Duchess Kate & Prince William are on vacation again, this time in France

There are few things that I love more than hearing that Prince William and Duchess Kate have gone on yet another vacation. I actually have to give them some credit – they haven’t really gone on a proper holiday in MONTHS. Considering they spent nine years of their (off-and-on) courtship vacationing an average of 10 times a year, and considering how much “down time” and “vacation time” they’ve had already in their first year and a half of marriage, it is notable when they do NOT go on vacation for a while. They had a really busy summer, what with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee activities and with all of the Olympic and Paralympic events (they were goodwill ambassadors for the Games). So it makes sense that they figured out a way to slip in a quick vacation before they’re set to leave for their epic Asian tour of Epicness (which lasts eight whole days).

This is the romantic French hideaway where William and Kate have been soaking up the sunshine ahead of their forthcoming tour of South East Asia.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge escaped to the idyllic Chateau d’Autet, a historic hunting lodge nestled in Provence’s picturesque Luberon region.

Owned by the Queen’s nephew, Viscount Linley, the 19th century hunting lodge is set in 640 acres of woodland and boasts unspoilt views of fields carpeted with lavender.

The royal couple enjoyed total privacy at Viscount Linley’s holiday home, close to the medieval village of Viens, which is equipped with a heated swimming pool and a tennis court, the Sunday Express reported.

Prince William and his wife are due to fly to Singapore on Tuesday, before travelling on to Malaysia – where Kate is expected to make a speech – the Solomon Islands, and the island of Tuvalu in the Pacific.

The secluded Chateau d’Autet was purchased by Lord Linley and his wife Serena in 1999, after the couple were introduced to the area by Peter Mayle, the author of the bestselling A Year in Provence.

The couple dedicated themselves to lovingly restoring the sprawling chateau, which comprises four properties and can accommodate up to 17 guests.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will no doubt have appreciated the chance to unwind at the French beauty spot, following a whirlwind few weeks in London amid the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

[From The Mail]

That actually sounds like my kind of vacation – just hanging out in the country, getting some sleep, eating and maybe going for the occasional swim. Sometimes their vacations sound like so much work, what with all of the sports and skiing and such. Sometimes it feels like they’ve really made a stronger commitment to having lots of vacations than doing lots work, but… I don’t know. Maybe that’s changing. They got a lot of criticism earlier this year when it seemed like they were on holiday for about a month, and since then, it really has seemed like they were actively trying to look like they were putting in more public work. Still, I think it’s interesting how much time William gets off from his military work – not only is getting time off for his royal duties, but he also gets an extensive vacation package. It would be fascinating to see how many days a year he’s actually on base in Wales.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

103 Responses to “Duchess Kate & Prince William are on vacation again, this time in France”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Happymom says:

    That’s not really a vacation. More a “weekend away” at a family member’s home.

  2. Cathy says:

    Is she losing weight again, or is that first picture just an old picture? She looks awfully thin in that top picture.

  3. Rita says:

    In that top pick, I can see he’s a “left leaner”.

    I wasn’t going to mention it being that he’s in line for the thrown but since Harry’s Vegas thrill ride and subsequent deployment to Afgahnastan I assume such observations will be rare until he gets back.

  4. RN says:

    I fervently wish I could scrub her face and then apply softer shades of makeup that actually flatter her. And I promise that I won’t apply bronzer across her nose, giving her that young WC Fields look.

  5. maemay says:

    So basically they are at a family members house hanging out. Are they allowed weekends and if they are, should they just stay home in the house?

    • MoxyLady007 says:

      Right?!?

      I am so tired of the hatred for these two, and especially for Kate.

    • bluhare says:

      maemay: For me, it’s more about William. He’s an RAF pilot. He’s not at work right now because he’s “on vacation”, and he won’t be at work for at least another 10 days after that because he’ll be working his other job. I feel badly for the rest of his squad. They have to take up his slack. Maybe they’ve got an extra guy to help with all William’s downtime.

      • Sachi says:

        Let’s just hope that this time William actually let his superiors know well beforehand that he will be jetting off to France for a little R&R instead of just going AWOL and expecting others to pick up his slack like he has done before.

        There were several tweets of people seeing him at a restaurant with a woman the night of the Olympics Closing Ceremony. Kate was there at the stadium, and Harry was representing the Queen. But William, if the tweets are to be believed, wasn’t even at work

        He can be lazier than Kate when he wants to be.

        Maybe this is their version of Harry’s partying before his deployment. Harry goes to Vegas before going to Afghanistan, and William and Kate take 3 days of leisure before embarking on an exhausting ‘journey’ that will take them to different countries in Asia where they will be treated with utmost respect and be adored, praised, and feted.

        Yet Harry was called names and brandished an alcoholic for partying in Vegas, and his deployment to Afghanistan called a PR-scheme.

        But William and Kate “deserve” this break since it’s just 3 days and it’s at a relative’s house in France so it’s no big deal.

        The same W and K fans who were criticizing Harry are now defending William and Kate for their laziness and lack of work ethic.

      • bluhare says:

        Sachi: Are you saying William’s just blown off work before? Not even bothered to let them know he won’t be in? If that’s true, Kate’s to be pitied. What a fine example her husband is. And this is the man who will be King?

        And hold the horses!!! William wasw out schmoozing with another woman while Kate was at the Olympics? What surprises me on that one was that she let him out unmuzzled with a woman!

      • the original bellaluna says:

        bluhare & Sachi – That’s deplorable, and I agree with you both. (I’m sure the lazy runs deep in Wills, as well.)

        As the daughter of a Retired Marine Officer, I think Wills’ extensive time off is a burden to his fellow military members. (Unless EVERYBODY in the military is afforded these extensive amounts of vacation time, which I doubt. I understand he’s a Royal, but still.)

        They go through training TOGETHER because they are supposed to operate TOGETHER as A UNIT. When one member is gone, sure the job can still get done, but others are most definitely picking up the extra work. Unless Wills has some sort of stand-in or body-double to take his place during his extensive absences, I would be less than pleased if my husband was in his unit.

      • stinky says:

        the future King has no business being up in a helicopter. sorry, but its not smart. he can vacation as much as he wants. im sure his squad is just fine w/o him. i cant believe all this narrative about him being lazy – i’ve only ever seen him working year after year – and now that he’s a newlywed hes all of a sudden he’s “lazy” ? please.

      • bluhare says:

        stinky: The “lazy” commentary is because William theoretically “loves” his RAF job and is so so torn about having to do his boring old Royal duties, yet he dumps his squad and runs off to do something else (read: surfing in Cornwall, weekend trip with Kate)whenever he feels like it. And if Sachi is correct, sometimes he doesn’t even give them any notice.

        Must be good to be (future) King.

      • Sachi says:

        @ bluhare – see my response to you below this comment. 😉

        Word during the Olympics Closing was that William was supposedly at work in Anglesey so he couldn’t be at the Ceremony. Kate was there, doing her job. Harry was, too. But tweets came out later that William was actually in London, at a pub/restaurant with a woman (probably a friend?).

        Also, he once took a RAF helicopter and pulled some stunts in the Middletons’ backyard. He just ‘took it for a spin’ during military exercises and he got to do it because he’s a royal. He’d have been fired if he was “William Johnson” rather than “HRH Prince William”.

        http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-560880/RAF-fury-Prince-Williams-30-000-helicopter-stunt-Kate-Middletons-backyard.html

        Read the rest of the article. It details some instances in which William has been allowed to take time off to attend parties and have fun whenever he wanted. Special treatment, and he was still a trainee at the time. The RAF has been covering for his arse for a long time.

        @ the original bellaluna – so true. There is a bond, almost a brotherhood in the military, esp. among those who have served/serve in the front line.

        William has done good work as a SAR pilot and he did the full training, I’ll give him that. But he’s still too lazy for me and too reluctant to assume his duties as a royal. He should give his place to someone who actually needs the RAF position as well as the income. He already got in through special treatment, anyway, something that won’t be given to anyone else if they’re only a “Mr.” instead of an “HRH”.

        @ stinky – if it’s too dangerous for a royal, especially a future King, to be in a helicopter, then I think it’s time for William to leave his job at the RAF and start full-time royal duties.

        You’ve seen him working “year after year”? Do you work with him? Maybe you can enlighten us here and dispute the lazy label that is being attached to William.

      • Jen says:

        You have the tweets then? The only other place I saw that was on a royal forum but alas the commenter had no tweets to speak of as proof. I will say this, there were tons of lookalikes during the Olympics and if there was a tweet, they’re hardly reliable. Tweets had W&K in Scotland at the Aberdeen airport on their anniversary but they were attending a wedding just outside of London.

      • Sachi says:

        @ Jen – if your comment is addressed to me, then please read my original comment again.

        I said IF. IF. “IF the tweets are to be believed”. I didn’t specifically say that it’s been proven William wasn’t at work. His absence at the Olympics Ceremony of which he was an ambassador is suspect.

        Considering the many reported instances where he wasn’t at work and was out partying/having fun instead, can you blame others for thinking that William is lazy?

        Take a look at this article:
        http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-560880/RAF-fury-Prince-Williams-30-000-helicopter-stunt-Kate-Middletons-backyard.html

        The DM can be a royal mouthpiece most of the time. But they have also done their fair share of exposing the royals for all their shady actions and other unpleasant behaviour.

        Scroll down to the last part of the article to read about the several cases in which William has skipped RAF duties so he could go out and party, and he was still a trainee at the time. He was already exercising his rank as Prince to pull favours and do whatever he wanted.

        He was out on a Saturday night getting pissed drunk when Wales was experiencing massive floods a few months ago. Not a sign of worry on his face during or after the events. No sign that he helped out either as a RAF employee based in Wales or as a royal who has a connection to Wales.

        bluhare mentioned William surfing in Cornwall. That was well-documented in the media. He was offered to attend the Wimbledon final, but he declined, citing “prior commitment”. He was off surfing with Harry and his mates. So Pippa had to accompany Kate instead.

        He cited “prior commitment” as well when he and Kate didn’t celebrate Easter with the Windsors. He also stayed in France vacationing with the Middletons instead of honouring the Queen Mum and Princess Margaret. He couldn’t be bothered to take some time away from a vacation to be with his family as they pay respects and tribute to their deceased loved ones. He was off having fun.

        Reliable tweets or not, there have been many instances in which William’s laziness, hesitance to assume royal duties except for fancy galas and fluff events, and his dubious reasons for skipping royal duties and other royal events are not helping his image as a lazy, spoiled royal. Soon he’ll be the “Boy who cried Wolf”, no one would take him seriously when it’s time to actually step up to the plate and do some work.

      • LAK says:

        @Stinky & @jen – The lazy tag isn’t a sudden moniker. William has always been lazy but there is a press ban on his activities, and when those activities do leak out, the Palace swings in heavy to suppress the report almost instantaneously, if not completely.

        Part of the reason he is so visible now is due to his marriage which was supposed to be the final hurdle to him becoming a full time royal and the press ban being lifted. 2 things that haven’t happened completely.

        The partial lifting of the ban has made him suddenly visible where he wasn’t before. The two princes are not living in their ivory tower like their predecessors. They are out in public. It’s fairly easy to know what they are up to without resorting to media reports.

        In the case of William, there are many instances that have gone unreported of his bad behaviour in order for him to appear the golden prince that he isn’t.

        Every so often, reports have appeared, but they’ve quickly disappeared. The one that really made me pay attention was a Channel 4 ‘dispatches’ programme which investigated the 2 helicopter joyrides and William’s RAF career. The conclusion was that he does as he pleases without consideration to his unit. The proof is in the RAF Ultimatum that was given earlier this year. PLUS have you noticed how the Foreign office would rather Harry or even Andrew undertake the more rigorous tours ie Jamaica/Brazil/India -now rumour that Harry may go to China and Russia. All those countries have tricky relationships with Britain. William, THE HEIR, is sent on an extended island jolly where there isn’t any issues as far as diplomatic relations are concerned. And he needs a holiday before, during and after.

        With respect to the events he missed such as The QM and Margaret memorials, several things:

        a) these events are planned a good 6months-a year in advance so unless he is planning his holiday weeks that far ahead as well, it is difficult to believe that a holiday prior engagement would take precedence over family events. Bear in mind, these family events are not as easy to plan as normal families would. They are not a normal family behind closed doors – see all that curtseying business.

        b) He snubbed QM, from whom he received a chunk of his inheritance.

        c) He had been on vacation for 3wks [one week in the falklands, 2wks in France]. The memorial fell on the last day of the 3rd week. Easy enough for him to fly back.

        d) the expensive thing is that Edward had to fly out for some kind of engagement in a town very close to where William was on holiday. He could have saved Edward and the tax payer the journey by taking an afternoon off to do the engagement.

        And Charles and Camilla between them carried out 600 engagements in the past year. Frankly, they can take August off swimming in milk of virgins. They’ve earned it!!ditto all the other senior members of the royal family.

    • Jen says:

      I didn’t realize the Daily Mail was a reliable source. I don’t believe he missed anything citing a prior ‘work’ commitment. Spending the weekend with his brother and spending the week with his wife’s family all constitute prior commitments.

      What’s funny is that there’s all this criticism of Wiliam and Kate for spending 3 days in France when Charles and Camilla have spent 3 months in Scotland holidaying. In addition where’s the outcry that Prince Andrew is not releasing his financial records for the last fiscal year? Still funding his ex wife? New wardrobes and stylists for his daughters don’t come cheap either.

      • Sachi says:

        So the DM is only reliable if they’re praising William and Kate? They’re lying if they publish anything less?

        Besides, why are you trying to derail the discussion? We’re talking about William and Kate here, but you seem to be trying to make them look better by comparing them to other royals to make sure that they “win”.

        Their lavish lifestyles should be discussed on its own. We’re not discussing Andrew or Charles here because this topic is about William and Kate’s holiday.

        And the Daily Mail is not always reliable, but so is the National Enquirer, yet the NE have exposed some big stories over the past years. The Daily Mail is pro-William and Kate right now. But they have published many more articles about Kate’s laziness and her Uncle Gary’s business practices. They have published William’s antics before, as well. Again, read the article I posted. You can’t tell me that the Daily Mail made all those up, even the quote from the Ministry of Defence about the extent of the taxpayers’ support of William’s training at the RAF.

        The DM was among the press who used to call Kate “Waity Katy” and would mock her existence as spoiled and lazy. It wasn’t until the engagement that they changed their tune.

        But if you’re truly fishing for a response about the other royals, then here’s mine: I think Andrew is a major screw-up as a royal.

        All royals are leeches. They’re an anachronism in this day and age. After the Queen and Charles, the monarchy should be abolished and the rest of the Windsors should be made to get real jobs and earn their own money.

        But there are exceptions to the rule, and I can give credit to those royals who actually strive to make a difference in their limited roles. Charles takes a vacation, sure, but how busy is he as a royal? How much does he work in a year? Except for his pathetic comments about being Camilla’s tampon and his doomed marriage to Diana, what else can be said against Charles as a royal, as Prince of Wales?

        William is as spoiled as many royals. He’s in the same vein as his uncle Andrew. He’s not any better, so please don’t try to inject Andrew into the discussion because you think he and the other royals are not being called out.

        Defend William as you like, but don’t ask, “Why is ____ not getting criticized, too?” so William can look better in comparison.

        That’s like comparing Kate to Kim Kardashian to say Kate is so elegant and classy.

      • The Original Mia says:

        Why criticize Charles & Camilla when they’ve been working? 2 tours this year, I believe, plus their many UK appearances/charity events prior to the Jubilee & after it.

        If Andrew wants to fund his daughters’ wardrobe, that’s nothing less than what Charles is doing for Harry, William and Kate. If Andrew is still paying alimony to Fergie, it’s his money and his ex-wife.

        So…that brings us back to the Waity Kate, who doesn’t do a thing, yet takes more vacations and has more off-days than QEII & Prince Phillip.

    • KellyinSeattle says:

      While “real” soldiers are laying down their lives….

    • KellyinSeattle says:

      Prince William is frumpy already..like his dad.

  6. DanaG says:

    Baby making time!

  7. LAK says:

    There was a website that kept a tally of their time in Wales based upon sightings via twitter, official press reports of engagements etc. It was truly shocking what little time they spent in Wales.

    • bluhare says:

      LAK, I just read what Sachi wrote and she says that William’s not even bothered to let people know he wouldn’t be at work? Really????

      • Sachi says:

        Yes, there was the story of him not letting his superiors know that he was gonna take off to give them ample time to find a replacement.

        Someone had to fill in for him: a man who had to miss his own brother’s wedding because the future King of England decided he would like to skip work and didn’t give others the time to prepare for such things.

        William’s eyesight is also less than 20/20. Yet he’s a SAR pilot as well as captain.

        Why is he a captain of his unit? He doesn’t pass all of the requirements, he shouldn’t have been given the go-ahead to become a SAR pilot unless he’s one of the best. What are the odds that William is one of the absolute best in his job and nobody else was capable, someone with better eyesight and passes ALL the requirements?

        This DM article states William “got around the rule” for special reasons and it’s a “case by case” situation. I’m assuming case by case meant HRH Prince vs. average joe:
        http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1118285/Top-Gun-William-prince-pilots-quite-spectacle.html

        If a common bloke had the same problem, he’d never have been admitted. But William had a convenient loophole to use.

        ‘Special treatment’ is one of William’s middle names. He already got admitted to SAR training even when he was short of a requirement, and he gets to take a lot of time off. He won’t give up the RAF job to take on full-time royal duties any time soon.

    • the original bellaluna says:

      LAK – Question, please. Is there any truth to what I’ve heard/read, that Prince Harry was previously deployed to Afghanistan and then removed because it was deemed “too dangerous” due to *someone* revealing his exact whereabouts? And was he resentful/upset by that, to the point that *some people* were saying he pulled his Vegas stunt (which I don’t think was really a “stunt” at all, it was just partying in Vegas) in an bid to get sent back to Afghanistan?

      I ask you, because you have a lot of insightful knowledge from across the pond. 😉

      • bluhare says:

        I’m here before LAK, bellaluna, and I can answer this. Harry was in Afghanistan before and was removed after about 10 weeks I think because an Australian outlet reported he was there. He was on the ground then, I think, so it was a big deal.

        And the Vegas trip was him letting loose before deployment. Don’t think he planned on what happened!!

      • Daisy says:

        I think you’ll find William is not a Captain, he’s a flight Lieutenant.

      • the original bellaluna says:

        Thank you bluhare! 😀 I doubted it was a “stunt” to get back to Afghanistan. As I said, it seems like normal partying-in-Vegas behaviour to me.

        I hope whomever revealed his location got into trouble for that, btw. Let me guess: A Murdoch outlet, right?

      • LAK says:

        @Original bellaluna – What Bluhare said.

        @Bluhare – William doesn’t always follow the rules which has led to alot of anger but he is a Prince. What can they do.

  8. susie says:

    Kate and William will always be sort of lazy and will always only do “just enough” to get-by. The press has always let Pr.William “slide” on a lot of things(including his partying,drinking and his “p6nis photos” which were only published in one or two Euro tabloids, before the Palace clamped down and blocked them, but it’s Harry who always gets stuff put right-out there because imo the Palace doesn’t protect him in the same efficient manner as Willie-boy, no way real in depth photos of this vacation will make it to the public without vetting by William’s handler’s, even in swimwear) We will see a few splashed in Euro tabs of Kate and William barely seen but not much else.
    These two take more vacations and have more downtime than most of the Royals that the press criticizes constantly , from Pr.Andrew to Pr.Edward, both work much harder than PrWilliam and Kate ever have and Edward’s wife Sophie the Countess works harder and does more duties than Kate could ever dream of, yet the British press hardly gives her any accolades. Prince Charles as a young man worked way harder than Prince William. I believe Pr.William hates the notion that he will one day have to actually work harder and do more duties than even his brother Pr.Harry(who imo has picked up a lot of the work-slack from lazy Pr.William even to the point of escorting Kate during the Olympics. While William did whatever, it was rumoured he was hanging in a pub during the closing ceremony?) I really can’t see William being a successful Monarch, he hates being in the public eye and I don’t feel he really likes the public at all, he only tolerates the public IMO when he has to do a Royal duty. Pr.William’s reign most likely will be more about “Queen Kate” and the Middleton’s taking center-stage(and being given titles, like the Boleyn-family) while Pr.Willie hides away, doing whatever.

    • JF says:

      Totally agree!

    • Jackie O says:

      agreed. william always seems very resentful of ‘duty’ and of the public in general. he seems to be a very entitled, spoiled man. she just goes along for the ride with him.

      he wants his money and privileges without the nuisance of actually having to work.

    • The Original Mia says:

      I’m still trying to figure out what they need a vacation or respite from. All she’s done is attend sporting events. He did the same, then went to work for 2 weeks. That’s cause for a vacation? Really? These two would faint from exertion if they ever had to work a full schedule like Princess Anne or the Queen.

      • Sachi says:

        What’s worse is that the media actually considers the Olympics a “busy” time for them and making it appear as if William and Kate have done so much work that they’re exhausted and they deserve all the vacations/breaks they want. And they expect the public to believe it.

        Right, because getting dolled up, waving, getting photographed, and cheering for 1-2 hours for athletes is such hard work.

        You gotta wonder what the media will do if William and Kate ever develop the dedication, ethics, and passion towards their roles that actual athletes have for their sports.

        Maybe raise them to Sainthood.

      • the original bellaluna says:

        Many normal blokes (Commoners!) actually took their vacations to ATTEND the Olympics, and even PAID for tickets to the events they attended!

        And we’re supposed to believe that showing up and waving and basically deigning to spend some time at the Olympics is WORK?

        Maybe I missed the coverage, but I don’t recall seeing/hearing anything about The Royals working their regular jobs and then volunteering their own time to rehearse for the ceremonies. I also must’ve missed the pix of them building and disassembling the sets with their bare hands. 😛

      • LAK says:

        Have you guys noticed that every time he has a ‘prior commitment’ instead of attending to his duties, it turns out he is on holiday??

        From now onwards, everytime his office says he has a prior commitment, i am going to assume he is on holiday!!!

    • NM6804 says:

      All of these comments! Celebitches, represent 😉

  9. Sunnyinseattle says:

    The 3rd pict is very unflattering for her. Lol She is pretty, I think but she almost looks like the Joker or something. 🙂

  10. Luise says:

    She is just awful. Period.

  11. Talie says:

    I’m pretty sure Linlye was the one caught up in a major scandal a few years ago and the British press really couldn’t report on it because he was videotaped or something.

  12. misses212 says:

    If I was working with William, I would be pissed that he gets quite a bit of downtime. Also they should be at the closing ceremonies for the para olympics. Big deal that they are going on royal tour. Millions of people have more responsibilities like family, travel for work etc somehow deal with it. Luckily I am not British

    • bluhare says:

      misses, couldn’t agree more. If I were one of william’s colleagues, I’d be spitting in my beer every time I heard his name.

  13. NM6804 says:

    I knew they were going to write about unwinding after a busy time. You know, it’s their JOB, they have to deal with it and not escape to “unwind” for a few days every time they have consecutive public events to attend to. Deal with it like every other person with a demanding job! Sheesh.

    Either they give up their rights to the throne or they stop moaning about their responsibilities. Kate waited long enough and was lazy enough all those years while waiting for that ugly ring, it’s time to pay her dues. If she thinks being a princess is blow drying her fake hair all the time and staying skinny, she’s got another thing coming. Prince William really needs to decide what he wants in life. He’s such a manchild. I’m thisclose of defending Harry’s naked ass above William’s.

  14. angelic 20 says:

    She has visited her 5 charities only once in 9 months but has taken 5 vacations internationally so far, why do people like this lazy woman?i really don’t get it, what exactly she do? Take time from what? Sitting, clasping and watching sports events that normal people were dying to attend but were not able to , is this what her fans call work? And please don’t say that that’s what royal do, all the members of royal family work so much more then these two, even the one that will never be king and Queen. Seriously I question the standards of her admirers and hope they find someone more worthwhile to praise.she is one of the most lazy, entitled, uninspiring, workshy, regressive, delicate , vain , most glorified wag woman child I have come across on a pubic platform and I can’t even get rid of her by elections. even reality stats work more then her .

    • bluhare says:

      I think I’m backing off Kate and going to go after William. She’s just emulating him.

      • angelic 20 says:

        Bluehare, oh I dislike William way more then Kate , she is a reflexion of him but he at least have to show up at work on few days, what exactly she do? And why exactly she is a role model or admired? I talk about her because she is more overrated and hyped by media and her fans. Did you notice that when people saw Harry in Vegas everybody concluded that he might end ulike Andrew even though he works way more them mr. and Mrs do little but they are never considered lazy even though they have not been working consistently for the last 10 years.i am actually astonished by this double standard when it comes to them, they do nothing and yet they are great and everybody else is useless. She had never worked in her life and people think that all of sudden when she will be 35 she will start working,imo at the age of 30 you are pretty much who you are and they were and are lazy and will remain so.

        There is a royal blog regal majesty whose owner said that one of her cousins who work with William have to miss her brother’s wedding because William decided to go on a vacation without any prior notice, so he has to cancel his planned leaves and that was not the first time William pulled that stunt. You can go and ask her more about that, she knows a lot of people working with him apparently and also have excess to Harry’s and other close friends of the princes Facebook accounts and had been a very old royal blogger.

      • sunny says:

        Angelic, regal majesty has been proven time and time again to blatantly make things up. Lying’s what she does best, take whatever she says with a grain of salt. There are lots of people who had access to Harry’s Facebook profile simply because they knew the names of his friends and unfortunately they had lax security settings.

      • angelic 20 says:

        SUNNY,
        I don’t believe everything she says, actually I have read this story on so many other blogs but given William ‘s attitude towards his job I am not surprised by this story. I am not sure whether it actually happened or not, that’s why I never mentioned this story and asked bluehare to go to the blogger herself and read what she has to say, however I can totally imagine William doing this.

    • Nancy Blue says:

      Angelic 20. I think you have got it in one when you question the standards of Kate’s admirers! I have a vision of simpering, impressionable young girls who admire skinniness, makeup, hair and clothes. Most anti Kate posters on various blogs appear to be intelligent, thought provoking, astute and fair individuals.

      • Another K says:

        To Intelligent, Thought Provoking, Astute and Fair Individual:

        Oh My. Your comment was intelligent, thought provoking, astute and, certainly above all, fair.

        Signed,

        A Supposedly Simpering, Impressionable Young Girl Who Admires Skinniness, Etc. Etc.

  15. Sunny says:

    They went for 3 days and are already back, hardly that big of a deal. It’s amazing the amount of garbage written on the Internet people actually believe. Let’s not pass opinion off as fact folks, it’s absurd. SAR pilots don’t work 5 days a week, it’s not allowed. They work shifts of two weeks on, two weeks off with varying 24 hour shifts within that time frame but typically never more at 4 during that two week time frame.

    • JulieM says:

      Sunny, no offense, but baloney! SAR pilots don’t necessarily fly 5 days a week but they are on duty, at their duty station doing training and lots of other things full time. You don’t just fly and do nothing else. Also- in the military, there is no such thing as a 5 day a week job. It’s 24-7 if you are on active duty, responding to the needs of the service and your country. Yes, of course, service member take leave/holiday time and they deserve it. But not to the extent that William does. And I can guarantee that someone else has to cover William’s away time from the duty roster when he is not there, which seems to be quite frequently. What if there were multiple emergencies at the same time? For example, the recent floods in Wales.

      The needs of the service come first. This is probably why William was given an ultimatum recently by the RAF. Fly or do royal duties, but not both. I think (my opinion only) that he really doesn’t want to do a lot of royal duties and he really doesn’t want to do too much flying either. Which is why he is rapidly getting a very lazy reputation.

    • Raven says:

      Oh, gee Sunny, I can’t believe someone with a reality check. Watch out for the self-designated military experts, fashion experts, royal experts, and,finally etiquette experts.

      • Goofpuff says:

        Why do you insult her when it’s obvious that’s how real military works? That’s real life. What people who are not privileged do. I’m getting the feeling that these will-kate supporters aren’t working folks like us.

  16. Laura says:

    I will admit it — I like to look at Kate and what she is wearing. I think she is a pretty woman with an elegant fashion sense (most of the time.)

    However, I find her and her husband to be annoying, spoiled idiots. They need a vacation after all their “work”? Really?! What was so taxing about attending Olympic events that so many others were denied attendance to?

    The Queen’s Jubliee should NOT be considered “work” as the Queen is William’s grandmother and he should want to be there to celebrate/awknowledge his grandmother’s accomplishments. If it were my grandmother I would have been there because I loved her, not because it was my “job”.

    I’m not even sure what is so monumental about the things that William and Kate do in public that it could be classified as “work”. They get dressed up in expensive clothing/have their hair/make-up done (Kate), get to ride in expensive vehicles, have hordes of people fall all over themselves to cater to Will and Kate, get presented with gift/awards, and that is about it.

    They’re not out working 8-12+hrs per day, tolling away at a REAL job where they would receive two weeks of vacation time per year, would have to get themselves to and from their place of employment, and would not receive any (or very little) praise or attention for the work that they do. They don’t have the pressure of dealing with mortgage payments, utilities, budgeting for clothing, home repairs, medical bills, vacations, etc, etc.

    Yet…they are admired by many and considered to be “hard working”??? Some people think these royals are worthy of praise, attention, and respect…and for what? Why? Is it because Kate is pretty and William was born into a wealthy family? Are those traits that are worthy of continual, unwavering, unquestioned praise and attention? They do not do enough in terms of charitable works to warrant this level of adulation (in my opinion.) They seem to be all about the image…the reality is quite different.

    I think there are other people in this world that are far more worthy of this level of praise/attention than Will and Kate.

    They are not really anymore different than many of the young people these days who want everything for nothing. Attention and praise for doing very little while looking pretty. It’s all about an image and not about having true substance or character.

    These are all my own opinions and I apologize in advance if I offend anyone! LOL…

  17. Daisy says:

    Laura, your issue is with royalty in general then, that’s what they all do.

    • angelic 20 says:

      Daisy, royals do far more work then these two but media choose to acknowledge them.BRF supports hundreds of charities and that is one of the reasons I support rf for now. It’s not bad to have a royal family if they pull their weight and worth the cost , these two are the only one taking ten vacations a year and doing mere 60 engagements.absolutely everybody else irrespective of their position in the line of successions do more work then these two.

      • Daisy says:

        Angelic, they have not taken 10 vacations this year. Try 3. One in the winter, one in the spring and now one during the summer.

      • Daisy says:

        Angelic, they have not taken 10 vacations this year, they’ve been on 3. One in the winter, one in the spring and now one in the summer.

      • angelic 20 says:

        Daisy, it’s Kate’s 5th and William’s 6th vacation this year. New year, before and after William’s training, after photos of honeymoon got published, and now this one plus one William w
        ent to Spain with Harry.

      • Daisy says:

        So where’d they go then Angelic?

      • LAK says:

        I’d wager kenya too if it hasn’t happened already. That’s another non-negotiable annual holiday like the skiing and Mustique trips.

    • NM6804 says:

      No they are not. They can be an inspiration. For example, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium.

      http://www.fmre-gske.be/pages/en/history.html

      http://www.queen-elisabeth-competition.be/

      Or princess Maxima from the Netherlands. Now she is gutsy.

      She is one of the few royals in the world to be an open supporter of gay rights, and was the first royal to attend an LGBT rights conference on 5 March 2008. The Princess signed an accord at the end of the conference calling for the full acceptance of gays in The Netherlands.

      Furthermore, she actually studied something (and worked internationally in that area for years) that was of great use once she made her entry into the the royal family of the Netherlands and put her stamp on her role as a princess. Probably because she was her own person before the marriage and because she is an educated confident woman. She didn’t wait for a man, she lived a full life and attracted a prince. Not ran after one without doing something worthwile in the meantime.

      The work Maxima has put in her role as princess and the organisations she has supported, now that’s dedication and ambition! She wants to encourage people not just sit there and be pretty while waving. Phew, hard work indeed.

      Not everybody *cough Kate *cough* thinks that being a princess is being this: http://girlscostumesrus.com/wp-content/uploads/barbie.jpg

      They can do someting useful with their time IF they want to.

      • Sachi says:

        Maxima also had a privileged background. But that didn’t stop her from achieving a lot on her own hard work.

        I’ll add to that Princess Letizia of Spain, Princess Mathilde of Belgium, and Queen Rania of Jordan, all of whom have spearheaded their own projects and causes as Princesses/Queen and have carved a role for themselves as advocates for children and other issues.

        A lot of the children from aristocratic/noble backgrounds have real careers and actual jobs. The fiancee of the future Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Stephanie de Lannoy, is also from an aristocratic family and is very educated, well-traveled, and has a real career.

        http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.ca/2012/04/countess-stephanie-de-lannoy-bride-to.html

        It’s quite fascinating to read about “Old Money” rich kids who don’t laze about waiting to get married, but actually seek to enrich themselves through travel, work, and other life experiences. They don’t have to work since money is no problem. But they choose to make something out of themselves. Usually the narrative goes that “trust fund babies” are all lazy hedonists who don’t do anything with their lives but party and spend money.

        And then there’s someone like Kate, whose parents worked to succeed and must know the meaning of hard work, is living a life of luxury and spoils with seemingly no other ambition but to get married, and is also being celebrated by many people for nothing else other than her nice hair, clothes, and marrying Diana’s son.

        It’s interesting to see the parallel. In other cases, Kate would be the one expected to be motivated and work hard because she’s seen her parents as hard workers who got the family business going, ergo their work ethic would rub off on her and she’d pursue a real career and follow in their footsteps and make a name for herself through a job.

        In a way, I wonder if it’s also a case of parenting. Nobles and aristocrats must expect their kids to continue the tradition of prestige in the family, and so they must work hard to achieve a lot to uphold the family’s noble lineage. But Carole and Michael Middleton let their kids grow up as spoiled and indulged, with no other expectation but to catch the “biggest fish”.

      • NM6804 says:

        Beautiful comment and on point. I agree with the other princesses you named.

        May I add, as a Belgian, that I’m happy princess Mathilde is getting some love ;). She was so refreshing when she began a relationship with prince Filip. So smart, dedicated, cute as a button with her accent and beautiful. Ah. I actually saw a great chunk of their wedding ceremony when I was 9 and was interested just because of HER. She and princess Astrid make our shoddy royal family better.

        Oh and totally O/T but I find prince Haakon and Mette-Marit the most awesome royal couple. Their love is like a fairy tale :). Just… *sigh* So far, I haven’t read about drama between these two.

      • Sachi says:

        @ NM60804 – Thank you. 😉

        I like royals who actually work a lot. Of course, it’s not the same as a coal miner’s risky and dangerous job nor a 12-hour shift at the hospital, but there’s a big difference between royals who just show up for events because they are required to and they need to do it so they can ‘earn’ a holiday after, compared to royals who show up to events because they actually want to be there. The women I named in my previous comment are those who, in my opinion, are always sincere, genuine, and interested in their roles. Their efforts show in their warmth and compassion towards the people they meet, as well as the gravity of the speeches they give. It’s quite easy to tell who was a determined, dedicated hard worker in their careers/jobs before becoming royal and applied it to their royal duties vs. those who married into royalty who didn’t amount to much pre-marriage and haven’t done anything with their roles, but have no problem acting as if they deserve all the praise and adoration from the taxpayers supporting their lifestyles.

        Mathilde always give me a sense of serenity. 😀 She always has a calming presence to her and a quiet strength. I like the work she has done for UNAIDS and UNICEF. Her kids are so cute, too. 😉 I read that her youngest is now going to a school which specializes in treating learning/speech disabilities, and seeing as Mathilde has a Master’s in speech pathology/therapy, it’s nice that they immediately recognized Emmanuel needs some help and Mathilde’s prior experience and expertise in the field most likely helped.

        The only criticism of MM I’ve read was last year when Norwegian magazines were publishing that she has a very expensive wardrobe (full of Pucci, Valentino, Prada, etc) when she works so little. I read that once, she only had 1 event in 2 months and then she was off to one of her holidays (which apparently she takes frequently).

        But I agree on her marriage with Haakon. They seem very strong and united.

  18. stephanie says:

    her pants are really, really tight.

  19. Sasha K says:

    Wow you all are bitter and judgmental. Can’t we just be happy for a newlywed couple in love who have the means to vacation? And before you go off on me about the whole “the people of England support their lifestyle” response, do some research. Most of their income comes from rent from their lands and properties.

    • christinne says:

      history…..and how come they own that land and propreties…..because they are royal family…..so lets skip the bs….their money is not really ‘their money”….

  20. M says:

    They JUST got back from Scotland a few weekends ago where they were also on vacation. The thing that annoys me most about this is how the palace said that they wouldnt be at the Paralympics because William had to work and Kate was going to be prepping for their tour next week. Prepping and working my ass. All they ever do is vacation with a few workdays in between. What is so exausting about waving and clapping at the Olympics? Most people I know would consider the Olympics a vacation from actual work. These two are pathetic.

  21. rj says:

    They are both totally pathetic and posers, William chose a girl who he knew would be as lazy as he is. Neither are much to write home about. The only reason William is given respect by the press is because of his title and of the affection in which his mother was held, but other than that, I find both he and Kate almost unlikeable, with these two it’s like watching cardboard fakes nothing about William and Kate is authentic, they both seem very phoney. I wish the press would stop telling everyone that we are suppose to like Kate because it’s not working.

    • Amused says:

      @rj you took the words right out of my mouth. You are spot on.

    • Isa says:

      @rj. I can not agree more with what you say. I find Kate very fake, in the way she poses to the camera (always trying to look interested when actually her faces shows the opposite) and what makes me sick is the need she has in showing off her ring ALL THE TIME. We all know she got Diana’s ring, there is no need to be showing it in 90% of the photos. She doesnt look natural when she does this.
      This woman seems to have ZERO class, to me looks tacky. I guess Prince William is as lazy as she is. I mean these 2 always need to be on vacation. Nobody goes on vacation every other week of work. This proves they dont live in this world.

  22. TG says:

    I thought Prince William and his Duchess and Prince Harry were great during the Olympics. I thought that they were representing Great Britian and it was awesome to see them at so many events. I have appreciated reading all the comments on here. Royalty is such an interesting conversation since I am an American and we don’t have that here and we are in the modern times and many who have royals don’t want them. I love the royals, but that is only because I grew up loving stories of castles, kings, queens, princes and princesses. I understood that Prince William wasn’t very smart since didn’t he almost flunk out of school? I figure he just floated thru life. Kate reminds me of a few girls I knew in college who were dead set to get a proposal out of their man even when it was obvious he wanted out and had wandering eyes.
    I mean most men and women too (even if they don’t acknowledge it) need to sew wild oats, be completely independant for awhile before you can be ready to settle down. It is like they didn’t value themselves enough to go out and make it on their own so they latched onto the guy who was rich and I think by the end of graduation when he couldn’t shake her off he just proposed out of guilt. Kate latched on to Will and nothing was going to ever make her lose her grip. I do think she is pretty but like has been said above I really wish she would let someone else do her makeup. I think if she focused more on charities or sometting else worthwhile and he took on more royal duties people might not hate them so much, because at least publicly they represent Great Britian well and she is refreshing in that she isn’t running around with her clothes off and wearing tacky trashy Hollywood clothes.

  23. Amy says:

    oh Provence! That’s where I spent 2 weeks this summer. It is so beautiful down there so I approve of the destination.

  24. rno says:

    it’s not a weekend getaway, they were there since last Tuesday and were supposed to be back on Sunday for the paralympics

    • mags says:

      No, they were not scheduled to attend the paralympics on Sunday. They were in France from Tuesday-Friday.

  25. kinm says:

    not sure about others but I’ve never found her pretty, she’s changed a lot since the wedding, better than before but still very ordinary, old and harsh.

  26. GoodCapon says:

    Look on the bright side: at least the Middletons didn’t tag along!! :D:D

    • Isa says:

      You have a point there!!! They already starting to look like the Brady bunch. Whatever they do, they do it together LoL
      By the way, is it me or in the second picture where they are clapping… Kate appears to be clapping in a weird way to show her ring??? Why she gives me the impression that she always tries to show the world that she got Diana’s ring??? Like she always manages to touch her hair etc with her right hand. Maybe its my imagination … (?)

      • GoodCapon says:

        You’re not imagining things. She does like to show off what she worked hard for a decade. Google her other pics.

  27. Alti says:

    Forget Kate, the problem is William.

    He is 30years old, a grown-up man, but the prople see only “Ohh he is Dianas son …”

    He is lazy, he has no interest in his royal duties BUT he has the “Diana-sympathy-factor”.

    People will always see Dianas little boy, not the lazy man he really is. He can do nothing wrong.

    I don´t understand why people say he will make a good king.

    • the original bellaluna says:

      With as involved in charity as Diana was (even after her divorce), I think she’d be ashamed of how little PW and his wife actually do for charity.

  28. tell_it_like_it_is says:

    Leave PW alone. First he will certainly have to abdicate when the times come , as , DNA-wise , he is not the Queen’s genetic grandson.

    Expect a Queen Beatrice.

    • Another K says:

      . . . . an interesting comment considering he looks exactly like Charles, and that’s not a compliment. Neither one is exactly what I would call good looking. Who do you suspect is his “real father?”

  29. Nancy Blue says:

    Both Pippa and Kate have a very affected and strange way of clapping. I noticed that right from the beginning – have a look at all the clapping pics!

  30. Maria says:

    everybody, why are you all so critical of Kate? Don’t you know how hard she works in Wales? She scrubs toilets, washes floors, vacuums, dusts, and prepares a hearty supper for her hubby. Doesn’t she deserve a vacation after all that hard work? Remember, she has NO HELP!!!

  31. Maria says:

    I agree about her having to show off her ring. What’s with that?

    • Johnny Five says:

      yeah, we’re all going to wear a blue sapphire diamond ring with our casual ensemble.. yup… OF COURSE SHE’S SHOWING OFF… THAT’S WHAT SHE DOES BEST… SHE PUSHES HER HAIR OFF HER FACE USING THE HAND WITH THE RING… what a loser that Middleton is… Prince Willie-Sue is even worse…

  32. jane says:

    I used to think that PW was the most responsible brother.But i was wrong PH maybe wild to some but he does work harder than his big brother. Why was’nt PW at the olympic closing ceremony with his wife and brother.