91 thoughts on “Prince William and Kate Middleton garden party in Northern Ireland”

1. Heh. My hopes were falsely buoyed by her red outfit. I was hoping to see more bold, juicy tones, but she’s fallen back to pale tones and the Damned Beige Shoes. Grumpiness aside, she looks appropriate and I like her in these pale gold tones.

   Her, I can’t unsee her hat as a cinnamon bun, and I may have one when I get up because this post motivates it ?

   I do wish she’d stop being so matchy-matchy tone-on-tone, but I think she’s emulating the Queen. i do wish she’d gain a little weight, because she looked great in this in 2006 and 2010. Her weight loss makes the coat seem too big.

   1. I didn’t mind all the matching when it was the red outfit from Monday, but all this nude matching is boring. I actually do like this coat, though I wish she’d style it with more interesting accessories.

   2. The Queen wears matchy-matchy but she’s wearing colours. Bright colours. Not this nude beigeness we’ve seen Kate in. Like KMR said, I don’t mind it when she wore all red last Monday. This is boring.

2. And that was short lived. Kate is back to her boring dressing again. All nude outfit with an odd hat. And another new pair of really expensive earrings that cost more than they look.

   I find it funny that they didn’t announce this event earlier, like they really wanted us to believe this was a last minute engagement-like we would praise them for changing their schedule at the last moment. Come one-with Kate’s bespoke hat, this was always on their schedule (especially since some royal had to attend). I just think it is very calculated that they announced it last minute. Everything they do seems calculated. I am shocked we are seeing them so much this past week though.

   1. I think for Northern Ireland the late announcement is the norm for reasons of security.

      1. It is for royals and politicians. Planned well ahead but not announced.

3. Another site reported that the Shamrock broach belongs to the Irish Guards, not the royals. They loan it out at their discretion. I think they should take it back since Kate made it clear the Irish Guard is not high on her list and she doesn’t want to create expectations.

   1. Yes, it belongs to the Irish Guards and it is loaned to the royals to wear.

   2. Agree with you Overit. Kate is a hypocrite. She shoud nevver wear that Shamrock broach beacuse as you said “Kate made it clear the Irish Guard is not high on her list and she doesn’t want to create expectations.” She really doesn’t care what people think. It seems like she thinks she deserves to wear the broach only beacuse she is a Royal, not because of respect for the Irish Guard. Ridiculous.

      1. I didn’t look at it that way. I agree with you that it was worn in bad taste.

         1. +2

      2. +1

4. I wasn’t impressed with the red ensemble and I’m very underwhelmed with this outfit. Vibrant colours suit her, but she has no true style and whilst the individual pieces look lovely (most of them) on their own, together they don’t quite work. Her style or lack of, is a reflection of her, and her lack of spark, personality and passion. I’m still in shock that the Cambriges are working so much, I don’t ever remember them doing so much in such a short space of time…makes me think they are up to something…

   1. I don’t think there is anything nefarious going on. Most of these latest engagements are because of the Queen’s birthday celebrations. It’s not like the Cambs are making a ton of visits to their own things, they’re just accompanying the RF to birthday stuff.

      1. I think the same thing, KMR. It’s only for the Queen’s birthday celebrations they are “working” so much.

   2. I think that they will go on vacation this summer with their children. Like KMR said, a great part of the events is in link with the birthday celebrations…

      This hat is atrocious.

5. Another hard day’s work for W&K. Poor things must be exhausted from all this meet and greet, yes, it’s time for holidays. 😉
   The coat and dress: nice but blah, again different colour shoes and hat would have made a difference. I prefer the coat when she wore it ten years ago. It fitted better back then. Let’s hope Kate will surprise us with something different in Ascot.
   Imho, Kate wearing this brooch is an insult to the Irish guards after the backlash of her no show in St Patrick’s day.
   Thank you KMR for working overtime.

   1. agree with you about the insult to the Irish guards!!!

      I wonder how much William will work like copilot this month….

      1. Good point about “normal” Will and his co-pilot “job”.

         1. Spot on!

            And how many days and hours of charity work will lazy entitled km perform for the thousands of pounds spent for days of fluff events to dress up for HM 90th with the RF company they so dislike.

6. That’s the million dollar question: will the Cambs continue putting in some numbers after the frenetic activity flurry that they would get completely roasted for not being a part of. I highly doubt it, but it will be interesting to see. They’ve had a good push to get them rolling.
   BTW, DM back to bashing York girls for vacations and bad fashion. The detente lasted as long as Kate’s good fashion.

   1. I predict a holiday in the future for K+W. 5 days of work is exhausting….

   2. Well Wimbledon is coming up and guess some holidays so they better make it look like they totally deserved a break… those poor, hardworking Royals.

      Interesting that the bashing on York girls keeps going. The two of them are not working Royals so they can actually go on holidays as much as they like or what their job etc allows. While in other side WK life is an endless holiday with some work aka fun events in between

      1. It annoyed me. It was like they can’t let Eugenie get any traction with the BP. Usually I’d say it was to keep Kate on the golden pedestal but maybe its to keep their anti-monarchy readers happy. All the Queen-related festivities have to be irritating to the republicans.

         1. Good points Kristin. W+K get money from the taxpayers and therefore should get more crap for going on vacations. B+E are technically private citizens so what they do with their time is really not our concern.

            1. It says a lot when they have to write negative things about Eugenie or Beatrice (or any other Royal) to make William and Kate look better! If WK would be as great as some think they are, this wouldn’t be necessary.

               And ofc William and Kate can go on holidays too but that should only happen if they worked before. And sorry a couple of engagements in June is not work. Not even work of Royals who never have a 40h job… worst part though that even if they show up somewhere they are often not prepared or interested.

7. I do not like that hat….it doesn’t have symmetry and looks very oddly balanced on her head. I’ll be intrigued to see what she wears today at Ascot. Whether there has been a sea change in dressing or whether we’ve just had a couple of good days.

   You just know they’re building up to a holiday don’t you? This amount of public viewing can only come at a price with these two but hey I don’t have an issue with a couple of holidays a year……what I have an issue with is a couple of appearances a year fitted around the holidays.

   1. I agree, a holiday is certainly the works. They are saturating the media with their presence so that it’s not as noticed when they are gone.

      The hat is horrible. It looks like a craft project or something you might hang on your door with flowers during spring time. It seems to have the same texture as a burlap sack.

   2. I agree with your assessment of the hat. You summed it up perfectly. I liked her dress,though. I like her monochromatic style. It appeals to me.

   3. He dress at ascot looks like Little House on the Prairie meets D&G – just awful – back to usual form it seems

8. Dear brocade coat,

   Find yourself someone else to wear. Kate and you are no match. She looks boring in you and is definitely too thin.

   Best,
   Hyacinth

   1. LOL HyacinthBucket.

      Best,
      Jamel

   2. Dear Hyacinth

      Lupo promised me he would help me escape, he didn’t.

      That dog’s loyalty can be bought for a bonio 🙁

      regards

      Brocade Coat

9. Beige, boring, and boxy. That dress needs a pop of color. Heck, I would even wear green shoes, or an emerald earring or brooch, but not the Irish Guard one. The coat is so blah. And the dress underneath solidified that neither Kate nor her stylists know anything. That dress is a cocktail dress. It has no place under that coat. A sheath or an A line would be perfect. And the hat made think, like KMR stated, a cinnabon. Without the icing. And now I want a cinnabon. The hair. Jason – please call me. Not only will I style Kate’s wardrobe, but I will do her hair. I will make sure her hair is healthy styled for the occasion, and will blend her weave/wiglet appropriately.

   I do love Kate’s Kiki’s, but they don’t go with her outfit. Those should have been worn with a dark outfit and a half updo.

   I do agree that all of this work is perfunctory. It’s only for the Queen’s historic birthday. After all of this dies down, they will retreat to Anmer and will not be seen again until September.

   Thank you for all of your hard work, KMR! I appreciate you and this blog.

   1. Wimbledon starts next week..,..after that they’ll be orf!

   2. I agree that monotone with beige is a bad look. This was a perfect opportunity to add color in her shoes, and maybe her hat. And that hat shouldn’t be called “morning rose”. It is more like “morning cinnamon roll”.

10. I thought the same thing when seeing this Cinnabon hat! Such an odd choice. Is it just me or does her coat seem too big in the sleeves? They look too long and baggy, imo.

    The Secretary of State looked chic in her yellow dress, low heels, and real hat! Kate should take notes.

    They keep putting Kate’s hair back, which makes me wonder in someone from her team actually reads this blog. That would be priceless?

    1. Everyone keeps saying it looks like a cinnibun! Am I the only one who thinks it looks like a giant beige vagina?!?

       1. Oh my, what a vision Red Snapper! K. might indeed be the very girl to wear that vision as she does seem to be enamoured with her body parts….as she so very often puts them on show!

       2. I thought it looked more like my dogs ‘morning offering’. I felt like getting out a poo bag!

       3. I am not going to be able to get that mental image out of my head now Red Snapper.

       4. OMG I can’t unsee that, Red Snapper ?

       5. Huh, I don’t see it.

          1. I don’t either but I sure see the dog offering. Thanks for that, Birdy hahaha

       6. Thank god it wasn’t a pink hat made up to look like a giant pink vagina, Red Snapper ??

    2. Shoot, I commented too early. Yes, that hat is too reminiscent of a pastry. Speaking of which, I haven’t had breakfast yet…

11. Kate usually debuts new KiKi’s after her birthday or wedding anniversary so I’d say she buys them with Wills money. I don’t even remember all her KiKis jewelry just that she picked a childish design this time.

    1. Getting to Charlotte’s first birthday? Surviving Bhutan and India? Who knows.

12. I think Kate must have been tipsy when she picked out that hat.

13. Yawn! Another boring monotone oufit. This basically proves that she has no imagination and or the know how to dress. She wore the exact same dress wih the exact sane coat with the exact sane colour shoes and accessories. Girl needs to mix it up! With her closet?! She could have so many different fabulous outfits, but nope, all the same every single time. Agreed on the hat too. I thought it looked like a pastry. And the brooch gets lost in that colour. I didn’t even notice it until I saw a close up. Just a waste. And not to mention she doesn’t really deserve to wear it.

14. I must say, William and Kate have been out and about lately haven’t they? But then again, it’s all due to the Queen’s birthday. Otherwise, William and Kate would “not” be out and about like this. Oh dear no. They are both workshy to the core and has proven it over the past five years.

    My eyes went straight to the Secretary of State. She was well put together. I love her outfit better than what Kate could muster from her “royal” closet. Goodness, who decided on Kate’s hat …? How awful.

    And why wear the brooch from the Irish Guards just because you’re in Ireland — when Kate (and William) “decided” that Kate wasn’t going to be “there for them” every year. How insulting. Kate doesn’t deserve to wear that brooch and certainly, not in Ireland.

    (Can you imagine that if we’re thinking about this — then those people at the event are thinking the same as they politely smile at Kate.)

15. The Secretary of State looks a million times better than Kate.

    1. I thought so too. I loved her hat.

    2. +1

16. I like all of these pieces separately (minus the coat), but definitely not all together. The beige has been done. We’re all over it, but this is obviously a safe choice for her. She is one of the few people that can pull off yellows and reds, I wished she trusted herself more to wear them more often.

17. Ugh, the Baroness of Beigeness is back.

    The coat fabric belongs on a sofa.
    The lace dress looked like her slip was showing when the coat blew open.
    Her “head thrust forward” posture reminds me of a turtle. Why can’t she stand up straight???
    The hat is…well, let’s just say it forms many mental pictures (cow pat, breakfast pastry, anatomy lesson, etc.), none of which are appropriate for headgear.
    Wearing the Irish Guard brooch was just insulting.

    I think they will disappear until Wimbledon, rough it for the two day thing in France for the Somme centenary (no five star hotels, remember), and maybe a few polo matches here and there. Not to be seen again until late September or early October. Which I would not mind honestly. I’m getting tired of seeing her goofy facial expressions.

18. Ladies & Gentleman I can confirm the run of good luck was too good be be true. Royal Ascot is a horror show. Remember red jacket over lace dress at horse pageant for the Queens 90th. The lace dress has re emerged in a solo outing and it’s hideous. She looks like an extra from Little House on the Prairie.

    1. The white lace dress really is hideous.It looks like lace curtains. I noticed that they didn’t ride in a carriage with Crown Prince Frederick and Mary.

       1. Oh dear, I think I saw the price of the lace dress, there must be a mistake there, right?

          I’m sure KMR will cover it. There is a lot to discuss!

          1. White lace overpriced monstrosity on a wet wet wet English day! Hard to imagine how she could get it more wrong! Whilst I’m sure it wasn’t it looks see through. All kinds of disaster, thank goodness for HM, Sophie and the CP Mary.

             1. Talk about clueless – she wore suede shoes!!! Well, she doesn’t have to clean them…or she’ll just toss them and spend another $700 of PC’s money.

             2. If you like at the suede boots Kate owns they often appear to be needing a clean and a brush.

                I’m not sure if Kate realises it’s probably a good idea not to wear suede footwear when it is raining or on grass etc?

19. I was wondering the other day what Kate keeps in her clutch.I can’t think of anything she would need, a phone maybe?

    1. I think the clutch is a crutch, just something to keep her hands occupied. When people are nervous they fidget by pulling on their hair and ears, scratching their nose, playing with jewelry, etc… It takes training and effort to stand still for a while. I think the clutches give ladies something to occupy their hands so they don’t fidget.

       1. Queen Mary said to Princess Elizabeth’s nanny when PE was six ‘teach that child not to fidget and if she does give her a biscuit’. Kate is deficient in so much basic etiquette because she has no discipline in things that don’t interest her. As far as she’s concerned people just want to see a princess with a designer frock on her back and a smile on her face. The lack of breeding shows.

       2. She should do more yoga. I have been today and learning how to be still and hold a simple pose for 5 minutes was our task. Keeping still for 5 minutes is challenging , for me more so than 5k run. She also needs to learn humility, one of the very best human traits as practised by Gandhi, Mother Theresa and HM..perhaps also CP Victoria. Having many privileges yet caring for others is something very special.

          1. Yes but she didn’t know really who is Gandhi….

          2. Mindfulness would be good for her too. Xx

    2. Phone tissues lipgloss? I doubt she has a diary, a spare nappy, a doggy poo bag, vouchers for the supermarket, shopping lists, to do lists, keys, emergency sweeties in case she missed lunch and suddenly needs a few calories….oh and the gas bill she’s forgotten to pay and a reminder to buy a bottle of wine because tomorrow may well be another bad day!! Oh and appointment cards from the dentist for all the kids, scraps of paper with various reminders / phone numbers etc….. Oh ok am I giving too much of myself away??!!??!

       1. Don’t forget the bag of crayons. I have an enormous bag of crayons in my “purse” because I keep collecting more at each restaurant I visit with the kids.

          1. OMG Jet, I thought that I was the only one who did that. I am so glad to see that I am not the only one.

20. Beige and boring. The hat is ghastly.

    The brooch? How dare she wear it after dissing the Irish Guards!

    I’m sad. Very sad after all the horror that has happened of late. The latest news concerning the 2 year old child who was snatched into the jaws of an alligator is just too much after the massacre at Pulse. I don’t want to say anything about Kate and William. It’s already been said by the wise and wonderful people who are always so eloquent on this blog.

21. Do we have a Kiki count? How many pairs of Kiki earrings does she have at this point (that we know of)? I would really like to see how the clothes and accessories are stored and organized. I’m just imagining Cher’s closet in Clueless.

    1. I don’t believe Wiliam buys this jewellery for her. I think because it’s in the Middleton stomping ground near Peter Jones in Sloane Square it’s more likely that Pippa & Carole buy her jewellery for birthday / Christmas presents from there. I bet she also gets private gifts from Kiki McDonagh for all the promotion she’s given the brand which was quite small potatoes before Kate started wearing them. Although the she doesn’t attribute her success to Kate she does state that her brand went huge about a decade ago which is when Kate was photographed wearing these coloured gemstones on a frequent basis.

       Seriously William would not have a clue how to even find that shop. Far more likely that he raids Diana’s jewellery than uses any imagination and actually chooses something unique for her. And we know he’s notoriously tight about spending money.

       1. Hi Kristen, I imagine that if any of these pieces are “from” William, it’s only because Carole, Rebecca or Tash ordered them and had him sign the card…sigh.

    2. No, but she has a lot. I think I am going to put together a “Kate’s Kikis” post for fun, just to see how many Kikis she has.

       1. That would be fun!

       2. Oh, please do!!

       3. Hi all! Wouldn’t you know it, the Duchess does more events in the last week than she has in the last few years (so it seems) and of course I’m out of town 🙁 I have been keeping up with KMR on my phone but trying to type comments on it is just to painful and time consuming for me but now that I’m back I have lots to say about today’s fashion choices!

          Blah, Blah, Blah!! While i have always liked this coat, this current incarnation with the beige hat, beige-ish earrings, beige shoes and beige clutch is just way, way too blah! What happened to the lovely green amethyst earrings she wore in India, they could have provided a subtle pop of color here, if the Duchess was afraid of color today. Or even a different color clutch, maybe a rose gold color to work with the gold in the coat, gawd just any color would have been okay at this point.

          At what is going on with that hat?? I guess she felt the need to plop a cinnamon roll on her head because we all know a cinnamon roll is never going to find it’s way into her stomach. I think the hat she wore to Zara’s wedding would have looked lovely now as it did then.

          Now that I’m back I really can’t wait for KMR’s take on today’s Ascot outfit, I bet she’ll have lots to say about this Little House on the Prairie look!!!

          1. Oh goodness, sorry Kristen! This was supposed to be a new comment, I don’t know how it got attached to your excellent observation.

          2. Hope you had a good trip Lauri?

       4. Great idea – would love to see them all lined up together

22. Haven’t read all of the replies so sorry if I duplicate. I don’t like the coat. Period. And it looks worse on her now because it is like a sack. The hat is amusing in the way it’s been reminding people about cinnamon buns, but otherwise much too much beige. If she stood still at Anmer she’d blend right in.

    1. “If she stood still at Anmer she’d blend right in.”

       Haha, because her decorating is all done in beige.

23. I am 53, and I know if I had looked as aged and underweight as Kate at 34, my husband, or another caring family would have seen to it that I’d gotten a medical evaluation. I feel Kate needs a good doctor to look at her. She is beyond fashionably thin; she is bordering on emaciated. The woman needs help, and I just wonder why no one has intervened. Now I tell all of you this because I am a recovering anorexic. I starved myself on a very low calorie diet for six years when I was younger than Kate. I also suffer – still – from Body Dysmorphic Syndrome. I have to check my relationship with food and my body all the time. I am a Size 6 and when I look in the mirror I see someone who is at least 100 pounds heavier. I know that when I was actively anorexic, it was hell, and in that respect, I feel very bad for Kate, because I am firmly convinced that her health is in danger. I know some on this blog maintain that Kate is perfectly healthy, and that she just wants to look “designer posh.” But I disagree. It may have started that way, but it has gotten out-of-hand. Where are the loving people in her life? Or, perhaps her loved ones have stepped in, maybe she is getting treatment, but it isn’t working for her. That’s all I have to say today about Mr. Middleton’s spouse.

    1. Lisa, thank you for sharing, I wish you all the best….. and I do agree that Kate needs help asap. Do her loved ones like this thin cardboard princess? A frightening thought!

    2. Thanks Lisa, I have made it clear over the last few days that I entirely agree with you. When you see her next to other very slim royals you really see that she has crossed a line into something more than designer posh.
       She chose this life but seems to have had no comprehension of what it was really going to be like. At this point I can only hope she gets some help. CP Vic did, and look at her now.

24. I am ok with the brocade coat and the ensemble. Nothing to ooh and ah about but not sighing either.

    However the last 2 pix of the cream lace dress in worn in 2007 paired with black peep toes and black purse..sigh…every time I see the Duchess wearing light coloured dresses with black shoes ..sheesh… notably the coral gown with black pumps…ughh…

    I am weird I know..

25. I guess Kate can’t get any thinner so she’s trying to make the rest of us fatter, because it sounds like everyone including myself is stampeding to Cinnabon after the debut of this hat.

    I’m so furious about that Irish Guards brooch I could just spit. Cannot wait to hear what Wild Rose has to say about this!!!!!!!

26. I loved the placement of the hat and the updo. It made my desire for symmetry very happy! She looked better in the dress in 2007. The dress isn’t horrible imho, but all the coat dresses throw me off. Is that a coat? A dress? A coat and a dress? I’m glad it wasn’t a coat as well as a dress, or in the one photo with the wind blowing up the edge, we would’ve had another flashing.
    It’s sad that she wore the shamrock pin after refusing to go to the Irish Guard event. Has she no shame?

27. The duchess has a lace obsession. Every time she wears it I see Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham. The beigeness continues. Blech. The hat: cinnamon bun or cupcake with swirly icing. The side ‘bun’ hair only emphasizes the food metaphor. LOL silly hat. I don’t how anyone could keep a straight face when talking with her. That coat photographs badly. The fabric is much more elaborate than it appears in the photos. She could have worn yellow with it: hat, shoes, purse, gloves (ha!). She doesn’t like modern jewelry styles does she? A single strand of pearls would have look nice or a flat braid gold necklace with a pendant.

    I think the increase in engagements is due to HM’s 90th birthday celebrations. Just like the jubilee a few years ago. Wimbledon starts soon. Then they will disappear for a while. Don’t think they’re going to the Olympics despite their love of sport. London was convenient, Rio is not.

Comments are closed.