William and Kate: engagement and relationship rumours and musings 2009

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

If they really spend a week up there and arrived on New Year's Eve, the 6. is included which would make for a perfect occasion for an announcement.

Are you serious? William saying "we got engaged today", followed by "ok guys I am off to the RAF for the next couple of years"? How strange would that be? I simply can't imagine him getting married during his RAF stint. It wouldn't get the media off their backs, rather the opposite: it would only turn Waity Katie into Engaged Waity Katie, raising even more questions.

[msleiman]

i don't understand! Maybe I am missing something, but is William leaving the UK for the next 7 years or what? I think that alot of people get married and have full time jobs and some are even in the RAF, NO? The way that some of you guys talk William will be leaving earth for the next 6 to 7 years!

[Amelia]

While I would like for William and Kate to do whatever they think is best for their relationship, I can’t help but wonder if it would be a good idea for them to marry before William is finished in the military and ready to be a full time royal. I can’t imagine that the media (and the public for that matter) would be willing to let Kate be married without carrying out public duties, and while William serving in the RAF while Kate carries out duties sounds possible I’m not sure that it would actually work out all that well. Having Kate out there in the public eye while William is rarely seen could lead to problems. Oh well I’m sure they know what they are doing

[Ella Kay]

Originally Posted by msleiman

i don't understand! Maybe I am missing something, but is William leaving the UK for the next 7 years or what? I think that alot of people get married and have full time jobs and some are even in the RAF, NO? The way that some of you guys talk William will be leaving earth for the next 6 to 7 years!

From what I understand about the SAR position, he'll be stationed in Britain during and after training. It seems possible to me that he might continue to do the occasional official engagement, just as he's done during the past few years of his military involvement, while working full-time as a pilot. It might be a nice way to ease him (and his wife, should he marry) into the full-time working royal lifestyle.

I think William's military life is going to be significantly different than, say, Prince Andrew's. He was still being deployed frequently away from home when he first married Sarah Ferguson. It seems William will be more centrally located. I don't think it's an obstacle to marriage.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by msleiman

I think that alot of people get married and have full time jobs and some are even in the RAF, NO?

None one them happens to be a future King though. When looking at the media landscape in the UK and the image of the BRF it's a fanatsy to believe that Wills'n'Kate can do a normal army couple's life for a few years and doing a jack-in-the-box "we're back" when they think they are ready. William's future role is far too important and times are not easy for the institution these days, I don't think he'd get away with such a decision. I've said before, Harry yes, but not William and certainly not Kate who is considered to be workshy anyway. As soon as she gets that ring people want to see her in service for the country, not doing a private wifey job.

[Menarue]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Are you serious? William saying "we got engaged today", followed by "ok guys I am off to the RAF for the next couple of years"? How strange would that be? I simply can't imagine him getting married during his RAF stint. It wouldn't get the media off their backs, rather the opposite: it would only turn Waity Katie into Engaged Waity Katie, raising even more questions.

The voice of reason again Duke. The only person who is really going to say there will be a marriage or not, whether anyone likes it or not, is William.
She will have the chance to either say yes or no, if he decides he wants to marry her and he gets the approval of his grandmother and other members of the BRF. At the moment he seems to be very comfortable with her waiting for the crumbs he throws her, a holiday here a royal outing occasionally ready to do the master´s will....... the prestige it gives her when she is shopping etc...

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Amelia

While I would like for William and Kate to do whatever they think is best for their relationship, I can’t help but wonder if it would be a good idea for them to marry before William is finished in the military and ready to be a full time royal. I can’t imagine that the media (and the public for that matter) would be willing to let Kate be married without carrying out public duties, and while William serving in the RAF while Kate carries out duties sounds possible I’m not sure that it would actually work out all that well. Having Kate out there in the public eye while William is rarely seen could lead to problems. Oh well I’m sure they know what they are doing

Perhaps she will appear with Charles and Camilla until she finds her feet. However it could well be that she will only appear with William when he is doing his royal duties on his time off from the RAF.

Originally Posted by Ella Kay

From what I understand about the SAR position, he'll be stationed in Britain during and after training

As the MOD has made it quite clear that William will not be at liberty to serve in Afghanistan (afair) or any 'hot spot', it seems you are probably correct in saying he will be based in Britain. Therefore I can't see any impediment to their marriage or the liklihood of another Sarah/Andrew upset.

[Menarue]

Well Sky, if he takes up golf there might be.....

[princess may]

Just to add some perspective (and my 2 cents), the PoW is not the head of the family, his mother is. When the queen took her birthday tour of the Scottish isles, Autumn Kelly was invited. Peter Phillips has admitted that they became officially engaged soon after. He had to receive permission from his grandmother to keep his place in the line of succession (although he could have gone to parliament if she said no) and he was #5 on the list, not #2 like William. The queen will be at Sandringham until after 6 Feb, the day of her accession. If there was an engagement, William and Kate would be at Sandringham with the queen, not off in Scotland. The story of William and Kate at Birkhall has been told before (2006, 2007, etc).

[Menarue]

Originally Posted by princess may

Just to add some perspective (and my 2 cents), the PoW is not the head of the family, his mother is. When the queen took her birthday tour of the Scottish isles, Autumn Kelly was invited. Peter Phillips has admitted that they became officially engaged soon after. He had to receive permission from his grandmother to keep his place in the line of succession (although he could have gone to parliament if she said no) and he was #5 on the list, not #2 like William. The queen will be at Sandringham until after 6 Feb, the day of her accession. If there was an engagement, William and Kate would be at Sandringham with the queen, not off in Scotland. The story of William and Kate at Birkhall has been told before (2006, 2007, etc).

Exactly

[kpusa1981]

If William and Kate are currently in Scotland nothing stop them getting engaged and going back down to Sandringham before or after William begins his training in SAR. That is pf he was planning to marry Kate anytime June or before. What princess may says is true if William had already talked to Queen about it before Christmas or I am wrong?

[Menarue]

The problem with this is that so far (note so far) the Queen hasn´t invited Kate anywhere and up until now it is not certain that she has ever spoken to her more than a good morning or such.

[Ella Kay]

Originally Posted by kpusa1981

If William and Kate are currently in Scotland nothing stop them getting engaged and going back down to Sandringham before or after William begins his training in SAR. That is pf he was planning to marry Kate anytime June or before. What princess may says is true if William had already talked to Queen about it before Christmas or I am wrong?

I think you're right. Plus, while one scenario may have been true for Peter and Autumn, it doesn't necessarily mean that the same scenario will happen for William and Kate.

[Ella Kay]

Originally Posted by Menarue

The problem with this is that so far (note so far) the Queen hasn´t invited Kate anywhere and up until now it is not certain that she has ever spoken to her more than a good morning or such.

We don't know that the Queen hasn't invited Kate to private family functions, just that she hasn't been invited for Christmas yet, and only spouses or engaged partners are invited for Christmas.

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by princess may

Just to add some perspective (and my 2 cents), the PoW is not the head of the family, his mother is. When the queen took her birthday tour of the Scottish isles, Autumn Kelly was invited. Peter Phillips has admitted that they became officially engaged soon after. He had to receive permission from his grandmother to keep his place in the line of succession (although he could have gone to parliament if she said no) and he was #5 on the list, not #2 like William. The queen will be at Sandringham until after 6 Feb, the day of her accession. If there was an engagement, William and Kate would be at Sandringham with the queen, not off in Scotland. The story of William and Kate at Birkhall has been told before (2006, 2007, etc).

Peter Phillips was #5 at the time of his birth (after Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne). At his marriage to Autumn, Peter was #11.

How the RF proceeds with an engagement announcement regarding William will be much more planned and detailed than it had been with Peter.

[Sister Morphine]

Originally Posted by carinthia

sorry, girls, I am not keen on this kate middleton and find, that she is a boring person, who will not bring an affirmative incentive for the british monarchy.

waiting for years for that prince....ask yourself, will she also be waiting for william if he would be a taxi-driver?...and that is the point: is she a calculating person, or should be discussed about the other point of view in this matter: is it the real, the true love, that is worth to wait and wait, to sit it out and hope for the positive acquisition of this affair.

You're basically accusing Kate of being a gold-digger (or in this case, a crown-chaser). I think unsubstantiated slurs like that do everyone a disservice.

None of us knows what is in Kate's heart. Is she with William because she'd love him even if he had not two nickels to rub together, or is she with him because he's richer than sin and the future King? We don't know that and it's patently rude to speculate on it, because it slurs her character and to this point, she's done nothing to warrant such baseless claims.

[Mermaid1962]

If she were a gold digger, there are richer men than William Wales for her to go after. Besides, marrying a Prince of the United Kingdom means that you're marrying your country for life. Not all the money in the world is worth the loss of freedom for someone who doesn't really love her man.

I agree with you, Sister Morphine.

Originally Posted by Sister Morphine

You're basically accusing Kate of being a gold-digger (or in this case, a crown-chaser). I think unsubstantiated slurs like that do everyone a disservice.

None of us knows what is in Kate's heart. Is she with William because she'd love him even if he had not two nickels to rub together, or is she with him because he's richer than sin and the future King? We don't know that and it's patently rude to speculate on it, because it slurs her character and to this point, she's done nothing to warrant such baseless claims.

[blondie28]

Originally Posted by carinthia

sorry, girls, I am not keen on this kate middleton and find, that she is a boring person, who will not bring an affirmative incentive for the british monarchy.

waiting for years for that prince....ask yourself, will she also be waiting for william if he would be a taxi-driver?...and that is the point: is she a calculating person, or should be discussed about the other point of view in this matter: is it the real, the true love, that is worth to wait and wait, to sit it out and hope for the positive acquisition of this affair.

That's okay you feel that way. You are definitely not the only one.

[ghost_night554]

Originally Posted by Mermaid1962

If she were a gold digger, there are richer men than William Wales for her to go after. Besides, marrying a Prince of the United Kingdom means that you're marrying your country for life. Not all the money in the world is worth the loss of freedom for someone who doesn't really love her man.

I agree with you, Sister Morphine.

Exactly I was talking to my mom about this yesterday and she was like don't think that just because they're royals and they have lots of money they're happy, they don't have the freedom that we have, she said William and Harry obviously have no choice they were born into it but she felt sorry for the women who married them and that they would need to truly be in love with them in order to give up so much.

BTW: I wanted to ask do we know what Kate sounds like, I know during her courtship to Charles we had heard Diana utter a few words but have we heard Kate speak at all?

[Sonjapearl]

There's a few YouTube paparazzi videos where you could barely hear her speaking. I tried to find them, but there's so many videos, I couldn't find the right one. But anyway, she has a light voice. Not high-pitched, but certainly not deep at all. I'd say Kate's voice is higher than Diana's.

ETA: here's one. You have to listen carefully, but you could hear Kate speaking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31suVqks748