Duchess of Cambridge: What Now for Catherine? Future Duties, Roles, Responsibilities

[Charlotte1]

I think she will do well if she limits herself to what she seems best at doing, looking pretty holding on to Prince William's arm and waving to the public.
That is considered "work" as far as the royal family is concerned.
I would hate that kind of life but so far she seems to be revelling in it, and in that I think she takes after her mother except for the mother's ability to do all this social, I can't think of another word except climbing, and run a business, or is it the father who is really behind the business success of Party Pieces?

Good heavens this post shows a real lack of knowledge of what royal women in particular do. Check out the various foundations they have established the causes they support, the speeches they give for those causes and you'll see that royal women do more than just wave and look pretty!

Mrs Middleton is the business brain she is the one who established Party Pieces, Mr Middleton continued to work for BA in the early years. Once it was successful he joined the business as well.

And 'climbing' that word alone shows a huge amount of class prejudice. I would hope that by the 21st century people are over the whole idea that everyone should know their station in life.

 

[Kataryn]

I think she takes after her mother except for the mother's ability to do all this social, I can't think of another word except climbing, and run a business, or is it the father who is really behind the business success of Party Pieces?

I must really say that I have problems with messages like this. It is true that Carole Goldsmith, now Mrs. Middleton is not a millionaire's child, quite the contrary. Still she (and her brother as well) are millionaires today. Is that a bad thing? All this talking of better yourself, get a good education, acquire a work ethos and be a success seems meaningless when immediately after succeeding in all that, people are denoted as "social climbers" (aren't we all? Or better: don't we all want to be that?).

The woman has done nothing but appear dignified in public and obviously has no enemies in her private and professional sphere, otherwise we would have heard about it. The only black mark on her is her brother's conduct and who is responsible for his siblings? She is liked and respected in her village and, living in a village myself, I must say this is really an achievement for people who moved to the village and were not born there.

So the only reason why people should use things who are otherwise considered positive to debase people is IMHO either jealousy or the fact that they didn't reach their own aims or that of society in general.

My own grandchild won't be a future monarch (as my son is way too old for Catherina Amalia or Ingrid Alexandra and was too young for Victoria.... ) but one of Carole Middleton's grandchildren in all probability will be that. And that even though my parents were on a higher social scale than hers.... Do I have to envy her now or is it allowed to say: kudos for her?

 

[MRSJ]

I think she will do well if she limits herself to what she seems best at doing, looking pretty holding on to Prince William's arm and waving to the public.
That is considered "work" as far as the royal family is concerned.
I would hate that kind of life but so far she seems to be revelling in it, and in that I think she takes after her mother except for the mother's ability to do all this social, I can't think of another word except climbing, and run a business, or is it the father who is really behind the business success of Party Pieces?

I find it ironic that you seem to be attacking Catherine for her lack of work ethic but then attacking her mom for having one.....and working to build a better life for your family isn't social climbing in my book....

 

[jemagre]

Good heavens this post shows a real lack of knowledge of what royal women in particular do. Check out the various foundations they have established the causes they support, the speeches they give for those causes and you'll see that royal women do more than just wave and look pretty!

Mrs Middleton is the business brain she is the one who established Party Pieces, Mr Middleton continued to work for BA in the early years. Once it was successful he joined the business as well.

And 'climbing' that word alone shows a huge amount of class prejudice. I would hope that by the 21st century people are over the whole idea that everyone should know their station in life.

In Expat's defense, if I may do so....Kate has yet to start any foundations or give any speeches regarding any charities. While this argument may be valid for Princess Anne or even Princess Maxima it doesn't apply to her..yet.

So far all we know is that she can wear nice clothes and wave. I would hope this can get better but I am not encouraged. I know some people have said that it is soon but considering how long she was a girlfriend she doesn't need to learn as much stuff as everyone else would if they had dated a royal for less time.

By now she should at least be embracing some work on her own. Unless of course that was never the plan. We don't know for certain that she will ever branch out on her own. She could spend the rest of her "royal career" following William around.

 

[COUNTESS]

Very few have work on their own. It is all orchestrated. Princess Anne is a worker and does so, but many of the rest are given patronages and they smile, give a speech and go home. I don't think Camilla is working herself to the bone, and, please don't mention osteoporsis, where she gives lip service. It may have meaning to her, but she doesn't knock herself out.

 

[Princess of Durham]

Good heavens this post shows a real lack of knowledge of what royal women in particular do. Check out the various foundations they have established the causes they support, the speeches they give for those causes and you'll see that royal women do more than just wave and look pretty!

Mrs Middleton is the business brain she is the one who established Party Pieces, Mr Middleton continued to work for BA in the early years. Once it was successful he joined the business as well.

And 'climbing' that word alone shows a huge amount of class prejudice. I would hope that by the 21st century people are over the whole idea that everyone should know their station in life.

I find it very ironic how some people have swallowed the idea that if people do well or "get ahead" you know is social climbing. Yet, IF they don't do those things then they are laggards, lazy, and don't accomplish much .... or just follow their husbands around. It's very humorous if you stop to think of it, a bit of a conundrum. It is all about keeping people in their place .... and one has to wonder just who those people are who are so concerned about keeping others in their place.

 

[texankitcat]

In Expat's defense, if I may do so....Kate has yet to start any foundations or give any speeches regarding any charities. While this argument may be valid for Princess Anne or even Princess Maxima it doesn't apply to her..yet.

So far all we know is that she can wear nice clothes and wave. I would hope this can get better but I am not encouraged. I know some people have said that it is soon but considering how long she was a girlfriend she doesn't need to learn as much stuff as everyone else would if they had dated a royal for less time.

By now she should at least be embracing some work on her own. Unless of course that was never the plan. We don't know for certain that she will ever branch out on her own. She could spend the rest of her "royal career" following William around.

Seriously? You actually think that being his girlfriend was training enough to take on her own Foundations, public speaking, and Royal duties on her own less than 2 months after her marriage? Clearly you have no ithe amount of work and the preperation that is necessary to prepare her for the role she has married into.

 

[Whitetiger]

Seriously? You actually think that being his girlfriend was training enough to take on her own Foundations, public speaking, and Royal duties on her own less than 2 months after her marriage? Clearly you have no ithe amount of work and the preperation that is necessary to prepare her for the role she has married into.

I have to agree with Texankitcat. Prince William would most likely have only given her an idea in the most general of terms of what to expect and what she's getting into. HRH Duchess is most definitely a Duchess-in-training, Princess-in-training, Future Queen-in-training. Let's not forget that Prince William has long fought traditions and protocols and it seems reasonable to conclude that he would not have given her much training in advance but I'm pretty sure that Her Royal Highness is getting a lot of it now. It's going to take some significant time before she's ready to go solo. I wish I had some real hard info as to how long that might take. If I had to make a pure guess. I would say a year .. maybe 2.

 

[figtreecrossing]

I think she takes after her mother except for the mother's ability to do all this social, I can't think of another word except climbing, and run a business, or is it the father who is really behind the business success of Party Pieces?

Yes I do agree. Catherine has a wonderful mix of strengths and qualities from her mother and her father.

 

[PrincePatrick]

I'm sure the coming months she'll give us plenty to be proud of as The Duchess of Cambridge and future Queen. She probably just wants to make sure she gets it right, and rushing to give speeches if they aren't researched, meaningful and warranted is important. If she were already giving speeches we'd have people complaining "Oh why is she talking? She hasn't even DONE anything yet? Just because she was created the Duchess of Cambridge doesn't mean she's worth listening to..." So everyone just stop fussing about it.

 

[figtreecrossing]

I'm sure the coming months she'll give us plenty to be proud of as The Duchess of Cambridge and future Queen. She probably just wants to make sure she gets it right, and rushing to give speeches if they aren't researched, meaningful and warranted is important. If she were already giving speeches we'd have people complaining "Oh why is she talking? She hasn't even DONE anything yet? Just because she was created the Duchess of Cambridge doesn't mean she's worth listening to..." So everyone just stop fussing about it.

well said Patrick
A time to be quiet and a time to speak. Eccl 3:7

 

[Princess of Durham]

I'm sure the coming months she'll give us plenty to be proud of as The Duchess of Cambridge and future Queen. She probably just wants to make sure she gets it right, and rushing to give speeches if they aren't researched, meaningful and warranted is important. If she were already giving speeches we'd have people complaining "Oh why is she talking? She hasn't even DONE anything yet? Just because she was created the Duchess of Cambridge doesn't mean she's worth listening to..." So everyone just stop fussing about it.

How true ... and very wise

 

[MRSJ]

I may get attacked for this question, but when do you think Kate might start some official charity work of her own? Maybe a small one? Or a mini event or two?

 

[Daisiesforever]

I may get attacked for this question, but when do you think Kate might start some official charity work of her own? Maybe a small one? Or a mini event or two?

I do indeed think this could happen in years to come. In fact royals like Prince Harry have their own charities that they support and Prince William frequently raises funds for various charitable causes. So it is only fitting that Kate, even together with William, gets involved with this type of work. In fact they have already established the "Royal Wedding Charity Fund" to further support causes around the world. Whilst in the USA recently the couple helped to create 1000 care packages for military children. The packages focus on the children of military families who have parents deployed. They help children and their families stay connected during separation and plan for family reintergration on the parents return home. However, it is still early days. The couple are not yet married six months and possibly still finding their feet. So there is still plenty of time for this sort of thing.

 

[Osipi]

I may get attacked for this question, but when do you think Kate might start some official charity work of her own? Maybe a small one? Or a mini event or two?

As Daisiesforever said, she'll probably be out and about with William whenever he has events with his charities he supports and I'd not be surprised to see her at things for the Starlight for Children foundation. She's also just been reputed to be signing on with her dad-in-law working with him on riot awareness I think it was.

I really don't expect to see too much of her (and William either) as this is their time together in Wales until he finishes up his tour of duty there. Perhaps if William does get sent to the Falklands for months, it may be a time she will step out and be doing more. We'll see. If he does go to the Falklands, I wouldn't imagine her staying in Wales but the cottage at KP would be more feasible for her and a good home base for her to start doing various different things to occupy her while William is gone.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I may get attacked for this question, but when do you think Kate might start some official charity work of her own? Maybe a small one? Or a mini event or two?

I was disappointed when we were told that neither of them would be doing barely any engagements in the next three years while they were in Wales. I wish we saw them more, I think keeping Catherine practically away from royal life for three years is a bad idea and she should be being eased into royal life (and some can argue that that is what's happening but I disagree).

We probably won't see her on her own for at least 3 years, she'll probably be with William.

 

[Sherlock221B]

Disappointed!!!
April (May frankly)
-Catherine officially becomes a member of the BRF as the new Duchess of Cambridge
•May - June: 1 mo.
• - July : 2 mos.
• - Aug : 3 mos.
• - Sep : 4 mos.

FOUR MONTHS!!! They've only been married 4 months and the observation is that she should make more appearances!!! Ok...let's see her wedding, Queen's Birthday Parade, Irish Guards @ Victoria Barracks, riots in London, tour of Canada & United States…did I miss anything?

 

[Lumutqueen]

They've only been married 4 months and the observation is that she should make more appearances!!!

What's so wrong with people making that observation exactly? Just because you disagree with it, there's no reason to make a big deal out of someone's opinion.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I was disappointed when we were told that neither of them would be doing barely any engagements in the next three years while they were in Wales. I wish we saw them more, I think keeping Catherine practically away from royal life for three years is a bad idea and she should be being eased into royal life (and some can argue that that is what's happening but I disagree).

We probably won't see her on her own for at least 3 years, she'll probably be with William.

Completely agree with you!!!
And once she is pregnant & pregant again and maybe pregnant again, she will continue to be absent apart from the must-show events.
Disappointing that there is no agenda of her own, doesnt have to be in full force but at least a start would be good.

MRSJ - why do you expect to be attacked for your opinion? As you can see, not everyone agrees on Kate being The Housewife of Wales until further notice.

 

[Sherlock221B]

What's so wrong with people making that observation exactly? Just because you disagree with it, there's no reason to make a big deal out of someone's opinion.

Nothing is wrong with that observation. I thought I wasn't making a big deal out of it. Just sharing my observation in reply to the observation of the duchess should make more official appearances. You are correct it is not a big deal, just entertainment and I hope I have not spoiled your fun. Oh one more thing.…she has made enough appearances in the four months that she has been a duchess

 

[Lumutqueen]

Nothing is wrong with that observation. I thought I wasn't making a big deal out of it. Just sharing my observation in reply to the observation of the duchess should make more official appearances. You are correct it is not a big deal, just entertainment and I hope I have not spoiled your fun. Oh one more thing.…she has made enough appearances in the four months that she has been a duchess

All the exclamation marks seem to suggest to me that you wanted to make a big deal about your dislike of the opinion. Oh and one thing for you - you may believe that she has done enough in her almost 5 months as a Duchess. But it's not an opinion I share neither do quite a few people.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

And 'climbing' that word alone shows a huge amount of class prejudice. I would hope that by the 21st century people are over the whole idea that everyone should know their station in life.

Do you work? Do you dictate to your boss, or do you know your station? Do you have children? Do you let them tell you what to do? Do they know their station?
I could go on and on. We should know our many stations in life.

In a Utopian world...

The unfortunate thing is that if all Kate does is sit in the house, go to the store, only go out when she's with Wills, she is very likely (as she has not appeared (to me) to be self-propelling) to NEVER want to take on royal duties.

I don't care whether she does or does not take on royal duties, but there is something about her that just doesn't sit right with me.

Hopefully, she will not be disappointed in her life.

 

[expat]

I agree. I also suspect that Prince William is not very happy about having to carry out the so called "royal duties" I can't help but feel he would have been happier as a wealthy upper class gentleman with a seat in the country and a town house. The lottery of birth has put him in a position that he hasn't much choice and in a way he does what he is told. As far as his duchess is concerned the saying "be careful what you wish for" could be apt.
As far as station in life is concerned, it exists, it has always existed and I doubt it will ever change.

 

[Mandarin_Empress]

We should know our many stations in life.

I think what Charlotte1 means is that it's an outdated concept that people should know their stations and stay in them (if necessary, by outside forces) rather than try to improve them if they so wish. If you are an employee now, that doesn't mean that you can't attain your boss' station in the future.

I choose to assume that the duchess is taking her time to choose her causes and patronages carefully, rather than dragging her feet or "resting on her laurels" after achieving the feat of marrying a future king and thereby being set for life. I'd rather her spend some time--risking being called "lazy"--thoughtfully laying out her approach to supporting causes that she puts her heart and soul in, than jump in and do a bunch of engagements half-heartedly.

My assumptions, however, are on equal terms with nearly everyone else's, in that they could be partly or completely wrong. History will be the ultimate judge on how well she has done, and at this point--four months into their marriage--it may well be too early to make any assumptions.

 

[MRSJ]

Completely agree with you!!!
And once she is pregnant & pregant again and maybe pregnant again, she will continue to be absent apart from the must-show events.
Disappointing that there is no agenda of her own, doesnt have to be in full force but at least a start would be good.

MRSJ - why do you expect to be attacked for your opinion? As you can see, not everyone agrees on Kate being The Housewife of Wales until further notice.

I agree with Lumitqueen and DOM! Sometimes plp who voice what others consider the slightest criticism of Kate really get attacked for their opinions....I personally feel after seeing yet another pic of her shopping, maybe she should throw in a few charities....sorry 4 months is long enough to at least do a mini charity IMO. I don't expect a fullfledged working royal of course but like DOM said, a start might be nice, to hear of something that she holds an interest in. The have only been one flirt of a mention of her working with Charles on the riot thing ......

 

[sndral]

I was curious how BP/CH would handle Catherine as a solo, particularly given how young, beautiful Diana eclipsed ageing Charles in popularity in short order after their marriage. In that sense, having her firmly associated with William as a couple boosts his popularity as well, IMO, and avoids the potential pitfalls that occurred w/ his mother's popularity at the expense of his father's. Not that William would suffer his father's fate, IMO, as he and Catherine are more evenly matched in appearance and age.
Catherine's appeared at every occasion that William has attended since the marriage, I believe. The only solo official appearance I recall her making was w/ the Queen viewing BP's display.
I suspect that from the RF's perspective the most important role/duty she has is to produce an heir and then to raise the children appropriately. Harry seems unlikely to settle down quickly and both he and William have somewhat risky careers.
It would be shortsighted to launch her into too many causes/charities knowing full well that she'll (hopefully) soon be the mother of very young children, IMO.

 

[Skippy]

People seem to be split between Catherine's more private role as a SAR pilot wife and her more public role as HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

I think Catherine and William are a couple who have decided to do things their way and on which has been decided to do things different than they have been done in the past.

People have gotten so used to public appearances at a frequent basis that they are now starting to get impatient or at least wonder. I understand that feeling, but I think this is a refreshing change.

I am not starting to get impatient - I just wait and see what will happen. When they want to come out they will come out and they will have to do so possibly more than they want after 2013. This time is for them and their marriage and it's not like we have not ever seen her again since they were married.

People probably feel like the Canada tour, for example, has already been so long ago.

 

[Skippy]

Do you work? Do you dictate to your boss, or do you know your station? Do you have children? Do you let them tell you what to do? Do they know their station?
I could go on and on. We should know our many stations in life.

In a Utopian world...

The unfortunate thing is that if all Kate does is sit in the house, go to the store, only go out when she's with Wills, she is very likely (as she has not appeared (to me) to be self-propelling) to NEVER want to take on royal duties.

I don't care whether she does or does not take on royal duties, but there is something about her that just doesn't sit right with me.

Hopefully, she will not be disappointed in her life.

Why would she be? Is that because of that something not sitting right with you?
And haven't we all been disappointed in life one or more times, one way or another?

 

[texankitcat]

I agree with Lumitqueen and DOM! Sometimes plp who voice what others consider the slightest criticism of Kate really get attacked for their opinions....I personally feel after seeing yet another pic of her shopping, maybe she should throw in a few charities....sorry 4 months is long enough to at least do a mini charity IMO. I don't expect a fullfledged working royal of course but like DOM said, a start might be nice, to hear of something that she holds an interest in. The have only been one flirt of a mention of her working with Charles on the riot thing ......

Everyone is entitled to their opinions including those that may find that the crticism is harsh or unreasonable. I personally can't fathom why the expectations on Catherine are so much higher than other newly married brides of the RF. I don't recall Diana, Sarah, Sophie or Camilla taking on charitable work a mere 4 months after being married, nor do I recall any of them doing solo appearances immediately after marriage.


I see complaints about not seeing them, and yet a little over 2 months after being married Prince William and Catherine took on a tour of Canada and visited the US which was a huge success. We have seen them at various royal events as well as visiting the riot victims. Catherine has behaved and performed extremely well, however that does not mean she is ready to take on solo appearances or solo charity events. As Prince William made very clear, they have learned from past mistakes and will ease her into her new role. The Queen obviously fully supports this and wants them to enjoy their first few years of marriage without the extreme pressures of public life.


As far as charities are concerned I think it is very smart for Catherine to take her time to choose those charities that she wants to embrace, just as other Royal brides have done. I think the expectations here are unreasonable that she just choose something and just get on with it just so her detractors can feel assured that she is doing her bit and not languishing in Wales enjoying being a newlywed.


Let's be honest here. Catherine is doing nothing more than any Royal bride should be doing which is enjoying being a newlywed and adjusting to her new life within the Royal family. Yet the expectations are so much greater for her. I don't see this as reasonable.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

I'm ready to be throttled by all, but I have to ask...

How on Earth can Kate be adjusting to her new royal life by sitting by herself (mostly) in a secluded farmhouse in remote Anglesey?