There are a bunch of new stories about Prince William, Duchess Kate and the other royals from the past few days, but this post is just for Will & Kate! I think I’ll probably do another royal post on Monday, or maybe even Tuesday. First up in this royal round-up: William and Kate finally hired a PR person. Like, a real person with real-world experience in crisis management and public relations. Considering the last guy left very quickly after he came in, and given the more frequent reports of William’s constant bitchery, I’ve got to wonder how long this new guy is going to last. Plus, the new guy is an American!! OH NOES. The Yanks are invading the royal press office! Anyway, the guy’s name is Jason Knauf and he previously worked for RBS and the New Zealand government. You can read more about him here – his CV doesn’t seem all that impressive, but it also sounds like being in charge of media relations at RBS was akin to being captain of the Titanic. I say Knauf lasts less than a year.
Knauf’s first duty seems to be preparing the colonies for the invasion of William and Kate. Last week, the monarchy’s website sent out a reminder to all journalists covering Will and Kate: reporters much adhere to a “dress code.” The dress code seems relatively simple for professional people – no jeans or sneakers, men must wear a jacket and tie and women must wear pants or a skirt suit. What’s funny (to me at least) is that kind of simple, professional dress code is something Kate has never been able to adhere to. She is constantly wearing the wrong outfits for dress-code specific events, nevermind all of her “Marilyn Moments.” And if we see her in jeggings during a public event one more time, I think the journalists should revolt. Why would Kate be allowed to wear painted-on jeggings and a member of the press can’t wear comfortable sneakers?
Also on Knauf’s to-do list: trying to make Will and Kate seem like they actually spend time together and like they have a completely normal, romantic marriage. People Magazine managed to get this little story in:
When British florist Paula Pryke received her Order of the British Empire from Prince William last week, he confessed his love for pretty blooms – and how much he enjoyed treating his wife Kate to beautiful flowers.
“He told me that he liked buying flowers for Kate and how much she loved flowers,” Pryke tells PEOPLE from her base in London’s New Covent Garden Market.
Of course, it’s not the first time William has shown his romantic side. Just seven months after Prince George was born, he whisked Kate off for a luxurious week-long stay at an exclusive resort in the Maldives. And let’s not forget that in true princely style, he carried his mom Princess Diana’s engagement ring in his backpack all the way to Africa to propose to Kate back in 2010.
Pryke, who has worked with the royal family as well as numerous celebrities during her 30-year career, says receiving her award from William on Friday was “very exciting.”
William buys flowers for Kate? Er? Okay. I mean, no shade. I like getting flowers too and it’s a simple, lovely gesture. But it does seem like a little piece of royal propaganda. Look, they’re so normal!
Last thing – Jack Whitehall is a young British comedian and he performed at the Variety Show, the same one that Will and Kate attended. During his set, Whitehall joked about how he went to school with Kate (although Jack is several years younger than Kate) and how she was “the one who got away” and he had a “crush” on her at school. Apparently, William came up to him later and joked about how Whitehall was “flirting with my missus.” Whitehall told Graham Norton: “William came over and he was very funny, he was very nice but very passive aggressive [and said] ‘Oh, so you were flirting with my missus? Oh no that was very funny!’” LOL, describing William as passive-aggressive… amazing.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
The dress code apparently has been in place for a long time and one article stated that the reminder goes out to everyone. However, I’m thinking a courtier/Grey Man must have given someone a thumbs up to gripe about it. Why else would we hear about it NOW vs any other Royal visit? And with William??? That I find fascinating….
Oh it’s definitely an old story, and royal rules for dressing and behaviour are par of the course. If anyone bothered to read the official BRF website, all the stuff we normally discuss is laid out on there, including the note on media dress code.
Further, sending out reminders isn’t new and it happens with all royals.
However, the fact that this has blown up the way it has, just in time for William and Kate’s next visit to USA says there is definitely a story within the story……
That new crisis managing PR needs to start his job sooner than the new year!!
If nothing else, it’s funny because of Kate’s wardrobe issues and the journalist snarky response.
For whatever behind the scenes motivation less than flattering stories have been slowly coming out with misinformation only adding fuel to the fire.
NYC and much of the US press will be complimnetary to gushing in their initial covereage of the couple and looking at how PEOPLE Magazine,Vanity Fair,GMA and The TODAY SHOW have gushed over Kate and William since the Wedding, the gushing at those media outlets will be at Full throttle.
Let’s not forget Katie Nicholl writes the Vanity Fair royal news and she will gush over Kate and William in the pages as well as in her Royal hosting duties for whatever Networks decide to use her for the Royal visit.
Then there is Vickie Arbiter who lived at the Palace for years ,when she was a kid when Diana and Charles were married and even through the divorces, who now works as a royal reporter for CBS in N.Y.C. ,her father was the Palace communications director for years and she ALWAYS gushes over William and Kate in her reports.
The NYPost will probably be kind the first day, but after that all bets are off. NYPost loves a controversial to snarky headline to get the juices flowing
Village Voice if they cover it all,….well……who knows…
•Florc•
The irony is beyond amusing!
•LAK•
You don’t think by the time W&K leave your shores for mine that the American public will go all googly-eyed and forget this ‘hiccup’? We did all the time for Diana. And didn’t (and don’t) care what y’all said/say about Sarah either.
I find it equally interesting that the Grey Men haven’t found new tactics to control ‘their Royals’ with. Also, how pissed off are the Grey Men at William? Do you think it’s unfair as they seem über controlling themselves (obviously both Sarah and Diana had major issues with them — mostly justifiable too). William may have met his match with them…
*gets popcorn and drink as William vs The Grey Men should be SO entertaining….*
I definitely think they’ll be welcomed and this little kerfuffle forgotten especially by The Today Show or is it Good Morning America (whichever show is anchored by Matt Lauer?)
I know a lot about the grey men and the old guard has largely been replaced by newer people. Old school grey men of the type Diana and Fergie experienced aren’t the norm anymore and Kate should be thankful for that.
The household on the otherhand……..The source of all the animosity seems to be coming from the household.
That said, as much as I think there is an agenda at play, there is also the fact that the new guard don’t know what they are doing and their incompetence is very public. They also don’t know how to handle WK, two people who think they know it all and or ‘modernising’ the institution.
They need a good Sir Humphrey/Malcolm Tucker on board to rein them in and they need to hire proper PR to make it work.
•LAK•
Matt is with Today. The boys seem to like Today….
I think while there has been a lot of changes, I think it feels like it’s going back to pre-Diana days. All the people they brought in after her death would be gone and I just see the Grey Men/Royal Household going back to their old ways again.
The old ways had the grey men dictating how the royals should conduct themselves for the good of the institution.
This usually left the royals remote and untouchable in their ivory tower.
Philip tried to change this with moderate success. Diana and Fergie used the media like a sledgehammer to change (or attempt) the grey men. They retaliated in a way that Diana and Fergie understood ie via the media AND threw in old school reins to boot.
The new guard are too new and too incompetent to use old school reins – they wouldn’t know how to do it, so they are left with old school media tactics as employed by none other than Diana.
What are the grey men? I’ve tried google and I’m not getting anything related to the royals. You two have me curious!
If W&K’s PR people leave so very quickly that means that W&K don’t have the loyal support of their PR people. In other words: W&K don’t get along with their own staff.
Wasn’t there a story about a senior security / bodyguard person who left and weren’t there rumours he didn’t like W&K?
•ScrewsStewrat99•
The Grey Men was the termed coined by Diana and Sarah — so it’d be hard to know what it was unless you’re a long-time BRF watcher. It was meant to describe the many faceless men or courtiers (names not important as one was not much different than another) that actually run the British Royal Family. Most people think Queen Elizabeth II does but that’s mostly false. The Grey Men do, and often do it with QEII’s name and authority, but most times without her knowledge. Many Royals have joked that they don’t run their Households — the courtiers or the Grey Men do.
Sarah’s book ‘My Story’ gives the best explanation, however other Royal bios do talk about them as well. IIRC Diana’s book through Morton did, but not as much as Sarah’s does.
Thanks LadySlippers! That’s really interesting. I never knew the royals were run by other people. I always thought it was the queen. I think I’m going to read Sarah’s book. I’ve been wanting to read up on the royals, but these grey men sound interesting, so I’ll start with hers.
Be forewarned– Sarah’s book is tough to read.
I loved Sarah’s book. I didn’t find it a tough read at all.
I enjoyed those royal books from that era, everything still seemed so raw in those books.
I also liked The Housekeeper’s Diary because it’s from someone who was inside, with no horse in the race really, just the housekeepr’s point of view on things she saw….( The Royal Family basically ran her out of the Country for violating a contract to not discuss private matters.. ..
Chamy: that’s true. He also said he was bored to tears working for them.
His new job is at a prison!!!
I guess he is getting tonnes of excitement now!
•Someonestolemyname•
I found Sarah’s book hard to read because she blames herself for everything. For me, it became WAY too much when things were clearly not her fault.
‘The Housekeeper’s Diary’ is on my to-read list. Definitely!
•Chamy•
There have been several key people that have left the Royal’s service and most do have a gripe or two. Makes for fun reading! 😊
Oh ok, I see your point LadySlippers. Sarah did blame herself a lot, but she did expose a lot of how the grey men operated , at least with her and Andrew and she told some quite personal things at times, which is why I enjoyed it.
•Someonestolemyname•
I think Sarah’s book, very clearly, points out how destructive the Grey Men are. And no other Royal book even remotely comes close. Stephen Barry’s ‘Royal Secrets’ talks about turf wars between Staff (like he was) and the Courtiers/Grey Men. He (and others) have claimed that the Grey Men are more royal than the Royals themselves.
If Sarah had kept her self-flaying down to a minimum I would have enjoyed the book a lot more. This is really one of the few books that has the potential to be such a gem (and is minus the self-hate) — her tidbits about Royals were fabulous to read.
Sarah’s book is the reason she fell out with Diana in the end. Diana took umbrage to Sarah’s revelation that she’d picked up a Verruca from a pair of shoes she’d borrowed from Diana which prompted the legendary Diana freeze out.
Sadly, whilst they managed to reconnect in Diana’s final weeks, they never saw each other again though apparently they’d promised to meet up as soon as summer holidays were over.
EDIT: Notasugar (answer to your comment below): IKR???? If a high security psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane is preferable to a cushy royal beat job with 5star holidays (accidentally since that’s all your charges do) thrown in every month of the year for the foreseeable future then either you are a thrill seeker or the royal beat is excruciatingly, mind numbingly boring.
LAK, what does this tell us? Hourihan left W&K to become chief at the high-security Broadmoor psychiatric hospital in Berkshire…
•LAK•
I struggled with hearing how painful the press’ attack on Sarah was to her, knowing the Grey Men weren’t always behind it. 😢 And while the Grey Men were to blame for 90% of it — someone Sarah thought was her friend (as you well know) was. It took Diana down a few notches in my book.
And Sarah, overall, was very positive about ALL the royals — including Diana. It was so petty to fall out over warts. I’m glad Sarah, as well as Charles, had mended fences prior to her death though.
LadySlippers and LAK you are giving me nostalgia.
The Stephen Barry book was another good one.
Have any of you read any of the Lady Colin Campbell books?
•Someonestolemyname•
I have not read any Lady Colin Campbell — although I muscled through Penny Junor so perhaps Campbell is my next ‘frontier’. Lol
Have you read anything by her? And I SO want to read Wendy Berry’s book. Anything banned sounds delish.
Someonestolemyname: i’ve read one or two Lady Colin Campbell books in my time, but I find her far too interested in unsubstantiated tattle to take her seriously.
She’s been sued and lost several times, most recently by Lily Safra who forced her to pulp the biography she’d written about her, so I take what she says with a pinch of salt.
I don’t know why she writes what she writes because it just seems spiteful for spite’s sake.
At least with Penny Junor, I read with full knowledge that she’s Charles’s camp (or trying to be) or Katie Nicholls being Middleton Camp (or trying to be).
Also, I remember all the horrid abusive interviews that Lady Colin Campbell gave during the 90s about various royals which put me off her for life.
Her latest book is about the Queen Mother and once again she’s peddling tattle eg the QM being the cook’s daughter rather than giving a more substantive account of her. Most biographies about QM are so sugary as to render her invisible. You see a glimpse of the real QM in books about other royals, and so I’d hoped that Lady Colin Campbell would refrain from a lifetime of piddle to write something good. Alas no.
I’ve read the Housekeeper’s diary as well Nanny Crawfie’s book. Both I find curious rather than interesting.
My favourite royal author remains Sarah Bradford ( and Antonia Fraser for historical royal biographies) on account of her middle of the road, unbiased account of whom ever she’s writing about.
Anachronistic twaddle. Like having a monarchy. I’m off now…
They are whiny brats. I hope the weather is awful and they are a major flop in the US. If we are lucky – we may witness a major PW tantrum and perhaps this new PR guy quits on the spot.
Please, gossip genie, please!
Not really fair to wish more abysmal weather on the eastern seaboard just to punish these two.
Yea, i’m not ok with that as it’s the area where I live. If they bring bad weather it will be of little concern to them since they don’t have to shovel out a driveway or worry about commute issues.
I’m ok with it as long as those two stay far far away from Maryland.
I think Jack Whitehall and his dad need to do a Royal sketch…
By his dad do you mean Harry Enfield? Because them in character from Bad Education would be grand.
No; I mean his actual Dad. They do a chat show together in which the Dad plays a reactionary old poshie, saying the unsayable awful things reactionary posh old farts say. It’s very funny – or at least, the Sixlets laugh uncontrollably at it!
Oh, I’ve not seen it. A friend introduces me to Bad Education a few days ago and I’ve only seen two episodes, but was so happy to see Harry Enfield pop up.
Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL64ScZt2I7wGtfbCRWBu7ib0VaQJsrkNa
Thanks!!
Jack Whitehall is hilarious.
He is in Bad Education and Fresh Meat, as well as his stand up. check him out, he’s adorable and funny.
<< HUGE Jack fan!!
This story is so entertaining, particularly the American response.
It’s equally entertaining that they’ve hired a crisis management PR person.
I’m with you on how long he’ll last. Let’s be generous…one year?
•LAK•
Apparently William & Kate have been asked to go to China (sans George). Thoughts??
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/kate-middleton/11245683/Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridge-asked-to-carry-out-historic-tour-of-China-in-early-2015.html
Not going to happen.
These tours tend to be one year, six months if they are really pushing it, in the making.
Plus, Kate will be 6-7months pregnant during the timescale the Chinese want.
In as much as they might push for a light vacation type tour schedule, a royal tour is still gruelling and pregnant kate is even worse at coping with work pressure than a non pregnant Kate. Let’s face it, pregnancy for Kate is debilitating and a reasonable excuse NOT to work.
Also, the Chinese always invite someone royal every year. Invitation hasn’t been accepted since Charles went and we had ‘waxworks’ drama/comment back in the 90s eg Harry was asked (or the Foreign Office made it public that they’d like him to go) for a tour intended for 2014.
IF this tour happens, i’ll eat internet crow.
…..BUT!! A caveat…… it may happen at a later date when Kate isn’t with child, just not within the next 4mths as the Chinese would like.
•LAK•
It wasn’t that long ago that we heard rumours that Harry was going to China. I can see them trying to push for a trip but I can’t see the Chinese being okay with Kate staying in the UK and it being only William. Princesses make for much more interesting stories than princes — especially lone (boring) princes.
Speaking of lone princes, did you see the cute stories about Harry going to the mosque and they prepared two boquets, one for him and one for his wife??? Ahhhh…so cute.
:ETA:
Looks as if you modified your post. I do think China would love to have a Royal visit to help them get the blessing of the West. Funny that they scramble as much as they do for it…
I can sertainly see why the Cambridges would be the most suited to go – they don’t have the baggage that both Charles and his father have regarding China. I did find some of the wording of the article vague on certain details as well as on the sources. Has a formal invitation been issued? Furthermore, I find it highly doubtful that Kate would undertake such a tour with long flights late in her pregnancy. I can’t really put my finger on it but there’s something off about the article and to me it reads more like wishful thinking.
A state visit to China would be a very big deal, especially if diplomatic relations have been frosty. If China is serious about a rapprochement through a royal visit I can’t see the benefit of rushing to put together a visit, and neither would the British. It also seem completely unbelievable to me that Kate could go on such a tour/visit – either she would be too far along in her pregnancy or she would just have given birth.
I just find the timing of this article very odd because I don’t think that a high-profile and politicall sensitive visit to China by the Cambridges in the proposed timeframe to be a realistic prospect. But the article has come out at a time where the Cambridges experience bad press for several reasons.
Like the whole debacle over something as standard as dress code, which have never raised an eyebrow before, I think that LAK might be onto something: there might be a story withing the story….
•ArtHistorian•
Oh there is a story behind the brouhaha, most certainly.
There have been rumours for about 2 years that China has wanted a high profile member of the BRF visit to China but Harry was the one they floated around. But like W&K, his going has both pros and cons. So it might be a wish on their part but I’m thinking its a fairly serious wish for it to be floating in the more newsworthy UK papers.
Ha! Crisis management, indeed! Why do the darlings of British royalty, whose only desire has been to live their lives like any other rich couple, need such a heavy hitter in the PR field? Maybe waffling William has got it in his mind that he wants the two of them to be perceived as a power couple but realizes neither has a natural gift for interacting with the public (like Harry). Also, he (or Prince Charles) may actually be paying attention to the positive press other royal couples have been receiving lately.
•Olenna•
Honestly? I think William recognises that The Grey Men mean to declare war on him — if they haven’t already.
@LadySlippers – If William is on the defensive, I hope he realizes that he’ll have to actually listen to this new guy and follow his strategic communications plan. Otherwise, Lak is right. The guy won’t stick around long.
I remember a “certain paparazzi in the know” , made a cryptic tweet some time ago that PW was giving headaches behind scenes with constant threatening to not fulfill his role , as in step away…..and certain people were constantly bending things his way as to keep him in good conduct, but were tiring of it…..
I believe the public doesn’t know how truly bad things are behind the scenes with Willie boy. Reporters hint every now and then at the difficulty in the handling of him.
•Someonestolemyname•
Richard Kay’s article was way bigger shot across the brow than various tweets… That almost knocked me off my socks…
LadySlippers YES, I fully Agree and that Richard Kay article reads like the leaks of the old Wales War era. Someone on the inside is putting William on notice,IMO that RKay article has all the tells of a Palace insider leak.
•Someonestolemyname•
I think leakS is a better descriptor than leak. 😉
As •Sixer• stated below, I think the ‘air-ambulance pilot’ move was the last straw for a great many courtiers/Grey Men. And a few very high up the food chain went to have a chat with Richard. On one hand, I feel for William — this is not the life he wants; on the other hand, I don’t because he isn’t helpless. He, unlike many other people, has the power to change his circumstances.
LS you are a kinder person than I am. I have no sympathy whatsoever for William. The guy deserves all the shade that the Grey Men, journalists, and the public can send his way. He is a real loser, if you ask me. I hope they bring him down.
•Vava•
William IS human and has normal human desires; I can’t fault him for that. However, I do fault him for how he goes about trying to accomplish those human desires.
I agree that everything needs checks and balances but what the Grey Men do is not always nice. In fact, what they do can be equally, if not more damaging, than what the Royals do themselves. THAT I have issue with. Turfs wars create an illusion of winning and losing but the reality is — almost everyone loses in the end. Games should be played on a field or a game board, not in real life.
LS: It’s not always about turf wars. The grey men are just as likely to be faced with an unruly charge who requires to be reined in.
It is possible to get your own way if you work with them – see Harry or Sophie.
William appears to have gone against the grain from year dot and if they are teaching him a lesson, he more than deserves it.
To blame it all on the grey men is to remove William’s agency completely and we all know, as he has proudly boasted repeatedly, that he deliberately sets out to do the opposite of what is required.
This sort of attitude is what his mother did, but she had an instinct for what would work once she went against the grain whereas William does not, much as he thinks he does.
So when William goes against the grain, the entire edifice of Monarchy is threatened which requires course correction. William isn’t going to willingly course correct and he doesn’t appear to understand the institution eg the ivory remarks.
As Vava says, he more than deserves it.
And BTW, as much as I think they were vicious to Sarah and to Diana, those two ladies also set out to do much that threatened the institution and despite their protestations about the viciousness of the grey men, they continued to hire or use them long after they’d removed themselves from the palace. And when things went wrong, both Sarah and Diana blamed the grey men, current and former meanwhile their grey men had to face the brunt of the criticism from their former colleagues eg Sarah’s most recent scandal where she was selling time with Andrew for £500K, her handlers are/were former grey men. They did everything to prevent that meeting and or put precautions in place so it would never be public and Sarah thwarted all attempts. She admitted as much. It’s no wonder they resigned.
Ditto Diana and her various mishaps, particularly the panorama interview. Patrick Jephson voluntarily moved to her office and was a loyal (to Diana) grey man, and she went behind his back (and lied to his face) about the Panorama interview. He had to face the criticism and fall out of the interview long before Diana herself realised what a mis-step that was. Another person forced to resign.
Many attempts to bring in outsiders always ended in tears eg Jane Atkinson for the very reason that the charges refused to adhere to any working plans and because the newbies didn’t know the system, couldn’t work with them. You can see history repeating itself with WIlliam.
So I can sympathise with Sarah and Diana, but only up to a point. Let’s not forget that Sarah’s book was incredibly self serving and one long pity party because clearly the lesson has not been learnt.
Predictably enough, I agree with LAK, especially with her remarks about William.
•LAK•
I honestly don’t think ALL Grey Men are evil. Just the ones that engage in passive-aggressive behaviours, like airing dirty laundry in the tabloids, that end up being no better than the Royals they are trying to correct.
In reality, this is where QEII’s leadership is most needed. The Grey Men wouldn’t be driven to extremes (nor would the BRF) if HM was the leader that the entire BRF and the Firm needed. She creates a huge void by not taking an active role in the management of the combined front and back office of the BRF and I throw a great many avoidable scandals at her feet because of her passivity.
LadySlippers, LAK
Belatedly adding my tuppenceworth to a gripping discussion:
• Glad to see balanced views of Diana and Fergiana. I haven’t read any relevant biogs/autobiogs, but blimey Sarah is a good example of too much therapy: it’s layered over her every sentence in interviews like inch-thick marzipan.
I definitely think her repetitive self blaming has always been about keeping open a door for reconciliation with the Firm
• In the months before Paris 97, the press were out for blood, showing Diana as just another frivolous party girl bouncing between unsuitable men. I thought at the time that the extreme reaction to her tragedy was partly in expiation of misplaced guilt feelings on the part of the weeping millions, who’d been stuffing themselves with tales of sordor for so long, having turned against her.
Our misfortune, from a common sense point of view, is that she was young and physically attractive…..it still makes sensible people ignore what is right in front of them.
And Sarah had the misfortune to be in the spotlight, at the same time…..how she must have cursed fate for granting her dream life, but at exactly the wrong moment. Even Jeffrey Archer wouldn’t dare write such ridiculous tosh…..but it happened.!
But I’m just waffling, comme d’habitude. Point is: that there are discussions in books about royal veruccas, about backstairs protocol infringements, about the most tiresome and minute of minutiae, all makes the whole shebang a tottering Ruritanian farce played by the characters of Dynasty.
Now that the dust has settled, you wonder how in the name of God did The Firm survive those ludicrous, overwrought years? Where were the Black Hats who had a chance to strike at the heart of a vulnerable institution (as we are told it is)?
But I do so agree that HMQ should have stepped forward a few times, in spite of it not being in the script for her character.
• Actually….another inch along this train of thought and I’ll be agreeing with Mr Al Fayed.
🙂 Anyway keep up the great work, you guys are better than any book of revelations.
What a joke – Waity was the same who needed the AZ NZ cultural dance to cover up on their visit. Only for her to flash the world with her bare bum.
As to lack of duties for HM – people becoming dizzy from Willnot and Waity in past weeks. news appearance are so insincere in these visits since its all about their numbers for the year.
The responses from some American journos and Twitter responses are hilarious.
The story is funny, especially since Kate loves her skinny jeans and jeggings with tee shirts on royal outings.
I hope some of the reporters will have a bit of fun with their dressing up, maybe Top Hats.
The thing that puzzled me, is they want crew, production staff dressed up or rather not casual. Those camera and production crews or at least when I worked at a TV station in NY ,were always going casual, kahki pants, sturdy shoes, jean or casual jackets, the reporters dressed nicely but the crew ,were usually casually dressed, neat casual, or very casual.
You’re right, Someone. The people behind the camera tend to dress not as nice as the people in front of the camera. They’re not slobs, but they aren’t wearing suits and ties, either. If I had to lift and carry heavy equipment around for a news piece, I wouldn’t want to do it in heels and a skirt!
PR plot to be continued…
King Henry already in the loop for this trip.
Do other people require a dress code for journalists? That seems odd to me, but I don’t really know. I mean, if you’re coming to the White House to cover the President, maybe, but if you’re just coming to see him off at the airport, does it matter what you’re wearing? It seems a little silly to me, and sort of condescending, like we’re such hicks that our reporters are going to show up in Daisy Dukes or something.
Unlike some people, I hope they have a nice visit and everything goes smoothly.
GNAT: it’s not really that, you know? Because the journos will often be covering state functions with royal visits, they just have a bit of an advisory so that the hacks all turn up properly dressed for official-type environments.
As LAK and Ladyslippers are saying, what’s interesting about this isn’t that such an advisory exists. It’s just a bit of common sense and I’m sure other countries issue similar advisories for their own dignitary visits. You wouldn’t want, for example, American reporters turning up in crop tops when Obama says hi to the Pope in the Vatican.
What’s interesting about this is the way it’s being spun into “Will and Kate are so important they’d take offence if they saw a pair of sneakers, even in the distance. So don’t do it, you plebs.” Someone, somewhere, is VERY pissed off at these two. My (biased and snarky) bet is that they almost certainly deserve it.
•Sixer•
To be fair, the Grey Men (who I suspect are behind the brouhaha) are *very* nasty people. They are the architects behind many (if not all) of the smear campaigns we have seen both past and present. Now, I’m not saying William doesn’t deserve to come down a notch or two, but I’m not a fan of the Grey Men’s methods. At all.
Ok, Sixer, I see what you mean. As I said, I have no idea what is “normal” in these situations. Thanks,
@ LS – oh, I’m no fan of the grey men either. I look at it this way, though: if we get rid of the Royals, we also get rid of them. Win win! So I set my targets firmly at the titled ones.
•Sixer•
LMAO!
Personally I’d rather the Grey Men go extinct…I do lurve my history!
@ LS
Ack. It’s not as though there is any real appetite for binning them here. There are a few Royaloonies, an even smaller number of arch republicans and a huge majority who just don’t give a stuff for constitutional issues, think the Queen’s ok and couldn’t be arsed to go through all the hassle of changing the status quo.
And I think this is just the generational recalcitrant princeling battle being fought. They all kick against it and act like brats, then the Establishment and the press get together and give them a pasting, then both sides come to an accommodation going forward (unless you’re David).
If I had to guess, I’d say the air ambulance thing may be the straw that broke the camel’s back this go-around (I’m betting William will cry out of it sooner rather than later) but if not that, then something similar. He’ll throw his weight about for another year or two, the grey men and press will get more and more spiteful and at some point public opinion will actually take notice. At that point, William is laughed at by everyone and is faced with the choice of standing aside or buckling down. And, as if by magic, he’ll suddenly find a publicly-acceptable cause he can ally himself to, apply himself, and we’ll all settle back down into the usual inertia until it’s George’s turn. And then we’ll do it all over again.
Yawn. Yawn. Yawnitty yawn.
Let’s convene in five years to see if I’m right!
Sixer: the beautiful way that you’ve summed up the spin reminds me of a silly story leaked a few months ago about William terrorising his household (that he doesn’t have) for not Ma’aming Kate and calling her HRH.
Insidious silly tales like these, plus the recent ‘rent the royals’ one add up to Fergie. Destabilised and thrown out!!
•Sixer•
Totally agree with •LAK• — your summary is fantastic! Most Royal stories are often the rinse-and-repeat kind which ends up being a trifle boring.
This thread has been so fascinating and I love the insights. Thanks Sixer, Lady Slippers and LAK!
So who enables the grey men — are they employed by the queen? Are they actually implementing the queen’s wishes or are they rogue and doing their own thing as they see fit? And how have they come back into power? So many questions 🙂
I suppose, if nothing else, it’s a bloodless Game of Thrones-with-no-power. As Mr Sixer is fond of saying, the Royal bill is smaller than the bill for unpaid taxes we should be serving up to the likes of Google and Amazon and the rest, so let’s save our real ire for the most profitable targets!
ETA @ zinjojo – I’m trying to think of an analogy. Imagine a politician with a state public portfolio. The politician in charge of the state department has a huge bunch of civil servants and aides behind him/her. These civil servants and aides have huge influence and power but they are unseen. And they often find their way into these positions due to connections and nepotism rather than actual talent. Same for the royals – there are aides, functionaries, advisers. all from a narrow socio-economic circle. These are the grey men.
Sixer,
I think that the civil servant analog is excellent! It is certainly something that is very recognizable in many countries. Civil servants run the political departments – ministers come and go but the civil servants remain. In terms of royal courts I get the feeling that things are very different from country to country – and for very different reasons. Smaller monarchies like Denmark and Norway obviously has much less staff than a monarchy like the British. Where they recruit their people from is another important matter, which professions, social circles, etc. Sometimes there are political/historical reasons. The Imperial Court of Japan is very strictly run by the Imperial househould of courtiers, not the royals themselves. So strictly that it can become stifling (the example of CP Masako). One of the reasons for this state of affairs is the very active role the japanese emperor had in Japans military aggressions before and during WWII. This is of course a very simplified account.
•ArtHistorian•
I think Queen Indrid, your dearly departed Queen of Denmark, changed all the Scandinavian Royal Familes, and for the better too. She helped her daughter (and other royal relatives) cut away a lot of fuss or courtiers. And in the process, made some remote Monarchies, very human and relatable, all without losing the ‘Royal magic’.
Without Ingrid — Denmark, Sweden, and Norway would have much stiffer and less likeable Royal Families. I don’t think her influence can be overstated.
I certainly agree about Ingrid. I have come across some gossip from people that the Danish court under Christian X wasn’t a very pleasant place, especially for his sons. And a lot of reports also say that when Ingrid came on the scene she really got the stiff-necked old king to loosen up.
I’m going to borrow my parents’ biography on her to read up on her, but there’s no doubt that she had a lot of influence and a natural flair for PR. I don’t know how much influence she had in the Norwegian RF but she also had a lot of influence on the Swedish RF, specifically mentoring the young Queen Silvia personally, which Silvia has spoken publicly about.
From what I’ve read Ingrid always had an ambition of becoming a queen, and she was mentioned as a possible spouse for David (she dodged a bullet there, ;-)). I do think that she made a love match with Frederik IX and they were very devoted to each other.
Zinjojo: I can’t post links, but if you can google episodes of a TV comedy called ‘Yes, Minister’, note the Sir Humphrey character in action. THAT is the very definition of a grey man though this comedy is set in a parliamentary office.
As someone alluded to in another thread, I think of the grey men like Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) in the television series Yes, Minister (and Yes, Prime Minister). They exist to keep the machine of state running (for their own benefit as well as others’), no matter what idiot happens to be in the public-facing position.
(addition, LAK our posts crossed!)
•ArtHistorian•
I’m jealous as there are very few English accounts of Ingrid. My understanding is, Ingrid helped *both* Silvia and Sonja settle in as Queens/Crown Princess. I think she is honestly crucial to all three monarchies updating themselves and stepping into the modern world. And from what I’ve read, Christain wasn’t the only crusty, cold, old-fashioned monarch…. (Have you read anything about Harold’s father? 😳)
Ingrid’s advice I think would be helpful to any monarchy that wants to modernise while still retaining its magic.
LadySlippers,
I do remember the old King Olav (Harald’s father) but I only know a little about him. Mostly that was very much opposed to his son marrying a commoner, Sonja. I also know that he followed his father King Haakon to exile in England during WWII whereas his mother Märtha, who was born a princess of Sweden, fled to USA. On that occassion the gorgeous emerald parure once owned by the daughter of the Empress Josephine came into the Norwegian RF. Märtha’s mother gave her the parure as a possible source of income during her exile. Thankfully, she disn’t need to sell it. http://www.internetstones.com/image-files/norwegian-emerald-parure-empress-josephines.jpg
Can I add my signature to Sixer’s assessment of British feelings re the RF? Exactly what she says. Benevolent apathy on a wet Sunday, by and large.
But there *is* an extra dimension, that underpins even the virulent anti-crew, that has rendered the royals untouchable when ‘push’ actually came close enough to ‘shove’. That’s the War.
• I doubt many could cite in any detail what European royals were faced with, and what they did about it, and the relevant generation is passing. But everyone knows that our lot looked the Blitz, (and, famously, the East End) in the face, and in doing so they wrought a binding spell of mutual fidelity, which gave them powerful immunity from the effects of the coming years of radicalism, never mind the ‘white heat of technology’ and Swinging London; an evolving society in which, on any other planet, they’d be unable to find a rôle.
•The magic protective charm breaks as soon as the War royals pass away.
Charles is girding his loins.
(Apologies to JK Rowling)
•GoodNames•
I don’t think having a dress code is all that unusual. My guess is several high profile people do as well — it’s just we Americans tend to be so casual with everything. Lol
And Dahling, a morning mimosa for you? You’re looking a bit…peaked. Last night overly fun? Must get you a massage ordered.😉
Thank you dahling. A mimosa and a massage would clear my head seeeew nicely. Mowa!
•Dahling•
Anything for you!
😉
The dress code isn’t just for US reporters, that same dress code gets sent to UK reporters and every other country’s reporters when royals travel. It’s for all royals, too, not just W&K.
Okie doke. Thanks.
Well, apparently the code isn’t appreciated by all British journalists either. Interesting how the author managed to cover two sore subjects in one article.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-royal-dress-code-cant-cloak-prince-charles-9877700.html
Thanks for the link Oleanna. My favorite bits?
“I have yet to see a sound technician in a suit and tie, so I wish the palace luck with that. Some of the US media have taken umbrage: New York magazine asked why reporters should dress up to “make small talk with a (perfectly nice-seeming) British air ambulance pilot-in-training and a former chain-store accessories buyer”.
I think that’s really unfair to the duchess, who did the job for a only few months before realising she was cut out for a much greater destiny (wearing clothes, not selling them). She could teach those scruffy Americans a few tricks about putting on a dress and getting into a car. “
Telling Americans how to dress in front of the presence of the Lamebridges is a joke.
As if these people don’t interview the President and world leaders. And making technicians who work behind the scenes dress as to not offend them, give me a break. They’d better hope reputable news organizations cover them and not only the tabloids. Because they are celebs and aren’t taken all that seriously.
•Mia•
I’m sure American journalists have heard this before as we tend to err on the casual side which a lot of countries find very discomfiting. Look beyond that and see the hidden story. That’s way more interesting. Strictly my opinion of course.
See the twitter pages of most of the American media and you can see they are insulted by it. So if they’ve seen it before (ie with Harry & Anne), they aren’t saying so. They are throwing shade left and right and basically saying…we dumped you folks a few hundred years back, so stick it where Kate’s panties are supposed to be.
•Mia•
My guess is someone, very quietly, told one or two reporters to raise hell — knowing that it would ‘blossom’ from there. This is exactly how the Grey Men operate.
If some royal swanned into my workplace and told me what to wear, I would throw an absolute fit. The British royal family used to rule lots of the globe and they seem unable to forget that fact. There is no reason to listen to anything they say, let alone obey their edicts. It has nothing to do with “grey men” and everything to do with the facts that 1) royalty is an anachronism and 2) Will and Kate are extremely bad at it.
•Emily C•
Except the rules of meeting Royals are posted on the BRF official website — it’s not new (as •LAK• posted above). And nothing out of the extraordinary was done prior to this trip. Plus, meeting *any* dignitary comes with a set of rules. In the military, we had it when meeting flag officers, so it’s fairly prevalent.
The question is, why NOW? What’s different about this occasion and with this set of Royals to bring it to our attention now? That’s why so many long term Royal Watchers/Loonies think there’s much, much, much more to the story than what we see at first blush.
I LIKE the Grey Men! They keep these spoiled brats in line (or at least try to).
@Mia and Emily,
There is a certain expectation when it comes to dress and behavior when it comes to meeting heads of state, from the BRF to the pope to the President of thr US. Its totally normal, and if people are complaining on Twitter its just because they want something to complain about.
I remember 10-15 years ago a champion collegiate women’s team (rowing, I think) made a trip to the White House to meet the president, and people were pretty aghast at the photos as many of the girls were wearing flip flops with their dresses. We may live in a casual culture, but that doesn’t make us exempt from dress codes in occasions such as this.
@ Mia and Emily
The others are right. This advisory has always existed. Every country has similar advisories, including the US. It is not intended to “protect” the royals from nasty commoners: it is intended to ensure that their guests are treated with respect.
I’m the first person to castigate William and Kate (and any other royal) for bad or entitled behaviour. If this was in any way their “fault”, I’d be saying so.
But it isn’t. It is a warning or a punishment. Someone behind the scenes is demonstrating power to Will and Kate. Someone is showing them how easy it would be to destroy press goodwill and how public opinion can be altered when press goodwill is gone.
And it’s a very clever way to do it. Americans are NOTORIOUSLY thin skinned, ESPECIALLY when there is even a whiff of condescension from the old colonial master-turned-enemy-turned-defeated-in-a-war. What quicker, easier and more effective way to demonstrate to these two that they can be taken down a peg or twenty-two in a very short space of time than to spin something that looks to Americans as though they are being snotted upon? Look at the reactions here and on Twitter. It’s easy peasy lemon squeezy.
This ‘advisory’ is such nonsense especially for these two. PW is not on a State vVsit and no such warning was given for working King Harry’s visit.
The paps are working – maybe its a state of life Will and Waity doolittle should get use to..
Lead by example – regal royal dress code and work – duty to HM, RF, GB C’wealth.
“He told me that he liked buying flowers for Kate and how much she loved flowers,”
When you are “violently ill” with HG, unable to move, prone on the couch and every scent causes you to hurl 30 times a day? What you really want is flowers. Unless of course, you are experiencing perfectly normal morning sickness like 98% of expectant mothers. Once again, trying too hard to convince us of the “happy state’o’the’union”
The flower part got me too, but for other reasons.
Not to discredit the scents setting off sickness because that is absolutely true.
More that the Maldives trip came after William was away almost the full length of time between the birth of George to the Maldives trip. Admitted to by Kate with her slip up (or well placed?) comment.
And that William had time to vacation and hunt, but not visit his wife and new son. So, with forgetting that it seems romantic.
And the flowers I buy as a here and there when William does return home, sure. But the news that Kate bought her own “push present” eternity ring makes me think William doesn’t know how to work for forgiveness. The dating years also supports that statement.
so that whole normal couple thing just rings so wrong unless you want to believe it.
Florac
PREACH …….Kate bought her “push-present” , that says it all about William.
Someonestole
That eternity ring story is a great example of any information that gets twisted to be positive and then the truth later leaks out. Mostly, imo accidental.
In this case the eternity ring was a present from William and also an example of how Kate has good taste and buys her own jewelry. Can’t have it both ways.
Ugh, Florc. Her jewelry drives me up the wall. She has all that money, all that access to jewels (well she could have access)–and she buys the most unimaginative pieces. If I was married to Prince Harry (William is too much of a whiny baby who likes his own way), I’d be dripping jewels. You’d all be on here telling me to put the emeralds away, it’s only noon…at a children’s school…haha.
VC: on an entertainment level, it’s the only reason to look at them.
Why have all those jewels and not wear them.
It’s the reason I loved Elizabeth Taylor so much. I adore that story where Princess Margaret was trying to shame her for wearing her jewels during the day (at an everyday event) only for the Princess to turn around and ask to try on her very ginormous ring which prompted Elizabeth to ask her,’ who is Vulgar now?!’
Love it!!!
Ditto Wallis Simpson.
Of course there are deeper more interesting reasons to look at these ladies, but so much could be overlooked if their primary ornamental function would be spectacularly filled with jewels and more jewels to look at.
On the subject of Kate’s jewels, she tends to small or unobtrusive pieces, but some of them are so SO expensive eg that rather unimaginative Cartier Olympic rings necklace that cost £49K. For that amount of money she could have picked up a divine piece of jewellery.
She also has what look like small charms on a necklace which retail at £2000 per charm. Again, boring unobtrusive and ugly.
Kate’s jewelry is not very exciting at all. If I had to be the mother of his children, I’d want something better than an eternity ring. I’d be going for some serious stones! And I would wear them often!
I’m attending an exhibit of Cartier jewelry at the Denver Art Museum in February and am so excited! There are going to be some notable jewels there, including pieces once owned by Liz and Wallis. Not a big fan of Wallis, but she had some great jewelry!
Kate’s jewels and taste in fashion/style is very safe. I really like her personal time style. It just shouldn’t cost as much as it does. And her work style is just… Emperors clothes. Yea. Praise it, make it pricey and that’s it.
There’s just nothing that she wears and doesn’t wear her. Nothing that can be called Kate’s style outside of a high hemline and no panties.
As for her jewelry i’m with you all. It’s pricey, but plain and cheap looking. If we can see the jewelry that is.
And I have the opinion Kate buys just to do so. Spend money to fill the void of an absent husband.
VaVa: I like Wallis’s jewelry too. I love her taste – the designs are so elegant, artistic, and big enough!
Compare any of Wallis’s designs with the white pearl gob Kate wore on some parade route, that was entirely meaningless.
LAK,
The ring in question featured 33 carat and very rare Krupp diamond (since renamed the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond). I do remember the story with Princess Margaret. Don’t know if it is true or not.
Liz Taylor had a number of jewellery taht incorporated very fameous stones including The Taj Mahal Diamond inscribed with the name of Nur jahan, wife of the Mughal Emperor Shan Jahangir who gave it to his son the later Shan jan who built the Taj Mahal in the 17th century. She also owned the largest drop pearl in the world, La Peregrina, which once belonged to the Spanish Habsburgs and were worn by Mary I Tudor, Elizabeth I’s sister who was the wife of Philip II of Spain. She had it set into a magnificent necklace. She also had a brooch once owned by Wallis Simpson.
There’s a funny story about Taylor and La Peregrina that was told by the man who brokered the sale and delivered the pearl to the Burtons. He arrived late at night to their Las Vegas suite where a party was going on. He satyed on drinking with them and at some point Taylor lost the pearl. Everybody went down on their knees and searched for it in tthe longhaired shag carpet. The man found the pearl in the teeth of one of Liz’ tiney dogs who were gnawing on it. It had to be sent out to be restored before it could be worn again.
Link with pics of her most fameous jewels: http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkm45ffhem/elizabeth-taylor-diamond/
Vava,
Have fun at the exhibit. I bet it is going to be a kinds of fabulous! I saw a Cartier exhibit in London in 1997 and it was great. Not many tiaras though but a lot of jewels and objets d’art from the period between 1900-1940.
ArtHistorian: I love that story about La Peregrina.
I saw ET’s jewels when they toured around the world before auction. Twice.Both times, most satisfying afternoon of my life as far as gazing at magnificent jewels is concerned.
I saw the Krupp Diamond and La Peregrina.
The Wallis brooch she had was the Prince of Wales feathers insignia that David re-created in diamonds. Apparently she’d admired it at a luncheon with Wallis amd David and when it came up for auction after Wallis’s death, she bought it. Rumour has it that she outbid Charles.
Another anecdote about the feathers, Charles used to gift all his ladies with a similar brooch. Not as pricey as David’s effort.
Another anecdote about Wallis’s jewellery, did you know that her eternity ring inspired Calvin Klein to name his perfume the same? He bought it for his then (or future) wife Kelly Klein and only discovered the inscription ‘eternity’ inside AFTER he took delivery.
The Princess Margaret/Elizabeth Taylor story has been repeated so often and by everyone that at this point it’s taken on the sheen of truth.
Mindful of everything i’ve read about ET, i’d say there is a lot of truth in it.
I loved that she enjoyed her jewellery and was unashamed and unafraid to wear it.
So many people are so unimaginative about jewellery.
I’m with VC, if I had such a jewellery collection. I’d wear it everyday and everywhere,vulgarity be damned!!!!
Vava, from news reports there are also some Princess Grace items on exhibit.
LAK,
I’m extremely envious that you saw Liz Taylor’s jewellery collection. I’m in love with the Bulgari sautoir featuring a huge sugarloaf sapphire. Bulgari bought it back at the auction for about 5M$. They also bought back the large emerald necklace they made for her for approx 4M$. The big jewellery firms often buy back significant piece that go into their collections. It would be a dream job of mine to be curator for one of these collections.
Cartier also buys back a lot of their creations so you’re in for a treat Vava. Keep an eye out for the items they made for Daisy Fellowes and Marjorie Merriweather Post – those are some gorgeous art deco pieces.
Liz’s sapphire sautoir:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660851882209/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/291326669618438423/
Daisy Fellowes’ Tutti Frutti Necklace (Cartier):
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/399272323189089146/
Marjorie Mearryweather Post’s Cartier Brooch with carved Mughal emeralds:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/434808538996268012/
•notasugarhere•
It’s perfectly reasonable to think Kate does like getting flowers. Afterall, they have been together over a decade now.
It is also perfectly reasonable to think that this is standard small talk to say to a florist. Doesn’t mean he buys her flowers, doesn’t mean he doesn’t. It is just what you say to a florist, whether or not it is the truth.
I’m pretty sure William would have someone to buy his flower for him, that’s all I’m saying. Doesn’t really seem like the type to pop into a shop and buy some posies.
Kiki04
This part makes me give the side eye. So many instances of when Will or Kate enter a shop are well documented. If William was to enter a shop even once out of several visits to buy flowers it would have been used by now.
I don’t doubt he has flowers sent to Kate on occasion. I just doubt he’s buying them himself or to get that smile reaction when she receives them. Maybe more that it’s a norm that should be done.
I don’t even care all that much about the story behind the story, if there is one. What I find hilarious – and not just in this context – is the notion that “no jeans and sneakers” is still considered the best they can do when it comes to dress codes in a professional environment. I work in a big, rather conservative law firm (Germany and not as a lawyer thank God) and I’ve seen some highly questionable attire on the ladies and gents there when in theory, they were dressed properly. I’ve also seen some impeccably dressed people on casual Friday wearing jeans. Fancy jeans with a pair of nice heels and a good blouse can look 100 times better than this pantsuit crap that seems to be the go-to synonym for “professional”. An ill-fitting business outfit with uncombed hair and no makeup (when SOME would probably be a good idea and I can hear people yelling at me already) is NOT the way to go either. Neither is Kate’s penchant for floaty skirts in windy weather.
The new PR guy won’t last very long unless he is a “yes man” to Prince William. That will be the key to his survival in the job, but it’s really not going to work in the long run. The reason being is that William is not understanding what it takes for his reputation to improve, he will always do what he wants to do and he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. And ultimately, his reputation will continue to lag and he WILL BLAME THE PR GUY. And of course, Kate has no leverage. She’s a limp dishrag. The PR guy better have a backup plan, because his work for William is going to be short-lived and torturous. I suppose the only good part of it will be that he can list it on his resume, providing he doesn’t get fired.
As far as this dress code thing goes, have we really ever seen journalists looking all that inappropriate? Certainly not as many times as the dear Duchass!
Well put. I agree.
For….The new PR guy to survive with William, he better be a YES Man or have a stellar talent of persuasion with William.
The new Spin doctor/PR Man is 30 , so I wonder if William figures he and the new pr man can grow together in the role? ( But…. I doubt much will really change with PW. He seems to just want yes people. )
Yes. Let’s not forget William ‘is his own man’.
I almost feel sorry for the new guy.
•Vava•
I think it needs to be either a ‘yes man’ or someone that can sell his/her ideas so well that William can and will jump on board with. Both seem unlikely.
Will the PR guy be paid by the taxpayers or the Duchy?
•notasugarhere•
All of the Wales’ offices and staff are paid by Charles via the Duchy.
The Duchy. Charles covers their office expenses.
Thanks!
•notasugarhere•
As always, you are welcome. 😊
I see this dress code request as an attempt to mess with everyone’s heads about the “status” of Will and Kate. So sorry they felt that Americans needed such a public reminder of dresswear, rather than letting media CO’s manage their own crews. This reminder just sets Will and Kate apart from other celebrities, by creating “royalness”, and their “highnesses”. I suppose that this is good PR, and all the dumbnesses in America will be convinced of this special flavor of celebrity. I think that they are also aiming at the younger generation to ensure their brand in the future.
I find it amusing because they are so young, mere college graduates with a new family, and Americans are supposed to bow to them (figuratively). I would never bow to Kate Middleton; she is merely a rich peer. His sulkiness is almost a lost cause.
British humour flying over heads again. 🙂
I think suggesting a dress code to professional journalists is rather insulting. It also suggests that they wouldn’t have the intelligence to know how to dress for royalty. Has anyone given William and Kate a dress code – like knowing enough to wear underwear? And how to dress professionally for their royal visit?
I thought the response to the dress code was very entertaining and assumed it would be covered here.
Yes, I thought all the Twitter responses were hilarious–even though it’s a non-story. There’s always going to be protocol (dress, behavior, etc.) and it had to be disseminated somehow. I’m guessing kate never got the memo, though.😉
This is a ludicrous demand coming from a woman who has shown every part of her body to the world on numerous occasions.
Agreed. I feel bad for the people covering this. It’s insulting to be reminded (although I’m sure it’s normal for heads of state to issue reminders, anyway), but what can they do? If they aren’t dressed appropriately for an event, they might get kicked out and I’d imagine their editor won’t be pleased.
But what bothers me is they also expect crew along with reporters to dress up and sometimes thats just not practical, the crew handles the cameras, the equipment, some are jumping in ,out of back of vans or trucks , orsometimes running back to the vans, in haste for equipment, etc….sometimes crew members are crouched on the floor off camera, helping a reporter work the interview, so they actually need to wear clothes they can move around in and they tend to be more casual. …justsaying
Hey, great minds think alike! I said something similar upthread.
+1
Not to mention that the crews are often kneeling on the ground, climbing or whatever they need to do to get the appropriate camera angle in less than ideal circumstances, including bad weather. I guess the news stations will have to designate a crew just for the coverage of WK, like there won’t be other stories the crews have to cover on the same day.
This is ridic! Journalists should be able to wear what they want. Covering Obama, Kim K, or the dumb royals, it should not matter. I understand wanting the journalists to wear clothing that adequately covers genitalia and having everyone look appropriate, but saying no sneakers? WTF?
The royals should be able to dictate ONLY what their own staff wear. Butlers, nanny’s, chefs, drivers? Sure, they have a uniform. A journalist for People? No, they dont work for the royals and they should wear what they want. Maybe I dont understand it, as I’m an American and we don’t have royalty but when Obama came to my college, we all saw his speech and dressed in street clothes. If Obama was a guest at my home, I’d dress up. If it was my job to take pictures of HIM? No way. Seems weird.
Why are their activities designed to raise American money for British charities, St. Andrews or Wildlife funds for William’s Trusts that he is president of? Their receptions are carried out by the Tusk Trust, or the British consulate, or an American Princes’s Trust that was created by the princes in 2009, for their use in America. (This was not a trust created by Americans, but by the British princes). Although Will & Kate are viewing the work for the young that occurs in New York, they are not raising money for New York, or any American institution. They are just here to take advantage of Americans – at least that’s how it appears…
…and PR …..
It will create images to be used as goodwill and tally marks for events. Got to get that number up before the end!
And as we now know built in fun times for William. I wonder since the NBA won’t be donating anything that they’ll also make him pay for his courtside seats?
LOL, FLORC,
the notion that William would ever pay for anything. Particularly courtside seats!!! hahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
So right Vava. I don’t understand that mentality, but I always wasn’t raised like him. If it isn’t given you take and others will cover for you.
That is curious, but I’m guessing there’s a fair number of expats & Anglophiles in the mix. What I was wondering was, how long is St. Andrews going to milk their 200th anniversary? W&K went to an anniversary dinner already, right?
This is what you get when you stubbornly stick to the remnants of past government forms…
On the other hand, the US is a republic, and they’ve produced the Kardashians, so to be fair, I dont know what’s worse…
Does the dress code include wearing underwear?
The is the bigger joke here. That if everyone has to dress nicer than some of them might will Kate do the same? Will she wear underwear? Will we not have to find that answer out? Will it be jeggings she’s poured into with hair falling everywhere? Or dressed as nicely if not nicer than those who dress out of respect.
Yep, such a statement issued by Kate and William sort of implies the “Yanks have no style”.
Maybe they were simply afraid that some Michael Moore type comedians would turn the Royal visit into an opportunity to turn the tables and entertain Kate with some well-planned Marilyn moments. The Brits are known for their sense of humor, aren’t they? 😉
FLORC
You know, a good opportunity was missed for some retaliatory guidelines, to be sent to the Cambridges: a lexicon of US clothing:, eg:
• New York says ‘pants’, Cambridges say ‘trousers’; NYC says ‘vest’, Cambridges say ‘waistcoat’ (or izzit ‘jacket’?) etc
• Thus NYC could send a message back assuring the Cambridges that ‘smart pants’ will be worn at all times.
Get them wondering if the mickey is being taken, or Bumgate alluded to!
FLORC;
🙂
Wow, I am a total Kate apologist, but this REALLY rubs me the wrong way. We’re welcoming you to OUR country. How ’bout you make some friends before telling people how to dress, mmmkay?
My favourite response.
I predict she will not age well. At all.
She hasn’t aged well to date, so I agree with you, she won’t in the future either. 🙂
I agree. The women in her family age hard. I think this is as bad as it gets though.
Unless she keeps up the dieting to an unnatural (for her) weight, smoking, and sun love. That isn’t helping things. I bet she’s dealing with stress too. Stress of her own self made circumstances, but still stress.
Until she gets another honest portrait I doubt we will see her unaltered again. When we do she looks exhausted and awful.
this woman better wear panties over here
she is such a disgusting ##@%@
gross – and what is up with her face?
that is weird
this job is a win-win for this PR guy
even if Bill is an a$$ and he has to quit
he can still write a book
which I hope he does
Can’t wait for Bill to be uncovered
idiot
sorry, so much hate but I can’t stand these people
please stay off our shores