Kate Middleton: Family, Wealth and Background

[Duke of Marmalade]

The Richard Branson thing will only deepen the image of Kate or the Middletons as social climbers, making the most of the connections they now have thanks to the royal boyfriend. If it wasn't for Kate's status as possible future Queen a big shot like Branson wouldn't even waste a second of his precious time looking at Middleton's business.

I've lost track how many "career paths" Kate went down in the past years, maybe Sir Richard is the best chance to provide the desperately wanted "independent serious & hard worker" image. Good luck but Kate's attempt has written "milking connections" all over it.

She looks shockingly old in this picture:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/...70_468x502.jpg

[Wisteria]

She certainly does.

[Amelia]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

The Richard Branson thing will only deepen the image of Kate or the Middletons as social climbers, making the most of the connections they now have thanks to the royal boyfriend. If it wasn't for Kate's status as possible future Queen a big shot like Branson wouldn't even waste a second of his precious time looking at Middleton's business.

Oh come on, do you really believe that he is? All they are doing is acting as agents for the experience days, which anyone website can do - and they have been offering them on their site for over a year now. Possible future Queen or not I doubt that RB has the time or interest to involve himself in her parents business.

I've lost track how many "career paths" Kate went down in the past years, maybe Sir Richard is the best chance to provide the desperately wanted "independent serious & hard worker" image. Good luck but Kate's attempt has written "milking connections" all over it

Two

[Little_star]

Originally Posted by Amelia

Oh come on, do you really believe that he is? All they are doing is acting as agents for the experience days, which anyone website can do - and they have been offering them on their site for over a year now. Possible future Queen or not I doubt that RB has the time or interest to involve himself in her parents business.


Two

Actually I believe the figure is closer to 4 or 5.

She was photographed attending interviews at galleries when she first graduated, Hello ran a piece on it. Then she took the job at Jigsaw, which was followed by her non-existent stint as a photographer/events manager after the much-hyped Testino exhibition.

Finally we are told she works in the family business.

[Amelia]

Originally Posted by Little_star

Actually I believe the figure is closer to 4 or 5.

She was photographed attending interviews at galleries when she first graduated, Hello ran a piece on it. Then she took the job at Jigsaw, which was followed by her non-existent stint as a photographer/events manager after the much-hyped Testino exhibition.

Finally we are told she works in the family business.

Actually I still think it is two. She worked at Jigsaw and then for her parents. Anything else is just speculation by the media.

I'm not sure what exhibition you are talking about but the only one I can think of is the "A Time to Reflect" book launch with photographs by Alistair Morrison which was for charity I believe in late 2007. Does hosting an event for charity now make one an events manager? I guess I have something new to add to my CV.

[ada]

[QUOTE=Duke of Marmalade;975025]

I've lost track how many "career paths" Kate went down in the past years, maybe Sir Richard is the best chance to provide the desperately wanted "independent serious & hard worker" image. Good luck but Kate's attempt has written "milking connections" all over it.

That's exactly what I was thinking

[Dierna23]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

The Richard Branson thing will only deepen the image of Kate or the Middletons as social climbers, making the most of the connections they now have thanks to the royal boyfriend. If it wasn't for Kate's status as possible future Queen a big shot like Branson wouldn't even waste a second of his precious time looking at Middleton's business.

I've lost track how many "career paths" Kate went down in the past years, maybe Sir Richard is the best chance to provide the desperately wanted "independent serious & hard worker" image. Good luck but Kate's attempt has written "milking connections" all over it.

She looks shockingly old in this picture:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/...70_468x502.jpg

Brillant. Agree with everything.

[Skydragon]

Or it could simply be that these are the circles she would move in without any connection to William. I would imagine that it is harder for her to follow a career because she is involved with him.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

Or it could simply be that these are the circles she would move in without any connection to William. I would imagine that it is harder for her to follow a career because she is involved with him.

Sky, now I'm really interested in your theory on how British tycoon Sir Richard Branson and Miss Catherine Middleton could have crossed paths if it wasn't through her connections involving Prince William

[Zonk]

Since Kate has not spoken in the press regarding her life, school, family and work life...its pretty much speculation on how many jobs and/or careers she has. I am also not sure if I would consider the Daily Mail to be a reliable source.

And in reference to Kate meeting a different group of people due to her dating William, isn't that applicable to anyone who dates someone who comes from a different geographical area, social class, etc?

I am looking for a new job, and I am reaching out to people that I know...those I know very well and those I have had a passing acquaintance with...does that make me a bad person too?

The fact remains that Kate is truly the first commoner to potentially marry into the British Royal Family (I am not counting Lady Diana Spencer, Lady Elizabeth Bowles-Lyon or Anne Hyde as they had access to the BRF) in this new era of 24/7 news you can use (or lose). People can put a rumour on the internet and its across the globe and milliseconds...and it doesn't matter if its correct. And I am not counting Antony Armstrong Jones...the press can not be compared to the Press of the 1960's.

She is in a special category...she can't get a regular job due to the press (surely people remember the press stalking her place of business at Topshop) or the countdown by the press (and the forum) on how many vacations she took, she works for her family and she is ridiculed because no one sees exactly what she is doing, she talks to friends of her boyriend and she is accused of using her connections to get a better job (which I think anyone if given the opportunity to do would), she is also ridiculed because she doesn't know what she wants to do with her career (which also doesn't make her special...I am 40 and I am thinking of changing careers).

I am going to go out on a limb and give my opinion of Kate...she does nothing for me. She is boring, not that pretty and just average in terms of her dress sense (from what I know cause I don't know her) BUT she is NOT the reincarnation of the devil and if William likes and loves her...she is okay with me.

[lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Zonk

Since Kate has not spoken in the press regarding her life, school, family and work life...its pretty much speculation on how many jobs and/or careers she has. I am also not sure if I would consider the Daily Mail to be a reliable source.

And in reference to Kate meeting a different group of people due to her dating William, isn't that applicable to anyone who dates someone who comes from a different geographical area, social class, etc?

I am looking for a new job, and I am reaching out to people that I know...those I know very well and those I have had a passing acquaintance with...does that make me a bad person too?

Quite the opposite Zonk, it makes you a very resourceful person, like Kate.
You are quite right Kate was bound to meet new people when she began dating William. She's met Sam and Holly Branson through William and Beatrice, thats possible how she possible met Sir Richard.

[Duke of Marmalade]

[quote=Zonk;975507]

I am looking for a new job, and I am reaching out to people that I know...those I know very well and those I have had a passing acquaintance with...does that make me a bad person too?

Nobody is a bad person because of making use of connection, rather a clever person but because of who Kate is and her history in the papers it nurtures the social climer image she and her family have been given by the media. It's too late to win a popularity contest for Kate as commoner anyway but pictures with Sir Richard certainly won't help to improve public opinion about her.

skydragon Simple really, many of THE nightclubs are frequented by rich young men and women, (they also let in those who are not so rich as well), therefore it is quite possible to strike up a conversation, followed by friendship with those of a lesser/better class. There is nothing to say that Kate wouldn't have met one of the Branson children whilst they were both at the same club. A titled friend boasts a refuse collector as one of his closest friends!

Let's agree to disagree, I doubt that Kate would have gotten anywhere near the Branson kids if it wasn't for the circles surrounding William. Whether making use of her connections is a good thing or not is a different question, see above

[Little_star]

It was reported as a job interview for a gallery, I cannot remember which although for some reason I do think it was in the Marylebone area.

[Myself1995]

Huh. I have a feeling of deja vu with this article, but it says it was published yesterday, and I don't see it posted here, so I'll go ahead and post it anyhow. Maybe it's that they're repeating stuff they've already said on a slow news day.
Kate Middleton goes the extra furlong for Prince William - Telegraph

[Ella Kay]

I think the "new" part is the small interview with Bruce Fogle, where he discusses what a horse allergy actually does to the body.

It's a very slow news cycle indeed!

[Skydragon]

Should you have seen Kate Middleton's most recent evening dress in a shop window, your thoughts might have gone something like this: 'Wow! Which quietly elegant creature is going to wear that full-length, gunmetal gown?

'A sophisticated, stylish, well-heeled middle-aged woman on her way to a party, perhaps?' And what about the shiny, coral-coloured mini-dress in which her mother flashed acres of toned, tanned flesh?

Read more: If I had legs like Kate's mum, I'd flaunt them too . . . but does her daughter (and Her Maj) approve? | Mail Online

If you've got it, flaunt it!

[grace marie]

I agree with article. Colour of Kate dress is horrible and make her older and too monumental. I would prefer this dress from Boxing Day or sth. She looks lovely then. And about her mum... that wasn't meeting with the Queen so I don't suppose she should wear sth else. Honestly, on some photos she looks better than her daughters.

[christinacg]

Originally Posted by Zonk

They certainly suggest that the Middletons are social climbers, but don't most people hang out with people in their same social circle?

They were never in that social circle until Kate started dating William.

[Zonk]

Let's agree to disagree. Really no one is in the same social circle as William or the rest of the British Royal Family Except perhaps other royal families.

Prior to Kate dating William she at least ran in the same circles as some in the British aristocracy. She did attend what I assume to be a posh boarding school and university right? But will we ever know? No one really knows the true facts on Kate Middleton

[Wisteria]

Originally Posted by Zonk

Let's agree to disagree. Really no one is in the same social circle as William or the rest of the British Royal Family Except perhaps other royal families.

Prior to Kate dating William she at least ran in the same circles as some in the British aristocracy. She did attend what I assume to be a posh boarding school and university right? But will we ever know? No one really knows the true facts on Kate Middleton

I disagree, a social circle is different from the royal circle, it consists of persons and families who have a degree of friendship with the royal family. The Middleton family have never belonged to that circle and I believe they still
don´t, although her sister is making good use of the entrée her sister has given her to this elite and hard to enter group.
If the Middletons are thought of as social climbers well if they are accepted in the inner circle they have climbed that high they must feel dizzy.
Kate on the other hand, and her brother and sister I presume were sent to the best schools which gave them an entrée to a higher social circle than they would normally have been able to mix with and when Kate attracted a royal beau well she was immediately able to rise very high indeed.
The Middletons are social climbers and so far they have done their climbing very well.