Kate Middleton Combats Criticism at the Olympics

While acting as an ambassador for the 2012 London Olympics, Kate Middleton has contradicted some of the criticism which has befallen her in recent months. Some instances appear to be genuine steps forward for the Duchess, while others seem too convenient or blown out of proportion by the press.

Criticism: The £49,000 Necklace

Although her outfits have cost about £100,000 annually, Kate has been deemed “thrifty” by the press for wearing many of her clothes more than once (1). With that, it was no surprise that the media zeroed in on the unusually expensive £49,000 white, yellow and rose gold Cartier rings necklace she wore to the opening of the Road to 2012 exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. It is not unusual for a high-ranking Royal to embellish herself with pricey jewelry, but due to her reputation, the extravagant piece jeopardized Kate’s frugal image.

Possible Redemption: The £35 Dress

With her outfit recycling habits, it appears Kate is conscious that she needs to appear economically sensitive – at least in between her splurges on bespoke Alexander McQueen and Emilia Wickstead get-ups. For quite some time, I have suspected that she recycles outfits to make up for her frequent fashion indulgences (and leisurely lifestyle, as if to convey, “Sure, I don’t work as much as I could, but I don’t spend as much as I could either.”). And last week, I felt her £35 Hobbs dress served the same purpose. In my opinion, it was probably not a coincidence that she selected such an inexpensive dress – possibly the least expensive one she’s worn since becoming engaged – right after her extravagant jewelry took center stage and chipped away at her “thrifty” image. Whatever the case, I think it is great whenever she opts for affordable fashion and re-wears her pieces. Of course, her practices do not make the media’s incessant worship over the latter and claims that Kate “thrifty” any less than absurd.

Criticism: The honeymoon phase is over

Throughout the past several months, William and Kate seemed increasingly distant, giving the impression that their “honeymoon phase” had ended. Most noticeably, he appeared to ignore or look annoyed by her during many of their public appearances (as discussed in Royally Snubbed Part I). Additionally, Kate was caught seemingly flirting with Prince Harry as she and William ignored each other during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Needless to say, the behavior did not inspire confidence in the royal couple’s happiness together. Soon after, a report stated the pair hadn’t had sex in months (2). Another claimed William’s late night partying in London without Kate revealed he regretted being chained to her for so many years, and hence, missing the chance to have relationships -and naughty fun – with other women (3). Whether or not those stories were true, the rigorously peddled fairy tale love story was challenged from multiple angles. When the couple attended Wimbledon together last month, the apparent trouble in paradise was noted yet again, as the royal couple gave the impression they were disinterested in each other’s company.

Possible Redemption: William and Kate hug at the Olympics

When Team GB won the gold medal in track cycling this week, William and Kate cheered with the crowd and shared a celebratory hug. As photos of the ecstatic couple in a mutual-looking embrace spread, the brief PDA swiftly became the subject of headlines all over the web. However, in my opinion, the hug has been subtly twisted and exaggerated by several sources to seem more romantic and affectionate than it actually was. Also, photos can be misleading. View a video of the hug to keep in mind here (thanks to Rose for the video link).

For instance, Radar Online posted this:

Prince William isn’t winning any gold medals at the Olympics but he did win a huge hug from his beautiful wife Kate Middleton and RadarOnline.com has the photos of their affectionate embrace…

The public display of affection was a rare glimpse into the love the newlyweds have for each other, and they both had huge smiles as they celebrated the gold medal win,” (4).

A “huge hug”? It looked rather brief to me. An “affectionate embrace”? A “rare glimpse into the love the newlyweds have for each other”? William grabbed onto the side of Kate, who was mid-cheer with her arms in the air and did not even turn toward and acknowledge him. Clearly excited, she just kept cheering! Of course, she did put her arms around him in return, but it would have been extremely awkward if she’d kept her arms straight up in the air through it all. -My point is, it looked more like a reflex than the reciprocation of a loving gesture. They were obviously having a great time and William gave Kate a friendly, enthusiastic hug in celebration of the win – that is all. It was fine as it was. The suggestion that it was a touching and romantic demonstration of their love was an unnecessary stretch of the obvious.

STV posted:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were so overcome with joy as they watched the Scotsman lead the men’s spring cycling team to a gold medal, that they hugged and kissed each other in front of the world’s media, who snapped furiously at the rare sight.

Normally the Royals maintain a stiff upper lip in public, showing little emotion. But Kate and Wills have become known for their fresh, youthful attitude, injecting a new lease of life into the monarchy,” (5).

Obviously, William and Kate did not kiss each other. In reality, the pair never even faced one other in the moment. I don’t know whether this mistake was honest, but it seems awfully convenient that the error reinforces the media’s constant (and often unsupported) speculation that they are madly in love. Also, I cannot imagine that an inaccurate account of one of their rare PDAs would make it to print if the pair were mistakenly portrayed as less affectionate than they actually were.

In the second paragraph, STV should have ended it after the first sentence. In my opinion, William and Kate are not exceptions to the inexpressive tradition: It was just headline news that they hugged because their show of affection in public is so extremely rare! Even publications that champion them acknowledged the infrequency of their PDAs.

On a final note, it seems it is Harry and Kate, not William and Kate, who are showing the world their chemistry and affection. I am not at all suggesting their could be a forbidden romance between them. However, based on photos from the Olympics, it appears Kate is still uncomfortably very fond of Harry.

Criticism: The prediction that Kate and her outfits would steal the show at the 2012 London Olympics

Kate is the center of attention at nearly every event she attends, and the attention is added to whenever she debuts a flashy new fashion ensemble. While she re-wears clothes from time to time, in the past she has typically had high fashion garments custom-made for special events. She clearly likes to buy new clothes, dress up, look her best, and be noticed and praised for what she wears, so it seemed logical that she would strut around in a variety of showy new couture pieces during the Olympics. It would have been unfortunate and disrespectful to run such a distraction though, as the true stars of the games are the athletes.

Possible Redemption: A (mostly) low-key wardrobe

With only one custom piece so far, Kate has been keeping a surprisingly low fashion profile since her Olympic duties began. First, she has “recycled” a couple of pieces, including the blue Stella McCartney dress (July 19 and August 2) and navy Smythe blazer (One year ago in Canada, July 30 & 31 and August 2). Second, she has sported casual polo tees, jackets, and athletic shoes in patriotic Team GB colors multiple times. Primarily, her clothes have been blue and white with the only loud, busy exception being the bright red Zara blazer and polka dot top she wore on day seven. -Even that was an improvement since whenever she wears red, it usually makes up her entire outfit. Now if only she could pry herself away from those hideously unflattering skinny jeans… For a look at everything Kate has worn to the Olympics, visit What Kate Wore.

Criticism: The prediction that the Middleton family would have VIP seats at Olympic events.

In recent months, Michael, Carole, Pippa and James Middleton have relied on their royal connection to acquire preferential access to special events. Namely, they each sat in the royal box at Wimbledon, all cruised down the Themes in the Diamond Jubilee river pageant, and Michael and Carole joined the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in the royal box and carriage procession at Royal Ascot. As the Middletons are members of the general public, their inclusion in these events was received as unfitting, awkward, and intrusive by some of their peers. With the family’s persistent pace toward a royal-like lifestyle, it seemed inevitable that the trend would continue during the Olympics. After scoring special seating at Wimbledon and Royal Ascot, why wouldn’t they sit alongside William and Kate in the VIP sections at the Games?

By inviting the Middletons into their social circle, treating them like peers, and granting them special privileges, the Royals seemed to be granting the reputed social climbers a free pass into high society. But there are greater problems with their inclusion than the fostering of their apparent social ambitions. First, William married Kate - not her family. The status and peerage title Kate acquired through marriage does not entitle her parents and siblings – who will never have royal duties – to comparable social raises or any perks that might accompany them.  Second, the more the Middletons associate with the Royals, the more potentially advantageous their royal connection becomes for their business ventures. Any time the family is seen out with the Royals, the press reports it, publishes their photos, and often references their sources of income. It all promotes them – the Middleton brand - and hence, promotes their party supply business, Pippa’s upcoming book, and James’ cake business. It is a possible abuse of their royal affiliation for the Middletons to purposefully share in the Royals’ publicity.

To avoid strengthening ties with a family that is not popular with the public and any potential exploitation, the Royals should only invite the Middleton family to events which specifically center on William or Kate. -And that does not include the Olympics. As the Middletons are members of the general public whose presence is not required at the games, it is only fitting that they procure their own means of access if they wish to be there.

Possible Redemption: Where oh where have the Middletons gone?

The Middleton family has yet to be spotted in VIP seating at the London Olympic Games – or in attendance at all! The reason behind their surprising absence remains a mystery.

There is a chance the Middletons were invited to the Olympics but turned down the opportunity. However, I highly suspect they would have happily attended if they had been. Based on their recent history, they appear to embrace their fame, relish special access to grand, royal-related events, and be excited to publicly support Kate in her new royal role.

The more likely and attractive possibility is that the Royals denied the Middleton family VIP tickets to the games. If that is the case, it would suggest the Royals have finally gotten the message that overall, the public does not wish to embrace the Middletons as part of the extended Royal Family. I certainly hope that is the true reason. It would be about time!

Sources
(1) Jones, Liz. “£105,000, the TRUE bill for Kate’s clothes: But she’s worth every penny, says LIZ JONES.” Daily Mail. 6/26/2012.
(2) Star Magazine via Cele|bitchy: Kaiser. “Duchess Kate allegedly stopped having sex with William months ago.” Cele|bitchy. 7/11/2012.
(3) Star Magazine via Cele|bitchy: Kaiser. “Star: Prince William ‘regrets missing out on so much because he was tied to Kate.’” Cele|bitchy. 7/13/2012.
(4) Tereszcuk, Alexis. “Right Royal PDA! Kate Middleton Gives Prince William An Olympic Sized Hug.” Radar Online. 8/2/2012.
(5) “Kiss me Kate! Duchess Catherine and Prince William’s Olympic joy.” STV. 8/3/2012.

The Queen has found it necessary to abandon traditional Royal protocol concerning whom will show reverence to whom among the Royal women. Recently, she has ensured that no princess of Royal blood, including Anne, Princess Royal, and Princesses Alexandra, Beatrice and Eugenie, will have to curtsy or show reverence to Kate Middleton (1). In fact, despite being the future Queen Consort, Kate will now have to walk behind and bow down to them when Prince William is not present (1).

The last time Her Majesty took the trouble to alter the order of precedence was when she prevented Anne, Princess Royal, and Princess Alexandra from having to curtsey to the scandalous Camilla Parker Bowles upon her marriage to Prince Charles (2). It seemed highly appropriate considering Camilla was adulterous with Charles throughout his marriage to the beloved Princess Diana, and a horribly unpopular woman who helped bring irreparable shame and embarrassment on the Royal Family. With that in mind, it is highly interesting – incredibly telling even – that the Queen was compelled to extend the dishonoring rules of Court she applied to Camilla to Kate.

If the reports are accurate, the Queen has lowered Kate a greater distance in the pecking order than Camilla: Though Camilla would traditionally be the second highest ranking lady in the Royal Household (if she were the Princess of Wales, befitting her status as Charles’ wife), she has been deemed the fourth, and is required to show reverence to the Queen, Princess Royal, and Princess Alexandra (Princess Diana was third, beneath only the Queen and Queen Mother) (2). Based on the order of succession, Kate would be the third highest without any of the Queen’s interventions (The Queen, Camilla, then Kate). Or, she could even be second if the Queen were solely singling out Camilla for her past conduct. But she is not even the fifth highest: just below Camilla’s non-traditionally low position. The Queen has designated Kate as no higher than seventh under all the princesses of Royal blood. She’s married to the future King, yet in her level of the peerage, almost couldn’t be reduced any further! Some may think it is evidence of the Queen’s snobbery – that she refuses to allow “Common Kate” her due respect and precedence based on her position. But I think not.

After a year of Kate’s substandard performance as a Royal, the Queen’s action comes across as bold evidence that the Royal Family is tremendously displeased – and rightly so – with their newest member. The press diligently promotes the idea that the Queen adores her, but it’s unfathomable that she would have arranged the Order of Precedence this way if that were even remotely true. The way the Duchess has been accounted for suggests that at the very least, the Queen is not impressed with her, is perhaps even embarrassed by her, and astutely recognizes her failures and defining lack of value to the Royal Family, citizens of the Commonwealth, and people throughout the world.

Awkward! The “Closeness” Between Kate and the Queen

The Queen is always highly composed and deeply serious about her duties, but she appears incredibly personable and friendly with others – whether they are everyday people or other monarchs. In public, she can often be seen expressing happiness and love toward those she truly adores and whose company she genuinely enjoys: Example 1; Example 2; Example 3; Example 4; Example 5; Example 6. In those examples, and endless others, it’s easy to see how her face lights up and conveys the authenticity of her enjoyment. But she has never been documented looking that way at Kate (not to my knowledge, at least). Typically, when she interacts with Kate, her look of genuine happiness vanishes. As poised as she is, at times, even she cannot hide her true feelings. -Despite the Duchess’ famously incessant grinning, it seems they are written all over her face.

As members of the press speculate that the Queen absolutely loves her granddaughter-in-law, they often present images of the two chatting or “laughing together” as feeble and misleading evidence. What most of the photos actually show is the Queen amused by something in her surroundings, and Kate laughing at - not with – her, looking like an outcast desperate to be in on the joke. Either that, or Kate is seen talking to the Queen. The Queen, however, is rarely seen making eye contact with her, initiating conversation with her or reciprocating in any way. Photos like this one, which show the Queen visibly acknowledging Kate, are very rare. And like that photo, none of them indicate a closeness or friendship between the two ladies – only that the Queen is polite and personable to those who speak to her.

The Sun published a great example of the media’s sly twist on the relationship between the Sovereign and Social-Climber. Their article features a photo of them sitting next to each other and laughing in Nottingham last month. Just after the image, it says, “The Queen and Duchess of Cambridge shared a joke as they enjoyed a visit to the East Midlands today,” (3). Also, “Kate and Her [Majesty] laughed out loud together after descending on Nottingham…” (3). That makes it sound like the two are incredibly comfortable together, get along very well, enjoy each others’ company, and have similar senses of humor. However, if the photo is any indication, none of that appears to be true. To say that the two women “shared a joke” and “laughed out loud together” implies that there was some type of pleasurable social exchange between them. -But no exchange appears to have taken place. It is true that they were both laughing at something while sitting next to each other. But many do that with complete strangers while viewing comedies in movie theaters/cinemas, and it doesn’t mean anyone is sharing anything or laughing together.

The Queen, who undertook 444 engagements in 2010 at age 83-84, is strongly adherent to the motto she is associated with: “Duty before self,” (6). And prominently, the work-shy, extravagant, and fashion-happy Duchess of Cambridge has demonstrated that her personal values are in stark contrast to that conviction. Unless the Queen is a woman with alarmingly low standards and a complete lack of pride in all that she and the other Royals represent – which she couldn’t be further from – there is no logical reason why she would adore Kate or even view her as a minimally acceptable addition to the Royal Family. -Honestly, the insinuation that she favors her at all is incredibly insulting. The only instance when the Queen openly accepted Kate was when she provided written approval for Prince William and “Trusty Catherine” to marry (4). Her consent was necessary for the marriage to be legal. However, she likely had little choice in the matter: There is a largely overlooked, unknown, and unexplored situation which may have soured the Queen’s opinion of Kate from the day the engagement was announced…

Did Kate Force her way into the Royal Family?

The long-standing rumor that William and Kate kept their engagement a secret from the Royal Family until just before the press announced it to the world was recently confirmed as true (5). (Recall that if their Kenya engagement story is true, they were engaged for about a month before the public – and the Royals – found out about it). Popular belief among those who know of this is that the couple knew the Queen and Prince Charles would not approve (Why would they?), so they only told them after the press had been alerted and the engagement could not have been revoked without severely embarrassing the Establishment. Clearly, it was not the element of a wonderful emotional surprise they were after, as they were not concerned with keeping the secret from Kate’s family (who William is demonstrably very fond of): In the engagement interview, William confessed he told Kate’s father about their plans to marry soon after he proposed. It seems very telling that they were not hesitant to inform those who would enthusiastically favor the engagement. Undoubtedly, they had their reasons for withholding their marriage plans from the others.

As mentioned before, for their marriage to be legal, the Queen had to officially consent to it, which she did. But what choice did she have after the press was informed of the engagement? If she hadn’t complied, she’d probably have been crucified by the media for being a cold elitist and trying to keep a commoner out of the Royal Family at all cost (Because what else could the Queen possibly have against a woman as press-proclaimed perfect as Kate Middleton? *sarcasm*). -And that’s only one of a million other horrible possibilities the Kate-worshiping press could have concocted.

Overall, the revelation implies that the Royal Couple likely forced Kate on the Royal Family. For both William and Kate, but especially for Kate, it would have taken a lot of nerve to disrespectfully and deceptively corner the Queen in that way. -To go behind her back and above her head in such a life-altering matter. The Queen should have had time to consider the proposition carefully and uninhibited freedom to make the right choice for the Royal Family and the people. If the implications are true, they could help explain why she often appears to give Kate the cold shoulder, and why Kate now stands so low in the Order of Precedence (Not to mention, the secretive engagement situation – the possible lack of the Queen’s approval without entrapment – may also partially explain why the couple had such an abnormally lengthy relationship before announcing an engagement. Was a trap their last and most desperate resort to get Kate’s foot in the Royal door?).

Of course, if Kate had entered the Royal Family and exceeded expectations (which couldn’t have been very high considering her unproductive past) by proving herself as even a somewhat hardworking, respectful, protocol-proficient, and eager-to-learn member, there is no doubt she could have largely made up for her initial social maneuvering. Alas, that has not been the case for the hair-obsessed, quasi fashion icon with her sparse schedule of Royal Duties and growing range of missteps.

The impression given by Prince William, that he is unhappy with his newly-acquired wife (discussed in Part I), is a negative blow for the Royal Family. But the feeling that Her Majesty is unhappy with her is actually quite redeeming. The Queen demoting Kate in the Order of Precedence was not an act of revenge for the secret engagement or an attempt to keep a former commoner in a lowly position. Following Kate’s economically-insensitive, incompetent (0:10), and parasitical example this past year, it was the right thing to do. Along with her plummeting popularity, the Duchess should consider the downgrade a courtesy wake-up-call.

There will almost certainly be a Part III in this “Royally Snubbed” series. Royals besides the Queen and Prince William have appeared to snub Kate, and there are deep potential reasons for those instances. All of them warrant exploration, so there will most likely be a Part III popping up in the near future.

I will leave you with a blast from the near-past: One year ago, princessdianafriend offered her wisdom on another potential-snub by the Queen. It was a beautifully rare and thought-provoking find when it was released, but is even more interesting with all that has transpired since. View it here.

Sources:
(1) Eden, Richard. “The Queen tells the Duchess of Cambridge to curtsy to the ‘blood princesses.’” The Telegraph. 6/24/2012.
(2) Lewis, Jason. “Camilla: Britain’s Fourth Lady…” Daily Mail. 6/12/2005.
(3) Millard, Neil. “Queen and Kate all smiles as rain shoves orf in Nottingham.” 6/13/2012.
(4) “Queen consents to royal wedding.” National Post. 4/21/2011.
(5)  Whitelocks, Sadie. “Prince William: 30 things you may not know about the Duke as he marks his 30th birthday.” Daily Mail. 6/21/2012.
(6) Mail on Sunday Reporter. “The Queen’s appetite for work reigns supreme at the age 84 as she increases public engagements.” Daily Mail. 1/1/2011.

© Enclave 24, July 2, 2012

Prince William has been spotted publicly kissing his dog, Lupo, the same number of times he has been seen kissing his wife, Kate Middleton. And the pecks he gave his puppy were candid and heartfelt, unlike the rehearsed dry smooches he gave his bride atop Buckingham Palace’s balcony in a display of contrived affection. The Royal couple have never been known for abundant PDA’s, and in the past, it was presumed they kept their distance to behave appropriately and avoid offending the Queen. But recent events suggest there may be more behind their chilly, detached brand of public coexistence.

A Couple in Love: Seeing Would Be Believing

At a charity polo match on Sunday, Prince William looked quite adorable as he nuzzled Lupo and held him like a baby. It was refreshing to see his warmer side again, since it has largely been in hiding in recent years. It was also heartwarming to see Zara Philips and Mike Tindall hugging and expressing their mutual adoration on the sidelines. It looked like a fun and casual event for all the Royals in attendance, including Prince Harry, and Peter and Autumn Philips with their young children. The photos show the youthful energy and playful love among the  young Royals and their budding families – but Kate appeared awkward and excluded, like a stranger walking by with a dog that the children wanted to play with (Thanks to DOY for the links!).

She also looked like a single woman who was there alone. Without the knowledge that William is her husband and was present, who would guess that the loner walking the dog was romantically attached to anyone there? It’s clear that Zara and Mike are in love, because they behave like they are. William and Kate’s behavior, however, is cause to doubt that there is any romantic love between them. Even if they prefer not to act lovingly in public, wouldn’t a prying paparazzi capture them in a touching unguarded moment every now and then? They’ve been together for a decade, and are still practically newlyweds. Yet they’ve only been captured showing the slightest physical affection and amorous body language a small hand full of times. And they’ve never looked as relaxed, content, and blissful to be together as Zara and Mike did on Sunday. -Not when they were sober, at least. In this instance, and nearly all others, no signs of affection between the two were documented: They did not hold hands, hug, put their arms around one another, socialize much, or show even the subtlest signs that there is chemistry between them and they are in love. When William wasn’t playing polo, he chose to spend his time holding, cuddling, and kissing his cute little puppy - not his wife. Apparently, he didn’t have enough love to go around. That seems very telling about the quality of the Royal couple’s true relationship.

A Royal Mess at the Jubilee

During the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the ever-present elephant in the room – William and Kate’s absence of affection – was more noticeable than ever. Through the river pageant, concert, Thanksgiving service, balcony scene, and closing service, William appeared mostly indifferent to his wife’s presence, and the pair were visibly disconnected. That’s practically normal for these two, but a couple that’s usually more detectably loving would appear to be in the trenches of a major marital dispute. William and Kate didn’t look angry or miserable when they spoke, and appeared very friendly and positive when they did. However, they seemed to interact so rarely – so briefly, and not with much enthusiastic joy or adoration. Largely, it appeared to be due to William: Through much of the celebration, it looked like he preferred others’ company to his wife’s and callously shunned her at times.

A notable example occurred when William and Kate sat beside the ecstatic Prince Harry at the Diamond Jubilee Concert. It was curious that in many of the released photos, William couldn’t have appeared more oblivious to Kate’s existence as he enjoyed the event with his brother. In some of them, she looked like a rejected third wheel as she sang along and waved her miniature flag.

The Royal Family’s appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace was powerful and incredibly meaningful, but William and Kate detracted from the message. The Queen boldly and deliberately chose to appear exclusively with members of the future monarchy (plus Prince Harry of course): The future Kings, Charles and William with their two future Queen Consorts (or so Camilla and Kate must hope). It gave the entire world a visual image of what the people of England and the commonwealth nations have to look forward to in future generations – the family affair that will represent them and provide their heads of state. But embarrassingly, William and Kate’s behavior showed anything but solidarity and a strong separation from the Royal Family’s history of marital dysfunctions. The public saw their future King barely interacting with his wife, and at times, standing an awkward arm’s length away from her. Meanwhile, she often stood close to Prince Harry and giggled tirelessly at his banter (whether he was speaking to her or not). Frankly, the entire situation – especially the abundance and duration of Kate’s attention to Harry – was puzzling and uncomfortable to witness. It was sweet of Harry to entertain Kate through her husband’s inattentiveness. However, by zeroing in on Harry so much, and acting like she was having the time of her life with him, she irresponsibly magnified the potentially dispassionate state of her marriage, demonstrated that she still does not know how to behave properly, and illuminated the possibility that it is in her nature to be adulterous – or at least, deeply conniving.

Seeking Attention Where It’s Lacking

Despite the flirtatious photos of Kate and Harry, it’s not at all likely that she would jeopardize her pampered life of fame and fashion by actually cheating on William. However, that doesn’t mean she’s above pretending to have an amazing time with another guy as though she couldn’t care less about William ignoring her – right where he is sure to observe it, and for the sake of getting his attention, making him jealous, and showing him what he’s missing. That may sound like a boldly speculative idea, but when Kate repeatedly courted the tabloids by going clubbing with William’s friends after he dumped her in 2007, it appeared she was doing just that. As painfully boring as she is, she seems to have a history of perfectly-timed pursuits of the most advantageous types of attention – the types that could have had a large hand in raising the mediocre Middleton girl to a most exceptional social position. Kate is no stunning beauty, nor is she accomplished for her age, highly intelligent, charitable, eloquent, especially talented, or from an upper class background comparable to William’s. She couldn’t be less special if she tried, and some would say she had to rely on playing these types of manipulative attention games to keep the Prince interested in her through the years. Apparently, a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. Could it be that she still has use for such ploys?

Kate’s flamboyant, body-skimming red dress captured the attention of the media around the world and thousands of onlookers as she floated down the Thames in the Jubilee river pageant. It was one of her best – and most attention-grabbing – looks of the year, and as usual, she appeared to have spent an enormous amount of time primping for the event. It may depend on how attention-hungry she is, but the idea that she would wear something so loud to get the attention of the media and public seems odd – because she already has so much of it. What would be more logical is that she was hoping to catch the eye of someone whose attention she didn’t have.

There is a possibility that Kate’s inappropriately flashy (yet hilariously upholstery-matching) McQueen dress was a cry for William’s attention. Not only would it make perfect sense, given his growing disregard for her in public, but it wouldn’t be the first time she’s appeared to use head-turning fashion choices to intrigue him. Unfortunately for her, if it was her intention, it didn’t appear to work. It’s impossible to know what he thought, but he seemed far less in awe of her in her fiery ensemble than the onlookers, fashion critics, reporters and journalists, and her many fans. If she took his breath away, he certainly didn’t show it at the pageant. It’s expected that when a woman has spent endless hours making herself up and is wearing a showy, body-hugging, custom-made dress, the man in love with her will be visibly captivated and smitten. But William wasn’t. As usual, he often directed and walked ahead of her, did’t look her in the eye much (if at all), and appeared anything but enamored and affectionate.

Overall, the couple’s displays at the Jubilee celebrations and Sunday’s polo match deeply contradict the press-produced image that Kate is living a fantasy love story with her Prince. For one thing, when William is so distant with her in public, it suggests he’s not in love in the least and has had enough of her at home already. Kate’s behavior is less than loving too though. While she usually appears to be the rejected one, she is not often seen attempting to be affectionate with William either. It’s also difficult to imagine that behavior like wearing a distracting outfit on the Queen’s day or providing negative fuel to tabloids by appearing to flirt with Harry would please William. The situation is a problem the image-dependent couple needs to face and fix if they are to avoid giving the impression that their marriage is one of convenience and based on friendship instead of romantic love. Because right now, that’s exactly what it looks like.

There is more to come in Part II.

© Enclave 24, June 19, 2012

Kate Middleton wore a perfectly tailored Alexander McQueen dress in a daring shade of red to Saturday’s magnificent river pageant to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. It may be the most figure flattering dress Kate has ever worn, but the fire engine-colored cry for attention was completely uncalled for and inappropriate on a day when she should have dressed deliberately and respectfully low-key. It was, after all, a day to honor and celebrate the Queen.

The Disrespectful Duchess

I have spoken out many times about the tastelessness of Kate’s excessively crimson outfits. Allow me to recap two of her most memorable offenses: Last year, she wore a bright red lace dress to another woman’s wedding. She was already Prince William’s new bride and the focus of constant attention worldwide. Did she really have to wear something so distracting on another bride’s special day? She also wore a long red coat with a shiny red animal print belt when she and William accompanied the Danish Royals to promote UNICEF in the battle against hunger in the Horn of Africa. Crown Princess Mary looked modest, elegant, and appropriately somber in a dark coat and grey slacks with her hair pulled back. She didn’t look to be using the tragic famine disaster as an opportunity to draw attention to herself and upstage the other female Royal. Kate, on the other hand, did.

Wearing outfits that compete for the spotlight with friends at their weddings or other princesses may be easy for the Duchess to get away with. But wearing an entire ensemble in the most attention-grabbing, energetic color in existence to stand beside Her Majesty as she is revered for her sixty year reign is arrogant, insolent and reckless beyond belief. Who does she think she is?

A scarlet dress and hat are the choices of a woman who wants the spotlight on her – to outshine others in her presence. With that and her attention-seeking history in mind, there are three likely possibilities which I think could explain Kate’s atrocious fashion misstep:

1. Sneaky: She is arrogant, clueless and careless and never thought her crimson dress would be recognized as bait for attention and selfish disregard for the Queen – and every other woman in the Royal Family who followed the unspoken rules and dressed appropriately.
2. Stupid: She is alarmingly narrow-minded and unintelligent and innocently chose an outfit she thought would compliment and draw positive attention to her without considering how it would be perceived and whether it was appropriate for the occasion.
3. Self-Serving: She desperately needs to be the center of attention and purposefully chose this dress to stand out in the crowd of her Royal superiors – which included the woman she was there to honor: the Queen! She is vain and self-absorbed with exhibitionist tendencies that override her willingness to be humble, respectful and appropriate.

Whatever the truth is, Kate had a lot of nerve wearing that outfit. In my opinion, this instance, along with others like her raunchy fashion show appearance at St. Andrews and the distasteful partying she did after William dumped her, all demonstrate that she will do whatever it takes to be noticed. But she is noticed. She is in the spotlight. At the Jubilee river pageant, she still would have gotten masses of attention in an outfit that didn’t make her stick out like a sore thumb. The other female Royals, including Camilla, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, all wore dresses and coats that weren’t at all flashy. The Duchess should have followed suit.

Ever so Enhanced?

The color of Kate’s dress wasn’t the only attention-grabber. This McQueen number fit every inch of her like a custom-made glove. And actually, her figure looked more feminine, shapely, and curvaceous than it ever has. The silhouette gave the illusion of more voluptuous hips and disguised her broad shoulders while the high neckline and masterful tailoring did wonders for her waist and bustline. Aside from being too thin, Kate’s body looked great in this dress – better than ever. I just wish she hadn’t used such poor judgement and would have worn it in an appropriate setting.

I also wish she’d chosen a different event to debut such an enhanced-looking figure. Kate has never been a well-endowed girl, yet her assets suddenly appeared sizable in the McQueen minidress. Her dress was quite body-skimming – not bust-enhancing on its own like a top with ruffles or fabric gathered in all the right places would have been. I don’t take issue with a woman who borrows a little volume from her undergarments – which I assume Kate did – but I do think the size of feminine assets need to be as consistent as possible. This is an area where Kate has developed an ongoing problem. In some instances, she’s flat as a rail, while in others, she looks much more voluptuous. And in some shots of her at the river pageant, she almost looked like she’d had plastic surgery to augment her bust. Clearly, she hadn’t. But the point is, she needs to pick a size and stick with it. The fluctuations are another distracting element of her style, and not a flattering one.

I think this was an amazing look for the Duchess. But it was not the right time or place for her to wear a bright red dress that enhanced her figure and fit like a glove. It’s been over a year since Kate married William, and it’s high time she stopped making discourteous missteps. She is the focus of so much attention already and should never have a need to upstage other women with her fashion choices. Hopefully she will make more appropriate decisions in the future and consider that a pretty dress can be perceived as the tool of ugly intentions.

© Enclave 24, June 4, 2012

According to the Guardian, these photos of Kate Middleton at the supermarket, Tesco, in December 2011 were just banned from publication in the United Kingdom (1). Heat Magazine, which published one of the photos (in the UK) last year, recently apologized to Kate after her lawyers accused them of harassment and violating her privacy (2).

Why have Kate and her legal team singled out and banned this particular set of grocery run photos, while others don’t appear to bother them? It’s apparent that like Prince William, the Duchess is keen to pick and choose exactly when, where, and how she is photographed. The most striking difference between the banned set of photos and others of Kate grocery shopping is that the forbidden one shows Kate looking genuinely peeved to have spotted the photographer. But why? Why this time?

While the details of the banning procedures are a mystery, it is easy to guess why photos like these could be problematic for Kate: She was very exposed when they were taken because, unlike those of other shopping instances, her selections were sprawled out on a conveyor belt for all to see and not in bags. While there may not have been any controversial items in her cart that time, it is only logical to assume that she and the other Royals want to discourage the circulation of photos like these to avoid negative press stemming from what she purchases. For instance, considering how incredibly thin she is, catching her buying any weight loss products, or even low fat or reduced calorie foods, could cause a massive spike in eating disorder rumors.

The products Kate bought at Tesco that day don’t appear to be the slightest bit scandalous, but they may provide a glimpse into what goes on in William and Kate’s household. -Another thing the Royals probably find unacceptable. Actually, the most interesting – and possibly telling – aspect of Kate’s selections is what she didn’t buy. She is a housewife, or homemaker, and homemakers do a lot more than buy and prepare food. While some of the products are difficult to specifically identify, her conveyor belt lineup appears to primarily, if not totally, consists of food items (See all the images of Kate at the checkout here.). It looks as though she did not buy any cleaning supplies, laundry products, or toiletries, among other things. It’s a safe bet that she doesn’t purchase more “unspeakable” items like feminine hygiene products openly in public, but don’t housewives usually need a lot more than food from the supermarket? -Especially from a superstore like Tesco! Of course, this is just a look at Kate’s selections from a single shopping trip, and it’s possible that she does purchase other home necessities sometimes. Maybe she just didn’t need anything but food that time. But it’s also possible that this is typical for her, and that this so-called housewife doesn’t need cleaning supplies or other home maintenance products because she is not solely or primarily responsible for the daily upkeep of her home.

Any time she has been spotted running errands – and photographed – she has been at a supermarket. The press suggests that these instances capture a dutiful housewife who is fetching ingredients so she can lovingly prepare a romantic dinner for Prince William. But her pattern of errands suggest she isn’t much of a housewife at all. There has yet to be any photos of Kate trekking out of a hardware store, visiting the dry cleaners, pushing a cart full of large home maintenance items that don’t fit in small plastic bags, or anything else consistent with the homemaker occupation. Kate supposedly set up and decorated the new home she and William moved into in Anglesey last year. Her need to make their house into a cozy, personalized home was even offered as part of the reason why she needed so much time before taking on a fuller schedule of Royal duties and any charity commitments. Yet, she was never seen leaving a store with any home decor items, household appliances, garden or yard tools, larger cleaning supplies like mops, brooms, or a new vacuum, for instance, or any other identifiable products for decorating or housework. It’s all enough to suspect that the Royal couple had a professional decorate their home and that Kate has hired help for housework, errands, and gardening (among many other possible areas). Of course, the public does not see most of what she and William purchase, and in the case of settling in Anglesey, the couple could have already owned some supplies from their premarital cohabitation, or may have placed orders and had things discreetly delivered to their home. But regardless, it looks like the woman only goes to grocery stores, and that is unfathomable if she is actually responsible for maintaining her home. Kate might cook – but is she the one who cleans her kitchen afterwards?

Sources
Greenslade, Roy. “American sites publish ‘banned’ paparazzi photos of Duchess.” The Guardian. 5/22/2012.
Greenslade, Roy. “Heat magazine apologizes for picture of Duchess in supermarket.” The Guardian. 5/21/2012.