Shouldn't we expect just a little bit more of the Duchess of Cambridge.

[sweetgrape]

Never turned up for one single memorial service for the armed forces, but there at Center Court, Wimbledon, rubbing shoulders with a load of celebs,and entertaining Brad and Angelina Pitt at Kensington Palace. Is this what her royal life boils down to.

Lem73 - I would argue that William's cousin Peter (and to a lesser extent Zara) has forged a much more normal career... but otherwise would agree with you.

I believe her Madge always has weights sewn into her skirt hems .Camilla had same problem at the christening .You'd think it would be part of the How to be a Royal handbook

I wonder if she is reading this

I hope not Scarlett but probably by me saying that will bring posts saying she deserves it because she is in the royal family

In al honestly, unless you are a through and through Republican with an axe to grind, I really can't see how one pleasant, inoffensive woman who happens to be married to a future King can generate such nasty comments. I don't agree with the jealousy theory, no one could be that daft, could they?

She's hardly Katie Hopkins spouting bile and vitriol, as someone has just said, she never puts a foot wrong. Oh, apart from not getting out enough doing royal duties even though she has a toddler and a baby. I didn't got back to work until my youngest went to school - flame me!

I'm fairly sure she isn't reading this! (Bit early in the morning.... ).
She is indeed inoffensive as an individual. That's not the point, for me.

Yep, you got it Ego!

I just don't get the hate on here, but there again I don't get worked up about the royal family unlike some. There are probably many rich mummies out there who do exactly the same, never work, support their husband, look pretty, shop, go to the tennis club and out for lunch. I feel she does more than that and she is under a microscope.

There are far worse out there.

I really dislike her and her equally annoying pushy family. I know I sound unreasonable and it's all very un mumsnet but that's the way it is. She never had a job before she married him did she? Waity Katie got her man. And maternity leave!!!! Leave from what? . And also didnt they both get arsey when they were on one of their numerous holidays and someone took a photo of them on a public beach ? That really creamed my corn . Think the queen has done a brill job btw

I really dislike her that's sad Chipstick she speaks very highly of you

But in her first official portrait by Paul Emsley, unveiled in January, her eyes are dead and she wears the strained smile of a woman who really wants to tell the painter to bugger off. One critic said perceptively that she appeared ‘weary of being looked at'

Interesting. I don't see any of that in the portrait.

How is it sad.? Eh? I dislike a ton of people. I dislike Russell Brand. Victoria Coren. Gary Barlow. Lenny Henry. John Terry. Fiona Philips. Yves te Cooper. Louise Mesch . Fearne Cotton. Jimmy Carr. Gordon Ramsey. David Mitchell. Emma Thompson. Diane Abbott. Most mp's infact. Danny Dyer. Ray winstone . Actually the list is endless.

Are you jealous of them all Chipstick, because according to some on here that can be the only possible reason for dislike.

Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Clement Atlee, Lady Diana. Maggie Thatcher.

Anyone who would want to marry into that family and have her life put under the miscroscope - I salute her.

And yes, her role in life now is to produce an heir and a spare which she has done.

I don't think your life can be so great if you never have any real freedom to just pop down to the corner pub shop/local park with the kids if you and your family are a target for the world's nutters....

More like a golden cage.

She really is damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. Not sure why anyone gets the arse about it.

Don't see why she would be damned if she did tbh. She has to realise that with the super privileges comes a price. It can't just be all take. Or are we just to keep throwing rakes of money at them and get nothing back.

I think they should have an annual performance review and some sort of revalidation process. They should pitch their ideas and apply for funding.

I must admit the ' maternity leave' and 'stay at home mum' ' rare time off from childcare' business does bug me. She is incredibly privileged and has armies of help around the home and a full time nanny. To make her out as just an ordinary young mum trying to get by with 2 young kids is ridiculous and insulting. I think a lot of that is the media's fault though rather than hers. Putting her up as some perfect woman precisely because she is the dutiful royal wife/ clothes horse etc, producing an heir and a spare, including a pretty little prince and princess in the right order and even having the good grace not to offend us with her 'mum tum'. These are seen as her achievements.

I agree fancyanotherfez it amazes me how many people come out with all that "maternity leave" claptrap. To have "leave" you have to have something to have leave from. I don't care what anyone says it's nonsense to call it work what she does. I also wonder why so many rigorously defend her, she's hardly in need of it is she.

I think it is unfair that she has been compared to Katharine Kent and the Queen on here. Maybe when she gets to over 80 yrs she too might have proved to be similar! She is very young and we don't know her.

She isn't that young - she's a mature woman, well into her thirties, with 2 children.

I find it a bit odd that people can't understand the difference between a social event, and a work event.

She is on maternity leave. Her diary is therefore clear of work commitments (and frankly I don't see why she should be any less deserving of maternity leave than any other woman). When you take maternity leave, does your boss ring you in a rage if he sees you having coffee with friends, or if you dare to go out for dinner without the baby? I imagine if they did then your knickers would be well and truly twisted.

It's also very bitter and ugly for people to say "oh she doesn't need maternity leave, she has a nanny anyway". If someone had their parents providing childcare on tap for free of charge, would you expect them to forfeit their maternity leave? Does their circumstances mean they aren't allowed to enjoy some down time with their children, AND to themselves?

People don't just "turn up" to services, dinners, visits, whatnot. Even the royal family (with possibly the exception of Prince Philip who just DGAF) will have a lot of briefing to read, a rehearsal to attend, etiquette issues explained (especially if abroad), etc. If anything, Kate probably needs a lot more background preparation, since she hasn't spent her lifetime growing up with this stuff ingrained in the background.

sweetgrape - Getting nothing back, with the exception of the absolute fortune we make from them in tourism?

France doesn't need a royal family to rake in tourists, because it has:

• World famous wine growing regions
• Cannes film festival, and associated hot beaches for the rich and famous
• World famous food
• World famous ski resorts in the alps
• Much, much MUCH better weather in the south than anywhere in the UK.
• Is the home of many world famous designer brands

The UK has absolutely none of that. At best, we have some excellent whiskey distilleries in Scotland, and even they are a PITA to get to, and the weather is often terrible.