Bad Bunny & Kendall Jenner sat together at the Gucci in Milan. This is their “fashion debut” although they’ve gone to basketball games together.[LaineyGossip]
Cate Blanchett will always show up for Armani. [Tom & Lorenzo]
All about Chris Pratt’s dumb water lie. [Pajiba]
What films do you consider “pretentious”? [Buzzfeed]
Mindy Kaling looks like she’s going to prom in this pic. [RCFA]
ACAB, this is just one reason to never date a cop. [Jezebel]
Chris Evans & Alba Baptista were seen flying out of Portugal. [JustJared]
Jessica Chastain at the Sustainable Fashion Awards in Milan. [GFY]
Shakira goes cowgirl. [Egotastic]
Brian Austin Green & Sharna Burgess are engaged. [SeriouslyOMG]

Embed from Getty Images

One of the funniest things about the Princess of Wales’ attempts to copy her sister-in-law’s fashion, jewelry, hair and vibe is that Kate inevitably sets herself up to be on the wrong side of the “competition.” Meghan always wore it better, Meghan always looked more pulled-together, Meghan always looked more regal and beautiful. Kate also tries to put her own keen stink on Meghan’s style, which makes it even funnier. It’s like Kate is going for “Meghan, but with more buttons and everything looks dated and ugly.”

Well, guess who was out and about today in a pantsuit? You guessed it. Kate never even dreamt of wearing actual trousers before 2017. Kate had never even heard of pantsuits. But here she is, wearing a green Burberry pantsuit which looks like a thriftstore find from the 1970s. Janky wig aloft, Kate went to a textile factory once linked to someone in her family, generations ago. After seeing photos of Meghan looking amazing in chunky yellow-gold earrings this past weekend, Kate decided to give it a try too. The necklace looks new as well, something based on one of Meghan’s favorite bracelets. Kate’s Meghan Moodboard has been working overtime. Button Watch: her blazer has ten buttons.

You can read more about Kate’s event here. She seemed subdued in most photos. Maybe she’s just exhausted, she’s never worked this much in September before.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

While I think the Windsors are lazy idiots for the most part, I would actually love to have that kind of personal/household staff. Especially as I get older, I wish I had a valet or dresser, I wish I had twenty maids, I wish I had a butler, I wish a cooking staff. Like, to have staffers do all of the stupid stuff of domestic life, like housework and laundry and keeping track of one’s wardrobe. Must be nice. Well, for the first time ever (??) Prince William has a valet. I know from watching Downton Abbey that a valet is sort of like a personal assistant when it comes to clothes, travel, luggage, hair, etc. Well… at least the valet won’t have to worry about William’s hair.

Prince William has hired a new valet, so he can spend more time focusing on his extra duties as heir to the throne. It is understood the new member of the Royal Household started their role earlier this month but did not travel with The Prince to New York City for the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit.

The Valet is thought to be acting as Prince William’s personal attendant, whose duties include responsibility for his clothing and appearance. Taxpayers are not footing the bill for the new royal hiring, instead, The Prince’s income from the Duchy of Cornwall is understood to be funding the position.

The Duchy of Cornwall, which provided the future King with nearly a £6 million income this year, funds the official, charitable, and private lives of The Prince and his immediate family. His Royal Highness chooses to pay income tax at the highest rate on the taxable income from The Duchy.

The Prince is following in the footsteps of his father, King Charles, who has employed valets for a number of years.

Prince William’s workload is understood to have increased significantly since becoming heir apparent and acts as a Counsellor of State, ready to deputise on behalf of The King if he is abroad or unwell.

[From GB News]

They keep going on about Will and Kate’s increased workload and it’s just false. William has been arguably less visible as Prince of Wales than he was as Duke of Cambridge. It’s truly so funny that William isn’t actually doing “more,” yet he’s demanding all of this new staff – 60 office staffers, a new valet and a Top CEO. William won’t stop until he hires people to handle every single part of his life. Also: notice that Katie Keen isn’t getting a new dresser or even her own private secretary. Fascinating.

Anyway, I have some notes for the new valet, if he’s reading: one, figure out William’s pants situation so he’s not giving Awkward Moose Knuckle constantly and two, make that man use some f–king moisturizer, I’m sick of seeing his dry-ass skin in close-up photos.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

I’m invested in Taylor Swift’s love life against my will, purely because of this job and now maybe because of my politics. Taylor has apparently been quietly dating Travis Kelce, a whole-ass NFL star, for weeks. No one claims that Travis and Taylor are super-serious about each other, or that they’ve been together for more than a handful of dates. TMZ’s sources provided a lot of information about this, actually:

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are not “officially” dating, at least not yet … but they are definitely headed in that direction, and the early returns seem promising. Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Taylor’s appearance at Travis’ NFL game Sunday was NOT the first time they were together. We’re told they have been together “several times” over the last few months.

While Taylor’s show of support was very public, our sources say their person-to-person interactions before Sunday were always in a “very private setting.”

Still, it’s interesting Taylor is already meeting Travis’ parents … our sources say Sunday marked Taylor’s first introduction to TK’s mother, Donna, and father, Ed. We’re told Taylor’s time with Donna, Travis’ mom, went “very well” … and that the matriarch calls Taylor “a lovely person.” Taylor has yet to meet Travis’ older brother Jason — sounds like that will have to wait — he’s busy playing for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Taylor and Travis smiled for the cameras as they left Arrowhead Stadium together after his Kansas City Chiefs pummeled the Chicago Bears, 41-10 … leaving in a convertible. We’re told they took a shot with some friends before leaving the stadium.

We didn’t see any PDA from Taylor and Travis in public, but our sources say they were holding hands at the restaurant he rented out for his family, friends and teammates after the game. At one point Taylor was sitting on Travis’ lap. Taylor fit in well with Travis’ friends and family … she came to the game alone — bodyguards excepted — and was chatting up everyone.

Taylor’s upcoming tour dates could make a full-blown relationship tricky … she’s about to go back on tour in a few weeks, and then in November she heads out for her tour’s international leg. Meanwhile, the NFL will consume Travis’ life, potentially through February’s Super Bowl.

[From TMZ]

It feels Travis was the one pursuing her and she’s sort of just doing things at his pace… for now. Like, longtime Taylor Swift-watchers understand her modus operandi and while Travis came to play, this rollout is actually Classic Taylor, down to meeting his parents so quickly. Anyway, I mentioned politics in the opening – it’s a new thing, to watch Taylor date the good-looking jock, the NFL star. The snake fam is on the attack against the right-wingers who are trying to smear Travis as a “soy boy” who drinks Bud Light and hangs out with Democrats. Those same people also think Taylor is “homely” and that she shouldn’t help people register to vote. Republicans are really going to campaign against football players dating Taylor Swift, aren’t they?

Fellas, is it gay to catch a touchdown pass in an NFL game you helped your team win and then leave with Taylor Swift on your arm https://t.co/K2fUdgKEJa

— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) September 25, 2023

https://t.co/M0Ip2CgYTL pic.twitter.com/YyBBom4mxl

— Biden’s Wins (@BidensWins) September 25, 2023

Also, she is homely. https://t.co/FIiTK9N7cB

— Roger Kimball (@rogerkimball) September 25, 2023

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce the real deal? If past is prologue, then the answer is “lol, no, this will last two months at most.” I’d be happy to be wrong here – Travis seems like he likes the attention just as much as Taylor, and it’s been so long since she’s dated an American guy. I hope she gives him a real shot. Her most recent relationship was with Matt Healy, and it felt like she was fighting with her team about how she didn’t want to break it off with him. What is her team telling her this time? I don’t know. “Sources” told People Mag that Taylor is “very focused on work right now and hanging out with her girlfriends. Travis invited her to the game, and of course she said ‘yes.’ She just thought it was a fantastic way to spend Sunday.” Taylor was seen leaving the Chiefs game in a convertible with Travis, then she went and partied with Travis and his fam after the game.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce created quite the buzz on Sunday night when they decided to cap off a thrilling game at Arrowhead Stadium with a surprise late-night dinner. The star-studded pair’s evening resulted in the shutdown of a popular restaurant as fans and diners gathered for an unexpected encounter with the two celebrities.

Taylor and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end were seen leaving the stadium together, sending fans into a frenzy on social media. The unexpected rendezvous had Swifties and sports enthusiasts alike speculating about the nature of their relationship.

The real surprise, however, awaited fans at Prime Social Rooftop, a trendy restaurant in Kansas City. Patrons who were already dining there on Sunday night found themselves in the midst of an extraordinary encounter.

An eyewitness tells ET, “Travis bought out the restaurant for his family and team. Taylor arrived, wearing a denim dress, and was seen snacking, having some cocktails and dancing alongside Travis. The two were very affectionate with one another but kept things fun and lighthearted. Travis’ teammates also showed up to the after-party, as well as his mom and dad, Donna and Ed. The party lasted until 2 a.m.”

A source tells ET, “Travis has never shied away from his desire to give dating with Taylor a try, which he even said during a press conference a few months ago after seeing Swift in concert. Travis and Taylor are taking things slowly, and not rushing into anything serious. Both are very career-focused, so the focus is on that for now, but that’s not going to stop them from enjoying life when it’s the right moment.”

One diner tells ET, “So we went to Prime Social Rooftop for my friend’s 22nd birthday. They informed us before we left that they had a ‘hard close’ at 8 p.m. and of course, seeing that Taylor was at the Chiefs game, we were already joking that she was going to be there.”

As the clock neared 8 p.m., the restaurant staff approached diners with to-go boxes, informing them that they had to vacate the premises. To compensate for the early closure, the staff graciously offered free drinks at their sister restaurant a few floors down. The restaurant patrons couldn’t help but wonder if this unusual situation was for the benefit of Taylor and Travis. When asked about the unexpected turn of events, the restaurant staff maintained a shroud of secrecy, smiling and replying that they “can’t confirm or deny” the reason for the abrupt closure. However, as conversations with the staff continued, it became evident that they were thrilled about the special guests in attendance and even promised to convey greetings to Taylor.

[From ET]

The last part of ET’s exclusive comes from a TikTok of one of the bar patrons who was asked to leave as Taylor and Travis were arriving. Just FYI. I mean, I believe it. I believe that Travis decided to shoot his shot and he’s still reeling because it worked. This has an air of Travis muttering to himself “don’t f–k this up, don’t f–k this up.” Dude, it’s not even about you! Taylor is gonna Taylor, either she’ll dip in a month or she’ll stick with you for five years. No in-between.

Embed from Getty Images

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Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Getty, Cover Images.

Two Sundays ago, Camilla Tominey broke the news that the Princess of Wales would not join her husband on his big trip to Singapore this fall, where he would “present” the Earthshot Prize. If the Singapore ceremony is anything like the Boston ceremony, the Earthshot winners will only be seen remotely, and Earthshot funds will be allocated to arranging private planes for celebrities. I’m not even joking. But I digress – the news about Kate’s absence came after months of assurances that Kate would join William in Singapore, so how did Tominey get the tip and why does it feel like such a big deal? Well, now Ephraim Hardcastle has devoted part of his column to it, and the column makes it sound like the Foreign Office (FCO) is actually begging Kate to get off her ass and travel more.

Why didn’t the Princess of Wales accompany William on his trip to New York? Kate, a reluctant overseas traveller, has been out of the country on official business just twice this year – a quick trip to watch England play Argentina in Marseille and to attend the wedding of the Crown Prince of Jordan.

There had been high hopes at the FCO that Kate would not only make more overseas visits but would also bring the children. George has been to Australia and New Zealand and was joined by Charlotte in Canada, Poland and Germany, but it seems that school and routine are now more important than helping the FCO with some ‘panda diplomacy’.

William travels to another Earthshot Prize jaunt in Singapore in November. Will Kate accompany him?

[From The Daily Mail]

I mean, I find it gross that the Foreign Office wants her to trot out her children overseas for diplomacy too, but beyond that, it’s just bizarre that Kate is suddenly not going to Singapore and apparently refusing to travel at all. That’s the thing though – I’m not sure she actually is “refusing.” Nor do I believe that the “school run” is so sacred to her that she can’t do anything else. I think Kate was told, by William, that she couldn’t go to Singapore. Speaking of, this US Daily Report story was going around – take this with an enormous grain of salt, but I actually think this is dead-on:

For months, it was speculated that Prince William and Kate Middleton would travel to Singapore later this year for The Earthshot Prize. The media was already salivating about Middleton’s appearance, her fashion choices, and her radiant smile, and they were eager to see her do her iconic bum slap on Prince William. However, that will not happen.

There have been a lot of reports about Kate Middleton’s removal from the Singapore trip. Some royal watchers have come up with an explanation for her not attending the major event with her husband after reports claimed that Prince William is now moving to the phase of being a respected statesman.

He no longer wants the spotlight to be on Kate Middleton’s glam and glamor. It seems that King Charles III faced the same problem with the stunning and charismatic Princess Diana. Prince William has noticed that all his wife has to do is wear something expensive, affordable, fancy, shiny, or new during royal engagements, and she will get headlines for days. Middleton does not have pressure to deliver great speeches, fight for causes, or engage with politicians, world leaders, or business people.

Prince William is not held to the same standard. If he appears at big events in a fancy suit and makes small talk, the media will not give him major headlines. He will be called out for lacking substance and being an empty suit. It seems that Prince William has decided that Middleton’s sparkle is a problem for him, and will therefore leave her behind as often as possible as he tries to make his mark as the next King of England.

[From US Daily Report]

“They were eager to see her do her iconic bum slap on Prince William.” LMAO @ whoever wrote that line. Yes, I agree that William didn’t want his ass groped by his inappropriate and lecherous wife in Singapore. Plus, the other stuff – Kate has zero substance, all she does is show up somewhere in a frock and that’s the headline. Sucks that William married such a dud, someone incapable of being the kind of intellectual and diplomatic partner he needs. Oh well!

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

I’m still shocked that Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater are together. They got together, from what I can see, in the spring of this year. They were in London, working on Wicked, and both of them conveniently forgot that they were married to other people. Ariana’s marriage to Dalton Gomez crashed and burned and Dalton has kept quiet about it. Ethan’s wife Lilly Jay chose a different path, pushing back against Team Grande’s narrative that Ethan and Ari only got together when both of their marriages ended. So here we are, with both married couples going through divorces and Ari and Ethan are still happening. Their cheating asses went to Disneyland last Friday.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater are going strong amid their respective divorces. The couple was spotted linking arms while walking around Disneyland on Friday night, according to photos obtained by celebrity blog Deuxmoi. The pair, whose faces can’t be seen, were photographed from behind while waiting for a ride.

A video from the outing showed the “Wicked” co-stars — who were joined by a couple friends — getting a tour from one of the theme park guides.

Grande, 30, and Slater, 31, appeared to be trying to stay under the radar in baggy sweatshirts and baseball hats. However, the “7 Rings” dressed up the casual look with a pleated skirt and black sheer tights.

The outing came less than one week after the pop star filed for divorce from her estranged husband, Dalton Gomez, after two years of marriage. According to the filings, Grande requested that their prenuptial agreement be honored. She also wants some of her pricey jewelry to be considered separate property and assets. Despite their split, sources told Page Six that everything has remained amicable between the “Positions” singer and Gomez, 27, who filed divorce papers the same day.

[From Page Six]

Yeah, Dalton will walk away with a nice settlement and an NDA. We don’t know what’s happening with Ethan and Lilly, we only know that their divorce will not be over so quickly, especially given that there’s a baby involved. If I was in Lilly’s place, I would be making the biggest fuss ever, I would be pushing back against Ariana’s crap constantly. I actually wonder why Lilly has stayed quiet for the past few months. Is Ariana cutting her a check as well?

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater spotted at Disneyland. pic.twitter.com/ES8hiDcWaT

— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 26, 2023

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Instagram.

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In “Ehhh, I don’t know about this” news, there are reports that a reboot of “The Office” is in the works from the original showrunner of the US version, Greg Daniels. Over the years, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, and Ed Helms have all said they’d consider reprising their characters. And of course, we’ve since learned that Steve Carrell didn’t actually want to leave, but rather NBC just didn’t approach him to renew his contract. Would they all actually come back, though?

I think the most obvious questions regarding an “Office” reboot are: Was anybody asking for this? Can a reboot add to the original series in a positive, productive manner? Or is this one of those shows that is best left as its original work? (Upon a rewatch, I like the entire series as a whole, even the post-Carrell years weren’t as bad as I remembered them being.) If the majority of the cast doesn’t return, would it be a spin-off with one or two actors back with an entirely new cast? While there’s been no official confirmation yet, word of the reboot came from a short mention in a Puck News post about the WGA strike ending.

Strike’s over, time to get back to our regularly scheduled stream of reboots. After 146 days of the WGA strike, the WGA and the AMPTP reached a tentative agreement on September 24, and, in a post-streaming world, that obviously means bringing back any television program that people already like. Next on the docket is reportedly every Gen Z’s favorite Netflix show that actually aired on NBC, The Office — Billie Eilish must be screaming.

Greg Daniels, creator of the U.S. version of The Office, is currently “set to do a reboot,” per Puck. Little is known beyond the fact of its existence, so best believe we have questions. Does it include the original cast returning or would it just be a new show, also set in an office? Actors like Steve Carell (who had already left the show by the time it ended) and John Krasinski seem unlikely to return, but Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey currently run an Office-themed podcast, so they might be down. Honestly, though, everybody knows all they need to get the people onboard is to bring back Creed.

[From Vulture]

For me, it’s going to depend on how it’s done. I love the original cast, but their stories have already been told. What more is there? I suppose a spin-off involving, say, Dwight and Creed still working in the office with a whole new cast on a new “documentary” is a possibility. The concept of “The Office” is pretty universal and can be and has been many times. My absolute favorite post-Office workplace comedy is “Superstore.” I totally recommend it if you’re looking for something hilarious with intelligent commentary about life while working in retail.

In my opinion, reboots can be even better than the original material if they’re done the right way. Sure, we all got burned by “The X-Files” reboot, but “Cobra Kai,” “Ducktales,” and “Battlestar Galatica” are all great. There are so many fantastic episodes of “The Office.” I think “Dinner Party” is my favorite episode, followed by “Casino Night.” No matter which way they go about a reboot, it’s going to be a really tall order to make this work and get people on board beyond the first few episodes.

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(This is Part 3, chronologically, in a three-part series of palace briefings which happened this weekend.)

On the back of a “successful” tour of France – only his second foreign tour as monarch – King Charles faced a weekend full of headlines about Prince Harry. You see, Charles’s courtiers went on a lil’ briefing spree to the Telegraph and the Sun about Harry’s request, weeks ago, for a room in Windsor Castle for one night as he traveled through England to attend the WellChild Awards. Harry’s father turned down his request, claiming that no rooms were available in the 1,000-room medieval castle. Charles also suggested that Harry hop on a plane to Balmoral and spend one night in Scotland. Harry turned him down. All of this – ALL OF THIS – was leaked by Buckingham Palace, not Harry. Now Buckingham Palace’s courtiers have run to Roya Nikkhah at the Sunday Times to cry about how Charles can’t stand that there’s so much focus on the family soap opera. But really, this piece is about something else – Charles is dithering about whether he should remove Harry as Counsellor of State. Some highlights:

Family problems persist: The Duke of Sussex was refused accommodation on the royal estate when he returned to the UK over the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death and then rejected an invitation to stay with his father at Balmoral. The news, reported by The Sun, once again shows a King whose public work is widely admired but whose private problems continue to make headlines. A source close to Charles said: “It frustrates him that personal issues intrude on the public duty. He’d much rather the focus was on his work, not the soap opera of the private life.”

The counsellor of state issue: His decision to keep Harry as a counsellor of state — one of seven members of the royal family who can deputise for the monarch if he is abroad or unwell — has created a dilemma. By law, counsellors of state are required to have a UK domicile but Harry has no home here after stepping back from official duties. In June Charles asked the Sussexes to vacate Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen. Dr Craig Prescott, an expert in constitutional law, said: “We are really in uncharted waters here, the Prince Harry situation is not something the law easily allows for. The idea of the second son of the King choosing a life away from royal duties is not something the law has thought about and I can imagine that Buckingham Palace would be concerned by that. The King had the chance to remove him with the counsellor of state legislation last year, but chose not to.”

Why William had to rush home from New York: In November Charles asked parliament to add Princess Anne and Prince Edward to the list. It is understood the King’s decision not to rip off the band-aid and remove Harry and Andrew is because he does not want to escalate family tensions, and believes it is unlikely that either would ever be required to deputise for him. However, last week courtiers were keen to ensure that William returned to the UK from his solo trip to New York on Wednesday morning, before Charles and Camilla departed for their state visit to France on the same day.

One plan involves leasing a royal property to Harry: According to well-placed royal sources, courtiers have discussed leasing a property on the royal estate to Harry and Meghan to try to resolve the counsellor-of-state conundrum. One option understood to have been considered is accommodation at Kensington Palace, where the Prince and Princess of Wales have a home and their private office. They spend few nights there, having moved their family to Windsor. A friend of Charles’s said: “The King can see that to remove Harry as a counsellor of state would be seen as an act of antagonism and he does not want to do that. If, as a consequence of that, somewhere on the royal estate needs to be earmarked as a pied-à-terre for his son, that seems a reasonable thing to do.” The suggestion is hotly disputed by Buckingham Palace. A spokesman said: “These claims are not true.”

Whether Harry would even want a home in Britain: A friend of Harry’s said the Sussexes would like another home here: “Not having anywhere isn’t overly helpful, there are friends and hotels but I know they would like to have somewhere. Meghan has decided that coming back more is not what she wants to do, but Harry would like to. Having a base in his home country, despite everything that has happened, is appealing. There is work to be done here in terms of the charities and there would be opportunities in the future where he’ll want to be here a bit more. If they could have kept Frogmore, they would have done, it was the perfect set-up for them. When he last stayed there, he did a whole load of clearing out and he was sanguine about it but pretty sad.” The friend said if Charles offered the Sussexes a home on the royal estate, “it would be an ever-so-slightly softening of relations”.

[From The Times]

Nikkhah also reports that Nottingham Cottage, once the Sussexes’ London base, is now the residence of a member of “the Royal household.” Meaning… some courtier or flunky lives there now. Curious. Anyway, it’s breathtaking to watch Charles shoot himself in the d–k, leak the shooting to everyone and blame it on Harry, slowly come to realize that he shot himself in the d–k, and now try to unshoot his d–k. “Oh you mean it actually made sense for Harry to maintain a home in the UK? Why didn’t anyone tell me before I evicted my son because I was mad about his memoir?!?” Again, why was Charles so insistent on the Frogmore eviction? Just pettiness, nastiness, vindictiveness? Or was it something else? I know some of you theorized that William is living in Frogmore now. I doubt he is, but if he is… well, that’s genuinely insane. It would also explain why the eviction happened in the first place, and why the Sussexes can’t have Frogmore back. As for the idea of a Kensington Palace “pied-à-terre,” well, that’s one way to get Buttons and Peg back to London – they’ll book it back to KP if there’s a chance that Harry has a little one-bedroom apartment there.

Also: notice that this is all about the Counselor of State issue and NOT about a grandfather wanting to ensure that his grandchildren have a safe place to stay in the UK. Like… Charles really, really couldn’t care less about Lili and Archie. He doesn’t care about them, he doesn’t care about seeing them, he doesn’t care if they’re safe.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid, Netflix and Misan Harriman for the Sussexes.

Clive Irving isn’t one of those lunatic royal commentators spreading lies and a keen agenda all over the place, but he is more of an establishment guy, someone who believes in the monarchy overall, so he offers constructive criticism like “King Charles is out of touch and behaving like an imperial viceroy.” Some of those older monarchists have already given up on the Carolean Era and they’re looking ahead to William’s reign. But Clive Irving thinks William and Kate need to do one big thing before they truly win over Americans: apologize for slavery.

Prince William and Princess Kate are “very popular” in America but they have to deal with a “big problem” before they are fully accepted, a royal author has claimed. Time and time again, the Waleses’ have provided a masterclass in public relations: their ability to portray the perfect family unit at royal engagements is second to none. However, one royal engagement overseas backfired spectacularly. Last year, the couple embarked on a tour of the Caribbean region to strengthen Britain’s ties with the Commonwealth and mark the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne.

Despite good intentions, calls for slavery reparations and the legacy of colonialism overshadowed William and Kate’s tour of Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas. Instead of dissuading other countries from following in Barbados’ footsteps and becoming a republic, Kate and William’s tour suggested the mood music in the region had changed.

This has proven to be a sticking point for Americans too, according to Clive Irving, author of The Last Queen and royal columnist at The Daily Beast.

“It’s clear that William and Kate are very popular here [America] among those who follow the Royal Family,” Mr Irving said. In fact, “William and Kate are much more appropriate to the American taste than the King himself is”, the royal biographer claimed. But he added: “However, William and Kate principally have got a real problem they’ve got to deal with – one they stumbled over last year.”

Mr Irving continued: “They have to deal with all the revelations about the Royal Family’s involvement in slavery. And they’ve got to show some kind of atonement for that.” The royal biographer added that it’s a “very live political issue” in the US.

On the face of it, it’s incumbent on King Charles – not William – to atone for the sins of the past. However, Mr Irving claims, William and Kate are very much seen as the “progressive couple” so their messaging is more likely to resonate.

[From The Daily Express]

Irving isn’t wrong (per se) but he’s acting as if William and Kate could just give a speech and say “slavery was awful, our bad” and we would crown them king and queen of Keen America. While the Windsors absolutely need to find a better way to discuss their family’s role in the transatlantic slave trade and the legacy of slavery throughout Britain and the British Commonwealth, the Windsors also need to figure out a way to not be racist, to not be white supremacist fools, and to not wander around like Victorian colonialists. William and Kate’s Caribbean Flop Tour wasn’t simply about their lack of apology for slavery – they were literally just touring around in colonialist cosplay, performing “skits” for a purely British audience. They treated people of color like diversity props and they truly didn’t even care that their cosplay and chain-link fence photo-ops were not what anyone wanted. And again, why are William, Kate and the entire royal establishment so obsessed with America now? Don’t tell me, I know.

Photos courtesy of Instar.