Over the past week, there was a subdued truce in the British media regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The first part of Harry and Meghan’s tour went well, with only a handful of minor grumbles. The icing on the cake was that everybody got new photos of Archie, so basically the press isn’t going to smear the hell out of Meghan for a little bit. But as soon as the media turns positive for the Sussexes, that means we have to be “reminded” that Kate is the Future Queen and She Did A Garden and She’s Regal Now. Yes, it’s a curious moment to embiggen Kate, but that’s where we are.
It seems Kate Middleton is more prepared than ever for her future role as Queen Consort, after friends claim she’s “reinvented her style” and believes “nothing is more important than Queen, country and family”. Once upon a time, public speaking would be “nerve wracking” for Kate, but now, according to friends, the Duchess has become more confident, stylish and self-assured.
According to You magazine, Kate has had a total style overhaul, ditching knee-length dresses and clutch bags for chic prints, on-trend mini bags and even a stylish new hairstyle. When Kate stepped out earlier this month to drop Princess Charlotte off for her first day of school, royal fans were in awe of how “amazing” she looked. One wrote: “There’s a woman who’s totally found herself. She looks great.” While another added: “That’s not a school run look. That’s a future Queen school run look.”
Becoming the future Queen Consort (a title given to the wife of a ruling king) seems to be of highest importance to Kate, with friends reporting that the Duchess has said there is nothing more important than “Queen, country and family”.
“Kate’s view is that Queen, country and family come first. She is very clear on her priorities and the values that guide how she lives and works,” said one pal. And while Kate once described public speaking as “nerve wracking”, she now delivers her words with confidence, speaking flawlessly about her causes, such as mental health and children’s development.
And the mum-of-three’s new attitude hasn’t gone unnoticed by palace staff, with a royal source claiming Kate always has time to listen to even the most junior members of the team. “Afterwards they’ll say, ‘Wow, she knows my name. She asked me what I thought’,” they said.
Kate’s “quiet transformation” could be in part thanks to her close relationship with her grandmother-in-law, the Queen. Earlier this year, the Duchess was made a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, which is the highest rank equivalent of a Knight. Kate and Her Maj are said to share a very close relationship, and the award is thought to highlight Kate’s important work as a member of the royal family.
The Embiggening Kate Project should have a lot more to work with other than “she got highlights” and “she’s wearing longer skirts now” and “she asks peasants what they think in meetings.” But this is where we are. As I said before, I actually don’t mind that Kate and William weren’t trying to hijack headlines during the Sussexes’ tour. I have expected a major announcement from Team Cambridge just as those Archie photos came out. But why would they actually DO anything when the British press is so friggin’ eager to embiggen them over nothing?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.
A dose of retin A would do her good… maybe she can ask Meghan for American skin care tips.
I find the negative comments about Kate’s skin to be really distasteful. Now we are criticizing women for the appearance of their bodily organs? No, thank you.
Ah yes, skincare – like teeth – must conform to American standards. Otherwise your age, your eating and recreational habits are questioned “her skin is so bad – she looks so old for her age, it’s probably all that eyeliner.”
Agreed, putting a women down bc you think she doesn’t look youthful enough is crap. Let women age without scrutiny
Uh THIS IS A GOSSIP BLOG.
The comment was clearly turning on its head EVERY press article that suggests Meghan needs to learn from all of Kate’s perfect, posh British ways.
It’s a reaction to exaggerated praise. I half-agree, though. You can f* a woman up by commenting on her appearance.
This was such a puff piece. Gag.
I nearly lost a couple of teeth from all the sugar in that piece.
@escondisa UGH, I am so sick of that stupid, tired line. It doesn’t matter a whit if this is a GAH-SIP blog. . . Bottom line is that this site is supposedly above that, smarter than that. If everyone here is going to ride the woke train and at least TRY to be feminist and above the patriarchal ugliness, maybe everyone can start trying to practice what they preach by knocking off the constant nasty critiques of a woman’s appearance?? Famous or not, royal or not, it doesn’t matter – we are supposed to be better than that here. Especially since it is always geared at her aging or weight- two things that have been weaponized against women for centuries. The patriarchy does not need the help.
All the tips in the world won’t change the fact that Meghan has more melanin.
Black woman here. Melanin isn’t some armour against the sun & aging. If you don’t take care of your skin it’ll show like anyone else in wrinkles and texture. Black women moisturize everything from childhood until the day they die. They also don’t lie in the sun as much. That is why we age well. I’m currently going to get my doctor to refer me to a dermatologist for the purpose of getting a retin A prescription so I’ll be using it before Kate does.
HK9 is correct. Dark olive complexion here. And my dermatologist told me at 25 to slather on sunscreen and just because I have higher pigmentation doesn’t mean I should smoke, lay out and not take of my skin. She put the fear of Jesus in me and thankfully it’s paid off. And yes, it’s a GOSSIP blog. What’s even more a slap in the face is that Kate has bad skin but we are constantly shown photoshopped pics that do not show how she truly looks. So when a pic does pop up showing what she looks like in reality, it’s a bit of a WTH moment.
Seraphina Exactly!! I am taken aback when I see a real pictures. She is ageing horribly and droppy yet they keep feeding us this perfect skin photoshopped narrative. So annoying!
Did people read the praise for Kate in the quotes? Her physical appearance is the only thing she is known for, which is why people discuss her appearance. SHE seems to spend more time on her looks than anything else. HER PEOPLE constantly talk about her appearance. Yes, it is insulting to women generally, but Kate herself seems perfectly willing to be judged on her looks, and nothing but her looks.
THIS! If y’all can find something she’s done to praise, then we’ll be happy to stop harping on her eyeliner.
This is a fair point.
Mrs. Krabapple completely agree!
I always thought her hairdresser came first.
Speaking of her looks, I think she resembles Felicity Huffman (with better hair) in that top pic. Nice hilights.
What’s become of the garden? Is Wills still cultivating Roses?
Yet again, the Queen is still alive and Camilla exists. What about her work as Duchess of Cambridge? Why isn’t that her focus instead of getting highlights ready for a job she won’t have for another 20 years?
Also noting with interest that her friends are talking to the press and that’s ok now.
Well they’ve been airbrushing Chuck out of the picture for years to promote Man Child Willy, now they are doing to same with Katie Keen. Such as their desperation to promote these 2 as the FUTURE of the Monarchy (above everyone else) even though its going to be another 20 years before they get there.
@Digital Unicorn, I agree with you. Why does The Fail, The Dim and The Slow keep forgetting about Charles & Camilla? Chucky and Cammie could be on the throne for 15 or more years. This type of tabloid nonsense really make no sense to any experienced hardened Royal Watcher.
I think it’s only natural that the press focuses on the younger family members because they’re just more interesting to the general public. It’s always been like that. Magazines with articles about Kate and Meghan and their style etc. simply sell more than stories about Camilla.
Some day, when (well, if) William becomes King, we’ll all be wanting to discuss that but our kids will likely be way more interested in whatever antics George, Charlotte, Louis and Archie are up to in the tabloids. It’s just the way it is.
But I agree that they’re going WAY overboard with the “Future Queen Kate” nonsense and acting as if Camilla flat-out doesn’t exist.
Beli, excellent points.
I always wonder how William feels about this rushing him to the throne, because then George would be PoW possibly as a child or in his early 20s. W was adament about wanting to have a “normal” youth for a bit, and he only got to do that because he was third in line. Does he really want that for his son? I wonder if he’s even thought about it? If I were him, I’d be hoping Charles makes it to 95 or higher.
Ha, ha: I always wonder what Charles and Camilla think: “Are we utterly invisible?” I feel for Charles; he’s waited to take the reins for decades, but he’ll be an old man when he finally gets the job. His revenge on fate could be to live to 106!
This is what kills me about the “she’ll be queen someday” talk around Kate. She will be queen someday, but that day is probably 20 years or more away. She has a lot of time before then, what is she doing with that time? For all his faults, Charles understood he needed to do something meaningful with his time as POW, because it would be a long wait to be king. At this rate, William won’t be king until he’s in his 60s. Will they just be so keen for the next twenty years, or will they do something meaningful before then?
And to be fair, she’ll only be queen consort some day. As we’ve haven’t had a queen consort in four generations, maybe I’m remembering wrong, but it’s not a powerful role is it? Primarily serves to birth and oversee the upbringing of the heir?
In less civilized eras, it didn’t even come with a protection for lifelong status in the role?
“Queen consort” is a bit of a mouthful, so everyone just says “queen.”
Nah. “Queen Consort” literally has fewer syllables than any of Kate’s other official titles. Calling her “queen” is a deliberate distortion of the truth. There are currently no female heirs to the thrown. Just consorts waiting to happen.
Very true! Philip knew he had to something of his own since he would never be more than “Prince Consort”; he has written books, created the Award Scheme and now Edward will build on it. Charles knew early on that he had to do something of his own after university and the military, so he created the Prince’s Trust and later Duchy Originals. Even Andrew had a long career in the Navy and the Sussexes are well on their way to creating meaningful legacies.
Given the longevity of TQM (lived to 101), TQ (going strong at 93) and Philip (still hanging in there at 98), its very likely that Charles won’t become King for another 10 years and could rule for at least 20 years, The Cambridges will be in their late 60s and their children could be in their 30s. Do people really think W&K will wake up the morning after TQ’s passing and suddenly be keen to work more than they have in the last 8 years?
I’m sorry, if my main attribute and contribution to an establishment was that I keep my mouth shut and tow the line, I would appreciate it if someone called Iyanla to help me fix my life.
LOL!
Yeah, if someone invited me to dinner with Will and Kate, I’d decline. I feel like it would be an excruciatingly dull, infuriating experience. I would love, however, to sit down to a meal with Camilla, Meghan, Charles, and Harry.
I would love a drink or three with Camilla
Never mind a meal, let me booze it up with Camilla. She’d be such a laugh.
I’d absolutely accept. I need to see what Kate saw in William (if anything) other than the title or the money. Bonus if I could have a couple of drinks with Camilla beforehand.
Good Lawd make it stop already. These PR soundbites are becoming tiresome AF,
It’s bad enough she has acquired the nicknames ‘Waity’ and ‘Do-Little’, now she wants to PR her way out of her lack of legacy by talking about a future legacy that may never exist given that Bill has shown himself to be Aristo community d*ck.
I doubt anyone will agree, but I don’t think this was a Cambridge PR push based on 1) what the editor said and 2) how critical they are of Past Kate’s hair/clothing/beauty choices which doesn’t feel like something KP would be down for. In one of the articles from You that I read on DM they agree with Hilary Mantel’s assessment of her:
“Shocking and cruel, yes, but the truth is Mantel was only saying what many had been privately thinking. The Duchess’s clothes wore her, rather than her wearing them. As a royal clothes horse, she could be relied upon for the bare minimum of buying British, while not upsetting the applecart, but one wouldn’t dream of looking to Kate for style inspiration. Hovering uncertainly about the mid-market, her wardrobe was girl next door with an usually large collection of fascinators. Chic she was not.”
I think Kate still moves copies for the check-out lane magazines like US Weekly and People as a kind of “aspirational mom” figure who has the added benefit of the glamour of being royal.
On the other hand, if you want to argue the opposite, You is part of the DM Sunday edition, so it could be a continuation of earlier stories in the paper and online about her changing style and make up and future role.
LOL for days. This is actually kind of embarrassing for Kate – the only thing to talk about is her hair and clothes – but if you can get praised without doing any work, why not?
The thing that really cracks me up though is that she hasn’t changed that much. Her hair is a little shorter and she changed the color a bit, but not really anything significant. She wore trousers a few times, yes, but there have been plenty of ugly dresses and coat dresses in between. It just makes the whole PR push that much more ridiculous.
Agreed. She’s like dry toast, not exciting at all.
They can be boring but bring in the numbers.
@Alexandria, what do you mean by being in the numbers?
They can show up to 500 engagements a year. Doesn’t require an ounce of charisma, it just requires a willingness to show up.
Yeah, this is actually not doing her any favours. I like her, I think she is steady, great with kids and seems kind. Unfortunately for her, Meghan has also highlighted her shortcomings. I keep wondering if she and William ever had any black or brown friends. But recently, every time I see pics of any of her engagements in the UK, it always includes pictures of her with a child of color. It really makes me wonder.
“she is steady, great with kids and seems kind…”
She’s a St Bernard? : )
I meant they can be boring but do a lot of bread and butter events to prop up their numbers. That is still something, but we don’t see that from WK.
I agree. I thought you meant they DO bring in the numbers. They don’t, but they could and should.
While I like the fact that Kate looks happy and relaxed at her engagements, she’s reinvented nothing and she’s still boxing us down with 9-5 80s cosplay so I think the article is laying it on a bit thick. She has a newish hair cut & blowout and that’s about it.
I always used to be offended on Kate’s behalf that reduce her to highlights and pretty clothes but I realized there’s not much else to talk about in regards to her time in the royal family so I guess the press are working with what they’ve got.
It’s too obvious now. They’re not smart, these WK PR ppl.
It really is pathetic. The last straw was when they had to one-up the Sussexes going to the pub for Sunday roast with some story about they doing it too.
This story is so lame. We’re supposed to be impressed that Kate knows the names of her staff and listens to them? The fact is this woman and her husband live a very nice life of leisure with limited work so I’m not sure how that manifests into “queen and country are most important.”
I really dont understand the rush to crown Kate queen Consort
Because Meghan is eclipsing her on the Duchess front. So they are having to go to Queen Consort level something Meghan will never be. It’s a way of raising Kate above anyone else.
Wasnt it last autumn that the ‘experts’ were saying that whole Meghan gets the media that Kate will be Queen which is soooooo much better. So the more Meghan is in the media & if positive the more we get reminded of Queen Kate. Pathetic.
Yes agreed, making Kate more important than Megahn is W&Ks whole game… and as they can’t fall back on a work ethic to prove a point they have to resort to reminding everyone that Kate is future future QC…
Can we a get a list of prior queen consorts who ultimately wouldn’t have chosen to be a duchess instead?
Especially when two people need to die for that to happen.
As Lyn says its about raising Kate above Meghan – the press have only recently started this narrative around Kate and we all know why. She’s being shown up by the new Duchess on the block and well, the UK tabs can’t have a foreign PoC showing up the home grown ‘Princess’.
I’m sure there is a picture out there of Diana taking Harry to school in a similar red dress.
Oh, Kate.
Side note: I spent a tiny part of my weekend reporting abusive anti-Meghan twitter accounts and I feel warm and fuzzy.
Carry on.
Good for you! I read some where that, at that time, there were about 20 fake accounts that were generating the most negative comments. So, it’s most likely not real people who hate Meghan.
Some were for sure bots. But some of them? They’d amassed over one thousand followers and posted almost all day every day. I truly hope they’re bot accounts but some of them sure don’t seem to be. Which makes me have such pity that a person could be filled with that much hate.
Well done!
There has been an apology printed in The Sun about an out and out lie they printed so looks like there is work going on behind the scenes to tackle some of the nonsense…
https://www.thesun.co.uk/clarifications/10031408/duke-duchess-of-sussex-an-apology/
30 pages in the Mail on Sunday free mag on the newer and better Kate. How ridiculous. The royal experts sneer at Hollywood but at least when those lot get their magazine covers they’ve usually completed a project and are promoting it.
Instead we were told of how Kate is no longer faking an accent, not wearing too much make up anymore and got new clothes. And will be Queen. Looking forward to that future when the Queen, Charles and Camilla are dead. How insulting and morbid.
Wonder if Carole or KP pr phoned this into the DM? I guess Jason is doing other things now but it kind has his DNA on it.
Whatever, it is pathetic in every possible way. Trying to remind us that Kate > Meghan 🙄
Imagine being a public figure and all the articles anyone can push about you are how you’ve finally (at what, 38?) come into your own as an adult. I would be so depressed! All that power behind her and she just sits on it. DO SOMETHING BESIDES LOOK PRETTY.
LOL!!
So much shade was thrown at Meghan in that article it’s vile. Kate has the #metoo movement confused. Meghan speaks well; Kate: me too! Meghan wears hair in loose waves; Kate: me too! Meghan eschews coat dresses and short flouncy skirts; Kate: me too! Meghan edits magazine; Kate: the whole of You magazine is dedicated to me too!
This bores me (to quote Bill)
Edited to add: queen, country and family? Where does God factor in? Her spouse will be the head of the COE right?
What?
My attempt at a humorous post.
Good one, Royalblue! I laughed.
Hilarious and sad. It would be singularly hilarious if it weren’t so true on so many levels.
This fantasy of a young Queen Kate must stop. It’s just depressing. To get there, the Queen and her son must pass on and the monarchy must live on to secure that which isn’t entirely sure left in William’s hands. By the time Kate likely becomes Queen Consort, will we still be talking about her fabulous hair cut, natural makeup, and bold prints?
On the other hand, Harry and Meghan are building a legacy of not just charity, but as Meghan rightly put, community. We’ll be talking more about what they do, not what they are wearing. And it’s a refreshing change that I hope continues.
Well said! The Cambridges are all fluff and no substance while the Sussexes are the real deal: they have a plan to help people, get their hands dirty and get tangible results. And their charisma and open-heartedness is genuine and endearing. So refreshing after years of Sneering Willy and Blow-out Waity.
I’m now wondering If there is any validity to the rumor about Wills and Kate preferring some distance. The press giving the Sussex family a break, and this mini wave of ridiculous Kate articles, it feels potentially like press is trying to say “ok, do your work. Stay out of the UK and we’ll give you some peace” while rebranding Kate as the perfect idol to worship, not expect work.
The British Media is not done with their racism or classism of Meghan.
There is World Wide Media covering the Tour, so what can the BM lie about that can’t be disproved in five minutes.
They can go ahead and praise the Cambridges all they want.
Did Willy fly to Scotland to tell the Queen, their latest news?
Is it not possible to like both Kate & Meghan? I do.
I like Kate for what she does, and I like Meghan for what she does.
They don’t have to be the same thing. They really don’t have to be compared at all. Shocking, I know.
Can’t Kate’s stuff just be reported on without the snipey comments about Meghan, and vice versa? It’s getting to the point of total annoyance, now.
A lot of the comments legit question what does Kate do, esp considering articles like this one praising her for really doing nothing.
You can like both Duchesses and realize it isn’t wrong to for folks to think articles praising Kate for a blow out and new clothes as proving her ready to be Queen Consort being too much.
I like Kate just fine. But she doesn’t work and I snipe at any article that pretends she does.
Yes. Kate doesn’t actually DO anything for us to talk about. She just shops and has her hair done. When she steps up to actually doing something worthwhile, we’ll stop sniping at these ridiculous articles stating that she’s ready to be queen because she got a blowout.
I like them both too.
Lord pass a bucket. The amount of bs the dailymail put out about saint kate is ridiculous. She does nothing and they act like she is on the same level as mother Teresa.
LMAO the Cambridges sound more and more desperate. So embarassing.
A total style overhaul??
Look, idgaf what Kate wears. Old girl likes what she likes and while it’s rarely fashionable, it’s largely appropriate to the setting so whatever.
But I see no great or even small change. It’s the same mumsy style she’s nearly always had but with a tweak or two
Its laughable really – she hasn’t actually changed anything really. She still dresses like a middle aged housewife which is her how she wants to dress, lets not pretend otherwise.
I suspect all of this embiggening is in response to W&K trip to smash a bottle on not-Boaty McBoatface where some in the crowd were shouting for Meghan in this short clip…
https://twitter.com/RoyalDetective8/status/1177214692265222146
How can all three come first?
+1
And while those three are crowded into first place, the other question is ‘As opposed to what?’
Exactly. All just fluff.
My goodness these sound so idiotic. I’m embarrassed for Kate. I would be mortified in her shoes. A future Queen consort school drop off???? SERIOUSLY?
“The Embiggening Kate Project should have a lot more to work with other than “she got highlights” and “she’s wearing longer skirts now” and “she asks peasants what they think in meetings.” ”
Perfectly said. Lots of word from them, and nothing of actual substance.
Before, I never really thought bad of the Cambridge’s, but this excessive PR campaign that the media is trying is making me strongly dislike them. I hate how they make them out to be the two best royals in the entire world when they might be the worst.
Also, I cannot help but laugh because queen wut? Kate clearly puts her husband and children above all else, queen and country mean nothing to her unless you mean that she will be queen of that country.
That is all.
Kate is merely decorative and by her own design.
Wow, this really made my day, some very endearing fanfic over there, LOL, at least girl is good for a laugh.
I’ll have to come back and comment later after I’ve retrieved my eyeballs, which rolled right out of my head after reading this nonsense.
🤣
Since her husband will be the leader of the Church of England at some point, she may want to add “God” to that list.
Agree Noodle. I mentioned the same earlier.
Except for Balmoral rides, you never hear of them going to church at all or being that religious.Do they go to church?
To be fair religion in England is really weird. We have an official religion but unofficially England is one of the most secular and atheist countries on earth.
British politicians who are Christians are told to actively downplay being Christian because it just doesn’t go down well here. Avery different from America.
No one wants to see the RF attend church other than for Christmas, Easter, weddings and funerals (basically what most Brits do). Obviously they have to do the church walk on those occasions but if any of the younger generation “got religion” it would be bad PR.
What stands out the most for Meghan is that women of note is speaking up for her and talking about her gifts. Michelle Obama is the latest. What big name is talking up Kate? That has to sting.
I would have given my left arm to hear a quote from her say that, “Cheesburgers, backgammon, and reading magazines” come first. I mean, queen, country and family seem like low hanging fruit. Reach further! 🙂
I think the order is William, Carole, Kids.
You’re probably right Harla 😉
Strah, I love it!
Yet another attempt to celebrate the mediocrity that is the Cambridge family.
Let’s face it. The BRF, especially the Queen, are not looking great right now. The fact that she tries to shield her pedo son is beyond logic. There are plenty who would like to see the monarchy end when she passes. So they have to focus on the future. Charles and Camilla won’t have a very long tenure, and anyway, I don’t know how popular they are. But William and Kate represent youth and their kids the future. BP has denied that Andy was involved in Epstein’ s crimes so Charles will have to stick by that, hopefully he will still kick Andy to the curb, but we just don’t know. So this is just another attempt to draw attention away from the pedo.
What is, another press piece of fiction?
If I never read the word “embiggen” on this site I will be thrilled yet also shocked. There are other descriptors out there.
I like embiggen better and I hope Kaiser keeps using it.😂😂😂😂
I like it too!
I think it should be copyrighted.
“Embiggen” was created by “The Simpsons” in one of their episodes in 1996, and was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2018.
Seeing your username and then reading your comment gave me a nice chuckle in the midst of a horrible workday. Thank you.
It’s a perfectly cromulent word!
Makes my hoot when (presumably) Americans talk about the future queen consort. The late Queen Mother never got called queen consort. She was called Queen Elizabeth without a number on the end.
And of course, the can’t do anything right brigade are out in force again. I have an bad skin – rosacea, so you will never get me criticizing anyone for their complexion, sometimes you just can’t make a good complexion out of an imperfect one.
Lucylee, thank you on both counts!
I think the reason we emphasize “queen consort” is because often there is a push to imply that Kate and the current queen will hold the same roles (see people article in the spring about the queen giving Kate lessons on how to be queen). But Kate will be more akin to Phillip.
I also think part of it is a reaction to what it is anti Camilla bias. Kate has been pushed so hard as the future queen bc for a while it was assumed (stated?) that Camilla would never be called queen. And then with Camilla there is an emphasis that she will be queen consort, so that has rolled over to Kate.
I think everyone here understands that Kate will be called Queen Catherine and there won’t be a “consort” tucked in there. Come on now.
Yes, I agree Becks.
When the QM was Queen we were used to having Kings. We are currently in the unique position where not many people alive remember the monarch not being the Queen. So most people when they hear “Queen” think monarch, that wasn’t the case before.
And lots of people do act like Kate will be The Queen. And of course she’ll likely be succeeding a woman who won’t use the title of Queen.
So two people have to die before Kate FINALLY gets a purpose in life? I wonder how the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla feel about this premature crowning of Queen Consort Kate.
And somewhere the spirit of Diana Spencer is saying, ‘don’t count your chickens, sweetie’.
Charles has already commented on the issue in the past.
So, for the 7 millionth freaking time, royal family members can quit. They DO NOT HAVE TO DIE so the heir can take over.
And if a royal family member”quit” (only happened once as far as I know) what sort of life do you think the press would let them live?
If they “quit” wouldn’t they have to work?
I have no idea what kind of life they would live after stepping down. Press interest would vary over time.
I doubt they would have to work, I’m sure they’re all fabulously wealthy or will be. If they want to work, why not?
My point is, crowning a new king does not have to mean the death of the old King/Queen. Just ask Spain.
Are you unaware of the historic upheaval that came with abdication?
You can yell ask you want but that specter looms large. No one is going giving up the throne.
Andrew may have to quit.
@LadyD, Spain doesn’t have a reigning monarch who is the child of a previous monarch everyone claims was emotionally scarred by his brother’s abdication.
Also, Spain is a poor example as old queen and new queen have plenty of drama and hands were almost thrown last Easter.
You’d be better off mentioning the Dutch or Scandinavia as those monarchs stepped down and back and willingly.
They have practiced voluntary abdication in Holland and Belgium in the 20th and 21st centuries.
None in Scandinavia to my knowledge. Christian II of Denmark hardly counts since it was very much an involuntary one and that is more than 400 years ago.
“William comes first.” *fixed it*
Didn’t really look at the puff piece because it seemed to be mostly about clothes and hair. I don’t understand why they write about her like she’s some breathless debutante on her first outing. She’s been a Duchess for eight years in the Royal orbit since university days. She’s had enough examples from Royal women how to go about whatever she’s supposed to, but every few months, she has a new purpose, new confidence , new goal, new look, etc etc. She’s in her late 30s, and quite experienced , but they treat her like the eager intern. What exactly does putting Queen and country first really mean, other than sounding like some fascist right wing dog- whistle? Is she out there pushing how great Britain is and waving the flag for Brexit? Her most prominent project to date is a very fancy garden that you need to pay to enter. She doesn’t even do the soup kitchen thing or read to disadvantaged kids, which is classic rich lady charity photo op. They want her to be front and center but not for anything specific & take a back seat to her husband at the same time. However, this still lets William off the hook and seriously wonder if he wants to do much of anything. Said previously that there is so much more she and husband can do without trying to follow what the Sussex’s are doing.
“What exactly does putting Queen and country first really mean, other than sounding like some fascist right wing dog- whistle? ”
That’s exactly what it is. A reminder to the conservatives and traditionalist that Bill and Kate will not rock the boat.
She is just like the queen in that she is ignoring the philandering rumors about her husband.
“Becoming the future Queen Consort (a title given to the wife of a ruling king) seems to be of highest importance to Kate” – well of course it is, she’s been waiting nearly 20 years….
“she now delivers her words with confidence, speaking flawlessly” – or not, she still sounds like a a 12 year old, strangles her vowels, Royal Family You Tube had to put subtitles on her recent speech at RHS Wisley… her elocution lessons have done her no favours at all.
And if she’s had to reinvent her style, clothes, hair and voice (after 8 years of marriage and 10 years of waiting) what is left of the original Kate?
Even when the queen is a pedo apologist? I don’t care if she wants to loook the other way for Bills consensual affairs with grown women. Caping for Andy is a whole different thing.
I don’t think this is led by KP. I think this is about right wing papers holding Kate up as the white supremacist ideal woman to appeal to their readers- many MAGA types frequent the Fail. The line about Queen, country and family sounds straight out of Nazi propaganda. Remember Seward said all that Kate needed to do was look pretty. Portraying her as a submissive woman who is just about looking pretty, raising her family etc appeals to the more old fashioned monarchists and also to the new Kate ‘fans’ who came on the scene when Meghan married in.
Perfectly said.
Kate will play the role of the conservative wife. She will not say or do anything that will cause pearl clutching. Her role as Duchess/Queen will be to look good on Bill’s arm.
These articles make Kate look even worse. 18 years have passed and no one can name ONE single project she has done that helps any of her patronages. NOT ONE. And a gwrden does not count. They smeared Meghan and lost. Yesterday I read that William wishes to work again with his brother..the nerve.
I’m surprised that she didn’t look to Sophie for advice or as a role model. Sophie doesn’t get any of the credit, attention or fanfare that Kate does but over the years she has really proven herself as committed and hard-working.
From what I’ve read, the Queen wanted Kate to learn the royal ropes from Sophie but William put his foot down and said he’d handle it and we’re all seeing how that turned out.
On your last sentence, apparently William made those comments in 2018 but the article in question framed it as an “unearthed interview”…which makes me wonder why the media is choosing to bring it up now. There’s always an ulterior motive when these British tabloids are revisiting interviews/comments/stories from the past. It’s just like how the media kept bringing up the troubles in Will & Kate’s dating years when the Rose story was prominent a few months ago.
@Cora. I saw that article too, strange that its appearing in the middle of a very successful Southern Africa tour… KP know that H&M are streets ahead of W&K in popularity and work ethic so want to lay the groundwork and blame Meghan when the “Fab 4” don’t ever become a thing again. H&M don’t need W&K but W&K sure want to hang on the coattails of H&M….
Oooo Cora where’d you read that?
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1182558/meghan-markle-news-prince-william-kate-middleton-prince-harry-royal-family-rift-spt
Bill and Cathy must be laughing HARD at they change in PR and they didn’t need to do a damn thing. lolololol
I would love for the Cambridge to test that out by doing the bare minimum for the rest of the year. I guarantee the media will not bring up their lack of engagements. As long as Meghan is around for the media to poke, rip and sneer at, the Cambridge’s are golden.
The media really is fickle and fake news.
While I do see that they’ve been working hard on her image over the past year, I believe a super slow roll-out of Kate has been the plan all along. I don’t think they wanted her front and center in the beginning. They were terrified of another Diana overshadowing the Firm problem. Now that Kate’s had her kids, been cheated on (again), probably/maybe finished with the baby-making, plus they have the Andrew fiasco, competition from the Sussexes, and the fact that William has turned out to be more like his Dad than his Mum…Kate is the only shiny thing they have to push.
I disagree. There was no “slow roll out of Kate.” There was William whinging about wanting a normal life which translated means not work hard. He got away with that for a few years until the Will Not bad press began. There was never any danger of the woman who waited for William for a decade ever becoming another Diana. 🙄
They were supposed to start working once there were set up at Apt 1A in KP but Willy decided to play part time copilot and that got delayed several years. She was definitely supposed to pick it up after the “mat leave” for Charlotte ended, but she basically got pregnant a few months after that. Phillip finally retired at that point in the expectation that those two would pick it up. William slightly bumped up his numbers but Kate still hasn’t. Last year around this time we got the golden era of Kate Middleton article because she was finally supposed to start working more… she still hasn’t. Unless she gets pregnant soon, she is going to run out of justifiable reasons to keep delaying the full time work
At most they were going to give Kate a slow roll when Will was in the RAF, but it wasn’t supposed to go on for now close to a decade.
If Will was more like his dad, he would have an actual work ethic, and make sure Kate was actually working, too.
The Malta Lie is a lie. They were supposed to work from day one. There was no plan for a “slow roll out” of Kate, merely W&K being selfish and lazy. We were told in the engagement interview she was going to get to work right away. A few days after the wedding we were told nope, she’s going to be a housewife and not work. WTF? The other married-ins married to working royals work, most from the beginning. Kent, Gloucester. And all the ones married to the main line worked right away (Philip, Diana, Camilla).
It’s October and she has done nothing substantive. In a year where she had no pregnancy or mat leave it’s a pretty flimsy showing. She’s lucky to have people more than willing to build up her image in the media rather than expose her lack of work ethic.
Thank you, Mego. She has done nothing but add her name to the design of that Garden. That is it. What a waste.
So we have a 50 year old women who still can’t put two words together and articulate a really good speech, who after 7 years on the job is still keenly understanding her role and has finally had an independent project that nobody really understands, dragging a garden around London….and really the bar is soooo low
50? Omg
She’s only 38 Molly!
New hair style? Lol
Barf 🤮
She looks fantastic in those photos but she does not look like a queen, she looks like any other celebrity who has spent three hours in hair and makeup (obviously someone else got the kids ready for their first day of school.
I don’t blame Kate for wanting to look good for photographers, but it’s so hypocritical that Meghan gets slammed for “acting like a celebrity” and not a royal and Kate the opposite.
Meghan’s the one who has minimal makeup and messy hair, does unglam things like soup kitchens and memorials to murdered teens, and and rolls her sleeves up and gets on with things. Kate always has a professional blowout, wears gobs of makeup, and mainly only does really glamorous royal events.
I have to say that while I enjoy Celebitchy, I find it very off-putting that Kate is always slagged by the authors here. It is too much and I mostly just gloss over, or ignore your Kate coverage. I understand this is gossip, but it is so blatantly anti-Kate, no matter what she does or doesn’t do.
I like Meghan as well. And where this site is totally anti-Kate, it is always pro-Meghan.
So can you actually defend her work ethic? Because there is nothing wrong with criticizing a lazy queen consort. This article is praising how she dresses, and how she keeps her hair. All very superficial of course, but very important to those who value such. The future of the monarchy lies in the model that Harry and Meghan presents. Philanthropy, creativity and sincerity in the promotion of social and economic issues and the fostering of continued mutual relations. In accounting we talk about how the economic substance trumps the legal form; we’ll thats the same with the tale of these two duchesses. Meghan is the substance and Kate is the form.
To be fair, what else could she possibly ascribe any importance to? “Chutney, jeggings and wiglets”?
“Theme dressing, wedges and cheese on toast”?
“Stripes, L K Bennett and curry”?
She has chosen not to have a vibrant personality in this role, so it’s her fault if we, the British public, don’t take her seriously.
Kate looks great holding the microphone it’s what happens when she speaks that’s a tragedy. I wonder when Camilla becomes Queen will we hear all of the future Queen talk about Kate. I’m sure Camilla is annoyed by KP constantly talking about Kate as if she is the next Queen Consort and not her.
I have noticed that Camilla is quite popular in the British tabloids now and in any comments columns if she is trashed by a reader it is always red arrowed quite a bit.