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Opinion

Let’s give Kate a break, shall we?

I won’t write about fashion trends of the royals. There are enough sites out there that analyse their fashion decisions. I enjoy keeping up with the British Royal Family because I don’t think there is enough focus or attention given to the fact that they are human beings. I see complaints and opinions from people online who think nothing of criticising them over one small matter or another.

The Duchess of Cambridge is Patron of eleven charities/organisations.

The Duchess of Cambridge is Patron of eleven charities/organisations.

Now maybe it’s because I’m an American. The US media tend to focus on the shallower aspects of the lives of celebrities. And to us, all royals are celebrities. Is that right? No, but we don’t have “royalty” here. The closest thing to it are celebrities.

I follow many people on social media who seem to comment only on what the Duchess of Cambridge wears or how lovely and poised she is. They say what great fashion sense and style she has, how she would handle herself in particular situations, etc. There’s more to Catherine than what she wears.

As a society, we seem to be so enthralled with her outer appearance and conduct. Like she’s some little jewel or ornament on display for everyone to pick apart and examine. People go crazy when new photos are leaked. And if they don’t see new footage of the Duchess and her family every so often, they complain like they’re lives are going to end. A prime example of this was the great baby wait before the birth of Princess Charlotte.

All this royal buzz leads me to wonder how the Royal Family must feel. How would you like it if everyone in the world were watching you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, cameras and mobiles at the ready? Would you enjoy having your picture snapped, even during an intimate, private moment? At some point, wouldn’t all the attention start to drive you crazy? I bet you’d love to run and hide just to get some privacy. The royals can’t. They can try, but there always seems to be someone watching them.

I empathise with Kate and her situation. Some might wonder why. After all, she lives in a palace and is married to a Prince, has access to any fashion designer she wants, and has her every whim and need to be met. There’s more to life than material things.

The public scrutiny comes with the territory of being married to a royal. However, the Duchess of Cambridge seems to be held to a higher standard and criticised more so than other members. She appears to be held under a harsher microscope of public opinion and media, and for that, I don’t think it’s fair.

Beneath her stylish appearance is a woman trying to be a wife and mother and to lead as normal life as she can. Like all women with children, she has to juggle her priorities. I applaud her and William for taking their family to Anmer Hall to give them as normal of a childhood as possible away from the glare of the paparazzi. The first five years of a child’s life are the most important. It’s when they form bonds and soak up everything around them. As we’ve seen, Prince George is quite the curious little monkey.

The Duchess may not have nearly as many public engagements as Her Majesty or Prince Phillip. I’ve also read commentary on this as well. But again, her family is a priority, not the public. The public clamour for pictures of her and her family, follow them around and have to be warned by the Royal Press Office to stay away. I’m not excluding myself here. I hold an interest in the Royal Family, but I’m not obsessed with them as I think some are.

I’m certain it’s not all roses and champagne and designer clothes. Everything they do and say is picked apart and consumed. Rumours and lies are written about them in dozens of tabloids worldwide. They trust few. And I imagine having to be ‘on’ each and every moment you’re in public can fray at the nerves of even the most amiable. Kate handles every engagement and event with grace and sincerity. She has the admiration and respect of people the world over.

The public’s interest in the Cambridges won’t wane anytime soon. One hopes that Prince George and Princess Charlotte continue to be protected by their parents as much as possible. And even though their children will inherit the duties and responsibilities their parents and family carry, I hope they won’t feel burdened by them. Because despite my grievances with the public’s treatment of the royals, I do understand they are the next generation of Windsors. But come on, beneath their titles and everything that comes with it, they are still human beings who deserve respect and privacy.

I have heard foreign media is the primary cause of disturbing the royals’ privacy. And from my understanding, British media is restricted as to what they can post.

How do the majority of the British people view the royals? I’d love to have some discussion about this.

Contribute your views in the comments box below.

photo credit: Royal Navy Media Archive via Flickr

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