Yay! Here are some photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today in London. They made their second appearance (overall) at the XLP Project at London Wall. This is also their third event of the week, following yesterday’s documentary-watching and hospital-appearance.
For today’s event, Kate wore a new frock from a label which she’s never worn before: Eponine London. It’s a two-piece wide-gingham print that looks candy-pink from a distance, but is actually sort of a white and red-pink gingham print. In addition to bird-prints, lace, baby-blue coats and buttons, Kate is developing a deep love for gingham. It must appeal to her girlish side. She notably wore gingham for her big “return to work” following her maternity leave last year, that time it was a gingham Ralph Lauren which was slit to her duchess biscuit.
I actually like the cut of this suit a lot. Kate abhors a straight skirt, so if the skirt has to have any kind of fullness, this one has a decent cut and length. The jacket/top also has big, prominent buttons, which is probably what drew her eye to this ensemble in the first place. And I’m giving her some points for actually wearing a color when she knows she’s going to interact with children, unlike the many times she’s chosen to wear goth-black for the kids.
Also: the last time Will and Kate came out for the XLP Project, one of the underprivileged kids spoke to the press and was not complimentary about Will and Kate at all. Those comments have mostly been scrubbed from the original record of their visit, so I can’t find them now! The kid basically said that Will and Kate have zero clue about anything.
Young people share stories about their experiences with gang violence, crime and family issues @xlplondon pic.twitter.com/3M4ZsGekDt
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) March 11, 2016
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I like it.
Yep. Super-cute.
+ 1
Me too. She looks lovely.
I hate it! Ugh!
I actually love it too. About time she nailed it in the outfit stakes.
That open mouth mid laugh smile is unflattering and just plain weird. I like her outfit for her. It’s not something I would wear but for her and the event I think it’s nice.
That neckline was screaming for a simple chignon. Gingham is already a heavy/bold pattern and her hair made everything look heavier.
The skirt doesn’t suit the cut of the top. The pleats are too big and the outfit looks like an elementary school uniform, which is probably another example of Kate’s theme dressing.
ITA – as usual Kate takes a nice outfit and cheapens with the lose mop and black shoes. Knee high boots would have gone much better with the style. Guess she’s bored of repeating some of her millions of clothes so wore something new.
I’m suprised she didn’t put wedges with this get up.
The outfit screams “first lady who’s perfectly content to simply ‘look’ the part”. She’s someone in a position of power who thinks the point of it all is to “not mess up” as opposed to making a difference.
agree she looks busted. if i were in her position 💰💰💰 i would have flattering cuts and colors. does she style herself? maybe time to think about enlisting some help.
I like the cut, but the pattern and colour are awful ( I hate the pink clothes). I like her hair. I know most people don’t agree with me, but I don’t think she looks good with her hair up. She would look great with shorter hair, though.
Does anyone know what the kid said? Of course they don’t have a clue. They’re spoiled priviledged people who didn’t work a day in their lives and who are doing charity because they have to, not because they want to. I bet if Will was further down the line he would never do charity.
Quote : ‘ They are just keeping up appearances. They wanted to make it look like they related.’ end quote
….from the mouths of babes.
LAK- Great job on the info.
It’s so creepy that they scrub the internet of their negative press.
I feel like we need to keep separate, protected files on them to refer back to the truth about these jerks.
They’re just repeating what they’ve heard their parents say don’t you think? And how can W&K relate if they’ve never been a part of gang violence and poverty? At least they’re out there trying! We’re sitting behind a keyboard.
You can still find them on twitter.
“They are just keeping up appearances. They wanted to make it look like they related.”
“We are paying our taxes – we pay for them to live where they live.”
I worked around teens for years. They are not idiots and are capable of thinking for themselves. Many teens say what they think not what their parents tell them to. They’re as self-censoring as toddlers a lot of the time.
Maggie – you’re not serious, are you?
It’s called empathy. And it actually exists. You don’t have to have had the exact experience to relate to someone. If you have one compassionate bone in your body, you’d be able to imagine and develop an understanding of the hardships and issues without going through it yourself. The fact that these kids can’t even feel William and Kate’s empathy speaks volumes about them, not the kids.
You just basically admitted that William and Kate have no business taking on this patronage since they aren’t able to get an understanding of the issue at hand to begin with. You don’t try to have empathy. You either have it or you don’t. You can’t even say they’re trying because first-hand accounts of teens who were actually there should be enough to tell you the truth: William and Kate didn’t leave a good impression. It means they didn’t try.
Maggie: the teen who was quoted sat with William and Kate for about 20mins during that engagement in a round table discussion.
Perhaps they were parroting their parents, but the teen spent time with WK in an intimate situation, unlike you or the parents, chatting to them.
The teen was asked his opinion mins after WK had left, so again, fresh memories.
And it says a lot that many reporters tweeted these quotes, and hours later either deleted them or admitted that KP had pressured them into re-writing the quotes with a positive spin.
KP controlling the story should give everyone pause, BUT as we’ve seen lately, KP are actually completely inept with PR so it matters not a jot if the teens were parroting parental opinions. We can all see what they saw.
I used to work a weekly volunteer shift at the crisis phone line center. I hope that makes me qualified to comment, maggie. Because I think they do the bare minimum, and I agree with everyone else that you can have empathy without ever having experienced it. I’ve never been robbed at gunpoint but I can feel for someone who has, just as I can feel for a lot of things I have not experienced personally.
maggie, I don’t dislike them. I don’t know them. I comment on what they do in their roles, and I find it lacking half of the time. You said that those kids were just repeating what their parents said, inferring they’ve no observational skills or minds of their own. You then said that William and Kate can’t relate because they haven’t experienced it, and I don’t believe that either. We relate all the time to things we haven’t personally experienced. Perhaps you refuse to listen to any criticism because it would shake your very strongly held positive opinion.
I do agree William and Kate are bringing attention to it, because we are all here talking about it now. What counts is if it makes a difference.
ETA: The comment I was responding to is gone.
I don’t discount the critical comments that the Cambridges got when they visited XLP last year, but I don’t discount the numerous positive comments that they have gotten for the charity related visits either. Overall the positive comments far outweigh the negative comments.
Camilla Batmantwitoftheyear brought attention to needy kids too, Maggie. But we all know how that ended up.
Sixer, we do?
Maggie is a tough one, girls:-)) But keep on trying.
@bluhare – I’m not Sixer but look up Kids’ Company if you’re curious…. they were all over the papers last time I was in London.
If after spending time chatting with W&K, the outcome is that the teenager came away feeling as if W&K didn’t seem to care or weren’t offering sympathy or understanding, then how is that the fault of the kid’s parents? I doubt the parents were telling the teenager what to say and how to feel. Teenagers are capable of knowing their own feelings.
Anyhoo, it’s W&K’s job to fake it til they make it. If they can’t feel empathy, then they should have been spending their enormous amount of free time practicing various phrases and looks of concern and learned how to do small chat with people involved in tragic circumstances. But they’re not interested in doing so and thus it shows.
When W&K get positive comments for their very rare visits, once a year or every few years, then it’s because the charity needs them to be their patrons in order to get more donations. Charities with royal patrons are said to be more attractive to the public when it comes to donating than those that don’t. They know which side their bread is buttered.
But the overall comments are not including the charities who’ve allegedly secretly wanted to dump W and/or K for their lack of interest and who’ve been ‘persuaded’ not to by The Firm. Also, that’s not counting the negative comment of the poster at DM’s online site who related what happened when Kate visited the charity or hospital the poster worked at.
And even when Kate cancels or shows up an hour late, the charity is not going to issue a public statement of complaint. The same goes for William lack of interest and commitment.
The difference is that this teenager doesn’t work for the charity, instead he is a recipient of its benefits, and that poster at DM had anonymity on her side.
bluhare – sorry, yes, Kids Company. Camilla was the head of a similar charity to this one, who was intensely charismatic (or cultish, if you ask me) and who spectacularly mismanaged huge sums and did some highly questionable work. Attention doesn’t mean results. And who brings the attention actually does matter.
There’s an article with the quotes from the XLP teenager on the UK’s Express website.
Dated March 27, 2015.
Written by Richard Palmer.
Titled: William says arrival of the second Royal Baby will be ‘game-changer’ for him and Kate
I don’t like it.
I hate it. hate the buttons, hate the pattern, hate the skirt, hate the match-matchyness. I wish someone accidentally spilled something on her so that this outfit was never repeated.
The only thing that bothers me is the horizontal strap with the buttons on it. I’m so used to seeing that kind of thing on the back of a jacket that I can’t stop seeing this jacket as being on backwards.
Ravine – yes I agree. That strap is the kind of thing on the back, not the front. I also think the shoulders look weird though – just not a very flattering or chic cut.
I really don’t like this outfit. I think i might like it if it didn’t have the gingham design, but I think it’s just to busy.
Some of the comments from last year are still on twitter. https://twitter.com/QueenVicMirror/status/581476949849182208
And one again they’re still going to listen and learn. after 5 years they haven’t learnt anything. When are they going to stop listening and start doing?
The gingham is the worst part but she has never impressed me style wise once, maybe she set the standard low.
Interesting that even then their lack of caring was noted.
Those replies to that tweet are also funnyp:”Probably indifferent…shouldn’t look much into it.”. Amazing how sugars love quoting sugary quotes but completely disregard non-quote of any kind.
So much “work” in one week. Mustique is right around the corner.
Well, they’ll be exhausted, doncha know. Poor dears.
Talk about the 80’s cut of a 60’s picnic tissue. That dress/suit is hideous ! And she should do something modern with her hair.
I like her hair, especially since it seems she’s abandoned the “gringe.”
I think she would look great with a shoulder grazing hair style. I think long, long hair on a “professional” 30-something woman looks ridiculous.
That’s nice.
I think she can have whatever hair length she likes. I don’t like people dictating what hair women of certain ages are allowed to have (or what clothes/makeup they should wear)
I don’t like this outfit – the fabric looks like it’s made for curtains.
Here’s a perfect example of appropriate, but I really don’t like it. The fabric is too stiff for the pleats and it looks like it’s going for a cute retro look and stops a little short.
And gingham makes me think of plaits/pigtails. So I guess I vote for “twee”.
I get a retro vibe, but could not decide if it is 60s or 80s. The fabric looks rumpled in the front, which seems a bit odd.
Tablecloth. The worst outfit I’ve ever seen on her.
My kingdom for a cool, modern pantsuit.
Keep wishing! I don’t believe she would ever go for a pantsuit…..she relies on dresses to create the illusion of long legs, which I used to believe she had.
Others here had pointed out she actually has an overly long torso and disproportionally short legs- turns out it’s true.
Yes, IneedANap!!! Becks, I have this problem too, and I can still wear a flattering pantsuit. That’s why heels and tailoring exist.
I have a long torso and short legs too and it can be very hard to dress nicely. Well.. she is very thin so it wouldn’t be as hard for her but I am a chubby pear shape so certain things can just look atrocious – my waist is significantly smaller than my hips but my stomach gets in the way of showing it off sometimes!
I think the outfit looks good on her, and I like the shorter hair.
Love the dress. I’m sure they don’t have a clue. But they need to keep working on behalf of their charities and the good of humanity overall. That is not asking too much of them.
I was really curious about what that kid said –
“This was the engagement where one young person said of William and Kate: “They are just keeping up appearances. They wanted to make it look like they related.”
And another teen said after meeting them: “We are paying our taxes – we pay for them to live where they live.”
Smart kids…
And this is why I don’t like it when teens are dismissed as angry, misguided, and irrational all the time. Many teens are smart, observant, and can see things more clearly than some adults. Many teens are educated on a lot of issues and are aware of almost everything happening everywhere.
This is the demographic that William and Kate will one day “rule” over…this is the generation of disenchanted youth affected by all the problems with tuition, austerity, cut backs, etc. And they have William and Kate’s number. They can see through the insincerity and pretense and they know this is just PR work for the two buffoons.
I like the dress but somehow it reminds me of that book “The Lonely Doll.”
I wish she’d stop hiding behind her purses. She clutched them for dear life. Loosen up.
she seems one dimensional woman. No style and No substance
Not a huge fan of the pink/red gingham but for some reason I think I would like it in blue. I kinda think the waist should be a little more fitted but overall she looks nice.
Cute, spring-like, I like it.
I like her style. That being said, she is my age but looks like she is early to mid-forties. Does anyone else see it or is it just me?
No i totally agree and I’m not trying to be a negative troll. I suspect it’s the years of smoking, tanning, starvation diets, etc? I also think this life she has chosen is harder on her than she expected. I could not handle the criticism myself.
Part of it is the pictures are not being “fixed” anymore. DM has closeups of her skin and it’s not remotely flattering.
I was really surprised. I just read the article and the photos aren’t retouched like they used to be. She’s got deeper furrows on her forehead than I do!
Yes, I was actually surprised how lined her forehead.
I imagine some strategic botox or fillers could do wonders – nothing too much but just a small amount.
I am 26 but actually would hate the thought of high-def cameras taking close up photos of me too. Who knows what would show up?! And I don’t smoke and take care of my skin.
She had these lines when they married. Maybe they were not so deep. Let’s not forget she loves the sun, orange tan, I suppose if you mix these with her genes, this is the result. She should put on some much needed weight and it would do wonders to her face.
Look at Pippa, she is just the same, more orange-y.
I have never seen so unflattering images of her in DM though they had a couple of try.
I think it’s also because she dresses so conservatively. She dresses like a much older woman.
I love the snark in the DM headline, implying that they are undertaking royal duties for the first time like EVER!!!! They are not letting the ‘work-shy’ label go.
The DM commenters today are actually complaining about it. They’re a very contrary bunch — when the DM was positive, the commenters were anti-W&K. Now that the DM is negative, they are complaining, too! Very funny.
Gingham is for kindergarden and primary school. Sorry, Kate.
Don’t forget restaurant tablecloths.
LOL! Yes that what the dress reminds me of a restaurant tablecloth. I think it’s one of the worst dresses I’ve seen on her. Not cute or twee.
Horrible. That kind of ensemble might work on someone like Jenna Louise Coleman who can pull off the twee, but not on Kate. She should take a page from the Allison Williams playbook.
I kind of like it on her.
I thought I liked this, but no. I hate the design of the top. It’s too busy paired with the gingham. A solid color would have been a better fit with this.
I bet the press seeks out quotes from the kids again. They know what’s up. The Lamebridges don’t really care. Just doing this to keep the money and the perks flowing.
I don’t know, they kinda lost their credibility for humanitarian causes. I don’t believe they care for anything except themselves.
Plus, it was fun to dissect Kate’s outfits when she was also actually doing something, now it’s just boring.
Super cute.
Kate looks wonderful. For the most part, I believe, she always dresses appropriately. She is not Kate Hudson or Beyonce.
I can’t “reply” to this comment above so I’ll do so here:
“They’re just repeating what they’ve heard their parents say don’t you think? And how can W&K relate if they’ve never been a part of gang violence and poverty? At least they’re out there trying! We’re sitting behind a keyboard”
Really Maggie? (I love your name, it’s very sentimental for a million reasons) A person doesn’t need to join a gang or experience poverty to relate to people, have empathy and show that they’re truly committed to change, a lot of times relating to people comes from working in the trenches, truly being involved in charities and programs and actually listening and hearing what people have to say – not fly bys once a year. Also, please don’t assume the rest of us aren’t out there trying. We may be behind keyboards or phones right now, but I wouldn’t assume many of us aren’t bettering our communities on a daily basis.
I do agree it’s very possible the kids are repeating what their parents are saying. Doesn’t make it more or less true, but does show what people thought about their visit.
Good points responding to Maggie, Jen. We “sit behind keyboards” because we need to work 40 hour weeks (often more) putting food on our table and a roof over our heads, something the Lamebridges know nothing about. They show up for 30 minutes, grin wildly for the media, then helicopter back to one of their lavish homes where staff wait on them hand and foot. I don’t have cancer but I volunteer healing touch treatments at a cancer wellness centre because I “feel” for what these brave people are going through, and have lost friends and relatives to this horrible disease. I don’t think W&K feel anything other than a disdain for the media, the common folk and having to look interested and engaged when they’re “trying” to work.
Will somebody please buy her a new pair of shoes? I feel like those poor pumps could use permanent retirement. So boring! I don’t understand how someone who spends so much money on clothes can look so underwhelming.
Hate it! And not because Kate messed up the style with her hair or something, this is just a bad dress. The designer must have been on something. Gingham does not go with the cut of this, is it even a dress or a two piece? I love gingham, Hate This!
Haven’t read comments yet. That is one heck of a bland and ugly dress. Why does she need a new dress?
The DM reports that the top and skirt costs £600 apiece, and that her morganite and diamond earrings cost £3,400. It’s expensive to get her to go to work.
$6600 in new clothes and jewelry to get her to show up to work? Yeesh.
Lady Parvenu can’t help herself can she? Marie Antoinette would be proud.
ANNE 000, that’s an 1800 dollar outfit, seriously, I could have 6 adorable outfits for that!!!
The make is very 50s 60s style so being very slim she can wear It well, I don’t think many could carry it off, it looks a Madmen style or follow the yellow brick road, maybe red shoes would have been better than black.
I love the silhouette of the dress but hate the tablecloth gingham pattern. This one’s a miss for me.
How odd it is that so many years after, 2 kids later, she still always trots out her ring finger displaying the sapphire- no matter what- whether she is sitting, walking, talking, speaking…very odd.
Of all the commoners married to royalty’ her pictures are the only one that have this weird ring display poses!