The Royal Family #45

[FenellaTheWitch]

I’m getting in here before all the “That’s an old photo” and “it looks more like Pippa to me!” comments on Twitter

KP have said it was a photo taken last week by Prince William so obviously the conspiracy nutters are off ...

So far I've seen 'it's an old photo' , 'how has Charlotte's hair grown so much since Christmas?' , 'why are there leaves on the bush behind them?' ... honestly it is mental.


She looks great and the photo is lovely. I reckon she'll be back at the Easter Church walk.

 

[Great_Kate]

I think it’s a recent one. And as many suspected, Kate uses her time off work to relax, build her body back in shape and just enjoy her time at home. If I were her, I wouldn’t go back to work any day earlier than I would have to. And I generally like my job. But I don’t owe it to my employer to come back earlier. Obviously Kate’s position is different in that her life is pretty pampered by the grace of her position and thereby by the goodwill of the UK citizens. But I get it. Who wouldn’t take the excuse. In her case it just hits a bit sour.
I think the Walses need to make a decision what kind of monarchy they want to head. Going the usual European Eoyal routes with less public engagements but therefore better build access? (Not real access obv. but appearing extremely charming and open and creating the illusion of insights in their life. The holiday photo, the nice image films the Scandinavian royals do ….). Or being visibly more distant and private but make up for it with many public engagements of small sorts. Opening a school here, touring a factory there… boring and not very impactful* but also easy.
*one could argue that those give lots of ordinary members of the public the chance to feel recognised and valued by their HoS/representative. And that’s without sticking out for talent or being super into charity. I think this can have a massive impact on the individuals and might lead to feeling connected to your country. It hasn’t so much to do with meeting a royal but rather that many people have the chance to meet someone that represents them. It’s easier if you have 4-7 people on the job than just 1.

 

[Lammington]

KP have said it was a photo taken last week by Prince William so obviously the conspiracy nutters are off ...

So far I've seen 'it's an old photo' , 'how has Charlotte's hair grown so much since Christmas?' , 'why are there leaves on the bush behind them?' ... honestly it is mental.


She looks great and the photo is lovely. I reckon she'll be back at the Easter Church walk.

I am kind of here for a conspiracy theory about evergreens. The royals secret triffids? I'm just asking questions...

 

[Itsjustmesmee]

Jeans after abdominal surgery though couldn't wear jeans for a long time after my 2 surgeries

 

[FenellaTheWitch]

I like the photo. I am very much not a Wales fan but she looks exactly as I would expect, tired and pale but very normal for this stage of recovery. I also like that she isn't dolled up to the nines. She looks happy and natural which is nice to see. It seems that William took the photo. as for the wedding ring, I often don't wear mine, particularly if it's a 'lots of handcream' day!

I hear you about the hand cream ... I never wear mine inside the house mainly for that reason. My husband hasn't worn a wedding ring in the 30 years we've been married.

The wedding ring thing I always find amusing. I remember Dec (of Ant &) appeared on TV without his wedding ring and there were articles about his marriage was in trouble. He said he'd just left it in the dressing room and forgot to put it on.

 

[Boring Monday]

I think it’s a recent one. And as many suspected, Kate uses her time off work to relax, build her body back in shape and just enjoy her time at home. If I were her, I wouldn’t go back to work any day earlier than I would have to. And I generally like my job. But I don’t owe it to my employer to come back earlier. Obviously Kate’s position is different in that her life is pretty pampered by the grace of her position and thereby by the goodwill of the UK citizens. But I get it. Who wouldn’t take the excuse. In her case it just hits a bit sour.
I think the Walses need to make a decision what kind of monarchy they want to head. Going the usual European Eoyal routes with less public engagements but therefore better build access? (Not real access obv. but appearing extremely charming and open and creating the illusion of insights in their life. The holiday photo, the nice image films the Scandinavian royals do ….). Or being visibly more distant and private but make up for it with many public engagements of small sorts. Opening a school here, touring a factory there… boring and not very impactful* but also easy.
*one could argue that those give lots of ordinary members of the public the chance to feel recognised and valued by their HoS/representative. And that’s without sticking out for talent or being super into charity. I think this can have a massive impact on the individuals and might lead to feeling connected to your country. It hasn’t so much to do with meeting a royal but rather that many people have the chance to meet someone that represents them. It’s easier if you have 4-7 people on the job than just 1.

I think the main problem is that they don’t seem to have projects they are really invested in. Everything seems so half hearted. Even their supposedly passion projects seem passionless.

Charles is obviously terribly invested in The Prince’s Trust so much it is now The King’s Trust and he … and his advisors … seem to have got it spot on. Edward and Sophie have taken guardianship of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards to their hearts, but you get nothing of the same sort or engagement from William and Kate.

 

[thegreencow]

View attachment 2806017

I’m getting in here before all the “That’s an old photo” and “it looks more like Pippa to me!” comments on Twitter

It’s obviously AI.

An absolutely beautiful photo. She looks very well all things considered. I know I don’t look like this any day, let alone two months after surgery, although I’m not the Princess of Wales (or am I ? ). This was the ideal time to release a photo.

 

[Honeystar]

I think it’s a recent one. And as many suspected, Kate uses her time off work to relax, build her body back in shape and just enjoy her time at home. If I were her, I wouldn’t go back to work any day earlier than I would have to. And I generally like my job. But I don’t owe it to my employer to come back earlier. Obviously Kate’s position is different in that her life is pretty pampered by the grace of her position and thereby by the goodwill of the UK citizens. But I get it. Who wouldn’t take the excuse. In her case it just hits a bit sour.
I think the Walses need to make a decision what kind of monarchy they want to head. Going the usual European Eoyal routes with less public engagements but therefore better build access? (Not real access obv. but appearing extremely charming and open and creating the illusion of insights in their life. The holiday photo, the nice image films the Scandinavian royals do ….). Or being visibly more distant and private but make up for it with many public engagements of small sorts. Opening a school here, touring a factory there… boring and not very impactful* but also easy.
*one could argue that those give lots of ordinary members of the public the chance to feel recognised and valued by their HoS/representative. And that’s without sticking out for talent or being super into charity. I think this can have a massive impact on the individuals and might lead to feeling connected to your country. It hasn’t so much to do with meeting a royal but rather that many people have the chance to meet someone that represents them. It’s easier if you have 4-7 people on the job than just 1.

I think this is a really great comparison that I had never really thought about - the fact that the European monarchies do less engagements and have less numbers, but make up for it with more access. You’re totally right that they can’t have it both ways, they either increase the access or up the workload. The thing is I can’t see the wales doing either, which is where the big problem lies.

I am all for the behind the scenes work, and I’m sure it does happen, but they need to find a way to share that. Simply saying it’s happening isn’t enough

 

[Boring Monday]

Yes but the younger royals still had a private life the focus was always on the queen, I don’t think anything really prepares you for that role tbh .

I just wonder, with the urge to shut the stable door after the horse had bolted, after the media frenzy that was their early adolescence … it tipped too far the other way. Not with regard to the privacy, but with regard to the general lack of Royal duties. There was always a reason why it was put on hold … RAF work, newly married, new father … but now the excuses have dried up and the amount of people to hide behind just aren’t there anymore.

 

[Onetwofour]

Jeans after abdominal surgery though couldn't wear jeans for a long time after my 2 surgeries

Got a surgery that resulted with a huge abdominal scar. I was wearing jeans about 1 month later - but I was numb where my scar was located so it might explain why!

It took me about a year to not feel any pain and back to myself. To get my body back in shape even longer - with a lot of work. So I get why she is having a long time for recovery.

 

[Gym&Tonic]

She looks fine to me. Face is a bit fuller, but that will be because she’s been unable to move about like she normally would.

 

[Mrs Fluff]

She looks fine to me. Face is a bit fuller, but that will be because she’s been unable to move about like she normally would.

Dare I say it, she looks better with a slight weight gain.

 

[Andouilette]

Dare I say it, she looks better with a slight weight gain.

Yes, I agree. Slight weight gain softens and blurs the face a bit, much more flattering.

 

[Honeystar]

The thing about the divorce theory is, imagine if it was all to cover up an impending divorce, then what? They announce the divorce and William looks like an absolute twit for divorcing his wife and mother of his children straight after she has had a major surgery and what would appear to be a substantial health scare. That would be the absolute worst PR move for him ever. He would look awful and Kate would come out looking like the wronged wife, it would be Charles and Diana all over again. There’s no way they are covering up a divorce or putting off an announcement IMO. Do I think they’re madly in love? No probably not but I don’t think they’ll be splitting up anytime soon, if William has any brain cells he will know that Kate is the star of the show.

 

[Flibbertigibbet]

I hear you about the hand cream ... I never wear mine inside the house mainly for that reason. My husband hasn't worn a wedding ring in the 30 years we've been married.

The wedding ring thing I always find amusing. I remember Dec (of Ant &) appeared on TV without his wedding ring and there were articles about his marriage was in trouble. He said he'd just left it in the dressing room and forgot to put it on.

Good to know not everyone sees wedding rings as mandatory uniform! I'm getting married soon, in as un-weddingy way as possible because the whole white dress big party is not me at all. I hardly ever wear rings because I don't have pretty hands and they don't look nice on me, and also I am a very messy person and I know I'd get them snagged in something or caked in muck.

 

[JBinstafun]

Why does anyone think they’d divorce? It’s far more likely they’d remain married but live separate lives like so many aristocratic couples - the cost of divorce would be crippling. Neither are likely to want more children now, in their mid-forties, so I can’t see any benefit to either for them to divorce.

 

[Lammington]

Why does anyone think they’d divorce? It’s far more likely they’d remain married but live separate lives like so many aristocratic couples - the cost of divorce would be crippling. Neither are likely to want more children now, in their mid-forties, so I can’t see any benefit to either for them to divorce.

Because drama sells.

It's been quite a while since we've seen a dramatic royal split. Misery sells better than happiness, and mundane marital existence sells least of all.

 

[thegirlscout]

The thing that makes me think it’s an older photo is that the leaves are really green. I haven’t seen any leaves that colour at the moment but it could be edited of course to brighten the photo.
The thing that annoys me is Louis’ hand, what is he doing with it haha!

 

[corron]

Why does anyone think they’d divorce? It’s far more likely they’d remain married but live separate lives like so many aristocratic couples - the cost of divorce would be crippling. Neither are likely to want more children now, in their mid-forties, so I can’t see any benefit to either for them to divorce.

You all are living fifty years in the past with your "like so many aristocratic couples". In the past most of those marriages were for economic or social reasons (arranged marriages) hence they couldn't get divorced. And it was also not done in those times.

Now society has evolved. They marry for love and divorce just as easily.

For example three of the late queen's children are divorced (Charles/Diana, Andrew/Sara, Anne/Mark). They have moved with the times.

 

[moldwarp]

Thing is with the royals is that they know that every single tiny bit of their public image will be scrutinised and commented on. So Kate would’ve known that her lack of wedding ring would be seized upon. Yet she still chose to leave it off. Interesting.