Vanity fair article about Kate Middleton

[NCforthisoneb]

"She is said to find the constant clothes changes (up to five a day if the itinerary includes shooting, tea, and a formal dinner) and the omnipresence of a full household staff rather stressful,"

Now I am quite fond of Kate Middy but AIBU to have snorted very loudly at this sentence?

Oh to have such a stressful life!

I always think it’s rather patronising to feel sorry for her. Like a silly little woman couldn’t possibly be wise enough to know her own mind, and to make successful life choices.

She did choose this life. She chose William, and she chose to wait around for him to come back when he was dicking her around a while back.

And she seems happy- so more power to her.

Yeah, I’m sure she has moments at the ILs house that are a bit faffy- and where she’d rather be at home with a takeway and Netflix- but who doesn’t? It’s part of being a grown-up.

She did choose this life. She chose William, and she chose to wait around for him to come back when he was dicking her around a while back.

Yup. She chose it, she married him despite his less than Prince Charming behavior. I think if she were to have been on Mumsnet, they’d have advised her to LTB.

She didn’t have a real job because of William insisting she should be at his beck and call. People blame the paps for that, but he was the real reason.

I really struggle to feel sorry for her. She has people to cook, clean, watch the kids, do her makeup/hair and pick out her clothes. Plus no money worries and the knowledge her children will always be taken care of.

So what if she has chosen to be on show 10% of the year.

jingling bells Kate and William can also leave their "job" if they want to.

It's the cool thing on here to say you'd hate her life.

The thing I envy is imagine knowing any healthcare need you or your family have, will be treated/examined with no delay by top doctors. No waiting lists, no nagging doctors to investigate something, no sitting round in germ filled waiting rooms. And posters on here think being able to look like shit in public or swear or walk round the supermarket in peace is more important than that

I would find her life far more stressful than a regular day working/housework/childcare. I would hate the timetable, expectation, staff always there, people looking at my every pore for faults. Stressful as fuck.

I would hate her life. No amount of money in the world would be worth it for me. It really doesn't look that much fun. And no way could I cope with the level of criticism and vitriol directed at her.

I think she's incredibly privileged, has staff on hand 24 hours around the clock and very much exercises her own choice around her "duties" which involve children, mental health and sports events - with lots of red carpets thrown in for good measure.

Having said that, I would hate that for my DC to not be able to go out of the house without protection officers. That's a pretty sobering reality for her.

It wouldn't be my choice.

“I think if she were to have been on Mumsnet, they’d have advised her to LTB.”

I’m sure she would have been. I’m sure she had friends that advised against it too.

But she’s obviously decided for herself that his behaviour is a small price to pay for going down in the history books as the mother of one of the future Kings of England, so who are any of us to tell her that she’s made the wrong decision, and that she’d be happier married to an accountant named Steve.

It's the cool thing on here to say you'd hate her life.

It's definitely the default response. As though Kate had no say in the matter and had the role thrust upon her. She was with William for a decade or so before they got married she would have had a fair idea of what would be involved. And I'd imagine her life is pretty well compartmentalised between official royal duty and her private life. I have no doubt that level of fame has many drawbacks but she doesn't look like a woman who's unhappy with her lot in life.

Yes, her job has downsides. It also has immense benefits.

Immense downsides 24/7

It's the cool thing on here to say you'd hate her life.

I'd hate it. If I were picking, I think I'd choose Pippa's life (or similar).

"The Amazing healthcare" comes with the following price tags though

Your children are not just targets for both international and domestic terrorism but are targets for every well intentioned but unbalanced crank in the country

You are so much a target in your own right you have 24/7 protection and have undertaken kidnap training

Your parents and siblings have endured deep, constant and public speculation into their lives

For your sister, this includes her arse, her intelligence and her father in law

Your brother had to give an interview to the Daily Mail announcing he had mental health issues before they did it for him

Your wedding was televised, your children's births and christenings attracted banks of press

The price and style of everything you ever wear is scrutinised to the nth degree. If you behave normally with a coat you like "you are thrifty" and if you wear a nice dress you can more than afford to buy you are "splashing your cash in the nations face"

You can't have a row with your DH because an endless array of private secretaries, nannies, maids, housekeepers and butlers might hear and sell you out.

They can keep the amazing healthcare, the NHS is more than good enough for me

Lol I’d definitely go for Pippa’s life, basically the same endless money but less crazies watching your every move :)

The thing is, she never really needs to look "shit", her own stylists, dressers, designer clothes etc. On top of all that she has loads of time on her hands to make herself look good. No going out to work 9 to 5, no shopping for the evening meal, picking kids up, making tea.....it's ALL done for her, and even if she did look shit, what's the worst thing about that, a few hateful comments or whatever, she's not going to lose her job over it.

She seems to LOVE her life, I don't feel sorry for her in the slightest, We all have certain crosses to bear in life, hers is far less than most people's.

I abhor the concept of a monarchy, it's an obscene relic of a less civilised time, we shouldn't be throwing such vast amounts of money at one family who get their exalted position through birth alone. but that, as they say is another story.

I don't feel sorry for her but her life is a trade off, lots of money and help but also living in a fishbowl with much less privacy and the expectation to always look groomed and be in a good mood. I don't envy her except that she can get the best seats to watch Wimbledon whenever she wants ;)

This "life in a fishbowl" though-I'd love to know what it is that they'd like to be out & doing that they can't.

How often does she have to look "in a good mood" though. She's not seen in public that much, but apart from that, a vast majority of the population have jobs (which they have to go to every day) also have to be seen to be looking in reasonably good moods, no matter how shit they're feeling, but unlike Kate their day doesn't just last an hour or so.

Yeah man I'd take the constant clothes changing thanks

Yup. She chose it, she married him despite his less than Prince Charming behavior. I think if she were to have been on Mumsnet, they’d have advised her to LTB.

What was his behaviour? Please spill

What has sensible old William ever done that would have warranted a chorus of LTBs?

Was it that time he temporarily 'threw her over'?

The one thing i envy all of them for is the fact that their jobs are pretty safe and even if they were told to abdicate or something radical happened, they could whisk themselves away with their money and never have to worry where the next meal is coming from.
Most of us ordinary people will never have that luxury, plus the health care they can access and pay for without ever having to wait for anything must also be pretty amazing. I dont envy her having to keep on changing her clothes or having to look well groomed all the time, but she is up to the job and must have days when shes in old clothes and make up free - they dont work 24/7. I am sure that certain aspects are stressful, but nobodies lifes are without stress however rich you are. Theres is just a different kind of stress!

William did call off the relationship for a while as I think he just wanted to be certain she was up to the job of being his wife - I remember one famous photographer asked him once ' why the wait?' and he just replied he wanted to be sure he and her were doing the right things.
It was a horrible thing to do, but they seem really happy now and i'm sure they have all moved on ( three children and numerous homes later..) and seem very solid i think ( not that i know anything of course)

What did william do to her then that was si bad? Genuinely don't know!

'They'd have advised her to LTB'

Why?

Happy to oblige

My fiancé works for his family firm. His Grandmother still very much runs the show and still won't hand over the reins to her son, my future FIL

There are rules about what I can wear, what I can say, and how I sit, I will no longer be able to have a political voice or social media

Our children's names will have to be very traditional and Granny will have a veto on whether they are appropriate and technically she will automatically have a legal say with regard to them.

There is a lot of family dysfunction and my future DH has struggled and suffered because of this and has some issues

His cousins, well there are some I really like but others can on occasion be quite superior and want me to 'know my place'

We WILL have a very lovely lifestyle and domestic staff, I will have lots of clothes and jewels but my life will be curtailed by numerous strict rules

Additionally due to the reputation of my fiancé's family my own family will experience intense scrutiny in the press

All of MN : RUN FOR YOUR LIFE