On Friday, Buckingham Palace staged its second garden party of the season. King Charles and Camilla hosted the first garden party of the year just two days earlier, and Friday was Prince William and Kate’s turn. William looked exhausted because he was coming off of an Aston Villa bender – the night before, William had attended an important Aston Villa game, and he used up a lot of energy, screaming and shaking his fists. I assume his whole night was blown and that he was fully absorbed with all of the Aston Villa chatrooms post-match, probably arguing and lurking and having comments read to him. Kate told party-goers that she and the children stayed up late as well, because she allowed the kids to watch Aston Villa’s victory. I mean… if they were all watching it, why didn’t William just bring his family to the game? Nevermind, I’m pretty sure I know the answer.
As for fashion, I’m surprised that Kate wore a new dress, although it looks very similar to many pieces in her closet. Kate’s dress is Self Portrait, and this sort of perfectly encapsulates her natural style, when she isn’t copykeening anyone. The polka dots, the buttons, the bizarre flower applique… this is ALL Kate. The only thing missing is some random lace, although I think her vintage hat, with its sheer netting, fulfills that lacy urge. Kate also wore those pearl-and-diamond earrings from the Royal Collection, the same ones she always borrows. Her bracelet belonged to Princess Diana. Kate should pay royalties to Julian Fellowes, because she loves to wear Downton Abbey cosplay.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Zara Tindall also attended this garden party, but there were only a handful of photos of them. Sophie in particular looks deeply unhappy. Zara looked nice in her blue dress though. It’s always so weird whenever these people freak out about the Sussexes “trying to be half-in” while having commercial interests – meanwhile, Zara has tons of commercial interests, but she’s constantly attending “royal events” and doing royal-style engagements. Consistency was never the left-behinds’ strong suit.
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Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- 08/05/2026. London, UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales during the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. The Garden Parties celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom. The Parties will recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services.,Image: 1097519895, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- Zara Tindall during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services. Picture date: Friday May 8, 2026.,Image: 1097408476, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- 08/05/2026. London, UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales during the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. The Garden Parties celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom. The Parties will recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services.,Image: 1097519856, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- 08/05/2026. London, UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales during the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. The Garden Parties celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom. The Parties will recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services.,Image: 1097519869, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- 08/05/2026. London, UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales during the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. The Garden Parties celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom. The Parties will recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services.,Image: 1097519873, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- 08/05/2026. London, UK. The Prince and Princess of Wales during the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. The Garden Parties celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom. The Parties will recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services.,Image: 1097519925, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services Featuring: Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Princess of Wales meets guests during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- (Left to right) the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess of Wales, Prince of Wales and Duke of Edinburgh during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services Featuring: Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales, Edward Duke of Edinburgh Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Princess of Wales meets guests during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2026 Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services Featuring: Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2026 Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London, to celebrate frontline workers from across the United Kingdom and recognise the dedication and contribution of those who serve their communities through volunteering, supporting charitable causes and working for emergency services Featuring: Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2026 Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The only thing I like about this outfit is the hat (other than the ridiculous doll hair…would would it have killed her to have a lovely side chignon?). The hat is fabulous, I’d wear that in a hot minute…
Otherwise, what a disaster of a look. The dress/jacket don’t go with the hat, nor the shoes. The jacket only serves to show how thin she is – it’s ill fitted, the 3/4 sleeves make it look like it comes from Charlotte’s closet and the flowery thingy on her bust is obviously designed to add frills to hide her thinness. But let’s add more detail, more, more, more! Buttons! A belt! Flowy! Polka dots! She has an athletic build and should dress for that, rather than looking like (sorry) she’s in drag.
And why a clutch purse? She’s at a BP garden party for 45 minutes, if she needs tissues or whatever is in that tiny purse it’s not like an assistant can’t run and get her some. Does she need house keys? A wallet? A phone?
Compared to last year’s lemon yellow outfit the photos show she’s even thinner. She looks so gaunt in the photos…can’t someone get her some help?
I agree with so much of what you said. I actually really like the hat and its perfect for the occasion (as opposed to that hat she wore to the ceremony for the Archbishop of Canterbury, which was a similar size but just not great for the occasion.) And like Kaiser said, this whole outfit is pretty vintage Kate……which is why it just ends up not working. The clutch purse is stupid, you’re at an event where you’re going to shake lots of hands, a purse like the late queen used to always have would be so much more appropriate. The shoes dont go with the dress (why not black heels???) the jacket is clearly trying to hide her thinness.
And dont get me started on Zara Phillips, lol. She’s the epitome of half in half out and always has been and no one has ever argued that she shouldn’t be. This is clearly an event she’s attending on behalf of the Crown.
After your comments, Lady Esther, I went looking for photos of last year’s lemon yellow dress because I couldn’t remember it. And it seems to me William is wearing the exact same thing this year as last year!
I dont care about her outfit but anything with 3/4 sleeves for transition season spring, fall or even winter, i’m in for. It’s the best thing. (3/4 sleeves and POCKETS)
I dont find this outfit to be kate. Kate to me is country weekend wardrobe green, brown and suede (and cheap party style of the 90’s which she can no longer dress like.) This is her dressing with a nod of vintage and diana in objective – i dont think she would dress like this on a dress up day if she could decide or have real personality
3/4 sleeves look bad on Kate and only serve to highlight how her forearms are extremely sinewy now.
The hat also seems to keep Kate’s face in the shadows and if the point is she’s going to greet people, that isn’t great. It’s not as standoffish as the saucer plate hats that could injure people but still not great especially on her.
And that added flower to the chest just looks dumb.
They are trying to and failing to hide whatever is going with Kate. The Getty photos honestly show Kate looking ill.
And KHate’s shoes are still a size too small, always have to have her toes spilling out of those shoes, geez!!!!
@Lady Esther, who wrote: … “She has an athletic build and should dress for that, rather than looking like (sorry) she’s in drag.”
That is exactly what I thought when viewing those close up photos. Also agree about the recent flower and pineapple appliqués designed to draw attention away from her gauntness.
In my opinion, the jacket and tulle-netted skirt–or jacket over tulle-netted dress–doesn’t work because the skirt/dress is too feminine, whimsy, delicate for her, like she’s wearing two different outfits that are fighting each other (I think Cyndi Lauper pulled that mixed style off beautifully back in the day). She did the same with the pink jacket and tulle-netted shirt/dress she wore to welcome President Macron and his wife Brigette.
I have no comment on her hat. Hats aren’t my jam.
I’ll comment on the hat. It deserved a better hairstyle & dress.
That’s exactly what the flower is for, to disguise her complete lack of a bust … and her rigid thinness.
That’s a flower? I thought someone plopped a pudding on Kate’s chest.
These Self-Portrait getups are dresses, not skirts & jackets, and it looks like Kate had them take the jacket part from one & put it on the skirt part of another. Gah. Of all the things to customize, why this cheap dress?
I guess zara will be classified as working royal soon. Even with her business enterprises. Scooter did not want the York princesses there. Apparently. Keen looks drab.
Yeah, couldn’t she have added some lip colour?
Buttons, belt, polka dots and the flower applique!!! Keen to be seen!
They let them stay up late on a school night?
What do you mean?? It’s Aston Villa! Duh
So glad Meghan and Harry left that family, it must be a terrible existence , they all look so miserable .
I think they all look awful. But Cathy has at least one Self Portrait dress/suit almost identical to this.
She wore several variations of this same combo last year (I think?). Heavier, structured jacket + flowy skirt. It’s like when she discovered pantsuits: she bought a dozen versions of the same silhouette and wore it incessantly. Same with this style.
Why have one when you can have them all! I tellya, if I were to buy multiple suit-dresses (and I wouldn’t, but let’s go with it), I’d go to Dior & ask to see their vintage ones. Dior Paris had a wonderful exhibition of their historic designs & I found everything swoon-worthy. These cheap Self-Portrait things are hideous.
So have Waity and Sophie’s outfits sold out yet? I actually do Iike Zara’s, but is the Zara effect even a thing? LOL
The Fab Foursome of secret weapons looks deeply unhappy in that first photo.
Its the solem part, when they play God save the king. They always overdo their ‘serious ‘ expressions!
They look like they are posing for garden party mug shots..🫣
I’m guessing Sophie’s is Emilia Wickstead? It has the look. Pretty blah. Sophie looks like she’s lost some weight; I wonder if it’s deliberate or if she’s ill?
All 3 dresses are bad but I’d say Sophie’s is the least awful because of its simplicity and Zara’s is the worst. Zara always looks smug. Wonder where her husband is today, harassing staffers or reading MAGA propaganda? As an aside, thinking about Kate & Bill being the “top 2” there I’m guessing they insisted on everyone curtseying to them… it all seems so silly now that The Queen has died…
I think Zara’s dress is actually the best (a bit matronly, but perhaps modesty is the point). It’s a great fun color, the hat matches perfectly, the shoes go well without being too matchy…it’s a good look to me. It’s tragic that we know Kate would never wear something similar.
Sophie is second, but for the reasons you cited. Kate’s look is just…awful. The woman has no rizz as the kids say.
I agree about Sophie’s dress. It’s boring, but at least it’s simple, fits well and the bow isn’t overwhelming. Her hat is a bit much, like a spacecraft crashed into a garden, but that’s the British and their hats for you. Zara’s is the worst. The color is nice, but I can’t imagine anyone in the 21st century designing this for an adult woman – it’s like a little girl’s Easter dress.
This is excellent for Sophie. Compared to her blue tiered Sister Wife dress a few years ago, it’s a huge steppe.
Why is she wearing those ugly beige pumps, that we saw a few days ago are way too small?
A sleek black shoe would look much better
I think part of her accessorizing mistakes are due to her having multiple homes with multiple closets and no one halfway professional to help coordinate her work outfits & knowing what is where & when to grab it so it’s available. She should have a database with a photograph of each & every item with a column for its current location; that might help her to stop buying so many multiples–like oh, right, I already have five white/pale pink/blue Self-Portrait floaty skirt-wool jacket dresses. I’m wearing the one with black polka dots on the skirt? Are any of my twelve pairs of black shoes available? No? Let’s go with the brown suede then. I’ve still got them from earlier in the week. 🙄
Kate has absolutely no fashion sense. Why didn’t she just rewear one of her other polka dot dresses that she has in her closet?
This outfit makes her look like she’s in her 70s, for Pete’s sake. It’s colourles, bland and mismatched. Zero imagination.
KKKhate is so basic. All her money and access, and she still is a boring as watching paint dry.
The royal women look so matronly not youthful. Kate really knows how to ruin an outfit. Get rid of the flower and chose a nude shoe closer to her skin tone in a more season appropriate material. Why the suede with a light material skirt?
Tell us you’re not living together without telling us you’re not living together. The life of a father who lives his life as a single man with no responsibilities who doesn’t care about anybody but himself.
How ridiculous are these Englishmen, the men with top hats and umbrellas and the women’s dresses? Kate’s look is unspeakable: a jacket with large black buttons and a fabric flower sewn on, a skirt made from an abandoned tent, shoes that don’t fit, the usual hat, but this one is worth saving. To get an Italian woman to wear a Zara dress, you’d have to threaten her with a gun and a cannon to make her pick up the clutch with the little flowers.
I think Kate would be better off just hiring one of the Celebiches, who have been critiquing her style for years.
Doesn’t pay enough. 😉
I agree, Sophie is the best-dressed in well-fitting and flattering silhouette, but she does rather melt into the background. Zara is dressed to stand-out, but to me she always looks like she’s stuffed into her clothes and I don’t think her penchant for puffy sleeves helps her style at all. I don’t think there’s anything new to say about Kate- the outfit is her style. It hides her thinness. Perhaps she could up her shoe game. William looks like he’s giving her hell in the photo of them descending the steps. Kate looks like she’s zoning out.
Kate looks better with her hair up. It lets her lean into the Evil Queen look, which is best look to me.
And Sophie, well this is miles better than her blue tiered Sister Wife in 2023.
I don’t like it. It’s very dated. More Diana cosplay from Kate. Zara looks nice, vibrant color, healthy and happy to be there. They’ll have to start subsidizing her and Mike and her brother to be working royals given the vintage of the remaining few.
Mike is a married in
Not a royal. He would not qualify like his stepfather in law tim laurence. He could accompany zara. But he would not be a,working royal.
On the steps Kate looks pissed. Sophie always has a face like she can’t ever find joy. And thinks she is better than everyone else. Willy is certainly hung over and by the looks of it is going back home to sleep the rest of the day . I hate Zara stupid dress with that odious pattern on it . And yes . She is the definition of half in half out but she’s not black or married to someone who is black so she doesn’t count. She is an English rose remember, we only save the abuse and the double standards for the woman of color and the husband who she has
This is the sort of event that Kate lives for, an Edwardian-era garden party at which she gets to wear a frilly, frothy dress, take the curtesy from all and sundry, smell the roses, drink the bubbly, toast herself, and then bugger off home. The late Queen did this kind of thing, too, but it was like 5% of her annual court circular-recorded activity. Not, like, 85%.
I really like the skirt, it seems to move well, but don’t love the coat with it.
I really hate Kate’s taste, and this dress. Doesn’t Sophie always look deeply, deeply unhappy? I don’t have anything against Zara, as she appears to be cordial to Harry. I don’t think any of them have any taste, but I like Zara’s little blue dress. It looks 50’s to me, and I am not being uncomplimentary. I especially like her ensemble since she didn’t accessorize with that Troglodyte she is married to. Didn’t I read they were divorcing?
If I had to work five times as much as Kate and she outranked me and got praise for nothing I would probably be pissed too.
I’ve just realised something: it’s quite possible that the rash of negative articles about the York princesses and their marriages might have been William lashing out because they declined to “support” him at this garden party, as they did last year – unless he was harassing them via the media to ensure that they would never be invited to one with Charles (especially if they have refused to attend one with William). Intriguing. 😀
I find the whole thing BBB:
(Boring beyond BELIEF!)
Zara follows Will and Kate as a devoted bodyguard. Perhaps Zara has inherited her security skills from “some very close relative”!
Someone I know was at the party, and posted very close up pics of the royals. Kate had on super heavy brown and black eyeshadow that was terribly blended. All this time, and no one will step in and help?
Where do these people buy these outfits? Do they go back in time to the 80s to find them?
Where do these women buy these outfits? Do they go back in time to the 80s to find them?
She has no sense of fashion whatsoever and stays dressing like an 80yr old church lady.
Today I find those GD buttons extra infuriating. I just can’t take it anymore.
All “royal”-adjacent ladies, especially Zara and Beatrice: for the love of fashion, PLEASE banish puffed shoulders once and for all. They look awful on every single one of you.
Sophie, please stop wearing frilly hats. You have the facial bone structure of a German palace guard; the flowery lacy hats just make you look ridiculous.
Kate, get a friend, or a job, or a life. You look miserable and you have zero eye for what looks good on you or how to look approachable in public.
William, abdicate now. Let them find someone who wants to do the job.
I think Kate is unfashionable on purpose. She wears a uniform— just like the dead and current queens. The uniform is not in fashion so it won’t look embarrassingly dated in photos in 20 years (unlike some of Diana’s outfits, although she got better about not wearing trends). It’s dead boring but all uniforms are. Nobody got excited to see which color of her uniform QEii would show up in, as far as I know!