Duchess Kate, Prince William and Prince Harry are back in England after their trip to Belgium yesterday to commemorate the centennial start of World War I. Today, the young royals attended the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red exhibit at the Tower of London. All of those red poppies are ceramic – it’s a massive art exhibit to commemorate World War I. It’s really beautiful and sad. It’s an incredibly effective way to honor the fallen. There are 888,246 ceramic poppies, one for each of the dead during World War I.
For the public appearance, William and Harry just went for conservative suits. I guess Kate was trying to look conservative too. She repeated this LK Bennett dress, which she previously wore in February of this year. I disliked the dress then and I still dislike it now, although I’m more willing to give her credit now for wearing a rare straight skirt instead of some floaty, light, easy-to-flash full skirt. Still, she’s addicted to that shade of blue and I always think it makes her look like a stewardess. Also: Kate was photographed wiping away tears, maybe?
So what do you think? Does Kate look somber and conservative enough here? I think she does. I think she looks occasion-appropriate (for a change), but I just don’t like this dress or the shade of blue. I would have also loved to see her pull her hair back.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
I love it from the design to the color to the length. Nothing more to say.
Same.
And yes, it seems like she wiped away a tear, although the most somber seemed Harry.
There’s a depth to Harry.
Agreed. She looks lovely and appropriate. I think she took the makeup down a notch too which is a nice change. Not sure about the shoes, but also say what I would wear instead because while a metallic shoe would be perfect with the colour, it would be too ‘party’ for the occasion. I thought the contrast of her dress against the red of the poppies was really striking as well. Just wish she would lop those curls off to shoulder length, but you can’t have everything!
Agree. She looks nice in that dress but the big hair with sausage curls is just too much. It takes away from the professional silhouette the dress gives her.
The dress is nice. I just wish she had worn different shoes.
Girl, you aren’t joking. I generally love her looks (although not this blue dress), but Princess SERIOUSLY needs to up her show game. Instead of the same two different styles of boring @ssed pumps, this outfit and so many others could have been saved by a more interesting yet still conservative pair of pumps. Dear Kate: please check out Queen Letizia of Spain’s footwear and use it as your guide.
Does she wear the blue to try to fit in with the men of the BRF and all their blue suits? I actually like that dress. She looks fine and Maybe her blush is better?
Also, does anyone have a link to the exhibit itself? Looks interesting.
I don’t think there is a dedicated link to the poppy field, but if you google ‘poppies, tower of london’ you should have a variety of images from all angles and behind the scenes work that went into it.
There are paper articles online about it 🙂
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28654710
That exhibit is amazing and incredibly moving – I’m typing this through teary eyes.
The installation is amazing and incredibly moving – I’m typing this through teary eyes.
I’m not sure most of us in the States realize how devastating WWI was to Europe and its people – soldiers and civilians – on both sides of the conflict. The casualty figures are astounding and horrifying.
My country was neutral during WWI, but when I lived in England it really drove the point home when I noticed that every little English hamlet has a WWI memorial. In some ways, I think that WWI was a greater shock and had a greater social influence than WWII. It really marked significant social changes, like women getting vote, etc.
My grandfather fought in WWI and lost three of his brothers at Ypres. I have their medals, commemorative ribbons and postcards home.
That installation is one of the most moving and evocative I’ve ever seen, and I’m no fan of art installations. My mom’s getting a poppy for Christmas if I can get my hands on one.
You can buy one of the poppies to be delivered after the exhibit closes in November. Go to the Historic Royal Palaces website.
There is a video showing how they were made, the artists show in the video,the creation. The poppies were done one by one, by hand, because of that each one is different according to the artist.
The Video can be seen on the royal gov site and the Daily Mail has the video in their story ,It’s amazing.
Kate’s dress looks fine. The Princes look good too.
The photos from the outing are lovely, the poppies really make an impact.
Also a Royal site called HistoricPalaces has the story of the poppies.
Hashtag #TowerPoppies will pull up a lot .
After the exhibit, you can purchase a poppy for £25 which goes to one of six charities.
http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/ww1-centenary/poppies-in-the-moat
or
http://poppies.hrp.org.uk/
Thanks for the links and info all! Very lovely exhibit.
The exhibit looks fantastic. I would love to see it.
@Invader Here’s the link: http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/VisitUs/Topthingstoseeanddo/Poppies/TowerPoppies
I’m going to see it in 2 weeks and I’m planning on buying one of the poppies (for a relation in WW1) when they go on sale in Nov. (All the poppies will be auctioned off for charity)
I’m just sick of this colour on her. It looks awful with navy. And I’m sick of her wearing so much blue overall. She just wore this very colour last week! I figure she must feel fashion trauma every time she doesn’t match Diana’s ring to her clothing, so she wears blue as much as possible to avoid feeling traumatized. Oh yes, and what others have said about the royal theme too. Must wear blue and royal blue and various shades of blue so the world never, ever, ever forgets Her Royal Hineyness Waity Doolittle, Duchass of Cambridge, is ROYAL now!
For these events of the last few days, I think she is appropriately dressed. I’m glad she kept it conservative.
Her gray hairs are showing at her part. Is that an indication that she’s preggers?
She’s one of those people who is prematurely grey and has to colour her roots every fortnight or less to keep on top of it.
You can find pictures of her grey roots as early as Jubilee year.
“Grey hairs; prematurely grey” – funny!
I don’t know – for Workless Waity doolittle decade long with ma carole middlekardashion strategy – keeping tabs on P Willnot movement etc. , Wow! even a teen would be grey.
When I was a student I knew a guy who went quite gray in his early twenties. It is genetics – that’s all. My father started going grey in his early forties – and he still has some of his black hair left at 78. It is simply the lottery of genetics.
She dyed her hair throughout her pregnancy. This is no indicator of that. Just that she has an appointment to get her roots touched up soon.
I think she’s gone lighter or redder overall, which makes the roots stand out even more. But she had a face full of Botox last week so I quite doubt she’s pregnant at the moment.
I wonder if there’s even anything in that purse or if it’s just a fashion accessory. What could she possibly be carrying? Lip gloss? Just speculating… I know I’ve brought a purse to weddings and there was nothing in it but a couple bucks and some lip gloss. Maybe a tissue too.
She might want to have some tissues and a little hairbrush and a lipstick. Or maybe she just likes purses. It would be funny if someone could sneak a peak at what’s in there and tell us. Lol
I think Sophie provided a peak inside her bag one day. She was at a charity appearance & a little girl asked to see what’s inside her bag, so she showed her. Sweet.
And her mobile.
Oh, yeah, definitely. Forgot that one.
I doubt she has her mobile.
Good question. I’ve always wondered what the Queen carries in that big handbag that’s always on her arm.
Isn’t it a code. How she holds it and places it signals her staff of her wants. Certai way means dismiss company, another way means an excuse to leave the room, etc…?
@florc
Are you serious? That’s so awesome… Like in a hilarious way.
The code was published in a newspaper story during Jubilee year, right FLORC? I know I’ve seen the story on a media website somewhere. HM may have had to come up with a new code since then, otherwise the Ambassador from Here-and-There would know that she was signaling to get rid of them.
LOL – it is like an updated version of the fan code of the 18th century, where the ways a fan was held and how much of it was extended had specific meanings.
For soem reason it also makes me think of Monty Python’s rendition of Wuthering Heights with signal flags, but I am a bit odd.
She looks pretty and appropriate, but for some reason I don’t like navy blue accessories on a lighter blue dress. Just a thing I have.
I’m no fan of this dress either, but overall she’s improved. I could nitpick her hair, makeup, constant need for editted photos, but overall it’s fine. She also appears to be taking in the weight of the event. Hope she’s learning something.
The code is for HM, and the Duke, serious hardworking heirs abd royals up and about doing their people business.
No one want to harm workless Waity. P George will be separated from them soon as Waity Doolittle is NO Di Princess Wales.
Thing here too. It’s not that I hate this shade of blue specifically, I just don’t like it paired with navy. Actually, there is an entire range of medium-bright blues that I have a ‘thing’ about. Colors might be fine… but not with another shade of blue… not even jeans! I don’t mind a very pale blue paired with darker blue, but when it comes to the cornflower-periwinkle-royal-azure range of blues, I can’t stand them mixed with other blues.
So not only do I not like this dress with the navy heels… I don’t like the dress next to the blue suits that Will and Harry are wearing. Soooooo, rather than try to come up with a pair of shoes that I would have preferred with the dress, I’m going to suggest ditching the dress… LOL It does look very ‘air hostess’ anyway.
LOL, I agree with your entire summary.
I agree with both of you. That light blue dress/navy blazer combo she wore to the Commonwealth Games just irked me. And she had the nerve to also pair those wedges. No bueno!
If she insists on wearing blue so much (and I can’t blame her, it’s one of my favorite colors, too) she could at least change the shade. A deep sapphire blue would look beautiful on her. I do like this dress, it’s professional and appropriate.
Also, I think this is when her nude shoes would have been a better choice than the navy.
I was just coming down here to comment about the shade of blue. I think she’d look great in a grey-blue or muted navy. The cut of the dress looks good on her and definitely looks occasion appropriate.
Haha… I almost mentioned the nude shoes in the post right above this. If she HAD to wear this dress again, I would agree that it’s a time for the nude heels.
Colour code as a few days ago at the C Games.
For a royal with all that wealth, Just make you wanna scream ” Gosh! dress and look sincere in planning like you wanted to be there!”.
Lack of seem to imply workless Waity doolittle grab any frock and can’t wait to get done!
Tiffany- that woman may be her PR double giving cues on how workless Waity to respond, expression (making workless Waity insincere!)
We on this site seem very astute and credible observers. Note Kori witness P Willnot and Cannot LIVE, with Prince Harry and noted almost if not the same behavior, body language with those two,
Why do they put these 3 together? I know Harry has to be over being the 3rd wheel with these two.
Her dress is fine. Better tailoring than that coat dress yesterday and the bit of emotion is a stark contrast to the giggling and talking to William during yesterday’s ceremony.
What do you mean by “they” exactly? I don’t think Harry would want it any other way. It’s a war memorial service, not a date. I think Harry is just fine sitting with his brother and his wife.
Did I say it was a date? I don’t think I did. I wondered why the heir to the heir has to have his baby brother with him on events with his wife, when they could just as well send Harry alone (as he was in the later event) or send these two on their own (which they were earlier in the day with the K/Q of Belgium). You think he’s fine being with them. I say it’s got to be tiring. Agree to disagree.
Original Mia
I agree +1000
King I mean Prince Harry is being used to imply Willnot and Cannot are as dedicated hardworking royal as PHarry. We all know P Harry is more serious, respected, hardworking real than Willnot Middleton will ever be.
Actually Prince Harry alone should have attended (send Willnot and Cannot Buckleberry or AH on a diffrent assignment) while P Harry represent HM GB UK, and given the speech!
A few weeks ago one of the royal reporters said Prince Harry was actually getting requested over William at many royal events.
I think since both William and Harry are members of the military it is appropriate.
Harry served and William did his part in serving, both Princes are right to want to honor these men who served and gave their lives.
Francis, that speaks volumes. The people are requesting Harry over William, so the PR people try to push forward the Three Musketeers. “No, you can’t have Harry solo, but you can have all three of them. That’s the deal.”
I know right? It is time WK and Harry parted their ways as far as royal events go IMO. I don’t know if they are forced to attend or not. Maybe Harry likes to have company with him and he can’t bring anyone else so he tags along with WK.
+1 Mia. Why send Harry all the way over to Belgium to be with these two, after he did his own event in the UK in the morning? Protocol yesterday seems to have been no spouses, so they sent KM just to up her numbers. They should have sent William alone for the morning event in Belgium, then she could join him for the reception and evening event. Instead they end up with a cover photo of Kate, Harry, and the vicar at the evening event instead of W&K and the vicar.
Harry should have just done his UK event yesterday, which he did brilliantly solo no need for someone with him. He does tours by himself just fine, he brought people to tears yesterday with his reading at another event. He does fine solo. He could have done this poppy exhibit alone much better than the three of them together. And KM gets even more giggly when Harry is around, maybe because he is more polite to her in public than William.
Sending the three of them only causes unfortunately photo ops like KM grinning in Harry’s direction (while he looks solemn) and William is looking away, W&K grinning at each other while Harry looks solemnly the other way, W&K looking at the ground while Harry is in the same frame looking at the exhibit itself.
+1000
I was at the Mons appearance (at the Town Hall not the cemetery) and it was interesting to watch the interaction. During the initial reception (after they went in to the Town Hall) which was broadcast out into the square, Kate seemed much more interested and engaged than the Princes. Neither Prince looked bored but rather a more professional, ‘we’ve seen this a 1000 times’ sort of look. But William did ask a number of questions of the Mayor. And Kate was very sweet with the child who gave her her arrival bouquet. On the balcony, William again looked more solemn; Kate alternated between smiling and looking serious (but not grim) and Harry was the most engaging–making the Mayor (and his brother and sister-in-law) laugh and pointing out into the crowd and waving. Not like I was next to them but I had a good vantage point and it was very interesting to see it all in person (the arrival and balcony part) rather than captured images (which can be cherry picked for a positive or negative narrative) or even video.
@Kori – Thanks for the interesting perspective.
Sugar Mia;
+1
In some frames there are people looking at workless Waity as if “what is she doing here” (do nothing celebrity middlekardashion!!), with insincere, hair twirling PR cues .
She wasn’t the only person wearing this particular shade of blue, there are photos with another woman in the exact shade. It represents peace.
The dress is ok. It’s appropriate. that installation is breaking my heart.
It depends on what photos you choose to look at, with regard to Kate’s demeanor at this memorial. I’ve seen some where she wasn’t exactly somber.
I think the dress looks sort of airline attendant-ish, but that’s OK, it looks fine for the situation.
Fair point. I started to fall for it.
I rest my case:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2716532/The-Duchess-Cambridge-wears-tranquil-blue-plant-memorial-poppy-Tower.html
It is small to nitpick but I really wish she could maintain some sobriety at these events, and perhaps pull her hair back so she doesn’t have to play with/fix it. Seems like a small sacrifice.
AM I agree.
Small to ask of workless Waity doolittle I Wow- Its a sad case and low expectations for the BRF rep of HM and the heirs after Prince Charles. Let’s hope the powers that be make some changes for King Henry (HarryY, and or good dedication to duty from Prince Georgie and the Yorks
There hardly seem any hope for Willnot, who already speak down to his duty, he will be move to rule Buckleberry or AH buddies..
I don’t think it helps that Kate only has 2 faces: either her wide mouth grin or a serious, somber look. It’s very weird, but I do think Kate takes events like this seriously. It’s just for some odd reason she doesn’t have a “toned down” smile. It’s either the full set of pearly whites or nothing at all.
Did you notice that there is another woman in blue, who is smiling at Kate, behind Kate, with Kate? It seems that Kate was just following the mood of those around her.
There are other photos of her grinning while everyone else in the frame looks somber. As someone else wrote above, she doesn’t seem to have much in the way of middle-of-the-road expressions or behavior. Mostly she has two expressions “concern” or “open mouth laugh/smile”. It isn’t easy to project “calm, interested, and engaged” all the time, I understand that. Three years in, though, she needs a facial expressions coach if this is the best she can do at these solemn events.
On hand PR giving workless Waity doolittle moiDdleton cues to act, expression.
Imagine the insincerity to HM, GB and UK! These two, stop pulling down Prince Harry to stoop to W*KM level.
I’m not convinced she’s shedding a tear either. Probably a chunk of eyeliner or an eyelash fell in her eye!
Did anyone here (besides me) see the making of the movie A League of Their Own? They interviewed Rosie O’Donnell, who talked about how when they were filming she didn’t think Geena Davis’ acting was big enough, that what she was doing wouldn’t play well to the audience. Once O’Donnell saw the film she said, “Oh, yeah, that’s why Davis has an Academy Award.”
It feels like KM is functioning as a stage actress/comedienne with big, over the top gestures, rather than functioning with the subtleties of a film actress. An O’Donnell character vs. a Davis one. I’m hoping KM has the ability to develop a public presence in the middle somewhere, where she can be engaged and professional, without being either wooden or over-the-top.
I think you’re right, and unfortunately I don’t have high hopes for her. She’s three years into this job and still we see the manic mouth actions, fidgeting with the hair, and over-the-top hand gestures. It’s just the way she is and I doubt that will change.
Wow, I love the dress: design, color, and appropriateness for her figure. This is a first for me and Kate.
It’s a repeat, no?
Maybe I missed it the first time?
For a royal representing HM GB Commonwealth in such redspected occssion, Waity doolittle can have new well tailored wear4. As to Fashion Icon please, even D Camilla is way ahead of Waity doolittle Cannot.
As to. wiping eyes- so phony Waity doolittle again, after hair twirling at UK Memorial, who buys her phony fakeness!!? Both P WillNOT Waity workless Cannot need to follow role model Prince Harry Princess Di. Care work ethics and sincerity.
The blue she often wears is royal blue and she wears it because she is a royal now. I realize how daft that sounds, and it surely is, and I’m certain it’s true. It has been noted here how the Duchess likes to dress ‘in theme’ for events. Her overarching theme is ‘royal’. From the engagement announcement onward, she wears a significant amount of royal blue.
I’m surprised then she doesn’t wear purple which is also symbolic of royalty.
I’m surprised she hasn’t worn a coat with an ermine collar, I’m sure she’s got one, lol!
Kate’s worn real purple once, on their tour of Canada, and it did not suit her coloring at all. She really does prefer blue, more than ever before. Perhaps she thinks it “pops” her eyes?
good lord, since she’s just expected to show up to these things and get photographed can she at least color her hair or pull it back? That looks like shit. I’ll take it all back if she utters one sentence to the press about the artist or supporting arts, etc. so that future installations like this can happen. What an amazing amazing amazing installation. I would love to see it in person.
The installation looks very impressive indeed and I wish I could see it in person because installations are a type of art that only can be fully experienced in situ. In fact, I would argue that the aesthetic effect can only be experienced and appreciated in person because it is a type of art that works with creating, refiguring or disrupting a space, and particular aspect can not be fully captured in a photograph. Photographs serve to document an installation since they rarely are permanent but they can’t capture the aesthetic effect fully.
Appropriate, but boring – reminds me of a Nordstrom’s salesgirl
To me, it looks like she spends more time working on her hair and make-up, than on what she wears. She looks so boring!
I am glad she didn’t wear red and one of those hats she has been sporting.
me too.
What a moving, effective, and eerie installation. And so appropriate at the Tower, too.
Yes, when you see the whole thing, it looks like blood is pouring from a Tower window and then creating a sea of blood around the one wall of the Tower. The aerial shots over the whole Tower are amazing. I can’t wait to see it.
I think 888,246 is the number of British and Commonwealth servicemen who died during WWI. While a massive figure, Wikipedia says the total number of soldiers and civilians killed during WW1 was around 16 million. That’s just astounding and terribly tragic.
And more died of the Spanish Flu than died in combat. Imagine surviving those horrors only to succumb to something like that. 🙁
I know, Kori! I was reading about the man who wrote In Flanders Field the other day, and he survived almost the entire war but died of pneumonia in 1918. Sometimes I wish I could travel back in time and give everyone antibiotics. We wouldn’t have Spanish flu or Edward Cullen for that matter!
I’m right now reading a book about the influenza pandemic. Very interesting – but sad to think about how many people succumbed to it.
One of my father’s uncles survived the Spanish Flu but it was touch and go. At one point he was so delirious that he almost jumped out of a window several stories up in the building.
Also the type of injuries and subsequent medical care just didn’t match up. Adding to the long-term devastation were w/facial injuries that couldn’t be repaired with plastic surgery in that era. There were tin masks made to mimic missing features, so the veterans could go out in public without feeling like monsters. This was also the early days of gas warfare, the winds would shift, and suddenly you’d killed your own men.
Looking at the news today, not sure what lessons we’ve learned in the last 100 years.
Interestingly enough, plastic surgery really made a lot of forward strides during WWII. One of my grandmother’s friends actually trained as a plastic surgeon in England during the war – she then became the first plastic surgeon in Denmark as well as the first female surgeon at all. She was also an Olympic fencer. My father has her autobiography on his bookshelf and I’m rather looking forward to reading it.
@AH. That sounds like an interesting read. Any chance it is available in English?
ArtHistorian,
What a great share! What is the name of the book ? Is it in English and still available to find? I would love to read it too!
It is not in English – I believe that it was published from a very small Danish publisher. I don’t think that it is in print anymore. I look at the book the next time I’m visiting my dad.
Thanks, AH!
I love this dress. She picked a good one to repeat.
Maybe she chose a repeat to avoid unending articles that focus on her dress instead of the event?
I love the dress and the color is gorgeous.
It may be the visit or Prince Harry looks so unhappy having to tag along with the Lazy Duo. He probably feels that it should be him visiting only because he has served in the military.
Its hard to say if Prince Charles has cut her clothing budget because she has worn two new dresses (the MPACT and Belgium visits). I think with the advice from their PR that she has been told to repeat more because of the “Three Kitchens Kate” articles, and to appear thrifty (she is just like us).
I think that this is the best dress she owns. I
Ummmm, did anyone else immediately look at her roots and think “PREGNANT!”??!!?! She’s not dying her hair….just sayin’. 😉
Thought the same thing. The same best friend that leaked her first pregnancy leaked that she is again, so. Also look at her stomach.
HARRY needs a haircut
he looks so bad
like he’s not taking care of himself
i hope he doesn’t have a drinking issue
I’m just sick of this colour on her. It looks awful with navy. And I’m sick of her wearing so much blue overall. She just wore this very colour last week! I figure she must feel fashion trauma every time she doesn’t match Diana’s ring to her clothing, so she wears blue as much as possible to avoid feeling traumatized. Oh yes, and what others have said about the royal theme too. Must wear blue and royal blue and various shades of blue so the world never, ever, ever forgets Her Royal Hineyness Waity Doolittle, Duchass of Cambridge, is ROYAL now!
lol tell us how you really feel
HA! I think this was enough for now!
I can’t tell if Charlie despises Kate or has some deep-seated hatred of blue! lol
The code is for HM, and the Duke, serious hardworking heirs, royals up and about doing their peoples’ business.
No one want to harm workless Waity.doolittle, ‘shop til you drop’ paps, freak Cannot.
P George will soon beprotected separate from Willnot, as Waity Doolittle is NO Di Princess Wales.
It’s obvious some people have nothing better to do (or get paid for) but to troll an American celebrity gossip website (where freedom of speech is alive and well) in the futile attempt to demean or suppress others from expressing their opinions. Now, who’s wasting their time?
This kind of excellent outfit! I like your sporty tone the very best offers the item!