Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Current Events Thread 2: December 2011-April 2012

[ghost_night554]

We don't have any concrete evidence that they are not going just some tweet!

Actually the news came via St James. The memorial service was announced this morning. Several Duke and Duchess of Cambridge fans wanted to know if they would be in attendance so the royal journalists spoke with St. James who confirmed they would not be attending. And for clarification it was not just one journalist who confirmed the Duke and Duchess would not be in attendance several did I just didn't bother posting them all.

Well she's been going hard for 6 weeks. I do know there will be no engagements for a good month as to allow focus to shift onto the Queen's Jubilee. I am sure come May/ June things will get hectic again and let's not forget we also have the lead up to the Olympics

 

[corazon]

why this days don't are like in the 80`???? I remenber when all the royal family go to easter. the queen is only with the wessex, yorks sometimes and anne.

 

[Lumutqueen]

why this days don't are like in the 80`???? I remenber when all the royal family go to easter. the queen is only with the wessex, yorks sometimes and anne.

Easter isn't that special. It's just a holiday.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Well she's been going hard for 6 weeks. I do know there will be no engagements for a good month as to allow focus to shift onto the Queen's Jubilee. I am sure come May/ June things will get hectic again and let's not forget we also have the lead up to the Olympics

While I agree that they will be out of the focus in order to shift priority to the Queen & her jubilee, I had to chuckle when I read Well she's been going hard for 6 weeks. Poor girl if this has stressed her out. I am so tired of people giving Kate some credit for being six weeks without her husband and doing a handful of events herself, partly babysitted by her in-laws.

Its always stressed that William is a full time air rescue pilot and that they lead an army life. "normal" army wives have their husbands away for much longer, have to raise kinds on their own, and a heavy workload every single day of the week.

Obviously its part of the plan that W&K dont do more at this stage therefore its pointless to critizise how little they do but at the same time I dont get the hype or praise for what Kate does - or is expected to do, its her job to get out and about as she defo is to be counted among the senior royals, along with Queen & Duke and C&C.

If she does well, I can only say, what else is she supposed to do with so much time on hand to learn & practise?

 

[MARG]

Easter isn't that special. It's just a holiday.

I beg to differ. To Her Majesty and millions of Christians around the world, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, Easter is the culmination of Lent, starting with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday's Crucifixion and then Easter. Historically, the celebration of Our Lord's Resurrection is a time of joy, hymns, celebration, and light.

Most churches repeat the proclamation taken from the gospels and standard from the early second century of the church:

He is Risen!​

He is Risen indeed!J​

. . . just a holiday? I think not!​

 

[Kataryn]

Easter isn't that special. It's just a holiday.

If you are a Christian, then Easter is at the absolute center of believe. Christmas is just about that the messiah was born - Easter is when he fulfilled his promise and died for us to take on our sins and to save us. After three days he was resurrected. So while on Christmas christians celebrate that with the birth of jesus hope was born, on Easter they celebrate the fulfilling of the promise: that death can be conquered and that the Lord is forgiving and willing to save those who believe in him.

I'm not saying that this makes Easter anymore important - and yes, I know it was just taken over from the pagan spring festivals in honour of the Nordic goddess Ostara. But still, if you are religious minded, then Easter is more important than Christmas. That's why a lot of people still are aware there is a Lenten Season for fasting before Easter but have mostly forgotten that the days of advent were fasting days, too.

 

[muriel]

Easter isn't that special. It's just a holiday.

I take it that was just designed to be provocative?

 

[muriel]

But it looks like they don't care too much.

To whom does it "looks like they don't care too much"?

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Re the Easter discussion: It should be important not only for the Head of Church of England but also for those who will follow her in that position.

 

[EIIR]

Of course Easter is important for Christians. What it is not, however, is a holiday whereby families get together in large numbers. Certainly not anymore. At Christmas families come together to celebrate and spend time with one another. The same cannot be said of Easter - at least not in modern Britain. My family come together at Christmas and we have a big dinner etc. At Easter this is just not the case.

 

[Kataryn]

Re the Easter discussion: It should be important not only for the Head of Church of England but also for those who will follow her in that position.

I'm sure Catherine and William will attend a church service, wherever they are.

But I understand your point. In our family, Easter has always been as important as Christmas. We all come together at my mother-in-law's house and have a wonderful day there before travelling on to visit my mother and my side of the family on monday. But of course, here in the South of Bavaria a lot of old religious traditions are still kept very much alive, such as decorating the Easter fountains where the whole village joins in, baking special bread for Easter sunday, to eat fish or vegetarian dishes on Good friday, when dancing and music is not allowed in public etc.

 

[CharlotteAmalia]

It probably depends on your religion and your tradition. We do not know if W. and C. are really relgious.

At least in my family easter is still a huge event.

It all starts with the thursday before easter, when we are not allowed to eat meat. We don't fast between carneval in Feb. and easter, but we kept the tradtional way of foods for easter and the few days before.
On friday everything in the house is quite. You are not allowed to do anything (like laundry, sweeping). It happened once that the neighbors yelled at me, when i teared weeds out.
We usually have an regional food for lunch ("maultasche" similar to ravioli Maultasche - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia which contains meat but it is okay somehow because the meat is concealed under the pasta dough and cannot be seen by God. I know it is pretty strange, but it's tradition).

Saturday is pretty normal, but on Sunday and Monday we usually have a hugh lunch with our relatives. The kids will do an egg hunt after breakfast. And the children get lots of presents (like a bike or rollerblades, and of course chocolate and easter eggs).

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I'm sure Catherine and William will attend a church service, wherever they are.

But I understand your point. In our family, Easter has always been as important as Christmas. We all come together at my mother-in-law's house and have a wonderful day there before travelling on to visit my mother and my side of the family on monday. But of course, here in the South of Bavaria a lot of old religious traditions are still kept very much alive, such as decorating the Easter fountains where the whole village joins in, baking special bread for Easter sunday, to eat fish or vegetarian dishes on Good friday, when dancing and music is not allowed in public etc.

Well, its all about the image. I guess the BRF attend lots of events that they - if they were Joe Bloggs - would never ever go to. Whether they value Easter in private or will visit a church in private is irrelevant.

What is important is what they do in the public eye, for everyone to see. The future Heads of the Church of England not attending for whatever private reasons is not acceptable to me. Its their function after all, those who represent insist that Britain is a Christian country and it goes without saying that those representants should visibly lead by example.

 

[EIIR]

Well, its all about the image. I guess the BRF attend lots of events that they - if they were Joe Bloggs - would never ever go to. Whether they value Easter in private or will visit a church in private is irrelevant.

What is important is what they do in the public eye, for everyone to see. The future Heads of the Church of England not attending for whatever private reasons is not acceptable to me. Its their function after all, those who represent insist that Britain is a Christian country and it goes without saying that those representants should visibly lead by example.

There's a big difference between not spending Easter at Windsor with the rest of the family, and not celebrating Easter at all. I'm sure Charles and William will attend Church somewhere at Easter, or perhaps celebrate it privately by visiting one of the RF's private chapels, which is their right. The fact that they don't choose to be in Windsor at Easter doesn't mean they don't care that it's Easter. There's no need to extrapolate that fact out to their somehow being unfit to be titular head of the Church of England. Are you a member of the CofE? You seem to be very agitated about this.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

There's no need to extrapolate that fact out to their somehow being unfit to be titular head of the Church of England. Are you a member of the CofE? You seem to be very agitated about this.

The church of England is not of my personal concern but I feel that represenatives of such an institution (or any other, for that matter) should lead by example. As I said before, personal preferences of those representatives are irrelevant when it comes to represent the core values of what the institution stands
for. Easter is a big deal here, indeed.

Feel free to disagree.

 

[EIIR]

Charles and William are not representatives of the Church of England, they might be one day if the church is not either disestablished or broken apart by its ongoing disagreements on female bishops and homosexuality. We see them going to church services often enough for people to realise that they're part of the CofE communion. Given that the vast majority of people in the UK don't attend church of any hue, they're actually rather exceptional in going to church as often as they do.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

This seems to have turned into a vent regarding the validity of the Church of England. For those who are not religious, so be it. No need to grind on and on. For those of us who are religious, same thing. I find it amusing that non-religious people celebrate Christmas with such gusto. Easter is the most important observance in Christendom.

I'm finished with this "discussion."

 

[Dierna23]

The church of England is not of my personal concern but I feel that represenatives of such an institution (or any other, for that matter) should lead by example. As I said before, personal preferences of those representatives are irrelevant when it comes to represent the core values of what the institution stands
for. Easter is a big deal here, indeed.

Feel free to disagree.

I agree. Completely.

And if it is true that they will be just on holidays and that's the reason why they will not attend the memorial service for the Queen Mother (Will was her favorite great-grandchild after all) and Princess Margaret, then I find that a pretty sad thing to be honest...

 

[EIIR]

This seems to have turned into a vent regarding the validity of the Church of England. For those who are not religious, so be it. No need to grind on and on. For those of us who are religious, same thing. I find it amusing that non-religious people celebrate Christmas with such gusto. Easter is the most important observance in Christendom.

I'm finished with this "discussion."

Where were we discussing the validity of the CofE? We were discussing the relationship of certain members of the BRF with the CofE, which is entirely appropriate in the British forums.

Although given that you've announced that you're "finished" with the discussion, there's probably no point in my asking.

 

[ghost_night554]

Diamond Jubilee: Kate Middleton and Prince William to join Queen on carriage ride | Mail Online

 

[CrownPrincess5]

While I agree that they will be out of the focus in order to shift priority to the Queen & her jubilee, I had to chuckle when I read Well she's been going hard for 6 weeks. Poor girl if this has stressed her out. I am so tired of people giving Kate some credit for being six weeks without her husband and doing a handful of events herself, partly babysitted by her in-laws.

Its always stressed that William is a full time air rescue pilot and that they lead an army life. "normal" army wives have their husbands away for much longer, have to raise kinds on their own, and a heavy workload every single day of the week.

Obviously its part of the plan that W&K dont do more at this stage therefore its pointless to critizise how little they do but at the same time I dont get the hype or praise for what Kate does - or is expected to do, its her job to get out and about as she defo is to be counted among the senior royals, along with Queen & Duke and C&C.

If she does well, I can only say, what else is she supposed to do with so much time on hand to learn & practise?

Well said!

I'm personally tired of people treating Kate like shes some fragile glass. Greeting people and shaking hands is not what I consider "going hard". Who knows, Perhaps she'll take this time off to work on her public speaking skills...she desperately needs to.

I beg to differ. To Her Majesty and millions of Christians around the world, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, Easter is the culmination of Lent, starting with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday's Crucifixion and then Easter. Historically, the celebration of Our Lord's Resurrection is a time of joy, hymns, celebration, and light.

Most churches repeat the proclamation taken from the gospels and standard from the early second century of the church:

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!J

. . . just a holiday? I think not!

My words exactly.
I'm a Christian and besides Christmas, Easter is extremely important. It's definitely not just a holiday!

Of course Easter is important for Christians. What it is not, however, is a holiday whereby families get together in large numbers. Certainly not anymore. At Christmas families come together to celebrate and spend time with one another. The same cannot be said of Easter - at least not in modern Britain. My family come together at Christmas and we have a big dinner etc. At Easter this is just not the case.

That's because Easter does not involve the giving of gifts like Christmas. If gifts were given out during Easter many a family would gather together IMO.

 

[LadyGabrielle]

Thank you ghost night for the article. Will be nice to see William and Catherine in the carriage with the Queen and Duke. As for the Easter discussion, I think it might be getting a little heated. Lets all breathe.

 

[Patra]

I love that Kate and William will be riding in the open carriage with the Queen and Duke, reminds me of their blissful wedding day last year!

 

[Dierna23]

Isn't it likely that all royals, also the minors, will ride in carriages for the celebrations?
Right now I don't remember how it was back in 2002...

 

[MichelleQ2]

why this days don't are like in the 80`???? I remenber when all the royal family go to easter. the queen is only with the wessex, yorks sometimes and anne.

Maybe I have missed something but I didnt take this as they weren't celebrating/honoring Easter - only that they would not be attending Easter services with HM at Sandringham. William has had a lot of special requests on his time in service and will continue with the Olympics and the Jubilee celebrations. I took this announcement that the Cambridges would be in Angelesy. Maybe Kate's parents will visit them, maybe they will go to local or base church services. But William working a holiday and allowing another man in his squad to have the time off with their family is a good thing and not disrespectful of the holiday.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

Willls didn't work last Christmas. Has it been announced he will be working Easter and/or Christmas?

 

[royalistbert]

Reading through this thread its like they have committed a crime!

 

[LadyGabrielle]

Its o.k. royalistbert. At least we are able to say what is on our minds as long as it doesn't get to be abusive. I love seeing the differences we all have.

 

[NGalitzine]

If it was as important for the Queen to have everybody present, as it seems to be for some posters, I am sure the word would have gone out that attendance was not optional. Obviously that was not the case and if she is fine with it I don't really see what the issue is. They will all spend Easter as they wish with their families and/or friends, which may well include church services for Easter and private remembrances for The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. I doubt if any of The Queens children have forgotten their grandmother and aunt.

 

[duchessrachel]

So ya along with William and Kate neither Charles, Camilla nor Harry will be with the Queen this year for Easter

IT would please me to find out that William and Kate were spending Easter with Kate's family.