Prince William really hopes his kids ‘grow up with more simple aspirations’

Prince William was in Vietnam for two days last week. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if very few people realized it, because his trip got very little coverage. He could have been on a sex tour for all anyone cared. Even in the British papers, there was barely any coverage… until William mentioned his children during an appearance on a Vietnamese talk show. Every media outlet was doing a collective shrug about his trip until he mentioned his kids. So… at least there’s still some interest in the kids, I guess. But if the story is just about Work-Shy Will, no one cares? Perhaps. These are the quotes:

On fatherhood, “there’s wonderful highs and wonderful lows,” William told host Tran Thuy Duong. “It’s been quite a change for me personally. I’m very lucky in the support I have from Catherine, she’s an amazing mother and a fantastic wife. I’ve struggled at times. The alteration from being a single, independent man to going into marriage and then having children is life-changing. I adore my children very much, and I’ve learned a lot about myself and about family just from having my own children.”

Calling 3-year-old son Prince George “a right little rascal,” he said, “he keeps me on my toes but he’s a sweet boy.” As for 18-month-old Princess Charlotte, he said, “bearing in mind I haven’t had a sister, so having a daughter is a very different dynamic. So I’m learning about having a daughter, having a girl in the family.”

Following a question from a 10-year-old girl in the audience about his advice for protecting wildlife and how to make a difference, he said, “I worry about the future more. When you have something or someone in your life to give the future to, I think it focuses the mind more about what you’re giving them. Are you happy that you’ve done all you can to leave it in a good state?’ I would like [my kids] to grow up with more simple aspirations. I think there’s a lot of huge aspirations and people living with an enormous amount of stuff that they don’t necessarily need. The materialism of the world — I find quite tricky sometimes. I would like George and Charlotte to grow up being a little bit more simple in their approach and their outlook, and just looking after those around them and treating others as they would like to be treated themselves.”

[From People]

A few things. One, “I’ve struggled at times” in the journey from being a single guy (in a ten-year-long relationship!) to a married father of two. Why do I doubt that The Struggle Is Real for William? When he first became a father, he arranged it so he could spend a semester “auditing” classes at Cambridge and he regularly “went away” without his wife and child. Was it because he was struggling so hard? Or was it because prickly Prince William always has to be the most moody and mercurial person in the world and it was a “struggle” to find ways to avoid both royal work and his family? Second point: “I would like [my kids] to grow up with more simple aspirations.” Says Normal Bill, simple country gentry of Norfolk, right? So much materialism in the world, like that private helicopter at his beck and call, or the Duke of Westminster’s private jet at his beck and call, or his extensive car collection, or his wife’s unbridled shopping addiction and more. What’s particularly painful is that you know William said that without any irony at all.

Last thing: the Queen has “punished” a bishop who referred to William and Kate as “shallow celebrities.” The Struggle Is Real, peeps.

Photos courtesy of Getty.

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171 Responses to “Prince William really hopes his kids ‘grow up with more simple aspirations’”

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  1. tegteg says:

    When he says “more simple,” does he mean more simple than his and Kate’s aspirations? IMPOSSIBLE. He is such a pea brain. I’m not even British but his allergy to work and lavish spending make my blood boil.

  2. Lainey says:

    If it was a pr move it really failed. Loads of backlash about it. Single man- I don’t doubt he acted like one throughout their relationship and prob still does.

    • Lascivious says:

      ITA, Lainey, total fail.
      Also, according to the quote, his answer was in response to a girl’s request for “his advice for protecting wildlife and how to make a difference.” His answer’s only about himself/his family–nothing on how to make a difference. I’m no prince but can easily think of at least 10 things that might encourage the questioner and help her make a positive difference.

      • notasugarhere says:

        That is the type of answer he always gives. He wants to save rhinos so his son will see living rhinos. Never mind saving the rhinos for their intrinsic value and right to exist.

      • Ravine says:

        Yeah, that really rubbed me the wrong way too. I mean, fair enough if he feels that way, but what a waste of a platform to just go, “Please save the animals so that my insanely privileged kids will get nicer pictures on their African safaris.” Real inspiring.

  3. Sixer says:

    I would comment but a) my head is still in post-combustion about Buck House, and b) I’m busy doing shitty work that I don’t really want to do so that I can achieve the “simple aspiration” of getting my kids through university debt-free.

    Or, in short: eff off Bill, you annoying dicksplash.

    • lightpurple says:

      I think the next time our President-elect tweets, I will respond with “eff of Donald, you annoying dicksplash.”

    • Alix says:

      @Sixer: Clusterf*ck (or, for Sixlet Minor, Flustercluck) seems a-ok to me.

      Question (and pardon my ignorance): I thought university education in the UK was free or at least largely subsidized?

      • Sixer says:

        Standard rate for a year of university for English and Welsh students is, at present, £9,000. Everyone gets a loan for that. The repayments are more like a graduate tax however – 9% of earnings above about £20k after you graduate until it’s paid off.

        I’d rather the Sixlets didn’t need the loan if I could make it so, you know? Plus, Sixlet Major has expressed some interest in going to continental Europe for his degree as a couple of family members have already done. Post-Brexit, I would have to pay for that. He’s years off the decision but saving also takes years!

      • SilverUnicorn says:

        @Alix
        Bwahaha free? I’ve to pay it back until I’m 115. If I die earlier, I have the meagre consolation that it will be written off and my husband won’t inherit it…..
        Tuition fees are only free for undergraduates for Scotland’s residents (Scottish born undergraduate students also get a crapload of grants to help with the rest). Rest of UK students have debts over debts…

        @Sixer
        It’s 9,250 from next year and 9,500 from following one. Good if they are not a burden on your shoulders but fees will be raised a lot in the future.
        You don’t need to pay anything post-Brexit, they must get informed where they would like to study. I think in Germany tuition fees are low for everybody and there is no difference between EU or non EU. In Italy for example the loan system doesn’t exist for anyone, you must pay the fees up front, although non-EU pay more money.
        Just get info; I think England’s fees are the highest in Europe.

      • Sixer says:

        Silver – Netherlands is where Major has been talking about. There would be no loans available post-Brexit and non-EU fees are comparable with the UK. Also, part-time employment would be restricted.

        I kinda feel a bit bad about whinging – these are middle class problems and a great many people will be worse affected. Even so, it’s hard not to be cross that a) opportunities for my kids are being restricted, b) previous financial planning I’ve done has been thrown into disarray.

        Hence the irritation at Normal Bill for wanking on about simple aspirations, the know-nothing fuckmuppet.

      • SilverUnicorn says:

        @Sixer
        I hear you. We’ve been in disarray here too. Royal family’s recent ‘problems’ made us quite angry of late, it sounds like cherry on top of the cake.
        I have no idea how many courses in English are taught in the Netherlands, it would have been a nice destination for us too… a relative of my husband is Dutch so we were thinking to move there.. however, she also told us that contrarily to what people believe, if you don’t speak Dutch you don’t go far…. and putting Dutch on top of the other 8 languages I have studied in the past is a no-go zone for me, because my brain is already grilled now….
        Granted, I would be EU there but my husband would be non-EU so I should be the breadwinner and sponsor him… quite unlikely, unfortunately.

    • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

      Hmm does that mean that his wife will stop spending her FIL money like there is no tomorrow and that he will start turning up to his job regularly and that he will sell off his large collection of vintage cars and motorbikes and Chutney wears a new couture dress more than once.

      I think not – for him simple aspirations are to leech off the tax payer and do sod all.

  4. Guesto says:

    I’m with the bishop.

    • Sixer says:

      Pete Broadbent is hilarious. He’s also suggested building a wall between Trump and women. With Trump paying for it.

  5. Bettyrose says:

    Wasn’t Eton the last time he was “single and independent”? I’m kinda digging the white shirt & khaki look, though.

    • Tina says:

      #neverforget the communal cocktails and table jumping at Mahiki! Complete with loud “I’m free!” declarations. This was at the start of the breakup.

    • Amelia says:

      He really does have a decent body.
      It’s just the personality and the face I could do without.

      • detritus says:

        I was wondering if anyone else noticed how tight Bills keeping it.
        These are my exact too feelings this morning too. Everything from the shoulders down is quite nice. Too bad about the personality though.

      • Angel says:

        Seriously

      • notasugarhere says:

        If we’re going to be shallow and look for face + figure (plus personality and brains), I recommend you search out Felipe of Spain. Only when he has his beard, though, because he looks like his mother when he’s clean shaven.

      • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

        @NOTA. I used to have quite the ladyboner for Felipe, esp after he married Latezia and he had his makeover. The beard just does give him all kinds of extra sexiness, i do have a soft spot for a well groomed beard.

        Sadly, Felipe has been replaced by Crown Prince Haakon in my (beard fetish) affections.

    • Alix says:

      How long before he stops referring to marriage and fatherhood and stuff he’s adjusting to? For that matter, how many more decades before Kate stops referring to herself as “new at the job”?

  6. Kitty says:

    I honestly think he implied he regrets marrying at a time he wasn’t ready as well as having children. He does seem to talk mean about Kate. Also, this man really doesn’t want to be King.

    • notasugarhere says:

      He wanted to keep Carole and Mike. He couldn’t keep them unless he finally caved and married their daughter.

      I don’t think he wanted to get married and have a family, period. Harry even expressed surprise and admitted they all thought he’d never marry.

      He was getting pressure to marry KM or cut her loose. He was getting pressure to start working royal duties and take the burden off elderly family members.

      He may have seen marriage as an excuse to hide from royal duties for another 10 years. Pretend to be hands-on father with family that Must Be Protected from Paps. Living in the country doesn’t prevent him from working royal engagements full-time, but don’t tell anyone who falls for his Poor Me act.

  7. Kat says:

    I think it’s wonderful that a grown man gets a wife to teach him how to be a father. I haven’t normally much time for Kate but if she’s married to that useless a lump she’s plenty on her plate without doing much other work. He sounds like a trial. And if that’s what he thinks makes him sound in touch and basically an OK guy, he must be a living nightmare.

    Also, materialism worries him? My enormous bottom.

  8. embertine says:

    The man who has always lived at the absolute pinnacle of luxury thinks we should all be a bit less materialistic? ****. RIGHT. OFF.

    • detritus says:

      Lol yes. Or he thinks it’s like the flu.

      Bill (as he sides on his vintage furniture, priceless art strewn about him, in between discussions on which castle to live in and renovate, while munching on caviar on toast):

      ‘Hmmm, something has got me down today. I wonder what is it. Ah, by jove, it must be that nasty consumerism I’ve been hearing about’

    • Kate says:

      So I guess his remodel of KP and Anmer Hall and multiple luxury vacations aren’t consumerism or materialistic at all.

  9. lightpurple says:

    What were his aspirations?

    • Fl girl says:

      Apparently to be a super-rich middle-class bloke.

    • Helen Back says:

      Ahh, We will never know.
      He has been born into a certain type of slavedom. Unless he wanted to shame his Father, his Grand Mother and his Country.
      He can never get out.
      They are not as privlidged as the media would have us think.
      I have been to every one of their Palaces. They do not live in luxury. They all have very small closed off appartments, I would NEVER want to live in.
      He followed his probably MURDERED Mother, down The Strand, for all the World to see.
      I for one shall always give him and his brother respect. They have survived and are trying to thrive.
      I don’t think I would have been able to do it.
      Before anyone mentions , ” Oh but the best counciling” was provided. Nope it wasn’t. Both Princes were given council by their GrandMother. These young men have been in boarding school most of their lives.
      I support them and think they are amazing in the work they do.
      If I was them, I would be sitting on a basement couch somewhere, shuddering. AND Smoking heaps of the food stuff.

      • Tina says:

        I don’t even want to come up with a reply. It’s like performance art.

      • Matomeda says:

        +1

      • notasugarhere says:

        Tina, yours is a brilliant response.

      • Tina says:

        Thanks, nota!

      • Olenna says:

        LOL…”performance art” indeed! Somebody is smoking something!

      • TyrantDestroyed says:

        + 1 million Tina

      • Annie says:

        Too much coffee and double meds this morning my dear?

      • Sixer says:

        I think they should become keen on heading up a food stuff counsel.

        (Did I misspell that properly?)

      • Carey says:

        This was stream of consciousness but…I agree with some of this. I’ve been watching The Crown and being a royal seems like a special hell. You’re trapped in an inescapable web of archaic customs and duties with no real power to make decisions about the most mundane aspects of your life like where you live. You’re constantly surrounded by hordes of apparatchiks whose jobs are to keep you in line and make sure you’re following the rules. Sure, you’re rich and have houses and jewels and all that. But it’s a gilded hell. That’s not even to mention constantly being in the spotlight and paraded around like a prize cow at the county fair. Horrible. Meghan Markle should run for her life.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The Crown is fiction.

        They are not prisoners. He has a healthy inheritance that is private money. If he doesn’t want the royal life for himself or his children, he is free to walk away at any time. Move to a country where no one is allowed to photograph them. Have to earn respect instead of it behind handed to him because of his position.

        He is free to go at any time.

      • Carey says:

        Sure, he is free to walk away at any time but the pressure from his family to uphold the monarchy and tradition must be enormous, especially since he has an example someone who did walk away with serious consequences for the entire family. Having said that, would I be shocked if he abdicated? I would not. Though I’m sure the Middletons would have a massive collective stroke if he did.

      • LAK says:

        Tina: i salute you! You have to laugh, don’t you?!

        Carey: The Crown is fiction. Too many inaccuracies to even qualify as a docu-drama. It’s as glossy as the best costume drama from the 80s, and equally inaccurate despite the compelling performances.

      • Nic919 says:

        A king abdicated in 1936… proof that it is possible to escape if one really wants to. William does not and he is better off than the Duke of Windsor because he has inheritance money from Diana that his great uncle never had.

  10. I Choose Me says:

    This man is such a knob. A boring, self-entitled, privileged, clueless unself-aware knob.

  11. . says:

    Sometimes I have the feeling the young royals – who act like celebrities, not royals – are on a good way destroying the British monarchy. People respect QE II and they also accept King Charles but William & Co… well yeah.

  12. JellyBeans says:

    To quote a great Queen

    “Boo, you whore”

    It’s so tuff for him 🙁

  13. Derpy ostrich says:

    The future king of England didn’t pay any mind to the future until he had children? I realize royals don’t make policy but that still….. Doesn’t sound good.

    • vava says:

      Yes, that was very telling, I thought. And I had a good chuckle about materialism – maybe he should start at home by taking Kate’s AMEX card away. She has enough coats.

      • MinnFinn says:

        Kate had their Anmer tennis court ripped out and moved 2 feet and a beautiful kitchen ripped out too. Carole gave George a $5k handmade rocking horse for Christmas. Willy is such an idiot.

  14. Meow says:

    Head looking more and more like a testicle every day.

  15. Natalie S says:

    Is that first picture supposed to look as dirty as I think it looks?

  16. TheSageM says:

    My aspirations are indeed simple: I want to be king.

  17. Seraphina says:

    I’m with the Bishop. Sad he is punished for telling the truth and isn’t that what a A man of the clergy does???? Another strike against this antiquated and welfare institution. It’s 2016 and the Queen punished someone for telling the truth. Ugh. Makes me understand why my family denounces a monarchy in any country.

    • Natalie S says:

      How embarrassing that with all their wealth and power, they’re that thin-skinned.

    • notasugarhere says:

      There was another clergyman who was reprimanded because he said their marriage will never last. No freedom of speech in the UK?

      • LAK says:

        Oh yes, it was shortly after the wedding though i can’t remember who said it. Something about their marriage lasting only 7yrs.

        That said, i still hold that they won’t divorce because Carole would never allow it.

      • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

        I dunno, if they do divorce it won’t be until TQ passes and Chuck could take a leaf out of his mothers book and basically order them to divorce. I have always said William will repeat his fathers mistakes – I have never believed the marriage will last, they got married and started a family for the wrong reasons (on both sides). She will never divorce him so I think he will (like has father), either because he finally falls in love for real or he grows a backbone and kicks the Middleton Mafia to the kerb.

        Him becoming the Prince of Wales will either break or make them. I think it will break them – she can’t handle the stress/pressure of the few public engagements she does, when she is expected to double/triple that it will push her over the edge – forcing him to either walk away from the throne or his marriage.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Just looked it up. It was Pete Broadbent that time too.

    • Nic919 says:

      They are shallow celebrities. I am not sure when the Bishop said this, but nothing they have done in their lives has suggested they care about anything but themselves.
      While Harry isn’t perfect, he set up Sentebale and Invictus…. and what has William done? Nothing.

  18. Crumpet says:

    Sorry, but they were born into royalty, and are not allowed to have ‘simple’ aspirations, you dolt. But I despair that their parents are going to teach them the value of hard work. Hopefully they will have mentors in their lives who will.

    • Seraphina says:

      He really is something else. The future king of England wanting simple aspirations for his kids. Yeah. Genius. What a moron.

      • Helen Back says:

        Would you want to be born to dysfunctional Parents, like William and Garry were?
        Maybe you were, maybe you got lucky and were not.
        Don’t forget, whilst his very young Mother was making suicidal threats through the bathroom door. The only one there was William as a child, shoving tissues under the door and trying to comfort her.
        I for one give him and Prince Harry( Henry) a pass on almost everything.
        They are in Slavedom.
        If they run away to smoke the good stuff forever…. Well good for them.
        However, they cannot do anything other than Public Service. Otherwise, they would disgrace their Father, their GrandMother the Queen and themselves.
        They live in tiny little appartments and every cent they spend is scrutinized.
        I bet they’d not have chosen this fait.

      • Natalie S says:

        Poor Garry! Why don’t we ever talk about him?

        I hope he finds happiness one day.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I am enjoying the 50 room Apartment 1A and the 10 bedroom Anmer being described as “tiny little apartments”.

      • Annie says:

        I want that good stuff to smoke and then find Garry. I can comfort him with my good stuff.

      • embertine says:

        Garry was always my favourite of the royals. I think it’s the piercings.

      • Olenna says:

        @Annie, I’m ROTFL!

        @Helen Back, your extraordinary comments have been the best part of my day! Happy Monday!

      • Sixer says:

        Oh, Helen. Please come back tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. I love you.

      • Red Snapper says:

        Helen is the best part of this thread. I want to smoke good stuff with her whilst gossiping about this interesting Garry person I’ve been hearing so much about!!

      • LAK says:

        Yes, please come back. I need to know more about poor Garry.

      • Nic919 says:

        I wonder if Meghan would rather be with Garry. Seems like a cool guy.

      • Elaine says:

        @Helen, some of *are* born to dysfunctional parents 😉

        minus the wealth and privilege. I can take you to parts of the world where children forage the garbage dump for food. And have crappy parents.

        What whining-Will moans about is a ‘First world problem’.

        And sorry but, no1curr.

      • Mildred Fierce says:

        LOL. I had to read through a couple times before I realized this wasn’t about dodgy Uncle Gary.

  19. Cee says:

    Go away, William, you’re not even cute to look at anymore.

    “The alteration from being a single, independent man to going into marriage and then having children is life-changing.” YOU WEREN’T SINGLE. YOU WERE IN A 10-YEAR-LONG RELATIONSHIP.

  20. notasugarhere says:

    “I think there’s a lot of huge aspirations and people living with an enormous amount of stuff that they don’t necessarily need. The materialism of the world — I find quite tricky sometimes.”

    Says the man who demanded the unavailable, largest apartment at KP. Overspent $7 million on it, and doesn’t live in it more than a handful of days a year. Spent a million of taxpayer money secretly on upgrades for his in-laws house. Spent millions (including 1 million in taxpayer money) on the private residence at Anmer. The one complete with brand new $100,000 tennis court that Katie just had to have – so they stole some land from an adjoining property to build it.

    Flies to Mustique every year to vacation, flies to Spain multiple times a year on a private jet to go hunting, flies to France secretly at least twice in one year on the private jet to vacation at ritzy resorts. Says the man with the wife who has spent $200,000 on clothing this year and has worked less than what, 150 HOURS?

    So many things about his entitlement to mock, so little time.

    • Helen Back says:

      You really would not believe their Appartments.
      Oh the glamor and privlidge.
      You can only know the way they live if you see it.
      Kensington Palace is so run down and has been for decades, adding up to centuries. Their private apartments are almost hovels.
      Make no mistake. They are Public servants.

      • notasugarhere says:

        They are public servants who live in the lap of luxury.

        Almost 10 million in taxpayer renovations to their two homes. No hovels here, photos prove it.

        W&K are greedy public servants who refuse to serve.

      • Lorelai says:

        Yes, they are to be pitied for living in such squalor 🙄

      • Sixer says:

        I’m thinking they are probably only allowed to eat bread and water. Won’t anyone think of the children? They might get rickets.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Sixer, that must be the reason for the annual trips to Mustique. So they can get much-needed vitamin D.

        That was the excuse some KM fans trotted out, when she was caught sunbathing topless after lying to the paraolympians. She needed vitamin D in order to get pregnant, so the doctor must have ordered the nude sunbathing. #notkidding

      • Lady D says:

        NOTA, I’m assuming their apartment is something along the lines of the pic LAK showed us of Prince Edward’s home Bagshot Park? What a staggering fricking house. My son is in construction and I showed him the house. He was 50/50 split between drooling and being horrified at the size of it. He was also a little choked at only 4 people living in it.

    • zinjojo says:

      Nothing like a little hypocrisy and cluelessness to go with all of that privilege! Totally agree, nota.

    • Kitty says:

      Off topic but I hope once Harry has kids and his married I hope he gets Apt 8 and 9. William gets the largest apartment at Kensington and doesn’t even live there most of the time.

      • Angel says:

        Pretty sure no one can, it has been turned into offices. Will and Kate sometimes meet groups there (an can it “having them to their house”)

      • Kitty says:

        @Angie, I think it will be turned into a family home. It’s also an office for Harry as well. Then where will Harry live?

    • Kitty says:

      Off topic but I hope once Harry has kids and his married I hope he gets Apt 8 and 9. William gets the largest apartment at Kensington and doesn’t even live there most of the time.

    • Cee says:

      this just made me sick. He is so out of touch he could be Kanye’s bestie.

  21. original kay says:

    What?

    Simple aspirations?
    “The materialism of the world — I find quite tricky sometimes.”

    Has he met his wife? I am a Kate apologist but even know she shops til she drops. Geesh.

  22. seesittellsit says:

    I suppose with several homes, one of which is a 21-room “apartment” in Kensington Palace, no economic worries, trust funds, other people cleaning your living spaces, washing your clothes, paying your household accounts, and nothing to worry about except ensuring that you know how to ride a horse and spend a few days a week waving and smiling, simple values should be a breeze.

  23. notasugarhere says:

    Fleshing out your timeline, Kaiser.

    July 2013 son born
    KM, PGTips, two nannies (Wm’s old nanny plus night nanny) move to Bucklebury for months. They said they had no nannies, photo proof shows otherwise. No one knows where William was at this time. He took parental leave from SAR, but he wasn’t spotted out in Bucklebury

    September 2013
    Returns from parental leave and quits SAR. Defaulted on his $500,000 worth of training by leaving early. Where he went, nobody knows. Did he move back to the cottage at KP while she was living in Berkshire with their son and the nannies? 1A wasn’t done yet.

    January 2014
    He starts the bespoke Cambridge course, which he may never have finished. Went on vacation at least twice during it.

    February 2014
    He goes hunting in Spain with Jecca same weekend that KM and PGTips are in Mustique on family holiday. Pap photos of William, Jecca, Harry in Spain are published. Pap photos of KM and baby at airport published. She smiles straight into the camera of the photographer who just happens to be at the mid-way airport at the right moment. Pictures published, no lawsuit filed. Happy to have proof she’s on vacation with baby and no “hands-on father” to be seen? Middleton PR move to bring William to heel?

    March 2014
    William’s old nanny has quit by now. W&K dump the 8 month old baby on new nanny Maria for 10 days while they go to the Maldives. Took over the entire new resort, because that’s the simple life for you. As William never would have paid for that, it is likely they took a freebie from a vacation spot in a country that flogs rape victims. Cost of securing the whole place for those 10 days fell to the UK taxpayers.

    April 2014
    They go on tour to Australia and NZ with 9-month-old son. KM admits to a group of military mothers that William “wasn’t around much for the first six months”.

    The 10 years they were together before marriage, they were frequently apart. He kept breaking up with her because she was too clingy, hence the friends calling her Limpet, and because he wanted to go after other women. She waited by the phone, doing nothing else but waiting. When he wanted to have her around he’d call and she’d come running.

    She chose that life, let’s not forget that. She wouldn’t have done that for Bill the Dustman. She was aiming for top brick in the chimney. She never lived long stretches in Wales before the baby, she was spotted in London 3X a week. Baby arrives, she goes to Bucklebury with the baby for months. Passive aggressive on her part? If you want to see your son, you have to come to us in Berkshire.

    The separate lives seem to have continued in their married life. She gets what she wants (status, money, easy living) and he gets to keep living his life pretty much as before. Maybe with two small lives in the bargain, they realize the separate lives are more difficult to maintain?

    This is a very strange relationship.

    • Cee says:

      Don’t forget his going solo to Africa for Jecca’s wedding and missing out on his daughter’s first Easter. He is the future Head of the Anglican Church. He should know better by now and I say this as an atheist who does not give AF about churches and religious traditions.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The behavior around their daughter is even more strange. They stopped suing about photos of their son taken in public places (sometimes), but demand every pap photo of their daughter be removed from sites like Woman’s Day Australia.

        Heir had small, private christening. Daughter’s christening was public affair, crowd behind barricades, only photogs who follow their rules allowed photos licenses. It was a public parade at Diana’s childhood church a few days from Diana’s birthday.

        It was scheduled at a time when they knew Harry would be away. It was at this event that KM proved that she still doesn’t know how to hold a baby properly. Son spent most of his time trying to pull away from daddy and looking for Nanny Maria.

        Hide the daughter away from the masses most of the time, scream invasion of privacy, but sign on to a tacky clothing line with Diana Tartan and Princess Charlotte baby dresses. Trading off of their position as public figures, but it is for charity so we’re supposed to forget how tacky it is? It is a move worthy of Earl Spencer the younger.

      • Cee says:

        I worry about Charlotte which is why I’m so glad she looks nothing like Diana. I do not begrudge William using Diana as one of her names, but this is HER granddaughter and the press and public will expect her to be like her. They already tried and failed with Kate. Perhaps William is more worried about his daughter because she is female, and treatment of females has always been worse. But they are playing a ridiculous game, touching upon Diana’s memory and places to create, what exactly?

      • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

        The thing that worries me about Charlotte is that she is very likely to grow up like her mother and Aunt to value her looks and how thin she is over anything else. Her self worth will be based on what kind of man she marries or how attractive she is.

    • MinnFinn says:

      Also his drunken US wedding he attended alone and came home with a broken front tooth.

    • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

      I think that they, he in particular, are finding that keeping up the happy family farce is difficult. The press are all over what they do even more than before they got married – the more they hide the more interested the press become. Its obvious that they have separate lives but if she’s based at Amner (with Carole practically living there helping her run the very small household) where is he? Where is his bachelor pad/bolt hole?

      • Yolanda says:

        Thats the interesting part. We know Kate runs to mummy every other day, shops like there’s no tomorrow and works out all day, but what does William do??

      • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

        @yolanda – that the million dollar question. He’ll have a side piece, he has cheated on her from the beginning (in fact that’s how she got him, by being his hook up when he had a girlfriend) but what else is he doing that he’s so paranoid about the press snooping around on – me thinks its something that will cause a massive scandal that will deeply embarrass the family, something worse than Uncle Andy and the underage hooker loving millionaire he’s friends with.

    • Tourmaline says:

      I love the timeline. My personal favorite interlude in the meanderings of Prince William was the “bespoke Cambridge course”. It was so weird that after he left his SAR pilot job he took a nice long break to ease into his royal role….and then went right back to being a pilot!

      He’s a knobby gobber prat.

  24. Kitty says:

    I must agree that the young royals, William, Harry and Kate act like celebs now. I think the mystique of royality died with Diana. Also does anyone else get the feeling William regrets marrying? I wonder how strong his marriage to Kate is.

    • Egla says:

      Regrets??? Hmmm I think he never wanted to get married to begin with. He HAD to. As long as she is willing to put up with everything he wants her to, the marriage will work.
      I wonder if one day he meets some professional gold digger, a charming one, one that is past her prime but still has game and wants an easy life with money, and she decides to go after him???? But you know, even divorcing takes effort and work so it’s unlikely he will divorce.

  25. Murphy says:

    He is such a knob-head

  26. paddyjr says:

    In other words, “do as I say and not as I do.” I have feeling that G&C are going to be put to “work” as soon as possible so that their work-shy parents can continue their pattern (“why should we work when my elderly father/stepmother and young children can handle it?”). Also, by teaching them to have “simple aspirations”, W&K won’t have to cut down on their own “toys.” Well-played Willnot!

  27. TyrantDestroyed says:

    That priest sounds like somebody I would like to share a beer with and talk about the work-shy Cambridges.
    William sounds to me as a friend I have in Facebook who has a particular lifestyle: Always gushing about protecting the environment, being compassionate towards all creatures and being super, over positive but you turn your head and find out that she and her “community” are just a group of over materialistic folks that pretend to live a fancy farmer style but deep down they only care about maintaining their cozy status quo, so William please take several seats, grow up and stop “struggling”.

  28. notasugarhere says:

    Simple aspirations like work hard, earn every penny you spend, tell the truth, and earn your place in the world, William?

  29. joannie says:

    Personally I dont find anything wrong with what he said. They paid for the renovations to their home themselves. They are hands on parents versus leaving it up to the nanny. He made sure his wife was up to being a lifelong Royal to avoid what happened with his parents. He donates his salary and comes across as much more in touch and down to earth than all of the Royals before him. I think hes a very handsome man regardless of his lack of hair. I like him!

    • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

      Nope – W&K never paid a penny toward renovations for both properties (and her parents pad as well). It either came from the taxpayer direct, his father or money was redirected from repairs at Buckingham Palace to fund 2 brand new kitchens at Kensington Palace.

      William is notoriously tight fisted with money so Kate is going crazy spending her FIL and the tax payers money like its going out of fashion. He married someone who is VERY materialistic.

      • Kitty says:

        How is he crazy about money? Doesn’t he get everything for free?

      • joannie says:

        The renovations to their home in Norfolk were paid out of their own pocket not the taxpayer. Kate being very materialistic is gossip spread by those who resent the RF not fact.

      • Elaine says:

        @Joanie, the facts of Kate being materialistic are based upon what she spends. Her closing purchases are priced. This information is very easy to find. Check out ‘what kate wore.’ they have a comprehensive breakdown. By year.

        This year, Kate is up to 150,000 pounds.

      • notasugarhere says:

        joannie, 1 million of Anmer came from the taxpayers until that was hushed up. The rest came from the Duchy, which belongs to the people not the Windsor family.

    • PHAKSI says:

      He didnt do a very good job of making sure Kate is up to royal life, she’s pretty awful at royalling. Kate being materialistic is proven by all the new clothes she buys. The press usually do a total of how much all her clothes cost around this time every year

      • joannie says:

        Well she did a fantastic job while in Canada and she should dress well. Every other royal does in every country where there is a RF.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Trotting out a new $4000 dress to see mothers and kids in a low-income, substance abuse and social services related charity is doing well? Flashing us all at the kiddy play event is doing well?

        Go look at Letizia’s wardrobe, especially when she was crown princess. Solid, elegant working wardrobe for a fraction of what Middleton spends.

      • Nic919 says:

        Meghan Markle has done more for Canadian charities than Will and Kate. Which charities did they highlight during their visit to Canada? Bet you can’t name one. And they didn’t donate any of their money, Trudeau had to donate it in their name.

      • joannie says:

        Nic919 on another thread I posted the charities they visited plus what the women there said afterwards. Plus they highlited the FN and the environmental issues. Go look it up yourself! The dress she wore that everyone hated was designed with the artwork of FN women. They make those designs with their teeth by the way and its made out of bark.
        I’ve never heard of this Meghan person prior to Harry’s rant so I somehow question that statement.
        Why do you attack ppl for an opinion you dont like or dont agree with?

    • Maia says:

      joanie, even if you believe that they paid for renovations themselves, you don’t think that there is something sadly ironic about a prince who travels in helicopters, holidays in utmost luxury available to maybe 1000 people out of the 7 billion people who inhabit the world, and whose wife has spent $300K on clothes alone in 5 years, bemoaning materialism as being “tricky”?

    • Angel says:

      So much no.

  30. Sage says:

    I have an irrational dislike for Billy goat.

  31. Maia says:

    Just want to point out: he does not just say that he wants simple aspirations for his kids. He also says the following:

    “I would like George and Charlotte to grow up being a little bit more simple in their approach and their outlook, and just looking after those around them and treating others as they would like to be treated themselves.”

    This is basically saying that he wants George and Charlotte to be responsible for people around them. Implying that he does not want them to be burdened with looking after an entire nation. Just people around them. Directly in contrast with his father’s lofty approach – where he was raised with aspirations to look after a nation.
    This is a deeply troubled prince.

    • Yolanda says:

      William has never wanted to be royal, and I don’t think he intends to be one forever either. He will back out sooner or later, probably after HM’s passes away.

      • Maia says:

        I don’t know whether he will back out, but I think he will go down in history as a reluctant and unhappy ruler. Never have I seen or heard of anyone so privileged yet so unimaginably ungrateful and dim.

  32. sodapop says:

    He just seems so miserable. I don’t get it. Even when he has such vast resources at hand to be able to bring attention to causes, help people, brighten people’s lives he chooses to moan and groan about his lot in life. If he ever had to live a “simple” life like an ordinary person (juggling at least one job, bills, medical issues, children, aging parents, staying fit, eating healthy to name a few…) his head would explode.

    • Kitty says:

      @SodaPop, honestly, I truly do think it was not William’s destiny to be King at all. He seems to struggle with royal duties as well. Honestly, after The Queen passes, I can honestly see the monarchy being abolished. William and Kate aren’t up to the job.

      • sodapop says:

        With this kind of attitude I don’t think they’re up to any kind of job lol.

        Since I’m feeling charitable I will say that it probably is a huge burden to be a member of the royal family. World’s (increasingly fewer) eyes on you and a legacy to live up to. But we’re all born into a certain set of circumstances and being an adult means you just gotta get on with it. It’s like william and kate are forever stuck in the teenager mode of “I don’t wanna do it so I’m not going to”.

        Just finished watching The Crown on Netflix and, wow, admire the queen even more now. If you’re going to be supported by taxpayers you have to hold up your end at least.

  33. Cerys says:

    He really seems to believe his life is a struggle. He is so reluctant to embrace his Royal role that stepping aside would probably be a huge relief to him. However I think he enjoys the perks of royalty too much to do that.
    He is coming across as petulant and ungrateful for everything he has been given in life.

    • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

      If he does step aside it will be with a very huge pension and prob Amner Hall (and maybe one of the smaller KP appts). But there is no way Kate and Carole will let him step aside, that would be the end of their ambitions – Waity has waitied to hard not to be Queen Consort.

      • notasugarhere says:

        He might get to live there rent free, but he would never be handed ownership of Anmer. It remains part of the overall Sandringham Estate.

        He’d never step aside and stay in a country where he could not longer illegally pressure the press about legal photographs in public places. They’d have to move somewhere like Switzerland where no one would be allowed to photograph them.

  34. Citresse says:

    This is the same guy who said how spoiled his son, at his 3rd birthday party. You would think if he’s so concerned about material items and being consumed by them, he could control his immediate environment, especially at his son’s birthday party. The Middletons; so consumed by status, material items, and yet William was and is (presumably) so attracted to them. William is so far from reality, he makes no sense. The only explanation is he’s hiding so much for the general public, he’s decided to lie. Pathetic… and…
    is Vietnam the only control left that doesn’t roll its collective eyes when William speaks?

    • Citresse says:

      Here’s the exact quote from William re- George being spoiled: “he received too many gifts.” and he’s “far too spoilt.” Yeah, sound like they’re living simple lives and will grow up with simple aspirations-sarcasm/ and yeah William, you need to go all the way to Vietnam to find a journalist willing to believe your brand of BS because no one in the western world believes valid criticism is “part of the job.”

  35. K2 says:

    Two mansions renovated to exacting standards (how environmentally friendly is it to rip out beautiful, new fittings that don’t happen to be to your exact tastes?), a fleet of SUVs, flights all over the place, servants with their own carbon footprints there simply to service your own, polo as your favoured leisure pursuit… and all heavily subsidised by unearned inheritance on the one side and actual tax-payer’s money on the other. How in the world can he teach his children about “simple aspirations”? That’s not even mentioning his role as future head of state by birth alone, which his eldest child will inherit.

  36. Kitty says:

    Does anyone know the perks William and Harry get for being royals as well as the most well known? I mean celebs gets things for free all the time for advertisements. So what about royals?

  37. Guesto says:

    The tiny, remaining miniscule of tolerance I have left for this deeply offensive, dysfunctional, unpleasant, greedy, entitled family is reserved for Harry.

    I hope he finds a way out from under the truly shitty burden of it.

  38. tan says:

    once when I was a teenager, and william was in late teens/early 20s I had a crush on him.

    Now I see this person, with perpetually bored face, not even good looks despite multi million dollar maintenance, lazy attitude looking to earn without working and I really wonder how stupid I was then.

    this whole wastage of tax payers money should just stop after the old queen passes away.

    I watched the netflix series, The Crown, and all I can take away from it is more thna 50 years of wastage of money to give unnecessary privilege to a bunch of people whose only job is to tour the world doing nothing.

  39. Deeanna says:

    The Netflix series “The Crown” has a whole lot of fiction in it. It was nicely made and amusing, but it strained credulity pretty badly at times and strayed from known facts at numerous other times.

    I have often wondered if William doesn’t suffer from clinical depression? There is just something about the way he looks, acts, and things he says that fit that picture.

  40. Kate says:

    These two will be the end of the monarchy. He has no desire to be king and doesn’t seem to give a fig about the monarchy at all.

  41. Starlight says:

    I am sure his wish to bring up his children as his mother would have liked might prove difficult. Kate seems to have expensive tastes and the fact they are all hidden away in deepest Norfolk cotton wooled in a life of servants and nannies might prove difficult for Wills to bring the children out into the world and see hardship homelessness and difficulties. As it seems he would like very much to do this I hope he doesn’t leave it too late in the grand scheme of things.