Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Current Events 5: March-December 2013

[MarNoe]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

The point is they used a child bereavement center to make an infrequent appearance at one of their charities, wearing new coats, new dress, and talking about some baker. Had Kate been making regular appearances elsewhere, this would not have been about HER.

You can use all of the hyperbole you want, there are those of us who think Will and Kate only think of themselves, and find this to be nothing but a crass publicity stunt.

It's a good thing William and Catherine don't read this forum. They would be very hurt by this comment. And I am disappointed that an American could make it. I lived in England for four years at one point and there were too many times I was ashamed of my fellow Americans.

[Duchess of Durham]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

You can use all of the hyperbole you want, there are those of us who think Will and Kate only think of themselves, and find this to be nothing but a crass publicity stunt.

If William or Kate saved someone's life you'd say they did it for their own glory. Oh wait, William has saved lives.

[KittyAtlanta]

MARNOE: Although many people visit this forum, many find W&K interesting, but not "all that." I am one of those people. I can see both sides of this visit, but I do think it was a tad callow of William to have Kate with him. This is a perfect example of not thinking things through. A person can't know what it is to lose a child until a person has experienced it. Bad call IMO.

DUCHESS: Irrelevant to the discussion.

[HRHHermione]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

The point is they used a child bereavement center to make an infrequent appearance at one of their charities, wearing new coats, new dress, and talking about some baker. Had Kate been making regular appearances elsewhere, this would not have been about HER.

You can use all of the hyperbole you want, there are those of us who think Will and Kate only think of themselves, and find this to be nothing but a crass publicity stunt.

Yea, the baker in question is on the board of the organization because she lost a child.

I honestly think your take on this is odd and hostile for no reason at all. William is patron of this organization, should he not visit it? Or should Kate not visit despite the fact that charities are dying for the kind of exposure she brings?

Once again, the parents who met with them were selected and were the people who wanted to do it and felt comfortable doing so and their stories were not told to the press and photos of the meeting with them were not taken. What more do you want?

[Amelia]

Originally Posted by KittyAtlanta

MARNOE: Although many people visit this forum, many find W&K interesting, but not "all that." I am one of those people. I can see both sides of this visit, but I do think it was a tad callow of William to have Kate with him. This is a perfect example of not thinking things through. A person can't know what it is to lose a child until a person has experienced it. Bad call IMO.

DUCHESS: Irrelevant to the discussion.

And a person who does not have a sick child has not idea what that is like until they experience it - should Kate then give up her involvement with EACH if her child is healthy. Would it not also be callous of her to meet the parents of sick children when her own child is healthy at home.

The people that Kate and William met choose to be there, they knew who was coming. I'm sure that they were all aware that Kate is pregnant. It's so sad that you are using the loss these people suffered as a way to get in your usual dig at William and Kate.

[Sister Morphine]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

The point is they used a child bereavement center to make an infrequent appearance at one of their charities, wearing new coats, new dress, and talking about some baker. Had Kate been making regular appearances elsewhere, this would not have been about HER.

You can use all of the hyperbole you want, there are those of us who think Will and Kate only think of themselves, and find this to be nothing but a crass publicity stunt.

So Catherine should have shown up in her pajamas? Maybe William could have sauntered in wearing his boxer shorts and Ugg boots? What level of "not new" should they have exhibited with their clothes? Perhaps borrowed something from Pippa and Harry? As someone else pointed out (that you probably won't read), that "some baker" you were referring to was a woman who lost her son in a car accident 24 years ago. So not just "some baker", but a person relevant to the place they were visiting.

I suppose if William and Catherine went to a halfway house for recovering drug addicts next, you'd complain that because neither of them have had drug addiction problems, their appearing there is nothing but a crass publicity stunt. Or maybe if they attend someone's funeral, that'll be nothing more than a crass publicity stunt to you since neither of them are dead.

The level of irrational hatred for these two people boggles my damn mind. What's worse, a lot of this is coming from people who don't even in live in the UK or other Commonwealth countries, and thus neither of these two people will be anything to you, at any time. I don't like the Kardashian family, so I don't go to websites devoted to them or messages boards where people talk about them. I ignore them, and go about my life. If you hate these two so much, why do you bother talking about them? That makes absolutely no sense. There are plenty of other royal families to talk about here, you don't have to lower yourself to having discourse about two people who you clearly think are beneath you.

[HRHHermione]

Yup, it's a bit frustrating that people with such negative opinions about this couple bother to show up in this thread at all. If you find a pretty typical royal engagement to be a "crass publicity stunt" then this probably isn't the right forum for you.

[cinrit]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

The point is they used a child bereavement center to make an infrequent appearance at one of their charities, wearing new coats, new dress, and talking about some baker. Had Kate been making regular appearances elsewhere, this would not have been about HER.

You can use all of the hyperbole you want, there are those of us who think Will and Kate only think of themselves, and find this to be nothing but a crass publicity stunt.

With all due respect, if you truly feel that way, why do you concern yourself with what they do with their lives? Is it just to get in a dig at them? The fact is that yes, they did get a lot of publicity from this visit. That publicity will call attention to the charity, and maybe even people who didn't know it existed will now know. Most every charity that they've gotten involved with has reported an increase in donations after William and/or Kate has become a patron. Surely that's a good thing, publicity stunt or not?

[MarNoe]

I'd rather read about the good that William and Kate do than to see the space wasted on idiots like the Kardashians or Paris Hilton or the Ecclestone girls. To me they are just useless entities taking up unneeded space - yet these useless people are "heroes" to millions of misguided kids. Sick.

[Hollie]

I thought this was one of their better joint engagements because William's own experience and the fact that kate is a mother-to-be allow them to relate more to the people this wonderful charity is seeking to help. And I have to say the royal reporters have done well this time. A significant portion of each article I have read about this engagement was devoted to this charity alone.

[Duchess of Durham]

And as far as Kate's new clothes are concerned, the woman is pregnant and probably doesn't have a lot of clothes that fit. So yeah, she is wearing new clothes.

[HRHHermione]

Originally Posted by Duchess of Durham

And as far as Kate's new clothes are concerned, the woman is pregnant and probably doesn't have a lot of clothes that fit. So yeah, she is wearing new clothes.

And fairly plain, subdued new clothes at that. She recycles her clothing constantly, now she's going to get criticism because on this one occasion she wore something new instead of recycled?

Ugh. And I also hate the idea that this was a "publicity stunt". Quite aside from being rude, that point is also silly. Publicity stunts are used by people who need the press attention, and anyone who's paying attention knows that isn't these two. She makes the papers if she buys a coffee or walks her dog- she doesn't need publicity.

This visit was the couple filling their royal roles. It's what they're supposed to be doing.

[Lady Ann]

Originally Posted by Duchess of Durham

And as far as Kate's new clothes are concerned, the woman is pregnant and probably doesn't have a lot of clothes that fit. So yeah, she is wearing new clothes.

I agree, about the clothes March 17th she wore the same jacket as last year. Just had the bottons moved... I really don't think anyone should complain about her wearing new things. Most people have spent the last two years complaining about the fact that she re-wears all her clothes can we make up our minds please...

[royalistbert]

The same critics who say they don't do enough work and when to do work it's a publicity stunt. None of the other Royals get this scrutiny on here. Some of the newer members are really getting on my nerve, they seem to be worse critics.

[Kataryn]

Okay, I can by logic understand a little bit what Bates Motel has to do with this charity. After all Norman Bates lost a parent, too. And he was obviously not able to adapt to lead a normal life afterwards, so might have needed help by a charity such as this. Maybe.

But what has that to do with Catherine and her being pregnant? In all cultures being pregnant means to give life to a new person, to give world another chance of happiness. What's so wrong with this? And what has that got to do with Norman Bates and his late mother's wicker chair?

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

The point is they used a child bereavement center to make an infrequent appearance at one of their charities, wearing new coats, new dress, and talking about some baker. Had Kate been making regular appearances elsewhere, this would not have been about HER.

You can use all of the hyperbole you want, there are those of us who think Will and Kate only think of themselves, and find this to be nothing but a crass publicity stunt.

Presumably William & Catherines appearance was at the invitation of the charity themselves since that is usually how things are done. If it was a "publicity stunt" it was one arranged by the charity in order to get attention for the charity.

[soapstar]

Originally Posted by Lady Ann

I agree, about the clothes March 17th she wore the same jacket as last year. Just had the bottons moved... I really don't think anyone should complain about her wearing new things. Most people have spent the last two years complaining about the fact that she re-wears all her clothes can we make up our minds please...

Yep. People were complaining about the fit (and button placements) of the pink coat she wore on the 15th, and asking why she didn't buy a new coat. Now she's bought a new coat and people are complaining that she's turning up to charity events in new clothes. She really can't seem to win.

Originally Posted by Sister Morphine

So Catherine should have shown up in her pajamas? Maybe William could have sauntered in wearing his boxer shorts and Ugg boots?... If you hate these two so much, why do you bother talking about them? That makes absolutely no sense.

Totally agree.
Like others have said, the charity would have spoken to the parents and asked them if they wanted to be there during Kate and William's visit.
.

[Dman]

You know some folks just like to pick on Catherine no matter what.

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I have nothing else to add to this idea that this event was a publicity stunt put on by WnK. It really has all been said. Just want to say u guys are awesome and made some really good points.

[cepe]

Some very good points made but it is a mistake to confuse how an event is reported with the purpose of the visit.

It is shallow newshounds and bloggers who emphasis Catherine's clothes and not her intent. I gave one blogging site the link to the express article which had more info about the charity than any other. They posted the link but said that they didn't really get "into" the charities that Catherine supports. That summed it up for me.

The real work they do is not in front of the cameras - time spent with bereaved parents; time spent with terminally sick children etc.

And the "Baker" is Mary Berry who is a Patron of the charity.

Some of you talk charity but dont seem to have any.