Un-Pedicured Feet to Publicity Stunt: Brit Media on Will-Kat Visit

The Royal Couple’s journey through the British media’s eyes.

While India and its media go gaga over Britain’s Royal Couple visit, British media is taking a very straightforward and, one could say, snarky approach to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s visit.

From reminding Indians about what the British era was like, to showing the world Kate Middleton’s un-pedicured feet, and of course pointing out her ‘Marilyn Monroe Moment’, it’s safe to say the coverage of the Royal visit has been rather interesting.

Un-Pedicured Feet? How Could She?

Yes, you read that right. A sign of respect in Indian traditions is to remove your footwear while entering one’s home or place of worship. Instead of focusing on Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge doing their part by paying respect, British media took a direct hit at Kate Middleton’s preference for wearing nude nail polish and having a possible fifth toe growing underneath others due to her excessive sporting of heels.

There looks like there may be some rubbing or even the start of a corn on the little toe. You can also see the fourth and fifth toes deviate towards the centre of the foot. It is surprising that Kate is able to wear high heels most of the time, as this condition often results in pain, swelling and stiffness.

Dave Wein, Podiatrist, Carnation Footcare to FEMAIL

Well, if she didn’t wear heels or fancy footwear, then that would be another headline, wouldn’t it?

If this is a health lesson to women around the world, then this is a class that should be skipped.

Never Forget the Pain: A History Lesson

An opinion piece in The Independent reads as a much-needed shutdown on the British media’s patronising approach to India and ‘some of the poorest people on Earth.’

Because a royal visit to India would be nothing without citing a patronising, reductive British film about poverty in India, where all we see is innocent children, surrounded by squalor and corruption, systematically abused by adults.

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The Duke of Cambridge announced that he was here to ‘create new memories’ of the place that has symbolised the failure of his parents’ relationship and also reconcile his past and his future. Maybe this will be a ‘healing experience’ for him, just like his mother, Princess Diana.

All that being said, yes the British Raj hurt India and ruled with an iron fist, but the Royal couples’ visit doesn’t imply people have brushed it aside just for a photo op.

India may have gained independence nearly 70 years ago, but that doesn’t stop Kate and William using the country as a playground for their publicity stunt. If we have to watch the two pose with “slum children”, lament poverty in India, and celebrate an “exotic” culture with cooking lessons, then we could at least do so while telling the truth about Britain’s horrendous history. Instead, it’s brushed to one side for a good royal photo op.

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We get it, we do, and we will never forget the history – but give the young couple a chance to fix relationships as India hopes they want to?

The Case of the Flying White Dress

Agreed, this wasn’t a microscopic detail to ignore, but that was not the point of the Royal Couple’s photo. They were at India Gate in New Delhi, paying their respects to India’s World War I soldiers, but that somehow doesn’t translate in the headline. As soon as you read Duchess of Cambridge and ‘Marilyn moment’, attention is diverted.

The Telegraph taunts Kate Middleton for not taking the Queen’s advice on having ‘weights sewn into the hems of her dresses.’ We agree, it was a sombre occasion, but we don’t think the wind gave her warning it was en route to lift her dress.

All’s Well That Ends Well

In the end, one could hope that India and Britain’s relations strengthen as two separate nations without forgetting India’s history.

Unfortunately, the Duchess of Cambridge is always under the scanner, but we think she ended up being as poised as one would expect her to be.

Also read: Deepika’s Cleavage, Kate’s Upskirt: You Never Learn, Do You, TOI?