This morning, William and Kate traveled to the American embassy in London to sign the condolence book for the victims of the Orlando tragedy. They met with the ambassador and looked through the book, which was placed beneath a flag presented to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by the Kaleidoscope Trust, an LGBTQ advocacy group based in the UK. William wrote “With our deepest condolences and with our thoughts and prayers to all those affected.” Then they signed their names, with no HRH or royal title, just “William” and “Catherine.” The photos are below.
In addition to their appearance at the American embassy, William and Kate will also be traveling to Northern Ireland today for the annual garden party at Hillsborough Castle. This will be their first trip to Northern Ireland as a married couple, but they did make a trip to Belfast when they were engaged, back in 2011. I’m assuming we’ll have some photos from this garden party appearance tomorrow! What’s remarkable is that we are now in the midst of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s FIFTH day of work in a row! They are so keen! Keen to be looking like they’re working.
Grateful to welcome TRH Duke & Duchess of Cambridge @USAinUK to sign our condolence book for the victims of Orlando. pic.twitter.com/H6tqcKnIgz
— U.S. Embassy London (@USAinUK) June 14, 2016
The Duke and Duchess offering their condolences for the victims of the terrible attack on Orlando's Pulse nightclub pic.twitter.com/ILA4uJU2mr
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) June 14, 2016
After signing the condolence book TRH spoke to reps from the US embassy's LGBT network GLIFAA pic.twitter.com/8ZSIQJ9p8J
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) June 14, 2016
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News, WENN, Twitter.
Delicate flowers are working so hard these days. Writing their names, and all. They may need a vacation to recover.
I sense that they will be disappearing over the summer months so this flurry of activity is probably the run-up to not seeing them for a few months IMO.
They might – funny how the two lazy, insecure fakers cannot muster up sympathy for service people in their own country.
Such a senseless, senseless tragedy. Heartbreaking.
I like that she wore black (as opposed to hot pink) to this. Baby steps, y’all.
I think she should dress like this more often, she looks really nice with the dress and sweater.
I agree, this was stylish and appropriate.
If only she’d get her hair OUT OF HER FACE. /rage
Exactly, looking at the pic of her signing the book with her hair all over the place I think of what my mom would say “Get that hair out of your face or you’re getting it cut” I still remember that pixie haircut!
Still grinning like a brainless maniac.
I’m gutted over Orlando. I’m a news junkie but I haven’t been able to watch anything about it. My heart goes out to the LGBT community of Orlando and to all the families that suffered a loss.
Did anyone watch Samantha Bee’s excellent takedown of the lax attitude towards gun control? It was utterly epic and EXACTLY what is needed…not this well-intentioned but ultimately empty “Love is Love” stuff
“Love is love” refers to how the love we feel is the same, regardless of sexual orientation. Same worth, same beauty. Love between adults is not a sin, not a crime, nothing to invite sanction or violence. It must be possible to talk about this AND gun control.
I apologize if I unintentionally diminished its importance! But yes, I feel like a lot of public figures are hiding behind this statement without addressing gun control.
I think you can talk about both but I think Soprana is right about some of this stuff being ultimately empty. Seeing this condolence book just fuels my despair. We need serious action right now on the gun control front.
I do agree, it’s bad if people, politicians especially, bandy that saying as a way to avoid speaking about assault weapons.
‘Seeing this condolence book just fuels my despair. We need serious action right now on the gun control front.’
The condolence book is there for people of the UK to show respect to all the victims and their families. We have no power over gun control in the US.
Ally.M, I realize that. I guess my despair comes from the fact that this condolence books exists at all largely because no action has been taken by US legislators on our appalling gun “epidemic.”
As a country, we have really messed up priorities when someone on the FBI watch list and IS sympathizer can legally buy serval guns to kill dozens of people, yet a woman can be denied access to an abortion because her state government is so concerned about the “baby’s right to live”. What about those 48 people killed in Orlando, or everyone else killed by gun violence? Don’t they also have the right to live?
The 1994 federal assault weapons ban had a 10 year sunset provision. In 2003/2004 I was heavily involved in lobbying for a renewal on the ban and the response from members of congress on both sides of the aisle was beyond disappointing.
He wasn’t on the watch list and even if he was there are valid reasons why that shouldn’t matter. Some one talked about how we need pro-life advocates for gun control like the ones abortion has, I may not agree with their views but they have proven effective on rolling back abortion rights.
It’s hard to imagine that the same religious organizations that back abortion restrictions — and control over women — will back gun ownership restrictions.
I’d like to see the LGBTQ community take on gun control. The organizing around gay marriage was amazing.
Their reputation precedes them and gives me the impression that they are only going through the motions and likely found this visit to be an inconvenience. That’s not what their appearance is supposed to evoke in me during a tragedy.
Why shade them for offering condolences? They actually do have a busy schedule this week and I think it is thoughtful that they made time for this.
I’m not “shading” them. I’m saying that, as public figures, their purpose is to build a reputation that will evoke certain feelings, not the least of which is an impression of sincerity, when they appear at events such as this. I have no idea what they truly feel about the tragedy and their visit today but I feel that what they have done in the past, like the Irish Guards non-appearance and Kate wearing hot pink to the 9/11 memorial, cast a shadow over this well-intentioned visit (which I appreciate at any level as a Floridian) and it is their past decisions that evoke this feeling in me. It’s a shame there’s a shadow over it.
I also think this is a missed opportunity for Harry because the Orlando community showed such support for the Invictus Games.
They are not even CLOSE to busy – Willy is too busy running off to Jecca and her out of wedlock brat and Kate is still ignoring the surrogate’s kiddies.
It’s quite possible they do find it a drag.
But, ultimately, this is what embodying a state in personhood is all about. It doesn’t really matter what *they* think. They are signing on behalf of the UK, which is their function. Even I can’t knock them for that, despite thinking that a state shouldn’t be embodied in personhood. Ours is. It’s just how we do these things.
Sixer, yes. As a relatively new Canadian I was taken off guard by this idea of embodying the state in a person. Now I accept it as “just how it’s done,” though if I were designing a state, it wouldn’t be my choice, and view Canada as still a bit too heavily attached to the monarchy.
At least this time she didn’t giggle and laugh through the signing, unlike the NZ earthquake condolence book.
But I think William must have cracked a lame joke–look at the reaction of the fellow in front of him. Big grin.
Does the condolence book stay at the embassy? Is it eventually sent to Orlando? Just curious.
June is always a “busy” month for them, barring “maternity leave.”
By coincidence, July happens to have Wimbledon. 😉
Note: None of this takes away from signing the book for Orlando.
Watch Harry do an even better tribute since the invictus games were there.
No snark or shade from me. Good on them.
Same here Meredith. Orlando mass shooting is far too sad and horrifying to attach shade in any way.
Yeah, all those cameras for signing a book. Poor dears will need another vacay.
Did their job, dressed appropriately. Thank you from a Floridian.
Condolences to you and all Floridians Claire.
Thanks, Ally. This seems to hurt more because it’s in my backyard, but the next one will be in someone else’s. It’s a national problem, but most of Congress addresses it as isolated incidents and nothing changes.
I will resist looking for flaws for once. Appropriately dressed, suitably sombre and turned up in person rather than having their office issue a statement. Well done.
I agree they look eminently suitable for the occasion and it is good that they showed up instead of merely tweeting condolences.
Royals don’t use their titles when signing something, though the queen adds “R” (for “Regina” to her signature. Speaking of signatures, I’d LOVE to have an expert analyze William’s. The “W” that looks like a “U”, the backwards underscore of the name? Could be interesting stuff…
Nice to see the duchess dressed appropriately, unlike her trip to Ground Zero in NYC…
This post doesn’t need snark about Will and Kate being “keen.” This is also not the first time they have signed a condolence book. They signed a condolence book after one of the Paris attacks, can’t remember which. As an American with family in France it was a thoughtful gesture. To people who have family in Orlando–I know how you feel. I was devastated after each Paris attack.
It was an appropriate visit, the least they could do, offering their condolences. But she spoils it by the putting her hair to one side
(almost in a sexual manner) before she signed. She is always busy with her hair! There is no need, put it up!