Camilla and The Public

[Skydragon]

Camilla is very much older and although she has a laugh and a hand shake with the kids, she doesn't seem like she's getting the connection to me. She seems to do good with the older folks. If I had to cretique her, I would say she would need to work on her deamenor with the kids, be more open and playful.

I think you only have to look at the recent 'tree hanging' photos to see how well she gets on with children or the DJing in Belfast.

 

[Skydragon]

Charles is a difficult person to live with but Camilla has been always capable to smooth his moody swings and calm him, encourage him and support him. Camilla will be a good wife for Prince Charles and people will get to warm them. The tabloids has vailied them for so many years and led the all arguments based on Diana's opionions or media's likes. Time to get record straight.

We only seem to know about Charles being difficult to live with from disgruntled ex employee's and his ex. Just because the man expects someone to do the job he has given them correctly and becomes annoyed when they don't, only goes to show he is as human as most other people!

 

[Little_star]

"I hope the moderators will allow this, not in the spirit of rehashing, but because this sort of misperception is an important part of how the public relate to Camilla. Many may be apathetic towards Camilla now, but if (when?) something goes wrong in future, the label " marriagewrecker" will rise again."

I haven't perceived anything incorrectly, I just have a differing view to yourself on the situation.
As for Charles and Cmila they're happy now and seem to work well together and no doubt will be together for a very longt ime to come.

 

[Saragli]

Camilla does get along good with kids. Its not like Diana cause she was much younger. She may be reserved from interacting with kids too much because of what the press would say. She might wait until she becomes a grandmother to interact with kids more. Shes good with kids though. All the children that meet her say wonderfull things about her. She is doing a good job. Time, Revelations, and Apathy are the reasons why they are so accepted. Time heals olds wounds, Revelations on what Camilla is really like and more info of the Waleses marriage, and apathy cause people dont care enough for Diana to cause a stir about Charles and Camilla cause they just dont care.

 

[HRHAmy]

I think you only have to look at the recent 'tree hanging' photos to see how well she gets on with children or the DJing in Belfast.

I did see the tree hanging and the DJing at Belfast and that is what I am basing my opinion on. To me she doesn't seem like she gets it very well, I'm not saying she is horrible but she needs more work. Just because you can spin a record and shake some kids hand who is in a wheel chair is not connecting with them very well TO ME. But I believe she is trying and she'll get better with time.

 

[Saragli]

Then again who said she needs to connect with Kids. Diana was a different person and did things differently. She doesnt need to connect with kids to be a good royal. She connects very well with adults and that is the important part. She charms people and children so they do like her.

 

[Duchess]

i agree with princejohnny. meeting children is part and parcel of royal visits and they all do it. i think everyone would agree that HM doesn't look as comfortable with small children as diana did. i don't think camilla looked "uncomfortable"....it's just that since we didn't see shots of her picking up the children we assume that she's uncomfortable.

 

[love_cc]

We only seem to know about Charles being difficult to live with from disgruntled ex employee's and his ex. Just because the man expects someone to do the job he has given them correctly and becomes annoyed when they don't, only goes to show he is as human as most other people!

Charles is a gentle and caring person of course. He is nice to people. I like him because of his gentle nature. He does hold a very high standard for everything and he is a perfectlist. Camilla is a nice person too. People will find more goods in them and accepted them finally.

 

[HRHAmy]

Then again who said she needs to connect with Kids. Diana was a different person and did things differently. She doesnt need to connect with kids to be a good royal. She connects very well with adults and that is the important part. She charms people and children so they do like her.

Well on one hand she doesn't need to make friends with the kids I suppose because she'll be Queen one day and then she can do whatever she wants. But on the other hand those children will grow up and become adults and remember Camilla that way.

 

[ysbel]

It's too bad we couldn't ask the kids to see what they thought!

 

[Saragli]

Many of the reporters did ask the kids and they replied with remarks like "o shes much prettier in person", "we talked for ages I cant wait to tell my friends", "she asked me what I wanted for christmas and she said she hoped I would get everything, she was really nice" Though they might not be exact quotes they are close enough. She does connect with kids. The kids have shown that. Just because she isnt picking them up doesn mean she isnt. She always gives the kids a kiss on the cheek. Thats affectionat. I remember on her first solo visit a little girl gave her flowers and ran back to her mommy. The duchess asked for her to come back and gave her a kiss. I think that is charming. Besides when kids grow up they see things differently and make their own opinons.

 

[Iluvbertie]

As an aside but related example - how well do you think Princess Anne relates or gets along with children?

I ask this because she devotes so much of her time to the Save the Children organisation but is rarely seen holding a child at all.

She is even recorded as saying something to the effect of why would she want to pick up a child she didn't know when everyone was praising Diana for doing that.

In other words people relate to children differently.

Diana had her way of doing it and Camilla has hers, which may or may not be working - we really don't know as we don't have the views of the children themselves.

As none of the children, or their parents, have come out and said anything negative (and the press would grab that comment wouldn't they??) we should be able to assume that she at least connects enough for the children not to be critical of her over it.

 

[love_cc]

Camilla is a very mothering person. She likes kids as Charles does. Tom and Laura both love their mother very much despite her affair with Charles has been revealed during their teenages. They just learnt to understand and got to accpet it. One feature in Camilla attracts Charles is her mothering feature. She gives a great warmth he always wants. Camilla is a person who can show their affections naturally. She is very media-shy no matter how she learnt to be used to it. She was aware of their cameras. The real thing is depending on people's feelings not the photos.

 

[Skydragon]

I did see the tree hanging and the DJing at Belfast and that is what I am basing my opinion on. To me she doesn't seem like she gets it very well, I'm not saying she is horrible but she needs more work. Just because you can spin a record and shake some kids hand who is in a wheel chair is not connecting with them very well TO ME. But I believe she is trying and she'll get better with time.

One of the papers had pictures of her laughing with one little girl that would have melted anyones heart. You don't have to be 'touchy, feely' to connect with children, like adults they don't all like it. Leave the taking babies from their mothers, for a photo opportunity, to the politicians!

To me connecting is more about talking to and treating them like adults rather than pretty toys! The child in the wheelchair is still a person and probably appreciated being treated as such.

I think she is doing a wonderful, heartfelt job.

 

[HRHAmy]

Whatever, that's your opinion just like what I said was mine.

 

[Skydragon]

Did anyone else see Camilla at Olympia chatting and laughing with the pony club and shetland race competitors? There don't seem to be many photos about

 

[Enya]

I cannot stand that woman, I just cannot. The prince married the love of his life, fair enough, let them live and do what they are supposed to do, as a royal couple. What I hate is the image of Camilla in the media, where she is often represented as some kind of a sophisticated, beautiful idol, with information of what dress she is wearing, who designed her hat etc. I feel manipulated, as I am not very interested in what a nearly sixty-year woman’s fashion style. She does not posses anything I could identify with and irritates the hell out of me, seeing her pictures all over.

Sorry folks, but this is how I perceive her in the public.

 

[Saragli]

If you cannot stand her dont read articles about her and look at her pictures. There are many politicans that people would rather not see or read about but they will be everywhere. Its a fact of life. She is a women in a prominate position. Her style is going to be looked at and she wears those clothes for a reason. She is free advertisment for designers. If you cant relate with her doesnt mean she has to irritate her. Just ignore her and it wont irritate you anymore.

 

[Alexandria]

Everybody is entitled to their opinon, whatever it is, so long as it's expressed respectfully.

Everybody perceives the same things differently, and we should respect that, too.

Let's not make yet another thread in this forum a for/against Camilla thread. Haven't there been enough of those already?

This thread was pretty civil despite the differing views -- let's try to keep things civil.

Alexandria
Royal Forums Administrator

 

[Skydragon]

What I hate is the image of Camilla in the media, where she is often represented as some kind of a sophisticated, beautiful idol, with information of what dress she is wearing, who designed her hat etc. I feel manipulated, as I am not very interested in what a nearly sixty-year woman’s fashion style. She does not posses anything I could identify with and irritates the hell out of me, seeing her pictures all over.
.

I think it's great seeing the different styles she wears and I am interested in who has designed what, what fabric they used etc. The transformation is brilliant.
I think it's great seeing Charles and Camilla happily married at long last. Even some of the youngsters that my daughter knows feel that some of her outfits are beautiful and would love to see their mum's in something similar.
Camilla obviously possess' something that attracts more and more people, not least of all her husband.

 

[Elspeth]

I cannot stand that woman, I just cannot. The prince married the love of his life, fair enough, let them live and do what they are supposed to do, as a royal couple. What I hate is the image of Camilla in the media, where she is often represented as some kind of a sophisticated, beautiful idol, with information of what dress she is wearing, who designed her hat etc. I feel manipulated, as I am not very interested in what a nearly sixty-year woman’s fashion style. She does not posses anything I could identify with and irritates the hell out of me, seeing her pictures all over.

Sorry folks, but this is how I perceive her in the public.

Well, I think media interest is inevitable for a while now because her status is relatively new. She's always seemed to be a person who's happier away from the camera, so with luck you'll get your wish when she's no longer new news.

 

[love_cc]

Prince Charles and Camilla will be probably happier when the press leaves their private life alone and focuses on his works and achievements. I like Camilla's style even it is mocked as "shabby grand" I am happy that Camilla will probably retain the traditons of royalty and I find that elegant and stylish. Camilla is never a beauty but she always seems very natural and warm to me. A perfect mother figure for me.

 

[Genevieve]

What I hate is the image of Camilla in the media, where she is often represented as some kind of a sophisticated, beautiful idol, with information of what dress she is wearing, who designed her hat etc. I feel manipulated, as I am not very interested in what a nearly sixty-year woman’s fashion style. She does not posses anything I could identify with and irritates the hell out of me, seeing her pictures all over.

I hardly think Camilla has done anything personally to consciously manipulate the media. She's been herself in all public appearances and it's been the media's own spin of transforming Camilla from ugly duckling into the beautiful princess.

If you are going to talk about someone in Charles' life manipulating the media it was Diana in the way she played victim, giving the media clues as to her whereabouts or feeding Andrew Morton stories about her unhappiness and her life.

As for interest in her clothes, I don't know how old you are but if you are young then it's natural to not relate to something someone your mom's age would be more likely to wear than yourself. Not too many teenagers/20/30 or even 40 year olds I know care about what a woman Camilla's age is wearing as the styles one can pull off at a younger age would be vastly different. But I think that you can appreciate Camilla's country chic style for what it is, even if it is not your personal style.

 

[Queen Mary I]

I hardly think Camilla has done anything personally to consciously manipulate the media. She's been herself in all public appearances and it's been the media's own spin of transforming Camilla from ugly duckling into the beautiful princess.

If you are going to talk about someone in Charles' life manipulating the media it was Diana in the way she played victim, giving the media clues as to her whereabouts or feeding Andrew Morton stories about her unhappiness and her life.

As for interest in her clothes, I don't know how old you are but if you are young then it's natural to not relate to something someone your mom's age would be more likely to wear than yourself. Not too many teenagers/20/30 or even 40 year olds I know care about what a woman Camilla's age is wearing as the styles one can pull off at a younger age would be vastly different. But I think that you can appreciate Camilla's country chic style for what it is, even if it is not your personal style.

I think C & C's paid spin doctors certainly manipulate the media in their bosses stead-Diana was not the only one to do this. Imo Charles learned the value of using the media to his and Camilla's advantage-from Diana. His interview on 20/20 was ho-hum and 'sad' as one journalist put it-'they will miss me when I'm gone' was the headline in my local paper's entertainment section the day after. Charles was described as coming off as 'seedy' and I am sure that is not the image he wished to convey. But my point is that he very much uses the media when he chooses to-just like Diana once did.

And btw I don't know but in our papers-The Tribune and the St. Petersburg Times-Camilla is still coming off as Ugly Duckling rather than Swan Princess. 'Frump Tower' was 'borrowed' from the New York Post during their U.S. Tour-and that is one of the kindest things that was said about Camilla's outfits and person.

 

[Skydragon]

I hardly think Camilla has done anything personally to consciously manipulate the media. She's been herself in all public appearances and it's been the media's own spin of transforming Camilla from ugly duckling into the beautiful princess.

If you are going to talk about someone in Charles' life manipulating the media it was Diana in the way she played victim, giving the media clues as to her whereabouts or feeding Andrew Morton stories about her unhappiness and her life.
.

I totally agree with you Genevieve. As the Christmas crowds proved, Camilla is being welcomed more and more by the public, for the warm, caring, uncomplicated woman that she is.
Truly our new Princess!

 

[BeatrixFan]

Right, so Camilla's suitability rests on her fashion sense? Ridiculous. Camilla is a fantastic woman. She makes Charles glow with happiness, she makes people smile wherever she goes, she has a real sense of duty and it shows. She's a damn good Princess of Wales and she's going to be a fantastic Queen.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Right, so Camilla's suitability rests on her fashion sense? Ridiculous. Camilla is a fantastic woman. She makes Charles glow with happiness, she makes people smile wherever she goes, she has a real sense of duty and it shows. She's a damn good Princess of Wales and she's going to be a fantastic Queen.

I agree with you BeatrixFan.

 

[grevinnan]

Camilla is at a time in a women's life when one can kick back and just enjoy what may come our way. She is obviously enjoying herself and Charles is just beaming with pride. If we could re-write history we could make the C-C-D triangle less painful but life goes on. She is the wife of the heir to the throne - she is not pretending to be mother Theresa.

 

[Skydragon]

Camilla is at a time in a women's life when one can kick back and just enjoy what may come our way. She is obviously enjoying herself and Charles is just beaming with pride. She is the wife of the heir to the throne - she is not pretending to be mother Theresa.

Oh Grevinnan, you make yourself sound so old . Trust me there are lots of adventures to be had even when you are Camillas age, or older!
They are so obviously happy together, it seems to glow from them!

I hope everyone is lucky enough to find such love in 2006, as Charles and Camilla share.

 

[Queen Mary I]

Well, I think media interest is inevitable for a while now because her status is relatively new. She's always seemed to be a person who's happier away from the camera, so with luck you'll get your wish when she's no longer new news.

I think if William or Harry become engaged in the next few years the older Royals will be left in the dust just as they were with Charles and Diana.

I think Camilla would be crucified (in the press) if she tried to be like a Diana (which I am quite sure she does not want to do). She should just be herself. That is really all she can do without coming off as artificial.