Prince William & Kate do less than half the amount of work William’s parents did

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This is sort of a “no, durr” piece of royal housekeeping, but the Daily Mail is treating it like it’s brand new information, so let’s play along. There’s a statistician named Timothy O’Donovan who has done side-by-side comparisons to the amount of work the Prince and Princess of Wales did compared to the amount of work the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge do at the same age/stage of life. As in, when Charles and Diana were young parents with two small children, they did more than twice the amount of work that William and Kate do right now. Considering how work-shy Will and Kate have always been, this is not shocking in the least.

Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, have been criticised for attending fewer events than Prince Charles at the same stage in his life. Statistics compiled by Timothy O’Donovan, from Berkshire, from the daily court circular, show William attended 188 engagements this year, while Kate attended 140.

The pair say they are committed to raising their children, but comparisons will be drawn with Charles and Diana who managed more engagement a year when Harry and William were children. In 1985, when William was three-years-old, Prince Charles managed 404 engagements, more than double the number William has attended this year. Diana attended 299 in that year, while Catherine has been at 140 with George at the same age. Harry also turned one that year, the same age as Princess Charlotte, and between them, the royal couple attended 703 events.

A source told the Sun: ‘The Cambridges are the reluctant royals. They would much rather be at home with the children but so would most British parents. Unfortunately, ordinary people don’t get the choice.’

According to the court circulars, the Queen attended 332 events in the year she turned 90, with Prince Philip going to 219. Charles has been to 530 events, while his wife Camilla has attended 221. Royal author Phil Dampier told the Sun: ‘I have long thought that William and Kate are not doing enough. The Queen and Prince Philip are in their 90s, and Charles and Camilla are pushing 70, so it is time the younger generation stepped up. William would never dream of letting his gran down by shunning his royal duties, but has tried to put them off for as long as possible. It’s getting to a point now where he and Kate need to knuckle down to the job William was born for.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“William would never dream of letting his gran down by shunning his royal duties…” Hahaha. William is afraid of the Queen, I’m sure, and if the Queen told him flat-out to work more, I’m sure he would, but only after throwing a tantrum and blaming his father for everything (only to be soothed by Carole). The thing is, the Queen doesn’t seem to operate with blunt ultimatums. And Charles and William’s relationship is so strained, I think, that they mostly communicate with each other through the press and passive-aggressive Christmas plans.

Anyway, yes, Diana and Charles did a lot of work. Diana truly “hit the ground running,” mostly because she understood what her role meant and the platform she had. She also understood that she was there to “modernize” the monarchy, even if the monarchy had to be dragged kicking and screaming into modernization. Which is something else that always bugs me about Will and Kate: they are not modern. Their idea of their royal roles is so dated, like they view themselves as figures out of Downton Abbey (complete with Lady Mary cosplay for Kate).

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171 Responses to “Prince William & Kate do less than half the amount of work William’s parents did”

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  1. detritus says:

    Hey, Waity got new shoes! They aren’t beige or wedges!
    I also like the cost, even if it looks like it belongs to the elderly Eastern European ladies who’d come for our grape leaves. Not real fox right? It’s dyed plastic?

    The stats on this are lovely. Wonder what Poor Jason will say?

  2. Amelia says:

    ‘Lady Mary cosplay’, fantastic 😀
    *snickers*

  3. Megan says:

    Obvious news is obvious.

  4. Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

    When I read the Fail article a few days ago i thought someone at the Palace has given them the nod to write something like this. My guess is Chuck, he’s using their lack of numbers to try and bring them to heel and in retaliation for the Christmas shadow court trolling from them and the Middleton’s. Chuck is not above this or using Diana’s memory to send a message.

    I think 2017 will be the make or break the Cambridges year – if they don’t step up then they maybe forced to take the kids and step aside. The patience of the family is wearing thin and it shows with articles like this. Particularly interesting as its in the Fail, a normally Middleton/Cambridge friendly rag (its Editor in Chief is friends with Carole and Mike). Carole and William should be careful who the pick fights with, Charles is just as petty and ruthless as they think they are.

    The chickens are coming home for these 2 and the Middleton Mafia.

    • Sixer says:

      Mr Sixer reckons that eventually, when all other shirking avenues are exhausted, Bill will throw Katie Keen under the bus. There will be a divorce and the agony of it all will consume at least five years more of non-royaling.

      I think Mr Sixer might be taking it a bit far, but I also think William will never be king. Completely unsuited and, by the time it’s in the offing, the Establishment will have sorted out an option for an actual slimmed-down monarchy that Harry will reluctantly accept. Bill will go the way of David.

      • Amelia says:

        If it comes to that, does Bill have the power(?) to remove his children from the line of succession also?
        I’m assuming that would have to happen in order for Harry to ascend to the Throne.
        Enquiring minds want to know!

      • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

        I have to agree with Mr Sixer. Normal Bill will chuck her and her family to the wolves when the time comes and it will, give it a couple more years. I have never thought the marriage will last or that he will become King, the establishment will only put up with so much and William is already proving himself to be another David. I think Chuck see’s this and is probably grooming Harry to become King when it inevitably all goes pear shaped with William. Like David it will cost the family and taxpayer to get rid of him – he won’t go without a nice little package.

        As for Kate and her family – they have been setting themselves up to be chucked under the bus for a long time. They are so desperate to be accepted by the aristo’s and be part of the RF that it has blinded them to the situation they have put themselves in. Their downfall will be epic.

      • Alix says:

        What an interesting theory! Almost (almost) makes you sorry for poor Carole — all that work, and not a crown to show for it.

      • Sixer says:

        For Amelia. It’ll be fudged to accommodate whatever is the end game!

        It wouldn’t be down to Bill. Or rather, it could go one of two ways:

        *Bill decides for himself he wants to stand aside. In this case, the establishment decides on the best alternative and sorts out any required legislation to suit it. Bill has no input.

        *The establishment decides Bill must go for the sake of its own preservation. Likewise, in this case, the establishment decides on the best alternative and sorts out any required legislation to suit it. Bill has no input.

      • Beatrice says:

        I like Mr. Sixer’s analysis. I have always thought William was lazy, but also a reluctant king, much like his great uncle David. I can really see him discarding the social climbing Middletons, giving up the throne, and being sent to Africa or Australia (far, far, away) in some sort of pseudo official role. Then he can indulge his passion (ha!) for wildlife preservation and the Middletons can wallow in misery over what might have been.

      • LAK says:

        Amelia: When you look at history, it is uncertain what would happen with the kids should William abdicate, but precedent exists to keep or exclude them. Ultimately should Parliament think either scenerio is good, they will choose accordingly and then PR sell it as the best option.

        Taking lessons from history, if William abdicates, he will be exiled. Perhaps not abroad, but he will be banished and PR sold as the worst thing to have hit the house of Windsor. And definitely no perks or goodies. He is lucky that he already enjoys a private fortune via various trusts so it will be a soft landing.

      • Christin says:

        I can actually envision this. Bill could resume his partying ways, begging for freebies and making appearances as the one-time handsome princeling.

        He could attend 1990s retro conventions with the guys from Friends and such.

      • Amelia says:

        Thanks very much, Sixer & LAK 😀
        Can always rely on accurate Royal info from you both.

        If Bill did decide to go abroad, I could definitely see the David 2.0 narrative coming full circle if he went to the States and made-do on the back of the goodwill that comes with once being in line to one of the most well-known monarchies in the world.

      • Cee says:

        If William is shoved away then his children should be removed, too. George as King would bear all the markings of the Middletons.

      • Squiggisbig says:

        Dumb question but…who is David?

      • notasugarhere says:

        No such thing as a dumb question. King Edward VIII, known to his family as David. Current queen’s late uncle. After his abdication, he was given the title Duke of Windsor.

      • Anitas says:

        I don’t see them divorcing – William seems very self-centered and needs a magic mirror in Kate (and Carole) to keep telling him he’s the fairest of them all, which they are happy to do. Also, having kids and having gone through the same with his parents, I don’t know, just seems very unlikely.

        I also doubt he’d abdicate, I don’t think it would please his ego to be tucked away somewhere as just another insignificant royal, regardless of the perks. He may not like the responsibilities but I think he does like to be important. His identity is “the prince”, after all.

      • Indiana Joanna says:

        I would be happy to see W&K and the Midds get what they deserve given their contempt for the Queen and Charles. But I wonder about the divorce because who else would want Willie? What could he do to start his new life?

      • Maria says:

        He should read a biography of Uncle David. He was exiled from Britain, lived in exile for the rest of his life. Any offspring would remain the the UK. Not a pretty picture, and I don’t think Willy wants to give up the perks. And Waity wants to be Queen. She wants the adulation.

      • epiphany says:

        @Sixer, LAK, et al… Should Normal Bill remove himself, or be removed, from the line of succession, would that remove his children as well? Does his abdication apply to everyone in his line, or just himself? I find this subject fascinating but very confusing!

      • Anitas says:

        Btw, I thought the main problem with Edward VIII was that he was basically a Nazi sympathiser and a genuine liability in a very different political setting than today. Admittedly I’m not very clued in royal history. I don’t see William being considered nearly as problematic as him, especially with the royals these days being little more than a tourist attraction and charity ambassadors. I think as long as he goes through the motions he’s safe.

        @Maria
        Would he really be exiled and separated from the kids? I can’t see that happening in this day and age, royal protocol or not. They still have human rights.

      • notasugarhere says:

        It wouldn’t make any sense for him to leave the kids in line. “I hate this job, it is terrible, it destroyed my life, I refuse to do it. But I’ll make my kids do it.” He’d have to take the kids out for image alone. And really, two people who lack the honor and duty to serve their country? They’re going to raise kids committed to serving the country?

        If he went (which he won’t willingly), the kids would be out of the succession too. They’d end up in a country where no one is legally allowed to photograph them in public.

      • LAK says:

        Epiphany, it is confusing because it is not straight forward. Ultimately Parliament will decide if the kids should be removed or kept in. Once it is decided that the kids are removed, ALL descendants of that line are removed.

        Trying to divine what is the more likely scenerio is difficult because the examples of history are all completely different scenerios whereby sometimes they are kept in and sometimes they are excluded depending on circumstances surrounding the abdication.

        In William’s case, i don’t see how a publicly unwilling father would be allowed to keep his kids in the line. It would be seen as cruel, plus there would be the constant vigilance that the ex-heir is sucking taxpayer perks under the guise of caring for his heirloom kids.

        Anitas: Yes he was, but he was also very bad at the work involved in Kinging. He left govt papers lying around, discussed secret information with his dinner guests, hated all the duties he had to perform as King and just wanted to party/vacation and didn’t want to be constrained in any way.

        The various PTB found him difficult to work with and so they pushed him out using Wallis as the PR excuse.

      • birdy says:

        I agree they will divorce but not when he is king but when he is prince of Wales. Kate is dumb as a box of hair and with the type of work the POW has to do, Kate will not be able to keep up and will on multiple times, embarrass him on the public stage and she will be a hindrance. Not that he is in any way smart when he is the bloodline so he gets allowances made for him time after time after time. What we do know about will is that he is willing to throw anyone under the bus tomake himself look good or at least better.
        If he currently finds the stupidity and the flashing amusing or cute, that won’t wash when your role becomes more serious and your job is meeting heads of state and undertaking tours with substance – especially after the queen has passed and you are part of the sell to keep the monarchy as the goodwill that came with her dies out. Kate is not capable of the job and as princess of Wales, she can’t get away with hair flicks and flirting with Ben Aislie. She will get thrown aside, replaced and she will be rewritten by the press in the royal family narrative no matter how hard Carole fights it.
        Problem for Kate is that he mother seems to like Will, the grandkids and the lifestyle more than her own daughter. If they do divorce, what is Kate going to do as she will lose the kids (royal protocol) and her mother blames her for getting a divorce? That’s going to get messy.

      • Nic919 says:

        I also easily see Will ditching a Kate in a few years. She is already seen as lazier than him and it will be easy to play up that element if he needs to throw her under the bus to protect himself. He is not willing to give up the perks of being POW and eventually king and probably doesn’t want to deny his kids that either.

        But kate is expendable. She was before the engagement and he is probably already cheating on her as it is. Diana made herself invaluable to the public, but Kate has not.

      • Chrissy says:

        @Birdy
        From your mouth to God’s ears. So true about Carole liking/valuing Will and the Royal lifestyle/perks more than her own daughter. Kate really will kick herself that she never cultivated any lasting friendships/allies while she was chasing the prize. (Pippa will probably have her own family and won’t have as much time for Kate.) Remember though that Kate will likely receive a nice divorce settlement should they divorce and, as mother of an heir, might even get a luxurious KP apartment like Diana did. Either way, she’ll be relegated to the background as she has proven already that she has nothing to offer other than being a champion shopper and wiglet enthusiast.

      • Kitty says:

        @Crissy, I don’t know. If they were to divorce I do not see Kate leaving without a huge divorce settlement and given a palace to stay.

      • birdy says:

        Re divorce. I could be wrong but all she could fight for half of whatever is leftover in will’s inheritance and whatever was promised in the pre-nup. Which I think would have been slanted in his favour (and protecting the royal family) as Carole / Kate would have signed pretty much anything to get the wedding ring her finger. And if he did cover a chuck of the cost of Middleton manor, I could see him fighting hard to keep as much cash as possible as that’s all he has of his own money which considering the rumours that he is cheap, I would assume he will fight just to make a point. The cars are on lease. They don’t own the house they live in. The jewellery would have to be handed over as it was purchased to be worn whilst undertaking royal duties. The staff will stay with will and the kids. Will has no salary that would be considered common property as he apparently donates his Ambo salary to charity. She could argue that she deserves half that as it was his choice to donate and he did earn it during the marriage and half of the salary he earn in the different military positions he held and changed every couple of years. There may be interest on investments but I can’t believe that he hasn’t been dipping into the million $$$ inheritance that he got when he turned 30.
        Charles’s divorce with Diana cleaned him out so I would assume that Charles was involved in setting up the pre-nup for will and Kate to protect will. After as I am aware, once they divorce, she can’t be paid an allowance or funds from the public funds or funds allocated by government. Kate may walk away with a few million from the inheritance but I think the amount he contributed to Middleton manor would be factored into her settlement and I doubt she will get any property. Sarah Ferguson got 3 million so Kate would probably get something in the ballpark of 5 million. With her love of shopping and the cost of purchasing property in London, that money is not going to go far.

      • LAK says:

        Birdy: Fergie didn’t get £3M. She got low 6 figures. The rest was child support. Her settlement was based on Andrew’s naval salary not Andrew’s royal family trusts.

        Diana’s settlement was based on Charles’s POW salary which is why it was so big.

        If Kate and William divorce before he is POW, the settlement will reflect his personal situation NOT the millions he gets from taxpayers or Charles. Infact, Charles pays for their household to the tune of millions which means in the event of a divorce, Kate can’t go after William or his trusts because it’s all coming from Charles. A case could be made for going after his Diana money, but that inheritance was created when he was a child even if it was granted as an adult.

        Her best asset is the kids. As the mother of future Kings she will not be shafted like Fergie.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Diana’s settlement wasn’t Duchy money, it was all of Charles’s personal money from inheritances and investments. He even borrowed personal money from HM to cover the costs. Years later his banker admitted that Diana ‘took Charles to the cleaners’ (article available online).

        The smartest thing the royals have done is give nothing to W&K. They don’t own either home, the furniture, or the art loaned from the Royal Collection. William doesn’t support his wife with his salary. As you say, in a divorce settlement, any payout would likely be based on his inheritance and nothing else. But even if the divorce happened after William became POW, she wouldn’t have access to Duchy monies only William’s personal funds.

        For appearance sake, she’d be allowed to live in one secured royal (smaller KP space) or royal adjacent property (smaller home at Sandringham) for X years while the kids were under 18. Live in but not own. After that, moved to a smaller space. If she remarried, she’d be out of the royal property.

        If Charles gets his horrible land grab plan approved, he’ll regret it. If that plan went through, she’d get an enormous chunk of the Duchies of Cornwall, Lancaster, and the Crown Estate IF William was king at the time of the divorce.

      • Kitty says:

        @Birdie, but you also have to factor the fact she is the mother of a future king(which I am iffy about), so she will be taken care of.

    • Hannah says:

      It’s clear that QE2 health isn’t good, as it’s normal for someone over 90 years old and Charles will become king sooner than William thinks.

      • Becky says:

        It will be interesting to see what happens when Charles takes over, when QE goes or abdicates. In which case what should happen isWill takes over the Prince of Wales role (incl Duchy of Cornwall).

      • LAK says:

        Becky: the trouble is that personal issues aside, Charles/Diana/Camilla have been such good POW that if William and Kate don’t step up, it could have unintended repurcussions for them.

        The only way to hide their lackluster is to hire good PR which they currently do not have. Poor Jason is hampered by bad clients, but he is also not good at his job.

  5. aquarius64 says:

    This makes me hope that Harry and Meghan become official, royal wedding and all. The competition between Kate and Meg would be fierce. My money’s on Meghan.

    • HadleyB says:

      What are the numbers on Harry’s engagements? Am I missing that info in the article?

      • MunichGirl says:

        Number of days of public engagements 2016:

        Harry: 86

      • Mamunia says:

        Because they did not count Harry’s Invictus work or the 6 weeks he spent working for charity in Africa this year. This was done for the sole reason of making William look better.

      • Llamas says:

        The other thing is, without the two tours WK’s numbers would be depressingly low. And looking at Kate’s track record the past few years she has never done a full months work of going by 8 hrs 5 days a week. I mean, 40 something 20-45 min engagements for a whole year is BEYOND pathetic. I don’t care if she had a child. That is AT MOST not even a full week’s work. It’s absolutely atrocious. I can’t think up enough bad adjectives to describe these two.

  6. RussianBlueCat says:

    Has anyone noticed how Kate and William have aged so much over the past few years? I would never have thought they were only in their 30’s by looking at that photo

    • Little Darling says:

      I thought the same thing. If they aren’t working, why has she looked much older in the face since she’s become a princess? Admittedly I only know they don’t work from reading CB, I don’t follow the Royal family, well not since Diana passed. She was such an effervescent soul.

    • frisbee says:

      constant extreme dieting from Waity, plus smoking and the Windsor genes for William (ditto the smoking) will do that to ya…

      • justsaying says:

        And just like Pippa, she doesn’t stay out of the sun.

      • Anitas says:

        To be fair, Kate did have two kids one closely after another, when she was already over 30. Even with all the helping staff and medical care, pregnancies alone can wreck havoc on the body. But smoking, tanning and extreme dieting certainly don’t help.

      • Andrea says:

        I’m 40 lbs overweight but pretty toned from just completing yoga teacher training and they make me feel like a million bucks at 35! Has she ever heard of a day/night cream? All that money, you’d think she’d moisturize better!

    • Chrissy says:

      Well, Kate has to live with Willnot, listen to his constant whining, self-pitying and complaining about how his life is soooo unfair. She also has to listen to the constant orders from her mother on how to tow the line and keep her husband happy for the benefit of the Middletons.

      William is an unhappy and entitled man who’s not really earned anything he has and has never faced any negative consequences for his actions. Add, facing a future public role he does not want and he has to live with the boring void that is Kate. Then, throw in the above mentioned smoking, sun overexposure and who knows what other vices and you have two people in their mid-thirties who look 15 to 20 years older than they should given their resources.

    • pinetree13 says:

      I don’t know why people always say that. I’m 34 and she looks like she’d fit right in amoung my peers age-wise. We’re a pretty pale lot though which tends to show age earlier. I know having two kids has DEFINITELY made me look loads older. It’s depressing. I can’t imagine having to read ‘how old’ people think I look all the time. Criticize her behavior, her face is fine.

      • Andrea says:

        I’m very pale and at 35, I get people saying I am 28-30 all the time. I have no kids though. I don’t get how having kids ages you so terribly, especially when you have nannies! I think it is their vices more than anything. Will looks 45+ and Kate looks 38-42.

  7. suze says:

    Doing what you want has its price.

  8. Emily says:

    Diana was also 10 years younger when she had William. You’d think that with the extra education/life experience etc., Kate would be in a better position to “hit the ground running”. But this is Waity we’re talking about…

    • Citresse says:

      Apples to Oranges. Diana’s Most noble family lineage had strong women who gave back, gave of themselves. Carole Middleton and her daughter are an embarrassment on a global scale.

      • bluhare says:

        That sounds sort of snobbish and that middle class people are clueless. I am firmly middle class and would like to think I’d know what to do if I’d married William.

      • Nic919 says:

        I agree with bluhare. My family is middle class in the North American sense and my mother in addition to working and having kids also volunteered at school and church events and we all give to various charities and food banks within our means. Giving back to those who don’t have as much is something that families of any social background can develop, it’s just that the Middletons are lazy and selfish.

      • Citresse says:

        Carole Middleton and her daughter are Not middle class. They Were middle class. They jumped to the highest echelon via drug crime webs. Though, for the record, Pa Middleton had some family old money but not enough to get them within certain social circles so quickly. Lazy Bill married into a drug crime family HQ casa bang bang. The truth hurts.

      • LucyHoneychurch says:

        Diana didn’t even go to college, did she? Kate attended elite UK boarding schools and university. She should be able to make more of her position than she does. That she chooses not to says more about her character and personality (namely: lazy) rather than her background.

      • bluhare says:

        There have been many discussions about the class system in Britain, and while Kate is now royal, her family is not. They have money but are not upper class from what I’ve been told. Have I misunderstood all these years?

        And some theorize it’s drug money. There’s no proof of that. Michael Middleton’s money got them in good schools where they developed contacts. I think that’s plausible too.

      • A says:

        “Diana’s Most noble family lineage had strong women who gave back, gave of themselves,” — Wasn’t it Diana’s mother that had that horrible custody battle with her husband that she lost? This was with John Spencer right? And she eventually left the family to be with someone else?

        Also, my family is entirely devoid of “Most noble family lineage” but they’re certainly not short of strong women who give back, so. I don’t know what correlation exists between those two things quite frankly.

      • Tina says:

        In terms of UK social class, all the Middletons (Kate included) are middle class. Kate has not become an aristocrat by marrying into the royal family, fake posh accent notwithstanding.

    • Christin says:

      I watched a replay of a Diana documentary, which included her one-time employer and friend (American mother who hired Diana as a nanny just before the courtship period). Diana was described as a good worker (not lazy or spoiled — she didn’t reveal her lineage/title, either). My first thought was the contrast with these two.

      When it comes to willingness and ability, they don’t seem willing and their abilities are therefore in question as well.

    • Tourmaline says:

      You would think – but I’m not surprised given the aimless way Kate lived between her St. Andrews graduation in June 2005 and her engagement in November 2010.
      The poor girl couldn’t even multi-task having a boyfriend with holding down a part-time job, for goodness sake!

      In honor of the post yesterday about Vaunted Royal Photog Kate here is one of my all time favorite articles explaining how Kate was quitting her short-lived part-time accessories buying job at Jigsaw to pursue photography.
      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-479299/Kate-Middleton-quits-job-pursue-photography-career.html

      • hogtowngooner says:

        Oh wow that article contains the same verbiage they use to this day:
        “Kate… has already started looking at some of the best galleries in London to exhibit her work”

        ‘She really wants to move and is seriously thinking about a career in photography. She loves cameras and has a great eye. She has already started putting an exhibition of her work together.’

        ‘When Kate graduated she was keen to do something in the art world but that didn’t happen. Now it’s time for her to move on.’

        Initially, Kate worked a four-day week so she could see William at the weekends, but has now dropped to three days.’

        ‘Kate only works Monday to Wednesday and gets sent all over the country doing shoots and going to fairs to source new things.’

        And she was “keen to hit the ground running” at her engagement interview. Nearly six years later, nothing’s changed. All talk, no action, with a bunch of lame excuses as to why she can’t even do the bare minimum. She’s hopeless.

        ETA: That photo of her in the pink blouse/black blazer. Maybe it’s just the angle, but it looks like she’s had a nose job since that was taken, no?

      • msthang says:

        Tourmaline, sex is really hard to maintain !!!

    • Egla says:

      Personality wise Diana was different: energetic, eager to help, work, learn, KEEN (see what I did here). She liked contact with people even if she was kind of shy by what I have seen. She was a complex person in private maybe but she sure as hell liked and understood her role. Also something I keep remembering is that Diana held a job for a short time before engagement. She left her fathers house to live with friends. Not saying she was hurting for money but it’s a big steep to go out into the world by yourself. That shows what kind of woman she was.
      Kate on the other hand has done one thing all her life: “working” her way to Williams side. Nothing else. NOTHING. He also. He had had a protected life: no commitments, no duties, no responsibilities. Some people are groomed to be like that since childhood.
      These two are weird to my eyes. Even if they worked 2 days a week packed with appointments 9-5, they would still have plenty of time to relax and live their life.
      The argument that they are giving their children a normal childhood is stupid. If I knew my children were going to have a life in public I would ease them slowly but constantly (see princess Estele). In the end they all should see that if it didn’t work for Willy being left alone for so many years it’s not going to work for his children

  9. frisbee says:

    Problem is the gloves come off the press and they have a dig – and then they go back on again. It’s not working. To get these two sloths off their backside they need a really good roasting – all this snide backbiting from the media is doing nothing at all. I can see Charles being behind this out of desperation, both him and HM know how useless these two are but he resorts to passive aggressive tactics and HM tends to bury her head in the sand and hope it will all go away. This is not working people, try plane C, D, E, F

  10. Deedee says:

    The pictures really show the difference between Kate’s hair (with all the wiglets) and Pippa’s hair (sans wiglets). Pippa also has the more natural smile and demeanor. I think she’s living the life both sisters truly wanted.

    • Digital Unicorn (aKa Betti) says:

      The problem with Katie Keens attitude is that she really thought her life as a member of the Royal family would be like an episode of Downtown Abbey, it’s not. And that’s why she has aged so much, the stress of the reality not matching up to her fantasy has taken a toll. I have always thought that she and Carole thought they could coast along doing very little for the big returns they demanded – the past 5 years have been a shock to them. It will be a miracle if the marriage lasts before TQ passes.

      Pippa however is probably going to get that kind of lifestyle. Carole gave Willy the wrong sister, Pippa would have been a better bet. She seems to have better communication and life skills than Kate.

    • tracking says:

      I also think waiting so long to marry a guy who wasn’t madly in love with her is taking its toll. Shades of Diana.

  11. Linabear says:

    Every time I see a photo of Kate not smiling or laughing maniacally I think of the Celebitchy article that said she always grins because her face is “collapsing.” I can tell! She looks so lined and old when doing otherwise.

    • Indiana Joanna says:

      You can see how worn her face is when the photos aren’t photoshopped. But most news and blogs use the photoshopped versions.

  12. Sal says:

    But also there is another generation of the family working above them that Diana and Charles didn’t have, so that may affect things a bit.

    I cant speak for all people (I know that everyone has their own opinion so please excuse the generalization) but many of my colleagues here in the UK, have said to me that that there is an expected hierarchy for these things that sometimes means that it is not appropriate for these two to step up and take over or that they are not the ‘preferred royal’ for the event or charity.

    Not that I’m saying that they couldn’t do more or that I understand everything in that much detail! – just interesting to here that viewpoint from some people over here.

    • Murphy says:

      The Queen and her husband are so old they shouldn’t have to be counted towards that generation count you’re talking about.

      • LAK says:

        Every time i read their numbers, i think it’s elder abuse. I understand that they a pampered as they do their jobs, but it is still elder abuse to me.

      • Christin says:

        I completely agree. At their ages, they should be doing well under 100 per year.

      • Tourmaline says:

        I agree, but both Eliz. and Phil. could both turn it down several notches on the workfront — if they so chose. She has a bit but I don’t see him doing so because apparently he doesn’t want to.

      • LAK says:

        Philip gave an interview in 2011ish saying he wanted to slow down, but couldn’t let his charitirs/patronages down.

        We know last year he transferred many patronages to rest of the family – the source of the joke that he sprung the RAF cadets on Kate when she showed up for christmas lunch and forced her to undertake an hour of work just then.

        He has relinquished management of the family properties to Charles.

        He has slowed down considerably, but is still out-working WK.

    • suze says:

      This is true, however at the time Diana and Charles were a couple, the Queen Mother was still working, and even Princess Margaret still appeared once in a while.

    • bluhare says:

      There is, and I see your point. But that generation is past retirement age — both generations above them. And William and Kate need to develop their base, at which I don’t think they’re doing a very good job.

      Granted the royals work is lifelong (vis a vis suze’s point about the Queen Mother), but that doesn’t mean that the young ‘uns can’t pitch in and help out. I believe William was asked by Charles if he would help with The Princes Trust as Charles’ duties are expanding, and William said he’d rather not. Not a great attitude, really!!

      • notasugarhere says:

        I know the Prince’s Trust isn’t technically part of Prince of Wales duties (those are defined by the individual), but it bears the Prince of Wales feathers as the logo.

        At this point in time, with the monarch shedding duties and passing them on to the heir? IMO it is the role of the future POW to step up, and to begin helping with care and feeding of the Duchy of Cornwall.

        Charles has already taken over the management of the private properties from his father. Camilla isn’t going to do that, so it becomes double burden for Charles. The rumors of him giving Balmoral back to Scotland as a National Park makes sense when you look at it that way. Time for William to start shouldering the burden of some POW and Duchy things.

    • notasugarhere says:

      This idea falls apart when you consider that many of the working royals are much older than W&K and much further down the line of succession. Even when Anne does more engagements than Charles, she isn’t doing more for the country overall. She does events, goes home, and puts effort into her private property. Charles does engagements, some of HM’s work, The Duchy, Duchy Originals, Prince’s Trust, Dumfries House, etc.

      I think the William vs. Harry numbers is a psychological thing, tied to promises Harry made to their mother. Or promises she extracted from him, one of the many ways her personal feelings messed up other people. Harry pours effort into Sentebale and Invictus, which isn’t counted, but technically does less than William. Ditto the MOD volunteering that is unofficial and ignored. I do think he needs to create a UK-based charity, also on personal time, that has positive impact for people in the UK.

      • Where'sMyTiara says:

        I think it’s lamentable that Harry doesn’t get to count as Court Circular hours, efforts for the very charities that keep the DDC & PH Foundation afloat and a reason to exist. That whole thing with Sentebale/Invictus, weren’t WK using the contribution to those under the trio’s umbrella foundation to plump up their fundraising numbers?

        In other news, I noticed with some amusement that the Daily Fail has two articles, one fairly praiseworthy of Markle, and another tearing into/pathetically attempting to explain away Kate’s most unfortunate and antisocial habit of clutch clutching over her crotch. The photos accompanying the article of Kate did not appear to be heavily photoshopped, either. :snicker:

    • Llamas says:

      Yeahhhhh except people wayyyyy below them (bill and waity) in line do wayyyyy more.

    • A says:

      Honestly, I think you might have a point, especially with the ‘preferred royals’ thing. As far as I know (and this is from the recollections of people who work within charities, specifically for the purpose of raising donations and awareness), the way it works is that the charities themselves are the ones who engage with the offices/private secretaries of the various royals they want to have visit. The onus is entirely on them for this first step. They are the ones who contact the private secretaries of royals, they are the ones who submit the brief for the event they want a royal to come participate in, and the staff that the royals hire for this purpose are the ones tasked with looking through the briefs and proceeding with the ones they think would be a good fit for the royals. And the function of charities or foundations is to raise awareness, so they are always extremely concerned about finding someone who would be the right fit for something.

      I don’t have a clear idea on the number of charities that contact W&K’s office, or how many briefs they can get in a year, or how the process works beyond just the initial submission of a brief on the part of a charity. It could also very well be that since W&K are “new,” establishing a connection and a pipeline with their offices can take some time and effort, when in all likelihood, the charity in question already has a well-established connection with another, more senior royal over the last couple decades or so. And it could be that some charities are simply hesitant to make the switch, because they would much prefer a safe and well-trodden path that they’ve gone with many many times before.

      It’s a lot of details and a funny little world tbh, this whole non-profit sphere. Especially in a place like Britain. There’s a lot to navigate, and there’s a lot that can go wrong. It’s not like W&K make any of this easier, especially when you take into account the amount of sheer planning that so many charities have to do, constantly, to facilitate these events, only to have either Will or Kate back out at the last minute.

      • graymatters says:

        Interesting. I seem to remember that a lot of charities contacted Clarence House (I think) around the time of the wedding, asking for Will and (in particular) Kate to visit and consider patronage. We were told then that Kate was going to carefully examine all such organizations and chose a select few that she could work with intensely. Then… crickets. Or perhaps that was fanfiction. I get confused.

      • LAK says:

        Graymatters: That’s correct and definitely crickets!!!

      • graymatters says:

        LAK: I started paying attention to the royals around the time of the wedding. One thing that stood out for me about that ceremony was the emphasis the archbishop placed on duty. It’s a shame no one defined that term for the bride and groom beforehand. Do you know what kind (if any) pre-marital counseling they recieved?

      • A says:

        @graymatters, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if that was the truth. I always got the impression that the staff W&K hire to do their work are an extraordinarily inept group of people. Consider their general inefficiency, in addition to the high turnover rate, and I honestly think those two things are an indication that W&K are fairly poor bosses who simply don’t engage with their staff in a meaningful way. It takes a lot to run your household and your business (as it were) efficiently. You have to be clear, and most importantly, you have to be impeccably organized and disciplined with these things. It’s obvious that they’re not doing either, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the charities that have reached out to W&K likely got no reply from them after several tries, and then eventually stopped bothering at all.

  13. ElleBee says:

    I can hear the sound of the DM sharpening their knives and claws for the Royals/Middletons fallout. There will be bloodshed (not literally) and I look forward to it. Carol may be good at manipulation to a point but those Windsors are cut throat and ruthless. This will be a trainwreck that no one will be able to look away from.

    • TheOtherOne says:

      +1 :: grabs popcorn ::

      • Diana says:

        Cut-throat and ruthless, is what the Middleton’s deserve. I believe the Queen got sick at Christmastime, because of the stress of dealing with the Willnot’s. Stress in old age, makes one sick. Our immune system just does not work as well.

    • Where'sMyTiara says:

      The DM had an article today showcasing Prince William as the “helpy helper that helps” with gratuitous, very staged-looking photos of him at the Ambulance job. Probably the first time his coworkers have seen him since September… :eyeroll: I assume this is in response to the articles decrying how less-than-half-assed his efforts have been to adhere to his royal duties. It’ll be photos of Kate’s crotchfruit next…

      Oh, the poor wee snowflakes. How they manage to exhaust themselves doing bare minimum to the point where they need a month’s vacation to recover from all the false front shenanigans, is a mystery to medical science.

  14. Seraphina says:

    I don’t understand why the Queen doesn’t push back, his failure is ultimately theirs as well because it reflects poorly on the monarchy. Can someone please explain the lack of taking a harsh stand with Wills and Kate???

    • Maria says:

      Will and Kate are adults 34, how much can the queen honestly do? They should have ambition of their own, the queen shouldn’t have to kick them in the ass to get them going. Same for Charles. They have plenty of very good role models, always have. They have the best education. They choose to be lazy, I honestly don’t know what anyone can do.

      • Chrissy says:

        Turn off the tap. I think they should be paid per engagement. Cut up the Black AmEx Kate is addicted to using. Limit the amount of time they can use Amner and the helicopter. They abuse their privileges IMO. They ought to be based in London where they can be seen working. Yes, they are 34 years old but obviously they’re unbelievably immature and lazy, The taxpayer is being ripped off by these two and something needs to be done. Work for the people paying for your incredibly luxurious lifestyle or step aside.

      • Citresse says:

        Referendum for all Commonwealth nations after death of QE2. The British get to vote first. You know- set the tone for the rest of us 😉

    • A says:

      The Queen is non-confrontational when it comes to her family. Period. On the matters of state, she is firm and consistent. But in her personal life, with the ones she loves, she is someone who much prefers to ignore the situation and hope it goes away rather than confront the person and make a big thing about it all, or just have another person deal with it rather than do the awkward, emotional grappling herself. Examples include the whole “feud” with Philip and the Queen Mother, and this tendency has been highlighted by some royal watchers/biographers as one of the reasons why the whole War of the Wales’ issue was as ugly, and prolonged and as public as it was.

      • Diana says:

        Elizabeth put her foot down with her sister, Margaret…and then, never again. Her decision as “Queen” destroyed her sister in myriads of ways – (thanks also to her mother for that interference). Oh, those were the days when she was Head of the church..and all values. I don’t suppose that things are nearly so black and white in Elizabeth’s book anymore, and I don’t suppose that she cares so much for the monarchy either – with all the familial problems broadcasted; and ER being responsible for the numbnuts in her family She’ll be glad when it’s over.,

      • A says:

        She didn’t “put her foot down.” There was nothing to put her foot down over. The whole situation with Margaret had multiple players and factors at hand, and if I remember correctly, she didn’t need the Queen’s permission to marry Peter Townsend anyway. The Queen has been the conciliatory sort in her private life since she was a child. She has always been the sort to avoid conflict and prefers to not engage with that sort of thing if at all possible. This only extends within the realm of her personal life, so in terms of the relations she has with her family. Her constitutional duties are a different matter.

  15. Murphy says:

    The last straw that the Cambridge sugars are grasping at is that they shouldn’t be compared to Charles and Diana bc they aren’t Prince and Princess of Wales yet….but they’re getting all the perks anyway!
    You have to WORK for the PERKS.

  16. notasugarhere says:

    There was also a good article from Macleans last month, with charts showing the work trajectories of some of the royals.

    Crowns and frowns: The royal winners and losers of 2016
    MacLeans, December 2016

  17. Mikasa says:

    I’ll never understand why some people worship these two.

  18. JustME says:

    King Bill Middleton could mean the end of the British monarchy. *fingerscrossed*

  19. seesittellsit says:

    Not to worry: as soon as Harry announces his engagement to Markle, and the press rushes to fall all over the gorgeous new royal, covering her 24/7, Kate’s work schedule will suddenly skyrocket. Can’t wait to see it!

    • JustME says:

      I don’t think they will marry..

    • notasugarhere says:

      I don’t think, when and if Harry gets married, that they will technically outwork W&K. It will be the same numbers game. The best way around this is for Future Duchess to create her own UK-based charity she works on personal time. Like Sentebale and Invictus, but be seen working there at least two days a week.

      These charities would end up as legacies for any children they might have. If necessary, they’d provide those kids a guaranteed work place because they will not be working royals. Similar to Queen Silvia’s World Childhood Foundation and how Princess Madeleine works there. We don’t need another set of royal-but-not-working-royal kids attacked constantly like Beatrice and Eugenie.

      • The Original Mia says:

        Excellent idea. Harry and his wife won’t be allowed to outshine the Lamebridges, not officially, but there would be nothing to prevent Harry’s duchess from doing her own thing. Like her husband. That would be the way to stick it to W&K.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I think outside charities is the best option for their future, and a strong option to combat the engagement numbers shenanigans.

        Within 10 years of marriage (if it happens soon), attention will be on W&K’s kids and when they’ll be working royals. Harry and spouse may not be needed or welcome as working royals their entire lives. Come 50 or so? They’d be smart to have a few independent non-profits as jump offs from the royal life.

      • Kitty says:

        @Nota or in the future Harry somehow becomes King in the future.

  20. HK9 says:

    I would be really pissed if I were an organization that has them as a patron. Organizations probably chose Kate or William because they thought they were young and would work for their cause. What do you do as an organization now that you know they don’t even turn up for galas??

    It’s also a shame when your grandparents work harder than you do and they are in their 90s. They have no shame.

    • Sarah says:

      William thinks he’s allowed to be lazy and work-shy because of Diana. Charles needs to stop treating the Dolittles with kid gloves, no more “Diana-Bonus”.

    • Llamas says:

      Didn’t some charities try to dump Kate? If they wanted to why didn’t they?

  21. MunichGirl says:

    Kate must be jealous of her sister. She has a rich man, can do what she wants, no royal duties etc. – Pippa is living the dream.

    • Jade says:

      I agree and since money is not an issue, I think Pippa may actually devote more time to charities.

      • Maria says:

        Lucky Pippa. And face it, she must train a lot for those marathons she does. She does things.

  22. Thaisajs says:

    I love how they call this “work.” They go to events, smile, shake a few hands, make a little small talk and leave. That’s it. I’ve got a desk job so I won’t complain about my work, but I remember my days of being a waitress, or stocking shelves at Toys R Us. That’s work. The idea that they can’t schedule a few more events every week to wave the flag and promote British stuff/charities etc. is ridiculous.

    • graymatters says:

      Don’t put yourself down. A desk job is work. Even if you enjoy it. I always appreciate it when actors say that they’re lucky to have such a fun job, but I think acting is work. So are sports at the professional level, and a whole host of non-manual labor careers.

      I’m willing to consider royal work to be work. If only W&K were willing to do it.

  23. Jade says:

    Yeah I can see the two main excuses:
    1) Normal Bill works part time, unlike his father.
    2) They don’t want to so called neglect their growing kids.

    And completely ignoring the fact that they have a solid team of domestic help at their disposal, funded by the taxpayers, exactly for the ironic reason that they are able to devote more time to charities. And, at the same time managing to cheese off normal working parents who balance the cost of mortgages etc. while actually paying tax to fund them.

    • tracking says:

      I agree to a point, but are we really completely unsympathetic to a couple’s desire to raise their own children? It could be that Kate will engage more when her children are a little older. Of course she should. William has no excuse, given his obligations. Although I do think they’re typical products of their age in terms of entitlement and lack of work ethic, I can see the gray area here (especially for her).

      • notasugarhere says:

        Are you implying working parents don’t raise their own children? All of the other royals raised kids quietly in the country AND did their royal work. What about the desires of hard-working parents who would like to stay home with their children? But gee, they have bills and taxes to pay so they have to go to work.

        They are not being asked to work at the coal face 70 hours per week. He has plenty of time to do goodness only knows what, not working at EAAA, not doing royal engagements, and not spending time with the family. She spends a great deal of time away from the kids, papped at the hairdresser for hours, shopping, exercising. She has no problem being away from them for hours every week for personal grooming and shopping. She can spend 10 hours a week doing charity work.

        If they supported themselves, they could choose to be SAHM parents. They have accepted the massive perks of being taxpayer representatives, they are required to do the work. Or give up all the perks, support themselves, stay home full-time with the kids. When and if they are ever willing to work full-time as royals, then they get the taxpayer perks. Yes, the Duchy ultimately belongs to the taxpayers so they are taxpayer funded, along with the huge security costs paid by taxpayers.

      • Jade says:

        Hi Tracking! How are they not being able to raise their own children? They don’t have to work 8 hours per day. I don’t know how much more sympathetic we should be. I actually think they seem like good parents and I understand it’s natural many parents want to spend time with their children all the time. But many parents don’t get funding like they do. And working parents can still make good parents.

        But regarding William, I do expect more from him than Kate.

      • Maria says:

        I don’t think they are typical of their age. The millennial generation has had a tough time. They are well educated, yet can’t get decent jobs, because so many jobs are outsourced. They often take jobs they are over- qualified for. Plus, they often have massive student debts. Kate and Willy have had none of that. Free housing, nannies, lots of opportunities. Waity could have her pick of any job when she finished university, auction houses, you name it. Both my boys are Millenials and they have had to start at the bottom, often with unpaid internships and slowly make their way up. Sorry, no comparison. Harry understands this and works hard. William just doesn’t care.

      • tracking says:

        notasugarhere, I am not implying that (I work FT+ and have kids, who are happy and fine, if that matters to your question). But many parents do want to spend as much time as possible at home with their kids before they head off to primary school. If it had been an option for me, I would have been glad to take off a few years when my kids were babies. I won’t demonize a parent who wants to primarily stay home until his/her kids are a little older. We’ll see what Kate, in particular, does then. I’d like to think she might surprise us, but, sure, maybe she won’t. William probably wants to have a better, closer relationship with his kids than he does/did with his dad. But, yes, he does seem entitled and lazy given all the privilege he’s been handed on a silver platter and, yes, Maria, I shouldn’t paint an entire generation with such a broad brush.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Where exactly are people demonizing her? We’re merely asking for work in exchange for pay.

        If they supported themselves you’d have a leg to stand on about Kate Middleton being a SAHM. Everything they have is because of his position, in exchange for the work they’re supposed to be doing. If they don’t want to do the work, no perks. Support yourselves.

      • tracking says:

        You’re defining her “job” too narrowly. Raising the royal heirs well is also her responsibility. If she feels she needs to be a SAHM to do that, I believe it is her prerogative. I doubt she’s sitting around eating bonbons. It’s not like she’s constantly ditching her kids to party with socialites in London, do massive shopping trips, take glamorous vacations etc. She seems to be mostly at home, caring for her kids, and seems to make the requisite appearances as well. I will hold off on judgment until they’re a little older.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Trying for the third time.

        They are not required to have children, it is not part of their job description. There are thousands in line to the throne. See Belgium as an example. They chose to have children, that doesn’t mean they get to choose not to work for their perks.

        They have multiple nannies, which they lied about at the beginning in spite of photographic proof. Their son is at preschool 3 days a week. She is papped constantly out shopping, at the hairdressers, working out. She chooses to spend that time away from the kids, but refuses to spend time working for charity.

        New article out about Emma Thompson using the same personal trainer as KM. She has time to use a personal trainer several times a week, chooses to be away from the kids all those hours, but gee cannot find time to do 10 hpw of charity work.

        See the MacLeans article to see the visual of how little these two work in comparison to other royals — all of them also parents. These two didn’t work nearly as much as needed before they had children. Using children as an excuse why they couldn’t or shouldn’t work more now isn’t a valid argument to me. That is the point of this article and the MacLeans one.

        IF they supported themselves, they could both be SAHP. As it stands, everything they have is in exchange for working for the country. If they give back all the perks and support themselves, they can do whatever they want. Until then, they are required to step up and work far more than they do.

      • tracking says:

        Okay, I’ll try a third time as well. Are you for real saying that for the heir to the throne having children is *optional*? And Kate, who is adjusting to motherhood of two very young children, is not allowed to work out or get her hair done? Looking the part is very much part of her job, could you imagine the viciousness if she dared let herself go? We’ll have to agree to disagree. She’s had major life changes, including babies, in just a few years, was not born to this like Diana was, is a hands-on mom, and looks exhausted. You may not be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I am. For now. As I also said, William is a different story.

      • Tina says:

        @tracking, compare Kate to Sophie at the same stage. Sophie, who comes from a similarly middle class background, had two complicated pregnancies and took a long time to recover, but was still out there doing more engagements than Kate is doing now within a year of James’s birth, and has never looked back. Sophie is a committed, hands-on mother. She just has a work ethic.

      • LAK says:

        Tracking: so what was excuses do you give her lack og work between university and those kids?

      • notasugarhere says:

        Having children is not a requirement of their role. It is 2017 and even in something as backwards as monarchy, the system does not require a woman to have children. There are safe guards in place, known as the line of succession, that ensure there will always be a next designated heir.

        I’m not saying she isn’t allowed personal time for whatever. But when the argument is made that she cannot work more because she cannot be away from the kids? Falls apart immediately when it becomes clear how much time she chooses to be away from them for her personal time. As others have said, all the other royal women worked, had kids, and did just fine. The excuses at this point are just excuse after excuse for a woman who has proven herself to be incredibly lazy for the last 15 years.

    • Deedee says:

      Normal Bill took that co-pilot job on top of the royal duties he was born to do. I never figured out how that was supposed to give him more family time. And Kate could easily do more, even with young children. First of all, George is in preschool and Charlotte takes naps and has nannies. Kate’s public appearances last about an hour. Even add in a few hours in the salon chair to augment the hair and do the makeup, and she still has most of the day with the kids, if she chooses.

      • msthang says:

        Deedee, Except he never was in to that co-pilot job to begin with, that is a charade unto itself to get out of his real job, which is showing up at charities and at least pretending to care !!!

  24. MellyMel says:

    This has nothing to do the article, but her hair looks so much better like this (referring to the Christmas pics).

  25. CL says:

    Her brother is yummy.

  26. Stella Julia says:

    Charles and Diana were already the Prince and Princess of Wales when they worked as a royal couple. It’s possible that Prince Charles and Camilla want William and Kate to be less active until the Queen’s death.

    • notasugarhere says:

      They are outworked by people much older and further down the succession, so that argument just doesn’t hold.

      Charles is the one who ends up looking bad, that he has raised such a fickle and workshy son. Criticized that he never yanked william up by the bootstraps and got him in line. Charles needs W&K and their children being loved and adored, embraced by the nation as the next generation. That isn’t going to happen if they continue to work only 70 days a year.

      • Christin says:

        Agree about Charles. Not that a parent can completely correct an incredibly petulant child, but it does beg the question of why a firm hand wasn’t applied years ago.

      • Maria says:

        I don’t think Charles could be criticised. He was a single parent, and no single parent can do the work of two parents. William must bear responsibility for his actions, the same way as Carole can’t be blamed. Kate got the best education and even her mother can’t control what she does. They have no ambition, they can only blame themselves.

    • Kitty says:

      The excuses is real. They will never ever step up.

  27. homeslice says:

    I’ve always thought that William picked Kate to marry to get under the Queen’s and Charles’ skin. Not that he wasn’t “keen” on her…but it was another spoiled fit, I will marry a commoner! that will really get them. But benevolently they approved of William’s choice, put up with the Middletons and William’ lazy behavior. Now I do believe the chickens will come home to roost. God forbid if the Queen does not recover from this latest illness…and William and Kate denied her this last Christmas. The PR will be horrible for them. Exposing their nasty and petty side. The public seems to love their Queen and this will work against them in an awful way, much like the vitriol after Diana died.

    I picture William living a life he very much doesn’t want. I see him either divorcing once the kids are older or he will basically do as he does now on a larger scale and Kate will become addicted to dieting and plastic surgery. Very sad. Another tragic “fairy tale”.

    • Kitty says:

      I thought he married her because no one else didn’t want William so Kate was the last resort.

      • msthang says:

        I personally believe if Chopper wasn’t such a horn-toad he might have found a lovely wonderful girl with a ton of substance, so in essence he settled, Chutney was the best he could do, which really isn’t saying much. The bottom line is most women have to prostitute themselves out or be alone, sad really !!!!!

  28. The Original Mia says:

    Duh. They are lazy and entitled. They are not Diana/Charles/Camilla who believe in duty to the crown. W&K believe in their pleasure and F everyone else.

  29. Mumbles says:

    What is so appalling is that they seem so work-shy, full stop. It’s not as if William doesn’t want to do events because he’s busy as a surgeon, or Kate because she’s a human rights attorney. William’s employment history is spotty and hers is an outright joke (a few days a week buying accessories for a store? Oh come on.) Plus there are so many hard working charities they could visit. Sure, some of them deal with grim and sad issues, but I would think visiting them would be inspiring and uplifting. More than sitting in your mansion drinking green juices delivered to your door.

    I don’t think Diana was expected to be a career woman – she admitted she wasn’t a scholar, and I would imagine her family expected her to marry well and early, like her sisters. Still, she didn’t sit around eating bon bons. Her “work” wasn’t rocket science, and it probably wasn’t 40 hours a week, but I have come across loads of 19-year olds who are a lot lazier. Hell, even two thirtysomethings I could mention.

    • Maria says:

      Ha, ha, ha. Kate a human rights attorney, that really made me laugh. Can you imagine that?

  30. Andrea says:

    Can it be Charles then Harry? William and Waity clearly have ZERO work ethic.

  31. daisie-b says:

    Charles was Prince of Wales and those responsibilities are more demanding than the ones for the Duke of Cambridge. It is important to contain the popularity of the D&D of Cambridge lest a situation arises where there is a movement to put them on the throne rather than Charles and Camilla.

    • LAK says:

      Charles created those responsibilities for himself. He is the first POW in history to recreate the scope of his title. Technically he could be partying like every single POW before him and he wouldn’t be in the wrong. Sadly he wss born in an era where he owes his position to public opinion and thus has given meaning to his title.

      Harry, without a peerage title has done the same for himself.

      William with or without the cambridge title has done nothing. The previous Cambridge title holders were known simultanously for their charity works and being spoilt spendthrifts. I guess one out of two isn’t bad for William.

      Nothing in their history suggests that WK will live upto the history of Charles as POW or the previous Cambridge title holders.

      • LAK says:

        Finally, if rank is the measure of worth ethic, how come the people below William in rank are working harder than him? From Andrew (no 6) to Princess Alexandra (no 50).

  32. Sandra says:

    I understand the outrage over the lack of earning their keep, but when I think of that work consisting of attending engagements, making small talk with dozens of people a day, wardrobe changes to go from event to event, and the time and effort to get ready for said events…it sounds exhausting. I don’t blame them for not wanting to do it. In fact, it sounds like it would be the opposite of fulfilling – it would feel empty and not worthwhile. How can you support a couple hundred charities and really know anything about them? I think the lustre would wear off of a job like that really fast and quickly become unbearable (and I say this as someone who is rather extroverted). Concentrating on an actual meaning in your role, like Harry, makes sense to me. They just need to find that role. In the meantime, I understand their reluctance.

    • Deedee says:

      It’s all in how you look at it. You don’t have to worry about paying bills, but you can be a force for good wherever you go. You can really make a difference for noble causes, meet people who are making change right in the trenches and encourage them, draw attention to them and raise money for them to continue their work. William has been in the family his entire life and has his parents’ example to follow. Kate had 10 years of waitying to see how it was done. No excuses. If you don’t want that life, step aside (Normal Bill) or choose a different spouse (Waity).

    • A says:

      I agree with you here, and I agree that this was likely the problem with William at least as far as he was in college and the immediate years after. But that is always a symptom of his age at the time, and he has had nearly a decade since then to find his footing as it were. And he is past the age of thirty. Both of them are. I can’t think of anyone I know past that age who is still faffing around, trying to ‘find themselves’ in the work they do, no matter how wayward they were as a person in their twenties. And often times, that ‘meaning’ you want to find in your work doesn’t just show up out of the blue in the sky, clouds parted, ready to fall into your lap. It only comes after you have spent years working at it steadily to carve something out for yourself. It’s not often you just *find* something meaningful in your life. It’s far more common to make something meaningful, to yourself and others, and that’s what Willy is avoiding entirely.

    • notasugarhere says:

      You mean like the time and energy all of the rest of us have to put in to working, purchasing work-appropriate clothing, traveling to and from work? Like introverts who suck it up and act like extroverts, because that is what the job requires? If you cannot handle the job, quit and leave all the perks behind.

      Far, far too much pampering and excuses for these two.

  33. Kitty says:

    Whats not fair is that they get two huge funded homes and have butlers, nannies, ect…. and they don’t pay anything. Their “work” is literally not hard at all. William and Kate won’t be King and Queen in the future.

  34. A says:

    I’m so glad someone actually stepped up and compiled this data! Holy crap. I’ve honestly wondered if I should do it, just for a lark, but I’m not a statistician at all and I honestly don’t know how to start. I want to see the data, but if it’s just in plain numbers taken from the Court Circular, the simple fact of the matter is that they don’t lie.

    The only *plausible* criticism someone can make of this is that W&K aren’t the immediate heirs to the throne in the way Charles and Diana were. They were the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Charles is first in line, so of course he has to do more work. But by that logic, W&K, as the heirs to the heirs, should be doing FAR more work than people like Anne, Andrew, Edward, Sophie, the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Gloucester, etc. And they aren’t. They’re doing a lot less. Shame.

  35. Starlight says:

    The newspapers and media were in a spin on New Year’s Day as they expected the reluctant prince to show his face at at least one church event at Sandringham but no sign at all. One tv channel hinted he was still buckled down in huckleberry probably nursing a hangover after Mike and Carole put him into fancy dress

    • Where'sMyTiara says:

      This made me laugh – because I immediately had a vision of media camped around Anmer a la Puxatawney, Pennsylvania – will the Prince see his shadow? Will there be six more weeks of workshy?

      Groundhog day. Same thing every year. These two aren’t worth the money the citizens are pouring into their laps.

  36. paddyjr says:

    Not to beat a dead horse (but I don’t think it can be said too many times): it is truly pathetic that two 30-somethings are being outworked by two 90-somethings, even though those 90-somethings have been cutting down! I’m sure TQ and Prince Philip are trying to make arrangements for their charities/patronages to make sure that, should something happen, the transition will be smooth. It just amazing how many excuses D&D Cambridge can come up with; they are just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks at this point.

    On a related note, how do you think people will react when Kate becomes POW? I mean, that title seems to be integral to the Diana Mystique (very telling that Camilla goes by a secondary title); will people accept Kate as POW?

    • LAK says:

      It’s only telling on the public that Camilla has to use the secondary title rather than the POW title. Rabid Diana fans would have a monarchy ending meltdown if Camilla used her POW title so to manage that issue, it was thought prudent that she better known by the secondary title.

      And the same Diana fans are trully idjits for not realising the Diana was also Duchess of Cornwall.

    • Starlight says:

      Kate wants POW more than anything according to that video of the interview with that daily mirror journalist from the Diana years

      • Kitty says:

        What did that video say @Starlight?

      • notasugarhere says:

        “The prize for Kate of being the Princess of Wales and then the Queen, I think she will put up with ANYTHING that’s thrown at her.” – James Whitaker