Yesterday’s palace reception for Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday was only the second time the Princess of Wales has been seen in a month. Kate was tasked with making small talk with lots of seniors, which is actually her one strength (she prefers chatting with seniors as opposed to children). Prince William and Kate also had to pose for photos during the reception, including one dusty portrait of the “working royals” all gathered together. I have no idea what King Charles believed that the portrait would show, but most people were sort of horrified by just how old the “working royals” actually are.
The Telegraph tried to put a dutifully monarchist spin on the working-royal photo, but even they could barely manage it, writing: “From the 43-year-old Prince William to the 90-year-old Duke of Kent, they gathered for a photograph to mark the occasion – a snapshot of the slimmed-down monarchy in its new era. With an average age of 69, each generation worked to its strengths.” YIKES!! It’s even worse because, as many are pointing out, the septuagenarians and octogenarians are regularly outworking the two lazy 40-somethings. Meanwhile, GB News’ spin was that, actually, William, Kate, Sophie and Edward are the new Fab Four. LMAO.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were seen standing with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh today, potentially marking the new “fab four”.
It was not so long ago that the Royal Family’s future was destined to be carried by the so-called foursome – brothers Prince Harry and William, with their respective partners, Meghan Markle and Catherine. It showed promise: the prospect of two young and energetic couples leading the way in the new age of the British Royal Family. But it wouldn’t be too long until it fell apart.
After a mammoth dispute, Harry migrated to the States, writing his memoir, Spare, and, in September 2020, stepped away from royal duties altogether.
For the king-to-be, he remained diligent alongside his wife while a new partnership formed. This was on show once again today at Buckingham Palace.
Edward, some 16 years younger than his brother King Charles and 19 years older than William, has acted as a pivotal glue in binding the two generations together. Meanwhile, Sophie has forged a strong bond with Catherine, who herself has now become part of the furniture at Buckingham Palace over the years.
Together, they have made up a new, strong foursome that, on the foundations of hard work and dedication, has the potential to live up to the original “fab four” billing. Today was the latest example of such.
PART OF THE FURNITURE?? I realize that’s a common expression, but it’s not a compliment for Kate to be described as, in essence, just there, part of the tapestry, another piece of furniture. Double yikes. As for the New Fab Four… even the emotional-support pollsters didn’t bother to include Sophie in their recent polling. All of her international tours get zero attention. People never know what Edward and Sophie are up to at any given moment because you can’t even pay royal reporters to cover them. But sure, the new Fab Four.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- (left-right) the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth. Picture date: Tuesday April 21, 2026.,Image: 1093346300, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- The Prince of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth. Picture date: Tuesday April 21, 2026.,Image: 1093346365, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- The Princess of Wales speaks to 100 year-old John Jervois during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth. Picture date: Tuesday April 21, 2026.,Image: 1093347168, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth. Picture date: Tuesday April 21, 2026.,Image: 1093347285, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth. Picture date: Tuesday April 21, 2026.,Image: 1093347597, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- Members of the British royal family during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth Featuring: The Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Members of the British royal family during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth Featuring: The Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Members of the British royal family during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth Featuring: The Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Members of the British royal family during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth Featuring: (Left to right) The Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, the Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 Apr 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Fab must mean something really, really different in Great Britain than it does here in the States.
Lol. English is my second language. It must be something for rizzless I haven’t heard before.
That top photo of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha/ aka Windsors is so depressing. On the upside, the Duchess of Gloucester looked lovely as always.
The duchess is so lovely and elegant. SHE’S the one who’s “never put a foot wrong”. And Alexandra Kent is a very elegant lady too. And you can still see what a beauty she was.
@Dainty Daisy everyone descended from Elizabeth and Phillip are actually Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Only if you’re in the press apparently.
@Lauren, thanks for the info. 🫡Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg? Now that’s a mouthful and still not British at all.
I think they meant ‘drab’ four….
I think they meant Frozen in Amber Four.
Didn’t the BM/RR’s call Charles, Camilla, William and Kate the new “Fab Four” at one point?.lol How’s that working out?
I’ve taken to calling these four “The Invisibles”. 😂
Because no one seems to ever see them, even when they leave their respective badger setts. The tabloid media who claims their superiority over the Sussexes, certainly never thinks to report on them as frequently or as breathlessly as they do H&M.
“Fab four”? No more like the dull and boring and lazy four without an ounce of charisma or kindness between them. They are the Drab Four!!!
You hit the nail on the head.
If they’re the new Fab Four, I’m the Queen of Sheba.
Sorry to keep using this analogy, but there’s so much delusion spouted by the media about these people. It’s not hard to imagine Sophie going back to Bagshot and demanding new dressing rooms with more flattering mirrors all the better to showcase her as part of this new Fab Four. God help us.
They are excruciatingly boring just to look at. And Sophie gives me the ‘I hate my life vibes’ and want to run away with a protection officer. Fab Four LOL
Yeah, still trying to make “fetch” happen.
And then as she ran away with her protection officer, their motorcade ran over and killed an old woman.
That was a terrible occurrence and has been totally swept under the carpet…….. really disgusting.
Why didn’t the Press really take them to task over that death – and the unnecessary use of police outriders for the likes of Sophie & Edward? Outriders should be reserved for the King and the UK Prime Minister.
There they go again. This talk of the Fab Four has been reconstituted so many times, each time with different members to it. There have been enough Fab Fours in that family to make up a really boring orchestra.
Lord, Sophie needs a stylist. She’s so freaking frumpy.
ITA about the frumpiness. But I kind of appreciate that she doesn’t obsess over her own or someone else’s idea of fashion. Same with Anne–Anne goes with great fabrics in non-era-specific cuts that last for decades. Neither woman seems concerned about her weight. If the alternative is Meghan-like neutrals and coatdresses in every shade of the rainbow, give me frump.
Sophie has been spending six figures a year since at least Kate came aboard. She tries she just has more misses than hits. This dress was frumpy but I don’t hate it. Wrong setting. Princess Anne has thousands of coats and dresses in great expensive fabrics and most of them look dated. I can’t imagine spending that much money on clothes and having so few still look wearable. This is one of her good coats. Meghan’s neutrals will age much better than Kate’s coat dresses or Anne’s clothes. I’m too young for that frump and I hope to still be in 40 years.
Anne rewears from 20/30/40 years ago. Personally I wish she would update her look sometimes and especially her hair! Sophie, on the other hand, spends huge amounts of money on high end custom designer , especially Susannah (? spelling) and it is all far too long. I think it is great that she doesn’t feel the need to be stick thin, but she doesn’t need to learn to dress to her shape.
She does, and so does Kate. Since her Meghan-obsessed stylist left, all we’re getting is more coat-dresses and the usual top-embellished too-long bores to compensate for Kate’s non-existent chest.
that dress she’s wearing is awful. she should cut her hair.
Sophie and Ed will likely owe their future security in life and within the Royal Family to the whims and wishes of Will and Kate. There have been a few times when she’s shown more brightly than usual in her press coverage— and that probably got tamped down more than a bit. It’s a fine line Sophie is trying to walk: getting help to spiff up her style — without in any way calling attention to herself in ways that might potentially threaten her volatile nephew and his wife. I do think she’s naturally frumpy, but frumpy is also probably a strategic and smart place to be.
LOL! I Had the same thought…Why is she wearing a frumpy house dress to this shindig? Everyone else seemed to have made an effort but Sophie looks like she’s heading out for groceries after she gets her picture taken and hopes to be home before Coronation Street starts.
Sophie and Zara look like suburban housewives from Ohio.
If Kate is more comfortable talking to seniors than to children, perhaps her big project should have focused on them rather than the early years.
She’s only more comfortable with seniors because they’re royalists. Kids are honest. Royalists love princess Kate, her ugly but expensive clothes, and her doll wigs. They don’t expect conversation. Easy to please.
The most interesting thing in this photo is Cam and Anne shoulder to shoulder after a lifetime of sleeping with the same man (and maybe still are? Just a thought to spice up this photo).
Wait, what? I have not heard of this – please spill.
Anne dated Andrew Parker Bowles early on. She couldn’t marry him because he’s Catholic but they famously stayed close throughout their marriages. Meanwhile, Cam has always been in love with him and we can speculate they never stopped being conjugal after they were pressured into divorce following tampon-gate. APB is still very much alive and kicking, so anything’s possible. 😉
Andrew Parker Bowles had the option to convert. But did not. The divorce and Andrew and Camilla was caused by Charles telling the world on a tv interview that he was involved with Camilla. The Parker Bowles divorced as a result of Charles naming her.
Just me, but I do suspect Anne remains jealous of Camilla. And, despite everything, I also imagine Camilla would be better company – imagine the horror of sitting next to Anne on a long haul flight!
Late to the party but I think it’s noteworthy that the Vice Admiral was absent and I don’t think I’ve seen a reason as to why Tim Laurence was actually missing.
There have been rumors at times that things weren’t as well between him and Anne as they could be…
But I’m sure they’d have given a reason as to his not being around, had he been ill.
I somehow think the rota tried very hard to pretend no one noticed anything that was amiss.
Remember the black eye he had when Anne was supposedly kicked by a horse on the head? At that time I heard a rumor it was DV but it was wiped off the internet entirely. To see the power the RF has over the internet, South Park’s erroneous interpretation of Harry and Meghan saying they wanted privacy is all over Google. All over the place. If you search for “Prince of Pegging”, the animated cartoon of William and Kate’s wedding, it’s gone. You can’t find the video anywhere, not even YouTube. The same exact way all articles about William and Rose disappeared in 2019-2019.
@Nanea – I remember said rumours too about real state of Anne’s marriage. It’s more than possible that Laurence is paid some sort of stipend for accompanying Anne to events. Who knows what he does rest of the time, some of the photographers may have an idea or two.
What is the I Don’t Drink Coffee prince drinking?
A Bloody Mary? No-one else has a drink in their hand that I can see.
Very slim possibility that’s guava juice. But who brings their breakfast beverage to an afternoon reception?
Considering how close Will is standing to Kate in that bottom picture, while still having a pleasant expression, almost a smile, on his face – whatever he’s drinking has to be alcoholic (and possibly not his first drink either). More evidence – Kate also (gasp) appears to have her hand on his back, and he’s not squirming away.
There’s at least one other person visible with a drink in their hand – the woman to the left of Kate’s shoulder, whose face is turned to look at them, has what looks to be a glass of white wine in her hand.
Kate touching him after seeing how Harry and Meghan are affectionate with each other. Still, William stays far away as possible from her.
I think I’ve shared this before, but when we were watching QEII’s funeral, my husband saw Edward and said, “damn, William must be taking her death pretty hard, he’s looking rough”. He can’t be the only one to not know who the hell Edward is. As for SoFiesta, I think that nickname says it all. She’s not even part of the furniture. She’s like, the floor under a rug.
Welp, they got their slimmed down monarchy. Best enjoy cuz it’s what they ordered. Pity it still costs the same if not more than a few years ago.
The hospice’s fab four
‘Part of the furniture’ is quite an insult. It means you have been around so long nobody notices you anymore. It also suggests that others consider that you have nothing of value to offer so people will overlook you.
Exactly. Furniture – leant upon, sat upon, moved to where necessary, but often just worn out and faded gilt, often old fashioned, and dusty and ignored, forgotten about .. what a description.
It’s a terrible expression, and one I’d not heard before. I had to re-read that sentence a few times to realize that yes, indeed, they were talking about Kate, and no, no there weren’t any sentences accidentally left out between that one and the next. ‘Part of the furniture’!!!! Ah, poor Kate, was it worth it?
What’s fab about them? And they have been trying this out for 6 years. When I saw this article, I literally thought again?!!
And yeah it’s not great when you have 11 working royals, and seven of them are over 75. Edward and Sophie should probably be winding down the number engagements that they do over the next 10 years, not looking ahead to doing them for another 25.
And the reason behind this is so stupid, because ” slimming” down the working royals still hasn’t gotten you any attention. The heir and his wife are horrifically lazy, and no one cares about this king and queen. Andrew is a non-starter, but Beatrice was clearly until quite recently all in on picking up some of the slack. Harry and Meghan were all in, and even when they stopped, they were still willing to be halfway. If they weren’t so horrible they probably could have gotten Eugenie to do a little bit more.
Now people are calling out the elephant in the room. Which is honestly going to get worse in the next couple of years when some of these people inevitably start to depart the mortal coil. Charles’s 80th birthday photo may only have 6 or 7 people.
It’s certainly gotten attention, just not the kind they want. But I wonder if slimming down the monarchy was just accepting the inevitable.
Given what the BP knew about Andrew, he and his daughters would be out of the question. Given what they knew about William’s rage and jealousy, H&M would never be accepted. And given that everyone is getting older, the heir is both reluctant and unworthy and the monarchy is increasingly seen as irrelevant – what are you to do to save face?
You pretend it was your choice, not Fate’s, to slim down. You invent an villainous rival, an ungrateful son and his evil wife, to paint yourself as a victim and garner whatever sympathy is left in the UK. But the clock keeps ticking…
And I guess William and Kate didn’t care about sticking Edward and Sophie with so many engagements while *their* children were young. Especially when William and Kate didn’t even have any. And edward and Sophie had dealt with infertility, an ectopic pregnancy, a traumatic delivery, Louise’s eye condition and surgeries. I’m sure they would’ve loved extra time with their kids.
I think it will be getting worse before then, as Sophie and Kate continue to age into “the faces they deserve.”
The Cambridge kids are a good decade away from being pulled into the spotlight, and nobody else under 50 fits the definition of “royal” now that the Yorks and Sussexes are out.
I question whether those are true “working” (™️ Chuck) royals though. Duke of Kent is 90 yrs old, has had at least one stroke, and has had mobility issues – are they still making him work? What are they paying him if he’s working, some dribbly allowance from Chuck? The lady over to the right side is Princess Alexandra, I believe, and I think she’s also 90+ yrs old – she still works? The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester seem to be willing to step up, but their ages are 81 and 79 respectively, so how much longer do they have to glorify Britannia? Which leaves Chuck, who has cancer, and Camela who likes to be seen with big jewels. Eddie and Sophie seem mostly ok, but most people don’t even notice what they do. Which leave us with the “shirking royals” – the Waleses. Wow. Not.
Sad, but entirely accurate summary.
Drab Four more like. Sophie and Ed might pick up their workload to make sure they stay in the good graces of the Failing Wails, but no one would notice anyway. All it takes is for Meghan to be spotted getting coffee in Montecito, a whole ocean and continent away, for all of them to be wiped off the front page.
Ooh but what coffee? Is she more a Phil’s or Blue Bottle girl? Or are we talking a latte? But then is it skinny, oat, or almond? Sorry, what was the topic of this thread. I got distracted by Meghan’s theoretical coffee order. 😉
I want to know if she also ordered a pastry….was it sweet or savory? Gluten free or full carb? Fruit or not?
I’ll be danged! I actually know one of those places–I was in Oakland a couple-three years ago and went to a Blue Bottle. Nice!
Good one GH.
Or the Feeble Four.
Perfect name for this grouping is gloom and doom. As mentioned not an ounce of authenticity, charisma or empathy among them.
This is actually funny. They should be called the Four Fuddy-duddies or the Fab Frumpies.
Too easy 🤣
Fab = Faded Ass Bitches
Whew, talk about a sinking ship. I know there’s affection for the late Queen with the older set but even that is waning, I just saw an article about her clothing exhibit and the comments were predominately about her aiding and abetting Andrew. The transition from Charles to William is going to be an interesting one.
The tickets are still selling like hot cakes though.
I can see that. And I respect it. I’m a fan of clothing and costume exhibits which is what it is.
Dead royals seem to bring in more tourists/sightseers.
They are not “young couples” anymore. This shows desperation. If Edward or Sophie “displease” Scooter, the Fab Four will break up.
I think the Edinburghs are wary about Scooter. They have to cater to him though.
Really, the only hope for this family is that George, Charlotte, and Louis graduate from college very, very soon. And that they not only buy into the nonsense but also they do it better (working hard, finding causes they’re passionate about, and so on).
For George it’s another 7 years. For the others it’s more. Too bad Willy kicked out the York sisters (pending solid evidence they’re complicit). Meanwhile, we’re doomed to another 10 years of grim, dusty photos and the tabloids trying to manifest the new Fab 4.
The York branch has been totally wiped out. That means that none of the York grandchildren will be working royals either. Those 3 Wales children will be forced to do it all. What a life they will have…
oh not this again, lol.
Sorry the fabulous royals are resting after their successful trip to Australia. The leftovers are just….well, drab, as others have said.
“Fab”? You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. To borrow from Inigo.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!! Fab my butt.
HAHAHAHA!! This is so ridiculous. Do they realize how deranged they look trotting out a bunch of old people who should be at home chilling because the youngest people it the group are also the laziest.
JP Caonabo had a slightly sarcastic take:
“The royal PR machine is thrilled. And you can almost hear newspaper editors clinking their mugs of brandy tea, delighted they get to start writing about some truly fascinating people, instead of churning out endless click-bait about a couple who literally moved continents to get away from the toxicity. If this storyline feels familiar, friends, that’s because it is – the Fail ran with the headline “The ‘Fab Four’ is dead… Long Live ‘The Fab Four!’ How William and Kate, Edward and Sophie are the surprise new power team within the British Royal Family” back in 2023. They didn’t set the world alight then, but I’m sure this time will be different. Really, I’m excited.
I mean, just think of the scintillating headlines they can write about Cath’s coatdresses – they come in a variety of colours! And to give her her due, every so often she does something for herself. Like when she drove herself that one time. And remember when she tied her own hair up?And we’ve all seen how courageous she can be about, er, gingham upholstery.”
Full article here: https://unpacked4.wordpress.com/2026/04/22/meet-the-new-fab-four-how-adorable/
That’s a riot.
Oh, gad, that is fantastic! Thanks for the link!
What is with Peg’s back-of-the-head hairline in that photo?????
William is protecting the family jewels, as usual.
Could a body language expert tell us what THAT’s about??
Harry’s often stood like that too. I think it’s just a training thing maybe.
The desperation. Most people don’t know who Sophie and Edward are.
Damn. I laughed out loud at this photo. Seriously, I was chuckling and then it hit me like a wave and I just went giddy and laughed my head off. I mean. I think if the late Queen were still with us, she would be shaking her head, in that brisk, had-a-Scots-nanny sort of way, tut-tutting. She was not a sentimentalist. I have one title for this image: “Going, going, gone.”
The Dusty Crusties.
FAB!? Who are they trying to kid? Well, you can’t fix stupid.
OMFG, if William has “remained diligent” since Harry left, then what does the author of this piece think non-diligent looks like? The world would like to know.
What I get from this is that after Chuckles dies, Edward and Sophie are really about to start earning that sweetheart house deal by doing all the royal work. All of it.
They better rest because Edward doesn’t look like he can handle it
I don’t think anyone ever has – or ever should – called that snooty goblin Edward “fab”.
That’s one of the most appropriate names I’ve seen used for Edward – Snooty Goblin, better than another lazy devil.
Kate being referred to as “part of the furniture” is actually perfect! In college she was referred to as “The Mattress.”
Next up, Queen Wallpaper.
Curious to see how often Prince William uses his “concerned” face as well as the rictus grin. I bet they both need facial massages at the end of events for all the grimacing and over-acting.
He looks so awful. Hard to look at.
Sophie was the original Copy Keen. Her manufactured resemblance to Diana in the early days was crazy. Ugh. She also was a mini Fergie in terms of hawking RF adjacent shady $/influence deals.
The photo of the 4 of them all clenching their hands reminds me of what we tell toddlers to do to keep still. JFC. Wiggles looks manic as usual and Pegs is drunk.
Maybe Kate prefers older people because unlike small children there’s no danger of the wiglets being pulled on camera.
I still wonder if the whole ‘Early Yars’ thing was just to copy her sister’s homework, because Pippa did actually work for the qualification.
Pegs, Keen, Ed, and Sophiesta as the new “Fab Four”? Hilarious!
Man, they are bland weak sauce! And so unattractive!
The photo speaks of a dying dynasty. Front and centre are two people over ninety who no doubt worked hard when they were able to (working hard in the royal sense). There is no youth or future in that photo. William must be the end. When Elizabeth was alive, there were grandchildren and great-grandchildren- the future. The picture is very sad.
No one cares. Next.
Older people, including me, will have memories long enough to know the history in that photo. If William and Kate were removed it would be a more meaningful gathering. This event was to mark 100 years since Elizabeth II was born. With the exception of William and Kate these people shared her life and her work for many years. The Kents and Gloucesters were her uncles, aunts and cousins. Throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s Elizabeth was supported by her husband, her mother and sister plus the Kents and Gloucesters. The Duke of Kent’s wedding to Katherine Worsley was the first royal wedding to be streamed live on television. It was a huge national event and the fact that it was in York Minster, at the bride’s insistence, instead of in Westminster Abbey was a particular point of discussion in the gossip columns. Princess Alexandra’s wedding to the handsome Angus Ogilvy was also a major event and streamed live. 12 year old Princess Anne was chief bridesmaid at that wedding and her grown up appearance and demeanour sparked a lot of discussion.
It would have been more meaningful to include some references to the part these people played in her life and her reign