Exhausted & overworked, Prince William & Kate flew to Maldives for a nice vacay

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I’m so tired of shaking my head at Duchess Kate. Plus, at this point, I can’t even believe that these PR disasters are her doing. If Prince William, or Charles, or even the Queen told her to work, she would. But no one tells her to work. They just expect her to be/act like a coddled trophy wife, and I believe that’s all on William. So let’s all shake our heads at William, the fussy baby who will one day be king, but only if his laziness doesn’t burn down the monarchy first.

In January, William “enrolled” (except not really) into a “bespoke” program on agriculture at Cambridge University. He’s not really enrolled – there are no grades, we have no idea if he’s making all of his classes, and it’s basically like he’s just auditing some courses for fun, in between vacations. The bespoke program was supposed to last ten weeks. The ten weeks are not up yet, but William was just desperate for another vacation (he only had a mini-break to Spain with his ex-girlfriend last month!), so he and Kate have flown to the Maldives for a week.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have flown to the Maldives for a week’s holiday. They arrived on a British Airways flight at around 9.40am on Thursday, according to local media reports. The couple are understood to be holidaying at a newly opened private resort island in the northern part of the Maldives.

It was not immediately clear if Prince George, their seven-month-old son, was with them but he was not mentioned in initial reports from local media sources.

A diver’s paradise, the Maldives is an Indian Ocean island nation comprising a double chain of 26 atolls and almost 2,000 islands. Its palm-fringed white sandy beaches are internationally renowned. It was on William and Kate’s shortlist of honeymoon destinations but they eventually opted to go to the Seychelles.

The couple’s decision to go on holiday comes ahead of a gruelling three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia beginning on April 7.

But it has surprised many royal watchers.

William, 31, is just nearing the end of an intensive 10-week course in agricultural management at Cambridge University, intended to prepare him for a future role managing the Duchy of Cornwall estate when he is heir to the throne.

Sources have suggested there are no lectures for him this week and the course is scheduled to finish at the end of the month.

He went shooting in Spain with his brother Prince Harry in early February.

Kate, 32, is still tanned from her last holiday, a week in Mustique with her family and George at the end of January to mark her mother Carole Middleton’s 59th birthday.

[From Express]

There’s some subtle shade in that story, isn’t there? Ha! That was written by Richard Palmer of The Express, he goes by @RoyalReporter on Twitter and he seems to have broken the news about this Maldives vacay. He seemed genuinely surprised by his scoop too, tweeting yesterday, “To the surprise of all of us in the British press pack, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appear to have gone on holiday to the Maldives. Reports suggest William, nearing the end of a course at Cambridge, and Kate, who just holidayed in Mustique, arrived in the Maldives today.”

Many are saying that this is becoming Will and Kate’s thing, that they go on a “romantic” vacation just before a big tour, which is what happened just before their giant Asian tour (which, again, lasted eight days). That was in 2012, and Will and Kate suddenly dropped out of their scheduled appearances at the Paralympics so that they could vacation in France. And it was in France where Kate went topless and a paparazzo got those photos. Will there be another repeat? We’ll see. I also wonder about the “not taking George thing” – it’s bad enough that Will and Kate are on YET ANOTHER VACATION but would they really leave George behind?

And for the record, none of this would be a thing if only the public had a sense of what they needed a vacation from – Kate has made all of three public appearances since December 11th. William’s last public engagement was attending the BAFTAs. It’s not like they’re just super-exhausted, you know?

Update: Richard Palmer confirms that Prince George is not with Will & Kate. George is with staying with his Middleton grandparents.

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Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

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361 Responses to “Exhausted & overworked, Prince William & Kate flew to Maldives for a nice vacay”

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  1. LadyMTL says:

    Leave them alone. Don’t you know that it’s hard out there for a pimp? 😉

    *Goes back to shivering in the freezing temps and dreaming of a warm place like the Maldives*

    • idk says:

      How does the public find out when and where they are vacationing? Is there a press release or something? You’d think they’d try to keep it as private as possible for security reasons and because of backlash.

    • Priya says:

      When they’re busy doing all the PR and tours and stuff, and Kate has to smile 12 hours a day, it’s not really all that much fun. You can’t laze around in bed, you have to prepare, and it’s not as fun as it seems.

      There are plenty of rich people who do nothing all day. I don’t think she’d one of them.

  2. Dani2 says:

    Overworked? Lol.

    • Eva says:

      Don’t you have to work to be over worked, lazy spoiled shysters.

      • Meredith says:

        They’re rich and this is what rich people do (I think). I’m not looking at them as any kind of role model. They’re there to be entertainment IMO. I think Harry works hard though and the Windsor women (the queen and Princess Anne) could drive anybody into the ground with their work ethic.

        But I think Kaiser is right – no one in the royal family really wants Kate to work. They are too concerned that history will repeat itself and like Diana, Kate could potentially become more popular than them. A mute trophy wife suits their purpose much better than a real person who potentially break out on her own and go off script. Let her worry her little head off about vacations and clothes. That’s much safer.

      • anne_000 says:

        I don’t think there’s any danger of Kate becoming more popular than the other Royals, like Diana was. Kate can hardly speak a sentence without notes. She’s awkward around people. She gnarls up her hands into a claw-like shape & waves them around when speaking. She covers her face, clothes, jewelry with her hair. When she’s not gnarling up her hands, they’re on her hair or she moves her head to get the hair out of her face in a way that comes out making her look snobbish when photographed. She loves to expose herself. Watching videos of her being uncomfortable is uncomfortable. Looking at photos of her is like looking at some normal-looking person at a convenience store. She never changes her look. There’s never anything really new from one photo to another, regardless of location.

        Even now, when you watch Diana videos & look at her photos, you can see how charming she is, how well she engages with others, how well she did her speeches, how she played up her charity work for good public acceptance, how she changes her looks to make herself more interesting to the Public, etc. Diana knew how to play to the cameras & to the Public.

        Again, there’s no worry that Kate can ever eclipse the other Royals. She doesn’t have it in her & she doesn’t want to bother working hard to try to get on better with the Public.

    • Forthelasttime says:

      Yes but technically this is work if she’s going there to get pregnant.

  3. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    Wow, I’ve been getting it wrong for all these years! I always thought your rested AFTER you do the hard work, not before. I better go rest. I mean, I just got up, and I have a lot to do today. Wait, how does this work again?

    • This is particularly insulting to me right now, because DAMN do I need a vaca, preferably somewhere warm and tropical like the Maldives. .\/.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        Oh, I hope you can take one soon. Or at least a nap. Poor Kitten.

      • Thanks, Goodnames!
        BTW, click on my name if you want to see pics of my new kitten.
        Yes, I finally caved and joined Tumblr JUST to share pics of my cats..lol 😉

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        Oh my God those are ADORABLE!!! What beautiful animals and expressive faces. Makes me want one!

      • Aw thanks, Goodnames! They are the sweetest, most gentle pets you could imagine 😀

      • emmie_a says:

        Hope you don’t mind – I peeked too… Such pretty kitties!! I love the ‘Clare Danes Crying Face’ pics.

      • bluhare says:

        GAH!!! I clicked on your name and they are adorable!!! I want to know where you got the red tartan bowtie collar. (And loved your little girl showing her surgery shave!!)

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        @emmie- Yes please do! I wanted to share with my c/b friends so please feel free to look 🙂
        @bluhare–I wish that lil’ one was mine–just reblogged that pic from another blogger because that Fold has one paw in the air just like my girl does 🙂 I LOVE the bowtie too. I’ve seen similar collars on ebay.

        Thanks for looking ladies–as you can tell I’m a complete geek about my cats.

      • Erinn says:

        I want those kitties! So sweet!

      • bluhare says:

        I can’t believe I didn’t think of ebay. Sometimes I miss the obvious. We used to have a collar with a gingham bowtie for our cat, but she mangled it and now has a boring black collar. I’ll go look. Thanks, TOK!

      • emmie_a says:

        bluhare: Another place I always find cute pet collars is etsy. I’m addicted to that site!

      • LAR says:

        Such wonderful pics. My kitty is black so can be a challenge to photo.

      • Hiddles forever says:

        @TheOriginalKitten

        I only posted to say how cute your cats are! Oh my God! 🙂 🙂

      • T. Fanty Fan says:

        your kittens are adorable! Hope your vacay comes very soon!

      • LadySlippers says:

        @Kitten:
        Gurl you are SO in trouble! My daughter was all ‘See how adorable Scottish Folds are!!! I want one!’

        BTW: We already have four cats…

        *wags finger at Kitten*

        😉

      • Charlotte says:

        I’ve just had the whole family looking at your cats, Kitt. My delighted squeals drew everybody over. LOVE. Thank you for sharing.

    • Stef Leppard says:

      I love how their upcoming tour is “grueling.” I mean, yes, it will be tiresome, but grueling? Come on now.

      • Original N says:

        Do you think the journalist confused the upcoming tour with Kate’s workout/hair/make up/shopping daily or weekly schedule?! The amount of time she spends on herself would be intimidating and yes, even grueling, for me if I had to do it!

      • LadySlippers says:

        @Stef Leppard:
        Honestly overseas tours are very intense and exhausting. They cram as absolutely much as they can with almost no down time. Back to back engagements all while dealing with jet lag and such.

        We snark and question this simply because the Cambridge’s appear so damn work shy that we cannot fathom doing anything more strenuous than movie premieres or photo calls but they will be doing a lot more on an overseas tour.

        When Harry was doing his Jubilee Tour of the Caribbean he joked about how intense it really is. Plus he seems to inherited his mother’s chattiness that causes the schedule to be thrown off! Lol

        (Diana was famous for destroying the schedule because she always took extra time to be with people and talk to them. And obviously if your late to one engagement it quickly dominoes throughout the day. She used to ask why they didn’t build in time to allow her to connect as she wasn’t following their schedule if it meant she didn’t have that valuable face time with people. Diana was NOT a favourite of the Royal planners and handlers because of this. And Harry is very much his mother’s son in this regard but they probably tolerate it better with him.)

  4. ncboudicca says:

    I can’t anymore with these two.

    • Eva says:

      He really is crapping on all the goodwill he inherited via his mum. Lazy arsehole.

      • My2Pence says:

        Here’s how it will go with the tour and the goodwill from him mum:

        Kate Middleton will copy multiple Diana styles, utilizing her hairdresser and designers.

        They will trot out PR prop PGTips to recreate iconic Diana photoshoots.

        William will say at least once a day how much his dear departed mummy loved Australia (or NZ) and how she always wished she could bring her beloved boys back more often. Maybe he’ll even say it was one of the last things they ever talked about before she died.

        Royalists will swoon.

        Et voila, Wastrel and Waity are forgiven. Again.

        In celebration of their PR triumph, they go on vacation. Again.

        Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

    • fairyvexed says:

      An exhausting eight day tour? Jeez, I have newfound respect for Hiddleston’s promo work in SE Asia for Thor 2. What lazy gits these two are.

  5. BeckyR says:

    There is a word for people like this: that word is LAZY.

  6. Stephanie says:

    I’m glad that I’m not a British taxpayer!

    • Andrea says:

      These two will be the demise of the British Monarchy. I’m actually looking forward to watching this unfold. If my taxes supported these two I’d be seriously angry. I also wanted to add that likely the monarchy’s have always lived this lifestyle but with constant news now it’s reported on much more.

      • Stephanie says:

        I hear ya. I know a lot of people levy criticism against Diana, but at least she DID something.

    • Hiddles forever says:

      I am but I am not complaining. I originally come from a country where normal members of Parliament used to go on trips abroad with 200 people as staff…. The British monarchy, including the cousins of the cousins of the cousins, costs one third to British taxpayers of what other countries citizens pay for their corrupted Parliaments (Greece and Italy, I am talking about you….).

  7. ncboudicca says:

    Didn’t someone crack a joke on the thread about their apartments at Kensington Palace needing to be redecorated – therefore that was an excuse for them to go on holiday soon?

    Kudos to that prescient person. LOL

    • Original N says:

      YES! I am pretty certain it was our lovely My2Pence if memory serves me correctly!

  8. QQ says:

    Sweet minty Christ!

    • Liberty says:

      hahhaha! your comments always make my day.

      • bluhare says:

        And we need Book 2 of Fifty Shades of Windsor, stat!!! 😉

      • Liberty says:

        @bluhare As you wish

        FIFTY SHADES OF WINDSOR: Book Two

        “I order thee to go await me at your beach house, wench!” barked the plummy controlling voice that Romina knew only too well by this second week of her employment — it was the voice of William Baldtop, the young version of Prince Albert of Monaco! ! “I have a fancy for a Singapore Sling upon your working class Eastern European bootie, har har! I like the common touch, har har, what ho, call the Mirror! I am leaving the beach now! I shall shake my bodyguard, har!”

        “Oi, your lordship! I’m a good girl I am!” begged the startled foreign-born literature student nanny, unhappily twisting the small twig painted with a face that was the only person who cared about her in the entire British Isles and now, in the Indian Ocean paradise she had been swept off to although her baby charge had actually been left behind at a Sandringham kennel. “I must be seeings to the holiday clothing’s of the wife person! She is still with the strange loud man you brought with us, and he has the paint chips and pictures of the not purple things! He keeps to say to her in loud voices, Focus, focus! I am frightened! She cannot do the focus! It is hours! The man, he say he go crazy! She makes twirls in her hair and cannot understand! I beg her, pick one color, Miss, that is all, just one! I try to go put her in a sundress now — –”

        “Jolly perfect!” breathed William Baldtop into the small untraceable phone that he had given her along with his gifts of a small white nanny apron, small five inch nanny heels, and and small nanny skirt. “She’ll be at it for hours! leave them and go to your beach cottage –I’ll be over– I won’t be wearing panties, har har! Oh and I say, I decided whilst swimming that I shall call you Cressida and you will like it! Cressida here I come! — spanky time! Jolly good fun! Now get moving!”

        The young nanny quailed. Oh why was she drawn to do his bidding? Ah yes — Scotland Yard had her visa. “I — I — am on my way!’

      • Kali says:

        Take my money!!! Take it!!!!

      • bluhare says:

        LOL, Liberty! The visual of Kate with her decorator is spectacular. 🙂

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        Liberty…..oh my God!

        I just laughed so hard that I started hyperventilating for a few minutes……I echo Kali’s sentiments–TAKE MY MONEY! Hell, I’ll give you my entire bank account if you keep it up.

        ” Cressida here I come! — spanky time!”———my FAVE line…

        I needed that ^^^^^^^^^^^…I’m a little pissed off right now. You know those ‘stories’ that I linked a few days ago, about Chelsea Handler, and timelines??? Me and my gossipy friend wrote and researched it. Today I just got an email from AO3.org (it’s a fanfic site) that the stuff that we wrote had been flagged by a bunch of people who said it was violating the site’s content rules i.e. it isn’t technically fanfiction. Which is a load of bullshit. We didn’t masquerade the writing as anything other than gossip, no one is forced to click on anything, and the only reason that they even flagged it is because we weren’t saying that Jennifer Aniston was a goddess among women, or that those women who accuse Jared Leto of choking them w/out consent are lying skanks.

        So I’ll be pretty upset if AO3 deletes them. Sigh.

      • FLORC says:

        Love it! That’s all.

      • My2Pence says:

        @VC. I hope you saved all of that writing somewhere else. You can always create a free blog and post it there, then direct people to your work!

      • Liberty, you STILL crack me up…..

        @My2Pence (love your name)
        I did–it’s on blogspot now….

  9. Belle Epoch says:

    Is she really pregnant with twins? I could scrape up a little understanding for one last vacation before turning into a house and then having 3 kids under 3. Maybe.

  10. Angelic 21 says:

    You know what really annoys me that they so blatantly lie through their teeth and we are just supposed to be grateful that they are married, she looks pretty and wear nice clothes.

    We were told it would be a travesty for Kate to have leave George to do few engagements per week, she is just a hard working, normal stay at home mom on maternity leave so stop going after her jealous haters. Flash forward few weeks she have no problem to leave her son with mommy to take a week long vacation away from him in half way through the world.

    Second thing that annoys me the most is them exploiting their son for good PR like some cheap celebrities. First they made a big deal about not leaving him at home for their NZ/Australia trip because they can’t be apart from him. They made everyone alter the whole trip keeping George in mind, hence costing both UK and the host government probably millions in security etc but then they just leave their son to go on a week long vacation again 11 hrs flight away. So it obvious they don’t mind being away from him but are bringing him with them because it’s what Diana did(they have nothing original) and to use him as a good publicity prop just like celebrities use their kids for positive media.

    And not but the least let’s blame Charles, Queen and everybody on earth for their laziness. Don’t you know those tax payer funded police officers are not there to protect them but are there on Chuck and Queen’s notice to to make sure they go on 1 vacation after the other on gun point. Not on only they are forcing them to not work but take vacation after vacation, they also have the audacity to force Kate into not taking her bikini off while outside her Villa, they are so mean.

    I understand we SHOULD criticize WILLIAM but why not Kate? Why isn’t she supposed to get any criticism for being a tax payer funded trophy wife and nothing more especially if she is promoted as role model? Does she bear no responsibility for being a doormat wife with no backbone and intention do anything other then being his official wife? She have power now that she have George, she can tell Will, Chuck or whoever else to blame for their shortcomings that she wants to work more and don’t accept no for an answer just like she did when she wanted to stay with her mum after giving birth. She has shown when she wants something like spending time with her family, she doesn’t mind demanding that but obviously when it comes to work she can’t do anything about it because it’s not in her hand. It’s just like with Wills, when he wants to not work as a royal, stay with in laws, spend Christmas away from RF, won’t take official photos of George, won’t invite extended family to his son’s christening etc he is able to get his way but when it comes to being a working royal or increasing their work load somehow RF starts dominating him and he is in their control and can’t so anything about it.

    I so hope they get photographed and UK press publish it. These 2 parasites always need a vacation before they start working and after when their tour ends, usually ‘normal’ people take vacations after they have worked.

    3 engagements and @ vacations in 2 months, what excuse their fans have for this?

    • LAK says:

      Stop being a jelli h8er!!

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        Yuh, u r jaeleous

      • My2Pence says:

        @LAK. You forgot the parts about how she must be overweight, alone, poor, ugly, and have multiple cats.

        @Angelic21. There are plenty of excuses being given for these two on the sugar board (TRF) and the HRHDuchessKate blog. Including the overall, “They don’t need excuses, they are rich, they are allowed to go on vacation whenever they want, they don’t owe anyone anything, they didn’t want to go on vacation but they HAD to do this to prepare PGTips to be without them for 2 whole days during the tour”

      • bluhare says:

        Tuppence, Duchess Kate is full of people really pissed off about this. I was surprised.

      • My2Pence says:

        Yes, bluhare, some of them are being logical and admitting that they are disappointed. But there seem to be just as many who are saying they have every right to do this, AND that anyone who disagrees with it isn’t a true fan and should never post on the site again. Traitors in their midst as it were!

    • Angelic 21 says:

      Just wanted to add the way they are going I think George will turn out to be even more pompous, entitled, spoiled and out of touch then both Chuck and Andrew put together. I just love it how these 2 goes from being modern, independent, breaking all the protocols for their wishes to be completely under the thumb of Chuck and Queen and completely controlled by them. The 2 opposite narrations goes so beautifully hand in hand when it’s required to worship and defend them.

      • Hazel says:

        Good insight. Although that could simply be the narrative created by the papers.

      • Dame Snarkweek says:

        Hey! Leave little Georgie out of this one. I defend the future of those cheeks 🙂

    • Bored suburbanhousewife says:

      I may be off base here but my experience as both a mother and a daughter makes me suspect Wills and Kate are “willful” people who make their own choices and Her Majesty & Charles have little control. Among other reasons, I think the Queen is in great shape but elderly and has pretty much given up the role of riding herd on her children & grandchildren. She’s tired and doesn’t want to waste her time fretting & quarreling. Ditto Charles, who may also feel eternally guilt ridden about Diana and impact on William. And don’t say Charles can order them around because of the money. Anyone who has watched or experienced parents trying to control their grown children with or without money knows how well that works. Plus William is so sulky I’m sure Charles would be afraid of the bad publicity a public rift or hints of tension & conflict would bring. A whole house od unneeded hassle and pain when he just wants a quiet life tending his garden, working on his causes etc.

      So this is all William as Kate has always molded her life entirely to suit him. And he just has an entitled, sorry for himself sort of disposition. But interestingly the British press is finally starting to shade him and maybe that is the only thing that could prod him to change.

      • Juliette says:

        Yes, this. Everyone walks on eggshells for William, waiting for his next tantrum. The heir to the throne is often a spoiled man, but William is spoiled, surly and resentful of his duties. The arrogance of a man who doesn’t realize that all his privileges are given to him by the good graces of the public, the same public he scorns so thoroughly, and the public requires only a part-time commitment to good works. Its such a meager duty, and he bears the burden so horrendously.

        Apparently, they’ve rented out the entire luxury hotel in the Maldives. William cannot bear the idea of the peasants coming near him, and Kate wishes to exhibit her private bits in a very public way. They are gross.

      • bluhare says:

        I was just over at Popsugar and they’ve got photos of the place. Is it ever gorgeous.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      I thought Kaiser had it right when she said that Kate pretty much does what they tell her to do. If the Queen told her to work harder, she would. I think they’re trying to be sure she doesn’t overshadow William, or become as independently popular as Diana. Not that I think she’s begging to work harder, but they don’t want her to be worshipped on her own while William goes off on jaunts to slaughter wildlife. The question does boil down to why doesn’t HE work harder, so this isn’t an issue?

      • Angelic 21 says:

        But why not criticize her for not doing anything on her own? That’s her choice isn’t just like she made not to work at all before her marriage? She willing took the role of a stepford wife of 1940’s for title and status, why not hold her accountable for that? I do get that she is not allowed to rein free like Diana but as I said she can put up a fight or put her foot down IF SHE ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO ANYTHING. That’s the point I’m trying to make that she herself don’t want to do anything and that’s completely on her. And even when she does grace us with her presence, she is so unprofessional and unprepared with flying skirts, hairs, horrible speeches, she can’t even be a good clothes horse. Who’s responsible for this?

        I personally don’t get the excuse that if Queen’s okay, we shouldn’t criticize the golden duo. If anything Diana’s situation showed us HM have the most questionable judgement and hate confrontation until and unless there is no other option and it’s too late. HM lack of objection means squat IMO, after all she thought it was okay for Chuck and Di to boink other people as long they made happy couple appearances.

      • LAK says:

        You make a very good point about HM.

        She’s demonstrated horrendous judgement when she has exercised it, so best she keeps out of it even as we condemn her for doing nought.

        She let the war of the Wales run for 10yrs before stepping in. She had to be publicly shamed, not to mention public being whipped into metaphoric pitchfork frenzy, over Diana’s funeral. She’s never once exercised good judgement in who she is asked to meet and shake hands with-every dictator during her reign. She didn’t volunteer to pay taxes until she needed her castle fixing. That’s just a few examples.

        She ONLY intervenes when the monarchy itself ie her family’s position is threatened. The only things she’s shown passion and or initiative with follow through are Philip and her horses. The rest can suck it, as long as her own position isn’t threatened.

      • FLORC says:

        I have to agree with Angelic here.
        Yes William deserves so much blame here, but Kate isn’t not free of this.
        She may only do as she’s told or is perfectly content to do nothing if no one says otherwise.
        And for a person with her resources apathy is a crime. Should she tell 1 person to assemble a team and form some event to help a charity she visits once a year it would be such a difference. But lifting that finger would be exhausting work I guess.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        @Anglic 21
        Yes, I see your point.

      • My2Pence says:

        @LAK. HM really is the quintessential Taurus, isn’t she?

        “I have” “mine mine mine”, that’s the motto. Duty, tradition, responsibility and a whole lot of negatives. Stubborn; would marry Philip and only Philip no matter what, Nazi in-laws be damned. Just wants a peaceful environment, with her husband and her horses (and all of “her” stuff like palaces, country estates, and jewels). Huge blinders when it comes to her family or people she has chosen as friends (ie. dictators invited to parties). Buries her head in the sand, ignores problems, and hopes they just go away. Digs in her heels and refuses to act until given no other choice. Thinks her values are the ones that count, no matter how much that stance hurts the people she loves (ex. Margaret not allowed to marry a divorced man because HM decided it was against her version of God and counted as adultery, but put up with Philip’s affairs). Creature of habit who does the same thing at the same time every year. Doesn’t tell anybody what to do, just waits in the background until they realize she was right all along.

        Screams Taurus right on down to measuring the leftovers to make sure none of the staff are sneaking slices of her favorite chocolate biscuit cake.

      • LadySlippers says:

        @LAK @My2Pence @GoodNames:
        It’s nice to see that others are commenting on HM who is indeed, not perfect. People keep assuming she runs her family with an iron hand but nothing could be farther from the truth as LAK illustrates. Elizabeth II only takes action when things are extreme in nature which does a lot of damage to the BRF even when others appear to be the issue.

        I look at how Margrethe II handles the Danish Royal Family as a better example of a family that’s modern, Royal, is what their country wants and needs, and still manages crisis well. Elizabeth II, for all her longevity doesn’t manage her family half as well as Margrethe II does.

        @Angelic @Bored:
        I firmly place the lion’s share of the blame on William because he is not only the born Royal, he seemed to choose a follower to marry. Followers follow and they tend not to take initiative to do things on their own. I don’t expect Kate to be like Anne, Diana, Sarah, and Sophie — which is to grab the bull by the horns and get really involved in charity work.

      • bluhare says:

        As someone who’s cut Kate some slack for being under William’s thumb, I think you’re right, Angelic.

      • Suze says:

        @My2Pence – I won’t argue QEII’s negative qualities – she certainly has them and you are right about that.

        However, Philip’s mother was most assuredly not a Nazi. She was a very brave woman – probably one of the best royals of the last century, eccentricities and all – and I hate to see her lumped in with the rest of his less savory relatives.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Ladyslippers,

        Margrethe II of Denmark learned a lot from her mother, the late Queen Ingrid, who really was one of the driving forces of making the Danish Royal Family more open, accessible and modern. When she married the Danish Crown Prince (later Frederik IX) she arrived in a stiff and stuffy family with a strict king (who in many respects was politically tone-deaf and almost got the RF booted because he unlawfully fired the government in 1920 – he later earned back a lot of goodwill during the occupation in 1940-45), and a reclusive queen.

        In a sense, Margrethe was elected a Queen by the Danish public in 1953, when a public referendum changed the law to allow female inheritance, thereby bypassing the king’s brother Knud, who was deemed unsuitable (apparently, he was a bit dim).

        Margethe was groomed by her parents for the duties and responsibilites of a monarch and she takes that very seriously. She also understands to balance the fine line between royal mystique, spectacle and openness. Her New Year’s speech is a yearly ritual for many, many Danes and she isn’t afraid to admonish the nation if she feels something isn’t right (fx in regard to xenophobia) – never in a political manner, but on a more common human level. I think she perfectly understands the function of the monarchy in a modern democracy – the sovereign (and by extension the RF) has to function as a national symbol, one of the elements that binds the imagined community that is the nation together.

        I’m quite certain that she also has mentored and groomed the royal brides that have married her sons, much like her mother Ingrid mentored Sweden’s Queen Silvia when she married her king.

        As regards the BRF, they seem really out of touch with modern reality (perhaps save Charles and Sophie), trapped in a time-pocket from the 1940-50s. And I’m not really sure that Elizabeth II has done such a stellar job as a monarch. She does her duty, but from my side of the North Sea, she doesn’t really appear to inspire the interest and loyalty that one can see in the other European monarchies. She has ruled for a very long time, which often confers its own admiration, but so did Queen Victoria , who was a fixed institution towards the end of her reign, who in many respects was a rather poor monarch and who was rightly critizied for it by her own government (especially when she went into years of seclusion after the death of Prince Albert).

        Public perception is everything for the modern, constitutional monarchy – it depends on the goodwill of the people and of its symbolic value as a national unifier. When the disparity between the members of the RF and the general public becomes to glaringly obvious, then monarchy looses that symbolic function. This is why I think that Will and Kates numerous and expensive holidays are a HUGE error PR-wise, especially in an economic recession when many people can’t afford one, let alone several holidays a year. Just look at the comments on the Daily Mail!

        They really should sit up and take notice, because the article itself shades them and their frivolous habits! It looks like the criticism is moving beyond comments at gossip sites, blogs and internet fora. However, I don’t think that they are intelligent enough, or even bothered, to acknowledge this. I get the impression that they are living in a bubble, protected from the reality that the rest of us live in – so did Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. It didn’t work out well for them.

      • My2Pence says:

        @ Suze. I was referring to the brothers-in-law, I should have been more specific. And I agree, I think Princess Alice was both an inspirational and ultimately tragic figure.

      • LadySlippers says:

        Apparently the sister that died with her whole family died because her husband had decided to leave the Nazi party. So the Nazi party responded by killing not only him but his pregnant wife and their young children.

      • Original N says:

        Happy Saturday Blu, LAK, Ladyslippers, Suze, FLORC, My2P & GoodNames! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts from yesterday! I am sad to missed such a popular post.

        @ArtHistorian – I really, really enjoyed reading your post this morning!

      • LadySlippers says:

        @ArtHistorian:
        I have heard a lot of good things about Ingrid and your information only adds to it. Can you recommend good books so I can learn more about her? She sounds fascinating.

        And I do think Margrethe II mentors her daughters-n-law which is something I think every Sovereign should do for all married in Royals. I still think how she handled Joachim and Alexandra’s divorce as THE model on how a Royal divorce should be conducted. Which is in complete contrast to how the BRF does it. The BRF does have the nasty press that other countries don’t have but that doesn’t mean you need to act in a way that feeds it either.

        BTW, I think Charles is fairly out of step with the public but totally agree that Sophie seems to be very spot on. The BRF needs a lot more Sophie’s…

      • hmmm says:

        @ArtHistorian,

        I really appreciate your info on how other monarchies deal with the 21st century. I tend to think of most of royalty as simple “upper class twits”, a la the BRF. Margrethe sounds like a peach, with brains and insight and a care for passing on a substantial legacy to those who follow her.

        I’ve always admired QEII for her sense of duty, but it also makes her rigid. In effect, there is little admirable about how she is handling things now and what her goals have been for the preservation of the monarchy. She seems to think about survival instead of enrichment and passing on a mindful legacy like Margrethe II.

        BTW, I especially am impressed that Margrethe mentors brides who marry in. Remarkable! I shall have to check her out.

        Thanks again, ArtHistorian. Invaluable information. Gives us some insight too, into what BRF is doing wrong and how it can, indeed, be turned around. Also puts paid to all the remarks that, well, what do you expect from the wealthy/aristos, this is what they are and do?

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Original N and Ladyslippers,

        Thanks for the nice feedback! I research national identity formations, and monarchies play an important role in this regard – especially in Denmark where there is an 85% approval rate.

        Queen Ingrid was amazing – incredibly stylish and sophisticated when she was young, and very much the matriarch of the family, especially close to Crown Prince Frederik. Her husband loved her very much and was very affectionate in public – I know of one image where he plants a big kiss on her. He was also very openly affectionate with his daughters – there was no stiff upper lip! The Crown Prince even shed a little tear at his wedding when his bride walked up the isle – and it endeared him to a lot of people. I’ll try to find some photos and post links.

        I look into books on Ingrid but I think that most of them are in Danish.

        I do think that the BRF are doing a lot of things wrong. I don’t understand why they don’t televise more events, fx the diplomatic dinner – it is a perfect opportunity for good PR and some glamour. In Denmark, the Queen and the royal family meet members of the government and foreign diplomats every New Year’s Day. It is a glitzy affair with big gowns, tiaras and national costumes – and the arrival of all the dignitaries and the royals is televised. They do the same thing with weddings, jubilees and round birthdays. We get to see the speeches at the dinners – and the wedding waltz at the weddings ( it also makes it easy to relate to them as people and a family). The Queen also participate in TV programs – fx about the history of the royal jewels, or her work with the Royal Theatre where she on occasion has designed costumes or her work with an H.C. Andersen film where she did a lot of the art work and had a small cameo role as an angry pesasant woman!

        She recently had her 40th Jubilee – and she did a very long program where she shared her memories of her family and how she experienced the big historical events. I watched it with my father, who about her age – and he began reminiscing while we watched the program. The were both young children during the German occupation and they actually had very similar experiences of the Liberation. Both were woken up after their usual bedtime, was told the news and got a treat. She was in the palace and my father in a more humble appartment, but despite those differences their experience was quite similar. She also shared that she followed the Cuban missile crisis on radio on a ferry and 9/11 on television at a friends’ house. This program was really brilliant because she shared her experience of momentous occasions that many others also remember – and it makes her very relatable as a human being and not just a remote royal Queen. It is a perfect example on the communicative aspect of a community’s collective memories – an element that helps cement a state into a nation, an imagined community

      • ArtHistorian says:

        More about Margethe II:

        For a while I worked at the Royal reception Rooms at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen (as a tour guide and at functions such as royal audiences and state councils). The Queen gives audiences once a month where people who have recieved a commendation come and give thanks. She might see up to 30 or 40 people in one day – each with a 5 minute slot. I often spoke to a lot of those people, and it really struck me how happy they were after the audience because they really felt that they had her full attention in those 5 minutes. She reads up on each person so she can do meaningful small talk and it really works! It is a small thing but it generates a lot of goodwill!

        In recent years the DRF has also begun working closely with the Foreign Office and Danish Industry and Commerce for their foreign tours. They travel with a delegation of diplomats and businessmen, who make contacts and broker big business deals on these occasions. The royals are not directly involved in this but their presence adds some glitz and glamour and there has been a marked effect – spokes-people from Danish Industry and Commerces have confirmed that they brokered som very important contracts more easily that without the royal aura. This approach has been very successful in Russia and Vietnam. The royal family also allowed a camera crew to shadow them – both on the tour but also at the palace for all the prep-work they did before, and it gives the Danish citizens some insight into a lot of the work that goes on behind the scenes. We know that their work consists of more than official appearances! It think that one of the BRF’s main weaknesses is that they are so closed off and remote. Plus, they are obviously a dysfunctional lot, which doesn’t help.

    • xantha says:

      *Slow claps*

    • hmmm says:

      Awesome comment, Angelic! In a nutshell!

      I especially never considered that they seem to have no trouble whatsoever getting their way when they want to. No one is keeping them down.

    • anne_000 says:

      I agree. It’s not like Kate is all raring to go to work. She wasn’t a work person before she married. Didn’t the Queen have to step in & tell her to do something with her life? I doubt she came into this marriage saying “Oh Whoopie! Now I can go to work & do great things for all my charities!” but then the Royals quashed her ambitions. She was lazy before marriage. She married herself a lazy man whose family can’t stop him from being lazy. She’s continuing her laziness now. I seriously doubt that one of the things she quarrels over with Will & his family is how she’s not given enough work to do. She’s probably thinking “All I have to do is shop, get my hair done, & go on vacations with as little face time with the Public & charities as possible? JACKPOT!”

      • bluhare says:

        And I just don’t get it, anne. She could do anything she wanted (almost!) and has an opportunity most of us would love to have, and she does nothing. She could bring attention and money to some really great causes. She could spearhead initiatives to get people thinking about things. So much stuff. And she doesn’t. I’m amazed.

      • hmmm says:

        @bluehare,

        And did you notice that they never go anywhere interesting? They have the wherewithal to explore and learn and sample other cultures and all they’re capable of is lazing on a beach somewhere, waited on hand and foot just like when they’re ‘working’. What a lack of imagination and curiosity. What a passive waste of life. Dullards.

      • bluhare says:

        hmmmm, I haven’t got over my insane jealousy of them being on that gorgeous beach (saw some photos of the place elsewhere) to be practical yet. One of the few times I’m proud to wear my Jellus H8r hat because I am definitely jealous right now! 🙂

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Yep, they are also intellectually and imaginatively lazy! It must be really dull to be in their heads – whatever do they even think about!

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        That’s what KILLS me bluhare. If I ever become a rich and famous author–I can just imagine what I would do with that money.

        Some of my ideas include: funding ‘rape kids’ (that idea I read from Camilla–where you give rape victims a little basket after their examination, of luxury/expensive soaps, shampoos, and chocolates), starting up some kind of program that gives money to foster children who aged out of the system, so that they have money to get themselves settled, start up communities/nursing homes for senior citizens whose family can’t or won’t take care of them as they get older–free of charge, build more homless shelters, and help provide homes for men/women with abusive partners who WILL come looking for them and their children….the list goes on.

        And if I had the money, I’d buy a house and adopt a bunch of kids right now.

        What does this lazy trick do?

        Look down every two seconds at an introduction to an art gallery (for a speech that lasted a minute at the most), where she’s pretty much telling the people that the gallery is amazing and extensive–not like she had to go into details at the art periods/collections/artists–which she should know. Wasn’t she an art degree major?

        Go on vacation to rest her delicate self, in anticipation of having to spend more than an HOUR in front of cameras, looking cute–that’s her WORK. She’s not digging ditches to help alleviate the flooding, etc. She’s getting her hair done and smiling. I understand that it’s hard and tiring to be ON all the time—but it’s a lot better gig than most things, and I doubt she understands or cares.

        Ugh….I can’t stand these two. William is the most lazy, useless man I’ve ever seen out in the public, and THAT’S who HE chose as his wife–knowing his mother’s legacy–Diana may have been a little crazy–but she wasn’t lazy.

      • bluhare says:

        Love the aging foster child idea, Virgilia.

        And you make an excellent point about William’s choice of wife. Hadn’t really looked at it in quite that way before!

      • ArtHistorian says:

        I really don’t understand Kate. She has an art history degree and the Royal Art Collection is a treasure house! I would be like a kid in a candy store! Hell, I’m already thinking about what marvelous exhibitions that could be made, based on the royal collection. The history of royal portraits – they must have a huge archive. I know that they have a lot by Laurits Tuxen (he is one of my specialties), a Danish painter who portrayed all the royal families of Europe in the late 19th century. He did many paintings of the BRF and had a rather good working relationship with Queen Victoria. They have Leonardo’s Michelangelo’s (drawings), Van Dycks and a masterpiece by Artemisia Gentileschi. These works should be shared with the public – and it might even generate a reasonable income. The BRF just sit on this treasure – and Kate doesn’t even seem interested, despite her education.

      • FLORC says:

        Virgilia
        You do mean.. Rape kits, right? not rape kids?
        It truly takes almost nothing to raise awareness for their charities. 5 or more vacations a year, but maybe 1 sit down charity visit per charity for almost an hour.

        Wasn’t there a strong rumor a year ago that 1 of Kate’s charities wanted to drop her. She actually did more harm as a patron for them by not attending the auction event.

        And as someone who survived a sexual assault her kits sound lovely. I personally would have appreciated the thought and gesture of the kit more than the items. The smallest gesture can be the world to someone.

        And I love your dream of a big house with foster kids. You sound like you have a huge heart.

      • Dame Snarkweek says:

        FLORC
        I didn’t know this. Are you speaking of yourself? My God, if so, how strong and brave you are…

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        @FLORC
        I meant ‘kits’—can’t believe I didn’t catch that 🙂
        I’m sorry—I just found out a while ago that one of my sister’s friends (someone that we’ve had over our house for years) was raped and had to go to court and actually see the a-hole.
        Internet hugs…

        But I read that Camilla started that/funds a program like that in Britain–to give rape victims a basket of some expensive/brand name soap, shampoo, bathing crystals–basically a spa package and some chocolate (I’d go especially heavy on the chocolate) to them.

      • bluhare says:

        We talked about the rape kit initiative here. I remember it, as we all thought it was so simple and such a nice gesture. Camilla’s office put the initial kits together if I remember correctly. I wonder if it ever got off the ground.

        Recently I read Charles is campaigning for better hospital food. That’s another one. Simple, yet what a difference a nice meal would be as you’re getting your appetite back!

    • Original N says:

      @Angelic 21 – Work was beyond chaotic for me yesterday & so I am just reading through this posting now (and it is an epic one!). Well done! You summarized almost all of my criticisms without me having to type a word. 🙂

  11. TheEntrepreneursWife says:

    Maybe Wills had to do something to make it up to Waity for the Spain debacle. Perhaps she really didn’t know the ex would be there, and this vacation is his way of apologizing. Can’t wait to hear what the BRF experts on here have to say!

    • ReturnoftheMac says:

      This. I’m thinking there are BIG problems brewing under the surface in their marriage. OR there is some major gossip about to spill. Personally I think there’s going to be a big scandal drop and they’re probably trying for baby #2 as a distraction.

    • Mary says:

      I think this trip is meant as a distraction from William taking his ex gf on the last vacation. They want to keep up the image of happily married for the Aus/NZ trip.
      The DM is reporting George stayed with Carol. Has Will even seen George since his baptism?

      • BendyWindy says:

        I wish I was rich. I didn’t know you needed a vacation to procreate. Ha.

      • Green Girl says:

        But why go on a trip, then? If they want to go the route of showing how much they’re in looooove, wouldn’t it be better to show up at a few charity events together, be seen having a romantic date night in and around London once or twice a week, and so on? Going my proposed route would also show they ARE working, and would keep the thoughts of “Didn’t they just go on vacation?” at bay.

      • LadySlippers says:

        @Green Girl:
        The DM reported on a date night not that long ago (about a week?) so they are indeed checking all the ‘boxes’ to show everyone how in love they are.

        BTW Daily Mail — Last year was William and Kate’s ‘2nd Honeymoon’ making this their ‘3rd Honeymoon’. Or is it their 4th since they took one pre-George’s birth? I’m losing count!

      • Green Girl says:

        Thanks for the clarification, LadySlippers! It does seem like they’re trying to be careful with their appearances.

        BTW, I read “To Marry an English Lord”! Very good, very informative. I got a good chuckle over the ‘rules’ of having an affair.

      • LadySlippers says:

        @Green Girl: Yes! Those rules ARE funny! And they have ‘rules for their rules!’. Lol

        I’m glad you liked it. It really helped explain the culture that was only hinted at in articles and other books. But that culture is essential to understanding the aristocracy and the Royals.

      • Original N says:

        @ Green Girl & LadySlippers – do tell! What are these rules? I won’t have time to read the book for awhile…

      • LadySlippers says:

        @Original N:
        Basically husbands do whatever they please as long as they show up for official things. And wives, along with turning the other way in regards to hubby’s wandering… eye… get to go play themselves once an ‘heir and spare’ are delivered. Hubby’s equally turn a blind eye to children that might not (read probably not) be theirs as long as the ‘heir and spare’ are theirs (often later born children are fathered by lovers which is very common throughout history).

        Marriages are more business arrangements and once ‘duty’ has been achieved (creating the heir and spare) husbands and wives are encouraged to find happiness elsewhere. IF they fall in love themselves — it’s a rare thing indeed.

    • Sharon Lea says:

      Yes, I also wonder if William came up with this trip for Kate to appease her. I still cannot fathom an ex girlfriend on a hunting trip with only 5 other people. I live in hunting country and women do not ‘tag along.’

      And what an odd college course, that William can take 2 vacations when its only 10 weeks long.

      • wolfpup says:

        I thought that it was a “make-it-up to her” trip as well. It seems strange that they have been taking so much time apart with the Mustique vacation, as well as William’s 10 week “course”, and his trip with Jecca. I wonder if William might be having a hard time “adjusting”.

  12. pretty says:

    what a bunch of literally useless people. especially that woman.

  13. PHD Gossip says:

    Finally, after years of a phony charade of a happy marriage, the world media caught up with the phoniness of these two.
    Bespoke university = chasing coeds.

    • Christin says:

      Bingo. My thoughts exactly. Bespoke may be his excuse to escape to his immature, carefree days (minus Kate and baby, that is).

  14. LAK says:

    I’m taking the DM stance on this. It’s a second honeymoon for two people enjoying the romance of the century. PGtips can suck it!!

    • anne_000 says:

      I guess they’re labeling this vacation as a “second honeymoon” in order to make it sound like it’s something important & necessary for the health of the couple’s marriage. It sounds bad to label it as “just another vacation because they enjoy taking vacations every other month.”

      I read in DM how they’re the only ones at the 45-bungalow resort due to security reasons. How nice……

      • bluhare says:

        The DM used the term “their party” which makes me wonder if there are others there besides their security people.

  15. Maefabulous says:

    As a British taxpayer, I can’t even put into words my contempt and venom and these feckless, lazy gobshi.tes.

    I actually cannot believe we are footing the bill for this!

  16. feebee says:

    What do they do when not at public events? They (at least William) must DO something. I can’t believe he sits around doing nothing. Does he work via Charles on his projects, seeing as he may be continuing that sort of thing.

    Not defending anybody, just thinking that surely public appearances can’t be all they do that can be considered work.

    I laugh at the “grueling” tour of Aus/NZ. It might be a tightly packed schedule but it won’t be “grueling”. They’ll be fanned over in a pretty nice climate (no frizzy hair for Kate), good local food and wine and probably some spectacular scenery. So hard!

    • Hazel says:

      Yeah, I liked that ‘grueling’ description, too. They’re not rebuilding houses after the earthquake, now are they? In the sun, all day long, no rest breaks? Don’t think so.

    • Green Girl says:

      I wonder what a typical day is like for them, too, when they’re not in public. Perhaps they take meetings, help create a work schedule and itinerary? At least, I hope.

      • LAK says:

        Nope. That’s what their office staff are paid to do.

        The office staff simply inform their royal where they need to be, having made all the arrangements beforehand.

        If the royal is interested, they can attend meetings and be more involved in the day to day activities of their own office and by extension their patronages, but that is an unusual royal.

  17. louiselouisa says:

    They’re coming to my town on their NZ tour. Maybe I should hold up a sign that says “stop vacationing, yer gits!”

    Or just ask them why they don’t just take 4 weeks off a year, like their future subjects do. Ugh.

    • Eva says:

      I double dare you

    • dahlianoir says:

      omg DO IT PLEASE

    • Abbicci says:

      Is there any way I can send you some money to offset the cost of that sign? Maybe I could pay for a bunch of signs and your friends will hold them?

      • vava says:

        oh god, that would be fantastic. Thousands of signs! Or just turning backs on the lovely couple as they walk by. That would send a powerful message as well.

      • Lou says:

        My friends would actually do that. We’d get smited, but man it would be worth the permanent injuries! 😀

    • Pimlico says:

      As a hard-pressed British taxpayer having to fund these permanent vacationers, I’m begging you: please, please make your sign and wave it in full view proudly.

    • My2Pence says:

      Gather together tons of your friends and relations and be front and center in the crowd. Then all of you do the silent “turn your backs” protest when William and Kate wander by waving and grinning.

      • vava says:

        +1 Just saw your post after I typed something similar. We are of like mind!

      • Original N says:

        What My2Pence said! This would be the most effective & if a photograph was taken and published, it would be in stark contradiction to the positive effects of Diana’s trip so many years ago (which many hope will be replicated by this Dolittle couple) and really start to draw attention to the general sentiment of criticism being expressed by more and more hardworking people!

      • My2Pence says:

        It would also be impressive if the hard-working members of the Irish Guards contacted Clarence House and said, nope, we don’t want them to visit us. Send someone else to hand out the shamrocks or we’re not participating this year. Never going to happen, but wouldn’t it be lovely? (Figured the Eliza Dolittle quote went nicely with Duchess Dolittle)

    • Hazel says:

      Double-dog, triple-dog dare you!

    • Peri says:

      Please do it. Please. I have some cousins in Australia and I will pay them and you to do it!

      • Lou says:

        Pressure’s on me now, guys! 🙂 hahaha I will actually attempt to do this, but no promises, as I know the security here can be a bit over-the-top about hiding this sort of thing. Can’t make ourselves look bad to the almighty colonists!

        My town is small and known as the most English town in NZ, so I’ll have to be careful that the pitchfork brigade don’t come after me! I might have to move… 😀

  18. bettyrose says:

    Um, has anyone considered that they’re in the Maldives on an official diplomatic visit to meet with top officials in hopes of deescalating the growing tensions between the Maldives and the Crown? My gawd people the Maldives has an arsenal of WMDs and the British people live in constant fear.

    • FLORC says:

      Hmm.. I didn’t know that. I would suspect if this was actual work it would be more hyped as such.

      • Is Bettyrose kidding? I couldn’t tell if you were being sarcastic or not..

        But if you’re serious, then I agree with FLORC. I would assume that they would be all about promoting anything that could give positive PR. Seems like they’re just on yet another vacation.

      • layla says:

        I’m guessing Betty Rose’s comment is laden with heavy sarcasm.

      • FLORC says:

        Ugh. I have a very difficult time understanding sarcasm in text format. Makes more sense now!

    • bettyrose says:

      Sarcasm? Me? No way, I’m relieved that such highly skilled diplomats as Will & Kate are keeping an eye on those volatile tiny island nations. It’s dangerous work, but someone has to do it. 😉

      • Ha ha ha..damn you! 😀

        I was like “huh? am I missing something?’

      • Reece says:

        ITA bettyrose! You know it doesn’t just help the UK but the entire world for them to go to and keep such volatile islands like the Maldives, Mustique (the entire Caribbean even) and even yes the Seychelles at bay.
        I know I sleep better at night.

      • bluhare says:

        They can’t cover them all at once, bettyrose! I volunteer for Hawaii or the Seychelles.

    • Cazzee says:

      bettyrose – given your skilful use of sarcasm, you might *really* enjoy this book:

      “The Consort: A Romantic Fantasy by Anthony Heckstall-Smith”

      http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006BN79O/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

      Written in the 1960’s by someone with access to the world of the British Royals, it’s a great satire on how these events look from the inside. The account of the press conference is so good, it’s almost painful to read. An entertaining book.

    • ncboudicca says:

      Bwah hah hah!

      yes, I hear there’s an evil madman with a secret lair in the Maldives. Will is gonna bust out some 007 moves on him and save us all!

  19. AmandaPanda says:

    gawd this is SO INTRIGUING

    not because of the laziness; let’s face it, WillKat have set the bar so low most of us would trip over it on our way to work

    but because something’s clearly going on underneath it all; they invited all the royal reporters to a reception at KP on tuesday night to meet prince george, then skipped the country the same day as both queenie and prince ginger were out and about, so they clearly didn’t want to be spotted – and then the press has turned on them and reported it anyway. what’s going on? why the cloak & dagger secrecy? why are the press so livid? WHAT’S GOING ON?

    • My2Pence says:

      Bill and Kate Middleton and their antics are again completely overshadowing the positive work Harry and Beatrice are doing. Is anybody talking about the big event – We Day UK – they’re participating in today? So even when Bill and Kate mess up, they STILL take attention away from Harry’s good works.

    • jeanne says:

      they always skip out when the think no one is watching. it’s no surprise that today there are fresh cressie and harry pictures either. will and kate are beyond obvious.

    • CynicalCeleste says:

      Hmmm…what’s this about a tues night reception with PG? Are there photos? Regardless of his parents’ antics, I always love seeing the baby…
      I would guess if the press is livid it’s because they are once again being frustrated in their attempts to do their jobs fairly and freely… are Tues night photos under embargo until such time as it’s convenient for WK? Or something bigger?
      What do YOU think is brewing AmandaPanda?

      • bluhare says:

        The event this week was a retirement party for Kate’s OB. Apparently he either came out of retirement, or delayed it, so he could deliver George. So that’s two people who haven’t retired because of poor baby George!

      • CynicalCeleste says:

        Niraj Tanna’s twitter feed is pretty interesting these days. He does not seem impressed with this maldives trip.

  20. Kaylah says:

    Lol, it’s like at this point they’re not even trying any longer. There’s always a reason as to why Kate can’t “work”, first it was HG then pregnancy then “she’s a new mom she needs time to adjust” now it’s “she’s a stay at home mom”. I don’t understand how they use the word “gruelling” to classify what they do. Are they going there to do some strenuous physical activity? Isn’t it just smiling & shaking a few hands. Lord knows why they feel the need to take a vacation BEFORE the tour. Normal people rest after work.

    And yes, George is now a PR sympathy tool to them which is quite sad.

    • Goofpuff says:

      wow nice stay at home mom work when you have two nannies and a nurse to help with one baby. what’s left for her to do?

      • Delta Juliet says:

        shop

      • Christin says:

        Also hair appointments that allegedly take hours at a time.

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        @Christin
        Those cheap extensions don’t get on her head all by themselves.

      • Christin says:

        @Virgilia – Yeah, those (fake) sausage curls take time to make, don’t they? 😉

      • FLORC says:

        Hair salons will often do nails and even botox. She was injecting at a point. Her forhead was without wrinkles and expression pre pregnancy. Maybe that accounted for the 4 hours

      • LadySlippers says:

        I’m thinking the hair extensions take the 6ish hours that she reportedly spends in the salon. You gotta put them in, colour them, and cut the hair so everything is even and not too noticeable. That does take time.

        Hey, and I completely forgot about the treatments she gets to straighten her hair. I forget the name but it has formaldehyde in it. That takes hours too.

      • bluhare says:

        I have got keratin treatments and they don’t take hours at all. There was a Japanese straightening method that took that long, but keratin doesn’t.

  21. Talie says:

    They’re still rich and this is what rich people do — take a sh*t ton of vacations — because their “jobs” don’t have bosses to answer to.

    • Lisa says:

      I have no problem with rich people spending they’ve earned anyway which way they please. These idiots, otoh, live entirely off the taxpayer (and yes Charles’s money is from the taxpayer). The British people own their a$$es. What is wrong with you people who can’t seem to apprehend this distinction?

    • Lou says:

      They’re public servants, not rich people, Talie. Rich people can spend their own money doing what they like.

  22. linlin says:

    Am I the only one who thinks it is weird that a father of a baby who doesn’t live with the baby during the week because of “work” chooses to spend two vacations without the baby (first Spain, no the Maledives”? I would understand them going away on their own for a weekend or so if they spent every other day with George, but if William has spent the weeks in Cambridge and the holidays without the baby- how often does he really see him? And how does the baby react to him if he only seems him so infrequently? One thing is clear, if a women did the same (working and living in another city as her small child and spending her holidays without the child) she would be cruxified by the press and public.

    • Splinter says:

      Well, how much his father was around when he was young? Wasn’t it always Diana (or nanny)?

      • The Original Mia says:

        Charles was a good father to Willism & Harry. He didn’t want the boys shipped off to boarding school like he was. Diana wasn’t a single mother. She & Charles raised those boys together under 1 roof until the divorce. There is no excuse for William. He’s raiding George how he sees fit.

      • Dame Snarkweek says:

        There is no excuse for Will but you are wrong about Charles and Di putting in equal effort with those boys. Charles was notorious for not spending a lot of time with the kids when they were small. Diana used to have shouting matches with him because he would rather be on his polo pony. Harry once suffered a head injury that required hospitalization and Charles had to be convinced it was serious before he came to the hospital.
        Charles was from a world where children were tended to by nannies until they were old enough and interesting enough to spend time with. As the boys grew this was also the case and eventually Charles developed a close, relationship with his sons.but when they were small this was not the case.

      • Minxx says:

        Dame, it was Will who sufferred a head injury and had to have a surgery to fix his fractured scull. While Diana rushed to his side and spent a night in the hospital, Charles, I believe, went to the hospital and then left for the opera that night. He didn’t think there was any reason why he should cancel it. I think that Harry will be much more hands-on father than William, he seems to love babies and dogs.

      • Dame Snarkweek says:

        Minxx
        Thank you for the edit, you are right. I would also add that it took Charles a lot longer to warm up to Harry than to Will. Diana was especially affectionate to Harry for this reason plus the fact that she felt her youngest son shared her personality. She called him her little Spencer, which never thrilled Charles. Now I would say both boys are equally close to their dad, who now seems to spoil them.

      • bluhare says:

        I’m going to defend Charles a smidge here. He only went to the opera after he was assured William was in no danger.

        Snark, if Diana called Harry her little Spencer it’s because of his red hair which is a Spencer family trait. Charles was reported to have commented on Harry’s rusty hair when he was born.

      • Dame Snarkweek says:

        Blu
        In this case I have to stick to my guns because accounts of Charles being an unattached, cool father are found in more than one biography. It was how he was raised as well as many other nobility/aristocracy. It was the source of several arguments between Charles and Diana. And yes, Harry was a redhead like the Spencers, but he also had Diana’s half shy/half impetuous nature. Charles has become a wonderful father but in those early years absolutely no one would have described him as warm or involved.

      • Montréalise says:

        Minxx – I remember the incident with Will’s head injury very well. He was accidentally hit in the head with a golf club swung by a friend and both Charles and Diana rushed to the hospital with him. It required fairly minor surgery and an overnight stay at the hospital. Charles wanted to cancel his scheduled appearance at the opera that evening, but Diana convinced him that Will would be all right, it wasn’t necessary for both of them to be here, and he had to honour his commitment to attend. Then Diana called her friends in the media and the next day the tabloids’ headlines screamed “Charles – how could you abandon your son!’ and ‘Charles – worst father ever!”.

    • xantha says:

      To be honest when William would constantly describe George as always screaming, it bothered me. I thought either he’s colicky and needs a doctor or Will’s being a jerk about his son. I guess he’s not used to someone else getting all the attention.

      • vava says:

        William isn’t just a jerk about his son, he’s an all around jerk!

      • BendyWindy says:

        I still don’t understand why everyone makes a big issue out of that. I mean, there are plenty of other reasons to dislike Will than “he kept saying his baby cries a lot.” Babies do cry a lot. Most new parents make comments/jokes about not getting a lot of peace and quiet or sleep. So the baby cries? He didn’t say, “Gawd, I can’t stand this crying kid.” It was designed to let the public know that George is just like any other baby, and Will and Kate are just like any other parents. Now, if people want to take issue with that part, fine, but he’s not a bad dad because he said his kid cries.

      • FLORC says:

        xantha
        It’s been tossed around as a theory that William hasn’t spent much time at all with George. What he did spend was when George was crying a lot.
        Lots of parents say that even with fussy babies theres more you observe and want to comment on rather than they cry.

        And with his behavior from the start of the pregnancy to now I tend to believe William is rarely near his son or wife.

      • Xantha says:

        *BendyWindy*

        My real issue about what Will says about George was that it was the only thing he said about him pretty much. The first time was cute. I even liked him calling him a rascal in that CNN interview. But after the next few interviews when he repeated it again and again I thought, “Is that all George does? Cause if so there’s treatment for colicky babies they could get.” And not only that, it didn’t come off all that affectionate anymore. It came off like a man who’s over his baby. That talk also contrasted the two times we the public saw George. He was silent when they presented him at the hospital and he was quiet at the entrance of the church. Kate even said later at a reception that he was a very good boy at the christening. Yeah I know, that’s only two times. But really babies don’t give a fuck. If they want to cry, they’ll cry regardless of the scenery.

        And to top it all off, he’s yet to go on vacation with his son! Two chances he had to go on holiday with George and neither happened.

        And Florc’s right. I did a lot of babysitting of my sister for my mom when she was a baby. Yeah she cried lots of times but that wasn’t the only thing she did. I do think that he’s not really doing much of the parenting.

      • Mel M says:

        @xantha, I’m not defending Will and his parenting but you keep talking of this “treatment” for colicky babies and I would love to know what it is since my son was horrendously colicky for his first 4 months straight and we tried everything but in the end he just had to out grow it, which is what most people with colicky babies will tell you. There really is no cure all for colic unless it’s something like acid reflux which in that case it is not true colic.

      • Xantha says:

        For the record I’m basing on what my friends with children have told me. A few had babies who were colicky and were screaming all the time. They went to their respective doctors and did things recommended to them. Some worked, some didn’t. So in my personal friend circle the doctor recs were a hit and miss. There’s no cure you’re right but there were things they tried to ease the crying.

        And really my point wasn’t about colicky babies and how to treat them. My main point was that if George was really screaming all the time, then perhaps they should get that looked at. Colic is one of the things that can cause a child to cry a lot so I thought, “Is it that?”

        And I guess I should’ve made myself clearer that I actually don’t think George is colic. To emphasize something I said in my earlier post, when watching video of him with Will and Kate before the christening I thought, “For a baby who’s said to be screaming all the time he’s awfully quiet.” I’ve been around a lot of screaming babies and I think you and I can agree that babies will scream anywhere. Hell it was said that William screamed all throughout his own christening but George apparently didn’t do that. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s no fussier than your average healthy baby. At this point if Will and Kate told me the sky is blue, I would check for myself, that’s how little I trust them.

  23. delphi says:

    Rant ahead in 3…2…

    • TG says:

      @Delphi – I am laughing at your comment even before I read your “rant” I know it will be good. I just love posts on the royals and the ensuing comments and we were gifted with 2 today.

  24. delphi says:

    Maybe I’m crazy, but I can’t for the life of me understand how both of them can sit idly by and do absolutely nothing! It’s not as if Wills has to follow his father into battle against invading armies while Katie-poo summons the Kensington Palace defenses in anticipation of attack. This is not ye Olde Tymes!

    Put PG in a Baby Bjorn, pull on you excessively overpriced Wellies and go to work in a community garden. Visit a RSPCA center, go to a lowly plebian “Mommy & Me” class for Pete’s sake. And would it kill Wills to maybe do some visits with is dad to some of the family-run agricultural sites this “bespoke course” was supposed to be teaching him about? I’m feeling major secondhand outrage with many Brits at their behavior. Plus, it irritates me beyond reason that their total lack of effort just reinforces many people’s thoughts that our generation is completely feckless and self-involved. Argh! *facepalm*

    But then again, I’m just a Yank. *steps off soapbox*

  25. The Original Mia says:

    Pathetic. These two are incredibly tone deaf. It’s as if they think they can do anything and the public will just have to suck it up. All they are doing is ensuring George will never rule.

    • CC says:

      I know! I mean, Royals could get away with it before the internet, basically whatever was reported depended on their good graces of them providing material to report on, and as such, there was more that policy of not exposing their shortcomings. They can no longer control the information but still act like they can.

      Reminds me of that whole debacle of king Juan Carlos of Spain having an accident while vacationing with his mistress (which by the way the Spanish people were well aware of through word of mouth), his wive was doing a formal public appearance, and the ONLY reason it was reported on was because since there was an accident, it couldn’t be concealed. Yet if you look at the press, the mistress situation was never reported on, and believe me, everyone knew about it, and the ones throughout the decades but they protected his philandering ways by not making it even more public and in written press.

  26. eliza says:

    Lol. OVERWORKED? ! Ahahahahahahahaha! Mmmmmmmkay, if they say so.

    *MAJOR eye roll and super side eye*

  27. Beatrice says:

    For whatever failings Princess Diana had, laziness wasn’t one of them. She kept a full calendar of engagements and was patron for lots of charities, all the while managing to raise her sons. I am so sick of Duchess Hair Twirler and Duke Do-nothing. Three engagements in three months is pathetic. It’s so hard to dress up in beautiful clothes and shake a few hands. These two need need a swift kick to get them moving. Maybe the Queen should insist that they accompany her on her engagements–that should keep them hopping, but the whining about being overworked would be terrible.

    • Aeryn39 says:

      ITA!!!

      You can search each member of the Royal Family’s official engagements at royal.gov.uk. I was so irritated by Duchess Do-little and Will Middleton’s latest vacation surprise that I decided to see how many engagements certain members of the RF have done since January 1st:

      HM: 22
      Prince Philip: 13
      Princess Anne: 27
      Prince Andrew: 8
      Sophie, Countess of Wessex: 18
      Prince Edward: 8
      Will & Kate: 3 each

      Of course some of the engagements were joint (HM & Prince Philip, Edward & Sophie), but c’mon.

      2 nannies, an active gran and only 3 engagements for the “busy” new mom?

      Of course, the Court Circular archive doesn’t include everything (I’m not sure how things are determined official/unofficial) because I do know Harry and Wills visited one of the flooded area in Somerset and were seen helping with sandbags and that isn’t listed in the archive. The visit pictures were in the Mail. So it’s not like the Court Circular archive gives a totally complete picture of what each member of the Royal Family does every day, but I do think it gives an idea of who is really committed to their work and who isn’t.

      There were so many articles after their wedding about these two being the new faces of the Monarchy. Their conduct since 2011 simply makes me see the faces of the Monarchy’s demise, or if not demise, it’s woeful contraction.

      Okay, sorry for the rant. I’m an American and I get heated about this. I can only imagine how the British feel about these two…

      • My2Pence says:

        @Aeryn39 . The Court Circular lists everything that is considered an official engagement. The visit to the party with the doctor the other night doesn’t count, because that wasn’t an official engagement. Ditto the “helping” out with the floods; that was on “personal time” and wasn’t an official engagement.

        Kate Middleton is the only one for whom they count behind-the-scenes meetings as well as public engagements, because her numbers are so pathetic. Otherwise, the Court Circular is telling us exactly how many (or how few) public engagements working members of the BRF do.

      • bluhare says:

        Which brings up another thing, Tuppence. Only in the RF is attending a retirement party for your doctor considered “work”.

      • LadySlippers says:

        @bluhare: Oh no attending a personal event sounds more work related that stepping out onto a tarmac because the Cambridge’s had that reported on their CC during their Canadian tour. I’m not kidding. ‘Welcome Ceremony on Tarmac’ was how it was listed — you know, something all Royals do but none get ‘extra credit’ for it.

  28. Froop says:

    I don’t get why they are both so scared of working. Wills should have joined Kate in Mustique, and Carole could have looked after George while they had some private time in their own villa/private beach/whatever if they had wanted an exotic holiday with baby-free time.

    He’s already missed quite a lot of his course, unless the bespoke aspect gave him huge chunks of free time for shooting breaks and second honeymoons.

  29. My2Pence says:

    @Kaiser. “If Prince William, or Charles, or even the Queen told her to work, she would. But no one tells her to work. They just expect her to be/act like a coddled trophy wife, and I believe that’s all on William.”

    Please do not blame Her Majesty or the Prince of Wales for William and Kate’s laziness. There is absolutely no way HM or Charles is saying, “Gee, don’t worry your pretty little heads about it. We’ll do all the work.” Blame William and Kate Middleton for their own choices. They’re grown ups; they’ve earned all of this disrespect on their own.

    Quote from Royal Reporter (Richard Palmer) on twitter from 2012
    “Kate’s office says she is dictating her own pace and is happy with it.”

    There is no conspiracy here. Her Majesty let’s people make their own mistakes and waits patiently for them to come to her for advice when they realize they’ve made a mess of everything. Having learned from the Diana years, she’s never going to put herself in a position to be blamed. If one day Kate goes crying to the media saying, “The Queen was so terrible she made me work too hard!” it will be clear Kate Middleton is lying (again).

    Charles isn’t jealous of William and Kate, he doesn’t fear that he will lose his place in line to the throne. HM dedicated her life to her county and her duty and will not allow the word “abdication” to be spoken in her presence. She would NEVER monkey with the line-of-succession and skip Charles in favor of William. If the royal family is to survive, they ALL need William and Kate to be beloved. But William and Kate are stubborn, bone idle, and entitled. Doesn’t give HM and Charles a whole lot to work with.

    • CC says:

      ITA. Waity wanted to be a princess, not a working royal.

      • Liberty says:

        This. They are useless.

        They should pass the job on to Harry, but William strikes me as a selfish greedy little plonk as well. So, here’s to endless years of endless vacays for this absurd duo. Maybe they were born to play a deciding role in the end of the monarchy.

        I would LOVE to hear what Princess Anne says about all this. I’ll bet it is hilarious.

      • bluhare says:

        Liberty,

        They’re a couple of sodding layabouts.

        Sincerely,
        HRH The Princess Royal (as channeled by bluhare)

      • Liberty says:

        @bluhare — Well said!

        Graciously,
        The Duchess of Laughter

  30. wendi says:

    Not judging mothers who don’t/can’t nurse, but it’s obvious from this that the baby is not being nursed. Unlike most moms, Kate has the support system and means to nurse as long as she likes, but chooses to be away from her baby instead. Selfish…

    • BendyWindy says:

      If you call her selfish for not nursing, then yes, you’re judging. The child is obviously being fed, who cares how?

      • wendi says:

        By commenting on this message board my friend, you are “judging” too – not necessarily about bf’ing, but judging nonetheless.

      • BendyWindy says:

        I know that I’m judging. The difference is , I didn’t say, “I’m not judging” and then judge away. And I also feel there are many, many things to judge about other than “she could breastfeed and she obviously doesn’t.” First of all, we don’t know that for sure. And secondly, even if she doesn’t, that doesn’t make her selfish. Plenty of other things, sure, but not breastfeeding isn’t one of them. And before someone jumps on me, I say this as a mother who breastfed two children.

    • Lisa says:

      I don ‘t know about Wendi but I sure do call her selfish for not nursing when she has every opportunity in the world to.

      • BendyWindy says:

        Mmkay. Well, I can’t roll my eyes at that hard enough. There are plenty of unselfish women who do or do not breastfeed for a variety of reasons. But, I won’t argue it any more. Being a mother is hard, but it certainly isn’t a contest.

      • Lisa says:

        Roll away Bendy.

      • minnieder says:

        I totally agree.

    • vangroovey says:

      Of course she doesn’t nurse him! PG ONLY dines on liquid gold, cut with the tears of pheasants — to make it more digestible. That gold can be too molasses-like.

    • Jen says:

      1) It is not in any way selfish to not nurse your child. There are tons of reasons why a woman may choose not do so.

      2) The kid isn’t starving so mind your own business.

      • Lisa says:

        Jen — you mind your own business. It’s my OPINION and JUDGMENT that a woman who has every opportunity to bf her child and doesn’t is selfish. And if we all started minding our business Celebitchy would pretty much go out of business, oh bright one.

      • FLORC says:

        No need to attack eachother when we should be nitpicking the trivial lives of others..:)

      • caitlin says:

        +1 for Lisa. Your remarks were spot on and not offensive. As another poster pointed out, we are not talking about Ms. Average Mom in America, we are talking about someone with unlimited resources and enourmous wealth. If she wanted the best for her infant and wanted to put him first, she could and wouldn’t have to worry about support or insufficient maternity leave, etc.
        Regardless, the site is called celebitchy for pete’s sake!!!!

      • vangroovey says:

        It’s funny. Because since the “self help/Oprah/New Age/Non-religious spirituality” movement began, this idea of “no judgment” has taken ahold. But, ladies. Ladies, ladies, ladies…we all judge. We all make convenient excuses about why our judgment is justified…but, really, we all do it. As well we should. Because judgment isn’t ALWAYS bad — because, it’s important to judge assholes. It’s how change happens. As such, I will JUDGE, JUDGE, JUDGE the do-nothings. I’m not sorry, these two entitled butts should make a better effort. They are OUT.OF.TOUCH! The furthest thing from modern. I’ve said it before, and I will continue saying it….KING HARRY! Sure, he has his foibles….but they are the kind of foibles every adult can feel. We all (HOPEFULLY!) have had our “Rumspringa!” I’m not offended by Harry’s recent antics (save the nazi thing from a decade ago – that does still gives me side eye….though, I don’t know why Willy doesn’t get the same treatment…because apparently, according to a book I read, was with him costume shopping…) I just feel like Harry has grown up, and Wills hasn’t.

      • Lisa says:

        You said it vangroovy. I’m so sick of this no judging, no shaming nonsense. We should have standards and sometimes people do things they should be ashamed of.

    • Abbicci says:

      Her body, her baby, her business.

      You are judging,Same as weight shaming, slut shaming but Mommy shaming is the ultimate in troll concern.
      Because think of the children.

      • hmmm says:

        @Abbicci,
        Well, I’m judging you on you judging the judging and raise you a non judging. 🙂

        @Lisa,
        I agree with you. You have every right to your opinion and judgment.

      • bluhare says:

        You all can judge away. I will proclaim! HA!

      • Abbicci says:

        @hmmm

        I see your judging and raise you an eating disorder concern trolling.

        Top that!

    • Jackie Jormp Jomp (formerly Zelda) says:

      Shut up. I am so sick of people like you. Other people’s bodily fluids are NOT up for your speculation and you sound smug and insufferable. And yes, the definition of what you just did is “judging.” Learn what words mean.
      And for the record, there are many, many good reasons women don’t breast feed, and you’re ridiculous if you think they should all have to qualify out loud that they are on meds, or not producing milk properly, or finding it extremely painful, or what have you.

      • caitlin says:

        Hi Jackie,
        This post isn’t about YOU so don’t be so defensive. Last time I checked, it was about Kate, aka Duchess Dolittle. Anyone with half a brain recognizes that she is not exactly your average mom with financial constraints, time constraints and little support — all things that contribute to a mom not breastfeeding or continuing to. So Jackie, get off your high horse and get back to your kids.

      • Jackie Jormp Jomp (formerly Zelda) says:

        I don’t have kids. But I do take medications that would make it impossible to breastfeed, and I’ll be damned if I should have to explain that to every “concerned” mommy blogger who hates her life so much that she has to feed her ego by assuming other people are doing it wrong.

      • Lisa says:

        Jackie — calm yourself. No one is talking about you and no one would think twice abt a loving mom who can’t bf b/c of medication, not even the mommy bloggers. We’re snacking and shooting the breeze about Kate. This is not about you.

      • JulieM says:

        Jackie- for what it’s worth, I completely agree with you. No woman should be required to breast feed in order to be considered a good mother.

      • kay2 says:

        JulieM — I think you’ve missed the boat on this one. No one was trying to win the “good mom” “bad mom” argument. Read the thread in its entirety before you jump to conclusions. Hopefully our friend Jackie is cooling her heels somewhere and won’t venture back for a while as she tends to take everything personally.

    • TG says:

      I agree with you @Wendi – but I think breast feeding requires the mom to actually eat food. Still not sure Waity does that.

      • Lisa says:

        Good point, TG.

      • LeLe25 says:

        This particular argument is funny because no one states WHY it is selfish to not breastfeed. I bet it’s based on a series of glade studies from years ago that have been disproven and are basically not acknowledged in the medical community any more.

        There is no significant difference between breast fed children and bottle fed children according to studies ATM.

      • Lisa says:

        Forget breast v formula — nourishment is the least thing bf’ing provides. It’s just an incredibly bonding opportunity for mother and child and babies get such comfort, satisfaction and nurturing out of it.

      • LeLe25 says:

        Some babies do, some babies do not. Especially if the mother is unable to provide satisfactory supply or the baby has one of many possible issues/ developments that does not allow them to breast feed properly. Some babies take a special custom made nipple to avoid surgery.

        Point is there are many reasons Kate could not be breastfeeding, and yes being “selfish” could be one of them, but we really do not know.

      • Original N says:

        @LeLe25 – you are entitled to your opinion, but you also have a responsibility to make certain it is an educated one before you pontificate your point of view to the world. I honestly felt embarrassed for you when I read your comment & that is not said with any snark (e.g. ‘I bet it’s based on a series of glade studies from years ago that have been disproven …’). First of all, in science one doesn’t prove or disprove – one supports or refutes as more research that is reliable and valid is made available. Our conclusions are always changing because our knowledge is changing! Second of all, please consult the American Academy of Pediatrics (or, if you are from another country, your country’s version of this association) as the policy statement published in Pediatrics (2012) reaffirms the recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for infants WHEN the mother is physiologically and psychologically able to successfully feed. The Academy recommends this based upon more than just simple nourishment (although, despite the advances in science, we have NOT been able to fully replicate a formula that encompasses all the compounds breast milk contains because the compounds in breast milk are altered to fit the specific needs of the infant – amazing!); it is also based upon the immunity conferred by this process from the mother to the newborn, the psychological impact upon the newborn from close contact, etc.

      • LeLe25 says:

        Wow, I actually have read up on this subject and read about it. Perhaps you should reread my opinion ( perhaps I should put IMO on every one of my posts, sigh).

        One, there are several studies that have come out as of late (2013/4) that show the nutritional benefits are not so much greater than that of babies that are bottle fed formula. I know that studies refute one another that is why I stated ATM (at the moment) the medical community is reassessing its position on breast is best. I’m sorry if that does not support you opinion or position but it is what is true.

        Secondly, I stated in my second comment that it is not a great experience for babies that are stressed and have trouble with taking the breast or a mother that can not adequately produce. What is your problem with that statement?? Sorry to mess with your world view but it’s true, not all babies respond well.
        Thank you though for feeling embarrassed for me, I am obviously uneducated and have no idea what I am talking about. Sorry I stated a different point of view plainly and without attacking other commentors (as you did), I’m just awful.

      • wendi says:

        Original N -excellent comment and spot on. Thank you!

      • Lisa says:

        Lele — I’m very curious as to whether you have actually experienced nursing a child. Some of the frustration a mother/baby may experience is just part of the learning process of establishing a nursing relationship — it can be hard work and our culture does not really support nursing. But once that relationship is on firm ground, there’s really nothing like it.

        And of course who would ever condemn a mother who has a physical, psychological or financial barrier to nursing? As far as we know baby jane Dolittle has none of these although as someone else has pointed out she does have a raging eating disorder.

      • wendi says:

        LISA
        Love your comment – as a mom of 2 who nursed despite a rough start and a few set backs. As you so estutely (sp?) put it, it is a relationship that takes time and effort to establish, but it’s definitely worth it.

  31. Jaded says:

    You know, I was around when Charles and Diana married, and she had a baby almost immediately, and they both worked around the clock. Diana didn’t have a clue at the beginning what to do or how to do it but she gamely stepped in, while she was enduring an uncomfortable pregnancy AND morning sickness, not some 24 hour tummy bug that had you barfing your boots up. They showed up at numerous facilities on a weekly basis, Diana favouring the truly underprivileged and sick, while Charles made education his focus.

    These two???? She shows up to some la-di-da artsy-fartsy event then disappears for weeks on end. He faffs around with bespoke courses and goes off hunting with his ex-gf and apparently is an absentee father for the most part. I have nothing but disdain and dislike for the both of them and I feel for you U.K. folks who have to have this insensitive laziness mashed in your faces day after day. Useless twats the pair of them.

    • Christin says:

      Add to that how Diana was a decade younger than Waity when she became engaged and married. Will arrived a year later and she was a mom of two by age 24. I don’t recall Diana ever disappearing from her work obligations for months on end.

      I was also around to see how the RF was experiencing low approval and it was Diana’s untimely death and public sympathy for the boys that helped turn that around. Her death bought Will more time to do his part to improve the perception of the RF, and now he’s squandered it, in my opinion. I think Kate is lazy, too, and can’t buy the theory that she is just merely waiting for a head nod from someone to do something meaningful.

  32. TG says:

    I had to laugh since when had grueling and intensive been words used to describe Waity and Will’s workload. Ha ha ha ha ha.

    • hmmm says:

      I find it really offensive. The media treat us like dunces.

      • Original N says:

        @ hmmm – this was my reaction as well. At this point, I would really love to see the general public start to evaluate the royal family critically such that every person is aware that a substantial part of their private well, as well as their public funds, was at the expense of the public taxpayer. I want to give everyone that hails the ‘they are rich, they may vacation as much as they like’ an intensive history lesson. In the age of availability of knowledge, there is just no excuse for remaining uneducated! Thus, if one knows that, why continue to still fund their existence when what they are contributing to the good of the nation is minimal at best?

  33. Pimlico says:

    I think we are supposed to be distracted by the ‘second honeymoon’ aspect of all this.

    After William’s hunting jolly to Spain with his ex-girlfriend, perhaps it’s better to offer up another example of Dolittle’s idleness and their joint contempt for the British tax paying public (at a time of flooding, increased reliance on food banks, public spending cuts, etc) than have us question the state of their marriage…

  34. jeanne says:

    I’m beginning to think will and kate really don’t care. they know in three weeks everyone will love the fairy tale couple again when they bring George to AU and NZ. I think that’s why they take inappropriate, expensive vacations BEFORE they actually work. Baby pics will cure all.

  35. Size Does Matter says:

    My baby is almost 11 months old, and I haven’t been away from him for longer than maybe 4-5 hours since he left the hospital. I read these stories and wonder how anyone could possibly leave their baby for so long. Then I wonder if I’m the weird one.

    • aang says:

      No, I was the same. When my first was 18 months we left her for a week and I cried every day. I have never vacationed without my children since.

    • HoustonGrl says:

      I think English Aristocracy have different values. It’s the whole nannies/boarding school thing. Personally, I couldn’t do it.

      • Angelic 21 says:

        But Kate isn’t aristo dnt ya knw?! She is the normal, middle class, hard working, stay at home mother on maternity leave (1 of the reasons people seems to like her and dislike Cressida) . Being an aristo can’t be used as an excuse for ,now can it?

      • idk says:

        How exactly is she on maternity leave? What “leave” from a job is she taking?

      • bluhare says:

        Exactly, idk. In order to have time off, you have to have time on!

    • kay says:

      omg, this. lol.
      and i am glad i am not the only thinking “why on earth would you want to be away from your baby for a week?”.
      i am not shading anyone, but i never understood it.
      you truly don’t have your kids for long, pretty much five years before they hit school and start slowly heading down their own paths, and before you know it they are teens and gone all the time and then you have all the time in the world to do what you want.
      anyway, i had zero interest in being away from mine when they were little, especially when they were under a year old.

  36. herladyship says:

    And the royal girlfriend has already made 1 appearance to Kate’s 3… I can’t wait to see how this plays out if Cressida joins the firm.

    • lower-case deb says:

      a two year old has made more appearances than Kate this year. all before her second birthday, even. (if you count each change of venue as one appearance, as the BRF often does).

      • My2Pence says:

        Princess Estelle Duchess of Ostergotland for the win! She also shows far more poise and interest during her engagements than Kate Middleton does. And quite cleverly keeps her (albeit short) hair out of her face with that questionable bow collection. Well, at least one of the bows was for sale for charity, that’s probably the nicest thing I can type about them.

      • bluhare says:

        And a 92 year old in not the best of health has done twice the engagements that these two have put together. I don’t know how they look themselves in the mirror in the morning.

    • kay says:

      i pity cressy.
      sooner than later people are going to rip her…most likely for her independent spirit and casual sense of style.

      • My2Pence says:

        IF she ends up as a member of the BRF and she has a sense of duty and work ethic, she’ll end up working more than Kate Middleton. THEN she’ll be bashed for trying to “outshine” KM. Harry and his potential future bride (whomever she is) still won’t catch a break.

  37. Virgilia Coriolanus says:

    I’m reminded again, why I loathe these two….

  38. nk868 says:

    i LOVE her look in the header photo

  39. HoustonGrl says:

    When have these two (esp Kate) ever been able to bear any responsibility? Not surprised George is being raised by her mom and some nannies while she continues to flutter about, living the life of a spoiled teenager.

  40. Meerkat says:

    Ah, the Malidives! A country with such a brilliant record in human rights abuses. Flogging – that’s a nice one, especially when it’s mainly women who are flogged. But hey, don’t let a little thing like that spoil your fun, William and Kate. You sit back, sip your cocktails and enjoy your well-earned rest.

    • Original N says:

      I know – it just exemplifies why I cannot tolerate these two! The reality is that they could vacation quite frequently and still use it as a positive PR move as well if they educated themselves, chose wisely, and completed at least one charity-based function in the chosen country…

      Personally, if I were representing a country as a royal (and what they do even on their “private time” still reflects on the country they represent – we have observed examples of this), I would make certain I was only visiting countries in my private time that championed the causes of the underprivileged or oppressed unless I was there to promote a cause of the underprivileged/oppressed.

  41. idk says:

    No seriously, how many vacations have they been on since they go married? She didn’t work before marriage so I doubt she’ll work after. Someone must be in charge of her “charity appearances” schedule right? They need to keep her calendar full. There are so many charities she could lend her time to.

    Also, do they have to pay for their own vacations? How much does William earn? It can’t be much.

  42. Minxx says:

    I’m really surprised at their behavior, particularly her. If I were in her place (ordinary girl marrying into the RF), I would do everything possible to justify the wealth and privilege that I enjoy at taxpayers’ expense. I’d feel extraordinarily guilty just bumming around, shopping, going on vacation and decorating. She’s probably thinking that since she’s a mum now, she gets a free pass because of her “maternity leave”. But everyone is aware how much help she’s getting – all European princesses have kids (some several) and you see them cutting ribbons, shaking hands, giving speeches practically every day. Another thing that bugs me is that she’s not even trying to be an example as a mother – she could have done so much good to promote breastfeeding, to make it popular, esp. among the very young mums, who sometimes don’t even try. I’m not saying everyone has to breastfeed but with the support she has, should could have tried. Instead, I’m sure, she was mainly preoccupied with regaining her figure 2 days after birth. If she were just some WAG, I’d say “their money, their problem” but it’s just a shame she’s so shallow and vapid.

  43. pleaseicu says:

    I guess they’re both earning the do-nothing title. Prince and Princess Do-Nothing. I was giving points to Kate for spending a bulk of her time with George while Prince Do-Nothing ran about like he was still single and ready to mingle. But she passed the kid off to mum when Prince Do-Nothing came calling. I suspect this is a make-up for bringing the ex-who-got-away on the trip to Spain and not telling Princess Do-Nothing about it beforehand.

    Do their offices (press and scheduling) secretly hate them? Because this couldn’t have been timed to make them look even more lazy than they already do what with Harry announcing the Invictus Games and then his attendance at that youth event yesterday.

  44. emmie_a says:

    “The couple’s decision to go on holiday comes ahead of a gruelling three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia beginning on April 7.”

    Just curious — Are their tours really ‘gruelling’?? They are staying in first class accommodations, with their every need being met, surrounded by people taking care of them and fawning over them. I’m sure their days are long but I just can’t imagine it being gruelling.

    • LadySlippers says:

      @emmie: From everything I’ve read, yes, overseas tours are pretty intense and jam packed. They go from one event to another with very little down time — all while still jet lagged. Event planners and Royal handlers try to squeeze as much as they can in a short amount of time. And while needing to be ‘on’ and ‘happy’.

      So it is intense but it’s also not deadly either. After all — they are all usually only a few weeks at most.

      • FLORC says:

        LadySlippers
        When everyone else is doing everything for you being happy is pretty easy imo. Half of my personal stressors when I travel of have to change out of my sweats for something fancy is clothes and hair. hose are covered for her.
        By all accounts she doesn’t even need to pack or unpack a suitacse.

        If intense means they get a free trip to lovely locations to meet people that only want to praise you while showing you parts of a country few get to see … and get gifts! Well, if she finds this job is too much of a bother for her… I think I can muster the energy.

      • Green Girl says:

        Yeah, I think “intense” might be a better description, so I’m with LadySlippers here.

        Don’t forget they need to be not just “on,” but hyper aware of any gestures, phrases, etc., that they use. They need to know how to address properly anyone they greet, make speeches, make small talk with random people, be gracious and polite, etc. They will be under intense scrutiny while on their trip, too. If they so much as roll their eyes or appear to snub someone, it might make front page news.

      • My2Pence says:

        GreenGirl. Kate Middleton has already rolled her eyes at least twice on duty, caught on video, and mainstream media has ignored it. Media ignores a whole lot with these two.

      • Suze says:

        And it’s not exactly a coal mine. So there’s that ; ).

      • LadySlippers says:

        If you read a lot of Royal biographies it’s pretty clear that these tours are intense and exhausting. Gruelling even perhaps but the tours also aren’t going to kill anyone either. Especially two people as physically fit as William and Kate.

        I think we are just more critical of the Cambridge’s because they do nothing other than perhaps one ‘gruelling’ tour a year and do nothing else. Whereas many other British Royals (or other foreign Royals) keep a fairly decent work load with the ‘gruelling’ tours on top of it.

        Snark Alert: Perhaps Kate has a ‘kept from the public’ condition that means she has to take it easy in order to not to exacerbate it. Obviously shopping and 6 hour hair appointments are part of her treatment! Hehe

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        @LadySlippers
        I think I’m familiar with that condition–its name is ‘Waity-ism’ and its symptoms include waiting ten years for a man who repeatedly broke up with and cheated on her, doing nothing but following around said man, and not even half assing it at some sort of a job, marrying said man, and then ramping up the hair and shopping appointments while ‘working’ only three events in over two months since 2014.

        Ugh, she sets back women.

  45. Bohemia says:

    I have to say, Kaiser, I thought you were too harsh on this couple after their wedding, but you called it! They are squandering their goodwill on their laziness and disregard for the public’s opinion. I wonder how things are within the Palace–how are the Queen and PoW handling this? They have to be saying something…and I wonder if we’ll start hearing about it soon.

    Oh, well, at least Harry is proving himself worthy of his privilege. I will love to see what he continues to come up with, and Cressida , if they decide to marry.

    • kibbles says:

      Harry has grown up a lot and I like that he is real. He’s made some embarrassing mistakes in the past, but he is quite well-rounded and approachable for a Royal. He’s also passionate about his charities and working on behalf of veterans. This week Harry’s simply been a class act with his charity work with Cressida by his side.

      Kate and William suck. They are entitled, spoiled, and lazy. If the monarchy lasts, it will be because of Harry. I hope he has the sense to marry someone who isn’t as lazy and dumb as Kate. So far, I think Cressida has shown to be much more relatable and willing to assist Harry in his philanthropic work than Kate.

  46. Maria says:

    I hope Charles is KING indeed to allow the two youngins to wise up at bit….They are disrespectful in my view.

  47. itsetsyou says:

    “gruelling three-week tour of New Zealand” – this made me laugh. Staying at the best hotels, being driven around to the best events, meeting people who will be nice and smiley to you – grueling indeed.

    Seriously, British people! How long are you going to continue to feed this lazy family? The Queen is the only who actually does work.

    • idk says:

      Sounds like a great vacation to me ! Doesn’t even seem like work.

    • WendyNerd says:

      That’s not totally fair. Princess Anne works like mad. She’s known for being insanely devoted to her causes. And Charles has also really stepped up his game in the last few years. And Harry was in a freaking war zone.

      Just because Will and Kate are the Ducke and Duchess of Do Nothing does not mean all the royals except HM are lazy. That’s why it is so pathetic.

      • Original N says:

        Wendy is correct with regard to the fact that Princess Anne has held more official engagements than HM this year (to date). However, that appears to be who Princess Anne is at her very nature & as a result, I suspect that even if she were no longer a part of the royal family, she would continue her devotion to her causes. This is where the issue arises because Princess Anne isn’t to reign; rather, William is, with Waity by his side. They have established themselves as work-shy and this presents a HUGE problem when one’s job exists at the will of the public! So … as HM and HM’s descendants have accumulated massive private wealth, they could continue their current work without being funded by the British taxpayer if they were so inclined, supporting their various causes relentlessly (which would then allow the Dolittles to vacation permanently without criticism!) …

  48. itsetsyou says:

    As Kate Middleton once said she was “working very hard” at her parent’s company. So she’s continuing with it with the Royal family!

  49. Reece says:

    Don’t forget Kaiser the last time HM suggested Kate get a job she only lasted til Will beck & called (then dumped) her.

    I said it this a long time ago so I’ll say it again. It speaks more to William than Kate on their lifestyle and the type of person she is. Yes she altered everything about her to suit him and that is on her, but THIS is what he wanted. What he wanted in a wife, in a partner, etc.

    • itsetsyou says:

      She probably wouldn’t make it if she wasn’t so accommodating.

      But I don’t care about her – she’s a woman who unlike William didn’t grow up to become the Queen. She would marry well or get some kind of occupation and enjoy her family wealth. Her marriage altered everything and I don’t think she had much to say about anything anyway.

      William on the other hand is starting to show his true nature. Somehow I thought him to be a serious and responsible man. But it looks like he’s just another lazy royal who is unapologetic about his sense of entitlement. He doesn’t even care it’s becoming more and more obvious.

      • Reece says:

        That’s just it though, everyone else said no. Not just no to the job but to him.

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        But she had TEN YEARS to acclimate herself to those expectations. That was the excuse given before the wedding, before they were engaged–when people asked why she didn’t really work, they said that she was studying up on charities, etc so that when she got married and became the Princess (or whatever her title is), that she could hit the ground running–that she WOULDN’T be another Diana, who had no guidance on what to do.

        That’s what we were told.

        And she has no excuse. It would be bad enough if she was just some lazy trophy wife–at least she would just be a lazy human being spending her husbands money–not a lazy human being spending her fellow citizen’s money.

        But she is NOT a child. Let’s ignore William for a minute. She’s not a child. She is 30 years old, the daughter of two people who are self made millionaires–she has EVERYTHING. All the opportunities in the world. She could’ve been anything she wanted—her family had the means to let her pursue whatever field of study she wanted . But she chose to go after Prince William and basically be the nice girlfriend who keeps her mouth shut, no matter what William does or says to her i.e. the cheating.

        She chose to wait over ten years for him, and to become engaged to him–knowing that she was his LAST RESORT. She chose that. That’s on her. William chose her–that’s true.

        But she chose him too. No one held a gun to her head, and told her to marry him. Sure, there was family pressure–but she still had a choice.

        Just like she had a choice about her work schedule. This woman is over 30—she dictates her own schedule. NO ONE is stopping her from doing more. It doesn’t matter if she isn’t ‘encouraged’ to do more—why should a 30+ woman who lives off of British taxpayers, have to be told to do what she’s been saying that she’s been studying up on for YEARS i.e. charity work.

        She had a choice to marry into a royal family and actually do something meaningful with the power that she married into–but she doesn’t want to. That’s on her.

        What she does is merely indicative of what William REALLY wanted for a spouse. And he’s exactly the same way as her, so I’m not going to hope that he (or she) will wake up one day and say they want more, and demand that their partner follow their lead.

  50. Abbicci says:

    Pippa Tip: if you are super rich and entitled taking vacations is your JOB!

    I hope the British press is dusting off the Duchess of Do Little title they gave to Fergie. Looks like we have a new wearer of that crown.

  51. Meg says:

    we all wonder why she waited for 9 years for him, this is why. to go on vacations all year long. a vacation from what? having nannies raise your babies while you sleep in until 11 o’clock everyday go shopping and get your hair done?

  52. Patty says:

    It really is too bad that Harry isn’t the future king. William and Kate are worthless, and I’m guessing George will be too. Argh.

  53. Lia says:

    I just don’t get the nastiness that’s always being directed towards them. They’re wealthy. They can afford to go on vacation whenever they want. William was born into the royal family; he wasn’t elected to it. I’m sure we’d all like to be privileged like they are, but we aren’t. So much energy is wasted on attacking them all the time. They live a different life than we do. Get over it. Personally, I couldn’t care less if they vacation every day or tend sheep in a dung-filled meadow.

    • hy says:

      But isn’t some/a lot of their wealth from tax payers? Where exactly do they get all their wealth?

    • Juliette says:

      The fact is Lia, they have Scotland Yard protection with them and George at all times. When Kate decided to camp out in Bucklebury, that was a huge increase in security costs, because her parent’s Bucklebury house was not equipped to protect her and George from whatever it is that they need protection from. If she had stayed at Kensington, with William, there would be half as many guards needed. Same goes for this holiday, George is in Bucklebury with a full protection unit, and Kate and William are charging the taxpayers for Scotland Yard’s time-and-a-half for the overtime work that goes into overseas travel.

      William was born privately rich, but he is also a complete succubus on the British taxpayer. Don’t kid yourself, William does not use his private wealth to fund his extravagant lifestyle. He spends every penny the taxpayers give him, and then some. William puts in minimal public duties, but he collects all the privileges of his position with greed. Those privileges go hand in hand with the duties. You can’t have one without the other.

      • FLORC says:

        Juliette
        Don’t forget that when Kate lived with her parents after George was born the whole home got upgraded with tax payer funds.
        They got new windows, doors, kitchen, and a new wing for their mansion. The helicopter fly overs twice a day and patrolling security guards would have been overkill is Carole simply visited Kate at her newly renovated KP apartment.

        And I don’t think anyone would have raised a big fuss is Michael and Carol spent the night in 1 of their many bedrooms.
        Truth is Kate never fully moved out of her parents home so the upgrades were needed.

      • Suze says:

        I love the word “sucubus”!

    • Charlotte says:

      Well, their lifes are paid by the tax payers, so no it is not their money.

      • TG says:

        And if my understanding is correct even the private money the royals have is due to their position. So you can’t just say “they are rich” and be done with it. They were allowed to get rich at great expense and even the life of some of te taxpayers over centuries.

    • Suze says:

      They aren’t just rich. They are royal. They actually have jobs, hard as it is to believe.

      Although I guess if they want to change their job description to “hanging out in a dung filled meadow” it won’t be far different from what they do now.

      Oh, wth. I don’t care – Willie is a worthless dilettante, and Kate is just a boring, vapid WAG. Let her vacation 50 weeks a year.

  54. Alina says:

    William and Kate lead mostly different lives and spend only real time with each other when they´re on a luxus vacation, so it is possible that they indeed need a vacation to procreate 😉

    How long have they been married now? 3 years + baby, right?
    On their wedding day i gave them 8 marriage years + 2 babies and then an official friendly separation. William will lead the same life as he does now (doing only what he wants in a posh and lazy way). The big difference will be he´ll have different girlfriends here and there and no longer a wife on demand.
    Kate will get money. She´ll continue to play a rich Duchess-WAG and doting mother of her children. No charity work for her (of course). In the end both get what they want. A Prince needs heirs, and a socialite needs a rich (ex-)husband and children as meal tickets.

  55. Juliette says:

    I really feel empathy for Harry. When he and William took that hunting trip, William was poised to begin a conservation initiative. Harry was not. It was poor timing for William, and he looked like the entitled, arrogant hypocrite that he is. Harry had nothing to do with the initiative.

    Of course, to deflect from William’s horribleness, Harry was traipsed out to the press conference for the initiative. Bring out the spare, save the heir mentality. Harry never had anything to do with the cause, and was truly used by William as a deflection target.

    Now, Harry is launching something big and hugely meaningful to him. The Invictus Games have personal meaning to him, he’s a veteran. He knows men who’ve been wounded. Where is Harry’s cretin of a brother? He’s naked on a beach with his starving wife. Charming.

  56. Lea says:

    Flying off to the Maldives can only mean one thing: they need to loose weight!!
    Some serious international media pressure coming up!

  57. rudy says:

    Both these boys lost their loving mother to a horrible tragedy at a very young age. No matter how much money they spend or how many causes they devote their lives to, nothing will ever bring Diana back to William and Harry.

    I cut them lots of slack.

    • Patty says:

      Lots of people with less privilege, wealth, and responsibility than the future King of England lose mothers, fathers, and sometimes both at an early age. And yet somehow the vast majority of them manage to pick up the pieces and move on. William and Harry really aren’t that unique because their list their mom when they young. Harry actually seems to be doing good – he is actually taking his responsibility seriously. William is just plain lazy.

      • Lisa says:

        +1 Patty

      • My2Pence says:

        +2 Patty. They are not the only children of a divorce in existence and they are not the only children to lose a parent. They live lives of extreme financial privilege, which does not erase the negative experiences in life, but which makes their situation much easier than others who have suffered similar losses.

      • Green Girl says:

        +100000 to Patty

        The original post has made me angry, so I will only say that I agree with Patty and My2Pence.

      • wendi says:

        Well said, Patty.

      • rudy says:

        So giving sympathy to people who have power and privilege is not accepted?

        Willy is lazy, he is not stepping up to the plate like his brother. Why does that mean I cannot feel for these boys?

        I know many people who have lost family members too young, myself included.

        I live with a mental illness. I take responsibility for my life. It is my job to seek help and treatment. But that does not mean my life is easy. I am not normal. I cannot enjoy a sunset so easily. There are many times I feel life is pointless. But I continue on. I have a family to maintain, a life to live. One step at a time.

        But I am allowed to feel sympathy. Just because they were born into this royal family does not make them superheroes. They have their faults, perhaps big ones, but human faults nonetheless. No one asks to be born into the family they are. No one picks their parents. They have money and power and their lives are easier as a result. But as I said before, none of this will bring back their mom.

        Perhaps Kate and Wills are insufferable judgemental lazy lay-abouts who care nothing for the people of England and only want to spend their money. I can still feel sympathy for two boys who lost their mom.

    • FLORC says:

      Nudy
      This argument goes both ways.
      Often people will say that William deserves slack because Diana was very damaging to him psychologically. He was her therapist where she unloaded her marriage drama on him.
      Then others will say William deserves slack because he lost his loving mother at a young age.

      Either way people will lose the loss of a parent to cover a person’s shortcomings and it’s mostly bs.
      By all accounts William was said to be just as petulant as a child with Diana as he is as an adult.

      And I lost my father at 12. It feels like your heart and lungs are ripped out. It’s crippling. Does it you without a sense of duty and wih a sense of entitlement? No. That’s the person.

      And agree with Patty 100% Just wanted to toss in my 2 cents.

      • My2Pence says:

        @FLORC. Very much belated, I am sorry for your loss.

      • wolfpup says:

        Florc, I teared up reading your comment. I am sorry that you had to endure such a trauma.

      • FLORC says:

        Thanks wolfpup and My2Pence
        Eveyone is different, but using the loss of a parent to give slack to a person’s laziness makes me sick.
        Harry honors his mother’s memory imo. He never brings her up to deflect a scandal. He also lost his mom, but no one gives him that kind of defence.

        It’s true though. The immediate pain felt like my heart and lungs were ripped out. There was such a void. It’s the most accurate way I could describe the pain.I wish it on no one. It was a few months after Diana died. My mom was strong though. Taught me to be self reliant. That your love could pass away and you have to be able to survive independently.
        Sorry to go off on my personal life. It really irks me that girls look up to a woman who built her life around others supporting her.

    • ArtHistorian says:

      The late Queen Ingrid of Denmark lost her pregnant mother when she was about 10 years old, and the Swedish king lost both his parents in a plan crash when he was a young child.

      Ingrid was an amazing queen, Carl Gustaf might not be the brightest bulb nor the best king, but he doesn’t whine about his loss to make people excuse his many faux-pas either.

      I actually doubt that William and Harry got any professional help to deal with the trauma of losing their mother under such awful circumstances – therapy doesn’t seem to be the Windsor way. However, I know from experience how an untreated trauma, especially in a young age, can have long-lasting consequences in the form of unhealthy thought and behavioural patterns.

      My mother tried to kill herself after a fight with me when I was 15. I never got any help to process this – and to this day have a completely blank memory about this episode, I can’t remember anything. Her illness and her actions has damaged me, but I’m working very, very hard in intensive therapy because I’m tired of tripping up my own life over and over again. It is hard, draining, unpleasant and often very painful. It is called taking responsibility for yourself, your behaviour and your life – it is something that adults do – and Willy need to become an adult, he’s a father, a husband and heir (to the heir) to the British throne.

      • bluhare says:

        That was very selfish of your mother. I can only begin to imagine the conflicting emotions you’ve had to deal with since then, and I hope that your mother got some help as well.

        By the way, I find your posts fascinating so I hope you stick around. And if that’s you posting over on the Duchess Kate blog, please keep posting there too!

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Thanks bluhare,

        Sadly, my mother won’t accept help and her condition is now so deteriorated that it can only be managed and not improved.

        I’m really happy that you like my posts! I have lurked here for a while because I like the conversations. However, I don’t know the Duchess Kate blog.

  58. disgusted says:

    They do very little work. A waste of taxpayer money. Hope he is never King.

    • idk says:

      There is a strong likelihood he will be the King one day. I really think Prince Harry would be a much better king.

  59. Montréalise says:

    I hope the writer was being sarcastic when he referred to the upcoming tour Down Under as “gruelling”. I read the itinerary and the duo have ONE – that’s right, just one – engagement per day, with a few rest days in between. Some of the engagements are the expected dinners and receptions, but others are visiting the zoo, attending a wine-tasting, sailing in Sydney Harbour – you know, the kind of stuff the rest of us do when we’re on vacation. And don’t forget, it’s only one a day – presumably, going sailing in the morning and visiting the zoo in the afternoon would be way too exhausting.

    • hmmm says:

      Ye gods. They (and the tabs) are shameless. This truly is just another extended vacation/party. It’s appalling. I hate to imagine how much it will cost the taxpayers for essentially helping to buttress the BRF’s survival. It’s so incredibly cynical and self-serving!

  60. Tsarina says:

    I just do not understand how they been let to get by on this. But like spoiled children, they have not been put in their place. At first I was irritated by the lack of work from these two, especially Kate who I expected more, since she is “just like the rest of us”. What an insult to our intelligence. But I simply have given up expecting anything substantial from them. And that is what they want, I hope the people of the UK get a loud voice and it’s heard, because the antics of these two are a slap in the face to the people who they claim to be just like.

  61. Christina says:

    Maybe there is a crisis in their marriage??? The separate vacations, William on a weekend away with his ex-girlfriend also in attendance. He may have told Kate he couldn’t vacation with her family b/c he couldn’t take time off and then goes off with his brother?? Maybe Kate is upset and he’s trying to appease her with time away – just the two of them? Who knows what is really going on but the optics isn’t great no matter what. And nope, I couldn’t have left my baby at that age for that long of a time period (and SO FAR AWAY) unless there was a serious reason to do so.

    • vava says:

      This. I think there IS trouble in this marriage. A trip to the Maldives isn’t going to patch it up, either. It started long ago……………this was never a “love match”. It’s a business relationship.

    • hmmm says:

      IMO, the crisis is long over. This is a marriage of convenience, and Wills was indiscreet and simply got caught out with another woman.

  62. Cersei says:

    Hi, everyone. I’m sorta new to this site as well and have enjoyed reading all of your comments and opinions. I have to say that the more I read about this pair of privileged welfare abusers, the more I’m inclined to believe they really don’t care what anyone thinks about them. They know the public has a short memory and this latest escapade will soon be forgotten once the media starts hyping the AUSNZ jaunt again. And, I believe, too, that this trip is really a covert IVF mission and it has been planned for months. Anything they do like this is sanctioned by the Queen and Prince Charles, and the British people are “being had” by the entire family.

    • Christin says:

      I tend to agree with you. My sympathy goes to the British taxpayers who foot the bill for this.

      My ancestors were primarily from England and Ireland. They made a great sacrifice to travel to America in the 1700s to begin a new life. I am sure I have many cousins remaining in England, and I feel for them. It’s such a beautiful country, and if I were to visit, I would be searching out the beautiful scenery and not spending my time viewing the overindulgence of the BRF. I may be in the minority, but somehow I don’t think so. However, I think the British citizens are being fed the line that it is the royals that help drive tourism.

    • Mel says:

      That is my impression too: that they simply do not care.
      Either that, or they are not only unbelievably stupid but they also have an unbelievably stupid PR team.
      Even if it were to cover up something else, they still could – should – make a better excuse than a “second honeymoon”.

      Well, there IS a third option but I mention it merely to cover all the bases: they are crypto-republicans and are working hard to eliminate the monarchy. 🙂

      • ArtHistorian says:

        It is my impression that the British Royal Family ACTUALLY believe they are better than other people because they are royal – and that is an antiquated and absurd belief in a modern democracy.

  63. Emily C. says:

    They’re emulating some of the least popular monarchs in history. This is Not Smart. The Windsors have never been particularly celebrated for their brains. However, they used to be pretty good at doing enough work to remain somewhat popular. Historically speaking, royals running off to have fun all the time is something that destroys monarchies.

    • ArtHistorian says:

      Historically, royals with pushy and grasping in-laws have also been very unpopular, i.e. the Boleyns and the Wydevilles in the 15th and 16th centuries.

      There is a reason that it is smart for royals to marry foreigners, both in the past and today.

      • LadySlippers says:

        @ArtHistorian:

        Someone who knows their history. We SO should chat over tea!

        *deeply curtseys*

        But I do think certain English families have had their meddlesome natures played up in order to make the monarchy look better. Often, the woman that married in is the sacrificial lamb.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        LadySlippers,

        Thanks, *blushes*

        The Boleyn and their Howard relations (which included the Duke of Norfolk) threw various of the family’s young women at Henry VIII in order to enrich themselves. It was the order of the day, and something that the aristocrats of the day found perfectly normal. The Seymours did the same thing and succeeded mainly because Jane Seymour gave the king a son.
        Frederik III actually had a minister of finance that refused to enrich himself in this way, and his peers thought him daft.

        Regarding the Wydevilles,
        Elizabeth Wydeville was the widow of a minor Lancastrian knight, but snagged the Yorkist king (the enemy of the Lancasters) but the clever tactic of insisting on marriage with the horndog king before putting out. However, she and her family was loathed in England – it was a class issue, they were minor gentry, she was associated with the enemy party in a long and brutal civil war. However, her family was quite grasping – they were given titles, large holdings and very important royal appointments (fx as officers of the crown princes’ household, etc.)

        These marriages where a king marries one of his subjects (and their family, LOL) caused a lot of political unrest and resentment among other powerful families at court – in the long run, that wasn’t good for the realm.

  64. lio says:

    I checked their website, the dinner there alone is 500 dollars one person, drinks not included

  65. Xantha says:

    Riddle me this British CBers: What do you guys think will take for the UK to no longer have a monarchy? Is there anything major that needs to happen to cause the BRF to no longer be Royals?

    • Ponytail says:

      It’ll be a slow process, and part of me wonders if it’s already started, with the Queen being forced to pay tax and the number of graspers on the Civil List being reduced. I can’t see there being one event that turns us into a Republic, but for example, Scotland going independent could be the next nail in the coffin.
      I like the idea (mooted above) that William and Kate are actually against the idea of a monarchy and are breaking the system down from within ! If only…

  66. My2Pence says:

    Meanwhile, the DailyMail has only accepted 15 comments on the Amanda Platell article in which she bashes them for going on vacation and leaving PGTips behind. Guess the astroturfers are on vacation this weekend so the palace ordered DM to stop accepting comments?

    “How COULD Kate and Wills jet off to the sun without baby George?”
    by Amanda Platell, DM, March 7, 2014
    “It’s not as if Kate, who has never had a proper job, is deprived of holidays. Her tan can hardly have faded since returning from Mustique last month. As for William, who also doesn’t now have a proper job, he’s breaking off from his ten-week agriculture course at Cambridge University which goes on until the end of the month! Couldn’t the couple have waited for some sun until their Australian tour next month?”

    • My2Pence says:

      Fates, another one has just been published in the Mail:

      Royals jet off into a storm of protest as they leave George at home during Maldives getaway
      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2576512/Royals-jet-storm-protest-leave-George-home-Maldives-getaway.html

      How COULD Kate and Wills jet off to the sun without baby George?
      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2576130/PLATELLS-PEOPLE-How-COULD-Kate-Wills-jet-sun-without-baby-George.html

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Well, well, well… It looks like the tide is slowly turning.

        These two might come home from their 2nd honeymoon only to discover that the honeymoon with the press is over.

      • Xantha says:

        The tide has been turning slowly for a while now. They had a lot of good will when they got married nearly three years ago but they have done nothing to maintain it.

        And in less than a month their baby that they couldn’t bring with them on a private holiday will join them as a PR prop for their official holiday, oops I mean engagements in Australia/NewZealand. While the Royalists and WillKate fans will gush and coo, everyone else will roll their eyes over how transparent and callous they really are.

      • kibbles says:

        Xantha, I was thinking the same thing – that these two are actually using baby George as a PR prop on their trips when they’d probably prefer to leave him with a nanny while going on another vacation. These two are not a modern day aristocratic couple. We all knew that they had to have a baby whether they wanted one or not. Getting pregnant and having a baby has been Kate’s only real “work” as William’s wife. She needed to give him an heir to the throne. Now that her “position” is secure, she doesn’t seem to care what the public thinks of her. That baby was always going to be “used” to secure the Middletons place with the Royals as well as to be used as a PR prop since the public loves babies.

      • hmmm says:

        Speaking of PG as a PR prop/accessory…It’s been reported that PG was trotted out Tuesday night to mingle with a select group of reporters. Said reporters also signed a gag order. The following day the useless twosome were in the Maldives. This, according to Niraj Tanna’s tweets.

        So the Dolittles are well aware of how the public would react to their getaway, and cravenly sucked up to some of the press so that they could fly under the radar. Prince George was the bait. (Makes me wonder if that’s why they keep PG under wraps- so they can bribe some of the press into silence with a glimpse of Georgie).

        The Dolittles are already exploiting their child and this is just the beginning. It seems they also do care what the public thinks in the sense that they need smoke and mirrors and an edifice of lies to continue their profligate ways. I’m just glad there are some reporters not in their pockets.

        How much lower can they sink?

        Oh, and Tanna also suggests that the pix of Harry and Cress were timed to distract and take the heat off the gruesome twosome.

      • CynicalCeleste says:

        Just read the Niraj Tanna tweets as well and mentioned them above. Interesting. What kind of gag order would they have to sign upon seeing PG? Not to report that he’s got William’s eyes… he cried the whole time…soiled his nappies? very odd.

  67. Jaded says:

    Dear Queen Elizabeth:

    It’s time for a shake-up in the royal family. First, let’s drop the anachronistic title “Royal”. What, apart from the luck of birth, makes you lot any better than the rest of the world other than wars of supremacy, looted titles, jewelry, money and innumerable palaces?

    Secondly, why should any of you not have real jobs? Especially jobs that benefit the subjects who pay for your rich existences? Some royals are doing it right. Princess Anne has basically said “naff off” to the privileges, titles, media swooning and frippery and has just gotten down to business as one of the most hard-working royals in the family.

    One would think that the new batch of royals would shrug off all the nonsense of being titled and rich, and put their position and wealth to good work. Some have, but it’s sad to say that your grandson William and his wife have clearly spurned the idea that being royal comes with certain responsibilities to champion the neglected, underprivileged and needy in society in favour of a vapid, self-absorbed existence of vacations, shopping and gap years to study ‘farming’, neglecting all but the most cursory of public duties.

    I’m sure Diana is rolling over in her grave right now seeing how selfish and lazy William and Kate are and how disinterested and uncaring their attitude is towards their inherent responsibilities.

    Shame on the both of them your Majesty, and I think it’s important that as one of your last duties as Queen, you should take them both by the scruff of the neck and give them a good upbraiding; try to shake some sense into them that they’re not here to do what they want to do but what’s best for the people they’re supposed to be serving, and who are paying for their lazy, lavish lives.

  68. Lou says:

    I don’t understand Kate. I would LOVE to be able to pick a bunch of my favourite charities and help them by helping out and talking to people and attending fundraisers. Talk about a dream job. They could be actively helping those in need and raising the profile of big issues!

    I’d be out there being a patron for animal charities, hospitals, women’s refuges, scientific research, art galleries, museums… I’d chose an illness that doesn’t get public awareness often and become a charity patron. It would be SO rewarding. I just… I don’t understand. You can do that job AND get hairdressing appointments. I can (and do) have my lazy days where I spend all day in bed playing Skyrim, but Kate and Will are both throwing away so many opportunities to make a difference. I just don’t get it.

    • ArtHistorian says:

      I don’t understand her either (or her husband) – I have no clue as to who they are as people. Do they have ANY interests other than hunting (him) and shopping (her)? There doesn’t seem to be anything that is genuinely their personalities and interests shining through their public personas.

      • Mel says:

        Astonishingly, it would appear they have NO interests – or they would be known (and inflated!) by now.

        Like others here, I would give anything for the opportunity to go down in history as someone WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE. 24-hour long days would be way too short for all the things I would be trying to accomplish. I can say that, because I am trying to accomplish them even now. With such a cornucopia of means and exposure, I could make many people’s dreams come true – or at least come much closer to realisation. First and foremost, i would work hard to make the WORLD a better place, in a measurable way.

        These two… they vacation, shop and kill animals for pleasure.
        I really think that what we see IS what we get: they really are stupid and vacuous.

        Worst of all, they portray the Queen herself in a very unflattering light. Surely she could – certainly should – stop such blatant exhibition of… well, doing nothing except rubbing their financial and social good fortune in the people’s noses?
        If not – if she cannot even accomplish that – what is the point of a monarch?

        Like I said before (tongue-in-cheek), maybe they are crypto-republicans, and they ARE working hard: to do away with the monarchy.
        If that is the case, they are doing a fine job.

      • bluhare says:

        I have to defend Kate here a bit. It was said of her that she’s a keen photographer, and I remember when they did the Canadian tour she had her camera with her to take photos. And then she published photos that she took in SE Asia and they were trashed. I felt bad for her; she chose some shots she liked, put them on their website and no one had anything good to say.

        So she’s not the world’s best photographer. She tried, put them out there, and was shot down. I bet it’ll be a cold day in hell before she does anything personal like that again.

  69. moon says:

    Maybe there’s trouble in their marriage and the royal family ordered a romantic getaway to patch things up.

    • kibbles says:

      This is probably William’s way of apologizing for skipping out on the Middletons’ annual Mustique family vacation to go hunting with his ex-girlfriend. More people are starting to pick up on problems within their marriage due to the both of them often living separate lives. They’ve always had problems in their relationship. That’s why they broke up numerous times with Waity always waiting around at the same events he went to in order to get him back. William made a huge mistake in marrying her. Even if he is lazy, he should have married a smarter woman with actual hobbies and interests other than shopping. The Royal family hated Diana, but that is the exact type of person the monarchy needs for the 21st century. We can only hope that Cresidda or whoever Harry eventually marries will be much more active in both her personal hobbies as well as charitable work.

      • My2Pence says:

        Thing is, he went hunting with Jecca the weekend after the Mustique trip. The second Kate Middleton and PGTips arrive home (wherever that is at this point), William heads out the door. Since his “bespoke course” is clearly tailored just for him, he could have chosen to go to Mustique AND go hunting with Jecca.

    • Mel says:

      Moon, if that is the case, then the entire royal family is much more stupid than even their opponents thought.
      W. & K.’s domestic bliss is the LEAST of their problems.

  70. Reece says:

    Question: PGTips? I get that it’s baby George but what is the origin of the name? Is like #pippatips? Is there a twitter account?

  71. My2Pence says:

    Shall we try to guess if this writer had one of the coveted spots at the Press sneak peak of PGTips on Tuesday night? Doing his best to get in with Bill and Kate Middleton.

    Duke and Duchess of Cambridges’ Antipodean trip with Prince George: Will this be the best ever Royal tour?
    The success – and occasional slip-ups – of previous royal visits Down Under will ensure the Cambridges get a warm welcome

    By Hugo Vickers
    7:00AM GMT 09 Mar 2014
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/10684835/The-Cambridges-Antipodean-trip-with-Prince-George-Will-this-be-the-best-ever-tour.html