Unpopular Opinion - William and Kate

[EdaYildiz]

Don't come at me, I'm sharing my unpopular opinion because I want to know what you all think but just don't see a spark between William & Kate.

Loved them since the day they starting dating way back when they were undergrads at St Andrews but I just don't see their connection in pictures and it seems a little forced when she has her hand on his back or when they do hold hands.

I don't expect them to hold hands and snog because I know they're mostly photographed whilst they're working but he looks bored and she looks like she's trying her best.

Does anyone agree with me?

Is Harry saying 'Woof woof!'? He's just missing the ears and damp nose in that picture!!

I think he must have seen the artisanal dog biscuits 🐶

The video of the start that you talked about is actually very interesting and I thought gave a fascinating insight into who is in charge, watch Kate get out of the car, approach the aide, clearly setting the direction of what is going to happen while the others stand slightly behind. When they move off she's in front leading the way.

I thought it very clearly showed Kate as the matriarch and the leader of the younger royals. Very much the boss.

I thought it very clearly showed Kate as the matriarch and the leader of the younger royals. Very much the boss.

Gosh - there's a lot to unpack in that video, isn't there? Yes, I agree about Catherine. She must have been so angry with M & H that she just decided to assert her seniority for once - all gloves were off. I wonder what the conversation in the car was like? There was no eye or any other kind of contact between the 2 couples, and I don't blame W and C for that. But all 4 behaved with dignity.

Meghan, just for once in her life, hangs back (quite correctly) and doesn't rush forward to greet people before the others. I think the Queen's funeral for her was very difficult. She is utterly lost when not the centre of attention, and of course she just couldn't be, on that occasion. Also, she must have been apprehensive about what kind of reception she and H would get from the public there - and I think some people did snub her.

I think Catherine's quieter, less showy and more thoughtful character will stand her in good stead in years to come.

Kate was so done with M&H in that video 🤣🤣 she does not look at them at all and did not go near them. William was always on between lol.

@CoffeeCantata I hadn't thought about how difficult the funeral was for Meghan as she couldn't play her usual part but you are right.

Kate's body language was glacial, and I don't blame her.

If I didn't know better, I would think that these were two couples who didn't know each other and just happened to be in the same place at the same time.

No I don't blame her either. Her body language very much signalled to H&M, "you're on your own now".

I actually thought that Kate came across really badly at the Queen’s funeral
I was actually surprised by how bitter and angry she looked.
She needs to take a leaf out of the Queen’s book. The Queen always remained civil and calm despite having to host many despotic individuals. Her stoicism was admirable
It is always important to remain civil .
A poster mentioned something about Kate being a matriarchal figure. I don’t agree with this at all. She comes across as someone who is unable to cope with the demands of her role, which is not helped by being married to a man who appears to be unsupportive.

It is possible she was just upset and trying to hold herself together.

She would have known the impact of Harry’s actions and the hurt it caused well enough.

It was a mistake to put them in the same car.

And while I suppose it is admirable to not let anything show, I think her upset was to the fore that day. Not anything else.

When I’m upset I don’t want to be polite or nice or friendly to those who wish me harm.

I don’t think William is unsupportive either. They don’t need constant PDAs.

What makes you think William is unsupportive?

Hard disagree. M&H looked worse still desperately clutching onto each other for dear life - as a funeral! Not appropriate! I wouldn't have wanted to share a car and a walk with that pair, and in such a sad situation.

The Queen had a lifetime's practice and was born Royal.

I have seen zero evidence that Kate can't cope with her role or that William is unsupportive. To the contrary either - they seem like a very united team.

I think you want your jaundiced way of looking at it all to be true, and it's just not.

The POW had a job to do in extremely difficult circumstances. The Queen had just died. Her personal grief had to be suppressed for this appearance - it was to show the public respect and thanks. It wasn't about HER. We return to this point time and time again. It's not about an individual person - Catherine who was grieving and trying to support her husband. It was her duty and that is one thing she is magnificent at - not making it about her but about the institution and the heritage.

Yes, she was part of the family long enough to have a relationship with her grandmother in law, and to.miss her

It is always important to remain civil .

Indeed.

Making a career out of slagging off your family in front of the world is the exact opposite of civility.

Incredibly tacky, classless behaviour.

Aye right 🙄

I meant the POW!

Phew!

Meghan, just for once in her life, hangs back (quite correctly) and doesn't rush forward to greet people before the others. I think the Queen's funeral for her was very difficult

Tina Brown, when describing that day, repeats M's comment about 'just by existing, we upset the hierarchy' - which is a pretty presumptuous thing to think. And then on the day of the funeral she saw the hierarchy she'd taken on and I think she was considerably taken aback because it had clearly never occurred to her what the RF is about.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · Today 18:49

Yes - I find her misunderstanding fascinating because it's helped me to understand the nature of monarchy better than I did, and to appreciate it too!

For eg, Meghan's determination to refer to the senior royals as 'Harry's dad', 'Harry's grandmother' etc, is very telling. She needed to understand that the very old, frail lady she was referring to had a constitutional and (some might even say a semi-mystical role. So Meghan wasn't at Harry's granny's funeral so much as at the great ritual farewell to a symbolic and highly-respected world figure. Being on a cable show just doesn't come near to that level of status and I don't think she quite gets that even now!

I agree. I remember thinking that she actually looked like it might have occurred to her that being properly royal was actually quite a big deal

She needed to understand that the very old, frail lady she was referring to had a constitutional and (some might even say a semi-mystical role. So Meghan wasn't at Harry's granny's funeral so much as at the great ritual farewell to a symbolic and highly-respected world figure

Don't know if you've read Robert Lacey's Majesty (he wrote it just before the Silver Jubilee), but he makes clear that that was exactly how HM saw her role. He says that her preparations for the Coronation were infused with mysticism, and that her dress was embroidered with the symbols of all the Commonwealth countries of which she was queen. He says "she did not find it demeaning to be a doll dressed for her subjects' pleasure. The holy puppet clothed in magic robes for the people's comfort went back to the very roots of primeval monarchy." She knew that kingship (or queenship) was not in the end about the palaces and the art and the jewels, it was about service; which was why she signed her Platinum Jubilee letter 'Your Servant, Elizabeth.'

Definitely.

Also, Kate was now Princess of Wales. The same title Diana had held. William was a King in waiting. No longer just her husband's slightly older brother. The former Cambridges were on a totally different level now. Arguably they always had been, but the difference in status was now quite stark. So obvious even Meghan, who never understood the basics of royal hierarchy, seemed very aware of it. I don't think she was comfortable with it at all.

It’s the only time I’ve seen her look a bit awed and out of her depth. Her overweening arrogance seemed to have taken a back of a back seat, just for a while.

I don't think it was the realisation of the change in status so much as seeing the crowds and the flawlessly executed ceremonial for someone whose service she and DH had airily dismissed not long before. Her expression at some points was 'shit, and I thought we could take this on?'

I agree. I thought she looked overwhelmed by the crowds and the depth of feeling people obviously had for the late Queen. And it seemed to dawn on her that this was in fact a whole country and it’s history she was messing with and not a Disney fairy tale