Ever since Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, married Prince William, Kate’s media team has tried to convince the world that she’s super-close to Queen Elizabeth, and that the Queen has totally taken Kate under her wing. While they had a nice photo op together last July – in which the Queen declared Kate’s wedding dress exhibit to be “creepy” – it really didn’t seem like Kate and Her Majesty really spent that much time together in public. Maybe they do have a solid relationship in private – or maybe Kate and her PR team are just playing it that way. In any case, Kate got another photo op with the Queen today in London. Oh, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall and Kate’s step-mother-in-law, was there as well. Camilla and Kate seem tight, don’t they? Meanwhile, the Queen is so spry and cute, but it seems like she’s kind of ignoring Camilla and Kate.
Oh, and I LOVE Kate’s Missoni coat. I had a moment where I was like, “OMG, is she wearing a denim coat?!” But it’s not. It’s a blue tweed that looks sort of denim-ish in certain light. It looks beautiful on her – she should wear blues more often. Here’s more about their royal appearance:
Three of the Royal Family’s leading ladies paid a visit to one of London’s most luxurious department stores today. The Queen, who fittingly wore the shop’s colours, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Cornwall went to Fortnum & Mason, where they were given a tour of its famous food hall.
Sporting two daffodils on her lapel in honour of St. Davids day, Kate wore a blue coat by Italian label Missoni and shoes by Rupert Sanderson. Kate is said to have snapped up the autumn/Winter 2010 coat on a shopping trip to Bicester Village a few months ago, the foreign correspondent for People magazine revealed on Twitter.
The Duchess of Cornwall opted for navy blue and white stripes but the Queen was the only one to wear a hat and gloves. The royal guests met military personnel involved in the Gifts For Troops scheme, which sends packages to soldiers serving in Afghanistan, and saw a display of tea and biscuits similar to those which will be sent to troops deployed overseas on operations during the Diamond Jubilee weekend.
The Queen also greeted recipients of grants from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (Qest) – the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association. Qest makes awards ranging up to £15,000 to craftsmen and women of all ages to help them further their careers. It was established in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Association and the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and since 1991 has awarded £1.5 million to 242 craftspeople aged between 17 and 50-plus for study, training and work experience.
They also attended a tea party at the store for around 150 staff, suppliers and former employees, including some who worked there at the time of the Queen’s Coronation. The royal visitors inspected a cake to commemorate the renaming of the restaurant to The Diamond Jubilee Tea Station before the Queen unveiled a plaque to commemorate the regeneration of the local Piccadilly area.
[From The Mail]
I love how the royals get to “inspect” things. They aren’t just “looking at” things. They are “inspecting” them. But it’s a nice photo op for the ladies, and it’s always interesting to see the body language, especially amongst the Queen and Camilla. I tend to think that the Queen has always disliked Camilla, but Her Majesty has grown to accept Camilla’s presence. And really… how awesome does the Queen look? She’s 85, and she’s still trotting out to do all of these events. Cakes need inspectin’, yo.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
So this is an event where Kate must wear stockings? Dang, I want to know what brand she uses. Her legs look nice.
The only “nude” stockings that I think look halfway-decent are Donna Karan. They’re expensive but they come in different nude tones and don’t make you look like you have prosthetic limbs. I bought a pair for an interview – I wasn’t sure if going bare was appropriate.
Thanks for the tip : )
I have a pair of Donna Karan stockings too, they’re amazingly durable and do look the best.
I love the blue coat, especially against the yellow of the daffodils.
I agree NYC. Whenever I have to wear stockings rather than go bare or tights (in winter), I always use Donna Karan. They are very natural looking.
Also, love the coat!
I agree! I actually thought she was bare legged at first. I totally need to get a pair of those.
You can get them online (even Amazon has them) but I would go to the store (Macys, Nordstrom, etc) and look at the shades against your skin. I’m very pale and got “A01” and the next one up. Now, if someone could give me advice about bare legs on an interview that would be awesome… I’m 42. What is the consensus?
@NYCgirl
I have done a few interviews and I would say hose is better than bare legs. Exceptions for the summer when its really hot because comfort certainly has a role in good interviews.
However, my hiring experience is for professional, office jobs so this can vary dependent on the position.
Yes in NYC bare legs is expected, there is some sort of social ban on nude hose.
I’ve heard that Fogal hose are spectacular, but I don’t have occasion to wear dresses or hose often, so I haven’t tried them.
It’s so apt that an article on the MOST boring social climber alive should be the impetus for a discussion on pantyhose. She’s sooo vanilla, no wonder the queen can’t be bothered.
I bought a pair of Wolford tights once – they were indestructible. I wore them for months. Not cheap either, but I definitely got my money’s worth!
How many coats does she own? Yep, I’m jealous….. Can you even imagine her closets…
She probably gets more fashion freebies than anyone in the world. The publicity from one photo op alone…
Agreed. Why be insanely rich and buy your clothing?! :3
I read a while back that she doesn’t accept freebies, that she buys what she wears.
Looks to me like the queen might be slowly losing her royal marbles. She doesn’t look so much like she’s ignoring anyone as she does…dazed?
My Grandma used to get that look before she’s wander off into the hallway for no reason.
Lovely!
I do like that coat Kates wearing, it looks good on her. I don’t like Camillas outfit, it’s meh. The queen as always looks great.
Absolutely beautiful!! I want that coat.
very lovely
I love that coat! It amazes me that the Queen is always so chipper all the time. I don’t think she lets anything slow her down. I don’t think the other two can even keep up with her.
I really don’t get the love for these people. I guess it’s cultural. Never in my life would I bow to someone on account of their “superior birth,” and I certainly wouldn’t want my taxes to support them, esp if they are already filthy rich.
The color is beautiful, but I am wondering what she is wearing underneath…
I think she’s wearing that Blue Zara dress again.
This pic of the Queen does make her look less sharp than usual. I hope it was just an unflattering shot. Camilla looks hilariously “over it” but I like her in navy and cream – very striking. Kate looks pretty but I feel like I am seeing too much leg for the occasion. She should cover her knees.
Wow, too much leg?! Really? The coat is touching just above her knee cap. They’re at a department store! And girlfriend does have great gams.
Royals clothes must not be more than one inch above the knee. Kate has a good three inches there. She is always breaking protocal so im not suprised.
Very nice.
Love Kate and her coat; hate camilla and her smirk.
I think Kate’s hair looks better shoved BEHIND her shoulders. And not one of these pictures has her fondling her hair! Yay!
They all look great and happy. Can you say that for your family…I can’t! LOL!
AT the knee for god’s sake. AT the knee. I don’t care how old/young she is, that length, or lack thereof, is totally inappropriate. Don’t get me started on the ridiculous heels she has worn to some of her “functions”.
Yes, thank you. AT the knee ~ she is nearly 30 and it makes her clothes look too small or something, maybe they are all taken in a tad too tight ~ just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
She isn’t nearly 30, she IS 30. And who says you can’t go to a department store in something above the knee because you’re 30? What is she, a nun? And remind me of the year again because I am almost certain it isn’t 1957.
Ok…I’m no Kate lover, but this is not her fault. First of all, she’s really tall, so most clothes that would fall at the knees on most women tend to fall shorter on her, especially with her long torso. That said, I’m sure if she called up the nice folks at Missoni and said she was planning to wear their coat, they’d have it custom fitted pronto (not just for her benefit, but to make sure their brand is well represented).
For me, I find her outfit is actually quite conservative, and indeed, it’s 2012. It’s OK to show the knees.
totally agree with you. i think it would just look so much better at the knee. and how tall is she? i don’t think she is taller than 175 cm and it is not really very tall. and designer clothes are usually made for tall women. imo she just likes this length of her skirts.
i don’t think the queen gives camilla the time of day. remember at kate’s wedding when the queen entered and walked right past camilla to acknowledge everyone else. total snub!
Love the Queen!
The coat is amazing! I was in London last week for 2 weeks and went to Fortnum’s a few times. It’s a beautiful store and the food halls were so neat. I knew they were going to be there today and I was trying to get my hubby to extend our trip so I could go and see!
Smashing! Love the coat.
Catherine’s blue coat doesn’t fit. It’s gapping at the bottom in every photo, and it’s pulling across the back under the arms. AND, it’s boring. It’s crying out for a nice brooch. Thank goodness she pinned some flowers to it. That helped a lot.
I’m not sure horizontal stripes across Camilla’s widest assets is a good idea, either.
If those three get along.. she must be the most unselfish, nicest person in the world
I could fall asleep just staring at her face.
My impression is that the Queen doesn’t care for either Camilla or Kate. But Camilla or Kate may like each other because they both think that the other one is so bad (unlikeable or useless) that it makes themselves look better. At least that’s the vibe I get.
God forbide, they just all get along…
For some reason, the thought of troops being sent tea and biscuits just made me smile.
Love the fact that Diana’s ring is in all these pics. Now She was great !
How tall is the Queen? Anybody know?
I’m guessing 5’3″, 5’4″.
Agreed that the coat is a bit on the short side. It’s not even a matter of whether or not she’s young enough or her legs are nice enough. The cut of the coat looks as if it is intended to fall at the knee, and on her, it does not. I don’t know if it’s that she really is that tall, if she’s buying the smallest size possible, or if perhaps she even does it deliberately, but it is annoying to look at! If you’re going to spend the $$$ on the clothes (and even if she got this piece on a big discount, it’s Missoni, so it’s unlikely it was super cheap), shell out for something that fits properly, or that you can get tailored to fit properly.
Also really tired of the hair just hanging all over the place. Tie it back or put it up or CUT IT, already. It drags her down in these photos.
I think it’s all about flaunting the gams. Even though the length is not proportionate to the rest of her or the design. It’s like she’s still a college girl. And even if she bought the coat off the rack, it’s not tough to get it altered to the proper length. The length is her choice. Dolittle thinks it’s sexy.
She would never cut her hair as it’s one of her talking points. How boring must you be when all the media can talk about are the clothes you wear and how gorgeous/fake/thick your hair is?
I am still too bitter to accept that hag Camilla. I just can’t.
Same here…
Since Di there hasn’t been a ‘beauty’ in the Royal House…
Kate is average at best..
I won’t get started on Camilla…
I wonder if Camilla gets a twinge of guilt when she sees Kate’s engagement ring that once belonged to Diana?
Camilla’s coat looked like a rugby shirt and made her appear even wider than she already is. She certainly looked like she was enjoying checking out the sweets!
I lived in London for a couple of years and the food halls in these upscale stores are amazing. Especially around holiday season. Pheasants with all the feathers still on! Spectacular displays.
Won’t it be nice to someday talk about Kate doing something which contributes to her country’s welfare rather than what she wearing and whether or not she’s fiddling with her hair.
Whenever I see Camilla’s face I can’t help think it’s missing a ciggie being removed to make way for the G&T.
Kate looks lovely. She does suit the blue.
She looks stunning. Blue is my favourite colour and she wears it well. The coat and shoes are perfect!
The coat looks like an awkward length and it’s so shapeless. She looks okay…but always boring. Blah.
By the way, WHERE IS THE SCAR near her left ear? I don’t see it anymore in these photos.
I guess it decided to play hide-and-seek, only to re-emerge around July, like last year, when Kate’s hair extensions made news and her fans won’t admit that she was using some help to fluff up her hair.
There is no scar. There has never been any scar. That “big white thing” above her left ear last year was clip-on hair extensions.
Her “scar” matches my hair extensions…I guess that Kates best feature is fake…
The Queen is behaving in a professional manner by totally focusing on her visit to the store and the people who have come to see her. This is her job, and she does it perfectly. She doesn’t fiddle with her hair or chat with her daughters-in-law, dresses appropriately, and shows interest in the people she is visiting.
She acts the same way around Prince Philip when he accompanies her, so I don’t think we can draw conclusions about how she feels about Camilla or Kate from this kind of visit. She’s basically going to ignore them and do her job like the pro she is.
I know! Kate looks like she is there to visit with Camilla- and only her.
My God! What a f*****g drab looking crew. All that money and none of it used for good clothing or good plastic surgery. Kate’s going to be a frump in 15 years … just wait …
It’s a coat with no personality. Sigh.
Kate has no clue how to dress her body! The coat HAS to be at the knee and it is too big on her! She breaks royal protocal constantly and it is getting offensive. She should know by now!
Also, Kate looked so out of place with HM and Camilla. You can tell that the Queen doesnt care for her much.
Molly, I’m fascinated how you can glean from some pics outside a store that the Queen ‘doesn’t care for’ Kate. With your powers of observation, I am sure you’d be able to tell from a pic of one random celebrity what they’d had for breakfast.
Here’s a radical idea: the Queen – being THE QUEEN – would be focused on doing her job ie not holding Kate’s hand and smiling at her in a couple of photos outside a London store so that Molly from goodness knows where can be assured that the Queen does, in fact, care for Kate.
You can always tell when someone doesnt care for another person and those photos of them “getting along” were actually them talking with a little kid. The Queen constantly ignores Kate, so yes, I would say they do not get along.
It’s interesting- Kate definitely appears more focused on interacting with Camilla than with the other people there. Like in those Remembrance Day ceremony pics when she was flamed for laughing and smiling at such a sombre occasion.
I mean, she should probably be paying more attention to what the queen is doing, rather than the family outcast.
I think the reason that Waity and Camilla get along so well is because they are both the wallflowers of the family. Kate doesnt talk with the family and its no secret that HMs favorite grandchildren, Eugenie and Zara, cant stand Kate. Apparently Harrys relationship with her is purely work related and he even lets his friends call her “Limpet”. People are nice to her, but they do not like her.
Kate positions herself as far away as possible from the Queen in pic #1. And only looks in the Queen’s direction when she turns her back in pic #6. Same for the Queen. The Queen shows indifference to both Cam and Kate. This family needs some counseling (and a personality for Waity)
Susannah, you do realise these pics would’ve been taken over the matter of a minute – probably less? but from that, you’ve deduced that the Queen doesnt like Camilla or Kate, and that the family needs counselling?
I think you’ve missed your calling. You should be interpreting the pics of terrorists so you can advise the CIA of their plans.
It is no an accident. All positions are provided by the protocol, nothing is done randomly.
It’s a nice coat, if a tad matronly; i mean that exact coat wouldn’t be out of place on the queen, and she’s in her 80s.
I think The Queen is adorable.
Kate is the apprentice Queen, so she follows Elizabeth step by step, to learn to be a Queen.
she looks amazing, that coat is a wonderful choice.
“cakes need inspectin’, yo”
LMAO