Ever since Tatler-gate, there’s been such a weird energy around the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Not only around them, but around their Kensington Palace staff and the way the media is now treating everyone at KP post-Sussexit. The only good thing I can say about the Tatler debacle is that it seems – for now – that the Cambridges have dropped it, or at least they’re not issuing daily reminders of how badly they bungled it. But the fact that Tatler felt bold enough to come for Kate’s wiglet is an interesting turn of events. As is the story about the Sun’s Dan Wootton paying the partner of Will & Kate’s press secretary for “information.” My point is that there’s a vibe in the British press that maybe William and Kate need to be shoved off their Future King and Future Queen pedestals. Which is one way of explaining this curious little story:

With many European kings and queens having resumed physical engagements since the easing of lockdown in their countries, the British royal households are continuing to operate behind closed doors. [Recenty] the Duchess of Cambridge, 38, made a virtual visit to Clouds House, a rehab centre in Wiltshire, to see how they have continued their life-saving work throughout the pandemic. She and Prince William, 38, have also been secretly counselling people contacting crisis helpline Shout 85258 – a round-the-clock text messaging helpline developed by his Royal Foundation – while isolating at their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk.

Despite plans for a further easing of lockdown in the UK next week, with the reopening of non-essential retailers, FEMAIL understands there is currently no set plan in place for the British royal family to step out publicly any time soon. The younger households, including that of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, are reportedly looking at how physical engagements can be done in the future. These will be in-line with government guidance and with a care to not put a strain on resources.

Meanwhile Queen Letizia of Spain, 47, ventured out yesterday without a protective face mask to accompany her husband King Felipe VI to the Centre of High Performance (CAR) in the facilities of the Superior Sports Council (CSD) in Madrid. It was the first time in three months that the royals were seen publicly without masks, and they stood at a safe distance from the centre’s staff. Spain outlined a four-stage plan on 4 May to start the easing of one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe.

[From The Daily Mail]

It’s true, Queen Maxima and Queen Letizia have resumed public schedules and there are regular photos of them at events nowadays (see below). This is where royalty’s symbolic power and soft power comes into play – the royals can be (and should be) used to inform and educate the public about social distancing, mask-wearing and the “reopening” of economies. The fact that Maxima and Letizia and most other royal houses have been working for weeks in public… well, the British press is starting to pick up on the fact that William and Kate would prefer to sit in Anmer Hall for the rest of the year. Zooming themselves into an early grave, in between swimming and tennis and rose-trimming and such.

I think the British press would be fine with “protecting the Queen” and having her stay in Windsor Castle through 2020. The press will need to “see” the younger royals in exchange for that, however. Which means this is the Daily Mail’s way of nudging William and Kate (and Sophie and Edward) and saying that they need to resume a public schedule SOON. I also think Will & Kate’s reticence to go back to work in public is partly vanity – neither of them wants to be photographed wearing a mask. And that sucks.

Here are some pics of Maxima and Letizia doing events this month:

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.