Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Official Visit to Poland & Germany - July 17-21, 2017


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It's wonderful that so many people turned out to see the couple on the Polish leg of their visit. I'm sure they appreciate the very enthusiastic and warm reception!
 
I'm glad that William and Catherine visited a concentration camp whilst they were in Gdansk. It's important that they visited such a place so that the atrocities of the Holocaust can be remembered and highlighted by their visit. I particularly like this photo of Catherine with one of the survivors - Catherine is a very genuine individual; she was really engaging in conversation with the survivors and they seemed to find it easy to talk to her; judging by their facial expressions.
 
Yes I agree...she's not a fake sort of person when she's out doing these meetings.


LaRae
 
Duke with Duchess and children leaving Poland for Germany

Royal tour: Prince George and Princess Charlotte jet to Berlin with Prince William and Kate

https://www.rexfeatures.com/set/8965868


Duchess of Cambridge makes Princess Charlotte say 'thank you' with a curtsy on departure from Poland.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...e-makes-charlotte-say-thank-curtsy-departure/

Meeting with the German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Belga Image

From the garden party tonight

Belga Image

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4711124/Duchess-Cambridge-stuns-garden-party-Berlin.html

Another Galleries from today day 2 in Germany

Belga Image

https://www.rexfeatures.com/set/8966882
 
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The children are so cute but I agree it would be lovely to see them in different styles.

Back on topic, the visit appears to be going very well! Kate seems to be so good at making people feel comfortable talking to her!
 
Muhler said:
Thanks, Iceflower. :flowers:

I think Daily Mail tends to have a go at George on this trip. He is after all just a small child.
Click to expand...

As I said, I don't think they should have taken the children on this trip. It is not a friendly Commonwealth tour, but rather an official visit in a moment of high diplomatic tension between the UK and the visited countries.
 
Muhler said:
Thanks, Iceflower. :flowers:

I think Daily Mail tends to have a go at George on this trip. He is after all just a small child.
Click to expand...

I've noticed that. They need to give him a break, he's a shy 4-year-old who is not used to the attention yet and probably isn't quite old enough to understand why he has to do these sort of things. It also doesn't help that the Daily Mail is pointing out that Charlotte seems to be easier and more outgoing than her brother. I know that George has no clue of what they're saying, but I think it may already be setting up their "media personalities" to contrast each other: George as shy and difficult, Charlotte as friendly and easy. We all know that the way the media portrays them can stick around for a while, and it may be hard for him to overcome it as he gets older.
 
Mbruno said:
As I said, I don't think they should have taken the children on this trip. It is not a friendly Commonwealth tour, but rather an official visit in a moment of high diplomatic tension between the UK and the visited countries.
Click to expand...

IMHO I think that's exactly why they brought the children - to try and lighten the mood.

And I love the picture of Charlotte receiving what must be her first bouquet of flowers.
 
George is okay. He's like his dad. When he's relaxed, George usually waves and smile for the people and cameras. He's just not relaxed at the moment. Some balloons or treats should've been there for them st the airport. Kids eat that stuff up.

I love that Charlotte received her first bouquet of flowers. I notice she love flowers.
 
I think Prince George is acting age appropriate, 3-4 year old boys are shy normally. He is finally starting to understand more of what is going on around him and tend to be more clingy and shy, at least in my experience. He's a beautiful little boy who doesn't quite understand this whole business, it would scare me for goodness sakes.
but I agree with Dman, they should of had something specific for a 4 yr old boy so he could be a little more relaxed.
I think Kate and William handle it very well but I just wanted William to pick George up and hug him. Poor little guy
 
Dman said:
George is okay. He's like his dad. When he's relaxed, George usually waves and smile for the people and cameras. He's just not relaxed at the moment. Some balloons or treats should've been there for them st the airport. Kids eat that stuff up.
.
Click to expand...

Are you saying that the Federal Republic of Germany should have to worry about having ballons for a 4-year-old foreign prince ? I guess that not even the arrogant Windsors rise to that level of sense of entitlement !

Surfers often say that, if the waves appear too big to you to paddle through, that is a sign you shouldn't be paddling out that day. Likewise, if George is uncomfortable, it suggests to me that he shouldn't have been there in the first place.

I don't know whose idea it was (maybe the government's or even the Queen's ), but it looks unprofessional to me to take the kids on a diplomatic mission, charming though as George and Charlotte may be.
 
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Rebafan81 said:
I think Prince George is acting age appropriate, 3-4 year old boys are shy normally. He is finally starting to understand more of what is going on around him and tend to be more clingy and shy, at least in my experience. He's a beautiful little boy who doesn't quite understand this whole business, it would scare me for goodness sakes.
but I agree with Dman, they should of had something specific for a 4 yr old boy so he could be a little more relaxed.
I think Kate and William handle it very well but I just wanted William to pick George up and hug him. Poor little guy
Click to expand...


That is why this age is referred to by Child Development experts
as the Fearful Fours...
 
Oh brother. Its not like the kids are crawling around on floor while their parents meet with Merkel. If the countries had an issue with it, they wouldn't be there.
 
Read more: Duchess of Cambridge given impromptu language lesson as she tells woman in Berlin 'my German is a bit rusty'
The Duchess of Cambridge was given a make-shift German lesson today as she visited Berlin’s iconic landmark, the Brandenburg Gate.

She had earlier confessed to Angela Merkel that she did not speak the language, as they met on the Duke and Duchess' first day in Germany.

In their first walkabout of the three-day trip, the Royal couple were greeted by a crowd of around 2,000 gathered in the city centre, just yards from where the Berlin Wall used to stand.

Among them was a woman who spoke fluent English with a slight German accent.

“She said my English was very good,” said Tracey Spagatner, 49. “I said, ‘Yes, well, I am English.’”
Click to expand...
Video:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have met the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin today, as they start their official visit to Germany:
Home - ITNSource News
 
Mbruno said:
Are you saying that the Federal Republic of Germany should have to worry about having ballons for a 4-year-old foreign prince ? I guess that not even the arrogant Windsors rise to that level of sense of entitlement !

Surfers often say that, if the waves appear too big to you to paddle through, that is a sign you shouldn't be paddling out that day. Likewise, if George is uncomfortable, it suggests to me that he shouldn't have been there in the first place.

I don't know whose idea it was (maybe the government's or even the Queen's ), but it looks unprofessional to me to take the kids on a diplomatic mission, charming though as George and Charlotte may be.
Click to expand...

No entitlement. Just saying it would've been a nice gesture to have something really nice and exciting to greet the kids off the plane.

Listen, they're kids and kids can be shy. The media need to cool down on calling George reluctant or anything on that level. It's very natural to be shy, especially at this age and on trips like this.

It just breaks the ice with some kids to let them see and feel something exciting with trips like this. As a kid on planes, I enjoyed receiving my American Airlines wings. It was something that caught my attention and helped lighten my mood. Something to help lighten George and Charlotte moods after lengthy flights are nice gestures, imo.
 
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Mbruno said:
Are you saying that the Federal Republic of Germany should have to worry about having ballons for a 4-year-old foreign prince ? I guess that not even the arrogant Windsors rise to that level of sense of entitlement !

Surfers often say that, if the waves appear too big to you to paddle through, that is a sign you shouldn't be paddling out that day. Likewise, if George is uncomfortable, it suggests to me that he shouldn't have been there in the first place.

I don't know whose idea it was (maybe the government's or even the Queen's ), but it looks unprofessional to me to take the kids on a diplomatic mission, charming though as George and Charlotte may be.
Click to expand...
I didn't notice your post before I saw it quoted by Dman (and this has nothing to do with this thread), but what do you mean by ''arrogant Windsors''? The Queen, Charles, Camilla, William, and Kate is some of the least arrogant public people I know about.
 
ROYAL NORWAY said:
I didn't notice your post before I saw it quoted by Dman (and this has nothing to do with this thread), but what do you mean by ''arrogant Windsors''? The Queen, Charles, Camilla, William, and Kate is some of the least arrogant public people I know about.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I didn't want to get that personal, but, by "arrogant", I meant things like;

1. No Windsor attending Queen Fabiola's funeral (although QEII attended King Baudouin's funeral).

2. The PoW not attending the weddings of CP Frederik and CP Victoria.
( although he attended Philippe's, Felipe's and Willem-Alexander's).


3. Princess Anne not wearing the sash of Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, which she had apparently received from King Felipe VI (although she wore the star).

Etc. Etc.
 
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ROYAL NORWAY said:
Read more: Duchess of Cambridge given impromptu language lesson as she tells woman in Berlin 'my German is a bit rusty'

The Duchess of Cambridge was given a make-shift German lesson today as she visited Berlin’s iconic landmark, the Brandenburg Gate.

She had earlier confessed to Angela Merkel that she did not speak the language, as they met on the Duke and Duchess' first day in Germany.

In their first walkabout of the three-day trip, the Royal couple were greeted by a crowd of around 2,000 gathered in the city centre, just yards from where the Berlin Wall used to stand.

Among them was a woman who spoke fluent English with a slight German accent.

“She said my English was very good,” said Tracey Spagatner, 49. “I said, ‘Yes, well, I am English.’”

Video:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have met the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin today, as they start their official visit to Germany:
Home - ITNSource News
Click to expand...

:lol: Wonderful!
These things just happen. :D

I too think the children are a little young for this sort of visit. I.e. it's not child-friendly. Of course because of the schedule, but more because the children are surrounded by lots of adults who speak either with a heavy accent or something they can't understand.
I think a trip to York, or if it has to be abroad, Canada or New Zealand, would be better, where they can go for a walkabout in a town and let the children loose on a local playground with local children they can speak with.
George is not acting up at all, or being difficult. He's just old enough to realize that everyone are staring at him, without really understanding why. So of course he's shy and uneasy. Most children enjoy being the center of attention - on their terms, that is. That's not the case here.
Charlotte is too small to really care about other people (so long as they keep a healthy distance, I imagine), as long as mother (or a nanny) is around. So she takes the attention in her stride. And perhaps she's more extrovert as well, I don't know.

The children has to learn to be in the public eye, but it's a mighty big step on this trip IMO!
 
:previous: Charlotte and George have been on these type of trips before (New Zealand, Australia and let's not forget that Canada was just last year). Not to mention they've experienced huge crowds (Trooping for instance). So I'm not seeing how they're too young for this visit.

George just seems like a shy kid.


Mbruno said:
As I said, I don't think they should have taken the children on this trip. It is not a friendly Commonwealth tour, but rather an official visit in a moment of high diplomatic tension between the UK and the visited countries.
Click to expand...

I don't see why they shouldn't have taken them. It's not like George and Charlotte are disrupting or taking attention away from any of the events. We only see them getting on and off the plane.
 
George has been on official visits to Australia, Canada and now Poland and Germany. Big visits with massive media. More than most princes and princesses his age are exposed to. I think he handles it very well.

The thing is children aren't circus animals. They just can't perform at the click of a finger.

It will be funny to see the reaction from people when the Nordic tour is announced and the children stay home. Everyone will complain about that.
 
:previous: True, but the difference now is that George has reached the age, where he has become aware of himself in regards to his surroundings. Especially if the surroundings pay an extraordinary (in a child's eyes) attention to him.

What I want to point out is that it's balancing act. And such a trip should preferably be a positive experience for a child, rather than a scary and overwhelming thing.
If that means George and Charlotte should leave the plane later with their nannies, so be it.
If the children happens to be in the mood for meeting other people, fine, let them join their parents.
If the children prefer to goof around in the background, sniffing flowers as we have seen the Swedish children do, so be it.
As long as it is on the children's terms at this stage. Once they get more used to it, then they can better understand and accept that "now it's time to say hello and smile".

I like to look at cute children as much as everyone else, but I'm less keen on looking at children who are uncomfortable with the situation, and that is something all royal families has to address, not just the BRF.
A big experiment is going on these years among the royal families, in regards to how to train their children to be in the public eye - considering that the children are different.
I think W&K are doing the right thing in exposing their children to the public early, but perhaps at smaller events initially, then gradually building up to bigger (more "adult") events.

But let's get it into perspective, while Daily Mail would no doubt revel in it, George has not thrown a tantrum. He has not been wailing his head off. He has not stepped on the feet on the Polish PM. Nor has his parents and nannies had to run after him on the runway. He just been uneasy.
 
soapstar said:
:previous: Charlotte and George have been on these type of trips before (New Zealand, Australia and let's not forget that Canada was just last year). Not to mention they've experienced huge crowds (Trooping for instance). So I'm not seeing how they're too young for this visit.

George just seems like a shy kid.




I don't see why they shouldn't have taken them. It's not like George and Charlotte are disrupting or taking attention away from any of the events. We only see them getting on and off the plane.
Click to expand...


That is actually precisely the point as Muhler explained above. On a Canadian or Australian tour, it would be comparatively easier to have events for the whole family, or organize a parallel program for the kids while their parents do something else. On a diplomatic mission to Germany, on the other hand, they feel "out of place" and that is why we barely get to see them. It is an unnecessary stress on the kids as it is unfriendly to them and gets in the way of the official program, It also puts unreasonable demands on the hosts in terms of forcing them to accommodate the special needs of the kids (keep in mind that, unlike the Canadians, the Germans are not "loyal subjects" hosting their future King !)
 
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They are only getting on and off a plane. George was shy on his arrival in Canada. Didn't want to shake Trudeaus hand.

So the Commonwealth theory doesn't make much sense to me. George is just a naturally shy little boy, nothing more and nothing less.
 
Going on trips like this with Mummy and Daddy becomes a family thing even if the kids are, for the most part, in the care of the nanny when the parents are busy with diplomatic events. They're all reunited at night with Mummy probably telling them stories about the places she and Daddy went to.

This not only gets the kids a bit familiar with just exactly what Mummy and Daddy do when they go away somewhere to "work" but they also get a good sense of the attention their parents receive just as they do when disembarking from an airplane. George may be naturally a bit on the shy side but its kind of cute that Charlotte has already had some "princess" lessons and has learned the graceful art of the curtsy already. Bit by bit, they're coming into an understanding of just who they are.

Once school starts, its more than likely that George and Charlotte will remain home with Nanny Maria so as not to disrupt their schedule but they'll have a good general idea just what Mummy and Daddy are getting up to when they're gone. Kids are remarkable astute. When George was still quite little, I remember the tale that Kate had told him Daddy was in in China so George went over and opened the china cabinet looking for him. Too cute eh? Its a good thing that the kids do have a good working knowledge of just what Mummy and Daddy do when they're not home.
 
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