I have a theory about why Duchess Kate was shoved into the background for the balcony wave at Saturday’s Trooping the Colour parade. My theory: Kate doesn’t know how to behave on the balcony. There are almost always complaints about her balcony etiquette, whether she’s twirling and fluffing her hair on Remembrance Day or smiling and giggling when she’s supposed to be somber, it feels like the senior royals have finally figured out that Kate needs to not be front and center on the balcony. Plus, I really do think that the Queen had to “order” Kate to appear at Trooping the Colour because Kate didn’t even want to show up. This is Kate’s punishment: she has to come to the parade but stand in the back on the balcony.
Anyway, Britain’s long, national nightmare is finally over: William and Kate have finally hired a replacement housekeeper for Anmer Hall. FINALLY!! I’m totally assuming that Carole Middleton must have put this poor woman through the ringer to get this job.
Prince William and Princess Kate have some added help. They have found a housekeeper for their country home, Anmer Hall – and she comes with a royal resumé.
PEOPLE has learned that until recently, Sadie Rice has been working for Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and his wife, the book-loving Crown Priness Mette-Marit – who bears a striking resemblance to a certain cold-weather Disney princess.
The experience of looking after the Norwegian royals’ three children will serve the 33-year-old Rice in good stead with William and Kate, who had advertised widely for someone good with kids – and dogs.
This goes along with many of the other major hires William and Kate have made for their household and childcare staff: hire outside of the royal-servant units. Nanny Maria is “foreign”. Sadie Rice has spent a lot of time working outside of Britain. Will and Kate’s newest press secretary is an American. Part of me likes that W&K think outside the box and look for people unconnected to members of the royal family. Part of me thinks that Will and Kate hire outsiders because they don’t want the business-as-usual gossip that comes with traditional royal staffers.
I should also note: I have never, ever believed that Will & Kate’s staff is as small as they want us to believe. Just because they were looking for a full-time housekeeper for Anmer Hall doesn’t mean they weren’t “making do” with a dozen transplanted staffers from Kensington Palace, you know? Carole probably barks orders at a dozen staffers a day, easily.
Last thing: for George’s first balcony appearance, he wore the same exact outfit that William wore for his first balcony appearance.
Prince George's first appearance on the balcony wearing the same outfit his father wore at HM's Birthday Parade 1984 pic.twitter.com/ffhrDleGmT
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) June 13, 2015
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
Is there anything to actually back up your theories about Kate’s appearance the other day? I don’t think anyone “ordered” her to be there and stand in the background…
I agree.
Diana stated that there were a few ‘musts’ in the Royal Calendar and Trooping the Colour was one of them. Basically, there are a handful of events you had to do and it went without saying you were there.
In the video she tries to move around, but she keeps getting blocked. I was wondering what was up with that! William even ices her out at one point when she tries to move closer.
Looked like she was getting on nerves with the Helicopter Mom show – following Willy around when he was holding George like he was going to chuck his son over the balcony or something.
TBH George looked happy enough on his first appearance – he seemed to be quite fascinated with all the people he could see – even he was ignoring Kate and preferred to play with Daddy’s uniform’s tassels.
all those so called theories make me laugh so hard… people will always make stories up…. oh the horror she stood in the background.. harry stood also in the background further down then kate he is also banned .
At one point the Queen turned and gave Kate a dirty look because she was constantly talking to and trying to divert George.
She doesn’t know how to act on the balcony. One year she even curtsied to HM and Prince Philip on the balcony and everyone looked at her like, “Too late, not now.” These are basic things the rest of us know just from watching royals. It baffles me that 14 years in she can’t stand still and follow basic protocol.
I realy doubt Carole is such a nightmare. Why does everyone hate that woman?
Lol apparently her social climbing is a turn off.
Because even the British press is masochistic when it comes to their class system. They think the “commoners” should stay down.
Thank you @Talie.
I have never seen such a group of people… who enjoy bullying those “tacky commoner” people.
And gawd forbid *gasp* those “tacky commoner” people. Having the nerve to work hard and earn a better life for their family. How dare they make the effort to build a better life, with their hard earn money! The nerve! *huge eye roll*
Also, she’s involved in Kate’s life, that’s normal. William’s side spends way too little time with George.
you never see or hear her mother and everybody still says all this sh…t about her, she can’t win…. gossip said she was at armer hall for six weeks after the birth and it was not true she was seen in her own village after that they didn’t report it anymore but people still say that she was there because the daily fail said so
The same outfit thing is totally adorable.
It is adorable, although lace on little boys’ clothes…. I didn’t like it on William & I don’t like it on George. Just one of those things that should belong in the past–like having little boys wear dresses until they’re two.
Not only that, but the outfit was originally worn by Prince Charles! See a picture of him wearing it here:
https://twitter.com/MajestyMagazine/status/610359103924371456
I had no idea! The tradition of embarrassing your son continues!
Royals have been doing it for ages, Victoria has done it with Estelle too. The reason? It shows continuity of the monarchy.
Is it sad that Prince Charles looks more like a Prince than William? I could understand why he(Charles) was considered such a heartthrob back in the day, just looking at the 1984 picture. William and Kate look like winners of a gameshow that have been invited to the balcony…
I must have (completely!) missed any period when Charles was considered a “heartthrob”. I remember lots of press about his jug ears, about his thinning hair, about his ‘whiny’ nature, about how he was bullied about by his father. But none about what a heartthrob he might be. He may look more like a prince just because of the grey hair and age.
LOL – I could have written this comment.
Charles knows how to “be” Royal – How to act, what to say (and what not to). He IS more suave and regal than William and Kate. I also get the impression he is more intelligent than them.
Yep, I’ll agree with you.
he was never really goodlooking, but he had some good years when he was younger and sporty. That was the time the girls were crazy about him. He also always carried himself “regal” and not “modern and normal”.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1462647/thumbs/o-WESUIT-570.jpg?1
Harry looks totally like his dad minus the big ears and dark hair. The narrow standing eyes, eyebrows, the nose and lips:
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1462630/thumbs/o-HEADSHOT-570.jpg?1
All this supposition is so slim. Obviously the most important thing about the balcony was having the Queen and all those in line for the throne together for the photos. As for showing up for the event, of course it’s part of the job. And like most people with elderly parents and grandparents, you never know when it’s the last time.
Good, i guess Carole can hangup the marigolds now and get on with her own life.
Nope. She will hang around until they kick her out.
I think her involvment is perfectly normal. Was any Windsor even seen holding George? I don’t think I’ve even seen a picture with Harry and George. Now that is not normal.
Well she had to appear at Trooping the Colour, so she decided to stay at home for the Order of the Garter ceremony today. I mean, being seen in public for two days in a row should be enough for the rest of the year, no?
Re Balcony etiquette: that’s what people go to princess school for. Glad she paid attention.
I think people are reading too much into Kate’s supposed issue with “balcony etiquette”. Some people just appear more awkward even if they aren’t necessarily uncomfortable or self-conscious — but I will say that Kate is definitely very self-conscious and self-involved. This balcony appearance is no different to me than others.
I’m glad Kate has a housekeeper – finally! All of that housework plus looking after 2 kids must have been so tiring for the poor dear. At last she now has the time to get on with the important stuff – more intense gym workouts, mani-pedi’s and hair appointments.
Ha! Agree with everything.
Looks like Charles is wearing the same outfit too!
I’d hire staff outside the typical Royal bunch, too. I’d really rather have somebody loyal to me and not somebody with a pipeline to the Queen or Charles.
I want my business staying in my house.
You’d also want to treat your staff well. Staff that isn’t treated well will find loyalties shifting.
Maybe she wanted to stay near the back to avoid a bunch of critique of her post-partum figure? I know it looks from other photos that she has pretty much lost the baby weight completely already but I wouldn’t be surprised if she feels otherwise and is maybe not super-psyched about being front and center in photos just yet.
No, it has to be a conspiracy of some kind. Normal feelings and emotions just aren’t going to cut it.
Doubtful. She was perfectly comfortable wearing sprayed-on jeans & a slim-fitting T-shirt at polo the next day.
For a moment when seeing the headline I thought a white ball was flowing into the Duchess’s face.
I saw the YT video of them on the balcony and she seemed a little jittery and awkward but not like a helicopter mom worried that William was holding George.
Someone upthread said that it looked like she was telling William to move up front. That’s what it looked like to me too, because he had to point out to her, using his fingers and a side-swiping motion, that the space wasn’t available to move to. Maybe she thought they were supposed to be up front with the Queen? Who knows? But I’ve seen other times in which she just didn’t get it about protocol.
Glad they hired another staff member so that W&K don’t have to work so hard both at work and home. It must get tiring for them…. haha.
Someone said in a previous Celebitchy article that Kate’s hat looks like a diaphragm with two feathers coming out of it. I couldn’t get that out of my mind when I was watching the video. Thanks for that and for the laugh.
In the video, I didn’t see Charles patting George or trying to shake his hand or any other gestures of endearment, which I thought was odd if the stories are true that he’s not been given as many visits with George as he would have liked.
I don’t know why aren’t there any videos or photos of Harry playing with George. What’s up with that? They’d be a riot together with their respective personalities. Is it because William would be jealous that those pics would be more popular than of himself with George? Or is it because Harry would have to endure a lot of flirting by Kate just to hang around with George?
anne
I really doubt that’s flirting. Harry just seems easy going, thoughtful, and gets/gives genuine laughs. If that is Harry flirting then he’s flirting up a storm with children, puppies, lamp posts, and garden bushes.
Watched the youtube video from the bbc iirc and wish I could read lips — not that they were revealing state secrets or anything, I’d just be curious to know what was said.
I like the chandelier in the background. Looks retro 1930s but who knows? If you were actually there inside, it may look completely different.
That caught my eye too! It looks fantastic.