Here are some photos from yesterday’s Gurkha 200 pageant in London, with appearances by Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. The pageant was marking two centuries of Gurkha service in the British army, and there was also a moment to commemorate those lost in the Nepalese earthquake in April. The Prince of Wales is patron of the Gurkha Welfare Trust and he made a public statement honoring the Gurkhas and calling for more contributions towards helping Nepal rebuild following the earthquake – you can read more about the event and Charles’ statements here.
As you can see, the Queen brought some Brooch Realness to the event. That brooch is completely fantastic. Her suit is by Angela Kelly, her longtime dressmaker. It’s a bit shiny and metallic, but since she’s the Queen, she pulls it off. I was a little bit surprised to see that the Queen was seated next to the Sultan of Brunei. As opposed to being seated next to Prince Philip or Prince Charles. Harry is seated somewhere away from the royals too.
What else is going on with the Queen? Oh, nothing much, she’s still working her monarch arse off at 89. It was recently announced that the Queen will making a visit to the site of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany during her state visit to the country next month. A few years ago, it was believed that the Queen would not be undertaking very many state visits at her age, but she just keeps on truckin’. Her visit to the concentration camp – incidentally the same camp where Anne Frank is buried – will be the first visit by a reigning monarch. It will also coincide with the 70th anniversary of the camp’s liberation by British soldiers.
And finally, the Queen recently met one of the most dapper children ever. This video was originally posted by Dubai’s Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, and it is believed that the little boy is the sheikh’s son. This is from the Epson Derby last week.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
She is lovely, always. End of story.
+1
Love her to bits!
As do I!! I hope to be half as awesome as she is one day.
She always fabulous.
I have major hair envy and I’m easily half her age.
Same here! That silver-white is gorgeous and I hope I go the same shade.
I have hair her color and while I’m not half her age, I’m not that much older and it’s easy to maintain as long as you (a) wear hats in the sun, (b) avoid chlorine in the sun and wash afterwards, and (c) use shampoo/conditioner designed for grey hair. I do all three and it’s all silvery white and sparkly.
Oh yes, chemical treatments aren’t that great sometimes. I came away bright yellow once. On the day I had a gala to go to and I’d had the process before. I’ve never felt more like Marie Antoinette in my life with all the white powder in my hair trying to tone it down!
Gosh bluhare, if I was an envious person I’d be green right now. I’m going prematurely grey and refusing to dye it in the hope I hit pure white, now it’s a kind of greige with a silvery sheen all over. I think silvery white looks fabulous.
I quit dying my hair at age 38 if that tells you how early I went grey. You can’t lie about your age, but fab grey hair is my trademark now and I wouldn’t change it. I’m finally at the queen’s hair color and it’s great, even more so because underneath is still dark and I can get some great streaky things going in the back if I do an updo with it. And I’m not so old that I look old with it if you know what I mean, although it does make it difficult to lie about your age!
You definitely go through a blah stage, no doubt about it. I used to ask about putting greylights in to make it look less grubby looking and people thought I was nuts. Now maybe not so much with the grey hair trend. You might think about that; I’d have done it if I could have.
thanks for the tip bluhare I’ll have to look into that.
And now your username makes perfect sense, bluhare. Your hair sounds positively beautiful. 🙂
I’ve said this before, but let your grays shine! The less it looks like you’re trying to cover it up the less others will notice it.
And the heatlhier your hair the better the tone and shine imo.
Exactly, mimif. Although I had to separate from the little old ladies, so I switched it to hare. I might be old and grey, but I’m still fast! 😀
And, FLORC . . . pet peeve!! I can’t tell you how many times women come up to me and tell me they love my hair and how they dye theirs (like it’s not TOTALLY OBVIOUS!!). So of course I have to ask why, and they say they think they’ll look old. So then I ask if they think I do. I enjoy the mad scrambling to come up with an answer.
Bluhare
Lol! Same! And i’m not “old” by any stretch… yet!
They say they feel older. I reply I don’t feel older. Which is probably a part why they assume mine are highlights?
I dyed them once. It was too obvious when the roots showed even slightly. Life is short and i’m not interested in investing in trying to erase time.
And another laugh at the “hare” portion! What did I call you when we were typing in German here?… A kaninchen or hasen or hase? Anyways, that last thing we were discussing was “hair”. I was just calling you a blue bunny and I could feel your confusion from my mobile screen.
I have always loved her resting b]<%£face. If God is kind and I live as long, I hope I look as royally irritated as she does.
Me too, I love her Grumpy Grandma face. Then when she smiles it’s even nicer, because it really changes her whole look.
She has the best smile. Her whole face lights up and she gets this mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
Absolutely fabulous. And completely dedicated.
I know! It’s one of the reasons why William doesn’t get excused for his laziness. Not only because of his grandmother’s age; but, the amount dedication she has considering she was never supposed to be queen. An abdication altered her course forever; in combination with an early death by her father, and I get amazed every time I watch her. So, if she can rise to the occasion, William needs to step it up BIG TIME.
I know! Can we just figure out a way for her to never die?
Gorgeous coat..
and the Queen should tell what her skin care routine is.. she has fabulous skin.. for any age.
And that bouquet in the first photo makes the whole thing pop.
I cannot remember where I read it and have no idea how accurate it is but what I read is that she is very basic: soap and water, that she likes a particular Clarins cream and has always avoided suntanning. To see how damaging the sun is just compare photos of the late Princess Margaret and the Queen…..PM looked liked a an old piece of shoe leather once she was over 40 and the Queen continues to have a lovely complexion.
I used Pears shampoo for years because it was the only hair product that had the queen’s seal of approval. I figured if it was good enough for QE, it was good enough for me. I actually haven’t seen Pears shampoo in probably a decade.
She is adorable. Helen Mirren needs to help her loosen up that great head of hair into something modern.
But I love it. It’s like an icy white perfectly coiffed helmet.
No her hair is perfect as it is — it is “Queen” hair. It works perfectly with hats and tiaras and crowns. Modern hair does not work as well in those situations.
Truth.
I don’t know. She looks good and frankly I’m kind of tired of everyone having to look modern or youthful (and the same). She’s almost 90; to quote Miranda from SATC, “The jig is up!”
Apparently she chickens out at the last minute every time someone convinces her to alter her hair!
Can you picture her after retirement, with her hair down?
Not at all.
Lol
@Lady d
The Queen has said in no uncertain terms there will be no such thing as retirement. Her retirement commences when she dies. This is not her job, it is her birth right and sacred duty.
I disagree! I think it, like her clothing, suits both her and her position. Why change it now?
In most formal dining seating arrangements you’re seated away from your husband…. to encourage active conversation to guests on either side. Maybe they did the same here? Spread out the British royals and cover more ground.
Yup. And it goes in order of precedence too — so since the Sultan of Brunei is sovereign of his country — he automatically sits with other sovereigns, regardless of the title. And so on.
She really is exactly what a ‘Queen’ should be, look like, embody, and represent. White hair helmet, stocky ankles encased in sensible shoes, perfect skin, drop dead jewels, clothes of the highest quality and grandma fashion, determined attitude, utterly unflappable demeanor and most of all — dedication that knows no bounds. Just absolutely perfect. Central casting could not have done better.
You said it well. I have a bit of a crush on this old girl!
They don’t call her the Queen for nothing. She does truly rule when she is present. She has great fashion sense and I love that she is also not afraid of color. I love her palate and strong colors. But the white is also magnificent. Great hair too. Bless Granny’s heart.
I love the fourth photo so much. She looks pissed, the middle guy looks srsly worried, and Charles’ face says ‘I didn’t it this time, so tough it out bro!’
Love that coat. For almost 90 she gets around — I have to say most people her age shuffle to Walmart and sit in the living room watching tv.
Not because they want to just because by that age or even earlier you usually have so many health problems that prevent you from doing what you really want to do.
For all that was was raised “royal” she has a strong work ethic to go go go all her life, and I mean all her life from day one. I think she is on the go all the time it seems like.
I wonder what the next Queens / Kings will be like after her, she seems like the only working.
Yes. The adorable Queen. How easily our intelligence gets clouded by “adorable” pictures.
Agree with what others have stated and how history supports this. When a leader lives long enough without major scandal we forget. They are seen as frail and old. What frail and old person could do any damage?
Yea… She’s still cold as ice and resist rocking the boat for the mjority of reign.
I’m not saying she’s terrible. There’s just a lot of calculated image control here.
As much as it pains me, I think I agree. She’s done her duty; have to give her that, but she doesn’t have a ton more to offer other than hanging on longer than just about anyone else.
She does look great in that outfit, though, and I will not say anything bad about her and her husband (Happy Birthday, DOE!!) at 89 and 94 working as much as they do at their ages.
By the way, FLORC, you disagreed with me not too long ago. If you remember what it was, are you sure you still do? If you don’t remember, never mind!!
Bluhare
I remember we split on Beatrice and Cressida (though i’m coming around to your points). And a faded thought of something else, but don’t remember.
My opinions can be stubborn, but are able to change. Our disagreement couldn’t have been that bad if I still hold your comments so highly!
And yes. They are hard workers and that shows more given their ages.
No, that wasn’t it, and I think we’ll probably never agree on that lot. 🙂
ITA, Florc and appreciate your comments. They were the antidote I needed for all this sugar.
Fair point Florc and I totally agree with you – even if I still want her hair colour! She does look like a sweet little old Granny but it’s worth remembering she has a will of iron, always did, always will.
Olenna/Fris
She’s strong willed! And that’s kind of my point. She’s far from a sweet old lady with adorable style.
As I take in the news lately i’m noticing how often people ignore the facts and make critical judgements by photo ops and carefully planned PR.
At some point the eyes cannot roll back any further.
I think her biggest vice is her lack of action. She is so well-known for sticking her hand in the sand hoping a ‘situation’ will simply blow over. True for some things but a great many escalated when it could have easily been nipped in the bud if she chose to intervene. Like her mother, she simply looked the other way and ignored it.
Head* not hand.
I think that little cutie is one of Hamdan’s nephews,not his son.
I read that too. The video is adorable either way. 😄
i could spend a day in her coat closet
You would need a magical ball of yarn to find your way out.
I want to spend a week in her jewel vault and don’t want any yarn to find my way out!
And I love that gracious little boy in the video; if he had completed his gesture with a bow that would have been truly grand.
The jewel vault! How wonderful that would be!
Unrestricted access though… You just know all the good stuff is in secret areas inside the secret areas!
That’s why I’d need a week, if not more, to dive into the hidden bling that has yet to see the light of day, heh-heh!
I don’t there is an image control here at all. She grew up in a time where women dressed a certain way and she has never had a need to change it up. Much like my nana and my nana’s nana. The strongest women get things done without making a scene. Who knows how she had reigned behind closed doors.
Looks fabulous as always. I want her wardrobe. Work honey!
The Duke of Edinburgh is 94 today!! Happy Birthday Phil!!!!
He looks great too. I remember when we were on the Prince Phillip watch for the later half of last year.
I love what the Ghurkas stand for, and I think we’ve treated them abominably.
The debt the British army and people owes them is priceless.
I agree and this is one of the occasions where the RF and their relationship with the armed forces puts our gov to shame – TQ and the others are there because they CARE. Didn’t see perma tan Dave there.
Totally agree, LAK. It was nice to see Harry and Charles there too.
The Queen looks thoroughly lovely. She’s the epitome of class and duty…it makes me sad knowing what’s waiting in the wings.
The Queen looks so happy lately. I love it! I think she is in love with those great-grand-babies.
The Queen always looks wonderful.
She looks wonderful, as always, and is just amazing in the amount of work she still does. I remember seeing her and Prince Philip on TV at the D-Day commemorations last year, and thinking that they themselves are both World War II veterans.
HM may easily reach one hundred and five years. It’s only a few more years than the late Queen Mum.
What can i say? i like the way she works-no diggity.
Queen Elizabeth is elegant, if I didn’t know she was queen, I would have guessed it, because she looks regal.
The sultan of Brunei is a very unsavory character for the Queen to be hanging out with.
It’s called diplomacy, poking fingers at them and calling them scumbags doesn’t actually get you anywhere it just gets their back up and maybe makes them even worse. At least if you keep a dialogue open there may be some chance of softening their stance . Unfortunately he is a supreme example of ‘a dictatorial turd’.
Wheeerrreeee is William?!? It’s really bad when everyone else shows up but the heir.
I think he’s not there is because he doesn’t have a reason to be.
>The Queen & the Duke of Edinburgh are there because it’s her regiment and he’s got a ceremonial position
>The Prince of Wales is there because he’s patron to a charity connected w/ them
>Prince Harry is there because he served with the regiment in Afghanistan.
Not included were: William/Kate, Andrew, Edward/Sophie, Anne/Tim, Richard/Birgitte, Edward/Kate, Michael/Marie-Christine, and Alexandra. My guess is no one else had clear ties to this particular regiment and thus, weren’t included.
Yeah but can you think of an excuse for William being absent for VE Memorial?
Pretty close to everyone you listed was there except for William.
Oh wait, he was on paternity leave.
She does look wonderful, although I’d like to have seen black and white shoes instead of solid black.
She wasn’t seated next to her husband because you’re never seated next to your husband at these things. The idea is, you have someone to talk to at dinner that you don’t always get a chance to talk to. Having married couples sit together is awfully lower middle-class.
No, the idea at “these things” is precedence ~position rather than class.
As for the Sultan of Brunei……monarchs/heads of state aren’t always able to pick and choose who they “hang out with” ~ diplomacy would wither on the vine otherwise.
QEII and The Duke work their butts off. Where’s lazy William and his lazy ass wife?