Duchess Kate did an event this morning at the Anna Freud Centre in London. If the way these photos are framed seems very familiar to you, it’s because the camera setup was 100% identical to Kate’s trip to the same center back in September. That September visit was Kate’s first solo charity stop in months, and she was back to “form,” meaning her hair was flying all over the place and her Ralph Lauren dress was slit up to her inner thigh. It’s remarkable to see the change in less than three months – her repeat Alexander McQueen suit isn’t flying up, her newly-shortened hair is staying close to her head. Shocking! But… I have to say… Kate never really learns these lessons for good. The flyaway hair and inappropriate workwear will be back.
Kate visit to the center was announced in advance, and the event was for the Anna Freud Centre’s holiday/Christmas party. Kate interacted with children, banged on drums and did some arts and crafts – you can see more photos of her inside the event here at the Daily Mail. There’s some Twitter-bitching because Kensington Palace (#PoorJason) has released “official photos” from inside the event, but most media outlets/royal-beat photographers were not invited inside.
Seems KP are now syndicating pictures from inside the engagements too. Even the Rota snappers will be f***ed. https://t.co/WNzGE2Feao
— Niraj Tanna (@IkonPictures) December 15, 2015
Why is KP hellbent on releasing only “official” images of Kate? It probably has something to do with the Daily Mail running those photos of Kate over the weekend – Kate was seen out shopping in London in what really seemed like an organized pap stroll. But the Daily Mail went after her for looking “shattered” with her many obligations (three events in one week!). While other outlets are criticizing the DM for their misogyny, it feels like… something else is at work here. Someone is in revolt?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Oof. Those pleats are no bueno.
Yes. Nice color and heavy fabric, though. Isn’t this the place where she hugged/kissed the guy hello? 🙄
I would also like to add that she only stayed an hour says the Daily Mail.
KP seems like they are trying to kill off the amount of reporters covering the Royals. KP would like more control over the photos and info (not disclosing how very short these visits are) in the future?
It probably took hours or days to set up the event for Kate’s visit, just for her to leave in an hour. Though it might have been set up as their regular Xmas party with the ‘special visit’ included, I don’t think Kate does enough to promote her charities. If within that hour, she had done a short speech to promote this charity, it would have been watched by millions. It seems to me that when she ‘works,’ she shows up just to be entertained, get pap’d, and do a last minute rush to up her end-of-the-year tally.
@ anne_000
THIS!!!
She is still ineffective and inefficient despite working.
Yes, visiting dignitaries do disturb the whole day. You have to prepare things for them for half a day the day before. And then you have to stand to attention for them for half the day they visit. And if Kate does visit then the result is merely a few photos which usually don’t even depict which charity she visited: no sign of the charity and causes depicted.
Then the media merely writes two sentences about the charity and another fifty or eighty sentences about Kate’s appearance. It is disgusting. Usually you won’t even figure out what exactly the charity is about or what their specific approach is or where exactly they operate … .
Kate’s visits are nearly pointless as Kate has no impact.
I kept expecting the pleats to part and a little marionette show to take place. You see, the reason Kate can’t “work” more than 30 hours a year is because she has been working very, very hard on perfecting her yodel. And you thought her chronic crotch clutching was a sign of mental illness, you silly billy. She was just keeping her puppets warm.
Her clothing is just BORING for all of her day events. There are ways to make an outfit look different or more festive – a beautiful snowflake pin, more exciting bag and shoes, jewelry, a scarf … ANYTHING. SURELY she can get a stylist that can help her with this.
She should get the Queen to lend her some of those killer brooches – HRH can wear the heck out of a brooch.
The Queen’s brooches are something! Anytime I see a photo of Her Maj, I always check out the brooch — love them.
And I agree Christina, her look is boring. Red dress, black clutch and pumps. Yawn.
And she hasn’t been borrowed any brooches for daytime events outside the Great Throwback tour of AUS/NZ tour. Sophie rocks HM’s brooches and earrings several times a year.
Brooches? Arent they out of fashion or something an older lady would wear?
I love seeing pictures of Queen Maxima’s events for this reason–sometimes crazy over the top, but love seeing her amazing jewelry–real and costume. But I don’t think Kate has it in her.
Princess Marie of Denmark is also big on brooches, some loaners from Queen Margrethe and others are her personal property.
She could wear unicorn feathers at this point, and all I see is the clutch in front of the duchessy bits, making sure the precious won’t fly away. For goodness’ sake woman, grow up and move your damn hands away. Tie up your hair, wear a pair of slacks intend of the idiotic pleats, add a fun scarf, a cardigan, a brooch as GNAT says (I have one on each of my winter coats)… but most importantly, stop the clutching. (BTW< do you think there is bloody rule book that does not allow her to carry any other type of purse?)
Sorry for the rant… ugh.
Maggie
Brooches are not out of fashion and restricted to older styling. I do recall when Kate wears brooches you’ve praised her for doing so and doing it well.
Kate has worn them numerous times and it’s not a factor in what makes a person look older in their styling choices.
Agree with FLORC – brooches never went out. I see a lot of young people wearing them, particularly the statement piece type. Have seen them on scarves, hats and even head bands. They’re quite versatile.
She can certainly wear a whimsical brooch or one that’s seasonal. I love the color, but that red canvas cries out for a patterned scarf, too, anything to break up the solidness of the palette. Or how about a scarf pinned with a brooch? And navy blue accessories? Oh, the possibilities!
Betti
I still wear a brooch when I have to for work or it’s gifted. Or simply because it’s something nice that fills empty space on fabric like a coat.
Statement pieces and brooches go hand in hand. I think many incorrectly associate the age of the word with how it should be perceived. Because something has been around for ages does not mean it is reserved for the older set.
Brooches, or pins, are really popular with younger adults. They like to wear ones that have the bands they like on them, and they wear them on hats, mostly. But lots of cool, artistic 20-somethings in NYC wear costume or bliing-y ones around on their jackets or scarves. I love brooches!!!
@ Jib
I bet you can’t make Kate wear a brooch of the charity she visits for the day.
Oh, and after spending a middle six figured sum on clothes per year she really has to wear them more than once!
And yes: accessories! Scarves, hats, gloves, fashion jewelry. It doesn’t always have to be serious diamonds or real gemstones.
Yes! This is the problem — no styling. There’s just nothing special happening here. It’s an expensive dress/suit, but there’s no notable jewelry or accessories to make her look pulled together. It’s not even that she has to “wow” for a daytime charity event…I’m just talking about completing a look. It’s like she’s lost without a fascinator or hat (and not all of those are winners, either).
And heck that we’re talking about clothes and photo access again. Wh can’t it ever just be about the charity and ITS work with these two? Why can’t they contribute something of substance?
ETA: the Mail’s captions are something. *This* is the face of a woman “listening intently.”
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/12/15/13/2F65146800000578-3360513-image-m-28_1450187310605.jpg
Exactly, I still can’t believe this girl was an accessory buyer for Jigsaw. She can’t accessorize to save her life. So much wasted potential. Sad 🙁
@ Okie
LOL! I think DM has been trolling her and William for some weeks now. I think it mostly started after William’s tantrum against the media and W&K’s strategy to limit access by a wider group of photographers.
Agreed! So much emphasis on what she wears instead of the charitable work she does.
OMG she wore the same dress twice! Off with her head!
Okie you are so right. I have to dress pretty conservatively at my job but there are ways to make a boring outfit fun…a pop of color, a fun color/print shoe, a scarf, statement jewelry, etc. At this point I think her goal is to be boring
Is that expression for real???!! Not the best way to inspire people’s interest, trust and confidence imo.
@ Okie
“Kate listening intensively” is a hilarious pic. As if she had no clues where she is but tries to pull an interested face anyway.
@ Christina
Very good ideas. But I think Kate thinks her hair and an expensive one-piece outfit are all that she requires to look stylish.
I agree with you that she should have worn a snowflake pin or something that was Christmassy, as it was a children’s Xmas party. She could have looked more festive to appeal to the kids.
Diana had her colorful ‘happy’ dress that she wore on visits to hospitals and events involving children, because she believed it made for a more cheerful look for those she visited. She wanted to be more involved with her ‘audience’ and make people feel comfortable and happy.
Kate is known for wearing black and grey and dark when visiting (sick) children.
https://www.google.com/search?q=kate+duchess+visit&biw=1749&bih=942&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwir4_ex0-DJAhWEKg8KHc8MAYYQ_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=kate+duchess+visit+children
It just looks extremely conservative and aging but the colour is nice and seasonal.
Does anyone else remember when Kim K was pictured wearing this dress? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3361287/Did-Kate-copy-Kim-Duchess-beloved-red-dress-worn-Ms-Kardashian-Tulisa-flashed-LOT-flesh.html
Also, that image from inside the event HAD to be photoshopped. How does one’s dress actually increase in length when sitting?
Oh yeah, that is so obviously photoshopped, poorly. The color doesn’t even match.
Hold the phone, you’re right the skirt looks longer when she’s sitting? interesting 😉 Red looks good on her the dress is a bit boring though. Her hair looks longer too for some reason.
Styling is boring. Brooch, scarf, gloves, hat, fashion jewelry or fashion hair something is missing.
Good catch!
And it’s a bad Photoshop too, the pleats are gone, and look at how her legs/thighs turned out!
AAAAAnd yet again, the return of the Cambridge Crotch Clutch!
If they had to ‘shop the length, she shouldn’t have worn it in the first place. At all. I’m sure between the stress of doing THREE(!) events in a week, shopping, and looking after kids with nannies she must have been aware that she’d be interacting with kids.
Not to mention her face has been shopped to not look old.
A full skirt–or in this case, a pleated one–will do that. It’s not out of the ordinary, although I agree, it’s an odd photo.
This dress manages to look simultaneously dated and juvenile. I don’t get her love for pleats.
Could be strategic reasons – to hide how skeletal she is. Pleats add some much-needed fullness to her frame.
jayne
IMO Kate looked so beautiful on the steps of the hospital with Charlotte in her arms. The extra weight on her face really softens her features, but I suppose Kate can’t accept/see it.
Exactly! Couldn’t find the words but you explained it well. She manages to do this regularly – look matronly and childish at the same time.
What happens when Natasha breaks up with her boyfriend? Who will take all the insider photos?
Why are they determined to piss off the mainstream media?
Also, why restrict a publicity driven charity visit to twitter? What if the mainstream media refuse to ran the twitter feed, thus cutting off the free publicity charity would have received.
Every single time they’ve restricted the media to the twitter feed, barring baby pics, the charity has lost out on publicity.
thus cutting off the free publicity charity would have received.
EXACTLY.
and not much publicity at that. The Mail article devotes a paragraph or two to the work of the charity, and the rest to Kate’s clothes.
I find the inside-snarking of the royal photogs/journos on twitter (not just N. Tanna but also Richard Palmer, Tim Rooke, Mark Cuthbert, and a few other guys) very entertaining indeed. Apparently they have to sit outside these events and often K/W don’t even deign to glance their way as they walk in or out so they can get a decent photo.
So when’s Mustique on?
Me too.
Soon. We’ve had the ‘she’s so tired and needs a holiday’ pap stroll that happens a few weeks before Mustique to justify it. Wouldn’t surprise me if they go a day or two after the boxing day shoot.
LAK,
Rather than ‘shoot’ shouldn’t it be “boxing day ‘massacre”‘?
HMMM: I quite agree with your word swop.
I think that after the “shattered” looking pictures, KP wants to control access so they can photoshop the heck out of her pics. Cause the girl is looking haggard.
The way that I heard it was that parents and other party attendees requested a smaller media contingent at the event. So one lone photographer inside as opposed to the usual corps.
LOL! Source please or it didn’t happen.
What bothers me about these events is the use of children and their images as such an obvious part of their PR. Those kids aren’t supposed to be on display. I’d much rather she show up, give a speech outside to the press about the importance of the charity, and then no photos of the inside happenings allowed. Those kids and their families deserve their privacy, not to be used for a hour-or-less PR move by Jason.
Scal
Where did you hear or read that?
Only because that runs direct counter to how things have been done. The mobs (meaning select few) of photographers were all vetted and preapproved. And the event would be known as for publicity so no one that didn’t want to be there would be forced to go. And what photographers there have been can be kept in a corner and having to go by strictly enforced rules like dressing well, keeping quiet, and keeping distance. And they aren’t there the entire time.
That’s why I think many of us doubt this was to accomidate the others there and not a power pr play.
And that line of reasoning that others and not the Cambridges wanted these things has been used before. And what happeed was people who were in those crowds and worked for the charities directly denied they were the ones to refuse any extra outlet for awareness. That this was all KP PR. If also not for those direct counters we wouldn’t have the truth.
A few examples… An early Action/Addiction “secret meeting”, a Charity ball at KP, and a person who claimed to and supported with facts a charity worker for 1 of her patrons. That all these times we were told it was not Kate or her PR, but the common folk and organizers that requested limited coverage and exposure. Which seems odd.
The padded bra looks a little lopsided – especially when she is standing by the car door.
Meh. It’s appropriate but has a strangely dated look, although I can’t quite put my finger on why. I still think she’s leaning too much still on the ingénue look and she should be way past that.
Yes, it’s VERY appropriate and non-offensive but more for someone Camilla’s age! I like Kate’s style and she is a young woman. Hard to strike the right balance.
This is a repeat from the Jubilee flotilla. This dress was worn by one of the Kardashians a few months before the Jubilee event.
Yes it is NOTA! I was wondering why it looked so familiar but I could’t remember the event she wore it to.
http://news.yahoo.com/duchess-of-cambridge-recycles-red-alexander-143058313.html
I love that kid in the Bah Humbug jumper.
I love the faces of the kids sitting on either side of her! Best WTF looks ever!
I think it’s entirely appropriate not to bring in a horde of photographers to a children’s mental health center. Presumably, some of these children are easily distressed and don’t need a horde of strangers milling about them.
They don’t have a horde of photographers inside events unless there is a specific reason to do so. They usually allow an AP accredited photographer and a videographer. 2-3 at the most.
This particular occasion, it seems KP brought/used their own photographer and denied the AP photographers/videographers.
It limits who has access to the photos, but it also limits circulation of photos because AP automatically sends out the images to all media and or has easy access to the images and video for their newsfeed.
If you weren’t watching KP’s twitter feed, and you didn’t read the DM, would you know this visit had happened?
AP is free, hassle free publicity for the charity which is the point of her visit, and these visits are always handled sensitively. They don’t allow a marauding media scrum inside to hassle everyone. Those are usually kept outside the event, in a press pen.
I think the press were there – they just weren’t allowed inside. They were left outside to take the shots of her entering and leaving.
LAK
Throughout history we know when the AP is refused access something is not above the board. There’s a carefully cultivated image that any unbias reporting could unravel. There’s just no legitimate excuse to exclude AP.
Another consideration is client confidentiality. Any releases of clients in a photo must be cleared. Allowing only one photographer would maintain better control of that type of situation.
Pandy: all that is done in advance of the visit. If nothing else, for security considerations.
That doesn’t make sense. Obviously, they would know that anybody in the room with the photographer(s) would probably be photographed. So whether it was Kate’s choice photographer or as LAK said, an AP photographer with maybe a videographer too, it would still be the same bunch of kids being photographed.
The point being made is that using a photographer that has comparably less access to the wider media than an AP photographer would is not using the media in the most effective way if the purpose of the visit was to promote the charity rather than the priority being making sure the pics of Kate were favorable to W&K.
She looks nice, I like the dress and the hair very much though she could do better with accessories. First of all, matching shoes to a bag – a bit too traditional and black with red is too obvious. Also, some jewelry or a scarf would have added a nice touch.
I’m not liking her hair as much here. It’s looking too voluminous again….it seems as if she’s got thick, clipped-in chunks underneath.
Suit is boring – she has hundreds of dresses like this already. And is morphing into her mother, the resemblance is becoming very noticeable.
Is it just me or does the image from the KP Twitter account look funny around her legs?
If KP are not allowing even the Rota (royal) press pack in – someone is pissed at the Fail for that story. Could there be a revolt against them rumbling?
What made me laugh about the other media outlets pointing out the DM’s mysogyny, was that they all ran the pictures and kept going on and on about how tired, haggard she looked, but DM is a meangirl for pointing it out. Didn’t just link to DM or write a telling off article without pictures.
Therefore rather than block the DM photogs, they’ve simply blocked everyone. Not even their favourite Arthur was allowed in!!!
…..but if they keep this up, press will start to post really unflattering images. British press has form here. Ask Fergie.
Yes, also many of these visits have a host photographer (someone hired/from the charity etc.. side to take photo’s for their own use), so I suspect whoever took these photo’s could have been the charities photog.
Her shoe game is so off..All the time. It is so distracting.
The expressions of those kids in the photo pretty much sum up all my feelings about duchess Kate.
I know!! They look sooo over it.
Yeah they weren’t impressed. And they hadn’t even seen the bad photoshop yet.
The fit of that dress is weird up top. The collar area is gaping, which is poor fitting. She has lost a lot of weight and I don’t think most of her clothes have been tailored to reflect that.
I googled the first time she wore this dress and it fit perfectly, BUT she was noticeably bigger by then. A royal reporter wrote a piece about how she was gaining weight to conceive.
I think she’s back to the weight she was in her first year as a royal, and is wearing clothes from that time
She’s looking almost skeletal here.
It’s looking more and more like her weight has returned to engagement size.
And her muscle mass/definition looks low as she just has no fat to cover it. Not that she’s exceptionally tone. Just limited.
Someone is reading our comments about her appearing cold and hands-off with the people she’s visiting. Suddenly she hugging kids and is touchy-feely (in the DM photos). She looks very uncomfortable doing it too. Also, her dress needs something, anything to give it some interest – a Christmas pin (like someone above mentioned), a necklace or even a more interesting clutch would have sufficed. A pant suit would have been great in this situation. And those towering heels when she’s going to be seeing kids? Jeesh, even I style/ dress better and more appropriately than her and I don’t have her clothing allowance.
With regards to the power playing and press manipulation from KP, I smell a press revolt coming on and it won’t be pretty for the Cambridges. They and the Middletons have a lot of things they don’t want publicized IMO.
I think its more to do with playing keepy uppy with Harry – who is very hands on with children, given his very successful visit to the AIDS hospital yesterday and great shots with kids he gave us all. She’s uncomfortable because she doesn’t want to be there – simples.
Good points, Betti.
Betti, that was my thought too when I saw the DM pics of DK rather awkwardly hugging the little boy — the Cambridges are trying to keep up with Harry and the positive press he’s getting.
Today my toddler (whom I am trying to potty train) announced that he needed a poo. His potty was upstairs and so the only option was to ‘catch’ the pop in a Christmas card envelope to save it going into his trousers and onto the floor. This is my life. If someone said to me: ‘Vere- get thee to the fun drumming party with a kid in a bah humbug jumper and wear this McQueen’ I’d be there in a shot and I would wear the hell out of the McQueen. I’d chuck all those diamonds and crowns and tiaras on there. I’d stay all day and I’d get my driver to stop off at kfc on the way home so I could stuff myself with low quality chicken and visit the loo on my own. Just saying. I’d do this event waaaay more justice!
LOL! Oh, the toilet training days and boys are so hard to train too. I feel for you Alexa and yes, you would outshine Kate any day. Good luck with your little guy.
😀
Now that’s the way to approach an event! You would rock it and everyone would have a blast.
Alexa, you have just made my day! I have a four year old girl who mooned our Elf on the shelf yesterday, so your story made me feel fantastic. I agree that you would be perfect for this event and I can understand your private loo visit request. I have been trying for four years now!
Yeah I also think it’s weird that she went to the party but didn’t really tell anyone she was going. Isn’t it the point that you do these things to raise general awareness?
Just what I thought as well. I guess Kate has figured this out yet. Someone in the family needs to have a word. Her visits are more of a fashion show than focusing on the charity. She’s so disappointing and boring trying to get away with the bare minimum. A one hour visit – this is a full days work in her eyes.
well, her visits WOULD be more of a fashion show if she had any fashion sense
This is the new modern way of Royal-ing, dontcha know?
This event was announced weeks ago by KP so I’m not sure what you mean by “didn’t really tell anyone she was going.”
This is a (great,imo) throwback in 2012 when charged ahead of everyone at the Jubileee flotillla thing. No consideration for royal precedence whatsoever.
I’m gonna be SUPER cheeky and say, she’s clearly not breastfeeding.. 😉
I would agree but imo it’s the padded bra that gives it away – her breasts look so stiff as though she’s wearing armour or something. Better to stick with what’s natural, even if you’re flat, but in her case, if she just reverted back to her normal weight she wouldn’t need heavy padding
I think the jacket looks weird with the cutout at the crotch level. It’s like it’s made especially for her to do the clutch thing.
Seeing her just makes me want to read more about the Swedish Royal Family, for some reason LOL
I think it’s weird/sad that about the only thing we have to talk about with regards to Kate is how she’s dressed.
It reveals just how empty her life seems to be.
These comments. So depressing to read. So effing misogynistic and dull.
I can’t imagine what a convention of celebitchy commentators would look like. Frumpy as eff I’m guessing. Scarves and pins ladies!! Scarves and pins ladies!!
I think we should petition Merriam-Webster to change the definition of ‘misogyny’ from ‘hatred of women’ to ‘criticism of Kate.’
Dontcha know criticising Kate IS = misogyny? I’d sign that petition that in a heartbeat.B-)
Also an indicator of jealousy.
LOL, Anne!!! Seems like one can’t criticize a woman who is basically useless without being called a misogynist. And it’s ok for Salsa to mock us. OK, Carole, I mean Salsa, thanks for your thoughts.
How dare you Salsa? I’m a fat, balding, lesbian spinster with too many cats!!!!
It is like being on the Giersch side of the Giersch-Rutherford situation. To some obsessed Rutherford supporters, anyone who sides with the law (ie. Giersch) must be a childless, divorced, anti-Murican misogynist.
I don’t find the comments misogynistic but I am starting to find them super repetitive. I rarely post but have read a lot of the articles, and need to get myself to stop. This woman doesn’t do much of interest…do we need to comment on how much we hate her every single day?
Have you seen the K threds?
Can’t speak for everyone else, but I don’t “hate” her. But based on her behaviour & lack of work ethic, she doesn’t deserve to be revered and placed on a pedestal as she is by some. If people call her out for being lazy, it’s justified and backed up by facts. As for her clothes, I’m indifferent but I get why there are so many comments that are related to appearance — there’s jack squat else to talk about where she’s concerned. Although she speaks about her “work” , there’s precious little evidence that she’s actually done any. So here we are.
I don’t interpret it as hate. As you say – “This woman doesn’t do much of interest.” Nor does her spouse, for that matter. They are the dullards of the Duchy (sorry if I got that insult wrong, my UK cousins).
I don’t hate her at all. Reading about Waity and Willy just makes me super-glad I’m an American. My tax dollars get wasted but thankfully not on these two.
Your tax dollars were wasted on their jaunt to the US last winter.
Salsa
Yeah, they would look all very cloak and dagger, a certain mix of Red Hatters and parolees. But not me.
I’m in riding gear. My horses are waiting. “Riders on the storm.”
I’m glad Kate showed up to an event where the recipients of the charity were. Good for her tapping that drum like it was uncouth for someone in her position. One day she’ll be Queen Consort and then nobody will be asking her to bang on drums. Can’t wait. I’m sure the kids were comforted by her over-the-top, bare-every-teeth smiles. It would be interesting to see if she does these dramatic facial gestures in private with George and Charlotte. In the photograph of her and kids sitting at the table, two of the kids looked bored out of their minds with their elbows on the table and their hands on their faces, which they’ll regret doing as that will probably be the only souvenir of them with such royalty.
I’m glad she showed up, too. And, yes, she looks uncomfortable and her expressions are OTT (I felt like yelling, “Close your mouth, Katie!” when I saw the DM pics). But, regardless of her motives (PR clean-up, competition with Harry, etc.), I think she made a big step in the right direction by trying to be more open and engaging. I’m thinking, too, that maybe, just maybe, during one of her future charity visits, she actually gets an overwhelming sense of joy in hugging a troubled teen, sick child or a recovering addict and realizes just how much her presence and support can enrich a stranger’s life. She’s been living in an insular little bubble fashioned by Carole and Willie for too long, but I don’t think she’s a lost cause in the empathy department. And, I don’t think she needs to take on new charities anytime soon to inflate her engagement schedule. She just needs to buckle down, be sincere and give a 110% to the ones she’s a patron of now.
I’m sure those kids were thrilled that out of her 5 charities, this is the one she chose to spend an entire hour visiting!
Her hair looks quite a bit darker but perhaps lighting issues? Anyway, good to see her out and about AGAIN 🙂 rather than hiding away at Club Amner or putting on sun block in Mustique.
ps- the hair is looking much more professional now. Thanks Kate for the update. And thanks William for abandoning his (intended) moat construction project at Amner. We know you dwell on history, William, (and I understand) but now is not the time.
I can’t stand her any more. Her granny style ensembles her stupid clutches and her try hard attitude. She lacks so much spantaneity and effortless beauty. And lacks work ethics. She’s been HRH for years now stop with the excuse of shyness and get in the water like everone else !!
I went on the Daily Mail site and looked at the pictures. She looks lovely and the children looked thrilled to have her there. She appears to be fully engaged with the kids and enjoying herself. I don’t wear much jewellery myself as I find it can look tacky whether it’s expensive or not. It’s also annoying to me. Maybe she’s similar in that way.
She is the only person in that drumming circle sitting oddly sideways because of the skirt. Why not a pantsuit, for crying out loud? These are kids. She has some and presumably plays with them. Does she not know how to relax and communicate?
This is neither a ‘modern’ monarchy nor an older-generation’s stuffier, but hard-working one.
The common denominator that can bridge the difference is work ethic.
Wear what you want, be more relaxed but show up and invest yourself in the work.
Nobody will care about poorly-fitted necklines or lack of accessories if you work hard and act like you understand that this is your job, unless you choose to reject it and have a truly private life.
The skirt portion reminds me of what we called “granny skirts”. They were always pleated to give extra room for the more rotund older lady and they always drowned the slimmer older lady. Now every time I see her in one of these dresses with pleats I always think granny skirt. I dont know why she doesnt wear some Hobbs clothing, cheaper and much more fashionable yet still conservative than the granny get up she seems to like.
So… Was anythng accomplished outside of a PR move by KP?
Banning press displays this is not for exposure of the cause or charity, but to control the exact angle Kate’s PR wants to circulate. It’s simply not about helping others, but rather helping themselves. Otherwise we’d see progress made and not these photo ops where the limited exposure given to the cause is cast aside by a what Kate wore and showing up for working angle.
Her hair? Inflated, but fine.
Her outfit? She owns this style in every color made, but fine.
Her attendance? She showed up. I won’t even gripe about anything else because she could have not showed up but she did.
All that said she’s proving she can work. She can rip herself away from her children and they can survive without her so no more using that as an excuse.
So, now that she can attend these things lets start seeing results! Seeing Kate has absorbed the needs of the causes and uses her podium to help them in their fight!
So, to Jason. How much longer will you last at this job recycling the same old Kate showed up and had a photo op even if you claim she reads scientific reports and is energized to help the causes she’s so invested in? How long can this go on before you feel your this is a waste of your crisis management talents?
Not to mention her ‘work’ on addictions that we only recently heard about – still waiting to hear what that ‘work’ actually was, beyond turning up and flinging your head and hair around like a horse.
The wiglet will come back – its some sort of safety net for her, she can’t seem to do her public duties without it.
Something has gone down that has pissed Willy off and am not sure it was the Fail’s weekend article on her looks.
If we only ever heard of 1 thing Kate helped initiate as a result of her visits. I will eat my tinfoil tiara. 1 selfless act that was less about her PR and more about helping a cause. Just 1 she follows through on.
All the other working royals both senior and junior with families manage this.
I think he’ll be gone come summer 2016. Likewise with our Hero Prince and his heroic job.
If she’s expecting again by summer or fall, I think they’ll hide out in Norfolk for at least another two years. The co-pilot “job” sham will continue.
Very dumb to keep the royal photographers from their livelihood. If they can’t take authorized pictures for authorized stories, they’ll take candid pictures or print unflattering pictures of official events.
Are the KP pictures and Kate’s pictures free? Or do sites and the papers have to pay to use them. It could just be a matter of money.
She has nice legs.
Something is funny about how thick her hair is at the ends, that’s the extensions I guess.
She’ll be forever compared to Diana, which would suck.
Broach, not scarf. hate scarves. Love the color, it’s bold. Love the shoes. And yeah, people sure cap on her a lot.
As time goes she’s not being compared to Diana without her PR or William making a point to do so. Everyone certainly thought the press and people would be comparing the 2, but as time went on it’s KP PR that trots out the comparisons with planted statements and side by side pictures on their official outlets and social media.
IMO if Kate gets compared to anyone, it’s Zara, Cam, and HM. HM because of the heavy work load still managed by an elderly woman. Cam from supporting her husband while having a family that she and they understand do not have to seek out the cameras. And Zara as she is a junior royal to Kate’s senior status, has children, and still manages to work steadily for her causes while not abandoning her children, husband, or career.
And it’s not to “cap” on her if i’m reading that correctly. It’s to “cap” on the PR. Majority of these comments are not to Kate, but to the PR control and the delicate image they are trying to preserve. Delicate because the image cannot hold on its own in reality.
Most of the time if read carefully it’s hardly about Kate and mostly about tracking funds, defining “full time royal”, and the PR disaster on all sides.
Lizzieb
No, I don’t believe Kate will be forever compared to Diana. First, they’re so different physically. The only long lasting (but not forever- people have accepted Kate is no Diana) comparison will be the work ethic and how they present to the public. Kate is trying now and I respect that. As for the numbers (engagements) and the rest of it next DEC 2016 (summary), compared to now (DEC 2015) we’ll see.
So, to all the people who think this charity and this appearance by Kate Middleton isn’t interesting enough, I’m curious, how would you feel if she actually backed something controversial, something heavy?
— like human trafficking issues
— reproductive rights
— feminism
— anti-racism
— anti-homophobia
— anti-Islamophobia (OMG, I would love to see that just to watch people’s heads explode)
My opinion is that Kate Middleton isn’t doing anything interesting because, well, she can’t. Her hands are tied. Neither the royal family nor the British public nor global public would EVER let her actually take a stand on anything remotely interesting. I think she’s meant to grow into the role Elizabeth II has right now, which is to be a figure of stability and tradition.
So what issues do you think she should be supporting? What do you think she should be speaking up about?
I’m genuinely curious.
First of all, she doesn’t have to do anything “interesting.” Her present charities are fine, and perfectly good. She should make a serious effort to improve her public speaking, and then blow everyone away with a really good speech on children’s mental health (supposedly her big issue). It could certainly be controversial, as the government is cutting everything (supposedly not the NHS since Osborne found billions down the back of the sofa, but we’ll see). She doesn’t need to be another Diana. Another Sophie, who works hard and quietly and gives a good speech (I’ve heard her) would do.
previous long winded comment disappeared so i’ll say this……
Other Consorts have championed causes as serious as AIDS, rape and even Nazis.
Kate is not the Queen and will never be Queen. She is a future Queen consort. BIG difference between that and HM who is Queen Regnant.
Palace is not holding Kate back. She is holding herself back. As Tina put it, she could improve on the little she’s working on.
Thanks!
@Tina, I get the feeling she’s working up to that point where she can address (somewhat more directly) government policies. I hope she will.
I see nothing to nit-pick. She’s “working”, nicely put together, great hair, lovely smiles, showing enthusiasm. She’s doing her “job”.
She is doing less than her 94-year-old grandfather-in-law. When she does show up, she shows little enthusiasm for much of what’s going on and little knowledge about the subject area.