The Queen thinks Duchess Kate needs to get back to a public schedule by June?

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Before Duchess Kate gave birth, “sources” made sure to diminish our expectations about Kate’s post-baby schedule. We were told that Kate would be taking a lengthy maternity leave with her second child, even more time off than she had after giving birth to Prince George. I’ve been doing my part to manage expectations around here, telling you guys that we probably wouldn’t see Kate until September. But then last week, a curious thing happened. “Sources” went to the Daily Mail and said that royal staffers had been trying to persuade the “prickly princess” to actually get back to work quickly. Kate is said to be quite content as a stay-at-home mother at Anmer Hall, and doesn’t see a need to A) work, B) go back to London or C) run her home when she could just get her mom to do it for her. So, what’s changed? The Queen is apparently not happy with the idea of Kate and the Middletons camping out at Anmer for months on end.

The Duchess of Cambridge is nearing the end of her maternity leave and is set to resume royal duties in June. It is believed that Queen Elizabeth II wants Kate Middleton to be present during her birthday parade June 13.

According to OK UK, Kate Middleton will return to attending public engagements next month — just weeks after giving birth to Princess Charlotte. The Duchess’ maternity leave this time is reportedly shorter than her 39-day leave after having Prince George in 2013.

A source close to the royals said that the queen “thinks a month is more than enough time for Kate to take off before she should return to performing her royal duties.” The source adds, “It’s a huge public event, an incredible pageant carried out by the queen’s personal troops. Kate will be on show for it, dressed up in a smart outfit, with the eyes of the world on her.”

[From IB Times]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Queen expected Kate to appear at the Trooping the Colour annual parade, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Kate knew that appearance was expected of her without having to be told (off) by the Queen’s staff. So, will Kate show up? Probably. But then it will back to Anmer to rest for another three months while Carole organizes the staff.

Speaking of Carole, The Daily Beast had an interesting addendum to the Daily Mail’s story several weeks ago about how Carole is basically acting as Kate’s butler and chief of staff these days. You can read the full DB piece here – the main gist is that now that Kate has given the royal family their heir and a spare, the Middletons are taking over. The DB notes that Carole’s constant presence shows the Windsors that for Will and Kate, “that it is Middletons first, Windsors second when it comes to which family’s influence is to be more significant in the very youngest of royal lives.” What else? Sources say Prince Charles has only met Charlotte once, when she was just a day old. Carole is expected to live full-time at Anmer for “at least another month.” And here’s a glimpse of what that’s like:

The fact is that Carole’s feet are very much under the table at Anmer, and that she has been quietly masterminding a Royal revolution on the home front. In short, the atmosphere at Anmer Hall is very much more middle class than would ever have been imaginable in a royal home just a decade ago. This is how Kate wants it. And William—although far from being the pushover he is sometimes portrayed as—is wise enough to want what Kate wants. William is more willing to embrace the middle-class values of the Middletons than he is to try to impose his own upper-class way of doing things on them.

Although George was brought up exclusively by family for the first six months of his life, there is now a full-time nanny, Maria Borrallo, on the Cambridge payroll. But she is operating under a very different set of principles of royal nurses of the past. Back then it was starched uniforms and ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’am’. It’s a much more informal arrangement these days, says one source.

Once again, there is a sense that Kate and William are ringing the changes.

“It’s strictly first-name terms at Anmer Hall,” says one source of the triangular relationship between Kate, her mother, and the nanny. “It’s all very relaxed and self-consciously ‘normal.’”

[From The Daily Beast]

I don’t doubt that staff members are probably on a first-name basis with Carole. But I seriously, seriously doubt that the household staff refer to Will and Kate as “Will and Kate” to their faces. Also: why does everyone forget about poor Jessie Webb? Jessie was William’s old nanny and he forced her out of retirement to take care of George when George was only a few weeks old.

Last thing… Dodgy Uncle Gary Goldsmith is selling his Ibiza mansion, La Maison de Bang Bang. It’s listed for £6.5million, in case you want to own a piece of royal history. This is where the Duchess of Cambridge’s dodgy uncle did blow and banged hookers.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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138 Responses to “The Queen thinks Duchess Kate needs to get back to a public schedule by June?”

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  1. Kiki04 says:

    And why shouldn’t she? All my friends get when they have babies are 6 weeks (the men only get a week paternity leave). Although, I forget that they actually have real jobs………..

    • INeedANap says:

      Yeah, therein lies the difference. When regular mother have to go back to work, it’s back to a daily job, or possibly part time. Back to work for Waity Lazy Katy is “put on clothes and sit in public for a few hours every few weeks.”

      • EN says:

        Please, in Europe mothers generally stay home for about a year. If Americans are barbaric , it doesn’t mean everyone else should be. Plus, any woman can choose to stay home if the husband can support her.

        I wouldn’t want a life of a princess – a human size perfect Barbie doll who has to always smile. But supposedly Kate wanted it, so she has to deal wit it now.

    • Nikki L. says:

      I know. People are giving her crap for wanting to stay at home with her kids. Oh no, the world is ending.

    • ArtHistorian says:

      The length of maternity leave differes widely from country to country. Some of the Scandinavia countries have up to 12 month of maternity leave. I don’t know what the norm is in Britain but I do think it is worth keeping in mind that expectations of when new mothers return to work is very different from country to country.

      • ShazBot says:

        Trooping the Colour isn’t really “work” as much as it is a family party when she rides in a carriage, stands on a balcony, smiles and waves. It would be like most new moms going to a family wedding 6 weeks post partum. It’s not a huge stretch.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        My comment was a general one, not one specifically related to Kate.

      • notasugarhere says:

        It is also important to note that in many countries, you have to work to earn the maternity leave. In the UK, you have to work full-time for a year to qualify for maternity leave. She hasn’t worked full time ever.

    • eatingpie says:

      In Canada we have a year off for maternity leave.

    • InsertNameHere says:

      In the US, we’re legally allowed to have 12-weeks of unpaid leave under the Family Medical Leave Act. 6 weeks happens to be about what people actually take due to financial reasons. Keep in mind that in the US, most daycare centers won’t take a child until 6-9 weeks old, at which point, the average cost is about $200 a week.

      But we’re totally pro-family.

  2. goofpuff says:

    Considering it’s just dressing up and showing up for a few hours….not really much work involved. I’m not feeling any pity for her at all. William though needs to get his lazy butt in gear and do more royal work. he is the future king after all.

  3. Betti says:

    It was only a matter of time before they p’d off HM and she stepped in – now for baby/George pap shots.

    Geez – you’d think with all the bad PR that family has been getting and the now blatant cashing in (Carole is now at it), Willy would put his foot down. Kate sounds just beyond spoilt.

  4. plz says:

    her mother is not in norfolk she is in her hometown so the stories are BS. Why concentrate on kate and not will HE is the heir to the heir……..

    • Bluebell says:

      I agree. William should get far more criticism than Kate and should be held to a higher standard. He is as you say the heir and he was the one who was brought up to the role.

      Also, she had a baby. She was the one who carried the baby for 9 months and gave birth. I have no problem with her taking time off now. In the UK we get up to a year’s maternity leave. I know her job isn’t physically hard and she’s not going down the mines, but mentally it must take its toll, to have all those cameras watching your every move and people commenting freely on her looks and figure. I’m sorry but William didn’t give birth and suffer severe morning sickness and he’s the one who should be working, not Kate.

      • Nikki says:

        Agree with Bluebell. It’s not NOTHING to give birth, adjust to hormones, nurse a baby, and mother a toddler. The scrutiny she’s subjected to every time she steps foot in public must be demanding emotionally, and an appearance for her is not like you or me attending a parade. Now everyone will comment she waited a decade for this, she knew it was a job supported by taxpayers, etc. etc. My point is just I see nothing wrong with her taking some maternity leave. Prince William should be the one criticized for neglecting duty, yet so much criticism is aimed at her.

      • bluhare says:

        I agree too. Which is why I feel much more sympathy for someone like my coworker who has a toddler, is pregnant with her second, will deliver at the end of the year and work at home while she’s with the newborn, and then come back in to work within a month or so working back up to a 40 hour week within two months.

        I also agree William deserves more flak than he gets.

      • notasugarhere says:

        If she had worked a steady schedule after they married, and before each birth, we wouldn’t have these discussions. She is inexcusably lazy, please spare me the Diana excuses. I’ll save my sympathy for co-workers who go back to 50hpw work within a few weeks, because they have to earn a living.

        W&K have to earn their place too, they just like to pretend they don’t.

        Kaiser, thank you for reminding everyone about Jessie Webb. With her and the night nurse they wouldn’t admit to, they’ve had paid help from day one.

      • Dena says:

        I’m with Notasugar on this one. But first thing first. The way in which William dodges his public duties has to be a skill in and of itself. It’s almost like the co-worker who always seems to get the plum assignments without any effort at all but only the opposite in his case. So, the man has skills–avoidance skills to be true–but skills nonetheless.

        You know . . . I won’t start on Kate today. She’s no ordinary woman. She’s extra-ordinary. We all know that. Just look at the pictures above. She even shines brighter. And truth be told, no one really expects a highly placed consort, who recently gave birth & now the mother of two under two, to show up at a parade–not even for the sovereign (despite having probably been given months notice ahead of time)–to stand around and look ornamental. No. I don’t blame Kate. I’d stay buried in my country-side bolt hole of a bubble that I’ve built for myself too. No one has to see her. She doesn’t have to risk criticism or ridicule, make small conversation or even speak publically. But more importantly no one has to see that she might still be carrying a bit of baby weight. Who wants to be in front of millions via the camera looking fat, bloated and in her case a healthy weight? No, I’d stay where I felt most secure and in control too. And while I’m sure she knows (well, maybe not) that other women in far more dire or less comfortable situations have to return to jobs immediately after pregnancy, she doesn’t have to. It’s all a matter of choice and people shouldn’t criticize. She’s a wife and a mom and those are the most important roles that a woman can have—despite marrying the heir to a kingdom & whose wife (along with him) are expected to have some public role even if a special “deal” was cut or an agreement was made allowing said consort to double-down as a stay at home wife and mom. Family values. So no, I’m not going to Kate shame today. After all, I don’t have any expectations of her taking on a more public role & charismatic role or hell even one that’s pedestrian, if you will. It’s evident that she doesn’t. Either mine are too high or hers can’t get any lower. Oh, wait a minute. I think I’m getting confused. My thoughts are tangled. Hmmm. I’ll sort it out but see how much confusion that causes. So, to just be more loving and supportive of her and decisions they’ve made, I think it behooves us all to unite behind them in a pledge of solidarity and simply say “we support you and affirm that having any type of expectations of you will be met with public disappointment on our end and PR blunders, failures, lies and innuendos on yours. This is our shared agreement. And, I, Dena who sometimes post on Celebitchy do solemnly swear to stand by & other this pledge of fealty to you.”

      • FLORC says:

        She can keep to herself. The trouble really comes about with the lifestyle and perks that are held for others who put in the work. And the PR always going on about how “keen” she is to return to work. And has causes close to her heart that she works on daily, yet we hear about these maybe twice a year with no results or cancellations for vacations.

        Yes, Kate has always been rather lazy when not about William. This is known. Though she appears to often be tossed under the bus. Not only does her PR (though less lately) make her sound like there are many things she’s itching to do, but never follows through or expresses the desire, but to hide what William isn’t doing. Her PR builds great expectations that are never expanded on. And her minor activities are masking where the heir is and why he isn’t doing what he should be doing.
        It’s nice to read more and more that William isn’t getting by like he was. He has no excuses.

        And this article for the thread… is fluff.

      • LAK says:

        Dena, applause! applause! applause! I think Mark Anthony ( Julius Ceasar’s MA, not JLO’s MA) is questioning his speechwriting abilities right now.

      • Anne says:

        Perhaps William’s reluctance to take on royal duties is less a matter of laziness and more a matter of his fierce dislike for the media. Conundrum for a future Prince of Wales.

        Where is Lady Slippers? I miss her.

      • FLORC says:

        Anne
        We all miss LadySlippers 🙁
        Last I knew they had some personal life stuff to get in order. It happens.

      • bluhare says:

        I think North Star is LS’ new identity. Sounds just like her.

      • FLORC says:

        Bluhare
        I don’t agree. Would love to be wrong, but LS had a different construction to thoughts and a different take on some topics. That’s my impression. I do think there is a fair amount of new identities around here though.

      • bluhare says:

        Hence the use of the term “I think”. I found it interesting both she and LS love Ken Wharfe’s book, and her discussion with you rang some serious bells. However, I am not infallible!

      • FLORC says:

        Bluhare
        All of us make mistakes 🙂
        I missed the KW book references, but that would be a connection. I prized LS’s comments very highly from her knowledge of references and how any topic could be (sits at keyboard trying to find right word…) described(?) in a way I can understand. The back and forth with NorthStar lleft me feeling a lack of this quality.

  5. Lennox says:

    ‘Poor Jessie Webb’? I doubt Will held a gun to her head to FORCE her to look after George?

    • FLORC says:

      There’s a sense of duty and commitment. It’s improper to say no when asked.
      And if that argument held water there would be no need to jump to extremes like life being threatened.
      We do it often ourselves. Agree to a favor when another asks even though we;d rather not.

      • *North*Star* says:

        Still.

        Jesse Webb had the option to say no. And she didn’t. She set firm parameters around her availability which sounds as if she came willingly and because she wanted to. Most of the nannies and staff remember the boys fondly.

      • FLORC says:

        This shouldn’t be a drawn out debate.
        And those parameters were for her sake. She was said to feel obligated to do it, but because of her age she needed to have those.
        When it happened it was a back and forth with her family quietly shaking their heads at William’s asking. And Knowing Webb couldn’t have it in her nature to refuse Prince William.

        But again. We all do things we don’t want to do. You don’t only say yes to things you want to do. And if you truly want to do them you don’t give conditions. You simply do it because you want to help.
        There’s nothing left to elaborate on here.

      • *North*Star* says:

        My point was simply she could have refused if she wanted to. No more, no less. Whether her family disagreed or whether Webb felt obligated are a whole ‘nother can of beans.

      • FLORC says:

        And my point that sometimes you can’t refuse even though you want to for numerous reasons.
        We all agree to things we’d rather not do at some point. We all want to refuse an invite to dinner, to help someone move, or to refuse a debt you owe someone because they’re asking at a bad time for you. And we don’t always refuse.
        Yes, I get your point, but my point I can’t make more clear. Things aren’t that black and white. I’m just rephrasing a point made.

      • *North*Star* says:

        But Florc, whether you intend it or not, you’re negating Webb’s free will by implying she was ‘forced’.

        A better topic for discussion is whether William should have asked in the first place, especially if Webb’s health is/was as bad as reported.

      • FLORC says:

        North
        I am not sure how to accurately state the difference between obligation and force. That is the difference though. Very much as Minn said below Catholics and Pope.
        There’s conditioning and a class system hierarchy that in a large way removes the option to decline.
        Another example… A soldier refusing a direct command from a superior. Yes, you can say no, but you’re not suppose to refuse. William outranks Webb.

        And that point was discussed at length and lead to Webb’s being asked to accepting taking so long.

    • MinnFinn says:

      Lennox, My take from this side of the pond is that Ms. Webb likely has a very very strong sense of deference plus oblige’ to serve her royal family and that non-Brits don’t and can’t fully understand it. So definitely a figurative gun held to her head easily accomplished because of the class divide between Wm and Ms. Webb.

      It appears to me that a royalist’s willingness to serve HM and her family is as powerful as an elderly Catholic person’s devotion to the Pope.

  6. AM says:

    It’s not true that Charles has only met Charlotte once, wasn’t he spotted going back over there again before they left London? For all his faults, we usually only find out about time he’s spent with George in a roundabout way (George’s pram in the hall in the Time magazine profile, Mike Tindall mentioning stopping by Highgrove for the babies to play together). Whereas when Carole has him there’s a full report in the papers about what he wore and ate and when he takes a nap.

  7. Elly says:

    I had the best laugh after seeing the official list of Kate´s work in 2015. The PR people added Charlotte´s birth(!) as official engagement! They are so desperate to give Kate higher numbers it´s downright funny. I feel for them.

  8. original kay says:

    we get a year here, maternity leave.

    no hate from me if she doesn’t/cannot return to public life so quickly. There are a lot of factors, not just being “lazy”.
    Pregnancy, giving birth, postpartum, all a tremendous stress on a body. We don’t know what she’s going through, nor is it any of our business, post delivery.

    • notasugarhere says:

      And what about all the other mothers with greater stress – you know, having to earn a living, keep a roof over their heads, feed their family, and pay for their health care benefits? Whatever stress she has as a rarely-seen public figure doesn’t compare to what most new mothers deal with all the time.

      • kay says:

        but we are talking about kate middleton here. not any other mother. you can’t compare apples and oranges.

      • MinnFinn says:

        Apples and oranges, therein lies the rub. Born into a class that requires a curtsy is ridiculous if you ask me. Abolishing the monarchy would be good for non-aristos plus it would relieve Wm of his burdensome title and all that it entails –win/win for everyone.

      • original kay says:

        what about them?

        what about mothers who birth children in third world countries, knowing they will be starving? born HIV positive?
        what about the mothers in India slaving away under brutal heat waves just to feed their children?

        if you’d like to talk world issues and what women face, we can do that. what about you? what are you doing to help them?

        My post was about Kate and her life.

      • Palar says:

        Look I returned to work 4 hours after giving birth. I’m a business owner so was back doing sales in the hospital after the drugs wore off and I’d finished throwing up (after a c-section too.) Even with that I still completely understand that Kate has just had a baby and deserves to be on maternity leave. Let’s stop the rich V poor arguments and accept that mothers SHOULD be on maternity leave for a good long period of time after giving birth and that governments need to step in and stop the conditions that result in mothers having to return to work a month after giving birth.

      • notasugarhere says:

        More importantly, what is she doing about them? Her role is to serve, that’s why she receives all of these perks. It IS her job to do that kind of work, to bring attention to those issues.

        She won’t even support an HG charity, perhaps because people would figure out she never had it. Personally, I work 50+ hpw and run a non-profit on the side.

    • bluhare says:

      I just read an article this morning that actually implied that longer maternity leaves do not do women a lot of favors in the workplace; sort of an unintended consequence thing. The examples given were a law in Spain that allows people to work part time hours without fear of being laid off to care for children under a certain age, and one in Chile which says employers with more than 20 women have to provide and pay for child care for children 2? and under, as well as having it being close enough for women to go feed them.

      In both instances, women’s salaries were lower (women almost exclusively took advantage in Spain), they were promoted less, and let go more often. I thought it was interesting that something to help women in the workplace ended up not being so helpful if you actually wanted a career. The article did not address what role men played.

      • Mary-Alice says:

        This doesn’t make any sense to me. When the trend to provide own or close by childcare began here, we all applied to those companies like crazy. If I had had tne chance to be invited to work in any of those companies, I would havegiven 200% of myself to not only stay there but to also return the gesture. Today women rarely leave their jobs there, so it’s pretty much impossible to get a job in any of them. They continue to be at the top of all charts of desirable employers. Besides, it shows they care for their employees, it doesn’t fit with the laying off part.

      • bluhare says:

        I don’t know Mary Alice. I found it interesting, as the general thought was it was the law of unintended consequences at play. That by doing these things to help women stay in the workforce, it ended up undermining them. Not everyone, of course, there’s always outliers in studies. The salary discrepancy I can see if there’s a cost associated with hiring women, but I think that cost should be spread across the workforce, not just women. The rest, don’t know. I just thought it was an interesting read.

      • InsertNameHere says:

        If you’re interested, search for the “Mommy Tax”. There is an absolute labor trend in the US that shows stunted career trajectories for women who take any time away to have children. The issue isn’t that we shouldn’t allow longer maternity leaves, better parental support, etc. – it’s that we should work to abolish the attitudes that make these things acceptable in the labor market.

  9. Jessica says:

    Charles was photographed driving into KP twice after Charlotte was born.

  10. Hazel says:

    A middle class lifestyle at Anmer is a good thing, especially considering that a royal lifestyle means having your valet put toothpaste on your toothbrush for you.😉

    • bluhare says:

      What? Yours doesn’t do that for you?

      • MinnFinn says:

        This bluhare. And really Hazel, you are pushover. Any valet that doesn’t properly prepare a toothbrush in my household will quickly be made redundant.

      • bluhare says:

        As they should, MinnFinn. Why, if one didn’t have standards the servants would just run amok and think they deserved breaks!

    • notasugarhere says:

      That was when Charles had a broken collarbone.

    • GracePM says:

      Carole probably puts the toothpaste on for him…

    • Hazel says:

      Wow! I was born on the wrong side of the blanket, there’s so much to learn!

  11. Thora says:

    It’s good to get rid of all the silly nonsense like calling people ‘sir’ or having your toothpaste squeezed for you.

    They are very lazy though. Kate didn’t work for most of the ten years before she got married so she’s not going to start now.

    • FLORC says:

      Explained by Nota above and many times before. The toothpaste was not a normal thing. Hardly appropriate/relative to this..

    • Cirien says:

      He had a broken collarbone at that point.

  12. Karen says:

    The Queen wants her to attend her birthday party and this is work? And birthing Charlotte also went on the court circular as a work event for Catherine. So their idea of work is suspicion to begin with.

    • bettyrose says:

      Without defending her, exactly, she is the official royal uterus, so her uteran-related tasks should count as work. Not to the exclusion of all other work, of course, but more than, say, attending a party for an hour or two.

      Of course, when Lizzy was the royal uterus, she also served as war time mechanic, queen, etc.

  13. ncboudicca says:

    Mebbe Will wants to get used to that “middle class lifestyle” (I’m middle class and would love to have staff cleaning and cooking for me, puh-leeze) because he knows that’s how it’s all going to end up for him anyway, once he brings the monarchy crashing down around his head. Really, wouldn’t that be what he wants anyway? Probably enough of a private inheritance for him to fly helicopters as his hobby and never have to work – why bother with the “work” that he’d have to do to be the King?

    Meanwhile, the papers’ continued use of the “middle class” term as a pejorative burns my American butt.

    • Christin says:

      Their definition of middle class is certainly different than mine. Having full time staff to handle child and home chores is not exactly a middle class existence.

      • candice says:

        Haha! My thoughts exactly.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        There’s not much middle-class about their lifestyle. It is aristocratic – living in a large country house with staff to do everything. Nope, definitely not middle-class.

  14. Astrid says:

    Well now we know where Kate’s shoe choices come from

  15. GracePM says:

    They’ve burned through a lot of the goodwill they started with 4 years ago, haven’t they?

    • Citresse says:

      Yeah, I would say just after they married, I was quite optimistic about them in terms of work and making a difference in the world.

  16. September? You forget – the royals go on vacation from August through the end of September. So if poor overworked Kate decides on a 12-week maternity leave that would take her to 2 August, by then she’s up to the 8-week summer hols, she goes back to “work” in October, does, oh, one engagement a week throughout October and November and early December, and the next thing you know . . . the Christmas hols are upon us! With any luck, if Kate plays her cards right (and we know she’s good at that), she could manage to get to 6 January having done, oh, maybe a dozen days of “work”.

    Kate wasn’t raised to work hard. Her Mum worked her own tail off so that her children could live the lives that Carole fantasised about. If you’re working too hard, you’ve failed. Kate is living exactly the life her mother prepared her for: a rich, sheltered, cotton-wooled young matron who occasionally puts in an appearance before those who have helped her husband’s family achieve the lifestyle to which Kate and her mother so nakedly hungered. Real dedication to a job was never part of that scenario.

  17. Citresse says:

    For someone (the Queen) who found it easy to return to royal duties as a mother, it’s because she has never had negative feelings leaving her children with nannies for weeks and sometimes months.
    I think also, the Queen and others have been discussing complaints re- W&K receiving royal perks but at the same time, not really earning them by giving back very little.

    • notasugarhere says:

      HM was the public heir with a very ill father, doing a huge amount of her father’s work while in her early twenties. She became Queen at 25. That’s how busy she was.

      This constant tearing down of HM to try to raise up W&K is getting very tiring. Asking KM to do 10 hpw of charity work isn’t going to destroy her time as a mother.

    • *North*Star* says:

      I’d argue that a lot. By all accounts — HM found it difficult to leave her children (read her letters) but was very duty bound. It’s very telling that her last two were raised much differently than her first two.

      • Citresse says:

        Not sure about that.
        At Balmoral and Sandringham, the Queen didn’t understand Diana’s involvement with her children. She often told Diana to let the nanny take over.
        Then later, HM, during her televised speech after Diana’s death, commented on her devotion to William and Harry.

      • *North*Star* says:

        The Queen simply didn’t get Diana all around.

        For the Queen duty prevails but she’s still human. It did bother her that she had to leave her children — obviously not enough to buck the system though as Diana did.

    • EN says:

      I agree, judging by the results the queen is a good monarch but is a horrible mother. She should give Kate a break, if Kate wants to be a stay at home mom she should be able to be. It is her husband who is a future king.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Doing 10 hpw of charity work is NOT asking too much in exchange for their 1 percent existence.

  18. littlemissnaughty says:

    THIS IS NOT MATERNITY LEAVE! People need to stop calling it that, she is not popping out the kid and being forced to go back to a 40h/week job! It’s a PARTY!

    Gawd, this is stupid. Put on a dress and show up for Granny, new mothers do it all the time.

    • Christin says:

      It’s an event — not work in the sense of the ‘middle class’ world.

      She picks out an outfit, gets dressed and driven to the event. It’s as simple as going to a family reunion that is fully catered and all you have to do is show up, mingle and pose for photos!

    • jaygee says:

      THANK YOU! I attended my brother’s wedding and related festivities while on maternity leave from my 50+ hrs a week job…was that work? Nope. Granted, no one cared (or cares) about my weight, looks, clothes, etc. in other words, I am not under the same pressure as Kate. Now, do I think she should be allowed some privacy after having a baby? Absolutely. Can she show up for a family event, even if in the public eye? Yes.

      • Deedee says:

        It’s interesting that everyone mentions the pressure on Kate in the looks and weight department. Does she have to lose the weight in the next 6 weeks? Does she always have to look like a fashion plate? I think a lot of that is self-imposed. If she carried a few pounds forward, is Britian going to collapse? If she never got her veneers, would everyone make fun of her more natural smile? (And yes, I know she had some dental work done before the veneers.) If she took out the extensions and didn’t wear McQueen, would she lose all her admirers? I doubt it. I would have a lot more respect for her if she skipped her six hour hair appointment and spent that time at one of her charities.

  19. TessD says:

    I wonder if it IS true that Middletons were not rich due to their “hard work” as they were trying to make everyone believe but mostly because uncle Gary helped them out?

    • Red Snapper says:

      I wonder if they were helping Gary out by using their business to launder his hooker and blow money.

      • FLORC says:

        That’s the working theory and open secret.
        He’s had a hand in drug, traffic, sales, and underage esorts in other countries. That is where his money comes from. Those sales of IT and investments are true, but do not come close to the wealth he has accumulated.

        To add PP had unrealistic profits by even their own (closed) books and assessments. And we know they’ve been in considerable debt from the applying for a loan to purchase their current home. Which then they paid for in cash… So why apply to begin with to see they had large debt against debt?

        And Gary’s home? The one he also sold drugs in (on camera at least once), hid drugs in, and William was at often with his rowdy friends who also were thought to not turn away from a few lines. That is a part of royal history!

      • Deedee says:

        Maison de Bang Bang is reportedly up for sale. If only those walls could talk.

      • MinnFinn says:

        FLORC, I forgot about the role Maison de bang bang had in K & W’s royal romance. It deserves a place in history as part of the Crown Estate. HM should buy it.

    • *North*Star* says:

      People forget the Middletons had money — Carole married up. For example, Michael’s parents set up trusts for their grandchildren which helped pay for their expensive schools.

      • Natalie says:

        There couldn’t have been that much money, though seeing as Pippa had an athletic scholarship.

      • *North*Star* says:

        Scholarships (need or merit based) often are factored before a family gets the bill, so it would have changed the tuition bill from the get go.

        I honestly don’t know how big the trusts were but in a lot of Middleton bios it is pointed out that the trusts paid for their schooling before the money from Party Pieces started rolling in.

      • FLORC says:

        The trusts could only be used for education. And it wasn’t for just them. The Midd kids only got a portion.
        And they were still spending to live like a wealth they were not yet a part of. Well before PP money. Depending on the bio varies how much they spent and how PP was doing.

        Had some links to various versions, but got some dead urls. Not uncommon unfortunately.

      • LAK says:

        The idea that the Middletons were wealthy is an urban legend that has thrown up wealthy Middleton ancestors where there was none.

        Yes, one MIDDLETON did well, and set aside a trust for one or two relations who passed whatever was left to further generations until it eventually arrived at Michael Middleton. Even adjusting for inflation, the amount he is supposed to have inherited wasn’t that much.

        It was enough for education, and that is what it was used for. However, it clearly wasn’t sufficient since Pippa entered Marlborough on scholarship. Pippa’s continuing her scholarship throughout her Marlborough years is irrelevant to the Middletons’ networth because schools tend to review their scholarships annually and Pippa had proved a gifted sports person so might have had the ongoing scholarship as a recognition of that talent.

  20. wow says:

    Eh, here the DM goes with these predictable “sources” stories. Right on time to.

    • *North*Star* says:

      Precisely.

      The DM isn’t the best place to source stuff. I usually wait till I see it confirmed by another reliable paper like The Guardian or The Daily or Sunday Telegraph. Even that’s not a guarantee though.

  21. notasugarhere says:

    Queen Letizia of Spain has just completed a solo trip to Honduras and El Salvador. She spent years being denied the opportunity to do more royal work, because the royal house wanted to keep the King and the favorite daughter in the spotlight.

    Letizia quietly did tons of work for her charities and patronages, and finally gets to be seen for the hard-working professional she’s always been. That kind of future Queen Consort could have given the UK an enormous boost.

    • FLORC says:

      It’s upsetting this is a role model. Not Letizia.

    • The Original Mia says:

      Letizia is a wonderful role model. Educated, driven, compassionate, well spoken, genuine…all things that most women would aspire to be.

      • Betti says:

        Something that is lacking in the future King and Queen of Britain. Felipe takes his role very seriously as does his wife. Most of the other European royal houses have future heir’s who are doing their duty not avoiding it like ours.

        If TQ and DoE can do it when much younger than Kate and Wills then there are NO excuses for these 2.

  22. Vava says:

    Of course Kate will show up at the Trooping! She loves the camera so!

    William is the one who should be scrutinized, though. His behaviors these last few years have been an eye opener as to who he really is.

    • Citresse says:

      I’m so looking forward to seeing Kate at the Trooping and hoping she’s losing baby weight in a healthy manner.

  23. The Original Mia says:

    William would never allow his servants to be casual with him or Kate in his presence. Wasn’t there a story from their first year of marriage that he required everyone to address her as Your Highness and Duchess and got pretty pissy and viewed it as disrespectful if they didn’t? Even though, the household staff was used to be less formal within the residence.

    Anyhoo…we all know Carole rules Anmer and the Cambridges. Kate has her 2 kids and tons of help, but they’ll keep pushing she’s a mother and therefore can’t work until those kids are in their teens.

    • RobN says:

      I don’t think we “know” that at all. Preferring to believe something isn’t the same as knowing.

      • FLORC says:

        You are correct. WE here do not know. We can make educated guesses though.
        Though, I will say the wording like “we all know” sholdn’t be taken literally. We all know these details and educated guesses as well as history. That we do know.

        I do find it odd even from the Cambridges camp it’s noted Carole is there living full time and taking on all duties.
        Also odd. If this wasn’t true their PR lunges to attack. And far before these rumors and actions snowball into worse press. If it wasn’t true this would have more than likely been squashed months ago. IMO.

    • bluhare says:

      I saw that article, OMia. William yelling at the staff for not giving Kate enough respect. Sort of blew the “call us Will and Catherine” line out of the water.

      We don’t know Carole is ruling Anmer and WK, RobN. It is a fairly safe bet she’s living there and running the household right now, though. While making cheese on toast and mediating arguments in William’s favor. 🙂

      • Red Snapper says:

        I remember that piece, it was a Richard Kay article. What I found fascinating was that he was saying it anecdotally as an example of William’s temper. Something like “The servants fear W’s temper as he is known to shout at them when they don’t call Kate ‘Your Royal Highness’ “. I remember wondering what they call her instead? Kate? And are they doing it because she asked them to? It was just such a random thing to mention.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Let’s not forget the guard who was fired for saying KM was a b*tch to the staff…

      • Deedee says:

        William switching the staff movie night flick from a James Bond film to Twilight (because he’d seen the former) also says a lot about him.

      • FLORC says:

        Nota
        I remember that got spun 2 ways. That he was upset she didn’t acknowledge him and he got upset.
        The other being there was much talk of how she was very rude and demanding. They all (staff) talked and he was the one who let it slip when that private info was not to be shared. Like most places of employment. You vent about your boss to eachother, but you never vent to anyone else about such things.

        Deedee
        No excuse for that. That staff was holding off seeing that film for that night. That William switched it and then left anyways put everyone in a terrible mood.

  24. Liberty says:

    “Oi! Will! This is the kitchen. You want some bangers and mash? And a nice marshmallow cake with a new picture of DiDi on it for pudding, wot? Jimmy’s been down here making ’em all morning, poor boy!””

    “Yeah, sling it up here, Kev! Oi, is Carole around? I want her to write a letter to Gram for me!”

    “Ya, I’ll send her along, she’s been putting’ curtains in Pippa’s new press office over the garden! She’s got her Mike trimmin’ a hedge, it’s a right sight! he looks peeved as a pig in a basket!”

    “Har! Oh Kate wants a dish of three edamame and the new Brazilian VOGUE, okay? She’s got work comin’ up in a fortnight and we may have Kanye staying over to do her up, what!”

    “On its way, Willy, anything for our Kitty! Oh and yer Aunt Anne left another dead canary tied to a hate note on the back stoop, just thought you should know!”

    “Ta, Kev, and why don’t you bring up some grub for your own self and watch the telly with me, the match is on! Then we can walk to the Post and mail Harry his jersey he left behind when he saw the sprog! What ho! Day planned!”

    “Well done, Willy, on the way up, ho!”

    • Tough Cookie says:

      BWAHAHAHAHA Liberty…..Well done, indeed 😉

    • FLORC says:

      Liberty
      In truth I never understand half of the words in there, but I assume they’re character flourishes. Still! These are continuously hilarious!

      • Liberty says:

        FLORC
        — yes just silly flourishes for the fun of my imaginary characters.

        And I will tell you, I don’t understand half of what the RF do or say in real life. So we are equal in this matter.

        For example, i have noticed that they use this word “work” repeatedly. I think they mean “rfkwork” (“wearing new clothing to wave at a crowd, or wearing other new clothing to watch human beings doing things without help in sunny or famous destinations three to four times per year”).

        Because half the time I do not understand what it means when they use the other word “work” when I see that word a sentence in a press release from the palace about certain characters. :-/

      • FLORC says:

        Hahaha!
        Agree. And a hand shake should not be counted as work. If it is i’m going to start billing my time for each bit of small talk I have to make with clients and their families.

        If “work” means having to do something not for yourself on your own terms where’s my money?

        Sounds like they get paid for chores. Chores that they often avoid without consequence.

      • Liberty says:

        FLORC — exactly! Where’s our money? I had to look at pictures of a client’s dog last week. I want my money! 🙂

      • FLORC says:

        A photo of a dog?! Where’s liberty’s money?
        That reminds me of a painful trip to the dentist where i was in the chair and the hygienist browsed me through her dog photos For 5 or so minutes. Compensation!

        Still,all the good that could be accomplished…

    • Olenna says:

      Seriously hilarious! Made my day!

    • bluhare says:

      Ah, Liberty, I’ve missed you so. 🙁

  25. Miran says:

    I don’t see why not, that’s more maternity leave than most of us get in the real world.

  26. Cricket says:

    Kate loves Trooping of the Colour! She gets to stand on a balcony and twirl her hair! Oh and since she can wear black, it will be slimming, just in case she hasn’t lost all her pregnancy weight. Maybe she will take the spotlight away from the meaning of the day by gifting us with a new hair do. She’s had more time to read about Diana. I remember Diana getting disciplined for daring it change her hairstyle when HM was to be in the spotlight.

    • Red Snapper says:

      No, your thinking of Remembrance Sunday, which is in Nov. Tropping is a parade where Kate rides in a carriage, and then watches stuff from the sidelines.

  27. AtlLady says:

    Asking as an American, just what exactly is expected of William and Catherine until they become the next in line to the throne? There are certain expectations of Charles and Camilla (and in her time, Diana) since he is next in line but W&C are one step removed from that. Why not allow W&C the time to spend with their small children and each other, if they so desire, before full and true royal duties start pulling them away? William is no longer in the military service but has found a job as an air ambulance pilot. What else are W&C expected to do but put in the occasional face time per Granny’s request and support their favorite charities? They do not really have the freedom to go on about their lives because of future royal obligations. To this American, W&C seem to be stuck in some sort of limbo because of the pecking order. Poor Charles reached majority (age 18) in 1966 and has been in his own peculiar state of limbo for nearly 50 years. No wonder Charles talks to his plants.

    • bluhare says:

      You know, William and Kate should do what they want. And then not complain when no one gives a damn when it’s WIlliam’s turn to take the throne. Never mind that Granny is 89 and should be slowing down, and her grandson could help pick up the slack.

      • maggie says:

        Maybe she likes things the way they are. It’s possible she could be somewhat of a control freak and really not willing to slow down or give up anything. He has a young family and a job. Perhaps people’s expectations are irrational or unreasonable. He was born privileged and seems to want to give back by donating his cheque to charity. I don’t see what’s to complain about. He wants his privacy which is understandable considering what happened to his mother. Plus who wants their children being photographed by strangers? I don’t get the hate for either one.

      • bluhare says:

        As I said, if that’s what they want I hope they’re prepared for a huge “meh” when it’s their turn, and Sixer finally gets her way and singlehandedly abolishes the monarchy. There won’t be anyone who cares enough to vote to keep it.

    • Anne says:

      Regarding the “pecking order,” Princess Anne is 12th in line to the throne and she is incredibly active, much more so than W&K. Expectations aren’t set by proximity to the throne.

      It is nice for them to spend time with their young children, of course, but balance is important. I suspect William, because of his experience, has a deep seated reluctance to do anything that will invite press attention. Hopefully some happy family time will fortify him.

  28. dawnchild says:

    Here’s the deal as I see it.
    It’s irrelevant whether she comes out after a month’s maternity leave or a year’s. What is she going to do or say that makes a difference? So also her pudding-faced husband. She is unconvincing in her commitment to charity work, and seems unable to talk sensibly, act her age, be outward-focused, intuitive, intelligent, and caring. No warmth, confidence or real grace beyond self-consciously vapid public manners.
    The two of them represent a low point for the monarchy.
    I hope I’m around to see it implode…

    • FLORC says:

      I agree with some of what you’ve written, but not all.
      You do make interesting points though. Regarding the low point for the monarchy.
      We are watching history being made. We are for the majority seeing things unfold without a filter.
      The Monarchy as well as many rich, powerful establishments ruling over the poor all have had points where it was thought this would be their undoing and yet they survive. To put it simply and IMO It’s not the bloodline/figureheads that are in charge. It’s the collective of support. The ones that get things done and can influence the figureheads to bend a bit. They can turn the tide either way because they are so trusted, so close, and hold many cards.

      I think i’ve drifted a bit. Point being this could easily be remembered as a time of Glory for William and Kate. It’s all in how it’s written/documented. Not as how it happened.

      And Kate can be intelligent, caring, and focused. And when she has a rash of work she improves strides. But that never lasts too long and there’s a regression. Just like William imo. The dedication and intelligence usually only is seen when it’s a personal goal. And that is truly a waste of what could be argued as one of the greatest platforms to bring change in the world.

  29. aurelia says:

    Kate wasn’t raised to work hard. Her Mum worked her own tail off so that her children could live the lives that Carole fantasised about. If you’re working too hard, you’ve failed. Kate is living exactly the life her mother prepared her for: a rich, sheltered, cotton-wooled young matron who occasionally puts in an appearance before those who have helped her husband’s family achieve the lifestyle to which Kate and her mother so nakedly hungered. Real dedication to a job was never part of that scenario. ….

    Gosh, couldn’t have said it better myself. Spot on my dear.

  30. aurelia says:

    Bloody hell, Granny Chav Karole’s Great White Shark eyes cut right through me.

  31. Jen says:

    since when is it wrong to just stay with/raise the children you’ve made. The culture of having children as accessories is mystifying to me. If she wants to return to work, fine. If she doesn’t, fine. Do whatever works best for her family.

    • FLORC says:

      Jen
      Her post doesn’t give her that luxury. Or rather it does, but there can be consequences. If she wants this quiet life they should become private citizens. Or she can reduce the funds she takes from being a member of the BRF to reflect her reduced work. Funds to renovate. Rent free homes. And a great many perks that come her way because of her position outside of being a mother and wife.

      You shouldn’t expect to get benefits from a job you decline to do.

      • Jen says:

        ahh, thanks. I didn’t understand that she was also obliged in addition to him.

    • bluhare says:

      When your family is that of a future head of state it’s not quite the same thing.

    • Question now says:

      As Kate has a nanny and plenty of staff she could take some time off of watching over her children and simply do two or three engagements a week. The kids wouldn’t even notice.

  32. Kate says:

    Royalists had better hope Charles lasts at least as long as his mother has, because it appears Will and Kate are snubbing their large noses at anything having to do with royal duty.

    Then again, Wills IS working for the military (right?) at this time while Kate is raising the kids, so good on them!