Good evening, dear readers,
We have quite a bit to chat about! Most notably news the Duchess of Cambridge will undertake a two-day, working solo visit to Copenhagen later this month. Before we turn our gaze to plans for Denmark, Kate was spotted out and about shopping at Peter Jones in Chelsea. Sloane Square is a popular haunt for the Duchess, who has been seen there on a number of occasions over the past decade. In several of the feature pieces written about Kate's 40th, friends and aides told reporters the Duchess tends to opt for a 'younger' wardrobe in her day to day life. I love this smart casual look and choice of a coat previously worn on an engagement, creating a stylish off-duty ensemble.
We first saw Kate's Massimo Dutti coat in October 2020 for a visit to the University of Derby.
The beige gingham print coat is made from wool with a lapel collar and two patch pockets.
With thanks to Sarah, it looks like Kate wore Blundstone's Originial Vegan Chelsea Boots. The brand recommends ordering half a size up for a Wide Fit. The pull-on, mid-top boots feature a round toe. They are available for $200 with Free Shipping at Zappos. They are also in stock at Madewell in brown and black.
Kate's sweater is a Polo Ralph Lauren cable-knit piece with a funnel neck. It's currently sold out.
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Now, the Duchess will travel to Copenhagen between Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd February on a working visit with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. Kensington Palace said, "This is the first time the Duchess will be bringing the work of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to the international stage. The Centre aims to drive awareness of and action on the extraordinary impact of the early years. On this trip, it will learn from Denmark’s example as a country widely recognised as a world leader in its approach and investment in early childhood development."
The Duchess plans to meet a plethora of experts in the area. Kate is said to be eager to learn about their practices, ethos and implementations which have made Denmark so successful. In a tweet coinciding with the news, Kate said, "Looking forward to learning from experts, parents & practitioners about Denmark’s approach to early childhood later this month. Denmark is a beacon of best practice in its approach to the early years, with a culture which prioritises the best start in life." Kate closed with "På snarligt gensyn" which means "See you soon".
Looking forward to learning from experts, parents & practitioners about Denmark’s approach to early childhood later this month. Denmark is a beacon of best practice in its approach to the early years, with a culture which prioritises the best start in life.
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) February 4, 2022
På snarligt gensyn. C pic.twitter.com/4rwZjA61mj
I often mention the fabulous eagle-eyed ladies who do such a stellar job of identifying royal fashion. Well, from the video above, Bojana suggests the arm detail matches John Lewis' £135 Hush Tilly Cashmere Sweater in blue.
The Evening Standard described the trip as a "fact-finding mission":
'Kate will spend two days in the capital, Copenhagen later this month on a working visit with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
It will be the first time she has taken the work of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she launched last June, to the international stage.
A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: “The duchess is looking forward to visiting the country, learning from the Danish people, and continuing to build on the already close friendship between the two countries.”
It will mark Kate's second official visit to Copenhagen. In 2011, the newlywed Cambridges joined Frederik and Mary to visit a UNICEF Aid Centre. Kate sported her L.K. Bennett Ami coat, Reiss belt, and wore her Stuart Weitzman Zipkin boots for the visit.
The pair next met at Royal Ascot in 2016.
'The portrait was created by the resident, Spanish-born artist Jesús Herrera Martínez and was unveiled as part of the opening of the special exhibition “HRH Crown Princess Mary 1972 – 2022”. The exhibition came about in connection with The Crown Princess’s 50th birthday, and, in addition to The Crown Princess, HRH The Crown Prince as well as TRH Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were present at the opening.
The portrait, which has been named “Crown Princess Mary” and is painted with oil on canvas, is staged in The Crown Princess’s study in the Crown Prince Couple’s home in Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg. The work relates the story of The Crown Princess by including elements from the study as well as fictive symbols that refer to Her Royal Highness’s Australian background – among other things, in the form of shadow play on the wall, where you can see a eucalyptus plant. A series of Jesús Herrera Martínez’s preliminary studies for the new portrait are displayed in an independent exhibition at the museum that opens during the winter school holiday.'
Mary, Frederik and their children at the unveiling of the portrait and the opening of an exhibition celebrating Mary's life as a royal.
The portrait looks fantastic.
A selection of gowns on display worn by the Crown Princess.
Mary was delighted to attend the opening of the Crown Princess Mary Center at the University of Copenhagen which is dedicated to "solving problems through research and partnerships".
The family also paid a visit to the zoo for the opening of 'Mary's Australian Garden', a new area which will house species from Mary's home country.
Speaking to the Financial Times about the future of the monarchy, wearing a sleek Temperley London suit, Mary said, "A monarchy exists in the time and the society that it is a part of, and Danes are progressive and innovative and free-thinking. How progress happens is dependent on the personalities of the people within the royal family, and, of course, the people they are among."
And the festivities didn't stop there... Mary was radiant in a repeated Claes Iversen embellished coat (the designer would be an excellent choice for Kate) for the opening of Mary and the Princesses. A Danish royal spokesperson said, "The exhibition, which paints a portrait of The Crown Princess and her most recent four predecessors, was opened in connection with The Crown Princess’s 50th birthday and included the participation of, among others, HRH The Crown Prince and HRH Princess Benedikte."
A new postage stamp has been released for Mary's birthday. At Mary's request, a portion of proceeds will go to the Dandelion Center, which supports vulnerable children and serves as emergency accommodation for socially disadvantaged children.
And in the last few minutes, a new family portrait by Hasse Nielsen was shared. Mary and Frederik are photographed in white shirts and jeans with their children Christian, Josephine, Isabella and Vincent.
Sending Mary wishes for a wonderful birthday tomorrow! I'm very much looking forward to the Copenhagen trip.
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It would be remiss of me to close tonight's post without sharing new photos of the Queen ahead of an upcoming historic occasion. On Sunday, Her Majesty will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee -- seven decades of tireless duty, service and dedication. The Queen will mark the occasion privately at Sandringham, and I expect these images were taken several weeks ago before she departed Windsor for a sojourn to Norfolk.
It's undoubtedly going to be a weekend of reflection for the Queen. I do hope she's joined by loved ones and close friends. What an incredibly journey it's been so far, and you can relive the coronation in it's entirety from 1953 below.
It has certainly been too long since we've had such a packed newsy post. A sign of life, and indeed royal life, returning to normal. The pandemic effectively put paid to so many core elements of royal watching: tours, summer events, walkabouts, Trooping the Colour, Order of the Garter, garden parties -- to name just a few. It seems entirely fitting we are looking to brighter days ahead in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. I hope you all have a lovely weekend :)
It's nice to see how well Crown Princess Mary has defied and belied her critics. When she married Crown Prince Frederik, and for years thereafter, she was the target of relentless attacks, utterly vicious vitriol that was even worse than that more recently endured by Meghan Sussex. I couldn't believe how appalling some of the things said about her were and wouldn't care to repeat them here. However, over a decade and a half and four children later, she's still standing and has been appointed, if I am remembering correctly, a Counselor of State by Queen Margrethe. Living well, as they say, is the best revenge.
ReplyDeleteSuch intensely hostile criticism and accusations seem to be a sort of hazing ritual to which many women who marry into royal families have been subjected. I can name several who've had to face it, and we shouldn't forget Kate Cambridge's many haters. The halo she's grown is a very recent development.
Absolutely. You just can’t compare the treatment of a royal lady that has been into this life for several years with the one of the royal
DeleteNewbie. There is also a surprisingly long period (years) of relentless criticism after the wedding (and before). It’s bad. Only when they come out at the other end it seems a more fair assessment takes place.
C.
So true. There is a structural hostility against newcomers. Women or men alike. We don't remember Prince Philip's beginning but Madeleine of Sweden husband's has had his fair share of very bad press. I think there is a deep down feeling in the public, and the press surfes on that, that any person who marries in a RF is an interloper that is instinctively resented. The newcomer will never be good enough.
DeleteThen there is the wedding. Lots of goodwill from the public and very good press. A huge build up that cannot last.
Also there is the question of privilege. Whatever they do they will always be hugely privileged. They must try not to rub it in. Scilly islands are better forgiven than Mustique.
In-laws are also a recurrent source of criticism. Even now, ten years after the wedding, I thought the press tried to stirr the pot with headlines about the Middleton assistance at Westminster Abbey. All this applies to anyone marrying in the RF. No wonder Kate was so cautious.
Vittoria what you say is so true! It is interesting that such intense vitriol is not just in this new day of social media and 'instant' knowledge; the following quote was written in a Telegraph obituary in 2002 of Princess Margaret. "Whatever may have been foolishly and maliciously said at various times, the Princess was a remarkably beautiful and stylish woman who put duty first." Seems intense criticism IS a hazing ritual of not only women who marry into royalty, but who are actually royal!
DeleteI think Mary would be such a good mentor for Kate. Mary's gorgeous, her children seem charming, her marriage strong, and she was able to learn an entirely new language too! Plus Kate and Mary are just a decade off nearly exactly and look similar -- I'm excited for their work and the photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat this post is - from top to bottom! Thank you, Charlotte! Enjoyed every word and every photo.
ReplyDeleteAs an Australian, I am always interested in the evolution of the role and the amazing work of The Crown Princess Mary. My Dad used to work with Mary in a PR firm in Sydney back in the day, and my sister worked in journalism with Mary's best friend. Our family always joke that my sister could have been the one to marry Frederick, but she always responds that she married her own prince charming.
The cherry on the top was the photos of the Queen. Marvellous!
An amazing story Cara. I've followed Mary for a decade and she's a marvelous lady.
DeleteHello, hello! It has been a while since I posted here, but I am still very much a regular visitor! I would like to know weather there will be a Year in review for 2021? I enjoy those profoundly!
ReplyDeleteGreetings
Hello Marija,
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting. The Year in Review is partially completed. I hope to get back to work on it in the next few days :)
I will say, Kate should definitely have a look at Mary’s choice of portraits and painter for her next official set. They might be not as artistic, but those are most definitely regal portraits that fit the occasion. And the painting is just beautiful. I suspect Kate has been looking at Mary’s style for a while now - think the dark blue/black velvet gown she wore for a reception or her new love for “secretary” chic. She would probably benefit from also taking into consideration the more classic feminine cuts, Mary uses in those outfits create more curves. Also- Mary is a good decade older than Kate, so some styles just feel off with Kate’s age.
ReplyDeleteIt’s great she is travelling alone. After her first alone visit in the Netherlands years ago (and she got so much criticism) she hadn’t done anything like it anymore. It’s about time. And I am happy to see the younger ones being more publicly involved with their European counterparts and relatives. Especially as we have the Scandi and the Benelux set, that are quite tight. The Uk always seem a bit excluded.
C.
I loved seeing HM. She looks lovely with her bright smile. I was wondering if we would see her since it has been awhile. I know there are covid restrictions but I hope for posterity there is a generational photo of succession to mark the occasion. What has caught my eye is the statement by Queen Mary which is I write not exactly as spoken. Queen Mary in speaking about monarcy said, a monarchy exists in the time and the society that it is a part of... How progress happens is dependent on the personalities of the people within the royal family, and of course, the people they are among. I thought to myself I hope the future generations of the British Royal Family is progressive enough to understand.
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely to see the Queen, this is her year!! I do believe that the future generations of the British Royal Family are and can be progressive enough to evolve and I think we are seeing the beginning of that change. Like everything, progress and change need the chance and time to be successful or to be accomplished, it doesn't happen overnight. I think that Catherine's trip to Denmark is a step towards that goal, one of reaching beyond our boundaries, whether they are geographical or self imposed, and learning the best of what each society has to offer. I believe that "our ability to survive is our ability to adapt", and feel that we all have the capacity to learn and grow if we allow ourselves and if we are tolerant enough to allow others to grow as well. It feels like we are at the beginning of a perceptible shift within the Royal Family and strongly believe that they have the ability to recognize the need for progress, and the ability and desire to effect a change.
DeleteLove Kate's look, it is definitely a relatable "Mom on the go" look!! Even the Chelsea boots are sustainable. Thank you Charlotte for including information on Crown Princess Mary, she is a very beautiful woman; the gown and jewels are exquisite; and her portrait very elegant! She has earned her place in Danish history. It is always a treat to see HM these days, especially on the eve of such a bittersweet memory, but she always has a smile that is warming to see. What a life she has led!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteIt seems I am no longer able to subscribe via email to your blog post. Is this true or am I just unable to find the button?
Thank you,
Nicola
Hello Nicola,
DeleteThank you for reaching out. Blogger has permanently disabled the 'Follow By Email' feature. I'm searching for an alternative as we speak and will have an update shortly.
Wonderful post! Love Catherine, love the Queen, and love Mary! Truly beautiful, serene, brilliant women. They have all conducted themselves throughout their years with such grace and poise and they are so inspiring to me.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe Mary is 50! She looks amazing.
ReplyDelete