Kate attended the annual Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace today.

PA Wire

The tradition of holding a springtime party at the Palace dates all the way back to 1860 when Queen Victoria hosted breakfasts. For today’s function the Queen was accompanied by Prince Philip, as well as Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. This is the second year Kate has taken part in the function.

The British Monarchy website has more information about the parties:

Tea and other refreshments are served from long buffet tables. The quantities served are enormous. At a typical garden party, around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed. Some 400 waiting staff are involved in the serving.

One of the primary purposes of the event is to thank those who have made noteworthy contributions to their communities, to public life or events like last year’s Olympics.

Also attending, the world’s longest married couple. More from the Mirror:

Karam Chand, 107, and and his wife Katari, 100, have been happily married for a staggering 87 years.

The couple have eight children and twenty eight grandchildren.

One of the most enjoyable parts of today’s function is reading tweets that guests wrote, and looking at pictures they posted. Richard Platts wondered about the propriety of posting on Twitter during the event.

Richard Platts Twitter Feed

Here is the photo Mr. Platts posted.

Richard Platts Twitter Feed

Jo Tomlin shared a photo showing some of the food served served today.

Jo Tomlin Twitter Feed (@JoTomlin)

Ms. Tomlin also shared a photo of Kate chatting with guests.

Jo Tomlin Twitter Feed (@JoTomlin)

TeamGB boxer Natasha Jones posted this tweet.

Natasha Jones Twitter Feed

Kate chose another piece by Emilia Wickstead.

PA Wire

She wore a modified version of the “Marella” coat by the New Zealand born designer.

Matches Fashion

The Marella is named after another Italian socialite and art collector Marella Agnelli, née Princess Donna Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto.

Vogue Australia/PA Wire

The silk coat features an abstract yellow and white pattern, three-quarter length sleeves, and a collarless neckline. When bought off the rack the garment features vertical darts; I believe Kate’s was altered. This close-up image shows a horizontal seam not present in the standard Marella.  This would allow the coat to be taken in when the Duchess returns to standard sizing.

PA Wire/Lyst

The piece is from Ms. Wickstead’s spring/summer 2013 collection. It remains available at Matches Fashion, selling for $1826 USD.

The sunny yellow pattern is available in other pieces, including the Margerita skirt.

Emilia Wickstead Margerita Skirt at Matches Fashion.com

As well as the Bouvier Gown.

Kate accessorized with her Russell & Bromley Park Avenue Clutch in beige patent leather.

PA Wire

The clutch remains available at £185m, almost $300 at today’s exchange rate.  The Duchess also wore her Russell & Bromley Park Avenue heels.

Kate repeated the Jane Corbett hat first seen at Order of the Garter in 2011.

PA Wire

Many will recall that at last year’s party was May 29th, Kate was also in Emilia Wickstead for that event.

May 29, 2012 PA Wire

And she also accessorized with a hat by Jane Corbett for that event as well.

 

Fashion trade publication Women’s Wear Daily (often referred to as WWD in this space) has two stories today related to Kate’s maternity style: one article looks at the changing use of maternity wear, and what defines maternity wear.

We’ll begin with the second WWD piece. It features a series of maternity styles sketches by noted designers, offering their visions of looks they might create for Kate if given the opportunity. Our first three designs begin with a Kate favorite, Amanda Wakeley, followed by looks from Huishan Zhang (center) and Vera Wang (right).

Amanda Wakeley, Huishan Zhang, Vera Wang Courtesy Images via Women’s Wear Daily

All three looks are more-than-wearable, and very flattering. Amanda Wakeley describes her design for the WWD story:

“… a softly draped cocktail dress from our spring collection, but in an exclusive made-to-order mallard green… a shade I think would be amazing on her coloring…It is youthful yet demure with a beautiful embellished shoulder.”

The Huishan Zhang has a floaty, ethereal look in a color we know is lovely on the Duchess, the designer’s notes explain “The bottom and back are embroidered in eyelet in a Chinese flower shape.” He clearly knows that Kate is fond of that element in a frock. The Vera Wang is a classic, elegant style incorporating another oft-seen Duchess design element, lace.

Following are three more designs, all of them a little kicky, for lack of a better descriptor. The Nanette Lepore sketch notes that dress would be of “fadeaway printed organza,” while the salmon Chloé has a tailored look with its ruffled neckline and detail above the hem. The Lela Rose dress showcases ornate beadwork on the bodice, a very pretty design.

Nanette Lepore, Chloé & Lela Rose Courtesy Images via WWD.com

Following are three more designs, the first is by Lorry Newhouse in a pretty blue, it appears to have cascading blue ruffles and three-quarter sleeves. Andrew Gn’s design is a “black and white egg shaped dress with our own ‘Duchess’ bag in white croc”. The Nina Ricci dress would be crafted of a stretch silk crepe material with black detailing at the bodice and neckline.

Lorry Newhouse, Andrew Gn & Nina Ricci Courtesy Images via Women’s Wear Daily

Below are three actual dresses by Lorry Newhouse. While it is difficult to see from the Newhouse sketch, some design elements are similar to those found in these three dresses from the Newhouse spring 2013 collection. (Hopefully the less exuberant parts of the center design.)

Lorry Newhouse

Back to the drawings, Alexis Mabille offers a dress with a knotted bodice detail above a cutout, Nicole Miller’s design also has a point of interest at the bodice as well as the hem.

Alexis Mabille & Nicole Miller Courtesy Images via WWD.com

Two designers submitted evening wear sketches.  Below left is the Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel design. You can see from the notes o the drawing that the dress would have a waist in the front, jersey fabric would be used and there would also be voluminous lace. Mr. Lagerfeld added that “I think this design is very much in her taste.”

Karl Lagerfeld-Chanel & Donna Karan Courtesy Images via WWD.com

On the right is Donna Karan’s creation, her comments from the story:

Kate Middleton is elegant, sensual, timeless. This is a dress she could wear forever, at any age, at any stage, during and after her pregnancy.”

There are a number of designs I liked a great deal. For some reason I am drawn to the Andrew Gn, perhaps because I am so fond of his design aesthetic. (His spring and fall collections were both filled with stunning pieces.)  Of course, I would prefer it be longer than shown in the sketch. The Vera Wang was appealing, as was the Chloé, the latter an odd choice because I am not generally fond of ruffles.  And I also liked the Lela Rose and Nanette Lepore.

As referenced in the introduction to the post, Women’s Wear Daily also has a piece examining maternity clothing in general, Maternity Clothes: Yea or Nay?  The story talks about Kate’s decision to wear ‘standard’ or ‘regular’ womenswear for the duration of her pregnancy thus far, with the exception of one garment, the polka dot Topshop dress.

James Whatling/Splash News

The article is written by Samantha Conti, WWD’s London Bureau Chief.

Few department and specialty stores offer maternity clothing anymore, because even those women who are not living in palaces — or penthouses — are shopping their closets, adapting their existing wardrobes and choosing to spend their money on pieces that will last long after they have a baby.

Perhaps it is the interviews with fashion insiders, those who work at the department stores where many mothers-to-be shop, that shed the most light on the status of maternity clothing.

“We do not carry maternitywear anymore at Bloomingdale’s, but we have a young customer base — mothers who shop here regularly for maternity clothes,” said Stephanie Solomon, the store’s fashion director. “Emily Gerne, our manager of business development, has never once bought maternitywear. She is on her second child, and is currently in her eighth month of pregnancy,” she said.

The story also quotes designers who have created pieces for the Duchess.

Emilia Wickstead, whose clients include the Duchess of Cambridge and Britain’s First Lady Samantha Cameron, gave birth to her first child in December. Rather than maternity clothes, she said she “used existing styles out of my own collection, things I would have normally worn belted I wore loose.”

Wickstead noted that she’s no different from her customers. “I think modern women want quality, investment pieces that they can wear again and again.” She added that her alterations for mothers-to-be are minimal — she’ll raise a waistline and level a hem to accommodate a growing belly, if needed. “It’s pretty straightforward,” she said.

Below we see Kate in the Emilia Wickstead dress worn to the National Portrait Gallery in April.

Weir Photos / Splash News

Ms. Conti’s story was enlightening, discussing the cost factor as a determinant in making purchasing decisions for many expectant mothers. It also covers the much buzzed about Topshop and ASOS maternity collections, as well as other factors impacting maternity designs, like advanced textiles, and new philosophies about maternity practices in general.

Readers may also be interested in a very brief look at the topic as it relates to Kate’s fashion choices, Kate’s Non-Maternity Maternity Wardrobe, was a theme covered in one of my weekly columns for Parade.com, it dates to April 24.

Tangentially, The Telegraph also has a story on the topic, Time for the Duchess of Cambridge to dress for the royal baby in waiting.  We’ll be looking at this story and the topic in greater depth in a future post, but here is a snippet from the story:

Kate’s apparent aversion to maternity clothes is said to stem from a desire to avoid shrouding her bump in baggy, tent-like fabrics. “Kate doesn’t want a frump bump,” a friend told journalists last week.

But Lisa Armstrong, the Telegraph’s fashion editor, says Kate may find it hard to shed her thrifty ways and upscale her maternity wardrobe. “She’s innately frugal and those habits die hard,” she insists.

To see the Telegraph story in its entirety, click here.  For those interested in the two Women’s Wear Daily stories, I am afraid both are behind the paywall (from the portion of the site requiring a subscription). Most local libraries carry the publication, and many also have access to it via their research databases for library card holders. It’s also possible you can see more on the WWD Facebook page, I don’t believe either of these stories are in the no subscription required category.)

We leave you with a fun image. Remember the Kate doll shown to the Duchess during her April visit to Scotland with Prince William? Well, Harry was also given a doll today while in New Jersey, his own lookalike. Our thanks to Rebecca English of the Daily Mail for sharing both photos on Twitter.

Rebecca English/The Daily Mail & Mail Online

William and Kate attended a wedding today in the idyllic setting of Ewelme, in Oxfordshire. Their good friends, William van Cutsem and Rosie Ruck Keene were married, Royal photographer Mark Stewart reports that William was an usher, so Kate came to the wedding with friends.

With thanks to the generosity of Tilly Pudwell for graciously sharing her photo, you can see Kate repeated the Topshop dress first worn last month.

Kind Courtesy of Tilly Pudwell

Kate had on much the same ensemble today as what she wore to the Warner Brothers Studio event April 26, seen below.

James Whatling/Splash News

This is the dress prompting debate as to whether it was Topshop’s Polka Dot Skater Dress (now sold out with the exception of isolated petite sizes)…

Topshop (no longer available)

… or the brand’s Florence maternity dress, also sold out.

Topshop Florence Maternity Dress (no longer available)

After loads of input via comments on the original post, Facebook comments and email, it looks like Kate is wearing the Florence. While I am a seamstress, I’ve not worn maternity apparel and it it makes sense to listen to those with more experience on the topic.

The only other polka dot Topshop dress I found in any range of sizes is a piece that is much longer, the Penny Spot Midi Dress (on sale for $50). There is a polka dot maternity piece available, the Maternity Spot Shirt ($76), it also comes in Standard sizing.

Topshop US Site

As mentioned, Kate paired the dress with her Ralph Lauren jacket from several years ago.

She also carried her black clutch and Episode ‘Angel’ pumps.

Splash News

The Duchess did wear a smart new fascinator, we don’t know the maker yet, and will update if we do learn more about the piece.

UPDATED: The kind folks at Vivien Sheriff messaged me Tuesday to let me know Kate was wearing a piece they created.

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Our next item involves Kate wearing a different brand of shoes. There have been multiple posts on Twitter this past week by people who say they have seen Kate out and about in Anglesey. One such tweet was posted Friday by Matt Steele, he even noted the brand of footwear Kate was wearing.

Matt Steele Twitter Feed

The brand originated in Spain, the shoes are made in factory near the small town of Arnedo.

Flossy Plimsolls

Initially I was taken aback someone could note a shoe label so easily, until the savvy WKW Facebook crew pointed out that it can be easy to spot Flossys, they have a distinctive tag at the heel.

Flossy Plimsolls

Kate might like the pair shown above, they are done in broderie anglaise, or eyelet, a favorite fabric for her.  Some say Flossys are akin to the US-based brand TOMS: both brands are made of fabric, lightweight, and easy to slip on and off.

Flossy Plimsolls

The brand is offered online in the UK, although I can’t see that they ship to the US. Office Shoes offers men’s, women’s & children’s sizes online, and they do ship to the US. Additionally, men’s style are available online at Topman in the US.

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Today’s final item involves a garment most recently seen on last year’s Jubilee Tour, worn for Kate and William’s departure from Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, East Malaysia. It turns out the piece is by Diane von Furstenberg.

Photos via eBay France

The frock is a classic DVF wrap dress showcasing a rich paisley pattern. Kate has had the dress for more than a decade however, she wore it to a party at St. Andrews in 2002, and again in 2005 for dinner with Prince William, a photo of the latter instance can be seen here.

The dress is 100% silk in a v-neck style with self-belt. There is pink piping at the cuffs of the three-quarter sleeves, pockets, collar and vertical front seaming detail. I believe the identification was made almost simultaneously by eBay Sellers CopyKate and Logman, many thanks to Franciele for sharing this information.

One quick reminder for those who may be pondering a donation to our Fundraiser for EACH, we would be ever-so-indebted for any small amount you may be able to give. If interested in posting one of our graphics (buttons, banners, and more), this link will show you the great selection of styles.othe giveaway over at the HRH Duchess Kate blog is still open, the winner will receive some lovely beachwear.

We have an update about the Fundraiser launched last week by a group of royal bloggers. You may recall it benefits EACH (East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices), and donations have been coming in at a steady rate, many of you have been very generous indeed. The effort is called Baby Cambridge Fundraiser, in honor of William and Kate’s first child, it seems like such a good reason to band together for the collective good.

Baby Cambridge Fundraiser

We are doing a series of giveaways, auctions and other things to raise awareness of the Fundraiser and boost donations. Last week we kicked things off with a giveaway made possible by Links of London.

Links of London

Links generously donated the three prizes shown above. Our Grand Prize Winner, soon to be a new owner of a pair of Kate’s Hope Egg earrings is…… Erin! You may recall we asked everyone to leave a comment sharing something they hope for, this is what Erin shared:

“I am currently pregnant, my hope is for a healthy baby!”

The winner of our 2nd Prize will receive a pair of the Effervescence Bubble Stiletto earrings. That lucky person is Courtney, here is part of her comment:

“I hope this fundraiser is successful enough to make a difference for these children and their families!”

And the winner of the Links ‘Sweetie Bracelet is Jenny C., she shared this:

“I hope that EACH’s fundraising is a success and is able to help children in need.”

If our three lucky Links winners would email me (Susan@WhatKateWore.com) with shipping information, we will get things moving so the jewelry is soon winging its way to your ears or wrist!

I wanted to share that the level of thought going into the comments was simply wonderful. Your thoughts and hopes and dreams were encouraging and uplifting. Many dealt with children and/or hospice:

• My hope is for these hospice children to have days filled with joy, love and laughter and plenty of distraction from the reason they’re there.
• I hope that Kate’s baby brings her as much joy as my son has brought me. I hope all mothers feel this way about their children.
• I hope that children will never suffer at the hands of others.
• I hope that through my future career in medicine I can make a difference in people’s lives and that less families will need the services of EACH and other organizations like them.

Others addressed different topics:

• I hope that everyone tries to make another person’s life easier each and every day.
• I HOPE that as a cancer survivor I never have a recurrence, and that one day there will truly be a cure for ALL cancers.
• I hope to be a successful physician and get into a good residency so I will learn to become the best doctor I can be.
• I hope to some day be blessed to be a mother.
• I hope my unborn baby is healthy.
• I hope for my daughter’s future to be filled with love.
• I hope for many things. That disabled children, like my son, are helped and sucessful as they can be in life. I hope your project goes well and I hope that many children are helped by this organization and the families have the support they need during difficult times.
• After just losing both my parents, and my mother-in-law to cancer within the past 8 months, I hope that we continue to strive for answers to beat this horrible disease. I also hope for people to always pass on the kindness that they have been shown to others.
• I hope I can also make a small difference in someone’s life by giving back to my community.
• I hope that we continue to discuss the charities that Kate is supporting.

Many comments referenced the reason we had a giveaway: to raise awareness of the work EACH does, and hopefully bring in more donations for our EACH.

• I hope that you exceed your fundraising goals!!!
• I hope that this giveaway raises great awareness for the work that EACH is doing!

I apologize for the delay in getting this posted, we had a couple of glitches using Rafflecopter for the first time. Yours truly neglected to do one key thing (that had no impact on entries or contest itself), and then we encountered difficulty extracting the data to verify email signup. Out thanks again to Links of London for being such a terrific partner.

That brings us to the second part of our post, word about another Baby Cambridge Giveaway, this one is being hosted by the one and only Charlotte over at HRH Duchess Kate.

HRH Duchess Kate Blog

The Second Prize winner will receive a Vix Cayman Bikini in a Small and a pair of the Flip Flops in a 39/8.  Charlotte’s post also has insight from Biondi Couture, a Chelsea boutique, on swimwear fit and what to do about covering up those “less appealing” parts of one’s figure. (I was surprised by this part.)

I mentioned in a previous post that most of the Fundraiser giveaways would be open to entries worldwide, that includes this one. We only have one request: if you haven’t donated to the Fundraiser, please think about making even the smallest of gifts, $2 or £2, it all makes an enormous difference for EACH. They do amazing work at their hospices, and Kate is doing a fabulous job shining a light on the benefits of children’s hospices.

Courtesy of EACH

A little more on what donations can accomplish from our Just Giving page, the site where you can donate:

• $7.50 pays for art and craft materials for a session of specialist play
• $15 allows for catering staff to prepare and cook meals for family members staying at the hospice

A look at our progress 10 days into the fundraising campaign.

Just Giving

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We have a few more quick updates on other topics:

• A number of engagements have been added to Prince William’s calendar, including an event with Prince Harry benefiting Help For Heroes, and another with Prince Charles regarding illegal wildlife trade, but thus far nothing has been officially released about appearances for Kate, we do show June events in our calendar that we think she might attend
• Kate continues to spend time in Anglesey, she has been seen on a few occasions according to multiple Twitter posts
• Prince Harry has arrived in the US, he spent a good part of his first day here on Capitol Hill, making an unannounced appearance with First Lady Michelle Obama & Dr. Jill Biden, Vice-President Biden’s wife.

Kori Schulman, White House

• Below, he is seen greeting Colonel Greg Gadson to the reception at the British Ambassador’s residence. Ambassador Peter Westmacott is to Harry’s right & Lady Westmacott is on Harry’s left.

Stephanie Green/ Bloomberg

• More on Harry’s schedule from a news release:

“While in Washington, Prince Harry, who has himself fought in Afghanistan, will visit Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to lay wreaths at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and in Section 60, the resting place for soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. He will also visit Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to meet recovering wounded personnel and learn more about advances in prosthetics technology.

• Harry joined Sen. John McCain for a look at the new HALO Trust exhibition in the Russell Office Building

Kasie Hunt/NBC News

• Sen McCain tweeted this photo following a look at the exhibit with the Prince.

Sen. John McCain Twitter Feed

• It seems Harry’s visit is having quite the effect on women inside the beltway, more from Richard Palmer:

Richard Palmer, The Express

•  Max Foster’s CNN story can be seen here.
  

  CNN

We’ll be back with a more standard post covering in a few days.

We hope everyone is enjoying a beautiful weekend, it seems that spring has finally sprung.

We want to remind everyone to enter the EACH Giveaway sponsored by Links of London, more about that in a bit.  First we want to share a few news tidbits, beginning with word that Amanda Wakeley has opened an online outlet, something sure to warm many a fashion fan’s heart.

This is what you see when clicking on “The Loft” on the brand’s home page, that’s what the outlet has been dubbed.

“The Loft” at AmandaWakeley.com

One heads-up, you do need to register to see the site, above we show what you will see upon landing at The Loft.

Are there bargains? Unequivocally, yes. Below we see the Sueded Jersey Ruched V-Neck Dress, it originally retailed for £995, but is now priced at £497; the Panama Belted Coat in ecru is marked down from £795 to £477; the Satin Fold Dress, now £347, sold for at £695; the Birdseye Tailored Peg Pant was originally priced at £275, the cost now is £165.

Amanda Wakeley

That is just a sampling, this seems to combine the best of elements of “members only” (ahem) shopping sites with an upscale brand’s discounted merchandise offerings.

Next, a few brief updates:

• Gordon Rayner has a fascinating column in The Telegraph, “The Duchess of Cambridge: serene, savvy – and solo“.  In the story Mr Rayner writes of Kate’s “poise and assurance,” here is more:

“That self-confidence will be tested to the limit when the Duchess gives birth in perhaps as little as eight weeks, but all the evidence suggests that she and the tight-knit team she has built to support her will sail serenely on through the tornado of international media attention that lies ahead.

In the past couple of weeks, the Duchess has carried out solo engagements all over the country, an impressive five events in eight days, promoting such diverse causes as Scouting, children’s hospices and fighting addiction, and we have grown so used to her going it alone that the absence of the Duke of Cambridge passes without comment.”

• Naomi House, the children’s hospice Kate visited on Monday, has posted a wonderful collection of photos on its Facebook page, there are more than 150 images by David Cunningham, all of them a delight to see. (With apologies, I do not know if you have to be a Facebook member to look at the collection.)
• People has a brief piece dated today with input from several fashion experts as well as Katherine Hooker
• Our pals at Kate Middleton Style Blog shared a video of Kate we hadn’t previously seen, it is from the March visit to Grimsby, the video shows Kate chatting with young people from The Prince’s Trust Team programme.
• US residents looking for a preview of Prince Harry’s visit here that starts Wednesday, might enjoy this article from The Telegraph.

Previously we have written about the Somerset by Alice Temperley line for John Lewis, I actually planned to post about the spring collection much sooner than today.  (All those Kate appearances slowed me down!) This is the designer’s second such group for the department store, the spring line is available online and in stores now. Below, the Beaded Dress in Cream ($311), and the Beaded Blouse in Cream (£120/$190), the backs on these pieces are unembellished.

Somerset by Alice Temperley for John Lewis

Casual pieces hold a lot of appeal.

Somerset by Alice Temperley for John Lewis

Above (clockwise from upper left) we see the Stripe Frill Hem cardigan in navy & cream (£39.50/$60), Stripe Tunic Dress in cream & red (£44.50/$70),  Camellia Raw Edge Tote in navy (£225/$350), Striped Jumper in cream & red (£34.50/$55), Embellished (beaded) Stripe Top in navy (£44/$70) and the Honeysuckle Two Part Sandals in red (£165/$250).  Several pieces are actually on sale, including the striped knits.

The collection is broad enough there are even styles that arguably might do double duty as maternity pieces now and for ‘regular’ wear months from now. From left to right: the Contrast Trim Silk Top (£79/$125), Border Print Top in blue & white (£89/$140) and the Mesh Embroidered Blouse (£99/$155), this last item is much looser than it may appear on the model, it is *very* roomy.

Somerset by Alice Temperley for John Lewis

And then there are pieces that just look very…well, “very Kate”.  Below we show the Mesh Embroidered Dress, Medium Satchel Handbag (£255/$400) and the Military Detail Tailored Skirt (£99/$155).

Somerset by Alice Temperley for John Lewis

Perhaps they remind me of traits we know the Duchess enjoys in garments and accessories.

PA Wire/Mulberry/Alexander McQueen

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As mentioned previously, our giveaway for some stunning jewelry by Links of London continues.

Links of London

This is all part of our official launch for the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser benefiting one of Kate’s charities, EACH, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.

Just Giving

You can read more about the fundraiser here.

Links of London is generously providing the three fabulous prizes shown up above, that is on top of a $500 donation to the fundraiser. You could be the lucky winner of a pair of Kate’s Hope Egg earrings, her Effervescence Bubble Stiletto earrings, or a Links Sweetie bracelet, one of the jeweler’s most popular items.  Click here to enter our giveaway, scroll down through the post and you will see easy directions for entering.

Of course, Links has an awful lot of goodies that are perfect for Mother’s Day.

Links of London

We will announce our winner on Tuesday.

As many of you already know, today a coalition of bloggers is officially launching a fundraiser for EACH, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. Below we see Kate at EACH last year.

Courtesy of EACH: East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices

The upcoming birth of William and Kate’s child seemed like something to celebrate, and what better way than by raising money for one of Kate’s charities?

Courtesy of EACH

It’s clear the issue of children’s hospice care is important to Kate. The first recorded video message she has ever done was for Children’s Hospice Week. She spent part of her 2nd Anniversary at Naomi House, a children’s hospice.

Steve Finn/Splash News

So yours truly is proud to be part of a coalition that started talking about doing a fundraiser back in late 2012; the other members of our merry group are Kate Middleton Style Blog, A Petite Princess, HRH Duchess Kate and British Royals. We are calling this the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser, EACH is aware of the endeavor and has endorsed our efforts.

We hope you join us throughout the next few months as we do everything we can to raise $$$ for this cause. If you would like to donate you can do so at Just Giving. But there are many ways to help, including raising awareness about the Fundraiser. We have an entire group of banners and badges and buttons that you can post on your blog, or Facebook page, or just about anywhere you like.

Baby Cambridge Fundraiser

If you want to see what graphic options there are that might work well on your blog or Facebook page or other site, just click here.

We will be doing a slew of contests, giveaways and other online activities for the next several months to keep things fun. To kick off the Fundraiser we thought a giveaway from one of Kate’s favorite brands would be in order. Our wonderful partners at Links of London have stepped up to help out: Not only is Links providing incredible prizes, they are also donating $500 to EACH.

The Grand Prize is a pair of Kate’s Hope Egg Earrings in white topaz, as worn for her engagement photo, and on countless other occasions. (Including the March 2012 Jubilee visit to Fortnum and Mason, below right.)

PA Wire/Links of London

These retail at Links of London for $470 USD, but one lucky person is going to win a pair.

Links of London Hope Egg Earrings

More on the earrings from the product description:

The hope egg earrings- a very attractive and important symbol in Russian culture, traditionally given for birthdays, festivals, etc.

Our 2nd Prize is another pair of earrings Kate has worn many, many times: the Links of London Effervescence Bubble Stiletto, this pair runs $215 USD at Links of London.

Links of London Bubble Effervescence Stiletto Earrings

Many readers will recall seeing Kate wear these to the ARK dinner in June of 2011, shortly after the couple returned from their honeymoon.

SplashNews.com

Our third prize is a Links ‘Sweetie Bracelet,” a signature piece for the jewelry firm.

Links of London ‘Sweetie’ Bracelet

To sum up the prizes:

• Grand Prize: 1 pair Links of London Hope Egg earrings
• 2nd Prize: 1 pair Links of London Effervescence Bubble Stiletto Earrings
• 3rd Prize: 1 Links of London Sweetie Bracelet

Ready to win one of those amazing goodies? It’s easy to enter, here’s how:

1) For one entry leave a comment below (scroll down below the Rafflecopter image), telling us one thing you hope for, on any topic.

2) Sign up for the Links of London mailing list by clicking here. One FYI, if you previously registered for our previous Links of London contest you will still need to register. (You won’t receive duplicate mailings, that list has been purged.)

3) For a 3rd entry follow EACH on Facebook or on Twitter & log that activity

4) For a 4th entry follow the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser on Facebook or on Twitter & log that activity

But before you do any of those things we really (really-really-really) hope you will visit the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser Just Giving page and make a donation, even if only for $2 or £1

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only; I promise there are many more coming in the next few months that will be open throughout Europe or worldwide.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kate chose a springtime ensemble today for her visit to Naomi House Children’s Hospice.

James Whatling/Splash News

Kate chose to spend her 2nd wedding anniversary working, below you see the Duchess being greeted by Sally, who is 8.  Sally presented Kate with a lovely bouquet of flowers, she has spinal atrophy and receives care at Naomi House.

Louisa Maher Twitter

Naomi House is connected to another unit, jacksplace, that portion of the facility provides services to young adults. More from the group’s Facebook page:

Naomi House and jacksplace provides support to children and young adults who are likely to die at an early age. We provide respite,emergency and bereavement care.

Kate spent time touring the facilities, including the gardens, children’s bedrooms and therapy pool. She also enjoyed sharing tea with brothers and sisters of Naomi House children, we see her with Reuben and Jessica during tea.

David Parker/Daily Mail/PA Wire

The Mirror’s Victoria Murphy reports this is not the first trip to Naomi House for Kate, she previously visited back in 2008. As many know, today is Kate and William’s 2nd wedding anniversary, more on how that was recognized during the day’s event from the Mirror’s live blog:

Hospice Chairman professor Khalid Aziz told Kate: “It’s especially special that you came here today because today is a very special day two years ago to the day, you were in a slightly larger building then this one – probably not having quite as much fun. But you did it very well we were all totally enthralled.

“I just hope Prince William is taking you somewhere nice tonight.”

Kate blushed, spread her arms and replied: “Well he’s on shift, so…”

Today’s appearance is also linked to Children’s Hospice Week, “the UK’s only awareness and fundraising week for children with life-limiting conditions…”.  Kate’s belief in children’s hospice prompted her first recorded video message.

Children’s Hospice Week/Together for Short Lives

In the video Kate expresses her strong feelings about the need to support children’s hospice work.

Children’s hospices provide lifelines to families at a time of unimagin­able pain. The support they give is vital.

“In order to carry out this wonderful work, our help is needed.”

You may view Kate’s message by clicking here.

James Whatling/Splash News

There was still a sizable crowd outside to see Kate leave, as shown in this photo by People magazine’s Simon Perry.

Simon Perry/People Magazine Twitter

Kate’s coat is by Tara Jarmon.

Harvey Nichols

It is was available at Harvey Nichols for £380, no one will be surprised to learn it has sold out.  The piece is from the brand’s spring 2013 collection, crafted from 100% cotton twill with an acetate/viscose lining. The collarless piece is single-breasted with bound buttonholes, darts at waist and shoulder, angled front pockets and a deep back vent.

Tara Jarmon/Harvey Nichols

Tara Jarmon was a new designer for me, one I am happy to have discovered. Her design aesthetic is unfussy, with clean, elegant lines and a minimum of frou-frou. Ms. Jarmon was born in Canada, and lived in California for some time, but she and her eponymous label are based in Paris. There are more than 25 free-standing boutiques throughout Europe and Asia, including Munich, Bordeaux, Madrid, Zurich and several other locales. There are several boutiques in London; the line is also carried at Harvey Nichols and John Lewis.

Kate paired this piece with a coordinating dress by “an independent dressmaker”. She accessorized with her LK Bennett Sledge Pumps and Avona clutch.

LK Bennett

We will update when we have a few more photos.

This is just one of two posts today, I think you will enjoy our second post due out shortly. It’s a little something we are doing to officially launch the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser.

LINKAGE:

• Learn more about Children’s Hospice Week at this site, the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland website is here
• Learn more about Together for Short lives by visiting its website here, the organization’s Facebook page is here, you can follow the group on Twitter here
• Spend some time Naomi House website to learn more about its mission and its accomplishments, or visit the Naomi House Facebook page here, or follow along on Twitter by clicking here, or look at the Naomi House Gift Shop offerings
• Visit the EACH website here, its Facebook page here, the organization’s Twitter page is here
• Please visit the BCF Just Giving page to make donations, the Baby Cambridge Facebook page is here and our Twitter account may be seen here
• View Kate’s new video here, watch ITV Meridian’s video of Kate chatting with Naomi House kids in the hydrotherapy pool by clicking here

For today’s engagement at Warner Brothers Studios Leavesden Kate wore a Topshop dress.

Adam Binnie/Waterford Observer Twitter

Prince William and Prince Harry were also part of the day’s events, this image comes via the BBC’s Sophie Sulehria.

Sophie Sulehrai, BBC

Kate’s polka dot dress seemed in keeping with the majority of the day’s more lighthearted activities.

James Whatling / Splash News

Once inside the studios the three were welcomed onto a Harry Potter set, all eight films were made here.

Warner Bros Studio Tour

Trying out props from some of those movies was clearly a high point.

Via Rebecca Perring-Waterford Observer/Gordon Rayner-The Daily Telegraph

Warner Brothers has made a £100 million+ investment into Leavesden Studios, an immense facility housing a permanent production facility as well as the Studio Tour.

Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden

Today was the official inauguration of the studios.

Sophie Sulehria/BBC Twitter

Prince William was acting in his role as the President of BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts), below a portion of his remarks:

“The journey to today began most obviously with the now legendary story of an aspiring author – J K Rowling – translating her phenomenal imagination onto paper in the form of the Harry Potter series.

Chris Jackson/WPA Rota/ PA Wire

There was plenty of the back and forth ribbing between William and Harry, here is one of William’s salvos as shared by Max Foster from CNN:

Max Foster, CNN

There were 500 guests on the Making of Harry Potter Tour from the charities for which William, Kate and Harry serve as Patron.

Warner Brothers You Tube Video

The sets and costumes were obviously high points for everyone on the Tour, royals and guests alike.

Warner Brothers Studio Tours

All eight of the wildly successful films Harry Potter films were shot at Leavesden. Kate looked short in contrast to Rebeus Hagrid.

Warner Bros Studio Tour

Here we see William and Harry giving Mr. Weasley’s flying Ford Anglia a try.

Warner Bros Studio Tour

William can be seen trying out the Batmobile, Kate had a look at Batman’s costume.

Rebecca Perring/Waterford observer Twitter Feed

William also seemed to like Batman’s means of getting around.

Valentine Low/The Times Twitter

Naturally there were baby comments, Richard Palmer from the Express shared this one:

Richard Palmer, The Express

Harry Potter author JK Rowling joined the royals, it was the first time she had seen the studios. She was also in polka dots, and a pair of what could be the LK Bennett Sledge pumps Kate is so fond of. (Or is the platform too high for these to be the Sledge?) a pair of what savvy commenters have pointed out are the Jimmy Choo Cosmic, something yours truly should have recognized.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour

The Tour looks like something almost anyone would enjoy, other films produced at Leavesden include Sherlock Holmes, Inception and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. As the trio was departing Kate posed for photos with a few youngsters.

Sophie Sulehria/The BBC

There was also more serious business on the day’s agenda, Harry, Kate & William chaired a meeting of their Charities Forum in the Great Hall set used for the Potter movies.

The Duchess was in a polka dot dress from Topshop.

James Whatling / Splash News

Many think she wore the Polka Dot Skater dress in a tall size.

Topshop at Nordstrom

While others think it was a piece from Topshop’s maternity line, the brand’s Florence dress.

Topshop Maternity ‘Florence’ Dress

To be honest, I cannot tell which dress it is. The ongoing debate over which frock Kate is wearing is indicative of how similar they are. An observant WKW Facebook friend noted that the dots on Kate’s dress are spaced at regular intervals, the dots on the white version of Florence dress are not symmetrical, they overlap at points.

Topshop

However… that is on the US site. The Florence dress on the UK site is shown with dots that are symmetrical, so I think it could be either at this point.

What To Expect

Many will recognize Kate’s black jacket.

Many of us first noted Kate wearing the jacket as a ‘going away’ piece atop her blue Zara dress the day after the couple’s wedding, almost two years ago.

PA Wire

She has worn it on several occasions, including a Gary Barlow concert in December of 2011.

Splash News

Kate accessorized with her black Episode angel pumps, the UFO black suede clutch and Annoushka pearl drop earrings.

Splash News

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have significant news we want to share, no doubt it will please many of you who saw our Tweets and/or Facebook mentions about what we mysteriously referred to as #BCF.

Drum roll……

Baby Cambridge Fundraiser

It stands for the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser, a joint effort from a coalition of royal bloggers raising money for EACH, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, one of Kate’s patronages. We’ll have more about this on Monday including a fabulous giveaway.  We hope readers who are on Facebook will join the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser page…..

Baby Cambridge Fundraiser Facebook Page

And if you are on Twitter we hope you follow BCF on that site as well.

BCF (@Royal Fundraiser) Twitter Page

But more importantly, we hope you will consider making even a small donation, be it £1, $2, every little bit helps a very worthy cause.

Kate’s next engagement is Monday, she will spend part of her 2nd wedding anniversary visiting the Naomi House Children’s Hospice.

LINKAGE:

• The EACH website is here, its Facebook page here.
• The Warner Brothers Studio Tour website page is here, the Facebook page is here
• The Mirror’s story and photo gallery may be seen here, the Daily Mail’s story (& loads of photos) is here
• To read the entire text of William’s speech click here
• The Telegraph’s video is here, Sky News’s video story is here, ITV’s stories and video are here, the Warner Brothers video is here

Kate returned to a favorite designer this evening for a function at the National Portrait Gallery in London, opting for a dress by Emilia Wickstead.

Weir Photos / Splash News

Tonight’s engagement was a reception celebrating the work done by The Art Room, an organization using art to help young people struggling with emotional and behavioral issues.  Below we see a collection of self-portraits created by Art Room students, their artwork was then turned into wall clocks.

The Art Room

There was a small group of students taking part in the evening’s event, Kate spent time chatting with them.  The charity is celebrating its 11th anniversary, tonight’s function served as the formal launch of the Art Room’s ‘Pledge for the Future’ fundraising drive.

When addressing those at the reception the Duchess shared her belief that art can be a positive change agent, more from the Mirror’s story:

“I am a firm believer in the power of art to make a difference and The Art Room is doing that on a daily basis.

“We all stand here tonight to celebrate this wonderful work.

“I hope that you will join me in congratulating The Art Room and their supporters on these extraordinary achievements.

“As patron of The Art Room, I feel immense pride to see the amazing work that they are doing but I also feel hugely excited to look to a future with more Art Rooms, where many more challenging and vulnerable children will be helped.”

Neil Warner / Splash News

Simon Perry, People Magazine

Below we see how the blue reflects photographers’ flashes, this is as Kate is leaving after the reception.

Weir Photos /Splash News

The color was very, very pretty on her.

The garment combines many of the designer’s signature elements, like a fitted bodice and fuller skirt. Perhaps it is most similar to this piece from the spring/summer 2013 collection.

Emilia Wickstead

Remove the sleeves from the green dress and switch the fabric to a much stiffer, heavier material, and you start to have the sense of Kate’s dress. It has a similar bodice (although Kate’s waistline is higher), a center seam on the skirt like Kate’s, and the runway dress also has a deeply scooped back, not visible in the photo we are sharing. Ultimately it isn’t really relevant, those hoping to purchase a dress like Kate’s will need to speak with their seamstress or tailor, we won’t see be seeing an off-the-rack version of Kate’s dress for sale anytime soon.

UPDATED:

People magazine has an online story with the following information:

Described as a pale blue silk blend, full skirted summer dress, the custom creation was based on a dress in the current spring/summer collection from the New Zealand-born and London-based designer.  “It was made specially for the duchess,” says a spokeswoman. “We’ve had a style in store that’s very, very similar. So it was very slightly bespoke for her.”

The original is named the CZ dress…. although now sold out, it originally sold for £990 (around $1,500), but the bespoke version costs an extra $300, so Kate would have spent around $1,800.

The spokeswoman meanwhile also tells PEOPLE that because of the so-called Kate Effect, the company says they have had a “few orders placed” for new bespoke versions since the charity event.

As mentioned, the Duchess is fond of this designer’s work. Below we see Kate wearing other pieces by Ms. Wickstead: from left to right, St. Patrick’s day 2012 (worn again in 2013), the pleated pink frock was worn twice last year (Sovereigns’ Luncheon and Palace Garden Party), the gold coatdress was worn for the Order of the Thistle in 2012.

PA Wire/PA Wire/Splash News/Splash News

Our early look at the autumn/winter 2013 Emilia Wickstead collection may be viewed here.

LIFE Magazine/Old Indian Photo

Kate accessorized with her Rupert Sanderson ‘Malone’ pumps.

Rupert Sanderson ‘Malone’

The ‘Malone’ Style is no longer available, the ‘Malory‘ is similar to the ‘Malone,’ although its toe is more pointed. Mr. Sanderson’s footwear is carried by Bloomingdale’s and Matches Fashion in the USA, as well as Selfridge’s and other department stores in the UK, he also has a wonderful handbag collection.

Kate also wore those still-unidentified drop earrings, her hair was curled and partially pulled back.

Splash News

The color was beautiful on Kate, she looked simply radiant, happy and relaxed. In several photos the fit of the garment seemed off, with pulling under the arms, it is hard to know if it was just those photos or the dress itself. I imagine it is next to impossible to perfectly fit dresses at this stage of one’s pregnancy unless items are altered a day or two before they are to be worn.

We’ll see you Friday for the events at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, and the Making of Harry Potter attraction.

LINKAGE:

• The National Portrait Gallery website is here, its blog is located here, Facebook page may be seen here and its online gift shop can be visited by clicking here
• The Art Room’s website can be found here, its Facebook page is here
• Grazia’s story on the Emilia Wickstead a/w 2012 runway show is here, if interested in seeing what the designer wore to her own wedding in 2011 (not to mention the bridesmaid dresses she created), click here for Vogue’s story
• The Mirror story on tonight’s event is here, the Daily Mail story may be seen here
• The Telegraph’s video may be viewed here,