It was an evening filled with glitz, glamour and a focus on the military at the War Horse London premiere this evening. Kate opted for a black lace dress by Temperley.
The star-studded event was a fundraiser for The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry. Following the movie, there was a private reception at Buckingham Palace with William, Kate, cast members and other notables, the price of admission to that event was £10,000.
The film is set against the backdrop of World War I, much of it was shot in England.
Those on hand for the premiere included producers Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy.
People magazine’s Simon Perry shared that Mr. Spielberg says he remembers meeting Prince William when he was “very, very small.” The Hollywood heavyweight also added meeting royalty at events like tonight’s never grows old. Another view of the Duchess this evening.
The fitted gown showcased black lace with a floral motif atop a nude underskirt, unlined lace sleeves, exaggerated dropped waist detailing, and a deep vee neck.
Kate’s frock is called the Amoret Black Lace Maxi Dress.
The dress was selling in July (2012) on the Temperley website ($4050) as well as the Shopbop site ($2520), but it appears both places may be sold out. Our thanks to Gena, she left a comment (July 2012) us to the availability of the dress. Below, a better look at the details.
Kate accessorized with familiar pieces, a tip of the hat to WKW Facebook friend Alisha who noticed that Kate’s black velvet belt looked familiar, however this belt was not one of them, I mistakenly thought it was. Many thanks to My Small Obsessions, Dress Like a Lady, and others on Facebook, as well as commenters here who have pointed out the distinctions between the two belts. 🙂
Also returning, the black velvet bow clutch by Mascaro we saw at the Sun Military Awards.
A reminder for those fond of this bag, the good folks at Mascaro/Pretty Ballerinas tell us this handbag will be reissued in black within a few weeks. (It is currently available elsewhere in purple.)
Also making a reappearance, the stunning diamond drop earrings and bracelet we first saw on the North American tour. No word yet on Kate’s shoes, some think they are either the Jimmy Choo or Prada shoes worn to the Military Awards. We never received confirmation on either pair of shoes, so we’ll hold off for the time being.
The Duchess’s gown showcased three familiar themes:
- another lace dress
- another frock from Temperley
- another dress in black, or with black as the predominant color
While it would be delightful to see Kate in something that wasn’t quite so familiar, tonight’s event was intended to shine a light on military personnel and their families. The Duchess was the picture of grace and elegance while also remaining understated, detracting not at all from the servicemen and women in attendance. This Temperley dress accented with jewelry and accessories we have previously seen accomplished that objective very well.
Mr. Spielberg speaks to that bigger issue in this story from AFP:
The US director also praised the couple’s “wonderful” gesture to invite soldiers to the event.
“It’s a great honour that they’ve (William and Kate) given up their time and also given up their charity and it’s wonderful because it was their idea to bring the veterans here, so they could share this evening,” he said.
One more photo of the Duchess.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There is more news, word that William, Kate and Prince Harry will be supporting the recently created Forces in Mind Trust. The charity will offer support for military men and women adapting to civilian life after leaving active duty. The Trust was launched with £35 million from the UK’s ‘Big Lottery Fund,’ it will be led by the Confederation of Service Charities. More from the Big Lottery Fund site:
Over the next 20 years, the Forces in Mind Trust will provide UK-wide long-term support and advocacy for Service personnel and Veterans to make a successful transition to civilian life.The focus will be on addressing a range of problems that some ex-service personnel and their families can experience back in civilian life, such as poor mental health, family breakdown and alcohol-related problems.
The new organization will provide help with basic issues facing like housing, job training and employment, personal finances and more.
The other big announcement today, Kate has officially been named Honorary Colonel of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. From the unit’s official page:
Known as The Tigers, the Regiment draws many of its officers and soldiers from Kent, Sussex, Surrey, London, Middlesex, Hampshire as well as the the Isle of Wight. It is also the only infantry regiment that recruits from the Channel Islands.
From the Daily Mail’s story:
It is the most decorated of all British Army regiments, with 57 Victoria Crosses including the VC awarded to Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry in 2004 for his gallantry in Iraq.
Below, members of the Regiment’s First Battalion currently serving in Afghanistan.
The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment has its own benevolent fund, if interested in donating, click here.
For the BBC’s story on the gala, click here. The Showbiz 411 story is here.
Kathy
Saturday 14th of January 2012
Love it! Completely classy. She looks beautiful (and tall-I couldn't see her shoes)
Prue
Wednesday 11th of January 2012
Lovely dress. But...doesn't have the wow-factor of the strapless plain black dress she wore not so long ago. Someone here called it predictable. It is; predictable and safe.
Cricket
Tuesday 10th of January 2012
I agree with most in that while this dress is beautiful it seems a bit predictable. So far, my fav is the black velvet McQueen.
Also wanted to let all those who have found and love LK Bennett that you can now purchase many of their items here in the states and also find some thing actually at a sale price! Was at Bloomingdales in King of Prussia Mall in PA outside of Philly. They have a mini LK boutique in house and had many of the items worn by Kate! Saw the red wool coat, black fur coat worn on Christmas Eve, the sandals worn to the polo match in LA, the Maddox, sledge and much more! I was surprised to also find out after chatting with the LK mgr that they will get things in if requested and will also ship!
So cool that us Yanks can now shop LK here at home!
Lili
Wednesday 11th of January 2012
We have an LK Bennett in Chicago as well (900 N. Michigan), and there's one up in Skokie, IL, which is in the Chicago metro area. But the website offers international shipping.
Stella
Tuesday 10th of January 2012
Ok, I've already stated more than my 2 cents worth on FB, but here we are again. ;p
She absolutely does not need a dresser. I think if that happens I will no longer follow her fashion very closely. One of the reasons I love her style is that it is HERS and hers alone. No one helps her pick out stuff or tells her what looks good - she knows. And I want the Duchess's style mixed with my own, not some dresser's ideas of what looks right. That would be horrible. Also, I think a dresser would be too daring, too trend-following, too EXPENSIVE. Kate's clothing is, for the most part, prim and proper, elegant, classic, timeless, and almost AFFORDABLE. :) I want things to stay that way!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this look, this gown, her long princess hair - everything.
I love the funereal look in fashion; the gothic undertones to most lacey black gowns are haunting and gorgeous. That partly is because I like that style to begin with.
I think that this, the blue Erdem, the wedding dress, and the black velvet are my all-time favs - oh and the black velvet coat! I guess I have a serious penchant for black, velvet, and lace. ;p
I also think Kate happens to look even more gorgeous than usual when she's in either plum or black, although I would adore seeing her in forest green - a color she hasn't tried yet that would probably really make her sparkle.
For me, this gown wins. Like I already said a million times, I like it because it's my style. It's something I would pick out. Black lace and billowy trains ... long sleeves ... man, oh man. But I also like it because it becomes Kate and makes her truly look like a Queen. Not a future queen. A QUEEN. :)
(Oh, and I think DANNII MINOGUE's gown in the "worst dressed" article was GORGEOUS! A horrible skin disease? she looked stunning. :))
s02
Tuesday 10th of January 2012
Hello, just wanted to let everyone know that the dress that this one is based on is still available in US size 4 (UK size 8) for $395 here: http://www.yoox.com/item.asp?cod10=34227347&tp=2176&utm_source=froogle_us&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=shopping_us&tskay=3FD17CD7
s02
Tuesday 10th of January 2012
that smiley face should be an 8... strange