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

[Daria_S]

This is from 'Us' magazine. Catherine is doing a great job.I like her quick thinking with the phone call to her Mom for extra supplies, if there were any.

Kate Middleton Stuns in Beaded Gown at Her First Solo Engagement - UsMagazine.com

 

[csw]

My Darling Daughter-in-Law

Love that Charles called her "my darling daughter-in-law"

 

[Daria_S]

Love that Charles called her "my darling daughter-in-law"

The relationship between Catherine and her in-laws appears to be warm and supportive.

 

[Royal Newbie]

The New York Post is reporting that Charles first asked William Tuesday to fill in for him, but he was on duty so Catherine stepped up.

Duchess of Cambridge carries out first solo engagement-New York Post

 

[LadyGabrielle]

Well bravo! This young woman never ceases to amaze me. She is truly an inspiration. I'm just so proud of her. She looked elegant and seemed quite comfortable with herself. What an elegant young lady. Good to know that the family loves her.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I don't see how in any way this woman is inspirational yet. She stepped up for her father in law yes at short notice but I doubt she actually had to do anything other than wear a dress, smile and talk. A dress which btw looks like a nightgown on a ridiculously thin or over worked out woman.
It is nice to see her without he husband and it's nice to know they'll actually be doing something in the next month or so. But I still don't think she's worthy of any high praise for doing what she's supposed to.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

It's not hair extensions. The DM corrected their story - it's a scar from an operation that she had as a child.

If it is a scar, why does it stick out on the bottom? Perhaps some cosmetic surgery is in order.

 

[American Dane]

I don't see how in any way this woman is inspirational yet. She stepped up for her father in law yes at short notice but I doubt she actually had to do anything other than wear a dress, smile and talk. A dress which btw looks like a nightgown on a ridiculously thin or over worked out woman.
It is nice to see her without he husband and it's nice to know they'll actually be doing something in the next month or so. But I still don't think she's worthy of any high praise for doing what she's supposed to.

I completely agree. Attendance at a private gathering for her father-in-law's patronage is not the same as making her first speech to a large audience (especially in a new language as some other royals-by-marriage have had to do). When that happens, then I'll fully recognise it as her "first solo engagement". I don't mean any offence when I say this but why is the bar set so low for Catherine?

 

[agami.pearl]

I don't see how in any way this woman is inspirational yet. She stepped up for her father in law yes at short notice but I doubt she actually had to do anything other than wear a dress, smile and talk. A dress which btw looks like a nightgown on a ridiculously thin or over worked out woman.
It is nice to see her without he husband and it's nice to know they'll actually be doing something in the next month or so. But I still don't think she's worthy of any high praise for doing what she's supposed to.

Agree, she married heir of heir and future king of England. Being a princess is her 'job' so it shouldn't be strange or praise worth if she'll attend at charity dinner or two.

 

[Baroness of Books]

Kate also proceeded to pinch-hit for her father-in-law at short notice and had to prepare for this engagement by familiarizing herself with a new organization, again quite quickly, and basically be hostess for a number of people - sans William or any other support. Perhaps a mere nothing in some people's eyes. But while it is expected that she knows how to handle these functions since it is her job, it also does her credit that she did do well and sets the tone for solo outings where she'll be doing public speaking. The jury is still out until this happens, of course, but by all indications Kate looks like she's quite capable of handling whatever is given to her. Just my own opinion, of course. And I thought Kate looked quite lovely as well.

 

[Daria_S]

Kate also proceeded to pinch-hit for her father-in-law at short notice and had to prepare for this engagement by familiarizing herself with a new organization, again quite quickly, and basically be hostess for a number of people - sans William or any other support. Perhaps a mere nothing in some people's eyes. But while it is expected that she knows how to handle these functions since it is her job, it also does her credit that she did do well and sets the tone for solo outings where she'll be doing public speaking. The jury is still out until this happens, of course, but by all indications Kate looks like she's quite capable of handling whatever is given to her. Just my own opinion, of course.

Again, I'm in agreement here. I don't think a lot of people realize that stepping into a role in a short notice, with no knowledge of the cause one will be supporting is quite daunting. I'd love to see some of the people who are quick to criticize to be in Catherine's shoes, and do something similar with no support whatsoever (even if it's for a few hours and one evening). I've been in a similar situation while student teaching, when my cooperating teacher had to take care of an emergency, and left me in charge. It was my first term being in the classroom, and very early in the school year (late September/early October), and I was terrified. I didn't know anything about ancient history, but I had to cover for my CT and make sure that the kids did what they were supposed to. Not fun, especially when you find this out at the end of your prep period, and need to get ready to talk about an essay on the French Revolution, and not have a second to look over blasted ancient history. Yes, there was another certified teacher in the room while I was doing all this, but I still felt at a loss without my CT there to give me a hand if things went awry. So, my hat goes off to Catherine for pulling this off on a short notice and doing it well.

 

[Thena]

I couldn't figure out what the big deal was about Kate's scar. I have a scar on my forehead from a childhood mishap. So does Prince William. But now I see that certain media outlets initially assumed that it was evidence that Kate had hair extensions.

It's good to see that Kate is becoming more comfortable with royal duties and is able to pinch-hit for her father-in-law. I know that a lot of people were expecting a speech, but I think guests at the dinner were happy enough to be greeted without any formal speech.

 

[Anna Catherine]

I don't see how in any way this woman is inspirational yet. She stepped up for her father in law yes at short notice but I doubt she actually had to do anything other than wear a dress, smile and talk. A dress which btw looks like a nightgown on a ridiculously thin or over worked out woman.
It is nice to see her without he husband and it's nice to know they'll actually be doing something in the next month or so. But I still don't think she's worthy of any high praise for doing what she's supposed to.

And it was her FIRST solo event. It may not seem like it, but I'm pretty sure that life is no walk in the park. No need to be rude. She hasn't been married or doing this for very long. I'm not quite sure what you are expecting. And I thought the dress was lovely and she looked lovely, by the way. William works and she is trying to adjust to her new life. What do you want......

 

[Baroness of Books]

I couldn't figure out what the big deal was about Kate's scar. I have a scar on my forehead from a childhood mishap. So does Prince William. But now I see that certain media outlets initially assumed that it was evidence that Kate had hair extensions.

It's good to see that Kate is becoming more comfortable with royal duties and is able to pinch-hit for her father-in-law. I know that a lot of people were expecting a speech, but I think guests at the dinner were happy enough to be greeted without any formal speech.

I don't think the scar is a big deal either and it certainly isn't noticeable in Kate's case. But I'm sure the tabloids are quite gleeful that they stumbled upon something related to an incident in Kate's past that they'd just love to find out more about. Who knows, perhaps she was injured in field hockey or some other athletic that required surgery. Injuries happen all the time to anyone who is active in sports but this is purely conjecture, of course.

 

[Whitetiger]

I completely agree. Attendance at a private gathering for her father-in-law's patronage is not the same as making her first speech to a large audience (especially in a new language as some other royals-by-marriage have had to do). When that happens, then I'll fully recognise it as her "first solo engagement". I don't mean any offence when I say this but why is the bar set so low for Catherine?

I wouldn't say low.. but I "think" that the Royal court is doing the exact opposite of what they did with Princess Diana. Instead of being thrown into the deep end of the ocean and being told to figure out how to swim.. Catherine gets to wade in the kiddy pool for awhile and is being taught how to swim. My apologies for such a simplistic comparison but it's the only one I could come up with. I think she's doing fine but can't wait to see more.

 

[putski]

I think Catherine did wonderful and looked sensational last night. Congratulations on her first solo assignment! As for the scar, I suspect it wouldn't have been such a big deal if silly DM hadn't falsely called it for hair extensions in the first place. Ironically, it drives focus away from the cause -- and from Kate's first solo engagement which the media has been long looking forward to.

 

[Princess of Durham]

I think ANY young woman should be commended for standing in at the last minute for a person of some importance and being a gracious hostess. How many 30 year old women these days can really step in at a moments notice, host, meet, and converse with 30 some people she has never met? IMO, not many! Whether it is "her job" or not is really beside the point. It seems people criticize her when they think she is doing nothing and yet can't find it in their hearts to say something nice when she does step forward. Seems like one of those no win situtions for Catherine. I will find it interesting to read just what exactly, in the future, will finally bring forth some praise on the part of some people.

 

[Rosapru]

For those who are critisising Catherine: remember that when Mary comes to the stage she didnt begin with making speech to a large audience. She flies solo many many months after her marriage to Frederick and for her first solo engagements she did exactly what Kate did, smile, check hands; etc... Nothing more. And some of you were full of praise for the young princess. Nobody said at that time the bar was set so low for Princess Mary.

Lumutqueen, Catherine is ridiculously thin .. and Mary just thin .. How convenient because you so love Mary. They both have the same figure. So if one is ridiculously thin, the other is ridiculously thin too.

You make comparaison with a young Kate and Mary who is nearly 8 years in her job of Princess. How unfair.

In fact I realise something, the most unfair and hard comments comes from people who loves Princess Mary so much they absolutly cant accept to say something nice about Kate. They have to make a compare with Mary and always in favor of her.

I adore Mary, but I adore Kate too. And it's not a problem for me to praise one and the other.

 

[ghost_night554]

Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece spoke a bit bout the Duchess today to CNN. This is from a transcript I found on CNN.com

They're becoming much more normal. He was talking about Katherine as well saying she's from a very solid family background and that's really helping her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWN PRINCE PAVLOS, GREECE: She's had a wonderful upbringing, gone to great schools. For England it's been a huge benefit to have somebody like her around. It just shows you how somebody that's put in the work, gone to good school, gone to good university can present herself as a really modern, good person
source: CNN.com - Transcripts

 

[Kataryn]

As for the scar, I suspect it wouldn't have been such a big deal if silly DM hadn't falsely called it for hair extensions in the first place. Ironically, it drives focus away from the cause -- and from Kate's first solo engagement which the media has been long looking forward to.

LOL, I read the article about the scar and did not understand it. Because I did not see any scar, just the taped hair extensions I knew from another article. So I thought I had misunderstood the word "temple" and looked in the wrong place, so looked it up in the dictionary, but still I didn't see the scar.... Now I understand! The hair extensions in fact didn't exist, but the "taping" is the scar.... Ok, now I know, too. Thank you very much.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Her father-in-law is the Prince of Wales and has been in the public eye for a long time, having had vast experience of these sorts of events. For a young woman who hasn't made a lot of public appearances, and those with her husband/fiance by her side, to fill in for the Prince of Wales at short notice and to carry it off well--I'd say that's quite an achievement.

I don't mean any offence when I say this but why is the bar set so low for Catherine?

 

[fandesacs2003]

I find the discussion quite ackward. To me.Catherine has always given the impression of being cold blooded and consequently capable to achieve things more complicated than wear an evening gown and make nice smiles and little chatt.
During her 8 years of her being PW girlfriend she managed to face the papzs without loosing her calm. Other royal girlfriends or boyfriends did
much worst. Remember Mette Maritt having crisis of hysteria and badly insulting the journalists, or Isabel Sartorius or Eva Sannum or Pcs.Stephanie and her boyfriends, and the list is very long.
But Kate managed to be a serene calm person, she was a perfect fiancee and a perfect smiling bride.
So YES the bar is set too loe. She can do much more than this

 

[BritishRoyals]

Once again, Catherine has been a royal for less than 6 months. She has done her first (very high profile) overseas tour and done her first solo engagement. Correct me if I'm wrong, but as a new royal spouse (comparatively speaking with others before her), that is A LOT. One simply cannot compare her current work to those who have been on the job for years or decades. Affiliations and projects, much like one's portfolio, take years to develop. Skills and knowledge, too.

I agree that Kate has conducted herself as William's girlfriend/fiancee/new wife extremely well. She has a "inner calm," as many have stated. But just because someone is capable of handling a windstorm does not mean she should be thrown one. My belief is that this gradual introduction (which isn't so gradual at all if you go by experience) is a conscious decision from William, Kate and the palace to not only ensure that she is ready, but that she builds a sure & solid foundation for her future charities, and that she does not overshadow the more senior royals (yes, I do think that's a very important issue for the RF). So far, it's working perfectly and Kate is doing extremely well. I have no doubt that HM and the Palace are happy with how things are going.

And please, let's not start a Kate vs. Mary debate. I thought the Kate vs. Chelsy & Kate vs. Diana ones were bad enough. Both Mary & Kate are highly respectable women in their own rights; both doing beautifully in their given situations. Neither deserves to be compared to the other.

 

[Lumutqueen]

And it was her FIRST solo event.

And? It was her first solo event stepping in for her father to shack some hands. I don't find that particularly good.

Lumutqueen, Catherine is ridiculously thin .. and Mary just thin .. How convenient because you so love Mary. They both have the same figure. So if one is ridiculously thin, the other is ridiculously thin too.

Mary does not have the same figure as Catherine, considering she gave birth to twins in January her figure is nothing like that of Catherine.

You make comparaison with a young Kate and Mary who is nearly 8 years in her job of Princess. How unfair.

Could you please point out where I have compared this two? I have only ever said that Catherine could learn from Mary which others have said as well.

In fact I realise something, the most unfair and hard comments comes from people who loves Princess Mary so much they absolutly cant accept to say something nice about Kate. They have to make a compare with Mary and always in favor of her.

Now aren't you the one who's making the comparisons between Catherine and Mary?
We all have our opinions on what Catherine and William are doing, no reason to criticise the ones you don't like.

 

[American Dane]

For those who are critisising Catherine: remember that when Mary comes to the stage she didnt begin with making speech to a large audience. She flies solo many many months after her marriage to Frederick and for her first solo engagements she did exactly what Kate did, smile, check hands; etc... Nothing more. And some of you were full of praise for the young princess. Nobody said at that time the bar was set so low for Princess Mary.

In fact I realise something, the most unfair and hard comments comes from people who loves Princess Mary so much they absolutly cant accept to say something nice about Kate. They have to make a compare with Mary and always in favor of her.

I adore Mary, but I adore Kate too. And it's not a problem for me to praise one and the other.

We're the same on this. I was incredibly impressed with Catherine writing a letter to the young boy she met at the Royal Marsden. That was praiseworthy. I adore Catherine and Mary just like you. It just seems condescending that a 29-year-old woman who is university educated that she is praised for simply talking to 30 people after doing the requisite research and such. I would feel patronised if people came up to me after having a few conversations and said "Oh you did so good!".

As a side note, just because you brought it up, Mary had her first similar solo event in which she just shook hands and chatted (in Danish) in the beginning of August 2004 -- just under 3 months from her wedding. She made her first speech in the beginning of October 2004 after being married in May. She also had the Greenland Tour from June to July 2004 and the Summer Tour of Denmark in July 2004.

Her father-in-law is the Prince of Wales and has been in the public eye for a long time, having had vast experience of these sorts of events. For a young woman who hasn't made a lot of public appearances, and those with her husband/fiance by her side, to fill in for the Prince of Wales at short notice and to carry it off well--I'd say that's quite an achievement.

I never said it wasn't a achievement, I was just in agreement with Lumutqueen that it wasn't something that should prompt so much praise as if she healed the blind. That was my problem: not Catherine's behaviour or the judgment of her filling in successfully, but the heaps of praise that just seem premature.

Like I said, I didn't mean any offence.

 

[Kataryn]

And? It was her first solo event stepping in for her father to shack some hands. I don't find that particularly good.

.

As you said; she stepped in when she was needed, she took the time to prepare for the event and for the guests whose opinion is important for the success of the charity and thus for the people who benefit from it. She even made an effort herself to help hands-on, when she called her mother, so she could actively show the guests that their common aim is something their hostess cares about.

Of course this is not like delivering a speech on an important topic but then we know she is already looking into several charitable projects to find the one topic she wants to make that obviously so much more important speech about. It's just a matter of time till she will start to become a public speaker for causes close to her heart.

But I applaud her for taking the time on such short notice to show important supporters of a charity of her father-in-law that their work means something to the Royal family. Because the inexperienced newest member takes over charmingly the hostess duties, which are much more than just to talk and smile. For it's the Royal host who leads the conversation and gives the appropriate cues in such a situation, which is very different from being just there as supporting cast or guest.

I applaud her. Prince William indeed chose well. (And I write that even though Mary and Marie are my favorite princesses of all - good to see that there is a new addition to the circle of princesses who represent their country in a charming and totally appropriate fashion.)

 

[Kataryn]

As a side note, just because you brought it up, Mary had her first similar solo event in which she just shook hands and chatted (in Danish) in the beginning of August 2004 -- just under 3 months from her wedding. She made her first speech in the beginning of October 2004 after being married in May. She also had the Greenland Tour from June to July 2004 and the Summer Tour of Denmark in July 2004.
.

But then Mary married a full-working Royal and the reigning queen's heir direct. While Catherine married the heir of the heir direct who works as an SAR-pilot. That's a different situation, IMHO. Mary married and immediately had to fill an empty space at court and in the social life of her new homecountry: the position of the Crown princess. This position is held in Britain by the Duchess of Cornwall, who had three Royal engagements that day. Catherine is not yet an active Royal lady and IMHO it is great that she stepped in without hesitation to fulfill a duty which is not yet hers to fulfill.

I personally believe it is fairer to compare her position to that of la belle Marie of Denmark - and it took Marie some time as well to adopt Royal duties. And look how good she has become as a represenative of Denmark.

 

[American Dane]

But then Mary married a full-working Royal and the reigning queen's heir direct. While Catherine married the heir of the heir direct who works as an SAR-pilot. That's a different situation, IMHO. Mary married and immediately had to fill an empty space at court and in the social life of her new homecountry: the position of the Crown princess. This position is held in Britain by the Duchess of Cornwall, who had three Royal engagements that day. Catherine is not yet an active Royal lady and IMHO it is great that she stepped in without hesitation to fulfill a duty which is not yet hers to fulfill.

I personally believe it is fairer to compare her position to that of la belle Marie of Denmark - and it took Marie some time as well to adopt Royal duties. And look how good she has become as a represenative of Denmark.

I only used Mary as an example because she was the royal other posters were comparing with...

 

[NGalitzine]

As I recall Dianas first solo appearance was turning on the Christmas lights in London. Both ladies were being eased into their positions. It has been said from the beginning that Cathernie would not just jump in and take on royal duties on her own and that it would all happen over time, while still allowing William and Catherine to adjust to married life in private in Wales. Honestly I don't know what people expect of a new royal bride. This wasn't even a planned engagement for her and somehow its not enough.

 

[Diarist]

Quite right about Diana' first solo engagement, NGalitzine. Diana also did materially 'better' on her first engagement : she recieved some very nice presents for her trouble -from memory, there was even a nice little surprise concealed in the bouquet with which she was presented. I am of course making a light-hearted reference; obviously Catherine could not have expected something in the circumtances!

Alex