Here are some photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Remembrance Sunday in London. They attended the laying of wreaths, in that Prince William and Prince Harry joined the Queen, Princess Anne and Prince Philip in the wreath-laying while the Kate, the Countess of Wessex and the Netherlands’ Queen Maxima watched from a balcony. No joke, I saw Queen Maxima and I was like, “Why is Kate standing with Catherine Deneuve?” One of the best things I can say about Kate here is that “at least she wasn’t twirling her hair.” She stayed solemn for most of the event, but she was seen talking to Queen Maxima.
For Remembrance Sunday, Kate pulled out yet another NEW coat. As in, it seems like Kate has never worn this coat publicly. It’s a “bespoke” (made to order) double-breasted Alexander McQueen, and it has velvet details on the collar and the sleeves. She paired the coat with a pretty great hat too. I’m sure the whole look cost a fortune, but I’m actually glad she didn’t do a repeat. She’s also been wearing more “bespoke” coats lately. What does it all mean?
Meanwhile, I’m sure many of you have seen this Daily Mail story, but it’s still worth discussing because… it’s utterly bizarre.
The Duchess of Cambridge is working on a plan to get the nation hooked on her wholesome organic food recipes – and raise millions for charity at the same time. Sources say Kate so loves growing organic vegetables at her Norfolk estate, Anmer Hall, she is preparing the ground for a food brand with an appropriate title such as Anmer Organics. Her father-in-law famously has his Duchy Originals range, which is sold through Waitrose supermarkets. Prince Charles’s brand encompasses more than 200 products, featuring everything from bacon and jam to beer and ciders, and has generated huge amounts of money for charitable causes over the past two decades.
A source says of Kate’s plans: ‘It’s a concept for now but it will happen – just give it 18 months or so. And it’s natural that it should do so. One day Prince William will want to have a profitable business attached to his estate to generate funds – both charitable and otherwise – just like his father does. It’s also important for William to promote his home, Norfolk, in the same way that Charles promotes Cornwall with the Duchy range. You can just imagine the labelling – ‘home-grown organic produce from Norfolk, home of Prince William’.’
Kate shares her father-in-law’s love of all things organic. She tries to feed Prince George and Princess Charlotte only the best organic food prepared in her top-of-the range kitchen. The Duchess’s sister Pippa, who is training to be a nutritionist, is said to be loosely involved behind the scenes too. Pippa has a number of ‘new and exciting projects’ that will be unveiled in coming months related to her passion for health food, and she works with Kate regularly to develop recipes. In keeping with the entrepreneurial Middleton family tradition of creating ‘kits’ for all occasions, the sisters are said to have invented a ‘grow-your-own vegetable kit’ which would no doubt feature in the Anmer Organics range. I also hear Kate has been practising by bagging up walnuts in decorative bags for staff at the Anmer estate.
This seems strange, right? I think there are two explanations. One, this is just some silly whim, like Kate got drunk and called up the Daily Mail and said, “Yar, I’m totally gonna do an organic food line, cheers!” Two, this is a more serious business idea, but it really is mostly Pippa’s idea. Pippa has been trying to make this whole “health/diet/organic-maven” thing happen for the past year and if Kate attaches herself to Pippa’s thing, maybe it will help Pippa out? Beyond those two explanations, I really don’t know what to say. It’s absurd to me that William and Kate would want to do their own organic-food line when Charles literally does the same thing, and Charles’ line is super-profitable and well-regarded in the UK. It would be like William starting a charity called The Prince’s Trust and then half-assing it for a year, then shuttering it quietly, then whining about how no one takes him seriously. If Kate does launch a line of organic food, she should call it Waity’s Originals.
Other members of the Royal Family attended the service, many laying wreaths in tribute to the fallen #Remembrance pic.twitter.com/ylC89ktT7W
— BritishMonarchy (@BritishMonarchy) November 8, 2015
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I’m half Dutch and the Dutch love Maxima so, so much, and whenever I see pictures of her I get why. She’s a hoot.
I love Maxima’s hats! I always look for her in the Fug Girls’ Royals Roundup each Friday. She’s got SASS.
Love (most) of her hats as well though I find this one particularly fabulous!
If you love Max, and want a wider variety of royal fashion coverage in general hit http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com. Queen Max, CP Victoria of Sweden, Lalla Salma of Morocco and Sheikha Mozah are my faves….
I am no Dutch…but Maxima is my favorite royal out there. She does not need to wear anything special…she is just there and that is enough to see how grand she is. If I were Kate I`d make it sure for the rest of my life I would never have to stand next to Maxima again. Kate will never ever have that kind of class, gravitas and grandness as Maxima does.
Maxima Fan club member here! And she just got out of the hospital!
I am from Switzerland and like Maxima too.
Who is that with Excedrin Headache #3?
(Scroll down for photo)
Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Standing next to Queen Maxima, Sophie just realized how an ungrateful servant gave Sophie the wrong dress code.
@geezelouise – Last year Sophie and Kate wore the same McQueen coat. I blame that passive-aggressive servant for that mishap too. It is hard to find good help these days…
I can’t stand here – and I still find it ridiculous she and Edward have the title of a non-existing county.
I think it’s Edward’s wife, Sophie.
She does look put out & inconsequential standing next to them–particularly Queen Maxima but truth is Maxima has a certain presence & personality that would eclipse most people.
From what I can see, it looks as if Sophie’s outfit has an Edwardian type of flair.
Omg, as if it isn’t enough she’s getting a free wage – now she wants to earn MORE money off the masses by being an entrepeneur. When will she start WORKING by contributing to society instead of fleecing them? Can’t stand her!!!
Well at least she’d be doing something. I’m fine with her working in the private sector. Easier for her and William WHEN THE REPUBLICANS BOOT THEM OUT! Yay!
I guess that might happen if republicans polled at more than their current 10 % !
If she was running a company growing and selling vegetables that IS working, which is I doubt it’s true. Running an organic vegetable company is super hard work. I know a couple of people who do it. No way would she be up to it.
I am in the U.S. and have researched just a little bit of what’s required for a farmer to say they have organic produce. WHOA is all I gotta say about that!
But if she wants to make a serious effort of it, and if she gets the right people on the leadership side, she could probably do great. I am picturing a Newman’s Own type of line of food, with salsas, sauces, etc.
I don’t know what to say. Chaz will either love it or roll his eyes. Hard. If it’s true at all but I wouldn’t rule out that this is actually happening. With these two, you never know.
Now, Kate should never stand next to Queen Maxima again. I don’t know why but suddenly she looks decidedly non-royal and like she doesn’t belong. It’s not the outfit or the hair – although Maxima nailed it while Kate’s seem fussy in comparison – but there is just something about Maxima that screams QUEEN and then we have … Kate.
THAT’S what Normal Bill learned at Oxbridge! How to label estate products!
“Grow-your-own” veg kits? God save us. It’ll be the #pippatips of horticulture. Cress on damp kitchen paper. Carrot tops in a saucer of water on the windowsill.
(Growing cress and carrot tops are the things you show your pre-schoolers in Britisherland.)
i’m just here for the Dutch Queen.
Traitor. That’s even worse than not wearing a poppy or bowing at the incorrect gradient.
I didn’t know she was going to be there. I can’t describe the noise I made when I saw Maxima. Truly embarrassing. It was something like, “SQUEE!”As if I hadn’t just seen her with C.P Mary at the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters, and this http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2015/10/royal-state-banquet-of-week-october-27.html was a few days before that. (But no, let’s talk about ANOTHER pricey black coat and a Middleton cash grab.) This is full on Max too. Complete with giant hat. See, that’s how you hat BRF!
You’re not the only one who experiences a fan-girl moment when seeing Maxima. 😉
I kind of dig the Van Gogh dress – mostly because I find it immensely interesting when fashion and the history of art intersect in various ways. Plus, holy smoke that is a honking big emerald! Love that Maxima isn’t afraid to wear some serious jewellery – it is fortunate that the Dutch RF has such a well-stocked vault. 😉
We talked about how Kate doesn’t spend wisely when it comes to clothes and this illustrates the point. Yet another bespoke black coat from McQueen. I shudder to think on the expense. Would it killed her to wear one of her many many other black coats. Seriously, how much money has been spent on clothes for her recent appearances? Perhaps she would much less of an expense if she simply stayed at home.
I liked the van Gogh dress, but up close they did a poor job on the princess seams. Lots of puckering and pulling in the bodice. Maybe a sturdy backing fabric behind the painted/printed silk would have helped?
The emerald was WOW.
Sixer: Yes, but with all the Queenly fabulousness on display, who’s going to notice?!
On a different note…..the Middleton business plan for all their ventures is ‘make your own’ kits. James has done it with his cakes, Pippa did it with PP. And i’m sure that was the essence of the party bags Kate was supposed to have suggested to starlight foundation that one time she worked with them and ended up in a drunk heep of roller skates.
I guess that’s Carole’s advice for business plans every time they ask how th can grow their business.
Arthistorian: I actually think the BRF has a decent vault of jewels, but HM is a jewel bore, not to mention a stingy one, and none of them have the flair to showcase the more interesting pieces. I’m sure we’d see a lot more of what’s in the vault if Alexandra, Mary and QM were in charge of it as they did during their lifetime.
And of course HM is both black thumbed and not showy where jewels are concerned, so the rest of the family suffers.
I’m looking forward to Charles being Monarch because the man enjoys a bejewelled lady, so perhaps we’ll see more of what’s in that vault across entire family when he is in charge.
The BRF does have a well-stocked jewel vault – there must be some lovely treasures just gathering dust in there. However, I do think that the Dutch Rf has a much better collection of tiaras, aesthetically speaking.
The BRF does have some wonderful items with pearls though I’m very sad that the gorgoreous necklace of huge pearls that Queen Mary gave the Duchess of Windsor was sold off on auction. It was a beauty that was a queen worthy.
Speaking of jewels, the Indians are suing us to get the Koh-i-Noor back! Good grief, they’ll be coming for our Elgin Marbles next!
And here, for American (and Indian, of course) delectation is one of our most charming Britishers, historian Andrew Roberts, in the Daily Fail on this matter:
“Those involved in this ludicrous case should recognise that the British Crown Jewels is precisely the right place for the Koh-i-Noor diamond to reside, in grateful recognition for over three centuries of British involvement in India, which led to the modernisation, development, protection, agrarian advance, linguistic unification and ultimately the democratisation of the sub-continent.”
You’d laugh at the pompous twot if it wasn’t quite so painful to read. Sometimes, I just want to weep.
@LAK, QEII is very stingy when it comes to jewels. I used to think it was austerity and PR concerns, heightened by her disinterest in jewelry. Or that she ascribed great meaning to the family jewels, so she was very cautious about loaning it out. But nah, I think it’s a combination of all three plus something else that I don’t much care for. Sophie’s wedding tiara might be made from pieces that belonged to Queen Victoria… but it’s crap. (Sophie’s also thought to be The Queen’s favorite in-law and is sent to represent the royal family internationally more than anyone else. You would think she’d receive more impressive loaners at least.) The future Queen Consort has only been given the Halo and Papyrus, and no orders. But at the biggest event for her in forever she gets to borrow Phillip’s wedding gift to distract us. *Side-eyes Liz all day long* Crown Princess Mary deals with a similar situation. The Queen doesn’t do loans. Mary has about 3 tiaras really. Including her smallish wedding tiara that was purchased at an auction, while her sister-in-law was given a more substantial tiara that was also part of Daisy’s personal collection. * Kanye shrug* In QEII’s hands, grand, historic items–necklaces, earrings, brooches, tiaras–can disappear for decades at a time. The Cambridge Lover’s Knot is just one example. It hadn’t been seen in nearly 30 years by the time it was lent to Diana. The Strathmore is also collecting dust. I can’t imagine what else they have locked away. I think when they cleaned out the Queen Mother’s home (I think it was her) they found tiaras just stashed away in drawers. The Gloucester’s alone have more tiaras than some reigning monarchs. We only see a fraction of the BRF’s bling.
The Strathmore Rose is reportedly in such a fragile condition that it hardly can be handled at all! However, QEII is stingy with the jewels, especially since the BRF has such a large collection.
I do wish QMII would loan out more – however, quite a few tiaras has left the DRF in the 20th century, mainly through Queen Ingrid’s other daughters. I do think it is a shame that the wonderful Khedive Tiara went to Anne-Marie since the Greek RF has some very substantial tiaras in their collection. Furthmore, the Alexandrine Drop Diamond was deemed the personal property of the former Princess Alexandra in her divorce because the QMII had given her tiara (so that has left the family and may very well be sold off since Alex currently has some financial difficulties). That’s why the lovely floral Dagmar Tiara is only a loaner for Princess Marie.
Then there’s the wonderful emerald tiara but that one is part of the Crown Jewels and can only be worn by a Queen Regnant or a Queen Consort.
QMII’s favorites seem to be the Floral Aigrette and the Perle Poire so they are especially associated with her. That leaves the Baden Palmette and the Nasuut (and a twee turquoise bandeau tiara that no one seems to wear – I’m not sure whether Queen Alexandrine’s Fringe/Kokoschnik belongs to the DRF or to Princess Benedikte). I think the Baden would look lovely on Marie. The Nasuut Tiara was a gift for QMII’s recent 40th jubilee so it might not be appropriate for her to loan it out just yet, even though the gold clashes horribly with her silver hair.
I have to say that the ruby-diamond parure that Mary wears is one of the really substantial pieces among royal jewellery – not only because of the tiara’s beauty but also because of its historic significance. It belongs to CP Frederik who inherited it from his garndmother because this set is historically always worn by the Crown Princess/Queen Consort. The Midnight Tiara is owned by the jeweller Ole Lynggaard but its use belong exclusively to CP Mary. I think that is quite a good to finance new tiaras in a more unorthodox manner – especially when extravagant spending would be frowned upon. It is also a helpful to a RF like the Danish that doesn’t have much in terms of private wealth. The fact that they bought a tiara for Mary could be seen as quite a compliment! She was also given leave to wear the gorgeous family veil for her wedding, which otherwise only is worn by the female descendants of Queen Ingrid.
Maxima = WOW
@ ArtHistorian
New outings require new bribes, er… accessories and clothing.
It might be a way to show off ultra-wealth to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on an accessory or outfit that will be used or worn only one to three times.
I’m with LAK, but I’ve got to admit Kate’s reeling me in with the netting on the hat. I LOVE netting on hats.
All I could think was Diana when I saw the netting. Do any of the other BRF ladies do netting? I feel like they all avoid it.
I didn’t think of Diana, although I guess she did do netting a time or two didn’t she? I just love hats with netting on them. Just love them. They’re more suitable for smaller hats in a more formal setting, though, I think.
When Mr. bluhare dies, if I have enough warning so I can diet to get into the dress I have in mind, I will wear a hat with full facial netting, and dab at my eyes with my black hanky. I will be a most excellent grieving widow.
Bluhare: while is will be a very occasion indeed, we shall have to put you in fabulous *Dolce & Gabbana widow’s weeds to go with the hat and veil. And find you some fabulous stark diamonds to go with outfit.
*i love Dolce’s repeatedly re-issued widow’s weeds, especially in black lace.
doesn’t sister Rose (our Rose) wear a black hat with a veil when she visits the vicar to become a nun?
Ha, LAK!! The dress I have in mind is Dolce & Gabbana! It’s high necked, mid calf length and to say it’s body conscious, well, it’s body conscious. So much so I’ll need advance warning of Mr. bluhare’s demise so I can wear it. It’s sitting in my closet waiting for me to wear it to somewhere fabulous (not Mr. bluhare’s funeral) right now! I should use it for impetus to get back into shape.
Smiling on the balcony (again) in a new black coat (again) and new black hat (again). Never looks solemn just mad or smile-y.
At least Maxima looks great, and gets on CB!
…
And why are Will and Kate considering making goods that are in direct competition with their father’s duchy? Wont they will run it one day? Why not expand that brand but from their “gardens” at Amner (at least Charles indicates is from local farmers in the duchy, obviously these Kate organics are hand picked by George and Charlotte.) Oh unless they don’t care about competition because this is a money making scheme for the Middletons (can’t sell photos anymore Will seems to be catching on)
Another new multi-thousand pound custom black coat. Austerity anyone?
@ notasugarhere
But as the apologists basically told me yesterday and repeatedly too, austerity is only meant for royals in countries like Spain that have really bad economies. So of course, in the more prosperous UK, austerity practiced through more thoughtful spending isn’t that necessary, right? So thousands spent on a single/twice/thrice-use outfit shouldn’t really be as expected by Kate as it is for Letizia.
Oh I forgot. One in four people unable to pay their heating bills and 83,000 homeless youth are a sign of a strong and thriving economy.
What galls me is people buying into the “Thrifty Duchess” bull. The rare times she does happen to rewear something, she always has new items (ie: clutch and shoesand/or necklace and earrings) that cost as much or more than the reworn item. Thrifty? My arse.
It sounds like somebody just made something up.
“A name ‘such as’ Anmer Originals”
“Just wait, it’ll happen”
….
Someone was bored and decided to type this article up. On another note, Harry looks so freaking delicious in uniform. Sorry if that’s inappropriate in regards to such a solemn occasion, but man. Mmm.
Charles’s line started out as Duchy Organics, and is now Duchy Originals since Waitrose bought a stake in it.
*that’s* how lazy the writer is.
Yeesh.
I feel like it might have been written on an iPhone while watching “The Voice.”
I think you meant Man-Mmmmmm. There, fixed it for you.
WAAMOS, I was trying to keep it appropriate and demure out of respect for the somber occasion, but I guess all bets are off.
DAMN, GingerBae. You fine.
I think ‘Bespoke Bouquet’ has a better ring to it…. Doesn’t sound so lower middle class like Anmer Originals.. One shouldn’t brag about ones post code dear…
@Cricket – do you think you can buy ‘Bespoke Bouquet’ by the bucket? That would be convenient. 😉
Absolutely Ducky! And I’ll throw in some authentic Amner walnuts too!
Cricket: don’t forget to throw in bonus ‘grow-your-own-vegetables’, ‘make-your-own-cakes’, kits and “celebrate’ for precise instruction on how to make ice-cubes.
Ducky Le Rue: customer satisfaction survey is hosted by our newfangled communications platform #pippatips.
LAK: the ‘grow your own’ are Anmer exclusives so they cost a few bob.. and don’t forget the Duchess’s homemade gooseberry wine!
are marshmallows organic?
Don’t you have to have an actual farm to sell organic food?
Bluhare: pfft details!!!! We are normal bill and Katie Bucket, except when we want stuff, in which case we are HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and if we say we will produce organic food for sale, we will be handed an organic farm to do so.
She bags up walnuts for the staff???
Yeah, I’m pretty sure in terms of any bonus, they want cash.
I wonder if she pinned up her hair and put on a cap to bag the walnuts.
And covered her big eyebrows. They’re looking like they grew quickly like chia pets. I guess she’s experimenting with a new brow look to match the heavy handed eyeliner? Yeah, ok Kate “Brezhnev” Middleton.
lol @ ‘Brezhnev brows’
Why is she wearing a butterfly on her head? This is a solemn occasion and she’s got a studded butterfly.
The coat doesn’t fit her correctly. For all the money this bespoked coat probably cost, why is it fitting wrong at the bust?
Amner Originals would require bank to get started and acres. Who’s going to fund it? William? Doubtful. Uncle Gary? It totally screams Middleton money grab because the Cambridges will move on to the Duchy and leave the business to Pippa and James.
Maxima looked poise and regal. Also…her age. For a woman who just got out of the hospital, she looked good.
I agree it sounds like a money grab for the Middletons. And it will give the Middletons another excuse to camp out at Anmer Hall
I bet it is Pippa’s idea – she needs a job because she is failing miserably at gold digging – but the Middleton family will swear it is Kate’s baby.
I agree, geezlouise. After all, Kate’s real job has always been to legitimize her family and get them entry to toff people and toff places.
If it does happen (and i’m skeptical – this article is a test of public opinion) Chuck or the taxpayer will fund it. If they are following Charles model of donating the profits to his charitable foundation the Mids will be taking massive salaries or at least making sure they get a share of the profits with whats left being given to the plebeian charities. And if they do set up a charitable foundation – wanna bet who’ll be running that, James and Permatan (with again a massive salary).
This is a blatant money grab by them.
My thoughts echo yours Betti. I posted below before seeing yours.
I’m with you, Betti. This is a trial balloon to see how it floats.
The coat probably doesn’t fit properly at the bust because a) she’s lost even more weight since the last fitting or b) she couldn’t locate her heavily padded bra —- maybe her dog Lupus ate it?
to my eye, the bust of the coat fits too tightly. It’s pulling.
I noticed that too. The hat would work on other less solemn occasions, but it really looks stupid to be wearing a butterfly on your head during a war remembrance ceremony. She mustn’t have any advisors to provide her with honest opinions because that should have been nixed.
The coat looks like someone was experimenting with buttons and velvet. She has worn black coats that look better.
But really she does look amateur standing next to Queen Maxima. There is probably nothing she could do.
I think the coat doesn’t fit properly at the bust because of a design flaw. I looked at WKW showing the possible genesis of the coat & it seems that the designer of that patchwork coat forgot to consider a woman’s shape when constructing that double-breasted coat. The buttons are simply in the wrong place. Either that, or the coat is too slim-fitting to be double-breasted in the first place. Oh– and I doubt the whole article. They have to churn out so many words per day & this one seems to be purely fictional.
How does an Alexander McQueen bespoke piece have such an amateur design flaw? Is it possible that she orders these bespoke items and then has an in house taylor put some final touches on them? Seems there are many design flaws on numerous bespoke items by several different designers..doesn’t seem logical.
Maybe Kate is too lazy to attend fittings.
I really hope max is telling her to put her hair up in a bun. Maxima looks stunning and regal. Esp next to Kate and whatever that polka dot monster Sophie is wearing.
Regal is right; Maxima has a natural stately presence. Katie has none, and that busy hat and coat take her down even another notch. Sophie’s coat is unfortunate and the neckline is very unflattering on her.
“Maxima has a natural stately presence. ”
Doesn’t she, though? Something that all those buckets of new money cannot buy.
And, as a bonus, she is not clutching the clutch in front of the royal crotch.
It’ll get her sis on the payroll to be the General Manager or something.
Agree and as someone else has mentioned, she’ll probably bring in the Marshmallow Man, too.
@ Olenna
Wonder why the Organic Twins haven’t yet been able to persuade their brother into making organic marshmallows with organic printing ink? LOL…
He’s too busy living off the money made from toxic plastic toys and party goods manufactured in China.
@anne, Ha! Didn’t you hear? Marshmallow Man is already hard at work creating some kind of new organic fluff in Katie’s $50,000 test kitchen?
Oh please this is just an enterprise that her siblings can run and rip off/cash in on the Royal connection. And do you really think it will go to their ‘charities’ – particularly if the Mids are running said foundation, it’ll be a front for the new Mids family business. The mention of Pips being ‘loosely’ involved is code for ‘she’s the driving force behind it’.
Normal Bill and Waity Organics will INHERIT the Duchy estate and likely the Duchy brand when he becomes Prince of Wales – its just an attempt to hand her family a money making business with strong Royal connections.
And anyway – how can you take someone seriously about ‘natural’ products when everything about them is fake; fake hair, fake teeth etc..
Ding, ding, ding!!! We have a winner. On the one hand, this is so pathetic. However, on the other hand, I love how they look-out & support each other.
Party pieces & the marshmallow business won’t continue to carry them.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Party Pieces is running at a loss – their stuff is over priced and postage is expensive. I don’t know anyone who buys from there – they all buy their party fluff from Amazon, which is cheaper and faster delivery. Plus their website could do with some work on their UK – its not a great user experience. The design is OK but it really needs and IA and UX overhaul. I work in the digital/web space and it could be better – a lot better. Its not easy to find and the search function could be more prominent.
@ Betti
I think you’re right. The Queen might die soon, so if Amner Organics is put into place right before W&K inherit Duchy Originals, then AO might be handed over to the genius Middleton siblings, who will turn over the daily operations to other people while raking in paychecks for themselves.
Has James operated his businesses in any other way? He’s the (Uncle Gary’s) money guy and others do the labor, right?
If Pippa were serious about becoming an UK certified nutritionist, how come she’s not already enrolled in university courses? 18 months isn’t enough time to get the proper degree and certification.
Poor pipsterbum needs a fake “job” now the rich boyF is chip wrappers
Maxima definitely owns her role. She looks regal next to Kate and Sophie (no coat this time?). Seriously these other two look good but like lightweights here. Somehow tiny compared to Maxima and i don’t mean their height! It’s the presence. Maxima looks like a royal while Kate and Sophie look like ladies in waiting.
I was coming on to say the same! Pictures of Maxima and Kate are a terrific illustration of Heavyweight V Strawweight. Queen Maxima is incredible, she’s always embraced her royal role and she is highly respected as a UN Special Advocate for financial inclusion. Waity could never compete at the same level.
Maxima the Magnificent has got gravitas in spades; I’d have loved to have seen her standing beside HM. That would have been a great photo of two majestic heavyweights.
I don’t necessarily have a problem with her running a business from her home to feed her supposed charities—glamorous chari-businesses are on an upward trend. That lil tidbit could be a trial balloon but here are my random thoughts:
1. Gotcha – how can BP complain when Charles & the Duchy is doing it?
2. Family business just got expanded with jobs & a certain social protection & cover for Pippa & James. The Firm isn’t the only family business out here.
3. Kate’s social & PR stock just went up with those stay @ home moms who “have it all” by running blogs & businesses out of their homes. That’s a built in audience & layer of protection.
4. Kate never has to leave the house (!!) or be pressured to do anything much related to her public role. She can stay in her comfort zone.
5. If this happens, there will be scandal re: public & private accounting.
^Yes. Re: No. 5 – any accounts will be hidden from public view in the same way that the finances for Party Pieces is. Its all very dodgy – what are they desperate to hide? There is a scandal on Party Pieces just waiting to be exposed – am convinced thats one of the things the press are sitting on,
@ Dena
I think you’re right about the possibility of it being used as an excuse as to why Kate won’t be able to do those pesky day-time charity visits to shake hands and talk with the Great Unwashed. Because those are business hours and her alleged Amner Organics job is basically working for charity anyways, so there’s no need to actually go out and meet the recipients.
But she’ll have time to go to the night-time galas, because they’re after hours.
Exactly. I forgot to add that she’ll also be able to say that being home with the kids & creating a strong family was/is so important to her & she wanted to be at home so she just brainstormed ways to do it all AND support charitable organizations. And look the Duchy of Cornwall already had a blueprint in place. Go figure.
As an aside: I think it bears mentioning that the continued way in why Kate is being linked to Queen Letiza in dress but not in work and how it’s subtly being stated that’s she’s a future queen consort (hope I got that right) is also part of the long-game to usher in a so-called modern monarchy–moving away from the conservative look & feel of QEII & even Charles (he’s getting up there in age) to a more “laid back” look & feel (not Swedish style) where there are few expectations on her & William. My thoughts are garbled and somewhat incomplete but I hope I was kind of clear.
Letiza is being used as a peg in terms of connecting & legitimizing Kate. It would be too dangerous to use CP Victoria simply because Victoria works, is active, and incrementally includes Estelle in public life. Also, Letiza is probably seen as a bit more stylish than Victoria & just foreign enough to be distant.
There will be other Kate posts. I hope to have my thoughts together by then.😊
Yeah, these are the set of photos of Kate where I went “holy smokes, what happened to her eyebrows?”
I was wondering the same thing! Was it because of the veil, maybe she wanted to make sure they were visible?
I came here just to comment on this! Her eyebrows looked crazy. I’m guessing she tried her hand at emulating the current trend right now for very full, bold eyebrows, but Kate went WAY overboard. They looked totally unnatural and scousey.
Kate will definitely have jowels in a few years. You can see them coming in already.
Oh gag me with an organic turnip!
If there are local farms that could go organic with proper subsidies, this could be a very good thing. It takes years to become estsblished as a certified organic farm, you have to let the old pesticides degrade and have buffer fields to minimize contamination from other farms still using the old pesticides, plus testing.
Getting truly “organically grown” food is difficult today – the big food companies are importing from China (hence the lower prices), where it’s organic if the government says it is but there is no serious oversight of the whole process. They’re pretty much in the robber baron phase of capitalism. It’s rare for US companies to really supervise production in cheaper places like China for true quality control. So if the UK could push on more real certified organic farming, it would be considered a more reliable source.
Sadly, this is very true though I still go organic for my kids if nothing else. USDA actually allows a certain amount of pesticide residue to pass organic, since it is usually miniscule, but still…buying from local growers is much safer, at least you know where the produce is coming from and usually the farmers growing methods, chemicals (if any) that are used. It pays to do some research into this. Amish communities near my home are wonderful for fresh produce, they have it down to a streamlined science and some families are kind enough to give you a free tour of their farm, show you how they plant, animals involved in meat and dairy production, etc. Majority of small organic farmers are intelligent, dilligent and responsible people, they want a superior product and repeat customers. Big name organic companies are much more suspect to shady practices like buying from China (lookin at you Cascadian Farms!)
i want a big a$$ poppy pin, none of the ones i find in stores are that big
Sorry if this has already been said. I am running after a child while reading gossip before school. Just don’t. Mommy organics have got this. As a mom who did the only organic thing for a while (until it made my brain hurt) we got it. We pay a mark up (in the US) for organic food and then make it into baby food already (very easily). Also, I’m not raising a Waity. Move along.
I really wish people would stop saying she’s a lazy do-nothing. She spent the Summer practicing sketching in her garden, and now she’s spending the Autumn practicing bagging up walnuts in decorative bags. I fully expect her Winter and Spring to be filled with practicing her diving and tan top-upping.
That is a lot of practicing. Credit where due.
Bahahaha. Love this.
@ Guesto
Don’t make fun. It takes a lot of thinking, intense focus, and serious commitment to concentrate on putting the correct items into the appropriate little bags. What if she accidentally puts in pebbles or marbles or puts the walnuts into doggie poop bags? That would be disastrous!
Or Big Blue falls off. Now there’s a staff bonus.
@ Citresse
HA! 😀
Work? Run a company? I cannot see this happening.
“No no no,” Billy screams, “I won’t take on work for The Duchy.” But the wife who has never really worked is going to launch a company to compete with the Duchy? Pre-marriage, every time it was rumored she was going to do something it never materialized (be a photographer, work in a gallery, organize art exhibits, run a childrens clothing company). NOW she’s going to do something OTHER than the royal engagements she should be doing? And something that slaps Charles in the face?
They don’t own Anmer Hall. HM owns Anmer Hall, presumably she has the trademark on the name. From what I remember, Anmer Hall only has 1-1.5 acres of land. They don’t get more of the Sandringham Estate, just the part that is attached to Anmer. From the pictures, much of the area is taken up with house, security outbuildings, driveway, covered swimming pool, and the tennis court(s). There is a garden area but nothing that would support more than their family if that.
KM loves growing her own organic veggies? Work on the house still wasn’t done when they announced the second pregnancy. They weren’t living there yet. This summer was the first time they would have access to a garden (I don’t think there is one at KP). That garden is under construction/changing with the whole tennis court thing. Remember, they just HAD to move the tennis court and build a $100,000 new one because it blocked the view. THEN they going to build a vegetable garden (rumored with Charles’s design help).
By some accounts, she was off getting her scuba cert 6 weeks after the baby arrived, not toiling in the garden. Tending her own garden? Let’s forget about the gardener/groundskeeper who was paid to tend the property before he and his wife quit after 5 months. IF they have a household garden eventually, they’ll pay someone else to tend it and the rest of the grounds.
+1
Btw, notasugarhere, wonder if Amner Organics’ donations will go to William’s secret charity his EAAA salary goes to?
When you lay it all out, it reeks of the BS that is the Cambridges, specifically Special Butterfly Kate’s, PR.
Starting a company and growing organic vegetables sounds like WORK! Give me a break. This won’t happen if Kate has to lift a finger. Her loving to grow organic vegetables most likely means telling the gardeners what to plant and where.
Well, Kate is a history of art graduate who once asked if Faberge eggs were still being produced. And who asked if you can smell the tea by smelling it.
I would go one step further and claim that Kate tries to tell the gardeners what to plant and where and then it goes wrong because you can’t expect strawberries in autumn and nope, potatoes don’t like wet clay earth but prefer the sandy kind.
Luckily the gardeners did some correct planting – which Kate doesn’t know about because her horizon doesn’t include things she can’t see – so that there are some vegetables.
And then Kate sits at the kitchen table with her sister / mother / Camilla and whines that the gardeners are lazy. And that makes her feel right upper class. Her sister and mother are proud of her. And Camilla is trying hard to not laugh out loud.
But the masses won’t put all of that together. They are just going to see the brand, Kate’s shiny veneers & perhaps a peek at the children & fall hook, line & sinker for this.
NOTA: do u know if the book has been selling? George is Going to a Party? Or George has a Sister? Thanks.
Starting a lifestyle/natural living company seems to be a common career path for socialites and washed up actresses. It’s a great way to appear like an empowered woman in charge of a company until you realize that most of these celebrities just act as faces for the company. They aren’t planting the vegetables or making any real decisions in the boardroom. That is for the physical laborers and the corporate workers with MBAs and real work experience. I’m sure if this organic food label really happens, Poor Jason will portray Kate as a modern day working woman. It’s a total joke.
NOTA… they may not actually own Anmer but it is a highly desirable private residence in an area of outstanding natural property values. but I’m sure the Buckets wouldn’t be so lower middle class as to brag
+2
Queen Maxima! She is fabulous!
Waity Katie, please. Lame business venture for her eye- rolling stupid sister.
Haha. She really feels like a peer to Gwynnie and Blake. They must be over the moon!
Love her coat and Maxima’s hat.
At least this might explain whats happened to willies nuts lol…. The duchy of cornwall isnt just some twee organic hobby for charles to give him an excuse to talk to his plants – it is worth an absolute fortune including logistic companies and property in central london.
Waity-rose Organics – Makes you a better social climber!
“Wisteria Wellness Organics” – eating our produce will immediately propel you into the aristo countrified echelon!
“I also hear Kate has been practising by bagging up walnuts in decorative bags for staff at the Anmer estate. ”
Backhanded compliments? Bagging up walnuts as preparation for organic food business??? Ridiculous.
Will and Kate don’t even manage to raise funds for their charities because they hardly bother with them. So how can you expect them to do any kind of business thing.
I doubt that Charles will like it as it is practically competition for his own brand.
Oh and did William even finish his agriculture course / estate management course at that university?
Remembrance Day =
– Kate new fancy coat
– Kate tries no smile doesn’t work
– Kate next to serious person
I still don’t find Kate convincing. That little net veil over her eyes is so ridiculous and unfashionable. And a black butterfly on the hat??? Seriously? And Kate couldn’t quite stop all the big smiles, could she?
Now Maxima looks regal: plain black and only hair for contrast. No frilly dangly earrings. Next to Maxima Kate looks somewhat dolled up: different cloth for her coat and frilly hat. She looks like one of these girls who try to look upper class by wearing all the upper class frills together for the wrong events.
All Kate’s outfit is missing are sparkling rhinestones, a tambourine, and a Mary Poppins song.
Gosh unreal think its a job for sister and brother to go on the payroll
their excuse to involve them with the money…..
@ daisy
Yup. Money and continuing connection to royalty for self-gain.
Just call me Waity. Waity Mark 1 and her predictable PR team love to describe her in terms of future possibility and promise, never reality. We all wait for all these things to happen.
1. Kate was/was planning on taking flying lessons. Still waiting…
2. She was going to be mentored by Testino because she had a talent for photography. Waiting…
3. She planned on making Beef Wellington for Harry’s 30th birthday bash. She “fell ill”. Harry still waiting…
4. She loves to make her own jams and sausages. Waiting to see proof of that; she might break a nail.
5. She’s planning on doing more charity work, is “keen” and invigorated at the thought, by George! Instead she does fluff, and is sometimes a no-show. So, waiting…..
6. Now she’s planning on running a business??? This woman who has never held a real job in her life??? Waiting to hear about her skill set never mind her plans. Like I’m still waiting for her feckless hubby to finish his agricultural management course or actually show up for work (after all, he lives in possibility and promise too).
Promises, promises, eye roll.
That’s not Kate. That’s PR. And apparently she did can foods, but for private use. It was never intended for the public.
Same for India below. All you’ve stated was PR or fluff article statements that were of poor quality to fill space.
FLORC I think the canning food for private use was PR. It was along the lines of “She’s collecting berries in Wales and making homemade jam for the Queen for Christmas”. Seeing as she was rarely in Wales, even when supposed to be living there, and their house was in the middle of rocky field, I have serious doubt that any berry picking or canning went on.
I think she is preggers with twins, at least that is what the tabloids say, that is why her coat is tight and the shocked expression on Maxima’s face!
Waity’s Organics would be especially apropos for Waitrose…
Speaking of farms, I would like an update on the case of the missing carrot. You know, the 100kg wooden carrot from Prince Charles’ Gloucester farm.
There were earlier reports of concern when Charles complained his carrot was missing, some of the locals thought Harry had been kidnapped LOL
Dahling, farms are work. You don’t really want to do that, do you?
Maybe Sophie has her hand against her head because of something Kate said to Maxima.
The Kate meme creators should have fun captioning that photo.
Didn’t Kate try to start a children’s clothing line after college? We’re still waitying on it.
Ha! Glad I checked back in. I’m ROTFL laughing at some of these comments (too many funny ones to “like” all of you). Willie’s nuts! Ha! The Cams and Midds bring it on themselves, though. I hope we get a CB story on that 100kg wooden carrot, too. LOL!
Uhhh, I am a Royal! You are a commoner!! Deal with it… even my poppy looks and is different than yours!!! I don’t work and your hard work pays for my lazy A%% to sit around and have fun! Now I am going to get you guys commoners to produce organic stuff that you commoners are going to buy while I sit on my Royal A%% and count my profits!! Deal with it…