Princess Kate’s Chelsea Flower Show feud with King Charles has gotten hilarious

On Monday, the Princess of Wales made an unannounced visit to the Chelsea Flower Show, where she had bused in schoolkids and arranged for a picnic and photo-op. All week, I believed that Kate brought her own photographers to document the photo-op – she did not. She just made the “picnic” arrangements for Media Day at the flower show, so there were dozens of photographers already on site when she arrived. Of course all of the photographers booked it to her event. Those same photographers didn’t pay much attention to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s appearance at the flower show just a short time later, and it was Kate who appeared on the cover of most of the British papers. This royal thunder-stealing has been a major story all week, with various royal sources going back and forth about whether Charles is seething about being upstaged by his daughter-in-law. Richard Eden’s sources say that Charles IS furious. Robert Jobson’s sources said of course Charles is totally fine with it. What say Tom Sykes’ sources? Well, it’s interesting. Some highlights:

Upstaging the king: “Charles is unlikely to be amused,” a friend of the king’s told The Daily Beast. “Gardens are very much his thing, and given that it was always his mother’s big pre-Trooping the Colour day out, I think he has a right to be annoyed.”

Kate’s friend thinks the whole thing is pathetic: However a friend of Kate’s disagreed with that characterization. Referring to a report in the Daily Mail which quoted a Palace source as saying it was “a shame” that Charles and Camilla’s visit “received less coverage than might have been expected” and suggested they might be “disappointed,” the friend told The Daily Beast: “It’s pathetic. It’s the media whipping up another feud. Kate has been going to Chelsea Flower show with her family since before she was a royal, and she often used to go as well as the Queen [Elizabeth] in recent years. It wasn’t a secret that she was going.”

But Kate didn’t coordinate the visit with Buckingham Palace: Asked if that meant the visits would have been actively co-ordinated between their offices, the friend said not, but added: “William and Kate are now very senior figures as the coronation made clear. Charles wouldn’t have needed the queen’s permission to attend the Chelsea Flower Show and Kate doesn’t need Charles’ permission to go to the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s a massive storm in a teacup. Charles couldn’t care less.”

Kate insists it was a “private visit,” lmao: Kate’s camp have been keen to stress that the unannounced Chelsea visit was made in a private capacity, but this has cut little ice with the media as she attended on the official press day. One photographer, Richard Pohle, who wrote an entertaining account of the chaos and panic that attended Kate’s last-minute trip to the show in The Times, addressed this when he said that a rumor photographers would be prevented from photographing Kate had irked them. He wrote: “This was press day, our day. We had been invited to photograph everything that happens. Now a royal was arriving and we were supposed to ignore it? Thankfully this rumor was quickly crushed.”

The real story is that the two royal courts aren’t communicating: Intriguingly, however, Robert Jobson did appear to suggest, at the same time as smoothing ruffled feathers, that the Chelsea double-booking was a situation that would not ideally be repeated, writing: “The Palace is conscious that with less so-called ‘working royals’ the grid system of engagements must complement each other.” This is the real point here, and it is an eloquent example of the lack of communication between the different individuals’ offices.

Why Charles is irritated: The lack of communication between Charles and Kate’s people, another friend of the king and queen told The Daily Beast, is probably the most irritating thing about the events of this week for Charles. “It just looks ridiculous if they both turn up separately to the same event, and Charles understands that. It gives the media the chance to stir things up. But after everything he has been through with Harry over the past few years, Charles has an enormous appreciation for William and Catherine and the work they do. No-one thinks this is the beginning of a new war between their courts.” Maybe not, but it would be unwise to allow the existential silliness of a story about rivalry at a flower show to occlude the simple truth that Charles would have rather Kate had not been at Chelsea on the same day as he was.

The Wales court is leaner & more fancam-happy: Their courts are distinct; Charles’ operation is more wily, grand and formal, while William and Kate run a leaner, call-me-by-my-first-name operation, and one that is, as the recent post-coronation Instagram video showed, significantly more clued-up when it comes to online. Their staff are youthful, with a smattering of digital natives who would find using the very term “court” to describe themselves almost hilarious.

[From The Daily Beast]

“It’s pathetic. It’s the media whipping up another feud” – don’t you know that’s Kate’s job??! Kate is the only one who gets to whip up feuds, which is why she arranged for Black and brown children to be bused into the Chelsea Flower Show ON MEDIA DAY, knowing that the king and queen were scheduled to appear as well! Call me crazy, but I actually think Charles and Camilla have every right to be irritated by Kate. Perhaps it is petty and jealous, but it’s also just, like, girl, be real. Kate knew what she was doing. Kate didn’t even inform Buckingham Palace about her plan, because she knew they would try to shut her down. Kate is feeling herself, that’s the real story – she doesn’t care that she upstaged the king and queen. And that alone is hilarious.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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183 Responses to “Princess Kate’s Chelsea Flower Show feud with King Charles has gotten hilarious”

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  1. Shawna says:

    “Charles wouldn’t have needed the queen’s permission to attend the Chelsea Flower Show and Kate doesn’t need Charles’ permission to go to the Chelsea Flower Show.” Whoa, she’s really leaning hard on the PoW title. Girl, you need to earn it first.

    • Nic919 says:

      There was never this issue between BP and Clarence House. As Prince of Wales Charles coordinated with the Queen’s people. It has always been KP under William and Kate who have been the disasters and causing these double booked situations, mostly with Charles and not with the Queen.

      • Shawna says:

        You’re right! I didn’t even think to fact-check it because I was so focused on her throwing her weight around.

      • Mar says:

        At least Kate is working. She seems more motivated lately?
        So now she will be punished for trying not to be lazy???

      • Nic919 says:

        Showing up on press day isn’t work but a photo op. And miss kitty doesn’t want to wait her turn.

      • Sugarhere says:

        @Mar: It’s interesting that you bring up the term “motivated” in relation to Karen. It has me thinking that Kate has proven more than enough that she is not a self-nurtured, self-driven, self-motivated person but a bitterly jealous and insecure woman who can solely undertake action when there’s competition.

        Catherine Middleton’s job as a princess is not even goal-setting and inspirational enough to stir up her stimulation to serve. It always takes a rival – whether rural or royal – to bring added worth to her mission. What makes kate a mediocre-quality human being is that her service doesn’t seem to stem from a genuine intention to contribute to the social order, but to result from a bruised ego, from a desire to outshine someone else.

        Now that Meghan is out of her way, Karen needs a new incentive, even if it takes overlapping with a king’s schedule and disrupting the pecking order. Meghan mentioned she was careful not to stand out with bright colors? Next thing, the bisch goes for a riot of colors. Charles complained about her ass being late at the crown fitting party? Kate turns up ahead of time to scupper dad-in-law’s already unappealing appearance.

        Kate is not a woman of action, she is a malignant competitor who only values work when an imaginary rival’s tangible undertakings magnify its stakes in her eyes.

    • LadyE says:

      It’s so fascinating how they are incapable of even comprehending the idea of collaboration or working together, they reframe everything immediately through a lens of hierarchy and “permission”. The question was about whether the visits had been *actively coordinated* and the response defaults right to “Kate doesn’t need to ask permission”. Totally not the same thing! The idea of a “firm” where there’s no overall, coordinated strategy to maximize resources and not waste output on duplicative activities is like basic business fail 101. Imagine the chaos if for example Presidential campaigns were run this way with the Pres and VP not sharing calendars and dividing events to get the most coverage. Total nonsense. Kate could have done the exact same thing and gone on a different day and they’d have had two days of fluff, innocuous flower show coverage.

      • Shawna says:

        And now we know why: because she knew the enough press would be there and give her enough shots to make it worth her while!

    • Lionel says:

      I Do. Not. Understand.
      How hard is it for the King to hire someone to coordinate the official engagements of the 6 main working royals? He’s the King, FFS. He can tell KP that they’ve got a central scheduler now, they’ll all have a big meeting twice a year to hash out their calendars for the next 6 months, and KP can keep their young courtiers and Insta to their heart’s content after their assigned events.

      • Yvette says:

        @Lionel … Everyone checked Queen Elizabeth’s schedule with Buckingham Palace so there wouldn’t be any conflicts. As King, Charles probably expects the same. Personally, I think this is all to do with Camilla’s ‘no tiaras!’ rule for the Clowning, and Kate’s getting even. And yes, I think she’s that petty.

      • Jais says:

        KP, William and Kate have duchy money now. Like hell they’re gonna coordinate with Charles. Seriously, what can he do?

      • Nic919 says:

        Kate and William don’t just live off Duchy money. A lot of things like security and access to the helicopters and homes are controlled by Charles now as monarch. The duchy owned property is not Adelaide Cottage, or KP or Anmer.

      • Jais says:

        Ok, that’s interesting then to see if Charles uses those in some way. No helicopter for you or you or you.

    • The Recluse says:

      They deserve each other. It’s going to be interesting to watch the sniping between both ‘courts’.

    • Jenna says:

      So when Meghan’s friend wished Archie a Happy Birthday on his *actual* birthday, on instagram no less, SHE was accused of upstaging Charles’ big day? But Kate literally showing up earlier than Charles and Camilla to the flower show on press day is “no big deal?”

      Sure Jan.

      • Nic919 says:

        This is the hypocrisy. Meghan’s existence was viewed as overshadowing the rest of them but Kate hijacks press day and that’s no biggie? The BP courtiers will not forget this any more than charles will. Princess Barbie has no idea what she has started.

      • Christine says:

        Yep. Meghan went for a hike, on a different continent, the day after the coronation, and it was a slap in the face to Chuck.

  2. Andy Dufresne says:

    Kate has friends?!? That was my only takeaway from this lol 😝

    • Ginger says:

      She doesn’t lol. It’s probably staff or her mom.

    • Carty says:

      They just misspelled ‘Carole’.

    • Lady D says:

      Same, Andy. She has no friends.

    • Seraphina says:

      They never used the plural of the word – only singular and I too am friends with my mom. 😉

    • BothSidesNow says:

      That was my thought as well!! Kates friends, where??? They simply don’t exist so it’s purely fictional from the word go….

      Keen had every intention of upstaging KFCIII and Cruella the Rottweiler, why else would she attend?? She had the forethought to bus in dozens of multi ethnic children for her photo shoot, why else would she have attended??

      • BeanieBean says:

        I think I read that this was the first of what will be an annual outing that the Royal Horticultural Society will be doing at the flower show. So my guess is Kate’s staff attached itself to the project, which contributed to the last minute aspect to it all. the RHS had been working on it for quite some time, with Kate showing up for the photos. With a half-empty basket of unpeeled fruit.

      • Lily says:

        Carole and Pippa are Kate’s friends. Hence the plural. 😊

    • dido says:

      LOL came here to say this! Who’s Kate’s friend, Jason Knauf? She only has staff. She doesn’t have any friends, she’s too insecure.

      • Nic919 says:

        I’m not even sure she has Knauf, especially if William is distancing himself from her. Knauf will side with William if he has to make a choice.

    • Isabella says:

      The phrase “digital natives” made me giggle. And the recasting of the “recent post-coronation Instagram video” as “clued-up,” whatever means. We learn their staff is young and practically invented the Internet, which has been around since the 70s. It is all so clumsy and hilarious.

    • Yvette says:

      @Andy Dufresne … “Kate has friends?!? That was my only takeaway from this lol ”

      LOL! Mine as well! 🙂 We saw Princess Diana with friends, we saw Fergie with friends. Heck, we’ve even seen Queen Elizabeth with friends. But has Kate actually been seen with anyone other than Pippa and her mother???

      • Cecile730 says:

        Yes actually Kate in the past had male “friends” even after the wedding but it didn’t last long because I suppose it was not a good image.

  3. Ameerah M says:

    Kate thinks she’s the star. But what she isn’t smart enough to realize is that Camilla will crush her. And she has all the ammunition and connections to do so. And I can’t wait! Cammie can finally turn her viper skills on someone who deserves it as opposed to a 19 year old girl and a woman who happened to have been Black and famous when she married into the family.

    • Eurydice says:

      I wonder. Camilla is certainly a viper, but an old viper. Now that she’s gotten what she wants, I don’t know if she will care about anything else. As it is she’s not showing herself a lot, so I don’t see that she cares about being overshadowed. I think Charles cares, but he’s a coward. Maybe Camilla can be encouraged to bite if it would make Charles happy, I don’t know.

      • Polo says:

        Yeah I agree about Camilla not caring now that she has everything.
        I feel like shes just chilling everyday with her friends drinking and not bothered. She has all the “power” after all.

      • Nic919 says:

        If this really does bother Charles then Camilla is going to step in.

      • Shawna says:

        Will the lazy part of her win over the vindictive part, or vice versa? Only time will tell.

    • ThatsNotOkay says:

      This is all Kate’s payback for tiaragate–the REAL tiaragate. She’s marking her territory and announcing that she’s the real star of this reality show, and demanding that Charles and Camilla believe they need her. What none of them knows, is that they’re all useless, pointless, obsolete, and on their way out.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        ThatsNotOkay, there is no star in the brf. The bm want to make Wails the star, but she just doesn’t have what it takes. She’ll keep trying, the bm will keep saying she is, and then what?

        What’s her end game? To get KFC to abdicate so that she can be Queen?

      • Robert Phillips says:

        I still think the divorce announcement is coming soon. And this is Kate trying to stop it. It’s her saying “look all the photographers want me. Not you.” Because she thinks that is all there is to being a princess. Photos.

      • Smart&Messy says:

        Robert Philips, I agree. Carole is now working full time on crisis management and she is getting bolder by the day. She has nothing left to lose other than Kate’s marriage and title. She will fight to the very end, and Kate being the biggest press draw among the remaining royals is her only trump card at this point.

      • Kim says:

        @robertp I had the same thought except I think Kate is trying to make a way for herself. If they divorce she wants to be like diana and get invited places.
        I don’t think anyone will embrace her if they divorce. You can tell she is a snake.

      • Tessa says:

        Kate is too stepford and lazy to be a star. She is no star just someone eager for getting a lot of attention. She has no real talent at anything and is spiteful about Meghan.

  4. Etha says:

    I think the whole competition thing is silly but there’s an arrogance to her since the queen’s death.

    • Nic919 says:

      Someone told her she’s the real queen and she’s acting like that’s true.

      She’s gonna learn that if you don’t respect rank in this system then it will bite you. William might get away with it since he is future king but Kate is eminently replaceable. History has shown that the married ins do not matter.

      • Cletly says:

        I am sure she really doesn’t want the King who himself successfully divorced and made his mistress a Queen to support William in discarding her…

        I feel really bad to want to see that.

    • Bananie says:

      I feel like this isn’t new behavior tho…
      Like certainly magnified after QE2 passing but isn’t this is the same too big for her button-covered-pearl-belted-britches that got her the so richly deserved freeze out courtesy of Rose and the Toffs? Keen doesn’t understand her ‘place’ in the lineup.

      PLUS Kate is a strategic shambles.
      Does she even have a private secretary yet? Who is driving this bus?!

      Like did we get a rewear because her “office” planned this so last minute?
      and I just noticed the theme dresser has on *leaf* earrings. This has her unsubtle fingerprints all over it.

      • BeanieBean says:

        I had forgotten, but you’re right–the lack of a private secretary probably contributed to this royal faux pas.

  5. Eurydice says:

    Lol, they’ve created a monster. They’ve allowed Kate (and William) to get away with whatever she wants and to have the media kiss her ass for it at the expense of H&M. It’s no wonder she’s putting on airs.

    • Seraphina says:

      Yes, they have created two monsters – Wills and Kate. And just imagine what will happen when she becomes queen.

  6. ML says:

    It is pathetic that KC and QCC are upset that their DIL stole all the good cameras at Chelsea. Clearly Keen is not actively out on her own to take on those two without backing. Normal people would laugh about it, learn, and move on. Instead, this is great silly news!
    The most important nugget of information: BP and KP are not communicating at the moment. When did that happen and why?

    • Nic919 says:

      They were never communicating. Charles is on record complaining about KP comms since before Meghan even met Harry. It was just easier to blame Harry and Meghan for the mess when it has always been William and Kate.

    • Polo says:

      Yeah even Harry said the palaces don’t communicate.. it’s been every man for himself until H&M got chased out.
      Then they had to put a “united front” as even the rota has said. They are just reverting back to their old ways now that there’s no Harry and Meghan to constantly brief about.
      Meghan not going to the coronation cut off so many royal stories and Harry showing up just for a day did the same. There’s nothing to leak/brief about like they did after the jubilee and the queens funeral.

      • Just me says:

        Agree with this. And the whole pap chase may have been in part at least due to their petty frustration that they didn’t get a chance to bully at the coronation. I hope H&M gray rock the heck out of these idiots – both the BM and any idiot US mouthpiece that buys their talking points – and that H&M just go about their business doing their best work .

    • Jais says:

      They’re def not communicating but Kate showed up on PRESS day. Was there a reason she couldn’t have done this the day after Charles and Camilla? She knew what she was doing. It was intentional imo. Mean girl moves are mean girl moves. While being upset over this seems silly, it’s what these people care about it and Kate doing this was a choice.

      • equality says:

        Well put.

      • Lily says:

        Exactly. Kate could’ve attended the flower show any day and press would’ve been there. She would’ve been covered. Headline news. Kate needs to keep her wedges from stepping on other people’s toes.

  7. Kokiri says:

    Lol

    Like Willy & Kate don’t insist their staff use titles.
    As if we are to actually believe Kate likes her staff calling her Kate.
    She waited decades for the PoW title, I have zero doubt she uses it, insists on it.
    Willy too.
    First names! That’s such a dead giveaway it’s the opposite in fact.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      Please this is a girl whose own family called her Duchess – there was a story not long after she got married where she was shopping with Ma and Pippa and they kept talking to the store staff like the help saying ‘the Duchess wants this…’.

      Status and titles are EVERYTHING to her and her family.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        I remember that @ DU!!! When Keen is out with CarolE, the staff were ordered to address her as Princess DoLittle!! We all know how long she had to wait and sleep her way into Baldimort marrying her and she is certainly demanding the respect due to her efforts. There is not one person in all of Britain that is allowed to call her by her first name.

    • Lily says:

      Kate and William are polite but believe they are higher status than their staff.

      Never confuse someone being polite or professional with someone thinking you are equals or friends.

  8. girl_ninja says:

    “However a friend of Kate’s” Friend of Kate’s??? 😂😂😂 She has no friends except maybe, MAYBE Pippa. Nonsense. Waity better be careful and stick to the rivers and the lakes that she’s used to. Leave them gardens to Chuck and Cam.

    • sid says:

      If Mrs. Wails truly had friends we would have seen some sort of set up, like them attending Wimbledon with her or just so happening to be “caught” by press shopping or lunching or showing up to her piano recitals Christmas concerts, in order to compete with the way Meghan has such a tight, supportive inner circle of female friends. The fact that we haven’t, even though Mrs. Wails has done everything else possible to compete Meghan, is very telling.

      • swirlmamad says:

        This is a very good point. She’s made a point to try to contradict almost everything else Meghan has said and done (matching with other royals at events, etc), that if she really did have a “girl squad” we absolutely would have gotten “candid” shots of her going shopping, out to lunch, playdates with the kids, something/anything by now! That woman does not like other women and has no friends as a result. That much is clear.

  9. Amy Bee says:

    I’m thinking about the many times that William and Kate together with Charles and Camilla were upset that Harry and Meghan overshadowed them. This is Karma.

    • Mary Pester says:

      AMYBEE and karma is a wonderful thing to behold. Katey dear hold on tight to your wiglet, camzilla and her claws will come for you, and by the way, do you know where your husband is? Newsflash, he’s at his own garden party with a very special flower 🌹

      • Jais says:

        Karma is all I ask for. No more no less but the just desserts for their actions.

  10. Olivia says:

    Interesting. Could this be Kate/Will dropping passive-aggressive power moves because of the recent articles about how the King isn’t going to force Prince Pedo out of Royal Lodge and into Frogmore?

    • Mary says:

      Interesting point, @olivia. It definitely seems passive-aggressive and was likely aimed to either gain something or get a particular point across.

      The Waleses need to remember though that Charles is still the one that decides who gets on the balcony, participates in the Christmas walk, even gets invited to Christmas at Sandringham, gets to wear a tiara, etc. I am really looking forward to seeing this play out!

      • Leslie says:

        @Mary: Excellent points. I can’t wait for Christmas to see who is invited to (and survives) Sandringham, with Chucky and Bride of Chucky in charge. Oh, to be a fly on the wall!

      • The Recluse says:

        We need to invest in popcorn futures asap.

      • Mary says:

        We may not need to wait until Christmas to see where the Waleses stand in Clarence House’s eyes. The British Royals that will attend the Jordanian Royal wedding next week have not been announced yet. Most countries are sending either the Queen and/or King or Crown Prince and/or Princess. If the Walses do not attend, and it is instead the now Edinburghs or Princess Anne, I think that just may indicate that trouble is brewing.

        Previously, I don’t think the then Cambridges ever attended a major foreign Royal event, like a wedding, funeral, Coronation or big gala. It was usually the then Wessexes, Charles and Camilla, or Anne. But now that they are the Prince and Princess of Wales? Yup, if they don’t attend iit would be weird and I think it could be a show of Charles exerting his control to punish the Waleses and to keep them in line.

  11. Maxine Branch says:

    No one wants to see any of these folks. Times are hard and their idea of work is the attend a flower show. Please! And then to try oneupmanship over the other. If only these were the only problems working folks had.

  12. Whyforthelovel says:

    Something nice…it is nice to get to finally see some of Kate’s personality even if it is a terrible personality lol. Charles is so petty and Camilla has a long memory for feuds so I am going to enjoy this very much.

    • Hannah1 says:

      I agree. Kate should continue letting her inner dominatrix flag fly—more imperial haughtiness and less guffawing.

      All the years of bland sister-wifing were suffocating.
      Dark Catherine will slash and burn those who get in her way!

      • Smart&Messy says:

        Dark Catherine, I love it. However I think it’s more like Dark Carole. I think it’s all her work.

    • Sid says:

      The King Charles III play/ movie that some Celebitches referenced a while back is so on point with how they portrayed Mrs. Wails (and all of them) it is downright eery. Someone in the know must have been have whispering in the ears of the writer because it was too on point.

      • Hannah1 says:

        Will need to look for more details than what’s on Wikipedia, where they say some described it as ‘dreary’. Looks like the drama foretold there is shaping up, and then some!

      • Nic919 says:

        The play basically stated that Charles would have to abdicate for William, which has been a wet dream out there for a while. It also suggested that Kate would play a role in helping set up the steps for the abdication to be needed. It’s clear the play was written in 2014 because the only scheming kate can do right now is about whether or not she wears a tiara or has her pictures taken by the press. We know William would never listen to her on any serious issue.

  13. Peli says:

    Just pointing out again that royal courtiers has been replaced with “friends” since Harry’s book and interviews.
    Also pointing out the great lengths the media is going to be “fair” in their reporting about what seems like actual problems within the palace.

    We already saw/see with Meghan she was/is never given that chance or benefit of doubt. It was and continues to be immediate crucifixion.

  14. Becks1 says:

    I mean, the thing is, as we’ve said before about this – Charles shouldn’t care that Kate went on the same day and upstaged him, but of course he is going to care, he’s Charles. and Kate knows that. she knew what she was doing with this visit. It was a very deliberate move on her part.

    If Kate had a diary that was packed, I think Charles would care less about this – it would seem more “Kate went when she had a chance.” Since she averages two events a week, its clear that she could have gone on a different day. So like I said above – a very deliberate move on her part.

    • Pinkosaurus says:

      They are all incompetent idiots. Can you imagine the positive press if the King dropped by Kates picnic so she could introduce him to a few kids, and maybe have him explain some plants or reviewed Kate’s leaf drawing? It would have been huge positive coverage of how much support Kate has and what a wonderful grandfatherly man the king is. All of their “gold standard” advisors should be let go.

      • SIde Eye says:

        I love your posts @Pinkosaurus! Lol “they are all incompetent idiots” I agree with everything else you said. Another missed opportunity for them. They were born on the one yard line and can’t stop fumbling.

    • Nic919 says:

      Also all the two other times she went to the garden show, the queen did her first appearance without kate taking over. That kate isn’t granting the same respect to the current monarch as she did the queen is going to turn a lot of traditionalists against her.

      Yes it’s silly, but she herself wants to be called a princess so you play by the system or it bites you back.

      Harry and Meghan pulled out because they didn’t want to be a part of it and the level of attacks against them remains insane in the British establishment media. Kate is not doing herself any favours here.

    • Jais says:

      For sure it was a choice. She could have done this any day but she did it on PRESS day. The gardens are clearly already well promoted so what are we supposed to take away from this? She likes kids to go to gardens? Okaaaay. Photographers flocked towards her surprise visit clicking away around all those kids. Obv they had to stand a certain distance away but I feel like when you’re doing events with kids, there should be minimal photographers. That’s not what this was bc it was planned on Press day🙄

  15. Noor says:

    Looks like a deliberate provocation planned by William and executed by Kate.

    Charles has no choice but to turn the other cheek so to speak . He is already presiding over a House divided between the Windsor and the Sussexes . Charles can ill afford another feud with the heir.

    • Nic919 says:

      William has checked out of that marriage for a while now. This is all Kate. William made it a point not to be seen anywhere near this and the media is not linking him to this at all.

      Kate is generally dense and uninterested in many things, but this kind of petty stuff is what she has done since the dating years. This is reminiscent of how she plotted during the multiple breakups.

      Also, William was mad at Kate during the coronation because she made them late. If they were both behind it he would not have looked so mad and blanked her out while waiting for the procession to start.

      And let’s not forget the fashion show during Philip’s funeral. Kate can plan petty ego trips all by herself.

      • Jais says:

        I think you’ve answered the question as to what exactly is Kate’s passion. What does she care about? Petty mean girl moves is what drives her and gets her out of bed.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        @ Nic919, you are spot on as usual. Keen is perfectly capable of pulling these stunts all on her own as we have seen for the last 6+ years, and much longer than before that.

        Fully agree that Baldimort checked out of this marriage years ago and is simply attending events with Keen as is necessary and not out of desire.

        Baldimort is simply waiting for an opportune time to make his exit, which I know that many people do not agree with, but I imagine that Baldimort is waiting for the right moment to dump Keen and her heavy baggage that comes with her. And given the antics that Keen is carrying out, W will find an empathic ear and support from his father, especially his SM as well.

      • Lizzie says:

        I think William is running mrs wails all over town to distract from his absence, likely on vacation with Rose.

  16. Unblinkered says:

    The thing that strikes me is that this is truly bizarre behaviour from KM.

  17. Brassy Rebel says:

    I don’t know. This is all giving massive Nero fiddling while Rome burns vibes. There is more hunger and poverty in GB than there’s been in decades and these lamebrains are arguing over how to appear at a flower show. They all need to eff off.

  18. The Old Chick says:

    This ‘friends’ business when we know it’s staff but since Spare they’ve had to become non-existent friends. Tampon is pissed, undoubtedly which Jobbo the hut couched in ‘we really should coordinate or it looks bad’. Anyway, NO ONE on their staff calls them by first names. The Duchess (now princess) slept her way through uni with the moniker mattress, and beat off the competition, she’s not going to be called Kate /Catherine

  19. Izzy says:

    “A friend of Kate’s…” Sure, Jan.

    Also, can we just start calling it the Chelsea Flower Showdown now?

  20. AnneL says:

    Wasn’t there a bit in “Spare” where Harry wrote that Charles didn’t want Kate to be photographed holding a tennis racket or something? Because he’s been going to Wimbledon for decades and tennis is HIS thing or some such nonsense?

    Honestly, I can’t stand Kate, but if I were her I’d be pretty miffed by that. Kate doesn’t have the shine Meghan does, but she is/was somewhat athletic and interested in sports. It’s the same “Hide Your Light” BS no matter how dim the person’s light might be.

    Maybe the flower show was a bit of payback for that. Maybe she’s sending a message here. And again, I don’t like her and I think it’s totally fair for Karma to bite her. But I also think it’s fair for Chuck to “suffer” not being the center of attention all the time. His pettiness and envy are so pathetic.

    • Nic919 says:

      She chased William for almost a decade to purposely be in a family where birth order ranks you and provides privileges. And not respecting rank is a big deal to them, especially if you are disrespectful toward the monarch, the top position. Kate is really going to turn off the traditionalists for this kind of thing. Hell there is even civil war in deranger ville because some of them find Kate is acting disrespectful toward Charles, who as monarch deserves respect, if you believe in monarchy.

      • AnneL says:

        Yes, that’s all true. She deserves whatever grief she is getting. I just find this whole business of everyone except the Monarch and direct heir having to walk five steps behind or disappear deeply pathetic. It harms individuals and creates a toxic family dynamic. Look what it did to Diana and to her marriage to Charles. Look what it did to Princess Margaret.

        Kate is right in there perpetuating it herself, so she deserves to suffer from it. But I’m not going to feel an ounce of sympathy for Charles if someone pulls the spotlight from him, even if Kate is the one doing it.

        Of course, I don’t believe in monarchy. I’m American. I see some of my fellow US citizens swoon over this British Royal stuff and I’m baffled by it.

      • Eurydice says:

        Civil War in Derangerville – yummy!

      • Smart&Messy says:

        Annel, check out some of the videos of KC on the flower show. Several women curtsy to him and Cam. Baffling indeed.

    • notasugarhere says:

      The point has always been that W&K only do a handful of things. That is what gains them attention – their scarcity. Not any sense of charisma or that they’re accomplishing anything with their sham ‘big projects’. If they showed up 500 times a year each, and had been doing that from day one? No one would notice. That’s what Charles wants them doing, working hard but blending into the background, but they refuse to do bread-and-butter engagements.

  21. TheOriginalMia says:

    Kate didn’t plan this to upstage Charles, but William did. William approved this plan that Kate executed. Thing is while Kate can bask in the headlines, she alone is in the king’s crosshairs so to speak. William was off somewhere, doing something.

    • Nic919 says:

      No William wouldn’t challenge his father on something like this. This is all Kate, just like how she needed all the attention and set up the photo shoot at Philips funeral.

      • Tessa says:

        I think that photo shoot was why William did not let her go to the Diana statue unveiling.

    • Pinkosaurus says:

      I wonder what William was up to on Press Day? Perhaps Kate is feeling some glee over making his absence prominent as well as showing him and C&C that the press only care about her and the kids.

    • notasugarhere says:

      I see no Wm involved here. This was all Kate with Carol(E) acting as her temporary private secretary. They wanted Keen – and Keen alone – grabbing headlines. William doesn’t need to use Kate as cover for his rose gardening; he just does that whenever he wants regardless.

  22. Harper says:

    I’m starting to wonder if Kate was set up. She isn’t the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and it’s highly likely she didn’t even understand what his appearance at the flower show meant to CRex and why she shouldn’t just show up before him. She lives in a bubble of vanity. The way the media has been quick to suggest she did something wrong, albeit presenting all the angles, seems fishy.

    There was that article in The Times by the photographer who was clearly miffed at her, greatly detailing all the ways she inconvenienced the crowd and the professionals trying to do a job. Well someone at The Times okayed that article which seems off from their usual sycophantic coverage. Burger King has certainly worked to get The TImes on his side; why would they so publicly diss Kate if he wasn’t okay with it? It feels like Kate is on her own defending her actions instead of KP doing the defending for her.

    • Nic919 says:

      No this is fashion shoot at Philip’s funeral Kate making a return.

      • notasugarhere says:

        ^This. This was a deliberate anti-Charles, anti-William act from Kate and Carol(E).

      • Agreatreckoning says:

        Yes @Nic919. Any time I *might* feel a quiver of empathy or questioning of something re: Kate, I remember Philip’s funeral and Kate’s tacky Dynasty photoshoot. That was a definite deliberate LOOK AT ME situation at the funeral.

        Maybe I’m slow. I’m not grasping the idea of a private visit at a flower show when the press will be there. Private would be before or after hours.

        I’m looking at the picnic basket with oranges. Some picnic! Is the yellow thing supposed to be a banana? Might be my screen but it looks like a yellow squash.

    • Eurydice says:

      Kate’s an idiot when it comes to anything intellectual, or about fashion, art, music…well, generally an idiot. But I think she understands the royal pecking order just fine. I think she’s trying to solidify her role as popular and indispensable – a way to forestall any thought by Wills about divorce.

  23. QuiteContrary says:

    I wish these morons would have to spend just one day — one day — dealing with real problems. They’d collapse under the pressure.

    That said, this is getting good. Camilla can crush Kate with just one of her hooves.

    • AnneL says:

      Ouch! Good one. Now I can’t unsee it.

    • Christine says:

      Seriously, a grown ass adult actually said, “Gardens are very much his thing”, and another grown ass adult thought it was worth reporting on, and they think this reflects gloriously on a king.

  24. Dutch says:

    I know stupid question coming but … if the BRF truly wants to be “The Firm” why is there not centralized coordination of the calendars/appearances of the “talent?” — you know like a big-person company does. All of the working Royals can comfortably fit in one picture frame, it can’t be that difficult to merge their calendars so “accidents” like this don’t happen. Just drop the facade of being a family and just operate like a corporation.

    • Nic919 says:

      Charles let William spin out KP comms separate from CH and that is where the mistake happened. We never heard of BP being pissed off at CH because Charles runs a tight ship and close to how the Queen ran her office.

      • Kim says:

        It does appear that William just let’s Kate do her own thing. It never looks like he reigns her in. For anything.
        I don’t know if he doesn’t care or just happy some royal work is being done!

  25. Talia says:

    So is this:
    1. Kate and William trying to upstage Charles,
    2. Kate making it clear she won’t go quietly if William tries to get rid of her and trying to show that the press like her better than Charles and Camilla (they don’t but I think she confuses media interest with liking)
    3. Or a real conspiracy theory, William telling her it’s (1) while actually having her look bad in public and turning C&C against her as part of an attempt to get Charles to sign on to a divorce / separation.

    • Lady D says:

      I would laugh so hard if Charles refused William permission to divorce. Suck it up, dear boy.

    • notasugarhere says:

      William wouldn’t have to curry favour to get permission to divorce. Charles and Camilla are already pro-W&K divorce. Having W&K divorce makes Charles and Camilla look better.

  26. Mel says:

    I don’t know, if I were Kate I wouldn’t poke the bear that is Camilla. Kate and Carole are NO MATCH for that woman and she will eat them alive if provoked enough. I see more stories about how awful their marriage is and how Will is a giant, tantrum throwing baby man coming soon.

  27. This is next level p*ssing contest. My money is on Cowmilla putting an end to this.

    • Jaded says:

      For sure. Camzilla reminds me of a big old spider in the centre of her web, just waiting patiently and quietly for a stupid insect to come bumbling along and get trapped and consumed. She plays the long game and Kate will eventually do something so egregious that she will be smacked down hard for it.

  28. KentBrockman says:

    The pics circulating around her are telling. The kids leaning away, even the dog leaning away! Yes, it’s fair to make the argument for bad angles and the wrong time a pic was taken. But why are these the ones that have been widely put out? Someone is put out by her and using the media to help with their hurt feelings. Camilla, the probably most notorious side piece in recent history, just had a crown jammed on her head. After coming in over DIANA. Kate should be nervous, people are replaceable, over those much more loved than her. You in danger girl.

    • Nic919 says:

      The article saying how Kate just showed up on media day without her preferred photographers really shows us the difference between photographers looking to get a real picture and the KP PR show. These photographers took pictures of what they saw and that’s why we are seeing all these photos of kids not being impressed with Kate.

  29. windyriver says:

    “William and Kate run a leaner, call-me-by-my-first name operation”. Right. That’s why when Will ambled over to greet the guys he’d be rowing with for the mental health day photo shoot, they said, “your royal highness”, and Will replied, “very nice to meet you”. Because he’s so eager to be on a casual first name basis.

  30. UNCDANCER says:

    Hello: it’s me your broken record. Once again, where is the Prince of Wales? He is letting his wife go out there and take this beating which she deserves of course, and he is nowhere to be seen. Methinks somebody is setting up the Princess of Wales for a fall. Or perhaps she has led all of the findings and praise go to her head, and she actually believes her own PR and thinks no one will challenge her. And actually, she may be right. Will is lazy and doesn’t care about her; Charles is a coward; and Camilla is too soused to bother.

  31. Jaded says:

    Her inner mean girl is really showing these days. First the “it’s not a tiara” headpiece she wore at the clowning despite being told no tiaras, the deliberate lateness (no it wasn’t Louis throwing a last minute wobbly), and overshadowing Chuck and Cam at the flower show…she’s treading on thin ice. One of these days she’ll go too far and get thrown under a very big bus.

  32. aquarius64 says:

    Kate went to the flower show before becoming royal? There better be pictures pre 2010 (engagement) to back it up.

    • BeanieBean says:

      First we’ve ever heard of it. My brows went up when I read that.

    • Nic919 says:

      This sounds like the time they said kate knew the queen for 20 years but only first met her at Peter’s wedding which did not last that long.

  33. Plantagenet says:

    I don’t understand why the royals are in such a tizzy about being upstaged. Charles, you’re boring. You’re going to be upstaged by any royal who’s a bit more dynamic. That’s OK! There’s nothing wrong with being boring! Just continue your “work” and “service” and stop being so goddamn thirsty! You’re the king, you finally have the top job. It’s undignified for a king in his seventies to sulk and throw tantrums like a five year old at another kid’s birthday party.

  34. Atta girl says:

    The real question: What’s William doing that he doesn’t want us to know about? Or, same vein, I guess if we all get tusseled up in this foolishness we won’t continue to ask about their role in last weeks Sussex shenanigans.

  35. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    A couple of thoughts: (1) So we’re supposed to believe that it’s a huuuge problem when Meghan does something thousands of miles away during the same week that the royals have something planned, but Kate showing up unannounced to Charles’ actual event is perfectly fine?

    (2) Wow, every time there are pictures of Kate with kids, it’s clear that kids really don’t like her.

    (3) She really loves using POC as props, doesn’t she. Talk about objectifying children of color.

    (4) Why is Kate giving this symbolic middle finger to her in-laws? Personally, I believe the reports that William screams and throws objects at Kate, and that she is in what the normal world would call an abusive relationship. I think that she actually hates the royal family.

    (5) William is clearly physically and emotionally absent from Kate’s life (except when he’s screaming and throwing things at her).

    • Deering24 says:

      Hee. Kate reminds me of that bit in the novel Ghost Story where the hero asks a little girl why she and the others won’t play with this odd little girl who hangs around the playground. The first girl leans in and whispers, “ Because she’s _awful._” 🤣😈😈🤣

      • Cecile730 says:

        This. She really must be something for making every children behave that way around her. Usually kids like novelty even if it’s for a short time.

  36. GDubslady says:

    BP and KP should blame Megxit on Kate’s mean girl antics and lies, report on her need for attention above all others then put out report on the Wales separation killing two birds with one stone.

  37. Krista says:

    This family is so dysfunctional and Immature – they’ve become caricatures of spoiled brats competing for the Most Popular prize. They are always miserable

  38. Nicky says:

    How isolated is her life that we *never * see her with friends?

    From her schooldays or otherwise?

    • Dhianna says:

      The only females that I have seen kathy with are her sister and her mother. js

    • Nic919 says:

      In the dating years she was seen with that friend who ran sex parties. But post engagement it’s been Pippa and not even her now.

  39. Tamra says:

    Do these friends have names? LOL

  40. Bea says:

    Where was it reported that Kate bussed in kids?

    • Amy says:

      The Royal Horticultural Society website reported that 100 children from 10 schools in “disadvantaged areas” of London were invited to attend the children’s picnic at the show. Kate “inspired” the idea, and it will continue annually under her patronage.

      Did Kate bus them there herself? Probably not. Did she jump at the chance to be photographed with a bunch of Black and Brown kids? Absolutely.

  41. JanetDR says:

    I’m just entertained by the “friend’s”thought that the coronation made clear that Willnot and kHate are very senior members 🤣🤣🤣 Not senior enough for this nonsense! This is going to be good. 🍿

    • Jay says:

      Not senior enough to come to the coronation on time, though!

    • BeanieBean says:

      That was just so stupid! What makes anyone think people watched that spectacle and thought, ha! wow! Kate & William are really up there! They’re super important now!

  42. AC says:

    Let the backstabbing between these 2 courts begin. In another note, went to my niece’s college graduation yesterday and some of the speakers were so inspiring even to me who graduated college years ago.
    What do the current working members of the BrF have to inspire people. **crickets**

  43. Malcolm says:

    The re-branding into Meghan continues.

  44. Monlette says:

    Yes. I often spend my free time visiting garden shows, with a picnic basket full of whole fruit, for an impromptu picnic with any black and brown children I might encounter.

  45. TheVolvesSeidr says:

    “Kate’s f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶ mom thinks the whole thing is pathetic”

  46. Amy says:

    I’m living for the kid on the right in that top photo. He is all of us.

  47. j.ferber says:

    Malcolm, oh yes. But Kate prefers to use people of color as props, not embrace them as family members.

  48. ales says:

    Boring Khate with her whitewashed history that has turned her into a fairytale princess, does not have much going for her other than her mean girl cunning, which is always evident. If the British public do not start to question her publicity machine, the monarchy will be destroyed. She will be the evil Queen personified, already she is behaving as though C & C do not exist. Its ok to be a commoner and marry into royalty, there have been some extraordinary women who have made a difference to their countries, but with last woman standing Khate they were scraping the bottom of the barrel.

  49. ales says:

    Boring Khate who seems to believe that she is a fairytale type princess, does not have much going for her other than her mean girl cunning, which is always evident. She will be the evil Queen personified, already she is behaving as though C & C do not exist. Its ok to be a commoner and marry into royalty, there have been some extraordinary women who have made a difference to their countries, but with last woman standing Khate she would have to start showing that she cares and also stop spending multiple thousands of dollars on herself for every appearance.

  50. Miasys says:

    Poor Chuck. When you’re as dim a bulb as he is, even slack-ass Buttons outshines you.

    • Carolind says:

      KC3 is a lot of things but dim is not one of them. He was talking about the health of the planet decades before anyone else, he set up the Prince’s Trust with his leaving money from the navy. He is interested in politics, different cultures and religions. He speaks good French and once spoke Welsh…

      • Tessa says:

        Others well before Charles called attention to the environment including rachel Carson and senator Gaylord nelson and Denis Hayes. Nelson and Hayes organized earth day. Charles also has a large carbon footprint. Charles was not the first to think of the environment.

  51. j.ferber says:

    Poor Chuck can become vengeful Chuck in the blink of an eye. He’s the villain in this and every piece, imo.

  52. Justjan says:

    Gardens may be chuck’s thing but the kiddies are not, I imagine. Someone says to him Oh dear we need to throw a bone to the kiddies and someone else says Oh I know just the perfect one! But, just for fun lets not tell her office until the morning of.

    • Kim says:

      I thought Kate was going crazy busing in kids. She should know she doesn’t get along with kids.
      But you maybe right about someone (chuck) not wanting to deal with all those kids so they made her go. The only hold up is someone said the kids was part of a first annual horticulture society kid picnic, that was inspired by Kate. So maybe she did plan it.

      • Cecile730 says:

        To my knowledge C never had particularly a problem with kids except Georges that he once pushed away from him with his cane (but not other kids that where standing close too).
        As for Kkkhate ? She was seen (the video is unfortunately no longer available) dragging Charlotte as if she was an uninteresting bag. It might have hurt Charlotte a lot because she was visibly crying and a nanny went running after Kate to take the kid away from her “mother”.
        Kate is the one that need the “MOTHER” monicker because that’s all she is and she has already a bad rep because of Sussexit.

  53. Claire says:

    My god. The things this over which ridiculous family reportedly get their knickers in a twist… They haven’t a clue what real problems are.

  54. ales says:

    If there is a war it will be interesting and better than any soap opera. Khate has a past. She forgets there is the internet and that there are photos around of her exploits, the mattress, middlebum, yacht girl, topless, flashing her naked butt at royal events, being photographed with people she should have avoided, wandering around naked and her soft porn. A very accomplished stalker and long term mean girl, whose skills have been well practised so that no target is left standing. Multiple luxury holidays taken every year, started long before she latched on to W, she seems to continue doing this without any conscience. Everybody has a past and things they regret or could have done better, Khates has been rewritten and is now a Saint and Mother Theresa combined. An unemployed, spoiled rotten person whose main focus is and was, always on what she wants.. Charity is not something that interests her and never has.

  55. Carolind says:

    The late Queen always used to go to the Chelsea Flower Show late afternoon/early evening and the other royals used to go at the same time. I got the impression that was the time KC3 and Camilla went this year. The Gloucesters and P & P Michael of Kent went about the same time – I think. Kate is so rude and ignorant. Interesting that on the RF website for that day, Kate’s visit not mentioned. She is not fulfilling her role as a senior royal. All her engagements are as light as feathers and she rarely does multiple engagements in one day as the other royals do. She is also only a royal for London and area because she does not visit anywhere else.

  56. Monlette says:

    The trouble is that Kate is too popular with the over 50 set. Any war between her and Charles will go badly for monarchy, which would be tragic after get people to swallow decades of the “Charles wasn’t permitted to marry Camilla” propaganda. (Truth is, he wasn’t even going to ask)
    Camilla’s cronies in the press have done a fine job of dragging Diana through the mud, but that only because she is no longer around to defend herself. If Camilla or Charles pulls the same with Kate, it only going to wake people up to fast that Camilla is a homewrecking hag. People are shallow and Kate is the only halfway photogenic one in the lot.
    I think we are seeing a lot of passive aggressive pushback from Kate already (the “not a tiara tiara that photographs like a tiara” is a perfect example) and I am here for it with my popcorn.

    • Tessa says:

      Not everyone on over 50 set likes Kate. William is no victim he is just like his father only worse

    • Tessa says:

      Kate is not photogenic. Camilla and Charles were dragging Diana’s name through the mud when Diana was alive.

  57. Well Wisher says:

    The Times.co.uk had a write up about this visit that was very interesting. I notice that the commentary about Kate is slowly returning to before Meghan as pre-2016.
    Nature abhors a vacuum……

  58. BayAreaGirl2000 says:

    I came into royal watching for the Sussexes only. As an American who’s family didn’t follow closely the only thing in recent memory (at that time) was that Charles is a shitty husband and father. It wasn’t known in details at that time but anyone could guess that if he treated Diana the way he did then he was going to do the same with her sons. I understand that Harry was treated terribly by both William and Charles and so people dislike both and group them together. I think people forget that William is Charles and Diana son too. Yes he got off lucky with a lot of things because he was the heir but that doesn’t mean he didn’t get ANY unfair treatment from his father. Most of the conversations in spare that show Charles as a bad father are had where William is present. I absolutely think Charles has a jealous streak with both his sons and both are fighting back differently. Harry said William is trapped and the more things play out, the more obvious it is. I think the back and forth between KP and CH is just that and honestly I hope William comes out on top everytime with his father as I know what is feels like being the oldest child with and immature parent and you can’t leave. I think most people have ill will towards William because of what he did to Harry ( and it’s justified ) but most are confusing that relationship with him and his FATHER. Just because William was born first doesn’t mean he deserves that weird treatment from his father that brought him into that environment in the first place.

    • Tessa says:

      Will is just like his father and enjoys the power and influence. Charles teamed up with will in I’ll treatment of harry and Meghan. Will has the wife he deserves.

      • Cecile730 says:

        Plus it’s a mistake to think that William was badly treated by C. Will-do-nothing is how he is because Diana had no say in his upbringing unlike C. In Spare, Harry expressed how much his upbriging was vastly different from Will.

      • Well Wisher says:

        @Tessa
        But is it the wife that he wants???

  59. Cassie says:

    The blonde lady behind Kate in the top photo checking out Kates hair and wondering if there is a birds nest in there .