The Duke of Cambridge has been president of BAFTA for years, but the first five years of his presidency were rather… lazy. He skipped out on attending the BAFTAs several times, and in every year of his presidency, he’s refused to attend the pre-BAFTA nominees dinner… which is held at Kensington Palace, just a few yards away from his home. One year, he even refused to go to the BAFTAs because he had just returned from a lengthy holiday and didn’t feel like it. I kid you not. But now that an American actress has joined the royal ranks, suddenly both William and Kate are super-keen to attend the glamorous party that is the BAFTAs. This is actually the third year in a row that William and Kate have attended.
For this year’s BAFTAs, Kate wore a Jenny Packham McQueen gown which she has in a different color (she’s worn it to previous evening events). This gown seems to be either a winter white or a pale pink, depending on the lighting. I really like this look on her? This is one of the best gowns I’ve ever seen on her, quite honestly. Kate accessorized with a pair of earrings which once belonged to Princess Diana. She also did a pretty good updo, actually. Last week, a commenter suggested that Kate’s style has been improving recently because… her longtime stylist Natasha Archer is on maternity leave. LOL. Could be. Whoever is styling Kate these days is doing a much better job of it. Update: apparently, the early ID of this was wrong. Internet peeps claimed it was Jenny Packham (which, honestly, it looks like a Packham gown) but it’s a custom McQueen.
Meanwhile, for some reason, Kensington Palace chose this weekend to begin rolling out Kate’s big “design” for the Chelsea Garden Show – they basically previewed it in a tweet this weekend, and they promise more reveals in the coming days.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for tonight’s @BAFTA Awards ceremony #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/lfpSk9rE4e
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) February 10, 2019
Photos courtesy of WENN.
OOOh, this is one of the nicest looks she’s ever worn to the BAFTAs. She looks really, really good. (though she must have been FREEZING. I know they’re only out there for a short time, but everyone was commenting on how cold it was!)
A very glamorous look for Kate. She looks great.
Agree she looks lovely. I love the hemline on her dress.
Hands down, I think this is the best I’ve ever seen her look. EVERYTHING is perfect: makeup appropriate, gorgeous hairstyle, jewellery, even shoes… and the gown is amazing! It fits to a T, and is just stunning. The only other time I though she looked so good was in that teal, backless gown (the first time she wore it, with her hair up), and that lilac gown, worn with her sparkly wedding dinner belt (though she was a bit on the thin side then).
Here she just looks healthy, strong, happy, glowing…. really perfect. And for once, Will seemed to smile at her as often as she seemed to smile at him!
The gown is swoon-worthy, looks great on her, fits her to a T (as all her clothes do) and her hair and make-up look good. And she looks happy to be there so it’s a win for her, IMHO.
Yeah, l think it’s awful the way I which women are expected to show bare arms and shoulders in freezing and yet men can keep warm with shirts and jackets, probably with vests underneath.
I saw the late night (for London) tweets about the garden and pondered why the rollout then.
The tweets were so strangely timed that I wondered if it was the only thing KP had ready to put out there to deflect some attention from the Thomas Markle stuff.
That’s what I thought too Lexa.
and they are trying to be subtle.
Kate looks gorgeous. The best she’s looked. William looks like William.
That’s funny! And true,
I’m not an off-shoulder fan, but Kate does look nice in this.
There’s something about the off-the-shoulder that seems to be making her stand a bit straighter—that’s always my complaint about her.
The dress is lovely, if only William would look at Kate with some level of appreciation in the way she looks adoringly at him.
Indeed.
How long before he “looks” at other women?
She looks great!
She looks really nice. Wish she would stop overcompensating with that cringe AF smile.
I realize I say this a lot, but when I read these comments I feel even more self-conscious about my own smile. And they sit in my mind when people take photos of me.
I can’t really comment on your smile as I don’t know you, but hers is super weird because I have seen her smile numerous times and it’s quite a lovely smile, this her sudden need to express how “keen” she is through her smile is very off in my opinion.
Yes, lately the smiles is a little too animated. I wonder if that is a Meghan influence??
When my husband smiles you can see very tooth in his mouth. He isn’t doing it on purpose, his face was just made that way.
I think it’s meant for the cameras? As in a big smile is easier to pick up than a more subtle one? It’s mostly only obvious when you look at the expressions of the people around her that she does tend to go overboard though. There are loads of photos at events where she’ll be with a lot of people who have small smiles or look neutral and that contrast is what can make her look a bit manic sometimes.
I like that she smiles. Think William should smile more. Have a friend with a very natural put-on smile. She approaches every situation that way. I have never mastered the put-on smile even for photographs and I must have RBF (resting bitch face) because the difference in how people respond to us at first is remarkable. So am working on at least a neutral face. Humans just respond to bright faces and smiles—it’s anthropology and babydom. Kate is just doing her job, which is PR.
She looks beautiful. Well done, Kate.
She looks wonderful, I have to say.
Yet another ruffled chiffon dress!
Nice.
Is it just me or is this the best make up she’s worn so far?? She looks so fresh!
Her forehead looks slightly botoxed, but not too much. Looks good.
She needs a touch of botox so I hope she did that.
SUPER botoxed. Too much, I think.
Yes! Her forehead is a lot smoother. I think it looks better.
Came to see if anyone else noticed how toxy she looked here. I think some fillers too, maybe? It’s nicely done though, if that is indeed the case.
Yes, she’s started the botox again after her pregnancy. When she’s had botox/fillers/work done it’s noticeable, but it’s well done and not too heavy handed.
Yeah, definitely right between the eyes.
I think she looks severely tweaked – she has had work done, more than Botox.
After eight years we get a garden! I cannot wait to see what we get in another eight years!
Did Harry release his behind the scenes photos when he did a garden a few years back?
I mean. He probably should have. It’s good promotion. The Cambridges are very good at making their events photographer friendly. The Cambridges are very good at promoting themselves and the Sussexes would benefit by using some of the same methods.
She looks stunning! I would like this even more in an emerald green.
She also seems to be happy to be there so well done.
Others are saying this is the same dress from Charles’ 70th party, but in white. Why not wear the rose colored one? No one in the public saw it. The rose one was a gorgeous color.
When I first saw it I thought of that light lavender dress with the white belt she wore early on to some Hollywood event when they were in America but I can’t remember what event. I like it but it seems so similar to that one and if it’s an identical to another pink one she already has I don’t understand it. Her eye make up also seems a big heavy handed but maybe that the Botox that everyone’s talking about.
It was a BAFTA event in Hollywood as part of their tour (so I see people talking about her 2012 appearance at the BAFTAs, but they are referring to the 2011 appearance in Hollywood – or at least I assume they are.)
Isn’t it winter in England too? She does look nice. Notice she smiles a lot more animately now than she did in the past.
I would think there’d be heat lamps! But I did notice Claire Foy was hunched over, hands clenched, as if she was freezing! Made me go look up the temp in London last night: it was just above freezing! Upper 30s/low 40s Fahrenheit! THAT’S COLD!
Her makeup looks really good! The dress is pretty. It’s good to see them showing up three years in a row. See? It’s not so hard.
I feel rather offput by her inclusion of a conical shelter made out of sticks.
I appreciate it’s a trendy thing for upper class mothers to give their children approrpiated teepees to play in but it is cultural appropriation and couldn’t she have made some kind of burrow dwelling like the kind used by the prehistoric peoples of what is now the British Isles?
People in the Britain and Ireland did not live in burrows! They lived in roundhouses which were, much like teepees, conical shelters made out of sticks.
Wow. I dressed up and pretended like I was an ancient Egyptian princess back when I was a child. I should have known that I could have only played as an English person from way back when or as an American pioneer. But wait, that would have opened another can of worms…
Seriously? Cultural appropriation for this?
Comments like these are cannon fodder used against us to reduce our credibility when we call out cultural appropriation in cases where it is warranted.
I had the same initial thought, but the Plains Indians didn’t have the copyright on circular housing. Other folks thought of that, too.
Does anybody really think that ancient or prehistoric Brits were too thick to use tents / teepees / some canvas as a cover for a wooden frame / roof / hut.
I’m not completely sold but a huge improvement and frankly I believe she really did outshone the celebrities while also appeared regal. So well done!
Glamorous yet not OTT. I wish her collarbone wasn’t so visible but well. I hope she’s healthy
One shoulder dress. Messy updo. Visible makeup.
Is she being vulgar? Offensive? Showy??
Just asking.
Huh? Is a one shoulder dress considered slutty or something? I don’t think her updo is messy and her makeup looks good.
Are you serious? I’m being sarcastic. That was the comments that Daily Mail made about Meghan for wearing a one shoulder dress and wearing visible makeup. Google it.
Oh, I didn’t know. I don’t read the DM, I’d rather stick bamboo shoots under my nails.
I forgot a lot of people ignore their headlines but it was a big deal a few weeks ago.
minx says:
February 10, 2019 at 3:14 pm
Oh, I didn’t know. ….. I’d rather stick bamboo shoots under my nails.
——————
Mmmmh ….. that is a rather unusual hobby. 😉
Kate snd Meghan could wear the exact same outfit with the exact same hairstyle, and the DM would say how awful Meghan looks.
wouldn’t it be amazing if the girls would troll DM and tabloids one day and wear same dress hair everything to make a point?
love you Jess!! clapping
Against protocol!!! So trashy. Clearly unsuited to being royal. etc etc.
And she wore white! Did she think she was walking into her second wedding?!
Maybe who knows? Maybe this was also Meghan’s train of thought on the occasions she has worn white dresses after her wedding? 😉
Gown game good, eye makeup game overdone.
I think she looked lovely, dignified and appropriately dressed. Updo was not “messy” but very stately. Was the dress fairly similar to one she wore at the 2012 BAFTAS?
It’s fairly similar to a lot of Jenny Packham’s she’s worn before, hence Kaiser’s original misidentification. You know our Kate, multiples of the same thing.
Hmmm….maybe she’ll be canonised “St. Kate of The Multiples” one day 😂😉.
I kid, I kid, I’m a Kate fan. She does have a LOT of the same/similar clothes just in different colors; but the again, i’ll do the same thing, if I find something I really like and it fits well (shirts, pants, even a purse)… only mine don’t cost a few thousand each! 😉
Just beautiful. She looks amazing!
Her face looks different to me. I can’t really decide why, it just does.
I love the design, but I hate the color.
Because it’s botoxed and filled to the nines
Are her eyebrows shaped differently as well, or is that the Botox?
God. No wonder! Chica can’t win. Every flaw is pointed out constantly. Her face is lined, she has early wrinkles, she has bad skin, she looks too thin, she looks deflated, the smoking is starting to show, she looks tired, she is ageing horribly… These are just some of the comments I regularly read about her in the comments on this site – I can’t even imagine what gets said on other sites considering the differing readerships. Perhaps if we didn’t critique every inch of her constantly, she wouldn’t feel the need to “improve” herself, to be so thin, and so on and so forth? Just a thought.
Like others said, new round of botox. That + the heavy eye makeup is not a good look.
The Duchess hustle is real. I still think the Cambridge’s were behind some of the shade thrown at Meg.
Me too!!!
She looks pretty, but it drives me insane that she always buys identical gowns in different colors.
Others sites are saying this is custom McQueen. She looks great, this one shoulder style really suits her and the shoes are fab. I’m glad she’s making use of the royal bling, the earrings are perfect with this gown.
If the dress really is McQueen then good. I remember when she wore the pink one to Charles’ birthday party and people thought she was wearing Marchesa (without any actual proof or confirmation). She was bashed heavily for it.
.
I don’t ever remember her wearing this gown in another color and I’m pretty sure she never has. Kate rarely does the one shoulder look, I can only remember one previous occasion where she wore a silver one shoulder gown by Jenny Packham. While it looks similar, it is not the same dress as this one. This dress has an embellishment on the shoulder and the other dress doesn’t and has a wrap around belt. So this is a new design. And it’s the best she’s looked in awhile. Someone gave her eyebrows a major overhaul.
The dress fits her perfectly. This is how both Duchesses should have their clothes tailored. It’s not like they don’t have the money.
It’s the same dress she wore to Charles’ birthday party. You didn’t see it. Just her shoulders as she headed in.
The dress is nice but bland and similar to many of her other evening gowns. The makeup is a fail and someone went a little overboard with the botox.
Agree. I’m not sure why she would spend McQueen money on such a generic design. I’ve worn more than one bridesmaid dress that looks like this. One even had the flower on the shoulder. It was a Lela Rose. If shes going to stick with such generic designs, she should just get a seamstress to make them so they won’t cost as much.
She benefits from low expectations. Last year’s dress was fine but that back floral concoction from 2 years ago was an abomination.
In pictures where Kate is on her own, i find her features to be attractive but quite ordinary, unlike say, meghan whose close ups are breathtaking.
However in situations like these, i’m suprised that at how well she holds her own against bone fide celebrities. Maybe it’s her height ?
I’m not a fan of the ornament on the shoulder, the dress is ok but her makeup is surprisingly good.
I don’t want to pit M&K against each other but I feel like Kate is really pretty like hollywood level pretty but way more classier and down to earth. Like she was born on earth and not some Amer Heard goddess.
However it can be about height. Her height makes her look amazing and frankly I spotted some celebrities and was surprised how tiny and short they were. Several times I was disappointed. Models on the other hand.. legs for days and standing out!
She’s average height, 5foot 7inches apparently. She’s an inch taller than me and I’m not considered tall. She has always wore heels, esp when out with William who is over 6foot.
The average height for women in England is 5’3″: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11534042
Kate is considered to be 5’8″ or 5’9″ : https://www.celebheights.com/s/Kate-Middleton-47545.html
Which is noticeably taller than the average height for a woman in England. Most Tall collections are made for women 5’8″ or taller.
I think Kate has made the most of the looks she was born with, I’ll give her that. And she helped it along with good rhinoplasty, white teeth, Botox here and there.
I don’t know, I think her eyeliner here is too severe and makes her look tired. I like the dark eyeshadow though. The dress is too bridal but it’s fitted impeccably. She pulls off this silhouette quite well. I think both Kate and Meghan are attractive in their own way. It’s just that Kate is not very glamorous even when she’s all dressed up – I think she feels and looks her best in casual style. She does have the height and the slimness that help a lot. Whereas Meghan is always glamorous, even when her clothes don’t quite fit.
She looks lovely! Killer bracelet. If I was a duchess married to the future King of England, I’d swan about like this every day.
Very good!
[*She’s really upped her style game lately.*]
She looks so pretty!!
She looks beautiful!
Gorgeous! Definitely one of her best formal looks. Perfection from head to toe.
Compared to her usual bland style this is a v good look for her. But I see the panda eye make up is back 🙁 She needs to lay off the eye liner, makes her eyes too small.
Hmm, both she and Meghan have been wearing a lot of Diana’s jewellery recently.
Love this look on her, makeup, hair and dress are pretty much perfect. She does hold her own when compared to celebrities but looks classy and dare I say it .. regal?!
She looks incredible.
Well just know sis while you’re here writing this crap which no one in the real world is going to read, Kate’s out there living her best life being a fashionable and kind queen 👑
Kate always looks flawless and just because it isn’t your style doesn’t mean it’s not fashionable! Kate’s a trend setter.
Oh! And before you start all this “she dresses old blah blah blah” I’m a 16 year old girl who keeps up to date with the latest trends, follows fashion icons, is passionate about fashion and wears clothes that is up to date and suitable for my year group. Stay woke sis because she’s one of the biggest fashion icons about 🙌🏻
P.S replying to a comment here just because something is ‘bland’ doesn’t meant it’s not fashionable. Not that kate ever wears bland clothes. It is obvious to me that half of you don’t know what you’re talking about when it comes to fashion. Sorry she’s not spending £155,000 on outfits in the space of 2 months unlike a certain person I know who’s name starts with M and rhymes with shmeghan 👀
I see some of the racist trolls from social media have found their way on here to leave comments. 🤔
DoC looks fine. I am not wowed by the look but it fits her well.
I am off to see if those who posted about DoS wearing a one shoulder gown as vulgar have similar comments about DoC wearing a one-shoulder gown.
This reads like a parody.
Agree, and it’s hilarious (intentionally or not)!
Whoops. Double post.
Hahahahahahaha! Thanks for the laugh.
The fact you consider Kate a fashion icon tells me everything I need to know about your opinions regarding fashion.
Bless her heart.
This silhouette really suits her. She looks great. Although the dress is too bridal for my taste.
She looks great and this would make a lovely wedding dress!!
Agree. It would be a pretty wedding dress.
Kate looked lovely tonight, though I could have done without the flower embellishments—I just love the shoulder design on the McQueen dress this one is seemingly based on and wish she had kept it! Both Kate and Meghan look beautiful in white, which can be a tricky color and can read very bridal.
As always, I’m a bit side eye-y over the duplicate dress design (as beautiful as this one is!), but I feel like Kate will get more use out of this white dress than the pink/lightly patterned one she wore to Charles’ birthday party.
I agree- between this and the booties she wore last week her style is FINALLY including some variety its such a nice change. Remember the pale brown heels she wore with everything? It was either that or wedges for such a long time! So dull
Well, I must say, she does look nice, relative to her own standards. And … gasp … is she standing up straighter? She is out and doing her job sans the usual constipated look of contempt (do I haaavee tooo …) and it is refreshing. She almost seems to be enjoying herself. (Is cannabis legal in England? lol) I am still of the opinion that the perennially stylish and indefatigable Meghan has lit a fire under this one. A good thing all round for The BRF, it seems. The bar has been raised.
When she is out at these functions with William why does she always look like a prop. She is doing what she does best. Smile, look pretty and wear nice things.
(I note no cost of the dress mentioned)
I saw someone on Twitter mention that the version of this dress available online is priced at $11,000 so this version being custom means that the cost is significantly higher. I would estimate that Kate blew at least $15,000 on this frock and she already owns it in another color.
Thank you Missm. The bias in reporting is glaring when it comes to the future queen consort. Price should only be quoted when we are admonishing the wife of the sixth in line as she of yet doesn’t know her place. Ugh.
@MissM
But but but …I thought the general consensus here was they get huuuge discounts/freebies on clothes? If so does it really matter how much these dresses *allegedly* cost? Or are the huge clothing discounts/freebies excuses only applicable to excuse Meghan’s spending?…strangely they have only come in to play since Meghan has joint the RF.
“Does it really matter how much these *allegedly* cost?” Bookmarked.
It doesn’t matter olenna. $200 or $25,000 who really cares it’s not us who pays and we don’t know if McQueen/Givenchy gives them a deal if they are primary dresser.
My point was the bias in reporting.
Understand, RoyalBlue. I quoted the OP for posterity knowing this issue will still be a negative talking point in the DoS threads.
I read Meghan’s velvet gown for the BFA was 20,000 euros. I don’t think the public minds expensive gowns for big events. It’s the bespoke clothes for daytime charity events that seem to upset people.
And RoyalBlue, I know most Americans don’t understand/want to understand, but Kate and Meghan really do have different functions in the royal family. Meghan’s position is equivalent to Sophie in the family.
Why would Kensington palace choose that picture for their Twitter? William looks bored and petulant like always and Kate is caught in between smiling and not smiling so it looks like she’s sneering, which I’m sure she wasn’t.
I also notice that William has the shabbiest looking tux—his lapels are so shiny and have that slightly wrinkled/puckered/mottled look like he accidentally put the jacket through the wash.
That’s what I said on Twitter. It was a bad picture to use.
Kate looks so beautiful! Love the dress and the bracelet… Although I can’t help but notice she had some work done on her face, specially around the eyes. No shade here she looks great and if I had the time and money, I would do the same.
Kate looks lovely. Beautiful gown, nice styling. I only wish the dress wasn’t white. It looks white to me. It’s not the best color on her and seems kind of out of season.
Well done Kate A plus for dress. Her makeup and hair makes her look like Daisy Ridley. But overall, very good and thumbs up.
Erh good job for attending Will and Kate.
I wouldn’t call her looks glamourous. By her standard this is not too bad. No glittering Jimmy Chow sandals, no barbie like hairstyle etc…but still. Too much of a bridal vibe for me. The white shade doesn’t fit her complexion, really dislike the flowery embellissement and boring clutch. Her make-up really gives her a harsh face. I love Diana’s jewellery.
I’m really sad to see Diana’s iconic earrings on Kate. What might have been …
I’ve seen pictures on Instagram of the pre BAFTA party hosted at Kensington Palace. The official name of the party : BAFTA Nespresso Nominees’ party.
I don’t know if the party was so heavily sponsored in previous year (I am to lazy to check on Google) but it made me wonder if that’s the reason why William never attended.
Her face looks a bit different. I’m not sure if it’s botox or different make-up. However, she looks good. The dress is a bit bridal but it’s lovely. For me, this is one of her best evening looks.
I think she looks lovely. In her comfort zone, yes, but lovely. A nice look overall for her.
God it’s depressing that that’s a McQueen. It’s a pretty dress for a royal, but oh so boring. I hate that McQueen has turned into the kind of brand royals choose as a safe choice.
I was just thinking that. So happy I’m not alone. Lee, for all his faults, was a visionary. And everyone knows the Charles story whether it’s true or not
Everything looks good here. The dress is a nice color, it’s a good length, it fits her like a glove, and her hair looks fantastic. She looks amazing.
I loathe what McQueen has turned into. Someone should Brexit Sarah Burton from McQueen.
Kate looks gorgeous and fitting for the event.
I agree about McQueen.
I also have no complaints about Kate here. Hair back, makeup nice and fresh, diamonds dazzling, and beautiful and fitted dress. A+ for duchessing. More like this, please, darling!
Yawn…. this is a boring dress. It fits well but just so boring.
I can’t wait for the think pieces and discussions on how “vulgar” and “un Royal like” Kate is for wearing a one shoulder dress.
I’ll never forget the nastiness that followed Meghan looking like a Goddess at the BFA because of a dress.
I believe most of the criticism was about Meghan’s posing during the designer’s speech, not her dress. I do not follow Daily Mail, though, so…
Kate looks absolutely stunning.
Looks like so many of her other evening gowns. Lee McQueen is rolling over in his grave to see how Sarah Burton has bastardized the brand.
It fits her nicely, but I’m not big fan of white. Any color but white, beige or black. The shoes are great, though, and the diamonds are gorgeous.
Kate has such overly exaggerated expressions, she’s acting like a human mannequin. And that toad of a husband of hers…………ugh.
She completely benefits from low expectations. This could be any generic bridesmaid dress in another color. I’ve worn similar ones in yellow, in lilac, and in pink.
Also, I totally agree about Lee McQueen. He would be stroking out if he saw the expensive JC Pennys wear his brand was turning out, let alone the fact that he’s a brainless royal twit’s go-to for dowdy clothing.
hate it.
I love the look. The updo is lovely and the fit of the bodice then the flow of the skirt is a terrific combo.