Prince William & Kate release photos from a family vacation in the French Alps

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I hate to be the I-told-you-so person, but I told you so. I told you guys last month that the tide was not actually turning with Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge. On February 18, The Sun published a “bombshell” exclusive about William’s work-shy ways, how he barely works at all at his part-time job at the EAAA, and how he barely does one royal event a month. What followed was a solid week of drama in the press, with sources calling William petulant, bored and lazy. Even Kate took some hits, like the press pointing out that she skipped out of her “day of guest-editing” HuffPo to get in some retail therapy. So how do they answer all of this criticism? They went on a skiing holiday and released the photos to a grateful public. Because baby photos make it all better, right? You’ve forgotten all about everything, haven’t you?

The ski holiday is only being described as “recent,” which means they managed to get away and come back with little notice. They went to the French Alps, and it’s being called their first family holiday with both Charlotte and George. I suspect this is where they were all of last week, because we didn’t see them at all. Meaning, they just had to have a little vacation to recover from being criticized for doing so few events. Sigh…

Meanwhile, as the Cambridges were taking some time off from their grueling schedule, the Kensington Palace press office was still in overdrive, trying to make Will and Kate sound hardworking. Will and Kate’s press office also went into overdrive with a flurry of official announcements about their India tour (in April), plus Harry got thrown under the bus. But that’s it. Their press office is still pretending that the kerfuffle never happened, and that everyone buys that Will and Kate are extremely keen on working and that they have amazing, full schedules. And people are buying it. And when I say “people,” I mean People Magazine, who published two different stories over two days about how Will and Kate are super-keen on mental health now. Because what says “keen” more than the fact that we’re still hearing about a trip Kate made two weeks ago when she deigned to listen to people speaking? That’s literally the point of this People Mag story.

People Mag did throw a little shade, perhaps accidentally – Will and Kate have announced that they will be making a visit to the XLP project at London Wall and People wrote: “The couple last visited with the charity about a year ago before Kate started her maternity leave.” That’s how engaged Kate and William are – they’ll literally drop a charity for a year.

People’s second story is all about how William is keen on the issue of male suicide, and how William “will take the first public steps in his new bid to highlight the issue of male suicide when he and wife Princess Kate make a series of public and private outings next week.” Basically, Will and Kate are going to make some joint appearances on March 10, Thursday. This will be their first joint-appearance at a charity since November 2015. You can read more about it here.

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Photos courtesy of Kensington Royal Twitter, WENN.

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187 Responses to “Prince William & Kate release photos from a family vacation in the French Alps”

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  1. MinnFinn says:

    It is very suspicious to me that they could go to France with no twitter sightings.

    • notasugarhere says:

      They’ve managed to sneak away on multiple vacations in the last five years. One year, there was only one cell phone photo of their backs at a ski resort in France. It was a new-to-the-Middletons ski resort, which was why the press wasn’t looking there. The Middletons fly through Scotland to head off on many vacations. I suspect W&K do the same.

      #jasonweseeyou

    • anne_000 says:

      On March 3rd, royal correspondent, Richard Palmer on his Twitter (@RoyalReporter) posted some tweets about Harry being in the French Alps.

      It’s weird to me how the reporters talk about Harry but don’t spill on W&K.

      The DM article mentions that since there were no sightings of W&K at an airport, that could mean they took a private plane, though royal officials wouldn’t admit to either commercial or private.

    • Angie says:

      Maybe there were…I’ve read numerous comments in the past about royal security ambushing people even suspected of snapping photos & threatening to confiscate devices…sad but true👹

    • vava says:

      Well, William is just playing a vindictive game with the press and public. He’s flipping everyone off, so obvious.

    • Fee says:

      What is work for them anyhow? Going to functions,charities,galas? That’s not work,that’s publicity for the the Royals. They want them to be in public to justify Queen n co lifestyles. No one needs a monarch, the last one to do real work was Diana n we saw how they ended her. I’m no fan of Kate but this constant hate seems planned by HM herself.

      • Tina says:

        Functions, charities and galas are what William & Kate count as work. The others do proper work that’s behind the scenes and unglamorous.

        Let’s look at Princess Anne, for example. Today, she’s in Dundee, visiting the Dundee Victim Service, a ‘Meet the Researcher’ showcase and then she’s back down to London tonight for a Court Dinner for Masters and Clerks of the Great Twelve Livery Companies, Fishmongers’ Hall, London Bridge. Not exactly the Baftas – and they can’t even get William to go to those!

  2. Betti says:

    So this is how you combat criticism for being a lazy work shy moron who can’t even meet the min requirements for a part time job with a wife who is seen out shopping every other day – by going on a luxury ski-ing holiday for a highly controlled pap stroll! Its official big Willy isn’t listening to #poorjason – talk about feeding the fire and proving the tabloids correct.

    Plus this will also piss the UK press off because only ONE pap was allowed to go along, even thou John Stillwell is a royal favourite.

    This old schtick of parading the kids and then crying invasion of privacy is old and boring, just like these 2. The b!tch is strong with me today.

    PS this isn’t the first holiday of the year – didn’t they go away somewhere in Jan? It must have been just the 2 of them then, seems they like to go on holidays and leave the children with the help – how normal and middle class of them.

    • r-r says:

      Well, this was predictable, as is the next vacation (without kids this time) when they´ll wrap up the India and later the Caribbean tour, mark my words. Also why are Willam and Kate wearing ski goggles, yet regular shoes. Is this an image thing or they were actually skiing but in the middle of it someone handed them their kids for a quick photosession???

    • hmmm says:

      Oh, but they brought out the baaaabies, which makes these manipulative slackers A-OK. Geez, they took a *holiday* after all the criticism. Because. Babies.

    • hmmm says:

      Didn’t William have 4 weeks off in December? And he’s on holiday again?

      • Citresse says:

        Yeah and considering William committed to donating his EAAA salary to charity, it’s a slap in the face to them too unless that deal was a full year’s salary donated regardless of whether William shows up or not.

      • anne_000 says:

        Well, it’s been three hard months of working maybe 90 hours in total.

    • anne_000 says:

      The DM says that within minutes of George first being out in the snow, they took the photos. That goes to show which was more important to W&K. Photo ops or as selfless parents, letting George take his time experiencing the snow for the first time, playing around in it, and just enjoying the moment? Nope, photo ops. Kids have to be used for mommy and daddy’s sake.

      • Ravine says:

        Parents are never 100% “selfless” when they share pictures of their kids; on some level, they want attention for themselves, otherwise they wouldn’t do it. We’ve all seen videos on Facebook of “Braxden’s First Day at the Beach!!!!” or “Kaela Meets the New Puppy!!!!!” or what have you. Even before the age of sharing every goddamn thing your kid does with everyone you know, people would capture intimate moments for posterity, arguably making the event less spontaneous/authentic due to the camera’s presence. Even the Queen did it with her kids (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/06/watch-young-queen-elizabeth-play-with-toddler-prince-charles.html). It’s not a black-and-white thing, and the decision to show off pictures of your kids isn’t necessarily a sign of cynical child exploitation.

    • vava says:

      These two are just ridiculously lame and tone-deaf. If they want to have privacy, why don’t they JUST GO AWAY once and for all. Who cares if they went skiing. The kids are cute, yes they are, but W&K are showing them off like trophies.

    • Jib says:

      They should be careful not to thumb their noses at their countrymen – I remember seeing these pics of students rioting and attacking the car of Charles and Camilla. Don’t piss off the British!!

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1337088/ROYAL-CAR-ATTACK-Mob-attacking-Charles-Camillas-car-lucky-shot.html

  3. Mia V. says:

    “Look, peasants, I worked so hard to take my CUTE BABIES on vacation”.

  4. Astrid says:

    I don’t begrudge anybody a vacation, I’d go to the Alps too if I could afford it. However, this just grates. No work and all play.

    • LadyMTL says:

      ITA, it’s laughable how little work they do. I mean, unless you count posing for pictures? I think the day they actually buckle down and do real work (for more than a day or two per month) will be when the earth stops turning on its axis.

      That said, I love George’s expression in the first pic. He looks like he’s plotting a way to smack the photographer. Or maybe he’s saying “yes, I know my parents are lazy but what can I do? I’m not the king…yet.”

    • Anett says:

      I do not see any problems with their vacationing. But his super private craziness and his take towards the media and his work shy attitude make me feel dizzy.

      Kids are cute, what a pity they use them as a toy. And they are toying with us too.

      • notasugarhere says:

        They vacation more than they work.

      • Anett says:

        It is true. They either could go to Mustique or this. I am afraid they don’t care about the criticism.

      • anne_000 says:

        If they worked the total number of hours they vacation, then they’d be exhausted.

      • Lucky Charm says:

        But vacationing is hard work! Maybe they work to recover from their vacations.

      • Jib says:

        What, exactly, are they vacationing from? Not work – he’s done three appearances this year, she’s done four. Shopping, maybe? Hunting?

        Even the posters at the Fug Girls, who used to be 99% supportive of them, are admitting how ridiculous and tone deaf these two are. This is a big, huge middle finger from them to the British taxpayers. “You say we don’t work? Screw you!”

  5. Sixer says:

    HAAAAAAAAAAA!

    They look like Christmas card photos.

    Plus, I can’t see any photos of the Windsors skiing without remembering Chuck calling the BBC’s Nicholas Witchell an “awful man” and getting picked up by the microphone. Bad associations, Normal Bill, bad assocations.

    • Liv says:

      Seriously? They complain all the time about the paps and now they pose, throw snowballs and parade around their kids like Jennifer Garner. Idiots.

      • milietan says:

        This photo was taken and released by them. They weren’t on a pap walk or photo call. As the article states, the press did not know they were on this holiday.

    • anne_000 says:

      The photos of just W&K make them look like idiots. It’s like a really bad ad for a low budget small clothing store. Even the effect of the snow falling looks fake, like it was from a photoshopping option.

      • Guesto says:

        It really does – it’s like those awful mag/tv generic ‘Mum-Dad-boychild-girlchild’ ads, cloyingly trying to draw you into their entirely fake wholesomeness.

      • Citresse says:

        Yeah and reports claim George and Charlotte have never played in the snow. Huh? Yes, I know London is pretty rainy but it never snows in Norfolk or Scotland?

  6. lucy2 says:

    Those kids are super cute.
    If there’s so much criticism out there right now, why don’t they just suck it up and do some work? You’d think they’d want to get everyone off their backs, and they wouldn’t even have to do much to have it be an improvement.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      That’s what gets me, lucy2. It really wouldn’t take much.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Because Stubborn Bill will not be forced to do anything, especially his royal duty.

    • msthang says:

      lucy2, you would think, I think Willy just yawns and pores himself another glass of wine!!!

  7. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    The children are adorable, but wow, Kate and William are incredibly tone-deaf.

  8. Lurker says:

    The DM headline on this calls them ‘work shy’. I am not so sure the media is playing along anymore.

    • Anett says:

      They are not. In their first headline there was no mention of “workshy” “state secret” etc. They changed it after a while.

      • Lurker says:

        Too funny hey?

        Love the headline: “State secret: ‘Work-shy’ William and Kate take the kids on their first skiing holiday – but only reveal it when it’s over and won’t tell you where they’ve been”

  9. ArtHistorian says:

    There’s nothing like countering work-shy claims with vacation photos. *sarcasm*

    • MinnFinn says:

      LOL. If you zoom in, you can see where they photoshopped out Wm giving the bird. But seriously, I am inclined to think releasing these photos at this time is Willy’s passive-aggressive response to last week’s complaining about his work ethic.

  10. Rachel says:

    The tide still looks unwelcoming to the Cambridges, if not turning completely. The Daily Mail did publish this as their top story with the headline ‘State secret: ‘Work-shy’ William and Kate take the kids on their first skiing holiday – but only reveal it when it’s over and won’t tell you where they’ve been to ‘protect their privacy’. The comments are similar in tone.

    • Jib says:

      Over 5000 comments, and it seems like 99% of them are angry at these two freeloaders. Do you think anyone in the Royal Family even looks at these papers?

  11. Sara says:

    Maybe I’m a heartless Maleficent, but I don’t get why people feel the Cambridges are off the hook because they have kids and they find those kids cute. Surely that has little to do with the main issue?

    • notasugarhere says:

      Use the kids for PR. William borrowing his mother’s trick.

    • kaiko says:

      I know right!? Aren’t 99% of children this age, around the world, of every race, background, social strata, pretty much adorable?!? Why is this even a thing with the W&K PR?

      Don’t get it. Of course they are photogenic, they are babies. Staged photos don’t make their parents any less offensive, they just tick off regular people who can see through the charade.

  12. Citresse says:

    Other sources are claiming they flew by private jet. It makes sense considering they use helicopters all over UK for their trips. I would bet that private jet has taken them on all sorts of secret holidays away. William is hardly at work with EAAA and when you see Kate, she’s shopping. The shopping was prep for her next luxury trip.

    • Betti says:

      I suspect this trip was last min with the full intention of making it a pap stroll to push the kids out there. I wonder if this will appear in the Court Circular as an official engagement?

      • Citresse says:

        Yes of course, because in one photo Kate was seen wearing “big blue” so it must be official.
        These two are going to play the Diana card for the rest of their lives.

      • Cricket says:

        Citresse.. totally agree about big blue .. every photo she has mittens on but the one family shot, she proudly shows off big blue. Are we to believe she wears big blue while skiing? wonder if she wears it when she does her daily 2 hour work out?

      • Citresse says:

        Cricket
        I would bet she never takes it off.

  13. Izzy says:

    I mean, the first thing I thought was, Oh look, the predicted pictures of the kids. Second thought was, On vacation, I think they missed the point of all the criticism! LOL

  14. Tash says:

    Two of them are grating on my nerves and those photos of them throwing snowballs at each other are blatantly inauthentic and staged.
    Something nice – kids are adorable and I like Kate’s outfit.

  15. Lainey says:

    So after getting criticised for not working they decided to not work some more! Genius! Isn’t xpl the charity where the kids criticised them? They saw right through them but I don’t think any of the reporters wrote them anywhere but Twitter.

  16. pretty says:

    yikes. her make up. bhahahahaha

  17. Fallon says:

    I can’t stand that People refers to her as “Princess Kate”.

  18. lower-casedeb says:

    i think taking time off vacation for a photo op will be in the court circular soon.
    isn’t that what royals do? even giving birth is considered part of the job and therefore merited a court circular mention.
    so, yes they are working!

    • MinnFinn says:

      If you’re right, then Charles paid for the trip and all their clothes too, yes?

      • Citresse says:

        Speaking of their clothes (for the ski trip) K&W can’t be accused of spoiling the kids ie- the kids are in budget $ snow suits while Normal Bill in high end Spyder brand. Nothing but the best to reflect all his hard work.

  19. littlemissnaughty says:

    I mean … we knew this was coming and yet … I’m absolutely amazed by the stupidity of two highly educated adults. Guess no education can combat true idiocy. I’m really curious to see how 2016 will play out for them. If all else fails, they can have another kid I guess? Jesus. The Queen has just given up, hasn’t she? Maybe she has no f*cks left to give.

    • Betti says:

      Whats also interesting is the article that the DM did on TQ and Diana – it was quite positive in favour of Her Maj. it paints her as going out of her way to help and support Diana, even after the divorce (she banned Camilla from the palaces in an effort to try and help save the marriage, inviting Diana to family events to try and encourage a reconcilliation). It also confirmed what we all know – Diana was a difficult and manipulative personality. William has the negative aspects of her personality (moody, immature, petty, difficult, controlling, manipulative) and Harry seems to have the positive aspects (good with people/children, wants to get involved and make a difference, charming, fun, charismatic).

    • kaiko says:

      Well educated? Yes, of course. W&K attended only the best schools. Intelligent? NOPE.

    • Christin says:

      Common sense isn’t always common. And we already know they are not ‘common’, right?

    • msthang says:

      I doubt he even had the grades to graduate, as much as St. Andrews was glad to see the backs of them both!!!

  20. Scal says:

    The only thing that really annoys me is that they did these pictures privately and didn’t have a official photo call.

    Nearly every other royal family went on family trips this year-and ALL of them came out and did shots for the press corps. The Dutch royal family, the Norwegians, the Danes, the Belgians. The Swedes usually do a big family trip to, but they didn’t go this year with everyone pregnant. I just don’t get it-it’s normal for royal families and no one else gets blow back-why do this whole secrecy thing and then release them? It makes no sense and just has awful optics compared to the rest of them.

    • Tris says:

      I’m not sure, of course, but it would seem to me that his mother being hounded literally to death by photographers might have something to do with it.

      • Tourmaline says:

        What killed Diana was a drunk and reckless driver aided and abetted by Dodi Fayed, a spoiled drama queen who unfortunately Diana couldn’t see through. Yes, the photographers were in the picture, but drunkenly careening through the streets of Paris and crashing into a tunnel wall was not a rational response to photographers snapping pictures.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Diana played a dangerous game with the press for decades. William is playing the same game but doesn’t have her savvy.

        Diana died because she chose to get into a car driven by an inebriated driver and she didn’t put on her seat belt. The crash was survivable. One person survived – and he was wearing his seat belt.

      • Tourmaline says:

        @notasugar, come on, I don’t think Diana knew that Henri Paul was drunk and assumed the risk. I’m putting the blame on Henri Paul and the Fayeds who employed him.

        Yes she should have put on her seat belt. Yes the bodyguard who did put on his seat belt lived but had his face practically torn off.

      • notasugarhere says:

        You don’t know what Diana did or did not know about his condition. I am not going to blame the Fayed’s for Diana’s choices.

      • kori says:

        the bodyguard was badly injured but he was in the front. Diana even without the seatbelt suffered very few injuries–it was just the fatal tear in the aorta which killed her and that wouldn’t have happened with a seatbelt. And a sad irony is she, like princess grace, usually did wear one–except when they tragically needed it.

      • bluhare says:

        You absolutely should blame the Fayeds for that disaster. It was their security and their decisions that got them in that tunnel. Should Diana have got in the car? Knowing what we know now, no. But people said Paul did not appear to be intoxicated, so how was she to have known? Give him a breathalyzer? He was staff, employed by the Ritz, and one would presume that there’s an implied level of competency there.

        So we have driver, employed by the Ritz which is/was owned by Fayed, security employed by Fayed. Car, owned by Fayed. Where in there was Diana supposed to know her driver was drunk?

  21. Jh says:

    The kids are cute but the pics of kate and will are so over the top cheeseball and awkward. I actually feel embarrassed for them. People must have really freaked out at Kensington for william to ok this sort of public emotion.

    • Citresse says:

      It was nice, however, to see William pelted in the face with a snowball from Kate. And Kate seemed to enjoy it a little too much.

  22. BearcatLawyer says:

    And apparently they skipped out on the wedding of Olivia Hunt (Will’s ex-gf and friend to both Will and Kate) to Nicholas Wilkinson on Saturday. Classy. How do they have any *real* friends left in the world?

    • The Original Mia says:

      Not sure about that. Tanna witnessed the RPs driving recklessly away from the wedding. He poised the question what are the RPs paid for. To ensure privacy or protect the royals. Several Twitter users figured it out that W&K were there and to avoid detection/attention, their car was driven fast down the street (50 in a 20 mph). They are ridiculous.

      • Betti says:

        Interesting – Harry was def there and i hope photo evidence pops up and shows us that they were there instead of this weekend long ‘family vacation/pap stroll’. Please twitter, show us the receipts.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The ski vacation was probably a bit earlier, covered by the criticism of Edward and Sophie skiing. Pictures released now to stave off criticism of whatever comes out about the RPOs reckless driving.

      • Paula says:

        Tanna said it was Harry’s RPs, not W&K’s.

      • The Original Mia says:

        @Paula, where does Tanna say it was Harry? I’m looking at his TL right now. He doesn’t name anyone.

      • Paula says:

        @The Original Mia someone asked him if it was Harry’s car and he confirmed it. Such a shame, he seems to be going down the same road as W&K regarding this privacy thing.

      • chic_happens_ says:

        @paula – that was me that asked him if it was Harry. He confirmed it was Harrys RPO that drove 50mph in a 20mph and only sped up when he saw the paps. Said it was reckless.

    • Tourmaline says:

      I recall reading that Olivia Hunt’s sister, Marina Fogle (wife of Ben), publicly castigated Party Pieces for screwing up her order for her kid’s birthday party. She did it on Twitter or something. There was a Daily Mail story about it a few years back. I can see that putting a chill on that family’s friendly relations with W and K.

  23. Beachbelle says:

    The kids aren’t cute enough to excuse the tone deafness of their behavior. I’m so over these two and everything is so trite and predictable at this point, it’s as if they are caricatures of themselves.

  24. OTHER RENEE says:

    The kids are adorable, they’re a cute family. I don’t feel like jumping on the Down with the Cambridges bandwagon this morning. It’s only 5 am. Let me have some coffee first.

  25. Canadian Becks says:

    Superficial observations:

    Many thought Charlotte looked like Carole Middleton in the first set of pictures, but for this set, I am really seeing a STRONG resemblance to the Windsors.

    George has inherited Kate super-straight brow line, and that’s the other thing….there is something subtly different about Kate. Her brow line has been arched from its usual straight line and the difference is subtle but noticeable.

    Kate and Pippa both have dimples, but neither of the kids have them.

    • Olenna says:

      Agree. I always thought she favored Carole, but my first thought when I saw the lead photo was that she looked like a baby Edward. Katie looks tweaked.

    • Citresse says:

      A few months ago I thought Charlotte resembled Carole but these new photos my first thought of Charlotte was Princess Margaret.

    • CG says:

      ITA! The Carole resemblance was *strong* in the first pics of Charlotte but when I saw the closeup pic of Charlotte with William in this story I thought, “Yikes, poor Charlotte’s got the Windsor genes!”

  26. Deedee says:

    Checking out the Photoshop work. Will’s teeth have been whitened, among other edits.

  27. The Original Mia says:

    Press: you’re lazy bums living off the royal dole.

    W&K: Here we are with the kids at an exclusive ski resort. Are they cute?

    Totally tone deaf.

  28. Betsy says:

    Tabloid charge: William and Kate, but especially William, the heir to the throne, don’t work enough

    William’s response: “Here’s our fancy ski vacation, hutches! My tooth powder cost more than your dinner!”

  29. kibbles says:

    Call me cold but I don’t like a person more just because he or she has a baby. Most babies are cute; their children are no different from millions of others out there in the world. I don’t understand people who can look at a few photos of normal looking toddlers and think that everything their parents do are okay. I just find this line of thinking completely absurd.

  30. hey-ya says:

    ….people are so nasty…reminds me of les tricoteuse…

    • Wentworth Miller says:

      They’re a cute family. What’s with the shit talking about the baby’s appearance, anyway? A baby? Okay.
      Hope that improves your life.

    • Ravine says:

      Your comparison to “les tricoteuses” baffles me. We’re not mocking royals who are being guillotined by a bloodthirsty mob; we’re mocking royals who, despite doing no work, get to enjoy multiple lavish vacations a year. That’s not exactly kicking them while they’re down.

      • chic_happens_ says:

        Indeed, Ravine. Actions have consequences and William is learning that now.

  31. Citresse says:

    An explanation for not revealing their location, even post ski holiday is W&K have purchased a home there and they don’t want the paps on French Alp Cambridge watch.
    If true, where did the money come from to cover that? Another gift from the Queen?

    • wow says:

      Perhaps. But it seems that people tend to forget that William has money that he inherited from Diana.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Around $10 million US after taxes, it wouldn’t pay for a home in the French alps. Nor would William spend a penny on that if he could egg someone into loaning them time at a resort for free.

      • perplexed says:

        I think William (or Diana’s financial advisors) would have invested the money. There’s no way that money could still only be $10 million if invested wisely.

        Of course, that’s how rich people stay rich — don’t spend your own.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Diana received 17 million pounds, her bequests were monkeyed with, and both sons received roughly half each. They may have invested wisely but they wouldn’t have done big-risk-big-payoff. It would have gained at a steady rate and it was stated the sons would pay the 40 percent inheritance tax. Like the Middletons, William doesn’t have nearly as much money (yet) as some think.

        If he did pay a big part of the Middleton estate downpayment as some rumor, he doesn’t have enough in the bank for a French alpine property too.

    • Cricket says:

      Maybe they stayed at Fergie and Andrew’s chalet and didn’t want to acknowledge it?

      • Tourmaline says:

        Ooh I think William and Kate avoid the Andrew/Fergie family like the plague. Remember Fergie wasn’t invited to their wedding. Now Harry is a different story, I’m sure he’s been to Chalet du Ferg and he is closer to the family and to Eugenie/Bea.

  32. Suzanne says:

    Royal families getting tons of money for doing zilch seems so archaic to me…hard to believe this stuff still exists.
    At least American politicians have to work to steal our money! 😛

    • word says:

      Yeah it’s weird to think that in 2016 some countries still have Kings, Queens, Princesses, etc. What did these people do to deserve tax payers money? They want to be royalty, fund it yourself !

    • msthang says:

      They live like billionaires on a millionaire budget!!

  33. zardi123 says:

    Gosh its typical of these two they truly both believe they are untouchable by public critiscm. .In fact i believe they dont care a dolly dot about work ethic .. its all about secrets and hiding like the children they are.. On another holiday be it with the children and photoshopped doing playing snowballs how predictable ..but i feel they just dont get that the taxpayer is being burnt by these two lazy drones who are all about doing nothing of merit .. hopefully media calls them out for all the scullduggery they get up to with manipulation of the press choosing one photographer to do these photos
    just really have no time for this pair they do not deserve this privileged role they have
    Roll on a Republic and I have been always a Royal supporter but not for these disgraceful pair

    • Jib says:

      Do you think the Queen and Charles are aware of how much flak these two are getting and how unlikable they seem to be? I’m curious about that.

      • chic_happens_ says:

        HM is said to receive newspapers every day and to read them avidly. It can’t be avoided.

  34. Murphy says:

    Who wears a huge sapphire engagement ring when playing in the snow?

    • Deedee says:

      She wore it for that photo op with the Scouts (forever ago) when she used her hands to mix up dough to cook on a stick. That made me wonder if she wears a duplicate and the real one’s locked up somewhere safe.

    • MoochieMom says:

      Agreed 110%. I wonder if she had a fake one made for things like this. I heard Beyonce did and heck, my ring isn’t as expensive or (looking for the right word to say ” Diana’s ring”) either but I had a copy made in CZ and silver for travel and everyday like…. Wait. Everyday life. Something she has no concept of. THAT is why she is wearing that ring in the snow with two kids.

      • Betti says:

        Kate LOVES to show off the ring – its her way of gloating about how SHE got the prize. And what a prize he is! I don’t think she’s read the memo that says she only got the prize ’cause no one else wanted him. Am sure her mother and sister tell her that we are all jealous haters – nope. I wouldn’t take him if he came in a free xmas cracker.

    • zinjojo says:

      Same person who wears full makeup to play in the snow/ski.

      • anne says:

        eh. same person whose snow pictures are intended for use by INTERNATIONAL MEDIA. she gets a pass from me.

      • Sarah says:

        Her photo was plastered all over the internet when she didnt wear much makeup once, everyone proclaiming she was tired, frumpy, sullen.

        It’s the old paradox – “why do you spend so much time doing your makeup?! Its so superficial and stupid!” The following day – *wears no makeup* “omg are you sick you look so terrible and tired!”

  35. Cupcake says:

    Princess Charlotte is so much less cute than George. I feel badly for her.

    • Canadian Becks says:

      So there’s a theory that the Windsor (or Saxe-Gotha-Coburg) genes kick in when the Windsors hit their mid-20’s. In Charlotte’s case, I am seeing them already. She strongly favours that side already, young as she is.

    • Sandruda says:

      First of all I don’t agree, Charlotte is adorable! Second,no baby deserves that type of criticism. Slam the parents all you want but leave the babies alone!

    • notasugarhere says:

      They’re children, they’re cute, that’s pretty much hand-in-hand. They aren’t the cutest children on the planet but don’t tell the fans.

    • maggie says:

      I think shes adorable. Your comment makes me feel sick because it really shows how nasty people can be, attacking a baby. wtf

      • Canadian Becks says:

        No one is “attacking” anyone. It’s a comment based on a personal opinion, which I happen to share.
        I also think George was cuter at the same age.

      • maggie says:

        My comment was actually directed at cupcake however yours isn’t much better. She’s a baby. Not even one year old.

      • notasugarhere says:

        maggie, you don’t think it odd that you fawn over a stranger’s baby? But if someone else doesn’t think the kid is the Bee’s Knees as you do then that person is wrong? They are expressing an opinion just like you are. No one has “attacked” the children.

      • bluhare says:

        I fawn over strangers’ babies all the time. In this case as much as it pains me I agree with maggie’s general sentiment. Babies should be off limits. Even Kanye thinks so.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The children aren’t being attacked bluhare. People are merely expressing an opinion about not finding them attractive. Nowhere near the same thing. If you folks get to fawn over them, others are allowed to express a differing opinion.

  36. wow says:

    Lol! I love it!

    It’s not changing over there so again, people who have a problem with them will have to just deal.

    • anne_000 says:

      Yeah, the UK government should deal with it by cutting off some or all of the BRF’s funding, making them pay taxes on everything they get including security costs, not giving them more money, etc. The UK media should deal with it by stopping their shielding of W&K and instead report about the expense of keeping them in luxury compared to the payback they get from them. The British public should deal with it by letting their frustrations known to both the government and the media.

      It’s not like everybody has to deal with it by full-on acceptance of the entire situation just because only W&K don’t want things to change. It’s not like the world can’t change around them just because W&K expect it not to.

      Don’t W&K realize that it’s not set in stone that they can do whatever they want without any effect? Do they not believe in consequences? Do they believe they are so entitled that none exists for them ever?

  37. dawnchild says:

    Her eyes look pulled up at the corners. Recent surgery might explain why she’s been out of public view? Still, finding it really difficult to find this lot interesting. They have achieved normalcy!

    • Susan says:

      Or could it be that hat and goggles pulling her up (like tight ponytails can do?) has she has time to have that done and recover? I’m completely ignorant about plastic surgery but did t we see her just a couple of weeks ago?

      • dawnchild says:

        You’re probably right. I guess I was trying to find something even faintly interesting or different 🙂
        They look like a freaking JCrew ad…

  38. LAK says:

    You can ‘I told you so’ all you want. We all join in. These people’s PR is too predictable for words!!!

    • Betti says:

      I’m not convinced its their ‘people’ who are behind it – its Willy, he thinks he’s a media mastermind. Who needs a Press Secretary when you have Normal Bill, the PR whizz kid.

  39. JenB says:

    Can anyone tell if Charlotte has brown eyes like George or blue/green? It’s not common to see a brown eyed baby from two non-brown eyed parents so it will be really interesting if both kids have brown eyes. Cute kiddos.

  40. Pepper says:

    It would seem that living in a fish bowl. Being rolled out at the publics whim, and smiling at every camera lens does not warrant a vaca .

    • anne_000 says:

      Obviously they’re not living in a fish bowl. No media broke this story about their vacationing while W&K were in the French Alps. They only reported this story after W&K released these photos. Same with the other vacations W&K go on. They’re either not reported or if they are, it’s after the fact because someone, including W&K, blabbed it to the press.

      The DM says nobody knows if W&K used a private or commercial flight on this particular vacation, which is just another proof that the media is not tailing them 24/7.

      Instead the press covers for them and doesn’t report much of their private lives. Same with the other royals. The media just prints whatever the royal PR tells them and then just doesn’t question it, Same with the PR story that Kate primarily lived in Wales with William. They don’t mention that she was usually in London or at her parent’s home. You get stories about William too busy working full-time as a co-pilot for more than half a year, until W&K piss off the media and then the media finally reports only some of the truth about his work. Now the press is finally admitting that he’s only a part-time worker, not full-time. So obviously, they’re not following him to work every time he shows up.

      You barely see any photos of Kate shopping or at the hair dresser’s or out with her ‘friends.’ You almost never see what William does at the EAAA. The photo of the time he showed up to eat some kid’s lunch at the school during EAAA work hours was shown by the media only after the kids put photos on social media. And you never really see what he does in his private life either, unless he’s attending weddings and other places where non-media people take photos and post them on social media.

      He’s not being rolled out on the public’s whim. If he was, he’d not have held a press conference telling the public that it’s only in their imagination that there’s such a thing as full-time royal duties; that if they want someone like that, then they should look towards his elderly grandparents who William says are capable of working even more years but just don’t expect him to do any such work because he’s too busy working for the EAAA.

      • Jess says:

        Dear Brits,

        Why do you give this douche and his idiot wife a pass constantly? Why isn’t there more of a movement in the UK to do away with the royal family in 2016?

        Signed Curious expat

      • Tina says:

        a) we like the Queen.
        b) we have to deal with the EU referendum right now.

      • chic_happens_ says:

        We like the Queen.
        A lot of us like Charles.
        There may be trouble ahead…

  41. Donna says:

    I think Princess Charlotte looks like Prince Harry in these photos.

    • misery chick says:

      @ Donna-

      I thought she looked so much like HM the first time I saw her 👶

      ETA: I posted in wrong spot, replying to Guesto 😉

  42. Guesto says:

    Charlotte looks so like the queen in these pics.

    • What's inside says:

      I agree absolutely that she looks like HRH.

      • kori says:

        I hope she inherits her coloring and complexion. She and Margaret were both attractive women and the queen has maintained it.

  43. Pants says:

    Prince William kind of reminds me of a rabbit.

    • Citresse says:

      William’s smile sometimes resembles actor Jon Cryer’s.

      • Canadian Becks says:

        Totally! Doesn’t Beatrice have the same type of teeth?

      • Citresse says:

        Diana had large teeth also, I thought…..however they matched her face, meaning her eyes and nose were larger than average. Diana really was an attractive, special lady. 20 years gone next year and I still miss her.

  44. ickythump says:

    So why would anyone who was being criticized for being work-shy show pictures of themselves on a luxury holiday? I assume Willnot thinks taking his children (and countless staff, nannies etc) on holiday is work? What happened to his precious privacy? He’s such a disappointment. Yes, he seems to echo all of Diana’s worse traits and Harry the good. I’ve had it with these two. The children are adorable though – I assume they’ll be wheeled out for photos every time (and there will be many) that these two piss off the UK taxpayers who help fund their luxury lifestyles. Barf.

  45. word says:

    Awww look they’re showing the U.K. tax payers what happens with their money. Isn’t that nice of them?

  46. Drs. Fixxie says:

    My o my, THE kids look like, Great (queen)granny..
    ITS like she (Queen Granny)had EM, LOLZ

    • Cc says:

      I know right?? They look so much alike and like the queen! Her genes are strong af, I’m impressed!

      • kori says:

        Those are Queen Mary genes. They are strong in the family. Beatrice is more Hanoverian–the eyes. And Harry has the Battenberg/Danish ones.

  47. Starlight says:

    I heard Nicholas Whitchall whatever his name is on the radio (Royal correspondent) picking up on this story and he included the negativity from the press this last week. Nice photos though and little Charlotte she looks a bit like Princess Margaret and a bit like grannie Goldsmith cute,

    • Sixer says:

      Yes! Work-shy Willy made it onto a BBC news bulletin, on the TV as well as the radio. Can’t emphasise enough to US readers that if AUNTIE mentions the story, it’s running out of control. If they can manage to ignore any negative stories about the BRF, they do. I hope #poorjason realises what a big problem this is.

      • LAK says:

        I can’t believe #poorJason is a crisis manager. This particular example is called shooting yourself in the foot ie press points out that you are workshy + lazy and you respond with holiday pics?!?!

      • MinnFinn says:

        Thanks for the insight about BBC reporting this. And LAK this makes me wonder WTH is going on with Willy’s PR? As I said above, I believe this is Willy’s P-A way of flipping the bird to everyone criticizing his work-shy ways. I suspect it’s all Willy’s doing and Jason either has become another sad yes-man and as such did not advise against it or he was overruled.

  48. AtlLady says:

    Looks like little Princess Charlotte has been busy cutting teeth. I just melt at pictures of babies with toothless or semi-toothless smiles.

  49. notasugarhere says:

    The Mirror and even Piers Morgan (ugh) are now going at them over the photo shoot and secret vacation. Things are staying interesting.

  50. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    I’m late to the party, so nobody’s gonna read my comment, but I’m making it anyway — how PHONY are these people?! Wearing ski goggles as an affectation? I don’t believe they were going skiing, because where are the kids’ eye protection? And they didn’t just come back from skiing to spend time with the kids, because there are no marks from the goggles on their faces, so why are the goggles still on their heads? And Kate’s wearing gloves in all the pics EXCEPT the one where she’s flashing the cursed ring. This is so unbelievably staged and phony. All I can say is, thank Dog it’s not MY tax dollars wasted on these people (I have my own home-grown politicians to worry about).

  51. carolind says:

    We are all very worried about one of your home produced politicians. Definitely prefer even Willliam and Kate to him. Comments from readers on DM article are interesting and mainly anti W & K.

  52. wolfpup says:

    (Changed my name back, folks, even if some people are wolf-haters)

    I wonder if Wm isn’t a little bit mentally ill? – or if he has an alcohol problem? Why would he wage a media war with his own countrymen? His mother, who had refused royal protection, was killed by a drunk driver. All famous figures must face the paparazzi, and need proper people who are paying attention. So sad that he blames the press for any of his heartache, or even his father. Truly, it is called the End of Innocence.

    This story was on national news, again, here in the states. The story from Lester Holt was that photos were released during a ski holiday, and at home (that is, Britain), he is being questioned for his royal work ethic. In the somewhat recent film, “The King’s Speech”, we saw the King of England working very hard on his stutter. William’s mother worked very hard on her shyness. That is the kind of work ethic that William must make peace with. He must heal himself, and embrace the World.

    #PoorJason appears reckless in his attempts to assert point of view to a savvy British press – Jason is new, yet he believes that People magazine can change awareness of royal issues for Americans. Seriously(!) – William must come to understand that children are indeed darling and precious – so please stop using press as diversion. Wm is in a big boy’s game, and he is no longer a lad.

    • wolfpup says:

      I’ve decided to call myself SheWolf – instead of the many-year-old name of wolfpup or wolfie – I have never posted comments in multiple.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Like the SheWolves of England program? 🙂

      • wolfpup says:

        Well, perhaps not, then – maybe, even so, I shall. I don’t know of the program – I just loves wolves. They don’t pander to humans – unfortunately (?) humans have hands, and make leg traps and guns.

  53. Miss Jupitero says:

    *Stares*

    Can we just f*cking END the monarchy now? Please?

  54. M79 says:

    Prince William is the most predictable person ever. Anytime he is getting bad press, he diverts to the same tactics – either name dropping his mother and talking about what a loss it was, or posting pictures of his family. I was waiting for it and… yep, there it is. Again. *sigh* It’s pretty bad when you have to try that hard to make yourself look like a sympathetic person.

  55. Megan says:

    Either they are taking very bad advice from their press team, or William is being a stubborn and very misguided. All he has done here is further piss off the press who are already not on his side. Reports about lack of work should never be followed by skiing trip photographs taken at an exclusive, expensive holiday resort. Who’s idea was that? If it was Williams he should have listened to advice.

  56. shannon says:

    For the life of me I will never understand why everyone gets so butt-hurt over what they do or don’t do. I imagine he’s likely independently wealthy based on inheritance. So maybe he does do the bare minimum – perhaps because he doesn’t particularly like being a prince. I’m sure it happens. They’re not hurting anyone, so bfd.

    • msthang says:

      Shannon, he was left 10 million by his mum, but has never cashed in on it, his money comes from his pa, aka, the duchey of cornwall courtesy of British taxpayers, that is why people are ticked!!!!

      • msthang says:

        Shannon, and the reason he does not cash out Diana’s money is when he divorces Waity, she would get a chunk of it, so he does’nt touch it, he just sponges off his dad!!!