The Duchess of Cambridge attends the Sarah Everard vigil

[JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows]

My respect for the Duchess has just shot up. For a Royal, this is pretty bold and brave.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sarah-everard-vigil-kate-middleton-london-b1816862.html

Not forgetting other women - if you attended the vigil tonight, thank you for sticking up for women's rights. Let's hope this is an opportunity for the Met Police to review and change how they treat both offending officers and female victims

Good she went, but it was a slick and timely PR stunt.
She is surrounded by security and no doubt fimed by the palace press office.
But I am a cynic.

I think it's great she went PR move or not it's really important she went

Even if it was a PR move, it was a good one.

If it wasn't a pr thing why was she not wearing a mask?

I'm glad she went - says a lot about her as it was totally under the radar.

don't really think it's brave to be driven somewhere and have security with you (even if they weren't visible they were there!) at an event

FFS Kate's life and that of her kids and DH are much more at risk than any of ours even with security.

This is all optics

It's such an obvious photo op - she's attended mid afternoon with no mask, and a media videographer right there where she just happened to "vigil".

Photo ops are one thing - but for this? Using this poor woman's gruesome murder to shore up the family face? If Kate was really concerned, she'd immediately mobilise all her banked up power to robustly and publicly lobby for women's safety in the home (where most are murdered) and on the street.

But no. A wee walk and a photo op. Fuck's sake.

@LaCerbiatta
Not every royal person is a slave to PR. I think that she was there to pay her respects. She probably won't merch her outfit either.

Unless one of us works in the royal PR department, we have no way of knowing her motive for attending. Perhaps we could assume, just this once, that they are genuine?

This is exactly the kind of horrible, cynical attitude that Meghan spoke about on the interview.

I can’t believe the cynics see sniping already. Is everything the royals do from here on in a response to the almighty Meghan?

It’s wonderful that she did this. Of course she’s safe, security go everywhere with her. But she’s very obviously trying to be discreet, this isn’t an engagement, she’s dressed-down, no fuss, no speeches. It’s a respectful gesture.

Oh ffs ladies. You really think this was a PR move. She has feelings. Any woman living in London has feelings. I felt the burning need to go today. So did Kate. Stop making everything about PR and media.

She went and it validated the vigil. She didn't make a big fuss about going. It looked like she'd made a last min decision to go, thrown on her dog walking coat and thought fuck it, I'm off.

The point is, her going to pay respect brings even more of the attention that this terrible murder needs. Even if it WAS a pr move (and how shit for her that she can never do anything genuine), then it was a good move, to highlight that Sarah everard’s brutal killing is horrifying to women from ANY walk of life.

I was really surprised to hear this.

In the light of the situation- met officer arrested, police say stay away from Clapham common. I think this verges on a political move which is a no no generally for senior royals.

I'm very very impressed. Thank you Kate.

(I'm no royal fan but she's a woman too and no matter the privilege we all know the score to a greater or lesser extent).

I think it's nice she went. It's a shame it was filmed I don't think she was doing it for publicity.
Agree about flowers, I know people want to show they care but there must be other ways.

Kate going to the site was ill advised during Covid and now we loads of women following her lead and arrests. It has become even more polarised.

It would be more responsible and dignified to hold a private vigil, and say something in terms of new causes that she would promote to reduce violence against women

Is the most political thing we’ve seen Kate do. I like it.

@thenightsky It looked like she'd made a last min decision to go, thrown on her dog walking coat and thought fuck it, I'm off.

This. And good for her. Jesus Christ ladies. Stop killing women.

A big thank you to the Duchess for doing this today.

She didn't need a mask to walk on the common. I don't know why people doubt her motives. She and her sister attended university and lived and worked in London for years. Their experience will be like every other woman's. And Kate has a daughter now too. No wonder that she is impacted by this tragedy.

I love a slightly rebellious Kate and Wills.

@en0la

Why didn't she take flowers?

Maybe because you don't have to take flowers in order to show your respect.

I also agree with the PP who said that leaving plastic wrapped flowers isn't such a great idea anyway. If you're going to take flowers, at least remove the plastic wrapper.

@en0la

Why didn't she take flowers?

Maybe because you don't have to take flowers in order to show your respect.

I also agree with the PP who said that leaving plastic wrapped flowers isn't such a great idea anyway. If you're going to take flowers, at least remove the plastic wrapper.

Of course she had royal protection officers around. There is no way she'd be out on her own.

There is another video on the Mail online. She's filmed walking across the park and it's very clear there is at least 1 female protection officer with her ( youngish with pony tail) and there'd have been many others around her somewhere.