Will we see the Cambridges on Easter Sunday? That is the question a number of you have asked me over the past week or so. I thought it might be fun to take a look at how they've spent the occasion in previous years and to observe their patterns. It's actually a very private time for them and apart from once during a royal tour we haven't seen them on Easter. Looking back to 2011, when Easter Sunday fell just a few days before the royal wedding, it was such an exciting time. For royal fans and monarchists it was arguably the most delightful time in terms of royal watching for years. I can distinctly recall following every single news article with immense interest and seeing the various photos from the wedding rehearsals, to activities at the Middleton home and photos of Kate out shopping in London days before the big event.
With all the bustle and last minute preparations, William and Kate stepped away to enjoy Easter with the Middletons in Bucklebury. William was seen being driven to the Middletons' home and he joined the family for church in Berkshire before returning to the house for a traditional lunch. It was an early choice which signalled the couple's decision to alternate holidays between the Middletons and the Royal family, something we've seen particularly during Christmas.
After that, it was back to London. One photo which really captures the buzz around the wedding is this one of Kate receiving an outfit/dress from a lady in blue (believed to be a Palace aide, although never officially identified.). It captures a lovely moment of Kate obviously receiving a warm embrace and good wishes ahead of the day - and she looked every inch the elated bride-to-be.
In 2012, the Cambridges spent Easter in Scotland with the Royal family. They were spotted arriving at Crathie Kirk for Sunday service with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. A Royal aide said: "It was a beautiful service. Afterwards, they were back at Balmoral for Sunday lunch." An onlooker grabbed a quick (albeit tiny) snap of the royals leaving the service. Kate wore a plum coat.
The couple had just returned from a skiing holiday in Meribel in the 'Three Valleys Resort' with the Middletons. You may remember William had just returned from a six-week deployment in the Falklands.
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| Hello! |
In 2013, the couple enjoyed a quiet weekend in Anglesey (is it me or does it feel like forever since they lived in Wales?) where William worked as a RAF search and rescue pilot. The couple attended a local church service at St Cadwaladr's in Llangadwalad, a small village in Anglesey. The church is believed to have been a royal burial ground and one of its windows dates from the 12th century. After the service, they signed the visitors book.
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| Wikipedia |
2014 was by far the Cambridges' most public Easter to date. It fell during their tour of Australia and New Zealand. With nine-month-old George along for the trip and a varied itinerary, it was a fantastic and memorable tour, undoubtedly in my top three, along with Canada 2011 and India/Bhutan last year. That morning, William and Kate attended service at St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney City Centre. Kate looked regal in a bespoke dove grey Alexander McQueen coat and a matching Jane Taylor hat.
William and Kate signed the visitors book.
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| Rebecca English Twitter Feed |
Then it was time for a family afternoon at Taronga Zoo. It was so interesting to see boisterous George in action and meeting a bilby. William turned to Kate and said: "He's trying to grab his ear." To which Kate replied: "If he gets it he'll never let go." It was absolutely the tour highlight. It's amazing how much he's grown since then, and now his little sister Charlotte is fast approaching her 2nd birthday!
Easter 2015 was a time full of anticipation for the Cambridges, who reportedly enjoyed a quiet day with the Middletons. One month after Easter Sunday, a very special surprise arrived when Kate gave birth to a daughter, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana at St Mary's hospital.
Last year, Kate spent her first Easter as a mother of two at Bucklebury surrounded by the Middletons. A royal source told Hello!: "The Duchess of Cambridge will be spending the Easter weekend with her children." I imagine it was a special one as it was Charlotte's first Easter, and George, then almost three, was old enough to enjoy an egg hunt. Prince William spent the weekend in Kenya attending the wedding of Jecca Craig.
Having looked over the Cambridges' plans in recent years, I think it's not highly probable we'll see them. There isn't a set pattern in terms of how they celebrate although it's possible they'll opt to spend the day with the Royal family. The Queen and members of the Royal family will attend Sunday service at St George's chapel at Windsor Castle. It's also quite likely they'll spend the weekend in Bucklebury before returning to London where they have several engagements next week. If so, it will possibly be church followed by a family lunch and a little Easter egg hunt for George and Charlotte. And discussion around the table will be reminiscent of 2011 when a pending wedding was very much on everyone's minds. This time with Pippa's just weeks away, no doubt it will be the topic firmly on their minds!
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The lovely folks at Black.co.uk are hosting an Easter event offering 20% off all their collections from 13 - 17 April. They are offering 'Duchess Kate' readers an additional 10% off with discount code HRH10 during the same time period. (Note: the 20% is automatically applied; to avail of the extra 10% simply enter HRH10 at the checkout). They also offer Free International Delivery on orders over £100.
The Bow Gloves worn by Kate and created by Cornelia James continue to be among their most popular products. Below we see Kate wearing her black pair in New York and her navy pair at a Place2Be conference.
Made in Italy, they are described: "Short cocktail gloves with an elegant and pristine side bow at the wrist. Made from satin lycra the gloves are stretchy ensuring a snug flattering fit." The discount reduces the gloves from £45 to £32.50.
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| Black.co.uk |
With spring in full swing and summer on the horizon there's an array of essentials for the season and pieces perfect to add the finishing touch to any summer look. The collection of Sun Hats are ideal for holidays. They are packable, so fold neatly for travelling and are made from the braided fibre of the Canadian maple tree. Below, the White Wide Brim Sun Hat, the Nautical and Navy Striped Wide Brim Hat, the Brown and Sand and the Black and Gold Striped Sun Hat.
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| Black.co.uk |
The Black and Sand Straw Fedora and the White Trilby with Veil.
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| Black.co.uk |
The Broiderie Anglaise Cotton Cover Up is crafted from pure white cotton and made in Italy. We also see the Agadir Hand Embroidered Linen Cover Up. More from the product description: "It doubles as a relaxed mini dress and looks perfect over white jeans. Handmade in Italy it is breathable, cool to wear and has 25cm side slits for easy movement. The blue detailing on the sleeves give this lovely dress a polished finish. The back is white linen."
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| Black.co.uk |
Also in beach accessories, the nautical blue and white Marine Anchor Egyptian Cotton Beach Towel. A nice one for beach lovers and seafarers.
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| Black.co.uk |
The brand has also launched a collection of stylish bags - the ultimate accessory to complete any look, dressed up or down. For the summer season, the Black and Brown Straw and Cotton Tote is a very wearable, versatile bag perfect to carry your beach essentials. It's fully lined and has two slip pockets and one internal zipped pocket. The handles are long enough to carry on the shoulder. With the detailed hardware and colour combination, what I like most about this one is it looks much more expensive than it actually is (about £35 after discounts).
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| Black.co.uk |
The White and Gold and Black and Leather Tote Bags are made in Italy. The internal cavity is zip fastened with internal pockets for essentials. Fully lined, it comes with protective gold studs on the base.
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| Black.co.uk |
There's a selection of beautiful silk scarves available: "Originating in Ancient Rome silk scarves were first made when the Silk Road opened from China. Considered the epitome of luxury, only the Emperor’s family was permitted to wear silk. Later it became an honour for upper class women to wear silk scarves. The rest, as they say, is history. Today pure silk scarves are the essence of chic and our collection features exquisitely crafted silk twill, silk chiffon and silk satin scarves made meticulously in France and Italy. The style and finish reflects this heritage." Below the Avis de Passage Italian Silk Square Scarf in rich tones of red, yellow, orange, blue and a butterfly centrepiece.
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| Black.co.uk |
(Not forgetting our male readers) there are lovely Silk Italian Pocket Squares including the ' Parisian Romance' which pays homage to iconic French images: the Eiffel tower, the Parisian postage stamp, an elegant lady, the chanticleer rooster and a duelling pair.
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| Black.co.uk |
From the jewellery collection, the Filigree Leaf Sterling Silver Choker and the matching earrings. Designed and made in France, they feature nine intricate silver leaf lozenges.
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| Black.co.uk |
The code is valid until the 17th.
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And with that a reminder we'll next see the Duchess on Wednesday when she hosts London marathon runners at Kensington Palace. With the marathon, little over a week away, William, Kate and Harry's wax figurines at Madame Tussauds got their Heads Together by donning the official headbands for the initiative. :)
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Easter! X
Happy Easter to you Charlotte and to all readers of this wonderful blog. I am getting ready to host a Good Friday brunch for my brother and his family. The cousins love getting together.
ReplyDeleteLooking froward to all the London Marathon events and the focus on mental health discussions. Good luck to all those runners. (Look after your knees!).
Wishing us all peace.
Cara
Cara, I am curious. :)
DeleteWhat do you have as traditional Easter Brunch in Australia? (A definite "foodie" question.) :)
I don't think I've ever seen Kate hug anyone! Especially not a female, though the lady in blue does look similar to Sarah Burton. Great picture!
ReplyDeleteShe has hugged people before. I am curious as to who that woman is also. Don't think it is Sarah Buryon but maybe that is her.
DeleteI do hope we see them at Easter this year. IMHO this is a thing...because they have done Easter Services I think they need to start doing it regularly while in the UK at least.
ReplyDeleteI very much agree, 05:22. Prayer saved England via the miracle of Dunkirk. To keep faith alive, I think that a public observation of Easter would be very powerful and most appropriate.
DeleteAnon 5:52, that would be great if we saw them attending Easter services every year...as Charlotte said, the Cambridges usually spend this time privately. But as the future King of England/head of the Church of England, it would mean a lot to people here (in the Commonwealth) & of course those in the UK, to go to a public service during Easter. That's why I found Easter Sunday 2014 to be the most memorable for me & it was nice to see them attend the church service in Sydney. I hope they do keep up a tradition of attending services publicly.
Delete*sorry, meant to say 'King of the United Kingdom, not just England!
DeleteThank you, Charlotte, hope you're having a good break with your loved ones too x
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed going back in time to see how W&K have spent Easter over the years...it does seem like an age since they were living in their cosy cottage in Anglesey! I've never seen that photo of the woman in blue (Sarah Burton?) embracing Kate before her wedding, that's such a nice shot & Kate's smile is radiant.
Easter Sunday 2014 is the most memorable for me so far, where she wore one of my favourite oufits to the service that day. The photos of her & William with little George at Government house for his Easter egg hunt were sweet :) Was the bilby named after George, I can't remember?!
I hope we do get a chance to see the four of them this Easter, whether they spend it with the Queen or with the Middletons. I also have to say, it's great to see W+K+H's wax figures showing their support for Heads Together :) But to me, they look nothing like the real thing & give me the creeps, quite honestly :( Poor William hasn't translated well into wax, but the other two have fared a bit better :P
Hope everyone has a relaxing break & blessings this Easter x
(I think the wax museum concept is creepy in general.)
DeleteI agree, surfer girl. But in saying that, I quite enjoyed the Madame Tussauds in Hollywood, that was the closest I got to any 'celebrity sightings' whilst there :P
DeleteOh yes, I loathe wax figures and have ever since I visited as a child.
Delete(glad I'm not the only one.) :)
DeleteA very Happy Easter to you Charlotte and to all readers - and to any of other faiths, great wishes as well.
ReplyDeleteSince William is expected to be head of the church one day, a public appearance at Easter - possibly at Windsor, would seem important (particularly since Christmas was spent with the Middletons) but I'm not holding my breath. Church attendance is so poor these days though that it would be nice for him and Kate to set an example.
Amen, Julia. Especially with everything that is going on in the world. That would speak volumes and be quite the inspiration.
DeleteHappy Easter to all. 🌷
Julia, do you ever recall Charles and Camilla spending Easter with the Queen? My question is sincere because I do not. :-)
DeleteI don't, although Charles attended in the Diana days. I went looking and couldn't find any snaps of Camilla and him attending - although I didn't do a scientific search. It makes one wonder - especially since his service of blessing was at Windsor - is this the Queen's way to entertain less noticed members of her family (although Sophie is as noticed as Charles) or those with small children - which would point to a reason for William and Kate to attend now their children are old enough - especially as they haven't been seen at services with the queen. (When we saw George at Charlotte's christening, he didn't seem to know who the queen was.) Or is there another factor - Easter being the most sacred holiday of the Christian year.
DeleteOn the subject of Charles and Camilla - the Spectator -(where I'm paywalled out as usual) has an interesting article on how Charles is pushing for her to be crowned and why she shouldn't be - worth looking at. The polls have made it clear that the public doesn't agree with Charles - but probably will be too apathetic to do anything about it. (Since I said I would moderate my feelings about Camilla if she accepts being princess consort - but will continue my attacks if she is crowned and not watch the coronation - I suppose I must have mixed feeling - I confess I enjoy my dislike and feel Camilla has earned it from her conduct in the early Diana days.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/02/prince-charles-wants-a-queen-camilla-hes-still-wrong-heres-why/
As usual there is a response from a Camilla supporter - and I do believe she and Charles personally encourage this sort of talk - as I've heard it from people high enough up = that Diana was the great you-know-what of Babylon, having affairs even when she was a virgin before her marriage and poor, poor, poor Charles - what could he do but seek solace from the woman he nobly but distantly loved.
This is not very on target with Easter forgiveness and kind thoughts so I'll let it go now and just say I wish I would like to see William and Kate observe Easter - and at Windsor, since anything else draws attention away from the queen.
With so many wonderful churches all over the land, in the future, I think it would be marvellous if we saw William and Kate attend services at random in various churches - I'm sure the archbishop of Canterbury could get in touch with local parishes to see who might be most deserving in a county - how thrilling that would be for some of the struggling churches and it need not be publicised in advance. Just a Julia idea that won't happen.
As for Charles and Camilla appearing - frankly my dears....(and they are much too set in their own good opinion of themselves to need mine.)
A Happy Easter everyone and a blessed holiday and spring regardless of your faith
Them attending Easter services in various parishes around the country would be so fitting for the future ahead of the Church. There again, a good PR team would make that happen. The effects would be far reaching and profound, in my opinion. Great idea Julia. :)
DeleteJulia - I read the article and thought it was really well done. I really liked the closing paragraph because it is how I feel. Almost as if it was planned this way before he married Diana. Not her death obviously but marry, heirs, divorce then start their real life where he'd be king and her his queen. It's either manipulation like that or just arrogance beyond measure if it is the other way.
DeleteClosing paragraph for those who didn't or couldn't read it:
Which brings us to the real reason why I think Queen Camilla would be a bad thing. It would reward adultery, a relationship between two people married to others, which caused enormous hurt to their respective spouses. To crown Camilla queen would be to suggest that adultery doesn’t matter, that if you persist in wrong behaviour long enough it’ll be worth your while, at least in this life. A lesser title would seem less overtly triumphalist. Camilla is a mistress made good; if she were queen, it would be to diminish the residual value of matrimony. That matters.
Link: https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/02/prince-charles-wants-a-queen-camilla-hes-still-wrong-heres-why/
Also, the part about Will and Harry being financially dependent on Charles can't be highlighted enough. Until William becomes Prince of Wales the number of engagements, types of engagements, their attitudes towards Camilla are all essentially controlled by someone who, arguably, is jealous of any good press and popularity for anyone but himself.
Happy Easter to you, too! Thank you for an amazing post and greetings from Poland
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter, Charlotte, and thank for a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to you Charlotte, and to all the readers!!!😁
ReplyDeleteI hope some of the Royal Press Corp reads this (for many reasons), but specifically so they can help us determine who the mystery lady is. They might know.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter and thank you for all you do Charlotte!
ReplyDeleteEaster makes me feel very emotional. I remember as a little girl getting a new Spring outfit and hat and gloves for Easter. Even though it was often too cold to wear the straw hat without knotted ear muffs 😄 The solemnity of Good Friday and Holy Saturday and then Easter Sunday. As the future head of the C of E, I do wish William would show his faith more than just the odd church appearance. As Julia said, church attendance and religious faith are waning. But in these very dark and treacherous times, I feel faith, hope and true Charity are so important to be taught as virtues. And with secularism, they are really only taught in churches. So whatever faith you have, I wish you a blessed Spring and a love-filled future.
Me too Jo in Ireland. My sentiments exactly. My mother loved Easter too. Always a new dress and hat and gloves. And Lilys of the Valley flowers for mom.
DeleteI wonder if Will and Kate and their children went on a vacation during spring break since there have been no engagements for Kate or Will this week.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to you Charolotte, and to all DK readers!
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to all who are celebrating.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to all who celebrate. Enjoy being part of our little community.
ReplyDeleteLove that sweet picture of Kate hugging mystery lady. Happy Easter everyone.
ReplyDeleteLoved the recap. Charlotte, a very happy Easter to you and your hubby: I believe your first as a married couple?
ReplyDeleteGod Bless everyone!
A most Happy Easter for all our little group here and especially to Charlotte and her family - with thanks for all her hard work. Prayers for peace and safety for all of us, no matter where we are.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see photos of William, Kate and the children with Charles (and Camilla). I can not understand why their PR teams haven't made that happen on a regular basis. People need to see solidarity. A picture is worth a thousand words. Instead of stated aversions , however "slight" or inadvertent, photos of them together are needed. Not just for Trooping the Color and Christmas either. But regular photos. Again, a picture is worth a thousand words. Look at Carole in the car with the Queen. Stopped the rumors right away that the Queen was neglecting and rejecting the Middletons. How much more important to show unity between William, Kate, the children and Charles (and Camilla). Huge oversight on the part of their PR teams in my opinion. And if the times together don't happen naturally, make them happen. It will be good for not just photos. Dear God, please revamp their PR teams and get people in there who know what they are doing, asap, please. :)
ReplyDeleteSG, I agree with your reasoning, but I don't see it happening. Charles is afraid of the deja vu factor.
DeleteSpeaking of the girls wearing previous Royal wedding bling, I hope Carole gets to wear some of her Royal wedding bling again and the men their Royal wedding tie tacks or whatever you call those. Although, not to slight Pippa, they may all wear new custom bling for her wedding. That wouldn't surprise me. I hope Fiona Cairns not only makes Pippa's wedding cake but also, with her husband, gets to attend the wedding. I think Fiona and Carole really hit it off and have become good friends. (Just a guess.) Just as Pippa accompanied the younger flower girls in Kate's wedding, Kate may accompany Charlotte and any other younger flower girl that Pippa might have in her wedding party. Selfishly, I hope with get lots and lots of photos. :)
ReplyDeleteSG, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Carole wears the same jewelry that she wore for Kate's wedding. And I, too, hope we get to see lots of photos. :-)
DeleteP.S. If anyone reads that they have restricted the air space over the church and Middleton home, please let us know, and also if the horseback units are providing added security around there like before. (Thanks.)
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the photos of Sarah Burton in the article in The Mirror, 4/15/17, by Danielle Stacey, about a re-look at Kate's wedding gown, I think that that is Sarah Burton giving Kate a hug the day before the wedding. Just a guess.
ReplyDeleteSG, I think you're correct.
DeleteCharlotte, may you and yours have a very happy Easter. Thank you for all that you do on this blog. You have enriched the lives of a lot of people with it! I really enjoy every single posting you do. It is such a pleasure to read such well researched and developed articles together with the excellent choice of photos.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to all who celebrate it and peace and joy to all regardless.
Thank you so much, Charlotte, for the wonderful Easter posting. I loved looking back over the years since William and Kate were married--it reminds you how much has happened, and in a way it feels like they have done a lot.
ReplyDeleteI especially adore Kate's dove-grey outfit for Easter on the Australia tour. I hope we get to see that again. And George's moment with the bilby is just precious.
Happy Easter to you, Charlotte, and to everyone on this blog, and happy spring to those who do not celebrate Easter. I hope everyone has a lovely, happy, and hope-filled Easter Day today.
Will and Kate at Windsor! She looks beautiful! Happy Easter to everyone in Duchess Kate Land!
ReplyDeleteJust saw photos of the Cambridges attending church with the Queen and other members of the Royal family at Windsor. They looked very happy and K looked lovely in cream.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to everyone - seems like we got a nice present this year :-D
ReplyDeletehttp://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/792500/duke-cambridge-prince-william-kate-Royal-Family-Windsor-Castle-Easter-Sunday-service
In 2016 Cambridges spent Easter Monday at Windsor Castle when the queen was photographed with her youngest grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking how nice Kate looked and then I saw the Queen! What a wonderful color - how lovely she looked.
ReplyDeleteI am pretending like I didn't see the Yorks.
I came back for another look at the lovely Queen and was going to ask about her broach, but I found this myself;
ReplyDeletehttp://queensjewelvault.blogspot.com/2012/05/the-queen-mothers-shell-brooch.html
I see in looking at older photos the Queen often wears very pretty colors, but today's was just perfect.
Happy Easter! XOXOXOXO
ReplyDelete