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Original poster

Well, bully for Katie

271 replies

Lucyinthepie · 03/05/2011 08:35

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1382889/Royal-Wedding-2011-Kate-Middleton-says-shell-housewife-now.html
Anyone else think that she should be doing the work that is associated with her new life of luxury? Justify the expense to the taxpayer and get out and fulfil the usual royal diary of visits.

OP posts:
Toughasoldboots · 03/05/2011 14:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bennifer · 03/05/2011 14:32

And why was William lucky to get Kate? - because she's got lovely hair? Because she's slim? Because of her devotion to charity work?

HerRoyalNotness · 03/05/2011 14:34

But why do you feel she isn't a role model?

The person I admired most growing up was a family friend who while worked hard in the family firm, was very supportive to her DH. My mother used to scoff at her, running off to make sure he had his morning tea prepared and lunch done. If she went away, she'd make sure he had meals in the freezer otherwise he'd just eat toast. But when you saw the love they had for each other and mutual respect and they were always a happy household, I couldn't help but admire them. In contrast to my mother who did whatever the eff she wanted, worked full time, was a miserable cow and divorced.

Even though it is not for me to be as my admired friend, I work outside the home, and am not the sort to make DH a packed lunch, I still hold her up as a shining example, or role model, of how a marriage can work.

I think society places a burden on us, to make it feel wrong, if we choose not to have the career, the kids etc.. It isn't wrong, it's just different!

Moulesfrites · 03/05/2011 14:34

But Carmine, she's not a sahm - she doesn't have kids! It could take years for her to ttc. The rest of us mere mortals manage to shag and go to work. Surely she could fit in a few charitable appearances in between her frantic copulating?

Bennifer · 03/05/2011 14:34

Truth is, we don't know when she will really start royal duties, and this story might well be DM rubbish.

I'm sure there are lots of wealthy women who marry rich men and don't lift a finger (I'm not referring to SAHMs), but Kate is a public figure now that we ultimately pay for.

carminaburana · 03/05/2011 14:35

I was talking in more general terms back there - feminists don't look favourably on other women who devout their lives to a husband and family - god knows why, as bringing up children is damn hard work - a lot harder than pushing a pen around in an office somewhere...

Bennifer · 03/05/2011 14:35

I'd like to say to my boss that I can't come in, too busy TTC

carminaburana · 03/05/2011 14:43

Royal duties?

Don't make me laugh - a royal duty is being entertained by someone somewhere else - that's all - it's not hard labour.
Or maybe you'd like Kate to do a few weeks down a mine?

SybilBeddows · 03/05/2011 14:51

' feminists don't look favourably on other women who devout their lives to a husband and family - god knows why, as bringing up children is damn hard work'

That's a load of bollocks Carmina, please stop making stuff up about feminists.

Feminists, with only a few exceptions (eg Xenia, who thinks we should all get jobs) want to raise the status of childcare and have no problem at all with women doing it full-time. They would like it to not fuck up a woman's career and financial situation in the way it does, but that is a pro- rather than anti-SAHM position.
If you have a look in the feminism topic there are quite a few threads about it.

SybilBeddows · 03/05/2011 14:52

LOL @ Bonsoir - I agree, she could also bring out a range of underwear and a perfume.

Bonsoir · 03/05/2011 14:54

Yes, she can be a proper business woman - I'm sure VB would help her launch a woman's wear range (for the high street, of course), once she has found her feet.

SybilBeddows · 03/05/2011 15:02

If Charles can do Duchy Originals....

Bonsoir · 03/05/2011 15:07

Duchy fashions then?

Highlander · 03/05/2011 15:22

I'm not expecting her to 'compete'. She's had 8 years os swanning around living, off the Bank Of Middleton, humming to the tune of William. Even her p/t job didn't leave her enough time for clubbing and running around after the Royals.

If she had been as 'independent' and 'modern' as everyone makes out, she would have forged her own career/job and expected William to make as much effort/compromise to make their relationship work as she was doing.

The lifestyle she pursued, purely to bag her Prince, is an absolutely despicable message to send out to young women. How many women out there can afford not to work?

She has married into a life of incredible privilege, now it's time to show some of the responsibility that goes with it, and work.

No-one is expecting her to go off on numerous engagements without her hubby, followed by camera crews. There's no reason why she can't make offical, but un-filmed (ie cameras not allowed in the building and no outside walkabouts) engagements once/week.

The Royal Family have declined to contribute to the Police bill for the wedding, yet we are told the whole shebang was good for the country's morale in the recession. If that's the case, why can't she get out and spread a little cheer?

Moulesfrites · 03/05/2011 15:24

I agree highlander

JoanofArgos · 03/05/2011 15:46

Well she's not a bloody SAHM is she, as she has no children!

What a rubbish 'role model'.

Original poster
Lucyinthepie · 03/05/2011 15:52

I thought this would be a good topic. For what it's worth, Highlander and Inmyprime have pretty much said what I feel. She's not a SAHM and she's not living on benefits so I don't see any reason to compare her to people in that situation.
As an individual in her own right, without hanging on to William's coat tails, she could do a lot of very useful work. The charitable work and visits carried out by her deceased mother in law could give some inspiration and examples.

I thought that one supposed benefit of having a royal family was that they provide leadership and a good example. What an opportunity she has.
Somebody challenged me right at the start to say whether or not I went straight back to work after getting married. Well the fact is that we couldn't afford a honeymoon straight away, so after one night in a hotel - we did, but we managed a week's holiday later in the year. That's the truth. However, my original, admittedly provocative post did not suggest that Kate should be going straight out to "work" a week after getting married. I just suggested that she should have a similar diary of royal duties to those of other members of the royal family.

OP posts:
Georgimama · 03/05/2011 16:06

And in time, when she has been allocated/accepted some patronships of charities/honorary colonel roles of regiments etc, she will. This is just such a non story and non event.

georgie22 · 03/05/2011 16:06

This is reported in the Daily Mail so I've taken the news with a huge pinch of salt, but I have to admit that if this is the case it just seems like a wasted opportunity to raise her profile and support some charitable causes as a woman in own right rather than just the wife of William.

Millions of women, myself included, manage to hold down a job whilst TTC and being pregnant, often working until the end of their pregnancy. It was no big thing for me - I would have gone stir crazy at home for any longer than the 3 weeks I had before baby arrived.

Perhaps we should all wait and see, although thinking about it, as has been pointed out in other posts, I don't know anything about her past her nice hair, partying and chasing the future king.

diddl · 03/05/2011 16:16

"I just suggested that she should have a similar diary of royal duties to those of other members of the royal family."

Perhaps she will quite soon-who knows?

carminaburana · 03/05/2011 16:28

SB - why do feminists want to raise the status of Childcare?
Surely that's putting pressure on women to return to work after childbirth and reinforces your view that women 'should' be working - if you didn't think that you wouldn't be ' Raising the status of childcare' - how about 'raising the status of looking after your own kids' - or is that too radical?

positivesteps · 03/05/2011 16:28

I think its lovely that she might want to look after her husband and cook him nice meals. She probably will do her own hobbies too whilst he is flying his plane. Who really knows she might also be working from home.
I don't think she's a bad role model, I think she's actually a good one. If she is purely and simply at home what is wrong with that? she will make a wonderful mum. I think it is great that she can be home for theM and build a happy home. Values from the past maybe are a good thing.

SybilBeddows · 03/05/2011 16:30

by 'childcare' I mean looking after kids, not childcare the profession CB.

carminaburana · 03/05/2011 16:34

Well then you need to make yourself clearer

Northernlurker · 03/05/2011 16:35

I didn't have a paid job after dh and I got married. I incubated our dd and then stayed at home with her for over a year. I wasn't aware my choices were up for debate? Hmm
Exactly how many jobs are there on Anglesey for history of art graduates who happened to be married to Royalty anyway?
I don't think she'll be lying in bed all day burning taxpayer pounds in the fireplace and eating cream cakes so I think you can cool your mail-fuelled fire OP.