Tuesday 9 May 2023

The Princess Brings Back Blue Elie Saab for Coronation Garden Party

The Prince and Princess of Wales hosted the second garden party of the season celebrating the Coronation at Buckingham Palace.


The summery weather offered the perfect backdrop for the garden party which rounds off five-days of unforgettable events and pageantry.

Buckingham Palace shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse as guests arrived.

The royals made their entrance at 4pm to the playing of the national anthem. William and Kate were joined by several royals including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

They then dispersed into the crowd, each taking a separate route, known as 'lanes', to ensure as many guests as possible had the opportunity to meet a member of the Royal family.

Every summer, Queen Elizabeth II hosted three Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace, and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland. It very much appear His Majesty will continue this tradition precisely, with today's a particularly special one -- coming just days after his coronation.

The garden parties were instituted by Queen Victoria in the 1860s when they were known as 'breakfasts', despite taking place in the afternoon. Historically, Garden Parties took the place of presentation parties attended by debutantes and have evolved into a way of recognising and rewarding public service.

More from Buckingham Palace:

"Throughout the country, a long established network of sponsors is used to invite guests, who include Lord-Lieutenants, Societies and Associations, Government Departments, Local Government, the Services, the Church and other Faiths.  They nominate guests for invitation and we hope in this way to achieve a representative cross section of the community. It is not possible to acquire invitations to The Queen's Garden Parties through direct application to Buckingham Palace."

Below, we see 'The Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, 28 June 1897'. This oil painting by Laurits Regner Tuxen shows Queen Victoria and Alexandra, Princess of Wales in the midst of the crowds.

Below, the late Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) and her sister Princess Margaret attending a Buckingham Palace garden party in 1945 to mark the end of WWII. They were just nineteen and fifteen respectively.

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At each Garden Party, around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed.

The King has been very much involved in the menu, choosing organic locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

The Telegraph reports:

'Didier Merveilleux, whose south London-based company, Didier’s Patisserie, was awarded a Royal Warrant by Elizabeth II in 2013, has produced the pastries popular with garden party guests for many years.

“We’ve always made a great effort in sourcing products, our raw materials, in the UK and I think we’re doing pretty well,” he told the Telegraph.

“I’m sure we’ve shown the King we can probably push the boundaries.”

Mr Merveilleux said he had received instructions from Buckingham Palace in recent weeks about the menu for this year’s garden parties - the first taking place today - with the focus on ensuring locally produced, seasonal products were used as much as possible.'

Preparations began months in advance to ensure everything was in perfect condition ahead of the first garden party. Buckingham Palace revealed: "​Mowing the lawns, edge clipping, leaf-blowing and sweeping are all carried out across the grounds, as many seasonal plants and flowers come into bloom. ​Seasonal bedding displays near the rose garden are planted, including Osteospermum 'Tresco Purple', which will come into bloom from June right through to October. In and around the rose garden regular work includes dead-heading, weeding and clipping to ensure everything is as beautiful as possible. And in the final days and hours before guests arrive, final touches to the lawns and grounds are made."

It is third time lucky for one couple who finally had the opportunity to attend. Lincolnshire Postmaster Martin Sizer and his wife Kaye Lee were first invited in 2020 (their appearance had to be postponed due to lockdown) and in 2022 they couldn't go as staff were on holiday. This Coronation year is one they simply could not miss. More from the Lincolnite:

'Martin Sizer, Caistor Postmaster, said: “We are very excited to be going to the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. We’re finally getting there!

“We are really pleased that although we couldn’t attend last year that our names remained on the invitation list for this year. So, we were first invited by the Queen and now we have kindly been invited by the King.

“We decorated our branch for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and now we’ve got Coronation and Union Jack decorations too. With two big Royal occasions in successive years again there will be a Royal theme for the town with Caistor in Bloom.”'

Another guest, Torbay RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) Water Safety Officer John Turner was delighted to be invited in recognition of two decades of dedicated work. RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Nick O'Brien, said: "We are delighted John has been invited to represent our region of the RNLI. His knowledge and dedication to promoting water safety is a great asset to the station’s services, and we are delighted to see his efforts recognized in this way."

Kate mingling with guests.

The Duke of Edinburgh chats with members of the Royal Variety charity and thanked them for all they do.

The Princess Royal spent time with guests from multiple charities.

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The Duchess of Gloucester was also in attendance.

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The Princess met 93-year-old Aldith Grandison and her daughter Jay Cee La Bouche.

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And spent time with members of the Scouts, no doubt chatting about yesterday's event in Slough.

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William with Dame Elizabeth Watts.

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An overview.

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Like the Princess, the Duchess of Edinburgh was in blue today, choosing the Isla Guipure Lace dress by Suzannah. The British brand created Sophie's coronation look.

The Princess tends to opt for repeats more often than not at garden parties. In 2012, Kate wore a pink Emilia Wickstead dress; in 2013 she selected the vibrant yellow and white Marella coat by the designer. In 2014, Kate wore her much-loved, bespoke lace Alexander McQueen dress; and in 2016 the Duchess brought back the cream ruffled McQueen dress she first wore for Prince George's christening. In 2016, William and Kate also attended the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's Garden Party at Hillsborough Castle. Kate chose a gold brocade coat by Day Birger et Mikkelsen she's had for over a decade. In 2017, Kate repeated her Christopher Kane coatdress. In 2019, the Duchess was pretty in pink Alexander McQueen.

I simply adored Kate's look last year. It was her first post-pandemic Garden Party appearance and she hit all the right sartorial notes in an Emilia Wickstead coatdress, a Jane Taylor hat, Kiki McDonough morganite earrings and Emmy London pumps. It's fascinating the difference the choice of hue can make in terms of elevating a look. Had this look been in Kate's favourite blue or navy, it would still have been a flawlessly elegant look. In coral pink however, it was perfect, evoking a summery feel while beautifully complementing Kate's colouring.

Due to the Platinum Jubilee (and I believe the reduction in working royals) Kate attended a second Garden Party last year. The Princess was elegant in a mint green dress by her "independent dressmaker". The dress has a high collar, full skirt and loose sleeves with a fitted cuff. It was styled with a statement Philip Treacy hat, Carousel Jewels aquamarine earrings, Jimmy Choo Romy pumps and the Hobbs London Evesham suede clutch.

The Princess held true to her preference for her repeating for garden parties today, delighting royal fashion fans with the return of the divine blue Elie Saab look she wore for Royal Ascot 2019. It was an incredibly exciting designer debut for Kate (I would love to see more pieces by the brand incorporated into Kate's wardrobe).

It was wonderful to see the look return today -- it is such a fabulous ensemble for the Princess.

The Macramé Pussy Bow Top features a relaxed fit, short sleeves and macramé trim. The matching skirt has a very 'princessy' feel to it and produces an almost sparkly effect in images. The look is from the Resort 2019 Collection.

Kate chose the same hat, shoes and bag as 2019. Below, Kate's Philip Treacy Molded Slice Hat from the Spring/Summer 2016 collection.

Kate wore Gianvito Rossi 105 metallic pumps. They are described as: "Gianvito Rossi's silver pumps demonstrate that jewellery isn't the only thing that can add a little shine to your outfit. Made in Italy from supple leather, this pair has sharp pointed toes and thin stiletto heels." They are available in a number of sizes at My Theresa.

The Princess carried a metallic Elie Saab clutch.


The only change to the look from 2019 was the inclusion of Kiki Blue Topaz and Diamond Hoop earrings.

Were you pleased to see the return of the Elie Saab look?

58 comments:

  1. It was a lovely party. She and William looked wonderful. Very pretty dress and very appropriate for a garden party. Love the total look except the shoes. Just not a fan of sparkly or shiny metal looking shoes in the daytime.Ali

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    1. I agree Ali, the shoes are not my favorite for the dress and event. Kate's two looks last year were gorgeous. The shade of coral was perfect on Kate.
      Since there is a photo, I hope it is allowed to comment on Sophie. I wish hard working and beautiful Sophie would get some very good style advice. It is a guess, but I think she wears what she likes and disregards her proportions. Sophie is lovely and I would like to see her at her best. She has some past looks that were striking.
      The food looks good (on a diet).

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  2. I LOVED this dress and am so happy to see it once again!

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    1. Ditto Ms Cuppa!😍 Zora from Prague

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  3. Beautiful, nice to see this dress again. I love these earrings, the style would look good set with diamonds. All the Royal ladies looked very well today. Great to see them back at work so soon after the coronation. I was delighted to read that the King and Queen are gone to Sandringham for a break. Very well deserved. S.🙂.

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  4. Although I find the elements of the dress to be busy, it’s a very pretty outfit on her. I adore that hat.

    She should pull those shoes out more often, they’re a good color for various shades of blue, and I think she often misses when she tries to wear too many shades of blue, and ends up with shoes that clash with her outfit. Speaking of which, those earrings (with their green/aqua undertones ) are quite jarring against that periwinkle/grayish shade of her dress.

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    1. Zippy, It must be the color is off on your device. In every picture I've seen, the earring match perfectly. I think the color must appear brighter in the picture Charlotte used of the earrings. In the photos of Kate they appear much lighter.

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  5. I do love this look, but I have to admit I'm not a fan of the metallic shoes, especially for daytime.

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  6. This is just lovely! The dress to me is perfect for a garden party. My only quibble is the shoes. I don’t see metallic as garden party, maybe a nude shoe or a matching blue. Love, love, love the hat! Thanks Charlotte for all your hard work and wonderful coverage on the coronation events!
    Joanne in CA

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  7. Finally we see the dress again! And I agree, more Saab's creations would be good solution.

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  8. Catherine looks poised and engaged with the guests, but I couldn't dislike this dress more.

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  9. This dress is gorgeous. Iconic look. I don't remember but isn't the first time Kate rewears exactly the same outfit? Same dress, same hat, same shoes, same bag, same hairdo? Usually she changes at least the shoes and hat.

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    1. That was my thought Natacha. I loved it the first time she wore it at Royal Ascot. So surprised she didn't change up anything. My guess would be that by Day Five she went with a simple, pull it out of the closet, I've got a lot on my mind solution. It's such a lovely outdoor assemble. Probably my favorite for Royal Ascot. I'm split on the two garden party outfits from last year. I really love them both and for different reasons. Elle

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  10. I love this dress - happy to see its return to the daylight. I like these Kiki's - they are at least a little different from the rest of the large Kate Kiki collection. Shoes - I agree, seems odd in the garden.

    Sophie's dress would be lovely without the V shaped ruffle, IMO. Great color on her.

    I expect that we will see a lot of Sophie, Ed and Anne at garden parties going forward. And hopefully Will and Kate - I don't see that there are enough working royals without a lot of doubling up on the garden parties each year. (Or, alternatively or additionally, tapping Bea or Eug (when not expecting) to work a few parties too.)

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    1. To be fair, Anne, the Edinburghs and the Gloucesters have been attending garden parties for years - they just don't get much coverage!

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  11. Although I would usually find this kind of thing too fussy, and I loathe pussy bows, she looks fantastic, every inch a princess. Speaking of which, Charlotte you referred to Kate as a duchess (you're not technically wrong!) in the section where you begin summarising what she wore at previous garden parties. It's great to see them out and about (a 'The Windsors' reference, if any of you saw the coronation special!) so soon after the coronation.

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  12. I love this outfit! I did the first time as well. It’s a really unusual look for her as she tends to wear similar styles. The updo is a work of art and the shoes are so fun! Love seeing the other party looks. Thanks Charlotte. Sue from IL

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  13. Allison in US9 May 2023 at 21:48

    Even though Kate's dress is too long, too prim, too "buttoned up" for my taste, I can't help but really like it! The color and the quality just break down my barriers. It is really pretty. :) I think Sophie looks very juvenile in her dress, though, like "Little House on the Prairie"-ish.

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  14. I adore this dress and it’s good to see Sophie and Edward there too. Our next door neighbours were actually there today - can’t wait to catch up with them to see if they managed to meet Kate! Annie, Wales

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    1. Oh wow - that must have been amazing! 😀 Good for your neighbours and good for you, Annie! 😉 Zora from Prague

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  15. It's amazing to see how the Royals interact with their guests at the garden party this year especially after days of coronation-related engagements; their big smiles and warm attention for each of the people they met is truly inspiring and perhaps create lasting memories in them. The Princess of Wales, our dear Catherine is definitely lovely in her repeat outfit. More power!

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  16. HRH The Princess of Wales has really elevated her style, in fitting with her rank as the next Queen. It is lovely to see HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh coordinating so nicely with the princess, right down to their hats!

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  17. Well, this is definitely not my favorite of the Princess's dresses. As I've commented before, pussybow dresses merely make me think of the fashion-disastrous 70s -- they appeared in the middle of the decade and were ubiquitous into the early 80s -- and I've never liked them. However, this (somewhat too fussy) example was suitable for a garden party appearance, I suppose, although I don't think pale blue is really the Princess's color. It would be fine on fair-skinned, fair-haired me, but she looks best in strong, intense, saturated colors, not pastels.

    I also don't love the tilted hats with the fussy flowers adorning the underside. Again, though, this was an appropriate hat for a garden party, and it worked with the dress.

    I'm feeling a little tapped out by the whole set of coronation-weekend festivities. Here's hoping we get a bit of a break before we need to start scrutinizing royal activities and fashion again!

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    1. As you well know, Vittoria--having such a keen sense of fashion yourself--in the design world, what goes around, comes around---again. I've never minded the bows, but hate the name. I've always wondered how the name came about for a simple bow at the neck, and where they got their start. I looked it up. Wikipedia goes into the entire history, and it seems the Pussybow has been with us much further back than the 70's and 80's. Wikipedia informs there is "...something subtly subversive about the pussybow". Even Harry Styles wears them! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy_bow

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    2. Oh, I'm sure they've been around for a long time, but I was a teenager becoming interested in fashion in the 70s and forming a set of likes and dislikes. Pussybow dresses and blouses (along with little bow and string ties worn with blouses that didn't come with their own built in) were largely worn by Baby Boomer women who were trying to look professional as so many of them were entering the workplace at a higher level than secretary or receptionist. They were searching for a female version of the men's work uniform of suit and tie. I'm convinced that if the Zeitgeist of that era were personified, it would be wearing a pussybow!

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    3. Agree with you completely! I was entering the workforce in the early 80s, and had a number of pussybow blouses and dresses to make me look professional. I was an engineer in a workplace of all men.

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  18. Lovely Garden Party look. Any shoes that she wears will be sunk in the dirt, at least the heel. What a beautiful Princess.

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  19. I love this shade of blue, it's so perfect for late spring/early summer. I just don't care for that sort of bow, it always seems very grandmotherly. I might be in the minority. She still looks lovely, though. What a busy few days they've had! Love the photo of William with the lady in green and white.

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  20. I love this outfit! I did the first time as well. It’s a really unusual look for her she get his she and duchess of Edinburgh are twining love the wales talking with guuest was wonderful statements

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  21. This is one of my favorites looks. So excited to see it again. She looks marvelous.

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  22. Just adore this dress on Kate however would love to see the dress without the pussycat bow. I think it would make it a little less fussy as the fabric has such beautiful detail. Aside from the bow everything is just perfect, the color, the hat, accessories. Gorgeous for a garden party!

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  23. She looks absolutely lovely!! Loved this dress when she first wore it and I still love it!! I’m not quite sure on the shoes though but I guess it worked because of the clutch she had but regardless, she looked radiant from head to toe!! 💙

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  24. Kate does look lovely but I'm not a fan of this dress (even the first time I saw her in it) I think it could do without the bow at the neck. Love the hat and hairstyle and the silver shoes give it and edgier look as I'm often critical of the matchy matchy look when all accessories are the same colour. Earrings are stunning. I'd really like to see Kate in the bespoke McQueen lace dress again. Sophies dress looks a bit dated for me with the V ruffle on the bodice I think the dress could do without it, but lovely shade of blue on her.
    I think we will see the York sisters at a few of the garden parties this year too as they have in the past. I think it must be lovely for the invitees to have to opportunity to dress up and enjoy the palace surrounds and maybe get an interaction with one of the RF and even if they don't it would be a splendid thing to attend. Sue in WA

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  25. This outfit was very appropriate and the Princess looked stunning.

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  26. I love her shoes and accessories but I didn’t like this dress on her the last time and still don’t like it. The color of it is very pretty though and it’s a more “riskier” style so credit for that. Jill

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  27. I've admired the Glousters for a long time. The epitome if quietly living their lives and doing their duty as "working" Royals. From a Yank.

    Just my old lady opinion. Dress hems should be to the ankle and a bit lower or knee length. No matter how lovely the dress, the "midi" length looks rather dowdy. From one who used to wear long, floor length dresses to work in the 1970's

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  28. I read the blue Kate wore is a blouse and skirt and not a dress. Does anyone know?
    If true, I wonder if the skirt would look better with a top in a simple style. One suggestion, is a very fine cashmere sweater. That idea is from the 1980's era of mix and matching of lace skirts and crewneck sweaters to dress the skirt down a bit. It would not be appropriate for this event, but may work at another time since Kate does rewear items.
    I actually love the skirt. The fabric and shade of blue are pretty. I am in the group that is not fond of the bow at the neck.

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  29. While I agree with others that this is a perfect 'garden party' dress, it is not my favorite look. I love the color and think I like the styling of it on the model than with the long sleeves, it seems a bit more modern. I personally would have not worn metallic shoes with this dress and while I do love the tilted hats, the dome on this is too big and gives me 'dough boy' vibes - sorry. It's not a miss, but rather not my personal taste, and with that being said, Catharine looks absolutely beautiful, as does William. Think a rewear is perfect and appropriate for the occasion and post-coronation!

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    1. In fact, a number of royal relatives in the extended family hold down serious jobs. The Countess of St Andrews, daughter in law of the Duke of Kent, is a historian (at Cambridge, I believe), and the Duke's other daughter in law, the Countess of Ulster, is a doctor. Peter Phillips has worked for various financial institutions. The Earl of Snowdon is a furniture designer (he trained in woodworking) and also a former Chairman of Christie's, while both York princesses work, as do their husbands. Prince and Princess Michael's children work, and we learned shortly before the Queen's death that Princess Alexandra's granddaughter Zenouska Mowatt is Head of Marketing for Halcyon Days, the British bibelot maker. Her uncle, James Ogilvy, is a landscape designer and publisher.

      I might mention that before the 1972 death of his elder brother, which made him the heir to the ducal title, the Duke of Gloucester was fully trained and worked as an architect.

      That's just a partial list. My point is that the public is now accustomed to the idea that members of the royal family can work in "normal" jobs. However, it is still quite difficult to be a full-time working royal -- particularly a senior royal -- and also establish a career. Being a senior royal IS a career in and of itself, even if it doesn't always look like one to the rest of us, because we don't observe any of the behind-the-scenes work.

      I'm not going to pretend that the job of "being royal" is as demanding in terms of skills, knowledge, education, and hands-on activity as other careers are. It is not, quite clearly, and that's one of the reasons, let's be blunt, why being a princess looks so attractive to so many people: you get to wear gorgeous clothes and jewels, to enjoy enormous privilege, in return for making a lot of what are essentially PR appearances and photo opportunities that largely require the ability to make small talk, to put people at ease and at least pretend to show serious interest in various good causes but that don't represent remotely the demands and pressures of, say, medicine, law, academia, or a high-level business career.

      But the job of representing crown and country isn't a negligible one, it involves a lot of OTHER demands and pressures, and it's busy enough that an additional career isn't really a realistic option. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh more or less discovered that years ago, and more recently, the Sussexes' attempt to become part-time royals was rebuffed, for good reason. Given the now-limited number of royals available, the monarchy is going to have some trouble finding people to perform the job for some years to come. In other words, the concept of a slimmed-down monarchy with a lot of relatives who are busily employed in "real jobs" sounds terrific in theory, but I think it will prove to be a problem -- and very soon, in the near future.

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    2. Very true. There are too few "working royals" and too many over 70. And for all intents and purposes the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra are retired. I believe it is already problematic.

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    3. Prince Edward and Sophie ran into headwinds of their own making. Edward got into trouble with Charles with his attempt to avoid news embargo on Will and Harry as teens to produce a documentary about them. Sophie got caught talking about using her royal connections with an “undercover” reporter. This attempt to gain financial independence eventually blew up in early 2000’s and ended with the two agreeing to be supported by QE2.

      I had a change of mind after Diana’s death. Watching the UK press frenzy and now watching the Queen’s great grandchildren being groomed and assigned roles by the press. It bothers me greatly to see the treatment of Louis. The description of “cheeky rebel” for example sounds cute at age 5, but not so much at age 13 or 18. We’ve been here before with Margaret and Harry. Louis has no agency. He is 5 and behaves very much like an average 5yo but not treated as such (the excuse is because of the peculiarity of his birth) by the adults around him. The same for Charlotte elevating her to be like the younger Elizabeth, etc. That’s what made me reconsidered this set up. It seems to me exploitative and unethical. The same goes for Louise and her younger brother. They need to be given a choice and until they can choose for themselves, they should be given the environment and freedom to grow and develop, to make mistakes, to learn, to be free from judgmental press and public. There are plenty of child development experts around if help is needed.

      It’s terrific hard to be on the front page and assigned a job to play a character as determined by adults who then used them as pawns to make money and build a career off. It’s dystopic. Once they are older and become less interesting, then what? It’s painful to see the septo and octogenarians struggling to keep up with charity works. Worrying about where they may be displaced to as the poor relations. It’s akin to indentured servitude. To watch Beatrice and Eugenia as adults (no longer so cute riding ponies ) trying to sort out their financial independence shows how poorly thought out plans (or lack of planning) for these lesser royals.

      Charities can’t make up the financial missteps by government, but they are being used as a failed safety net for the ever growing number of people who are in need. I think this is where there’s a significant breakdown of the social compact. The monarchy needs to reconsider its role here. We are talking about healthcare, education, childcare, public safety, clean water, and eroding freedoms. The good conversations, the raising of awareness, the ribbon cutting, the clapping, and bestowing knighthoods and orders of the kingdom by the royals cannot fix these issues no matter how glammed up the press make them to be. They detract and distract. That’s why I believe there’s a growing impatience and disquietness by the younger citizenry.

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    4. I think the model of royalty from the 1900s is definitely not sustainable. I see jobs as ambassadors for the UK or custodians/historians of properties to be more appropriate in the future.

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    5. It's interesting, the BRF seems to leave the question of who is a working member to circumstances, there isn't a clear plan. Painful as it was, the decision Queen Margaret of Denmark of striking out the children of her second son is clear and ultimately will allow them to decide their future. Whereas the BRF seems to cultivate uncertainty. Will lady Louise be a working member in the future? What about Charlotte and Louis? The fact that the BRF is self-sufficient, that the sovereign can compensate financially those who work for him leaves it to subjective decisions.
      Other countries have laws determining who is to be supported by the state and how much they are going to receive, usually the direct heir and nobody else. It makes it clearer.

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    6. All other RFs are way shorter than the British one and they're all fine.

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  30. Like the color but not the fussiness of the dress or hat. The earrings…..just no.

    I realize this is Kate’s favorite style. But she looks more sophisticated and powerful with simple, well-cut designs IMO. Think classic Audrey Hepburn (minus Eliza Doolittle). There’s a way to blend the two, either by keeping the accessories simple with more beribboned, bedecked dresses OR simpler, classic style with a little bling/ribbon/flounces for accessories. Avoid matching palette from head to toe. Monochrome dressing is safe and should be used judiciously.

    To appeal to more people, especially the young, you have to stay fresh, flexible, and relevant. It’s a PR game. Young people under 45 are savvy and keen SM consumers . They know about curating their own images for friends and public consumption. They are discerning.

    The truth is there will be far fewer big state/international occasions like the Jubilee, weddings, funerals, coronation, etc in the near future. The royals need to take themselves beyond garden parties and the usual charity circuit. The public is more than readily for royals to be a doctor, a lawyer, a veterinarian, media/entertainment representative, a teacher, scientist, graphic artist, garden/interior designer, etc. This is something modern monarchy should encourage and cultivate with its younger generations as it pares down. The rigidity and confinement under the guise of protocols and tradition have not serve the growth and confidence of the younger generations well. It has trapped them and undermine their self-worth, character growth, and confidence. The result is the tension and containment (where the hard work shouldn’t be noticeable) can be seen on the royal balcony, Westminster pews and our phone screens.

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  31. Beautiful princess - from head to toe, a true princess!
    My only quibble is that I truly dislike the earrings which look, to my eye, costumey cheap, oversized, clunky, and lacking in the refinement of the rest of her appearance. But I see from the comments that other readers of this blog really admire the earrings. Taste is personal.
    Despite Sophie's dated, frumpy, prairie-look dress, she still looks lovely as always.

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    1. I absolutely agree with you about the earrings. They just look out of place to me with the rest of the outfit. Because there’s already so much going on with the dress (which I do like) a small pair of pearls would’ve been enough. Kim in Saratoga, USA

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  32. Oh, I'm trying sooo hard not to be sarcastic, but honestly - yes, I'm failing - there's much too much going on here. The pussybow, earrings, the flower, the shoes ...

    I think both Kate and Sophie are sartorially worn out. What little I can see of Ann's jacket, though, looks good.

    Heidi

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  33. I don't know why, but I don't like this dress. I understand it is appropriate for a garden party, but I can't find it beautiful.

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  34. Andrea in London11 May 2023 at 08:20

    Echoing many of the earlier comments from fellow followers of this excellent blog, whilst the PoW looks wonderful and very appropriate for a garden party event (I've been to one a few years back!), I'm not a fan of this look. Far too busy and, when added to the mix with Sophie's fairly ugly barn dance hoe-down vibes dress, the whole thing looks really costume-y, like they're doing some kind of Victoria a cos play with Sophie as the maid and Kate as the Lady.

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  35. I feel the dress is just too fussy - it’s got a bow, lace, sheer fabric, gathers, sparkles or polkadots, chiffon, etc. just too much!

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    1. Perhaps too much for an ordinary person, but for a royal, a princess, the future Queen … it is highly appropriate!

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  36. I have always loved this dress. I love the color and I think it's very feminine and soft. It's a beautiful dress.

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    1. So do I. I remember the gasp when she wore at Ascot. Stunning

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  37. I saw that William wore blue forget-me-nots in his lapel, which may have triggered Kate choosing this dress. I was glad to see it. Diana was used and treated badly -- she was too young and had no champion.

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  38. Anna from France13 May 2023 at 19:06

    A sneak peek of the Princess in the Eurovision intro video tonight. Her blue dress is simply su-bli-me and I discover that Kate plays the piano.

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  39. Wow. Who just saw The Princess of Wales preforming at the Eurovision..... She looked stunning. S.🙂.

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  40. The more I look at these photos, the more they reinforce the out of touch, anachronistic view of royal tea parties. Maybe it’s the excessively fussy dress combined with the large flower on her hat, the old-fashioned Anna the housemaid shape of the hat, I don’t know. It’s just the worst look for a modern princess ever. I don’t love Catherine in pastels. The fit is perfect, maybe it’s the absurd pussy bow. Without the hat, I would like it more. Sophie looks much worse, so there’s that.

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