Yesterday, the Duchess of Cambridge looked incredibly dated and off-seasonal in a houndstooth Alessandra Rich dress. She looked like a Christmas tube. It was awful. But I understood later why she wore that dress – she was preparing herself for the tartan theme-dressing ahead. That’s right, William and Kate are heading back to Scotland. They haven’t been in Scotland since their ill-advised Covid Choo Choo Tour last winter, which was so bad and poorly timed that Scottish people were calling the cops on the Keens for breaking pandemic regulations. Will and Kate famously began dating in Scotland, when they attended St. Andrew’s, although that’s not where they met. As we now know, Kate had been throwing herself in William’s path for years before then like a true stalker. So, let’s hear what the Keenbridges’ Scottish tour will be about:
It’s been announced that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are off on a trip of their own, bound for Scotland later this week. On 19 May, Kensington Palace announced that William will spend just under a week in Scotland, with his visit spanning from Friday 21 May to Thursday 27 May. William will be making the trip in his capacity as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, before being joined by Kate halfway through his stay, on Monday 24 May.
Together the couple will visit Edinburgh and Fife, as well as making their first ever joint official trip to Orkney. Kensington Palace stated that ‘Their Royal Highnesses look forward to meeting a wide variety of people across the country, as well as charities and organisations who are doing incredible work on issues such as the environment, mental health, homelessness and addiction.’
William was honoured with the role of Lord High Commissioner by the Queen, in which capacity he will carry out a number of duties, such as making speeches at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He will also find out how the Church has been impacted by the pandemic, spending a day ‘hearing how charities associated with The Church of Scotland have come together over the past year to provide for their local communities in spite of physical distance.’
The focus of the visit will very much be on thanking those who have played a key role in caring for others during the coronavirus crisis, such as frontline workers, NHS staff, volunteers and the military. In a particularly personal gesture from the football-loving Duke, William will be inviting a number of emergency responders to join him in watching the Scottish Cup Final – the most renowned knockout football competition in Scotland – at a rooftop bar.
In their capacities as Joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, William and Kate will also host Scottish NHS staff at the Queen’s Edinburgh royal residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. There, attendees will join the Duke and Duchess in watching a screening of the new Disney film Cruella, starring Emma Stone, in a special drive-in cinema.
Later this year, Glasgow will be playing host to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). In advance of the important event, William and Kate will visit a number of projects focused on combatting climate change, including racing an Extreme E electric vehicle at the iconic Knockhill Racing Circuit, visiting Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre, and learning about the work of green spaces protection charity Fields in Trust. The latter visit will hold particular emotional resonance for the royal couple, given that William’s late grandfather, Prince Philip, was an ardent champion of Fields in Trust for 64 years. In 2013, he passed his much-prized Presidency on to his grandson.
They also have an event at St. Andrews, just FYI. Their tour sounds… um, like Kensington Palace is trying to embiggen their activities. Oh, they’ll watch Cruella! William is going to watch football! In between those big-girl and big-boy events, it sounds like they’re just going to knock out a dozen quickie appearances here and there, probably staying for 20 minutes, just long enough for William to point at something and offend people while Kate gawps and fusses with her tartan. There will be so many buttons and so much plaid, you guys. Prepare yourselves for the Earl and Countess of Strathearn’s work-shy Scottish vibez.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Meanwhile, Scotland rumbles with the calls for independence.
Thats why they’re going
Lol. Bless their hearts.
Yes.. But the headlines in all newspapers included HM because it was announced on their wedding anniversary.
What? To make Scotland’s point for them?
I mean, are they the best royals to send out during this moment where the Scottish independence movement is making great strides? Like, I get the need for a royal tour in this context but Willnot and Cannot don’t offer much. I assume they really are winding down the queen’s schedule a great deal and I am not sure what Scottish sentiment about Charles looks like but sending the Keens anywhere for diplomacy seems like a weak move.
I was coming to say this. Plus, the UK sending pots of money directly to institutions and bypassing the Scottish government.
This will be great for the cause of independence 😎
I still cannot believe that dress. It’s like the fugliness is the point. Katie, dear, no amount of tartan will convince Scots to stay in GB. If anything, it will make them want to run away faster.
Because something is expensive and makes you look ultra slim doesn’t mean you can pull it off and Kate needs people on her circle that will tell her that.
She’s on an ugly dress roll. Can someone explain separates to her?
I can (sort of) deal with the houndstooth pattern of this dress but I cannot understand how she doesn’t see and why no one tells her that this shape makes her legs look bizarrely short.
I love a dropped waist dress, but does anyone else think the waist dropped too far on this frock? It makes her look like that stretch doll.
Alessandra Rich is meant to be worn by someone who carries off irony and whimsy well. Not to be worn literally the way Kate is. If I were the designer, I’d be horrified bc Kate wearing her designs impacts the sales. The cool fashion girls wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same things Kate does.
I can’t wait to see if she has matching plaid masks for each of her outfits while in Scotland.
I’m very surprised the Scottish government are okay with this, given their explicit disapproval of the Choo Choo COVID tour of late 2020.
The disapproval of the train tour had to do with the covid cases and a newly announced lockdown. But since most Brits have already received their covid vaccine and cases have declined the country is slowly opening up again. Say whatever you want but the tour is definitely better timed this time around
Anybody know tho why kate will join him later instead of just going together?
That is not actually the case in Scotland – the vaccine roll out is going at a slower pace than in England, and cases of the Indian variant are on the rise, with two areas (Glasgow and Moray) currently still in level 3. It’s not a coincidence that they’re sticking to the East coast and the islands.
Mamma duties? 🤔
yes, as @Jane points out, the COVID policy is devolved to individual governments, and Sturgeon has made a point of emphasising caution when re-opening, in deliberate contrast to Johnson & his fellow clowns in Westminster.
@jane. I didn’t know about the rising cases of the indian variant. I apologize.
Cecilia…The Brits are allowing the vaccine to those 34 and older. They still have a ways to go. The USA is at 12 and older.
Scottish Govt are OK with nothing. As long as they get independence they would have us living in caves, barefoot, on a diet of porridge. All of their politicians must always tow the party line. To say I dislike them is an understatement!
The only way to even get them to do tours is by giving them plenty of downtime and fun activities like you would do for an 8-year-old.
This sounds like a holiday schedule designed to keep the kids entertained.
Right? William is going to watch football at a rooftop bar and it’s being hailed as “a particularly personal gesture.” My guess is William said “but I need to watch the final!!!” so they found a way to package it as work – his favorite kind too – involving sports and beer.
Honestly my first thought is he wanted to watch the game so they built a tour around it. Just like when he wants to hang with celebrities or other football players. The whole description of the tour sounds like a big nothingburger. Just like TOB and TopCEO.
They did the same when he wanted to go to Jecca’s wedding. They made it a short tour.
The announcement of what they’ll be doing is always great, you get excited to learn about the different organizations and what they’ll be doing to support them. Then all you hear from the media is how keen they were and how Kate looked great.
When do they stop learning and actually fo something ?
I think it’s a pathetic attempt at a “charm offensive” to prevent the Scottish people from
voting for Independence. The 13% Scottish part of me wants to scream “Oh, FOOK OFF!”
I came to say charm offensive too. The dress certainly is offensive.
Snuffles, After the tour, perhaps the government should report how much it cost to host the tour. Nothing like letting people know what it is costing them. The Scots’ response might be interesting.
Somebody please tell kate to avoid any dresses with a drop waist. And could the inspo for that cup final be a certain concert in california?
Idk, I think this is a mean girl move and she purposely wore the too tight dress in her petty one sided rivalry with pregnant Meghan. Sadly this conceited woman wrongly thinks Meghan even gives her a second thought.
Is it just me, or all of their engagements starting to blend together? Didn’t TOB already watch a football match? Didn’t Keen Guevara already thank NHS workers? I swear I can’t tell these events apart.
They’ve been thanking NHS staff all throughout the pandemic. That, the launch of earthshot and hold still/ early years is all they’ve been doing basically
They really need to start mixing it up or something because it is just one big blur. Maybe change up the format or do different types of events, I don’t know. And how many times have they gone to Scotland? It seems like they are always there.
Nope, it’s not just you. I wonder if that’s intentional. It’s hard for the public to tell how many engagements Cannot and Willnot are doing if they all blur together.
The last time they went to Scotland, Sturgeon was pissed but she’s probably allowing it this time. Also why is Kate joining 2/3 days later? Is it because she doesn’t want to be away from the kids? Is it because the first part of the trip is William related and she doesn’t need to be there until the next half?
And why are they watching Cruella? I understand it’s a treat for the NHS staff but what’s the point of the Cambridges being there?
I just asked the same question. maybe its because shes getting the covid vaccine either today or tomorrow? And she would want to wait it out just to see if she gets any sickness symptoms? Im merely guessing here but since willy got his im assuming kate can’t be far behind?
Both of them could have been vaccinated as of May 13th so it’s a mystery why they weren’t vaccinated right away. Neither of them is busy working and with a tour coming up it would have been smart to have close to two weeks in before they travel.
It reminds me of the time their office staff chose a movie to watch at the holiday party and then TOB overruled it with a movie of his choosing…and then no-showed. Do the NHS staff even want to watch this movie?? The whole thing is so bizarre to me. The trip will be devoid of anything substantive, leave no lasting impression, and all people will talk about is Keen’s clothes. TOB will grind his back teeth into dust and TopCEO will laugh like a hyena as others next to her stare in confusion. Just like all their other tours and engagements.
I wondered that too. Isn’t it seen as “promoting” the movie?
Can Sturgeon actually say “no”? I mean, what happens if she/her office tell the royal advance people “no thanks” and the royals come anyway? If she leaks it, it will show how little the English royals care about what Scottish leaders think, but it also shows how little her own power is.
That’s basically what happened in December. They had their Pandemic Express Choo Choo tour, and during it Sturgeon made comments about how apparently they (the scottish government) had asked them not to come, and KP’s defense was that it was for work so it was okay. the Welsh leader said something similar, although not quite as harsh.
I will say that I said at the time (December) that what they should do is a tour in the spring/summer, assuming things would be opening back up, and highlight some of the tourist attractions that are open again. Maybe that’s considered a little too fluffy (I mean its not a football game on a rooftop bar) but I remember Felipe and Letizia did something similar last summer – basically did a vacation tour of Spain to promote tourism within Spain. (I think to say to Spaniards – don’t leave the country, visit Galicia instead, or go to Barcelona, etc.)
Reece, they are not ENGLISH royals. They are British royals and, despite the impression Sturgeon gives, Scotland still part of UK. Also despite impression Sturgeon gives Scotland much on a par with rest of UK as regards this virus. Sturgeon can certainly talk the talk though.
I wonder if she’ll wear that ugly dress she work yesterday on this unnecessary tour?
I love this, and it can be personalized – “Unnecessary Tour – Scotland 2021”
That’ll hasten the breakup of the Union.
Fingers crossed!
Oh FFS. I live just outside St Andrews and the local council are already on a mission to dig up every road around the town, so this is just going to make the traffic worse.
Kate looks ridiculously awful in that dress. She should fire her stylist now.
Their Scotland tour is really meant to distract attention from Prince Harry’s Apple TV broadcast on May 21. They don’t want it to trend in the UK and get any kind of publicity. They want to kill it. But these two jealous royal oafs are boring. How can they sustain interest in that 6-day tour? And besides they were already rejected by Scotland when they paraded themselves in that Choochoo train wreck. They certainly don’t know when they’re not wanted.
They are also going to ride this tour for the next six months on their new YouTube channel. Every few weeks, or perhaps a flurry when they go on vacation, but I guarantee this will be dragged out for months, just like her ‘garden.’
OMG, @Lady D — you’re right. I didn’t think of it until you said it, but you’re right. This is all about creating content for their channel. They won’t really do much, but every gesture, expression, and change of clothes will be captured for maximum exposure on YouTube.
Nah, that’s a wrong take. A tour of this nature takes time to organize and would have had the approval of Scotland.
What stylist??
Carole
I’m sure they’ll be as successful at drawing attention away from the Sussexes this time as when they went on that ridiculous flag-dressing Ireland tour when Harry and Meghan came back for the “coulda had a bad b*tch tour.” Even Kate’s head to toe, every single shade of non-complimentary green, purposely outrageous, theme dressing outfits couldn’t draw the world’s—or even their own British RR’s—attention from the Sussexes.
Amy too and others
Scotland might not care about William and Kate but they don’t care any more about Meghan and Harry.
I kindof wonder if it’s almost the opposite. When they do this and Harry’s show gets more press, they can have articles published about how bad it is that Harry is overshadowing them, taking all the attention away, etc. It gives them an excuse for why people don’t really care about them.
Here’s hoping Sturgeon keeps up the pro-Independence, anti-Windsor grind the whole time.
Notasugarhere Well, I don’t and I have more say as I live in Scotland and I am Scottish. A lot of the SNP toxic and Scotland politically in danger – only one viewpoint permissible. I have no desire to spend the rest of my life in a small minded Scotland shaped bubble, in a much poorer country.
Why is it not surprising that Will has arranged this tour around the Scottish Cup Final? It’s obvious because Kate isn’t even part of the tour until the big game (and the resulting hangover) is over. Will has figured out that by including front-line workers, he can work the big games into his royal schedule. Bonkers.
Scotland’s government is currently arguing for independents , so I doubt they are going there out of deep love and affection for the place. But, after the over the top reaction to Harry legitimately trying to raise awareness towards mental health and the palace essentially saying he is wrong to even consider talking about his own experiences. I kinda hope the two just drop the issue all together and just stick to wanting to get keen photographed in her vast collection of tartan dresses.
Sorry should say independence
These two haven’t even begun this tour yet and I am already bored with them
After their last highly criticized Covid super spreader trip to Scotland, this explains why there’s a picture of William getting his vaccination.
Well, unless he got one of the two shot vaccines and that’s his second vaccination, it’s not going to be at all effective yet. Although there’s some level of protection after the first shot in the series, it still takes a couple of weeks for antibodies to build up. He did have Covid, but that was almost a year ago. I don’t know what the current thinking is about how long the antibodies persist after an active case; that was still a question last time I read anything, which was a few months back.
I hope for the sake of everyone he’s going to meet on the trip that this is just PR, and he really was vaccinated months ago.
Someone may have mentioned this yesterday, but that dropped waist is such a 1980s style. This looks like Diana cosplay.
Archies uncle got his vaccination yesterday I think and is traveling tomorrow?
“Staying … just long enough for William to point at something and offend people while Kate gawps and fusses with her tartan.”
— I LOL’d! And you know that’s exactly what will happen. Dude can’t go anywhere without doing something selfish or tone deaf.
Good God. They dressing is fugly.
They are going to thank the crisis workers AGAIN? After last time… they brave, I am giving them that lol
Scots want out and they are sending them Kate cosplaying in the most ugly dress I’ve seen in a while. What could go wrong, right?
I still can’t get over how ugly that dress is.
It’s even worse than that green disaster with squiggles all over it she wore in Ireland. Or maybe it’s a tie. Both hideous. What an eyesore.
That houndstooth dress must have been a tour preview. I’m sorry Scotland……
Somebody at What Kate Wore called that dress Parisian looking and I jumped in the comments that no French or Parisian woman would wear that dress unless they time traveled to the 1980s. It is so fugly.
As for this tour, I feel like they are trying to make up for the last time they went to Scotland when the vaccine hadn’t been widely administered and things were still bad so William is going for a full week. I don’t think he’s ever done a full week of events in Scotland before. I know we yell at them for being work shy but I can’t really side eye this. We yell at them for not working enough and I’m guessing it’s the crisis counselors at play here telling them a day here or there isn’t enough.
Parisian looking? For real? That dress?!
As someone who lives in Paris, no French woman would be caught dead in that dress. You would maybe find some plaid at Kooples but for the most part French women don’t wear prints. And drop waist? I can’t remember the last time drop waist was a thing. Much less one that low. Waity still wears peplums too which haven’t been a thing for something like 10 years. Not to mention all of those twirly skirts which don’t look right on someone over 25. She has an amazing knack for both wearing old lady clothes, but trying to dress like a child. It’s weird.
I feel like the trip was scheduled for just William and then Kate said “but I need to wear my tartan!!!” so here we are.
Truly hope their nonsense tour strengthens the momentum and support for Scottish independence.
They’re working. Cool. Meh. Nothing more to say.
Also the vax photo of his exposed bicep wasn’t so hard on the eyes. I was shocked at myself.
(Ducks in anticipation of outrage 😃)
I feel like this is a sad attempt at pro-UK PR to stem the tide of an ever more independent leaning Scotland. This isn’t something a charmless royal visit will fix. They should be bringing their kids if that’s the aim.
As an outside observer with not a really great sense of the current political mood, my impression is that politically, England and Scotland are at as opposing sides in political polarization right now as they’ve ever been, and an independence referendum would be much more likely to pass in the current climate than when the vote happened pre-Brexit. Like, I’ve been looking at the political situation in the UK generally right now and thinkning that due to the absolute shambles of Brexit and the fascist turn of the Johnson government that within my lifetime the UK is just going to be England and Wales. Someone who’s more familiar with the situation tell me if I’m close or if my read is super off.
What is SNP in Scotland is likely to be brexiteer in England. Not keen on either! I am Scottish by the way!
Why are they travelling to thank people? Haven’t these folks heard of this new-fangled thing called email? They could even text their thanks ffs. With emojis. Why travel all that way if in the end, they only put forth a written text worth of personal effort?
Do they want Scotland to leave so badly? Because sending Tweedledee and Tweedledum will certainly do the trick.
They just did this very thing around Christmas … so now the same thing only with more fug outfits? What the heck? Wash, rinse, repeat. Nothing more. Abominable waste of time and money.
And still a COVID tour I think.
Tweedlebald and Tweedlebuttons
“In between those big-girl and big-boy events”……………………..why yes, yes indeed. That is difficult work to say the least. I wonder how they manage.
Did Kate swipe her mask from George and Charlotte…or Louis? It looks so small.
Kate is a real fashion nightmare. Who’d ever wear that 80s dress in the here and now? No matter where you turn her around she looks tacky and gaudy ultimately. Something really wrong with her taste.
Anna wintour must cry seriously real tears when she sees the things Kate wears. This woman could have any fashion house in the world design an entire wardrobe for her and she chooses these god forsaken outfits.
It would please me no end if hardly anyone showed up to see these two mind-numbingly boring dullards.
Yes! Like only people made to be there. Remember the Bafta when everyone was quiet?😅
This will be a big deal for them and get lots of press, so maybe the tabloids can actually report on it without mentioning Harry and Meghan in the articles.
COVID tour part two if Bill was just vaccinated this week. (No) Charm (all) Offensive.
That red plaid dress was about as bad as I’ve seen….wear that!
OMG it will be glorious. I want to see a plaid mask to match her dresses! Buttons please more buttons.
Well, that all sounds incredibly dull and pointless.
I’m curious to see if they can make it a week in Scotland without saying something offensive. It’s totally possible they won’t but at the same time they are always getting in their own way so it’s 50/50. Good luck, crisis managers!
Omg, just had a thought…what if Kate theme dresses for the Cruella premiere…!!!
if she dresses in a dalmatian print coat dress I am buying you all the gins and tonic you want (or preferred drink)
@Jais, literally LOL’d at your last line.
Why go right back to Scotland? Travel restrictions to commonwealth countries or are they not wanted in any?
Unless they want to bring aids to the commenwealth countries, then they are welcome. If not, they can stay in the uk.
No one want to sponsors them here for their free and paid holiday anyway.
Ugh “so ugly it’s cute” fashion is so confusing. Reminds me of going to an opshop and finding nothing appealing so something slightly ok seems like the greatest thing ever, then later realise it’s hideous! I could see someone really punky, sassy, cool pulling this look off but it doesn’t work here.
Might be funny to some of the people on here to be pro independence just to spite the BRF but I find these remarks greatly offensive. I am Scottish and loathe the idea of independence because Scotland will be self obsessed and small minded. SNP toxic. Also Scotland will be poorer financially.