Here comes the bride
This is the difference between men and women: last night I was working when the news came through at about 10:15 on Twitter that Prince William and Kate Middleton (I mean, Catherine – we’ll get to that shortly) were engaged.
Me: “Oh, Prince William’s engaged!”
Jason: “Who to?”
Me: “Kate Middleton! They’ve been going out for almost 10 years!”
Jason: “Is she Australian?”
Me: ………………………
It reminded me a lot of the time I told him that Angelina had had the twins. “Was she pregnant?” he asked. “Um, YES” I replied. “Oh. Who to?” And then my head fell off.
So then this morning I got into work early after doing the Today show and someone in the lift noted that I was in early. “Yes, I had to do The Today show to talk about the engagement.” And Jason says “Who got engaged?”
Right. As I was saying, this story is a big gender divider. Women are generally all over it and there are no words for how little men care.
I’m going to give my thoughts in point form because I’m keen to post and see what you think. In no particular order:
- I think it is exciting even though I didn’t think I would care. Everyone loves a love story and some GOOD news. I love watching people who have just got engaged. Royal or not, they glow.
- How excellent that she is 28 and so is he. She seems to know who she is and they’ve been together almost 10 years so they clearly know each other very well. They were friends before they were together and lived together as flatmates so there are going to be no surprises. What wonderful foundations they’ve laid.
- They broke up a year or two ago for a few months. I think this is also very encouraging. It means they both stared down the barrel of not being together and decided that wasn’t what they wanted. To break up after a long relationship and then reconcile means that you have to take a long hard look at your issues which can only ever be a positive thing. I speak from experience.
- I love that Charles made a Dad joke about how “they’ve been practicing for a while now”. What a contrast to the fact that Diana’s virginity had to be established before she and Charles could get engaged.
- I’m a bit teary about Diana today. The fact she isn’t here to share in this time with her eldest son…..
- The fact William gave Kate his mother’s engagement ring? Torn about this one. In a way it’s romantic and beautiful and closes a circle and connects him with his mum. But it’s hardly a happy symbol of love and good times. Bad omen?
- I was in the make-up chair next to 9 newsreader (and excellent tweeter) Wendy Kingston this morning and I was wondering out loud rather crossly why Kate had to change her name to Catherine – as she will now be know. Wendy said that apparently that’s what she’s always been called by everyone – family, William, friends. The “Kate’ thing is just the media.
- Which brings me to that hideous Waity-Katie bullshit. That has always made me mad. I hate the way it has always been portrayed that she was the one wanting to get married and he wasn’t. Maybe it was the other way around. Maybe HE has been nagging her for years and she’s resisted because she wasn’t sure. That family is hardly an easy one to marry into and I’m sure she’s read the books about Diana and watched the storms around Fergie. She doesn’t strike me as a particularly needy girl. Maybe SHE was the hold-out. It shits me that the world always assumes the pressure comes from the woman.
- I love that Camilla Parker Bowles reaction when reporters asked her about the engagement announcement was “It’s wicked!”
- This really is the Royal Family 2.0
Here is the full interview they did to announce their engagement which includes details of the proposal shown on the Today Show:
And here’s the photocall with the media afterwards….seriously, how nerve-wracking would this be:
I’ve been surprised by how happy this news has made me. My cousin has just gotten engaged to his girlfriend of about 10 years and I was equally surprised by how delighted I was about that. Love a bit of love and I genuinely think this is a great match (the sound you just heard is William and Catherine giving great sighs of relief that I’m on board).
Check out our Kate Middleton frockwatch here.
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Comments
225 Comments so far
Miss Middleton’s name is actually ‘Catherine’ with a ‘C’. Her given name is Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, and she was referred to as ‘Miss Catherine Middleton’ by both Clarence House and Buckingham Palace.
Considering that Catherine is her real, actual, name; there’s nothing wrong with her being called Catherine, just as there’s nothing wrong with her being called by the nickname ‘Kate’.
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Regardless of this story, the kind of blog this is, the readership, I really resent statements like ‘this is the difference between men and women’ and ‘the gender divide’. Mia, you’re supposed to be an independent, career-driven, successful, opinionated woman. And yet, you still continuously buy into the kind of generic stereotypes that women’s magazines perpetuate about what women are supposed to like and be interested in, all the time sinalling yourself as a whistle blower against the evil things magazines do, like air-brushing and promoting unrealistic images of women. I think an unrealistic image of women is to suggest we all care when Angelina’s pregnant and when people are engaged, just because you do. It is one thing to say ‘most women are generally all over it’ and another to start with ‘this is the difference between men and women’.
Please don’t respond to this with the normal crap about ‘this is the kind of blog this is, etc etc’, that has nothing to do with what I’m saying. If you, and your readers, are interested, then that’s FINE, I come here for other types of articles and opinions.
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In regards to the name thing – not true. Kate has always been called Kate by her parents and friends. I had someone verify it for me – sorry can’t reveal my sources
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After I heard the news I sighed & said to my fiancé “Well, I guess I won’t be marrying Prince William” and her replied “I’m sorry baby”. Hahaha.
I am trying to think of him using his mother’s ring as a nice gesture, as I’m sure that’s how William meant it, but I’m pleased my fiancé didn’t use my Mum’s engagement ring for me. It’s a beautiful ring, like Diana’s, but it also represents a not so beautiful marriage… It might have been better if he used another of his mother’s rings.
Speaking of which; I hope William & Kate don’t get married on the 29th July like Charles & Di did as I’m pretty sure that day is cursed for weddings. My Mum & Dad also got married on the 29th July and so did Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston :-/
http://www.princesseemma.com/
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Don’t know why it shits you that the media gives the impression Kate is more eager to get married. I think it’s just the media engaging with the female readership, seeing as how, as you said, women care a great deal more about the engagement than men.
No male I know gives a brass razoo, while every female is acting as if a sibling or personal friend of theirs got married.
Sadly, some girls see it as an actual lost opportunity, thinking they might have married William themselves if they had just had the chance to meet.
No matter how far women have come, they still get all a flutter and gossipy about a royal wedding. Good on them I say!
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Re the Ring: Kate Middleton is quoted today as saying: “I just hope I look after it”!!!
What does that mean? That she might lose it? I think that the sapphire should have used in a different setting, or as someone else said, make a giftof the ring at the wedding or somesuch special occasion.
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this is exactly why I don’t like the idea of guys giving their fiances their mother’s/grandmother’s rings. it’s now almost this burden on her, she’s been entrusted with this ring that is practically a national treasure, and if she were to lose it I’ll bet william would be more upset that she lost ‘his mother’s ring’ than thinking of it as her ring. it’ll never seem like her ring because it’s so famous as diana’s ring.
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I think it is sweet that William has given Kate Diana’s ring. From the outside looking in, Di and William (and Harry) had a wonderful relationship and I think she would be so proud of the man he has become. I wish them a wonderful future together and hope the press give Kate some space to find her way. She should be able to make the role her own and not be compared to Diana. I for one can’t wait to watch the wedding! She will look as gorgeous as our own Princess Mary I’m sure
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I just got engaged (about 2 weeks ago) to my handsome English prince! Okay so he’s not a prince but he is English and my name is Kate! So I am extra excited watching this happen to Prince William and Kate Middleton. I saw the interview with them both and think they seem lovely and sweet and I hope it works out for them in the crazy world they are about to enter. But I feel like William has inherited the compassion and groundedness of his Mum and that will see him through.
It’s funny, I also lost my Mum 10 years ago – and I’m emotional too about wishing she could be part of this; be the mother of the bride, which she would have loved! But I’ve been amazed how happy people in my life have been for me, particularly on Mum’s side of the family. People have been so happy and saying “this is great news Kate!” – I can see it’s lifting people’s spirits and that’s a really, really nice feeling apart from the fact that I am really excited to marry my fiance!
Miss Kate Daily x
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GORGEOUS! They are lovely together and will have a wonderful future, they’ve given it all a lot of thought. He is caring and supportive, she is self effacing and very real. I’m sure they will have a lot of fun together! Yay!
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to add..I think the ring is a lovely gesture…it’s his Mum’s after all and his memory of it is on her hand..any mother would be thrilled that their son honoured them in this way. It’s not bad karma at all.
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Good luck to them both, but I really think a dead saintly mother-in-law must be the worst kind
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…Sometimes, certain sections of my family will make a big fuss about entertaining other in-law/out-law sections of the family who are perceived as a little uppity and hard to please; special efforts have to be made. The comment often made is, “What, are we hosting friggin ‘ royalty?!” I feel for Katie – and Katie’s family!
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No, a living self suffering saintly one is much worse!!
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I love the fact that they’ve finally become engaged. They appear to be in love and know each other very well, this can only be a good omen not a bad one. As for Diana’s ring, it’s beautiful and so thoughtful of Will to pass it onto his soon-to-be-wife. I can’t wait for the wedding, they’re a gorgeous couple.
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Just about Katherine’s name – William kept calling her Kate through the interview…..
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I surprised myself by getting excited about this too. Having recently married myself, I now find myself enjoying wedding details: the ring, the dress, the flowers, the venues… etc. And with a virtually unlimited budget, theirs will be amazing!
I’d be really tempted to start saving for tickets to London. Imagine how fun it would be to be celebrating with the Brits down the road from Prince Will and Waity Katie (sorry, I’ve also liked that)!
I can imagine Fergie is already starting the diet, and Harry is already receiving instructions from big brother, “if you’re going to be best man, you can’t drink too much. I mean it, Harry. And no fashion faux-pas, either… there will be no dressing as a Nazi here.”
Yes, I’m all about it! And the commemorative cups, spoons, tea towels and whatever else they throw our way.
Daggyness to celebrate with high tea parties at our houses, I say!
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Fergie won’t be getting anywhere near that wedding!
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I was excited for about 5 minutes. I think he is adorable, I think she seems lovely. I adored Diana and sincerely hope they can be a wonderful couple together and hopefully change the face if the royal family. From the ‘fairly’ honest and open interviews seen today it looks like a fresh change which is lovely. Having said all that, I am seriously over it by now and since I don’t buy a single magazine on offer I probably won’t think about this again until the wedding day, when I will probably gush over how stunning her dress is and be over it again – in about 5 mins. Good luck to them and I also love a good news story, but.. whatever.
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I honestly could care less. But not much.
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I’m bored with this already….
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I like the headline of this article as much as the article itself:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/julie-burchill/julie-burchill-for-kates-sake-lets-hope-her-prince-is-nothing-like-his-dad-2136108.html
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It’s very true, nineteen year old Diana was a lamb to the slaughter, brought in to breed while Charles carried on seeing the true love of his life.
The timing of the engagement and next years wedding makes me think pressures were put on them to announce.
The Tories have already started cutting jobs and freezing wages, nothing like a Royal Wedding to distract the masses.
I think she must have thought long and hard about joining the firm, her mother has already been ridiculed in the press for saying “pardon” and using the word “toilet”. I imagine that must be harder on her than the waity Katie rubbish.
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her name is Katherine with a K…
I went to school with her and she was always called Katherine…
I think they’re a great couple, and very real. Something that Charles & Diana never had – it all had to be forced.
Not sure about the ring though – I’m not sure that passing on a family ring when parents got divorced is really so generous
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I’ve thought about that one a lot……the original ring was presumably given with much love (in an ordinary family) and if it still represents that the the holder or the giver then I’m pretty relaxed
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The ring was chosen by Diana though( in hindsight Charles not even being interested enough to do that should have given her pause)
I also think it was apt given the growing austerity in Britain, imagine the fuss if he’d bought a new one worth thousands when people are losing their homes.
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Miss Middleton’s name is actually ‘Catherine’ with a ‘C’. Her given name is Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, and she was referred to as ‘Miss Catherine Middleton’ by both Clarence House and Buckingham Palace.
Considering that Catherine is her real, actual, name; there’s nothing wrong with her being called Catherine, just as there’s nothing wrong with her being called by the nickname ‘Kate’.
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she’s so skinny…
I feel fat and suddenly guilty after having that ice cream for dessert…
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Kate is a bit verbally retarded… I’m not a fan, I can’t point out why, but I just don’t love her the way I love Mary… Or other commoner princesses…
Mary and Letizia had jobs and careers, whereas Katie flirted with a 3-day a week job at Jigsaw… I don’t know, I do feel like she’s been hanging around for this guy to pop the question…
If he wasn’t a prince, would she have waited? As a woman, I say EPIC FAIL!
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“verbally retarded”? I’m not a fan – of that term.
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not eloquent for the politically correct
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hey – I found her pretty awkward but give the girl a break, it was her first big interview – in front of the entire world! I consider myself relatively articulate, but in that situation? I think I might develop a stutter!
And Kate, as is well documented in the UK at least, along with her sister and brother, both work for the family business (big successful party decorations business).
And I lasted MANY years and one break up before I married my husband – does that mean I failed too???
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If you think it’s big in the news at home, it’s ridiculous over here in London! Funny though, just as you say Mia, the ladies love it, the guys just want to know if we get a public holiday out of it!
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My sister in London and all her friends are looking forward to the street parties.
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Oh I think this is FAB! I love the royals and I love weddings – what a super combination!
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Happy for them and suprisingly interested in the whole thing. I guess I am a romantic at heart. Also loved the way her dress matched the engagement ring. I don’t think that was an accident.
But seriously, did the reporter have to ask them about their break up a few years ago? That was a cringe worthy moment…
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I’m not sure if anyone else is watching the channel 9 doco “William & Kate: A Royal Engagement”?
I’m not sure why I’m still watching after an hour but had to vent to someone……OH MY GOD!!!!! James Whitaker who is a “royal correspondent” is the most hoity toity toss-pot!! Every time he comes on the screen I have to resist the urge to throw something at him! He is such a snob and making horrible comments about Kate and her family. Making suggestions that Kate is not suitable because her grandfather was, “a coal miner for god’s sake!”.
Ugh, I usually don’t care about royals etc but James Whitaker has really gotton under my skin!!
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If Camilla really said ‘wicked’, then either she has no class or a big Try-Hard.
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I say “Wicked”. Thanks for the heads up about my lack of class and try-hardness, there, June Dally Watkins.
What was she supposed to say? “One is pleased with the announcement that one’s stepson is to wed to the commoner”?
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Touché!
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She was asked while coming out of the theatre watching the show Wicked. I think it was appropriate.
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that is hilarious, a sense of humour, how refreshing!
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he calls her Kate repeatedly at 8 minutes. I think the Catherine thing is spin, I mean, Tom Cruise has made his Katie become a Kate. BTW, Queen Catherine is great, I imagine if her name had been not so regal and more trendy. Queen Britney, anyone?
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I read a Vanity Fair article on her a few years ago and if I remember correctly, she only picked up the nickname ‘Kate’ in high school and her family still calls her Catherine.
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What about Cathy? Queen Cathy?
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My name is Catherine and my family and pre-high school friends still call me that. The rest – all call me Kate.
It is great to have interchangeable names and I don’t think it should be a negative issue
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I agree! i’ve been called Ally since I was born but if I were to marry into royalty (of course it’s a possibility!), I’d want to be known as Princess/Queen Alexandra. it just sounds better. I love having a short fun name and a longer formal name. I like when people call me alexandra, it’s just that most people are too lazy to use my full name so I’ve always gone by Ally. the only thing I HATE is when people assume I’d want to be called Alex. or sometimes, Alison. I’d guess Kate/Catherine feels the same way about Cathy!
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I’m excited too. Love a royal wedding and I remember so clearly watching Di and Charles’ wedding. Bring it on I say – nice to have some good news amidst all the doom and gloom.
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i know this might sound silly but i always wonder what the royals talk to each other about. i mean kate and william for example, i don’t think either of them have jobs (i read that kate quit hers so that she could travel more with william) so what do they do with all their time!?
are they just on a constant holiday with the occasional official duty/charity appearance/very important person event thrown in? and if so, how could you really have that much to say about anything.
okay, i might be a little unfair but i’m just so perplexed!
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William is in the military, as nearly all the Royals have done, and is at a base in North Wales.
What do you talk about to people? Probably much the same stuff, I think you’d find.
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they winge about their families and staff- like everyone else!
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and Kate – sorry, Catherine – works for the family business.
I don’t have a job – does that mean I don’t have anything to talk about?!
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Neither do I, anonymous. But I can talk all day long. In fact, that may be why I don’t have a job!
Haha
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Great, but why did Channel 9 have to replace Big Bang Theory with a hastily-produced doco about Kate & Wills ? I protest most strongly !
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i agree!
and glee was bumped for a repeat of modern family! a bad night for TV all round!!!
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I’m just glad I’m not the only one who is ridiculously excited by the news.
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Having just watched that papparazzi-fest where you couldn’t even hear the questions they were asking over the camera flashes I think she most love him dearly to want to put herself up for that. I nearly had a fit just watching it, let alone trying to answer questions intelligently with all of that pointed at you. I agree it is possible (and in fact more than likely) that it was her that was reluctant to get married and have her life and privacy totally invaded by the press. Every mistake she makes will be reported. What intelligent 28 year old woman who values her life wouldn’t be reluctant to endure that?
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I don’t get the impression that she was reluctant to marry him at all. From their interview together, it sounded like she wanted to get married much earlier – and she definately wasn’t happy about their brief break-up!
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Yep count me in as another person happy for them. With all the doom and gloom in the world at the moment, this is just something nice. They are both easy on the eye, seem genuinely in love and happy, why shouldnt we be happy for them? Good on them and i cant wait to see the wedding next year!
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I’m happy for them, as I am for everyone who finds a love and someone to share their life with.
That said, they are kind-of a boring couple…. no maybe not boring just definitely normal 28 year olds. He’s ok looking (though starting to look freakishly like ol’ charles), she’s very conventionally pretty and mumsy. Neither seems to have any ‘pizazz’ or media flair. They are almost painfully conservative upper middle class white kids from nice families. And thats sweet!, really they clearly suit each other and look happy. I guess my point is I’m not sure they are quite the youthful, outgoing fascinating couple the monarchy needs to recapture the attention of the next generation. I have no doubt he’ll be a good stable king and she’ll do all the charity stuff, openings and what-not that goes with her role, but I just don’t think they sparkle. Only time will tell I guess.
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yes, it’s starting to annoy me all this ‘normal middle class’ business – have you heard her accent? If she’s middle class, I must be ummmmmm cattle??
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I am getting epilepsy watching the media footage!! flash flash flash
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I was concentrating on my laptop before, and could see this flashing on the wall – it really freaked me out till I realised it was coming from the telly! I was half watching that show on Ch10 that they showed after the news, and I thought it was just the interview, but they cut to the shots of the flashes!
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I’m buying the tea-towel. I hope they do a 50c piece.
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Me too. I want a commemorative apron, like the Obama Mama one I have… (tragic).
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That’s right! They did a commemorative 50c piece for Charles and Di, didn’t they?
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Yep, I have mine – and my comemmorative stamps! I was only showing the coin to my 7 yr old last week!
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I’m so excited for them! I just got engaged on the weekend so I’m in a total love bubble and wish them all the happiness in the world. She is just devine
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Congratulations CLC! – do you have a ring yet?
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I’m so happy to hear this news as well Mia. I was devastated when Diana died, I even sent a sympathy card to poor Wills and Harry (not that I heard back or expected anything). I wasn’t much younger than her and really connected with her in some way, even when I bought a jumper in Cirencester once and a few weeks later I saw her wearing the same jumper walking in Cirencester in New Idea, I just knew we would have gotten along! The royal family have long needed some happy news and happiness in their castles and we in Australia need happy news as well.
For some reason I have been feeling such melancholy about the fact that Australia seems to be losing it’s identity in a quagmire of political correctness and cynicism, it is no longer the Australia of my childhood, I feel disconnected with it and no longer feel anything warm and fuzzy about our “Australianness”. At least as a descendant of the British, and in keeping with our Commonwealth ties, I salute the royal family and wish Catherine and William a long and happy life together and join in celebrating their happiness.
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I’m not so secretly thrilled, and want the tea towel, teaspoons, magnets, commemorative plates and coins too!
I love a wedding and the English do “Pomp and Ceremony” better than anyone.
Best wishes to them.
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ahahah I agree Mia! I just commented on the frockwatch of kate about how I can’t understand why I’m so excited. I just am. I’m just a sucker for engagements more so than even weddings I LOVE LOVE LOVE the engagement period. Asking someone to spend the rest of their lives with you and then adding some diamonds into the mix is just so romantic! I can’t get enough news on the engagement…. starting to think my life is really that sad. I think it’s more the fairytale of a prince and the royal life that attracts me to this story who knows – I’ll be following it either way
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It’s great news.
But… How can you call the ring (and by association, the marraige) a bad omen when it produced two good kids??? Maybe I’m taking it a bit far but I do think it’s a bit tasteless to call the ring a bad omen because it represents a marraige and two children that resulted from it. I think the ring represents a lot more than an unhappy marraige/divorce.
I think it’s lovely that Catherine is wearing Di’s ring and that William wanted her to.
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Ok a little off topic but why was did they spell it Kate when she is Catherine. Why not Cate?
They seem happy, like that they are still keeping most of it private.
And no big gaffs ala Prince Charles “whatever love means”
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Cos they’re Fleet Street jerks.
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it’s very common to be Catherine and then Kate.
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That was bothering me too! I feel like Catherine should shorten to Cate.
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I can’t wait for the wedding!! I wonder if I’ll get an invite
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I can’t believe how emotional this made me! I got all teary watching that first clip, I think its beautiful that she got Diana’s ring. I wish them all the best!
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A friend of mine wears her mother’s gorgeous vintage (and mega valuable) engagement ring. Her mother also passed away tragically and the marriage the ring was for didn’t last, but its a beautiful ring and reminds her of her mother. I should think Kate feels honored that her husband to be has given her such a special and meaningful ring.
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I agree Kim, as long as Kate is happy to wear it (and she appears to be) I don’t see a problem. I suspect Will sees it as his mother’s ring – not his mother’s engagement ring for a marriage that didn’t last.
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I wear my mum’s engagment ring, even though she was a widow at 28, it reminds me of my parents.
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who cares about the ring. where is that dress from? She looks so lovely, modern and stylish!
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i read that the dress was by ISSA BY LONDON or something to that effect
its gorgeous, very classy
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wow I could not handle having that many photos being taken of me in such a short time, how do they handle it?!
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I would end up looking really weird from all those different angles for sure!
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Good luck to them.
This is a man who can afford any diamond under sun, yet he has given her a ring that I imagine is more valuable to him than anything he could buy.
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I think he should be made the King of England….he would modernise the monarchy and a lot more people his age would be more interested….and I think his mothers engagement ring is beautiful and really suits Catherine…its a good omen…
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So happy for them, wish them all the best. About the ring I was watching a show on Fox about a month ago on the jewellery of the Royals and it mentioned in the show that William specifically asked his father for Diana’s engagement ring.
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I’m torn on the ring,
‘The marriage it represented definitely appears to be a bad omen,
But it was worn by a beautiful woman (inside & out) who would obviously wish her son’s marriage every happiness….
Yeah, I’d wear it.
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