Royal style and gossip: the frocks, the rocks, the shocks

[QueenOfTheAndals]

Here we go again!

And by popular demand, here are the previous threads:
Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 4
Thread 5
Thread 6
Special edition: Eugenie wedding thread

Harry and Meghan have 2 days more in NZ before they head back to London and, if I was her, I'd put on pyjamas, get Netflix fired up, and not leave my bed for several days! William and Kate will be out for a sporty engagement in Essex tomorrow and I'm sure we'll start to see them more as she's now officially back from maternity leave..

No idea what the continental royals are up to but New My Royals (does that title even make sense?) is my go-to link for them!

👸👸👸👸👸for Queen for starting the new thread.

Ahh thank you Queen

I was just saying in the other thread how I like both Meg and Kate , but I seriously adore Kate 😂

{Flounces in and starts briefing against family members}

Damn. I'm going to get nothing done now .

I seriously love these threads. They're the best of MN.

The factoids! The history! The fashion!

Penny as of recent it's the only post I'm engaging with on MN.

It's just everything interesting in one place haha!

Thanks Queen for the new thread! I'm excited to see the next few days outfits

Thanks for the new thread, Queen. I do remember at the time of Kate and William's wedding there was quite a bit in the American press about how in certain quarters in the UK the Middletons were looked down on because they were self-made and middle-class. This attitude does seem very strange to Americans, where everyone considers themselves middle class and making your own fortune through ingenuity and hard work is deeply admired.

Thanks Queen
I closed the other thread
Looking forward to looking at old threads too.

I do wonder how well the institution of monarchy will survive Charles. It works with HMQ because she gets it, and she doesn't interfere. Or at least certainly not overtly! She puts her signature on whatever legislation Parliament passes (I can't imagine she'd have been pleased with the Hunting with Dogs Act, for instance, but she signed it off), she reads her speech and she is an excellent ambassador for the country. Is Charles able to do the same? Will he have the sense and restraint not to meddle?

And if not... then what?

The Middletons could teach the RF a lot about how to conduct themselves and how to nurture close family relationships. It is incredible that not one word of gossip has come from any of Kate's circle apart from her Uncle, and that was short lived. Carole and Michael are model parents it appears and the siblings are very close and have each others backs.

I am not sure how much of all this media stuff is actually true. I find it hard to believe Charles would do anything to paint his sons in a bad light, but it does also seem that he collaborated on this book. As if those poor boys hadn't been shamed enough by both parents in the past. I think William in particular is very very careful about who he talks to and who he hangs out with. No wonder.

Hasn’t Charles already done some meddling? Those “black spider” memos?

Thanks Queen. Yes, sad news about Mette-Marit. Hope she has a best case version.
I think this trip has been a huge test of endurance for Meghan and she has done pretty well. It must really make the point that there is work required in exchange for all the riches and adulation.

@SenecaFalls I always wondered who it was exactly who looked down on Kate. Genuine aristos would be too well-bred to show that they cared about anything like that. Or at least that's what I've heard!

Yes he has - a fair bit, I think. So he's got form. And you have to winder about his judgement - too many people saying yes, perhaps?

We are a constitutional monarchy and changing that would be a massive deal - who on earth would be head of state? How would Parliament work with a political head of state as opposed to a hereditary (and therefore neutral) one? So while it works, I can't see us changing things. But if the meddling goes on, will that remain the case?

Actually, a friend of mine works in a very upmarket bridal shop. She said all the genuinely posh women who come in are very polite and down to earth. It's the nouveau riche and the footballers' fiancees etc who are rude and demanding.

Owlshooting I couldn't agree more with your post!

It's a very odd book to out there!

@Queen due to my previous marriage I've spent time with many lords/ladies and above and have to say I never found any of the rude, generally very welcoming and interested in my background.

Having worked in 5* hospitality I have worked with many celebs and their clingongs/spouses, and some are abhorrent and rude. They have a far greater sense of entitlement.

Am delurking to say hello and how much I LOVE these threads. I'm a closet Monarchist (well in my house anyway...am married to a Republican who is nevertheless a big fan of Meghan 😂). The degrees of separation chat reminded me of when my (very cool and hard to impress friend) met Princess Diana at a concert at Uni and she said Diana was totally utterly dazzling and beyond charismatic. That always stayed with me. Would love to know what she would make of Kate and Meghan...who would she get on with better?!!
I'll be a bit sad when H&M's tour is over as it's my go-to for outfits in my insomnia moments and first thing in the morning 😆

The wierdest (well perhaps not) story from the serialisation I felt was PW undermining/stealing limelight from PH by having a new hair cut - I just can't imagine how that would work:

"Darn it Catherine, Harry is getting loads of publicity, I need to up my game to get the spotlight back on us - what shall I do?"
"Hmm, well perhaps announce a new charity endeavour? Or organise a flashmob down the Mall?"
"Good ideas Catherine but I don't think they're quite there... I've got it.... I'll have a new hair cut"

It's like the British public are so thick as pig shit that they will be diverted by a buzz cut. Makes you weep that PR people actually believe that

What I read was more looking down on Kate's family rather than her so much. For example, social climbing accusations against Carole, in particular. And from what I recall, there did not seem to be a lot of admiration for Carole's business achievements in the British press.

'FETCH THE ROYAL DOG CLIPPERS'
(Lupo) 'Woof?!'

Could have been worse, could have been a perm

I wonder if they were going to publish the book anyway. It does seem odd.

Fabulous new thread @Queen thank you!
Love the title