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William & Kate Reign at Wimbledon

Jun 28

Posted by britishroyals in Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, Princess Diana, The Duchess of Cambridge | 2 Comments

To the delight of the crowds and royal watchers, the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge made a surprise visit to Wimbledon  today.  Both are tennis fans — particularly Kate, who has been to Wimbledon a couple of times.  A “private” visit, the newlyweds look happy smiley as they sat on the royal box watching British #1 Andy Murray beat Richard Gasquet in straight sets.  The couple also saw part of the Nadal-Müller match.

In the sweltering heat, Princess Catherine looked fresh as a daisy  in a white, sleeveless Alice Temperley “Moriah” dress with pleats (Sorry, already sold out online, as expected).  William wore his usual blue suit.  Must have been hot!  Nevertheless, the royal pair looked to enjoy their tennis date and even joined in on the Mexican wave.


Now, bring on Canada!

Articles:

Pictures: Getty Images | Rex Features | Isopix | Zimbio (many funny facial expressions from Kate)

William, Kate, Harry NOT going to New Zealand for Rugby World Cup this year.   A palace spokeswoman says:  “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were all very pleased and honoured to be invited, in a private capacity. They have considered the matter, and with regret, they’ll be unable to attend owing to their military pressures. The Duke of Cambridge will spend the autumn concentrating on his search and rescue career, as he builds up flying hours and passes the necessary examinations to allow him to obtain captaincy at some point in 2012, and Prince Harry’s course at Wattisham and in the USA doesn’t really afford him any time to attend.“  NZ Prime Minister John Key said he’s disappointed with their absence but understands and welcomes them in a future time.

Newsweek Cover: Diana at 50.  The late Princess Diana would have turned 50 this July 1, and as a (tacky) tribute, Newsweek has a photoshopped cover of a digitally aged Diana alongside daughther-in-law Kate.  The article includes hypothetical stories of what would she be like had she lived — living in New York, Tweeting, Facebooking, reconciled with Camilla, married twice more, initially threatened by Kate’s popularity but now a BFFs with Carole Middleton…  Seriously, the article is neither flattering nor tasteful.  On the flip side, here’s a better tribute to the Princess of Wales and what would have been: Diana: forever young and beautiful.

Prince Harry is 100% single!  Ring out the bells.  According to the Mail, Harry has declared he’s not dating anyone at the moment and is 100% single.  He also says he’s too busy with work for love.  So I guess this confirms his off-again status with Chelsy Davy.  Funny enough, the media is making a bigger deal of him confirming that he isn’t dating Pippa Middleton than confirming he’s broken up with Chelsy.

Other Tidbits:

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New Controversial Diana Documentary Set to Screen at Cannes

May 10

Posted by britishroyals in Pippa & James Middleton, Prince Harry, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, Princess Diana, The Duchess of Cambridge | 6 Comments

A shocking paparazzi photograph of a dying Princess Diana is to be screened for the first time in a documentary about her fatal crash.

Unlawful Killing (watch trailer here), which will be shown at Cannes this week, is backed by the actor Keith Allen and Mohammed Fayed, whose son Dodi died with Diana. The 90-minute film will include a graphic black and white close-up of Diana taken moments after the Mercedes carrying the couple crashed in a Paris underpass.

The documentary also suggests foul play from the Royal Family surrounding Diana’s death. “It reveals a cover-up by the British Establishment culminating in a six-month inquest. Keith Allen’s ground-breaking documentary recreates key moments from the inquest and demonstrates how vital evidence of foul play was hidden from public scrutiny, how the royal family were exempted from giving evidence and how journalists, particularly those working for the BBC, systematically misreported the events and in particular, the verdict itself. This is the story of how the world was deceived.”

A spokesman for St James’s Palace declined to comment but royal sources said Diana’s sons would be sickened by the news.  They have long since made it known that they want their mother to rest in peace.

Article: Daily Mail

Harry has been surrounded by blondes lately…

Prince Harry was spotted leaving on-off girlfriend Chelsy Davy’s flat on Saturday, but she was nowhere to be found during his 2-day charity polo matches over the weekend. Chelsy and Kate had been spotted cheering on their boyfriends in the same event years before. Instead, Harry was seen hugging a blonde in day 1… and chatting up with the Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron on day 2…

Articles: The Sun | Daily Mail
Pictures: Zimbio: Day 1 | Day 2 (with Charlize Theron)

Prince William & Kate are finally on their honeymoon

Prince William and Princess Catherine departed on their honeymoon on Monday, their spokesperson confirmed. The exact destination remains undisclosed. “They have left for their honeymoon and the couple have asked for their privacy to be respected.” They were seen driving from their Anglesey home followed by Range Rovers packed with suitcases.

“William is determined to give Kate the holiday of a lifetime,” says a source. “The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. They’re looking forward to some quality time together. Kate doesn’t know where she’s going, but Wills is confident she’ll love it. It’s a dream honeymoon location – one of the most romantic places in the world.”

Bets on the Seychelles seem accurate. The Indian Ocean tourism spokesperson confirmed that the royal couple landed on their main airport at 7:20am local time on Tuesday.

The UK press have agreed to give the couple the privacy they desire. Now hopefully the rest of the world would do the same.

Articles: The Sun | Telegraph

More William & Kate tidbits:

Pippa Middleton

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Will the Queen Head Down Under in October instead of William & Kate?

Jan 29

Posted by britishroyals in HM The Queen & Duke, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, Princess Diana, The Duchess of Cambridge | 1 Comment

No signs of slowing down

Her Majesty will visit Australia in October, bumping any plans for newlyweds Prince William and Kate Middleton to tour Down Under this year.

While a spokeswoman for Governor-General Quentin Bryce yesterday said “she couldn’t give any information at all, about the trip”, UK newspaper The Daily Mail reported that the monarch, who turns 85in April, plans to fly to Perth for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Privately there has been talk of dove-tailing Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first official foreign tour as a married couple with the conference. However, sources say the Queen is hopeful of making the trip and have expressed concern that William and Kate’s presence there could overshadow the monarch’s vital work.

The Queen will be accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, who turns 90 this year.

Articles: Daily Mail | Daily Telegraph AU

Farewell to Diana’s Favourite Designer

Well-wishers gathered at a private memorial service for the couturier Catherine Walker at St Luke’s Church in Chelsea, south-west London. Walker, 65, was a favourite of Diana, Princess of Wales, providing her with many of her most famous outfits. The designer fought a long battle with cancer before dying at a hospital near her Sussex home last September.

Actress Joely Richardson joined stars from the fashion world to pay tribute. Others attending the service included Lady Gabriella Windsor, designers Bruce Oldfield and Jasper Conran, actress Susan Hampshire and Harper’s Bazaar editor Lucy Yeomans.

Walker first worked with Diana three months after her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. The Princess was buried in a black dress designed by Walker that she had bought in the weeks leading up to her death.

Articles: Daily Mail | The Express

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Quiet, Strategic Kate Middleton is the Opposite of Diana

Jan 22

Posted by britishroyals in Chelsy Davy, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, Princess Diana, The Duchess of Cambridge | 7 Comments

Prince William’s bride-to-be has been compared numerous times with his late mum. (Too much, actually, in my opinion). Many have pointed their similarities, but this article, inspired by book William & Kate: A Royal Love Story, points out a big difference between Kate Middleton and Princess Diana.  Christopher Andersen is the author of book, which is now available in Canada. He has appeared in numerous talk shows promoting this. I  haven’t read it (no plans to), as it sounds like a collection of tabloid gossip of the couple over the years. Anyhow…

The contrast between calm, strategic Kate and her now-fiance’s late, loose-cannon mother Diana is a central theme of the new biography. We sense that William turns with relief to this placid daughter of a successful mail-order party-supply-business couple. Once divorced, the Princess of Wales shared with her older son in excruciating detail the stormy vicissitudes of her love affairs.

Diana remained bitter because Prince Charles had married her without ditching his longtime girlfriend, Camilla Parker Bowles.

Quiet Kate could only benefit in comparison. The Queen and Prince Philip instantly liked her. Whereas Diana had shunned the family’s enthusiasm for “killing things,” Kate dutifully followed Wills around the woods of Balmoral carrying all the dead pheasants he’d shot. Elizabeth denied rumours that she’d looked with disapproval on Kate’s gum-chomping mother: “chew gum myself!”

Article: Vancouver Sun

Kate and Wills: Can They Last?

Chelsy Davy parties in Cape Town. Photos from WENN

Australia’s experts weigh in on William and Kate’s future… from an author, a body language expert, an etiquette expert, an astrologer Princess Mary of Denmarks best friend!  Whew!

Article: Daily Telegraph AU

Chelsy Davy has been Partying!

On the heels of her recent New Year party, Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy is enjoying the single life and has been spotted in a high society party in Cape Town.  Chelsy attended a swimming pool party hosted by South African website ’2Oceansvibe’ at the Cape Royal Hotel. She and her friends reportedly partied till 7am.

Pictures: WENN

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Safety Fears for Prince Charles During Princess Diana’s Funeral

Jan 17

Posted by britishroyals in Carole & Mike Middleton, Pippa & James Middleton, Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, Princess Diana, The Duchess of Cambridge | 2 Comments

Prince William, Prince Harry & Prince Charles at Diana's funeral, 1997

Prince William was asked to walk behind the coffin of Princess Diana because of fears the Prince of Wales might be attacked, Alastair Campbell says. Mr Campbell, former Downing Street director of communications, makes the claim in extracts from his diaries published in the Guardian. He suggests the poignant image of the two young princes walking in the funeral cortege was manufactured in part to protect their father, who was facing a tidal wave of public anger over his treatment of Diana.

Mr Campbell says Prince William was initially reluctant to take up the high-profile role because he believed it was being done to appease the media. He was, at that time, “consumed by a total hatred of the media,” blaming them for Diana’s untimely death in the Paris car crash.  He was eventually persuaded to take part by aides of Prince Charles who convinced him that it was “what his mother would have wanted.”

Mr Campbell writes that the courtiers were divided as to whether the Prince of Wales should walk behind the coffin with his two sons.

‘Robin said if William did not do it then Charles couldn’t “for obvious and understandable reasons.  So he was back to proposing cars for the princes but Charles [Spencer] was against that.  They realised that if William doesn’t go behind the coffin, they have a real problem because Charles would have to go behind the coffin with Charles Spencer.  There is no way he can do this without the boys”‘, he said.

Article: Daily Mail | BBC News

More on the Royal Wedding

Kate Middleton is said to have finally decided on her wedding dress designer in the last few days.  We won’t, however, know about it until the wedding day (unless it gets leaked, which it likely will).  However bets are on Bruce Oldfield after Kate’s mum Carole and sister Pippa were spotted spending more than an hour in his London shop last Thursday.  Here is the Daily Mail’s article about the sighting.

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