The Princess of Wales visited the Windsor Family Hub this morning. Located on
the Waleses' doorstep and close to their home, Adelaide Cottage, it's one of a
number of engagements we've seen the Princess carry out in Windsor.
It marks a return to the regular schedule following George, Charlotte and
Louis' half-term break from Lambrook, and William and Kate's glittering
appearance in Jordan to attend their first major overseas royal occasion. The Jordan trip was an unexcepted delight for royal watchers and I hope the first of many
overseas deployments for occasions which call for...ahem...a hefty dose of sparkle :)
Kate looked tanned and relaxed as she arrived. As Carole and Pippa Middleton
were also in Jordan, I hope they took in a day of sightseeing afterwards and
soaked in the magnificent sights.
An arrival video.
The Princess of Wales is joining parents taking part in a stress
management course, a health visitor session, and a baby massage course on a
visit to the Windsor Family Hub this morning. pic.twitter.com/bEQ6GnF6Ij
—
Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) June
6, 2023
Today's engagement was very much in Kate's wheelhouse and in keeping with her
ethos of supporting children and families.
Kensington Palace said: "The Windsor Family Hub is run by Achieving for
Children, a not-for-profit community interest company which provides
children’s services for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. It offers
a wide variety of services designed to support parents, carers and children of
all ages including universal provision delivered through family hubs. This is
offered alongside targeted support provided at the earliest opportunity to
facilitate family resilience and prevent issues escalating."
Kate joined several groups availing of the services offered by the Hub, including parents participating in a stress management course and others joining a baby massage course.
Kate spoke to parents about their experiences and the positive impact of the
Hub on their family lives.
A Palace spokesperson noted: "The Princess has dedicated her time to raising
awareness of the critical importance of early childhood and in January 2023,
with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, launched Shaping Us, a
long-term campaign. The Shaping Us campaign aims to transform the issue of
early childhood from one of scientific interest to one of the most
strategically important topics of our time. The campaign also highlights that,
by focusing our collective time, energy, and resources to build a supportive,
nurturing world around all children and those caring for them, we can make a
huge difference to the physical and mental health and happiness of generations
to come."
A lovely group photo.
Kate opted for a sophisticated blue and navy look today.
Kate's blue and white houndstooth blazer is a sold-out ZARA piece, which originally retailed for about £60.
'A stylish pointed flat in a rich midnight navy shade. With a
low-profile heel and extra padding, Lulu is the perfect balance of
comfort and beauty. The midnight navy shade is a super wearable tone
making these pretty and practical flats a brilliant finishing touch to
just about any outfit.'
It was a spectacular night of royal style and sparkle for the glittering
banquet completing a day of festivities for Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and
(the newly styled) HRH Princess Rajwa.
The Prince and Princess of Wales tonight.
The bride and groom arriving to join King Abdullah and Queen Rania in greeting
guests from all over the globe.
The couple welcomed 1,700 guests to Al Husseiniya Palace.
More from the Royal Hashemite Court:
'Al Husseiniya Palace was built in 2006 west of the capital Amman, next
to the King Hussein bin Talal Mosque, Al Hussein Park, the Royal
Automobile Museum and the Children’s Museum Jordan.
The Palace houses the new offices of His Majesty King Abdullah II, Her
Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al
Hussein bin Abdullah II.
In its design, Al Husseiniya Palace is a combination of Arab Islamic
architectural heritage, represented by the arches and the designs on the
walls and doors; and the simplicity and elegance of interior design.
Al Husseiniya Palace also houses the offices of the Royal Hashemite Court
Chief and the Royal Protocol Chief, in addition to the halls where
bilateral and expanded meetings are held during official visits.
Moreover, the Palace also includes a dining hall, a hall for major
celebrations and a courtyard for outdoor ceremonies — located in the space
separating the Palace from the King Hussein Mosque — where kings and
presidents are received.'
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng)
June 1, 2023
In conversation with a very proud Queen Rania.
The wedding was one of the increasingly rare white-tie opportunities on the
royal calendar. To see such a large gathering in tiaras and regalia is
absolutely one to savour. Kate has been loving wearing pink of late and today
she selected dusky pink shades twice. Earlier today, it was an Elie Saab
creation from the 2017 Autumn/Winter Collection (click here
to catch up on that post).
Tonight, the Princess opted for the shimmering 'Georgia' gown by the queen of
eveningwear, Jenny Packham.
In the image below, you can see the embellishment on the neckline and tailored
silhouette.
This gown is a familiar one to royal watchers who may recall Crown Princess
Mary of Denmark wore it for an interview with the Financial Times ahead of her
50th birthday.
#NEW
New pictures of Crown Princess Mary for her interview with Danish
Financial Times ahead of her 50th birthday 🇩🇰
Kate wore a very similar Packham gown in Pakistan and most recently for
the 2021 Royal Variety Performance. The Princess styled the vivid green gown with
Missoma Zenyu earrings
and Emmy London matching green pumps.
The Princess sparkled in the Lover's Knot tiara. Alongside the Queen's
Mother's Lotus Flower tiara, the Lover's Knot is the primary piece in
Kate's rotation and one very deeply associated with the late Princess
Diana and now with the new Princess of Wales.
The tiara features elements of the Gothic Revival style. The circle of the
Cambridge Lover's Knot is made up of a lower semi-circular band, set with
a row of brilliant cut diamonds. Where two adjacent arches meet, a
pillar-like structure is formed that rises up and ends in a round diamond,
forming a diamond spike. There are nineteen diamond spikes of this nature
and the size gradually decreases from the centre towards both ends. We've
previously discussed just how heavy Diana found it, sometimes opting to
borrow the Spencer family tiara, as she found it headache inducing. It
is a substantial piece.
The most notable element of Kate's jewels tonight, surprisingly,
was not her tiara, but her choice of earrings from the Royal Collection.
The Princess wore the fabulous Greville Chandelier earrings. The stunning
earrings were a wedding gift to the then Princess Elizabeth from her
parents in 1947 (originating from Mrs Greville's bequest). According to
the Royal Collection Trust: "Their design incorporates a lexicon of modern
diamond cuts, including half-moon, trapeze, square, baguette, baton and
emerald."
Below, Queen Elizabeth II wearing the earrings at the White House whilst
dancing with President Gerald Ford in 1976.
Kate donned her Royal Family Order (below, photographed on another
occasion). The order for King Charles III has not been distributed yet. When
it is, we'll see Kate wearing two.
The Princess donned her GCVO regalia. In April 2019, to coincide with
William and Kate's eighth wedding anniversary, the late Queen appointed her
granddaughter-in-law Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order for
services to the Sovereign. The Royal Victorian Order was established in
1896 by Queen Victoria to recognize personal service to the monarch. Like
the Royal Family Order, the blue sash with red and white trim and the star
of the order will be worn at white-tie occasions throughout Kate's life.
The GCVO robes came to the fore when the Princess wore hers for the
Coronation last month.
Once again, Kate used her divine diamond Bentley & Skinner brooch to
secure the sash. The piece is described as: "An Art Deco diamond set
brooch, of rectangular shape with corners cut away, with an openwork
pattern comprising of a central, round brilliant-cut diamond with an
estimated weight of 0.35 carat, with a baguette-cut diamond to the top and
bottom of the rectangle, total estimated diamond weight 4.5 carats, all
mounted in platinum, circa 1920." I have long suspected it may have been a
gift from the King.
Kate completed the look with her pink satin Prada
clutch.
************
As requested, we're taking a look at the megawatt sparkle on offer tonight
in addition to the Princess. First, we're taking a look at another British
princess -- Beatrice -- whose tiara appearance tonight was a blast from the
past for royal watchers.
Emerging for the first time in over two decades, Beatrice borrowed the
tiara from her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York. The piece was gifted to
Sarah in 1986 by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and was subsequently worn for
her wedding to Prince Andrew. The scroll tiara, created by Garrard, is
Sarah's property (she has joked about keeping it by her bedside table) and
it now begins life with another generation as her daughters may opt to
wear it for the rare occasions which call for a tiara.
Princess Rajwa chose a sweeping custom Dolce & Gabbana design for her
second look. Rajwa wore white evening gloves and an elegant updo.
The bride wore her new tiara and earrings, designed by FRED Paris. It's
understood the scroll tiara features an Arabic inscription meaning 'Hope
from God' (with thanks to Regalfille and Princess Marie of Denmark via
Twitter).
Hussein and Rajwa welcoming guests including Queen Jetsun of
Bhutan.
Queen Rania was in custom Elie Saab couture from the SS23 Collection (with
thanks to Royal Fashion Police) and her Arabic Scroll Tiara. Certainly not
a coincidence -- the tiara, one of Rania's staples, was created by FRED (as
her daughter-in-law's was today) almost twenty years ago and features an
inscription with an Arabic prayer. There's greater poignancy to Rajwa's
tiara choice and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was a gift from her
new in-laws.
The Court Jeweller notes
Princess Iman (the groom's sister) sported the diamond Chaumet tiara she
wore for her own wedding in March.
Iman teamed it with a Giambattista Valli pink gown, which was one of the
more unusual designs of the night. In the video below, you can see
Princess Salma in a wine sequin gown and her mother's (Rania's) bracelet
tiara.
Prince Haschem, Princess Iman and Jameel and Princess Salma.
It was a night of jewel-filled decadence for the Dutch royal ladies (and
we would expect nothing less). Máxima was sparkling in an adjusted version
of her Stuart tiara and a bespoke Jan Taminiau gold gown. Princess
Catharine-Amalia was regal in red and Queen Wilhelmina's Ruby Peacock
tiara.
Queen Sofia of Spain was regal as ever in her Niarchos ruby parure.
The talented Royal Fashion Police team noted Crown Princess Mary of
Denmark very cleverly upcycled a gorgeous Jesper Hovring gown for the
event and teamed it with her ruby and diamond tiara.
Belgium's Princess Elisabeth opted for a bespoke blue Armani Prive gown
teamed with a diamond tiara which was purchased for the Princess by her
parents.
What a night! Looking forward to hearing which look was your favourite :)
The Prince and Princess of Wales are in Jordan today for the wedding
of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Rajwa Al-Saif at Zahran Palace in
Amman.
The glittering wedding, a State event, is a much-awaited milestone for William
and Kate, marking the first time they have attended a royal wedding or
prominent occasion hosted by another monarchy. As Prince of Wales, a
considerable amount of overseas travel was undertaken by Charles. Now as King, with a different set of responsibilities, the mantle has fallen to the Waleses.
Thus far, there's no Commonwealth tour on the horizon for the couple, with the
notable exception of Earthshot, which will take place in Singapore in November.
As coverage of the wedding was growing, I had a feeling it might be the perfect occasion for the new Prince and Princess of Wales to attend.
There are several important connections between both William and Kate and
Jordan. Of course, when Kate was just two, the Middleton family spent over two
years in the country where Michael was working for British Airways. During a solo visit to Jordan in 2018, William said his wife "loved" her
time there. Kate attended an English language nursery before returning to
England two years later.
In 2011, the Middletons chose an image of Michael, Kate and Pippa in Jordan as
one of several released ahead of the royal wedding.
In 2021, William and Kate took the children to the ancient city of Petra in
Jordan for a family holiday. They chose a family portrait from the trip for
their Christmas card that year.
Additionally, Queen Rania is a member of the Earthshot Prize Council and has
been enormously supportive of the project. Rania also spoke warmly during the
Coronation, telling People: "It struck the perfect balance of solemnity,
spectacle, and spirituality. The many different traditions and rituals we saw
were a reminder of Britain's deep respect for its history, and the link
between King Charles III and British sovereigns of centuries past. It is
admirable to see how the British monarchy has evolved through the years and
remained a steadying presence for the country and its people."
On a wider point, we saw such an immense outpouring of support and a sense of
coming together for both the Queen's funeral and the King's coronation, it's
important for senior British royals to reciprocate where possible, an element
I imagine factored into the decision to attend.
BREAKING: The Prince and Princess of Wales arrive at the wedding
of the Jordanian Crown Princehttps://t.co/PAiZ4D1RJB
Below, the Prince and Princess being greeted by Queen Rania and King Abdullah
with a curtsy from Kate. Queen Rania looked effortlessly elegant in a black
Dior gown.
'When the couple arrived, they had a lengthy chat with the parents of the
groom, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, with Kate dipping into a curtsy
while greeting each of them.'
Below, King Abdullah and Queen Rania welcoming a host of relatives and foreign
royals.
Before we proceed to coverage of the bride, groom and guests, we'll take a
look at Kate's sartorial choices for the wedding. As you all know, I've long
been an avid enthusiast when it comes to the combination of the Princess and
Elie Saab.
We've seen Kate wear a two-piece blue look for Ascot -- repeated last month
for a Buckingham Palace garden party.
I've long wondered if the talented Lebanese designer featured in Kate's
private rotation with a degree of frequency. Today, Kate chose an intricate
dusty pink, flowing gown with a high neckline from the designer's
Autumn/Winter 2017 collection. Given the collection the dress is from, it's
been speculated Kate may have worn it to another wedding (I understand Kate
actually wore a striking green gown for Pippa's wedding reception). I think it
quite likely it was purchased for a tour possibly 2017/2018, but then Kate was
expecting Louis and on maternity leave. Another Saab creation for tonight's
banquet? I do hope so :)
Kate's unidentified statement pink earrings have added a stunning finish to
several of her looks over the years. It's long been speculated they were a
wedding gift. Some years ago, Rebecca English received Palace confirmation
they were not on loan from the late Queen and didn't offer further guidance. It's
quite possible they are, in fact, a gift from the Jordanian royals.
Below, Kate wearing the dazzling pair for the 2017 BAFTA awards.
Crown Prince Hussein, 28, was officially named Heir to the Throne when he
was just fifteen years old. The namesake of his grandfather,
Hussein claims descent in the male line from Muhammad's daughter Fatima and son-in-law Ali, the fourth caliph. Hussein has enjoyed a varied education which has
seen him obtain a bachelor's degree in International History at Georgetown and also graduation from the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, previously attended
by William and Harry. A Captain in the Jordanian Armed Forces, he is a
powerful public speaker, following very much in his mother's footsteps.
Rajwa Al Saif, 29, is an architect and the daughter of one of Saudi Arabia's
most prominent engineering firms (her mother is related to King Salman of Saudi Arabia). Rajwa completed her education in the United
States, studying at the Syracuse School of Architecture and earning a degree
from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.
'There has been some speculation that the high-profile wedding could be
aimed at distracting Jordanians from a bitter public rift between the King
of Jordan and his half-brother, who was implicated in a failed coup
attempt two years ago.
In May last year, King Abdullah II explained that he had placed his half
brother, Prince Hamzah bin al-Hussein, under house arrest due to his
“erratic behaviour and aspirations” in a public letter that was
unprecedented in its candour.
The move came in the wake of a 2021 alleged coup attempt that Jordanian
leaders claimed to have foiled by arresting 19 people, including Prince
Hamzah and a number of political allies and officials.'
Today has been declared a public holiday in Jordan, allowing all those who
wish to celebrate the most significant royal wedding since Abudullah and Rania
wed thirty years ago.
The bride was escorted by her now brother-in-law Prince Hashem and his sisters
Princess Iman and Princess Salma.
Zahran Palace, built in 1957, is a majestic royal residence. Zahran meaning
"blooming flower" is filled with lush greenery and overlooks Jabal Amman, one
of Jordan's oldest neighbourhoods.
More from the Royal Hashemite Court:
'The Palace was the home of Her Majesty the Queen Mother the late Zain Al
Sharaf (grandmother of His Majesty King Abdullah II, mother of His Majesty
King Hussein and wife of His Majesty King Talal) until her passing on 26 April
1994. Afterwards, Zahran Palace became a Hashemite headquarters where official
functions are held.'
The live stream with coverage of arrivals and the wedding ceremony shared by
the Jordanian Government.
A beaming Hussein upon seeing his bride.
The scene inside during the intimate ceremony.
William and Kate amidst a sea of royals.
A good look at the Foreign Royals. Monarchs with their spouses in
front then, solo Consorts, Heirs. And behind the row break more extended
royals. pic.twitter.com/8L37gpzSAA
—
Gert's Royals (@Gertsroyals) June
1, 2023
William and Kate were in attendance officially representing the King and the Royal family, but they were not the only ones from the family invited.
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were there on a personal basis; there's obviously a close friendship across the families.
Longer version. Check out the
difference in formality between those the Crown Prince greets before and after
Beatrice and Edo vs the casualness of his greeting with Beatrice and Edo.
pic.twitter.com/8JCFfjORlH
—
RoyalWatcherFromDC (@RoyalWatcherDC) June
1, 2023
'Today, the Red Motorcade is used on occasions of national importance,
including the opening of Parliament, Army Day, Independence Day, and
during official visits of heads of state.
On these occasions, motorcade members and riders don full Jordanian
military regalia and the national red and white checkered headdress, known
in Arabic as the Shemagh.
The Motorcade consists of eight bright red armed land rover vehicles and
11 motorcycles, but on special occasions, horse, and camel riders join the
lineup and the Jordan Armed Forces Musical Band plays military music on
bagpipes'.
A video from the procession which saw thousands line the streets.
The Princess of Wales was not alone in favouring Elie Saab today; the bride
chose a custom made gown by the designer, too.
'For her wedding day, the future queen of Jordan opted for none other
than Elie Saab. Her pick was, as one would imagine, all-white.
First seen stepping out of her car with sister-in-law Princess Iman
holding her hand, Rajwa Al-Saif wore her white wedding gown with an
elaborate veil that trailed meters behind her. The dress itself was a body
skimming number that came sans embellishment, but stood out for its
elegantly sculpted asymmetrical neckline. Along with the full-sleeved gown
came a detachable train with floral detailing that added volume and drama
to her wedding look'.
A closer look at the sweeping train.
Quite unexpectedly, Rajwa opted for a new tiara. Tiara Mania notes
the beautiful piece appears to have "Arabic calligraphy on all sides". Rajwa
teamed the piece with matching diamond earrings.
As you may have noticed, photos are incredibly sparse, however we did
get a glimpse of several royals leaving their hotel. As always, Queen Máxima
of the Netherlands is a sartorial vision in a blue floral Luisa Beccaria gown
she's worn previously and dazzling jewels.
A very impressive young lady who is immersing herself in duties and State
occasions at just 21 -- Princess Elisabeth of Belgium. She chose a magenta cape
gown by Essential Antwerp (with thanks to Royal Fashion Police).
Just as I was about to hit publish on this, I noticed Gert's Royals spotted
Carole Middleton, Pippa and James Matthews in attendance. It's very
interesting indeed and perhaps speaks to closer friendships than we're aware
of.
We're expecting the glittering evening banquet (with tiaras) to get underway
quite shortly.
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