There was a huge Republic protest outside the Commonwealth service today

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What an odd moment for the left-behind Windsors to celebrate their former empire and current “commonwealth.” Today is Commonwealth Day, and a pitiful assortment of “working royals” gathered at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth service. Last week, the BBC announced that they weren’t even going to air this year’s service, that’s how little people care. Incidentally, because the Commonwealth service is an increasingly rare preplanned and announced event, that gave anti-monarchy group Republic a chance to stage a pretty big demonstration, complete with yellow signs and big posters of Prince Andrew. We’ll have more photos tomorrow, it usually takes a little while for all of the photos to come in.

As I said, it’s a pretty terrible moment for the monarchy in general right now. King Charles is due to make his first state visit (as king) to the US in about five weeks, but given all of the war crimes and insanity around Donald Trump, several British politicians are openly asking Charles to cancel the state visit. Additionally, anything Charles and Prince William try to do or say these days is being overshadowed by ex-Prince Andrew. In recent days, we’ve seen more horrible photos of Andrew with very young-looking women, if not girls. We’ve also heard that Charles is trying to figure out if he can really eliminate Andrew from the line of succession, which will likely need the approval of all Commonwealth realms.

Geri & Christian Horner were there? So was Prince Albert of Monaco?? Princess Kate’s blue coatdress is from Catherine Walker and it looks new to me.

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Photos courtesy of Getty Images, Cover Images.

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51 Responses to “There was a huge Republic protest outside the Commonwealth service today”

  1. Blujfly says:

    Ginger Spice performed one of the readings. You truly can’t make it up.

    Kate loves a giant saucer hat for a church service which seems rather rude to me.

    The dress makes Kate look incredibly frail and as if the fabric is too heavy for her body.

    • BeanieBean says:

      So disappointed in Gerri &. her sucking up to the royals. Also disappointed in her choice of husband. And that was my thought regarding Kate & her coat–she’s so frail any more it looks like it’s hard for her to walk with anything heavy on.

      And why Prince Albert?? Monaco isn’t part of the Commonwealth!

      • Carty says:

        He’s hosting the Pope in a few weeks. Gotta practice being religious and attending church. All the better if there are paps there to document him

    • First comment says:

      She loves this kind of hat because it hides her face. And Kate is frail, no matter what the fabric of her dress (which is probably chosen because it’s heavy.

    • Lurker says:

      There is no dress to hide how skeletal she is.

      That said, I love the dress (except the padded shoulders). The colour is my favourite and the design is gorgeous. I love the pleated sides of the skirt as a contrast to the straight lines. I even like the buttons.
      For once she got shoes and clutch right, and the pearls and earrings are good, too.
      The saucer on her head thankfully hides the plopped on wig, which is an extra bonus.

      Kate looked good. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about Bulliam or Albert. Why is it so hard to find a well tailored suit? Charles in his younger days always managed and looked impeccable, even when waving to the crowd.

  2. QuiteContrary says:

    If Kate removed 2 strands from those pearls, and wore a smaller hat, she would have gotten that outfit right. But she just always wears too much jewelry for daytime. And that hat seems designed for sun protection, not an indoor church service.

    So happy to see Republic out in force today!

    • Gabby says:

      Just once I would like to see Waity grow the guts to show up at one of these things without a hat at all.

    • Call_Me_AL says:

      Always too much jewelry and makeup during the day (Meghan does this with makeup too sometimes). But the pearls at least cover up some of Kate’s concave chest.

  3. ShazBot says:

    Another structured and padded coat…

    I like the panel down the front and the flowy skirt that swooshes when she walks.
    With the hat and necklace, I like the overall look.

    • Dee says:

      The earrings and the netting on the hat are just a little too much. The lapels look a little stabby, but this is a look she should choose more often.

      • Badgerette says:

        That long panel down the front is giving me crotch covering toga vibes. Like I could swaddle it around like a baby diaper or sumo wrestler. The color is nice though.

    • Jay says:

      They are definitely trying to tailor her coats to add more volume/ curves to her, and the pockets and side pleats are a good solution for that. Personally, I think the combo of three-stranded necklace AND the heavy dangling earrings AND the saucer hat are a bit much for the look.

    • Chaine says:

      I like everything but the netting on the hat and the pointiness of the shoulder pads. Otherwise, it is for her a fresher and lighter look.

  4. KellySays says:

    That new crisis manager is getting a run for her money!

  5. Sherry says:

    Love that coat.

    • Min says:

      That is a beautifully structured coat and I firmly believe if it were worn by anyone who enjoys a well deserved good public opinion, people would fawn over her. This woman, enjoying a well deserved negative public opinion, can’t do right, even when she does.

  6. SunnyDays says:

    I hope the protestors were deafeningly loud. Will looks pissed,he cannot hide it. Kate has one of her blank smiles plastered on but is not openly guffawing like she usually does, so maybe the jeers got to her too. She actually looks quite nice fashion-wise, minus the twee girl hairstyle.

    Not surprised the Royals celebrate people like The Horners… Birds of a feather and all that.

    • Lady Digby says:

      Hasn’t Geri had to be very understanding recently about her husband getting the sack and a female employee complaining about his attentions? It’s a shame Kate doesn’t bother with female friendships because she could have bonded with social climbing Geri over staying married to unfaithful, difficult husbands who are loaded .

    • SarahCS says:

      Well Christian has a lot of time on his hands these days and based on what I’ve seen on Drive to Survive they have worked VERY hard to turn themselves into landed gentry.

      In terms of attitude and behaviours (fidelity being one) they fit right in with the royals.

      • Christine says:

        I had no idea Geri Halliwell is married to Christian Horner! My son is OBSESSED with Max Verstappen, so I have gotten into F1 because he will tell me anything while watching a race. I love that I have gossip I am interested in now!

        Guess it’s time to start Drive to Survive. It’s been beckoning to me.

  7. Jais says:

    It’s a very put together Kate look. The shoulders are a little pointy and the hat is saucer-like but overall it’s good and in her wheelhouse. I mean did she also carry a blue Strathberry clutch? Why yes, yes she did.
    Anyways hope photographers captured some good pics or vids with the yellow signs!

    • Becks1 says:

      My thoughts exactly. I don’t love that coat, but its nice enough and the color is good on her. This is a very typical Kate look and its fine. I would have changed a few things but meh, its Kate.

      • Jais says:

        Exactly. This is just not something I feel a need to pick at. It’s very Kate. The only thing I side-eye is the purse but choosing that one is very Kate too.

  8. Lady Digby says:

    Is this another staple of the royal calendar that Will won’t bother with once he’s in modernizer mode as King? I can see him red penning anything which gives Republic the chance to boo or berate or heckle him about sweaty nonces and not being value for money?

    • Lilly (with the double-L) says:

      Probably not. It looked like a very small crowd without Republic. I’m glad they’re there to keep up the voice for commoners and victims.

      p.s. what was the mascot unicorn on the steps ? It almost looked like it was dancing in step to the protest chants in Republic’s vid. Lol

      • Lurker says:

        Yes, there was a unicorn dancing! Very Portland.

        Press here in Germany spoke of about 500 onlookers, didn’t mention how many protesters were there. I would bet half of the 500 were tourists trying to get a photo. If in London, why not?

  9. Yay!! Protesters give them hell!!!

  10. kelleybelle says:

    The coat-dress is okay but I think the hat is a disaster. It somehow doesn’t go with the outfit.

    • BeanieBean says:

      I was looking at some other website (Town & Country, I think, very fawning article) & it seems she wore that flying saucer hat to the Commonwealth Service before in 2023, when she wore that polka dot Erdem 1940s suit. She added that netting for yesterday’s service. Now, as a normal human being I can see re-wearing clothes, accessories, and even whole outfits but when you’re in Kate’s position getting photographed? I don’t get it. She doesn’t need to buy new, but she could certainly mix & match from different events or even from some non-event normal life thing. Oh, wait, Kate doesn’t actually go anywhere or do anything. Never mind. 🙄

  11. KASalvy says:

    Those coats always look like Kate’s shrugging her shoulders and cowering. Not helping her posture one bit.

  12. Eowyn says:

    Knowing about a big Republic demonstration is fantastic news for a Monday.

  13. Dee(2) says:

    I mean they should be getting protested. Why is this even surprising to them? For any other politician dealing with something like this or head of state they would expect and anticipate protests, but for some reason this family seems to think that they are above reproach regardless of what they are being reproached about.

    The King has issued one statement about andrew, even though you’re getting new photos just about every day. The domestic violence campaigners and women’s rights campaigners and the queen and the duchess of Edinburgh haven’t said anything directly. The Prince and Princess of Wales haven’t said anything directly, but if let everyone know that they’re not okay with people attending a horse race, and they won’t be taking pictures with them for the rest of the year.

    I mean, get a clue. What do you expect people to do? I sincerely hope that that crisis manager did not start because good grief.

  14. Gabby says:

    Now I bet they’re glad the BBC didn’t show up.

  15. Sharon says:

    We don’t celebrate commonwealth day in Canada. On the weekend, our prime minister called for Andrew to be removed from the line of succession.

  16. Maja says:

    Where are the people from the Commonwealth at this service for the Commonwealth?

  17. Blubb says:

    Prince Albert of Monaco? Geri Halliwell? What I have they to do with the Commonwealth????

    • GTWiecz says:

      Albert is compromised too…his strange marriage and the children he had on the side.
      The Spice Girls like the whole royal pageantry I guess.

  18. Sue says:

    That color blue is a bit dowdy. It reminds me of the color blue that the nuns in my Catholic school upbringing would wear.

  19. Beff says:

    There is quite a lot of drama in the other royal courts and I wish you posted more about them, Kaiser. I loathe Prince Albert more than any of the Windsors, and that’s saying something. Blech.

  20. KC2 says:

    Be careful what you ask for. Charles and William wanted a slimmed down monarchy, and now that have it.

    And yuck, relying in second rate celebs as well. Geri in her all white, so pretentious, and her womanizing husband. Were the Beckham’s there?

  21. MSJ says:

    Good that she’s back to her signature style- coordinated coat dress, shoes, hat – instead of cosplaying someone else.

  22. Chaine says:

    Of course William looks awkward. His whole role in society is ridiculously anachronistic, and he knows it. He has no real utility or purpose, and he knows it. Thus, he says vague things about “modernizing the monarchy,” but he hasn’t the slightest inclination to imagine what has to be done or the courage to do it.

  23. Monc says:

    Ug…. She’s a rail…

  24. NoBS Please says:

    Good thing they had sleazy Albert of Monaco and Christian Horny there, to remind everyone what a gathering of paedo-enabling, adulterous, hypocritical douche-bags this was!

    • Felicity Fox says:

      Absolutely agree. I was just thinking that it was like the pervy perv perv convention is being held in a cathedral this year!

  25. M says:

    Her posture always makes my back hurt in sympathy. Walking into the room chin first is crazy.

  26. Al says:

    I so love this for them. I pray that the E files just keep dropping the entire year and with each drop, Andrew should be exposed. This will serve them right. They will pay the price for trying to destroy Meghan. I am loving this for all of them.

  27. First comment says:

    I like this coat dress on Kate, both the design and the colour are perfect. The structured pads are a little over the edge but this is expected to hide her frail frame and posture. But the combination of earrings and 4 rounds of pearls is a little de trop but it’s definitely Kate. William looks awful as usual and he seems very thin as well. I don’t know what happened in 2024 but something is definitely not right.

  28. Lady Digby says:

    All three major UK news channels had videos of very loud booing coming from the Republican Movement. I bet both Chuck and heir are incandescent and blaming Andrew for raining on their parade !
    King praises Commonwealth at biggest royal gathering since Andrew arrest – BBC News https://share.google/ef4yN8fXyDVCCmjsx

  29. Amy Bee says:

    Monaco is not part of the Commonwealth why is Prince Albert there? Kate is wearing her style so that’s good. The only issue with the coat dress are the very wide shoulder pads.

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