Brigitte Bardot in her 1950s heyday

In case you are wondering whether this post is just an excuse to put up a beach shot of La Bardot in her prime, think again. This is serious.

The now formidable Grande Dame has been giving advice to Kate Middleton on how to get her man — i.e. Prince William.

Brigitte, of course, has spent many years supporting animal cruelty causes and has a reputation for eccentricity where furry creatures are concerned.

Not surprisingly perhaps she has reacted sharply to the pictures of Kate out shooting at Balmoral with Prince Charles, and later, her best guy. Bardot thinks Kate is trying too hard to ensnare her chap into a more long-term commitment by attempting to fit in with aristocratic life.

Kate was pictured on the moors at Balmoral recently, dressed in camouflage and dangly pearl earrings — an incendiary combination apparently, although I don’t quite get the allure myself.

Brigitte, interviewed on TV by Daphne Barak said, “How sad. She was trying to win him and his family. But this is not a way to get a man. And I do know one or two things about it, you know.”

Well, whatever, Kate seems to have been more successful with William than the former French superstar thinks.

The supposed meeting with the Queen and Prince Philip at Balmoral may well have taken place in London earlier, probably before they “came out” (again) as a couple two weeks ago.

However, for anyone who still believes that Kate Middleton is not now an informal part of the Royal Family, these shots of her practising shooting techniques under the supervision of Prince Charles should confirm it.

Princes have always been associated with the armed services, so shooting and hunting have been part of their military training and keeping their hand in. City folk sometimes forget that aspect of hunting.

Kate is a very sporty girl, as we saw during her training for the cross-channel dragon boat race. It’s not surprising then that she has thrown herself into the basic Balmoral routines of stalking, shooting and yomping across the hills in all weathers.

Prince William is nowhere to be seen here. It looks like she’s getting a few lessons from her future father-in-law and a ghillie of the estate.

One thing’s for sure, Kate will be no plaster Royal.

The Aberdeen Press & Journal is reporting that Prince William and Kate Middleton have arrived at Aberdeen Airport for a short break at the Queen’s Balmoral estate.

They flew in on Thursday night on a scheduled flight from London, accompanied by a Scotland Yard protection officer.

Another passenger on the flight commented, “They didn’t get any special treatment, they were offered the same in-flight snack as all the other passengers.”

The plane touched down shortly after 6pm and the couple left the airport’s main terminal in a Range Rover, driven by Prince William.

In recent weeks there have been reports that Wills and Kate will meet the Queen and Prince Philip at Balmoral for a crunch discussion on the future of their relationship. As Royal Anecdotes pointed out then, if this story were not going forward, William would not take Kate along to meet his grandmother.

Bookies have stopped taking bets on a Royal engagement, although it may not actually take place until January 2009 when William will conclude his stints in the Army, Navy and Airforce.

The couple could, however, decide to make an informal announcement of some kind in order to establish Kate’s status within the Royal Family. That would also set up her need for proper police protection, which has been a glaring omission in recent years.

Today’s London Evening Standard is reporting some very specific information on how and why Prince William and Kate Middleton got back together following their March split.

The newspaper reports that they parted “because of his immaturity” in being photographed at various night spots with other women. Kate also has difficulties with his enjoyment of nights on the town with his in-crowd.

A friend reportedly told the Standard, “When they went on a skiing holiday in February, William insisted on taking the gang along. You had people like Thomas van Straubenzee and Guy Pelly there, all keen to do some hard partying. Kate could hardly get a word in.

“There were blazing rows and William responded by asserting what he believed was his right to go on benders with his friends. There was awkwardness between them at the Cheltenham Festival and she attended the Gold Cup alone.”

Kate and William — referred to as the Royal couple — were apparently reunited at a party at 17th Century mansion Upton Viva, given by Sam Waley-Cohen, son of racehorse breeder and trainer Robert Waley-Cohen.

As Royal Anecdotes reported at the time, guests said that Kate and William were seen having an intimate conversation at the event. “The body language said it all,” according to one.

During their recent holiday in the Seychelles, William and Kate are said to have “made an agreement that could underpin their future together” including how to tackle “two serious threats to their happiness” — William’s liking for lads’ nights out and the paparazzi.

Leading London lawyers have been consulted over the hounding of Kate by photographers, although they have been told that there is little that can be done under current British law.

The newspaper speculates that William and Kate will announce their engagement in 2009 when the Prince’s military service is complete, and predicts a Royal wedding in 2010.

Clearly, the meeting with the Queen and Prince Philip at Balmoral next month will be a weighty affair.