The Duchess of Cambridge Current Events 2: February 2012-January 2013


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XeniaCasaraghi said:
On another board, people were discussing some Unicef interview she gave and some people said she did bad. Does anyone know what interview she gave and if you have seen it what was your opinion of how she speaks?
The only time I have heard her talk was during the engagement interview, and a very small clip from a few years before. The only thing I can recall that she might need to work on is talking with her hands.
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She didn't do badly. She has a nice speaking voice. She was obviously a little nervous, but I think she did just fine.
 
Clarence House just announced a joint engagement on the 15th for the Duchess with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall! He's introducing her to his children and arts charity, and they'll both be meeting some of the children taking part in one of the projects.

She's been so busy lately! It's fantastic getting so many appearances, especially all of these with senior members of the royal family. She's done a very good job handling this time away from William.
 
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Wait the duchess of Cornwall is his wife. Did you mean duchess of Cambridge?
 
:previous:I believe she is referring to the fact that the Duchess (Catherine) will make an appearance with the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall.
 
Zonk said:
:previous:I believe she is referring to the fact that the Duchess (Catherine) will make an appearance with the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall.
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Exactly! Sorry, I thought it would be obvious since its in this thread but I should have been more specific!
 
HRHHermione said:
Clarence House just announced a joint engagement on the 15th for the Duchess with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall! He's introducing her to his children and arts charity, and they'll both be meeting some of the children taking part in one of the projects.

She's been so busy lately! It's fantastic getting so many appearances, especially all of these with senior members of the royal family. She's done a very good job handling this time away from William.
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This one should be very exciting to watch. Catherine loves children and art, so I bet she'll be in her element there.
 
Daria_S said:
This one should be very exciting to watch. Catherine loves children and art, so I bet she'll be in her element there.
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Agreed. Plus, she seems to have such a nice relationship with the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall. I think it will be so fantastic to see them all working together on something that Kate really loves.

The Royal Family seems much closer these days. It's very nice.
 
HRHHermione said:
Agreed. Plus, she seems to have such a nice relationship with the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall. I think it will be so fantastic to see them all working together on something that Kate really loves.

The Royal Family seems much closer these days. It's very nice.
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Oh, I love seeing the family working together. I think everyone is a lot happier now, and it shows.
 
Daria_S said:
Oh, I love seeing the family working together. I think everyone is a lot happier now, and it shows.
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I agree - its far more pleasant for everyone even if there are ripples - they are maintaining a good front - which is all one asks for, after all.

I still find Kate difficult to watch. I realize most everyone else sees a relaxed and calm lady - try as I might I don't. Very awkward moments - especially with children. Painful to watch. On the walk-about with the Queen recently her outfit looked too tight and very uncomfortable for what she was trying to do. The leaning down to children is ..... oh well. She is trying so hard. I know I am alone'ish in this but when I see her in public I am uneasy, like something isn't quite....something. I won't go on.
 
Tyger said:
I agree - its far more pleasant for everyone even if there are ripples - they are maintaining a good front - which is all one asks for, after all.

I still find Kate difficult to watch. I realize most everyone else sees a relaxed and calm lady - try as I might I don't. Very awkward moments - especially with children. Painful to watch. On the walk-about with the Queen recently her outfit looked too tight and very uncomfortable for what she was trying to do. The leaning down to children is ..... oh well. She is trying so hard. I know I am alone'ish in this but when I see her in public I am uneasy, like something isn't quite....something. I won't go on.
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No you're definitely not alone, honestly I thought I was the only one who saw this as well... The thing that bothers me the most is that it's a skill set that IMO can not really be learned so I wonder whether she'll improve in some time :ermm:
 
:previous: I think that it's perfectly reasonable to expect her to be nervous, given that she was married less than a year ago and hasn't yet had a lot of experience with royal appearances. Actually, if the lady seemed supremely confident and lacking in "nerves", I'd find that off-putting.
 
Tyger said:
I still find Kate difficult to watch. I realize most everyone else sees a relaxed and calm lady - try as I might I don't. Very awkward moments - especially with children. Painful to watch. On the walk-about with the Queen recently her outfit looked too tight and very uncomfortable for what she was trying to do. The leaning down to children is ..... oh well. She is trying so hard. I know I am alone'ish in this but when I see her in public I am uneasy, like something isn't quite....something. I won't go on.
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I do not see that at all. But I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I think she works well with children, it's nice that she comes down to their level and they seem delighted by her. I also appreciate that she is "smiley". Is it just something you can't describe?
 
Mermaid1962 said:
:previous: I think that it's perfectly reasonable to expect her to be nervous, given that she was married less than a year ago and hasn't yet had a lot of experience with royal appearances. Actually, if the lady seemed supremely confident and lacking in "nerves", I'd find that off-putting.
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I completely agree with you that if she was someone who was 'supremely confident and lacking in "nerves"' that would be even more off-putting however I do wonder when the whole "she's only been a member of the BRF for *** long" will cease. Come 29 April the newlywed period will be over and she may still be nervous on these engagements. Perhaps if she had performed a few more duties in the first 6 months of her marriage, she wouldn't be quite as nervous -- that is, if being new to it is the reason for this. I must say, I only wish every employer I had and will have give me a year to 'break-in' to my new role :whistling:

Honestly I like Catherine, and I hope my posts aren't misconstrued as the opposite, but these constant excuses are getting a bit much...
 
Personally to me the only time I've found her nervous looking is perhaps the last 2 events but I don't exactly blame her. I'd be shaking all over if I had to do a public appearance with the Queen. As Kate said I believe in her engagement interview this is THE QUEEN not your ordinary grandmother and while I'm sure she is lovely and accepts Kate and is trying to make her feel as welcome as possible, it is almost impossible to not feel nervous in such a situation. I'm sure as the years wear on we won't see those nerves. Diana imo looked petrified the first year on her public appearances. If you compare the first time Kate and William stepped out together for a public appearance back in December 2010 and now imo there's a HUGE improvement. As for the whole bending down to the children's level, I dunno I don't see it as being awkward at all. William and Harry both do it and so did Diana. IMO I think she does it to make the child feel at ease. As for her convo's with children in my view except for a few seconds we haven't heard much so personally I don't think we can really judge. But all the children who have been interviewed afterwards say she's lovely and made them feel at ease so I dunno. Anyways everyone is allowed to have an opinion and feel as they wish to feel about Catherine this one is just mine.:flowers:
 
I think the Canadian tour was a great learning ground for them. They were on their own, they couldn't dwell too much on the successes or follies of any single event, as there was another event just around the corner. I think it really gave them a good foundation together.

I think these past 2 events with HM are nerve-inducing I'm sure, but at the same time, once she has gone through them - she will be so much more confident with HM in the future. She is establishing her own experiences with her as opposed to merely being William's wife at the family functions.
 
ghost_night554 said:
. . . . . As for the whole bending down to the children's level, I dunno I don't see it as being awkward at all. William and Harry both do it and so did Diana. IMO I think she does it to make the child feel at ease. As for her convo's with children in my view except for a few seconds we haven't heard much so personally I don't think we can really judge. But all the children who have been interviewed afterwards say she's lovely and made them feel at ease so I dunno. . . . . :flowers:
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The quality of her interaction is not really at issue here, it is the ease of delivery. There is a memorable photo of Catherine bending down to speak to a child on a windy day. One hand was firmly holding her skirt down at the front and the other was holding her hair. She was wearing 5" heels and that made it even further to bend over. To be quite honest she looked as comfortable as a cow on a bike!
 
I really don't get this complaints about her wearing 4"-5" heels when every one of her peers does the same.
 
Honestly, I don't understand how much "interactive and at ease" Catherine is supposed to be. Like her peers on the Continent and in the BRF,she is smiling for those who come to see her, she is engaging in conversation with children (as well as the adults who are presenting their organizations), she appears to be alert (not nodding off, or giving absent looks like she rather be anywhere else other than where she is). She probably is still a little more conscious with all the extra attention (and I am sorry unless you are born to this lifestyle), its going to take more than a year to realize that almost every eye is on you (except when you are with the Queen).

I will agree the she looks a bit uncomfortable when she is bending down when she talks with children not because she is uncomfortable talking with kids but rather she is she is not wearing the most comfortable clothes to do so.

I realize everyone is entitlted to their opinon but I wonder when did trying too hard become a negative. Shouldn't we want anyone to try at somethign knew?
 
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If the interactions with children were awkward, or if Catherine gave a bad vibe, the children would not have stayed near her very long. She does wonderfully with them. I remember how engaged she was when talking to children at the Royal Marsden and then in The Art Room classes. When she was working on a painting with a little boy, he was all smiles. Children are not fake beings, and if they don't like a person, they're not afraid to let it show by either going away after saying 'hello', or not making any effort to make contact. We have yet to see that happen with Catherine.

Also, I think as she does these engagements more, she'll learn how to maneuver herself in five inch heels and a skirt that may be a bit on the snug side. It all comes with practice.
 
Zonk said:
Honestly, I don't understand how much "interactive and at ease" Catherine is supposed to be. Like her peers on the Continent and in the BRF,she is smiling for those who come to see her, she is engaging in conversation with children (as well as the adults who are presenting their organizations), she appears to be alert (not nodding off, or giving absent looks like she rather be anywhere else other than where she is). She probably is still a little more conscious with all the extra attention (and I am sorry unless you are born to this lifestyle), its going to take more than a year to realize that almost every eye is on you (except when you are with the Queen).

I will agree the she looks a bit uncomfortable when she is bending down when she talks with children not because she is uncomfortable talking with kids but rather she is she is not wearing the most comfortable clothes to do so.

I realize everyone is entitlted to their opinon but I wonder when did trying too hard become a negative. Shouldn't we want anyone to try at somethign knew?
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It's absolutely not a negative for someone to try something new but I disagree with the first coloured part of your post.
I have much more sympathy for those born into the spotlight who are debilitatingly shy or uncomfortable with the attention -- as there is no choice. For example, Prince Carl Philip of Sweden is known to be extremely shy, so much though that it is seen as a blessing that he is not heir but his older sister is. Even being the second adult in line to the throne (third overall) is still more attention than he prefers and unless he abandons his family and his duties, that attention will follow him. Crown Prince Frederik is seen as so uncomfortable at public speaking and being in the spotlight that some question his suitability to be King. Should they be penalised for not having gotten used to the spotlight in their 32 and 43 years? Should we allow all new royal brides three decades to get used to the attention?

Catherine had a choice. Would it have meant not being with William? Possibly. The point is, had she felt she did not have just a little bit of ease already at meeting people and being looked at, then perhaps she shouldn't have taken on the role of future Queen. Marriage and love with William means more than marriage and love to any other man. By agreeing to his proposal, I think some assumed that this meant she knew she would have to get used to the attention or already had.
And no, it does not take more than a year to get used that level of attention. There is actually no time frame at all. Either she'll be used to it or she won't.

In terms of the second part of your post, if the uncomfortable clothing is the problem, then that can be changed. I personally love that Catherine's style is seen as conservative and taking an inch of the heels or adding an inch to the dress wouldn't change her style nor go against the dress code but perhaps would lessen the uncomfortableness.

I hope my post doesn't offend anyone, I don't mean to :flowers:
 
Another aspect which I think is often underestimated with Kate is the degree of press attention. With all due respect to Mary of Denmark, or Mette Marit of Norway, their every move is not beamed into living rooms around the world. For example, when Will and Kate toured Canada last summer, 1,300 journalists were reporting on their every move. That included several hundred journalists from something like 12 or 13 different countries. That's a level of scrutiny that no other royal is currently facing in my opinion.

That must be enormously intimidating, particularly when you're brand new to the role. Personally, I'd be scared to set foot out my front door, let alone complete a busy day of engagements meeting hundreds of strangers and having to make conversation with them.

The feedback from the public who have met Kate, and the seasoned royal reporters who have witnessed her in action, has all been really positive. There will be tweaks and amendments to be made, but on the whole she's conducted herself brilliantly so far.
 
EIIR said:
Another aspect which I think is often underestimated with Kate is the degree of press attention. With all due respect to Mary of Denmark, or Mette Marit of Norway, their every move is not beamed into living rooms around the world. For example, when Will and Kate toured Canada last summer, 1,300 journalists were reporting on their every move. That included several hundred journalists from something like 12 or 13 different countries. That's a level of scrutiny that no other royal is currently facing in my opinion.

That must be enormously intimidating, particularly when you're brand new to the role. Personally, I'd be scared to set foot out my front door, let alone complete a busy day of engagements meeting hundreds of strangers and having to make conversation with them.

The feedback from the public who have met Kate, and the seasoned royal reporters who have witnessed her in action, has all been really positive. There will be tweaks and amendments to be made, but on the whole she's conducted herself brilliantly so far.
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You are right. Nevertheless Kate has already proven her calm! During all the years of her beind the royal girlfriend, she managed to keep her calm, while constantly pursued by paparazzis and attacked by the press! Many others got hysteric in less years, like Mettemarit, Isabel Sartorious etc.
And as a bride she was very calm. I rememer CP Mary was very intimidated!
 
the G-I-L effect

I've noticed-I think most of us have- that from the get-go, Catherine seemed perfectly comfortable when doing engagements with William. Likewise, her few solo events have been seemingly effortless for her.

These two events with HM have seemed a little less easy for her. I would suggest that it is the Grandmother-in-Law effect! When I was a young bride, I was always rather nervous in the company of my in-laws. I loved them, they were sweet and gracious, but I was usually afraid of making a faux pas, or doing something crass, or sounding silly. And if either of them had been the Monarch! Oy, I would have been a bowl of Jello! It can take a while to be totally comfortable with the in-laws, no matter who they are.
 
There's a difference between knowing an experience is coming and then going through it. It's a bit like stage fright. As much as a person wants to be on stage and loves performing, s/he can still be very nervous about it.


American Dane said:
By agreeing to his proposal, I think some assumed that this meant she knew she would have to get used to the attention or already had.
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