To think that with Kate Middleton's education, she should be able to give a 3 minute speech without notes?

[Hammy02]

Given that new graduates at my organisation are expected to give 30 minute presentations without notes.

Let's see you have a crack speaking to the world's media OP and then we'll judge who was best shall we?

I can't even remember what I went into the kitchen for, nevermind a 3 minute speech.

I love that all ops graduates have been trained like chimps!

Hammy - are your graduates expecting to be scruitinised by millions, not just re what they say, but what they wear etc etc? Ridiculous comparison IMO.

I have presented to a couple of hundred people at work and almost shat myself but I had notes too

She's a great lass, and she's doing a great job. In time she'll be just perfect!

I used to have do public speaking as part of my old job. I usually always had notes. In fact that is a common tip given to people doing a public speech - use notes. The trick is to have them there more as a safety blanket and to keep you on course, not to read from. I don't know how Kate used them as I haven't seen the speech, but it would hardly be a surprise if nerves made her over-reliant on them.

Given that she probably didn't even write the speech I think using notes as a prompt is fine.

Better than drying up in front of millions of people who are just waiting, teeth out and claws bared, to trip you up and eat you alive.

Yeah what Sanuk said. The only presentations etc I have seen whereby it is frowned upon for using notes was in sales/marketing type pitches. The Duchess is not on The Apprentice you know!

Apparently she did write it. If that's true - Go Kate!

Not sure I see the link between being a graduate and using notes for a presentation/speech.

Have a fair few friends who are graduates and they couldn't present to save their lives - notes or no notes. I am not a graduate, but could present, very confidently without the use of notes.

Give the girl a chance, must have been very daunting for her.

I thought good first attempt. Let's face it they'll always be a queue to criticise her, hence the notes. I think I would have done a little wee.

The dress was hers originally, she loaned it to Mama Middleton, now she's reclaimed it.

YABU

Thought she did a great job

Leave the poor love alone.

The amount of vitriol for her over minor things appals me, honestly.

TBH, I get the feeling (and I mean this as an observation not a criticism) that she isn't naturally a very articulate person. Some people are, some aren't. Doesn't mean she isn't intelligent or even confident. It just means that this sort of thing must be a massive learning curve. Someone like Obama OTOH is probably a natural born speaker, even though he will have been prepped and primed. Hence why he chose his profession first as a lawyer then as a politician - it's a natural fit for him. Kate didn't choose this in the same way, even if it was a long time in the making.

Yabu

Maybe the OP companies are hiring PhDs . It's easy to do 30 min presentations without notes because they aren't supposed to be memorised. It always looked forced if you pre written the presentation. But all the slides you have prepared structures your talk.

This is not the same as a 3 minute speech.

YABU - it must be ghastly living your life in the public eye, the entire World's press and people like the OP just waiting to "judge" her. How very dare she have had a good education???

She is and will continue to be a good ambassador for her charities and the Royals as a whole.

The opening post seems rather mean and jealous to me.

Who cares about Kate Middleton? Why on earth should we listen to her? Because she is married to someone who is a celebrity by accident of birth? If she wants to be heard, she should start a blog like normal people and earn her followers.

YADBU.

I have to do lots of public speaking. It took me around 3 years to stop shaking after I speak - and I'm a fairly extrovert individual. I'm still not a 'good' public speaker although I have had lots of practice. Probably far more practice than KM has had. I still write notes before I speak too so I can remember to say the things I want to.

Breaking News PatronSaintOfDucks - You don't have to listen to her. Yes! It's true! You can choose not to! Ain't that a slice? Whilst you're busy not listening to her or anyone like her you could spend that time working on being slightly less waspish and thin lipped - I'm sure you'll be happier in the long run if you shed some of that bitterness.

YABU. Kate Middleton isn't at your organisation.

LentillyFart, I didn't. Honestly. Don't even know what the speech was about. Don't have a telly, which helps to avoid all sorts of nonsense. But I do reserve a right to voice my opinions on public forums. Or do you think only royalty can do this without being called bitter?

Kate did very well - having a degree does not automatically make you a natural public speaker, especially when the worlds media are on you, scrutinising your every word, look and pat of the belly ready to report more spurious rumours and mis-analyse every thing you say or dont' say.

I have just watched it.

She seemed terrified (and who coached her, like Princess Di, to have all those weird pregnant pauses?), so I feel sorry for her. I think she did well.

It must have been very intimidating.