This evening's appearance marks the first time Kate has been seen publicly in six weeks. At the end of August, William, Kate and Harry visited the White Garden at Kensington Palace to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana's death. Days later, it was announced Kate was expecting her third child and, as with George and Charlotte, has been suffering from Hyperemesis gravidarum, a debilitating condition requiring supplementary hydration, medication and nutrients. Kate has been holed up at KP since, where she has been receiving medical treatment. By all accounts it's been a particularly horrid and gruelling time for her - forcing her to miss Prince George's first day of school. Reports over the past week suggested she was feeling better, and it's wonderful to see her well enough to mark World Mental Health Day in an official capacity.
An aide told reporters: The Duchess' condition is improving but she is still suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum. The Duchess is delighted to be able to be here tonight.
An arrival video from Sky News.
The event recognised the progress, hard work and dedication of those determined to raise awareness of mental health issues over many years. Guests were invited from across the country, including the UK's leading mental health organisations.
It also provided an opportunity for the royals to thank those from the sector for the support they provide to so many going through difficult times in their lives.
Mental health in the workplace is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. "During our adult lives, a large proportion of our time is spent at work. Our experience in the workplace is one of the factors determining our overall wellbeing. Employers and managers who put in place workplace initiatives to promote mental health and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity." Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders that have an impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US $1 trillion each year in lost productivity. The statistics are flooring. An emphasis on workplace wellbeing will be a focus of Heads Together moving forward.
Mental health is a cause especially close to William, Kate and Harry's hearts. Over the weekend it was confirmed their Royal Foundation plans to invest £2 million to establish a new start-up for digital mental health innovation, which will develop new digital tools to help people have conversations about mental health. With the advice and support of its Heads Together partner charities, the Royal Foundation will also be investing in programmes to support better conversations on mental health in schools, workplaces, and within the defence community. The initiative has been spurred on by the results of a survey revealing that at the height of Heads Together efforts 1.2 m more men talked about their own mental health. The study noted a "slow and steady increase" in people talking about mental health in general, with a three per cent rise, or 1.5 million people, discussing it in May compared with February.
Guests included Stephen Fry, Esther Rantzen, model Adwoa Aboah and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
We saw Phase 2 getting firmly underway yesterday when Prince Harry and Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon launched a new partnership between the Royal Foundation and the Ministry of Defence to improve the mental health of current and former Armed Forces personnel.
The Duchess of Cambridge has debuted her baby bump on her first public appearance since announcing her pregnancy last month pic.twitter.com/KQ1Dla9bkj— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 10, 2017
It also provided an opportunity for the royals to thank those from the sector for the support they provide to so many going through difficult times in their lives.
Mental health in the workplace is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. "During our adult lives, a large proportion of our time is spent at work. Our experience in the workplace is one of the factors determining our overall wellbeing. Employers and managers who put in place workplace initiatives to promote mental health and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity." Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders that have an impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US $1 trillion each year in lost productivity. The statistics are flooring. An emphasis on workplace wellbeing will be a focus of Heads Together moving forward.
Mental health is a cause especially close to William, Kate and Harry's hearts. Over the weekend it was confirmed their Royal Foundation plans to invest £2 million to establish a new start-up for digital mental health innovation, which will develop new digital tools to help people have conversations about mental health. With the advice and support of its Heads Together partner charities, the Royal Foundation will also be investing in programmes to support better conversations on mental health in schools, workplaces, and within the defence community. The initiative has been spurred on by the results of a survey revealing that at the height of Heads Together efforts 1.2 m more men talked about their own mental health. The study noted a "slow and steady increase" in people talking about mental health in general, with a three per cent rise, or 1.5 million people, discussing it in May compared with February.
Guests included Stephen Fry, Esther Rantzen, model Adwoa Aboah and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
We saw Phase 2 getting firmly underway yesterday when Prince Harry and Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon launched a new partnership between the Royal Foundation and the Ministry of Defence to improve the mental health of current and former Armed Forces personnel.
Prince Harry speaks this morning at @DefenceHQ about the importance of mental health support for the Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/Y01NECur0y— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 9, 2017
Earlier today, William and Harry attended a reception at St James's Palace celebrating Heads Together. Guests included a number of the marathon runners, people who have shared their own mental health stories during the campaign, including through the #oktosay film series, representatives from the Heads Together Charity Partners and the Royal Foundation, as well as those involved in the campaign's delivery.
The pair gave a wonderful speech with William crediting Kate for the genesis of the campaign. Harry referenced working with those involved "in the years ahead".
Rebecca English revealed Kate's former private secretary Rebecca Deacon had a hand in creating the campaign. The two obviously enjoyed a very close working relationship. Rebecca left her role in August and is now working as a private consultant. She will be given the Royal Victoria Order for her services to the monarchy at Buckingham Palace tomorrow. Kate's new private secretary Catherine Quinn officially commenced her new role earlier this month. Lancashire-born Ms Quinn boasts an incredibly impressive resume; Catherine has an MBA from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and degrees from US and UK universities. Her last role saw her serve as Chief Operating Officer and Associate Dean of Administration for the University of Oxford. She previously directed the university’s Research Services and Oxford University Consulting, before joining the Wellcome Trust, the charitable healthcare foundation, leading its grant-giving operations. From there, she become chief executive of Middle Temple (one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers). She joined the Charity Commission as a board member in December 2016 and is currently a Trustee of The Royal British Legion and on the board of the Met Office. Other appointments of note include serving as Non-Executive Director of the National Memorial Arboretum. She is also a Governor of the Contemporary Dance Trust and a Trustee of London Children’s Ballet.
The pair gave a wonderful speech with William crediting Kate for the genesis of the campaign. Harry referenced working with those involved "in the years ahead".
"Today, we are here to say thank you. Thank you to everybody." said Duke of Cambridge at today's #WMHD17 celebration @KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/OI1xLCgA5Z— Heads Together (@heads_together) October 10, 2017
Rebecca English revealed Kate's former private secretary Rebecca Deacon had a hand in creating the campaign. The two obviously enjoyed a very close working relationship. Rebecca left her role in August and is now working as a private consultant. She will be given the Royal Victoria Order for her services to the monarchy at Buckingham Palace tomorrow. Kate's new private secretary Catherine Quinn officially commenced her new role earlier this month. Lancashire-born Ms Quinn boasts an incredibly impressive resume; Catherine has an MBA from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and degrees from US and UK universities. Her last role saw her serve as Chief Operating Officer and Associate Dean of Administration for the University of Oxford. She previously directed the university’s Research Services and Oxford University Consulting, before joining the Wellcome Trust, the charitable healthcare foundation, leading its grant-giving operations. From there, she become chief executive of Middle Temple (one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers). She joined the Charity Commission as a board member in December 2016 and is currently a Trustee of The Royal British Legion and on the board of the Met Office. Other appointments of note include serving as Non-Executive Director of the National Memorial Arboretum. She is also a Governor of the Contemporary Dance Trust and a Trustee of London Children’s Ballet.
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| Rebecca English |
William gave a speech in which he said: "Tonight, we are here to celebrate decades of tireless campaigning; after thousands of people have given their time and energy; and after many brave individuals have had the courage to come forward and share their stories, mental health is no longer a Cinderella issue.We know that none of the recent work we have supported through Heads Together would have been possible without the people in this room."
The event concluded with a brilliant speech from Stephen Fry.
On #WMHD, @stephenfry spoke brilliantly at a national celebration of mental health, hosted by @RoyalFamily and attended by @KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/c7sqFUIILf— Heads Together (@heads_together) October 11, 2017
📽 Thank you to all those who attended yesterday's reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the work of the UK mental health sector #WMHD pic.twitter.com/GtPd8Ud51a— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 11, 2017
The Duchess selected a dress by one of her favourite brands Temperley London.
The £795 Eclipse Lace Collar Dress is made from corded lace and has black velvet trims and a pleated skirt spliced with cotton-voile panels. The piece is from the Autumn '17 collection; inspired by Elizabethan and Baroque portraits of ladies wearing high necklines and ruffles. The dress is available at Temperley London and Net-A-Porter.
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| Temperley London |
More from the product description:
'A modern take on the lace dress underpinned by the season's Elizabethan influence, the Eclipse Lace Collar Dress is shaped into a sleek A-line silhouette.'
A closer look at the 'Iris' hue.
For those fond of the shade, The Eclipse comes in a mini dress and a lace shirt.
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| Temperley London |
Kate's dress is also available in white and black at Temperley London.
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| Temperley London |
The Duchess wore her much loved Gianvito Rossi black suede pumps. They remain available in most sizes at Net-A-Porter.
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| Gianvito Rossi |
Kate accessorised with her Kiki McDonough blue topaz and diamond drop earrings in white gold.
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| Kiki McDonough |
And carried her black Mulberry clutch.
It was wonderful to see Kate at an official engagement mingling with guests, chatting about mental health and marking World Mental Health Day. It's fantastic to hear her Hyperemesis gravidarum is improving and hopefully the worst of it is over and the remainder of the pregnancy will be smoother sailing. Looking forward, there are no engagements announced - perfectly par for the course at this stage. When Kate is recovering with HG it isn't at all unusual for appearances to be announced the day before or day of an event. I also expect Kensington Palace will make an announcement on Kate's due month any day now. We leave you with an image of the Duchess talking to guests tonight; as you can see all eyes were on her, and guests were delighted she could attend. Stephen Fry said: "We're very grateful she's here."
It's great to see you back Kate :)
So wonderful to see Kate again! I'm sad to hear she's still suffering but happy that she is improving enough to be able to attend today :)
ReplyDeleteMost of you might not have read it on the last post, as we all usually tend to concentrate on the "new one" as soon as it appears: I strongly recommend to follow the #WorldMentalHealthDay on Twitter - very inspiring messages from all over the world, many tuning in on WKH´s message "OKtoSay" because they´ve experienced themselves that it helps to speak up and talk about it!
ReplyDeleteSo many meaningful messages there, thank you Eve for mentioning it :)
DeleteYay it's good to see Kate out and about again. I hope that she makes a swift and full recovery from HG, I'm sure that she can't wait to pass this stage of her pregnancy so that she may fully enjoy the next few months.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely dress! I do hope that we get to see some great pictures of it!
Love Avee in SA
Wow! I am so happy to see her and how nice for the invitees that she could make it. I really didn't think she would be able to show up. She must be doing a bit better than she did when pregnant wth Charlotte. Maybe another boy. She looks great considering all she's been through.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is nice. The color is beautiful. I think the velvet tie around the neck is unfortunate but I do like it around the wrists. Also, I wish the neckline was less high up around her neck but this is a favored silhouette of the duchess. She is showing much earlier than she did with the others which is to be expected.
I wish the aide had not said she is still suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum. While I'm sure she is still feeling quite poorly and they don't want the expectation that she will have any other engagements anytime soon, people with HG simply can not get out of bed, get dressed and attend an event. It's too debilitating a condition to be able to function like that. I think that statement may cause some problems.
I think she looks beautiful. She is always at her best when glowing and with some weight on her. She looks like she has put on a substantial amount of weight. I have always envied women who look pretty when pregnant because I looked horrible. Haggard, sunken eyes, tired, thin. I am already on the thin side and during my pregnancies I lost so much weight in the first few weeks I looked haggard the rest of the pregnancy. So I wonder how Kate manages to put on so much weight with HG. She looks like she has put on at least 10 lb. I lost between 7-10 lb with a very mild form of HG - one that was contained with zofran ! She must not be feeling too bad because it looks like she also had time to get a haircut.
DeleteHi Erika,
DeleteI had HG when I was pregnant with my son. My sister had HG when she was pregnant with her daughter. My mom had HG when she was pregnant with both of us. My cousin had HG with all four of her pregnancies. The thing I know about HG is that it is not the same for every person.
My sister's pregnancy experience was vastly different than mine. She was miserable for the first 14 weeks. She was hospitalized 3 times. I was miserable until 24 weeks. I was hospitalized once toward the end. When my sister was sick she could not get out of bed. When I was sick, I mostly carried on with life I just wanted to die.
It is truly not something that I can explain to anyone else unless they have gone though it and then there is an understanding.
The one thing that all of us say is that fluids make the whole difference. Based on the reports of William's comments, it is obvious that tonight was an event that was incredibly important to Kate. It is quite possible that she might have been able to get herself together for this evening with the help of lots and lots of IV fluids. I remember leaving the hospital after 4 days and thinking I'd never felt so wonderfully in my whole life.
HG is terrible. I would absolutely believe that she is not well and do not fault an aid for being honest.
But Kate is a "person with HG." We're not her doctors and don't know her medical history. Fair to say she is still suffering but feeling better.
DeleteRosman, she does look beautiful and I think once she gets past the sickness, pregnancy does agree with her. I don't know how she gains the weight either. I had normal morning sickness but could not put any weight on during the first trimester due to the nausea. With one pregnancy, I
Deletelost weight like you.
Hi Amy :) I did say that I felt she is still feeling poorly but I stand by my opinion that she is out of the HG now and just into severe morning (or all day sickness). As you know, the severe nausea and vomiting with HG can not be smiled through for even an hour or two no matter how much she would want to be there. Case in point, Prince George's first day of school. If she were still suffering from HG, she would not look or be acting this good. I don't doubt for a minute that she does not feel well but she has gained weight, so I think she can keep food down now. With HG one can not keep any food down. If one can keep some food done, clinically that is not HG. I do think she is out earlier for this specific event than she would normally have been. I don't think we will see her again for another ten days' maybe, if the pattern is consistent with when she was pregnant with Charlotte.
When I had HG, I couldn’t lift my head without vomiting, no meds, fluids, ginger or tea touched it, 24/7. You are down sick and there’s no getting up. It is not a question of extraordinary willpower to get up and get through something... Love Kate’s beautiful dress. She looks quite well.
DeleteErika, when I had HG (which was really severe for me, such that I couldn't keep any food or fluids down until 34 weeks along), I made it out one time in my early pregnancy for church on Easter Sunday. I really wanted to go, and it was good for me mentally to do something normal for once. But, physically, it was horrible. I threw up 14 times on the drive home from church and the rest of the afternoon/evening. That one outing sent me into a really bad bout of throwing up, even with my TPN and 24/7 zofran pump. My guess, if Kate's still pretty sick, is that this event was so important to her, that she loaded up on medicines and fluid IV's before the event, and she'll need to have a day or two to recover from the exertion of this outing. I'm hoping she's feeling all the way better soon!
DeleteOn to another topic, I love this dress. :) Thanks, Charlotte, for the post!
Erika, with or without a statement, I think the expectation factor is there. This way, it served as a reminder that although she was well enough to attend this function, she continues to suffer from HG and there are no guarantees.
DeleteRegarding the dress... I like the vintage factor here, but I believe the necktie was meant to be tied with smaller bows and hang lower than Kate is wearing it. Look at the models.....
From what I can see, this pregnancy seems to be very much like her previous ones. The first weeks are horrid, then it´s slowly improving, certainly also with the medical help she gets. She certainly looked well and not like someone who´s throwing up day and night - which is not meant as a "reproach" or anything like that, on the contrary. She seems to be one of the "luckier" ones who suffer from HG, as it is not totally horrible the whole 40 weeks, like some here had to go through.... I´m glad for everyone who can get some relief at some stage, so I´m glad for her.
DeleteFrom what I can see and read, HG can come "in all shapes and sizes". When I read some of the stories, I am glad that my "morning sickness time" was SO DIFFERENT. Because I never felt sick as in "I will throw up" but I felt sick as in "Tomorrow morning I will wake up and have the most terrible flu you can think of, with 41degrees (Celsius)fever, a throat so sore I won´t be able to swallow and a feeling that I might have to die any minute". The early stage of the pregnancy was in the middle of the summer and everyone knew that I don´t like heat, so my air condtioning in my office is always the lowest possible. Well, I got pregnant AND I FELT LIKE FREEZING TO DEATH. My colleagues were really worried, because it was really warm in my office and I was still shaking like mad. So every day I was waiting for that flu to come - but it just never did (thankfully).
After 3 months, it slowly disappeared. I was grateful that I never felt like throwing up - but I felt like a complete "outsider" because no one could understand my symptoms and everyone just said "Be glad you don´t have morning sickness" which I kind of understood - but why would no-one understand that I felt horrible, too? It´s not lovely when your CEO is visiting and you have to leave the room because you feel sick, don´t get my wrong - but it´s not very funny, either, when you´re sitting there in a conference room in the middle of the summer, shaking so much that you´re teeth are clattering and you can hardly speak... Let´s say he was a little bit puzzled.... ;-)))
So let´s be glad for every woman suffering who´s eventually well enough to be out and about again....
And, yes, I had to smile about that little baby-bump as well.. I like that she´s not trying to hide it....
Rebekah, you are a warrior woman:) I have mo idea how you managed that.
DeleteExactly, royalfan. I think the statement was made to keep expectations in check.
I'm so sorry you felt that badly the whole time, Eve. Some women suffer terribly during the entire pregnancy and it should be such a happy time. It had to have been exhausting for you.
Erika, thankfully, it was "only" the first three months. I had a few other issues, but NOTHING compared to those who suffer from HG or other health scares during pregnancy. I am grateful for that, believe me, even after 20 years! I just mentioned it because so often we have this "notion" about what/how a woman feels during pregnancy, when in fact, all sorts of "weird" things can happen ("weird" as in "nothing you expected"). For example, I had to constantly watch my weight, but not because I put TOO MUCH on (which you would expect), but because I LOST weight all the time. Simple reason for that: I ate more proteins and I completely lost my appetite for anythig sweet (which was the most puzzling for everyone who knows me!!). You add drinking NO alcohol whatsoever to the mix - and there I was, having to constantly remind myself of eating "MORE". So many women have real problems with sleeping - I slept like I´ve never slept before, like a baby, and when I stopped working I had to use my alarm clock or otherwise I would have slept through the day!! Funny, isn´t it?
DeleteI sincerely hope Kate´s condition will improve... You are absolutely right, it´s such a joyous time and every woman should be able to enjoy it and be happy about it....
I agree about sleep, Eve. My pregnancies resulted in very mild nausea but a constant need for sleep. I suppose it's natural, considering growth hormones and the fact that babies sleep most of the time once they are born (and prevent full nights of sleep for their parents, of course).
DeleteOh, yes, I see. You did say three months. Thank goodness!! I was thinking how did you cope.
DeleteI agree, Eve. No one can know how someome else feels. That's always the problem with auto immune conditions.
She looks great. And a baby bump! I love that her interest in mental health coincides with her stepping back into engagements.
ReplyDeleteGo Kate! Good for her, getting out in spite of her serious illness. Good that it's controlled enough now to let her come out and support this great cause. What a pretty dress too.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a pretty dress! Glad she was well enough to attend.
DeleteI am glad she was also able to get a haircut - I think she looks amazing in this length of hair. Looks like she also managed to put in her extensions. Glad she is well enough to do all of this.
DeleteI love the colour of the dress, but it is lace and style is also so similar to a previous one, but it is not something that Kate does not love to do.
DeleteI wish she would return to her first Canaadian tour style, it was only what 6 years ago, but feels like decades.
Nice to see her get back to work, and after all she must feel so much better if she can attend an event like this. HG really vary to women to women.
Anett, it's the colour I like more than anything, too. It is very similar to the green lace Temperley she wore in India. I miss the sheath style dresses from the first Canadian tour, also.
DeleteI like the color too. The dress itself . . . a bit twee for my taste but she looks very nice. Glad she was able to be there.
DeleteIt really is a pretty dress however I can't help but wonder if the white would have looked better especially since the room they are in looks rather gloomy. I do hope that this is one of those dresses which she purchased in 2 colours, as she often does :)
DeleteAlso, I don't want to ruin the joy everyone is feeling at seeing Kate again but does William look a bit irritated? Or is it just me? I watched a small clip of them and William did not look himself. Maybe he's just exhausted, who knows.
Manuela
Manuela, it's not just you. I thought he looked irritated as well. In the clip I saw, it looked like he was hurrying Kate along while she was talking to one woman. Even my mother picked up on the tension! Maybe he is tired, as he's been pretty busy with engagements while Kate has been sick. & as others have said, his behaviour could be out of concern for her.
DeleteYes that's the same clip I watched Kiwi Gal! He didn't say a word to that lady who was talking to Kate yet he was standing right next to her and looking around, almost like he was very anxious. But in another clip, there's a guy addressing the room and William looked very distracted and barely managed a smile when the guy cracked a joke.
DeleteBut in his defence, he has been doing a lot of engagements and travelling so I hope that he can have a relaxing weekend with his family :)
Manuela
It's not just you, Manuela. I think those are some very tight smiles that don't look happy or concerned. Just annoyed.
DeleteI agree, bluhare. I'm really curious as to what was going on. Whatever it was, it didnt bother Kate at all.
DeleteIt might have had, Erika. We know Kate is way better at hiding it! For all we know he had an aching toe-nail!
DeleteThat's all true Rebecca. Actually, I felt bad for the guests because I'm sure this was a highlight for them, and William and Harry looked so grim. Hopefully, W&H were more personable one to one.
DeleteI like the photo of the dress more than I like it on her in that dark lighting. Maybe it's just the photo! I'll wait to see more. I wasn't sure how long Kate would be unwell, but it's nice to see her at an event much sooner than many anticipated. The pregnancy news really surprised me, so I haven't known what to expect on the engagement front this year.
ReplyDeleteI love her wee bump! Her hair has also gotten so long, I was hoping she would keep it at the shorter length from back in the summer.
ReplyDeleteHee hee I was just thinking I wished it was longer.
DeleteShe looks good, and I spot a teeny bump- very cute. I hope she continues to feel better as the pregnancy progresses.
ReplyDeleteShe looks pretty good. Her pregnancies always show in her face, it has the softer, rounder look. She seems to be letting her hair grow out again.
ReplyDeleteShe is definitely already showing, maybe she is further along than many think.
Although, with each pregnancy you show sooner. I've had four, so I can attest to that!
DeleteShe looks well, so hope she's feeling well too! I couldn't figure out why I didn't like this dress, because I love the color, the lace and the sleeves, then I realized, it's the bow. I think it just looks awkward with this color of dress. Maybe with no bow and black buttons for this particular color. I do love it in the white dress with black bow though, so I think, I feel like it just doesn't work with this color. Almost too harsh. The bow would have been nice in an off white or a soft grey with the buttons matching too against this color :)
ReplyDeleteLilly, blue is the color for today celebration, World Mental Health Day (10th Oct.).
DeleteAlso worldwide, in some cities, there were buildings lighted up in blue to celebrate the day.
So, I think Kate wanted to draw the attention on the topic and the day. Well done!
21:10. didn't know that blue was the color for the
DeleteWorld Mental Health Day. Thanks for the info.
So nice to see her again and glad she felt well enough to attend. Oh and that tiny little bump ❤
ReplyDeleteI've hesitated to return not wanting to be like the opera soprano or tenor who everyone believes has sung the last note and met their demise, but who then returns for one more aria. (Or as an opera aficionado perhaps I've always wanted to do this.) The comments in the last couple of posts have been excellent, but I still like to add my bit, particularly to support Charlotte's fine work. I shall heed Claudia's fine cautionary remarks when I do comment and hope on, that operatic remark, that Kate does in the future take on patronising the arts.
ReplyDeleteKate looks very healthy and has been gaining weight, so her H.G. seems to be well controlled. I love her dress - I've always been fond of lace and this dress has a pretty flow. It's nice she was able to make it tonight to support a cause so near to her heart.
I'm so pleased to see you posting, Julia. It wouldn't have been the same around here without you.
DeleteVery very very glad to see you, Julia!!!
DeleteWhat good news in the same day.
Delete1.Good to see Kate even as her struggle with HG continues.
2. To know those people who have made contribution to mental health are recognized on mental health day is another positive news.
3. Julia, your return makes a pleasant surprise, and that you have moved on is a healthy sign; you know it or not, makes a statement on this very special day's blog. To move on, not bare a grudge, be reasonably flexible and not be defeated by misunderstanding denying your self and the community your posts is the right path in IMHO. It is another day and another week. Happy to find your name here again.
Julia it's so nice to read you again! Today I saw a show of Teatro alla Scala costumes, there were also from Callas' operas! maybe we were in tune, so to speak. So your coming back sounds to me like the Aida'a aria, and I am very pleased to applaud you.
DeleteJulia. ❤️💐 Welcome back. Hugs. Yippee. :)
DeleteSince I have not been on the blog for a while, I have no idea what you are talking about but am ALWAYS glad to read your comments, Julia. I very much enjoy your thinking. Your presence is always welcome to me.
DeleteAnd yes, Charlotte always does a brilliant job.
Thanks Paola, Anon 15, Erika and Kimk. It was a difficult decision - it seemed almost hypocritical to return and although I'm happy to admit mistakes, I do like people to stick to what they say. (And have accused Kate of not doing that.) But I wanted to comment both because I normally enjoy it greatly and also out of respect for Charlotte and the tremendous and gracious job she does. I know she doesn't like to lose regular posters. Yet I wanted not to cause harm to her or anyone else.
DeleteBut this celebration Kate made the effort to attend is about starting conversations, not stifling them. One of the things I have said all along is half the difficulty is for the person receiving the conversation. Mental health can be a very awkward subject for discussion. I think this may have been missed by William and the others, because conversations probably seem easy when you have willing and eager listeners, which is not the case for many of us.
It would be lovely if we were all trained perfectly to say the correct thing without error - and an important part of any scheme encouraging conversations has to be teaching people how to listen. I've said that all along about Heads Together - it's what missing from almost every speech.
But the truth is there aren't a lot of easy resources for teaching people what to say. I suspect many people don't want to be involved in conversations for fear of making mistakes and causing harm. It's not that they don't care or are unwilling, just that they are afraid of saying the wrong thing which can happen too easily.
So I took that as my guide. Paola, I was thinking of Aida - I remember Leo once suggesting we have another champagne because at the second interval because "Aida takes a long time to die" but also Werther of the eponymous opera who is even worse - that man is interminable. I was also thinking of Tannhauser where the hero returns to a warm welcome only to put his foot in it again. I hope I don't do the same. We are generally a great community here - and differences in age and nationality can be our strength. If we heed Claudia's comment - and I will most of all - I'm sure we will be.
Welcome back, Julia. :-)
DeleteDear Julia, I haven't been reading the comments section for awhile. In moving back from Ireland, I feel rather like a space voyager who has re-entered Earth's atmosphere and, although glad to be back, feels totally out of sync. My beloved Napa Valley is in flames. My equally beloved Waterton Park in Alberta barely survived the fires last month. I have been feeling totally overwhelmed by my situation but more so by those who are in the same situation--homeless--but through events not of their own making, as mine were. I have felt terrible guilt.
DeleteAnyway, as a result I couldn't understand what you meant about "returning" to this blog and had to go back several posts to find out. Ugh. Hope that you have been able to put it behind you. I don't know what Claudia said, couldn't find it. Sounded wise though. I can't help thinking about this poem, attributed to George Eliot by many but actually apparently written by Dinah Craik (1826-1887):
"Oh, the comfort—
The inexpressible comfort of feeling
safe with a person,
Having neither to weigh thoughts,
Nor measure words—but pouring them
All right out—just as they are—
Chaff and grain together—
Certain that a faithful hand will
Take and sift them—
Keep what is worth keeping—
and with the breath of kindness
Blow the rest away."
On another matter re tonight's reception, I couldn't help watching the videos of William and Kate at the reception. Kate was right in there, interacting with people. People ran up to her, like the very short woman in the bright dress who rushed up to her and was chatting away a mile a minute while William looked on. Kate gave every appearance of listening intently to her. I think William was in a hurry to get somewhere--perhaps he was worried Kate was going to upchuck any minute. William seemed tense the whole time actually, there are very few photos of him smiling. Who knows why, my guess is that he WAS worried about whether she'd make it through. I know I would be.
So very glad to see you back Julia :)
DeleteAida...I was much too young for it the first time I went to the opera and though it was pompous. Never knew I would come to appreciate so much Verdi and even delight in Wagner. How we do change...I joign my applause to that of Paola for your comeback, Julia. Thank you.
DeleteI, too, think that William was worried about Kate. And I believe that Kate was aware of it...note one of the photos above... and did her very best to get through it.
DeleteThank you all, and Jo - thank you for that poem!! I'm ashamed to say I didn't know it for reasons I can't say, except Eliot is a favourite author of mine despite having The Mill on the Floss inflicted on me during school days. That poem is so apt Heads Together should take it. I'm going to find and print it.
DeleteI do think William seemed very worried about Kate. She looked remarkably well to me compared to friends who had HG, one of whom looked so poorly, I thought she would lose the baby - I couldn't see how it would be nourished.
I wouldn't want the dress for myself, at least at this age but thought it looked splendid on Kate. I thought both William and Harry spoke very well.
I forgot to add Jo - you are doing amazingly for moving house - I can imagine that you do feel like a Space Voyager.
DeleteI too want to extend my sympathies to any here who have been affected by those natural tragedies - I will confess what's happened in Napa has moved me tremendously - it is such a magical place, one of my favourites, and the stories of the losses particularly to homes and people and that elderly couple are unbearable.
And of course whilst speaking freely we must also learn and speak as wisely as we are able.
(But I am seeing that poem also attributed to Dinah Craik from Stoke-on-Trent. Women authors from that area interest me - I must look her up.)
Very glad to see you back Julia:). Joe from Arizona what a very lovely poem, a very good thing to practice doing everyday. Also very happy to see Kate...she looked lovely and the color of the dress suited her. Agree that William might have been worried about Kate, but she stepped up well. Kudos to William for his speech and acknowledging Kate's role in their campaign.
DeleteI hope you find "your home" Jo..am sure it can be unsettling. In a world of chaos and the heartbreak of nature gone mad, it was refreshing today to escape to this blog, it felt like listening to old friends which brought a smile. Every so often we all need to stop, reset and rethink what is really important in our lives....today I will sift through the nonessential and work on using a "breath of kindness". cc
Brava Julia! As I said in my comment below, lovely to see the pack is together.
DeleteJo, so glad to hear from you also. That poem is so sweet and comforting. Anything particularly sweet and memorable happen with you there yet to help endear you more to your new home? have you seen a roadrunner or an exquisite sunset there yet? tasted any yummy local cuisine? :)
DeleteWhen ya'll start talking operas and literary works I feel like the space voyager then. lol
DeleteBut I am learning a lot. It is about time surfer girl got some culture. lol
Jo in Arizona,
Deletemy heart goes out to you! Believe me, I know the feeling. My deep-felt impression is that your head may have landed in Arizona - but your heart has not (yet). Because your heart hasn´t "landed" yet, everything around you feels utterly overwhelming - because, well, we need both to be "in one place" to deal with what´s going on in our lives and around us....
I don´t want to sound too "esoteric", but maybe you could ask your heart what it needs to be able to "land" in Arizona, too. Maybe it needs a "final good-bye" from Ireland, maybe you could take something Irish with you which you could hold to your heart, maybe you could thank your heart for having enabled you to settle in so well in Ireland and be really grateful for that. Whatever helps you to finally "fully" arrive back in Arizona. Don´t feel guilty because your "being homeless" has a different background than that of those who were affected by those horrible natural disasters. Your heart doesn´t know the difference. It feels it´s somewhere where it´s not supposed to be (because HOME is somewhere else). It´s OK to feel "out of synce" (because you are), it´s OK to feel whatever you feel at the moment. If you´re sad, be sad. If you´re angry, be angry. Take you time. Leaving a beloved place sometimes needs proper "mourning". That usually doesn´t go away in one day just because you know it would make things easier...
We are talking about WKH`s campaign - so I´m glad you told us about your plight. I hope we all could give you some support. I wish you all the best, from the bottom of my heart - believe me, it understands your situation well.... Love and hugs from Germany....
Surfer girl, I lived in Arizona before I went to Ireland so it is very familiar. Have seen several lean and sad looking coyotes. No roadrunners but they are quite difficult to find. Yes the sunsets are beautiful. Local cuisine--my little town consists of loads of fast food places and the Mexican restaurants aren't all that good. I did have a wonderful baked potato and sirloin steak last week at Outback though [hahahaha].
DeleteOutback will work. lol Hopefully there are some authentic regional cuisines in towns close by. We have so many various restaurants here, including authentic regional, that I had forgotten how coroporately homogenized the restaurant scene in many places has become.
DeleteMaybe you can start a nice cactus garden to enhance your Arizona experience. :)
"lean and sad looking coyotes", oh my. I wonder why they aren't more plump and thriving. I'll google it. :)
Eve in Germany, I was sitting in McDonalds (such is life right now) and as I was reading your message I started to cry. I honestly don't know where my heart is, it has been gone a long while. Oh not for other people--I care deeply about people. But I lost my "home" when I was a teenager, before I knew how to create one myself and have spent about 50 years trying to make it all up. Home is something that is very much a part of any mental health discussion; a place where one feels nurtured and nurturing. Where one feels safe and loved, even if it is only you doing the loving. A country can be a home but even within that country one needs a place. And when the people you have made a promise to aren't in, or don't want to be in, that country or that place it increases the tension.
DeleteThank you Eve and Julia and CeCe and surfer girl for your welcome and understanding. It is precious to me. An indescribable comfort.
I totally understand the issues around "home", Jo.
Delete
DeleteJo in the world,
It is good to find your posts. You happen to be in two places the same day on this blog. Well? smile
Jo in Ireland11 October 2017 at 21:56 and Jo in Arizona11 October 2017 at 03:00
The discussion between you/ at 21:56 and Eve from Germany11 October 2017 at 19:03 is very memorable, speaks for many people. To carry this level of discussion between two people, it might have been experienced, or the impact is well understood with empathy. If taken to a universally global level, you and Eve can easily collaborate on a book since you both have a good perception and /or experience of what it is like. It can reach many peoples “hearts”, lives and “homes”.
------
Good choice of poem in the perfect world.
That poem is food for thought. That is love and trust. To speak freely is may be to those who love us unconditionally, and those we can be ourselves with. Still,the chaff has to be explained to the speaker by the loved one, that the bigger world does not necessarily have a faithful hand, and kindness is relative to peoples experiences.
Hi Julia,
DeleteI confess that I have not been reading the boards as much since Kate has been on hiatus as well as we've had a bit of wind and rain where I live that would make Dorothy from Oz feel at home, so I'm not familiar with the background on your comment. But I would like to say that I have always enjoyed your perspective - even when we disagree - and am glad you continue to be a part of the community. There is great comfort in seeing regular posters and you would be very much missed were you to go silent.
Are there two royalfans posting - one in lowercase and one in UPPER? Or are we just getting fancy with our monikers?
DeleteJo (did you notice that you answered to my comment as "Jo in Ireland"? I thought that was very sweet....), I hug you BIG times....
Delete"Home is where the heart is".... you haven´t lost your heart, trust me. If it´s still "there", caring for others, it IS "there", you can count on that. Maybe it has just "taken shelter", in order to protect itself... looks like you had a very difficult time with the decision to move back to Arizona. Maybe you can find someone you can talk to, maybe you could start writing a diary (that is helping me a lot). Take your time. Don´t force anything - and use your heart to nurture yourself for a change. Others can very well take care of themselves, believe me. I had to learn that as well. I´m sure a lot of people (including your buddy) are very happy that you are back in Arizona with them. Let them nurture you. You made a sacrifice - so they should help you feel better AND "at home", right?
And if all is not working, well, some "promises" (as in wedding vows?) go both ways.... maybe you can find a place where you are BOTH happy... I wish you every possible luck in finding that place!
Lol. Nothing fancy, Florida Moxie. I use all caps when I post from my cell and am not signed in.
DeleteThen ROYALFAN in caps is the same long term and regular royalfan? I have been confused myself.
DeleteJo - I will be thinking of you and hope you get settled soon - and find some decent food! A move like that is terribly difficult. Do you have family in Arizona that you chose it? It seems the direct opposite of Ireland. LOL.
DeleteRoyalfan - I've been wondering too about a doppelganger - glad we have that sorted.
Love the pack remark Tedi - it makes me think of my own little spaniel pack.
Florida Moxie, your state has been through so much and there are so many terrible natural disasters right now - I hope you are doing well and no more imitating Dorothy!
Eve such thoughtful and caring comments - lovely.
I know I am old fashioned but I do find it quite rude that the camera aimed at Kate's tummy.
Surfer Girl, I think following Kate's activities and reading Charlotte's posts and those of commentators - we all will learn so much.
I apologize for any confusion, ladies. :-)
DeleteJulia, my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren live here. So yeah that is why ;)
DeleteEve, thanks for the wise words :)
Another moving ceremony re World War I, William is such a great rep for this grandmother.
I too have been gone for a while, yet another back surgery 7 weeks ago, hopefully this one will be the end for a while, so I am also out of the loop on your situation Julia, I’d hate to see you leave even if I don’t always agree with you, your comments are thought provoking.
DeleteSo glad to see the duchess back and looking wonderful, I really like the dress, especially the skirt, how it seems like a gentle flare when she walks. I too noticed William seemed peeved about something and thought it was just me so I was glad others mentioned it, just seemed off somehow.
And I too thought royalfan had a doppelgänger!! So glad to know it’s really you on upper and lower case! I myself am always caroline in Montana and have been here for years, I did notice we picked up another caroline but she just uses the name no place and we are not the same person!
I loved kate small baby bump as well! I can’t descide if I’m leaning more towards a girl or boy, every girl should have a sister but I’m almost leaning towards boy. I like Albert for a boy, after the queens father, Bertie is such a cute knickname. And have to say caroline for a girl:)
Glad to be back and hope all of us at Charlotte’s wonderful blog are doing well!
Being able to agree to disagree wisely and respectfully is important in my opinion. We learn from each other.
DeleteWilliam did look peeved - I think he was just worried but unfortunately, he can look vexed without meaning to - having the correct expressions when photographed is one of the most challenging things in public life.
Caroline, glad you are back and hope your back is doing well and no more surgeries.
Your name choices are on my list too - looking very much forward to a 'name post' in time to see what everyone's choices are. Bertie would be wonderful. Albert would be a great choice with the revived interest in Victoria.
Jo - it will be lovely to be around the grandchildren - hope you get settled soon - and again glad you mentioned George Eliot - she is a special author for me.
Yes. Caroline. Speedy recovery. 🌷
Delete:-) Caroline. I hope you are feeling better...
DeleteIt's a great cause and I'm glad she was feeling well enough to attend. I would assume she probably still feels sick, but is able to smile through it for a time.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is very "Kate" in my opinion, but it's not my personal style. I would have liked to see the white version with black ankle booties to bring out the trim! That would have been a more fun and youthful approach to the dress. But she obviously has a style she prefers.
I do hope she eventually speaks out about her experiences with HG to help draw attention and educate more people about it. It's more than "severe morning sickness".
Hi Jessica,
DeleteReally well said about HG. As someone who suffered from HG, thank you.
I am glad she feels well enough to go out in public. I suffered the same with my three complete pregnancies, so I sympathize with what she goes through. I was 18 weeks before I felt better, and we don't know where she is with this pregnancy. She looks great, and I'm sure she is happy to be back to "normal."
ReplyDeleteKate looks lovely and healthy. It’s great to see her out and about again. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that she’s due in March. ;)
ReplyDeleteUS reader,
DeleteMay be it is March, but since your guess is interesting, I will join you in a speculation game. I say, April, and in fact, they might announce to mark her first trimester no later than October 20.
Please pardon previous guess. My actual guess is another matter. Comment at 21:32 is corrected as, by the end of October, not "no later than October 20".
DeleteI'm due in February, and about 22 weeks now. So if she were due in March, she would be between 16 - 18 weeks and I just don't think from the pictures that she is that far along, especially since you tend to show earlier with each pregnancy. I'm going with mid to late April, which would put her at 12ish weeks.
DeleteShe's definitely not that far along; they announced the pregnancy very early. Charlotte and the new baby will have birthdays close together.
DeleteCongratulations Nina on your coming little one - now we have two babies to arrive! I do agree in thinking Kate will be later (looking forward to a date-guessing post.) April is my guess. But your arrival might come close to Princess Madeleine of Sweden who is due a little earlier.
DeleteI had two friends who suffered from HG - both tried to keep working some - one had her own business which was a nightmare, as she suffered through the whole pregnancy, but both looked terrible quite honestly.
Kate has the best possible care and I suspect once they knew she suffers from HG, they are giving her drips and medication immediately. She looked worse with George when she came out of hospital and more poorly with Charlotte with her first engagement.
keep us apprised if you will, Nina. 🍼
DeleteNina NYC,
DeleteI wish you all the best.
Great to see Kate again, I'm so glad she was able to attend. I think it shows in her face - round the eyes and in cheeks - that she's tired and not quite well yet; she looks beautiful though. I like the dress - everything about it - and I admit I was looking especially for pictures which might show a baby bump - and I wasn't disappointed :). It's so nice that William gave her credit in his speech for the concept of the mental health campaign. Thank you for the post, Charlotte!
ReplyDeleteYes...good for William! :-)
DeleteI LOVE this dress!! Kate looks wonderful and like she is feeling much better.
ReplyDeleteI really dislike this dress - it's trying way to hard to do everything with a lace overlay, truncated slip w/ longer lace, fussy wrists, fussy neckline, pussy bow, buttons, darting, the list goes on! I think the designer got a bit out of control! That said - I hated it more on the model and of course Kate still manages to look beautiful even in something that I think is ugly. I'm glad she's feeling a bit better though sorry to hear she's still sick. Hopefully she's feeling 100% soon! How fun to see the smallest of baby bumps!
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the beautiful Kate again. Great post. Cute photo of the three.
ReplyDeleteAlso, lovely to see the pack is together!
DeleteKate looked lovely but I will pass on the dress. For me it is just too much lace, too much fussiness, too much going on with the skirt, however it is very Kate, so I am glad she is feeling better and I assume picked out something she felt comfortable and pretty in and works for the event. This dress works very well for the occasion. Hope she continues to feel a better over the next few months.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, do you know if Catherine Quinn, the new secretary was at Buckingham Palace with Kate for the event?
ReplyDeleteHello Ali,
DeleteThere was no sign of Catherine Quinn, they were accompanied by William's private secretary Miguel Head. I'm sure we'll see her when Kate has her next solo engagement :)
It is great to see you back Kate!!!I guess Im i the minority but I do like this dress on her. She can carry off the frilly high collared dresses which is good for her,,and I also saw a tiny baby bump!XOXO
ReplyDeleteAm glad to see Kate at the reception. I don't like the black laces on the dress. Princess Mary wore a white lace in Japan today that was very unfussy, liked that.
ReplyDeleteThis look is a looking a bit too little school girl to me. I'd like to see Kate wear more tailored outfits. She could have worn a cocktail suit to this affair and been really stunning. I do like this shade of blue on her however.
ReplyDeleteI do like the more sophisticated clothes Kate wore so well but 'tis the present fashions I suppose.
DeleteThe good news is that the Duchess is recovering, she must have had a very hard time as she does look very tired, even when she smiles . The bad news is that she seems completely lost for fashion and true elegance ..... who could advise her to wear such a dress ? How could someone create that ...... that's beyond my understanding ...... looks like nightgowns ..... the first photo I have seen of this event was rather bad, and for a moment I thought she was wearing the lovely dress she wore to meet the Obamas, but alas not .....
ReplyDeleteI popped in out of habit never expecting to see anything new much less Kate actually looking as if she felt just fine. I pray the worst is over!
ReplyDelete30 years later and I still remember with dread having HG for 9 long months and I sure hope it goes away sooner than that for Kate.
I see a cute little baby bump on that sweet mama <3
ReplyDeleteSuper glad to see that she's back and feeling better especially for engagements for a great cause! But hate the dress. SO matronly and just... yuck.
ReplyDeleteIts great too see the duchess again she looks radiant and its great to see her again and she looks healthy... To mark the mental health week Its great too see the royal trio once again
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see Kate back. :) I also love that dress on her!! Glad that she's starting to feel better.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always, for the post Charlotte. <3
Congratulations to Prince William and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, on their new child on the way!!!! What a beautiful dress, and so good to see she is feeling better!! May it be a healthy and happy pregnancy!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was good to see the Duchess of Cambridge. I hope she continues to feel better each day. I am so glad that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have their “HEADS TOGETHER”. I’m USA, but I’m proud of them.
ReplyDeleteKate looks amazingly radiant, just a bit tired around the eyes. William looks more tired than she does, and he and Harry both seem unusually serious.
ReplyDeleteI love that shade of blue on Kate. I don't love the bow or the short lining fad or the plain fabric panels. The sleeves are lovely, and this is a very graceful dtress. Unusual to see Kate without hosiery except with sandals, but she deserves comfort. I hope she will soon be quite well. She looks so happy.
We expect another grandchild in the spring. Its mother's figure looks very like Kate's at the moment. I wonder how close in age these two babies will be, and which will appear first. It's something of an unintentional custom in my family for babies to appear near royal babies, starting with my brother and Prince Charles. But these two will be closest in age, so far. Fun to see it happen again.
Delighted that Kate was able to attend last night and I thought she looked very pleased to be there. Judging from the photos she appeared to be really enjoying talking to the many guests and like her old self. I liked her dress except for the black bow around the neckline. The colour was lovely.
ReplyDeleteLike others I had expected an official announcement by now. going back to when she was pregnant with Charlotte W & K were snapped by Paps leaving the private clinic of Kate's doctor looking very happy & carrying some papers on the 10th Oct. although no announcement was made until 20th Oct. When Kate appeared to welcome the President of Singapore on 21st Oct. she looked very pale and we were told that she was still suffering from HG however a few days later she was fit enough to attend a Gala Dinner for Action on Addiction & stayed the whole evening let us hope the same thing happens this time and she is soon back to better health. It would appear that that is not so at present as KP have announced a further engagement for W & H for next Monday for their Charities forum which is an event that I suspect Kate should also have been attending & in view of it being announced several days in advance it would seem that she is still far from well which I feel indicates it will be some while before we see her again. I hope I am wrong in this thinking.
I thought William was not as relaxed at the BP event as he has been at the events he has been attending on his own Kate and Harry seemed to be enjoying it more.
Lizzie K, I did not get the impression that William was not as relaxed at this event with Kate and Harry, but if that was the case I would guess it has to be with being very concerned about how Kate was feeling and how tired she might be getting.
DeleteI agree. I think William's concern for how Kate was feeling is definitely the explanation for any tension from William if there was tension.
DeleteThis dress is perfect for the occasion. Not surprised Kate would select this dress - it has many of the style elements that she's drawn to. The color is lovely and looks wonderful on her. Her accessories work well with the dress. It was nice to hear William give Kate some praise at the event earlier in the day and they looked very happy.
ReplyDeleteHope we'll get to continue to see at upcoming appearances.
I'm really happy that Kate is back and feeling better. Don’t get me wrong. It’s very nice to see her again. However, I think this might be my least favorite dress... ever.
ReplyDeleteI've just noticed in one of the Sky News videos how much William is "speaking with his hands". I'd say he does it more now than before and my guess is this is the influence of Kate who has been using her hands when talking from the beginning. I like it so much! When you look at the two of them it's like they both are playing an instrument - in tune with each other.
ReplyDeleteI love this outfit she looks radiant and glowing. Her tiny bump is cute I hope she won't get to sick this time. I love the dress pattern and colour and the black tie ribbon around the neck. Thank you Charlotte for your handwork
ReplyDeleteI know this may be a little off topic, but I just had to say how much I loved Stephen Fry’s speech! One of Britain’s best actors, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see Kate attending a function since the start of her HG. I think she looks radiant and genuinely thrilled to be there. I don't think she is 100% just yet but maybe she will attend events as and when she feels capable for the time being. I think the dress is lovely but maybe just a tad old for her. Let's hope she continues to bloom!
ReplyDeleteI love to see that the trio is out and about together again. That trio is something very special. Soon to be four hopefully and even more dynamic. A stellar phenomenon. :)
ReplyDeleteI saw a couple of articles about Rebecca Priestley's being awarded the Royal Victorian Order by William today. Kate wasn't there so she must still be really sick in the morning. Too bad they couldn't have shifted the ceremony to the evening so she could have been there because, really, Kate benefited the most from Rebecca's service over the past several years. Oh well, not the way things are done.
ReplyDeleteKate's dress is very beautiful, but I find the white version the most beautiful. Kate's style is very feminine and pleasant.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the white version being the most beautiful. I love white with black accents (would be perfect for Ascot), not so much a fan of the blue and black.
DeleteI think she wore blue because that is the color of Mental Health day apparently.
DeleteI really love this dress and I think Kate looks beautiful! I love the dress and one of the pictures shows a tiny bump. William doesn't look very happy in any of the pictures. Kinda strange not one shows his genuine smile. Anyway. Nice to see them out and that Kate was able to make it.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see Kate out and about in support of Heads Together. I really love the video that Kensington Palace shared. The Stephen Fry portion of the speeches stood out to me. He is correct that there is no finish line in fighting mental illness. I applaud the start Heads Together has made, but hope this is just the beginning for what could be a decades-long initiative.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is a beautiful blue and Kate carries midi dresses well. It is her choice, and that is the past. I wonder if all the black is replaced by a dark blue on the dress which could have coordinated with William's blue also. That is the closest thing possible? Black can be good color with the dress color for an evening, but not accessory details on the dress in black ( buttons, tie and sleeves / it looks aging too). least favorite is the black tie followed by the buttons.
ReplyDeleteBut the colours of "Heads Together", blue with the black and white accents. This dress is very appropriate to accent this very important initiative.
DeleteWell it is a good way of thinking it that way; most likely it might have been one of the reasons for her to choose the dress. “Heads Together” logo looks like aqua blue, with black and some white. Blue has so many shades, hers reminds me of something twilight with the black accessories she wore. The very dress details of black buttons and ribbon tie is another matter. The dress looks comfortable, the material has nice sheen like silk, and the lace material has a more generous flow on the sides, and looks best in profile. Over all she looks pleasantly gracious; her little companion makes it all look more elegantly healthy, beautiful and promising. Any discomfort aside..
DeleteVery moving speech made by William to mark the centenary of the "darkest day" for New Zealand in the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. 840 soldiers lost. We will remember them.
ReplyDeleteSo proud to see William representing the Queen. Sad to hear she won't be laying a wreath at the Cenotaph anymore, but due to her age, it's understandable. It really feels like the end of an era.
*843 men died on that day, more than 100 died later from their wounds. So tragic.
DeleteIt was such a moving ceremony - I'm glad William was involved. I saw in some article or comment that per capita of population - New Zealand lost more men than anyone there.
DeleteI believe Astrid chose her trouser suit to represent New Zealand colours - am I correct? (Confess I didn't love the look but it's hardly what matters.)
Yes, Julia, for our population at that time it was a great loss. So many still feel it today... a lost generation.
DeleteI believe the red and black that Astrid wore are the colours of the Canterbury region here in NZ. I read somewhere that the red and black represent partnership/red = sacrifice.
Julia, where is Pippin. I would really like to see his little
ReplyDeletefurry face again. 🐾
I miss Pippin, too, the cutie! :)
DeleteI believe Leo banished the Pippin snap - perhaps he will be back later.
DeleteI hope so. 🐾
Deletepleeeeease, Mr. Leo. 🙁
DeleteI find it mindboggling that comments are being made that Catherine's HG must not be 'too bad' since she got a hair cut and/or 'gained' weight (she still looks just as slender to me ...). Just like every pregnancy can be different, I believe it is safe to assume that every instance of HG can also be different even from one pregnancy to another.
ReplyDeleteI am happy that Catherine felt well enough to attend this event as it is focused on an issue that clearly speaks to her heart. Charlotte's excellent summary from a previous post shows the progression of involvement of the 3 royals with regards to Heads Together and I am sure that there will be even more resources that become available as time goes by. With statistics showing people being more comfortable talking to someone, it is very much a step in the right direction.
Catherine's dress again shows her thoughtfulness in honoring a special event through design or color. It is a lovely shade of blue and one that is very complimentary to her coloring. I don't particularly care for the godet inserts on the skirt (would have liked it better if it was the same lace instead of a different textile) but the lace looks like it would be comfortable to wear and the sheerness helps to reduce a 'heavy' appearance. I love the bodice detail with the bead type lace(?) edging!
Hopefully Catherin is now on the upswing side of the HG and will be back to feeling better soon. I'm looking forward to hearing the destination of the November tour!
-- Border Terrier lover :-)
No one said her HG was not too bad. What I said was that she has been able to gain weight, so she must be out of the HG stage. Rosman basically noted the same since she had been able to see her hair stylist. If you are in the throes of HG you can't do any of that. Both of us noted that she is still feeling poorly, obviously. However, if she still had "bad HG" , she would not have been able to have had her hair done and she would not have been able to show up to the event. She may still have severe pregnsncy sickness but it can't possibly be of the HG strand anymore.
DeleteHG does not come in different shapes and sizes. It may hit women at different times and last for different durations but it is just all around an unimaginably severe state. It's completely different than severe morning sickness with several points of criteria that have to be met for a diagnosis. There is no such thing as a mild case of HG that allows you to carry on im a normal way.
In no way was I belittling how sick she must still feel and I am impressed that she was able to get through and seemingly enjoy the whole event.
“Mild cases are treated with dietary changes, rest, and antacids. More severe cases often require a stay in the hospital so that the mother can receive fluid and nutrition through an intravenous line (IV)”.
Deletehttp://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/hyperemesis-gravidarum/
----
If there is a mild and severe state of HG ( vomiting several times while pregnant), diet, rest and other means gives it a pause, for this one occasion at least. approaching/at/past trimester, most likely she can get her hair styled. I assume sick or not, her stylist does her hair at Kate's place ( her own, at her parents, or wherever).
Anonymous I completely agree with your first paragraph, I too found that hard to believe!
DeleteErika I’m not sure anonymous was even directing that to you but I’d have to say after reading all the posts from different women who have had HG, that it does in fact come in different shapes and sizes and people have even stated that fact earlier in the post, see amys comment on the women in her family for one. I’d also say that saying that her “HG wasn’t too bad” is pretty much the same as saying “if she still had bad HG”, for sure splitting hairs there, it’s all the same kettle of fish. Glad she seems to be starting to feel better.
I would say though, that just because you're basically out of the intense part and into a more "normal annoying morning sickness" part, I would assume that you're medically still a sufferer of HG. Just like someone can have an infection but show more or less symptoms varying from day to day. So even when you're recovering and getting back to normal you still do have the illness. But I might be wrong.
DeleteRebecca, I would agree with you. A good place to do research is the NIH for the USA. They have extensive articles on HG. I assume Britain has something similar.
DeleteI sometimes get the idea from people's comments (not so much here as on the internet as a whole) that there is this magical 12 week date and after that she is perfectly fine again. Like they expect that at 11 weeks 6 days she is still vomiting multiple times a day and the next morning it is all over.
DeleteI have never had HG but I guess as you move out of the acute phase you will have good days and bad ones. You might even have a good week and then relapse again.
I agree with you, Queen of the South.
DeleteAlso, don't forget that she didn't join Will & Harry at St. James Palace, but rather joined in at KP, where she could have been whisked away at a moment's notice, if things went poorly! William did hover & seemed strained, possibly with not knowing how this first outing would go? Her first outing while carrying Charlotte was a car ride away & much longer! That may have added to her look of illness on that occasion? I would also agree & guess (without the benefit of a window into her life) that all is likely being taken care of at her apartment, from medical care to any hair & make-up. As someone said further down, she could have had her hair done while still in PJ's & on an IV Drip. I am often reminded by my family, filled with Drs (including my hubby) who specialize in all variety of areas.... of what they always say.."Medicine is not an exact science & The Human Body is still a great mystery".
DeleteBeccaUSA
Border terrier lover, to add to Erika, it is unusual for women who are throwing up continually to gain weight. She may still be feeling horrible but perhaps the unabated dehydration abated. So that is not really called HG, from what I gather.
ReplyDeleteRoseman and Erika, not sure how you can judge the she has "continually to gain Weight". If you are referring to her fuller face, that is totally normal appearance in pregnancy. Her "baby bumb" actually looks like all baby and no extra weight at all. The fact that she has been on IV fluids and TPN at home will allow her to have minimal weight loss, while giving her the nutrients needed to nourish both she and the foetus.
DeleteYes HG is more severe than typical morning sickness and fortunately I did not suffer from it when I went through my own pregnancy so I do not have personal experience with what all it entails. Reputable pregnancy websites do indicate that HG symptoms can range from mild to severe and Catherine is in the severe category with the need for hospitalization and other medical treatments. I think she is very brave to have had more than one baby personally.
ReplyDeletehttp://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/hyperemesis-gravidarum/
-- Border Terrier lover :-) apologies if submitted twice
Border Terrier lover - I think she is brave, too, to endure what she does with HG (which is terrible, by the sounds of it!). Her obvious love for children out-weighs the negatives of the symptoms. I'm sure she gets top-notch quality care from health professionals (granted, she is in the priveleged position of being a member of the RF), so I'm not surprised she is having a third baby...& I wouldn't rule out Kate having a fourth, either!
DeleteI don't know why americanpregnancy.org is making some cases of HG seem like a walk in the park. If rest, dietary changes, and antacids can control symptoms, that's not HG. It may be for insurance purposes that they are widening the umbrella. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to refer people to the HER organization which is dedicated to the dissemination of education and research of HG. http://www.hyperemesis.org
Hallmarks of ALL cases of HG are weight loss and the need for medical intervention. HG is a rare condition with only .2-2% of pregnant women suffering from it. Statistically, for every 100 women we know, only up to two will truly suffer from it. It is a severe and potentially dangerous condition for all who have it.
I should add that if one clicks on "For Mothers" on the top bar then click on "is this HG?" on the side bar, it will bring you to a page of symptoms that are compared to regular morning sickness.
DeleteThanks Erika. If Hg could be cured with rest and antacids people would not be lying on bathroom floors throwing up. Kate looks very healthy. One would not guess that she may have been very sick from looking at her. . That doesn't mean she didn't, but only that her symptoms were arrested with medication and maybe IV fluids. I just had extreme nausea and couldn't eat anything till 14 weeks and I can tell you that no amount of makeup would have brought that glow or tan to my face that Kate has, I think she has been taken care of very well. She may still feel queasy but she's clearly not starving of nutrients. She looked far worse with Charlotte - pale and nauseous.
DeleteAgree Rosman:)
DeleteBorder Terrier lover, I'm amazed she's been willing to go through this 3 times as well. I think she's a tough lady with a tremendous amount of willpower.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteAn update on Kate from Emily Andrews. "She's around 13 weeks now we think, with the baby due next April. Kate still suffering from HG though."
Unfortunately, it looks like she's not out of the woods yet. The Palace were keen to stress Tuesday's event did not signify a return to regular duties. I expect the due month announcement will take place next week.
Emily also revealed it's Norway and Sweden for the November tour. Obviously, it's health permitting for Kate.
DeleteIm surprised they will be visiting Scandinavia during November. Unless they keep to the coastal regions, its so unbelievably cold and dark
Deleteat that time. Very excited about the itinerary though.
I am so hoping to hear soon that Pippa is with child. Wouldn't that be awesome to have George, Charlotte and baby three (and maybe baby four) to grow up with. And Pippa and Kate could go through their pregnancies together. :) I also hope that HG does not run in the family. And that Pippa could have twins. Valerie, her paternal grandmother had a twin sister, Mary. That way Pippa could sort of more easily catch up, lol. I also hope that the group gets to go to Eden's Rock for family vacations in the future, kind of alternating between Mustique and Eden Rock. And I hope that Jame's family is getting the hurricane put behind them. Haven't seen much about Pippa in the media recently (and that's probably just the way she likes it). A pregnancy announcement though is quite another thing. :)
ReplyDeleteHG does come in different shapes and sizes so to speak. All three of my pregnancies brought HG with them. All three pregnancies were different. Some if it may be that we knew going into subsequent pregnancies and managed it better but it can be different. No two pregnancies are the same in regards to HG so if it differs by pregnancy in the same mum I'd wager it differs from person to person. My doctors explained to me that the baby siphoned what it needed from me. Whether it was nutrients ingested, and kept down, or pulling from my body's stores of It, the baby got what it needed first. That's why people with HG still look pregnant. Plus, Kate has had three pregnancies in a relatively short period and with each subsequent pregnancy you show more quickly.
ReplyDeleteSome days are better than others for sure. As far as getting her hair done, I'm sure they came to her. She could have been in pajamas when they did it. Heck she could have theoretically been hooked up to IV hydration whilst it was done. The engagement was obviously one important to her so I'm sure even if it was a bad day she pushed on. We don't know her daily life and the discussion feels a little icky to me. Almost like speculation that she doesn't have HG.
Exactly. To all of it!
DeleteTotally agree with everything here.
DeleteI feel like we are playing telephone and what I said in my original comment has become distorted by the end. Also, I'm sorry if the discusion has become icky to some. I married into a family of doctors and I find medical conditions/ treatment topics really interesting. I can see how others would not. I'm not trying to be obnoxious. The subject piqued my interest, that's all.
DeleteCourtney, what I mean by HG not coming in all shapes and sizes is that the condition is always severe and never so mild that one can just power through if one summons up the willpower. That is what separates it from cases of severe morning sickness. In addition, HG is not a widely encompassing disorder in that there are 7 specific criteria that must be met for diagnosis. So that is what I meant by that. I did not mean that it is a cookie cutter illness and every pregnancy affected looks the same.
I agree that Kate has the best help and care available, and due to that, fairs better than most women afflicted. However, I still stand by my opinion, and it is only my opinion, that she is most likely over the worst of it, although still struggling. I never bring up her weight but I did mention that she had been able to put some on because I felt it was relevant to the topic. In saying that, I was not talking about her bump but her overall appearance. Honestly, I expected her to look like she did at the sports award ceremony and the unveiling of her portrait when she was first pregnant with George or at the state welcome ceremony when she was first pregnant with Charlotte. At those events she looked pale, frail and unwell. So, I was happily surprised but in no way suggesting that she is not still feeling poorly or that she did not have HG. I think Rebecca and an anon's point is valid. That if one is an HG patient and still feeling unwell but not exhibiting the extreme symptoms that can still be categorized as HG.
I did not mean this discussion to snowball, so this will be my last comment on the topic. Did not mean to upset anyone and will try to rein in my interest on the subject.
With no comment on Kate's condition per se, but in recollection of my friend who suffered so badly that she had only the one child, in part because she couldn't risk her business again, I do think it's important to remember as Erika points out that there are specific definitions for HG and it should not be muddled with severe morning sickness as often happens. (Not that the latter isn't wretched.)
DeleteTo not make this distinction isn't fair to those who suffer so severely from HG, they often can't work, are not able to look after their children and may end up in hospital. So I do think it's an important topic for discussion so people truly understand what HG means. I would be pleased to see Kate embrace it as a topic in the future to help other women who don't have her resources.
All illness vary from person to person but HG is characterised by its life-limiting severity. Before the availability of drips and other treatments, it is possibly what killed Charlotte Bronte rather than TB or typhus as often mentioned.
I am hopeful that Kate will support HG foundations one day, Julia. By lending a famous face to the condition, she can shine light on a little known and rare disorder and, therefore, underfunded cause. Research is still needed as well as resources and support for those suffering. Interesting about Charlotte Bronte.
DeleteActually, really interesting about Bronte, Julia. I did a quick google, and the symptoms and circumstances of her death could be attributed to HG. Wikipedia, for what it's worth, even names HG as a possible cause. Thankfully medicine has come a long way since then. No way women and their babies would have been able to survive HG back then.
DeleteTo me William looked tired. Maybe increased amount of engagements, his wife feeling sick, two little ones at home to look after...it doesn't surprise me.
ReplyDeleteThe duchess seemed to be in a good mood.
I am glad that you are feeling better. Beautiful dress, earring! Keep on praying for health pregnancy and delivery! God Bless you and your lovely family! XOXOXOXOXO
ReplyDeleteShe looks Amazing! Love her dress, love her hair & accessories, Love It All! :) I've said this before & I think a few have agreed... at times, to me, Will & Kate remind me of Victoria & Albert! To me there was just such a moment again in the 2nd photo down (as they were walking face forward through an entrance). It really hit me how at certain times, to me, William has the look (long face & jaw) of Albert! I also feel he has a more Stately Look & Manner of recent. It's as if He's Grown in height & countenance. Quite the Future King in waiting! To me it's definitely a different vibe than I've caught from him in the past. Oh & Welcome Back Julia! I have been playing catch up, but am so glad to see you sharing your thoughts & do hope it's a full return! :)
ReplyDeletexo
BeccaUSA
I had the same thought this morning when the new engagement photos came in, Becca. William seems to be carrying himself in a more regal way as of late. I think the Queen once said something about the necessity of jumping into one's destiny with both feet and never looking back ( extremely rough paraphrasing) and I think he had finally done that.
DeleteOh Erika, I like that phrase, & it sure does say it all! :)
DeleteBeccaUSA
amen, Rosemea. :)
ReplyDelete