Last week, in the middle of the Princess of Wales’s Mother’s Day photo fiasco, a Daily Mail columnist started making sense. The columnist was Liz Jones and she wrote several scathing pieces about how Kensington Palace is probably lying about everything and Prince William was “ungentlemanly” for shoving Kate under the bus to protect himself from the photo fallout. It was great! Well, Liz Jones has a new column and it’s in the same vein. Other people have caught up to it too – this weekend’s “sighting” of Kate at a Windsor garden store is yet another weird moment in a series of very weird moments. Now Jones and her ilk are publicly begging Huevo and Buttons to get their acts together. (Note: Liz Jones wrote this before the garden shop video was published.)
Kate still hasn’t been photographed: “We are informed that William and Catherine were spotted at the Windsor farm shop on Saturday and the next day went to watch their children play sport. Yet, in this age of smart phones, no one – just no one – took a photo. I was on the phone to three girlfriends yesterday when we heard the rumour that a big announcement was impending. We were terrified. In tears. To then hear, a few hours later, that the Royal couple had been spotted out relaxing was like a kick in the teeth. We felt foolish. And we’re still not convinced. In fact, we feel royally shafted. If the Royal Family is all about respect, about doing the right thing, I for one feel completely disrespected. Have we spent all these days worried sick for nothing?”
The Kate speculation is not bullying: I am tired of commentators saying that all this speculation is bullying or mere time wasting. One Sunday paper tried to dismiss the online concern for Kate as ‘prurient’, a cruel theatre, both ‘degrading and infantilising’. Really? I agree with Earl Spencer when he said that the attention focused on his sister Diana was far more dangerous than the current online scrutiny of Kate. The fact is that we play detective because we care. So, stop trying to downplay the doctored Mother’s Day photo. A source close to the Waleses has been quoted saying that Kate’s not a ‘show pony’. But, in the nicest possible way, that’s EXACTLY what she is. Ninety-nine point nine percent of us will only ever know the Princess of Wales through the lens of a camera. The late Queen once said that monarchy must be seen to be believed. Now? We don’t believe what we are seeing.
Image is everything: If she wants to be ‘amateur’ about her pictures, as she put it, then she’s in the wrong job. Because Kate matters. She could be Queen in a few short years. As long as she’s okay, we’re okay. We need her to be stable, happy, smiling in a world that is very far from that. And we need her to accept that a portrait of a film star or model in a magazine – possibly ‘tweaked’ – is completely different to an eagerly awaited news photograph. Reputable picture agencies cannot be party to any distortion in this age of artificial intelligence. Most newspaper reports and television bulletins are still patting us on the head as if we’re children, acting as if everything is going to plan.
The phone calls of support: One stated that the palace phones have been ‘ringing off the hook’ with good wishes from the public. I don’t believe that for one second. Who rings a landline these days when they can post online?
The solutions: The solution to all this speculation and ridicule is simple: don’t ignore us, as the Prince of Wales did when he arrived for his Earthshot speech on Thursday evening. When a reporter called out, ‘William, how’s Catherine? there was no acknowledgement at all, which just seemed clumsy, given the furore. William: we understand you want to protect your family, to have a private bubble. But Earthshot was a public moment. Why not smile and say she’s doing fine? Oh, and don’t take four weeks off over Easter leaving others to hold the fort. Kate: be seen smiling and waving for a few seconds. King Charles is doing it, valiantly, although he looks pasty. Hiding away makes a mockery of all your mental health initiatives, about how important it is to be open. The world is waiting, with bated breath. Yet no one can produce a photo from that farm shop trip, not even a blurry profile.
Before the Mother’s Day photo furor, I was on the conspiracy bandwagon that the only reason they hadn’t released a photo of Kate is because they couldn’t – either she wasn’t conscious or she was in such a poor state, they didn’t want any lens on her. But now? After the events of the past two weeks? I think a huge part of what’s happening is stubbornness and arrogance on William and Kate’s part. Like, I still believe that some weird sh-t had happened in the past three months and we probably don’t know the half of it. But all of the media-management part of this, the communications part of it, is just a reflection of William and Kate’s arrogance, stupidity and incompetence, and their inability to hire effective, capable people to help them. What’s incredible is that people are starting to notice too. When the Mail is running multiple pieces calling them out, you know something has shifted in a big way.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- The Princess of Wales on a walkabout to meet members of the public at Windsor Castle in Berkshire following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2022.,Image: 721657008, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Catherine, Princess of Wales speaks with the public on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022 in Windsor, England. Crowds have gathered and tributes left at the gates of Windsor Castle to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, 2022.,Image: 721658028, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Catherine Princess of Wales follows the funeral procession of Queen Elizabeth II as it makes its way along the Mall, London, UK on September 19, 2022,Image: 724183869, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: James Shaw / Avalon
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- King Charles, Camilla, Queen Consort, Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex on a walkabout to meet members of the public at Windsor Castle in Berkshire following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, England, United Kingdom When: 10 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II held at Westminster Abbey in London. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 19 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 19 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
New theory – she’s totally fine, this entire thing has been the first attempt at modernising the royal’s PR approach and drum up actual interest in the supposed young modern royals. Maybe she’ll resume ‘work’, no real explanation will be given but by that point, they’ve got millions of extra people supposedly interested in them and they’re more like the ‘celebrities’ they probably want to be.
It’s the only way this whole fiasco makes any sense unless they’re hiding something serious!
I did think at some point that she’s never had so much mystery around her and could well be enjoying herself. Which says a lot about her character. Sadly, what this whole fiasco has shown her and KP is, she does nothing of value accept appear. No one from her projects is missing her. No one is saying, but we miss her work. People are literally missing the appearance of her! She is a show pony in that regard. For everyone who thought she was ill and showed concern, it’s all been for nothing. What a laugh at the British public’s expense. This will never be forgotten; it’s one of the most tawdry episodes in the BRF’s recent history, and it was done by Princess Perfect, the next queen in waiting.
Someone on Twitter called her a human clothes horse with all the charisma of a sloth. And I would agree.
They are arrogants twits that really can’t get themselves out of a paperbag. It’s so bad she had to cancel italy and all her engagement for a PLANNED surgery – boy that is freakin stupid, now they seem to wanna say “she’s fine, relax” but during that time Willie Wank was protecting his children and wife from ??? and so he took off work because … ??? 10 to 4 I guess???
Am really not sure what to believe other than KP are lying through their asses. A part of me thinks this was some divorce settlement stunting from her that got out of hand as William refused to play ball and she also took the opportunity to get a whole new face (if we are to believe it was her in the video from the farm shop).
For the Fail to print something like this its big – and means the press are losing it with them. Only a matter of time before the drop the truth or one of the international publications does it first.
Completely agree.
IMO “10am to 4pm” is being exceedingly generous to William; I highly doubt he “works” in any way for that many hours a week.
And if he isn’t up and running until 10am, who’s been doing the
precious SCHOOL RUN??
Agreed, although I do disagree with the article in that nobody ‘needs’ Kate to be ‘stable, happy, smiling’; they do need her to be honest, they owe the public that much. Just stop lying already. And for crying out loud, there were people actually invested in her well being & now they’re just going to ignore that? Go about their business as usual? I don’t think that’s going to work, I just don’t. Not any more.
Possible. But stupid as a PR move, because the people will end up feeling duped and PO’ed that they were tricked.
Oh I agree. If that was the plan, they’ve messed it up beyond belief. I don’t think I really believe that’s what happened, but it started to occur to me that there’s a chance this was an attempt to step into this decade and try and use social media to get people interested amd talking about them. I very much doubt it though. As another commenter said, either way, all we do know is they’re lying to us constantly!
Their unbelievable arrogance will be their downfall.
Also, isn’t the top photo from the walkabout right after the Queen’s death? Kate looks awfully giddy considering the circumstances. She couldn’t contain her glee over becoming POW. SMH.
My theory is they knew Charles’ diagnosis, and Will just simply refused to step up…a thousand horses couldn’t drag him. Kate at the same time, was also not happy with the terms of her contract and did not want to do more without extra perks. She probably did have minor surgery and tried to use it as leverage for new negotiations in light of the King’s cancer news—because asking her to work more whilst being treated like a doormat was starting to take its toll. Will then used her “recovery” in HIS favor by refusing work left and right. It’s a mess behind the scenes and they’ve come to some sort of agreement. I expect a happy resurgence soon at some joint event where they pretend none of this ever happened.
But from now until the end of their “reign,” they have Kate’s health excuse to work less. It is an inbuilt excuse that they THOUGHT was fool-proof. I hope people continue to be smarter and that the BM does break the dam, eventually.
Even with all the fake pictures and I believe fake video we still don’t for sure know where Can’t is right now. The bad press they are getting is only what they deserve with the complete incompetence that they have done with this situation with Can’t. Now they are feeling some heat from the public and their gutter rag bedmates but the in my opinion continue to deceive. I truly hope the gutter press turns up the heat up and starts giving Peg and Can’t what they gave to the Sussexes. One can hope.
💯 Susan. Their deception continues.
Hi: I think it was all intentional but not to drum up interest. I think Kate has been suffering from colitis or Crohn’s as a result of some other disorder. She had to have surgery right after Christmas. I think the original plan was to say nothing and hide behind she is taking a winter holiday with the children. Charles’ announcement of his cancer diagnosis messed all of that up. With him out of the public eye, they had to say something otherwise the narrative would have been why aren’t the Wales working. The rest of the PR mess is result of Kate not wanting to talk about her gut/bowel health and not wanting to be seen at less than her best. William goes along with because “how dare the peasants want to know.” It’s a perfect storm of laziness, vanity and arrogance.
@Southern Crone, this makes a lot of sense
This is what I think, too. Something happened to Kate that she doesn’t want to talk about and that left her looking “imperfect”, possibly bloated by steroids from the weird car picture. William wants to do their usual MO of acting like they owe the public no time or information, but it’s backfiring because of Charles’ illness and the increased spotlight on the Waleses.
I think this is it right here. They have dug their heels in out of arrogance.
I think the trooping the colour thing was purely because the military announced it without speaking to them first. It’s not that she won’t do it, it’s that they need to be the ones to confirm and they don’t want anyone making assumptions. People must absolutely loathe working with them.
I like this. Their hubris will be their downfall, the Greeks knew what they were talking about.
I guess it’s my American-ness speaking but I find it very creepy that grown adult people are worried sick, desperately needing Kate to be smiling and happy, etc. Is the monarchy REALLY that important or are these RRs just hopelessly dependent on them? Even though Jones’ piece is somewhat critical, the tone still seems weird to me.
It shows how inappropriate the rota ratchets parasocial relationship with the RF really is. Crying? Really? The rotas act as if the royals belong to them, which encourages the public to act as if the royals belong to them, body and soul. They believe they should control who the royals date, marry, how they look, sit, function. They have inserted themselves in the royals’ lives in a way that no one should tolerate–it’s unhealthy. It’s also conditional and transactional. The royals are only “acceptable” if they behave exactly as the ratchets want them to. If not, well, you get Harry and Meghan.
🎯
Hi Barbara. As a Brit who grew up with the reverence bestowed upon the queen, the public here is angry to a degree I’ve not known before. Angry that the queen has gone and within a couple of years we’ve reached the position wherein a royal photograph is proved to be a fake, and I understand another one has?, and the most prominent royal went missing and thought it a good idea to walk around a garden centre to prove she’s OK. It is the complete dismissal of the public and the complete misunderstanding of her proper role that has resonated amongst people here. My kids have no interest in the BRF – they know about this. My partner has heard all about it on Radio 4 and in the broadsheets and has finally been moved to talk to me about it. It is reaching way beyond their usual die hard fans. In fact, this has turned into the BRF’s biggest moment for years in terms of William and Kate, and they’ve blown it. Huge numbers of the public will never fully trust them again, particularly during an age when photographed image is everything.
@sparrow – as a fellow Brit I can confirm what you’re saying is true. The whole situation is a massive own goal.
*Puts on Tin Foil Tiara* The handling of this whole situation is William (once again) wanting what Harry has. Harry can come and go when he likes and now lives in relative privacy. He doesn’t have to tell the RR a damn thing and is a lot happier because of it. I honestly believe this is William saying if Harry doesn’t have tell people what he’s doing or where he’s going then neither do I.
It’s incredibly insulting to the public for KP to even consider doing exactly the same thing, once again – releasing a fuzzy video that elicits yet more “is it her/them, or not?” Plus, these people have three young kids, who ultimately are going to be affected by the national, and international, fracas surrounding the serious question of (their and) Kate’s whereabouts, and the PS pictures. That’s apart from the lessons they’re learning about the public manipulation that’s been done in the first place.
I hope for the sake of the children that Kate truly is doing okay. And that’s all. The way this has been handled, barring proof that Kate actually has been chained in a dungeon unable to get word out these past few months, she, Will and KP deserve everything I hope is coming to them.
@Sparrow and @Laura, that’s good to hear. I mean, I feel sorry for people who feel betrayed or whatever, but it’s nice to know that even their supporters can see that this has been a house of cards and it’s rapidly falling apart.
@Laura D, I don’t think your theory is tinfoil tiara at all. It makes perfect sense. William is disturbingly obsessed with Harry and cannot seem to grasp that their situations are different.
The creepiness is on the royal family’s side. We have no idea if the statements released by KP, including those signed ‘C’ are really from Kate. She and her children have not been seen in public since Christmas, there is no independent verification that the POW is in a position to speak for herself while increasingly desperate looking stunts are being lobbed forth trying to placate the growing sense that something is not right here. Any other family in the nation would have a well check by now.
KP have broken all the norms that CIII has continued with, being seen by the press and onlookers in public to prove his status in his health and allowing them to decide the veracity of BP’s statements based on agreed upon reality -we saw him. We have no idea of Kate’s condition or if she is consenting to KP statements on her behalf. Until they produce Kate in a traditional press event to show her to be sound and to be the person agreed to take the fall for these doctored, fraudulent photos that KP insists she is, in her own words in real time, the speculation over her public absence will continue.
Throughout English history, members of the royal family who are not useful to the monarch in power have disappeared (see the Princes in the Tower, Sophia Dorothea of Celle, and George V’s youngest son John). I don’t care if Kate is happy or unhappy; I just want to know that she hasn’t been locked up in the attic of Anmer Hall.
It’s super bizarre, but it’s kind of a Liz Jones thing, specifically.
It’s really hard to describe, but her whole entire USP is “human car crash/woman perpetually on the verge of a nervous breakdown.” Like almost all her articles are about her becoming hysterical over the tiniest little inconvenience or perceived slight, and the many ways she completely effs up every single job, relationship prospect, house, or pet she gets.
It’s honestly so distasteful and prurient of the Mail because she’s obviously mentally unwell, yet the Mail gets her to eviscerate every single part of her private life and her failures. It’s like the modern day going to Bedlam to look at the lunatics.
So her crying over Kate is very on brand, since she basically cries hysterically over everything from the cafe being out of oat milk to a farmer yelling at her for trespassing in a crops field with her dogs.
No it is not. Yes they are.
@ Barbara, I find it creepy too that the RR are claiming that they are crying themselves to sleep or are awake all night fearful of what has befallen Kate. Are they this disillusioned with the BaRF for their own survival and will to live?? My god these people need to get a life!
Also, as for Baldimort and Keen hiring a proper PR rep, why would they do that when they will never listen to rep for suggestions. Any PR rep that is concerned about their future would flat out refuse to work with these two dullards of incompetence as it would be a trap!
Well, the DM have been played for fools, too, and they don’t like it. It’s one thing to know privately that the RF have feet of clay – it’s another for them to actually flaunt it in the public’s face.
It’s interesting that in a moment when Kate and Will stuff is definitely generating clicks, the DM coverage is fairly buried down the home page.
@Mrs Robinson I wonder if it’s because the Mail is Camilla’s “go to” mouthpiece?
TMZ, The Sun and Times are all linked to Murdoch. So maybe they got the scoop because it’s all part of their invisible contract with William. They did after all secretly pay him a 6 figure sum to keep quiet about their part in hacking his (and Kate’s) phones.
Agree it feels like we’re seeing a divide bw Rothemere’s DM being more anti-wales and Murdoch’s sun times tmz being more pro-wales. Victoria Newton of the sun was bragging about talking with KP the other day.
I heard that on The Mirror’s website, all of the stories have been about freaking Uncle Gary and his “revelations” from that trashy reality show he was on. They’re just acting as if that’s the only Kate-Middleton-related news. Whoever is making the editorial decisions is making the publication look like a complete joke (not like The Mirror had a sterling reputation to begin with, but you know what I mean).
May be she was on strike to renegotiate her contract.
Someone commented in the first celebitchy story of kate this morning- about the video – their theory that rang really true to me.
No one thinks Williams lives at adalaide cottage- just kate and the kids.
But now william maybe wants a formal divorce- and kate said no. So she refused to play ball PR-wise- hence the KP frankenphoto, b/c she would not give them a current photo. hence Kate’s total lack of involvement, including william throwing her under the bus for that photo.
He was hoping if she just went away- needed a break, a rest- he could get the public to forget her. When after several months and the horses all out of the barn, he realized that the public won’t let it go- and knowing the damage divorced kate could do to him- he came back to the “marriage”. And now he gets his happy, healthy photo op.
A minor surgery was involved, but nothing MAJOR like we have been worrying about.
fiction? It doesn’t seem that far fetched though, does it?
I totally agree! If William tries to divorce Kate now…you think the outrage is bad now, just wait!
Except that someone raised the point on one of these posts today – who does a healthy Kate benefit? It benefits William. Look, she was never that sick, she’s completely fine, she looks better (thinner) than ever, the surgery wasn’t that serious, she’s fine. William can divorce her much easier today than he could have a week ago (if people believe that’s actually Kate etc etc.)
so maybe Kate was drawing out her surgery/illness as a way to stall the divorce and William finally had enough, so here we are.
It wouldn’t surprise me if this entire thing was a hoax at this point to garner attention, only it got away from them and took on a life of its own.
Finally some loyal royalists are seeing Huevos and Buttons for what they are – a royal pair of trolls. Ugh. The situation may be murky af but how they operate is clear as day.
Maybe this will draw her out into the open. She’s now being compared to a horse. And Camilla won’t be happy either: “Hey that’s my thing!”
😂 👏🏼
“This stable’s only big enough for one of us and it ain’t going to be you.”
Camilla to Kate, probably.
LMFAOOOOO
LOL!!!
Haaaaahahahahaha!!!
@Brassy Rebel – Excellent. 😆 😆 😆
Camilla doesn’t like to share her oats.
Eh, I’m sure that Kate might eat only one oat daily, if that. She’ll take the carrots
🤣👏
I’ve seen the photos from the farm run, shopping trip. That is not Kate. And if she had serious abdominal surgery, why is she carrying big packages. When I had a hysterectomy, I was told not to pick up anything heavier than 3-5 pounds. But I am encouraged at Liz Jones journalism, not for the sake of the Wales, but in hope that in some way it may prove beneficial for the Sussexes and help towards stopping their abuse. I honestly think, and hope, that Kate is ok. That’s why I hope they flub up as much as possible, because I hope it will convert souls to see how criminally and miserably Meghan has been treated. I have spoken.
Why is she walking briskly and wearing skinny jeans also? And appearing to enjoy being with Will when in recent photos it looks like she wants to murder him?
Kate’s attempts to combat the speculation and conspiracy theories proves that she is indeed a show pony.
It’s sort of funny if this was all supposed to mask a facelift. If everyone would just acknowledge she’s there to be a show pony, KP could say that she needs a facelift to make better show pony pictures. It would literally be Kate’s job to make sure the show ponying was as showy as possible. Recovering from plastic surgery would be one of the most literal uses of taxpayer money she could think of.
If it’s really just a face lift, aren’t we all just eventually going to find out? At this point, I’m over all these silly videos and photos. She’ll do the Easter walk or she won’t. She’ll show up after the kid’s Easter break or she won’t. She’ll have a new face or she won’t. Prolonging the where is Kate story is now making tmz and the tabloids money. At the end of the day, KP is now North Korea.
I don’t think her hiding to cover for having a face lift on the public’s dime, was the smartest move though! Why would the tax-paying public be willing to forgive this brouhaha by the Wales’ all because Cant is a supremely vain twit? IMO, this whole situation has shown the world their disdainful attitude towards the British taxpayer and it’s unforgivable IMO! They may have gone too far!!!!
I’ve said all along-William is petulant and thinks he knows best-and always has. This whole thing is a mess of their own making. Her sister and brother would not be on their own family vacations if she had actually been in a coma. I have no idea what her surgery was-but we’ve said the whole time-they’re both lazy and work shy so it would be fitting that they would milk whatever this is for the maximum time off. I love that the rota is starting to call them out.
I bet the PR people were trying to provide advice but we know William thinks he’s above that most of the time.
Yikes! — saying all the quiet parts, out loud.
“Kate: be seen smiling and waving for a few seconds. King Charles is doing it, valiantly, although he looks pasty.”
I just love that Charles gets shots every time for no reason 😭😭
Same! And I’d bet Camilla was coordinating them BTS, and then just telling him when to wave.
I was saying literally yesterday that the reason we hadn’t seen her yet was either because they couldn’t show her or she was refusing to cooperate.
now? I think it was about the refusal but not in a “I won’t cooperate” kind of way….just in a “no, I said I was taking a 3 month vacation and I’m taking a 3 month vacation and no one can stop me.”
@Bitsycs (who sometimes posts here) said on twitter they are petulant, spoiled and lazy, and they wanted a long break and it blew up in their faces.
and I really think now that’s what happened. This wasn’t about some mysterious abdominal surgery or Kate being in a coma or having a post-operation stroke.
Maybe there was something medical, but both Kate and William decided to take advantage and just not work for months on end (in William’s case, to do the bare minimum.)
And it makes everything else fit – Pippa was laughing on holiday because Kate was just having herself a rest. the Middletons weren’t seen visiting the hospital or whatever because Kate was never there.
KP played the entire press and public for fools and I think there will be consequences, like this article.
That also explains why all the other working royals got vacation breaks too. Why would they not take a break when Kate is living it up on a holiday with fake illness excuse? And, the royal reporters were begging others to work more because Kate is “sick”.
We all know that Camilla is going to respond in some fashion. Wasn’t it not long after the flower show that we heard about Patty pieces going bankrupt? (With Carole and Mike still listed as directors fyi).
I have loathed Camilla since I first found out about her in the 80’s. I cannot measure how much I loathe her.
However, for once, I see Camilla as a useful tool in that she is Charles’s enforcer and she does not like William or Kate.
I truly hope Camilla makes William and Kate pay for what they did.
I am interested as well to see what she does. Honestly, this even makes her Spanish holiday make more sense. “If Kate isn’t working for 3 months because she doesn’t want to then I’m going away for a week.” Like I can see her being really mad that Charles has cancer and is still working, she’s still working, and Kate is recovering from a face lift.
That said, this doesn’t explain William’s changed appearance, sudden withdrawal from his godfather’s service, and a few other things.
@BlueNailsBetty, this is exactly how I feel about Camilla ATM. I absolutely loathe her and always have, but the fact that she’s in a position to throw W&K under the bus (and apparently the desire to do so) at least makes her slightly relevant and interesting. Her control over Charles could end up aiding the total fall of W&K.
@Becks, no matter what is going on, I agree that Kate’s position would be, “I said I wasn’t working until at least after Easter, so fck what the peasants want, I will not work until after Easter!” Even if she’s totally fine and completely recovered.
Yes, who WAS Camilla really visualizing when she was aiming her gun at those partriges on her Spanish vacay?
I’m in a world where a DF article makes sense and Camz and CRex are doing a good job of informing the public. The world is on its head.
With K, I honestly do not know what to believe. I can still believe that she’s ill, or that she’s not communicating with the world. I can also believe that WanK decided to take off for a few months.
The only thing with WanK going on an extended holiday: Would the rest of the royals sign off on that for as long as they did?
@ML well I think it explains Edward’s pointed statement about taking time off (when the reality was he was off less than a week). It’s also possible the royals don’t fully know what’s going on. Remember how not even her staff or close friends know what happened?
Maybe that’s been very deliberate so no one can leak that kate is completely fine.
You might be right—I’m just not entirely sure what the heck is going on there.
I just have no idea if we’ve heard anything from K at all, and it seems weird to me that the rest of the family would cover for her and Carole. Like, W? Reluctantly, since he’s the next in line for the fancy hat. Her? I don’t know. And are WanK united? Maybe?
I think there is a measure of vanity too. Kate’s entire existence is based around her appearance and if the photo with Carole was real, she may have been puffy from medication. If the video is real, she isn’t anymore.
They’d have got away with it if William hadn’t taken her absence as an opportunity to be even lazier than usual too. Right from the start, if they’d said “Kate’s taking three months off after her surgery, but William is continuing royal duties while supporting her”, there might have been a few questions about such a long break but ultimately it would have been accepted without much noise. It was William’s behavior that kicked off all the speculation from Day 1.
@Belli, I agree that vanity definitely plays into it. But if (a big “if”) that video is real, not only is she feeling fine, but she’s actually *lost* weight since the last time she was officially seen, and it looks like whatever procedure she’s had on her face is healed enough that she felt comfortable going to a store and risking being photographed.
Which leaves me in the same position: WTF is actually going on with her?? Is it simply just her being stubborn about not returning to work any earlier than the palace first stated? Because if that’s the case, it makes her look so much worse. It’s as if she’s giving the British people the finger…she’ll go shopping and to her kids’ sporting events, but not do a moment of work until *at least* April.
You’re right, Willnot is the one who fully bungled this.
I agree 100% with the arrogance part. William thinks he above all the speculation and doesn’t want to lower himself to that level. But its apparent he cares, he just doesn’t want to act like he does.
He might care, but not enough to do anything about it. I can see him raging around, yelling “Do something! Do something! DO SOMETHING!!” and his staff are all “Like what?”
@Eurydice, maybe that exact scenario is what led to Photogate? That the doctored photo is what the staff came up with after being berated by William?
Because I don’t believe for a minute that she’s actually the one who photoshopped that picture, and cannot believe they threw the PoW under the bus for it, making her take the blame when they have plenty of staffers who could have (anonymously) taken the fall. That apology tweet reeks of William demanding a staff member to blame it on Kate.
And if Kate actually did write it, you’ll notice that the two sentences she wrote never explicitly say that she took or edited THAT photo. She says she sometimes experiments and she says she’s sorry for any confusion the Mother’s Day picture caused. She does not say she’s the one who doctored that photo.
Lorelei, I completely noticed the lack of ownership in her released statement. Sort of like the lack of ownership in the now, what, three papped photos?
Plausibile deniability thy name is Wales.
Once again, this “where’s Kate” nonsense is entirely manufactured by KP and the tabloids. Real questions that anyone is welcome to answer:
1. What is Charles’ actual prognosis?
2. Where are George, Charlotte, and Louis?
Wow, it takes a lot to lose the DM, but the Wails seem to have found a way!
The DM is basically begging them to do their jobs, including (pointedly) William. Now perhaps the DM is jealous that the video from the farm shop was sold to TMZ and their rival the Sun, but this article is echoing the same points we’re making. At best, it shows a remarkable ignorance from the future king and his staff about the modern media landscape.
And this:
“The late Queen once said that monarchy must be seen to be believed. Now? We don’t believe what we are seeing.”
If they have truly lost the DM, things are not looking good.
Slightly off topic, but a funny story about “phones ringing off the hook at Buckingham Palace.”
I worked with the Palace on an event for Charles and one time instead of emailing I called. It rang and rang and then someone clearly fumbled the handset as they barked “Buckingham Palace”, and I couldn’t stop laughing thinking about some man in grey rushing down the grand hallways to answer a solitary ringing phone.
🙂
Lorelei, I completely noticed the lack of ownership in her released statement. Sort of like the lack of ownership in the now, what, three papped photos?
Plausibile deniability thy name is Wales.
I’ve been saying this since last week but conch calleja doubling down on the coma rumors did not mean she was lying. But that real sources wanted the public to think there was something serious going on with Kate. For what purpose idk? To explain the long break? For sympathy and attention? It really is the most attention Kate has gotten in a very long time but at what cost? They’ve become a joke. And it’s becoming clear that they’re playing the public for fools. Imagine if they really just hyped it all up. While Charles really has cancer. If I was Camilla, I’d leak everything.
Curious that, in real life, Liz Jones was believing that forthcoming BBC announcement to the point of crying over it with her friends. Describing herself as terrified. Strange.
We’ve always heard that the press knows what is really going on behind the scenes. This past weekend was rife with rumors of DV, succession planning, and Twitter posters hinting that the tea was so hot they were afraid to post due to legal threats. Wait for Wednesday for the announcement was the word. Now, we’ve been distracted, again, with a dubious video of a farm shop walk. I truly wonder if CarolE will now make another move with the real Kate and blow this all open.
Maybe she was crying because the big scoop was going to BBC–not her–after she debased herself, year after year for this lazy coupe.
The ball is definitely in Carole’s court right now.
The only reason Liz Jones is writing about it is that there’s an angle for it to be about Liz Jones. She’s beyond narcissistic and totally self involved. Note the start of the article about how unfair it was how worried sick she was? Give me a break
The whole thing is a total total f up, but let’s not give credit to Liz for knitting this all together
It should not be lost on the Royals that the most interesting thing they can do is disappear.
omg you’re so right ☠️
Yeah, I also think that was the real Kate in the car with her mother, at her mother’s insistence. I don’t think Kate wanted to be photographed looking even slightly puffy. But of all the photos we’ve seen that was the only plausible one, the only one I’ll believe Will didn’t manufacture himself. (I think he also wrote the tweet from “C” apologizing.) But I don’t think Carole will get involved again. A trip to Switzerland or wherever Kate is would be involved and if Kate is in a treatment center they won’t let her be used for photo ops again.
There is no divorce or coma.
She had surgery wand wanted to use the opportunity to heal, vacation and reset her royal racist image.
Absolutely hilarious that they thought that their pap stroll would shut people up and it just made people either fall into more conspiracies or just call them out for being lazy. Amazing.
They are so genuinely clueless and unable to read the room, ever.
If they thought that a grainy video of someone who looks a lot like Kate but also has features that are totally different from Kate’s would quell the speculation, they’re even dumber than I thought they were.
And they’ve proven that they can only get dumber.
The latest rumblings that I’d like to see some corroborating evidence for is that the garden store video is old because the little wooden sheds they walk past are only up for the Christmas holidays and go away in January. Saw a video on Instagram from a guy who says people in the UK messaged him about that, but that is truly the grapevine and not like whatever website that market has, or pictures there from now from other random people showing that it looks the same today as it does on that video.
If that video is really from last week, then the question becomes why all the secrecy if Kate is truly fine enough to power walk her way through a market with her shopping in hand. The people who were all like “leave her alone! She’s recovering from serious abdominal surgery and needs to recover and probably looks like shit because she’s taking steroids and needs a lot of time before she can be comfortable enough to move around because abdominal surgery that requires weeks in the hospital and months to recover from is No Joke” kind of have egg on their faces if this is how well and mobile she is right now. You can go to the farmers market but can’t pin some shamrocks on a dog? The defense ministry or whatever it was can’t announce your attendance at an event that will take place in *June*? Really?
If KP wasn’t a part of this, and it was just a rando trying to make a buck by staging it on his own accord, it would be impossible for them to say “this isn’t W&K! we didn’t do it!” It would just make future doubt even more credible!
Everyone is going to doubt ANYTHING from KP going forward. Their credibility has been decimated. And W&K are so arrogant that I’m sure they don’t recognize or believe this.
@Plums, excellent summary, no notes!
I’m torn between William hurting Kate (rather than “surgery”) with them putting out ridiculous photos and videos or William telling Kate he wanted a divorce and Kate saying “Aww hell no!” William, the Stubborn, digging in his heels only to find out Kate could also dig in. Of course, who really knows but popcorn sales are going through the roof!
They are all liars, adulterers and bloody useless. While Betty was alive, people might not have agreed with having a monarchy but at least they respected it!
They have taken the British public for mugs, taken their goodwill for granted and thumbed their noses at everyone who dares ask a question. Once you break a trust you don’t get it back and now, today, only 30 %of people ask, trust keen. Oh how the mighty (show pony) has fallen. Even if the Palace says that WAS bone and Billy, no one will believe it
Focus on this: “Hiding away makes a mockery of all your mental health initiatives, about how important it is to be open.”
That is some substantive criticism. Also, perhaps it is designed to suggest that this is somehow related to mental health.
This article explains exactly how I feel. I was worried sick and for what? A face lift? A minor surgery where she can gad about a farm store? I feel they are completely arrogant and need to have an actual press conference at this point. With both William and Kate in attendance.
I’m going out on a limb. Nothing has happened. No one had surgery; they are just setting the bar extremely low so they can disappear for months at a time, do minimal appearances, and have the public accept it.
Honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t rule out anything. They have fcked this situation up so completely that no explanation they gave or will give will ever be believed.
IMO your scenario is actually plausible at this point. A few weeks ago I wouldn’t have thought so, but they’ve bungled every single thing to the point that it’s all a totally convoluted sh!tshow and any theory is believable. Given their history of laziness and lying, who knows what the actual truth is. I hope we find out someday.
Hope Hilary Mantel’s Royal Bodies speech gets a lot of new views. It was about royal women under the public gaze throughout history. Mantel described Kate as “a jointed doll on which certain rags are hung . . . . a shop-window mannequin, with no personality of her own, entirely defined by what she wore.”
“Kate seems to have been selected for her role of princess because she was irreproachable: as painfully thin as anyone could wish, without quirks, without oddities, without the risk of the emergence of character. She appears precision-made, machine-made, so different from Diana whose human awkwardness and emotional incontinence showed in her every gesture. Diana was capable of transforming herself from galumphing schoolgirl to ice queen, from wraith to Amazon. Kate seems capable of going from perfect bride to perfect mother, with no messy deviation.”
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n04/hilary-mantel/royal-bodies
“Without the risk of the emergence of character”….
LMFAOOOOO….the SHADE! Sounds like something Oscar Wilde would write!
13 years later this remains on point. I would say the only exception was her public nastiness toward Meghan.
“I must admit, I love Meghan Markle,” says Hilary Mantel. “She cheered me up no end; I just love to see her shining face.” Mantel speaks in a soft, conspiratorial voice, holding my gaze with her large blue eyes. “I love what she wears. I was so sorry she left because I thought that took some of the jollity out of life.” https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/hilary-mantel-interview-the-mirror-and-the-light-royals-brexit-b957124.html
Mantel also spoke up about the role racism played in the treatment of Meghan. “I think that Meghan was too good to be true. She was a smiling face in a dull institution, she cheered the nation up no end, or at least men and women of goodwill,” Mantel told Harper’s Bazaar. “I do think abominable racism has been involved. People who say that’s got nothing to do with it – well, they need to check their privilege!’”
“Palace phones have been ‘ringing off the hook’ with good wishes from the public. I don’t believe that for one second. Who rings a landline these days when they can post online?”
I could believe that old people who don’t use the computer (and are also the only ones who would care enough about the royal family) would do this. But let’s not kid ourselves- as if there is some publicly available phone number for.. Kensington Palace (?) that has someone on the end to talk to the general public!
(if there is such a number let’s find it and ask where Kate is)
Lmao at your last line!
The big question for me is: if this was all about Triple K taking a super long vacation and the abdominal surgery (and convalescence) were a lie, why would C&C play along by announcing that they visited her in the hospital?
Were you expecting C&C to say it was all a lie?
This is a family where you watch their actions and inactions. By actions, C&C pretty much told the world how ridiculous Kate’s hospital stay was. From check-in to check-out which conveniently coincides with Chuck’s stay. That Willy visited her once. Etc. etc. etc.
The breadcrumbs are all there. Don’t overthink things with this family. Human nature is the same, royal blood or not. These people are just more OTT and exaggerated goofs.
Were you expecting C&C to say it was all a lie?
This is a family where you watch their actions and inactions. By actions, C&C pretty much told the world how ridiculous Kate’s hospital stay was. From check-in to check-out which conveniently coincides with Chuck’s stay. That Willy visited her once. Etc. etc. etc.
The breadcrumbs are all there. Don’t overthink things with this family. Human nature is the same, royal blood or not. These people are just more OTT and exaggerated goofs.
Did they announce it, or did a RR just speculate that he visited her? I can’t remember at this point.
It came from Becky English. So therefore not true.
They had photos (lol) showing Willy in a small convoy visiting the clinic. It was reported that he DROVE HIMSELF (aww, big clap y’all) accompanied by his protection officers to visit Kate. (But who knows? Maybe he was visiting Pa instead.)
OR poor Kate stayed up all night photoshopped that together…
The whole Kate’s stay at the clinic was weird. People believed it then, but now when you look at how it all played out, it didn’t make sense. Especially how her hospital stay was timed so perfectly to Charles’s stay. That Willy was reported to visit the clinic and inferred that he visited Kate. The rota’s weird photo of Kate’s supposedly leaving the clinic in a car, but what the public got was photo of twigs (rather anthropomorbphic) which started rounds of where’s Kate?
I think that she has been fine for at least a month, if she even had a surgery, and they just refuse to work because they decided they didn’t want to and they think everyone needs to fall in line. Supreme arrogance and entitlement.
Maybe they’re on strike until they get a palace of their own?
That wasn’t by any chance The Four Seasons Farm Store, was it?
I cannot get over how much they have screwed this whole thing up. I cannot imagine a scenario now in which W&K come out of this looking good.
That’s what I am thinking all the time – how for heaven’s sake are they going to wriggle out of this gigantic clusterfuck?