The dreaded rush hour traffic! With Prince George attending school at Thomas's Battersea, it is something William and Kate will be accustomed and resigned to at this stage. The Duchess was photographed at the wheel of a Range Rover on King's Road this afternoon, likely en route to collect George. Kate wore her hair up and was wrapped up in a dark jacket. There are a couple of additional photos available on the Mail Online.
It's shaping up to be Kate's busiest January yet with less than two weeks to go until the Cambridges' four-day tour of Sweden and Norway. Before that, Kensington Palace announced three engagements for Kate's Calendar next week. Kate will unveil the next phase of Heads Together on Tuesday, 23 January when she visits Roe Green Junior School. During a speech, Kate will launch a new mental health project for young children, in the latest initiative from the campaign spearheaded by the royal trio.
Kensington Palace added:
'Building on the success of the Heads Together campaign, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are each driving forward a series of programmes to ensure people can get access to the right help, at the right place and at the right time.
For the Duchess of Cambridge, supporting young people was always at the heart of Heads Together, and is a key focus of Her Royal Highness's work at The Royal Foundation.
One in five children will experience a mental health difficulty at least once before the age of 11, and many adults with mental health issues can trace their symptoms back to childhood. In many cases, it is known that children can wait up to 10 years before effective diagnosis or treatment.
Coordinated and financed by the Royal Foundation, this project has been developed by the youth-focussed charity partners of Heads Together; the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, Place2Be and Young Minds. NAHT, the school leaders’ association, has been engaged in developing the initiative with guidance from Centre for Mental Health.'
I'm looking forward to hearing the full details of the programme on Tuesday and to see the direction Heads Together will take for 2018.
On Wednesday, 24 January Kate has two engagements focused on perinatal services and maternal mental health - a key area of focus for her recently. Kate will visit the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute to receive a briefing on its work in perinatal research before meeting with senior academics conducting research in perinatal psychiatry.
The Duchess will then visit the Mother and Baby Unit at Bethlem Royal Hospital, part of South London Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The unit specialises in the treatment of antenatal and postnatal mental health illnesses including postnatal depression and post-partum psychosis. Kate will will have the chance to visit the unit's nursery area and meet with several patients who are currently undergoing treatment. The Duchess will also visit the video therapy room where she will be shown videos of mother-baby interactions used as therapeutic tool in the unit.
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Best Evening Dress of 2017
Also tonight, we're asking you to vote for Kate's Best Evening Dress of 2017. There's a wide selection of options in the poll, from a flowing off-the-shoulder number to knee-length fit and flare styles.
First up, it's the shimmering Erdem Rhona Dress Kate wore for the UK-India Year of Culture Reception in February. The midi-length dress features a round neckline, long semi-sheer sleeves, pleated bodice, hidden back zip and is made in the UK. The fabric is a metallic lace in silver.
First up, it's the shimmering Erdem Rhona Dress Kate wore for the UK-India Year of Culture Reception in February. The midi-length dress features a round neckline, long semi-sheer sleeves, pleated bodice, hidden back zip and is made in the UK. The fabric is a metallic lace in silver.
Kate was Paris chic in a bespoke black McQueen dress for a reception at the British Embassy in March.
In April, ahead of Pippa's wedding, William and Kate were photographed arriving at Pippa and James Matthews' Kensington home for dinner with the groom's parents David and Jane Matthews. Kate wore the Somerset by Alice Temperley Peony Off-the-Shoulder dress.
The Duchess attended the opening night of 42nd Street wearing the Marchesa Notte Embellished Tulle Dress. The garment is detailed with tactile lattice and rosette motifs. Partially lined to create a sweetheart neckline, the fit-and-flare design has flexible boning and a defined bead and crystal-embellished waist.
For a visit to the Natural History Museum, Kate chose the lovely Preen by Thornton Bregazzi Everly Dress.
The Duchess donned a decidedly edgy creation by Polish designer Gosia Baczynska for the couple's first evening in Warsaw. The black and white dress features a plunging neckline and leaf embellishment at the waist. It was seen as quite the departure from Kate's usual style; I'll be interested to see how it fares in the poll!
Lady in Red Kate opted for a red McQueen dress for the Queen's Birthday Party in Berlin. Cut from cotton and silk-blend chiffon with a crinkled finish, this vivid red dress is shirred along the off-the-shoulder neckline and waist. The cotton and silk-blend crinkled-chiffon maxi dress was a very fresh choice for Kate.
For a reception in the vintage mirrored hall of Clärchens Ballhaus, Kate selected the 'Wild Sparrow Dress' by German designer Markus Lupfer. Again, a different look for the Duchess which she pulled off with aplomb.
Kate marked World Mental Health Day in the Temperley London Eclipse Lace Collar Dress. The piece 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.
And for the Kensington Palace staff Christmas party and a festive showing of The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House, the Duchess sported the Petal Print McQueen Dress. The $2,045 garment is described as an "oversized mini dress in 100% silk crepe de chine in an all-over petal print. Featuring soft gathering on shoulder, three-quarter length sleeve with ruffled cuff and an asymmetrical ruffle detail on the hem. Finished with keyhole button fastening at the back of the neck".
The results of all the polls will be revealed in our 'Kate Fashion Awards' post later this month. I'm hoping to hold several more polls before then!
Have a great weekend!
Really liking the upcoming engagements! Such a nice focus that fits her so well. So nice to see her finding her passion. She has recently showed a confidence in her role and it's wonderful to see. And her new strides in making speeches as well. I'm looking forward to this royal year very much! Both on their personal plane (babies, weddings!) but also professional. William has really come into his own since going fulltime and I can see that shift in Kate too (with breaks for HG and maternity leave later on). Very interesting times to be a royal follower! It was really a year of changes for the Cambridges last year with George starting school, going fulltime and baby nr3 on the way. I think this year we will see them figure out and find their footing within their new routine. Rush hour and all!
ReplyDeleteAnd as always, so much fun with the polls!
I voted for the Temperley London Eclipse, but I really love the Marchesa dress too. For anyone interested, I found a dress that could serve as a Repli-kate for the Temperley dress: https://www.metisu.com/blue-hollow-out-lace-swing-midi-dress-12882.html?search=blue%20hollow
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice surprise. I really didn't think we would see Kate at all next week since typically Will and Kate don't do engagements ahead of a tour. So, I am glad she is out doing more this January. It's nice to see her more now since once the baby comes she will be gone for a few months.
ReplyDelete-CuriousKat
I really liked the Gosia B and Markus Lupfer dresses but they couldn't take the Marchesa Notte dress. I didn't like the Temperly or Erdem dresses at all!
ReplyDeleteI’m total agreement with you! Looking back, the Temperley is my least favourite.
DeleteMy vote exactly Kay. Gosia and Lupfer dresses were much more suited to Kate than the awful Marchesa..
DeleteI am glad to see multiple upcoming engagements. I love that they are continuing on the Heads Together campaign and it sounds like they are moving into the next phase of practical tools and support. It will be interesting to see where Meghan plugs into the campaign. Teen/early adult girls? Then they would have most bases covered.
ReplyDeleteNot even close to fashion related things but, boy is Kate's car clean! Not a streak nor speck of dust! It's so flawlessly shiny! LOL I'm glad she had the day off to pick up George & do mummy stuff with/for him. Real life things like that, though might seem like nothing to others, means everything to the children, if you see what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI would have voted for the Marchesa dress, except I won't support that brand right now, even in a fun poll like this. Besides, I thought the shoes were dull. I do like that dress though, and Kate wears that style well.
ReplyDeleteI voted for the Gosia Baczynska dress. First because it's the most original dress she's ever worn I think, and it was very well executed; an especially good use of that pearl necklace. And I love the shoes.
Completely agree about the GB dress, bluhare. Beautiful, unusual and successful dress. It is so out there but very wearable which often doesn't sync.
DeleteDefinitely only the GB dress, I find all the others meh and mundane
DeleteThank you, Erika. I actually thought of you when I wrote my ever so professional review of the Gosia Baczynska dress. I decided it was the entire look that counted and wondered WWES*.
Delete*what would Erika say?
I agree with everything, bluhare. I doubt we'll see much Marchesa from Kate in future given the current negative associations with the brand. For me, I didn't like the Kate Spade earrings with the Marchesa (even though I love Kate Spade - they were a miss with this dress for me - I would love to see them pop with a more neutral ensemble). The Gosia Baczynska dress was styled perfectly, truly original, and I would add one of Kate's best uses of sartorial diplomacy in championing a local designer ever.
DeleteLol bluhare 😊. That's exactly what I would say. Except not a fan of that necklace with the delicate neckline. Itching to see what it would look like without it.
DeleteAnne, yes!, regarding best example of sartorial diplomacy. What a huge spotlight has been shone on this designer from just the few hours Kate had this dress on. I mean we aee still talking about The Dress. How incredible!
DeleteI voted for the Polish GB dress because it was so perfect diplomatically, such an unusual design, and because Kate wore it beautifully. I thought that her wearing of this particular dress embodied so well her job as a soft ambassador or diplomat for Britain.
DeleteI think the necklace would have looked much better if the chain were shorter, Erika. It's a bit avant garde for a pearl necklace so a nice choice for an avant garde dress I thought.
DeleteI also agree with that, Anne.
Didn’t vote for Marchesa because it is related to Harvey Weinstein even though it looked beautiful on Kate.
ReplyDeleteDarn, I didn’t know that as I voted!! Wish I could change to the GB dress!
Deletehow is it related to david weinstein?
DeleteGeorgina Chapman (Weinstein’s soon-to-be ex wife) is the co-founder of the Marchesa label.
DeleteMy two favorites were the Erdem Rhona dress and the black McQueen from Paris, but I ultimately voted for the McQueen. Poll season is one of my favorite times of the year here at HRHduchesskate. I'm excited by the prospect of more polls before the tour (my vote is for a best hat poll!). I can't wait for the results of the polls and to learn more about the new Heads Together initiative.
ReplyDeleteI voted for the Marchesa gown and would love to see it with an updo and more emphasis on the vintage vibe.
ReplyDeleteLucy. I voted for the Marchesa gown also, lol. :)
DeleteFor me, it was a choice between the Polish Gosia and the Marchesa. The Gosia was a perfect sartorical and edgy choice for Kate. In the end voted for the Marchesa strictly from a design perspective, it was very feminine, elegant and Kate wears this style very well. cc
DeleteI think she looked great in all of these dresses- thanks for the poll! However, I would take several inches off of each one- I’m totally ready for the midi length to be a thing of the past.
ReplyDeleteI voted for the Marchesa dress! She looked ABSOLUTELY STUNNING that night!!! Her hair. The dress. The color. Just impeccable!!! Vavavoom!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI am really impressed by Kate this year. While I think it was the right choice for them to base themselves in Norfolk for the past few years, I think the juggling between Amner and KP, private life and public engagements and Williams other job, was harder than they expected.
ReplyDeleteGetting to the dresses. This early evening cocktail engagement is one area where I think Kate is still floundering. It is a very difficult dress code for any women even a Duchess. The men are still wearing business suits, but you don’t want to look like you just came from the office, neither do you want to look like you are over dressed.
And personally I very seldom find midi dresses flattering.
The only dress I like here is the black McQueen she wore in Paris. It is the perfect solution for this dress code and if there is a replicate around I will pick it up in a split second.
Kate has my sympathy as to traffic. London is unbearable these days!
ReplyDeleteAs for the knee-length, they have been my favourites of Kate's so it was a difficult choice. I finally decided on the Gosia dress as I found it very striking, more daring than Kate usually allows yet fabulous on her, and a wonderful and innovative tribute to the country. I thought too it wouldn't be as popular as some.
I could have chosen the Lupfer for the same reasons as I liked it just as well. Likewise, I loved the sophisticated black Macqueen for Paris. Because of her pregnancy it shall be interesting to see if this remains a top area of tribute for Sweden and Norway.
At home, I found the Erdem lovely, and although it couldn't contend for originality, the Preen looked very nice and Kate's hair was marvellous that day.
I'm not so much a fan of the presently winning Marchesa, or of that brand overall, although I have seen beautiful gowns. I wonder if we will see Kate wearing it again. I would have preferred the less stiff version of the winning dress but Kate did wear it well. That length is very successful on her.
Not a fan of the short maternity look and the red Macqueen in Germany seemed too meant for a beach party to me so these were my least favourites.
I voted the same way, Julia. The GB dress is stunning and a completely out of the box choice for Kate. Between the luminescent fabric, the architectural details and its edgy yet feminine design, the dress is striking. I so hope we see it again. I would love to see it without the necklace and with her hair down.
DeleteI was just reading about Michael Phelps - such a brilliant swimmer, who has suffered from depression and is speaking about it - an excellent example of being open about mental health.
ReplyDeleteI like all the dresses. But I pick bespoke black McQueen dress. There something about it!
ReplyDeleteXOXOXOXOXOX
Wow, I was surprised. I didn’t remember most of the dresses and now realised- I didn’t like any oh them but one. The Preen one. And this is not exactly elegant. This was clearly not her best year in fashion. Hopefully she will be back full force in 2017.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree.
DeleteHow difficult it was to choose for me... I loved most of the dresses (the black dress in Paris, the red dress in Berlin, the Markus Lupfer dress, I also liked her dress Petal Pink McQueen...) !!! And her dress Marchesa Notte, just sublime !!! I think she made a variety of choices this year, and I love it !!! (sorry for my english, but I'm french and I speak a little bit your language)
ReplyDeleteSandrine, your English is excellent. I understood every word. :)
Deleteyes. your English was excellent. :)
DeleteSo glad to hear about the upcoming engagements! Kate is quite busy these days. Looking forward to the next week, as well as the Scandinavian trip.
ReplyDeleteAs for the dresses, I voted for the black McQueen from Paris. It is SO chic! My second favourite one was the Gosia B dress.
I voted for the red McQueen -- off-the-shoulder dresses are my favorite and that color really popped on her. I couldn't bring myself to vote for the Gosia, even though I loved pairing it with that necklace; the darts are extremely unfortunate. I have an eternal dislike of darting in womens' clothing.
ReplyDeleteThis was my second choice. I know people think the red McQueen looks like a beach party dress but I thought it worked well for a hot summer's evening garden party. Kate looks pretty in off the shoulder (something we don't see often) and the red does pop.
DeleteAll these dresses are so pretty, its so hard to choose from them! I voted for the Marchesa Notte Embellished Tulle Dress. It is such a pretty fairytale dress!!XOXO
ReplyDeleteI voted for the Erdem, which I thought was a very graceful look. My second choice was the GB dress in Poland. I like its striking design and the way Kate styled it.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, we need to discuss the BBC coronation documentary! So many jewels were explained!
ReplyDeleteDid you enjoy it? I haven't seen it yet but heard it's excellent :)
DeleteWhere is it available in the U.S.? Anyone know?
DeleteI want to know, too! I know it’s being aired in Australia in early Feb, but no news for NZ, yet :( I might have to resort to a VPN, but I have no idea what it is & how it works! LOL
DeleteI didn't personally care for any of the evening dresses...so I chose the red McQueen off the shoulder as best one that I thought Kate looked good in. Of course just my personal and humble opinion. She as many say is beautiful no matter what she wears and her inner beauty always shines.
ReplyDeleteI for sure would be happy for Kate to have a home birth. If this is her last one would be nice for her to be able to experience a home birth if it's what she would like to do. In her unique case her Obgyn would be in attendance.
Fun photos of Kate stuck in traffic, poor girl. Love the smiling one.
ReplyDeleteI chose the Marchesa Red Dress. Wasn't too keen on the others, but that was a real winner.
As an American, I find it fascinating to see a member of the royal family at the wheel and stuck in rush hour traffic. American presidents (our closest equivalent, although totally different) don't drive, and are always preceded by blocked-off roads and accompanied by a heavy police escort. But here's Kate, pregnant with a child who's fifth in line for the throne, looking like any one of us sitting in traffic.
ReplyDeleteI've been to London (and adored it!). My husband and I got around easily via the Underground and on foot. I couldn't imagine dealing with that road traffic daily. That said, it was a great place, as was England in general. Beautiful country, great food, friendly people, rich history and culture.
I didn't see any royalty while in England, but on my most recent visit to NYC, I spotted Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. He was walking toward me and I couldn't believe my eyes. I said nothing to him but I enjoyed every second of the sight of him. And of course I turned around to watch him walk away. ;-)
Heather.😊 I immediately thought the same thing when I saw the photos of Kate in traffic. Not only is she a future Queen. She is also carrying the fifth in succession to the throne, like you said. And in addition to that people know they take the children to and from school. And now it has just been emphasized by those unwise, in my opinion, photos. Not good in any respect. They are in the thick of it when taking the children to and from school. We don't know, but hope, that their vehicle is a specially fortified one. They usually have tons of security. I truly believe that these photos will make them reconsider their attempts at being "normal taxi parents" because they most certainly are not "normal taxi parents". Trying to be puts them, their children and everyone else around them at even higher risk. It does not make sense. Not to rain on their parade but really.....
ReplyDeletesurfer girl, I had the same thoughts. So many things could go wrong, from a fender bender (even a minor injury to a member of the public could lead to a court case) to an attack upon the vehicle itself. I suppose that William and Kate discussed it with their security team and determined that the benefits outweigh the risks. Still, it's surprising that such a conclusion would be reached. There are so many variables in that sort of scenario - far more than can be anticipated, much less prepared for.
DeleteAnd as you said, the photos seem unwise. To most people, it's an interesting glimpse of a royal doing something that we all do. To someone with ill intentions though... it's information that could be used for nefarious purposes.
Hi, Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteit's been a long time since my last comment here on the blog, but I keep reading read it everyday :)
Today I just want to thank you so much for having created such an interesting space about our (mine, at least) favourite royal, a blog always respectful and impartial, always with sensibility, it's such a pleasure to just relax, and read it.
Thank you, keep up the excellent job, we'll be here to be part of this, with you.
XOXO
Z.
Your comment really made me smile, thank you very much Z!
DeleteMarchesa all the way. Thanks, Charlotte.
ReplyDelete