As long predicted and discussed, Prince William’s office has finally confirmed what we’ve known for months: William is taking a position as an air ambulance pilot in Norfolk, which means the Cambridges will be moving full time to Anmer Hall for possibly years to come. William’s office is trying to do some damage control about the news, but I think the official announcement has come too late after months of speculation to be called “pre-emptive.” William’s office is trying to emphasize that of course the family will spend time in London and of course they will still undertake royal duties. We’ll see.
Prince William has a new job: air ambulance helicopter pilot. He will join the East Anglian Air Ambulance, his office has confirmed to PEOPLE.
Since leaving the RAF at Anglesey, where he was based for more than three years, William, 32, has been eager to get back to flying and is set to complete what officials call “a mandatory period of training this autumn and winter.”
He will start work at the area bases at Cambridge and Norwich airports in spring 2015, flying night and day shifts, which will allow for him and wife Kate, also 32, to live primarily at Anmer Hall, their 10-bedroom mansion near Sandringham. The home is undergoing renovations and it is known that the couple want to use it as their base. Although Kensington Palace is the main official residence, they will settle in their country home. “They want to live up there as much as possible,” a source close to them tells PEOPLE.
“They are going to be Norfolk-based and coming to London every so often, rather than London-based and going off for a weekend in Norfolk,” the source says.
William’s spokesman says the prince will start as a co-pilot, but after a period of training, will be qualified to fly as a helicopter commander. The job is to be his primary occupation, “but his roster will take into account the duties and responsibilities he will continue to undertake on behalf of The Queen, both in the United Kingdom and overseas,” his spokesman says in a statement.
William plans to continue his work with his patronages and with the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
In common with all other East Anglian Air Ambulance pilots, William will be formally employed by Bond Air Services. He will draw a salary, which he will donate in full to charity. He will begin training for his air transport pilot’s license in September, which is estimated to take a minimum of five months, culminating in 14 examinations and a flight test.
From what I’ve heard, the Bond Air Services basically had to make this position for him out of thin air – they weren’t looking to hire anyone and when William expressed interest, they had to tailor the position to suit him and his vacation schedule (which is what happened at the RAF too). But at least he’s donating his salary to charity, I guess? Ugh. The bar is set so low with William and Kate, that’s where we are now. Meanwhile, William spent his “transition year” doing next to nothing and all of that money was spent to renovate Kensington Palace… and it’s just going to sit there, empty, for the next two or three years. And I don’t care what their office claims now, this move means that Kate and William will barely be doing any charity work or royal work. Kate gets to spend time with her friends in Norfolk and shop in private. It might be time to have another baby, just so it looks like she’s doing SOMETHING.
PS… I’m looking through some of the royal-beat journalists’ Twitter feeds and they are NOT happy. William’s office bent over backwards to deny this story initially back in April and May.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Amner Hall is in Sandringham, right? That’s where his mother was born and grew up – maybe they want to honor his mom that way? Or maybe they just want to escape their duties for another two years. Possibly. Probably. 100%.
£4.5 million for an unnecessary refit of 57 rooms at Kensington. EAAA needs to raise £7.5 million a year to operate. Apparently William flunked basic maths if he sees this move as a good idea.
Being a dedicated, hard working member of the royal family would be a much better way to honor his late mother.
They need to raise money, yet he is taking a salary……
Yes, he is allegedly donating it to charity, but wouldn’t it be better for him not to draw a salary in the first place?
Indeed. And before I read that they created the position *just* for him, my first thought on reading he’d be donating his salary to charity was “that must be great consolation to the pilot out there who actually needed that job / salary” .
I suppose saying the position was created specifically for him pre-empts that particular aspect of bad PR.
LAK, this way he can spread the money around and be perceived as “charitable” – instead of donating any of his inheritance.
It could have been someone else’s salary, someone who needed it for their livelihood , not this wastrel’s.
With Notasugarhere here.
He takes a salary and donates it so he can say he donated. That they created this position for him means money that wasn’t there had to be redirected so he can claim he’s giving back. You sneaky sneak!
I think it would have been better if he drew only $1 or $0 in salary & let the air service keep that chunk of money in their budget in order to pay for something or someone whom they actually do need. This would have been far better than to give the money to charity, since I’m thinking the air service could have used the money for important things too.
I hope he gets paid by the hour with a stamp-card check-in/out. It wouldn’t be fair if he gets paid while getting time off to do ‘other’ things.
If they’re not going to stay in London full-time, I think they should open up some of their 21-rooms at KP to the paying public. They could make a lot of money and give that to charity.
Since royal duties areare secondary to him, he should not draw any money from the tax payers and only live off his salary as a pilot and personal money. That would probably satisfy almost everyone. It’s really rude to continue to live off tax payers and donate the money he actually earns that is taking a position from another person. He wants to be normal. . . he should do it whole heartedly. Not just the parts that suit him.
Everyone is listing practical and reasonable ways for William to approach his salary. And I love the idea of having maybe some tours in their KP apartment. Like a rope that keeps you from entering the room, but you can see inside. That would do well enough for a few weeks.
And since it’s practical it won’t happen.
I was not aware the air ambulance runs on donations. That makes his post that had to be created for him even worse. He better raise money for that service. They’re doing him a big favor.
Perhaps, in his mind, by joining the air ambulance, he is bringing attention to it and it will increase the donations made to the service. He seems arrogant enough to believe that. It’s very clear he uses his position to get what he wants, he has a huge sense of entitlement, and the entire RF has no problem with this.
Perhaps, in his mind, by joining the air ambulance, he is bringing attention to it and it will increase the donations made to the service. He seems arrogant enough to believe that. It’s very clear he uses his position to get what he wants, he has a huge sense of entitlement, and the entire RF has no problem with this.
@K
I don’t think planning to escape charity and Royal duties for another 3-4 years by moving to the country is Wills attempt to honor his mother. Yes Princess Di’s death was tragic and left a scar on his children but we really need to stop babying a 32 year old MAN for the rest of his life just because he lost his Mother at a young age. Child of all works of life lose either one or both parents early in life but still manage to become responsible members if society and work full time jobs.
Lucinda,
Lazy P Willy is not thinking that way; he couldn’t careless what we say and p….to us ‘commoners’!
His mom POW, DI would be ashame and wonder where wqhat did Waity doolittle and ma carola indulge this snub of a self indulgent lazy spoil decade long man child, that he would be unrecognizable to P Di values and work ethics respect to the subject.
Willy middleton will be the demise of the BRF yet. He forget this is not the era of his abdicating G uncle, where the people put up with the playboy behavior. At least his uncle was respectful to and like by his future subjects.
POW, D Camila King to be Henry, P Anne who do enough to represent HM GB UK Commonwealth, for her and her kids ( who do not take Titles so less expectation).
I wasn’t actually applauding him, I though my sarcasm was clear but obviously not, my bad. I think he’s a lazy, mooching pr!ck (Kate too) but I recently saw a documentary mentioning that Di grew up in Sandringham so I just wondered, nothing more. I’m in no way babying him. He’s pathetic and a coward for throwing Harry under the bus whenever it suits him to make him look better when Harry is the only actually doing something! Can’t stand the spoiled brat.
I caught the sarcasm, K, and I don’t always catch it online. I wanted the top of this comments thread to kick off with a reality check about him being the anti-Diana. 🙂
I give this five months and he’ll be doing something else. Maybe finishing that bespoke program in agriculture, for example. Or becoming an additional (albeit older) member of One Direction. Maybe he could start his own band (No Direction might be a good name for it). Who knows?
No Direction hahahahah, good one. I don’t reaally have anything against this guy, but I’m so sarcastic I can’t help loving it! 😉
No Direction was a last-minute sarcastic thought on my part. He just seems so flighty (no pun intended).
It really seems he is still that petulant child, just in the guise of an adult body. I don’t hate him or his wife, but I do think they are lazy and playing games with the public at times.
Well the original article does mention another taxpayer-funded overseas vacation – oh, I mean “tour.” Where to this time? Bahamas? “Tour” to Canada that happens during ski season? Oh wait, how’s about a taxpayer funded jaunt to Africa so William can take part in a fund raiser for Jecca’s charity? If he spends 1 hour at Harry’s charity Sentebale while he’s on the Continent, he’ll consider himself a hardworking saint.
I read recently that William tried multiple times to get to Africa on an official visit and was frustrated when he was told he couldn’t because of security concerns.
And yet Harry goes once a year (usually in February) to visit Sentebale. Granted, that is done on his personal time as Sentebale is not considered part of his royal work.
Foreign Office concerns vs personal concerns, Harry being allowed to go to Afghanistan but William not, wanting to visit different regions, etc.
He allegedly proposed to Kate Middleton on holiday in Africa. That blows the idea that he’s not allowed to travel to that Continent.
@AM. Maybe the difference is public travel vs. private travel? Or that there is no government-related justifiable reason for William to go there? Harry’s travel is publicly-known (announced ahead of time) but considered private work since Sentebale is outside of his royal duties.
I wish I could remember where I read it (I think a reporter’s Twitter), but my basic understanding was the Foreign Office was not prepared to send him there at this time. I’m not sure exactly where he was looking to visit, but certainly there are different security/political concerns in Lesotho than other parts of the continent. And obviously both brothers have previously been to Africa many times on public and private visits.
He can recruit Kate, Pippa and James too. My mistake, James actually has a job. Baby G can also join in like Blue Ivy added vocals.
Or, using a name inspired by another poster, he could pair up with Carl-Philip of Sweden and call themselves The Recalcitrant Princelings.
KM and Hellqvist can stand on either side of the stage, hitting tambourines out-of-time with the music and ignoring public opinion against them.
“The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge”?
Not “The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry”?
Does mentioning Harry in an article about the Cambridges avoiding real work make them look so bad that they have to omit his name from the title of his charity?
wow.
Prince Harry makes these two look bad. Why would they mention him?
I am ready to believe that the queen wants to give William what he wants (both her own “Malta” non-royal life and indulgence for her grandchild) and that Charles is happy enough to see the Cambridges packed away in Norfolk (although I am surprised that he’s not more concerned about the backlash against lazy royals generally).
But I have to think that the Queen’s and the PoW’s senior advisors are ready to kick the spoiled heir.
You do understand HM did NOT have two solid years off in Malta, right? She visited Malta four times in 2 years while Philip was stationed there. She worked the entire time, even when she was in Malta, records from the National Archive prove it. This ridiculous Malta myth has got to stop.
It’s amazing how often the Malta Myth is repeated. Usually to excuse ad naseum all manner of WK shenanigans.
It’s a myth HM perpetuates, though. Multiple biographers reference her own romanticized view of the years when she “was just a navy wife living in Malta.”
I’m not talking about what actually happened during those years of the Queen’s life. I’m talking about what she wants/is willing to give to her grandchildren.
Honestly I think the bigger issue is that HM was very young in Malta. William is 32 years old, and I think it’s ridiculous that he isn’t being made to take on the full-time role.
Ellen: there is no reason for HM not to romanticise that time in her life. By all accounts, she behaved and was treated like a regular person, she did the usual things all the other naval wives did, activities and all. That must have been paradise to someone like her, who has lived a life entirely in a bubble and very rarely experiences anything that is normal.
The HM Malta myth as the excuse for WK started as a media invention straight after the wedding in 2011. Since then, it has been used time and again to explain the many baffling decisions WK make as far as royal duty is concerned.
There has never been any whisper or rumour that HM endorses this view of things, but the media and the public continue to make this assumption.
You guys all get that I’m not an apologist for this move, right? Because it sure seems like some sort of massive mis-reading of my post.
I don’t in the SLIGHTEST understand why HM is indulging William with this crap. One possible explanation is that the Queen wants to give her grandchild (and she’s well-reported to dote on all her grandchildren) the same sort of “normal life” that she remembers having in Malta. Does HM publicly endorse ANY view of her actions? No. But in the face of such a COMPLETELY BAFFLING failure to make William pull his finger out and do the actual job, it’s not a completely insane assumption, either.
Seriously. In what world did I bring up Malta to excuse what William is doing here? I’m trying to figure out why the Queen is letting this go on.
And Malta is not entirely a myth. She went 4 times but for months at a time. Her official biographer stated that she was given minimal royal duties and unprecedented freedom and anonymity. Her cousin stated it was probably the happiest time in her life. She went from either Jul or Aug 1949-Jan 1950–including Christmas and returning to London when Philip went to sea. She returned Mar-May 1950 and when she returned to London she was 6 months pregnant and not carrying out many public duties. She stayed several months and then before Charles was 2, left again for Malta (Nov 1950) spending several months–including over Christmas 1950. Both children stayed with their grandparents. Elizabeth returned early in 1951 to help her father and Philip returned in July on open-ended leave but it was clear his own command was coming to an end with the King’s health what it was.
Ellen: apologies for making you feel like we are coming down on you about this HM myth as it pertains to WK.
I think many people ARE baffled as to why HM would allow this to happen. The Malta myth makes logical sense and I speculate that is why many people, even as they disapprove, grab onto it.
HM is infamous for being an ostrich as far as managing her family leaving it to Philip. She allowed the war of the Wales to run for a decade before intervening. Many of the problems in her family that could have been nipped in the bud early are left to grow to crisis levels before anything is done about them.
What will be amazing is if she ever snaps on them. She has a temper, as showcased in early stories of their marriage. Ex. She chased Philip out of a cottage one day, while screaming and throwing shoes at him. All caught on film and graciously destroyed by the filmer. Will we ever see that temper directed at these two?
Even if the Malta myth were true (previous posters already clarified is not) they’ve been living together since before 2010 and have been married for 3 plus years. They’ve had many years of pretending to be normal people; many more than the myth the queen had 2 years. Surely that excuse has lost its shelf life by now.
But the Queen’s cousin Margaret Rhodes did say that the Queen holds childhood as ‘sacrosanct’ and perhaps this plays into the raising of Prince George. Her father was, in a way, in Williams’s position during her early years (til age 10) (as was his father the future George V at the time of most of his children’s childhood). The heir after the heir. The Yorks did some duties and tours but mostly they and the girls were out of sight. They had a London residence and a country one (where they spent most of their time) at the Royal Lodge, Windsor. Margaret Rhodes says the Queen holds this time in very high regard–and that it wasn’t something she was able to repeat because of her father’s ill health and early death. Perhaps she doesn’t mind obliging William. She has Charles next in line and it really should be (an increasingly is) him picking up the slack. I think Charles does keep them away to an extent–not because of jealousy or overshadowing but because it is now his time to step in. He isn’t monarch but his parents are getting older and he’s assuming more of the responsibilities he will eventually have. Someone referred to it as a long transition of power rather than the normal abrupt change when a monarch dies. Now one can argue that W&K are perfectly happy to sit back but I don’t think it’s something upsetting to Charles or the Queen–or even that unusual amongst the next-to-the-next in line.
Kori: Her father was in Harry’s position and she was in Beatrice’s position until 10yrs old when her uncle abdicated.
Until the abdication, there was no reason to believe her father or HM herself would ever take the throne. Her uncle, though a bachelor, was expected to marry and have kids who would go on to inherit. The abdication changed all that and HM’s predicted life.
Without the abdication, HM would be in the same position that the Kents and the Gloucesters currently occupy.
Re: the Malta Myth holds that HM took off to Malta immediately after her wedding and did nothing for the following 2yrs except be with Philip. This revisionist history takes no account of the actual dates involved or any work that she may have done during that time frame. She simply sat in Malta for 2yrs.
That is the version that is trotted out by the media and beloved of WK fans to explain their decisions as far as their royal life.
That and pretending Diana did no work at all (or very little of it) until that Aids patient photo to explain Kate’s lacklustre work record.
Finally a theory that makes sense. Just because Will and Kate are frivolous and ambivalent doesn’t mean that the rf machinery as a whole isn’t in agreement about this course of action. To paint absolutely everything the Cambridges do with evil, scheming brush strokes is tiresome and illogical, imo.
Kori
+1000
Willnot had 3+ years with waity golddigger doolittle before P George, there was NO difference to spending luxury vacations and workless to his duty HM and the people.
Ellen
I see what your saying and agree with para that at Willnot age, there is no excuse for workless Willnot and Waity doolittle shopper spending taxpayers money and granted all for workless to duty.!
King Harry (Henry)
They are 32 years old and 13 years into this relationship. Of the working royals only Andrew, Edward, and Sophie are below retirement age. No matter what happened in the past, W&K need to man up NOW.
@LAK No, her father was in the position William is in from roughly 1923 (when he became Duke of York and married) to early 1936 when his brother died. His father had wretched health (almost dying in 1928/29) and passed most duties onto the Prince of Wales. The next heir *at that point* was the Duke of York. I didn’t mean it strictly speaking (ie that the Duke of York was the son of the Prince of Wales) just that he was the next after him to inherit. It was increasingly clear that the Prince of Wales may not marry (and the King was increasingly hoping he wouldn’t) as he was already over 40 when he became King. So his position was not like Harry’s. Harry’s position is more analogous to the Duke of Kent. The Yorks carried out a larger share than they would have if the King had been healthy but, for the most part, were allowed to live quieter lives in Piccadilly and White Lodge. All this is well-documented in bios on Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II–authorized and non-authorized.
As for Malta–I documented the dates that she was there. It was roughly half of the 2 year time period (July 1949-July 1951) that Philip spent there. Her longest periods in England were a) while she was in her last trimester and not carrying out duties and b) the beginning of 1951 when he father’s health was seriously failing and even Philip was recalled from Malta. It’s not a ‘myth’ that she was there. It’s just not that she lived there full-time. But it’s equally a ‘myth’ that she made 4 brief visits to him. They had a life there–also well-documented.
LAK,
HM was on the cover of Time magazine as a small child. I would imagine there was some public thought of her as the heir.
If the above theory has validity, what century are the RF living in?
Lest we forget, things have changed a bit over the past almost 100 years since the days of the Yorks. Whatever occurred then has little relevance for the present. The BRF needs to justify its existence these days; multimedia and changing values have helped see to that. And they don’t call themselves ‘The Firm’ for nothing.
Wills acts like a playboy who breezes in and out of the business depending on which way the wind blows. And he’s not learning the business, either. Bottomline is: what justifies the obscene expense to the taxpayers of supporting what is, in essence, a hedonistic aristo lifestyle, and someone who lies continuously about it? He sounds like a poor risk and a poor investment to me. It also makes him shady as hell.
Kori: very interesting perspective. I didn’t know anything about how the Queen’s childhood was before her uncle abdicated and she became second in line. It is a plausible explanation for her indulgence with William and Kate. They really are in a similar position, as at that time her uncle had no children (and they didn’t appear to be forthcoming) so she remained in direct line for the throne. People always say that it was the abdication that put Elizabeth on the throne, but her uncle never had any children, so regardless of the abdication she would have been where she is now.
Thanks for breaking down the time she was in Malta too – even if she wasn’t living there full time for two years, as is screamed every time someone mentions her time in Malta, it doesn’t mean that she doesn’t look fondly on that time and wish she had more somewhat “normal” time when she was newly married (and therefore be ok with her grandson getting that opportunity).
Dame: agree 100%
Kori: I think you are misunderstanding my point which isn’t different from your point.
I don’t disagree with your point or evidence regarding HM’s time in Malta. What I was pointing out is that a myth has been built up around it such that she was in Malta for 2yrs straight, without duties, and no consequences. The other poster didn’t go to details though there comments are being interpreted to mean that HM visited only briefly. She visited 4 times, for months at a time, which is different from saying she lived there for 2yrs ie 24months, wouldn’t you agree?
Further, the myth holds that she decamped to Malta immediately after her marriage when it’s a fact that Philip was stationed there from 1949 rather than from 1947.
The point we are making about the myth, is that this revisionist history that we are calling a myth is used as the reason that WK can’t possibly take up royal duties and need to hide out in the country….they need to work on their marriage like HM and Philip did, nevermind that they had 8yrs prior to their wedding, half of which they were living together as opposed to HM and Philip who never lived together before marriage and didn’t embark on their Malta journey until 2yrs into their marriage. Funny that POW and Diana were never allowed to enjoy their marriage on account of HM’s ‘2yr sojourn in Malta with no duties’. Ditto Sarah and Andrew. Ditto any of HM’s own children.
Regarding the status of HM’s father vs the them POW. I don’t disagree with the facts, but I do disagree with interpretation. As the king’s health deteriorated, his sons had to take on duties. The fact that the heir was still a bachelor is what gave more significance to the spare, but the spare was still treated like a spare and given more freedom to raise his family in somewhat more ‘normal’ for aristocrat children circumstances. As long as the heir remained a bachelor, then the next heir and their family seemed important. Sort of how we regard William and Harry right now except that the situation is reversed and the heir has a son whilst the spare has none. In due course, Harry despite his current high profile will be relegated and his descendants will be in the minor royal leagues UNLESS William steps away (or abdicates in his time) and takes his descendants with him.
Going back to HM’s pre abdication status, IF POW had married a suitable woman and not abdicated, he would have been expected to provide an heir (and spare) which would have relegated the Duke of York and his family to also rans and minor royal leagues.
And it’s not a foregone conclusion that they thought this wouldn’t happen even when he abdicated because they took the trouble to include a line that *removed any future children/descendants who would have had precedence over HM.
Without the abdication, and some children to the POW, the Duke of York and his family would have sank into irrelevance just like the families of the Kents and the Gloucesters all of whom are descended from younger siblings (3rd and 4th) of the Duke of York (HM’s father) and POW (ex-King).
*when Matilda abdicated, she only agreed on condition her son would take the throne after Stephen rather than stephen’s own kids. You can see why the removal was added to the abdication instrument…..
Dame Snarkweek
That’s a bit far, no? I’d say at best they’re great examples of entitlement and apathy. Not scheming their next evil move. I think the palace is keeping the peace, but isn’t in support. That’s only my opinion since no one can know yet.
Personally, I think true evil has apathy for an essential trait. Also, they’re not questioning their gifted horse/endless money. It simply appears without work. They can’t continue this behavior, but I wonder how long they’ll take it.
I don’t see how the Queen & Charles would be able to control W&K without it becoming very public & causing some kind of tabloid scandal. The latter are in their 30s. What are the Q & C supposed to do? Cut off any more money? W already has his own money. Lecture W&K? Then what? I don’t think there’s much Q &C can do especially since W will be King one day. So he has some power in this situation.
Because I don’t believe the Q & C like the negative publicity created by W&K, I doubt they approve of everything that the latter are doing. But again, they don’t have complete control over them.
Helen LAK,
HM father was like P Andrew of York before Ed abdication. HM would not have been monarch.
Get rid of Wiilnot and Waity golddigger shoppress doolittle before the Constitutional crisis.
King Henry (Harry)!
Edward didn’t have any children, so while it was less certain that her father would be King, he was still in direct line to the throne and so was Elizabeth. Prince Andrew was only in the same position as the Queen and her father until William was born when he was 22.
LNG/Pippa M (ha!): I keep using Harry, but you are right, Andrew is the better example. And it doesn’t take away from my argument that the minute he has now sank into irrelevance because of William, PGtips and Harry.
At this point, we are playing a game of what ifs because the decision is already behind us, but HM’s significance would have been relevant only as long as her uncle had no children just as Andrew became irrelevant the minute William was born and just as Harry is now irrelevant due to PGtips.
And IF her uncle hadn’t abdicated, married right and had children, HM would be as irrelevant as Beatrice.
REW
+1M Ma corella middlekardashion creation.
Megan, exactly
So they finally AGREE workless Waity doonothing
Do nothing for GB UK Commonwealth and subjects! Hence, the trip with Willnot to Belgium.
Workless Waity will have more time to shop for her family, spending tax payers funds. While the many nannies for every hour take care of PG.
These two will surely bring shame to the BRF, Princess Di work ethics who Willnot is alreadyu unrecognizable thanks to the ma carole and family). That they secure permanent freeload hangers on status. King Henry!
William may have his own money, but he never spends it. Ever. That would be quite an adjustment for him.
Time for King Henry!
At least he’s working an actual job? Idk. I don’t consider “Royal work” real work, so, to me, this is a step up.
It remains to be seen whether he does any work. His office kept up the charade of his hard working RAF job only for it to emerge that he nearly lost his wings due to less than minimum effort…….
He resigned his RAF job to be a full time royal and father only for it to emerge (from Kate no less) that he was barely around during PGtips’s first few months AND of course his low list of royal/charity engagements.
Not to mention his bespoke Cambridge course that was undertaken so that he could start managing/attending to the Duchy of Cornwall as his father transitions into an unofficial regency role……currently crickets about that.
And now…..this!
The big take away is that every new ‘job’ he takes on is launched with great fanfare only for it to pater (sp?) out a few months later.
This is what I’m thinking. Rescue pilot sounds like a risky job. Honestly, if he were putting in 12/12 shifts (that’s how they do it, right?), doing high drama rescues and whatever else is involved with the job, I’d be impressed.
(aside: I think it’s “peter out”)
Bettyrose: thanks for the correction. I was too lazy to google the correct spelling. 🙂
During Prince George’s first few months he was still in the RAF, was he not? I thought that the reference to him not being around a lot at that time was because he was working?
You seriously dislike him, why?
@LNG. William was stationed in Wales with RAF/SAR (Search and Rescue). Kate Middleton and PGTips were presumably living with him in the house in Wales. So why is it that William saw little of PGTips for the first six months of his life? He was going home every night to the farmhouse, wasn’t he? They refused to live on the base and insisted on the privacy (and extensive extra security costs) of living off base in the farmhouse.
KM was papped frequently (3x a week) shopping in London when we were told that she was living in Wales being a full-time wife (and then mother). Did William sneak away from Wales and continue hanging out doing hunting and surfing weekends with his friends? He was on a hunting weekend the day before the christening, right? Did Kate Middleton leave Wales and live with her parents in Berkshire for six months, rather than the six weeks that was in the press (at $17,000 a day in additional security costs). Lends credence to the idea that they live separate lives when nobody is looking.
The excuse with this latest dodge (I mean “job”) is that he says he wants to be a full-time father and be closer to his family. He could do royal duties every day and come home to them at Kensington, so that’s no excuse. He had already been working a job where he was able to be home every night, but his wife is on record stating that he wasn’t around very much for the first six months. Will he live at the airbase in Cambridge rather than with his family at Sandringham? Time will tell.
notasugarhere: I think he stayed on base when he was working – I recall reading that at some point, but I can’t remember where. I can’t remember if it said their shifts were week on week off or 5 on 4 off or what, but I do recall reading that they worked 24 hours shifts and he stayed on base when he was on duty.
They certainly do spend a lot of time apart, but that doesn’t seem that unusual for many members of the RF/”upper class” (ie: rich people, haha).
This move just doesn’t irritate me that much. He is doing something, he is donating his salary to charity (so I guess technically he is doing charity work full time now, haha). Do I wish he would apply himself more to the typical full time royal duties? Yup! But that’s mostly because I’m interested in seeing them out more – I like reading about them and participating in these discussions.
Here’s my prediction for their plan for the next few years: William works mostly full time, with more regular royal duties than we saw while he was at the RAF, but not a lot more. One big overseas tour per year and one shorter one. Kate continues her light schedule and gets pregnant around 6 months from now. Has the baby in late 2015/early 2016. Maternity leave follows for 1 year until 2017ish when William’s contract is up. Move to KP and ramp up of royal duties starts when contract ends.
@LNG. Even if he stayed on base during those 24 hour shifts, that would still be 2 or 3 days of work a week. What did he do with the other 4-5 days per week that he 1) wasn’t working but 2) wasn’t spending time with KM and PGTips?
He has already stated that he wants to extend past the original contract, so we’re looking 2019/2020 before there is any sign of royal work out of them.
Yes, I agree. If he does this job for real, then good for him. It has to be awful leading his life; I truly feel sorry for him. He is miserable. As for the press dodge, doesn’t he hate all those people? Why are they even bothering to feign shock and hurt that they would be lied to by someone who despises the fact that they even exist in the first place?
He can choose to step aside at any time. The longer he ducks his responsibilities the more difficult it will be for him to embrace them in the long run. His inability to follow basic protocol at the events in Belgium the other day showcase how little he has learned about his REAL job. (Walked ahead of the King of Belgium, ignored the King of Spain, etc. ). Heir-to-the-Heir Willy, that makes you and your wife the least important royals at the event.
A monolingual helicopter pilot with a undergrad in geography is NOT preparing in any way to be king, no matter how sugars try to slice it.
To paraphrase what I wrote a few weeks ago, if his “passion” was cataloging rare fish species he’d be using that as an excuse. Hiding in Norfolk pretending to fly helicopters is not a noble move. It is an obvious, petulant, spoiled, entitled, immature move – not a noble one.
@ Made of Stars — I cannot feel sorry for him or anyone in his position. He has every advantage in life* and could make almost anything he wants to out of his life. He could have gone to any school, chosen nearly any career, helped any number of other people through charity and bringing awareness to causes…but he chooses not to. That his his choice. He is to blame for his own misery.
*Obviously I’m not speaking of losing a parent, which is terrible and no amount of money or privilege would make better. I’m speaking of his self-chosen “misery” and view that he leads some terrible, difficult, burdened life. He doesn’t. He is spoiled beyond belief and has every advantage and privilege in life. He needs to grow up.
All MO, obviously…
notasugarhere – some very good points!
@Made of Stars – “It has to be awful leading his life; I truly feel sorry for him. He is miserable.”
Ummmm…. #FIRSTWORLDPROBLEMS
Are you kidding me?! Awful?! AWFUL?! There are people in this world living on less than a $1/day; there are sex trafficking victims; there are child soldiers; there are people living there lives day in and day out with no hope. We have soldiers who have fought for their country but can’t get adequate; we have mothers and fathers working two jobs just to stay afloat…. I could go on about people in TRULY awful positions (and probably take less pity on themselves). No doubt his life/position has pros and cons, but when he jets off to Mustique, Verbier, etc. I’m sure it all comes back into perspective.
I know this came off strong, but I felt strongly about the wording used. While his position may not be envious to everyone, it’s FAR from awful.
EDIT: This is no shade to Prince William. While he begrudgingly accepts his position, I have no doubt that he has perspective on the situation. He’s smart enough to know that things could be MUCH worse.
nota,
I did see a picture of him speaking with Felipe at the event. But otherwise I agree – it must be embarrassing to go to foreign events and not be able to even exchange pleasantries/simple conversation in the language of your hosts.
W&K ignored Felipe when he entered the platform. Others rose and greeted the second highest ranking royal there (Felipe was only outranked by King Philippe at this event). William spoke with Felipe later, only after King Felipe VI graciously approached the heir to the heir and his extraneous wife.
@notasugarhere,
Speaking of ‘extraneous’- it looked like no one brought spouses to the commemoration in Belgium except Willy. What’s up with that?
nota,
I didn’t see that, thanks. Shame, considering their fathers were close.
hmmm,
Hollande has a complicated love life, Letizia was taking the girls on vacation (Felipe flew to meet them there), and Stephanie doesn’t work. Am I missing anyone?
Looks like spouses weren’t invited. Mathilde was there as the spouse of the host.
nsugar – Here is video of Felipe arriving on the VIP platform.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJrGjgXmjTc
IF W&K did not recognize Felipe that’s a shame. But MO is that a much bigger concern is the duo’s lack of preparedness. Their staff should have briefed them on the senior dignitaries they would encounter that day.
In the video, I’m not certain, but judging the looks on William and Kate’s faces, they do not appear to recognize F.
MinnFinn, William has known Felipe since Wm was a child. We all recognize Felipe, so what on earth is the excuse for KM not recognizing him when she is more “part of that world” than we are?
I do not blame the staff for W&K’s lack of preparation, I blame the two lazies who cannot be bothered to read the basic prep docs that were no doubt prepared for them by their 27 staff.
That video is so embarrassing. It almost looks like Kate leans over to ask Hollande who Felipe is. Not only has William known him since he was a little boy, the BBC had extensive coverage of his father’s abdication and his ascension. If they followed world/European affairs, he should have been easily recognizable this summer.
These two! Dumb question… Who are some of the royal beat journalists? Def. want to follow them on Twitter!!
Me, too!
Look up: Richard Palmer, Rebecca English, Camilla Towney, Richard Jobson, Victoria Arbiter. For vintage gossip, look up Jennie Bond. Her Snarky asides to current events are gold.
Thanks LAK! And I think you mean Robert Jobson?
Yes! Sharon. I kept thinking Richard is someone entirely different. Once again, didn’t double check. Thanks for correction. 🙂
This all reminds me of the story of when he was a boy and he said he wanted to be a cop and Harry was like, “You have to be King.”
He’s delusional or something. He really believes he can live in a mansion and be a the normal blue collar worker. Optically, it makes him look ridiculous.
All this is for him to play pretend. Its a joke like making fun of people’s livelihood.
They wouldn’t begin to know how to live on blue collar salaries—despite Kate’s “thriftiness .”
Talia,
+1m
Willy think he is above us until petition start to remove his line, we will be stuck with a worthless I mean workless lazy willnot and Waity doolitille Cannot qabusing taxpayers for their indulgence freeloading.
Dany, +B
Also what make POW PC and his heir – King Harry, to think they have decades to be ready to head GB UK Commonwealth, the monarch.
POW PC could die today or before HM!
God Save HM the Queen.
I think Tallie is right. Will is psychologically damaged somehow, probably from dealing with his mother’s emotional problems during his youth. He seemed to be her emotional caretaker even when he was young from what I read. He is not really suited for the job of King; And I remember an interview where Diana said, “Don’t underestimate Harry. William doesn’t want to be King.” William doesn’t. He wants to be a pilot and live well in private. And in that spirit, he married a more common girl who played house with him and he got close with her common family because he wants a simple but expensive life. He will wander until he has to be King if he does. And he made a mistake with Kate because in spite of her humble beginnings, the Middletons enjoy the rich posh famous life style. They maybe more down to earth at home, but they like the status and would not like it if William abdicated. If he married his friend in Africa, then he might have had the support to just let Harry have it. I could be wrong about this. However, it is my opinion. And he’s lazy because he doesn’t like the royal work. Kate is just lazy.
He resigned a part time pilot job, took a gap yah! to rethink his options, only to become a part time pilot again?!
Maybe he realized he really liked being a pilot after all? This 30 somethings and their quarter life crises lol.
LAK, do you have any idea where I can find how much the British taxpayers pay towards the monarchy? When I look it up all I see is that the monarchy receives the Sovereign Grant and they allocate their expenses from that, which was approximately $37 million pounds this year.
Someone: the true cost of the royals is hidden by smoke and mirrors and isn’t fully in the public forum eg The Sovereign grant is one of the ways they charge tax payers. The other strands that aren’t included in the sovereign grant, but are still charged to the tax payers aren’t immediately apparent because they appear in the budgets of other government depts eg security showing up in the general policing budgets and not included in the general ‘they only cost 50p’ calculation.
The republic movement has a very good try at pulling all the different strands together. Their website is http://www.republic.org.uk
LAK, You’re right, hidden costs everywhere and trying to pull them all together is a monumental task. Some examples:
– Security at every residence, whether or not royals are there
– Million pound security upgrade to the Wales farmhouse. I’m still convinced security upgrades at Midd Manor were foisted off on taxpayers too.
– I’ve read that the RPOs are $250,000 a year each, not including overtime and travel. KM had nine with her at a recent family wedding.
– 27 office staff in London to organize W&K’s pathetic schedule
– Pre-vacation security checks (salary, overtime, meals, travel costs)
– Helicopter trips at $25,000 each way
– Costs to local councils every time the royals visit are paid by the local council but should be factored in
– Local security costs (ex. the $17,000 a day in added security when she runs home to Berkshire, enormous extra costs in Wales)
The $500,000 honeymoon gives a *hint* as to what the royal roadshow costs.
Gap yah = evrything.
So will KP still have staff?
Can’t be lettin’ it go to cobwebs, can we?
Are royal staff also paid by the taxpayer?
I wonder if staff falls into general upkeep of a public building. If so then yes.
Ha! Presumably they won’t “close” it…must always be kept at the ready for the one London engagement of the week (month), or for when Kate decides to come to town for her shopping.
He’ll be doing 6 months training and the “job” doesn’t start until earliest Spring 2015. During which they’ll do less than the bare minimum of royal duties. This contract will go through Spring/Summer 2017 and he wants to extend it past that. No excuse or reason for Kate Middleton to keep with her workshy ways during this time. The new helicopter lease means she can fly to royal engagements every day, but obviously there will be no significant work for KM for at least 5 years either. How long before she is papped 3x a week in London again?
“Although sources stress that William’s decision to re-train as an air ambulance pilot has the unwavering support of the Queen, his father, Prince Charles, and of his wife, the second in line to the throne is also likely to face accusations of ‘dithering’.” Everything else in the article is direct quotes on record, but no direct quote on record from HM or POW. Meaning, “full support” because Billy the Basher threw a tantrum and threatened to walk again. Welcome back, Spinmaster JLoP.
“‘It is a very close-knit crew with the pilot operating closely with the doctor and paramedic so we need a strong team in every operation we go on.’” EAAA throwing down the gauntlet and letting William know publicly that they know about his real “work” record at SAR. EAAA will not be under the same obligations as the military to hide William’s behavior. Too easy for outsiders to track what is really happening in Norfolk vs. Wales.
I just think that it is outrageous that the company had to create a job because the recalcitant princeling suddenly decided he wanted to be an ambulance pilot. It is nice that his salary will be donated to charity, but I can’t helpt but think that having to create a salaried position at a time when they weren’t looking for new staff must have some effect on the company’s budget.
Great question about where this money comes from for their budget, wonder if Charles will make a ‘donation’ to cover the salary?
I let a lot go here for William. A lot! This though I just can’t. He takes a part time job or quits that job for transition years/vacations. What we see is William makes it all or nothing. If he is working a part time position tailored to how little he’ll actually be working he can’t find time to do any royal work. And even though Kate will not be in this part time job she will also withdraw from royal work. Ugh.
I hope they do expose Willy’s wily ways. I pity the crew.
I also caught the part about him not starting actual work until Spring 2015. And if there’s a delay due to the annual Middleton Maldives trek, it might even be longer.
So that’s about 6 months time-off. Wow – it is mind-boggling that he gets away with it.
ok but what about his bespoke agriculture course? Did he finish? There was a photo op when he had his first day. All good PR… Duke of Cambridge “studies” in Cambridge… And then? He started the first week and then he went on several mini-vacation trips without Kate and baby. But the course? No news if he completed? No new photo op? Ok of course he has that certificate. William cannot fail, they will give him every certificate and job he wants.
I’m pretty sure they said at the beginning that it was a 6 week course. I’ve just assumed he’s finished it.
right? what is going on over there with him? I thought he HAD a job, but quit it to take on royal duties? now he’s decided he’d rather have a 9 to 5 again? So confused with these two.
Lainey wrote a piece about pap photos of him in Cambridge being squashed because he looked really miserable in them.
I thought he didn’t complete the course and was often not in attendance. It was simply forgotten about and never spoken of. I would think if he did complete it would have been announced to say he had something to show for his time.
I was just looking up something else when I came across an article from Williams’s initial RAF training. And wouldn’t you know, they designed a “bespoke” course for him at that time? Best laugh I’ve had all day.
Plus ça change….
The PR excuses are a continuous laff riot.
The spin on this one will be that the move will allow the newly weds to raise and grow a family (cue pictures of a rosy cheeked cherub looking George). It will allow them the autonomy to do that (which means to allow Kate an opportunity to learn what she should have when she was working her internship as William’s girlfriend AND which also means William can dodge his duties and hide behind an “honorable” job).
This is simply an attempt to dodge the spotlight (and obligations) while quietly continuing to sup from the platter of princely privilege.
Last thing: if Harry’s star continues to rise in terms of public esteem, while the Cambridge’s star continues to arc downward, it will be interesting how that “conflict” will be played out and/or mitigated.
Great post! It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming year.
conflict? did I miss something juicy?
Yeah, I think you definitely have it right.
You are spot on with your analysis. He’s fooling no one.
I would think Prince Charles for one would like this plan. Prince Charles knows what it is like to be told you can’t have a job and must only do royal duties – and then be stuck doing that for 50+ years waiting to inherit the throne. He’s admitted as much in interviews. If Charles lives to be at least 88 like his mother William is looking at 25 years to do Royal work before he becomes King. That’s more like a marathon than a sprint. Why not let them dip their toe in now and work up to it once William is actually the Prince of Wales? If there was a true Royal shortage for events you know they’d press William and Kate to do more. Maybe they are fine with what Camilla and Charles and the Queen are handling already (not to mention Edward/Sophie and Andrew etc)?
Then stop spending millions of the taxpayers’ money while you gad about, all the while lying to them.
I bet that people wouldn’t give a flip about what he does, if it weren’t on their dime.
Indeed, wolfpup.
I hear through journo rumor mill, PW won’t even be living with Kate except for 3 days a week if that.
He is quietly going to try to stay in some AirA. housing during the week.
Wanna bet she ends up seeing her mum, more than Pr.Willie.
This is William back to pre Pr.George days, where he hid out in Anglesey and did his helicopter thing, while Kate slipped off to mummy’s house and William dropped in when needed or for good photo-op.
Ingrid Sewerd once said William is very sneaky. This is just a move for William to be out of the public eye and do his own thing and not have to be fulltime Royal. He knows Kate won’t complain, she likes her position, monies and title too much.
Francis
That sounds like normal behavior of them. William always finds another place to live and Kate moves back in with her parents and enjoys the London shops.
Remember all those articles about William post RAF enjoying time with baby George? Only to find out via Kate William was barely around during that timespan. Yea. This is all a distraction.
Co piloting is used and excuse for lazy Willy and workless doolittle shoppress Cannot! These two with freeloaders social climbers middlekardashion will be the downfall of BRF!
Imagine if POW die before HM. King Henry and the Yorks B*E will be the next savior for the House of Windsor.
He is really a spoiled, nasty little piece of work. He is taking a salary – which is completely funded by charitable donations to the air ambulance – and then will donate it to a charity of his choice (probably his own) so he gets a nice big pat on the back and tax write-off. Sick. He should have done this as a volunteer.
I hope the royal press corp continues to flay him for this. A gap year(s), a made-up bespoke course (which he may not have even finished), the lightest royal workload in the family, and now a job made out of thin air just for the poor little royal orphan boy who just can’t accept being the future king of England.
He really needs to step out of line and go live in anonymity in the country. They probably wont, but QEII and Charles could go at any minute (i.e. you never know what could happen) and Willy will not change his lazy ways overnight. I’m kind of shocked that senior royals are letting him get away with so much and behave in a way that will ultimately (IMO) be seriously detrimental to the monarchy. IMO, he will be its downfall…
Except he’s not an orphan by any stretch. But still, no need to bash him because he lost his mother.
Not defending the comment, but trying to figure it out..
Maybe it was meant to highlight how he acts like he’s owed something for the loss of his mother. Funny enough you don’t hear him talking about Charles as a parent. Harry does. William seems more to remind the public of who his mother was so cut him some slack like he’s all alone in the world…?
You misunderstand. I am not bashing him AT ALL for losing his parent (see my previous post as well). I would never bash someone for losing their parent/mother.
I was implying that this is how he seems himself. IMO he sees himself as someone who is to be pitied and forgiven anything and everything because he lost his parent. Many, many people lose their parents when they are young children and still go on to lead full and satisfying and worthy lives.
And I agree he isn’t an orphan since he still has his father. Again, this was my view of how he sees himself. I think that after Diana died he was spoiled and given everything by a guilt-ridden Charles…and this has created a monster of an adult. Someone who doesn’t take his position seriously and isn’t making the most of the very, very privileged life he lives.
Charles is a whiney-ass too. Poor Charles, he has to “wait” for the throne… Most people would simply want their mother alive!
I also wonder about all the royals who get an additional workload. Are they supportive, or would they rather not work, but lie by a pool, and have fabulous vacations; cosseted by the public? Who else gets to make the choices of Will and Kate?
Will and Kate always look like the cat who has had all the cream.
And she can’t work because….
From the twitter of Rebecca English @RE_DailyMail
“What does this mean for Kate? She will continue with her small portfolio of work, I am told, & focus on ‘being a mother’. No rise in duties”
She was spotted out walking George this week (which she hasn’t been in several months), and I can’t help but wonder if that was in anticipation of this announcement.
I heard no uproar of privacy so it must have been staged and approved.
Apparently taken a few weeks ago and just now seeing the light of day.
I don’t see how donating his salary (a tax write off) …. that comes from a job position at a charity that was not actually available (thus probably not in their budget) is a charitable thing.
His PR are working this hard to make this a bonus for him. He’s an average guy. Hes donating to charity!
When his contact is up in 2+ years both his grandparents will be well into their 90s. I’m glad he could be an average tax funded millionaire guy, while his grandparents work hard till the grave to ensure he’s got a thrown to sit on… you know when he’s “ready”
Agree. Too many inconsistencies in this story to make any real sense of why this organization would even “hire” him and pay for his training.
Sometimes I think that Bill needs to be hidden away as much as wifey. They are a complete embarrassment. Unfortunately they haven’t figured that out yet. I read about the European royals who speak 3+ languages and have advanced degrees (not history of art), Understand protocal, behave appropriately ….
These two are their own worst enemies. Love of the press gets their pictures in all the magazines but it also brings intense scrutiny. So now their vanity has brought attention to their failings.
Maybe it would be best if the RF hides them away so the rest of the world doesn’t have to see their gurning faces. It would come at a price, though the peasants could pay it.
Nothing wrong with a degree in art history. Let’s not go down that road. The issue many take with Kate’s university education is that she went more for her MRS and seems to have retained little to no knowledge of art history at all. This has been demonstrated numerous times in public.
And a top favorite poster of mine is ArtHistorian. They show how well art history is useful today and is an important part of general history.
Now underwater basket weaving? Yea, it’s a useless degree.
And one would think that with a degree in History of Art, Kate would take this opportunity to really get to know the Royal Collection, but I don’t think she has.
Off on a tangent, but I think the QM and Prince Philip were both gatekeepers – they ran a tight ship and became more royal than the royals, which helped in many ways to protect the family. I think Diana could have filled this role, if she had been nurtured and things had gone differently. But I haven’t seen this in Kate, and I think that was a mistake on Williams’s part. He married a yes-woman instead of someone duty-bound, and in doing so he lacks a partner who will push against his childish instincts.
Thanks FLORC!
I’m really happy that you like my posts – I always find these threads funnier and more intersting when they veer away from Will and Kate.
I was actually a little offended about the thowaway oon art history because there seemed to be an implied judgement that this isn’t a legitimate source of research. I debated commenting but really didn’t want it too seems as if I was having a hissy fit.
However, I really annoys me when Kate’s background in art history is brought up as something that is evidence that she never meant to do anything with her education. sadly, it seems (often in the English speaking world) that art history is a fluff degree for wealthy women who want to while away the time. For some it undoubtedly is, I have met my share of hat-ladies (that’s what we called these wealthy women at my department). However, I didn’t meet a single one of this type when I did my MA at University of Leeds – but that place doesn’t really fit into the posh circles. It is, however, a good place to study art history if you want to combine it with cultural studies and branch outside of traditional art history. There’s also some interesting research coming out of Bristol University. And the Courtauld Institute in London is perhaps the most prestigious place to study art history in Britain though it is much more conservative than Bristol or Leeds.
My point is, one’s engagment and work in any field of study is what you make of it, and that comes down to one’s talent, passion and work-discipline. Kate doesn’t seem to be very interested in the arts – and she has never used her education professionally. Granted, it is only a BA and that doesn’t really count for much in terms of job opportunities, it certainly doesn’t in Denmark – and even you do a MA it is essential to have relevant work experience while studying. Fx at times I had 2-3 jobs (not full-time) while studying to gain work experience as well a as professional network. I didn’t pay for my education (it is free) and had a government stipend.
What I really love about my field is that there are really many, many opportunities to expand the research field by connecting to other disciplines – like history, cultural analysis, archeology, anthropology, the social sciences, technological history, etc. It simply comes down to thinking creatively about things. Right now, I’ve started looking into how 19th century narrative painting (especially history painting) has and is influencing film-making. Fx Alfred Hitchcock used a reproduction of the Biblical story of Susanna and the Elders who spied upon her in the bath as a prelude (with thematic resonances) to the iconic shower scene in Psycho (I even wrote an article aboutsome of these elements).
AM,
I would seriously love to get access to the Royal Collection. Do they put on exhibitions on a regular basis? Because they really have a lot of material – royal portraits, renaissance drawing, history painting, etc.
They actually have many works (both finished and studies) by one of the artists I specialize in: Laurits Tuxen. A Danish painter that ended up portraying most of the European RFs during the late 19th century.
His family portrait of Queen Victoria and family (in Royal Coll.)
http://www.skagensmuseum.dk/uploads/pics/TRC.jpg
And his most famous royal portrait of the Dansih RF and their in-laws: the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) and Zar Alexander III of Russia, children and grand-children:
http://kongehuset.dk/materialemappe/gallerier/2013/november-december/nyt-portrat-af-den-kongelige-familie/nyt-portrat-af-den-kongelige-familie-2.img
AH,
I don’t have the answers, but I would assume it’s like most other things they own – some are displayed from time to time, some are never seen. And presumably Kate has some level of private access.
And what’s unfortunate (for Kate) is that you said more in that one comment than I have ever heard her say about art. Seriously, even when people say she’s well-prepared, I have yet to hear anyone repeat an intelligent comment or question about art from her.
Hello Arthistorian
Royal Collections…..I’ve rambled before that I want Charles to turn these artworks over to the nation upon accession. Easier said than done of course, but an imaginative energy could push such a project.
I worked as a curator, and often dealt with owners of great collections, and I must say it was amazingly easy to arrange loans from the royal collection, and there were never outrageous ‘riders’ attaching to contracts.
But about William…..the more I read here, the more I form peculiar notions about the Cambridges. Is he not quite as alert as he should be? I mean an actual impairment? (Though flying helicopters while you daydream’s a pretty grim idea) Tis just that he ‘reads’ here, daily, as so egregiously wrong in everything he does, it makes you wonder if part of Kate’s role is as ‘keeper’. Gulp.
But as LAK memorably said….it isn’t a popularity contest, so the people’s darling, Harry, can’t be selected by ‘Royal Idol’ voters!
Chris,
That sounds really interesting – did you work with a specific institution?
I wrote the article about Tuxen for an exhibition that currently is shown at Skagen Museum, of which he was a co-founder: http://www.skagensmuseum.dk/en/frontpage/
It is about Tuxen’s oeuvre in general, but there are a couple of articles on his work as a royal portrait painter. Sadly, I couldn’t attend the opening but the museum did secure at least two of his portraits from the Royal Collection.
The Royal Collection has a very nice web-site: http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/
– and it appears that they actually a number of activites and exhibitions, which offers the public an opportunity to see some of the treasures and learn about art and history. That collection really has some wonderful treasures – like Francois Clouet’s portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots (ca. 1558). I love Clouet’s portraiture, especially his drawings because you get a real feeling of both the looks and the personalities of the important people he portrayed. His style is very much like Holbein’s, who was another very interesting royal portrait painter.
Arthistorian
Yes, a public museum/gallery in England. By God your work’s what sounds interesting, green with envy! 18th history painting was one area I worked in for ages, and the high spots were always the opportunities for academic research.
Re film…just a little thing: I was with an Irish gallery in the 90s when a long-lost Caravaggio turned up in Dublin and the world turned upside down. Imagine my surprise when, a short way into the movie of The Da Vinci Code, we see that same Caravaggio on the wall behind a bunch of Vatican plotters at Castel Gandolfo. I’m sure there’s a carefully cloaked message there…what larks!
None of which has a ruddy thing to do with Prince William……apologies for waffling
ArtHistorian and Chris – Aside from the RAC public exhibitions, are you saying they never grant access to their document archives and/or stored artifacts to scholars who make a specific research request?
Either way, turning the entire collection over to the nation seems like a good if not necessary plan. I’ve read reports of woefully inadequate maintenance/preservation of some of the art collections as well as the historic royal palaces (40% below standard IIRC).
Minnfinn. (Lord knows where this will shoe up)
My experience was that they’re very open to granting loans and access, but I suppose a lot depends on the bona fides of the enquirer.
It’s a great comfort that financial necessity has never (in 300 yrs anyway) forced the sale of the royal collection, since only fabously wealthy individuals could afford any of it. Maintaining great works pn public display is madly expensive, the directors of our great galleries need to fundraise constantly to secure important works for the nation, so funding a museum of the royal collection would never get a second look in Parliament, busy selling all remaining public utilities to wideboys.
But could not a foundation be created for such a museum? Take, say, personal bequests like those inherited by Wills and Harry….make that money work to maintain a huge free institution housed in a sound London building…..County Hall? The important thing would be its independence from Whitehall, who’d choke it given the chance. It should be a gift to the nation from the royal family, funded in perpetuity by a one-off (huge) financial bequest. Admittedly, I haven’t a single clue about the feasibility of any such thing! But greater access could be facilitated almost immediately….open more of the royal palaces for visitors.
Arthistorian…..it hit me belatedly that I know an art/cultural history dept at Leeds…their Centre for Studies in 18th century Culture? Working on an exhib’n and catalogue almost 10 yrs ago, three of our panel of Illuminati were from Leeds. Outstanding contributions, it was the most thrilling project I ever worjed on. Lucky you to have studied there. 🙂
ArtHistorian
This thread really is great when we drift away from the main topic:)
Regarding Kate and her Art History degree. I can’t say if she chose that major to pursue something with it. I can wonder why she doesn’t use that knowledge more. Clothes, art, charities, and refurbishing/decorating. All things she could dive into and take command of with her knowledge. We know she doesn’t because of all the designers and fumbles that came out.
I’m in the mindset of if she had plans to use it, but couldn’t because of her now position why isn’t she even trying to access her education for the little things.
Chris,
The year I studied in Leeds was one of the most intellectually stimulating in my life. I kind of miss that heady aspect of being a student – just diving into new knowledge and doing nothing else but learning and discussing. Alas, then you grow up, finish uni and get a lot more on your plate. It was fun though. A I got to see quite bit of Yorkshire’s cultural/historic treasures as well as using my student discount to see ballet and opera.
Regarding art and movies,
Martin Scorcese’s “The Age of Innocence” is really a very interesting movie to watch in this respect. There’s a lot of art in the background and it actually serve to say something about the different characters. It is also a great movie in itself – beautifully photographed and the costumes are gorgeous.
KING HARRY!!
return wasted funds for security, renovations and start. Towards King HARRY (Henry) Willnot deserve to be removed from monarch heir.
This is how workless Waity doolittle and WillyNot sucker the taxpayers and was already planned before expensivce 4.5MILLION rushed renovations started,
Willy knew they would not stay in view for all to see how ungrateful as future heir to HM P Charles.
Other things had to be put off or on hold while workless Waity doolittle and WILLNOT hang out at the hangers on middlekardashion, spending millions to give in laws a multi million mansion fit for WILLNOT and PG to stay.
They should be required to pay back as this is just another ploy to avoid his duty to GB Commonwealth, the people. REMOVE WILLNOT from the line and start investing in KING HARRY!
Just read that William will be based at Cambridge airport . He will be based at the Airport which to me, means bunking out there to be on the ready if called and probably only get to AnMer a few days a week, if that.
I get the feeling William really doesn’t like living full time with Kate.
I wonder how the other pilots will feel about bunking with Billy.
I think it’s telling that Harry seems to have some military friends, but William does not. I know he invited a few from his base to the wedding, but they were never heard from again.
They will be booking with Willy *and* his protection officers, who will also be trained to do William’s medical part of the job. William has so much help, even when it comes to working.
Travel time from Sandringham to Cambridge Airport: 1 hr 16 minutes
Travel time from London to Cambridge Airport: 1 hr 19 minutes
The reason they had to abandon the 57 room Kensington Palace digs and move to Sandringham is?
Wowza!
notasugarhere
Are those travel times by helicopter or car? Because that makes the difference.
Drive time between those general locations according to google maps.
FLORC
It’s by car. 1 hr 16 min seems like a very optimistic estimate but anyway:
It’s 69 miles/111 kilometers from London (KP) to Cambridge airport
and 52 miles/84 km from Sandringham estate to Cambridge airport
Roughly the same time involved even though distances are different. I haven’t driven the route. My guess is highways between London and Cambridge airport vs. some smaller roads for part of the trip from Sandringham to Cambridge airport.
If he is going to bunk at the airport, and be 2-3 days on, 4-5 days off like before, where’s the justification in moving to Anmer? To save 10 minutes either way on the drive twice a week?
Geez, notasugarhere, why do they have to outright lie?
Because they know no other way of existing? Because William has always been known as a bully and being sneaky as hell?
I live in Norwich in the UK – if you all like we can do an experiment? I’ll go get stuck up a mountain somewhere (that being said we don’t really have mountains in East Anglia, it is extremely flat – so maybe more like a large hill?) and William will need to come and rescue me. I can then report back on how well he did? That being said , above posts make me think he is not the best pilot so perhaps not….
FYI EAAA is considered a charity in the UK so I agree with other posters who say he just shouldn’t take a salary.
Lol Charlotte. I wouldn’t trust William to rescue me. I think I’d find out a way to get to safety myself. I trust my non existent nature skills more than William. 🙂
Charlotte: that is priceless!!! LOL. An honour should await you when you report back. For selfless service. Now where is the Baroness when you need her??
I doubt if Billy Middleton is good at anything. Honestly, I really can’t think of one thing.
Well, he’s good at hunting and killing all sorts of sentient creatures by the bushel, I imagine. Oh, and lying.
You would have to assume William is working during his shifts. Like in the RAF he wouldn’t always show up when slated to work, but rather out enjoying the nightlife and locals. Damn cellphones and instant info sharing. Really put a wrench in the old pr control machine.
From a board, discussions about RP0s onboard the helicopters.
Peter Hunt, BBC: “The job’s a departure for the prince and for those charged with protecting him. His bodyguards already receive paramedic training. The training will be upgraded for those officers who will fly with William to ensure that in a small helicopter everyone can offer assistance.”
Instead of a trained, dedicated, professional paramedic employed by EAAA, there may be a spare body/RPO on board who has *some* paramedic training. Their primary purpose will be to guard William, so if push comes to shove, they protect William and ignore the person to whom they’re supposed to be administering their (substandard) paramedic skills. No doubt the taxpayers will pick up the tab for the additional training and annual certification costs for every RPO covering William during these 2-5 years.
Will the contract he signs make him liable for lawsuits if people can prove their loved one received lower-grade care because there was an RPO instead of a true paramedic onboard?
Wow, now that is interesting. Didn’t know an RPO would be going along on missions. Was this also the case when he worked in Anglesey?
Does that mean that there will be no trained and experienced paramedic in his helicopter? And has this been publicly confirmed? And if this is so, is such a set-up in the best interest of the patient – and wouldn’t such a set-up possibly make the air ambulence service vulnerable to liability if something goes wrong?
ArtHistorian
I think it means there will be 1 less trained para on board. Instead replaced by a RPO that has some upgraded paramedic skills, but has a #1 prioity of protecting William and not saving a life of critically wounded.
We knew this would happen. A RPO had to be near. But to take a small airborn staff and cut 1 more out of a well oiled tight nit unit so William can avoid more duties? Yea. He’s worse by the day. This is a purely selfish act. Why couldn’t he fundraise for this operation and in turn fly the helicopter per fundraising event?
Why does he have to have a position made up for him and pull finding from other areas to pay for this position, while taking away the spot of another paramedic so his bodyguard can protect him in a tight medivac helicopter? Purely Selfish.
Whether you believe in astrology or not, it does make this guy’s work even more interesting. He’s the one who stated in May 2012 that W&K would have a boy the third week of June 2013. In October 2013 he said there would be a boy around June 21 if it was to be king.
He basically says that William and Kate wander off, forget about PGTips, and disappear from the scene. William is skipped over, PGTips becomes a spoiled hermit of a king, has no children, and Harry becomes king late in life.
www(dot)astroamerica(dot)com/newsletters/2012-october02(dot)pdf
www(dot)astroamerica(dot)com/newsletters/2011-may10(dot)pdf
www(dot)astroamerica(dot)com/newsletters/2013-july23(dot)pdf
www(dot)astroamerica(dot)com/newsletters/2013-july30(dot)pdf
Maybe it doesn’t mean PGTips becomes an orphan, which is how *some* interpret it. Perhaps it describes what W&K are doing: Removing themselves from royal duties, hiding away, and forgetting that PGTips needs to be prepared for the role William is refusing to take on himself. In essence, W&K abandon PGTips to his royal fate, while they flit off doing feck all for the rest of their lives. PGTips ends up even more paranoid and anti-duty than William.
Holy depressing. I hope that doesn’t happen and I don’t even live in England.
Notsugarhere, can you tell more of what that guy said?
Francis, you can read those newsletters by visiting the links I posted. Remove every “(dot)” and replace it with “.” and you should get the links. I do not have luck posting live links here, so I post them that way.
*July, not June.
Sorry, yes, he was more accurate in his predictions than I was in my re-typing of them 🙂
No big deal, you were just bringing up a good point and I didn’t want anyone to think it was less accurate than it ended up being.
I do think astrology is a science, but it’s not always correctly read/used.
And what about the spare? There will be a spare right?
I can’t remember if it talks directly about a spare, but if they hadn’t had George, the next window would have been October 2015. I wouldn’t be surprised at this point if that’s when we see a spare.
I think he didn’t write that there would be a spare, and that neither PGTips nor Harry was likely to have (m)any children.
Sugar,
I agree there is no time HM lived in Malta, she has always been dedicated hardworking to her duty all her live especially since her dad became monarch.
They just looking excuse for workless Willy and Waity doolittle parasite to taxpayers and undeserving of BRF title and wealth of previliges. seem Willnot is not even good at piloting. He will be co; just so he continue workless and not be working for HM the people GB UK and Commonwealth. He should be no diffrent from the York. He and Waity doolittle only want to enjoy Title wealth at taxpayers expense.
P Charles Wales at WillNot age was hard working for HM and was even helicopter a lot from HG, as well as hard working Princess Wales, Di.
Give us King Harry heir apparent get rid of the waste on WillNot line Waity doolittle golddigger; security other, pack Willy permanently hideout in AH and the middlekardashion Buckleberry. What a waste and shame to Princess Di name, hardwork and dedication. King Harry King Harry!!
Sugar,
I agree there is no time HM lived in Malta, she has always been dedicated hardworking to her duty all her live especially since her dad became monarch.
They just looking excuse for workless Willy and Waity doolittle parasite to taxpayers and undeserving of BRF title and wealth of previliges. seem Willnot is not even good at piloting. He will be co; just so he continue workless and not be working for HM the people GB UK and Commonwealth. He should be no diffrent from the Yorks. He and Waity doolittle only want to enjoy Title wealth at taxpayers expense.
P Charles Wales at WillNot age was hard working for HM and was even helicopter a lot from HG, as well as hard working Princess Wales, Di.
Give us King Harry heir apparent get rid of the waste on WillNot line Waity doolittle golddigger; security other, pack Willy permanently hideout in AH and the middlekardashion Buckleberry. What a waste and shame to Princess Di name, hardwork and dedication. King Harry King Harry!!
Who are the twitter feeds that have this stuff? I’m late to show but I love twitter it’s a recent thing for me will probably ware off.
William is color blind and should not be flying at all.
Well, loopholes were found so he could. His vision is also awful, but a loophole that is used for him, but not many others was inforced.
I never knew any of this. My goodness, he’s putting others at risk, not just himself.
AM
It’s shocking. He was someone that if an ordinary person had to many reasons to keep him from flying.
I have this image of men in a dark dusty room pouring over the regulations for a loophole to get him in to the program.
How can a public rescue service allow this?
Really? I never knew that.
let´s face it even with one blind eye and one with bad sight (+colour blind) William would be a pilot… sad, but true
Just give me Lupo.
Tee hee! That great family photo, looking out of the window with Bonny Prince George transmitting foolery to Lupo…..I bet there’s a Photocropped version, showing only the dog, in a sporty living room in Gloucestershire. 😉
Lol yes! Hopefully with Lupo giving serious side eye.
Good for him! I dont know why anyone is complaining about this. He’s not taking anyone else’s job plus his pay is going to charity. What would you rather have? Him and his wife walking around shaking hands at every ribbon cutting? That costs money. Think of the security involved. These two can do no right in the narrow minds of some. The writer throws out her perspective and the sheep follow. I know I’m going to get slammed for my opinion.
My only quibble with the salary aspect is that the air ambulances are tight for dollars. If they created the position for William, regardless of whether he accepts it or donates it, he is taking money that may have allocated elsewhere. Rather than taking a salary at all, I think he should have waived a salary. But ultimately, that’s East Anglia’s decision. I noted above that maybe they feel his GBP40,000 will be offset by the publicity and prestige and they can actually raise more off his name than he costs them.
You think the security staff won’t be paid? They will still have their jobs and follow these fools on their many vacations. Shaking hands is his (and her) job; he is taking someone else’s. Why take a salary at all? If he donates that salary to a charity, why not the Air Ambulance? Why does this new job of his preclude Waity from working? The “sheep” are those fooled by the PR spin sent out by this feckless couple.
There is much more to royal work than cutting ribbons. Have you heard of the Prince’s Trust? Or Duchy Originals? The Duke of Edinburgh Awards? (Or Sentebale? Or Walking with the Wounded? Or the Invictus Games? – I know, those don’t count as true royal work because Harry does them on his own time.)
They have incredible freedom to use their position to do good in this world. Cut the occasional ribbon, yes, and so much more than that if they would man up and put their backs into it.
This is not a noble move but a selfish one. Again, if he was refusing to do royal work because he loved cataloging rare fish species in a lab and wanted to do that for a few years, would you support this decision so strongly?
Well maybe this is more of a contribution than you are giving him credit for. How is it selfish? What Royal Work would you have him do? He’s actually putting his life on the line here and donating his salary. This is simply petty bitching.
Yes, selfish. Putting his own interests above the interests of the 63 million people in the UK who are paying through the nose to keep him in his millionaire lifestyle. He has either 1) taken an opportunity from someone else or 2) forced them to create an extra job for which he is requiring pay – so they’ll have to raise even more money than before. And donating it to charity – unless he donates all of it back to EAAA- the point is moot.
This is not search and rescue work, this is flying people from their homes or accidents to a hospital. Flying a helicopter is dangerous, as are many other professions, but he’s not going to be flying in a war zone. The most dangerous profession is often cited as garbage man believe it or not.
He is selfish for hiding away and focusing on what he wants (to fly helicopters and avoid royal work) vs. working for the good of the UK and Commonwealth as a whole. If he has to get his flying jollies in, he can fly himself and his wife to their royal engagements. This is only an excuse. If he was hiding away for 5 years cataloging fish species, would you defend that move as well?
OMG!
Mrs. Mc – Truth be told W&K can do no wrong in the narrow minds of people like you.
Korree, DD, Nsugar make some very valid points. You on the other hand don’t respond to their points and instead insult them with names like b*tchy and narrow-minded.
Thank you, MinnFinn.
Well said MinnFinn
I and many here try to stay away from name calling and attacking other posters. It discredits the arguments. And when all is left, but facts and logic it’s not challenged. We’re just torn down because the other side can’t attack that with a pr fresh image that they enjoy.
And well said FLORC!
An interesting side on how this may play out is that there are apparently 2 different air ambulance groups and they are engaged in some vicious competition for elusive charity dollars. I wonder if East Anglia thinks this will give them an edge in fund-raising and profile raising? The East Anglia contingent belongs to one which participates in a lottery for NHS money while the other group takes no federal money at all even through the lottery and are very disdainful of the other. It is estimated that the East Anglia Air Ambulance will cost £7.6m for 2014; “this money comes entirely from public donations and fundraising activities, including the purchase of weekly lottery tickets, corporate donations and legacy giving.”
Another side note is that by signing a contract with Bond Air Services, which operates air ambulances and police helicopters, he becomes the first direct heir to the throne to sign a contract with a civilian employer. Don’t know how that will play out, if at all, but royals and civilian employers don’t have the best history.
Kori,
Everyone knows lazy Wiinot won’t be working; he is co pilot, that he can out as he choose. This position is a waste to unemployed and feeding their family.
While the royals use their title power for Willnot to get in, and lazy workless, while wasting taxpayers funds as well – Just for Willnot and workless Waity waste shopping luxury pimping and freeloading family.
Will he be a copilot? Most of the EAAA carry just one pilot–along with one critical care paramedic and one doctor.
I think that depends on the type of helicopter they use. It has to have space for the medical personnel and the patient.
Don’t forget the RPO that will be on every flight (replacing a professional paramedic?).
notasugarhere,
How can they replace a paramedic with an RPO with some paramedic training? This boggles the mind.
And if anything were to happen, who would the RPO look out for first- the patient or His Nibs? I can’t believe the rescue service is allowing this.
I wondered about the contract. He’s a prince and I’m thinking he can back out whenever he wants, contract, or no contract. He left his last job prematurely without paying back the tens of thousands that it cost to train him.
He thinks the contract makes it sound like he’s serious about this and people will stay off his back- he has a built in excuse. I think he can tear it up at anytime. After all, “Don’t you know who I am?’
Was it tens of thousands or just shy of 400,000? The perks of being a prince. You’re never held accountable:)
FLORC: the RAF said it was £400K which they decided to forgive him.
LAK
Is this debt something they have forgiven before? Or was it just for him?
It has never made any sense to me how the rich are not expected to pay, but the poor will have debt collecters calling for the head on a stick.
I’d be interested to see the liability clauses written into this contract and wonder if his status as a paid employee is tied to the organization’s legal liability to operate as a transport company.
So, he’ll use “royal duties” as an excuse for not flying enough hours to maintain his pilot’s license, and use “pilot’s duties” as an excuse to get out of royal duties. And both as an excuse to take endless vacations.
Is anyone in Britain excited for this man to be their King?
Absolutely on point! He makes a great conman, an artful dodger, placing logic in a double bind.
I’m not one of the apologists but I usually give him/them breaks because anything they do they’re usually jumped on. But I might be done now. He’s a direct heir, yeah sucks for him but it’s time. If he were injured in the line of duty and/or god forbid made an error that cost any of his co-workers their health or lives the damage would be far reaching. As in, what the hell was he doing “playing” at flying. I’m sure he’s good at what he does and he enjoys it but he has other considerations and he is doing this for William and William only and now, well…. it’s time.
Feebee
Lots of us were apologists at some point, but got fed up. Now you see we’re not jumping just to do so. Just annoyed from being lied to.
Florc sounds like you are taking this a bit too personally. Being lied to????
Sounds to me like FLORC is speaking collectively, as the general public is being lied to – not to her in particular.
Thanks Fees
Mrs McCubbins
I’m not taking it seriously like you might think I am. It’s PR lies I meant. A fake image. The collective as Fees put it. Not directly me.
I think the issue that I’m having is just the lack of consistency with his/her image. They just don’t appear to have any level of commitment or passion for any one thing. Pick something, stick with it, do it for a long time and do it visibly, and well. People will stop complaining. It’s the constant tacking that is throwing people off. They look aimless and at their age and position that is truly pathetic.
Just read that there will be “no rise in duties” for Duchess Dolittle.
Thank goodness, she’s horrible anyway. All the touching herself and hair flicking and up skirt oops!
Bwah! I can’t disagree and I don’t think I’ll miss her much.
I’m just a dowdy Alaskan girl, so maybe I don’t get the appeal of royals that don’t want to be royals. These two make me sick. What a waste of taxpayer money. If I were a citizen, I’d be baying for the the monarchy to be dismantled before supporting these two and their life of constant vacation and selfishness.
If I were William, I too would want to do real work — work I had a passion for, something that made me feel my existence counted and made a difference in other people’s lives. I wouldn’t want to only be a smiling/waving/figurehead.
So I’m okay with him having a job. And I’m okay if that job takes him away from royal work, which honestly doesn’t sound like anything but being a smiling/waving/figurehead, and thus not real work at all.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, i’d say that he hasn’t found anything to be passionate about. In many ways, knowing that he will be King appears to have stunted his ability to think about what he might be passionate about or even explore and find a passion.
Additionally, he doesn’t appear to have thought much how his future might be used in the present. He doesn’t appear to have thought how to use his position even as he waits.
In the absence of all this, efforts are made to find him things to do. BTW, in a lot of ways, these efforts don’t sound like he had much input or say. PR statements are trotted out with great fanfare hoping this is the one that will stick and in a few months, he is on to something different. Rinse and repeat.
This is very well said. Thus the whole “transitional year” snafu. He does what he wants, and PR has to find a way to spin it and hope the future plays out in the way they’ve announced. I hate to say it, but this is not uncommon among public figures.
Spot on as always LAK.
Underneath indolence and inertia, he may also be diffident about espousing much, when he considers the brickbats hurled st his father’s enthusiasms.
OTOH, far more likely he really is a dull thing, never getting fired up about anything, and thus various causes and enterprises are waved in front of him in the hopes of eliciting a flicker of interest.
BUT! Given the constant complaints about a ‘meddling’ POW, you’d almost think the prospect of a king with no consuming passions would be welcome in many quarters!
@LAK. It is difficult to make a living off of his real passions: hunting, vacationing at the beach, surfing, skiing, trying his best to spend time away from KM and PGTips, sticking it to the family firm however he can, and whinging about his privileged life.
Oh wow, Tanna’s asking some serious questions about How PW&K is getting away with constantly avoiding royal duties full time.
Someone is hinting little lord Cambridge has been throwing shade of the Duke of Windsor kind. As in stepping away.
Yikes!
They are having a field day over there!!!!
Loving this b!tc#fest over there!
I gave this theory no credence until Tanna got involved, but now I know it’s on. Also can’t imagine the Middletons would encourage this, they didn’t take out those second mortgages so Kate could be the Duchess of Windsor.
I fail to see why “royal duties” (i.e. dressing up, going to parties and cutting ribbons and such) would be preferable to serving as a rescue helicopter pilot. The taxpayers are stuck with him either way; at least in this scenario he’s doing something worthwhile (assuming, for the sake of argument, that he will do it).
Let me get it right –
Willy is a pilot
Ma is trolley dolly
Pa is air traffic controller
and Kate is an airhead …
all on board 🙂
+1
I’m probably in the minority here, but I’m glad they are retreating to the country. There will be fewer articles about Kate’s ho-hum wardrobe and strange habits with her hair (flicking, twirling, and sniffing), sky high heels, manic facial expressions, crotch clutching, and no underwear. William just isn’t very interesting at all. Maybe the two of them will actually grow up while they are out of sight. One can only hope.
I think the most interesting part of this announcement has been completely missed …
The Palace revealed today:
‘[Kate] will continue with her small portfolio of work and focus on being a mother. No rise in duties.’
I actually think that it is interesting that this announcement was made just after Will and Kate did a few high-profile public outings. Look, they work – and now we’ll just sneak this little announcement by that essentially states that they won’t do much in terms of public duties for the next couple of years.
Ho-hum, they’re just so predictable, aren’t they? Don’t they realize that people are getting savvy to their MO?
What Arthistorian said.
Also, i’m finding it funny that The Palace FINALLY admitted that she has a ‘small portfolio of work’ instead of the usual nonsense about her being so super busy working privately.
And they finally admitted that she’ll concentrate on motherhood. I have no problem with that. It’s honest. Unlike the usual pretense of Superwoman Kate working her fingers to the bone.
I might grumble about the taxes and special laws they have, but i’ll dial it down several notches with Kate if they continue to present her honestly.
@LAK. Even if they continue to waste masses of taxpayer money living their private lives of leisure?
I’m not sure how honest it is to say she’s focusing on motherhood when they’ll still have the 1.5 nannies, one of whom will live with them full-time.
It is bashing working parents by pretending that she is a SAHM that cannot possibly work 2 hours a week outside the home because she’s “focusing on motherhood” surrounded by paid staff who do everything from cook, clean, write her correspondence, and take care of PGTips.
There are women fortunate enough to have excellent domestic help but still provide thoroughly loving, supportive care for their children. Kate notwithstanding, having 1.5 or a a platoon of nannies doesn’t make you a lazy mother. Not bothering to care about other kinds of work makes you lazy. As of now I don’t shade Kate as a mom.
I agree – the PR at last is honest. That actually makes me wonder if they have given up making a mountain out of molehill.
I’m with LAK here.
Present Kate honestly and there will be little issue. Not the busy working mom with maybe 1 part time nanny etc… We know by now nannies cover much of George and Kate isn’t busy with charities often enough to actually need nannies like the pr would have us think.
I think if the palace pr just let them exist it wouldn’t be so bad. No more pr lies. We’re smarter than that.
Presenting Kate ‘honestly’ would still be presenting Kate and Wills as lazy, just without the spin. The taxpayers would still be paying for these “honest” layabouts and their hedonistic lifestyle.
I continue to be shocked at how boring Wombat & Waity continue to be. There’s nothing aspirational or admirable about either of them. I expected far more.
Not falling for any Palace PR nonsense. George is adorable though 🙂
They are pretty boring. They don’t seem to really enjoy doing much of anything. William & Kate just seem neutral to about everything expect maybe sporting events. I’m sure that’s not what they’re like behind closed doors but then again nothing has made me think I should believe that.
When the Queen dies (and let’s face it, she’s 88, so less than 10 years in all likelihood) Charles will move into Buckingham Palace and William and Kate will move into Clarence House. So all the excruciatingly expensive work on that apartment, refurbed to their exact requirements, specifications and taste, seems especially pointless. If they’re probably not going to be there more than a decade, and they don’t even intend to live there, why the hell did we have to pay so much for it? If the Queen makes it another 9 years then we’ve shelled out £500,000 a year, just so they can drop in for the odd weekend.
It’s pretty galling that the place was done to that cost and standard at a time when disabled people are being so badly treated by our welfare system, but for them to not even use it? It’s almost as bad as William refusing to live on base in Anglesey, when that cost the taxpayers millions a year in avoidable security costs. They really do need to stop being so profligate with our money. It’s not as though they don’t have oodles of their own.
I’m honestly not someone who gives them a hard time that much. But I really, really resent this. It just isn’t their own money they are wasting – it’s ours. And they are extremely rich, even if most of their money is from parents/uncles.
The speculation is that they will stay at KP and Harry will move to Clarence House.
yes, i often wonder why people think that Charles and William have lots of time till they become King/ new Prince of Wales. The Queen could die tonight. 88 is a normal age for people to die naturally. Yes, QueenMom was over 100…but her other daughter, the younger sister of the Queen died aged 71?!
Oh look, William dropped in at the end of the Commonwealth Games to up his stats for the year. Someone at BP must have seen the trending numbers for Scottish independence…
Good one!