Kate Middleton's Clever Comeback After Being Mistaken for Prince William's Assistant
Kate Middleton was mistaken for Prince William's assistant during a 2020 visit to a nursing home.
Rather than rejecting the label, the Princess replied, "Well I am your assistant! I have been for a long time!"
Middleton has been a full-time working royal since her marriage to William in 2011, and reportedly sees her role as a supporting one, according to The Times.Kate Middleton may be the future queen of the United Kingdom, but her self-effacing British humor is still very much intact. Case in point? Consider a visit the Prince and Princess of Wales paid to the Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff, Wales in 2020, back when they were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
It all started when the couple reconnected with a resident there by the name of Joan Drew-Smith, per Hello Magazine. Referencing a previous visit during which William and Kate ran a game of bingo, Drew-Smith candidly told the duo, "You did a bloody shit job." She then pointed to Kate and asked, "Is that your assistant?"
Middleton, for her part, quickly fired back: "Well I am your assistant! I have been for a long time!"
William later told reporters he was not at all insulted by Drew-Smith's frank humor. "I love Joan, she's brilliant," he said. "If only everyone was as honest as her."
Middleton's embrace of the word "assistant" is a joke, of course, but her response reflects the fact that she has assisted Prince William in his lifelong set of royal duties since marrying into the British royal family back in 2011. Since then, the future queen has become something of a "gatekeeper" to her husband.
"Kate has always seen her role as a supporting one," a new report by The Times said. "She is understood to have been inspired by the late Duke of Edinburgh, who made an individual contribution while being very clear that his role was to support the monarch."
The Prince and Princess most recently celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary with a two-day trip to Scotland. It was Kate's first overnight trip since her cancer diagnosis in 2024.
'They feel they are very lucky to be married to each other," royal historian Dr. Amanda Foreman told People. "Their marriage is strong, and they are being honest about it.'
Read the original article on InStyle
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Golden Gloves VR Review: Virtual Reality Boxing Gets Serious
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Golden Gloves VR puts you directly in the ring for a first-person boxing game that could only be more realistic if it gave you a black eye. The sports simulation, developed by Engine Room VR, aims for a 1:1 approximation of boxing. It's certainly got the credentials. As soon as you load up you're thrust onto a darkened weigh-in stage bearing promotional stands and banners for upcoming real-world fights, all as phone cameras flash from the roaring audience. From here you're free to partake in bouts both online and off, train on a selection of boxing equipment, or just mill about in the game's online spaces chatting to other players. According to Francis Jee, Head of Strategic Partnerships, authentic fundamentals underpin the entire experience. Your POV in Golden Gloves VR Your POV in Golden Gloves VR Engine Room VR Golden Gloves VR Review "The game ensures that the punch mechanics deal the most damage only when using proper punch techniques and when a blow is delivered with the correct part of the gloves, eliminating slaps, flailing and other types of poor form that would get you knocked out in a real fight." In the ring, timing, accuracy and technique are all necessary in doing the most damage possible. You'll know you've hit the sweet spot when you hear an unmistakable (if slightly unrealistic) thumping sound, accompanied by bruising and swelling of your opponent's increasingly battered face. To get there, Engine Room VR recruited amateur and professional boxers, including British heavyweight Johnny Fisher, to act as ambassadors and consultants. They provide gameplay feedback, recorded motion capture, and also coached the developers on proper punch form. That said, it is possible to cheese your way through some fights. Flailing your arms at the both head and body of AI opponents can confuse them, as they can't seem to block the two areas simultaneously. You can use that to your advantage and windmill your way to victory. Playing like this, though, runs against the spirit of Golden Gloves VR. It's as much a training regime as a game, so you'd only be hurting yourself. "Golden Gloves is a non-contact way to engage with the real sport of boxing," says Lee, "and a gateway to entry for joining a real boxing gym and growing the sport as a whole. Training done in the real gym transfers to our game." Not only can you compete in bouts online against human opponents, but put in the work across a suite of boxing practice equipment such as speed bags, aqua bags, reflex bags, heavy bags, and wall-mounted pads. Vibrations in your controller do a solid job of approximating contact in lieu of the real thing. After all, you're really just punching air. You can alter the physical properties of the equipment, making bags lighter to swing more or heavier to become virtually immovable, and monitor your punching power with a pop-up stats screen. There's also a calorie tracker, but since it seems to count the calories you burn while moving your character with the thumbstick, take that with a pinch of salt. Still, it's a more fully fledged offering than The Thrill of the Fight 2, which for now lacks gym workout equipment, as well as Golden Gloves VR's online spaces that let likeminded boxers mingle without a match on the line. Golden Gloves VR or The Thrill of the Fight 2? The Thrill of the Fight 2 excels in presentation. Character models are more detailed, environments are sharper, and the visual package just looks more professional. Golden Gloves VR looks basic by comparison. However, it's the more comprehensive package. The training gym in Golden Gloves VR The training gym in Golden Gloves VR Engine Room VR For Lee, it's all friendly competition. "It's worth noting that we have a lot of admiration for Thrill of the Fight's popularity and incredible graphics," he says. "The more people boxing in VR the better!" Golden Gloves VR also has licenses on its side. It's partnered with industry titans like Matchroom and Golden Gloves, and USA Boxing even recognises it as their official esports platform. June saw the launch of a real-world tournament where 14 Golden Gloves boxers from across the United States and 2 e-boxers from online qualifiers competed in VR for $5000 in prize money and the first eGolden Gloves belt. "It was inspiring and interesting to see virtual world gamification meet real world athleticism," Lee says. So, what's next for Golden Gloves VR? Various updates are coming, which have previously introduced new modes and minigames. There are also more esport tournaments, the next being the eUSA Boxing National competition in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA on Sept 13th - 20th alongside the USA Boxing National Open. Golden Gloves VR Review Score Golden Gloves VR is the definitive VR boxing game. With accurate controls, solid fundamentals, and built-in fitness trackers, it could feasibly boost your real-world boxing skills, and let you have fun while you're doing it. 9/10 How to Play Golden Gloves VR Golden Gloves VR can be played on any Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro headsets, as well as Valve Index. Where To Buy Golden Gloves VR You can buy Golden Gloves VR on the Meta store. The game is also available on Steam.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Prince William Interviews Sir David Attenborough on Camera — and Things Get Deep
Prince William joins Sir David Attenborough for a candid conversation about their shared passion for ocean conservation Attenborough, 99, spotlights the beauty and fragility of marine life in his new documentary Ocean, debuting June 8 on World Oceans Day The release coincides with Prince William's upcoming trip to Monaco, where he'll speak at a major summit on protecting the world's oceansOn the eve of World Oceans Day, Prince William is stepping into the role of TV host — interviewing none other than beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough in a new short film highlighting the beauty and fragility of the world's oceans. The five-minute conversation, released ahead of Attenborough's upcoming documentary Ocean, sees the two passionate conservationists delve into their shared fascination with the sea and their deep concern for its future. '[The damage done] to the ocean floor is unspeakably awful,' Attenborough says in the clip. 'Something must be done before we destroy this great treasure.' But like William, 42, Attenborough remains optimistic about what can be achieved through greater knowledge of the seas and how to protect them. Some of that comes with the awareness raised by his film. 'We have an entrée into people's front rooms,' he says. The veteran broadcaster, who turned 99 last month (and received birthday wishes from William), also shares lighthearted memories from his early days of underwater filming — including struggling to use an old-fashioned diving helmet — before turning to the urgent message of his new film. Ocean with David Attenborough premieres June 7 on National Geographic and begins streaming June 8 on Hulu and Disney+, coinciding with World Oceans Day. William will also mark the occasion by speaking at a high-level conference on ocean preservation in Monaco. The release of William and Attenborough's conversation follows a new installment in the Prince of Wales' Guardians docuseries on BBC Earth's YouTube channel. The latest episode spotlights Captain José Luis Cesena Calderon, a former illegal fisherman turned conservationist who now protects Mexico's Sea of Cortez from poachers targeting vulnerable species like parrotfish, lobster and octopus. Both projects are part of a growing push by William, 42, to spotlight individuals and communities making a real difference for the planet. It's also central to his environmental legacy project, the Earthshot Prize — where Attenborough sits on the council. One of the Prize's five categories, Revive Our Oceans, has helped fund and scale efforts that have restored over 20,000 square kilometers of marine ecosystems and saved or recycled 2.5 million tonnes of water since 2021, William's office at Kensington Palace says. Their partnership is personal, too. William and Attenborough, who also was close to the prince's grandmother Queen Elizabeth, share a warm bond that stretches back years — including a memorable moment in 2020 when Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, interviewed Attenborough in a charming video from Kensington Palace. The young royals grilled the nature icon with questions like, 'What animal do you think will go extinct next?' Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! In a statement to PEOPLE, Attenborough reflected on the magnitude of what we still don't know — and what's at stake. "My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery," he said. "Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations, and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man.' 'In this film, we share some of those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored to health," he added. Ocean with David Attenborough premieres June 7 on National Geographic and will be available to stream on Hulu on Disney+ on June 8, World Ocean Day. Read the original article on People
UPI
5 hours ago
- UPI
Ailing Rod Stewart cancels upcoming concerts
Rod Stewart arrives for the American Music Awards at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on May 26. Photo by James Atoa/UPI | License Photo June 7 (UPI) -- British rock 'n' roll icon Rod Stewart has canceled six of his upcoming concerts while he recovers from the flu. "So sorry my friends," the "Maggie May" and "Forever Young" singer, 80, wrote on Instagram Saturday. "I'm devastated and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to my fans. I'll be back on stage and will see you soon." Stewart was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement honor at the American Music Awards show and is expected to perform in the "Legend" slot at the Glastonbury Music Festival later this month. Rod Stewart turns 80: a look back Musician Rod Stewart arrives for the premiere of "Titanic" in Los Angeles on December 14, 1997. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
