Here are some photos of Duchess Kate in Cumbria, England on Friday, where she visited the Great Tower Scout Campsite to “go camping” with a Scout Association youth Group. It was snowing! And Kate wore skinny jeans, wellies and a cute army-fatigue-like jacket and a knit pageboy cap (which is adorable) and she sat by a fire and roasted something. I have to say… although St. James Palace would never admit it, criticism of Duchess Kate’s work-shy ways must have reached a fever pitch and Kate must have been told – in no uncertain terms – to get her butt out of the London boutiques. Somebody told her to start working, and she did, finally. This is the most work she’s done since her exhaustive 10-day “tour of Asia” last September. This makes four public appearances in a week!!!! My favorite part? THE EYELINER!!! Also: that Kate either still fits into her old skinny jeans or she bought maternity skinny jeans (either/or). I also love her wellies and her cap. Here’s more about her trip:
If there was a badge for being effortlessly stylish, surely the Duchess of Cambridge would have earned it yesterday. With her 60s tweed cap at a jaunty angle and a red, white and blue UK Scouts neckerchief, Kate even made a snowy camp in Cumbria look chic.
With her outfit completed by Le Chameau wellies and a green jacket which hid her baby bump, the 31-year-old Duchess braved the 1C cold to learn how to light a camp fire, then took off her fingerless mittens to cook unleavened bread on a stick
Clearly enjoying herself, she giggled as she wrestled with the bread. And her verdict on the result?
‘Oh, it’s actually not bad, if you were really desperately hungry,’ she laughed.
The Duchess became a volunteer with her local Cub Scouts pack in Anglesey, North Wales, last year. She has some experience to call upon, enrolling at eight as a Brownie in the 1st St Andrew’s pack in Pangbourne, Berkshire. Yesterday she joined other adult volunteers as they trained to work with Beaver and Cub Scouts at Great Tower Scout Camp, Cumbria. Simon Carter of the Scout Association said the organisation needs adult volunteers.
He said: ‘The reason we value the Duchess’s support so much is that she helps out when she can. She is very busy. We want to say to people: “You can come when you can and we will work around you”.’
The five month pregnant Duchess was undeterred by the conditions, plunging her hands into a doughy mixture of flour, water and sugar as she learned how to make ‘dampers’ or ‘twists’ – a campfire treat for children. There were cheers and claps as the instructor, despite the wind and snow, managed to create a flame.
Kate, still wearing her sparkling wedding and engagement rings, then delved her hands into a squidgy mixture of flour, water, oil and sugar. She kneaded the dough in a bowl for several minutes before they made elongated twists out of the pastry by rubbing blobs of the mixture between their hands. After washing the dough mix off her hands Kate wrapped a twist of the messy mixture around a twig stripped of bark which was placed over the open fire ready to toast. The volunteers’ efforts had mixed results, with the Duchess laughing and giggling with the others as some of the twisters dropped into the flames.
‘I’m not sure if these are going to look particularly edible,’ Kate laughed. After several minutes toasting on the fire Kate pulled off a piece of the bread and, rather gingerly, popped it in her mouth. ‘Oh, it’s actually not bad,’ she told the group. ‘It is quite sugary though.’
Kate, said to be ‘passionate’ about volunteering, helps out occasionally at a Scout group close to her home in North Wales.
The Scout Association is hoping the visit by one of the country’s most high-profile figures will encourage other young adults to get involved in Scouting. More adult volunteers are needed for the 35,000 young people currently waiting to join the movement, which already has well over half a million members.
Simon Carter, assistant director of The Scout Association, said: ‘The Duchess works with eight to 10-year-olds, she’s learned how to do stuff when she goes to cubs on Wednesday evenings. The Queen is the Patron of the Scouts, last year when the Duchess committed to her charity work she didn’t want to be just a figurehead, she wanted to do something meaningful. She’s passionate about volunteering. The reason we value the Duchess’ support is that even though she’s very busy she helps out when she can.’
Should I even pick apart Simon Carter’s statement? I think this is Kate’s third appearance on behalf of the Scouts, after what? Two years of patronage. You’ve got to love how people bend over backwards and use pretzel-like logic to explain how she’s super-dedicated to her charity work and super-busy and that’s why she only does this stuff when she’s ordered to after going on so many vacations and shopping trips. Still, she’s getting a pass from me for now. I really do think somebody at St. James Palace yelled at her and told her to get off her duchess-butt. And good for them! Somebody needed to tell her that.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
There needs to be an eye makeup intervention. And those brows — eww!
Especially wearing make-up like that outside. Yikes!
Yes!
Will she ever look pregnant, or is she going to carry that baby in a shopping bag for the entire 9 months?
To be fair, the pics are all shot head on while wearing a loose coat. She’s more likely to show if you look at her in profile.
She’s not that far along either. Just seems like it since they announced so early. A lot of women show late or carry small
Her torso is longer than average, so there’s more room between the pelvis & ribcage to conceal the bump until later in pregnancy.
if there hadn’t been an official announcement of her pregnancy, i’d just think she’d maybe started eating solids once every couple days. she looks in no way pregnant in these photos.
You know what. She looks good. And happy. I hope she keeps smiling and working consistently. I fear there will be another slump where she only vacations and shops while never working, but at least she’s doing it now.
She does, doesn’t she. I think she looks great (although I agree with whoever said she didn’t need to wear the engagement ring.
I understand wanting to look comfortable AND stylish, but her need to look chic all the time is verging on the ridiculous. Wearing heavy makeup in an extremely casual Scouting event? Plus she didn’t wear any gloves despite the freezing weather (she can still show off the ring?) and she did NOT take it off when she kneaded the dough… germs galore!
And LOL at this Mail statement:
“The Duchess regularly helps out at a Scout group in North Wales”
By regularly, do you mean once a year? Or like, never?
GoodCapon, I’ve read that she does volunteer with the Scouts in Wales once a month. That would be when she’s in Wales, which hasn’t been much recently.
bluhare where have you been on the dish?!
Sal: My brain my be slow this morning, becauseI don’t quite understand your question.
I thought you were on the royal dish for a while, commenting and such?
Hi Sal, Duh!!! Didn’t connect the two. I don’t know; I go up and down with that one. Sometimes they’re a bit over the top.
You make a good point. To wear that ring in the woods, uncovered, and to knead dough with it isn’t too smart. I hope she isn’t wearing the original ring. She could lose a stone in the dough or ground. Or dough will muck up the crevasses in the ring.
Her fingers have to be so cold!
She’s doing good work and looks happy so I won’t complain, but did she take another helicopter ride there? I remember her last visit she came by helicopter, spent 90minutes there and part of that was spent having a private lunch away from the children.
From the DM, not the most reliable obviously: “The Duchess was originally scheduled to come up to Cumbria by helicopter until the weather forecast was looked at, according to palace officials. Instead she came by train from London this morning, arriving at nearby Oxenholme Station around midday.”
So yes, originally the plan was (just like Grimbsy visit) that taxpayers would spend thousands of pounds/dollars flying her by helicopter so she could spend an hour at this one event. Then fly her home (To London? Bucklebury? Surely we’re not still buying the living in Wales idea). Odd choice to me, as a train is 1) cheaper for taxpayers and 2) potentially safer than a helicopter in general, much less for a pregnant woman.
Not saying the other BRF members don’t fly too much as well, but if you’re only doing one event at one location, a train seems a more taxpayer-friendly choice.
my2pence – Her use of helicopters will only come out if or when the press decide negative information is the thing that sells.
Right now they are still trying to sell a positive image [sort of] which means her little helicopter habit remains hidden.
Kate looks great here!
Just thought I’d get that in before the serious hate starts. 😉
Haha it’s a Sunday, so I’ll go easy! She does look cute. And look how these people are bending over backwards to praise her! If she’d just do things like this more often people wouldn’t be so critical of her. It’s just an afternoon out of what I’m certain is not that busy of a weekend, shopping and getting her hair done don’t count! Keep it up Kate.
Please. All we have is photos of her smiling at the cameras. I guess it’s ‘work’ because she sure as heck is ‘working it’. It’s all about her.
I’m surprised they did it. Britain was in the middle of a snow storm that affected pretty much the entire country. Most people stayed home. (At least according to my mum’s friends).
She looks adorable! That’s an outfit I would wear.
Such a pretty girl…regardless of all the negativity that gets thrown her way, I love seeing her smile a genuine (dimply!) smile 🙂
I think so too. I try not to read too many of the nasty comments as they make me cringe sometimes
cute outfit, she looks good
My goodness, she is thin! Where is the baby hiding? Where are the pillow conspiracies?
There are so many comments on the net that a surrogate is carrying the baby that I am beginning to believe them. Some days there is a bump but not always in the same position and at allegedly five and a half months she is striding out, sitting and kneeling in positions that most pregnant mothers at the same stage could never manage.
She’s pregnant, not infirm. I did stuff like that all through both my pregnancies, no problem. It’s not like she lost a leg or something.
My bump changes positions and sizes daily at 6 months, and has for at least a month. Just depends where the baby wants to hang out.
She is not fat by any means, but to me her body has so obviously changed that I don’t see how people could think she wasn’t pregnant. Her face, backside, arms, and bust have all filled out more and more each time she makes a public appearance, and I’m not even looking that closely! Obviously pregnancy.
I think her outfit is cute here, although RME at the no gloves in the freezing cold. Must the ring be flashed on every occasion? Still, she’s definitely been “working” more this past week – someone must have told her to get in gear.
I don’t get the fascination with the outdated and frankly morally-wrong royalty thing, but I do think she looks perfectly appropriate for the occasion. She hasn’t done anything outrageous and always seems to be a friendly and classy person. Maybe she’s not, but the personal attacks seem a bit unfounded.
Cece
It sounds like you know half the story so some of the comments do seem “unfounded” to you. And they’re not personal attacks. More of frustration not so much at Kate, but at the image that’s being forced on us. The image being sold and the truth are so drastically different it’s insulting for SJP and various media outlets to assume we’re so blind. As of now she is doing well so no one should complain.
The royalty thing is outdated, but they still get a large amount of money to exist.
Sorry, still don’t get it. Of course there is a controlled image – she’s married to the king in waiting. I don’t see anything wrong with portraying a kind if flavorless woman. There are so many spoiled, cranky, classless, crass and outrageous American celebs, celebs we celebrate as something special. By contrast, I just can’t fathom any emotional outburst for Kate M. – she’s not advocating drinking, drugs, porno, cheating, vanity, etc.. – seems pretty darn harmless.
No Cece. At least she’s not advocating drinking and doing drugs. She can be praised for that since the bar is so low already. She is promoting an image of a woman who never pursued anything in life other than marrying a prince who treated her very poorly while dating, and living off of others and giving back the bare minimum, but only after she’s pushed to do so. Again. At least she’s working/photo oping here. At least she’s getting attention to a good cause. You support her. I want her to do something that earns praise.
Something of substance that doesn’t involve her dressing, hair or makeup. And celebs make their own money. Kate has no earned income of her own.
FFS. This post was so positive for Kate and yet the defenders still had to come out to defend her from what? Not enough praise? Done.
@ Cece
Are those the only choices? Crass or flavorless?
(Looks like this was caught in a filter. Apologies if another version ends up posting later).
@Cece, in case you are newer to all of this. You might want to do some research into the 8-10 years before the engagement. Photos and reports of Kate Middleton partying four nights a week, the uncle caught on camera doing and offering drugs, the vacations with William to the uncle’s house and yacht (used in a p*rn film), KM wearing playboy bunny ears to the premiere of an ad/movie about a s*x toy, her friend who runs an 0 r g y business, etc. No slut shaming intended, just stating what has been reported in the media.
The image the palace is trying so desperately hard to create doesn’t match up with the way KM lived her life for the 8-10 years prior to the engagement. If she had hit the ground running after the engagement, it would be easier for people to see her in this new royal light. She’d be working hard at her job and building a new image for herself. As it stands, she is seen shopping and on vacation more than she is seen working, and that is what has her increasingly in hot water with taxpayers and critics.
Good way to put it, FLORC!
I agree with you Cece. Kate can’t do anything right in some people’s eyes.
Has it ever occurred to you that she doesn’t do anything right?
…or barely anything at all?
^ see what I mean?
Isa
I’m an admitted critic of Kate, but I do want her to do well. And she is capable of doing more than looking pretty and shaking hands. She’s getting much praise on this post so it’s not fair to pull out the “damned if you do/don’t” card. That’s a blanket defense that’s more opinion rather than fact based. If and when she’s unfairly criticized a fact based argument on her pro work skills will not be dismissed.
EDIT: This was to your previous post. You’ve since edited it. The damned if you do/don’t statement is always just lazy and a last ditch effort to ignore blame. imo anyways.
That’s right! Get out there and save the world, Kate! 😉
But seriously–is it possible that some of y’all who live in the UK are a bit overreactive about the Royals in general? As an American who admittedly knows little (and frankly cares little) about the Royals’ impact on the world, I’ve always looked at the monarchy as an outdated and frankly, irrelevant institution. I’ve always perceived English royalty as simply figureheads, not people who have any actual power or impact on an international (or even national) scale. Aside from charity events, what is Kate’s required responsibilities?
I feel like most of the *usual suspects* around here who get irate about Kate are just angry about the existence of an outdated/irrelevant institution and are misdirecting their anger at Kate Middleton because she’s an easy punching bag.
@OriginalKitten – i wonder if you would have the same sentiment if Michelle Obama was behaving this way, and not making any FLOTUS duties since they are undefined and frankly she’s surplus to requirements.
@LAK-I would definitely feel the same way. In fact, I don’t think the FLOTUS has any responsibilities to the United States whatsoever-in fact, there are no “FLOTUS duties” as you describe. She doesn’t have a designated position and she wasn’t elected into office. Her responsibility is to support her husband-if she brings more to the table (like Michelle has) then that’s great but she has no obligation to change the world. FTR-I would feel the same way if we ever elected a female president-her husband would not owe the country anything.
Although, since you’re making the comparison, wouldn’t Samantha Cameron, David Cameron’s wife be a more VALID and FAIR analogy to FLOTUS? I mean, really…
Sorry but the Royals are not a powerful entity-they can’t pass laws or affect the world on a global scale. Sure they can and likely should donate to charity–but beyond that? Sorry, but NO-they’re just not international players, merely figureheads, ripe for tabloid fodder.
OriginalKitten – Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift are also easy punching bags.
Why are people OK with bashing them nonstop? I don’t see you questioning them on their “anger”. What has Kim Kardashian done to merit all the vitriol? At least she works for whatever she has and she’s not a burden on the taxpayers.
Why is it any different with Kate? They’re all public figures, they’re all open for differing opinions.
Frankly, this whole “jealous, angry haters” angle that some people on Celebitchy keep on pushing is quite annoying. I don’t call other people who love to bash Kim K and Taylor Swift and Kristen Stewart ‘haters’ nor have I ever said people are overreacting when it comes to those 3 women, and a lot of people have called them worse names than people here have said about Kate Middleton.
We live in the UK so we know what is happening here. We’re commenting about Kate because the topic is about her. Ask me what I think of the economy, the high youth unemployment, the rising heating costs, the funding for several important institutions being cut, our politicians esp Dave “We’re all in this together” Cameron, etc. and I’ll tell you what I think. Let me warn you right now, I’m not any nicer about our politicians than I am about the royals.
So please. Give me a break. I’m not angry at Kate Middleton. I’m angry at what she represents, which is the class divide in the UK and her obvious arrogance and tone deafness in the face of her fellow citizens who are suffering. She’s not exactly doing things to changer her ways, is she?
I don’t begrudge her her luxuries, but I do take offense that she and William show no sensitivity to the others who are not as lucky as them to be born to the right families. They are very lucky to be in such positions of influence and yet all they use it for is to indulge themselves.
We all can’t be blinded by her beauty and her wardrobe. We actually want more substance than a royal being nothing but a clotheshorse. It’s great that you don’t care about the British royals and their impact on the country as a whole, but allow us to do it for you.
LAK you raise a very valid point. If it was FLOTUS would them same criticism apply. It does apply! To those that care anyways. In the past if a FLOTUS acted like that… Jackie O comes to mind, she was hated. Yes, some loved her style, but that she was just spending and contributing nothing back wore away the goodwill of the citizens. Kate and FLOTUS’s have no real responsibilities outside of smiling, but it’s the morally responsible path to take. I remember early in Bush juniors years as president the “bush twins” were raising hell. Their actions reflected poorly on Bush and it was dealt with by sending them out of the country for school..
Sachi Very well stated. The case has been made in no uncertain terms and yet we’re still called “jealous h8ters” of a sort. No argument can be made so they simply defend a sweet, simple girl. No one is asking her to save the world, but to show some compassion for a country that supports her while it suffers. I just don’t get it.
@originalkitten- the spouse of the Prime Minister isn’t the first spouse (whatever their gender). It’s the spouse of the monarch.As such the spouse of the prime minister can retain their regular life s though they are/were regular people whose husbands happen to be prime minister. They aren’t public servants, and the Prime Minister doesn’t campaign on a platform of family life. Frankly we tend not to care what their family life looks like. Cherie Blair continued her life as a top ranking lawyer and eventually Judge, Samcam continues her job as a consultant for Smythsons and if you go back in history you’ll see that all the prime ministerial spouses had a normal regular life.
Further, FYI the Queen isn’t a figurehead. She retains powers to unmake laws and to change government or at the very least slow them down. They were never stripped from the monarch. The fact that this Queen chooses NOT to exercise her powers makes people think she’s harmless.Laws that have a royal charter eg the new proposed press regulation law work in a completely different way from laws that are purely and strictly government laws. This isn’t the place to discuss what a royal charter is but I suggest you look it up if you don’t already know what it is.
The charity aspect of the royals can only be seen in the effect.Having a royal visit or Patron a charity is priceless of benefit to the charity. You just have to look at th difference that one Diana handshake made to AIDS causes or The work The Prince’s trust does on behalf of unemployed young people. The fact is people respond to the royals in a positive way. You may think the system doesn’t work simply because the charities supported don’t touch you personally as you live in USA, but it does. These days the royals don’t seem to widen their scope to international charities but for the local causes they support, it makes a huge difference.
Finally, Kate receives tax payer money. Security is an issue, so I quibble less on that point, unless I am paying for security for her to swan around the world on holiday. That just rises the security budget for no reason but I am more inclined to be forgiving if the balance is work and I know that as a public figure, she needs the security.There are some crazies out there!! The money that I quibble about is the goods in kind version of tax payers money she receives. The POTUS family are careful to use their own money for items that they spend on that aren’t strictly in service of POTUS. WK don’t bother to use their own money 100% but instead mix it up with tax payer goods in kind and pretend it’s all private money eg their living arrangements. Since they insist on being lesser royals with no duties, there is no reason for them to reside rent free (and another place being refurbished for them) in a government building. Especially when they have several private places of their own. Things like that really irk.
CeCe: If you’ll read most of the comments you will see they are vastly in the positive (including mine). The biggest issue is wearing her engagement ring at a pretty casual outing, but maybe she likes to wear it when she knows she’s going to get photographed. I know a lot of women who wear their engagement rings all the time, but you have to admit Kate’s is a bit bigger than most.
Makes me wonder if it’s a fake, actually.
Are you claiming I edited my post? Because I didn’t and I didn’t say anything about damned if you do damned if you don’t. All I said was the above because I know how useless it is to argue with people that want to believe EVERYTHING Kate does is wrong.
This is to me, right?
You did say that, but after I finished typing my response I noticed you shortened your response. That phrase is something I think is over used in her defense and I only commented back to you because of that specific wording.
Some people here do complain, just to complain, but most posts are valid. Just because both posts are not in favor of Kate doesn’t mean they should be lumped together.
Isa: Huh? Got no idea what you’re talking about.
Baroness
Her post was in response to mine.
Isa You know how useless it is to argue with people that believe everything Kate does is wrong? Well, i’m not one of those people.
I praise her when she does well.
Think of how frustrating it is for others with actual facts to get their point across to someone who thinks Kate has never made a wrong step. All arguments, right or wrong, get dismissed because they speak negatively about her.
If you truly think all she does is correct and she’s never missed a step then lay down your thoughts. As i’ve said before a logical argument to highlight Kate s a good person who does work hard and doesn’t deserve this citisism will not be dismissed. So, make your case, but don’t say no one is listening to your reason.
I think she looks cute.
In kim kardashian brain, this is how she think looks. I’ve said it all along, Kate doesn’t look pregnate. Especially as far along as she is. If they hadn’t confirmed she was pregnant, I’d never would had guessed she was. I like her hat, it’s cute.
This except Kim Kraptrashian does nothing without a pay check being attached to it.
She always looks so cute and dressed appropriately for whatever she is doing. I think she looks great and like she is having lots of fun. You go girl!
Middleton legs look great in tight jeans even when pregnant.
And I agree someone in the palace aknowledged the “lazy Kate” pr emergency, I don’t think this public apperances are a coincidence.
She’s gonna regret that eyeliner when she’s older–she’ll look back at pictures of herself when she was younger and think, “Dear God, why did I do the raccoon eyes?!” I speak from personal experience.
Other than that, she looks adorable as always and I think she works hard enough–we can’t all be princesses.
😎
Edit: This was supposed to look like raccoon eyes – not cool shades… Oh well.
The Duchess is doing her job very well here.
This is a savvy PR move in response to public criticism reaching critical mass. She is doing her fourth engagement in a week, she is showing up with a smile, and she is representing the Firm professionally.
She looks seriously good here, she’s pulled together and appropriate – that hat is a great touch. OK, I can quibble about the heavy makeup, but I’ll give it a pass. Her fans will think she looks “classy” and like she’s having great fun, and if she can deliver that she is winning the game.
I’m sure the scouts appreciated the visit and her PR office is probably very relieved that they have some worthy news to refute the “what the he** is royalty good for?” claims.
Could I quibble? Of course! But I’ll shut up lest I be accused of hate.
Kate looks lovely and looks appropriate but too much make-up and there is no gloves when she is feeling very cold just to suffer for beauty and fashion. What a brave woman.
All women in the world are hoping for Kate become obese and gross in the next months.
I don’t think I ever saw a pregnant woman who did not look obese and gross. Every woman who is slim during pregnancy is always faking it according to the population here and other places.
I’m not hoping she becomes obese and gross.
Wow… Just… Wow. So every woman who is pregnant looks gross and obese? Here’s to hoping you don’t reproduce.
You must not have seen many pregnant women, then
Every one of my friends who has carried has NEVER looked more beautiful than when she was pregnant. If I could bottle *pregnancy glow* and sell it, I’d be a millionaire many times over.
She is just so adorable and is about the cutest and prettiest thing I have ever seen in my entire life.
I like her outfit a lot and she looks happy to be doing this work. Nice to see
Kaiser, the news did reach The palace. Wasn’t that the point of the recent Richard Palmer’s article in the express ‘Kate is NOT lazy’ telling us all the ways Kate was trying to show a work ethic and doing stuff that could be added to the court Circular??!!
It’s also why pregnant or not she had to show up at this scout meet even though the rest of us were tucked up indoors away from the bad weather.
I reserve my sympathies in this scenerio for those people who had to go ahead with the scout trip in the poor weather we are having so that Kate could beef up her work schedule.
Not so much beef up her ‘work’ schedule as beef up her photo ops. Poor peasants.
@ LAK. Wasn’t it also announced that the scouting “work” would be as a volunteer, not as official duties? So this may or may not technically count as an official engagement, just like the Olympics weren’t technically supposed to count as official engagements.
My2pence – You are right. The scouts were always to be voluntary as opposed to official.
Based on Richard’s article AND what happened with the final tally of her engagements from 2012, ALL her appearances are to be counted as official engagements.
Her first year as a royal was very much in the traditional rules of what constitutes an official engagement and to be fair, i was surprised at what was counted vs what was not because it reduced her tally to 34 for 2011.
I think by the end of 2012, the clamour about lack of a work ethic was so loud that they changed the rules to beef up her tally from the official 80 under the old rules to 122 for 2012 by including all the voluntary and public appearances that were previously not allowed.
If we were to follow the rules per 2011 which still apply to all the other royals BTW, then this week has been public appearances but not work because She has been a plus one to other people’s patron visits and a volunteer with the scouts.
I will applaud the fact that perhaps she is finally listening to other people other than William and doing something about it unlike William, even if they are bending the rules.
Now if only she would visit with her own patronages and be as enthusiastic.
Yeah, she looks like she’s really roughing it- on the catwalk. (Oh geez, she’s wearing the big ring! Camping! Bwah!)
She really does suit hats of any kind.
…Further fueling my theory she had padding under her dress right after the announcement was made….
Wasn’t there a story that this was pulled together at the last minute and those kids were put out in the cold at the last minute so she can get her photo op. That comment about it being okay if desperate, yeah I am no longer giving her the benefit of the doubt. That was a bitch thing to say no matter how the press spins that statement. Kaiser, you are going soft on The Diva (thanks Dutchess or Diva).
She looks terrific!
She looks so cute!!
All those who cry ‘foul’ and ‘jealous h8ters’ should take note of the comments on this thread. They are largely positive. People are willing to give this woman a chance – as long as she demonstrates a willingness to try.
She needs to keep it up. Her reputation is pretty damaged – it is going to take a concerted effort to repair.
My guess is she’s doing this in preparation for the annual Middleton ski trip. She has no engagements now until early April, correct?
Either that or make Harry quit the army and be a full time royal. (I vote for that one.)
The positive comments are about her looks and secondly, about her showing up.
To a photo op.
Big deal.
Should we compliment her ability to make funny faces while roasting goop on a stick?
I’m afraid her looks are all we’ve got. Four engagements in a week is HUGE for her so I’m prepared to be a little nicer.
I would LOVE to see her roast GOOP on a stick 😉
Bodhi – Is it possible to roast gristle?
Anyone else notice how hilariously photoshopped that last picture is? Someone did quite the number on her upper thighs!
What do you mean? They don’t seem different from other pictures.
Sarah
Kate is photoshopped in every picture above. You’d have to find photos on twitter or other non-press sites to compare. A side by side image shows the press pics smooth our her skin damage, wrinkles, under eye bags, etc… She is also said to be extremely thin in person and the pictures taken by press have added a large amount of weight to her frame.
Jeez, we’re not all Kim K when it comes to pregnancy. I left work at 30 weeks pregnant and people were amazed when I said it was because I was pregnant – a mix of small bump and good clothing. Back in my (UK) size 8 jeans a week after baby came. And no, I don’t (didn’t) have an eating disorder. Some people just carry small. Give her a break.
The queen’s motto “in order for a monarch to work you have to be seen” I wouldn’t mind Kate doing two engagements a week considering she is pregnant but what about her husband prince William who is future king. He needs to start doing more royal duties to be quite honest. He is still hiding behind his search and rescue job. Why don’t we get any negative articles on prince William? Is the press not telling us something that real lazy one is prince William. Ummmmm
Yes! He was supposed to have made his decision about the RAF by now, and he’s still in Wales working. And Kate’s now healthy, so I don’t know why she can’t join him. Is it hat important she be by the Royal Baby Deliverer even though she’s doing fine? Plus Anglesey has medical facilities.
Regarding her carrying small, she is also quite tall and from what i understand / have seen that makes a difference.
A few years ago a friend of mine opened her own little photography business and 1 of her first shoots was a pregnant mother who wanted belly shots. So my friend spends all week buying little things to drape on her belly and generating ideas, the woman is 38 weeks so she figures she is pretty big. She gets there and woman is 6’2 and has just the tiniest whisper of a bump, even my friend at 5’9 was flabbergasted as she was much bigger 38 weeks too.
So yes some women carry small.
Quick comment on height. Kate Middleton is probably 5’7″, not the 5’10” or 5’11” many people seem to think. She usually wears high heels plus platforms, which makes her seem taller than she really is.
Search for photos of when she met Michelle Obama and compare. Michelle O is 5’11”, and once you add in their heel heights (2-3″ for Obama, 4-5″ for Middleton), you’ll figure out Kate M is 5’7″ or so.
google says she’s 5’10
@ Aud. Do a google image search for michelle obama kate middleton. Look for photos where KM is in the beige dress and Mo in silver and pink. Look for photos where they are standing facing each other, not the ones where Kate is standing a bit further back which changes visual perspective.
static(dot)thehollywoodgossip(dot)com/images/gallery/michelle-obama-kate-middleton(dot)png
Michelle Obama is 5’11” and wearing 2-3″ heels (which can be verified by looking at the full-length photos in that photo set). Kate Middleton is wearing 4-5″ heels and stands about 4 inches shorter than Obama. MO is 5’11”, Kate Middleton is 5’7″.
KM fans seem to think it is important that she be perceived as “the same height as Diana” so they keep perpetuating the inaccurate 5’10” idea. Since that is the number that they keep putting out there, that is the height you find in your searches. But if you look at the photos for yourself, you can see things differently.
@ Aud. If it helps, this site shows how high her heels tend to be. shoerazzi(dot)com/celeb/kate-middleton/ 5″ on average plus a 1″ platform. I think in the photo I referred to above, she’s wearing the first set of suede shoes mentioned.
The average woman in the UK is 5′ 3.5″ so yes, Kate Middleton at 5’7″ and wearing 5-6″ heels all the time, she’s going to look taller than most of the ladies around her 🙂
I find it funny how just a couple of years ago everyone was relieved that the Palace was going to ‘ease’ Kate into royal duties and that it would be a very gradual bringing up to speed. We call her bland, but as Mantel said, this is the princess that we’ve ‘created’ – Diana was charismatic and passionate and vulnerable, and te public perception is that she was used up and spit out by the royal family and British press. With Kate we WANTED a princess that is poised, polished, and better able to handle royal life. And wanted her gradually introduced to her duties, as the counterbalance to the extreme privilage that she lives in, it’s also intense scrutiny, pressure and expectations. And now we criticize that she’s moving TOO gradually.
Personally, I’d love to see her take advantage of the amazing opportunity she’s been given: she really CAN make a difference in the world, and a difference for all those charities that she patronizes. I sincerely hope that she realizes what a gift that is.
Well, there’s a difference between gradual and glacial. If this was a strategy, this slow entry, then whoever handles her grossly miscalculated how much slowness the public would countenance.
It’s all in perception. When you’re seen doing few public engagements but are photographed shopping and going on vacation frequently, it’s seen less as “easing into royal duties” and much more as “living la dolce vita while doing as little as possible for the country that made me famous”.
And, again, not hating on her but on whoever advises and runs her PR. Because up to now, they have stunk up the joint.
I’m just pointing out that the royal family has basically given us what we’ve asked for: a future queen who is fr more capable of handling the scrutiny and pressure, and that the royal family is easing her in – but that now people Re criticizing for that same thing. Yes, there was miscalculation for sure. I mean, let’s get real – her ‘work’ isn’t exactly coal mining. But I personally think part of the problem comes from William: he’s clearly not particularly interested in the work either, and I get the impression that in private he’s kind of a spoiled douche.
I agree Bridget, I think William is not easy to live with and a great deal of the public perception of Kate is driven by what he wants.
It will be interesting to see what happens once the heir is born and Kate has more leverage in the family and in her relationship with Whiny Wills.
I’m not sure who the “we” is you are constantly referring to, but not all of us wanted her to be “eased” into her life of “strenuous” ribbon-cutting slowly. Before the wedding, “we” were told she would hit the ground running and that she was researching charities and taking princess lessons. And, she is a decade older than Diana, university educated, and had been with Willy for nearly a decade, so, we were told that she is basically the most prepared royal bride in history.
But then, after the wedding, “we” were told that she then needed an additional two years for down-time with Willy, away from the spotlight to be a housewife is Wales. And, no it isn’t because they are trying for a baby, she just needs to be with Willy in Wales, looking after their 5 bedroom cottage. And yet, aside for a few pictures of her grocery shopping immediately after the wedding, there is little evidence she actually even lives in Wales. Rather, she is spotted on vacation (over and over again) and shopping (shopping, shopping!) in London.
So, for a lot of people, we are disappointed in the false picture we were given of her dedication and work ethic.
I re-read your two posts and now think we are basically agreeing with each other, I just think that a lot of people are pissed about being sold a false bill of goods in what we should expect from Waity. I definitely do agree though that Willy leads the way and his laziness and seeming distain for much of royal life gives her permission to be a lazy slacker as well. The problem – for her – in the big picture of the BRF, gray men, etc., is that she is dispensable while Willy isn’t. So what is tolerated in Willy won’t necessarily be in Waity (by TPTB). JMO.
inthekitchen You hit the nail on the head. All paths of Kate being lazy leads back to William. He has been getting away with everything we criticize Kate for for his whole life. He barely shows up for his real job and only wants to enjoy the benefits of being a royal and RAF pilot without giving back.
He got away with not working and has taught nothing to Kate except how to be entitled. I think she might really be in the dark about her image. I hope Kate starts working and being seen. I hope she creates good will for herself. If she and William are both seen as lazy and it reaches a new high Kate will take the fall.
I’m really starting to think that William’s a huge part of this problem.
I am still scratching my head and wondering why the British don’t have a more vigorous movement to abolish the royal family. Taxpayer financed helicopters? With. All of the economic problems this country. Is facing? I would be beside myself.
She looks ice. So would anyone if they had hot and cold running stylists and days and days of shopping.
Curled hair – check. Raccoon eyes that look like bruises – check. Scouse brows – check. Fingerless gloves to show off Diana’s ring – check. The perfect hat to offset her earrings, hair, and makeup – check.
She probably spent more time getting ready and dolled up than she did at the event itself.
But yes, good for her for showing up for 2 hours. She’s been very busy with 4 events in one week!!
You know who impress me more? The people who are actually there as volunteers. They are doing this on top of everything else in their lives. It’s not considered “work” for them like it is for Kate. They volunteer because they want to, not because they’re on a PR campaign to salvage their ruined image.
Had there not been any backlash, Kate would not have done the events in the last 2 weeks.
The Palace probably had to put together some events in light of Kate and William’s holiday in Mustique and had to gear up some damage-control activities, since Kate’s calendar was cleared for Feb and March and it was announced she was not gonna do any work.
All of this is so contrived and predictable. It only drives home the point that Kate does 1-2 events to appease the grumble of the ‘peasants’, and then she’s off to another holiday or shopping spree.
That being said, I hope the Scouts benefited from her visit and I hope she actually participates in more private settings without the media photo-op.
Well said, Sachi. It’s all so contrived. So blatantly contrived. Let’s hope it helps her charities, though.
Original Mia you hit it on the head for me. Contrived–great word for this woman. Seems like everything about her is a bit contrived.
I think she’s a cute girl but she is in no way a beautiful woman and the push by the international media to turn her into a style icon is along the lines of that story about the Emperor who wore no clothes and no one wanted to admit it. She is not and will never be a style icon.
She’s skinny. She’s got money and hair and make up (although they should be replaced!) stylists as well as stylists dressing her. She’s a girl that played the game well and snagged a Royal but the idea that she’s some breath of fresh air, some amazing beauty who takes your breath away at every appearance is ridiculous.
She looks like almost every woman her age–long hair, no bangs or side bangs, sausage curls, fake eyelashes and lots of mascara and spray tans that are admittedly much better than most. Blah.
Great comment, Sachi and I’m in full agreement.
YES, she is starting to work more lately because that was the plan all along. In Vanity Fair, it was said that the couple would take 2 years to settle in, during which they would not ‘work’ full-time. William and Kate are just about at their 2 year anniversary, so it makes sense that her schedule is picking up.
If this is true and it’s not just a swell of work to counter bad pr then she shouldn’t have anymore weeks of just shopping and hair appointments. She could carry at least 1 engagement a week. Only time will tell.
You know, i never, ever doubted the veracity of VF until they started writing about William and Kate.
Their inhouse royal expert is on the Middleton payroll figuratively speaking and is enthusiastically selling a pro-Kate line to go along with her Kate biography.
All her ‘stories’ come straight from the Middletons. She’s on the same train Hello magazine is on as far as promoting Kate at every turn.
She’s fed the public all sorts of nonsense including the line about their ‘cottage’ in Wales until people pointed out that said ‘cottage’ was a 5bdrm house on an estate.
She repeats media stories or tells stories that either can’t be verified or are twisted to present Kate in a positive light.
Take this 2yr grace period. This media fiction has been repeated so often that people believe it to be true.
It’s based on fact that until wedding, Kate was being sold to the public as a hardworking gal who couldn’t wait to get started on her royal duties.
Unfortunately for all, she turned round several days after the wedding and said she was going to be a housewife in Wales, join the local RAF wives club complete with photo op pics of her shopping at Waitrose. There was no time limit as to how long she was going to do this.
This was definitely off script so the media [being 100% pro at that time] changed the conversation and started talking about The Queen’s time in Malta and the 2yrs left of William’s current RAF contract. And somehow that transmuted into The Queen had 2 yrs as a housewife in Malta therefore WK are going to take 2yrs with The Queen’s approval.
The truth is the Queen didn’t take 2 years off. a quick search of the archives shows PP was stationed on Malta 2yrs AFTER their 1947 wedding NOT immediately after it. And yes, he was there for 2yrs. The Queen popped in every so often but never fully settled in Malta AND worked throughout the period.
Further to the false mythology of the 2yrs given to WK is that The Queen had given permission and yet there is no public statement,planted media story to back this assertion up. When WK decided to spend Christmas away from Sandrigham we had a public statement of support from both the Queen and Charles for this minor action and yet nothing about something as important as a 2yr grace period.
Further, when royal reporters have asked the Palace directly about Kate’s work schedule, they haven’t been pointed to a grace period. Instead they have been told that Kate makes her own schedule and is happy with the pace of it. Hardly the answer one would expect. Kate barely worked in the first year but by the end of it people were making negative noises about it which led to her announcing charities to shut them up.
The Palace has never, ever talked about a grace period as the excuse for her not working, but it’s amazing how much the public believes this to be true especially when a reputable magazine like VF repeats this lie.
If anything every time her work or lack thereof becomes as issue, she is pushed out of the nest to be seen to be working.
Yeah, the whole “two year settling” period is a merry rewriting of history.
She looks good. No evidence of a bump. She looked bigger last week. The eyeliner is a permanent fixture until it isn’t. She needs to ditch the ring in circumstances like this. Her gold band would be sufficient. It’s not like we don’t all know she’s got Diana’s ring.
Definitely think the backlash is what finally convinced the Cambridges that she needed to work for her keep. I do suspect she’ll be off on another vacation with the family soon. All this work had to be tiring for someone not use to a 4 hour work day.
A royal reporter twittered a few weeks ago that her bump was being made to look bigger in photos.
I think in the rush to photoshop her pics, the bump isn’t always remembered.
See her being completely lazy makes me even madder since I’ve just started volunteering for my local Little Brothers (baking for their Easter dinners!!!) and visit my 90 year old, shut in neighbors.
Little Brothers is always looking for volunteers, and I’d be mad as hell if some woman came and “helped out” because she wanted to look good to everyone else, let alone for some photo ops. She needs to learn that there are other people in this world who have had hard times, and the very least she could do is spend an hour a week at her patronage and raise awareness and money, so that people who do truly care can help.
I’m not the most touchy-feely person, I don’t do well with emotions and vulnerability, but even I don’t have to pretend like I’m interested in answering my neighbor’s questions for the hundredth time
(she has early Alzheimer’s I’m guessing, because she asks me my name and how old I am, and where I go to school, if i’m married-every single time I go over to her house, and I’ve been going for over a year). Miss Erma is a cute old lady, who absolutely loves her husband.
Mr. Caspary is an absolute gentleman. Every time I go into his house, he opens and closes the door for me, he always offers me a beverage, he always gets up and walks me to the door when I leave, tries not to curse in front of me…and so on.
He’s a sweet old man. He was in WW2, and was in Italy, taking the bombs out of the road, and he was in Normandy the day after D-Day. What was really cool was that he showed me pictures that his dad sent to his family, while he was in the trenches during WW1.
He and Miss Erma are mad for each other…they’ve been married since 1949. They’re just so cute together; I saw a picture of them when they got engaged, he looked like a young,dark haired James Deen type (quite literally, he only had a bigger nose), and she looked a little like Jean Harlow with dark hair and a round face and nose. They both looked like movie stars….both very handsome.
Sorry for the gushing, my twin doesn’t listen as well as you celebitches.
Mr. Smurf: Now THAT’s what volunteering is all about. What a lovely lovely story. My dad (who died last year) has a friend who was in WWII as well, and he has yarns that could knit sweaters. The thing about those guys is they don’t talk about the stress involved. They just don’t.
And you give Mr. Caspary a big kiss from me. As long as Erma doesn’t mind that is. You are what volunteering is all about.
BTW I assume you mean James Dean, not James Deen of Lindsay Lohan fame! 😀
Thanks for making my day.
Awww. That’s lovely! And it sounds like you are getting as much from the experience as they are 🙂
What an inspiring story to end a Sunday! I keep talking about wanting to volunteer with a local animal shelter and I just need to get off my lazy a$$ and do it.
Also, what an amazing line to history you have! Have you thought of asking this couple if they’d be interested in participating in an oral history project? I don’t know where you live, but several communities in the U.S. sponsor such things….especially as our WWII vets are passing on. Just a thought! I’m a history nerd 🙂
Thanks! I try not to get mad on her posts, which is why I rarely, if ever comment on them, but this kind of thing makes me mad. I can be as lazy as the next person, I’ve never had a job, yet I can guarantee you all that I’ve done more work in a week, than she’s done her entire life.
I think Mr. Caspary has done something like that, at least showing some really old family photos to the local “museum”. I may as well say where I live- six miles away from Michigan Tech. I don’t think he likes to talk about the war a lot. I asked him and he just told me a really sad story about how his best friend died on his second day in the war. Other than that, he hasn’t said much when I asked.
Oh, one of the funniest things is that he and Miss Erma have lived literally six miles away from each other, up until they got married. He lived in Houghton, she lived in South Range. They didn’t even meet each other until they were in their mid to late twenties, after the war. I think that’s the sweetest thing.
They’re just a really sweet old couple. Miss Erma can’t really do anything, because she has a bad hip, so she sits in her chair all day. He does everything for her. He cooks, cleans, does all the washing, makes her plate before she gets to the table, so all she has to do is sit down and eat. She’s always telling me how lucky she is to have such a good husband who does everything for her.
I hope I will get a Mr. Caspary one day, he’s such a gentlemen. I’m a little embarrassed to admit, but when he showed me his picture when they were younger, I immediately thought about how hot he was.
What’s funny is the reason I even started visiting was because I had been making some chocolate cookies for my neighbor, who absolutely loves chocolate anything. This is when I remembered the Casparys. I moved here when I was eight years old, and hadn’t seen them since. So I decided to make them some cookies too, and bring them over to their house (they live two houses away). I bring them over, Mr. Caspary answers the door, I tell him that I made cookies for them, and he asks me how much i’m selling them for.
For some reason I thought it was funny that he’d think that. So he invited me in, to go talk to his wife, while he put the cookies away. Long story short, I ended up staying for over three hours with Miss Erma asking me a million questions. She’s a sweet old woman. Her father was killed in the mines when she was three years old, and her mom worked like a demon to support her kids.
If anyone here knows the restaurant Gino’s…that was her brother in law’s restaurant that he started when she was in her twenties.
But thanks for the support, I don’t get to often gush about them….except to my mom :). I think she’s glad that I’m turning out good, compared to the other teenagers here. I suppose I get off easy, because where I live teenagers get real lippy to their parents, and expect them to bend over backwards for them. Not all, but most. The biggest trend is you get either completely crappy parents, who don’t care what you do or don’t do in school, or you get strict parents. Mine are the strict ones…
I can’t wait for my spring break! I have four more days of school and some baking to do for Easter!
Mr.Smurf, you paint such a lovely picture of the Caspary’s, in particular Mr. Caspary, that I think you should post a story about them every time there’s a Kate doesn’t work post. It will perk us all right up to read about someone who does make a difference in one couple’s life. Kudos to you. I’m getting all misty here, and bluhares do not get misty!!!!
Mr. Smurf your post made me cry and cry; I’m originally from Ishpeming and my grandfather died in Marquette a few months back at age 95. Keep doing what you’re doing!
What a lovely post Mr. Smurf! 😀
Aw, that is so nice. Seriously.
I need to get my butt off the internet and emulate you.
her make-up… OMG. She is so untalented!
She wears tons of eyeliner and eyebrow pencil… and don´t forget the jewellery for 1-2 hours “camping”???
What a silly PR-stunt, just an outdoor photo session.
I think she looks very pretty and appropriately attired here. I’m always struck by how down to earth she seems to be… no pole shoved up her ass, that’s for sure.
Does she have permanent makeup?
I know these things exist, though I never seen a woman who actually did that.
She has the best wardrobe ever. Seriously. I wish I had everything she is wearing.
She lloks super cool here and very appropriate (aside from the makeup, which I think is in part- fixed, so she can’t do much about it.
I thought it was permanent too, and I still wonder. She lays it on really thick. But last week her sister was photographed without makeup, and no eyeliner! Thank goodness. Some tattoos can come off, but I don’t think permanent eye makeup is among them!
it’s funny how many people are upset that she’s wearing her engagement ring
most women never take it off :/ it’s not so weird
It’s not for engagement rings, but this is “Diana’s ring” aka The Ring Of Doom! It’s a large sapphire in a very 80’s design. It often clashes with her outfit and jewelry or seems like it’s inappropriate for her to wear it while… kneading dough. The ring will get mucked up or a stone could be lost. Or while shaking hands in the crowd a person could slip it off. It’s likely to be a fake, but overall a lot of women keep their rings on because a simple diamond goes with everything. And it’s their ring. Not their dead mother in law’s ring.
People get annoyed because she is often angling her hand to show off the ring.
I’m of mixed mind on this. That ring might have been Diana’s, but now it belongs to Kate. In that sense, it is no different than any other man who proposes with a family ring/diamond. Many people (often sons) inherit a family ring, and give it to their fiance when they propose. It seems unfair to suggest someone shouldn’t wear what is now their ring, because it belonged to a dead family member at some point. I see your point about the size and style though. Given that it is a large, somewhat… dare I say, gaudy style though, it would probably be nice if Kate had a simple wedding band of some sort to wear for certain occasions (such as ‘camping’ with the scouts. 😉
Oh… and I agree Kate does seem to like to be able to show the ring off though. Does she have a fingerless glove on one hand, but not the other… because her ring would have been covered if she had worn two?
So she shouldn’t show off the ring her husband gave her? You are really taking your resentment for this girl to ridiculous levels. Pls get a life.
Diana’s ring is obviously a symbol of her marriage to William. And marrying a prince was Kate’s only notable achievement in life. We’re not in the 15th century anymore. It’s not something to be proud of, especially taking into account the pathetic Waity Katie, doormat route she took to be the last woman standing.
Belle and Linda
My husband used my mother’s engagement ring and I love it. So no hate on that. This ring is Diana’s Ring, not Kate’s. It’s so recognizable as hers and still referred to as Diana’s ring. Seeing how that marriage ended in a divorce and tragic death it seems like bad luck to most.
The gloves are appropriate Belle, but it was so cold there. If she took the ring off she could have kept her fingers warm.
Also, Linda She can show off the ring and she does! To wear it to show it off at inappropriate times is what ticks people off. I’m only stating truths here. I have no resentment for her. It seems to defend her you have to take things to crazy extremes. Calm yourself. I’ve praised her several times on this post.
I’m of two mind on this. On the one hand I can see Alexandra Bananarama’s point, but I also know a lot of women who never take their rings off.
Putting myself as Kate at that outing, I wouldn’t have worn my engagement ring (which is also a sapphire but you’d need a jewellers loupe to see it next to Kate’s!) Mostly because I wouldn’t have wanted to get it all mucky. Which lends credence to my theory that she’s had a fake made.
Baroness You’re right.
It’s just more likely Kate’s ring is a reproduction so she can wear it as she wishes. It doesn’t technically belong to her, correct? Like all the homes and jewels Gifted to them as a couple or bought without Kate’s “private money” is owned by William to keep a divorce simple, right?
With that said she’s dressed for camping. IDK the ring just seems out of place imo. Of course it’s her ring to wear as she wishes. I don’t know how people got so up in arms about my comment.
She looks super cute.
I still think the best thing is for the palace to film a documentary …. Called A day in the life of the Duchess of Cambridge, so we can see on a normal day….. what she does all day. It would be inspiring.
Rumour has it that the reason the bodyguard has left to work at Broadmoor Prison is that he got tired of being dragged to staged ‘photoshoots where for example the poor scouts had to pose in freezing weather just to give Kate good publicity.
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/buzz/item/376139-kate-middleton-prince-william-security-guy-bored-more-to-broadmoor