Back in February, we learned that the Queen was “forcing” the Duchess of Cambridge to take on another patronage. But this time, the patronage seemed like something fun, something that Kate could call “work” but she would actually enjoy. The rumor going around in February was that the Queen had earmarked the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club patronage for Kate. That’s basically like being an ambassador for Wimbledon. Considering Kate loves all things tennis-related and she rearranges her schedule to attend Wimbledon, this seemed like an obvious patronage for Kate. Hell, it might even be something in which she excels. Apparently though, there’s a slight hiccup. The Queen is going to have to toss out the Duke of Kent – this will be the Duke’s last year with passing out the trophies at Wimbledon. Sad!
The Duchess of Cambridge has won a smashing Wimbledon victory – having been handed the plum job of presenting the trophies to the champions. But Kate’s triumph has come at a cost – with the Queen having to tell her cousin the Duke of Kent to step aside from the cherished role he has performed for more than 40 years.
To soften the blow, the 80-year-old Duke has been allowed one final year in the job before Kate takes over in 2017. Tennis-mad Kate, 34, is believed to be in line to replace the Queen as patron of the All England Club this summer, a role which would see her outrank the Duke in the Wimbledon hierarchy.
A spokesperson for Wimbledon said: ‘They will let us know when the change happens. We will just be told. Until we hear otherwise I can only assume the Duke will hand out prizes as usual.’
I bet the Duke of Kent will get to pass out the trophies this year and following Wimbledon (or at this year’s Wimbledon), Kate will be announced as the new patron. But what do you want to bet that Kate will find the “work” too dreary and stuffy by 2017? I mean, being patron of the club means she would have to attend more tennis matches, including all of the finals. And people would “expect” her to hand out the trophies. We know Kate doesn’t do well when people “expect” things from her – remember how Kate refused to pass out shamrocks to the Irish Guards this year? Her press office told media outlets that she didn’t want people to expect her to do it every year. As soon as “watching tennis matches” becomes a job, she’ll find some way to avoid it. Maybe that was the Queen’s plan all along! But I do feel sorry for the Duke of Kent. He really loved his role during Wimbledon.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News.
This, “He was allowed one more year to hand out the trophies” sounds sooo derogatory. I wonder how many years Kate gonna be actually present. Probably not many.
They’re giving Kate a layup here, but she will find some way to disappoint. She always does.
Very poorly phrased, I agree, but the Duke of Kent is getting on and might even have asked to be relieved of this obligation. I’m sure they did not spring it on him as a surprise.
I guarantee HM has much more respect, not to mention affection, for the Duke of Kent than she does for Duchess DoLittle.
The Duke of Kent is 80 years old, last year he suffered a dislocated hip no wonder he wants to step down.
She’d probably enjoy a few more trips to the Downton Abbey set… the Downton crew seemed to think she fits in best downstairs.
Is that supposed to be a burn? Rude.
D listed got you in the competitive spirit?
It’s ridiculous that the duke of Kent is being cast aside so the duchess of Doolittle will do some work. And if they think aren’t going to be outraged at her attending loads of Wimbledon matches because she’s a patron they’ve seriously lost their minds!
The Duke is not being cast aside. He hands out the trophies because the Queen, who is the patron, does not attend. If she did, she would hand out the trophies.
I don’t think they were referencing hierarchy/protocol when saying he was bring cast aside. But someone who has been representing the royal family well at this event for over 4 decades, over 40 years, is effectively no longer doing his job, so kate can bring her family to the royal box to watch the games.
That’s why this still sounds like nonsense to me. The Duke is not patron. He’s the President of the All England Club. Dat’s a real job. Those are two separate things. The QEII has basically done jacksquat for AELTC, rarely even associating with them for decades. Kate simply attending matches would be doing more than the Queen in that regard. It’s still beyond tone deaf for them to be doing this if they are.
The Duke of Kent has not been presenting trophies for 40 years. Until she retired from public life, his wife presented the trophies when the Queen was not in attendance.
But why shove him off a duty he obviously enjoys and has performed for so long in favour of allowing Kate, someone who clearly hates the idea of being expected to show up regularly, to do it? It’s a fun job, and one that she’s not earned.
He’s 80. Perhaps he’s just ready to retire.
She is soo lazy
The Queen does not attend Wimbledon (not a tennis fan), so expectations are already low, making this the perfect patronage for Kate.
Low expectations are what we always need for Kate. Don’t expect anything, and she won’t surprise us.
Damned with faint praise.
Don’t worry the Duke of Kent will still need to attend the women’s matches, and maybe even hand out their trophies. I dont recall kate ever going to a single women’s match.
Or possibly she’ll just let him do the ceremony at her leisure: a year here and there. You know she doesn’t like the people to expect her to do an event year after year *ahem stopping a century-long custom of handing clovers to war soldiers ahem*
Presenting trophies for both the men’s and women’s finals would involve working two days in a row. Like that is going to happen.
Ha! Could you imagine her presenting the trophy to Serena Williams? OMG! Will the winners have to courtesy to her to receive their trophies? Chutney will eat this up! And on live TV in front of an audience? I think she will show up.. .or when she gets tired, she will sit in the box and do the thumbs up or down like Joaquin in Gladiator.
Fortunately the Duke of Kent did away with the bowing and curtseying a few years ago. Just the thought of Serena curtseying to Kate makes my brain hurt.
by now we should learn that we cant expect W&K doing anything they dont want to do.. they’re not just lazy, they’re really modern louis XVI and marie antoinette..
kinda opposite that they always say want to be ‘normal’
Kate’s image didn’t fare well when she was involved with the 2012 Olympics. That’s when DM commenters first started pointing out her Ermagerd! faces that didn’t fit in with her surroundings.
Things that are certain in life: taxes, Leo dating 19 blonde blue eyed VS models, Waity finding excuses not to work.
hahaha, so true.
Maybe the Duke of Kent is ready to retire. That’s my guess.
Good point. He is in his 80’s and his health is not great.
+1
I was thinking the same thing. Possibly he told the Queen he was ready to step aside, so she have the job Kate. It makes sense from a practical perspective. The Queen, as patron, rarely attends because she doesn’t like tennis. Someone will have to take over after she’s gone. Kate likes tennis and always attends anyway, and she certainly needs to work more.
So basically, Cannot will be able to count watching tennis as work for the duration of Wimbleton. I think she’s be there, with her family in the Royal Box, preening at the plebs. And this is really work? SMH
I guess we won’t be seeing her for the rest of the summer since she’ll be so exhausted from bearing the heavy burden of watching tennis.
That was my guess. I mean, he’s in his 80s! I can’t fault him for not wanting to do this, even though it seems like a fun and fairly low-pressure job. She is a good choice for a replacement, too.
She looks so old in that 2nd pic
Does she ever stand up straight???
I miss the Duchess of Kent. I remember all the times she handed the trophy to Sampras and Graf, and the time she consoled Jana Novotna after she lost in 1993.
Wimby is still about 2 months away, for goodness sakes, they’re not even sweeping Roland Garros yet!
and Wimby 2017 is still a year away.
so why this Poor Me Kate In a Sporting Event news absolutely have to be aired this day/week of all days and weeks?
maybe because brother in law is doing a sporting event also?
okay, i am reaching, but i still can’t see the virtue or value of airing this news right now whatsoever.
so keen to pass out trophy also keen to not make the Irish Guard full of expectance.
that’ll be you, Wimby, several years down the line, full of dashed hope and crumbling expectations. and where’d you be? scrambling out a 80 something to cover the Duchess’s ass again (pun sooooo intended).
as it is the promise and glitz of thw BAFTA has already lost its shine on tw Mr of that family, william skipping a BAFTA event two in a row. make it three then so you get a hat to cover your shiner.
they could even announce it at the end Wimbledon 2016 and do the whole proper changing of the guards thing: old guard (Kents) to new guard (Kate) make it all official like. why all the leak and nonsense.
cor blimey.
and now i have done my rant here. on to Harry News of the Day, and you will be glad to know i am looking to buy stocks in Kleenex…
OK, still waiting for a real, official announcement with this. It sounds like both articles were leaked and written by people who are unaware of the actual roles served here. And both articles seem to be testing the water, à la Amner Originals. I felt that the February piece was to see what the public reaction would be. This too feels like someone saying “Wait, it’s not going to happen this year… But… I mean, if you don’t mind too much… The Duchess is rather determined to make this happen ASAP and get some work credit right now.” If that’s the case, and this is to see how it plays presently if they go as far as making her the president, (to match William and Harry’s comparable positions and prop up her numbers), then they would do well to read the awful, righteously pissed DM comments and shut their trap about this until 2017 at least, or nip it in the bud and indefinitely hit pause. ‘Cuz if this is at all true, well, these people are really f*ckin’ stupid. It was laughable and laughably transparent back in February for them to give Kate such a cushy glamour gig without merit. I can believe that the 80+ year old Duke actually may want to retire. But it’s really frickin’ ridiculous if they are completely unaware of the optics of this post-Irish Guard, pre-William and Kate’s annual extended late-spring/summer/early-fall vacation. The honeymoon is over. The bloom’s off the rose. The parrot is dead. This is going to sit there along with their atrocious work ethic and the excuses about time with their kids. It’s just going to be an annual reminder of all of that. It already is! Kate’s been called out on cheery picking events during her maternity leaves and what have you, for years now. People already had her number with this.
Btw, William (with The FA) and Harry (RFU) have both put in more actual work for those respective sports organizations than attending the occasional men’s matches. And Harry is still not “THE” patron. Kate would also be skipping ahead and failing upward in that way. Again, it’s completely without any semblance of merit. Not even the typical veneer of bullsh*t that the BRF usual applies. She’ll probably have family orders by fall too.
I agree. This is a punt to see how it will go down.
Well, that punt was muffed because I’ve not seen widespread happiness that the Hair is going to be handing out trophies. She doesn’t deserve this honor.
Name me a recent punt of theirs that HAS been received well!
I really cannot imagine WTF is going on at Cambridge Towers. The mark-missing is reaching epic proportions!
@Sixer, it’s all Bill Midds. He isn’t listening to the professionals, who are probably banging their heads against various hard surfaces after every meeting with him and the Hair. When people are as obstinate as these two, there isn’t much that will go right. I’m enjoying it, tbh, especially contrasted to Harry, who is doing everything right at the moment. And with #PoorJason nipping at his heels.
This is why they need better staff immediately. Experienced PR people are equally skilled in managing their bosses as they are the press. Poor Jason doesn’t appear to have the skills to manage either.
Even an arch republican like me is urging Harry on, Mia! I’m all schadenfreude about it!
If the Duke of Kent wants to retire, it is one thing. If he is being forced out because this is one of the few things Lazy Kate is willing to do that qualifies as an engagement? Unacceptable. If the Duke of Kent wants to stay until he passes away, let him stay.
W&K keep insisting that the bread-and-butter royal work is beneath them. They’ll do quick PSAs and luxury engagements like movie galas and now tennis. Let’s hope public opinion makes it clear Wimbledon is off the table for KM until she does at least 300 engagements a year.
The problem is that none of the other working royals want the patronage. While Andrew and Camilla put in a very occasional visit, William and Kate are the only regulars.
Sophie and The Kents (Michael) show up every year for several games across gender every year.
Ps: Sophie is Patron of Hockey England, unlike ‘keen’ hockey fan Kate, so they can make Sophie Patron of Wimbledon because she’ll actually work for them.
Sophie and Edward would be far more deserving and they love tennis too. They met at a charity event about historical tennis. Their wedding cake had tennis rackets on it. He’s the patron of the Tennis & Rackets Association which promotes the historical game.
Of course, if this is handed to Middleton it reminds people of them annexing someone else’s farm land in order to build the $100,000 tennis court. Wouldn’t want one’s tennis court to block one’s view across the estate. Always great PR when that comes up. #poorjason
Edward is already patron of the real tennis association (called court tennis in the US). He and Sophie met at a real tennis match, not a modern tennis match. I think a Wimbledon patronage would undermine their work to keep real tennis alive and thriving.
Or maybe they can break protocol and have Carole do it? She can wear her signet ring, we know she actually has worked in her life and she can bring those little bottles of wine in her purse to imbibe as she did last year! (Can’t find the pic of her swigging the last drop,of wine from her glass – I wonder if it was scrubbed?!?)
Oh, and then Wills can mock the plebes leaving early because of the train strike! Family fun!!!!!
I don’t see them as cancelling each other out. He can love historic and modern tennis, and as his wife enjoys attending the matches, they could easily take over as engaged patrons for both.
Nota – I don’t think so. Where I grew up, court tennis was practically a cult and raquests clubs were the temples. From what I have read about Edward, he is fully indoctrinated. I don’t see him risking his real tennis legacy for Wimbledon.
If they were so adamant about it, Sophie wouldn’t spend so much time at Wimbledon. They love tennis, they do their jobs for the BRF. Seem like far better candidates to take over this patronage than KM. It also pairs nicely with the D o E scheme which they’re also taking over.
Is that Benedict Cumberbatch in the photo of her at the gallery?
No, but I bet that guy would appreciate you thinking so!
Haha If that guy reads this he will be convinced of it his whole life.
His wife will ask him to pick up his socks and he’ll sniff, “I bet Benedict never has to do something so low. We Cumberbatches have folks to do it for us.”
The Duke of Kent had a slight stroke some years ago and last year I think had a fall at Balmoral and went to hospital, he sounds frail. The Duchess of Kent used to give out the trophy/s but faded from royal duties and wanted to live an ordinary life without a title. I thought her poignant hug to the loser of one women’s Wimbledon finals before she retired, put her in the spotlight of a compassionate caring soul. I think it’s quite a big patronage as not showing up one year is going to have to have a good reason as Kate’s predecessors have been totally committed to doing the job. I guess after the shamrock no show the a Royal hierarchy are holding their breath.
The Queen is the patron. She last presented the trophies in 1977. The Duke is the president and presents trophies in her stead. If he stays on, it will just be business as usual if Kate is a no show. If he does retire, then she will be expected to show for more than the men’s final. Given her track record, I really doubt she can deliver.
I hate that I’ve grown tired of her. Her hair, her dim looking open mouth, her family. All of it.
You aren’t the only one.
Neither are you. Joining the club.
Maybe one day they can combine a bunch of events and then she can do them all at once to save her precious time for more important things, like looking at enlarged photos of herself. I’m thinking handing out shamrocks to the Irish Guards as well as tennis trophies, they can call it Wolfhounds at Wimbledon.
i don’t want to get your expectations up, but i think she will definitely give out trophies every year. if she’s too lazy to go to Wimbledon, she can just move them to her tennis courts for the day. that’s what a good patron does. accomodate her charities around her busy schedule.
at the same time, she will distribute some fakestones or pet-rocks to some Irish Whiskies and peruse portraits of the many faces of moon with the ones that are making Wolf-sounds.
noooooooo she can’t move them to her tennis courts because, um, PRIVACY you know!!!
“…peruse portraits of the many faces of moon with the ones that are making Wolf-sounds….” OMG BWAHAHAHAHAHA
Meanwhile, Zara is back at work–she just made the Olympic team again. And Harry is triumphing with the Invictus Games. Even Pippa is giving speeches & showing up for her charities. Too bad the Duke of Kent’s offspring (can’t remember their names; too lazy to google) can’t take over.
I think it’s a bit much to oust the Duke of Kent especially to replace him with Dolittle and her free loading relatives. Surely they could have waited a few years until the Duke decided to retire. It will be interesting to see how long she can commit to this. After all we can’t expect her to get into a habit of attending the same events. Poor little snowflake.
No doubt all the Middletons will be there in the Royal box along with her.
Yep, the Midds will all be there wearing their signet rings LOL
I just can’t with the signet rings.
Please don’t with the freaking rings. It’s just too much. It’s so over the top. Just why?
I don’t know why reading about their coat of arms makes me bray like a donkey…especially for some reason the part about “…two thinner chevrons, which sit either side of the gold chevron, allude to hills and mountains and represent outdoor pursuits that the family enjoy together…”
Even now reading it I have tears streaming down my face from laughing.
http://www.dukeandduchessofcambridge.org/the-duchess-of-cambridge/titles-and-heraldry/the-middleton-coat-of-arms
It’s funny how they’ve changed the meaning of the 2 chevrons. In the first few years, and when the COAs were first awarded, the chevrons were said to represent their love of skiing. I guess someone pointed out how ridiculous that sounded so now they’ve been given a different meaning.
Further, COAs were awarded for chivalry, service to the community and loyalty to liege lord whomever that might be, but i guess these days, they are awarded for selfish, pleasurable pursuits. I’m surpised they don’t have shopping bags and holidays represented in their COAs.
Coat of Arms is mainly a European insignia This is When knights were encased in armour they had no means of identifying themselves Game of thrones style, so, the practice was introduced of painting their insignia of honour on their shield as an easy method of distinguishing them. Originally coats of arms were only granted only to individuals, but were afterward made hereditary in England by King Richard I, during his crusade to the Holy Land.
In seems strange these days that you can just make up a coat of arms the true wearer of a ring bearing their heraldic coat of arms is understandable if you can prove you had a hunky brave knight who served in the Kings army which were mostly in Norman times. I will say though it seems to have become a Must fashion accessory for those running around Chelsea The Sloane ranger area of London.
Well it’s probably good she doesnt hand out trophies this year. We wouldn’t want anyone to expect her to do it every year, now.
kate, yes you see because she is so on demand, and of course so utterly well BUSY!!!! “NOT”!!!