William and Kate enjoy pre Christmas lunch with the Royals

With less than a week until Christmas day, I think it's safe to assume we are all feeling quite festive. Even the Royal family are getting into the spirit. Earlier today The Queen hosted a pre Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. Guests included The Cambridges, Prince Harry, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Roland Hoskins

William and Kate looked excited and happy as they arrived they photographed arriving at the palace. I love that William chose to drive himself instead of using a chauffeur, We can see what appears to be a hat box or a gift in the back of the car.....

Roland Hoskins

As you can see Kate looks stunning (obviously already prepared for tonight's event) The Duchess is wearing a fitted red coat, quite possibly her L.K. Bennett ami. Kate is wearing a black lace top or dress underneath.

The lunch is perhaps an informal beginning to the largest gathering of royals in years, with 27 members of the family attending this year. I'm delighted to see these new photos of Kate looking so happy. 


Love their expressions in this one :)

Roland Hoskins

Judging by Kate's hair, I know she is going to look amazing at the Sun Military Awards tonight.


See you in a few hours for the next post :)


Source (Daily Mail)

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The Duchess of Cambridge carries out first military role as a royal

JustJared

Duchess Kate performed her first military role as a royal presenting medals to soldiers who have recently returned from serving in Afghanistan. Prince William is Colonel of the Irish Guards. A source said Duchess Kate was very pleased to be undertaking this role as the regiment is 'so close to her husband's heart'. Kate looked stunning in a navy double breasted Alexander McQueen coat with gold buttons with matching shoes, and clutch. Kate wore a beautiful golden Irish shamrock brooch on her coat and a beautiful silver bracelet with the letter 'C' engraved on it. Kate has been wearing more McQueen lately and it suits her excellently.  I love this look on her and it's perfect for the occasion. Being a fashionable royal is a difficult task for anyone, but Kate is pulling it off wonderfully. A little girl handed Kate flowers and she and William appeared to thoroughly enjoy talking to her! Both William and Kate looked very happy throughout the day. It was certainly a royal occasion with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also in attendance.

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Updated: Kate and Lupo Watch William Play Polo

It was a busy day for the Duchess who joined inner city children in Wrotham, Kent this morning for a camping trip, See today's earlier post for info and photos. Afterwards Kate travelled to Tetbury where William and Harry played a charity polo match at The Beaufort Polo Club.

Kate brought her adorable cocker spainel, Lupo along. Below we see Kate with Autumn and Savannah Philips.

Kate appeared to thoroughly enjoy spending time with Savannah :)

The Princes competed against each other in opposing teams with Harry's team, Zedan Polo, achieving a narrow victory.

The Polo Scene Twitter

The Beaufort Polo Club was formed during the winter of 1928-1929 and has become known as one of the friendliest clubs in England. It is home to the famous Tomlinson polo dynasty and plays host to the first Audi England International match of the summer. The Princes have played polo their regularly over the past number of years.

Wikipedia

If any of you are polo enthusiasts, the cub has on online shop where you can purchase items such as the Beaufort Bear, Baseball cap and clothing items.

Beaufort Polo Club

The always informative Trisha noted Kate attended a polo match on the June 17 2006, exactly six years ago today. Below we see Kate and Pippa wearing pretty summer dresses.

Aussie Finder

It was lovely see Kate attending one of William's matches today. During their pre engagement years she attended as many as possible.

The Polo Scene Twitter

The couple spent the weekend in Highgrove house in Gloucestershire, a residence of Prince Charles and Camilla.

Richard Palmer Twitter

Prince Charles hosts many briefings and receptions at Highgrove. It is the ideal residence for Prince Charles, stunning scenic views and beautiful gardens yet within close proximity to London. Perhaps the royals will have a Fathers Day dinner there later?

Highgrove Gardens

Princess Charles has spent over thirty years transforming the gardens. A look at the 'Carpet Garden'

Highgrove Gardens

Kate wore the same outfit as this morning except for the brown, distressed suede jacket. I do not currently know the designer but will update when it is confirmed.

Kate first wore the £295 Burberry military pocket shirt on July 5 2011 during a visit to Blachford Lake.

Burberry/Canadian Heritage

Kate wore the $80 Zara Molecule Slim Fit  jeans teamed with a brown belt. (A huge thank you to My Small Obsessions)

Again Kate wore her favourite Le Chameau Vierzonord wellies.

Le Chameau

Kate accessorised with her Kiki McDonough Grace Earrings.

Kiki McDonough

See you all tomorrow afternoon for Order of the Garter. Wishing all of you Dad's a very Happy Father's Day :) We'll finish today's post with one of my favourite photos of the day taken by the wonderful James Whatling.

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William and Kate to visit Anne of Green Gables landmarks

The house that inspired 'Anne Of Green Gables'

Children of all have ages have enjoyed reading the bestselling novel 'Anne Of Green Gables'. The novel describes a couple who were sent an orphan girl instead of a boy mistakenly, yet decide to keep her. Author Lee Maud Montgomery used her own childhood experiences in Prince Edward Island for the book. Obviously Kate was one of the many children who adored the novel, insisting on a visit to Prince Edward Island during her state visit to Canada.

A source said, 'It is something of a sentimental journey. The book was Kate's favourite when she was growing up. The details of the Canadian tour are still being worked out but she requested that Prince Edward Island be on their itinerary so she could see the house and places mentioned in the book'. The character has become an iconic image for the island and an excellent source of tourism. Locals are excited about the visit, 'It's good, there are definitely no negatives to this visit'. Royals including Prince Charles and Sophie of Wessex have visited the island while touring Canada. The Duchess of Cambridge who performed her first official public duty as William's wife yesterday greeting the Obamas did a splendid job. She graces the cover of almost every newspaper today and has been hailed a style icon, crashing the Reiss site after wearing their shola camel dress.

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William and Kate's new apartment, Kate spends quality time with Prince Charles, Who the Duchess is making jam for and Will-Kat?

William and Kate currently divide their time between Anglesey and their two bedroom home, Nottingham cottage, located in the grounds of Kensington Palace. Kensington was also thought to be a temporary choice for the young couple as the space was insufficient. After much thought and consideration the couple have decided Kensington is the palace where they want their family home. The Queen has intervened to enable the couple to live in Princess Margaret's former apartment 1A. In the 1960's the twenty room apartment was a hotspot for celebrities such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. World famous bands would visit the drawing room to visit 'hip' royals, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon.

Princess Margaret in the drawing room in Kensington Palace

Over £1 million will be spent refurbishing the apartment which has been mostly vacant since Princess Margaret's death in 2002. The apartment includes a study, drawing room, dining room, exstensive staff quarters and a nursery. Renovations will not be complete until mid 2013. By the time the couple move in I'm sure it will be a perfect family home. I'm not at all surprised they are choosing Kensington, Diana's former home was always going to have a special place in William's heart. Prince Harry is reportedly eager to move from Clarence House to Kensington also. A source said


"William and Kate visited apartment 1A and loved it. Kate particularly adored the private walled garden because she loves gardening, and she just thought the house has so much potential. She also liked the fact it was so close to Kensington high street".

It is never an easy task shopping for your in laws but when your grandmother in law is the Queen it's certainly daunting..... This Christmas Duchess Kate is reportedly planning to give her majesty homemade of strawberry jam and plum conserve. Kate was spotted buying jars in Wilkinson and is quite talented in the kitchen. The Queen has always favoured handmade gifts over extravagance and will no doubt be pleased with Kate's efforts. In preparation for Christmas the Duchess is also practising her new signature as 'Catherine' and choosing which photo to use for the first 'William and Kate' Christmas card.

Kate has also been spending quality time with her father in law, Prince Charles. The pair have been enjoying cultured evenings out making a series of visits to the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Gardens, As an art history graduate Kate is obviously enjoying their trips to watch ballet and opera productions. The Duchess is keen to become a patron of the arts and Prince Charles is helping her become as informed as possible. A Royal Opera House source said

"The Duchess of Cambridge and The Prince of Wales have made several private visits to the Royal Opera House together, before and since the royal wedding in April, to watch several opera and ballet productions".


One of the productions the pair have seen is the Royal Ballet's Alice in Wonderland, a new adaption of Lewis Carroll's book. (Kate wrote her university dissertation on his photography) 
I would love to be fly on the wall listening to Charles and Kate's conversations, Perhaps the discuss style? The Prince recently described his style as 'timeless' changing his look only every twenty five years :)

Prince Charles described Duchess Kate as his 'Darling, daughter in law' because she stepped in for him at a charity dinner recently. Charles reportedly gave Kate a diamond bracelet and matching earrings. I'm looking for other sources to confirm this rumour but it does seem to be a possibility. We'll have to see if she's spotted with new pieces! I'm delighted to see Kate is getting along so wonderfully with the Windsor's. They are obviously very fond of her and I'm so glad we are hearing stories like these instead of negative ones.

I was rather surprised to read in a Daily Mail article that the press are calling William and Kate, Will-Kat I cannot see this catching on. I do not think anyone will refer to our future King and Queen as 'Will-Kat' (It sounds like a chocolate snack). There are many headline friendly alternatives such as The Cambridge's, or good old William and Kate. 
What do you think?


Sources (Daily Mail, The Telegraph, Royal Reporter Via Twitter, Royal Insight Via Twitter

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William and Kate's marriage certificate to be kept a secret

Officials have confirmed that William and Kate's marriage certificate will be kept a secret. A clause in the Marriage Act gives royals the right to exempt themselves from general legal requirements whereby all marriage certificates are available to view at a register office. There has been lengthy discussions between Clarence house and Westminster Abbey. After much thought they have decided it should remain private. The General Register Office confirmed this: 'Certificates are never available after royal weddings. For the same reason, It would not be possible to obtain a copy of the marriage certificate relating to the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana'. There are no records available regarding the Queen's marriage to Prince Philip. The only exception to this rule is the Marriage Certificate of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. The clause in the Marriage Act 1753 states 'Royal marriages would not be invalidated by non-compliance with the statutory formalities'. This law is upheld by the Marriage Act 1949  'Nothing in this act is intended to affect any law or custom relating to the marriages of the Royal family'. The signing of Westminster Abbey's register was the only part of the wedding service conducted in private.

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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.

************

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)

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William and Kate's new apartment, Kate spends quality time with Prince Charles, WillKat and who the Duchess is making jam for!

William and Kate currently divide their time between Anglesey and their two bedroom home, Nottingham cottage, located in the grounds of Kensington Palace. Kensington was also thought to be a temporary choice for the young couple as the space was insufficient. After much thought and consideration the couple have decided Kensington is the palace where they want their family home. The Queen has intervened to enable the couple to live in Princess Margaret's former apartment 1A. In the 1960's the apartment was a hotspot for celebrities such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. World famous bands would visit the drawing room to visit 'hip' royals, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon.

Over £1 million will be spent refurbishing the apartment which has been mostly vacant since Princess Margaret's death in 2002. The apartment includes a study, drawing room, dining room, exstensive staff quarters and a nursery. Renovations will not be complete until mid 2013. By the time the couple move in I'm sure it will be a perfect family home. I'm not at all surprised they are choosing Kensington, Diana's former home was always going to have a special place in William's heart. Prince Harry is reportedly eager to move from Clarence House to Kensington also. A source said

"William and Kate visited apartment 1A and loved it. Kate particularly adored the private walled garden because she loves gardening, and she just thought the house has so much potential. She also liked the fact it was so close to Kensington high street".

It is never an easy task shopping for your in laws but when your grandmother in law is the Queen it's certainly daunting..... This Christmas Duchess Kate is reportedly planning to give her majesty homemade of strawberry jam and plum conserve. Kate was spotted buying jars in Wilkinson and is quite talented in the kitchen. The Queen has always favoured handmade gifts over extravagance and will no doubt be pleased with Kate's efforts. In preparation for Christmas the Duchess is also practising her new signature as 'Catherine' and choosing which photo to use for the first 'William and Kate' Christmas card.

Kate has also been spending quality time with her father in law, Prince Charles. The pair have been enjoying cultured evenings out making a series of visits to the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Gardens, As an art history graduate Kate is obviously enjoying their trips to watch ballet and opera productions. The Duchess is keen to become a patron of the arts and Prince Charles is helping her become as informed as possible. A Royal Opera House source said

"The Duchess of Cambridge and The Prince of Wales have made several private visits to the Royal Opera House together, before and since the royal wedding in April, to watch several opera and ballet productions".

One of the productions the pair have seen is the Royal Ballet's Alice in Wonderland, a new adaption of Lewis Carroll's book. (Kate wrote her university dissertation on his photography) 

I would love to be fly on the wall listening to Charles and Kate's conversations, Perhaps the discuss style? The Prince recently described his style as 'timeless' changing his look only every twenty five years :)

Prince Charles described Duchess Kate as his 'Darling, daughter in law' because she stepped in for him at a charity dinner recently. As a thank you gift he reportedly gave Kate a diamond bracelet and matching earrings. Perhaps Kate might wear them this week during one of her engagements? A very kind gesture and I'm delighted to see Kate is getting along so wonderfully with the Windsor's. They are obviously very fond of her and I'm so glad we are hearing stories like these instead of negative ones.

I was rather surprised to read in a Daily Mail article that the press are calling William and Kate, Will-Kat I cannot see this catching on. I do not think anyone will refer to our future King and Queen as 'Will-Kat' (It sounds like a chocolate snack). There are many headline friendly alternatives such as The Cambridge's, or good old William and Kate. 

What do you think?

Sources (Daily Mail, The Telegraph, Royal Reporter Via Twitter, Royal Insight Via Twitter)

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Kate Loves: Gowns Part 2

For Part 2 of 'Kate Loves: Gowns' we'll take a look at all of Kate's evening gown choices since the royal wedding beginning with the rose sequin Jenny Packham gown the Duchess wore for the ARK Gala in June 2011. 

It was Kate's first red carpet appearance as HRH Duchess of Cambridge and the shimmering gown from Packham's Spring/Summer 2011 RTW collection hit all the right notes: elegant, sophisticated, glamorous and perfect for the occasion. We recently looked at Kate's pre wedding gown choices and noted she favoured halternecks, particularly Issa pieces. At the ARK Gala we saw Kate's style evolve and it has continued to do that since.

A closer look at the stunning detail on the dress. Definitely one I hope to see Kate wearing again.

In July 2011 the Cambridges visited Los Angeles after their first royal tour together in Canada. The royals were the toast of tinseltown at a BAFTA reception held at the Belasco Theatre. Kate stunned the crowd in a beautiful Alexander McQueen grecian gown. The couple spent the evening with Hollywood stars, including Tom Hanks and Nicole Kidman.

Kate's chandelier diamond earrings were loaned to her by the Queen. They looked beautiful with the lavender gown.

Kate wore the Sarai Dress by Beulah London for 100 Women in Hedge Funds Gala held at St James' Palace in October. 

100 Women In Hedge Funds Facebook

Interestingly Beulah London was started by one of Prince William's former girlfriends, Natasha Rufus Isaacs. The label supports a number of charities, no doubt this influenced Kate when deciding to wear the Sarai dress. The silk jersey and chiffon fabric dress retailed at £680.

Kate made her first solo engagement late in October, standing in for Prince Charles, who was in Saudi Arabia following the death of the Crown Prince. A palace aide said Kate was to delighted to step in for Prince Charles at the event held for In Kind Direct.  The Duchess chose a grecian Amanda Wakeley gown with criss-cross straps for the dinner. 

Kate wore a one shouldered satin chiffon Jenny Packham gown for a reception at St James' Palace in support of the National Memorial Aboretum Appeal in November. 

Angelina Jolie wore a very similar Jenny Packham dress to the 'Tree of Life' premiere last year.

Radar Online

Next up, my own personal favourite.

Kate looked stunning a black velvet strapless McQueen gown at the Sun Military Awards in December. Kate's dress was modified from this $6,000 dress. I recall a number of reporters and photographers commenting on how beautiful Kate looked in the dress. The Duchess also wore striking diamond and ruby jewellery which the Palace said were a gift from a family friend.

In January Kate wore a black lace Temperly Amoret gown to the War Horse Premiere in London.

The long sleeved lace dress was recently released by Temperly. It is available to purchase online for the princely sum of €3235. It is a classic, timeless evening gown. Kate adores lace and looked incredibly relaxed at the premiere.

Temperly

William and Kate attended an exclusive dinner at Claridge's in May. Kate wore the Roland Mouret Lombard gown. The creamy white colour, long sleeves and split made for a gorgeous look, In my opinion one of Kate's best. Mr Mouret spoke to Grazia about the much talked about split: 'I think it was quite fantastic there was a split up the front. It was not too much. I think I did quite well'.

A lovely photo of William and Kate leaving Claridge's.

William and Kate supported Team GB in their roles as Olympic Ambassadors at the Our Greatest Team Rises event in May. Kate chose a bespoke version of Jenny Packham's 'Aspen' bridal gown. 

The style combined an emerald lace bodice embellished with Swarovski crystals and a pleated skirt, ribbon waisted with a crystal and flower embellishment. Kate wore her hair up for the event, something of a departure for the Duchess who favours wearing her hair down, allowing the striking detail on the back of the dress to be seen.

Which gown is your favourite? Does any designer stand out for you? Looking forward to seeing Kate's evening gown choices in the future!

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