Many of the royals turned out today in London to mark the end of the Afghanistan War and honor the 453 British men and women who gave their lives in the war. The tribute was held at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Prince Harry – who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan – was there to honor the moment. The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales were all in attendance too. And of course Duchess Kate and Prince William came out. This is the first second event William and Kate have done together all year!!!
The men wore their military regalia for the tribute. Kate coordinated really well with William – Kate wore this navy coat by Beulah London. It’s the “Chiara” coat. She pulled her hair back into a very pretty off-center messy bun, which went well with the off-center navy hat, likely by Jane Corbett. She accessorized with some new sapphire jewelry too – I don’t think I’ve ever seen those earrings on Kate before. This coat is super-flattering, right? Initially, I kept seeing photos of Kate from behind and she didn’t look pregnant at all. It’s all about the high-waisted cut on the coat and excellent tailoring.
I’m also including photos of some of the other royals – the Queen wore a vibrant blue and, as always, the Queen’s brooch game is everything. The Countess of Wessex was the one who seemed… I don’t know, too fashion-platey for this event. Camilla looked fine, I would have traded her boots for a simple pair of heels though.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Sophie has never looked better, but I think her outfit is a tad fancy for a war tribute.
when she turned 50 years recently i couldn´t believe it. She looks so good and way younger than her age. She could easily pass for Kate´s little older sister. In my opinion Sophie is now more beautiful than she was when she married Edward.
The photo of the Queen and the DoE is everything!!! how cute do they look?
He is holding her hand! 93 years old and he is helping her down the steps. Sweet.
They are adorable. Ps I think Will should hold Kate’s hand too just to be extra careful on those stone steps. Being pregnant throws off your balance even if you are really in shape and/or used to wearing heels. And Prince Harry!!!! No guess he will ramp up his appearances when Kate goes underground.
William needs a slap to the head. Would it have cost him so much in courtesy and concern to extend his arm or hand so his wife could support herself on those steps? I shudder at a misstep with those high heels. Take a tip from Grandpa who’s probably pretty unsteady on his own feet but still gentlemanly assists his wife.
@Feeshalori – that’s the first thing I thought when I saw the photo – what in the name of chivalry is wrong with that oaf?!?!? Why can he never allow himself to look like he actually likes his wife and offer his arm?! He constantly comes off like a selfish, petulant pr*ck who can’t be arsed to show some respect to anyone, let alone his 8 month’s pregnant wife.
Jaded, IKR. She’s pregnant in heels on steep stairs. You don’t even have to like someone all that much to be courteous.
Jaded, you’re absolutely right.
Senaber, Feeshalori, Jaded, bettyrose, vava: you’re all absolutely right.
I do agree H/HMs said it all for this centuries old respected monarchy.
However, its another tense awful pap day for BRF- added to the rif- now directed at King Prince Harry by waity (thanks to waity who blames P Harry for partying with P Will). And another uncomfortable day in the life of PW and the middletons marriage.
Seem most the royal family have concern look as well from DM pics/ videos, and in several shots (waity sitting by P Harry, the cold stare of PH*Will greeting each other, among others)
Waity seem most smiling when out alone waving, using PW ‘royal family title’ the privileges- but is all cold and ackward with the PoW DoC other royals who afford her and the middletons the royal luxuries.
Huh? YMNS = You make no sense…
I’m not sure if Kate blames Harry for Will’s behavior, but I agree with the rest. I do think Harry is tired of being in the middle, not only between the Cambridges, but also Charles & William. There’s so much tension between all of them. How could it not be with the battle between Clarence House and Amner that’s currently being waged on the front page of the DM?
TOMia
There’s not much evidence to support Harry is tired of that. Or if he feels there is that. He’s off doing his own stuff and always supports ihs brother.
@FLORC, there’s been some instances, like at Christmas and at the Poppy field, where Harry just looks fed up with William and Kate. And if he wasn’t effected by the war between Charles and William, I’d be surprised. I know how it feels to be in the middle of fights between my father and sister, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Harry wishes to be truly on his own. Not a pawn to his brother’s PR nor as a sounding board for William/Charles’ issues.
I can understand it in pieces.
For any individuals who tolerate Charles, watch what happens when he makes Camilla his Queen ie rejects title Princess Consort.
Why would Middleton blame Harry for partying with William? Most accounts have her drinking far more than William and Harry for 10 years. William has admitted in interviews that he always partied more than Harry.
Harry looked fed up with the two of them during the Tour de France too. I think he took his mother’s instructions to heart, that he is to support his brother. But he can support his brother without supporting his decisions. Harry needs to learn the difference between supporting and enabling.
Pippa
This entire line of speculation was lifted almost entirely from Celeb Dirty Laundry – the same blog that informed us that HM was on her death bed and Kate and Camilla were battling to be the next queen.
Original Mia
It is not always a good idea to read too much into still shots and a few minutes of footage. Harry actually chose to spend Christmas lunch with the Cambridges instead of with his father and grandparents – his choice.
notasugar
Harry and William are extremely close and always have been. I’ve never read or seen anything to contradict this nor has a photo or video clip shown me anything earth shattering enough to allude to it. And Kate is not and never has been a heavy drinker. She does, however, become intoxicated far more easily and with less consumption than William or Harry. She is known to nurse a glass of wine or champagne for most of the evening.
FLORC
Exactly.
Imo
Lol look at us agreeing! Crazy!
Seriously. That poster has appeared as a troll often and to the point only insults are used as names leaving the messages very cryptic.
And Kate nurding wine were not supported with eye witness or stumbles of a visibly intoxicated Kate barely able to walk. And the nursing stories were in part because it was said Kate needed to be aware for girls approaching William. And there are eye witness to this. Even KN and the late Whitaker was said to have seen this.
Others
I’ll give that there are some instances where Harry has not looked pleased with William. Like William wasn’t taking things seriously. And William’s lack of support during Harry’s visit to Diana’s section of Garden when Every Other Family Member showed up. WK were… on vacation? I think Harry is aware William’s priorities are off, but would not publicly leave William to the wolves.
Nor would Harry leave William to the bears, the lions, or the sharks! Wolves get such bad press in most cultures – perhaps because they are smart, and for the whole, avoid man’s wily ways, that is, man’s drive for their extinction – in my opinion because they are hunters on the same land, for the same game, (or livestock sharing, when game has been eliminated), or because of the wolves unwillingness to be domesticated by men – (like me). I like them because they are fiercely loyal to their mates, and one to another; as kinship families. Dogs are loyal, and we like them, although they see people as the leaders of the pack.
Wolfpup
The saying has origins going back in many cultures. Throwing or leaving to lions, wolves, pigs are all common and not meant ot insult the creatures.
They’re lurkers/stalkers. When you’re in a pack greater than their number you’re safer, but when left without protection you’re an easy target. That’s the general meaning.
And wolves can be domesticated. It’s very interesting and the science is through breeding out/in traits that are also seen as physical traits.
I love wolves, FLORC, and have read a lot about them. Ultimately, they have to considered a wild animal, as domesticated versions are known to attack their professional handlers. It might be understood in the same way as keeping a pet tiger or lion, or whenever you might be prey. Wolves are not natural hunters of man, they avoid us, if possible, they know we carry guns, and set traps – leg traps. I’ve heard of the fox breeding experiments with inbreeding traits. The story I remember best about being left to the wolves is the story of Romulus and Remus, left on the banks of the river Tiber. Legendary founders of Rome, they are said to have been looked after by a she-wolf. Then there’s Kipling’s Mowgli…
wolfpup
I’m sure you adore wolves given your handle 🙂
I think I know the docu you’re talking about with the foxes. I’m speaking more of a lab where I grew up. the lab did a lot of genetic testing and wolves in that area were everywhere. There was and is a problem with people illegally breeding hybrid wolves.
Wolves are neat. I’m just saying the saying has origins and it’s not an insult to wolves. Lions, sharks, pigs are also used.
I was just thinking the same thing. They look so adorable. Him holding her hand to help her down is too cute!
I do love Kate’s outfit. I think it’s the best one she has had this pregnancy. The fit is what does it.
I want to be the one to slap William into gentlemanly ways. What a prune!
Kate actually looks like a princess…..despite my pet peeve about her suede shoes. Well done!!!
Note that the queen NEVER wears suede anything, least of all for footwear. Her dresser should be commended for keeping HM in great, good order.
Let’s all stand in line to slap William into some sense and courtesy, lol!
Slapping Wills, Joffrey style. -)
@AH, LOL! Bring on the GOT!
I love how Prince Phillip is holding the Queen’s hand and helping her down the stairs. He is a true prince charming. I love them both.
I like that, too. You don’t see him doing this very often. I wonder if she’s feeling well?
He doesn´t look well and she also looks a little bit weak lately.
It reminds me on my late neighbours. A happy married couple in their 70s. His wife looked so weak. She couldn´t manage stairs and was so fragile 🙁 He was always there holding her hands and joking with her.
Then things changed. From one day to another he looked seriously ill. Grey, shrinked and haematoms everywhere. Suddenly she was the strong part. He couldn´t walk without her help. He died just a few months later and she was alone. It was heartbreaking.
Except for, you know, the constant philandering…though I guess he’s probably too old to do it now.
Yeah, he gives me the creeps. Bunch of reptilians!
@Pariz Thank you
I don’t know if there’s any truth to it but there is a rumour that he had a longterm affair with Princess Alexandra, the Queen’s cousin.
The Queen looks lovely! I always forget she is 88 years old. She is still so mobile and (I’m assuming) very sharp.
Now, excuse me, I’m off to find some Prince Harry pics. I love seeing him in uniform. I might also try and get a better angle on Kate’s hat. I think I might really like it.
Real question—-do regular women in England also have a collection of fancy dress coats? Or is it just something that happens for the wealthy? I ask because I live in the southern US and don’t own a fancy coat, and I honestly am not sure I know a single woman with one. And if I did, they wouldn’t have a whole closet full.
I live in Michigan, and it’s pretty common here–especially among the church going crowd. I own 3 or 4 dress coats, but know women who own more. When you have to wear a coat daily for virtually 6 months out of the year it’s nice to have some outer wear variety!
Thanks! See down here we can usually get away with light jackets. When it’s really cold I wear one of my husband’s big hunting coats. I guess I should purchase a nice coat though, in case the need ever arises!
I agree dress coats famous among the royals, churchgoers ( wealthy or otherwise) makes for regal appearance; Its also business attire among traditional professionals /executives in most countries.
DoCornwall is always regal as well, C Sophie, they seem to be taking notes from HM.
I love in the southern US too! I have one very luxe tan wool coat the is dress-appropriate. I’ve had it for 7 years doesn’t get a ton of use, but it is still so useful when you want to look extra nice. Now I’m jealous that you get to go coat shopping!!! 🙂 Now is a great time to get some deals/ clearance coats.
Eta: Damn my typing on this phone is seriously awful. Sorry!
Where does one get these dress coats? I like them.
Nearly any department store or mall store. A favorite of mine is Black Rivet online. I love their coats! They’re lovely.
I am a ‘regular’ British woman and no I do not own a dress coat. It depends on your personal style and seems to be worn a lot for some reason by the Royal women. Personally it’s not my thing.
It depends on your lifestyle. When I lived in England I had a couple dress coats for business formal meetings and church and an everyday workhorse coat for casual.
I live in Wisconsin, when I worked in an office I had a few more dress coats to mix things up but now that I’m self employed and work from home I got rid of all but one – a nice long one that covers my legs if I’m wearing a dress. So far I’ve only used it for funerals (it’s a dark blue. The one serves its purpose for my current lifestyle but I do look longingly at dress coats now and then 🙂
I live in Canada and I have, if you include spring, about a dozen coats. I have coats based on temperature, based on style (trench versus swing) and based on dressiness.
The coat looks good and I like the hat with the hairstyle. The hairstyle looks nice for a change!!!!!!!!!!!! The earrings and pendant are also beautiful and I usually don’t care for pear shaped stones.
(If I wore this ensemble, I’d wear dark tights and some kickass footgear…not the court shoes she is stuck on).
I actually enjoy everything about the look. This is the first time Kate has nailed it for me. No criticisms.
Sophie though…. that print is too bold for a somber occasion.
Nope, nope nope. Daily Fail has a pic of her walking down the steps and her coat is blowing up to mid thigh in the wind. Hem weights, for Gods sake! They work!!
@ Red Snapper, there is also a photo of her grabbing her crotch …….
I think that Kate look wonderful! The coat was lovely and a proper length. I usually don’t like her little cutsey saucer hats but this one wasn’t too bad – at some angles it looked really lovely. I just want to add that an elegant updo does wonders for the whole look, especially when wearing a small hat! It is an adult and elegant look – and I hope that she’ll change her style in this direction:
Updo, a hemline just below the knee for full skirts and just above the knee for pencil skirts. I also wish that she would embrace brooches – and colour accents to otherwise monochromatic outfits. Brooches can be deployed in many different ways than the traditional at the lapel – maxima is a master of brooch deployment.
I liked that Sophie was daring in her fashion choice. however, I don’t think that the asymmetrical hemline worked in this particular instance.
The Queen’s brooch is gorgeous – I covet it because I just adore large drop pearls!!! I just wish there was a photo of it up-close. Does anyone know which brooch it is?
Hi AH,
I saw a close up of Kate’s hat and the design is really great – the ribbon has some beadwork on it. Luff it.
I agree on Sophie’s outfit…..doesn’t seem to work very well for this venue.
No idea on the Queen’s brooch.
Not a super fan of the shoes, but the whole thing is really great. Hair, hat, coat, fit, tailoring, length. All lovely.
Totally agree FLORC. She looks really good.
@AH, don’t know if this is true but I read on another site that this was Queen Victoria’s brooch. I lust for that piece; I adore pearls and those are just simply magnificent and HM looked exquisite.
Kate also looked good, the hair is controllable and styled nicely, but I’d have liked to have seen a shot of color in that outfit. Maybe the hat ribbon in a complementary color? Gloves as well? And a brooch on her coat would have looked divine placed where it closes or, even more daring, as a further embellishment on her hat.
There’s something odd going on with the neckline of the coat. If you look at HRHDuchessKate, closeup of the new necklace. Looks like a snag and a broken snap.
Thanks Fee,
That brooch is just gorgeous. I t would stunning worn as a stomacher on the bodice of a dress. I may have to satge a raid on the royal vault.
I agree with everyone, this has to be one of Kate’s best hairstyles and coats. Its perfectly tailored as Kaiser points out. I’m remembering Diana’s perfectly tailored coats when looking at these pics 🙂
Ditto. It’s a tad boring, but I like everything about this ensemble but the shoes.
+1000
HM and Camilla are always regal ( always a point of interest in their designs). Its also amazing HM at this age is not afraid of wearing bold colours (which suits her well), similar to fashion savvy younger days.
Duchess looks fabulous. Love the hair. However. Blue suede shoes should have died with elvis. Also need to jettison the blue eyeshadow or eyeliner or whatever that dark blue smudge is that weighs so heavily on her eyelids.
PipaMid
Your name is always different here.
And The Queen has bold to be center of it all. Also her outfits are masterfully picked to the last thread. This is done for her.
And as much as I like Camilla she has looked bad. Kate here actually nailed it. She meets protocol, dressed for the event and hair out of face. There is not 1 thing to criticise without nitpicking. Kate here is an improvement on all her fashion errors.
Yup, lovely but boring.
The family as a whole looks regally wonderful!
Oh come now, where’s the bitchy in that?
The Queen, DOE, and Harry are the standouts today for the royal family.
They are always the standouts at any royal function to me. The only BRF members with real charisma.
+1.
Harry is hot. William is not.
+1B
HM DoE Prince Harry all show such strong leaders!
Prince Harry in uniform send off ‘Monarch’ (like his dad in full dress), every time.
I actually like all these looks. I agree about Camilla- heels would have looked nice. Good for Kate wearing an appropriate length coat dress and pulling her hair up!
Wow she looks really nice usually I think her outfits suck but I like this one. She should where her hair up more often she looks prettier like that. I also like Sophie’s outfit and I love how the queen wears bright colors. Camilla’s outfit is okay but that hat is fug.
FLORC, the skirt underneath appears to be mid-thigh length from the upskirt photo. New hat, new coat, new jewels. If she’d worn one of her many other outfits, the focus would be more on the event not on her spending. Remember Diana with the new hairdo at the opening of Parliament? A brand new outfit on Middleton today is attention-grabbing. She could have made a more appropriate choice.
What do you think about Sophie’s outfit?
What about HM’s vivid coat to a church service for war dead? Disrespectful?
This was supposed to be a response to notasugar’s post #24.
Did you see the photograph of the church service in the DM, there was one lady towards the back that had on a bright canary yellow outfit with huge matching picture hat, (to paraphrase a bond villain you could have seen her from Dusseldorf) next to her Liz was positively funereal. If I recall the Queen hates wearing black and only ever wears it on remembrance day services or at a state funeral, so not that unusual for her I suppose. I think Sophies dress choice was less appropriate even if it was black and white it looked a bit too much like a party dress.
(this was a reply to 27. – the sight seems to have been scrambling its numbers and post order for the last day or two)
flower #29, Yet when Kate wore a pink coat to the 911 memorial, which was not a church service, that was disrespectful. People here went nuts saying that she should have worn a darker color. Now she does and it’s attention grabbing, and the Queen’s in church wearing turquoise memorializing war dead yet that’s not disrespectful.
Honestly, I don’t see how that one works.
The Queen didn’t grin and laugh as if it was a merry sunday afternoon picknick. But Kate does. She still doesn’t put on a decent serious mime when commemorating dead soldiers. Her behaviour is disgusting. And even worse she has infected Sophie and Camilla.
Are they aware that it is a church service for soldiers who died in a (questionable) war?
Or is laughing during a burial or during a commemoration the thing to do nowadays?
#33 DaysandNightsnoir: They were not giggling and laughing during the service. These are photos outside the church, and there was smiling everywhere, even from the families of the soldiers. The queen smiled too except when she was concentrating going down the steps.
My point stands, and frankly you can’t have it both ways. Either bright coats honoring dead people are bad or they aren’t. Or is it only when Kate does it? So wearing a bright coat at the 911 memorial was disrespectful and a conservative coat at a church service is attention grabbing.
#34 wolfpup: 911 victims are that. Victims. They are innocent victims of a horrific attack which started a war and I don’t think it’s right to rank which is more important, nor do I think it’s right to start a nation vs. nation discussion and imply she’s disrespectful to Americans. I think if she went to a church service for American war dead, you’d see the same sort of outfit. Also, you do know that more than a few British people were killed in that attack, including the head of security for Morgan Stanley who got all his people out, went back in and died.
I’m am not saying that American victims are most important – not at all – I am just remarking about how she dressed in respective countries; and that the majority of folks aren’t fashion savvy enough, to understand that it’s okay to wear bright pink, at a war memorial, in which she is representing her country, in ours. This isn’t about England – just Kate’s choices.
Wolfpup
With Kate’s pink coat to the 9/11 memorial. I wonder if she got the events they were going to wrong. That if she thought she was going to the kids event?
Still, It was a terrible choice. Absolutely not appropriate.
Nota
Kate has hundreds of examples of her possibly not having a matured mind. Thigh High dress in church? Knee atleast. There’s no defending that.
Agree bluhare (#37), great point well made. It has more to do with the person wearing the coat than the coat. Otherwise good arguments fall flat when one refuses to ever concede any point ever. Sometimes Kate gets it wrong, but not always.
As for the comments about the cost of her outfit – she truly cannot win. Her outfits are called ugly/poorly tailored/inappropriate when she gets its wrong. When she gets it right, they are too expensive and flashy (still not sure how that term can be applied to a knee length navy blue coat). I feel like she had done literally everything that she is harped on to do – sedate colour, good length, pretty jewelry, hair up, etc etc etc, but it is still wrong!
And for the record, I think she got it wrong a lot during her last pregnancy. Everything was way too short. She is much improved this time around.
Attention grabbing with jewelry is not so offensive, as being disrespectful of another country’s war fallen, by dressing in bright colors for a solemn memorial that marked the beginning of a war- particularly when she knows what colors are appropriate in her own. Even if styles have changed, the majority of folks believe that darker colors are most appropriate, for funeral type occasions.
I just think that, for some people, Kate can do nothing right.
Yes, ArtHistorian, I totally agree and it’s a most unfortunate situation involving her immediate family ie- too close and involving the shadow of Diana.
If Diana hadn’t been so popular, Kate would’ve had and have a much easier time.
Queen’s outfit is the eye catcher always. I’m curious to know what meaning the outfit had for this event.
Umm…. This comment was meant for Bluhare.
They’ve gone singular!
Nota
At this point… She’s checked more right than wrong. And I wasn’t aware of Dress under coat.
What do you think about Sophie, Camilla and Kate smiling as if it were a merry sunday afternoon picknick?
I don’t have a single negative thing to say about this outfit.
This is an all-around win for Kate, I agree. Even the boring heels are appropriate.
This is sort of a ‘calendar event’ today (for me, at least)! 🙂 I haven’t liked many of her ensembles in months……….
I wonder who is her new help in this: that she cannot dress appropriately on her own has been proven time and again (outside of a few handfuls of occasions). There is a big difference between how she appears on this day of war tribute in Britain, and the pink outfit she wore for the same kind of occasion in NYC.
Apparently she is stubborn concerning hem weights.
She certainly is well put together for this occasion, both in style and color. Big difference between this occasion and the WTC Memorial in NY.
I love Kate’s heels!
Just saw this all unfold outside my office.
Kate looks lovely. Harry is such a fittie. Even more so in person.
Right outside your office? So jealous. The only thing outside my office is about 100 feet of snow. WishI lived in London and could royal watch!! Never been but on my bucket list 🙂
Yep! Came out to go for a meeting and was annoyed to see everything closed off and then it was all oooohhhhhhhhh Harry get on me
@laura – funny!
Those shoes in that shade of navy with that lovely ensemble is so repulsive. I can’t unsee those shoes ruining her look and they are officially on my eternally fug list. Suede heels are Kate’s nemesis. Most of hers photograph soiled looking.
Kate does so many mono-color ensembles. And about half of them look like they came from Kmart. But this look is very nice from head to knees.
But her hat is great. I always like and sometimes love Kate’s hats. And the bow thingy on this one looks very pretty without looking childish.
Yeah, her suede shoes never photograph well. That’s something I didn’t realize about suede until a few years ago she started wearing suede a lot.
THANK YOU. YES. That shade of blue looks awful with the rest of the outfit!!! The shoes ruin it. So close, yet so far away.
Did you notice Kate took off the glove to show off Diana’s former ring in the photos?
Do you mean Kate’s engagement ring?
It will always be Diana’s ring.
Agree, notasug. Why does she flaunt it so? – Diana didn’t give it to her. Don’t most royal women rework their jewels? William couldn’t be expected to know how women wear jewelry…
Adding, I’ve heard of women wearing their mother-in-law’s wedding rings – although I wouldn’t wear a dead woman’s clothing, or jewelry.
@nota, you’re right and that’s why it’s always on display. After suffering through all the “waiting” criticism and accusations of social climbing for 8-9 years, I think she views it as a trophy. But, gosh, it just looks like a cocktail ring to me.
Diana’s ring is so 80’s in style. I didn’t like it when I saw it the 1st time and it still resembles costume jewelry to me. Not simply the size, but the whole style and jaggged lines.
I disagree Kate wears it to flaunt it. It’s an engagement ring. It’s hers. Why shouldn’t she wear it? And I think it’s a replica. Should a stone fall out or it slip off and get scratched with wear and tear. I think it’s just not the ring.
And I agree with you ladies. That ring is from a bad marriage. It’s “The Ring of Doom” and “Diana’s Ring”. Also, it’s a color and style that can’t blend with other clothes or style jewelry. It’s limiting. Even the jewelry/rings Kate buys are nothing close to to that style or stone.
Without the “Diana” link it would just be kind of cheap and ugly.
I really don’t like that engagement ring either – the design and setting is just so generic. It is also rather large, which makes it look more like a cocktail ring. I know from experience that it is difficult to wear a large ring and the setting looks like it easily could snag on something. So i don’t necessarily think that she’s flaunting it but rather that it is a ring that is both impractical and uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis.
Why is Kate always grinning at memorial services? Duchess One-Note.
She prefers waving smiling as a celebrity (with ma carole the middletons), than serving GB UK CW rep HM / practicing service tradition and duty with the BRF.
Who ARE….
There are moments in time that are taken out of context. We all smile here and there. Sometimes a person has a good memory that brings a smile to their face.
We weren’t there so we can’t know. She does grin a lot.
I was able to find photographs of pretty much every other royal in attendance smiling. it is not inappropriate to smile at a memorial service.
Thank you. Ridiculous criticism.
Thank you! When she doesn’t smile some people say she is looking bitchy.
Also for the ” she’s not really pregnant” folks – take a look at that double chin in the second picture. That’s a pregnancy double chin (I had one so I know – I remember the shock when I first noticed it!)
Or she is disengaged and doesn’t care what is going on around her.
I laughed at the double chin comment – the things we have to go through for babies!!
There you ladies go being all fair and level headed again. 🙂
I have not seen any “she’s not really pregnant” comments here on CB. This is not a partisan blog for or against any one royal like Royal Gossip or The Royal Forums. But what I have seen here lately is snarking and rudeness towards other commenters, and that’s not what most of us come here for.
Olenna
They’re here. They just know that stuff doesn’t fly here.
Perhaps we need a room monitor…(tongue in cheek). However, I suppose that is Kaiser’s job.
@Florc, I’ve seen comments about how tiny she is, but thought most know that with her long torso she carries differently. I guess I’ve missed the crazy ones! But, we have had some folks pop in lately that seem like they came straight here from the BC boards (Ha!). @Wolfpup, luckily CB doesn’t have to do much monitoring on the royal boards. Commenters here seem to have a better handle on their social graces!
PippaMid seems to be getting all the flak here. She sounds like a royalist to me, and if anyone is familiar with my comments, I obviously, am not. However, I find many of the things she says, interesting – she has a mindset that is unusual to me. I know nothing of BC boards (or even what they are), so perhaps my views on this are irrelevant – certainly, I am on a learning curve, when it comes to posting remarks.
Olenna
I’m not saying it hasn’t happened here. It just doesn’t take over. And the too thin argument is often more about how far along she is or if she’s starving herself. During George this place got over run and it was bad. When asked to support the claims though they could only source other gossip and conspiracy sources or sites of total fictional writings. Sites that had disclaimers of that, but people still treated it like real news.
Wolfpup
All i’ll say is that poster was so rude here and so tough to understand for so long it was trolling behavior. Many comments of theirs didn’t stick around. I left this site over the quality that came with them.
Recently i’ll say it’s been greatly improved, but i’m on guard.
And you know english isn’t my native tongue so I reached out to them to see if I could better understand their grasp on the english language and that it was a barrier to not understanding their comments. It wasn’t and they mocked me for my assumption. And their name is ever the same day to day. It has variations.
@wolfpup, BC = Benedict Cumberbatch. It’s been like crazytown over there for the past few months–bitter, angry people acting like they’ve been jilted and who take their feelings out on other commenters. But I’ve seen in the last couple of Kate articles a bit of nastiness from newer posters towards regulars. I wrote a long dissertation (LOL!) about it on one thread, but it and the offensive ones were deleted. Anyway, I mostly ignore PM’s comments because they are hard to read and too harsh for me to comprehend where the bitterness comes from.
Olenna
Well said.
And there are a larger number of posters that attack not the topic, but the fellow posters or appear to post only to provoke reaction. When trying to engage them thoughtfully you’re ignored or insulted.
And I think a few are same posters under other names. Sentence structure and spelling errors are repeated like they’re typing from the same keyboard.
But yes. Best to not engage.
I know she’s all about the pastels but seriously, navy is her colour.
The colour is good one her – however, I wish she had broken up the monochromatic look wish a dash of colour.
I met Princess Benedikte last year and she wore a lovely grey suit but accented it with fire-engine red shoes. It looked absolutely fabulous!
So do I but she’s not confident with her accent pieces so I don’t expect it from her.
I’m all for a fire-engine red shoe, but remember, it was a memorial service.
I didn’t suggest that she wear shoes like that for an event like this. I commented on her tendency to colour coded monochromatic looks in general though that may not have come across in my post.
Kate tends to the match-matchy colour-wise and that presents as a wall-to-wall of blandness. A few splashes of colour contrast in the accessories, like shoes, clutches, scarves and in the jewellery would effectively break up the wall-to-wall blandness and add a little spice to her outfits.
Kate is looking good however the tone of blue in her shoes isn’t right. It could be: light reflection altering colour or a nod to her husband ie- his tone of blue uniform.
Have a nice weekend.
Does anyone know when she got the new sapphire necklace and earrings? They go very nicely with Princess Diana’s ring. Did William have them made for her as a gift?
Don’t know for certain, but Diana had a suite of jewels with earrings like this. Maybe they were part of inheritence Will and Harry got. Kate’s not usually about jewelry so maybe she’s just busting them out now?
Side note: I do wish she would bring out more of the big jems for functions. Aside that they’re fun to see I think she needs to be a bit more royal and less normal.
http://www.royal-fans.com/dianas-jewels/
It was a set. Kate wears them often and rarely is without jewelry. Though often her accessories are covered by clothes or hair, but she’s always wearing them.
And Kate has worn some lovely loaned jewels, but again, clothes and hair concealed them.
Kate and Sophie look lovely. Camilla, no to those boots.
The Queen is well…the Queen.
Her hubby, while holding his wife’s hand is a sweet gestur, I only see a racist whenever I see him.
Wow! I think this is the best Kate has ever looked.
It’s certainly the best she’s ever looked pregnant, IMO. She’s had a handful of other winning ensembles in the past, but today’s appearance stands out for me because the hairstyle and hat are perfection, the coat is tailored, and she has new sapphire jewelry.
I read somewhere that it’s actually tanzanite jewelry. Beautiful!
It’s been ID. http://www.gcollinsandsons.com/diamonds-jewellery/pendants-necklaces/tanzanite-diamond-pendant
$12500 just for the pendant. Wow.
Grade AAA tanzanite has the most lovely deep blue colour. i actually prefer it to sapphires. Tanzanite of that quality is not inexpensive.
I find that I often like coloured stones of other mineral origins than the more traditional and expensive sapphires and rubies – though some of these stones can be quite expensive themselves, especially in grade AAA quality.
Tourmalines come in a large variety of colour and zultanite has a lovely colour play between orange and green. Paraiba tourmalines has THE most intense neon blue/turquoise colour as well as great lustre. It is also very rare and therefore very very expensive. Rubelite has a very nice red colour with hints of mauve and purple. It is a slightly deeper red than rubies (that I don’t like much) but lighter than garnets (that I like very much).
Stephen Webster earrings with zultanite:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472807660854930564/
Paraiba tourmaline
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/312859505338641063/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/84372192993867966/
Rubelite ring:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/242350023670256456/
Queen & Prince Phillip are adorable. Still in love after all these years. And how very gentlemanly of him to take her hand as they descend the steps.
Sophie looked fab, though the dress might have been a bit much.
Kate looked good, except for the grinning. But she wasn’t the only one. Yes, I’m looking at you, Will.
Harry was solemn. He looked good in uniform. Glad they allowed him to lead since he did serve.
Camilla was fine. We’ve seen that outfit before. It’s functional and appropriate.
TQ and DoE are fab as always – love them.
Kate does like to show of big blue – taking one glove off right in full view of the paps. Man this girl does love the press attention.
She does love to wave that thing around. Give it a rest, hon. We know you got it.
Harry wasn’t leading. They were standing according to status with the most important members at the back.
This is always the formation at these events. It looked like Harry was leading, but Infact he was following the cathedral personal, also in order of rank such that the archbishop came last and before Harry.
This is the procession followed when leading into the church such that HM comes in last – sidenote, even personal events rank in the same way which is always bemusing for weddings because HM has to enter building last, but a bride is also the last person to enter. Usually they resolve it by HM being the last congregant to enter swiftly followed by bride.
On exiting, they reverse the order because HM AKA the most senior person in the room has to exit first. The others follow according to their status.
The only break in the order is when they use St Paul’s which is in the city and the monarch has to have permission from the lord mayor to enter the city. That was the chap with the sword held aloft walking ahead of HM. It’s signifying that permission has been granted. He then escorts them out to their cars.
Thanks, LAK. I found out later about the processional. I think it worked out well because Harry as a 2-time Afghan veteran was able to be out front. The imagery worked perfectly for this event.
Love this outfit on Kate, she looks fantastic. The hat and the hair are spot on. I love her hair up.
Sophie’s outfit is meh for me. If Kate had worn that she would have been eviscerated by many for making a memorial about fashion. Love the uniforms on the guys. I agree about the boots for Camilla – too slouchy for me. The Queen can do no wrong in my books!
I’ve got no issue with the smiling – it isn’t a funeral (and even if it was, I hope people smile at my funeral). It’s a solemn event, but that doesn’t mean you keep a straight face and never crack a smile for the entirety. I also see no inappropriate skirt blowing photos. I’m sure I will be pointed to them if there are some, but all I can see are pics of the skirt lifting a bit, showing the hem of the dress underneath and a bit of leg, and then falling back down. That it wasn’t up in the air showing her bottom may even suggest it was *gasp* weighted.
I think Sophie looks great, but I have to agree about the fashion choice for this occasion. This is not the Easter Parade and she should have gone with something more sedate (which doesn’t have to exclude fashionable).
And how do you feel about Middleton wearing an all brand-new outfit plus new jewels? Seems attention grabbing and about fashion to me.
$950 new bespoke coat plus new jewelry. I would say Kate pulled out the stops.
I’d like to see Kate buy perfectly tailoring garments, nice jewels, more interesting shoes. I don’t care if she wears them time and time again, if she did – that would be great! She has wasted a lot of money in recent years on what (IMO) is some tacky stuff (refer to that strange hat from the other day with the pink coat….). If she steps up the game with her hairstyles and makeup, she could be quite regal looking. I know all these comments sound like fluff, and it is. It would be great if she’d continue a regular ‘work’ schedule. That would be the biggest improvement.
nas, really? I think she wore a beautiful conservative outfit to a service honoring war dead. You think a navy blue coat and hat is attention grabbing?
@nota, I think Kate’s ensemble is nice but a bit boring as I said up thread. But, I admit I didn’t consider the cost before commenting. Did she really need to buy another new coat? Absolutely not. Unless she plans on having a Duggar family, any new maternity frocks purchased for the few engagements she’s done or will do since January do not warrant the expense, no matter who’s paying. I personally don’t care for the sapphires (and I despise that ring), but I didn’t think they were overly conspicuous.
Bluhare
We’re together on this. Yes, the outfit is pricey and new. Yes it could have been more on point (shoes), but this is a win in a sea of losses. Especially for event. At most a simple pin or singular string of pearls at most.
I can’t hate or criticize this outfit. Behavior? Maybe. Outfit? No.
LNG
As 28 yrs military fam – I see disrespect lack attention w/ smiles from RF/leaders (perception _ unless meeting speaking to attendees). Such somber event is like a funeral all over; unless its families smiling talking , remembering loved ones who paid the ultimate sacrifice…or disable for life.
I respectfully disagree. I’m not going to bother outlining why again, as I’ve done it above, except to note that these photos are not taken during the service. They are taken when everyone is arriving or leaving and many people (including the royal family, family members and other attendees) are speaking to each other and smiling. I think it is a ridiculous thing to criticize her for (over and over and over again ad nauseam).
LNG
+1!
LNG
Yup.
PipaMid
Those pics are out of context. The argument falls flat because of that. I have attended those events after working with disabled vets during immediately after the reality of their injuries hit. And even they will share smiles before those ceremonies.
@ PipaMid
I agree. It is inappropriate to smile merrily during a commemoration for the dead and Camilla, Sophie and Kate are in for it. They know they get papped so why not put on a serious face? Or are soldiers dieing in a war no longer a serious matter?
The Queen doesn’t smile merrily. She has put on a rather respectful and pensieve mime.
@ Florc, LNG, ilovesunnydaze
Imagine YOUR SON / BROTHER / FATHER / HUSBAND had died in that war and YOUR head of state would attend the commemoration smiling happily.
In case you still have trouble understanding the matter please do ask your son / brother / father / husband if they would mind you smiling at a commemoration service for them.
Your comments about not minding a sunny smile at a commemoration service are absolutely inappropriate and I say that as a pacifist who opposed the wars in the middle east. These people knew they would be papped. And caring about the nation or at least pretending to IS what they are getting paid for. They don’t deliver. They appear happy at the commemoration for the dead.
Days
We’re not talking about smiling AT the service, but rather before the service. That is what my and other comments are discussing because that is what happened.
Love Kate’s hair and I have thought/said that very few times so I have to acknowledge it ‘out loud’. In that couple of pictures where she’s on steps and the wind gusts and she’s reaching up and holding her hat and leaning back a bit — I thought, hmmpf, I guess she IS pregnant then, there’s a belly finally 😉 That’s the only shot I saw where William appears to touch her or attempts to support her.
Kate hunches over a lot. When she’s seen standing up straight with shoulders back and back tall her bump is far more visible.
It always amazed me that the DoE at 93 doesn’t use a walking stick, stubbornness probably has something to do with it but still amazing. I’m so over self centered, ‘I’m the most important person here ‘ William, what husband would not put out his hand to help an 8mth pregnant wife in high heels down a flight of steps that does not have handrails, it’ these unconscious unrehearsed moments that tell us what an a-h*** he truly is.
I’m also from the Deep South. I have a beautiful black wool dress coat that I’ve worn perhaps 3 times in 10 years but it’s classic and I’m always happy I have it!