Prince William and Kate Middleton made their very first appearance with the Queen and other members of the British Royal Family for Easter service at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle yesterday, April 16. I’m also including the Spanish royals attending Easter Mass.
For her very first Easter with the Queen, Kate went head-to-toe cream, opting for the bespoke cream Catherine Walker coat she wore when leaving Canada in October 2016, a cream pillbox hat, Rupert Sanderson Malory pumps in nude, a cream clutch from Polish brand Etui Bags, and the Queen’s Diamond Stud and Pearl Drop Earrings.
I thought this coat was boring in Canada, but it’s even more boring without the brooch. Too bad Kate didn’t opt for more colorful accessories – since the coat is so boring it could really stand up to colorful, eclectic accessories.
Kate curtsied and William bowed his head when HM arrived at the church, meaning it was the first time either had seen HM that day. Neither Beatrice nor Eugenie are curtsying here.
The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, wore turquoise and the Queen Mother’s Shell Brooch.
Autumn Phillips wore a pretty blue coat and black accessories, while Princess Eugenie wore an ill-fitting trench with a pink flower on her hat, and Princess Beatrice wore shades of purple. Prince Andrew and Peter Phillips were there also, but I’m not including photos of them.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex wore a pink coat which is too baggy for my taste, and Lady Louise Windsor wore a navy skirt suit. Prince Edward and James, Viscount Severn were there as well.
Over in Spain, the Spanish royals came out for Easter Mass at the Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca. King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor, Princess Sofia, and Queen Sofia all came out and posed for photos. I love that Leti is wearing pants.
[Casa de S.M. el Rey]
[Casa de S.M. el Rey]
Here are a few more photos of the British royals, including Princess Anne and a photo of Kate’s updo with a hairnet.
A number of people on the sugar sites are saying how much Kate looks like a WW2 nurse, I agree, all she needs is a red cross on the front of her hat and boom, nurse looking outfit.
At least that uniform has a pop of color. (Sorry for being catty)
Yes, I read that over on another site. This coat really could use colorful accessories.
Well how could we forget Kate loves monochrome and she fails quite decisively .
Awful boring lazy waity. Seem they were ordered to church by CH/BP, with dutiful hardworking Prince Harry wouldn’t be there, and POW was in Scotland. POW Line would have been without a presence. Could have been deliberate to get the two useless entitled Lambridge with the HM RF.
Princess Yorks, Prince Ed Wessexs family, PRoyal-Philips all look regal. Waity look frumpy (the glowing Di wore a white suit/dress outfit that is showing on the BBC piece about Prince Harry). Chutney made no effort for love!y dress instead, this cold formal nurse look, showing no warmth for the RF and the occasion.
HM is lovely with that gorgeous hat! Looking at her beautiful hat and a bit of her dress brings joy.
Lmao prince Harry was with his American girlfriend in Canada. So far goes the dutiful hardworking part.
Yes! Thank you!!! I couldn’t figure out what her hat reminded me of, and you just figured it out for me! WW2 nurse. That’s hilarious!
Agree Carter. I’m still laughing!!!!!
The DM headline said she looked “radiant”. Matte beige is not ‘radiant’ anywhere in space or time. The article then went in to extol about her ‘elegant’ curtesy to the Queen. Who writes this drivel and why do I read it?
lol JET!!
No, matte beige is not radiant. And, oh yes, I love the reference to the World War Nurse’s hat. What is wrong with Kate?
If her attempt was to blend in with the backdrop, she succeeded. She looked terrible, imo. When I think of the pill box hat, I think of the unadorned ones that Jackie Kennedy wore with style. She was young when she was First Lady — younger than Kate is now. She looked elegant, but not matronly.
The Queen looked beautiful in blue. And, the York sisters, once again, did not choose wisely in the wardrobe department . They can look utterly smashing one time and terrible the next.
Kate was so bland. So pale and boring Oh, for a splash of pretty spring color in a scarf! Or, a heavenly brooch. The word uninspiring often comes to my mind when I see what she has chosen to wear.
Here hair come on? Wonder why they showed up? Interesting?
I think it’s a PR move after missing the Commonwealth service. A chance to be seen with HM and rest of family. Clearly not interested in spending time *with* HM if the church was the first time they saw her that day. I wonder if they flew in.
+100
They show no warmth/connection, to the rest of the royal family – as if they are not a part of it. Chutney seem smug, vocal with whiny only, behind the York Princesses but no effort to interact.
Useless entitled whiny middelton there for Duchy taxpayers millions for four plus middeltons and added partners. I am a whinyPrince middelton decoy, only hanging on for POW Duchy!
Do you think they’re using it as a chance to gloss over last year’s Easter debacle as well?
I think they are using it to gloss over the commonwealth service and other fall out from being seen to blatantly set up a rival middleton court that pap strolls at the same time as HM.
I believe it. But I don’t understand why they need to do it, since they’ve been cocking a snook at the BRF over and over again. I also wonder if it’s conscious. Sure sounds like a lot of gameplaying.
I think they game the situation until someone snaps, then they fall into line, for a while at least, then revert to form. Rinse and repeat.
I thought it was very telling that Will and Kate didn’t see HM until at the church, hence the curtsy/bow. It seems like they just popped in for appearance sake, aka to help their PR, but not to spend time with the actual family.
Kate would been crucified if she wore pants like Letizia did. Am not a fan of Queen Letizia outfit choice for Easter… I am usually all about her style but this I think was a poor choice. I think Will and Kate being there is an attempt to make up for Christmas and Commonwealth service. Ps.. Lady Louise is so tall…
I think Letizia’s outfit is boring, but I like it when royal women wear pants. I probably would have said Kate was underdressed if she wore the same outfit as Leti to the same event, but that’s because the Brits wears hats and the Spaniards don’t. This is normal for the Spanish royals, whereas the British royals get more dressed up for Easter usually. But I wouldn’t have had a problem with the pants, specifically, because I really don’t have a problem with skinny jeans in general, and especially since Leti is wearing a long-ish coat. Like, if Kate wore Leti’s outfit to an engagement, I’d find it boring since it’s grey but I’d be fine with it.
Yes, Louise is so tall now. She’s almost as tall as Sophie.
I have a silly question… what if you are not a hat person… would it be frowned upon for someone BRF not to wear a hat?
I don’t know, but I think the etiquette sticklers would probably frown upon it and crap all over a BRF lady who didn’t wear a hat – especially if that lady was a married in from not the aristocracy; they’d use her dislike of wearing hats against her. I hate wearing hats so I could not be a British society person. But I did notice that Samantha Cameron didn’t wear a hat to W&Ks wedding, so maybe there is some leeway.
Wearing a hat to church is, I think, a very British thing? Obviously we in the US don’t do this! It seems very cultural over there for events like Christmas, Easter, weddings.
I remember watching W&K’s wedding and wondering why everyone was wearing a hat. It was so foreign to me. The only hats I saw growing up her baseball hats and cowboy hats.
Samantha Cameron did get flack for not wearing a hat to the wedding. She was wearing a headband though.
Sam Cam wore a jewelled hair ornamental to the wedding. It caused comment at the time, because it was a royal wedding, but she was also behind trend because hair jewels were last worn in the period between 2000-2007.
Hats fell out of fashion except for Ascot and mother of the bride at a wedding during the 90s. Even the royals, barring the QM, Queen and Anne stopped wearing themHats as Sculpture were only worn by fashion eccentrics like Isabella Blow.
At best, people wore hair adornments as the compromise. These hair adornments became known as fascinators, but they weren’t like the versions you see now. Sam Cam’s hair adornment is in style of the original hair adornments.
You can see that even Camilla wore hair adornments in the early 00s, including at her wedding.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/90/e4/c6/90e4c69f4652d64aa22df59b4e8c535d.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lMlhS0PTmOI/TW5uWTj9GeI/AAAAAAAAABI/_QSJ_3OCmkU/s1600/camilla%2BPhillip%2BTreacy%2Bhat.jpg
http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/pc/David+Cameron+Samantha+Cameron+Guests+Leave+KKnce5pYJull.jpg
It’s only after Isabella Blow died in 2007 that hair adornments/fascinators and hat sculpture merged and took off with the public.
So many fashion magazines highlighting the beauty of hat sculpture married with hair adornments and the modern fascinator was born. Lots of the younger generation took up the trend because a fascinator is/was so much easier to wear and carry in your bag than a proper hat. A hat feels very formal, but a fascinator is whimsy and it fulfills the need for a hat in situations that require a hat, without spending money of time on a proper hat. Fascinators took over proper hats.
The rest of the world got to see the fascinator trend at the royal wedding, and since the spotlight on the royals then, continue to see it.
Amazingly, i think as a direct result of people making fun of Bea’s fascinator, hat sculpture has toned down alot. Fascinators during 2007-2012 were really amazing. Isabella Blow’s influence was very strong. As the world reacted so strongly to B’s hat, future hat makers who are using hat sculpture toned down their designs. It’s almost impossible to find a whimsical fascinator anymore. They are all boring, Kate styles now.
Even B has stopped wearing them which is a shame.
@ellie, people in the US do wear hats to church, but it’s probably not as common in the mainline Protestant churches or in the Roman Catholic church. Go to any predominantly black church and you’ll see plenty of women wearing hats.
Hats are very in vogue for Church h services. Some religions/ traditional, do cover the head when praying/Church. Maybe from British rule but is common today globally.
KMR, I had to laugh about your comments with the baseball- and cowboy-hats, it sounds so cliché x)
You surely wear some hats or chic costumes to wedding or church in America?
The only hats I’ve ever worn are baseball hats, cowboy hats, and paper cone birthday party hats.
Yesterday at my church there were two ladies wearing hats. And Easter used to be the big day for hats.
Everyone wore hats–m, boys–men and boys fedoras, women and girls hates decorated with flowers or ribbons for Easter and Christmas Mass when I was very young. I miss it because it was elegant and fun, but I wouldn’t wear one today.
In the African AMerican Churches in the U.S., the women usually wear amazing hats and look smashing!
Kate was so dull. So very dull! Where was any hint of color and oh, why not a brooch? Or a scarf? Something! She just looked horrible. Even her shoes. The Queen was lovely in a very pretty color and Sophie looked great, too. Eugenie and Bea seemed to be on the beige binge too. Just so un-Easter-like Oh, well.
I agree with KMR. The only hats worn regularly by Americans are baseball hats and cowboy hats. And cowboy hats are dissapearing too. Mostly older men in rural areas. I see hats in the US as being mostly functional, like older ladies wearing hats while gardening, or wearing a wool cap in the winter. Decorative hats are mostly a thing of the past here.
Okay KMR I’m pretty sure that you must have worn a Burger King crown at some point?? Everyone has worn one and I still get them for my kids when their bdays come around. 🙂
How tall is Sophie? I always thought that Sophie was 5.9ft. Is that right?
More like 5’4″. She’s about an inch taller than Marie who is 5’3″. Trouble is, you have to find pictures of people standing up straight next to each other that include shoe shots – to see how much height is added by their heels.
Shot of Sophie and Charlene, but we cannot see their shoes to tell. If Charlene is rumored to be 5’10”, and Sophie is wearing high heels.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/08/article-2337887-1A3722A3000005DC-682_964x667.jpg
http://royalweddings.hellomagazine.com/imagenes//madeleine-of-sweden-chris-oneill/201306081381/sophie-wessex-prince-edward-arrive-wedding/0-8-236/WESSEX1–z.jpg
I can’t find a shot of Charlene’s shoes, but I doubt she’s wearing flats.
Just figured out Eugenie’s trench dress/coat is a repeat from Trooping the Colour 2014.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/cms/binary/9939972.jpg
Too late to add, another good shot of Charlene and Sophie at Madeleine’s wedding.
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Sophie+Countess+Wessex+Wedding+Princess+Madeleine+Xmy5FjM2JlDl.jpg
Link to Sophie’s shoes in previous post is broken. You can see the picture in this article
http://royalweddings.hellomagazine.com/madeleine-of-sweden-chris-oneill/201306081381/sophie-wessex-prince-edward-arrive-wedding/
I don’t expect jeggings from anybody at church on Easter, so Letizia’s ensemble got a huge thumbs down from me, but she’s usually on point. A nice dress pant would have been far better, not clingy pleather jeggings for Easter.
Kate is boring and appropriate, with her hair net. So matronly. Where’s a pop of color? I’d have done a fun pastel shoe and hat with that cream coat.
I want to make Kate bow her head when she curtsies, I don’t know why this bothers me so much since HM is pretty relaxed about curtsying and bowing from what I’ve read. I find it interesting it if’s the first time they saw HM that day considering they must have been staying at Windsor? Maybe they were at Middleton Manor in nearby Bucklebury?
Oh well, at least she’s making an bit of an effort and not doing her usual half hearted “housemaids bob?”
The whole concept of curtsying is silly, but it is the female version of the bowing that men do and it implies bowing your head along with bending the knee. This looks so awkward and is definitely poor form when Kate keeps her head up.
Sure it’s archaic nonsense, but if you worked ten years to marry into an anachronism the first thing that should be learned is how to properly curtesy and to properly walk, neither of which Kate knows how to do.
Her fashion sense remains bad. Without a new stylist she will never change.
When ladies curtesy they don’t bow their heads. They should drop low enough to make direct eye contact with HM. If anything Kate’s curtesy is not low enough in the leg. Sophie Wessex has the most appropriate curtsy to HM of anyone I’ve seen. Even in heels on sodden grass at Ascot she always managed to get low enough to get a direct eyeline with HM.
Hera, I think KM’s curtsey looks incredibly awkward. But then I googled Sophie’s curtsey and she looks almost as awkward. Sophia’s curtsey to the Swedish king and queen was beautiful just after her wedding vows to Carl Philip. Is a curtsey more conducive to a floor length dress?
I think of Diana’s curtsey to the Japanese royals. It was unexpected and breathtaking in its elegance and grace and had a balletic quality.
Are people just bad at curtseying these days?
Yes and Yes.
Diana and Camilla went to finishing school so they have beautiful, elegant curtsies.
Yet, it shouldn’t need a course at an expensive etiquette school to know these things anymore. Plenty of youtube tutorials of ye old newsreels showing how it should be done.
As someone points out elsewhere, if you are going to join an anachronism, do it properly.
Oh Diana’s curtesy to the Emperor. We have waxed lyrical on many occasions at the beauty of that graeceful, balletic move. Not difficult to watch and practise from really is it Kate?
https://youtu.be/agFWF5r1SBs
There appear to be different kinds, “everyday” vs old-school full court curtsey with head bowed knee to the floor (like Mette-Marit does to monarchs). At the C&D wedding, Diana bowed her head as part of her curtsey.
http://daysofmajesty.blogspot.com/2012/09/royal-curtsy.html
I don’t like giving clicks to him, but the only place I can find Sophie also bowing her head during a curtsey.
http://www.themortonreport.com/uploads/pics/sophie-wessex-curtsey.jpg
Check out You Tube of Diana being greeted by Emperor & Empress of Japan. I tried to load it but it’s waiting moderation…..her eyeline below their eyeline but direct eye contact made and not a dip of the head in sight. All done in high heels, short skirt and it one swift movement. Gorgeous. ????
@Indiana Joanna – I think curtsying looks awkward in most photographs, even in Diana’s case. It just looks like squatting to me. A deep curtsy with a bowed head – as seen from Princess Sofia at her wedding- looks much more graceful than the little bob that the Brits seem to favor.
Either way, it seems the less you see of the person’s legs, the better it looks. So maybe you’re right about floor length dresses.
@MRS BBC
Seems KM wants the allure of Diana without understanding how much work goes into being that polished. Plus I don’t think KM, Carole and Pips understand that they have no charisma. So apparent that KM puts no effort or practice into anything beyond spending other people’s money.
I have been trying to figure out why KM can’t courtesy properly and it appears that she uses her left leg instead of her right. She’s right handed and most who are right handed will use their right leg. I get the impression that she doesn’t want to courtesy and so she makes it look as painful as possible. If it’s archaic and KM thinks it’s outdated then she should make it well known that no one would she courtesy to her regardless of the situation. The same with William. They want everyone being subservient but do not feel that they should provide the same, particularly to the Queen which she appears so excited to become. 🙁
+1
@Lobbit, You have to watch Diana’s curtsey in motion. Like Mrs BBV said she performed it very quickly. It was gorgeous.
In the interest if equality between the sexes, why do women have to do this “leg-workout curtsy” while men can get away with a bowing of the head?
Her curtsey is bad as compared to other royal women.
KM’s curtsey really is awkward and unattractive.
Do we have confirmation that this is the “full” curtsey? This is a still frame photograph, perhaps she’s still in motion?
I don’t think she’s ever been properly taught.
“Pleather jeggings (imagining that she can afford real leather)? Ye gods. Not for church and especially not for an Easter service. Best left for clubbing. Oh, Leti.
I agree with you, if Kate had wirn skinny pants like Leti to church, she would get a huge amount of criticism.
IMO, Leti’s outfit was inappropriate for Easter Sunday mass.
Absolutely with you on this one. A rare fail for Letitzia I’m afraid. It was neither the time or the place.
I agree. Leti should not have worn trousers to Church on Easter. Just a a big mistake from a woman who is usually dressed so well.
(posted before I saw Herazeus’s post downthread).
Letizia usually wears pants at Easter, has for years. I’m not a fan of these current pants, but I don’t like any of her leather trousers. Her leather jackets, purses, and dresses yes, but not these trousers. Given they are leather, to me this outfit is dressier than some of what she’s worn through the years.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_twR_RR8SQQg/S7iApjJxzvI/AAAAAAAAAIA/PbU4bnikP78/s1600/espana-familia-real-familia-real-04%24599×0.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lK4pDWKFnyo/TbQ4lRpGg6I/AAAAAAAAGIM/9I60meoh_G0/s1600/letizia–a.jpg
http://www.theroyalforums.com/attachments/blogs/uploads/2012/04/Spanish+Royals+Attend+Easter+Mass+Palma+de+PFQ-Uq8s2Afl.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qv7hdJVgAWI/UVg7gQbm98I/AAAAAAAAsmE/pw_bhrU1UzE/s1600/Princess+Letizia+Spanish+Royals+Attend+Easter+yfhGJubppnQx.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_j6pHFgQbTY/U1y1_84_N-I/AAAAAAAAJlE/_ULBv7R8JVg/s1600/FAMILIA+REAL+Easter+Mass+2014.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/04/05/13/274D759300000578-3026354-image-m-22_1428237320786.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/03/27/16/3297806D00000578-3511456-image-m-36_1459092839932.jpg
Agree!
Jeggings are not church appropriate, just saying….
I actually like this coat (i liked it the first time too),but it’s crying for colorful accessories! That hat is a no for me.
I thought Beatrice looked nice! I like that dress on her! I’m not crazy about her hat, but over all her look was a win for me. Not a fan of Eugenie’s coat. It doesn’t do her any favors.
Oh my look at how grown up Lady Louise looks! And she is tall! She’s as tall as Sophie who is in heels! She must have had a growth spurt recently because I don’t remember her being that tall.
I’m the opposite re Bea’s outfit. I like the hat a lot, but am not a fan of the dress.
Bea is too *curvy for that dress.
A dress with that much detail needs to be longer and on someone with few curves. Her curves spotlight the detail in the worst way.
*curvy = someone with an hourglass figure.
Agree, there are other stlyes of dresses that are much better for people with curves like Beatrice.
I thought Bea’s dress belonged on a ten year old. And poor Eugenie, I don’t know how she could have found a less flattering outfit. Just when those girls seem to get their best silhouettes, they revert. They really need an assistant who has veto power.
Easter to me is about bright colors. Kate’s head to toe cream is snooze fest worthy. Disappointing and her makeup has been more off as of late. I so wish she would get a new hairstylist
I hate these retro hats the Royal ladies seem to be wearing lately. The pic you had of the Danes looked like it could’ve been taken in the 60s. Not a fan of Kate’s. Dislike the York girls hats too. I do love the queens and the other lady in blue, can’t remember her name.
Look how tall Louise is getting!
I do like bea’s purple accessories and love the queen’s getup! Nice and cheerful and brought the bling.
The Spanish royals look lovely but on the fence about Leti’s pants as an Easter outfit.
If Kate’s curtsying and York girls aren’t is that because maybe they already saw the queen earlier?
Kate wears blush like a six year old who first learns how to play with make up and looks like a clown. Her method of putting on blush has never been in style and is in desperate need of a change. Maybe mumsnet can start linking to makeup tutorials for Kate on their site.
Add to the over application of blush KM’s interminable Howdy Doody wooden smile-which is always out of place and out of sync with everyone else-and she looks ridiculous. Out of her depth. And as Jen says, inauthentic.
Had to laugh at what you said elsewhere – that Pips, Carole and Kate are are all charisma-free but don’t know it. Too busy sniffing out where the money and status is.
They really are clueless, aren’t they? Their cheesy smiles resemble the smiles of small children who are delighted to be the center of attention.
They depend on their bodies to get them what they want. That’s it.
**says in stage whisper** what bodies…..? 😉
** Whispers back ** Their ever-diminishing ones…
**whispers in reply and to quote The Little Mermaid’s Ursula** sad but true….. 😉
LOL Thanks, Kimothy and Jen.
Any time! 😀
I don’t understand what’s going on in the make up front. She’s always been heavy handed and I gave her the benefit of trying not to look washed out in pics but recently it has truly been laughable. Again, another thing fixable if she acknowledged she needed it and hired a makeup artist. They could then give her tutorials Every wedding I’ve ever been in, I had people do my makeup, nothing wrong with that. It would help her immensely.
Howdy doody indeed. Won’t get that out of my head for awhile! Thanks for that image
Well, that is different for everyone. For me personally, easter is about soft pastel colours so maybe it is that way too for Kate 🙂
And I simply love the 60s look eith pillbox hats, very Jacky Kennedy! Mary of denmark looked drop dead gorgeous in hers some time ago (I think during a state visit?)!
I also don’t like Letizia’s pants for Easter Sunday mass.
I like pillbox hats, too. It looked to me like Kate’s was too far back on her head. Plus I hate her nape buns.
I think the Spanish have always been very casual for Easter which means her pants are not out of place according to their tradition.
If anything, i think the coat’s length pulls a casual look into smart casual. I think the girls are formally dressed here compared to the past.
This is 2016
http://cdn-img.instyle.com/sites/default/files/styles/684xflex/public/images/2016/03/032816-spainsh-family-easter.jpg?itok=o3Rpvo8C
This is 2015
http://cdn-03.independent.ie/incoming/article31119525.ece/a5c28/AUTOCROP/w620/spanish%209.jpg
This is 2014
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/06/e1/8e/06e18e82c93e027835c6da383a62a09c.jpg
Etc etc and so forth.
The coat is what makes it more acceptable to me. If she wasn’t wearing it I’d be a definite no.
Would definitely love it for non Easter outfit tho
Me too.
When an almost 91 year old lady shows more fashion game than you, then you gotta wonder where you went wrong with your dressing for the day?
It was a sad day fashion wise. Kate’s coat is too plain- a nice brooch would have been nice. Can’t snark on her appearance too much as she looked better then most of the rest. I like the updo and that she secured it with a hairnet. Otherwise the neck of her coat and the wind might have slowly loosened it. Louise and Sophie looked fine but boring. Beatrice’s trench might have been ill-fitting but it is still much better than the strange lace ruffle dress Beatrice is wearing. It reminds me of the ugly McQueen skirt (dress?) Kate wore in Kanada.
I am on edge about Leatizia’s pants. No one would snark on it when we see it on our neighbour attending church. So in general it is a classy clean outfit. But then I think, she is a Queen and the Spanish Kings have been called the “catholic kings” in history and the Spanish royal house protocol was the strictest and an example for different courts in Europe at one time. A little bow to traditional expectations would have been nice. However we snark so much on Kate to fulfill those traditional and not emancipated gender roles that I love that Leatizia just wears what she thinks best. I would wear it and feel very elegant.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend and can enjoy their Monday off (if you have it).
I can’t support jeggings at church on principle, although she has dressed them up with the coat and the outfit itself looks good and not tacky.
I like the concept of women wearing pants on formal occasions, since we are in the 21st century. I was shocked at how often Hillary would be criticized for wearing pantsuits as if there is something less feminine in wearing them, so I am all for promoting pants as suitable formal attire for women. But let’s go for trousers and not jeggings please.
Letizia has plenty of gorgeous pant suits, so why she didn’t pair that with this outfit makes me wonder considering I think the pants are super inappropriate for the holiest of holy days in the Christian calendar though Spain isn’t a religious country and by all accounts she herself is not at all. Just a class/respect thing for me.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I seem to remember the little Spanish princesses wearing jeans to Easter service last year–or to some other important church service anyway.
The did wear cotton trousers last year, khaki and sky blue/gray. One wearing a tshirt, one in a cotton blouse.
http://cdn-img.instyle.com/sites/default/files/styles/684xflex/public/images/2016/03/032816-spainsh-family-easter.jpg
Agree about Leti: not a good outfit for church, especially for easter sunday, the most important holiday as a catholic queen.
Firstly, you can’t compare royal families. They all have different expectations and protocol. The Spanish prefer a smart casual look whilst the Brits go with formal look for this event, complete with hats.
Therefore you can’t say that criticising Letitzia is the same as criticising Kate because the two houses have different rules and different levels of tolerance. Apples and oranges.
That said, even if you bring up Letitzia’s skinny trousers, she’s wearing a long coat and entire look has been pulled together to smart casual. No danger of seeing the contours of her bottom, thighs etc. And i doubt she fidgets with the trousers to adjust wedgies, pull trousers up ets.
Hera as much as I agree about different Royal houses doing different things and even though they are at the more relaxed holiday Palace, the King is still in full suit and his Mother is dressed in full formal daywear. Just for once on this occasion I think QL has a fail from me. If they had been smart wool trousers then maybe but these, they are just too everything. Xxxx
I did notice the king looked to be the only man wearing a suit, or even a tie. Do you think being in Mallorca there is a more casual dress code?
I think that’s what behind QL’s choice but I still don’t think it was right.
To me, the leather makes it is a dressier outfit than some she has worn. Judging by the crowd through the years, this is considered a casual event by the rest of the congregation. Not a break out your best hat, we’re headed to the Easter parade kind of thing.
And yet Diana was given merry hell for daring to wear leather trousers to a rock concert. According to the press it was distinctly suburban and un Princess like. Oh I know it was 20 years ago and fashion moves on but the only leather or faux leather in a church should be the pew cushions. It’s a church not a fashion show. Even if it’s only the holiday palace I wouldn’t find HM turning up in leather to Crathie church anymore dignified. QL is my absolute Royal style guru but not today.
20 years ago and as Herazeus explicated upthread, different royal family with different dress codes. Letizia always wears pants to this Easter service, and given the casual dress of the other congregants plus these being leather? She’s more formally dressed than she has been some other years.
That doesn’t mean I like them, because I don’t like any of her leather trousers. I like her jackets, purses, and leather shift dresses, but I never seem to like her leather trousers.
I understand that a more casual look is used there on this occasion but I don’t understand why the King and his Mother still retain such a formal look. Even the girls look more formal that they have in recent years? As I say it’s a no from me anywhere except in private mode.
Sophia always looks formally dressed, often too formally dressed for my taste. Felipe always wears a suit to this, Letizia always wears casual separates that involve trousers. To me, these are more formal than the khaki ones or the khaki belted shirt/jacket she’s worn some other years.
What a very boring outfit Kate is wearing. I always think pastels or light Springs floral patterns for Easter. Head to toe, including the IMO ugly hat and hairnet, Kate looks like a lunchlady. This is tragic. She is young but dresses so dowdy. At the very least this plain white coat could have used a statemnet hat with large multi colored flowers or something. A brooch, color in the bag, anything really.
The queen, as usual, looked lovely. I like that she wears color so the crowds can see her and yhe hat is pretty. Angela Kelly does a great job dressing her.
I wish Angela would train an apprentice to work with Kate. She really needs some help but is too proud and stubborn (like William) to accept it.
Kate would like you to know that the exits are here, here and here. And in the event of the oxygen masks being deployed please affix your mask first before putting a mask on any children you may be traveling with.
Oh yes, I get a different vibe from nurse.
Yes I get 1960’s BOAC!!
Does anyone know where the Spanish King is? Queen Sofia still seems to get out and about having a minor role, but few sightings of the King, and Easter with the family seems a strange one to miss. The Spanish princesses look lovely.
The former king still does some engagements here and there, but he hasn’t shown up for Easter with the family since his abdication.
I don’t think anyone in the family likes JC. It was rumoured for years that they had separated as long ago as the 90s though they kept up appearances. Being caught on safari with long term mistress threw off the charade.
Felipe has always been close to Sofia plus she escaped the fallout of the various accusations that led to the abdication so being seen with her is not damaging to him unlike JC.
Much happier not to see him really. From what I remember he was a disgusting, philandering old goat who was as corrupt as they come. Didn’t he have real issues about his son marrying Letizia? I expect he would rather she had been kept as a Royal Mistress.
Mrs BBV: Yep. He also had issues the Felipe was marrying someone who wasn’t an aristocrat.
Letitzia has faced extremely vicious non-aristocrat prejudice. Felipe has been a rock on that front.
I think Cristina likes JC just fine. He covered up for her, has gotten rich royal buddies to hand her jobs out-of-the-country, and colluded with her in the anti-Letizia brigade for years. JC and Cristina, peas in a pod to me.
Kate needs to wear some bold pink, it’s a color she almost never wears. When I googled it, all I got was one coat she wore while pregnant. A pink dress or suit would look great on her.
She saved the bold pink for visiting the 9/11 Memorial in New York City.
(Face palm).
Autumn Phillips looks the best of that entire group except for the Queen. Her blue coat is stylish and appropriate and she looks her age if not younger and isn’t a fashion victim like the York girls. Her makeup also isn’t distracting. She is four years older than Kate, but in looking at her, you would think Kate is the older one. And considering Autumn grew up in Canada and didn’t grow up with the British Easter like Kate did, it says a lot that she has adapted to fit in, yet Kate still seems the odd one out.
Autumn Philips may be wearing a Sentaler coat, designed and made in Canada.Sophie Gregoire Trudeau wore a beautiful white Sentaler to her husband’s swearing in ceremony about 18 months ago, and they have become very popular. Their website says that Meghan Markle wears the brand as well. Catherine wore one of their wrap around sweaters on her last visit to Canada.
I agree–Autumn and the Queen were the best looking and best dressed of the whole lot!!
Kate looked elegant but bland.
However I much prefer her outfit over Beatrice and Eugenie. Nic919 summed them up beautifully – fashion victims.
For me, Princess Anne is the most stylish on this occasion.
Yes, Beatice and Eugenie’s outfits were hideous!
You are right about Anne!
Agreed. I do like Kate’s outfit, but it is boring and so similar to other looks she wears. But miles ahead of B&E.
I’d rather B&E than some bland reproduction. The Yorkies take risks, and I like Bea’s colour choices and shoes. They didn’t get it right but they did give it a shot unlike Ms Pablum.
I agree, Maven. Beatrice and Eugenie at least have a go. They need a little help to choose things that flatter their silhouettes better but they at least have some life to them! Kate’s outfit = a thin streak of vanilla. Meh.
Queen looks lovely as usual .I liked shoes that Beatrice is wearing .Lady Louise looked smart in her outfit.But Princess Anne outshone everyone for me .Her choices are always bold yet poised and they exude her indiviusuality .
Huge thumbs down for Letizia .Such skin tight jeggings and those pointed heels are complete no-no for Church.
Agree about Leti: not a good outfit for church, especially for easter sunday, the most important holiday.
Okay can we please just talk about Kate’s hair, lol. What is up with the rectangular up-do? It looks like her hair dresser was trying to mirror the bow of the hat with her hair. There are far more youthful up-dos, though a pillow box hat doesn’t help. A rectangle bun looks so odd
The hairstyle is aging and strange.
I’d get rid of the extensions, work with what’s real and create some styles appropriate to Kate’s age. Trouble is, she used uber voluminous long hair as her trademark so it will be hard to backtrack from that. She’s caught up in her own lack of authenticity.
Agreed. She has stylized herself into a corner.
I feel like all I have to do these days is tick off boxes. The hat is too large. It is the wrong colour. The shape is unflattering. The hair makes her look matronly and dull. She’s wearing nude shoes-ugh. With all her resources, how can one person go so wrong? Out of all those attending she is the least interesting and the dullest. White on white on white- even the earrings are white. All so cheerless.
I love, love the colour of Sophie’s coat and the colour combo on Bea.
ETA: She also look like she has no neck thanks to being overwhelmed by big hat and big hair and buttoned up collar.
I feel like she is so desperate not to take risks because she doesn’t want to have a big “Fashion Don’t” but the failure to take risks is leading to 1000 little Fashion Don’ts.
I’m guessing that she’s trying to project a particular perfect public royal image and believes she is succeeding.
Well, if the press continually gushes, rewarding her with ‘style icon’ status, Kate probably does think she’s pretty hot stuff. My comment elsewhere was that she is inauthentic; everything is a projection of what she thinks she should be. Window dressing but nothing beyond the facade, except vapidity.
Agreed! The square pillbox (the material looks like casket liner imo) and matching geometric chignon? croissant? Let’s not see this combination again. Ever.
LOL!
I just can’t with her hair anymore. I don’t know why she keeps the stylist. They clearly can’t do nice modern up dos. It’s either matronly up dos or back to her 20s look hair wise gah!!!!
How well-behaving girls Leonor and Sofia are, I’m always happy to see them.
It’s sad that Juan-Carlos didn’t attend church, maybe he did not feel well?
I did not like Kate’s hat but I can understand that these kind of hats often look unusual.
I’m happy they did attend Easter church, I love these services myself!
Juan Carlos never attends church on Easter with the family – at least not since I’ve been covering Leti, so since 2015.
I think it might be because of his hip operation he had some years ago? My grandmother has a very bad hip and if she sits still for some time on hard chairs or like the wooden benches in churches, she can’t get up afterwards. That is why she can’t go to church anymore and always watches mass on TV.
And as far as I know Sofia and JC have been separated unofficially for decades. He’s off partying and doing stuff. Spending money…
That would be really an unhappy marriage.
It was an arranged marriage. Juan carlos had many affairs. It is widely known that there was /is not much love between them.
He supposedly tried it on with Diana as well! I don’t know how true that is.
I think the rumour was that he tried it on with Diana, but she didn’t reciprocate or let him get anywhere.
Juan Carlos, Constantine and Carl Gustav are all birds of a feather…
Well, I may be in the minority here, but I adore this whole look. In my opinion, the coat is not boring but very pretty, and I love pillbox hats! Going head to toe in pastel cream was very fitting for Easterand i think her wholrle outfit looked very classic, chic and Jacky O-like 🙂 I probably wouldn’t have liked it with colourful accessoires tbh… But I am a sucker for pillbix hats and every look that is a bit vintage-like so for me, Kate looks her best in quite some time here!
Lol James, Viscount Severn had his tongue sticking out. ?
It is great that William and Kate went to church with the Queen on Easter Sunday. It’s a shame Harry was not there, but in Canada visiting Meghan Markle instead.
+1
Charles isn’t there either. I’m glad that Harry is doing some of the travelling in this long distance relationship. This is not a required event like Christmas is, Will and Kate just seem to have turned up for the cameras. And is that a smirk on his face when he is bowing, or is he having a private joke with Kate? It doesn’t seem to be a smile for HM.
Charles tends to spend Easter in Scotland ans is always seen at the Church in Balmoral as he was on this occassion.
I know exactly where he is, my point was that there is no expectation that everyone should be with the Queen for Easter. The same cannot be said for Christmas when there is an expectation. For all we know Harry did go to church quietly in Toronto if that is something important to him.
I agree, no shame in him not being there and no expectation of it. Easter is not the one day HM requests of the family, Christmas is.
Smirk related to kids not being there, thereby making the 1) soon-to-be released 2nd birthday pictures and 2) press corral at Pippa’s wedding more important?
+100
Prince Harry is always regal dignified and ddutiful – I see Prince (KHarry seeking approval (and supported) for his absence/trip,from HM/his father. Whiny Willnot Cannot were prodded out of hiding to fill in for the Wales.
I like Kate’s coat and hat, but adding cream bag and shoes put it in 1950s nurse cosplay. Too much. Also elegant, yet wierdly aging.
If entire event had been a 1950s cosplay, like Charlotte’s christening, it would have been too much. The other ladies around her manage to make Kate look less like she’s in costume, but that’s a small positive.
She needs a style intervention. Unless you are an era fetishist, you don’t wear the look head to toe. Pick era elements AND pair them with modern elements to make it stylish.
She also needs to stop allowing her mother to pick out her clothing or even being a style inspiration at her current age because that’s the only reason Kate is always dressed in an aging way.
Carole would rock this look, but Carole is also 60? A good look for a woman that age, and aging on a 30something woman.
Kate’s hat is similar to the one Diana wore here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4417004/Prince-Harry-admits-counselling-Diana-s-death.html
I agree that Carole is most likely influencing Kate’s fashion choices; such an insular family, so reluctant to learn. Kate’s ‘style’ is a mashup of mimicking Diana, theme of the moment and whatever mummy thinks. Her hair styles are similarly dated. All give the impression of someone with no thoughts of her own.
Kate isn’t the first person to wear a pillbox hat. I’ll even give her the benefit of the doubt and say it is a common style, but for some reason, it looks aging on her.
The fact that Diana wore it is a good reason to think there is some copying going on since that happens often, but it doesn’t suit her.
The word I’d use is inauthentic. Kate rarely looks as if she inhabits her choices. That could be a reflection of a disengagement in fashion generally, lack of interest in the event she’s attending, or just insular thinking. It is curious since she prioritises her body for show, choosing tightly fitted clothing wherever possible. Plus she spends like there’s no tomorrow, indicating an interest in indiscriminate accumulation rather than putting together a workable wardrobe.
Perfect word. And perfect overall description.
I think she enjoys shopping without a corresponding interest in fashion or style.
The clothese are costume, but she’s misses the acting portion of costume which makes entire exercise hollow.
Seconding Herazeus on the praise of “inauthentic”. That is how most of her clothing choices strike me. Rarely does she wear anything that is 1) appropriate and 2) doesn’t make her look like a mannequin dressed for a role she has no intention of playing.
Back to earlier years, this remains one of her best looks ever. She was almost dressed properly (shoes still wrong, teased bun filled with extensions, expensive custom earrings), but she managed to look both professional and like an engaged human.
http://www.awomensclub.com/kate-middleton-roksanda-ilincic-peridot-dress-and-kiki-mcdonough-earrings.php/kate-middleton-roksanda-ilincic-spring-2011-peridot-dress-2-2
The second time she wore it, she ruined the professionalism by going back to flyaway, out of control hair everywhere.
I have a feeling Carole is a dominant controlling mother and Kate wasn’t allowed to have her own thoughts. There are ambitious mothers who take having control over your children way too far. Far beyond eating with your mouth closed and turning in your homework on time. They want to choose who you are inside and outside of your physical body and you don’t get a choice on who you are as an adult. I see Carole’s fingerprints all over Kate.
Or maybe Kate just isn’t particularly stylish? Sure, she likes clothes and she likes shopping, but she lacks style and always has. A lot of women are like that, and their mothers have nothing to do with it. Even when she was younger, she was always on trend but never particularly savvy imo.
Agreed, Kate is not stylish but believes that she is. She projects an image which in her mind is the epitome of royal gravitas.
Carole is 62.
So Carole was in her twenties when she had Kate and Pippa?
Yes. Nearly 27 when she had Kate and 28 when Pippa was born. 🙂
Carole looks older in the photo with Kate. Thank you Kimothy. 🙂
Isn’t her “stylist” the one marrying Chris Jackson? maybe she is off planning her wedding so left Kate to her own device here.
As with most Kate outfits, there are nice elements but the overall effect is lacking.
Lovely coat but a beautiful sparkly brooch to it-even better.
Hat-I’m a no because I’m not into the pillbox revival
Shoes nice but again already head to toe cream/beige so a spot of color would have been perfect
Can’t complain about the earrings but again the pearls blend into all that cream. Why not pink sapphires? I get pearls are a very British thing, my Brit friend wears them with her leisure wear but if everything else is cream That would be a quick splash of color.
Officially, Natasha, engaged to Chris Jackson, is her stylist, BUT Kate’s choices show that she’s taking pointers from Carole rather than Natasha. Carole does that too young/too old thing/ flashing body parts with her own clothing.
Natasha might call in the clotheses and or organise tailoring or do tgat herself, but the fashion style is all Carole.
This really heightens a suspicion I have over Kate’s relationship with her Mother. Kate is a full-grown adult woman, in her 30s, with two children of her own. And yet… she still seems to me to hang on her Mother’s apron strings, reminiscent of the new Planet Earth feature where the Snow Leopard cub is grown but still *entirely dependent* on its Mother for survival.
I guess what I’m saying is that it appears to my eye that Kate seems to rely rather more heavily on Carole than is strictly acceptable for somebody her age.
We’ve been saying that since her marriage.
Kate has spent more time at her parents’s home than in her own marital home(s). And we are told Carole organises those, including dealing with staff etc.
Carole is also more than a doting grandmother. As a royal biographer put it, she more like a governess, in charge of the children. We know she showed the new nanny the ropes when she was first hired, rather than Kate who opted to go on holiday herself rather than do that job.
All in all, Kate can’t seem to make a move without being overseen by Carole. At this point, it’s more than being co-dependent.
I want Leti’s outfit. That’s how you dress simply. The pants and heels are simple. The coat adds an interesting vibe due to the cut, color and possible texture.
I want Beatrice’s shoes. I’d even wear them with Kate’s boring, bland and wan ensemble. It’s like boring and basic had a bland baby. I’m sorry, but spring should be about colors and vibrancy. And the wiglet and hair net? I’m sorry but this is just bad.
Take HM – beautiful with a whimsy hat. I loved Bea’s dress and fascinator. Autumn, Louise and Sophie all looked marvelous. Eugenie’s was a fail. It looked rumpled. It might have worked with a different material.
Thank you for the beautiful post, KMR!
I love the colour of Letizia’s shoes.
The Queen always has the nicest outfits:)
I love the way Leti dresses, in general. Almost business-casual. She always looks contemporary and appropriate.
I do love the high quality of the coat, but it needs a colorful scarf or broach.
Scarves! I wonder why she never wears them. She seems very accessory-averse.
And she used to be an accessories buyer, apparently.
Wow. A fashion buyer needs to have an eye for fashion, and she doesn’t seem to. I wonder if she was any good at the job…
She was never there. The job was created by Jigsaw’s owners the Robinson’s who are friends of the Middleton’s. It was created as HM had been questioninng what Kate actually did for a living because as far as she could see it was nothing. So a 4 day a week job Monday – Thursday as an accessories buyer was ‘created’ so Kate could look like she had a job and Jigsaw could sell about two belts, a scarf and pair of gloves. Kate was working for them when William dumped her and she went on immediate compassionate leave never to return. The job was created to make her look like she actually did something with her degree and time. After that she went to work at Party Pieces except sadly no one told Pippa what Kate did because when she was asked during a press interview she didn’t know what Kate did there except she was ‘terribly, terribly busy’.
I promise you every word of this is in the public domain.
From what her former “co-workers” have said, she spent what little time she spent there obsessing over when William would call her, and crying in the parking lot.
To add, it was 3 days a week, not 4. It soon went down to 2 days a week. Lasted 9 months.
Nota: 9months including a several months’ of the ‘heartbreak Leave’ that Mrs BBV is talking about upthread.
Her former workers also said that despite that cushy work schedule she was given, ‘she was never there, being on vacation with her boyfriend all the time’
All in all poor value as we can all see with her royal work.
That heartbreak leave was so OTT. She was barely working as it was, but she’d take paid leave and pretend she was going to come back to the job. SMH
Kate’s hat is hideous. Everything else was appropriate; she looked good. But yeah, WWII nurse is exactly the image she evokes. On Easter? Probably not the effect she wanted to have.
I was very surprised to see Letizia in spray-on pants for church on Easter. She looked edgy and fun to me, but the jeggings are probably not appropriate for this event. At least the crotchal area is covered by the coat, so it’s not so gynecologically explicit as Kate does sometimes.
I agree Ecelos, the fabric of the hat is horrible and is my biggest complaint about it, very mother-of-the-bride looking.
I hate this fabric. It looks like felt. Beige felt. There is nothing inappropriate about this outfit, but it is duller than dishwater.
I thought it looked like satin to me, you know like those horrid satin shoes one wears to weddings?
Kate’s look as usual is boring; the dreaded fussy Peter pan collar, no accessories and lack of a good fitting brassiere.
A repeat of that beautiful blue coat and hat she wore to church in New Zealand several years ago would have been perfect!
Thank you KMR. I like seeing the Spanish royals, particularly at Easter. Which princess is which? Sofia and Leonor look smart and pretty. I like how they took they coats off inside the church. I actually like Letizia does look casually smart and her posture makes up for it. I prefer Letizia expressing herself rather than Kate’s copying of Diana. I admit Kate looks perfectly turned out. However not very colourful.
I like Eugenie’s coat and Louise looks very smart with the blue and growing very tall. Beatrice has a lovely hat but the lace dress looks like it is for a garden party. But it is very intricate detail. I like Autumn. She knows how to dress and Anne looks elegant. Very neat and a lovely hat.
Infanta Sofia is in the red. Leonore, the Princess of Austurias, is in blue.
Thank you Rhiannon. Infanta Sofia and Leonore the Princess of Austurias do have slight differences but they are both growing up quickly. They do have some lovely clothes. Even if Louise is wearing recycled clothes from Sophie it is appropriate and that Louise is learning to dress for these occasions better than her York cousins. I think boring is safe as well.
Leonor, the future queen, has blue eyes. Sofia has brown eyes.
Thank you M from Germany. I can’t see on the computer screen though they are very pretty girls and each girl I am sure has her own qualities.
It looks like Louise is already 3 inches taller than Sophie, while Sofia has ended up taller than Leonor. I was expecting both of those, just not so soon. Time passing quickly!
Any ID on Louise’s outfit? It might be new, or it might be a recycled Sophie outfit. I think she wore one of Sophie’s old blazers last year to an event.
Louise looks like she’s wearing either Mui Mui or Dolce and Gabbana.
The buttons on her coat are typical style details for Mui Mui coat, but alot of her modern, recent clothing has been Dolce and Gabbana who occassionally use those details on coats.
Thanks! I didn’t mean it in a negative way, as if Sophie wasn’t willing to buy her new clothes. The blue just looked like something Sophie would wear.
I think LL is doing beautifully with her public appearances. She absolutely stole the show for me in The Mall last year when she did her first walkabout. Sophie is doing a great job in keeping her age appropriate. I know there have been some gripes that her clothes have been a bit fuddy duddy but I would rather see her emerge cautiously that be thrown to the media fashion wolves. She’s barely a teenager but she has real poise.
I agree. There are too many Sophie critics who attack Sophie for dressing Louise young. As if neither Edward nor Louise have any say in the matter. And as if what most tweens/teens wear is appropriate for public events as Queen’s granddaughter.
When left completely to her own devices, I think that’s why she ended up in the very short gray blue dress at one of the Christmas walkabouts. Yesterday’s outfit and her two new black coats (ice skating, Christmas) are appropriate steps into tween/teen without going off the rails into what many 13 year olds are wearing.
I can’t wait to see how LL develops…..I know she’s not going to be an official Royal with a full time working Royal calendar so I am intrigued as to what she does do? She apparently horse mad and very gifted so I wonder if she’ll go in the same direction as Zara. But I do think Sophie & Edward will steer her into some form of charitable role albeit small and unofficial. She has such a look of Queen Mary about her. Any predictions for her?
I think Lady Louise might become a midwife. Maybe even a vet or working with horses. However I would think that Louise would be sensible and go with her strengths. Or a teacher. Perhaps do some official duties. I think as I said before Louise dresses appropriately. She has too as she is in the public eye and tweensteenagers should have a dress code. It can be fashionable without being extreme.
Wherever Louise and James end up, I hope Edward and Sophie have prepared them properly. And put financial protections in place. Otherwise they’ll be attacked like the Yorks once they reach 18.
Louise and James have the fewest financial protections that I can see. Anne owns her property, Zara and Peter will inherit. Andrew and Sarah own the Swiss property, Eugenie and Beatrice will inherit. Edward and Sophie do not publicly own real estate, not that I’ve seen.
Edward and Sophie have a lease on the huge and expensive Bagshot through 2038. Andrew’s lease on Royal Lodge Windsor goes through 2079. I don’t know what the legal arrangements are, if their children can inherit the lease through the end of the original term or not.
Whether or not they can inherit leases, B&E end up owning a chalet in Switzerland (provided their parents don’t lose it). L&J get what?
I think part of why Princess Margaret’s children weren’t attacked so much is because of the inheritance taxes. The public saw them selling off jewelry. Whether they financially needed to do that or not, they weren’t seen glorying in having lots of money.
So bland. :/ I wish we had seen the kiddos.
No doubt saving for the big reveal at Pippa’s wedding. By which time it will have been over six months since they’ve been seen in public.
So sad they don’t expose them more, I wonder how much time they spend with the Windsors. I definitely applaud the Swedes for sharing pictures and moments with the children when they are at events.
It’s ridiculous IMO. George always looks overwhelmed and pensive in public because when he does appear there is an inordinate amount of attention on him. The SRF have got it exactly right with their parenting. IMO Kate & William are creating no end of problems for their children’s future. He should be out in the countryside, in the fresh air with his cousins, rolling around in the grass, playing with dogs and horses. Exactly what Mia & the Phillips girls get to do. And how free and unaffected those girls look. They all look like they have so much fun. Poor George looks like his childhood has a proverbial straight jacket around it. But hopefully his education will give him that freedom to be more light hearted…..I really do think the Cambridges have got it spot on re. school.
Do the kids ever appear here, because I didn’t see Autumn’s either? Such a shame, because little girl’s Easter dresses are adorable.
Autumn & Peter’s children were in the press wth Mia Tindall over the last couple of weekends as the eventing calendar is in full swing and the annual event at Gatcombe took place too. Zara was eventing in Norfolk this weekend. So no to Zara’s family but I’m assuming the Philips children were there but just a few years too young to be at the Easter service with their Great Granny and probably stayed at home until the adults got back.
And Peter and Autumn’s girls are so adorable. It seems that the oldest should be getting close to the age where the BRF starts to display the kids for walks to the church.
Yes…..about nine or ten would be the right age for a more formal church service over 30 minutes. Anything else and it would be either don’t go at all or they get pulled out before Communion if there is a Communion. Between nine / ten onwards you stay for Communion but just receive the Blessing in preparation for your own Confirmation which takes place in your early teens. Viscount James has only very recently started attending church with HM.
I love seeing Peter and Autumn’s girls. I like their names too. As well as Zara and Mike’s choice, Mia. Louise sees a lot of them as well. It is sad Charlotte and George hardly see their cousins. A little strange too. Harry, I have not seen interact hardly at all with George.
I got the nurse vibe too. Something Kate Beckinsale (I am trying not to name drop, honest), wore in Pearl Harbour.
You’re okay. It’s only name-dropping if you say, “something Kate B wore when I lunched with her in Hawaii.”
We see so little of the junior Cambridges that it’s easy to think they don’t see anyone else, either. But Michelle Obama mentioned that George complained that his Uncle Harry was uncharacteristically sedate, indicating that they do have an off-camera relationship. I think we’d all like to see some of that though.
Graymatters, Wish you’d comment more often. Your comments are gold.
I am calm around my nieces. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly. I would think my nieces would prefer me to be calm and for them to be comfortable around them. Same goes for anyone. Even a cat I had on my lap and has known myself for years.
I don’t mind a monochromatic look like Kate is wearing. It is a look that can be very elegant. It took me a bit to get the nurse vibe that people were seeing and I do get it now but that wasn’t what I saw. One of the first pictures I saw was a closer in and more front on version of the first picture above. All I could think was OMG its the Duchess of Windsor! Seriously, with that awful hairstyle, the hat and coat buttoned to the neck, she is Wallis Simpson all over.
Normally, I really like Leti’s style. When she gets it right, she is stunning but when she gets it wrong…. While I like the color of her outfit, I think those jeggings or whatever you call them are totally inappropriate for church. My personal opinion is while I like leather in gloves, shoes and handbags, other clothing examples are just a big no unless you are riding a motorcycle. I don’t even care for leather coats. The leather pieces that Leti wears all end up looking like vinyl to me. If she wants to wear them when she goes to dinner and a movie with her husband or girlfriends, that is her business. Wearing them to official engagements or church is not appropriate. To my eye, it makes her look cheap.
Maybe elderly Wallis Simpson. Wallis didn’t wear choking necklines like that until she was old. When she was Kate’s age she was always the best dressed woman in the room. So chic. Like Dumbledore, that woman had style.
Anyone who could wear Mainbocher well was the absolute epitome of style. What a shame no one from the family carried that house on.
I feel badly confused about Wallis Simpson because i enjoy her fashion, jewels. She had such an amazing laughing quality to her voice that makes her sound like she was a hoot.
Then i think about other aspects of her life and feel bad.
I find myself really sympathing with her because having read so much about them nearly everything is slanted to portray her in the worst possible light. Some of it deservedly but by no means all. An easy victim to a far bigger problem. Xx
She did have the best jewels!
I find with several people the one redeeming quality is their jewelry-art collection. =)
Has Imelda Marcos’s jewelry gone up for auction yet?!? Now that is some serious bling of course she didn’t go up getting them in the best way ? But I won’t blame the jewelry for that!
Now I’m going to have to google
In one book I read, it said Wallis was happy to the mistress of the King, and that she never wanted to be his wife. It was an argument with Queen Mary that forced Edward’s hand. It was an interesting POV. I don’t think we will ever understand that couple or their motivations.
Wallis would never had those fussy details of collar and pocket flaps; she regularily had designers remove such distractions.
I was thinking of a 60+ year old Wallis. The picture that I referred to only showed Kate from a couple of inches below her collarbone up so it was basically a head shot. I wasn’t seeing the whole outfit at that point. It was mainly the hair, hat and face that triggered my thoughts. Looking at Kate’s whole outfit, Wallis wouldn’t have been caught dead in it.
In other Easter-ish news, I really like Margrethe’s outfit from Sunday. Technically her birthday appearance, not an Easter event but happened on the same day. She’s worn outfits in this mint shade a few times, and I think it is quite flattering.
https://bt.bmcdn.dk/media/cache/resolve/image_1240/image/100/1002541/16967579-dronning-margrethe.jpg
I just wanted to send kudos to Kate for walking with her arms by her side, a much nicer and slightly more confident look.
I was going to mention that. I saw a clip of her walking and was surprised to see her arms by her side. Goes to show, the whole crotch clutching thing is an insecurity thing for her. I think a lot of times we’re so disappointed in her is because we know she can do better, but she chooses not to.
But look at the Spanish royal ladies, crotch-clutching, though…
This is true, lobbit.. While it does bug me, I am trying to forgive those who cc while having their pictures taken or if they are standing around. My complaint is that for the last 4 or so years, Kate walked, stood, sat, shook hands, darn near everything with her hands protecting her nether region so I feel like I need to compliment her when she doesn’t do that.
Longtime lurker waving hello! I actually like Kate’s coat, I think the cut is a smart one and flatters her well. However, it definitely needed an accessory or some other pop of color.
Kate’s pillbox gets a huge no from me, but I can’t stand pillbox hats on anyone! They make any wearer look matronly and outdated. Sophie’s wearing one as well, and I think it makes her look older than she is (although the oversized coat doesn’t help here either.)
On a positive note though Kate looks appropriately neat and put together. The Queen’s outfit is Easter cheerful and fabulous, and I would totally steal Autumn Philips’ coat while she wasn’t looking. 😉
Leti’s outfit was my favorite. I would totally wear that. I’ve been coveting a pair of navy Veronica Beard leather leggings for ages. I wear skinny jeans and leggings to church, but like Leti, my backend is always covered with a long coat/blazer/sweater/tunic.
The good: HM, Lady Louise (how tall is she now? 5’7″? Wow!), Beatrice’s shoes and hat, Autumn Kelly-Phillips (lovely shade of blue on her!), Leonor and Sofia, Anne’s hat (I swear, she’s the only female within the BRF who can pull off that hat and still look fierce
The bad: Eugenie’s trench coat (though I do like the neckline), Beatrice’s dress (she has a lovely figure but the dress doesn’t work with her body), Kate’s overall look (shoes+coat/dress+pillbox hat+hair style = mega snooze fest. I wanted to splatter color all over her with a paintball gun! 😉 ), Leti’s look. I’m just not a fan of the outfit this time.
We all know that W+K were there for appearances only; the curtsey and bow gave them away. I’m guessing to make up either for the Commonwealth Service mess-up or for missing Christmas.
Or both? Perhaps paying it forward for the next mess, ‘cos you know it will happen?
Neither Eugenie nor Beatrice’s outfits flatter them, though both are stylish outfits for a different silhouette. The girls need a refresher from Charlie Anderson. Nothing will bring me round to the fascinator; they are ludicrous head ornaments. I like Anne’s hat on her; she has such an f u attitude to dress that makes me smile.
+1 on the fascinators. They’re so silly imo. Why not just wear a hat?!
Fascinatiors are now so frowned upon they are on the banned list of the Royal Enclosure at Ascot unless they have a base of 10cm in which case they are not a fascinator. They are always attatched to the most awful, cheap and nasty bands…..I can’t stand them. Yuck, yuck, yuck.
My goodness, that is quite funny, actually. Thank you for this fun fact! They should just ban them outright!
I loathe fascinators, unless they are meant for whimsy. Easter church is not the place. Or anywhere else unless it’s a costume party or intelligently done (like Camilla’s wedding headdress). Hate ’em.
Do you think Anne has a f u attitude or is it that she’s her own woman, confident in her choices?
I do appreciate that the Yorkies take fashion risks. Much more interesting than pablum as well.
I would call Camilla’s wedding creation more a headpiece that a fascinator though……but probably because I detest fascinators. Headpieces are for weddings or evening do’s where tiaras are not alluded to as form of dress. Super dressy affairs. Sadly not seen very often in the UK anymore. But I’m sure they’ll have their day again.
I think Princess Anne just isn’t that interested in clothes and fashion beyond their functionality. She has a working wardrobe that dates back to the ’70’s and whatever she needs is sure to be in there. Even as Mother-of-the-Bride she wore repeats. I wouldn’t mind betting she doesn’t even choose her clothes beyond pointing at pictures and then having them fitted.
She’s just super secure in herself I think. Apparently she has glorious skin, not an ounce of fat on her and is physically very, very fit. In my critical opinion she could chop off a foot of her hair, style it and have a Philip Kingsley Moisturising Hair Treatment but she’s never been short of male admirers.
Anne has plenty of frilly moments, in expensive, feminine outfits. Her latest craze appears to be knee-length embroidered jackets. Since she is out of the news, her clothes aren’t as noticed. She invests in those pieces, and presumably they are worn a lot.
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Princess+Anne+Royal+Ascot+Day+3+Part+3+0uY6_reHfwXl.jpg
http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/ln/20150618/royal_ascot_day_3_180615_14/royal-ascot-2015_4787542.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/06/15/15/354FE4AE00000578-3642602-image-a-113_1466002179636.jpg
And there was this doozy from 2014
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1833047.1403029354!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_1200/royal-ascot-2014-princess-anne-queen-elizabeth-ii.jpg
Camilla’s feather headdress reminded me of the ones made for HM and the Queen Mum for Edward and Sophie’s wedding. Hats were banned, but it wasn’t a tiara event, so those two ended up with feather creations.
I did see a video clip on Twitter of the royals leaving (after having a post service drink with the ?). Beatrice came out first and Cambridges right behind. Bea stopped and waited for W&K to catch up and then her and Kate looked to be having a cozy chat. William not as engaged- must have been girl talk haha. But nice to see, maybe the distance within the family isn’t as great as we perceive.
Last year there was a fantastic photo of the whole family lined up inside the BP forecourt at HM birthday party. They were all joking around while Prince Andrew took photos. For one moment it was possible to glimpse them as a family all playing and laughing together in a very informal moment. It was gorgeous photo, I can’t find it but this was part of the same line up. Harder to see the faces and the informality but a nice moment of they looking at ease with each other.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/8c/96/48/8c9648e7d44cefb53bf92a58d82a7e34.jpg
And William’s looking at his shoes, lol!!
He can’t even get a bit of family fun right can he? Xxxx
Lol!! I don’t get that he enjoys being around his family much.
Oh, I’ll have to look for that. To be honest, I think nothing about this family is as dire as it seems!
I like that clip. I think the Cambridges get along With B and I chalk the rest up to tabloid gossip, but like B once said in a interview years ago the York gals don’t see much of their cousins anyways due to their events and life styles, etc. of course things might be a bit different now, they might see each other more often, etc. So I think when they do get to see W&K they can get along
Can we talk about Princess Leonor’s adorable shift dress? If there is a grown-up version of that dress, I would wear it at least once a week. It’s the perfect balance between youthful and mature.
I thought that for someone so thin, Kate’s face looked puffy-weird, not the kind of botox-filler look, just something off about her. Maybe she is expecting??? I also think that maybe the press is selecting pictures of her that are not downright bad, but just not the most flattering to her.
As for the York girls-Oy Vey! A total fashion miss (or mess).
Wow she has no fashion sense.
Kate’s outfit is super bland and a bit “costumey.” But she looks nice. I don’t love Beatrice and Eugenie’s looks, but I like that they always try to bring a little edge to their outfits. It shows personality imo.
I’m sorry, but I just cannot look at Kate’s outfit. It is beyond boring. Just so darn blah! Didn’t she realize she’d be photographed on stone streets, against whitish stone back drops? Such a major lack of drama. Easter is all about the religious meaning, but dressing in spring colors really pays some tribute to renewal. And, spring is a renewal. If she had to wear the white coat, why not a pretty colorful scarf, or hat? Why those shoes? Oh, I simply give up on her. Her fashion sense, I put down to major inexperience. She’s had every opportunity to shine, but refuses to learn any new fashion tricks.
HM was vibrant and lovely. The York sisters, not so much. The Duchess of Wessex, lovely. Lady Louise? Navy blue can work, but I thought she might look better in something else.
Leti, Leti, Leti, I’m not a fan of those trousers in Church on Easter Sunday. Any other Sunday, as a matter of fact. Her girls are darling. So pretty and apparently very sweet, too. On a side note, my eldest, aged 8, tried on three dresses before we headed for our Easter service. “I want to look just right,” she said. And, she did. Although, waiting for her was a test in parental patience for her dad and me. Her little sister, too!
Mary Elizabeth, KM so often look like she cosplaying. In this case she copied the photo of Diana in a cream suit and similar hat. I just don’t understand her mentality in putting no thought into anything while trying to be like Diana. She has no charisma, no energy, no anything except her hair and other superficial attributes.
Doesn’t Kate not understand that no-one sees her as Diana 2.0? That she doesn’t rate?
Jen, As you have said many times Ma Midd and her daughters live in a fantasy world all their own. In their collective mind the whole wold loves them and they never have to do anything to earn it. Just exist while showing a bit too much in public, which is why their PR turns at being fascinating always fall flat.
To be fair, for the first year or so after the wedding that was true. The backlash didn’t gain any momentum until George was born so it seemed really unfair (to die-hard Kate sugars) that a mother of an infant should be called “Dolittle”.
But in regards to the Midd grifter mentality, Pips found a publisher for the travesty “Celebrate” soon after she made a show of her bum at the wedding. Classic Midd move to not so innocently flaunt their prize asset and then cultivate it for cash.
The publisher was the one cashing in on Pippa’s fame. Why wouldn’t someone take half a million if a publisher is going to throw it at them?
Viking certainly hoped she was some sort of Martha Stewart, but found out she wasn’t the expert she claimed to be. Pips was paid $600,000 in advance but Viking had to slash the price of the book to $14 selling only 18,000 copies. It seems like she over promised because of her high self regard based on nothing as a master party planner. Yes, I get your point KMR, but to me it seemed she should have done a much better job if you are getting paid that much. Anyway, Viking dropped her for a follow-up book.
I think those are separate points. The fact that she got such a lucrative book deal right after the wedding is on the publisher. The fact that she didn’t put in the effort to make her book good is on her.
KMR, it was her choice to take a contract that was obviously only handed to her because of her sister. That is on her, trading on connections is like oxygen to these people.
Thanks for saying it better than I did, Nota. There are many other more deserving experts who have worked long hours to gain some right to claim expertise, unlike Pips. She saw an opportunity to parlay her bun fame and in her delusions thought herself a great writer who is full of unique takes on living graciously rather than the banal self interested shallow poser that she really is. AA misrepresentation of who she is.
Why wouldn’t you take the money? Because you knew you did not have the ability to deliver and would be forever stuck with unsold terrible book and endless jokes. I’m surprised that Viking didn’t use a ghost writer, fairly common with celebrity how-to books.
Fifi, Exactly. Truth in advertising her meager abilities. After the Celebrate fiasco, I bet the British Heart Foundation used a ghostwriter or very heavily edited any writing she did. In fact when she was publicising the cookbook, Pips didn’t seem to know much about the recipes except for the fact the dieticians used much less salt in the recipes.
I just read that Harry gave an interview in a british newspaper about his mental health issues and his grief after his mother’s death.Really interesting and moving.
“I did see a video clip on Twitter of the royals leaving (after having a post service drink with the ?). Beatrice came out first and Cambridges right behind. Bea stopped and waited for W&K to catch up and then her and Kate looked to be having a cozy chat. William not as engaged- must have been girl talk haha. But nice to see, maybe the distance within the family isn’t as great as we perceive.”
I agree with you Ray.
Having also watched a video of Kate and William arriving at the War Memorial Dedication in March I was struck by the warmth in the greeting they received from Edward and Sophie.
I am increasingly sceptical about what I read concerning royal familial relationships, and photos taken to supposedly support the text, especially in the Daily Mail.
Or Edward and Sophie know their time on the gray train is ending when Charles takes over. If they get on W&K’s good side, W&K might lobby for them to be kept on as stringers. They’re just over 50 – that’s easily 20 more years of being working royals if Charles allows it.
I have so many thoughts of the different subjects everyone posted that I didn’t want to be an annoying gnat to everyone so I will try and condense them.
I like all of KM’s individual pieces, but together extremely blah. The worst seems to be the white sheer tights which definitely appears nursish to me. What I do not understand is that on Easter Sunday she has her hair dresser do her hair for an Easter pap stroll. To me that screams wrong on so many levels when she could get rid of all the fake her and do it herself like everyone else.
I’m Roman Catholic and although the church use to be as prim & proper as the British they no longer are and I see so many where pants for Easter services. The Spanish seem to be even more relaxed and with the new pope standards are completely different.
I think Beatrice & Eugenie are like Zara & Anne. They are born royal and don’t feel the need to always be en pointe. They don’t have anything to prove because they have all the status in the world. I like that and I would think that if Kate had been different from the start she would have an easier time and maybe they would accept her more or is she worked they might accept her regardless.
I love the little Spanish princesses! They are beautiful little girls, but I’m a bit bias because they look so similar to mine when they were little like that. 🙂
Springsmom, I agree about Beatrice and Eugenie. We’ve seen them dress beautifully and I don’t find it awful if they aren’t high fashion for every appearance. Anyway they were attending church services so no need to haul out the haute couture.
SpringsMom, that goes along with stories we’ve heard about the Middletons. Always had to have the newest expensive clothes, the newest expensive tennis rackets. Trying to make the point of fitting in, when the old-school money wore old expensive clothes and didn’t throw money around on new things. Their clothes were the finest quality but 10 years old.
It also would explain the horrible fashion seen at the weddings of former princes and such that we see. Many of them dressed badly, but in designer clothing that was 20 years old.
“Blah Blah Bland Sheep/Have you any wool?/Yes sir, yes sir, 3 palaces full!/One for my master and one for my dame/And one for Katie Keen who lives down the lane.”