The Queen & assorted royals ignored the Sussex-Cambridge drama

Royals Xmas Day church

The biggest headlines from the Royal Christmas at Sandringham were always going to be about the Cambridges and the Sussexes. I have no idea if that irritates other members of the royal family or not. I suspect it’s a mix bag – while the Queen would obviously prefer that everyone gets along, she also knows that the “institution” will survive longer if there’s more interest in all of the “franchises.” I suspect the older royals – The Countess of Wessex, Princess Anne – couldn’t really care less. But I think the York princesses were probably irritated that the Cambridges and Sussexes sucked all of the air out of the room, so to speak.

When I saw Kate’s red, Christmas-y get-up, I actually had a moment of “oh, wish Meghan had played that game a little bit too and went for more of a Christmas theme.” But after seeing the photos of Queen Elizabeth in her grey-lilac, I’m totally here for royals not dressing in the traditional green and red. My favorite part of the Queen’s ensemble? Her gorgeous brooch, of course.

Royals Xmas Day church

Royals Xmas Day church

This is Jack Brooksbank’s first royal Christmas – he married Princess Eugenie in October. They both still have the honeymoon glow. Eugenie wore one of my favorite coats from this year’s Royal Christmas.

Royals Xmas Day church

Royals Xmas Day church

The Countess of Wessex and the Princess Royal both went with shades of turquoise.

Royals Xmas Day church

Here’s Autumn Phillips (wife of Peter Phillips, who is Anne’s son) and Princess Beatrice, and another photo of Autumn and Peter.

Royals Xmas Day church

Royals Xmas Day church

Zara and Mike Tindall looked super-cute in coordinated blue. Zara’s little purple fascinator is crazy though.

Royals Xmas Day church

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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69 Responses to “The Queen & assorted royals ignored the Sussex-Cambridge drama”

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  1. Anna says:

    Princess Anne with the hat look like Robin Hood while Jack Burbank look like Benedict Cumberbatch. Love Autumn Phillip coat.

    • Elisa says:

      Princess Anne for the win, she looks awesome! I love the color of her hat and coat.
      Autumn Phillips is so pretty and her hat is fab. Her coat looks ill-fitted though, especially the seam looks strange.

  2. Serphina says:

    It would have been fun for Megs to wear green but then who knows what the press may assiciate the color with. But them togetger in green and red would be awesome.

    I agree. The senior royals are probably side eyeing the drama. I think Kate loves to dress the part of her role (QC to be) and it shows more and more lately. Maybe it’s me. Thus, i have no doubt Kate brings her own diva demands to the table when interacting with people. And while she and Wills may have power one day, Megs is smart to work hard and secure their spot.

  3. minx says:

    IMO Eugenie’s coat has SO MUCH trim, it cheapens the look. Less would have been more.

  4. Jewell says:

    I love Bea’s hair and hat.

  5. CJ says:

    Autumn Phillips and Lady Louise win best dressed for me. Meghan and Anne runners up for doing exactly what I do this time of year and putting on boots!

  6. Incredulous says:

    I want the Queen and Ruth Bader Ginsburg to team up.

  7. RBC says:

    Who is that older gentleman walking behind the Countess of Wessex and next to Princess Anne?

  8. Jen says:

    I think Eugenie had the best look out of any of them. Kate is second for me, though her headgear is last.

    • JanetDR says:

      My first for headgear is Zara’s! Love the color and fun of it. Hardly functional, but what fascinator is?!

      • Thirsty Hirsty says:

        I’m thinking maybe the fascinator matches up with her dress rather than her coat…is that a thing?
        When I went to my niece’s wedding in September in Southern England I was amazed at how well the British ‘do’ weddings…it was brilliant. Now I own two fascinators…when the pluck will I ever wear them again????

      • Still_Sarah says:

        @ Thirsty Hirsty : Wear your fascinators to work and act as if there is nothing odd about it. Act as if everyone else is wearing them to work too!

  9. Mego says:

    Best dressed:

    Her Majesty

    Runners up: Eugenie, Kate (colour and fit impeccable) and Beatrice.

  10. Splinter says:

    Poor young Viscount Severn could use a coat.

    • Thirsty Hirsty says:

      I saw that, too. Also, Lady Louise has SHOT up….she looked a truly young lady, no longer a little girl. Being a teen is tough, I hope she manages with the least amount of hurt possible

    • Gigi says:

      He’s the age where boys refuse to wear coats. Waiting for mine to grow out of it.

  11. Nan says:

    The “source” the DM (and every other rag) is citing is The Sun. They literally make this stuff up.

  12. Tiffany says:

    Wow, William looks exactly like Phillip in that header photo.

    Uncanny to the max.

  13. PrincessK says:

    Did anyone notice the little skit involving Andrew played out on the steps when they were all exciting the Church. It was hilarious. Does Andrew know that his family view him as a silly old fool? Andrew was very proud to take the role of being the Queen’s escort and riding with her in the Rolls or Bentley to Church. He made sure that his presence was noticed. But when they were coming out of the Church he found himself at the back of the group and the Queen was already getting in the car. I wish I could lip read but he said something to make people clear the way for him, and they all looked at each other with knowing smiles which seemed to say,
    ‘What a buffoon’. Anyway when he finally shoved his way to the bottom of the steps the Queen was already in the car with Beatrice, whether that was the plan or whether the Queen told her to get in who knows, but Andrew seemed satisfied anyway. The jostling to curry favour with the Queen seems to ring true.

  14. Enn says:

    I think Eugenie looks awful. Is that leather rickrack?

  15. Other Renee says:

    Kate looks wonderful. Meaghan needs to stop with the navy clothing already. It’s not a funeral. Autumn’s coat is ill-fitting. Something is odd about Eugenie’s coat. I think it may be the thin belt right below her bustline. The Queen for the win.

    If the two women were placed in the middle and told to chat, that left the brothers on the outside with no one to talk to. Just saying.

    • minx says:

      I think with Meghan’s beautiful dark hair she shouldn’t wear a lot of black and navy. It looks drab. If she likes neutrals she should wear grays or whites or beiges. I always prefer color but I realize some people don’t.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Zara and Beatrice wore navy as well. I don’t see you whining about them though.

      • MrsBeast says:

        Wow. Relax. Whining? So rude. Someone cannot say that they don’t like what Megan wore? Really?

      • Rosie says:

        It depends on the shade/tone also the person’s colouring. A cool tone blonde can look fantastic in a colour that a warm toned brunette would look awful in. I thought Meghan’s coat/dress combo didn’t work and looked drab but as she’s pregnant I’ll give her a pass. She does have a habit of looking like she’s shopped in M&S but paying designer prices. Time for a stylist. I thought Lady Louise looked effortlessly lovely, and she’s nearly taller than her dad.

      • Guest says:

        But, but, but Beatrice and Eugenie are “lesser” than Harry in the Royal hierarchy, so who cares what they wear, right? 🙂 Stop comparing Meghan to Beatrice and Eugenie… because people are always quick to tear them down gleefully and state Harry is higher in the pecking order and they should know their place.

    • PrincessK says:

      Meghan can wear any colour, but she will still stand out from the other women. I think she deliberately wears dark colours to allow the other women to try to ‘shine’.

      • Polly says:

        Oh yes that’s the logical explanation. I’m sure she sits at home planning outfits that will disguise her celestial beauty to let the other plain ladies shine somewhat. Such kindness.

      • Ahoyoy says:

        This exactly. Two years in a row now, Kate has shown up in a gaudy, bright, obscenely expensive ensemble and no one has said boo about the unbecoming attention grab. If Meghan showed up in either a tacky Gucci mini coat or tight bright red Mamie Eisenhower cosplay, people would be screaming. Victoria Beckham’s clothing is exceedingly well made and tasteful. I’m sure this outfit will get alot of play in Meghan’s wardrobe. We might see this coat on Kate the next time she needs to cover her laziness with a re-wear. And someone needs to tell her that a true queen (consort) wouldn’t need to resort to cheap attention grabs like this. Its embarrassing.

      • Rosie says:

        Ahoyoy, that’s the whole point. People are standing out in the cold on Christmas day to see the royals. They all need to make an effort to look their best. How is Kate grabbing any more attention than Eugenie, Sophie or Anne?

      • Linda says:

        @PrincessK
        🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  16. Lana234 says:

    I love Meghan’s outfit it’s a lot better than what she wore last year. Kate looks great but hate the velvet buttons. Eugenie’s coat didn’t need so much lace.

    • PrincessK says:

      Kate does look lovely in that coat but my guess is that most people would choose Meghan’s coat to wear for themselves.

  17. Misty says:

    So over coat dresses. I do like the color of Kate’s but that’s about it. I wish Meghan wore something with more color.

    I don’t like the Yorks’ looks, but Eugenie’s is better than Beatrice’s.

    Where was Camilla, I didn’t see her in the pictures, does anyone know?

    • RBC says:

      I was wondering where Camilla was as well

    • PrincessK says:

      I think that Camilla is pretending to be unwell and quietly spending Christmas with her own grandchildren. Its either that or she is the primary source of all the leaked information and she is lying low.

      • Lady D says:

        What’s in it for Camilla? In what way does she benefit from trying to destroy the relationship between brothers, or by making Meghan an object of ridicule and derision?

      • Tina says:

        Why should you speculate this way repeatedly on every royal post? Camilla has no incentive to put down one daughter-in-law at the expense of another.

      • Princessk says:

        When did l say that Camilla had an incentive? I said that it is possible that she was a primary source of the leaks. It is quite likely that the primary source of these leaks may have had a private in confidence chat with someone who then chose to pass on this private information.

      • Tina says:

        It is possible that she was the primary source of the leaks, but there is no reason to suppose that it was any member of the royal family in particular (as opposed to the courtiers). Her absence from church is not a reason to think so, any more than Philip’s absence is a sign that he was the primary source. The most likely reason she is absent is the one stated – that she is unwell.

  18. tuille says:

    Anne looks better here than anywhere else I’ve seen in years! She’s usually a frump. Autumn’s mullet coat looks strange & is poorly fitted. Eugenie’s coat/dress has way too much contrast trim & is also too tight. Love Zara’s fascinator! (I hate stabby, spike-y feathers like Meghan’s.)
    Sophie looks good, as usual. Louise has grown!
    QE’s hat is lovely but the coat would look better over a solid than the distracting spring floral print under it.
    Lots of buttons here.

  19. liriel says:

    Eugenie really made a huge progress, she looks great.
    I like Kate Christmas dressing but don’t like the hat. Meghan looks ok, I’d choose a different colour. Overall, they all did look fine.

    • Lady D says:

      I’ll be glad when her current headband/fascinator trend is over. Those big rolls of cloth sitting on top of her head do her no favours.

  20. Charfromdarock says:

    I love Princess Anne’s whole outfit, that colour is so lovely.

  21. CooCooCatchoo says:

    Okay, kinda off/on subject, but… did anyone notice that a clip of Eugenie and Jack’s wedding was featured BEFORE Harry and Meghan’s wedding on the Queen’s Christmas message video? A small detail, but I was thinking… I wonder if Andrew asked for the positioning, or whether the Queen did it on her own?

  22. paddingtonjr says:

    I always like how TQ coordinates her look: she picks a color scheme, adds a nice solid color (or colors) coat, a patterned dress/blouse underneath, complimentary brooch and solid color hat. Nothing flashy, but well put together and you notice the different elements. Sometimes I wish Kate would take a few hints from TQ: Kate likes her monochromatic looks and. while she looks fine, most of the time there’s little to draw your eye and it’s just “oh, Kate in a [fill in the blank] coatdress/dress.”

    I thought everyone looked nice. I liked Sophie and Anne’s bright coats. The Wessex children are getting tall!

  23. MrsBeast says:

    I wish Meghan had chosen a shade of navy that is less dark. I think the queen looked great. One of her best looks this year. I liked Kate’s look as well even though Im not a fan of red. Eugenie looked cheap. Zara’s outfit didn’t fit right. Louise is so tall! The queen and Kate for the win and Meghan second.

    • Rosie says:

      Mrsbeast I agree, the shade she wore at Eugenie’s wedding was perfect for her. I personally hate VB designs and don’t think they flatter many people.

  24. KidV says:

    I love the Queen’s hat.

  25. Polly says:

    I feel bad for the Wessex kids. They always look uncomfortable and visibly hate the attention, particularly the boy. Plus he looks freezing, they should have made him wear a coat or at least carried one with them if he refused to put it on.

  26. anony7 says:

    Don’t know anything about Jack Brooksbanks, but he is cute! Will do some Googling…
    The Countess of Wessex …normally I love that powder blue color or is it periwinkle blue? Anyway a long coatful of it is too much, IMO.

  27. Sparkly says:

    Love the Queen’s outfit, and Anne and Eugenie’s. Lady Louise looks lovely and such a young lady rather than a kid anymore. Zara Tindall looks awfully pregnant.

  28. Sass says:

    Are we all going to ignore the A++ look Lady Louise came with?! She looks fantastic! I love everything about her outfit.