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.

They could have hired a UK nanny of any ethnicity they liked Wild.

In fact, that's exactly what they should have done. Recruited someone who is UK BME.

I don't really mind them TBH.

However, at a time when so many people are having the indignity of relying on food banks I do feel it was a shame that he decided to so publically back a charity supporting Kenyan rhinos. I haven't killed any rhinos/elephants but his family certainly has.

I wouldn't like to be in their position tbh.

Imagine having every aspect of your life picked apart.

For godparents they picked:

her school friend
his school friend
his mum's good friend and all round good egg
the man who has been a staunch ally and friend to both of them and whose son was chosen to participate in their wedding
a friend from uni
a cousin
a family friend whose mother is William's godmother and was another friend of his mother's.

Luxury holidays - one recent week in Caribbean with her family for her, one trip with his mates for him.

They are involved with UK charities and I can tell the difference between common European wildlife and incredibly rare, vulnerable to poaching species. Can you OP?

Royalty bashing is just so lazy.

Would anyone actually want to swap with them, though? You only need to see the huge interest generated around the world by the birth of Prince George to understand that - love them or hate them - they promote our country. I was competing in an international sporting event at the time of the birth and the Canadians were way more excited about the baby than anyone from GB!

xp

Actually you might be right Kew it might actually be the 'we're so normal' PR that's actually irritating. More so than the fact that they are not 'normal' IYSWIM.

I detest the whole idea of the royal family and could go into massive detail about why but won't as I would be here all night. I hate the idea that people have to bow and scrape to them in this day and age. Also, the whole idea that William and Harry were "working" but could just say to their boss, "I'm off now for 3 weeks" on what's essentially a holiday really grates. The rest of us get their allocated annual leave and our bosses would tell us to bugger off if we tried that.

Phew, rant over

"Benefit scroungers have a good reason for their lifestyle"

Prince Charles pays for William and Harry's official duties costs (about £1m) from Duchy of Cornwall revenue - they both have substantial trust funds from Diana's estate I doubt they need the taxpayer to fund them. Bet they rather give up the royal duties and sod off doing whatever they like with their own money!

Yes I agree about the Royal bashing too

I don't mind them either.

I do think though she needs to find some charities to focus on and do some awareness raising for good causes. The post about how Princess Diana was doing much more at a younger age is a good point.

But then I suppose she got married at 19 so even when she was younger shed had more time to grow in confidence, etc. Its all still quite new to Kate so maybe she'll get there soon.

Also Diana wasn't lacking in luxury holidays either.

"They cost me less personally than someone on benefits does."

Really Dallas?!

There was a thread recently about how grateful we all should be that William and Harry pitched in with the flood clean-up effort. It was weird.

Kate goes out to buy a moses basket and she's photographed. She takes her kid out in his pram and she's photographed. She gives birth and has to be outside the hospital looking lovely and praying her lochia doesn't flood down her legs in front of the world's press 24 hours later. Would I want to change places with her? Not in a million years.

I would like free run of the Royal collection though. there's some seriously nice art in that.

"However, at a time when so many people are having the indignity of relying on food banks I do feel it was a shame that he decided to so publically back a charity supporting Kenyan rhinos"

Exactly fox

Why don't they give up the 'royal duties' and do something else then? It's bullshit. No royal families in other countries live like they do. It's a peculiarly British phenomenon.

And travelling with a hairdresser? Really?

I am told by someone in a position to know that Prince William is quite a lot more intellectual than is generally known, but that he deliberately is very low key about it to the point of hiding it. Which seems quite sad to me.

^^ Boo frickin hoo.

As people they're very nice (making no comment on the institution of royalty) - they are very happy and have always loved each other very much.

Kate was sure early on that she wanted to be with him - he was under multiple pressures and didn't entirely have free choice (people constantly saying to him don't get married, look at your parents, look what happens if you make a mistake - you'll bring down the monarchy etc).

In the end he went with what he really wanted - and I think it's really working out for them.

I am not a monarchist.

Maybe they should give it up then if it's so darn painful?

As far as Kate is concerned, I'm with Hilary Mantel.

I don't think you can make an accurate judgement on whether they actually appreciate their position or not unless you spend some time with them discussing that particular thing.

I like them, and you just come across as jealous by talking about whether their chosen god parents are state educated or not and where their nanny comes from. Those things are completely irrelevant.

What sort of parent would choose their child's carers and God parents based on what complete strangers might think of their choice?

'Why don't they give up the 'royal duties' and do something else then?'

What you mean like being a serving RAF officer? That sort of something else?

You cannot 'fake' safely piloting a rescue helicopter. He really did it, he was really responsible for his crew and the people they were helping and I'm damn sure he'd rather be doing that than endlessly saying 'and what do you do' and having his wife sniped at in the press.

Quite, LtEve. Every time I saw him around work, he seemed to be going about his business like everybody else, earning a living doing exactly the same thing...

I am failing to dredge up the animosity that some people seem to be concocting using just their imaginations for fuel. Maybe I'm lucky to have a grip on reality.

They are quite inoffensive. It's hilarious what some people will find to moan about.

Royals being royal? How fucking outrageous!