I remember reading an article recently about Kates early years and the journalist was saying how knowledgeable Kate is on the area. That she’ll converse in a lot of detail with the doctors and experts and has taken a lot of time to go study and understand the field - the journalist made a joke that the conversation was so in depth her pen ran out when she was writing everything Kate had spoken about. But then made the point no journalists are reporting on it so it looks like a vanity project and instead just speak about her clothes, and it just confused me because she was a journalist who could report on it, she could have reported on it in that article instead of complaining about her fellow journalists, but also why aren’t the royal PRs working harder to make it clear that Kate is doing outside education into this?
- Status
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
I wonder is 'studying' it reading up on it and being very well informed but not actually doing a formal course? There are a huge number of prolific books and studies on early childhood that would allow for the knowledge without the academic award.
I just want to clarify that I don’t agree with that anti-academic mindset! The members of the aristocracy I’ve met obviously looked down at common old me having taken that path myself. They didn’t disguise the fact that they saw me as more of a social climber than someone who had been intellectually curious.
Exactly. If her pen ran out with all the thinfs she was writing, why did she not put some of it in the article? Most work on Early Years has been done. The research was done when my children were tiny, and they are nearly teenagers by now. What impact is Kate having that has not been done, and lost through lack of funding? When you look at the impact of the DoE awards, the Princes Trust or even Anne's work with Save the Children, where she did work and study the area, Early Years does look like a vanity project. Whenever I've seen Kate talk to people she always looks completely out of her depth. If the Royal Correspondents want to talk about Kates work, then I'm sure they would love it.
Maybe they should take a look at the Japanese Imperial Family. They seem to have combined centuries of being the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy with educational achievement and rigour in the most recent generations. Not only are they academically qualified and intellectually interested but they also chose similar women from academic and diplomatic families to marry. Both the Crown Prince and Crown Princess have PhDs. The European royals and aristos are nouveau riche in comparison to the JIF. Kate should really follow Kiko's lead.
See the spoilers for details - mostly copied from Wikipedia as I couldn't type the whole lot out on my mobile!
In extension of his father's interest in marine biology, who published taxonomic works on the Hydrozoa, the Emperor emeritus is a published ichthyological researcher, and has specialized in studies within the taxonomy of the family Gobiidae. He has written papers for scholarly journals such as Gene, Ichthyological Research, and the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology. He has also written papers about the history of science during the Edo and Meiji eras, which were published in Science and Nature. In 2005, a newly described goby was named Exyrias akihito in his honour, and in 2007 a genus Akihito of gobies native to Vanuatu also received his name. In 2021, the Imperial Household Agency announced Akihito had discovered two new species of goby fish. The discovery was cataloged in an English-language journal published by the Ichthyological Society of Japan.
She has a BA in English Literature. The Empress Emerita particularly enjoys reading, music and plays the piano. Empress Michiko is also known to be particularly keen on gagaku, a kind of traditional Japanese court music.
She is also a fan of poetry, including the works of Michio Mado that she has selected, compiled and translated several of his poems in a series of collection under the titles Dobutsu-tachi (Animals) in 1992 and Fushigina Poketto (The Magic Pocket) in 1998.
She has composed several poems, including waka. Some of them have been published: a series of compound waka by Akihito and Michiko, Crown Prince and Princess, were published in 1987 and then republished in 1991 under the title Tomoshibi: Light. Finally, a collection of 367 waka by the Empress was published in 1997 under the title Seoto (瀬音, The Sound Current), and 53 of them have been translated into French and published in France by Signatura under the title Sé-oto, song of the ford.
In 1991, she wrote a children's book, illustrated by Wako Takeda: Hajimete no Yamanobori ("My First Mountain Climb").
She is a hibernophile with an interest in Children of Lir, recites I See His Blood Upon The Rose by Joseph Plunkett as a party piece, and even speaks passable Gaelic.
She is also a fan of poetry, including the works of Michio Mado that she has selected, compiled and translated several of his poems in a series of collection under the titles Dobutsu-tachi (Animals) in 1992 and Fushigina Poketto (The Magic Pocket) in 1998.
She has composed several poems, including waka. Some of them have been published: a series of compound waka by Akihito and Michiko, Crown Prince and Princess, were published in 1987 and then republished in 1991 under the title Tomoshibi: Light. Finally, a collection of 367 waka by the Empress was published in 1997 under the title Seoto (瀬音, The Sound Current), and 53 of them have been translated into French and published in France by Signatura under the title Sé-oto, song of the ford.
In 1991, she wrote a children's book, illustrated by Wako Takeda: Hajimete no Yamanobori ("My First Mountain Climb").
She is a hibernophile with an interest in Children of Lir, recites I See His Blood Upon The Rose by Joseph Plunkett as a party piece, and even speaks passable Gaelic.
Naruhito graduated from Gakushuin University in March 1982 with a Bachelor of Letters degree in history.[17] In July 1983, Naruhito undertook a three-month intensive English course before entering Merton College, Oxford University, in the United Kingdom, where he studied until 1986. Naruhito did not, however, submit his thesis A Study of Navigation and Traffic on the Upper Thames in the 18th Century until 1989. He later revisited these years in his book, The Thames and I – a Memoir of Two Years at Oxford. He visited some 21 historic pubs, including the Trout Inn.
Masako is the daughter of a diplomat and was brought up in Russia and the USA. Masako enrolled at Harvard University/Radcliffe College in 1981. Masako is fluent in English and French, which she learned in 1983 at the University Center for French Studies at Université Grenoble Alpes [she also speaks German and some Russian]. Masako worked with Jeffrey Sachs to obtain a BA magna cum laude in Economics in March 1985. After graduation Masako moved back to Japan, where for six months (April to October 1986) she studied law at the University of Tokyo to prepare for the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs's entrance examination. Out of 800 applicants only 28 passed; Masako was one of them, along with two other women. Two years later, in 1988, Masako was chosen by the Ministry to be sponsored for two years' postgraduate study overseas with full pay, just as her father Hisashi had been years earlier. Masako "desperately wanted to go back to Harvard to do her master's". According to her former Harvard adviser Oliver Oldman, she "tried to re-enroll to work towards ... a Juris Doctor. However, Harvard's bureaucrats would not give her credit for her study-time at the University of Tokyo". Therefore, Masako enrolled in her second choice, studying International Relations under Sir Adam Roberts at Balliol College, Oxford. However, for unclear reasons Masako did not finish her thesis and instead returned to Japan in 1990.
In April 1984, the prince entered the Law Department of Gakushuin University, where he studied law and biological science. After graduating from the university with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, he studied the taxonomy of fish at St John's College, Oxford in the United Kingdom from October 1988 to June 1990. The prince received a PhD degree in ornithology from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in October 1996. His doctoral dissertation was titled, Molecular Phylogeny of Jungle Fowls, genus Gallus and Monophyletic Origin of Domestic Fowls. He conducted field research in Indonesia in 1993 and 1994, and in Yunnan Province in the People's Republic of China. When the Emperor Emeritus was then Crown Prince, he introduced tilapia to Thailand as an important source of protein. Tilapia can be easily cultured and Prince Fumihito, who is also known as a "catfish specialist," has managed to maintain and expand the aquacultural studies with the people of Thailand. The prince has worked as a researcher at The University Museum of the University of Tokyo where he also is an Honorary Fellow.
Kiko is fluent in English and German. She graduated from the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Letters of Gakushuin University with a Bachelor of Letters degree in Psychology in 1989 and received a Master of Humanities degree in Social Psychology from the Graduate School of Gakushuin University in 1995. She received the PhD degree in Humanities from Ochanomizu University.
Having a spanish nanny since infancy, i'd hope the children were taught some spanish phrases. This is the time to teach other languages, children absorb them like sponges! Lambrook School teaches French (as well as Latin and Greek!)
Also when you think about the equerry / personal secretary to senior royals, they are all aristos who's dad, grandad did the job before them. Whilst they continue to surround themselves with like minded people, then new ideas which appeal to the public will never happen and they risk become more irrelevant as older generations who are deferential to the RF die out.
I also think they need to review who are ladies in waiting etc, excluding the infamous Lady H, why can they not hire women who have worked hard in their careers (eg former senior nurses, head teachers, community leader, dames in the house of lords) rather than women who only have their title due to their husbands. These women would have the life experience of being around normal people as well as having the skills to meet and mingle across all walks of life. I understand that from Camilla generation it won't be uncommon to have women who have never worked in their life, but if William were to become king tomorrow, Kate will just be followed around by tennis friends, other women who had no career etc. Most millenial women of Kate's generation, regardless of their social standing have had a career, and I think it will be jarring to see women of her age just hanging around being ladies in waiting
Regarding the Queen, I don't actually think she was that great monarch and really Prince Phillip was not given enough credit for how he encouraged her to move with the times and made her the woman she was. I think the demise of the BRF in recent years due to the inertia of the Queen dealing with her Andrew, as well as H&M, would've been handled a lot better if the Phillp was well and alive, she greatly deminished when he retired. Despite his rumoured infidelity and gaffes he was an amazing partner to her and highly pragmatic. He would've banged heads together whilst the Queen appeared to be conflict avoidant which is why she didn't put Harry and Andrew in their places.
@hannah123 I call bullshit. Even if the journalists don’t report on it, we haven’t seen K saying anything that suggests she is extremely knowledgeable in the field. Not referencing recent or groundwork studies in her speeches, not attending round tables, organise something with big names in the field or networking events, mentioning the current research. Not on social media, not in sound bits, speeches or letters.
The problem is that ladies in waiting don't get paid, they just get their expenses reimbursed, so you have to be independently wealthy or married to someone rich to take up the position.
This is why The Queen wanted to be exempt from the Race Relations Act ( something that was not revoked by the Equality Act 2010, because she wanted to appoint people who's parents were equerries/ people from aristocratic backgrounds, and stick to that life. I'm not sure the evidence is that it would make much difference who they employ, because it doesn't look like they do much listening. I don't know how much they want to change or emulate other Monarchies either. They want to cling onto the trappings of Royalty, so will do the bare minimum required, and not rock the boat too much. They know whey have the whole establishment working to keep them where they are.
It may not be paid but I'm sure there are many women in high powered jobs whose employers would allow them once or twice a month to go be lady in waiting, its a great accolade/ press to have that due to the amazing work of an employee they've been selected to be a lady in waiting. Many women take on trustee roles which are unpaid and those in house or Lords have their expenses covered. I refuse to believe in this day and age being lady in waiting to the Queen consort not regent would be so time consuming, particularly when we know Kate does eff all engagements. Camilla ladies in waiting would all be in their 60s 70s so no doubt would already be retired so would be missing out on income
Start paying them then. The saying pay peanuts get monkeys exists for a reason. Charles could pay it out of his own pocket if it meant having better staff around them.
That's disgusting. There are horrible people on social media on both sides of the Sussex/Wales divide and horrible people who make disgusting comments about other people in the public eye. Online abuse isn't unique to Harry and Meghan or unique to the RF for that matter. Harry and Meghan aren't responsible for what fans of theirs post online but I do think they've lost perspective a bit in thinking that they had it so much worse than anyone else.
Maybe, I think it mentioned she keeps up to date with latest research and journals, but then it doesn’t necessarily mean she understands it enough to give a speech on it which is where they need to work on. Could also be she is putting the effort in to learn about it but is just too shy and uncomfortable at public speaking to actually discuss it confidentially with a camera watching her, which is a bigger issue to get over because if she hasn’t got good at it in 10 years then when will she?
Who choose the equerries, the military or the monarch? Queen Elizabeth had at least one black equerry if you remember the picture of her in mask at Westminster Abbey while the equerry laid a replica of her bridal bouquet on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior at its centenary.
Tim Laurence was an equerry which is how he met Anne. He would be considered upper middle class, the son of a naval officer and marine engine salesman. Mark Phillips was similar. Apparently the Laurence family was originally Levy back in the 18th century which aristos probably wouldn't like.
Because at one time of day, going back a century or more (which is where I still think they would prefer to reside) getting your unmarried daughter a position at Court meant a certain ‘good’ marriage. Having the ear of the King or Queen was the ultimate cachet and worth money. You’d work for free for the upgrade of an Earl to a Duke Or the chance to pin some sort of medal on your dress sash.
Peter Townsend was also an equerry.
I think the Queen used to pull her from the different branches of the Forces in rotation and they are all senior officers And don’t they serve a fixed term? Something like 3 or 5 years?
Last edited:
Why when they could marry rich men who can support the extravagant lifestyle the family has been chasing? This is the woman who - according to Katie Nicholl who was once close to the Middletons so I assume the source is good - encouraged Kate to take William back during their many break-ups. I think Carole Middleton is a savvy woman who wants the best for her children in those social spheres she always wanted to be a part of. Imo Kate would be better off like Pippa marrying a rich man and able to do nothing rather than doing nothing on the taxpayer's time.
Don’t know why the Daily Mail are fawning over Mary of Denmark, she’s got quite the reputation in Royal circles
I didn't know this, what sort of reputation?
- Status