William and Kate: engagement and relationship rumours and musings 2005 - 2008

[Odette]

Don't you mean 'makes it to the start line', she is only in the collecting ring at the moment!

I think she left the start line a few years back. She will collect the trophy if she gets first at the finish line.........lol

 

[Duchess]

i do understand what you mean but i still think there's more than meets the eye, more than just "acceptance".

Wouldn't a spring announcement be cutting it rather close if it were to be a summer wedding? i'm with you though L2C....watch those flights and hotel rooms!

 

[blondie28]

I still don't believe she's been accepted by the Queen yet, I won't believe it until I see it.

 

[Skydragon]

I think she left the start line a few years back. She will collect the trophy if she gets first at the finish line.........lol

But the wedding is only the start!

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I don't think we can compare King George V and Queen Mary to Queen Beatrix, Prince Claus or King Badouin, Queen Fabiola. The first couple were from the Victorian era where I do not think they expressed affections quite openly in the British high society - apart from the fact that it was an arranged marriage (that was why Queen Alexandda was such a breath of fresh air). But there was definitely a high level of 'comfortable' interaction in the public image of King George V and Queen Mary during their marriage. I do not feel they were at all remote from one another. But we are told they were remote from their children but certainly not their grandchildren!

I, too am abit disappointed at the lack of affection demonstrated between Prince William and Kate but it could be that they are just too careful before an engagement is announced. By contrast one can feel the vibes existing between Prince Harry and Chelsy.

I suppose you are right, but I don't think I ever saw a photo of the two of them looking anything like man and wife. And I have studied photos of MANY Victorian couples! In some cases(Victoria and Albert, Czar Nicholas and Czarina Alexandra) the couples were Victorian and correct in public but from reading their letters and diaries one could certainly not say that they weren't hot blooded...VERY hot blooded in fact. I can't picture George and Mary writing some of the things that Alexandra and Nikolai did to one another...I just cannot!

"....yours, YOURS until life endures! And when this life ends we will meet again in the next, NEVER to be parted again...I LOVE YOU. Those three words have my life in them...." (Alexandra to Nikolas on their wedding night, written to her husband in his diary)

Anyway, I personally don't see what the big deal between William and Kate-or CATHERINE as we are now calling her-is...I think one can tell from their photos that they are a "couple" and that is all the public needs to know. I personally don't really need to see them kissing, making goo goo eyes or even holding hands.

William is the heir to the Throne and I like his dignity and restraint...maybe it's just their style as a couple.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Check out a picture toward the end of James Pope-Hennessey's book!

I suppose you are right, but I don't think I ever saw a photo of the two of them looking anything like man and wife.

 

[LOSSEAN]

They were in a time when public displays of affection were frowned on. They were basically friendly when they married but then developed a very deep love later on. Their love notes to each other during their marriage are absolutely lovely.

CarliforniaDreamin
The above post (this thread post #290) was about King George V and Queen Mary and I always got that impression about them too, but I cannot support it right now with written proof as you have done with Alexandra and Nicholas. I daresay if we see a picture of those two they would appear just as grim as King George V and Queen Mary as they are all from that era when posing for a photograph was serious business indeed.

 

[Warren]

Check out a picture toward the end of James Pope-Hennessey's book!

Scanned from the book (the original is not a sharp photograph). Queen Mary is being tactile.

George V & Queen Mary 1935​

¤​

 

[Jo of Palatine]

Scanned from the book (the original is not a sharp photograph). Queen Mary is being tactile.

George V & Queen Mary 1935​

¤​

A very nice and touching picture. I seem to recall that I read somewhere that king George V. used to nap with queen Mary after lunch regularily, which I really think is a sign of very intense closeness between two people, especially as they get older.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

I see many posts here attesting that the passing out parade was a "private" affair, but I remember distinctly that it was mentioned on the Court Circular, as The Queen attends this event in a regular course to make the inspection of the new officers. I always think of Court Circular events as being official.

 

[fashion now]

This is 2008. Bright, young and educated women do not wait for a proposal. They plan the future including timing of possible wedding together. They plan according to committments and personal wishes. Catherine does not have to wait for a proposal - she is part of the decision making team.

hehe, but maybe they are willing to if they are to be the future Queen...

 

[Skydragon]

I see many posts here attesting that the passing out parade was a "private" affair, but I remember distinctly that it was mentioned on the Court Circular, as The Queen attends this event in a regular course to make the inspection of the new officers. I always think of Court Circular events as being official.

Private event in so much as it is only the friends and families of the qualifying officers that are invited. HM is normally represented at the sovereigns parade, with notable exceptions being Harry and Williams parades. Princess Anne took the last one.

 

[Duchess]

This is 2008. Bright, young and educated women do not wait for a proposal. They plan the future including timing of possible wedding together. They plan according to committments and personal wishes. Catherine does not have to wait for a proposal - she is part of the decision making team.

well, that's a bit of generalization but if we were speaking strictly of catherine i'd agree and that's what makes me think there's already something planned and they're just holding off on an announcement.

 

[blondie28]

well, that's a bit of generalization but if we were speaking strictly of catherine i'd agree and that's what makes me think there's already something planned and they're just holding off on an announcement.

Well, that's what people have been saying the last six years, wait until your saying the same thing next year. if you go back and read posts from the last few years people said the same thing. kate is definitely sticking around waiting to become Queen of England, I can tell from her family that's what they want her to do, it depends on when William realizes it, but he will.

 

[Skydragon]

kate is definitely sticking around waiting to become Queen of England, I can tell from her family that's what they want her to do, it depends on when William realizes it, but he will.

If she is waiting to become Queen, she may have a long time to wait.

Perhaps it is William doing the waiting, after all he is no great catch. It must be love to tolerate the media ripping her apart every 5 minutes, having your every unknown move criticised, your clothes, your hairstyle, whether you work, to constantly have the media quote unknowing unknown sources.

There are plenty of young men out there who are better looking, with less baggage and a lot more to offer, so why does anyone think she is the one doing the waiting?

 

[amad1108]

but not all these young men is a heir to a crown title and the money and palces that any woman could dream about and a power to rules a country,so why not wait forever for the ring, the ring that hold the key to all the middleton alway wanted

 

[LOSSEAN]

He must be a great catch for Kate to endure all that for how many years now.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

He must be a great catch for Kate to endure all that for how many years now.

In my reading your statement implies that William is not a person somebody could love but just the heir to the Heir of the Throne. Equally Catherine is not somebody who loves a man but somebody out to catch a prince.

This is a real sorry way to look at people who live and breathe and who hope for love like the rest of us. Why not put a more positive slant on your statement on saying: he must be Catherine's great love to endure all that for how many years now? This statement is as much based on our verified knowledge as your original one but it's much nicer, isn't it?

But probably that's it: your statement was explicically meant to be not nice against Catherine and for me, that's exactly what she has to endure.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

but not all these young men is a heir to a crown title and the money and palces that any woman could dream about and a power to rules a country,so why not wait forever for the ring, the ring that hold the key to all the middleton alway wanted

Why do people always project their own dreams on others when they think about other's motives? Or why else this statement about what the Middletons always wanted? Anyone has a right to his opinion but so far Catherine herself has given no indication that she is only after William's position. IMHO William's family is pretty good at finding out about motives, especially after seeing how fast Diana changed when she was safely married to the Prince, not Charles the man.

William and his family are not seeing Catherine for a short time only, William lived with her in Scotland, so really got to know her and now he is serving with the army, so he sees how she copes with being apart from him. So I believe he is closer to his own situation than anyone else and has the best position to judge if she wants to make Catherine his wife or not.

And just remember Princess Marie of Denmark: when she realised what it meant to be the girlfriend of a prince, she said good-bye to him. For a lot of posters on forums, the "truth" behind that was that Joachim (the "great catch") had decided that Marie was not worthy of becoming his princess when in fact Marie was not sure if she could cope with the whole package of Joachim being man and prince. Okay, they came back together and even married, looking as happy as a newly wed couple can be but in this case we know that it was not easy for the bride to say yes, that she did it out of love and nothing else.

"!in dubio pro reo" says an old rule for judgments: in case of doubt the judgment should be positive and for the accused. Maybe we could think that way till we at least have one primary source, one interview or statement from Catherine Middleton to base our judgment on.

 

[auntie]

I don't have the patience to read all the posts and threads in this subjects, but can anyone tell me, what is the official status of their relationship? unofficially engaged, she seems to go to many of his royal engagements

 

[kpusa1981]

Things William 'Wings' ceremony and his Sandhurst 'Passing out' are not Royal Engagements. However, the Order of the Garter Ceremony is certainly a Royal Engagement.
I think that, they are 'unoffically engaged', which probably means, that there is at least an understanding that when he has finished his military service and done at least five months but closer to a year of full time royal duties there will be an announcement of their engagment and an wedding date. This could as early as around December this year with a wedding mid next year or as late as Novemberish 2009 for a wedding mid 2010.

 

[Skydragon]

but not all these young men is a heir to a crown title and the money and palces that any woman could dream about and a power to rules a country,so why not wait forever for the ring, the ring that hold the key to all the middleton alway wanted

He has to wait for his grandmother and father to die before he is allowed to live in any castles, they are after all not the personal property of the monarch. The UK could be a republic in Williams lifetime.

The UK monarch does not rule the country, that is done by an elected government, so effectively the monarch and his wife have no power whatsoever.

William is not even in the running regarding money, there are many more men with a lot more money than William has to offer.

When you think about it all William has to offer, is constant criticism from people that don't even know the girl or her family, constant pursuit by the media, constant clamourings to know every little detail, constant inventions about their lives, constant speculation about the state of their relationship, pregnancies, imminent divorce.

Poor girl, she must love him an awful lot to contemplate putting up with all that, most girls would run a mile!

 

[Isana]

I do not see the perks in marrying a Prince either. The richess the Royals have pale in comparison to those of some other high society men in Britain furthermore she'd be better off living as a wife of some random rich guy when she could do as she pleases rather than becoming a royal with constant public scrutiny and envious "tax-payers" watching every penny she spends. She won't hold any power either certainly not rule a country. She'd be Queen consort, i.e. the eye candy standing next to William. He'd be the head-of-state but only in a purely representative function. I find it very sad that so many dismiss William as unworthy of being truly loved by a woman and accuse Kate of being only after the title. What does she have of being Princess William of Wales? Why should she put up with so much just to get a HRH in front of her name? So much cynism is really sad.

 

[Luv2Cruise]

We've been saying it for the last six years because some of us recognize a lovely match for William when we see it. This girl has conducted herself flawlessly publicly ever since she was first photographed with him. And the quotes about her FROM THOSE WILLING TO BE QUOTED AND IDENTIFIED WHO HAVE KNOWN HER PERSONALLY, NOT MAKE UP LIES AND JUDGE HER EXPRESSIONS FROM A COMPUTER MONITOR AND EMAIL RUMORS AND ANONYMOUS AND COORDINATED ATTACKS TO TABLOID WRITERS who are too lazy to do their jobs properly and dismiss internet gossip, all say very complimentary things about her.

Yes, they have been very private, discreet, prudent about the pace of their relationship, and they should have waited and should wait until they are both ready. Because the pressure from a schizophrenic public for a duplicate Diana and for an heir will be on as soon as they exit St. George's chapel (or wherever they recite their vows). Kate I'm sure is not anxious for that ridiculousness and will delay it for as long as they possibly can. I know I would.

Isana, the cynism is sad I agree. And most from people who weren't even alive when Charles and Diana were married but sadly came of age when their marriage and all of its fallout was paraded in front of the public. For the most part all of the nasty remarks you are reading on the internet in various forums and from anonymous posters in the comments section of tabloids stories about Kate Middleton are from the same small band of young girls and even some young women who are making coordinated attacks against this girl. They are easy to detect. I strongly suspect that these girls by no means represent the entire or even a minority of public sentiment about Kate Middleton except in their own "minds"-- and I use that word with tongue firmly planted in cheek. They attack this girl daily for having no job, yet they spend the better part of business hours (in every time zone) -- assuming old enough to hold down the same job they harangue Kate Middleton for not having -- every single day all day making up lies about her and attacking her and her family, probably from the office computer. Don't believe me? Read the tabloid stories, read the theme of the negative comments that follow, then pay attention to the theme of the same comments at various royalty internet discussion fora. A two-minute endeavor. Some sites including this one are more vigilent and diligently forbid the kind of just bitter, nasty, totally unsubstantiated attacks I've read at other sites. I hope it remains that way, here anyway. Yes, there are truly some sad and very bitter people in this world.

 

[maggymay]

Hi folks

Its sad that people in defending Kate Middleton, choose to portray marriage to William as being a fate worse than death, and that therefore she must love him so much.

Maybe others [including myself] have seen William growing up - yes, by media in most instances - and have seen the sensitive and caring lad who was and is so protective of his mother, father and brother, and we just want to see him with someone who makes him feel so confident in their love, that no amount of media coverage can make him feel so uncomfortable in showing his pride and love in public. I'm not talking about endless open displays of hugs, etc. Real love doesn't hide behind doors whether you are a Prince or just Joe Blogs.

I get a horrible feeling inside, that he is the one at a disadvantage, trapped by the Royal connection, damned if he leaves her, damned if he doesn't. I am into astrology, and even his charts the next couple of years show troubled energy around him. Kate has to show more independance, whether it be taking up a career or getting involved in a cause true to her heart. Hanging on in there, just waiting for the cue to go on stage, doesn't convince me that she is going to be a source of strength and comfort to William. And, after going though that awful inquest into Diana's death and that ghastly Paul Burrell's constant blurbs, it is now that he really needs a "strong" loving relationship - privately and publicly.

Whoever he marries, I hope that she really is his soulmate, and if not, I'll forgive him should he have to "stray" in order to find it.
Cheers
Marg

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Kate is still essentially a blank canvas in that her character is mysterious. The only things we know about her are the most mundane, pointless facts. Like it's so fascinating that she prefers suede to cowhide or that she is XYZ tall or whatever.

I've always said she is boring, and I still think she's boring, just like William. They're the most boring royal couple on the planet. Maybe even the most boring royal couple ever. Of course "boring" is strongly in her favor, for the obvious reasons. "Boring" might even be one of her strongest assets for the lifestyle she has chosen. Still, she & William take "boring" to a ridiculous level, which is why I much prefer Chelsy & Harry as a couple.
But I have to give credit where it's due, and I think it must be a forgone conclusion that she is exceedingly mature. If she was not precociously mature several years ago, she must be so now. I think that living in the spotlight as she has done, with not only the press but everyone she meets scrutinizing her, gossiping about her behind her back while smiling to her face, must have its effect in speeding up emotional/psychological growth. While her friends can be themselves without attracting any unusual degree of scrutiny, Kate already knows what it's like to have her "miss piggy face" moments.

 

[Isana]

I think being "boring" is the best that can happen to Will and Kate because that guarantees them to be spared constant media gossip and drama in their personal lives. I think that's exactly what William has been searching for: stability and comfort. He didn't look for a super beautiful super charismatic womam to replace his late mother and live the dream of other women. He chose a partner for himself someone who compliments him and not the public or the media. I can see those two sitting at home watching telly together etc. and I think that normalcy is exactly the balance they'll need in contrast to their crazy "public life".

 

[pretoriana18]

I think he doesn´t will merry with her... She is not for him...
For that he always try to be working in everything, military, aeronautic,
When he merry, he will merry, simple, without so publicity of "posible engagement" just he will be engage.... what... 4... 5 yaear of relationship and nothing???... Why do you think Peter Phillips wasn´t need so presion?... becose he loves to Auntum.... and he´s happy with her and he need her every day of him life... every time... I think that.. sorry if I´m mistake...

 

[Skydragon]

Harry & Chelsy have done what exactly to make them appear less boring, absolutely nothing?

Apart from the silly mistake with the use of a helicopter, William appears to behave as an adult should, he is in an adult relationship with the woman of his choice and good luck to them both.

 

[Amelia]

Maybe others [including myself] have seen William growing up - yes, by media in most instances - and have seen the sensitive and caring lad who was and is so protective of his mother, father and brother, and we just want to see him with someone who makes him feel so confident in their love, that no amount of media coverage can make him feel so uncomfortable in showing his pride and love in public. I'm not talking about endless open displays of hugs, etc. Real love doesn't hide behind doors whether you are a Prince or just Joe Blogs

If the media is to be believed then William and Kate have no problem showing their love in public, the first reports of them reuniting last year told how they were all over each other at a party, there have always been reports of how they are very 'in' to each other when out, of them dancing etc. What they don't do is put on a show for the cameras, and why should they? To satisfy those at home who feel they know what is better for William than he does.

I get a horrible feeling inside, that he is the one at a disadvantage, trapped by the Royal connection, damned if he leaves her, damned if he doesn't

While at first there may be a lot of attention on a break-up, it will eventually die out. There will be more girls in Williams life to catch the media attention, he will be carrying out duties next year that will also be a focus of the media and Kate will fade away. No one is trapped, they are both consenting adults for goodness sake - people really need to stop seeing William as this poor little boy who must be forever excused for all things, however wrong, because his sainted Mother died. He turns 26 tomorrow, time to let him grow up.