I’m surprised by how many public events Duchess Kate has been doing lately. She’s been photographed so much over the past three weeks or so… and now I’m wondering if Kate and William aren’t going to find the time to take another vacation before the Olympics start in late July. Do you think they’ll be able to fit another vacation in? I do. Anyway, Kate was all over the place this weekend. On Friday night, Kate went to Kensington Gardens, where she attended a tent show of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe with some children from The Art Room, one of her charitable patronages. Kate did the event solo – William stayed home to watch a Euro soccer/football match. You can see some photos from Kate’s Friday event here.
Then, on Saturday Kate and William had the Trooping the Colours event. Don’t even ask me to explain what it signifies or anything – just look at the pretty pictures and enjoy the royal family together. Kate wore a pale blue Erdem dress and a Jane Corbett hat. I’m sorry we don’t have a full-length shot of the dress – I want to know where it falls on her legs. My guess is just about the knee. I don’t really care for the Erdem – the color is fine on her, but the print is… well, it’s not my style. The weird neckline is not my thing either. And I think the hat is a disaster.
The Trooping the Colour event was Prince Philip’s first public event since his hospitalization during the Diamond Jubilee events. This is the first time I’m really seeing how much Philip has shrunk – he was always such a tall man, but he looks so small standing next to Kate and William. I also want to note something interesting – Prince Harry’s official position on the balcony is three spaces away from his sister-in-law. Do you think the protocol people demanded that Kate and Harry no longer be allowed to stand next together on the balcony? I do.
But that’s not all – Kate did her THIRD event within a 48-hour period by going on a mini-camping trip with some underprivileged city kids this morning. It was part of the “Expanding Horizons” program, part of the ARK schools thing which Kate and William are both involved with. The Mail says the program’s intention is to give “children from inner-city backgrounds the opportunity to venture into the countryside and develop their confidence and teamwork skills.” Kate wore $500 wellies by Le Chameau and a Burberry shirt for the camping exercise. You can see some photos from the event here.
Here’s some video of the events:
Photos courtesy of WENN.
That is such an ugly hat. Outfit is kind of meh, but I’m blinded by the sheer ugliness of that hat.
As an American and therefore unschooled in the Art of the Hat, I give all headpiece-wearing Royals a pass.
Technically, it’s a fascinator, I think.
I don’t think it’s too bad really, you should see the average wedding over here. 0_o sheer madness. Although nothing can beat Princess B’s royal wedding hat in terms of ugliness. Ohhhh, I had nightmares.
I’m really liking the colour of her dress, it’s the same as my curtains!
*looks at label* Apparently, they’re ‘eggshell blue’.
According to Homebase, anyway.
It bugs me that her colors don’t compliment Wills uniform.
I was going to say the same thing, that damn hat. Without it she’d look stunning. I don’t know how I feel about the dress but that color looks amazing on her. Eugenie and Beatrice look cute and a lot less ridiculous in their hats for once so good for them!
Its a fascinator or in this case, a fugulator
That thing Eugenie wore on her head looks like she picked up some stray feathers she found in the park & glued the feathers together! Viola!
How do these hats or fanscinators stay on? Is it just pinned on or is there some sort of clip? Any Brits or hat-wearing folk care to enlighten this uncouth Canadian? Lol
@Mia – depending on size of fascinator, a slide comb, a thin alice band or an elastic band. All concealed with hair.
@ MIA – I was wondering the exact same thing!!
She wears those le C boots all the time. Walking on the beach, that time she went camping with the scouts- I have a pair of them myself and they are SO much better than Hunter muck boots.
I watched the balcony event and it looked like the cousins were moving around and chatting a little. But since there’s a picture of Kate and Harry next to each other, and riding in the same carriage I don’t think the protocol people said anything.
@ balcony positions-
I noticed on video after Waity & Willie were on it Harry mumbles something to Will maybe- ‘where do I go’ because Will responds by ‘this side’ & motions w/ his head.
I think Willie is in charge of the balcony.
What I really want to know is why Harry did not get to ride alongside His dad & brother.
He is army- or is this part of down sizing or making sure Willie’s ego is to be seen upfront not Harry (because Harry is more popular)? I find it odd.
@fairy godmother – there are four riders not two. Anne and Kent don’t get any love in the press. Perhaps when one of them retires, Harry will saddle up.
What i find strange every year is that Edward, who spent less than 6weeks in the services gets to wear a Uniform. Talk about Ruritania!!!
@LAK & fairy godmother The reason Harry didn’t ride with the others is because he hasn’t been made a Colonel the others are all Colonels including the DoE
@LAK-
ITA about Anne & Kent. I absolutely adore Ann. She is the best royal after her parents!
I have always wished Anne gets more attention & PR because she is the one who is the more deserving.
(I was not omitting Anne & Kent- more like seeing father & son & no Harry!)
Thanks for explaining it is only Irish Guard for this ceremony.
I am a bit defensive regarding Harry because I think he is treated poorly by palace, PR, & media.
Damn he is one fine hot ginger!
@ LAK-
almost forgot about Eddie. I think it is a disgrace that he is in uniform much less awarded medals.
Ed could not get through military training. He whined & complained about how tough it was that he dropped out. It is well known in certain circles Prince Phillip was livid w/ Ed- horrendous argument. Ed is such a wimp.
Harry, Kate and William were standing together at one point and laughing at something Harry said so no issue there.
Harry isn’t an Irish Guard which is the reason why he wasn’t with his father, brother and aunt
Forget Kate! She’s the same dull, boring person anyway…
But Prince Philip!! He looks very ill. He has looked frail since his recent hospital visit. I think he’s in a worse state more than they’re letting on.
I agree with you, GC. You can see it in his face.
I agree. The DoE looked really frail. I hope all is well. The Queen looked a bit worried/pensive in some of the photos, and Charles and Camilla also gave off the vibe that they’re worried about something.
But so much respect for the DoE. He has always performed his duties and responsibilities without complaint. He has only come back from the hospital and yet there he was by the Queen’s side, supporting her all the way. Respect, lots and lots of it, for him.
i can’t bear the thought of DoE dying. He suddenly looks really old and fragile.
I hate it when old people die, especially when they leave a partner behind. It gives me heartburn.
I would be useless working in an old people’s home. i’d be crying and morbid and generally useless with all of them.
There was some talk a few years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, which was being treated with hormone injections, the palace phoo-phooed it of course. Perhaps the story had more than a grain of truth to it, the hormone injections work well but they only work for so long.
I think it would be cute if William wore one of those hats to match Kate’s.
My husband and I wear matching beer dispenser hats when we go to football games.
Rest assured, I’m not suggesting Kate and William troop the colors while sucking down a pint of Guinnes through plastic tubes…. but that would be much more relatable to the commoners than those 8 gold cufflinks. Just sayin’.
I never laugh out loud at comments – but yours is gold.
Thanks for the visual of them both in that goofy hat 🙂 (which is not at all fascinating)
I love the hat! Hats are the one way the royals can exhibit a bit of whimsey or fashion daring-do at these formal functions. I wish hats and fascinators were more common for American social events.
Dear God, did I just type “daring-do”? My sincerest apologies.
Gray.. It;s lovely but she needs color sparkle in her makeup and less tanning foundation.. too washed out..
The Trooping of the Colours is for the Queen’s official birthday, they do it every year.
I never understand royalty and those horrible hats…
Camilla always has her big mouth open and sneering. Gah, I loathe that woman.
I kind of like Kate’s hat. It’s wacky and entertaining. The dress is a pretty color but horrible style.
Bea and Eug….can’t they afford a little help picking out clothes and such?
Camilla isn’t “sneering” she’s having a laugh… with Diana’s son, if HE can get over it why can’t you???
Why on earth would my opinion of Camilla matter to YOU?
And if that’s her laugh, she’s even uglier than I thought.
Boo,
The story goes that Fergie was so enraged after the wedding when Beatrice and Eugenie were mocked as “The Ugly Step-sisters”, that they do now have a professional helping them. Sadly, this seems to be as good as it gets.
I know this is very cruel to say and I would not say it if I thought they would ever read this site. The two girls remind me of the Bruce Willis/Demi Moore girls. Two attractive people whose genes combine in unattractive ways.
Fergie and Andrew are not attractive. For a redhead Fergie is classic ugly redhead and Andrew is a beaver. His teeth are HUGE. So are his eyes. Their daughters got the worst features of both of thems of both of them. But beatrice looks the worst.
Big bug owl eyes, red hair and the biggest chompers alive.
A year ago, Princess B hired Emma Watson’s stylist at a cost of 1,500 pounds per day, according to the DM.
When did Kate become popular? There’s been a story about her every day. She’s not even being covered because of something eventful, just for her clothes. Which is probably why I’m annoyed because her fashion is boring and safe.
She gets written up here because she’s generating a bunch of comments. When the comments go so will she.
What a bunch of evil freeloaders.
And they are free loading how? The only people in the RF to get money from the tax payers are The Queen (head of state) and her husband, the rest are paid by the Queen from her own money, inheritances etc except for Prince Charles who receives his income from the Duchy of Cornwall which he personally has built up into a thriving organisation. That’s all besides the fact that the monarchy costs like £40m a year and the government recieves like £500m a year from the crown estates not to mention money the RF brings in from tourism etc.
Yes because security and the cost of up keep all comes from a magical pot at the end of a rainbow *eyeroll* The State funds more than just their pocket money. Funny thing is the Queen probably has more in her bank account and holdings than the whole of England (isn’t she still the richest woman in the world?). Why should anyone have to pay for her while her money just collects interest?
I don’t know the legailities of the Duchy trust but it’s my understanding that that could have gone elsewhere and helped something other than Charles’ fat wallet.
As for tourism, France brings in A LOT more money and they have no Royal family. Kick the Royals out of Buckingham, Windsor and all the others and you’d be making even more coin. Except most tourists (at least Western tourists) all admit they don’t visit for the Royals.
As far as cost goes the BRF costs the taxpayers of any country they visit- including for additional security.
Just ask Canadians & Aussies how they feel about it & all of the other countries BRF set foot on.
In some ways other countries who do not buy into the Empire are still forced to pick up the BRF’s expenses i.e. United States which ironically had that “little” war for independence & won, but still pay for BRF!?
pinkelephants: I totally agree. These people who talk about all the tourism the RF attracts actually want us to believe that no one would ever visit the UK unless they could see a member of the RF in person. I lived in London for a few years and it’s a great city whether the Queen is in residence at Buck House or not. Museums, food (why yes, it is good), historic landmarks, culture; it’s all there. That’s what attracts tourism, not Waity’s latest space saucer hat.
BTW- the Queen is not the richest woman in the world, but she is one of the richest in the UK. Actually, I think J.K. Rowling is the richest.
Absolutely right about France. No RF there.
I always wonder why does the RBF get so much flake from people while other monarchies in Europe are not that criticized (including the Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Belgian, Norwegian, Spanish, Monaco, etc Royal families)? As for the financial problems, there are a couple of other places where the British government can afford to cut expenses that does not include the NHS or public sector (cough foreign interventions, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, etc).
As for tourism, the British Royal Family does generate a lot of tourism, and comparing it to France is comparing apples and oranges. France is known to have overthrown the monarchs, while tourism does benefit from the royal family. You should have seen how packed London was during Kate and William’s wedding.
By the way, I am actually quite anti-royalist solely for the reason that I believe they are the last remnants of British colonialism and imperialism. But the British love their tradition and having lived in England for the last 3 years, despite how much they [the Royal family] get criticized in Britain, deep down they go soft for the Royal Family (not all of them of course).
For everyone, Do you seriously think that if the Monarchy was abolished all these costs would go away??? Even with a president the Palaces would have to be maintained (most belong too the state not the Queen), the president would still need as much security for him/herself and their family etc people need to get real.
The fact is that the way the monarchy is funded is set to change in a few years anyway, instead of being paid from tax money the monarchy will start receiving around 30% of the the annual profit of the Crown estate (100% of which currently goes to the government) so there will be NOTHING from tax payers.
If you’re only thinking of the public though maybe you should realise that 90% of the population want a monarchy and are happy to pay the £40m a year (minus security) it needs but we are NOT willing but are FORCED to pay the £60m a day or whatever that is shipped of to the EU headquarters by ELECTED (after false promises) politicians.
P.S All that stuff about France making more from not having a monarchy is BS, where are the tourism statistics from when they had a monarchy? OH… there was no major tourism then so your point is null and void since the most visited place in London is Buckingham Palace and most people say they go on the off chance of catching a glimpse of the Queen, I don’t doubt people would still come without a monarchy but the palaces etc would lose some of their magic and the UK would lose one of it’s greatest assets just to fit in with the rest of the republican countries that are all failing anyway.
Oh, StopItLuke, you are preaching to the choir about the EU! My sentiments exactly.
I read somewhere that if we came out of the EU, our deficit would be gone in 5 years.
I bet royal family is very beneficial for Britain. Literally half of the world watched the royal wedding last year and that can only be a good thing. Also, having visited London few years ago, I would say it’s a huge tourist attraction. There are royal souvenirs everywhere, in Kensington palace I heard people commenting how exciting it is this is where Diana lived not too long ago and in Buckingham palace how great it is they can see Queen’s home. This is just my impression but I think they bring a lot.
Embroidery on this dress is so matronly.. not for someone who’s barely 30.
When I saw the fabric of her dress I could hardly believe it because it reminds me of a bed cover my great-grandmother picked up on one of her travels to the Orient! Same color similar embroidery.
Both of the sisters look old and haggard
Trooping the colour happens every year to mark the Queens official birthday (she has two coz she’s the Queen) lol
Kate’s outfit is a bit too busy for me, if the dress was more simple without the neckline and pattern it would have been good IMO but the hat is awful.
Prince Philip looks ill but I suppose he’s on the mend or I doubt he’d be allowed to be making appearances no matter how much he protested, I hope he gets back to full health soon.
Personally I think Princess Eugenie looks the best style wise, she and her sister Princess Beatrice have been stepping their style game up although Bea is more prone to slip ups. I think you should do posts on other members of the RF’s fashion other than just Kate 🙂
There’s something peculiar about Kate’s teeth – they seem fake (veneers, perhaps??. The maniacal grin doesn’t help matters.
Apparently, she had them deliberately made a bit off –
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2066489/Kate-Middleton-smile-Secret-Duchess-Cambridges-perfect-pearly-whites.html
I found nothing to like about yesterday’s outfit. That hat was too much. That dress looked dated & also made her look pregnant, which she’s not.
I noticed they separated her & Harry. I also noticed a concerted effort on Wills part to remove the stick up his arse.
And their fans say William and Kate don’t have a PR team who keeps a close eye on what the public and the media are saying *eyeroll*.
How much of a coincidence that when the reports came out about Harry and Kate being very flirty and close, there they were yesterday being separated by Eugenie and William on the balcony, with Kate standing right beside Prince Philip, when her spot should have been William’s? I only saw 2-3 photos of Harry and Kate interacting among 100s of photos, but all of them had someone in between them whether it’s William, Camilla, or Beatrice/Eugenie.
There is that video of Harry talking to Prince Philip, and then he stood behind William and Kate for a few seconds, as if he didn’t know where to stand. He had to ask William and he told Harry what to do. Very different from before when everyone was comfortable of their surroundings and they didn’t pay any mind where they stood. William still looked stiff and cold.
And how much of a coincidence that when the public started commenting on William’s coldness towards his wife, there was an obvious effort from William to be more affectionate towards Kate?
People can say that this is all drama out of nothing and it’s pure BS, but clearly the Palace (or William?) doesn’t think so.
I am so glad someone else saw Will told Harry where to stand!
I posted my comment earlier, but others insisted it was BS.
It is not- palace & PR are being very careful to promote new, improved BRF.
I think where they stood on balcony was all Willie because it looked awful how indifferent Will has been treating his wife. treated his
I wore that dress as a a flower girl when I was 12. Had a fuller skirt, tho.
They’re doing so many because it’s not actual work. All she has to do is dress up and smile her maniacal grin for the camreas. If she was mean’t to be doing her charity work and actually having to go out and pretend to care about the plebs (the camp out is the first in how many weeks?) then she wouldn’t be doing so many. Right now all she has to do is smile her cat-that-got-the-cream grin. Wake me when she starts doing weekly, hands on charity gigs.
I love that the York sisters are the buffers. Everyone knows they hate Kate (as well they should. Waity and her sister apparently treated them horribly. Stupid move for someone trying to get in with the Royals).
exactly. i wish everyone would clap and kiss my ass whenever i show up for work. especially if i only had to show up maybe once a week.
Ha ha me too! Thank you for the laugh.
I didn’t know the York sisters didn’t like Waity. Makes me love them even more. I actually do like the York sisters a lot because they seem so normal.
All of the problems stem from Waity & Pip- publicly.
Even in 2007 during the break-up when Waity was trying to show Will what he was missing Waity was cruel, heartless bully to Bea! One charity event Bea was made fun of & mocked by Waity face to face.
Waity was so nasty Bea ended up in the loo crying her eyes out!
One event I actually witnessed was Pipster went straight to the front row where Bea & Eugenie were seated & demanded the sisters move because Pip wanted the best seats. She started to throw a fit- quite loud.
Bea & Eug continued to refuse to give up their seats (good for them!) I think the only reason Pip gave up was when some cameras saw something going on & began to take pictures.
I cannot believe Waity said she was bullied when she is the real bully. To think she wanted the ring & crown was no way to treat Will’s cousins. Worse is he did marry her.
The York sisters aren’t so bad. They get a lot of crap because of their parents but for Royals they are pretty normal (and apparently down to earth).
I think you can tell marrying Waity has put a wedge between William and them. They are much closer to Harry than they are with him (Bea and Wills used to be very close).
Next time the Waity lovies shed a tear for this spoilt brat when the Royal family doesn’t pay enough attention to her remember her behavior towards them. Would your gran or your father, uncles, aunt and cousins be kind to someone who so mercilessly made you feel like crap? I don’t blame them for not having any sympathy for her. Especially when she went out of her way to secure this place in life.
There is a video of the RF on Christmas morning. Check it out on You Tube. The animosity between Waity and Eugenie is pretty obvious.
Actually, there are a few interesting videos on You Tube that show a very different side of Waity than the PR team at Buck House probably want out there.
That’s what makes the praise and sympathy for her so laughable. And it’s probably what makes Waity such a venerable figure in the US. (where you can get away with anything as long as you’re pretty).
The Palace spin machine has done a bang up job of white washing her though. Golf clap to them. Whenever people say it’s the internet you can’t hide anything, put up Waity as an example. There used to be a board of rich toffs who hung out with the Royal family who posted on the going ons and gossip in their circle. It seems to have disappeared (the DM did a story on it years ago) but I really wish those stories would come to light. Then we wouldn’t have to hear the Kate lovies moan about their queen getting flack from “mean jealous trolls”. These were people who hung out in that circle and knew her intimately and not one had a good thing to say about her.
May I just ask, do they work? Did they ever work? Who pays for their designer clothes, partying, travel and hairstyles?
@mare – Eugenie is at University studying History of Art, Politics and English Literature. A marked step up from Waity, no? 😉
Beatrice is working in the city now. Her work placement was successful enough for them to offer her a position.
ps;- she has bodyguards, potentially has paps shadowing her yet works. Another step up from Waity, no? 😉
@LAK – Oh come on. They spend who knows how much money and live the lives of leisure but no one is bothered by that. Even if they are financed by their father, where he gets his money is, to say the least, questionable. It’s just how you spin the story. You will use all facts and spin them the way it makes Kate look bad. You do it with every little detail. It’s ridiculous.
I like Kate but I don’t buy into her growing cult and it’s so annoying that the media always bully Beatrice and Eugenie just because their mother is Fergie and father is Andrew, They are both young and studying and take nothing except security (which is not their decision) from tax payers and are talked of as parasites when Beatrice in particular does a lot actively for charity like running in marathons etc and is ASKING to do royal duties while Kate is praised as the second coming of Diana just because she wears a pretty dress and turns up to like 5 events a month usually… and Kate is almost a decade older than both of the Princess’s. I feel sorry for any spare children William and Kate have because the media love to fawn all over baby Royals but as soon as they hit 18 they’re labelled scroungers. SMH.
You don’t have to look far when it comes to the media’s bullying.
Look at Harry. He is Diana’s son, too, but the media goes at him as if he has committed a heinous crime.
William, because he looks a bit like Diana, gets away with EVERYTHING: his cheating and philandering, his mean streak with his friends, his people bullying Amanda Platell of the Daily Mail, on William’s orders, into apologizing for her criticisms of Kate, his many vacation leaves from his “full-time job” at the RAF, his getting into the RAF with imperfect vision and getting special treatment, etc. Nobody says a thing.
But Harry? The media takes it upon themselves to see him as a bad seed, just because he was a bit wild in his youth. He has matured a lot, and he has more of a sense of duty and responsibility than William, but many people don’t see that. For them, he’s still James Hewitt’s son, a Nazi-wearing idiot, and a spoiled brat. He has accomplished more than William has, but William gets all the praises.
Beatrice and Eugenie have done well, considering how the media targets them all the time simply because of their mother. Both the York girls have a resume of charitable works, and Beatrice is actually willing to assume royal duties.
They seem like perfectly decent girls. Their style is questionable from time to time, but there has never been any stories about them being assholes, unlike Kate and Pippa, who have had many stories about them being utter b*tches to other people.
But Kate, like William, gets all the praises because she has some pretty clothes. If you present a different version from what the American media has been feeding the public since the wedding, you get called jealous, mean, hater, low-life, etc.
@Sachi, I do agree that Harry gets a lot more stick from the press than William, Probably since William is the future King.
Even when Harry gets the press on his case it’s mostly just being untrusive (not that that’s good) regarding his love life or partying which is rarely actual nastiness like the articles that regularly ridicule Beatrice and Eugenie. I agree about them being nice girls, they’re very down to earth there were pics of them walking around with and having photos with the general public on the day of the Jubilee concert. Also the press hardly ever cover their charitable contributions it’s pretty sad IMO.
@Sachi – it makes my blood boil to think how Harry and the Yyork sisters are treated.
William was/is wild. More than Harry. The bullying….uuurgh. The falling out of clubs drunk. The wild parties with girls, the cheating, especially the cheating and groping randoms. And yet, not a whisper in the main press. So much so that people actually think he is a stick in the mud dullard who has only ever had the occassional drink.
Harry has always been thrown under the bus. These days to shore up the Will and Kate show.
The York girls are really sweet. And kind and generous. I do not just say this just as a comparison. I had some time with them on various charitable things. It kills me when i read, even on this forum, such horrible and nasty descriptions of them. But it is celebitchy so what can you do.
@ StopItLuke – When Harry was preparing for his visit to the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen’s Jubilee, the Telegraph (if I remember correctly) published an article cautioning Harry to behave on his trip. I mean, he hasn’t even left yet and the media was already assuming he might be an embarrassment.
Lo and behold, his trip was extremely successful and nothing bad happened. But instead of wishing him well, the media just assumed that he would screw up.
@ LAK – I am always appalled at how Harry is treated in the media. They won’t leave him alone, as if he was the only teenager to act stupidly during that phase in his life. Always fed to the wolves, and now used to build up W&K as well. Sickening. But William’s orgies at hotels (cheating on Kate) and his other sleazy behaviour towards women are swept under the rug.
And where was William during the floods in Wales? Isn’t he a Capt. of the SAR branch of the RAF? Isn’t he supposed to be living in Wales? As far as I know, he was out getting p*ssed drunk the same night that the floods in Wales were getting a lot of coverage. Lots of photos of him walking out of a club with his eyes almost closed and as if he was about to pass out and kiss the sidewalk. Drunk off his arse.
But as you said, not a peep from the media questioning his work and if he contributed any effort for the floods, or his other activities. What do you bet that if it had been Harry, we’d never have heard the end of it?
I agree with you about the York girls. They have never given me the impression of being snobs. I’ve always liked them and I still do. Both girls just look like they are very nice people. They appear more approachable than the social climber they now have for a cousin in-law. I saw a video of Eugenie visiting the Orthopedics ward in the hospital where she had the operation for scoliosis. She was warm and genuine towards the kids, very empathetic.
Their parents suck, but both girls turned out well, IMO.
And I have to plug it shamelessly: Harry for King! 😀
Other than the dress falling off her shoulder in the first photo, it’s OK by me. But that hat. Did she realize she’d look like she’s staring down her nose at everyone?
HAve you noticed that she has worn the same style hat on several occasions but in different colours? if you google the hate she wore for DoE’s birthday last year, Sandringham, Cenotaph ceremony. i’d even say the garden party at buck house has elements of the same style. It’s becoming her signature style.
Harry & Kate are in a carriage together, AND standing right next to each other during the other pics, but because they’re NOT standing together in the line-up pic, you continue to belabor this idea that ‘they’ are trying to separate Kate & Harry?
Did you not notice the line-up is girl, boy, girl, boy, girl?
We know you don’t like her, but you’re getting irrational in creating & promoting conspiracies here. If you’re trying to promote your p.o.v, DON’T have MORE photos refuting your assertion than you have ‘confirming’ it.
On topic: I feel bad for Kate as far as clothes, because she has to wear that boring crap. Once she gives them an heir, she’ll have more personal clout, I suppose, to maybe get more outfits befitting her non-elderly status.
Waity has never had style (boring wannabe Sloane-y style more like) so I doubt you’ll get anything more exciting than this when she does finally produce an heir.
@Ahoyahoy – the line up isn’t as simple as that.
It is status driven. If you look at balcony from crowd POV, HM in the middle. DoE to the immediate right. Heir presumptive [POW] immediate left of HM, wife [Duch.Cornwall] to the immediate left of that. heir Apparent [PW] is immediately to the right of DoE, wife [Duch. Cambridge]immediately to the right, 3rd inline [Harry] to the right of Heir Apparent wife, other Princes of the Blood and their families line up on either side according to rank until the lowliest ones at the extreme ends of the Balcony.
By Status, Waity has to stand between Harry and William. Currently, Beatrice can stand next to Harry in the spot that will eventually go to Harry’s wife, and Eugenie to the right of her. Their proper place is next to their father [4th inline]which is left of Camilla.
The fact that Kate was standing in William’s spot, something that has never happened before, with Harry on the other side of William is significant because protocol tends to be rigidly held for the top tier of the family.
The RF use visual language to teleport stuff. They are masters at it.If they go back to their usual places next time, then it will have been a storm in a teacup. If not, then that will indicate something behind the scenes.
I LOVE the color of the dress…and that’s about it.
I don’t like the hat. I think I would like the dress better if the fit wasn’t off. I like the color.
I don’t think the line up had anything to do with the recent rumors about Kate and Harry. They were in the carriage together and standing together at other times. People just like to make something out of nothing.
On a side note, William takes such ghastly pictures. The expression on his face while talking to his grandfather is dreadful. The next to last pic.
This is what Waity signed up for. Dress up and fake smile and wave to the masses.
Love how the York girls won’t stand next to her. Poor Bea had to sit next to her at the Jubilee concert.
William looked handsome…with his face half-covered by the bearskin hat. He should go for that look more often.
Did Bea even interact with Kate during the concert? She sat beside Kate but she was still quite far, no closeness between them at all. Considering all the stories about Kate’s meanness towards Bea, it’s no wonder.
Super busted. I don’t like pale blue on her or the print. Brown eyed brunettes should stay away from pastels. Loose the ridiculous hat that keeps you from being able to see where you’re going, put your damn hair in an UPDO and you might have a chance of looking good in this outfit.
Her eyes are hazel.
Actually the Spanish royal family has recently come under fire. I guess the American press didn’t cover it (I don’t know why though, SNL would have had a field day with it) but the Spanish king was criticized recently when it was discovered he was hunting elephants in Botswana on vacation. And then the infamous picture of King Juan Carlos standing with a gun in front of a dead elephant (all you have to do is google image it). It was quite the scandal–the king even apologized for it when he came back to Spain.
You may all criticize Kate and William and their vacays but they are at least not reducing the population of African elephants when they go to Africa!
So no, the other royal families are not immune to criticism.
They covered it. And also the idiot GoDaddy asshole who shot an elephant and the Trump boys, who were photographed holding an elephant tale in their hands after their excursion. Truly pathetic and disgusting.
The Spanish royal family is always under scrutiny and criticism. They’re not given much leeway unlike the Windsors and other royals who have gotten away with so much more, even illegal activities a la Andrew’s. The Spanish press is more brutal, IMO, than the French and the British. The Spanish yellow/pink press go after the Spanish royal children as well. The Dutch, Danish, and Norwegian media don’t criticize their monarchies as much. The royal families in those countries enjoy a lot of popularity that accompanies a stable monarchy.
The only reason why the King of Spain’s hunting trip drew fire is because the Spaniards are already suffering through a terrible economic crisis and the unstable position of the Spanish monarchy. Everyone in Spain knows the King hunts. Nobody said anything before because things were still going well for the Spaniards. The King, before the hunting trip, was “untouchable” because of his efforts for Spain. Not anymore. Things have gotten so bad that the public is not overlooking anything.
The King’s hunting trip just felt like big slap in the face, especially when the King himself said that the economic crisis keeps him awake (stresses him out), and then he went to hunt elephants. Sheer hypocrisy.
But it also shows you just how modern royals can be and how they can adapt. They’re not and should not be treated as Gods who can’t be touched and questioned. When the furor didn’t show any sign of dying down, the King of Spain and his PR team moved fast and issued a direct apology. The King apologized as he left the hospital following his hip surgery. No formal speeches, no press call at the Palace.
Has any royal ever done such a thing before? The King, the one responsible for bringing democracy to Spain, humbling himself to the media and public…it was unprecedented. If this was any other royal from another monarchy, nothing would be issued. The Windsors would ignore it like they have ignored a lot of valid criticisms. The Oranges (Dutch) would keep quiet. The Danish media wouldn’t even dare criticize their royal family.
The media in Spain keeps their royals grounded, no matter how ridiculous some of the headlines get. And in this day and age where monarchy and royalty are becoming more and more archaic, it is a good sign to see a royal family that actually keeps a pulse on what the public is saying and seeks to keep themselves accountable to the people who pay for their positions/existence.
@Sachi – The Spanish king is also an honorary president of the World Wildlife fund which exists to preserve wildlife so that elephant shoot was quit a slap in the face for the organisation. They are now making moves to remove him.
The dutch, norwegian and belguim royals don’t get as much criticism because they work. visibly. Not just cutting ribbons and two hour photocalls before taking a helicopter to the polo as Waity did this morning.
William has been seen out in the past fortnight clubbing, playing polo, hanging out with his pals whilst Wales has been flooding. He had a week off for Jubilee events but appears to have taken more time out, and is visibly at play. I will go so far as to say that Waity is showing better effort this week than he is. Which brings me round to your comment upthread, that William gets a cushy ride in the press.
Him killing an elephant is a disgrace, even more if he’s part of an animal protection organization. Why on earth would you want to kill those smart, lovely creatures? If he and that idiot Trump junior like shooting stuff for fun so much, they should go fight a duel. I’m sure they can find a venue somewhere in the US and make it a real cowboy event. Or otherwise Russia can provide some uninhabitable chunk of ice for a few 1000$. Fun in the snow!
Guess those they would be too chicken shit for that. Like they would be too scared to make it a fairer fight and face an elephant with a stick.
He not only went elephant shooting but his mistress was his holiday companion while his wife (Queen Sofia) was in Greece celebrating Easter with her brother (ex-king Constantine of Greece).
Everyone knows he has had many mistresses over the years but because of the mood of the Spanish people at the moment that was another piece of outrageous behaviour exposed publically. It would have all been swept under the carpet if he hadn’t broken his hip on the trip allowing the media to have a field day.
He is also believed to have bought her a 200,000Euro necklace after moaning loud and long that everyone had to tighten their belts , including the royal family. The mistress has now been banished to Monaco, as the saying goes…..when rich boys get into trouble they sack the servants.
Her hair looks really dry and not shiny or bouncy like it is.
I actually like the collar on the dress. I would have loved to see the detailing on the back of the dress. My wedding dress had a similar collar that had a low scoop in the back. I do think that this style works better on a taller frame. I actually liked the color but the hat was a major distraction.
The hat is a great design and the color is gorgeous, but it’s too far down on her head so she keeps having to tilt her head back to see who she’s talking to.
I love the dress. The fabric looks dreamy and the silk embroidery is luscious.
Eugenie looks like she has a dead rodent on her head.
Beatrice, well, poor thing. Why can’t she get it right? She has a find figure–why is she wearing that hideous jacket with the too small sleeves all bunched up around her biceps?
And Camilla, poor dear, can’t get over her love affair with giant sea anemones bursting forth from her headgear.
She’s either pregnant and was feeling ill so she didn’t have time to fix her hair…
Or she took off her hair extensions (her hair looks very thin here, not thick at all like how it looked today with her activity in Kent), got blond highlights, and didn’t get the usual blow-out that she gets done every 3 days.
The dress is similar to another silver/gray dress that she wore last year. What is the point of buying a new dress that looks almost the same as the one she has worn before? Waste of money, and this new dress probably cost a lot as well.
Her outfit yesterday isn’t that far from Camilla’s, and Camilla is in her 60s. Very matronly dress on Kate, and the neckline was ruined (as always) with her hair all over the place. The hat is silly.
I thought her hair looked thinner too. I vote for removal of the extensions.
It’s probably just me, but her hair at Trooping the Colour was also shorter, like 2-inches were chopped off it.
I don’t think she got an actual haircut, so it could truly be the hair extensions that gave her hair volume and length and she got them taken out.
But when she was with the kids camping yesterday, her hair was back to being fully-blown and curled, complete with thick makeup and the ever-present eyeliner.
The blond highlights look awfully cheap, though. She was better off with the reddish wash on her hair.
Folks – is it possible she is wearing a wig under that hat? Texture is totally different.
Is the little blonde girl Edward’s? Doesn’t he have a son as well?
Yes and yes. The Boy wasn’t on the balcony today.
she looks really really sweet in the camping pictures
i think people are nit picking about her boots cost, as if the kids know what they cost.
what matters is that she is really engaging with the kids and looks happy. she’s even helping get something onto a stick for one. she looks really relaxed and happy and involved.
the camping is probably my favorite of her public appearances so far.
Really? What pics are you seeing because the one I saw no kid on her company looks thrilled to be in her company and she is keeping her distance with them in terms of bay language, why is she not putting her arms around them or have anykid on her lap, just go and see the photos of children with Diana and you can see the joy on kids faces when they are with her something I don’t see with Kate.
so true. good to see I’m not the only one who isn’t “fooled”.
In the DM photos she is gazing away from the children, who looked bored and even annoyed in some shots. Very little human connection. I have seen clothing catalog photos that look more realistic. Poor kids, stuck with a patroness like this one.
ones like http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/17/article-2160580-13A6D37D000005DC-264_634x509.jpg
it’s unfair to compare her to Diana, who was so incredibly fantastic with children.
Kate is adjusting and looking better and better, more at ease and such
Adjusting? To the presence of children? She is 30 years old. The excuses….
Really you don’t see the expression on children”s faces and cannot see that they look bored or not at all interested and the pics on which they are smiling (i think there ate just one in which she is walking) they are not even looking towards her.i agree that Diana was very good with children but Kate always looks so disconnected around them example earlier photos of campaigning with the scouts, she always maintains her distance with them in terms of body language.this trip was such a joke she flew in a helicopter, spent only one and a half hours with the kids then went to a private lunch and then flew back to attend a polo match in a helicopter.i don’t need to say anything about how she is with kids, the look on the faces of kids says it all.on addition it is so stupid to smile for the cameras while no one around you is smiling and looking like they are bored to death.please do little interact with children and stop looking for the cameras to smile and maybe they will look a little more interested in you.
In the one picture where she is walking and talking, only one adult is looking to her so i presume that’s who she is talking to. The kids aren’t listening to her. we can make as many excuses as we want, but children do not lie or rather, their body language doesn’t lie.
Honestly, saying we mustn’t compare her to Diana??!!!??? Fine. Let’s compare her to Harry and William. Look at how they interact with Children that they’ve never met. No one looks bored in the pictures.
it’s no wonder they wanted to keep the monthly scout visits low key. She needed all these months to relax around children, and she still can not manage it.
let’s not forget that she had a private lunch rather than have lunch with the kids before jetting off to the polo.
What was the point but another 1.5hr photo op interruption to her polo plans for the day.
Kate doesn’t seem that awkward with the children, though it’s a photo so it’s hard to tell one way or the other. I’m a mother, an aunt, a girl guide leader and studying to be a teacher, so I’ve had a lot of experience with kids and probably have a few photos in which I look awkward with them, just saying.
I find it more offensive that Kate is always treated like a fragile child who needs all the leniency and patience in the world.
She’s 30-years old. Adjusting? Has she never been in the company of children before that she needs to adjust every time she attends one of her events? Or maybe she’d been so busy chasing after William that she hasn’t had time to socialize with other groups (or classes) of people.
You don’t need to have Princess lessons to have the ‘common touch’. Either you have it or you don’t. But you can try, which Kate doesn’t seem to be doing so well at.
She is awkward every time she’s out and about. If she’s not bumbling during interviews, she’s making vapid, inane comments that don’t speak well of her intelligence.
During this recent camping with the kids, she commented, “Gosh, this is so brilliant, did you make this from the things you got in the woods?”
It’s called camping, Kate, that’s what you do. You go into the woods and gather twigs and branches to make a fire from scratch. You don’t have a ready-made bunch of wood that you just light up.
She always sounds so patronizing, or as if she doesn’t have common sense. Does she think it’s cute with her comments like, “I can’t make a cup of tea”, “I’ve been to a fashion show before, tee-hee!” complete with giggling like a teenager?
I don’t expect her to be maternal and be hugging every child she sees. But it won’t hurt for her to be more open and approachable towards other people. If she’s not grinning like a maniac and searching for cameras, she’s scaring people off with that wide-eyed stare of hers.
That dress looks like a hospital gown. That’s all.
Aren’t real wellies pretty expensive anyway? Real ones like those not Target brand.:-D Ummm…she went camping in full makeup…??? ok
Where were all the “take the poor inner city kids camping” charities when I was a kid? Huh? Where? Where?!
Huh? Those Le C boots can’t be that expensive – I have the exact same pair – I bought them in London at the end of last year – and they were about 85 pounds. Good quality too.
I did buy them in a boxing day sale though – they were I think 50% off.
Is it just me or is Camilla wearing Diana’s choker?
Here is a picture of Diana’s choker and you can see that they are quite different.
http://socialitelife.com/photos/duchess-kate-pays-homage-to-diana-will-vacation-with-queen-elizabeth-this-summer-video/princess-diana-retrospective
Not everything Camilla does is to spite or usurp Diana.
This style was very popular with Edwardian ladies. Anyone with serious jewellery from that era has a version of this choker.
Plus, Charles is always gifting Camilla with pieces from The Queen Mother’s collection so if she did not already have this choker, then its more probable that it came from there.
Not getting the comments about expensive camping clothes. The day before she wore a dress from Zara. I actually own clothes from Zara cause they’re not that expensive…
The Mail is trying to criticise Kate without appearing to do so.
LAK: What do you think about the Telegraph saying William’s helping the Middletons buy that big house? Do you think so?
PS You are a night owl!~!
@Bluhare – i have very bad insomnia especially when i have a big presentation at work tomorrow. sleep oh sleep….instead here i am posting on CB 🙂
RE: The telegraph story – it’s hard to look at it in isolation. There is a different story in the mail. Both are trying to explain the same thing ie how the midds are able to afford that house. I think something is not right behind the scenes. I am trying to connect the dots and really failing because both stories do not make sense. Why would he pay for that house when he can’t afford his own renovation? If the business is expanding that rapidly, and they do not live onsite as they used to [it used to be out of their barn], is it that easy to liquidate in order to buy a house? their accounts are sealed so no one can verify the figures quoted. I think i want to see a third story to make up my mind.
When they were merely viewing that house, i thought it was a cover so that they could purchase it on behalf of Kate and William in relative peace.
Now they are saying they are moving in themselves, i am stumped. If we employ full on paranoia, maybe the telegraph story is meant for Uncle Gary and his mates.
whereas the mail’s story is simply playing to the gallery of the Midds are rich enough to afford the royal lifestyle.
what do you think?
Of course if i manage to get some sleep, i may come back tomorrow with a different thought.
I think they either do something illegal like not paying proper tax or uncle Gary is using there business to move his illegal money or they are not as rich as the media make them but I can believe that William its contributing in this purchase but not there whole life style.in the end I think all these explanations make me even more suspicious about the their wealth and its source because of everything its right then no one needs to make excuses for them.i also believe if in future it is disclosed Middleton were doing something illegal then royal family will do anything to cover that up.plus William did not pay for the renovations tax payers and charitable organisations did.
@Angelic 20 – this is what makes no sense to me. They only decided on his new apartment recently. His money wasn’t a sudden shock neither was the date or amount. The reason tax payers/charities paid for it was because he couldn’t afford it. I know of financial restructuring deals were future earnings can be used as collatteral if those earnings are solid and a firm date known. He could therefore pay for his own renovation. Saying he helped with their house is really strange and really insulting to tax payers [we can offcially say he is being funded on this account by the tax payer]. of course the report is vague as to how much he may have contributed. it could be insubstantial but it is specifically tied into his inheritance which gives every impression that he is making a big contribution. at the same time £10M isn’t much so i still do not understand why they would buy a house they can’t afford necessitating a handout from their SIL. I have decided to lean towards my paranoid shady uncle Gary theory. either letting him know they have other sources of funding and or his money is being safely laundered in the most obvious way. No one would question a sudden influx of cash if they thought it was coming from William.
The daily mail story i will discount entirely on the grounds that it is the usual play to the gallery construct that the mail wants us to believe about the Midds.
I usually like her clothes, but don’t care for this at all. And I will never understand the appeal of sticking a plate to your forehead. 😀
Wow I don’t usually comment on the RF threads. Not really interested in any of them. But man I did check it out today and read the comments. Boy you learn so much. I had no idea about any of this.
well still won’t be following them or reading about them, but I may check out the threads a bit more.
Just curious of most of the comments are from people in the UK or USA. I don’t think that many people in the USA care that much. At least no one that I know ever talks about any of them. But that could just be my circle.
I also don’t talk about royals much, but I definitely like to read about them.
Reminds me of growing up Black in the South and visiting church on Sunday. Man oh Man the hats. Those things use to look like planets with they’re own moons orbiting around them. I love kate though she is such a lady. I wish somebody would poke Camillie in the face with another stick.
I’m not so sure about the placement of royals on the balcony, Prince Harry is standing next to Kate in one of the photos.
I think the whole British monarchy is silly. And seriously, its like Prince William and Kate have to live in Mommy and daddy’s house for life, abide by mommy and daddy’s rules, for life..and get an allowance, so stupid. No real time to grow up or expand on their own, or make their own path. I would not like that.
Williams and Kate live alone in Wales and are also having an apartment in Kensington Palace decorated and has his own money from trust funds set up at birth and from Princess Diana and the Queen Mother’s wills. In some ways I feel bad that William doesn’t have any chance of being anything other than King but as for Kate everything she’s done has been to become Queen eventually so no sympathy there.
i really, really love the dress… not the ridic hat by Jane Corbett.
I
Claudius?
LOL. Thanks for the laugh.
She always looks like a dowdy old hag. Before you disagree and immediately think “look how nice she looks,” think about the truly stylish famous women, like Carolyn Bessette (American royalty). By comparison, it’s clear Kate’s clothes are selected by much older women (at least I HOPE it’s older women picking out these clothes and not Kate herself). She needs to get a younger or at least better stylist.
Kate’s too-heavy makeup doesn’t help either, as it ages her terribly. Again, think about Carolyn who was about Kate’s age (actually a little older!) when she married JFK Jr. — how much fresher and classier Carolyn looked. Kate needs to stop looking at Camilla for inspiration and instead find true fashion icons to follow.
I don’t understand why anyone would wear something like that on their forehead. It’s almost as bad as wearing it on the side of the head. It makes her look like a “special” person who doesn’t know how to put a hat on properly. I hope this “trend” dies soon.
And that dress looks incredibly cheap. I know it probaly cost a fortune, but it *looks* cheap — like some polyester beadspread my grandmother might buy at Sears.
I finally figured out just WHY I dislike this dress so much: because it looks like a woman’s version of a sky-blue polyester leisure suit from the 1970’s.
I don’t much care for the dress, the shoulders are very badly fitted which makes the neckline all wrong and I really don’t like her taste for fussy frilly hats perched on the front of her head like this,she wore another one to the order of garter parade yeaterday, that along with her constant mane tossing makes her look like a circus pony.
When the rest of the family is there, Harry and Kate are almost never beside each other because there are more people that Kate can cling to. I doubt it has anything to do with Kates flirting.
Kates hat was a disaster. Really. Im shocked that it doesnt have its own Facebook page yet. As for the outfit as a whole, I honestly thought that was a picture of Carole Middleton when I first saw it.
And Prince Philip hasnt really shrunk, he has always only been around 5’9.