The Cambridges have recently returned from their annual visit to the royals Scottish retreat Balmoral where they took George and Charlotte to enjoy several days with the Queen and Prince Philip. Kate's parents Michael and Carole were also present along with close friends. With just over a week to go until the royal tour, today's engagement marks Kate's last public event before the family embark on their first overseas tour with both George and Charlotte.
Kensington Palace noted today's visit would allow William and Kate an opportunity "to find out more about the pressures faced by young people when they are going through big changes in their lives, and learn about the support from peers and parents that can help them get through these changes. Big changes can affect people’s mental health and wellbeing, and in young people can be a trigger for mental health problems". The statistics reflect the importance of early intervention. Research shows that a fifth of children will experience a mental health problem by the time they are eleven and that half of the mental health problems suffered by adults are established by the age of 14. Currently less than half of parents talk to their children about mental health.
The engagement got off to a shaky start as Prince William speedily assisted Vice Lord Lieutenant Jonathan Douglas Hughes who took a tumble over a bollard outside the school.
Thankfully, the Vice Lord Lieutenant was fine once he got back on his feet.
The Duchess received a beautiful posy of flowers from students.
William and Kate were welcomed with a chorus of "Good Morning Your Royal Highnesses and guests".
Stewards Academy is supported by Kate's patronage and Heads Together charity partner Place2Be. The organisation's presence in the school has been an integral part of the support network available to pupils at the academy in recent years. As part of the campaign to change the conversation on mental health, Heads Together is going back to school to show real examples of the value of support from fellow students, teachers and parents in helping young people through these changes.
The Duke and Duchess participated in a 'big change' session run by a small number of students involved with the school’s mentor scheme in which older students support new ones in their first year of school.
Kate chats with a student about her experiences.
William and Kate met with a number of parents of students from the school to discuss how parents and carers can encourage their children to talk about big changes in their lives.
Parents discussed how much Stewards Academy has done for their children.
One mother discussed her daughters struggles with anxiety: "My daughter suffered with anxiety and it was hard when you're trying to do day to day mum things as well." Another lady added: "My daughter is really confident on the outside but actually when it comes to exams she just buckles."
Staff at the academy made William and Kate's favourite treats.
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| Rebecca English Twitter Feed |
They joined the school’s assembly where they heard speeches and performances from students on the topic of coping with big changes.
Prince William made a speech noting he felt "slightly nervous":
"I feel slightly nervous standing in this assembly hall," said William, triggering a chuckle from pupils around the room. "I was never really good at public speaking at school.
Catherine and I are extremely and very impressed by what we have seen at Stewards Academy, as we're both strong believers in schools where the emotional wellbeing of young people is nurtured and protected just as much as your learning and academic skills.
It's particularly good to see the role played by Place2Be, the charity that is part of our Heads Together campaign," he added. "Catherine, Harry and I have decided that we can use our positions to make a difference on the subject of mental health. It should not be a taboo subject in the year 2016. So, the Heads Together campaign is all about getting people talking about the difficult times that many of us will face and have faced in our lives.
For some, it is hard to move from the comfort of a school that you know, surrounded by friends, to one that is new, unfamiliar and so much bigger. So, Catherine and I were really pleased to learn about your buddy system just now, and we hope it means that you have a happy and fulfilling time at school. We hope that it helps bring about a habit in your life of turning to someone when you need help, as that will be just as important to your adult lives as academic success."
The speech can be viewed here with a nice video from Place2Be.
To coincide with the visit, William has written a blog for the Heads Together website on helping children cope with big changes. William wrote: “The sooner children learn in life that asking for help is okay, the better." You can read the entry in its entirety here.
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| Heads Together |
Heads Together have put together ten tips to encourage children to share worries. The guide recommends choosing the "right time and place", "make it a two-way conversation" and "imagine yourself in their shoes".
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| Heads Together |
The Duchess debuted a new designer today - selecting a dress by Altuzarra.
Kate wore the brand's blue polka-dot Aimee Button-Front Dress. The $2,150 stretch-woven dress features a V neckline, half sleeves, light ruching at front and inner arms, a slit, a slim silhouette and straight hem. The dress is available in very limited sizing at Neiman Marcus.
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| Altuzurra |
The Aimee dress also comes in tango red. It's available in several sizes at Nordstrom and Net-A-Porter. For those who are not fond of the dress, do you prefer it in this colour?
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| Altuzarra |
Another look at the 'Aimee' on Kate.
More on the brand from Neiman Marcus:
'Joseph Altuzarra grew up in Paris, attended Swarthmore College in Philadelphia, worked with Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler in New York, and then returned to Paris to work as a design assistant for Givenchy. This eclectic background has had a major influence on Altuzarra's own creations in the line he launched in 2008. These perfectly balance the legacy of French culture with New York's energy to provide fashion for the modern professional woman that is both contemporary and practical.'
There's a vintage feel to many of the designs and plenty to like in terms of silhouettes and styles for the Duchess in the future. Below we see the Gardner Long Coat, the Ella Polka-Dot Shirtdress and the Shadow Polka-Dot Sheath Dress (in the same print as Kate's dress).
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| Altuzarra |
Speaking about the women he designs for in a recent interview with the Telegraph, Joseph Altuzarra said:
"Joseph Altuzarra has a sexy but sophisticated aesthetic, which has made him a hit on the red carpet, dressing the likes of Rihanna, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman. "What’s interesting is these women come to me, but they are exactly the women I have been designing for,’" Altuzarra said to The Telegraph about his high-profile clientele. ‘The Altuzarra woman works and she has a family and a busy life. She probably doesn’t feel the age that she is. She’s into fashion but not obsessed with it. She’s not 25; she still wants to look sexy, but in a different way.
And I love that. I feel really proud and honoured that those women buy my clothes. Gone are the days of turning 50 or 60 and you were expected to put on a tweed suit and let go of your femininity or sexuality. Today it’s very different. These women take good care of their bodies, they eat very differently, they exercise, they don’t feel the age that they are."
Kate teamed the dress with her L.K. Bennett Fern pumps in trench leather.
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| L.K. Bennett |
And carried her L.K. Bennett Nina clutch.
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| L.K. Bennett |
The Duchess accessorised with her Mappin & Webb Empress earrings and necklace. Both pieces remain available retailing for £1,250 and £1,850 respectively.
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| Mappin & Webb |
What do you think of Kate's look today?
You can view an arrival video showing William going to the aid of the dignitary who fell here. Kensington Palace posted a very interesting from video from William and Kate's meeting with parents. It can viewed here.
We leave you with this photo of Jonathan Douglas Hughes thanking the couple for their assistance upon their departure.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend! We'll be back with the final batch of your dream look for Kate in a few days :)
We leave you with this photo of Jonathan Douglas Hughes thanking the couple for their assistance upon their departure.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend! We'll be back with the final batch of your dream look for Kate in a few days :)
What a great occation! They are really good at pointing out very different areas and levels of mental health! Nice that they heard both from kids and parents perspective!
ReplyDeletePoor man that fell! Good that he seemed fine, but it must be very embaressing. Everyone seemed to reassure him though!
I can just imagine that William was a bit extra nervous today. I mean, teachers must be one of the worst groups to hold a speach in front of!
Kate looks very nice. I like the pattern of the dress much and the colours again work with the heads together logo! A bit of an odd seam on the stomach-ish area, but it doesn't show that well in this pattern.
I would have choosen navy acc. with this look, but the nude is her "uniform" and it's not about the clothes after all!
And William seems to still keep mixing up his look :) Very interesting. I wonder how that will show during the tour!
I can't wait until the tour! And William has a big speech just 2 days before the tour as well!
Rebecca, I'm sure the man WAS embarrassed but everyone handled it quite well, including the gentleman himself.
DeleteAnd I think the dress would look GREAT with navy accessories! That would be my preference, actually.
Overall, a great day for the Cambridge's. Very nice to see...
I hope she retires this eye ball dress. It looks like a cross between a child's pajama
Deleteand a 50's house dress.
This rarely happens, but this dress is a miss for me- an especially at that price. It's sorta 90's ish to me? Perhaps it will grow on me as some looks do. However, she looks lovely otherwise- loved her short hair but am liking it grown out again now, too. Very excited for the tour!
ReplyDeleteWe can't love it all. I'm not very fond of the look myself :) The poofy sleeves, the seam in the middle etc. But I like the pattern. The dress is nice enough, a daydress. Acc. doesn't feel fully right, but nothing about the look is horrible.
DeleteI do like the dress and think it was a good look for the occasion but have to admit it's rather figure-flattening. Altuzarra has done some wonderful suits that would be perfect for Kate, so glad to see she has discovered the brand.
DeleteI think the Duchess looked good and I like the dress but I really wish she would start doing her own engagements, and not depend on William to make all the speeches. It's a bit odd that they keep doing engagements together.
DeleteI agree, I usually love Kate's looks, but this was a total miss for me. Kate has wider shoulders relative to her slim hips, and I don't the extra ruching/poof at the sleeves at the sleeves was flattering. Add that to an odd bib-style seam at the front that totally flattened her figure, along with a slit that she seemed uncomfortable sitting in (see how oddly she's sitting on the side of her leg/hip in many pictures?), and this is a dress that I hope we don't see again.
DeleteI did like the print, however, so I wish we would have seen her in the shift instead! Maybe with a cardigan.
Brina - what you have to remember is that William is the true royal. As far as the family is concerned he is the important one, he will be king. Kate is secondary and won't really come into her own until she has the PoW or consort role. Over the years, Philip has never done as much as the queen and often appeared with her. Why should Kate be any different?
DeleteI don't think she depends on William to make the speeches. This is a joint campaign with Harry and from the Cambridge side they are promoting parent and children seeking help and that is why all the engagements about this campaign have been joint ones. They are putting themselves forward as a family who wil seek help if needed and to encourage others to do the same. I am sure they will continue to do joint engagements in this area until the London marathon.Whether you like it or not, William is senior and will take the lead in a joint campaign. On the Asian tour when it was only about her charity she did speak and William did not.
DeleteI think the dress would look nicer if it didn't have that slit, the buttons didn't go down all the way and if the skirt was a bit more flared. I do like the other dress with the same print though. And it has to be said: Kate's hair looked fantastic!
DeleteLovely !!!
ReplyDeleteWilliam was great to immediately run over to assist the gentleman who had fallen. How embarrassing but Wills trying to assure him that it was okay was so nice. I read the daily mail account. Really well done speech by William.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the dress on Kate. I didn't even notice the necklace until I saw it mentioned what she wore. The poka dots aren't true poka dots so I like this type so much better. Wow she can sure make long walking strides. Her hair was gorgeous. I really enjoy their couple engagements.
I think Duchess Kate is lovely in every regard, however, hem weights might be in order to combat pesky breezes, just one less thing to manage when in public knowing everything stays in place, poised, and elegant, as she is .
ReplyDeleteI don't think this was the breeze, I think it's the strides :P
DeleteThis is such important work and thank you, as usual, for the thorough piece. I like this look a lot other than the strange ruching. I love the buttons and sleeves - and the print more than I would have thought! Her hair looks beautiful and her accessories are well suited.
ReplyDeleteOh I hope the elderly Lieutenant is safe and sound, he looked so lost a bit, it was so disturbing to see him lying there. Also literally the only person who stood there and did nothing else, except adjusting her hair was Kate. Maybe she was so shocked and it happened at the split second, still there were others who jumped to help.
ReplyDeleteFrom today’s engagements point of view it seemed like a great place to be:) for sure. I kind of like the fact they are not bored with this issue and still pursuing it!
On fashion note, I think she looked great today, I love the print, I am not sure this was the most fortunate choice for a royal engagement today, because of the high slit. I am on the fence here.
Also, I am not sure I understand their latest privacy issues, going after certain magazine/newspapers in Britain but not the DM, moreover the international magazines which regularly publish pap photos.
Thank you Charlotte for the quick post!
Wow, you really see what you want to see huh? Kate was much further away from the man, and by the time she and the others around her had noticed it William and 3-4 other people were already there helping him. She did exactly what the other people around her did, looked at worridly and asked if he was ok.
DeleteReally Anett, she was at the end of the line shaking hands when it happened. She turned around immediately and started to walk over, but by that time people had already encircled the gentleman. Anyone with any common sense knows not to crowd around someone in distress.
DeleteThey have no recourse over international magazines, but do over British ones. If they have set a policy, they need to maintain it.
I have to say I would not have brought that legal action. Just talking to friends who aren't such royal followers, those pictures went almost unnoticed but the suit brought far more attention to them. It really does seem to be a 'pick your battles' situation - the nude shots were one thing but this I would have ignored. And while people agree about privacy - they also don't like people who are too litigious - and really don't care about apologies in papers - that's so common now. The legal action could end up harming Kate more than the publication - and Anett is right - it looks like William and Kate are constantly targeting the British press - where so much of the problems are abroad - and then she works with the Huffington Post who has published pap photos.
DeletePerhaps there was some particular reason for this legal action due to the police involvement but I hope for her own sake, Kate uses enormous restraint in bringing such actions - they will do nothing for her.
Wow. Where you there in the crowd. She was not standing there fixing her hair. As the others have said she was ahead shaking hands and when she had noticed happend she went over but william was already there helping him up.
DeleteAnett, I agree. I don't think she handled it very well.
DeleteI agree with Anett. I was a bit disappointed with how Kate reacted. After she turned and saw the fall, she turned back and tried to continue her conversation until she realized that all the attention was on the Lieutenant and then only did she proceed to walk over to make sure he was ok.
DeleteI think if Kate had rushed over with the 3-4 others, she would have been standing there watching quite awkwardly. If you notice, she did walk up to him after he was back on his feet and asked if he was ok. I think that was entirely appropriate. I don't think the slit is really that high, probably a combination of her walking stride and stepping up on a curve.
DeleteIf the slit was too low, she wouldn't have been able to move her legs and would have looked much more awkward.
Could you expand on the legal action you are referring to? Not everyone is aware
DeleteOMG people she was greeting people when the gentleman fell. William was right there and helped him along with a few others. When she noticed what was going on she went over to him. She was not playing/fixing her hair. Some of you here always find something to complain about. Give the girl a break b
DeleteI thought William and Kate both handled the situation well. William was a real gent. Kate later came over and acted accordingly without escalating the situation for the already embarrassed gentleman. I am so-so with her dress today. I like the print but on the fence with the cut.
DeleteI am personally thrilled that Kate and William won on the Ipso rulings, just as they should. Any paparazzi with no permit shouldn't be zooming into private properties and calling it public interest. I'm sure any parent would be furious if their child was subject of such activity. Kate and William are being consistent and that is key in protecting their children. They
Julie, here is the link:
Deletehttp://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/kate-has-privacy-breach-complaints-upheld-over-online-stories-with-prince-george-11364096561200
Some reaction:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/sep/16/are-william-and-kate-right-to-pursue-zero-tolerance-policy-on-privacy
I agree with Julia. I wonder if we ever get to the point that one of the Kate's bloggers suggested such as royal reporters won't cover an event like a children's playdate. To be honest, after the Cambridges having so much mixed messages, singling out papers,and being more than friendly to foreign media, I wouldn't be surprised if one day it would happen.
I find this especially funny knowing the fact George will be king one day, and there are hardly any pictures published about him in GB.
A quick look at the video from ITN Source indicates that she acted entirely appropriately.
DeleteJulia I don't regard this a legal action, but rather a complaint to the complaints commission who ruled in her favour.
Annet, Brina and Anon 15:41, please tell me why you were "disappointed in Kate's reaction" to the gentleman falling! She was engaging with a line of greeters when the incident happened. She turned around one way to see what happened then turned around the other way to go over to where everyone was already surrounding him. There was NO ROOM for her to assist him and absolutely NO NEED for her or anyone else to impose them selves into the situation. I know you are usually critical of Kate and you are entitled to you opinion, but this looks just a little too much like a hunt for coming up with something to criticise.
DeleteI guess some people had a bad day. I don't see a lack of compassion and empathy on Kate's part, but I do see it in some of the comments making this into something it was not.
DeleteKate was in the middle of talking to a man and was facing in the opposite direction. As soon as she heard the fussg, she said something brief to the man she was talking to (likely an "excuse me") before stepping away to join the others who had it under control. Everyone handled it with class and dignity, including the man who fell and didn't want to be the center of attention and detract from the visit. To suggest otherwise seems like a bit of a witch hunt.
http://itnsourcenews.com/
Anonymous - my fault - I should have been more specific to say the Complaints Commission - but my opinion still holds that those photos were something not much noticed and best ignored - unless there was some particular reason involving the police that required it - people are seeing it as a legal response.
DeleteFurthermore anon 19:36, we can only see what happened from the camera angle, we cannot see what happened from Kate's angle. So it might look like she didn't exactly hurry. In fact there were people, including William, in between her and the gentleman who fell. She was completely engrossed in greeting people and "doing her thing". When we watch the video, we know that the gentleman will fall, the people around him didn't. That is why only the people right next to him reacted as he stumbled. Completely natural reactions by all. I agree with you completely anon 19:36, no need to hunt for things that aren't there. Cheers.
DeleteAnett, I doubt the press would boycott an official playdate. And we do get to see the kids in GB. Kate and William have been generous with releasing official photographs and now taking them to a few official events. Any parent would absolutely object to photographs taken of their children in the manner and indecency that paparazzi do these days. And no, the Cambridges aren't sending mixed messages. They are being consistent! They have less control over foreign media. They are doing the absolute right thing for their children and as a parent I applaud them for that.
DeleteThank you for the links Anett
DeleteSo, now that they won what are the consequences?
DeleteMy wish would have been that Kate immediately rushed over because that would have been an unquestioned response, as William's was. The world loves a empathetic reaction - whether royals or private individuals. We all remember that Spanish girl sitting with the dying woman at Russell Square.
DeleteBut:
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and people's response time isn't immediate - looking at the video, that's what I'm seeing - I feel I can almost see the "what's happening here" look on her face. This wasn't in the programme. And it's a natural response to think, 'oh, my husband's helping, I'll just stand back and let them get on with it'.
I will go so far as to say this happens to all of us at some point - we witness an incident - and wonder what should we do, sometimes with the best intentions in the world of not making things worse or intruding where we're not wanted - yet, may wish afterwards we had done more. Without thinking hard at all, I can recall a couple of small incidents that I wish I had handled more completely.
In one of the last posts, someone asked why Harry seemed so popular. There are a number of answers - there have been time such as at the floods where his presence was noted - and William and Kate were absent. Again we get into - 'but are we more of a burden if we come...' but the answer is generally, no, whether victims or observers - showing you have made an effort rarely goes wrong.
But:
My main point is, Harry is extremely spontaneous - look at him at any engagement and his responses tend to be immediate. It reminds people of his mother. (I still recall a pregnant Diana bending over to pick up a cameraman's lens for him.) William isn't quite as spontaneous and Kate even less so - this is not a criticism - it's part of a person's nature (the queen doesn't seem at all spontaneous although Philip is and the Queen mum was. So was Princess Alexandra - I remember she sat on some official's hat by mistake - held it up and cried 'look what I did!')
One reason I hope to see Kate out more - and yes, by herself more, is that you develop more instinctive responses with experience. Dealing with groups isn't natural for everyone - I know it - I still dread cocktail parties full of strangers. But while you may never feel comfortable, the more you do it, the more natural it becomes. Kate does tend to over-respond at times, so does Charles - who is also reserved - and that's why you get comments about her "fake smile" or Charles "looking ridiculous". It's not that the emotions are fake but that they're pushing a more outgoing response than may be natural for them.
Julie
DeleteYou are welcome.😁
Wonderfully said Julia!!
DeleteThe fact that Kate has an inner reserve is I believe what has served her well in her transition into the royal family. By all accounts her strength lies in one on one and small group settings. I agree that as her engagements increase she probably will become more outgoing for general public observation. Simon Perry has written a good article in People about the engagement with quotes and thoughts from a director who has met her on a number of occasions. While spontaneity is generally great for public consumption it can also have a downside effect. At sporting events she is definitely spontaneous but is so often criticized for this. Although this criticism is generally from the group of Twitter ladies who revel in demeaning Kate on every front as soon as she puts her nose out the door.
DeleteWho can forget Camilla's facial expression and otherwise lack of response when
Deletea page fainted right next to her during an opening of Parliament. I don't think
Charles assisted either.
The lawsuit: the complaint was also based on the accompanying story that said the police officers were there to entertain George and it was a waste of etc. etc. The
truth was that Anne was arriving or departing by helicopter and it is security
protocol to have them there. They were waiting for her and George was there
watching the helicoter.
The the photo itself, except for the "reasonable expectation of privacy on private property" issue was not the focus of the complaint, as I read it.
If that same photo had been taken in Kensington park, for example, or the article had not made inaccurate statements, there would be no lawsuit.
Thanks Charlotte for the lovely, informative post! First of all, kudos for Prince William for giving first aid to the Lord Lieutenant! Moving on to Kate, it's great to see her experiment with new brands and the colour really suits her! However, the dress has not really grown on me. It makes her look older than her age. Perhaps, it could be the ruching detail. Also, it is as if the dress has that special touch missing, such as a belt.
ReplyDeleteNot sure that what William did was First Aid...usually defined as giving assistance to an ill or injured person. But it was good that William was close by to help the gentleman get up.
DeleteI love the outfit! I love dresses like that. However am
ReplyDeleteI the only one who hates pointy heels! I already have a size 11 foot and I believe pointy heels just make your feet look eve bigger!
Her hair looked a little flat today especially when I compare it to the blowouts she used to have when James pryce did her hair! Her current hairdresser does great with updos but not as well when Kate wears her hair down
Pointy heels also ruin your feet. (bunions, etc.) Trust me, I know!
DeleteNo, you are not alone. I don't care for pointy toes either. To me they are very uncomfortable. I much prefer a rounded or almond toe.
DeleteI'm not that fond of pointed toes either. Some look good/elegant. Like her Rupert Sanderson pairs for example. But it's just a matter of personal taste :)
DeleteI am also not such a huge fan of pointy toe heels, I much preferred Kate's round toe Sledge pumps, I wish she'd wear them again! They were more youthful, the pointy toe makes her look a bit ... older.
DeleteSarah - No, you are not the only one! I have never understood the appeal of the pointy toe shoe. Obviously one's five toes are not going to fit into the point, even if squished. So therefore the top of one's food ends before the point begins, thus making one's foot look even larger, as you said.
DeleteI agree about the shoes, and wish she would bring back the Sledges!
DeleteI hope the Cambridges met some Polish people, considering the recent sad events in Harlow.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree.
DeleteAs a non-british person, what has happened in Harlow?
Deletehttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/14/warsaw-sends-police-officers-to-harlow-after-killing-of-polish-man
DeleteOur society is sadly becoming very divided. A similar thing has happened in Luton (cf earlier comments referring obliquely to that). In Luton there has been a growth in hate by Muslim extremists against British people; in Harlow the antagonism has been British against Polish. It makes me sad to see how few black and brown faces there are in the crowds around the Cambridges. Of course, one can't tell if European-origin people are there; but I suspect not. I would be happy if the royal family were to make it clear that they are there for all those in Britain. Prince Charles does this.
Rebecca, a Polish man was killed in an apparently racist attack. There have been an increased number of hate crimes since the EU referendum. The UK feels very divided since the vote. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-37291524
DeleteI think first a Polish man was beaten and died from his injuries, next the Polish people held a "march of silence" and a remembrance for him, but sadly some more people were attacked just hours after that. It is being investigated as a potential hate crime.
DeleteUgh, how horrible. Why can't people just realize we are all people?
DeleteI'm not a fan of this dress. I can't believe it retails for $2,000. There is something juvenile about the puckering detailing in the front and the puffed sleeve tops. The ruched sleeves look a little odd, the kind of detail you might see on cheap clothing. The neckline and the buttons remind me of a v-neck cardigan. All of these details combined with the unattractive pattern - it's just too much going on.
ReplyDeleteI do not really like the dress (such a complicated design , which might explain the price .....) however it does suit her very wel , I like the way the shoulders are made a bit larger, better proportions with her body , and Kate looks really at ease with this outfit, as she is elegant in every move (I wonder how she does that !) lovely colour and polka-like dots . I am really bored with the nude accessories, she has a lovely pair of navy blue suede shoes which would have been great , and she sure has a clutch to match with (or could buy one, that was the good opportunity !). as for the hair, Sarah Maryland USA, we , women, all know we cannot have exactly the same hairdo everyday, don't we ? one of our charms .... LOL
ReplyDeletePoor Lord Lieutenant - glad he was able to get up and seems to be okay. William seemed very caring. That sort of accident is so easy to happen - with your mind on what you're supposed to be doing and next thing you're down.
ReplyDeleteA great engagement - William made a very fine speech. Changing schools is such a difficult thing and can so easily lead to bullying, some of the worst and most tragic incidents have happened to children in such circumstances - it's an excellent area for there to be programmes for support and am glad William and Kate are bringing attention to it. As someone who was a shy little thing and was bullied a bit - we were expected to just get on with it - it's good that efforts are being made to change that way of thinking. So many issues can trouble students, especially in new situations, and it's good to find ways to help parents who can feel very helpless. I'm sure with George due to make a change soon, it is much on William and Kate's mind.
I love Kate's dress, very pretty on her, very suitable. Altuzarra is a designer I've always thought would be good for Kate - traditional with a bit of dash - but didn't truly expect to see her in one of his outfits - with the signature slit - very nice. I like the shoes too - much better than the sledges and her hair looked healthy although wind-blown as is so often the case.
Hope we get a chance to see the work of the balance of our stylists before the tour. I'm looking forward to that.
Yeah, such accidents are very easy. I remember, our school had done fire readiness exercis and everyone were walking back to the school and I walked straight into one of those "half pillars". Folded double but did thankfully not fall. My friends had a mighty laugh at my expense though :P
DeleteAnd I agree, excellent engagement!
Don't I know it - whilst travelling sometime back - I was warning Mr Leo about steps and missed one myself and went down - not sure what was hurt worse- my twisted ankle or my pride! I hope the Lord Lieutenant takes a relaxed attitude to this fall - it could happen to any of us.
DeleteLove the print and the colors, but not a fan of the weird "bib" rouching in the front, or the side slit when there were buttons all the way down the dress. Just seemed super weird to me.
ReplyDeleteHmm i really love the dress hmn i love wiliam such a caring prince run elderly lt. Is elderly lt is okay such a great the duke express his writting skill to educate people and parents by helping mental issue
ReplyDeleteVery worthy cause. they seem to have taken it in their stride and determined to take it forward.
ReplyDeleteOn to the fashion choice - a big miss for me too. This dress is pretty much what the housewives would wear inside the house in the 70's. It is quite outdated and not even in a "vintage" sense. Who else would you see wearing this dress in 2016? Would any of you 30somethings readers of this blog wear it, let's be frank.... I am pretty sure that if we would stumble upon it on a clothes rack in a shop each of us would not even look at it for a split second, would move on to the next item. Don't event get me started on the price tag! And then the side slit? Puzzling..Completely out of place with the rest of the style of the dress. I don't know but I sometimes have the impression that she dresses matronly (today is a textbook example of that) trying to portray someone who is not really her because she thinks that this is what is expected of her, but deep inside she is someone else, young, carefree and longing to flaunt her physical assets, so she makes some strange choices trying to accommodate both "duty" and "fun". Nothing wrong with that in principle, she just hasn't quite figured out how to do it properly and the results some times are cringeworthy. CP Mary of Denmark has mastered that balanced style to perfection, and not only now after 10+ years in the royal court, she had a great sense of style from day one. I wish Kate would look more around her and learn from other royal ladies. She has a great potential to outshine all the others in the royal scene. She also looks tired and seems to have lost weight (looking at her face) or maybe she was not feeling very well today, she certainly doesn't look like someone who has come back from a relaxing holiday. A forgettable look all in all I'm afraid.... in my book at least. But hats off for the effort and the worthy cause they are supporting
Odd how people say Kate dresses matronly then suggests she takes the advice of women 10+ years older than her.
DeleteFair warning. 70s looks are coming back, and quickly so. I would actually say that this dress is fashion forward at the moment. Not a look I'm very fond of, but ruffled 80s blouses and 70s patterns and dresses etc are coming in quickly.
DeleteFirst off I am kinda sick of people trying to compare Kste with other Royal ladies. And stating she should take lessons on the way they dress. They are all different. This dress is not from the 70's as you say. It is a very nice dress for Kste. She looks stunning. To bad you can't see it.
DeleteAnon 15:25, Well plenty must like the dress as it is virtually sold out and someone on this blog has bought the dress. Clearly critique should not be so harshly stated because you always risk offending someone. Fashion is in the eye of the beholder. Some like it some don't, but cant we just say that instead of lumping everyone into the dislike.
DeleteIt is very fashion forward, Rebecca. And I think it is beautiful and very refreshing in those logo colors. It looks very comfortable. I think it is nice that they are encouraging people to reach out. We all live in our own little worlds sometimes and society in general promotes that. So teaching people to become more of a sharing and caring community in a non-socialist/non-political way can only be good. As for the 70's, been there, done that and I don't mind that fashion returning if they choose the best aspects. I personally love the styles of the 60's best, Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, etc. Classic.
Delete@Court - yes, Mary may be ten years old than her, but Kate dresses like she's Mary's great grandmother. So dowdy. Mary is always stylish, a little edgy but must importantly, appropriate!!
DeleteRebecca is correct, and don't most fashion trends make a comeback?
DeleteThe fact that Kate dresses in jeans for a sports-related engagement and chooses a more conservative dress for a more formal engagement does not mean that she doesn't know how to get it right. Perhaps this is simply her preference.
It may be fashion forward but that doesn't make it better looking.... Some things of the past should be better left in the past
DeleteAll I can say about the seventies revival is that it can't disappear too fast for me!
DeleteKate's dress reminded me more of the forties somehow, or the eighties - on summer days, I had similar dresses to wear to work - without the slit of course. I like the style - although it is vastly out of my budget.
My general feeling is basic royal style needs to be conservative yet special - it's like some remark of Diana's - I'm paraphrasing because I don't recall it exactly - that you always dress like you're going to a wedding. Kate could do worse than take that advice - some of her wedding guest outfits before she was married are more striking than the more expensive clothes she wears now - interesting shoes - little jackets over dresses and so forth. (Although, mostly I think skipping hats are fine - Maxima wears them to the point of looking silly.)
Sometimes now, I'm thinking Cornwall pink - it looks like she just buys an expensive dress from Matches or Net a Porter - or a reasonable one from other sources - and slaps it on with basic shoes and not many more accessories - maybe a standard pendant as she wore yesterday. It's not a case of minimalism (Charlene is far more minimalist - yet more polished) it's more a case of creating a finished look.
Many of us do that every day for work - or did - so it's hard to see why Kate can't for her occasional engagements. We get far more of that on tours - but I'd like to see it at home too -the 'family' deserves the best china sometimes.
Having grumbled - I again repeat I did like this dress overall. And if we must have neutral shoes - better these than wedges.
I really like the dress--it's structure and it's print! Kind of a high slit up the leg though (reminds me of the black and white hounds-tooth dress she wore at the Anna Freud Center which had a high "slit" too (b/c of the lack of buttons) a year ago). Liked William's colors too; it seems he's finally broken the mold of navy suit, dark red or blue tie pattern. =)
ReplyDeleteKate looks pretty today although I think the dress is a miss. The pattern and colours are lovely, and I like the puffed shoulder sleeves - the good part of the dress is its reminiscent of 1940's, the bad part of the dress is it's almost too dowdy with the buttons going down on the way in the front.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you said that! I love vintage fashion, and this dress is incredibly close to late 1930s styles. Puffed shoulder elbow sleeves with ruching, clever piecing and bodice yokes, even the buttons and the print and the color. The "Ella" shirtdress is even closer. It could be straight out of a McCall's sewing pattern from 1938/39. And FWIW, a lot of the 1970s was retro to the 1930s. I like it, but IMHO it really needs a belt like the Ella. It gives it structure and plays down the effect of the buttons.
DeleteThe black and white dress featured here is definitely vintage. I Love Lucy, anyone? And I wouldn't mind seeing that one with black patent accessories! :)
DeleteI love the Ella dress. It would look great on Kate. The dress she wore today wasn't my favorite.
DeleteI can't believe 70s fashion is making a comeback. I had hoped this would be the fashion decade that stayed dead and buried.
I like vintage for the most part too - on our styling, there were some great vintage looks I would have loved to have chosen for Kate by Canadian designers - and she has the slim figure that could wear vintage.
DeleteBut some eras last better than others - and I agree with Kim - why thirties and some fifties styles have aged extremely well - I wore my nana's thirties clothes with great effect - the seventies AWFUL!
It's time for hem weights in all of HRH's dresses, a sewn in lining in addition would keep the dresses weighted. The Duchess is fit and lovely but we need to see less of her upper thighs. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with the wind. The dress opened up when she took a large step.
DeleteI agree! My first reaction to the picture in the Daily Mail was: That's a whole lot of leg on a future queen!
DeleteThis is 2016, not 1816.
Deleteand this future queen has drop dead gorgeous legs :)
Delete@Tedi Godard: My thoughts exactly lol. Relax everyone. On a lighter note, this dress, slit & all, is like an interpretation of a (very expensive) mullet: business on the top, party on the bottom ;-)
DeleteI found the dress very appropriate.
DeleteThe dress has a high side seam on each side. While it doesn't need weights, I am surprised that the all-talented Natasha Archer didn't think to put a couple of stitches in each side, just to close that slit up a wee bit to prevent any possible flashes of royal upper thigh, knickers, etc.
DeleteThe slit is a trademark of the designer and, while I've been perturbed at the number of fashion accidents Kate has had (more than most royal ladies - I looked once when questioned.) I'm not so bothered if it is intentional - it's a bit of dash and better than being too boring.
DeleteAt the same time, it's a shame that and the fall is what the headlines are about - hopefully, people will take note of the cause too. If they do, the attention getting slit might be seen as a success.
It is stitched up as well. It was up to about button 5 originally, but sewn together so it only reaches about 3 buttons up now.
DeleteThe print is fine but the shape on her makes her look like she has no figure. Definitely not a good look.
ReplyDeleteKate's version of this dress is obviously bespoke and just wrong - it just looks dowdy and boring. The black and white shirt dress would have been a much better look. I hate to pick someone apart, but she really needs the help of a stylist. She's on the world stage and a lot of her outfits are just missing something that pulls them together. Her hands are always holding her clutch in front of her belly which just looks strange in the thousands of pics that are taken and her hair either looks great or sort of a mess like today.
ReplyDeleteI know people will say clothes are not important to her, but as she never really says that much publically at events there's not much else to talk about,.
This dress was available this morning and is now sold out. Obviously there is an audience who likes the dress. As far as the hands clasped in front. . Look around at so many of the royals - men and women. They all stand like that. Look at the photos in Bhutan. The king , queen of Bhutan both adopted the same stance.
Deletethe dress sold out because kate wore it not because of the style or pattern
DeleteStance is a big issue for royals - the oft mocked hands behind backs and so forth. Diana did the best and I suspect all the ballet she took may have helped - even though she was too tall - same here - it does teach how to stand well in a resting position. I was hopeless as to extension but I still used some of the arm positions when I had to stand or sit quietly at work - better than clasping hands - although I fear I've lost that now.
DeleteGreat engagement today. While, this look isn't my favorite, it kind of reminds me of some nightgowns I used to have, it is very nice on Kate. Nothing wrong with it or the accessories, but if I was going to spend that type of money on a dress, it wouldn't be this one.
ReplyDeleteIn my personal taste, I much prefer the Ella Polka Dot Shirt dress that Charlotte added to the post, so let's hope we see that on tour or at some point in the future because she would really look wonderful in it.
Glad that she did one last engagement prior to the tour. Very much looking forward to following it.
Julie: I had the same thought, that Ella Shirt dress is super cute. Let's face it, Kate has demonstrated that she loves shirt dresses - and to be honest so do I. When I saw this dress I thought it appropriate for the venue, audience, etc. When I saw the price tag, boy was I shocked. So also agree with you on the price tag. But all-in-all, it looks great on Kate.
DeleteTRHs continue to impress me. Their dedication to service and the public welfare is truly admirable.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I don't like the dress, either - but I don't have to wear it. No matter it's "complicated design," it just doesn't "sing" on Kate - and, in fact, strikes me as looking cheap/too gimmicky. She's so good looking and, well, young: at this time, she could be - and has - rocking some amazing clothes. But even though the colors are right for Kate, the pattern is so ordinary/blah... I DID read the designer's statement: that he designs for everyone, not just 20 and 30 year olds. When we have Helen Mirren [deservedly] making headlines and universally applauded for her bold choices in fashion, I feel hopeful when designers acknowledge that we all have dignity and want attractive style no matter what our ages. Now he just has to DO IT!
Finally Kate's hair is back to being on point! It's looked great these last few engagements she's had. I wasn't thrilled with the dress, but I liked the slit on her. It's not something she usually wears, but it looked great. It shows she's still willing to wear something other dresses that hit at the knee or lower. Can't get over how good her hair has looked recently!
ReplyDeleteClare, that was my take on this look as well. Kate's hair looks fantastic! It has a nice highlight in the front and appears super glossy. I'm also of the mindset - why shouldn't Kate show off her legs. I think they are best feature (and then hair next right now).
DeleteI agree with both of you. Her hair is almost back to amazing and the slit is everything to this dress.
DeleteWhen a girl loves her blues she's got to wear the blues doesn't she? Yes it is yet another blue dress by the duchess but I like this on her. However I can never and will never be able to justify any designer dress costing more than solid 24 karat gold! Why can't it be under a thousand dollars? Perhaps exclusivity and rarity as well as lower quantity are things that they are considering in their pricing strategy. Having said this I have to admit that I just purchased this dress. Yes I am already having a buyer's remorse and regret getting it however on the other hand, owning a piece that my icon wore is kind of special!
ReplyDeleteAnyways gorgeous dress, I wish she had the hair in a ponytail but damn those legs are sexy! Ok I need to get into a strict regimen of exercise!
I think you would have made a better deal with the L.K. Bennett Lasa poppy dress, IMO.:-))) Maybe next time!
DeleteDon't regret it! I'm sure you'll look stunning!
DeleteThey are trained in diversive tactics (distractions, planned or unplanned). Security 101.
DeleteThey are trained in diversive tactics (distractions, planned or unplanned). Security 101.
DeleteIf it gives you happiness - don't regret it - I'm sure it will look lovely on you. It is quite a classic dress so should stay in style - a nice thing about many of Kate's clothes.
Deletelove the outfit today, but I have one major thought, where were their PO'S, ok the man fell over a bollard, but William especially went straight to help, his security detail surely should have moved in between him and the incident, or am I just nitpicking here.
ReplyDeleteIf the PO's had moved in to help and something happened to William and Catherine, what would the repercussions be then. Their job is to protect the Royals and they cannot be distracted from that.
DeleteWilliam was the closest to the Vice Lord Lieutenant. You can see in the pictures the security detail coming in, but their duty is to prevent any harm happening to William and Kate I do not think there would have been a need for them to move "in between him and the incident". I am sure the gentleman as a representative of Her Magesty would have been well vetted and the PO's would know he would not be a threat to William.
DeleteAre you suggesting that the security detail should have helped (instead of William), or that they should have blocked William from it by stepping in between??
DeleteThe officials at the events are vetted and cleared through security. And the PPOs know who is there and how far they need to go in the events of such incidents. They are also trained and prepared for what to do in the case of such emergencies and they know the habits and preferences of the people they're guarding. They don't automatically swarm around William and Kate every single second.
DeleteThe PO did move in, but people were already there. Also, they should not move in. Someone stumbling to cause a distraction is exactly when the POs should not get distracted. This time was obviously just the man falling, but someone falling on purpose to create a distraction is a valid tactic that the POs are aware of and can't "fall for". If they get distracted by the fall, someone has a chance to move in on the royals.
DeleteThat was a tough situation and I hope they learned from it. Security should have immediately been one on one with each William and Kate and done that instinctively and immediately. The members of the welcoming committee were very capable of seeing to the fallen person, although to be logistically sound, someone from security should have stood by closely and ready there in case the fallen person was armed in any way. This was an unfortunate but innocent scenario but could easily have been otherwise. If you notice the videos of that closely, and there is a good one in the Telegraph, once the man fell there were two men behind a green fence, in close proximity to the group. The men appeared out of nowhere. I don't know that they were security but if they weren't, it raises doubts to me about the security of their perimeter. It was perplexing and worrisome to me just how unprofessionally that scenario played out security wise yesterday.
DeleteOkay. Got it. Very good points here.
DeleteIt certainly was a difficult situation. It happened and was over in a flash, and hindsight tends to be less complicated.
I like the dress. I think it was a perfect choice for the occasion. She looked comfortable and I think that helped the children relax and be comfortable with her. I think the only miss was the accessories. Would have looked great with black shoes and clutch or even silver.
ReplyDeleteThis has probably been talked about a gazillion times before and I've missed it, but I think the focus on mental health is great. I think it also arises from how the boys watched Princess Diana go through so much. She was so young when she had them. When her parents divorced, everything went downhill. She was passed around to different schools and she had no self confidence and apparently no one to talk to about it. I think through these efforts TRH are saying if only this had been available for the Princess. We're not going to let this happen to anyone else.
I agree Lonette. I think that is the basis of their motivation.
DeleteBoth Kate and William looked wonderful. What a nice engagement. I am very happy to see Kate wearing a more sophisticated pricier version of a casual day dress. This dress looks very good on her and I am sure the money is in large part in the fabric and general quality of construction and lines. One slight point on the fall of the gentlemen. I thought it was handled well by everyone present and often men of that age do not want any help from younger women. Much easier to accept help from someone like William. That is just what I have observed with my own elderly gentlemen relatives.
ReplyDeleteGood point. From the clip I saw, Kate was in the "moment" with a graceful goodbye and the furthest away. There were four people around the gentleman - not sure how to get someone else in there to pick him up. That's a tricky situation. It appeared that William was able to help him "laugh if off". Easier for a man-to-man scenario than a women.
DeleteI agree a 100 %. Very good point. Accepting help is not easy for men in general (they tend to think they would appear weak and so they try to manage on their own rather than asking for help), plus with his age and in the presence of William and Kate, it was quite appropriate and natural that William helped him at once - as a man, a person who often appears in uniform himself (a "colleague" or "comrade in arms" in a way) and an ambulance helicopter pilot.
DeleteExactly, 18:14 and Zora, exactly.
DeleteI didn't know the brand and after having a look at the collection I think that the only interesting thing is the slit which shows long and thin Kate's legs. She is such a nice girl and with such a lot of money to spend she could be dressed better. And wear more comfortable but trendy shoes.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, LOVE this dress. Kate looks fabulous in it.
ReplyDeleteThe poor gentleman that fell - I imagine he is terribly embarrassed.
I just realized Kate really needs these dark red L K Bennett pumps for the Canada trip, the colour would be so fitting! http://m.lkbennett.com/h5/r/lkb/Collections/Shoes/Sasha-Dark-Red-Courts/p/SCSASHANAPPARedMerlot
ReplyDeleteThe dress in red is no improvement....it actually shows the details, which I don't like, more clearly.
ReplyDeleteI'm not fond of the dress and can't imagine why it's the price it is. Somehow it manages to look both juvenile and dowdy at the same time! The slit is the best thing about it. And I agree that black shoes and purse would have worked better.
ReplyDeleteditto, I agree and the actual hue is cheap as well...good color, fabric and lines are essential. Nothing special about this design in any way
DeleteAbsolutely love this dress. What a great year this has been for new frocks!! And we still have the tour in view - exciting !!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte,
ReplyDeleteThank you again for your excellent photo choices, Information and narratives. Your quality is always par none.
*bar none, :)
ReplyDelete*best, bar none. lol
DeleteOn second thought, I like the dress. Perfect for "going back to school" and the colors are the logo colors of the charity as someone already mentioned. More "Kate things". And as 17:01 said she is wearing a pricier version of a day dress and I think that is a more appropriate thing for her to do in her position. She has some beautiful coats that will go with the dress for winter wear. They seem to be doing more engagements than before, has anyone noticed?
ReplyDeleteUsually I love what Catherine wears, but not today. The dress and heels just did not go well together at all. If she had on one of her black pumps, it would have been better. The dress itself looked so dated. Today's look was a complete miss to me.
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement here! This dress is a pretty color but to me it looks Walmart-ish. The shoes and clutch really drag it down. It's like Kate was running late and just grabbed her standard shoes/clutch, thinking they go with everything. Alas, not this time! I think black accessories would raise the level of this outfit considerably.
DeleteThere are SO many stylish dresses out there for Kate to choose from, I am at a loss why she would choose this strange dress.
It is a cute dress. Perhaps, she chose the spots to tie in with the program's logo. I think the V neck and side slit save it from being too plain and boring. The shoulders and sleeves are nicely designed as well. Regarding the "bib" aspect of dress, agree with poster who felt it reminded her of a nightgown. Also, reminded me of a maternity dress I wore a decade ago. However, with the busy pattern, that part of the dress structure is not glaring. Like Rebecca, I think navy accessories would have made this dress pop more.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great visit but I don't like the dress at all. Kate has been criticised before for trying to copy Diana but actually I think this is the first thing she has worn that looks remotely like something Diana would have worn. It has a very early 80s vibe and as a young teen at the time I had dresses with similar splits.
ReplyDeleteI am completely in love with this cause! It's just wonderful. It will improve and, in some cases, save lives! If the beautiful, elegant, wealthy, powerful, and seemingly perfect William and Catherine can speak about and highlight mental illness then surely no one should be ashamed of it. Like Catherine has said before, mental health is as, if not more, important as physical health.
ReplyDeleteLove the colors of the dress and the photo of her sitting at the desk is just beautiful!
What an appropriate event for the start of the school year! My granddaughter was recently complaining about the transition.
ReplyDeleteI like Kate's dress and hate the slit.
Love the dress--cute, cute, cute! Love this classic shirtdress in modern cut, even the gilet-front. Looking forward to the tour!
ReplyDeleteCatherine is gorgeous, but that dress is frightful. Sometimes I just don't know what she's thinking. She's 30+ years old and wear dresses my grandmother would wear. I guess perhaps I should say nothing at all if I have nothing positive to say, and I've done that on many an occasion. I just wish I could be her stylist :)
ReplyDeleteWell, the girl does like vintage styles and elements. It's not like the designers are coming up with dresses just for her. :)
DeleteSee I thought the dress was more of a mix of the 30's and 80's. I'm on the fence - but leaning towards I don't like. She always looks nice though, and today is no different.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I don't like this dress at all, it looks like something I would wear to bed,, and wake up in,,,I guess I'm in the minority with this opinion, but IMO she has much better wardrobe choices she could've made,, Thank You Charlotte!!XOXO
ReplyDeleteI look the overall look here. When I see some of the details of the dress up close, like those puffy shoulders, I don't love it as much as I do some of her other looks. Lately on of the things that is making her look great is her hair - it is back to being longer where for a while it has been closer to shoulder length. I think having back the long, bouncy waves of early Duchess days is making a big difference for me.
ReplyDeleteKate looked fantastic today. The dress is a fresh look, the earrings and necklace were the perfect accessories. And of course the subject of the outing is an important one. Great job all around.
ReplyDeleteThank you Charlotte for an interesting post. Another brick in the building of more tolerance and understanding of mental health problems. If only we can all talk more and understand more. Today I spent ages talking to a 30 year olds mother who felt three weeks on antidepressants was a course and that he could come off the medication now and be better but she didn't think the same about her blood pressure medication which was for life. I fear for him becoming another statistic because we just do not understand the disease spectrum and are so intolerant of the disease.
ReplyDeleteSo for me this was an important and worthy event and William and Kate interacted well with the participants. It is a pleasure watching how effortlessly and happily they work together.
An interesting look for Catherine. I liked the retro feel and the print. Good colours, evocative of a beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds and life's endless possibilities stretching out ahead. I like the philosophy of the designer.
On the George photographs a line was crossed and the photographs were sold for profit. A small boy has a right to privacy in his garden. No of us would be happy if someone stood out in the street and photographed a private intimate moment through the window of our homes. Even if it were a stunningly great photograph it would be wrong - no consent given.
For once I agree. These pictures were taken on private property. This would've been different if George was out in the park and not inside the gates of the palace
DeleteBut still find her going after the paper hypocritical considering she was a guest editor for the huffington post and they post pap photos all the time
In the UK it is legal to photograph anyone, children included, in public places for profit without parental consent. They were outside the gates of KP, which is a public area and public park. There does not get to be one law for the taxpayer-funded and other law for the rest of us.
DeleteIt is incredibly hypocritical because they only went after 2 publications, not all of the ones that published the photos.
I think the HuffPost gig was in exchange for HuffPost not posting photos of them anymore.
Quite a bit of inaccurate information in your comment Anon 21.36. The general consensus is that the ruling was correct.
DeleteThanks for the post. I wonder how William and Kate felt, sitting at those small desks once again :) I'm really glad the gentleman who fell did not hurt himself. As for the dress, it is not my favourite; Kate looks pretty though, as always. Very nice hair. Looking forward to the tour!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Kate have found a fabric that better matches the Heads Together logo. That it is a pretty dress is a bonus. And, it is a school dress sort of, so, perfect.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh anon 21:45, I hadn't even thought about the matching of the dress to the logo. I love it! Kate really is clever the way she creates these moments with her outfits. I think the dress suits her, the fabric is lovely. I'm not entirely sold on the cut of the dress, but taking into consideration what you also said about it looking a bit like a "school dress", I think this outfit is perfect for the visit. It's a "thumbs up" from me!
Delete07:26,
Delete:), finally, someone else "gets it". whew. yay
What a wonderful event. Thankfully the Lord Lieutenant was not injured. I watched the video, and William was very caring and compassionate. As far as Kate is concerned, she reacted properly. Making sure to stay out of the way, since the men had the situation well in hand. Her body language clearly indicated her readiness to lend further assistance if required, and after all, this wasn't rugby.
ReplyDeleteAlso clear in the video, was the bit of leg she exposed, which took all of 3 seconds. Nothing shocking or inappropriate in my opinion. ;)
Agree! :))
DeleteThat dress...wow! A rare miss for her. It looks incredibly dated and not in a good way, especially paired with the light coloured pumps. She could have stepped out of 1995!
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of the dress in the print. Would have maybe liked it in the red but the front detail is a bit like p.j's to me. Prints are tricky for me. However I am a huge fan of all the mental health issues for children and teens they are supporting. So great to see them shining a light on these issues that have been in the dark so long.
ReplyDeleteGreat to focus on the mental well being of children in an education environment. School is a much more stressful, high pressure world than it was 20 or 30 years ago. The curriculum demands so much more of them, so it's good to see emotional support being promoted.
ReplyDeleteI love the dress and the print, but I honestly don't think Catherine has the 'curves' to pull it off. It requires hips and a bust to provide the shape (IMHO).
Cara, Australia
I agree, Cara. And for my eldest especially, the pressure of competing against other kids! Not just academic but even more socially and in material possessions! As a friend said, it may sound trivial for an adult but to the child it could mean life and death psychologically. Parenting is increasingly hard these days. I think it was Helena Bonham Carter who once said there should be a school on how to become parents.
DeleteI'm sorry to say this dress looks like a nightshirt to me...
ReplyDeleteOh not to me:).
DeleteI seem to be in the minority about the dress, but that's okay.
ReplyDeleteThe dressy matches the logo and if any dress is like a school dress this one is. Logo, "returning to school", Bingo, two more "Kate things". If that was her goal she accomplished it. To look at the dress without those two goals in mind does not give the dress the credit it deserves, IMO.
Speaking of finding "Kate things", Paola, where are you?
Yes, Paola, where are you?
DeleteGood question. I hope you're okay, Paola...
DeleteI hear you Robin.... I am undecided whether it reminds me of a nightshirt or a housecoat like my mother used to wear. For a second I was imagining Kate wearing this dress with a duster in her hand, rollers on her hair... funny:-) but it also reminds me very much of the dress that Carole wore when she went to see Prince George on the day of his birth at Lindo Wing, don't you think? It is not the same, granted, but it has the same vibe. While it looked stunning on Carole I don't think it suits Kate, it makes her look even flatter than she already is. Colour palette is nice on the model shown from the website, but on Kate it somehow washes her out. Not the best of her looks IMO. Oh well, we can always hope for better next time.
ReplyDeleteOK. One more thing. Does anyone else think she's losing weight getting ready for another prince or princess? Maybe? Too soon?
ReplyDeleteShe does look a bit slimmer but I put that down to getting ready for the tour. I always thought quite thin women like Kate actually needed to put on a few pounds to fall pregnant more easily - especially as Kate is prone to being ill at the beginning - but I could be wrong.
DeleteI do think a third is possible next year -- and suspect that will finish it - but since Kate has suffered severely from H.G. doubt that she would try to fall pregnant before a tour. With the exception of Malta, I've always thought they planned rather carefully to avoid tours and important events.
Not a fan of this dress at all - it looks like a house dress my grandma wore in the 40s. But then I'm also not a fan of polka dots - never have been. Nice however that she seems to be wearing her dresses longer now (thank goodness).
ReplyDeleteI had a thought and giggled... Had she worn the sheath version of the dress with a navy blazer, any bets on it being referred to as a boring uniform? I may like some vintage pieces more than others but, clearly, Kate is fond of it and good for her for staying true to herself.
ReplyDeleteHaha how true. While I'm not fond of the cut of this dress, I do appriciate her trying new things. And do realize that everyone have different tastes. Alot of people liked this dress, it's not ugly. It's ugly in some people's eyes, but it doesn't make the dress ugly :P
DeleteAmen, RF, Amen. lol
DeleteThank God Kate stays true to herself. Can you imagine what state she would in if she tried to please everyone of us?
:)) I'm glad you appreciated my humor, ladies.
DeleteAnd for the record, the uniform I referred to has my name all over it -- including the navy accessories that Rebecca mentioned in another thread.
Re the genrleman's fall. I tripped over a keen this week and have the scraped face to prove it. There were other people walking their dogs (yes I was walking the dog) and they rushed over to me. I felt embarrassed and in pain and desperately wanted a tissue to sop up the blood pouring from my eyebrow and mouth. I didn't really want sympathy from strangers, just wanted to get on with it. The gentleman, thankfully, didn't appear to be hurt and I think he wanted the same thing. Man to man, I am sure he appreciated William's arm and quick sympathy. No fuss, let's carry on.
ReplyDeleteOn W & K's visit, I do wish she would have made a small speech. Tandem--she say something and then he say something. She talks quite well person to person but I do think it is time the general public heard more from her as she doesn't seem to want to be known for what she wore. This is about as critical as I have ever been of her and I just mean it in a grandmotherly way--speak up woman!
Hope you are ok Valerie. Falling is a shock to the body. Whenever I have taken a spill, it always seems like slow motion! Take care of yourself.
DeleteI thought HRH looked very nice, but $2,150 for a day dress (even couture) seems extraordinary, considering many families in the charities they visit likely do not even bring in 1/2 or even 1/3 that much per month. Let's hope the designer provides the dress at no charge in exchange for publicity and the tax payer is not paying (I know there is much discussion on what is paid for privately by the Royals). I think HRH does very well in wearing many pieces that are very economical and cheers for her in doing that. Gowns and such, I can understand being extremely expensive, but a simple day dress over $2,000? Very surprising,
ReplyDeleteI hope it wasn't given to her. Because that is highly unethical and not done by the royals. She has been known to scour for sales etc, so maybe she bought it during a great sale. But yeah, it's a lot of money.
DeleteKate's "fashion choice" was
ReplyDeleteanother "event logo" dress, like the cloud dress to match the promo poster of Shaun the Sheep, and the blue gown at James Bond to match the gown on the movie promo poster, etc. As has been mentioned already, it is a perfect dress for a "day at school", very school girlish. That is what she was going for. That's what she was thinking, for those of you who asked. So, Kate did get it right. Very event appropriate, quite literally. And I think she looks lovely and is very thoughtful with her choices.
I thoroughly agree, 05:03.
DeleteI think her planning and thoughtfulness in the event things, as you said, are so in keeping with who Kate is in general. No wonder she has so seamlessly and beautifully found her place within her new (Royal) family.
I like this dress. It's edgy, I like the print, which is young and fun. It's a younger woman's dress vs. all the oldish, slightly-frumpy things she's worn in the past few events. This dress almost harkens back to pre-engagement and pre-wedding Kate and I LOVED that style!! It's a great transition piece from summer to fall. I wish she would have styled it with a belt and dark shoes or her navy suede pumps, I think the only thing that's off is the nude pumps.
ReplyDeleteI'll also throw this out there, I'm not the "OMG, Kate walked a certain way so that MUST mean she's expecting!" camp BUT this dress would make a great first-trimester piece to wear to an event, given the color, the room in and under the bust and the way the front of the dress is constructed.
I have a feeling we'll hear an announcement before the end of the year. She's said she wants three children, I'm sure there is a certain amount of urgency to get childbearing and baby care out of the way before they have to assume the duties of full-time royals and before William becomes the heir to the throne. I just have a feeling that baby #3 will be announced as being on the way before the end of this year.
I like her look today. I like the hair a little longer and fuller, it looks more like the great hair she rocked a few years ago. She still looks too thin but her color is a bit better, she looks like she's been outside or tanning a bit and that is always flattering on her.
Hello all,
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see the Duchess out and about for yet another good cause. I am very much looking forward to another tour too!
On this outfit choice, I think it looked lovely on Catherine. However, I did not like the dress as much as others. For some reason, the button down front and bib reminded me of a night shirt or maternity dress. I think the fitted version with a cropped jacket would've been nicer. Also, give the 50s feel to it, white accessories would be fun. Perhaps we will see a repeat of it with different hues.
Great engagement. Starting middle school was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I actually had a panic attack the first week. How I wish there had been someone to talk to about all of the fear and doubt that I was feeling.Hope more schools realize the need to support children thru this potentially tough time.
ReplyDeleteLove that William admitted that he sometimes feels like he is still 16. I am sure that was a very tumultuous time for him even more so than most.I am sure that there are times when he still feels quite vulnerable. Most of us do. Little by little he is revealing more of his own feelings and experiences. This cause has probably been very good for his own emotional well being. Cute moment when Kate said that she still thinks he 16.
To close, if I had legs like Kate I would show them off too. She and William truly do seem to be friends which is a treat to see. A great basis for any marriage.
Don't most of us wives, at times, think our husbands act like 16 years olds? :)
DeleteI also think it is sweet, healthful and helpful that William and Kate are opening up more and sharing their own feelings, opinions and experiences. With the media circus being what it is and the fickle public being what it is, it takes a huge amount of courage and self-awareness and confidence to do that and I applaud them. That they are doing all that in attempt to help others is even more admirable. I think they are going to be a great King and Queen.
I happen to be attending a class reunion. When we gathered this morning in front of our old school for a class picture, I suddenly remmbered the September morning when we assembled nearby for the first time as young teenagers. That morning was 66 years ago, but I still remember the sea of unfamiliar faces, now friends from forever. Among the throng were faces I had known since the first morning at our lementary school 72 years ago. Those are moments that never fade in memory becuase they were the beginning of such momentous changes in our young lives. Moving around my native town, I keep coming across my young self. One of the things I did here was to board a train for the east and a ship to England, where I started a university year in completely unfamiliar surroundings. Beginnings are so stressful for the young, but we often look back on them so happily. If only the young knew that!
DeleteHow sweet and how poignant 21:00. Thank you for sharing. Yes, we could all relax a little and realize that things often do work out. :)
DeleteThe more I study the dress, the more I am torn by it. I like the top, like the v neck and the fact it opens the dress up and she isn't buttoned up tight. I like the detailing and the slight ruffle on the shoulders. I like the bottom-the length, the slit, the movement. But I don't like the dress as one unit. I think it might solve a lot of the dislikes here if it was separated and she wore the top with a navy pencil shirt or the bottom with a solid but well cut top. But I thought the jewelry was a great hit with this. I like the set and sometimes I think it gets lost when she wears solid colors but with a colorful print like this, it was the right accent.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting to see the pictures of Kate at this engagement in Twitter. Most photos show her in an extremely unflattering light-either looking bored, pissed off, or exhausted. I can't quite figure out if Charlotte had to search for positive looking pictures or if Twitter posted just the unflattering ones. For the record, I think Kate suffers from Resting Bitch Face(where your face naturally looks mad if you are not actively smiling, even if you are not mad). Way too often at these events, when she is listening in groups or to speeches she looks mad, and I think it's just RBF. It would be super creepy to smile all the time when in these settings. I am sure she was not pissed or bored when she was in the parent conversation group but sadly, those were some of the pics on Twitter.
I think it would be great if W/K took some of the things they are learning and started to move outward with them. I get that in order to be knowledgeable about a field you need to take in a lot of data from a variety of sources but at some point you have to start passing on the knowledge you have learned. It would be great to see them start advocating(I guess W had kind of started) using the knowledge they have leaned in the last year or so.
Define advocating.
DeleteThe way William has started. Speaking out at conferences and networking with coalitions. Also the way some of the other royals do(Mary, Maxima) at things like international conferences and meetings.
DeleteI sure don't know what pictures your looking at but Kate is smiling or sitting and listening. If that face makes you think she is pisst off then I don't know what more she can to to please you.
DeleteAnd with all the knowledge they are learning what do you really want them to do. They are doing by visiting all these different charities that will benefit from all this. So I think if you think you can do better, then write to them and give then your opinion.
Rebecca English posted a lot of the pics initially. She posted videos later that reflect Kate much better-smiling, laughing, talking but the stills were not the greatest.
DeleteI think her expressions are perfectly fine. And I agree, they are doing great work.
DeleteNot sure at all what you mean by advocating, Katie.
To add to my post about the dress, I think the top part as a separate top would look fantastic with a pair of well cut trousers and heels. Modern, trendy, but also very professional and still princess like. Especially with her hair down.
ReplyDeleteOh please. Anything else to critique? Maybe the way she positions her hands, the way she walks? Perception is subjective - I see a beautiful, happy women whether in repose or smiling. What you see Katie, is perhaps how you are feeling inside? The dress - love it! Thanks, Charlotte, for Joseph Altuzarra's quote, which really encompasses Catherine. Simple elegance and ease.
ReplyDeleteCan I give a thumbs up to this reply? Classic and elegant.
DeleteWell, since you asked, yes, I do not like the way she positions her hands. It's called "the fig leaf," and it reveals a lack of confidence.
DeleteI also am not a fan of this dress. The "bib" effect is simultaneously juvenile and aging, the slit is too high, and the buttons are no Bueno.
I echo your thoughts, 17:27. The more W&K do...the better they become at it...the less Kate recycles...the more photos we see of the children......yet the criticism does not stop. One could say that more passion goes into finding something (anything!) "wrong".
DeleteAnd what happened to the excuse "well, if there was more to talk about people wouldn't nitpick". Right. :(
Thank you, Anon 17:27.
DeleteI could (and have) posted pics of other royal ladies with their hands clasped. We could even add Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton to the list. Lack of confidence?? Me thinks that MO and HC, in particular, would share a giggle over that one.
DeleteI like the dress and I like Kate. I like that she matched the logo and wore a schoolish dress. She seems to always think of others first. Nice trait. 17:27, kudos. And fig leaf, smig leaf, everyone holds their hands like that.
DeleteI like the dress very much and would love to see Kate wear the red version. Not a big fan of the nude accessories but that's just me but I love her Mappin & Webb earrings and pendant.
ReplyDeleteI am appalled at the price of this dress. It's just an ordinary day dress and it's nothing special. I can't believe anyone would pay over 2,000 dollars for it. She looks lovely in it, but I just can't get past the price.
ReplyDelete