Here are some new photos of Princess Eugenie of York, now of New York. Eugenie has been living and working in NYC for about seven months. She got a gig working at the auction house Paddle8, where she seems to work full-time. Sources claimed last year that Eugenie was determined to make her own way in the world, and be a full-time working woman in NYC. She walks to work every day, and she goes to lunch with work friends and she seems to be loving her more undercover New York lifestyle.
Anyway, I don’t have much to say about Eugenie. I’m proud of her for going out on her own and getting a job, especially since she’s basically starting over in a new city. I do wonder about the York princesses versus the Middletons, and whether Eugenie and Beatrice are going to have the last laugh if and when Harry marries their good friend Cressida Bonas, who is definitely more #TeamYork than #TeamMiddleton. We’ll see.
In the meantime, I would suggest everyone read this absolutely fascinating article about the Marlborough College, which is the boarding school alma mater of Eugenie, Pippa Middleton, Duchess Kate, Samantha Cameron, Georgina Chapman, and many, many other prominent “wives of.” The Telegraph wonders aloud about all of “the Old Marlburian girls privy to the pillow talk of the rich and powerful.” Apparently, Marlborough is breeding “alpha consorts” to “the great and the good” of England. So… does this mean that Eugenie will end up marrying some alpha male?
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I like her and like her attitude, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that she’s starting over in a new city the way a normal person would. She would have hundreds of doors opened for her socially and professionally. That’s not knocking her, just a fact of life. But I hope she’s enjoying herself and what seems to be a little more freedom. I wish her well. I think both of her parents are creepy in their own way.
ITA. The vast majority of women her age would have to hustle like hell to get a job like that with zero connections. But I do like how she seems to be taking it on in a low key and humble fashion.
Side note: Upon first glance at the thumbnail shot, I thought it was Rumer Willis!
Exactly…its not like she is some young, girl from Iowa, straight out of college looking to make it in New York…SHE IS A PRINCESS, FFS…However, I do like her and the fact that she wants some independence…and she does look like Rumer Willis, just minus the giant chin…
But she’s living how I would live in her situation, so hats off to her, you know?
Good point.
I’m still proud of her though. Shes a scion of the most self-entitled family in the world plus god knows what phuck ups her dad and mum are. Shes swimming against a tide and that does take strength.
I’m going to agree and disagree GoodNames.
Doors being opened to you IS nice but moving to another country several hundred (if not more) miles away, being several times zones apart from your family is still tough. Open doors does not replace your family, friends, significant other, routine, and country by any means.
Moving to a new country involves culture shock which can be rather extreme. I’ve read several blogs from expats, plus my own personal experience, and lonliness and culture shock are a struggle for virtually all of them. She might have people falling at her feet but that doesn’t mean these are people worth knowing. And having a decent core of friends is essential to anyone — no matter the style and address they are accorded.
In the military, we frequently moved to places where we had a built in support system but that never meant I didn’t go through the Kleenex like mad. I’m grateful it was there but I still had to adjust. It can be rough and she has to do it much more publicly than most.
I can vouch for culture shock.
Blu,
You live now in the US, correct? And you’re a Brit, also yes?
And culture shock is WOW. It’s hard to describe to people who’ve never gone through it.
Yes and yes.
I agree with LadySlippers about the culture shock. It is terrible. Every, single, time.
So props to Eugenie for this. I even met her (she stayed at a resort where I was working) and I still remember she came to hug us before leaving, she even remembered our names. Not many royals hug the staff, anywhere…..
I agree with LadySlippers.. I’ve been there too. I loved it but at first, yes, culture shock and dealing with that wall of time between you and everyone you know elsewhere. So, I say, good for Eugenie.
Oh Hiddles, please tell me you jest.
Culture shock never gets easier?!??? I would have thought that it was easier to adjust once you had gone through the experience before? No?? Oh that is disheartening.
And to echo the other lovely posters above — culture shock is shocking. The words that are used to describe it do it no justice. It sucks. Big time.
And that is awesome to hear that Eug is like that. Every report I’ve heard or read about the York Princesses describes both women as delightful and thoughtful.
I didn’t say it would be easy to move to another country. I just think it’s easier for her than it would be for someone without connections. I like her and admire her for what she’s doing.
True, connections will ease some aspects but not all.
And culture shock (and awe) usually hits after 6 months and can last for several months, if not longer.
It makes you wanna cry in your Wheaties, in the shower, practically at ANYTHING that you miss from home. Which is about everything when you’re going through this grieving stage. I mean everything too. And this is coming from a person that lurves to travel. I wanted (and still do) to live abroad. I still went through a mean culture shock. It was no better or worse for the people that did or didn’t want to live overseas.
Yes, I see what you’re saying. I have only ever lived abroad for 6 months, so my reaction was excitement more than culture shock because it was for such a short time. Although I did go get a Big Mac one time, which I never do at home, so I guess to a milder degree, I experienced what you’re describing. Also, you lived in Japan, if I remember correctly, and that would be so very different. I was in England, where at least the language is the same. Poor LadySlippers, I hate to think of you crying in your Wheaties or unhappy in any way.
And that’s it GoodNames, you left before it hit. The first 6 months is exciting and fabulous. It’s like being a nerd in a bookstore — the endless possibilities!!! Ahhhh! The first 6 months is often called ‘the honeymoon phase’.
And then the things that were delightful become annoying. You’re crying but can’t call home because of the time difference. The shows you love aren’t playing do you’re losing reference points from home. There are so many things to consider. It’s huge and even expats from either the US or UK talk about the differences living in each other’s culture and country. Often it’s the little things too that add up. And coming home has it’s shocks too.
You really have to reorganise your cultural compass and that’s hard, especially the US Japan one (for either side).
Living in another country changes you that is for certain.
Info on cultural shock:
http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/the-4-stages-of-culture-shock-and-how-to-beat-them/
In another era, Caroline Kennedy did the same thing, in reverse (countries, that is). After Brown, she went to work for Sotheby’s in England (might have been Christie’s, the memory fades…). She ended up with a sweet gig at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Were doors opened for her? Sure, but she did the work.
+1
Not to mention the obvious…. getting a visa, which must have been FAR easier for her than to any other brit. There are yearly caps and everything, but I’m certain she was in no way affected by them by knowing the right people for the workarounds.
She’s working for a British auction house and based at their US location. I’m not sure how all of that works, visa-wise.
Most of these places that use foreigners as a rule have the visa fast tracked anyway. They’ll often have all the docs lined up, ready to go to sponsor the foreign worker. And that’s the key here is ‘sponsorship’.
I’m sure Eug’s HRH helped but my guess is this firm has done it numerous times for other Brits, no big deal.
Alpha Consorts? Sigh. Is there a breeding ground for alpha cabana boys? Because my Ramos Fizz is almost empty. 😉
LOL
Ewww, that article made my skin crawl. I have no time for women who define themselves as “wife of”. This is a serious and difficult time in the world, what are YOU doing about it? What is YOUR opinion? But I’ve always found Katie Middleton useless so I’m not the audience for that stuff anyway.
Yeah that was my reaction as well (I just tend to react with satire to hide my disgust). I mean wtf century are we living in where women are still bred to be incubators and ornaments? I feel very grateful for my independence from that world & mindset.
I totally agree!
Agreed. Also hated how the press referred to L’Wren Scott as Mick Jagger’s girlfriend even though most knew her as a designer.
Thank you! Never knew she was with Mick. Always knew her as L’Wren Scott, designer.
I love her coat.
Breeding alpha consorts for the great and good of England makes me want to weep for feminism. Why can’t this school be breeding (ughhhhh worst word, not livestock)/teaching women to be leaders in their own right. And maybe even “great and good” in their own right…shocking thought I know.
Anyway, Eugenie seems to be doing more than just trying to land herself one of those great and good men of England, so good on her.
Personally the line of the article offends me, but I also think it’s tongue in cheek because in reality, the women they’ve highlighted, bar Kate and Sally Bercow, are actually high achievers in their own right.
In reality, every few years, one public school seems to provide many WAGS and HABS in high places. Right now it’s Marlborough and Eton, a generation ago it was Cheltenham Ladies College and Harrow and a generation before that was a different set of schools.
It all depends where the old boys/girls’s networks decide to send their kids who all end up socialising together.
You’re probably right. There is no way that line could be written seriously…I will dial back my horror a few notches 🙂
On reflection, I realised that I was being unfair to Sally Bercow on account of her being in the tabloids for partying and drinking so I googled her, turns out she’s a Labour Political activist.
You’d never know that based upon her media appearances.
Eton and Harrow are the only two boys schools I have ever heard of. I read a ton of regency romances and the aristocratic guys in those books always go to either of them.
What’s a HAB?
LAK, what’s a HAB? I googled it and all I got were the a lot about the Montreal hockey team and Historic American Buildings. 🙂
@bluhare: Husbands and Boyfriends.
TG: there is also Westminster, Rugby, Fettes, Ampleforth, Dulwich………
Bluhare/Reece: what Okie said.
TG: also Gordonstoun.
Ooooh ok Thanks!
Okay just finished the article and have a few questions. What does “old girls” mean? They were talking about women in their 20’s and calling them old girls so not sure what that means, unless it just means former student. Next, who was that former student they interviewed talking about when he said he remembered one girl who didn’t bother dating her peers since she had bigger fish to fry and that she caught her big fish. Was he talking about Duchess Kate? Also I think the York Princesses are adorable.
It’s British for alumni.
Thanks. I love reading British literature and writing, such as this article, but the funny thing is I can hardly understand them!
Sixer,
Since it’s Latin is alumnae 😉
Oh nevertheefear, LS, I am classically educated. Public school, remember? Like the Horny Helmet, I can also do Ancient Greek. But you awful Yanks always type alumni for old girls. You never get ANYTHING right. 😉
Oh lordie, it’s *my* fault you say????
😉
I know it only because my alma mater made *sure* we knew the differences in male and female cognates of a lot English words. But alumnae came with extra special emphasis!
I kinda figured you knew and had to give you some crap… Hehe (I’m totally jealous at how thoroughly you all know the language and equally jealous at how you use it. Brits approach language in a much different fashion. It’s rather enchanting).
Well, how could it be MY fault? Tsk.
I did Cambridge Latin, like most other British pupils that do Latin. I even remember the first line of textbook one: Caecilius est in horto.
I think that is quite sad of me.
True. I AM the très gauche Americenne.
*humbly bows to cultural greatness*
Still jealous of how you all approach language.
And which public school did you attend? Are you *gasp* posh then?
Not posh. I was a scholarship girlie.
Actually, we Brits are pretty bad at languages generally. I think most English-speaking countries are – if you’ve the lingua franca, why bother? Languages were the thing I was good at, however, and, being at a public school, they developed that for me as much as they could. I did French, German, Latin, Classical Greek and a little Spanish and Russian whilst at school.
I am only messin’ vis a vis Americans. You know that, right?
@LS
Heard on TV news talk show this morning – about the differences between British and American English and GOOP’s conscious uncoupling:
“We are separated by a common language. What can you expect from people who say affirmative instead of yes?”
Snigger!
Alpha consort? In Eugene’s case, as the granddaughter of the queen, I’m guessing she would be the catch rather than the other way around.
I hope she succeeds in finding her own way. Once the Queen is gone, and Charles is on the throne, it is well known that he wants to downsize the royals, and most likely focus on the families of his two sons, and less on the families of his siblings and cousins.
Seriously I don’t know why but in my head this scene happened
P. Eugene ” Oh William you know that thing peasants call work, it’s not that bad! You should try sometimes”
LOL and maybe she has said that to Kate as well. I noticed the article talked about responsibility, I guess that only extends to being responsible for snagging the prince, never mind responsibility for your country or for actually working.
I had no idea Marlborough College was coed. I always thought proper ladies trained without the distraction of men. On a side note, in the U.S. something like 1/2 or more of all female CEOs are graduates of women’s colleges. In any case it’s just a boarding school. The grads still have uni ahead of them. I’m sure the consort thing is sheer coincidence.
This list of benefits for attending an all-women’s college/university are very long.
Here’s a link (with references too):
http://www.womenscolleges.org/perspective/nsse-study
This is great info. I refused to even apply to women’s colleges out of high school. I wanted the large state u experience, which is fine, but in hindsight I would encourage any young woman to consider this option. Actually, I think it’s a shame there aren’t more single sex college options for young men in the U.S.
Bettyrose,
Many single sex colleges/ universities went co-ed because they had to — I could list several in Minnesota alone. And ironically, studies support the idea that while women excel in a single-sex environment, men do not. Although there is a single-sex men’s college that states it bucks the trends for an all male school.
An interesting solution from two single-sex colleges in Minnesota, they made the unusual move to sorta ‘team up’ so both campuses are still single sex, as are a portion of classes, but they’ve tried to successfully be both co-ed and single sex in order to avoid closing their doors.
Single sex education in higher learning is not an easy path to walk.
**ETA**
I absolutely adored going to two all women’s colleges. But I definitely preferred one over another, as all colleges are not created equal.
LadySlippers, I didn’t realize that about single sex men’s colleges. How interesting. Especially given that historically all of the top universities excluded women. Not in decades, of course, and now women have many wonderful options in higher ed, but I’d really be curious to know more about why men don’t excel as much as women do in single-sex environments.
Back to Duchess Kate – just to keep this on topic – I do find it suspect that of all the fine boarding schools in Britain (I assume there are quite a few), she was sent to one famous for producing wives rather than one famous for producing business moguls and politicians.
I used to work with a female only school, and Melinda Gates was involved with them at the time. Don’t know if she still feels this way, but she was a huge proponent of female only education. She doesn’t work with the school any more, though, to my knowledge, as I haven’t worked with them for quite some time either.
My mother was so disappointed that there were no all female universities when it was time for us…..
Didn’t have the heart to tell her about st Hilda’s College, Oxford Uni. Maggie Thatcher’s Alma mater.
She was furious about it when she found out after graduation, and she remains furious about it.
LAK,
How would that work since Oxford is co-ed?
And I ask because we really don’t have known colleges at bigger universities like you do. So I have nothing to relate to. For example, there are colleges at the larger universities but rarely does someone mention, ‘I’m going to X College at A University’ it’s always, ‘I’m going to A University’. Plus, all those smaller colleges have to work under the auspices of the parent university — so if the uni was co-ed so are all the sub colleges.
I hope my questions make sense. Lol Thanks in advance.
And did you see the articles I posted on the nanny post a few days back? I’m still digging through YouTube to find the show but was able to find an article that mentioned the poor pay and spartan living conditions.
On another note, the DM has removed (as far as I can tell) all the articles directly relating to William almost losing his wings summer/fall of 2012 and the follow up article in Jan 2013. Except when it was mentioned in other articles (like the morning sickness ones).
Gosh that’s so… Predictable.
Hey, LAK, looking back I wish I’d gone to a girls’ school. I think I’d have done much better than at a co-ed school, and I wish I’d gone to a women’s college. I might have actually graduated!
I refused to apply for an all-women’s college despite my grandma insisting it would “keep me out of trouble”. (I’ve had the same boyfriend since I was 16, what trouble was I getting into?!) I just always felt out of place with most females. Being black, poor, on the JV football team, in the marching band, nerdy, and a general weirdo while attending a middle-upper middle class mostly white HS did not help being accepted either.
I think it was too the “all women are evil, they will lie on you/steal your man” projected in my family (BY THE WOMEN NO LESS!) that lead me to not have many female friends. I’m getting better now that I’m closer to 30 but It’s definitely a struggle I would not have wanted at 18 at an all female college because I didn’t “feel like a woman” to start with. I do wonder what it would’ve been like now that y’all mention it.
MonicaQ,
I grew up *very* poor and felt out of place at St Kate’s (St Catherine University) due to income disparity. But, I quickly found a bunch of middle class to lower class nerds to hang out with (and some rich kids too). I loved loved LOVED the academic atmosphere — we we’re challenged and thoroughly supported. It was a fantastic combo.
I went to another all women’s college and the differences between the two were striking. St Kate’s was known as a former ‘finishing school’ so money abounded. At my 2nd school — it was a former nun’s college for teaching and nursing. Very, very blue collar origins. Night and day difference in teaching approach, support, and students they attracted. I got a decent education at the 2nd college but I wasn’t challenged like at St Kate’s. St Kate’s was not afraid to go against the Catholic Church when educating, St Kate’s acknowledged (always) the churches position and included that as a discussion point. Not true at the 2nd college.
Basically the long and short of it — research the particular all women’s college you attend. They vary just like any other educational setting.
Bettyrose,
My guess is that the public schools that are highlighted in the news probably rotate between all the good ones. And no matter which school you attend — as long as it’s academically challenging while supporting you elsewhere, that’s
what counts.
I just wish Kate would actually show us that she *uses* her fantastic secondary schooling and outstanding university education. What good is being educated if you appear less than???!????
LS: i’ve never really thought about how it works.
I do know that many colleges under an umbrella University tend to operate like they are satellites such that what works for one college isn’t necessarily the case for a different college.
Many such universities are centuries old, so there could be a very good historical reason why some of their colleges are single sex.
Bluhare: I went to all girls’ schools all my life.
Co-ed Uni was a big shock to the system because boys!!!
I still find it fascinating that the middle class Middletons would have sent their kids there-shows some serious hustle on Carole’s part. Personally I can’t imagine being in a situation like that-all these people who know each other’s families for generations, their whole way of life is so different-I’m just kind of amazed.
I’m not British, but I have a passion for novels that take place in rural English towns. The upper middle class kids are always packed off to boarding school, but I don’t know if there’s a different tier specifically for middle class kids.
Yes-I think so. I would think the snobbery would have been so isolating. But clearly those girls made their way. The Wisteria Sisters, right?
Not all boarding schools are the same, just as no school is the same. However, they aren’t divided along lines of class. All welcome anyone who can cough up the fees.
Many of them were founded to educate the children of poor kids – the rich kids having personal home schooling tutors. Eton is a prime example.
of course certain schools have developed such that they are associated with social/academic/arts/sporting success and those individual things may be more important to the parents over the rest and the student body will reflect that.
overall, public schools try to have a good mix of all the above.
True – but the energy and imagination Carole Middleton poured into raising her children is noteworthy nonetheless.
There has been suggestion online that the false bullying claims helped with this school move for Kate Middleton. She started at Downe House then changed schools a year later. (The bullying claims at Downe House were proven false. It was said she was bullied by other girls who put feces put in her bed; as Kate Middleton was a day student only, she was never assigned a bed, etc.) And if she was bullied so badly at Downe House, why would the Middleton’s choose to send Pippa there a couple years later? Questionable move.
Marlborough was swamped with applications at the time KM was applying for schools the first time around, because they were the sister school (for socializing) for Eton where William was set to attend. A year later, along comes poor-and-PutUpon (but wealthy) middle class commoner Kate Middleton. She has a story to tell about being “bullied” at her other school for not being an aristocrat. Lo and behold she gets accepted into Marlborough a year after the rush of applications. Interesting move.
Either way, if Marlborough is in the business of churning out “alpha consorts”, they must perceive Middleton and her work-shy ways as an epic failure. She just isn’t a Maxima, is she?
Maxima is simply awesome.
Too bad we couldn’t get people more interested in other Monarchies… There are a lot of very interesting Monarchies beyond the UK’s…
LadySlippers
That’s because she’s drama free. She does her job and then some. She won’t get coverage here or the DM bcause of that. She does get legitimate news coverage and though we may not hear about it here she is making lives better and using her platform correctly.
And she’s so damn lovely.
Maxima fans unite!
I agree Florc.
But other Monarchies DO have drama including the Dutch. And still no one knows about them. 🙁
Oh Madame Liberté, a call to arms?!? 😉
Yes, definitely some drama in the Dutch royal house, especially in the early years with her father. But in the past week:
– They volunteered for Dutch national day of service. I think they started this event when they got married, but correct me if I’m wrong
– She was awarded the Deutschen Medienpreises media award for her work with microfinance at the UN
http://www.deutscher-medienpreis.de/
http://www.cropix.hr/index.php?menuid=gallery_sipa&gid=51305
– Now they’re “hosting” the Chinese state visit and all the global leaders at the UN Nuclear Security Summit
I guess if she flipped her hair, didn’t weight her hems, refused to work, and went on vacation more often she might be “newsworthy”
I think it’s because, at the heart of it, it’s sexism. People are uncomfortable (I mean people as a whole not individuals) with strong women so it’s easier to reduce them to fashion shows and other fluff.
We slam Japan for their blatant sexism but fail to recognise it in ourselves. So Letizia gets hammered, Masako shoved into a closet, while Maxima, Mathilde, and Victoria are ignored.
I’d love to talk about other Monarchies…
I like Maxima too. She also looks quite engaging in her photographs. Funny ones at the DM yesterday with Obama, Cameron and Hollande looking all googly at her.
I hate how strong women are often ignored.
Maybe they should start calling the paps too.
If Maxima had a larger stage she would rival Diana for popularity. She has that much of an “it” factor, coupled with a supercharged intellect.
It’s probably better for her that her stage is small.
I would love to talk about the other royals here at CB. I think Kaiser has floated a few test balloon posts, I seem to remember one around the time of the abdication, maybe? Maybe during the inauguration. It’s hard to drum up interest.
You’re right, Suze. There’ve been a few European royals posts, although mostly about Charlene.
It is incredible how the Middleton’s plotted to get William years before Waity even met him. I wonder how many other families tried and failed. I bet it is in the hundred’s at least.
A couple of very good friends went to Downe House and they don’t recognise any of the behaviour put forth by the Middletons, but then again, different generations.
For me the glaring hole in her claims of being bullied was the fact that she was a day pupil. They aren’t assigned beds. Locker space tends to be only in the common room.
It can be isolating being a day pupil. You miss all the after school fun and activities which bond everyone else. I’d never subject my kids to that. Either they board completely or they attend a day school. Not this half and half option.
seven months. huh. i’ll give her props once she’s stuck with it two years.
I can’t help, but like both the York Princessess.
They grew up in the ultimate indulgence. Didn’t Fergie by out Bloomingdales? They never wanted is my point. And they left that behind to make it in the working world. Dating normal guys who’s families are comfortable, but not obscenely wealthy. All while working for their charities and at times paying out of pocket to do so.
Sure, they have kind of awful parents, butthese ladies have very much risen above that and seems to be truly good people.
The Vanity Fair article points out that Andrew and Sarah must be great parents (especially Sarah) as the girls *really* look up to her.
Both Bea and Eug seem to have figured out how to blend the HRH with a relatively normal and productive life. Kudos to the whole York family for that challenging accomplishment.
True LadySlippers
For all of Andrew and Sara’s faults and public shaming they have raised 2 responsible young adults. I saw a video of Bea at a charity event and her mom was just beaming with pride as her daughter spoke very eloquently about her charity and the people she met that day.
For all their faults they must have been wonderful parents.
Both these girls strike me as far better leaders of their monarchy than William will ever be. The older one seems to be a combination of Victoria and Elizabeth when it comes to brains and duty.
If the rumors are true that the Middleton sisters bullied the Yorks because they felt they could based on Kate being with the heir to the crown, then this is the reason why I’m liking the idea of Cressida being with Harry. I’m rooting for the Yorks when it comes to the interactions between the younger generation of Royals because I feel like they were made to be the underdogs amongst them by the Middletons & their egos, & also because I think the Yorks are trying more than the Middletons to live more productive lives.
I like your thinking here….
I can’t help but see your point but can I just say that there is something quite sleazy about the way the media portrays females as archetypes that are in constant competition. Grasping social climbers, sweet little princesses, calculating gold digger, no nonsense ice maiden, free-spirited ingenue, man-stealing wench, virginal English rose etc etc. they leave no room for personality, human complexity, interpersonal dynamics, character flaws and strengths or any of the countless other things that nake a woman a woman. As public figures we can see partly into the lives of these individuals, but it is only a glimpse.
Agreed Snark.
And that isn’t to say there isn’t something there but so often it’s made up and it’s hard to tell what’s press created and what’s real.
Agree. And another layer is that something may be true but greatly exaggerated. The media like stark contrast. It allows people to digest a McStory without having to think too much about it. I always imagine an editorial meeting with all the staffers voting to decide if a starlet/royal girlfriend/model/singer etc is going to be spun this way or that. And once they decide absolutely all of their features will reflect whatever it is that they decided. Sad, really..
@Dame Snarkweek
I guess I don’t see these women like that, polar opposites of each other or as such fanciful characterizations, though I do think the Ms were raised to be social climbers.
What I do see of Kate is someone who’s not much interested in doing anything more than what she was doing before her marriage, basically shopping & primping. Same with her sister. If Kate did more than this, then the RF’s press relations office would have pushed through a different image by now, imo. She’s had plenty of time to get more involved in various causes & loads of resources to train to be less socially awkward but either she’s a really slow learner or she doesn’t want to spend her time that way.
What I see of the Yorks are women who have interests in more things that the Ms have and who will go out and get involved in such. Maybe the media can’t show them as perpetual lazy do-nothings because these sisters don’t act like that?
So imo, I don’t think it’s the media trying to make some kind of competition between the two groups of sisters. I think it’s just that there’s not much more to the Ms & the Ys seem to have more energy and more interests.
Anne_000
My observations had more to do with the role of the media in consciously shaping the way we view females with strong public presences. It was not necessarily an indictment on the Middleton/York dynamic, even though your use of the term ‘social climber’ attests that no one is impervious to the effect of labels and the media excels at/survives by labeling, especially labeling women. Also, fwiw, the tags I used to exemplify the sexist labels used by the media (posted^) describe more individuals than I could possibly list here: Princess Margaret, Elizabeth Taylor, Camilla Parker-Bowles, Carole Middleton, Diana Ross, Eleanor Roosevelt and so on and so on. Misogyny never goes out of style.
@Dame Snarkweek
In my case, I think of Kate as a social climber based on her history.
Anne_000
Without the media you would know next to nothing about Kate’s history. And if it ever suited the press powers that be Kate’s story would again be reshaped and reframed. If anyone twenty years ago had said that Camilla and Charles would be a (mostly) respected, philanthropic and engaging couple in the public eye they would have been scoffed. Thirty years ago it would have been unthinkable that Princess Di was living anything but a fairy tale life.
Of course, I hope you don’t think I am challenging your opinion of Kate or how you came by them. Not in the least! I love varied opinions here and always learn a lot from the comments. I’m simply pulling back the layers of the tactics the male dominated media have always used to craft the conversation about public figures.
I sort of hope that Bea and Eugenie don’t take up full time royal duties – and it sounds like things are going that way. It would be interesting to see them develop as human beings away from the royal routine.
I root for them both.
Ita. Decades spent justifying your lifestyle by cutting ribbons and shaking hands is no way to live. Maybe Charles did them a favor after all.the Yorks can live life as well as contribute to it on their own terms. I think they will be very happy.
It doesn’t sound like they have a chance to become working Royals.
IMHO (and I knows it’s not shared by all) Charles is losing two great (possibly four if we count Louise and James) representatives for the UK and the Commonwealth.
@Ladyslippers, Charles is indeed losing a couple of women who could be assets to the family, but for their part, the Yorks are gaining more.
We’ll see what happens. I think the royal world is going to be shaken to its core in the in next 30 years. Future generations will look back on the long reign of QEII as the last hurrah of traditional monarchy.
I guess I’m less enamoured of the Yorks than most people here. I have to give Eugenie props for at least trying to live a life outside of the royal bubble, but I haven’t seen that Beatrice does. Last I read, she wasn’t working (perhaps she is now?) and took her share of expensive vacations too.
But what’s happened to Pippa? She’s practically disappeared!
I think if a young woman can lead a rich, fulfilling life with the personal family history and fortune that philanthropies adore then I say that life can be lead anywhere. I wouldn’t feel complete sacrificing my full happiness and potential just to keep the dust from gathering on a throne and scepter. I would feel stifled, as if I were chained to my lineage. Besides, donating time and your presence to worthy charities would mean more if I did it freely and of my own impetus – not because it is expected in exchange for my keep, imo.
Bluhare: B is interning at Sony. Pippa keeps churning out her risible articles at the telegraph and VF magazine
Apparently Beatrice quit the finance job last summer, now has an internship with Sony Television. No idea what she’ll be doing next or where she’ll end up eventually.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2540765/Princess-Beatrice-enters-showbiz-takes-internship-Sony.html
Interesting to note that – despite the fact that she is not (and probably never will be) a working royal – she has 7 patronages. All of which she helps on personal time. (Note: Kate Middleton full-time “working” royal of the 57 room Kensington Palace pad has 7 patronages as well.)
I do not know Beatrice’s motivation behind accepting those patronages. Maybe she wants to be a working royal and is trying to prove something to Charles? Maybe she just believes in giving back? I still like the way she handled the hat issue:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/05/22/beatrice.hat/
My2Pence,
I’ve read that both young women feel a strong pull to donate their time to make the world a better place. So while Andrew might hope that it could lead to other ‘opportunities’ my guess is the princesses know better (I could be wrong). They just seem to be way more accepting of Charles’ decision than Andrew probably ever will be.
Snark,
From what I’ve read, both York princesses would love to be able to help Granny if given the opportunity. However, I don’t think either is holding her breath.
My2Pence
Bea has shown a strong history of giving back and being involved with her charities. I’m more inclined to believe she enjoys giving back.
Lady & Tuppence
Everything indicates that the York girls give their time to charity because they really want to and enjoy it.
Me too &Anne – surely Waity didn’t bully those adorable York girls. So you are actually going to make me root for Cressy! Speaking of Cressy I looked at more pics of her half sister Gabriella Wilde and she is gorgeous. Why doesn’t Harry go for her? Cressy has nothing on that girl.
I’ve only ever heard that Kate organized a skate night party for charity and didn’t tell the Yorks that it was a 70s themed costume party so Bea and Eugenie showed up underdressed. Apparently Bea was embarassed and spent all night in the bathroom crying. I don’t know of any other stories of Kate bullying the Yorks. Seems exaggerated, imo.there’s also rumors of the Yorks used to mock Kate’s non aristocratic background and the fact that her mom was an air hostess. The Yorks are popular so not much reporting on that. I doubt the Mids and Yorks get along but I doubt they spend much time thinking about one another much either.
Dame: the York’s have never ever done such a thing to the Ms or anyone else. They are the least snobby girls one can hope to find given their status, so stop putting these rumours out there as possibilities. It’s never happened.
The skating and fashion incidents happened infront of a full court of journalists who reported it verbatim. These incidents were reported at a time the Ms were in ascendency meaning media adored them whilst the Ys were at the height of media hatred of them.
There are people who’ve encountered the Ms and the Ys who can be trusted to have an unbiased opinion as to their behaviour. It’s not all jellus h8ers or media casting aspersions as you repeatedly imply.
I wonder if we’ll see the day when these schools produce great stateswomen, rather than ‘wives of’. Or at least newspaper articles about such women. Seriously, isn’t it time? Or rather, past time?