William and Kate: engagement and relationship rumours and musings 2005 - 2008

[bekalc]

I don't think we can judge William/Kate by how they are in public. I'm sure he was trained to act in a dignified manner. Plus given how so much of his life is in front of the cameras maybe there are some things that William would like to keep private.

 

[Ella Kay]

Plus given how so much of his life is in front of the cameras maybe there are some things that William would like to keep private.

I agree. I'd add one thing, though: I think it's more than his own experience with the media and photographers that have made William cherish privacy so much. I'm sure that the fiery and divisive collapse of his parents' marriage in front of the entire world, along with the media's constant spotlight on his mother, also shaped his relationship with the press.

That's part of the reason that I think William will take his sweet time letting the world into his private relationship with Kate. The two are feeling some media heat now, but it's nothing compared to the firestorm that will come at the pair of them once they announce their engagement and essentially make their private lives public property.

 

[Incas]

My take is if they do get married, it will be a low key affair similar to Charles and Camilla's wedding. I think St George's Chapel will be a great location, it limits the size of the crowd and less of the travel to the castle, and better control of media coverage. It wouldn't surprise me if they have a private service a la Princess Royal's second marriage, and pass out an official photo or two later. That way, there will be an added PR coup of how the monarchy, being sensible and sensitive to the economy, has saved public funding from an extravagent wedding.

 

[ysbel]

So that just reinforces the idea that if Andrew, as possible regent for a future king, got a very large pomp and circumstance wedding, William as a future king would definitely get one, IMO.

One reason for the large weddings could be that Anne and Andrew were the children of the monarch. Margaret was the sister which is a closer-in-blood relationship to the Queen than William who is the grandchild.

I think its been awhile since a royal grandchild had a wedding. Edward VII, George V, and George V all died before their grandchildren were old enough to marry.

 

[Stefan]

One reason for the large weddings could be that Anne and Andrew were the children of the monarch. Margaret was the sister which is a closer-in-blood relationship to the Queen than William who is the grandchild.

I think its been awhile since a royal grandchild had a wedding. Edward VII, George V, and George V all died before their grandchildren were old enough to marry.

But even the Weddings of the Duke of Kent and his sister Alexandra where large affairs too in the early 60's.

 

[kimebear]

Yes, William is the monarch's grandchild but, barring any tragic occurances, he is going to be the monarch himself someday. IMO that puts him in a decidedly different category of importance than just plain grandchild.

One reason for the large weddings could be that Anne and Andrew were the children of the monarch. Margaret was the sister which is a closer-in-blood relationship to the Queen than William who is the grandchild.

I think its been awhile since a royal grandchild had a wedding. Edward VII, George V, and George V all died before their grandchildren were old enough to marry.

 

[ysbel]

Yes, William is the monarch's grandchild but, barring any tragic occurances, he is going to be the monarch himself someday. IMO that puts him in a decidedly different category of importance than just plain grandchild.

I agree with you kimebear. I'm just thinking that its been a long time since the grandchild/eventual heir of a monarch has been married in the grandparent's lifetime and so the Royal Family may have more leeway in how they interpret the need for the wedding's size.

They could interpret it as William being the eventual heir and needing a large wedding. Or they could interpret it as William being the eventual heir but not right now and deem a smaller wedding is more appropriate.

At any rate, I don't think they're going to allow William to elope and I think the wedding of any size will have to have the dignity and pomp of a royal wedding even if they decide to cut down on the grandeur.

 

[Duchess]

not to get off track but we saw what happens when a couple is forced to "sell" their nuptials in order to pull off a wedding grand enough for a royal and look how far he is down the line of succession he is. i'm sure williams wedding will be as grand or more than his fathers first.

 

[Elspeth]

But even the Weddings of the Duke of Kent and his sister Alexandra where large affairs too in the early 60's.

On the other hand, the wedding of Prince Richard of Gloucester wasn't, although I'm not sure he'd have been allowed to get away with that quiet country wedding if he'd been the heir to the dukedom at the time. But then the Gloucesters have always been more low-key than the Kents.

 

[Ella Kay]

It will be interesting to see how a royal wedding might be handled should William and Kate get married while the world economy is still in the pits. I can definitely understand those who say that it might send the wrong signal to have a major show of pomp and glamour when so many are struggling, but it also seems like a royal wedding of the magnitude that I think William's will be might be able to stimulate the British economy somewhat. Tourism, souvenirs, world attention, etc.

Maybe the Queen and Prince Philip's wedding might be a good model to follow? They had a grand London wedding, but it was toned down somewhat because Britain was still strugging in the aftermath of WWII. I know some criticized Elizabeth's dress, but overall, I've never read reports that the wedding as a whole was criticized because of the economic climate.

 

[Berengina]

Frankly, I don't think there will be a wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. IMO, the bad press she has been receiving this summer is simply public relations preparation of her inevitable slide from grace into "ex-girlfriend" territory. I may be cynical, but William cannot be seen to break up with a "beloved" figure; he can, however, be quietly congratulated for separating himself from a woman who is increasingly showing herself not to be of royal caliber!

 

[Menarue]

Frankly, I don't think there will be a wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. IMO, the bad press she has been receiving this summer is simply public relations preparation of her inevitable slide from grace into "ex-girlfriend" territory. I may be cynical, but William cannot be seen to break up with a "beloved" figure; he can, however, be quietly congratulated for separating himself from a woman who is increasingly showing herself not to be of royal caliber!

That is my take on it too.

 

[Ella Kay]

But, for the sake of speculation, if they are heading for a break-up, what can we make of the vacation William took with her family in August? I don't know why he would spend time with the Middletons if he was being helped by a palace press office to show their daughter in a bad light so he could end things unscathed.

My larger problem with the entire theory is that it would paint William as someone who would (even in a small measure) allow the press to help him end a romantic relationship. I can't imagine William doing that. He seems more decent than that. I can't see him playing press games the way his parents did.

 

[Berengina]

But, for the sake of speculation, if they are heading for a break-up, what can we make of the vacation William took with her family in August? I don't know why he would spend time with the Middletons if he was being helped by a palace press office to show their daughter in a bad light so he could end things unscathed.

My larger problem with the entire theory is that it would paint William as someone who would (even in a small measure) allow the press to help him end a romantic relationship. I can't imagine William doing that. He seems more decent than that. I can't see him playing press games the way his parents did.

Good point! I can only respond by wondering if William could be unaware of a palace plot! Oh, dear, wouldn't that be too Machiavellian...

 

[Menarue]

I don´t think that at all. Perhaps the palace are going to put pressure on William to break it off. Then again it might be that the newspapers are "miffed" about something we know nothing about, and have their guns in for her. I don´t think Prince William would let the Press dictate to him about anything, he is too royal for that, but I think he would definitely sit up and listen to his father and the Queen. Perhaps the general mood at the Palace about this romance has been leaked by someone in the know at the palace and the newspapers have picked it up.

 

[Odette]

I still believe that if they want to separate them, they can invent a mission somewhere in Australia or wherever. William can go out there to be involved with something official while the romance is put on the back burner and everyone has a "cooling off" period to decide. If these assumptions are correct the last thing the Palace needs is a Panorama style interview where Kate will discuss her issues with the media.
Wasn't Prince Charles sent away with the navy while Camilla was left behind with enough of a social life to find Andrew Parker Bowles?

 

[Ella Kay]

I guess I just don't totally buy that there are "factions" in the palace who spend their time worrying about William and Kate. They've been together for years, for heaven's sake. And Kate has appeared at functions like Garter Day and the Phillips wedding -- places where it seemed as though she's been welcomed into the family fold. If anyone in the palace system or the royal family had serious enough misgivings about Kate to want to try to end the relationship, wouldn't they have convinced William to nip things in the bud years ago?

Maybe I'm just hoping that the people who work for the royal family have more important things to do than meddle in a relationship which, by all accounts, is a loving and stable one. It just smacks of that "Stop Kate Middleton!" sketch on Headcases...

 

[Menarue]

Actually they did try to nip things in the bud, it was broken off at one time. There are always people at the palace looking into things. If you can read "The Queen & Di" by Ingrid Seward, who has been in close contact with the royal family for years.
The Queen likes to know everything that is going on with her family and relies on information from the different people in her household as she can´t exactly go out and see herself. I don´t think the fact that Kate Middleton was invited to a wedding or went to Prince William´s passing-out at Sandhurst is a sign that she is accepted.
If we saw her in close contact with the Queen as we did Sophie Rhys-Jones for some time before it was announced that there was to be a marriage, then I would say she had been accepted.
We did hear that (a newspaper said it) that Kate had been invited to Christmas lunch (or was it dinner) with the Queen and had refused - I always thought this an unlikely story, especially the refusal.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Ooooh. That's cynical! They looked happy enough at the Wedding in Germany; and, to my mind at least, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the roller disco event.

Frankly, I don't think there will be a wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. IMO, the bad press she has been receiving this summer is simply public relations preparation of her inevitable slide from grace into "ex-girlfriend" territory. I may be cynical, but William cannot be seen to break up with a "beloved" figure; he can, however, be quietly congratulated for separating himself from a woman who is increasingly showing herself not to be of royal caliber!

 

[Ella Kay]

We did hear that (a newspaper said it) that Kate had been invited to Christmas lunch (or was it dinner) with the Queen and had refused - I always thought this an unlikely story, especially the refusal.

That was, of course, Katie Nicholl at the DM. I never bought that story, either. I'm pretty sure that significant others don't get invitations to eat with the family on Christmas Day until an engagement has been announced. Boxing Day is okay for girlfriends and boyfriends to visit Sandringham, but not Christmas.

I know that there were behind-the-scenes machinations with Charles, Diana, and Camilla, but I just can't imagine that's true here to the same extent. I think that William is probably more than capable of making his own decision, and I imagine that the 2007 break-up was decided by William and Kate, not random courtiers. If William loves Kate, then I'm sure the Queen will support him. Of all people, she knows now how important it can be to allow members of her royal family to marry for love.

 

[Ella Kay]

Mandrake: Kate Middleton happy to wait to walk down the aisle | Telegraph

Richard Eden quotes a "friend" of William's here who potentially confirms something I'd speculated about earlier: part of the reason they're waiting to get married is because they're not ready to be parents yet.

 

[Menarue]

Surely by now they know how to avoid!

 

[Elspeth]

The alternative to some sort of collusion between William and the press is that he'd be letting the press dictate what he did by allowing them to intimidate him - the press has decided that Kate isn't suitable so William obediently drops her. I assume he knows what sort of problems he'd be storing up for himself in the future if he let the press control him like that.

 

[Ella Kay]

Surely by now they know how to avoid!

But because producing heirs is going to be such an important part of that marriage, there will surely be pressure on Kate to start having children soon after they're married. If they're not married yet, no pressure to have babies (just the interminable pressure from the press to break up/get engaged/be more like Diana/etc.).

 

[Menarue]

All true but I think that no one can underestimate the influence that The Queen and Prince Charles can bring to bear on William.

 

[ysbel]

I don´t think that at all. Perhaps the palace are going to put pressure on William to break it off. Then again it might be that the newspapers are "miffed" about something we know nothing about, and have their guns in for her. I don´t think Prince William would let the Press dictate to him about anything, he is too royal for that, but I think he would definitely sit up and listen to his father and the Queen. Perhaps the general mood at the Palace about this romance has been leaked by someone in the know at the palace and the newspapers have picked it up.

I suspect rather that the organization has let some thing slip that are uncomplimentary to Kate to lessen her power with the press when she marries William.

They seem to like Kate alright; she's low-key, discreet, and strong minded and she doesn't seem to play games with the press. However, the stories about Kate before the breakup were way too complimentary - she was portrayed as the perfect Princess in every way.

I think the Royal Family had understandable misgivings about bringing another 'Perfect Princess' into the family at least as far as her reputation with the media because if the marriage has any difficulties, the 'Perfect Princess' could turn around and use her media power against William.

A new Princess with a few minor flaws to her reputation is far safer for the Firm. If this is what's happening, then I must say its one of the rare cases where the RF is more saavy than the press because the press doesn't seem to mind picking up and running with uncomplimentary stories about Kate.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I suspect rather that the organization has let some thing slip that are uncomplimentary to Kate to lessen her power with the press when she marries William.

They seem to like Kate alright; she's low-key, discreet, and strong minded and she doesn't seem to play games with the press. However, the stories about Kate before the breakup were way too complimentary - she was portrayed as the perfect Princess in every way.

I think the Royal Family had understandable misgivings about bringing another 'Perfect Princess' into the family at least as far as her reputation with the media because if the marriage has any difficulties, the 'Perfect Princess' could turn around and use her media power against William.

A new Princess with a few minor flaws to her reputation is far safer for the Firm. If this is what's happening, then I must say its one of the rare cases where the RF is more saavy than the press because the press doesn't seem to mind picking up and running with uncomplimentary stories about Kate.

The press do seem to be turning on Kate but I have a different theory - she isn't giving the press scoops and they want a princess who will, like they had with Diana (not having a shot at Diana just stating a fact).

Kate seems to have her head screwed on the right way and knows what she wants and how to get it - namely be discreet and careful.

I do think that these two want marry until William leaves the services as having a family is a primary purpose of a princess. This way they can have the getting to know you really well phase before the pressure to have the babies comes but just to the order differently - get to know you, get married, have babies rather than get married, have babies, get to know you (which is what happened with William's parents).

 

[SarahMay]

more newspapers today


Kate Middleton happy to wait to walk up the aisle
Mandrake: Kate Middleton happy to wait to walk up the aisle - Telegraph

 

[Mermaid1962]

What just happened to the two other links in this post? I don't believe what those two article said BTW.

more newspapers , tabloids today


Kate Middleton happy to wait to walk up the aisle
Mandrake: Kate Middleton happy to wait to walk up the aisle - Telegraph

 

[Ella Kay]

What just happened to the two other links in this post? I don't believe what those two article said BTW.

I was just wondering the same thing! I agree, I wouldn't put any stock in them, especially the Clive Goodman piece from the Daily Star. That's the same reporter who "revealed" a few weeks ago secret plans for William to bypass Charles and become the next king. Riiiiiight.

Almost everything coming out from every source this weekend is either speculation or rubbish, IMO. We only know two things absolutely for sure...

1. Prince William is going to train to be a search and rescue pilot
2. Kate Middleton helped organize and attended a charity function

...and that's it. All of this talk of William bolting to the RAF, or William using the press as a way to make dumping Kate easier, or Kate not being princess material because she took a fall skating, or Kate being willing to wait years and years and decades and millenia for William to propose ... it's all just speculation, if you ask me.

And I wouldn't expect either Kate or William to do a single thing about it. Taking the bait when the press explodes this way has never been their style in the past, and I don't think it will be now.