Whilst I am happy that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their new daughter HRH Charlotte are doing well, I don’t want to think about how the Duchess of Cambridge is so privileged to be able to look like that less than 24 hours after giving birth. This article thinks it’s the Duchess’ duty to make the mothers of Earth, who are not as fortunate as she, feel better about their own, more humble, births of their offspring.
Except, you know, we don’t have a makup artist, hairstylist, and wardrobe/shoe management on permanent standby, rather like the army in a warzone.
But the facts are that she has a specific image to project, and it’s not by choice. She’s our future Queen. (I’m Canadian, living in the United Kingdom.)
Luckily, she has an armada of servants to help, right down to buying the post-birth sanitary napkins. I would also hazard that she pulls that face into shape when she’s ready for them to open the doors and step out in front of the cameras. In private, she can look as tired as she feels. And, from what little I’ve read about her, she is a private person. Reality is not what’s going on here.
The article goes on to whine that Kate should have appeared more “normal” post-birth: (the blue dress at George’s birth still showed her belly, and the yellow one didn’t; she’s wearing heels instead of flats – the horror!). Do we really want to obsess about whether or not she’s wearing the mesh underwear? I certainly didn’t think about that until this article shoved it in my face.
I’d say “no”, because it’s intrusive to ask anything of her, the same as it’s intrusive to ask anything of any new mother or father approaching this level of vulgarity: “So, how’s the peeing and pooping going? Can you use loo roll yet?”
In the words of Guinan (of Star Trek: The Next Generation), “She’s probably done the most horrible thing one person can do to another: not live up to your expectations.”
In other words, if she came out wearing a burlap sack, with unwashed hair and no makeup, an article would scream that she wasn’t playing the part of the royal future Queen we expect her to be.
Good luck, Kate and Wills. I hope things settle down soon, and George likes his new little sister.
