True story: a few days ago, after the rush of the Oscars finally died down and I was contemplating the gossip landscape post-awards season, I suddenly remembered the Duchess of Cambridge’s Struggle Survey and how weird it was that she wasn’t promoting it consistently after the initial two-day introductory push. I do think that Kate had an event last week – during the day of activities in South Wales – which was specifically for the Struggle Survey, aka the Five Big Questions, but that fact got lost in the shuffle of other pieces of royal news. My point is that the “launch” of the survey has reflected the survey itself: kind of half-assed and mostly for appearance’s sake. The point is not to actually affect policy or change, the point is to give Kate some busy work and photo-ops.
So, with all that being said, Kate is doing an event today which is specifically and solely in association with the launch of Early Years and the “five big questions” survey. Today, Kate traveled to Newtownards, Northern Ireland. She visited the Ark Open Farm and presumably she’ll be talking to kids or parents about the survey and how it took her eight years to come up with five questions.
Kate wore a lowkey outfit which I think is mostly repeats – those are the Penelope Chilvers boots she’s had since her university days, the jacket we’ve seen before and she has a million pairs of jeggings and skinny jeans. Maybe the turtleneck is new? Anyway, she looks cute here – I think she usually looks pretty great in sporty, casual looks. It’s also nice to see her without the old ball and chain – she just seems more relaxed and less “posed” without William around.
Also: this visit was unannounced and most of the photos are by Chris Jackson at Getty, the favorite of the Cambridges (and he’s married to Natasha Archer, Kate’s former stylist). I think she just brought Chris with her and they maybe invited one or two other photographers. A very controlled photo-op/event.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Much better without William around. She looks good here.
She looks so much better here I almost cannot believe it is the same person.
I think her dress down is miles better and she is great around children
I wonder if it’s because her preferred photographer photoshops her. When it’s an unannounced visit and there’s only this one guy there to document it, it’s much easier to have him photoshop her than if it’s an event where there are all sorts of different media outlets there taking pictures. Because she does look like a completely different person in these pictures. Her face looks significantly brighter and less lined and bloated/lumpy.
@AmyToo he def photoshops her. I never picked up on it before, but seeing her yesterday and today – its really obvious. Its a good photoshop, lol (not like when People mag makes her look unrecognizable) but its def there.
@amytoo I think you’re definitely on to something with that theory. It makes so much sense.
Yes, the difference between the Wales event yesterday and the photos today…no way is that all just lighting or a better night’s sleep or something.
Think it’s called day drinking.
*snorting
Stahp 🙂
Burn 🤪
I agree. Kate looks great sporty and she always looks happier, more relaxed and more engaged when she’s solo. Great comment above about the potential photoshopping with the only photos being taken by a photographer friend. I think you’re on to something. If not, she looks about 20 years younger than yesterday! As to the survey — I got nothing left to say about that hot mess.
She always looks younger when Jackson photoshops her pics. Not all the pics we saw from yesterday were from Jackson, and only his were photoshopped.
She apparently jetted off to Scotland from NI for this survey. What an actual waste to plan a private flight to NI and then Scotland in one day.
She overdoes the grinning and laughing and face making.
So Sinn Fein trounce other parties in our general election last Saturday in the Rep. of Ireland and start asking for a vote on the reunification of Ireland (please god no) and then a random royal visit occurs in Northern Ireland to remind them they are a part of the UK, Ok then, completely not related I am sure. The headline on the daily fail website is “Just call her Duchess Dolittle!” I see you DM!
Why no to reunification?
2020 a united Ireland!
@Lara the public sector in Northern Ireland accounts for 30.8% of the total workforce what would those people do for employment, reunification would send both Northern Ireland and the Rep of Ireland into years long recession, it would just sink us financially, but also the education systems are very different, N.I also uses the NHS so that would be another hurdle. Northern Ireland has the smallest economy of the UK, 60% of the population of N.I are classed are living in deprived districts. What currency would be in use, would they change to the Euro or would two currencies be used across the island.
N.I voted to remain in the EU during Brexit and not one consideration was give to the Good Friday agreement and how that was to be navigated by the government in power in the UK, it was out right stated that the Rep of Ireland should just leave the EU to make life convenient for the British government and to stop blocking Brexit by the fact we exist.
I think it would be grossly unfair to the people of N.I who are ruled by the UK, who fly the Union Jack to just discard them as inconvenient, and also grossly unfair to the people of the Rep of Ireland to expect them to take on mass unemployment, certain financial suicide and expand their country to people who frankly don’t want to be there, a certain return to terrorism would also be on the cards.
TLDR version:
The population of Rep. of Ireland is 4.8 million, so add N.I population of 1.8 million how would education, healthcare, social services and employment be funded when cutbacks are already in place across all these areas, why would people actively vote and willingly embrace hardship and poverty?
Zapp- thank you for your detailed reply, I certainly found it interesting! My husband from Northern Ireland (catholic) would love reunification but realises that no one really wants them….
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! Got it in one. They also just announced a visit to the Republic Zapp…something for us to look forward to 🙄
Heck, I’m in Canada, and this “coincidence” jumped out across the miles.
lol i’m in Canada too and when I saw it I though it was wayy too on the nose to be a coincidence. They are so transparent, it’s pathetic
I’m in the United States and literally as soon as I saw that she’d gone to NI I was like “Ahh yes that’ll be because of Sinn Fein winning the election.” Not hard to put two and two together!
Do you think Royal visits to NI are often announced ahead of time?
At least she didn’t embarrass herself wearing green, white, and orange to NI.
I always prefer her in sportier clothes. I imagine she’s thinking, ‘Ahh, back in my jeggings. All is right with the world again…’
I love casual Cathy’s outfits. Basic as I am, I’d wear all of these things.
Well why not they are good quality top money clothes.
Then we will match,because this is how I dress almost every day,lol.
I’m pretty basic too, so I don’t mind her casual outfits like this.
Agreed, her casual clothes are always much better.
I guess they couldn’t find any black kids to pose with her this time? Or has she moved on from that?
Oh I think they think they’ve fixed racism. No more need to pose with any children of color.
@Betsy, especially since the subject ‘bores’ Normal Bill so very much.
Should there never be any children of colour at events with royals? Is that what you’re suggesting?
“sarcasm”
It’s not that, it’s that suddenly during the weeks during and after Harry & Meghan left, the photos of Kate with kids suddenly featured a lot of kids who were not white. These things are not accidental.
Happy there are no token black kids around.
haha I noticed that too. Hard to find on short notice I guess?
Newtownards looks pretty suburban and remote. I would guess it’s pretty homogeneously white. Belfast is a little more diverse.
There was a DM article recently promoting the book of her “house mother” when she was a boarding school student. Apparently her dorm parents had a baby and Kate doted on it, came over to play with the baby all the time, etc. Guess she’s always liked little kids.
@carmen, I’m sure next time she’ll bus some in.
I’m late to the party but this was exactly my thought when I saw the pictures, LOL.
Is it known what manner of conveyance she traveled in to get from London to Northern Ireland? Just curious about the carbon impact this quick trip is having.
I assume it’s a private flight. Even 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement, the royals are still doing these surprise pop-ins to keep from getting blown up like Uncle Dickie. Like anyone would waste the gunpowder on them.
It gets better because she then went to Scotland by private jet. The planning is atrocious.
Is she doing another 30 minute event in Scotland or headed on holiday? Scotland used to be the way they snuck out of the UK. Anytime the Middletons were papped at an airport in Scotland, you knew a W&K+Middletons trip was happening.
According to Victoria Murphy she did an event in Aberdeen. That doesn’t mean they aren’t going on vacation after that, but she did go for work.
I hope the pitchforks come out for her use of a private plane.
I want to go to Aberdeen! I want to stay in Aberdeen!
Sorry, just daydreaming…
Aren’t we all surprised that now that that nasty black Duchess has been driven from the island, the press no longer cares about cost of outfits, number of engagements, productivity, or — wonder of wonders — the carbon footprint of the remaining royals? The silence of the RR now that it’s all white and right again just makes me laugh. But, there’s no racism in their reporting. If there was no racism, they would be nailing the rest of the royals about all the “non-racist” things they find so offensive about Meghan — like breathing.
Boy oh boy are they are on a positive PR overdrive now.
Its all so transparent…. she hasn’t done this much in a row, her whole public life.
Yep, and I find the smiles and forced enthusiasm, well … forced. It never appears genuine since Meghan and Harry left.
Lately why her hair look mess. I mean jate signature look is full blown dry and straight hair and so much hairspray which last for hours. Lately her hair is not blown or straighted?? Her clothes are I’ll fitting and those pants and long coats which Meghan was mocked by her stans. I love her stan spinning this mess hair of Kate and those long coats and pants are perfect. These same stans mock Meghan for her hair etc. Did she fire her hair stylist?? Beacuse this look is not worth 300 pounds.
Huh. Maybe she will break 200 for engagements this year.
She does look good here, I like the blue turtleneck with the rest of the outfit, it brightens it a bit. But, this is her “I’m going to be outside with kids” outfit, so I think if this event had been announced, we all could have predicted something similar, lol.
(I know the Northern Ireland events are not announced in advance.)
I wouldn’t want to be a jeggings-wearing princess if it means an old guy checking out my ass. (See above) (old guy with ceremonial necklace – an official of some sort?)
Well she needs some attention
Indeed, gross men are definitely the fault of women.
Nah this is her mo. She likes it when people check her out. It’s been 8+ years and still no hem weights? That’s no accident…
She’s not to blame for that guy’s behavior. Come on. It’s 2020. Can we not throw this kind of thing at women?
I thought he was looking at the dog?
Ok, even if at her arse, how is that on her?
because clearly she was ‘asking for it’ with her attire — sarcasm if that wasn’t obvious
Trying hard to outrun her years on years lazy reputation and build goodwill after being called out for helping to drive H&M away and/or apart. I’m afraid that stain is never going away.
Good outfit. NI engagements are almost never announced ahead of time so nothing there either. And it seems the survey is going to be the equivalent to her garden this year so its great that she’s promoting it
Even better that she’s finally doing some engagements. Maybe 2020 will be the year she cracks 200 engagements
For Kate, she’s been pretty consistently supporting the survey. She’s also been working more and harder that William. She also sometimes manages to look like she genuinely likes it (less so when William is there). She got a lot of criticism for not working, but now that she’s working more, she’s being criticized for not working in the right way. William isn’t held to this standard. I don’t see why she should be expected to do more than he does.
William’s solo work doesn’t get coverage like Kate’s.
I am critical of the survey. It’s open until June which is when school holidays start. KP can easily put out a statement saying they need to now examine the “data,” fast-forward to months later, they can then put another announcement that something will be started in 2021. It feels like one long delay tactic.
The useless struggle survey done by a PR firm. We should all file FOI requests to see the breakdown of the survey respondents and their country of origin, and to find out how much money was paid for the survey. We’d see how many of those replies were repeat responses from the pro-Kate, anti-Meghan factions in the US. And how many came from a certain building in Berkshire.
Yeah William has been working relatively consistently over the past few years. He’s nowhere near his father’s numbers, and I don’t think he’s working the way the future king should work, but he’s picked it up comparatively.
Sorry Kate never works “harder.” Harder than what? She has had low numbers and I think she is resentful that she has to go out more.
I completed the survey on Monday (Cdn) so she’ll get a full on Commonwealth perspective 🙂
It’s kind of fitting that the result of the chaos with Harry and Meghan is that Kate ends up having to do a lot more events. Wiser people than she and William might have realized that you can’t have the spotlight and be a stay at home parent (or whatever he’s doing), but that they might have been able to have the second if they could share the first.
@lunchcoma, Normal Bill and Keen Katie are living examples of ‘be careful what you wish for’. They helped force the Sussexes out of the royal family out of spite and jealousy and now it’s ‘no Mustique for you!!!!’
Be Careful What You Wish For should be The title of a Will & Kate biography. Alternate title could be “No Mustique for you!” LoL!!!!
I don’t really follow this line of reasoning. H&M were on the scene as ‘senior royals’ for what, a year? It isn’t like there was a dearth of projects piling up just waiting for Harry to get married so someone, omg anyone, could pick those up!
From what I see they went their own way and did completely different projects ( with fantastic results re: smartworks and the cookbook) but I just really don’t see this huge vacancy that desperately requires someone to fill the void. It’s a good narrative yea, but the reality? I’m not seeing it.
I know this is very bad of me to say but I cant help it. The guy in second photos is searching for Kate arse. It’s not there mate.
I was just scrolling down to write the same thing.
[*He totally is!*]
Oh, no, I love your comment!
Love the outfit. She’s back amongst people on her level ie children.
She really needs to control her maniacal facial expressions. Looks forced.
Precisely why I suspect day drinking. Wonder what Keen Kate’s preferred drink might be.
Her upper lip completely vanishes when she does the terrifying “Look what FUN we’re having!” face.
After that granny face she was caught with yesterday, looks like Kate squeezed in a last minute on call botox appointment and now is back on the scene.
Yes she looks rather surprised with shiny forehead here.
Eh, or maybe she got some sleep, moisturized, drank some water. Botox doesn’t actually work that way.
She does look more botoxed here than yesterday which is strange. Her forehead and eyebrows seem different. I know it takes a few weeks to see the full result. Also she always gets fresh Botox around the baftas, being around them Hollywood stars.
Chris Jackson photoshops his pictures of her (yesterday and today). The other photographers from yesterday didn’t.
I actually buy this – the ever present ( on EVERY article ) oh it’s a fresh round of botox are clearly written by people who just don’t know how botox works.
Is there a botox filter in photoshop?
Not a fan of this outfit. The jacket doesn’t fit her, it’s too high waisted (as usual). Hate the boots and it goes without saying that those jeans would only be ROYAL work appropriate if she had on a longer jacket or coat.
Facial expressions are phony, as usual.
Credit to her for keeping her boots in good nick these last 20 ish years! I’ve got boots younger than that which look far more decrepit
she probably has multiple versions.
Yep, but she’s thrifty apparently
Is anyone here a photographer? Does this Chris Jackson publish all or does he only publish those pictures which he chooses?
I ask because my friend is a photog and somehow I feel like he is really good at capturing intimacy between people, and their spirit, and I never get that from Chris Jackson’s pictures – I just get the sense he is trying to take as many pictures as possible and then plops out the ones where Kate guffaws.
Is anyone here a photographer? Does this Chris Jackson publish all or does he only publish those pictures which he chooses?
I ask because my friend is a photog and somehow I feel like he is really good at capturing intimacy between people, and their spirit, and I never get that from Chris Jackson’s pictures. Like the difference between Cecil doing princess margaret’s picture versus the one by her future photographer husband.
So now it’s Keen Katie’s job to keep Northern Ireland in the fold. They are working this poor woman to death!
The 18 hours a month is wearing her down. I sense a holiday soon. They have a few weeks before The Commonwealth service to fit one in.
Have they been skiing yet this year, Nota?
No I think Sussexit blocked that, lol. But there’s still time yet.
Nor have they been on the annual Mustique holiday, which is generally Jan/Feb.
She definitely looks better/happier without William. She looks so much more natural in sporty clothes. Also, in that one pic…is that cheeky guy staring at her butt?
While there is nothing wrong with these clothes for everyday, it is far too scruffy and dull a look for a duchess. The conglomeration of dark garments is very drab. A slight effort was made with the glimpse of blue, but it is indeed far too meagre to save the outfit. Yesterday’s outfit was overly ‘prissy princess’ – this is unfortunately very much ‘dullard duchess’. If only she had the capacity to learn from other senior royals: a well chosen silk scarf in uplifting colours would have done wonders for this look.
Kate doesn’t understand professional dress, because she’s never worked. A good pair of trousers and her ugly stack heels would have worked fine here and been a professional look.
Northern Ireland is a dangerous destination for any and all members of the BRF. Im not surprised it was done somewhat secretly and with only once photographer. I’m in Dublin now, and it’s really nice to see go up there.
Kate looks much more comfortable and happy here, even with the maniacal expressions. I still actively hate the painted on jeggings but I don’t expect anything less from her.
Guys genuine question because this stereotype is true. You know better since americans really do have the best teeth! Does Kate have veeners? Her smile was lovely even back in high school days but now it’s like perfect..
lili/lirael/lisel, Kate’s over-size veneers have been discussed on here repeatedly.
She had braces in her teens so what happened to make her resort to veneers? People usually get them when their teeth are somehow damaged (severely stained, chipped, etc.).
Maybe for cigarette stains?
Yes she does but I think Meghan has the nicest teeth, Kate’s were yellow when she first arrived. They’re too big, combined with her very thin lips they barely wrap around.
Her smile is gorgeous I agree. Honestly she’d stand out in my hometown so much based on her teeth alone. Kate’s now are too big I agree but for me they weren’t yellow before but you know I’m used to “british teeth”.
When she smiles really wide, you can see where the veneers end and her molars begin. Easiest to see on George’s christening photos.
Thank you. Americans have gorgeous smiles – even the “normal” ones. How do you do it, huh. Still, is there any celebrity who doesn’t have veneers?
She did some really expensive dental work before her wedding/engagement. I believe it was a French dentist who does some special procedure that makes your teeth look more “normal” even though they are veneers. Micro-rotations or something like that. The cost is around 15.000$. I was reading about that because I was doing some research for my own veneers.
She looks a helluva lot better when not dragging around 190lbs of Penis-With-Teeth
NI has enough problems without her Struggle Survey, however, as does the ROI. Stay. Home.
She does. Yesterday it looked like she barely bothered to brush her hair and do her makeup nicely. Today she looks neater.
As this is her job, I would expect her always to look neat and tidy. Strange how sometimes it’s like she can’t be bothered – even with all the time on her hands.
Perhaps she’s anxious and/or depressed?
What in the absolute heck is that animal in the first pic? It looks like a muppet, including orig made in the 70s!
Just a guess – maybe an Irish Wolfhound whose hair has been styled? It’s the largest breed of dog.
That’s an alpaca lol
She was also in Aberdeen in Scotland and I think she wore a different coat. In Aberdeen she was also speaking to the homeless. Again, the visit was not announced but apparently people started coming when they heard she was there. Scotland, I might add, does not blindly follow the RF whatever. The rep from the children’s charity in Aberdeen said Kate had hit the nail on the head with her children’s questions.
Shame about Peter and Autumn Phillips. I always thought they were well suited. Peter is always stated as being the Queen’s favourite grandchild.
I’m sure the homeless don’t give a crap about this survey. They are just trying to survive. Besides do they have access to a computer to fill it out?
The questions are PR and pretending they mean anything is just ass kissing the royals.
and if anyone “hit the nail on the head” it was more likely the individual that Kate delegated the real work to.
Homeless was a completely different, separate engagement – nothing to do with the survey!!
She is getting mileage out of the 5 survey questions it took her years to finish. Like last year other people designed gardens for her and she posed with children for her “royal work.”
I feel like Kate will hit 200 on her engagement numbers this year. I wonder if she will keep the momentum for next year?
Eh, it’s way too early to make that call imo. For all we know, she could announce a 4th pregnancy and disappear for half the year or simply revert to her usual “appear once or twice and disappear for a few weeks” routine when she thinks she can get away with it. She’s only doing more engagements because Sussexit lit a fire under her ass.
I don’t get the reference to it being wasteful for her to go to NI and Scotland in one day. It’s a short hop across about 15 miles of sea. Far better than going back to London and then to Scotland. Not that they’re bothered about cost.
Scheduling a private jet first to Northern Ireland and then Aberdeen is a waste. She just didn’t want to take the time to use less environmentally wasteful methods of transportation. There was no need for her to attend both things in one day for about an hour at each one. There could have been two days of engagements with more time at each.
Oh God not that effing struggle survey again. It’s like trying to embiggen Tom Thumb. It’s a crap survey that no one is talking about. Stop pretending it’s a big deal team Cambridge.
Well, that’s cool because I have been there – took my son last time we were visiting his Irish grandparents. I don’t know all the details but I wonder if Scotland leaves the UK, do you think NI will follow?
How kind of their mouthpieces I mean royal rota to not even mention her use of private jets to make these visits🙄