It was widely believed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went on holiday last week. Both Princess Charlotte and Prince George had a week-long break from school, and the British papers widely reported that the family had hopped away for a private ski holiday. The family vacation was even one of the reasons cited for why Kate didn’t attend Meghan’s baby shower (lol). I kept expecting to see Kensington Palace release one or more family photos from the ski vacation, but nothing came out. So… would it shock you to hear that it sounds like Kate and the kids didn’t even go on vacation? They were apparently in Norfolk the whole time?
The Duchess of Cambridge treated her children to a half term swimming treat at a luxury spa last week. But ever glamorous, Kate was spotted in the pool wearing ‘full makeup, pearl earrings and her iconic engagement ring’, one onlooker has revealed. Despite claims that they family had gone skiing during the week-long break, the duchess, along with her two eldest children, Prince George, five, and Princess Charlotte, three, actually slipped into a luxury Norfolk hotel complex – which the Mail is not naming for security reasons – on Tuesday afternoon.
Wearing a maroon swimsuit, she tried to blend in amongst relaxing couples but onlookers quickly spotted the family during their half-hour splash about. Kate, 37, apparently organised swimming races for the children and afterwards they practised little dives off the side. The royal trio then all went into the sauna and steam room.
One onlooker told the Mail: ‘Kate looked stunning. She had full make up one while she was in the pool. And she had drop pearl earrings and her engagement ring. ‘Her hair up in a butterfly type hair clip and looked extremely elegant.’ The royal fan said that both George and Charlotte were impeccably behaved. ‘The children were very well behaved and both were practising their diving from the side. Kate was organising little races for them and they did it around four or five times. She said “ready, steady go” and did a downward chopping action in the water to indicate the start of the race.’
Has anyone ever seen Kate without a full face of makeup, damn. Why even wear makeup if you’re going to play in the pool with your kids? I know a lot of women wear makeup to the gym too, which always seems like such a waste of time and effort, but what do I know. But the bigger story here is that despite multiple reports of a quiet family ski holiday, Kate and the kids were in Norfolk. But where was William? Was he there in Norfolk too? Or did he go on a ski holiday with his dude-friends and it was predictably hushed up?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I wear makeup to the gym and probably would if the pool was mid day. It’s just part of my routine in the morning to put on. And usually work, errands, or plans happen before working out, so it’s just there. I don’t wear it for the gym, but I don’t bother taking it off before I workout either.
I have a friend who wears make up around the house.
@mia to me that the ultimate proof she does it for herself first. Most put on makeup when they need to leave the house.
I’m a stay at home mom and I slap that stuff on before the kids get up. It’s for me.
Me too. It looks weird after the gym and pool, but mainly because I already have it on, like you. In the summer I do some hardcore on the water paddling of many kinds and I wear posts. So it’s fine, but I do wonder if this really happened.
Exactly. This idea that people specifically do their makeup for the gym is silly. Obviously for the most part it’s just circumstance.
Only Kate would wear pearl earrings to a swimming pool, lol.
I read someplace else (don’t remember where) that this “luxury resort” they went to was actually on the grounds of Sandringham, which surprised me. Isn’t the entire estate owned by the Queen?
Also, I know this magazine is sketchy so I doubt this is true but did anyone else see the William and Kate vow renewal story? Lol. They haven’t even been married ten years.
https://www.newidea.com.au/royals-kate-middleton-prince-william-renew-wedding-vows
I always thought vow renewal ceremonies were the kiss of death in a relationship or am I wrong on this?
Correct. I’m pretty sure this is an immutable cosmic law — at least in Real Housewives Land it is. 🙂
band aid babies, band aid puppies, renewal ceremonies and tattoos of eachother (names, dates, etc.)
There isn’t a hotel on the grounds of Sandringham house but Sandringham estate is huge and lots of the farm land and buildings are rented out. However I suspect the hotel they’re talking about it the Congham.
My mother too! I have pictures of a 3 years old me on the beach with her: she had eye makeup and earrings pearls.
I have thought my mum is royal!
Wow, love her hair, the color and the slightly off center part. Still would prefer a few inches off, but it’s not my hair.
Yeah, her hair looks great!
I shudder to think of her those pearls near chlorinated pool water. That can really damage them!
Pearls need special care – and one of the biggest NO-NO’s when it comes to pearl maintenance is keeping them away from chemicals and chlorinated pool water is often mentioned in this respect. One cardinal rule is NEVER to wear pearl jewellery when swinning.
Pearls rate rather low on the Mohs Scale (of hardness) and the organic composition of the surface (the lustrous nacre) requires careful maintenance because it is rather delicate.
If it’s a super fancy place it might be a salt water pool?
I also doubt she put her head under water.
Why not be safe rather than sorry and not wear the pearls in a setting where they can be damaged?
I was even more surprised she wore her engagement ring….stones fall out as the water (chlorinated and/or salt) erodes the glue. I don’t put my head underwater ever if I can help it, but I don’t wear any jewelry with stones in it cause…..lost stones. And there is no way, if she was well and truly WITH the kids, her hands didn’t go into the water, is there?
If your stones are glued in your jewellery is junk…
Her ring doesn’t have glue. The prongs hold the stones in place. I’m accredited by GIA, so I know what I’m talking about.
Glue is for rhinestones. Epoxy can be used for pearls.
I wear jewlery and makeup everyday as long as I’m not sleep. In the pool and ocean. Is that weird? I always thought it looked glam. No stones lost or damaged.
I’ve always suspected Kate wore a copy of the famous ring and the real one is in a vault somewhere. Back when she still went to outings with the Scouts and she stuck her hand with the ring right into the dough. And then she went ziplining in the jungle with it on. I thought, “Nope! Not wearing THAT ring.” Easy and inexpensive enough to copy and the real ring with all its sentimental value is locked away safe.
Deedee,
You might be right. It was rumored back in the day that Diana had a copy of the ring which she wore to most engagements. The real ring was supposedly only brought out for special occasions. Of course we have no way of knowing if this is true, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is, and it supports your theory. With their resources it would have been no problem to have a good fake made.
It would make real sense to have a copy made, the original is priceless.
She may have known she wasn’t going to put her head in the water, or they COULD have been fabulous fakes!
Ummmmm, on whose word was she wearing real pearls?
I do not believe this story. Why would she take such young children in the sauna. And just how they make a point about her earrings and make up. No I don’t buy it.
The sauna thing elicited a side-eye from me, too.
I live in Sweden and absolutely everyone takes their small kids into the sauna to warm up after swimming.
I side-eyed this as well.
I really can’t picture Kate taking her kids into a public sauna. Sorry.
Yeah, I don’t believe the full makeup combined with pool, sauna, & steam room. Also, ‘she organized races’? She was just playing with her two kids, giving them the ‘ready, steady, go’.
I’m not buying it either. DM fan fiction.
Kate’s hair is naturally quite curly, anyone who doesn’t know that must not have seen Kate photos of Kate modeling on the runway in the see through dress when she first attracted Williams eye at University,
Also on one of the tours Kate’s hair went curly wavy from the humidity, but was straightened out again later that by her hairdresser on the tour who was with them.
Every pool near me that has a sauna age restricts it to 16+ only iirc.
And no mention of her hair? Her hair is naturally very curly and would be frizzing up from the heat, steam and humidity of the pool and sauna. Her most recognizable feature and no comment except that it was up in a clip and “extremely elegant,” whatever that means. I call fan fic, too. I admit to feeling a little like Elle from Legally Blonde saying it as well.
Her hair is naturally curly? Are you sure? Looks dead straight to me.
And they were only swimming for 30 minutes? Also seems odd.
They have a private indoor pool at their house at Anmer, one of the many changes they made. Why haul the kids out somewhere else?
Wherever they were, speculation sure distracted from the story about James and the offensive marshmallows.
William’s face makes my nose turn up instinctively. I just cannot STAND the dude. He just seems like the WORST.
He’s petulant. There’s no hiding it.
I hope we don’t see a repeat of the Verbier weekend of William with ransoms.
I’m kinda hoping we do…..
LOL, right there with you. Dad Dancing Will FTW!
William obviously stayed home caring for baby Louis
That was seriously funny, Ana. I almost wore tea.
**chortles**
Well,obviously…😂
Kates not the first, last, or only one to do that. I was on a cruise a couple of weeks ago, and so many women were wearing makeup and jewelry to the pool. I have a pool at home, and I remove most of my jewelry, but if I’m swimming after dark, I don’t bother removing any makeup
I don’t believe this story.
Neither do I. Maybe I am assuming the worst of the British press, since they are afterall the worst, but something about this feels like a “See, Kate wasn’t on vacation. She was here all by her lonesome being a good Mummy and wasn’t invited to the big splashy American baby shower. Our poor Kate…” But I might be reaching.
I actually don’t believe it either. Aren’t there age restrictions for saunas? And for all her many faults, I can’t see her going to a pool with her kids with a ton of jewelry and make up.
Depends on the sauna. My local sauna allows babies from 3 months. I’ve seen people breastfeeding in the sauna. However I’m a wimp and only ever go in the mildest of the 3 rooms – but it was a common thing to do to help little ones warm up and dry off.
It may have been a family day for the British half term holiday last week.
I seem to remember that the article in CB last week that said they would ski was couched in very vague language with lots of “mays” and “maybes”.It may be that Wills and Kate did both – skiing at the weekend and then a few days in Norfolk at Anmer house.
I wonder why we rarely hear about William joining in on outings with Kate and the kids? In fact I can only recall one outing when they took George to see Santa when he was still a baby.
In my mind, it’s because William in the absolute worst, at everything, including parenting…lol. Sometimes I even manage to squeeze out a modicum of sympathy for Kate for being married to such an ass…but then I remember: She’s probably just as terrible; she married him, after all.
Ader – I don’t feel that way about William nor Kate, but I certainly do about other celebs and your comment makes me giggle. I’m so glad we have this spot to express our disdain over the irrelevant. 😊
Cheers, Nichole. I was feeling particularly silly about my Wills hate this AM. And I assure you it’s all in good fun. Like you say, we all have an irrational disdain for one celebrity or another. Wills is like my celebrity “Newman.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9_8YxDQYCo
If William went it would attract too much attention. Kate can easily blend in with the crowd if she really wants to.
I just want to know why they’re aren’t working. The Queen is 92 and is still working. Meghan is 7/8 months with her first baby, had her fun with the shower and went to morocco to do her JOB.
This is so stupid. Also this whole agenda to explain why Kate wasn’t in NYC is so funny to me, like just understand the likelihood is Kate wasn’t invited LOL
These people are all public figures and should be held accountable, especially the future king and queen consort.
if they weren’t on vacation why weren’t they in Morocco, since they are the future king and queen.
Because the Kingdom of Morocco invited Harry and Meghan,
I wonder if the Sussexes were specifically requested?
The Sussexes were requested specifically. They are incredibly popular outside the UK
Yes, I heard they were specifically requested. Did you see the way in which the King and Crown Prince only had eyes for Meghan.
Given the Omid S article about the trip, it appears Harry and Meghan were specifically requested.
I doubt they were requested because Morocco has just received another royal visit. And I doubt the queen,the British government, or whoever else,felt any urgent need to send someone there. It looks like it was something requested by them and hastily arranged to have a bit of good PR after all the endless tabloids stories and family drama,and before her maternity leave.
The Spanish State Visit was rescheduled 3 or 4 times. They just happened to end up being near each other in timing by accident. The request may have come from the UK Ambassador, who was all out in his appreciation of Harry and Meghan. Must be so upsetting to those who don’t like these two, to have the UK Ambassador to Morocco opening stanning for them.
I’m sure they just took the week off to be with the kids.
Hopefully Kate and William will be working throughout this year.
That Mail piece reads like 100% fanfic. It’s so over the top with praise that it comes off as trying too hard. And even if DoCwas there with some of their kids and the nannies, where was William? He could have been working like Harry did while DoS was in NYC.
it was mid term break in the UK, that’s what most parents do during the school holidays, take their kids on wee trips.
I believe Kate took the kids for the day to a spa, but they weren’t there the entire week. This story, dropped conveniently during the faux baby shower outrage, is interesting. So many details for a one day visit to the spa. It’s nothing but speculation that they spent the rest of the week in Norfolk.
Right!!! The narrative they’re trying to push is SO obvious. Every time there’s a story about Meghan being “HOLLYWOOD” either through her clothing or her baby shower, there’s some ridiculous story written to simply show how “down to earth” and frugal and wholesome and “elegant” she is. Disgusting.
Wearing her giant gaudy ring and a full face of slap while trying to go ‘incognito’. Mmhmm. But it’s Meghan who is the tacky one, right. Ok.
::insert ‘sure, Jan’ gif::
I’ve always gotten the sense that Will/Kate/Harry don’t really like to ski. I think we’ve heard of them going twice in 8 years and the last time Harry went was when he was dating Cressida and that was a long time ago.
I think Will and Kate would rather go to Mustique. But it’s harder to keep that under the radar.
This reads like a PR fluff piece and an unbelievable one at that.
Either way, why weren’t the Cambridges working?
The two oldest kids were in school break and their mother spent that precious time with them doing something fun. End of story.
They can still work. They can take an hour of the day. And if William wasn’t with them, why wasn’t he working?
So no, not end of story. Maybe end of that totally unbelievable PR fanfic by the Daily Heil, though.
Yep. I don’t understand why this is such a big deal. This or the fact that Kate didn’t attend Meg’s baby shower. Kate is a mother with young kids. I wouldn’t have jetted off to NYC either. And I’m sure Meg didn’t expect her to and isn’t hating on her for it.
They could at least take an hour or two to go shake hands and smile. It’s not like its brain surgery.
I also don’t see why this is a big deal. When we were kids during spring break, my parents often took a few days off from work, packed our suitcases and took us on a trip. Kate didn’t need to leave her kids behind and go to Meghans baby shower in the US because there’s going to be one in London
Seriously you think what they do takes “just” an hour. I bet you all think Radio DJs just work for the time you hear them on the radio or ballerinas just work for the time you see them on stage.
Kate has done three (3) engagements in February. She could take half term off, as far as I am concerned, if she did a modicum of work the rest of the time.
how can you take a week off when you weren’t working the week before? They don’t have a full time job so the excuses are wearing thin. Kate and William could have done engagements in Norfolk so they would only be gone a few hours. It’s not hard they just don’t want to.
In any case this story is a distraction from the Nazi marshmallows.
Nic919, this story plus the photos of James and his new girlfriend. The Midds have played these games a long time.
William should just admit that he doesn’t want the job. Kate keeps him company, but marriages, even with money, require work just like promoting a monarchy. Harry and Megan would do a better job because they are personalble and appear to genuinely enjoy interacting with other people. The British press liked giving William a hard time for not working, but they have a new focus in Megan, so Will isn’t the target he once was. And Kate gets to be Megan’s foil regardless. This story is exactly what many of you speculate: good princess vs. gauche princess.
I can totally see King Henry and Queen Consort Meghan, bring it on!
Can William just pass the crown to Harry? He and Kate live a normal life as they always wish and still very wealthy.
Except Harry works even less then William? And unlike William, he has publicly stated he doesn’t want the job. I like all of them, but lets face it – none of them are setting the world on fire putting in hours of work.
Harry doesn’t want the job, and he isn’t even next in line after William. Harrys 6th in line to be king, so that would be a lot of crown passing for it to happen. Not gonna happen @Ira
Ira, there is ONLY way a crown would ever go to Harry, and it’s a loooooong haul. Will can only abdicated for himself, then it passes to George, who would have a regent until he is of age. If George passes, it goes to Charlotte. If SHE passes on it, it goes to Louis, again, with a regent until he is of age. If Louis passes on being king, THEN Harry is next.
I still say that the monarchy will pass away when Charles does.
The article I recently read on the monarchy said it would be 1000 years old in 2050. The article also speculated that would be the year the monarchy ends, on William’s watch.
Stop saying that Harry said he doesn’t want the job. He was totally taken out of context. He said the nobody really wants the job, which means that although they know its their duty, knowing you are going to be King is not like saying I want to be a doctor when I grow up or a lawyer. No normal person in the 21st has an aspiration to be King of Britain. Duh.
@jan9000
I thought if William abdicate then his linage will also abdicate with him, it means George, Charlotte and Lois can’t be a king/queen if their father doesn’t want to be a king.
H&M is better in doing Royal, they’re more engaged and shown their interest. If most of Royal job is present themselves to the public, then I prefer to see H&M. The polling also shows that Harry is more popular, someone should advise William to pass the crown to Harry.
First of all I have serious hair envy – she looks fab in the first pic.
Several outlets reported that they were seen in Norfolk, so this is clearly no fake as suggested by some posters above.
If they had gone on a skiing trip, pictures would have surfaced by now…
Similar to all the pictures that have surfaced of their multitude of trips to the Maldives? Or the many skiing trips taken to Sweden? Or the ‘little’ vacations her and William take to France to get away for the weekend?
I went skiing in Austria 2 weeks ago and everyone was taking pics with their smart phones on the slopes, myself included. Believe me, if they had gone skiing, someone would have snapped some pics. They might be able to control the narrative in the UK, but not abroad with so many people around…
Depends on the resort. No one’s snapping at Courchevel 1850.
Can’t stand her and William but love their kids .
I don’t buy the bit about the earrings, because someone with Kate’s jewelry collection and knowledge would know that pearls don’t belong near chlorine or saltwater. As for the makeup, was it a full beat or did she just have on tinted moisturizer with her brows done? Because I’ll be honest, I’m not a makeup girl but before I leave the house I do tinted moisturizer with spf, fill my brows, and curl my lashes.
“because someone with Kate’s jewelry collection and knowledge” — um, does Kate really have knowledge though? I mean, this supposed “art history” major didn’t know whether they still make Faberge Imperial eggs. I don’t think any of the royal family is very bright (Charles is supposed to be the smartest of them).
Charles is the most educated and he probably is the brightest, but that’s a fairly low bar. Anne is probably as bright if not brighter, and would have made an excellent Queen. I’d be all for female primogeniture: Anne to follow HM, and then Charlotte (with Zara as regent if necessary in the interim.)
I don’t know why something about this story seems so weird to me. The full makeup I believe, and I believe the pearl earrings, because she probably wasn’t getting her hair wet.
Maybe it is the over the top aspect of it like others said? Her kids were perfect, she looked perfect, etc. I dunno, something about it is just striking me as odd. But it sounds like a nice day.
Becks1, it’s the foil article that someone requires to show that she is a good princess and makes good choices. Megan is the “divorcee”. Will and Kate probably wanted to throw the press off because they want privacy, but they’ve been AWOL, so she showed up someplace to be photographed. She could have gone someplace private to do that with her kids, but people can’t bear witness in a private place unless paparazzi with zoom lenses know they are there.
I’m really doubtful of the story as it stands,but could William have been in the same hotel or some where near,and maybe Kate (who I do believe would wear makeup,but ?the jewelry),well,maybe Kate and William were going to have a low key dinner somewhere,the kiddos wanted to swim,Kate was already wearing makeup and took them in for a quick splash,and then they went about the rest of their day.IDK I am giving this too much thought.
But it makes such a pro-Middleton contrast to the baby shower (paid by Meghan’s friends). Oh normal Bill and Kate. They have a private indoor pool at their house at Anmer, one of the many changes they made along with the $100,000 tennis court. If she hauled kids to this pool? It was because she wanted to be seen, just like the horse trials pictures.
And the story about James Middleton creating offensive products has disappeared. How convenient for Carole.
Becks1… That was why it rang false to me. It was so fawning that everything about her and the kiddies was perfect. The story could have elements of truth but it came across as bad fanfic in how it was written. It came off specifically as a PR piece to prop DoC rather than authentic.
Also, as a friend said to me, toddlers by a pool will not be perfect kids.
Two young kids near a pool can be a disaster. The chances that Nanny Maria wouldn’t be there are nil if only for another adult to be monitoring the kids.
Sorry daily mail I’m not buying it. Especially without photographic evidence. More bs. Can’t wait for the next smear piece on Meghan
Honestly, if I were Kate and I knew I was going out to a non-private pool where I might be photographed, I’d probably wear a full face of makeup, too. There’s nothing the tabloids love more than getting a less-than-flattering picture. I’m sure she’s gorgeous without makeup on too but, lets be honest, most of us look a bit “better” with the makeup.
They have a private indoor pool at Anmer. Not even elsewhere on the estate, but right at the house. Why take the kids to another pool unless you specifically wanted to be seen?
She might want to take them out somewhere with other people around and away from their own home. Not good to live in a gilded cage.
From two people who act obsessed with privacy, this appearance and the horse trials would be for a reason. Because Carole wanted her out looking like “hands on mum” in the middle of the James Nazi scandal perhaps.
No, not true. She is apparently seen out and about with them but it is not extensively reported so we don’t know about it. A couple of weeks ago she was seen with Louis in one of the London parks, dressed very casually feeding the ducks. She does the school run when not on engagements and although the paps take photos of the kids the whole time they are not allowed to be printed in Britain at any rate. She did the school run with George the morning after Louis was born.
It was Diana who used to alert the press when she was going on an outing with the kids and, when visiting her lover at the hospital where he worked, sometimes, when spotted, said she was taking William and Harry when she was doing nothing of the kind.
Also, by now, anyone denying she is not a hands on mum is really burying their heads in the sand. She might not be a hands on mum by everyday mum at home the whole time standards but she is surely the most royal hands on mum we have ever seen.
This sounds fake, but can you imagine the howls of outrage and scandal from the tabloids if Meghan had gone to a swimming pool in full makeup and jewels?
haha, yeah she tried to blend in with a full face of makeup and stand out jewels. Brilliant.
“Kate was spotted in the pool wearing ‘full makeup, pearl earrings and her iconic engagement ring’, one onlooker has revealed”
LMAO the source probably was Carole Middleton
I nearly died when the described her as elegant. This girl is many things, but the ghosts of Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Christian Dior could style her and she still wouldn’t even approach the diner next to the bus stop near the parking lot outside of the ball park of elegant. She looks normal girl pretty. People (her mother) need to stop pushing her as this unparalleled beauty. We’ve got eyes, Carol.
In the unlikely event it was Carole, surely all mums think their daughters beautiful? But has Kate actually got to be at the height of fashion and elegance? Does this actually matter?
Ooh yes it does sound like something that Carole would say! She looked stunning and extremely elegant in the pool, says her mum
I’ve only just realised how Carole Middleton and Kate Virtue are the same person. Never mind me, nothing to see here.
If it’s true,this is quite funny coming after a week of tweets from the Sussexes’ fanbase about this ski vacation that was *completely* “taxpayer funded”,so not only the RPOs,that for Meghan are “fixed costs” but that for the others are evidently an incrdible burden on the taxpayers’ shoulders. And we must believe that something is “privately founded” just for a few selected persons,when it comes to the Cambridges it’s all “taxpayer funded”.
@Brandy Alexander This. None of them is putting in hours of work. How,exactly,showing up one time in ten days count is “hard work”?! Above all,when they show up for awards and galas. Props to Meghan for this mini tour for the simple fact that must be exhausting dressing up,wearing heels and be out in the public at that stage of her pregnancy. To be fair,Kate was heavily pregnant too during their Norway/Sweden tour,last year. For the rest they are not doing anything out of the ordinary that needs particular praise. Actually,William is the one with higher numbers,even if not great by any means. And yes,I remember how Harry was criticized by this site’s regular commenters for the interview with Newsweek that looked objectively disrespectful and tone-deaf,above all coming after the Brexit referendum. I don’t know where this “hardworking and perfect diplomat,future king” narrative comes from.