PHOTOS: Barack and Michelle Williiam and Kate

[Thrill]

[Hosnon]

1. What a stark contrast.

Two people at the top who worked hard to get there. Two people at the top who, well, just got lucky.

[Webster Green]

4. I thought the stark contrast was going to be Obama vs. chimpy.

It's kind of cool having a president that isn't a national embarrassment.

[Hosnon]

7. That too.

I just have a distaste for royals (usually directed at the British royalty, as they seem to get the vast majority of the "royalty coverage" in the U.S.).

[Raschel]

11. If I had to pick a royal to talk to it would be William or his brother.

They seem to have retained some of their mother's down-to-earth teachings. They also do charity work.

[Name removed]

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[Hosnon]

16. Prince Williams' being at that meeting has little to nothing to do with

what he has done with his life. We'll never know if commoner William would have risen to the level that Prince William finds himself, but we do know that Barack Obama did.

I don't like the concept of royalty - at all. No need to get snippy about it.

[truebrit71]

17. ..and yet you chose it to attack both he and his wife...

...he didn't "get lucky" other than his birth parents, unlike the landed gentry in this country, Prince William WORKS for a living, and I do not like the insinuation that he is a rich layabout eating bon-bons and shooting the peasants (Mel Brookes reference btw...;-))

[Hosnon]

18. I'd consider being born to royalty quite lucky.

Not a mere "other than".

[truebrit71]

25. How about having his mother die at an early age? "Lucky" there too?

:eyes:

[Hosnon]

40. What does that have to do with the fact that he was born into royalty?

Countless non-royals lose their mothers every year.

[truebrit71]

42. You said his was a lucky life...

..I think that is over-reaching...he cannot help who his parents are, it's what he has done since that matters...and so far he has done a damned fine job...

[Hosnon]

43. Would his life be easier or harder

if he lost his mother and was not royalty?

Mortgages, car payments, etc.? Money is not sufficient but it is necessary.

And I agree he has done a good job. But anything less would be a pathetic fail. From to whom much is given, much is expected.

[jefferson_dem]

19. Nasty post.

You should be ashamed.

[pacalo]

29. I agree. William & Harry may have been born with royalty ties, but from what

I've seen in biographies about them, they've well-earned their positions. Both are incredibly decent young men & Diana would have been overwhelmed with pride over her two remarkable sons.

[Hosnon]

41. Why?

It's my opinion - one which is defensible and I defend. Certainly not ashamed.

[Empowerer]

21. "Lucky" is in the eye of the beholder

Yes, Prince William has had a lot of wealth and certain privileges. But I wonder if he would give it all up if he could just have his mother back . . .

He didn't ask to be born to the parents he was born to, any more than the rest of us do. He was born into a particular situation and a particular life and, in my view, he has handled himself admirably, with dignity and grace. He seems to work extremely hard, is kind to people and appears to be completely committed to performing the duty that was and will be thrust upon him.

He and his wife appear to be lovely, strong and decent people bearing both the great good fortune and the considerable burdens of their lives in an exemplary manner. They don't deserve to be smeared just because of the family they were born or married into.

Being born wealthy does not automatically make anyone worthy of sneers any more than being born poor automatically confers nobility upon anyone.

[NYC Liberal]

30. That may be so, but as you yourself say: it's not their fault.

Now, I couldn't care less about the "royals," but if they use their positions to do some good then I won't criticize that.

[lunatica]

34. You think being a royal is easy don't you?

They might as well be in a golden prison cell. They not only can't make a move without paparazzi chasing them, sometimes to their death as happened to William's mother Diana, but their lives are filled with ritual, appearances, royal obligations and speeches. Do you think William's gilded life makes up for the loss of his mother? You probably do.

Do you really think they're lucky to be royals by birth? I don't. I can go to a movie or leave the house without makeup or doing my hair. No one is outside my door waiting to take photos and chase me around. Gee, how lucky can they be! No rag publication is ready to expose my secrets to exploit me for money.

[Hosnon]

39. Relatively? Of course - no doubt in my mind.

There are downsides, but as far as the human condition is concerned, they "win".

And why do you think I think Prince Williams' life makes up for the loss of his mother? Are you just throwing things out to see what sticks?

[tishaLA]

2. Katherine needs to stop playing with her hair

When she's speaking to FLOTUS. She is a lovely young woman, however. And I want to know who does Michelle's hair. It's so shiny and swingy - hard to accomplish with hair of her texture.

[truebrit71]

14. I think that's a nervous tic she has...

...think about it, this is a woman who came from a "normal" background that is now meeting Heads of State becuase of who her husband is...that's got to be one hell of a transition to make...

[elleng]

28. Don't most/many women play with their hair these days,

at least 'toss' it over shoulders? Annoys me a lot, and wonder from whence it came, but its EXTREMELY common.

[Recursion]

36. His name is Johnny Wright

He's a Chicago hairstylist who followed them to DC at her request. He has a salon near Farragut Square.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/25/AR2009032503789.html

[center rising]

3. I'm not much on the royal family but...

I like Kate. You can take William and put him somewhere, but I like Kate.

[Webster Green]

6. Oh yeah!

She's gorgeous!

[glinda]

31. They are both handsome. Kate looks great when she dresses casual.

[rubberducky]

5. Love Michelle`s dress! Matching shoes too. She looks fabulous.

Kate is way too thin. She has no curves.

[PatSeg]

8. Kate looks extremely thin in those photos

I think she probably lost a lot of weight before the wedding. Most brides do and the stress of her marriage is probably greater than most.

[Duppers]

10. yes, Kate is too thin.

5 or 10lbs would look good on her. :)

[glinda]

32. She needs to have some weight if she is to conceive. Too lean = no preggo sometimes.

[vaberella]

9. Who konws where I can buy MIchelle's dress...?! n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

26. And the shoes?

Her hair is kickin' as well. Daaayyyuummm! :kick:

[elleng]

27. Mebbe

'Mrs. Obama wore a belted gray print dress by Barbara Tfank with a peony-pink bolero and gun-metal sling-backs.'

http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/michelle-obama-meets-the-new-duchess/?ref=europe

[progressoid]

12. Who are those two guys on the left?

:evilgrin:

[Raschel]

13. What a gorgeous room. Kate looks like a size one. Beautifully dressed.

[emilyg]

23. Elegant.

[AtomicKitten]

20. There's a whole lotta of grace in that room. Cheers to both couples.

[elleng]

24. Grace, right, thanks.

[TwilightGardener]

22. Damn, that gal is skinny.

[calimary]

33. Barack Obama is the man who accompanied Michelle Obama to Buckingham Palace!

Our First Lady makes me think back to Jackie Kennedy.

[Jeneral2885]

35. Prince William's Height

I think he's the only royal (and his borther maybe) that can match up to Obama's height. And lucikly Kate isn't that short.

[Autumn]

37. Kate's dress is simply beautiful

not too sure I like Michelle's. I don't care for the jacket and the flare of the skirt.

[GSLevel9]

38. Kate is such a cute little thing... nt