To think the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge need to work on their PR strategy?

[SamanthaBrique]

In recent months they've been accused of being work shy and what's their solution? To release photos of them and the children on a luxury skiing break! Now I don't begrudge them a holiday, but why make it so public? If they wanted to release photos of the kids then they could've just released a few shots of George and Charlotte at Kensington Palace or Anmer Hall. I don't know who is advising them on their PR but AIBU to think they need to engage someone a bit more in touch with public sentiment?

They are members of the Royal family - do people really expect them both to work full time like us regular folk?

I don't think anyone can blame William for not being massive fan of press intrusion and for wanting some control on how and when his small children are photographed.

There's also the issue of security to consider. I don't blame them at all for showing a holiday picture when they've returned and not whilst they're there.

My gut reaction is this was better than the awkward photos and huge fuss at the start of a royal holiday in yesteryear. It wasn't on official business - they wanted a short family break and the chances of them sneaking off if William becomes king will be zero.

I'm not a Royalist (would be quite happy to see an independent Scittish Republic).

However, William and Kate seem to be a nice young couple who look to actually live each other and be trying to bring up their children well. He has an actual job, one that takes skill and dedication to train for.

They also do public engagements and charity work with competence and apparent good grace.

As far as I'm concerned they've achieved more than the generations before them.

I'm happy to pay for the Royals if they behave themselves - William and Kate appear to.

Their PR is excellent. Have you seen the number of posters that think they work hard? William took a year off work and now works part time, doing little royal duties.

Poor Kate who didn't work two years after marriage prior to children is on maternity leave. Poor things are exhausted with childcare ignoring staff and nanny .

They are taking the piss of the public. Some people with critical thinking see through the bullshit.

If they were honest and not gaslighting the public then I would have sympathy.

Thanks!

So the press are basically saying 'we can make your life hellish if we want to, so do what we say'

That's no basis of a reasonable deal.

The idea that a press call on the holiday would be any chance to ask questions about why a multimillionaire can afford to go ski-ing (if I read that right) was particularly odd. And I can quite see why PW does not want to even start on the same course as his mother went along.

I don't think you can compare them to other rich people as others aren't as directly funded by the tax payer.

He is air rescue not Raf and he donates his salary apparently these people will never do anything right in some peoples eyes they release photos so the paps dont hound them but they are workshy show offs she has a baby she doesnt do anything she is a leach and on and on people moan the media wanted to make them a golden couple her the new Diana they are not playing ball good for them.

The taxpayer doesn't fund their holidays.

That'll be coming from their personal wealth (his mother left both her children substantial sums, which largely came from what was left of her divorce settlement, which came from the Duchy not the taxpayer).

I don't believe they are funded by the tax payer (I'm happy to admit my knowledge here s not extensive so may be wrong). I understand them to an independently wealthy family, I dare say they millions they would pay in taxes on their properties would be funding the taxpayer!

YABU IMHO

Charles funds them and they have inheritance from the Queen Mother and Diana. Charles Dutch of Cornwall funds if returned to the state would help fund the shortfall in MH services for example.

Royal protection would help fund Altzheimers research for example...

I think that the tax payer pays for security all year round and on holidays too.

Well, if you expropriated (is that the right word) privately held wealth, it would indeed be a major boost to the Government. It would guarantee a flight of capital from UK though, because then anyone's savings, business profits and inheritances could be taken.

And I think security is necessary because I wouldn't want to see any of them in orange in an IS video.

William inherited money from Diana, who was wealthy in her own right.

YANBU OP. I suspect that their PR team are grinding their teeth, though and that it is the DoC who is stubbornly doing what he thinks he should be 'allowed' to do.

The Duchy estate was of course common land which was taken to provide income for the male heir to the throne. Under the Duchy, established in 1337 by King Edward III, the heir to the throne is exempt from paying corporation and capital gains taxes on land and property transactions.

Well sure, if we all gave our wealth back to the British government I'm sure that would help with the shortfall...

I think the press are pissed off they won't get full access, and there's a back lash.

If they hadn't have agreed their photos they would have been followed everywhere.

They are trying to control the amount of their family time that is in the press. I think it's a good thing.

I have to admit I enjoy following the Royal Family and seeing the pics of their skiing holiday and other recent ones of their young family.
I think it's a pretty harmless amusement for me and many others, and I think the opportunity to share in celebrations of birth, marriage, even death, and other family and life events, can be helpful for the nation - as shown by the outpourings of emotion when Diana died, and the fascination with the royal wedding and births of George and Charlotte.

As they put on the birth certificates of their DC their occupations are really being Prince and Princess of the UK and the royal engagements involved with that. This is where I can see them doing the most good and I'd possibly like to see them doing slightly more of this as they are able.

I think being a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot, whilst setting quite a good example and giving a framework for a slightly more normal life for him, is very much a secondary thing, and in a way a slight distraction from his main job. Also with two young children I think it's entirely appropriate for Kate to not be pretending to have some other job as well! (because that's all it would be IMHO)

But surely if any of us were in need of security- say our children were being harassed and photographed, or family members chased in cars, for example, then the police (so, the government) would provide security, no?

The DM's editorial line has been influenced (at least in part) by the extremely negative comments (from the public) W&K attract on the DM comments section. DM are very people-pleasing.

I agree with Mrs Jayy, good on them

Publicly funded protection? Yes, in some circumstances.

It tends to be severe terrorist threat though, rather than other harassment. If can be extended in cases of serious crime too.

What William refuses to recognise, in his implacable hatred of the press and his determination to live life as he wants, is that he was born into a quid pro quo pact (he might see it as a Faustian pact) with the British public and hence the media; privilege in return for being a visible figurehead and public 'personality'.

He's trying to have his cake and eat it really. He'd probably be much happier if he felt able to resign his place in the line of succession and get on with his extremely wealthy upper-middle class lifestyle.