Duchess Kate did her first royal event of 2015 today in London. We knew she was back in London already following her family holiday at Anmer Hall – she was seen out shopping in London a few days ago. Today’s event was Kate “officially naming” the Clore Art Room at Barlby Primary School. She was there with Turner-Prize-winner Grayson Perry, which is somewhat interesting. Perry is a well-known and celebrated artist… and he’s also a transvestite and he was dressed in drag at this event. That’s Grayson in the black lace dress. I kind of enjoy how non-scandalous this is, really. I also like that Grayson is interacting with the children.
As for Kate, she wore this maternity dress by Madderson and she wore her hair down, naturally. My general thought on the dress is that she came really, really close to a win. The dress is an appropriate length and the fabric seems heavy enough to avoid a Marilyn Moment. The cut looks comfortable and chic. I don’t mind the detailing on the hem or the pockets (are those real or faux pockets?). But the minor problem? Someone went overboard with the fabric detailing and gave her what appears to be a boob ruffle. And if you look closely, the Duchess of Buttons managed to work giant gold buttons the Duchess of Buttons managed to work giant gold buttons into the pocket ruffles on the dress too. BUTTONS!!!!!! Does the button still count if it’s camouflaged?
You can see more photos of Kate at the event here. You know what makes me happy? No sausage curls! She’s been doing less curls a lot lately. Her hair still looks freshly blown out and I wish she would have fun with some updos, but overall… there’s a lot of improvement.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Someone send her a 5-puck of scrunchies.
I don’t what anyone says, I still rock a scrunchy whenever I have a chance. 😉
My dad got me a scrunchie with a bejewelled decoration on it as gift right before Christmas (autocorrect wanted to change Christmas to ‘heist mad’. Should’ve left it). I love it because I love him and love that he thought of me to buy it. And it does a very nice job of holding my hair back when I wash my face.
Why does everyone want her to wear her hair up all the time? I don’t get it.
I only wear my hair up when I’m working out. Other than that, its always down ( even when it was long) . It looks better and it’s just easier for me.
Kate’s hair doesnt bother me…..her clothes do. She can do so much better!
Yeah, but Kate constantly fiddles with her hair, which most people find distracting.
No one wants her hair worn up all the time. The point is it should be up some of the time in appropriate settings, like when windy, when a formal event is happening
Kate is meh, as usual, but rip off Grayson’s bow and I would wear the heck out of that outfit. Love.
Transvestism isn’t such a big deal for the Brits (that I know and in my family, anyway) as we’ve seemingly always had them as prominent entertainers. Also, personally, I’ve loved Rocky Horror Picture Show since first viewing at age 4
Greyson did bring the A game to the event. I feel Kate got it wrong.
Greyson looks great.
When I first looked at the picture of Kate and Grayson, I though to myself, what a homely woman, but such a stylish suit and she has great legs. It wasn’t until I read the article that I found Grayson was in fact a man. That is a nice suit! He does have really nice legs! Vive la difference!
Sassy, I was going to say exactly the same. I had no idea it was a man, until I looked at the face – killer legs!
And I think that little girl looks so sweet – I just love it when little girls wear tights, and they slide down and bunch up at the ankles… Adorable.
Again with the all-black to a creative/children’s event, though! We KNOW she has bright pinks and blues and greens and reds in her closet.
Now I’m wondering if the rumors about her size insecurity are true. Black is slimming; is that why she’s relying on it so heavily these days? If so, I feel for her. No pregnant woman should have to worry about her expanding belly.
Greyson’s outfit seemed appropriate for the children – so much fun! Kate is wearing too much black – in a scary way for children…I don’t see the happiness on their little faces when they meet her. On the other hand, Kate doesn’t appear much happier. We know that she has a great smile, but easy to have that going for you with expensive veneers. I believe that her outfit belongs to a more adult conversation, even with the cute trim.
Maybe she just needs more children in her life, to discover this phenomena. Or she could follow her mother-in-law’s example, with the happy colors Diana wore when engaging with little ones.
wolfpup, I think the veneers make her smile look forced and fake. To an extent I agree bright, happy colours are better when dealing with little ones, but if you aren’t feeling it inside, it shows no matter what you wear. Diana always seemed to genuinely want to be there when she was on royal duty. Kate, not so much.
I like that dress. She should try braids. I think a French braid would look pretty on her, or a side braid.
I think a braid would be lovely.
Yes, cute dress. I love side ponytails and braids.
She’s worn braids before and they always looked professional and well executed.
This is a great example of Kate’s all natural hair. I wouldn’t assume she has much if any fake hair here.
I hate the dress, but that’s personal taste. It’s good enough for this.
Grayson’s dress though? Incredible! It takes personality to wear a dress like that.
Kate: ugly, boring and unflattering dress.
Greyson: The oputfit in itself is rather horrid but he/she has the panache to pull it off. He/she wears the outfit, not the other way round.
It is a cute dress, emphasis on ‘cute’. My mother made a very similar dress for me when I was in the sixth grade, at probably a tenth the total cost, too!
Is there really somebody here, who remembers her mother, making her clothing? I still remember my favorite two dresses that my mother made; and those colors and styles will always look good on me. Looking back on photographs, I think that she did a great job; but I still wonder; what was up with my hair?!
” The dress is an appropriate length and the fabric seems heavy enough to avoid a Marilyn Moment.” Kaiser, the dress is halfway between her knees and her crotch. BRF protocol is at the knee or below. This one is WAY too short. And there are photos of her bending over and nearly flashing the people behind/to the rear (pun intended).
I’m sorry, but it’s hard to be impressed by her when she works once every few weeks, and probably spent more time on her shopping excursion than at this charity.
She’s just lucky Harry hasn’t gotten married yet. I personally think that if Harry marries someone with his work ethic and interest in charity (or heck, even better able to pretend to be interested), it will be much more obvious how little she does and how little she cares, and she and Will will be screwed.
I hope so.
Kiki04, I agree. The other side of the coin is that Harry’s (future) wife will get dragged down to make Kate look good. Whoever she is, she better be strong.
I hope she is. Although that’s so true, I can see KP pushing her down to make Kate look better…….
That’s likely to happen. Just like Harry’s mistakes, no matter how old or overblown, get trotted out to divert attention from William’s mistakes.
Just like now. The press would pit girl against girl (even if they were actually friends) always trying to elevate the wife of the heir at the expense of the wife of the spare. Even if she is chasmatic and hard working like Harry. Her accomplishments will be overlooked to praise Kate on her clothes. Pretty sad stuff.
I believe that Cressida is showing up in the DM this week, because of the York scandal. Sarah even mentioned Diana in the US this week, in connection with the House of Windsor – like perhaps Diana’s class and good breeding could be rubbed into the bunch of them. How heartbreaking to do this to her, when she personally tossed the lot of them out the door! IMO, I think Cressy would have Kate running for her money – Cressida has ovarious!!! She is on her own side, and that is impressive to me.
@FLORC They do it to Sophie already.
Prince Harry wants to marry – hope he stays royal or a hardworking dedicated ‘commoner’ who will truly bond with the royals to represent.
His brother was not capable to choose a classy regular (commoner) lady who can be dedicated to HM RF GB CW and the duties and traditions of the monarchy.
Q Raina Jordan – at Paris march – worked marketing for a bank and Apple before marry in….- Q Maxima and CP Mary who continues working in her royal role for humanity women children..
Who says Harry is ever even getting married? Just because he isn’t currently married doesn’t mean he definitely will be one day.
Harry and those close to him have said he intends to marry. He’s joked about it when asked, but has always approached it with the likelyhood it will happen.
We’ll see though. No one though William would marry Kate, but it happened. Time will tell.
I do think he wants to get married, too, but the women he dates don’t seem to want to be princesses (IIRC, he’s even referred to it as ‘the job’). And who can blame them? They can go out and party and hold fantastic jobs while living in relative obscurity and without anyone scrutinizing their every move. As soon as they marry, even if it is to “the spare,” that’ll change.
I am positive that Harry would like to be a daddy!
It’s probably more difficult for Harry too……at least with William you knew that your eventual role would be as Queen, with Harry there’s no telling what your role might be. You’re royal, but you’re never going to be THE royal, but because you are royal there’s no having your own life or job.
Wow, that’s lots of buttons.
Holy fabulous on the lady for the school! It’s like a subdued Effie trinket!
And I only see like, 4 buttons on Kate’s dress. Doesn’t seem so wild…
Yeah, I’m trying to place the context. Is it a costume related to the arts program? Or does she climb up out of the rabbit hole every morning? It’s a pretty fab statement either way.
Bless you both. That’s Grayson Perry and he’s great.
The “lady” is Claire – the alter ego of (male) British artist Grayson Perry. Here’s what he looks like in his non-Claire days – http://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/GraysonPerry.jpg.
I have no clue who he is but he definitely won the “who looks better” contest 🙂 That is one awesome dress….
Thanks for the link, Sixer – I had no idea who Grayson was, either. The dress, the legs, the engagement, the panache… He makes The Duchess look positively homely.
Grayson Perry has nice legs! I like the skirt, too. And the bald guy grinning behind her looks awesome.
I like Kate’s dress, it’s cute.
…..but Grayson Perry won the day. Love his dress and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane look. LOL
All that money and she buys the crappiest stuff. My eyes literally bulged when I saw her. For the love of all that’s holy, tie that hair back. It’s a windy day. The ponytail she wore shopping would have been better than having to control her blowing hair.
If Kate is not going to read the comments on her look – then someone should for her! But not the sillies who want to elevate her status, by calling her “best-dressed”. Honestly, I believe that her mother is responsible for a great deal of her styling choices. Kate (?) has hired a more sophisticated hair stylist, than the one associated with her beginnings and the sausage nonsense: really, who does that to their hair, other than little girls?
Has anyone ever noticed how much her assistant, Rebecca Deacon tries to copy Kate’s look. It gives me a SWFemale vibe. I use to think it was just coincidence but today I thought her assistance looked like Kate part two walking through the door behind the Duchess.
I’m sorry but it’s hideous. UNDER-SIDE-BOOB FLAPS? WHAT? I can’t.
Breastfeeding while pregnant?
Thank God I’m not the only one with that reaction. I literally stared at it for 5 minutes, trying to figure out WHY in the name of all that is holy someone thought that “under-side-boob-flaps” (thank you…I couldn’t even come up with a way to describe it) was a great design choice.
Anything that conjures the image of basset hound ears drooping away from each other *under the side boob* ….well, just seems like something you’d want to avoid.
My first thought was that she was attempting to hide her long torso, again.
That’s an excellent point & likely to be the case. (Well, and it worked. I definitely was not thinking about the length of her torso in this dress!)
But I know there are more visually appealing, flattering ways to minimize the long torso / short legs situation. C’mon Kate, you’ve managed this before!
I had thought that Kate once again added extra material to an extremely short dress to lengthen it, but I saw on another site that the dress is sold like that. The trim is just awful and I also hate the accent pockets that are ill-placed. And it’s still too short. Her hair is also lank and should have been better styled; it’s too girlish looking just streaming down her back and coupled with the style of the dress, she looks like a little girl and not a woman in her 30s.
C’mon, Kate, you can do so much better. It just goes to show that having a lot of money can’t buy good taste.
She might be doing less curls because her hair loses its natural wave while she’s pregnant. Happened to me, even my eyelashes went straight!
I think she looks nice, hope we see her doing more work now 🙂
My hair went stick straight too, and it’s always been curly.
Shade Kate for not working or whatever, but I’m not going to hold any pregnant woman up to high fashion standards. Kate-hate or no Kate-hate, give her a break while she’s building a human.
Nopity, nope – she has all the tools needed to be fabulous. Diana was, and many woman are capable of this, even without all the help! She also has a primo cheering squad from royal supporters.
Imagine, pregnant with fresh fruit and vegetable juices, massages and vacations – luxury everything – including the best chefs money can buy, for food made by her specifications. She also has IV’s watering the body when she really needs to feel refreshed (I know that there’s a better term for this, FLORC).
Nopity, nope with excuses – unless William is just too much trouble, pouting and ordering her about.
I believe that there is a real poster, named nopity nope. Such a wonderful name…where are you?
Lol Wolfpup!
I like your term better, but it’s technically Intravenous Rehydration.
It’s true. Kate, especially when pregnant, is cared for to extremes. A headache becomes a migraine. She’s simply not cared for the same as anyone else. She’s protected to extremes.
It’s fine. You guys can. I’m just not. I’m not sure about Diana’s pregnancy style. It might have been bad (Peter Pan collars, big polka dots), but it might have just been the 1980s!
That wasn’t the case when pregnant with George, but she appears to have no extra hair here. It looks nice enough. I don’t think it’s a lack of curls holding though.
Tennant
Only remarking to the building a human comment. Just overall and not directed to Kate directly. It’s not some terrible illness. As women we’re built for this and as tough as it might be we still manage to continue on with our lives and even raise existing children while creating another. Comments on her here are more to personal taste. Like the dress and hair. Not riping her apart. No hate.
Fair enough. No hate. I agree that we women are amazingly tough.
I don’t see a “boob ruffle” at all.
Everytime I see the word ‘buttony’ in a post about her, I cringe thinking about what ugly coat she wore this time.
Still, with the teenage hair. This person is stuck at age 16. And back with the mini dresses and mini skirts and high heels during pregnancy. Why can’t this person act her age and dress for her role?
Because she likely is sheltered from it. And “teenage hair” shouldn’t bring on anyone’s break down. Seems pretty trivial.
Her hairstyle is immature. I’m not saying her hair is ugly. Her hair is nice but inappropriate for a woman of her age and station.
I was hoping by now she’d have updated her hair.
And no, she doesn’t have to wear long hemlines and flat shoes. However she could go for a more tailored look. There are so many options for maternity wear but she seems to be repeating the short A line look from first pregnancy.
I’d like to see her in longer, tighter clothing, more form fitting looks to really celebrate the bump and change up the shoes ie different styles and colours.
I am wondering…just how long is her torso, to always be disguising it with raised waistlines, and pretty legs?
I wish I had a long torso. I’m so short-waisted. It’s hard to buy dresses because the waist of the dress hits me at my hips. Boo.
GoodNamesAllTaken, I’m short-waisted too – boohoo.
Some people are ust proportioned to have long torsos that very nearly match the length of their legs. Size proportion plays a large role here. Kate has opted for the empire waistline numerous times and Vogue did a spread on it years ago. Mostly their expert said to make her torso look shorter and legs appear longer.
IMO it only looks odd when you wear clothes not really suited to your proportions. I have a few friends built like this and they look fine in bathingsuits, but dressing them is tricky.
Well, maybe, but for a woman with no sense of color combinations, or pattern & fabric combinations, I’m guessing even a sense of proportion would be beyond her.
Hazel
Kate’s casual style is actually very nice. It’s a look that suits her quite well. It’s probably seen best in traveling “candid” shots. Collar button up, v-neck sweater layered over/normal shirts, tennis shoes (not sneakers). Baseball cap and hair up in ponytail.
My guess is she has people telling her to dress like this or that. Or she sees a price tag/designer name and thinks you can’t go wrong.
2 things are for sure. Who ever is tailoring her clothes is terrible. and in the early years of dating William she had great fashion sense.
I find her dresses either too matronly or too teenager.
I think it’s pretty long – explains (somewhat) why the pregnancy is barely visible
Whoops! My post was meant to be a response to wolfpup re: Kate’s long torso. Not sure what happened there.
Agreed. I’m also not sure why Kaiser thinks this length is any longer or more appropriate than her other minidresses. Looks about the same to me (i.e. too short!), especially when walking. Can you imagine if she has to sit down or bend over to talk to, you know, the children she is there to see!? Major thigh-rise.
The woman in the black sheath walking next to her in one of the photos – now her dress is more appropriate, IMO.
Is black the new “in”, “trendy” colour right now? It seems to be everywhere.
Diana was really ahead of her time when she wore the black strapless gown before marrying Charles. Poor girl was lambasted for it.
Citresse: Diana got flack for her black evening gown in part (aside from overflowing top viewed by photographers standing above her) because black was only ever worn by the BRF at funerals & when in mourning. Totally & completely only for these events. Now, it appears, things are loosening up, because Kate wears black a lot & has yet to attend a funeral. On another note, to me it looks as though the dress is navy blue, while her accessories (clutch, shoes, hose) are black. Hard to tell in photographs.
inthekitchen: I agree, I thought it was too short, too. As I said above, it reminded me of a dress I wore in grade school.
Diana was lambasted because the dress broke 2 QM protocol rules for royal dressing.
1. QM banned any royal lady from wearing black except for funerals and remembrance sunday. Whilst this rule has been relaxed somewhat, as have other rules due to QM’s death, Kate seems to be the only royal who has ventured to wear black outside of funerals and Remembrance sunday.
2. This isn’t so much a rule as a question of decency. When Diana stepped out of the car, she bent over and spilled out of the dress. The sort of cleavage that would make Kim K proud. She was page 3 the next day for spilling out of the dress. Later she had the dress altered so that she had proper coverage, but she never repeated that mistake again.
Yes Hazel, but at the time, Diana wasn’t a member of the Royal family. Though I guess some view a marital engagement as having to follow their rules.
LAK do you happen to know if or where Diana wore the altered black strapless dress again? I thought she never wore it again.
Citresse: I don’t think she wore it again in public, but the designers, the Emmanuels, have given lots of interviews about it and they say she returned it to them to be altered, to be worn privately. I do remember seeing a photo of her in the altered dress which was taken for the auction catalogue. Neckline was a lot higher than the original and contained her boobs completely.
So I guess no one noticed the dress is actually blue?
Also, the Internet is full of pics of royal ladies dressed in black at all sorts of events. I seriously doubt there was ever a ban on black attire. I suspect most royals avoid black clothes because they do not always photograph well, which would have been a much bigger issue in the era of black and white photography.
I loved 19yr old Diana’s black dress.
She came off as a innocent beauty.
I really don’t think 19yr old quite understand what her body was going to do when she bent down a bit, to Exit the car ,or the effect her body was going to have on the waiting cameras….
….but she learned later, never made the same mistake again.
I thought Di looked great in the black dress.
There is a photo of Diana in the black dress, years later…I saw it somewhere on the Internet ages ago.
I love Grayson Perry. He’s just done a fab TV series about identity here in the UK. He makes me laugh and he’s occasionally prone to foot-in-mouth disease, but he’s got a good brain and does a lot of interesting thinking with it, not to mention a prodigious art output.
Kate looks great with the pregnancy weight.
That dress. I don’t care for the flaps of fabric under the bust. If those were taken away, it would look so much better. The lower ones are fine. The band on the bottom doesn’t bother me. But it’s not really any sort of “wow” dress. Heck, even the bust darts aren’t tailored correctly but they aren’t that noticeable unless you look closely. Although I think this dress is a little short for a royal appearance, I think it would have looked really great with some over-the-knee low heeled boots (Stuart Weitzman Lowland, in particular).
I’d like to add one more thing too. That designer doesn’t have attention to details, the bottom border pattern isn’t even STRAIGHT.
Vava
The tailoring has always been terrible! Even some Burton Bespoke dresses have uneven hems. I really want to know who tailors her clothes.
The hem drops to an ok level. It always looks higher than it is because of her leg to torso ratio.
Personally, If I sit down and the dress doesn’t cover my legs from the seat it’s too short.
Oh, wow, I just noticed that border. Now, when my mother made clothes for me when I was a kid, that never would have happened, never! And when I wanted to shop in stores for my clothes, those were the kinds of things she pointed out to me to pay attention to. Somebody who sells a 450-pound (no pound sign on my keyboard!) dress ought to know better.
yes. It’s just like when I see mis-matched seams in garments made of plaid, it drives me crazy. It’s not that difficult to get things right, and you’d think for a garment with that sort of price tag, they would.
I think she would look a lot younger with a cute shoulder length cut. It would go well with the mod style she often wears.
I’m with you, HoustonGrl, but she won’t listen to us. Lol
Yes HoustonGrl.
I wouldn’t want to see her copy Diana’s hairstyle. Not sure it would suit her. But just shorter, let’s say shoulder length with layers and side swept bangs.
I thought Diana’s hair looked best while pregnant with Harry. Then later it went too short IMO. The short hair really aged her.
I think Kate needs to take a look at Queen Letizia’s hair, Queen Ranias hair or Princess Mary’s hair length. They all have longish hair , shoulder length or just past and it still looks elegant, professional.
I like it. It’s cute and it looks good on her.
The dress is appropriate but very boring.
It is a hideous dress. Though, at least she kept in line with the theme of her appearance since the dress resembles a smock from art class.
Need more PG. King Harry.
Pippa
What is your first language?
@florc @ pippamid IDK about y’all, but when I try to read @pippamid’s posts, all I can think about is some kind of hybrid between real-life Pippa Middleton and Morse code.
It’s just very tough to engage when to read the comment is its own language. Very unique. Outside of that it’s negative without cause. People can have opinions, but when sharing those opinions you have to be able to engage in conversation about them.
IMO it just doesn’t contribute and lowers the quality here. We’re losing royaloonies because it’s just too irrationally negative. Less about quality of discussion. Let’s bring that back!
Yes, more PGTips please. More photos soon I hope. Perhaps on their new Twitter account?
Waity Cannot in that dress looks cheap for a royal -wife of…. (Serial shopper) – the hemline is awful with the bump and short.
One would think. Waity is just a regular ‘common’ – no wonder Perry showed much more regal (seem to be ‘punk’ing’ – (American show) her!
Waity stayed at event a little over an hour (London shopping time) – serious workshy after all that taxpayers Christmas entertaining in 3d new mansion/palace and millions of renovations.
And she has 3 mansions? KP apartment, Anmer, and …? Am I missing a home?
If Im not mistaken, they have one in Scotland that was a gift from Charles. We never hear anything of it but that’s where they live when they’re in Scotland.
M
Do you know the name of the home in scotland gifted by Charles? I think you’re thinking of a cabin that technically isn’t owned by the Cambridges. While they do use it for little hunting vacations it can and is rented out to anyone else who wants it. Wood Cottage or something like that.
Pippa
Buckleberry is owned by the Middletons. I agree with Bucky. You are a troll and should be ignored.
FLORC – you are thinking of Wood Farm on Sandrigham.
William has 1.5 properties on Balmoral. One is a gamekeeper’s cottage he shares with Harry, granted when they were young adults. The other, Tam-na-Gar, was given to him outright on his 30th birthday.
Tam Na Gar is on the Cote de Texas site. Cannot post the links, but it is basically the size of an average 3 bedroom home. They can call it a “cottage” but many of us would consider that a big house.
She looks cute and I kinda like the dress. This woman will never be loved by the public though. The hatred for her is too strong.
I don’t think it’s hatred. Why do you believe it’s hatred?
I think the Diana effect still has a firm hold and we can’t help but compare.
BTW I think it’s so unfair to compare her to Diana.
William appeared to marry someone so unlike his mother in many ways knowing the shadow of Diana still looms large.
If people were wishing her harm or wishing horrible things for her, or saying how awful it is for George to have her as a mother I would agree. That would be hatred and hate filled comments. That’s not really happening though. Although, there’s at least a few commentors here that do seem to be driven by hate. That isn’t appreciated or supported by the majority here.
It’s at best annoyance for things like her hair covering our jewelry pr0n.
Normally it’s just criticism. And that is not hate.
Never mind Kate’s dress, WTF is that other lady wearing? Black TUTU?
[This was originally a response to a comment that seems to have disappeared… sorry.]
They actually do respond better to color because it’s more stimulating… but I agree they don’t necessarily care; it’s more subconscious.
But after the 9/11 memorial visit, my issue is more with the way she wastes so many fashion opportunities. The ONLY work she does is appearing in pretty clothes at events that are usually more important than her. The least she can do is make an effort to show she put some thought into dressing to suit each particular cause/venue.
Kate obviously doesn’t read our commentary.
Snort! You’ve got that right!
I have a theory. When she can’t wear skimpier clothing, she makes up for it with strategically placed buttons and ruffles or both.
Remember the nipple buttons? Now this breast ruffles with round buttons.
I’m not saying she’s made these designs but I wonder if she consciously or subconsciously chose these with the breast placements in mind?
She still chooses dresses that are at least mid-thigh high or even higher. Instead of wearing actual dresses that are short, she’s now changed to ‘dress-coats’ that are the same or shorter length.
This one she’s wearing looks like something a little girl would wear back in the day.
I forgot to mention that in the DM photos, she’s touching and flipping her hair again. If you can’t perform business like a teenager, then what’s it all for, right?
Anne_000
I still think she has trichotillomania.
I do. I’m always touching or tugging at my hair without even realizing it. If it’s an updo it’s less, but unknowingly I have taken strands out to tug at ruining the whole thing.
It’s not being immature. It’s ocd that to extremes leaves bald spots. Many with this go to extensions to cover up.
Yep, I said so earlier, my mother made a dress for me like that. Actually, she made several variations on that one Simplicity pattern.
I come to expect this of kate to, it’s one of her better events. This is all we are going to get from her: Most events that only last an hour, rarely a whole day event. Then some vacation time , shopping while others take care of her children.
She’s probably a decent loving mother, but let’s be honest on who actually takes care of him most days are the nannies, I would have no problem with that if her PR team wouldn’t make her a glorified stay at home mom who lives for PG, but I’m digressing.
She also hides at mom’s house, more shopping and a rush of events at the end of the year so it seems like she’s a hard “working royal’ that deserves her vacations.
Just a random rambling I really don’t like how her PR team, degrades the other royals such Sophie and Beatrice, even The Queen, to make her look better, even though they just all might get along . seriously I think there may be better tactics, like getting her to do more events, which is unlikely. Although I can see why kate and girl rivalry sells.
This thread has digressed.
Maybe the queen should name Michael Middleton the Earl of Rivers and we can have full battle between the Yorks and the Middletons.
I’m no LAK, nor Art Historian; but this was interesting, I wonder what they would think about these entitled women…can Kate be one of those?
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/princess-michael-of-kent/inpirational-historical-women_b_6477802.html
From the list in the link, I would pick only Catherine the Great. She really deserves her reputation and she was great.
I’d also pick out Madame de Pompadour because of her great contribution the architecture, arts, decorative arts and the Enlightment. However, she was a mistress, the most famous mistress of all, so there is that.
I don’t quite agree with choice of Nefertari because I dislike when women are lauded primarily for their beauty. I would pick Hatshepsut who ruled in her own right even if she had to wear a beard to be accepted as a pharaoh. Unfortunately, her successor, who happened to be her son (HA!), tried to erase all trace of Hatshepsut, so we don’t hear so much about her.
I don’t know enough about Elizabeth Stuart beyond the fact that she’s the root from which the Hanoverians sprang. The Hanoverians came to Britain in the form of George I. The current royals are Hanoverians.
I strongly disagree with Diane de Poitiers, but that is dislike is rooted in my admiration for Catherine Medici. Diane de Poitiers was Henri 2 of France’s mistress. And she stayed in that role for his entire 26yr marriage to Catherine. Poor Catherine was marginalised and really just kept as a brood mare during this period. Diane lorded it over her to such an extent that Catherine had to accept Diane as part of her marriage. However, Catherine had her revenge in the end, when Henri died, she booted Diane out of the palace, taking back every royal favour and jewels Diane had enjoyed.
I’ve always been in 2 minds about Yolande D’Aragon if only because I don’t think much of Joan of Arc. Yolande is lauded for being Queen of 4 kingdoms and for holding her own in medieval times, but at best i’d call her a survivor. Her support of Joan of Arc is where I question her judgement. Joan is one of those historical figures who is fantastic in isolation, but who was a pest in context of the 100yrs war. I’m not sure I would disgaree with her fate given her actions, even though she died a horrible death. However, her death was entirely avoidable, so I guess I really have no sympathy for her at all.
All of that said, whether I disagree with the list or not, Kate doesn’t hold a candle to any of the listed women,for any of the reasons they are listed.
Given her actions, I feel that Kate would wilt at the first sign of true adversity and run screaming to mummy. She hasn’t shown any spark of anything that might have her name in the history books beyond the fact that she wife of and mother of future Kings, but that isn’t unique. There are many forgotten women in her current position.
People might say that these are modern times, no opportunity for royal women to be tested, but I give you Queen Rania of Jordan who has publicly spoken up against Isis and the Paris shooters. She consistently makes speeches against Al Quaeda and other extremists were everyone else cowers or uses reconciliatory language. It might not be Malala level bravery, but it is something.
LAK
If I can play Devil’s Advocate here.
Regarding Kate wilting at adversity.
You know the quote/saying some men are born great. Others have it thrusted upon them? We can’t say we’d be heros or cowards until in such extreme circumstances. Circumstances that have shown strong men to crumble and wea to rise up. Who knows if Kate was without her safety nets what she could do. I wouldn’t even make what I would think is an educated guess on the potential actions of others. Especially in extreme (and extreme war time) circumstances where the world we know is gone.
Wolfpup
I was a step out the door until I read your post and LAK’s response.
Troll trolling here ruined threads for me.
Also, LadySlippers is also imo on par with AH and LAK regarding royal history and the fine details of the topic 🙂
Florc: that’s a good point, and yet I stand by my assessment simply because Kate has not shown any fortitude that wasn’t propped up by somebody else.
Now Carole or Pippa, I think can withstand anything and would rise to the occasion. Kate would concede and look for someone else to hide behind. It’s what she’s done as far as we can see.
I find this be a rather odd list and I agree with LAK that only Catherine the Great can be seen as truly inspirational among the women mentioned.
Madame de Pompadour had a big influence as a patron of the arts and the art professional in me is happy about that. However, when she ventured into politics it was generally with bad results. That wasn’t not just her fault but also an effect of the all-powerful system of courtly patronage that Louis XIV set up to curb the influence and ambitions of the French nobility. By the time of the reign of his great-grandson Louis XV, this system had turned into a bubble isolated from the world and it was entirely driven by intrigue and patronage whereby people where chosen for important political and miliatary positions not on the basis of skill but solely on the basis of connections and patronage. The most glaring example was a victorious general being replaced by an incompetent one to the detriment of the campaign simply because the latter had better connections at court. IMO it is this system that in the end furthered the demise of the French monarchy (along with a lot of other factors).
I really don’t count Diane de Pointers as either inspiration or influential on a large scale. The latter part goes to her rival Catherine de Medici. She may have earned herself a black reputation with the St. Bartholomew Massacre but she effectively held France together as a nation/kingdom during 30 years of civil and religious war that very easily could have torn France into two nations, a protestant and a catholic one.
One of the historical queens that I find hugely inspirational is Margrethe I of Denmark. She never held the title Queen, but “rigsforstanderinde”, which is akin to the English title of Lord Protector. She was the daughter of King Valdemar Atterdag who had a hard business of reclaiming a lot of the Danish kingdom that had been bartered away under previous kings. She was married to the young King of Norway at the age of 10 and she was educated by a daughter of St. Birgitta of Vadstena who was one of the big players on the religious and political scene in medieval Europe. When her father died, Margrethe claimed Denmark for her infant son – by getting him elected by the Danish nobility (Denmark was an electoral kingdom until 1660). When her son died at 17, she adopted her sister’s grandson and made him king. Despite this, she was the undoubted ruler of Denmark in the 15th century. During a time where Europe was plagued by civil wars as well as the Plague, she successfully ruled Denmark. She also united Denmark, Norway and Sweden in the Kalmar Union under her rule – all by peaceful means (apart from some deniable piracy to curb powerful Hanseatic League). She managed to reclaim large portions of the Crown Lands from her own nobility (and that was in itself a monumentally difficult task) and she instituted laws against rape – they were called “kvindefreden”, which can be translated as “the women’s peace”. She had a firm hand on the reins of government until her death, even when her adoptive son was of age. There actually exists a letter from her hand to her son when he was in his 20s – and therein she advices him to be ever polite and cautious when people wanted something from him. However, she always extorts him to wait for her decision in any important matters. That was perhaps her most glaring fault. She didn’t really educate him very well to be a monarch after her death and he made a big mess of it, was deposed and ended up as a pirate in the Baltic Sea.
Further to ArtHistorian’s comments regarding the French court’s system of governing, this bubble is what rendered Marie Antoinette a victim and quite without agency despite her privilege. It’s quite ironic that she was born of a very competent and formidable mother, Holy Roman Empress Marie Theresa, a title she held in her own right.
And yet, Marie Antoinette seems to have been thwarted from the first, encouraged in her frivolity, dismissed when she tried to make a difference and ultimately blamed without trial for all the ills of France. If only she had a tenth of her own mother’s skills in governance. Then again, she seems to have been sent off to France without much education in the sorts of skills she would need to survive the French court, so there is that too.
I can’t put Marie Antoinette on any list of women to be admired, but I can have sympathy and pity for her.
LAK,
I quite agree regarding Marie Antoinette. I always find it astonishing when competent rulers fail to educate their heirs – especially since a large part of monarchial rule is about the survival of the dynasty. Margrethe I made the same mistake with her heir, Eric of Pomerania.
I also find it fascinating to see how a system that was established to counter the threat from a powerful and ambitious nobility in end becomes the undoing of the monarchial system it was established to protect. Adaptation really is the key to survival.
I find it interesting that the majority of them weren’t famous in their own right, but piggybacked off their men. Not that you can’t be powerful and inspiring while being the partner of an important man.
She didn’t mention Eleanor of Acquitaine, who was really remarkable for her time. But then I think she was trying to sell a few books.
Good food for thought though. I’m thinking of my most admired women now!
Eleanor of Aquitane was a badass extraordinaire!
“My husband is going on a crusade. So am I, and in style!”
My husband won’t bed me – solution: get a divorce, marry a teenage king and create an empire that spans the Scottish border to the Pyrenees.
Kingly husband is cavorting with mistress and keeping you out of politics – solution: raise a rebellion
*tongue in cheeck* 😉
The whole article read as a shill for her historical novels. She has written at least one about Diane de Poitiers. That’s probably why the examples of inspiring historical women is such an odd bunch.
My admiration for Eleanor of Acquitaine knows no bounds. I have quite bored the Baroness about it on many an occasion.
I recently re-watched BECKETT and was throwing things at the TV for the way Eleanor is depicted.
BTW, Bluhare: as you are in the USA, the new TV show ‘Empire’ is apparently inspired by the play ‘The Lion in Winter’ which is a reimagining of Eleanor of Acquitaine after she was released from prison. Although in both versions, the Henri figure is still alive though dying, and the sons are battling for the same crown instead of the historical carving out of territory. In the TV show, the modern version of ‘Eleanor’ is played by Taraji P Henson.
LAK,
I had the same reaction when I watched BECKETT! I was spitting mad – it is a decent movie but it is all about the macho-macho men Burton and O’Toole and Eleanor is reduced to this silly woman. *raging*
BTW, I adore the Lion in Winter – watching Katharine Hepburn and Peter O’Toole engage in psychological warfore for 2 hours is spelndid entertainment.
After reading your comments, I chose Catherine the Great, “badass” Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Queen Rania of Jordan. Catherine and Eleanor were powerful women. Catherine seems to have done good with her power; Eleanor, I admire because I admire badass women (she believed in herself); and Queen Rania, I care for because of her bravery. All in all, it seems that power doesn’t necessarily include success as an individual; but I like people who try hard to do well. and carry attitude and passion for their ideas.
Queen Letizia of Spain is very elegant, compared to Kate.
I just finished reading Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy, an historical fiction about Eleanor of Acquitane. Eleanor has always been my shero and I’ve must have read just about every biography there is on this phenomenal queen. Since I’m on an Eleanor roll, I guess I’m going to now re-watch The Lion in Winter for the umpteenth time to see Peter O’Toole and Katherine Hepburn chew the scenery in their unsurpassable roles of Henry II and Eleanor. This queen was indomitable; nothing stood in her way or kept her down. Badass, indeed!
I love her dress. I am around the same stage of pregnancy as she and would love to wear something like this! I also like her straighter hair. It makes her look younger and fresher.
Mmm, well, I think it’s the Photoshop that makes her look younger & fresher….
Something that has always bugged me – remember the outraged outcry poor Diana caught when she was still working as a kindergarten assistant when the press took her photo and everyone was horrified that you could see through her long skirt since she was not wearing a slip? Why does Catherine not ever wear a slip? Are slips no longer considered fashionable? Her outfit above could have benefited from at least a half-slip to keep her stockings from grabbing her dress. Bring back the slip!
i’m completely in love with what Grayson Perry’s wearing. So much more interesting then Kate’s.
The contrast between today and shopping-Kate from a few days ago is a testament to the power of Photoshop. She could be Photoshop’s poster girl.
Or, a little plastic surgery here and there. I’m pretty sure she’s had work done.
at her age? she’s only 32 isn’t she? I know she is very concerned about her appearance – witness the extreme weightloss – but plastic surgery seems a bit much even for her.
Strongest rumors are nose, eye bags, and the obvious veneers.
OH BOY
Am i the only one?
yikes
i am wondering what that bloat is from……she needs help