The Duchess of Cambridge is attending her second garden party of the season at Buckingham Palace today. If I'm not mistaken, it's the first year we've seen Kate present at two successively. It underscores the dramatic changes in recent years and most especially the Queen's absence.
I saw several tweets earlier today alluding to a Zoom call Kate held discussing infant mental health and health visiting. Infant Mental Health Awareness Week will take place from the 13-19 June 2022 on the theme of ‘Understanding Early Trauma’. I expect either the call was in preparation for an engagement that week or possibly will be released in mid-June. Kate also held a private early years meeting yesterday. I understand we'll hear more about the next steps for the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood quite soon.
William and Kate were joined by the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Beatrice.
Whilst Beatrice isn't a working royal, we do see the York sisters attend several events each summer and it has been widely reported that this year in particular Her Majesty wishes to lend a show of support to her granddaughters. It's understood we'll see Beatrice and Eugenie quite a bit over the Jubilee weekend, with some reports suggesting they may host a Big Lunch. Beatrice chose a Self-Portrait dress for today.
The scene at Buckingham Palace.
Whilst sadly the weather was rather unpredictable today, it was another enjoyable and memorable afternoon for the final Buckingham Palace party.
A special highlight today was seeing Kate reunited with holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg. The Duchess was privileged to meet Manfred and Zigi in Poland in 2017. During a Zoom call with Manfred last year, she recalled that day: "I will never forget the first time when we met and your stories have stuck with me since then. It's important that these stories are passed on to the next generation." She also praised the survivors during a conversation with youth ambassadors. "We all have a role to play; all generations have a role to play in making sure the stories that we have heard from Zigi and Manfred today live on and ensure that the lessons that we have learnt are not repeated in history for future generations. I am really glad there is the younger generation flying the flag for this work."
Manfred and Zigi were sent to the Stutthof concentration camp by the Nazis when they were just 14. The 2017 return to Stutthof marked the first time they had been there since the end of the war. Mr Goldberg said at the time: "For me it is quite a seismic event because, since I was permitted to come to England in September 1946, I have not set foot in either Germany or Poland. I decided that I really had to face the past and hence my consent to come."
The video below has footage of several conversations, including Kate joking about the weather.
Treats decorated with the Jubilee in mind.
At each Garden Party, around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed.
Crowds gathered round the Duchess.
Kate meeting guests.
Buckingham Palace tweeted: "There was rain and shine at the last of this year’s Buckingham Palace Garden Parties."
The Earl of Wessex chatting to guests.
The Duchess was in a very light shade of green today.
We first saw the dress for the 50th anniversary of the Prince of Wales' investiture. The Palace confirmed it was created by Kate's 'independent dressmaker'. The dress has a high collar, full skirt and loose sleeves with a fitted cuff.
When Kate first wore the piece, a What Kate Wore reader named Rosie shared a dress by Russian designer Ulyana Sergeenko which is quite similar.
There has been speculation as to the identity of the independent designer for almost a decade. Rumours have suggested everyone from Sarah Burton to Angela Kelly and Natasha Archer. Kate obviously works closely with a tailor/seamstress who alters her clothing, perhaps this person wishing to stay anonymous creates the pieces.
It looks lik Kate carried the Hobbs Evesham suede clutch (well spotted by Middleton Maven). It's available in several colours here.
A very nice event ahead of 'Jubilee week'.
A reminder -- you can keep track of events announced for the Duchess on Kate's Calendar.
The Duchess' dress is a miss for me, but I love Sophie's look today! Love the color, the cut and the hat!
ReplyDeleteIt's so pretty! Gorgeous colour. The flowy movement of the skirt is divine.
ReplyDeleteSuch a royal beauty - with style, grace, and charm; our future Princess of Wales!
ReplyDeleteLovely, so garden party
ReplyDeleteOh I am in love this look. The hat is a big win for me 😍 love the soft colour. Very elegant ! Lovely to see William as well !
ReplyDeleteGreat to see them out and about today. I like the dress but really don't like the colour. It's just too light. I find that shade of blue can make you look washed out. I like the style and cut of the dress. I wonder if private dressmaker is code for Angela Kelly. The Countess also looks beautiful today. A lovely shade of blue. S. ☺
ReplyDeleteI suspect that it could be Angela Kelly.
DeleteI believe the dress is green, not blue?!
DeleteI'd say it's eau de nil - a pale green/blue.
DeleteFranny, thank you for that. Looked it up and found the following :Is eau de nil blue or green?
Delete"Eau de Nil (“water of the Nile”) is a tricky color to pin down precisely. It is a light-greenish hue, more saturated than celadon, less gray than sage. It has tan undertones and a cool bluish cast." No wonder we all see it differently!! :)
I don't like this dress. Too plain. It's ageing, makes her look an old Lady, unfortunately. And Kate has a lot of dresses very much like this one... :(
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your full post Charlotte! On Twitter, Kate looks lovely. This is a wonderful 're-wear' and I love a re-wear. Her hat looks almost exactly the same as the yellow fascinator by Philip Treacy she wore for Trooping the Colour - and her hair is down, that's different. New shoes perhaps? Kate really goes for monochromatic - curious as to whether or not many readers use this personally as well?
ReplyDeleteBoth Sophie and Beatrice look smart as well. Hopefully you'll be able to share some photos and details on their styles for today. :-)
I wanted to add...watched the Netflix movie "Senior Year" and at the end of the movie you'll see Beatrice's dress on one of the actresses. I like it on Beatrice and then so funny to see it again just a few days later on someone else. :-) A poster below shares that it's a Self Portrait design.
DeleteI definitely prefer this look to the Wickstead last week, I'm just so tired of that same coat dress in different colors.
ReplyDeleteThis is much more "garden party," and looks amazing with that hat!!
Sophie looks amazing!
Beatrice...bless her heart she tries, and it would look okay without that headband.
I agree about Beatrice; that headband is a no.
DeleteI like Kate's dress. It matches both the weather and type of event. I see it as a pale jade or aquamarine color though, and it suits her and her eyes. Great outfit choice for Sophie!! The color really suits her and it even matches with Prince Edward outfit.
ReplyDeleteDo you mean William's outfit? His shirt and waistcoat definitely seem to have the same shade as Kates's dress
DeleteHair is once again a miss — no volume at all. I like the dress and the hat but I think together the proportions are off. Lovely color though.
ReplyDeleteLiked it more this time round. Kate is tall (and slim) enough to carry off this style and she looks very elegant
ReplyDeleteI like Kate's entire look today! The earrings are very nice and perfectly matched to the outfit! I think the high collar and long sleeves were very appropriate considering the variable weather. How nice she could see Zigi and Manfred again.
ReplyDeleteVery nice repeat! I like this dress much better for a garden party. The hat is ravishing and the new earings very intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI got excited when I saw the initial First Look post because it looked like she cut several inches off her hair, but then I realized the photos were from the previous wear of the dress.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty dress on her. I love the hat and think this year’s shoes work better than the cream ones she opted for in the original styling. That’s what fun about seeing her in “repeats.” We can see how different accessories impact the overall look.
Also, Sophie looks amazing in that blue dress and hat.
Well, I love the minty green and the slightly mossy green shoes. The hat is just amazing and I like to see new earrings, so it's a lovely outfit for me. I was happy to see Beatrice. We're seeing the "nonworking" cousins at recent events and I think that is very appropriate. Hope to see more of Eugenie too.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see W&C at todays Garden Party and a poignant reunion with the Holocaust survivors again.
ReplyDeleteThink this is a great way of meeting those in the community which deserve the recognition for their services. And what a great experience it must be.
Sad to say, this is one of my least favourite outfits that Catherine has ever worn. I think the colour and style of the dress is very underwhelming, despite the beautiful accessories - I think there were many other outfits worthy of a re-wear before this.
So beautiful and I LOVE her earrings! Countess Sophie looks so pretty also.
ReplyDeleteWhile I preferred the previous (coral pink) dress on Kate, this worked very well too. And I love her hat, hair and the new earrings.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely she was able to meet Mr. Goldberg again!
Gorgeous garden party dress. Catherine looks lovely. Love the hat and like the earrings. She, William, Beatrice, Sophie and Edward all looked great and as if they were enjoying themselves.
ReplyDeleteI love the dress even better with this hat. The effect is just soft and romantic and the perfect tone for a garden party. From head to toe (so glad she even had a white umbrella as not to darken the look), I thought she looked perfect!!
ReplyDeletePhilip Treacy hat shown on his website in SS22 collection as OC 96
ReplyDeletealso as O896
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update Charlotte. I really like the new earrings. I wonder are the stones opals. Any information would be much appreciated. S. ☺
ReplyDeleteThe Duchess is gorgeous as always; that dress (and the whole ensemble) are Garden Party perfect! Pretty sure it is light green rather than blue. The shoes are labelled Sage Green and the hat appears more green than blue. Either way, wonderful. Pity about the weather though.
ReplyDeleteI think Catherine is absolutely stunning. Her choice was perfect for a rainy, chilly garden party. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt's always lovely to see traditional events like this, no matter the weather. The Duchess looks lovely. Her hat especially looks so soft and feminine for the Spring. I'd personally love to see more pieces by the 'independent dressmaker' as I think we see more of the Duchess's personal taste with the more customized pieces. Either way such a pleasant, civilized way to celebrate service to worthy causes and a treat to see the royals in hats outdoors in the wonderful Buckingham palace garden.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments on the ‘independent dressmaker’. I, too, would like to see more their designs. I find them simple, yet elegant & not fussy - just the Duchess herself! :)
DeleteI like the dress
ReplyDeleteTodays hat reminds me of the one worn to Zara’s wedding back in 2011.
ReplyDeleteThe soft flowing lines of this dress are flattering to Kate, and the color is okay, but I would like it better if it were a floral print. I could see wearing this with a huge picture hat or carrying a parasol (if the weather cooperated).
ReplyDeleteI would love this in a floral print!
DeleteForgot to say in my first post that I like Beatrice's dress very much. Also Sophie's. And it was very nice to see Kate talking with Manfred Goldberg. Oh! and also, I was struck by the colors of the pink dress and swallow-print wrap of the woman who was talking with Prince William. I like the combination.
ReplyDeleteI like this round better with the dress. It’s a pretty hat and nice to see Catherine wear it with her hair down. She and William both look great. Thanks Charlotte! Sue :)
ReplyDeleteWell, this dress is not my style -- it's much too prim -- but it's beautifully fitted, and the color is lovely. The flowing effect of the skirt is attractive, and I have to say that the look as a whole is far better suited to a garden party than the coral Catherine Walker the Duchess wore earlier.
ReplyDeleteStill: while I know the Duchess prefers conservative clothing, this dress is the sort of thing I'd expect a slightly liberal Mennonite to wear on an occasion like this. And I note that our Duchess is accumulating quite a collection of hats in this particular style. I have to wonder how many she has by now?
On the other hand, I love the men's morning dress worn with top hats and umbrellas. One year at one of these affairs, a truly brilliant photographer captured an unusual oblique view of Prince Charles dressed in this manner, and I swear it could have been a painting by Tissot or Degas. Between the ladies' dresses and the men's morning dress, these garden parties do comprise a certain deliberate atavism. I am never quite certain what to think of that, but if monarchy represents anything, it is timeless tradition.
Great comment, Vittoria, as always :)
DeleteThank you!
DeleteI laughed at your comment about the slightly, liberal Mennonite. I, as a Mennonite have actually incorporated some of the Duchess’s dress ideas into my own. So you are spot on with your observation. She obviously likes this type of dress as we have seen her wear a lot of them in the past number of years. But she also circles back to the fitted, coatdresses and sleek evening wear from time to time.
DeleteSorry, forgot to add my name to the comment above.
DeleteI am friendly with some Mennonites and was wondering if they'd forgive me if they knew about that remark. Glad you laughed.
DeletePrim is the very word, Vittoria ;-). Personally, I find it difficult to build a bridge between this version of prim and the vamp in Roland Mouret a few days ago.
DeleteHeidi
Perfect for a garden party - love it!
ReplyDeleteI love everything about this outfit. Soft, feminine, and refined. Love the earrings (any word on maker yet?) and I love the hat!!! For some reason the color looks more light mint green to me but perhaps that is just how my screen shows the colors. I have always wondered how the offset chapeau stays on. A hidden strap somehow?
ReplyDeleteBorder Terrier lover
I’ve always wondered that, too. How does it stay on??
DeleteI think it stays on with headband that is hidden by her hair. She really does wear hats very well!
DeleteShe looks very “my fair lady” like. She always so put together and beautiful.
ReplyDelete~Marie
Oh, Kate looks stunning! I do love that style of hat. Her outfit is perfect for a garden party, so feminine. Hope her Jimmy Choo's didn't get stained in the rain lol. They're gorgeous! I wasn't keen on the evening dress for the Top Gun opening or her hair & she looked tired but I thought today she looked so fresh, radiant & dewey in the close up of her face! Love her hair bouncy with curves instead of straight. She nailed it today!
ReplyDeleteShe definitely did :)
DeleteAgree, she nailed it! Such a willowy, feminine look for a garden party and love it that she can rock a bold, rich color, as well as a soft, watercolor hue! Love her hat and the color of the shoes was perfect. Both her and William looked so dashing together in their grey blue colors!
DeleteThe Duchess looks lovely, but I am not a fan of this dress. Her hat is pretty, similar to others she has in different colors. The earrings are a miss for me. Love the shoes and clutch.
ReplyDeleteA comment on the dressmaker, her dress does look very much like the Ulyana dress, however I had a dress for my wedding reception made from a pattern 40 years ago that is almost the identical style. This is such an iconic style done often with a few tweaks from designers. It is a very romantic style.Ali
ReplyDeleteI think she looks absolutely lovely and comfortable! At first I thought the dress looked a bit familiar like the one she wore while attending a Mosque during one of their tours. But in seeing those photos, the dress she is wearing here is longer and the color slightly different. Either way, I love it and she as well as the rest of the family look absolutely lovely! ♥️
ReplyDeleteI thought of the same dress - I thinkk it wa by Beulah London and wore on the 2012 Jubliee tour - perhaps in Singapore. I always thought it waas so beautifu and have hoped to see it again. I just love her look today - so elegant. That hat style has to be one of my favourites - I think it's smart to repeat successful looks in a variety of colours. The shoes and earrings are wonderful.
DeleteA checked Self Portrait dress for Princess Beatrice. Lovely and summery look.
ReplyDeleteA demure Victorian look for Kate, very pretty and very Kate-like. The picture of Kate sheltering herself under an umbrella while talking to the 92 year old holocaust survivor and his wife looks awkward though.
Noor, if you look closely, the man's wife has an umbrella. Maybe it was raining so lightly, they didn't feel a need to use it?
DeleteAnon15:44 hadn't seen the umbrella, thanks for pointing it out. I have looked at the picture again and in fact, husband and wife both carry an umbrella. Perhaps it had just stopped raining?
DeleteIf you are using an umbrella over your head and your guests do not use their umbrellas while talking to you , your natural instinct is to follow suit especially when they are so much older than you.
DeleteI understand your points about the umbrella but I don't think Kate deserves criticism. I have finally learned that photos reflect in instant in time -- perhaps she shared or offered to share after the "hello" and they refused or perhaps she lowered her umbrella.
DeleteMaybe her natural instinct is to respect other peoples choices and not impose her umbrella thinking she knows better when they had their own la closed.
DeleteNoor, according to that, you mean she should have been opening and closing the umbrella depending on what the people she met were doing? Many of them were older and all of them deserved politeness. It wouldn't have been practical and I don't see how it would have been more attentive. I think she did perfectly well.
DeleteNatacha
If Kate wants my advice, I would tell her to ditch her umbrella entirely to express her appreciation for the invited guests who must have waited patiently for the royals, and seeing that most of them were not using their umbrellas.
DeleteI love this look for a garden party! Much better than the Emilia Wickstead last week. I just wish this dress was in a floral print - then it would be perfect 👌🏻
ReplyDeleteThe hair, hat, earrings & shoes are really lovely. She looked beautiful, as always. Sophie, Beatrice & the men looked great, too. Looks like everyone had a great time despite the weather.
I was thinking the same thing, Kiwi Gal. A floral or tone on tone print would have been lovey. I do like this color and the hat .
DeleteI like the overall look today soft flowy dress and lovely hat, we have a return of the matchy matchy but I don't mind it as the shoes are a beautiful colour. The earrings are gorgeous too.
ReplyDeleteSophie looking gorgeous as usual in the bright blue, has she worn this before it looks familiar?
So nice to see Beatrice here today I'm not sure like the dress pattern but the style suits her very much.
I love the color of Kate's Jimmy Choo pumps.
ReplyDeleteShe looks wonderful. The garden parties are timeless events, and this is a timeless look. It's not the place for anything flashy or fashiony. Just a good, solid princessy vibe, and she has this in bucketloads. Absolute perfection. No i wouldn't wear it myself (and I'm much older!) but it's the look I want to see at this kind of event.
ReplyDeleteI have loved both of her garden party ensembles. The coral so bright, cheerful and elegant. The mint green so feminine, pretty and just lovely. Both so beautiful! Gorgeous choices, both, for garden parties!
ReplyDeleteAll the Ladies looked their best. So happy to see a Garden party again, for two long years we have been hostages, to a Virus we could not see only feel and lousy at that. Let the good time return, we are all ready for it. I must say one thing, heels and wet grass not a good thing. The Pastry looks, so good.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of a blue Beulah London dress she wore on a tour of Pakistan (?) before she had children. It was to the knee rather than a midi skirt but it had deep cuffs and covered buttons and rouleau loops down the front. I tried the copy it which is why the details stick in my mind.
ReplyDeletewow sheer a ball sunshine and breeze cold air The garden parties are timeless events, and this is a timeless look. she looks beautiful
ReplyDeleteHow do you suppose the Duchess keeps her heels from sinking into the grass at these garden parties?
ReplyDelete