The Duchess of Cambridge was “working” when she was at the vigil for Sarah Everard, according to Dame Cressida Dick.
During a chat on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday (March 31), the Met Police boss appeared to justify Kate Middleton‘s appearance at the event.
That’s despite cops deeming it ‘unlawful’.
The vigil, held earlier this month, turned heated when police clashed with protesters at Clapham Common.
Dame Cressida Dick says Duchess of Cambridge was ‘working’ at vigil
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Dame Cressida said cops “did know” Kate was going. However, they didn’t want to “unwittingly draw attention” to a member of the Royal Family visiting.
Host Justin Webb asked the police boss if Kate’s presence at the event was legal. She said the duchess was there for her “duties”.
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She explained: “I would imagine that, of course, I have not asked her this question, but I think it’s worth looking at just how strongly people felt, what she said about her attendance there. She’s in the course of her duties, she was working.
“At that point, people had a whole series of potential reasonable excuses for being away from home, we didn’t all have them.”
Duchess of Cambridge attended ‘very calm vigil’
Speaking further, Dame Cressida said she’s picked “just one” reason that applies to Kate. She called the atmosphere at the time Kate visited “very calm”.
While at the vigil, Kate appeared without her mask and walked across the common, before laying flowers at one of the tribute sites.
Tying herself in further knots getting to justify the legality or illegality of it.
Justin Webb questioned the Met Police boss’ stance, saying: “I don’t understand that because you have said yourself you would have attended the vigil had it been legal, so it was illegal from your perspective, including when she attended.”
Dame Cressida replied: “It was quite clear that whatever the organisers wanted to arrange, the numbers were going to be overwhelming.
“There was not an ability in the long run to keep this socially distanced or COVID-safe or in fact strictly legal. We knew some of the people who were coming were going to want a mass rally.”
What did BBC Radio 4 listeners say?
On Twitter, one said: “Cringing just watching her doing all this gymnastics to cover up the epic fail of the Duchess of Cambridge’s PR fail.”
A second wrote: “Translated.. .it was legal if I had done it and it was legal for the Duchess of Cambridge but not for anyone else? And the police are perplexed as to why they have a credibility gap?”
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A third put: “Utterly embarrassing. Basically, her position is that it’s legal when I’d like it to be but can become illegal at some other unspecified time.”
Cringing just watching her doing all this gymnastics to cover up the epic fail of the duchess of cambridge PR fail.
Cressida I know the powers that be are doing this to you but save yourself first the internet never forgets and this may ckme back to hunt you
— Alter Ego (@sw33t_mind) March 31, 2021
Translated…it was legal if I had done it and it was legal for the Duchess of Cambridge but not for anyone else? & the police are perplexed as to why they have a credibility gap?
— Alan Stanley #FBPPR (@Ackersstan) March 31, 2021
Utterly embarrassing. Basically her position is that it’s legal when I’d like it to be but can become illegal at some other unspecified time.
— Nigel Haworth (@nth09) March 31, 2021
Tying herself in knots getting to justify the unjustifiable police actions that evening. Tying herself in further knots getting to justify the legality or illegality of it, contradicting herself several times.
If Kate was indeed “working”, there’s more questions than answers.. pic.twitter.com/o4yAmKfiV3
— Rubber Bumpers (@TrumpFragile) March 31, 2021
Met boss accused of ‘tying herself in knots’
A fourth said: “Tying herself in knots getting to justify the unjustifiable police actions that evening. Tying herself in further knots getting to justify the legality or illegality of it, contradicting herself several times.”
“Cressida Dick was so defensive throughout that interview with Justin Webb,” wrote a fifth. “But to claim that the Duchess of Cambridge was working is just insulting the intelligence of those listening.”
Cressida Dick was so defensive throughout that interview with Justin Webb. But to claim that the Duchess of Cambridge was working is just insulting the intelligence of those listening. #r4today
— Imogen (@Imogenlemon02) March 31, 2021
Sarah Everard vigil: Was it legal for the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton to attend, asks @JustinOnWeb
Met police commissioner Dame Cressida Dick explains#R4Today https://t.co/054qKwmuXV pic.twitter.com/g9PxichqJM
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) March 31, 2021
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