Earlier today Kensington Palace announced the Duchess of Cambridge accepted an invitation to guest-edit the Huffington Post UK for a day in mid-February to highlight the importance of mental health in young people. A team of contributors including leading figures from the mental health sector as well as young people, parents and teachers commissioned by the Duchess will be welcomed to Kensington Palace.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said:
Stephen Hull, editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post UK said:
For those unfamiliar with the news site, here's a look at today's front page.
It's a very interesting opportunity to spread the word and something entirely different from most royal engagements. As something entirely unexpected, given the Cambridges fraught relationship with the media, it's good to see them building a relationship with the news site and collaborating for the benefit of mental health. Kate's sister Pippa Middleton has written articles for Vanity Fair and the Daily Telegraph, so she'll probably be on hand to offer tips. I expect a few photos will be released by the Palace on the day.
There were varied responses to the news from royal reporters including Richard Palmer, Emily Andrews and Rebecca English.
The question many have asked via social media is, will this be Kate's first official engagement of 2016? It's difficult to know, as occasionally more newsworthy engagements are announced further in advance than others. On the other hand it's entirely possible the Cambridges will join the Middletons for their annual trip to Mustique (it's a family event, and I can't imagine they will miss it). The holiday usually takes place in late January and the they would return in plenty of time for the "mid-February" engagement with the Huffington Post.
For the ICAP Charity Day, Kate brought back her popular teal L.K. Bennett 'Jude' jacket with pepleum detail, and the 'Davina' dress.
Kate wore her red Luisa Spagnoli suit for the Queen's Christmas luncheon and subsequently for an audience at Buckingham Palace where Prince Philip passed on his patronage of the RAF Air Cadets to Kate.
'The Duchess of Cambridge has made the mental health of young children a key focus of her work in recent years. She is delighted that the Huffington Post will help put a spotlight on this important issue.'
Stephen Hull, editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post UK said:
'We are thrilled that The Duchess of Cambridge is joining the HuffPost UK team for a day as a guest editor. Dealing with mental health issues has been a major editorial focus for us and I'm very excited to be working together on such an important project.'
For those unfamiliar with the news site, here's a look at today's front page.
 |
| Huffington Post UK |
It's a very interesting opportunity to spread the word and something entirely different from most royal engagements. As something entirely unexpected, given the Cambridges fraught relationship with the media, it's good to see them building a relationship with the news site and collaborating for the benefit of mental health. Kate's sister Pippa Middleton has written articles for Vanity Fair and the Daily Telegraph, so she'll probably be on hand to offer tips. I expect a few photos will be released by the Palace on the day.
There were varied responses to the news from royal reporters including Richard Palmer, Emily Andrews and Rebecca English.
 |
| Richard Palmer/Emily Andrews/Rebecca English |
The question many have asked via social media is, will this be Kate's first official engagement of 2016? It's difficult to know, as occasionally more newsworthy engagements are announced further in advance than others. On the other hand it's entirely possible the Cambridges will join the Middletons for their annual trip to Mustique (it's a family event, and I can't imagine they will miss it). The holiday usually takes place in late January and the they would return in plenty of time for the "mid-February" engagement with the Huffington Post.
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Also this evening, we're holding our final polls asking you to vote for Kate's best sartorial selections of 2015. We begin with Kate's separates looks. We've opted to stick to more formal attire for the options as last year's readers noted the difficulty in choosing between a casual jeans look and a skirt suit. First up, we have bespoke slim-fitted, dogtooth wool, tailored coat and mini dogtooth wool kilt by Scottish designer Christopher Kane. We already included the coat in our coats poll but given the popularity of the look it seemed appropriate to include it with the kilt here.
Next, we have the spot-print skirt suit Kate wore to the sign the book of condolence for the tragedy in Paris.
Kate wore her red Luisa Spagnoli suit for the Queen's Christmas luncheon and subsequently for an audience at Buckingham Palace where Prince Philip passed on his patronage of the RAF Air Cadets to Kate.
Lastly, we have Kate's new Michael Kors skirt suit. The virgin wool plaid blazer is described as a "vintage-inspired equestrian silhouette" with notched lapels, long sleeves, four-button closure and plaid knit print. The matching slate/claret skirt is crafted from heritage guncheck wool with the trumpet silhouette offering a flattering feminine fit.
In our penultimate poll we're asking you to vote for Kate's best designer. I've kept the number of options down to five - selecting the most frequently worn and discussed designers of the year. First up, it's Alexander McQueen. Most notably, Kate chose a beautiful cream coatdress by Sarah Burton for Princess Charlotte's christening.
In our penultimate poll we're asking you to vote for Kate's best designer. I've kept the number of options down to five - selecting the most frequently worn and discussed designers of the year. First up, it's Alexander McQueen. Most notably, Kate chose a beautiful cream coatdress by Sarah Burton for Princess Charlotte's christening.
It's been a fantastic year for Jenny Packham in terms of dressing the Duchess. From presenting Charlotte outside the hospital in a pretty white and yellow floral print dress to dazzling gowns for the state banquet and the Bond premiere, the British designer has once again proven she's the 'go-to' for Kate for red-carpet events.
Canadian designer Erdem is next on our list. Kate wore two designs by the brand: the floral print 'Darla' for the Goring's birthday celebrations, and the much talked-about 'Alouette' gown for the 100 Women in Hedge Funds dinner.
Canadian designer Erdem is next on our list. Kate wore two designs by the brand: the floral print 'Darla' for the Goring's birthday celebrations, and the much talked-about 'Alouette' gown for the 100 Women in Hedge Funds dinner.
Kate also chose two designs from Catherine Walker.
The Duchess showcased two lace dresses by Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana. I've included them in the poll for several reasons: it's a new brand for the Duchess, I suspect we'll see more of them, and it's interesting to see how the looks fared with readers.
Our last poll is just for fun - Vote for Kate's Best Tiara. I had thought it would be a considerable amount of time before the Duchess would wear more than one tiara in a year. As a tiara lover, I was delighted to be proven wrong. Kate wore the Papyrus/Lotus Flower tiara for her state banquet debut. It's a beautiful piece steeped in royal history.
Kate surprised us all when she wore the Cambridge Lovers Knot tiara for the Annual Diplomatic Reception. Royal fans had hoped the tiara would be loaned to Kate one day. It looked fantastic on Kate and I look forward to seeing it fully at some point this year (hopefully).
I'm very excited to see your winning choices. Remember, you can still vote in our other polls if you haven't done so by visiting our Polls Page.
Blog Notes
Before we leave you, we have couple notes concerning the blog in general. The first concerns candid/paparazzi photographs. A number of you have been in touch sharing your views and enquiring about the blog's policy moving forward. As we always have, we will continue to publish candids of Kate, however, photos of George and Charlotte with Maria or Carole will not be published. In instances where the children are photographed with Kate and they are taken in a public place I will review it on a case-by-case basis and on some occasions will just cover Kate. I've given this quite a lot of thought in recent days and feel it's the best way to cover Kate whilst respecting the children's privacy. Thank you for your understanding!
As I'm sure you've noticed the comments section has veered off track over the past week. There's been ongoing personal attacks and it's becoming very unpleasant. I hope to see that change without issues from the previous post being carried forth to this one. Let's make 2016 the best year yet with the wonderful group of people we have in the community. Feel free to debate and discuss whilst always agreeing to disagree in a respectful manner. Respecting each other is absolutely key to making this an enjoyable place to visit.
With that, I thank you for reading and wish you all a lovely weekend! We'll be back announcing the winner of our polls next! :)
Carole Middleton also has experience writing. She currently writes articles for Baby London and Little London, 2 bie-monthy parenting magazines.
ReplyDeletePippa also started and wrote a online Blog for Party Pieces, so she has some experience editing.
And Kate use to photograph for Party Pieces, so she does have some experience with creating pictures for articles.
Plus the History of Art thing gives her a feeling of composition. Not so she can do it professionally, but good enough for a guest :)
DeleteAgree with you both.
DeleteI personally don't read the Huffington Post, however; I think the Palace is perhaps trying to reach a specific audience and if by using the Huffington Post they will reach them, then I am all for it. The issue of mental health, and it myriad of related problems and issues is much too important and is at such a point of crisis to not give this medium a chance to help educate the public about it. Finally, it shows the seriousness on the part of the Duchess towards making strides and in-roads in this area--kudos for thinking out of the box.
Best of luck to the Duchess and her team.
Charlotte thanks for the update and make it a great weekend.
RW.
We are in ever changing times & I feel it says much, that they are open to adapting & exploring new ways of doing things & getting the word out on important issues. I also think it's great that Kate is continuing to be recognized for her work with Children's Mental Health & how both it & addiction effect the Whole Family. Thus the great importance of early intervention & the need to do away with the shame & stigma that can go along with all this. People will undoubtably find themselves on either end of all of this. However I belive that forward motion & momentum is better than none at all.
DeleteBecca USA
I love your blog. It is the only one I generally read because it is so tasteful and respectful. Some times it is nice to see the candid shots but I applaud you for remaining appropriate. The Duchess is such s wonderful woman, I'm glad someone respects that. I hope The Duchess is aware of how wonderful your blog is. If I were her, it is one I'd be glad to be the focus of. I get so sad if too many days go by without a post. It truly makes me smile. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat you said, Mary Setzer, what you said. I'm so glad I found this blog. A little place to sit back, relax and enjoy! Big thanks to Charlotte for all her efforts to provide us with information and entertainment and with such a great environment to enjoy it. :)
DeleteI completely agree! I love this blog and I'm glad the admins are working hard to keep it a positive and joyful place. :)
DeleteThe voting went easy. I was surprised to find my vote with the majority in all the three categories. I was not sure if people might go for design of the clothes in preference over other purposes.
ReplyDeleteRoyal Fan are you there?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the latest post and polls. Such fun!
ReplyDeleteI would love other reader's thoughts on the comments made by the media (Richard Palmer, Rebecca English etc) in their twitter posts. I don't understand the subtext. I especially don't understand what Ms English means when she says 'words fail me'.
These are the same journos that will report on the day in a much more professional manner. Their articles seem at odds with their twitter feeds. Are their twitter feeds private, and not representative of the newspapers they work for?
Would love some insight into the tone of their comments.
Many thanks
Cara in Australia
They just find it very hypocritical of the palace to use a paper that frequently posts pap pictures as means to promote Kate's charity.
DeletePlus it seems they also suspect that the Huffington Post is going to be giving up some journalistic morals in order for Kate to agree to use them
In all, especially after KPs often hostal attitude toward the media it seems the reporters feel it is so hypocrtical
At least that was my understanding of it
Huffington Post is a web-based news site and a big rival to the newspapers they work for. I can only think the bitterness is because this will make Huffington Post even more popular than it already is. And the hypocrisy is really on the UK newspapers. Huffington no longer publishes paparazzi pictures, especially of kids, while the Daily Mail, Express and the Sun always do. Pot calling the kettle black.
DeleteYeah, that is what I've undestood it as as well Sarah. I am not familiar enough with Huffington Post to weigh in more heavily on that, although I would think that whichever magazine she choose (unless like... a medical journal) the journos would find some fault since it's not their magazine. Someone noted that it's only the reporters from the paper press that are grumbling and not from the tv reporters so might be a degree of "why not our paper?" in it. But as I said, I'm not read up enough on it.
DeleteMaybe it is because I have found Richard Palmer's behavior recently to be very unbecoming, I think he is being a whiner. Almost every online news source uses pap pictures at one point or another. I also find the comment about advertising childish as well. It may not be news in the typical sense but she is trying to bring awareness to a topic. People want her to speak more or make her stance more clear and in a way this is an opportunity for that to happen.
DeleteI think it is an interesting choice to edit for a day using people who focus on the topic you are trying to bring awareness towards. Even more interesting that she chose HuffPost but maybe they negotiated the best terms. I really don't think these comments help the royal reporters at all. They don't help themselves and seem to be shooting themselves in the feet. They want William and Catherine to act more professionally and respectfully towards the press but don't seem to be exhibiting those in return. I know that some of the comments made recently wouldn't make me more inclined to use those certain reporters at all.
Here in the U.S. The Huffington Post is pretty anti-establishment and very, very liberal. It surprises me that they A) want someone part of the Monarchy to do a piece for them B) that the Monarchy would let someone in the Monarchy do the interview/editing.
DeleteAnyway, maybe it is one step to bi-partisanship, who knows.
Thank you for the latest posts & polls, from me, too, Charlotte, and thank you for respecting children's privacy.
DeleteFrom what I saw quite a few of the Royal correspondents mention explicitly on the left-hand side of their twitter feeds that the views expressed there are their own ones. And this is not the first time, that some of them have made their personal views knows in a tone that rings ironic/sarcastic/bitter to me.
I suppose that some members of the media might be frustrated because they have less or different access to the younger members of the BRF than they might have been hoping for. Some of the journalists might also not be interested in reporting on the serious (but sometimes/often really fun) long-term work that is done - by the BRF and many, many others - for the wellbeing of British society. But probably they suppose that the Huffington Post will benefit from giving a platform to those involved in or benefiting from the work done for mental health.
Concluding from what they have been reporting, the language they use themselves and that they accept in their comment sections, the newspapers/outlets some of the Royal correspondents are working for seem in part to be more interested in scandalisation and exaggeration, often focussing on negative events/situations rather than on long-term work for things to become better. Doing their part and making this world a better place now through neutral/well-balanced/constructive journalism might not yet be their prime focus.
As everybody, members of the press included, is part of society, and given the enormous effect the media have on said society (through their work), it seems to me that some journalists and those holding responsable positions in the media might need to rethink some things. And this especially in the light of what psychology has to say about the effect that focussing on what is negative has for human individuals and therefore society.
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/06/384341190/huffington-post-bets-people-will-read-good-news-and-share-it-too
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/whats-working/
From my experience in PR/marketing, the Huffington Post is not taken seriously as a news source. Not because it is liberal as Tammy mentions, but because they are not known to fact check and often publish incorrect information. It is interesting that the palace would choose such an irreputable source as a partner but we only know 2% of the story. As for the tweets - I appreciate their point of view and honesty. I take it as frustration with a boss almost - work issues that you can't control or don't understand are some of the most frustrating!
DeleteI think that this is a really interesting idea, and I hope that it is successful and brings attention to the cause she is promoting. I hope some of the articles address have some meat on the bone. Awareness? I think that's happening by doing this. However, I hope that this is where some focus comes in. Children's mental health is a really large topic and covers a lot. Are we talking psychiatric mental illness in children? The affects of others' psychiatric mental illness on children, specifically being raised by a parent with an organic mental disease and support for children in that environment (with attendant support for the parent)? Or on other mental issues like autism, aspergers, and learning disabilities like ADHD and things like that? It's huge! Some general conversation is a great idea, but I hope that there are one or two items that get attention. It's a really good cause, and I hope she sticks with it.
DeleteI think the journalists' disdain could be because the Huffington Post is not a UK owned business. It has a UK site, but it is not a UK based company. There are a lot of UK based media outlets that could also have hosted this event, and are not. And the resulting ad revenue from clicks and purchased ads that day could have gone to a British publication. Even if they had chosen a not so well known paper or site to host it, it could have given that paper/site a huge boost and would still have been well attended with the right promotion. The Telegraph would have worked very well. They aren't are tabloid, are quite well respected, and have a good following, for example.
I have to say quite honestly that I have never been a regular follower of the Huffington Post but what I have seen of them has not impressed me at all as the sort of thing Kate would want herself linked to. I believe I have seen them pick up what I will call tittle-tattle gossip - pregnancy rumours and the like that have mostly been ignored in the British press and publish them with coy hinting headlines designed to get a reader to click to get some revelation. (I'm sure there is some technical term for this but I prefer news sources that don't employ it.)
DeleteWhile the articles themselves have been generally bland, (and unlike some like the DM, fairly well edited) the way of handling the subjects has left a poor taste in my mouth. As for unauthorised pictures of the children, the British press, even the tabloids have mostly not published them but I did think I had seen reproductions of that Australian tabloid that does, in Huffington - I won't swear to that as I wasn't tracking it closely and I sometimes muddle Huffington with some of those other international journals that do pick that sort of thing up and show up when you Google "Duchess Kate".
The Huffington substantive articles that I have looked at have not been impressive (as someone noted,they seem to publish artices by bloggers and lots of various sources which may be why the quality is so variable) and their politics on both sides of the pond are not what I would expect a royal to ally herself with - even indirectly.
So my New Year's resolution to be positive is already challanged - and I'm eating chocolate too! While Charles had guest-edited Country Life which is fairly safe - at least by my standards (although some would call some of their views political as well) I would prefer to see William and Kate treat all the press equally, offering all of them occassional pictures and the like (without going through Twitter) and maintaining polite relations with them, without linking themselves too closely to any one of them.
But I am the oft-stated old biddie here - (with thanks to all those who remind me that I'm as young as I feel) and I wouldn't have chosen Ant and Dec either - thought they spent too much time on themselves and not enough on the prince. So I confess I could be outdated. News organisations to pick up causes - the DM has done some fine work on behalf the elderly, which seems at odds with the rest of the rubbish they publish, maybe we'll see a royal guest editing them next. Camilla?!
Kate's cause is an excellent one. Hopefully, the articles chosen will have substance. The palace must have researched this and must think they know what they are doing. So while I don't expect it to be my favourite engagement (not that I'm doubting Kate's skills) I will be interested to see how it develops.
I think it is fair to ponder the choice of magazine. Is it because the paper approached with an idea? Are they the only paper who picked it up? etc. I think that it being a not to serious paper is the point. It reaches a totally new group of people that might not otherwise click on stuff about mental health. Same with it being in both US and UK. Ok, it's bad that it's based in the US, but I think the possibility of it getting more reach is enhanced by it being linked to the US as well.
DeleteI've seen a few younger people saying that Huffington is "reimagining news reporting" by having bloggers and such contribute. That it's more of a community/shared effort. I see their point as well.
I do NOT like what Richard Palmer reblogged though and how they are (Victoria, Emily to name a few) turning the focus away from mental health and turning it into some "what story is Huffington hiding to get this deal?" or "we should be allowed to post pap pics"-crusade. (A screencap with some comments on the Richard retweet can be found here: http://ravishingtheroyals.tumblr.com/post/137413285317/i-have-to-say-that-ive-tried-to-remain-unbiased )
I hope this will become a positive thing. There will always be something to complain about if you try. But I like this bold move. It's creative, it's reaching out, it's serious! I like it. Just hope it goes well. Sort of how Kate's PSA this spring got a rather big reach.
Bluhare - I agree in hoping that some additional focus or clarification comes about. I understand wanting to make sure you don't leave out important mental health issues in children but I really believe by highlighting certain issues would bring even more attention to the cause. The broad scope hasn't so far been a problem but I think as she moves forward it would be beneficial to everyone for Catherine to sharpen the focus.
DeleteJulia - I would not have chosen Huff Post ever. I don't particularly like them at all for many of the reasons you stated. I am trying to be positive about things so I am hoping there is a legitimate reason for the choice and that at some point, soon hopefully, we will understand it. I couldn't even finish the interview with Ant & Dec. It took a couple of times through. I suppose maybe I was just done the day I watched it. Odd choice for sure.
Bluhare - I agree in hoping that some additional focus or clarification comes about. I understand wanting to make sure you don't leave out important mental health issues in children but I really believe by highlighting certain issues would bring even more attention to the cause. The broad scope hasn't so far been a problem but I think as she moves forward it would be beneficial to everyone for Catherine to sharpen the focus.
DeleteJulia - I would not have chosen Huff Post ever. I don't particularly like them at all for many of the reasons you stated. I am trying to be positive about things so I am hoping there is a legitimate reason for the choice and that at some point, soon hopefully, we will understand it. I couldn't even finish the interview with Ant & Dec. It took a couple of times through. I suppose maybe I was just done the day I watched it. Odd choice for sure.
I though that Ant and Dec were TOTALLY the wrong ones for that. I think they were obnoxious in their overstepping their familiarity with Charles or anyone else they would have been interviewing. I think Charles did the best he could during the process but the boys, yes, BOYS and their distracting antics almost ruined the message about the Prince's Trust. It was SO frustrating. Plus, the director, editor should have advised Charles to not mumble when speaking. I could not understand 90% of what he said and I so wanted to listen to what he had to say. I do think that the mumbling might have been less perhaps if the boys hadn't been so ridiculously overbearing. Sorry for the rant but I was SO looking forward to a good program about Charle's and the Trust.
DeleteI think the Telegraph would have been an excellent choice. What country does the Huffington Post hail from if not Britain, btw?
DeleteBravo Francis!
DeleteVery Good Points Bluhare!
DeleteThank you everyone above ^^^^^^^^^ for your comments to my query. Like Julie stated, the other journos as making the focus of this story about the choice of publication (Huff Post) rather than the subject matter. Will be interesting to see how the press report on the day, and what message is received by the wider community.
DeleteReally appreciate all your comments!
Cara from Australia.
Old Biddie? I Don't See Any Old Biddie? Julia you are always so "with it" & express your thoughts so well! I too will find it interesting to see how this plays out? I agree with many that She is very talented (prob more than we know) & Rebecca's quite right that She has her Art History background, through which, she will have had gained great amounts of writing, editing & research experience. The one thing I always pick up on about Kate..... She always seems extremely prepared. Her Sartorial Choices alone have shown us that. So it will be interesting for everyone to see how it goes!
DeleteBecca USA
Talk about a good role model for the younger ones on this blog, Julia I think you fit that bill just fine. Old biddie, indeed. THAT is nonsense. :)
DeleteWhere is the Huffington Post's mother ship located?
Delete2123: Ariana Huffington founded Huffington Post in 2015, and sold it to AOL several years later. It started out very political -- still is in some ways -- but has branched out. They are headquartered in New York and owned by AOL/Verizon -- US companies.
DeleteI agree Rebecca. It is all about reaching that audience. Kate knows what she is doing.
DeleteI agree about Ant and Dec. I actually hope they didn't set the Trust back any.
DeleteArianna is a Cambridge graduate. That's British.
DeleteThe power players she has on her team are quite formidable before the sale to AOL in 2011 and currently. and all, before and after, very liberal. Funny, Arianna was married to a Republican politician. She got her start apparently by developing a website to impeach Bill Clinton.
2005!! Ariana Huffington started Huffington Post in 2005, not last year. Oops!
DeleteI am not particularly fond of the Hiffington Post, however if they were the one to make suggestion plus considering they are not truly a British based publication perhaps it was chosen so as not to have to show favouritism among the British media.
Deletebluhare, I know it was a typo - HuffPost was founded in 2005 and sold in 2011.
DeleteBluhare - I could not agree more about needing more details about what kind of mental health we are talking about when it comes to Kate. Because much of what she has said about it (i.e. her speech in October) makes me feel like much of her focus is not on actual mental illnesses, but rather, how children cope with things like bullying, poor family situations, etc. And all of those things are more factors that exacerbate mental illnesses, rather than cause them. It's actually kind of a bummer because the stigma around mental health exists precisely because of many of the things Kate herself endorsed in her speech - i.e. the idea that mental health can be determined by things like good parenting, access counseling, etc. Even though those are response measures that are very, very important, they cannot alone resolve a mental illness. And thinking otherwise, including thoughts in Kate's speech, are what propagate the idea that mental illness isn't like any other illness and can be "fixed" with enough mental "fortitude", thus denying that they are based in chemical levels, etc. Which is why people think that struggling with mental health makes someone weak, when they don't think that about other illnesses, like cancer. But her speech was also very vague and general, so she may not have meant it that way, and so specifics would certainly help.
Deletepretty charlotte I don't have problem with your blog sweetie I enjoyed reading it ok I know all of us here love the duchess and her family when comes her children its not good to publish those snaps of paparazzi photos
ReplyDeleteInstead of clicking "load more" multiple times in the last post, I will comment here...
ReplyDeleteThank you to Julia and the Anon's who addressed supportive comments to me today; I do appreciate your kind words! :) I have no intention of leaving the blog, but I was done with that one particular thread. It spoke for itself, and I responded accordingly. Enough said.
Charlotte, I appreciate your hard work and good intentions, and I hope to see sunnier days ahead.
And Julia, yes, I absolutely share your clarity as it pertains to Camilla. And I will add this ... I believe Edward VIII's abdication in 1936 has impacted the Queen's role and outlook to this day, therefore, surely it is not unrealistic to suggest that far more recent events in the BRF have impacted, and will continue to impact, W&K's chapter in the history of the BRF. Any suggestion that C&C are not relevant here is one I fail to understand.
Now to the voting.... :)))
I honestly feel that saying C&C and their relationship hasn't impacted W&C's ( and Harry's) lives and chapter of royal history is as ridiculous as saying the paparazzi & Diana's death haven't impacted them or their chapter of royal history. No matter how friendly the boys, and by extension Catherine, are with Camilla and her relationship with Charles (or seem to be in public) their decisions changed the lives of William & Harry and I don't think for one second the boys have forgotten that.
DeleteI was off the blog for a couple days this week but went back and read a bit. Oh my. Royalfan, from one longtime reader and poster to the next, I am SO happy you are staying! I know many of the "oldies" don't post as much anymore, so I am always happy to see your comments. Here's to a great 2016 of supporting Kate! :)
DeleteRoyalfan, I thought you meant just that one set of comments but wanted to be sure - we can't do without you!!! And I totally agree on the impact of Charles and Camilla -and when people talk about William's closeness to the Middletons, it's important to remember what was happening in his own family during that time. With Charles far more focused on his personal affairs - it's no wonder William found comfort and support in a normal and wholesome family setting. But I'll leave it at that.
DeleteAs for the "troubles" we had a couple of anonymous "poisoned apples of discord" thrown in our midst and that's done now - which is no slight on the many fine anonymous posters who contribute here - some I know by necessity because it is the only way they can post. The lovely thing about this blog is that we have a great group and Charlotte does such a brilliant job and we can all move on when we have rare issues.
Now on to my favourite things - the polls. I was not as much a fan of the Christopher Kane suit as others were - I thought it too short. But I loved all the other suits Kate wore and gave my vote to the Kors tweed.
As far as designers go, I think they all have their merits. It was probably Macqueen's year with the winning Christening look, but Jenny Packham does lovely gowns, we didn't see a lot of variety on Kate from Dolce and Gabbana but I love their style, and Catherine Walker's brown maternity coat was elegant. Erdam does great clothes but I haven't felt so far Kate has chosen their best this last year - that could change.
As for the tiara, I chose the lover's knot since I'm so pleased Kate has made that her own. I disagree with those who claim it looks better on dark hair than it did on Diana - Diana's very romantic look suited it well in my eyes - but I think Kate looked lovely in it and hope to see it, the lotus and maybe a surprise or more in the coming year. With the tour, the Spanish visit, the queen's birthday, we have so much to look forward to.
I so enjoy the way you put things Julia. :)
DeleteYour writing is so enjoyable. I agree with everything you said today. And I also am very thankful for the love and caring that William received through the Middletons while all that nastiness was going on everywhere else around him. That stability probably helped him mentor Harry some through those times also, directly or indirectly.
The Middletons truly have played a pivotal role in British history in more ways than one. Would William be the man he is today, and the future king he will be, without the love and support they made available to him during those formative and tumultuous times? Not to mention having raised a daughter who truly, IMHO, is very much queen material. Hopefully, history will give credit where credit is due to the stalwart and unassuming Middleton family.
Wow,
DeleteSo happy to hear kudos to the Middleton family
21:10. You mentioned some perspectives I hadn't considered before and I think you are right. They have played a number of roles to bolster and enhance British history. So did some of their ancestors, (the Liptons, Peter and Valerie Middleton and Valerie's sister for example), but perhaps not to the same extent, although their activities were certainly precursors to have facilitated the Middletons current place in history. Someone should write a book.
LUPTONS, (silly spell check.)
DeleteSorry, I have to pick the nit here. The Middletons did not provide support during those tumultuous times. Any support they provided was after that time, the earliest could have been when William went to St. Andrews and he wouldn't have met Kate's family for a while, so the absolute earliest would be 2000, and it was more like 2001-02 that he met them. Unless the tumultuous times you refer to were during that time, but I wouldn't think they would be William's formative years. Their current place in history is because their daughter married Prince William which in no way minimizes what Kate's grandparents did in WWII. They should rightly be proud. The Luptons were from Yorkshire and were wealthy merchants, not aristocracy per se, although I understand there are some mayors of Leeds in there. So they definitely had influence but it was local.
DeleteCourtney, I do agree with you. Totally.
DeleteKate, thank you so much for the kind words. And yes...cheers to a great 2016. :)
Julia, I do agree about the Middleton's role in William's life. A true blessing given Diana's tragic death. Kate's parents have modeled the sort of unconditional love and support that Diana wanted her boys to have in their lives. My fingers are crossed for Harry. :)
The whole inquest into Diana's death, possible pregnancy etc. As a young man he could have gone sour but had a safe haven with them. And whether or not the tumultuous was current the effects were lingering and a nurturing environment no doubt contributed to him finding a steadier course. It is all psychological in nature and so it is of course up for conjecture. Anyone's. I stand by my opinions. And by no stretch of the imagination was I in any way minimizing Peter and the twins contribution to the war. My family is very much a military family and has been for generations. My uncle is somewhere in the air even now perhaps as a military flight surgeon in the Middle East. And, I am sitting next to my aunt here on the sofa who happens to be a retired Lt. Colonel in the Sea Cadets. And that is just a small example. Not to be nit picky.
DeleteA very good and valid point, Anon 3:52.
DeleteThere was plenty for William (and Harry) to deal with long after Diana died. And as much as people cheered and enjoyed the royal wedding, the birth of G&C, the christenings, and other special days in William's life (let's not forget graduations prior to that), I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that they all have a very bittersweet element to them and are a vivid reminder that his mother is not here share in it.
I didn't say you were minimizing anything. I said that in case anyone thought *I* was minimizing their roles.
Delete18 to 25 are pivotal years for young males. Dare I say still "formative". As one small example, trusts don't let young males near the principles until at least 25, often 30. Also automobile Insurances for that age group of young males is very high. And, Diana died in 1997. Maybe William didn't meet the Middletons until 2001. He was no doubt still reeling in many ways and I agree with that they most likely played a very influential role in British history via helping William.
DeleteBluhare, While I send thanks to those who say I've expressed myself well, I think I did a very bad job here. I was thinking of the time in the early noughties when William was at university and Harry drifting a bit and sowing maybe a few too many wild oats.
DeleteI've read that Charles is not happy that the boys haven't embraced the causes and charities he has started and worked so hard on, and that period struck me as the time he should have been working with the boys,developing their involvement and basically teaching them about being princes. Instead, his focus at the period seemed entirely on marrying Camilla and thrusting her upon a reluctant public. I think William and Harry would and will always be their own men but at the same time, I think there was a lack of parental influence at this crucial time. I've felt that William and Harry are lovely men but do seem to lack direction in a royal sense - and the lack of father's royal infuence as they became young men is one factor in this.
I am of the opinion that "formative years" are much earlier than young adulthood.
DeleteThere is, however, no question that the Middletons have been very supportive of William.
Easier than I thought! :)
ReplyDeleteI voted for the Christopher Kane coat (outfit). I loved the style and color. Catherine Walker got my vote because of Kate's St. Patrick's Day outfit. One of my favorites ... a truly elegant and sophisticated look from head to toe. And, as if I need to say it, the Cambridge Lovers Knot tiara got my vote.
I voted for the Christopher Kane as well and the Lovers Knot tiara. Even if it had been a different tiara without such a memorable tie to her mother in law I would have voted for it just because it was a new to her tiara! I love new to her bling! The earrings she wore with the floral Erdem for example or the two bracelets with the red Packham for the state dinner. Love it!
DeleteCourtney, I loved the sapphire earrings as well (sometimes bigger is better..lol), and hope to see Kate wear some of the other sapphire and diamond pieces from the royal collection.
DeleteShe is definitely wearing some "clout" bling.
DeleteFirst Diana's ring, then the Queen's bracelets, now Diana's tiara. Oh and then there was that huge diamond necklace, and the Canadian maple leaf and the New Zesland fern and the Queen Mum's earrings and shamrock, and the halo tiara and the lotus tiara and the military hat pins to launch the lifeboat in Wales and that other little military insignia pin that I don't remember what it called.........
Maybe a fun post would be readers submitting pieces of jewels from the vaults that they would like to see work by Catherine. Obviously you couldn't pick the crown jewels but to get a look at more options she may have one day would be fun.
DeleteRoyalfan - I would love to see Catherine in the Oriental Circlet Tiara or the modern sapphire one. Love tiaras in general and love how Spain lets every relevant person swap back and forth or air out the vault completely. We need an event with enough Windsors to air out the vaults!
"Clout bling." Ha! I like that! So true when you add it all up.
DeleteCourtney, that is a fantastic idea! I would love such a post, although Charlotte may need sunglasses by the end of it. :)
DeleteRegarding the Oriental Circlet Tiara ... given Kate's gown, that would have been an excellent choice for the state banquet.
I went with Kane, could not choose on a designer, they all had good and not so good looks, and chose the LoversKnot. ali
ReplyDeletewhew. you are still here RF. :)
ReplyDeleteRoyalfan, I am working hard these days and have no time to go trough the blog, I don't know what did it happen but I am glad you are still here. :)
DeleteGlad to see you pop in Paola :)
Deleteditto, Paola. :)
DeleteThat's sweet Paola. Thank you. And don't work too hard... :)
DeleteCharlotte, as always you do a fantastic job with everything Kate. I agree with you regarding Prince George & Princess Charlotte. HRH's should be the ones to release photos of their children. I'm looking forward to 2016 and sharing in in the community that always leaves me happy. Cheers from sunny California by the sea.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how insanely excited I am about Kate editing Huffington Post. I read it. It is more a lifestyle site and less hardcore news. I think it is a perfect platform for Kate to use with her editorial inexperience and the message she plans to impart. Best of all, Huffington Post has such a wide reach, wider than any of the UK newspapers, so this is a big win for children's mental health. It is also structured more on citizen writers and bloggers like yourself, Charlotte, so the reach can potentially be wider. Commissioning articles about mental health from experts and the community alike will get the conversation going. A very smart and modern approach. She might even be able to link mental health experts with writers which would be awesome in the long term.
ReplyDeleteTo the British press, all I can say is this is a poor case of sour graping. Huffington Post is a Pulitzer winner, is used by big names and even news agencies like CNN. It is also very fast in adapting to the modern ways of delivering news. That is not to say it is perfect. It has big flaws but so do all of the UK newspapers. In fact Huffington Post is much more respectful of celebrities and other figures in terms of paparazzi and their children than either the Daily Mail, Express or the Sun, who continue to publish upskirts and all sorts of indecencies every opportunity they could.
Lastly, thank you to Charlotte for keeping this blog decent, kind and respectful of others. God knows we need more of this today. This is why I read it.
Anon 3:08, perfectly said! I agree with your lovely post!
DeleteWell said, Anon 3:08. Maybe it's my age and not being too keen on social media and sharing every thought that pops into one's head, but I fail to see the need for the sarcastic comments posted by the journalists. Does this make them more credible, or help them in the end?
DeleteI'm young, fond of social media etc. But I am also young, grown up with social media and am aware that what you say online can have real consequenses. I've learnt that you should NOT complain about your job on facebook unless you want it to reach your boss. I think... if these accounts were just their personal accounts it would have been a whole different deal. Then it could be excused. And while they have that disclaimer, they are still using those twitter accounts as a means and viechle for their reporting with fast information and pictures. Hence, it's a part of their professional persona. THAT is what makes it so hard to swallow for me. If they had had these accounts as only part of their role and then other accounts for their personal life where they can share cat videos or whatever they want, then it would have been a totally different thing if they complained on those. But this is them complaining on their proffessional account, which makes you question their professionality. All in my opinion ofcourse.
DeleteI don't want to repeat myself, but I don't think it's sarcasm or sour grapes at all. I think they are genuinely baffled by this decision and frankly by how they're being treated.
DeleteA number of major, reputable news outlets spend a lot of money and resources to have a dedicated royal correspondent. And the Cambridges get top priority for coverage. Those outlets have played by their rules, covered all their events, and are intimately familiar with their pet causes as well as the people involved in those agencies. The reporters have built a beat and the contacts that go along with it.
Shouldn't the first choice be using one of the outlets that dedicate time and resources to you? Or better yet, several of them over a rotating basis if you really want to give the stories legs over a matter of months instead of a single day?
Regardless of the medium, whether it's in newspapers, on TV or online, the content has to come from somewhere. And it comes from the correspondents, reporters and photographers on the ground. And as Richard Palmer astutely noted, he's never seen a HuffPost correspondent at a royal event. Nor will he. They never pay any of their bloggers and are notorious for using content from other sources.
I never understand why some Kate fans can be so down on the royal press corps. None of this exists without them. Blogs, articles, magazines, nothing. Again, the content has to come from somewhere. Charlotte herself will tell you she relies on the people on the ground doing the legwork for the information and images she uses.
If the Cambridges had a better track record of engaging with their own press corps, or even acknowledging them at events, I don't think there would have been this reaction.
As Emily Andrews said "Are we being treated like mugs? Yes."
I understand your points and I agree with some of them. But in this case I think they ARE acting silly. Their arguments and thoughts are absolutely valid but the toddler like way they are talking about it is my problem with it. The hinting, sarcasm, back and forth, linking to "bad stuff" without being the one to actually say it, hinting that the huffington post has something to hold over the Cambridges etc. They are worsening their case by acting like they do, especially in that setting. In my opinion.
DeleteThing is that HP most likely approached KP with the idea and they said yes. Any other papers could have done the same. Richard Palmer acknowledged this in his tweets. It's a matter of adapting to a constantly changing world and certainly does not look professional to whine on social media.
DeleteI agree with you, Claudia. I think choosing an American owned organization to be the media outlet for a British charitable endeavor by two members of the British royal family is odd. Their jobs are to promote British interests. Their personal media bias should be left at the door in these instances. I have to deal with a lot of people with whom I totally and completely disagree in the course of my job, but I do not let that impact what I do. It's called being professional. Their custom pays my salary and keeps me employed. William and Kate would be better served if someone posed it to them in that way. The media keeps the public on their side, which pays their upkeep and keeps them in the manner to which they've become accustomed. They may not like it, but they need them whether they choose to acknowledge it or not. Annoying the people paid to write articles about you isn't the best way to get them on your side.
DeleteAnd the British media isn't their enemy. They haven't published any photographs of the children other than officially released ones. They aren't the ones who published the naked Kate on the balcony photos, or the honeymoon photos, or (insert list of pap photos here). Generally the articles are positive. So I'm not really sure what their issue really is.
Rebecca, I do not share your fondness for social media, but you expanded on my position beautifully.
DeleteIMHO it is laudable that the Duchess of Cambridge walks new and unexplored paths when bringing public attention to the mental health of young people. By accepting the invitation of Huffington Post, she clearly steps out of what appears to be the established routine, i.e., combining a visit at an institution with a photo call. Alas, I am new to following the Duchess and as of now my view is mostly based on impressions rather than hard fact knowledge.
DeleteWhat struck me most in Charlotte’s –as always impeccable- report was this part of the first sentence: “… the Duchess of Cambridge **accepted an invitation** to guest-edit …” (**emphasis added). The wording fits my impression that institutions and possibly the press approach the Duchess with suggested outings, galore, and Kensington Palace, in cooperation with the Duchess, decides on which of the suggestions to adopt.
Reading the comments section it appears that there is a split between those who applaud the scheduled event and those who appear to feel that the British press has been snubbed because Huffington Post originated in the U.S. While I see where each side is coming from I can’t join the latter group without knowing more: Did the British press suggest something similar to the guest-editing proposed by HuffPo? If that were the case, it surely would be worth to investigate why HuffPo rather than the British Press received the nod.
However, if my impression is correct and there was no such suggestion made by the British press, the fluffed up feathers of members of the British press in reaction to the announcement are wasted energy. Rather, they should look for their own unique and innovative way in which to tackle the issue of the mental health of young people. As many of the commenters already pointed out, the reaction on twitter obviously does nothing for the issue but shifts the attention away from it. That’s just sad! Be innovative boys and girls of the press, think outside the box (and look beyond the mere photo op)! If you have a great new idea to promote her campaign to raise awareness, I bet the Duchess will pick you and your paper the next time!
Ok, sorry, this has grown a little longer than intended. :S
Hugs to all of you for bearing with me :)
I agree, Claudia and Bluhare, it makes no sense to pick an American news site for this. Yes, no matter what British website was picked, there probably would have been a few grumbles, but I'm not a huge fan of the myriad of ways the Cambridges miss opportunities to support people in their own nation. Princess Charlotte has only been seen in non-British clothing (minus the christening gown obviously), their nanny is not British, they use Twitter to release a lot of information and pictures, and now this.
DeleteAlso Rebecca, Rebecca English actually explicitly said on Twitter that she highly doubted that the Huffington Post got Kate on board by burying a bad story.
And perhaps Kate could have worked with several different British papers for a series on mental health. But now, when the British papers write about this, Kate gets free publicity from them, while they are actively also giving free publicity to their own competitor. Mental health is obviously important. But if they really could not figure out a way to make this work with a British paper or multiple British papers, then they should have just chosen not to do it. There are a multitude of ways to promote mental health. This method is no necessity. And honestly, do we even think many people will read these articles? The general public, most likely, will just hear about Kate organizing it; I cannot see most people reading these articles just because Kate's name is attached. They'd maybe read her own written words, but that's it. But I may be wrong - I don't know much about this kind of stuff.
Thank you for keeping it classy! This is one of my favorite blogs and I appreciate your hard work and dedication. I think you show tremendous respect for the Duke and Duchess and their growing family and fully support your decision. I also am very glad to hear the comments are monitored. I can't imagine all the time and effort you put into this. Your love for the Royal Family shows through. Keep on keeping on!
ReplyDeleteAmanda
Port Huron, Michigan
USA
That Christopher Kane outfit was perfect and how amazing to see the Lover's Knot tiara again. Loved the Catherine Walker shamrock coat but voted for Alexander McQueen although the patchwork coat I didn't like.
ReplyDeleteOn the tiara vote I was in the minority. I voted for the Papyrus. Don't get me wrong, I have noooothing against Kate wearing the lovers knot, and it probably looked beautiful on her dark hair. But the papyrus just seems made for her. It was pretty enough on the earlier wearers but it seems like it was made for Catherine! I just love how it looks on her (maybe it is because it's the first tiara we have seen unobstructed without a veil on her, I might have to change my mind on a later date!)
ReplyDeleteI am not voting (hardly ever do in these things!) but I think I agree with you on the tiara choice. If Kate wants to be her own person, I think choosing something that will some day be associated with her in the same way the lovers knot tiara is now associated with Diana is the way to go. And I think it flatters her more too.
DeleteOh, that is not at all my reasoning Bluhare. I think she could make the lovers knot her own if she wanted. I just think the Lotus tiara and Kate look like they were made for each other.
DeleteI want William to help Kate design her own tiara.
DeleteThat will be associated with she and William in perpetuity. Almost every monarch has either designed some original piece or altered one to suit their specific taste and those are now heritage pieces reminiscent of the royals who designed them. With Kate's art history background and even her brief history creating Jewelry with Claudia she seems to have a talent and penchant for it.
WVU Alumni in sunny California
Hey wvu alumni its nice to have a fellow mountaineer among the Kate fanbase
DeleteI don't know if Kate needs to design her own tiara though there are so many beautiful pieces to chose from the royal collection!
Rebecca & Bluhare I totally get what you both are saying! I have already voted for the Lovers Knot, but felt a twinge about it & now I know why! See this is what I Love about This Blog! Here I came in with one opinion, yet by reading the well expressed opinions of you two ladies, I have changed my tune. The Lovers Knot will always be a lovely choice, but for all the reasons you both put forth..... I now agree that The Papyrus is one that's Perfect for her & that She could totally make her own! Thanks for putting into words, what my nagging brain could not!
DeleteBecca USA:)
We agree, but for different reasons Rebecca. I think Kate would have a hard time eclipsing Diana's legacy with that piece and think she shouldn't even try and make something her own.
Deletelol, thanks Sarah. What are the odds? how cool is that? amazing really.
Deletedid you get a chance to watch the Cactus Bowl?
What an exciting game. (and, we won.) :)
I thought about that Sarah but would love to have Kate add one to the collection. I imagine it would be stunning.
DeleteThe only caveat is that since she seems to wear the same styles often, she might not wear the existent ones as often, if ever.
Thank you, Becca! Becks, you and I do good work. :)
DeleteI did watch the bowl game! I'm even more impressed with our basketball team this year!
DeleteAlso, I love the ladies of great britian tiara (I think that was what it was called)
But so far I loved her wearing the Cambridge one!
00:11 I agree.
DeleteI would love to have Kate design her own tiara though she probably would wear it all the time to the exclusion of all the others that should find the light of day.
All in a days work, Hare ;) (Blu, bluie? I must find a nickname for you now!!)
DeleteI agree with you, Rebecca and bluhare. I voted for the papyrus tiara for the same reasons. I actually think it was wise of Kate to wear the lover's knot, but the papyrus and the red gown and those amazing bracelets were Incredibly beautiful for the state banquet.
DeleteRebecca, I suggest Great Exalted Heroine of Mine, or GEHOM for short. :)
DeleteI am loving the polls Charlotte! These were easy in my opinion...Christopher Kane suit, Jenny Packham, and Cambridge Lovers Knot! I'm looking forward to seeing all the results. :)
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what comments come from Kate's upcoming engagement with the Huffington Post after reading the tweets from the reporters above. I think it will be great bringing more awareness to mental health in young people. It's definitely a "different" engagement for Kate, but hopefully one that will she will enjoy.
Thank you Charlotte for always keeping the blog tasteful and respectful. You are a gem and GREATLY appreciated for all your hard work and time you put towards the blog!
I chose McQueen as the designer because I liked all of the selections, even though some were repeats and one remodeled. I think the christening outfit was the best daytime look of the year. But I loved the Packham hospital dress and her beautiful red formal gown, and the Erdem St. Patrick's Day outfit. They are all spectacular. I voted for the papyrus tiara because it is a lovely, graceful jewel and Kate wore it so beautifully. It wasn't possible to tell how Queen Mary's tiara looked, but I am sure Kate also wore it well.
ReplyDeleteOne advantage of the Huffington Post may be that the US HuffPost will also carry Kate's page, which would give it very wide coverage. HuffPost US is a bit racy in its gossipy offerings, but its articles and columns are excellent. This is a great effort by the Duchess, and she is smart to offer her skills and visibility in supporting work by mental health experts.
I too hope that the sniping in the comments following the last post will not reappear. Now and then the exchanges by this community become a bit too personal. It is so nice to communicate with an international group with a shared interest. Surely we can be respectful of each other.
Thank you, Charlotte, for your excellent work and for your forbearance. If we can all keep in mind your diligence but also the limits on your ability to read all of each comment, we should be able to assist in monitoring abusive comments, be more careful of what we write, and avoid overreacting if something slips through. Peace is important!
05:17, nicely said, and, being an international community here, perhaps we can endeavor, each individually, to let world peace begin with us through thoughtful and respectful comments regardless of how much we differ in our own personal and specific perspectives.
DeletePeace is obviously so important, even on a blog. I agree 05:17, 20:39. How does that song go?
Delete"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me......"
Thank you, 20:39, I so agree. And 00:06, I do love the words to the song. Thank you for the reminder. Anon 5:17
DeleteI should look before I write, especially as I encounter the names of some of Kate's designers only here! Catherine Walker of course designed the elegant St. Patrick's Day coat, and it was the red Spagnoli suit that was remodeled. I had a bit of a hard time deciding on the designer because the Packham gown for the state visit was so perfect! But so was the christening outfit. Kate hit it out of the park with her two most important outfits of 2015, and also at St. Patrick's Day and Christmas. I agree with those who say the coat and kilt were very appropriate for Scotland, but neither garment fit perfectly. I voted for the nice dotted suit. Anon 5:17
DeleteThanks for answering my email Charlotte, let'hope everything will go according to plan.
ReplyDeleteWe can certainly say, Kate is a multi tasker. Not only she can take her own pics but also like Pippa she starts writing and editing articles. Wow. Good luck with that!
On fashion note, this year she didn't give me any goosebumps, so I chose Catharine Walker as a designer. At least her coats has something.
My fave was the Christopher Kane coat and kilt. And the Cambridge Lovers Knot tiara.
Thanks for the quick post!
Anett, do I detect a little sarcasm in that post? LOL. I think she's going to have quite a bit of help from soliciting the articles to editing content. Unless she's having lessons now, I think that would be a huge undertaking! It's for a good cause and she's got the staff to back her up, so let's hope it will be very successful.
DeleteKugeln? :)
Hello Bluhare! Your radar works well.:-)) On the other hand, I am happy because she is "on the way" to prove she can more than a back up to William and a mother. We will see.
DeleteKugeln for sure:-)))But today I would like some Kaiserschmarrn. This is also yummy:-)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiserschmarrn
Exactly Bluhare. Ofc she will have staff helping and the organisations she's connected with and such. Can't pull that together sitting in the office one day. She will probably have alot to say in it, but it's not like she will be doing it all herself. Which she doesn't need to. That's not her job. Her job is to put her name on it, show her face and make people that otherwise mightn't click on those articles do that clicking and reading.
DeleteTo be honest, Rebecca, I think I will be very surprised if Kate does much beyond putting her name on it and posing for some photos on the day itself. We were told not too long ago somewhere that Kate reads all these scientific papers pertinent to her patronages. If that's true she might actually be able to have some really good ideas. But I tend to agree she'll just be the figurehead.
DeleteOh my lord, Anett. I would be wheeled out of Austria on a packing pallet if I ever went there. I dropped 10 pounds last time I went to Britain due to my weakness for Bramley apple pies and apple charlottes. I'd have to get down to nothing if I went to Austria. I thought the pistachio marzipan with hazelnut nougat centered, then double dipped chocolate Kugeln sounded awfully good, and then I saw those.
I don't even know what those are but you guys are making me hungry. stop. :)
DeleteBluhare
DeleteYou gave me a good laugh, thanks!!:-))
On a more serious note and after reading she is gonna do a video appeal too, so this situation reminds me her history with hospices, there was a huge interest from her, even doing these video appeals. But honestly I can't remember when she visited one hospice for the last time.
Anon 00.04
Sorry:-))
Also a new interesting biopic will be for sure, the Crown Tv series about the royal family. Watch out royal watchers!:-) Full of controversial things I guess.
DeleteOh Anett, you've brought up a hot topic of mine. Why can Kate apparently only do one thing at a time? Now it's children's mental health. Six months ago it was hospice care, and that seems to have gone by the wayside. There's been talk about addiction and how keen she was to work with that. And they all drop off.
DeleteTo be fair, I think working with hospice is difficult enough with adults, and children would be even harder. And maybe she's not someone who can deal with it well. I don't know. But don't tell us all how much you're going to do and then drop it.
Hi.ive been extremely lucky to recieve three letters from their royal highnesses. One when we were raising money for a little girl frankierose, she needed life threatening treatment proton bea ththeraphy, as you know prince william is patron of cancer charities one being royal marsden. This beautiful little girl cpuldnt get treatment here in uk so we raised 178,000 to send her to amrerica. I wrote again when princess charlotte was born and how the media were in mu eyes were being disrespectful, i got a lettersaying they were touchedbymy words and wished me to send warm wishes to frankierosesfamily, and wished my family happy christmas. I am excoted hrh highness is taking part and feel she has now fpund her way in royal family. I love ypur blog charlotte. They are opening two new centres for proton beam therahy. Prince william asked his secretary to look into it. I am in touch with frankies caae, she is in remissio . I have the three letters and will treasure them. I am disabled but that did not stop me as twice ive helped two cancer patients i would do this again. I sent a letter and a card for prince george, i sent two christmas ornaments for them and again they have beentouched . Just the smallest of gestures touch them, something given from heart, thanks charlotte xx
DeleteWonderful post, Charlotte! I'm very excited to see how everything will turn out. I'm loving how her main focus right now is children's mental health. It's such an important topic that is not typically discussed. Though, I would also love for her to also focus on her patronages like EACH. I haven't heard of any engagements regarding EACH these past couple of months. It would be nice if she balanced it out more and not just one particular cause.
ReplyDeleteBTW, does anyone know what kind of engagements Kate will be undertaking now that she is the honorary air commandant?
Hope everyone has a happy weekend!
I don't know what kind of engagements Kate will do but this year is the Air Cadets 75th birthday and these are some of the "celebrations" that will be this year:
Deletehttp://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/membersinfo/aircadetxtra.cfm
(they will appearantly update that page as plans move along)
Kate will probably be at some :)
Thanks for the link, Rebecca.
DeleteThank you, Rebecca! I'm looking forward to her future engagements with the air cadets. :D
DeleteI haven't read the comments lately, but I a so sorry to hear about the attacks and negitivity! You are an incredible writer- so thoughtful and considerate, and I can only imagine the hard work and dedication that goes into writing this blog. Thank you so much!!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte's a candidate for sainthood for putting up with it all. I shudder to think of all the posts that don't make it past moderation, to be honest.
DeleteUgh, that is true Bluhare. I sometimes forget about that :(
DeleteAmen!
DeleteI propose this model of tiara for our Charlotte. http://www.beweb.chiesacattolica.it/benistorici/bene/4475712/Produzione+campana+sec.+XX,+Aureola+di+Ges%C3%B9+Bambino
DeleteAhah, this is a good series of tiaras for Charlotte indeed! http://kingdomofstyle.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/2007/01/to_really_get_a.html
Delete:)
DeleteHello Paola,
DeleteI got a sweet laugh with the one from your post-link @22:42.
and then,linked to the 22:47 post-link, I came right back immediately to the blog, equivalent to running back.
Then, thought, wait a second, what is so wrong with the second post? went back to the second post. Oh no! I wanted to be better comforted by the first post. I laughed again.
Thank you
Ahah Anon15, this fashion show with halos is incredibly kitsch, isn't it?
DeleteWhat a good news to hear about katesl's 1st engagement announcement. .. and very nice pools... but please make an other pool for Catherine's best casual looks (candid)
ReplyDeleteFaiza, pakistan
A list of favourite repeats in various categories might be nice too. Also, I'm hoping that we will get a chance to design looks for her India tour. That might be splendid fun. It sure was last time.
DeleteI've also noticed that the comment section sometimes side-tracks and devolves into nastiness when there is a lag between engagements. (Though that wasn't the case this last time.) Thankfully I missed the latest one because I neglected to select "Read more...". Maybe that was a good thing. By the time I got there to see what had happened the comments had been removed.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that The Duchess is focusing more and more on children's mental health. I think this is an important topic, and I'm sure it will have more visibility thanks to Kate's work.
I didn't read comments on the last topic but i have to say that I don't like to read negative comments on this website, i just ignore this kind of comments since I want that reading about the Duchess is something of a relaxing and happy time for me! Sorry! But thank you Charlotte for keeping us constantly updated about The Duchess and for this great website. I love it!
I voted Sarah Burton/Alexander McQueen as my favourite Kate's designer of 2015, I loved her look for Charlotte's Christening even if Kate's looks from Jenny Packham were stunning too.
I liked to see Kate wearing Dolce&Gabbana, I'm not a great fan of that brand but she looked lovely with those dresses and, of course, I was so happy to see The Duchess wearing an italian brand :)
Oh, how great it would be to have a trip to Mustique as family event and not those long sunday lunches? What a lucky, hard-working and happy family!
Charlotte, Thank you for such beautiful pictures and accurate updates. I appreciate that when there is no news to report that you don't create gossip - thank you! As much as I would love to see photos of the children, I totally respect the Duke and Duchess' desire to protect them. You are my main source of news for Kate so please never quit! I live in the US and like the background info you also report on things unfamiliar to us. Thank you, thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteah the polls are just so much fun! love it!
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea to add 'favorite designer', also so much fun we got to choose tiaras this time.
I chose Jenny Packham, the chinese state banquet ensemble is just incredible and i also liked the other dresses.
Have a nice weekend all!
Just want to thank you for continuing to promote a high standard of excellence and respect for the royals with your picture policy. Yours is the only royal blog I follow and I very much appreciate that you are not swayed by pressure from other people to capitulate on your standard. Thank you for creating this space!
ReplyDeleteI think this had great potential. Wise choice as, although Kate is educated and has people if offer advice, she's not a writer. Going with a more heavy hitting/traditionally serious news outlet(paper/tv/online) might have merited a lot of criticism, a la 'they only let her because she is a princess'. Focus on what skills she doesn't have rather than what she is trying to communicate. I think if most visible public figures got the chance to do something like this nowadays, they would do an online site. More exposure, more in the moment, more likes/shares/forwards means more people getting interested in the cause.
ReplyDeleteHi Charlotte - wonderful post as usual! And totally agree, not that it is my business, on your policy regarding George and Charlotte! This is YOUR blog after all - for you to run as you see most appropriate! Thank you as always for entertaining us in your precious spare time! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI voted for the Christopher Kane, Jenny Packham, and Lovers Knot. Fabulous all! I personally don't see anything amiss in Kate contributing as a guest editor on the Huffington Post. She certainly will get her message out, and read by millions. Looking forward to more wonderful posts by our wonderful and classy Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteThank you for always handling your blog in a respectful and considerate manner.
ReplyDeleteI voted for the Christopher Kane outfit , the deisner was more difficult but I went for Jenny Packham both tiara's were lovely and very different I decided on the Lover's Knot mainly because it was the first time she had worn it.
ReplyDeleteThe announcement that Kate was to be a guest editor on the Huffington Post to promote Mental Health came as a real surprise the H.F. have certainly put one over the British papers no wonder the Royal Reporters appear to be somewhat unhappy.
I do however hope Pippa doesn't have any input to Kate. Pippa's efforts at journalism are not very good. The sort of comments and advice written by her and Carole for Party Pieces give the impression that they think their readers have no intelligence or basic common sense which was what came across in quite a lot of the Cookery Book which Pippa attempted and which was such a disaster. Her monthly articles on Holiday destinations in the Telegraph only lasted for six months due to lack of interest by the readers. I think it was a pity that Pippa did not stick to Party planning & organising which she was praised for in the Press as being very good at and her hard work. Thankfully Kate has proved to be an accomplished photographer and to date all her photographs of the children have been well received. Hopefully this new venture by Kate will have the desired effect of bringing a great deal more publicity to this worthy cause of children's Mental Health. I hope this is not the first engagement for Kate this year she does need to build on the activities she did in the last part of 2015 and increase the momentum she built up, widening her interests, bringing attention to her other charities and adding a few more. It will be interesting to see if or when she attends an event for the Air Cadets it is I believe their 75th Anniversary Year.
Ref. the family holiday to Mystique personally I would like to see them miss and William & Kate take a short holiday on their own prior to their tour to India this is something they have always done before about 4 to 6 weeks before the tour. They took the very criticised tour to the Maldives before going to Australia going with 2 very young children to Mystique is no real holiday for Kate last year when she went William clearly had a great time but judging from the photographs that appeared she spent no time with her husband she was with George most of the time and I can see the same thing happening again.
My apologies for the long post but I haven't posted for a while Charlotte I fully agree on your views re publication of Pap photos occasionally the odd one with Kate & George when in a public place has not been overly intrusive and admittedly rather nice to see but otherwise any other paps of the children should not be printed
I've not read Pippa and Caroles stuff, but I got the impression that they write "lifestyle" entries and "how to's" and those are meant to be a bit low. The celebrate book might be for someone that didn't grow up with a family that did those kind of stuff. Doesn't have to be complicated to be good writing. But as I said, I've not read any of their stuff.
DeleteMary E, good to hear from you again also. It has been a while.
DeleteFinally Charlotte you have spoken. As I said sometime ago I have followed this blog since the very beginning in 2011 and even when I went to boarding school I always made sure to read all your posts during vacation. I adore this blog but for some time now it seems the mood of this comment section had changed. I know we cant all fawn over and pretend to love everything Catherine does but it seems we forget that this blog sort of serves the purpose as a "fan page". Hence it served as q relaxed atmosphere. But of late many have decided to just bring about unnecessary criticism and negativity to the blog. It was quite sad. All of a sudden everything became overly serious. Lets not forget that no matter what Catherine does people will never be happy. If she was to carry over a million charity visits people will still cry out. Lets maintain the familiness of the blog and stop over analysing someone many of us will never meet because some comments do dumpen the mood here. Michael from Ghana
ReplyDeleteHi Michael from Ghana. :)
DeleteGood to hear from you again.
Amen, Michael. I do agree.
DeleteThanks I have been around. In fact am here everyday lol. Just had to speak out after the fiasco that was the last blog post. Phew glad that's over
DeleteTHAT MAKES TWO OF US MICHAEL. :)
DeleteThank you again Charlotte for a Wonderfully Informative Post:) I honor your integrity & thus this is my "Go To Blog"
ReplyDeleteWishing Everyone Here A Bright 2016!
Becca USA:)
I'm happy that she is continuing to focus on mental health issues. As I have written here before, I love Kate in separates. She looked great in them all, but my favorite would be the Christopher Kane kilt. Its very youthful and chic, kinda like a throwback look for Kate. Very classic.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is a throwback look for Kate. Ahhh, I fondly remember the days.......
DeleteCharlotte,
ReplyDeleteI have read all the "Thank you's and sweet kudos" that people have so eloquently and sincerely expressed here today and I concur with them all. As I have said more than once before, your blog is "The Bentley of Blogs". You are an asset to the Royal family, the field of Journalism and to all of us. I, also, am so very appreciative of your time, efforts and talent. God bless. xo
Thank you all for your very kind and thoughtful comments. X
DeleteYou totally deserve them Miss Charlotte. :)
Delete(and your hubby also, for "sharing" you and helping you. I think he's a keeper, yeh?) :)
Great fun with the polls Charlotte :)
ReplyDeleteThe tiaras are both so beautiful but I went with the Cambridge Lovers Knot.
I'm a little mystified regarding comments pertaining to Catherine's writing ability or editorial skills with regard to the HP announcement. Why "real" journalists would be in any way miffed by it is beyond my understanding. I wonder whether any of the UK papers had the imagination to think of such an idea or approach KP. Perhaps they need to step up their game if they are going to get the younger royals onside. The way messages are being delivered in the media is changing all the time. Papers have to keep ahead of the curve to attract and keep readers.
ReplyDeleteAm I wrong in thinking that this editor-for-a-day stint at the HP is merely a marketing ploy for mental health issues? Wasn't Catherine recently trading stocks to raise the profile for for a charity? Did anyone analyse her qualifications (or lack thereof) then? Why does she need any qualifications beyond being a good sport and her natural self? She's got plenty of savvy and moxie aw well as a good education that will stand her in good stead. She'll do just fine, I'm sure.
Not to change the subject, but I am so looking forward to the weddings of Harry, Pippa and James.
Delete(Given only that they have found the perfect mate though of course so as not to rush.) I do so hope they won't have private little tucked away weddings. I hope they will be as grand as they can be and that they will be covered thoroughly by the media. I mean they have such unique places in history why not make the most of it. Weddings for the history pages.
I agree, Philly. It isn't about qualifications. It is about bringing attention and awareness.
DeleteVery true, Philly. It is about the attention and awareness Kate will generate. The Queen has something like 600 patronages and I am not aware of the focus being on her skills as it pertains to specific engagements.
Delete00:44, I am eager for those weddings. Love weddings.
DeleteExactly Philly. She's gonna use her connections to fish writers, her patronages will use their connection to her to get their voices heard, and they use an unlikely paper to reach people that wouldn't otherwise be reached. Put her name on it, gain alot more clicks, and it gets spread. Noone is expecting her to be a journalist!
DeleteI think using Huffington Post is entirely about reaching that specific audience. Before you do anything, know thy audience. And I think that was the decisive factor, particularly given the subject matter. Think about it.
ReplyDeleteThey definitely know their target market. That demographic is Germaine to their message. Great scope.
DeleteI would love to know what Arianna Huffington really thinks about the Royal family and the monarchy given her staunch liberal viewpoints.
DeleteHumm, and she is having Kate be a guest editor.
strange bedfellows?
I understand where you're coming from 4:30, but I don't think it's a case of very strange bedfollows if you consider the following...
DeleteIt's a combination business arrangement for the HP and it highlights a very worthy cause. As far as what AF may think about the RF and monarchy, well, it isn't like there aren't any rich and privileged liberals in the world.
IMO, this is a win-win, with the exception of a few journalists who appear to be suffering from diaper rash.
Anonymous 00:35,
DeleteWhat you said about reaching a specific audience seems plausible to me.
I'm a liberal and I follow this blog. Now, what does that tell you?
DeleteIt's not necessarily a contradiction, especially if you don't live in the UK. My country hasn't been a monarchy for a long time and I wouldn't want it to be but that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy certain aspects of the British monarchy from afar.
So maybe Arianna Huffington really doesn't care that much one way or another. And then, she used to be a conservative, so I doubt that conservative ideas are entirely foreign to her.
Are you all conservatives? I really do wonder, since everyone seems to be bashing the Huffpost for being too liberal.
I was going to vote for the LK Bennet separates since I love how they looked both the first and second times she wore them but at the last moment chose Christopher Kane because the kilt is both fun and interesting. So hard to pick a designer because I think the choices this year under each label don't do justice to the brands. In the end, I voted for McQueen since, throughout the years, McQueen pieces have been a no fail staple in the DoC's wardrobe. If I were to go by the pictures above alone, Erdem would have been my choice for the vibrancy and originality of the designs. I have to say Catherine Walker has been a disappointment for me where Kate is concerned. When both Diana and Ms. Walker were alive, their partnership resulted in a home run almost every time. Although I like the green CW coat dress Kate wore in Australia as well as the red coat from the Canadian tour, I really only loved on Kate the Kensington dress. Finally, as for the tiara, I chose the Cambridge Lovers Knot because the wear was so unexpected. Never would I have predicted that. Ever. Nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteErika, nice to see you back. I was practicing my chicken noises but I am glad you changed your mind without coercion. CatHare Couture might see another day too!! :)
DeleteErika, the Cambridge Lovers Knot was a surprise to me too. I had hoped to see it at some point, but not for many more years, if not a decade or two.
DeleteThanks bluhare :) I remember the chicken noises and thought I would spare you :)
DeleteYes, royalfan, I think that can go down as the most unpredictable Kate event of 2015. I would love other jewels of Diana to come out of hiding such as the art deco emeralds or the multiple rowed pearl bracelets.
DeleteLikewise, Erika. Many of Diana's pieces would look wonderful on Kate and I'd like to see her have fun with them as well. Especially the sapphire and diamond pieces. (I realize Kate did not select her engagement ring, but Diana did and I think both ladies would qualify as being fans of the color blue.)
DeleteAbsolutely :-) I think the sapphires are more strongly linked to Diana than the Lovers Knot tiara. It would be interesting to see how Kate would begin to make them her own.
DeleteThe Huffington Post was launched in 2005 by Arainna Huffington, a Cambridge graduate who had been married to a US politician. She is a liberal and ran for political office in California. She founded the post with four men who are all liberal. One was the VP of AOL, the other three dynamic also and very credentialed.
ReplyDeleteAll four men Ivy League. They are based out of NYC.
In 2011, the Post was acquired by AOL with Arianna staying onboard as editor in chief. Just a brief synopsis from Wiki. For those who were asking.
Yep. The Huffington Post is a team of really, really heavy hitters and amongst them, David Wood, being awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for his series on veterans and their families. I was surprised to find out all the particulars about it as I was not expecting the list of players that I found. Intense.
ReplyDeleteThe "players" are radical "left wingers" and they espouse and pursue those kind of agendas. I wouldn't exactly perceive them as monarchists. So, yeh, like Rebecca English, I am at a loss for words on this new alliance. It seems the more we think we "know" Kate, the less we really "know" about her.
DeleteFirst the Erdem gown, now this. lol
Isn't that even better though? That they are strange bedfellows. Noone can accuse them of pushing an agenda or just doing it because they're friends. It's a buissness arrangement that is good for both sides. Huffington Post probably is on the same side as Catherine on the mental health issue. I am glad that they are not just having posters on their site that are like them. THAT if anything would be unproffessional.
Deletelol, "first the Erdem gown. Now this." so funny
Deletecute perspective. lol
Thank you for posting this Charlotte! I saw the news item about Huffington Post and wondered whether you would mention it. Should have known that you would and in such an informative way! I have read Huffington Post for years. Yes, it has celebrity articles but it has also won several awards for its serious reporting. When you look at it, where else would Kate go? Daily Mail--not even a thought. The Telegraph--most of their articles about her have tended to be re her sense of fashion, not a lot about her charities. And perhaps they weren't open to having her edit something either. The Times--I don't think so.... If Kate wants to garner the attention of a lot of online readers, on both sides of the Atlantic, HuffPost is a good way to do it.
ReplyDeleteOh and re the attacks. There have been a few people that, several months ago I labelled Negative Nellies. I always know what to expect from their posts. But, this said, I don't find their opinions offensive, mainly because I would never engage them. They sound pretty stuck in where they are at, just as I am pretty stuck where I am at (firmly in Camp W & K, thinking they are doing just fine.) Chacun a son gout and Charlotte, you are free to set the tone of course.
I love she is focusing on shining a light on mental health..however I sometimes feel it is at the expense of her other patronages which shouldn't be the case. She has plenty of time in her life to do a lot for all of them if she so chooses.
ReplyDeleteI wish she would show more initiative to do more with all her patronages..especially EACH and the natural history museum which I felt were neglected last year
Sarah - If what the DM is saying is true then Catherine will be the face of a major 7 day campaign at Place2Be. So far I gather there will be a recorded video appeal, much like the one she did last year. It sounds like there might be other things during that eight day run in February. I believe second week of February.
DeleteJulia, I am just wondering if you saw this documentary, and what your thoughts were if you did see it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I missed this article, but I look forward to seeing it on youtube in the next day or two.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/12085007/Royal-Wives-at-War-Inside-the-feud-between-the-late-Queen-Mother-and-Wallis-Simpson.html
Bo I've missed it. We've houseguests right now but I would be very interested and will be on the look-out for it.
DeleteEnjoy your guests...
DeleteI hope to watch it later and will share my "review." :)
Strange bedfellows Kate and the Huffington Post?
ReplyDeleteI think AOL did purchase the Huffington Post in 2011 but I think Verizon purchased it from them in June of 2015.
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlotte for the update. It's an interesting choice for Catherine, and a good move on the part of the charity to get this kind of exposure to such an audience and get the issues out there.
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising the reaction of royal correspondents ( or is it !) and it does make me reconsider the impartiality and reputation of these sources, but we all have our different opinions.
On that note, I did see some of, but not all of, the previous comments, and welcome some control over the section. It's a fantastic blog Charlotte and you put so much effort in. I've been following it from the beginning, only recently throwing my opinion into the ring. I do enjoy the healthy debate, get sickened a little by the negativity at times, but hearing viewpoints from around the world is fascinating.
Whether what age, sex religion or nationality, any voice should be heard - without the need to preach or personal attack, or without respect and consideration for others too. There's far too many nasty trolls on other sites that are just there to cause mischief - I've always found, on the whole, the readers here are much more considerate and open and I'm happy to be part of this online community.
Lets hope 2016 gives up loads more to discuss about Catherine!
Charlotte-would it be possible to have a piece about "Where in the world" the Duchess has travelled to ? This could detail holidays pre William, destinations with Wiilliam, then sunshine,ski,city breaks. This would cheer us all up while it's so cold and show us continents still to visit,just a thought, especially with a Royal Tour pending.
ReplyDeleteGood idea, adey.
DeleteDear fellow commentor(s),
ReplyDeleteas far as bedfellows are concerned
I think it is safe to state that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are bedfellows. :)
I suppose it is almost equally safe to state that many homeless people are quite often bedfellows with (mostly free?) newspapers. :(
In case anyone among you should care to know I can happily add that this blog has already been my bedfellow more than once. :)
I thought I posted this comment below
DeleteAnonymous17 January 2016 at 05:22
in answer to this question:
Strange bedfellows Kate and the Huffington Post?
Arianna got her start by developing a website to impeach Bill Clinton, President of the United States.
ReplyDeleteKate is a Duchess and future Queen. Formidable leadership positions as is the office of the United States Presidency. And Kate is married to the man who will be the head of the Church of England. Arianna is notoriously a member of the EST group. By numbers a fringe organization with very little, if anything in common with the tenants of the Church of England. There are so many ways Kate could accomplish her goal without making herself vulnerable and creating controversy. Focus on the issues, not questionable politics, ethics. If a media person, a Journalist and a reputable one at that, says she is at a loss for words over Kate's decision in choosing the Huffington Post then that speaks volumes. It isn't just business as usual.
As much as I would love to see regular, and more frequent posts of pictures including the two tiny royals, I fully understand why publishing these pics is not permissable.
ReplyDeleteTheir privacy and safety is paramount. As long as Kate continues to let us see her photos of them every now and then, I am sure we can all be happy with that.
Kate certainly has taken some lovely photos of her children and I hope she continues to publish them.
Hahaha ,here we go again reading too much into what we don't know. Imho no matter the paper chosen there would always be controversy. Imagine picking the daily mail with their false stories and horrible troll comments. I think we simply do not know enough to start insinuating things.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I don't consider I'm a fan of Kate's, so a warning for those who want only positive. I consider myself a supporter of the monarchy and I'm about to be as critical of this coming engagement as I've ever been of anything.
ReplyDeleteI'm concerned that Huffington is not a British news source regardless of where it's founder was born. But that isn't my main concern. I didn't know a lot about Huffington and I've read the comments here and looked at some of their articles and don't feel this is a proper engagement for Kate.
Her cause is good. If Huffington had been doing a feature on children's mental health and she contributed an article, I wouldn't have been so concerned. It's being a guest editor, something that links her very closely with the news organisation and everything they stand for - much more than just writing an article or doing an interview.
I tried to think if I would be happier if it was the Telegraph or the Times, and the answer is not much. An important tenent of the royal family is their political impartiality. It is vital to the survival of the monarchy. And Huffington is an extemely political organisation. I would not be any happier if their views were conservative. It is the fact they hold any political partiality. I do not feel any royal should serve as a guest editor for any reason, no matter how worthy if the news entity is deeply political.
Charles' guest editing Country Life is one thing - their views on country living are close to what everyone knows the royal family believes. I'm trying to think of some entity where I wouldn't be likewise bothered by Kate guest-editing. Vogue perhaps, although they may seem to fashionable. Tatler is too toff. Hello! is foreign-owned and too celebrity driven, although I would have found it preferable to Huffington since it is respectful of the monarchy as an institution and almost entriely apolitical. The Lady and Good Housekeeping are probably too out-dated to Kate's mind. The long and the short is I don't have a good replacement unless Kate wanted to guest-edit Duchess Kate! What a perfect and uncontroversial place that would have been.
So I agree with Palmer even though he sounds petulant, and disagree that the good cause must overcome the source, or royals would be dabbling in politics all the time. I don't think Kate has to emulate the queen - while Diana, and Charles, faced criticism for taking on causes that could lead to government criticism, I never felt they stepped over the line. And I have wanted Kate to step out more boldly, but not in a way that lends her name to a very political news source.
I do understand with the use of bloggers, why this may have seemed like a good fit to her and her advisors. I apologise to those who don't like any criticism and having broken my resolution to be more positive, will go gobble some caramel nibbles. But I just feel the long-term damage here when Kate's name will be raised with any Huffington article outweighs the potential good - and that this is not something a royal princess should be doing.
Julie, she has officially forever affiliated herself with the Huffington Post. And you are right. That is never going to go away. I am so surprised that you are not a Kate fan. For some reason I thought you had said you were. Your suggestion of KATE GUEST-EDITING THE DUCHESS KATE BLOG IS A MUCH BETTER AND SUPERLATIVE IDEA.
DeleteHappy to hear your point of view I just happen to not agree:) Thank you for writing in full about your opinion. ali
ReplyDeleteMy issues with Huffington Post are a little different from those mentioned above (although I agree with a lot of what was said by others too).
ReplyDeleteFirst, they don't pay a majority of their writers!!! They are known to blatantly take advantage of struggling writers who are forced to write for them in order to get their names out there, which isn't bad except that even when these writers become very well-read and bring a lot of hits to their site, they still don't pay them. And keep taking advantage of these writers. It's a major criticism and something that I cannot believe Kate is showing her support for.
Second, it's not a good or respectable news site. Aside from not paying their writers inherently meaning less quality, in general, they allow anyone to write on it and have very little quality control. This is also tied to whether or not it is liberal - it is not liberal! Its "anti-establishment" reputation is mostly a trick and somewhat true only because the US is a country where Trump is a leading politician. It is not liberal by most standards. It actually promotes conservative ideals that also make me disappointed that Kate is backing this news site. It has allowed people to write in support of the anti-vaccination movement. It is fundamentally incoherent to think that a website that has shown some support for anti-vaccers can also show support against the mental health stigma. Huffington Post also was started in part by Andrew Breitbart, and published him on the front page until 2011 when they stopped due to huge public outrage, at which point they still published him, just less prominently. And in case yall don't know already, Breitbart was one of the worst journalists of all time - really just a heinous person who said horrible, incorrect, and racist things all the time and was a serial liar.
Seriously, the Huffington Post is a joke of a news site. Most well-read people who actually keep up with what is going on in the world have very little respect for the site. So maybe it was a good pick because it may get a lot of hits (although the UK version is not nearly as popular as the US version), but imo it it is still a horrible choice just because Kate is lending her name and implicit endorsement to a news site that embodies the worst of journalism on a managerial level.
Thanks Charlotte for all your hard work. These polls were much easier than choosing from that stellar collection of coats!
ReplyDeleteGood on Kate for trying something different with the guest editorship of the Huffington Post. Here’s hoping it brings lots of positive coverage for mental health issues. I haven’t seen anything to suggest that any British media outlet made a similar offer & was rejected.
Richard Palmer's usually very personable but he sometimes makes ‘controversial’ comments about Kate on twitter that generate some chatter. He may just be trying to raise his profile. For anyone interested here are the stats on twitter followers: Rebecca English 18.8K; Richard Palmer 32.6K; Duchess Kate blog 41.1K; KP 607K. Kudos to Charlotte!
Good to hear you’re sticking around royalfan. Your joie de vivre is much appreciated.
41.1K for Duchess Kate Blog. Congratulations Charlotte. Thanks for the info Blue Wren.
DeleteAs for the royal reporters' feelings about this idea - if the day ends up becoming just a big PR thing for Kate, i.e. a bunch of the articles are more about the Cambridges' efforts, rather than mental health issues in general, then I absolutely will join them in their frustration. If nothing mentions the Cambridges' efforts and is just all about mental health stuff in general, then I definitely support the concept, and think it could be pretty great if the details were a little different.
ReplyDeleteThe reason the details bug me and why the reporters' criticisms make sense is because Kate having editorial control means she can nix any article that disagrees with what the Cambridges have said/done about mental health - like how she may be promoting emphasizing resilience too much in comparison to chemical imbalances, etc.
I'm also very confused about Kate's role as a "guest editor." She does not have writing training, nor is she a mental health expert. I'm not complaining because it's unfair to people who have better qualifications (like the criticism when William "got into" Cambridge for that special course), but rather, I'm just not sure how she is useful in any way as a guest editor, except to help herself by looking good. Why not use her connections to help an actual mental health expert get guest editorial control, while Kate herself writes one piece and maintains no other control over the process? She will not do much in terms of actual editing, we all know that. So writing an article and helping get spots for a bunch of articles by other people on HP would still lend her name to the cause in a way that brings attention but doesn't unfairly give her credit for work she will not be doing while ensuring someone who can do the work much better is the one doing it and getting credit for it. These two reasons are why journalistic ethics are a concern mentioned by the reporters.
Lastly, remember that when British reporters cover this event, they are not only giving Kate free publicity, they are actively helping one of their own competitors. Even if it works for Kate for this event (and I'm not sure the general public will bother spending time reading many articles even with Kate's name attached), it's not a good long-term strategy. Prince Charles' guest editing was different because he edited a magazine focused on a specific issue, so not at all a news site that competes with the British media that help boost his image. And Clarence House's relationship with the media is quite good, so one issue wouldn't matter anyways.
Look, it's as simple as this - this was not close to the only way Kate can bring attention to mental health, so why pick it? Basic decision-making logic indicates that if there are MANY other ways to do something that still capture the same benefits while avoiding the disadvantages, then pick one of those. This seems to be something people ignore frequently when it comes to defending Kate - a choice may be somewhat defensible while still being the wrong one.
I don't often agree with you Maggie, but I agree with what you said today. Why pick it indeed?
DeleteOmg sorry for the basic paper I've now written but one last thought that is also why I'm shocked that people aren't being a little more understanding of the royal reporters' dismay with this whole event - there's a reason Kate is the first person to be invited to guest edit for Huffington Post. It's not something commonly done, not just by HP but really at all for general news sites, because of the many potential ethics issues, and also getting a single site so much extra money.
ReplyDeleteI have lost track of the number of times people have expressed a desire for Kate to step out there, be her own woman, and do her own thing.
ReplyDeleteDare I suggest that the HP invitation is an example of her doing exactly that? It's unfortunate that, once again, there has to be a "BUT..." to it.