To be a bit disappointed in Kate Middleton?

[saffronwblue]

When visiting Fortnums, apparently she talked about what a struggle it is to make tea properly with "dried tea leaves". For someone who has not ever worked full time, had dependents or any particular constraints apart from media interest, I thought she might be a bit more interesting and competent. She still seems to spend her time giggline and hair flicking and being generally self conscious.

Casmama - we'll have to disagree, though I do like the idea of Chantelle and co being fish sellers as part of their quest for fame (which actually is probably a possibility)
I take it you wouldn't agree with my view that the royals are the biggest benefits scroungers in the country, either? (disclaimer - I am not anti-benefits, or believing that anyone in receipt of benefits is a scroungers - only the royals)

I agree with what Casmama said.

I am no royalist, but at least they look pretty where applicable and Do Good Deeds, bringing in tourism etc.

The true scroungers, I think, are the corporate bastards who shirk their massive tax bills and suck up bonuses for fuck all, while slashing jobs and taking our money.

Not disappointed in her at all. I think she is very, very graceful.

I say all kinds of vacuous things...god help me if I were ever turned into a soundbite! She was probably trying to make conversation. I like her, not that i know her!

Also jealous she got spend afternoon there. I been on to dh for months to take me for afternoon tea there!

Sigh

lebof here here

The royals, pretty?

Well Kate aside, erm....

There was Diana, and most of them out of the immediate gene pool, I suppose. The Queen, Margaret and even Anne in her youth were lookers too, though. But even if I've overstated that point, they mostly put some graft in.

Ha ha I don't mind the royals but I'm not sure good looks would be what I associate then with!

Though when I was younger I found prince William all dreamy and stuff.

MrsGradGrind I'm at your response to, 'sold their sole'... Brilliant!

Consensus seems to be IABU. Fair enough. I would just like to see a bit more gravitas or character or something in the spouse of the future Head of State. And I think growing up in the UK and going out with William for years, she would have had a very,very good idea of what she was getting into.

Would love to see how some of the bitchy lot on here coped in her shoes. Ok, she is not struggling or doesn't have to worry about bills etc but that doesn't mean she deserves the absolute bitch fest that some - women in particular, love to load on her. She has a role to fulfill in the 'firm' and she is doing it beautifully. Give the girl a break.

Loads of people don't know how to make tea properly. It is foul when it is badly made. She was in a posh tea place, it would have been strange if she had said "duck the tea, let's talk about Syria", just so she could be serious.

I agree born Ive had the misfortune to drink some chuffing awful cups of tea over the years - serious crimes against tea leaves/bags.

My sister bought me a book years ago about the history of tea, how to make it and appropriate accompanying biscuits (with dunkability factor). Apparently there is an art to making the perfect cuppa so I would have probably asked the same question!

And when your gmil is the queen probably discount tea bags won't cut it.

projection projection projection
She seems 'two-dimensional' because she hasn't spilled the beans on her inner emotional turmoil, as Diana did. We all suffered from the illusion that we knew Diana, but of course we didn't.
The ONLY thing we 'know' about Kate Middleton is what is fed us by news editors, magazines, royal PRs, etc.
What kind of person is she when she's in private with her friends or husband? None of us have any idea.
Her public role is to be nice and decorative. So far she seems to have fulfilled that one.

Yabu.

Inane small chat is what you do when trapped at a boring social occasion with a stranger you have nothing in common with.

I think it was a perfectly reasonable comment to put the fortnum bod at their ease. I'd imagine it'd be easy for them to respond knowledgeably and look good even under the pressure of the occasion.

I'm disappointed in the fact that she ^exists!>

As Duchess of Cambridge, obviously- I am perfectly happy for her to continue to exist as Kate Middleton, Purveyor of Fine Party Bags to the Gentry.

I believe its called 'small talk'.

And perhaps whe was referring to the Japanese tea ceremony which is a tad tricksy to get perfect

I would suspect that she has probably had tuition on appropriate small talk as she will be having to have conversations like this with people she doesn't know, where every word could easily be in the media in minutes for the rest of her life. It's not something I would wish on anyone.

At least the likes of Chantelle whatshername (no idea who she might be) are free to behave as badly as they like. Kate Middleton will have to always behave according to some archaic view of etiquette and decorum at all times.

Referring back to many threads on this very forum, I would have thought that all those years at a very expensive public school would at least have taught her how to chat politely on a neutral subject to a stranger for a few minutes without any special training!

That's true enough, but I was thinking that there might be some extra in order to always be able to say something, but never ever ever say anything remotely controversial. I spent a couple of years at an expensive boarding school and there was no etiquette on the curricula

To be disappointed one would gave to have expectations.

I can't make tea either.
Don't think I will lose sleep over it though.

it cant be easy living your life under spotlight all the time whatever you do or say being scrutinised, being criticised if you appear to thin or to fat i was,ent diana,s biggest fan but she must have had a hellof a lifeand so will kate.