Here are some more photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday. So far, there’s a lot of hate for her Catherine Walker coatdress, but I still like it. Which is weird, I know. I also like that she pulled her hair back, so at least we don’t have hundreds of photos of her Farrah Fawcett fringe in her face as she looks at flowers. Anyway, there’s some BREAKING NEWS about William and Kate. There’s a report about their terms of affection for each other! They do not call each other “honey” or “sweetheart” or “baby.” No, they both call each other “darling.”
During official engagements, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge rarely indulge in public displays of affection. Prince William may sometimes place a tender hand on Kate’s back, or hug her closely at a celebration, but this isn’t usually the norm as is expected of royals. Onlookers were then thrilled to hear William and Kate call each other by their nicknames “darling” at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday, when the royals were making their debut as a couple.
The Prince was overheard asking Kate if she could make her own poppy while they knelt to admire the 5,000 Poppies project – a stunning display of 300,000 knitted flowers laid out in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. One of the designers Margaret Knight told reporters: “William asked Kate, ‘Could you make one of these, darling?'”
The Duchess said that she liked the “fluffy ones” made of felt and said “Well done, I’m so impressed with this” as she laid her own knitted poppy down.
William and Kate, who were joined by Prince Harry at the flower show, then moved on to inspect the Support the Husqvarna Garden, which was shipped from Melbourne, Australia. Designer Mick Conway noted how the royals affectionately addressed each other.
“They seemed very interested in the garden,” said Mick. “William in particular, he said, ‘This for me is gold by far.’ He also asked what this plant was (pointing to a Buxus) and Kate said to him, ‘Darling, we’ve got that.'”
I do feel like “darling” is a more common term of affection in the UK, plus British people just say “darling” better than Americans, if I learned nothing else from Absolutely Fabulous (“Sweetie, darling, LET ME IN!”). That being said, their terms of affection are as dull as you would expect. They sound like two robots speaking to each other. I prefer some of the nicknames you guys have given them: Willnot and Cath, Chutney, Waity, Sir Baldtop, etc. How much would you love it if William actually did call Kate “Chutney” with affection? It would be such a scandal, wouldn’t it?
PS… And now the Daily Mail claims that William actually referred to Darling Chutney as “babe.” Maybe I’m a #DarlingTruther, but I don’t think he would call her “babe.”
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News.
Correction: The Dailymail said Kate called Wills “Babe.”
Yes, and the “babe” claim was made first. I’m convinced that the palace put the “darling” story out there to counter the “babe” one!
I do enjoy the irony that these two had to move the tennis court because of the view and PW doesn’t even know what plants are outside.
Also Kate the keen gardener was said to be suffering from allergy problems while they were there.
The least interesting couple in the world……………
I’ve stated this before and here it is again: Kate needs to give another speech. Good or bad delivery, the entertainment factor and /or the long term effect (if she’s prepared and polished) should be priceless.
Is anyone else thinking it’s odd that the least interesting couple in the world is now giving each other a nickname? They have been together for 15 years, and THIS is the first time we hear them refer to each other as “darling”? Me thinks they want a positive news story…
I wish I didn’t know this, but I think he called her “poppet” a few years ago.
Yeah, those are all dull nicknames, but as long as he doesn’t take a page out of his dad’s book w/r/t nicknames, that’s fine with me!
Good Gawd this couple is boring. Together or apart. You can be royal and still have a damn personality. (See darn near errybody else in the royal family)
And that dress is just bad. Fabric looks cheap. Belt is bad. Just…bad.
Like watching paint dry.
I think “darling” ……with appropriate green coat dress…it’s okaaaay, modern and zippy…….is looking a little peaky.
I suspect another bun in the oven. Hmmmmmm????
Those last two pictures – she looks a bit “rough” and not as “polished” as some other photos – maybe not touched up for release to press. He just reminds me of such a cold fish. Ish.
I know that new parents always look a but more tired/worn than non-parents, but she has looked aged for years. It’s the weight loss, cigarettes, and skin damage all hitting her like a cement truck.
Or genetics. I have always had bad skin and wrinkles early, and I never smoked or went on big diets or tanned a lot.
IKR? It looks like her face is collapsing. Amazing considering how pampered she is.
I think her fillers are ruining her face. I am 20 years older than her and I don’t have wrinkles like Kate.
My bf (new! just happened! it’s so nice!) calls me Crusher bc I accidentally kicked him in the nuts while playing kickball. I couldn’t handle anything cutesy.
I bet Willnot sometimes slips up and calls her Carol.
I bet he has slipped up and called her Jecca too.
HA! Thank you for making my day!
My husband amuses himself by coming up with the stupidest pet names for me. Every time I veto one he’s got another more nonsensical name waiting. I wish he’d come up with something cool but it’s always ridiculous.
My bf calls my fluffy. I called him first that because he is fluffy but now he calls me that.I tried to make him change his mind but he likes it that way and it comes so natural to him soo….
They do everything or rather their press office that we talk about their nuisances rather than how they actually spend their time or with what exactly. Pathetic!
And didn’t “babe” take an Agricuktural
Course right after George was
born? Interrupted by hunting with Jecca and a Babymoon where George was
Left with Carole and new
Nanny. But they can’t work because they’re parents.
Someone I knew a long time ago (ugh…I feel old today) was from Texas and she called everyone ‘darling’, she said it’s normal to talk like that in the south, is it?
In the South, we say darlin’ and honey and sweetie.
I think it sounds really nice, I tried saying ‘darlin’ but it just sounded weird and contrived when I said it…I guess I don’t have the accent for it 🙂
I liked ‘sugar’ and ‘sug’ (shug) and sweetpea.
Yes, darlin’ is easier foe me to say than darling. I don’t say either, but I do agree the Brits do darling better.
In the South we say Darlin all day! My hubby to be is from Pennsylvania and he’s gotten sucked into saying it as well 😊
I am from the north in the US, and I use sweetheart and darlin’ probably too often. To my delight, one of my coworkers can’t stand it, so I step it up a bit for her- I would call her sugarbuns if I didn’t think she’d take me down for it. Truth is it’s all in fun…I would never call her something she was offended by.
I also find that my sirs and ma’ams get turned on when I deal with older folks, particularly those from the south and POC. I suppose I make assumptions about what manners I ought to use when encountering people I don’t know.
I’m just intuitive that way…or maybe psychic?
Nope. In SC and GA it’s usually sweetie.
Sidenote- I have severe social anxiety and depression. I have to wonder if the hair in face, hand clenching, clenched jaw is all her way of coping. Same with her clutch that she holds onto for dear life. While I’ve always had it, it really morphed into a monster mental illness since having kids. Could she have developed some kind of severe anxiety issues?
I hear Darlin’ a lot in SC. Lived her 40 years. It’s very common.
Jennifer, I’ve thought that about her as well from noticing how she seems to pick at her fingers – cuticles and often seen sporting a band-aid on her fingers.
I have bad anxiety too and this is one of my hangups when I’m stressed.. I pick at my hands.
When I first moved to England I was rather taken aback when people I didn’t know well called me “love”. Then I found out that it was a common saying. However, my favorite British colloquialism is “knackered”. 😉
EVERYONE says ‘love’! In my family you get called love by the aunties and great aunties if you’re in trouble and lovely if you’ve nothing to fear!
It was actually a really nice experience for me because Danes are rather reserved. You don’t get a pet name or a casual endearment unless people know you really really well.
I’ve had a special fondness for Yorkshire ever since my studies in Leeds.
Yep. But my mom does the twofer: honey darlin’ to anyone whose name she does not know. For example, to the cashier in the grocery store, “honey darlin’ do I swipe or insert the pin card?”
I’m originally from the south, and darling (or darlin’) is an extremely common endearment. Honey, too.
I thought “darling” is commonly used among the very rich British set, too (see, e.g. Hiddleston)?
Yes, it’s very common among certain types of poshos. And actors. Think Absolutely Fabulous – “Darling, sweetie! Sweetie, darling!”
From my experience (living in England since 2006 and British husband), darling is literally the most basic/standard term of endearment.
Husband calls me darling.
I call dog darling.
Father in law calls mother in law darling.
Father in law also calls husband (his son) darling.
Granny calls everyone darling.
These two are so boring even their made up terms of endearment are boring.
In south Georgia we get darlin’, sweetie, sugar, honey, every saccharine term of endearment you can think of pretty much. At least in Savannah.
Hi! I’m originally from North GA but my parents live in Savannah now!! And yes, all those pets names are common here in the southern US. I live in FL now and feel somewhat alien since there are so many northerners here. It’s been fun teaching them what “bless your heart” really means 😳
Yeah, you drop the g on the end. It’s not just Texan, it’s a Southern thing.
I teach English in my country (Portugal) and call my students sweetie… Sweetie, could you read the first paragraph or honey could you answer question 4 .?
I hate myself for knowing this, but wasn’t it already reported some time ago that he called her “babykins”?
Ah, found the story!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2526414/Prince-William-called-Duchess-Cambridge-babykins-dating-nearly-shot-training-exercise-hacking-trial-hears.html
Yes! I’ve read too that he calls her “babykins”. From the stolen voicemails he used to left her I think.
And poppet!
Is poppet a play on “puppet” ,,,since she was Willnot’s forever waity bot puppet? 😛
If not what does poppet mean?
@Elizabeth, a poppet is a small child.
Lol at you hating yourself for knowing it.
I prefer Lazy Pants and Miss Vacations a Lot.
Ha! #getoffyourasses
Slow news day, eh!
Yes, her face doesnt look as ‘finished’ as in former pics…maybe the press is following through on the rumors about ‘gloves off’ with the royals….No more photoshopping!
I think she’s a beautiful girl, but she seems to be aging quickly. It could be from gaining weight during the pregnancies and then getting back to being quite thin afterwards.
I agree tw. Also because she has most likely cut out the fats from her diet – even the good ones. Unless there is a solid amount of fat from foods like yogurt and milk the face will lose fat quicker. I also think she is a small eater. Probably doesn’t enough protein.
Their nicknames for each other as bland as they are. Not surprised. I don’t think there’s enough spark in their relationship for a unique nickname.
It all sounds a bit contrived, doesn’t it?
They might call each other by more interesting names in private.
Oh Jason, you’re bombing buddy.
But he’s trying so hard! Have to keep beating back the Invictus press.
Umm they said it in PUBLIC. With everyone listening. And they knew it.
Who knows what they call each other in private.
Very true….It’s interesting they chose this event to be so public though.
Yes, I find it suspect. Why is it being reported now when not ever before?
It says in the article that royals don’t tend to act affectionate toward each other in public. If W & K usually refrain from addressing each other by pet names during events, that would explain why there hasn’t been reporting about it.
#basic
I prefer Philip’s rumoured nicknames for HM….Cabbage and Sausage.
I guess WK have moved on from babykins and big willie.
Hi LAK. Do you really care what they call each other in private? I’m finding I don’t care about much when it comes to them. I used to; I was interested in their lives and how they were going to live them. But now, they can call themselves whatever they want, live where ever they want, have as much staff as they want, and have as many family members as they want living with them. I only care that they do the work, and as they don’t do much about that, I’m finding I don’t have much at all to say.
Thank god for pooping collies and village fetes to keep things interesting around here!
I remain furious about the taxes, but i find their PR predictably predictable. People commenting are much more interesting and hilarious.
Bluhare I find that I am the same way now. Even when I do have time I tend not to spend much time on Kate related news. I haven’t been able to even find anything to comment on here – there is really nothing more to say. I think that they have succeeded in turning people off, which was their goal anyway right from the outset. I think that many of their ‘peripheral’ followers such as myself are turning away from them for the same reason. Oh well.
I do agree that the comments here are funny and witty ! I wish I had the sparkling sense of humor some of you have. I do enjoy them and chuckle at those.
If I were in Britain now I too would be furious about the expenses vs work. I don’t know how they live with themselves on that. Taking all the perks while doing the bare minimum. The fans are all excited about the fact she had a meeting about women in prison. See? She works a lot behind the scenes!! I haven’t been over to comment yet, but if I do my comment will be along the lines of don’t you wonder how some of the other royals fit all their meetings into their schedules? Because if Kate does all this behind the scenes work, you know the rest do too.
And not just cutting themselves sweetheart deals when selling houses either. 🙂
This. The taxes.
While we are striking (the UCU) for fair pay for early career academics and admin staff (and women, who are paid 17% less than men at the University of Cambridge in 2016) these two f–kwits are squandering our taxes and contributing nothingrb to society.
Rage.
I think I have said this before, but to Mr Sixer I am Great Gob Almighty. To me, Mr Sixer is Fatterbellygutbucket. This, unsurprisingly, is because I never shut up and he is always panicking about his weight. I’m not sure what it says about our house that these pass for terms of affection. Oops!
It says more for the genuine, immeasurable level of affection in your house than the hallmark nickname that is ‘darling’.
My mother calls every person in her personal setting darling because she is terrible with names. If she likes you, it changes to a proper nickname.
To people from New York City, “yo!” would pass as a term of endearment. We’re efficient that way.
Lol
Lol! You made me grin.
WATP – you made me laugh out loud! Londoners have a similar reputation, although I think somewhat undeserved. It is less friendly than the rest of the UK, though.
LAK – My mother used to say Sarah-Liz-Lynne-Jools-oh-bugger-it-I-mean-Anne – names of her sisters: she always cycled through them before arriving at the name of the one she was actually speaking to!
See my mother would darling the hell out of that situation and only the people who know her would know that she didn’t remember person’s name AND that she didn’t particularly care for the person.
On the otherhand, if she likes you enough to give you a proper nickname, it’s never forgotten.
I think your mother would call me Poopsy. Because she’d know I’m full of crap but likes me anyway. In my fantasy world anyway. In real life, she’s probably just say, “Oh, another of LAK’s little friends”.
I think Londoners are similar to New Yorkers in that we really don’t want to speak to anyone, but if you ask us a question we will try to answer it. I think New Yorkers are more helpful though – I’ve asked a New Yorker for directions and been given a very helpful answer, and then another New Yorker who overheard chimed in with further helpful advice. Londoners would just be grateful that they hadn’t been the one asked.
It’s odd, wandering about in London when you once lived there but have moved away. Suddenly, you notice all those people staring at the ground and not making eye contact – I never realised that was an actual thing and not an urban myth while I still lived there. I certainly didn’t think I was guilty of it, but perhaps I was! Now, the contrast between the general demeanour of people in the city nearest me and London, is stark. Very stark.
That is what i miss about London when i travel abroad. People studiously ignoring me, especially on the tube, is the best homecoming. every. time.
Haha @ LAK! I miss: public transport, theatre, music and poetry gigs, street food. Otherwise, I prefer it here.
LOL, LAK – agreed! I may be a strange non-eye contact-making, ground-looking oddball, but there are lots of us! 🙂
Tina, it’s funny you should say that about Londeners. When I was there last fall, I did notice that if someone did look up, I’d smile (usual for a Southern Californian 😊), but people would immediately advert theirs eyes down and move off on their way quickly. They must’ve thought I was a demented, looney bin escapee! Lol
That said, I did love London/England, and can’t wait to go back!
@Imqrious2, don’t worry, we’re mostly harmless. The weather grinds us down. Glad you liked it here!
Tina, when I lived in New York, I would often help people onto the right subway- once I took a quick ride with a Chinese woman who didn’t understand English. It’s one of the best things about New York, the stranger love.
Funnier, though, is when a couple of natives will argue over the best way to help a tourist get downtown, etc. I can’t think of a city in the world where people like giving directions more.
My two trips to London had me convinced that Londoners must think we Americans way to “familiar” with them. I’m not shy and often make off-handed remarks to strangers and I recall the reticence of the people on the tube or on the street when I engaged them in some way. Of course, I just figured they’d get over it and kept on talking! I’m friendly!!
My dad had a thing for patting my mom’s butt and always nicknamed her “bunsy”. She called him “daddy-love”. I’ve never heard that in any other household.
I’ve never associated “darling” with Britishers, only “love”, which I find adorable.
The only thing I love about Kate is the way she smiles and laughs. She doesn’t care. She’ll bare all 32 teeth and it’s really beautiful. I’ve always wished I could smile like that genuinely. whenever I come on celebitchy and see the header pics on her posts, I like her more.
And I dunno what’s wrong with me, the celebs that are most hated on here are actually the ones I end up warming up to…. Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Middleton, Goop, Jeremy Renner, Beyoncé etc
I am not sure Cathy is hated on here. There are intelligent discussions, meaningful and polite disagreements, different nationalities and most importantly, one gets to learn so much from diverse fields including history, politics, literature, medicine, pop culture, jewellery, feminism etc.
There is a huge difference between Hollywood starlet and a woman who represents her country on a global scale. She is a public figure. I used to like her (Disney brainwashed) but i learned loads from the commenters.
I do love her big smile and wish mine were as wide, especially with the dimples! I think she is quite lucky because those sorts of smiles are beautiful.
Sadly, most of hers don’t seem genuine. There does seem to be a lot of Kate hate on here, but only because she takes all the taxpayer money and the gushing press and then does nearly nothing for any of her charities. (Except the sailing one, evidently, although how that’s a charity, I don’t know.) If she worked hard and cared about people worse off than herself, she’d still get criticism, but not *hate*.
I don’t hate Kate. I have contempt for her and her grasping, parasitical (taxpayers), vacuous, unempathetic personality. I do hate the fact that she is elevated into the pantheon by sheer virtue of marrying a fairy prince (looking at you, 360, PR) and protected. And the great big sucking black hole where work should be and speaks to a great need.
Mr & Mrs Private calling each other sweet names in public? Where people could hear? Right. More manipulation to show how normal they are compared to the rest of the stuffy BRF.
Agreed!
Remember when their dog’s name was top secret? Then Kate told his name. Then we have to hear about Marvin the hamster. Will Kate reveal her names for the wiglets? Inquiring minds want to know.
I think she looks REALLY rough. Very tired.
She’s always had a tired face. Media have simply stopped photoshopping her.
It’s not just ‘tired face’. Her face has lost the fat and become jowly. True that there is less photoshopping but there has definitely been a degradation of collagen in her face. She wasn’t this aged looking even 3 years ago !
I think she really must not care how she looks.
Wills should call her ‘dolly’, like the Duke of Windsor called Wallis. It was short for darling. In Waity’s case very appropriate as she comes across more often than not as a wind up doll!
@ rainbow,for some strange reason I love the name Dolly. That was what we called all our actual dolls when we were kids, it has such a kind feeling to it. Also, it reminds me of Dolly Varden cake, which is a delish confection my mother used to make. In the Antipodean household my daughter is Love, and my husband is Darling, he calls me Kitten (why I don’t know, but I like it).
We always laugh when we recall Dickie Attenborough’s Oscar acceptance speech for “Cry Freedom” which was produced by Steven Spielberg, he said “Loves, Darlings, Steven…..” Endless mirth ensues as it covers all the terms of endearment in this manor, squire! Maybe we are just a weird bunch, it is more than likely. LOL.
So there are some pictures circulating on Twitter of candid shots of the Cambridges. One of George riding a police officer’s motorcycle while kate looks on with Charlotte in her pram. Another of Kate taking a walk wth George and Charlotte (Kate looks incredibly thin) and another of the couple boarding a helicopter.
The Kate and kid pics are definitely done for good pr and are probably taken by paps who were tipped off. However, I will say it is clear she spends a lot of time with her children, and they are comfortable around her- will not so much. Have we ever gotten a candid of him with his kids?
The pic of George on the police motor bike was nice and she was smiling quite naturally rather than her usual maniac grin. However even there Waity can’t quite pull off the normal mum look. According to the DM she was wearing a £75 dress, just like every normal mum would wear looking after a baby and a toddler. She also had Charlotte’s buggy facing away from the bikes rather than turning her round to let her see what was happening. Definitely pap tip off pics. Poor Jason trying to get some good PR. Maybe we’ll see Normal Bill shopping in Asda with the 2 kids in a trolley next week. Lol
I imagine both children are familiar with her, like an auntie.
Of course, they’re boarding a helicopter!
What about Willy’s ‘job’? When was the last time he showed up?
The Daily Mail is saying she let slip his pet name by calling him Babe. When referring to a bush plant which grows predominantly in their garden and so it should as the bush seems to be prevalent in most statley home gardens So I am amazed Wills didn’t recognise it.
Probably because he’s never there??? 😂😂
Perhaps he didn’t care. Gardeners and such are so common in Williams circles ;-P
I bet she couldn’t name the bush. This woman so into nature- organic gardening, chutney making, and tennis court moving for the view.
It is a sweet thing to call each other, no matter what you say. The photo of them bending on the poppy garden is poignant. Only Sophie did the same. The rest did not bother.
I’ve noticed the number of comments on W&K have really dropped since winter. Interest really waning now, or the time of year (warmer months; more people are away generally speaking) or both? A pregnancy announcement would charge things up again. Will see this summer.
“British people just say “darling” better than Americans” — I dunno. I love a “darlin” said with a southern accent.
I’m from the south and my hubby is a west coaster. Years ago I called him darling and he was stunned. He said that no one had ever called him that and he loved it. So I reserve it for extra sweet moments.
This revelation is as banal as this couple.
Kate is not looking well. I’m not trying to be mean, but she looks very unhappy. The times she’s been recorded recently (like for their heads together thing) she is absolutely robotic. I think there’s something going on and it’s sad. Not the mention the obvious eating disorder she’s had for years.
Houstongrl, He’s not coming home to her anymore whatsoever, except to see his little ones, I personally think that whatever was great between em wiped out 3 or more years ago. Now everything is just a charade, try to make the world believe how happy you are, when you are downright miserable. HM and company couldn’t understand why Diana couldn’t put up and shut up, she had such great perks, even Camilla said the whole world loves you, you can have any man you want, in other words why can’t I have Charles. Well, now she’s got Chuck and they go their separate ways, it’s almost like be careful what you wish for. I would feel sorry for her except she literally stalked him , you reap what you sew !!!
I’m from Australia and we tend to use darhl as short for darling. In my family if you were out or entertaining Darling was code for you are really getting annoying please stop it . Makes me wonder…………………………
Everybody in UK calls everybody else “darling”. You’ll hear it from bus drivers, teachers, neighbours, it means nothing. The Lazy Duo can call themselves whatever they want, they’re still the most boring, most work-shy, and most petulant couple in the world.
Charles used to call Diana “darling”. Once very publicly on the ski slopes when he was asking her to smile for a photo shoot. The Queen and Duke call each other “darling” in private. Probably she and William are following on. is iror important?
What if Kate really isn’t well or finding royal life a huge effort?