Prince Philip gave Kate Middleton blunt warning about surviving royal life

Prince Philip gave Kate Middleton blunt warning about surviving royal life 

Duke of Edinburgh's 'golden rule' focused on avoiding celebrity status while representing monarchy 

By Stephanie Nolasco Fox News, September 2, 2025 

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/prince-philip-gave-kate-middleton-blunt-warning-surviving-royal-life

Hello! magazine recently revisited Gyles Brandreth's 2021 book, "Philip: The Final Portrait," which claimed the Duke of Edinburgh gave the future Princess of Wales his no-nonsense "golden rule" for making it as a senior member of the British royal family. 

"If you think the attention is on you personally, you'll end up in trouble," Philip told her, as quoted by the outlet. "The focus is on your role, what you do, what you support. It's not focused on you as an individual. You're not a celebrity. You represent the royal family." 

According to Brandreth, the late queen's husband told Kate that one crucial way to avoid feeling like a star was to "never look at the camera" when photographers were present. He stressed that Queen Elizabeth II never looked at the camera, but instead at the person she was speaking with. 

Brandreth noted that Philip, who supported his wife for more than seven decades, served as a mentor to the younger royals. He worried they might be consumed by fame, casting aside duty and service. Philip was reportedly "relieved" that his grandson Prince William, heir to the throne, had found a "level-headed girl" like Kate. 

"I have been on walkabouts with [the Princess of Wales]," said Brandreth. "She does not look at the camera. Whenever she is interviewed, Catherine talks about the matter at hand, never about herself." 

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that Philip's advice continues to shape Kate's role as a beloved senior royal. "She was taught by the best," said Chard. "Prince Philip reminded her that she wasn't a celebrity. She represents the royal family. She needs to dedicate herself to a life of service, concentrate on the job at hand and never smile directly at the camera. 

"The Princess of Wales's deep humility and discretion, along with Philip's advice in dealing with life in the spotlight, has given her the strength to breeze through challenging media firestorms." British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital it was easy for Kate to follow Philip's advice. "One of the many reasons Princess Catherine has followed his advice was due to the national respect she always garnered," Fordwich explained. "She also values tradition, service, as well as stability." 

"He implored her to always focus on the role, that of dedication and duty, not on herself," said Fordwich. "That's why she avoids seeking public attention for personal fame. He made it blatantly clear that royalty and celebrity are two completely different things. 

Philip's advice has helped her preserve the monarchy's respected public image, rendering her as one of the most level-headed, grounded, popular, revered and trusted members of the royal family." 

Royal experts previously said Kate was touched by her exchanges with Philip. Biographer Penny Junor told the U.K.'s Daily Mail that despite not having an aristocratic background, Kate mastered palace rules with ease. "Kate shines in her own light, but she knows her place in the royal family," Junor told the outlet. "I think Kate is a bit like Prince Philip, who has always supported Queen Elizabeth II." 

Kate and William are also said to be inspired by the longevity of Elizabeth and Philip's union, Vanity Fair reported. The couple were married for 73 years until Philip died in 2021 at age 99. Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, died in 2022 at age 96. 

William and Kate are believed to want to set an example not only for their three young children but for the nation. "The late Queen Elizabeth made a huge success of her long life of service," said Chard. "Her beloved Philip was her constant strength and guide. Princess Catherine is happy to be part of the bigger picture, the glue of the royal family. She is still scrutinized by the public and photographers, yet she handles the spotlight with grace and sheer dedication to the royal family." 

"The Princess of Wales holds star power by shining in her own light," Chard added.

​“There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there’s never more than one.”

"There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer.
Then there's never more than one."

~ That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis, The Space Trilogy

“Every time you make a choice you are turning . . . into something a little different"

"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature."

~ Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, Book III, Chapter 4, "Morality and Psychoanalysis", 1952.

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

~ Dr. Seuss

The Three Times I Married My Wife - The New York Times

"I wasn't really married until I desperately wanted to walk out of my life and didn't."

"The Three Times I Married My Wife" - The New York Times
By Brent Chaim Spodek, Nov. 28, 2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/style/modern-love-the-three-times-i-married-my-wife.html 

The greatest threat to our planet

"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."

~ Jane Goodall

The 52 Best Breakup Lines (Said in Real Life) - The New York Times

"It's not me — it's 100% about you. Unless you turn into a different person, this will never work."
Tricia Cramblet, Seattle

"Mispronounce Eyjafjallajökull once more and we're done," my Icelandic boyfriend said.
That volcano had recently erupted.
Barbora Bukovska, London

"I couldn't leave you," he said, "so I did something awful so you would leave me."
After my partner of two years made sure I saw him in bed with another woman, I'd begged him to tell me why he had been so cruel.
Julie Melrose, Northampton, Mass.

"It's not you," I said. "It's not me. It's us."
Boyd Crow, Morro Bay, Calif.

"We can break up, or you can stop doing this. Either way, my life is going to get better."
I was fed up with her constant, last-minute cancellations.
Jeremy Lee, Phoenix

"The problem with us," he said, "is that we both need a wife."
Donna Herring, Hancock, Maine

"I never loved you," he said. "I loved the way you loved me."
Eleanor Hutchins, New York, N.Y.

"You care what people think, you care where you went to school and you like brands," he said. "I think I need to be with someone who cares more about the world than themselves."
Abbey Glover, San Francisco

"The 52 Best Breakup Lines (Said in Real Life)" - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/style/best-breakup-lines.html
By Miya Lee and Daniel Jones, Dec. 15, 2025

Poor Mexico

Porfirio Díaz, the Mexican dictator who was toppled in 1911: 

"Poor Mexico, so far from God, so close to the United States."

Tolstoy's relationship with Mohandas Gandhi

quote from Wikipedia as of Mar 4, 2016:

Mohandas Gandhi wrote in his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Part II, Chapter 15) that this book "overwhelmed" him and "left an abiding impression." Gandhi listed Tolstoy's book, as well as John Ruskin's Unto This Last and the poet Shrimad Rajchandra (Raychandbhai), as the three most important modern influences in his life.[3] Reading this book opened up the mind of the world-famous Tolstoy to Gandhi, who was still a young protester living in South Africa at the time.

In 1908 Tolstoy wrote, and Gandhi read, A Letter to a Hindu,[4] which outlines the notion that only by using love as a weapon through passive resistance could the native Indian people overthrow the colonial British Empire. This idea ultimately came to fruition through Gandhi's organization of nationwide nonviolent strikes and protests during the years 1918–1947. In 1909, Gandhi wrote to Tolstoy seeking advice and permission to republish A Letter to a Hindu in his native language, Gujarati. Tolstoy responded and the two continued a correspondence until Tolstoy's death a year later in 1910. The letters concern practical and theological applications of nonviolence, as well as Gandhi's wishes for Tolstoy's health. Tolstoy's last letter was to Gandhi.[5]

 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kingdom_of_God_Is_Within_You as of Mar 4, 2016

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

 “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

~ Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), ranked among the world's top writers for historical novels such as War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and The Death of Ivan Ilyich

Wisdom, by Dollie Radford, English poet

Wisdom

by Dollie Radford

HOW can I measure your sorrow,
How do I know
The weight of to-day and to-morrow,
Of days long ago,
The grief, and the burden to follow,
That speech may not show?
Deep in my heart is the measure,
Laid by the years,
To fathom, beneath all your pleasure,
The flood of your tears,
To mark all the desolate leisure
Your lonely heart fears.

https://www.best-poems.net/dollie-radford/wisdom.html

Sonnet 116: 'Let me not to the marriage of true minds...', by William Shakespeare

Sonnet 116: 'Let me not to the marriage of true minds...'

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

~ William Shakespeare (1564-1616) 

Poet and playwright, considered the greatest dramatist of all time

Bluebird Symbolism and Spiritual Meaning, by SonomaBirding.com

The Bluebird is a uniquely attractive bird. Its feathers and coloration are gorgeous, while its song is melodious and pleasant to the ear. In the avian world, these birds might not be well recognized, but they have a strong and positive symbolism in the spiritual world. It has featured some important symbolism among many religious groups. . . .

The bluebird is a symbol of hope, love, and renewal and is also a part of many Native American legends. It symbolizes the essence of life and beauty. Dreaming of bluebirds often represents happiness, joy, fulfillment, hope, prosperity, and good luck. . . .

The bluebirds’ most significant symbolism is associated with their wings’ color; blue is symbolic of peace and contentment, and so are these birds. According to the Mystics, blue was the color of innocence, honesty, and purity.

Bluebirds are also symbolic of joy and happiness; their spirits firmly believe in spreading joy everywhere they go. Because the bluebirds have a melodious voice, they’re symbolic of music and passion. They have a positive spirit and keep the negative energies at bay.

Even in the harshest climates, when they have a scarcity of food, these birds still manage to sing cheerfully. It is a sign that you should never lose faith, even in your darkest hours. You must hold on to the belief that in the end, it will all be alright.

Bluebirds also stand for the inner child in all of us. They remind us that while the world might be a cruel place, you should never lose your kindness and innocence because these are the traits that make you a better person. . . .

https://www.sonomabirding.com/bluebird-symbolism/  as of 11/14/2025

Bluebird, by Charles Bukowski

Bluebird

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see
you.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I pour whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks
never know that
he's
in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say,
stay down, do you want to mess
me up?
you want to screw up the
works?
you want to blow my book sales in
Europe?
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes
when everybody's asleep.
I say, I know that you're there,
so don't be
sad.
then I put him back,
but he's singing a little
in there, I haven't quite let him
die
and we sleep together like
that
with our
secret pact
and it's nice enough to
make a man
weep, but I don't
weep, do
you?

https://allpoetry.com/poem/8509539-Bluebird-by-Charles-Bukowski 

This was published in Bukowski's book "The Last Night of the Earth Poems" circa 1992

Everything is waiting for you, by David Whyte

Everything is waiting for you
Your great mistake is to act the drama
as if you were alone. As if life
were a progressive and cunning crime
with no witness to the tiny hidden
transgressions. To feel abandoned is to deny
the intimacy of your surroundings. Surely,
even you, at times, have felt the grand array;
the swelling presence, and the chorus, crowding
out your solo voice. You must note
the way the soap dish enables you,
or the window latch grants you freedom.

Alertness is the hidden discipline of familiarity.
The stairs are your mentor of things
to come, the doors have always been there
to frighten you and invite you,
and the tiny speaker in the phone
is your dream-ladder to divinity.

Put down the weight of your aloneness and ease into the
conversation. The kettle is singing
even as it pours you a drink, the cooking pots
have left their arrogant aloofness and
seen the good in you at last. All the birds
and creatures of the world are unutterably
themselves. Everything is waiting for you.

https://allpoetry.com/poem/15379873-Everything-is-waiting-for-you-by-David-Whyte

"Never underestimate the ability of an enthusiast to screw things up."

"Never underestimate the ability of an enthusiast to screw things up."

~ GunnyMike, AP article comment

Girlfriends at the Ocean View Restaurant

GIRLFRIENDS

A group of 15-year-old girlfriends discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed upon that they should meet at the Dairy Queen next to the Ocean View restaurant because they only had $6.00 between them and Jimmy Johnson, that cute boy in Social Studies, lives on that street and they might see him, and they can ride their bikes there.

10 years later, the group of 25-year-old girlfriends discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed upon that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the beer was cheap, they had free snacks, the band was good, there was no cover and there were lots of cute guys.

10 years later, at 35 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed upon that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the cosmos were good, it was right near the gym and if they go late enough, there wouldn't be too many whiny little kids.

10 years later, at 45 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed upon that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the martinis were big, and the waiters there had tight pants and nice buns.

10 years later, at 55 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally it was agreed they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the food there was reasonable, the wine list was good, they had windows that open in case of a hot flash, and fish is good for your cholesterol.

10 years later, at 65 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the lighting was good and they have an early bird special.

10 years later, at 75 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the food was not too spicy, the restaurant was handicapped accessible, and they even had an elevator!

10 years later, at 85 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for dinner. Finally it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they had never been there before.

~ Author Unknown

Humor

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance." C.S. Lewis

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance,
and if true, of infinite importance.
The only thing it cannot be is moderately important."

~ C. S. Lewis