Catherine’s return to duties

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

Catherine has returned to her public duties and has visited the Royal Marsden hospital today to “show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world-leading care and treatment the Marsden provides".

It has been revealed that she attended her chemotherapy appointments at Royal Marsden. She thanked staff and visited patients for approximately an hour. It’s also been released that she will join William in becoming a royal patron of the hospital.

news.sky.com/story/kate-visits-royal-marsden-hospital-to-thank-staff-who-looked-after-her-during-cancer-treatment-13288556

It is also clear that the feud was never really Kate vs Meghan but more so William vs Harry.

I agree.

Would you honestly want to swap places? No privacy virtually no autonomy. Strangers being experts on you at every turn?

In a heartbeat. A cocoon of luxury and privilege. Never having to worry about paying the bills or keeping a roof over my head or waiting for medical treatment. Knowing that I'd be protected and cosseted no matter how badly I fucked up. Access to land, art, the best of everything at my fingertips. Getting praised to the skies for doing the bare minimum.

Catherine visited a mother and baby unit at HMP Styal in Cheshire in support for Action for Children (of which she is patron) which runs three mother and baby units in the north.

The charity highlights the importance of consistent mother and baby relationships in a child's development and helps support mothers serving prison sentences or on remand. Action for Children employs specialist practitioners at each prison, who ensure babies are given the best possible care and are introduced to experiences outside the confines of the institutions, such as riding on the bus or going for walks.

Some extended coverage here. Respect to these women who do this important work.

Oh that's strange, I was watching the video last nights, but it appears to have been zapped. Anyway, Catherine was asking questions for around 10 minutes with the ladies who run the initiative, after having met with some of the ladies they help and their babies (which was not on film). All very interesting.

yes, kudos to the people who do the actual work....

Would you honestly want to swap places? No privacy virtually no autonomy. Strangers being experts on you at every turn?

I feel like the reason Kate has succeeded is that she managed to keep her true personality private. There's definitely Catherine, the Princess of Wales and Kate in private. She barely gives us and the media anything. We don't know anything about her. Who is the true Kate? We don't know

She's not the most hardworking so we don't see her a lot anyway. When she's not working, the press leave them alone. They're not chased like paparazzis like Diana was.

They've managed to give their children privacy (we only see them 4 times a year on average)

And I think her family living near her definitely helps a lot

Same here.

Entree to anywhere. Access to experts in history and culture and architecture and any field of interest. Nirvana.

I'd happily make a couple of hundred appearances per annum in exchange for.

God I wouldn't, not in a million years, the scrutiny and constant fear, I wouldn't swap my life for hers ever...

So what? You're allowed to wear tiara's you know...

Catherine's job is to visit places and be nice and raise awareness.

What else would you have her do, push trollies round the local Asda day in day out? Not do anything?

You'd like your every move scrutinised? Your every clothing choice commented upon? You'd like to parade your young children in front of 100,000s of people? You'd like to have to curtesy to your husband and Father in Law? You'd like to unterupt your holidays for a photo call, and then hope and pray that some perv hasn;t got a x5000 zoom, trying to pry into your windows whilst you try to eat dinner with your kids?

@RadStag "You'd like your every move scrutinised? Your every clothing choice commented upon? You'd like to parade your young children in front of 100,000s of people? You'd like to have to curtesy to your husband and Father in Law? You'd like to unterupt your holidays for a photo call, and then hope and pray that some perv hasn;t got a x5000 zoom, trying to pry into your windows whilst you try to eat dinner with your kids?"
Well, she's managed to remain pretty invisible for the last year. And the children are "paraded" 4 times a year in a strictly curated way. And I'd manage to restrain my hilarity at a curtsey or two in exchange for the dosh. Ditto the holiday photo calls. And I can't remember the last time the zoom lens brigade operated. So yes, a little quid pro quo would be worth it.

I'd like the events with regular people - I loved meeting people when I was a journalist and seeing into different aspects of people's lives, and helping raise awareness of local issues etc.

I'd hate the big formal and diplomatic stuff because those types of events are very draining, it's all very well everyone who says they get research briefs from their staff, it's actually quite a hard job and takes a certain amount of skill to remember all the info you need to about world events, individuals, UK diplomatic policy, not letting your own opinions sneak out when faced with dictators and oligarchs. Making small talk with the wife of whatever world leader your husband is hosting on behalf of the foreign office.

Some people are brilliant at that type of social interaction - you see it with wives of vicars, or spouses of politicians or the CEO's partner who can don't find it draining to be the all-encompassing plus one to their partner's job.

I do wonder if the reason she had less public engagements in comparison to others (not solely due to having young children) was in fact due to an underlying health issue (that she had the surgery for)?

There's several medical conditions that can limit the ability to work publicly. Just a thought.

Sorry, just realised others have already made the same point I have

I experienced de ja vu for a second!

Catherine is just about perfect her her role: can wear anything and look fabulous (if safe), completely reliable and charming, no risk of rocking the boat by saying the wrong thing, great mother, attentive wife, gets on either her in laws, interested in suitable topics like children and addiction. The only skill she hasn't mastered is public speaking and she has managed to make her voice sound silly and a bit vacuous - extreme RP and over liberal use of the word 'extraordinary'. It would also be a better look for her and Big Willy if they were seen to work harder. Papa Charles, with his prodigious output, is a hard act to follow. For all that, I do wonder quite what there is behind her cultivated front and hope it's something substantial, for her sake and that of her family.

I think she's entitled to take time to raise her family, even before her illness. She will be working for the rest of her life, and things will only get more demanding. I'd be doing as little as I could get away with and raising my children and preparing for public life.

And off to Mustique now to recover from the recent skiing holiday.

So we're back to taking the mickey.

You seriously grudge them a family holiday ? When I finished my cancer treatment, we immediately booked 2 holidays !

must be exhausted the poor love.
I thnk she needs more of my money

Shame they are missing the BAFTA's but they do deserve a relaxing family trip in the sun after all they have been through as a family. Mustique sounds perfect. We did similar when I finished my treatment, DH splashed out and booked business class tickets and best hotel in Barbados for 10 days for all of us, it was an amazing way to celebrate getting through such a scary and horrendous time, We really appreciate how fortunate we have been in so many ways.

Can't wait to see William after a week in the sun, it really elevates him when he is sporting a tan.

Looking through my facebook and instagram feed currently, they are far from the only family who has headed off for February half-term, having also had a holiday over Christmas…

They can do what they want. Your money isn't funding their holidays. They're allowed a holiday, just like you are.
Your money funds the sovereign grant, which funds official travel, property maintenance, and the operating costs of the Royal Household. It also includes a one-off sum for the restoration of Buckingham Palace.