Here are some photos of Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland today. Today is the day that the Queen becomes the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Initially, it was believed that the Queen would not be marking the occasion in any kind of public way, but then she decided to do this event, which was to open up the new Borders Railway station. The Queen, Prince Philip and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took a 31-mile train ride from Edinburgh to Tweedbank and everyone cheered. The Queen also made a short speech, saying:
“Prince Philip and I are very grateful for the warmth of your welcome on this occasion. Many including you, First Minister, have also kindly noted another significance attaching to today, although it is not one to which I have ever aspired. Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones; my own is no exception. But I thank you all, and the many others at home and overseas, for your touching messages of great kindness.”
Humble. It was also said that the Queen seemed especially delighted to be doing something train-related. She’s a big fan of trains. This evening, the Queen will be back home at Balmoral with some special guests: the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and possibly their children. Will and Kate will be joining the Queen for a private (and reportedly low-key) family dinner. And now we know how the Queen “coaxed” Kate out of her “reclusive isolation”: the Queen had to promise to give Kate a special honor. Seriously.
On Wednesday the Queen became the longest-reigning British monarch, but to mark the day she has chosen to celebrate in private with her husband Prince Philip. She will be joined by her grandson Prince William and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton and while all attention is trained on Her Majesty, the Duchess will also have reason to celebrate.
According to reports, Kate will receive the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II – the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a female member of the royal family. Kate is expected to travel to Balmoral with William, where the Queen and Prince Philip are currently residing, to receive the honour and mark her grandmother-in-law’s big day.
The Order she is tipped to receive is given to female royals directly from the Queen and serves as a personal memento rather than a state decoration, although it can be worn during state occasions. Because there is no formal announcement regarding whether the honour has been bestowed, royal watchers will have to wait until Kate’s expected attendance at next month’s state dinner for China’s President Xi Jinping to see whether she will be wearing it.
Previous recipients include William’s late mother Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Charles’ wife the Duchess of Cornwall. Prince Edward’s wife the Countess of Wessex has also been pictured wearing the Order to the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden in 2013. The Order depicts a younger Queen Elizabeth II in evening dress, wearing the ribbon and star of the Order of the Garter. The picture is painted on ivory and bordered by diamonds, while a Tudor Crown in diamonds and red enamel sits atop. It is sewn onto a chartreuse yellow bow and is usually pinned on the left shoulder of the recipient’s dress.
That is really remarkable, when you think about it. I truly believe that THIS is how the Queen “coaxed” Kate into coming to Scotland. Like, Kate was totally going to blow off the Queen until Kate learned that she would be getting something shiny. And for what? Why in the world would Kate deserve this honor? Because she provided the heir and the spare? Maybe the Queen heard that William doesn’t give push presents and so the Queen decided to give her something.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Firstly that was a steam train,especially in her honour…fabulous…I love those things and Liz would love it too….
Secondly no words can express how ashamed I feel that this elderly woman has to ask that waste of space to visit,she should be honoured,but another sparkle for what?
I work harder every day that she has ever done..I do not understand Carole in all this..she is a bright woman ..she must realise what is up and the tone of Waity press has changed…
If anyone has influence it is Carole…I hope she gets a grip soon..before things get worse..
yes. such a waste of space. I really don’t understand why she gets any respect at all. I guess she feels recreating photo ops and Diana memories will be all she needs. cannot stand
It could be that Carole’s grip on Willy is lessening – he’s not ‘listening to her’ and as for Kate, she will ALWAYS do what Willy wants, even going against her mother. Carole trained her too well.
Perhaps this is Kate Middleton’s revenge on the Royal family for neglecting and discriminating her and her family in the years she dated William.
They didn’t neglect or discriminate against them. The royal family and their press office does not acknowledge girlfriends or boyfriends, they just don’t. They don’t make comments about them or issue press about them. And they aren’t invited to family events until they are officially part of the family.
One RARE private exception was Peter Philips allowed to bring Autumn Kelly to an event pre-marriage, but HM and Philip seem to adore Autumn. One of the few times The Palace said anything about Kate Middleton, girlfriend for a decade, was to defend themselves when she blamed the royals for preventing her from working. Palace spoke out against that lie immediately.
The Windsors have actually gone out of their way for Kate even during the girlfriend years. They are bending over backwards to avoid the kind of blame they received over Diana’s struggles.
Inaccurate
Kate attended William’s birthday party at the palace and several private events with William – all during the gf years. And the palace released a statement reminding the press that Kate was a private citizen and to leave her alone – during the gf years.
Private event with William but not family events that I remember. She didn’t meet the Queen until Peter and Autumn’s wedding, a non-royal event that William didn’t bother to attend because he was attending Jecca’s brother’s wedding instead.
She pushed her way into the royal area at polo one year when William wasn’t around and she was swiftly removed. They’ll issue things like “private citizen” but they don’t do PR for them nor do they prevent royal girlfriends from working.
Nota
Here you are correct but your earlier statement was inaccurate.
Natalie
You hit the nail on the head.
Pushed her way into the royal area at polo?! Details, Nota!
I made a distinction between private vs. royal family, I don’t see that as inaccurate. She may have been welcome by William at a private event with him, but she wasn’t welcome at royal family events. I don’t remember if it was the same for Sophie who was around for 5 years before they got engaged. I expect it was but that was 20 years ago and I don’t remember. She was living in BP for part of that, which might have made a difference.
Imo/Nota
I enjoy both your thoughts and opinions on these threads. That said when you start commenting directly eachother my thought is… Time to make some popcorn 🙂
Almost like you’re both correct, but arguing slightly different angles. Neither really wrong. Just perspectives on truths.
My unsolicited 2 cents.
Nota
“One rare, private exception” is quite inaccurate. And William’s birthday was private yet royal due to the fact that many rf were his honored guests. Jecca was his co-host.
FLORC
I just saw your comment and had to giggle. Healthy, rigorous debate is never bad as long as it is not personal.
Now I want popcorn – but I have to type!
One rare private exception isn’t inaccurate. I didn’t say it was the only one, but those private exceptions ARE rare. Again, cannot remember if there were any for Sophie or not. I do not remember back to Diana, and Fergie’s courting and engagement was a short whirl as well.
No need for popcorn 🙂 Imo and I rarely agree, that’s just the breaks. She thinks I have an agenda, I think she has one. At the end of the day this is meant to be fun not a dissertation with footnotes.
I don’t believe the Queen coaxed Kate anywhere. Kate follows Williams lead.
The press will have us believing Kate rules the roost and the Queen if people are silly enough to go for it.
Charles and Camilla will not be at Balmoral as both were too busy appearing on different TV shows – but no criticism for them?
Puffin
They work constantly. That’s why the vacations don’t get criticism either.
Kate only has to work maybe once a week or once every 2 weeks raising awareness for her causes and MUCH would be overlooked with her. That bar is set low now. I remember wearing her hair out of her face warranted extreme praise.
If HM considers it a regular work day, why shouldn’t Charles and Camilla be working too?
So you don’t consider children as work?
If Lizzie keeps throwing honorifics at Kate, she’s going to start looking like one of those old school dictators whose military uniform is loaded with medal bling that he’s given himself
Or Tom Cruise and his Scientology medals!
Her biggest achievement in life is not dying. While living a life of extreme privilege. I doubt she did anything exhausting in her life ever. What a thing to celebrate.
Kill Joy lol
I agree, Franca.
Exactly this!
Interesting point of view, here’s another one
https://republic.org.uk/what-we-do/news-and-updates/long-reign-reason-reform-not-celebration-republic
Interesting read!
Totally love that Republic blog. They speak sense.
I’m totally going to stand up for the Queen. She has four children, so she went through labor and childbirth four times, and I am going to believe that at least one of those times it was exhausting. So there!
Franca of all VIPs in the world, HM probably gets the best medical care. With that in mind (early detection), is it any wonder HM et al (inner circle) keeps breathing? Margaret as a nobody commoner would have only lived to age 35 given her lifestyle as a chain smoker, heavy drinker etc.
I mentioned something similar on the Charles thread. I like QEII. I really do but the truth is that stout genes, a good diet, and low stress & anxiety relative to the whole population is what’s kind of being celebrated.
Becoming Queen at a young age is a burden, not a privilege. She’s lived through some really rough stuff and saw her country go through war. Being financially secure doesn’t mean your life is easy. Can you even understand how under pressure she’s been her entire life? If you fck up, nobody cares. Maybe your immediate family and friends? She has the entire commonwealth weighing down on her and the rest of the world watching. You are a fool if you think her life is easy.
I don’t know about these stories I mean it is the freaking QUEEN, does she ever have to ask anybody to do anything more than once,let alone coax someone. Don’t her orders just go or is she getting soft,the gull of Kate and her family if all this is true. They really know they have arrived.
I think these stories are BS – interesting that Kate is critcised for attending but nothing about the total absence of Charles and Camilla from the celebration
Criticised for attending? Or rather what it takes so that Kate will attend? It’s her Monarch and grandmother inlaw. It’s bad form and bad manners to not make time when you have nothing on your table. Kids don’t count if you can leave them as newborns or days at a time. With this she only has to bring nannies and can have her children near to play with their very old grandmother.
FLORC
We absolutely have no proof that Kate dragged her feet. And I think Charles and Camilla should be there if it’s so important.
We have absolutely no proof that she and William didn’t drag their feet.
Imo
We know that WK favor not attending when their presence is requested by the Queen. Christmas for example. Given a year advance notice and their own residence for privacy. And barely made an appearance for the only time the Queen asks to see her family gather.
On top of other occasions a pattern forms.
Regarding this importance. I wonder if it was more last minute as a “coax” after all and not really important enough to cancel meetings and charity visits planned months in advance.
But I guess what Nota said. We have no solid proof otherwise. You can’t counter my argument with an assumption. It’s just an assumption and i’m offering a history of behavior ignoring brf gatherings unless there’s a pr purpose or it’s an easy event/jewels/etc… *Passes popcorn*
FLORC
Yes I know the patterns. For me, it is just personal ire when outrage or criticism isn’t prefaced with ‘if this is true’.
I remember when Kate was preparing for the Aussie/NZ tour and she was rumored to be considering a designer dress that retailed for $84K or thereabouts. Commentors lost their minds with condemnation – how dare she, etc. very few paused and read between the lines. She didn’t even purchase any such dress but the outrage never waned, no one bothered to back track and the ill will just kept steamrolling/mounting unchecked and without facts.
In the end those are the things I find irritating. If no one adjusts the tone of their criticism to the caliber of veracity involved then everything is just up for gossip grabs. How can we then hope to successfully winnow fact from fluff? How can our criticisms of the Cambridges be informed if every silly negative story is believed?
What is happening with the Cambridges is troubling and serious, imo. They are pushing the boundaries of a very old contract between the crown and the taxpayers and it warrants observation and criticism.assuming every stupid, inconsequential thing about Kate is true is distracting, imo.
When did push presents come into vogue? I never heard of them until a few years ago, and I never received any. Either my (ex) husband was cheap (quite plausible) or I had my kids too long ago (also quite possible).
And since when does anyone get to just blow off the Queen?! I would think that if the Queen invites you somewhere, you just do your duty and go! My Grandma wasn’t royalty, but boy, NO ONE in the family ignored a summons from her. Unthinkable to ignore her.
I’m not English and I’d go, if only for the food and clothes.
Yes exactly. Grandma summoned me, I went!
I can’t even understand the idea of blowing off my granny.
I mean, outside of her being the Queen, she’s GRANDMA.
What a brat
We call push presents a BABY.
THIS!!!
William blows her and his family off all the time. Instead of attending the church service for the 10th anniversary of the passings of the Queen Mum and Princess Margaret, Bill went skiing with the Middletons. Basically everybody else was there except him.
It also speaks volumes what kind of a grandmother she is if her grandson doesn’t want to visit her.
All the other grandkids, including William’s brother, DO visit her and spend time with both of their grandparents. Autumn and Peter Phillips were just with them the other day for the Braemar Games.
It speaks to William and his selfishness, not the nature of the grandparents.
franca: that may be true, but HM’s other grandkids visit her all the time, so it’s hard to say whether she’s a horrid granny to William specifically or he just doesn’t like visiting her.
Perhaps William was deemed too confrontational (esp subjects about his late mother) by HM. Isn’t it a well known fact HM doesn’t like confrontation?
She’s the kind of grandmother who allowed William the use of Amner Hall and leased him a helicopter.
She also went to bat for William when the charity occupying the space turned down his request for Apt 1A which meant refunding the charity it’s renovation costs, and took funds meant for restoring Buckingham Palace and gave them to W and K to redecorate their place. I don’t like that she did that but it show that if there is a problem, it’s probably due to William.
Just because William doesn’t attend all of his grandmother’s functions doesn’t mean a bunch of casual observers get to decide the closeness of their relationship. If you go by published, named, credible sources Elizabeth and William have a warm, loving relationship. She is a pro at seeing what she wants to see and William’s shortcomings don’t seem to have any bearing on her adoration of him nor on his of her.
Because published, named, “credible” sources never have an axe to grind or PR to push? If William and HM hated each other, they’d still write they had a loving relationship. Palace PR 101.
I’ve never seen her look at William the adoring way she looks at Harry.
Not attending an event that was clearly important to her was hurtful and rude.
Nota
Again, when anything counters your narrative it represents an agenda and when it supports your assertions it is obviously truth. I will happily consider any fact based information that points to a troubled relationship between Elizabeth and William.
And I’m surprised you get to inform us of the queen’s feelings. Truth is that many of us would feel hurt if our grandson did such a thing.
But for the millionth time – these people are not like us so projecting yields false positives.
I find his behavior rude and hurtful, I didn’t say I said the Queen felt that. If anyone in my family treated an elder like that, they’d get a serious talking to.
Pointing out that sources can be credible sometimes and PR hacks at others happens on here all the time. I bring forward something and you’ll say, “That’s not credible” but you’ll believe a source you find or a source someone other than me brings forward. You were stating definitely just the other day that Middleton had a clothing line, when there is no proof of that at all.
There are stories of his time at Eton that he met with his grandmother once a week because she asked it. What time has he spent with her in the last 15 years? We see a couple of appearances once a year at a church in Balmoral, but no proof that W&K spend extended time there. We see him spending Christmas with the in-laws when it is known that is the most important day of the year to HM. He didn’t attend this commemoration service when everyone else did.
Looking at what events he has attended vs the ones others have attended, I see the other grandchildren are more attentive to the grandparents than he is. I see no fact-based evidence that William is a loving and dedicated grandson.
They are human, imo. They have their infighting, their squabbles, their favorites, and their emotions. Being “royal” doesn’t change that.
*Grabs Popcorn*
Nota
Nice try but I have no agenda. I take each story, bit of gossip and rumor as it stands and examine multiple factors to form my opinion. I can not say the same for you. Go back months and months on the cb royal threads and it is clear you say the same. Things. Repeatedly.
And I literally lol’d at you saying that I said Kate had a clothing line. Another poster asked about it and I responded that Kate met twice with two Italian design houses but the whole thing seemed to fall through for some unknown reason. It was on yesterday’s thread, for goodness’ sake! Why say things that can easily be proven as untrue? Why intentionally put a negative spin on things in an unsubstantiated way?
As for your straw man I didn’t ask if you could prove William is a loving grandson. I asked if you had any proof that Elizabeth and William have a troubled/damaged relationship.
…you can’t. You jus have an opinion – like the rest of us.
You have no idea how I form my opinion. That’s another one of your assumptions that you state as true, but you cannot possibly know. Just as there is no proof that Middleton ever met with anyone about a clothing line, but you’re once again stating it as fact. My opinions is just like yours imo or anyone else’s.
You assume William is a good grandson and has a good relationship with HM because of what you’ve seen in the press. I look at what I’ve seen in the press, the “proof”, and it doesn’t add up to a good grandson to me. Can you show me the proof of them having a good relationship? No. But you insist that I’m supposed to show proof for an opinion that differs from yours. Shades of LadySlippers and Dame Snarkweek.
Nota
Try to keep up. I nevr said William and the queen had a great relationship. I said if one goes by published, credible sources they certainly do. That is different than pretending I can deduce the truth out of thin air or lots of gossip. I don’t know if William is a good grandson. I believe he and his grandmother have a good relationship. You have nothing upon which to assert the opposite. What you have is a belief, based on your interpretation of observed patterns, that William is a terrible grandson. How can you not understand the difference?
“Shades of LadySlippers and Dame Snarkweek”?
Not exactly sure what you’re on about with this but it sounds negative and disrespectful to people who have nothing to do with this discussion.
Nota
And as for stating as fact that Kate met with designers I clearly said apparently in the post from yesterday that you referenced. It was reported (and stated in a book) that she flew to Italy to meet with apparel manufacturers and a company called Viyella had lined up a partnership. Reportedly the venture ran into financial problems quite early on and never got off the ground. Shortly afterwards Kate started with Jigsaw, another apparel company. Why this is important for you to assert that it never actually happened is beyond me. But this is the difference between at least having some sort of source – any kind of source – when you say something. If Kate going to Italy is a big lie then more than one credible person is in on it.
I subscribe to your thinking, Nota. I have followed your ideas for a long time, and they seem to follow the events as they occur. I appreciate the many times where you have taken the time to repeat yourself. I don’t doubt your credibility.
I do not see her with a clothing line considering the way she dresses herself and her children. I’m not being critical here, merely mentioning she lacks in creativity, for one glaring obvious.
“I said if one goes by published, credible sources they certainly do.”
Imo, you’re stating that something *you think* is true is from a credible source because you want it to be. Because multiple sources that *you think* are credible said it? All press related to these two needs to be closely examined. Some believe the spin, others don’t.
Haven’t you noticed how frequently one publication says X, then all the other sources reference that one source? Doesn’t make it fact, just like because something is published in a book doesn’t make it fact. There has been a whole lot of fiction published about these two, especially in “biographies”.
I look at William’s actions as reported and shown in photos, and to me it doesn’t add up to a good relationship with his grandmother. To you it does. You choose to believe sources that you choose to believe are credible. You don’t understand that what you’re stating is your opinion based on the things you want to believe are true. Opinion, not fact. How can you not understand the difference?
This behavior, along with demanding footnotes for opinions, is similar to two other posters, Lady Slippers and Dame Snarkweek. Very similar. And this is starting to feel like a discussion with a Rutherford supporter.
Thanks, wolfie.
Nota
I agree with you that even facts are not what they seem when it comes to an agenda with the royals but I honestly think you are intentionally conflating Imo’s very valid points. And yeah, dragging long gone posters into the fray is not cool, imho.
I think William is not a dutiful grandson but I think he and the queen have a wonderful relationship. I think she adores him and is not one to expect much from her family, behavior wise. I bet she tolerates Kate.
I can only offer this to the debate: Viyella has signed other British names and friends of royalty like India Hicks up to be “the face” of the brand for a season as a sort of citizen model. “(Hicks)…..the official “face” of Viyella, is choosing some of the pieces she’ll wear for a raft of television appearances leading up to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.” — from 2011. Link:
http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/article/TMG8259658/India-Hicks-the-royal-bridesmaid-with-a-no-frills-attitude-is-the-new-face-of-Viyella.html
More recently the Viyella.co.uk Pinterest board “pinned” Kate in a coat of their making, They also pinned Pippa and Mrs Obama and various celebs in looks.
This may have led to the confusion — Kate picking out fabric for free clothing as a “society” name or celeb when she first appeared in the public eye, and forward. If I am repeating something someone said elsewhere, I apologize. On the road for work and little time. Now I have to track down some room service popcorn too.
Link: https://www.pinterest.com/viyellafashion/viyella-get-the-look/
Bridget: if I may raise my head above the parapet, I think Nota is implying that @IMO is possibly ladyslippers or Dame Snarksweek. It might be coincidence, but there are certainly lots of similarities in their talking points, debate style. They hold similar prejudicial points too.
*ducks back undercover*
Exactly, LAK.
It’s been at least since the late 90’s. I remember a guy in my office asking my help in picking a bracelet to give his wife as a push present and that was in 1999.
Thank you, that explains it. My youngest was born in 1990. The only present we got back then was our beautiful, healthy bundle of joy, lol!
She bothers me no end. I don’t have the blood line or the funds to even be considered by these people, and surely I would mess up some etiquette, but let me tell you, I would do whatever that woman wanted me to do. Kate is so disrespectful of the Queen, the position, and the people of her country. Oh I would be so pissed if I were British!
What a lovely little speech by the Queen.
Ivory seems a bad choice of material for a family of “conservationists”.
Oh! Good point! I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe if William isn’t a hypocrite, he will toss it into the garbage or burn it. LOL!
Then William should ask his wife to refuse the rumored Order, since he wants to throw out all the ivory in the Royal Collection.
IF it is still made of ivory, it would be from old stock. Or it could be made from fossilized mammoth or walrus tusk, which is allowed to be traded. That is what some people use in modern jewelry in place of ivory.
I have a beautiful ivory bracelet that I inherited from my grandmother but I never wear. It wasn’t made illegally but it feels wrong. William might want to consider the optics, even if it’s made from old stock or a material that can be mistaken for it.
Pedro
I too have a lovely ivory bracelet. Delicate gold design with Ivory roses. I wear it. If I were to buy it it would feel wrong, but it happened and it’s too pretty to forget about in a box.
People assume it’s bone or stone or plastic from a distance. I’m not going to correct them.
IMO, William talks out of both sides of his mouth when it comes to this stuff. I honestly doubt he cares – nor would he probably even notice until someone brought it to his attention… he happily played with an instrument made of ivory during his China trip and didn’t know until he was told. Also, later(?) he went on to an elephant sanctuary for a photo op and ignored the fact he was yards from a tourist spot that was abusing elephants… man-child then stomped off in a huff when the press dared mention it.
William probably doesn’t notice or care but at least he could pay a courtier to remind him to pretend to care. Jesus, he is too lazy to even keep up appearances?
He was also asked publicly, before the trip, not to go to the “sanctuary” and he went anyway. When he was told the instrument was ivory, he didn’t say anything. He could have made a point of talking about alternative materials, etc. but he didn’t. Makes me think that conservation and the ivory isn’t something about which he knows much of anything. It looks good so he picked it as “a cause”.
If Kate does get the Order we will never know…it will be hidden under those hideous sausage curls.
Nah, the Family Order is something that Kate would finally put her hair up to show off. It would prove how much the Queen likes her. Kate would be beaming, with her hair in a nice updo, thrusting her shoulder to the camera.
like the way she shows off the ring of doom.
She will not be happy if she cannot wear it with jeggings and the Wedges of Doom.
See, my thing re: Kate’s updos is that lately they seem amateurish and undone. They look exactly like something I inflicted on myself after half-following a youtube tutorial.
And I am not sure I agree with the Royal Family Order being the “highest honour the monarch can bestow on a female member”. I think the Royal Victorian Order, given for “distinguished personal services to the monarch” and worn by Sophie and Camilla (and maybe Harry), but never awarded to Diana, is a much higher honour.
But congrats, Kate.
Ma carol and the middletons may feel they are smarter than HM / The Firm/ POW who survived this long and are fools to the likes of a flight attendant (nothing against the profession) – babies for title (NOT)! How about service – duties to HM -the people – to GB UK CW, above self.
Four years marry in, and snowflake only now receiving a normal RF Order. Even PG who is suppose to be in the country to be ‘regular’ – innocence of a child, seem to be grumpy – rapid aging like Petulant 😉 (unless with loving nanny Maria) – from the weight of carol snowflake and the meddlesome family.
Ah methinks she will wear it to show public she has it all show that one
why on earth the lazy doolittle i hve no respect for her at all manipulating little madam
all about take and more take no give at all
she will always be a disgrace in the royal family
he should of left her at the university in early days
“Painted on ivory”
W.T.F.
Thanks for that. Exactly.
I sincerely doubt they’re using real ivory, even old stocks. They might call it that, but I really doubt it.
Putting aside the fact that she is the Queen, she’s Kate’s husband’s grandmother. I think it’s really mean that she has to “coax” them to do anything. This is a big day in her life, presumably, and I would think it wouldn’t kill them to show up.
We’ve only ever had the ‘coaxing’ angle pushed by the tabs. Kate could have easily been happy to go. Just more woman as harpy tropes, imo. And Charles and Camilla begged off because of a prior commitment. Really?
Well, that’s true. I forget that sometimes.
IF HM and Philip treat the day as business as usual, why shouldn’t Charles?
Nobody gets to diss granny, don’t you know? Other than not wanting to run into Andy the heir and future Queen Consort have no excuse, imo.
So, it sounds like Kate is the quintessential millennial. Congrats or something.
I am so tired of hearing my age group bashed for no particular reason.
Oopsie. My bad. Here, have a trophy or better yet an “honor”!!!
They have to resort to the “millennial” tripe when they aren’t smart enough to think of anything else.
Signed, a millennial with a job (where I work 12 hour shifts every day), a mortgage, a spouse, and two cars. Just like everyone else in my age group that I know.
But Kate is so creative donchaknow, I think she’ll insist on designing the Order herself and it will look like this,
https://0.s3.envato.com/files/74380251/preview.jpg
Ok I know I’ve done it to death and I’ll stop now. I’ll let myself out.
LOL – the eyes are not quite big enough or off center. And no sausage curls tsk tsk.
BWAHAHAHA that is awesome!!
ROTFLMAO! I wasn’t expecting that!
Frisbee: You kill me!!! Egalite, ma soeur!
But let’s face facts. Kate’s getting the order because if she didn’t, she’d be the only royal woman at the state dinner without one.
yup.
Spot on blu!
Wow, that do-nothing gets the family order already? I really hope they’re just making that up
TQ must live forever. Wasn’t her grandfather a massive stamp collector? Apparently he preferred his stamps over people. LOL
Love the dig about the ‘special guests’. Would love to be a fly on the wall at that dinner table. I imagine small talk with her is ackward.
Perhaps the Queen should design a new order for Royal Lazybones and Idlers. Then give Kate the first edition and it is settled.
Something cheap made from plastic or similar. Add some fake jewelry and Kate will wear it as it comes from the Queen.
…
On a more serious note:
Will and Kate depend on Charles’ money / the money of the Royal Family. So why not cut the money supply when they misbehave as they did in recent monthes?
Personally I think that Kate is getting revenge on the Royal Family for disrespecting and ignoring her during the years when she date William.
Additionally I think the Queen should have put her foot down and kick William out of the line of succession when he married Kate without the Queen’s prior consent.
she gave her consent. it arrived a week before the wedding.
LAK
What would it have meant if the Queen did not give consent? Anything?
Marriage wouldn’t be valid and any subsequent children wouldn’t be in the line of succession.
The engagement was announced to the press before HM was told, removing her ability to give personal consent to it overall though.
She wasn’t left much choice – as Nota points out he announced it to the world before telling his family or even giving his grandmother the respect she deserves by asking. But then would she have given consent – considering what we see now of Kate? As much as TQ spoils Willy i don’t think she would have consented to the marriage on the grounds that Kate isn’t cut out for royal life – she certainly didn’t show any sort of work ethic or sense of duty during the GF years. And given that TQ has a very very strong sense of duty and work ethic it would have been a disappointment to her to see this type of attitude in a future Queen. I think Willy knew his grandmother wouldn’t have consented hence the childish sneaky way it was done.
I thought they told the Queen and Charles an hour before they publicly announced it, or something like that? Still, an hour wasn’t really any notice at all, which was probably why he did it, so she wouldn’t have time to refuse consent.
They set up the press conference before telling his side of the family.
Is the writer correct that the Royal Family Order is “the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a female member of the royal family?” I thought the Order of the Garter was higher, and the Princess Royal has that. Or did I read that wrong?
No order eclipses the OotG. A RFO is a “starter” order for female royals. More work=more orders & decorations. It will take a lot for K to upgrade. Another version of waity?
Queued Kate as an upgrade from Waity? Not as catchy though.
It should be about the work. Not what will earn you praise.
No, its not. Its the only order privately given by the Queen but its rumored that Charles asked the Queen to give one to Camilla to show that she was accepted by the family so obviously its not very exclusive (sorry Camilla, I really do like her). Most royal families give their orders out at the time of the wedding so its a pretty basic starter.
Sarah Ferguson never received one.
At least you thought that. I read it as Order of the Garter Belt for a while. Maybe that’s given by Queen Victoria (Secrets).
I hope it isn’t true. Ugh. How I hope… Seriously though – Kate in no way, shape, or form deserves any honors from the Queen. Until the lazy snowflake gets off her arse and pulls a full engagement load (ala Anne or Charles), this pathetic woman-child shouldn’t even be acknowledged as a member of the RF let alone given a reward for being a successful broodmare (as this seems to be the only thing she’d be honored for). If not having this honor is holding her back from, say, attending something then big whoop – she isn’t attending a lot of things so that shouldn’t upset her in the least. No honors for the snowflake until she’s pulling her full weight (and maybe a little more than that).
Hear hear so agree with you
Thought Palmer shut this down. Or was that just the dinner? And that WK were going to Scotland just because with no royal duty, but rather vacation.
AFAIK, he just shotdown that HM was having a celebratory dinner.
SavageG
+100000000000
Too bad HRH – enough …
Upstream – Nota spot on
…Petulant stay away from grannie QEll – he knows HM will de-middletonize AH- insist he snowflake get to work.
POW may not approve of any Order to snowflake and is away. POW spent time over the weekend with his parents -HM & DOE (Peter and Autumn).
So, AH Chief of Staff, carol and the meddletons traveled to Balmoral …
What are you talking about? Is this a Star mag brainstorming session?
FLORC
Sorry, no time and not my type of material … (other sites asking same – if carol would travel …)
Pipa
Not literally. Just that specific rame of thought it the made up stuff of rags. An extreme bias based on rumors with thin foundations in reality.
We’re all entitled to believe what we want.
Alls I’m seeing is someone walking backward & holding up a tree branch that has something bright and shiny dangling from it. That person is craftily leading Kate toward Balmoral. Her eyes are wide & slightly unfocused. As she walks, trance-like toward the object of her affection, her lips are moving slowly as she quietly repeats the words “oooh shiny things.”
Ho Ho!!
My worry is that is what I would do ,even diamonique doesn’t have to be the real stuff,just something sparkly!!
Perhaps I am related to a magpie??!!
Sorry…..shiny things………..must ..go…..!!!……..
Why does Kate always put her jaw that way? It looks like she is gonna dislocate it. Is she trying to talk posh again?
Underbite. It’s natural to her and not a result of any cosmetic procedure so I won’t mock it.
I never noticed the underbite until she got those too-tight/ill-fitting veneers….
It reminds me of Keira Knightly and that jutting jaw acting style she has….sort of leads from the jaw!
Ivory? Duuuudeee. Let’s see if Kate dares to use it in front of Will. All that waiting to recieve exactly this type of stuff and it’s Ivory. Gotta love this.
And to think-the Q could have had me there with the promise of a few doughnoughts. Kate’s behaviour is auful. ( am i doing the “u’ right, mates?) Or am I being a chav naff?
Just the one ‘o’ too many, it’s Doughnuts – other than that you’re doing just fine, we’ll have you quoting Monty Python in no time – here have a sketch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt0Y39eMvpI
No!!! Not doughnuts up Norf.!!!.it will be haggis for tea.!!…or infact a wee scone ….
In Glasgow they have a reputation for deep fried Mars bars,whether true or not…further north it will be fruit cake …drop scones…or perhaps a clutie dumpling!!!
Don’t forget we are in Scotland…currently the English are becoming less popular !!!
So the English Cuisine won’t help!!!!
The palace is listening to us. There was a quick announcement on my local news station that “Princess Kate is off maternity leave.” Her waning popularity, the monikers of Lazy Katie and Duchess Dolittle has worked. Hopefully she will become a Duchess in spirit and not just in title.
What in the world has Kate Middleton done to deserve the family order? I doubt the Queen gave her anything to coax her anywhere. If she came to Balmoral, she came because she and William want something for doing nothing for the Firm.
This is just getting absurd. Does this sound like an April Fools joke to anyone else? I mean, I can’t believe how far WK are taking their shenanigans. How much *more* will they get away with before the tide turns on them?
I always believed on, there is two sides of the story. I doubt it very much this story is 100% accurate.
So many sites reported that The duchess allegedly has gotten pregnant quickly for baby number 3, therefore the seclusion.
Sometimes you read a links where majority of poster is not keen on a person, the story has been sensationalized, tweaked it a little bit to gain follower of the story and commenting.
The assumption of “Carole Middleton, controlling Kate, or Kate being rebellious because she is popping out them heir to the throne.”
Royalties are known for their rigid rules and if Kate is not heeding the rules they will pounced on her like they did with Diana. Leaking every small tidbits to the media to discredit her. Every unnecessary small stories was leaked to gossips sites and also the palace hound call on paparazzi to tell them where Diana will be on that day, what time and who she’s with.
So far there is not much dirt on Kate except of hearsay.
If William is not being compliance to the Queen, why the Queen has not step down, abdicate and give Charles a chance to be king.
Since most commentators felt he is better than William?
Maybe just maybe we really don’t know the truth, we just been fed with red herrings, we just assumed because of what the media was telling us. The Queen is one of the shrewdest monarch and she knows what is going on better than anyone else. I would trust her judgement.