General News for the Cambridge Family Part 3: March 2017-September 2022

[Skippy]

I don't see it as stiff not sure where that comes from? Formal yes however a very sweet picture I thought. William is holding onto George (as usual!), George has a foot up and ready to go! Charlotte is quite a charmer already!


LaRae

I guess that I used the word stiff for the first time as it's how I see the picture. Formal. Which can be good, but in thise case I'm not inclined to it.

Charlotte looks like her paternal great-grandmother. Possible future leadership skills?

I guess it's time to beat a retreat, Camp Cambridge is not for me ? Adios ?

I suppose warmth is in the eye of the beholder. I like the photo and don’t think it’s stiff at all. Formal maybe but with warmth.

I’m not surprised by the people who don’t like it as they never like any Cambridge photos.

First sentence true, I think. I do think it's stiff and it is possible to be formal with warmth - his grandparents exemplify that.
Last sentence not necessarily true at all and very black and white. But not unexpected.

And speaking for myself: I don't like the Christmas photos, but there are other family photos of them that I do like.

There’s nothing Christmasy about it. Just cute kids.

I actually agree with this.

 

[Rudolph]

And for people who say we ‘never’ see the Cambridge children, some statistics from Gerts Royals on Twitter -

Today's official photo was 28th official photo/ appearance of Prince George & 15th of Princess Charlotte.

That averages out to 1 photo/ appearance every 2 months.

Does not include paparazzi pics, polo matches, airports, back seat of car, etc

 

[Osipi]

Although I'm not overly impressed with the latest photo release, I have to accept that it was the Cambridge's choice to do it this way. I also realize that there are valid reasons why the Cambridges are very picky about pictures and family portraits that are released to the public.

For one, I can definitely understand the reasoning should it be William that chooses to expose as little about his private, family life as he possibly can. We have to remember just how he grew up and even stated as a little kid that he hated 'tographers. Then, to witness over the years how his mother was hounded and pursued relentlessly by the media which played a factor in her unnecessary death, he's not going to forget all this easily and give away more than he absolutely has to. That's how protective he's become of his own family. Kate does have an assuring demeanor about her when it comes to William but she, of all people, would understand William's feelings the best.

That's why I think we got a very non-commital photo of the family. Actually, at first glance, I got a sense of deja vu thinking that with each person in the photo, I'd seen that photo of them before somewhere and that they had been collaged by a photographer into a family portrait and that the family, themselves, didn't sit for that portrait. But that's just me.

 

[miss whirley]

The Queen and Phillip, Charles and Camilla don’t do seasonal photos usually, so I’m confused why people are all up in arms about the Cambridges not doing the same thing.

All the moaning and groaning and comparing with others royal families isn’t going to change the fact that the British Royal Family doesn’t do that. And they’re hardly the only ones, take a look at the Spanish or the Belgian Christmas card this year.
Plenty of ordinary people don’t do the themed card either, about half of cards I get have photos from summer holidays or some other important family event from the previous year – baptism, wedding, university graduation, etc. never occurred to me that there was anything wrong with this.

Very true. Look at Charles and Camilla, their Christmas card this year was a formal picture taken in July. That's perfectly fine for them, but apparently the Cambridges must be informal and Christmas-y or they shouldn't be allowed to release a card. It's really more about the subject matter than the card.

Personally, I don't really give a hoot about Christmas cards. But I suppose it's a nice gesture from various members of the BRF who decide to release them. If people want to complain and turn up their noses at those nice gestures then they're the ones who are missing the 'Christmas' spirit, not the BRF, Imo.

 

[Pranter]

Charlotte has always reminded me of the Queen. It hasn't changed so far!


LaRae

 

[cdm]

I think she’s the girl version of little Prince William.

 

[Pranter]

I don't see that in Charlotte, in George yes, along with Michael too.


LaRae

 

[Missjersey]

Charlotte has always reminded me of the Queen. It hasn't changed so far!


LaRae

Me too and George looks like his dad.

 

[Pranter]

Yes very much like William except his facial structure around his eyes/brow are like Michael.

He's going to be a handsome boy as he ages I think.


LaRae

 

[VictoriaB]

Very true. Look at Charles and Camilla, their Christmas card this year was a formal picture taken in July. That's perfectly fine for them, but apparently the Cambridges must be informal and Christmas-y or they shouldn't be allowed to release a card. It's really more about the subject matter than the card.

Personally, I don't really give a hoot about Christmas cards. But I suppose it's a nice gesture from various members of the BRF who decide to release them. If people want to complain and turn up their noses at those nice gestures then they're the ones who are missing the 'Christmas' spirit, not the BRF, Imo.

It’s not that the Cambridge’s must be informal, it’s the quality of the photograph. The Cambridge’s look like tailor’s dummies. To me there’s no warmth or personality. They look stiff and plastic. I am no fan of Diana but she used some beautiful posed/portrait photos of herself, William & Harry in the years after she separated from Charles so it’s not just the fact that it’s a posed photo. IMHO it’s just a horrid photo (not saying the Cambridge’s are horrid or that they look horrid - just the photograph).

 

[O-H Anglophile]

I'm not sure that I find this photo any more formal than the one released of William's grandparents for their 70th anniversary.

 

[VictoriaB]

I'm not sure that I find this photo any more formal than the one released of William's grandparents for their 70th anniversary.

You are quite correct. I suppose I am (unfairly) applying different standards to a couple in their 90's and one in their 30's.

 

[Pranter]

Kate and William remind me in some ways of The Queen and The DoE.


LaRae

 

[MichelleQ2]

I think most families like to mix it up... sometimes a formal picture, sometimes a candid shot, sometimes a casual pose and sometimes kids only. The Cambridges have ticked all of those boxes in the past years. This years portrait was taken mid year and maybe like many moms she just like that option best. I think its a nice picture and a very different style of anything we have seen from the Cambridge 4. To me it had a tone of a study for a painting. Next group pic will most likely be at the Christening. Looking through 70 years of the Queens xmas cards, you see the same variety. Looking forward to seeing this lovely family through the years.

 

[Pranter]

https://twitter.com/x/status/943509017145565184

Charlotte today

 

[Missjersey]

It's amazing how grown up she looks compared to the Christmas photo. Simply adorable.

 

[Rudolph]

Catherine visited the Royal Opera House last night to watch the Nutcracker ballet.

It was a private visit but there’s a couple of pics on social media.

 

[TLLK]

Yes I saw some of them already. Nice that she had a chance to go and see the production at Christmas time.?

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2017122144975/kate-middleton-nutcracker-royal-opera-house/ Kate's appearance comes just hours after she was pictured driving into Buckingham Palace to attend the Queen's annual Christmas lunch.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

It seems like it was a busy night for Catherine last night. Nice to hear her enjoying her time at the ballet. I guess they're quite young for a ballet performance, but it seems that George and Charlotte were at Buckingham or Kensington Palace with William because I haven't seen any reports on them attending the Nutcracker with Catherine.

 

[Rudolph]

Someone on Twitter mentioned Catherine was there with a friend from Norfolk

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Ah OK, thanks Rudolph - makes more sense. ?

 

[O-H Anglophile]

It seems like it was a busy night for Catherine last night. Nice to hear her enjoying her time at the ballet. I guess they're quite young for a ballet performance, but it seems that George and Charlotte were at Buckingham or Kensington Palace with William because I haven't seen any reports on them attending the Nutcracker with Catherine.

Charlotte is not even three, I think she's still too young to sit through a whole ballet. I'd give her at least another year, maybe two. I've heard she likes dance-that might make a difference.
George might enjoy it, maybe not. Some boys do, some don't

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Charlotte is not even three, I think she's still too young to sit through a whole ballet. I'd give her at least another year, maybe two. I've heard she likes dance-that might make a difference.
George might enjoy it, maybe not. Some boys do, some don't

Yes, that's what I said. Ballet is probably boring for a three-year-old; so I would wait until she is a few years older. It also depends on how long Charlotte is able to sit through a long performance.

 

[ladongas]

I took my 5-year-old son and his friend to a production of the Cinderella ballet. At the intermission, the friend said, ‘Did you notice they didn’t say a single word during the first act?’

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I took my 5-year-old son and his friend to a production of the Cinderella ballet. At the intermission, the friend said, ‘Did you notice they didn’t say a single word during the first act?’

Haha, very cute!

 

[Countessmeout]

I am sorry, just like the family photo, not overly impressed by this.

 

[CrownPrincessJava]

New portrait od the Duchess of Cambridge. Was taken by Chris Jackson at the same time at the Cambridges’ Christmas card picture and Prince George’s official fourth birthday photo.

https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t...55_1861071643965203_2955383188404305920_n.jpg

The photo has been badly photoshopped. It doesn't look natural, especially her mouth/teeth/smile

 

[Jacknch]

I prefer portraits to have some background to them to add context - maybe if Catherine were sitting in a nice chair or something and we could see more of her it would have added some interest - like the family portrait it is a little too austere for my personal taste.

 

[Curryong]

Why is this photo being released now?