William’s Princess by Robert Jobson - A Review
Now here’s a volume to whet the appetite of anyone interested in the future of the British monarchy and the Royal Family. Its author, Robert Jobson, is a well-versed spotter of Royal trends, first with Fleet Street’s finest, including the tabloids, then on CNN. He’s currently a writer on Royal matters with the London Evening Standard.
William’s Princess is essentially an early biography of the future King, to which has been added a thoroughgoing account of his growing relationship with Kate Middleton, whose significance in William’s life cannot be underestated. Jobson certainly doesn’t : “Kate’s days as William’s ‘Princess in waiting’ are drawing to a close. Her time as Princess and, one day, Queen is about to begin”.
An unnamed “titled lady .. once linked to [William]” told Jobson : “… a lot of the aristocratic girls he has been linked with are too much trouble for him. It is interesting that he’s settled for an ordinary middle-class girl. It’s because she doesn’t have the baggage some of these titled girls do; problems like anorexia, drugs, drinking. He doesn’t want all those problems.”
While hedging his bets a little on the future of Kate Middleton, he often nails his colours to her mast with the nearest a journalist gets to certainty about the future :
Bit by bit Kate has been elevated from friend, to girlfriend, to lover and permanent fixture in William’s life. She has been groomed, however unofficially, however subtly, for the public role into which she will step. …
William and Kate have been a couple for nearly a third of the time that Charles and Diana spent together. In that time they have arguably developed a more intimate, stable relationship than that famously disastrous union. …
The book ends with a ringing endorsement and a firm prediction: “The question of William and Kate’s marriage is no longer a matter of “if” but “when”. Talk of a proposal is no longer reserved to gossip columns but has made it firmly onto the Palace agenda with many Palace officials now confidently predicting that Kate’s role in the life of the future King is assured.”
If you are a regular reader of this website, you’ll enjoy this book.
William’s Princess by Robert Jobson is published today in the UK by John Blake Publishing.
I’m going to get the champane ready for the ice. This is one announcement where it will be a total joy for the couple, the monarchary and Britain. As I am the same age as William’s mother I still remember the joy of seeing her at her wedding and our children are about the same age William being in between my two so I followed the milestones in his life and Kate will be the most wonderful and beautiful Princess like the current favorite Mary of Denmark.
By Trudie on August 24th, 2006 at 11:48 pm
I’d leave the champagne off ice in the interim Trudie. Jobson in the book, although accurate on this relationship, pours cold water over any suggestion that there will be an engagement/wedding between Kate and William in the near future. He states that it will occur no sooner than 18 months to 2 years time. Also to compare Kate to Mary is unfair. Mary was/is a mature woman who was into her 30’s, having acheived great heights within the careers she chose. This put her in good stead with the role she undertook on her marriage Crown Prince Frederik. Kate should be given the same chance at a life and needs time to mature so that she too can accept the very demanding role of future Duchess and perhaps even Queen one day. Only then could she be compared to the much loved Princess Mary of Denmark.
By MC on August 25th, 2006 at 5:27 am
Well, it certainly looks cut and dried now, doesn’t it. It would be hard for him to go back on this without severely hurting his reputation.
By John on August 25th, 2006 at 8:13 am
MC, Jobson doesn’t “state that it will occur no sooner than 18 months …”
He admits he doesn’t know, but makes a guess based on comments made by William while at university. He then goes on to say that William puts up smokescreens to protect his privacy, thus invalidating his guesswork. Jobson is just trying to have it both ways.
By John on August 25th, 2006 at 9:26 am
MC I was not drawing comparisons in respect to achievements only that like Mary of Denmark this is a real love match and Fredrick and Mary courted together for around two years before the media caught on allowing the relationship to mature. It seemed that in the past a couple met and within a year there was a marriage one only has to look at Charles and Diana and the overzealousness of media intrusion to make for a very sad marriage.
By Trudie on August 25th, 2006 at 10:57 am
I never said it wasn’t his opinion? Of course it’s his opinion. How can anyone know when these two will tie the knot? It’s impossible for anyone apart from the couple themselves to know the timeframe. Jobson said that he thought it wouldn’t occur for at least another 18months/2 years. That is the excerpt from his book that I read. Unless the excerpt is wrong then I’ll believe that is his opinion and he said it. He also based his opinion on William’s comments from last year as well. I’m more inclined to agree with him on this.
Mary and Frederik were together for a year before the press got a hint of who Mary was.
William and Kate are in the unenviable situation where their initial (strong and binding) friendship of 2 and a half years has blended into their current relationship of 2 and half years. The reporting that they have dated for 4 years is grossly inaccurate. Anyone who has watched this love affair blossom would know that they have only dated since the beginning of 2004. I feel that this is why some people devalue Kate to a degree. If they could realise that she was a longterm friend whom William trusted before any romance occured, then I feel they would warm to her as we who are older and can see through the teenage jealously can.
By MC on August 25th, 2006 at 11:18 am
I certainly agree with all you say in the second part of your comment, MC, but there are too many contradictions and hedge-betting in Jobson’s account to take it too seriously.
By John on August 25th, 2006 at 11:26 am
I need to correct an error in my post. I said their initial friendship was over a 2 and half year period. In my haste to comment I mistyped 2 instead of 1. Their friendship was for 1 and a half years and current relationship 2 and a half years. Grand total of 4 years.
If there are far too many contradictions in his account to take it seriously then why to we take anything he wrote in that book as the truth? Maybe their relationship isn’t what Jobson makes it out to be.
There is very little in the way of factual certainties in this book for me to take anything as gospel. A lot of it is hearsay with those elusive friends, royal sources and even a titled lady making an appearence yet again.
A lot of this book centres on givens. Some of the points or evidence he uses is already in the public domain. Jobson makes assumptions and throws in a few extra tidbits of gossip to get his point across. Making the Kate and Prince William relationship what he wants it to be.
Unfortunately we can’t say he is wrong or right. All we can do is point to what we know from press reports of substance. We know they are a couple. We know they are gradually becoming very serious. We know that neither seems likely to make any bad moves and destroy the others reputation. Let’s just leave it at that.
The only fact that we can bank on is an official comment from Clarence House. That has not been forthcoming so therefore we shall wait.
By MC on August 25th, 2006 at 11:33 pm
Well, I wouldn’t have reviewed the book if it had been a complete waste of time. A lot of the facts have been triangulated by others, so have a deal of credibility. He does, however, hedge his bets as all good journalists do. The point I mentioned over William’s tendency to put up “smokescreens” to protect their privacy, means that you can’t take even horse’s mouth information at face value.
But those in the know who whisper to the press are more often right or half-right than completely wrong.
By John on August 26th, 2006 at 10:20 am