Last Friday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge brought their children to a special “Pantoland” performance at the Palladium Theatre. It was an obvious bit of PR following William and Kate’s disastrous Covid Choo-Choo Tour, but even then, the messaging of the Cambridges’ attendance at the Palladium seemed “off” as well. The employees of the event wore masks, as did many of the families (essential workers and their families) on the red carpet. Those families were literally pushed aside so that Will and Kate could pose, maskless, on the carpet with their kids. Plus, it was a special performance for essential workers… and Will and Kate’s presence made it seem like they consider themselves to be “essential” too, because if they don’t buy button-slathered coat dresses and wiglets, WHO WILL?
Anyway, the whole Pantoland thing was conceived entirely as a charity event to benefit those essential workers and their families. Apparently, the “elves” went out and got gifts for all the kids, which the kids received after the panto performance. It was really nice, and a thoughtful gesture, truly. Which is why Will and Kate basically had to take credit for it by doing a voiceover for a video about an organization’s charity work.
This Christmas we want to say THANK YOU to our key workers and their families for all they have done and for the sacrifices they have made to keep us safe.
As a small part in that effort we have worked with @HamleysOfficial @TNLUK to share a bit of Christmas magic…🎁 pic.twitter.com/tzce2DY5Iv
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 15, 2020
I get that we’re supposed to think this all super-cute, but again… I am left with more questions. Why did Will and Kate walk the carpet without masks? Why did they include themselves for a performance for essential workers? Why does it feel like this voiceover narration is Will and Kate taking credit for something they didn’t fund, didn’t conceive and didn’t participate in any meaningful way?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
They are seriously awful.
I am beginning to feel sorry for them. After the debacle that was the Covid Express they are desperate for anything positive and this seemed to fit the bill. However the devil is in the detail. The way they centre themselves without doing any real work, even to the point of not wearing masks on the red carpet is appalling. The difference is that they could have prepared some hand written cards or notes to be included with the gifts. They could possibly have thought of something for the parents too. They also could have thanked Hamley’s who actually gave the presents away. But instead we get a whole load of centering that required minimal effort.
I have less sympathy for them, but I love your ideas. Even dropping in a signed royal Christmas card would have been special! But they don’t do the work because they do not care about or consider others. Period.
@Elizabeth Regina: There was also the “leaked” Christmas card, which is usually kind of a bigger deal but got completely lost in the shuffle this year. Even photos of the children are no longer enough to protect them from criticism. It’s about time.
Anything they would have done would have been appreciated, but they contributed nothing but ego. Reminds me of the difference between Kate and Meghan. Remember on the last tour how Meghan and Harry were served cupcakes that weren’t eaten …..there were a lot of them I think. Anyway, I remember that Meghan came out, then went back in for a few minutes and it was later explained that she wanted to make sure the cupcakes were brought out and given to the children who had gathered. Remember Meghan making banana bread to take to the outdoor lunch…. Kate and William could have done anything…like Elizabeth Regina says…even a signed Christmas card or a personal note of thanks….but nothing. All they are doing is, once again, taking credit for someone else’s work.
I can’t tell at this point if this is a case of Bitch Eating Crackers or if it’s actually awful. Her nasal voice is distracting. But I know this will appease some. Did they at least pay for these presents or what?
No, they did not pay for the presents that’s the entire point of why it’s appalling. Hamley’s the toy store paid for the gifts.
All I see is no masks and no social distancing.
They start off the video with an elf shouting “MASKS ON!!” and then willy and katie’s family show up with no masks lol
The elves were the only ones wearing masks on the red carpet and the gift giving looked like a giant super spreader. No masks, no social distancing.
I just…HOW do they not realize how bad that looks?
Health risks aside, the optics of them continuing to flout the rules and their failure to protect their small children as much as possible is absolutely heinous. And even if W&K are too dim to see this, no one on their staff does?? I realize that they hire sycophants who blow sunshine up their asses, but when it comes to something this serious that is going to generate more bad press so soon after the Pandemic Express, you’d think SOMEONE would have a shred of sense.
The arrogance is breathtaking. I just hope none of those children contracted Covid from being inside a crowded theater with no masks for the duration of the show.
Judging from Will’s previous Covid comments and his and his wife’s lack of precaution understanding I’m willing to bet they either feel above it or that it truly is blown out of proportion. All their behavior has ever suggested is a selfishness to their own wants and who cares of how that could harm others.
That was extremely jarring. That and the fact that literally every other parent was wearing them. Btw, here in my city every kid over 3 wears masks. I feel like the belief kids don’t spread covid has long been debunked.
The arrogance of them not masking up on the red carpet when everyone else was. Even the guests and their children, who the event was for had on masks.
Pantoland should have told them they did not need them and said, ‘keep it Willnot and Cannot’.
Others get the job done, and Kingmaker Catherine and Leaky Willy show up to take all the credit. Wash, rinse and repeat. Just the fact that the end of the video, their titles are at the top in a big font, while the names of Hamleys and the National Lottery, who are actually responsible for the whole event, are underneath theirs in a small font, is a visual representation of what these two are all about. They think they are bigger and better, and have no shame in taking other people’s work to exalt themselves over everyone else.
William and Kate are raising awareness that someone else put in hard work to do something for someone else. That’s it.
Raising money? No, they have to do the school run or something.
Did William do a thing for the British film industry? Did Kate actually do anything for Early Years? Were any environmental causes helped this year by these two? The Royal Foundation should have at least sponsored the panto performance but nope. All that money is to pay for another King’s Cup or something equally narcissistic and wasteful.
There is a picture floating around on twitter that lists the things the Cambridges did to help during the pandemic (made by a Cambridge stan, obviously) and its one of the funniest things I’ve read. It lists things like “boosted spirits by making phone calls” or “Kate created the Hold Still competition” (no, she didn’t, she just put her name on it).
There’s nothing wrong with the royals “raising awareness” or highlighting a good cause like this, but the issue, of course, is that “raising awareness” is all these two do and quite frankly they aren’t very good at it.
even this IG video – its almost 3 minutes long – honestly, that’s too long IMO. I started watching it and got bored listening to Will and Kate. For something like that, it should be kept to 90 seconds.
@Becks I know exactly what graphic you’re referring to and it’s hilarious. It is a direct rebuttal to the older one that lists all of Meghan’s pre-royalty accomplishments next to Kate’s, and Kate’s is just an entire blank column after graduation from university, I think.
I wish we could post photos here because it really is so funny.
I’ve seen those lists and they are so sad. All the effort, whether from the Cambridges or their supposed fans, are about promoting Will and Kate and hating the Sussexes and none of them care about the charities. They raise awareness about their own existence and have no metrics for success .
Putting yourself in a video about essential workers seems the height of egomania but this dumpster fire is enjoyable to watch.
She also wore 2000 worth of new clothes for the charity pap parade. Tabloids out for blood and threatening to reveal William’s affair(s) now that W&K&Carole access to info about Sussex Family has been cut off.
Nota
It’s coming. Only a few of the RR have defended the Cambridge’s latest debacle, but the BM is starting to turn. They aren’t getting any Sussex news until the Sussex themselves already leak it fully in a very controlled way. H and M control their narratives and the BM are sitting on viewership gold.
Its not just the lack of Sussex stories but the fact that the public are turning against not just the RF but these 2 as well – Diana’s golden boy.
Its coming and its going to be brutal – they will also turn on the Middletons.
lol this is honestly what they should have done to begin with. of course they’re taking credit for something they didn’t do, it’s the royal way. it just seems for w&k it’s not worth it if they don’t also get a photo-op.
They make me angry. I’m convinced they are ignorant, arrogant anti-maskers now. I mean, same to the Trump family-and-friends, WHO CARES if you’re “so special”so you get tested regularly or whatever, that doesn’t matter! It’s to set a good example if nothing else! In short, they’re A holes.
Too bad William couldn’t “work together “ with his brother and sister-in-law.
He was too busy ‘working together’ with Rose.
Without context, this makes it look like Penisface and Buttonlovah organized and paid for all of this. Surprised? No not really.
FROM THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE!
(Oh and some others too I guess…)
As I said on earlier post, this video just looks like a promo for the toy store. And I’ll add, where were the gifts for the essential workers? I thought this was to thank the NHS staff, they still haven’t received anything.
the ego with these two! An event for essential workers and these two twats act as though they are the guests of honor.. my dislike of them grows by the day.
At least the Cambridge kids are dressed like real kids and not some Little Lord Fauntleroy cosplay like George spent his young years. Hope Louis continues to avoid that fate.
I’m in no way defending the maskless red carpet walk or their other recent missteps and lack of safety precautions around the pandemic, but they were probably asked to do the voices for this video? Doing voiceover for a charity event video is probably one of the safest demonstrations of support they’ve shown. I will say the wording on the Instagram message makes it seems like they are taking credit for something.
Kate’s accent sounds so weird to me. I’ve seen a lot comments here over the years about her getting speech training but as an American I never noticed how bad she sounded. Listening to the back and forth between her and William made it clear.
William’s is natural. Kate’s is so forced. Makes me feel sorry for her. Many middle class women who marry into posh families often go the extra mile to sound posh so their children don’t end up sounding ‘common’.
But I would find it more admirable if she kept her original accent.
William often sounds less ‘posh’ than Kate. Now compare William’s voice to Harry’s in the Spotify story here. Harry sounds even more natural and well spoken (but real)… and unlike this gruesome twosome, warm!!
It is painful to listen to. She must have to continually remind herself how she is supposed to pronounce every word. Does she talk like that at home, too?
Kate’s accent is made up, that’s why. No one else speaks as she does, not even members of her own family.
The Covid tour showed more people are fed up with these 2 than are supportive. Their supporters are just paid pundits and squeaky wheel fans.
I would love to see them work or have half the success of H&M. But it will never happen because both feel entitled to everything by existing.
The more they pull junk like this the more I’ll enjoy watching it all crumble.
😂😂😂 I could only watch half of it, the second hand embarrassment was too much. Is this what the monarchy is reduced to nowadays. Their dead voices narrating this makes it so awkward and cringe. They should have just got a professional to do it, and they could have just posted the video on socials.
Aside from the lack of masks and blatant piggybacking on actual work from other people, one good thing from that video is that I think Kate would actually be pretty good at reading children’s stories, she sounds really engaged. Like why not do some audiobooks for kids and raise some money for charity that way rather than zigzagging across the UK for no good reason.
LOL, Kate doesn’t have the emotional range to read a simple ABC. And most children in the UK wouldn’t be able to decipher her manufactured accent.
A few weeks before Christmas and all through the land
Went on a choo choo train ride
The Cambridges and their merry band
For the key workers they said
As they laughed and they smiled
Shook hands and passed gifts
In coats, sans masks they were styled
Then the people were unhappy
They rumbled and grumbled
The kids were trotted out
As their popularity tumbled
Soon another duchess spoke a few words
Took the heat off them and people forgot
Their angst against this couple and said
“What a lovely video they shot”
@SummerLover 😂👏
Is it too early to call this comment of the week?
@Sofia there have been a few really good ones this week…CB might want to start a top three!
🤣🤣
Bravo! COTW for me
Winner!
Yes, that many people are interested, or they wouldn’t keep doing it. Look at the number of comments per story.
There are plenty of other stories to read. It’s a boring complaint.
I wonder if they were also one of the ‘unwitting families’ who received gifts? They had enough sense not to show their children getting any in the video, but I can’t imagine other kids would be opening up presents and their children just watching.
i know this might sound a bit ungrateful but i hope the essential workers knew that the children were going to get the present that they asked for. I assume the children just answered what was their main present on their list to Santa and its only two weeks until Christmas. it might actually throw a lot of parents off to try and organise a different “main” present. i do realise that it sounds ungracious when its clearly a lovely kind gesture from the toy shop but its just what i thought of.
I get what you mean, but I think the parents were told of what to expect. I thought that part was really sweet, the kids getting what they asked for & not some random present.
once the parents knew that is the main thing, easier to manage it then for them
Who is advising them? Are they willing to take any advice? Do the people, who are paid to assist them, kind of dislike them? This is terrible. Absolute Cringe.
They change PR advisors and staffers quite frequently. I’m suspecting it is very difficult working with people that won’t put in the absolute minimum.
That makes sense as there is no cohesion to their causes or what they do to support them. The randomness and lack of depth is very jaring.
I don’t understand how events like this are approved? Or the train tour. I hadn’t known about the travel ban and now reading about Covid variant strains in UK, MY GOD.
The Cambridges, all of them should be in quarantine.
Kate looks great here, but I hate how Meghan’s name gets dragged into every Kate comment section at the DM. I swear we should pick a day and all go over there and run them off.
Eh…I have tried to post pro H&M comments and EVER SINGLE TIME I’ve gotten a notification that my “post was removed after receiving *many* complaints”. They won’t LET there be anything positive up there.
Hmm…can we do the same thing to them. Can we complain about their comments and have it removed or are you saying DM removes it because they’re impartial. Because facebook, requests removing comments based on other peoples requests but a robot removes it so no real facebook worker actually examines the comment itself.
The Fail editorial staff remove pro-Sussex comments on the regular. They’re also known to delete all comments when a pro-W&K story has comments that don’t pander to W&K.
Wow that is seriously scary, but I guess they are a private company so they can write what they want. If they were government funded company they would have some level of accountability or fear of lawsuits. I guess we need to play the long game and just frequent sites that align with our beliefs and put these guys out of business. The Dailymail also has an entertainment news show in America, I never watch it for this exact reason.
So two of the most non-essential people in the world take their kids to an event for essential workers and make it all about them! Apparently writing a check is more work than getting three kids dressed up to walk the red carpet.
Lol.
Not gonna say what I thought she said in place of shop.
One part of me is like “oh that’s nice for the kids and actors get to perform etc”
The rest is “ARE THEY F KIDDING!” All those people inside. UK isn’t New Zealand sheesh!
WHAT is going on with Kate’s accent??? Good heavens. In parts she sounds like her jaw is wired shut. In parts she sounds *exactly* like Emma Watson. In parts, improbably enough, she sounds Scottish–if you listen to the line where the last word is “surprise” you’ll hear it, she’s almost rolling the R. What goes on??
I love how they tried to distract from their superspreader train tour by bringing their kids to a superspreader play.
Doubt we will hear from them now until February 2021. We might get the third big insight in November 2021. 🙄🤡
Eh. These two Whatever. But what on earth is a panto?
Short for pantomime.
Come on now, their very presence is meaningful; they let the plebes breathe the very same covid droplets as royalty!
William and Kate had to make a video because Maghan had a video. Tit for tat.