As always, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spread out one “event” so they get credit for it four or five times. Last week was the Cambridges’ ninth wedding anniversary, and the first that they’ve spent in lockdown, unable to celebrate with friends or family. I wondered if William and Kate had anything special planned, but we’ll never find out. What we did find out was that Kate spent her anniversary “working.” She used Zoom to speak to charities connected with new mothers and midwives:
Kate Middleton spent her ninth wedding anniversary supporting charities working with pregnant women and new mothers. The Duchess of Cambridge, 38, and her husband, Prince William, 37, got married at Westminster Abbey on 29 April in a service that was watched across the globe. Last week the couple marked nine years of marriage but were forced to stay home due to the ongoing lockdown.
And according to the Court Circular – the official daily list of royal engagements – the duchess spent the afternoon taking part in a roundtable discussion with organisations supporting women in her role as patron of the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
This info came out on Thursday/Friday, I think, and I wondered if we would actually hear anything else about it. Turns out, it took a few days for Kensington Palace to put together the video highlights of Kate chatting with new mums and various charity people, combined with some jaunty music. Kensington Palace also highlighted some resources for Midwives, expectant mothers and new mothers on their social media.
I’m not going to complain about any of this – this is what Kate is supposed to be doing, and what she should have been doing throughout the lockdown. It took the Cambridges about a month to figure it out, that this is how they could work during the lockdown, and how they could show it off on social media. Thankfully, they grabbed the Sussexes’ old social media guy in March, right?
The Duchess spoke with Midwives on the impact of coronavirus on them and their families — last week The Duke and Duchess launched @OurFrontlineUK, which provides round mental health support to frontline staff and key workershttps://t.co/JFXDZ9nx05
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) May 2, 2020
Screencaps courtesy of KensingtonRoyal’s social media.
Her lazy husband, AKA the future King of England is nowhere to be seen???
William will probably announce a new project that someone else has been working on soon enough.
I’m honestly glad he’s backed off and let Kate do things by herself again. He’s clearly been worried about his numbers and tagging along on everything she does lately. She’s better and more relaxed when he isn’t there. It’s better for her causes if he isn’t there.
She is far from perfect. She also to me comes across as patronizing.
Kate is still cosplaying Meghan with yet another similar hairstyle to Meghan’s. Forget about the fact that it took Meghan marrying into the family for a fire to be lit under Kate and Will to start doing more. Cain & Unable have constantly been trying to keep up ever since M&H’s successful series of trips to communities across Great Britain in the lead-up to their May 2018 royal wedding. Especially after the Sussexes’ very successful South Pacific tour, the Lamebridges have been visibly pissed and acting all bitter, insecure, petty and competitive.
While this effort and support of new moms and of midwives is right up Kate’s alley, why did it take her and her enablers so long to come up with something to support that she was interested in and could be halfway convincing and sincere about?
Again, Kate (and other members of the royal family) have been following Meghan’s lead in their sudden new approaches to doing work, with an emphasis quite often on women’s issues. It’s certainly helping W&K to have grabbed the Sussexes’ social media guy. But the Lamebridges and all the royals should credit Meghan for her ideas, hard work, and the fresh outlook and inspirations she brought to the firm. Of course, they never will.
Remember when the press bullied Meghan when she was pregnant/taking care of a newborn and Kate actively benefited from it? Because I sure as heck do!
I will never forget.
Kensington royal better not post anything about Archie.
Yup, that was my first thought too. the mental health of all pregnant women is important….but not the mental health of the biracial duchess married to her brother in law.
Yup. How anyone can take them seriously when they speak about mental health is beyond me. Actual family members spoke about the pain they were experiencing, crying out for help and nothing. They are the biggest hypocrites.
Still don’t know how to position the camera I see.
I’m not adept with the ins and outs of Zoom, etc. But even I know how I DON’T want to look on any camera. I have a Google hangout for work in three hours and my iPad is going on a higher table…I need all the help I can get lol.
All my thoughts on the Cambridges and their shenanigans aside – this really was lovely. And I agree: smart hire on the former Sussex social media person.
Interesting as feel like I saw a complaint that Kate hadn’t done any solo zooms & then up she pops.
This looks nicely done but going by recent times the royals have no credibility to me on issues of diversity, mental health& maternal health. A shame as I really respected when the young royals rolled out Heads Together& gave them a lot of credit for opening up conversations around mental health in the UK.
I sometimes wonder if Kate just dislikes the rigors of getting got up for public events, which is why she doesn’t like to do them. She seems so much happier/more comfortable in casual clothes events. I think this may be a lot of why she’s jelly of Meg: Meg is at home with glam and crowds, and getting dolled up.
Lol no it is the other way around actually. Meghan has never glammed up at all during her time as a royal. Idk why people have that misconception that Meghan was giving major Hollywood glam vibes in every thing she did. The girl had her hair in messy buns, she wore crisp white shirts and jeans whenever she could, she wore pantsuits. She was all about professional and casual and the occasional times where she literally dressed to kill.
Kate always looks “immaculate” in her looks and this was long before Meghan. She always has her hair in some neat and polished contraption and constantly wears pristine clothes even though they make her look like an old hag and she always has tons of makeup on. Kate is the Glam girl not Meghan.
From what we seen as Sussex goodbye tour , its was obvious they asked Meghan not to overshadow Kate as future future queen. That’s why they didnt give her any royal collection jewelry for the tour not even the brooch. Meghan can dress nicely if she wants but I think palace might insisted that she is not to be upstage kate.
Old hag? ‘kay.
Aria,
I never noticed a lack of royal jewelry on the goodbye tour. That said, if you are leaving behind royal duties and royal life, I think doing so while wearing royal jewelry would be jarring and not what the Sussexs wanted to display.I
As far as upstaging Kate, I don’t think anyone was told not to. Meghan very obviously has a style aesthetic that she followed and looked fantastic doing so. Her cape dresses and her last appearance as a royal red dress was fantastuc.
@Darling – Aria is referring to Meghan’s royal tours and the lack of jewelry, not the farewell tour (she just referred to both so may be confusing.) I don’t think we ever saw Meghan wear anything borrowed on any of her tours, including the big Australia/South Pacific one, and the Queen has definitely lent jewelry to Kate for tours – things like brooches that are specific to the country, etc.
@Becks1,
I see. That was confusing. I was of the idea that The Queen was actually very welcoming to Meghan in the beginning, far more so than Kate. The joint appearance took place almost immediately and the two seemed to really get on. I may have to re-evaluate but I thought it took Kate a long time to get access to royal jewelry too.
I thought that Prince Charles also enjoyed a closer relationship with the Sussexs than with the Cambridges for a year or so into Meghan meeting the family.
Canadace, couldn’t agree with you more, the BM have completely changed Meghan’s personality into something she is not.
Well, she still had time for a blowout and makeup in time for this Zoom. Also, looks like some of the extensions are back in.
I mean – anyone could do that to their hair. It’s not like she did anything difficult. She’s also got all of it pushed to the front so it looks thicker (I do this a lot haha) I don’t think there’s any extensions added. Her hair looks quite fine here – she’s just using the loose curls and the fact that it’s all in front to make it look thicker than it is.
Kate has a stylist, she does not do this herself. IMO.
Her hair must’ve grown several inches in a few weeks, then. LOL
It looks like she’s had a dye job as well – it look lighter to me.
In 10 years, Kate mostly have chosen ‘the obvious activities’ (and label them as ‘work’) that do not require much effort or deep knowledge; like things related to making babies and raising young children. Yes as a mother, these are self-evident activities, nothing special. However, her contribution often remains with ‘words’, some minor actions, not real ground breaking or life changing efforts. I am still waiting for a project or activity – of her OWN – outside her ‘comfort zone’.
i will never forget how she benefited from the smear campaign while Meghan was pregnant. I remember after Archie was born she was asked about it and instead of saying ‘I am happy for them and I hope the press leave them alone so they can enjoy this’ she says “Spring is such a lovely time to have babies!”
Because summer, fall and winter are not? Her reaction proved that she didn’t care about Meghan or Archie’s well being. It was such a dumb thing to say. I will never take her seriously when it comes to pregnancy or a mother’s well being.
Yes yes also her hubby said he is second time uncle and instead of being happy. Its says a lot. Dont forget keen katie wore white shade of dress to Meghan wedding. She is mean girl and I dont knownwhy she is that jealous towards Meghan it’s like Meghan stole her husband. Keen katie likes to have wales boys to herself and her mean behaviour is obvious. Dont forget to dress her kids in harry old clothes, wear diana earrings the same she wear to harry , kate wear that to archie .
Well she was hot pink dress at Eugenie’s fall wedding then she was flashing people . Kate has been the Queen bee.
I completely agree. I will never take Kate seriously on this issue. And, it proves for me that she either doesn’t really care about maternal health and maternal MH (or she would have spoken up for pregnant and new-mom, Meghan) and/or she was actively taking part in the harassment against Meghan (so didn’t care enough to speak up).
The treatment of Meghan vs Kate and Diana (where, I believe, the queen spoke up on behalf of both of them and asked they be given space) as a new bride and while pregnant makes me feel literally sick to my stomach. The BRF – including Kate and William – are vile as human beings and as an institution. I hope Harry and Meghan never return and the others continue to fade into beige keenness.
It’s great that she did this but why isn’t she doing more I guess tangible work like Sophie? She could be reading to the sick or preparing food and making cute packages for children since she is more comfortable with her children charities.
This is great but I wish Kate would do more work instead of just doing zoom. She can read stories to sick children, make homemade foods to children too and make them into cute packages and she can record them and do it with her children to show compassion and care. She could volunteer at Norfolk hospital and help out. I feel like if this happened in the 80s or 90s Diana would do more.
Krafty Kate could do an Insta story with her kids-making simple masks in different sizes for families.
Sudden thought, could Party Pieces be making PPE? Or putting together single use meal/cutlery kits for frontline/essential workers?
But wasn’t the coverage of Carole delivering packs from Party Pieces wonderful? Isn’t in inspiring how the Middleton’s don’t take advantage of their royal connections to plug their business?? *sarcasm* *lots of sarcasm*
The best part is that Sophie’s tangible work at the food banks can’t count as royal work in the CC because of how lazy the Cambridges are. Sophie is volunteering at food banks “on her free time”.
Zoom calls should be one of many things that should be done and since the Cambridges are the youngest working royals now they should be leaving their home.
They were criticized for not following safety protocol and not wearing masks and for not practicing social distancing.
They could easily be helping at food banks wearing the proper PPE like Sophie has been doing.
But sure continue to be obtuse.
Wow that still doesn’t explain why they can’t wear proper PPE to go to food banks. They were wasting the time of the first responders but that doesn’t mean they can’t do what Sophie is doing and actually get out there and help at food banks.
The visit to the first responders was PR and did nothing to actually help people.
Did I say they need to go visit first responders again? No. I said they should go out and help at food banks so again you are being obtuse and pretending like they did anything remotely close to what Sophie has been doing, without any CC credit either. Visiting first responders for photos is not the same as helping at food banks. So whatever receipt you thought you produced doesn’t actually go to my original point of getting out and helping others. Self serving photo ops are not actually helping anyone. And wearing PPE to deliver food is also required.
Nice try though. You did more effort looking up my past comments than Kate or William ever have in making a real effort to help others. Too bad you can’t use that energy for good.
I was wondering when this would happen. Kate seems to have an interest in nurses so I was hoping an engagement like this would happen.
Anyways she could have also supported her sister-in-law when she became a new mum (and no I don’t want to hear how Kate may or may not have supported Meghan privately. Private support means nothing in this case unless Meghan publicly benefits from it. It’s all well and good saying “Aw you poor thing” behind closed doors but the public response is what people see and base their judgements on – which is what’s happening here)
Exactly Sofia! The royals have so many ways to get their thoughts and messages out there without actually having to say a word so the fact that not one of them showed one smidgen of support during Meghan’s pregnancy and not one of them decried that horrible chimp photo , I’ll never forget it or forgive it.
A quick word from the Queen and/or Charles could have gone a long way. But nope. All negative reporting didn’t need to stop and it wouldn’t have but it would have reduced the negative stories greatly.
Sofia, even if the negative reporting didn’t stop at all, at least H&M, the British people and indeed the world would have know that the royal family supported Meghan and Harry. Now H&M, the British people and indeed the world know that the royal family are spineless and only concerned about themselves.
Kate is more false than Monopoly’s money.
Was this recorded as ‘work’?
Her hair reminds me of Meghan’s smart set zoom outing, but with extra curls. Much more relaxed look and without the bouffant.
Yup, CopyKate at it again….Meg does her solo zoom chats with her charities, out comes CopyKate with the same concept. Interesting she combs her hair just like Meg and smiles all throughout the video like Meg (no hesitancy/distracted looks like in previous vids). And this is counted in the CC as ‘work’ but not Sophie who did a physical engagement – so over these lamebridges.
Do you know why Sophie’s work wasn’t counted?
@Ruby: Honestly? There’s no explanation really given as to why some things are counted in the CC and some aren’t.
Richard Palmer advised that the royals are only expected to work virtually and that Sophie going in person to work at food banks is considered to be done “in her spare time”.
While I can understand that Charles and the Queen are in a high risk group and should not be meeting people in person, there is zero reason for the youngest working royals to not be stepping out of Anmer once in a while to help. Sophie is in her 50s and she is actually in a higher risk group than the Cambridges.
The lack of leadership from the FFK and FFQC is astonishing. Oh wait it’s actually not because they have played these games since day one.
@MerryGirl said:
“… Yup, CopyKate at it again….Meg does her solo zoom chats with her charities, out comes CopyKate with the same concept. Interesting she combs her hair just like Meg and smiles all throughout the video like Meg (no hesitancy/distracted looks like in previous vids)…”
^^ Yep, exactly. It’s as if Kate can’t do anything on her own without copying Meghan or Diana, or someone else, or a combination of other people, because Kate has no personal authenticity or genuine ideas of her own.
For God’s sake, I understand that people support one woman or the other, but to tell that Kate copied Megan’s haistyle is stupid. Women have been wearing this particular hairstyle for ages, and if you want to mention it in this context, Kate wore it first (in the Zoom call in yellow sweater, that was prior to Megans, I believe you have picture on this website).
@Ruby Woo said:
“Her hair reminds me of Meghan’s smart set zoom outing, but with extra curls. Much more relaxed look and without the bouffant.”
Yes, this was my first thought too, which I mentioned above earlier. I’m guessing you mean that Meghan’s hairstyle was more relaxed than Kate’s similar copycat style. Kate employed a subtle bouffant and loose hanging waves that she positioned in front around her shoulders, rather than hanging behind her as we saw with Meghan’s style.
It’s definitely Kate cosplaying Meghan. I don’t recall Kate switching up her hairstyles nor lightening her hair as much as she’s been doing since Meghan married Harry. And who can forget how at 2017 Wimbledon, it was suddenly announced that Kate had been named patron and president of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Kate made an appearance with a new, shorter hairstyle. She was freshening up her look in reaction to Meghan’s 2016 Wimbledon visit being talked about along with speculation about whether Meghan would appear at Wimbledon in 2017. While it’s surely okay to respond in an inspired way when someone with great style and fashion sense begins dating your brother-in-law, we all now know that Kate was/ is just bitter and insecure.
Meghan didn’t show at Wimbledon that year because she was suddenly famous and trying to keep a low profile while dating Harry. Also in 2017, Meghan’s friend Serena didn’t compete because of being about 7 months pregnant. Kate and her family have always been great tennis aficionados. Still, IMO, Kate suddenly being named patron of Wimbledon’s All England club and appearing prominently seems to be more about Kate reacting to all the chatter about Meghan’s glamorous appearance at Wimbledon the year before.
Few people knew who Meghan was in 2016 (which was around the same time she had her first dates with Harry). Ironically in 2017, the media was publishing pictures of Meghan at Wimbledon from the year before and everyone was talking about whether she’d show up there again in 2017. Nope, but we did get Kate in a big way showing up and taking claim that Wimbledon was her territory. In 2018, Kate seemed to underscore her ownership of the Wimbledon spotlight, with Meghan having to follow behind Kate. In 2019, Kate and Pippa were sitting on either side of Meghan in the royal box at Wimbledon, in effect trying to both mute and steal Meghan’s shine. I say that because I don’t believe either Middleton ‘wisteria’ sister are particularly magnanimous to other females. They just don’t seem to be wired that way.
I know some people will feel that it was nice seeing Kate & Pippa with Meghan, but I don’t think either of the Middleton girls have been genuinely welcoming and friendly toward Meghan. It must be a relief for Meghan to be out of the stifling, mean-spirited grip of the gilded cage. Cue up the title of Omid Scobie’s new book, “Finding Freedom…”
I just can’t listen to this woman talk about maternal mental health when she uttered not one single word or lifted one manicured finger to support her brother and sister-in-law during their pregnancy and racist press abuse. The fact that not one member of the BRF spoke out against the chimp photo will be something I will never forget or forgive. And I will continue to mention these items every single chance I get.
This. Also to be petty, the botox that the palace denied, with lies, is evident in the way her mouth moves. As in you can tell she’s had it done. That’s my snark for today 🙂
If it’s not botox then I totally want the zoom filter that smoothes out any lines.
I am going to comment cause this interest me, it’s either botox or fillers, it’s not done very obvious since her lips are very thin from the get go, and it was injected very deep (or underside) as to not get too much of a fake pout look, the zoom where she’s wearing the stripe shirt was probalby when she just got it freshly done, cause her lips were puckered more, the effect is less now. ANyway, it was very well done, very discreet.
Oh yes, she’s def had a ‘tox and fillers touch up in the past week and her face is very smooth and youthful looking that does NOT come from makeup alone.
There is nothing wrong with getting botox and fillers, she should own it. If I could afford it I’d get surgery to deal with my jowls but alas I can only afford Retinol and Vitamin C serum to help with it (they encourage collagen production which helps with skin elasticity).
I wonder about the timing/routine she has for her Botox/filler sessions. In the Zoom video from early April (yellow sweater), the upper half of her face was practically frozen. Her eyebrows and forehead weren’t moving an inch. And it definitely looks like she got more recent work on her lower face.
@Harla ^^^ this x a million billion. Kate has no room to act like she cares about this issue because we’ve seen the proof she doesn’t. That family is so awful. There weren’t even any “leaked” or “KP sources say” type of quotes of support. Just dead silence. So, so awful. Even worse for me because Harry was very vocal (and was clear when they were all together in person as well) in his support of Kate in her early years of marriage. I can’t even imagine how selfish, cold, and heartless William and Kate are.
^^ Yes @Royalwatcher, Kate must have expected Harry’s lifetime support in a secondary role. Plus as others have said, Kate enjoyed having both Wales brothers as accessories during public outings.
Truth be told, William and Kate both expected Harry to forever play the needy spare, encouraging puppy dog of a brother with ideas and initiatives that they could piggyback on and receive joint credit for without actually doing much work. W&K did not anticipate Harry finding a strong, savvy soul mate, much less a gorgeous, classy American WOC, with smarts, a successful career and forward-thinking ideas.
The bar for this person is so low it’s nonexistent. This is not work! Also, the airbrushing is unbelievable in the first photo. So fake. SMH
Is she copying Megan’s hair from her previous zoom?
^^ Yes, obviously. Many of us have noticed Kate’s cosplaying. It’s neverending.
I think Kate is doing exactly what she is supposed to be doing. She has always been reported as being too chatty on walkabout and, imo, she is comfortable with and enjoys these interactions.
Kate’s strengths do seem to be family/child-related and outdoorsy situations. I hope she continues with these two areas and grows in them.
Yes, this is true enough. Well said.
Thanks.
I read something saying she quit her patronage of the Scouts. Has anyone else heard this?
^^ Sure @DarlingDiana, but Kate could try finding her own authenticity and personal style, instead of being a CopyKate. I say that because Kate is not a generous person, and she’s not comfortable in her own skin. Her insecurities coupled with her undercover petty attitude and her bitterness toward Meghan, even as she copies Meghan, is hard to take with equanimity.
Plus, what has taken Kate so long to figure out the working royal part of her role? As I said previously, Meghan simply being herself is what lit a fire underneath Kate and William. And that would be okay, if W&K weren’t so petty and vindictive.
Sorry not a fan of the BRF. Was pretty nuetral about them but more leaning to the annoyed and republic side, then when they chased the only biracial member, I relized they only like WOC in small doses and its always going to be the good ole’ boys club (Charles, then William, then George and occasionaly a white woman to keep their seat warm) I realized how useless and expensive it is. The whole idea of having a perfect white family to represent the world is laugable and ridiculous. WHat is this the 1960?? Now more than ever people are opting out of having kids cause of world overpopulation and environment and gay unions, and even more people are opting out of relationships, my daughters tell me all the time they aren’t getting married (like their aunt), I tell them that’s fine as long as they are independent enough and live within their means to look after themselves, this whole thing looks like PR to me, I’m sure Kates loving it though–a new way of endulging in her laziness.
100%
lol I thought it was just me who noticed how they cut one day’s “work” into parts and credit in CC as different events🙈It’s so shameless and pathetic
I and others have been posting under their tweets last week asking why as patron of nurses2020 campaign and royal midwives college is she not honouring their work and voila here’s their answer😏 I’m at least glad they are catching up. Poor David is probably doing all the work
This comment is important because it gives a glimpse into pioneers of feminism. It’s been 100 since women won the right to vote so it’s a big year for women’s rights and this is just a little story of that. To ignore this history and its ramifications is to ignore the journey of feminism so please, for WOMEN’S sake take to heart this comment everyone……………….
In the late 1700’s Mary Wollstonecraft and Judith Sargent Murray wrote treatises about the exclusion of women from an equal education. (For example, “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” and “On the Equality of the Sexes” respectively). One of their biggest complaints was that society focused on appearance as a way to imply that women are frivolous and incapable of intellect, and are therefore undeserving of any education outside of that for domestic duties. Looks were literally used to marginalize women and minorities and yet, so often I read comments on here that are in the same vein of what Wollstonecraft and Murray were trying to fight against.
To everyone that calls Kate haggard or implies that William is upset/jealous because Meghan is more beautiful or simply just uses looks as a way to degrade Kate, I beg you to go read what women wrote back then and you will realize you are playing into a centuries-old misogynistic tradition. It is an insult to the pioneers of feminism – the women who directly inspired Stanton and all the other suffragettes.
http://pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/vindicat.pdf
https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/murray/equality/equality.html
(Before anyone asks why I don’t go say the same thing to the DM people ripping Meghan’s looks to shreds…do you really think a single one of them would even entertain the thought of reading groundbreaking feminist literature? I have more hope that the women here will consider these works and act according)
I’m not trying to be insulting or start anything! I’m passionate about women’s rights and women’s education (just like Meghan). Learning the history behind women’s fight for an equal education just made it that much more obvious sexism is SO SO ingrained in society that even 200+ years later the same beliefs are used to put down women. Let’s finish what these women started. We owe it to all women past, present, and future. 🙂
If there were more to Kate than her looks we’d talk about that but there’s nothing there. And she had the best of educations
By treating women as nothing more than vapid mannequins we perpetuate centuries of sexism and oppression. And to treat even ONE woman that way is to give credence to those beliefs.
In 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft lamented in the first feminist writing “A Vindication…”, that women are subject to male prejudice that places a woman’s value wholly on her physical appearance while male value is determined wholly by their intellect. She further notes that society will become disgusted by women with age because there is nothing else to them – because they are vapid and vacuous.
Does your comment not echo those same sentiments that were used by men to deny women rights? Sentiments that still permeate modern attitudes surrounding women?
Nowords, I would recommend you learn a LOT more, specifically about misogynoir, before commenting.
This is not about white women. Stop deflecting and whatabouting.
I never said this is about white women, anywhere. I said this is about ALL women. I used Kate as an example because of a comment in this thread calling her haggard.
I have studied this stuff; like literally studied and written about sex, gender, and race relations in the Early American Republic. I can give you primary sources and books written by the most influential authors of women’s history if you do not believe me. But please do not insult my knowledge. Thank you.
This Zoom session was reported in the news on Saturday, May 2nd, Charlotte’s birthday (see, e.g. DM article of that date). At the time, I thought it was hilarious that Kate stepped on her own daughter’s news cycle! Kate fans were saying Meghan would pull something and try to draw attention away from Charlotte on her birthday but no, it was Kate!
The parent’s reaction was really cute and so was the little one 🙂
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness – Oscar Wilde.