General News for the Duke of Cambridge 1: April 2012-March 2017

[MARG]

I don't quite understand why this year's Commonwealth Day Service received the coverage it did unless it was because the supposed "slimmed down" BRF was on display and the absence of the Cambridge's was glaring.

William is still working for EAAA isn't he? (I'm not sure) And every logical poster seems to agree that a weekend ski trip is not a "Holiday" per se, just another weekend. I don't know about a lot of you but it seems to me that Catherine spends a lot of time apart from William due to work requirements both royal and not.

Somehow I don't see her sitting at home alone with her children doing needlepoint but rather sharing her time with her family and close friends both at her home or theirs, boning up on any engagements she has coming up and definitely not about to go into a decline over a photo of her husband with another woman in a group of people. It makes her seem weak and needy, neither of which traits she has displayed, to my knowledge. In fact, it's downright insulting to her.

 

[miss whirley]

But it's all about the public perception where royals are concerned, isn't it Dman? I mean, we can argue all we like here on TRF, but we are not average readers/commenters of the Daily Fail and other tabloid newspapers, are we?

We don't regard the younger royals as lazy spongers. Unfortunately many do, and many millions of people in the UK read these tabloids and make up their minds about the people featured in them on the basis of headlines and a skimming over of the stories concerned. Unfortunately this one is a PR mess..

But it was going to be a 'pr mess' irregardless of his actions. Just a day prior the tabloids were raking him over the coals for the KP basement expansion that had nothing to do with him. These same lazy readers that you mention who just skim headlines believed that story.

This is about William being in the tabloid crosshairs. Whatever he says or does, it really doesn't matter when the narrative is independent of the facts.

 

[Curryong]

As I said in my previous (long) post though, shortly before the reply to Dman, William has unfortunately given people who don't like the BRF or have twisted perceptions of them, ammo to use because of this weekend, especially regarding the lunch.

As I said earlier in this thread, in a post replying to Rudolph, the narrative followed by the tabloids about this skiing weekend would have been completely different had Kate been there, for instance. It's the combination of 'good ole boys' weekend away without wife and kiddies, blondes at lunch and boozy dancing at a club, (primarily the former two) that have made this a mess PR wise, IMO.

 

[hel]

But it was going to be a 'pr mess' irregardless of his actions. Just a day prior the tabloids were raking him over he coals for the KP basement expansion that had nothing to do with him. These same lazy readers that you mention who just skim headlines believed that story.

This is about William being in the tabloid crosshairs. Whatever he says or does, it really doesn't matter when the narrative is independent of the facts.

Yes

And if that's the case, the incentive to keep his nose spotlessly clean kind of dries up, you know? Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.

 

[Dman]

What you say is true, but it's all about the public perception where royals are concerned, isn't it Dman? I mean, we can argue all we like here on TRF, but we are not average readers/commenters of the Daily Fail and other tabloid newspapers, are we?

We don't regard the younger royals as lazy spongers, 'not earning their keep' and 'constantly' spending time gulping down uber-expensive meals and drinks and going to restaurants and clubs and resorts most working people in Britain couldn't afford in their everyday lives, ever.

Unfortunately lots of people in the UK and elsewhere do tend towards those beliefs. Many, many millions of people in the UK read these tabloids online and make up their minds about the celebrities and royals featured in them on the basis of headlines and a skimming over of the stories concerned. Unfortunately this one is a PR mess.

I just feel bad for the Cambridge's. It couldn't have been easy for them to see those headlines in the morning papers. Especially with the young lady's sexy pictures splashed across the front pages. It's was a simple planned guy trip and it was turned into a story about a future King ignoring Commonwealth Day to ski and party with a sexy blonde. It's pretty much giving the impression that William can't be trusted as a married man and don't take his role serious. Why do that to William? That wasn't right at all!!!

 

[royal rob]

I don't quite understand why this year's Commonwealth Day Service received the coverage it did unless it was because the supposed "slimmed down" BRF was on display and the absence of the Cambridge's was glaring.



William is still working for EAAA isn't he? (I'm not sure) And every logical poster seems to agree that a weekend ski trip is not a "Holiday" per se, just another weekend. I don't know about a lot of you but it seems to me that Catherine spends a lot of time apart from William due to work requirements both royal and not.



Somehow I don't see her sitting at home alone with her children doing needlepoint but rather sharing her time with her family and close friends both at her home or theirs, boning up on any engagements she has coming up and definitely not about to go into a decline over a photo of her husband with another woman in a group of people. It makes her seem weak and needy, neither of which traits she has displayed, to my knowledge. In fact, it's downright insulting to her.

Was it special because of the torch for commonwealth games started the journey? Just a thought.
My thoughts are it could have been anything but all the family was there including two royals in their '90s while the future King is on a party weekend with his mates drinking heavily in the company of young women.
And those so called friends should have put Williams welfare first.

 

[MichelleQ2]

This was bad optics on the part of William ... and the press is just fanning the flames to get a story. It does make me wonder how much of this bad slant and spin (I.e. The blonde etc) is partially due to the press being mad at the privacy laws card being played by the palace re: the Harry & Meghan Jamaica photos. The British press is not happy and they are going to get their clicks one way or the other.

 

[royal rob]

This was bad optics on the part of William ... and the press is just fanning the flames to get a story. It does make me wonder how much of this bad slant and spin (I.e. The blonde etc) is partially due to the press being mad at the privacy laws card being played by the palace re: the Harry & Meghan Jamaica photos. The British press is not happy and they are going to get their clicks one way or the other.

I don't think H and M photos have anything to do with this. It is a big story with pictures etc.

 

[Osipi]

Many, many times things that happen are like a balloon. Full of hot air and much ado about nothing. Things get overblown and out of proportion in order to present to a reading public the image that they want to present. This is what happened recently with William's weekend getaway and how the public is reacting to it.

Those in the know and to whom it really mattered, knew in advance exactly what was going on and what William had planned. No big deal there. There was no wailing Kate at the door with tears in her eyes as she clutched onto two small children as her husband gaily traipsed off into the sunset with skis over his shoulders. Someone recently in a post remarked "drinking heavily" which in and of itself is a fabrication as no one knows exactly what he partook of at the time. Its been ages and ages since stories of William falling out of clubs were part and parcel of the "news" that shocked the world and raised the stocks of companies selling smelling salts.

William, the man, is not a puppet that needs his strings pulled to and fro in order to be the future King of the UK especially having said strings pulled by public opinion from what the media presents or an aghast PR team that has the priority of maintaining a spotless PR image given to the public.

William is human and like for all humans, life is there to be enjoyed. He may live in a glass fishbowl but from what I've heard, one doesn't train fish to perform in any kind of a certain manner. The man had a breather to just enjoy himself which actually was the purpose of the trip. The repercussions to me will seem appropriate when I read the scientific proof that fish can be trained to perform tricks in their fishbowls.

 

[TLLK]

[QUOTEWilliam is still working for EAAA isn't he? (I'm not sure)][/QUOTE]

Yes he is and his contract will end this summer per the KP announcement at the beginning of 2017.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Right. That's what upsets me about the tabloid coverage more than anything. They're suggesting that William practically sneaked off to enjoy a wild lads' weekend leaving poor Kate home to manage the farm and the family. They keep repeating the phrase "left his wife and children." It was a weekend get-away for goodness' sakes!!!!!

Somehow I don't see her sitting at home alone with her children doing needlepoint but rather sharing her time with her family and close friends both at her home or theirs, boning up on any engagements she has coming up and definitely not about to go into a decline over a photo of her husband with another woman in a group of people. It makes her seem weak and needy, neither of which traits she has displayed, to my knowledge. In fact, it's downright insulting to her.

 

[Dman]

What I find troubling is that the media has made it seem like William have no respect for his current and future role within the Commonwealth, because he was seen enjoying a friends weekend ski trip. We all (here) know that's not true and members of the media knows it's not true.

I think the media and some folks on the net have a major problem with the Cambridge's. It's pretty much a love/hate relationship the media have with them, more than they have with the other members of the royal family. There's some testy relations with the York's, but the media really want another saga from the Cambridge's for some reason. It's like some of them didn't get enough of the royal sagas of the past.

 

[Pranter]

Money money money.....that's the root of the media's behavior, although there are probably some individuals who just have personal dislike of the BRF or some of it's members.


LaRae

 

[Skippyboo]

General News and Information for the Duke of Cambridge

The head of the Commonwealth isn't tied to the British Monarch. They are two separate positions. William is only the future head of state of the various realms. Some of which may not be realms by the time William is King.

The BBC just started to televise the service last year.

If the Queen was super concerned about William and the Commonwealth. The Cambridges would have be sent to CHOMG. Charles has not been attending CHOMG from the start of his royal career. He has only gone to the last 2.

 

[Rudolph]

No guarantee Charles will be head of the Commonwealth, let alone William.

 

[Dman]

No guarantee Charles will be head of the Commonwealth, let alone William.

Yeah, but it's a pretty good guess that they will be.

After trying to allege William was getting busy with a blonde, they tried to make it seem like he's lazy and showed a lack of respect for Commonwealth Day by missing the service to go party on the slopes. Wild accusations on steroids!!!

 

[TLLK]

I just feel bad for the Cambridge's. It couldn't have been easy for them to see those headlines in the morning papers. Especially with the young lady's sexy pictures splashed across the front pages. It's was a simple planned guy trip and it was turned into a story about a future King ignoring Commonwealth Day to ski and party with a sexy blonde. It's pretty much giving the impression that William can't be trusted as a married man and don't take his role serious. Why do that to William? That wasn't right at all!!!

Because it generates sales. It doesn't matter to the press if it implies that the women were behaving poorly either.

 

[polyesco]

More dancing William videos, in case people want to learn a step or two
Will's got the love! Prince William dances the night away | Daily Mail Online
Prince William dances in Swiss nightclub in second video | Daily Mail Online

 

[Skippyboo]

It has nothing to do with Commonwealth Day. Even if he would of went, the press would have made a big deal that he went skiing. If Kate and the kids went too, it would still be spun negatively. The Cambridges only worked 15 days this and look they went skiing. Joe Public has to work 5 days a week and can't afford to go skiing. Get angry Joe Public

 

[sophie25]

No doubt the press will want to find out who the girl he has his hands on in this new video is.

 

[AdmirerUS]

More dancing William videos, in case people want to learn a step or two
Will's got the love! Prince William dances the night away | Daily Mail Online
Prince William dances in Swiss nightclub in second video | Daily Mail Online

That's nothing to do with love. That's letting loose!

 

[Dman]

I do think the media is taking this stuff too far. Now, I'm wondering what other videos and pics they have out there? Everyone's eyes will be on the Cambs a little extra hard now on this official trip to Paris.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

No doubt the press will want to find out who the girl he has his hands on in this new video is.

especially as it looks as he is going for a kiss
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/03/15/20/3E4EE25600000578-4317340-image-m-91_1489609495167.jpg

too much alcohol, me thinks.

 

[Lady Nimue]

especially as it looks as he is going for a kiss
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/03/15/20/3E4EE25600000578-4317340-image-m-91_1489609495167.jpg

too much alcohol, me thinks.

Yes, the videos do not show him in an attractive light, and one feels this is a breach of trust. If you watch the video the woman actually takes hold of his arm and moves his hand away from her waist/hip and she herself moves away. Oh dear, why did someone do this? Very curious as to motive. We'll never know but the breach is interesting in itself.

 

[royal rob]

I see it's still the fault of the DM etc !! Never Williams
What if that was Kate it wouldn't be so innocent then?
He is very stupid to put himself in that position and his friends and minders should have stopped it before it got to this.
The sooner he buckles down and is a full time royal the better. I feel sorry for Kate not nice to see your drunk husband in a video like this.

 

[MaiaMia_53]

I don't know enough about it all to judge William too harshly. It seems from the no comment comment by Palace officials that the Cambridges had no plans to attend the Commonwealth function this year. They both have attended the past two years. Obviously, the ski trip would have been planned in advance on William's private schedule.

While it may be true that some of Wills' closest mates from his school days may not be the best of dignified influences, he likely relies on them for aiding him in having fun during his private vacation off-hours, and to loosen up from the public pressures of his Royal position, and perhaps also to relieve some of the stresses of his part-time role as a rescue pilot.

I don't think the amount of official duties William has participated in vs his grandparents is worthy of criticism. He has a young family he is raising and he works part-time as a helicopter pilot. Plus, there are other members of the Royal family who assist the Queen in royal duties, besides William.

The pressures and burdens of being third and eventually second in line to the British throne will soon enough bear even heavier on William's shoulders. Why begrudge him the chance to let down his thinning hair a little and hang out with his friends on a ski trip? Whoever took the videos invaded William's privacy/ rare opportunity to get away from it all and act a bit silly with his closest friends.

 

[Dman]

especially as it looks as he is going for a kiss
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/03/15/20/3E4EE25600000578-4317340-image-m-91_1489609495167.jpg

too much alcohol, me thinks.

No, he was listening to what she had to say. The music was too load. The pics don't look good though.

I see it's still the fault of the DM etc !! Never Williams
What if that was Kate it wouldn't be so innocent then?
He is very stupid to put himself in that position and his friends and minders should have stopped it before it got to this.
The sooner he buckles down and is a full time royal the better. I feel sorry for Kate not nice to see your drunk husband in a video like this.

I'm trying not to fault William, because I think the media as blown this up way too much for the papers. Although, William's friends really aren't the best people who cares about his image and well being that much. Theyre old friends, but they can be enablers.

I feel bad for William, but also Catherine too.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

He's an adult, husband and father of 2, responsible for himself. If he brings himself in this position, why feel bad for him? He knows the rules for him as a public person/future king and that everyone has a smartphone nowadays.

The only conclusion for me is that he couldn't care less what other people think, including his wife/family.

I personally couldn't care less if my husband did a men's weekend like this because I trust him and it might be the same for Kate, but there is a difference if such behaviour and pictures are being shared with the rest of the planet, and who would know this better than William.

It's not always the press' fault.

 

[Dman]

I still think the media has blown this up too much, but the pics don't look good, even though we know nothing bad was happening. I think William should've been more careful though.

I wonder if he'll release some kind of statement clearing this up? Or will the Cambs and palace officials just allow it to blow over? The media not letting it go though.

 

[MARG]

That's nothing to do with love. That's letting loose!

especially as it looks as he is going for a kiss
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/03/15/20/3E4EE25600000578-4317340-image-m-91_1489609495167.jpg

too much alcohol, me thinks.

No, the DM aren't implying love but rather lust and pointing minds to the lowest common denominator. Other media outlets are also having a field day as a perceived arrogant and entitled Prince gets his!

To be honest, I think this is the inevitable result of the separation of the BP and KP offices and the inevitable lousy PR that results from William's arrogant refusal to take advice, even from BP. BP has been running interference for decades, from a young Princess Margaret to HM's children when young they have tried to see the potential pitfalls around them as best they could. William and Harry decided they knew better, so a "perpetually drunk" Harry has a very public drunken, naked, Las Vegas pool fest, mitigated by his imminent military deployment and William, "the arrogant and entitled heir" has a drunken, make a fool of yourself trying to dance and grope women you don't know, while humiliating your wife and embarrassing your family, weekend.

I don't think it is too soon to say that there will be consequences and there will be changes. But as for William? I don't feel that sorry for him in this PR disaster, after all he was with a very young Harry when they both chose their costumes for the infamous party where Harry wore a swastika. I was always waiting for big brother to say "mea culpa, I was there when he chose it and didn't see the problem for what it was either". His hands stayed clean and Harry has lived with that fallout ever since.