Kate Middleton just can’t seem to help herself – everything about her carefully orchestrated public appearances seem designed to keep all eyes on her. At a recent Buckingham Palace garden party, Kate’s limelight hogging threw shade on Prince William’s cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
In addition to Kate not chatting with the Princesses, photos show that she took every opportunity to stride ahead of them and leave them in her fashionable wake. Other pics from the garden party show Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie glaring at Kate as she glided past them to take the attention.
One of the reasons Kate is said to avoid the Princesses is that they remain close to Isabella Calthorpe Branson, daughter of UK billionaire Richard Branson, with whom Prince William dallied while he and Waity Katie were on one of their “breaks.” Kate is said to feel threatened by Isabella to this day.
Growing up, Prince William, Princess Beatrice, Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie were all very close thanks to their mothers’ friendship. But since Princess Diana has passed things chilled, and in recent years, only Prince Harry remains close to his cousins.
Onlookers at the party reported that Prince William and Kate Middleton were treated like VIPs with Palace staff escorting them around so that groups of thrilled guests could interact with them. By comparison, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were left standing and to make their own way.
For those that attended the party wanting to spend time with a royal, though, the two princesses were a much better bet. They reportedly spent a lot of time in an area where there were many older guests in wheelchairs, chatting them up and being very welcoming.
For those that met Prince William and Kate Middleton, it was rushed seconds and then them gone, moving to the next eager courtier. Many see the handling of the princesses by the Palace (aka “The Firm”) as deeply preferential despite the princesses being royal and Kate being, well, not.
A party insider said that Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice were clearly “in the shadow of the Cambridges.” In recent years, The Firm stripped away the princesses’ palace-paid protection and Prince Charles is said to be responsible for ensuring the only “brand name” royals are him and his children.
Of course, it doesn’t help the princesses that their mother Sarah Ferguson is persona non grata at any and all royal events and Prince Charles and the Queen are said to hate to hear her name spoken. Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice have even been sidelined in favor of Pippa Middleton.
Kate Middleton and sister Pippa asked that the princesses be shuffled out of the front at a fashion show to make room for Pippa who had originally been seated in the less-than-prominent second row. Clearly, Kate Middleton sees herself (and her common sister) as far better than Prince William’s royal cousins.
And when Princess Beatrice tried to talk to Prince William about their backseat role, he apparently “nicely” told her there’s nothing he could (or would) do about it. What’s interesting, given Kate Middleton’s status as a “legit” royal, is that she’s notoriously lazy about public appearances.
Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice who have no official royal duties, no Palace guards, plus both with full-time real jobs, still devote an impressive amount of time to civic duty, charitable appearances and good works, even though they get nothing from the royal coffers or any support.
Meanwhile, Kate Middleton, whose sole job is to be a royal and make those appearances, aside from producing heirs, seems to do as little as possible yet thinks herself better than those hardworking princesses who are the only royal blood princesses of their generation. Come back to CDL for all your Royal news and gossip!