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The royal family

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The sudden unusual turn on Princess Kate

1000 replies

Whatt · 29/05/2023 07:56

Today, I wanted to share something thought-provoking that has caught my attention recently - a noticeable change in the way the media portrays Kate Middleton.

Some publications that previously showed favor towards Kate (DM cough, cough) have started publishing stories that present her in a more critical light. It's an interesting shift.

Firstly, there's a story circulating about an encounter between Kate and a convicted murderer at a charity event. Additionally, there's talk of the taxpayer potentially providing support for her family's struggling business. This raises questions about the circumstances surrounding their business venture and the implications it may have for public funds.

What's intriguing is the parallel being drawn between Kate's current media treatment and the scrutiny faced by Meghan Markle in the past. It's worth discussing whether there's a connection or simply a coincidence.

Furthermore, there's some buzz on Twitter suggesting that Kate may have unintentionally upstaged the King during the Chelsea Flower Show. While it may seem like harmless gossip, it's interesting to consider the impact of such events on the monarchy's reputation. Some even speculate that Camilla might have been involved in the leak of these stories, adding an extra layer to the intrigue.

Taking a step back, it's worth pondering whether the monarchy should be concerned about being upstaged in this day and age. Are we witnessing a shift in priorities and expectations?

OP posts:
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Iwantcakeeveryday · 14/06/2023 09:25

And if the RF did help them, there would still be the same usual suspects on here complaining about ‘our money being used to bail out Kate’s parents’

The RF do not need to help the Middletons. The Middletons have enough personal wealth to pay all creditors, some of whom said they only extended credit because of who they were and their family wealth as well as recent personal assurances from Carole Middleton.

tigger2022 · 14/06/2023 09:32

The Prince’s Trust can’t pay though - the total is about 40 million

CathyorClaire · 14/06/2023 10:36

Lots of famous millionaire "designers" applied for Covid furlough schemes, the whole thing was a joke

Royals too. The odious Mike Tindall wasn't averse to dipping his snout into the furlough trough.

Anyway, like so many others in this country, they were a flourishing business

This story has constantly been pushed but we don't know for sure given they were exempt from publishing accounts until 2019.

Carole supposedly spotted a gap in the market and cornered it but there was plenty of competition even when the company was founded and it increased as more got in on the act.

It's always been a mystery to me how selling 50p a pop tat turned such megabucks.

cobicat · 14/06/2023 11:54

Their business is nothing to do with Kate. What do other married-in Royals' parents do? Who knows, who cares?

Roussette · 14/06/2023 12:03

cobicat · 14/06/2023 11:54

Their business is nothing to do with Kate. What do other married-in Royals' parents do? Who knows, who cares?

I think a future Queen is a bit different to a minor married in Royal

jeffgoldblum · 14/06/2023 12:09

Are we saying senior royals are responsible for the behaviour of family now?

WheelsUp · 14/06/2023 12:10

I'm not sure why this has been a massive story for so long.
Lots of wealthy people took Covid loans. They didn't write the rules for this.
They stayed within the law when it came to wrapping up the business. Again they didn't write the rules.
When suppliers said that they were given guarantees because they were the parents of the Princess of Wales, I'm not sure what this means. Did they think that Catherine would pay up if her parents couldn't ? I think someone said upthread that the Middletons owed them a year's worth of money. Is it standard to get 12 months of credit or did that happen because they thought Catherine would step in?
Did the Middletons lie on their accounts ? Did they get special treatment ? Sometimes businesses go bust and certainly on here there is more awareness of not buying disposable things and environmentally bad things like balloons.

The Middletons business failing is news as they are famous but I don't think that they have to go beyond the law and sell their home to pay suppliers. I don't know enough about business to give an opinion on when they should have closed the business because as a lay person it sounds like they should have done it earlier so the amount owed to suppliers was less.

I think that it's right that Catherine didn't cover the debt. That would have been a big scandal when it hit the papers too

cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:14

I think a future Queen is a bit different to a minor married in Royal

Interesting, different in what way exactly?

cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:15

jeffgoldblum · 14/06/2023 12:09

Are we saying senior royals are responsible for the behaviour of family now?

Apparently! But only if it's Kate, of course

jeffgoldblum · 14/06/2023 12:18

Yes I see @cobicat , seems a tad hypocritical in my opinion!

Howsimplywonderful · 14/06/2023 12:23

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cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:24

Kate's popularity and professionalism must be a constant thorn in the side for some (mostly dedicated Harry and Meghan fans, from what I can make out). Now they are making her responsible for her parent's business decisions.

I look forward to reading about how Harry is responsible for any problems King Charles encounters in the future.

Iwantcakeeveryday · 14/06/2023 12:24

The Middletons business failing is news as they are famous but I don't think that they have to go beyond the law and sell their home to pay suppliers.

That's certainly one opinion. There have been lots of conversations on the covid loans given to wealthy people in general and this is news because its the future Queens parents and she used to work there and appear in their catalogues, and the magazine shortly before her wedding. Some people think that wealthy people should use their personal wealth to pay suppliers if the business goes bust. Just because its legal, doesn't;t mean people won't have opinions on that and if that is fair. When Jamie Olivers restaurants collapsed, that was also news because he is still personally wealthy, while others lost significant sums. It is not unusual for this type of story to be news or discussed online.

cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:27

@Iwantcakeeveryday Well, do go ahead and start a thread about businesses collapsing if it's a special interest of yours, rather than shoe-horning it in here - because none of this has anything to do with Kate.

Iwantcakeeveryday · 14/06/2023 12:32

cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:27

@Iwantcakeeveryday Well, do go ahead and start a thread about businesses collapsing if it's a special interest of yours, rather than shoe-horning it in here - because none of this has anything to do with Kate.

Please don't tell me how to comment. It was in answer to a previous comment only. Kates parents have everything to do with Kate, which is why this is being discussed here and not on another board. I'll continue to do that, should I wish to.

cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:37

Kates parents have everything to do with Kate

Hmmm... in that case I look forward to reading your thoughts about why Meghan should take more responsibility for her father's situation

Serenster · 14/06/2023 12:39

This story has constantly been pushed but we don't know for sure given they were exempt from publishing accounts until 2019.
Carole supposedly spotted a gap in the market and cornered it but there was plenty of competition even when the company was founded and it increased as more got in on the act.
It's always been a mystery to me how selling 50p a pop tat turned such megabucks.

It’s not the case that they had an exemption. They were a partnership until 2019. Partnerships are private - they don’t need to publish any accounts at all. In 2019 the business was transferred into a corporate entity, Party Pieces Holdings Limited. Companies have to produce annual accounts, which are public documents, and so PPHL has done some as required since 2019.

We have no idea how much money the Middletons were making before Covid hit, but given their past known history from before Kate went to university, it is clear that they were doing well.

Michael Middleton gave up his job at BA to join the business
They had between 10-20 employees (employees are the biggest cost of a business, normally)
Their three children had all attended expensive private schools from primary
They had bought a house worth around £1.5m
Their children had led lifestyles that require some wealth - Kate was shown to be a good skier for example when she was first photographed with William on a skiing holiday.

I don’t think you need to be Sherlock Holmes to work out that they were doing alright!

I think, like most business, they did well because of the mark up between wholesale and retail prices and lots of transactions. It’s exactly how other, hugely profitable businesses work - low margins can add up to a lot of if you sell enough.

recsw · 14/06/2023 12:43

I think there's a case for looking at the concept of limited companies and the way they affects society. In the meantime I don't think some individuals who set up and runs a business under current law should have different expectations placed on them than others who do the same.

Serenster · 14/06/2023 12:43

Some people think that wealthy people should use their personal wealth to pay suppliers if the business goes bust

That’s a perfectly valid opinion, but it bumps up against some hard practical issues quite quickly.

What is wealthy enough to mean you’re personally not he hook for bailing out your creditors but others aren’t? How do we know the difference between perceived wealth and actual wealth? How do you incentivise people to take the risk of starting a business if the downside to them doing well is that suddenly the oweners become liable for all the business debts, when they previously weren’t? Won’t that drive down innovation and expansion? Won’t it lead to unexpected consequences like fewer jobs and a lower GDP… etc etc.

Roussette · 14/06/2023 12:48

cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:14

I think a future Queen is a bit different to a minor married in Royal

Interesting, different in what way exactly?

I would have thought that was obvious

justasking111 · 14/06/2023 13:00

Well they're both pensioners now and should have sold up years ago.

My friend she and her husband worked for the family business it earned them a living but mum and dad into their seventies had complete control financially they didn't adapt and drove the business into the ground . Friend and husband had no idea how bad it was until dad had a stroke. The parents sold the building, folded the business, auctioned off the stock. My friend and her OH got zilch.

Mom and pop businesses are doomed, new young family blood is never appreciated..

Howsimplywonderful · 14/06/2023 13:08

cobicat · 14/06/2023 12:37

Kates parents have everything to do with Kate

Hmmm... in that case I look forward to reading your thoughts about why Meghan should take more responsibility for her father's situation

So true 😀

Howsimplywonderful · 14/06/2023 13:11

@cobicat

Didn’t her dad go bankrupt after taking out a loan to pay Meghan’s large university fees 😀😀

If Meghan had taken on the loans herself like most other students do….

Roussette · 14/06/2023 13:17

Howsimplywonderful · 14/06/2023 13:11

@cobicat

Didn’t her dad go bankrupt after taking out a loan to pay Meghan’s large university fees 😀😀

If Meghan had taken on the loans herself like most other students do….

No
He won the lottery. Gave the son money to start a shop, bought the sister a car, and paid tuition fees for Meghan then lost the rest in a failed jewelry business
I presume you think he should've excluded one of his children from his good fortune...meghan

Rapidtango · 14/06/2023 13:25

I wonder if creditors were owed when Mr Markle's jewellery business failed. I wonder if Meghan paid off the creditors.

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