To think the Duchess of Cambridge has no place in sports personality of the year

[Nishky]

Martina Navratilova made a moving speech about female role models so who do they roll out to present it?

All you Kate haters can just bugger off, she's just doing her job, she looked lovely, if a bit uneasy. It must have been difficult for her to get through, HG is a shitter. Wee bit jealous of how glossy she looked, I had greasy hair and spots when I had it and practically had to crawl everywhere, she did well.

I logged on especially this morning jiust to see what MN had to say on the subject. and you have not disappointed me.

I agree with everything kungfu said.

I think she did very well. If I was in her position I'd be in bed, spewing into a silver bowl and demanding chocolate.

I didn't really have any opinion on why she was there - apparently it was a long-standing engagement and she really wanted to do it. I imagine she spent all day resting and counting down the hours until she would have to get up and get dressed etc and probably dreading it

I thought the dress was lovely but her hair is just too much now - too long, too full and completely drowns the rest of her. She actually looked really uncomfortable and suspect she felt like shit.

Jessica Ennis looked amazing - glowing, healthy - a tru role model

I just googled the news story and it looks like she only turned up in time to present the award - fairly telling that she didn't sit through the whole thing.

I wonder how long she stayed afterwards? Not long, I'm willing to bet.

No one is questioning Kate's personality. It is irrelevant whether she is 'nice' or not. These were awards based on achievement and should have been handed out by someone of equal or greater achievement and talent.

Not a royal and even less a royal with no achievements to her name.

I think she was only there for 45 minutes.

Yes, people are questioning her personality. There are multiple disparaging comments about her.

Didn't William help with the bid? I thought she was partly there to represent him, partly to add a touch of glamour to elevate proceedings and partly because it was the Jubolympics feel - the two big events of 2012.

My only concern was if it was appropriate as her first appearance since Jacintha Saldana's death as it was a bit of a jolly occasion, but she didn't exactly crack jokes or dance Gangnam Style, there was the usual demureness.

I am not familiar with Laurie's other posts but I am another person who fundamentally believes in a Republic but thinks the current Royals mostly do as good a job as they can.

Kungfu, yes. And about her dress and hair. Kinda misses the whole point of the awards and what they are supposed to symbolise in our society.

But see, what else can people talk about? She doesn't have a real job that one can comment on. Unlike someone like Jessica Ennis, where the clothes etc fade into the background and the focus is on her talent and her amazing achievements

Between the two women, it is quite clear who is a role model for our girls and who represents the anti-thesis of that

Yavbu. It didn't occur to me that anyone could see a problem with her being there.

She can't win. If she does nothing she's a freeloader. If she turns up 'what's she doing here?'. Fault finding in order to be spiteful.

Yes Enis is a great role model, no one has disputed that Flatbread.

The thing is, most people do like the royals. So things aren't going to change in the UK in the foreseeable future. There's no point in having them and then never seeing them.
So unfortunately you will come across them on occasion. What do you actually want Kate to do? Sit in her house for the rest of her life?

Meh. Not a big fan of trotting the royals out to be honest, and was expecting Princess Anne or Zara Phillips (both competent sportspeople in their own right).
She isn't who I would have chosen, but nobody had the sense to ask me .

However, I reserve the right to go postal when the tabloids go to town on 'Kate's night of extraordinary bravery' and 'the nation's sweetheart', much as I did when people I knew in RL described Princess Diana as 'my best friend'.

I so agree with you Kungfu.

She was apparently only there for 45 mins as presumably is still feeling like shit.

But she can't do anything right for a lot of people can she?

I could have done without her. Her presence means the event has become about her and not the athletes. Liked the frock though.

I don't mind too much about Kate. I did feel sorry for Mo Farah's daughter though. He mentioned his wife and the twins, but not his existing daughter who was sitting next to her mum. My heart went out to her.

I noticed that pear

And Kate did have a family member competing in the games. She can't win. and she did work!

When I see her I just think Diana 2 anyone getting involved with that family is going to the lions den.

What do you actually want Kate to do? Sit in her house for the rest of her life?

Of course not. There were many more appropriate things she coukd have done, but they would have been leass glamerous and perhaps involved real work.

Around Christmas it would be time to focus on the less fortunate. Working in a soup kitchen and feeding the poor, like Michelle Obama did, as first lady, would be more meaningful, and send a powerful message that we are all in it together. But I guess it is too boring and lowly for the royals. Much more fun to pretend to be important.

Michelle regularly works in soup kitchens?

I agree with toughssoldboots.

I thought she looked like she too was thinking " what on earth am I doing here?"

She looked pale, hid behind her hair and is the kind of role model revered in the past ie. "be beautiful, don't say much, stand around supporting your husband who should be wealthy and preferably titled". I think she looked out of place and uncomfortable and well, rather glum in the same way poor Princess Diana did often. I felt sorry for her....she has a lifetime of that ahead of her.

Wichety, Michelle has worked in a soup kitchen, as a first lady and prior. She is very focused on helping children in disadvantaged areas focus on education and health, two areas that will have a huge impact on their lives.

I guess the culture in the US is about rolling up your sleeves and doing work, no matter who you are. I was working in a very well-known company in the US, and it was common for partners in our firm, on million plus salaries to spend a weekend day volunteering in a soup kitchen or actively helping out poor families.

It is less common in the UK, I guess. Hobnobbing at gala and charity events is not a substitute for real public service.