317 thoughts on “Kate corrals George & Charlotte at Pippa’s wedding”

1. Gorgeous review KMR.

   Is it just me but I’m starting to feel like George isn’t the happiest of children? And yet I find him by far the more interesting. Sometimes he looks so troubled and worried. Does the brittleness of his mother’s personality make him more anxious in her company? I suppose this is the trouble of having such infrequent snapshots into the children’s lives, but so many negative comments from his parents and pictures of George in tears or pensive make for an overall opinion that George is not having an easy time of it. Thank Goodness for Nanny Maria as I have said in more than one occasion.

   1. Kate seems to hyper-focus on Charlotte. Poor George just standing there or getting lectured by her for being upset about something or other. It really, really bothers me to see this favoritism. I assume they get so much love and attention from Nanny Maria. Watching Kate in action with the kids proves to me they are nowhere near hands-on parents, she seems to have no idea what to do or how to be with them (not that I doubt she doesn’t love them or anything like that).

      Kate’s outfit would suit my 92 year old grandmother. Yuck. Appalling she spent so much money to look so bad. $9k earrings? For /that/? For $9k I’d buy some amazing diamond earrings!!! If you’re gonna get a hideous bespoke McQueen at least steam it and don’t let it wrinkle. She has no idea, man.

      I love Pippa’s ensemble except the tiara which I find super tacky as I do the Spitfire flypast. Flowers in her hair would have been stunning. I love her hair, too, and the best part is her genuine happiness! She looks so happy. Unlike Kate who as I have said looked smug, triumphant rather than a woman marrying a man she loves.

      May God bless Pippa and James on their wedding day and I hope they have a happy, long, fulfilled marriage. Now it really starts, without focus on this big blingy day…

      1. Of course Pippa looks happy! She got the manufactured media attention that she wanted, had royals attending to give her wedding some “pedigree” and she got her claws onto a rich, dumb guy who thinks that she actually loves him. All the best to them but seeing what a circus Pippa and her family made of this wedding (I feel
         James went along with it to keep his new wife happy and also it doesn’t hurt to hobnob with the royals), this marriage will last as long as James continues to believe that Pippa is with him because she “loves” him. If they get divorced, Pippa will want a nice payout certainly.

      2. Those earrings on Kate are so similar to the ones she wore to BAFTA, I had to check photos to make sure they weren’t the same. Why on earth would she buy two pairs of overpriced nearly identical earrings?

         1. Because she can and has Charles’s credit card?

            Studs would have looked so much better.

         2. Re: the duplicate earrings…she buys multiples of almost everything she owns, so no surprise really. I just want to know how soon we’ll see them at a “work” engagement so she can charge them to the tax payers.

      3. +100

   2. At one point Kate scolded him for something, which may explain the sad looks. But I agree he didn’t seem as happy about it whereas Charlotte was mostly going along.
      Also, he might have hated his outfit and I don’t blame him if he did.

      1. One article said George and possibly Charlotte deliberately stomped on Pippa’s train after she exited the church, which was the reason for the scolding. In any event, Kate did not seem comfortable choralling that many kids in the bridal party. Pippa handled the bridal party kids much better at Kate’s wedding.

         I’m no Pippa fan but she seemed genuinely relaxed and happy today, so good on her. I also felt she looked beautiful, even though I had thought she might show looking a bit harsh/aged with overdone bridal spray tan, hair and makeup.

         1. And William didn’t have an official role and didn’t seem to make any effort to help her with the kids. He didn’t have to, but a thoughtful husband might have helped his wife when she is supposed to be watching a group of young kids, or at least deal with his own.

            There also seems to be a suggestion that Will did not go to the reception because only Kate was noted as having arrived. Very interesting if that is accurate.

            1. There are photos of William at the church of course he was there.

            2. I am talking about the reception. Which I clearly stated above.

            3. I think Harry was invited as the William babysitter. While Kate was busy doing sister of the bride stuff

            4. William not being present at evening reception was a wierd note from the royal reporter.

               William being completely detached from entire Middleton family in the entry / exit photos.

               Harry exiting church in a throng of people at the back, then a few minutes later exiting the day time reception completely ostensibly to go back to London.

               Royal reporters claiming then taking back suggestions that MM had slipped into the church via a side entrance.

               One blurry pic of Harry + MM entering evening reception at last light which around 21.30pm (google checked) meaning they probably didn’t arrive in time for the dinner which is suspect given the huge amounts of time they had between 12.30am end of church or 14.00pm estimated arrival of Harry in London and estimated 20.00pm exit from London to arrive at evening reception for 21.30pm.

               Something not right about Middleton / Windsor relations and everything sold about mutual cosiness, including betweem WK is a crock.

            5. William was hanging out in Bucklebury manor drinking with Mike in the garden shed while munching on cheese toast…no need for him to change…my story and I’m sticking to it?

         2. I guess her worries about her children’s behavior were justified. I’ve seen many children at up at weddings, but none of them have stomped on the bride’s dress.

            1. Video shows that Kate was only concerned with her kids and not entire warren of them.

               The other kids were adorable, and behaved very well, but they were also completely ignored by Kate except for the brief moment when she shusshed them which makes for a great photo, but is misleading in terms of her involvement.

               She was hovering over Charlotte most of all. Poor G barely got a look in. The moment where he stepped on the train is much further back than the moment she scolded him.

               The video shows that he stepped on the train when entire wedding party was still on the church path.

               About a minute later, after Kate has moved to the side wall infront of the church and is fussing with Charlotte, G walks upto her looking distressed or whiny, and that’s when she scolds him. Not earlier when he stepped on the train.

               It’s interesting seeing in real time how the media manufactures a story because the DM changed this moment in their article about 5 or 6 times before settling on the theory that she was scolding him for the train stepping incident.

               They initially covered both incidents separately because there was no corelation between the 2 incidents.

               Then they wrote a speculative article about reasons for Kate to scold G.

               Then they took that down and posted one that speculated that the 2 incidents were linked, took that down to say that they were definitely linked.

               Too bad their own video on the website doesn’t support their hypothesis unless they take that down and edit it into a new version that reflects it.

               They did the same thing with Spencer and the sister.

               They first posted an article claiming that Spencer was flirting and being handsy with ‘a mysterious female’ in an article insinuating cheating on his part as well as concern trolling his missing girlfriend.

               After loads of comments pointing out that she was his sister, the DM removed that article, and updated their main article with proper mentions of the sister as opposed to ‘mystery guest that Spencer was flirting with’.

            2. We really don’t know why Kate was scolding George, if she did. We weren’t there and can’t hear anything. The two incidents may be linked, they may not be. We don’t know.

            3. KMR: exactly. The timing between incidents on the video doesn’t support ‘stepping on train’ hypothesis, but it was fascinating watching the media speculate and speculate before making a decision which is now the cast iron reason for the scolding being used by every outlet.

            4. Regardless of whether the two are connected or not, that’s pretty bad behavior. Prince George may be acting out because of the way his parents treat him or his parents may be cross with him because he has a difficult temperament. If family patterns repeat themselves then we could look at how her brother James was treated vs her and her sister to see how she might be treating her children.

      2. I think he walked on Pippa’s train.

         1. In a DM video George can be seen to step on Pippa’s train.
            Kate did what I hope any mother would do in this situation.
            She scolded him.

            1. My child is about 33 months old and he knows better than to step on people’s nice clothes. Dont George’s parents teach him how to behave at a wedding?

            2. Herazeus

               Thank you for your interesting breakdown of events.
               Should it be accurate your observation diminishes my already low opinion of the DM.

   3. That photo of KM clutching a squirmy Charlotte is truly terrifying. KM looks like some demented character out of a Hansel and Gretel adaptation.

      1. I just really hate how she is in so many of the photos of the married couple. It’s like she isn’t used to not being center of attention and can’t stand to let her sister have the spotlight. Kate is in more pics than the groom’s parents…standing behind Pipps or to the side. And, yes that “smiling” face she’s making in the Church door is frightening.

         I also thought the photo of pippa and James kissing is weird and uncomfortable. Both have their eyes open but not looking into each other’s eyes and James is even staring off past Pippa.

         1. Gudgeon : i thought i was the only one who noticed that.

            When you watch the video, apart from KM’s hyper focus on Charlotte and playing up her mother credentials to the media, she was creepily positioning herself into all the media shots. Kinda like on the Balcony at Trooping the colour.

         2. There is a photo where Pippa and James are with the kids and smiling and there is Kate off to the right and not in the background like the other guests but looming there with a weird face. It looks really odd. She wasn’t exactly letting her sister have the spotlight at all times. And she ruined what was otherwise a great photo.

            1. Nic, Kate was ‘ unofficial’ matron of honour, there to keep an eye on the young bridesmaids & pages & make sure they behave, exactly like myself at my best friends wedding. Kate was unofficially there to ensure they all did what was expected of them whilst also being part if the wedding party – you can’t control youngster’s if you can’t see them.

            2. Kate didn’t look at any kids but her own as is evidenced by the photographs and the kids in that moment were not photographed acting up. She could have stepped to the side to watch them but was pretty obviously in the line with the bridal couple in their shot. Plus Nanny Maria was also there to help so if a kid took a runner then many could cover. None of this happened anyway and Kate inserted herself in the shot.

   4. MRS BBV, Ellie speculates downthread that he might have POW’s personality and as we all know, POW was a very anxious, sensitive child. Perhaps that is what we are seeing with G, coupled with a lack of required levels of attention needed for such sensitive children.

      And coupled with Kate’s need to make them all look perfect that doesn’t allow for sponteneity or free expression of personality.

      1. It bothers me Hera……he looks weighed down and he’s only three. How many public appearances has he been seen in tears now? Yesterday, the Airshow and Charlotte’s Christening. He doesn’t seem free spirited and yet that adorable little face when he overcomes his anxiety. His smiles and the expressive eyes are heartbreaking. Ellie’s right…..very PoW in sensitivity.

         1. My favourite pictures of him are this set:
            https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=tablet-android-samsung&biw=768&bih=576&ei=VrMhWYy3JofRgAbc0aCgCw&q=prince+george+buckingham+palace+balcony+window+nanny&oq=prince+george+buckingham+palace+balcony+window+nanny&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.3…2519.7272.0.7730.14.14.0.0.0.0.183.1627.3j10.13.0….0…1.1j4.64.mobile-gws-serp..1.10.1376…0i22i30k1j33i160k1j33i21k1.7u6SYDkx9jc#imgrc=SwQpHM6H6OhFdM:

            And these 2:
            http://static.celebuzz.com/uploads/2014/12/14/Untitled-1-600×450.jpg

            https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BUbVuimQyMU/V5Hqv-Avp9I/AAAAAAAJ-CM/VdkndRZQIe00sCg5xxl0SiqYxY8uZ4eVgCLcB/s1600/1.png

            No anxiety.

            Ditto in NZ.

            As he appears to have developed anxiety, the isolation is not good. He won’t develop coping methods. I hope his new school will help him on this point.

         2. I totally agree

   5. George seems sad and anxious to me but has a curiosity about the world and people that kids usually have. I wonder if George’s world at home is fairly isolated and small- doesn’t get to see and interact with too many people.

      1. This is what I suspect. He just seems very uncertain of himself and not as carefree as most little boys his age. I hope they are not already trying to groom him as to how a “king” should behave.

      2. What facts are you basing these observations on? I find it perplexing that people often comment on how little we see G & C, yet there are such well formed hypotheses on their behaviour.

   6. I agree with you ladies. George does not always seem too happy and Kate does seem to favor Charlotte. Every child is different and what works raising one child may not work for another. Without knowing either of these children, it’s hard to say, “Why doesn’t Kate do this or that?” However, it seems to me, she wags her finger many times at poor George when sheis reprimanding him. I recall her stopping along the route to Char’s christening doing that. Here at the Church, too.

      I think the children looked adorable and I cannot believe how two year-old (barely, two, I may add) Charlotte handled herself. Darn well,

      I agree about Pippa’s gown. The lace look was rather heavy. I would have enjoyed seeing her “float” down the aisle. Apparently the underskirt was designed to help with that. I loved the lines of her dress and her veil. She looked amazingly happy. Her groom looked handsome and happy, too.

      Yep, Kate’s choice of an ensemble was awful. I agree with you, KMR, this tone of pink washed her out. Thus, I guess, such heavy make-up. The hat? Well, I hate fascinators and am so darn sick of them

      All in all, it’s over. May the couple have a happy life. I have not had a moment to view any photos of the party last night Will be doing that later. Great coverage, KMR. As always, many thanks!

      Happy Post-Pippa Wedding, all. What’s next for us? Harry and Sparkles?

2. Comment

3. KM looked so lovely!

   1. Halia, Kate did look pretty – the 9th picture down in the gallery above where she is looking over her shoulder, I think its a stunning shot of her, the hat, the colour, it all comes together to compliment her. And there is a picture in the DM where both sisters are smiling so broadly at each other – that’s sister love. That would be a perfect picture for both sisters to frame. I personally would’ve liked a picture of all 3 siblings but suppose that will be taken in private! Apparently Kate’s dress is a combination of 2, they do look better separate – together bit fussy. A picture of William, Kate & the kids would’ve been nice as well! Hopefully we will have some formal shots released.

      1. +1

4. This is the first time and maybe the only time I will say this but Pippa looks beautiful. I have always thought she was quite plain but today she looked beautiful. I actually really like her wedding dress and much prefer it to Kate’s wedding dress. She looks happy which is all that matters. Yes, she was staged and posed for the photographers like a royal, but I am going to overlook it today.

   Kate oh, Kate. What can I really say except she chose a very ugly dress. I don’t buy she was trying to not out shine the bride. It actually made her more obvious because her dress was so unattractive. It actually ages her. I thought she would at least choose a pretty dress today and I’m a bit disappointed. I know some people will love this dress because Kate can do no wrong and is perfection but I honesty don’t see anything good about this dress.

   Eugenie looks beautiful. She looks youthful and very nicely put together. I love her shoes.

   1. Eugenie looked amazing I think. And Pippa looked pretty good as well. Although she was a little orange.

      Kate looked bad. The colour washed her out, the makeup was bad and the dress didn’t fit properly. If she was a simple hausfrau without access to tailors and money then it would be excusable, but it really isn’t.

      As for Meghan, a uk reporter tweeted that she was spotted going to church using the side entrance.

      1. I’ve read differing reports. One said Meghan used a back entrance. But then Harry was spotted leaving in a car alone to go get her. So then the report changed to Meghan wasn’t at the church and only attended the reception at the Middleton’s home.

         1. There is a picture of them arriving by car to the reception so maybe that is the case.

            1. No Nic, the picture of them arriving by car is from the evening party.

            2. I was referring to the party at night. In North America we call the event after the wedding ceremony with food, drinks and dance the reception.

      2. I’m no fan of Carole, but she was dressed appropriately, and her outfit was younger looking than Kate’s. Why Kate makes so many bad choices is beyond me.

         And the money she has put into semi-precious Kiki claptrap would have bought some good jewelry by now. Unless it is another Middleton arrangement and she doesn’t pay.

         William sure behaved like a bachelor, rather than a member of the family.

         1. Royals aren’t allowed to accept freebies, but can accept discounts.

            However, given her attachment to Kiki’s jewellery, i’m beginning to think she has an Issa style arrangement and or LandRover style arrangement

            Issa arrangement : free clothing with Kate getting her pick of new collections.

            LandRover arrangement: deep discount to entire royal family and exclusive wear. Royals can exchange their landrover cars for as many cars as needed and as frequently as they choose.

            1. All this Kiki stuff looks the exact same and none of it very interesting. She has very bad taste in jewelry. If it wasn’t so costly it wouldn’t matter but she is spending thousands on really bad stuff.

   2. I think pippa looked nice becuase she didn’t overdue the self tanner she so dearly loves. Also her make up looked nice.

   3. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it was pretty goddam adorable: Pippa and her dad, Pippa and her sister (who showed more personality and charm than in all her previous public appearances combined), Pippa and her husband, Pippa and her husband and the kids, and the flowers, and everybody seemed so happy. It wasn’t monstrously vulgar (the reception is another matter I’m sure). And Pippa, who normally has ghastly taste in clothes, just totally aced her sister. Again.

      Between Miss Megan and this new and improved Pippster who seems to have found herself and is feeling it too, on the one hand, and the palace lashing the whip on the other, Mr & Mrs Pitiful Petulant Prince are looking down a trick bag dead ahead. Stay tuned.

      By the way, did you read the king of the Netherlands, that blond guy, Maxima’s husband, has apparently been secretly piloting commercial jets several times a month for almost 30 years! No wonder you know who made himself scarce at the ceremony.

   4. Kate is playing a role – like the mid century pageboy outfits she’s wearing a mid century dress to match. I personally like it, but it hangs off her and is not good around the bust. Loved how the sage green and salmon colours worked together though. She’s also playing at doting mother for the cameras and I think the exasperated Kate telling George off is more like her usual interaction with him. She also has no engagement with any of the other children. George might be a high need child so Kate is going to stick to easy Charlotte like glue. It’s kind of creepy how the Middletons have planned each view and angle for the photos. No errant in laws in shot to ruin the effect of Kate being matron of honour and child wrangler.

      1. Yep

5. Kate’s dress is a gigantic miss for me. Way too much going on with the sleeves, pleats, flaps, and shiny fabric. At least 2 of those elements should’ve been edited out. I was really hoping for her to pull out a showstopper here. Pippa looked beautiful! I actually quite liked her dress, although the top is a little too structured for my taste. I’ve read rumors now that Meghan is just attending the evening reception?

   1. Kate looked more like the Mother of the Bride than Carole did! And much older than the Mother of the Groom.

      1. Kate definitely looked like she was wearing a granny-of-the-bride dress. Carole’s was too short, IMO, but Mrs. Matthews’s dress was spot-on.

         1. Mrs. Matthews is a beautiful woman and looked so picture perfect on her son’s wedding day!

   2. Probably safe to assume Pippa picked her dress or at least was heavily involved in its conception. The dress matches the bridesmaids sashes. It’s an ugly dress and an ugly colour, but perhaps this one’s not entirely on her!

      1. Joanna W, I agree. I think Pippa chose the dress and may have given her sister some of a say. At any rate, I just did not like it.

6. The good, Pippa and TR James looked happy and that’s what matters. I think her dress was nicer than Kate’s but too lacey for my liking. The kids looked adorable and I definitely think Charlotte is the more outgoing child. THe grooms family looked wonderful as did Eugenie. The meh, ma Middleton. I love the color of the dress but the cut, not so much. The what in the Sam Hill look belongs to Kate. KMR I agree that Kate normally looks very good in pink, but this dress is awful with a capital A!!!! The cut is not flattering at all and you eyes are drawn to her bust and for decency sake I will just move on. Another outrageously priced earrings, over done make up, and that dress which all combined to make her appear older than her years. Oh well why would I expect anything else? Congratulations Pippa and James I wish you many happy years together

7. KMR, I agree that David and Jane Matthews were the best dressed and best looking couple.

   Pippa’s dress didn’t wow me. I did think the dress’ lace was pretty even though I’m tired of lace. I don’t like keyhole backs on anything. I did love the veil.

   Eugenie looked really pretty and she has a lovely demeanor.

   Gorgeous Donna Air didn’t look especially thrilled to see James Midd as he awkwardly tried to hug her but she had a good laugh with Spencer Matthews.

   After all the pre-wedding hoopla, the actual wedding was predictable and had a staged quality. Just not that interesting.

   1. Yeah, the hug between Donna and James was awkward from the photos I’ve seen. She seemed much more delighted to greet James Matthews’ brother.

   2. It looked like a hug between cousins you see once every couple years instead of between a couple in a relationship. I saw him more handsy with his sister at the beach than this!

      1. From the photos of the awkward hug it looks like they really aren’t together. Also perhaps some resentment on Donna’s part from having her name bandied about in the press as though she’s a social pariah.

      2. Which is a bit disturbing.

      3. Sarah,

         I’ve received (and given) better hugs than the one James Middleton exchanged with Donna Air!

   3. +100

      Air looked like she was playing Spencer…

8. Pippa looked pretty; either she let someone else do her makeup, or she at least got some lesson on how to do it properly. She was orange as usual though – to much self tanner or bronzer or something.

   But my word, that is the fugliest dress I think I’ve ever seen Kate wear. It doesn’t have a single redeeming quality, and looks cheap for something designed by McQueen. It almost distracted me from her tedious compulsion for matching all of her accessories. Tip for Kate: your earrings don’t have to be the same colour as your dress. Your clutch needn’t always match your shoes. Bleh.

   As for the kids, I don’t think you can infer anything about them or the parenting style from some still photos at the sort of event that most kids find challenging. There are loads of things at a wedding that might leave a little boy bored and/or unhappy. This kind of speculation about the kids makes me uncomfortable – they’re kids for goodness sake.

   1. Thank you for your comment about the kids. I have three and at those ages you do nothing but tell the no. It’s not indicative of anything but being a little kid.

      I also think Pippa and James loook really happy and her dress is lovely.

   2. Agree. They’re young children at a big fussy wedding their mother, grandmother, and aunt have been stressing over for months.

      They were in costume — and so was Kate. I think the kids’ costumes were cute and they behaved as well as can be expected. Whether you love her or hate her, Kate acted the way all mothers do (and must) when their toddlers play a role in a wedding like this.

      She’s a fine mother and an obviously caring one. It’s absurd to read psycho-drama into her parenting.

      She cares about her sister too. I like Kate the train smoother who wants her sister’s big day to go well.

      1. +1 Also the reason Kate is probably holding onto Charlotte is when they arrived at church, Charlotte tried to do a runner ( DM photos yesterday ). So Mum is ho!ding on because she doesn’t want to end up chasing her daughter around the church yard! Might be fun to watch tho…..?

         1. Agree 100%…Charlotte looks like a little girl who loves to run & explore based on the very appearances we’ve seen of her.

            I’d love to see video of Kate running in heels after Charlotte too?

      2. Anonyma and Poppy

         +1

      3. I agree. The kids are in a costume, with crowds of people watching their every move, excited, in a new experience – they behaved as well as can be expected! Kate had a difficult job to mind them all and did as well as she could. Her dress reminds me of my mother’s wedding outfit in the 1940’s. I thought Pippa looked beautiful and very happy.

         1. Marion, Kate’s dress, looks exactly like a bridesmaid dress my mum wore at her brothers wedding in the 40’s! But with a couple of changes I’d wear it – it could be very elegant!

            1. Both my grandmothers had wedding dresses that looked like Kate since both were married in the early 40s. However, their dresses fit and don’t have boob flaps. Amazingly they managed to wear proper fitting dresses despite being the wives of farmers.

      4. Caring mothers don’t shove their sons out of their way so they can parade with their daughter before the cameras on a tour. Caring mothers don’t complain constantly about how bad and naughty their son is, and how surprising it is when he is good.

         I don’t doubt she loves her kids, but it’s all about PR image management and stuff with Kate.

      5. Our children and waity with permanent royal nanny are two very different things. Maybe it’ s that they wanted the one who gives the most comfort – mum Maria. after all they are private hidden away. , George seem he didn’t want to enter the church, nanny Maria was gently nudging him in.

   3. As to your comments about the kids- my thoughts exactly. I had kids this age and I know how unpredictable they can be at events like these- no matter how well you’ve taught them. The little prince and princess were just fine. I didn’t see tantrums or malicious veil stomping, just toddlers being toddlers.

   4. +10000 The comments that are making assumptions about parenting and why the kids seemed…bored…at a…wedding…? are borderline hilarious. Kate looks like she behaved like every other mom of a small child that’s in a wedding, including the mom’s of the kids that were in my wedding. If she didn’t scold George, people would be talking about how they don’t discipline their kids blah blah blah mommy wars. It’s yet another situation where KM can’t win because everyone’s an expert based on 6 photos and a 2 minute video. Yawn.

   5. +1 about the speculation about the kids. Goes a step too far, imo.

9. Pippa looks lovely although the dress might have a bit too much lace for my taste. I like the open back.

   Kate looks matronly.

   I think it’s a good thing that Meghan didn’t go if Pippa wanted it that way. I wouldn’t want a stranger at my wedding because if Harry breaks up with her she will always be in the wedding pictures to look back on in the future. Pippa (and James) should only have who they want at their wedding. But Donna being there tells me that James Middleton might marry her next. P.S. There is no way Carole would ever have Meghan upstage her daughter on her wedding day. 🙂

   I don’t like how Kate scolds George so much in the Daily Mail pictures but gives over the top attention to Charlotte. I don’t like the “naughty bad boy” and “angel of heaven” stereotypes they give the kids. It just seems like Kate favors Charlotte and is quick to scold George. I’ve seen it often, not just here.

   I, too thought Carole’s coat was borrowed from Kate. Actually, Kate’s outfit looks like something Carole would wear.

   The only thing I don’t like about this weddin is that it felt too much like they were trying to give Pippa a royal wedding and she is not royal. I think that’s inappropriate.

   1. I have no shade at Pippa for inviting and not inviting the people she wanted – in fact, I’ve been defending her guest invite decisions for what feels like ages. Just for me, I was hoping for pics of Meghan, so it’s a bummer for me personally that she wasn’t at the church.

      1. Oh I certainly didn’t think you were throwing shade at all! Just offering my opinion on it because I have read in other places that people thought “no ring no bling” was petty and I don’t agree that’s all. 🙂

         Just like if someone says their wedding is adults only and people get offended they can’t bring their kids. It is the bride and groom’s day and they can have it their way IMO.

         1. Cookie this “no ring no bring” was a media creation. Eugenie and Jack are not engaged and they were there.

            1. Apparently her uncle Gary and her cousin were invited to the ceremony only. Gary’s wife was not invited to either event. According to the Daily Mail so I guess we should take it with a grain of salt!

      2. Kmr it would have been so awesome to see Meghan, just for my nosy curiosity… but the headlines it would have been all about Meghan, what she wore.. etc and let’s face it if she came with a napkin on she would have looked better than Kate, cause that dress Kate wore hurt my feelings, it reminded me of the wedding dress Sandra Bullock wore in “The Proposal”… (the movie with Ryan Reynolds ) In a way her not attending will slow down all the they are about to get engage chatter.. which I suspect may have been part of the reason she was not there… if she was in fact invited to the church. But yeah I am disappointed, but at the same time it makes me happy to know they are taking things at their own pace.

   2. If it’s true that both Charlotte and George stepped on the train, then her reaction to George was excessive. They tend to both make comments in the media that are negative about George and positive about Charlotte and it’s dumb for parents to do that. George already seems reticent in public now as compared to prior to when Charlotte was born.

      1. Yes I agree. I didn’t see the pics of them walking on her train but I did see the pics of Kate pointing at George’s face and George crying, yet no pics of her scolding Charlotte. On the other hand, there is that one picture of Kate with Charlotte where they are both smiling from ear to ear in the doorway. Kate always seems to hover over Charlotte and fuss over her but scold George.

         She basically told George to step in line at Charlotte’s christening and I have seen her push him along. It seems like favoritism to me.

      2. I have to agree.  Google “scapegoat child narcissistic parents”.

         Here’s one link:

          https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-legacy-distorted-love/201105/the-narcissistic-family-tree

      3. +1

         George and Charlotte are very little and if they did stand on Pippa’s dress then it was only for a moment and if anything did they think “Oww, flying carpet” or did they just skip a bit too quickly and it was an accident. It really didn’t deserve such a scolding from Kate. And imo Kate scolding was like it was from someone who isn’t round kids much as it was a bit over the top?

         it leads to headlines like this one from New Zealand’s main moring newspaper…

         “Pippa Middleton’s wedding: Prince George gets a royal telling off”

         I thought poor George looked sad and anguish?

         Pippa looked nice, Ma Middleton looked like she lost a bunch of weight and her outfit no longer fits poorly. Kate’s dress just made me want to go “huh???” and, as per usual, it was wrinkled!

      4. I did not see the train incident. Did the children deliberately stomp on the train or was it merely that the kids were not paying attention to where they were walking and accidentally stepped on it? There is a huge difference between the two situations!

   3. I agree, very inappropriate and over investing of £1M to earn magazines purchase (more UK Kardashian),

      . Let’s hope pipa donate to her hometown charities. Now that the real world issues of heartbreaking attack has removed overexposed PR phony royal pippa from the newspaper headlines. Prayers to all!

10. So, since they invited Eugenie and she went then my opinion has changed. Maybe this was just Pippa having her dream wedding and not about delusions of being Grand. It seems like they are accepted in that social group. Pippa moreso than Kate perhaps. Also, maybe they don’t freeze Donna out. Maybe Donna is the one holding back due to shyness out reserve. I wouldn’t have chosen the same wedding dress that Pippa code but it was classy and she looked beautiful. Congrats s to the happy couple.

    1. I guess maybe the rumor that Pippa/Kate and Eugenie/Bea are not true then?

       1. They did take a long time to put that to rest. It may be that Eugenie or her boyfriend run in the groom’s circles more than Pippa’s.

          1. Eugenie looked great btw.

             Lets not forget that both Bea and Eugenie have beautiful manners so when invited she came. I do wonder if Jennifer is correct and they may be friends with the groom?

             1. Exactly!

                The photos are there – there is no time waity muddleton has been around the princesses and seem gracious, pleasant in speaking to either princess. Princess Bea was not present – and she was in town as she attended the Flower Show with her sister and both looked lovely as did Countess Sophie.

          2. Jennifer, cast your mind back to 2012 ( I think ) when Pippa wrote her first book, it was the Yorks and I mean all of them, Andrew, Bea & Eugenie that went to the book launch. That says there has got to be some sort of friendship there, especially when the Duke of York attends!

             1. I don’t know who told you that Poppy, but it’s not true.

                There were no royals at Pippa’s book launch, not even Kate or William.

                Pippa and the Yorkies have been guests at a few weddings, but it was only last summer that Pippa was papped with Eugenie.

          3. Herazeus, I suggest you have a look on ” zimbio pictures of Prince Andrew” & go back through the pages to 26/10/12 & you will we the headlines Royals attend Pippa’s book launch. Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie attended the book launch of Pippa Middleton’s Party Planning book, Celebrate. And I know if you go on Princess Beatrice & Eugenie’s zimbio pages you will find the same into. You are right in that William & Kate didn’t attend but the Yorks did and its there in colour! I would add a link but I’m too thick to do that.

             1. Poppy, i’ve looked, and that zimbio is a complete fabrication. For starters, in those pics, the Yorkies are exiting Loulous, NOT Daunts the venue that held Pippa’s official book launch.

                Secondly, Pippa and James are entering a taxi with no context of location. Perhaps they were at Loulous the same night as the Yorks, yet Carole and Mike who were at Daunts are not seen exiting Loulous or even in the taxi with Pippa and James. Other people like Olivia Hunt, Ben Fogle are exiting Daunts.

                There is also the fact that the Yorkies are extremely casually dressed as they usually are when they are out for private dinner with their parents. E’s boyfriend is also in jeans. Plus this period in time, dave clarke would attend every high media event with B yet he is missing.

                The Yorkies always have an official photo taken to be circulated to media when they attend their friends’events, yet nothing here, plus everyone is dressed extremely casually.

                Loulous was really popular when it first opened. Pippa was practically a fixture there as were B and E.

                Lots of conjecture leading to fabrication that because they were all at Loulous, they must have been together which was not true at all.

             2. Too late to add: No other guests who were at Daunts papped exiting Loulous, yet Pippa is supposedly in a taxi going to /exiting Loulous……

             3. Herazeus, you’re right, they are leaving Lou!ous because according to the express newspaper, that is where the Middleton’s & guests went to have celebratory dinner & drinks. I don’t know, I wasn’t there, I only remember what I read. Jennifer, if I have given you the wrong information, I apologise. One person who might know exactly what went on is Iris at hrhprincessbeatrice. She knows all things Yorks.

             4. All of this is interesting. I lean towards Pippa not being friends with Eugenie for that long, but maybe they had to make peace because of mutual friends or because their love lives brought their social circles together. However, who really knows outside of that group. Thanks for sharing!

11. I preferred Pippa’s wedding dress to Kate’s. I think Pippa did look beautiful and classy. I wish both her and her husband well. I don’t think it is a love match but I wish them well.
    Eugenie really stole the show with her dress. I also liked Tallulah’s dress and Lady Gabriella Windsor’s. Mirka showed up well too.
    The page boys and flower girls/bridesmaids looked sweet. Charlotte looked adorable and Kate did seem over focused on her compared to George. George does look unhappy. A solution to that needs to be done about that. Kate was too harsh on him. He is four years old not an adult. Thank you KMR for the coverage of this wedding. I appreciate it.

    1. I don’t really like either Middleton sisters’ dress. The top of Kate’s looked like a lace sweater, and the top of Pippa’s looked like a lace t-shirt.

       1. Both of them had cups in the bodice, which isn’t a good look, imo

12. I think Pippa looked gorgeous and so genuinely happy. Kate looked very matronly. I thought Carole got dressed in Kate’s closet. The worst dressed guess was Rebecca Deacon. There was a picture of her on one of the DM’s articles. It looked like she was wearing a short, ivory nightgown.

    1. Oh lord! That was the worst dress of the whole event! Just dreadful.

       1. I was looking forward to not having Rebecca Deacon around. Kate needs a personal assistant asap.

    2. omg, Rebecca’s dress was ghastly. Did she look in a mirror before venturing out. Or, before purchasing it? Just horrible.

13. I think Catherine’s dress is too matronly but it’s not so bad that it’s distracting from the bride; so in that case it’s fine. Rule number 1-100, never upstage the bride. I think the kids looked great and seemed well-behaved. I thought it was obvious that Meghan wasn’t coming to the church wedding so I’m surprised that the media is making a big deal about this. Has Meghan and Pippa even met, not likely, so I can see why she wasn’t invited. I’m not in a nitpicky mood so overall I think everything looked fine.

14. Anyone else not surprised that William was off schmoozing while Kate was left to wrangle her kids. ?

    1. Nope. And it’s possible he didn’t go to the reception either. Kate was spotted arriving alone.

       1. That is so strange. I didn’t see any interaction between the two of them today.

       2. What? William was not at the reception? Why not? Being a hands on dad at home?
          I’m sure the kids were whisked away pretty quickly.

          1. Kate left with them fairly quickly after the ceremony. William nowhere nearby. I guess he didn’t care to have a few pics with all of them dressed up.

    2. Not surprised, but thought it tellling. Maybe that’s one reason KM looked so brittle, if Wills opted out of the evening reception.

    3. I’m not necessarily surprised that William was not helping, but it may have been the choice of Pippa &/or Carole to have only one child wrangler. If anything they could have had a parent of one of the other children giving KM a hand. I’m also sure that Nanny Maria was close by.

       1. Flashback to Sophia’s wedding where Daniel was the toddler whisperer and helped with spunky Leonore. Now, here’s our Kate, the child wrangler. Wrangler vs. whisperer. Which one do you think a kid wants?

15. Kate was “hyperfocused” on Charlotte because she is 2 years old! Kate had 2 years to focus solely on George and her “scolding” him now does not make her cruel. He’s a little kid. Little kids get grumpy and tired and can misbehave. She is their parent and she can scold them as many times as she likes.

    1. I actually have more respect for her for that. She doesn’t just let her kids act up. I think that’s good.

    2. +1

       1. +1

    3. Kate’s always been hyperfocused on Charlotte. She shoved George out of the way in Canada to parade for the cameras with Charlotte. It’s not about scolding your child, it’s about her behavior in the past that reflects onto this behavior today. George is the one who gets scolded, and is called names by his parents; Charlotte is the ‘angel from heaven,’ as William puts it, and is the one who is seen being given open affection whilst George does not.

       1. I’m glad someone else noticed this. I thought I was the only one.

       2. +1

       3. I agree Ellie.

       4. +1

          1. + 1

       5. I wonder if her parents treated her brother that way.

    4. Thank you! As any parent would know, there’s a huge difference between a 2 year old vs a 4 year old. Judging her as cruel based on a single photo is way over the top.

       1. Watch the video. Kate’s reaction is fairly over the top for something so minor and accidental. Charlotte gets no scolding, in fact is fawned over, but George does? The poor mite stood there looking like he needed a hug. 🙁

          I have a young kid who is George’s age. I scold him and have done in public (not at weddings, though, he has always been impeccably behaved). The point here is the way she prefers one child over the other and how blatant it is. That and George’s anxiety and shyness… he seems a lot like Grandpa Charles.

          1. Ellie: i hadn’t thought of Grandpa Charles and G sharing personality traits. That is going to go badly for him if he doesn’t find someone to dote on him the way the QM and Camilla dote on Charles.

             1. Maybe Charles and Camilla, Sarah Chatto, Edward?

             2. I wouldn’t say that’s just a Charles trait both William and Harry seem to need that as well. Kate seems to have to be simultaneously submissive to William so he can be the winner/manly man and also dote and him.
                I wouldn’t have pegged Harry for that but looking at the pics of he and Meghan in Jamaica clearly he does.
                Some woman love/enjoy that but I’m not one of them. I want a partner not some man baby constantly needing taking care of or their egos fed. To each their own

          2. Ellie, I have often thought that young George may share the temperament of his paternal grandfather – a little shy, sensitive, curious and questioning. I hope both get ample opportunity to spend time with each other, regardless of the William-Charles relationship.

             Charlotte may be the easier child to raise at this point. She seems to be comfortable within herself, even at two.

             We don’t know what provoked George to be tearful (probably tired and wanting to go home) or Kate’s response (probably stressed out because of the day). As Hera pointed out, there was an interval between standing on the train and the scolding.

16. I like Pippa’s look other than the sleeves, but it isn’t stunning like I had hoped. Charlotte’s dress was cute. I liked Eugenie’s as well.

    I did not like the page boy outfits and Kate’s was dreadful in every way.

17. Kate wrangled the kids because they are on lockdown, no one can come near them or even tell them what to do besides Maria. Plus Kate wanted to show of her dress and get some attention for being amazing mom. Whatever Kate does it is all about her.

    1. +1

    2. +1

       1. +1 some more.

18. I have to say, I absolutely love Pippa’s dress. I love the tiara’s look with the outfit, too. Kate’s new earrings look like costume jewelry, not $9k. Her choice with blush pink is lovely, but there are the tailoring problems as many have pointed out. I especially despise the sleeves.

19. Thank you KMR for the post. I liked Pippa’s dress very much. Carole looks like she raided the Duchess’s wardrobe. As for Kate, oh Kate, that dress is terrible. I’ll fitting and she looks so bony in the chest. The color washes her out. As for the children all were adorable. The page boy outfit not so much.

    Kate, seems extremely high strung around her own children. Let alone being a child wrangler for the day. It is magnified a thousand times more. I get she wants her sister’s big day to be special. She needs to remember that her children are young. Two and almost four. Children have to learn cues and behavior in social settings that takes times. They were probably bored and excited from within the time frame from being in the church to outside of church. They are kids Kate RELAX. What really bothers me it’s seems George is the whipping post for Kate. Not Charlotte. He is a little boy who to me looks very sad all the time. Also unsure, scared, and shy. This makes me sad. Best advice Kate stop with the narrative. The perceptions of how you want your perfect little family to look. There looks like there are a lot of cracks. And I’m not talking about the kids. Kids will be kids. The cracks are you and your useless husband.

    1. What makes this worse is what Kate and William actually say about George to the media and so even if the situation at the church was a moment in time, hearing that George misbehaves and is more difficult and then seeing him be scolded just adds to whole narrative. At least there was the cute photo of hm peeking out of the car… but then again his mom wasn’t looking at him to see that.

       1. I think it the script they want us to believe. Boy is active hell raiser. Girl angelic and sweet. Kids are who they are. You cannot stereotype them. It’s worse when you use them for PR advantage. To save yourself.

          The picture of George in the car was very cute and sweet. On the other end of the spectrum I feel these two children are in a gilded cage of their parents making. George lookS so curious and sweet.

    2. I think you’re interpretation is extremely dramatic; ‘whipping post’. From the video she was talking to both the kids about something but I highly doubt it was anything too harsh. I get that people on here don’t like Catherine but I think the critiques of her parenting and her children’s perceived happiness are low-blows. I’m not convinced in the slightest that Catherine is a bad mother.

       1. Ok well that is my opinion. You are entitled to your own.

20. I really don’t get why Norland graduates have to wear that hideous uniform. If you’re a graduate, you shouldn’t have to wear anything from your tertiary institution. You did the work, you graduated, you’re done, you don’t have anything to do with them anymore.
    That’s like me wearing merchandise clothing from my university to my job.

    Pippa’s dress is meh. I love lace, but I hate high necklines.

    I thought Kate looked lovely. I love the colour, and everything else, I just am not a fan of the sleeves. I think a cap sleeve or 3/4 length sleeve would’ve looked nicer.

    Charlotte is just too cute.

    I also think Donna’s choice of dress colour was a no-no. I don’t usually care too much for wedding traditions or expectations, but I do think wearing white or cream is silly. I once went to a wedding where a guest wore a white lace dress, I was like what were you thinking?! The bride was wearing a white lace dress…

    1. No matter how pround Norland nannies are of their credentials, there is really no rule that they have to wear their uniforms while working unless their employers make that request.

       It’s not the first time Maria has escorted the kids to high profile events. She was at the engagement in NZ which was G’s first official public engagement. She was in the room with Kate, ready to take over as needed.

       The idea of asking her to wear her uniform for these Middleton tableaus is pure Middleton. They don’t realise how nouveau riche it makes them look.

21. I thought pippa looked lovely and happy. I was hoping for a back pic of her hair becuase her do didn’t look nearly as bleh as Kate’s always do.
    It was nice seeing Kate actually helping out buuuut 1) that dress was completely hideous. I get the color was matching the kids sash but it did nothing for her. 2) The same blah Kiki earrings 3) same blah hAirdo 4) same blah shoes.
    And her OTT makeup?!!We’ve seen her recently without the heavy make up and she looks lovely when she lays off it. I also wish she would invest in some good moisturizer and or facials.
    Carole’s face looked so swollen instead of nicely plump.
    Was nanny Maria working or there as a guest? We saw Kate corralling the kids so what would be the point to have her work the wedding? How do we know If she wanted to wear her uniform or if was told to wear it? I’ve only seen her in it here and at the christening. I don’t wear my scrubs to functions
    The best dressed goes to Eugenie and James’s mother.
    I applaud any parent who reprimands their kids bad behavior because so many these days don’t but you know cameras are going to be on you so it would have been best to do it away from peeps. It just feeds the naughty George narrative. I like the George peeking out the car window pic.

    1. I saw a picture of the nanny taking over once the children were inside the church. To me it seems like it was all a photo op for Kate outside the church. I guess I’m confused as to why it takes both parents and a nanny to take care of two children, because Kate didn’t appear focused on any of the children besides her two.

22. I just watched the second video. Hilarious. James approaches waving the kids forward to showcase the Pips and himself. One of the boys flips a single petal at James. The kid then dumps the entire basket of petals at James’ feet. Hahahahaha.

    I think alot of the kids were acting up a bit. From the mouths of babes–they sensed the silliness in the hyperchoreography.

    How much more fun and joyful to enjoy the kids’energy rather than to be stiff and expect the kids to understand that they are merely props.

23. I forgot to add that I’m bummed we didn’t get a pic of Harry with George and Charlotte. I was also wanting pics of the reception attire for guests =(

    1. From the photos and captions, Harry was one of the first to leave the morning reception. But, yes, it would have been fun to have Harry involved with shepherding the kids. Once again, Pips (and now James) wants the aristo patina but only if Pips is front and center.

24. I really thought Pippa might wear something original, with minimal or no lace. Instead, she went with what I should’ve guessed and copied Kate’s look. Her hair was better, though. The lace bomb and overly done tan just don’t do it for me.

    Kate and Carole are shopping each other’s closets again. Color me shocked.

    Poor George. I wish they wouldn’t keep these kids in a guilded prison. He always seems so on edge, like he has full on anxiety. Charlotte has spunk. You can see it in her face. I hope she gives her parents a run for their money.

    Overall, it was a highly manufactured, product placement PR extravaganza – a television commercial for the public. What a waste. I do hope Pippa and James are happy and have a long, loving marriage. It would be nice if they’d drop off the radar now (i know better, no need to correct me).

    1. How nice if Pips and James lived a quiet, happily married life. But Pips will never be satisfied that KM gets more public attention. She will come up with various half baked schemes to stay in public consciousness.

       1. Truer words, Indiana Joanna. This certainly isn’t the last we’ll see of them. Just wait until Pippa is preggo. Lord help us.

          I totally forgot to mention my favorite thing from yesterday: Jack Brooksbanks’ socks. My sartorial win for the day!

25. I find it interesting William didn’t attend the reception nor was he seen trying to help Kate with the kids before or after. What a hands on, involved dad!

    1. Not.

    2. Lol yeah I want to find out more about the missing Middleton too.. Maybe he was on a back shift at work?!?! (sarcasm) 🙂

       1. Lol

          It’s so wierd to me that WK want to be modern per their PR, but revert to pre modern age stereotypes in their marriage whereby the woman is in complete charge of domestic sphere such that even where male is unoccupied, they are still uninvolved with their family.

          And it’s curious to me that Kate is so invested in projecting the perfect family image whatever the reality of it.

26. As tired as I am of lace, I really liked Pippa’s dress and thought she looked stunning! Imo, the lace work on her dress somehow managed to give youthful vibe and the veil was simple but the placement of it was spot on. And her hair, I think she should wear it like this all the time, it’s the best I’ve ever seen it.

    I don’t know what to say about Kate’s dress, first you know it’s not good when 2 60+ year old women look younger than you do. And what’s with the side boob flaps??? And while I’m not a fan of this color on Kate, I think if they had left off the peplum flaps, the panels in the back and fixed the boob flaps then this dress would have been okay, not great but okay.

27. I’m confused, you’re allowed at the reception but not the wedding ceremony? People are trying to make sense of it but you can’t. Last year, I went to the wedding of a co-worker and a few other co-workers didn’t show up there, but they did at the reception, wth? I can’t watch you say your vows, but I can eat your food and dance all night, again wth?

    If I were Meghan, I wouldn’t go to the reception if Pippa didn’t want me at the wedding. I would still wake up the next day as the girlfriend of Prince Harry, so who cares about wanna-be-royal Pippa. A lot of people comment that Meghan is a social climber and I’m starting to believe it if you allow someone to treat you this way and just accept it. Put your foot down Meghan!

    Someone mentioned above that Pippa wouldn’t want Meghan in the wedding photos if she broke up with PH. Will there be a wedding photographer at the reception? If not then that’s probably why she can go to the reception and not the wedding. Still, I would not allow myself to be treated like that.

    If Pippa had a “No ring, no invite” policy, or whatever its called, then why was Eugenie allowed to bring her boyfriend? I would like to believe that Meghan slipped through the back door, but that’s not possible either because Harry drove back to get her.

    *sigh*

    1. The whole thing is confusing. I do not know about photographers at the reception.

       However, both Chelsy Davy and Kate Middleton attended the wedding ceremony and reception of Peter Philips and Autumn Kelly. It is when Kate 1st met the Queen. Numerous picture of Chelsy with Harry and Kate were sold to Hello. The pictures were personal from inside the party.

       Anyone want to make a bet thar Pippa will sell some pictures?

    2. The church seats c. 130 or thereabouts, so I imagine people attending were family, close friends and those with social cachet. The 350 invited to the evening reception would have included these people, plus the remaining 220 folk.

       I agree with your comment that Meghan would have been wiser to give the event a pass given the manufactured fuss about this wedding; they are not her friends, no reason to attend. She and Harry are not joined at the hip. The possibility that couples who are not engaged might break up and ‘ruin’ photographic recollections of the event sometime in the future is masking deeper and selective prejudices. But if you want to buy into that, then statistically speaking, over half the married couples will be divorced too.

       The kids looked cute in what is pretty much a wedding uniform: girls with sashes and flower crowns; boys in britches and puffy shirts. The little boy, all of 5-6, flicking the V “piss off’ sign was curiously knowing at that age; comes down to parenting. I’m in agreement with Sarah, Ellie, Indiana Joanna re. the parental dynamic of George-Kate-Charlotte. On the few occasions we’ve seen her in action, Charlotte appears to have a fairly compliant, “what evs” kind of temperament; George often appears anxious and questioning. Apart from the photo ops afforded Kate, I wonder why the very experienced Nanny Maria was not on hand.

       Of all the women on parade, wedding party included, I thought Eugenie looked fresh and chic, as did Tallulah Goldsmith and Gabriella Windsor. Of the men, James Mathews and his father looked elegant.

       1. “The possibility that not engaged couples might break up and ruin photographic recollections of the event sometime in the future is masking deeper and selective prejudices.”

          I made a comment up thread stating that Pippa may not want to invite Meghan because she doesn’t know her or because Meghan and Harry have not been dating that long. My opinion is that Pippa has a right to invite who she wants to because I would not want to invite a stranger to my wedding only to have them break up with a relative or friend because then I would have a stranger in my pictures forever. No one is obligated to invite a stranger to their wedding.

          I hope I am wrong, but I have read your comment about “masking deeper and selective prejudices” as a slight towards me personally and if it is I am offended and upset. I don’t know what you might be implying here but I don’t have “selective prejudices”.

          Thanks.

          1. I agree, Cookie. There is nothing wrong with not wanting someone you don’t know in your photos.

             1. YES KMR. Many people (and the media) wanted Pippa to invite Meghan only because Meghan is Harry’s girlfriend. This is ridiculous. The bride and groom don’t know Meghan. I wouldn’t invite a stranger to my wedding either.

             2. That’s fine KMR and others, as long as James and Pips don’t expect an invite to Harry’s wedding! But I think they …or she… will be wanting an invite to that wedding, and probably Carole as well.

                Whatever else I criticise this family for I think Pippa looked beautiful and genuinely happy. I wish her and James well.

             3. +1

             4. How do you get to know people if you don’t invite them?

             5. Before the wedding. Inviting random people to your wedding isn’t the time to get to know someone. At least, not for me.

          2. I read it as a prejudice on the part of Pippa and her ilk and not your comment. I mean she has no real connection to Harry either and yet he was invited. He has never appeared with her socially outside of wedding events and one christening. So if it’s ok that he shows up in a few crowd pictures I don’t see how Meghan being in the background will be that big of a deal. William wasn’t even near the married couple for the photos and he is her brother in law.

             I understand the regular person argument about space and money, but the Middleton approach was more about having people who could get them more press.

             Whoever said upthread that Harry was invited to be William’s babysitter at the wedding seems to have hit the mark. Are there any photos of William near his kids or wife at any time?

             And using KP to release info about the Pippa’s dress was also unusual since Pippa had actually hired someone for PR.

          3. Cookie

             I didn’t read your earlier comment. If I had and wanted to reply, I would have done so directly. My comment was in reply to CaliGirl.

             If you read my full comment, I concur that Meghan had no need to attend since, as far as we know, she knows neither the bride nor groom. Harry could have attended alone; it’s perfectly acceptable. I don’t understand why you would invite strangers, nor do I understand why guests would insist upon their hosts inviting a stranger. Is it because society insists on coupling up and anything else is unacceptable?

             Why should a bride and groom worry about having people in wedding/reception photos who may/may not be permanent fixtures in their lives sometime down the track? Who knows what will happen in the future: people divorce, family members fall out with each other, some people are widowed, other relationships have an unknown shelf life, including the bride and groom themselves if statistics mean anything.

             A wedding presumably brings together a congregation of friends and family at a particular moment in time in the couple’s lives. Invite who you love and like and want to share the day with, regardless of relationship status. That’s it.

             Inventing excuses to exclude other women in your families’ lives (it seems only to be women eg Uncle Gary’s wife, Carole’s less swept up elderly female relatives, Donna Air, Meghan Markle, Vogue Williams) because of jealousy, disapproval or shame is immature.

          4. I didn’t find Jen’s comment offensive. Cookie wrote that she wouldn’t want a stranger in her wedding photos, and that is where the “selective prejudices” come in. Pippa was being selective (as is her right) with a guest she doesn’t know (Meghan) and is unmarried (Meghan) because she doesn’t want to see that person in her wedding photos that could later break up with the guest she invited. And as Jen wrote, “statistically speaking, over half the married couples will be divorced too,” and they are in the wedding photos. So, its okay to look at your wedding photo album in the future and see the known divorced guests but not an unknown girlfriend of a guest.

             Peter and Autumn Philips must be cringing at the sight of Chelsy Davy in their wedding photo album. Well, Chelsy wasn’t a stranger so I guess not. That’s a different scenario there.

             So, the rule is: no strangers at the wedding that the bride/groom don’t know just in case they break up and they are forever in the wedding photos.

             Yet, it’s okay to invite a stranger to a reception? I guess to please the guest who is bringing the stranger.

             1. I think it’s up to the bride and groom. If they are okay with strangers at any part of their wedding, then that’s fine. If they are not okay with strangers at any part of their wedding, then that’s fine. The bride and groom can do what they want with their guest list and shouldn’t be judged negatively for it.

             2. I think it depends on who’s paying. I’ve been to numerous weddings where the parents footed the bill so they invited some of their friends/colleagues. Bride and groom didn’t know them.
                How many people peruse their wedding photo album over the years anyways??
                And considering most marriages end in divorce I find it funny that people would consider couples braking up thus ruining the pics funny. I think it would make a funny story.
                Oh remember the nightmare gf/bf so and so was dating and brought to the wedding.
                How many people who marry young are still friends with the same peeps? Thus having bridesmaids/groomsmen they no longer talk to in the pics?

       2. I didn’t sincerely hope that people use the “might upstage the bride” rule to not invite the Middletons to any more weddings. Meghan was singled out, and it shows.

          1. I have never seen, ‘How I met your mother’. Might do, might not. Right now I am interested in Party of five because it is what I watched sporadically on my brothers television. Anyway I am getting back. People who bring a plus one should think very carefully about bringing them. At a friends’ wedding there were married couples and girls who had brought a plus one whose plus one had no intention of bonding (I think that is the right word ) with. It definitely makes the party more anti-social for those who want to make it a happy time for the couple and themselves. I can’t really think of a better way of putting it. Thank you KMR, for sorting the email problem out by the way. Please say you are having some time to yourself this weekend :-).

       3. “The possibility that couples who are not engaged might break up and ‘ruin’ photographic recollections of the event sometime in the future is masking deeper and selective prejudices. ”

          Have you ever seen How I Met Your Mother? The episode where Lily doesn’t want Ted to bring his current girlfriend to her birthday party because she doesn’t know her and doesn’t want her in the photos? Lily and Ted play “Name that bitch” and look at all the photos Lily has of random women Ted dated, took to functions, and then broke up with.

          The idea of not wanting random people in one’s photos isn’t odd and has nothing to with “masking deeper and selective prejudices”. It’s a prejudice of not wanting random people you don’t know in order photos. That’s it. There is nothing wrong with it.

          Pippa knows Donna Air. She also knows Jack Brooksbank. So Pippa probably invited them and/or was okay with them attending. But Spencer’s girlfriend wasn’t invited either, probably because Pippa doesn’t know her.

          1. No, I haven’t seen the show.

             I would have just two concerns when inviting friends/family:
             1. To design a fun, inclusive event, and;
             2. Make my guests feel welcome and happy.

             1. That’s where we differ. In my opinion, a wedding is about the bride and groom, so I would plan my wedding around what I want, not what my guests want. If others care more about their guests than themselves, then that’s their call. Each couple should do what’s right for them, and shouldn’t be judged negatively for it.

             2. I’m always amused by these wedding guests conversations. It’s so specific to Anglo-Saxon heritage of USA / Western Europe. I only encountered it once we settled in England, but i am always simultaneously amused and shocked by it as i didn’t grow up in a strictly English environment.

                Other cultures around the world take weddings to be family affairs and by family, it might be clan, village, town, entire county…..doesn’t matter. The more the merrier whether anyone knows them or not.

                I once attended an Asian wedding that had over 3000 guests. These weren’t uber wealthy people. And it didn’t matter who was in the wedding photos. Infact, there was a tedious 2-3hrs moment of proceedings where every single person who attended the wedding was invited to take their picture with the bride and groom. Drinks and refreshments were served to the waiting crowds, the band played.

                I couldn’t tell you who 3/4 of the people in my siblings’ weddings, but the weddings were fun. No awkwardness because everyone took ‘wedding’ as their cue and simply enjoyed themselves.

       4. There is a pic of N. Maria with all the kids just inside the church porch.

    3. When I was a teen my mom and I were invited to her boss’ wedding, but just the reception part. He invited all of his employees to his reception but not the ceremony. And my mom and I went and it’s wasn’t because we didn’t have respect for ourselves. We went because she wanted to celebrate with her boss and we both respected that they didn’t want everyone at the ceremony. It’s no big deal.

       And I would do the same thing. I would invite only the closest people to the ceremony because it’s a really intimate thing for me. And then I would invite more people to the reception. Again, it’s no big deal.

       I don’t understand why people have such a problem with only being invited to part of the wedding festivities.

       And I wouldn’t want a stranger at any part of my wedding, so if a friend or relative had a SO that I didn’t know, yeah I wouldn’t invite them. And if that friend or relative had a problem with it, then I’d tell them not to come.

       The wedding is about the bride and groom, not the guests. The bride and groom can invite who they want, invite certain people to only certain events, and not invite who they want.

       PS. The “no ring, no bring” policy was mad up by the press.

       1. Lol, I would do the opposite if I had to! Invite more people to the ceremony, because then I wouldn’t have to pay extra per person for catering 😛

       2. We had loads more people at our wedding in the church than at the reception, because a bunch of random people from our church came. It was nice!

          So that sort of thing isn’t unusual to me, I guess if you’re having 2 expensive lavish receptions you can invite others to come party…

       3. +1

28. Kate is definitely one of the worst mothers in the world. No mother with any sense at all would scold a 3 year old for crying at a big event like this wedding! If she were smart, she would have comforted him. Instead, she lashes out at him and embarrasses him for the entire world to see! All the while, she is doting on Spoiled Charlotte, as usual. The only time Waity Katie pays any attention to George is when she is scolding him for some ridiculous reason. I feel so bad for him. Charlotte is so favored that it makes him insecure! Shame on Kate!

    1. George stepped on Pippa’s dress. If Kate scolded him, it was for that. There was a reason.

       1. The least she could have done was talk to him away from the cameras instead of embarrassing him in front of everybody. I have no respect for her.

          1. What mother doesn’t scold their kid right then and there in front of everyone? I’ve seen loads of mothers scold their kids in the grocery store in front of everyone. It’s fine.

             1. +1

          2. I doubt there was much chance escaping the cameras.

    2. But there is something about George that suggests confusion and anxiety about what is expected of him. In contrast, Charlotte from the little we’ve seen of her appears rather composed for a two-year-old.

       1. I’m completely sold on Ellie’s hypothesis that G might have inherited Charles’s personality. Charles was a sensitive, anxious child. He remains a sensitive adult who needs lots of attention. The Queenmother and camilla provide that.

          If Ellie is right, G is going to struggle if he doesn’t have someone who dotes on him to the level he needs.

          1. George seems to have that sweet, sensitive anxiety about him. I don’t know, we don’t see enough of him, but he seems quite like Grandpa in general to me. A little shy, sensitive, but a sweet boy. I want to hug him.

             Charlotte’s gonna be a firecracker, I hope they don’t quell that in her, as I fear they naturally have given George that nervousness about people, his role,cameras, blah-blah with W’s paranoia.

          2. I rather suspect that Carole dotes on George. We’ve seen plenty of pap photos of her on outings with him; of course, most if not all were prior to Charlotte’s birth, but still they indicated a close grandparent-child relationship. Whether Carole can or will continue that level of attention to George now that there’s Charlotte and that there most likely soon will be little Matthewses, too, remains to be seen. Of course, there is another son-in-law now for Carole to control and manipulate, too; although TR James seems to be much more compliant than William.

          3. “Dotes on him at the level he needs.” Hera, are you talking about George as a child, or throughout his adult life, too? None of us really know if George suffers anxiety. None of us really know what is true personality is. I am just concerned by a comment that you made about someone needing to dote on him. Understand him, yes. Realize he may need to be handled differently than his sister. Yes, In fact, most kids, btw, are different and parents take the time to handle them differently in some instances. And, if he does continue to be so anxious, well, his parents and uncle are so into takling about things — even with professionals — isn’t that more the answer than doting?

             Forgive me, but I was confused as to your word choice.

       2. He looks like s kid who has just been scolded or is about to be.

    3. I think “one of the worst mothers in the world” is way overstating it. At that age, it’s hard to take them aside to talk to them – you wait to long and they no longer are “in the moment” of what they did.

       We see so little of the children with their parents that I think it is hard to label their parenting based on just that.

29. Can we give some credit where credit is do here? It’s time to recognize Carole Middleton for the hardcore stage mother that she is. We all know the woman is savage in her pursuit of social position, but she raised two girls who climbed like the base of the tree was on fire. Wisteria sisters is an understatement if I’ve ever heard one.

    She took two very average girls and turned them into society darlings (she thinks). She managed to find two incredibly dim-witted, privileged men and turn them into simpering lap dogs. She’s got those strings and she’s manipulating those marionettes for all they’re worth. If this woman were to talk to Kris Jenner she would be all “Bitch please. I’m the OG, don’t you forget it.” Well played Carole, you pushed and stalked and manipulated until you’re here. Thank god the girls fell in line.

    Meanwhile, as this wedding is happening, there are mothers of titled and wealthy men all over Britain saying to their husbands “Right, we’ve got 5-7 years before she’s trawling again so let’s work fast to find a suitable woman. We need her YESTERDAY.” And, by the looks of things, it’s a toss up who could be one the prowl next, Kate or Pippa. Yikes

    All of this being said, Pippa looked lovely and genuinely pleased. Whether that’s because she’s in love with him or the wallet, I don’t know. Best of luck to them!

    1. +1000

    2. Hear, hear!

30. Wait, Roger Federer and his wife were at the wedding-didn’t Kate and Pippa allegedly make fun of her for being fat when they saw her at Wimbledon?

    1. I heard that but don’t know if it’s true.

       I love seeing his wife at his matches and she looked beautiful at the wedding.

       1. I have always thought Mirka Federer, has looked lovely and is a classy lady. Just saying.

    2. Wasn’t that Andy murray’s wife?

       1. I think Sarah that Kim is Andy Murray’s wife. 🙂

       2. Sarah, it was Mirka who Kate and Pippa laughed at, not Kim. It was at Wimbledon soon after the birth of Mirka’s second set of twins, I think, and as Mirka stood up to applaud her shirt rose up and exposed her stomach–still quite large after being pregnant–and the camera switched to Pippa and Kate looking toward her and laughing as it happened.

          As far as the Federers being at Pippa’s wedding, I wondered if it was because he is a client of TR James? Or perhaps the Federers holiday at the Matthews’ St. Barts’ resort frequently? There is absolutely no connection I can think of between them and Pippa alone–not a connection that would justify an invite to both the church and party. Of course, Carole may still be pushing for membership at the All England Club and appearing tight with seven-time champion would help.

          Because I am a huge Federer fan, I am hoping that he and Mirka were at this wedding solely because they were too gracious to turn down the invitation and not because of any close relationship with a family who are greedy and manipulative beyond compare.

          1. I thought Federer came because of Pippa. I guess I was wrong.

          2. I’ve been hearing for some time that the Midds befriended Federrer a few years after that incident. I didn’t realise they were wedding invitation friendly, but i was unsurprised that he was there.

             1. One thought I had had, was that perhaps Federer and Tim Henman were friendly or found themselves frequently together at events, and that Carole and Pippa had wormed their way toward Federer using that Henman family connection Carole has created.

                After Federer won either the quarterfinal or semi-final round (or maybe it was the final, I can’t remember) last year, I was shocked to see Pippa criss-cross her way across the stands to get to Mirka to give her a congratulatory hug. It was awkward and quite an effort for Pippa to make her way to Mirka, and Mirka actually looked startled and surprised to find Pippa reaching out to hug her–it really was like watching a social climber in action. Because of Mirka’s reaction, I thought the relationship, if it did exist, must have been relatively new and probably more one-sided; and because we had never seen any evidence of a Federer friendship before TR James, I thought it must be due to him. But like I said above, I wouldn’t put it past Carole to use the Henmans to make an even more “royal” tennis connection. Climb, climb, climb.

             2. Lizzy, now that you mention the Tim Henman connection, of course they did per your suggestion. That’s how they roll.

                Pippa was especially notorious for her blatant seeking out better opportunities using the connected people she met.

                Can you imagine if that hustle was applied to improving the world at large or work rather than social connections?

31. I am very curious about this:

    Did George step on Pippa’s dress intentionally *or* was it an accident? If it was an accident, Kate was over the top especially if Charlotte stepped on the dress too. If it was on purpose that is indeed a naughty thing to do and that behavior should be corrected however, if Charlotte did it on purpose too she wasnt scolded like George was which makes it seem like Kate is stricter with George.

    Is there a video of what happened?

    1. Seems unintentional in the video I saw of it.

       Charlotte probably doesn’t get in much trouble. After all William calls her an angel, and he complains about George. The dynamic of the bad child vs good child has been started by the parents. 🙁

       I know people who do this sort of blatant favoritism, always against the son and positive to the daughter. It’s gross.

       1. +1. It looked accidental; George didn’t look as if he knew where he was going, as kids often do. He’d become detached from the larger group of children.

          1. Though I’ll bet the kids were warned not to step on the bride’s dress, so it might be a case of don’t put beans in your ears.

             1. George is what, going on 4? He’s still a baby in terms of remembering these kinds of things and his attention span. Expecting children to be miniature adults is unreasonable. It looked like an accident and he seemed so lost and a little scared. Scolding him for an accident like that in that situation is damaging to his mental well being. My mother was the same way when I was a child and I’m still trying to work through it in therapy.

             2. The video certainly didn’t make it look like George intentionally stomped on the train. But Kate is a bag of issues and some of that is going to affect her kids sadly.

             3. If the poor boy stepped on the dress, let’s remember, he’s just nearing four in age, right?

                I am sure the kids were given commands for days leading up to the wedding and if you ask me (I did not see the video), they all seemed fairly well behaved at such a huge event. They’re children. Very young children.

                Kate, in my opinion, could have handled the step differently. Not so harshly. These kids are so young and much was expectef of them. In my opinion, they delivered.

                It does seem to me, as I have posted (others, too) in different threads that Kate is more comfortable with Charlotte than with George. She does seem to favor her daughter.

                Sad for little George. Very sad. His father, on the other hand, where the heck was he? Could he have helped with the kids at all? Or, is that Kate’s role? In public and in private? Although, forgive me, I know Nanny Maria is always around.

    2. Cookie, don’t know if you’ve seen the video yet, but if not there is one on the DM wedding coverage today. George is circled so you can’t miss him.

32. 1. Did they intentionally pick the worst possible picture of Kate for the cover?

    2. Why was there a flyover? Is the groom from a military background or can just anyone request one if you have enough money? I don’t see the point.

    1. Lol, I sometimes think they choose the worst photo in order to throw slight shade since they can’t do it directly. That is a horrible picture of Kate, but in all fairness, Kate didn’t have many flattering photos today. It wasn’t her most photogenic day. But you know, she probably made herself less attractive on purpose in photos so as not to draw attention away from the bride ;), lol.

    2. I read on TWItter someone speculating the flyover was in honour of her paternal grandfather who was a pilot in the war

       1. That kind of connection would make sense. I couldn’t find any discussion on the reason behind it, and I was hoping it wasn’t just because Kate had one at her wedding! Haha! Thanks!

33. I love Pippa’s up-do. It looks elegant and youthful. I have a hard time believing Kate’s hairdresser did this. If she really did do Pippa’s hair, then why can’t Kate ever have a prettier and youthful up-do like this? It just looks so much better high up on the head than the ones Kate always wears on her nap of her neck. If it really due to her hair extensions, then Kate should take them out when wearing her hair up. Pippa’s hair looks great

    1. It wasn’t Kate’s hairdresser, it was someone else. I forget the name, but I saw it on Twitter.

       1. Richard Ward. I believe

          1. Oh that makes way more sense. Kate’s hair even looked better when Richard Ward was doing her hair. The media was predicting Kate’s hairdresser was doing Pippa’s hair, so I didn’t know if that was true or not. I didn’t think she could do a hairstyle this nice

34. For once, Pippa looks radiant. I am not a fan of lace dresses nor Pippa herself, but the gown flatters her and she looks the loveliest I have ever seen her to be. James looks really happy to be married as well, and it’s nice to see at least one Middleton in a happy relationship. Their body language looks in sync and celebratory. Hopefully this is the beginning of a lifetime of genuine happiness.

    As for Kate- it’s as though she asked the people at Alexander McQueen to channel Norman Hartnell and make something late Queen Mother would have worn, but requested the most drab and spiritless color possible. At 36, she is not supposed to look 80, and wearing that outfit makes the senior royals look younger by comparison.

    George and Charlotte are adorable. I have no idea if what prompted his meltdown is true, but Kate having a moment to be strict is not one I’m going to interpret as a case for favoritism. (However, I concur with those upthread who think George exudes a worried, anxious energy. It is noticeable and very poignant.)

    Loved Jane Matthews’s mint green outfit. Princess Eugenie looked gorgeous. I also liked Donna Air’s ensemble (and heck yes, that hug with James Middleton looks super-awkward). Carole Middleton’s outfit looked like Kate’s maternity wear, and I am not fond of the deliberate pink choice. (Carole also appeara to look a little Botoxed with filler, and it is not flattering.)

    SO BUMMED there are no Meghan Markle pics as of yet (apart from one lone car entrance pic with Harry driving). iIt’s Pippa’s prerogative to invite who she likes- for Harry to go is very gracious, especially since he is doing a huge favor for William and the Middletons.

    The absence of pictures of Kate and William together is a surprise. If it’s true that he wanted no part of the reception, that’s ungracious of him… and not surprising at all.

    1. Maybe Kate scolded him too!

       1. Ha! He generally deserves a scolding. ?

          1. I think if William had a scolding he would not know what hit him. The Queen did last year tell him off.

             1. The best possible scold is “William, we’re giving Prince of Wales to Harry over you. You’re too workshy.”

                (Wishful thinking, I know, but it would be an awesome burn.)

             2. Just as long Lexistential that I don’t have to be around. I don’t want to see a tantrum from William in real life. Harry would be awesome as Prince of Wales 🙂

    2. Carole and Mike were not seen photographed together either after the wedding. Only Carole was obvious behind the J&P after the ceremony. They aren’t much of a couple these days it seems. Contrast Dave and Jane Matthews holding hands.

       1. I noticed how comfortable Dave and Jane Matthews seemed to be, and it was really nice to see. Carole and Mike Middleton don’t seem to have that dynamic. If Pippa and James eventually resemble his parents, that would be lovely for them and nice to see.

          1. The Matthews did appear close in these photos. My thoughts were with them yesterday, because amid all of the hoopla and happiness, these large milestone family events must make them miss their eldest son terribly. You’re extremely happy for the son getting married, but you can’t help but think of the other son who would have been there celebrating as well but is not. That grief never goes away.

             1. Hi, Lizzie, I’m with you.
                The loss of their son will always be with the parents and siblings.
                It is wonderful that the parents are still together. Often, after a loss like that, a marriage falls apart.

                I’m sure their late son, and James’ late brother, were with all the loved ones on the special day.

35. I thought Pippa looked good – the dress suited her – she is toned. I was maybe expecting something closer to her bridesmaid style as she looked great in that. Looks like Hello has paid up for an exclusive . . . . . I guess that wedding has to be paid for somehow – although TR James and his family are not short of a $ 🙂 The senior Matthews are an attractive pair, and Spencer is eye candy if you go for that type. James does not seem to fit the mould. Pippa looked very happy so I’m thinking she got the “good guy” who will be there for her.

    1. I agree Oz, while Spencer is nice to look at, I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole. Pippa definitely got the “better” brother.

       1. I would go further and say Spencer is repugnant looking. But he did put on a good bonhomie act as best man for the arriving guests (especially Donna Air).

36. Pippa looked great, & i love her whole look. James , her hubby,looked happy and nice also. All the best to the happy couple. All of the kids were cute. I love the little girls outfits.

37. I thought the dress was beautiful and she looked lovely. However, both she and Kate had corsetted gowns and that means the bodice has cups. I don’t think that’s an elegant look, and perhaps a different shaped bodice would be more flattering. I’m alone in not liking Eug’s look – I thought it was a bit low cut for a church.

    1. Not alone. Nice dress for a party but a lot of cleavage for a church wedding.

    2. At least they weren’t pointy cone-shaped cups, like Kate’s!

38. To be really cynical, I think Carole desperately wanted Harry and Eugenie there as they are likely the next Royals to marry and she wants a reciprocal invite for herself and family.

    But, I do think Eugenie and Harry are friendly with Pippa so I’m probably just Carole-weary.

    I mentioned in the other thread that I didn’t like Kate’s dress and makeup, and the more photos I’ve seen the less I like it. I agree the fascinator is one of her better ones, though. I’m sorry she was stressed out – you can see it in the group shots, her smile is either not present or forced. I was hoping she would relax and enjoy the day. Maybe the evening reception was her time to have fun.

    The children are very cute. George is, in public, a bit wary but that is completely understandable.

    I imagine Will attended the evening reception, and just did not arrive with Kate. His brother went, presumably his cousin went, he has been close with Kate’s family, etc – so the media just missed a photo of him arriving IMO.

    1. The only reason i thought that was a strange detail is because allegedly WK are staying at the Middleton house. No reason to see them arrive outside the property because they would have been present already. A case of nipping downstairs to the glasshouse in the garden.

       1. I’m sure I saw a picture of Van Strawberry at the wedding……another playmate to hold William’s hand. It would be an absolute PR disaster for the Middleton’s and the Cambridges if it does get out that William buggered off after the ceremony. I wonder if Niraj would tell us? He’s bound to know. I still can’t get my head around Uncle Gary not being asked to the reception? So mean and unnecessary. Xx

          1. Maybe because uncle Gary would be the type to spill if William didn’t actually go to the reception or other juicy info.

          2. Mrs BBV: saw von strawberry too. And entire turnip toff crew less vancutsems.

          3. Now that Carole has her hands into the Matthews’ money, private plane, and holiday location, she doesn’t need brother Gary any longer. The fact that he tweeted a photo of his family out for dinner last night instead of being at the reception suggests that he wants to lead everyone to believe there’s a rift in the family–why tweet that otherwise? Perhaps a tell-all book is in the future. I hope so. =)

             1. Oh definitely put an appearance at the most papped venue in London of the moment so there was no misunderstanding that he was not at the reception. I still think it was incredibly humiliating. So Carole invites Federer, Van Strawberry, Sparkles and yet misses her own niece and brother from the reception. Mean, mean, mean.

    2. Willy loves to dance and get drunk. I can’t imagine he would miss any opportunity to do that. He had to have been at the reception.

       1. By all accounts he was there and playing ping pong with Roger Federer and Tim Henman.

39. I was looking forward to Pippa’s wedding and was not disappointed.

    Pippa looked absolutely lovely. Great dress, hair style, hair ornament, veil. Loved the glimpses of sweetness with her father.

    The arrival and departures in the vintage cars was a nice touch.

    The children were adorable.

    I liked that Kate’s dress matched the sashes on the bridesmaids dresses but I thought the dress had too many elements, but even with too many elements I would label the look meh.

    My one (slight) disappointment is that, among the guests, everything was tame – no wows or wackies.

    I would like to see what the crystal palace looked like once it was kitted out.

    1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4527140/Pippa-Middleton-James-Matthews-wedding-reception.html
       This Daily Mail piece has some pictures of what can be seen of the reception last night and further down what can be see of the inside.

40. Longtime reader, first time commenting. I hope my comments aren’t too controversial to print. I’m not picking on anyone (including Pippa) but my views do contrast with some presented here. 

    As an older woman (early 60’s) it seems wedding etiquette has changed alot during my lifetime. The focus very reasonably has always been on the bride (and to a lesser extent on the groom), but planning a wedding used to be like planning any other large social event in that one also cared–alot– about the comfort of one’s guests. That no longer seems to be the case. Now it really is all about what the bride wants on “her day” and not so much on what would make her guests comfortable, giving rise to the “bridezilla” phenomenon and the notion that a wedding gift chosen by a guest must at least equal the cost of entertaining that guest at the reception….”cover the plate.” And the newish notion of giving guests expensive “wedding favors”– too often monogrammed stuff most guests will never use but may feel guilty throwing away–has taken the place of other considerations of guests’ comfort. 

    While there have long been rules about not upstaging the bride by wearing white or lots of lace (BTW I think Donna’s dress is light yellow and looks fine but can see why some think it was boderline unacceptable) these days some invitations note specific colors guests should wear or avoid so the pictures “look nice.” While couples have always treasured their wedding pictures for as long as we’ve had photography, these days the pictures seem almost more important than the event itself!  And guests too often seem like mere props or worse, simply suppliers of gifts who can’t be allowed to “ruin the pictures.” I went to a wedding last year where guests were kept standing in a line outside the reception venue (invitation said reception to follow immediately) on a very hot evening for over an hour so the wedding could be re-staged in the church for “proper photos.” It used to be, especially when the ceremony was in church, one wouldn’t think of “re-staging” the taking of a sacrament.

    And its not just the guests’ feelings  who don’t seem to be considered. Bridesmaids (usually adults in the US) and ushers may be told to lose weight, bleach their teeth, color their hair, and so on or risk “ruining” photos.

    I don’t know that the “old ways” were always better for weddings  and planning a wedding has always brought some headaches. But it does seem compared to the “olden days” brides today seem much more stressed out about having the perfect wedding, with perfect looking guests, perfect pictures, and so on. It is certainly true weddings have gotten much more expensive, even when inflation is taken into account. It also seems to me more brides and their families suffer from post-wedding letdowns than used to be the case. After all, once the “perfect day” comes to an end, all that’s left is the marriage 😉

    1. I agree. My mother is slightly older than you and when my sister got married my mother paid. She wanted it to be a great party for guests not just about my sister’s day. Sister went slightly crazy but we reeled her back in after I dropped a few f bombs to her (in front of mother which is a huge no-no) and my mother politely told her if she wanted to add anything else she and her fiancé were welcome to pay. They were happy with as is after that comment and we now laugh at her crazy moments =)
       My mother paid for bridesmaids hair, makeup and dresses.
       I was recently in a wedding where I asked to grow my hair out so the girls could all have up dos!! I said uh no
       A dress that cost $400 (paid by me never to be worn again) we all had to have nude heels. And no hair and makeup offered. Meanwhile her wedding cost over $75,000!!!!! Such a waste of money I’d rather have that as a down payment for a house or a faboo honeymoon trip(s)
       Someone on here, I believe they live in France said she bought a suit and she and her hubby went to the justice of the peace. Love that. Makes it about what’s supposed to be instead of the circus weddings have become

       1. Welcome, Lizabeth. I had the same thoughts as you articulated. I used to love weddings because it was a celebration of community and one’s tribe. Much more simple and joyous. I too hate the whole bridezilla culture. (I’m not criticizing anyone’s opinion here, just saying how I feel.) I think part of the reason is that so many people no longer live in the communities they grew up in so there is a primal communal longing to recreate that sense of belonging but now it’s through materialism and a kind one upmanship.

          I can’t stand weddings now. I know people who divorced after one year of marriage and then on their second and third weddings expect the same costly starter gifts and ceremony. I just can’t do that anymore so I decline invitations.

          Pippa and Carole really stood out for their gross materialistic PR and in the end that soured the pastiche that this was a rather elegant, simple aristocrat affair. So much grasping and vanity.

          1. Hello, Lizabeth, I also loved your comments.
             When peiople say it’s the bride’s day, well it’s her groom’s day, too. And, it is a day when there are friends and family invited, so I believe, and agree with you, that their comfort and care need to be recognized. As well as the couple’s parents, who share in the joy, too. (Siblings, too)>

             There are many Bridezillas out there, today. I don’t necessarily think Pippa was one. She had a great deal of money a her disposal and I don’t think she was too demanding in a mean way. The glass house at the reception was a bit over the top, to me, but her parents paid, yes? And, just where was the reception supposed to be held, I wonder. Especially, in bad weather. I doubt the Middleton home is large enough to accomodate all. Still, I think hiring a PR firm and having so many articles leading up to the big day was in poor taste and I think the Midds were all swept away by making this wedding so grandiose. It was, I may add, more tasteful than I expected it to be.

             I have started to wonder just what is wrong with people today when it’s all about the bride. Here in the States, many bridezillas are accused of caring more about the Big Day, than about their upcoming marriages. And, I repeat, it’s also the groom’s day, whether he wants part of the planning, or not. And, it’s truly about having your family there and your dearest friends and friends of your parents and the groom’s.

             It’s one day. Hopefully, the couple and their loved ones will remember it favorably, but when push comes to shove, it’s the marriage that matters. That, and your future kids, if you do have them.

             I’m so glad to read your comments.

41. I saw a video of George’s “tantrum” and Kate’s “telling off” and combined, it was a blink and miss incident. Basically George flailed his arms and Kate immediately responded by saying something to him and doing the mommy finger point and then it was over. I saw it as a good moment for both of them because Kate was mommy enough to put him in check and is enough of an authority to be adhered to and George was unbratty enough to immediately cease and desist. Also I doubt if the incident is related to George stepping on Pippa’s dress.

    What did nag at me was that there were four kids that looked like to me to be pre-school age, George, Charlotte and two other little girls. On the one hand the two little girls behaved beautifully but it did bug me that Kate did not keep those two little girls closer to her.

    I don’t think that William should have helped Kate with the children, I suspect that was why Nanny Maria was there. Kate may have appeared a bit flustered for a few seconds here and there but things certainly were not out of control and if Kate needed assistance then it would have been Maria who would have stepped forward.

    1. Here’s the video, http://news.sky.com/video/page-boys-and-bridesmaids-leave-pippas-wedding-10885415

       Start at 2:30 for the “tantrum” and “telling off” but the incident really starts at 2:37 and is over by 2:40.

       1. I can’t believe people are criticizing her parenting over that. It literally last 2 seconds; he flailed his arms she quickly told him to stop and they kept it moving. I can’t believe that was twisted into something so negative.

          1. +1. Common sense talking Jessica.

          2. +1

          3. Isn’t it silly? The DM has a lot to answer for. But obviously George will have the last laugh.

42. I’ve watched the clip of Kate’s telling off and, to be honest, I think that George is simply reacting to Kate. She’s clearly tense and stressed, and he’s picking up on that. Combine that with the fact that he’s “naughty”/”bad” (according to this parents who state that “fact” every chance they get), and you’ve got a very anxious little boy.

    I have a son who is a week younger than George and, therefore, at the same stage of development. Let me tell you, three is a very fun, boisterous, curious time. He’s interested in interacting with other people, playing and getting to know what’s around him. He’s energetic, playful and incredibly sweet. By all accounts, George is the exact same way in private. In public, however, his parents are reaping what they have sown. George has been kept in a gilded cade, only able to interact with the “right” people, in the “right” situations. He’s not able to grow at his rate and it’s sad. He’s a nervous, scared boy and that’s just really unfortunate.

    Beyond that, I think this belies the fact that Kate is clearly not a hands-on mum. She reacts poorly to the kids, and they to her. According to sources close to William and Kate, she’s just not the warm and fuzzy type. I honestly don’t think she even really wanted children, and would have been exceptionally contented to have continued her constant holidaying and shopping. Having children was her obligation, and she fulfilled that.

    Having Maria there was a wonderful idea. Maria spends the most time with the children and I bet that they would have been even more ill-at-ease if she wasn’t there. She’s mummy 9 times out of 10, and they’re simply too young to understand otherwise. I think that’s also one of the reasons why George is so “naughty”/”bad”– he doesn’t behave for his parents all the time because he’s a)3, but b) because he doesn’t spend any time with them. He has no concept of the limitations he has with them, or what those two expect. Those are his “mummy” and “daddy” but, for the most part, in title only. There are several videos that show William and Kate leaving to go on trips and George is with Maria. William bends down to give a cuddle, but Kate is busy saying goodbye to the dog. She’s just not a natural mother, and that’s okay, not everyone is. Enter Maria.

    This is a very, very common set up for the British aristocracy. It’s just a shame because William’s parents, and Kate’s as well, were so close to their children and William and Kate are, demonstrably, not.

    1. This is so sad. W&K could easily make up for their parental deficiencies by being closer to the BRF since there are many adorable kids in the family for G&C to play with, which would make events like these easier since G&C would already know some people attending. But that requires self-awareness and acknowledging your limitations, something W&K can’t do.

       1. Huh?? They could make up for their “parental deficiencies” by giving their children more playmates? That doesn’t even make sense. Even if the kids were besties with their second cousins, none of them would have been at this wedding. There’s no connection there.

43. My two cents worth; Yikes! That’s got to be the most awkward, most disinterested, lacking in emotion wedding kiss. Ever! Since Princess Charlene & prince Albert’s kiss in 2011!
    It’s a marriage/financial “contract” – not a love match!

    …and Kate looking like a 1950’s “lord of the manor’s housewife” or an tv-extra from a Miss Marple series!

    1. Wow, I thought their kiss was fine, nothing like the Monaco pair whom I doubt have ever even actually slept together before or after the ceremony. They gave a brief smooch, which seemed appropriate, and both seemed truly joyous.

       1. Yeah, I think they looked fine and happy! I think Pippa loves him, and isn’t just in it for the money; but I can’t see Pipster ever being with someone who doesn’t have all that cash for some familial benefit. She had a real joy to her, not smug like Kate’s when she finally got William down the aisle. And James looked so happy. I wish them the best.

    2. Well we all know how she loves to period dress- it’s certainly her affected mo. Yet I loved her outfit though it did sag about the bust in some photos, which was unfortunate. I thought it very…duchessy (?) and elegant.

44. Waity Katie is a terrible mother! It’s not the first time she’s doted on Charlotte and ignored George except for scolding him. She must be really stupid if she thinks it’s wrong for a 3 year old to get upset at a big event!

45. Waity Katie and the Favoritism of Precious Charlotte

46. A few things, Pippa looked absolutely stunning and the wedding pictures were beautiful. Someone mentioned that George does not seem vey happy. Maybe he wasn’t, the kids probably didn’t completely understand what a wedding is and their role in it. Given we only see photos of Charlotte and George a few times a year it’s practically impossible to get a read on their level of happiness. lol. I thought the photos of Kate telling her son to calm down were funny and quite real.

47. I don’t know if the road from the church to the manor was long (but it is not a reason), but I am more concerned with the fact that there are not belt for children

48. Off topic: Tomorrow On May 22 ,2017 Eugenie and most likely Beatrice will attend The Chelsea Flower show with other members of the British royal family. In the evening the York Princesses will attend an ULTRAs 2017 dinner in Aid of Children in crisis with their mother.

    And Princess Beatrice also Attended China Exchange UK in support of her sister who was a speaker at the event

    1. Thanks for that. Kate’s due to attend too. It would be marvellous if Harry & Meghan went. I know hell would probably freeze over first but I do feel a bit shortchanged we never saw Meghan properly this weekend. I was desperate to see what she wore to the wedding.

    2. Princess Beatrice of York attended the Fashion for Relief event during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival at Aeroport Cannes Mandelieu on May 21, 2017 in Cannes, France. Got to say I love the looks the York princesses are going for recently, they are looking good
       http://www.gettyimages.com/photos/princess-beatrice-of-york?family=editorial&page=1&phrase=princess%20beatrice%20of%20york&excludenudity=true&sort=best#license

       1. She looks fab! I think she has the loveliest hair

49. You lovely friends at KMR will know this better than me. Didn’t Carole have a falling out with dress designer Catherine Walker at Kate’s wedding and at the last minute substitute Bruce (somebody) as the designer? (One of Diana’s designers). So I wonder why Carole chose to use her again this time for Pippa’s Wedding? Unless Carole got a huge discount this time from Catherine Walker?

    1. Carole fired them or something if I remember the story correctly as she wanted to show her friends the unfinished wedding outfit, and the designer said no, so she went elsewhere.

       1. Who asks to take a half finished garment off to show her friends? Oh, apart from Carole that is?

          If it was sewn together for the fitting with tailors tacks or basting stitched then it would fall apart if moved around. Was Carole wanting to take it away and finish it up herself? to save money or did she think she could do better? Makes me wonder if it’s Carole who is doing the dreadful alterations on Kate’s clothes?

          http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3180758/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-Exit-dress-designer-dared-clash-Carole-Middleton.html

    2. She fell out with Lindka Cierach who was the couturier behind Sarah Ferguson’s wedding dress. That’s how she ended up at Catherine Walker who is incidentally now run by Catherine’s husband after Catherine died of breast cancer.

       https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindka_Cierach

       http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1377712/Carole-Middleton-refuses-wear-Lindka-Cierachs-royal-wedding-outfit.html

50. I can’t believe the coverage this wedding got and the angst about George whinging. He tipped his basket up and lost all his petals is my guess. He is an anxious child unsurprisingly given he is hidden away 99% of the time.

    I’m tired of all this now,kate middleton is a huge disappointment on every level. Expensively educated access to any amount of experts but what do we get, a cipher. Someone who is so disengaged apart from shopping for expensive, ill fitting clothes and semi precious jewellery that is hideous. There are thousands of royal pieces to choose from which would cost nothing.
    She is not worth the money. She looks vacuous or terrified. She hasn’t bothered to pick a cause and use her huge platform for good. She can’t even be arsed learning to speak in public in last 6 years. She says nothing of any import. Her husband is a lazy entitled oaf and she let’s him get away with it.
    What is the point of kate middleton and her family? Is this it badly dressed photo ops? So much entitlement and nothing paid back to the people of the UK funding their lifestyles.
    I’m over it all. This country is in dire straits and these people could care less. Heads together, where is the funding for under pressure organisations? What about thousands of disabled people dying because of benefit sanctions?

    1. +1

51. I took a break from royal watching this week because the lead up to this wedding was insane and exhausting, so I’m glad it’s over. Pippa looked really beautiful and I do like her wedding dress better than Kate’s. I wouldn’t call myself a pippa fan or anything but she definitely knows exactly where all the cameras are and how to strike a pose. She has hustle. Carole may be an architect, but I get the sense that if Carole didn’t push it, pippa would be exactly where she is today. She wants it. I still think William married the wrong sister and pippa would have made a much better duchess than Kate. Oh well pippa still made it. Pippa is probably on her husband’s private jet on their way to their personal Caribbean retreat as I type this.

    1. Pippa might have done better as a duchess due to her natural hustle but who is to say how long the monarchy will last? If they go, so does all of that taxpayer money. James, otoh, is self-made and has a more solid foundation. Pippa still gets a title and a lot of money with no obligation to engage with the public if she doesn’t want to. In the long run, I think she has the better deal of the two sisters.

52. While I’m not a fan of Pippa’s dress, I think she looks gorgeous overall. Same with Kate – I don’t like the dress, but the full look is one of her best.

    Could someone explain to me the importance of a Norland Nanny? I’m not trying to snark, I guess I’m just missing the mystique of why Nanny Maria would feel compelled to wear her official work outfit to a ceremony like this.

    The dynamics and relationships intrigue me. Pippa and James look happy together, as do the Federers and James’ parents. Since I haven’t seen any other photos than what’s here and we still don’t know much about the reception, I’ll reserve judgement about the wedding party and how they interacted.

    1. Norland nannies are the best of the best. Reknown the world over. Personally I think Maria chooses to wear her uniform on official occasions as a matter of personal pride. Like those who recruit butlers who have worked and trained at BP they are the ultimate status symbol and the very best in their field. A Norland Nanny who trained and graduated from there on her CV. would open the very best nannying jobs in the world. Although they are staff and they are treated as staff they are as close to the family as staff will get. Usually given very superior working package and the best rates of pay.

       http://www.norland.co.uk/agency/

53. Forget the dresses or the kiddos, I can’t stop thinking about how gorgeous that church was. The flower arrangements were simply beautiful and complimented the stonework and architecture so well. The only detail I didn’t like was the bark or tree trunk or whatever it was that was used beside one or two columns, but everything else was lovely. I would have loved to have gotten married in a church like that, followed by a simple drinks/hor douvres reception in the historic manor house with close family and friends. And then driven away in a little vintage sports car. All of that was perfect, I thought, even if very staged for the media.

    1. Now that this dog and pony show has come and gone, there is not much that is memorable about the whole event, but I do agree with Lizzie, the floral decor in the church was beautiful.

    2. I loved the church, the set-up, the flowers, all of it. Just gorgeous and appropriate. Such an English country wedding come to life! I would have died for a setting like that. Our church was tiny and not very pretty.

54. Kids at that age are not that hard to wrangle. If they’re well rested and not hungry that is. Good lord, kate, get nanny to blow some bubbles outside the church. Imagine the photos! Happy laughing children, all reflecting your maternal skills! She’s got no clue. Little kids, having sat in church for an hour in fussy clothing want to move about freely, not stand and pose so auntie Pippa can meet her contractual obligations, including Kate in every shot.

55. I’m sure KMR is covering this but Kate released a video for Children’s Hospice Week. Surprisingly the only place I’m finding it is People Magazine, wtf? (Isn’t that Jason’s preferred point of contact?)

    It isn’t bad. Her delivery has improved, so points there! I hope she visits a hospice this week, that would be nice, in honor of Children’s Hospice Week. It seems the only time she visits is when she films these messages way in advance (this was from January). I hope it gets these hospices the attention and funding they deserve.

    What are these videos for anyway? Do they raise awareness? Are they aired on TV?

    1. I think People may have jumped the gun on releasing the video. Usually KP releases them on Monday morning at the start of the week they video is about. That’s why it hasn’t been released elsewhere yet. KP will most likely tweet the video at 11am (UK time) tomorrow like they usually do.

       1. I thought so (gosh, ‘Princess Kate’ is sooo grating).

          I did find it on EACH’s website. It was from when she visited in that green skirt suit with the girly Peter Pan collar. (AFAIK it’s been her only hospice visit of the year, right?)

56. Just watched the video, oh my goodness that waiting at the end was excruciating. I don’t expect them to run to the car but it just seemed so stilted. Pippa was moving very very slowly so there were no awkward angles, I had a feeling he was trying to pull her along and she was gripping him with her hand to hold him in place. Ha ha. Have any of those children met each other before? Didn’t seem so. It was definitely the Kate and Pippa show with Momager just in shot too.

    1. There is video of the same but not zoomed and taken from the press pen which was a ways away. Pippa and James standing there waving to basically the press pen, was ridiculous. The crowd photos show maybe 40 plebs at the most who were allowed in to gawk.

57. Another day, another new pair of Kiki earrings. Kate can’t be buying every single pair? Could she? Must be an arrangement where she gets free earring in return for the “free” pr for Kiki?

    There is one thing that bugs me about those earrings (not including them being overpriced for what they are). When we see photos of Kate wearing Kikis the drop usually hangs at an angle and not straight down as they should. If I was Kate then I’d check myself in the mirror before leaving the house and if the drops were hanging crooked then I would give them a little adjustment. Or I could just be picky?

58. Pippa looks pretty, the dress is very lacy, you would have to be a fan of that. I like the cut out at the back. I don’t like the short sleeves but for me elegance is long sleeve, but that is just personal preference. She looks very happy.
    Oh dear, the Duchess dress, that would look lovely on someone of much more mature years, it is way to old for her, she really needs to get some help with styling. Goodness another pair of Kiki earrings, gracious the sheer waste of money.
    James mum, Jane Matthews, looks lovely I like the color of her contrasting shoes and handbag, hat is nice. She looks elegant

59. Photos of Amanda Tucker, Diana and Kate’s hair stylist, arriving at Matthews’ townhome were released last week. But now it’s reported that Richard Ward did Pippa’s hair. I would like to know the true story on who did Pippa’s hair.

    1. Pippa could have tested out Tucker and didn’t like her and went with someone else.

       1. That would be awkward. That’s a move Carole would approve of.

          I wonder if Pippa paid Tucker to basically do a pap walk to James’ house just to raise the royal connections cache’.

          1. Why would it be awkward? I would think it would be fine for a bride to test out the hairdo before the day. And if she didn’t like how the person did her hair she’d find someone else.

60. I like Pippa’ s dress .It is far more better than Kate’s .
    She was relaxed and happy.An I hate Kate’s dress .She looks ugly .For me even Carole didn’t look good .

61. I read the glass house party included 750 bottles of fine wine. That is more than 2 bottles of wine per guest if we are to believe the estimated 350 on the guest list. Willy breaking a tooth at aristo weddings is no longer a mystery to me if that amount of booze is normal at an aristo wannabe wedding.

62. I don’t like lace and I do think Pippa was stage to resemble Kate on her wedding day. However I will say this: Pippa looked gorgeous. And I think it’s because Pippa looks comfortable in her own skin, where Kate does not. I look at Kate and cringe, I look at Pippa and don’t experience the same feeling.

63. I’ve been thinking about Kate’s dress, which has been a real opinion divider. I think it would have been okay if properly fitted, with the right undergarment, without the peplum flaps, and better sleeve tailoring. The color was never going to be flattering, but it worked with the wedding colors. I think the main problem with many of Kate’s choices (if she is channeling the QM or the duchess of Windsor or even the Queen) is that they were tiny women who had to stand out in a crowd of taller people. Kate is not as tall as she would like us to think, but she is not petite. Nor is she the small-boned ruffled feminine type. She is more the rangy athletic type, and she is dressing against it. She needs to find a designer who understands her physical structure and her job, and then listen to them. None of her favored designers seem to fit the bill.

64. Late to comment but here goes. I liked Pippa’s dress and thought she looked lovely and happy. I looked the heavier lace and lack of plunging neckline on this dress. The flowers were also lovely. There is a photo of Pippa and husband with Kate behind and it illustrates how poor Kate’s posture is. Kate’s dress is blah, too matronly. Those expensive earrings were blah also.

    I read estimates of this wedding was 1 million pounds, really? Where does the Middleton’s money come from? Yes, I understand there discounts, Hello contracts, and wealthy in laws but the wealth of the Middletons has always seemed suspect. The extravagance of current wedding practices is so mind boggling.

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