Last week, Us Weekly used the Cambridges’ ski photos for their cover story. I talked about it as a media story, as in… I truly wonder about Poor Jason’s media strategy, to push sugary royal stories in the American press just as the British press begins to turn on the Cambridges in particular. I mentioned that I thought it was weird/noteworthy that People Magazine hadn’t given William and Kate the cover last week, just because People seems especially devoted to selling the Cambridges as some kind of fairy tale. And here we are… this week’s People Mag cover is not just about Kate, it’s about how Kate is The New Diana. Who is buying that?
From her fashionable style to her stunning engagement ring and, of course, the symbolic naming of her daughter (Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana), Princess Kate has evoked the memory of her late mother-in-law Princess Diana in many ways. Now, as she tackles serious issues, such as children’s mental health, and juggles the expectations of an adoring public with her desire to give Prince George, 2, and Charlotte, 11 months, as peaceful and private an upbringing as possible, Kate and husband Prince William are embracing Diana’s legacy in ways big and small.
“She would be incredibly proud,” one of her closest friends, Rosa Monckton, tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. (Diana was a godmother to Monckton’s daughter, Domenica.)
“To be able to give their children a stable life in the country is worth so much,” she adds. “They have a lifetime of flashbulbs ahead of them.”
For some, it comes as no surprise that Kate would be inspired by her mother-in-law, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. (At 36, she was just two years older than Kate is now.)
“What other role models does Kate have within the royal family?” says Diana’s former bodyguard Ken Wharfe, author of Closely Guarded Secret. “She hasn’t been given the book about how to be a princess.”
Usually, this would be the moment where Majesty Magazine’s Ingrid Seward would be called in to explain how Kate is so very modern-yet-traditional and she’s the second coming of Diana. Unfortunately, Seward just got finished throwing William and Kate under the bus in a column for the Mail on Sunday. It does feel like People Magazine is stretching to find a way to write a complimentary piece on Kate following a month of really terrible press for the Cambridges. I mean, they spoke to a woman who was friendly with Diana, and that’s the cover story? Meh.
People also has a piece about royal tailoring – go here to read. It’s so strange that they’re trying to compliment Kate’s tailored or bespoke pieces, because those are usually the pieces that look awful on her, like she gets the hem moved up too high, or she adds MOAR buttons, or whatever.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Wow, overreaching much People? Man, is William ok with how his mom’s name is being tossed about here?
He seems to be ok with it. She wouldn’t do anything that William didn’t like. How can William not be totally creeped out by her SWF of his dead mother?! I would bet that Harry hates what Kate is doing to his mother’s legacy.
I made some comments on the story on the People website and the comments were 90% negative and they have all been removed!! Haha!! I wish I had screen shot them!!!
Yeah People mag is publicist garbage. I don’t bother with it anymore.
Kate is probably going to have this framed….
I wouldn’t say ‘following’ more like stalking and cloning!!
Man they really are scrambling to repair their image but why are they focused on the international/American press? This makes me think that they are planning to hijack the Invictus games next month as part of a ‘private’ trip to the US.
I really don’t understand why they leak so much info to the American Media. If I didn’t know better I’d say they’re planning a move there, which is ridiculous and won’t happen (unless William GTFO)
I don’t get it either. Is it prestige? Ick, that sounds so douchey of me, LOL. But is it that thing of Diana being hugely popular in the US. Like The DoLittles want that and think there’s something “special” about being relevant and a beloved “celeb” in the States? I think the US tabs wanted to make Kate happen early on for their own benefit. But people don’t care. They never really did. Kate’s cover for that Vanity Fair Best Dressed issue (I think) was by far and away the highest selling anything with her presence. That’s years ago now. She, solo, is nothing special in the tabloid universe. Unless she’s pregnant or with the kids and even then I’m not sure how well they do. (I haven’t heard much about it.) So this People Magazine obsession is all their doing. And Charles’ money would be better spent elsewhere. I don’t get why they care so much.
Their PR guru (snicker, snicker) Jason Knauf, is American. I assume that he’d be more attuned to the (North) American market than anywhere else as there is a lot of interest in the British Royals especially Diana’s kids. I remember the hoopla in the media when Diana came on the scene so the interest is probably still a carry-over from that time. That said, Kate is nothing like Diana. She doesn’t have a smidge of the compassion, charisma or style Diana had and I doubt she ever will. I also think that William using his mother’s memory is so low and disrespectful to all she accomplished in her short life. He should be ashamed and if I were Harry, I would be livid.
People jumps the shark.
Really….I’m a few months younger than Diana and watched her progression from shy fiancé to world Superstar and serious worker for the poor, the thrown away, the less fortunate and I can say with certainty – Kate is NO Diana. Even the comparison angers me, especially considering that Kate the Beige is 2 years younger than Diana when she died.
This is absurd.
It’s offensive! But I can bet on Kate’s game – she wants Will to fall in love with her as “a mother”. What a burden for Kate, because Diana had a gift. Also, Diana wouldn’t have backed out with the shamrocks – her kids adored her still.
Willy just sits on a big pile of resentment – no one can take his toys away. He is like a tiger, always looking for More, which will continue to ferment those feelings of bad humor and entitlement.
Diana had a charisma, even as a very young woman, that Kate simply does not have. Not to mention a willingness to work.
Anyone who remembers Diana in action knows that Kate pales by comparison. She doesn’t have two percent of the presence, style or charisma — not to mention the work ethic.
This is so predictable, though, with their image being in the toilet and the 20th anniversary being this summer.
Don’t worry, People has done much worse 🙂
Firstly, following Diana’s footsteps? LOL in Carole’s dreams. Secondly, it is quite amazing how loose-fitting and terribly tailored her ‘bespoke’ items are. Uneven hems, ridiculous amount of buttons and…MOAR BUTTONS. Let’s also not forget items shadily familiar to what Diana once wore.
Is the courting of the foreign press Seward was talking about?
It sure looks that way, doesn’t it? Interesting timing right after Kate and her office totally blew it.
This is insulting. Does Jason think the American people are so stupid that we’ll just buy into whatever he barfs up on the cover of People magazine? We live in the age of the Internet, and it’s not hard to find out what’s really going on across the pond.
It’s pitiful, really, that they’re so desperate for any kind of support for these two mimblewimbles that they’ll try to throw a bunch of bullish!t at the American publications in the hopes that someone believes it. Sorry, but nope.
Kate’s lost us, when she showed no respectful sentiment for our countrymen, while wearing a bright pink dress to our 9/11 memorial. She lost us with her attitude, while wrapping X-mas presents for our needy – https://twitter.com/RoyallyKate/status/542305613401702402/photo/1
Thank you, wolf pup, you’re so right. The same reaction the British are having now to Kate’s behavior towards the Irish Guards is how I felt when she showed up in hot pink to be photographed at the 9/11 memorial. It’s all about her, even when she’s standing on people’s graves.
I had a problem with that hot pink color, too, and said so on the fug girls Site, where I was roundly scolded. But you don’t wear hot pink to our version of Normandy.
Absolutely.
Her behavior on that trip the US was lame. William was just as bad.
As a New Yorker, I could not agree more. Between the bright pink coat to the WTC and the eye-rolling, I was so done with her after that trip to NYC. Ridiculous.
Omg this is awful PR, Kate is also a charisma vacuum. There is nothing there.
I wonder whether Diana ever refused to take part in any royal engagements because she didn’t want to raise expectations.
I’m no massive Diana fan but she NEVER shied/walked away from her Royal/Charitable responsibilities. She would be mortified at the man her son has become and even more with the woman child he married.
If Diana was still alive, Kate would have never stood a chance with William. Diana would have shut that down quick.
I agree with both of you Betti and Melly. Diana was many things but “workshy” was never one of them. She would have set William straight and he would have listened. Also, she would have seen right through Kate, Carole and all the Midds and their climbing and Kate would never have gotten a grip on Willnot. Now Harry? She would have been thrilled with how he’s turned out and how much he’s accomplished, sharing his warmth and compassion with others. William? She would have kicked him up the butt (just picturing that in my mind, haha), told him to grow up and be grateful for all he has and all he could do to help others.
I wonder if Kate would have turned out differently if William had turned out differently – she takes her cues from him, after all. Not to mention, William would have turned out very differently without being able to use his mother’s death as a shield to get away from his duties.
Bridget, that is an interesting thought.
Unfortunately, I think William would have still been workshy and petulant. He might have still married Kate, too.
oh, for f’s sake.
That’s all I got.
Yep, that about sums up how I feel too! 🙂
More like, she’d be mortified. Diana worked her arse off on behalf of the BRF, and later simply on behalf of the causes she supported for all humanity. Duchess Dolittle tans and shops her arse off, in between vacations.
Jason, we know you and your lackeys read the coverage and comments, so READ THIS: We ain’t buying what you all are selling. Time to sit those two pompous losers down and have a real come-to-Jesus talk with them about growing the eff up.
+1 I firmly believe the Middletons would never have gotten their hooks into Will if Diana had lived and he would actually be a working royal.
Seriously? Then I say “Oh, bish PLEEZ’.
So. Much. Photoshop.
So. Much. BS.
In one of the other posts someone (Sixer, maybe?) mentioned that Kate is trying to sound like Diana, and use her same body language. So, I watched an old interview with Diana alongside the new interview with Kate, to see if I could spot it, and yep, it’s really obvious. It’s weird and creepy.
Also, Kate looks so terrible that I really wonder if she is chronically ill. I know she smokes, etc… but, it looks like more than that to me.
Oh, also, the royal family has never really been on my radar, so this was the first time I saw an interview with Diana. She may not have been book smart, but she was intelligent and articulate! While watching her interview I never got that worried, cringey feeling I get when watching so many celebs, including Kate.
It’s been suggested that had education been pushed for Diana, she would have excelled at it. It just wasn’t a priority for her place and sex.
pretty much the only thing of Diana’s Kate ISN’T copying, is her hairstyle.
I mean, I can’t see her going short and blonde anytime, can you?
Don’t worry, I saw online the photo of mumma midds with a bleached blonde diana hair cut from the 1980’s. It was at Uncle Gaz’s 2nd wedding where kate and pippa were flower girls.
As an American I’m so embarrassed that People magazine insists on calling her “Princess Kate.” I cringe very time they do that. I cringe a lot. I’m going to need fillers from all the cringe lines.
also…that awful gingham mess Waity wore…the button detail on the front makes it look to me like she put in on backwards.
Lol, I feel the same. Also, popsugar (yes my guilty pleasure) always has the most glowing praise for these two and I hate it, blech.
I have noticed that while Lainey used to be positive on these two, her recent articles are much less so and she refers to the laziness accusations. Of course she still loves Harry, but then again he is killing it right now. He is the one Diana would be proud of.
Popsugar is awesome! And they for really do love Waity, although I’m not sure why truthfully. She is NO Diana, the whole article is laughable. People is a joke.
I read a few other gossip and fan blogs, and it’s always interesting to me to see which ones still sort of fawn all over these two.
@Green Girl, what are the blogs? so I can avoid them!
LOL @ cringe line fillers.
Wasn’t the reason she took on so few charities and took so long to actually do royal work BECAUSE she was given the book on being a princess with all it’s training? BECAUSE they didn’t want a second Diana?
I still laugh about the “princess training.” How long did THAT take? Five minutes?
It seems as though she would have had a much easier time, had she some background and training that the the nobility have – all those glittering parties, etc. I mean the poor girl doesn’t even know how to wear royal jewelry – (the entire lot need to help her!) – apparently her art degree hasn’t had her looking at the portraits of royal women wearing jewels; she might have used those as reference. Will seems to be isolating her, and her willingness to do for him has no bounds.
I do think you make a good point. The last thing the BRF wants is another Diana.
And now they have a whole new problem! The return of Edward the Flighty and his wife.
I do think that William and the whole Royal Family like Kate’s “dullness”. They do NOT want another Diana stealing the spotlight again where she and Prince Charles were battling it out in the press for popularity points. William saw the battle for power between his parents and I think (subconsciously or not) wanted to avoid it by marrying someone who would never be his rival for anything. So now he finds himself with a rather dull, unintellectual, shop-heavy wife. Mission accomplished 🙂
In what universe?
The parallel one where Kate & William actually think they’re working.
It would be interesting to look at Diana’s court circular’s and compare with Kate’s….
I would think even in a light year Diana would still blow Kate out of the water number to number. But even a number to number comparison is hard because Kate’s numbers are so artificially inflated. The definition of what counts as an official engagement/event/appearance seems to have been changed just for Normal Bill and Kate. IIRC there used to be a pretty clear definition and application of what counted as official royal work in the court circular. These two came along and now there seems to be a sliding scale just for them. It seems it’s whatever is needed to pad the numbers so they can get to at least 1.5 or double of whatever Harry worked and half of what Harry does doesn’t even get counted in the circular. I’m half expecting Kate driving George to and from playschool 3 days a week to count as official work soon.
Sliding?? They counted GIVING BIRTH as “official work”! They are in free fall already.
Oh, please. We see you, #PoorJason. We see you.
Now, if Kate would just get that haircut in the photo of Diana — I love it so much I’m thinking of taking it with me to my hair stylist next time.
That’s all I got.
There were some crazy fashions and hair styles during the 1980s and 1990s, but Diana’s 1990s looks are pretty much timeless. I had her mid-1980s hairstyle and loved it.
Jason, stop…just STAHP!! There is no way on God’s green earth OR in People Mag that you can turn that vacant-headed sow’s ear into a Diana-like silk purse.
LOL…………….’vacant-headed sow’s ear’……………..hahahaha
What an insult to their readers’ intelligence! Credit to the author for writing an amazing piece of fiction! Princess Diana had severe shyness and was dealing with a lot of pressure and scrutiny but she showed up and worked tirelessly for charities and managed to be there for her children-if she could she would do the school drop off run or pick up around her charity appearances and other functions for the BRF. Sometimes she would be gone on foreign trips for the crown and even missed William’s first birthday but she would never give a lame excuse for skipping out on her responsibilities except once I recall around the time of her divorce proceedings and she claimed a migraine headache or severe morning sickness during her pregnancies.
What a joke. Especially when you consider their ages. Kate, 34, is only two years younger than when Diana died. Now think of how much Diana did with her life compared to Kate.
People magazine has reached an all time low.
“What other role models does Kate have within the royal family?” says Diana’s former bodyguard Ken Wharfe, author of Closely Guarded Secret. “She hasn’t been given the book about how to be a princess.”
Um…..what other role models? Like, I don’t know….THE QUEEN?
jeez
I have an entire bookshelf on royalty. I’d be happy to lend them to “Princess Kate” so she wouldn’t have to buy them herself, seeing as how she is so keenly thrifty and all……
She could shadow Anne and Sophie, but she wouldn’t last one week of their schedules.
Does Ken know of any other commoner-woman who became Princess, Queen, or Grand Duchess that had to have a book in order to figure out what their job entails?
Or is he saying that Kate is ‘special’ intelligence-wise and requires some kind of connect-the-dots and coloring book in order for her to learn? You’d think that with Carole’s brain involved, that the two of them (or three or four if you count William & Michael), could figure out how to do this gig.
Did the other European commoner women who are currently married into royalty require a ‘book’ to know how to do their jobs? Nope.
Why? Because it’s an easy job to figure out. Dress appropriately, spend wisely (that is, not extravagantly), stop hiding from the press and public, show up to work, pretend not to be above the people.
At least three of them had to learn new languages too, while Middleton can barely handle the job in English.
@ notasugarhere
That’s true. The others had to learn from scratch entirely. In comparison, Kate and those around her have had a head start, especially with all of them having grown up in the same country as the BRF and thus knowing what kinds of jobs they do.
This Ken guy, he needs to stop infantilizing Kate.
Yeah really, it’s not rocket science. Kate is so substandard. She’s fallen into this mannequin thing, the designer clothes, the stupid 4 inch high heels, and the grotesque facial expressions.
Seriously, she needs somebody to help her redesign her entire IMAGE. She can look at Victoria and Madeline from Sweden, and Maxima of the Netherlands for role models.
Toying with the press
Close relationship with certain paps or reporters
Body, food, and exercise issues
That’s about all I have for similarities, unless we want to go with they were both English and had two children.
Their PR must think that a lot of people don’t really remember Diana, so they can sell the similarity angle. And it just doesn’t exist.
Diana was not perfect, but Kate is almost a polar opposite in many ways.
Diana would never have even let Kate near her son.
Yes, but Diana’s opinion wouldn’t have counted officially because wasn’t William bound by the 1772 Royal Marriages Act? Meaning he had to get permission from HM to marry Middleton? However, I’ve heard stories William sprung the engagement announcement on most officials with the BRF.
The Diana comparisons are obsolete the public are not stupid. it is an insult to compare Kate with Diana, yes Lady Di had her faults but she was a very spiritual woman. You could see the compassion in Diana’s eyes towards people less fortunate.
Diana did give up her charities after they took away her HRH title. As for Kate being a traditionalist she didn’t attend the St Patrick’s Day Ceremony, how can she be called a traditionalist. The Royals are traditionalists that is part of their makeup. This modernising is an excuse to pick and choose ceremonies. I wonder how many times Diana felt wretched but she had to show up do her duty and show tradition. That is why the public adored Diana. Adoration has to be earned.
I think that this is karma. The Queen and BRF did not like Diana but now look what happened…they are stuck with a woman child far worse because she is tainting the image of the BRF where before, despite what went on behind the scenes, Diana only made them MORE popular.
At 44 engagements a year (in 2012) compared with Diana’s 397 (in 1990), Kate is taking very, very tiny footsteps.
Is there a place that lists the number of Diana’s engagements by year? Some
Fool on the People thread is claiming Kate
does as many as Diana.
The court circular used to have all the engagement totals per year, not sure if you can still do that.
Off the top of my head, because i checked the national archives the last time i posted this, Diana carried out 170 engagements in her first year as a royal, together with being pregnant with William. Her most memorable first speech (sort of) was to a bunch of Welsh business men to whom she thanked *In Welsh* – video is still up on youtube. Her first foreign solo engagement was in 1982, about 18mths into her royal career when she had to represent the Queen at the funeral of Princess Grace of Monaco.
By contrast, Kate carried out 34 engagements in her first year as a royal. One joint foreign engagement to Denmark which was to support unicef’s efforts to relieve a famine in Africa, and she could barely string a sentence together about why she was there – william’s face as she tries to talk is a picture, video is still up on youtube.
Thanks Lak! I’ll go in armed with my new knowledge!!
@LAK, if I remember correctly, Diana had to argue the case to go to Princess Grace’s funeral. The BFR (The Queen) were not ‘keen’ to send her……..
I think 44 was 2013. 2012 has been the only year with triple digits(circa 115). First she did only 32!
It really makes you wonder if the BRF had let the chips fall where they may, as far as Diana was concerned, I mean if they were behind her death, did they even consider the long term effects of her death on her sons, and how it would ultimately affect their choice of spouses,and the list goes on. I don’t think she would have married Dodi, she might if she were preggers, she was only with him to make Hasnat Khan jealous. Boy, was she manipulative gee I wonder where Willy gets that from. But, this we know for certain, he would never have married into the Midd family, she would have sent that lot packing in the first 6 months!!!
I’m not that convinced that Diana would have been able to dissuade William from marrying Kate and her odious family. It’s all speculation, for sure – but I am not sure it would have been prevented for the very reason of ‘who would want to marry William’????? Really! Even without his issues that happened after his mother’s death, who would really want to marry that guy?
I totally get his opinion that British Tabloids are terrible – but you cant be British Royal and only tout yourself out to other Countries Media.
Ugh I’m REALLY tired of W+K and their team trotting out Diana’s memory every time they want to score points with the plebs.
I wasn’t a huge Diana fan, mostly because I tire of the halo that’s been placed upon a human woman (which isn’t her fault per se, but she did leverage that). Her flaws are overlooked, while her good qualities are elevated to saint status. BUT, I cannot argue that she had that warmth that made her very likable, and she was fully committed to her charity work, even after leaving the royal family. She was the type of royal they wanted us to believe Kate would be.
So it’s frustrating when Will and Kate use her memory to elevate themselves without actually doing anything. They do less than the minimum (skipping out on events they’re the patron of, events they do attend don’t last long at all, etc), then hide behind her legacy to deflect criticism – case in point: this shameless fluff piece to connect Kate to Diana, when in reality they are worlds apart. It’s such a lazy and tacky ploy to me.
Niraj Tanna @IkonPictures
‘According to @emynash Prince William is off to Kenya for a “private visit” over Easter weekend. Presumably Jecca Craig’s wedding?’
Deffo jecca’s wedding. Who didn’t predict that?
I’m interested to see if he goes alone. If she goes with him. If they leave the kids.
me too, NOTA. And LAK. Very intriguing. I guess he’s off the hook with the helicopter show for the weekend?
@nota
I think that he will go to Kenya alone and Kate and the kids will retreat to Middleton Manor for Easter weekend. I guess going to his old flame’s wedding is more important than painting/ looking for Easter eggs with the kids. William is unbelievable! Isn’t Tanna is the pocket of the Middletons? Ahhhh…it seems that Kate called him to passive-aggressively get back at William. Such a loving couple and he’s such a devoted family man./snark What a farcical life they lead. SMH
Haha! Saying farewell to Jecca!!!! So much for spending quality time with family. Kate must be running off to Mummy’s. Unless she’s with him?
So the future head of the Church of England isn’t going to stay in the country to help his grandmother and father do royal religious duties on one of the main religious holidays in the Christian calendar.
Instead, he’s going to go see his female *friend* get married to another guy. On a different continent. Taking at least two days to travel back and forth plus however long he stays there. Presumably leaving his wife and children behind (temporarily, that is). So basically he’s going to be off his EAAA rota yet again and he’s not going to do any royal duties and he’s sticking with his excuse that being called workshy and not being busy working is just part of the job. Oh Ok. Because he has nothing to do with why he’s labeled this, right?
I wonder if the Daily Mail has gotten ahold of this yet!! Can’t wait to see the headlines!!!!
@Jib…..let’s hope they do get this story!
Apparently he’s also meeting the Kenyan President to talk about conservation and to strengthen ties between them and us – he’s taking a leaf out of Harry Nepal visit. KP even said it was requested by the Kenyans. Yeah right, sure it was. Its just a cover story PLUS they also dropped in that he’s paying for it himself as he’d booked the tickets before the meeting – again yeah right am sure he’ll claim the cost for the trip back on expenses.
For the love of…! No!
The more she copies Diana’s mannerisms, accent/voice, facial gestures, height, clothes, hats, jewelry, etc., and the more she tries to benefit from Diana’s image, the more she should be considered the British version of Leann Rimes, imo.
Both Kate and Leann are so obsessed with copying the other women in their men’s lives in their thinking that the imitation would make them attractive, desirable, and liked. Neither are going to be women of substance in their own rights.
It’s uncomfortable to look at either of them, because of their over-eagerness to portray hints of other people, especially those we know or believe would disapprove of them and would find the imitation unwelcoming. And it becomes morbid in Kate’s case, because the person she tries to invoke has been dead for years, died in a very infamous and horrible way, and Kate has never met her. So I imagine Kate studying intently old videos and photos of a dead woman with a tragic history and practicing imitating her in front of a mirror. How sad and macabre.
In both cases, the copycat behavior suggests insecurity and possibly a way to appeal to their husbands. After all, Kate said she doesn’t care what anyone thinks, other than William.
Diana’s marriage was off the tracks after Harry’s birth. I wonder if history is simply repeating itself. Difference is that Diana had more backbone instead of being a desperate doormat.
This kind of pisses me off. Kate is nothing like Diana and she’s not a goddamned princess.
Diana was a pretty deeply flawed human being, but her charity work was groundbreaking (for the time and for the royals) and genuine. The comparison between her real good works and Kate’s workshy ‘fine, I’ll take on another charity if I MUST’ mini-appearances is kind of insulting.
It drives me nuts how People calls her “Princess Kate.” She’s not a princess – she’s a duchess! Maybe it’s the grammar nerd in me, but SEMANTICS MATTER, people. >:-/