Here are some Paralympic Games photos of Duchess Kate and Prince William from… well, the date on WENN says last Thursday, although I don’t think that’s right. Could be. Eh? Anyway, this is maybe the first time I’ve looked through new Kate photos and my eye immediately went to her footwear. CB and I have debated on and on as to whether Kate is a “Shoe Person” – our thought is that even given Kate’s love of shopping (it’s her favorite thing to do), she really doesn’t show much enthusiasm for footwear. But these red Adidas Supernova trainers tell a different story. I’m in love/lust with these sneakers. I WANT. Other than that… skinny jeans (boring) and Team GB gear – which she wears well, to her credit.
We don’t have access to the official photos from Kate’s appearance at the Paralympic Games on Sunday, but we do have this nice behind-the-scenes photo from Gold Medalist Aled Davies’ Twitter:
OMG BUTTONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Duchess loves her buttons. She loves them BIG and SHINY!! The blazer is Pucci, according to What Kate Wore, although you could have told me that Kate was wearing her mom’s old stewardess outfit and I would believe you. Right? Kate totally looks like a stewardess (flight attendant!).
Meanwhile, something kind of strange happened when Kate was presenting the medals to the medal winners for discus.
Kate Middleton proudly hung the gold medal around 21-year-old British discus thrower Aled Davies’ neck at the Paralympic Games in London September 2, but sadly, the moment was nearly overshadowed when Iran’s Mehrdad Karam Zadeh declined to shake her hand.
Both Davies and bronze medalist Lezheng Wang were receptive to Middleton’s gesture, but silver medalist Zadeh avoided coming in contact with the 30-year-old royal. According to Middleton’s spokesman, she was briefed beforehand that this might happen.“Many male athletes from Islamic countries do not shake hands in public with women they are not related to for cultural and religious reasons,” Middleton’s rep tells Us Weekly in a statement. “The Duchess was informed in advance and was happy to accept his wishes. She considered it an honor to present the medals.”
Middleton and her husband, Prince William, 30, will soon tour the South Pacific as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, celebrating her 60 years on the throne. Their travels kick off September 11 in Singapore.
I was curious to see the actual video on this, to see if the Iranian athlete had gone out of his way to “snub” Kate or if it could have been something misconstrued. Here’s a video where it seems like everything is going in slow motion – from my analysis, Kate makes a move to shake his hand at the same time he clasps his hands together and bows to her. Unless it had been pointed out to me, I’m not sure I would have even noticed it. It seems like he was trying to show her some respect and deference while still avoiding physical contact. Which is fine. I’m glad that Kate was briefed about it beforehand and hopefully it won’t become an international incident or anything.
Also – look at the weird way she’s clapping! She has to show off the ring, y’all.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Aled Davies’ Twitter.
I dont see anything AT ALL
It actually is an international incident if it happens, at least for the iranian athletes, who face retribution by authorities and public castigation when they return home. movie directors, actors/actresses etc. when they leave iran for international activities are watched and monitored quite closely by the press and any moment of public lapses in strict islamic behavior are made note of. its much easier to simply play by the ultra-strict ‘rules’ of public comportment than get in trouble later.
this is all a shame and a sham because the custom in Iran, when iranians aren’t on the international stage, and aside from among the most observant, triple kiss cheeks, hug, shake hands, etc. and are a close and touchyfeely society when it comes to that.
the bazaaris, and the very religious definitely dont touch the opposite sex during greetings, but bow and engage in verbal ways of acknowledgement, which is also quite graceful and warm.
just wanted to provide a little background!
Thanks for the info. It was very helpful. The Iranians I know (in Canada) are very friendly and wonderful hosts at home. You can’t get out of their house without being fed little treats and tea! I’m glad Kate was briefed beforehand so that it wasn’t too awkward. The athlete wasn’t snubbing her IMO – just showing respect for his culture.
Thanks for the info.
I was going to say that I don’t get why he can shake hands with men but not with women and how stupid this “rule” is – but if he’s doing this because he is “watched” it makes sense.
That’s not necessarily the case. Many (by no means all) devout Muslims will not shake hands with the opposite sex as they feel it is wrong to have any physical contact with men/women they are not related to.
I’ve been to Iran, and being familiar with the customs, I never offered to shake hands with local men. Some men greeted me by putting their hands over their heard and doing a little bow, as the athlete did above, but many men extended their hands to me even though I was never the one to make the first move. I saw one man pointedly refuse to shake the hand of a foreign woman. So it’s entirely possible the man above might simply be a conservative Muslim – it’s not necessarily the case that he was being ‘watched’.
In Islam, men are not supposed to talk or touch women who are not family. That’s a sign of respect. That athlete was being polite, each country has its way to live.
+1
She knew about it beforehand, there is no issue here.
I guess it depends on how devout they are, because I know Muslim men who have no issues around hugging a female friend or giving her a kiss on the cheek. I find it a bit archaic that all physical conduct with other women is prohibited, but at least he was courteous.
I’m sure she was briefed beforehand and to my eyes didn’t make a move to shake his hand. He also made a slight bow and was respectful about it.
I don’t get why this is a big deal. I thought this was pretty common knowledge that in some parts of the world people don’t shake hands/touch a person of the opposite gender that they aren’t married/related to. And as bros said, he would have gotten in a lot of trouble back home. Something like that happened with the iranian volleyball team a few years back when they shook hands with a female line judge.
I didn’t really notice tbh, and I was watching. Shows how much I pay attention. I just noticed his neat little bow and thought ‘oh, that’s polite’, and then remembered that strict Muslims can’t touch a woman who is not a family member.
I think this is being blown out of proportion. Like the press has *never* done that before..
Didn’t really know that strict Muslims don’t shake hands, but orthodox Jews definitely don’t touch female non-family members, so makes sense that strict Muslims would do it as well. Don’t get why that should be an incident.
Our Russian contingent will not shake any of the women’s hands. They shake all the men, but after three years together us gals get a nod and a hello. NEVER a handshake.
It’s OK, like I said before, it’s just about getting used to another people’s culture.
No snub.
Her hair is appaling.
No. He bows his head to her instead. This is a sign of respect.
Why is the Daily Mail always stirring up this sort of sh**?
I am 5’10 & 124 pounds similar to Kate….granted I have slightly more hips. I NEVER wear the skinny jeans. I try them on & look like I am malourished. The fitted straight leg jeans and skinny bootcut look so much better. Every time I see Kate in her skinny jeans, I want to send her an emergency cheeseburger!!! Just because it’s a trend doesn’t mean it looks good on every body type!
+1!!!! She really needs some different jeans, these do her NO favors.
I was at the stadium, it wasn’t an issue at all. The crowd went mental when Kate came out. She was certainly more popular than George Osborne was yesterday…
Ha! It has cheered my cold heart to see him being booed! Cut benefits to the disabled, humiliate them by going through more Atos tests and then try to hand out medals to disabled athletes? GTF!
It was amazing how he tried to laugh it off then look like he wanted to run and hide.
I will never understand why people go “mental” for this vapid woman. Honestly, it feels like the slickest PR campaign the RF has ever pulled off. She has done nothing to deserve such public adoration except smile pretty and dress well
Actual blood royals, like Princess Anne and Charles, don’t receive this kind of attention. It’s like Waity is their mascot, there to make the public forget who is really behind the curtain. I get the impression that William could have married anyone and so long as she tottered around like a Barbie doll, smiling and wearing pretty clothes, the public would be happy.
I fully agree with your post Suzie especially the last sentence. The crowd will cheer for ‘William’s wife’ whether it’s Kate or someone else, it doesn’t matter.
Unfortunately, we are stuck with this vapid, shallow, dumb GIRL. For now.
I died laughing when Osbourne came out. Now, who should we get to give out medals in the Paralympics … oh YES! The guy beind the budget cuts for disabled services!!
*facepalm*
In completely unrelated news, the Dutchess is rocking some groovy kicks. I’ve always had a warm spot for red trainers.
SHE doesn’t looks like a princess at all. Shes so disappointing and boring no matter how hard she tries.
Even Queen Mary is more recognizable. All the brides of european princes are stunning but kate is just not stunning neither sexy or pretty or likeable.
I take it you don’t like her then ‘truth’!!
She looks like an air hostess in that second photo
Tell me – is there something wrong with looking like an air hostess? When I was younger, it was a very special job, and only very special people would be considered for the post.
When I was little I used to like their uniforms, too. They always looked so well-dressed from head to toe. Air hostesses look stylish and well-groomed.
Kate…not so much.
A loose chignon would have looked better with such a formal skirt-suit instead of the same old juvenile hairstyle. A different hairstyle would have made her look “neat”. And those awful wedges she was wearing have no place being paired with a suit. It makes a passable outfit look sloppy.
I doubt an air hostess would appear looking like that.
Are we sure that isn’t her mum’s old outfit? Those buttons and her hair are ridiculous.
I really hope she didn’t make a move towards him, but knowing how little effort she puts into certain events, it wouldn’t surprise me. That said…it’s not a big deal and most certainly not a snub. Just custom.
No snub. He was not impolite and was very deferintal to the Dutchess. I think the accomidation of his beliefs was handled well by all.
Um…Persians BOW to women they cannot touch-which is exactly what he did. Wtf?
Eh, I went to school with some Iranians. They each act differently toward me. One however, seemed to respect me very much, and we often worked together on projects. However, you could tell that if I moved close to him to discuss something, it made him uncomfortable. Different strokes.
IRAN
Cootie Free since ’83!
😉
LOL!
What’s weird is that she apparently can touch him by putting the medal on him. Oh well – whatever. I don’t see any incident here.
I completely understand why the Iranian athlete did not shake Kate’s hand due to his culture. What I have a problem with is when Iranians become citizen’s of countries like England and the US and they do not assimilate with the culture of their new home.
Iranians themselves tend to assimilate and integrate well into other cultures and countries. It’s just that atheletes who are being watched by the Islamic government aren’t going to risk it by shaking hands with women. As we know the government tends to be harsh when people publicly don’t adhere to Islamic traditions. Though I have never met a single Iranian who didn’t integrate well into other societies. I can think of tons of other cultures such as Pakistanis and Saudi Arabians, but never Iranians. They are culturally more open and receptive.
Even if it doesn’t agree with their religion? I say live and let live. A long as somebody isn’t bringing harm to anybody else, they should be allowed to live as they please. This is why people come to America after all.
I have absolutely no respect for a culture who will stone a woman simply because a man says she was adulterous, disrespectful, etc. Do I think that this man “snubbed” Kate, no, but I find that overwhelmingly their culture snubs women
Please that’s not the Iranian culture, that’s the fundamentalist culture. There is a huge difference, I know tons of Iranians and they are honest to god more liberal than their other Middle Eastern counterparts. They are educated, culturally sensitive and just nice people. I wish people would see a differentiation between POLITICS and Iranians themselves.
But that would be too easy, Leen.
@Megan – Do you respect a culture that makes celebrities and millionaires out of sex tape queens like Kim Kardashian that little girls idealize? I don’t agree at all with what they do over there, but most likely many around the world think similarly as you do about us here.
To be honest, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal if he didn’t want to or couldn’t shake her hand. Why is that sexist? Muslim women aren’t allowed to touch a man who they are not married or related to either. Bowing seems a hell of a lot more respectful anyway.
This is so not a big deal. The Royals are always well briefed and very respectful of other peoples customs. There is a famous story of Queen Elizabeth (or maybe it was Victoria?) dining with some potentate from a remote country who picked up his soup bowl and began slurping it down rather than using the spoon. Without missing a beat her Majesty lifted her silo bowl and proceeded to do the same to be polite,
Kate and Wills are going to visit Singapore? omg. That will be epic!
Have you guys ever noticed how much Kate looks like a brunette Amanda Bynes? It’s uncanny!
I always thought she looked like Lauren Conrad during the 1st & 2nd season of Laguna Beach. It must’ve been the long hair and heavily applied kohl. Lauren looks eons younger than Kate, crazy to think there’s only 4 years difference between them.
Could she at least show a bit of genuine interest in the Davies photo. That is why she was the games. There is not a camera that this woman does not love and that one showed like she did not want to take it.
She’s a total stewardess in the 2nd photo and one pyscho looking bitch in the 6th.
Kate and Will look really cute together in their GB gear. She has looked so cute during the entire Olympics. I love the sweater in the second to last picture.
She looks like an air hostess. Like mother, like daughter I suppose.
And for the love of God, I will never understand why she and George Osborne got to present the medals when she has next to zero qualifications: not on the IOC committee and certainly has no links to the sport.
I don’t know why the media is making a big deal out of this non-story when Duchess Catherine was told before hand of this rule or custom and not to expect a handshake. She did not take offensive and really it seems more proper to bow or curtsy as they used to before royalty. Catherine has to curtesy before the all princess of the blood in the House of Windsor and I don’t see anyone making a big fuss out of that custom as they shouldn’t because the Queen can’t just change the rules even if she wanted to. Still Catherine bows before Princess Alexandra, Princess Eugenie, and Princess Beatrice unless she is accompanied by Prince William. Not a big deal as it’s all protocol and custom.
I was actually there when this lovely Iranian man was competing. I’ve never seen a better sportsman – he was so pleased with silver, and so pleased for the Welsh guy who won gold that he kept motioning to the crowd to cheer for the man who beat him.
We liked him so much we all got on our feet when he walked past – he got a proper standing ovation for being awesome!
I hate that they’re trying to turn this into a thing – as written above, he’d get in serious trouble in Iran if he did shake her hand. The bow seems tremendously respectful, and from what I saw he is a wonderful, sportsman.
I feel bad for him and hope this doesn’t get blown out of proportion.
QUOTE-“Truth says:
September 4, 2012 at 9:10 am SHE doesn’t looks like a princess at all. Shes so disappointing and boring no matter how hard she tries.
Even Queen Mary is more recognizable. All the brides of european princes are stunning but kate is just not stunning neither sexy or pretty or likeable.” END Quote:——————————
I’m with you Truth, Kate is just average, she’s so hyped mostly by the British press who want us to believe she’s something we haven;t seen before or someone we should be impressed with. I do not think she is beautiful at all, she’s ok, in a average sense, she’s like any lean brunette walking around mall who people walk by hardly noticing, she’s not elegant, she’s blah, she’s bland , there is nothing special about her face, her dress sense or her personality, the one thing she has which the press goes wild over is her hair, it’s all she has really that is a bit extra and even that has been plumped up and added to with extensions at times. Kate and William both lack charisma, it’s odd because with all the press they get, the press still can’t seem to give them the charisma Diana had, that is something one is born with, you either have it or you don’t. Kate will never be loved universally, because she has a cold vibe and she seems so robotic, nothing sincere about her, all cold calculation,the same way she went after her weak Prince.
Totally agree with you, Scot.
… eh, not a snub. A married Rabbi won’t shake a woman’s hand, either. A Rabbi came to my office one day and I went to shake his hand and he clasped his hands together like the Paralympian did and then begged my pardon and said he didn’t shake hands. That was well and good accept my make assistant walked into my office and I introduced the 2 and they shook hands … it took us 2 seconds after he left to figure it out. Kate looks like shit in the skinny jeans … but then, Kate almost always looks like shit. She does look like a flight attendant in that suit. Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree …
I don’t see the big deal here. He did not shake her hand for cultural reasons. She knew this in advance. Not a big deal.