When I wrote about Ingrid Seward’s Mail-on-Sunday takedown of the Cambridges last week, I began to develop a theory about Prince William’s EAAA job. Sources have insisted that William barely even shows up to his part-time air-ambulance-pilot job, and when he does show up, he seems pretty bored. This is not a surprise – as soon as William began training for the job, I wondered if he would even make it a year in the position, and that was before we knew that he was really stretching the boundaries of what it means to work “part-time.” Anyway, I theorized that after William’s terrible month of sh-tty press, he would soon be announcing his retirement from the EAAA, and that he would be on to a new scheme to avoid royal work. Well, here’s something that adds to my theory – apparently, Will and Kate are looking to send George to a pre-prep school… in London!
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have put Prince George’s name down for his father’s old pre-prep school, Wetherby, I hear. It could be the clearest sign yet that the couple plan to relocate from Anmer Hall in Norfolk and take up permanent residence at Kensington Palace, which is half a mile from the all-boys’ school.
There had been speculation that George, right, who currently attends a Montessori nursery, would go to Beeston Hall in Cromer. That would have allowed Kate, 34, to remain at secluded Anmer Hall, the home she retreated to when she abandoned the 115-year-old tradition of a female Royal presenting the Irish Guards with shamrocks on St Patrick’s Day.
Although she relishes raising George, two, and his sister Charlotte in the privacy and tranquility of the countryside, it now seems that the Duchess may feel duty-bound to return to London and become full-time working Royal. It would also explain why Kate undertook a taxpayer-funded £4.5 million refurbishment of Kensington Palace in 2014. If George takes up his place, he will start at Wetherby next year.
The move will put Kate and William in the capital at a time when the Queen, by then 91, will be reducing her workload. William and his brother Harry attended Wetherby, which charges £6,500 a term, before they left for Eton feeder Ludgrove prep. Wetherby pupils wear a distinctive red tie, grey cap and scarlet-trimmed blazer – I’m sure George will look adorable.
Is this a signal that someone – either the Queen or Charles – has put their foot down about this increasingly farcical Gentleman Country Farmer/Norfolk Scheme? Or is this much to do about nothing? It’s possible William and Kate are still focused on doing the bare minimum from Norfolk, but they want to make it look like they’re considering moving to London. I guess I have problems believing that Will and Kate would relocate from Norfolk to London without months of more drama and tantrums.
Speaking of, did you guys read the epic takedown of Kate in the Daily Mail on Friday? It was the best of British shade – they acted like they were complimenting her when really they were picking apart everything she has done as a duchess. They even call her the Duchess of Do-Little!! Yikes. The Mail points out that Kate “has become even more regal than her Royal in-laws” by half-mocking the fake-poshness of her accent, the changes she’s made to the way she walks and has her photograph taken, how she sits and how she’s all but abandoned High Street for customized pieces at an “astronomical cost.” What’s weird is that I disagree with a large part of this famed “transformation” Kate has made to make herself more regal. She spends a lot of her father-in-law’s money, for sure, but it wasn’t so long ago that we were getting regular Marilyn Moments, sausage curls, jeggings-as-formalwear, etc. While I know that’s not the point – the point was to roll our eyes at Kate’s nouveau riche ways – I found myself rolling my eyes at the Daily Mail’s overblown way of trying to take her down.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News.
A “permanent” move? Given how frequently these two move, would “permanent” equate to a year in normal people time?
That Daily Mail article was like negging, only Royal negging, not MRA negging. You are right, Kaiser, it was the best thing ever! I am going to read and re-read it and perfect my own Royal Negging Skillz. This is my new ambition.
And HAHAHAHAHA to having to go back to KP cos pre-prep. Norfolk is for PRETENDING they spend all day raising children, not actually raising children. We all know royals (sans the sainted Harry) are allergic to children. They come out in hives on extended contact.
The Mail article was a master class of plausible deniability. If Normal Bill and Duchess Dolittle get Jason to call them out on it (because Gid forbid they do their own dirty work) the Mail can just respond with “We meant it as a compliment!”
Did you watch the Queen At 90 documentary last night, Sixer?
Exactly! 100% negging playbook, wasn’t it?
No. I was kinda hoping we would get the best (worst?) sections posted here so that I didn’t have to sit through it!
You didn’t miss out on too much, the history about the Queen’s reign was quite interesting, but not worth two hours of ITV Player.
I reckon the Dolittles’ clips will be cropping up on the internet pretty soon, anyway.
The words praising her modest hemlines and subtle clothing alongside pics of her nearly flashing The Royal Beaver…priceless.
Out of curiosity, when were the royal Marilyn moments you guys keep referring to?
I only know of one incident with a yellow dress, and afaik the dress didn’t fly high enough to actually let us know the colour of her knickers (to put it crudely).
Any info would be much appreciated!
@teacakes
This is the one I remember, back from 2014: http://www.celebitchy.com/368184/duchess_kate_had_another_marilyn_moment_without_knickers_in_australia/
@teacakes – The yellow dress. The red dress with the buttons when she was getting off the plane, trying to juggle George, her skirt, her hat. There have been several outfits where the skirts were too lightweight and the slightest breeze lifted them and forced her to push them down, a la Marilyn. Just look up “Kate Middleton Flashing” – there are plenty of sites that have aggregated lists.
The site RoyalDish, both liked and reviled by posters here, has a whole thread called Seven Year Itch Moments.
@Letranger and everyone – whoa I did NOT expect that! I think if she was a fabulous fashionista a la Isabella Blow or her late ma-in-law people would just shrug it off but this is like the beigest beaver flash ever.
The link to the blue patterned dress, isn’t that when William looked like he was having a stern word with Kate beside a helicopter?
As far as Kate’s accent, it seems quite different from her last attempt at public speaking. I doubt she speaks that way in private with her family.
And there hasn’t been more public speaking lately, it seems she’s scared off.
@citresse, I saw that picture!!! I have tried finding it several times and I can’t find it anywhere. I thought I was losing my mind! He looked like he was giving Kate a very stern “talking to.” That’s when I realized that he was probably a real bully and a jerk to her.
lookagiraffe had it on her tumblr, many posts ago. It is probably still there. The stern words were *before* she flashed everyone, they were when they were getting out of the helicopter. Walking away from the copter was when the flashing happened.
Well, I learned a new word today. Brilliant! Waiting for them to do it to Workshy Willy.
Me too! I’ve never hear of this word negging before, but it is perfect!
The article was a work of beauty. Amazingly satirical, it talks of her elegance and has pics of her skirt flying up. It mentions Carole’s coal miner roots multiple times. It actually calls her DoLittle!
They have done something to really anger the press and the gloves are off. “Never start a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel”, said Mark Twain. Wills ignored that at his peril. I can’t see them turning this around and the optics of many of the Royal
Ladies going to Church together, laughing and chatting, while Kate sat home with Mummy really was unwise. She looks like a spoiled baby.
My favorite pic the Mail included was Kate, heavily pregnant with George, wearing that too-short polka dotted dress with the front flying up.
Nothing says class and elegance like a pregnant princess with her minidress flapping in the breeze.
@Goats
And it appears that she wasn’t even attempting to hold it down! Such obvious attention-seeking behavior is so juvenile and calculated. SMH Such queenly actions, huh?
There needs to be even more negging with regard to William, too! He’s obviously calling the shots in that marriage, and he deserves only the best response from the Daily Fail. 🙂
These two are both idiots, thinking we are the silly ones, but they are ones who don’t have a clue. Neither one of them has any idea what they are doing, or are supposed to do. They have the example of HM to follow, and Charles & Camilla, and Diana, yet they are still absolutely clueless.
IDK Roslyn. They know what’s expected of them but they just don’t care so they don’t do it. They’d rather hide behind the “taking care of the children” excuse than pull their weight and justify their costing the British public millions.
William has huge nerve if he uses the children excuse again, after taking off on Easter weekend. Will anyone call him out on that?
The private parenting angle is wearing thin. As noted, ditching the young family to jet thousands of miles away on a holiday weekend really goes against the narrative.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall at the M manor the last few days.
When William took that job, several people on here said he would soon tire of it and quit, but there was a big “oh leave him alone, he has a right to be his own person” contingent too. So group one can say we told you so!
I think it’s the perfect excuse for her to be in London while he “works” in Norfolk. If that happens Y’all it’s just a matter of time before the marriage is kaput.
You may be on to something. I didn’t think of that but it’s reminiscent of Diana and Charles. She stayed at KP and he lived mostly at Highgrove.
I think we have entered the post-second child extended separation phase, at least a phase that becomes more obvious.
Kate is too pragmatic for this marriage to be over. She knew who he was and he knew who she was.
I think I agree on that one, although I don’t want to say that this means they’re going to start living apart.
Yep, KM won’t divorce him. She was all business from day 1 of the prince hunt. Pragmatic is a very nice way to describe her game. It always amazed me how much she was groomed to be a mistress before they ever even met. Being a totally unpragmatic person myself, I’m both intrigued and disgusted by her and her family.
I agree – Carole must be freaking out.
I think there is one difference. Now that the home turf press is apparently ticked off, it may be harder to hide.
The way things have been going, by year end we may have a clearer picture of what the not so dynamic duo actually do with their ample free time.
Well you know their M.O. …
spend millions on renovations for a house then move. I wonder if Kensington will need updates when they move back, you know to upgrade it for their growing family.
Yes indeed. A new kitchen, that’s what Kate needs at KP.
My first thought, time for a renovation!
I think you’re right. They’re going to do another remodel before they move back to KP. They’ll say that the fashions have changed since the last remodeling and that it needs updating because the kids are older.
And even though their 22-room apartment is move-in-ready, they’ll expect this gift of remodeling as a tribute for moving back to London.
There is now way this was the plan. I think The Queen or Charles used the bad publicity to leverage them into full-time royals ASAP. They didn’t want to live in London full-time.
Maybe this is another reason for Kate’s Shamrock Scandal – stamping her feet at having to move?
No way. In London their comings and goings could be much more closely monitored. They wouldn’t get away with a tenth of the stuff they get away with now.
I would not cut it as a royal. You’re ripped apart for being too rough around the edges, laugh too big, aren’t proper enough (fervor) or you’re a try-hard, fake, *too* fancy (Kate now). I know there are a myriad of justifications for both. I’m just saying I feel like you can never hit the target for the British press, at least.
*too rough like FERGIE, not fervor. Autocorrect.
Yeah I mean she’s lazy and basic and completely useless (just like her husband) but I wouldn’t trade places with her, not in this lifetime.
The thought of not only my own life but my eventual children and grandchildren’s lives being under that much scrutiny, is enough to give me hives.
Not true. They had tons of world-wide goodwill starting from the engagement announcement, not that they ever did anything worthwhile to deserve all the adulation. Just the fact that he is Diana’s first-born and she got Diana’s ring made everyone go, “Awwww…..”
They were everyone’s darlings- that it seems to be all going down the toilet now is really on them.
That scrutiny is only of concern if you read a small portion of gossip sites. The actual press extended goodwill to them for a LONG time (as Canadian Becks pointed out). And there were a bajillion fan blogs. Honestly, the scrutiny coming down now, only speaks to how awful W&K are. I can’t believe they managed to squander it all, especially considering the press gave them AMPLE time to turn the whole ship around. They got married ***5 years*** ago, and the tide is JUST NOW turning.
Also, it’s just hard to feel bad for sheer ignorance. I mean, I still laugh hysterically at the fact that a couple who gets called workshy thought it was a good idea to release photos from a family vacation. They legitimately thought that it was going to yield good PR!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Yeah, that didn’t make sense to me either. Showing off their vacation photos after being called out on not working and also on Charles’ big day of the 40th anniversary of the Prince’s Trust? Why?
These two…smh…. I swing from their being absolutely frickin’ entitled, arrogant, and reckless to being so secluded that they don’t know or don’t care to accept how big the workshy label is among the press and public. Or it could be a mixture. But I don’t think they’re that dumb and ignorant.
It proves how stupid they are. Ignorance and stubbornness are very bad traits when one person has them but add in a co-conspirator with the same traits and you get these two dolts.
@Anne “they don’t know or don’t care to accept how big the workshy label is among the press and public.” >>>> At bare minimum, at least Kate HAS to know. She was battling this image while a GF (hence the pt job at Jigsaw) and was confronted with the image during her engagement interview in which she said “she doesn’t care what people think”. Due to all of the goodwill at the time, people took her to be independent and modern, but that’s surely backfiring. I also think Will knows since we miraculously got pics of him at work once the big hoopla was made, AND he made no fuss about those pics being printed (that is, if they were unstaged). He will complain and threaten lawsuits at the moment of any privacy invasion. So, I guess ignorant is the wrong word, but they surely don’t care.
It’s very obvious that Chopper and Chutney have no idea about what they’re doing … no idea AT ALL. It’s like they don’t even read the news to hear/see what people are saying about their antics (or lack thereof).
While W & K may not read press stories about themselves, part of the job of their PR team + Carole (I would assume) is to read and follow press stories about W & K– just as much as it is a part of that team’s job (I would assume) to plant and hype positive stories & events.
William, in this instance, is probably much more belligerent than Kate in assuming he can command the four winds of good ‘don’t watch me–obey me–don’t print anything about me’ press.
Also, picking up on something Anne_000 mentioned: it seemed to me that it was low & vindictive for W & K (let’s be real, William) to release his ‘putting family above duty’ photo out on the day Charles & TQ were out celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Prince’s Trust. If I’m correct in my suspicions, then that tells us all we need to know about William. Sure family is important but he cannot (yet) separate all that’s good & celebratory that the Prince’s Trust has done and is doing from his daddy-wounds and need for revenge against Charles, i.e., you made mummy cry; you didn’t protect me from mummy’s emotions.
IDK, it just seemed like releasing those photos on that day was a personal attack & premeditated. It was not coincidental IMO. But rather true or not, I will say this: media press guru Will did not anticipate the blow-back from the press in terms of lazy, over-privileged, do-nothing’s that he & Kate are currently enjoying😄😊.
You (and me too) wouldn’t cut it, but also probably you wouldn’t spend your life chasing the goal to be a royal either.
She went to the schools he went to, tried to get the same gap year, spent 10 years watching his lifestyle (including accepting cheating – telling Chelsy it comes with the territory). She WANTED royal life.
And to keep good favor all they had to do was keep the royal reporters happy (not paparazzi, reporters/journalists). Because they wrote the narrative in the press. But they really isolated them (releasing photos to twitter instead of them first to prepare for print, banned them from multiple events, threatening them, closed events to only press of their choosing, and then giving exclusives to US press recently was the last straw). They could spin the laziness easily for several more years, but since they’re getting nothing in return they are taking out the knives – probably sells a lot better too.
And if I have this correct, for the birth of their kids, either one or both, they put out the birth announcement(s) on their social media accounts at the same time as they put it out on the traditional board in front of the hospital, instead of giving the press time to get it disseminated through their publications first. So they screwed over the press for what? Just to screw them over and show them who’s boss?
If the you-know-what starts hitting the fan, I can’t wait to get THAT expose. I feel like someone in the Press is just waiting to tell the “coincidental” meeting of Will and Kate. The love story that would look like obsession and stalking in any other scenario.
@HH – me too. I’ve followed their relationship on and off but even for me it always seemed like she was obsessed with him (or should i say the lifestyle, wealth and status for her and her family that came with him) and she did stalk him. She even followed him to Cuba (or somewhere) for 3 months. He was an obsessed for her and her mother – both are also obsessed with Diana. That Queen at 90 docu, she was doing her best to channel her inner Diana – with the speech patterns and the shy glances from under the fringe/mop right down to how Diana used to look down while talking. Its quite scary.
I was at a posh school not far from where Edward was teaching in the ’80s. I had my chance to go royal hunting but didn’t! Darn! Missed the boat there!!
@pinacolada
I agree. Way too much criticism over petty things like how one talks. Ridiculous! They’re damn if they do and damn if they don’t which makes reading about them easier. Now they’re criticizing the gitl for doing things to fit into the royal role she married into. It’s pure laughable to me. Which is what I bet most royals do when they read things about themselves.
Most royals course correct when they read stuff about themselves. The ones that do not, especially when the press is being negative, are ALWAYS booted out. Fact.
This comment, like others of its ilk, never. says. anything. good about KW, just a lot of bad things about comments and commenters. Makes one go, hmmm.
She’s had several years of a honeymoon period with the UK press, no matter how much she kept screwing up.
But grown ups can’t keep being feckless and expect no criticism ever.
As most adults know to act professionally while out on business events, she should too.
And it’s not about wanting to see her 24/7 like a Big Brother show. She can do, wear, act, gurn, whatever in her off-time, just like the other BRF members. And she has the most off-time of all the ‘working’ BRF royals.
But what she does when she’s on the clock while her family is getting millions of pounds per year in payment, then yes, just like any other adult with a grown-up job, it’s fair to criticize her for not behaving professionally and when she refuses to go to work.
She should and can do better. It’s not a difficult career that is beyond Kate’s ability. There are currently several commoner-women in European royalty’s higher level positions who are doing this job in a laudable way. As the other BRF members have pointed out, proficiency at the job is dependent on regular work experience.
so well said.
Alexandra Manley of Hong Kong, Mary Donaldson of Australia & Queen Maxima of Argentina, are just some of the “commoner” women who had the very real disadvantage of having to learn their royal roles whilst also having to learn a new language as an adult. They moved into a new country, took on a new role, and studied a new language well enough to be able to give interviews. Alexandra, in particular, wowed everyone with her language proficiency.
The things that are coming out of the 90th celebration where Kate says, “I still have to pick up more tips”, “I still have things to learn”, might sound reasonable and humble, but I think is really Kate’s go-to style of making you think of her, 5 years into the job, and 15 years into the relationship, as still a wide-eyed ingenue who needs help and guidance from Will’s strong, masculine, guiding hand.
I think she believes the learned helplessness is sexy and feminine and girly.
The former Princess Alexandra of Denmark even gave her first speech in Danish BEFORE her wedding! However, she is by all accounts really linguistically gifted and she was already multi-lingual. Still, Danish is a very hard language to learn – as is Dutch.
Like the countless articles we’ve gotten on them stepping up their workload, I’ll believe it when I see it.
And yeah completely believe Williams close to being done. Took all of December off, his day last week was his first in a month and had done less than twenty before that. It made his comments on it in the documentary last night infuriating to listen to.
Oops double post
I think he’s almost done at EAAA, too. Not that he ever really ramped it up there.
I smell the distinct odour of “throw them under the bus” happening here – possibly by the other royals who actually work, i.e. Sophie and Edward, Anne, and I can even imagine old Philip grousing about “those damn lazy f&ckers…Lizzie, tell them to get their lazy f&cking arses to work for Chrissake!!”
LOL! I can actually imagine Phillip doing that. I also agree with your comment. The tabloid comments mentioning doing away with the monarchy because of Willnot and Cannot is putting all the actual working royals in a tizzy. We’ll still have our fun though: This isn’t supposed to happen until 2017, so lots of time for these two to make themselves look even more like a**es.
I like to pretend Harriet on the Daily Fail comments is actually Prince Philip leading the charge.
Harriet, if you’re reading here, I love you and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
When do the 90-year-olds get to take a break? I would think it is time to transition, very soon.
Derp face.
That DM piece is more a take down of the entire British class system. KatEliza Do-little from working class ancestry (mentioned only about 10 times) simply had to change her accent and perfect her little wave to out RF all of you. Meanwhile, Eton is training aristos to sound like “normal” people in an attempt to fool the middle class, as if it matters because Kate is single-handedly dragging posh culture back to the 19th century.
I know! I know! I know! I need a like button!
Who is she if not the girl who married into the BRF? She has no accomplishments so she’s going to do it up to the point of becoming a caricature.
Oh, that’s brilliant!
I don’t understand – is there a long-con being played here by the two of them? I can’t imagine that they’re that tone-deaf or oblivious to the rising rabble?
Like a modern day Marie Antoinette and King Louis.
What would happen to these two without taxpayer money, btw? I would imagine they have a vested interest in keeping the money flowing. No monarchy = having to pay your own way, right?
Extreme privilege can work to insulate a person to the extent that they live in a separate reality. One of the most extreme examples was the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette – they lived in their own little, extravagant bubble at Versailles whilst Paris simmered with resentment and the rest of the country foundered.
well this will be some fun world history reading at work today, thanks cbitches.
I enjoy how the DM has the dates all wrong. KM didn’t embark on a refurb of KP in 2014. The KP Apartment 1A debacle was announced in Nov 2011, Anmer wasn’t rumored as their country home until January 2013.
I don’t they’re going anywhere unless something big happens in the family. His EAAA contract was for two years, he’s barely a year in. With the new EAAA director being an insider, William’s misdeeds will be covered up from now on.
Both William and Harry went to preschool for almost two years before starting Wetherby at 4.5 (William) and 5 years (Harry). They didn’t start preschool until they were 3, whereas W&K started their son in preschool at 2 1/2. I’m mentioning that for the whole SAHM mother / Kate spends more time with the kids than Diana did crowd.
Barring other changes like illness, death, revolt:
They’ll stubbornly stay in Norfolk until PGTips is 5 and he’ll start Wetherby in Fall 2018. Their daughter will go to the same Montessori as her brother until they move to London (if they ever do). She’ll switch to the nursery/preschool at Wetherby once her brother starts at Wetherby School.
I think they’ll hang it out in Norfolk until prep proper (school year 3 in our system) too.
Thanks notasugarhere.
I’m glad you hit on the two-year EAAA contract and that George won’t be going to Wetherby for at least another year or two.
I think what triggered this story is that W&K signed George up for the school, which doesn’t mean he’s going this year, so they won’t be moving any time soon.
And thanks for fixing the chronology of their timeline with KP and AH.
For US readers: in the UK, you start infants (or pre-prep in the private system) in the school year of your 5th birthday. And then juniors (or prep proper in the private system) in the school year of your 8th birthday. So you could be 4 or 5 when you start.
So pre-prep is like kindergarten here?
In British Columbia, kindergarten at 5, elementary school grade 1-7, and high school is grades 8-12. There is no middle school. Some schools, like mine, start high school in grade 7.
Kinda, yes, chicken. But, as I understand it, the US system is less formal at this age? In the UK, formal education proper starts in the school year in which a child turns 5. It’s the first year of our equivalent of the grade system. We start testing the poor things at 6. So age-wise, yes, like kindergarten. Education-wise? Like actual school.
In the state sector (where the vast majority of children are educated), most primary schools comprise infant and junior schools combined. Only in the private sector are there separate schools for pre-prep (infants) and prep (juniors) – and even then many prep schools have attached pre-preps.
High school for us is right through from year 7 (the school year in which you turn 11) to year 13 (the year before uni when you turn 18).
@Sixer Kindergarten used to be informal, but is now required pretty much everywhere I know of, and it is incorporated into the same physical school structure with the rest of the elementary school (grades 1-5, then middle school grades 6-8, then high school grades 9-12). My dad went to kindergarten back in the 60s and it was a big deal, because it was informal back then. Now, I don’t know anyone who didn’t go to kindergarten, and the kindergarten was part of the school system.
For us, you have to be 5 years old by a certain point in the year, but different states can choose different cutoff dates (one of our esteemed state legislators decided he wanted to back up the kindergarten cutoff date by, like, six months, which would have kept tens of thousands of Georgia kids out of kindergarten in the year that their parents had expected them to begin kindergarten which for any non-wealthy family would have placed an enormous additional childcare cost burden on the family, and childcare coverage is already spotty as heck here, especially for lower income families and communities).
I wonder how the PR machine will turn around the negativity of spending work shy over indulged affected grandness which the DM has dropped into the etha. Fasten your seat belts it’s going to be a bumpy ride, remember that saying in the DM!
The India trip could turn it around!!!!!
I truly wonder about how the trip will turn out. If she has any Marilyn moments and awkward, silly conversations. Will they be smiling for the camera all the time? We haven’t seen any itineary what they really gonna do there, I have the strangest feeling there will be loads of fun activities so another holiday.
I think this pre-school stuff is meant to weather the storm, they gonna continue to live as they want, but only the future king George and his education will make them change their base but God knows when.
Until I enjoy these shades very much. Her accent was utterly ridiculous.
It’s been reported that they’re going to the Taj Mahal and to the Mumbai slums to learn from experts about the correlation between poverty and mental health or something or other.
They won’t move to London, just yet – this is another ‘PR stunt’ to garner sympathy about how they are being ‘made’ to give up their quiet, ‘normal’ life in Norfolk to start living in London where their movements can be more closely monitored by the family and the press.
As for the EAAA job – he’ll stick at that for another few months as he’s now making a big showing of being there, he wore his ‘co-pilot’ uniform on the Queen at 90 last night, plus there were a few clips on him ‘working’ shown as well.
As for the state of the marriage – who knows, its a dysfunctional relationship and has been from the beginning. If anyone ends it it will be him, not her.
William wearing his uniform on the doc. was so over the top, it was embarrassing.
And it showed him in the pilot’s seat, without the pilot, just him alone, as if he was going to fly it all by him lonesome. But I noticed the copter was still on the ground. LOL. Everything W&K said and did in that documentary made them look even more distant from the real world than they already look.
couldn’t agree more! W&K came off as so OTT. I thought Harry and Beatrice shined though. She has such a pretty voice 🙂
I didn’t realize that the shamrock thing was a 115-year-old tradition. If I were the queen I’d be flipping out. Unbelievable.
And — dumb question — why take this job if you truly don’t want to do any of the work? You think Kate would love the idea of being out and about, surrounded by adoring admirers.
a 115 year old tradition to acknowledge the self sacrifice of the Irish in war, the shamrock given to the regiment. It’s a simple giving of the shamrock and possibly has become significant for a female Royal to give, like a mother figure.
It’s actually not a 115year old tradition, 45years is more like it, Queen Alexandra was the first Female Royal to give them out in 1902 when they became known as ‘the Queens Shamrocks’she did it a few times after that 1914 and 1918 and Q Mary and her daughter also gave them out but not on a regular basis. Colonels of the regiment and titled males and ladies in waiting (substituting for the Queen) were the presenters about 60% of the time it wasn’t until the Queen Mother took over the duty in 1968 that it became a regular thing with royal ladies, Anne followed her until Kate was supposed to take over.
Her accent irks me something fierce, she speaks the same way most people faking a british accent speak.
Anyone else think they will have one more baby before this whole ‘happy family in the country with stay at home mom and working dad’ charade ends? A charade no one believes, mind.
Yes! I think they’re going to have another baby, too. I’ve been saying it in a couple of the more recent posts.
It’s the easiest thing they can do to get widespread goodwill- perfect idea for 2 of the laziest losers around.
I think they have already started trying to get pregnant and expect an announcement before too long.
I think either the pregnancy or the birth is going to be about the time that George is expected to go to school in London, so maybe not for another year or two. That way, if they or Kate is forced to live in London more consistently, then she can use the kids as excuses for not working even though she’s closer to work.
The rest of the royals lived in the country and worked far more, even when their kids were younger. W&K could stay in Norfolk forever as long as they get to work. The waste of 7 million on the KP space looks worse because they’re in Norfolk most of the time, but being in the country full-time wasn’t used as an excuse for anybody else to get out of working.
” 62 royal engagements, compared with the 340 of our nearly 90-year-old Queen.”
So what’s the excuse ?
Have you seen the new docu on the Queen? Kate says it all, says she doesn’t know how the queen does it!!!!!! well, for a starter, she should get on her own two feet and give it a try. That’s exactly she can’t get, she has never done anything on HER OWN.
As far as someone putting “their foot down”, I think it was Charles, not HM.
This situation may sway William into changing his mind re- a third child. It was rumoured he wanted only two children. If W&K have a third child, they will most likely stay at Amner and keep living a secluded lifestyle.
If they don’t have another child, then I see them moving to London. And that’s when things will get more interesting.
If they’re trying to present themselves as so “modern”, I don’t see why they’re signing George up for an all-boys school. It just reeks of upper class, outdated snobbery.
(In all honesty, I think separating boys and girls could be a good educational system, depending on how it’s implemented and on the personalities of the children, but this is just pre-Etonian BS.)
I think KM is finally being shown to be exactly the OPPOSITE of what she was presented (and lauded) as by the press…the “commoner” Kate is actually MORE in love with being a divinely special, “up-my-own-arse” royal Princess of the Realm (trumpets blaring), than anyone actually born into the institution could ever be.
My guesswork on Queen’s Revenge: for the Good of the RF Future:
(1) The shamrock farce and W skipping out to Kenya is the last straw (work-shy, climbers, skirts in the air, W out of control, Middeltons as key influencers). She has her office sign the kids up for school in London, and releases the news as a done deal while K and W are off in their respective bolt holes.
(2) Charles calls a few friends in the press, and tells them to start releasing the tigers. He favors Harry now as heir in the wings; they even paint together as a hobby, and are bonding and he is seeing Harry’s good deeds and hard work as the best possible modern version of royal mettle. He sees the RF sinking under W. He agrees to the replacement nudge.
(3) Harry is ordered to stay on in Nepal, fine by him as he is loves helping rebuild the school; his natural joy there is lovely and palpable. This distances him nicely from the London “price to pay” melee about to unfold while showing him in a lovely light without any need to paint the pig. He ,I think, has not yet been told that “it’s gonna be you, kid” — meanwhile those Nepal photos are priceless testimony against the local take-down of the do-littles.
(4) Queen ensures future heir George will be properly channeled. She knows Charles will toe the line and Harry will do well. She signs off on returning W&K to a quiet country life, encouraging them to realize this is what their actions cry out for: a lazy pampered service-free life out of the press. Go tend to your tennis and in-laws to get your allowance. They’ll notch the press up until W signs. The Ms will be unhappy, but in the end, the Queen has the power. She doesn’t want the sacrifices of her father and mother to result in nothing, a monarchy broken by these two. The articles remind the public we are losing not a caring Princess, but a commoner who married in and is not doing the job.
(5) W, heedless of optics, will be stormy and act out a bit more, making it even easier to move him aside to eat cheese toast with his in-laws.
(6) Prince Philip might be pushing this hard, worried about the well-being of his wife, in the end. Hand off to Charles cannot happen unless a viable DofW is waiting for THOSE duties.
The first point is interesting as TQ is for all intends and purposes the legal guardian of the kids NOT their parents – some old archaic law (can’t remember the name of it) means that the heir (and heir’s children) are kept close to the crown. If the Cambridges divorce the Middletons will never get full custody as technically the current Monarch is their legal guardian.
I actually learned that on this site, probably from LAK or Sixer or anne_000. When I saw this story in the DM, I began to wonder if the dots might connect. Who knows. But the Queen strikes me as no one’s fool. and still quite able to muster the energy to protect the legacy that is still in her trust.
Very interesting. I too think Charles has a very big role in this saga. He hasn’t waited all these years to have Workshy ruin it for him. Negative press toward Workshy and Dolittle help him and Camilla with the added bonus of getting rid of the Buckets and putting them right back in their place.
I can buy into all this. But perhaps more as various versions of Plan B?
I certainly think the question really isn’t “will the monarchy survive?” because the entire weight of every establishment figure and institution in the country will do anything to ensure that it does. And, while interest in the monarchy is certainly declining among the hoi polloi, there’s no groundswell of determined republicanism in public opinion.
So the question is, can Normal Bill be brought to heel, or are we entering David territory here? I still think the likelihood is that he will be brought to heel one way or another. But one or more of your Plan Bs will be brought into operation, Liberty, if it turns out that he can’t.
You know, I can totally see this as you do, a range of plan B’s ready to go — had this been even a year ago. I am a Harry fan, but really didn’t believe for a minute that he’d be tapped.
Somehow, though, now, after the last two weeks, I feel like TQ and Charles have looked at the overall exam marks, so to speak, of W&K, and had the conversations, and failed them out once and for all. They can see the strong viability of Harry and his steadfast work. They can see the public fondness and admiration for H. I would not be surprised if TQ’s trusted Sophie W, was also consulted. A lot of people face a rough row covering for these two non-performers, after all. I think the York sisters would step up for H if he asked them to do so, too, and so….this is in the end a Firm, not just a family, eh? “I don’t wish people to expect me to show up” would annoy TQ deeply, I would think. Earning them the red card, at last. The are two adults in their 30s, parents, who can’t get it together to do the work for the cash, who can’t seem to put in more than a few painfully posed, annoyed minutes once in a blue moon. There is nothing more to learn about their potential, is there?
…all for want of a horseshoe nail, or a shamrock.
I am not a Harry fan in that I think they should all go away, preferably yesterday, as you know! But I see the appeal. Charisma and a willingness to quid pro quo for the status go a very long way. And they will continue to go a very long way for most of the British public for a long time going forward, I believe. It wouldn’t even matter if Harry is a complete arse in private. So long as he shows up and has a bit of charisma about him, he would be loved.
It really is a Firm and not made up simply of family members either. And the Firm will ensure its own continuity. It’ll do all it can to avoid throwing Normal Bill under the bus but if it comes to it, under the bus he will go.
As much as i would like to see the throne pass to Harry – its highly unlikely. Normal Bill will be made to toe the line one way or another until he takes the throne and then he will revert to type. And ITA that this is another David situation in the making. To stop another abdication he needs to be removed before he becomes PoW, its easier. If he gets his paws on the Duchy of Cornwall funds, forget it as he will hang on as long as poss so he can also do a David and leech as much money as he can from the estate.
@Sixer, I too think that the whole monarchy thing is archaic today, and only stomach it when it seems like they are willing to use this odd position for good. So I give Harry a pass, for effort. My “one use for it” thinking is based on the idea that there are causes that would garner no attention without required Royal attention, things not sparkly enough for other celebs to pick up on. I like that Harry seems to do some sleeve-rolling along with the PR value, as does Sophie, which is perhaps inspiring to people in general. I dislike that K and W don’t seem to do much for the causes they’re supposed to be involved with. During WWII, perhaps the Royals served as a little inspiration for people, the “we’re not alone” thing peculiar to that time in history.
So, if it’s going to continue, hand it to someone who can step up and return some value, even if just as someone who inspires others to do more in real life or help others. Somehow, I keep feeling that the idea that this is a new day is not lost on a few in the Firm, and they may cause momentum for an otherwise unlikely switch.
Interesting theory. Could be. I figured either the Queen/DOE or Charles was behind the London location for George’s education and the announcement that it’s a done deal. Normal Bill, Kate, and Carole would never be behind it. All 3 lose too much if Normal Bill and Kate do a full move to KP.
Interesting theories. If they are this obstinate now, in their mid 30s with TQ still pulling a good share duties at 90, how can Charles alone ever get things under control? He would look like the bad guy to some, and people might question if TQ would have approved (if the problems are left to fester until TQ is not in the picture).
I think mother and eldest son have had to discuss this ever-increasing PR crisis, no matter how they may prefer keeping their heads in the sand.
You’ve really put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you Liberty? Since I recently learned that the position of Prince of Wales is not necessarily a foregone conclusion and right of the first-born male and that the presumptive needs to be appointed POW, you may have something here. I too, think that Willnot and Cannot either have or are on their way to screwing themselves royally (pun not intended). Their idle ways, ridiculous behavior, entitlement and ongoing influence of the Midds while also abusing taxpayer funds (and the associated PR disaster we’ve been seeing) is finally forcing BP to act. Harry is down-to-earth, sincerely hard-working, relishes helping people and is seriously charismatic, that is, he truly evokes his mother whose memory is still beloved by many people. He’d be a great POW IMO and a much better choice than his loser brother. If this will happen, I hope he isn’t too disappointed but he will do his duty for the good of the RF. However, I wouldn’t want to be at Amner when the word comes down. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.
@Chrissy, actually, precious little thought, other than the sort of amused watching we all do, or reading all the inside info from LAK etc. Things just sort of struck me as teetering unusually after the shamrock incident, and again when I read the article about the school enrollment, and my theory penny dropped. 🙂
Unless it gets to the ‘David territory’ as Sixer puts it, QE2 and Charles aren’t going to do anything much, imo.
A DM’s recent article quoted the Queen Mother telling QE2 not to worry about the next generation, because that they’re going to do whatever anyways.
This family is Machiavellian. Just about everybody in this family throws each other to the wolves (press) and cuts each other out to their own benefit. W&K’s bad press makes the rest of the family look really good, especially those above them. If I were one of them, I’d wake up every morning hoping for more W&K scandal and criticism. Then I would get my press secretary to tell the press what good works I’ve got scheduled for the day.
Imo, QE2 is not going to screw up her last decade of life with her long-earned legacy dipping her hand into W&K’s muck, especially this year, her 90th with the huge celebrations.
And Charles has had bad press for decades. Now he looks good in comparison. Why would he fix what ain’t broke for him?
William is not going to let anything get him kicked out of what he already thinks he is, one of the most important people in the BRF and the only future of the monarchy.
Oh I would disagree strongly that bad press for the Cambridges makes everyone else look good. Harry comes out ahead, for sure. The Duke will be unscathed.
Charles and The Queen look like a couple of awful managers who can’t control anything in this Firm they run. The Queen will probably get a pass due to her years of service, but Chuck will not.
But, it needn’t look bad.
They can say (based on the special agriculture course) that W prefers after his lifesaving service to get into the backbone of English life as a farmer/businessman with his lovely wife at his side, where he believes he can do the most good, inventing an updated royal role etc.. He can focus on the real world of British agriculture and trade. They disappear into the happy mists with the occasional puff piece in Hello. The “real people” they long to pretend to be, warming the hearts of the fans they still have.
Harry is then said to support his brother in this, and to willingly share the load -in a new way — or he actually takes on the whole load, either as the newly dubbed PofW, or as himself (with it understood that W is PofW in name only). Harry picks up the yoke until people are used to it, then maybe one day Charles makes it official, sparing TQ the task. Sort of soft transition.
It doesn’t have to equate to a 1930s scandal. It doesn’t have to be spun as shame. Would it be screwing up her legacy, or building a more solid new stable with the best horses for the race, with the “full and keen support of her family”?
It’s 99% unlikely, but, maybe not impossible given the optics.
– Yup. They are terrible managers. The BRF historically has been full of bad parents raising bad heirs with the only real concern worrying about its own generation’s legacy. He said he talked to a diplomat by referring to him as someone from the diplomat’s enemy country and the Queen laughed it off when he told her what happened. What does she care? It’s not her and not part of her legacy, so it’s not her concern.
– The Duke of Cambridge looks a fool with the bad publicity. But he knows he’s getting the Duchy of Cornwall with its income one day just so long as he waits out every second until the Queen dies. It’s his golden ticket to complete freedom from having to induce daddy’s favor aka money.
– I believe his most fervent goal before getting the Kingship is getting that Duchy. It doesn’t come with the responsibilities of the Kingship and it’s a lot of money. That’s a win-win in his eyes, imo.
– William is about his ego and getting it stroked. He’s not going to give up any title, especially the Duke of Cornwall, which goes to the male heir. If he gets out of the line of succession, then he’s not the Duke of Cornwall anymore. He won’t accept that.
– He can’t abide letting Harry and his son surpass him in rank, title, and income. All he has to do is play the waiting game to get the Kingship just as with the Duke of Cornwall title.
– It’ll be near impossible to get Harry to help push his brother out if William refuses to go. Harry’s loyal to William to a fault.
– And who’s going to stop supporting William at every turn? The Establishment? The ones who put in Cubitt as William’s head in the EAAA ostensibly to help cover William’s slacker ass? The ones who set up the last minute meeting with the Kenyan President to help cover William’s slacker ass on this new vacation? The ones who made a private £8,000 copter joyride into an official trip paid for by taxpayers? The ones who keep the press from going full hell fire on W&K? This guy is made. He’s covered 100% and he knows it.
anne_000, you’re probably right and your reasoning is flawless as usual. No, Wm would never give all the perks up. Ego and Duchy….yes.
Note though that I didn’t say Harry would help push him out — I think he would NOT be informed until Granny called him to tea and asked him to take up the role via action, if not per title — at which point, what would he do? refuse the Queen?
So he takes up all the appearances and work, while W pockets the prizes and dabbles at the Duchy.
But… even if W gets all the pie, I think the public’s jaded. W’s ego will not like it.
@Liberty, I speculated last week that TQ would move the Cambridges out of the line of succession and the easiest way would be to use William’s own PR moves against him. If the Queen asked Harry to become heir, he would, out of duty and love for his grandmother. He would be rightfully upset because of the loss of his plans for his life, but we’ve seen again and again, Harry puts duty above his feelings. I think Parliament would have little opposition to removing the Cambridges. William is an arse. Kate is a dunce. And the Middletons wield entirely too much power over both.
I don’t understand all the hoo-ha about W&K’s homes at KP and Anmer. Every married high ranking royal couple–or person of a certain age–have at least two homes, yes? Charles & Camilla: Clarence House & Highgrove; TQ and Philip: Buckingham Place, Windsor, Sandringham, Scotland; Caroline Grimaldi: Monaco place and Roc Agel. Of course, they’re probably going to go back and forth between their homes. Why do it? Cause they can!
Of course–!–W&K are going to make extensive renovations to whatever pile they’re inhabiting. Why would they not? If they’re going to spend a lot of time at Anmer, of course they’re going to want to pleasantries of the city…tennis courts and whathaveyou. Given the kind of lifestyle they’re used to and the kind of money they have access to, why would they not put in modern kitchens, central heating, insulation, etc.??
Because Buckingham Palace is nigh-on falling down and the funds the Cambridges have used were intended to ensure that BP’s ceilings wouldn’t cave in?
They can spend private money on kitchens if they like. They can’t spend public money on kitchens at the expense of the nation’s heritage and not expect to be criticised? How does that do you?
Lets not forget the £1million worth of ‘security renovations’ done on Middleton Manor soon after they bought it – all paid for by the taxpayer. I don’t recall Sophie’s family getting their home renovated in the name of ‘security’. My money is on the Middletons demanding it as we all know Kate spends more time there than she does in Amner or KP and THATS what they want to hide – how little they spend in the homes that have been given to them. Plus there is the costs of her family using Royal security for their personal use i.e. James and Pippa using them for her book launch. This is the main reason i throw a lot of shade at her family – its bad enough the UK taxpayer is funding the luxurious lifestyle of their lazy, vain daughter but we are also funding the family as well.
The hoo haa is that they spent more than £6M of taxpayer money to refurbish the homes on the grounds that they needed such lavish expenditure to turn them into official residences that would be used for Royal Duty work. The work they would embark on forthwith once such lavish expenditure had been given.
Harry works more tihan these two idiots, privately and officially, and is content witna 2 bdrm cottage in the grounds of KP – a regular person cottage, not a ‘cottage’ for people who live in palaces.
The Queen used money earmarked for the refurbishment of BP to refurbish their homes instead.
Not to mention that 2 sets of rent paying tenants had to be licked out to accomodate their desire for KP and Anmer Hall.
Good article the other day by Camilla Tominey in the Express about how Camilla should be Queen Consort and not “Princess Consort” when Charles is King. Lots of good detail about how kindly and savvily Camilla treats the press– and a compare and contrast with Kate, who purposely turns her back on the press when they are trying to photograph her at events.
Technically she’ll be Queen Consort anyway no matter what they call her. Sexism wise it makes sense to change it to Prince/Princess Consort instead. What, modernize an ancient, out-of-touch institution? If they can change the line of succession to first born child instead of eldest son, why not change the spouse title as well. Right now King outranks Queen. Sexist. Either make someone in Philip’s position King Consort, or make the person in Camilla or Kate’s position Princess Consort.
Someone in the Netherlands suggested making Maxima Princess Consort instead of Queen Consort and there was big outcry. You never know how the masses will react.
I would love to see how Duchess Laze Quitter does when she has to inspect the table setting etc.. for state banquets etc.. Will she be bothered to show an interest – guess it will take her away from her children, lest they forget who she is.
Carole will take care of the table settings, of course! 🙂
The Queen speaks what is called BBC Standard English, something she was coached for in order to bring her posh, childhood’s cut-glass accent more into line with the general public in the 1950s. Kate, given where she grew up and the schools she attended, hasn’t adopted anything – I very much doubt she has ever spoken anything but that same BBC standard herself. And anyone who gets photographed this much learns how to pivot and stop to give photogs something for their editors, dispose the legs and feet gracefully, and stand up straight. Those are things necessary to the job and it is absurd to cite them as “becoming more regal”.
I think both Cambridges are lazy and have tried to have their cake and eat it, too: the perks of royal wealth, status, and privilege, without working too hard for it. As it becomes clear they can’t pull that off, they may be adjusting.
Kate’s accent is not the problem; her obvious averseness to the hard work intended to justify her perks to the public is.
The accent continues to be mentioned because it is so obviously fake. No one else in the Middleton family speaks that way.
Kate went to good schools from childhood on and schools create accent more than family members – she grew up in Bucklebury not Liverpool or Yorkshire or East London. I wouldn’t doubt she’d been given coaching when she entered an arena where she had to do some public speaking, but so did Diana and she was a bona fide aristocrat – they are all supposed to do Received Pronunciation. I saw Kate’s and William’s engagement interview and she sounded like a quite ordinary upper-middle-class English girl. She doesn’t sound that different to me now. Her mother didn’t grow up upper-middle-class – she wouldn’t sound like that.
As for the flimsy clothes – I disliked that as well, and I think that was directed at her husband, not the public. If you want to still seem sexy to hubby find another way to do it in your position. Ditto sunbathing topless outdoors after enough time in these circles to have known better than to assume there was no risk. I’m not excusing the photographer, mind you – but by then she should have known better.
I stick by my point that Kate’s problem is and always has been a glaring dislike of hard work, and an expectation of a lifestyle that demanded little of her. Unfortunately for her, she’s future Queen Consort of Great Britain, and she has to pay some dues for the perks that go with that.
Her sister went to the same schools until 18 and doesn’t have the accent.
The DM article in the link above reports that Kate got her Received Pronunciation from voice coach Anthony ‘Ant’ Gordon Lennox. There are also videos of Kate’s previous accent. So it’s not one that she grew up with.
Yes, other people learn to give good form to photographers so as not to be embarrassing, but it took Kate years to stop wearing flimsy clothes on a regular basis that flew up and flashed people, that is, she’s not doing it as often anymore. So I guess this is the DM writer sarcastically referring to one way in which Kate is ‘becoming more regal.’
That Daily Mail article is just freaking fabulous. Hello, class dismissed! On another note, if I were in their shoes getting this type of heat I would really pause and consider getting some counsel. Why on earth would this many papers be in an uproar over “nothing?” Oh wait, it’s because y’all are doing nothing on the public dole.
No its because William doesn’t want to cooperate with them and they’re having a tantrum. No scandal, no sales! They built up Kate only to take her down just like they did with Diana.
No, Maggie, it’s not because of the lack of cooperation, or at least not all of it. It’s that the British people support these clowns and are getting very little return on their investment. With such great privilege comes responsibility and neither William nor Kate have the slightest interest in working to better the lives of the people they will one day “rule.” Which is silly, in and of itself.
They do nothing. What, four engagements this year for her? Seven for him?? She runs home to Mummy because Wills, who doesn’t want to work all that much because he wants to be such a “hands-on” parent, is away for his kids’ Easter, visiting his ex-gf for her wedding. Without his wife. The hypocrisy and pretending boggle the mind!!! That’s why people are speaking up against them.
Wow!
I remember a few months ago reps from the different newspapers were apparently called to the house at Norfolk so William and Kate could explain what they did and where they were coming from. I think Amanda Platell from the DM was there. She then did an article saying (sarcastic?) that Kate had the most difficult job in the world?! William and Kate told the press that it is Kate who gets up at night for the kids. I cannot remember (maybe somebody else can) if the article hinted that there was “something else”. Platell also had a tiny piece a week last Saturday defending Kate .
I didn’t mind William and Kate to begin with but I don’t think they should have moved into these luxury homes unless they were going to be full–time royal. Unlike a lot of people though I don’t think William and Kate are lacking in intelligence. They are misguided and deluded but not stupid.
Unless Britain becomes a republic or he abdicates William will be king. Harry has much more charisma but he is a wildcard and I don’t think he could handle the paperwork/protocols of the monarchy.
Going back to the brain’s of Kate again. St Andrews is very, very difficult to get into and she was not well known at that stage.
I disagree about Harry. William is not more intelligent and that was just PR to make him seem like the capable heir. It’s his PR move even now to make Harry seem less than. But if Harry is so stupid then why is he winning the PR so deftly and easily? Because he’s smart enough to get it where as Workshy and Laze Quitter don’t.
Going to a top university doesn’t necessarily mean you are smarter than most or that you have common sense. They didn’t major in nuclear physics and though I love art history, I do know it’s a go to major for wealthy kids who can’t cut it in more challenging majors. Obviously, some aren’t that way but many are.
Neither of them even work in their chosen fields much less work period.
It takes AAB at A level to get into Art History at St Andrews. Not at all difficult for a person with a Marlborough education. Oxford and Cambridge, now that’s difficult.
Tina, the grades you state are the minimum. A student will not necessarily get into St Andrews with those grades. They will undoubtedly be looking for higher grades. Oxford and Cambridge are not that so very far ahead of St A academically wise. A lot of English students who don’t quite make it to Oxbridge go to At Andrews.
I would advise you to be very careful what you are saying here because St Andrews, along with Edinburgh, is considered one of Scotland’s top unis. Regardless of what you feel about Kate please don’t cause offence to all things Scottish!
I actually have an interest in this because my daughter – from a state school – tried to get into St Andrews to do Maths five years ago along with Edinburgh Uni and three others. She had five Highers. Four of these were at A grade in Maths itself, Physics, Biology and Chemistry. Her fifth Higher was a B in English. She was accepted in all the other unis but not St A. The explanation for her non-acceptance was given as not good enough academically. Her grades exceeded those asked for.
The students from her school who were accepted all had five As. None went there though.
Yes, Kate would have had every advantage being taught at Marlborough but to say she is stupid academically is patently untrue and you are also causing a slur to one of Scotlands top unis.
Remember too students have to be of a good academic standard before they are even accepted for some of these schools. Certainly for the likes of Eton. Remember, too, Diana with all of the same advantages, achieved no or one O’level and Harry had to repeat a year in his earlier schooldays.
carolind, I am a lecturer at a Russell Group university and have the greatest respect for St Andrews as an institution and Scotland as a country. As you are no doubt aware, whether one is accepted or not onto a course has as much to do with the course itself as it does with the institution. It is much more difficult to be accepted to do a course in medicine at any university than it is to be accepted to read theology, classics or modern languages at Oxford or Cambridge.
The fact that Kate, who is no doubt bright enough but who has shown herself to have absolutely no drive or desire to improve her skills, was admitted to read Art History at St Andrews both (a) does not speak particularly highly of her, given her circumstances; and (b) does not reflect at all on St Andrews’ overall prestige as an institution, which is not in doubt.
I’m with Tina. Subject matters. As does subject combination at A level/Higher. Some of the elite unis require more than one Maths A level for entry into a Maths degree. As do many other factors, including reference and personal statements. And entrance requirements are lowered for some students as much as they are raised for others. The school at which I am a governor has got kids into Russell Group universities with UCAS scores 30-60 points below the advertised minimum several times.
Her uncle admitted that school and other things always came more difficultly for her. She had to work extra hard, have lots of tutoring help, and wasn’t an academic standout. We’ve witnessed she doesn’t have the ability to think on her feet.
What Sixer and Tina said.
Consider me someone who went through the system and a consumer/voyeur via my younger relatives.
Firstly, it absolutely matters if you are state vs privately educated as far as admissions are concerned. They are trying, but it matters – old boy networks and all that.
Secondly, public schools hot house their pupils such that they can pass the admissions, and have the right combination of subjects and extra curricullum activities that universities deem suitable. I was recently shocked talking to a friend of a cousin who was studying pyschology, maths and art at A level with a desire to go to a Russell Group university to study maths. I told her straight away that was a problematic combination of subjects, and that she’d already scored an own goal by studying psychology at A level, something they don’t rate highly as far as overall points at A level, so she had to score perfect As for her other 2 subjects and take up every charitable extra curricullum activity she could muster like Duke of Edinburgh award – type of charitable endevour matters. Something no one at her state school had told her, being an unwritten rule that is, curiously, known to private school students because they all employ a university facilitator whose job is to find these things out and advise accordingly.
Some of my younger relatives opted out of public school for political reasons, and are now struggling to get their kids to level required by university. Not that the kids are dumb or their public school educated cousins more clever. It is simply the way the system works.
And here is the clincher, universities will interview potential students earlier than the official deadline, or ask public schools to submit their brightest students ( assuming students agree) for the universities’ own internal test. Assuming one passes interview and this test, the requirement for A level results is much, much lower. Insultingly lower.
In my day, two students received a 2 Es offer from Oxbridge after passing the internal tests. The requirement for the course they eventually took was 3 As, and IIRC, they got ABC results.
Being both a graduate and a voyeur of the system for the past 25yrs, i can say with absolute confidence that it matters not a jot how clever someone is, if they are at public schools. The system is rigged and students hothoused/spoon fed to go to Russell Group universities, and no other considerations. Students are coached to get that outcome. You have to be really dumb or not care, to fail out of that system and even then, you can always attend a crammer to get you into university the following year, and always a Russell Group university is the goal.
Frankly i am impressed when i meet state school students and or alumni who’ve managed to get into Russell Group and especially Oxbridge because the system is rigged against them from the start, they aren’t hothoused or spoon fed the requirements, and truly deserve their places because they are properly intelligent by whatever means that is measured.
LAK – if you see this, remind me one day to tell you the story of Sociology A level and me! You are so right about subject choice (many preferred Oxbridge subjects not even being offered at most state schools) and subject combination.
Carolind – it’s highly likely your daughter was rejected because she did only Maths, not Maths and Further Maths. Not because she wasn’t bright enough: because nobody told her she’d need both for an elite uni Maths degree.
Tina, good post. I am not keen on Kate but to start miscalling the very good university which accepted her purely because it did accept her is a bit much.
I don’t think that any degree at St Andrews would be “easy” and she did get a 2:1. Two of her A levels were also in science subjects, although I am not one of those people who says that the sciences are harder than the arts.
I know it is the English higher which is considered the most difficult higher in which to achieve good grades.
I never imagined in a million years anyone would condemn a 2:1 degree from St Andrews. I don’t know if you realise that such opinions actually take credibility away from anything said.
There are a number of areas where Kate can be legitimately criticised but overall academic brainpower is not one of them.
Lak, enjoyed reading your e-mail. My daughter was at a state secondary until five years ago. Of course, the privately educated pupils are hot housed but I know some of the top Scottish unis give extra consideration to students who would be the first in their family to go to uni, live fairly local to the uni etc.
My daughter and all her friends knew to do lots of
extra carriculm activity – charity work, brownie group helpers, pre facts, helping in classes, sport, hobbies etc etc. They also knew to check university prospectuses for the subject combinations.
Holly could have gone to uni at the end of her second last year as she had five Highers then – 4 As I’m maths/sciences and a B in English. Because she only got a B in English she did not get accepted for St As but did for Edinburgh uni. The people in her year with 5 As we’re accepted for St A – none of them went!
A student from her school the year before was accepted to study medicine at Cambridge. Also Imperial? She chose to go to a more local uni – Dundee – and I think it was Cambridge which phoned her up asking why she had turned down their offer. Apologies for such a long post
Carolind, I have no idea what you mean by this: “I never imagined in a million years anyone would condemn a 2:1 degree from St Andrews. I don’t know if you realise that such opinions actually take credibility away from anything said.”
Neither I nor anyone else condemned a 2:1 degree from St Andrews. People on this thread and elsewhere have indicated that the mere fact that Kate was admitted to and graduated from a prestigious university like St Andrews is not necessarily indicative that she has a great deal of intelligence, given her other advantages.
I read a comment on another message board (I think it was Jezebel) from a commenter who purported to have been at St Andrews at the same time as Kate, who indicated that Kate copied the work of one of her friends, quite openly and brazenly. Do I believe it? Perhaps, perhaps not. But it has nothing to do with the University of St Andrews or with Scotland to criticise this lazy, work-shy woman. It is very insulting for you to state that my credibility is cast into question.
Surely to study Art History you would know about Faberge eggs-I mean u dont even have to study it and have digree from Art History – just have common knowledge …