Monday, April 30, 2012

William and Kate donate $1.5 million

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge nominated twenty six good causes to which people could make donations in lieu of wedding gifts. After the engagement Clarence house released this statement 'Having been touched by the goodwill shown to them since the announcement of their engagement, Prince William and Miss Middleton have asked that anyone who might wish to give them a wedding gift consider giving instead to the charitable fund'. The Royal wedding charity fund was a huge success. Who will benefit from the estimated $1.52 million?

Beneficiaries include the Christchurch earthquake appeal and Australia's royal flying doctor service. The couple were keen to display their keen interest in helping deserving charities. In a challenging economic climate donations are needed more than ever. A Philip Treacy hat worn by Prince William's cousin, Princess Beatrice is set to raise over $121,000 for charity. The flesh toned, silk hat strongly resembles a pretzel and caused a media sensation after the wedding. The hat is considered a major faux pas, but that hasn't stopped bidders on e bay attempting to acquire it. The couple who have just returned from their honeymoon are settiling back into married life in Anglesey. William is expected to resume his duties as a search and rescue pilot in the coming days.

Kate Plays Hockey With Team GB + Accompanies In Laws to Dulwich Picture Gallery

Duchess Kate performed an unannounced engagement today before accompanying Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to the The Dulwich Picture Gallery. The 30 year old met Team GB's hockey players at the Olympic Park in London. Kate told royal aides she was 'very excited' about the visit. 


Reuters


Kate was captain of the first XI hockey team at Marlborough college, It seemed a natural choice for Kate to begin her role as Olympic ambassador with the hockey team.




Kate toured the park and met staff and dignitaries during the ninety minute visit. She chatted about training methods with physios and coaches 'I used to play at school and I remember my muscles at the beginning of season were agony. Do you still get bananas and oranges at half time.

 Duchess Kate perfected casual chic today wearing the Emilio Pucci Punto Milano Jacket. (With many thanks to the wonderful Ayvee)  The classic double breasted wool jacket is available in black for £1,145.00 here. Another new designer for Kate. 



I never thought we'd see Kate attend an engagement in pink skinny jeans but as a self confessed skinny jean addict I love the look. Kate  wore the Zara Pop Slim Fit Denim jeans which are available for £39.99. (With many thanks to What Kate Wore Facebook)



Kate coordinated her blazer with her navy LK Bennett Art Shoes. They were available for £95 reduced from £155 but have unfortunately sold out. Kate previously wore the court shoes with her vintage Amanda Wakeley suit. (With thanks to Michéle)




Kate's trainers are Adidas :)


Kate teamed her outfit with the Official Paralympic GB Scarf. It is available at high street retailer Next in small for £5 and large for £10. All profits from the sale of these items will be donated to the British Olympic Association. Now we can copy Kate and help a good cause for under £10 :) It is described as

"Ice in your mind, fire in your belly. This hand painted lion is a visual reflection of a quote that describes the sheer courage, talent and determination of our Great British Athletes. If you look closely you'll also find 60 hands to symbolise the athletes' sixty million supporters and the map of Great Britain."

A look at the many ways the scarves can be worn :)



Kate accessorised with her Kiki McDonough Grace Earrings.

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After a quick wardrobe change Kate accompanied Prince Charles and Camilla to the Dulwich Picture Gallery where Charles introduced Kate to his charity Children and Arts.


The gallery closed today in honour of the visit.


Their Royal Highnesses met school children participating in the Great Art Quest project which introduces children from deprived areas of the UK to visual arts by partnering schools with local galleries, professional artists and storytellers, and providing them with the skills and confidence to create their own work.


'Thousands of children leave school having never set foot in an art gallery, watched a performance in a theatre, or listened to an orchestra play'. The mission of Children and Arts is to reach out to children who are denied access to cultural venues. The Prince of Wales created the foundation 

"I created my foundation for children and the arts because of a fundamental belief that everyone should have the opportunity at an early age to be inspired by the arts."

If you wish to donate to Children and Arts you may do so by clicking here

A Clarence House spokesman said the visit came about from a conversation between a father in law and daughter in law who have a shared interest in art, art therapy and children. Charles and Kate appeared to thoroughly enjoy experimenting with iron artwork. Kate remarked it was like 'being at home'.

Kate wore a grey pleated dress with stunning applique detail by Irish designer Orla Kiely. The dress is no longer available on the website but was available for $250. (With thanks to What Kate Wore FB) 


The Duchess teamed her dress with the black suede Episode pumps she wore last week in Leicester.



Again Kate opted for simple, classic jewellery wearing a silver bracelet and her Hope Egg Earrings. The earrings are currently available for £275.



Sky newsreader Kay Burley mentioned the incredible interest surrounding Kate's sartorial selections 'The interest surrounding what this young lady wears is immense'. We will now see 'Repli-Kate's' wearing coral jeans everywhere! The face of the British monarchy is changing and the next generation of royals are more relatable, relaxed and well fun..... :) I thought today's engagements were a resounding success and adored both of Kate's outfits, particularly the first.


What are you thoughts on todays engagements and looks? You can watch videos at The Telegraph and The BBC.

Source ( Daylife, Getty, Daily Mail, Twitter, Grazia)

Saturday, April 28, 2012

William and Kate Arrive at Madame Tussauds

William and Kate's eagerly anticipated waxworks have finally been revealed. The six wax works, each costing £150,000, were unveiled in London, New York and Amsterdam today. The waxworks are expected to become the most popular figures at Madame Tussauds. The London waxworks are a replica of the Cambridges engagement announcement. Issa designed an exact copy of Kate's blue engagement dress for the waxwork. Prince William is in a replica of the Gieves and Hawkes navy two piece single breasted suit he wore for the announcement.


Daylife


Spokesperson Liz Edwards said


'The Queen is the most popular attraction but since the royal wedding fever we've had people coming in to see William when he was without Catherine. Catherine has her own star quality so we are expecting a lot of people to come, especially this Easter weekend'.

Daylife
The likeness is quite incredible and superior to anything I had expected. Below we look at a photo of Kate beside her London waxwork.


Zimbio/Daylife


In Amsterdam, Kate wears the black lace Temperly gown she wore to the War Horse Premiere


Daylife


A young girl poses with the figures.


Daylife

A group of children pose with the 'couple'. Note the child in the middle grabbing Kate's dress. Adorable moment, looks very much like a family portrait :) Perhaps we will see William and Kate attend a premiere with their own children in time to come? 



Daylife


In New York the Prince Diana figure stood in front of the figures as eager members of the press and public awaited the unveiling. 


Madame Taussauds FB


Kate's waxwork wears the grecian McQueen from the BAFTA reception  the couple attended last summer. 


Madame Taussauds FB


While the couple won't be officially visiting the waxworks a spokesperson said they have both been actively involved in the process. 'Madame Tussauds shares an excellent working relationship with the Royal family dating back to William IV who was King when the first attraction opened in 1835'.


Daylife


A fourth waxwork of the couple  will be unveiled in Blackpool later this month. Kate will be wearing the rose sequin Jenny Packham dress she wore to the Ark Gala last June.


With the couple's first anniversary only a few weeks away I expect fans will be queueing up to have their photo taken with the figures. The detail and likeness is truly amazing, from 'Kate's' clutches to her hair colour one can tell a huge amount of work and research went into these waxworks. If you wish to visit them yourself you can book tickets for LondonNew York and Amsterdam via the website. Tickets cost between $25 and $35.


Madame Taussauds


Duchess Kate's best costumes, Are you a Repli - Kate this Halloween, New Photo, Upcoming events and Kate's make up...

Hello Kate fans,
There's plenty of news, events and a even new photo to keep you up to date with all things Kate. However, firstly I would like to wish you all a very Happy Halloween. Dressing up as Kate is proving very popular this Halloween, for a look at some costume ideas check out this post. I have received a couple of emails from readers of the blog who dressed up as Duchess Kate for Halloween. I will include them all in a post tonight if I have enough. So, Did you dress up as William or Kate for Halloween? If you would like a photo of you or one of your costume included, Please email the photo with information on how you would like to be credited to hrhcatherineblog@hotmail.com.


In keeping with the spirit of Halloween, Duchess Kate has had some memorable looks over the years at fancy dress parties. 




Kate making a pair of bunny ears look fashionable :)




Nurse Kate........




William and Kate share a tender moment as Pocahontas and Wild Bill.




Wonderful news for William and Kate, should their first born be a girl. Female members of the royal family are to be given equality with men in the rules of succession. If their first born is a girl she will take precedence over any younger brothers in the order of succession. Also laws banning royals from acceding to the throne if they are married to a Roman Catholic will be abolished. I'm delighted to hear this, It is an important move forward for the monarchy.


In other news, William and Kate's popularity is increasing each day. The couple have received over 60,000 letters and cards from the public wishing them well in married life. The Queen and Prince Philip were sent just 10,000 telegrams after their wedding in 1947. I expect the Cambridge's could prove to be the most loved royal couple yet. A St. James' Palace spokesperson said


"There has been a vast, vast amount of cards and letters. It was just lovely. They are all supportive messages. There's a team working on it and everyone who wrote in got a response".


The wonderful news comes just days after the couple celebrated their six month anniversary. (Has it been six months already?) I thoroughly enjoyed looking through these images compiled by popsugar celebrating the couples first six months of wedded bliss!


May I just add how much I adore this photo of them at a polo match in Santa Barbara.


We have seen more of Kate in terms of royal engagements this month than expected. For November there are three events coming up. On Wednesday, November 2 the couple will travel to Copenhagen to make a special visit to UNICEF's global supply centre.




On November 10, the couple will attend a special dinner at St. James' Palace for the National Memorial Arboretum appeal.




I also expect the Duchess will attend a service for Remembrance Sunday on November 13 which is the anniversary of the end of the hostilities during World War I. The national ceremony is held in London at the Cenotaph on Whitehall. Traditionally wreathes are laid by members of the royal family including, The Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Prince William. Other members of the royal family watch from the balcony of the foreign office. Kate will almost certainly wear black for this occasion. 


The Cenotaph, Whitehall, London.




The Duchess was spotted out and about last friday in Mayfair with a minder carrying a costa coffee. (Kate loves her coffee :)) The man who saw her said she was casually dressed and a natural beauty. It's good to hear she has a somewhat normal life outside of being the Duchess of Cambridge. Candid photos very rarely surface which shows a degree of respect from the press.




I received a request from a reader looking for some information on Kate's make up. (If any of you have any requests please let me know and I'll do my best to find what you're looking for). As you all know Kate did her own make up for the royal wedding. Kate reportedly wore the Get in Line eyeshadow and stencil kit. This smoky eyeshadow and stencil kit is a huge hit with celebrities and the websites number one selling product.
The kit comes in a silver, foiled pouch. It is currently selling for $36. It is described as


"A revolutionary beauty tool that creates perfect eyeliner, smoky eyes and cat eyes with ease. The only eyeliner stencil that fits any eye shape. The get in line kit is available in a light base shade for light to medium skin tones, and a darker base shade for medium to darker tones".


Kate is a huge fan of Bobbi Brown make up and reportedly wears the long wear gel eyeliner. It is available in an array of colours for $21. It is described as

"This award winning liner gives you the look of liquid liner with the ease and feel of a gel formula. Long wearing, water - resistant color glides on and let's you get it just right before it dries".

Duchess Kate also chooses Bobbi Brown for her foundation which always looks flawless. According to several reliable sources Kate likes the Moisture Rich Foundation with SPF 15.
It is $46 for a 30 ml bottle and comes in almost twenty shades. It is described as

"Bobbi's popular moisturizing formula provides SPF 15 sun protection while it hydrates skin and delivers a soft, beautiful finish. The formula is buildable, allowing medium to full coverage as desired".


To complete the look a bronze blush and pink lipstick is very Kate. I've noticed Kate always wears strong eye make up and keeps the lip make up light. This youtube tutorial is very informative in terms of application. As you all know the key to achieving flawless make up is often in the preparation. A good moisturiser really stands to you. Kate was spotted in her local Boots purchasing moisturisers by Nivea. I think Kate does her make up beautifully and knows exactly what suits her.

Whether you're trick or treating or staying in enjoying Halloween movies, Have a good one. Kensington Palace (Kate's London home) are also giving 'ghost tours' later today. I will report on any news for that and please send your photos in to be included in the fancy dress post. :)


Sources (britishroyals.info, Twitter, Daily Mail, Mirror.co.uk, just jared, marie claire, wikipedia, bobbi brown)

Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Duchess dazzles at Gary Barlow concert

William and Kate joined Princes Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall for their first joint engagement at the Royal Albert Hall to see X factor judge Gary Barlow perform. For Kate this concert was a little extra special. The Duchess has been a huge fan of Take That (Gary Barlow's band) for years. When Take That performed at Diana's memorial concert she was photographed singing along to their biggest hit 'Back for good'. The event was certainly a family affair with Camilla's daughter Laura Lopes and daughter in law Sarah Buys in attendance. You can watch the video Here.


Ian Jones/Daily Mail


As the Cambridge's were seated Gary Barlow said 'I hope you enjoy tonight and I hope it' not too loud' to which William replied 'the louder the better'. According to people Kate was singing along but seemed uncertain as to whether or not it was appropriate :)


Arthur Edwards/Daily Mail


The Royals walked the red carpet which was surrounded by journalists and photographers who had waited for hours to get the perfect photo of Kate. Photographer Mark Stewart tweeted that one journalist had waited since 6.30 a.m. and the interest reminded him of the 'Diana Days'. Proving that Kate has revitalised interest in the monarchy. A look at the press waiting for the royals to arrive. (With thanks to @theroyaleditor)



The show is the second of two performances in aid of The Princes Trust and the Princes Foundation of which Kate is a patron. Funds raised will go towards helping disadvantaged young people. To find out more about the trust or donate please Click Here. Gary Barlow has been incredibly excited about the concert and of course performing for the Royals.

Kate looked absolutely beautiful in a short black and nude Zara Lace Tulip Dress which is selling for £70. (With thanks to @MrsRegalEyes) I cannot tell you how much I love this dress on Kate, The shorter length really suits her slender figure. Again we see Kate favouring lace, It looks amazing on her.






Other pieces at Zara with a similar print.




Kate also wore a black Ralph Lauren jacket. If it looks familiar it's because she first wore it the day after the royal wedding with a blue Zara dress.


Duchess Kate accessorised with her charm bracelet, Kiki McDonough Grace earrings a black belt, her black velvet clutch and black suede pumps. This looks is reminiscent of Kate's style pre engagement and quite a departure from her latest looks. We often forget she is only 29 and it's wonderful to see her in a youthful look.

Sources (Photos via Daily Mail twitter, daylife)

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Duchess Kate Dazzles In McQueen at Official Dinner

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended an official dinner given by His Majesty The Agong at his official residence, the Istana Negara, in Kuala Lumpur.



The Duke and Duchess signed a visitors book before entering the Istana Negara.




The couple chatted with guests and Kate admitted she was very nervous about today's speech 'I am very glad it's over with' she laughed. The Duchess of the opulent palace 'It's beautiful. those chandeliers are wonderful. It's amazing'. William said Kate was suffering from jet lag and jokingly revealed he would love to swim with whale sharks 




We have been waiting to see Kate wear a full length evening gown and while the Duchess didn't wear a tiara as hoped she certainly didn't disappoint in the style stakes.



The Duchess wore a bespoke long cream gown by Alexander McQueen. The stunning gown features an overleaf of sheer material embroidered gold hibiscuses, the Malaysian flower. The dress has a sweetheart neckline, a full skirt and fitted bodice. What do you all think of the dress? Thus far there appears to be mixed reactions with many of the opinion the neckline was too low.




A look at the exquisite detailing on the dress.



The McQueen Pre Spring 2013 Collection features gold in many of their pieces. Below we look at the McQueen Silk Chiffon Bustier Dress a draped bustier dress with an internal bodice. It is quite similar to Kate's and available for €2,145 in green and €3,645 in black print.



McQueen


Kate wore her hair half up half down.




Kate wore the €544 Scale Bracelet and the £80 Double Leaf Earrings by Catherine Zoraida (With many thanks to the wonderful What Kate Wore) Kate carried her gold Wilbur and Gussie clutch bag.




Royal correspondent Rebecca English said Kate looked like a fairytale princess.

Rebecca English Twitter

After posing for a group photograph the couple received gifts. The Duchess was given a pair of black lace peep toe shoes and a glittering clutch bag by Malaysian designer Lewre the Malaysian equivalent of Jimmy Choo. Kate was also given a traditional Batik dress.


Rebecca English Twitter
You can watch a video from the event at ITN Source.