The Royal Family can take public transport

[antelopevalley]

According to the Mirror, while William took a helicopter to the Commonwealth Games, Catherine took the train.

Not sure I believe the "chance" meeting Catherine had with a journalist's son on the train, outlined in this article. But it does prove that all those comments saying it would be too risky for the Royals to take public transport and they HAD to travel by helicopter, were simply wrong.

It is good to see Catherine travelling by train rather than helicopter.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/kate-middleton-surprises-dad-entertaining-27650025

It does seem a little.... coincidental. She was hanging around the loo, the young child was all alone sitting holding Daddy's medal, Daddy came out in time to see the Duchess who presumably got off the same stop as him if they were both heading to the games but she was all alone and no one else recognised her

And the child just happened to have a father who was a journalist but did not recognise her. Yeah, I do not believe a word. But PR inventions like this are not unusual and pretty harmless.
I was much more interested that she travelled by train, rather than helicopter like William. Much cheaper and better for the environment.

Where were her security guards?

When Charles and Camilla had their register office do in 2005, all the Royals turned up in buses. Not public buses, admittedly, but nothing more than the bog standard buses you'd hire for a corporate event.

Matthew Syed is a respected Times sports writer. and columnist. I doubt he would let his child
be involved in a PR stunt.

It’s tricky isn’t it, because on one hand perhaps these things are entirely coincidental and just happen and then we know after the fact. On the other hand, some really well placed, well thought out PR does wonders for one’s reputation. So is it a coincidence or what.

The whole “saint Kate” thing is a little…. Safe and predictable though. I’d love it if just once she was fun / risky / daring / did something to surprise everyone.

I absolutely believe Matthew Syued on this - he’s a very well respected sports reporter and author of (excellent)books on coaching and management techniques. He was tweeting about how he was really taken aback by the encounter, and how Kate was waiting to take her turn in the loo while his son waited for him outside it. He didn’t say she was alone on the train either, just that she was by herself while waiting for the loo.

*Syed - I can spell his name correctly when I try!

Why is it so strange that a journalist would be on a train in his spare time?

Especially one who'd won a Commonwealth gold in the past and was obviously very interested in going to the games (which he has been covering) with his kid (as it's the summer holidays)? I expect he was travelling first class and I expect Kate was too. If he'd met her in Economy, I'd be more sceptical.

Maybe it is true then?
I will be honest, I do not really care whether it is true or not. It is a harmless little anecdote.
I was far more interested that she took a public train. I have commented on here complaining about all the helicopter flights William and Catherine had been taking and had been told that it would be not safe for them to travel using public transport. This shows it clearly is safe. Perhaps she and her security had a train carriage to themselves so they could keep it secure? But it would still have cost a fraction of William's helicopter flight and was far better for the environment.
I hope she continues to do this and that some other royals follow suit.

I was at Clapham Common when Kate turned up to visit the Sarah Everard vigil site. She was inconspicuous and (apparantly) unguarded. It was a great gesture, and not a PR stunt. I think she's quite real, comparatively!!!

Antelope you continued obsession with the royals is worrying. Are you quite well?

Maybe talk to someone it isn't healthy.

She was inconspicuous and (apparantly) unguarded

Theres absolutely not a chance in hell she was “unguarded”

All the Royals barring the Queen will have had moments when a public train is the most efficient method of transport. They all use commercial airlines too. One of the limiting issues is the amount of protection officers required for the departure through the station, journey itself and then the arrival. You’ve also got to have cars in place to receive them. That won’t be the deciding factor but is one of the issues that the Royal Household will need to factor in when planning.

In the media they showed she had a bodyguard dressed as an ordinary woman. So they will have security, but they can be inconspicuous, rather than big suited obvious heavies.

She will have had a team of security who will all have been dressed to fit in. She didn’t go to Clapham Common with one protection officer.

Off-topic but the journo Matthew Syed has an interesting series called Sideways on BBC sounds - the latest installment looked at nuclear history and development. Really interesting stuff. I don't believe the meeting was 100% coincidental either FWIW but I do like his stuff.

Because all journalists spend their spare time hiding in hedges looking for a scoop (in this context 'scoop' is newspaper jargon for a story no-one else has, rather than something used to pick up dog poop.)

Cressida Dick confirmed that Kate's visit was a formal official work event (to justify why it was legal for Kate to attend but illegal for every single other woman present), and she had photographers with her. She certainly had security.

I was there too and it's shameful how Kate was escorted around and allowed to exploit a murdered woman for PR while other women were assaulted by police for quietly praying.

The Queen has travelled by train from Kings Cross to Kings Lynn on at least two occasions I recall being reported.