Royals' Ex-Partners

[Lumutqueen]

Sorry, but I don't find Chelsy " too smart" for BRF, nor very successfull lawyer to be. The only material that I've read about her on papers was about her rich background and wild parties, and actually no concrete career or other achievements, like running a charity project etc.

To study law at the University of Leeds, you have to be smart. She's interned at two of the biggest firms in the country, for that you also have to be smart. Albeit I don't think IluvBertie was referring to the fact that Chelsy is extremely book smart. She's savvy, knows what she wants in life and won't let anyone stop her having it. Unlike Catherine who's the complete opposite, she was at William's beck and call for the years prior to their engagement and gave up all notion of her own life to marry him. Chelsy knows what she'll have to give up and realises she doesn't want to, that's smart.

Also, why does Chelsy have to run a charity project? What's that got to do with being a lawyer? Or even a future royal?

 

[Artemisia]

I agree with Lumutqueen; Chelsy got a Master's Degree that cannot be considered light by any criteria, and is an intern at Allen & Overy - one of the Magic Circle law firms. That sounds pretty smart to me. I also understand her misgivings; however wonderful young man Harry may be, marrying him will essentially mean burying all chances of having a career, and becoming something a ribbon-cutting trophy wife. I would feel very hesitant in Chelsy's shoes as well.

 

[Dierna23]

...actually no concrete career or other achievements...

No concrete career or other achievements? She studied law at one of the best universities of England and she is now working for one of the best law firms in England. Also, Chelsy indeed supports several charities, her brother does as well. Has Kate ever done such things pre-engagement? Apart from that roller disco thing of course. What career did she have, what achievements and which charity projects did she run? Yes, Chelsy and Harry have been partying quite a bit as have William and Kate. I'm sorry for the comparisions, but it often seems to me, that, now that Kate is a Duchess, all the criticism is forgotten (and brushed under the carpet by the press) and Kate and Will are the golden couple while Harry and Chelsy are the wild & lazy party bunch (which is absolutely NOT true).

I think Chelsy would be a wonderful addition to the BRF as she clearly has a work ethic and seems to be easy at interacting with people etc. I just don't think she would enjoy the nonstop attention which is understandable.

I don't believe Harry and Chelsy are back together, but I wouldn't be unhappy if they were.

 

[miche]

I am so sick of this comparison. But anyway what charities was that?

 

[cepe]

A couple of points: There is an assumption that Harry will become a full-time working royal. I think there's a v good chance he won't but stay in the military. So Chelsy won't have to do royal duties, maybe (here's a first) she could work (sorry mods).

2nd point - isn't this thread for ex-partners?

 

[Mirabel]

Perhaps Harry and Chelsey - if they marry - will forgo a title, as someone mentioned. Since the generation after Charles seems to have a rather unique anti-royal-lifestyle bias - all that emphasis on wanting to be 'normal' (whatever that is suppose to mean) - may mean that the monarchy seriously undergoes an alteration with the ascent of William to the throne a few decades down the line. Harry and his wife, and what they do or do not do, may hardly be of consequence.

But they mean rich and titled

normal

.

Not ordinary normal!

 

[Artemisia]

A couple of points: There is an assumption that Harry will become a full-time working royal. I think there's a v good chance he won't but stay in the military. So Chelsy won't have to do royal duties, maybe (here's a first) she could work (sorry mods).

I think the chances Harry will not be a full-time working royal are very slim. Once Prince Charles ascends to the Throne, it is virtually inevitable Harry will have to leave his Army career and focus on Royal duties. Most of the current hardest-working royals are pretty advanced in years; it will be up to William, Kate, Harry and his future wife to gradually take the burden of duties from them.

 

[cepe]

Not if the monarchy changes - less events; less countries to visit (ie not monarch of countries such as Australia). The patronages carried out by some of the older royals will cease when they do. It's not affordable.
This is the wrong thread for this discussion

 

[Artemisia]

I suppose major chances might mean a situation similar to Sweden: the heir (Victoria in Sweden, William in the UK) is a full-time working royals, while the spares (Carl Philip and Madeleine in Sweden, Harry and Beatrice in the UK) are working royals but with more flexibility and less engagements.
This is indeed a topic for a different thread; I do tend to go off topic sometimes.

 

[soapstar]

I think Harry would marry her tomorrow but she knows what she would have to give up - career, privacy, a life etc and isn't prepared to give up the right to make choices about her own life - to have things organised for her months in advance - to lose the spontaneity she has now.

Chelsy is way too smart for Harry and for the BRF - they wouldn't now how to deal with her.

If (and that's a big if) Chelsy and Harry are dating again, then she's obviously coming to terms with the fact that she will have to give up her career/life if she wants to marry him. I mean, what's the point of constantly getting back together if you don't see some type of future with that person?

I am so sick of this comparison. But anyway what charities was that?

I agree. I don't know why Kate and Chelsy are constantly compared. This desire to prove one woman is better than the other is really sad.

Has Kate ever done such things pre-engagement? Apart from that roller disco thing of course. What career did she have, what achievements and which charity projects did she run?

Besides the roller disco, Kate was involved with a quite few charities before the marriage.

 

[Lumutqueen]

2nd point - isn't this thread for ex-partners?

It is, and Chelsy is an ex partner.

 

[EIIR]

Has Kate ever done such things pre-engagement? Apart from that roller disco thing of course. What career did she have, what achievements and which charity projects did she run?

Kate took a gap year after school during which she was involved with helping disadvantaged children in Chile. She also taught English in some of the local schools. While working for her family's company she was responsible for their charity tie ups, and was instrumental in building the firm's relationship with the Children's Starlight Foundation which involved putting on parties for children in hospices. We saw many pictures over the years of Kate attending charity fundraisers, the charity boxing matches come to mind. She took part in a fashion show for charity at university, even going so far as to wear a see through dress to pull in the paying punters! She was a member of The Sisterhood and did a lot of training to row across the Channel with them, but had to pull out due to the intrusive media attention. No, she wasn't running the NSPCC, but to say she did nothing for charity other that a roller disco is very unfair.

In terms of career, Kate got a good degree at a very good university. She then worked for her parents' business. From my experience in business banking I can tell you lots and lots of people work in family firms, in fact both Kate's siblings still do! No one has produced any evidence to suggest that she wasn't genuinely working for Party Pieces, it probably offered her a bit more flexibility in being able to see the man she loves who was away for long stretches training in the Army, but the fact that she chose to work for the family business isn't something to be ashamed of in my opinion. Although there are lots of people who look down on her for it.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

Yep, Kate's degree is from the 85th most revered uni in the world.(Not being harpy, just adding to information.) However, St. Andrews is #1 in Scotland and #5 in the UK.

 

[EIIR]

According to the most recent league tables, St. Andrews is number 6 on the list of best universities in the UK. It's below only Cambridge, London School of Economics, Oxford, Imperial College London and Durham. Those are all world-class universities. I think it's also a Russell Group university, which would be the UK equivalent to the Ivy League in the US.

By way of comparison, Leeds University where Chelsy did her conversion course, ranks at number 34 in the UK.

 

[Al_bina]

The university ranking is somewhat irrelevant, if Ms. Davy landed the internship in the prestigious law firm. It would be fair to say that Russell Group universities have got a fair share of students, who were admitted because of bribes and/or society status.

 

[EIIR]

It's not irrelevant. St. Andrews is more difficult to get into than Leeds. At my grammar school St.Andrews was one of the most popular universities for applications because of its reputation as an excellent uni. I don't think anyone at my school applied for Leeds.

Ms Davy did get her internship, the first of which was with Farrer & Co, well known in the UK as the lawyers to the Royal Family. You can make your own mind up as to whether that was a coincidence. She doesn't appear to have been offered a permanent contract with Farrer & Co so she took another year off and then got Allen & Overy who, interestingly enough, have also been used by the royals occasionally.

 

[Lumutqueen]

It would be fair to say that Russell Group universities have got a fair share of students, who were admitted because of bribes and/or society status.

It would not be fair to say. Universities pride themselves on scores, someone who doesn't make the grade isn't going to enter a Russell Group university. The Russell Group contains 24 universities as of this August, Leeds is a member and St Andrews is not.

Leeds ranked 85th in 2010, in 2011 it ranks 93rd out of 700 universities worldwide.

 

[Al_bina]

It's not irrelevant. St. Andrews is more difficult to get into than Leeds. At my grammar school St.Andrews was one of the most popular universities for applications because of its reputation as an excellent uni. I don't think anyone at my school applied for Leeds.

Ms Davy did get her internship, the first of which was with Farrer & Co, well known in the UK as the lawyers to the Royal Family. You can make your own mind up as to whether that was a coincidence. She doesn't appear to have been offered a permanent contract with Farrer & Co so she took another year off and then got Allen & Overy who, interestingly enough, have also been used by the royals occasionally.

Are you trying to say that the law firms in question were strongly urged to give a preference to Ms.Davy from a cheap university? Who urged the law firms to do so?

 

[KittyAtlanta]

I think it is fair to say that Ivy League/Russel schools have a fair amount of "legacy" students. However, legacies still have to make the grade for entrance, and those who do make the grade are enrolled before general applicants.

There are some very fine universities out there who have excellent faculty. Quality education does not = money spent. I have heard many times how smart Chelsy is, and big law firms visit not only high-powered schools, but also those schools who may have an excellent Law program, even though the rest of the majors seem lacking.

 

[EIIR]

It's weird that St. Andrews hasn't chosen to join the Russell Group. My old university is a member and it's not as high in the rankings as St. Andrews.

In the UK the application system is pretty fair. You apply before you sit your final exams, the universities will either reject you or offer you a place with the proviso that you have to achieve certain grades in your exams. So I had to get AAB in my A Levels to get into my uni; had I got ABB I would not have got in, no matter who I was.

 

[EIIR]

Are you trying to say that the law firms in question were strongly urged to give a preference to Ms.Davy from a cheap university? Who urged the law firms to do so?

I'm not saying anything. You can make up your own mind whether two of the most prestigious law firms in the country took on a graduate of a university which ranks 27th in the league table of UK universities offering law because of her ability or because she was dating the Prince of Wales's son.

To be honest, though, I wouldn't hold it against her if one of the royals did put a good word in for her as it happens all the time. I studied law at university myself and came very close to deciding to do the Legal Practice Course (thank goodness I saw sense). I know from first hand experience, law is one of those professions in the UK where it helps hugely to know the 'right people'. Of my friends who did go on to become solicitors, they found it very difficult to get a training contract if they didn't have at least some contacts in the profession.

 

[Al_bina]

That does not surprise me. It is the way the British caste society functions. Ms. Davy should be duly lauded for seizing an opportunity.

 

[NGalitzine]

Regardless of her "royal connections" they did not get her through law school. That she had to do on her own and is an achievement for anyone.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Regardless of her "royal connections" they did not get her through law school. That she had to do on her own and is an achievement for anyone.

Nor did they get her either of her internships. She's done very well in her life, and should not be accused of using Harry when she hasn't.

This is a tough world, particularly the job world. If you truly think about it, one way or another, everyone has at least one advantage over an opponent for a job whether it be age, experience, money, knowledge etc. I got my first job because my CV was put to the top of a pile as my brother's best friend worked there. But by no means did he have any say in actually picking me for the job.

 

[EIIR]

None of us can say for sure she didn't get her training contract as a result of her royal connections. We're never likely to know either way.

I believe Leeds has a reputation as a bit of a party school, although not so much as Newcastle where Eugenie's studying. Both cities have very big club scenes. St. Andrews is such a small town that it couldn't really offer that kind of night life.

 

[Artemisia]

I strongly doubt a highly esteemed law firm such as Allen & Overy would ever consider hiring anyone just because she happens to be the girlfriend of a British Prince. Now, it is possible Chelsy was considered for a position because of her connections: all of us have used all connections from time to time. However, to me it seems certain that she actually got the job because of her brains and qualifications.

Knowing people can get some doors opened for you; however, it is ultimately your abilities that get you through.

 

[MARG]

Somehow I don't think a premier law firm can "afford" to employ Chelsy just because she is the ex girlfriend of the 3rd in line for the throne! Just think, if she were not up to the job, the damage she could do to the firm, it's clients and it's reputation.

There is an expectation of the type of person, the type of presentation and the type of execution one would expect from such a firm. "Party Chelsy" would definitely not make the cut, not even as the Tea Lady. So, I'll take a punt and say that she is earning her keep.

 

[EIIR]

Somehow I don't think a premier law firm can "afford" to employ Chelsy just because she is the ex girlfriend of the 3rd in line for the throne! Just think, if she were not up to the job, the damage she could do to the firm, it's clients and it's reputation.

There is an expectation of the type of person, the type of presentation and the type of execution one would expect from such a firm. "Party Chelsy" would definitely not make the cut, not even as the Tea Lady. So, I'll take a punt and say that she is earning her keep.

You'd be surprised. More and more the role of the solicitor is to 'win business'. To do so you have to get access to the right people and companies. Having an employee with close links to the royal family and their aristocratic friends would certainly help.

I'm sure if she was useless she wouldn't last long. But her connections certainly don't hurt when it comes to getting a position is an extremely competitive job market.

 

[cepe]

for goodness sake she is an EX-GIRLFRIEND. Do you think any savvy company, especially a law firm would stake their reputation on a maybe??? Get a grip! You live in a fantasy world which bypasses the real one. You have no idea what you ar talking about - this is pure speculation and it is totally unfair on Chelsy. Give the poor girl some credit!

 

[Tyger]

I think Harry would marry her tomorrow but she knows what she would have to give up - career, privacy, a life etc and isn't prepared to give up the right to make choices about her own life - to have things organised for her months in advance - to lose the spontaneity she has now.

Chelsy is way too smart for Harry and for the BRF - they wouldn't now how to deal with her.

Totally agree.

I recall seeing the few shots of her at William's and Kate's wedding and she looked seriously discomfited - not pleased at all. Now I'll grant you she may have been the worse for wear from the night before (always a popular theory to explain her total disregard/disdain for the cameras) - but she was watching as much as being watched - and I don't think she was charmed by the experience.

I agree with your last sentence, Iluvbertie - she is just simply too normal for the BRF. How's that for irony. However, she's an opportunity for the BRF, too, were they so inclined to see it - to embrace her, a bona fide career woman, a woman of her times and generation, it would truly modernize the monarchy.

However, she would have to make some effort with the cameras snapping in her direction. She's refreshingly oblivious now but she would have to pay attention at some point - or - maybe not. She is who she is and seems to be not concerned with what the rest of us think. One never knows what's really afoot with someone.

She may wind up being one of those women who never marries - one of Charles' old girlfriends that he was keen to marry but declined - never married. So - maybe here, too. The friendship with Harry will be a deep one and have its own very personal story-line not available to the tabloids.