Happy birthday Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton is 26 today. Royal Anecdotes wishes her a very happy day and many festive returns.
Her long-term boyfriend, Prince William, began a four-month stint in the Royal Air Force on Monday, so it’s likely to be a family and friends only day today for Kate. Nevertheless, I’m sure William will get in touch somehow, even if it is from 30,000 feet.
There are a few good-news Kate stories doing the rounds just now. Often they start in a single red-top tabloid and gain currency through news agencies and by pickups in the world’s local press. Blogs then report them as fact.
One such — which Royal Anecdotes is a bit wary of — started life in The People newspaper. It seems Kate bought Wills a Nintendo Wii game set for Christmas. For those who don’t keep up with these things, it’s a minor marvel of modern technology. The user holds a couple of sensors and plays along with, say, a game of tennis on the screen. Every move made by the user translates to a player onscreen.
Now, the bit that makes me suspicious is that the Queen — Her Royal Britannic Majesty — is said to have become addicted to the thing and spends all her time bouncing around in front of a computer. Such is the state of her dependency on the gadget that poor William can’t get near it : “Go and play with your aeroplanes”, one imagines the Queen snapping while at deuce in the third set against her phantom opponent.
I wonder if the PR firm of Nintendo’s UK distributor had anything to do with this leak to The People?
A very happy 26th birthday to Kate!
I’m sure William did something special for Kate before he headed to Cranwell. Hopefully Kate’s family or friends have something special planned for her today.
By Evelyn on January 9th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I wish Kate a very Happy Birthday!!! how I envy her 26 years old I sometimes wish I could go back to being 26. I hope William can at somepoint today call her on her day, But if not I’m sure he will not let the day pass unnoticed. Lets Hope the media don’t spoil her day by making up a story that something is wrong because he can’t be with her.
By Trudie on January 9th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
This may be one of those things where the Queen did take an interest for whatever reason and then the press embelishes the story beyond all recognition. Each report I have seen becomes more fantastical at each telling. Its a lovely picture actually of the Queen and William, a quiet human interest item but then the rabid press gets involved……. So keep up the appreciated work John of “fair and balanced reporting”
By Claudia on January 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
John, I hope you don’t mind a question. A story appeared yesterday that seemed flat wrong but is getting picked up here and there. It’s about Williams 25th birthday having been just celebrated with him getting his hands on his inheritance. Wasn’t his 25th birthday last June???
By Claudia on January 9th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Thanks, Claudia. Will do.
Yes, that was last year. You have to be very careful with Google searches because a lot of the stuff that comes up is old material. I’ve fallen for it myself so I’m very aware of dates now.
Even Google Alerts sends out old news occasionally. A few days ago I received one that dated back two years. It’s often because old material is transferred to a new site without retaining the old date, so it comes up as new.
By John on January 9th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Happy Birthday to Kate and may this year be a wonderful one for her and Prince William! John, the Daily Mail has the nintendo story, but not the addiction part, just that the Queen did well playing the game and that Prince William was impressed with her ability. A more interesting story in the Daily Mail is that the Royal Family has arranged for Kate to have 24 hour protection from now on, which naturally makes it appear as if an announcement of the engagement between Prince William and Kate is imminent. Further, the story details that Kate has been accepted and welcomed as a member of the Royal family, by Charles, by courtiers and staff. The story claims that staff treat Kate with a deference that is reserved for members of the Royal Family. If true, this is all good news indeed!
By Gigi on January 9th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
You say about the few good-news stories about Kate going the rounds at the moment,
The Daily Mail have a ‘story’ in todays paper to the effect that Kate is to be assigned her own 24 hour guard of two Scotland Yard Protection Officers. It also names names of some of the officers and then goes off on the ‘obvious tack’ that an engagement might be imminen! An informed source is reported to have given this information to the Evening Standard.
What do you make of this John?
By Royalist on January 9th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Gigi, yes, there are lots of Kate stories around today. I’m trying to keep up with them all — not many are really worth bothering with.
If the protection story stands up, though, that would be a big one. I’ll probably be posting on it when there’s more certainty, or “triangulation”, as you Americans say.
By John on January 9th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Yes, Happy Birthday Kate. It’s really great to hear that she will now get some protection. I’m sure William had this planned because he’s away on training. She really needs that and I feel there will be more great news to come this year. I can hardly wait.
By Claudius on January 9th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I agree with you, Claudius!! I can hardly wait myself!! In the meantime, while we are waiting for the engagement of Prinec William and Kate to be announced, we can enjoy the forthcoming May nuptials of Peter Philips and Autumn Kelly! I am definitely in a lovely pink haze known to characterize Royal Wedding mode!
By Gigi on January 9th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
The People: “She played a simple ten-pin bowling game and by all accounts was a natural….She showed all the signs of becoming a Nintendo addict.”"
I’m glad to know I’m not the only old queen to feel the addictive lure of Wii bowling!
By Aunt Pierre on January 9th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Trudie, why so glum? Your 26th birthday was just 4 years ago.
By Arthur on January 9th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Arthur I LOVE YOU!!!
By Trudie on January 10th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Happy Birthday, Kate!
Hope you had a lovely day with family and friends and your protectors to keep away the media. What a wonderful present William gave his love. Sure sounds like marriage is in the cards.
If I get to the Queen’s age, may I be so lucky as to be in any condition to play Wii bowling……God love her!
By Molly on January 10th, 2008 at 2:17 am