Last week, Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment and social manipulation. From the coverage of Blake?s case against Baldoni, it seems like she has ample documentation for the sexual harassment part of her claim. She got the studio (Sony) involved in the process during filming, which goes a long way towards explaining why Sony went out of their way to give Blake everything she wanted in It Ends With Us?s post-production and promotion, including allowing Blake to bring in a different editor and create her own cut of the movie.

The social manipulation part of her case is turning out to be a radioactive issue in Hollywood though. Hollywood insiders are fascinated by Blake?s claims that she received access (via ?subpoena?) to texts and emails between Baldoni?s publicist and crisis management team. Variety analyzed how Lively possibly got access to ?private? work-product messages within Baldoni?s team, and they suggest that this was actually a retaliatory measure by Jonesworks founder Stephanie Jones ? retaliation against Baldoni?s publicist Jen Abel, who worked at Jonesworks but was making moves to leave and start her own PR firm. As in, Jones grabbed all of the contents of Abel?s phone, then handed everything off to Blake Lively?s team, all to burn Abel just as Abel was leaving. Which is the backstory for this ? Stephanie Jones is now suing Baldoni.

Justin Baldoni?s former publicist sued him, his company and his current publicity team on Tuesday, amid a spiraling scandal over an alleged smear campaign against Baldoni?s ?It Ends With Us? co-star Blake Lively.

Steph Jones, who owns Jonesworks, accused Baldoni of breaching their contract, which required him to pay her $25,000 per month. Baldoni dropped the firm in August, a few months into a year-long deal, after his Jonesworks publicist, Jennifer Abel, left the company to start her own publicity firm. Jones also sued Abel and publicist Melissa Nathan, accusing them of implementing the smear campaign against Lively behind her back and without her knowledge. She alleges that they are now trying to blame her for the ensuing meltdown.

?To this day, Abel and Nathan continue to point the finger falsely at Jones now that their own misconduct is coming to light, and to defame and attack Jones in the industry,? the lawsuit states.

Abel, Nathan, and Baldoni are represented by attorney Bryan Freedman. On Monday, Freedman threatened to sue Jones for releasing the contents of Abel?s phone to Lively?s legal team. Freedman, Abel and Nathan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Jones? suit. In her lawsuit, Jones relates that she ?forensically preserved? Abel?s company phone after Abel was fired.

[From Variety]

I?m not saying that Baldoni and his crisis management team (which he hired in August) didn?t implement a smear campaign or an amplification campaign to hurt Blake. I absolutely think something like that occurred, but I also think there?s a lot of other sh-t happening behind-the-scenes and it?s about PR people beefing with other PR people. Blake?s lawsuit was like a bomb going off in the world of Hollywood PR and crisis management. I also wanted to link to this Hollywood Reporter story ? Baldoni?s publicist Jen Abel posted a lengthy explanation on Facebook, which she deleted (probably at the advice of her lawyer). Abel completely rejects the notion that she was actively spreading smears about Lively, but it?s an insider look at how a publicist and crisis manager monitor these kinds of situations.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Here are some photos from ?Royal Christmas? at Sandringham. King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted Christmas in Norfolk, and they did the big walk to church on Christmas morning, with the extended family. Prince William, the Princess of Wales and their three children were front and center, of course. Even in photos and moments where I think Charles and Camilla were trying to be front and center, Kate and her Christmas wig managed to preen their way into being centered. Going from memory, this is the first time Kate and Camilla have been at the same public event since Trooping the Colour in June. Before that, the last time they were at the same event was? last Christmas at Sandringham.

Oddly, Camilla and Kate both wore green. They were the only women in green as well. Given what we know about how petty royal women are about colors and who wears what, I definitely wonder if Kate knew Camilla would be wearing green and Kate decided to wear a similar shade anyway. Kate?s green coat is much prettier, honestly ? it?s McQueen, a repeat. She paired it with a tartan scarf and a green hat. I think her earrings are new? I don?t remember seeing them before.

The kids looked fine. Tired, perhaps. Maybe they stayed up playing games on Christmas Eve. William and the kids were coordinated in shades of navy and black. Charles has been looking better in recent weeks, as I?ve said before. You can tell that he?s had a bad year, but honestly, he has the look of someone who has come out of the worst of it.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Leading into Christmas, there was a lot of agitated gossip about Prince Andrew and the Yorks, meaning Sarah Ferguson, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. Once Andrew was exposed as a compromised idiot who provided access to a Chinese spy, suddenly Andrew was no longer welcome anywhere near the Windsors for Christmas. It was widely assumed that the invitations had also been rescinded for Fergie and the York princesses. In fact, Beatrice and Eugenie both seemingly confirmed plans to spend the holidays with their respective husbands? families. Then, just a few days before Christmas, Beatrice?s plans changed yet again. She?s in her third trimester of her second pregnancy, and her doctors told her to avoid flying. So she ended up going to Sandringham after all. Royal sources also claimed that Beatrice would not go on the Christmas morning church-walk. Whoops! Beatrice turned out with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Edo?s son Wolfie.

Some of you theorized that Andrew and Fergie were probably in Sandringham for Christmas as well, but they were just staying undercover. I don?t think so, but I could be wrong. I read People Mag?s coverage of Beatrice and Edo?s appearance, and People?s sources insist that Beatrice ?was the only member of the York family to join the King?s Christmas festivities. Her father Prince Andrew and mother Sarah Ferguson are keeping a low profile and staying away from Sandringham amid Andrew?s connection to an alleged Chinese ?spy.?? People Magazine also says that Eugenie spent the holiday with her in-laws, the Brooksbanks family. So maybe Eugenie didn?t go to California to spend the holiday with her cousin???

I?m adding additional photos of some of the other royals in this post ? the Duchess of Edinburgh walked alongside her daughter Lady Louise and Princess Anne?s husband Tim Laurence. Prince Edward walked alongside his sister Princess Anne. Zara and Mike Tindall were there with their kids, and Mia Tindall seems especially tight with the Wales kids. The Earl of Snowden was also in Sandringham for Christmas, as were Samuel and Arthur Chatto (Princess Margaret?s grandsons). It doesn?t look like Prince Michael and Princess Michael of Kent were invited? No Gabriella Windsor either, although they were invited to Kate?s Christmas carol thing. I have to say, Zara had the best look of royal Christmas. I love a vibrant shade of mulberry/plum.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

I can?t believe that the NFL schedules two games for Christmas Day, but hey, people genuinely wanted to spend their holiday watching football. In Texas on Christmas Day, the Baltimore Ravens crushed the Houston Texans, 31-2. But the football game wasn?t the point. The point was the halftime show. Netflix must have dumped a truck full of cash at Beyonce?s door, because she agreed to perform the Christmas Day halftime show in Houston. Not only that, but she convinced several other artists to perform with her. Post Malone, Shaboozey, Blue Ivy, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Brittney Spencer all joined her at various points of the performance, although I think the part with Adell, Kennedy, Roberts and Spencer was pre-taped? Still, Post Malone, Shaboozey and Blue turning out for Bey on Christmas day is wild! The show was obviously perfect. Beyonce is a consummate professional and arguably the best entertainer in the world.

That video might get taken down, but no worries ? Netflix announced that subscribers can watch Beyonce?s Halftime show as a stand-alone special. Considering that?s the whole reason why millions of people tuned into the football game anyway, that?s a pretty smart move. Obviously, Beyonce focused on songs from Cowboy Carter, including ?16 Carriages,? ?Levii?s Jeans,? ?Ya Ya,? and ?Texas Hold ?Em,? as well as her covers/interpretations of ?Blackbird? and ?Jolene.? The fact that Blue Ivy looks so grown up and she?s actually taller than her mom now?? *sob*

After the show, Beyonce teased a big announcement coming on January 14th. Some Beyhivers think it will be an announcement or drop of Act iii? But wouldn?t it make more sense if she was announcing a 2025 tour? There?s always the possibility that she?s previewing a second insurrection! You never know.

Look at that horse. pic.twitter.com/2AtteP5lZk

? BEYONC? (@Beyonce) December 25, 2024

Photos courtesy of Netflix and Beyonce.com.

Merry Christmas & happy holidays! We?re off for Christmas Eve & Christmas, but we?ll be back on Thursday. Hope you have a lovely & safe holiday season!

Tom Hiddleston & Hayley Atwell attended the opening night of The Tempest in London last week. A nice little Hiddles gift. [Socialite Life]
Timothee Chalamet & Saoirse Ronan reunited. [LaineyGossip]
Pajiba?s top ten films of the year. [Pajiba]
Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sanchez are not getting married this week. [Just Jared]
A French film festival in winter, with puffer coats. [Go Fug Yourself]
An interview with Chappell Roan. [OMG Blog]
Lily Rose Depp?s Chanel suit is actually cute. [RCFA]
House of Villains had an epic ending. [Seriously OMG]
Kim Kardashian wore a wig made by an Orthodox Jewish wig-maker. [Starcasm]
Hilariously bad architectural-design fails. [Buzzfeed]

Photos credit: Bear Bear, Andrew Te, Chuttersnap, Elizabeth Smirnova and Showcat Goldstrand on Unsplash. Alfo Medeiros and Fotios Photos on Pexels

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex?s Christmas card was released a week ago and the British press still isn?t over it. They?re still going to be screaming about this card on Christmas Day, as they dream of Prince Harry sending family photos to King Charles and Charles ?accidentally? revealing those photos. While most of the talk has been about the blurry, low-res photo of the back of Archie and Lili?s heads, did you know that there?s also been a lot of British discontent over the message of ?We wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year?? How dare the Sussexes show inclusivity about the holiday season!! This Telegraph column reads like satire, but I think columnist Michael Deacon meant all of this in earnest.

Quite rightly, the entire population of Britain has been rolling its collective eyes at the fact that Harry and Meghan?s official Christmas card doesn?t say ?Happy Christmas?. Instead, it says: ?Happy Holiday Season?. For pity?s sake. A prince, an actual English prince, referring to Christmas as ?the holidays?.

The use of such a phrase isn?t just toe-curling, however. In my view, it also provides a revealing insight into the Sussexes? marriage. Let?s face it: there are only two conceivable reasons why Harry would have allowed ?Happy Holiday Season? to appear under his name. The first is that, after five years in Montecito, His Royal Highness has clean forgotten how to speak his father?s English, and now communicates exclusively in Californian. This is certainly plausible, given that, during recent public appearances, he?s been heard saying things like ?you guys?, ?awesome? and even ?dude?.

I fear, however, that the more likely explanation is the second. Which is that Harry lives in such abject terror of his wife that he didn?t dare question, let alone overrule, her unambiguously American choice of festive message.

All right, so in most households the wife does tend to take charge of writing the Christmas cards (or rather, the husband leaves it to her). But when both husband and wife are so famous that their Christmas card design gets released to every media outlet on the planet, the husband has to take a bit more responsibility. In this case, therefore, Harry should surely have spoken up.

?Megs, darling, it?s an awesome design. Love all the photos of us tending hospital patients and hugging other people?s children. There?s just one tiny, tiny thing. We can?t possibly put ?Happy Holiday Season?.?

?Why not??

?Well, I?m British. And British people don?t say ?holiday season?. We say ?Christmas?.?

?But we?re in America. And in America, we say ?holiday season?.?

?Oh, but please, Megs. I?m sure Americans sometimes use the word ?Christmas? too. Bing Crosby didn?t sing, ?I?m dreaming of a white holiday season?, did he? Anyway, if we put ?holiday season?, people will laugh at me. I mean, I?m a member of the Royal family.?

?Are you??

?Gosh, that?s a point. I?m not really sure now. Better call Pa and check.?

[From The Telegraph]

So the ?War on Christmas? bullsh-t has apparently come to the UK, via the royals. Some Americans ? not all, but some ? use ?happy holidays? or ?happy holiday season? because they have a diverse group of friends and associates, people who are Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, etc. Why say ?merry Christmas? when you can choose to be more inclusive? The fact that multiple people in the British media are screaming about the Sussexes? ?woke? holiday card is both mind-numbing and hilarious to me. This was literally their holiday card from their BUSINESS!

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Archewell, Getty.

Last week, Prince Andrew pulled out of the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, and his people announced that Andrew and Sarah Ferguson would skip Christmas at Sandringham. King Charles absolutely invited Andrew and Fergie, and they were due to stay at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate, as they have done for the past two Christmases. Alongside that announcement, we heard that the York princesses, Eugenie and Beatrice, would also skip Sandringham this year and spend the holidays with their in-laws. Eugenie would spend Christmas with Jack Brooksbank?s family for the first time in years, and Beatrice had plans to spend the holiday with Edo Mapelli Mozzi?s family, probably in Italy. Only now there?s been another switch-up ? Beatrice and Edo are apparently going to Sandringham after all.

Pregnant Princess Beatrice has been ordered by doctors to stay home in the UK for Christmas in case travelling endangers her baby. The late Queen?s granddaughter was planning to spend Christmas overseas with her property tycoon husband?s family for the first time since their marriage in 2020. But Buckingham Palace announced last night that the Princess, 36, who is in the final months of her second pregnancy, has changed her festive plans following medical advice that she should not travel for ?long distances?.

On October 1, the Palace announced Princess Beatrice was expecting the baby ?in early spring?. She is now in the third trimester of her pregnancy, which starts from 28 weeks. Dr Ellie Cannon, Mail on Sunday columnist and GP, said: ?There are a whole host of reasons why somebody in their third trimester may not be able to fly. Different acute issues might be something common such as a chest infection or even a viral illness, which can be quite serious in pregnancy. Flying can make this worse because of dehydration and sitting still for hours which can also raise the risk of blood clots. More long-term issues could be high blood pressure or diabetes. Travelling long distance can be dangerous in this scenario because of the ongoing monitoring needed.?

The Princess will now celebrate at Sandringham with the Royal Family, alongside husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 40, her stepson Wolfie, eight, and daughter Sienna, three. She is not expected to join the family in their walk to church on Christmas morning. The Princess has attended other public events recently, including the pre-Christmas Lunch at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

It is not known exactly where Beatrice was planning to travel to spend Christmas, but it was reported that she had been planning to celebrate with her in-laws. Her husband Mr Mapelli Mozzi, known as Edo, is the son of former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi and Nikki Williams-Ellis. The family owns an 18th Century mansion an hour from Lake Como in northern Italy.

[From The Daily Mail]

That makes sense to me ? Beatrice was told not to fly, so she and Edo updated their Christmas plans once again. I?m surprised that there are no plans for Bea and Edo to do the Christmas church-walk, but that might be health-related too, or maybe it?s just about Charles not wanting to remind everyone about the Yorks. It?s fine to me that Beatrice and Edo were still welcome at Sandringham, although it?s a little bit funny that they decided to forgo spending Christmas with Andrew and Fergie. It?s also more than possible that Andrew and Fergie aren?t even going to stay in England or Royal Lodge, and that?s why Beatrice has changed her plans.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Nothing offends the Daily Mail more than British people moving to America and finding success and happiness here. Nothing brings out the snide contempt of the Mail?s editors and writers more than that ? it?s not just Prince Harry and Meghan, it?s any actor, any writer, any royal reporter. Anyway, if you read Omid Scobie?s Endgame, you know that he absolutely burned a lot of bridges with that book, and he did so knowing that he would have to move on from his royal-reporter gigs. The British media ? especially the Mail ? has been obsessed with Scobie?s bridge-burning and move to LA. They?ve been keeping tabs on him and they want everyone to know that they?re watching everything he does in LA. From the Mail:

When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to release their ?happy holidays? card last week they did not do it through their phalanx of PR lackeys, nor even on the website of their charity, the Archewell Foundation. Instead, the first image of the achingly woke card ? featuring photos of the couple?s philanthropic work alongside a blurry shot of them with their children ? was released by their longtime friend and hagiographer Omid Scobie on his X social media account. For many, it was proof that Scobie, the author of two gushing books about Harry and Meghan, remains very much in favour with the couple.

Today, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Scobie (dubbed ?Scobie-Doo? by his detractors because of his Sussex sycophancy) has moved permanently to Los Angeles, meaning he is only a two-hour drive from the Sussexes? 16-bathroom mansion in Montecito. Insiders say the 43-year-old is working on a book and TV project whose inspiration bears more than a passing similarity to Meghan?s turbulent history with the Royal Family before she and her husband upped sticks and quit the UK for California.

The combined projects, both called Royal Spin, revolve around a glamorous and feisty American publicist who leaves her high-powered job in Washington DC to work in the communications department at Buckingham Palace. According to a source at media giant Universal, which secured the rights to the show for a reported seven-figure sum, the series is ?Emily in Paris crossed with The Crown?.

The source said: ?Let?s just say the plot isn?t a million miles away from Meghan?s account of what happened to her when she joined the Royal Family, just substitute ?publicist? for ?actress?. You have this plucky woman who enters the Palace and comes up against the ?men in grey suits? who are stuck in Victorian times. The heroine is a thoroughly modern woman, a feminist, much like Meghan sees herself, yet she is stymied at every turn by stuffy royal aides. She gets stuck in the middle of culture clashes and finds herself very much a fish out of water.?

But, of course, in Scobie?s fictionalised version of events, the feisty American import wins over the hearts and minds of everyone she meets and ultimately triumphs over the Establishment ?baddies?.

Scobie travelled to LA earlier this year to ?seek his fortune?, intending to sound out opportunities in the entertainment industry. At the time he was living in a luxury flat in London?s Canary Wharf but, according to one associate, was seeking the ?Hollywood dream?. They said: ?Omid already had a gig as a regular talking head on [TV show] Good Morning America but he?s ambitious and always dreamed of having a Hollywood career. He went out to LA to take meetings. He took a lot of meetings.?

According to his Instagram account, the former Heat magazine reporter initially rented a house in the Hollywood Hills but, the MoS can reveal, decided to make the move permanent once he sealed his Universal deal. He has told friends he plans to live in LA for a minimum of three to five years. Today he is ?living the dream? in a luxury apartment block steps from Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood.

[From The Daily Mail]

We heard about Scobie?s show over the summer, when there was a bidding war for the rights to Royal Spin. It?s funny that they?re claiming this is a fictionalized version of Meghan?s story ? Meghan didn?t come to the UK to work in the palace?s comms office, she came from America to marry a prince, and she was abused by the racist Victorian snobs working within the palace structure. Scobie?s framing is actually pretty unique and funny, and I think the set-up for the show is great. He?s also been living in LA for the better part of two years, hasn?t he? Anyway, Scobie tweeted this, after the Mail published this story:

Just because it?s a catchy headline doesn?t make it true. So let?s make this clear: Royal Spin?s story and characters have nothing to do with Meghan. As a journalist I covered the Duchess fairly, but it?s so boring to keep calling her my friend (not true) or link her to my work.

? Omid Scobie (@scobie) December 23, 2024

Photos courtesy of Omid Scobie?s IG.

Various royal reporters are publishing their ?annual review/insider story of 2024? pieces, and all of them are just as sugary as you can imagine. Rebecca English at the Daily Mail had this one: ?Full inside story of the royals? worst year revealed by REBECCA ENGLISH: How Charles? cancer led to ?Operation Delphinium?, the truth about his health and just why he?s so wary of talking to Harry.? Because if there?s no mention of Prince Harry or Meghan, people will just tune it out, I think. What?s curious about English?s piece is that it completely centers King Charles and Camilla, and none of it is about how Prince William feels about yadda yadda. The point of the piece is that Charles is so brave and strong and he has managed his cancer brilliantly. I imagine the year-in reviews commissioned by Kensington Palace will have a much different narrative. Some highlights:

When Charles was diagnosed with cancer: ?In truth, no one really knew what the coming days would bring. It was a very uncertain time,? a source admits. As the news quickly made its way down from Scotland, inside Buckingham Palace a tiny group of ashen-faced courtiers gathered with an air of concerned purpose. Their role was to devise a plan to support the King, and reassure an anxious nation. The project, I can reveal, was codenamed ?Operation Delphinium? ? the King?s favourite flower. ?I?m not sure even His Majesty knows [that?s what it was called],? says one insider with knowledge of the ?circle of trust?.

The Windsors? dignity!! ?I don?t think anyone sitting there in January, wondering how on earth they were going to steer the good ship with wave after wave crashing over the bow, would have imagined such an optimistic outcome. And yet here we all are,? another insider says. ?It?s frankly staggering the family has come through so much, with such tremendous dignity and resilience.?

Planned tours in 2025: While no assumptions can be made, the future is certainly looking encouraging enough for both the King and William ? and possibly even Catherine ? to be planning foreign tours next year. Indeed, it will be a very full programme in His Majesty?s case, with trips to Italy and the site of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz pencilled in this spring, as well as early talks of a visit to Brazil for the COP climate summit in the autumn, plus several shorter visits for William. There are no immediate plans for a state visit by the incoming American President (nor will the King travel there next month, not least because, by convention, foreign heads of state do not attend presidential inaugurations). An official meeting either here or there is more likely to happen, I understand, in 2026 ? which sees events to mark the 250th anniversary of America?s independence.

Camilla is a tower of strength: Queen Camilla has, naturally, been a tower of strength, but I am told she was ?a little frightened? at the start. ?He?s the love of her life, her partner, her husband of almost 20 years. Of course she was scared,? a friend tells me. ?Frankly it?s a lonely enough job when there?s two of you. So you can imagine what it?s like when there?s just one of you out on the road. But she was determined to do her bit for his sake, to pick up the elements of the programme she was able to, while balancing her most significant role as spouse, support and chief cheerleader for him.? Unusually, and picking up on her husband?s cues, Camilla, 77, made a point of visiting him in hospital almost daily when he had to stay there, usually for meal times to ?keep his spirits up?. ?She makes him laugh like no one else,? they add.

Anne?s health issues: The King is also incredibly close to his sister, Princess Anne, and was ?deeply worried? when she was hospitalised in June with severe concussion after being found unconscious at her Gatcombe Park home, having apparently being kicked by a horse. Although the princess was stoically back at work within two weeks, I am told that the incident was ?really very significant ? to put it mildly? and she still has absolutely no recollection of what happened. ?No one was ever able to get to the bottom of it ? it?s a total mystery. It was a worrying time,? a source says.

Still estranged from Prince Harry: As for his younger son, Harry, little has changed. Aside from his deeply upsetting attacks on his family over the years, I am told the issue of Harry?s legal action against the Home Office over the withdrawal of his security, which is still dragging through the UK courts, is a major ?roadblock? to any reconciliation between the two. ?It was particularly upsetting for the King to see it briefed in various quarters that Harry believed his father could click his fingers and change everything. That?s a wilful misunderstanding of how things work, particularly when it comes to His Majesty?s own government,? a source says. Sad to say, the King genuinely fears any conversation with the prince could be used against him in this, or any one of his multiple ongoing court cases. Trust between father and son is going to be very hard to rebuild, meaning there is still no imminent prospect, sadly, of Charles being able to develop any meaningful relationship with his two other grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet.

[From The Daily Mail]

?Tremendous dignity and resilience? ? are you f?king joking? Jesus, I guess some people really buy it. Anyway, I?ve lost count of how many excuses Charles has used for why he refuses to communicate with Harry or why he doesn?t give a sh-t about his Sussex grandchildren. The excuse of ?Harry?s lawsuit about security? is the one Charles has settled on in the past six months or so. The excuse is based on a lie as well ? Charles actually could influence and change Harry?s security situation, and Harry knows that. The sad truth is that if Charles wanted a relationship with Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lili, Charles is perfectly capable of clearing those roadblocks and figuring out a way to make it happen. It speaks volumes that Charles continues to be a dogsh-t father and dogsh-t grandfather. Not only that, but Charles still briefs against the Sussexes constantly.

I also feel like it?s sort of been shrugged off that Anne had a major health crisis this year. She was hospitalized for a week, and it?s bonkers that no one has figured out exactly how she got such a significant head injury. She must have had a really serious concussion too.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Prince William and the Princess of Wales are still catching heat from their decisions, last week, to skip the pre-Christmas lunch and release their Christmas card while the lunch was happening. It looked petty and like William is trying to stick it to his father in some way. It also looked like William and Kate are still lazy as hell, and too dysfunctional to keep up appearances at a family lunch. You can tell that there are murmurs of dysfunction and interfamily beef, because several royal commentators have been sent out to do damage control. Commentator Hugo Vickers gave a hilarious set of quotes to Page Six, in which he went back and forth between ?Kate is so ill, we cannot expect her to do anything ever again? and ?Kate is obviously ready to be queen at any moment.? Some highlights:

Why William & Kate skipped the pre-Christmas lunch: ?No one could have expected what this year has brought for the Prince and Princess of Wales,? said the friend. ?Family is so important to them, and the children are the center of their universe. They wanted to start celebrating early. They?re focused this Christmas [season] on being with the family at home and then joining the rest of the Windsor family on Christmas Day. The Prince of Wales has said this has been the hardest year of his life.? Given that he was just 15 years old when his mother, Princess Diana, died in August 1997, that is truly saying something.

Kate is not out of the woods yet: ?I?m told she?s getting better and that?s indicated by slightly more frequent appearances ? but it?s clearly been absolutely devastating and very difficult for her, and she?s not out of the woods yet,? Hugo Vickers, noted royal historian and friend of the family, told Page Six.

But what if Kate needs to be queen sooner rather than later?? Should she be called upon sooner rather than later, ?Catherine is as ready as she will ever be to be queen,? said Vickers.

King Charles looks horrible: ?He looks quite knackered up close and red around the eyes and thinner,? said one royal insider who has seen Charles recently, ?Especially for someone who normally looks so vigorous, but I suppose it?s only to be expected after 10 months of cancer treatment.

William will be king soon enough: ?He must try to be positive,? said Vickers. ?But he must be under tremendous stress ? not only is his father ill, but the Prince of Wales, throughout history, doesn?t know what morning he will wake up and find himself King.?

A phased return for Kate: We?re told that after finishing treatment a few months ago, Kate is still on a ?phased return? to work that will continue well into the New Year, and there are no joint travel plans in the year ahead for the Prince and Princess of Wales. Although, sources say the British Foreign Office would love to see them come to the US in 2026 for the World Cup and to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

No reset button: ?There is no big reset button to go back to where they were before,? said the friend. ?Cancer is a leveler and every family around the world has someone who has been touched by that disease themselves, so we can all relate to what the Prince and Princess of Wales have gone through. But [Kate] has had to process her illness against the gaze of the world.? Added Vickers: ?Her health comes first, that point has been made very effectively ? and, of course, her children.?

Kate is preparing to be queen by wearing royal jewels: ?We?re starting to see the nods to the family line,? Vickers said. ?It?s a dynasty moment and shows she?s conscious at some point of really stepping into the most senior role of queen.?

[From Page Six]

Is it just me or is ?Catherine is as ready as she will ever be to be queen? not exactly a ringing endorsement? Vickers is basically saying that Kate can?t be polished or trained any further, that this is who she is and we?ll never get some new and improved version when she?s queen. Obviously, the whole point of all of these Keen Hype pieces is to endlessly put ?William, Kate, king and queen? in the same sentence as much as possible. How are courtiers not filled with dread? How are the most die-hard royalists not panicking over that? What concerns me is that the propaganda machinery is working overtime to put this hazy patina of suffering over the past year, like William and Kate weren?t actively lying and deceiving the public in the middle of their own crisis.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.