For their first polo appearance of the year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Charity Polo Cup at Guards Polo Club in Windsor.
We've seen reduced polo appearances by Prince William over the past several years. The events are an effective means of fundraising and in 2019 an exciting new alternative was brought to fruition - the King's Cup Regatta. Held in the seaport town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the Duke and Duchess went head to head for charities close to their hearts with family (and the Cambridge kiddies) watching. It was envisaged as an annual event (it remains listed as such on the Royal family's website). With the pandemic it would have been untenable to host it in 2020 or 2021, though I had hoped we might see it return this year. I do very much hope a 2023 regatta is in the works.
Sadly, the children could not join their parents today as George and Charlotte complete term at Thomas's Battersea on Friday. It will not only mark the end of a school year for the Prince and Princess, but a final farewell to Thomas's. All three Cambridge children will start at a new school, said to be in the Berkshire area, to coincide with the family move to Windsor.
William and Kate were accompanied by their spaniel Orla.
'The couple received Orla from Kate's younger brother James Middleton shortly before their first dog Lupo died in Nov. 2020. The newest member of the Cambridge clan also had a starring role alongside Princess Charlotte in her 7th birthday portraits earlier this year.
The pup's name is especially perfect for a royal dog — Orla is a Celtic name meaning "golden princess."
The couple were accompanied by equerry Rob Dixon and Kate's assistant private secretary Natalie Barrows.
The match is played to raise funds for ten charities: SHOUT, the Foundling Museum, the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust, London’s Air Ambulance, Mountain Rescue England and Wales, the Anna Freud Centre, Family Action, the Forward Trust, East Anglia Children’s Hospice (EACH), and the Passage.
Hello! reports organisers of the event confirmed it raised over £1 million pounds.
The Duchess watches on as play commenced.
It was a win for William's team.
Kate presents William with first prize.
And a kiss for the Duchess of Cambridge from the Duke of Cambridge - as she presents him with first prize. pic.twitter.com/Z4cqGtdDoN
— Matt Wilkinson (@MattSunRoyal) July 6, 2022
And a kiss for her prince.
Another great view.
"Wow," William was overheard exclaiming as Kate presented him with an imitation Samurai warrior’s helmet – from the Japanese sponsors of the tournament.
Kate handed out the helmet trophies and other awards before posing with all the players for a group photograph.'
The trophy.
The Duchess with the winning team. William's team members included Amr Zedan, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and James Harper.
The Duchess posed with the winner of 'Best Playing Pony'.
A bottle of champagne.
The Duchess was elegant in Emilia Wickstead (with thanks to Kate Middleton Style and Laura).
The sold out Denvella Belted Crepe Midi dress is described as: "The London-based designer cuts her signature ladylike silhouette detailed with a geometric black line through the center following the dress’s shape. Complete the look with an equally graphic pump from Diane von Furstenberg, in stripes of Ivory, navy and black patent leather". The Duchess removed the belt from her dress.
Kate's earrings are the Sézane Gabrielle style in 'coffee' (with thanks to UFO No More).
I'm very much hoping we'll see Kate at Wimbledon this weekend.
Lovely summer look. Wonderful to see Orla.🐾.
ReplyDeleteTedi
Completely agree Tedi! Lovely duchess, handsom prince, and wonderful charities to be supported. Orla seems very well trained!
Delete1 million. Amazing. That’s impact.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this look! How fresh and summery, especially paired with the shoes and the earrings! Glad she opted for the dress without the belt, it's perfect for a day of polo. What a great event for both Kate and William to attend, and a treat to see them with Orla! They are a couple very much in sync with each other!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful outing! So fun to see polo and to raise substantial funds for their charities. As much as I would’ve loved to see the children, it didn’t really feel like that kind of event. Their super well-behaved dog was the perfect addition. Such a throwback to bringing Lupo to polo!
ReplyDeleteI’m excited that we have a new shoe designer, and the dress is fine. Not my favorite, but she always looks professional and nice. I think it will be interesting to see it with the belt and heels to give it a different look. I’m not sure what I don’t love about it? Thank you for this post Charlotte! I’m so excited for Wimbledon as the matches have been outstanding so far. Sue
Lovely look today! Curious that K removed the belt though as she often adds belts to dresses. I think the belt breaks up the diagonal line quite nicely. Also loving the block heels.
ReplyDelete- celticgirl
I thought the same thing! Kate loves a belt :-) And yes, the dress is fine. The lines of the dress are wonderful (the flared skirt and the overhang on the shoulders and of course the fit!) but not sure about the black piping going down the front of the bodice. Perhaps if it had a v-neck and the piping followed that line?
DeleteLove those flats but I think the dress calls for perhaps a wedge? Hopefully we'll see this dress with heels for another event down the road.
I absolutely love seeing her in lower heels and those shoes are to die for! They would be perfect with my work wardrobe but out of my budget sadly. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the whole look, especially those earrings!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to The Duke, I love the helmet. They look so happy and obviously enjoying their time together. Now this is how to dress for polo. As usual The Duchess looks beautiful. I like the cut of the dress. I think it looks good with or without the belt. S. ☺
ReplyDeleteSo enjoy your posts with each event during The Cambridges royal lifestyle. And would SO appreciate a similar blog with HRH Sophie Countess of Essex, please. The Essex Family would be equally deserving of your professional coverage.
ReplyDeleteYes, I also wish there was a blog for the Wessexes.
DeleteI agree she is steppung up and her style is very nice and she is slightly an older role model many of us can relate to
DeleteIn case you mean the Countess of Wessex, there was a great respectful and peaceful blog about Sophie, her work and style which had to be stopped in 2019, obviously at the request of the Countess. (https://hrhthecountessofwessex.wordpress.com/)
DeleteNora, I followed that blog and was sad when it ended, and even sadder when I read why it had to end. It was a lovely blog and very respectful of Sophie. I can't imagine why she asked for it to be taken down.
DeleteSo lovely to see the family puppy! What a fun outing and Catherine looked beautiful
ReplyDeleteAll these new shoes on Kate. Love that she went with flats! The dress is ok.
ReplyDeleteAs I've commented here before, I've had a sort of fraught and frustrating relationship with Emilia Wickstead designs. So often they look great to me in a runway context or on the site of some purveyor, but they turn out to be problematic on live human beings -- me or someone else.
ReplyDeleteI actually like this dress very much and think it looks lovely on the Duchess, beautifully fitted and very chic in its black-and-white simplicity. However, she's not wearing it to the best advantage. The full skirt comprises some sweep, even a little drama as the Duchess moves, but the very low heels diminish that effect and actually make the skirt appear too long and the look as a whole fall a bit flat. I love the faux-Chanel design, but you really need high heels for a dress with that particular silhouette, whereas I usually wear low-heeled slingbacks of that variety with slim ankle-length trousers or skinny jeans. They will also work with a shortish pencil skirt if you don't want to wear heels and are lucky enough to have legs that don't require any lengthening/slimming effect from your shoes.
The Alessandra Rich black-and-white heels would have worked perfectly with this dress. Or, if walking on grass was an issue, the Duchess could have opted for ankle-tie wedged sandals, a pair with a slightly dressier look than such wedges normally have.
In other words, proportion is all.
I also think that the earrings don't work. I'm glad to see the Duchess opting for larger, more dramatic earrings than she normally wears, but the color of these doesn't complement the dress.
So, all in all, a very mixed review.
I forgot about possible polo outings for Kate.
DeleteI agree with you Vittoria I'm not a big fan of Wickstead designs but this is a nice dress and it will look great to when worn in a more dressed up way with heels. I thought the shoes were Chanel when I first saw then even designers knock off designers ; )
I like seeing Kate experiment with earrings but these don't go with this dress.
I respectfully disagree about the wedges. I think wedges would not have worked with this very tailored dress. The low-heeled slingbacks, while I agree look absolutely great with slim ankle-length trousers, etc., looked more sophisticated and went well with a-line and minimal design of the dress. I would not have been a fan of ankle-tie wedges with this dress, and think the Duchess chose aptly because the flats were practical, yet chic for the occasion.
DeleteWedges can work very well with many things, including tailored clothes, and this dress really needs height in the shoes. With the flats it just -- falls flat. It doesn't make the impact it could have. And, as I said, the flats make the skirt look too long.
DeleteI'm also thinking that the Duchess really should have worn the belt. I very much like the abstract black trim, but it ends oddly at the waist, because the belt should be covering that area.
Vittoria, you are spot-on! I was trying to figure out why I didn't care for the black trimmed V design. After I read your comment, I realized the problem is the lack of a belt.
DeleteI also agree that heels would have helped with the proportions by taking this look to another level :)
I love this look and the whole environment today! And having Orla, such a cutie!! 🥹♥️ Love the dress the Duchess is wearing. Sad it’s sold out…for now?
ReplyDelete-FloridaGirl
Love the dress, don't understand the shoe and earring combination-they don't match the dress or each other. It's a shame because they are all pretty pieces on their own. Per usual I LOVE the hair.
ReplyDeleteI noticed the odd matching, too, Tammy! I was absolutely puzzled about why Kate choose formal geometric black&white dress, semi formal nude&black flats, very boho brown earrings and beachy chic leopard print sunglasses. Not a single piece in this outfit complements another. I thought Louis must have had picked out this outfit for her, perhaps when he was a bit mad at mummy justl like we saw him at TTC, lol!
Delete(Besides fashion, I loved Kate's cheerful presence and their interactions with William - and Orla! )
Ella
The dress is divine, the cut and fit, I love. The Duchess looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHi, I absolutely love the combination of the dress, shoes and earrings. It’s not matchy matchy - shows imagination and great appreciation for color, shape and function. I have wondered how long HRH can tolerate those (very) high heels. Wearing something more comfortable and pretty on the lawn makes a lot of sense!
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:16, I agree! At the first look, I wasn't too crazy about the dress--black and white, kind of boring. After seeing the accessories, I changed my mind. So many complaints here, always, about Kate wearing everything to match. If she had worn matching accessories, it might have been white or black, or maybe matching shoes and gold jewelry. The earrings are tortoise shell brown, which goes with most anything, especially neutral colors, and the tan and black shoes are a neutral. I think it keeps the whole look from being boring, and makes the dress look a bit more casual.
DeleteRight Anon? All the accessories tie in quite nicely, very complimentary. The tortoise is a lovely neutral, and the shoes are fashionable and yet very practical at a polo match. Well done.
DeleteFangirl from the US
ReplyDeleteshe really looks lovely wish they had kissed on the lips when she gave him the prize ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove this look—full skirt and low heels seem very summery without being a floral. Her arms are amazing. The dog was an extra special touch — I’m very impressed that no leash is required!
ReplyDeleteHope USA
I was surprised at first because she has been more casual at polo, but it's a very nice look. The dress is lovely and looks great on her. Many thumbs up for her hair. :) I love the shoes but they seem disconnected to the dress. But a lovely look altogether.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this dress was meant for Wimbledon and Kate held it back. Our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wore a white Emilia Wickstead dress to meet your Prime Minister which Catherine also owns. Just a thought .Love the flat shoes nice addition but the black and white high slingbacks I am sure we will see with this dress when worn again.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the dark shoe choice was to disguise dirt and horse poo stains? I would never wear heels to walk on grass. I do like the dress. And I am thrilled for them to have raised so much money!
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain the school year for children in the UK? It’s uncommon in the USA for children to be in school in July. Most schools start in late August (Florida does this to allow for hurricane season) or September and go to May or June . There are one week breaks in December over Christmas and New Year’s , and one week in spring months. Some schools break in February. Our system gives children two months out of school. What is is like elsewhere ? I feel comfortable asking this here because Charlotte is fond of educating us about many things.
Anon, try googling School Year UK for a wikipedia overview. Basically there's no standardisation eg England and Scotland have different term dates and holidays, and private (public) schools and free schools have slightly different dates.
DeleteGeneralising, the UK has 3 terms a year and summer term ends around mid-July. The Cambridge children's school breaks up this Friday.
Although I don’t love the dress, I think the shoes work great it. The cream color of the dress would be challenging to match with bright white (like the Wimbledon spectators from day before) or a more yellow toned shoes (like the Grenfell Towers spectators), so the taupe she opted for is a smart choice. Neutral enough but the black toe caps pick up the the black pop of the dress. The pearl buckle is a cute twist, but I’d imagine they could be uncomfortable if they rub against the wearer’s ankle. OTOH, Kate wears a lot of shoes that look painful to me, so she probably doesn’t even notice having a fairly heavy and rigid fastener on the strap.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely, fresh summer look! The Duchess of Cambridge is such a beautiful woman, and her happiness radiates out of her. From all reports (if they are to be believed), this family is in the middle of a household move, so this appearance, which raised a huge amount of money for charity, is extra impressive to me, especially given that the Duchess appears to be relaxed, happy, and enjoying herself, all while looking totally classy and put-together. I absolutely love this entire ensemble - if the shoes had perfectly matched, just - yuck; they are neutral enough to compliment the dress, and practical enough to wear around horses and on grass. For me, she's got the most important accessory of all: her happy marriage for all the world to see. She wears it well.
ReplyDeleteThis beautiful dress is almost an exact copy of a jumpsuit by the very talented Barcelona couturier, Paco Peralta, who sadly passed away in 2019. Vogue Patterns issued a sewing pattern for his jumpsuit, #V1647, that same year. The now discontinued pattern is still available online, but in limited quantities.
ReplyDeleteAnon 20:11 thank you for this information:)
DeleteAli
Anon 20:11, wow I just looked it up and it is sooooo similar. I hate to say it but it’s too similar, if you know what I mean. Yikes.
DeleteLovely event, Catherine looks great for the occasion. As she was their in a presentation capacity as well as a spectator the dress worked really well. I like the earrings, they are fun and add something extra to the look. The shoes work well for the setting. Orla is so cute. Ali
ReplyDeleteAwwww I do love those sunglasses!
ReplyDeleteI think this might be a first, where I like her nee, more sleek hairstyle and accessories very much. The dress doesn’t cut for for me. The black lines are too much. At first I thought the dress would have a little stand-up collar- which I think would have looked better than the actual one. The hemline, again, cuts her off at an unflattering length. We all know her legs are not as bulky as her hemline makes them out to be. Sane goes for the cap/no sleeves here. The dress makes Kate look like an elongated rectangle with bulky arms and legs. The proportions are completely off. Emilia Wickstead is really hit or miss (compared to Packham who is always a hit or Erden who is always a miss). Some outfits were fantastic, especially coats, but many look like mother of the bride, which is not a compliment in this context.
C.
Kate has stepped up her shoe game and I love all of them.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteOh, what a lovely day & wonderful event! I've thought this several times before.... but with the shape of Will's face & his receding hairline, combined with Kate's look & dark hair (combined with how devoted they are to each other & their sweet family) they often make me think of them as a modern day Victoria & Albert! Does that sound crazy or has anyone else had that feeling?
ReplyDeleteBecca USA
Becca, we don't really know too much about Albert, but from all accounts, Victoria was not an especially warm person. Times were different back in Victoria's day when perhaps a Monarch was expected to be stern and aloof. The phrase, "We are not amused" is attributed to Queen Victoria. It is said that her children were mostly ignored by her and their upbringing was left entirely to nannies. Also, though she had a commanding presence, Victoria was not especially beautiful. Then we have Kate, who is a great beauty, loves children, most especially her own and who laughs, smiles and is very approachable. So no, I don't see any similarities, although I agree with you that William and Kate, are devoted to each other, just as Victoria and Albert were.
DeleteI love that they brought Orla! She seems a well-behaved doggo. This was a wonderful charitable event that raised loads of money for the Duke's and Duchess's patronages. I enjoyed the video. William and Catherine's love, respect, and affection for one another is that real. As for Catherine's look today? A knockout. She is mastering her style and it's so enjoyable to watch as it evolves. The combination of the dress, shoes, earrings is superb. Simply superb. They each compliment the other in texture, color, and shape. I love the edginess of this look. It's very NOW, and yet appropriately sophisticated for a fundraising event. Oh, and those shoes are to die for!!! Thanks for a wonderful post.
ReplyDeletewow i love the dress and the shoed is to die for she perfect for the occasion
ReplyDelete