Kate visits 1851 Trust Land Rover BAR Roadshow

Kate visits 1851 Trust Land Rover BAR Roadshow

Kate Middleton visited 1851 Trust, of which she is Patron, today, June 16. She headed to the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre for the final Land Rover BAR Roadshow.

The 1851 Trust roadshows uses the inspiration of Sir Ben Ainslie’s British America’s Cup challenge to inspire both primary and secondary school students into STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math), with practical applications of the challenges the team has faced in their preparations to compete in the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda. The roadshows also offers students the chance to get on the water themselves. The sessions have each been carefully designed to enrich the school curriculum, using real-life examples from within the Land Rover BAR team to engage and inspire young people.

Upon arrival, Kate was given flowers by 11-year-old Samiyah Khanom, who told reporters: “I was so excited to meet her, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. She asked what kind of boat I’d been in and asked if I’d ever watched the Americas Cup. She talked about how fast they go.”

Kate joined students from four schools in East London taking part in an educational treasure hunt where they answered questions on science and technology, Land Rover BAR, and the America’s Cup. Kate also took part in an ocean plastics sea-bird activity, which highlights the damage caused by single use plastics and promotes sustainability.

The 2017 America’s Cup takes place from June 17 between Team USA and Team New Zealand. Team UK was eliminated (by Team New Zealand) in the 2017 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Playoffs Semi-finals on June 8. The Telegraph has a good write-up about Team UK’s loss.

Let’s talk fashion. Kate wore trousers! Cropped trousers. Kate wore a new pair of J. Crew “Sailor pant in two-way stretch wool” which sold for $138.00 before selling out – BTW, the product description literally says the trousers have “nautical buttons”, and we all know how much Kate loves a nautical theme.

Kate paired the new trousers with her white Zara blazer and J. Crew “Avery Heels in Tweed” she debuted in Canada in October 2016, and a white shirt. She finished her look with her Mirabelle “Lolita Gold Plated Loop Earrings”, her Cartier watch, and no clutch.

Aside from the shoes (which I dislike), I think Kate looks great and I would totally wear this outfit. Big sartorial win for Kate today.

J. Crew Sailor pant in two-way stretch wool Mirabelle Lolita Gold Plated Loop Earrings

The young royals’ schedules have been quite befuddling at times this year. First they had no mental health related events in the two months leading up to the big mental health marathon, then they crammed in a bunch of mental health related events in one week right before the big mental health marathon, and I know many people had issues with the scheduling of visits to UK attack victims, but the biggest one that befuddles me is the timing of Kate’s visit to 1851 Trust. Kate was supposed to be championing UK’s America’s Cup bid, and then she became Patron of their charity arm, 1851 Trust, but she didn’t visit 1851 Trust for almost a year prior to their competition this year, and by the time she finally did visit them Team UK already lost. I’d love to know the thought process behind KP’s scheduling this year, because some of their decisions seem odd to me.

Additionally, William, Kate, and Harry have made a donation to the Evening Standard’s Dispossessed Fund – according to the ES, the royal trio “were among the first to donate”. KP said:

    “The tragedy at Grenfell Tower has left a number of local people in need of urgent assistance. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are pleased the Evening Standard’s Dispossessed Fund has immediately swung into action. As residents of the local area, they are keen to offer their immediate support.”

Speaking of, William and HM visited rescue workers and residents near Grenfell Tower today, you can read more here.


103 thoughts on “Kate visits 1851 Trust Land Rover BAR Roadshow

  1. Her choice of clothing today was absolutely perfect for the occasion. It is nice to see a new style of trousers at an informal event!

  2. She looked really good, fresh, happy and engaged. Wish she could continue this and not only for sport events. Alternatively she could attend way more sport related events.

  3. I love the trousers! Fantastic look overall, although I’m also not a fan of the shoes. This is a great, appropriate look.

    KMR, as someone who’s fascinated with logistics, I also wonder at how the scheduling works.

  4. Today was a win! She looked engaged and appropriate. I’m glad she tried trousers. The shoes don’t match, but I’ll take it. I am glad that Kate is getting out there and enjoying her engagement. I so wish she keeps this up.

    Thanks for the fast post, KMR!

  5. Great outfit and I love, love these Tods shoes. Tried and failed to find a pair after Canada.

    HMTQ……God I love her and she makes me so proud. A man on the news who has lost family has just said ‘for a moment it was all smiles and we were so pleased to see her’. She got heckled a bit but even that was pretty endearing as people were shouting Queen, Queen at her.

    I have to say she looked pretty much how we all feel……just so shocked and sad. I can’t put the news on over the last two days without tears sliding out of my eyes. And of course the Manchester concert funerals have started this week.

    Once again hubby is working in London and has been staying in Kensington. He went for a walk last night and bumped into people searching for family and friends carrying posters of them. It really is the best of times and the worst of times. The humanitarian response is overwhelming but how in this day and age modern apartments with mass inhabitants didn’t have sprinklers & alarm systems is unforgivable especially when within central London no business would put it’s staff into an office without a sprinkler and alarm system.

    There’s always on story that finally breaks your heart…….a 23 year old Syrian asylum seeker coming to UK to escape God knows what and hopes for a better life only to die here in the most tragic circumstances imaginable.

    KMR I’ve digressed from Kate but I can’t tell you how glad you’re back as this community you’ve so beautifully created and given us really is a place where I feel I can share my sadness and my joy with lovely, like minded people. Don’t ever let anyone undermine and demean what you’ve achieved here. I know it was tough but your true and regular contributors only have goodness in their intentions towards you and what you’ve given us.

    Forgive my self indulgence during this very emotional time and much love to you all. Xx

    1. Dear Mrs BBV, my eyes are tearing up reading your comments 🙁 I am sending you a big cyber hug!

      I would like to add my voice to yours, thanking KMR for creating this wonderful community! At times like this it’s comforting to know that there is somewhere we all can come to for support, encouragement and a few cyber hugs 🙂

      1. Mrs. BBV, we all send love your way and prayers to those who suffer.

        It is just hear breaking to think of the loss of life and the search that goes on for people. The pain that so many are experiencing is something people everywhere feel badly about. I am a believer in the power of prayer, so I will pray for all. Others may not feel that is an answer, so I hope they find their own ways to express sadness and hope for help for all.

        Take care, Mrs. BBV. Your husband, too. Know that you are correct when you said that KMR has created a safe and good place for many good people.

    2. What happened was awful Mrs BBV, I keep on thinking of those who perished inside , terrible may they RIP , I feel with all of you , but seeing the queen today was great , the way she interacted with people , a great lady indeed , although the people’s anger is understandable , blessings to all of you .

  6. I’m not a fan of the outfit. It’s the right idea, poor execution? Pants are too short. It just doesn’t seem to match with the shoes either. But pants! Yay, pants that are not super-tight-jeggings!

    It’s nice she’s engaged, happy, and all that, but we expect that at fun events.

    1. The trousers are cropped, so they are supposed to be short. I agree about the shoes as I dislike them.

      1. When I saw photos that cut off the shoes I thought , could it be? She’s wearing trousers? And then I saw the shoes which just don’t work with that outfit. Maybe a navy blue in that style might work?

        The buttons are a bit much but work for the visit. I don’t think you could be taken seriously with those trousers anywhere else but a nautical event.

      2. I think the shoes would suit her much better if they were flats. She looked phenomenal in the head-on image, but the others with the large glaring heel chunk just looks, as you said, off. They do not complement one another.

        But trousers?!?! A smart pair of trousers? It should not have taken her so long to realise how stunning this look would be. And at a sailing event, the perfect option as the strong sea winds might cause an unfortunate wardrobe mishap.

        I do get tired of merely commenting on her clothes, however. She’s dull as dishwater, and at this point, unlikely to ever change. Her hair was the usual beehive mess, and the over-extended grin she is giving to those children is not being reciprocated by any of them. She looks out of place sometimes and I think it has to do with her need to play to the cameras and overacting as a result.

        I also wish she’d be this engaged and lively at other…erm…less *fun* engagements. Enjoying the sailing is all well and good, but it doesn’t make up for looking bored or disengaged at her other patronages.

        So, a fine day for Kate and a job well done in regard to wardrobe and general enthusiasm. But can she please start looking like this at all the other events?

        As an aside: I notice Ben Ainsley isn’t photographed with Kate at all. I’ve not followed the sailing, is he on a boat and therefore unable to be in attendance?

        1. + a million to all you said, especially about her huge smile not being reciprocated and also her being as engaged at the not so “fun” events as well.

          From what I understand, Sir Ben is in the middle of competing (or they just lost or something) so that’s why he wasn’t there.

          1. GB was out before the last round. NZ is the challenger again. LR-BAR has junior teams competing in races in Bermuda. There were plans to sail at today’s event but it was cancelled. Don’t know the reason.

        2. I think Ben is still in Bermuda and wasn’t there.

          I get tired of just talking about Kate’s clothes, too, but at the same time, for the most part, when we discuss other royal ladies we mostly just talk about their clothes, too. They give more speeches than Kate, but their quotes from engagements are hardly ever reported. So there isn’t a whole lot to talk about with them either. But no one ever says anything negative about that. And HM’s words getting reported on or HM giving a speech is so rare that it’s a huge deal when she does say something or give a speech. So while I do want Kate to say more things and give more speeches, she’s not actually that worse than the other royals when it comes to not saying much.

          1. Fair point, and I wasn’t suggesting that the discussion of her wardrobe was in any way unworthy or petty. But looking at a different Royal, Harry for instance, the takeaways from his engagements tend to be how involved and sweet is with children, how sincerely supportive he is of veterans, how engaged and committed he is to the AIDS crisis in Africa. I do regularly note his clothing choices, but there is so much more material with which to discuss that it isn’t at the fore.

            With Kate however, I often notice how awkward she is; weirdly patting the air over a child’s head, not mimicking their gestures at all and merely grinning at them with her eyes and mouth completely wide open, etc. Her inability to appear authentic and comfortable often lends itself to rather awkward images. And so, if I want to have something nice to say (and your recent post prompted me to seriously rethink my original biases and commit myself to wanting to find the positive), I have to rely more frequently than I like on the fallback that is her wardrobe.

            That is what I meant, I hadn’t properly explained that.

          2. Ah. thank you for the explanation. that makes a lot of sense, and I agree about that.

  7. Trousers !!!! You can’t imagine my gleeful expression right now. Finally some pair that isn’t a jegging or tight jean and is actually trendy. And an overall coordinated look that I can get behind. I’ll give you 10/10 for this Kate, even if I wished she had her hair up in a ponytail, to show off the earrings and that she chad choosen better shoes.

    Anyway, about the tragedy of the Greenfell Tower, it is nice that they donated money to. The amount is estimated to be 10,000£. I find it surprising that Charles didn’t do anything related to it. William went with the Queen and Camilla mentionned the tragedy at her event today. But Charles ?

    Also, I wanted to ask people here if they have noticed the resurgence of articles about Diana on the DM. They are based on her tapes. I have been wondering why, as it seems to harm Diana and Charles/Camilla reputations. So I wanted to know if anyone had theories about it.

    1. Charles may have donated but not made it public. William needs some good PR right now and that’s why the donation was publicized.

      There are a lot of people without a home right now and these palaces have a lot of room. A real gesture might be offering shelter. Anyone can give a bit of money.

      1. I don’t blame them for not inviting people to stay. That would require security checks and establish a problematic precedent. Speaking up for shelter organizations would actually be more helpful.

      2. Inviting them to stay would be difficult and problematic but I do hope down the line they do a lunch at BP/KP for the children as they did with the military kids. I also hope in addition to their cash donations, they use HeadsTogether to extend some counselling services to the kids. PTSD is a real concern.

        Theresa May announced 5 million pounds to help the victims. People are already talking about the 369 million for renovating BP palace. I know this tragedy was unexpected so it hasn’t been budgeted for but honestly that figure seems so small.

        1. People might well talk about Buckingham Palace renovations. The Queen was given public money over years to keep the place in good repair but instead diverted it to personal areas, details undisclosed. So the poor taxpayer is paying for the work a second time. Instead of her being accountable, those in government dismissed it as the Queen receiving poor advice. If there is no transparency and accountability, this is what happens.

    2. Wasn’t the donation from their foundation and not them specifically?

      I’m sure HM and Charles have donated privately, they always do and little to no fuss is made about it.

      1. That’s the thing, Ellie,no one knows. By using their names it suggests a personal donation.

        Also, when someone throws out an “estimate” I give it the side eye. Just like the humongous “estimate” for Heads Together.

      2. Agree with Maven on this one. I’d like to see more transparency on the charity gifts from these two. Including which groups, if any, received the “copilot” salary that was so publicly promised. I’m suspicious and would love to know more, especially given that almost all of their money comes from the public purse, ultimately if not directly.

        1. We’ve never been privy to where William’s co-pilot salary went, or how much was involved. I think the latter was because there may have been very little money to donate, given that William didn’t work as many hours as claimed. If an amount was disclosed it would be easy to work out hours worked.

          1. If William was paid on salary, it wouldn’t have mattered how many hours he worked, he would have gotten the same amount of pay no matter what. So we wouldn’t know how many hours he worked because the amount donated would have been the same every time because he’s on salary, not hourly.

          2. It still would have been paid as a fractional salary of a full-time co-pilot position. The salary paid would indicate the level of the fractional appointment. It could be any fraction as part-time: 0.2, 0.5, 0.8…

            William’s job was originally touted as (a) full-time and (b) as a pilot by media, but not corrected by KP until it became clear that he was not working full-time hours. However, ‘part-time’ hours were not disclosed either, nor was the correction made that he was a co-pilot, not a pilot. William did not have the requisite flying hours to upgrade to a pilot, indicating his hours were not as substantial as claimed.

      3. My first thought, too, Ellie, was to wonder if the donation came from their royal foundation and not their own personal pockets. The endowment to create their foundation didn’t even come from their own private funds (but from the Diana memorial fund), and since learning that, I have been suspicious of any of their donations. I seriously doubt that they have ever given any of their own money to any cause at all.

  8. Wow, Kate looked great today!! I sincerely hope the trouser trend continues, as I think a nice pair of trousers would be appropriate for so many of Kate’s engagements. I actually like the shoes here, but then I usually try to wear one item that doesn’t quite “go with” my outfit just to add a bit interest and whimsy.

    I was so glad to see the Queen and William visit the Grenfell Tower victims today. I can’t even imagine how emotional that visit was. My heart bleeds for those people and the news coming out that it could have been prevented but wasn’t because the council took the cheaper bid just breaks my heart even more. Will there ever come a day when life means more than money?

    1. I anticipate lawsuits and criminal charges coming out of this. This was negligent at minimum and likely much worse. Sadly the people most affected were the most vulnerable as is always the case. And you can bet it is not the only building in that situation.

      1. Yes, Nic919, I’d expect building and safety regulations were either watered down or ignored by local government officials. And there certainly should be criminal charges leveled at those responsible – all the way to the top. It’s only when those in control face repercussions eg prison sentences and their lives are in tatters will anything change. What else will work except the enactment of severe consequences?

        Queen Lauri, you ask a good question as to whether life means more than money. My answer, cynically, is that some lives appear to matter more than others, and others such as those affected by this tragedy, mean very little at all.

        1. And Nic, sadly, lessons have not been learned; a companion article for anyone interested:
          http://theconversation.com/yes-the-grenfell-tower-fire-is-political-its-a-failure-of-many-governments-79599?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The Weekend Conversation – 76436006&utm_content=The Weekend Conversation – 76436006+CID_33e876248b5525cc4872115fe92f8182&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&utm_term=Yes the Grenfell Tower fire is political its a failure of many governments

      1. I like be the whole outfit and think the shoes actually make it all work! It makes the outfit not too costumey.

  9. She seems to be proctecting the belly…pulling th jacket to cover…. pregnancy would be great distraction from all the recent bad news.

    1. I don’t think she’s pregnant. I think the pulling of the jacket or having her hands over her belly is more because she’s nervous and doesn’t know what to do with her hands.

      1. Some pictures of her in the too-tight skirt and jacket thing from the hospital visit made me think maybe she could be.

        1. I think a lot of her clothes have always been tight in the fit .I don’t think she is pregnant if she was I think they would have announced by now.I think she did look good today except for those shoes.Maybe some flats would have been better .

          1. The shoes seem out of season, more autumn/winter. IIRC she does have some kind of gum sole shoes that she has worn. Deck shoes would have been ideal for the event. A little OT, wonder if PG has used the boat given to him from NZ.

      2. Her hair is dyed to the roots and she is still botoxed. You can see the bunny line across her nose in one of the photos. I don’t think she is pregnant. She just doesn’t know what to do with her hands.

        1. I dyed my hair when pregnant, and I know people who’ve had Botox too.

          I don’t think she is but I’ve seen a lot of suspicions.

    2. Yuck – pregnancy speculation is just as bad as eating disorder speculation. Can we not ever have a break from scrutinizing each other’s bodies?

      1. Not talking about her body at all, I just referred to her tugging her jacket in a protective way. Could mean nothing most likely … pregnancy is something to celebrate and be happy about. Eating disorder is a disease, it’s serious and accusations of such towards someone is equally serious. Nothing about eating disorder is celebratory, so I don’t get the comparison. I respectfully disagree.

        1. I understand Allison’s comparison. Both pregnancy speculation and eating disorder speculation have to do with telling women that only a certain weight/looking a certain way is acceptable or judging women for not looking a certain way/having a certain weight. Pregnancy speculation based on weight says that the only acceptable reason for a woman to gain weight is pregnancy. And eating disorder speculation based on weight says that if you’re not a certain weight then there is something wrong with you. Neither pregnancy speculation nor eating disorder speculation leaves room for the fact that all women are different, have different body types and metabolisms, and gain and lose weight differently. Being celebratory or not is irrelevant, as both speculations are about holding women to a certain body standard and leaving no room for deviation.

      2. Pregnancy speculation is universal and natural, especially among women. You are positing a false equivalency. There is nothing negative or yucky about wondering whether Kate is preggers or not. People are talking about the possibility of new life, not deathly consumption. I personally find it uninteresting but that’s me.

        1. I’m going to repost the comment I made above, because it also fits here:

          I understand Allison’s comparison. Both pregnancy speculation and eating disorder speculation have to do with telling women that only a certain weight/looking a certain way is acceptable or judging women for not looking a certain way/having a certain weight. Pregnancy speculation based on weight says that the only acceptable reason for a woman to gain weight is pregnancy. And eating disorder speculation based on weight says that if you’re not a certain weight then there is something wrong with you. Neither pregnancy speculation nor eating disorder speculation leaves room for the fact that all women are different, have different body types and metabolisms, and gain and lose weight differently. Being celebratory or not is irrelevant, as both speculations are about holding women to a certain body standard and leaving no room for deviation.

      3. I have to say in the last two outings I thought Kate looked very glowy, if there is such a word, and I too have been wondering if she is expecting or maybe she just feels good about herself. I was basing my observation on how her demeanor and not on an aspect of her body. I liked how she looked today, not too casual, but polished and put together. Like many of you , I did not like the shoes, I dislike a blocky heel, to me they are kind of granny-ish and I did not like the color of the shoe with the outfit. I have always been a fan of spectator shoes and a navy flat with white accents would have looked great.

      4. I agree, Allison. I used to do the pregnancy speculation thing, but I’ve changed my mind on that. I think pregnancy is such a personal, private thing that unless a woman makes it public then it’s not my business to speculate about it.

    3. Lots of people pull jackets like that when the jacket is unbuttoned – I do all the time when wearing jackets unbuttoned. Also, Kate isn’t holding a clutch, so she needs other things to do with her hands.

      1. I can see your point about tugging her jacket as a nervous tick of sorts. And I do understand the point weight gain and body change, which was never what i was referring. About 3 years ago when my marriage was ending, cake was my comforter… I tend to gain weight in my belly first, so boom there it was. Not to many people knew about the separation, so lady at church cupped my belly and was like oh I am so happy you and (insert xhusband name) are expecting. I wanted to crawl under a rock… So I get it… but to summarize my intention was to highlight that if she in fact was pregnant it would be a much needed distractions for England.

  10. Trousers? At last! Not bad but it looks like half a size larger would ease the overly tight appearance. Overall much better and nicely appropriate.

    I’m starting to get really confused by charities like this which sound swell in theory. As for the donation, we’ll never know if they used their own money nor how much. Last time the Cambs donated a measly 5K. We still don’t know where royal co-pilot’s salary went. And again, Harry is lumped in with the Cambs. BTW, where is he these days especially with all the tragedy rocking the UK?

    1. Ok, thanks, Maven. I am happy for a choice in trousers, but I thought I was the only one who thought they were a bit too tight in the crotch. But, trousers? YAY!

      The shoes did not go with the trousers, but at least she is into trying something new. Good for her. She seemed very engaged, too. Another plus.

  11. Kate! This is a win! Good job today!! No clutch, no dress, appropriate footwear. Love it. Ya girl! Glad to see her out and about again but I agree with you KMR. Seems like awkward timing to make an appearance.

    I’m also very happy that they made a donation to the poor people of this Grenfell Tower tragedy. They put their money where their ‘keen’ mouths are, so to speak.

  12. I have to make one more comment about these trousers, I just hate it when manufacturers put long pockets in fitted pants the ends of the pockets tend to bunch up a bit and the seams prevent the material from lying flat because of this the pockets totally “show” through the fabric. This isn’t a criticism of Kate but a criticism of designer/manufacturer.

    1. I think it’s because her pants are too tight. Doesn’t show on the model who wears the proper sizing. All I see is Kate’s muscular thighs.

      1. I echo your sentiments exactly-I first saw this outfit and wanted to yell hallelujah!Then a bit of Kate’s style mistakes were readily apparent her pants are too small.I could see this especially due to the visible pocket lines.The model in the photo doesn’t show these lines and I know from personal experience these lines show easily when you need one size up.Love the over all outfit though even her shoes!Definitely a win for Kate today

      2. Well, I have pants that have too long of a front pocket and while mine aren’t tight, well unless I’ve been hitting the chocolate hard, I just hate seeing the outline of the pocket. Just a fashion pet peeve of mine 🙂

      3. I own these pants and agree that it’s a JCrew quality/design issue and not a size issue. And, for what it’s worth, “catalogue” shots of clothing are edited to remove details like this.

    2. Queen Lauri

      I have a suggestion that may work for you re the pockets showing in trousers…

      Trying stitching up the pocket opening and removing the pocket lining by cutting it out.

      Hope it works for you?

  13. Kate did very well today. She looks engaged, relaxed and she has on a beautiful outfit that suits her age. I love it. I hope she continues down this trend of trying new things. And I hope with the DoE’s retirement, she will pick up more charities that make her this excited. With the increasing rates of childhood obesity and her love for sports (it she still likes sports), she could make that her thing and pick up more sports charities. Or she could actually partner with charities that promote sports for mental health sufferers. She did seem to enjoy cheering on the runners at the London marathon.

    1. I love the idea of Kate putting together her love of sports and healthy eating to help children (and parents) learn to make better food and exercise choices. Again, I’d really like to start seeing some out-of-the-box thinking from the offices of W&K&H in terms of their engagements and how they interact with the populace.

  14. She looks fabulous. Thrilled she is wearing trousers and the outfit is entirely appropriate (if a *teensy* bit too “theme-y”) for the occasion. She also looks engaged, and I hope she shows this level of engagement at non-sporting events in the future.

    Also, and a I thought this when she visited the hospital the other day (didn’t have time to comment on that post), she looks like she has put on weight and looks much better for it. Healthy and wonderful.

    Good to have you back, KMR. I know my criticism of Kate sometimes becomes a bit too negative: for my part, and I am not saying this is a valid excuse, I think it is a manifestation of my frustration that after decades of trying to tell young women they are worth more than their looks and have much to offer the world, we have a world-famous woman apparently sending the message that, no, all that matters is that you are pretty and slim and marry a rich (and preferably titled) man. No need to work or even do more than the minimum of charity work while you are waiting. It annoys me that so much attention and praise is offered to someone who has done very little with her life, and yet there are so many accomplished women achieving truly remarkable things who get almost no love.

    That was a bit more long-winded than I intended. Sorry. As I said; good to have you back and thanks for the super blog and thoughtful comments and analysis.

    1. @TP76 – this is my frustration as well (and probably why I am normally on the negative side of commenting). I actually quite liked W&K when they were first engaged and was excited to see what kind of royal power couple they would become. Well, IMO, none of that panned out and the two of them are lazy, spoiled, incurious, and greedy (especially thinking of the remodeling of Apt 1A and then promptly moving to and staying in the country pile! and the insane amount of samey Kiki earrings).

      With Kate, I think what frustrates me is the constant media and royal PR narrative of most prepared royal bride, most educated royal bride, going to hit the ground running, waited so long to marry so Kate would have a true picture of all the responsibility of the “job,” hardworking, “keen,” caring, down-to-earth, beautiful, thrifty, etc. etc. When in reality, she is none of those things (IMO). It’s like that saying, who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes. I think I tend to go overboard in the other direction when someone is trying to shove something down my throat that seems patently false (again, false IMO). There is also something slightly distasteful to me about how dependent she (and William) are on her mother. Cut the cords already! And this comes from someone who is VERY close to my own mother.

      Anyway, I don’t quite understand the entire point of this charity – it just seems like a way for another rich person sport (like polo) to write off expenses, and of course it’s an “easy,” “fun” charity event for Kate. Like, how many low income kids are going to end up in this sport? I appreciate the connection to STEM fields but honestly, I don’t really get the charity as a whole. However, I am glad she is working and I appreciate her attempt at wearing trousers instead of jeggings.

      So, for me the pros are: she’s working!, she’s wearing pants instead of a too-short floaty skirt, I LOVE those shoes (although they looked better with the outfit she wore them with before), and she looks mostly engaged (even though she sort of walked away from some other children who were trying to engage with her in a video I saw on another site), she’s working (so good, I’ve got to list it twice 😉 ). The cons: IMO, those pants are just too tight in the crotch, thigh, and bum area, and I wish her hair were up and out of her face. Wow…only 2 cons, lol.

      Regarding pregnancy…I do think she’s pregnant. It seemed quite obvious in a couple of pictures from the hospital visit the other day in the blue dress, plus the skirt was tighter than her previous wearing. I also think this is why these nautical pants look too tight in the crotch/thigh/bum area. She’s always said she wanted 3 so it’s not a surprise that she would eventually have another. I also think she and Pippa will want to time their pregnancies so I expect – assuming Kate is pregnant – that Pippa will also be soon. My cynical self says that this pregnancy (if she is pregnant) is timed to get out of working with their supposed move to London in the fall. Argh…I kind of feel like she and Will are like the boy who cried wolf, so everything they do – or don’t do – gets run through a cynical lens from me.

      1. I think one goal is to teach children from lower uncome families (who otherways had no chance to try this sport) how to sail. If you read the article and look at the photos, the kids today were from east london. There are a lot of charities that try to provide activities that would usually be too expensive for them for underpriviledged inner city kids.

      2. Kate has actually never said anything about how many kids she wants. The idea that she wants three comes from Uncle Gary (if I remember correctly) and people thinking that because Kate is one of three that she wants three kids, too. Only William has actually said something publicly about how many kids he wants – he said 2 several years ago.

        As for the charity, I think it’s less about getting kids into the sport and more about getting kids into STEM subjects by giving them practical applications of those subjects. And from that perspective, it makes sense.

  15. Hmm, this is not a good look, this style of trouser actually suits petite figures better, (finally the fashion world has made a style for short girls) cropped slightly flared trousers always suit a smaller woman, as on taller women they tend to look lanky, she has a good figure so she can get away with it, but we are all just looking at the gab between ankles and trousers, bad shoes don’t help…

  16. I guess I’m in the minority. I think the pants are incredibly unflattering. I tend to dislike cropped pants, anyway, but these don’t fit and look cheap. I don’t like them on the model, and I don’t think they do Kate any favors. In my experience, pants are harder to fit properly than dresses or skirts, and as for the style, I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t share much of Kate’s preferences, which is fine. I’m not entirely sure what the point of this visit was, but I guess its good she’s out and about.

    As a bonus, she visited 1851 Trust when Ben Ainslie was away, so she actually interacted with the kids, which is huge for her.

    1. Oh thank goodness I thought it was just me. I really dislike the length and the shoes just make the whole thing worse.
      I do think trousers was a good idea, but she should have had her hair up out of her face.
      And her hair is all wiglets.

      So glad HM went to see the Grenfell Tower area today in a beautiful bright outfit to bring just a little bit of light relief to those affected. It is unusual to see her so visibly moved.

    2. I’m with you on the pants. Too tight, too short, the proportions are all wrong. I find capri pants generally unflattering and think full length cigarette style trousers would’ve been a better choice for Kate.

    3. Your not alone Eve. I thought these pants did Kate no favors sadly. I am happy she wore trousers but they are still too small/tight. As Hayley said above, these type of pants look better on shorter women. Kate’s hit too high and were meant to be closer to her ankle. The flare also looks odd at the mid calf length. It’s funny that mostly everyone here loves Kate’s look, but a lot of people on WKW don’t like the length/tightness of her pants. It’s like things flipped, lol. These pants to me show that just because you are taller and thin, not everyone looks good. Her hair looks lovely though

      1. I usually have the complete opposite opinion on Kate’s clothes as WKW, HRHDuchess Kate, and FBTB – they’ll love outfits I hate, and I’ll love outfits they dislike. So not surprised that I have the opposite opinion of those ladies about this outfit.

  17. Put me down as another one who suspects she’s pregnant. Also a fan of the overall outfit, but definitely the wrong shoes.

  18. I’m so excited about the non-spraypainted on pants I won’t even complain about the nautical themed dressing!
    This look is a yay for me. Love the pants and blazer. It a huge fan of the white on white blazer/shirt but the joy for appropriate slacks outweigh the dislike!
    Kate actually looks happy and engaged with the kids. I don’t know if it’s because it’s an engagement she enjoys being at, because she just a huge chunk of time off or whatevs but it’s nice to see
    About their terrible scheduling. I think it is partly the incompetence of their team and William and Kate’s lack of desire to work combined to make a bungling mess.

  19. I love this outfit, it looks great. I do love a good nautical theme. I could see myself wearing something similar. Only thing I really dislike are the shoes i personally think they are hideous. I would have much preferred the Staurt Weizman Corkswoon navy wedges.

  20. Well done Kate, on so many levels! Plus she’s ditched the clutch, second event in a row where she’s without it. Yay!!

  21. Thank you KMR for this post, it made my day.

    Wow, this is a first! All this time I thought Kate must have had some kind of weird allergy to proper trousers, but finally, she made a small step for her, but a giant leap to improve her style. This is her going out of her comfort zone so a big applause is in order.

    Can’t believe I’m excited about a 35 year old woman wearing trousers! Could it be that she finally employed a stylist?

    Listening the news about the Grenfell tower tragedy is devestating. My heart goes out to all the innocent souls who lost their lives. Let this be a start for the council to take serious responsibility.

    1. I’m beyond angry at how Labour have politicised this tragedy.

      Especially when the catalogue of events that led to it hapoened under their watch including our new Labour MP sitting on the council’s tenancy management company that oversaw the repairs and signed off on safety features for 10yrs……..but there she is emoting to the media as if it was nought to do with her.

      Labour grabbing the narrative is a clear demonstration of why it’s important to show yourself and to be seen to be showing yourself even if you don’t mean what you doing.

      May is being shown up and is being shown as too little to late and is allowing the bBC to put words in her mouth when facts are readily available that can be used to counter every single lie being thrown at her and the govt.

      ….but you know Corbyn and Labour are the hero of the hour. Just don’t point out the fact that they’ve used this tragedy to score political points and or meet them at their game with some cold hard truths.

  22. I think it’s a win for Kate. She engaged well with the kids, and seemed to be enjoying herself. Finally a pair of pants, not jeggings! I can’twear the crops, but she is slim enough to pull it off, and I think the shoes are okay, lending a bit of formality to her look. When she doesn’t carry a clutch, she clasps her hands more toward her waist, a far more flattering posture. I’m sure someone is listening to our advice, so now, please pull the hair back or up.

    The Queen’s face said it all, so strained and sad.

  23. Yah! New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Cup! And by winning the cup they win the right to sail against the holder of the America’s Cup (Oracle).

    Go Emirates Team New Zealand!

    And as for Kate? Yah? She wore trousers! They would have looked better if she had gone up a size and were not so tight across her thigh and tight in the crotch area. They finished at the wrong length too. Here’s a style tip Kate, if you are between sizes then buy the larger size and get them tailored to fit. A good dress maker can do this easily, usually taking the trousers in at the back seam.

    Looks like it was a lovely sunny day, hope the kids had fun? We have something similar here (NZ) called Waterwise. This programme get primary school age kids out in small sailing boats, they have fun and it gives them confidence in and on the water. Something useful in Auckland but not sure if it is useful in London? Personally i feel this was added so BAR could get the tax credits and benefits etc as being a charity for the cup challenge. If he continues on with the charity after the challenge is over then I will happily say that i am wrong.

    1. Oh Cathy, I am SO happy that New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Cup and will challenge the US for the AC. Let’s hope it comes back to Auckland. Go Team NZ!

      Yep, I wondered about the tax credit side of things re. BAR too. I wonder if the STEM work is picked up elsewhere for these kids in their curriculum? In NZ, nowhere is far from the water and most have access to a tinnie. Getting on the water is not a class thing at all in NZ (big boats excluded of course); it’s how those magnificent Kiwi sailors learn. It’s their first experience of sailing.

      I agree with your take on Kate’s pants looking much better if properly tailored. My goodness, she has every resource available at her disposal to have clothes fit perfectly. I think they are too short as well and don’t really suit her. But it’s good that she’s considering something other than jeggings, even if themed with those blessed buttons. She generally wears things skin tight; it’s all about the bod. I still wish she’d see the benefit of a professional stylist.

  24. Kate looks really good. Her hair and makeup – beautiful. She looks so much prettier and fresh without heavy blush.

    I do not find capri/cropped pants attractive or flattering on anybody. I would have preferred long trousers with navy shoes. The gold button detail at the top is gorgeous. I like Kate’s shoes but not with this outfit.

    I don’t think Kate and William will add to their family. I recall Kate saying what a lucky boy George was to have a little sister when Charlotte was born. Reading between the lines I thought at the time she also meant she was lucky to have had a daughter. A relief really after her difficult pregnancies. Having said that, I will have to eat my words when her next pregnancy is announced!

  25. Love that she has finally, finally worn an appropriate style of pants to a public event, but to me it seems that recently it looks as though all of her clothes are too snug and ill-fitting–almost as though they shrunk. And it’s not necessarily that I think she’s gained weight or is pregnant or anything like that, because it’s more than just tight pants, it’s the sleeve lengths, the position of the waist, the length of the jacket, etc. She is like me–long torso, long arms but short legs–so I know how difficult it is to find pieces that fit well, but with all of her resources it shouldn’t be that much of a problem.

    1. I also thought Kate’s blue suit from the other day looked like it shrunk. Even in the sleeves, the suit looked too small and short.

  26. Not a fan of the nautical buttons but I’m so pleased to see Kate changing things up and wearing trousers that I’ll give them a pass! (I’ll also pretend to have not noticed the shoes.;) Otherwise, love the jacket and the earrings, perfect business casual appearance for this type of event.

  27. Late to this party. But, need to chime in. The good news is that Kate wore trousers. A big step forward, if you ask me. However, I am not in line with everyone who thinks Kate looked fabulous. Truly, the boredom is still there in her choice in wardrobe. A white jacket and white top? Just too bland for me. And, those shoes? Awful with the cropped trousers.

    I’m not a fan of cropped trousers. Find them hard to wear, myself. Just think they don’t hit most women in the “right” place. I also agree that she should have gone one size up and taken the trousers in. Still, she went out of her comfort zone and wore trousers, actually!

    My latest way of thinking is this: If Kate continues to work hard and enjoy herself at events… If she seriously engages with people (as she did here), her fashion sense won’t make that much of a difference anymore. People, like me, just might start smiling fondly at her choices and laugh kindly saying “Oh, that’s just Kate.” I just don’t think she will ever care enough to get and take solid fashion advice. And, maybe that is not what she’s all about, anyway. Just hope she continues to work and that she tries to make any type of difference wherever she goes.

  28. Adding my 2 cents to the clothing convo! Love the blazer, pants a bit snug, shoes nuh uh, no silly clutch getting in the way- yay!, neck up- looking good. A cautious two thumbs up for this look

  29. The jacket is too small, the shoes are awful with this ensemble, and I don’t understand why she would wear a white top under a white jacket. This cut of pant makes even the very slim Duchess have full hips. My eye goes right to the hip. I think the pants would work with a longer jacket, a different shirt, AND different shoes – particularly something with ankle wraps that would add interest between the gap of the pant hem and the top of the shoe.

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