Prince William and Kate Middleton Current Events 2: December 2007-January 2008

[Duke of Marmalade]

Thanks for the pics! Finally we see more of them. First two things that came to my mind:


1. William becomes a lookalike of his uncle Edward
2. I wish Kate would finally get rid of this ugly fur cap - horrible

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

^ Agree about the fur hat. It's hideous looking. But I guess she wears it because it is warm. It looks warm. But ugh........ It is so ugly it doesn't go with anything. It ruins every outfit!

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

^ Agree about the fur hat. It's hideous looking. But I guess she wears it because it is warm. It looks warm. But ugh........ It is so ugly it doesn't go with anything. It ruins every outfit!

There must be something else that keeps equally warm. I'd expect some doddery old ladies wearing such fur hats but not a young woman of Kate's age. It looks incredibly frumpy on her.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

The Daily Express only quotes the Sun, so it's still just one story and no proof at all. Maybe we should reread the thread (threat?) of last
year pre-christmas, where exactly the same stories were published as a lead-up to Valentine's day. And we all know how this ended...

But - I once read an article about St. James' palace on whose premises Clarence House stands. It claimed there are tunnels connecting BP, CH and St. James' palace along the Mall with Whitehall and the atomic shelters there in case of a threat to Britain and that St. James' not only had amounts of official exits, but that it is connected since ancient times with other buildings in the quarter, so that the Royals and their court could enter and leave the palace premises without being seen by the public. I wonder if this is true or just an urban myth? Who owns the houses in the St. James' area? The duchy of Lancaster or the duke of Westminster?

Hi, Jo! I've heard that claim too about the underground tunnels. I don't know how much of SW1 is owned by the duke of Westminster, but I think he owns the Belgravia area which is part of SW1, right? I would think that the properties of BP, St James Palace and adjoining houses (CH & YH), KP all belong to the duchy of Lancaster, or Crown Estate, but I don't know it.

Well, the Sun story about the claim of PW and KM (loving my acronyms today) was written by Duncan Larcombe. Duncan is a rather aggressive youngish (maybe 30ish) reporter who practically stalks PW. He is the one who cornered PW in Switzerland at the Attica Club, and PW finally agreed to have a drink with him (probably because he was exasperated and thought, what the heck). Duncan also broke the "break up" story. He stalks Princess Beatrice too. I looked him up on facebook and Duncan has for his friend, guess who, none other than sleezy Paolo Luizzo(sp?) that guy who was convicted of manslaughter whom Bea had the hots for.

 

[TonyaR]

It sounds as if this Duncan Larcombe is a rather aggressive stalker type, I wonder if that means he is more likely to get the real story. If so, then there is a chance the article is correct about Catherine staying at Clarence House frequently. Has he been correct in the past?

 

[Odrade]

I hope those of you who are ripping on Kate for helping Wills hunt are vegan, because otherwise you're being utter hypocrites.

Maybe she enjoys the hunt and being outdoors, you wouldn't know unless you were actually her friend and really know her for sure.

SO CATTY.

 

[karla64]

Kate secretly moving into Clarence House?

ABC News: Is Prince William Castled Up With Kate?

 

[zembla]

I actually like the Russian hat she has on...I love those but I like the white one Kate Moss wore on the cover of Vanity Fair more...

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

I think the hat looks ok when she is kind of done up, in browns. It is a dressy item, much better with the dressy-casual look than the dressing-down look. Like here (from Hello!). I still wouldn't wear it though, because it's just not my personal style.

 

[avrilo]

Kate secretly moving into Clarence House?

ABC News: Is Prince William Castled Up With Kate?

Just two words: COME ON!

 

[PrincessofEurope]

what puzzles me is why Kate wants to wear her fur hat which she wore at the races out on a shoot it seems strange but clearly she has the money to wear an expensive hat outdoors collecting dead birds whilst i have not and would only save it for special occassions


we may live in a modern world but for royals to move into together before they are married or even engaged is nonsense and you all know it is the papers looking for some big storyline to sell more copies
pigs might fly before the queen or the monarchy would allow it to happen

 

[ghost_night554]

new pics...

Looking at these pics makes me want to ask, and I know this is the wrong place to do it but does anyone have the pictures from when they were hunting at Sandringham in 2004?

 

[TonyaR]

what puzzles me is why Kate wants to wear her fur hat which she wore at the races out on a shoot it seems strange but clearly she has the money to wear an expensive hat outdoors collecting dead birds whilst i have not and would only save it for special occassions


we may live in a modern world but for royals to move into together before they are married or even engaged is nonsense and you all know it is the papers looking for some big storyline to sell more copies
pigs might fly before the queen or the monarchy would allow it to happen

This has all been done before. Prince Edward and Sophie lived together, and Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly have been living together for years, and they've only announced their engagement 2 months ago! Zara and Her boyfriend Mike Tindall also currently live together, and they've done so for more than 2 years. I do believe this is the current trend among the younger royals.

Many people were scandalized 12 years ago when Sophie moved into the palace with Edward, but it didn't deter them from their course of action. At this point there is a precedent for royals living with their significant others, so I doubt if Prince William will run into difficulty with the seniors.

I'm not quite convinced that Catherine has actually moved into Clarence House, though. Perhaps she's visiting there on an extended visit, so to speak, until it gets closer to Christmas day? I heard on the news that there are hurricanes brewing in the islands, so I don't know if the Middleton family is planning on having their Christmas celebration in a tropical locale, but I think that for the present William and Catherine just want to spend some time together during the Christmas holiday season since they won't be together on the day.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Well, there are two distinctions, I think, with regards to the cohabitation issue.

1) There is the matter of the couple living together in a private situation. They lived together during their university years in a flat in St. Andrews, and then shared a cottage on a country estate outside of town. Recently apparently they have shared an apartment in London (those luxury complex flats supposedly, or Kate's own flat). This would be the kind of private arrangement Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly had in the country on his mother's estate.

2) There is the matter of cohabitation in Buckingham Palace, in Clarence House, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, or some place like these. The people who live in these places work for the monarchy. It might be a problem if Kate was seen to be living in such a place, but she is not working for the monarchy.

 

[zembla]

I think it's normal for them to be living together...it's just that he doesn't really live in a normal situation.

 

[ladyinwaiting]

Are you telling me that the British citizens are paying for the place where Kate, a non-royal, is living and eating. Are the British citizens footing this bill. Wow...I hope not. I hope it's coming from the money PW received from Princess Diana's estate.

 

[zembla]

Are you telling me that the British citizens are paying for the place where Kate, a non-royal, is living and eating. Are the British citizens footing this bill. Wow...I hope not. I hope it's coming from the money PW received from Princess Diana's estate.

Don't they have to pay for everything the royals have like security and whatnot...cause they don't pay taxes, right?

 

[PR Princess]

Don't they have to pay for everything the royals have like security and whatnot...cause they don't pay taxes, right?

But Kate is not a royal!

 

[blondie28]

Don't they have to pay for everything the royals have like security and whatnot...cause they don't pay taxes, right?

Remember in 1992 the Queen's "Annus horriblis" the royals had to start paying taxes like normal citizens. We have no proofe that Kate has moved into Clarence House, they have not spoken her friends have, which they always do. We would not know anything without them!

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

I'm sure Duncan's spys have watched Kate going in and out of Clarence House enough times that Duncan has now decided Kate is a de facto resident of the place. But as long as she is taking sleepover bags there, she is still technically a guest.
But I'm sure this is what The Sun wants, to spark a protest about Kate staying in a royal residence but not being a working member of "the Firm" or even a kind of official guest. Such a protest would ensure many headlines.

 

[Roslyn]

But I'm sure this is what The Sun wants, to spark a protest about Kate staying in a royal residence but not being a working member of "the Firm" or even a kind of official guest. Such a protest would ensure many headlines.

I don't recall many headlines about Sophie living with Edward at Buckingham Palace for some considerable time before they were married, but then I don't recall any protest, either. They were much older, though.

 

[cde]

If Kate did move in, Prince William is just doing what his father did with Camilla. Prince Charles until he married Camilla paid her expenses privately when she stayed at CH. Overall IIRC the British citizens didn't pay for Camilla's expenses until she married. The only exception I believe was some use of PC's secretaries due to fan mail at one point.

The situation with Kate is different but the principle is the same. CH went through the whole thing with Camilla so they would know how to organize it that Kate is not a burden to the taxpayer.

Kate was given a pass back in August. Her moving in with wouldn't surprise me at all if this is true.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Well, there are two distinctions, I think, with regards to the cohabitation issue.

1) There is the matter of the couple living together in a private situation. They lived together during their university years in a flat in St. Andrews, and then shared a cottage on a country estate outside of town. Recently apparently they have shared an apartment in London (those luxury complex flats supposedly, or Kate's own flat). This would be the kind of private arrangement Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly had in the country on his mother's estate.

2) There is the matter of cohabitation in Buckingham Palace, in Clarence House, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, or some place like these. The people who live in these places work for the monarchy. It might be a problem if Kate was seen to be living in such a place, but she is not working for the monarchy.

Good points CT!
I wonder if this is just a smart move by the press, something like let's claim she moved in and we'll get either a confirmation or a dementi!

 

[Jo of Palatine]

But Kate is not a royal!

We had exactly that discussion last year when the same reports hit the newsstands. I think we agreed that there is a difference to have your own apartment at CH or to share the bedroom of your SO as a guest of him and his family.

I doubt Catherine will ever have her own bedroom in CH before she is safely married to William and even then I hope she won't need iot for a long time to come. I doubt Camilla has her own bedroom or if she has, actually uses it. I highly doubt Catherine will have her own maid or another servant for her personal use till she is a member of the family. At the moment, she is "just" a guest when she is staying in one of the Royal residences. And who are we to tell people living in those places whom to invite and for how long?

Prince Charles was very careful when he was not yet married to Camilla about how to share his living quarters with her at CH. I recall only one cook making claims that Camilla lived there as if it was her own home back then and these claims could be disproved as at the mentioned time there was proof that Camilla wasn't even in London (I refer to the days when the late Diana lay in state at St. James's Palace - during these days Camilla stayed at her own home in the country). So why should these two who have always behaved with decorum allow William to overstep the line with Catherine - especially as this could mean that they end up in the same ugly scrape they were in last year, or even end up in an engagement neither seems to want at the moment.

Please, just try to think for a moment as if you were Charles - that should end the discussion pretty fast.

 

[Warren]

But - I once read an article about St. James' palace on whose premises Clarence House stands. It claimed there are tunnels connecting BP, CH and St. James' palace along the Mall with Whitehall and the atomic shelters there...

My understanding is that the tunnels are also connected to military barracks. It was one of those things I read in a book but could never locate again that some time in the 70s during a high-alert security scare troops were rushed through the tunnel to Buckingham Palace to ensure the secuity of HM.

 

[georgiea]

If it is true that Miss Middleton has moved to CH we hardly hear anything in the press about it, because I believe all the press is focus on the inquest. I say good move on their part. I always thought Prince William tries to keep his personal relationships out of the press spotlight.

 

[zembla]

Remember in 1992 the Queen's "Annus horriblis" the royals had to start paying taxes like normal citizens. We have no proofe that Kate has moved into Clarence House, they have not spoken her friends have, which they always do. We would not know anything without them!

Really? I wasn't aware...I'm kind of surprised.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Kate was given a pass back in August. Her moving in with wouldn't surprise me at all if this is true.

Yeah, but I think that is only a security pass so she can get through the gates. It probably has a barcode with her information on it, and she swipes it at the gate, all her info. pops up on a security personnel's screen and he/she does the normal checks and verifications, and in she goes.

I bet they have different levels for the passes: Priority 1 for the 'SO''s, for the BBF's, and so on down according to need.

Or maybe CH has a retna scan system!

Well, there are more pictures of the Windsor shooting party on ABACA Press. In the first image, notice the black Labrador in the background. Maybe this dog is one of Widgeon's eight children.

Tuesday, 18 December 2007: Prince William, Kate Middleton and friends on a 'pre-Christmas shoot' in Windsor Great Park
ABACA Press (12 Images)

 

[Sybilla]

Now Hola is also reporting that William and Kate are living together in CH. However, this information is based on The Sun (which isn't very reliable...but it still could be true).

EL PRÍNCIPE GUILLERMO Y KATE YA VIVEN EN CLARENCE HOUSE AUNQUE NO PASARÁN LAS NAVIDADES JUNTOS

 

[royalone3]

I don't think they should live together,William is the future head of the Church of England,and it doesn't send a good moral message.