. William isn’t flattered the best here. I can hardly see much of George and I still can’t figure out how Charlotte is sitting. Are those things sticking out to the left her arms or legs? The black and white isn’t flattering to anyone I feel and it’s just not a “togetherness” kind of photo, like it’s all forced.

   1. There is no “togetherness”in the photo. I see 5 individuals who aren’t relating to each other.

      1. But, in a sense, there is a sense of fun in the photo. Two parents enjoying the antics of their son. Their little girl off on her own for a bit to find her own adventure.
         While the photo does seem a bit odd — perhaps, it is photoshopped, I do see great happiness on the faces of the children’s parents. Nice to see. Oh, and I forgot Lupo. Nice to see him tearing about.

9. “And also it is not like most people’s grief, because everyone else knows about it, everyone knows the story, everyone knows her. It is a different situation for most people who lose someone they love, it can be hidden away or they can choose if they want to share their story.”

   No one has ever forced him to share his story. And grief involves more than one person, and a lot of people know of someone ‘s loss- loved ones, friends, strangers, communities. Does he think the rest of humanity grieves in a vacuum?

   Dear lord this is such utter bullsh!t. It’s all about him and how special his grief is compared to others. He’s been riding the ‘mummy died’ train for forever, using it his advantage and the world has given him an endless pass. And yet, he’s that one special snowflake who has endured more than anyone in the world. Ever!

   As for the rest. Glib. Shallow. Empty. Makes me want to repeatedly smash my head against the wall. And of course it’s in the glossy GQ, a magazine aimed at and subscribed to by millions of the great unwashed so it’s a perfect way to reach out to those who need to be educated.

   ETA: “I don’t want him growing up behind palace walls, he has to be out there. ” Could this get any weirder and more laughable considering the fact that he has in effect imprisoned the little prince and princess?

   1. To be fair, I don’t think he meant that other people don’t grieve or that he meant to dismiss other people’s grief. I think what he meant was that Diana’s death and the hysteria that surrounded it was a very unique situation and consequently made the grieving process very different to what people normally go through when someone’s loved one dies. I do think he could have been a little bit more articulate in expressing that thought though.

      1. Yeah, that’s the vibe I got from it – he is not good at articulating himself, not like Harry can be. I understand what he is saying as it feels like everybody else grieved too, and these young men were forced to talk to these hysteric people, shake hands, take flowers, when HM knew the right thing to do was to take care of them in the family cocoon and not use them as pawns. :/

   2. Yup, that got me too. His grief has got to be different and more special than anyone else’s.. Does he think that when the peasants die no one notices or cares? We don’t have funerals or announcements, the neighbours don’t talk, the woman in the shop doesn’t notice or people you haven’t met but who knew her don’t speak to you? We just go right back into our routines, no one knows and the dead and all their belongings and presence on this earth just vanish. Yeah right William. I kind of get what he is trying to say but honestly, he hasn’t a clue about life beyond his gilded walls.

      Does anyone know anyone who reads GQ???

      1. +1 i.e. William, +1, i.e GQ.

   3. Heck you see palace walls in the photo. It’s very laughable.

10. Carter,

    He forgot to mention that they had a father who did everything within his power to give aid and comfort to two adolescent boys. Didn’t they get counselling then? They had endless support all around them.

    He uses his ongoing, endless grief as an excuse to hate on the press, on the public, and on his father, while reaping a sympathy that is way past its due date.

    1. +1000

       As he is useless, he is ungrateful (by his enablers carol waity) – are as disrespectful, to his father POW – TQ PP all the RF – WHO GAVE HIM Harry and made their lives less painful, smooth as possible after Di’s death. He is forgetting he wasn’t even staying with his mum when she was traveling, instead they were living in a happy home with their dad – POW.

11. That family photo- yikes. I’m trying to figure out why invariably all the family photos suck in awkward and jarring, never mind unaesthetic, ways.

    1. Ha I agree I’m starting to think they intentionally release horrible pics for plebeians =)it looks like it could go to some gothic horror story. Kate is the only one laughing. William has very dark circles under his eyes and Charlotte is off in the hinter lands w/no one watching her?
       Yikes indeed

    2. Kate and William aren’t posing like people who like each other. Kate is trying and Will is blocking her. And her forced laugh makes it worse. Neither are looking at their kids or each other. There is probably not much that the photographer can even do with these two. Photo assumption tells me that Kate is desperately trying to cling to an image of a happy family and his body language says he can’t even be bothered.

       It would also explain why Kate has shrunk so much in the last few years and always looks miserable when he is around.

       1. Nic919: i was struggling with this photo and you’ve articulated it perfectly.

          Lately, i keep thinking that WK are completely or more disconnected than usual as far as recent photos. William is blocking her or leaning away from her or standing as far away from her as is politely possible without causing comment.

          Meanwhile, she’s often trying to stand as close to him as possible or lean into him and he uses his shoulder to block any such attempts.

          There is a group photo from their radio interview with lots of space between them, yet barely any space with the people on either side of them or in rest of photo.
          http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/106/590x/secondary/William-and-Kate-Middleton-radio-1-908308.jpg

          https://peopledotcom.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/kate-middleton-05.jpg?w=1500&h=1113

          http://royal-fans.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/1-William-and-Kate-joined-DJs-Scott-Mills-and-Adele-Roberts-at-Radio-1-Photo-C-GETTY-IMAGES.jpg

          Every famous couple’s breakdown of personal relationship, irrespective of actual separation or divorce can be charted through photos.

          Even couples that superficially appear loved up.

          I mean Brangelina went from this full body contact
          http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/images/attachement/jpg/site1/20090811/0023ae606f170beb47d90a.jpg

          To this only arms touching
          http://images.designntrend.com/data/images/full/79324/angelina-jolie-and-husband-brad-pitt.jpg

       2. Top be honest, Nic919, I’m not entirely convinced this is one single shot. It looks to me as if a few of the subjects have been added in from their individual shoots. It’s why they are so blank and non-interactive with one another (think Lupo, running neither from a playmate nor towards a playmate, he’s just heading at full sprint round the back of everyone’s heads. It is beyond bizarre).

          At least, that’s my takeaway. Herazeus, I remember that radio speaking engagement – the body language has been off with them for quite a bit, hasn’t it?

12. A lot of the comments posted I feel are mean, nasty and uncalled for.

    1. +1

    2. I agree. The Cambridge’s have their faults, but I don’t understand the level of bile from some posters.

13. I truly thought that they had taken this photo themselves with a time-delay camera and just before it clicked they lost total control of everyone. That dog blur looks smaller than Lupo. I can’t believe a professional took the photo, or that they didn’t burn it and go with a stock photo–oh, right, they don’t have any normal photos taken together. Please KP, call Sweden and get some advice on royal family photos.

    William forgets that although Diana wanted her sons to have normal experiences like McDonald’s or a water park, she never forgot they were part of the royal family, and took them them to many events, properly dressed and behaving. And had professionals take pictures of them. William has no idea what “normal” lives are like, and doesn’t want that for his family. He wants his incredibly privileged, coddled life with no responsibility and no public interest except by his choice and control.

    1. This is such an important point about Diana’s intentions around the normal everyday activities. It wasn’t to make them like everyone else; it was to allow them to have those little experiences while training them for their public role. He’s co-opted the idea of “normal” and spun it in to living behind Palace walls, illegal to photograph them in public, threatening the free press, and doing next to nothing.

14. So much to comment on here, but I will really only add one more point to those mentioned already (which I agree with): it always makes me laugh when I hear anyone, esp. William, say how much Diana would have loved Catherine. Diana — a born aristocrat who had a good work ethic, including cleaning people’s houses before she married — would have steered William away from Catherine and her family so quickly they would have thought she did it with mirrors. There is simply absolutely no way this marriage would have happened if Diana were around.

    1. I think everyone knows if Diana was alive Kate would never be near William. Also have a feeling Diana always knew William would never be King. She actually said Harry would make a far better King.

    2. Absolutely agree! Plus, there is no knowing how Diana’s life would have turned out had she lived. From memory it was pretty chaotic before she died. I remember watching a Grand Prix and the presenters made a comment about how all the tabloids were full of stories about her kissing Dodi. Would that have lasted? I doubt it and fast forward to today we’d still have William moaning about how his Mother affected his life. His problems with her existed before her death unfortunately and I don’t think her death made him the person he is today. He is who he is despite it. IMO

       1. How can you say there’s no way of knowing how Diana’s life might’ve turned out but also agree with conjecture about whether or not she would’ve liked KM? Is there some reason that we can be so sure about that specific thing when none of us really knew Princess Di at all?

    3. So william who says diana, HIS MOTHER, would have loved kate doesn’t know it better then you a commenter who doesn’t know any of them in their private lifes. I would think her SON knows diana and kate better then you. You are all basing it on gossip and hearsay from tabloids. Look at all stories about pippa her wedding wich were all lies. So it is really laughable if you think about it that commenters who never met them in real life proclaim such statements.

       I trust william knows better then you. Somebody who doesn’t know his wife or his late mother. So i will take his word over yours.

       1. +1000000!!!

          1. -1000000

       2. I will concede that if Diana were still alive it’s very possible William wouldn’t be with Kate. Your mother dying is a huge life changing event that shapes the person you become. If William never went through that he’d be a completely different person. No one can say if that person would have loved or been attracted to Kate (and vice versa).

          I do agree that none of us can know if Diana would have liked Kate as we don’t know either person personally.

          1. What is known is that if Diana had lived, Carole would not have had the opportunity to become a surrogate Mum and push her daughter the way she did. At least, imo

             1. Jenny, I agree 100%.

       3. I can’t see William ever ending up with Kate considering the appeal was her family, especially her mother, who fawned over her. He wouldn’t have been easy to manipulate and give this cozy, perfect family life facade to them…

          Diana wanted him off to the States for university too. His life would have been very different, though I imagine he would still be a bitter, angry person as he has always been resentful of his position even as a child.

          1. Ellie, really Diana wanted him to attend university in America? Makes sense since Diana loved America.

             1. Or Oxbridge. I can imagine Diana would have wanted William to be nearish home. It is all hypothetical .

       4. William may know better than us whether Diana would have liked Kate, but he doesn’t “know” either since Diana and Kate never actually met. He is speculating based on his knowledge of his mother and his knowledge of Kate (just like us, but he has more data on the two women).

          Given that Diana’s death was such a big deal in his life, which he has stated still grieves him, it is fair to say that William may not have married Kate had Diana not died. Big, life-changing events, well, change us. If William had not had that big, life-changing event, he may not have been attracted to Kate and/or wanted what she offered. Many, many people have a “if this hadn’t happened, my life would have been so different” type of life-changing event and thoughts on said life-changing event.

       5. It could also just be platitudes and diana 2.0 spin. It’s not like he’s going to say his beloved mother would have hated the person he chose to wed!
          Diana had a myriad of her own issues and used William in her own way. Would she have liked anyone he married? Men also don’t always see the mother/daughter-in-law angst-power struggle that goes on in many marriages. I don’t think the Middleton’s would have had their allure if she was still living.
          And William is an arogant ass it’s not he’s going to admit ( if he has any) misgivings about Kate.

       6. Diana dedicated her life to causes and did tons of charity work and Kate did nothing until she was forced to post marriage. There is no way Diana would love her laziness.
          And let’s not forget this is a puff piece to improve his image from dancing dad, so the chances that he would be saying anything other than Diana liking Kate is zero percent.
          If you actually believe that William is honest in a magazine interview to promote himself and improve his image when he is notoriously private about every aspect of his life otherwise, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

          1. Nic919 has captured very well my thoughts behind my original statement. Based on my observations of the two women’s work ethics and, quite frankly, my knowledge from people who do in fact know W+K (pace, M from Germany and ok), I am convinced that Diana would have been distinctly unimpressed with Kate, and horrified by Carole and Kate’s scheming and parvenu ways. I also agree 100% with Nic919 and Sarah that William will hardly admit, probably not to himself and certainly not to a magazine, that his mother would have disapproved of his choice of wife.

15. I read the whole article and I hate how they say “mental illness is inside our heads”
    1) that doesn’t mean that the illnesses that fall under the category are asymptomatic which that statement alludes to
    2) they commonly use the leg in a cast analogy but again that’s terrible. Yes broken limbs will get you to a hospital. I have/had several pt’s that for whatever reasons don’t go until it’s progressed where they really have to go/ambulance called type thing.
    3)back to the cast analogy yes people will say sorry about your broken bones/what did you do type thing but how about cancer or renal failure? People freak out and don’t know what to say in those instances as well. They aren’t necessarily visible unless going through chemo or dialysis
    4) how many people (who aren’t geriatrics’s) actually going around advertising the things that are wrong with them?
    People tell me because as soon as they find out I’m nurse everyone always wants to regale you hospital horror stories, have you look at something or go over every illness they ever had. Most people don’t do that tho
    Other things I have umbrage with. I hate out the media acts like William and Harry have the exclusivity on the grief of losing a parent at a young age
    He “wants George to grow up in a real environment, I don’t want him growing up behind palace walls” uh did he forget about Charlotte? Or is she the fair maiden in the tower? He’s pretty much living behind palace walls now becuase his insistent need for privacy and hatred of the media. It’s so important for him to lift he taboo and stigma yet neither of the three did anything for mental heal awareness week? KP couldn’t even be bothered with a tweet!
    Lastly after my long post. I know we have people who serve or who have had family members who have served on here and on this memeorial day I would like to thank you/them for serving.

    1. Agreed totally Sarah. I can tell you from first hand experience no one knows what to say with someone with cancer. 80% of my friends stopped talking to me and not a one knows how to be supportive. The best one I have takes me to my appointments but ignores me for days at a time between Appts and won’t solidify our relationship. On the other hand, they don’t just ask what can they do either. I wish more royals supported health causes such as cancer and renal failure. I worked I heath care for years and know exactly the sufferings of these folks and most outside folks don’t have a clue.

       1. Patricia, people hear cancer and automatically think it’s a death sentence. Thus bringing their own issues with immortality into play. It’s nice that you have someone who takes you to your appts tho. Good luck with your battle.
          KMR, I get what he’s trying to convey but find the whole statement wrong and ill informed (obviously by my rant above). It tells me they clearly don’t have someone in the MH profession advising them which is scary or they’re not listening to them becuase I don’t know any healthcare professional who would let them continually use statements/analogy like this. And again it seems like he’s only addressing depression. Maybe someone can get them a copy of a DSM so they can look into other disorders

    2. I understand that William is going for a “you can see mental illness because it’s a brain issue” thing with that comment, but because “it’s all in your head” is a phrase used to mean imaginary and fake, his comment doesn’t come off well.

16. If this was a series of pictures, this would make sense…oh, look, we lost control, George and Lupo are now chasing each other, how funny and cute!

    But, this is the featured one? It’s very strange how George’s face cannot be seen at all, Lupo is blurry because he’s running, and Charlotte is looking to be in her own little world. It’s in an overgrown area by a protective wall.

    The official video from Canada was even more bizarre, with weird music.

    I prefer Kate’s photos of the children, to be honest.

    1. Lol, maybe that’s why William and Kate always choose terrible shots from the professionals they hire so it makes Kate’s photos of the kids look better by comparison? Because I actually agree that Kate’s photos of the kids are some of the better photos of the kids. W&K choose the worst photographers and shots when hiring professionals.

17. “A Prince in His Prime?” Major hyperbole.

    I’m truly sorry he lost his mother. Maybe he understands that she was a better, more charismatic, more caring person than he will ever be.

    But his hammering on about wanting a normal life for his children is self absorbed foolishness. Is he using the I-want-George-to-have-a-normal-life as a way to push for his own petulant demands to do little with his life while living a life of unbelievable luxury courtesy of the taxpayers. I wish he would grow up and become someone his mother would be proud of.

    1. Is it normal for a kid to have their dads miss Easter to go to an ex girl friend’s wedding? Just wondering.

       1. I know, right?

          He seems to use holidays (dad dancing ski fiasco) as an escape route. What is he running from? Responsibility towards his family, his position, his life. Granted escape is always lavishly funded by taxpayers. I think he’s a stunted unlikable fellow. Grow up, Willie. If this is his prime, then don’t expect him to ever grow up.

18. I’m sorry, but I eyerolled so hard at this: “I would like to have had her advice.” Really? Because William is so great at asking for and taking advice? Does anyone else remember the interview he gave for a documentary for either the queen’s birthday or her jubilee? He was asked something along the lines of what advice he’s gotten from the queen about being monarch or something like that and his answer was that he should probably get around to asking her for advice.

    And why, in all the talk about Diana’s death, is drunk driving never brought up? Why isn’t that what he crusades against? Could it possibly be because there’s no upside to that for him but there is in demonizing the media? I’m so sick of the media getting blamed for her death. She was more than happy to use them and tip them off so that she’d get the press she wanted. The whole point to her dating Dodi was to be photographed with him. She knew how to keep the aspects of her life private that she wanted private (such as her relationship with Hasnat Khan). The media were in a frenzy over her because she created the frenzy.

    Celebrities all over the world manage to co-exist with the media. William is the one who makes it such an issue by perpetuating this myth that she died because of photographers and feeding off the public sympathy regarding his mother. She died because of a drunk driver. Period. In any other situation, if the driver was that drunk and there were crazy teenagers driving nearby for instance, the drunk driver would be blamed. The car was going twice the speed limit. But it’s the paparazzi’s fault? Why? If they had been driving the speed limit then the photographers would have been able to get some pictures of her in a car. Was that really worth speeding to avoid?

    I’m sure the paparazzi were annoying. They may have been driving unsafely the night Diana died. But none of that excuses a drunk driver going twice the speed limit. It has always baffled me that her death turned into a witch hunt against the media instead of a PSA against drunk driving which is an actual problem that affects a lot of people.

    1. Great points. And, lest we forget. Diana was not wearing a seat belt. That’s on her and only her.

       1. It is on the damn body guard too. He lived, remember. His belt was secured. His job was to make sure the passengers were buckled in, too. Had he refused to let the driver start the car until all in the car were secured, well, a far different scene, yes?
          Geez, I have to get to work. This blog is addictive.

          1. Absolutely, spot on. The body guard bears some of the blame. He was being paid to keep Dodi and Diana safe. His belt was on. And, I am not forgetting a very drunk driver. Why would the body guard have let that man behind the wheel. He must have reeked of alcohol,

             I for one don’t give the paps a free ride on this, either. There’s a lot of blame to go around. Diana and Dodi should have known to put their belts on but the body guard should have damn well insisted!

    2. Very good points. No seat belt + drunk driver = the photographers were the main factor that lead to her death?? That doesn’t even make sense. It also didn’t fit in with the press narrative about saint Diana. Then again, Charles was still painted as an awful person even though he flew to France to fly back with her body – not her brother the self righteous Spencer.

       1. Saint diana was borne the second she died. Her press in the final year of her life was awful. It yurned because of the panorama interview which turned out to be an own hoal in so many ways.

          Press started to mock her, mock her charity efforts. I remember when she showed up in NYC for a humanitarian award, she was heckled as she gave her thank you speech.

          Not good at all. The pendulum had swang the other way and had turned on her. Who knows if it may have plateaued or would she be as disliked as Fergie.

          Either way, we shall never know because she died and a saint was borne.

       2. Spencer’s behaviour was ghastly. That homily, ghastly.

19. I am tired of Billy & harry using” my mom died” as an excuse to be lazy & deal with critics! It is sad that a parent dies, let mom rest in peace. I am disgusted with those 2!

20. Creepy family pic. William’s menacing inner narcissist is on display.

    1. William looks like he let out a SBD (silent but deadly) fart. **whistles innocently** 😉

    2. And William wanting a normal life yet they are in a walled garden and barbed wire atop it.

       The photo of him with the kids is odd too, there seems to be warmth between him and George and Charlotte the favored child is sitting away from him.

       All very strange. Nobody has any connection with one another. But most will buy this happy, perfect family image.

       1. Ellie, I noticed at the Pips’ wedding. Charlotte isn’t ever photographed looking at either of them. George looks wary. Very strange family dynamics. Most family portraits have a connection among members.

21. Anyone swoon over the Prince’s cover shot? I averted my eyes instantly. Just being honest.

    1. I admit, he does look like the coverboy I remember from 20 years ago. **ducks head shamefully**

       1. Back in the day he was hot for maybe ten minutes.

          1. I thought William was hot in 2002, but I haven’t thought so since then. I think that’s partially because my tastes changed and I’m just not into that look anymore (even looking back at photos of him from 2002, I’m just not interested anymore) and because he’s lost some of his looks since then.

             1. Given that men critique women’s looks all the time, I don’t think we’re being too harsh.

                Ben Ainslie, on the other hand…

             2. I don’t either. I think it’s fine to talk about our own tastes and preferences.

             3. I think he was handsome as a young man but now he looks so bitter, angry, as if the inside has totally destroyed the outside.

                Edward looks far, far better because he is a content, happy man, I think, and he was very handsome when he was young. He has a certain handsome dignity about him now.

       2. William is still a good looking guy but his arrogance shows and that makes him ugly.He looks good in uniform especially that black military uniform.

          1. To me, William looks like he’s about to burst out laughing while Harry takes it seriously.

             1. Kimothy,now that you have said that he does has a funny smirk on his face most of the time when he is not clenching his jaw while looking angry.

    2. Yes! Bitter, angry and just pissed off at the world all the time. When you are sour or carrying a grudge within you for so long, it starts to show on the outside and pretty soon, that is all people can see when they look at you. We’re at that point with William and (unfortunately) I don’t see that changing.

22. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is featured in People magazine to commemorate what would have been her father’s worth birthday. Compare and contrast what she says with what Willie says.

    She thinks about her father every day of her life but is grateful to the people who also keep him in their heart. She looks beyond her own grief and loss to include others. W always thinks of himself and uses his mother’s memory as a shield to not create any expectations of himself.

    I can’t paste a link, but if you Google John Kennedy you should be able to pull it up.

    1. *100th birthday.

23. There is another picture of William with just the kids. Still not great but at least we can see George’s face!

24. I wanted to see what the opinions were like on the sugar blogs and saw that another pic was posted that’s just of William with the kids. Again, Charlotte is kind of doing her own thing but it’s a nice interaction with George:

    https://mobile.twitter.com/james_elliott_

    1. Creepy pose. Like a pedophile. What is wrong with him? A little formality in family photos is not a bad thing.

       1. What about it makes it seem creepy or like a pedophile? I think it’s fine.

          1. I think just the lighting and over processing make William himself look creepy,

             George looks darling.

          2. Agree with Ines. He looks menacing but that could be the overprocessing.

25. Hello Lupo!

    I’ve asked #whereisLupo before and now we know, He’s busy running through photo shoots. It’s a tough job but someone (some dog?) has to do it?

    Strangely composed photo, I’m going to suggest what happened here. George has got the camera set on a timer, he’s rushing to get into shot here and that’s why we can only see his back. But Charlotte got bored because big brother has taken too long setting things up so she wandered off?

    And here comes Lupo (#helloLupo) running through the garden again. What are you after Lupo? Chasing paparazzi or off to steal the wedges of doom out of Kate’s closet while she’s otherwise occupied?

    1. +1!!!!!!!

26. Those brothers have a very deep loss. I respect them both for their thoughts, etc.

    I’m not William’s biggest fan, but lately I’ve sort of felt sorry for him. I have to wonder if he’s ok. He’s pictured with these very deep and dark circles. He doesn’t look like he used to at all.

    He and Kate have never come across as a relaxed couple. Always so tense.

    1. I think he’s very unhappy–with what, I don’t know, maybe just because he so clearly hates his role in life and has done all he can to avoid it and soon enough perhaps it will come calling and maybe already has, with Philip retiring. He doesn’t want that. He wants the easy life, being the golden boy, nobody calling him out on a thing (after all, he says criticism is bullying). A shame when he could do so much and seems to carry such anger around. There are glimpses of a good man in there (being kind to people at times, or the way he looks at his children), but only that, glimpses, because he seems so miserable. Part of me feels bad for him but he won’t walk away from whatever is making him so unhappy and has for all of his life: his destiny.

27. Talking about mental health in a mainstream men’s magazine is very strategic!

    I like this picture. It has a mildly chaotic and natural feel that reflects family life.

28. I have to say I LOVE the photo. It looks random and candid (and we all know it is not). Children toddling off, parents relaxing. The black and white + blurred lines give it an vintage look. I think it captures exactly how they want to be seen from public. Relaxed, hands-on parents but we only get a look from afar (like finding an old photo from your parents in the 70’s).

    1. +1

    2. Spot on.

29. I for one think the photo is nice. Nothing creepy or wrong. Honestly this is one of the best family photos they have. Anyway, what I find interesting is all this talk of Diana. Is it because her birth/death anniversary is coming soon? Because it feels like they are unintentionally promoting the upcoming season of Feud. It’s not just Will (and Harry too). Just saw that Camilla has apparently talked about it (her side of the story at least). Preemptive defense for whatever mudslinging they’ll throw at her.

30. I do think that William seemed to have done well with this interview. As a child he found it hard to open up and was always a bit guarded so it would be harder for him to express how he feels. If anyone wants to question me about this comment – I was told this by mothers with boys at William’s school.

    I’m not impressed with the interviewer, Alastair Campbell, who seems to be anti royality – I watched The Queen at the weekend and now can put a name to that script writer/ adviser in Tony Blair’s office who was so anti.

    Now, as for the photos. I find the composition of the black and white one weird and suspect there was a bit of photoshopping and combining photos going on.

    I quite like the cover photo, but from the point of view of the printer? That cover would be a nightmare to print! Let me explain. As everyone knows, printed photos are made up of dots. There is something you need to watch out for called “dot gain”. So the ink is picked up on the printing plate and transferred to the the paper. If a bit too much ink is picked up then the image is darker and unless the press and the pages are watched carefully then the image would get progressively darker. It’s a minute difference but eventually the image will be too dark to see the picture as the “dots” have grown, hence “dot gain”. Or is GQ wanting a dark and moody cover?

    1. Dark and moody and overprocessed seems the theme for a lot of photoshoots I’ve noticed as of late. It’s the trend. I don’t like it!

       1. Thanks for your comment Ellie!

          I totally agree! Those dark and moody photos may look great on a screen but the photographers/ designers need to spare a thought for th epoor printer who is having to reproduce the item!

          1. Thanks for the comments. I learn so much about photography here.

31. One final comment, I am deeply, deeply envious of their meadow- like garden, wherever that is. The barbed wire is aesthetically awful though.

32. My thoughts on the GQ

    – The B&W family photo looks strange, almost sinister. Will looks uncomfortable, Kate is laughing and hanging on for dear life. And its curious Kate & William’s body language toward each other: Kate is leaning into Will like she wants him to put an arm around her. Will is leaning away with both his hands and body and looking off in another direction, in the meantime. To me, its not as much of a happy family picture as it is trying to portray.

    – If Will wants a normal life for his kids, then take himself & his kids out of succession. That is the only way that media will stop ‘intruding’ into your life and the only way media will stop raising the inevitable questions of “what value for money does monarchy even provide today?” Is that why he wants his kids to grow up in Anmer and not KP? That’s all well and good, but Will seems to forget that he is living on the public dime so he and his family need to be accountable to the public.

    – Will is confusing grief and depression at losing a beloved parent so suddenly to other mental health issues, including clinical depression. He needs to clarify that as he is seeming to lump all mental health issues together.

    – Its sad and touching what he says about his mother. No question he thinks about her every day and misses her dearly. One of the saddest things I saw was William and Harry with their heads bowed at Diana’s funeral. That grief stays with you.

    – He looks pretty handsome on the cover.

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