Wednesday 30 July 2008

Kate Middleton makes Vanity Fair 'Best Dressed' list

Vanity Fair.

Kate Middleton has made her debut on Vanity Fair's 2008 Internation Best Dressed List. Heading this years list is Ivanka Trump with Middleton coming in at number 4. Kate not only beats some of the most stylish people in the world (think Brangelina, Sarah Jessica Parker and David Beckham) she does so in her debut year.

This list is as follows: Ivanka Trump, Michelle Obama, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Kate Middleton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Diana Taylor, Julia Koch, Tilda Swinton, H.R.H Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Evelyn Lauder, Zac Goldsmith, Daniel Craig, Matt Lauer, David Beckham, Lapo Elkann, H.S.H. Prince Heinrich von und zu Fürstenberg, Count Manfredi Della Gherardesca, Kanye West, Morley Safer, Bryan Lourd, Sisters Alexandra Kotur and Fiona Kotur Marin, Brothers Rafael, Duke of Feria, and Don Luis Medina, Brothers Andrea and Pietro Clemente, Iris Apfel, Karl Lagerfeld, Julian Schnabel, Sydney and Charles Finch, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Kelly Lynch and Mitch Glazer, Christy Turlington Burns, Carine Roitfeld, Katherine Ross, Stacey Bendet, Fran Lebowitz, H.R.H. Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Jonathan Becker.

Click here to read more.

Tuesday 29 July 2008

Prince Harry gets a dirty dancer

Dirty dancing for Haz.

Prince Charles has been accused many times of being a distant and uncaring father but it seems he's trying to make up for past poor parenting by giving Harry a great birthday gift. Over the weekend Charles met international reknown burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese whilst attending the Cartier International Polo event. Charles was quick to spot the saucy dancer and soon striked up a conversation.

The Daily Star reports: 'Charmed by her alabaster assets, Charles asked what she did for a living. And Dita, 35, replied: "I'm a dancer." This vague job description failed to convey that her act involves giving a rhythmic biology lesson in a giant martini glass and doing the sort of things to a massive olive which are illegal in most countries.'

Clearly not understanding what type of "dancing" Ms Von Teese does, Charles promptly invited her to dance for Harry at his upcoming 24th birthday. Looks like Harry will be a very lucky boy in September.

Kate Middleton jets off on her 9th holiday in 12 months

You poor people have to work..neerneerneer!

Now the pictures make sense. Kate's exhibition of "working" at her parents family business, Party Pieces seems to have been all for show. On Monday, Kate jetted off on her 9th holiday in 12 months. Her destination was reportedly the Caribbean and to her naval/pilot/soldier/prince ONFF boyfriend, William.

Much in the same way a heroine in an old Hollywood movie rushes into the arms of her man who's been to a battle on some foreign shore, the tabloid media are sprucking about Kate's mercy dash to William's side for a little bit of something to heal the wounds inflicted on them by the tyranny of distance. Ok, that was a pretty pathetic attempt at tabloid writing but it gives you an idea of what we the public are being forced to swallow about these 2.

Wills is about to end his stint on HMS Iron Duke and on Friday he'll jet off to meet Kate in Mustique. Royal sources are careful to add that Wills is paying for his airfares to and from the Caribbean. Thanks for that chaps! But one must wonder, with Kate's record of commercial deals (I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine) she wholeheartedly undertook with Jigsaw, which company's villa is she using this time? Perhaps the Middleton's family business has been that uplifted by Kate's short, but well publicised few days of "working" that they've earnt more than enough to pay for her luxury villa?

No doubt with the copious "love in the sun" stories will come the obligatory engagement speculation. You can call us cynical if you wish.

Monday 28 July 2008

Princess Plastic Fantastic Mary

Mary: Princess Try Hard


Princess Mary has been called try hard, plastic and controlled in a new book written by Dane Trine Villemann, a former journalist for Billedbladet and Ekstrabladet. The Weekend Australian's "Magazine" has published an excerpt of the book, 1015 København K: Et kærligt og kritisk portræt af Kongehuset (1015 Copenhagen K: Mary's Dysfunctional In-Laws). It's a look at the royal family of Denmark and the woman who'll one day be Queen.

Far from a glowing testimony of Mary's time as a princess, Villemann calls upon the stories of those behind the scenes who know Mary, Frederik and the Danish royal family best. One source said of Mary: "She seems so controlled all the time. You sense a fine human being, a decent person, but she never dares let go. She sits there almost forced, and holds back all the things she thinks she is not allowed to express."

Another says: "Mary is far more difficult to get close to. It can be hard to establish contact with her, even when you are face to face, but as soon as there is a crowd, she is on. It seems she is trying so hard to be perfect that she loses herself. Perhaps she thinks this is how a princess should be or perhaps she is still insecure, despite all the training she has received in royal ettiquette. She is hiding behind that princess facade of hers."

Sunday 27 July 2008

Sunday Kate Middleton Tab-update

Kate & Pippa.

When it doesn't rain sycophantic Kate drivel it pours. Firstly the Sunday Express Royal Editor Camilla Tominey had a 2 prong approach. She highlighted the waiting game being played by Kate Middleton's little sister, Pippa. Much in the same way the Boleyn girls manipulated their way into the royal court hundreds of years ago, it seems Pippa may be very much like the "Anne" to Kate's "Mary". Tominey writes: 'Pippa's social ambitions, said to be even grander than Kate's, have not gone unnoticed.' She continues: 'Her [Pippa] shrewdest move has been to ingratiate herself in William's set, for what better husband could there be for the sister of a future Queen than someone as equally trusted in the future King's inner circle?'

Ms Tominey, who once wrote that she had called Kate at home to question her, also has the obligatory inner royal source to quote: "Like Kate, Pippa does detached demureness to a tee. She doesn't need to do any running in those sorts of social situations. People come to her because they know how important it is to keep her on side. She's far more outgoing than Kate, whose niceness can make her seem quite dull at times. Pippa definately seems on a mission to marry as well as her older sister. "

Whilst not that hard to read, the next story Camilla Tominey wrote was more dripping with Kateness to go along with the pictures of Kate moving boxes. Ms Tominey tries hard to convince us that far from objecting to Kate's lack of employment, HM was ok with it all. Tominey writes: "It has been wrongly reported that the Queen would rather Kate had a job. In fact, she would rather William's girlfriend stayed out of the limelight." Can't Kate have a job and stay out of the limelight Ms Tominey?

The term "muck" to describe "Kate" and "work" again pops up for the 2nd time this week, the Royal Editor for the Express writes: 'Prince William's long-term girlfriend was happy to muck in, heaving cardboard boxes at the headquarters of the Middletons' multi-million-pound empire in Reading.' Is Kate that thin and weak that simple cardboard boxes must be heaved? How about cardboard boxes full of Party Pieces craphernalia?

World exclusive! Not!

Now we turn our attentions to the Daily Star. This little gem of a tabloid manages to squeeze in a world Royal exclusive between the tits out picture on Page 3 and the Big Brother sexfest further on. Managing to scoop every other known media outlet in the world, the Daily Star tells us that next year there is to be a special public holiday to celebrate the nuptials of Wills and Kate. Sound familiar?

Click here to read more about Wills and Kate setting a date.

Click here to read more about Pippa Middleton waiting.

Click here to read more about Kate Middleton mucking.

Prince William to undertake "King" training


Kingly training wheels for Wills.


According to reports today, Prince William is set to train as King for the next 2 years. After he finishes his stint in the Royal Navy, Prince William will undertake a series of training initiatives designed to help him understand and attain more knowledge of his future role as Monarch.

The Sunday Telegraph reports: 'As well as taking on a larger role as a senior representative of the Queen, and new charity work, William is to learn about government and the judiciary from the New Year. The Prince, who finishes his two-month stint in the Royal Navy on Friday, will gain experience with one of the big government departments, almost certainly the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.'

The News Of The World calls this training as Wills' "apprenticeship" with one royal aide saying: "You could say he'll be the first person to ever get an apprenticeship in Kingship."

His roles will reportedly include: Working within different government offices, taking lessons in the constitutional duties of a monarch, helping to run Royal estates (initially reported as the Great Windsor Park Estate, but NOTW is saying Sandringham), undertaking solo royal tours and helping to manage the Duchy of Cornwall.

Click here to read more.

Saturday 26 July 2008

Kate Middleton gets her CV plumped up


Kate Middleton? Ambitious? A job?


As calls for her to find more fulfilling employment grow, Kate Middleton's CV has been examined by 3 headhunters and the news is mediocre at best.

The Daily Mail did mock ups of CV's for Kate Middleton, Princes Wills, Harry, Edward and Charles, Camilla and Chelsy, changed their identities and passed them onto 3 (supposedly) unsuspecting headhunters for perusal. The headhunters were clearly unimpressed with all Cv's apart from Wills and Harry's. Arguably, the most interesting given the amount of grief she's been getting for not having a job, is Kate Middleton's mock CV.

Kate's CV included the personal statement: 'My future grandmother-in-law is keen for me to return to full-time employment. This does not concern me, however - I am ambitious, want to get to the very top, and believe I have a lot to offer any employer. I have first-hand experience of the media and have become accustomed to performing in front of reporters, photographers and TV crews, making me well able to represent an organisation in public.' It also includes previous employment that is shamefully small and quite incorrect: 'Accessories Buyer for a fashion company (2005-7); Professional photographer (2007-8)'

The fact that even the Daily Mail can't print the realistic timeframe of Kate's working life at Jigsaw is laughable to say the least. Far from beginning her employment there in 2005 (as the Daily Mail states) Kate started working at the fashion chain in November 2006. Kate spent 18 months post-uni doing nothing, with the empty stories of her concentrating on a children's line that never materialised. It was only after some scrutiny from royal fans and a few negative articles in the press started to appear (and perhaps a few freebies from Belle Robinson) that Middleton finally succumbed to the calls for her to do "something". Hence the role with Jigsaw.

The end result of this plumped up Kate-CV was the 3 headhunters Theo Paphitis, Nick Keeley and Tara Daynes opinions on what careers best suited the idle Middleton. Theo Paphitis concluded: "This is a young lady who wants to get married and have babies. Nothing wrong with that - but until then she needs discipline, a job where she has to take responsibility, instead of all this endless drifting. She would be brilliant on the fund-raising circuit. At the moment she's just killing time."

Nick Keeley took a different approach: "This is a driven and determined, creative and energetic young woman. She needs to focus on her own needs rather than giving in to family pressure, which can only end in tears. I would advise her to start her own photographic business, or perhaps even join the ranks of the paparazzi. She could earn thousands if she gets the right pictures. She shows enough commercial awareness to be a big success."

Tara Daynes said: "Caroline [Kate] should move into the advertising, marketing or media industry. Perhaps rather lacking in discipline, she has taken a rather scattergun approach to her career so far and needs to prove herself in the workplace. She needs to focus on learning some real skills."

Pickpocket steals Prince Harry's phone

Prince Harry helping locals in Lesotho.

Prince Harry a group of fellow soldiers were enjoying a relaxing night in Butha Buthe, a small town of approximately 10,000 in Lesotho when a pickpocket struck, stealing the Prince's mobile phone. Luckily for Harry the phone was recovered 2 days later by authorities.

A source from the Lesotho Defence Force told the Daily Mail: ‘Harry was at a nightclub in a town called Butha Buthe when the thug stole his phone and ran away with it. When we eventually found the culprit it took quite some time to explain to him that he had stolen from the prince. To him Prince Harry was just one of those white guys. The prince was quite happy to have his phone recovered but he requested that the matter not be reported to the police. The only thing he was worried about were his contacts and not the phone itself.’

Click here to read more.

Kate/Wills wedding public holiday rumour not true?

For Britain or for Kate & Wills?
FOX News entertainment reporter, Neil Sean is reporting that Gordon Brown is in talks with senior royal officials over a public holiday to be held during the middle of next year. He writes: "I hear that royal insiders are in the process of setting up a meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown regarding planning a national U.K. holiday around high summer next year. What could that mean? Only a royal wedding, of course." Hmm..not so fast Mr Sean.

The truth is Mr Brown is in talks with senior royal courtiers, government and public officials alike regarding a national public holiday in June 2009. But this holiday is not for a royal wedding. In actual fact, had Mr Sean and others reporting the same rumour bothered to do their research they would have found that the national public holiday being nutted out is in fact "British Day". The day has huge support in the UK, with over 88% of British people supporting a national holiday to celebrate being British.
The date for the new national holiday for the UK has not yet been announced. Much in the same way that the US has Independence Day, France Bastille Day, British Day will no doubt be a fun day for all.

Friday 25 July 2008

Prince Charles takes over Queen's polo day

Prince Charles after a vigorous game of polo.
With his hardworking mother now in her 80's, Prince Charles will reportedly take over the representative duties for the Cartier International. Richard Kay from the Daily Mail writes: 'For the first time, Prince Charles will take the place of his mother overseeing the Cartier International Polo at the Guards Club in Windsor on Sunday.'

Guards Club chief executive, Charles Stisted told Mr Kay: "She has passed on the mantle to the Prince of Wales and he will be taking over the role from now on."

I guess Charles is taking over the role now.

Kate Middleton & a story about nothing (except a few boxes)



Kate sorting out her life?
Picture from Bruno Press.

Kate Middleton has been photographed carrying boxes out of her parents Party Pieces business. Could she be finally ..gasp.. working? Now the Kate apoligists will go into a spin, sticking out their tongues in a defiant "I told you so!". The series of photos, courtesy of Bruno Press show Kate and 2 unidentified women moving boxes and sorting through items at the Party Pieces HQ in West Berkshire.


Raspberries aside, the pictures don't seem to really point to much on close examination. Sure she's walking, carrying boxes, scrummaging through boxes, looking at her hands in a disgust (perhaps that last manicure got ruined by all that "work"?). But what does it exactly prove? Not much other than Kate was moving boxes. It could be work or it could be explained by the mysterious presence of earth moving equipment in 2 photographs taken of Kate on July 2. Could the Middleton's be having a clean out? Could they be moving or extending?


Party Pieces, Childs Court Farm, Ashampstead Common, West Berkshire.

Picture from Google Earth.

A quick look at the local building applications doesn't show anything for the Party Pieces location (Childs Court Farm, Ashampstead Common, Reading, West Berkshire) and any construction work in the area is taking place a long way off. But if there is a major redevelopment of Party Pieces the local council of West Berkshire isn't making it public. According to their website some applications are not publicised due to confidentiality reasons. If Carole Middleton, co-owner of Party Pieces is to believed, the business has become "the UK's leading children's party supplier". Perhaps the credit crunch has not affected their clients and business is booming?


Wasted manicure?
Picture from Bruno Press.

What does all of this mean? Nothing. Just a few wasted hours resulting in a big fat nothington. Makes one feel like they're living the life of Kate Middleton really.

Wednesday 23 July 2008

While Kate Middleton waits, she grates

Wastey Katie?

Yet another journalist, yet another newspaper. This time the negative Kateness was surprisingly in the usually Kate-friendly Daily Telegraph. The Telegraph's Liz Hunt didn't seem impressed by Kate Middleton's appearance at a wedding this past weekend. In fact, Ms Hunt wasn't impressed with Kate at all!

Hunt starts off: 'She’s available for weddings, parties, and no doubt barmitzvahs, too, with ceremonial occasions a speciality. And there’ll always be a smile on her face, and a flirty but restrained new outfit to delight the paparazzi.'

Clearly not fussed by Middleton, Hunt explains her feelings: 'Once, I had sympathy for the young woman dubbed Waity Katie, who seems to do nothing very much as a Royal Fiancée-in-Waiting except turn up to events while her prince fights pirates in the Caribbean with the Royal Navy.'

Like most people watching the goings on between Wills and his eternally ONFF girlfriend, Ms Hunt read yesterday's Evening Standard/This Is London article with Jigsaw co-owner, Belle Robinson. Hunt raised the old issue of Kate doing nothing but wait: 'She’s bright, with a good degree from a good university, surely she must be aching to put it to use? But I’m no longer so understanding of Kate after Belle Robinson, one of the founders of the high street store Jigsaw where she was employed (briefly), revealed why she’d created a part-time job for her.'

Echoing the sentiments of a growing number of people, Ms Hunt explains why it is that Kate is wasting her life away: 'This is the one time in her life that Kate Middleton can dictate what she does; it’s her one opportunity to make her mark in her own right and experience something of real life. She certainly won’t be able to once she’s legged it up the aisle of St Paul’s on William’s arm. Yes, media intrusion is a problem, but deals have been done before between the Palace and the press. Even Diana, with few qualifications bar a school certificate for Best Kept Hamster, managed a job of sorts in a kindergarten.'

Perhaps the most cutting (for Middleton) yet honest (for the rest of us) remark was Hunt's final comment: 'What a Wastey Katie.' Indeed!

Prince William's tribute to Diana

Prince William's crest.

Prince William's Knight of the Garter crest has been revealed and it includes a tribute to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales. The crest includes the same scallop shell as the Spencer family's Coat of Arms. Sculptor Ian Brennan told the Daily Express: "Prince William requested that part of his mother's family crest should be put on his."

William's crest will also include a golden lion and it will be mounted above his seat in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Click here for more.

Princess Mary can't cook

Mary disposing of her last cooking attempt?

Crown Prince Frederik has revealed tidbits about his courtship with Mary, including the fact that she isn't a good cook. Frederik's revelation is in this month's edition of the Australian Women's Weekly. Fred said: "We went for long walks along the beach, prepared good food - or rather I did because Mary isn't that good at it - so we were able to really get to know each other." Perhaps we all can come up with a few easy recipes for Mary to try?

Fred looking happy (perhaps because Mary's not cooking).

Tabloid rescues Prince William from spliff-attack: Save the rasta dude!

Rasta boatman: Now you see him!

It was just an exercise designed to train sailors in how to rescue people during a hurricane, but it seems that some of the British tabloid press thought otherwise. So impressed were the likes of the Daily Mail and The Sun with Prince William's effort, they all acted like it was the real deal. It may have been far from it but all the same it was worthy training for a future King and current sailor. The real disaster seems to be one dealt by Britain's The Sun newspaper.

Rasta boatman: Now you don't!

In the paper version of their daily tabloid The Sun appears to have lost one of William's crew members, a rastafarian. The orignal picture (shown here from The Metro top above) shows the rasta at the rear of the boat. But The Sun omitted him via photoshop in the pictures paper debut (bottom above). But if you look carefully you'll see that he's still there..at least his legs and part of his torso are. Strangely, The Sun chose not to use that picture in their online version of the newspaper.

Click here to read more.

Tuesday 22 July 2008

Princess Mary to visit Australia

Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary will visit Australia with their children in August. Whilst there, the couple will attend a dinner with 60 invited guests. The dinner will be hosted by the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, of which Princess Mary is the International Patron, at the National Gallery of Australia in Melbourne. Princess Mary said of her visit to her former homeland: "A lot of cousins and nephews are looking forward to meeting Isabella for the first time. I can't wait. It's been quite some time since we've been back in Australia."

Click here to read more.

Royal favourite goes out of business

The General Trading Company, a favourite of the British royals, has gone out of business. The company is famous for it's wedding lists with Diana, Princess of Wales, Camilla Parker Bowles and Sarah Ferguson all having their gift registries with the London based business. The Evening Standard reports that it made a loss of £736,000 last year and all of its 32 employees will now find the going tough in already stressful times.

Click here to read more.

Kate Middleton's former employer tells all

It may have been a short lived career in fashion (an even shorter venture into being gainfully employed) but it seems that even Kate's former employer was impressed by her time there. The article started off ok, with all the niceties you'd expect from a polite business owner talking about their high-profile ex-employee, but scratch the surface and what lies beneath would send a shudder down the spine of any independent woman.

The article, published in This Is London, was a profile piece on Belle Robinson, co-owner of Jigsaw. Belle revealed the extent of her relationship with the Middleton's as well as some handy tidbits about Kate's time there. To some it was perhaps an attempt at giving Kate some well needed positive PR. Instead it seems to have backfired with some readers.

Mrs Robinson expressed surprise at the rumours surrounding Kate's employment at Jigsaw and readily admits to not knowing much of her former employee: "I'm amazed at how much people have made of a very simple thing. I don't know Kate well. Some people asked us if we were happy for Kate and William to go and stay in our holiday house in Mustique with some friends. They're not allowed to pay for it but in return they would make a donation to the local hospital. And I said: 'Yeah, fine.'"

Startlingly, Mrs Robinson also revealed that Kate had a quasi commercial deal with Jigsaw before working there: "Kate supported a couple of Jigsaw events we did." One such event was the opening of Jigsaw's newest Bluebird shop in 2006. Whilst there Kate happily chatted to reporters and posed for photographers, going against her frequent claims of press harassment and assertions that she's not seeking attention.

Earlier in May 2006, The Observer newspaper revealed that Kate was to be a brand ambassador for Jigsaw. The Pendennis column author, Oliver Marre wrote: "Following last weekend's news that Kate Middleton and Prince William enjoyed a rent-free holiday at the rambling house in Mustique belonging to the owner of the Jigsaw clothing chain, rumours are rife that Middleton is now to sign up as a brand ambassador for the company."'

Another rumour quashed by Belle was how Kate gained her position at Jigsaw. It was initially thought that Carole Middleton had used her friendship with Belle to organise a job for Kate. In fact, it was Kate herself who secured the position. Belle said: "Then she rang me up one day and said: 'Could I come and talk to you about work?'" So far from being a familiar person at the Middleton's home, Oak Acre in Bucklebury Berkshire, Belle revealed that she hardly knew Carole and Michael, having only met them 4 times. She said: "A lot of people have distorted it to say we're friends with her parents but I've only met them four times."

So with those "rumours" cast aside Belle continued on with her quest to tell all. In what would shock most women, Kate it seems couldn't/wouldn't work fulltime because if her relationship with Wills. The Jigsaw owner told This Is London: "She genuinely wanted a job but she needed an element of flexibility to continue the relationship with a very high-profile man and a life that she can't dictate. She's going to be dictated to when she's needed and not needed." This echoes the accusations that "Waity Katey" as she has become known, is "on call" for William. It's perhaps this aspect of Kate's life that most annoys some royal fans.

So with Kate firmly entrenched in her 3 day working week with Jigsaw, Belle tried in vain to convince the readers that Kate wasn't precious and that she "mucked in". Belle said: "She sat in the kitchen at lunchtime and chatted with everyone from the van drivers to the accounts girls. She wasn't precious." Excellent news. But what did she actually do when there? Belle failed to say. Perhaps it's because (as was reported earlier) Belle doesn't know Kate well.

This "mucking in" goes against what other Jigsaw workers have said regarding Kate's time there. A supposed "friend" of Kate's told the Daily Mail that the Jigsaw gig was not that important: 'It was a job of convenience, a stop-gap.' One of her former workmates at Jigsaw was a little more generous, telling the Daily Mail: "Kate is a nice enough girl but she was never what you might call committed to the job. She never worked full-time and appeared to take an inordinate amount of time off to go jetting round the world with her boyfriend. It certainly rubbed a few people here up the wrong way. To be told she would be resting for a while 'looking at other things' didn't exactly come as a surprise. She has always been treated as a special case."

Not surprising some royal fans was the revelation that Kate chose to place herself in front of the press on occasions. Mrs Robinson said: "And I have to say I was so impressed by her. There were days when there were TV crews at the end of the drive. We'd say: 'Listen, do you want to go out the back way?' And she'd say: 'To be honest, they're going to hound us until they've got the picture. So why don't I just go, get the picture done, and then they'll leave us alone.' I thought she was very mature for a 26-year-old, and I think she's been quite good at neither courting the press nor sticking two fingers in the air at them. I don't think I would have been so polite." Some may argue that this was Kate's way of getting the media to leave her alone. But it seemed to fail with the media contingent swelling and increasingly following her. Why would the media stop when their "target" is giving them what they want? Backdoor exits are regularly used by celebs and royalty to escape the waiting media scrum and for a woman who cried harassment on more than one occasion, her willingness to greet the press front on is strange to say the least.

For what it was worth, Belle Robinson stressed that there were no hard feelings over Kate's resignation and that she fully understood why it was that Kate didn't want to work fulltime. Phew!

To read more and to join in the discussion, click here.

Monday 21 July 2008

Kate Middleton loses ground in the popularity stakes..again

It seems that as hard as she may try to gain back her dwindling popularity, people have long memories when it comes to Kate Middleton. Kate's (seemingly) carefully crafted public appearances at everything from polo matches with Wills to Nelson Mandela's concert maybe designed to show her in a more friendly Princess-like light. But is it working?

After quitting her job at Jigsaw to "be a photographer" for her family business, Middleton copped flak from ordinary people everywhere and more importantly HM the Queen. At a time when the general public is struggling under a mountain of credit, fuel and grocery issues, a 26 year-old who isn't working and enjoys the finer things in life without earning them just doesn't appeal to the masses. It seems that nice hair and a killer smile just isn't enough anymore. The goodwill Kate enjoyed for so long has well and truly disappeared to a trickle of fawning comments on diehard fan websites, with the tabloid media still reporting on Kate's "stunningness" every now and again. But now even the bastion of "real" news The Times, is joining in on the growing negativity directed at the eternally idle Kate Middleton.

The Sunday Times' "Going Up/Going Down" column each week tells us who's in and who's out of favour at the moment. Unfortunately for Kate she's listed in Going Down...and cuttingly so. Of Kate, The Sunday Times says: "KATE MIDDLETON No personality, no career, no dress sense, no life. Get it together, girl."

To top it all off, even the comments of the newspapers readership are mirroring those on internet sites about royalty. The Sunday Times comments were decidely cold on Kate Middleton, with a Dallas reader saying: "Maybe Wiliam will finally get the nerve to dump this hanger-on. She lacks style, personality,but she does always make herself available that's for sure." Another reader, this time from Manchester said: "I agree with what is said about Kate Middleton. Time she gave up her pursuit of bagging William. Sad really."

It's a shame the media haven't cottoned on that the public aren't as enamoured with Kate as they are.

Read here for more Kateness.

Sunday 20 July 2008

Diana's lover Hasnat Khan divorces wife

Hasnat Khan, the man most believe won the heart of Diana, Princess of Wales, has divorced his wife of 18 months. The Pakistani heart surgeon Diana dubbed her "Mr Wonderful" divorced his 28 year-old wife Hadia Sher Ali. The Hindustan Times reports: "Khan and Ali had filed an application for divorce in the Arbitration Council of Islamabad. Kamran Cheema, the chairman of the Council, heard their case and decided to issue the divorce certificate."

Click here to read more.

Camilla told to halt spending

The Duchess of Cornwall has been told to reduce her wasteful ways. According to the Daily Express Weekend's Adam Helliker, the Duchess of Cornwall has been ordered to cancel her annual luxury cruise with female friends in favour of a more austere existance. Mr Helliker writes: 'The Duchess has bowed to pressure from aides at Clarence House that any photos of her on a jolly would be “unhelpful to the ongoing cause of promoting our image”. Those aides are particularly sensitive about unnecessary travel just when Prince Charles’s accounts have stated that he has reduced his carbon footprint by 18 per cent. The same report also revealed that Camilla undertook fewer engagements last year than before.'

After recycling her birthday suit (now there's a mental image you didn't need) from last year, it seems HRH Camilla is trying her hardest to cut back whereever she can. But is this a genuine move on her part to save royal finances in a show of sympathy for the plight of those who are suffering due to the credit crunch? A "royal source" tells the Express: “Camilla has been told that she has to be aware of the national mood at a time when the whole country is tightening its belt. It’s annoying for her because she particularly enjoys these breaks with her friends, not least because she has zero responsibilities to anyone while she’s on board, but she’s been convinced that her husband’s advisers know best.”

It seems that apart from the fact she can't go on holiday, the one thing that is bugging Camilla more is that she must instead spend time with her loving husband. The Express reports: 'This ban on Camilla is likely to be even more irritating for her because it effectively ties her to spending more time with Charles at a time when she is said to find it particularly difficult dealing with his “grumpy and irritable” temperament.'

Is this yet another example of a onff royal relationship?

Click here to read more.

Kate Middleton's clean white teeth

You know it's a slow news day when you read about someone's dental habits. And so it was that Adam Helliker from the Daily Express Weekend (aka Sunday Express) revealed Kate Middleton's teeth whitening treatments. As if we haven't heard everything there is to know about Kate, we're told that she used her sister Pippa as a guinea pig in case things in the dental clinic went awry. With no horrible tragedy emerging from Pippa's trip to the dentist, it seems that it was full steam ahead for Kate to whiten her teeth.

Rumoured to be a smoker (with evidence emerging last year of a cigarette packet in her handbag) Kate Middleton must be well aware of the yellowing effect that nicotine has on teeth. Most royal fans were already saying that Kate had whitening done after seeing side on pics of a widemouthed Kate Middleton at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in London. The front few teeth appeared whiter than white with the side and back teeth having a yellow tinge. Normal for most celebrities to do, teeth whitening is not that big of a deal, unless you're Kate Middleton apparently.

Click here to read more if you dare.

Person gets married at a wedding attended by Kate Middleton

Yes. That's right. A person has gotten married at a wedding that was attended by Kate Middleton. Well not just any old person. The bride was Lady Rose Windsor, the 28-year-old daughter of the Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Gloucester. So the royal connections cast aside like yesterdays dinner, the UK media whips themselves into a frenzy about the appearance of always the invitee and never the bride, Kate Middleton.

The Times headline reads: Lady Rose Windsor, and Kate Middleton, in bloom. To their credit, the esteemed British newspaper doesn't mention Kate until the 2nd paragraph. But when they do they all but decree she's next to marry into the family. The Times article, written by "no one" says: "Almost as many eyes were on Kate Middleton who confirmed her growing position in the royal fold by turning up without Prince William, her boyfriend. She wore a pale blue jacket with a duck egg blue dress and a black feather fascinator." Almost, but surely not "all" eyes were on Kate?

Meanwhile both the Mail On Sunday and Daily Telegraph throw away any semblance of journalistic integrity by omitting the bride totally from the headline and going straight for Kate Middleton, royal wedding attendee. The Daily Telegraph's article, written by a person appropriately called Roya Nikkah (it could be a reference to Kate Middleton's appearance at "that" St Andrew's fashion show in "that" set of knickers as well as her penchant for flashing us a look up her dress every time she steps out of a cab or sits on a floor at a costume party) - has a headline entitled: Kate Middleton attends another royal wedding. Yes, she was there and the Telegraph took 6 paragraphs of Kate Middleton-drivel before actually giving us any details of the main focus of the day. The bride.

Of Kate Ms/Mr Roya Nikkah said: "Miss Middleton wore a knee-length floral-print satin dress and a cropped blue jacket, accessorised with a black fascinator – the hair accessory favoured recently by both the Queen and the Duchess of Cornwall." What? No quotes from the obligatory "royal sources" to ram home just how near Kate is to having her own royal wedding? Boring!

Never Kate-failing Mail On Sunday brings up the rear once again by totally bypassing any mention of the bride and groom and focussing bizarrely on Kate's "Marilyn Monroe" moment. Lack of volumous breasts and hourglass figure aside, the Mail On Sunday tells us that whilst Kate was like Miss Monroe she wasn't like...er..Miss Monroe. Their article written by Mr James Tapper (I'm sorry. Even I can't/won't touch that one with a ten foot pole) had the headline of: Kate Middleton legs it at second Royal wedding without her Prince. A given considering Wills is thousands of kilometres away supposedly exercising with the navy. Or is that "on" exercise with the navy I can never figure out which one?

Anyway, with the flood of Kate-loving we've all come to expect (and loathe) the Mail On Sunday article manages to slot Lady Rose and Mr Gilman's names somewhere in the article with the copious Kate drivel. They finally get around to mentioning who Rose was and why the guests were all dressed up like a bunch of chooks at a village fete (the ladies...I suppose that fits the male guests as well) in the 7th paragraph with just the smallest of mentions regarding Lady Rose in the 2nd paragraph. Even these were just secondary notes to the real story..Kate and her flying dress that defied gravity. The MOS said: "Miss Middleton's floaty knee-length dress caught the wind and defied gravity yesterday as she arrived for the wedding of Lady Rose Windsor. "

So there you have it. A quick view of the Kateness occurring at weddings far and wide. Not only is Kate more unique and perfect than we ever imagined, she can also defy gravity. I'm now waiting for her to part the English Channel and feed the masses. Now that would be unique.

To read more about the Kateness around us, click here.

Thursday 17 July 2008

HM Queen Elizabeth II attends service at St Paul's

It was a bright sunny day as HM Queen Elizabeth II attended the Service of the Order of St Michael & St George at St Paul's Cathedral. Wearing a long royal blue satin cape over a white dress, complete with diamond tiara, diamond bracelets and various other regalia, HM shone as she honoured the British order of chivalry that recognises those appointees who have rendered important services in relation to Commonwealth or foreign nations.

The day is also highlighted by the investment of new inductees including: Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG), Knight Commander (KCMG) or Dame Commander (DCMG) and Companion (CMG)

Click here to read more and to see pictures of the day.

The funny thing about Princes William & Harry

Rumours abound that Princes William & Harry are to appear in comedic roles in the television special to celebrate Prince Charles' 60th birthday.

According to The Daily Express, ITV sources have confirmed that producers hope to record a few princely comedy segments. A source told The Express: “Everyone knows that William and Harry are keen for a laugh so we’re trying to line it up. We’re very hopeful. Charles and the public would love it.”

Click here to read more.

Monday 14 July 2008

Prince Carl Philip crashes....again!

Sweden's Prince Carl Philip has once again crashed his car during a Porsche Carrera Cup race meet. According to some reports, the Prince was travelling at speeds of over 150km/hour when he crashed at Falkenberg over the weekend. Team chief and coach, Jan 'Flash' Nilsson said: "The Prince is feeling good". Prince Carl Philip was unhurt.

Click here to read more.

Who's a popular boy then? Why it's Prince Harry of course

It's usually the case that Prince Harry is found within the pages of the UK's tabloids for all the wrong reasons. But this week the hellacious Prince has hit the headlines and there's no alcohol or nightclub byline anywhere to be seen.

Britain's Holiday Inn conducted a poll of over 7,000 people on the "50 things we love most about Britain." Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family came in at number 2 and 10 respectively with Prince Harry being the only other individual member to be included at number 44. Other favourites were: 1. Fish and Chips 2. The Queen 3. Old fashioned pubs 4. Sunday roast 5. Red phone boxes 6. Big Ben 7.Cream teas 8. The Beatles 9. The Pound 10. The Royal family 11. Buckingham Palace 12. Shakespeare 13. Black cabs 14. NHS 15. James Bond 16. Red Routemaster buses 17. Cheddar Cheese 18. The Houses of Parliament 19. Manchester United 20. Ant and Dec 21. Stephen Fry 22. Cornish Pasties 23. Monty Python 24. The Tower of London 25. Aston Martin 26. BBC 27. Stonehenge 28. Cricket 29. Wimbledon 30. Glastonbury 31. Camden Market 32. Blackpool 33. Mini Coopers 34. J K Rowling 35. Edinburgh Festival 36. Scrumpy Cider 37. Concorde 38. Yorkshire Puddings 39. The Queen's English 40. Real ale 41. Pimms 42. Jaguar E-type 43. David Bowie 44. Prince Harry 45. Harrods 46.Ice cream vans 47. The Red Arrows 48. Margaret Thatcher 49. Covent Garden 50. Morris Dancers

In another positive, Harry also made the OK! celebrity charts, coming in 4th in the most talked about celebrities for the week. Found in The Daily Express, Harry is listed for his current trip to Lesotho with fellow soldiers to build special facilities for locals with disabilities. The others listed were: 1. Ronnie Wood. 2. Madonna & Guy Ritchie. 3. Lily Allen. 4. Prince Harry. 5. Pamela Anderson. 6. Amy Winehouse. 7. Michael Jackson. 8. Ricky Hatton. 9. Fernando Torres. 10. Wayne Rooney.

Click here to read more about the best of British Top 50 list.
Click here to read more about the OK! list.

Sunday 13 July 2008

Dutch princesses enjoy family fun

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima gave royal watchers a glimpse into their happpy family life, when they posed for pictures with their three daughters in their private residence located north of The Hague. Wearing matching pale green dresses; Princesses Catharina-Amalia five, Alexia three and Ariane one are photographed enjoying a bike ride with their parents in the grounds of their estate Eikenhorst villa.

Click here to view pictures and discuss this story with others.

Kate Middleton & Chelsy Davy deemed 'not so pretty'

Well regarded French photographer Michel Comte has been howled down by the British media for daring to state that Kate Middleton and Chelsy Davy are "not so pretty".

According to The Telegraph, Comte said: “William and Harry — they are good in their own skin, don’t you think? The girlfriends are not so pretty.”

The Telegraph's Mandrake (aka Tim Walker) sniffed at the apparent slight to his favourite future princesses and referred to Comte’s nude portrait of Carla Bruni taken in 1993: "At least our future Queen can keep her clothes on."

Seeing as how Kate Middleton has been pictured semi-naked modelling underwear at St Andrew's and also at a party in Scotland early in 2007 (see previous stories regarding Kate Middleton), Mr Mandrake/Walker must have been referring to Chelsy Davy. Those at the Royal Truth would like to point out to Mr Walker that Chelsy will not be Queen unless something untoward occurs to Prince William.

Click here to read more and to discuss.

Kate Middleton denied the Winehouse

In a blink and you'll miss it type blurb buried deep in the Daily Star Weekend, a small hint appeared to confirm the theories that Kate Middleton is being guided by professional PR people.

Writer Neil Sean let slip that Prince William's ONFF girlfriend wanted to meet troubled singing sensation, Amy Winehouse at the concert celebrating Nelson Mandela. But alas, according to Sean, Kate Middleton's PR people wouldn't let Amy anywhere near the precious wannabe princess.

Sean writes of Kate: "But her snooty PR handlers made sure it never happened in case Amy “misbehaved”. Poor delicate Waity.

Click here to read more and to discuss this story on the forum.

Wednesday 9 July 2008

Chelsy Davy pictured clowning around

The Daily Mail has published a series of photographs showing Chelsy Davy messing around with a group of friends. The innocuous pictues show an apparently tipsy Chelsy at the races with her Durban friends. Chelsy is seen being carried on the shoulders of a male friend, sitting between 2 males friends (who one Royal Truth source claims are in fact gay - would there be anything untoward in that case Daily Mail?), in another she's sitting in a tree whilst wearing a dress and in yet another she appears to be about to kiss her friend Kirsten Rogers on the cheek. The Dail Mail however, depicts Chelsy's actions as less than princess-like.

Whilst chosing to continue publishing their usual sycophantic drivel about the increasingly unpopular Kate Middleton, ignoring copious photographs of her in equally unflattering poses, The Daily Mail seems to have it in for Chelsy. The article, written by a Mr Neil Sears slays Davy in the usual fashion we've all come to expect from the tabloid: "To her adoring Daddy, she is undoubtedly a real princess. But one wonders whether the Royal Family will feel the same when they see these pictures of Chelsy Davy."

"After a day out at the races at the weekend, she was clearly in high spirits as she made her way home – and seemingly completely unconcerned about the impression she might be creating. At one stage she was carried on the shoulders of a male friend, her short skirt over his head. Then she giggled on the grass with another two young men before pretending to kiss her best girl friend, Kirsten Rogers."

Predictably, the Daily Mail attempts to write Kate Middleton into the story: "The cigarette hanging from her lips is hardly a regal look. And the boisterous company she was keeping doesn’t quite fit with advice, supposedly from Prince William’s patient girlfriend Kate Middleton, that a girl hoping to snap up a prince should try to keep a low profile. "

Thankfully it seems the ever studious Chelsy is ignoring any supposed advice given to her from the eternally idle Kate. But perhaps it's the Daily Mail who should be given some friendly advice?

It seems that after stories surfaced around the internet forums alleging that the pictures may have been plundered from Davy's friends private Facebook accounts, the newspaper appears to have withdrawn the article from it's website.

Personally I'm still waiting for the Daily Mail to publish pictures of Kate Middleton in a less than princess-like pose, sitting on the floor of a friends party in her (black) underwear. Oh what would Her Majesty think of that? I won't be holding my breathe for that Daily Mail article.

Click here to read more.

Prince Harry helps Lesotho orphans & Aids victims

Prince Harry and his fellow soldiers are currently building a school on the Aids ravaged Lesotho as part of a construction program for Sentebale.

The school for children with physical and mental disabilities is being constructed by Harry and 26 soldiers from his Household Cavalry Regiment. The soldiers will be there for the next 3 weeks building wheelchair ramps, re-roofing, plastering and installing a security fence at the Thuso Centre.

Click here to read more.
 
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