It feels like there are only a few legitimate reasons to get married at this point, at least in my mind. One of those reasons is that it would be nice to have someone legally obligated to help me up and down stairs. It’s amazing to me that the Duchess of Cambridge never uses this marital clause – she’s able to walk up and down stairs, in public, while wearing heels, while pregnant, all without any kind of assist from her husband. HOW? And why? Why not take his arm briefly?? I’m sure I’m reading too much into it.
These are photos of Prince William, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge at today’s church service of remembrance for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Meghan Markle did not attend, although we do know that Meghan is back in London (more on that in a moment). The Daily Mail says that the coat is a custom piece, but one of the Kate Style Twitter accounts ID’d the coat as a Carolina Herrera piece. Kate’s in head-to-toe navy – navy tights, navy dress, navy coat, navy hat, navy gloves, navy clutch, navy heels. The only thing I would change: I would have told Kate to wear just regular pantyhose. The navy tights are overkill. Of course, I would also try to wean Kate off her beloved shiny-ass buttons too, but we have to pick our battles.
As for Meghan… apparently, she was a surprise guest at the Windsor Castle staff Christmas party:
#MeghanMarkle was a surprise guest at the Queen's annual staff Christmas party at Windsor Castle on Monday. One person who met her told me that she was 'charm personified'. 'She held out her hand & said 'Hi, I'm Meghan'. She was unbelievably beautiful and Harry looked so proud.'
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) December 14, 2017
Richard Kay wrote about Meghan’s appearance at Windsor Castle too – go here to read. Apparently, Meghan’s presence at all royal functions is being fast-tracked like crazy, partly because the Queen adores Harry and partly because Meghan doesn’t need to be princess-lesson’d to death. She’s really good at all of this from the start, and the Windsors are acknowledging that.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
That’s a really dark navy; I thought it was black.
Catherine is comfortable walking in heels, she doesn’t need his help to walk down the stairs.
Nice to hear that Meghan is back in the UK.
Mariah Carey is the only person who needs help walking anywhere😂😂😂
LOL!!!
lmao dead!
She looks beautiful and appropriately dressed. The Princes are in the same shade of navy too
I think the pieces would all look nice ndividually, but all together like this..no. She needed something to break up all that navy-ness; something other than the bloody buttons (again).
he just escorts her down the stairs ,they don walk hand in hand or ARM IN ARM
To be fair, there are a few pics where his hand is on her back, so he’s not completely inattentive….this time lol
How sure are we that Markle isn’t pregnant? Cos this is all too fast. Or maybe someone is about to die?
Highly doubt she’s pregnant; they would have made the wedding sooner. Everyone thinks Philip is going to die very soon. He is 96.
But if dies next year, the wedding will have to wait.
Did she even leave London?
Kate looks good here. Wills looks… well good for them for showing up
Once they announce the date, the wedding will go on unless they break up. The only thing that would postpone it is the death of the monarch herself.
I think she left to visit her mother for a short period.
Normal grannie dress for the outdoors elements. What an unregal looking regular – trying Princess Henry – CP Mary Victoria look but totally off mark.
Dear @RoyalSparkle – Please never change. You are literally the only reason I check the royal threads (I’m a Brit – the royals are NOT appealing). Full disclosure – I struggle to understand a word you write (I presume it’s English?) but the overly-invested vitriol never fails to entertain. Thank you!
Jessica — not true. Charles’s & Camilla’s wedding day was changed because of the death of the pope, and I’m sure that Phillip’s death would certainly also warrant a postponement.
In Luxembourg, the heir’s bride’s mother passed away 2 months before the wedding; ceremony took place as originally planned.
Unless Philip passes away just a few days before, I think the wedding would go on as usual perhaps without HM there.
In 1935, Lady Alice Montagu’s father passed away, so the venue of her wedding to the Duke of Gloucester was changed from Westminster (I believe) to Buckingham Palace Chapel, out of respect for her father.
@Lorelai
Philip isn’t the Pope; we can’t argue over this because it’s speculation but I don’t see them putting off the wedding under any circumstances. Also Charles’ wedding to Camilla isn’t a good example because it was Charles’ second.
@Frosty Flakes I concur about Royalsparkle, and her/his posts always make me giggle. She/he is consistent and shall not be deterred. No she/he won’t.
They will still marry even if Philip dies. I think the fast track is a multi-layered thing that includes this factor and the Queen’s advancing age. Meghan’s personality and professional experience is also part of the equation.
The only reason to postpone this wedding is if Princess Beatrice’s milliner needs more time. She is going to need something epic to out do her hat at W+K’s wedding.
Top marks for insensitivity, not to say vulgarity, and not because Philip is royal but just as one person talking about another. It is not necessarily the old who are first to go and Philip has lived his life and I am sure not being at this wedding is one of the future experiences he is not worried about missing.
As far as I can remember Charles’s wedding date was not changed because of the death of the Pope but because it was the same day as the Pope’s funeral which Charles attended.
In the engagement interview, they said something to the effect of wanting to be married a bit before having a family. I can’t imagine it would go over well if they were lying outright.
Int: Children?
Prince Harry: Not, not currently no. No, of course you know. I think you know one step at a time, and hopefully we’ll start a family in the near future.
I didn’t take it the way you did. I took it as Harry trying to make a joke that no, they aren’t pregnant now, don’t have kids now, and please could we focus on things in order, the interview, then the planning, then the wedding, then kids. One step at a time. Perhaps in response to some of the nastier rumors circulating about this engagement.
agree Nota. Harry made pretty well the same statement his brother made at his engagement interview. We’ll get over the marriage first, then we’ll see about children. Every engaged couple gets asked the same stupid thing. What if they just said” no, we are never having kids, we hate kids.”
Nota
How is that any different from what I said? They want to be married first so no, she isn’t expecting. Thanks for providing the direct quote though.
I don’t see his statement as them “wanting to be married a bit before starting a family” as you wrote. I saw it as a 1) focus on one step at a time and 2) smacking down nasty rumors.
He stated “hopefully we’ll start a family in the near future”. That doesn’t read as waiting to me; it reads as hoping to get pregnant as quickly as possible *after* the wedding.
Agreed w previous posts. Not to mention the vitriol Meghan would be the subject of if that were true:
COMMON AMERICAN DIVORCEE ACTRESS TRAPS PRINCE WITH PREGNANCY!
If she were pregnant I would think they would just get married. They wouldn’t be planning a May wedding.
Yeah , you are probably right. I think i just wanna see some pics of Kate and Markle… girl power 2017.
Agreed. If she was pregnant when they announced the engagment, she will be a minimum of 5 months pregnant in May (and that’s assuming she got knocked up the night before the announcement!). I think the RF would prefer the optics of a quickie wedding and a believably “premature” baby (e.g. born 8 months after the wedding) than of a wedding with a visibly pregnant bride and a baby who was obviously conceived well before the wedding took place.
Philip? Die?
Lmao….that stubborn old goat will be here another 10 – 15 years out of sheer spite, just watch.
A prince proposes to a woc so of course she’s knocked up. I just can’t.
In general, I’ve found the harshest critics and tumblr crazies often fail to recognize how racist and sexist what they’re saying about these two is.
Seriously? Every time some famous couple is spotted people talk babies. It was just gossipy comment.
I post here all the time. I would never think that. I am not among those people. I hate those people.
notasugarhere
They won’t admit this because they can’t admit they are racists. This is what happens when we see poc as “other”.
These attempts to find things ‘racist’ are becoming more and more desperate…. Thank goodness, I guess that means there’s not much real racism out there to worry about.
I cannot see how anyone can look at the press and online reaction to Meghan Markle in the past year and NOT see some of the racism both blatant and subtextual.
thank you nota. Comments like yours (almost) nullify ridiculous comments like Anna’s.
Azureskies, I laugh at loud when racists get called on their attitude and then try to act like people are looking for racists. No, we have better things to do, but it is so obvious it is impossible to ignore.
There has been so much blatant racism that it is mindboggling (but not really). But it has also been interesting to see how many people, even frequent posters, fall into the realm of micro-aggression. The pregnancy thing for one. Sure it’s gossip but I don’t remember any of that gossip about Kate and they were together for ten years and also had a short engagement but with Meghan it’s a question that is asked. Repeatedly. On multiple posts. Even though she would be SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT walking down the aisle….but it’s just gossip. Microagression.
Agreed NOTA. Well put. Just the racist, ugliness of these rumors about Meghan are awful and are based on nonsense.
Meghan is prepared for this position, and some of it was because she had an actual job (more than one) during her years as an adult and did not put her life on pause to wait for a prince. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that a 36 year old adult woman can interact with people and manage to be polite and charming. Most adult women by the time they are in the 30s can handle basic things like small talk with other people. The problem is that we are still making excuses for Kate, who turns 36 in a few weeks, since she still can barely handle the basic tasks of interacting with people who are not rich aristos. Camilla threw a spectacular Christmas party yesterday for her patronage, something that she does every year. Since Kate is the next most senior female royal, why hasn’t she done anything like this for her patronages yet?
So i skipped my pilates trying to understand how is pregnancy comment racist… It was a silly comment based on the rules those two broke, living together and Markle being invited for Xmas.
As for Kate, she was called every name in the book. Just cos pregnant isn’t one of them means nothing. She was called a freaking stalker. Like she could predict that she would get attention of the future king.
There’s no aggression, microagression, there’s nothing but curiosity. Including questions like what will happen if the queen or her husband died next year… I asked if she left London, cos there are no pictures. I’m just shaking my head for hours now…
Meghan and Harry didn’t break any rules; they aren’t any written protocol rules anyway. Edward and Sophie and W&K lived together before marriage and Catherine was invited to Xmas in 2010 but she chose to stay with her family since William was working.
Did you call out Kate Middleton for “breaking rules” and living with William before they were engaged? Or Sophie and Edward? Or Peter and Autumn? Or Mike and Zara? Or Anne and Tim? etc. etc. etc.
The ongoing speculation that MM must be pregnant or Prince Harry wouldn’t marry her? In many of those speculations and comments, either here or elsewhere, is an intrinsic, unconscious, or deliberate racism.
Ok. Here’s the deal. I hear you. I cannot say i fully understand what its like to be black woman. And i do not want to pretend that i can cos it is not possible.
I am trying to be learn and i am learning. I was way worse towards Kate, btw, but i am trying to also support women as much as i can. So, yes, i did call out Will and Kate. I don’t know about the rest… Not a big royalist.
But what is really important is that i am trying my best to be myself and that means that i can be impulsive, without hurting anyone here or anywhere else. I understand white washing. I get why black panther is important. I know that it is not easy for a black woman to find a great make up or shampoo. I get that only certain shades of black are sort of popular, and it is disturbing and just wrong. I get that black women are set up for failure by society and that they work harder. I get that not all black women have big lips or muscular body, not all black women are great singers and not all black people have rhytam. I am still learning and i do not want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or unsafe, there’s too many bad things going on. I do not want a medal, I’m literally apologizing for making this mess. This was just more interesting than what Kate wore… But I am sorry if it suggested i only said it cos Markle is black. Well im sorry either way
I don’t understand why racists get so incensed at being called racists.
Milla
We’re all here to learn. Sending you hugs. Anna’s statement was much worse, if that helps 🙂
Thank you Azureskies for understanding. It means a lot. Hugs back💗
milla, even when I don’t agree with you, I always feel you are sincere and interested. I also know you don’t live in America, so some nuance is hard to describe.
I wasn’t talking about you though. I wanted you to know that.
Speculating about a baby (a happy occasion) is racist? Are you serious? Get a grip. People would be speculating about her being pregnant whether she’s biracial or not. She’s 36 and things are moving very fast and the DM article pointed out she didn’t drink. Even if she is pregnant, so what? She’s probably super happy about it and it’s not a shameful thing FFS. Racist… LOL
Speculating that she is already pregnant and forcing the proposal? When that goes hand-in-hand *on some forums* with blatant racism about her? Yes, speculation around this topic with these two people often involves racism.
it too early ,i think ,anyroad ,only a PREGNANCY TEST can tell !
I love the hat.
Everything else looks like everything else she has ever worn and bores the hell out of me.
But the hat is on point.
I like the hat as well but I don’t think it’s flattering on her. It’s also a bit too casual for that coat with it’s buttons and pleats and pocket flaps.
That hat seem inappropriate – DoCornwall looks so much regal compared to 35 going on 50 lazy waitie middleton.
Off topic or more. on -DM article states. Prince/ess Henrys with HM attended. Windsor Castle. staff party together.
With the hat, she looks like Carmen SanDiego in blue instead of red.
Agreed! Love that hat and want to fondle it. Beautiful fur felt.
I don”t like her Freddy Krueger hat.
Last para is a repeat….
She’s definitely not the first woman who wore heels and didn’t hold on to her husbands arm while pregnant. Her outfit isn’t bad, but the color of the shoes don’t look great with it
I’m pregnant and hate when people try to help me by taking my arm. My balance is already off, having you weigh down one arm makes it worse. Especially with the snow because I also don’t want them taking me down with them (as they’re less focused on their walk to support me).
Exception, I will take my husband’s arm (not him take mine), but it’s automatic, and less for support and more second nature for us.
I am a navy-aholic, so I love the choice (on Wills and Harry too). For me it is not the hose, but the shoes that do not work. Too bright a blue — Either midnight blue or black (and perhaps one other accessory in that darker tone).
Agree black shoes. Too much blue
I just hope she is careful. My mother in law will never give up her heels, but when she was pregnant, she fell on some stairs and lost her baby. It was leaving a restaurant in the summer, so there was no ice or anything. Just a bad moment of losing her concentration.
I wouldn’t want that to happen to her, but I would have liked to see William help her a little. Even a hand on the small of her back for a second or two.
Kate looks tired. William’s clothes look well tailored and fit him nicely.
She looks great. And I never say that. Not sure about the color hose but I love this look with the hat.
On a side note, did anyone see the article about the Kate and Will showing rare PDA recently??? Guess the race is on due to Harry and MM.
Haha, yes. Kate tapped Will’s knee.
Except it’s not rare as it was pointed out in the last post there are pictures of them being touchy-feely throughout the years.
It has nothing to do with his brother or his soon-to-be wife, people need to stop making this into a competition.
People REALLY need to stop making this a competition. It’s already old and we probably have another 30+ years of this crap coming.
Please relax. This is a gossip site and a little healthy competition when coming to NORMALCY and a good work ethic is a good thing.
I agree with you, Sky and Lady D. I dislike being told to “relax” because we hold a different viewpoint! I am relaxed; I just don’t like the constant pitting of the two women against each other here.
I think she looks lovely and completely occasion-appropriate, and for once, William’s suit is tailored properly (no moose knuckle showing!) and his pants are long enough lol
The was als another shot of them with his hand on the small of her back (and it wasn’t to push her along! Lol). It was nice to see it. We’ve only had a few of those shots since early in their marriage.
I am just so happy to read the term “moose knuckle” after a long day.
..
I normally love navy. It’s one of my favorite colors. But damn! That’s a lot of navy.
In other pics it looks black.
Love navy too. Much prefer it to black. So I won’t complain. She looks nice here, love the hat.
+2
Need to work be professional before copying The Princess Henry.
How is she copying Meghan? I own a navy coat, and I’m not copying either one of them. You need to lay off with the comparisons.
Kate has a thousand coats though and many that would fit during a pregnancy … did she really need another one, this time navy and with more buttons?
RoyalSparkle, you really love this “Princess Henry” business.
Her name is Meghan, she won’t be going by Princess Henry like Princess Michael of Kent. Knock it off, your weird jokes are old. You don’t call Kate Princess William. So stop.
@amelie the whole reason RoyalSparkle’s posts are so maddening is because they refuse to just call people by their actual names, and would rather make a “clever” word salad of ten words describing kate, which no one can follow unless they’ve seen these posts before.
RoyalSparkle’s nonsense is honestly sucking the joy out of these royal posts. They are ALL OVER the comments.
I’ve said it before but I think RoyalSparkle’s word salad is too studied. I think he/she speaks English, actually.
Navy is my go to color, it’s softer than black.
I love navy and its a lot but i don’t hate it.
Nice hat. The rest of the outfit is the norm for her. And, oh the buttons, buttons and more buttons.
Her ability to stand on her own two feet at least in the literal sense is to be admired.
😂
Oddly enough, it is one of the few things that I do admire about her. I was actually in awe when I saw her walk down airplane stairs in heels while carrying Charlotte.
Yes! Every time I see pictures of Kate carrying her kids down steep airplane stairs, I look at her in wonder. I don’t know how she does it. She has the athleticism to do it.
Oh, Lord!! I remember her walking down the airplane steps in New Zealand or Australia in that red coatdress – holding George, trying to keep her skirt down with the other hand, her idiot husband walking down next to her, paying no attention to what was going on at all!
My heart was in my throat looking at that video!!
Despite allegations of an ED her arms and legs are muscular and toned. I saw her dead lift George in 3″ heels from a crouching pisition and I was like whoa! I don’t think you can do that if you’re starving.
She’s in excellent shape and eats very healthy. She plays tennis regularly, goes scuba diving, hikes, etc. She has very little body fat but she’s not anorexic.
Yes,
Her athletic ability states to me that she is not as milquetoast as she seems. Both she and her sister are quite sporty, and you have to be quite determined and disciplined to keep at it, not to mention getting back into shape after having kids in her case. I think that she has a steely reserve hidden away in there somewhere.
Renee2, I don’t think she’s a milquetoast. I’m firmly in he camp that she wanted the prince, went after him with a spine of steel, and selfishly/willfully chooses to do very little work to help other people because she doesn’t want to. I don’t view her as a victim of fate.
She did have an issue with food but that is more of an emotional issue than weight, and it has aged her face. Hopefully, she has moved through that, but it is difficult when she knows any weight gain will be a headline.
The navy isn’t terrible, but I hate those coat as dress things. I just find them dull for a woman and childlike when they are worn like this with tights and matchy. My girls wear them but not matchy. So it is hard for me to see them as adult clothing like that.
I think of them more like this for children:
http://static.ellahoy.es/ellahoy/fotogallery/1200X0/207183/leonor-y-sofia-con-abrigo-gris.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/46/eb/f2/46ebf2a1630fa83a3fcca5a73f4c1797.jpg
For women:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a6/75/81/a67581da294ef2a9a5d3e45d820c0a03–cruise-travel-dracula.jpg
I think this conservative look idea would be a great basic silhouette for Kate:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/02/bb/9b/02bb9ba17284012accd39ee65fd5e0b4–blush-dresses-sheath-dresses.jpg
One day we should redress Kate in our ideas. Like a Lookbook for Kate. Maybe someone will see them.
@Renee2, she’s no milquetoast. And she’s no helpless victim of her mother’s/Wililams machinations either. She has a personality that’s evident from the pictures of her that we can see from her university days.
I think she is simply content to not take an initiative in certain areas of her life. And she lacks charisma when it comes to speaking in public and such. When she’s not motivated to do something, she doesn’t. That’s the impression I get from her.
Magnolia, I don’t dislike coatdresses on Kate cause they look good on her, but that last look you posted?? OMG, gorgeous!!!!! I don’t think I would like that color on Kate, but imagine that in a darker red, or dark green?? Amazing!! Very sophisticated, fresh and quietly sexy, too.
@ Stevie I think she is an attractive woman. I like the lines of a coat dress if that makes sense, but I would like to see her change it up but keep the lines. The color is too pale and more fitting for Sophie, but in the colors, you recommended would be great.
She has gorgeous hair color and pretty eye color. I’d like to see her mix it up with her hair. Blowouts and waves, up, chignons, elegant ponytail within her dress code.
Magnolia,
I agree. Kate has a lot to work with. And yes, the coat dresses get boring cause she overdoes them.
If I had her hair and a hairdresser, I would have a different type of updo or my hair half pulled back every workday. She looks good with the front of her hair pulled back. I don’t know why she has it hanging in her face all the time. Same with Meghan on her first appearance. They are professional women, meeting and greeting, hair hanging in their faces isn’t professional. But half back, interesting waves, and ponytails – all great!!!
I think she looks great. Even her makeup is good.
I think so too. A bit monochromatic, but quite nice.
So. Many. Buttons.
Not me. I like the blue tights to just keep the color going monochromatic all the way down. Beige/tan tights would be ugly.
Yes, I agree. The last thing that outfit needed was an expanse of beige leg.
Kate is looking more and more like Carole as she gets older. Not a fan of colour blocking.
And I’m looking more and more like my mother. Even the same types of clothing that look good on her look good on me. I am learning to accept fate.
Carole is a very attractive woman – how old is she? She has to be at least my age, 56? She is fit, well dressed, well groomed. Kate would be lucky to look like her mother at her age.
I have to agree here. I want to dress her too but she is an attractive woman aging well.
Loving Willy’s suit fit it’s nice shows off his frame nicely.
Kate looks nice, not feeling the Undertaker hat though *wrestling reference*
I am ashamed I got that reference :p
I for one agree with Kaiser, yet again. One of the few perks of being married is that I get him to help me up and down the stairs when in heels. Mariah style :))))
OMG, just a quick google and I’m crying with laughter !! Maybe I need to get out more..
I’m thinking William needs to go up a size both in jacket and trousers. When both are so tight you get horizontal “pull” whiskers? You’re wearing clothing that is too small.
I had the same thought, nota. William’s suit looks too small on him.
William always seems to wear his clothes too tight. Does he think we all want to see what he’s got?? Yeech!!
Is it just the light or are the toes of William’s shoes all scuffed up?
I like it so much.. she looks extremely lovely and elegant. I am in the minority but I do think Kate holds her self very well as a royal.
👍🏻
I agree.
She is dressed appropriately for the event and looks fine.
I think she looks awesome. Hat included. Very somber, appropriate tayloring and not flashing anyone. Well done!
I like it so much , she looks extremely lovely and elegant. I am in the minority but I do think Kate holds herself very well as a royal.
Sorry double post . Don’t know why
Amazing color
The outfit it more muted than her usual outfit (smaller buttons, sturdy hat, etc) so Ill give it a pass. Good church outfit.
Im glad Meghan is being welcomed quickly. Unlike Kate she didn’t have a decade of interactions with family and this crash course before marriage is great.
I only don’t know why this is the 2nd time the press are going sugar because she shook people’s hands and said “Hi, Im Meghan”. I feel like I’m missing something, because that’s how one would introduce themselves and she’s used to networking. Did Kate say “Hello pleb, I’m your future Queen bow lower”…? Because i don’t understand how saying hi and her name is so notable.
It’s all a reaction to how poorly Kate adjusted to her role and how low the bar was lowered to explain away her poor performance.
And it’s the media’s way of having a dig at Kate without appearing to do so.
Haha that’s better than my other theory which was the press taking a shot at Meghan by saying “look she may be American, but at least she has basic manners”
@Lak Always negative about kate. She is doing well. She makes mistakes, she is only human. Media is making digs because they are trying to create friction between kate and meghan to sell their newspapers. They tried with her touching william (she did that years ago when nobody heard of meghan), christmasinvite (william wasn’t at sandringham in 2010 either) etc. Kate was a private person when she married william. Meghan is a actress who is used to media (interviews etc), it was her job. Meghan is a extrovert and Kate is a introvert. You can’t compare them.
notok
I love your posts. They’re balanced and sympathetic. That may not win you many friends here but know that it is refreshing.
As for LAK, I don’t always agree with her interpretation of the facts but she never gets the actual facts wrong. Like, ever.
Eliza: that was before MM was engaged and became official.
On the day of her engagement she became the best thing since sliced bread.
All the articles coming out now can’t just present the information as is. They slip in how Kate took so long or wasn’t invited or something digging at Kate’s performance.
Poorly adjusted is all on lazy waitie carol middleton mafia hangers on entitlement.
@notok LAK is highly knowledgeable about the royals and is a wealth of information on these posts. It’s not negative to refuse to sugar coat the reality of things.
The media is being nice to Meghan now, and making digs at Kate, but if anyone has watched the British media for any time at all, we know how this will end — Kate will be feted as Diana was, and Meghan will be treated as Fergie was, and any children she and Harry have will be mocked the way Beatrice and Eugenie have been since they were children.
The spare doesn’t get treated well in the long run.
Stevie: That heir vs Spare policy is brutal.
I don’t think so, Stevie. These are different times, with social media and the players are very different. Kate is nothing like Diana and will never get that level of love and adoration. Diana worked on that and mastered it because it was important to her. She was rare and not likely to be seen again in the BRF in this lifetime at least. Meghan isn’t indiscreet and the days of paps in the bushes are over.
We are in new territory. Being future Queen consort isn’t enough to win love but my latest attempt to influence her wardrobe might. lol
Magnoliarose
I hope I don’t get in trouble for this but I wonder if you could help me with two styling issues I’m desperately in need of help with. I hate to threadjack. Do you have a blog or are you a stylist? Those Kate revamp links were amazing. If this isn’t allowed someone please let me know 🙂
Azureskies, you can absolutely thread jack- there’s no strict protocol on this site about that. People do it all the time and there have been some amusing and extremely random side conversations. You may have to find her on the next royal post, though.
HudsonGirl
You rock!
I don’t have a blog except for my windy posts here on CB. Lol You did catch me though. I love to help women look their beautiful best selves, and I sincerely believe there is no such thing as unattractive except on the inside.
Women’s health is something I have interest in, and so many women have health issues that preclude them from exercise or life events that are stressful. Low self-esteem from social messaging can be exhausting, so many give up. y
However, knowing what people really look like before photoshop, top makeup artists, photographers, and hairstylists I know it is all about what you do with what you have. Every age, shape, and size is naturally beautiful.
Manifesto over but I am more than willing to help if I can anytime. Nudge me if I don’t answer because I never can get through the whole site in one day, so I miss followups almost always.
I do respond on weekends or late night sometimes.
I see two differences here. Meghan spoke to staff. Kate’s been reported as being prickly and difficult to work for. It’s unlikely that she ever saw the need to introduce herself to people hired to serve her. Also, in many candid photos we have of Kate at events, she’s in a huddle with people she knows well — Will, Harry, or one or two long-time friends. I don’t think she’s at all comfortable with strangers. Meghan seems to be more practiced at socializing, more naturally adept, and somewhat less status-conscious.
It was never reported that kate was difficult to work for. William yes, Kate no. When she was reported to be prickly was when she was pregnant. Many women are when their hormones are raging through their body.
Give Meghan a few years, she could become difficult. It’s hard not to be like that if people are fawning all over you. Have even read that both Camilla and Sophie have become grand.
A quick google search shows they lost their housekeeper in May because she was expected to work all the time. And in 2015 a couple that was associated with the Sandringham estate for year quit working for Will and Kate and Carole has been stepping in to help.
Meghan may end up being difficult as well, but currently it’s the Cambridges who don’t keep their staff for long.
I hope she doesn’t do that. It is poor behavior and unkind.
The outfit is more muted because someone’s got the memo. That’s something that only makes me think, again, that someone working to make her look better reads a certain fab blog.
Small, steady improvement. Less buttons but still the dress is too short and the legs proudly on display.
Another appearance due to public uproar re: #someone’sgotthememo. I don’t want to take away from the significance of this event since it’s been one of the most tragic events in UK’s current times. But it is still a light event. A few pictures, an hour or so at the service. Supporting the GT residents right in the aftermath of the tragedy would have been much more meaningful. This feels just empty to me.
You think someone is reading our comments and giving Kate our wardrobe suggestions?? And being appropriately dressed at a memorial service is “empty”? Uh, okay.
It’s known that PR people come to this blog to spin negative opinions of their clients. Some small and steady improvement of Kate’s image that’s spot on re: some of the criticism. Not too much and nothing of substance though. Numbers don’t matter. The dynamics in the comments sections changed big time since Harry and Meghan’s engagement was announced. That’s just my opinion. This is a site that welcomes different points of view and I salute CB for that.
I said that Kate going to the service felt empty to me because she should have done something in the aftermath. She did not. Some commentators were critical of her because of that at that time. This is not new. Enter mental health campaign and her passion for drawing. Drawing is a tool used to ease trauma while offering a sympathetic year and some kind exchange of words. Going to the service was something she had to do in some sign of recognition of that awful tragedy.
“the dress is too short and the legs proudly on display.”
What do you mean by “proudly on display”? Her dress is knee-length — same as Camilla’s…
lobbit, KM’s coat is knee-length. The dress underneath is mid-thigh, which we can see because she failed to have the hem of the coat weighted.
Eliza I did not get it either but after watching that video of her being asked to choose William or Harry, I admit she really seemed engaging and not fake. So I can totally see how her saying hello sounds warm and sincere. I would talk to her. In the engagement interview, sometimes she did seem ‘on’ like an actress, but hey that’s what the royals do. They play a role to engage you.
OOPS wrong place.
Kate Middleton didn’t have a decade of interactions with the royal family prior to their engagement. William in essence became a Middleton during that time, being with them instead of the Windsors and ducking out of whatever Windsor things he could.
W&K went skiing with the Midds instead of attending the 2012 joint memorial service for the 10 year anniversary of the deaths of the Queen Mum and Princess Margaret. B&E had also been skiing at that time, but returned home in time for the service. I think the only other prominent family member who missed that service was Edward, because he was giving out Duke of Edinburgh Scheme Awards to skiers elsewhere in Europe. Sophie attended the memorial. Anne and Tim were there. Zara and Mike weren’t, nor were Peter and Autumn as she had just given birth.
William kept KM away from the Windsors (even his own brother) for a decade while he was constantly going after other women and returning eventually to KM. What those behaviors may signify is fodder for much discussion. But KM didn’t gain familiarity with the family during that decade, because there was little to no interaction with them.
@nota I am SHOCKED to know he skipped the memorial service of Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. To go skiing with the Middletons. No pun, I am serious as heck. That’s one more argument to enhance the perception that his family through marriage is more important than his blood family which happens to be the BRF. And since the date of the memorial service would have been known months in advance, why schedule the trip to overlap with that event? Or not make the effort to go to the service and back on holiday? Shameless!
And considering Kate first met the Queen on her own at his relative’s wedding while he is off at the wedding of Jecca Craig’s brother just shows how he didn’t really care to help integrate with the Windsor side. He really is a selfish ass. I actually feel bad for Kate sometimes because he threw her to the wolves without any preparation. Now she has since failed to get help to improve, but until the engagement he failed at preparing her in any real way.
If she wanted to improve and to be prepared when she shows up to work, she would do so of her own will. She chooses not to.
Neither William nor Harry spent much time with family in their 20s if they could help it. As Kate was such a high profile gf I do not think Will was hiding her. I think he himself didn’t want to be around the Windsors and that is on him, not her. But when it really mattered, Kate was there, even if in the background.
I didn’t realize Elizabeth lost her sister and mother in the same year. That’s harsh.
Lady D: not just the same year, but a month apart. Harsh.
I blame William more than Kate for her failure. Harry was young and single and not the heir, so it wasn’t uncommon to be doing his own thing, but it wasn’t deliberate, and he didn’t skip out on family engagements. William rebels and acts like a brat and protects no one. If he wants to one day wake up and have a new life he knows he can, and he behaves like it.
How she bears him, I have no idea.
That was something that really struck me about Harry and Meghan. It was clear from the engagement interview that Harry very intentionally introduced Meghan to his grandparents, father/stepmother and brother/SIL early on and they met frequently. In addition, Harry introduced Meghan to the Spencers and even some of the close family friends. Harry was keen for Meghan to meet all the important people in his life and to be with her through that process which I did not get from William and Kate. Harry also took the time to consult with staff about the engagement which was why everyone had statements ready to go literally as soon as the engagement dropped and folks were all thoroughly prepped.
Harry also was at pains to state in the interview that he was very upfront about the challenges and expectations of being with him and that the marriage comes with a job and responsibility. IDK, it just seems that even though they have moved fast, Harry has been very methodical and intentional about making sure Meghan knows who is who and what she is getting herself into.
I do not get that sense as much from William and Kate when they were interviewed. It seems William thought that the duration of the relationship and general proximity Kate had was enough.
I find Kate to be thoroughly unimpressive and I find the bar laughably low for someone who is 36 years old. I like what I have seen with Meghan so far so I am willing to give her a few years to prove her mettle.
Her legs are phenomenal. Sigh. Mine blew up like sausages the moment I had a positive pregnancy test, I’m not even kidding.
Yesss, mine too. I was looking at Kirsten Dunst pictures and I was so jealous. All boobs and belly, sexy legs.
I had to wear maternity pants at 3 months pregnant, regular pants didn’t fit me. By the end I had gained 60 pounds and went up like 4 pants sizes 🙁
( tha baby is 12 months and I’ve lost all the weight and some, but I still got thunder thighs. Always did, always will).
I guess I am the only one not feeling the fedora at a memorial service. The one time wearing her hair down would have been fine, she doesn’t.
Her hair *is* down. She is just wearing a hat. Which is appropriate for a memorial service, and probably helps with the cold, too.
Never been a problem with cold before. Okay then, can’t be critical of your friend Kate. Got it. *rolls eyes and walk away*
Maybe her roots need a touch up. She wore a hat once before for the same reason. She was papped a day or two later stepping out of a salon.
IMO the hat is flat out ugly and reminds me of Kates awful Vogue cover which made Freddie Krueger look great by comparison.
I hate the hat.
Um, sticking out your hand for a shake and a “Hi, I’m [first name here] is literally the least one can do when introducing oneself. That she’s beautiful and friendly and Harry’s proud of her all of that I can believe, but that other detail being thrown in is just kind of hilarious. Yes, definitely point out that she can introduce herself like a big girl!
When we get leaks from the staff about Kate Middleton refusing to greet staff in passing at some of the Palaces. W&K refusing to speak to staff when arriving or leaving their “private vacation times” during official paid tours. Staff leaks of W&K insisting on full protocol and curtsies from staff behind the scenes.
Yes, if Meghan Markle is friendlier and more approachable now, it matters. We’ll see if it changes.
They indicated in their engagement interview that they’ve been spending a lot of time at and around Windsor in the last year and a half. That makes it doubly nice that the two of them showed up at the Christmas event for the staff who have been helping to keep their courtship private.
do you actually believe all these “leaks”
They certainly have gone through a lot of staff at Anmer, with many of the departures being made by employees formerly associated to Sandringham for a lengthy period of time.
If one can see petulance and lack of character/ethic in public, what happens in private must be a lot worse, especially when staff cannot talk about his behaviour hence the gossip. Add Will’s disdain of his blood family also through verifiable facts. He does not even care of the appearances. His feud with his blood family is public but silent as compared to his mother’s ways.
The Queen and Charles must be busy with other issues, and trying keep petulant Will in check is down the list or they lost hope altogether. What sort of King Bill will make, I wonder. Time is running and he needs to get his act together, like now, otherwise things will go down the drain. And it’ll be difficult to get things on track. Add his wife and one gets the full picture. Add the unknown variable of the new couple Harry and Meghan. Sigh.
I don’t not believe it. The Cambridges are hardly the first in their family to treat their staff with disdain, so it’s not out of character. I can definitely see William, much more than Kate even, insisting on a certain level of deference from his staff.
@A She takes his lead so I can believe it.
To put it mildly, their visit to NYC went over like a lead balloon, and the critiques were scathing. About the whole trip. She was a huge disappointment and the buttoned-up coats and lack of British ambassadorship. Behind the scenes not good either.
I blame him mostly.
Several biographers have written that William is notoriously hard to work for and boorish. Not quiet Andrew territory, but no great joy, same with Philip too. Harry is consistently stated to be the most beloved of the family for the staff. I would expect Harry to expect nothing less than courteousness from his spouse toward staff.
I believe it was the Junor book (and she is no fan of Harry) that said the staff prefer to deal with Harry because he is more considerate and warm.
I have never heard anything bad about Kate and staff…that doesn’t sound true to me TBH. I can see her being distant, but not rude.
HAHAHAHA! That’s what I thought too! “Hi! My name is Claire” and the people are fainting at my brilliance.
i love the look! i just love navy. it’s refreshing to see her with meat on her bones. her face looks fuller. I bet she’s having another girl.
It’s not head to toe navy, there are some gold buttons in there. 🙂
Oh I really like Kate’s hat.
At first glance I really liked this look, even though it is a LOT of navy.
but the more I look at the pictures – the hat doesn’t quite work with the outfit. I feel like there is a part of Kate that likes bigger hats (think of the hat she wore to Zara Phillips wedding, the Audrey hat or whatever she has worn a few times before) but she cant quite style them appropriately. This, to me, is where a stylist would come in handy for her. Not just to help her with actual outfits and appropriateness, but also to help her with proportions and basic styling tips.
I also think the coat is not particularly flattering, and not because she is pregnant. It just makes her look very……broad. IDK.
And as someone who clumps around in heels, her ability to stand and walk in heels is a skill that I definitely admire.
The buttons are too far apart on the coat. It does make her look wider.
+1
Tights are overkill?? She is dressed appropriately for the weather.
The Navy outfit is nice. The press is gearing up for a Kate vs. Meghan beef: two royal brides from different countries but both have middle class backgrounds. Meghan works hard and will treat staff with respect. Kate is tagged the Duchess of Do-Little and a bit of a snob with the help. Turnover with her and William’s staff doesn’t help.
And the reason why she couldn’t wear the £395 navy Beulah coat she wore to the Afghanistan Service of Commemoration in March 2015 when she was 7 months pregnant is?
She wanted still another navy maternity coat, but with buttons! Shiny buttons!
That coat would have been fine. I don’t understand why she insists on buying so many new coat/coat dresses when she already has the same color in her closet. Just wasting money.
Because HRH Prince Charles of Wales is generous and wants to keep the peace between the royal households for as much as royaly and princely possible. And probably because it’s not his own money. And probably because if there is no talk about the keen interest in fashion and supporting the fashion industry, what would people talk about Kate?
She probably has no idea about the clothing she has. Charles needs to provide a strict budget and force her to be more cost conscious. She is going to hit 200k again this year. Considering the service she was attending was the result of cost cutting and it literally cost lives, when she flits about spending money on repetitive clothing like a drunk, it is really a crime. Very Marie Antoinette.
And will Charles cut back on jewels for Camilla, which he famously adores giving her, the rare books and art he’s fond of and the expansions/upgrades to his luxe estates in Romania and Scotland? Will he stop supporting Camilla’s private, well-staffed estate at Raymill because he doesn’t care to be around her grandchildren? Will Anne stop keeping up her children and grandchildren in grand style at the taxpayer’s expense?
Charles doesn’t pay for Anne, that is up to the Queen and he is going to cut back on what his siblings receive once he ascends to the throne. They all know that hence why Andrew was jockeying for his daughters to be doing royal “work”.
As for Camilla and the jewels, she doesn’t wear new ones every week and she was thoughtful enough to wear an outfit she had worn in the past when she attended the service. And if we compare the amount of engagements that Camilla has done, she far surpasses Kate. And we can get into how the Middletons received costly security upgrades to a home that William (and therefore Charles) helped pay for at the taxpayer expense because for years of her marriage she didn’t want to stay in Wales and during the pregnancies and early parts thereafter she had to stay with her parents and not the palace or manor home to which she has access.
They all spend a lot of money, no one is saying otherwise, but Kate is so blatant and careless with her spending and does so little in return that it is especially insensitive to bring out a new outfit at a service where people died because the government did not have the resources or the political will to ensure that the building was properly constructed and safe for its residents who live on a fixed income.
I didn’t say Charles was responsible for Anne’s skimming cream off the top. It doesn’t matter who paid directly. Anne should be using her inheritance not tax dollars. And Camilla has more than a few baubles whether she wears them often or not. It cost over £2M to renovate Raymill and retrofit it for security reasons – outrageous given the fact that Highgrove is 17 miles away. This does not include the hundreds of thousands of extra pounds/year in extra local police presence everytime she is in residence.
It doesn’t matter how many engagements these people do. They waste money because they did not earn it. And a lot of you will never see it or admit it but it is peak misogyny to ignore every other royal sponge and turn a laser focus on Kate’s wardrobe. Don’t take away Harry’s globetrotting fund or William’s adult household fund. No, let’s demand Charles take away Kate’s ability to shop til she drops. It’s not about frugality for a lot of you it’s about punishment and that’s…weird. The shopping isn’t the problem and we all know it. There are bigger issues of work related engagement and responsibility. If you don’t call out all the royals then don’t single out the one you clearly can’t stand. It’s beyond weird at this point.
W&K do the least amount of engagements, but she regularly racks up $200,000 a year in new clothing and accessories purchases. The shopping *is* an issue.
@Azureskies you’re making some good points and I agree with most of the things you’ve said. There’s one point that I slightly disagree with and that’s related to Kate. As someone said before the backlash against her is because she does so little when she has so much. And she had a lot even before entering William’s life. That’s the main thing that bothers me about her. You see, I’ve seen a lot in my life also people that started from little, faced immense hardship and became successful in their own right through efforts and sacrifice. Tough lives and circumstances.
Kate’s one of the most privileged people I know of if only from how she’s pictured as I do not know her personally. Mindblowingly awesome family life, love and support and nothing to care for. Education that most people dream of. And she did nothing of her life to manage enter the BRF through her marriage with William. And does little to nothing with her acquired privileges. She has a very high profile in the BRF. She’s the most talked about BRF member. And her biggest, if not only selling point is the fashion. It’s only up to her to make people change their perception of her. And I want her to do better but she’s had far too many chances.
Magnolia/Soulspa – all true…
You guys, I will never say Kate deserves or has earned the lavish life or all the goodies. I’m pointing out hypocrisy. When it’s a royal we like we don’t peer into their private extravagancies or we say well it’s their money so who cares. But when it’s Kate we brush by the fact that it’s Charles’ private money and we start banging on about duchy funds. Come on. Not one of these royals earns their lifestyle but yes, most of them meet and far exceed the expectations, unlike Kate. But look at where the bar is set and compare that to the shameless luxuries they all avail themselves of. And yes, it’s sexist to not rake Charles over the coals. He’s either an enabler or complicit – it is projecting to assume he is bribing Kate. He’s no better then, except for his work ethic. Like the queen once said “Don’t complain, don’t explain”.
The Duchy funds are not Charles’s “private funds” – never have been and never will be. I think he is emotionally blackmailed by W&K, so afraid to question their behavior or he will be cut out of the grandkids lives completely.
What nota said. The Crown Estates and the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster belong to the British people. None of these people spend their private funds for anything official. It does matter how much they work. It matters to the small community organisations which raise more funds from a visit from Princess Anne than anything else they do all year. Imagine if that was William, Kate or Harry. If they do keep doing as few engagements as they are presently doing, the monarchy will have ended before George is king.
notasugar
That is projecting, imo. Charles has a strong sense of entitlement and probably is quite determined that the second in line to the throne and the future queen consort have the very best of everything. He understands the privilege of birth order all too well and is not being manipulated. Charles doesn’t have the backbone or the inclination to rein Will and Kate in as he should. And he is not shy about royal perks himself. Charles is no victim.
Tina
You’re preaching to the choir. It’s the rf who blurs the line between public and private money. It’s shameful.
Azureskies, you said “when it’s Kate we brush by the fact that it’s Charles’ private money and we start banging on about duchy funds.” Don’t muddy the waters. The royals never spend their private funds on public matters. Duchy funds are public, not private.
I don’t doubt Charles has a strong sense of entitlement. I think he has also shown, through his actions / words / leaks, that he is someone who wants to be liked and loved. That’s why he and Camilla work, because when they are together she appears to make him the center of her attention. She centers and balances him, as has been written about by multiple journalists.
They happily spend time apart, but when they appear together they are Together with a capitol T. He also always makes sure that he takes her arm, she has an umbrella, he makes sure she can get down airplane steps, etc. and takes care of her in return.
To me Charles seems like someone who fears emotional rejection. He treads on eggshells around W&K because he fears they’ll cut him out even more.
Tina
Lol no muddy waters here. I’m just one at the back of a long line of people who question Charles’ creative accounting. And why mention that the royals never spend private money on public affairs? Talk about muddy waters. The problem is that public money is being spent on private affairs. Charles buts Kate’s clothes but to whom does *he* send the bill? And when taxpayers pay for the clothes that makes it worse. But you are purposedully sidestepping my main point – where is the outrage for the other royals?
notasugarhere
I like what you’ve said here about Charles. Because I happen to like him I’ll take it as food for thought. Thank you.
There’s no outrage for the other royals because they work much harder than William, Kate and Harry. Personally I now think the lot of them should be binned when the Queen dies, but Anne and Charles do a lot more work than WKH. I do think that Kate gets an undue amount of vitriol compared to William and Harry, but that’s a (completely unfair) function of her being young and attractive, and a woman.
Thanks Tina. It’s weird for me because I see the double standard while having zero sympathy for the situation the young royals find themselves in. My fingers are crossed however.
That other navy coat was much more attractive than this one.
Kate looks wonderful.
I can’t belive how much better Kate looks when pregnant
Kind of grotesque to see them, among the richest families in history, attending a memorial for the grenfell tower victims. Only 1 in 5 of the homeless families has been permanently rehoused, six months after the fire. And not person has been held accountable for this entirely preventable disaster.
Spare me the royal crocodile tears.
Yes and wearing a brand new very expensive coat. Recycling something in her closet would be more thoughtful.
To me she looks like a toddler with a gold button coat, tights and Mary Janes. I don’t understand the praise for an unremarkable outfit to a memorial service. This model is more fashionable. https://www.childrensalon.com/angel-s-face-girls-navy-blue-military-coat-193035.html?__currency=USD&___fdc=US&gclid=Cj0KCQiA38jRBRCQARIsACEqIeswFjk8kWyLH6N9XZhCsR1H0JKiupiaWyl7ihJ0hPE4eAmdGTyJb-oaAvS2EALw_wcB
It would be worse if they didn’t go.
It’s not their fault that grenfell happened. it was a horrendous tragedy.
It would look terrible if they didn’t go.
I understand that, and you’re right the optics would be terrible if they didn’t make an appearance. Usually I avoid royals threads because their continued existence at public expense makes me growly.
@Frosty, fair play. I think it is one of those events where W+K+H just have to be at, they represent the Queen and they are also not known for their work ethic.
I know it sounds a bit cheesy but I think it may also have kind of made some people feel better like even the Royals were there to support.
Well they are holding an enquiry so that is when the accountability will be decided, not before. And what would you havee said if they hadn’t turned up?
It is horrendous that it happened in the first place and even worse that it hasn’t been remedied. I feel so sorry for those unfortunate people. 🙁
I saw a meme about Princess Kate and her being able to kneel, in heels, in the grass, with a wiggly toddler on her knee, to discipline her other toddler, and get back up without even so much as a stumble…and people think women are weak.
I was like YASS!! THIS!! Motherhood, womanhood, SISTERHOOD.
I’m no Kate Stan but I did approve of that meme.
Wow–what an accomplishment.
I’ve been a systems support engineer, emergency medical technician, classroom teacher, educational therapist and consultant, caregiver and therapeutic recreation specialist for memory-impaired elderly assisted living residents, and am currently back in school to become a nuclear medicine technologist. I’ve done this while having AD/HD and epilepsy. And I don’t consider myself accomplished (because I’m not).
But a *truly* strong woman is one who can manage two toddlers while wearing heels. Cuz babies and fashion is what women are all about, right?
And we wonder why women aren’t taken seriously in the workplace.
exactly. All the best to you in your studies and future career. You sound amazing to me…..
Sounds to me like you are very accomplished.
@TuxCat5, no offence, but I don’t understand what you are trying to saying. I’m not a Kate fan by any stretch of the road, but it is a fact that women who raise children have their work cut out for them. Disparaging mothers and dismissing the work they do as somehow “easy” is deeply misogynistic and callous. No offence, but your comment reeks of internalized misogyny and your education doesn’t give you an adequate excuse either.
Women are not taken seriously in the work place because they are women. Not because some women choose to become mothers, and not because some people like Aerohead21 choose to admire those (like Kate) who make mothering look easy in some way. I couldn’t do what Kate does in public. She’s wrangled a screaming toddler on a tarmac in front a full press corps. I’m an engineer who could tell you the detailed specifics and schematics of a quadcopter controller, but I cringe internally at the prospect of my future child having a meltdown in public in any way.
If you want to point out the fact that Kate is hardly a role model for women because she didn’t cultivate a reasonable career for herself in the decade she was dating William, or because she was uninspired and not willing to pursue much of an education, or because she defines herself by and large by her relationship to one man, that’s all true and factual. But don’t go around disparaging motherhood, as if being career oriented somehow automatically exempts you from being a misogynistic human being. It doesn’t. I’ve met women like you over the course of my career, women who wave their qualifications around while simultaneously sniffing at others who aren’t as “smart” or as career-minded as they are. They’re not helping anyone, least of all themselves, let alone women as a whole.
I am not mad on the hat and it is yet another expensive new coat but otherwise I think she looks fine. Appropriate for the occasion and no flashing. Pregnancy suits her and carrying a few extra pounds makes her look much healthier and happier.
Is it just me or does something about Kate’s face seem…off? Not the pregnancy weight. Maybe she does get fillers and has laid off?
@ A, yes I was thinking the same , looks bloated and saggy at the same time somehow.
I came to comments to see if anyone else noticed. I’m an unabashed fan but thought she was her mother in the first group shot and see some difference.
Kate’s navy outfit reminds me of the Navy blue look she wore while pregnant with Charlotte in March 2015. It was a war memorial, William was in full uniform. She wore nude panty hose. I think the all navy looks better here. The shoes in 2015 were also a lighter shade of navy I wonder if perhaps she’s wearing the same shoes here?
I really love her ensemble. She looks lovely.
It’s a lot of navy, but she matches William’s suit (not sure that was intentional) and I like it. Wearing navy and black together is tricky and I think it would look more awkward had she worn black tights with the navy. She’s got the buttons but that’s ok, she loves her buttons. I also really like the hat. It looks like she might have cut her hair again? This length is really good on her. For once I really like her outfit, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen something I really liked on her.
Am I the only person that loves everything Kate wears? Especially the buttons!! And it makes me positively giddy to know that soon I’ll be able to take style inspiration from Meghan (whom I LOVE) and Kate. Lol
i don’t like everything she wears but I don’t automatically hate it either.
Camilla’s outfit from this event was on point!
Yes Camilla has a good sense of style but I’m not fond of her pajama loungewear looks when they’re away on tour in warmer climes. I saw video of Charles and Camilla arriving at Grenfell memorial and said: “wow, what is James Middleton doing arriving with Charles and Camilla”? Then realized it must have been a police protection office with a beard. Thought they weren’t allowed beards.
I wonder if those outfits are a diplomatic compromise? Charles appears well-liked by many of the Islamic royal families; he visits places others don’t/won’t go and is welcomed. He doesn’t want to offend the hosts with Camilla wearing something inappropriate or “too western”, but if she showed up in an abaya or caftan there would be heck to pay back home. Her flowing pants and long tunics take care of that.
God, who cares what they were wearing?
This was not about them, and to reduce something so tragic and so disgracefully and shamefully unresolved six months later to a ‘royal fashion’ post’ is a really sad low.
Well said Skylark. And lets face it – whatever she wears will be wrong for some folks – on principle.
Literally every person in those pictures is clad in navy. That’s a lot of blue!
I wondered about that too! Head to toe navy on every one in the photos. Is it a semi-mourning thing they’re doing for the victims?
In terms of etiquette, in a formal/traditional capacity, it is generally considered inappropriate to wear black at a funeral/memorial service for someone (or multiple “someones”) who is neither a family member or very close friend. Navy or dark blue is usually the go-to because it is dark, formal, and conservative without being black.
When/if you attend a *formal* (traditional) funeral/memorial service, if someone is wearing navy, it generally indicates that the person is not a family member of the deceased, but is attending in a formal capacity.
Terrible tragedy at least they were there giving support to these poor people. Meghan put to bed till Christmas, I bet Kate would kill to have Wills hold her hand for once.
Why because you think she should hold his hand? For all we know she didn’t ask for it or said she didn’t need it.
I actually don’t mind this look on her.
Will seems to be shaving his hair closer to his head…I saw a computer-generated makeover (in GQ, I think) of how good he could look with the right haircut for his state of baldness and the difference was amazing. I hope he does it some day!
She looks fine. She’s getting bigger, but that’s expected since she’s pregnant. For a while there she wasn’t showing at all.
I heard that Tory councillors were banned from the service at St Paul’s. Is that true?
Alright–I’m gonna say it (finally):
I’m completely convinced that Kate’s “personal dresser” is Carole Middleton. Carole is probably the one who does the awful alterations and hems as well.
Like so many of Kate’s outfits, this one–the whole look–is 100% 1980s. It’s the “1980s adaptation” of the 1960s Jackie Kennedy look. My mother was a very stylish/fashionable stock broker for a major firm from 1982-1987…as a kid, I often got dragged along when she went shopping for work clothes. She would also lecture me on “fashion rules”. Kate follows many 1980s fashion rules, and a lot of her outfits look like the stuff my mom wore when she was a broker, and stuff I would see at the stores when shopping. Carole Middleton would have been in her late 20’s/early 30’s during this time; they were also the “big” Diana years.
Navy blue tights/hose with navy shoes was a thing in the ’80s. “Dress for Success” rules of the 1980s included: Staple colors were black, navy, and “neutral” (beige/nude). Shoes should match the purse; tights/hose should match the shoes. Plain pumps in each color (or “court shoes”, I think they’re called in Britain). Never wear light tights/hose with dark shoes. Everything should match (i.e. “matchy-matchy”). “Fashion colors” for blouses were bright turquoise, fuschia, purple, and red. Fashion colored suits for women could include taupe, mauve, and peach. It was also very popular to use two shades of the same color (e.g. dark blue pants with light blue shirt; “dusty rose” dress with burgundy blazer, etc). And color blocking: wearing all one color (like Kate is doing here), or wearing all one color with a vest or blazer that had designs on it (one of the colors in the design has to match the base color of the outfit).
Last, but not least: the 1980s were full of BUTTONS–lots of big, shiny buttons! Plus ruffles, satin, lace, and big butt-bows (I HATED those stupid butt-bows! It was so hard to find a formal dress that didn’t have a giant butt-bow!)
Kate’s hair and *especially* her make up are straight out of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The heavy eyeshadow and eyeliner and the heavy blush application (and how she applies it) are trademarks of that era. I had a public speaking teacher in 1985 (8th grade) who did her makeup exactly like that (the look was outdated even then) and it was always grossed me out. My mom and I both wore Kate’s hot-roller-curls look numerous times throughout the 1980s (that is, when I wasn’t perming my hair into tight ringlets!).
Kate needs to get a real, professional dresser, hair stylist, and make up artist who will dress her like a 35-year-old woman of 2017, not 1982. And she needs to stop butchering designer dresses, turning fashionable pieces into 1980s-style knock-offs.
I adored those giant bows on dresses, in your hair, everywhere. Then again i was a pre-teen with no fashion sense at all. Lol
TUXCATS, you are so right!!! Carol Middleton must be Kate’s stylist…hire a professional.
I like the monochromatic look but the blue needs to be broken up a little.
Loud clap, @TuxCat5. #it’sthe00snothe80s #whorunsthebusiness #weighthosehems
I’m far, far less knowledgeable of fashion than many and reading this comment was a real treat. Thanks, @TuxCat5!
You’re very welcome–hope it wasn’t too much! Kate’s overall “look” has been driving me bonkers for the longest time and I haven’t commented…but now I’m like, “Let ‘er rip!”
My mom was narcissistic, and I was her “mini-me” (torture victim, more like). She was trying to “mold” me into what she herself wanted to be, and tried to make me into herself. So she often played dress-up with me, dressing me in her clothes, only letting me wear what *she* wanted me to, what she decided looked good. I hated it. I’m not into fashion, and she demanded that I be “into it”. To this day, I have trouble dressing myself properly, because I was never really allowed to experiment and learn on my own–and develop my own “style”.
I get so frustrated with Kate, because she’s doing exactly what I did: Taking on her mother’s style as though it were her own, and looking awkward because the look is outdated and she’s not “into” the fashion thing, and doesn’t know what to do beyond Carole’s look. She has *resources*–all she needs to do is say she wants a stylist, new hair person, makeup artist, etc and she has it! She has money to buy whatever clothes/makeup/accessories she wants! Kate can clean up and overhaul her look quickly and easily. I’d do it so fast–I’m sick of looking like a sloppy, frumpy dope.
One thing I can say, however: The comments on this Kate Middleton section of Celebitchy have helped me *tremendously*! I rarely comment, but I’ve been reading for years…I’ve learned a lot about how to dress better based on what people have said about Kate’s outfits and their suggestions. Especially with shoes and accessories. Now, if only I had the money for stuff (plus the tailoring, as I’m only 5’0″), I’d look great! 🙂
A second round of applause from me to you, TuxCat5. I think Kate’s fashion consultant is definitely her mother, and it shows.
TuxCat5, if you want royal inspiration, you could try looking at the fashion of Princess Marie of Denmark (not Crown Princess Mary, but Marie Cavalier the wife of Prince Joachim). Marie is 5’2″ or 5’3″. Her evening wear is often bad, but her daytime working wardrobe is pretty good and works on someone petite.
I say Marie not Mary, because I think Mary is 5’5″ or 5’6″.
I adore them but she looks either old (er) or extremely tired right? I’m sure with their schedules I would look that way as well.
Am I seeing the outline of The Ring of Doom underneath the gloves? No shade if she is wearing it….I just honestly believe she never ever takes it off.
Who the hell wears navy literally from head to toe? The shoes don’t even match. Can’t she ever accessorize? How about a burst a color on the hat, a pin or at the least nude hose & shoes that match? Ugh, all that money & resources at her deposal & she looks like that?
‘How about a burst a color on the hat, a pin’ – she’s at a memorial service for a tragic event not a red carpet event or a party (eyerolll).
Your entire comment is basically petty nitpicking over an inoffensive outfit. Very lame.
A simple silver brooch wouldn’t have been out of place.
She is not adverse to drawing that type of attention at serious times. Remember her visiting riot victims while she was wearing the brand new custom $5000 military-esque outfit? For the Afghanistan memorial service, she wore $50,000 in new tanzanite jewelry for a daytime event.
Sorry, don’t think wearing a scarf or a brooch that isn’t navy blue is offensive. This is a gossip, fashion blog BTW
Remember when she wore bright pink to the 9/11 Memorial?
Her outfit is fine there is no need to jazz it up.
“A simple silver brooch wouldn’t have been out of place” – wow complaining that she didn’t have the audacity to wear a brooch has to be a be a new low.
I’m not demanding that she wear one; I don’t care if she does or doesn’t. But it seemed odd to call out cindyp’s simple fashion comment.
Hi Carole and/or Pippa!
I think she’s lovely the way she’s worn navy head to toe. I love navy, myself, and love those tights. Kate is the queen of fashion – give her a break. She knows what looks good and she has a LOT of people to help her if she needs it. You look beautiful in navy, Kate.
This is sarcasm, right?