The Snog That Never Was for Prince William
I’m often asked why we don’t cover silly stories about snogging Princes here on Royal Anecdotes. The answer can be found in the latest of these stories.
Boujis babe, Tess Shepherd, was said to have been involved in a “sensational” episode of “dirty dancing” with Prince William at the Royal haunt in South Kensington last week. However, a close reading of Katie Nicholl’s piece reveals : “It wasn’t a full-on kiss, just an embrace”, says blonde PR girl.
When you consider that most Church of England services these days end with worshippers hugging the person next to them, isn’t the fuss over this story a little overdone?
One thing’s for sure, it ain’t Tess of the d’Urbervilles.
Of course Middleton will tolerate it again. Otherwise mummy would be angry
By Lilyfromfrance on March 12th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
This isa bit amusing. For years, people have criticized the Royal Family because it was said they are cold and distant. Then came Princess Diana, loving, affectionate, reaching out to everyone, never shrinking from offering a hug or a kiss and we were all captivated. Now, Prince William demonstrates some of the traits that made the world adore Princess Diana and some are upset. We can’t have it both ways, after all. I do not see the problem with Prince William relating warmly to his adoring public. Evidently neither does Kate Middleton. Wise girl!
By Gigi on March 12th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Gigi wise girl? if that was my boyfriend dancing and embracing another girl I would be absolutly livid. Diana offered her hugs and kisses during engagements not on dance floors Diana truly embraced the downtrodden and the sick and dying that is what captivated the world not dirty dancing.
By Trudie on March 12th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
I also don’t see the problem of William enjoying his success with these hundred of girls around him. As long as he is not engaged yet, he can play the field as he wants. If Kate doesn’t matter then she must be secure in their relationship. They date each other for years now so a kiss to a lovely stranger during a boozing night isn’t going to destroy their relationship.
By Lilyfromfrance on March 12th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I see your point Trudie, but what matters is how Kate feels about it, and evidently she sees Prince William’s behavior as non-threatening. Clearly, Prince William is not going to start dating Ms. Shepherd, he was just responding to the moment. If there is anything that spoils a relationship, it is displays of jealousy and possessiveness. The members of Royal Family belong to their public and there is bound to be interaction. This seems to me to be a tempest in a teapot. (I seem to have tea on my mind today.)
By Gigi on March 12th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Well said, Lily from France!
By Gigi on March 12th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
ohh Gigi, you have made my day!
By Lilyfromfrance on March 12th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Maybe your right Lily and Gigi but alcohol can destroy a relationship faster then anything. However itsn’t it strange when Kate is out drinking and dancing with her friends she is not on the dance floor embracing other men?
By Trudie on March 12th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Because she MUSTN’T do that if she wants the tiara.
By Lilyfromfrance on March 12th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
You have a point, Trudie, but people are going to gravitate toward the Heir Presumptive to the Crown, not necessarily to Prince William’s girlfriend. Furthermore, uneven rules for the conduct of men and women is nothing new. There is something about the proximity to Royalty that seems to make normally calm people switch into over-drive, which apparently is what happened to Ms. Shepherd. On the other hand, a very popular song in the 30’s was entitled “I danced with a man who danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales.”
The song was referring to the man who became King Edward VIII and then the Duke of Windsor.
By Gigi on March 12th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
I agree with Lily– this is one of those cases where gender/status inequality plays into the mix. William is allowed to dance with other women when Kate is away on holiday with her family. Kate isn’t allowed the same opportunity. But it’s really up to William and Kate to determine what they will tolerate.
I think the tabloids who included “snogging” in the title of that article did it to increase sales. As John said, Ms Shepherd’s own version of the actual events don’t read that way.
By Evelyn on March 12th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I had to Google “snogging” to figure out what we were talking about before I posted. I am, on the subject of slang, a bit behind my time.
I think the media makes up these terms just to befuddle me. They are good at it!
By Gigi on March 12th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Even so but I really thought about this and the sad part is what would happen after a marriage? Would all the friends befriend Kate and then if William is like his father provide safe houses such as the Van Cutsems? They even labeled Diana the mad girl but look where their loyalty got them OUT of favor. If William really cared for Kate he could politely refuse advances even innocent ones. At least Harry when he was with his friends in a strip he let it be know he was involved with Chelsy. Ms Sheperds version don’t read that way but what about the next girl?
By Trudie on March 12th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Gigi, reading the Harry Potter series can help us non-Brits keep up with British slang.
By Evelyn on March 13th, 2007 at 12:59 am
By Gigi on March 13th, 2007 at 2:48 am
Some slang terms can be found online at the Harry Potter Lexicon: http://www.hp-lexicon.org
Look alphabetically in “A-Z Index.”
By Evelyn on March 13th, 2007 at 2:59 am
You are all self deceived.
Self deception, it has been said, is the worst kind of deception.
It was just an innocent kiss???
And then you all intellectually talk about it. Oh, it’s that they were having innocent fun, Kate is not threatened, so it’s okay.
I wonder what you will say when he completely cheats on her, because, apparently, kissing and slow dancing with another woman-is just a part of our prejudiced double standard culture against women. It’s wrong what he did. Completely. I couldn’t bear my boyfriend behaving like that when i was absent.
Wake up.
I remember someone, i think, John…Evans, in a previous story, saying royalty is not about fun, its about doing your duty.
How on earth is P. William being a good example to his country or young men? How is he doing his duty, to uphold a higher moral code as the future king?
You can dance and kiss other women, and it’s just playful fun?
So, in this site, we will never ever criticise Prince William even when he blatantly does wrong?
Fine, but you should know the word to describe that is ‘hypocrisy’ and another term is double- standard.
My goodness, i can’t even imagine how the tabs would have reacted had it been Harry. May we continue to excuse and philosophize Prince William’s disgraceful actions.
Long live the King!!!
By mary on March 13th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Mary, people criticize William all the time on this site, I’ve done it myself.
And, yes, it would be better if he didn’t do this sort of thing, but he does, and it’s always hyped in the press beyond what it was. Shake’s reaction was totally illogical.
By John on March 13th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Thank you Mary you validated my point!! Prince or not he should have politely refused the dance. I fear he will be another Charles. I wonder how it would be for poor William if Kate turned the tables on him.
By Trudie on March 13th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
I would love to hear one, mind you(1) time,( you don’t have to mention many), that you have not excused William’s faults, always attributing to something else, his upbringing, the unfair british education system against boys, his brother, his mother.
I also remember you saying that if William is to be successful, he needed to reform now.
Well, has he reformed?
But can you just go back and read the article you wrote? Because i can hardly believe my eyes. What do you mean people are blowing it out of proportion? You are excusing his behaviour and bringing the Church into it. What does closeness amongst church members have to do with a prince’s behaviour at a bar, which was completely unwarranted? Like Trudie said, he should be way more careful, but he isn’t. So, it’s left to the press to reason out his morality issues. You are bringing down the name of the church. Please don’t. I go to church and i love God and i cannot bear brotherly love to be used to describe what Prince William did. People are not blowing anything out of proportion, they are just realising that Saint William was a myth, and yes, it is shocking.
By Mary on March 13th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
And John, you think that his mistakes are hyped up in the press, they are not. Believe me, John, you and people who think like you are the majority. People like me, who want to see more, of this man who has unequalled potential but is wasting it are in the minority. Except me and Trudie, who else said that William cheated. Evelyn, Gigi, Lily etc rationalised it and treated it like it was no big thing.
So believe me, you are the one with the voice and the numbers on your side.
By Mary on March 13th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Mary, of course if William was my boyfriend, i would be in a grrrrrrrrr mood. But thank God he is not mine. I don’t excuse his behaviour but, it is really nothing for me. As I said, he is not engaged, he was drunk, so there is no drama to me. I’m not a judge. Trudie was too true. He should have refused the dance, but he has accepted. He is weak and vain, he seems enjoying to test his charm power, like millions of other rich and arrogant young men, that’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last.
As long as he doesn’t sleep with others girls except Kate, as long as any girl claims that she is pregnant of him, and as long as he is not engaged… I’m not going to make a fuss for a kiss.
Anyway, I consider Kate as a masochist person. Maybe i’m wrong, maybe i’m harsh, but thats what i see. She is constantly in a negation of herself. I don’t know if i’m clear
She should make something concrete with her life, instand of focusing in William.
If people have to blame someone here, that’s not Gigi, Evelyn, John or me, but her. She is the girlfriend after all. But she is so determined to be a princess that she closes her eyes on every mistake William does.
You’re right William is not an example. But who is an example today?
By Lilyfromfrance on March 13th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Prince William and Kate are together and apparently happily so at the Cheltenham Festival again this year, so evidently this ‘crisis’ passed without schism.
I don’t think that makes her a masochist, a doormat, or overtly ambitious. On the contrary, it seems she and Prince William are secure in each other’s affections, and further that she is wise enough not to be overly possessive. I also think it is unfair to put people in boxes with labels on them. Not everyone is the same. To say that because Prince William shared a dance and an embrace with a member of the public means that, when married, he will stray, is assuming a great number of facts not in evidence. Trust is the issue here, and I believe Prince William and Kate have that.
By Gigi on March 13th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Yep. I have seen it and William doesn’t look that happy.
I keep see Kate as a masochist
You have to be if you want to marry an heir of the throne
As Prince Philip said in the morning of the day he married Princess Elisabeth: “I don’t know if it’s unconsciousness or if I’m completely mad”.
Well I think I’m going to have problems now. I’m in my car and I’m taping on my computer on my knees at the same time and I’ve just got flashed by a radar. Grrrrrrrr. John, I’ll send you the bill.
By Lilyfromfrance on March 13th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
In Britain you’d also be charged with using a computer while driving. There’s no hope for you, I’m afraid.
By John on March 13th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Where do you guys see pictures from Cheltenham? Or anything for that matter…everyone is always talking about pictures of the two of them on here, and I can never find them online…?
By Lauren on March 13th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Daily Mail home page, Lauren, for one. Also, see most recent post by John with a better phtograph than in the Daily Mail, of Prince William, Kate and Zara Philips, all at the Cheltenham Festival.
By Gigi on March 13th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Thanks!
By Lauren on March 13th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Kate’s goal is “Princess Title”, she doesn’t care how many women William might perhaps Cheat on her with. William could probably walk out of another girls room with his pants hanging off and Kate the Social Climber would ignore it, just to become Princess.
By mandy on March 17th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Do you have evidence for that, Mandy?
By John on March 18th, 2007 at 9:41 am
That is a rather negative remark, Mandy, assuming facts not in evidence. What in the world would induce you to say such a thing, let alone think it?
By Gigi on March 19th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
It is only natural for such things to happen! Face it William must be a target for any and absolutely every woman in the so called social circles they spend their time around and with. Kate surely must be well aware of the amount of women who would want to take her place, and I am sure by now (after what nearly 4 years?) she must be well equipped with a plan/strategy to hang onto him!
The real question or comments here should not be whether William doing it is appropriate or not…The real question is Kate putting up with such behaviour is that ok? I mean would she be all right if her boyfriend did not have the crown over his head and was just an ordinary bloke…
Your guess is as good as mine. She really wants the title badly so she will put up with anything at this point of time. And if you look at what she does (hardly anything other than partying and hanging out with the royals) we can safely assume she does not need any sympathies regarding that. She is having a good trade off here..
By karishma on March 22nd, 2007 at 7:09 pm