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?

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · Yesterday 22:44
It's a shame that people can't see the working royals more as lifetime, high level diplomats very skilled in "soft diplomacy".

Brilliant post! I'm always trying to make that point but never managed to express it as convincingly. Yes, it's hugely skilled and very demanding. The comments from some unimaginative people on here about the RF just munching their way through banquets and parties really annoys me. Any kind of formal meal or event where you have to small-talk intelligently always terrifies me and leaves me exhausted. So many people underestimate what they have to do because when it's done well, it looks like nothing at all.

And it is strenuous, and possibly boring - so I agree with pps that Harry and Meghan would NOT have managed it!

What an excellent post.

She could have told her Proctor and Gambol story ? Or give advice about how to run their countries ?

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · Yesterday 22:44

Another point in support of what you said....

Seeing the RF as diplomats is a really important point. If you think about how incredibly elite diplomatic jobs are - getting a job in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or being posted abroad, requires the highest educational and inter-personal attributes. And this is the kind of job the RF do but its demands seem to be so little understood.

If you remember the manufactured drama on here (and elsewhere) when Camilla and Mme Macron fluffed their 'to hold hands or not to hold hands' moment at the D-Day commemoration, you can see how tough the scrutiny is and how one little error, or perceived error, can cause a problem.

Not a job I'd apply for!

I was reading that Charles made a couple of references to Japanese modern culture in his speech at the State Dinner.

"He reflected on times he had been fly fishing with the emperor, saying: "I am only sorry to report that I haven’t had any better luck with more recent attempts at fishing.
"The Pokémon phrase ‘gotta catch ’em all’ may resonate with my grandchildren, but for me it is, perhaps, aspirational."
He also wished a “very happy” 50th birthday to Hello Kitty."
😂 of course Charles has people who help him write speeches but when you are sitting there conversing with people you have to be well informed about them.

Seeing the RF as diplomats is a really important point. If you think about how incredibly elite diplomatic jobs are - getting a job in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or being posted abroad, requires the highest educational and inter-personal attributes

I wouldn't disagree with that, @CoffeeCantata, though would add the point that they're also jobs where people have to go through a very vigorous selection process, whereas with the RF we just get the next one in line

And in fairness it can work very well when that happens to be someone like the late Queen, but perhaps not quite so well when it's someone whose views are those of the last person they spoke to, is a total liability, an embarrassing buffoon or whatever

Yes, and they can’t be sacked.

Edward VIII was.

And before that, two Charleses.

And we chose the Hanoverians.

One of the strengths of out system is that people whose faces don't fit get removed.

I don't know about Meghan's reaction, but the whole point is that it will be William controlling the money, and in the not too distant future - something H&M would have perhaps been wise to consider

I love the way everyone on here is posting as if having your brother control your budget when you are an adult is a normal, reasonable way to live!

I mean, how many of us would relish being in that situation? It's a recipe for family toxicity if ever I saw one and I don't blame Harry for wanting out.

@Ashadeofgreen55 Harry wanting out is up for debate, he forced himself out with the ultimatum of 50/50. Even now he doesn’t seem to be wanting completely out and has allowed his children and himself to still be counted in the hierarchy that is succession.

@Rhaidimiddim
One of the strengths of out system is that people whose faces don't fit get removed.

What does that mean to you? It’s a strange turn of phrase.

I don’t believe Harry wanted out nor that he considers even today that William will hold the purse strings in the future.

If he did, continuing to sit idly by while a mob attacks William, Catherine and their children, in his name, in print and via a highly traceable medium on a daily basis is beyond just vile; it’s willfully idiotic, too. There was a time where he’d be sent to the tower with even less evidence than is before us now.

One Charles. Charles II was welcomed back with open arms and made a reasonable fist of ruling, partly by being very unlike his father in style and also picking up some lessons on the "travels" he had no desire to repeat.

You may be thinking of his younger brother, James II, who was deposed.

Or just maybe ... he isn't in control of what a load of nutters write on the internet and doesn't want to give them any legitimacy by engaging with them?

And maybe he plans to make his own living?

I am not a Harry apologist as my feelings towards him are pretty neutral tbh but none of us know for sure what happened or what he wanted v the RF because we weren't there.

All of the posters on here who are projecting their own agendas on to the actions and thoughts and motivations of H& M don't know for sure either!

It's all ludicrous speculation!

Criticising others own agendas whilst doing exactly the same! How do I know, Harry’s own statement when he relished the idea of continuing working alongside the Queen, Charles and William with not a criticism in sight of them as long as they continued to pay him and he could live where he wanted with full security for 50% of the time. That’s not speculation

He had the opportunity to tell us what happened. He told us what happened.

Unfortunately he also chose to be a lying, mealy mouthed fanny and we can no longer trust his word.

She made vague allegations which he then swept under the carpet.

They had the world stage to tell their story and they came out with a lot of flimflammery.

A load of posters who don’t care are quick to pass comment on those who have an opinion based on what they said.

Fuck all projection here pet.

Them what smelt it dealt it in my opinion.

I certainly didn't mean to suggest it was a normal, reasonable way to live since it clearly isn't - just that this is the system they've got, and that knowing how it works it's for Harry to take responsibility for his own decisions within that

Definitely agree that he isn't in control of what others write online, or even that he needs to engage with "the nutters", though by the same token he doesn't have to invite them to events as cheerleaders, socialise with them and so on

As with Scobie - who's now suspiciously quiet - it might be better if both H&M disassociated themselves from such people completely, but it may not be as simple as that if there's a chance of them then repeating past indiscretions out of spite

To be clear they didn’t want fully out at all, they wanted half in half out. I get really sick of this urban myth of the wanting out as being pedalled as fact on here, it was only when the Queen said they are either in or out, no halfway house that they left.

We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.
They said they plan to balance their time between the UK and North America while "continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages".
"This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity."

I see the old trope from back in the day has made a resurgence “we weren’t there, how do you know what happened” always with the added caveat of “not a Harry fan”. Drums fingers waiting for “but what about Andrew!”

To be clear they didn’t want fully out at all, they wanted half in half out. I get really sick of this urban myth of the wanting out as being pedalled as fact on here, it was only when the Queen said they are either in or out, no halfway house that they left

Don't bring inconvenient facts into it, @LadyVictoriaSponge
Like "the RF bring in more than they cost", "they wanted out" is another verbal (written?) tic and rebuttals get you nowhere

Edited to add "we can't know because we weren't there" is actually fair enough up to a point, except that Harry's told us in his own words what they wanted and put out a statement with the same. Obviously his assertions change when he finds a different one suits him better, but that doesn't alter the fact that he said it

My bad! @Puzzledandpissedoff 😂

Puzzled
I wouldn't disagree with that, , though would add the point that they're also jobs where people have to go through a very vigorous selection process, whereas with the RF we just get the next one in line

Yes - absolutely! But my point was that we ask them to do a very high-level job which, as you say, is normally only trusted to the very select and elite few. I was just trying to counter the rubbish that's sometimes talked on here about how easy their roles are, and how lazy they all are! I think it's tough to be born into those expectations however privileged your upbringing is.

LadyVictoriaSponge
It's all ludicrous speculation!

Well, it might sometimes be speculation, but I think it's well-informed speculation - and often based on good evidence.

To be clear they didn’t want fully out at all, they wanted half in half out. I get really sick of this urban myth of the wanting out as being pedalled as fact on here, it was only when the Queen said they are either in or out, no halfway house that they left.

I think it's become very clear since they left, though, that the half-in, half-out option would never have worked, particularly seeing what H & M have got up to since! Someone (can't remember where - I'm sorry) put it brilliantly as 'wanting to cut ribbons in the summer and then go and bitch about the RF from California all winter'.