For today’s visit to the Great Bear Rainforest we saw the Duchess dressed very casually, ready to cope with the strong winds and heavy rains in the area. According to The Mirror, “William and Kate had a rocky flight with strong turbulence on route to the tiny one strip airport.”
©POOL / i-Images/ Polaris
We learn more from The Province:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge touched down in Bella Bella Monday morning under grey, wet skies, the weather spoiling many of the couple’s plans for the day. But the wild weather on B.C.’s central coast meant that most of the outdoor activities planned for the day, including an aerial tour of the Great Bear Rainforest and a boat trip around McLoughlin Bay, had to be cancelled.
The weather didn’t appear to keep the Heiltsuk First Nations community members away.
Kensington Palace
The Community Hall was filled with people eager to see Kate and William, shown as they arrived at the Hall.
Kensington Palace
More from The Canadian Press via The Vancouver Sun:
William and Kate were greeted by a rousing cheer when they arrived at the Wawiskas Community Hall, where they met community members and about two dozen hereditary chiefs who were part of the official welcoming party.
The visitors then watched traditional dances.
Kensington Palace
The Duke and Duchess were greeted by each in turn before a welcoming dance was performed and musicians played drums.
A spokesman for the community said: “The welcoming dance performed was for royalty and is seen on very special occasions.
Kensington Palace
The children’s dance was wonderful to watch.
#Heiltsuk welcome the Royal Couple with our children dancing. #RoyalVisitCanada #BellaBella #ctvroyals @CBCIndigenous @GlobalBC @cbcnewsbc pic.twitter.com/MS6KofttMH
— Heiltsuk Council (@HeiltsukCouncil) September 26, 2016
In this Instagram photo from Heiltsuk Council you can see how vibrant today’s event was.
Heiltsuk Council Instagram
Kate and William really seemed to like the dances.
©Stephen Lock / i-Images
The royals were given traditional First Nations blankets, each with an image of a Grizzly Bear.
Rebecca English, The Daily Mail
Later in the afternoon Kate and William were given traditional ‘dancing vests’. More on the gifts from The Daily Mail:
Chief Marilyn Slett told them: ‘On behalf our nation we welcome you and we thank you for being here as part of the healing that we are undertaking. As part of our….feasting system we would like to give our guests a gift.’
First the blankets and then the ‘dancing vests’ – worn by men, women and children during traditional celebrations – were placed over the couple’ shoulders.
Video: William and Kate are given blankets bearing the image of a grizzly bear by the #Heiltsuk nation at Bella Bella. #RoyalVisitCanada pic.twitter.com/vL7JTQa6UK
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) September 26, 2016
We learn more about the art seen on the blankets from Richard Palmer’s story in The Express:
The garments had a large design of a grizzly bear in the centre, surrounded by trees, flora, fauna and a rope depicting the ocean to which they are “inextricably bound”.
©pool/i-Images/Polaris
Back to Mr. Palmer’s piece:
Prince George and Princess Charlotte were not forgotten either. The couple were given presents of a small black dancing vest and doll for their children, who had stayed back in Victoria, the family base, with their nanny.The elders urged the couple to return with their three-year-old son so that he could be taught “how to release the spirit of the drum”.
i-Images / Pool/ Polaris
After the events at the Community Hall concluded there was a short walk to the Elders Lodge.
Kensington Palace
On the left you see Chief Marilyn Slett with Kate, and you get a glimpse of the art on the inside of the Duchess’s vest.
©pool/i-Images/Polaris
A big part of the day’s focus was officially adding the Great Bear Rainforest to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, an initiative creating a network of conservation programs throughout all 53 Commonwealth countries. Below, William speaking about the initiative this afternoon at the Elders Lodge:
Kensington Palace
Back to The Express story for more:
In a speech, William praised the Heiltsuk people for helping save one of the worlds most important rainforests. He said his grandmother had asked him to thank them being part of The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy.
The weather improved enough the visitors were able to enjoy a walk to the site of a new plaque about the Rainforest’s status.
Kensington Palace
The plaque was unveiled marking the occasion.
Christy Clark
Now for our look at what Kate wore, beginning with a jacket by Holland and Holland, the brand’s Lightweight Multipocket Safari Jacket.
The jacket was introduced 2014, and is no longer available at Holland and Holland. We did find information about it online at Kevins Catalog, another retailer that offered the jacket.
this jacket features four patch pockets on the front, with a center back vent opening into a split at the bottom. Cinched in at the waist with a full top-stitched Sahara cotton belt. Features Holland & Holland engraved horn buttons. Made In England.
Originally priced at $780, it most recently sold at $624. The Duchess was in a new shirt from Topshop, the brand’s Gingham Print Shirt in Navy. The piece is from the a/w collection and described as a lightweight chiffon, and 100% polyester. It was $65, but (this will be no surprise) the shirt is no longer available.
Jigsaw/Polaris/Topshop
UPDATE OCT 12: An enormous ‘thank you’ to Sarah K for her tip on the sweater, as well as Sue B Style for her work finding the piece Kate was in a Jigsaw sweater, the “Katherine” style. (It is no longer available.)
Many readers will have picked up on Kate’s boots immediately, the Penelope Chilvers Long Tassel Boot in the ‘conker’ color (£475).
©i-Images/Penelope Chilvers
These are probably Kate’s most iconic footwear, dating back to 2004, when she was seen wearing them at a game fair at Blenheim Palace (below left); most recently the Duchess wore the boots for a hike in Bhutan during the April tour.
©Stephen Lock, i-Images/Nunn Syndication, Polaris
Kate’s earrings were by a new designer, Pippa Small. 
UPDATED: Kate wore a pair of earrings by Pippa Small, the designer’s Large Kite style.
PIppa Small/i-Images/Pippa Small
Here is the genesis of the design:
An ode to the kites that fly throughout South Asia for the annual kite festivals, the kite is such a simple joy of childhood. The triumph of that thin paper taking off in a gust of breeze up into the sky, the ducking and twirling up there in the sky with the birds. The 18 kt Gold kites flutter on these beautiful double drop earrings.
They are 18K yellow gold, and are now available on the Pippa Small website (£850).
Additionally, Kate was wearing Zara jeans, but I’ve not yet had time to look for them, nor have I searched for an ID on the jumper/sweater Kate wore today. After our next post is up from tonight’s reception I will look at these two items.
LINKAGE:
- Visit the Heiltsuk Council website here; the Facebook page is here; Instagram page is here and Twitter feed is here
- Richard Palmer’s story in The Express is here; Rebecca English’s Daily Mail article is here;
- The Mirror’s story about Kate’s fondness for the Chilvers boots is here;
No no. Like nothing. The 12—year old boots need to go to a charity shop and while the jacket and shirt are fine independently, pulled together with the jumper no. It’s a practical look. That’s all.
The blanket helped.
I am always impressed that Kate keeps wearing things she already owns; beyond making her seem more “accessible” and like she is a “real person”, it just makes sense. When you buy a great pair of boots and you love them and take care of them, they will last you for years. There is no reason to always go out and buy more. She is a great example of dressing well while at the same time being somewhat of a minimalist or a pragmatist. I like to think that she shops her closet first, which I think is a good habit for anyone. She knows how to freshen her look and re-use pieces. Just another reason I admire her!
I think Kate would be so pleased with that dancing vest – and it actually looks great on her! I think she would appreciate the artistic elements of all the gifts she received in Bella Bella. She seemed particularly interested in the drum they received.
Do we think these are the same boots from 2004 or she has multiple pair?
Leather boots can last decades if taken care of properly. These are most likely the same pair.
We know she has at least one shirt from J. Crew – my first thought was that this sweater could be one of theirs as well. This one looks about right for the color; they also have a few in Italian cashmere, but the colors are a little off.
https://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/sweaters/Pullover/PRDOVR~E1277/E1277.jsp
Are there any pics of the back? Looks similar to one I have from last season. Could the jumper be this?
http://www.jigsaw-online.com/product/cashmere-katharine-cloud-crew-neck-jumper/J28112_BL018
I have usually love Kate’s casual looks. Love the boots and jeans – not so crazy about the sweater and checked shirt and really dislike the safari jacket look. Always have – even for journalists in the field for whom those pockets do come in handy. Its a bit light for the rest of the ensemble and doesn’t work with the sweater and checked collar. Thought her casual look in Bhutan was fabulous. This one, not so much.
The jacket was a poor choice and somewhat patronizing. Given indigenous history and impact at the hands of colonialism and she chooses to wear a “Safari” jacket?? A zip-up fleece or maybe even a Burberry rain trench would have been a better choice for the weather.
I really don’t understand the outfit choice for today. I live on the West Coast of Canada, so I understand the climate here and that the weather must be taken into consideration. But when Kate toured India and Bhutan she was able to pull off looks that gave respectful nods to the people and the areas she was visiting while dressing appropriately for the climate. Here she wears a ratty see-through sweater, 10-year old boots, and a Safari jacket while her hosts are dressed in their finest regalia?! I do hope that we see her wear some type of Heiltsuk jewellery or something in the latter part of her trip. Coast Salish silver and copper jewellery is exquisite, perhaps she will come across some in her travels and wear it as a nod at a later event in the trip. I’m surprised that the Queen would not have any in her personal collection that she could have gifted to Kate for this occasion. And it seems weird that they would not bring George and Charlotte on this trip. I can kind of understand as they are still young and they may have concerns about flying them to remote areas, but First Nations communities are all about family and to not include the children seems like poor planning.
I loved this look, and I hope you can come to a conclusion about the sweater. Another Kate blog I follow on Tumblr had it as a J. Crew sweater, which I almost bought, but later in the day, they changed it to a different sweater that’s out of stock and costs about $400.
A good, appropriate look but am I the only person who is disappointed that she is wearing Top Shop? The owner isn’t Mr Popular in the UK and I’m surprised she is endorsing his brand by wearing still their clothes.
Holland and Holland have a beautiful new collection which I’d love to see Kate in – way too pricey for me I’m afraid though.
Not a fan of the jacket, but then I don’t think I’ve ever seen a safari jacket that I do like, they’re just not for me, I agree with what someone said about foreign correspondent.
But I *love* the shirt, and think the overall look without the jacket was perfect, ideal for autumn. Casual yet stylish. The earrings were perfection – simple but still interesting.
I too would love to replicate this look for wearing over the next few months on weekends or up in the mountains.
I loved Kate’s ensemble for this occasion, but I disliked that you could see through the sweater. It could just be from the camera flashes though.
I actually just wore a plaid shirt under a jumper this weekend, so I was thrilled to see Kate in the same type of look. It’s not masculine at all; very trendy, actually. Just visit J.Crew.
I liked this look – comfortable and appropriate. See through sweater was a little distracting with the check shirt, but perhaps it didn’t look that way in the mirror, only due to the flash photography. Her hair and earrings also very nice.
Do she and William have to match? I thought the matchy matchy look was a bit ridiculous here. I thought her jacket was cute and the earrings were good with that outfit. She does casual really well and this was another example.
I know. I really dislike it when couples try to match. Complementing one another is great but matching looks like they are trying too hard.
Colour co-ordinated couples reasonable for special occasions. Matching couples is just no. It’s twee, it’s puerile. No
I really love to see Kate in casual outfits like this. Some affordable inspiration for my autumn wardrobe 😉 I was actually not a fan of the boots before but they are really starting to grow on me. The durability is especially appealing! May have to invest in a pair some time…
What a pleasant fall casual look. I love the new jacket and think it looks great in the outdoor settings. I applaud her choice of hair so she could be practical in the weather.
Yes, her hair is beautifully done today. Nicely framing her face and letging the earrings show.
I don’t love the jacket but I really like the rest of the look. Casual but still pulled together.
I just wanted to say that I don’t find this outfit particularly masculine. I also don’t see anything wrong with skinny or tapered jeans inside tall boots. That may be because I dress very similar on occasion.
I also wanted to say that I think Kate’s hair is “back”. I am loving the length and the renewed ability to pull it back without the dreaded fringe. It’s looked perfect every day of this tour so far.
The knit in Kate’s jumper is so fine you can see her checked top underneath, perhaps a fine cashmere? I think she looked comfy and relaxed and probably dresses like this at Amner Hall.
The only fault I find is the weight of the sweater- I really wish you couldn’t see through it during the flash. For those who are saying the look is too masculine, I have to disagree. This screams English country/preppy to me. I live in the SE USA and this is what many women wear in the fall/winter! She hit it just right with those earrings; if she had not worn those or some sort of pearl, it would’ve been too plain. This is a look I could definitely see myself wearing.
I loved almost everything about this look. The jeans/boots combo is one I often wear myself when the weather us unfriendly. Those Chilvers boots are fantastic and I have nearly pulled the trigger on them for myself a couple times. I think the shirt and sweater were fine and kept her cozy without being bulky, although the thinness of the sweater did allow the print of the shirt to show through. Hair and makeup were great and the earrings hit just the perfect note.
I don’t love that jacket and certainly not for $600+. I don’t think it is particularly flattering on the duchess (although she can wear anything and look great) and the color is a bit jarring when combined with the all dark outfit. I think if she wanted a trench type of jacket that there are several others on the market for a much lower price that would have looked better. However this is a small quibble and I think that “casual Kate” is always the most interesting.
Her radiant smile and genuine interest were lovely to see.
I’m not sure the jacket would have necessarily have been chosen for looks or colour as much as comfort. It’s a cotton jacket which can be a tricky thing to find as I’ve experienced over the years, especially unlined and in a really soft comfortable cotton.
I see Kate has had this one a few years and that tallies with my own experience of hanging on to such things, regardless of whether they look like safari jackets or not. The mass of pockets are invaluable for all the gubbins I like to take with me on a day trip in the wilds.
I personally like the jeans, boots and shirt/sweater look, but I don’t like the coat – looks too foreign correspondent in a safari jacket for my liking. I would have worn a wax jacket if casual was the theme of the outing.
It seems so typical of quirky Kate that she should invest a small fortune in a dress which divides opinion one day only to throw on a simple casual outfit the next and look a million bucks. That element of her style which can come across as careless, even haphazard, works to enhance an outfit like this.
It’s quite an odd mix with the pale jacket, dark jumper, navy check shirt, dark jeans and brown boots, but it’s entirely appropriate to the setting. The relatively plain earrings are spot on. She is mixing with some very ordinary folk indeed and it’s a courtesy not to intimidate.
Holland & Holland (a new label for the Duchess?) are scarcely cheap but the jacket has the benefit of having been on offer at sale price, and a good summer jacket is a thing that will bear re-use, just like the hardy Chilvers boots. I personally can hardly bear the thought of wearing a cheap polyester shirt, but maybe Kate has tracked down another synthetic which is reasonably comfortable. I’m a pure cotton fanatic in the matter of shirts myself.
And the jumper in navy jars perhaps with the darker check, but only in a friendly hoe-down sort of way, entirely in keeping with the venue. It’s also so thin that the shirt check shows through under the glare of flashlighting, another informality from the Duchess.
I share the same feelings about synthetics in shirts. Most of my clothing is pure cotton/wool/silk/linen. Except the occasion dresses. It’s so hard to find a good party/occasion dress that isn’t in polyester/nylon/acetate these days.
Well, I couldn’t survive in a rainforest environment in such a basic synthetic, but I have now realised that many synthetics are miles better than they used to be. Alas, I date back to when many of them were introduced, and I would often wear them once and swear never again.
I’d want cotton on an active day out like this as it’s just so comfortable, it adapts to cool if I remove a jacket and adds enough of a layer if the weather turns cool and rainy as it did here.
But otherwise for dresses and various tops I’ve been experimenting with more synthetic fabrics, largely because of being here and seeing with astonishment that Kate has high-end pieces with accompanying price tags in those very fabrics. I’ve got various t-shirts which to my amazement are as comfy as cotton.
May I say in the kindest way possible, that the people and environment are in fact extraordinary in Bella Bella. Kate dressed appropriately for the weather and rugged area. But this was an important occasion,and the people wore their own regalia.
It was a sign of respect that Kate and William wore the vests they were given for the rest of the event, over their practical plain clothes. Would love to see the detail of the vests, and the button blankets – high honour to receive those, and wear them actually.
I believe we were discussing her Topshop shirt. I’m afraid I don’t understand your comment!
Like this outfit from the hips down – those trusty boots. The short and sweater are ok.. but a bit manly. And I don’t like the see through nature of the sweater.
I didn’t think the jacket was a great match with everything else Kate had going on. And swamped her abit. Have preferred some of Kate’s other Casual looks
I usually really like Kate’s casual looks but this is too… masculine (?? for lack of a better word) for me. I initially thought she was wearing a trench coat and was super excited.. I also thought the earrings stood out nicely.
I then saw the coat was in fact a jacket.. which I am not sure I like either, but its definitely better when she rolls the sleeves up later in the day.
I think its the combination of the shirt and the boots (which I never managed to bring myself to like) that does not make the cut for me…
I love the beautiful images that you have gathered of this visit. The dancing vests they were given are simply stunning. So much beautiful imagery and meaning behind each and every symbol, stitch and material used. I’m always awed by how much thought each native tribe Kate & William have visited (New Zealand, India, and here are a few examples) put into each gift. They are steeped in heritage and always bring a little tear to my eye.
I love seeing the Chilvers boots again. It’s apt for a rainforest setting. The jacket is quite lovely too. It looks great on her. I love how William & Kate are mirroring one another with their outfits. It makes me smile as I remember my parents doing that when I was little.
What a pity that the weather curtailed some of the activities. It did, however, seem to be a productive day. Not much to comment on about Kate’s casual duds other than that she looked cozy and comfy. I breathed a great sigh of relief for her, that she could wear pants and boots and truly feel relaxed and at ease.
First time commenting on this lovely forum. Thanks for all the research and attention to detail you bring to us Kate fans, I learn so much here!
I think Kate looks beautiful in this casual attire – charming and gracious and every inch a duchess. When you can radiate that kind of elegance when not in and evening gown and full duchess glamour, I think you really are someone special. And I do think she is.
“Casual Kate” is my favorite. The outfit is interesting enough, but neutral enough that the vest and blankets gifted from the First Nations did not clash. I think every woman can relate to having a go to pair of boots, and I love Kate’s. It’s nice to see her face, so the hair pulled back is a good look. I don’t know what magic elixir they put in her hair, but it looks amazing, especially in that humidity. She looked very engaged and interested in today’s activities.
Having done that trip several times myself, in terrible weather and turbulence, I’m amazing she wasn’t 3 shades of green getting off the plane. But since she’s dealt with hyperemesis gravidarum, perhaps a turbulent flight is a cake walk.
Good point about that flight! I was wondering if William might suffer the indignity of being rescued from sea by the nearest helicopter S&R team 😉
I’d also love to know what she puts in her hair that keeps it that beautiful and shiny even in the crazy humidity on the coast.
I loved the outfit. It’s pretty spot on for BC coast chic. 🙂
~a happy Canadian enjoying this tour
Just not fond of boots tucked into skinny jeans or pants unless one is about to go riding. Seemed like a costume to me. The sweater and blouse with some nice khakis and hiking boots (under the khakis) would have looked more polished and professional.
Very pleased with Kate’s choice of polished casualwear for chilly rainy day, and disagree only with the choice of outerwear… boxy and unattractive. She’s not headed to an Egyptian archaeological dig!
Whoops, this was meant to be a standalone comment!