The Duchess of Cambridge Current Events 1: April 29, 2011-January 2012

[dazzling]

Im not sure why people can be harsh on Kate or surprised that she is out grocery shopping. I don't get what the big deal is, William & Kate didn't seem like they were getting tons of staff to do it for them. Kate has expressed that she wanted to be a housewife & if she enjoys doing that with the house shopping, then good for her.

She looked like any other person going to the store, dressed casually & no make up.

 

[biboquinhas]

I think she looks lovely and she still have that normal look and I really really hope that she never loses this espontaneity

 

[Kataryn]

Maybe they were told that the royal housewife will show up at the local supermarket to prove her stay-at-home-without-servants ambition.
Kate looks rough, the housework must clearly be taking its toll.

With how many bodyguards did she show up there protecting herself and the world famous huge engagement ring?

Depends on who you want to believe - between one to five protection officers...

I don't think she looks rough at all, just a bit pensive in some pics. Well, she is not a young bride anymore but how she looks is surely only William's affair - he must enjoy looking at her. We all others are just onlookers...
Especially as there is no guarantee that these pics are in fact fresh. They could have been taken weeks before the wedding and would not look any different. Maybe one of the paparazzi already had the pics and got tired of waiting for her to show up somewhere.

But if it is really from yesterday then for her it's surely a public appearance and I bet she is hoping that the newsworthiness of her going shopping will wane and wane fast.

I like the pic where she is talking to the people. She's really nice.

 

[madrid]

Maybe they were told that the royal housewife will show up at the local supermarket to prove her stay-at-home-without-servants ambition.
Kate looks rough, the housework must clearly be taking its toll.

With how many bodyguards did she show up there protecting herself and the world famous huge engagement ring?

I wonder where five protection officers live?

 

[dazzling]

Maybe they were told that the royal housewife will show up at the local supermarket to prove her stay-at-home-without-servants ambition.
Kate looks rough, the housework must clearly be taking its toll.

With how many bodyguards did she show up there protecting herself and the world famous huge engagement ring?

Wasn't she living with William for a few months? I would've expect when she was that she + help of William were doing things around the house
As for the bodyguards, I would think she had one with her at the time, She doesn't have a choice to leave or not with or without one now.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I wonder where five protection officers live?

There was a report some time ago that they live in the garage and that Kate had given them a kettle or something like that.

I am sure that they have acceptable accommodation and more than a kettle but this report was before the engagement announcement when the media were all 'waity Katey'

 

[HRHduchesskate]

I think Kate looked great while spotted out grocery shopping. Throughout the coverage of the wedding I heard several reporters comment on how youthful she looks, I would say she looks her age but no more, We have no idea what stress she may be under as everyone will recall about Diana no one knew the toll royal life was taking on her personally.

 

[texankitcat]

There was a report some time ago that they live in the garage and that Kate had given them a kettle or something like that.

I am sure that they have acceptable accommodation and more than a kettle but this report was before the engagement announcement when the media were all 'waity Katey'

I am curious where the protection officers sleep as well. From what I read of earlier reports, Kate had set up a small refridgerator, a hot plate and space heater in the garage for them so they could have their tea and stay warm. If there are indeed five, I would think the P.O.'s work in shifts, with those off duty or on standby staying at regular accomodations. I would think a mobile home on the property would be the best way to accomodate them. I have to wonder if the number of P.O.'s is accurate though. Five for one person seems excessive unless travelling on official duties.

 

[Christo's Girl]

Has she not pushed a shopping cart before?

 

[Skippy]

Has she not pushed a shopping cart before?

It's new to us that we actually see a royal doing that

I don't mind; although she is in a very different position, she is still a human being - just like us. She can't live off the air either.

 

[Thain]

There was a report some time ago that they live in the garage and that Kate had given them a kettle or something like that.

From what I read of earlier reports, Kate had set up a small refridgerator, a hot plate and space heater in the garage for them so they could have their tea and stay warm.

That was a temporary set-up at her parents' house during the engagement.

 

[texankitcat]

That was a temporary set-up at her parents' house during the engagement.

Oh, okay. I thought it was at Anglesey. Thanks for the correction!

 

[Kataryn]

There was a report some time ago that they live in the garage and that Kate had given them a kettle or something like that.

I am sure that they have acceptable accommodation and more than a kettle but this report was before the engagement announcement when the media were all 'waity Katey'

The article was about those who had to protect the Middleton-house in Bucklebury which was not equipped with a place for security staff. As it was only a short-term job (till the wedding), they made do with the garage and the Middletons made it as comfortable as possible for them.

OTOH when William rented the farmhouse back at the end of 2009 or so, surely the house was assessed by the Royal Protection Squad and when agreed to it, they either transformed an existing structure (like a shed) or build a new security cubicle for the Officers on duty. I recall that there was talk about the building of such a structure for the Protection Officers at Camilla's private home, so this seems to be the standard procedure. As for the amount of officers, they surely need 5 or even more of them in order to protect both and the house round the clock.

i read that North Wales police has stocked up their staff on Anglesey by 15 policemen who patrol the area and are called in to help when William or Catherine go out. So I guess that most of the "5" protection officers at this Waitrose store were driving over from Bangor police station for the time Catherine shopped there and returned to their duties once she was safely away - the UK has intensified security, so probably that's why as many officers were there (if they in fact were).

I can imagine that Catherine's protection officer calls the police, asks them how the situation is at the moment at the place Catherine wants to go, the police checks, gives their okay to the Royal Protection Officer and stays in the vincinity till Catherine has come and gone.

 

[MichelleVA]

I have to say I think that she has bags under her eyes BUT I believe that it will all go away with some rest. The run up to the wedding was probably so stressful who could sleep with all that pressure?

As a child I imagined a Princess in a fairy castle far away from us common folk. My children saw this picture of a Duchess and said wow she is just like you mommy but she doesn't have your coupon book! LOL I no longer imagine the castle but a small house with a man and woman in love who will one day be King and Queen of England and hopefully look back on this time as some of the best times they spent together. Couldn't you just imagine them getting home and just plopping on the couch and saying ahhh it is over we are home.

 

[Duchess]

i love the article about catherine doing the weekly shopping. i mean really, did you think you would EVER see a future queen doing something as mundane as grocery shopping. i love how real and normal they are.

 

[Al_bina]

Maybe they were told that the royal housewife will show up at the local supermarket to prove her stay-at-home-without-servants ambition.
Kate looks rough, the housework must clearly be taking its toll.

With how many bodyguards did she show up there protecting herself and the world famous huge engagement ring?

I agree with you. The shopping trip can be construed as a theatre to show that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, lives like an ordinary person.

 

[Duchess]

I agree with you. The shopping trip can be construed as a PR stunt to show that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, lives like an ordinary person.

well doesn't she? she's shopping. she's a housewife. isn't that normal. at least as normal as it's ever going to be for her from now on.

 

[Al_bina]

Interpretation of and opinions on such domestic situations will be different. You see a shopping trip as a normal activity of a usual housewife Catherine, who happened to marry Princes William. Others will view it as a cheap PR event to show a down-to-earth sort of woman with no pretensions. The Royal family is a part of the establishment that milks the wedding frenzy as much as they can. Yes, it is impossible to determine whether or not it was staged. People judge The Duchess' of Cambridge action based on their perception.

 

[Susanna Wynne]

Well, she was often seen at the Waitrose before the wedding, so why not now? Did just putting another ring on her finger change the mode of living of their everyday life in Anglesey? I understand it was W. & C's intention to live as normally as possibly while in Anglesey, since the pressures of formal life will certainly come to bear on them when his tour of duty ends and they move to London to take a more active royal life.

 

[Maria527]

Maybe they were told that the royal housewife will show up at the local supermarket to prove her stay-at-home-without-servants ambition.

The only photos taken were of her returning the empty cart after unloading it into her car (that's what the article says). This leads me to believe that someone called and told the media that she was there and by the time the media arrived, they caught the tail end of her trip.

Had they know ahead of time, they would have had more photos of her shopping.

 

[muriel]

Interpretation of and opinions on such domestic situations will be different. You see a shopping trip as a normal activity of a usual housewife Catherine, who happened to marry Princes William. Others will view it as a cheap PR event to show a down-to-earth sort of woman with no pretensions. The Royal family is a part of the establishment that milks the wedding frenzy as much as they can. Yes, it is impossible to determine whether or not it was staged. People judge The Duchess' of Cambridge action based on their perception.

IMO, that is a rather cynical interpretation on what might just be a simple stop at a supermarket to buy some groceries!

 

[Duchess]

The only photos taken were of her returning the empty cart after unloading it into her car (that's what the article says). This leads me to believe that someone called and told the media that she was there and by the time the media arrived, they caught the tail end of her trip.

Had they know ahead of time, they would have had more photos of her shopping.

i think your point is excellent. even if they were there, there are no pictures of her with any merchandise in the cart that could have been taken when she came out of the store immediately after making her purchase. also an excellent point was mention of the fact in another post that they did their own grocery shopping before they were married so why.

 

[Duchess]

Interpretation of and opinions on such domestic situations will be different. You see a shopping trip as a normal activity of a usual housewife Catherine, who happened to marry Princes William. Others will view it as a cheap PR event to show a down-to-earth sort of woman with no pretensions. The Royal family is a part of the establishment that milks the wedding frenzy as much as they can. Yes, it is impossible to determine whether or not it was staged. People judge The Duchess' of Cambridge action based on their perception.

i'm not sure how you can misinterpet grocery shopping. this was something they did prior to their marriage and she continues to do it now.

 

[princess carmen]

It has been reported before that she and William go to the grocery store I don't see what the big deal is. The photographer got there after she and her security had put the grocery in the car.

 

[machievelli]

I thought maybe you were exaggerating but she really does look rough. If I didn't know any better I'd say she's hitting 40! Nothing about her life is hard so I don't understand why her face is so harsh, rough and old looking.

I'm in agreement that Catherine looks very old and aged in these pics. I also thought she looked a bit aged, but beautiful on her wedding day. Catherine is a very beautiful woman. But I have noticed that since she lost a lot of weight that it has really aged her face. The weight loss has made her face look much older and drawn than what it should be for a woman of merely 29 years of age. I really hope that Catherine will put back on some weight and get a more fuller face because it will make facial features soft, supple, and youthful again. Catherine is beautiful. She just needs to gain some weight. It's cool that she is continuing to be down to earth and settle into everything!

 

[Jacknch]

I do hope that in this current events thread we will not be treated to a weekly photograph of Catherine doing her weekly shop only for us then to forensically dismantle such a straightforward and mundain event and turn into a situation where The Duchess of Cambridge is apparently complicit in a darstardly plan to show how down to earth she is by allowing herself to be taken to a supermarket, posed with a shopping trolly and presumably taken home again.

With regard to whether or not Catherine looks rough, old or aged, I can only presume that in future photos where she is deemed to look beautiful and young, great debate will rage as to whether or not she has had cosmetic surgery.

 

[Kataryn]

Interpretation of and opinions on such domestic situations will be different. You see a shopping trip as a normal activity of a usual housewife Catherine, who happened to marry Princes William. Others will view it as a cheap PR event to show a down-to-earth sort of woman with no pretensions. The Royal family is a part of the establishment that milks the wedding frenzy as much as they can. Yes, it is impossible to determine whether or not it was staged. People judge The Duchess' of Cambridge action based on their perception.

One hopes that the perception of people is at least a bit filtered through common sense. Catherine has no servants who do it for, thus she has to shop if she doesn't want to be relying on deliveries which might be without problems in London but surely not at the end of the world, äh, of Anglesey.

If you check Googles Map service, you'll see that are not so many shops on the island and she decided obviously on the one with the best selection of fresh fruit and vegs.

I personally don't see how going out once a week for shopping for food at the local Waitrose is "milking the wedding frenzy" - it's rather not milking the cow yourself.

 

[Princess of Durham]

Interpretation of and opinions on such domestic situations will be different. You see a shopping trip as a normal activity of a usual housewife Catherine, who happened to marry Princes William. Others will view it as a cheap PR event to show a down-to-earth sort of woman with no pretensions. The Royal family is a part of the establishment that milks the wedding frenzy as much as they can. Yes, it is impossible to determine whether or not it was staged. People judge The Duchess' of Cambridge action based on their perception.

They clearly do .... along with their own personal agenda.

 

[texankitcat]

I do hope that in this current events thread we will not be treated to a weekly photograph of Catherine doing her weekly shop only for us then to forensically dismantle such a straightforward and mundain event and turn into a situation where The Duchess of Cambridge is apparently complicit in a darstardly plan to show how down to earth she is by allowing herself to be taken to a supermarket, posed with a shopping trolly and presumably taken home again.

With regard to whether or not Catherine looks rough, old or aged, I can only presume that in future photos where she is deemed to look beautiful and young, great debate will rage as to whether or not she has had cosmetic surgery.

I just spewed my drink on my laptop!

Thanks for the giggle!

 

[texankitcat]

Interpretation of and opinions on such domestic situations will be different. You see a shopping trip as a normal activity of a usual housewife Catherine, who happened to marry Princes William. Others will view it as a cheap PR event to show a down-to-earth sort of woman with no pretensions. The Royal family is a part of the establishment that milks the wedding frenzy as much as they can. Yes, it is impossible to determine whether or not it was staged. People judge The Duchess' of Cambridge action based on their perception.

Staged? Come on. She IS at this time living her normal life until such time that she and William begin their official duties, and there is no need to pay someone else to do these things simply because she has a royal title now. They need to eat and they dont feel it's necessary to pay someone to do it for them, and she certainly can't stay holed up in the house 24/7. The P.O.'s are a necessary part of her new status that she can't change, but she can certainly do her own shopping, cooking, laundry, etc...