British Royals

Prince Charles on William & Kate’s Popularity

Jul 17

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The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge’s widely successful North American tour is over, and it looks like the press is scraping the barrel and milking the stories for what its worth.  Other than an announcement that William and Kate intend to keep a lower profile till the end of the year (something we’ve already known), what has happened exactly?  Nothing.  But now people are insinuating that the young royal couple’s popularity has made Prince Charles uneasy, just as his late wife did 30 years ago…

Take note that the story was first suggested by Richard Kay, who was Princess Diana’s friend and media leak.  According to him, Prince Charles feels “he is caught between a rock and a hard place. There is the growing affection for his son on one side and the enduring reverence for the Queen on the other. In short, he feels overlooked.”  At the same time, he feels that William & Kate’s recent overseas tour had far too many photo opportunities and that their success undermines the work of other royals.  So what’s Charles to do?  Shift his PR strategy to change the public’s attitude toward him.

Do I personally believe this?  No, not in the slightest until I find concrete proof…  To me this is the media yet again pitching the royals against each other to create drama.   And as royal watchers, we can’t believe everything we read.  With no news, unfounded nonstories often come to print, just like America’s recent rubbish about Kate’s weight and fertility fears.  The blog All Things Regal has a brilliant piece on not “specuKating.” Highly recommended read.

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William & Kate’s North American Tour: Quotes & Reviews

It was the king of royal tours — the best for decades.  Now William & Kate have retreated to a normal married life in Wales.  This weekend (if Twitter sightings are to be trusted), the couple went to the cinema in Llandudno (North Wales) to catch (what else?) Harry Potter!  The Telegraph also reports that the couple with take on larger roles as British business ambassadors in the future.

A royal aide said: “It is not something that William or Catherine had done before LA, but they have genuinely enjoyed being ambassadors for the UK and flying the flag for British business in America, and it is definitely something they will start to do more of. It will not always be about just going to realms in the future. They will now start to visit countries of strategic importance to the United Kingdom with the purpose of meeting the Foreign Office’s commercial objectives. Just as the Prince of Wales regularly meets with corporate and environmental leaders during his overseas tours to highlight British trade and investments, so the couple will begin to emulate this approach through the prism of their own interests.”

On Kate, he says: “All of us have been utterly amazed and impressed by how well she’s done, and she has genuinely enjoyed herself all the way. I know the Duke is incredibly proud of her.” Kate is said to perhaps begin to take on patronages and charities starting the autumn, after the palace receiving “several thousand” charities requesting for her involvement.

Anyway, back to William & Kate’s recent tour:  reviews from royal correspondents and memorable quotes:

Looking Forward to: Zara & Mike’s Wedding

On July 30, this year’s second royal wedding — between Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Phillips & her rugby player fiance Mike Tindall — will take place in Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. We’ve read before that the wedding will be a “private affair.” Now the Mail reports that Zara been forced to turn down a £500,000 wedding deal with Hello! magazine after Buckingham Palace vetoed the arrangement. Her brother Peter had done this for his 2008 wedding to Autumn Kelly, much to the dismay of the palace.

Instead, Zara & Mike’s wedding will see a small number of hand-picked photographers allowed into the Palace of Holyroodhouse to record the arrival and departure of the bridal party and their immediate families. This includes newlyweds William & Kate, the Queen, Prince Harry and the Tindall family. The ceremony and reception afterwards will be strictly off-limits to commercial photographers.

Article: Daily Mail

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Cambridge Withdrawal? — Reliving Canada as William & Kate Go “Under the Radar”

Jul 12

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As Prince William & Catherine were on a British Airways flight home to London after a highly successful first North American tour, a palace spokesperson released a few answers to a burning question…

What’s next for Will & Kate?

In a nutshell: (1) the rest of the summer off, (2) 1-2 official engagements in the fall and winter, (3) a tour of the Falklands for William in 2012

The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge plan to go “under the radar” for the remainder of the year.  This actually isn’t new information.  But a spokesperson confirms and quotes the following reasons:

  1. “The Duke is going for his flying captaincy which he hopes to get in early 2012. He needs to keep up his flying hours and there are some exams to get through, a lot of work needs to done and he has to dedicate himself to that”
  2. “The second reason for taking a step back is more personal. They have not really lived together since their wedding and want to spend time together. Since they got married they were on honeymoon and then in London for most of June for family events and the like and want to go back and have a married life together under the radar. They just want to enjoy their life in Anglesey and keeping things chilled.”
  3. “The third reason is the Duchess: she has got a lot of things in the pipeline in terms of meeting representatives of charities and lots of the duke’s charities so she can begin to know his work better and get to know what she wants to take on. She is already interested in particular in things like sports therapy and arts therapy. She has got to determine what her interests are and whether she can actually make a difference”
  4. ‘The Queen and the Prince of Wales are fully aware of their plan to go under the radar in the next few months and are very supportive of it. They have the rest of their lives to be public figures and working hard on behalf of the Queen and want to keep things on a level and enjoy their marriage. They are very conscious to make sure that the run up to 2012 is the Queen’s year. She quite rightly should be in the spotlight.”

It will be back to grocery shopping for Kate

About William & the Falklands:

“There are three slots when it could happen: early in the year, in the middle over the Olympics, or right at the end – he hasn’t decided yet. Catherine will not be able to join him on the unaccompanied deployment which would last two months”

Kate is said to have quoted to a military wife during the tour: “I don’t know how you manage (having husband away 6 months at a time). I miss William so much when he’s away. He went once for 4 weeks and I missed him so much.”

About their first overseas tour:

“They think it has gone really well. They have just been on such a buzz every day, coming back full of stories – they’ve really enjoyed it.”

Unofficial quotes from DM say that the team is “full of admiration” on how Kate’s handled the tour: “It was a big ask thrusting her into the limelight like that – particularly because she hasn’t had any training or experience at being a working royal – but she has just taken it all in her stride. She really has blown us all away.”

Articles: Daily Mail | The Guardian

My opinion: We will miss them for sure. But this is not new information.  We’ve known this all along.  After the hurricane that was Canada/California, it’s hard not to feel some kind of Will & Kate withdrawal. But it’s comforting to know that they’re back to doing what’s best for them. Perhaps “lying down in a dark room” back home in Anglesey as William said he was looking forward to. Again, as their wedding prayer said: “keep our eyes fixed on what’s real and important in life.” They’re doing just that. Bless them!

William & Kate are still expected to attend Zara Phillips’ wedding on July 30, but such is an unofficial function.  The recent Royal Wedding & glorious North American tour should have royal-watchers sufficiently satisfied till 2012, when they’re expected to do their next overseas tour.

Experiencing Cambridge Withdrawal?

A 25-minute TV programme with a summary of their 9 days in Canada. Beautiful highlights for those who’ve missed it, or for those who want to relive the trip:

Kate in Canada.  An hour-long feature focusing on Kate’s maiden overseas tour.  Has some video footage I haven’t seen before.  Especially valuable for me are interviews from photographer Arthur Edwards and Judy Wade. (Though I don’t really care for the fashion bit toward the end)

Updates from Canada: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9
Updates from LA: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

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William & Kate in Los Angeles (Final Day)

Jul 12

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After a whirlwind 11 days, the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge’s first official overseas tour to North America has come to an end…
Previous days in LA: Day 1 | Day 2

Day 3: 10 July 2011
Los Angeles, California

William & Kate’s final day in Los Angeles was packed, and in my opinion, their most significant day in  LA yet.  It started early when they left the Consul-General’s residence in Hancock Park and did an impromptu walkabout to people who’ve lined the streets.  The locals were very thrilled as everyone got to shake their hand, have a little chat and even take pictures!  As usual, everyone commented on how surprisingly down-to-earth the couple is.  And by the way, Kate wore high street Whistles for the day…

Brunch for Tusk Trust. A private meeting supporting African animal conservation Tusk, which Prince William is patron.  The brunch was to launch an American patron circle.  Also at the event are actresses Reese Witherspoon (who looked quite starstruck judging by the pictures) and Catherine Keener.  (Pictures: Getty Images)

Inner City Arts at Skid Row. In the heart of LA’s homeless district lies this arts school for underprivileged children that aims to uplift and build confidence through art.

William & Kate painting at Inner-City Arts in LA

William and Kate first joined the painting studio.  Kate painted a red snail (Picture) (“What the heck is that?  It looks like half slug, half bulls-eye,” joked William), and William painted a … square (Picture).  An elaborate small square in red, blue and yellow colors… but just a square nonetheless.

Next came clay moulding.  Each joined a table, with Kate’s table working on a turtle’s shell and William’s table working on its head and limbs.  Here’s a really cute account of what happened at William’s table while he and the kids decided on the name and what kind of turtle to carve.  After that, in true Hollywood style, the royal couple had their hands imprinted on clay.  William once again joked and helped his wife make a good imprint.  Pictures: William’s imprint | Kate’s imprint | Both hands on one slab

The royal couple also clapped along a dance demo.  Overall an unforgettable day for the children at Skid Row.  Latest word has it that their paintings and turtle shall remain at Inner-City Arts and will not be sold for auction as of now.

Joking around while watching a dance performance

Articles

Pictures from Inner-City Arts: Getty Images

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Mission Serve Veterans Job Fair. Another project close to William’s heart.  William & Kate’s last engagement, “one of the most important,” was a job fair to help over a thousand veterans find their way back to the work force.  In it, William made his final speech of the tour, thanking everyone for their “warm welcome to the Golden State and City of Angels.”  He also took the opportunity to quip at his “low-flying, Apache, very average brother” Harry.  After chatting with some veterans and their spouses, William & Kate helped pack boxes that will go out to military kids.

Article: A star-spangled send-off

Pictures from Mission Serve: Getty Images

And then it was straight to the airport for a scheduled commercial flight back to London via British Airways.  A final smile to a single photographer (Pictures), and they were off… culminating what has been an EXCEPTIONAL and close to flawless first overseas tour.  They leave behind a gaggle of new admirers, a buzzing media, and according many reviews, a stronger monarchy for the next generation.  Well done!

William & Kate Overseas Memorabilia

 

So How did it go? The reviews have been magnanimous.  William & Kate’s first tour was a resounding triumph for Britain and the monarchy.

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William & Kate in Los Angeles (Polo & BAFTA)

Jul 11

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Previous days in LA: Day 1

Day 2: 9 July 2011
Los Angeles, California

Undoubtedly the most glitzy day of the entire North American tour, as William & Kate do polo and the red carpet…

Charity polo at Carpenteria near Santa Barbara.

This day definitely got a lot of hype from the media, with tickets ranging from $400-$4,000, celebrity chef Giada de Laurentiis making lunch, and players paying up to $60,000 just to play alongside Prince William. Celebrity guests who turned up include Jennifer Love Hewitt, Joe Jonas, Zoe Saldana, Molly Sims, Samantha Harris, Rosario Dawson, BIlly Zane and Scott Keogh.  Proceeds go to charity.

William & Kate arrived from LA by helicopter. Kate looked as fresh as a daisy in a hand-painted floral silk dress by Jenny Packham. During his speech, William joked about not being a good loser and expecting to pick the trophy later on. And he did! To the delight of the crowd, William scored 4 points, leading his team to a 5-2 victory. Was it rigged?  Other players insist it wasn’t.  And an usual treat to royal watchers: William planting kisses on each of Kate’s cheeks as she presented him with the award.  Well played, Wills!

Articles:

Pictures: Getty Images | Rex Features

Raw video: polo & award presentation (includes trophy kiss)

 

BAFTA “Brits to Watch” gala at the Belasco

You can’t be in LA without hobnobbing with the stars.  The event aimed to give 42 up-and-coming Brits from film, television and video games their break.  Hollywood’s biggest and brightest — including Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez and Barbra Streisand — were there.  But all eyes were on William and Kate.  The Duchess stunned in a lavender Alexander McQueen gown and earrings on loan from the Queen.  They arrived a bit late (Kate apologized to a fan during a small walkabout, saying William was busy “fixing his hair”), having been delayed from polo, but no one seemed to care.

Inside the gala, William & Kate were seen mixing with the stars for the reception.  William’s speech took a leaf from The King’s Speech.  “I have a voice,” he started to much laughter. For dinner, they were sat in a table with Nicole Kidman and Barbra Streisand, who both made the first move of extending their hands across the table after seeing the royal couple engrossed in their own little conversation.

Praises all around from celebrities and fashionistas, who seemed starstruck by the royal couple.  Jason Bateman said it best: “They are the ultimate media stars. We are faking it and getting paid for it. They are the real deal.”

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Pictures: Getty Images | Rex Features

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William & Kate in Los Angeles: Day 1

Jul 9

Posted by britishroyals in Prince William, Princess Catherine | 1 Comment

The moment William & Kate touched down in LAX, you know it’s a whole different ballgame…

William & Kate at media summit (left).  At Hancock Park reception (right).
Pictures from Getty Images


Arrival at LAX. The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge continue to the next leg of their North American tour with a weekend visit to LA.  California governor Jerry Brown met them at the tarmac.  Kate had notably changed from her red Catherine Walker dress earlier in the day to a lavender-grey Roksanda Ilincic dress. Several local news channels covered the event live, and even followed their motorcade live aerially from the airport all the way to Beverly Hills!  Welcome to America, Will & Kate!

William & Kate Overseas Memorabilia

Media Summit at Beverly Hilton Hotel. The couple were met by Neil Stiles, president of the entertainment magazine group Variety who jointly sponsored the Venture Capital New Media Summit with the UK Trade and Investment to promote British technological business interests in America. After meeting delegates from the British and American technology sectors, William and Kate then took to the stage to become a part of the summit. Laughter from the crowd when Kate tapped (a bored-looking?) William when the hosts were asking for more opinions from the forum.  The couple were then treated to a series of practical demonstrations of how technology is transforming our everyday lives.

Reception at Hancock Park. William & Kate head off to the home of the Consul-General in Hancock Park, where they’ll be staying during their visit.  In the evening a reception was held at the garden with government officials, local dignitaries and businessmen.  Among the celebrity attendees were David Beckham and Stephen Fry. Kate changed into a “maja” green silk Diane Von Furstenberg dress for the evening. The couple worked the crowd separately, making sure each one of the 200 guests gets to meet at least one of them. They retired at 8:30pm, in preparation for another long day tomorrow.

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