The appearance follows a week of celebrations for the Cambridges. On Monday, William and Kate celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary. To mark the occasion, Her Majesty appointed Kate Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order for services to the Sovereign. It's Princess Charlotte's fourth birthday tomorrow, just nine days after Louis turned one.
Ahead of the visit, Kensington Palace said: "This visit marks the Duchess's continued desire to shine a spotlight on child mental health issues and the importance of early intervention, and working with the whole family, can make to those in vulnerable situations. Her Royal Highness is keen to draw attention to the ways in which this charity is making progress in their work to lead a step change in children's and young people's mental health care." They added: "The Duchess of Cambridge first visited Anna Freud Centre in 2015, before becoming patron in February 2016. Since then, Her Royal Highness has visited the Family School and the centre's Early Years Parenting Unit (EYPU) and has met many professionals and experts from the centre through her Early Years work with the Royal Foundation and the ‘Mentally Healthy Schools’ initiative, of which the centre is a key partner."
The Anna Freud Centre currently support over a million children across the UK as they strive to reduce the burden of mental health challenges children face. With over sixty years experience of caring for young minds, their vision is a world in which children and their families receive the support they need to achieve their goals and lead a happy, healthy life.
The Duchess met supporters.
More from the Mail Online:
'Kate spent more than 30 minutes chatting to donors, supporters, architects and staff from the charity. Speaking about the new building the duchess told one group: 'It must be so wonderful for you to see it.'
The Duchess enjoyed a laugh with Amy Herring.
Amy is one of Anna Freud's young champions who shares the experiences of young people with experts.
The Duchess posed for photos with presenter Kate Silverton and Amy who said: "To me, this new Centre represents an opportunity to further demonstrate our compassion and create change for young people with mental health problems and empower them to lead the change."
The new building, the Kantor Center of Excellence, represents the next chapter for the charity. It is the culmination of years of fundraising, meticulous planning and a vision to offer a creative, collaborative and inclusive space for young people and their families, experts and students. By combining all of the elements required to improve both understanding and practice in children’s mental health, in one coherent space, the centre can continue to pursue its ambition of transforming mental health provision.
At the heart of the Centre is Pears School, a school for children unable to meet the demands of mainstream education. A school for children who have been excluded. Pears School will support 5-14 year olds in a setting where loved ones can accompany them to classes. Tailored programmes will offer a combination of education with a focus on mental health.
People reports:
'The Anna Freud center, and its head Peter Fonagy, are at the forefront of Kate’s push to create a new framework for families and young people in the early years of their lives. She is looking at education, mental health services and support for families facing crises such as alcoholism and addiction.
Fonagy told PEOPLE earlier this year, “She’s extraordinarily serious about finding good solutions to the challenges of families with young children. She’s very keen on children and keen that they should be happy,” adds Fonagy, who has also worked alongside Kate with her mental health advocacy through the Heads Together initiative. “Part of her interest in prevention is to make sure that she does things right in her own parenting.”
The Duchess met with children and their families participating in a music class.
The group were very excited to meet Kate :)
During a speech to mark the opening, Kate told guests: "We are all here today because we care so much about transforming the mental health of children, young people and their families. I have learned so much about early childhood development and the importance of support for parents through your work here at the Anna Freud Centre. This is something I really do care about. The ambition for the new Kantor Centre of Excellence is hugely inspiring; bringing together research, education, practice and policy all in one place will take the Anna Freud Centre mission to the next level. It is testament to what can be achieved when people work together to realise a shared vision".
View the speech in the video below.
Kate unveiled a plaque to mark the opening.
The Duchess debuted a bespoke forest green Emilia Wickstead dress featuring a square neckline.
Apart from the neckline, the dress bears notable similarities to Kate's gorgeous lavender Wickstead dress. It proved so popular, it was crowned the most popular look of the Poland/Germany visit during a post-tour poll on the blog. The designer decided to release the piece and appropriately named it the 'Kate'. The Duchess wore it again last autumn for the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit.
Kate carried her £495 Mulberry Amberley clutch. Kate's colourway is sold out.
Kate accessorised with her Kiki McDonough Green Amethyst Diamond earrings.
And Candy Mini Green Amethyst and Diamond pendant.
**************
In other news, the Duchess had two private engagements yesterday. Kate returned to Sayers Croft Forest School for a visit. The Duchess first visited the school in October, the event marked the official end of her maternity leave. It's possible the engagement was linked to Kate's 'Back to Nature' garden which we'll see at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show later this month. Yesterday evening, Kate hosted a reception at Kensington Palace for her early years steering group.
An update on Kate's project from the Mail's education editor Eleanor Harding:
'Last year, the Duchess announced a new project to help mend ‘broken Britain’ through supporting families in difficulty.
She has made early-years intervention one of the cornerstones of her public work after seeing how so many problems faced by adults she had met – mental health issues, addiction and social exclusion – stem from their childhood.
The Duchess has set up a task force of experts to investigate the issue, with a view to announcing a series of findings and recommendations later this year.'
We should see photos to mark Charlotte's birthday tonight.
I love green on her.
ReplyDeleteShe is really going through a green phase isn’t she? Not that I am complaining, it is a great colour on her.
ReplyDeleteI see she also had two unpublished engagements yesterday. While no pictures is no fun for us, I always like it when royals do unpublished visits. I think it must have such a different vibe without the media circus.
Yes, I saw the engagements announced in the CC. I wish there were pictures though.
DeleteHow so? Last time she wore green was on March, 16th. St. Patrick‘s Day
DeleteI don’t know, it might just be my feeling, but in the past year or so she has worn a number of green outfits. Maybe not up there with the number of blue outfits, but definitely more than she did a couple of years ago.
Deletethe green version of a dress she already has.
ReplyDeletenew? i'm baffled by her buying near identical dresses/coat dresses with minimal differences. doesn't she ever get bored? i'd rather see previously-worn dresses which were interesting than the same safe outfits with color differences.
The lavender dress has a different neckline!
DeleteI think Kate had to make peace with the fact that people will always comment on what she wear, but by creating a “uniform” very early on and basically sticking to versions of it, she limits it somewhat. I am willing to bet that the majority comments on this post will start with a sentence or two about her dress (after all there isn’t a lot to say that hasn’t been said before) and then continue to talk about the event.
DeleteAs for not getting bored, this is her work clothes, all my work clothes also look kind of the same. For all we know she might be running around in neon pink jumpsuits in her private time. ;-)
I agree with RachelZA. The clothes she wears to work are a "uniform." The clothes I wear to work are all in a similar vein- blouse, tailored trousers, cardigan/blazer, nice jeans for dress down days. I own the same blouse in 3-4 different colors. It's just easy.
DeleteI think she does it to force the talk about the engagement. We may follow her for her fashion (which, IMHO, is almost always impeccable- she's not about making the Vogue best dressed list, she's about being classic and timeless) but she doesn't see herself as a fashion girl from what I can tell.
I don't get bored looking at what she wears. It's classic. 50 years from now we can look at her outfits and not say "eww, what the heck was that" (a few exceptions of course). She has joined a centuries old institution and one that will continue long after her. I don't think she wants to look trendy. I think she wants to stand the test of time in professional outfits that don't detract from the work she's doing.
I buy several colors of the pieces that I like. This is normal for working women and men.
DeleteRachelZA: Completely agree, these are work clothes. The other members of the RF have work clothes and we don't seem to mind. In fact, we know the Queen will wear a bright coat and hat -- wonderful! Princess Anne will wear a suit -- wonderful. Catherine strikes a nice blend of work clothes for day, with a few special ones thrown in, and gowns for evening. She is considerate to wear clothes that don't upstage her hosts and dresses up when that level of respect is due. Bravo!!!!
DeleteI am with you Alpa. Same old, same old.
DeleteAlso I wish there would be more talk about what she does and not what she wears. But anybody who goes through the comments here or previous posts can see that is not the case. Those posters who had actually opinions regarding anything else but fashion are gone. If there is a gossip, or a differing opinion stans bombard the site with negative and nasty comments, making the whole blog and blogger's life hell. This is 2019 royal watching.
I agree alpa. She has so many other options at her disposal.
DeleteAgree with all the comments about her creating a work uniform. I think it is smart.
DeleteWell said, Señorita Dee!
DeleteAnett, I wish too that some of those posters would still weigh in from time to time. I learned so much about what is and isn’t expected from the Royal family. It is the fact that their reason for existing is so very different from ours that keeps us interested I guess.
DeleteI still enjoy the comment section and appreciate very much that Charlotte monitors the content.
Is it possible that the bespoke items cost less when made from a basic pattern or form created and used for the client previously? That use to be the case when there were more people creating clothes and more people had clothing custom made.
DeleteDoes anyone know if Julia is fine? She's been absent from here for a long time.
DeleteAnnet, please don’t take the comments here too seriously! ! Making a blogger’s life hell?. We are all anonymous here, we don’t know anything about each other, not even our real names. If you get slammed by another blogger, so what? Nothing to fear from somebody you will NEVER know or see.
DeleteThe subject of Kate’s fashion versus Kate’s clothes has been brought up here hundreds of times. It is about the life and style of the Duchess. Many many of us are first interested in her clothes and enjoy having opinions.
Julia we really do miss you! Hope you come back soon!
DeleteI think poor Julia finally got fed up with everyone disagreeing with her opinions about Kate's work ethic. I was looking through some of Charlotte's older posts the other night, which were from 2013, I think. That was before I started reading and long before I started reading the comments. I was surprised to see some familiar commenters, but also some who are no longer here, unless they have changed their names. There were the usual bevy of "Anons", who always seem to be complaining about either Kate or the other commenters. Hard to tell if they are different Anons from the ones who comment now, or the same batch. The thing about being attacked by anonymous Anons, is that you are never sure with which Anon you are arguing. I'm a bit puzzled by your comment Anett. You sound as if you think Kate's fashion choices are boring, but then go on to say you wish people would comment on what she does, and not what she is wearing. I don't read comments every day, but read often enough that I know there are plenty of comments on her engagements and how she seems to be really trying to make a difference among troubled families and at-risk children. Almost everyone seems to make at least some comment about what she is doing, as well as what she is wearing. If she constantly made bold, trendy fashion choices, don't you think that would generate MORE discussion and disagreements about her clothing? The few times Kate has gone way out of her comfortable, usual, fashion zone, I recall there was much tabloid discussion generated, which always brings with it disagreement. If she had a new outfit for every engagement, some people would be squawking about her spending so much money on new, expensive clothes. Maybe she'd rather spend her spare time with her family, and working on her projects, than shopping for, or being measured and fitted for, new outfits.
DeleteI so agree! More new same but different. She could easily have worn the lovely lilac dress which is far prettier than that dreary drab green, and especially for a kids event - the world needs colour!
DeleteAnett, I think you are confusing blogs. There are a lot of critical threads here, not only about Kate’s fashion but also about her choices in life. There was a conversation not so long ago about whether she should have more children or not, which I thought was totally inappropriate by the way. Her work ethics are usually discussed here as well.
DeleteI think it’s ironic that you talk about nasty comments when you vehemently disregarded some readers opinions about Meghan wearing Gucci on MAM.
Green is the symbolic color for children's mental health. That's why she wore the green and not the lilac.
DeleteI think she looks gorgeous; classic Kate. Perfection.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I agree with your "uniform" idea, but like Amy said, it's classic and perfection. Seems to me Her Majesty the Queen wears the same style and always looks regal and elegant. Maybe future queen Kate is taking lessons from her.
DeleteI think Anonymous 14:22 is correct that Kate is trying to follow HMTQ's lead, but Kate simply doesn't "get it." The brilliance of HM's work uniform is that all her outfits are the same, but markedly different. That is, they show infinite variations on the same theme with flair and style. Different fabrics, textures, color combinations, lapels, trim, buttons, and so forth. Nothing about HM's clothes screams Old Lady (except the shoes and handbag!), while Kate often manages to look dowdy. I don"t think fashion is really Kate's thing (which is fine), but she would be better served by wearing the clothes she already has, styled by a creative professional stylist to keep them looking fresh. While Kate's job is not to be a fashion model, there is simply no excuse for owning hundreds of eye-wateringly expensive designer outfits unless it is to boost British fashion.
DeleteInteresting to hear such a different view, because I think HMQ looks like an archetypal old lady in bright, often shapeless outfits. Kate's outfits are often fairly 'neutral' for events such as this and I think that strikes the right professional note.
DeleteI agree, Louise UK HM- I think "church lady," or maybe " garden club lady. " Queen of Style--not so much. Her outfits are always serviceable and show effort and respect for those around her. My favorites are the pink outfits. I do wish something could be done about those squashed stove pipe hats. I think the now former Empress of Japan's attire, for example, was always stylish and elegant, while appropriate for an older woman.
Delete@alpa exactly my thoughts.i prefer if she rewears the old versions. Specially that her clothes are very expensive.
ReplyDelete@rachelZa Kate is classic and conservative when it comes to her clothes and she is one of the most elegant royals but this thing with the same dress other color really bothers.
I know she's creating bespoke versions of dresses and coats she already owns, recently. But they all look better tailored, sturdier fabrics, and move really well with her stride. Better versions of the original. So I'm torn. And although she doesn't retain her baby weight, maybe her measurements are different enough that older outfits don't have enough seams to let out correctly?
ReplyDeleteEliza, wonderful point. While my weight remained constant post children the hips and rib cage changed. Each woman is different. Perhaps she is investing in longer-term outfits. Many professional woman make slight size changes post-children and late 30s early 40s. Interesting perspective.
DeleteShe has so many pretty green shoes [including the one she wore to the Anzac ceremonies a few days ago) but she goes back to her brown socks? Sigh. Pretty dress though.
ReplyDeleteAlso is she wearing extensions? Her hair usually doesn't have this much volume even with a blowout.
Hey Ivy Lin:) I agree on the brown socks!! I love her whole look today but was left thinking, #Why those shoes?? lol
DeleteI believe Kate has been wearing hair extensions for quite some time. Sometimes if you look very closely you can see the signs.
DeleteThe extensions always seem to be a much lighter hair color than her actual hair color.
DeleteExtensions? Her hair always looks the same - has been for years.
DeleteCamilla
I like the way the dress fits her like a glove. Great cause! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteXOXOXOXOXO
I really like Kates work with Anna Freud! They seem to work really well together. So love seeing her at these engagements. And what an interesting concept for the school.
ReplyDeleteVery nice to see Kate make speeches so regularly nowdays and she's getting much more confident. While she's not a master speaker, and probably never will be, she's better than some of the royals that have been doing this for decades! I am proud of her for sticking with it and working on it even thought it's not something that comes natural to her!
Very nice royal work-look. Like this variant with the square neck.
Of all her patronage’s it feels like the Anna Freud foundation is the one she clicked with the most. It would be interesting to see a comparison but my gut feeling is it is also the patronage that she has visited the most.
DeleteRachel, I think the children's hospice might be another, although it was undoubtedly difficult seeing the seriously ill children and their parents- especially after having become a parent herself. I believe she started quietly visiting them before she was !married;possibly before she was engaged to William. The Middletons must have stressed service and volumteering, as all three of their children have done volunteer work.
DeleteThe Anna Freud work, although also dealing with children with difficult life situations , is more up beat in concentrating on improving their futures.
Haha! "Volumteering." I guess that is a lot of volunteering.
DeleteI think she looks perfectly elegant. Love this classic uniform.
ReplyDeleteI love this dress as well as the lavender one. She should get one in every color! The fit is perfect for her. She's just so .....ROYAL!
ReplyDeleteI agree, I would love more shades of this dress!! the fit it spot on, love the way it moves with her.
DeleteShe looks so fabuolous in green! I don't remember exactly when, but this dress looks like a pink one she wore during a trip abroad... when also little Charlotte was with her.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, she is so good with her commitment toward children upbringing and mental health, and this meeting is for a very good cause. Well done Charlotte and well done Kate!
Oooh, I think I know which one you mean. I think it was Wickstead as well. She has a turquoise one like that as well.
DeleteDo you mean this one? https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/style/kate-middleton-recycles-garden-party-852968
When I find something I like and works well for work, I buy it in multiple colors too. I have two or three pairs of the exact same black trousers, and also have them in two shades of gray and brown. The tailoring of this dress is beautiful and it moves very well when as she walks. I personally like the green version better than the lavender version both in color and neckline. This is a definitely a style that is very classic and will stand the test of time. When pictures are shown 20 years from now, it won't look like a costume.
ReplyDeleteHope from USA
Kate looking fabulous as always Great event to shine the spotlight on and a nice speech to support the opening too All round big tick from me for today’s event and dress code I also think like someone had already mentioned Kate doesn’t seek out to have the spotlight on her She has her work dress code that keeps focus on the event and not what she is wearing Well done Kate x
ReplyDeleteThere is a photo of her when she just stepped out of the car, where you can see her clenching her teeth, before she put on her game face. It just reminded me that she doesn’t find the spotlight easy. She might be a lot more comfortable than she was in the beginning of her royal life, and once the event started she looked like she had a lot of fun. But the limelight is definitely not her comfort zone. And I do think having a work uniform is one way she uses to cope with it.
DeleteWhat a good observation RachelZA! It can't be easy stepping into the "spotlight" and having to be "on", but I agree Kate seems more at ease with it of late than in the beginning. I would agree that worrying about what she is wearing is the last thing she should be concerned about. I think her "uniform" gives Kate the balance she needs to do her job, looks good while doing it, and giving the focus on the event, where it belongs. cc
DeleteLove the praline shoes and clutch! This style of dress is so flattering on Kate, she looks absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of the praline shoes and clutch too! The dress is classically Kate and moves so well with her willowy body. She takes long strides when she walks and this style suits her. Love this entire look, head to toe! cc
DeleteI also like the shoes. Out of her nude shoes, I like these the most. I can get tired of seeing them to often, but I quite like the look!
DeleteLOVE this dress and the whole look!
ReplyDeleteWill we see the Duchess on Friday?
ReplyDeleteThere's been no official word, however I do think so :)
DeleteI don’t think there will be photos on Friday, the service is private and there aren’t any photos from previous years.
DeleteShe has really come into her own. I adore seeing her smile, laugh and love what she does. JUST LOVE HER.
ReplyDeleteWonderful event. She looks great. It is a lovely shade of green and I like how the fabric hangs.
ReplyDeleteThe fit of this dress looks really good on her. I’m very intrigued by this new school.
ReplyDeleteLOVE this shade of green on her. Really brings out her eyes. Perfect Kate look!
ReplyDeleteShe knows exactly what suits and fits her figure. She is not on a catwalk or a red carpet. She is there for a cause that speaks to her heart, she is dressed accordingly: classy, neat and practical as always.
ReplyDeleteWho knows exactly what the conversation is about clothes when Kate has those meetings. Wouldn't it be interesting to be a listening fly on the wall? She is given a stipend for clothes. Prince Charles probably says to spend it all on a wardrobe. That's what it is for.
ReplyDeleteI personally will buy the same pants/shirts/sweaters etc in different colors. Especially when I find a style I love. It seems like that's many womens decision on clothes...
Hope from USA- I loved that bright lavender color but the square neckline on the green dress was more to my liking. 😂 Funny how everyone's opinions are all unique! It's usually the slightest difference.. I had a chuckle when I read your comment!
Thank you Charlotte for going 8 years strong on the DoC blog. I've been reading steadily for about 6 years now.
I suspect most people have a style which suits them, so repeats them and this is a colour which suits her well. I think the skirt of this one is slightly fuller that the lilac.It is lovely and ideal for what she is doing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great week she has had and what a great job she is doing for young children.
Wishing the whole family a lovely day tomorrow for Charlotte's birthday.
Is the pendant new? Or is my memory bad?
ReplyDeleteI thought the same but I have a vauge memory that we might have seen it before.
DeleteShe wore the necklace in Feb in Ireland with the Missoni dress.
DeleteRead somewhere that the necklace was a Christmas gift from William, don't recall what year, but since she has had it believe she has worn it before.
DeleteKate seems to have great rapport with the Centre and particularly with Amy. The picture of the two laughing is my favorite of the engagement!
ReplyDeleteI agree Lacy! Kate seems to be working more with the people from the events and establishing a rapport that is wonderful to see. Kate is always ready with a smile and quick to laugh...absolutely love that about her!! cc
DeleteAbsolutely agree gals! Kate seems like a real girls girl and that is one thing I have always liked about her.
DeleteI adore her in this dress and color. This is quintessential Kate. She looks lovely.
+1. Kate is a person who is genuinely interested in other people. She treats the people she meets with respect and warmth. She is also a good listener.
DeleteI'm wondering something with regard to the uniform-like wardrobe choices. As someone else said here and I've mentioned before, I think Catherine may be playing it bespoke but safe and emulating the Queen's standard: coat, dress, hat, same shoes, bright colours. How many of those combinations does HM have?
ReplyDeleteI'm also wondering whether it might be a "class" thing. You regularly see Letizia, Mary & Maxima going out there with the fashion choices which get people/social media/paps/fans excited. But like Catherine, they are all "commoners."
However, if you observe the Royal women of Japan's Imperial family (the oldest monarchy, I believe) whether in kimono or ball gowns consistently wear the same style in muted colours (as witnessed during the new Emperor's accession ceremonies today). During non-formal events they all dress similarly and look a good deal like flight attendants most of the time. (And regularly get complaints about that, too.)
Along with modulating her accent to one more posh, perhaps Catherine is aligning herself with the way HM dresses rather than trending with the fashion houses of Europe thus downplaying the fact that she is not a blood royal. Just wondering. That's all.
I sure hope she isn't modeling herself after HM. After all HM is 93-years old and Catherine is only in her thirties. When HM was Catherine's age, she dressed befitting to her age and the fashion of the time, not like her grandmother. What's missing is the buffering style generation in between - which presumably Diana would have provided had she lived. When you see Mary, Maxima and Letizia you are looking at women and Royals that are a half generation older than Catherine. Catherine, no matter how conservative she may be in her dressing, should not be predicating her style on HM for this stage of her life. it's a 56 year difference
DeleteI do like her in mossy green; she wore a beautiful green dress recently that was longer and had a leather belt. I thought it looked great. I really like her necklace today, too. My favorite color is always blue, but she looks great in this green, like the green Meghan wore to the christening.
ReplyDeleteKnowing what we know about Kate's brother's struggles, I can now see why mental health and childhood wellness are important to Kate. I believe that one of many reasons that she seems so happy these days, in addition to having three healthy wonderful children, is that she feels her brother is doing well. In fact, so is her sister, and I'm sure that is very satisfying to her. I thought she missed being Harry's main female influence, but it's obvious that they are still close.
It seems like there is a call for roles to shift -- Kate may not be queen for 20+ years, but I can understand that the Queen would want to counsel her while she can. I guess when Charles becomes king, there will be a lot more work for W&K. These really attractive basic dresses will be useful, even if she does have a ton of older dresses. :)
Does the lavender one have a removable belt like today’s dress? I can see the very small belt loops on today’s dress.
ReplyDeleteThis color and silhouette work well on Kate. I can understand why buying multiple dresses that are very similar would get a negative reaction given how expensive the clothes are. I do miss Kate's looks from 2011-2013, in that she changed it up and had more interesting choices, but it seems she's found what she likes/what works for her. I just wonder why there are so many new dresses of the same style when she's already got 8 years of royal wardrobe under her belt? Perhaps, as others have suggested, her shape has changed just enough after each birth.
ReplyDeleteI hope how after the purple dress's time she announced pregnancy , maybe have another child after a similar green one soon.....
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the work of the Royal Foundation and Heads Up in the area of Mental Health, very much needed. The Duchess looked lovely today and I admire her for her diligence to champion the causes that are of interest to her. Thank you, Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher I just have to add that I love the concept of the Family School she visited. I wish we could incorporate some of the ideas in main stream schools.
ReplyDeleteSo often parents are either in complete denial about their child’s behavior or they are at their wit’s end dealing with it. Having parents spend time at the school to learn about behavior can be transformational.
I absolutely love those shoes. If I could afford a pair, I would snatch them up in a heartbeat. Anyone have a good Repli-Kate?
ReplyDeleteAnd I love, love, love the dress. Better neckline than the original. And the color is so pretty.
Sorry if this is a duplicate (I entered a response from my phone earlier) I so wanted to make it over to the center today in London to try & catch a glimpse of Kate as she either arrived or departed, but sadly I'm under the weather so alas I didn't. However, regardless, I knew I'd see the really good pics & info from Charlotte here. I missed the DCVO announcement as I was traveling over here, but what a Thrill!!!! :)xx How wonderful for Catherine & how lovely she will look wearing it! I love the new green dress today as well as all the tweaks to the original lavender dress that is one of my favorites. Hunter green is such a lovely color on her. It's so lovely to be back in London. Lots of meetings & catching up with my friends & colleagues as well as the film premiere, but I still am crossing my fingers that I can squeeze in a day trip to Windsor. I had hoped when I landed & first checked my phone, that I would have seen that Baby Sussex had arrived... the little one is taking their time. What a celebration it will be for W&K's children too. Such a delight to get a new cousin! Hope everyone is well! :) xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Becca! So you're there... enjoy!! Hope you get to see Kate or another member of the RF soon!😉😃
DeleteI just wanted to say that as a long time Kate follower (since her days from dating Prince William), I am so glad to see her focus on such an important issue. I know she's received criticism in the past for not working as much, etc. and I have to say initially I myself was a bit disappointed. In the early years of her marriage, I thought she seemed to not have a focus on her work or seem as passionate about her duties.
ReplyDeleteBut I see a big change now, with the birth of her children. Kate comes across as very assured, determined, and focused. Sometimes we go through periods in our life that require an adjustment (for her probably her first few months/years of being a royal wife).
I'm Kate's age with two young kids the same age as George and Charlotte. Seeing Kate's focus on the wellbeing of children has really caused me to examine my own parenting of my kids. I try to be more patient and am more cognizant of the importance of providing a secure and loving home for my kids. So for that, I want to see a big thank you to Kate! She may not be as loud or out there as much as some people want, but she is doing things in a steadfast and focused way that I'm sure will pay dividends in the future. Both for her role as a royal and for the causes she supports. Anon in CA
Kate is nicely establishing herself as the champion of mental health for the younger generation. Other royals are also supporting a variety of similar organizations, but she stands out among all of them. It's good to see that she is finding an "identity" (for lack of better word) to go alongside being future queen-consort and mum of three.
ReplyDeleteOnto the sartorial side of things, I also like this version of the Wickstead dress better than the lilac one. I believe stronger colours suit her complexion better than pale and pastels ones. And the neckline looks improved as well. It may be just my impression, I feel that the skirt part is slightly more flared and I like that. Overall, it is certainly a well tailored dress and "quietly elegant" (to quote the Telegraph's Victoria Armstrong that looks at Wickstead's brand). My only "quibble" is that there was still a lot of green expanse - but I am not sure if a brooch would have helped or just messed it up. I think Catherine is on her way to finding her own style now (she is still searching in that regard, as far as I can tell, but I feel that Genie indeed has helped her as everyone is suggesting now). Excellent cause, good showing on all accounts.
To my mind, and as others have already stated, Kate has developed a number of silhouettes that I now associate with her and see as constituting her working wardrobe, just like HM has a working wardrobe of jacket/dress/hat/pearls/brooch. The dresses/coat dresses vary in colour, skirt design, collar, sleeves and embellishments, but silhouette remains the same. As others have pointed out, this allows less focus on fashion and more on the purpose of the event. In this case, the skirt is fuller, the collar and colour are different from the mauve dress she wore on a European tour. I think Kate's choices always gives her a well-dressed and classic look. I think her charities place a very important focus on key issues that affect people's lives, and I see Kate very much coming into her own in the next few years and effecting real change and help to people.
ReplyDeleteA lovely dress, very streamlined. The length was spot on. Love green on the Duchess, it suits her so well, I never get sick of seeing her wearing the same colour. The neckline is refreshing for a change. Love the colour of accessories. Jewellery gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteWhat I appreciate the most about Kate is that because she seems to have a work wardrobe that she seems comfortable with, the focus is always on her work as apposed to what she's wearing and how much it cost and such. I love this look on her and green is a lovely colour on her.
ReplyDeletehmm i love the duchess of Cambridge outfit hmm i love her speech they way she said it and i think she personally write it
ReplyDeleteOne nitpick: I wish Kate wouldn't try so much to create an artificially high waistline in dresses that are not empire-waist dresses. i know she has a really long torso and tries to hide it but when you see a waistline just under her bosom area and see how long her arms extend after the "waistline" it's one of those fashion tricks where once you see it you can't unsee it. I think moving her waistline down a little closer to where it sits on her natural waist wouldn't be unflattering. I mean, tall lean women with a long torso are very common. See Gwyneth Paltrow.
ReplyDeleteIvy Lin, I agree with you completely! I’ve thought it for a long time, and it’s difficult to “unsee” it.
DeleteThat aside, I think it takes an extraordinary person to fulfil such a role - my hat off to her!
Second attempt to comment here - Tries to hide it? This is not a commenter's opinion of a style. For example, "I prefer dresses with natural waistlines." It is a comment on Kate's personal thoughts about her body. In any event, I am not sure why being long-waisted is something to hide. In fact, she wears princess styled dresses, which actually emphasise a long waist.
DeleteIt is a current style. Other than possibly for maternity wear, there is no evidence she has routinely altered natural waist designs to make them high waisted. I have seen her in designs with elevated waistlines;however, the product model usually shows the same elevated waistline style.
Charlotte, is it possible Kate’s clutch could be a custom version of the one you linked? To me, the color looks like Mulberry’s rosewater. I’d love to hear what you think!
ReplyDeleteYes Elise, Kate's colour appears to be sold out.
DeleteOh, I see. Thanks for the clarification!
DeleteI generally like her work uniform but I am baffled this is a new piece. It could have sworn it’s a repeat. While I do like new pieces on her- I am annoyed by new pieces that look like repeats. Just repeat in that case. It even makes for great publicity. Especially as it has never been the case that her choice of clothing has not been in the focus. She must know that by know and could use it to her advantage.
ReplyDeleteC.
I see your point, C.
DeleteI understand that she prefers a certain look or style - but most of her clothes are top quality and made for more than one outing.
I personally think it's a bit OTT to wear something new practically every time she's representing. She masters elegance, and could easily look polished and representable with a fourth or fifth wear of any item in her wardrobe, and no, that's not recycling :-)
Thanks Charlotte for your outstanding work. It is very much appreciated. I just read that green is the color for Mental Health. So proud of our Duchess. Apparently Duchess of Cornwall also wore green that day also
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to Princess Charlotte. Hope she has an awesome dat
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