Comment on UNTITLED by Karen@PasGrand-Chose

I’m glad you made the point about Hilary Mantel’s comments meaning something quite different when read in the context of her speech. I thought she was being quite sympathetic to the duchess, her ‘unflattering’ description referring to the media portrayal of her and the public persona that she is required to assume (and perhaps even willingly assumes?). But as you say, the sensational headlines give rise to a simplistic interpretation of her words, and now Mantel herself has been attacked from all sides with humiliating and plain nasty references to her own personal appearance. If only more people would bother, like you, to try to understand the full story!
(Personally, I must say I do often wish that Kate would break free just a tiny bit from the expectations that weigh heavily on her, and do or say something with a bit of that whomp factor you were talking about earlier!)
PS: I did laugh at your description of Lord whatsit in Downton – couldn’t agree more!