To think Prince William and his wife are lacking appreciation of their position

[fideline]

and good fortune?

He just seems a bit of an over-privileged posh boy?

I know everyone says he has lovely manners, but we can expect a bit more than that, surely?

They have just hired a 'forrin' nanny a) after making an enormous PR fuss about not having one b) at a time of high UK unemployment.

The list of god-parents for their baby was a bit multi-barrelled and No foreign royals, as is traditional, but Not the slightest whiff of any demographic diversity either.

There seem to be a LOT of luxury holidays going on with these two.

The uni course he is doing has been especially designed for him and seems designed to prepare him for inheriting the enormous (private) Duchy of Cornwall. Not exactly public-spirited?

In the much-hyped first post-baby interview, he was keen to promote a charity saving Kenyan Rhinos. Nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but the line between animals he shoots for fun and animals he wants to save is unclear and anyhow a charity for under-privileged (UK?) children would have been the nice, publicity-shrewd thing to do, maybe?

For a couple with a great deal of expensive PR expertise at their disposal they seem to be slightly missing the mark a bit too often.

Think you misread the question aero .

We don't know if they lack an appreciation of the privileges. So in that respect you are being unreasonable .

However, for what it's worth I think their public image is awful. Especially Kate's. I don't think she has more personality than a clothes hanger. Seems very tense, featuring a constant fake grin on her face. Whenever she engages with the public she flicks her hair every few seconds. Simply ridiculous. Like a coy school girl.

Worst of all, she just seems like a stepford wife and that is an awful role model. I don't know why but actually thinking about it does make me angry… she is privileged and I agree with you they should admit that much rather than pretend they're all normal.

I get the impression that they try to appreciate their fortunate position but without experience of what life is like living on £25,000 they can't really understand how lucky they are. If you have only lived a privileged life it must be difficult to really understand that for some buying a second hand skirt for £13 from eBay is a treat; or that a caravan holiday on Camber Sands is exciting.

I like having a Royal Family and a Crowned Head of State. I think that that they have a philanthropic attitude and I'm happy with that.

There are probably lots of parents who plan future child care arrangements during pregnancy and the early months, then find the plans don't work for them later. It's harsh to criticise them for realising they need extra help with child care. So what if the nanny is foreign?

It seems a good idea to me that Prince William has undertaken training to understand how to run the Duchy of Cornwall. Aren't a lot of jobs directly and indirectly reliant on it's continuing success? And doesn't it indicate a serious and responsible attitude from Prince William?

With regard to Prince William's campaign to save the rhino it's hardly the only charity he's involved in.

YANBU. People who say they 'like' them have been brainwashed as only their close friends and family know what they are really like as people.

It's no good saying oh well I know lots of people who are privileged and have x amount of holidays a year. The point is that those people you know probably aren't funded by the tax payer.

And this at a time when some people are literally dying because they've had their benefits cut? How is that right in any sense?

You could say the same for people who say they don't like them Lottie.

Referendum for a republic please, I know it will never happen really

Kim what do you think of the sycophantic fawning and toadying that comes with being the US President or French President?

Privilege just because you are born into the right family, hardly modern thinking is it.? I know a baronet worth 150 mil and his son gets the title on his passing. He is already inheritance planning giving him all his assets, mainly rental property. This has been passes down since the 14th century

It is quite hilarious that people genuinely think that we criticise them because we are jealous.

Are you for real?

well you can like a politician or not but they have been voted in during free and fair elections at least in this country. don't really see fawning and toadying over them here. they wish.

the royal family is a ridiculous notion for our time.

the smiling and laughing at their jokes makes me want to vomit. cannot understand any human being fawning and bowing and scraping over another one.

such a lack of self respect. I couldn't care if they are the nicest people in the world or a bunch of arrogant tossers I just don't want to pay for them

and the old crap that they bring in the tourists is bollocks.

tourists will always come to Britain as it's choc full of beauty and history.

nowt to do with the present royal family

I don't know them personally so couldn't say whether they appreciate their position or not. It's up to them who they choose as god parents for their baby. It wasn't his fault he was born into a privileged family. And they clearly love each other. There are far worse people around so I certainly wouldn't single this couple out for criticism.

And Charles and his green ink letters that the Guardian is fighting to be made public because he is abusing his position.

Having cake and eating it, non?

PoorOldJumbo, are you actually comparing the position of the royals to career politicians who, whatever their manifold flaws, are regularly grilled by opposition parties, political journalists, are required to engage in endless televised debates pre-election, and - most crucially - are actually elected by voters?

Can you imagine the Queen on Question Time trying to defend the monarchy? Charles being asked the same question nineteen times by Paxman?

Isn't the Royal Family being openly criticised here?

What economic, health or education policies that she is proposing or has imposed do you want the Queen to be questioned about?

As you didn't answer my question I assume you think sycophantic fawning and toadying is okay as long as object of it was elected?

Body you're right politicians are treated differently here, but none of them are the Head of State.

It is not that they must be horrible people. Rather, why on earth should one person now and scrape to another because of no other reason than accident of birth? It's ridiculous. And that is what the Royal family represent.

Burden I'm comparing Heads of State.

Bow and scrape*