Today, Clarence House released the full set of family photos to mark the 1st birthday of HRH Prince George. A short statement was also released by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to coincide with the photographs: We would like to take this opportunity on George's first birthday to thank everyone over the last year, wherever we have met them, both at home and overseas, for their warm and generous good wishes to George and our family The photos were taken by PA staff photographer, John Stillwell, when the royal trio visited the "Sensational Butterflies" exhibition at the Natural History Museum. We got a glimpse of them leaving the exhibition earlier this month. As previously noted, Kate wore the Suzannah 'Budding Hearts' silk dress. The frock retails for £475 (US$810). Below are some cheaper alternatives for this style. We first got a glimpse of this dress under her Erdem coat on a visit to the Waikato region of New Zealand during the 2014 royal tour. In the photos, we can also see that Kate is wearing her Annoushka pearl drop earrings paired with her Kiki McDonough diamond hoops. The next engagement for Kate will be next week. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry will attend events at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games from 28th July.
It's no secret that the Duchess of Cambridge is an avid fan of tennis. Today, William and Kate took their seats in the Royal Box at Wimbledon to watch the quarter finals clash on Centre Court between Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov. Kate has an affinity for wearing white to the Wimbledon Championships, obviously a homage to the Wimbledon players' dress code. She continued that trend today, wearing her white eyelet Zimmermann Roamer Day dress, first seen on Good Friday during the Royal Tour of Australia. In the past, Kate has worn white frocks by Issa, Temperley London, Joseph and Alexander McQueen. Last year Kate didn't attend any matches at Wimbledon because she was over 8 months pregnant with Prince George. Today, Kate added a dash of colour to her ensemble with a red pashmina and her Anya Hindmarch Basket Fan Clutch. The red shawl dates back to at least February 2007. Kate was photographed carrying it as she left the exclusive Mamilanji club. Today Kate wore her Ray-Ban folding sunglasses, also first seen during this year's Royal Tour. Other familiar accessories included her Annoushka pearl /Kiki hoop earrings and Cartier watch. Duchess Kate blog has a full-length photo of Kate which shows her wearing the LK Bennett 'Sledge' pumps. There was some Twitter activity this morning about a sighting of William, Kate and baby George at the Natural History Museum's Butterfly Exhibit. The Duchess is seen wearing her Suzannah Green Budding Heart Silk Tea Dress. We first got a glimpse of this dress under her Erdem coat on a visit to the Waikato region of New Zealand during the 2014 royal tour.
The Duchess of Cambridge took Prince George to his first polo match to cheer on his daddy at a Father's Day polo match in Gloucestershire. The young royal family were at Cirencester Park Polo Club where Prince William and Prince Harry competed in opposing teams in the annual Jerudong Trophy Polo Match. The charity match raises money for William's patronage Centrepoint. Kate wore a casual outfit, consisting of some familiar pieces. She wore her ME+EM Breton stipe top currently in stock for £48. On her feet were the Sebago 'Bala' deck shoes in taupe/white, in stock for US$95. She wore her Givenchy 'Obsedia' sunglasses (in stock). She kept her jewellery to a minimum, only wearing her wedding rings and Ballon Bleu de Cartier Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch (in stock). The brand and style of her skinny jeans are still unknown. A follower on What Kate Wore suggested that they may be GAP jeans based on the label stitching on the back on the jeans. I have checked my GAP jeans and they do indeed feature this stitching. The shade that Kate is wearing does not appear in the current GAP collection of jean leggings. I did a search for previous season shades and came across this style in 'vintage loren' from Gap EU. They are premium stretch denim with a vintage wash. They feature tradition five-pocket styling, button closure and zip fly. I'm waiting on confirmation from other 'Kate' bloggers before I can say for certain that these are the jeans. SHOP KATE'S POLO MATCH STYLE FOR LESS ... Royal Tour Day 19: William & Kate attend ANZAC Day Commemorations on their final day Down Under25/4/2014 On the final day of their royal tour, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were up before sunrise to attend the ANZAC day dawn service at Canberra's War Memorial. This was an unscheduled and surprise appearance by the royal couple. ANZAC day is a significant national occasion which marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. Prince William wore his two medals given for service to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth - the golden jubilee medal and diamond jubilee medal. The Duchess wrapped up warmly with a cream-coloured scarf, black gloves and her Temperly 'Noa' coat. The black coatdress features a jacquard diamond check panel design with a fit-and-flare silhouette. The Duchess first wore this piece to last year's Remembrance Sunday service. Kate also wore black tights with black heels which appear to be her Episode 'Angel' suede pumps. On her coat lapel was pinned a sprig of rosemary traditionally worn by Aussies and Kiwis on this day. The plant grows abundantly on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, where over 11,000 Australians and New Zealanders died in battle. Later that morning the Duke & Duchess attended the commemorative Anzac Day March which included representatives of First World War veterans. The Duchess changed into a blue tweed coat and donned a navy headpiece. Out of respect for the day of remembrance, the Palace did not release details about Kate's outfit. After the service, various media outlets did publicize the details. Firstly, News Corp Australia revealed that Kate's headwear was by Sydney based milliner, Jonathan Howard. Kate wore the 'Boutton' headpiece in an appropriately named ‘Duchess Blue’ hue. The piece is from the milliner's racing collection and features a felt button with flying bow trim. It retails for AU$540 and comes in a variety of colours. Following this, Hello Magazine revealed that Kate's coat was by Michael Kors. The indigo twill jacquard swing coat is from the Spring 2014 collection. This is the first time the Duchess has worn a piece by Michael Kors, and it makes it the fourth American designer for the royal tour. Previously, we saw Kate wear dresses from Tory Burch, DVF, and Lela Rose. Kate completed the outfit with her Alexander McQueen navy suede pumps, and Russell & Bromley navy 'Muse' clutch (aka Stuart Weitzman 'Raz' clutch in the USA). Her jewellery pieces included the sapphire earrings, Asprey London 'Woodlands' charm necklace, and Cartier Ballon Bleu Watch. Kate also wore a red poppy-shaped brooch given to her by the wife of Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith. The brooch is the Russian Imperial Crimson Anemone Pin from the Metropolitan Museum of Art store. It originally retailed for US$85 but is no longer available. It is a reproduction of a Peter Carl Fabergé’ design, and there are a few jewellery variations in the collection including, earrings, necklace and cuff. Immediately after the commemorations, the Royal couple returned to their home base at Government House to pickup Prince George and then made their way to the Fairbairn RAAF Base for their official farewell before flying back to London. You can read full details of today's events on the official page of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Well that wraps up three amazing weeks with so many memorable moments! This tour was extra special to me because it was in my home country of Australia, and also the first I have covered since I started the website. I will leave you with my favourite image from the tour which I think captures the essence of this beautiful family.
On Sunday evening, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and baby Prince George flew into Australia's capital Canberra. The Royal trio disembarked from the plane, all wearing shades of blue. Kate wore her Stella McCartney sheath dress which she first wore in July 2012 to an event at the National Portrait Gallery. The ultra-blue 'Ridley Stretch Cady' dress is form fitting and made from heavy jersey. It features pleats on the front and back. Kate wore her bespoke Alexander McQueen navy suede pumps. She also had on the same jewellery she wore to today's outing at Taronga Zoo. Kate's earrings are the Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop earrings, and her necklace is a piece by Asprey of London, from the jeweler’s Woodland collection. SHOP REPLIKATE'S OF THE STELLA MCCARTNEY DRESS ... Government House in the nation's Capital will be the home base for the young Royal family for the remainder of the tour.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge commenced their Easter Sunday with a traditional church service at St. Andrews Cathedral in Sydney.
The coat silhouette is comparable to this rose Funnel Neck Coat from an earlier Alexander McQueen collection. The tailored coat has a funnel neck, concealed front fastening, structured shoulders, cropped sleeves, inset pockets to the sides, a rear vent and a straight hem. It is made from a acetate/rayon blend and originally retailed for about US$2,800.
The coat also shares a resemblance to Kate's aubergine wool coat, reportedly tailored by an independent dressmaker, whose identity remains unknown.
The Duchess colour coordinated her outfit with a new hat by Jane Taylor.
It is the ‘Lupin’ velour felt teardrop beret.
Kate styled her outfit with sand toned accessories. She carried her modified Alexander McQueen suede clutch, first seen in September 2012. The original clutch has a signature McQueen skull clasp, but Kate had hers customised with something a little more demure.
Kate wore her L.K. Bennett 'Harper' suede pumps, also first seen in 2012. This closed court shoe has a 4.5 inch heel with a concealed platform. It is currently only available in black suede for US$345
Seen for the first time this tour were her unidentified blue topaz and diamond earrings, initially worn during the Southeast Asia Royal Tour of 2012. She also had on her Mappin & Webb 'Fortune' necklace and Cartier Ballon Bleu watch.
Following the service, William and Catherine signed the First Fleet Bible, brought to Australia by the First Fleet Chaplain in 1788. They also signed the 1788 First Fleet Book of Common Prayer.
Over the past century, it has been signed by several members of the Royal Family, including the Queen in 1954 and William’s parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1983. The royal couple returned to their home base at Admiralty House for lunch before heading across Sydney Harbour for an afternoon at Taronga Zoo with Prince George. During the visit, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge officially opened The Prince George Bilby Exhibit at the zoo. The baby prince was fascinated by bilby George, who has been named after him in honour of his birth. The Duchess wore a primrose yellow eyelet frock, again from her 2012 wardrobe archive. Kate first wore it in Tuvalu during the Jubilee Tour of Southeast Asia. The dress was designed by the Duchess with the assistance of the Queen's tailors. It features a boat neckline, short flared sleeves and a self belted waistline, although the belt appears to have been removed for today’s wearing. As she did in 2012, Kate paired the broderie anglaise dress with her Stuart Weitzman 'Minx' tan wedges.
Kate wore her beloved Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop earrings.
The Duchess was spotted wearing a new gold charm necklace. The incredible investigative work of My Small Obsessions has identified it as a piece by Asprey of London, from the jeweler’s Woodland collection. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also viewed tree kangaroos and feed giraffes, before moving to the birds of prey and animal display. They also got to pat a koala with the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge as the backdrop. Tonight, the Cambridges leave Sydney for Canberra. Easter Monday will be a rest day for the couple and their entourage. You can read further details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Royal Tour Day 10: Duchess, a ray of sunshine in Roksanda Ilincic for first day in Australia16/4/2014
This afternoon, the royal trio emerged from their flight from Wellington to commence the Australian leg of their royal tour in Sydney.
Kate wore a sunshine yellow sheath dress by London-based designer Roksanda Ilincic. No doubt the Duchess selected this colour to reflect the gold of Australia's national colours - green and gold. The dress is a modified version of the Roksanda Ilincic 'Ryedale' wool-crepe dress. The ready-to-wear dress from the spring/summer 2014 collection features bell sleeves and has an exposed back zipper. It currently retails for £941.
Kate's bespoke version has the block colours reversed, with the yellow being the dominant hue. The sleeves have also been fitted and the neckline modified from round to square.
Kate paired the dress with her favourite accessories from LK Bennett; the 'Sledge' pumps and 'Natalia' straw clutch.
LK Bennett 'Sledge' Taupe Patent Pumps (in stock)
LK Bennett 'Natalie' Straw Clutch (sold out)
Kate also donned three pieces of jewellery she has worn consistently throughout the tour; the Mappin & Webb 'Fortune' necklace, Cartier Ballon Bleu watch, and Annoushka pearl drops with Kiki hoop earrings.
Mappin & Webb 'Fortune' necklace (in stock)
Cartier Ballon Bleu watch (in stock)
Annoushka pearl drops with Kiki diamond hoop earrings (in stock)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed straight to a reception at the iconic Opera House situated on the famous Sydney Harbour.
Following the reception, the royal couple greeted eager fans waiting around the perimeter of the Sydney Opera House. They concluded the day by taking a police escorted ferry across the beautiful Sydney Harbour to Admiralty House where they will be staying. The Duke and Duchess spent their last day in New Zealand in the capital city of Wellington. William and Catherine visited the Royal New Zealand Police College this morning, where they layed a wreath on the wall of remembrance before watching a demonstration from the police dog unit. This was followed by a walkabout in the Civic Square. Kate wore her tweed navy suit separates by New Zealand born designer Rebecca Taylor, first seen in April 2012 Just like she did in 2012, Kate accessorised the suit with her Alexander McQueen bespoke navy suede heels. She also coordinated the outfit with the same accessories she wore on Day 4 of this tour; carrying her navy suede Russell & Bromley 'Muse' clutch also known as the Stuart Weitzman 'Raz' clutch, wearing her Sapphire & diamond drop earrings and the Cartier Ballon Bleu watch SHOP KATE'S TWEED STYLE FOR LESS ... Farewell New Zealand!
The royal motorcade was spotted leaving Wellington on Monday after the traditional welcome ceremony at Government House. It is believed the Cambridge's retreated to the Wharekauhau Country Estate Lodge to relax and rejuvenate after their long-haul flight from London. The sprawling luxury estate resort has a grand lodge and 15 guest cottages on the private grounds with plenty of privacy for the royal family to enjoy. Day 2 of the tour was a rest day for the royals and their entourage. No doubt they made the most of this day to regroup and gear up for the next three weeks. On Day 3, the Royal trio returned to Government House in Wellington to meet with the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, an organization that provides health care to children and new families. Their Royal Highnesses arrived ahead of schedule, and Kate was spotted wearing the same grey MaxMara wrap dress she wore when landing in Sydney earlier this week. After a quick wardrobe change, Kate emerged wearing a black and white patterned knit dress named 'Paulina' by American designer Tory Burch. The Tory Burch 'Paulina' dress is from her Resort 2014 collection. The dress has an alternating white open-knit and solid black knit pattern. The fit-and-flare silhouette is defined by a cinched-in waist and a pleated skirt. The short sleeve cuffs and hem are finished with tactile fringing. At time of posting, the dress is still in stock in limited sizes, retailing for about US$450. Today's event marked Prince George's first official royal engagement, which included meeting with a preselected group of families for some baby playtime. The heir to the British crown was just a regular little bub this afternoon as he played with ten other 8-month-old babies in the grand Blundell room of Government house. This is the only event that George is scheduled to attend during his time in New Zealand and Australia. Kate wore a new pair of black suede court shoes. The shoes were identified as the Jimmy Choo 'Aimee'. The Italian made pumps have a black suede upper and feature an almond toe with a platform. Kate's kept her jewellery to a minimum today, wearing her Mappin & Webb Fortune necklace, Annoushka pearl drops with Kiki hoop earrings and Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. You can read further details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge. Prince George will retire from the spotlight for the remainder of the New Zealand leg of the tour, while his parents continue with their jam packed itinerary. Tomorrow, the Duke and Duchess will travel to Blenheim to attend a wreath laying ceremony, followed by a visit to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Center where film director Sir Peter Jackson will give the royals a personal tour of his private plane collection. Later that evening (local time), they will head back to Wellington to attend a State Reception at Government House hosted by the Governor General. The Royal Tour of New Zealand and Australia has commenced! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince George briefly touched down in Sydney this morning before boarding a RNZAF aircraft to Wellington, where the tour will officially begin. Kate wore her Max Mara wrap dress for the flight transfer, first seen in February 2013 when she was about 12 weeks pregnant. She wore a pair of tan suede court shoes, believed to be the Manolo Blahnik Suede BB pumps, however there's active debate that they may be an old pair she has had for many years. Other possibilities include the Dune 'Appoint' court shoes and the R&B '5th Ave' pumps. The Duke of Cambridge was seen holding Kate's black Longchamp 'Medium Le Pliage' tote bag. SHOP KATE'S IN-FLIGHT STYLE ... The outfit was a good choice for the three hour passage across the Tasman where she had to change mid-flight for the arrival into Wellington. The Duchess emerged from the plane looking refreshed and regal in a red double breasted Catherine Walker 'Russian Greatcoat' with a sharply tailored military silhouette, high collar, full skirt and burnished silver buttons. Kate coordinated the coat with a red Jackie-O pillbox from Gina Foster. The 'Seaford' hat features velour fur felt with a felt flower trim. Kate also wore a stunning New Zealand silver fern brooch loaned from the Queen. The brooch was a gift from the women of Auckland to Her Majesty in 1954 on her Commonwealth tour. Kate coordinated the sparkly brooch with her beloved Kiki McDonough 'Grace' white topaz earrings. On her feet were the Emmy 'Valerie' suede pumps in chocolate brown, which the Duchess has worn a few times since March 2012. After disembarking in Wellington, the royal couple enjoyed a ceremonial welcome at Government House. This included a traditional Māori greeting, called a Hongi, and the Haka, a traditional ancestral war cry dance that was performed on the lawn at the stately home. Kate added her chocolate brown suede Emmy 'Natasha' clutch for the visit. The young royal family then resided to a private hideaway just outside of the city, where they will spend the next day and a half trying to overcome their jet lag. SHOP KATE'S WELLINGTON WELCOME STYLE ... You can read further details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
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I have retired the "Bits and Bobs" section of the website and started a new segment title "Outfit Chronicle".
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December 2014
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