The Duchess of Cambridge as Royal Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices

[ghost_night554]

Hmmm....so is this person on Tumblr who boasts about how way better he/she is a speaker a public figure who has the eyes of the world trained on him/her? And should Kate not have rehearsed her speech so much, according to that writer? She'd have been excoriated if she was ill-prepared and stumbled all over the place. Then she'd be accused that she didn't take this seriously at all. It's so easy to be an armchair critic, pointing out the weaknesses of others. Personally, if I were in that audience today, I'd have been honored to have heard Kate give her maiden speech and I'm sure the organization was proud to have it delivered to them. People are such terrible haters; I'd like to see how many of them can stand up to a room full of people and give a well-delivered speech on their first try.

Oh Baroness of Books I so agree with you. I don't understand why the world is full of so much hate. I can't see how someone can find joy in bringing others down, but I guess it does. I remember Kate's words on her engagement interview something along the lines of "I know nothing but I'm willing to learn" She's stayed true to those words and I am so proud of her progress over these past 6 weeks

 

[Baroness of Books]

And I find it offensive that these critics also think she's so unintelligent that she's incapable of stringing a sentence together, which is why they doubt she wrote her own speech. Unbelieveable!

 

[Hilda Thomas]

Princess Catherine' Speech Excellent

Princess Catherine did excellent job with the first speech; she made eye contact, smiled at the right time and jestered with her hands, the speech was not boring. The people of England should be proud of her and give her the support that is necessary. With the right training, love and support she would be a wonderful asset to her country.

 

[Daria_S]

CNN's article and video
Catherine passes the first speech ordeal - CNN.com

Ladies get the tissues out and ready cause this next article will tug at your hearts
Kate Middleton in private meeting with terminally ill boy - Mirror Online

More pics:
cambridge - News, photos, topics, and quotes
Getty Images - Search: cambridge
Newscom - Multimedia for Websites and Publishers - type in cambridge
Also isopix also has pictures if you don't mind the big a** tag

If you prefer to not watch the speech but merely hear it go here:
Audioboo / Kate's first speech Radio 4 18.00

Tribute to a Princess: How did Kate's first speech stack up to Diana's?
Kate Middleton's first speech as Duchess - CBS News

This may have already been posted but a full transcript of the Duchess' speech is here:
The Duchess of Cambridge's first public address is a success - hellomagazine.com

Thank you so much for these . The article had me tearing up. Loved the stories and the interactions with girls had me giggling. The youngest one definitely wasn't shy, but it's such a typical three-year-old behavior, and it always has me charmed.

Our girl has already been spotted again today!
https://twitter.com/#!/IkonPictures

Nice. Doing what relaxes you most after a stressful day is important.

Go on, Kate, you deserve some retail therapy and a right toes up, too!

Indeed.

My favorites!
Pic 1- Love the expression on Kate's face..... Oh to be a fly on the wall....
Pic 2- Wow, a real live Princess!!
Pic 3- The most happy kid ever. Does not know what hit him...

I love those pictures. They say so much about her interactions with others. Children are very honest beings and they're not going to stick around a person they don't like.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Also:
Personally for me the speech isn't a big deal we should focus on the real issue and these pics will help remind us of just that.
http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14yh6hVst1r8thv5o1_500.jpg
http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14zfwnuPH1r0e0igo1_500.jpg
http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14zhn4pa11r0e0igo1_500.jpg
http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14zij0HZR1r0e0igo1_500.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14zl0lENK1r0e0igo1_500.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14znmSpYD1r0e0igo1_500.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14zpwFy7k1r0e0igo1_500.jpg
oh and a personal fave of mine
http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m14zyyJn8Q1r0e0igo1_500.jpg

Definitely on point! These images made me realize what the entire day was really about. I have to admit some of those pictures brought tears to my eyes though I wonder if those children would not want people to cry for them. I am happy Kate brought attention to them as well as brought a smile to these children's faces.

 

[IloveCP]

Those are very sweet pictures.Kate is so nice!

 

[Baroness of Books]

Lovely pictures and great interaction between Kate and the children - the purpose of it all.

 

[LadyGabrielle]

Well I think she did a great job for her first time speaking. She looked fantastic and kept as calm as possible and yes the most important thing was the childrens center. Catherine has proven that she is able to handle the pressures of royal life with confidence and grace. You go girl!!

 

[PrincessKaimi]

I thought her speech was very awkward and unnatural to the point that I couldn't finish watching it, but since it was her first she gets a pass. I'm sure she'll get better with time.

Wow. This makes me curious as to people's own public speaking experiences. Most people have none.

But then, criticizing Kate has become an ordinary pasttime...

Well I think she did a great job for her first time speaking. She looked fantastic and kept as calm as possible and yes the most important thing was the childrens center. Catherine has proven that she is able to handle the pressures of royal life with confidence and grace. You go girl!!

I agree (and even if it were her 5th or 10th time). As someone who makes her living speaking in public to groups ranging in size from 100 to 1000 and occasionally has to deal with cameras, I can say that after 35 years of public speaking, I believe I know a natural when I see one. Being a bit human while speaking is a good thing. I have no idea how anyone saw the Duchess's attempts as "awkward." Most people in audiences are "awkward" after about one or two words. Typing things out is not the same as public speaking.

She did a fine enough job and was human.

 

[Baroness of Books]

Something tells me when she hits her stride, Kate will really burst out of the gate and will totally excel at public speaking.

 

[LadyGabrielle]

Yes you are right. I didn't see any awkwardness or nervousness but maybe Im not familiar with what one looks like when they are awkward while speaking. I think she may have missed a word once but there were no ums or stammering and she didn't freeze up. She did great, that's all. Time for some relaxation and yes some retail therapy always works.

 

[ghost_night554]

Lord save me I told you guys you'll never get rid of me. More vids
MSNBC Duchess of Cambridge
CTV Duchess of Cambridge delivers maiden address | CTV Calgary
ABC: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/03/kates-speech-the-duchess-gets-raves/
CBS: Duchess Kate makes first public speech - CBS News Video

Ok I'm going now time to read a book and relax

 

[Kataryn]

And I find it offensive that these critics also think she's so unintelligent that she's incapable of stringing a sentence together, which is why they doubt she wrote her own speech. Unbelieveable!

They all forget that this is a young lady who wrote her diploma thesis at a top university and recieved an honour for it!

 

[buralen]

I'm wondering about Kate's bracelet she wore today. It seems to have different colour beads. Has anyone else noticed this bracelet?

 

[Lumutqueen]

I'm wondering about Kate's bracelet she wore today. It seems to have different colour beads. Has anyone else noticed this bracelet?

It's the bracelet of the charity EACH, East Anglia's Children's Hospices | Home | EACH Bracelet.

 

[csw]

Regarding the bracelet, I thought it might have been given to her by the children as it looks like strung plastic beads to me. Of course, it it turns out to be valuable gemstones then shame on me

 

[EIIR]

Many thanks ghost_night, as always, for your wonderful links and photos. What would we do without you?

The leader column of the Daily Telegraph today praises Kate's first speech:

The Duchess’s Speech - Telegraph

 

[Muhler]

A gallery of Kate from Billed Bladet: https://picasaweb.google.com/100865900034584557354/KatePaBRnehospice#

She's visiting the hospice.
Your own problems become so trivial when you look at the children there.

 

[Sunnystar]

Okay, to start off my comments/response to several who replied to my initial comments about Kate's speech, I'll offer some .

The youngsters whom I have had the pleasure of seeing deliver better speeches, even first ones, than Kate, most assuredly did not have television news cameras recording them so that the speeches could be streamed live around the world. That isn't to say that the pressure they were feeling, at 13, 14 or 15 years old, is any less than what Kate was feeling yesterday. There is a fair degree of pressure to stand up and give a speech with a hundred people, some of whom can be as critical and will gladly nitpick every little thing the same way Kate's worst critics do (think about the worst old biddies, and plenty of younger ones in training). Ultimately though, it's apples to oranges, comparing the pressures.

Having said that, my personal experience in watching some of these kids deliver speeches, especially their first ones, is that I thought Kate took too long when she was looking down to read her speech for someone who is reported to have written it herself and practiced so much. I just felt like the delivery wasn't very organic and it made me feel like Kate was reading another person's words. I wasn't expecting her to have a teleprompter so that she could be constantly looking around and engaging the audience but even her quip about wishing William could be there was stiffly delivered. It was, overall, a really oddly presented speech, to me.

For what it's worth, I posted a link to the speech on my FB and several friends all agreed that it was not great.

I'm a Kate fan in general and I think she's a fabulous addition to the BRF and while I'm sure she'll improve over time, I doubt her speeches are ever going to be her forte. All this fawning all over her and excusing her rather uncomfortable and clearly nervous effort is as off-putting as the people who tear her down every chance they get.

 

[ghost_night554]

Also I spoke with EACH they will also be posting an album of the royal visit shortly so when that is up I'll post the link. Also I asked about the bracelet they said they do ship to US/Canada contrary to original belief on some blogs.

 

[susiewong]

I just wish she would take a leaf out of Princess Mary's book and get a discent hairdresser. The hair is always in her face or just curled on the bottom..Very boring and I think it would look much nicer with 3 inches cut off. She hasnt impressed me at all with her dress sense. Perhaps she needs a stylist..

 

[PrincessKaimi]

I did watch the speech a couple of times, and yes, she looked down too often out of nervousness. I didn't think she was actually reading her speech or truly consulting her notes much, but she definitely wanted to get all her words right. Her voice is lovely and the speech was well-written. She'll get over the looking down thing if she does enough speeches.

It's great that Britain has royals who can bring attention and good words to charities like this. I suppose here in the U.S. there are some celebrities or politicians who do this kind of thing, but it is not the same. To recognize children's hospice workers in this way was marvelous and Kate can feel so good about herself for it. What really matters is that she was there, giving support and cheer to people who so deserve it.

 

[EIIR]

I just wish she would take a leaf out of Princess Mary's book and get a discent hairdresser. The hair is always in her face or just curled on the bottom..Very boring and I think it would look much nicer with 3 inches cut off. She hasnt impressed me at all with her dress sense. Perhaps she needs a stylist..

I hope she doesn't take a leaf out of Mary's book. I always find Mary's hair rather anaemic looking, lacking in body and form. Her hair has never left much of an impression on me.

 

[kimlan]

One down and many more to come. Good for you Kate! It seems like people tendency try to forget that she wrote her diploma theses and received an honor for it while William did not. Most students who wrote diploma theses are in their honor program and they must be good, smart nd hard work to be in the program. A good speech does not have to be long to be good as long as it covers all the meaning from her heart which she wants to say. You can tell from her color of dress that she did her research about for the Treehouse and her speech was well-written. She only on her job for 11 months not even a year yet. Give her some credit should we?

 

[Lumutqueen]

It seems like people tendency try to forget that she wrote her diploma theses and received an honor for it while William did not.]

I'm not sure if you're saying what I think you are, seeing as understanding the UK education system is not always the easiest thing to do. But Catherine received a 2:1 MA (Scotland) in History of Art at St Andrews and William received a 2:1 in Geography, the highest a British Royal has ever achieved. The pair would have both completely a dissertation in their third year on their chosen subject, it would have been around 10-20,000 words long.

 

[carlota]

i thought the speech was a bit too forced and rehearsed. the intonation made it sound a bit fake. but it's only her first and i'm sure she will improve before next time with some coaching, that she will surely get.
she was otherwise her adorable self with the children and just in general with the people she meets. i just wish she would have worn something else. that dress was not really her best.

 

[IloveCP]

I thought she did a nice job on her speech.There was a hint of nervousness but I don't blame her.

 

[Baroness of Books]

Don't want to sound fawning but I'm sure the long pauses had a lot to do with the fact that - surprise- she was nervous and had to control any possible quavering in her tone and breath control. If her hands were shaking as was reported, that's probably why she had to keep to a steady pace. As I mentioned in a prior post, she'll get better as she gets accustomed to public speaking and will hopefully become a more natural speaker. I think we're all realistic about her maiden speech, but at least she didn't flub her lines and interject annoying fillers. I think she did quite well.

 

[IloveCP]

Kate Middleton: Royal Solo Appearances : People.com

 

[Kataryn]

Were there any children with hearing problems in the audience? I know that Catherine was very carefully and accurate on checking the background of anyone she met - she eg told a child who wanted to sing for her that she already saw the video of the performance in advance, so looked very much forward to hearing her for herself, which is really sweet!

I have yet to read something about the audience that Catherine actually had - apart from the TV cameras. But for me she spoke carefully, made a lot of pauses etc. by purpose, so anyone in the audience could get her meaning.
Just my impression, but was there any comment about this possibility?