I feel for the Middleton family. It cannot be easy for such a normal, ordinary, close family to suddenly become Tabloid fodder. They must all be feeling like goldfish in a bowl, and let's be honest, it is not their fault, or their choice. Their oldest daughter just happens to be dating a Prince.
They obviously love and try to run interferrance to protect each other from unkind attack, but I don't think they could ever have envisioned their lives turning into a daytime soap opera. As for James little "incident"? I wouldn't be surprised if half of it wasn't motivated by an urge to take a swipe at the "invaders" into what really is a very ordinary life. His life, and he can't even have a bit of harmless fun without sleazy papers plastering it on headlines around the world and countless "Dr Phil" types get to pontificate about his "real" motivations.
It is enough to drive any normal person barking mad, and I think that is what "they",the media in general, and the Daily Mail in particular wants. Someone in that family to "crack" and lash out in an indiscreet way.
Like Elspeth and so many others, I believe Catherine is the subject of a very specific, targeted "smear" campaign, driven by frustration on the part of the DM, by not having the inside track, having no control. As has been said earlier, the DM made the Queen do something she was reluctant to do. They forced her hand, and not surprisingly, they started to think they could "control" the BRF.
Camilla was a gift they couldn't believe but it all turned to dust when the average citizen exercised a little of their grey matter and decided they could make up their own minds about who should and who should not be married to the POW. The fact that the couple's friends are notoriously tight-lipped about Charles and Camilla must be an enduring thorn in their collective sides. The fact they are happy and the British public believe they are happy in defiance of media reports to the contrary must really drive them nuts.
But, with William, the DM have behaved as if he "belonged" to them in some way predicated on the link they previously had with his mother. Bad call. He seems to have learned from his parents media debacle and his girlfriend seems to be channeling Camilla in her behaviour toward them.
I believe the DM, with it's "Waity Katy" campaign have finally gone too far. They have metaphorically burned their bridges and can't go back and change their minds. Catherine's family are basically living under siege and the royal relationship is no further ahead nor behind what it was this time last year. They are desperate for a headline and I think they now intend to wage an all-out media war against Catherine in the hope that something, anything, will happen.