William & Kate Vacation AGAIN: So Many Excuses, So Little Time!

When Prince William returned from his six week RAF assignment in the Falklands last week, he and Kate Middleton wasted no time packing their bags and jetting off to a luxury ski resort (1). On March 24th, The Mirror reported that, according to an unnamed source, William thoughtfully planned the “romantic” trip to Switzerland to surprise Kate and make up for being absent on Valentine’s Day (1). But two days later, a journalist for the Daily Mail dismissed the account as “ill-informed” and revealed that the royal couple were actually at “an equally chic resort” in France with Mike, Carole, and Pippa Middleton (2). Then, the following day, US Weekly reported that the Middletons funded the holiday because “William and Kate’s budget is quite small for trips.” -That too, was according to an unnamed source (3).

Numerous online publications continue to report each of these excuses for the Duke and Duchess’ holiday. The truth is, the location of William and Kate’s chalet is mostly irrelevant unless you’re a paparazzo. What is interesting though, is that each of these coexisting “news” reports – none of which has been retracted (to my knowledge) – paints the couple in a positive light – each in a different way, but each in a specific way the pair needs to improve their public image. It’s as though all bases have been covered. The Switzerland tale implies that William is a doting and attentive husband eager to demonstrate his love to his wife, who he places on a pedestal. The report that the pair are in France on a Middleton Family-funded holiday implies that the Duke and Duchess are frugal, and are only tearing themselves away from their royal duties to accept a gift and spend time with their valued middle class family members. Regardless of which is (closest to being) true, the public has received both stories, and every last direct and indirect implication of each.

Switzerland and William’s [Fictional?] Romantic Surprise

The Unwritten Implications:  The trip is desperately needed romantic relief from the royal couple’s emotionally traumatic six week separation. -And evidence of a passionate reunion. Who cares that they’re on a luxury trip again? -Poor Kate missed her prince so terribly, and this is such a sweet way for William to redeem himself to his princess for missing Valentine’s Day! William’s efforts were a demonstration of how deeply he is in love with Kate – and how amazingly well he treats and spoils her. (Aww, what a dream husband! Who wouldn’t love to be the luckiest girl in the world [Kate] right now?!). Also, the the Royal Family has tremendously improved how it handles new royal consorts since Diana’s days. This marriage is going to be a success, and it couldn’t be further from the web of indifference, adultery, and secret suffering woven by Prince Charles and Princess Diana. -Nothing like the stories of what Charles did to his virginal teenage bride – neglecting and criticizing her into bulimia and cruelly committing himself to tamponhood at every opportunity for that haggard old harlot, Camilla. Yes, those horrid days are over, and William and Kate’s fairytale love story is the perfect remedy for recovery.

Without the rose-colored blind fold: First of all, what makes anyone think that treating his wife well is William’s primary motivation behind the excessive vacationing instead of the desire to go on fun-filled trips or avoid work and royal duties? Prince William has yet to demonstrate he’s as much of a nightmare husband as Prince Charles seemed to be in the 90s, but honestly, he’s a hard sell as a “Prince Charming.” It’s not forgotten that he strung Kate along for four or five years, dumped her (via text message, supposedly), and upon taking her back, strung her along for four additional years before putting a ring on her finger (-A ring from a failed and disturbingly miserable marriage, no less!). Out of pure logic, it is extremely difficult to believe that William is deeply in love – or in love at all – with the woman he was so painfully reluctant to marry.

Even worse is that Kate spent nearly a decade appearing to live a meaningless existence, presumably so she could be at William’s beck and call as she waited for a marriage proposal. This may reveal Kate as a lazy and desperate social climber, but it also suggests that she and William have never been equals in their relationship. From what the world has seen, it has always been absolutely unmistakable that he is dominant and she is submissive – and possibly to an unhealthy extreme. Regardless of her faults, she has always appeared to take a backseat and accommodate his lifestyle and choices without any (publicly visible) reciprocation from him. And even though she was a willing and highly rewarded participant, the point is, a doormat is obviously this Prince Charming’s preferred type of woman. The pair seem to be highly comfortable with one another and to enjoy each other’s company. But they give the impression that they are less in love, and more like great friends who made a great deal: William’s wealth, fame and status in exchange for Kate’s daily doormat services. Also, Kate being thirty and not pregnant after a year of marriage doesn’t help dispel the notion that their relationship is minimally sexual.

They may have a lot in common, but they also seem to be on completely different pages when it comes to their goals concerning major life steps.  Speculatively, if it were solely up to Kate, she would have married William six or seven years ago, and would already be the proud mother of a cute little pair of heirs. The common perception that William calls the shots in their relationship suggests that, when the couple reportedly decided to wait to become engaged, marry, or start a family, it was his will – regardless of what she may have wanted. Does it seem at all realistic that Kate needed about nine years of dating to decide she wanted to marry William, and/or that she felt it was important to wait (and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait…) for the “timing” to be right – that she wanted to reach a certain point in some Jigsaw or Party Pieces “work” goals before marrying him? (William stressed the “timing-due-to-work” bit in the [intelligence-insulting] engagement interview). It seems obvious  that the couple’s relationship is (and has been) almost completely tailored to suit William – and that if Kate wanted a shot at a royal position, she needed to prove her doormat durability. These ideas are speculation, but the press reports and facts of their past and present situations bring to question whether anything they do is dictated by Kate, and whether William is actually somewhat of a narcissistic tyrant.

Aside from her high hemlines and signature brand of mediocrity, Kate actually didn’t commit any major offenses while William was in the Falklands. She even made a teensy-weensy bit of progress toward being an independent, barely working Royal! But as soon as William returned, her light almost-work routine came to a screeching halt in favor of a leisurely trip (when they’d already taken one to Mustique just before William left for the Falklands!!!). And reportedly, now that he’s back, Kate will not engage in any public engagements for several months (WHY?! *facepalm*) (4). Does William realize that the public has been starting to turn on his work-shy wife? -And that play before work will only ruin her image further and destroy whatever she gained during his absence? Does he even care about her image? Or his own, for that matter?

Concerning the Royal Family’s treatment of new consorts, it seems they have made improvements since Diana’s time. Clearly, they have lowered their duty and conduct expectations for Kate *clears throat*. Actually, aside from her grotesque skeletal appearance, the seemingly simple-minded Duchess appears to be far less than miserable playing dress up, greeting people, and posing for pictures (and… whatever else she does…?).

The identity of the Switzerland story’s source was not revealed, but he or she obviously had some motivation to transmit the story, which portrayed William, Kate, and the other royals very favorably. It now appears the story was false, unless the couple did spend a short time at the Swiss resort before meeting the Middletons in France. If the source was transmitting whatever the Palace or William and Kate’s PR Team’s agenda is, these parties ought to realize that they should focus their efforts elsewhere. Of course the public would strongly disapprove if Kate were being treated cruelly or with indifference by William and the other royals – a mirror of Diana’s situation. But how Kate is being treated – which appears to be more than adequate without interference by stories like this – is not of primary concern to the people right now. They  don’t need to be reassured that Work-Shy-Waity is being wined and dined and treated to anything and everything her undeserving heart could desire. They need to be shown that this overindulged woman-child is committed to taking on a full time schedule of royal duties and charity work, to becoming a mother soon, and to becoming an impressive role model – not just to girls, but to women – and not just because of her clothes or security blanket hair.

Additionally, the people need to be assured that William is going to stop acting like a spoiled teenager with maximum privileges and minimal responsibilities. This holiday is a perfect example of his immaturity and lack of commitment. He’s supposed to be setting an example for crying out loud. Do the senior royals act this way, and are the other RAF service members who accompanied William in the Falklands – who earn far less from tax payer funds, no doubt – entitled to a post-assignment luxury trip because of a measly six weeks of work since their last holiday? William’s royal engagement schedule is inexcusably sparse for a man of nearly 30 who stands second in line for the thrown. For years, he has primarily attended events pertaining to his personal sporting interests. Now that Kate is by his side, he has shown a strong preference for adding glamorous dinners and celebrity-style events to his royal activities over less pleasant yet more meaningful potential duties. Over the years, and especially after recently confessing he isn’t ready to be a full-time royal, he has painted himself as uncommitted to his role. Is William willing to be a full-time anything regarding work or duty, and could he be using his RAF helicopter pilot job as an excuse to avoid the responsibilities that (should) accompany his royal privileges?

At this point in time, the public needs to be able to relate to the new royal couple – to feel that William and Kate share their values and are in touch with their concerns and daily hardships. At the same time, they need to see two people who they can look up to as role models – a future King and Queen who inspire them. In reality, William and Kate are not even close to fulfilling those needs. But that doesn’t prove their public relations team isn’t aware and willing to help. The source of the Middleton-funded France trip story is unknown as well, but like the source of the Switzerland tale (Maybe the same person?), he or she delivered a story that paints the couple in a conveniently perfect positive light.

France: A Ski Trip Fit for a [Future] Queen – Compliments of Mr. and Mamma Middleton

The unwritten implications: William and Kate are so frugal (because they’re heavily in touch with and sympathetic to the economy’s impact on their people of course). Haven’t you heard? They’re just like us! They wouldn’t spend their own money supply on something indulgent like a chalet in the French Alps (as if they could afford to!). They are unimaginably far above the rest of us, but it is in their humble nature to value any time they can spend being a low-key, “normal” married couple (Some of us envy them, but with all the heavy sacrifices they make as royals, they envy us too!). Luckily, they have Kate’s adoring, generous, and filthy rich parents to treat them to a wholesome dose of quality middle class family time every now and then! (And by the way, what a business mastermind the Amazing Carole must be to have made so many millions from that little party hat-peddling store she operates out of a barn! -Watch out Bill Gates! William may come from royalty, but Kate comes from an equally impressive flock of wholesome super-humans.). It’s perfectly acceptable that William and Kate are on a luxury trip again because they haven’t paid for it themselves and, well, poor, unfortunate William truly relies on what little time he gets with the Middletons – a whole, functional and “normal” family. He may be a future king with the world at his disposal, but deep down, he’s a victimized little boy who will never fully recover from his overexposed and distressing childhood – a consequence of the tremendously difficult life he’s been forced to lead.

Without the rose-colored blindfold: Mike and Carole Middleton may have paid for William and Kate’s trip, but the idea of that is incredibly rough to swallow. It is not specified how much of the trip has been funded by the Middletons, so it is possible that the “treat” to the royal couple could have been a lunch sandwich for William and a crouton and water for Kate – for all anyone knows. However, the wording in the report does imply that the family has provided everything, which is about as easy to imagine as a homeless man passing out gourmet meals to drivers who pass him on the street. -It is completely backwards from logical assumption, and in this case, seems too convenient to be true. Based on the financial status of the royals versus the maximum status fathomable for the Middletons (Party Pieces is an online mom n’ pop shop, not a massive global corporation), it’s second nature to think that William and Kate funded their own holiday, and treated the Middletons to the trip – not the other way around.

The report suggests that the Middletons must have funded the trip, because the Duke and Duchess couldn’t have done so on their own (3). How much William and Kate are allotted by the commonwealth for leisure trips is unknown (to me), but the Royal Family has substantial investments from which they derive a great deal of wealth. The thought that they would need to rely on their middle class family’s funds for a trip instead of their own seems completely ridiculous. It is possible that the Middletons paid for the trip, but hysterically improbable that they had to for the couple to briefly escape from Britain.

Whether or not Mike and Carole paid for the trip, the fact that a source came forward to explain the funding situation only helps confirm the inadequacy of the future Prince and Princess of Wales. (It’s no different than than the Palace releasing an official statement to deny that Kate wears hair extensions *still can’t believe they lowered themselves to that*).  Clearly, if the pair were living up to people’s expectations and had demonstrably worked hard enough to truly deserve a vacation, then no explanation of how the holiday was funded would be necessary. Honestly! If the public felt that William and Kate were pulling their weight and satisfactorily earning their lavish lifestyle by giving back, there would be very little care about who or what funded an occasional leisure trip. Unfortunately, they aren’t even “part-time” workers (by public standards), are barely putting in minimally acceptable efforts toward royal duties and charity work, and their holidays have been far too frequent. As the unnamed source confirmed, the source of funding for this trip is relevant – because to taxpayers, the underachieving Duke and Duchess have no business being on holiday right now.

Richard Kay for the Daily Mail raised an excellent topic of discussion:

…the question remains as to why Prince William should be so keen to holiday with his in-laws, after so long away from his wife whom he married just under a year ago.” (2)

My, my, that is an excellent implied point. -A point that falls well in line with William being anything but a Prince Charming who is deeply in love with his wife and incredibly thoughtful toward her. It also supports the notion that William and Kate’s marriage is an opportunistic deal between friends – friends without many [sexual] benefits. What kind of madly in love couple wants to be joined by their parents/in-laws within a day or two of being reunited after six weeks of separation? Does William even value his potentially-romantic alone time with Kate, or is time with her non-royal family more appealing? It’s one thing to get along well with in-laws, and another entirely that William seems to have forfeited quality time with Kate in order to spend it in an unintimate group environment with her family. He seems about as in love as he did throughout the pair’s nine year premarital relationship! He’s – so eager - to have that Kate, I tell you! *sarcasm* Who ever said a relationship can’t be a one way street?

It is downright laughable to think of William as a victim of the public and boy-at-heart who relies on his luxury holidays with the Middletons because, from a past of deprivation, he has only ever wanted a “normal” family to spend time with. Yes – he was pursued and photographed relentlessly as an infant, child, and teenager; Yes – he very unfortunately lost his mother as an adolescent; Yes – he is obligated to serve his country, and to one day fill a king’s shoes (which many would view as a privilege). But if William wants to be “normal” so badly, he should try living off of the average income in the UK. -Or even off of the salary he makes from however many days he actually works at his RAF pilot position. How many of the other RAF service members are privileged to staying on large, private, off-base estates while they serve? How many travel out of the country for leisure both before and after short-term postings? How many in the UK can choose to significantly limit the number of days they work per year, because their income is negligible to them? How many don’t have to worry about bills or trying to advance in a career or education? How many, after earning only a bachelor’s degree and achieving very little career advancement, are bowed down to around the world and shown preference and unwarranted respect at every turn? How many can consider attending lavish dinners and fun-filled sporting events as work? And how many are not even mostly responsible for themselves at his age? -Not responsible for a family, a business, a career, or full financial support for one’s self? Somehow, I think Prince William would run home to his palace, crying like a baby while sucking his thumb, if he ever had to rough it as a “normal” man. He, like anyone, should be careful of what he wishes for.

*The “unwritten implications” are the author’s perceptions and are based on many influences – not solely on information from the sources cited.

Sources
(1) Moodie, Chlemmie. “Prince William whisks Kate away for romantic skiing break.” Mirror. 3/24/2012.
(2) Kay, Richard. “William and Kate holiday with the in-laws: Couple hit ski resort with Duchess’ parents.” Daily Mail. 3/26/2012.
(3) Johnson, Zach. “Prince William, Kate Middleton Embark on Family Skiing Trip in France!” US Weekly. 3/27/2012.
(4) Dray, Kayleigh. “Goodbye for now, Kate Middleton!” Entertainmentwise. 4/1/2012.

Before Kate Middleton married Prince William, most of the world had never heard of the small internet-based party supply store owned by her parents, Mike and Carole Middleton. The same was true of her unruly sister, Pippa Middleton, whose fame launched on the day of the Royal Wedding. Now that the Middletons are royally connected, an advantageous spotlight has been shown on them, and they appear to be happily embracing it. But that’s at the very least, according to some, who believe the Middleton family is milking Kate’s new status for all it’s worth and are dishonorably cashing in on it.

Celebrating Kate? They’ve got the goods!

Eyebrows were raised when Mike and Carole used their business, Party Pieces, to sell street party favors for the Royal Wedding. Now, they are selling paraphernalia for celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which they boldly advertise on the homepage of the Party Pieces website.

On One Hand…

It is completely natural for a party supplier to offer paraphernalia for occasions like the Royal Wedding and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Mike and Carole have a business to promote, and it could potentially hurt it to leave these products out when other party supply stores are offering them. If William and Kate had never met or married, there’s a chance they’d be selling these products anyway. Unlike their daughter, they still have to support themselves. Should they have to miss out on the profits from these themed goods just because Kate married a Royal?

But On the Other Hand…

It isn’t that simple. William did meet Kate, and they did marry – and because of that, the Middleton’s business has been thrust into the spotlight along with them (and that means a lot of free advertising, at the very least). Actually, without their daughter marrying into the Firm, Party Pieces, with its nonessential goods, could have very well perished along with the countless other businesses that closed due to the poor economy. Regardless, it’s incredibly difficult to imagine that the potential losses of omitting the street party and Jubilee favors would exceed or even match the value of the exposure and likely profits gained due to their royal association. The cost to purchase advertising equivalent to the free exposure they’ve received for Party Pieces has to be worth a mind-boggling amount all on its own.

Mike and Carole have every right to try and make their business as successful as possible, and with Kate’s new status, they probably couldn’t have avoided some of the exposure if they tried. However, by offering products specifically for use in events their royal daughter is involved in, they are creating controversy which draws even more attention to their business. Unless they all live under a rock, they surely must know that. First of all, they would have to be incredibly dense to have thought that no one would notice them selling street party goods just before the Royal Wedding, and that no one would view it as a conflict of interest. Even if they’re only as smart as their duchess daughter seems and truly were oblivious, the flood of press coverage they stirred in that instance showed them that Kate-related products get Party Pieces into the press. With that, they have chosen to repeat the situation by selling the Diamond Jubilee supplies. They may not be getting very flattering press through this, but you know what they say: “Any press is good press,” when you’ve got something to promote.

With these choices, the Middletons appear to be cashing in on Kate’s fame and royal status. Their family has been so fortunate this past year, and selling the products in question rightfully comes across as one tacky, exploitative, and dishonorable step too far.

Pound-Pocketing Pippa

Pippa’s pursuits only worsen the family’s reputation for gold-digging. For one thing, she’s been following in Kate’s footsteps by dating men who far exceed her own social and financial status. This behavior lends support to the notion that Kate meeting William was based on Middleton family social ambitions rather than chance. Additionally, Pippa has not been shy about making six-figure lemonade out of the golden lemons that have fallen into her undeserving lap: She wasted far less time than Kate in starting her solo career by signing a $630,000+ (£400,000) book deal in November for a party planning guide she is supposedly writing herself (1).

On One Hand…

Like her parents, Pippa has every right to pursue wealth and success in her life, and to seize opportunities that help her accomplish her goals.

But On the Other Hand…

Pippa is clearly riding Kate’s coat-dress tails. Based on her own merit and without her royal connection, the world media and its audiences wouldn’t know or care who Pippa Middleton is. Has she gotten her book deal because she’s an exceptional, experienced author? -No. Has she gotten it because she’s extremely sought after – a leader – in the event planning world? -No. Has she gotten it because she’s built an impressive event-planning empire? Does she have an exceptional record for putting together impeccable high-profile events? -No, and no. Obviously, Pippa would not have this book deal if she wasn’t Kate Middleton’s sister. Plain and simple. Not to mention, the book’s topic, party planning, will be indirect, yet further, promotion for Party Pieces. Overall, the deal itself (stemming from her sister’s connections) and the party planning topic (stemming from the influence of her parents and their business, no doubt) reveal Pippa as anything but and independently successful person. Mike and Carole may have built a business from the ground up, but their children don’t seem to value or be capable of anything but piggybacking on others.

Pippa may pocket a large sum of money from her book and other potential opportunities, but getting ahead this way isn’t respectable. If she’s passionate about event planning, for instance, then she should learn everything she can about it, develop her work and strive to achieve an outstanding reputation in the field through her achievements, or even start her own business. After doing that successfully, then she could write a book worthy of respect. But instead, she’s an amateur at best, creating a guide she isn’t qualified to assemble and taking advantage of an opportunity she hasn’t fully earned and doesn’t deserve.

The Double-Edged Sword

Overall, the Middletons are not wrong for taking advantage of their new prospects. The world is not a fair place after all, and many people enjoy unmerited advantages based on luck of the draw, unsavory endeavors, family and social connections, or other circumstances. The entire Royal Family is an excellent set of examples. However, the spotlight from Kate’s advantageous marriage is a double-edged sword for the Middletons. It may be fattening their wallets, but having so many eyes on them makes their reputations – including Kate’s – more vulnerable. By reaping the benefits of royally good fortune rather than earning it as they would have to without their royal connection, they show a severe lack of dignity. And, as an apple can only fall so far from its tree, their unscrupulous choices have the potential to reflect very poorly on England’s future queen consort.

Source
(1) Hall, James. “Pippa Middleton in ‘£400,000′ book deal.” The Telegraph. 11/27/2011.

Reportedly, Kate Middleton is delving into her charity work while Prince William is away on a six week RAF assignment in the Faulklands (1; 3). According to a St. James Palace spokesperson (via the Mirror), she paid a private visit to an Action on Addiction treatment center in Wiltshire on February 2 (1). As per last month’s long-awaited announcement, the charity is one of four the Duchess will serve as a patron. It has also been announced that she will preview an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery on February 8, visit a dry bar for recovering alcoholics on Valentine’s Day, and later attend the opening of a new apartment at the Ronald McDonald House at Adler Hey Children’s Hospital (3). While it’s absolutely great that Kate is (finally) making efforts toward involvement with the charities, her positive acts are typically coupled with disappointing behavior or suspicious circumstances – and this is no exception.

The Ship that Should have Sailed

The Palace spokesperson divulged that the Action on Addiction visit was “…one of a number of ongoing private visits to her charities” (1), and that the purpose of them is for Kate to “[get] to know more about what the charities do and meet the staff and those they help” (1). While that would sound like an excellent plan and productive first step in her patronages, this continual research phase makes last year’s reports appear false. In September 2011, it was reported that Kate had been independently researching different charities to choose which she would like to patron (2). The Palace claimed that private charity visits were part of the process at that time too (2). If she needs to meet with members of her selected charities to learn about them in much greater depth, then more power to her. But if she’s just now learning what each charity does specifically and is only now meeting the staffs and recipients (2), then pardon me, but what the heck was she doing for all of last year?! (Not to mention, for the entire month of January!). Were the reports of last year’s “secret” visits nothing but lies? It’s not an unrealistic standard to expect that, with the excessive time it took for Kate to decide upon charity commitments, familiarizing herself with them should have been done thoroughly, and long ago. That ship should have sailed, but as the recent report suggests, it may still be at its port.

If Kate really is just getting to know the charities, why would she commit to them before her research was complete? Was her research time cut short, and is there a pressing reason why she needs to begin charity work now? Well, maybe!

Damage Control?

Not only do this month’s charity visits coincide with William’s trip to the Faulklands, but they have been announced just after the highly controversial holiday the work-shy Duchess took to Mustique in the Caribbean. It’s no secret that the public was less-than-amused that she put play before work, the latter of which we have yet to see her do consistently (or at all, depending on how it’s defined and what you believe). Apparently, some were downright outraged at the news of Will and Kate – whose royal engagements have largely included a string of lavish events and pleasurable travel – taking time off to lay on a beach and enjoy luxury accommodations while the people continue to suffer under harsh economic conditions. But the Mustique trip was hardly the beginning. A simple look at readers’ comments about Kate on various news websites and blogs implies that she has been losing public favor at a swift rate for several months, and much of it appears to relate to her work avoidance. Adding to an already negative situation, it’s clear that the trip to Mustique was a terrible move for the royal couple’s image. More than anything, it reinforced the preexisting notion that they are focused on doing what they want to do, not what is right to do, or what the people expect of them.

While Kate may have planned to begin some work during William’s absence in the first place, one has to wonder whether her visit to Action on Addiction, along with the three planned solo engagements, are simply acts of damage control. -And if the announcement of her charity selections last month was the first step, followed up by the last hurrah of her pre-functional life in Mustique. Kate is the world’s most famous freeloader, and it’s reasonable to say that she has postponed beginning charity work as long as possible. Had she held out much longer, there’s no telling how deeply the public’s opinion of her would have plummeted. At present, she has earned the right to inherit Camilla’s past title: “The Laziest Woman in England.” Without major changes, she could definitely compromise her potential to recover a positive public image – a situation Camilla should know all too well. It’s only logical to see Kate’s sudden gravitation toward charity and solo royal engagements as a response to a public image that needs saving – and fast.

If her image would thrive if she remained a clothes horse, would she be starting patronages now? It’s difficult to know for sure, but based on her unproductive past, it’s easy to believe that she wouldn’t. Several months ago, it was popular in the press that Will and Kate would be lying low during 2012, with Kate not beginning solo royal engagements until late in the year (or even next year) so she wouldn’t divert attention from the Queen during her Diamond Jubilee. But apparently, that plan will not come to pass, and for the first time ever, an event in Kate’s snail-paced public life is occurring sooner than predicted.

It’s detectable that Kate’s troubles are causing damage to the image of the media’s golden boy of three decades, hubby Prince William. In recent months, Kate’s leisurely lifestyle, and the selection and low number of royal duties taken on by the couple, have caused many to take a more skeptical look at Prince William’s lifestyle, choices, and value (a great topic for a future post…). This may be an even more pressing reason for the Royals and their PR team to feel a need for Kate to begin work, and hence, to redeem herself to the public.

Considering Kate’s work-shy past and present image problems, it seems obvious that she couldn’t afford to delay beginning her charity work any longer. As such, it’s not unreasonable to see her plans as damage control (It’s like when she adopted a puppy after being harshly criticized for her dedication to killing helpless wildlife just a month before…). But whatever the cause of her sudden turn toward solo engagements, one can only hope that the charities she works with benefit greatly from her involvement, and that she will continue increasing her work-load and number of patronages.

Sources
(1) “Kate Middleton meets recovering drug addicts during charity visit.” Mirror.co.uk. 2/3/2012
(2) Davidson, Lynn. “Memories of Princess Diana in Kate’s secret charity visits.” Daily Mail. 9/19/2011
(3) Ramsdale, Suzannah. “Kate Middleton prepares for her first public engagements without Prince William.” Marie Claire. 2/3/2012

Now that Kate Middleton’s 30th birthday has come to pass, it’s high time for her to start correcting the mistakes of her unproductive past. In this sequel to Part I of Kate’s Top 10 Missteps of 2011, the countdown continues with her top 5 most dreadful offenses last year.

5. She refused the infamous peanut paste

While visiting a UNICEF facility to support the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, William, Kate, and the Danish Royals were offered a taste of the nutrient-rich, weight-promoting peanut paste they packed to send to victims of the crisis. Kate famously refused to try it, and within days, the press exploded with suspicion that the she was pregnant – because pregnant women are advised to avoid peanuts. Suddenly, the press couldn’t have cared less about the Royal UNICEF visit, and zeroed in on Kate, her belly-rubbing, recent diet and beverage choices, and other possible evidence that she was with child.

While I can only speculate, it seems deathly obvious now that Kate was not actually pregnant at the time. Since women are not reliably able to confirm pregnancy earlier than about four weeks along (two weeks after conception), even if Kate had found out she was pregnant as recently as that morning, she would be between 15 and 16 weeks pregnant now. It would be almost a third of the way through her second trimester, and she would almost certainly have a belly bump beginning to show.

At this stage, the absence of an official pregnancy announcement by the Palace and Kate’s recent appearance at the War Horse movie premiere both indicate the Duchess will not be birthing an heir anytime soon. (Thanks to BelgianRose for bringing the photo to light!). Of course, it’s possible she had a miscarriage at some point - but there were also no major signs Kate was pregnant in November other than her peanut paste refusal. Her activity in royal engagements actually increased a bit from then on, and her incessant grinning continued. It was all far from what one would expect from a woman in her first trimester and who suffered a miscarriage at some point. Unless she’s a fabulous actress (unlikely from her interviews) it’s difficult to believe she was pregnant when she passed on the paste.

Back to the point: If she wasn’t pregnant, it was completely rude and arrogant to refuse the paste. It sent the message that it’s good enough for starving recipients but apparently beneath the taste of the newly-refined Duchess of Dolittle. All three of the other royals tried it, and (especially) as the newest royal, she should have exercised humility and followed suit.

Whatever Kate’s reasons were, she prematurely stole the spotlight from UNICEF’s efforts and the hunger crisis – even though gaining attention for them was the major point of her visit. -And it wasn’t just because she passed the paste. Without delay, her spokespersons made a point to announce that she has no peanut allergies. That caused the pregnancy rumors to spread like a wildfire. If she wasn’t pregnant (or even if she was…) why would they do that?

Without a pregnancy, the peanut paste refusal also seems to support the notion that she has an eating disorder. Not long before, she was noted as turning down champagne, which was also used as support for a pregnancy by the press. Since it appears a fetal heir was not on board, it simply looks like the Duchess was irrationally avoiding high calorie substances. Alcohol is well known for containing sugar and empty calories that cause weight gain – and the peanut paste was meant to cause weight gain for famine victims. A healthy dieter can allow herself an occasional glass of champagne with dinner, and can certainly have a tiny lick of peanut paste without fear. Because of this, Kate’s refusal can easily be interpreted as a possible sign of an eating disorder.

Looking back and realizing that Kate was probably not pregnant, it seems like the statement by her spokespersons may have been a desperate attempt to distract from the Duchess’ public – and highly noticed – food-avoidance. Could it have been to overwhelmingly avert attention from a possible demonstration of her troubled relationship with food? If it was, it obviously worked like a charm.

In the future, Kate would benefit from at least pretending to taste what she’s offered during publicized engagements. (Honestly, a lick of the peanut paste would have been too easy to fake!)

4. She was (and still is) a belittling example of womanhood

With her first trip to the market after the Royal Wedding, Kate seemed like a housewife from the 50s; not long after, her continual work-shyness and affinity for extravagant fashion and events made her seem less old-fashioned, and more like a lazy and fully-dependent spoiled child. Today, we’re still not sure of who Kate is, because she comes across as nothing more than a mentally inert and silent man-pleaser – A codependent chameleon who will be and do anything required to keep her husband’s favor and hence, her privileged royal position. -And it’s all part of a demeaning and mideival example she’s setting for young women across the globe.

One of the most problematic issues is her demonstration that if a woman abandons the development of her own identity to submit and make herself what a carefully-selected man wants, she can win the greatest jackpot life can offer an unaccomplished and stereotypically shallow woman: she can be the ultimate center-of-attention, revered as beautiful and glamorous, extremely wealthy, famous beyond belief, and globally-adored for simply existing (things I assume Kate fans love her for, and secretly wish they had themselves). She has shown the world (teenage girls especially, I imagine) that a prominent female role model is still only worth her value to the man in her life, and that her identity and voice cannot be anywhere near as important as his if she wants to be successful. Throughout her twenties, Kate channeled her efforts toward becoming dependent on a man’s wealth while completely neglecting to achieve even moderate financial/professional/personal success independently. Kate Middleton was 29 when she wed, and by all measures, could have achieved more than just a ring before entering the Royal Family. She’s a walking collection of negative female stereotypes of the worst kind. It’s just unfortunate that she’s such a huge potential influence on young women.

As though the years of observation aren’t enough, a report by Kathy Lette may reveal that Kate has tailored herself to William’s preferences with unthinkable precision:

“When writer Kathy Lette came across Miss Middleton sitting alone at a society match, watching [a game of polo] intently, she asked what she was doing away from everyone else.

‘I’ve got to pay attention to every second,’ Kate replied. ‘I’ll be discussing the game in minute detail later on.’

Lette said: ‘You can’t be having much fun here. Why don’t you play polo yourself?’

Kate confessed: ‘I’m allergic to horses.’

Such dedication to Prince William’s hobbies has led to her being dubbed a ‘professional man pleaser’” (1).

That it has. While that report is from before 2011, it gives a possible glimpse into the length of desperate measures taken by the inept working-class girl to snair the future king. It applies to Kate’s performance in 2011, because disappointingly, she continued to act like a compliant drone, repeating her submissive pattern after her royal life began. After marriage, she still looks to be pursuing William. She continues taking on his hobbies (hunting, for example), being his arm candy, and appearing to obsess over her looks. To my knowledge, we have yet to see William take on anything for Kate’s sake.

Since her engagement and marriage, the public has hardly gotten a better sense of who Kate is. Sure, she was triumphant in her social ambitions, likes sports and the outdoors, is work-shy, endeavors to please her husband, likes to shop, takes excessive pride in her hair, can’t give a good interview to save her life, and favors granny-style high fashion. But who is Kate Middleton? -What is at the core of her character? She might as well have a thick strip of masking tape across her mouth, because for the life of me, I cannot tell. Can you? Sadly, I have to wonder if even she knows – if any part of her identity is independent of her attachment to William and her (and probably her mother’s) social ambitions. Through 2011 (and before) she never demonstrated anything to the contrary. Therein lies the problem.

As much as some believe Kate’s extreme social mobility is a victorious example of how modernity permits the mingling of aristocrats with commoners, her ascent is nothing more than a shameful example of yet another anti-merit circumstance. When William considered a life partner and included commoners as a widened range of possibilities, he chose a spoiled, unambitious, unaccomplished, lazy idiot. Aside from the well-documented psychological research showing similar people attract each other (clues to William’s character?) what then, was the point?! To the public, one of the greatest points of William choosing a commoner was not the opportunity to fulfill some fantasy tale of a girl being elevated from rags (comparatively) to riches; it was bringing a woman who previously had to earn her place in society like most people – unlike William and his family – into a position of power where she could uniquely enrich the monarchy and observers around the world. How is anything or anyone enriched by Kate’s presence in the monarchy? There is absolutely nothing refreshing about this union. A spoiled undeserving man married a spoiled undeserving woman, and they’ll probably go on to have spoiled undeserving children. If William had made his role a bigger priority and selected a more independent and accomplished woman to marry, it could have changed that scenario entirely.

By choosing such a socially-dependent wife, William has gained unthinkable power, dominance, and control in his marriage. Kate’s entire life depends on her ability to please William and his family, and she is the epitome of everything women of the last century fought to break free of. Almost no women will meet a Prince or excessively rich and socially connected man to give them everything they have – everything. By age 29, most have earned most of what they have for themselves, in their careers, and for their families. Kate might as well have married Henry VIII, because an elite of that era is the type of woman she exemplifies: decently educated for her time, but lacking any real power. Her highly publicized submissive marital position hugely fuels negative female stereotypes, and in her case, it is nearly unimaginable in this day and age.

3. She laughed at Remembrance services

On November 13th, The Duchess of Cambridge was spotted grinning and giggling - and quite hard from the look of it - at the Remembrance Sunday services to honor fallen soldiers. While Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Sophie, Countess of Wessex were seen grinning and snickering while conversing with Kate, the photos don’t show either in full-blown belly-aching laughter like her. Kate’s enthusiastic goofing around was insensitive, inappropriate, and totally offensive. This horrific misconduct is a prime example of her consistent problem with acting disrespectful and inappropriate at royal engagements.

PrincessDianaFriend of YouTube has made an excellent video criticizing the Duchess for this unpardonable display. Rather than repeating her points, I think it’s best to turn you over to her video. She is very thorough, beginning by rightly reprimanding Camilla and Sophie’s behavior, and continuing by making great points about Kate’s:

She is absolutely right about Kate’s conduct, the excuses made by Kate fans, and especially that Kate should be held accountable for her poor behavior – which she rarely is. PrincessDianaFriend has a great channel on YouTube with more Kate critic videos, along with many on issues involving Diana, Princes William and Harry, and others. Check out her channel here!

2. She gave a disgraceful interview

In early November, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge accompanied Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark to visit a UNICEF facility and draw attention to the East African famine crisis. After a guided tour of the facility and learning the details of the crisis, each of the four European Royals were asked a few simple questions about their thoughts on the situation and the purpose of their visit that day. Obviously, supplying answers was far too great a task for Kate to handle successfully. If you missed the interview, click here to view it.

Because her answers lacked depth, it sounded like she only reiterated what she learned earlier at the facility, had little previous knowledge about the situation in Africa, and hadn’t been prepared to communicate with the cameras using anything but her clothes, hair and smile. In the interview, she was demonstrably nervous, and that was clearly part of the problem. But that’s not the point. The key point that needs to be explored is, why was she so crippled with nerves that she looked horrified and could barely string sentences together? Let’s explore the possibilities! *sarcastic grin*

Maybe Kate was simply having a bad day. It’s possible – everyone has one of those! Although, that excuse wouldn’t explain why she appeared to be enjoying herself at least moderately outside of the interview, but had a look of sheer terror on her face during it! Verdict: Not likely.

Maybe it’s because she’s a new Royal, and doesn’t know how to speak on camera or give acceptable interviews yet! Curious though, that her engagement interview from a whole year earlier, although shaky and unimpressive, was actually much better. She’s also been a high profile celebrity for a decade who has enough confidence to have endured the intense media exposure all this time. She is also typically described as “confident” by those who meet her. Verdict: Not likely.

Maybe Kate didn’t know much or anything about the East African crisis before she visited UNICEF, and was relying on not having to speak – as she never had to for any other appearance. Maybe she thought no one would notice her lack of interest with the distracting red coat she wore, the flashy crocodile belt, and those bouncy curls hanging in her face. And perhaps, upon having the interview sprung upon her, her excessive nerves were due to her severe lack of preparedness and the fear that she’d be exposed as having no clue about the situation, and hence, not giving a fig about the masses of famine victims. Verdict: *ding, ding!* I think we have a winner!

The following paragraph is a rant, and 100% my impression and absolutely nothing more: Kate completely revealed what a spoiled, useless, and lowly human being she really is with that interview. She obviously had no clue what she was doing at the UNICEF facility, and was not concerned for that cause. It was just another opportunity for her to pick a cute outfit, have her hair done, and be photographed looking like she cares so she can receive heaps of media praise for being something she isn’t (which William must approve of or even encourage). She might as well have been a performing circus monkey while packing those care boxes, because she has no history whatsoever of showing genuine concern for those in crises. If Kate wasn’t married to William and it wasn’t an obligation, she wouldn’t even think twice about the Horn of Africa and what the people there are going through. She was there at UNICEF because it was required of her, not because she wanted to be, and not because she cared. In all likelihood, she spend exponentially more time choosing her outfit and getting her physical appearance in order than she did learning about what she would be supporting with her visit.

Assuming that is correct, or even not, I hope Kate was shaken to her core, embarrassed, and heavily reprimanded for her disgraceful performance in the interview. It was absolutely inexcusable, and it made the Monarchy’s charity efforts look like a possible collection of shams. With it, one has to wonder if William even cares and truly knows the details of the causes he visits, or if he is simply a more experienced actor than his wife. Honestly, one just assumes these Royals know a wealth of information about the causes they support and what the purpose of that support is. -Or that they at least brush up on the facts before they make these appearances. Heinously, Kate’s interview raised the notion that they actually may not.

The interview also revealed that she’d made no progress with her speaking skills over the year since her engagement interview. This made her supposed “Princess Lessons” seem bogus, and implied she isn’t at all taking her royal role seriously where fashion and hair care aren’t involved.

1. She never became an active charity patron

After spending the majority of her twenties appearing lazy, frivolous and unproductive, it was highly anticipated that the new Royal would finally contribute to society by by supporting charities. However, for months after the wedding, Kate’s daily functions were largely unknown aside from a grocery trip or two, several shopping outings, and a rare few appearances by William’s side. It began to seem like she lost her “Waity” nickname too soon, as she was – and still is – doing an excellent job of making the public wait for her to show she has any value as a member of the Royal Family.

In September, the media finally responded to the public’s growing impatience with privileged Kate’s lack of purpose. The Daily Mail reported that she had been secretly visiting charities to sit with the ill and destitute (the article has since been changed to exclude that part), and gather information to help her decide which to patron (2). Suspiciously, no evidence of these visits was presented to the public (no photos or accounts from those who had met her, for instance), and although many smelled a rat, the “news” implied she would be committing to specific charities and beginning solo duties soon. Unfortunately, more months passed, the year came to a close, and Waity Katy continued to stand off on charity work.

Kate’s excessive delay in selecting charities to patron is quite indicative. First, needing so much time for research implies that she was new to the world of charity and those in need – that she had to discover her charitable interests for the first time, and hence, had few, or none before this stage of her life. It also suggests that familiarizing herself with different charities and committing to work with them has been extremely low on her priorities list – unlike shopping, making celebrity appearances at lavish events and posing for photo opps with her hubby. Additionally, the large amount of research time after marriage strongly implies she didn’t sufficiently consider these duties during her many “Waity” years and will only participate (whenever she starts) because it’s an obligatory sacrifice in her dream life. Her complete lack of eagerness to start this part of her role, but perceptible enthusiasm to soak up the privileges and attention from it, make the Duchess look shallow, conniving, and ill-suited for her royal position.

Thus far, Kate has not done a single thing to earn any piece of the privileges she enjoys. She has not made a single effort, evident to the public, which justifies her filling this royal position. Her laziness as a commoner was one thing, but the continuation of it in her royal life is a slap in the face to the people who support the British Monarchy. People of the Commonwealth of Nations, Royalists, Diana lovers, William fans, and everyone who lovingly watched the Prince grow up do not deserve to watch this plaguing leech bask in her elevated fame and new wealth while not lifting a finger to give back for what she takes. Kate helps represent the Commonwealth of Nations now, and how she has spent most of her public life since marriage is downright shameful – It’s completely embarrassing. She chose one designer getup after another for sporadic appearances to self-promote, pose for the paparazzi and make small talk with new acquaintances, and frankly, child celebrities and reality stars are more productive. Kate is not a precious porcelain doll, and at her age, there was no reason whatsoever why she was not capable of taking on a fuller schedule of solo royal engagements.

Although it exceeds 2011, I should mention that earlier this month, St. James Palace announced that Kate has (finally) selected four charities to patron: The Art Room (art programs for challenged youth), Action on Addiction (Influenced by Uncle Gary and his drug connections perhaps?), East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, and the National Portrait Gallery (oh, right, because 7+ years ago she studied art history ;-) ) (3). She will also volunteer for the Scouts Association, which she belonged to as a child – participating in campfires and other social gatherings (3).

This news is not impressive. Kate dragged her feet for too long on making these choices to warrant any praise for this announcement. Also, only selecting a meager four, very small charities and the scouts after all this time is greatly disappointing, considering the woman doesn’t have a regular job or any sort and isn’t yet a parent. It looks like 2012 will hold another light schedule for Kate.

The Royal Wedding was over eight months ago, and researching potential patronages was the excuse for the pathetically low number of royal engagements she took on in 2011. Obviously, this scant hand full of charities hardly seems like the result of eight months of intensive research. With the underwhelming announcement, it’s clear that Kate’s supposed under-the-radar “research” does not adequately justify her unproductive year.

No one should have expected Kate to become a full-time Royal in 2011, but it was more than reasonable to expect she’d start getting her feet wet with patronages – or at least some varied independent volunteer work and solo engagements which didn’t involve extravagant gowns and lavish dinners. One can only hope that Kate’s performance in 2012 will make up for her unsatisfactory start in 2011 – but we probably shouldn’t hold our breaths.

Sources
(1) “Royal Wedding: Hunting and shooting.” WalesOnline. 11/16/2011.
(2) Davidson, Lynn. “Memories of Princess Diana in Kate’s Secret Charity Visits.” Daily Mail. 9/19/2011.
(3) English, Rebecca. “Kate Middleton joins the Scouts: Ex-Brownie to help with cooking and campfires as package of royal patronages is unveiled.” Daily Mail. 1/5/2012

With the fresh arrival of 2012, it’s the perfect time to review the top ten missteps Kate Middleton made in 2011! It’s been a huge year for the quasi fashion icon: With the Royal Wedding and marriage to Prince William under her belt, she became a duchess, toured Canada and met celebrities in L.A., was finally able to attend official royal engagements, and scored a wardrobe budget most women only dream of. Overall, she’s been widely praised for her style, character and behavior this year. However, she’s made some major gaffes that have been too easily swept under the rug. This installment includes Kate’s blunders ten through six of the countdown to number one!

10. She was upstaged at the Royal Wedding

A celebrity was born at the Royal Wedding, but it wasn’t the “Duchess of Cambridge.” Dressed in a figure-flattering white gown, Pippa Middleton, Kate’s sister and maid of honor, made her way up the aisle at Westminster Abbey and outshone the bride that day.

In the months before the wedding, hype skyrocketed over what Kate’s highly secret wedding dress would look like – and who was collaborating with her on the design. Unfortunately, the dress she revealed fell far short of the awe-inspiring, haute couture masterpiece that was anticipated. Don’t get me wrong – the gown was lovely, but not especially stylish or modern, and it looked like it could have been plucked from a mainstream bridal shop. It just wasn’t all that special, and didn’t live up to the hype it generated in the months prior (To Kate’s credit, it suited her immaculately ;-) ).

Additionally, Kate lost so much weight before the wedding that the figure she was once praised for completely disappeared. She looked like skin and bones, and it was worrying for many observers. During the Royal Wedding, her newly-thinned jaw, prominent trachea and collarbone, and jarringly bony arms were actually distracting at times.

While her gown was voluminous to suit the grandeur of the abbey, Kate didn’t look more magnificent or gorgeous than any other random bride, despite her uniquely high-end and extensive resources.

Perhaps she was too accustomed to being the prettier, more important Middleton sister, because she clearly underestimated Pippa’s potential to outdo her in a competing white gown. Pippa wore a gorgeously tailored white dress that showcased her slim, toned, and healthy figure. Like white pearls, her dress, which also could have been a wedding gown, was beautiful in its flawless simplicity. Pippa looked like a modern bride, and compared to the real bride – who looked a bit like a skeletal, lace-encrusted snow beast from the 90s – she was simply more breathtaking (yes, even with her crazy tan). Perhaps it was an act of generosity by Kate toward Pippa. Or, perhaps Kate overestimated her own beauty and popularity…

One thing’s for sure: When selecting a bride’s maid’s gown in white for a woman of similar attractiveness Kate needed to be more careful. Unfortunately for her, Pippa’s dress was more beautiful, unique, stylish, memorable, and figure-flattering than her own. It could be speculated that Kate meant to aid the rise of Pippa that day by ensuring she looked her absolute best, but I highly doubt she meant to be share so much of the spotlight or be overshadowed.

On a separate note, it’s puzzling that Kate chooses to wear inappropriately flashy or lavish outfits to charity events and other Royal engagements, yet dressed her maid of honor up like a second bride for the one event where she could be showy and excessive - and blatantly pursue being the center of attention - appropriately!!! It’s all fine and good though, as Pippa seems to be relishing and capitalizing on the exposure she continues to receive as a result of her launch at the Royal Wedding.

9. She flashed her Royal unmentionables

During Kate’s first overseas tour – and (arguably) first and only major royal vacation *cough* undertaking – she decided to wear a pretty, flowy dress in a cheery shade of yellow for her arrival in Calgary. Oh yes, and she chose to wear it to prance across a windy Canadian tarmac where it flew all around and exposed her undergarment-free rear. How lovely for the monarchy that their newest member’s ass was plastered all over the internet! They must be so proud ;-).

This was inexcusable. Inexcusable. For a woman who seems to have little else to worry about besides her looks and image, it’s absolutely mind-blowing that she made this blunder. She’s the future Princess of Wales and Queen Consort, and she needs to start acting like it by getting this type of issue under control. Everyone makes mistakes, but this isn’t a mistake for Kate – it’s a habit. She has a regular history of showing her body inappropriately, and it’s a disgrace that she’s carried the tradition into her Royal life. Can this woman not figure out how to cover her rear and pelvic region reliably?

In the instance in Canada, she should have been more aware of the setting and weather where she would be spending her time that day (I take it she’s not a fan of the news). Nevermind neglecting the weather – It’s not like wind of that magnitude isn’t detectable by, oh, say, looking out of a window and seeing trees, grass, or anything blowing about. I realize she and William had just arrived in Calgary, but when the world is watching, a backup plan is necessary! If she were more informed and cautious, she could have selected a more appropriate outfit for the setting. (Of course, she could have been aware of the wind, and chosen to wear the Packham dress anyway… *facepalm* -She should have worn her hair up too. She fussed with it the entire time she was on the tarmac, and it was ridiculous).

Kate should also have followed the Queen’s standard by having her Packham dress altered to incorporate hem weights. This was an outdoor appearance, and on a dress of that style, a slight breeze could have sent the hem flying. It seems like this should have been a no-brainer.

We’ve seen Kate practically naked before, but that was before she was a Royal (then, it made her look like a floozy and poor choice for William (scroll down in the link)). -He’s no angel, but he’s expected to marry someone respectable enough to keep her undergarments (or lack thereof) out of the public eye – at the very least. The world didn’t need to know that Kate goes commando under her nude pantyhose (Is there even a point to the pantyhose if she’s going to let this type of inappropriate exposure happen?). She is not a sex symbol, it was not a sexy Marilyn Monroe type of incident, and it was not a pleasure to be subjected to the sight of what’s up her skirt – I don’t care how slim her thighs are.

Overall, she simply needs to take more pride in her position and how she presents herself by keeping her rear end out of public view. If she doesn’t, she might as well start wearing sweatpants with the word “Middletrash” printed across the ass.

8. She spoke unintelligently – again

It’s rare that Kate’s words are documented, but when they are, they make her sound simple-minded and incompetent. For instance, just weeks ago at a Buckingham Palace reception for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, she made air-headed comments to Jewish News regarding a souvenir poster of her and William which the publication released in April to commemorate the Royal Wedding (1). When informed about the poster, Kate responded, “That sounds like it was a wonderful idea. I hope all your readers put the poster up!,” (1).

*Facepalm* Oh, dear. The biggest problem with her statement isn’t that she sounded clueless and in over her head speaking to members of the press (she could improve with practice after all). It isn’t even that her wish for all the publication’s readers to display her image was carelessly egotistical (1).

The greatest problem is that Kate has yet to be documented sounding informed, articulate, and intelligent when speaking, and this statement sharply supports the idea that nerves and inexperience are not the only culprits. It suggests, in addition to her other documented speech, that Kate may actually be about as sharp as a marble. In this instance, her comments were conversational – they weren’t part of a formal televised interview and she wasn’t in the position of needing to recall information (like in the UNICEF interview). In my opinion, her wish for the posters was not a narcissistic statement; it was an idiotic statement.

Furthermore, Kate also told Jewish News, “…It’s amazing to think the wedding was just seven months ago. So much has happened since then,” (1). Ah, another dimwitted comment. What on earth was she talking about? Last time I checked, she still hadn’t begun independent charity work – or even chosen charities to patron, improved her speaking skills, announced a pregnancy, or made any major strides aside from her makeover and exploring her new entitlements. She’s achieved next to nothing, and is clearly oblivious to how unsatisfactory and dishonorable she looks to the public – or isn’t and doesn’t care. Either way, it’s obvious the Duchess needs to take more pride in her verbal presentation. She will presumably need to speak publicly in the future, and while she may not do so anytime soon, she should start finding ways to improve in this area as soon as possible. She’s only stimulating the decay of her image (and that of the Monarchy overall) by sounding so mindless and unintelligent.

7. She became “thinspiration” for girls and women with eating disorders

Upon becoming engaged to William in November, 2010, Kate destroyed the healthy-looking figure she had by losing far too much weight. By her wedding and Canadian tour in 2011, she was so gaunt that websites promoting anorexia and bulimia as lifestyle choices rather than illnesses featured Kate’s photos to inspire readers – presumably girls and women suffering from anorexia, bulimia, or an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) – to lose weight and attain a similar state of emaciation.

With her weight loss, the Duchess became the poster child for eating disorders. But her thinness was largely swept under the rug by the press and mostly explained away as a result of the stress and nerves she was assumed to be feeling over the number of people who would view the Royal Wedding on television. However, such extremely impairing nerves seemed completely unreasonable for a woman of nearly 30 whose entire adult life (practically) was spent as a highly exposed celebrity – and who chose/embraced/invited/pursued marrying into a position where she’s expected to be under a microscope in the public eye until the end of her life. Honestly, she shies away from attention like a moth steers clear of a flame.

The offense was not simply that Kate lost weight. It was that she seemed irresponsibly unaware – and/or uncaring – of her position as a global role model to girls and young women. As a 29 year old who had never held a proper job or been significantly charitable (with little promise of changing), and with her significant fashion and hair makeovers, she came across as petty and vain. Her weight loss was logically considered a result of her vanity – part of her attempt to become more beautiful for her wedding day and subsequent royal role. With that, she (and the press) sent the message that an emaciated, unhealthy figure is more desirable than a healthfully slim one (as she had to begin with). Whether or not she was a good role model, she was a role model nonetheless, and her status as “thinspiration” confirmed that young women were negatively affected by her example.

To date, Kate being anorexic, bulimic or having EDNOS has not been confirmed. However, she continues to look like she has an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. Sadly, she still generates praise from the media for her appearance, which continues to make her potentially harmful to the physical and mental health of impressionable girls and women – whether or not they like or look up to her.

The Duchess has a responsibility to be an exceptional role model and maintain the best health possible for herself. She should also be aware of her image and considerate of how it can affect others. Disgracefully, she doesn’t seem to be taking those things seriously yet.

6. She dressed ostentatiously to meet with the grieving families of riot victims

In August, Kate tagged along with Prince William to meet with the families of three men who were hit by a car and killed during the Birmingham riots the previous week (2). Up until that point, she had primarily been sporting more affordable High Street ensembles and recycling her outfits on a regular basis (Here’s a slide show). At the time, she was being applauded for her modesty and acting “just like us” with her fashion choices. But to meet the riot victims’ families, out of the blue, she decided to make a high fashion debut by wearing a ritzy, military-inspired, $2100+ (£1375) Alexander McQueen outfit with $775 (£500) Prada pumps (3).

Apparently, the Duchess felt the somber event was a fitting opportunity to draw even more attention to herself and assert her newly acquired wealth. And she accomplished just that. Endless press articles praised Kate’s selection and claimed her style revealed the once-commoner could carry off high-end designer looks superbly. Riots? Tragic deaths? *sarcasm* Who cared?! It was all about the star of the event: Kate and her shiny-buttoned McQueen pieces, topped with wig-like Disney Princess-pageant hair.

By her costume-like military ensemble, one would think she was attending a festive event. Since she clearly wasn’t, her fashion choice was totally disrespectful and telling about her true priorities. She may as well have had her own personal red carpet and runway because showing off her wealth and looking her best for the cameras seemed like her only goals that day. At the very least, they appeared much higher on her priorities list than genuinely comforting and supporting the victims’ families and the public servants she was there to honor (2). Many in the media and blogosphere declared that her look substantiated her status as a “fashion icon.” However, what it really seemed to substantiate was that the Duchess was completely inconsiderate, self-absorbed, and arrogant. (Although… with her inexcusably ignorant UNICEF interview in mind, I have sadly entertained the idea that she may not have even cared enough to learn the details of why she was in Birmingham in the first place).

It goes without saying that Kate should have saved this outfit for another day. For this appearance, she should have worn something much simpler and less flashy, and her hair should have been plainer or pulled back (Her gigantic head of bouncy curls was in poor taste for the occasion.). The families of the victims were grieving, and to some degree, she should have used her style to express that she was also mourning the loss. Instead, she looked like she was ready to celebrate in the biggest fashion risk she’s taken to date.

Final Word

Although she’s no beauty, Kate comes across as infinitely preoccupied with perfecting her physical appearance, yet seems minimally concerned with improving her behavior, knowledge, and abilities. Clearly, her backwards priorities and unchanging shortcomings are responsible for many of her blunders and are starting to take a significant toll on her image. In Part II of Kate’s Top 10 Missteps of 2011, the countdown will continue with increasingly dramatic blunders – the top five, and the reveal of Kate’s number one most atrocious mistake of 2011.

Happy (belated) New Year! I hope you enjoyed your holidays and wish you a wonderful year in 2012!Sources
(1) Ferrer, Richard. “Kate thanks Jewish News readers for all their mazeltovs.” totallyjewish.com. 12/1/2011.
(2) Earl, William. “Prince William & Kate Middleton Support London Riot Victims — They’re So Compassionate!” Hollywood Life. 8/19/2011.
(3) English, Rebecca. “Keep fighting, William and Kate tell victims rebuilding their lives in riot torn communities.” Daily Mail. 8/20/11.

This article has been removed. Upon considering the insight of my brilliant readers, I have grown to disagree with my own initial analysis of Amanda Platell’s article on the Mail Online, “Kate, I’m sorry for getting you so wrong,” (12/24/2011). Upon first reading Platell’s apology, I believed it was insincere and the attempt of yet another Daily Mail author to manipulate the public by singing Kate’s praises for her own personal gain. While I am not abandoning all of my initial ideas in this case, I now agree with those of you who have pointed out the satire of Platell’s piece, her passive-aggressive jabs at Kate and Prince William’s people, and her blatant resistance to write this wonderful and entertaining two-faced apology. This change renders my original post a piece I can no longer stand by.

Platell has scored major points for her likely-pseudo apology and revealing that Prince William’s people attempted to influence her to be (and hence, report) in Kate’s favor. However, she also loses points for apologizing at all. It is unknown how Platell would have been affected by failing to release this recant of her previous criticisms, but it is certainly sad that an influential Kate critic from a major publication has been lost. I wish Platell the best in her post-Kate-critic career, but I also hope she will continue to communicate through her witty and stealthy style of criticism. I may also owe Platell an apology – but I feel it depends on how much of a rose-colored blind fold promoter she will become from here on out. I hope with all my heart, that she will give me reason to be sincerely remorseful for my initial article.

My readers (you!) are the most insightful and respectful on the web, and I am entirely grateful that you take it upon yourselves to give me your honest and extensive opinions. Honestly, I have yet to see another website or blog centered on such a highly controversial topic which doesn’t have commenters squabbling and demeaning each other. I can’t remember the last time I had to censor a comment, even though we don’t always agree. This time around, I was off base, and I thank you all for kindly letting me know.

To make up for my error, I have been working diligently on a new post, and will be releasing it within the next day. Click Here to return to Enclave 24.

Kate Middleton is under fire since photographs of her with a rifle in hand surfaced last month (1). Supposedly, she’s honing her shooting skills for the Royals’ traditional Boxing Day pheasant hunt at Sandringham on December 26th (1). This will be her first Christmas in the Royal Family, and it’s said that she’s very serious about impressing them at the shoot (2). Apparently, she’s also taking up the blood sport to try and fit in with them and Prince William, who is said to love hunting (2). To practice, the Duchess reportedly visited Balmoral to shoot pheasants and stalk deer with her family last month, and even had private lessons with Charles’ hunt attendant (2). Sarcastically, it’s lovely to hear she’s taking time out from her busy schedule of… doing whatever it is she does most days… to apply herself to something so worthwhile and selfless – to really better herself ;-)

Harsh Measures for a Good Impression

Kate is reputed to be a man pleaser (3), but does she have to go so far as to participate in such a cruel, bloody and senseless activity? It’s disturbing to hear of someone killing for entertainment, but completely twisted to think inflicting pain and ending innocent creatures’ lives could be part of a juvenile attempt to win social approval. If the reports are true, how many harmless animals will be cruelly executed so the Duchess can try to fit in and show off? Of course, there’s always the possibility that those aren’t her intentions, and she could simply enjoy hunting. It’s tragic whatever the case though, as her reasons won’t matter to any birds that meet her bullets.

The Wrong Kind of Effort

If Kate really wants to make a good impression, she can start by learning how to give a successful interview and realizing that dresses as short as the one she wore to the Gary Barlow concert look totally inappropriate on a nearly 30-year old Royal. By all of her missteps this year (which will be thoroughly explored in an upcoming post ;-) ) it’s clear that the new Duchess has many deficiencies and role-related skills to learn. Unfortunately, her progress seems incredibly stunted, suggesting that her hunting practice time (among other things) could be far better spent.

An Easy Opportunity

Whether she’s hunting to win points with her husband and his family or not, she had an opportunity to take a stand against this disturbing Boxing Day tradition – and she should have taken it. It could have helped her image by making her appear caring and willing to assert herself for something she cares about (whether or not she actually cares about it). This is something the public has yet to get a good sense of from Kate as she continues to seem lacking in personality, voice and definite convictions. This event could have been such an easy way for her to make progress in that regard. Before she was caught practicing, her stand could have been as simple as not participating on Boxing Day and making it known. It’s a stickier situation now that she’s been photographed hunting again, but it’s not too late for her to pass on Boxing Day. Whether or not it would still do wonders for her image is unknown – it could come across as a publicity stunt, depending – but regardless, she would justifiably earn a nod from the concerned public – and the pheasants, of course ;-). There would also be a bonus for talking William out of participating as well. Sadly, the reports of how intent Kate is to shoot pheasants and fit in with the Royals doesn’t give much hope that she’ll back out of the event.

William the Barbarian

Prince William was raised with this morbid tradition and killed his first stag at age 14 (2). Supposedly, he’s a highly skilled hunter who is “passionate” about shooting pheasants and stalking deer (2). That may have been a sign of virility and strong male prowess in the past (Henry VIII is said to have loved hunting too! -And let’s not forget about cavemen ;-) ), but it hardly seems like a common affinity for modern, wealthy, educated and westernized young men. In a time when hunting isn’t necessary, it can be considered borderline uncivilized – or even psychopathic to some – to view the torture or senseless death of an animal as a valid source of entertainment. -There are so many other sources of entertainment after all, and especially for a wealthy fellow like William. One would think educated and empathetic minds would find less indecent means of occupation. Overall, if Will is going to be the successful face of the “modern” Monarchy (someone his generation can relate to), the Boxing Day pheasant shoot is a tradition he should consider steering clear of at present, and doing away with in the future – even if he enjoys it.

Common Air is Fresh in the Royal Bubble

Overall, it’s no better for William to exercise his hunting skills than it is for Kate. However, it’s more disappointing to see the Monarchy’s biggest potential breath of fresh air in decades – William’s commoner bride – simply conforming on an issue like this, or in general. The greatest appeal in the idea of William marrying a non-aristocrat was that she would have been raised far outside the isolated bubble the Royals seem to live in, and could bring a new flavor into the fold. -A human element more of the public can relate to. With her background, Kate provides that by default, but only minimally.

By all means, Kate should conform with respectable traditions and satisfy the requirements of her role; but she doesn’t need to follow her husband around like a lost puppy or emit docility. Her new dedication to hunting (2) may not be an example, but it certainly looks like it from the outside. The impression given is that this is yet another piece of William’s life she’s taking on without reciprocation. If her efforts toward this are truly for the reasons reported, then hopefully in the future she will learn to use her voice more, create healthier relationship boundaries, and learn there’s more to being a good wife and Royal than being a people pleaser. Somehow, I know the pheasants would appreciate it.

Sources
(1) Ahlan! Live Reporter “Kate Middleton in Shooting Controversy.” Ahlan! Live.com. 12/5/2011.
(2) Mail on Sunday Reporter. “Kate gets in some target practice in preparation for Sandringham Boxing Day pheasant shoot.” Daily Mail. 11/14/2011.
(3) “Royal Wedding: Hunting and shooting.” WalesOnline. 11/16/2011.

Reportedly, Kate Middleton receives discreet, at-home skincare treatments by Camilla’s preferred esthetician (1); but they largely go waste as the Duchess continues to look like a shiny-faced clown with her outrageous makeup! She can have bee sting facials to her heart’s content, but until she gets her year-long problem with excessive makeup under control, she’ll only continue detracting from the canvas she seeks to perfect (1). For the most part, her complexion is great; but who can appreciate it when her thick eyeliner, heavy-handed blush, massive shine, and crazy-bold eyebrows scream for so much [negative] attention?

The photo on the Daily Mail’s recent article shows every horrid detail of what’s consistently wrong with Kate’s cosmetics. At present, her makeup application skills are about as finely-tuned as her interviewing skills. With time, it’s increasingly obvious that the Duchess’ top priorities are beauty and fashion – and that she epitomizes lipstick on a pig. As such, she can’t afford to make one tasteless mess after another when it comes to her makeup. Here are Kate’s major cosmetic offenses:

Cringe-Inducing Brows

Kate’s eyebrows look way too thick and artificially dark. Since they used to match her hair, it appears she’s heavy-handedly filling them in with a pencil or powder in too deep of a shade. They don’t look natural in the least – they just look solid. Unfortunately, their severe boldness overpowers her other features and gives her face a masculine quality. They are also poorly shaped: The low position and lack of a proper arch also masculinize her face. This is an area where Kate needs to be especially careful: She has small eyes, thin lips, and a square, chiseled jaw, and can’t afford to toy with bold, manly brows. Regardless, they’re far too much and look like the work of a lost and confused amateur.

Eliza Petrescu, a celebrity eyebrow stylist for A-list celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, has a problem with Kate’s brows as well (2) (Bear in mind that the article was written just before the Royal Wedding, and hence, just before Kate started going overboard on brow filler/tint).

Extreme Eyeliner

Moving downward, Kate’s tacky and tasteless eyeliner is her greatest makeup offense. The thick, pitch black lines are harsh and un-smudged, and look like a thirteen year old’s failed first attempt at scribbling on liner from her mother’s makeup bag. There is virtually no technique being used, and obviously, no restraint whatsoever. Kate should avoid leaving the lines so rigid, which makes her look hard and frigid (in agreement with Dame Vivienne Westwood (3)). She should also stop extending them all the way to the inner corners of her eyes (The 360-degree look says, “I have no idea what I’m doing or where to put it, so I’m doing it all and putting it everywhere!”). Additionally, she should try colors other than pitch black, like warm taupe or plum, to soften her look and be more daytime appropriate. Like her brows, her liner is simply too much, and always looks like the work of a misguided amateur.

Here, one blogger has given Kate a Photoshop makeover by changing her brows and liner – What do you think?

Unbalanced Lips and Eyes

Instead of going overboard with strong brows and liner to bring out her eyes, Kate should look to more noticeable lip color – which she rarely does (Unlike Her Majesty, The Queen!). As is appropriate, she tends to wear mild and nude lip shades with her heavy eye makeup. However, she should definitely strive for a more even balance between lip and eye makeup – especially for daytime appearances. The Duchess may be a middle class party girl by nature, but unless she’s headed to Boujis, she should ease up on the amateur-looking nightlife eye look – day or night. In addition to the improvements lighter eye and brow makeup would make, berry-tinted gloss on her lips, for example, would soften and feminize her face, visually plump her thin pout, and bring out the greens in her hazel eyes. Using less eye/brow makeup and slightly stronger lip color would make Kate look less “made up” and hence, more naturally beautiful, than her current eye mess does.

Bozo Blush

Kate also wears far too much blush. As with her liner and brows, she should strive for a more natural look. Unfortunately, she is consistently too heavy-handed when bathing her cheeks in rouge. This is yet another area where the Duchess needs to lighten up and learn higher techniques of application. This is blush. -It’s truly not that difficult after a tiny bit of practice. It’s clear that she’s either inexperienced (a la teenage girl), or has a poor eye and no idea what she’s doing (Has she not seen photos of herself?!). Amateur, amateur, amateur. -Not “just like us,” that’s for sure.

Greasy & Gross

Kate’s skin also needs some help these days. On many occasions, she’s looked excessively oily beyond a healthy sheen. To fix that, all she needs are some oil blotting sheets and a pressed powder compact. If the whole world is watching, both are worth using for touch-ups during each trip to the restroom. Also, excess oil can appear if a person has had a facial within a day or two: Skincare treatments and facial massages can stimulate the skin and pores and cause them to flush out oils and impurities. If that’s the case, Kate should avoid having facials within a couple of days of major events.

Wrinkle City

Kate should also invest in a good daily moisturizer with an SPF, anti-wrinkle cream, and an eye treatment. Despite her sporadic excess oil, she can also look terribly dry, and her skin and eyes have worse fine lines than most women her age. It’s a popular consensus that the 29 year old Duchess easily passes for 40, and that she’s ageing terribly. For a woman who appears to have had a cookie-cutter life so far, the only obvious explanations are horrible genes and/or long-term neglectful skincare (possibly including too much sun exposure). Kate is still young enough to nip her premature ageing in the bud and help prevent the further degradation of her face. Through good nutrition and hydration, general health maintenance, and the amazing products and treatments she’s likely privy to, Kate should have no problem turning back the clock on her skin.

Misguided Confidence – Inhibiting Improvement?

Despite her dreadful makeup, Kate apparently prefers her own work to that of professional makeup artists (4). According to People, before the official Will and Kate engagement photo shoot by Mario Testino, she reportedly wiped away her professionally-applied makeup to apply it herself (4). It was… not a good move. The obviously clueless amateur has supposedly applied it herself ever since (including her mediocre wedding makeup), as the mistakes remain consistent and unchanged. Her apparent confidence in her lacking skill makes her look like a fool – a fool of the clown variety, upon viewing the product of her efforts.

Unfortunately, Kate’s choices lack color and freshness while showcasing poor, outdated techniques. Even if makeup is done by an amateur, it shouldn’t look that way. -Especially not on the future Queen of England! She may be trying to appear modern and thrifty, but honestly, having fabulous makeup doesn’t require a professional; many women pull it off all by themselves every day. She has access to the best of the best in makeup artistry, but for crying out loud, even a free YouTube guru could help her at this point! Besides, shouldn’t Miss Art History Degree be at least slightly artistically inclined? Apparently she isn’t, despite how much she appears to care about her looks above all else.

If the Duchess wants to stop looking like the common, vacant, unimpressive woman she comes across as and start looking like a regal noblewoman, she can start by fixing this cosmetic mess. Improving the inside is clearly too much to ask – but improving the outside seems to be right up her alley.

Sources
(1) Joseph, Claudia. “Camilla’s beauty tip to Kate: The £165 bee sting treatment hailed as ‘non-surgical facelift’.” Daily Mail. 11/28/2011.
(2) Davis, Dawn. “Eyebrow Advice for Future-Princess Kate Middleton.” Cosmopolitan. 4/12/2011.
(3) Potter, Lisa. “Vivienne Westwood Slams Kate Middleton’s Style.” Marie Claire. 9/8/2011.
(4) Corcoran, Liz. Kate Middleton ‘Comfortable and Confident’ about doing own Makeup.” People. 4/28/2011.

Before I begin the body of this article, I’d like to add to the efforts of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, by doing my part to spread awareness about the hunger crisis in the horn of Africa. Please take the time to visit UNICEF.org, view and subscribe to the UNICEF YouTube channel (youtube.com/unicef), and view and share this video featuring the British and Danish Royals, which UNICEF asks that we all share with as many people as possible. The Action Against Hunger International Act is also providing aid to the victims of this crisis and has a great website to visit. In these economic times, many of us are short on money, but most of us can still manage to fulfill our basic needs. If you can make a donation, I encourage you to do so. But if not, please contribute by making others aware of this issue through discussion and sharing these links anywhere you can.

Now, on to the article:

Insensitive Style Choices: Is Kate Crying Out for Attention? -While Supporting a Cause?!

The visit to UNICEF’s Emergency Supply Center was an important move by the royal couple to raise awareness about the famine crisis in East Africa. However, dressed in red with a shiny animal patterned belt and a head full of primped and perfected loose curls, the duchess looked like she wanted a piece of that spotlight for herself. Standing amongst William and the Danish Royals, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, Kate’s show-stealing color choice ensured eyes would be especially drawn to her. This isn’t the first time Kate has pulled this attention-grabbing fashion maneuver, as she famously did it at William’s Sandhurst passing out parade in 2006, and even at another woman’s wedding recently (3). I’ve written it before, and I’ll write it again: Blatant and effective, wouldn’t you say? These bright, eye-catching outfits certainly don’t choose themselves. When Kate wears red, she typically wears all red: example 1, example 2, example 3, example 4, example 5, example 6 (closer), example 7, example 8 -and in many instances, it suggests she lacks humility and has a strong desire to be in the limelight.

While Kate’s hair looked thick, healthy, and just as hair commercial-ready as ever, it too seemed inappropriate. It’s understandable that she would want to look her best for photo opportunities and TV appearances (and hence, play up her hair); but it came across as extremely insensitive that she showed up to the aid center looking like she’d just spent hours having her hair done. By all means, she should want to look lovely – she represents the British Royal Family on these outings, and needs to look polished. However, like her outfit, her hairstyle was too much for the circumstance, and detracted from this golden opportunity for her to demonstrate humility – and that the cause was her top priority that day. Unfortunately, Kate didn’t show up to the center looking ready to put on a hardhat and fill boxes with supplies. Instead, she looked convinced that the world is her catwalk, and more ready to promote her looks than the cause. If you’ve seen her pathetic attempt at giving an interview during her visit (below), you’ll especially understand what I mean.

My impression of what Kate said was “Blah, blah blah, umm, *stutter* blah, blah, I didn’t know anything about this before I came here today and am having trouble acting like I give a rat’s a**.  *purses lips, remembers to maintain serious face* I thought we were just here to show off my hair – I wasn’t prepared to say anything… OH DEAR GOD, NOT A THIRD QUESTION! *brain overload* stutter – stutter – stutter – stutter.” She was probably way too distressed to lick that infamous peanut paste – you know, actually having to string sentences together that day and all. But back to the issue of her fashion choices in Copenhagen:

In the future, Kate should style herself more appropriately for this type of charity event. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, who also visited the UNICEF center, had the right idea (See her next to Kate here). Her outfit made her appear humble; and while she still looked very nice, she appeared minimally concerned with clothes and hair. This left room for the cause – not beauty, an attempt to impress people, a cry for attention, or looking glamorous for photo opportunities - to look like her top priority of the day. The colors she wore were muted, and the styles were simple. Her overall look was understated, as befitting the occasion, and lacked any flashy accessories like Kate’s shiny red belt. Her hair was also more appropriate than Kate’s. It was feminine, elegant, and left a slight bit of bangs hanging down. It looked like she did it herself (versus Kate’s fresh from the salon look), and was pulled away from her face. She came off as ready to pack those UNICEF boxes while Kate looked ready to strut her stuff. Sex kitten hair isn’t great everywhere – no matter how glossy it is or what masculine features it compensates for.

Kate Got Tons of Attention, Regardless: Senseless Palace PR & The Pregnancy Rumors

Kate’s spokesperson made a terrible move last week, and hugely contributed to shifting the spotlight from the crisis to Kate and royal pregnancy rumors. During the visit to the supply center, Kate supposedly gave William a “knowing look” as she declined to sample some peanut paste (you decide); and pregnant women are advised to avoid nuts (1). While the palace stated they won’t comment on speculation about royal pregnancies (2) , the spokesperson made a point to say that Kate “has no nut allergy whatsoever,” (1). Since the palace is typically mum about the origins of pregnancy rumors, this statement and its contents helped cause them to spiral out of control. Whether the duchess had anything to do with the comment is unknown, but regardless, it was a senseless thing to say. The UNICEF coverage did not need to be cut off at the knees by Kate getting attention over a possible pregnancy. The intent may not have had anything to do with UNICEF or the crisis, but the focus shift is exactly what happened. Now, with the added rumor fuel, any online search for Will and Kate at UNICEF yields an overwhelming number of results about peanut paste and other potential pregnancy clues. Surely, the spokesperson had a purpose for making the nut allergy statement, and it’s a no-brainer that it would continue to spark and fuel speculations – just as it has. So why was that statement made? -And who cares if Kate is allergic to peanuts or not?

Will and Kate’s visit was obviously appreciated by UNICEF, and probably did help raise awareness about the famine crisis. It’s just tragic that the events of their visit transformed into inspiration for pregnancy rumors and swiftly overshadowed the cause. The press is hugely to blame as well. If you’ve taken the time to read anything about Will and Kate this week (including this!), please also take the time to read about the crisis – which is exponentially more important. Again, please visit UNICEF.org and youtube.com/unicef.

Sources:
(1) Kindelan, Katie. “Kate Middleton Sparks Pregnancy Rumors with Food Choice.” ABC News. 11/4/2011.
(2) Gisas, Peter. “Kate Middleton Rubs Her Belly…Is It a Sign?!” E! Online. 11/7/2011.
(3) Nicholl, Katie. “You next, Pippa? Another Saturday, another wedding for Kate and her sister, who has the key to Alex’ door.” Mail Online. 9/26/2011.