Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Married Life

[Queen Penelope]

Originally Posted by EIIR

Calling Bucklebury a town would be generous in UK terms. It's a village with a population of about 2,000. Main difference with Anglesey is that it's within easy distance of London. Anglesey's nearest big city is Liverpool which is still 2 hours away.

2,000 is considered a village in the UK?!? I lived in what we in Canada call a village and it had about 300 people!!! LOL

2,000 peeps would qualify as a town here!. What would you call a place with a population of 300 ?!?

Anyway, IMO I would guess that they would both enjoy the time they have in Wales if for no other reason than to escape the press intrusion. Even if she didn't like it, perhaps it is a compromise she's agreed to? realizing that it's only for X number of years. No one knows but them.

BTW, anyone know when their next official engagement is??

[Kataryn]

Originally Posted by Queen Penelope

No one knows but them.

We still have no idea how Catherine lived pre-engagement, only that she stopped living in London due to harrassment by the media. Did she hate living quietly in the countryside? Or did she enjoy it? Who knows...

But judging from the way Catherine and William spend their holidays and weekends quietly in none-too-luxurious surroundings, I guess they have a similar love of a certain lifestyle and that helps alot.

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Now back to the actual topic being discussed now, i dont know who I was but someone pointed out that Kate choosing to go to SA hints at her being fine with a small town atmosphere. I have never heard that she had a hard time at SA or didn't like the environment. Plus it would appear that Buckleberry itself is tiny. Yet she also lived for years in London, it strikes me that she is one of the rate few who can live in either a small town or a metropolis and be happy.

[Tyger]

It's been very interesting - some kindly posters have directed me elsewhere to blog sites and I find myself discovering a whole different perception in these other places. My 'take' on the marriage is benign in comparison to what many others see.

But a question - I have (perhaps naively) assumed that the description of a cottage that has no servants is true. Consider these comments made in a blog by people who evidently live in Anglesey -

"Their ‘five-bedroom cottage’ on Anglesey isn’t as modest as it’s made out to be. I live nearby, and it’s actually an enormous luxury cottage, with lots of land and a sea view…in fact it’s basically on a beach. If it were in the South East of England it would be worth £5m at least. I live in something similar (only without as much land) and these properties are far from modest.

"The “cottage” on Anglesey is best described as a mansion on the beach. It is beautiful, large and a dream place, with windswept turf and beaches and clement weather in summer. It would be very difficult indeed to run without any help and staff can be seen coming and going. W&C are lucky in their neighbours in the village, who don’t report on their movements, even when they go to the local. No – this is no small cottage where they “do for themselves” ! – Ms N Tucker, ne RAF Mona, Anglesey, _ See, they get plenty of privacy."

Question: are we being 'played'?

I have also read that William's 'work' is not as intense as has been suggested here. Vacations and leave for 'events' make his schedule very different from 'normal'.

Where is all the information coming from about William and Kate? This 'image' of them living simply without servants - who came up with that? As well as his work schedule - where is the information coming from? Curious.

[Lumutqueen]

How exactly is that curious? If you have any real evidence other than blog sites to confirm William has it 'easy' and their cottage is a 'luxury' one, I'd be interested but you don't.

This is the future King and Queen, I never believed they would be living a 'simple' life. It's probably practically impossible for William to do that, it's in his nature to live in luxury.

The information we received about Williams work life and where he lives comes through the press and usually confirmed or denied by Clarence House if they deem it necessary.

[Kataryn]

It is known that William and Catherine have rented cottage/farmhouse on the estate of Sir George Meyrink of Bodorgan Hall.

Bodorgan estate has its own homepage where they offer houses for rent. If someone could work out how to look at this homepage in the timeframe when William rented the place (summer 2010), possibly a lot of information could be found.

As an example what to expect of a 750 ppm-rent on this estate, here is an actual offer: http://www.bodorgan.com/pdf/pensieri.pdf

As William's cottage allegedly has seaviews and access to a private beach and is not so far away from the main house, I guess the house itself should be similar to that on offer here (the additional 50 pounds for the better location). Of course, my guesses only. But I can't see what is so very luxurious about a house like that?

[Zonk]

Okay...we are going to try this again.

Please note that several (around 40 or so) posts have been deleted. They range from speculative and insulting comments about fellow TRF members as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

At this time, I would like to remind everyone AGAIN of the following TRF rules:

• Whenever possible, opinions should be based on factual information obtained from reputable sources and should be backed up by references to those sources. The moderators reserve the right to delete posts containing the more fanciful types of gossip and speculation, whether they originate in gossip magazines and websites or are simply fabricated.
• Insulting comments about other posters and royals are not permitted. Criticism is acceptable; insults and flames are not. We expect our members to treat each other with respect.

Any and all additional posts that disregard TRF rules will be deleted without notice. Any questions, should be directed to members of the TRF moderation team via Private Message.

Zonk
TRF Administrator

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

How exactly is that curious? If you have any real evidence other than blog sites to confirm William has it 'easy' and their cottage is a 'luxury' one, I'd be interested but you don't.

Curious as in I am curious about this. You are not taking my question: Where is all the information coming from about William and Kate? This 'image' of them living simply without servants - who came up with that? As well as his work schedule - where is the information coming from?

I have just shown you that someone from the area is saying it is not a small cottage. I recall seeing a picture of it - another google and I got this: LINK To Article Showing 5-Bedroom Anglesey Cottage

HERE is the picture of the 5-bedroom cottage.

In regards William's schedule I think its just been supposition. No one has supplied any links.

This is the future King and Queen, I never believed they would be living a 'simple' life. It's probably practically impossible for William to do that, it's in his nature to live in luxury.

Partial answer to my question is being given by The Guardian, no less. But I am linking here to show how scrupulous William - via 'the couple's press secretary' - is making sure a certain image is steadily conveyed: LINK To Guardian Article Regarding Servants for William and Kate Please note all the 'corrections' the 'couple's press secretary' had The Guardian make - so the answer to who is spinning this 'image' - William himself.

The information we received about Williams work life and where he lives comes through the press and usually confirmed or denied by Clarence House if they deem it necessary.

Ah, but we need links. We need to do this right. Just saying.

[miche]

The articles said a white-fronted house, that does not look like a white-fronted house.

So hiring two staff for their Kesington home mean their living in luxury? Some middle class people also have staff I guess they are also living in luxury

[cepe]

Originally Posted by Tyger

Curious as in I am curious about this...

I answered most of this but it's been removed. This feels like its kicking off again and I'm out of here.

[GrammaSueSue]

OMG...Are we back on this??? Nothing new!!! Just a young ROYAL couple whose life is evolving.

[soapstar]

Originally Posted by miche

The articles said a white-fronted house, that does not look like a white-fronted house.

So hiring two staff for their Kesington home mean their living in luxury? Some middle class people also have staff I guess they are also living in luxury

Yep. From the published photos I've seen, their farmhouse is white.

When they said they wouldn't have staff, I was under the impression that they meant for their house in Anglesey. I always knew that they would have staff for any London home they acquired.

Here's an article that discusses how they scrapped the plans for staff at KP.

Prince William and Kate Middleton scrap plans to employ housekeeper at Kensington Palace home - Telegraph

As for William's schedule, we get the information from CH (when their is a conflict with an engagement) or from the media (when he happens to be on a rescue mission).

[Frelinghighness]

I remember when Princess Anne said she had no servants. She meant, live in servants. She had "dailies". I'm sure W&K do too, or are we supposed to believe they're scrubbing toilets and mopping floors?

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

I remember when Princess Anne said she had no servants. She meant, live in servants. She had "dailies". I'm sure W&K do too, or are we supposed to believe they're scrubbing toilets and mopping floors?

Well there are pictures in circulation of Wills cleaning a toilet.

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

I remember when Princess Anne said she had no servants. She meant, live in servants. She had "dailies". I'm sure W&K do too, or are we supposed to believe they're scrubbing toilets and mopping floors?

Well that's what I am trying to get clear because I've gotten conflicting stories.

The mention of a white fronted cottage was in regards a house they initially rented. The house they are renting now is described in the article. Here is the english translation -

William of England and Catherine Middleton will live after their wedding in a campoLa [sic] House

Country residence consists of two floors and has a large dining room, six bedrooms, five bathrooms and a dressing room, and is surrounded by a huge garden.

William of England and Catherine Middleton will start their North Wales married life. Their first years of marriage will live on the romantic island of Anglesey, where already more than half a year the couple settled temporarily in a house in white façade of rent,[alternate translation: where it is already more than half a year the couple was temporarily installed in a house with a white facade of rental in order to be together] to be together and the Prince could continue meeting its obligations in the army, since it is very close to RAF Valley, where the heir to the heir is intended as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.

Hmmm, this is a bit scrambled. Further down in the article is this description of their home away from Wales - in describing Prince Charles' house it sounds suspiciously just like the Wales 'cottage'.

His marital home when they are not in Wales is a country house owned by Prince Charles, which is located in Harewood Park, in the County of Herefordshire. The residence, completely restored and equipped with the latest ecological technology, consists of two floors and has a large dining room, six bedrooms, five bathrooms and a dressing room. Like most of the British countryside estates, complex, valued at seven and a half million euros, has its own chapel, stables, a farm, a greenhouse and a huge garden.

Ooops! I can see that this linking to articles is going to be a bit tricky.

Okay - so now I still don't know what they are living in - unless that is the 'cottage' - it looks big enough to be a 5-bedroom manse. The article is just scrambled.

[Daria_S]

Originally Posted by Osipi

Well there are pictures in circulation of Wills cleaning a toilet.

If we're thinking of the same picture, then it was the one taken during his Gap Year, part of which he spent in Chile with Raleigh (hope I spelled that correctly) International. I think everyone involved had to take part in household chores, and scrubbing a toilet was one of them (I think the chores were rotated, but again, I can't remember for sure and the book where I've read it all is not in front of me at the moment).

Now is this the picture you were thinking of?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...chile203pa.jpg

[LadyGabrielle]

Yes, I remember that. And I for one tend to believe that the Cambridges have some kind of domestic help. Maybe not to the extent of the Queen but at least maybe 3 or 4? I would find it quite strange for the Duke and Duchess to be cleaning, cooking and doing laundry and Im sorry, but cleaning toilets is just not what I picture in any way, shape or form especially when they have such hectic schedules. I know they would like to be" normal" or at least try to be but they are not. As time goes on I would think they will require even more help than they have now.

[Daria_S]

I'd imagine that they indeed have some sort of help. Maybe not a full out household, but maybe a housekeeper/cook that comes in several times a week (or on daily basis) to help with cleaning, cooking and laundry. There's nothing wrong with that, and like you said, as time goes on, they'll simply require the help, because their schedules will be hectic. I'd imagine that for the next two weeks they'll be living in London and not worrying about any household stuff, because with the timetable that was posted in the Olympic thread, it would hard to make one's bed, let alone clean a house and have a meal ready.

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by Daria_S

How is this the picture you were thinking of?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...chile203pa.jpg

That is exactly the picture I was talking about. I remember watching a documentary on his time in Chile too where he's making porridge and threatening to feed it to his father too.

Although I can very well picture William and Kate doing their own laundry, cooking their meals and taking care of the cottage, it wouldn't surprise me if they do have help come in and do heavy duty cleaning while they're away to London or somewhere. I do not picture them in Wales and dressing for dinner and ringing the silver bell for dinner to be served though.

[Daria_S]

I remember watching that over the Internet about eight years ago, and that little snippet was extremely entertaining. He was so upset that he managed to ruin the porridge (even joked about shooting himself ). I think that was the first indication that he was just not talented in the kitchen (though when cooking over hot plates, it can be rather easy to ruin something [I speak from experience, limited though it may be, and yes, I'm pretty hopeless in the culinary department as well]). Yes, I think Will and Kate are more than capable of doing their own laundry, cooking (they did survive uni), and doing light housekeeping, but the big, heavy duty stuff they won't necessarily have the time for, so having someone come in and take care of that is more than reasonable (even 'normal' people have cleaners come and clean their houses/apartments either weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or whatever suits their needs). And for the life of me, I cannot see these two pulling a 'Downton Abbey' with formal dinner dress, fancy service, and silver bell, signaling the help of a servant (not even after they become full-time royals).