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.

PS I don't think in her 101 years the Queen Mother ever gave a speech or acted as spokesman for any cause....

She was too busy down the bookies.

Oh yes the QM and her Nazi salute. Plenty of people knew how evil the Nazis were even in 1933, there ARE no excuses.

And surely anyone else, if they had a family photo in their collection which was embarrassing in retrospect, would have got rid of it? And instead they held onto it all these years and when it comes to light, talk about being 'hurt' but refuse to discuss further or to make any further info available (these are people who have chosen to be in this public role, there should be no assumption of privacy as for the rest of us). Their arrogance is appalling but not surprising

Anne seemed average height to me - what impresses me is that she is not too thin but still fits clothes she had 40 years ago

I met/seen her a few times because I worked for her charity+ a garden party and she seemed about the same height as me 5'2 when not in heels, but apparently she is 5'5. She does have a very good figure though. FWIW the instructions were that she was not allowed to be photographed eating.
But she can give a speach on the work the charity does without notes and was actually lovely to the people the charity helps, she just doesnt like the press very much.

bruffin
at the Garden Party it said "no cameras" everywhere - and there were people taking pictures all the time - selfies with the tea tent in the background seemed popular

I always knew she was 5'5" cos people I knew in the 70's were friends of hers at the time of her wedding to Fog.

I have more time for Anne than some of the others….met her at an event some years ago and she was actually v impressive. But I still detest the institution she represents, it is not personal.

I can well believe people when they say Anne was appallingly rude to them but at least she appears to be much more of a grafter than any of her siblings.

And she didn't lavish (too much) royal privilege on her kids.

An elderly relative who was actually in the East End during the war said that the QM was frequently booed on her visits. But ssshhh we are not allowed to talk about that, she was the nation's favourite Granny and everyone loved her.

The garden party I went to was 8 years ago, probably a bit before selfies

But Anne like her father you know doesnt suffer fools gladly.

sweetgrape
One of my colleagues has met Anne many, many times.
She is aware of the absurdity of her situation, gets on with the job she is paid to do. Does not feel the need to drag her family into it and has a very dry sense of humour.
Those who expect her to be gushing are brought up short.
Those who know she is just human are fine.

Her dad is the same.

bruffin
One of my jobs has an allocation of tickets every year. I went last year.

Oh yes that is the kind of thing people say about me, that I 'don't suffer fools gladly'; whenever I shout at junior staff at work who can't answer back, to 'just fucking do (whatever task it is they are busy doing)…in front of visitors.

Everyone just laughs it off and understands it is 'just me being me' and there is never any suggestion that I should be sacked for gross misconduct.

I actually think Anne would probably be the best next Monarch. She just seems much more straightforward than the others and genuinely works hard. Though I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her.

I've found with Anne and her father though that they don't like photographers who are basically trying to earn a living and these are often seen as the fools. Obviously too much press intrusion would be wrong but they should accept that not everyone gets everything handed on a plate. People have to earn a living and shouldn't be thought of as fools.They have to accept that their privileges come at a price and be a bit more tolerant of others less fortunate.

I mean..

Scary!

The point is though Tenieht that you don't get to choose. We will get whoever is next in line and that is Charles. Whatever anyone thinks about Diana there is no doubt that he and his OW (now wife) treated Diana appallingly. And good friends with Jimmy Savile and appointed him his marriage guidance counsellor…let's be charitable and assume that Charles was the worst judge of character ever, as the alternative is worse.

If any senior politician had behaved the way Charles did his career would probably be over.

Though I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her.
I wonder why she presents herself in this way, because I've heard many say the same thing. It's actually this side of her that I have a problem with. She often gives off an air of discontentment, as if she's somehow had a raw deal in life. People seem to think her scowls mean she is just a "no nonsense" woman, where I see her as just bad tempered. I can't imagine her being very pleasant to her staff.

I will say that Diana tried to use her position to do some good and publicise good causes….plenty have had bad to say about her but I have never heard anyone say she did a bad job in her public role. It is very disappointing that the current members of the RF like the D of C do not contribute more, although I am not a monarchist I would respect any individuals acting as a force for good and offering leadership. But I do not feel that we get any of that from the current incumbents, all I see is a lot of entitlement and arrogance.

I have no time for rudeness and brusqueness from members of the RF being passed off as 'doesn't suffer fools gladly' and 'no nonsense'. With their immense privileges they do not have any business being anything other than unfailingly gracious and polite, and eager to contribute... they do not have an excuse to be anything else really.

We've got no idea what she's doing in the background for these organisations:

100 Women in Hedge Funds Philanthropic Initiatives
Joint Patron (from 01/01/2013)
www.100womeninhedgefunds.org

Action on Addiction
Patron (from 05/01/2012)
www.actiononaddiction.org.uk

East Anglia Children's Hospices (EACH)
Royal Patron (from 05/01/2012)
www.each.org.uk

National Portrait Gallery
Patron (from 05/01/2012)
www.npg.org.uk

Natural History Museum
Patron (from 19/04/2013)
www.nhm.ac.uk

The Art Room
Royal Patron (from 05/01/2012)
www.theartroom.org.uk

The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Patron (from 05/01/2012)
www.royalfoundation.com

Place2Be
Patron (from 19/04/2013)
www.place2be.org.uk

The Scout Association
Volunteer (from 05/01/2012)
www.scouts.org.uk

SportsAid
Patron (from 19/04/2013)
www.sportsaid.org.uk

The 1851 Trust
Patron (from 13/10/2014)
www.1851trust.org.uk/

Grovel The royals don't usually do good deeds in the background. They certainly wouldn't miss any photo opportunities of any good works they were doing. Their PR would make sure of that. If Catherine was doing any notable work for those charities we'd certainly know about it. They don't usually have to do much more than put their name to it.

Do you have inside knowledge sweetgrape? How do you know that? There is probabaly a lot that goes on behind the scenes that even you or I don't know!

I love the way that I get accused of celebrity worshipping when I haven't a clue what she attends and don't know much about her. ( and since I don't watch soaps etc don't know who a lot of names are) and yet sweetgrape appears to watch and read a lot!