Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, was in Margate in Kent yesterday, March 11, where she visited Turner Contemporary as Patron of the National Portrait Gallery and was shocked by a sculpture of a dead body. Kate also visited Resort Studios where she told a woman she sometimes forgets she’s pregnant.
**Quick calendar update: Kate will visit Brookhill Children’s Centre in Woolwich, London, on March 18.**
Kate’s first stop in Margate was Turner Contemporary where she viewed the ‘Self: Image and Identity’ exhibition which includes the last self-portrait by Sir Anthony Van Dyck (court painter for Charles I). The exhibition also includes a number of other self portraits, including a sculpture made of silicone entitled, ‘Self Portrait as a Drowned Man’. When Kate saw the fake body lying on the floor she said, “Oh my goodness, what’s that?” Not going to lie, when I saw the photos, I thought it was performance art, it looked so real. Kate also took part in a “create your own selfie” art thing with some local kids. PS. Kate stayed at TC for two hours. Has she ever stayed that long at an engagement? That’s really long for her.
After a brief walkabout outside the art gallery, Kate moved on to Resort Studios, a place for artists and designers. While visiting Resort Studios and meeting people taking part in a community art project about the town’s history, one woman told Kate “You’re looking very trim”, to which Kate replied, “I sometimes forget I’m pregnant.”
What? I… um… do women normally forget they are pregnant when they are eight months pregnant? Moms out there, is that a thing that happens? I wouldn’t know. Or is it Kate’s polite way of saying, “Why yes, I am trim, thank you for noticing.” Or is it just another “trying and failing to relate to the people” moment from the Cambridges? Or do I not get the joke or something? I’m so confused!!
Kate mentioned Prince George when she was talking to a mother of a six week old, saying George is running around all the time and she has to chase him. I doubt Kate is doing much of the chasing, though, seeing as she’s eight months pregnant. PS. The mother of the six week old baby said of meeting Kate, “It was good to meet another working mum.” It shocks me that a mother who said she was back to work 3 days after giving birth counts Kate in the same “working mother” league as herself.
Kate repeated another coat from her 2013 pregnancy wardrobe, the Hobbs Dalmatian Print Mac coat. I won’t make a Cruella De Vil joke because I think Kate looks better in the Hobbs coat than the pink McQueen from Monday (though I prefer Monday’s hair and hat to yesterday’s droopy ponytail). Kate wore a black dress underneath her coat and it sometimes poked out the bottom.
Kate wore her Stuart Weitzman Power pumps in black suede and carried her Mulberry Bayswater Clutch.
Kate wore her Annoushka Pearl Drop Earrings that we surprisingly haven’t seen in a while (they seem to be a favorite since she wears them so much). As mentioned, Kate wore her hair in a droopy ponytail. I’ll be nice since we need to praise her whenever she wears her hair up. So… yay ponytail!
Crotch clutching, and… I’m assuming she’s trying to keep her coat from flying up in the wind? Right? That’s what’s happening?
Videos:
Why doesn’t Kate give her purse to Rebecca Deacon before doing the walkabouts?
Links: Express. Daily Mail.
Photos: Rebecca English Twitter/Getty/Kensington Palace Twitter
I was a quite trim pregnant lady, but let me tell you, by the 8 month mark, I couldn’t forget FOR ONE MINUTE that I was pregnant. For one thing, the baby is always moving around inside!
*shrugs* All pregnancies are different, but I’m chalking this up to the Duchess saying something kinda stupid, but polite small talk.
Don’t even get me started on the whole “working mum” thing.
I was really confused at first because I’ve never been pregnant so I don’t know if that’s normal or not or what. But I agree it’s probably another dumb small talk thing that was a throw-away line from her that she probably doesn’t even remember saying that ended up getting the headline.
It was either that or “I should have brought George, he would have loved this!”.
Btw, she had FOUR staffers with her. Rebecca, Jason, An unknown blonde lady, and Sir David Manning. David Manning is a former diplomat who advises the Cambridges about foreign relations. I don’t know why he would accompany Kate to an art galley, but the Fail referred to him as a “flunky” in one of their photo captions.
This coat! I thought it was on display on that cruise ship she christened? Does anyone know more about that?
I hate that coat. In another post, it was showcased on the Queen Mary. It was probably a replica. I know that she is recycling, but different styling is not a new hairstyle. She needs a pop of color or something. A scarf a something. Kate needs a stylish bff to help her out. One who will tell her that she looks like a hot basic mess. And yes, homegirl is just basic now.
She had different hair and different accessories this time. A nice scarf and pop of color would have been nice, but I don’t hate the coat.
I don’t like the coat. But then, I am not crazy about animal prints.
Okay, I’m off the coat tangent. How does a woman forget that she’s pregnant? I was slimmer in my second pregnancy. I popped around month 7. So, you mean to tell me that you forget about having an extra 10 lbs in your stomach that messes with your center of gravity? Please. She needs to Google small talk. I am glad that she mentioned George and not referring to him as an *sshole.
It looks like you be busy, KMR. Kate had an appointment today and some more next week. She looked a little basic this morning with a white coat and her hair just hanging. I am happy that she is working, but she needs to have a speech. Or show that she is not just a show pony.
OK, has anyone else noticed her feet?? There are many shots of what shoes she’s wearing, and the girl’s feet NEVER look puffy. Not the slightest bit. I’ve had 2, and by the 7th month, my swelled up feet were spilling over the sides of whatever shoes I was wearing by hour 2 of my day (and I wasn’t tripping around in 3″ heels back then, either!). She must have some wicked good genes.
I didn’t love the pony, I think she tried to “repliKate” herself. That style should be left to the pros.
I have been noticing that too Ray. When I was pregnant I LOST weight but my feet did swell up and I NEVER forgot that I was pregnant. It was stupid comment and shows how far removed from the rest of us she is.
her feet looks fat enough to me. Maybe she was so skinny before any weight gain makes her look normal looking?
Praise for having her hair out of her face.
But, honestly if I were her hair stylist I would be so bored! She only wears variants of three different styles: down with curls, half up, or a ponytail.
I’m not the most talented with doing my own hair – it’s pretty basic. But if I had a hair stylist, my hair would rock!
I rock one of two hairstyles: down (with no style at all, just a brush through the hair), or a basic ponytail. I’m not good at styling my own hair.
I’m the same way, I’m just saying if I had someone to do my hair for me, I would try so many different hair styles.
I wear a basic bob. If I want to get jazzy. I change my part. I agree, if I had a hairdresser, it would look fabulous.
“If I want to get jazzy. I change my part.”
LOL
Soooooo…. then Kate’s doctors cured Hypermesium Graveridarum?
Yes. It always gets cured in time for her tropical vacations.
btw – I read she ate lunch at the art gallery – that would explain the extra time spent there.
Of course she forge she’s preganant….if she has people walking behind Her carrying scissors in silver plates I suppose they do the same for the other objects/ activities
Yay for having her hair all pulled back. Boo for the messy excuse of a ponytail. She forgets she’s pregnant sometimes and she just pops down in 3″ heels to pick up a card she dropped. My favorite was the talk to the artist about his beard because brother James is growing one and she wanted to know about it’s upkeep and does he have to oil it. What about his actual art work? Any questions about that? One step forward, 3 or 4 back.
I thought you were kidding until I read the article.
“Kate, however, seemed more interested in his beard – not just because the picture, taken in 1997, showed him hairless, but also because her own brother, James Middleton, has grown one. Mr Turk, a local artist, said afterwards: ‘She immediately asked me about her beard and said that she was a bit concerned as her brother was growing one. She asked me how much care I needed to take of it and whether I had to oil it. She seemed quite fascinated.”
Jason, get her lessons in small talk. Right now.
I thought James has had a beard for quite some time and not just starting to grow one now. And I don’t get how a woman who is 8 months pregnant could forget that small fact. While she looked nice today, the bits of conversation we heard about are just confusing.
Why would she even care what kind of maintenance there is with a beard? She’s not the one rocking it, nor William. I’m sure James already knows exactly what kind of maintenance goes into his beard, since he’s the one who’s rocking it for the last few years.
I think that she’s abysmally poor at small-talk. The artist in question had painted a self-portrait titled “The self-portrait I’ll never see”, which in itself could open up for all sorts of conversations since the title actually contradicts the art work – an artist will always see his/her own self-portrait, so why this title? Is it ironic? Tongue-in-cheek?
However, Kate noticed that the artist hasn’t a beard in the self-portrait and a beard in person, and she obviously couldn’t think of anything else to comment on. She did the same with Tom Hiddleston at teh War Horse premiere, where she noticed that he had a beard even though he didn’t have one in the movie.
Frankly, I don’t get this woman at all. I don’t think that she is stupid because she did manage to get into a prestigious university and complete a degree. However, her social skills may very well be poor – and lack of mental “gymnastics” can cause the intellect to deteriorate – and she certainly hasn’t used hers during her whilst waiting for the-ring-of-doom.
Haha! The-Ring-Of- DOOM!!! I love it.
I think it’s because the eyes were closed in the portrait, so that part of himself is something he would never see in a mirror, because he can’t actually see his eyelids? Like, the only way he’d see himself that way is if he painted himself that way, or took a photo of himself that way?
Re Tom Hiddleton: she seriously mentioned that he had a beard in real life and not one in the movie? Does she not understand how acting works?
I’m telling you she is punking us.
I agree Kw.
How on earth is she able to crouch down so low in her third trimester? Yesterday, to pick up a dropped item and today with the bouquet.
She must be superwoman or dabbling in foam.
The exchange with the artist about his beard was inane. Wasn’t she there for the art?
Kids have a great bullshit detector and most of them who are forced to meet waity are scared and avoid her.
The little boy at the DA studio was terrified.
Lol! Kids don’t seem enthused to meet her.
I smell BS also. I perfected the wide legged squat that late in my pregnancy.
I agree with you both ladies, Kids are the best BS detectors. I was just reading on FB all of the adoring comments on the Downton visit and people were saying how perfect she is and that she is a great Mum ( I am an Aussie so can’t say MOM lol). I nearly threw up it was so sickeningly sweet.
Apparently I’m all alone here, but I think she looked fabulous. Really. I love the coat…it’s not child-like, it’s not frumpy, it’s “different”. And I think it’s great that she’s worn it before and it’s beyond trivial that her dress peeked out from underneath occasionally.
KMR, I usually agree with you about everything, but I don’t see the ponytail as “droopy”. I think it looks sleek and the hair wrapped around the smallest part of it makes it appear that she actually tried to achieve the look, as opposed to just throwing her hair carelessly into a pony. If it had been lower on her head it would have been too casual and if it had been higher it would have made her look like a genie popping out of a bottle.
I even like the earrings. They “go” well with the coat and the hair. Even her make-up doesn’t seem to be plastered on.
She might not be able to make small-talk, but I think she nailed it in this outfit. (And I never have anything good to say about Kate.)
What I meant by “droopy” was that the pony kind of hung to one side a bit, and the bottom part didn’t seem to be a tight as it should have (but then again I like a tight pony). I’m guessing that’s due to the wind. It was quite windy when she arrived from the looks of it.
You’re not alone in liking the coat. I like it; it’s something do different from what she normally wears. I saw a few people making Cruella de Vil jokes because it’s a Dalmatian print, but I think she looks good here (but I did prefer her Monday hair).
PS. She did a low pony for the Singapore state visit right? I liked her in a low pony.
I think this one is an improvement over the one she wore at the Mandela film premiere (pony tail but hair still falling all over her face). Does it really take a professional hairdresser to achieve this?
I with you on this one Dag Tagart! I thought Kate looked rather nice today, in fact I liked this coat better this time than the first time. I’ve thought this animal print was somewhat out of Kate’s fashion comfort zone, so I’ll give her kudos for taking a chance. The only change I would have made would be add a bit of color somewhere, maybe a red scarf or clutch. I was glad to see that she wore her hair up for a visit to a breezy, seaside community, someone did their homework here.
I do agree with you, Lauri, and I think KMR said it also…a pop of color would have been really good. It just feels so good to look at her and feel as if I can’t say anything negative! As I mentioned, for me, that never happens!
Yes, Jason needs to offer Kate lessons in “small talk.” My goodness, the fascination with the beard, rather than the art!
The admission that “sometimes, I forget I am pregnant.” Wow.
Now, how does one do that? From what all my pregnant, or formerly pregnant friends, have said, once you hit the mark that Kate has hit, there’s no “Forgetting.” Isn’t the baby pressing on one’s bladder? I hate to be crude, but isn’t that the case? Also, as one previously mentioned, there’s the motion, too. And, when you are so taken with your body and love being so thin, even the tiniest bump is a constant reminder, yes?
I’m not a fan of the pony tail either. A haircut is in order. But, we probably won’t see that for a very l-o-n-g time.
Nice to see her working, though.
Wow, another engagement!!! Have I landed on another planet, have I taken crazy pills, I know the Earth is about to explode. These are the only reasons I can think of for why Kate is taking on so many engagements this close to having the spare. Except for the tours I can’t think of any other time since the wedding when she has “worked” so much. Sigh, I will miss you all when the Earth explodes.
And she just added another one after St. Patrick’s Day as well. This is craziness from her, especially this close to the birth.
No, this is thanks to your blog KMR. You were calling Kate out along with a lot of people here while all the media kissed her feet and covered up for the Cambridges. Other outlets attack them for fluff, here the criticisms are fact-driven, so not to be shrugged off.
I’m only half joking, but maybe the “sometimes I forget I’m pregnant” line was her teasing the surrogacy conspirators.
She’s not 8 months pregnant – she’s due end of April. She’s 7 months gone, and neat with it from toned stomach muscles.
It’s March. She’s 8 months. End of March would be one whole month equaling the last of 9 months.
Every article says she’s eight months. She is in her eighth month, will go into her ninth month in April, and will complete her ninth month by the time she gives birth.
Cruella de Vil! Leave the coat for her to wear and her alone. 🙂
Okay, I have never been pregnant, so maybe someone who has can let me know. Are you really able to bend like she did to pick up a card and today at Downtown to bend to a child. She crouched really low that it looks like it would smush her bump. I wouldn’t think that was possible when pregnant, so if ladies that have been pregnant-is it???
If I bent, I would almost go into an open leg, sumo-like squat. I could bend over, but not that deep. I carried my daughter in front and I could not do that after month 7. And it was highly uncomfortable. She would squirm and kick each time.
I love this blog, but have never actually commented. The bending down has me absolutely perplexed. I have had two children and was in shape both pregnancies. Under no circumstances could I have swooped down in heels to pick something up at that stage in either of my pregnancies without losing my balance. I seriously don’t understand how she is actually pregnant. I am not trying to go with conspiracy theories, but no one “forgets” there pregnant at that point. And to the above poster, yes, you have to pee ALL.THE.TIME.
I agree completely. One can not bend down the way she did. Also the bump seems to disappear. Also if you look at the pictures on the daily mail re Downton Abbey visit, there are shots of her sitting in a chair and the bump disappears. I think she gets excited or caught up in the moment sometimes and forgets, and then bends, sits, and bobs in ways that are not possible in my opinion.
I agree Carrie. I noticed the same thing in the Downtown Abbey photos. My first baby weighed 8 lbs. and I didn’t show until almost 7 months so I understand that to a point, but when I sat, the “bump” was still there. It didn’t seem to deflate. I honestly don’t understand. I really try not go with the conspiracy theorists, but seriously, pregnant women in their third trimester do not move the way she does just due to the physical changes in your body even if you are small. And most, have no interest in wearing heels that high just due to general discomfort of your back, etc. It is truly baffling to me. Does anyone else not notice this???
By the way, I was small. All baby. For those of you who have not been pregnant it is like a basket ball strapped onto your belly. It doesn’t change size depending on your position.
Her walk also doesn’t seem to be affected.
I have also had two children and I agree — Bending down and getting up so easily is not easily done — especially in that stage of a pregnancy. It seems as if Kate is in great shape. Probably still exercises and does all she can to be fit. I have trouble buying into the conspiracy theories that she is not pregnant. I can see how some would, though.
And, no, one does not forget one is pregnant. Such a comment seemed a bit vain to me. The woman complimented her for looking so great while pregnant and instead of saying, “thank you,” Kate says “Sometimes I forget I am pregnant,” as if, “Damn do I look good!”
Hi VLS! Yes, it does seem odd that she can bend down so easily this late in her pregnancy.
Kate forgets she is pregnant? Stupid thing to say, unless she is referring to the days she forgets to put the preggy belly on?
LOL, must be.
I find it amazing how her stomach grows overnight from before her boobs to past them https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_5B1auWUAAwCxV.jpg
Yet she can still do this crouching position with absolutely no help getting up or down https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_5SkPwWQAE490G.jpg On top of that we’ve seen no true physical changes in her body besides her face bloating which it does naturally and comes back when she’s no longer hitting the botox and her padded bra enhancements.
– Signed proud birth conspiracy theorist who understands what conspiracy means and that believing in one doesn’t equate to being crazy, psychotic, or believing in aliens lol 🙂
I agree just based on visual observations during first and second pregnancies.
Re face. Perhaps just eats more to put on some weight temporarily.
I love a good conspiracy theory. While I think it would be difficult for them to pull off, every once in a while there are things that are said and done that makes it seem possible for it to be plausible.
It does all seem a bit odd. I didn’t really get on board with the surrogacy rumors, but every now and then something like this or her weird Downton bend comes up and makes me scratch my head (see also the fold down her stomach during about month five or six of her first pregnancy). Of course, you can’t have a discussion about this on the Daily Mail because the stock response is something vile like “just because she didn’t gain 100 pounds like fatso Americans doesn’t mean she’s not pregnant!” Hyperbole ahoy!