I had a feeling that the Duchess of Cambridge would make one more appearance before giving birth to Cambridge Baby #3! Here are some photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with the Queen on Easter Sunday at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Apparently, Will and Kate broke protocol by arriving at the chapel after the Queen. Which just isn’t done! The Queen always has to arrive last. Will and Kate also took a car to the chapel, even though it’s just a short walk from the castle, although that one isn’t weird to me – Kate is heavily pregnant and she shouldn’t have to walk that distance if she didn’t want to.
For Easter Sunday, Kate repeated this Catherine Walker coat which I have no memory of. Apparently, she wore it during her second pregnancy, during one of her last appearances. I think the Lock & Co hat is a repeat too? Either that or she owns several brown hats that all look the same to me. Honestly, I have no problem with her look here – there are no garish buttons, the hemline is fine and she looks pulled together. The nude shoes annoy me but whatever, I’ve made my peace with the fact that she’s not a shoe person (I’m not a shoe person either). Interesting accessory note: her earrings and brooch are Balenciaga! Those are repeats too, I remember them.
Prince Philip did not attend the Easter Sunday church service, which is probably why the Queen made a point to be surrounded by many of her favorite grandchildren. In addition to Will and Kate, the Queen also was joined at the chapel by the York princesses (Eugenie came with her fiance Jack Brooksbank) and Zara Tindall, who is also pregnant. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were not in attendance because, reportedly, they were spending the Easter holiday “privately.”
Here’s video of everyone curtsying to the Queen… everyone but Beatrice, who probably saw her grandmother before this, so that’s why there’s no curtsy?
Princess Eugenie and her fiancé Jack Brooksbank are in the royal party. pic.twitter.com/dvjIXEKeMC
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) April 1, 2018
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Yes them arriving after TQ is bad protocol – these 2 always have to get the best PR opportunity at these family events.
She’s worn that hat a few times, plus I think i’ve seen Pippa/Carole wearing it at one of the Xmas Sandringham pap strolls they’ve done.
Also will you cover the story about Pip’s father in-law who’s been accused of raping a minor in France during the 90s? Story broke over the weekend here in the UK.
Waiting on that story, too. Ugh.
Apparently they were coming from Buckleberry which is why they were late. I suspect everyone was called in to deal with the press surrounding the issue with Pippa’s father in law. That still doesn’t excuse being late, seeing as they can get a police escort to clear the traffic. The Queen certainly wasn’t having it though because both she and Anne didn’t look impressed and they didn’t wait for them at all. Everyone was in the church by the time W and K showed up.
They both have previous for being late – Kate is frequently late for engagements which is often snarkily reported by the Royal press pack on Twitter. IIRC they were late to the Bond premiere at the Royal Albert Hall which is literally on their doorstep.
@Nic919, do you think The Queen knows that William and Kate won’t keep the monarchy together after she is gone? I would be just as irritated with them like The Queen. It’s rude for them to be late.
Traffic is always horrendous on a long Bank Holiday weekend so I think its a valid reason. Re; getting a traffic escort clear the traffic…can you image if they actually did that? there would be an almighty uproar especially on here. This isn’t a work engagement or an emergency.
William and Kate showing up late was irresponsible. I don’t care the excuse, these two should have left with more than enough time to spare before arrival before to give themselves time, they have drivers and nannies. The Queen must be shaking her head about these two, at times.
William doesn’t really seem that “into” duties of the Monarchy IMO but he does seem to enjoy the comforts.
William has said that Kate’s hair is usually the reason why they are late.
Well, at least they bothered to show up unlike some other prominent members of the royal family.
I think it was a strategic move so the video of HM walking into church didn’t include paps shouting questions about Pippa at Kate.
It is not mandatory for anyone to show up at the Easter service and this is only the second time William, future head of the Church of England, ever showed up as an adult. The other time was the year after he decided to ditch his family on Easter weekend to go to an ex girlfriend’s wedding. You cannot excuse their lateness by saying Charles and Camilla didn’t show, or Harry and Meghan didn’t show up. They were never expected to show and so it remains disrespectful to everyone for them to have held up the service because of their tardiness.
Easter isn’t a mandatory like Christmas. Charles and Camilla celebrate Easter elsewhere, often in Scotland because they’re at Birkhall.
Whatever: i can personally attest to the traffic clearing escort of most the royals, including WHK, engagement or not. It’s not something anyone gets up in arms about nor something of particular interest to anyone witnessing it. To claim otherwise is ridiculous.
Charles and Camilla were in Scotland and rumoured to have attended Crathie Church. Another article said that Harry and Meghan stayed with them there.
Well, at least they were there. I wonder if Harry and Meghan went to Church; considering she was just baptized, it would have been smart PR to show up for Church with her new family.
My bet is that they were on another mini-vacation.
Maria, I read Charles and Camilla were on their way to Australia?
Waiting for that story too.
She’s heavily pregnant, perhaps she had a related issue that delayed them. I think we should give latitude at this time.
They advised the press it was related to construction on one of the roadways from Buckleberry. And the Queen certainly didn’t look impressed about the lateness and she would have known the real reason.
Heavily pregnant Zara had no trouble being there on time.
Heavily pregnant is no excuse, the car contains emergency items if she felt sick
Also Zara managed to get there,on time, walking and in heels.
There is no excuse for their lateness IMO
These two have been coddled way too long and excused too much.
Maybe the Queen was irritated about another scandal breaking among, if not the royals, then the royal-adjacents.
The video shows Anne looking about for them and speaking to the Queen. They were pissed about Will and Kate being late. She doesn’t care about Pippa’s in laws. Being on time and meeting protocol is very important to the Queen. It fits in with her sense of duty. The entire congregation had to wait for Will and Kate to arrive before the service could start. So even more reason to have respected others and show up on time.
The Queen also did not look back at all to Will and Kate when they walked out to get flowers at the end of the service. Normally she would chat with them. She was not happy. Her husband couldn’t attend because of a health issue and these two ding dongs can’t make it on time when it is only the second time they have ever attended the service. Future head of the church William doesn’t seem to care.
@Nic919, I’ve noticed William doesn’t necessary care about being Head of the church. I thought The Queen has mentored him about his future roles?
@kitty, Charles gave a very moving Easter speech on Friday. It seemed evident to me that he is preparing himself to be head of the church.
@Maria was talking about William. Also didn’t Charles say he wanted to be Defender of all faiths and not The faith?
Kitty, sorry my bad. Charles in his speech talked about following the example of Christ, which led me to think he is preparing for his future role. I don’t know if it is up to him to redefine “defender of the faith”, or whether this would be tangled up in ecclestical red tape. I don’t know if the Head of the Church can change things willy-nilly.
Apparently they were caught up in road works.
Roadwork is everywhere everyday and the Queen and others manage to make it to places in time.
Roadwork is no excuse when they have a driver, and plenty of days before to plan a earlier departure time. Roadwork is a Bulls”..t excuse.
The Queen and most of her family were staying at Windsor so didn’t have traffic issues, Kate and William were coming from Bucklebury. Let’s not crucify her over this. She showed up, which this late in her pregnancy is something,
Road work on Easter Sunday? Wouldn’t the Ministry of Highways (or whatever the Brits call it) be roasted for working on roads on one of the busiest travel holidays in England? I don’t know how it works in jolly old England, but most construction workers in here in US are unionized and would get big $$’s for working on a Sunday – and would only be scheduled if work during the week would impact tens of thousands of commuters on a major highway.
This is not the first time that William and Kate have been late for Church and arrived after the Queen. It does not matter that they came from Bucklebury, they should be able to factor in most eventualities to be able to arrive on time. The Queen had already entered the Church! Imagine the uproar if Harry and Meghan had arrived late.
Pippa’s father- in -law’s problems have nothing whatsoever to do with Kate, apart from the fact that she will be concerned about the effect on her sister, if any.
Eugenie’s fiancé attended Church but no mention of how the rules are being bent, or how dare he attend Church with the Queen , when he is not yet married to Eugenie.
@PrincessK ITA with everything you said except the part about Pippa. I do think this causes concern to the BRF because Pippa’s children will be the cousins of the heir to the throne, and considering how close Kate and Pippa are, they will probably be close as well. And their grandfather is a child rapist? Will he never get to see or meet his grandchildren? It could get tricky.
I don’t think it had anything to do with their being late, but agree with whoever commented upthread that everyone was probably in Bucklebury to discuss PR.
There is no excuse. Proper planning isn’t that hard. These two are something else sometimes. smh
As an aside, I love how Eugenie’s fiance just beams every time he is around her. He looks genuinely besotted.
@GHELGE, I think it’s a shame that William and Kate aren’t into the monarchy along just for the perks. They are in a wonderful position to make a difference in the world, to make an impact. He’s the future king. Does he not want to be King?
I think part of the problem is William and Kate are sort of lazy and have been coddled too long and not really entirely called out by the press a lot for some things. Yes sometimes the press racks them ,but not often. Then press brushes over a lot to excuse them for things. jmo
I read about two incidents where people were late at some event w the Queen and she was livid privately and let it be known.
One was Jackie Kennedys sister who married Prince Radzwill in the 60’s. Came in late to some Royal event and the Queen was NOT amused.
I forget the other one..,
Diana was late once for a festival of remembrance in 1982 and apparently she was scolded for it as well. The Queen does not tolerate tardiness especially for something this public. All the sugars can make excuses but the Queen has a standard she expects to be met. She is still the Queen.
Nic919 Yes, that is the other late story ,I couldn’t remember, I forgot who it was.
@Ghelge, Do you think The Queen has given up on WK for them being the future of the monarchy? Seems like after The Queen the monarchy will decline even though I like Charles. I thought The Queen has mentored William since his Eton days.
I truly don’t wish to sound overly cynical but in what way is the monarchy anything but perks ? In what dimension can any member of the British royal family make a difference in the world ?
The British royal family, like most modern monarchical families, has zero real power. They exist solely to exist, to stand there, smile and wave while they cut ribbons. They are puppets in a political pantomime. None of them has ever changed the world, be it for the better or the worse, in any way, shape or form they are politically powerless and their charitable work could be just as easily and, quite frankly, more efficiently done by regular NGOs (like in all the many, many non-monarchical countries).
The Queen has never accomplished anything. Charles has never accomplished anything. Diana never accomplished anything (cf the aftermath of the Ottowa Treaty). William and Kate will never accomplish anything. And neither will Harry or Meghan. Getting things done is not their job; getting married, having babies and looking pretty on pictures is. They’re glorified reality TV stars.
I fear people may be expecting way too much of them.
42istheanswer, I beg to differ but I believe people will start not tolerating the British royals after The Queen is gone. Going to be hard times for them.
@42istheanswer, this is one of the best comments I’ve read about them. They’re glorified celebrities; nothing more, nothing less.
I enjoy following them, especially now with Meghan in the picture, for the fashion and the pomp & ceremony etc., but that’s all they exist to do (as you laid out so well in your comment!).
41istheanswer, except for a few of them, they are really no better than the Kardashians! At least the Kardashians never dressed up like Nazis and actually work for their money. (And I despise all that the Kardashians symbolize of the vapid American society.)
In response to 42istheanswer…. the MOST accurate thing I’ve ever read about the Royals. Such a pointless institution. Reality stars come charity workers… ugh. Such a waste of money.
@42istheanswer the monarchy is symbolic and considered a tradition, especially in the UK. And they try to elevate themselves from regular celebrities by talking of duty and history. The Queen understands this. William does not. Because once the public realizes that they are supporting glorified celebrities with no special abilities, and really the country can do just as well without them, then they will lose their lifestyle. This is why things like showing up on time for Easter service when you are future head of the Church of England is important. If William does not respect the traditions, they why should he be getting the benefits of that lifestyle?
@Nic919 @Kitty
I genuinely don’t think the Brits are as deluded as you give them credit for. They know perfectly well that the members of the royal family are basically the “original” Big Brother housemates : people whose sole interest (and indeed talent) is their willingness to experience the most crucial milestones of what should be their private life (being born, falling in love, getting married, having babies, dying) in front of everyone. In exchange of money. And that’s precisely why the people enjoy keeping the Windsors around : to observe them, make fun of them (when they do something stupid), “aww” at them (when they do something cute), etc.
Virtually nobody’s fooled by the frankly hilarious narrative about tradition and/or duty. If said narrative were actually believed by a large section of the population, they would want the monarch to play an active role in politics. Which no one does. British people may be traditionalists but they are just as democratically minded as anyone; they don’t want utterly unelected and thoroughly unqualified individuals involved in anything truly important. They just want them to look pretty and happy when they shake their hands.
That’s why William, Kate, Harry and Diana are the most popular royals aside from the Queen. And I am certain Meghan will become an equally beloved member of the BRF in time. And the four living ones will continue to do bugger all for decades. Just as the Queen has done for her entire existence and Charles has done and will do for the whole of his. That is their job.
@Veronica
Exactly.
@Lorelei @Mynameispearl
Thanks a bunch.
@Nic919, do you think The Queen knows that the monarchy is going to decline and be fragile once she is gone? The Queen worked so hard for the monarchy and its future, and it would be a shame if it were to horribly wrong once she is gone.
@Kitty
I realise the question wasn’t addressed to me so I do apologise but I cannot resist. The monarchy became extraordinarily fragile both in the fifties and in the nineties because of the aforementioned Queen. In both instances, what was viewed as her “inhumanity” (her inability to connect with and respond to her people’s wishes and/or emotions, her and her mother’s barely veiled disdain towards the common man’s way of life, her archaic standards and thought processes, her lack of any significant education, her emotional coldness) was responsible for a severe, potentially fatal, crisis of faith in the very institution she embodies.
Were she now to resent the younger generation for endangering the monarchy, after she did so herself twice in the past, it would be the epitome of irony. Or lack of self-awareness.
After her death, the monarchy will experience a period of decline. That is certain. Just as it is certain it will be the Queen’s fault. Due to the length of her reign, she has become synonymous with the monarchy itself in the eyes of virtually all her subjects who, for the majority of them, have only known her as ruler. However, monarchy is supposed to be transcendant, ie. not attached to any person in particular. Hence “the king is dead, long live the king”.
Therefore, the Queen should have abdicated in favour of her son quite a few years ago. It would have allowed her to use all the weight of her popularity and legitimacy to give explicit validation to her heir and, through him, to the very transcendance and good continuation of the tradition she allegedly cares so much about. But she hasn’t and she won’t. Because, like the rest of the Windsors, she is about as politically astute as a water puddle.
@42istheanswer, how informative. Did not know this. So basically what do you see will happen to the monarchy after she is gone? Will WK save it?
@42istheanswer Diana was able to change the mindset aroung HIV which we take for granted now but was huge in the 80’s. Let’s not forget landmines and harry has done alot for veterans with invictus and helping the find a purpose. Prince Charles has had impact on the environment and has been an advocate for religious freedoms in the UK.
We can bash them all we want but we also have to give them their dues.
” They’re glorified reality TV stars. ”
“the royal family are basically the “original” Big Brother housemates ”
They BRF is the longest running soap opera…. very expensive production.
I am dying at this part of the thread. As much as people want to talk about “tradition” and whatever else the monarchy supposedly does, it really is completely arbitrary. Someone happened to fall out of a particularly bejeweled vagina and they’re extra special. Even if the actual throne goes away (like the Greeks) it’s apparently still a thing. It’s ridiculous.
@bridget I agree it is totally luck that set up some families as “royals” and others as the peasants. The power was kept by force for a long time and then by “tradition” or maybe it is better defined as inertia. Whether or not most of the the UK thinks the BRF are special, and I don’t think they have for a while, I guess the question is why would they still want to support this family at the cost of millions and shrinking health care and benefits? If it was simply because they are like big brother celebrities, then they can do that much cheaper by watching them on tv. What keeps the Windsor’s in this position of power? While they don’t have direct control of the government anymore, they still have some power, as a quick example see how they can control the press.
@Kitty
I do not think there is anything to “save”, per se. As far as I can tell, the monarchy will continue to continue. Since Charles is less popular than his mother and son, some/many people wish they could just skip him and give the crown directly to William after the Queen dies. But it won’t happen, everyone knows it and understands why and no large group of people truly cares enough to do anything about it. So the monarchy will trot along somewhat smoothly through Charles then William then George, and so on and so forth.
Unless some particularly major incident occurs, of course.
We should never underestimate the power of inertia, be it in the UK or anywhere else. When something has been in place fora couple of centuries, it starts looking like it is part of the furniture and becomes extremely hard to remove, no matter how stupid or counterproductive it may be. Most Americans realise that the Electoral College is a dumb system but, aside from a few flashes in the pan, no real movement has yet coalesced to do the political work necessary to its abolition. Most Brits know the monarchy is a daft institution but, again, aside from a few crises here and there, no one is truly bothered enough to attempt to dislodge it.
@formerly known as Amy
I’m terribly sorry but I cant agree with you on that one. The BRF are good at photo ops but those do not change the world. Nor do they have any meaningful impact on anyone’s mindset. The British’s attitude towards AIDS and its sufferers changed because of structural and political factors (be it the propagation of the disease to “sympathetic” and politically potent populations, namely white, straight middle-class people, or the development of drugs that reduced the disease’s mortality rate). Diana just happened to be around when such factors started emerging.
The same logic applies to her “work” in regards to antipersonal landmines. Pictures of her in the middle of a minefield made people think “wow, antipersonal landmines are bad, aren’t they?” (something everyone thought already, to be honest). They sent some money and then forgot everything about it. Which is why no massive structural change was ever achieved on this particular front, in spite of the NGOs’ best effort to capitalise on Diana’s involvement and later death.
Achieving real change requires relentless and continuous effort, usually spanning decades. Glamourous or “shocking” PR is, on a fundamental level, utterly ineffective. The Invictus Games are lovely, I am sure, but a week of javelining changes literally nothing to the structural and institutional problems veterans face : compromised professional reintegration, the cost of and access to medical care and the associated waiting lists, psychological trauma and its impact on family and social life…
The BRF are like any other celebrity. They have a spotlight attached ot them and they can use it to bring media attention to a particular issue or concern. But that’s about it. The real work is on the ground and it’s long, strenuous and complicated. And the Windsors, like the overwhelming majority of their fellow celebrities, have no part in it whatsoever. They have even less, if anything, since their constitutionally-defined role forbids them from taking active part in politics.
@Sage
“The BRF is the longest running soap opera…. very expensive production.” And fairly uninspired cast. That’s the problem when the sole criterion for integration is, as Bridget wrote it, having fallen out of a “particularly bejeweled vagina”
@Nic I have to disagree with you. The monarchy is in trouble once The Queen is gone. The world is ever changing and Charles not popular and WK are lazy. It will just decline from there on and with Brexit as well!!! Also WK are not effective with soft diplomacy like Diana was in every country she visited. Also, Diana did more for her charities and AIDS than a lot of people have done in their lifetime. She did good.
If everyone else can make it through traffic before the Queen then Kate and William can too especially given they have a helicopter at their disposal if they are out of town. Some people are just chronically late getting out of the house in the morning and it seems Kate is one of them. Maybe having a real job and needing to pay her own bills while she was single would’ve helped her learn how to answer to an alarm clock? I guess we never will know.
I think Kate looks nice except for the earrings and brooch. They look like giant buttons, which is probably why she likes them.
I think she looks good, too, I just wonder why she’d choose such dark, somber colors for Easter.
Perhaps she has a chocolate craving, and wanted to look like a chocolate Easter bunny? 🐇🐇
I like the outfit (except the shoes, which are as boring as possible), but thought the dark brown for Easter seems off. If there’s ever a holiday for bright spring colors, this is it.
I really love her coat, it’s timeless. Those shoes, why?
I have an addiction to bows so I can understand Kate having an addiction to buttons. I’m getting too old for bows, so I don’t know what I’m going to do. Maybe there is a twelve step program or a support group? I’m trying to power down to a bow on my purse or on my flats that somehow looks old enough for me but I’m struggling. The addiction to fashion elements like bows, buttons, tassels and other things is real.
@ Helen Smith lol! 😂
With Kate it’s buttons. For a time with Diana people gave her grief over her penchant for polka dots.
And as for her shoes, I think what she does with the nude pumps a lot of the time is attempting to elongate her lines and in this case she may be trying to minimize attention to slightly swollen ankles.
As for all the scolding about their lateness, traffic and traffic accidents happen. I can personally attest to numerous times US presidential motorcades have been held up and everyone kept waiting around because the leader of the free world was hung up in traffic. It was Easter morning and she’s heavily pregnant and they have two small kids who were probably waking up to baskets and treats just like other children. There are a lot of reasons they might have been running behind. I am sure it was not intentional and if they had stayed at the castle overnight like everyone else, I am sure they would have been on time. Was it a faux pas? Yes. Will the few people it likely bothered get over it? Yes.
I don’t think W & K were staying at the castle? Maybe they drove in from London for the photo op?
Kate (which hilariously autocorrected to late) and Zara look great and glowing. Really like this look on Kate and the lack of buttons is a win. Is it bad that I like the fun pattern on Eugenie’s dress? Its cute.
Hope wherever Meghan and Harry are they are enjoying their last weeks of press free time
I love Eugenie’s dress too. She looks so happy in that photo.
Tbh everyone looks great but her dress is one I would wear
I really liked what Anne was wearing including her hat.
Love the skirt on Eugenie. Want.
The Queen’s pink coat is a bit of happy color.
I also love Eugenie’s skirt. Maybe because it reminds me of an explosion while dyeing Easter eggs! It’s fun and happy.
Puff ball skirts are making a comeback. I better take down my 80s skirts. Wonder if they still fit!!
I love the puffball skirts. My sister had one in her closet for years, my niece recently took it , she loves it.
As long as you two promise not to wear them with stretchy, metallic tube tops. Flashback to that terrible striped puffball skirt Diana wore a few times.
Lol
Her dress under the coat looked very spring and beautiful as well, I wish we had a full picture
It’s a dress https://www.farfetch.com/ca/shopping/women/oscar-de-la-renta-paint-splattered-buttoned-dress-item-12589377.aspx
Stood out to me too. She looked nice (even though I don’t like bubble skirts).
Holy cow! That is a LOT of money for an ok dress. Over $5k!!!!!
Scram, who pays for her and Bea’s outfits, HM???
Everyone looks really good.
I’d like to know why with all the money they have, the York women are always such fashion “Yikes!” They consistently and almost uniformly make the worst choices in clothing.
Props to Kate and Zara for wearing high heels.
yes, Yikes!
I used to wonder about their fashion choices, but I think crazy looks are their thing. I like that they take risks.
Agreed. I find the Yorks less ‘affected’ than some of the other royals and thus more likeable but omg their fashion choices. Yikes sums it up best
Yeah, I have a soft spot for the York sisters but man they usually dress off the mark.
And their fashion choices are $$$$$-especially when you add in their shoes (they are shoe girls, unlike Kate) and handbags.
I wonder how they pay for that stuff?
They have millions in inheritance from the Queen Mum plus the majority of what would be Fergie’s settlement was invested in their names.
Too expensive for the results quite frankly. Cute enough but not that cute. Anyone with the money can buy expensive clothes, but a stylish person looks great no matter the price.
I read somewhere, maybe here, that most of the crazy clothes they wear aren’t theirs as in they are given the clothes to wear once and return for publicity, like renting of sorts. The brands have their name out there and they don’t have to spend crazy money that they don’t have apparently. I think they might have some bespoke pieces in their closets but a 5k dress is a looot even for Kate who has an official royal budget at her disposal so I don’t think they can buy a dress that expensive.
I thought Kate looked wonderful and I was surprised to see her make a public appearance. Hello magazine online published close up photos of the back of Williams head whoa!!! ……what on earth happened? It looks like he let Charlotte cut his hair.
Zara looked great – wonder when she is due?
I think I read somewhere that she is “due” in the summer.
I think she looks fine. I’m through waiting to be dazzled. Only one thing I’d change is a happier color for Easter services. Chocolate brown is so drab.
Yes agree it wasn’t an Easter colour. I thought Kate looked great in lavender last summer on tour overseas …..too bad she didn’t wear a lavender coat on Easter Sunday.
She’s heavily pregnant, I don’t think she would fit into that lavender coat right now. She is just re-wearing something that she can fit in to.
I wrote “a lavender coat” …. Kate can wear a lavender coat for her stage of pregnancy.
But why spend money on a new lavender coat in the last few weeks of pregnancy when she already has other coats that she can still fit in to?
She has multiple brighter maternity coats from two prior pregnancies, which she could have chosen here. She chose mud brown.
Perhaps she wants to wear the brighter coats to something else before the end of her pregnancy? Besides, if she wore one of her brighter coats she’d be accused of trying to stand out by some. It’s really not a big deal that she wore brown tbh.
Since when has cost ever been a consideration for Kate? She’s debuted 95% new clothing every year that she’s been a royal, rarely wearing the same outfit twice.
@LAK exactly. I’ve lost count of how many new blue coats she has worn since January. And I don’t remember seeing her in this coat before. This coat still looks black to me.
I thought it was black. Either way – not an “Easterly” color for observant Christians. The holiday is about rejoicing, or mourning, and it’s not like they’re hard up for cash for outfits, you know?
The others aren’t really wearing Easter colours either save for HM and possibly Anne.
Autumn is in light blue, Zara in bright blue, Eugenie in navy/black with rainbow dots of different sizes, Sophie in blue with white hat, Beatrice in white, Louise in burgundy with light pink hat. Those are all pretty Easter outfits to me, moreso than brown.
Thank you Nota and the rest of ladies.
Resurrection = Easter. It’s THE reason we are Christians. To choose a drab brown color shows she has no imagination or is blatantly passive aggressive like her spoiled toddle prince.
ITA I know I will never really like Kate’s style. She looks fine. The shoes are bad but I can only shrug.
The first pic….she looks like she has to pee. Which given she’s pregnant might be accurate.
Serious question and would love to hear you guys opinion, after The Queen goes do you believe the monarchy will still be strong and relevant and much influence? Will it be in safe hands with Charles and William?
It will pass to Charles if HM doesn’t outlive him but I think we’ll see countries withdraw from the Commonwealth.
With regard to Philip, he’s well enough to go out but not well enough for Easter? He is nursing a sore hip. I noticed he canceled a previous engagement. Andrew stepped in. Philip is quite elderly, we’re going to see less of him and HM.
Will the monarchy decline and the royals lose a lot of their royal presence and significance as well as influence?
Kitty, it’s hard to answer your questions though I do believe after HM dies there will be quite a bit of mourning around the world and there will be several Commonwealth countries reexamining their ties to the Monarchy. The crowd turnout in Canada for the British royals now is not nearly as tremendous as it was during the Diana years. The younger generations of Canadians aren’t as interested in the British royals. I also believe Australia will reexamine ties to the Monarchy after the death of HM. It’s a wait and see situation and given the longevity genes, we may be waiting another 10 years.
@Citresse, but what about the future of the monarchy and its royals?
Kitty, I think Citresse has answered your question a couple of times now and about as well as could be done since yours is a hypothetical question.
The reign of the British monarchy is beyond merely Britain and includes the Commonwealth – in some form or another. if more and more of the Commonwealth nations cease to have the British monarch as their head of state, the monarchy loses influence, power etc. As it is, the commonwealth countries had recently planned a review to decide how the head of the Commonwealth would be selected after HRM – hitherto, it has been that the head of the Commonwealth was the Br. monarch (ER-II at the minute).
If and when any of this impacts the existence of a monarchy in Britain will be a separate thread that we will determine just as the Br. Commonwealth nations are examining their status to be a republic or remain a realm of the C’wealth.
I’m from New Zealand and I would say both NZ and Australia are quite likely to become Republics when the Queen passes. I don’t think anyone Down Under has any great affection for Charles.
I agree TrixC, when the Queen passes I expect there will be a renewed push for us to become a republic with our own head of state. I hope so anyway.
After Charles, it will, in my opinion. The goodwill people have toward HM will be gone. Brexit is going to be painful and hurt. I think the public’s patience will slowly wear out. I have fun watching them but they may keep their titles but none of the perks.
In this day and age, it is more and more useless.
Charles at least has interests of value and a history of other times. It should end with him.
Harry and William, Eugenie and Beatrice, Edward’s children should be the last Prince and Princesses. The rest can be Dukes from here on out.
@magnoliarose, IDK about Charles because he’s not popular, I think the decline and fragility will happen right after unless there is a miracle. I am shocked by William’s lack of work ethic and sense of duty. I thought The Queen and Charles have mentored him.
Screaming because we’re allowed to stare at that stupid door beginning next week! Parking restrictions begin at Lindo Wing on the 10th and the media’s allowed to set up the next day
https://twitter.com/WWKD_Official/status/980777330527363072
The door-watching was fun with George. It was tedious with Charlotte. This time, I honestly don’t think anyone cares and it’s funny if the press will be living out there for days thinking that we do!
It will actually be interesting to see if the coverage of this one is anywhere near what it was in the past. I think even the royal reporters know that interest in W&K has dwindled and I can see editors not wanting to allocate resources to hang around outside the Lindo Wing for so long.
i think once a celebrity couple has both a boy and a girl, the next baby is just less exciting. if charlotte had been a boy, there would be bigger attention on baby #3.
I think that W & K are hoping for a baby boy, and it may well be a boy. I am not being sexist but there are an awful lot of regiments, and traditionally the sons of the monarch or monarch to be have spent time in the forces. Daughters may be less likely to want to join the marines or fly helicopters, so they could do with another boy. George may not fancy being in the forces like his grand Uncle Edward.
I’m surprised. I always thought that they make huge news all the time?
Yes that means Bea already greeted her before church at some point. You’ll notice that Princess Anne doesn’t curtsey either.
Lainey has a bizarre anecdote about William barely spending Easter with Kate and the kids, and her family. What is that about? Like, does he have a jump-off?!
William was carrying out some duchy of Cornwall duties last week which might explain why he didn’t join his wife & kids at her parents house until later.
It is also worth bearing in mind that even though Kate is now on maternity leave this doesn’t mean that William should also take time off from his duties.
Him doing a handful of engagements wouldn’t explain her leaving their home and going to her parents with the kids for an extended period. That would be her choice (and his) to not spend time together.
Why is an explanation needed if Kate wants to spend a few days at her parents without William present? Good grief married couples are allowed to spend a few days apart without people turning it into some sort of scandal!
It is not uncommon for a woman to spend time with her parents & sometimes her spouse doesn’t always have to be present.
Why are excuses given for William’s decision to be away from his family frequently, when they could easily have been together for the week? This isn’t new, it is a 15+ year pattern of doing whatever he wants and the Middletons covering for him.
Away from his family frequently? Considering we barely know what any of the royals get up to in their spare time you couldn’t possibly know how much time they spend together in private.
What else is knew? That’s the life they lead. Separate togetherness.
He gets to live however he wants while she and her family get the royal association in return. At least this year he didn’t dump the kids for time with Jecca.
Willy rarely spends holidays with his wife and kids – she is often at her parents house with them but its very rarely reported on.
I would not be surprised if he has a side piece, given that he cheated all through the dating years.
He doesn’t even pretend anymore. He’s always been like this, so she knew it but living it is something different. I do feel for her sometimes.
Digital Unicorn, Love Lola reported as of the fall of 2014, it is rumored their is a significant other, so going on 4 years,he is getting some elsewhere!! Would it surprise anyone, giving Chuck’s treatment of his mum, I mean he had such a wonderful example, I am being sarcastic, I think as a general rule most people expect it and so no surprise there!!!!
Zara put them KNEES into that curtsy…gave that leg a bit of a back sweetp…it was PERFECT!!!!!
Lala
This comment gives me life. Please comment on everything forever.
I second Shotcaller. Please comment on all royal posts forever, Lala!
Anne was not going to have a daughter that can’t give a proper curtsy. I wonder how much she made her practice.
Haha I noticed that too.
Princess Anne looked nice in that blue-green coat and hat. Does that woman ever smile?
Believe it or not I have seen her laughing in two pictures. One was when she was playing with her granddaughter Mia, and the other was when she was surrounded by a bevy of men at Ascot, which included her former lover Camilla’s ex husband.
I am still eagerly awaiting for pictures in which she is just smiling nicely.
Like her mother and great-grannie, Anne has resting B face.
Anne is definitely one of those people who you do not want to cross. I’d fear for my life!
With regard to W&K being late to arrive, I don’t know why they just didn’t stay overnight at Windsor castle???? I would love to stay overnight at Windsor castle…. it’s a beautiful place. William wanted to make it known (again) he’s closer to the Middletons but I wish he wasn’t so passive aggressive about it. William should respect HM with regard to protocol but at the same time he loves to flaunt the fact he’s heir apparent and being late is just one example.
Technically Charles is heir apparent. William is heir apparent to the heir apparent…
Yes, NIC919 of course, thank you. I should have written; William is a future King.
I think William likes to act as though he is heir apparent, without doing any of the work for it though. That said, I think there was an emergency Middleton meeting because of the charges against Pippa’s father in law.
My guess is that so they could celebrate Easter morning with their children…?
Likely Zara did the same with Mia and Mike before heading to this service solo – and being there on time.
@NotASugar I’m not excusing them being late, just pointing out why they might not have wanted to spend the night at Windsor which someone questioned in the thread above. I have no idea what Zara and Mike’s family situation is like or how they choose to spend their holidays. They missed the Christmas festivities so I’m sure they made an effort to be present with the Royal family for Easter.
I realize there’s some weirdness with the Middletons and Kate/Will’s situation, but I don’t think it’s odd for Kate to want to spend holidays with her family while her kids are still young (especially since, by the sound of it, Royal holidays seem very formal and adult-oriented), and if the Middletons had come to Kensington, I’m sure people would have found issue with that, too.
That said, they should have left her parents’ house earlier because surely the road work wasn’t a surprise.
@Lexa, this question isn’t directed specifically at you but it made me wonder — if they had chosen to stay overnight at Windsor, surely they would have been able to bring George and Charlotte as well, right? And then a nanny could have stayed with them during the mass?
And yet, wherever Mike, Zara, and Mia spent the night before? Zara managed to be at the church on time, while W&K were so late as to delay the start of the service.
Brown for Easter? And God, those shoes again. The Queen looks amazing as always.
You know how Kate loves theme dressing! She’s a chocolate Easter bunny. How did you miss it?
Omg they were a few minutes late. They probably had to stop so she could use the bathroom. You’re making it sound like she killed someone. Get over it. There are way more important things to whine about. But oh yes. It’s William and Kate so there has to be something to criticize.
+1
Considering this family is all about status and curtseying to each other and who follows whom in the order of precedence, being later than the Queen is a big deal. And needing bathroom breaks simply shoes a lack of planning on their part.
Agree with LAK on this one. Typically I wouldn’t care in the least about someone being late due to roadwork, especially someone heavily pregnant and with two young children at home on Easter morning, but their entire reason for existing is to “perform” stuff like this, so for them, it’s part of their job to follow protocol to the letter.
ETA: I kept seeing “but what about” criticisms yesterday about how Harry and Meghan were late to a recent engagement, which was infuriating because they were ON A TRAIN. The had absolutely no control whatsoever over the situation. It’s apples and oranges. The comparisons were so irritating.
Uh, I don’t know if you’ve ever been 8 months pregnant before, but bathroom breaks do not necessarily show a lack of planning. I would literally pee right before leaving work, then still have to to make a pit stop on my less-than-an-hour-long commute home. It is literally doctor’s orders to drink plenty of water, for health of baby and to prevent premature labor, all while your bladder is squeezed to half its size by a fetus that also moves and actively kicks/pushes on said bladder. Not to mention being so freaking tired. Also everyone’s pregnancy is different and it really sucks to make comparisons between women.
The press was told about the roadworks on the M4 being the reason for the delay. Nothing was mentioned about Kate having issues of any sort. Besides it can’t take her that long to pee and their delay was significant enough. It was more than a quick bathroom break.
Tallyhoo, equally pregnant Zara managed. W&K are constantly late; this was merely the latest example.
I am sure The Queen minded. I don’t think it is understood how important protocol is to HM. It is a huge part of being royal. WE may find it no big deal but it doesn’t mean she does.
The pretzel twisting to make excuses is something. They are adults capable of planning ahead.
Nota, there is a big difference between being 6 mos. and 9 mos. pregnant. I know you hate Kate, that is very apparent in every post, but in this instance, you’re wrong. Zara and Kate’s pregnancies are in *very* different places.
LOL this is so hilarious. I am sure you absolutely know when you need to go on a bathroom break.
The amount of critique Kate gets on this site for every small thing is astounding.
I have a hard time getting it up for this one as well. We’re talking about breaking protocol, not murdering someone. I don’t care, but then again I think that a monarchy is based on an entirely arbitrary set of circumstances and rules. It’s all silly.
Making everyone else wait and being late for the service itself? Once they realized they had missed the ability to be on time, they should have turned around and gone home.
Still silly. Still can’t get it up to be outraged.
It is part of their job, such as it is, to follow the protocol set out by the Queen. If they are late and there after the Queen it is like being late for work. Most bosses don’t appreciate that either.
Whether we think it outdated or not, Royal protocol dictates that no-one should arrive after the queen. The cynic in me believes that attending the church service was a last minute decision by W&K, after the story broke about Pippa’s in-laws. Trying to get some good PR for Brand Cambridge-Middleton by appearing with the Royals.
Good theory.
VERY good theory. Except it blew up in their faces and all of the headlines were about how they were late!
I think this is very close to the mark. She’s also wearing a hat that Carole has been spotted wearing in the past. So with the story breaking in the weekend about the arrest, this really does seem like a last minute decision.
Her bling is getting bigger. Kate is wearing bigger bling than either Sarah or Eugenie. Is there some kind of hierarchy in the size of your bling for Royals?
@TataMata I think her bling is fairly cheap costume jewelry…I can’t remember the details, but I remember being surprised when she first wore them and they were ID’d. So they might be big but they’re not jewels like the Queen or Camilla wears.
Isn’t that ID’d above as Balenciaga? I don’t think I would call that cheap costume jewelry.
Eugenie’s fiance was there? Before their wedding? Have royal watchers and reporters recover from the shock? Somehow, I don’t think they were as outraged as when another woman attend royal functions.
Also wonder how some of this royal men can enter a church without being striked. The Church’s closeness with them shows how hypocrite they really are. All about the connection, nothing about following the teachings. I hope metoo can catch some of them, finally.
Do all the women own at least one pair of those LK Bennett shoes? Gracious.
I own a pair.
It may or may not be because I read about them…here…
I’ll go back to my corner now.
Kate’s broach reminds me of the pawnbroker symbol.
@Hazel LMAO!
Its not a good look that Meghan just got baptized and then misses Easter Sunday church service. Easter is a very important part of the church celebrations.
Do you know she didn’t attend church? We know she didn’t attend this one, but there are hundreds of thousands of other churches in the world.
And being on time for them is just as important. William and Kate forced the entire congregation to wait for them.
Last year was the first time William and Kate attended the Windsor service, by which point they’d been married six years,
and no one made anywhere near as much of a fuss about them missing it for years on end as they’re making about Harry and Meghan missing this one.
I actually went and checked and aside from the usual criticisms about Kate’s outfit no one really cared that they’d never attended before and the article writer attributed most of the family being there to the queen’s illness during the winter holidays. Harry doesn’t generally go and last year was in Toronto, but suddenly Meghan should attend because she was recently baptized (in a gesture that was probably more symbolic than anything because anyone believes that she’s all that religious). It’s the minority on this site doing it, but I’m still annoyed as it’s clear nitpicking or an attempt to deflect by some.
I do remember that since W&K have been married and they weren’t at Easter Sunday with the Queen, something was said about that. And since I have followed W&K since their engagement, I remember a lot of things.
When William went to Jecca’s wedding during Easter weekend leaving his family at home the talk of why the future head of the Church of England has never attended the Easter service as an adult amplified. He showed up with Kate for the first time the year after.
If Meghan had been at the service, she would undoubtedly stolen the limelight by her very presence , without even trying she would be headline news. So she can never win, her detractors will criticise anything she does.
PrincessK, I have been quietly observing the commentary & I must agree with you…It is a Catch 22. Most of the media has failed (or intentional chosen to mention) that Harry hasn’t attended Easter Service with the Queen since he was a young boy. Last year and this year have been the only times I have seen William & Catherine in attendance…”Where was this outrage?”…I mean isn’t William & Kate the future King & Queen Consort (after Charles & Camilla)?…So H& M’s ‘absence’ seems to be an intent to nitpick.
That whole stealing the limelight is ridiculous, imo. If that’s the case then Meghan should never appear in public with the Queen. HM didn’t care about Meghan stealing the limelight when she invited her to the Christmas Church walk and the Commonwealth Service.
And after the wedding, will Meghan be stealing the limelight on the balcony during the Trooping the Colour? Oy…
And according to the press, the royals ladies even have to make sure that they don’t wear a brighter color than HM, or that’s stealing the limelight as well. Anyone remember Kate wearing red during the River Boat Pageant of 2012?
I think that has to be Kate’s favorite hat, she’s worn it so many times. I didn’t really feel anything about it at first, but I’ve grown to dislike it. It really depends on the outfit and the way it is accessorized but that hat just reminds me of the circular fabric storage containers for my mom’s fancy china.
You don’t see them here but I really liked Countess Sophie and Lady Louise’s outfits.
Nice to see Zara healthy and pregnant too. And nice to see Eugenie bring along her fiancé.
As for Kate and William arriving late… everyone knows you leave for Easter Sunday early! Regardless if your grandmother is the queen or not. I don’t know about your local church but mine is always packed on Easter! You have to get there a good 20 minutes early if you want a seat and parking.
Amelie, Ditto, I do think it is her favorite hat, and I actually love it as well, I just wish she had it in other colors!
I think the lateness was a ploy designed to banish any thought/mention of child raping grandfathers & the BRF in the same breath in the public & press. Worked pretty good too. Gave the pearl clutchers something to condescend over. I wouldn’t put it past liz to have come up with it herself. I can see her twinkling as she gets to chew WK a new one in private all to keep up the pretense.
Robert Baratheon was a lazy Royal and I’m sure Westeros preferred him to King Joffrey…certainly Ned Stark did.