Duchess Kate paints butts on mural during visit to Ben Ainslie Racing, 1851 Trust

Duchess Kate paints butts on mural during visit to Ben Ainslie Racing, 1851 Trust

Yesterday, February 12, Kate Middleton visited her new favorite patronage, 1851 Trust, and Ben Ainslie Racing’s new headquarters in Portsmouth, Hampshire where she got to hang with hottie Ben Ainslie for the afternoon.

Kate receives flowers from kid small

Kate started off the day by making a “private” visit to Ben Ainslie Racing’s current offices in Whiteley, Hampshire, where she tried the Oculus Rift to check out BAR’s boat simulator.

Kate wearing the Oculus Rift

Kate meets crew members

Kate then headed over to the site of the future offices of BAR and 1851 Trust, which are under construction. She viewed a mural at the site painted by schoolchildren, and made her own addition to the mural. Kate “painted in five crewmen, including Sir Ben, on a picture of a racing yacht, concentrating on depicting their bottoms hanging out over the side of the boat.” Why is Kate obsessed with bottoms sticking out?

Kate meets kids at the mural

Kate paints the mural

Kate referenced Prince George while painting, because of course she did. Art teacher James Waterfield, who helped Kate with her painting, said, “She told me she was painting yesterday with baby George and she should have brought him down because he loves doing all of this.” Does anyone remember during the Oz/NZ tour when Kate kept saying she would have brought George to engagements if he hadn’t been sleeping when she left? This kind of reminds me of that. At least she didn’t say George was sleeping this time. So we know two things George likes: swimming and painting.

Kate meets construction crew of new Ben Ainslie Racing HQ

After viewing the site, Kate made her way to Spinnaker Tower for a reception to meet teachers and students involved in the art project and to view exhibits for the future 1851 Trust Visitor Center. She gave the Power Grinder a go.

Kate meets teachers and pupils benefitting from work of 1851 Trust 2

Kate and Ben Ainslie at Spinnaker Tower

Kate tries the 'power grinder' at Spinnaker Tower

Kate received a mini Pompey football (soccer) jersey for George. The girl who presented it to her, Lucy Burroughs, said: “Kate said William would be very annoyed because he’s a massive Villa fan.” LOL I hope George grows up to love that Pompey jersey. Suck it, William.

Kate receives Pompey jersey for George

Kate also received a mini Ben Ainslie Racing team shirt for George.

Kate receives mini Ben Ainslie Racing team kit for Prince George

Kate wore a new white Max Mara Studio Villar double-breasted wool coat with a tiny belt. Underneath she wore a new Somerset by Alice Temperley Boat Print shift dress in black with tiny boats all over. Kate carried her LK Bennett Frome Suede Clutch Bag, and wore her Jimmy Choo Georgia Navy Suede Round Toe Pumps, her Cartier watch, and her “Diana” earrings.

Kate really needs to stop theme-ing her outfits. Whenever she does anything with sailing or anything like that, her outfit is always nautical-themed.

I like the coat; it looks nice on her. I don’t like that tiny belt, though. Stop trying to make tiny belts happen, Max Mara. I also don’t like the shift dress. For some reason it makes her look like a little kid to me. I get she’s trying to cover her bump, but empire waists look great on pregnant women.

Max Mara Studio Villar coat Somerset by Alice Temperley Boat Print shift dress

LK Bennett Frome Suede Clutch Bag Jimmy Choo Georgia Navy Suede Round Toe Pumps

Let’s play another round of Who Wore it Better?

The contestants: Kate Middleton for her February visit to Portsmouth; and Princess Eugenie for Christmas service 2014.

The clothing: This white Max Mara Studio double-breasted coat.

The verdict: Honestly, the coat looks great on both of them, so it comes down to styling. Kate’s hair is too long, and I like the pop of pink with Eugenie’s hat, so I’m going to give this one to Eugenie.

PS. In the comparison photos, you can tell just how tan Kate really is.

Bump-y photos, plus crotch-clutching:

Here’s a great video from the visits:

Link: Express.

Photos: Ben Ainslie Racing Twitter/Ben Ainslie Racing Facebook/1851 Trust Twitter/Getty/Kensington Palace Twitter/Kensington Palace Instagram/Emily Nash Twitter


86 thoughts on “Duchess Kate paints butts on mural during visit to Ben Ainslie Racing, 1851 Trust

  1. She looks nice. I am at odds with the color of her dress. Is it blue or black? Plus, it made her look boxy. There are a lot of silhouette enhancing dresses that would have made her look stunning. I wish that she wore a ponytail instead. I would chalk this up ad a win for Kate. She didn’t mess with her hair as much as she normally does. She actually contributed (she knows her way around a bottom) and looked engaged. I will say that she looked like she enjoyed Ben more than she does Will.

    I go for Eugenie in the fashion face off due to color and styling. Kate’s clothes kinda hang there. I think that she is still very thin to be 7 months pregnant. I looked like that at 5 mos.

    1. The description on the site the dress is sold at says it’s black.

      Kate really does seem to like Ben a lot. I don’t blame her; he’s hot. And honestly, they make a cute couple. She’d probably be happier with Ben than tantrum-y Will, too.

      I was surprised that Kate seems to look thinner in the coat than Eugenie does, and Kate is 7 months pregnant.

      1. To begin with, Kate was very thin before she got pregnant. Even if she did gain weight, it wouldn’t show much. Also, I noticed that Middleton women tend to be on the slimmer side (athletic body types – not even one of them has curves) so I guess they really don’t have the tendency to get fat? Just look at Carole, she looks amazing for someone who had 3 kids.

        1. Sorry but I don’t think the Middletonmwomen are naturally thin. I’d say there is so aggressive dieting going on there. That is why they all look older than they should be.

      2. Eugenie has a retro curvy figure that hopefully she’ll learn to love. Kate Middleton is unnaturally thin for her medium frame size. She was much healthier in her college days, but is now at least a stone underweight most of the time. Going into seclusion for the last 6 weeks of her pregnancy speaks of body issues to me.

    2. Her outfit would have looked 10 times better if she would have thrown her hair into a chic, slightly higher ponytail. I think the roots/discoloration can be chalked up to weeks in the tropical sun. I did a week in Phoenix recently, and I noticed that my new lovely color faded out a bit.
      I’m at a standoff as to who wore the coat better. I loved Eugenie’s poppy little topper, but felt the coat looked a bit bundly and the sleeves too long(pet peeve of mine). Kate’s tan compliments the off white, and the coat fits her much better, but isn’t anything to write home about.
      That Ben Ainslie…so handsome, and didn’t I hear he just got married to a sports journalist/caster? Might be out to lunch on that one, I don’t know… Anyway, definitely easier on the eyes than the Duke of Cambridge. Personality wise, maybe not so much, by the sounds of things. I just can’t abide a poor sport, healthy completion is great, but disrespect to fellow competitors is a character flaw.

      1. The sleeves being too long is a problem with the coat, because the sleeves look too long on both girls. Both of them should have gotten a tailor.

  2. Ben and Kate looks so cute together!!! I’m not even being mean, they really do look cute together. she looks better with Ben than William.

          1. I agree. Any man, however attractive, becomes instantly unattractive in my eyes when he exhibits unsportsmanlike behaviour.

            Kate appears to have more chemistry with Ben than with William. For once, it’s nice to see her “passionate” over one of her patronages; shame it couldn’t be a charity involving the less affluent. Two visits within a few months, oh my! Could be a set up for a downfall, if she’s not careful.

          2. He gave some petty and mean-spirited comments to the press about his closest competitor, who nearly won the gold medal instead of Ainslie. It probably wasn’t covered in the UK press but it was certainly covered in the Danish press because the sailor in question was Danish. The sailor himself didn’t want it to blow up but the press did. Maybe it wasn’t a serious slight, however, I found petty and unsportsman-like.

    1. If I were her I’d been thinking twice about my marriage to William LOL. Ben and Kate look perfect together, but Ben is a hard worker and extremely driven so I’m not sure Kate could handle a man that has that much ambition!

  3. I’m not crazy about the belt on the coat and I think the dress looks like a big bag. But oh how cutesy that it has little sail boats…

    I would love to see George and see him in his own environment, playing, laughing anything.

  4. Kate’s coat looks nice, but where are all the “Kate stole my look” articles? My vote goes to Eugenie, since I like the pop of color with her Christmas (2014) hat and she wore the coat LAST year.

    When Sophie wears a label she found years ago, the articles are about Sophie increasing her game since Kate came on the scene.

    When Prince CP of Sweden and Sofia, announced their engagement, the stories ran with comments concerning her dress and the style of the photos being very similar to W&K at their engagement.

    The media really pushes the ‘Kate is a style icon’ stories.

  5. I think she looks pretty when the outfit isn’t scrutinized. The sailboat patterned dress is a little young for her, but, then, I think she’s an overgrown child, so I’m not surprised. I also don’t understand the blue shoes and clutch with a black dress. Makes it look like she got dressed in the dark.

    Oh, that hair. I’ve never hated looking at a head of hair as much as I hate hers. It’s way too long and warm. Cut it to the shoulders and dye it back to her natural color. At the very least, put it in a dang ponytail.

    1. Yes, that’s all I can think about when I look at these photos. Her hair is really dragging her face down and aging her. I’ll bet a good cut would take 10 years off her.

    2. The black dress with the blue accessories don’t really make sense. But Kate always wears blue accessories to sailing engagements because she has to go with the nautical theme, black dress be damned.

      1. I bet Kate wore blue (rather than black) shoes/clutch because Eugenie wore black shoes. I could see Kate saying to herself, see it’s not the same look. Her choice to wear the same coat while pregnant is just odd in my opinion.

        1. That’s possible. Kate’s choice to constantly wear non-maternity clothes is odd in general IMO.

  6. I thought she did well and it was nice to see the cute bump. Her mural butts were cheeky, much happier to see theirs than hers. My only snark is a ponytail would have made her roots showing less noticible.

    1. Yes, her roots are showing once more. I don’t get it, with all her time off, get your hair done, get a facial and have your ratty looking cuticles taken care of before an event.

      Her grooming is often less than the average women with a lot less money and free time.

          1. Based on the shortness of her roots, I think this is another case where she needed a color touch up before a public event but couldn’t be bothered. (As opposed to longer roots, say 3 inches, which would suggest she has sworn off permanent coloring over the last 6+ mos that she has been pregnant. Just a thought.

    2. I’m shocked she didn’t get her hair touched up. She had so much time off to get her hair done, and getting her hair done is her favorite part, but she didn’t touch up her roots? Weird.

  7. I think she looks relaxed and enjoying the day; obviously the sailing thing is something which captures her interest; yes, she does look very much at home with Ben……the hair drives me silly; a pony tail as has been suggested would have been good. But no, instead she fiddles and faffs constantly behind and out of her ears…yuk The coat is nice, minus the silly belt though! dress is ok, but does look a bit bag-like. I swear she is getting thinner – especially the legs.

    1. Her hair is her trademark, so I guess she likes to wear it down because that is how people most recognize her (notice how she ties her hair back on other occasions when she is not working). In other pictures on other websites, she looks pregnant. I think because the pics here are quite small, she doesn’t look that different that before. Try looking at other websites, you will see the difference.

      1. That’s an interesting thought re her hair. I always thought it was an insecurity thing. She’s insecure at engagements so she wears her hair down. She’s not insecure while shopping, so she wears it up.

    2. I suspect she fiddles with her hair (especially with her LEFT hand), so she gets photographed with the famous Diana ring.

      The more I see this, since she seems to wear her engagement ring with more frequency than Diana, I wonder how the whole getting the ring from Prince Harry situation occured back in 2010.

      Was it Mummy Mid’s idea? Did she suggest it to Will, and bring up the Diana connection, in order to emotionally twist his arm. I think there is more than a simple story in this whole engagement ring connection.

      But, Kate gets what she needs all in one photo: shows off hair and ring all at once.

      1. Wait, the ring was given to Harry? I thought Will got the ring and Harry got the watch?

        Or maybe the bros made a pact whoever gets married first, gets the ring?

          1. I wonder how that conversation played out.

            Smart move on Harry’s side, he can get a stress/expectation free ring and give the watch as a wedding gift or push present.

  8. I have a poll idea — what haircut would you like to see Kate try next (it’s time Duchess!!)? I’d vote for a long layered bob that is slightly longer in the front than in the back and can be worn straight or wavy. Like Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Aniston have done in the past. Not too short but just below shoulder length would make a huge improvement and be more age appropriate.

  9. I thought they were polka dots on the dress until it was pointed out they were sails. A bit too cute for my taste. When I first saw the dress I thought, “Oh, that is the one she will wear when she exits the hospital with the spare in her arms!

    White coat? Boring? Yes, Eugenie looked nicer in her white coat, thanks to the pink hat. Great color choice for her.

    Ben is hot and Kate sure thinks so. His behavior toward his competitors leaves me cold, though.

    KMP, so funny about Kate’s obsession with bottoms and her focusing on them in the mural. Funny!

    1. I think Kate needed better accessories. That coat is a blank canvas and needed painting through fun, bright accessories, not boring navy ones. As for the dress, the tiny boat print makes the dress seem too busy for my taste. A larger print would have worked better for me. Lol glad you enjoyed the butts joke!

      1. I was thinking instead of the nautical themed dress she would have done better with a brooch or pin of some kind in a nautical theme and it would have helped the blandness of the coat. Nice coat, but straight up white with nothing but that darned teensy belt to break it up.

  10. Gorgeous coat. I wouldn’t have worn it to an event involving painting, but it’s a gorgeous one. The nautical dress is terrible and frumpy and dowdy. It looks like she’s dressing for several Republican events from the Nixon era.

    Sir Ben Ainslie certainly looks like he finds her hot, pregnant or not. The shot where he’s smirking to the camera while she’s deliberately looking away looks as though she’s purposely posing to not look like she’s enjoying his attention (and possibly like she’s gotten a talking-to on appearing flirtatious with him).

  11. Kate looked great!!Ben looked better!!! Its good to see Kate so happy and smiling! What do you think they do with all the gifts for George?

    1. I’ve wondered that. I wonder if they actually let him play with them, or if they go straight to storage and he’ll never actually see them. He’s gotten so many gifts.

      1. I sometimes wonder if they give anything away or throw it out. Can you just imagine the baby stuff pileup in their house? and I guess more will be coming for the second child. Babies grow fast, George probably outgrew most of his toys. I guess they can be passed down to younger siblings.

  12. Apart from her hair, I really liked this look. A ponytail would’ve suited this so much better.

    I also think Kate wore the coat better. On Eugenie, she looks big and frumpy, it doesn’t fit her well. With Kate’s tan and height, the coat looks great on her.

    I also loved the dress, but I think it’s because I love cutesy prints. I have lots of printed tops with things like mushrooms, toucans, cats, etc! I think shift dresses look great on Kate.

    Though I still think this patronage is bullshit. Sailing is for rich people, it’s not practical for most people, it’s so out of touch. How about being a patron to a sport like hockey, which she’s into plus I think hockey deserves more recognition in the world than what it gets.

    1. I straight up don’t understand the 1851 Trust. I thought Ben Ainslie Racing was raising money for the America’s Cup bid, but then now they’re giving some money away through a charity? That doesn’t make sense to me. But maybe I have this all wrong. It just seems like BS made up to make them look better and to give Kate a charitable reason to visit more often.

    2. Claire, your post reminded me of the mess the Chairman of the Board of BP got himself into after the oil spill in Louisiana. While wildlife were perishing or harmed and people were frantic, he was caught sailing back home, was he not? So, I think a patronage of sailing may not be the best thing for Kate. With the economy struggling, aren’t Brits getting fed up with all the Royal brouhaha?

  13. When kate tried her hand at a sailing winch simulator during her visit to the Spinnaker Tower her bump desappear!!its so strange i show it to my hubby and he thinks its so strange too!!!

    1. If that grinder was set properly, so a sail is winched up, there’s no way a pregnant woman could operate it. It’s heavy work that’s why the grinder operators are big men.

  14. I would just like to say that this is the best headline about one of Kate’s visits EVER.

    I give her the win in the “who wore it best” contest. I like Eugenie’s hat with it, but I think it looks better on Kate.

  15. I get tired of Kate acting like she wishes she could have brought George to these events. Please, we all know you don’t wish you could have.

    Also, I kind of feel bad for Eugenie with Kate wearing this coat. A 7 month pregnant woman wears the same coat you wore not pregnant. It would mess with my self-esteem and body image 🙁

    1. I know, I’m so sick of Kate pretending she wishes she could bring George. I feel like it’s such a BS talking point for her. Enough already.

      I thought the same about a pregnant Kate wearing a non-pregnant Eugenie’s coat. I would feel awful. I hope Eugenie ignores Kate, though.

  16. So, I also have to say (since I can’t point this out on other Kate websites), but when Kate is pregnant and not receiving Botox injections, her skin is bad. Looking at untouched-up photos from this event, her forehead wrinkles are really bad for a 33 year old. Not to mention she has pretty bad skin. Which is interesting since a lot of pregnant women normally have glowing skin. It just made me wonder what Kate looks like without her makeup and Botox. Don’t get me wrong, when she is done up I think she is pretty. But it is interesting to see that she is not as perfect physically as the Sugars try to make her. I know it was off topic, but I just really noticed her skin and even eye bags more from this day.

    1. Yes, Kate’s forehead wrinkles are super apparent when she’s pregnant… or just on any close up non-photoshopped pic really. It doesn’t help that she does that fake “I’m so sad” face and crinkles her forehead all the time.

    2. Old wife’s tale: When pregnant with a male, a woman’s skin will not be all glowy. In fact, many of my friends broke out constantly when pregnant with their sons and their skin glowed when they were carrying girls. However, another old wife’s tale says that if a woman looks great when pregnant she will have a boy. Girls take away the mother’s looks when Mom is pregnant with them.

  17. Ya nothing new, its the same old kate, barbie hair, shoirt dress, the guests around her look like her babysisters, she has no gravitas never has never will

  18. Please stop with the themical dressing Kate. You are not 5 years old for goodness sake. Also, her patronage of this “charity” really bothers me. I can’t believe the 1851 Trust is considered a charity. This sport is elitist and supported by extremely affluent and wealthy people. The aim of the Trust is to encourage young rich kids to become involved in this elitist sport. Kate’s patronage just shows what an entitled snob she really is.

    1. Also, weren’t they raising money for the America’s Cup bid, and now they’re giving the money away via the “charity”? So odd. I really think they created the charity just so Kate would have a charitable reason to visit, because this is fun for her and she wants an excuse to visit more often.

      1. I don’t really know why this organization is a ‘charitable’ status; maybe I should read up on what one has to do….just sounding out really, where some charities are kind of obvious, this one isn’t….it bothers me…

      2. From what I understand, the “charity” is about getting young people involved in sailing and associated activities. However, I also understand that in order to get some public funding for the America’s Cup effort, you have to have a charitable endeavor.

    1. Yeah, something funky happened when she bent over to do the power grinder thing. I’m wondering if it was just due to her dress being really loose and billowing as she bent over, or if her bump really did deflate. Because I could see it being a trick of the dress, but I’m not sure.

      1. Yes! I noticed that right away. The bump collapses as it has on previous occasions when she has bent over, sat in a chair, or sat in a carriage. Call me a conspiracist but there it went. I have been pregnant and the belly doesn’t collapse. I also know she gains weight during pregnancies but that is easy enough to do pregnant or not if you are naturally a heavier shape and simply eat more for a time period.

  19. It is good to see Kate undertaking a visit with enthusiasm.
    Kate looks smart and well groomed (apart from the school girl hair which could be put in a ponytail), I doubt Kate is in Eugenie’s good books now. I think Eugenie looks chic in that outfit even if Kate is expecting, Eugenie looks natural and poised. I do not think Kate realises how she is coming across. Or if she does really doesn’t care and I hope it is not that.

  20. I think Kate has an idea of herself in her mind of how she looks, acts, is perceived and that’s reinforced by her mother and that’s all that matters to her.

  21. Kate may have looked nice for the visit but I just don’t see any flair that would make her stand out. If she went out without a crowd of protection officers would you even notice her? as for blue shoes with a black dress? You would never had seen Diana make that mistake.

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