Duchess Kate: Social media ‘can get so addictive, it becomes part of your lifestyle’

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visits the Reach Academy Feltham in West London

This week, Meghan Markle shut down all of her social media accounts. I lamented that, because I thought it would have been very easy for Meghan to transition several of those accounts into her official royal accounts, where she could highlight her charity patronages in a more individual way. Kensington Palace insists of lumping the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge together with Prince Harry and now Meghan, so they’re all using the same official Kensington Royal/KP Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. My point is that social media is what you make it – many kids and young adults talk about the addictive and destructive nature of social media, but there are many people who “do it right,” who use social media as a tool for political engagement or appropriate social engagement. The trick is finding the right balance, in life and online.

When the Duchess of Cambridge made her trip to the Reach Academy Feltham this week – her first event of the 2018 – she ended up talking to the children about social media, and how she’s “heard” that it can get “so addictive.”

The Duchess of Cambridge has warned that social media can become “so addictive”, saying it is “hard to break away from”. The Duchess, who met with school students to discuss the challenges they face, said she had learned the online world can become “part of your lifestyle”, with negative as well as positive connotations. Raising questions over whether social media put too much pressure on young people, she emphasised the importance of students monitoring their own healthy use of apps.

She spoke to older children about the challenges of social media and said she has heard it can get “so addictive”. At the end of the public part of the visit she spoke with teenagers about the challenges they face. She asked them: “Do you feel that social media puts a lot of pressure on young people?”

After hearing some of their stories, she said: “From what we’ve been learning from the work we’ve been doing [with Heads Together] it can get so addictive,” she added. “It becomes part of your lifestyle, doesn’t it? It’s hard to break away from that, but having the support and learning, the good ways of using social media, because it’s great in so many contexts, but it’s also being able to sort of monitor your own use of it as well, which is great.”

Earlier in the visit, she spent time in the nursery and with younger school pupils, as well as meeting a trainee therapy puppy. The Duchess, who owns a pet dog herself, immediately took to poodle and bischon frise cross Bear, stroking him and asking about his training before presenting him with a rosette to mark the completion of his puppy training.

[From The Telegraph]

Kate was talking to teenagers about their social media usage, which I can understand. It’s become sort of the cause du jour among people in their teens and early-20s to talk about the destructive nature of social media and how addictive it can be and how psychologically damaging. All that being said… it feels like Kate is speaking from a place of zero first-hand knowledge? Like, has she ever been on Twitter, or Instagram, or even Facebook? As much as i would like to picture Kate with a private Instagram where she quietly curates photos of chutneys, I don’t think she has any idea what any of that is about.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visits the Reach Academy Feltham in West London

The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Reach Academy Feltham

Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News and WENN.

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122 Responses to “Duchess Kate: Social media ‘can get so addictive, it becomes part of your lifestyle’”

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  1. OriginalLala says:

    Kate’s Chutneys would be a hit insta page. I’d follow that!

    • Amy says:

      I have a question. I know the chutney present thing gets a lot of heat around here – but, in all seriousness, what would you give the Queen instead? Meghan’s talking dog toy or whatever the DM claims she gave to the Queen this Christmas doesn’t really seem any better. Homemade things (I’d stick to jam rather than chutney, but that’s just me) seem like a safer, “nice” option, surely…

      • whatever says:

        + 1. Props to Kate for giving a present that is homemade rather than store bought.

      • LAK says:

        The royals famously give each other silly jokey presents therefore if the report of MM giving the Queen a toy singing hamster is true, then she gave the perfect present.

        Whilst Kate’s homemade chutney is thoughtful, the Queen has a staff of cordon bleu chefs producing better versions should she wish to have chutney. And the Queen famously has a bland palate so alot of effort for something she may not enjoy.

        Diana made a similar mistake of buying everyone cashmere sweaters at her first Christmas with the royals.

        These people have seen every version of everything, cheap, expensive, store bought and homemade. It’s impossible to get them anything they’d genuinely appreciate no matter the thought that goes into it.

        Kate should have stuck to joke presents like everyone does.

      • The chutney Kate gave the queen was fruit based, similar to a tapenade that would be served with cheese and artisan bread or crackers, so probably not too spicy. I would venture that the queen was touched by the gift because Kate made it herself using her own grandmother’s recipe. At any rate the queen had it on the table for breakfast Christmas day so she at least wanted Kate to know she appreciated it. It was a thoughtful gesture and not nearly as ostentatious as handing out cashmere sweaters lol.

      • magnoliarose says:

        I don’t think it is a great gift for HM unless it is a famous secret family recipe from the Duke Wellington’s chef from his years in India in the 18th century.
        Ordinarily sure perhaps but not the HM when they have a tradition already in place.

      • Bella Dupont says:

        @LAK:

        My ex=boss gave me this singing kung-fu hamster for secret santa many years ago, everyone at work thought it was absolutely hilarious (it was)…….it sings Kung fu fighting and waves a pair of nunchucks around…..

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZFgePYzmR8

        I bet its the same toy. 😀

      • LAK says:

        Notok: why so defensive?

      • Lolo says:

        I’m no huge Kate fan, but I do not understand the hate the chutney story gets on here. If you think about it too much, there is something mildly distasteful about a family with more money than they know what to do with getting together every year to have a good chuckle at cheap trinkets likely made by very poor people for very little money and it’s, like, such a SCREAM! I’m not saying break out the guillotine on them or anything, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Kate deciding to go the thoughtful, homemade route (which, by the way, lots of people in regular families do for Christmas). Of course the Queen doesn’t NEED Kate to supply her with chutney, and obviously Kate would have known this, but her new granddaughter-in-law made her something thoughtful for the first Christmas they spent together and the Queen, in turn, put it out for everyone to let Kate know she appreciated it, which was also thoughtful. Both of these women acted in a very simple, kind way towards each other and every time that story is repeated, it’s like “OMG, CHUTNEY?!?!” like Kate stabbed a puppy outside church at Sandringham.

      • LAK says:

        Lolo: We are discussing the chutney in context of the receivers who are known to prefer cheap gag gifts. In that context, MM’s gift was perfect.

        One of the most important rules of gift-giving is to know your receiver. That’s where the thoughtfulness comes into play. Not the effort or cost.

        Kate and Diana thought they were giving the perfect gifts, which for the rest of us would indeed be perfect and thoughtful, but when your receivers think toilet seats (Anne to Charles one year) and shower caps (Harry to Queen one year) are the height of perfect gifts, chutney and cashmere will always fall short no matter how graciously they are about receiving them.

      • KiddV says:

        Lolo – It’s not hatred, it’s mocking. I do think it was a thoughtful gift, but out of step with the rest of the gift giving. And you know how once the ball is rolling CB’ers are going to mock her chutney every chance we get.

      • The Windsors prefer “gag or homemade” gifts according to Town & Country’s December 15, 2017 edition.
        And this quote from a royal blog pist:
        “It’s also sort of well-known that the royal family doesn’t do big, extravagant Christmas presents, and that the Queen prefers either simple, inexpensive gifts or homemade stuff.”

        The recipe has been in Kate’s family for three generations. She didn’t pick it up at Wade Rose on the way home from pilates.

      • whatever says:

        “…. the Queen prefers either simple, inexpensive gifts or homemade stuff.”

        Well, if that’s the case then the chutney was also the perfect gift, it’s both inexpensive and homemade.

    • Susannah says:

      I wonder if William just stuck his name on the name tag next to Kate’s or maybe they all give the Queen separate gifts.

    • Plantpal says:

      @ Belle Duploy I gave that hamster w/numchucks to my kid as one of his stocking stuffers. We laughed and loved it….till the dog attacked it and made sure it was good and dead (which took at least a month, becuase we kept ‘rescuing’ it LOL). Great gift!

  2. Shambles says:

    @chutneyandcheesetoast
    @chutneybuttons
    @keen4chutney

  3. Milla says:

    I remember that Harry’s Facebook was hacked.

    Other than that, she sounds like she’s calling out Kim and co.

  4. HH says:

    Social media seems hard for adults to navigate, so younger individuals using it just seems like a recipe for disaster.

    Also, I’ve never been on the #WigletWatch squad, but bump in her hair in the last photo…hmm…

  5. Cerys says:

    I get where she is coming from and she is probably right but it would have a lot more credibility if she was someone who had used social media.

    • CynicalAnn says:

      We have no idea if she uses it privately. Also-it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice that everybody has their nose in their phones.

    • So only duchesses should be able to come on here and criticize Kate’s clothes, hair, speech, work schedule and parenting skills? Fair is fair?

    • Rhys says:

      I don’t know if it’s because of Meghan coming into the circle or what, but Kate seems like such a boring and dull person. I don’t mean it as a bad (or good) thing, just making an observation. There’s no charisma, no personality whatsoever. Like, what does she do all day in her beautiful house with her beautiful clothes and furniture? Looking after her children, right? Okay, that’s a full-time job but she has a nanny and an army of servants. Taking pictures? I don’t know – that shadow of an orangutan in the tree branches was nothing special. She has never said anything remotely interesting. She just seems so mediocre and boring. Does she read any good books? She seems like she is not remotely curious about anything. There’s so much she can do, so many roles she could take on! I honestly do not understand why she even waited for so long to become a princess? Was she madly in love with Wills? Possibly. But she is such a non-interesting person that none of the shine that comes with money and position or a royal affected her in any way.

      • MyLittlePony says:

        Agree. I cannot understand how someone with a degree in art history does not spend hours on end delving into her inlaw’s amazing art collection. It is just beyond me. And how on earth did she manage to ask that silly question about Faberge in front of the queen of all persons?!

    • OtherLaLa says:

      Kate used to have a MySpace back in college. It was eventually shut down, of course.

      But MySpace.

      We forget how quick these things were to change, but I bet we all remember the craze of having some sort of profile back in the day. She knows.

  6. SoulSPA says:

    Ok, I’ve only read the quote of what she’s said. Very long phrase, it’d be useful to break it down and ask for opinions. Steer the conversation. Guide the children. Hear them, ask them, rephrase, give feedback. Use examples. It was all too general. Young children learn by expressing opinions, giving examples, learning from examples. Going back and forth. Not from a heavily worded, general statement.

    • Hazel says:

      I both listened to hear say this & now see it in print. I think she lost the point she was trying to make & rambled a bit. Nothing new. She talked, she tried. The question she phrased meant she already knew the answer—-do you feel social media puts a lot of pressure on young people? They’re going to say no? And do you use the phrase ‘young people’ when talking to young people?

      • SoulSPA says:

        I think using “young people” when talking to young people is not bad. IMHO as a non-native English speaker it only re-enforces the message and emphasizes the audience she talks to. Better say like this instead of “you”, avoiding the children to feel like their were targeted with the question. As for the question, the children could have answered with yes or no but I agree the question should have not led them to the answer she was expecting. Better use an open-ended question like “how do you feel about social media” and let the children express themselves, and not lead them into meeting a certain agenda.
        Now, I have no idea what impact her work on mental issues has. Whether positive or negative. But I think the subject is out of her reach. Mental health is way too important and should be handled by professionals in the first place. And when an “amateur” is involved, at least get the mere basics right. Awareness of the topic and adapting language as per audience. Have a counselor or another skilled person there to help. There’s nothing wrong with that. No one should expect Kate be a professional in mental health. For as worthy and serious mental health is, I honestly think it’s tragically funny that Kate is involved in it. She’d be more validated with steady good quality work in a field she’s supposedly specialized in if her degree in Arts is worth more that a piece of paper.

      • LAK says:

        She frequently phrases her questions that way ie leading to her own agenda, and sounding like she memorised a question put to her by a pollster.

        That said, this conversation has less filler words than usual so it’s a win. It’s painful to listen to her, fake accent aside, because she uses so many filler words and phrases and doesn’t own her opinions or walks back any expressed thought that might constitute an opinion.

        Better she remains silent and ornamental.

  7. Georgia says:

    I would seriously follow Kate’s insta. She’s not bad at taking photos!

    • SoulSPA says:

      Yup. A glimpse from life behind the palaces’ doors. Food, make up, all luxury. Art. Furniture. Tennis field. Swimming pool. Huge closets full of clothes, shoes and accessories. Photos from luxury vacations in luxury destinations. What else could she show on IG?

      • Hazel says:

        The view from the salon chair. Yoga.

      • SoulSPA says:

        State-of-the-art gym equipment and one or more personal trainers. Expensive ones.

      • Carol says:

        yess!! She could pay for her own wardrobe by putting like 10 hours per week into Instagram and a youtube channel!

        I feel like people would be interested in seeing behind the scenes of a life of luxury, but like….not kim kardasian style. If it was an earnest, candid glimpse into the life of a rich princesses with cute kids and a world famous grandma in law, people would tune in if it was done in a humble way. If she tied it into her charities and positive messages, it would be even more popular. Candid Instagram shots of her at dinner at events or with the queen, I pic of the crowd at an event, in her makeup chair, a shout out to her yoga studio, doing everyday human things such as “look at this baby deer I saw while hiking with the kids” would be so popular.

        If she did an amateur youtube video of how she makes her chutney, it would break the internet.

        She could control her whole ‘personal brand’ so easy that way.

  8. Bess says:

    Well, I’ve never done drugs, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know the implications of drug usage. I don’t need to be a recovering addict to know how it could affect me.

    • perplexed says:

      Good point!

    • Shannon says:

      Wrong. My mother’s never done drugs. But she’s full-on admitted to me she has a shopping addiction, and now that I’m living closer I can totally see it. Just a trip to get gas or some pasta from the grocery store will NOT happen without a “omg, let me just go in here (here = equals store with nicknacks or clothes or shoes) for a minute.” That’s the cue to just pull out my phone and start using it to amuse myself. No, she’s seriously addicted to shopping. You can get addicted to anything that gives you comfort, because you’re human and we all seek comfort.

    • magnoliarose says:

      It is more impactful to speak to someone who has gone through addiction. I have never been addicted to something; I wouldn’t make a good counselor. All my knowledge would come from reading or someone else’s story. I can say it is terrible but I can’t personalize with examples. Most addiction specialists are recovering addicts for a good reason.
      Her words seem flat because of that.
      Like I said they need to have her in her lane where she is on firm footing and has experience.

  9. Tan says:

    People have been pitting Meghan and Kate right from beginning but I thought this is really nice that she speaks about the drawbacks of social media the same time Meghan closed hers. It seems like a nice show of solidarity from Kate to Meghan.

    She might not have experience but she seems to somewhat justify why Meghan might have closed her social media .

    • SoulSPA says:

      I have a different opinion. Meghan closed down her social media for political and PR reasons prior to entering the BRF. Kate’s engagement highlighted something different, for young people. Meghan used social media for her work and to build her profile and probably for some commercial gain. Like many people do and that’s not bad at all. But the timing is indeed confusing and can lead to speculation.

    • It actually shows solidarity with Harry as this topic is one he has been very vocal about.

      • SoulSPA says:

        Then they’re misleading the public. Equating the use of an adult business woman and actress of social media versus pre teens or teens growing into hopefully capable adults. SMH.

      • I’m not sure I follow. I was explaining that Kate and Harry arecon the same page. Meghan shut down her social media for completely different and valid reasons.

      • SoulSPA says:

        Sorry @EnoughAlready, I think I misunderstood your OP. I thought you were referring to Harry and Meghan. My bad.

      • Soulspa
        🙂 It’s cool. Poor Meghan…the press was digging up old tweets, instagram posts, blog posts etc of hers and spinning them as if they were current quotes having to do with dating a royal. Awful stuff.

    • LAK says:

      The press were mining MM’s social media accounts for articles. It’s a good thing she shut it down.

    • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

      I prefer thoughts and action against bullying, from what I hear bullying in schools is rife in the UK, and there children!! who committed suicide!!!!! as a result. And yes it’s possible to insert social media into the bullying context.

  10. Nicole says:

    Idk she couldve had a secret account. I feel like a lot of celebs tend to have one. But this is a really good topic to talk to kids and teens about. It can completely wreck their mental health and well-being.

  11. Mari says:

    I don’t think you have to have first hand experience with social media addiction in order to have an opinion that it can be destructive. There are plenty of scientific articles journaling the drawbacks of social media, particularly on the younger generation where insta is life.

  12. MousyB says:

    I agree 100%. Also who says Kate doesnt have social media accounts? She just doesnt have public ones. We will probably never know. Doesnt Malia Obama and Beyonce have secret instagrams and such?

    Anyways, I’m glad theyre talking about social media usage in the Heads Together campaign. Its important.

  13. Talie says:

    She’s been in the royal fold too long to have ever gotten involved in social media. She wasn’t going to do anything to blow her chance. But she sounds like she’s about 80 years old here…like, it wouldn’t kill you to get a private account and be up on the trends a bit.

    • M.A.F. says:

      Why does she need an account? To follow trends? You can follow trends through other means. I have a friend (same age as Kate) who has never had MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, etc. and she does just fine nor sound like she’s 80’s.

    • perplexed says:

      I have social media accounts, but only for networking purposes.

      I’d rather live like Kate. I find social media to be exhausting and a hassle.

      I like the internet itself, but social media itself seems kind of….I don’t know….

      • Princessk says:

        Yes, social media is time consuming and exhausting. I am always thinking about the numerous books, magazines and newspapers I should have read rather than being hooked to my computer.

    • magnoliarose says:

      I don’t know why they had her talk about this.
      She doesn’t have teens. She doesn’t have a connection to this issue.
      It just seems like a made up nothing event when she DOES have interests I think she would be better suited to champion.
      Physical fitness and mental health. Art therapy. Bringing more sports to schools and encouraging families to spend more time together outdoors. She could do a whole month on exercise and depression.
      A charity sale of Kate’s KP chutneys to benefit underserved children and creating safe spaces for them to do healthy things and be creative. The Duchesses own recipe served to the Monarch.
      The package could be unique, like a drawing from Charlotte.
      She could do a thing and start a Trust like Charles just for these issues. She could have athletes come and teach a class for PR. Lots of great photo opportunities right there.
      I mean FFS who are these people planning this nonsense. Some lazy people in KP need to leave so someone fresh with new ideas can energize the younger royals.
      I am willing to do the job only if I can also have exclusive rights to styling Kate. That last photo with the wiglet should be proof enough she isn’t being served by anyone competent. Who allowed that?!!!

      Sometimes I wonder if there isn’t a saboteur among the courtiers or some Medieval palace intrigues afoot. Like the 21st-century Boelyns are hidden in the ranks.

      For an added fee I will also do some sleuthing to unearth the culprits.

      • Maria says:

        @magno, I see your point. But, honestly, couldn’t she come up with ideas of her own? She’s 36, she could show some creativity, to hell with the advisors. Art therapy is a good one since she studied it in university. Apparently she is sporty, so she can do things that involve sport. Diana didn’t always listen to her advisors, and she wasn’t educated, but she did a heck of a lot more.
        And when you do find the culprits, send them directly to the Tower. 😊

      • wendy says:

        There is a whole lot of dislike for a relative stranger to unpack with this…

  14. Rianic says:

    I’ve heard she uses one of those Mums board chat groups. It’s like Reddit?

  15. CynicalCeleste says:

    So she’s heard. Because royalty doesn’t succumb to such pleb pleasures as “social media”, let’s be clear.

  16. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    I might get squashed for this, but I am so completely over the dangers of tech talk. I’m so sick of it. Am I addicted? Yeah. Sure. Whatever. Have my kids played too many video games and electronic devices throughout their lives? Yeah. Sure. Whatever. Has it become part of our lifestyle? Frakkin’ A it has and praise the gods, both the old gods and the new. I grew up with computers and ushered the internet into our lives in the 90s, and with each passing year of exponential tech gain, I have jumped off the cliff with open arms. My husband and I used to have video game days in the early 90s, throwing blankets down for ‘day grazing’ and non-stop family play. I remember tv marathons, pre-streaming and before binging became a thing. Damn right it’s a lifestyle. My G-mini sets my alarms, answers my questions and tells me jokes. Granted, if you get tmi online, oversharing and in word wars, then maybe a reevaluation is in order. My oldest now contracts for a custom homebuilder, my middle is a linguist in the Air Force and my youngest… well, we’ll see lol. He wants to code, but he’s still young and silly. My name is Mabs and I’m an online and techoholic, and I’m proud of it lol.

    Oh yeah, social media has had as many told and untold positives on lives as negative, so I’ll shut that sh@t down.

    • Lascivious says:

      @Mabs Thank you for this! It seems with every new technology we run around blaming the technology. A hundred years ago the fear was of young people reading novels; then came fear of radio; then tv, VCRs and so on. Granted, with each new technology we need to navigate new interactions and relationships, but it’s people, not the tech that’s the issue.

    • That’s why Kate is talking to young people. She’s not going after the tech industry.

      • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

        I hear ya, but that’s not what I’m saying. Young people shouldn’t be told, “It becomes part of your lifestyle,” like that’s a bad thing. Using tech, internet, social media shouldn’t be the enemies here. Making people of all ages feel guilty about what they’re doing with what’s available doesn’t work… never has and never will. The trick is to accept its integration and educate how awesome it is when used properly. Teach new methodologies, and be excited about it. Our youth have an enormous amount of possibilities at their fingertips and shaming them into finger-painting instead is ludicrous.

      • Nic919 says:

        Social media is not going to go away. Just like how television and video games were evil when I was a kid. It is simply learning how to manage using them and being aware of the dangers. Kate’s phrasing was really bad here and she sounds like an 80 year old. The kids will simply roll their eyes and ignore what she said. If she truly wanted to connect with them, then you do a brainstorming of the good and bad parts of social media and discuss from there. Again she wasn’t prepared for this attendance outside of selecting her outfit.

    • Chicken says:

      I am totally with you. Every generation shits on the next generation’s new technology. I’m sure it’s been that way at least since the industrial revolution, if not before. It’s ridiculous and so short-sighted.

  17. FLORC says:

    Oh god that Wiglet!!!
    I’d like to take this opportunity to point out her lower lid makeup to all those thst claimed up and down she had tattoo eyeliner. Clearly… no.

    To the topic… before social media people got addicted to solitaire. The staring blankly at something thst responds… whatever engages the mind in a comfortable and numbing way will have people addicted to it.
    As far as Kate. She used her pap connection like a type of social media addiction. To form an image and release it to the public. Short of that I don’t think she has much 1st hand experience either. It’s a message that’s safe, but important.

    • Lol hubby can’t fall asleep without ten minutes of solitaire first on his phone. Actually, years ago the Sims got me through a devastating breakup and don’t get me started on Sorority Life – this from a non-gamer so I can imagine how problematic things could become for kids.

      • LAK says:

        Does anyone remember tamaguchi pets?

      • Mine was blue!! Her name was Persephone *cringe* I used to haughtily tell my mom that her generation only had pet rocks lol.

      • Sophia's Side eye says:

        Which would also be my generation, enough already. I loved that rock, painted it myself! 😉😂

      • FLORC says:

        Enough Already
        There’s science to that! Your body has a high chance of falling asleep after 5 to 15 minutes on average of being immobile. Like a computer goes to sleep mode after not being engaged. There’s more to it and interesting of you like that stuff.
        His fingers will move. His eyes will move. His brain is barely engaged as the work is repetitive requiring little thought. I’m the same. I’ll play phone games and then pass out. I need white noise and an electronic screen to fall asleep.
        Tanna pushed limits and had expectations. He also had an expiration on his usefulness.

    • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

      Who is Tanna?

      • LAK says:

        Middleton pap on speed dial. Or used to be until he was frozen out.

      • SoulSPA says:

        A journalist from the fail IIRC. With an alleged connection with the Midds.

      • LAK says:

        Soulspa: He is not a journalist. He is a pap. Not affiliated to any particular publication.

      • SoulSPA says:

        Thanks @LAK.

      • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

        Thanks @LAK and @SoulSPA!

      • Can someone better explain any connection between Tanna and the Middletons? I know it’s been said that during the dating years the Middletons would request print copies of his press photos but other than that there seems to be bitterness between them. I personally believe 100% that Tanna managed to or paid someone to hack one of the royals’ phones. I say this because he had the creepy habit of showing up where no other photographers knew to be. And no, this isn’t proof the Middletons tipped him off because more than a few of the instances had nothing to do with Kate, were things she wouldn’t have known/cared about and would not directly or indirectly benefit her. It was even reported that the palace even wondered what Tanna was actually doing but could not prove anything. Can anyone spill any credible tea on this subject?

    • Ex-Mel says:

      Solitaire (the “difficult” levels) is anything but (mind) “numbing”. I play it almost every day before starting my work – and often during breaks – because it’s one of the best ways to really fire up the mind and get it going. Playing appropriately difficult games has significant long-term benefits, too.
      I am not sure the same could be said about social media.

  18. whatever says:

    I’ll bet my house on the fact that she has at least one private social media account just for her family and very close friends to see. She’ll never admit it though because that would cause too much of a frenzy.

    • L84Tea says:

      I wouldn’t blame her in the slightest. She likes taking pictures and she’s pretty good at it. And she’s close with her family. So why not have a private place for her family and friends to see personal photos of their neice/nephew/grandchildren, etc?

  19. Zondie says:

    Kate is not an articulate woman. I struggle to follow her sentences. Why Kensington Palace? Can’t you train her, like any normal company or government would train their employees?

    • SoulSPA says:

      #sevenyearsandcounting. She speaks in her own language and she has a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in Europe. She’s part of the most known institutions in the world. She has such a platform. I can only presume a few answers to your question but I choose not to express them.

    • ABC says:

      I came on here to say that very thing. She just waffles! This is the ‘most prepared married-in Royal ever’ apparently and she can’t even string two sentences together without making my ears bleed. I’m embarrassed for her. The position she has, she should be able to talk to people, it’s not hard and if she finds it hard she should get help. It’s her job.

      I don’t have a clue about social media. But you can bet your house that if my job meant I had to talk to people about it in whatever capacity I’d be ready and informed and knowledgeable and up-to-date with whatever kids these days are into. The fact she hasn’t a clue just makes her look out of touch and ill-prepared. We can all waffle but her team (and Kate) need to make her more professional and relatable. HM can get away with sounding like she’s a Great-Grandmother, Kate can’t. It’s horrible listening to her clueless meandering babble.

  20. Lascivious says:

    I see the wiglet is making a break for it… 🏃🏻‍♀️

    • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

      I must be the only person who doesn’t see the wiglet. It doesn’t mean it’s not there. How much hair does she have if she needs to wear one? Or is it that some women lose hair during pregnancy and/or pp?
      I don’t care about the wiglet. She could wear some nice stylish hat and avoid a wigletgate if she cared? No offense but this wiglet situation is quite ridiculous.

      • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

        I finally saw the wiglet. How does it stay in place? With some special glue or bobby-pins?

      • wendy says:

        personally it looks like a poorly backcombed ‘bump’ which I do often and quite regularly fail to integrate properly into the back of my hair…but apparently the wiglet on this forum is a great cause for derision and shame and will therefore be prominent in the comments.

        I am quite sure this will get deleted because it is passably in defense of said Duchess.

  21. themumy says:

    I’ve never actually noticed the wiglet before now (and kind of thought we were just poking fun at her just because), but wow…that thing is so obvious here it’s causing me second-hand embarrassment. It’s not even the same color as her actual hair!

  22. Saucy says:

    At least we finally know what it is she spends her days doing…! What an imbecile…

  23. Girlie says:

    What a dumb article.

    • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

      No it’s not.

      • Girlie says:

        @pumpkin, yes it is…let’s seriously nitpick Kate because we don’t THINK she uses social media? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out kids are addicted to social media. Whether she uses it or not is beside the point

    • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

      It’s not about ‘nitpicking’ and it’s not offensive towards Kate to ask if she uses social media or not. I took all that part of the post with a dose of humor. And if by encouraging children to monitor their social media use, they listen, then it’s a job well done and I salute her.

  24. Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

    .

  25. Meow says:

    Christ she’s looking old

  26. upstate diva says:

    I am not a particular fan of Kate’s, but worth noting that she spent the better part of the day today at a youth mental health conference put on by one of her patronages. She wore black jeans, booties and some tweedy coat/jacket. And I gather that they were surprised by her visit and the length of her stay. And yesterday Wills watched robotic surgery. I am not sure I would want my innards watched on the screen by a stranger even if he will(may) be king one day. In one picture he was wearing a surgical cap — It is AMAZING what a difference it makes in his looks to have that bald pate covered up.

    • Sophia's Side eye says:

      I just looked up those pics. Goodness, you are so right, Will looks quite different in his scrubbies with his pate covered, handsome even.

    • SoulSPA says:

      Has she ever worked so much in January? Two events in a row? Upcoming foreign tour in two Scandinavian countries also for January? #thebar

  27. PiMo says:

    I have a problem with these kinds of statements and Harry bothered me when he talked about social media as well.

    What are their credentials to be talking about the effects of social media on mental health? What gives them the authority to preach us on the dangers of social media?

    Is there a unanimous conclusion on how bad social media is on mental health? I know it is being mentioned, but from what I’ve read until very recently they were not conclusive. Sometimes intuitive conclusions are wrong. Sometimes the casual conclusions we derive from our general observations turn out to be incorrect when tested scientifically.

    Someone above said social media is what you make of it. Exactly! It is a force of good, like during Arab Spring. It is good when it connects families/friends living on different parts of the world. It is good when it helps you network and find a better job. Etc.

    It is bad if you are addicted. It is bad if checking other people’s great lives and whether someone liked your post make you anxious.

    But these are no brainers. Why are the young members of BRF lecturing us on this again?

    They should focus on the deficit of mental health research and care in the UK instead.

    • SoulSPA says:

      I think neither W K or H should speak out on mental health. They do not have any credentials whatsoever for that. The topic is very serious and it should be left for professionals. From what I’ve seen the advice they’ve got from behind the scenes is not 100% good either. Mental health is such a broad field. It cannot be addressed accurately in the space of an hour or two especially by amateurs in the field in such a public manner. I think it’s irresponsible to say the least.
      Addressing the deficit in the UK would be too political.

      • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

        @SoulSPA: I agree and disagree with you. If they properly prepare for the event/topics of discussion, team up with professionals, and follow a plan/strategy/deliver/follow up, I think they can make an impact. People pay attention when they speak and they could make a valuable contribution.

      • PiMo says:

        SoulSpa, yes. They should leave giving advice on mental health to professionals. Especially on this social media thing. I’ve just today read an article (after commenting on this) how despite some studies showing a possible connection, it may be a case of correlation rather than causation, that other factors like the economy, increased competition, automation are causing depression in today’s youth, how helicopter parenting is affecting today’s children, how children are not allowed to go out and play with their friends outside any more, well because safety… It is not a conclusive thing that social media is the culprit for increased depression amongst youth. It is very dangerous for people of authority and audience to draw conclusions like this, especially with young people who may take their words as gospel truths.

        I see that the budgeting is political. But what they can do is talk about the importance of mental health (without giving stupid advice, you’ll talk for a few minutes only anyway), help remove the stigma, help people understand that it is a disease, that it needs treatment, it has actual consequences for people, their families and society, in lost productivity, lost lives. This way, they may force the hands of the government without even talking about anything political as now the politicians will think about mental health and its budget when they are making further cuts to NHS budget.

  28. Cher says:

    Kate Middleton Re-Wears a Tory Burch Tweed Coat for a Surprise Charity Visit – InStyle

  29. Vicsy says:

    Even when she says the right things, it feels so…. empty.