I know a lot of you can’t stand the sensationalism and pearl-clutching misogyny of the Daily Mail, but I’ve grown to love it. I especially love when they’re calling out the royal family and the Middletons. For much of the year, most of the DM pearl-clutching has been about Carole and Michael Middleton, but in a new article this weekend, the DM goes after Pippa and James Middleton and their exploitation of their “nearly royal” status. Most of us can readily admit that the Middletons are crazy social-climbers, but many people don’t really have a problem with that – as long as there’s an entrenched class system, a society is always going to have social climbers. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. But the Daily Mail’s sources – entrenched courtiers in the royal family – don’t like the way Pippa and James are playing the game. Even the DM headline is dripping with judgment, referring to Pippa and James as “Kate’s very pushy siblings.” Some highlights from the DM piece (you can read the whole thing here):
Pippa & James’ “nearly royal” status: “Seemingly as ubiquitous as showbiz family the Kardashians, they have floated up the social stream to be at the top of every society guest list and on every PR’s wish-list to promote their product.” OMG Kardashian reference.
Pippa & James’ prominent presence at the Royal Box at Wimbledon: Courtiers wonder, “Why should these two young people, who have made no significant contribution to public life, be granted such a royal honour?” Usually the Royal Box is reserved for people who have made high-profile celebrities and philanthropists, but Pippa and James “owe nothing to their personal achievements and everything to their position as brother and sister-in-law to the future king — which is a very different thing from being a genuine royal.”
The Queen’s people are not happy. The DM spoke to a “long standing Buckingham Palace figure” who is showing “concern” about Pippa and James. The source tells the DM: “It used to be the case that an invitation to the Royal Box on Wimbledon Centre Court suggested a status similar to those who make it onto the Honours List — a special reward for doing something for the greater good.” The source notes that neither James nor Pippa meet that criteria.
Why do the Middletons get such special treatment? In a word, William. “From the very beginning, Mike and Carole Middleton have been treated differently — a policy dictated, significantly, by Prince William. At times it is almost as if William is married not just to Kate but to the entire Middleton clan.”
William insisted on including Pippa & James in the christening portraits. Apparently, this upsets some people. Royal christening portraits have usually not extended to aunts and uncles unless they are godparents. Some thought that because Harry was out of the country, William should have kicked Pippa and James out of the portrait, thus setting a “no aunts and uncles in the portrait” rule or something.
Carole needs to look after her children. The DM advises that Carole “would have been wise to devote more attention to the position of her two younger children. For their presence might become a growing problem. Like a modern-day Mrs Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice, she has one daughter who has married well — but there remain an unmarried son and daughter. Friends say Mr and Mrs Middleton do worry about the public perceptions of James and Pippa, neither of whom shows any sign of settling down. They are independent young people but in danger of being seen to milk the spotlight. And that risks reflecting badly not just on the Middletons but also on the Royal Family.”
First of all, can we really say this is a new problem? Pippa has been a problem ever since the wedding, when she basically launched a second career as a “socialite writer of Pippa Tips” based off an ass of lies. I’m more generous to James though, mostly because I think he comes across like a harmless idiot. He’s not out there on a weekly basis, hamming it up for the cameras like Pippa. But yes, this is just more pearl-clutching BS from the Mail. It’s probably a good indicator of what the Queen’s courtiers think about Kate’s family but I’m not sure if the actual royal family members share these sentiments.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet and Pacific Coast News.
How petty. They sat in the royal box and they were in the family picture at the christening. It’s as if these people want “peasant” stamped on their foreheads and can’t stand that they get attention ever. So silly, and I say this as someone who doesn’t like either of them especially.
This…+infinity
Both sides deserve each other.
+1,000! In fact, they create each other!
Exactly.
The Daily Fail is basically a bunch of petty, weird misogyny/stupid crap wrapped up in the occasional quaint British-ism. This is pretty much par for the course.
Agreed. For the love of God. Wimbledon is not the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. It is a Game!!! So ridiculous if anyone is upset by this. Also as far as the picture goes it would be stupid to not include the entire family. I would find it snobbish if they didn’t include Kate’s family.
DM needs to get with the program. Family is family. As long as they aren’t causing a scandal. Like licking toes (oh my goodness what a scandal) or selling time with Kate. They seem to pretty much normal. Sure they may have opportunities that if they weren’t related to Kate would not be available to them, but I see nohing wrong with taking those opportunities.
So true, omg they sat in the box, wow!!!! Exactly how have other people contributed to the world. By visiting the ” poor” for photo ops, smile and pretend to get them. Waste of time
Bingo.
This reeks of elitism and how they should know their place. Ugh! They are harmless!
When i read this at the weekend it made me laugh – its not as though we don’t know by now how pushy the Middleton women are.
Pippa is like Kate in that she has always loved and courted the press attention and yes we can all see the Kartrashian’s in them. Ole Pip fancies herself as a society IT girl – nope you ain’t. The reason she hasn’t got married by now is she hasn’t managed to get her claws into someone wealthy and titled.
Like Kaiser i tend to give James a bit more slack as he has only really pushed a ‘public profile’ since he started his own businesses and got with Donna Air – another pushy social climber.
The photo is an outrage. Carole is in the center of the photo as if she were Queen. Prince Philip pushed off to the side. This photo caused the courtiers to go to the papers to punish William.
I don’t see anything wrong with the photo – only that why is Kate’s father at the end, he should have been stood next to his wife the way Camilla is next to Charles. It just looks odd that the children are given priority standing order over their father – strange decision.
Mario Testino, the photographer, had nothing but blandly colored, cream and beige toned clothes to deal with in composing the picture, so he moved people around in order to balance the photo. I think I read this in the DM.
DM also had a piece with christening photos going back as far as Queen Elizabeth’s christening. Relatives, such as grandparents of the child, and aunts and uncles are regularly seen.
I would have switched Philip with Charles, James with Pa Midd
I think Testino wanted man-woman-man-woman and not have two men or two women standing next to each other. But if Ma and Pa Midds are on the end, then Pippa would have to stand next to Prince Charles in the dead center of the photo. Personally, I would have had Pa Middleton stand next to Prince Charles with Carole, Pippa, and James rounding out that side of the photo. Or I would have dumped Pippa and James and just had Carole-Mike-Prince Charles-Duchess of Cornwall-Duke of Edinburgh standing behind the sofa. But that’s just me.
I can’t see how it’s an outrage which family members a parent-couple decides they want in their christening photos.
However, in *my* family, this would be rude. You would make representatives from each side equal: ie parents, parents + grandparents, parents + siblings, etc.
An OUTRAGE, you say? :::::gasps, clutches pearls:::: oh, please.
Have you considered the photographer might have placed them?
There is intricate protocol involved. This is the British Royal family – the queen and future kings are in the photo – protocol is very important.
Not everyone who attended were photographed. And this being a photo with majority Midd Does show poor balance. I do see the gender pattern though.
Ultimately many photos of varied links were taken. History will tell what photos get remembered.
I guess I wonder where the actual godparents were.
The Middleton’s were all in PGTips’s christening photos too. No godparents to be found.
Pippa loves her signet ring!
Pippa’s signet ring always makes me laugh.
I’m curious about her watch, is it Cartier like her sister’s? She is wearing a Tiffany bracelet on the other wrist, I’d love one of those!
The bracelet looks like one of those ‘love’ cartier bracelets. They’ve become trendy in recent years. Kylie Jenner wears 5-6 on each wrist!!!
The watch looks like a rolex.
ah……….you’re right, LAK. I thought those were Tiffany, but they are Cartier. The first time I saw them was Giulana Rancic wearing a few on her wrist. They are really very nice (and expensive!).
James wears one too! And Carole!
I love the DM’s complete trashiness. And yes, it’s pretty obvious Pippa’s been playing off her connection since the wedding.
As far as the Kardashian reference, I’ve come to the conclusion that Pimp Mama Kris gives the Daily Mail a percentage any time they’re mentioned. That’s really the only explanation for the amount of space that family takes up in the Mail.
LOL! Yes, the DM is trashy but addictive, and I do think Momager and Pippa feed the DM stories sometimes. Other times, I think the DM just makes sh*t up.
Every Kardashian article on Daily Mail gets thousands of comments. It’s pretty logical that they publish them every day, no need to pay them.
No one loves Pippa and James more than the DM. They have worked so hard to make these two a “thing.” The DM would be crushed if P+J gave up their social climbing.
Williams insistence on treating his in laws well and as family members is a huge plus in my book.
Me too! If he pushed them aside because they weren’t royal that would make him a jerk — not “more royal”. I can’t believe anyone would criticize them for having Kate’s family in the christening photo. That is beyond petty.
Excluded/mistreated in-laws is an urban myth currently being used by William and or the Middletons to justify their very visible pushy behaviour.
The in-laws have never been deliberately excluded – look at history. The Middletons behave like the most famous pushy in-laws the Woodvilles, the Boleyns and the Seymours.
It was always very advantageous being an in-law. In the modern era, the other in-laws have simply been low key, but don’t think they were excluded and or not receiving perks should they be so inclined just because they weren’t papped at high profile royal events.
William and the Middletons are always re-writing history to justify their behaviour. Additionally, people look at the 70s/80s era of seemingly invisible in-laws and assuming that the in-laws were deliberately excluded when the reality was that those families weren’t clamouring for royal perks [high profile or not] in some cases and or weren’t on good terms with the person who married into the royal family and thus stayed away.
eg Sophie’s father is invited to Sandrigham and to Ascot by HM most, if not all years, but very few people know that.
eg Diana quietly spent time with her mother and siblings, who also were her LIW from time to time, but people would rather hear that they were excluded because the siblings [apart from Charles] didn’t visibly clamour to be included/be rewarded.
eg Fergie often spent time with her parents and siblings, but in a low key way.
all those in-laws were not excluded, they just weren’t/aren’t visible or people don’t know who they are such that they don’t realise they attend all the same events.
we’ve now come to a point were if the Middletons are low key = being excluded by those horrid, snobby royals.
which was also the media slant when Kate was actively campaigning for the ring after William dumped her. Snobby royals vs middleclass middletons and if you object then you are as bad as snobby royals.
to add: grumbling about pushy in-laws, whatever their class, isn’t anything new. the DM will from time to time grumble about Charles Spencer and if you go back in history, lots of grumblings about the more pushy in-laws like the Boleyns and the Woodvilles.
It’s also easier when the non-royal in laws do not live near by and as such have limited influence over their royal grandchildren. Fergie’s Mom lived in Argentina. Princess Diana’s mom lived on a remote island in Scotland. Diana wasn’t particularly close to her sisters, or at least not close in the “let’s take our kids to the park together” kind of way. The Middletons are a sane non-bipolar family with little to no fighting amongst themselves (minus crazy Uncle Gary). Plus, Fergie and Diana’s parents had notoriously acrimonious divorces which dramatically split up their families so it’s not like there was ever a traditional Grandma and Grandpa unit visible. It’s easy to see why William and Kate include them in so many things — because they are physically present in George’s life, unlike many other previous in-laws.
As for Sophie’s family – honestly few people follow Prince Edward and Sophie so who even knows who her family is? Pictures of Sophie’s family aren’t going to draw interest in the Daily Mail.
Exactly Someone.
Sophie’s dad is always invited to Sandrigham Christmas now that he is a widower. Sometimes you see him in the pictures, but no one is interested.
For years Fergie was thought to have lonely christmases post divorce, having been publicly excluded from the royal family, when the truth was that she spent every christmas at Wood Farm and saw her royal in-laws and daughters there during that period.
Further, her sister lives in Australia.
You often see Mike tindall’s parents at various events, particularly polo. Occasionally you see Autumn’s parents too. And they look comfortable with the royals.
it makes for a better story that the royals exclude their in-laws.
No one cares about Sophie, Fergie, Autumn or Mikes’s relatives because their spouses are nowhere near the line of succession. Kate is married to a future king. Much more high profile, easier target.
We hardly saw Diana’s family because they were not close. Kate’s family is close. The parents are still together. There is no gossip about marriage problems for them. Their kids are mostly free of gossip as well. So they have to pick them apart for stupid things and call them social climbers.
This family is loving. They have respect for each other. They like each other and hang out as often as possible. This is why William likes them too because he did not see this growing up. I’m glad William has a good example of how a good marriage works. His children will also see that and have a nice extended family unit. All these things are what people should focus on and not if they were in a picture or sat their bums in a place reserved for royal bums. Social climbers? Eh, they are at some affairs but are not out and about everyday showing their faces wherever they can. They probably went to all of these places even before they had “connections”.
I’m amazed so many here know the Middletons are a loving, close, never-fighting, non-bipolar family- you must all be friends!!! And newsflash-bipolar people can be in loving families also .
Addison: HM doesn’t treat the other in-laws poorly or better based upon their place in the line of succession.
That’s just publicly created urban mythology which William/MIddletons play along with to justify their behaviour.
In the same way that they play the Diana card to justify their behaviour.
If she truly cared about such things, she’d have torpedoed William’s marriage to Kate. She had every opportunity to do so by refusing to sign the written approval for the marriage.
The Middletons have spent years playing up their ‘middle class’ roots and why they should be allowed to pick up every royal perk possible.
It wrong foots the palace every single time because how does one counter ‘middle class’ when you’re labelled an upper class snob?
Sophie’s father is the perfect example of why this narrative is a myth because if HM was a snob, why would she want to spend time with an ex- car salesman who has no money or connections.
He is invited into the very heart of the family without fanfare or press releases. If HM issues an invitation to the middletons to sneeze in her presence, the press are duly informed and a veritable hit parade arranged to showcase the sneeze.
With every generation, HM has shown herself not to be a snob, yet William and the Middletons perpetuate the myth so that they can do as they please.
I have this visual of people in the royal box at Wimbledon standing up and pointing and hissing “j’accuse!” whenever a Middleton wanders in, lol. Seriously, this is funny. Pip-N-Jim might be two of the biggest climbers in the country, yes, but at the end of the day it’s just a game of tennis. Unclench, people. 😛
You’re never more royal than when you’re standing next to peasants.
I think the Royals like the association with the Middletons because it makes them look more posh and it reminds everybody that they’re diversifying the gene pool.
Am I really reading that Carole is being slammed for not marrying off her adult offspring?
The Daily Mail is a hate filled rag.
That part of the article annoyed me the most.
Daily Sixer: William and Kate are un-pushy*, useless and Kardashian-esque**.
* synonym of lazy, in case you were wondering.
** s/b Kardashianic – with a bit of tongue-twisting, it rhymes with messianic.
I´ll never understand why some people “hate” so much this two siblings… In fact, I find both more dynamic, interesting and energetic than Kate and Will or the York Duo. The world is full lothesome people who deserve more this public decry .
That’s the Dakota/Bristol argument. Thre are other bad things going on in the world. It’s possible to be aware and show opinions on more than 1 at a time.
And “hate” is highly overused and incorrectly used here.
I put ” hate” in quotation marks. I using ” Hate” as a hyperbole, a wild exageration.
In my opinion people should be more aware, talk about more of certain royal celebrities more powerful and more dangerous to society than wasting time which less important, less harmful Middletons
🙂
Nephelim
I get what you’re saying. Thank for clarifying 🙂
We do (here) discuss other royals and topics. Sometimes buried in threads like these. I’m still reeling over the disability benefits cut over needing funds for BP renovations. Because those yearly funds were spent as private funds for KP or as tax funds on KP Renovs. Those with disabilities wanting to work, but needing care are having to go without anything as a result of careless spending. That’s just a single topic.
Though, the Midds are not harmless. Gary is terrible in his crimes. PP has shady books. And the funds spent on the Midds esttate renovations via tax funds around 1 million pounds and Pippa getting royal perks from her France/gun time and the pippatips suing threat made by her. The Midds are a drain and contribute nothing to the BRF. Though they take as if they married into tax payer and dutchy funds.
Thanks for your thoughtful answer. Yes , I agree with everything you said
🙂
As the matter of fact I was not thinking about uncle Gary , who business are very sketchy to say at least , I was thinking in someone who is real royal , kinda close to the throne, possesing very dangerous liasons and very powerful conections in the british Island and in the other side of Atlantic
Nephelim
I mentioned Gary as an extension of the Midds. He has received a perk at least once already. When he admitted his crimes and others were being outed they were briefly mentioned in a William kissing Kate article. Buried.
That’s why I mentioned.
And are you speaking of Andy? Because he’s quite terrible too in the young company type of way as Gary…….
It’s tough to see sometimes, but we discuss other royals and topics. For better view search out Sixer’s, LAK’s, and Frees’s (spelling on that last one) comments. Quite informative from those in the thick of it!
Yes, I gonna start to pay more attention to Windsor topics and comments, but sometimes it´s kinda hard to find more iinformation in the middle of a big, heavy pile Kate´s eyeliners and William P.R. activities
🙂
I do agree. It can be tough to swift through it all, but at times you find gems of info. Or like in Sixer’s case 1st hand knowledge of the impact on the people in that area. And details that get lost in mass media packaging.
And some days I find it all too negative to bother.
FLORC, I just have to say how much I crave and enjoy your comments, along with LAX’s and SIXER’s. All of your comments have really opened my eyes, as well as helping me to develop a more discerning perspective. Although I do love reading all of the usual petty-gossipy-pearl-clutching-class-snobbery comments, I must admit when I come across comments from the three of you it’s a breath of fresh air. Thank you!
Well at least Pippa and James do more charity work than Kate and William put together.
And actually seem to enjoy it too. They may be social climbers, but they are being somewhat useful in their philanthropic efforts.
Most recently Pippa did a marathon – that takes discipline & drive – 2 qualities Kate lacks. Oh, and it helps that Pippa eats – something that Kate gave up apparently.
I was disappointed there wasn’t any mention of that. She did the Lewa Marathon – doing that in Kenya is no joke.
I was impressed that she did the Lewa Marathon a few days after the charity cycling event London to Brighton for the British heart Foundation.
it speaks to her fitness levels.
LAK: For her to run a 3:56 in Kenyan elevation for a first marathon is quite impressive, even more for a celebrity runner. It speaks to good, solid training over months. And the. The bike ride too! Why can’t she write about this stuff?
Bridget/LAK
That was her 1st marathon? Thought there was at least 1 before.
And this is pretty basic training imo. You run your miles in for the week and about 4 days before race day you back off the running, but cross train into heavy cycling. You keep your endurance up, but save the muscles you will use. It work wonders.
And I would love it if Pippa wrote about fitness prep, but I think it would be awful. There would be name dropping and product placement. Maybe explaining things like Goop on yawning. Something we all know how, but going about it in a drawn out way. Like Pippa’s party book and what drawers are used for. Or how to make ice and why it’s good on hot days in our drinks.
I do enjoy fitness/training books written by athletes. There’s no glamour. It goes over the worst of it, but in a clever funny, and relatable way. If Pippa could pull that off. I’d be a fan again (pre suing #pippatips days).
And that finish time isn’t half bad!
Florc: she’s participated in various triathlons over the years, but never a proper marathon.
Bridget: yes and yes. Why can’t she write about this?
That would be a respectable time if she’d run London for her first marathon, but Lewa is supposed to be brutal. Kenya is high elevation AND hilly, and of course hot. In fact, I’m impressed that she would choose that particular race for a first marathon.
Personally I’m not a fan of cycling while you’re training to run. They use different muscles, and I’m one of those people that says that if you’re training to run, then you need to run.
She seems to genuinely enjoy these athletic endeavors. Again, why isn’t she writing about this?
She does write about fitness for Waitrose. I think she is trying to move into writing about fitness and general healthy living. Hence the nutrition course.
LAK
Thank You.
Pippa as a pro fundraiser in races? Awesome. Her as a writer? She would have to dedicate herself into improving her skills. Her name and association carries her.
I’m a fitness snob when it comes to nutrition and lit. Very few make it in lit without exposing the issues we all get. Embarrassing moments to relate or put our pain/struggle in context. Could she put her sophistication aside and say those things all athletes go through (doubt, lazy, irritations, frustrations, sickness, etc…) she could come off as the outside look in and judging.
I don’t think anyone expecting her to write a how-to or training manual – it’s not like she has the education or training background for that. But there’s a lot of diary style blogging out there that could be right in her niche. What it really means to train and all that goes with it. It would be a nice contrast to the typical celebrity athletic experience.
Bridget
There are many athletic perspectives in diary formats with wit rolled in. judging from Pippa’s writing styles I can’t see her bridging the gap. And far from “how tos”
Just something like her experience. Being honest about it.
Running/cycling
I am a huge fan of this. Your muscles get recovery time. You have met your milage. You can do it. You just need to take time for them to recover, but not rest. I agree. You learn how to run by running. You get better in running while running. And you shouldn’t wear out your muscles before a race. I’m not saying train for a running race by cycling. Working out those muscles has been proven to be extremely effective. It makes the difference.
She could do what Tara PT used to do for her column in the times. Hire a ghost writer/staff writer.
Justme: i tend not to read supermarket magazines as I assume they are all about food and nothing else.
Based upon her telegraph/VF columns in which she touched upon sports, I wasn’t impressed with her writing. It’s too #pippa tips glib and superficial.
But: I don’t believe the DM’s sourcing on this one. The Firm doesn’t do libel suits and they don’t contradict papers (unlike Carole Middleton, whose solicitors forced the DM to publish a retraction of their post-birth “she’s going to live at Anmer for a month” story). So anytime the DM wants to drive clicks (ie 24 hours a day), they can source something to “courtiers” and “a royal household source” and then go on their merry making-it-up way.
The Royal box is full of folks who haven’t done anything more than know someone. James keeps a pretty low profile and Pippa is Pippa. This is just the DM continuing its anti-Middleton campaign. Whatever.
I agree. The royal box has a variety. It would make more sense if they gave seats to those who they feel earned them, but Midds claimed them in advance pushing the earners out. Unless, that happened this is tough to take.
Good grief is there a bigger set of brutal mean girls… than these “royal insider” and the Daily Mail people?
I have never seen a more determine set of folks… between the Daily Mail and the royal insider idiots… who for some unknown reason, believe their crazy self created drama… has any whiff of truth to it.
All I ever take away from this nasty hit pieces from the Daily Mail. Is the unfounded hate. Geez, you guys need to get outside more. Go get a friggin cocktail. And let the hate goooooo.
When it comes down to it. I have never once heard of any of the Middleton’s, talking to the media. As in , no special sit downs with the tabloids. Yacking up their “specialness”. If anything they have taken all this extreme hate, with a lot more gracious behavior, than I ever would have.
And I am still baffle by the sh*tty way… the British media has constantly called the Middleton “middle class”.
As if there is something grossly wrong, in their hard work and ability…. to have ambition to have built a company and moved up in the world.
Lets be honest. They are not “middle class”. Not by American standards. They are a wealthy self made family. And that seems to be a dirty tag to have hanged on you, in England. Self made. *clutches pearls*
Where as in American (*waves my American flag*) we are celebrated for being self made. For having the ambition of wanting to be financially secure.
Yet for England… their entire attitude is to sh*t on anyone who has the balls to build a better life.
So I as I see it. The Middleton’s were the perfect family for William to marry into. He got a solid family unit. People who talk to each other daily. Who work as a family unit. Which lets be real… he must really enjoy having that experience. Considering how the Royal’s have always been a back stabbing set of folks to call “family”.
Best of all the Middleton’s have their own life. That has nothing to do with those nasty old aristocrat families. Whom have shown off that they have no class or manners. And the Middleton’s really do seem to p*ss off all the lowly employees of the Daily Mail and “royal insiders”.
Obviously there is an entrenched set of royal courtiers who will never approve of any attempts to bring the monarchy into the 21st century. I have no quibble with the Middletons being self-made and enjoying the luxuries their hard work affords them. People who start and build successful businesses should be admired for their ingenuity and achievements. People should not be lauded and adored merely because they were born (or married into) an aristocratic family.
And I tend to agree that for all of William’s flaws, he should be praised for not following royal tradition and effectively forcing Kate to abandon her family upon marriage. I think it is wonderful that he has built a relationship with his in-laws and includes them. He and his children will never truly experience an average, ordinary life (the constant presence of RPOs ensures that), but interactions with the Middletons, their extended family members, and their business may give the Cambridge kids some insight and perhaps appreciation for the concerns and struggles of their subjects.
I believe the real issue many people and tabs like the DM have with the Middletons is that they are not sticking to the script and fading into the background like other royal in-laws. And to be fair to their critics, the Middletons have not been above exploiting the press (and actively collaborating with favored journalists) and using their royal adjacent status to acquire perks not generally available to the common folk. I think the perception of the Middletons would be dramatically different if instead of accepting free or heavily discounted Range Rovers, they insisted on buying their own vehicles at full price and driving them for more than a year or two before changing them. Or if they were photographed sitting somewhere other than the Royal Box at Wimbledon or in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot. People might be able to stomach their occasional use of these privileges better if they also saw the Middletons specifically not taking advantage of their connections to William and Kate.
But here’s the rub: photos and stories of the Middletons doing regular things like taking the Tube or queuing up for a general admission ticket to an event do not sell papers or generate clicks. People *want* to see only the glamourous, isn’t-it-great-to-be-us stuff and read all kinds of nonsense into it. I think most of the time the DM and other tabs run these tales if only because it makes some of their readers feel mildly superior to the Middletons. As in, “I would NEVER do/say X if my daughter had married William. I would NEVER be a social climber like they are.” I guess it works for them.
I guess it depends on what one values in life. If one values integrity, honesty, self-determination, the Midd kids score a fail. I see them as eminently unsuccessful at living their own lives- they fail at the most basic of things- being autonomous and selfsupporting. They have shown themselves to be singularly without skills or talent (which might justify using connections) unless you include social climbing. It doesn’t necessarly mean feeling superior to them; they just don’t command respect. Just like William. They, too, are losers, but not gilded like him. It’s impossible for me to identify with any of them and their manipulating ways.
I agree with you. I’ve never seen Middletons posing for a magazine, giving interviews or anything like that. And they’re not even photographed that often. Maybe I’m missing it but I only see Carol and Mike’s photos in DM every few months. Is that famewhoring?
Both James and Pippa have given interviews
clearly you don’t read hello magazine. a good thing i add, but that is one example of Middletons magazine interviews and pap arrangements.
Carole and Mike don’t but James and Pippa have and they have appeared on US talk shows talking about, you guessed it, their brother in law and his family.
I don’t read hello magazine and honestly have never seen Pippa or others from the family posing for a magazine. I’m pretty sure they could get much more covers around the world if they wanted.
And Mum is the one asking paps for copies of photos for the family archive, plus arranging the convenient, oh sorry completely accidental, Hello magazine shoots of the ski trips.
Could we discuss the Royal Baby Birthday book for a moment? The palace sanctioned a storybook wherein Carole and Pippa plan a party for George and the Queen’s private jet saves the day by skywriting happy birthday….? This is as rich as any of @Liberty’s excellent stories… Is this a send-up? Seems too ridiculous to be true…. edit: oops – sorry just saw this being discussed below
… and in positive royal news, Prince Harry announced today that the Invictus Games will be held in 2016 in Orlando. I wonder what stops William’s and Kate’s initiatives from taking off like this.
I no fan of the Middletons/Will and Kate, but this is ridiculous! In my hypothetical world, if I were to marry Harry or any other royal, you can darn well believe that I would make sure my siblings would be in the christening photo of my child and that in invitation to them would always be extended to places I am allowed.
The freebies and stuff is tacky. But the things that the DM are picking on in this article? Silly.
**Said as an American who admits her bias against monarchy but is open to understanding more about the issue by a Brit/Commonwealther.
The “commoners” who married into the House of Windsor do not have relatives trying to cash in on the royal connections. You don’t hear anything about Sophie’s kin, or Mike Tindall or Autumn Kelly’s families. Their spouses may be way down the line of succession, but they could still try to profit off the connection.
Neither Pippa nor James showed any ambition prior to the wedding. It was only post-wedding that companies were founded, books were written, charity sports events were done, etc. That’s a big part of the problem that plays into this storyline.
Big fuss about the pictures. Most likely Testino took loads of them in many different poses.
It’s not what you do. It’s about how you do it. The article could really be an attack on William in retaliation for some slight, imagined or otherwise. He will always be vulnerable if he is an ass about courtiers and the like instantly accepting & swallowing the Middletons whole cloth. I think I just mixed metaphor/ Yes, they need to show outward deference to Kate but extended family is something else. And even when William insists that they show Kate deference and respect, she probably isn’t aware (nor he probably) how she undermines it in hundreds of ways and/or how courtiers can do that themselves in passive-aggressive ways. Once again, it’s not about what you do but how you do it.
The other thing is that’s it’s not just royalty that keeps the status quo in place but the millions of people who support it and who directly work in paid positions to keep it afloat. I’ve said that to say this: in pushing or supporting the Middletons, and in some ways elevating their status, William is demanding a sort of respect and recognition for them that sits outside of the courtiers worldview. So, he is going to get pushback. We know that but the boy who would be King probably doesn’t know that. Why would he when those very courtiers exist to acquiesce to him and kiss his ass? He has probably never experienced anything much different than that.
Kate is a Duchess so will get shown respect regardless so i don’t buy into those stories of her not being shown deference and respects as due someone in her position. I would hazard that the courtiers are ‘leaking’ to the press in frustration due to the Cambridges lack of interest in doing royal duties especially as TQ and the Duke are getting older and should be winding down and enjoy their final years a little bit.
Its right that deference shouldn’t be shown to her family as it’s not shown to the extended families of others who have married into the BRF – Willy is making a point of supporting the Middleton’s pushy press loving ways probably because he likes giving the finger to said courtiers and because of guilt as he, along side his brother and friends, used to take the piss out of their background and social climbing. From what i can recall there were several reports of this in the press during the dating years.
Kate’s position rests greatly on William being by her side. A bow will either be given of received by his presence. And her family does not get that priv.
Pippa dressed much better this time around (the Christening). As for James, the beard looks icky; scraggly, yuck.
If there was a grooming rule re- Wimbedon Royal Box, then that would get rid of the outlaw biker look PDQ.
He’ll never get shave off that beard! With it, he’s a dead ringer for older members of the RF – King George and Tsar Nicholas:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432064157975404184/
That beard is a gold mine of legitimacy for James. No way is he getting rid of it…
I read somewhere someone said he looks like the old time cough syrup salesman guys. All he needs is to wax the moustache. I wish I could unsee it but I can’t.
Looking at the Royal christianing portrait all I can say is that, any photo which shows Queen Elizabeth smiling is a great photo. She looks so happy
Yeah, She looks FINE with the seating arrangement, so that’s what counts.
She does look happy. IMO the picture is odd and looks heavily photo shopped. And this photo was the one that the public saw. I am sure that Testino took many more
Anyone else watch Almost Royal on BBC America? I really hope Pippa and James are just like Poppy and Georgie IRL.
“Georgie and I are friends with benefits. We’re friends, and we’re brothers and sisters.”
“Matching furniture…for the middle classes.”
I did.. It’s satire imo.
I don’t care for James and Pippa. But I can’t help but notice the delicious irony of royal courtiers fuming at the duo’s presence in the Wimbledon royal box because they “owe nothing to their personal achievements and everything to their position…” Or complaining that “Why should these two young people, who have made no significant contribution to public life, be granted such a royal honour?”
HELLO???!!!! Will and Kate sat in the same box did they not? Royal courtiers complaining about this when everything the royals have is precisely due to their privileged position? LMAO.
I’m sorry but these two just don’t bother me that much. At least we don’t have to pay for their antics, and ironically Pippa does way more charity work than Kate anyway.
The reputation the family has is probably why Pippa hasn’t landed a titled husband.
CM has probably gone through Burke’s Peerage numerous times looking for someone “suitable” for Pip’s …
Ummm… Isn’t that what happens when you get married? You marry the family. Hence, brother in law, etc.
Sigh, Pippa had so much potential but she squandered it by being short-sighted and greedy.
Could it be that, maybe, oh god, I don’t know, William likes his in-laws?! Oh, the horror!!!! Big freaking deal, they’re in the christening picture. Just because Harry is out of the country, everyone else should be kicked out? Come. On. It’s not that serious.
Must admit, I do feel a tiny bit sorry for Pippa, in that she will always be compared to her sister and will be forever prohibited from trading on her connections in any meaningful career-boosting way. Her book was truly dreadful, an absolute embarrassment, but had she been completely unheard of the book would have faded into obscurity and we’d be none the wiser. Everything she attempts to do in the future will be assessed by Buckingham Palace and shot down in flames if it’s deemed to be too pushy or public – especially after the incident in Paris when she was an innocent passenger in a car being driven by some clown with a fake gun. She’s essentially had her wings clipped, so it’s going to be difficult for her to find her own niche without endless comparisons to Kate, or the suspicion that she’s going to create some terribly embarrassing public spectacle of herself.
I find James slightly amusing, slightly annoying at the same time, and his George V/Czar Nicholas beard is faintly ridiculous, as are the signet rings worn by those two, but he seems harmless enough.
That “modern-day Mrs. Bennett” on the other hand…..😡
Its incidents like this that meant she had to have her wings clipped – she was on course to be a major embarrassment to her sister, her own family and the BRF as a whole. From what i recall from the press around the engagement Pip was a well known party girl if you get my drift – from classmates at Uni said she like a good time.
She has effectively ruined her own potential – she could have made a good career for herself if she had made better choices, the book wasn’t one of her best moments. Like her siblings she lacks focus, she doesn’t seem to know what she wants to do with herself.
Betti: Kate herself was a party girl with numerous drunken crotch shots to prove it, as she fell into cars outside Boujis and Mahiki, legs akimbo. 😊
Anyway, I don’t envy Pippa one bit. All that scrutiny. If I were her I’d take myself off somewhere far from the madding crowd and the peering lenses of the press.
The Australian Outback or somewhere equally remote, lol.
Yes i remember those shots – both were good time girls. At least when she got engaged she cleaned up her act – Pippa had to learn the hard way.
I agree – she should go away from the spotlight for a while but she’s had a taste and likes it.
As I said above, neither Pippa nor James tried to do anything before the wedding. It is only post-wedding that they started doing anything other than living off their parents, which plays into the grasping and trading on royal connections storyline. The companies James started, all with Gary’s money, have all gone belly up too.
Betti: She and Mummy are most likely waiting for Lady Anson to pop off or retire, so they can get their grasping talons on the Little Black Book and muscle in on the Royal party business. *wink*
Nota: Yes, the Uncle Gary connection raises its ugly head again. James makes no secret of the fact that he relies on his uncle for start-up funds, which makes him look like an utter wimp, imo, but at the same time I find it sort of funny that he (James) sees nothing wrong with it.
Actually Pippa did work before the wedding. She had begun full time with a party planning company, but in the downturn after the 2008 crash the company needed fewer employees so she went part time. It was at that time that she began working for her parents’ company part time as well. She went back to working like this after the wedding. However the mixture of the breakup of her relationship with Alex Loudon and the offers she was finding herself inundated with led her to see if she could take advantage of all the attention that she was receiving.
If you look at right her after the wedding, she was mostly going to a few tennis matches, taking a few short trips with friends and walking to work with coffee. Not exactly fame-whoring up a storm. She did smile at the paps though!
Justme
I remember those pap photos of Pippa with her laptop case and coffee. It was noted often with time stamps or comments from cell phone shots she was spending maybe an hour or 2 there and then leaving. That’s why many noted the walks as “pap strolls” and not going to work for a 4, 6, or 8 hour day.
I was a fan of hers during this. I viewed it in a positive light that she got the awesome work ethic. Yet I was still aware these were pap strolls and not simple commuting.
I didn’t know she only stayed for a few hours each day. I do remember that she wore so many different coats and jackets -this while Kate was wearing the same purple sweater repeatedly to discourage photographers. Pippa also accepted those gifted purses.
If she hadn’t jumped on those freebies, the book offer and the column, but instead had picked only a few opportunities -like the Vanity Fair gig, and tried to use the NBC offer to highlight her travel charity athletics, she would have come across so much better.
Agreed. The Pipster should have been more select about the opportunities she accepted. However, because she took what’s look to be everything that was offered on the table she now looks like a greedy, coat-tail riding free-loader. For example, even though it was probably crazy money, why write that cook book or whatever it was?
Pippa’s writing was like a homework assignment finished up at the last minute -like she was struggling to just fill up the pages.
The Middletons need to learn how to project mystique rather than squirrelly secretivness. No more broad grins or smirks, just quiet smiles and look busy, and lots more discrete charity work for Michael and Carole -like joining the board of a charity.
‘squirrelly secretiveness’ LOL. I’m borrowing this term….LOL
“Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”
I strongly dislike the players (the Middletons) because I detest THEIR GAME. Social climbing can be done by merits as even societies with class systems acknowledge merits to some degree. For example if a British working class person goes to study medicine then they rise on the social ladder and I do fully approve of such moves.
But the Middletons don’t strive for merits but for rather superficial recognition of their status via the tabloids and via their well-married daughter. Any other middle class family who had three children basically out of a job and two of them with a university degree would be treated like a failure. Or how do you call those who fall down the ladder of the class system?
I don’t mind them being included in the family pics. Though the Royal Family does lose a bit of their their exclusivity by including them.
The DM has an article about a series of children’s books sold at Buckingham Palace’s gift shop:
“- The Middletons feature in Shhh! Don’t Wake the Royal Baby! book series
– Pippa is depicted as chief party planner for Prince George’s first birthday
– Carole is pictured wearing same dress she wore to visit George in hospital
– The Queen, Prince Charles and grandfather Michael also feature – but brother James does not”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3158553/Carole-Pippa-given-starring-roles-series-royal-baby-books-sale-Buckingham-Palace-gift-shop.html
…………..
Has this ever been done before with the BRF? Include the in-laws in gift shop products?
………….
The DM had an article with official photos of previous Royal christenings. They were composed of parents and grandparents with and without godparents, but none of them had siblings of the non-Royal spouse.
I think the Middletons should have been savvy enough and self-controlled enough to request two different photos there should have been two photos taken. One with the siblings, one without. That way there’d be a photo in which Philip stood behind the Queen and Carole wouldn’t be centered in the back.
Then one would have been the official photo and the other one a personal one. But I’m sure the personal one with the siblings would have somehow leaked out to the press, maybe through Middleton’s media contact, Tannin or whatever his name is.
Also, because of the possible negative media attention, I think Pippa should have showed up only once to the Wimbledon Royal box this year. I think she went at least twice with the most recent time with two of her friends. Hasn’t she and James sat in the Wimbledon’s Royal boxes in previous years too? So it’s not like it’s a brand new experience for them.
If there’s media attention about them being way too pushy, then why keep pushing it? I know social climbers have to keep climbing hard, but smart ones know not to overstep themselves into becoming social pariahs.
Edit:
“I think the Middletons should have been savvy enough and self-controlled enough to request two different photos there should have been two photos taken.”
should be
“I think the Middletons should have been savvy enough and self-controlled enough to request two different photos taken. “
anne: God, that’s vomit-inducing. I wonder whose bright idea this was??
I can almost hear the Queen: ” I do NOT approve of this!”
Hey, glad you brought this up — I mentioned this book series yesterday and link in a W+K thread in conversation with bluhare, and I am wondering about the same thing.
As you note, in the book the story line had to do with planning a party for the Royal Baby, and that seemed to cut a bit close to directly promoting their party company?
Liberty: I wonder when the Queen will take a nice shiny pair of secateurs to the infernal Wisteria creeping all over her houses?
Someone fetch a ladder! 😉
Are these Royal Baby books for real…? the book itself sounds like it could have come out of the creative imagination of @Liberty… Carole: more balloons! faster! Pippa: everything must be perfect for the baby! The Queen shows up in her private jet to save the day…? Who exactly are these books aimed at?
Cynical Celeste
Aren’t they amazing!
And don’t leave out Nota. She’s taking a few swings at the stories and did quite well!
I’m thinking the Brangelina WK tea visit thread.
And I took a look back at my baby books. Goats defeating trolls over bridges. The intricate greek mythology stories. Seriously. Each stories interlapse atleast 1 other to make 1 large storie.
Sorry for spelling. Returned from book club. I think we all know what that means.
LOTL
I happen to have some wisteria I planted when we moved into our current home. It’s far away from the house. I’ve been training it. Trimming the areas I don’t want has proven difficult to say the least. It’s worse than Forsythia IMO.
FLORC: You’re so lucky, none of my favourite shrubs have survived for long down here in the heat. I did have a Clematis which I babied and trained over a fence, but it friizzled over a scorching weekend when I was out of town. Wisteria is gorgeous, but pretty rampant once established (like the Middletons?) And nothing heralds Spring quite like Forsythia. So beautiful.
My lady of the Loch,
Do you know how tough it is to remove wisteria?
July 2013 is when “Shhh Don’t Wake the Royal Baby”, the first of the three books was published. I assume they have been for sale since they were published so why are we just hearing about the books now?
LAK/LOTL
It’s as tough as Forsythia! I’ve been working on a patch of Wisteria to keep it contained, but my friend plant removal guru helps. You have to cut it at a certain time where it goes into a resting phase while digging up the crazy root syste and then they recommended a vinegar and salt solution to soak the earth. I’ve been salting the earth for 3 years running! It’s helping.
Forsythia though……. Same method… Still returns and if we don’t keep weeding it as we see it it will return! Nothing can grow there so it doesn’t sneak in behind another plant. Much like a violet. They never go away.
FMORC and I are in shock when we see people purchase it at garden stores…. The poor fools!
I do love clematis! I have some purple intertwined with white. Just lovely! I would say take yours inside in a pot and right the pot with climbing stick (if needed) outside when able. I do that with lemon and lime trees in CT.
LAK
How tough it is? Yea. You burn the foundations to the ground, salt the earth for a few years, and pray it’s gone.
LAK: Was that a cryptic question re the Middletons? 😁
I’ve never actually grown Wisteria or Forsythia in the U.S. mainly because of the searing climate down here, but it grows all over the place at home along with Buddleia, (sp.) Azalea, Virginia creeper/ivy and rhododendrons. (So many rhododendrons! ) Also hydrangea and that gorgeous shrub with the flowers that look like little ballerinas with tutus, the name of which I can’t remember right now, and it’s my favourite!
Here, I have to make do with succulents and other hardy plants which can take the heat.
FLORC: I didn’t realise how tough it was! The war you’re waging with Wisteria sounds like my battle with a Chinaberry tree which is driving me ’round the twist. I don’t know why it has such a pretty name because it’s an ugly thug of a tree which refuses to quit. Its roots are everywhere like the Kraken, too. A gardening friend recommended the same thing, pouring boiling salt water all over its roots, but so far it hasn’t helped.
My lady of the Loch: Yes it was.
Regarding these books, are we sure our esteemed Liberty isn’t a published author on the side? Were her CB chapters a practise run leading up to this? LOL
And if not, why not?
LAK: You’re so naughty, which is why I like you so much, lol.
The Queen may have to wield some parrot beak loppers instead of secateurs, and drown the roots in full strength Domestos.
Oh, and nice work, Liberty! LAK seems to have outed you. *grin*
They would have loved this – when is TQ going to put a stop to this. Its gone beyond a joke.
Re: Wimbledon and pushing. They were only in the Royal box once and that’s when the Cambridges were there – she said in the comp area with her friends thou am sure she only got the tickets due to her ‘connections’. They don’t know how to stop pushing
I know some posters commented that they thought Harry was pulling away from Will & Kate (especially Kate) because of the social-climbing Middletons. Can someone elaborate on what’s going on?
The response from the DM readers was crazy. The vast majority of the posts complained about Pippa and James being “scroungers.” The thing is to my knowledge their expenses are underwritten by family (parents and uncle.) I understand the public’s frustration with supporting the Royal Family but who cares how the Midds spend their money??!?? A few complained that they don’t even do charity work which is patently false. They do more than Will and Kate. In terms of the social climbing, at Uni Pippa roomed with scions of the aristocracy–the perfect example is George Percy, the son of the Duke of Northumberland–so the social climbing predates Will.
As for Wimbledon, if their presence was considered so odious why didn’t the courtiers merely block the provision of any Royal Box tickets to Pippa and James? Further, at the men’s final they weren’t even seated in the Royal Box.
My impression was that after a few days of articles that were gushing over Pippa and James (in that obsequious manner that’s the hallmark of the DM) someone from the BRF/or an employee complained to the DM. THAT’S why they published an article that was 180 from the articles that immediately preceded that particular article.
Midds do spend tax funds. They got RPO beneifts for Pippa’s book tour before the head that had been with William for years resigned just after that.
The Midds estate renovs. There’s a list really. They accept beenfits like they are royal.
Nevermind the Middletons, what in the bollocks is going on with the blonde lady’s hair in the first photo??? DId she time travel from 1982? Stop spending your money on tennis tickets lady and get to an reputable salon….
LA Juice: LMAO!
I do believe it’s Mrs. Beckham Sr.
Someone on here earlier posted the majority of people who post on the British Royal stories here on Celebitchy are the kind of people who wait for several days outside hospitals etc to catch a brief view of a Royal.
For the record, I wouldn’t do that.
I catch up here on news but honestly don’t have the time to read every bit of news. And honestly, the only bit of news when newsworthy is when Kate makes an appearance re- a charity.