I imagine it’s a struggle for Duchess Kate’s staff to try to associate Kate with certain charities or causes that are close to her heart, because she really had no close association to any issue in her teens and twenties. She studied art history, so Kate signed on to do some art-related activities. What are her other interests? Well, she’s sort of shown an interest in sailing and rowing. So, it seems an obvious choice now to put Kate with something to do with sailing. Despite the fact that Kate is still feeling like ten kinds of hell, her office announced a new patronage: she’s the new royal patron to the 1851 Trust, which is aiming to bring the America’s Cup to Britain.
Kate Middleton’s already got a lot on her plate—what with her countless official engagements and oh, you know, the fact that she’s expecting a second child with Prince William—but that hasn’t stopped her from announcing a new patronage earlier today.
Kensington Palace revealed today that the duchess has become a Royal Patron of the 1851 Trust, which is the charity branch of the United Kingdom team’s bid to bring the America’s Cup to Britain. Middleton was supposed to attend the Portsmouth launch of the trust, however she canceled last week due to her ongoing hyperemesis gravidarum.
She released the following statement in lieu of her appearance, however, explaining how the new patronage reflects her “personal interests in sailing and in supporting children and young people to build their skills, confidence and aspirations.”
“I am delighted to be Royal Patron of the 1851 Trust. I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed sailing from a young age and I know it is a great way of providing young people with the opportunity to develop skills and confidence,” she continued.
“It is a hugely exciting time for sailing as the British challenger bids to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain. I am looking forward to being part of this journey and hope that through the 1851 Trust we can engage and inspire a new generation into sailing along the way.”
This marks Prince George’s mother’s ninth patronage. She currently supports Action on Addiction, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, The Art Room, the National Portrait Gallery, Place2Be, The Natural History Museum and SportsAid.
I told you guys that she cancelled that appearance last week without sending a surrogate in her place (for the second time!). At this point, I’m kind of torn. I think her staffers are idiotic and they’re making her look bad, but on the other side, this is sort of a genius way to handle Kate from here on out. Schedule her for stuff, cancel at the last minute and send a short note which is released as a public statement. The charity gets the benefit (of sorts) from an association with Kate regardless of whether or not she can make it.
Photos of Kate doing an appearance for the America’s Cup back in June, courtesy of WENN.
I don’t understand the idea that her staff is trying to make her look bad. They work for HER. In the end, all the moves that they make are not without her approval. They’re making her seen exactly as she wants to be seen. So it’s not their fault, it’s hers.
Exactly! They work for her, not the other way around. There might be some confusion because she’s supposed to work for the people of the UK & its Commonwealth, but doesn’t. They work to take care of her.
With the best will in the world if you’r Boss is a difficult arseh*le who wont listen to reason, what can you do….
Just stop blaming ‘the help’ please – having worked with quite a few well know music types and their entourage – it makes my hackles rise when someone starts thinking a poor minion has any sort of control over the mind of a willfull entitled nightmare who also happens to be paying you’re rent…
Why do they keep signing her up for stuff if she’s barfing her face off?
*adjusts tinfoil hat*
Prince Charles calls the shots and has them sign her up knowing she’s going to feel bad and can’t attend?
Yeah but in his proposed “slimmed down” monarchy, Kate is one of the people he actually wants to work.
She sets her own schedule as has been pointed out multiple times with the Palace admitting it on record.
Nota
I think the tinfoil hat was meant to support the comment as being more towards conspiracy and not in the land of facts.
FLORC 🙂 I always feel the need to correct that, whether it is in jest or not. There are people who are convinced that old, mean, jealous Charles is preventing Kate Middleton from working. She’s just longing to make the world a better place and he won’t let her, boo hoo isn’t it terrible. I have to point out the fallacy of that every time.
@ notasugarhere
So this is some play by Charles to prevent people to judge him wrong 😀
I hadn’t thought about that yet. So Charles is forcing her to take on royal duties and if she bows out it is her fault. While officially Charles doesn’t force her into anything because she sets her own schedule …
I think it makes Kate look bad to bow out of so many appearances.
Nota
I get it. And I almost corrected them too, but had to reread thinking it was sarcasm. Although, the comment could be literal so who knows.
Chammy/Nota
That Charles in charge *snickers* of Kate’s schedule has been around for some time. I just doubt Charles has that much free time on his hands to mastermind this. Or that William/Kate or their staff would be fine with this. If it were true some story would get leaked to Nichols or Tanna by now. Or maybe not Tanna anymore.
Another patronage to ignore. Life goes on.
This one is quite posh. She’ll show up once, maybe. If she has something new to wear.
So, instead of patronizing a charity that might do good for the poor, or schools, or orphans, or the handicapped, she’s going to patronize a charity for very rich white people, to bring a race (not a people race, but a yacht race) over to her country. Like they don’t have enough regattas?
Maybe it is time for Kate to be introduced to the “important” people of the upper 10.000 aristo millionaire set.
Ma Middleton would be so pleased.
People sleeping rough. Prices for housing rising. Youth unemployment in the double digit numbers. Poverty increasing.
And Dolittle takes on a charity for the filthy rich. How tasteful.
If she has to choose between sick kids and Sir Ben Ainslie, she’ll choose Ben every time. She’ll support 1851 Trust even if she has to carry her own barf bucket.
*giggle giggle*flip hair*grin grin in Ben’s direction*
I just saw a picture of this guy. I would do the same. Giggling and smiling. I’d be so dumbstruck by his hotness.
Me too. He is a hottie! But I’m not going to be Queen Consort of of the UK one day. So I can act like a drooling idiot and no one will care. Waity can’t. It amazes me that she hasn’t figured out that she cannot behave like an ordinary person. She did graduate from college? Right? right?
Not all who graduate with college degrees are intelligent. That can’t be a marker.
Many things about Kate’s behavior leads the mind to her not having great social skills. She only spends social time with her immediate family, husband, and child. When she works it’s not true interaction. People praise her, tell her things, and she has a few preprepared questions and comments. Could she hold her own in 1 on 1 conversation? I doubt it. Not that she’s lacking intelligence. More that those skills are rusty having no need to use them for years and years.
So, she’s a giddy girl.
FLORC, her uncle said nothing comes easily to her and she always had to work much harder than Pippa. A former teacher said she wasn’t exactly bright. All her abilities have been directed at getting in with a particular “set,” landing and keeping William, having fun, living the life of a socialite for a decade — not into academic or social or charitable pursuits. Is it possible for her to recover from that? It has been her life and lifestyle since she was a teenager, and I suspect it is her inherent nature/character too.
YES, for if she does not spek out for the poor rich white men with yachts, how will their voices ever be heard?
Worthy.
I love sailing. And if the America’s cup came to Britain, that would probably bring a lot of business, etc. But it costs about $100 million to launch a serious campaign, so…I’m not sure I’d pick that as my charity.
GNAT – there’s really quite a big campaign for a team, spearheaded by Ben Ainslie, our mega-Olympian sailor. I really think it might come off, you know. I’m not big into sailing myself but even I can see the traction it’s getting.
Cool. An excuse to come to England. But what’s the “charity” angle? Bringing money in?
Without looking, I couldn’t tell you, sorry! But I’m pretty sure they’ve got almost all the money for a team. Would you come to see it?
I would have two campaigns ago, and I still might. My problem with it now is that they’ve changed to those hideous catamarans that go so much faster, and it’s not “real” sailing to me. It takes as much skill and it’s progress and all that, but I love the beautiful old boats. These are like Nascar on the sea. So I would be torn, but I’ve never been to an America’s cup and I think it would be exciting. Plus, England!
I know I’m probably an a$$ for saying it because it’s probably more than what’s stated here but, Rich Kid Patronage.. *eyeroll* Anyways…
Really? All kinds of things to help the less fortunate-and they pick a patronage for a sport that only the really rich participate in? Talk about tone-deaf.
I don’t understand any of this, let the woman stay home & incubate!
It’s really not so much a charity as simply being the face of something. She clearly likes sailing, and it would be cool to see Britain make a serious run at the Cup, so why not?
It does seem to me that she’s been a lot sicker, for a lot longer, this time around. Last time it seemed like the symptoms disappeared just about the time they were announced. Has to suck to have such a great time in your life be such a misery.
Last time she wad photographed on vacation in the Caribbean (away from her doctors who were closely watching her) so she kind of HAD to go back to her light work load. Hard to argue you’re too sick to cut a ribbon (1 hour of your day) when u can fly to the Caribbean take a puddle jumper to a smaller island and frolic in the water without issue.
It’s been said for a a while now she’s out nd about shoping and going to hair appointments instead of them coming to her. I’m not saying she should be locked away. Just that they’re making it sound like she’s too sick to work for an hour, but can continue her beauty regimen without them coming to her.
RobN
I get that it’s to promote and be the face of something. The issues comes in when it’s being made to sound like it’s a worthy charity that she will work hard to fundraise for. It’s another PR misstep imo.
“what with her countless official engagements” Hahaha
Countless is right… As in their is nothing to count.
Well I’m sure she’ll participate as much in this “charity” (raising money to support yacht clubs racing each other) as her others: 1 photo op a year unless there’s a gala… then maybe 2.
So, this is more a political move? To bring attention to the games in the UK and not so much for purposes of promoting a charity that has trouble fundraising on their own.
This is just shameless at this point. She can’t work. There is a reason. It seems like now that she has a good excuse to not work she has the bug to do something. When she’s well will this continue? Ugh.
It’s not entirely her staff. They are making the best with what they have.
I just think it’s foolish with this tactic.
And why add a patronage when the few she has need more attention from her?
“She can’t work. There is a reason.” Because she never has worked and she really never will? I sincerely doubt she “has the bug to” work now, FLORC. It is all smoke and mirrors from the PR staff. I think the PR staff are frantically trying to spin anything positive out of the lazy duo, and this is what they came up with.
It fits the new model W&K want – minimal duties, minimal involvement — and they pretend it means maximum impact. “Look, they actually worked once this year, see how impactful that is for that one patronage?” kind of idea.
Maybe one of the ignored patronages is moving towards dropping her?
I agree Nota. It was my attempt at sarcasm, but may not have come off as I wanted. It’s just an image being built. Since she has a reason to cancel she’s suddenly very interested in working.
Didn’t a charity try to drop her? I remember hearing much talk about it. The palace said it wasn’t happening, but many reporters and those with inside sources along with members of the actual charity claimed it was considered.
After Kate donated the baby kit to the charity auction. It seemed like an after thought and possibly the worst item donated. This made noise because she couldn’t keep or use what she was gifted, so why give the worst? Why not give something better. Anyways, the charity cancelled the auction from lack of ticket sale and interest. Kate was doing nothing at the time. Not even a vacation to my knowledge.
The charity wanted to drop her over this. Expecting her to have helped out more than 1 photo op visit a year. Rumor has it some palace officials talked the charity into keeping Kate an feathers were smoothed over.
I think the odds are good that charities are not happy having her as a patron. Or just they expected more than just padding a portfolio.
If a charity did drop her it would be a major scandal.
I think Harry would have brought more attention and funds to the 1851 Trust than Waity. He is way more sporty. And how can she represent sportspeople when she is always wearing hooker heels and painted on jeans to nearly every sporting event she attends?
haha!
Glad to see she’s so supportive of the rich- they need all the help they can get.
It has been said many times that she is a snob.
I agree with what all y’all are saying. Sailing cool, but it IS a rich person sport. Like dressage and polo. I enjoy watching and respect all three, but I don’t participate. Why oh why can’t this woman be the head of a Girls on the Run or another female empowerment in athletics organization? That would do good AND make her more relatable/loves because she would be seen as more passionate (she clearly loves sports.)
Seems like an obvious choice. She enjoys sports. She always looks like she’s really enjoying herself when doing something active. So, why isn’t she doing that?
Kate? A representative for female empowerment??
She who wears tacky lingerie on a catwalk to catch a royal (wandering) eye? Eschews panties to prove that with enough diet and exercise any woman can attain a butt the size of a 2-year old? Refuses to develop a career in favor of grooming herself into a bi-pedal Stearns and Foster product?
Nonono, Kate should be able to do the things you suggest, but she cannot. Kannot. Kannot.
That is really funny, angelique: mostly because it is so true!
@Pixelated – it really wouldn’t matter anyway. She is patron of the scouts…when was the last time she did anything for them? The last thing I can remember is last year (or the year before??) when she wore every item from the LL Bean catalog (neckerchief? check. wellies? check. See…I look “scouty!”), cooked bread on a stick, stayed for less than an hour…and then helicoptered off to a polo game. She doesn’t do anything for the “real” charities she has now (I don’t really consider a charity to bring yachting to Britain to be real) so what difference would it make for her to adopt something to promote female empowerment?
@angelique – I agree. I wouldn’t want my nieces looking to her as an example of a worthwhile path in life. She has such an opportunity to do so much with her life but it’s shocking to me how little she has done or seems to want to do (aside from pampering, shopping, and vacations).
There was a more recent time than that for those scouts. She was pregnant with George (december-ish?) and just starting to show. There was a flush of events (3 or 4 I think) right before they went on vacation.
I remember this event because it seemed to be assembled just for Kate. The girls had to camp in the cold with snow falling and Kate joined them for only a short while. Many pointed out the trip would have and should have been cancelled for poor weather.
And the photos of her there were under fire. Many made claims the photos were editted to make her thighs look bigger and her bump enhanced because she didn’t look pregnant and shots of her showing more would do better.
Ah, “camping” in the skinny jeans and forcing the kids to show up for the photo op. Remember, the scout events are “private” and on her personal time. They do not count towards the engagements total. Sophie has the Scouts patronage.
@inthekitchen ITA. Maybe I’m just overly hopefull. It’s so frustrating that she’s such a poor role model-and I’m not even British! i wonder if part of the reason she doesn’t DO much is because of Diana’s shadow. As in, Diana was so involved and so passionate about her causes that Kate wanted to be almost the anti-Diana? Like, carve an anti-role for herself so no one would liken her to Diana (and also the tragedy surrounding her). This is something I’ve been mulling over. I’m not super knowledgable about the BRF, so if any of you awesome CB-ers have a theory, let me know!
Pixelated: I have wondered if it was because William wanted her to be a different sort of princess than his mother – at least he said something of the sort, during their first interview.
Sometimes I wonder if he inherited some of his mother’s resentment about royalness, because she had bunches of it, according to some books.
Wolfpup, I think he openly despises the monarchy. While Diana resented what her husband and the BRF did to her, I think she still “believed” in the idea of monarchy.
Well, if the Trust brought sailing to ‘disadvantaged youth’ (as they say), there might be an upside to the royal support (however haphazard and/or ineffectual). I’ve read about programs that bring dressage to kids of lower incomes (both in the UK & US, and likely other countries, too). Tennis, skiing, sailing, equestrian events–these all tend to be rich/upper class sports & any time a charity organization makes a concerted effort to bring these ‘to the masses’ is a good thing, I think.
A sailing CHARITY? Wow i´m speechless. What is the charity factor? Can poor children now eat yachts? I´m sure they have enough rich and famous members to support the cup.
A royal should focus on other subjects: poverty, disease, education, violence… and not yachts and sailing cups.
Nothing against sailing. I love the boats and the sea, but damn this is a hobby sport for mostly richer folk. It is wonderful, but very expensive.
Yes, i get she prefers sport and galas and little work, but damn she is now a royal and should highlight important causes first.
“Can poor children now eat yachts” — LOL!!!
Why doesn’t she just sign up for a million gazillion charities and then cancel appearances at every event and deign to send notes from time to time? It makes about as much sense as what she’s doing now in addition to signing up for another charity she can’t go to because she’s ‘too sick.’
“Gee, see how any charities I’m interested in and I would have attended them but you know, I’m sick!”
If only she was as committed to going to and patronizing more charities when she isn’t ‘sick’ as when she is ‘sick.’
This is not a charity, but a PR opportunity for UK yachting and for her. They had to have some member of the BRF as the patron, she’s the least busy, so she gets it. The add on about kids and sailing is just that – an add-on to try to make a rich people past time look charitable. Once in the next 5 years, expect to see her in skinny jeans and wedges on a yacht, flirting with Ainslie while she’s ignoring the inner city kids they’ve gathered on deck for the photographers.
I’m curious – not being from Britan, I’d like to know what the British truly think of Kate. Do they really worship her as the PR would lead everyone to believe? From what I read, it’s like she is such a hero and can do absolutely no wrong. What do they really think of the spending, shopping and laziness?
Coming from my sources (london area friends) she’s a celeb. The hype isn’t believed.
From a personal take if you’re going to wait in line for over an hour to catch a glimpse of someone you’re a fan and likely not going to be a critic.
I’ve been one of those people standing & waiting for a glimpse. (As a grad student at Cambridge, every member of the BRF visited at some point, except for the Queen.) And that’s all you get— a two-three second glimpse as they exit the car & enter the facility, or drive away in the lighted limo. In retrospect, what a waste of time! Ah, well. Youth.
I think she’s missing a golden opportunity to sign up to be the face of HG. There’s got to be an organization that brings awareness to it and how awful it is!
There are few that deal only with HG. Many that deal with it under a larger umbrella of pregnancy related conditions. This is me giving the side eye. To suffer and survive. To be lucky enough to not have to worry about medical care. To know you have access to care that will help you stay healthy and keep your growing child healthy. And to know not everyone has that, but you could help change that. Why wouldn’t you speak up? Unless you just don’t care?
If she did patron that cause she would appear relatable and normal. All the things this pr image is trying to make us believe.
I think it would go the way of the bullying charity support. Once the truth about the bullying came out (ie. never happened) coupled with the possible bullying of B&E, KM got really quiet about working with bullying. Same would happen with an HG charity.
Press would pull out the photos of KM shopping and on vacation while “suffering.” They’d compare these to the women who were hospitalized for months, lost their jobs, and had emergency c-sections as life-saving procedures at 8 months. She already struggles to be sympathetic, so how would it play? “Yes, I suffered SO much. The multiple on-call medical staff, the at-home care, the ambulance on stand by just for me, the millions in taxpayer money spent on security so I could be a mum’s instead of the Palace, and I had to go sledding instead of skiing that season.” It wouldn’t do her image any favors.
FLORC + 1 good post. I hope she reads it.
Perhaps the story line is really about how difficult it was to bear a prince. Maybe HG really is all that, yet it’s becoming harder to believe her PR. Maybe she’s mad at Willy, and is putting her foot down in a round about way. Diana seemed to work harder in her disappointment..
If anyone cared what charity I supported I wouldn’t really mess around with this stuff. I would go big! Sick kids, cancer kids, find homes for animals, make a wish!
I get her name brings in funds, but if you aren’t going to do much, concentrate your little effort on something important
I am not much on any charity circus.
So rate this point of mine 😉
Charitable duties by celebrities / famous people are very much about the celebrity actually appearing at fundraisers etc. Because the donors want that picture with the celebrity. The donors want to be seen with the celebrity. The donors might want to network with the celebrity or build contacts with the celebrity and their network.
Also if a celebrity doesn’t appear for any charitable event then the press gets no pictures and no interviews and therefore the charity won’t get into the news.
So if a celebrity doesn’t appear for a charity event it won’t work.
Make a wish! What a fantastic charity.
If Kate hosted a once every few months Tea party for sick children my snarky heart would melt. That’s of course assuming she would be caught working once every few months…
As a brit who adores th queen and her hard working daughter princess anne I am embarassed by th laziness of kate and wills – th goodwill bestowed on william after th death of his mother is wearing as thin as his hair. Hes a born royal but hes now in his thirties – he shouldv done way more for th country by now except raise a family or maybe he thinks that is enough, maybe he thinks hes done his duty by having george and his sibling in waiting is th extent of his duty to th british people. The queens been very indulgent with wills and harry but as adults they were expected to take on their royal duties long before now. Harry has way more respect as he has served his country in th army – wills will need to man up sooner rather than later – brits r getting fed up with it.