When you’ve been reading royal gossip for years, you do get a sense when the narrative starts to shift, and when certain royals are being “punished” by the palace. That’s absolutely happening right now to the Princess of Wales. Kate thought it would be a keen idea to overshadow King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit to the Chelsea Flower Show and she’s been paying for it ever since. To be clear, Buckingham Palace hasn’t gone Full Anti-Kate – they’re not trying to destroy her, they’re just trying to “put her in her place” and ensure that she gets some bad press. What’s also funny is seeing how the royal rota is furiously trying to make it sound like that’s not happening in plain sight. From this past weekend’s episode of “Palace Confidential” from the Mail:

The Princess of Wales’ popularity is ‘unsettling’ for King Charles and Queen Camilla – but the Palace see Kate as a ‘great model for the monarchy’, royal experts have claimed.

Kate Mansey’s take: Mansey insisted that the Princess of Wales ‘was not competing’ with her in-laws with her top-secret engagement. The expert said: ‘I think she’s a great model for the monarchy [and] for the Royal Family and they appreciate that. They wouldn’t have had her there if they didn’t think it would be brilliant so I think there’s a way they can all exist.’ What’s more, the royal expert noted that the King and Queen were in Northern Ireland where they’re engaging in ‘high level diplomacy’. Kate added: ‘So a bit of glam and glitz from Catherine [is welcome]. There’s room for everybody!’

Richard Eden’s take: Before the Queen passed away, the royal expert highlighted how there were royal aides who wanted Charles and Camilla to complete as many engagements as possible with William and Kate.He explained: ‘I think that was a chance to show that this was the future of the monarchy and it’s in safe hands, that sort of thing. Now that [Charles and Camilla] are King and Queen, it is slightly different. They want lots of attention for their causes and the things that they feel strongly about so it could be a bit unsettling if they don’t get that attention.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“A bit of glam and glitz from Catherine [is welcome]. There’s room for everybody!” – Mansey is literally saying that to Buckingham Palace. She’s telling Charles’s musty courtiers to ease off on the Kate attacks. I believe Robert Jobson did the same – it’s like the courtiers are giving Charles and Camilla a pep talk, “it’s okay sir, Kate will get attention, it’s good attention!” Except the problem is the suggestion that Charles and Camilla don’t have enough glitz and glam on their own, that they need Kate running around in Sister Wife dresses and Shamble Wiglets to provide a dose of royal glamour. And yes, Charles and Cam are “unsettled.” You might even say they’re angry, short-sighted and punitive.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.