I know I just covered this a few hours ago, but there are some new photos, a video, eyewitness accounts, and lots of good stuff. Today marked Kate Middleton’s first official outing as a soon-to-be-royal. She and William christened a lifeboat – go here for my earlier post. There are more details: William didn’t let Kate speak before the gathered Welsh, but he did allow her to be the one to pour champagne on the hull. I love the photos of the two of them hamming it on the stage – and I like that William is openly affectionate with her. Like, he doesn’t have a problem putting his arm around her or openly enjoying her at his side. It’s nice, and refreshing from a member of the royal family. Also, Kate had to sing the Welsh national anthem – “Hen Wlad fy NhaDau (Land of my Fathers)”. She practiced! Here’s the video – I love snooty British people, for real.
Also, it was really windy today in Wales, and Kate’s always-perfect coif got mangled in the wind. There are a few shots of her where she’s giving what I think is a bitchface, but I will also accept that her default expression is kind of bitchy.
As for the coat – it is by Katherine Hooker, and Kate has apparently had it for years. She was photographed in the same coat in 2006, at the Sheltenham Gold Cup – but in 2006, it was calf-length. The Telegraph reports that Kate brought it back into Katherine Hooker’s studio and had them shorten it. The coat has a name too! It’s “The London Contrast” in Shetland herringbone, with brown velvet trim. The ankle boots are Russell & Bromley.
Thanks to everyone who corrected me on Kate wearing a fascinator (not a “hatlet” as I called it). The fascinator was designed and handmade by Vivien Sheriff Millinery. Their spokeswoman Maddie O’Mahony tells People Magazine: “We saw it on the Internet and we were extremely happy… She has quite a few of our pieces and luckily she wore one of ours today.” It’s made of brown velvet and trimmed with pheasant feathers and a Welsh badge.
So… do you think it was everything Waity expected? This is what she was positioning herself for. For nine long years.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
It’s good to be Kate! Long live Waity!
In the first pic it looks like they are giving each other the shank eye!
As I said before, Kate looks like someone smashed a quail on the side of her head.
I like these two together and I really hope they make it.
LOL, like in wild Hogs, when they’re speeding in their Harleys on a highway and John Travolta gets a crow stuck in his mouth…lol…Waitey’s “hat” is how you make a band of finches crashed on your head look like a royal hat.
I think Kate looks great. And she usually does! I’m happy she will one day be our Queen! I like her very much and think she is doing a great job.
The last picture of William and Katie is the best!! Cute kids! :o)
I have fascinator envy (sigh).
Lmao I think Hatlet is much better than Fascinator!
I think the bitchface is due to the weather. I visited Anglesey many times in my childhood. It is beautiful but COLD.
ALSO, us ‘snooty Biritsh people’ love you too Kaiser!
I think she is adorable. Makes me want to wear my facinator. Hehehe
She didn’t fall down or have a wardrobe malfunction = success. Really, all they need is good posture and the ability to not yawn or cough at inappropriate times, and people will think they’re great leaders. At least I don’t pay their salaries!
brin, me too! i wish they were more common in the US. i so want to wear them.
she looks pretty when she smiles. and i like what she’s wearing.
and can someone answer this for me…are british women expected to wear hosiery, or is that just kate’s style?
She’s way too thin. I think there’s a lot of pressure on her to be skinny because that’s what people think is beautiful, and being beautiful is the standard by which the world judges princesses. I predict to stress of marrying in to that nutty family will cause her to develop a full-blown eating disorder like Diana – she looks like she’s already on the way there.
Ever seen how crazy the women who marry into the Japan royal family become? I don’t know why it’s still some females’ “goal” to be a princess because in modern times it doesn’t seem to be that great a life, but whatever. This is what she wanted.
I think she looked really great and that they both did a wonderful job!
Congrats to them – I hope they are very happy together.
And I hope William treats her better that Charles did poor Diana.
And she didn’t check the hallmark on a silver cup!
Fashion wise, she doesn’t put many steps wrong, unlike Diana who took some time to work into her style. I also like the fact she hasn’t put a whole new Royal Wardrobe together. Makes her seem more normal and less snooty. Her own clothes are beautiful and she has great legs.
I am completely smitten. Kate’s very beautiful with her hair up–a practical choice considering the high winds, but she should do that more often. And the dimples…
I also love that the fascinator was hand-made by a milliner in Wiltshire, and she’s giving such a great boost to British fashion.
She looks REALLY beautiful here. Great make up.
I am loving Kate more and more. I kind of like her more than Wils now. *gasp*
Aww, come on Kaiser, maybe you’ll lay off the poor girl now, lol. To her first official royal engagement the girl wore a 4 year old coat! I wouldn’t even do that. It’s pretty down to earth, and she looks very pleased to be there. (Love the site, but had to give you a little grief, cause I agree with you alot, but not on Kate)
I think this sort of appearance is what Kate has been dreaming of for a while and why she stuck it out for 9 long years. Tailored clothes, perfect hair, perfect makeup for lots of press and thousands of people showering you with adulation. I rarely thinks she looks good, and I still think she has little to no work ethic, but she got it right this time. So I would say it was a success.
I think she looks really pretty here, but I’m guessing that her weight loss is stress related. She’s always been very thin so I doubt she feels pressure to lose weight for the wedding. She’s probably one of those people who loses their appetite when they are stressed rather than someone who stress-eats (like me!).
I love how supportive william looks in each picture, they look so happy overall.
I think her make up us horrible , those eyes! way too much eyeliner, very shop girl and mildly trashy, she’s always overdone it but the older she gets the worse it looks. Other wise not too bad except for the dead bird bits on her head.
I think they actually looked really sweet together in the video.
Over previledged pratts! Imagine if the American public had to support an entire family, I’m talking Aunts, Uncles, cousins all entitled to a slice of the public purse, puke! There would be another revolution!
Poppy, the tragic heavy eyeliner is called “Fuck Me Eyes” here in New Zealand and only common types who don’t have any home training wear it. Well Katie is a coal miners granddaughter after all.
The make up’s a little heavy and in close ups it ages her a little, other than that it looks like every other ‘official’ outing except now she’s allowed to talk to people.
My mother is a Dianaloonie and when I told her about Waity’s old coat, she replied that when Diana started spending money on new clothes people went mad, with this economy probably is better wearing an old one.
What a boring couple..
Smug woman with toothpick legs. She’s been waiting 9 years for this, I hope it’s exactly what she expected. And wished for. Will it be more than she bargained for?
William looks dreadful, like an old man. And no, I will not go easy on Katie.
I thought they were both great and I look forward to more. It’s unavoidable that there will always be those who love and those who don’t when it comes to the Royals. I’m in the love ’em category!
I love Kate! She is classy, intelligent & stable. The Royal family needs some of that. Please William & Kate – don’t hate eachother in 5 years, like all the other Royal couples. Kate comes from a stable family, and is so beautiful, just like her mom.
I like that she wore a coat she’s had for a long time – and is obviously a favourite. It’s cool when high profile people have items they obviously like and wear regularly. And good point that with the current economy it’s more sympathetic than going out in all new.
And I like that they’re affectionate. Don’t have much of an opinion on them otherwise, but enough of that stiffness.
I am not a big waity Katie fan but I think she looks good in these photos. I think she looks great with her hair swept away from her face. I also like the fact that she seems to be practical with regards to clothing style and choices. Hopefully this couple will enjoy a long happy marriage with limited drama:0)
I like the fact that they really seem to be partners in all this.
Aurelia @24:
So the fact that her Grandfather was a coalminer is something to be ashamed of? What an appallingly snobbish comment.
the default expression for every british person is kind of bitchy.
how bizarre to have your “appearances” deemed successes/non successes. it must be so dehumanizing at the end of the day.
alot of you people sound so jealous! I think her eyeliner looks fine! Her whole outfit looks great, actually! Jealousy is running rampant here and it just makes me laugh! 😀
Those kids are so cute!