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The royal family

Kate Middleton - Lucky Life

197 replies

MrsMaxDeWinter · 07/12/2022 07:24

Kate really has had the life of a lot of women's complete fantasies hasn't she?

Born into a well off middle-class family

Received private education. Hobbies. Makes great connections at university eg William

Financially supported into her late 20s and beyond

Works for a few weeks at Jigsaw then never worked another job again.

Pictured clubbing and falling out of taxis when most her age were working thankless jobs.

Can pay for cosmetic surgery eg Botox and hair treatments. Has amazing clothes.

Marries a prince.

Lives in a luxurious beautiful houses paid for by the inherited wealth of her grandmother in law, her father in law, and by taxpayers.

Never done a boring / basic job in her life, has no financial worries ever.

On paper it is so much better than my life !!

I've had to grind my way out of a poor upbringing, educated on scholarships, and get into higher pay brackets like most do!

OP posts:
ThePoshUns · 07/12/2022 08:32

She has been blessed in many ways but I wouldn't want to swap with her.

Georgeskitchen · 07/12/2022 08:37

As other have pointed out, she can't just nip out for a pint of milk or an impromptu coffee with pals. Always expected to look and behave impeccably in public (which she does)
And not forgetting the sister in law with the knives out for for her
Poor Kate x

Rainallnight · 07/12/2022 08:39

MrsMaxDeWinter · 07/12/2022 07:24

Kate really has had the life of a lot of women's complete fantasies hasn't she?

Born into a well off middle-class family

Received private education. Hobbies. Makes great connections at university eg William

Financially supported into her late 20s and beyond

Works for a few weeks at Jigsaw then never worked another job again.

Pictured clubbing and falling out of taxis when most her age were working thankless jobs.

Can pay for cosmetic surgery eg Botox and hair treatments. Has amazing clothes.

Marries a prince.

Lives in a luxurious beautiful houses paid for by the inherited wealth of her grandmother in law, her father in law, and by taxpayers.

Never done a boring / basic job in her life, has no financial worries ever.

On paper it is so much better than my life !!

I've had to grind my way out of a poor upbringing, educated on scholarships, and get into higher pay brackets like most do!

Did you do exactly this thread but about Meghan yesterday??

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 07/12/2022 08:40

She’s a nice woman though. She's kind, doesn’t bear malice, tries to do her best , isn’t proud or vain. You may say that is setting the bar low, but it’s surprising how few people can clear it.

And yes, this is personal experience.

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 07/12/2022 08:42

I’m envious of aspects but I wouldn’t swap
for the world.
I realise the bits I’m envious of coke at a higher price than I would be willing to pay.

wherearethescissors · 07/12/2022 08:43

Oh Meghan is back. Hi there

If any of us had as many paparazzi pointing cameras at us every second of our free time in our 20s I bet we'd be worse off than Catherine.

Yes she has a privileged life but she's not the only one. I wouldn't want to do their job for all the tea in China.

Whatnextarghhhhhh · 07/12/2022 08:44

ChessieFL · 07/12/2022 07:31

Pippa has the better life - all the same advantages but without all the scrutiny that Kate gets.

And can spend her money how she likes!

Tiredallofthetime · 07/12/2022 08:44

I don’t think acknowledging good fortune is ‘bitching’, although MN do inevitably seem to take it as so.

If we start with the basics - I imagine the majority here are from the UK and thus are lucky, or privileged to be born in a developed country. We don’t tend to think about this, because most of us won’t really come across countries that are not developed and even if we do, it won’t be outside of tourist hot spots <waits for someone to announce their annual holiday to Somalia or Central African Republic or Afghanistan>

Then many of us will have privileges that go beyond even what most people born into a developed country have. Many of us will have a university education and/or be home owners. If your instinct is to splutter defensively that you worked hard for your degree and to own your home, that’s also privilege. The women at the chicken factory work hard too. One type of work lends you privilege and the other does not.

Essentially, the more stability and financial advantage you have, the more privileged you are. When a very stable background is combined with a very high income - and bear in mind that a high income tends to make life easier anyway, so stability naturally comes easier - then that privilege is more and more pronounced.

It is not a bad thing. It is as it should be. But recognising it is a start. Insisting that actually, well, there’s no privilege because everyone has problems and actually Brenda from the chicken factory definitely wouldn’t swap with Kate, is very misguided and wrong.

Rockybooboo · 07/12/2022 08:46

milti · 07/12/2022 08:14

What a silly comment - we are humans, we judge each other all the time based on what we do, say and via body language

I'm autistic so I prefer to spend time getting to know people rather than judging their body language. Some people are very good at masking their true selves.

RambamThankyouMam · 07/12/2022 08:48

Honestly I wouldn't want her life.

Rockybooboo · 07/12/2022 08:50

milti · 07/12/2022 08:15

Doh - ‘I’d need to spend time with putin/ trump before I could JUDGE them - gimme a break

The difference is that politician's actions affect lives. Putin is responsible for the deaths of innocent people which is obviously wrong. I'm not aware that either Kate or Meghan have killed anyone so I'm not sure I can compare them

AliensToTheLeft · 07/12/2022 08:51

wherearethescissors · 07/12/2022 08:43

Oh Meghan is back. Hi there

If any of us had as many paparazzi pointing cameras at us every second of our free time in our 20s I bet we'd be worse off than Catherine.

Yes she has a privileged life but she's not the only one. I wouldn't want to do their job for all the tea in China.

Did you say ‘Kate is back, hi there’ on the other thread? Probably not. Sigh.

milti · 07/12/2022 08:51

Fair dos rocky boo- of course it’s harder to read character and behaviour of you are on the spectrum - we have autism in our family

milti · 07/12/2022 08:51

Im not arguing with you rocky - you have your view, I have mine

PAFMO · 07/12/2022 08:53

The only thing to be "envious" about is that she'll never have to worry about the bills.
She can't wear what she wants
She has to go to a fuckton of events nobody in their right mind would choose to go to
She has (rightly or wrongly) been made to feel so aware of her appearance that she clearly eats almost nothing- and no, that's not the toned body of someone who keeps fit (though I'm sure she does) That's painfully thin.
She's felt the need to have subtle work done. She looks very different on the photos when she knows the paps are there to the ones caught by surprise. When she's going to something "official" she is clearly "got ready" by someone else.
She spends a lot of time away from her young children, (despite the fact that this generation of royals is "more normal" around family life than their predecessors, it's still not "normal".
Every sad occasion- did she cry too much, did she not cry enough, it's relentless
Every happy occasion - jubilee, bored small child, can she not control him. Charlotte being rude to paps blablabla.
Then we've got the Mumsnet Loons who live to post crap about her and the rest of them day in day out. Though hopefully she won't know about their freaky obsession.

PAFMO · 07/12/2022 08:54

Tiredallofthetime · 07/12/2022 08:44

I don’t think acknowledging good fortune is ‘bitching’, although MN do inevitably seem to take it as so.

If we start with the basics - I imagine the majority here are from the UK and thus are lucky, or privileged to be born in a developed country. We don’t tend to think about this, because most of us won’t really come across countries that are not developed and even if we do, it won’t be outside of tourist hot spots <waits for someone to announce their annual holiday to Somalia or Central African Republic or Afghanistan>

Then many of us will have privileges that go beyond even what most people born into a developed country have. Many of us will have a university education and/or be home owners. If your instinct is to splutter defensively that you worked hard for your degree and to own your home, that’s also privilege. The women at the chicken factory work hard too. One type of work lends you privilege and the other does not.

Essentially, the more stability and financial advantage you have, the more privileged you are. When a very stable background is combined with a very high income - and bear in mind that a high income tends to make life easier anyway, so stability naturally comes easier - then that privilege is more and more pronounced.

It is not a bad thing. It is as it should be. But recognising it is a start. Insisting that actually, well, there’s no privilege because everyone has problems and actually Brenda from the chicken factory definitely wouldn’t swap with Kate, is very misguided and wrong.

Excellent post.

Falalalalaaah · 07/12/2022 08:56

She does have a pretty good life and she doesn't really say otherwise does she?

She'd have possibly had an easier life if she had just got a normal job imo though. Everyone I know who had a similar upbringing to her now works BS jobs (sorry, but it's true) and think they're working oh so very hard while they piss about with the marketing for an eco lounge wear line or whatever, cash in on their connections and act as if they're down the pits and / or saving the planet.

Sorry, it's a pet peeve of mine.

If I had the choice and her background / family wealth, I'd probably have picked an even cushier life than being a royal.

Also, my job is absolutely not "thankless" although I am a low earner.

Rockybooboo · 07/12/2022 08:59

milti · 07/12/2022 08:51

Fair dos rocky boo- of course it’s harder to read character and behaviour of you are on the spectrum - we have autism in our family

Thank you for your understanding.

Namechangedforspooky · 07/12/2022 08:59

I guess it depends what you value. Yes she’s very privileged but not sure I’d want to have that little control over my life or be in the public eye. It looks pretty stressful at times. I would rather earn my own money and don’t really care about cosmetic surgery or nice labels though. Each to their own

DorritLittle · 07/12/2022 08:59

Yes OP, the comparisions are tedious. As is this and the other thread.

Readinginthesun · 07/12/2022 09:02

@MrsMaxDeWinter

Even if I don’t usually agree with you I can see the point if your threads but I absolutely fail to see the point of this one .

ImAvingOops · 07/12/2022 09:02

I don't envy her her husband - I think Megan got the better deal there. Harry seems to completely adore her - I'm not sure Kate can say the same about William.
I think she has a life of immense luxury and it's hard to feel sorry for someone in that position - there are plenty of women working their arses off in minimum wage jobs, or going home to horrible husbands, or not having the money to address health concerns or sending their kids to bad schools because there's no option. Kate knows she will always have a beautiful home, lovely things and be cushioned from a lot of other women's harsh realities.
If she wanted to leave William, she could - it would result in an almighty scandal but if it was because he cheated, then that scandal would be on him. She does have choices.
I think she gets more privacy than the public realises - she isn't being harassed everyday when taking the kids to school etc.

TeenyTomTilly · 07/12/2022 09:03

Going to an envelope opening or ribbon cutting event every day and greeting and making small talk with people.

Nah. No amount of privilege would make me want to live that life.

It's not as glamorous as it looks, look at Meghan, she was naive about what it would entail and couldn't cut it.

I also wouldn't want to have to be preened every day!

Lolacat1234 · 07/12/2022 09:03

Is this a journalist trying to compare answers between this thread and the Megan thread? Weird.

Diverseopinions · 07/12/2022 09:13

MrsMaxDeWinter · 07/12/2022 07:24

Kate really has had the life of a lot of women's complete fantasies hasn't she?

Born into a well off middle-class family

Received private education. Hobbies. Makes great connections at university eg William

Financially supported into her late 20s and beyond

Works for a few weeks at Jigsaw then never worked another job again.

Pictured clubbing and falling out of taxis when most her age were working thankless jobs.

Can pay for cosmetic surgery eg Botox and hair treatments. Has amazing clothes.

Marries a prince.

Lives in a luxurious beautiful houses paid for by the inherited wealth of her grandmother in law, her father in law, and by taxpayers.

Never done a boring / basic job in her life, has no financial worries ever.

On paper it is so much better than my life !!

I've had to grind my way out of a poor upbringing, educated on scholarships, and get into higher pay brackets like most do!

That's exactly it. Carole and her mother before her had a more typical upbringing. Comfort wasn't guaranteed.

The concept of noblesse oblige guarantees that there is a pay back. Royals spend much of their time understanding and tuning in to people who do mundane jobs and voluntary work. They focus on the shared values and the community enhancing attitudes. Those who do appreciate the Royal work recognise something genuine in what they are doing.

In a sense, and living aside a public school boarding education the like of which Kate had, Royal life does shape its members to be empathetic and appreciative of other lives. Harry was said to be very skilled at being empathetic and approachable and respectful, whilst on official visits. One poster write on a thread how good he was with her child when they were very ill. Partly because of his upbringing, I expect, Harry is said to have told people that he wanted to live in Africa and have Archie running around in the village with the other children there. He appreciated core, wholesome values. And he liked simplicity. A poster added a link to an article which covered this information about what he had said about living in Africa.

Something changed and he is living in a 14 million pound home, which is grossly too big for his family, polluting the planet and indulging materialistic whims with £1,000 cashmere throws draped over the chairs.

Generally, royals don't feel sorry for themselves. Their upbringing gives them a sense of being fortunate, more fortunate than others, and needing to be strong and uncomplaining because of this. They will be looked after financially, so they must keep going in recognition of their advantages. This attitude is largely summed up in the word: ' service'.

I would not like to be Eugenie and Beatrice. It is not their fault, what their dad might have done, but they have to be aware of him being slated and ridiculed every day. Their fashion sense and, once upon a time their beauty , was derided in the press with journalists slagging off their clothes and what these didn' t do to enhance their looks. Their mother had equally been dragged for being hopeless with money and vulgar. They don't do documentaries justifying themselves and dragging their detractors. It's not the done thing.

In this country, we don't expect royals to moan about their lot in life. Public school life has something of an echo of that. Teenagers put in huge hours revising, because it is expected, and lead quite duty bound lives, but are brought up to believe it will be worth it.

It's a shock for a lot of people to see Harry and Meghan moaning their heads off.

Can't you have a life of service which just involves service and which doesn't mean you have to put yourself at the front of what you say as a visual example of having been wronged?

The government, long ago, ensured that the British royalty has no actual power, so you don't need to attack the Royal Family to ensure that nobody in Britain is going to be racially abused. The royals don't have the actual power to harm anyone. We have race equality laws in Britain. Any grievances ought to be pursued via these.

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