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?

why do people imagine she might be faking her illness? What could possibly be gained?

I agree with Festively. But there's not enough 'meh' in the world to get through a thread of Flatbread on the Royal Family so I'll be hiding the thread from hereon.

KungFu, you are wonderful, fair and sensible - as always

(So very at yet another thread for Flatbread to get her knickers in a twist over....give it an hour and yellowtip will no doubt turn up too)

Oi - I am Kungfu's sycophant on this thread.

WHen I had HG you know what worked for me?

Exercise! So each to their own eh? Stuff ginger biscuits!

Perhaps some of us are able to keep more than one concept in our minds at a same time. I have had a b.gger of a year. The only thing that has kept me cheerful was the Olympics, frankly. Kate was part of the excitement and fun. I like her she cheers me up. I am quite able to reflect on the plight of women globally while enjoying a night of fun. Incidentally, while not an Olympian, she was no mean sportswoman herself.

Frankly, whatever Kate had done last night would have meant her getting a load of stick. If she hadn't turned up you'd have said she was milking it and not working hard enough. She can't win.

Someone should ask flatbread all about royal handlers...

And I really don't understand the violent ( in some cases) criricism of any women - who doesn't care about what you think or need

I also don't understand what concern about the conditions of women in third world countries or those struggling in poverty here with pregnancy have anything to do with the price of fish? Are you saying that if you support the Royal Family you cannot care about anything else? Isnt that a really naive, simplistic and frankly stupid view?

I genuinely don't understand the ire, nastiness, bitchiness and pure hate spewing out of people mouths. There is no need.

I can't really comment about the HG as thank goodness I've never had it but I assume there are varying degrees of severity.

I also can't say much about SPOtY as I fell asleep but I do like the D of C and yes I do count her as a good role model for my DD - as well as people like the athletes at last night's ceremony. I would far rather DD grew up with the grace, manners and seeming kindness of the D of C than the uncouth tasteless behaviour of many female 'celebrities'. If that was coupled with the hard work and dedication of someone like Beth Tweddle (DD's heroine) then I'd be very proud.

Quite, Festively.
Why would the RF lie about the fact that Kate has HG?
Ok, she's a Royal, but she's still an expectant mum with a difficult pregnancy.
I would never go out of my way to see a Royal, doesn't mean I would come on to vilify any of them, especially Kate.
We are mostly mothers here, who support each other, but for some reason Kate is getting it in the neck.
After the tragedy that happened at the hospital she was in, I wonder if she's already starting to regret ever joining that family.
Just leave her alone.

I'm not a monarchist. I just don't like to see her torn apart for no fathomable reason and calling her illness into question is just beyond mean.

I'm sorry for being rude. I shouldn't have but it really upsets me - and yes I did have HG myself and could feasibly have been pushed onto a podium for 45 minutes with medication, and managed not to vomit in public. At times.

How do you know she doesn't care what we think? I would. And all we know about her illness is from press statements made by those in charge of her, and tbh whether those are true or not is not a reflection on her, herself.

I like her - I don't know her, but I like what I see and I feel that she deserves to be treated with as much respect as any other woman. I don't agree with the royal family in principle but that's imo beside the point.

Agree Nishky - sure she's a lovely person blah blah blah, but a female role model...?? I really hope not.

I doubt she volunteered! She does what she is asked out of duty to her country and love for her husband. Give the lass a break.

And I don't think she was there as a role model - just as someone to present prizes.

I think there's a difference?

I'm not even a massive fan of hers. I can take her or leave her.

But I think the ire directed at her is unfair. There are other 'celebrities' out there who are genuinely vile, but get considerably less vitriol aimed at them.

She's a young woman who has had to announce her pregnancy very early because everyone will otherwise be frothing at the mouth to know why she was in hospital. There's already been a horrible incident relating to her pregnancy which must surely be playing on her mind, and she probably wants nothing more than to crawl into bed and stay there.

If she was mrs Jo blogs from down the road, MN would be full of sympathy. Because she is who she is, she seems to forfeit any right to even basic compassion.

I don't agree at all Toughasoldboots.
All the vitriol I've seen on this thread is directed at Kate.
You can hate an institution such as the RF, without being utterly vile to one woman who turned up at an awards show 'doing her job'.

well I felt sorry for her. she looked like she would far preferred to have been tucked up in a cosy bed. all I could think was you poor woman please dont be sick. I felt like death warmed up at that stage in my pregnacies. I don't care who she was a.y woman who felt as rough as poor Kate looked had no place there. she did fantasicallly well to glam her self up and get on with it. good for her

I don't regard Kate as a role model for my dd.

But if I were to be positive about her I would say that at least to my knowledge she doesn't spend her time relentlessly picking apart other women at the slightest excuse.

So, for me, 'seemingly pleasant woman giving out award' ranks way above 'spiteful and nitpicking women finding yet another excuse to criticise'.
Gleefully accusing another woman of lying about a problem in her first pregnancy would be pretty high on my 'never grow into this kind of woman' plea to DD.

Working in a soup kitchen and feeding the poor, like Michelle Obama did

What, for a photo opportunity you mean ? It's hardly turning out every night to feed the homeless is it.

I used an asterisk in the word 'b*stards'

I think that makes a small, if insignificant, difference...as in, I don't like using the word or writing it. I just felt strongly that people were mocking her for not ever really being ill at all.