Last week, the Duchess of Cambridge made an appearance in London – she wore some maternity jeggings and overall, her ensemble was sort of cute. Apparently, that was her last appearance until she gives birth, which will happen sometime in the next month. We’ll get to see her and the baby as they leave the hospital, and after that, I’m assuming the only time we’ll see Kate in the next four to five months is at Meghan and Harry’s wedding in May. But in case you couldn’t tell by now, the entrance of Meghan Markle into the royal fold has lit a fire underneath Kate’s flashing bum. Suddenly, it was like Kate became a “workhorse” as she did multiple events a week, gave multiple speeches and generally seemed like a brand new (truly keen) duchess. So here’s another piece of “don’t forget about meeeeee while I’m on my maternity leave” news: Kate is taking on a new patronage. It’s another museum patronage.
The Duchess Of Cambridge may now be on maternity leave, awaiting the arrival of her third child, but when she returns to her royal duties there will be a new one on her roster. Kensington Palace has announced that she is to become the first royal patron of the Victoria & Albert Museum, “furthering [her] interest in the visual arts, photography and design”.
With a degree in history of art, the Duchess’s creative passion is well known – she has taken many of the official portraits released of her children and is already a patron of the National Portrait Gallery.
“From its foundation by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, the V&A has enjoyed a proud history of royal support,” the museum’s director, Tristram Hunt, said as the announcement was made this afternoon. “We are delighted that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has agreed to serve as Royal Patron of the museum.”
“The Duchess’ personal interest in photography, textiles and the visual arts, alongside her support for the role of art in supporting mental health and nurturing young people’s creative talent, fits naturally with the collections and civic purpose of the V&A. The Trustees, staff and members of the V&A look forward to working with Her Royal Highness across our museums in South Kensington, Bethnal Green and Dundee.”
Kate is already patron to the Natural History Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. It feels like those museum/gallery patronages are pretty easy to take on for Kate – she has to attend a handful of galas and fancy exhibit openings a year and that’s about it. Still, just because one of the museums or galleries hosts a huge event, they shouldn’t expect their royal patron to show up! Remember this incident in December 2016, when Kate refused to show up for a gala event for EACH (one of her few patronages) held at the Natural History Museum (same)? Ed Sheeran was basically doing all of the heavy lifting, patronage-wise, at that event because Kate couldn’t be bothered. Of course that was before Meghan Markle was going to be a duchess. Now Kate will show up for anything! Why didn’t the royal family figure this out before?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
The V&A does sound like the perfect patronage for Kate. She adores fashion, photography and all things Victorian.
It’s my favorite museum ever! Lucky Kate!
When is this baby coming?! It seems like she’s been pregnant for a year!
I know! Must be soon. Within the next 3ish weeks I’d say.
I also love the V&A. We travelled from Canada to London in December and visited them.
Kate and William have the cutest children, and I think they’ll have another before they are finished. Maybe they’ll wait a few years before having their fourth, but then she is years younger than MM, whose biological clock has to be drowning out Big Ben by now.
@cityney Kate and Meghan have just six months between their birthdays. Kate isn’t “years younger” than Meghan, they are the same age
I still don’t think it’s Meghan lighting the spark.
1. she always does a crazy schedule before birth and going on a maternity break
2. Rebecca’s replacement seems to be less of a light weight and someone who can push to get things put on her schedule
Maybe because I believe they like each other and Kate’s happy to have some attention (and/or criticism) off solely her.
Crazy schedule before birth? Which one? I might have missed those events.
And yep, it is Meghan and CQ together made the duchess work.
Yea late has never been this busy. She does a few events at the tail end of pregnancy, but this is the most. And when there’s staff change she works a bit more, but it drops off.
MM is the variable here. It’s nothing new queen and Philip have been transitioning out and Charles pushing to transition out. Will and kate have been resisting actively to take on more. But this is normal for them. They work more and everyone thinks this is the big change. It’s not. It’s just from short memory and journalistic narrative white washing
She only did one, maybe two appearances a week since the beginning of the year, outside of the trip to Sweden where she got credit for stepping out of the plane. It looks like more because she did nothing in the years past during the same time period, even during the years she wasn’t pregnant.
Whatever the reason, we are still praising her for doing the bare minimum. Let’s see at the end of the year if she actually improves her numbers.
Nic919, she’s being praised for doing far less than the bare minimum.
Nota you are right. Mea culpa. The bar for Kate is so low it is underground so even I lose track of the actual standard that all other royals (except William) follow.
Yea… and let’s put to bed the other fall back excuse she hates crowds and fears criticism. The dating years had loads of that and she thrived. Like a pr pro. And here she’s engaged, smiling, active with no issues.
As far as criticism she gets more by not working. And the press are incredibly positive towards her or they lose access to photos and news.
This is kate. Happy. Active. Capable of the minimum work here. There is no legit reason she can’t keep this place like so many others with less resources and double the work.
I think it’s a combination of Catherine Quinn and Meghan lighting the spark, but I don’t necessarily think that means they don’t get along. I think seeing another woman come into the family and start off working so strong has made an impact on Kate and her team for sure – it would be crazy for it not to to have made a (much needed) impact.
However, maybe I’m naive, but I do think that Kate is/will be happy to have another woman around who will understand the unique situation they’re in. And Meghan seems to be very personable and easy to be around, so I’m hoping for good things for a relationship for them.
She could have had 2 women, Beatrice and Eugenie around for the past decade to help/guide her, understanding the position she is in, but she chose otherwise.
Ditto, had the royal family put the sisters to work, they could have lit this fire under Kate years ago. No way would she allow them to outshine her. I really think not using the princesses will be to the palace’s detriment.
I don’t think Beatrice and Eugenie could have been a good pick.
I think for them she is “working class” no matter what, for me all this royal things are ridicoulous, but there, in the firm it’s really serious, I can totally see why she can feel better with Meghan.
Btw, she has done more work than her husband lately…
What about Sophie! She’s a “married in” and she has kids. Too bad William insisted on mentoring Kate himself, instead of having Sophie help her out.
Beatrice and Eugenie have always had friends from all over the class structure, and are generally described as sweet and polite. They weren’t the ones bullying Kate Middleton, it was the other way around. Remember, B&E are 7+ years younger than KM and her bullying of them started when they were still teens.
The whole “poor wealthy middle class Kate” and “doors to manual” things were PR plants from the Middletons PR hack from the DM after one of the many breakups.
The Limpet, however, was what William’s friends called her, along with her being one of the Wisteria Sisters.
Notasugarhere
You are incorrect and also need to look up the definition of the word bullying. In addition a journalist friend in the UK assures me that the York sisters are reported on as a unit for the most part but everyone knows that it’s Eugenie who is the sweetheart and naturally charming. Beatrice is considered short-sighted, arrogant and self-important by more than a few individuals. I can believe this and think Eugenie’s star seems to rise the more she separates her destiny from that of being one of the York princesses. I think that’s all Beatrice can cling to.
Shotcaller: i wonder who this journalist friend is and why they would say such rubbish about the Yorkies.
Like Kate Middleton swearing out Beatrice in the middle of a club in full hearing of the staff and press? That type of bulling? Nope, don’t need to look it up.
LAK, we both know it has always been popular to attack the York sisters when there is absolutely no evidence. It isn’t like anyone official is going to stand up and defend them. They’re on their own.
LAK
Lol I hope you’re not actually asking me for a name. He is a journalist for a mid-tier paper who often covers that circle. I made his acquaintance after he put me in contact with sources I needed for a blog series. It involved Marie-Chantal, Grant Harrold and the insufferable William Hanson. We began chatting about the rf and have been email buddies ever since. My other gossip buddy is a posh British ex-pat who teaches at Colgate and spills the best tea. I’ll say again as I’ve said before, I’m willing to wait another 15 or 20 years to see if all of this gossip is true or untrue. In the meantime I will guiltily enjoy the speculation. As for the Yorkie hate, that is not what my impression was. It’s simply a matter of Eugenie being extremely well liked and her sister…not as much.
Notasugar
Your Kate bullying story becomes more extreme every time you tell it, notwithstanding the fact that one altercation a bully does not make. Beatrice was not told about the dress code and was mortified to be out of costume. She asked Kate why she hadn’t been told to which rolled her eyes and tried to ignore her. Beatrice persisted and Kate, waiting at the bar for her drink, told her to f*ck off. Beatrice, humiliated, ran into the loo to have a good cry. This story was reported by the one (and only) journalist who was there. It was rude and bratty but no it wasn’t sustained over time with multiple, persistent attacks.
Multiple reporters. Merely one of many incidents, including her needling them both about their weight. Much younger girls up against Middleton and her sister, plus the DM PR hack on retainer. You can’t clean it up, no matter how much whitewashing of Kate Middleton has been done since the engagement announcement.
Both of the Yorks have been through the wringer most of their lives, and both have managed to come out fine. Them not cozying up to reporters doesn’t worry me, as we’ve seen how many of the royal reporters act out when they’re unhappy with not being insiders. Spin spin spin.
Beatrice is moving out of royal housing and on to NYC. I see this as a good sign to get away from the toxic anti-York theme running through the royal reporting crowd. She makes much less of a target out of the country and away from Dave, although like Madeleine, they’ll both be attacked and lied about for the rest of their lives. Every royal story needs a scapegoat, and Beatrice and Eugenie have been permanently assigned that role.
Well I believe that Beatrice and Eugenie are not at all keen on Kate. Their ridiculous hats, which drew attention away from Kate on her wedding day, IMO was targeted and deliberate. I also think that they were deliberating encouraging Cressida Bonas, (sister of the woman William I believe would have proposed to in a heartbeat had she been interested in him), to have a relationship with Harry to make Kate feel uncomfortable. I am sure that Kate must have had a sigh of relief when that relationship hit then ground, not knowing of course that Sparkle Markle was coming around the corner, who has the beauty, power and charisma to blow the whole lot of them out of the water.
Shotcaller: i repeat, who are these journalists talking rubbish about the Yorkies?
Because what you are saying is not true and i happen to know that without revealing how i know it not to be true.
As I have mentioned before, I have a very connected well-to-do client who is from Charles’ school circle and friend circle, who also spills a spot of jovial tea now and then, as do his equally connected adult kids. Posh enough for you, Shotcaller?
And per them, it is not the York sisters who did/do the bullying. It is not the York sisters known for the targeted bullying behavior. It is not the York girls practicing dismissive targeted slights.
It is really bizarre how her amount of work at the moment can get perceived as more work or leaves us with the impression that she is currently working. For every other royal woman her current schedule would have been perceived as working less and stressless.
That’s awesome. I love the V&A. It’s very performance oriented, so I like that she got there before her sister in law!
That was my first thought as well. She’s snapping up all the interesting patronage’s before MEgs marries in and has a shot at them. Thou I wonder if she will give it the same attention as she does to the National Portrait Gallery – in that she’s visited there twice since she became patron and one occasion was to see her Vogue cover.
I am very sure that Charles has some nice juicy positions lined up for Meghan, and Meghan will deliver great speech after speech.
You seem to forget Catherine Quinn.
And their move to London. And Phillip’s retirement. And the general slow passing off of duties from one generation to the next.
Run faster Kate, Meghans already on your lazy tail. She scared witless what will happen if Meghan gets pregnant and like most women, keeps a full schedule until the birth.
The racists who hate Meghan are starting to get desperate (and even more disgusting) as the wedding approaches. They were so sure the Northern Ireland engagement would be the last one ever before she and Harry broke up, and oops, Kensington Palace announced this morning that they’ll attend the Invictus Games team trials next week.
Yay! I’m hoping they show up for Easter service with the Queen too. Come on, Team Harry! Make the racists choke on their hatred.
The DM and tumblr crazies are insisting the consent and marriage are/will not be valid because X number of people didn’t sign the consent. Their desperation knows no bounds.
Meghan has indeed lit a fire beneath Kate. And good. Royalty is only as good as they are visible doing good (or for what passes as good in Royal circles; to be clear I don’t think they’re getting in the trenches, nor do I expect them to).
KP announced LAST SUMMER that the Cambridges would be based in London and would be increasing their engagements on behalf of the Queen. It has nothing to do with Meghan.
But Kate did not increase her engagements, she became pregnant. I look forward to the numbers (esp William’s) at the end of the year.
And William’s numbers did not go up for 2017 either, even though the full time work was supposed to start in the fall. He can’t use pregnancy as an excuse.
You must be the only person who doesn’t know that the Cambridges have made this type of announcement every year. That *bi-annual ‘this is the year that Keen Kate will finally be keen’ had become an annual joke. Even with Kate’s fans amongst royal watchers.
*seriously, Google these articles and statements from the palace.
No one believed they would follow through on this one just as they hadn’t followed through on previous ones.
It was viewed as an annual statement of intent rather than fact.
Except last summer William ended his pilot contract and Phillip retired. Two major events directly linked to the increase activities this year and the new higher profile private secretaries.
Ha ha. I do like her (not as much as I like Meghan), but she’s not a hard-worker. I watched a show about the Queen’s coronation and the crown jewels, where she was interviewed, that woman works hard! She truly understands duty and dedication. I know Charles is likely trying to take over more, to defy Diana’s prediction, but really: Long live the Queen! The monarchy will be on shaky ground with Charles. Although, since I don’t live there I’m not much of a royalist nor anti-monarchy, I just know I want to be as tough as the queen when I grow up.
William’s contract ran out and they were likely happy to see the back of him. His own co-workers admitted he was rarely there, and took long vacations away (gone as long as 1 month or more at a stretch).
As LAK writes, it is lather, rinse, repeat when it comes to the annual promises from W&K to be “keen” and “hit the ground running” and “work hard”.
Just hecause his contract ran out, wasn’t an indication that he would take up royal duties this time. Those new secretaries are clearly imposed upon them because on their own, they do not pick competent people.
William left SAR to take up royal duties, and that was after a 3yr long prevaricating about what to do, nevermind royal duties awaiting him. The Palace refurbished his London residence at great expense because he was supposed to take up royal duties that year. Ditto leasing a helicopter for him to help him in his duties. The Palace was at pains to explain the great expense of the refurbishment and the new helo, only for William to talk EAAA into creating a job for him, which he barely attended hence his nicknames of William workshy / William Throne- idle.
Philip gave an interview in 2012 saying he would love to retire, BUT the young ones were refusing to take up duties so he had no choice except to go on. 2012 was also the year Philip had so many health issues that required several hospital stays and operations that we all thought he was a goner. And STILL neither William nor Kate volunteered to lighten his load.
And at the beginning of his EAAA contract, he gave an interview that is best summed up as #whateverworkmeans.
Philip retiring forced his hand. That was part of the tantrum-y rival royal court parade he had christmas 2016.
He is still not working as he should because he should be helping Charles with the duchy of Cornwall, Sandrigham and Balmoral and other family estates he is going to inherit. For the first time last year he attended a Duchy of Lancaster meeting with Charles and HM….
A mid-30something man who knows nothing about his own inheritance and takes no interest in it……but uses PR to pretend that he does.
So LAK, what do you see happening to the monarchy after The Queen is gone?
@Lily, so you think the monarchy will be on a decline when The Queen is gone?
Yes. I just don’t think Charles has very much dedication or affection of the people. I don’t believe it’s all Diana (although I really dislike how he/they used a 19-year-old girl), he’s been painted as ineffectual his entire life. He’s always been deemed dotty from the English press for his, in truth progressive, ideas on the environment etc. In my observation only, it’s been how his father in particular seems to have viewed him from childhood and the characterization has stuck. He would be more visible as king and so would Camilla and neither of them seem to engender love. If he keeps his head down and works hard, it could pass I suppose. He’s not so out of the middle ground as to bring down the monarchy. Again, all just my opinion.
Just read that Kate has been giving Meghan fashion advice LOL!
URGH (in a pitch only animals can hear!)
I don’t want her at the V and A. 😣😒
She is only going to go once so it probably won’t be so bad.
But really, the only museum that never actually needed a patron because it is world reknowned and Kate has to add her name to it, just like she wanted Wimbledon because it also apparently needs more publicity. Kate is British, but she is taking on patronages that an American would take because they wouldn’t know the more obscure ones that need help. She should be adding her name to the less popular places, because that’s the entire point of a patronage, to bring attention to people or places that need attention. I shouldn’t be surprised that she doesn’t understand the concept though. She has yet to show any depth on any issue whatsoever.
J’Adore this museum to the point of obsession.
I don’t want Kate representing this museum because she has no idea about it. None. I am willing to bet she accepted because of the glitzy parties as opposed to any intention to add anything to it.
Then again, this is Kate. As she told us, we shouldn’t expect anything from her.
@Nic919, all I can tell you as an NGO professional* is that the smaller ones are more prone to “growing pains” as they establish themselves. My bet is no royal wants to be attached to the inevitable scandals.
* I have a dilemma because I don’t like to brand myself a “humanitarian” or “philanthropist” because both terms have become sooo bastardized. Anyone else out there?
Anyone who calls themselves a humanitarian/philanthropist always gets the side eye from me lol. Kudos to you, I have relatives and friends who do this type of work on the down low, which is the way it should be, imo. With celebrities, their PR people usually throw around these words and their fans/the public usually eat it up without question.
So, is the British monarchy more or less relevant now that Kate’s feeling the heat of MM and Harry’s popularity and willingness to do something besides hiding in a country estate whilst moaning about their privileges? Is this really pressing either Kate or Will to actually do something that might faintly resemble “work”? Not really, all she did here is make an appearance and promise to do future work which is exactly what Will and Kate have done since their marriage, make promises to work in the future (if it suits their desires for privacy).
The anachronistic institution of royalty remains ridiculous and anemic despite the injection of MM into it’s bloodstream. Really, this is all theatre. “Kate’s actually working now. See, she has a new patronage that she’ll take as seriously as her other obligations (which is not at all seriously). Look over there and not at the shambles that is Brexit.”
To put it bluntly, Meghan is their token. I hope she understands this. She’s a smart woman, so I’m sure she knows. Now, the BRF get to look all modern, inclusive and diverse. It doesn’t really matter if they aren’t.. because public perception matters the most.
This announcement annoys me to no end. I am an art historian and museum professional and can tell you without a doubt, Kate doesn’t give two figs about art or museums (that’s from my own experience and lots of talk behind-the-scenes). We all know she decided to get an art history degree only because William was getting one, and since her engagement and marriage she has shown the barest level of interest in actual museum and heritage engagement (beyond taking pictures of her kids). I know I’ve trotted this story out before, but a friend and former colleague of mine, who used to be a curator for the Royal Collection (based in the amazing Queens Gallery at Buckingham Palace), said that in the 8 years she worked there Kate never – not once! – stepped foot in the gallery, nor took any interest in the Royal Collection itself, which is one of the most outstanding collections of art and decorative arts in the world. Imagine having those resources at your doorstep and taking zero advantage of them; imagine being that lazy and uninterested in something you “care passionately about.” She doesn’t deserve to be patron of the V&A, frankly! Harrumph.
Sincerely,
Annoyed Art Curator
It’s true she only chose it to share classes with Big B… what’s sad is that we’ll never really know what her true passions and interests were outside of obeying mommy and chasing a prince. I still hope we’ll get to see a hint of a personality at some point.
So sad to have an iconic art collection literally next door, and access to the most knowledgeable curators and historians, and let it all go to waste. I know many of us would totally geek out at the chance 🙂
wow Grinling Gibbons – that was sad/interesting pointing out Kate’s non-interest in the fabulous art and history practically at her doorstep. I have always rolled my eyes when mention is made of her university major. If she’d graduated and got a job in a museum or for one of the auction houses like many aristocrat offspring do at least she could have pretended the coursework was for an interest beyond Will.
Art History is the go-to degree for the aristo set, but at least those students have an interest in Art! She had plenty of time during the dating years to take up a job and gain some experience in relation to her degree. I do like Kate.. but it’s quite obvious to see that she had no real interest in much, apart from chasing William around. That’s not good for any girl fresh out of university.
Yes, Kate and some other girls chose art history to get close to William but he later changed course and did geography, probably to get away from the women. But Kate still got him in the end.
I cannot reveal my sources but I can tell you 100% that kate’s office rang up and asked them to be patron and the V&A was very lukewarm about it but felt they couldn’t say no.
This smells like Catherine Quinn’s work.
So interesting to know this is how it works. I myself am patron of a museum, not one of the big ones, just an individual “member”. We’re required to make a yearly donation and we attend openings and events. Do you know if royal “patrons” make donations? Or do they just lend their name for “visibility”? Ugh.
I’m not psychic, but I have the strongest feeling that this just fuels the competitive, toxic dynamics within the family. Each patronage ends up being used as a pet and for bragging rights, “oh, I’m patron of such and such”, “my museum/charity just did this and that”. From what I’ve read, it sounds super possible.
Ooooh that’s interesting! I’m assuming you know someone who works there. I learned about this via the many art newsletters I get for my new job and thought “Another easy patronage for Kate! More galas and exhibition openings!” Rich people like those things.
Hmm. I wonder if the V and A was the only museum that American Jason K was familiar with. This is the problem with the prestige that royalty is given even if they don’t deserve it. Sure right now it is imposing patrons on entities that don’t need them, but what else do they do get for being royal that has greater consequences that the regular folk never find out about?
I’ve heard that several of the Duchess’ charities would love to no longer have her as a patron but apparently there isn’t much they can do about it. Has anyone else heard this?
@hatla, I heard that as well. Even “regular” folks are annoyed with Kate lol
Yep. EACH went as far as trying to remove her completely and the Palace talked them down.
So EACH took up Ed Sheeran and other celeb patrons and rarely ask Kate to do events unless pressed.
@LAK, I’ve been rather disappointed at how little Kate has done with children’s hospices. When she first took on this charity I was super thrilled and thought “at last she’s doing something serious” but now I can’t recall the last time she visited an actual hospice and met with sick children. Not that mental health isn’t important but that’s all she does now, well that and Sir Ben. What happened to the Scouts, addiction or sick kids??
Children and young people are supposedly Kate’s area of interest. Their hospices are near her home and she can’t even regularly pop in or something? Wow.
@harla, maybe she lacks empathy.
ArtHistorian are you anywhere near Aarhus? There is a new exhibit of Queen Margrethe’s gowns.
Kitty, but what about her fingers, their the same length, that signals empathy!!!!!
Anyway once Meghan steps out as Duchess of Clarence organisations will be falling over themselves to have her on board, in fact they already are. Meghan has already hinted that some of it has already been sorted out, probably to be announced after her marriage to HRH Prince Henry of Wales!
Another trivial patronage that she will no doubt ignore like her others.
If anyone thinks that’s what a woman looks like when she’s 8 1/2 months pregnant with her third child, they are delusional. She’s going into hiding because the surrogate’s getting close, but I bet her attention-needing self will “pap” up somewhere. Don’t @ me, that’s a pillow, Maury.
LMAO, not every woman blows up like a whale during pregnancy! Her face has puffed out and softened her appearance. Also, you can see her boobs have grown.
No one said she should blow up like a whale. Her body is disproportionate, completely dissimilar to her other pregnancies, and her face is softened from fillers.
It is nothing to do with Kate the fact that Beatrice and Eugenie are not doing royal duties. It is the decision of those who want a slimmed down royal family. If B and E had been born 15 years later they would not have had the title Princess just as their cousin, Louise does not.
As for those who say B and E are sweet, are you talking from personal experience because I do personally know someone of the highest possible integrity who spent a weekend with the Queen and all the BRF – except for W & K and Anne – at Balmoral 20 months ago. This person was the only non-royal there. She was driven to a bq on the estate by HM, sat between Charles and Philip at a dinner. Met Camilla at pre-lunch drinks, etc etc. She would never miscall them but let it out she was not impressed by Andrew and daughters.
It is nothing to do with Kate the fact that Beatrice and Eugenie are not doing royal duties. It is the decision of those who want a slimmed down royal family. If B and E had been born 15 years later they would not have had thw title Princess just as their cousin, Louise does not.
As for those who say B and E are sweet, are you talking from personal experience because I do personally know someone of the highest possible integrity who spent a weekend with the Queen and all the BRF – except for W & K and Anne – at Balmoral 20 months ago. This person was the only non-royal not there. She was driven to a bq on the estate by HM, sat between Charles and Philip at a dinner. Met Camilla at pre-lunch drinks, etc etc. She would never miscall them but let it out she was not impressed by Andrew and daughters.