General News for the Duchess of Cambridge 1: November 2010-February 2017


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Williams going to be there.....good grief it's not like it's a crisis in the monarchy because Kate didn't go.


LaRae
 
No, she'll be back on the duty next year.
 
It hasn't always been a female Royal. Why in 2016 with equal primogeniture in the line of succession,does it have to be a female? William is the Royal colonel of the Irish guards. He can give out their medals why not shamrocks to a dog and guardsmen?


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I guess I'm in the minority, but I think it's a huge PR mistake!


She was just starting to improve her work-shy image by doing more engagements, and now this?
It may just be a tradition, but that's what the BRF is all about- tradition.
 
Mirabel said:
I guess I'm in the minority, but I think it's a huge PR mistake!


She was just starting to improve her work-shy image by doing more engagements, and now this?
It may just be a tradition, but that's what the BRF is all about- tradition.
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I continue to believe this was down to the fact that she have to be in Norfolk for an engagement the next day. Catherine and William seem to enjoy doing this engagement together. I think if she could have been there, she would have been there. This tradition hasn't been broken.
 
The actual tradition is that shamrocks are handed out to the Irish Guards.

The Royal Colonel, Colonel of the Regiment and sometimes a female member of the royal family have done this. So has King George VI and Duc Jean of Luxembourg.

I checked the CC and I cant find any record of any member of the royal family doing this 2001-2003, 2009-2011. 2009 might be in question because there are no engagements on that day at all. So between 2001-2015, there were 5 yrs (poss 6) where a member of the BRF didn't hand out shamrocks.
 
I think it was a bad palace PR move to not explain why Catherine is unable to attend this year St. Patrick's Day Parade, after she's been caring out the role for a couple of years. I think it's all due to her engagement in Norfolk the next day, but the palace could have given a little explanation for her absence. Especially, you know everyone expects the couple to carry out this duty together every year. Bad move on their part. Things become sticky when there's less transparency.

Sometimes I think I should be working in the Cambridge's press office, lol.
 
Dman said:
I continue to believe this was down to the fact that she have to be in Norfolk for an engagement the next day. Catherine and William seem to enjoy doing this engagement together. I think if she could have been there, she would have been there. This tradition hasn't been broken.
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She can very easily get from London to King's Lynn on the train on the evening. I really see no just cause for her to not attend.
 
cepe said:
The actual tradition is that shamrocks are handed out to the Irish Guards.

The Royal Colonel, Colonel of the Regiment and sometimes a female member of the royal family have done this. So has King George VI and Duc Jean of Luxembourg.

I checked the CC and I cant find any record of any member of the royal family doing this 2001-2003, 2009-2011. 2009 might be in question because there are no engagements on that day at all. So between 2001-2015, there were 5 yrs (poss 6) where a member of the BRF didn't hand out shamrocks.
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There are pictures of Anne doing it in 2009: Princess Anne Visits The 1st Battalion Irish Guards On St Patrick?s Da | Getty Images
 
A lot of the news coverage recently has been about Prince William being 'work-shy', so perhaps it was a move to show that he is working but then it has had the knock-on effect of saying Catherine is 'shunning' her duties :sad:

Even though, as mentioned above, they have both been involved on previous occasions, could be a way to highlight the Prince, who knows
 
There have been exceptions in the past. It hasn't always been a female royal and given William is the first British royal to be regimental colonel it's far more important he's there.

Kate will be there most years but now that Irish Guards have a royal colonel, having a female royal there isn't as important
 
Rudolph said:
There have been exceptions in the past. It hasn't always been a female royal and given William is the first British royal to be regimental colonel it's far more important he's there.

Kate will be there most years but now that Irish Guards have a royal colonel, having a female royal there isn't as important
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Yeah, this has become an event for them to do together. It's also a way for Catherine to continue forming a relationship with the Irish Guards. The palace should have explained this situation, instead of just letting down everyone. I'm very disappointed she's not going, but due to her being in Norfolk for an engagement the next day, I understand.
 
Dman said:
Yeah, this has become an event for them to do together. It's also a way for Catherine to continue forming a relationship with the Irish Guards. The palace should have explained this situation, instead of just letting down everyone. I'm very disappointed she's not going, but due to her being in Norfolk for an engagement the next day, I understand.
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The tradition came about because in the past the regimental colonels weren't royal so a female member of the family would do the honours with shamrocks

William is the first royal colonel in Irish Guards history. Now it's become much less important for Kate to be there every single year. She will go most years but she can miss a year here and there
 
Just read Richard's article on Cathetine's absence, but he seem to make look like Catherine just want to stay home that day, and fail to mention that she have an engagement the very next day.

Duchess of Cambridge pulls out of St Patrick's Day ceremony | Royal | News | Daily Express

It's just nice to see William and Catherine on official duty together. They already do very few joint engagements these days. Something I look forward to on St. Patrick's Day.

I have said, Catherine should be appointed her own regiment as well.
 
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"Aides said that the Duchess had enjoyed the duty in previous years and would undoubtedly do it again in future but did not want the public to think that she was taking on the responsibility annually"
Disappointing to say the least on Kate's part. I am going to be critical of Kate on this occasion especially considering their extremely bad press recently. Yes she is a mother of 2 young children but this engagement isn't a marathon, it isn't in an outer realm, yes she has an engagement the next day but she is fond of travel by helicopter to get about so nothing to stop her making use of that again and it can't be that taxing on her as she always seems to have fun on it. KP are repeatedly making mistakes and creating even more bad press. Dickie Arbiter tweeted that nothing stopped the Queen Mum from making this engagement but then the older royals understand service.

Yes i understand William is the first royal colonel of the Irish guards but the idea of the shamrocks being presented by a female royal is a nice touch and one that should be maintained. William has role roles to play in the St Patricks day Irish Guard engagement as well that only he can do as Colonel
 
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William's colonel ship of the Irish Guards is probably not a long lasting position. As Prince of Wales, he will probably take over for his father as colonel of the Welsh Guards. Maybe the Palace wanted to disassociate this event as something the Kate does every year.


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Skippyboo said:
William's colonel ship of the Irish Guards is probably not a long lasting position. As Prince of Wales, he will probably take over for his father as colonel of the Welsh Guards. Maybe the Palace wanted to disassociate this event as something the Kate does every year.


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This is a joint engagement for this couple that many looked forward to come St. Patrick's Day. Although I still think her participation didn't work out due to her being in Norfolk and preparing for her engagement the next day, her absence is kind of a let down.

The Cambridge's have gained some bad press lately, and that happens and part of the job, but they and their officials could have avoided some stuff.

I'm looking forward to the busy ceremonial summer, because this stuff is a bit silly.
 
I don't understand all this 'the tradition has been broken' stuff. If that's the case, the tradition was broken in 1950 when King George VI presented shamrocks
 
Dman said:
I think it was a bad palace PR move to not explain why Catherine is unable to attend this year St. Patrick's Day Parade, after she's been caring out the role for a couple of years. I think it's all due to her engagement in Norfolk the next day, but the palace could have given a little explanation for her absence. Especially, you know everyone expects the couple to carry out this duty together every year. Bad move on their part. Things become sticky when there's less transparency.

Sometimes I think I should be working in the Cambridge's press office, lol.
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I tend to think there is a piece of the puzzle that we do not know. It will not surprise me at all to find out after the fact that Catherine had another commitment - one that needed to be discreet and they did not want the public (and the press aware). Possibly something with the children or with one of her charities - but there is a reason she needs to be in Norfolk on the 17th. She is taking a lot of heat on this one and it doesn't make any sense.

...and I don't believe for a minute that leak from an 'aide' that she doesn't want people to expect her every year. She is too respectful to rebel just to rebel. I too am disappointed - but will wait and see how this plays out.
 
General News and Information for the Duchess of Cambridge

Dman said:
This is a joint engagement for this couple that many looked forward to come St. Patrick's Day. Although I still think her participation didn't work out due to her being in Norfolk and preparing for her engagement the next day, her absence is kind of a let down.



The Cambridge's have gained some bad press lately, and that happens and part of the job, but they and their officials could have avoided some stuff.



I'm looking forward to the busy ceremonial summer, because this stuff is a bit silly.
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William was not there in 2012 when Kate did it solo because he was in the Falklands. William is going to be there and he, not Kate, is the colonel of the regiment. If it was the other way around and William wasn't going tomorrow and Kate was, would anyone complain that William wasn't there?


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Skippyboo said:
William was not there in 2012 when Kate did it solo because he was in the Falklands. William is going to be there and he, not Kate, is the colonel of the regiment. If it was the other way around and William wasn't going tomorrow and Kate was, would anyone complain that William wasn't there?


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Yeah. Catherine shouldn't be getting heat for this, but it's kid of disappointing that she can't be there this year.

Everyone knows William is the Colonel of the Regiment, but it's just that this is an engagement folks look forward to them performing together. It's beautiful to see them with the Irish Guards on St. Patrick's Day. Hopefully, she'll be back on shamrock duty next year.
 
People liking and looking forward to the couple doing it together is not a reason to criticize Kate when she isn't there. The only tradition is that a member of the royal family does the presentation. This year they will have not only a member of the RF but also their Colonel doing it.


If the tradition really is that a female member does it then they have a number of ladies who are available - not just Kate. Why not a blood princess? The Yorks, Anne, Zara...even Edward's daughter. Why are they not being criticized? Kate has done it for the last few years. If the argument is that she should continue because she already has done it then one could argue that Anne dropped the ball by discontinuing herself after doing it for several years.

I see this as a manufactured opportunity by some to criticize Kate. There is no issue. The regiment is not being snubbed. They have their own Colonel doing the honours. People may be disappointed that it is not Kate but that is their problem. Does it mean that for all other events that some other RF members attends and Kate doesn't, Kate is "snubbing" them or at fault because people wanted her?


The media have twisted this into an issue of Kate not going. Reality is that William is the one who is going. He is the one who is booked. Kate has not refused or cancelled. She is no more at fault than all the other family members who also are not going. Richard Palmer has created a situation by coming up with an excuse that may or may not be true. He has manufactured an issue where none exists except on twitter and blogs ie in the minds of people not at all associated. Kate is no more at fault for not attending this engagement than all the other engagements that she was never going to attend anyways because it was never hers to attend. We might as well criticize her for not attending all the other engagements in the diary that the other RF members are going to. That is how silly this all is.
 
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Was an official reason given about Kate's absence? It is untrue that there are some engagement clashes going on, as Kate was seen going back to Norfolk on twitter.
 
Why does there need to be an official reason for her not attending? Do all the other RF members who also are not attending need to give a reason? She is not attending because she is not the one booked for this engagement. William is.


There is no issue here. All there is is speculation and a manufactered situation created by certain journalists who are trying to sell a story angle.


Kate isn't going because she is not booked to go. End of story. Non-issue.
 
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^^^You've summed up the reaction of the press as a "manufactured situation" perfectly Macrobug. The Irish guards will assemble tomorrow on St. Patrick's day. The Honorary Colonel will be present at the event. Shamrocks will be distributed. A toast will be drunk. The band will play. A giant Irish wolfhound will steal the show. And the press will cover the engagement.
 
It appears this 'tradition' is much more flexible than we were first lead to believe

Dickie Arbiter ‏@RoyalDickie
The Queen Mother 1st presented shamrocks in 1927 and regularly from 1965, Cheltenham permitting

Lisa Philips @LiLiPhilips
So the Queen Mother was excused for watching horses, and Kate is slammed for looking after her children?

Dickie Arbiter ‏@RoyalDickie
Except The Queen Mother was in her mid 60s and more often it was Shamrocks & Cheltenham the same day
 
I don't know that the Press will cover the engagement as fully as they would have if Kate was there, TLLK (clothes, hat, hair.)

If, God forbid and please let it not be so, the Queen were to die tomorrow then as Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and later Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate won't be able to pace their engagements. Just like their father in law their diaries will be full and that will include daily engagements, followed by evening ones followed by ones the next day as well.

After all, Kate isn't being asked to run a marathon then follow it next day by a speech at the UN. These are two reasonably easy and pleasant Royal engagements, the former meaning a great deal to the Irish Guards. Kate should be honoured to visit such a famed regiment with a great history, not the other way round.
 
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Can't help thinking that if Kate did attend and William did not, there would be comments of how William, the regiment Colonel, was neglecting his responsibility.


As for the press coverage - is that the main concern? Whether there is press coverage or not, the shamrock presentation will happen. The regiment will not fall apart if Daily Fail doesn't cover it. I don't think that media coverage has any bearing on this and isn't a factor.


I am not sure why K&W future as POW is being discussed. Yes, their life will change when that happens. But that is in the future. Today the topic is PW attending the St Paddy's shamrock presentation. Here, in the present, K&W are operating as heir to the heir. I am sure they are preparing for the future. But that is in the future.


I am sure Kate was honoured to do the presentation. Likewise, Anne, Edward, George, QM and the rest when they did it. And tomorrow, William will be honoured to do so.
 
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Curryong said:
I don't know that the Press will cover the engagement as fully as they would have if Kate was there, TLLK (clothes, hat, hair.)

If, God forbid and please let it not be so, the Queen were to die tomorrow then as Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and later Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate won't be able to pace their engagements. Just like their father in law their diaries will be full and that will include daily engagements, followed by evening ones followed by ones the next day as well.

After all, Kate isn't being asked to run a marathon then follow it next day by a speech at the UN. These are two reasonably easy and pleasant Royal engagements, the former meaning a great deal to the Irish Guards. Kate should be honoured to visit such a famed regiment with a great history, not the other way round.
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Catherine has been honored to carry out the role of issuing shamrocks to the Irish Guards. She seem to enjoy this engagement every year. Folks shouldnt be turning this back on Catherine, because she have to be in Norfolk an official engagement the next day.

Is it disappointing that she won't be there? Yeah, but she's got a job to do too. She couldn't make it this year. I just think the palace should've explained why she couldn't be there in a more clear way. I only say that, because she attends every year. I think she and the kids are going back to Anmer early. She can't be in two places at once.
 
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