I wouldn’t have even used this ^^ photo but the @KensingtonRoyal Twitter account actually posted this pic to promote the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s appearance at Tuesday’s Buckingham Palace garden party. Isn’t that interesting? The KensingtonRoyal account – the official account for Will, Kate and Harry – is often accused of cherry-picking particular images that reflect the younger royals as looking particular good and/or engaged. But this photo seems particularly unfortunate for Kate – it’s almost like the KP press office is just owning the fact that this is Kate’s Social-Interaction-Face.
As for Will and Kate’s appearance at the palace yesterday, Kate has been to the annual garden party several times before, but this is William’s first time. I would suspect that, if pressed, his press office would say that this is the first time he’s ever had an opening in his diary to attend! Kate repeated an Alexander McQueen coatdress which we saw back in 2013, for Prince George’s christening. I didn’t really care for it then, and I really don’t care for it now. The boob ruffle is just odd, and whenever Kate tries to move her arms (to touch her hair, or whatever), the coat bunches up in weird places. The whole thing looks sloppy, and it’s not just the sh-tty tailoring. It’s the design! Why would anyone want a big, vertical ruffle down their chest?
Will and Kate also chatted with some medical personnel at the garden party, because apparently the “support” OBGYNs who delivered George and Charlotte were there. Maybe this makes me sound prissy, but I would not want to socialize with my gyno at a garden party at the palace. That just seems awkward and unnecessary. You can read some quotes from the doctors here. They’re very forthcoming with details about the lead-up to the royal births.
Also, check out the refreshments at the garden party! I hope Will and Kate are taking notes on the Queen’s refreshments – when Will and Kate hosted a get-together before their India-Bhutan tour, the refreshments were really struggling. That strawberry (??) cake looks AMAZING.
🍰 A selection of the cakes available to guests at today's Garden Party pic.twitter.com/E1ZL1KaYtX
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 24, 2016
Photos courtesy of @KensingtonRoyal and Getty.
What I want to know is, how do they keep all those goodies from getting stale from the time they’re set out to the time they’re consumed? Such are the things that keep me up at night.
You got your priorities straight. Keep up with the important issues.
I went a couple of years ago and from what I remember they were brought out and consumed pretty quickly. All that was missing was some booze to wash them down with!
Former pâtissière from first class hotel here… There are a few tricks… parts that can be pre-prepared and are finished very closely in time to serving. And a little chocolate spread on the surface inside always protects from getting soaked!
The stuff in the photos is really easy and simple to finish. If needed, new ones are out in seconds 🙂
The face she’s pulling in the top pic doesn’t look natural or engaged at all. She looks deranged.
Yeah I always thought everyone was being harsh when they commented on her horse laugh in every photo. But then recently someone posted a link of pictures from when she was at university (something about boots when they were hiking) and realized that it’s her “ISN’T THIS Party/event/interaction/action I am doing MARVELOUS!” I am not saying she isn’t fun loving but we have now seen enough photos of her face at ease to know when she is looking manic, like Jim Carrey in scenes from the mask, it’s a bit odd.
It’s like the theme dressing. She puts on a costume and plays the part. But she is a crappy actress.
She looks like the German nutcrackers that you put out for Christmas.
What do they give her before they roll her out at these event to make the wax figure ultra animated? Maybe phen-fen.
She makes it fairly often, and it’s disturbing every time. Maybe in motion, with the accompanying (fake) laughter it’s better and doesn’t seem so crazy.
Maybe not. The lady in blue-green behind her is all of us.
In motion, it freaks me out how she switches it on and off. It’s not accompanied by laughter. In a split second photograph, it appears she’s laughing uproariously, if tending towards mania, but in video, she switches it on and off. Ditto her toothy smile. Both rarely reach her eyes.
Very strange behaviour.
What’s weird about it, is just how unnatural it looks. Most people when laughing (especially that hard) have a very relaxed face. But whenever she laughs and/or manic grins, her face looks strained. That’s what makes it looks so forced.
She’s a dentist’s dream: “Open wide now!”
And I know I’m dating myself here, but the old Ricky Nelson song, “I Went to a Garden Party,” just resounds through my head.
I hate when I do a horse laugh and it’s caught on camera, so I feel for her. I don’t care for the suit. Too fussy for me and not her color.
I ran into my gyno in the park once when I was in my twenties. He was just out of medical school and we tried to have a normal conversation while pretending both of our faces weren’t scarlet.
I do too and I hate how I look in pictures when I’m doing it and I’m not deranged, really I’m not.
More of the offensive toothy grins as some kind of compensation and the stilettos (again) designed to make you believe Kate the Duchess, is “sexy”, she’s “relevant”, she’s “wanted, needed and oh so admired.”
Fu** all this Cambridge nonsense. What I want to know is: how is HM and the prognosis with her left leg? I’m only concerned for HM.
This! The first full length picture of HM’s leg I saw I gasped aloud because I’m a weirdo. It’s a troubling looking spot, and not a great thing for a 90 year old who spends so much time on her feet!
Yes TeamAwesome, consider the fact HM has also been quite emotional lately ie- crying in public. Is it directly related to her ulcerated leg? Melanoma? Actually I doubt Melanoma since most people who reach age 90 don’t die of cancer.
I really don’t get the preoccupation with HM’s leg. To me, it looked like a very nasty deep bruise that has taken a while to come to the surface. When my grandmother was 90, she got this sort of bruise occasionally and it usually formed a large scab after a few weeks before slowly healing over another few weeks.
My MIL had a similar wound and she had to be treated by a wound specialist. It took months to heal. It was very a worrying situation because a change for the worse would have meant a long hospitalization. As someone caring for an elderly family member, I totally get the concern for HM.
About the Queen recently crying in public, photographers who were there said on Twitter that her eyes were just watering/running, and it had happened at more than one recent appearance.
I don’t like ruffles but, even I don’t mind this on her. Maybe because I think she looks good in this color? I hated that flower show coat dress shade of green on her.
I read that she had 28 people at this garden party that attended her birth? I’m not sure if they are getting good enough Health Care…
Yaaas to that Strawberry cake.
Honestly, she scares me with OTT facial expressions. How come others are not laughing as well??? but only her!
May be her brain now processed the joke she heard weeks ago, therefore the joker laugh.
Oh my god! Your comment had me snorting my tea through nose! 😂
Oh man, those raspberry cream tart thingies have me drooooooling. I adore raspberries.
As for Kate’s pic, it often happens to me and I hate it. Someone will decide to take a picture and I’m making the most ridiculous laughing face, or I’m in the middle of a sentence so I look demented. (Mind you, I’m not the most photogenic person on earth, hahahaha.) I kind of feel bad for Kate if that’s what was used.
What is wrong with her face? It’s like this is her permanent social face for charity work.
I’ve noticed that she can never get the tailoring of her sleeves right. Like they either look too tight or too loose. Also the bust of this dress looks wonky. Oddly I liked this dress the first time. But I guess I never saw it in motion.
Hi Kate, I think we all liked the first time because it was covered up by Prince Chubby Cheeks!
Lol I think you’re right, that must have been it!
I’ve often wondered if she gets her clothes tailored at all. It really doesn’t seem like it. The ones made just for her, yes, are tailored but the rest of them don’t look like it. They make you move around in the clothing when you’re there for a fitting to make sure that you can move and that the fabric doesn’t do weird things when you do. And I’d think the royal tailor would be able to do proper sleeves.
I think that sometimes Kate buys the size that fits around her starved-skinny waist. As she is rather tall as a consequence her clothes are often a bit too short.
Then sometimes Kate buys something with the appropriate length but has the waistline tightened. Some of her clothes are so tight they might befit a 22-years-old student but no longer a royal spouse. The tightness isn’t even fashionable on her it is rather ridiculous.
is that fake grass? or the soil is so damn hard?
Is #poorJason getting revenge or something? Or trying to get fired? First, the “diary issues” statement about the flower show, then the transparent attempt to diss Harry by lying that he’d never been to the flower show (which nobody bought). Now, this choice of pic that will just fuel the Kate hate. How can these two have such lousy PR? I am starting to think there’s some subtle mutiny going on.
That’s funny, I actually see my Obgyn everyday because our kids go to school together. Not planned, just coincidence and we live in a very large city so very odd it happened that way. Not awkward but I do try to give her space because I know when she’s there she is mom not Dr. Soandso.
My mom’s gynecologist is also her best friend.
I feel a bit uncomfortable running into my husband’s doctor knowing that he’s the guy doing the prostrate exam. I know that’s ridiculous but I do have my moments of immaturity.
I have no problem running into my doctors on a social basis. When you are in the exam room they are doctors. Outside of that room they are normal people. Some of my brother in law’s patients have become lifelong friends of he and my sis. Then again I grew up being around doctors and nurses. I guess I never thought of being uncomfortable. They call me when they want their furniture redone. Great advertising.
The cake looks like a Victoria sandwich (aka Victoria sponge), for those who have inquiring minds.
Thank you!!! I just googled it and now have a new recipe to try.
Victoria sponge cakes are very easy to make, and very versatile. They can be whipped up and stored in an air-tight tin for ages. I use them for sherry trifle, afternoon cream teas, lamingtons, and lots of other tasty treats. They are so simple, and yet look quite impressive with a bit of dressing up, Ha, a bit like myself in fact! Lol!
So exaggerated. She always looks like this when she’s pretending that she “gets” it. Better this than those pics of her visiting the victims of the London riot in 2011 with a vacant expression on her face and it was obvious she wasn’t all there but was tilting her head and widening her eyes to look engaged.
The problem with her outfits is that she never mixes it up. This is the exact same look she had for George’s christening. It’s like nothing has changed from the 3 years since she wore this first. Not even a brooch or a different hairstyle. You can take pics of her wearing this then and now and not much has changed. And I find that odd. A person’s style often evolves through the years, especially as every person undergoes growth and change. And for someone who shops so damn much, does Kate not have some accessories she can use? Or a different hat? Or a different colour and style of shoes?
The hair is different. It was down (partly, at least) for the christening. Plus, different earrings. And according to hhduchesskateblogspot, new shoes. But I agree, she’s horrible at making old outfits look fresh. Perhaps that’s cause her accessory game is horrid, and most of her shoes, etc., look alike.
Those cakes look mouthwatering, yummy, yummy.
So it’s their own press team which come out with that embarrassing photo. Let’s be honest and fair with Kate, she produces such a photo at every engagement when handsome men or kids are around.
Victoria Sponge, that strawberry cake, always looks amazing, but the one time I made it everything that could go wrong absolutely did.
As someone with enormous eyes who pulls OTT faces all the time, there are some photos of me where I look deranged, so I feel for her a bit.
Do they have mirrors at KP? Just awful; color is unflattering, doesn’t fit. She is so socially awkward; either laughing maniacally or clenching her jaw.
Bad lighting and no mirrors, apparently those weren’t covered in the renovations. That’s my theory.
Kate’s hunch rivals Her Maj’s hunch.
perhaps, if she feels the need to hunch because she’s tall, maybe choose shorter heels to meet the public?
i know that some heels make you feel good or more confidence etc, but sometimes i don’t think it’s worth back problems down the road. personally i will find other sources of cofidence etc.
Or the heels are used as part of her vanity to try to trick your eye into thinking she has long legs, instead of short legs and long torso.
There are other photos out there taken from behind. Kate’s shoulder blades look like small boobs on her back. I know that sounds awful, but that’s what it looks like to me. Her posture is so bad for someone so young – and those high heels aren’t helping at all. No one is convinced she has long legs, she should just get over that charade. She’s at the most, 5’8″, short legs, long torso. No big deal.
She doesn’t work enough to worry about back problems from heels. One or two hours every other week is no problem. 🙂
I feel Sarah Burton agreeing to design Doolittles wedding dress was the final nail in the McQueen design house. The designer has been in this woman’s back pocket for too long and it is basic crap. No matter how much the price tag is, it is basic crap.
They have the classic Victoria Sponge Cake, yeah!
Cakes look great but Kate’s dress is rather … boring.
Hate this suit. Too fussy and dowdy all at once. The exaggerated laugh makes her look deranged and fake. Nothing is that funny, darling.
LOL……………..darling!
So many ruffles! Are we in the 1980’s?
Diana wore a lot of ruffles in the 1980s. Perhaps the inspiration for this outfit came from her MIL.
I liked this dress (or is it a suit) the first time we saw it. The peplum gives her some shape and that’s not a bad thing. The ruffle up the bodice adds interest and is good for someone small busted like Kate. I sort of like it still, but not as much as the first time. I really don’t care for that hat, or the shoes. This cream colored dress begs for some accessories with a pattern and some color. The hair looks good though.
These wide mouthed laughing escapades are just weird. Seems so over the top, particularly when no one else is behaving that way. She seems out of her league.
She looks like she’s been taking lessons from Jack Nicholson, and all his characters, on how to laugh or whatever she’s doing.
I don’t understand why she goes for these over-the-top ruffles so often. Her natural style seems to be so sporty and streamlined; I don’t feel like this kind of flouncy ruffle works for her. Wish she’d try adding interest to her clothes by moving away from monochromes instead of having ruffles or zippers or enormous belts.
Also, if someone has a link to her making exaggerated faces in university as mentioned above, I would love to see it. I remember making these faces myself when I was a teen/college girl feeling uncomfortable at parties, but I sure don’t do it now! A little sincerity goes a lot farther than fake hilarity.
It was in CB’s own post titled “Duchess Kate wears decade-old boots, skinny jeans for Bhutan hike: cute?” on April 15th. In the middle of the article there is a link in the middle that leads to a Huffington Post article that is about her boots but its the same manic face and then there is one where she is standing around with her friend where she looks like she is trying to figure out where the photogs are.
@Relli, thanks! I’d looked in the comments of that post, but not the post itself. I was hoping for a huge album full of her making these faces during her uni years! Ah, well, I’m sure all those photos have been confiscated and their owners paid off. 😉
Has this Duchess ever met a pair of suede shoes she doesn’t buy? And how can she walk in the grass with such pointy small heels and not sink?
The picture of her with her hand in her hair walking with the man.. reminded me of Hyacinth trying to get away from the Major.. Hyacinth does the same hand to hair move.
William looks nice in his top hat.
I thought Wills looked quite good in that hat, too.
Everything she wears looks poorly tailored and this outfit is no different. the waist is too high and the ruffle does nothing for her. That said, she always looks better with her hair up.
She edited out all the original and interesting ideas in the McQueen design. Then did nothing interesting with the accessories. This outfit’s a snooze from head to toe. If anything it makes her look older and matronly. Beatrice and Eugenie wear much more interesting fashion.
She looks the Mother of the Bride. The ruffle down the jacket is horrible. It may have been all right at the baby’s christening, but it should have gone back into the closet for good after that.
Bet Kate politely refused the cake