The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Tuesday. They brought their daughter Princess Charlotte. The first photos most outlets had of them were from the games, where William, Kate and Charlotte were seated at the aquatic center, watching some swimming competitions. They had several stops throughout the day, not only to watch various Commonwealth Games events, but to stop by the SportsAid House. Kate notably was not wearing her ring. Still, I think most people had the vibe that Kate, William and Charlotte arrived in Birmingham together? Wrong. William flew himself, Charlotte and some staffers to Birmingham in a helicopter. Kate was not on the helicopter:

So… what’s going on. Just like at Wimbledon, William and Kate are arriving at events separately, almost like they’re coming from different places. At Wimbledon, William hugged George like it was the first time William had seen his son in a while. Charlotte waved to Kate in the car like she hadn’t seen her mother in a while too. It’s giving “it was William’s week with the two oldest kids.” It’s giving Separate Vacations, Separate Lives. Adding to the bonkers vibe is this account of how Kate took the train to Birmingham and chatted up a little kid:

A dad who was travelling on a train to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham has revealed how he went to the bathroom – and returned to find his son “chatting merrily” to the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate was with Prince William and their middle child Princess Charlotte at the Games yesterday, where they took in sports including swimming, hockey and gymnastics. And it appears the Cambridges used public transport to get to the event being held in the Midlands – and Kate had an encounter with the father and son on the train.

Matthew Syed, a former Commonwealth Gold-winning table tennis player, had been on the train to Birmingham with his son Ted. Mr Syed, who is now a journalist and columnist with The Times, says he and his son had been minutes from their stop for the Games when he decided to use the bathroom – and asked Ted to wait for him outside.

In his column in The Times today, he says as he used the facilities, he could hear a lady outside asking his son if he was on the train alone, before Ted replied “No my dad is there” – pointing to the toilet. He recalls how as he washed his hands, he could hear his son and the lady striking up a conversation with the boy showing the woman his father’s gold medal before leaving the bathroom.

He writes: “‘Come on Ted,’ I say, ‘we have to get off!’ ‘Oh, and thanks for keeping him company . . . ” I say turning to the woman waiting her turn when I am stopped in my tracks. My brow furrows, my face works. “Kate?”, I blurt out. There are no security guards in the vestibule; no armed guards. But here is the Duchess of Cambridge, chatting merrily with my son.”

When they finally got off the train the former sportsman says he asked his son if he knew who he’d been chatting to, but he says Ted said he had no idea although she was “really nice”.

And Mr Syed added: “The Duchess had no idea she was chatting to the son of a journalist so I take this to reflect her character and sense of duty. The monarchy is in consummate hands.”

[From The Daily Mirror]

I think Mr. Syed probably assumed that Kate was traveling with William and Charlotte but there was no way he could have actually seen Char and Will on the train. Because those two arrived in Birmingham via helicopter. Very strange. It also feels like… Kate wanted people to know that SHE took public transport. Diana played those kinds of games when she was separated from Charles too. The only problem is that we know Kate is just as out-of-touch as William.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge attend the Sandwell Aquatics Centre during the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England.,Image: 711466381, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge attend the Sandwell Aquatics Centre during the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England.,Image: 711466387, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge attend the Sandwell Aquatics Centre during the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England.,Image: 711466393, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge attend the Sandwell Aquatics Centre during the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England.,Image: 711466404, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the Sandwell Aquatics Centre during the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England.,Image: 711466408, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive at SportsAid House during the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England. The Duchess became the Patron of SportsAid in 2013, Team England Futures programme is a partnership between SportsAid, Sport England and Commonwealth Games England which will see around 1,000 talented young athletes and aspiring support staff given the opportunity to attend the Games and take a first-hand look behind-the-scenes.,Image: 711478865, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to SportsAid House at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England. The Duchess became the Patron of SportsAid in 2013, Team England Futures programme is a partnership between SportsAid, Sport England and Commonwealth Games England which will see around 1,000 talented young athletes and aspiring support staff given the opportunity to attend the Games and take a first-hand look behind-the-scenes.,Image: 711488094, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to SportsAid House at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England. The Duchess became the Patron of SportsAid in 2013, Team England Futures programme is a partnership between SportsAid, Sport England and Commonwealth Games England which will see around 1,000 talented young athletes and aspiring support staff given the opportunity to attend the Games and take a first-hand look behind-the-scenes.,Image: 711488130, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to SportsAid House at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England. The Duchess became the Patron of SportsAid in 2013, Team England Futures programme is a partnership between SportsAid, Sport England and Commonwealth Games England which will see around 1,000 talented young athletes and aspiring support staff given the opportunity to attend the Games and take a first-hand look behind-the-scenes.,Image: 711488165, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to SportsAid House at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on August 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England. The Duchess became the Patron of SportsAid in 2013, Team England Futures programme is a partnership between SportsAid, Sport England and Commonwealth Games England which will see around 1,000 talented young athletes and aspiring support staff given the opportunity to attend the Games and take a first-hand look behind-the-scenes.,Image: 711503774, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon

Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge with their daughter Princess Charlotte of Cambridge at Sandwell Aquatics Centre on day five of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Featuring: Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte Where: Birmingham, England, United Kingdom When: 02 Aug 2022 Credit: Chris Jackson/PA Images/ Images **North America Rights Only**

Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge with their daughter Princess Charlotte of Cambridge at Sandwell Aquatics Centre on day five of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Featuring: Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte Where: Birmingham, England, United Kingdom When: 02 Aug 2022 Credit: Chris Jackson/PA Images/ Images **North America Rights Only**