New Family Photos! Plus, Poll Results

Hello-Hello, we are back with a couple of updates.

The first item covers the new photos of Prince Charles, taken to commemorate his 70th birthday tomorrow. The pictures have been embargoed; as soon as the embargo is lifted, we’ll publish the photos, adding them to the top of this post.

Pictures of the Prince, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Cambridge family and the Sussexes were released Tuesday evening and they look great.

Above you see the more formal shot, with little Prince Louis looking very jolly and Prince George looking a bit like a scamp on his best behavior. Charlotte is darling, smiling right at the camera.

Here is the relaxed, casual picture. Something must be happening that has everyone’s attention, you see them focused to a point that would be to the photographer’s left. 

Chris Jackson of Getty Images took the photos. He said “I was delighted to have been asked to take these official portraits of The Prince of Wales surrounded by his family to celebrate the important milestone of his 70th Birthday. It was particularly special to capture such an informal and relaxed family portrait over a fun afternoon!”

He has done other Cambridge family photos, including the family Christmas card last year and Prince George’s first day of school. Some readers may recall he is married to Natasha Archer, considered by many to be Kate’s stylist.

As covered in this post, Kate’s dress is an Alessandra Rich piece. Made in a silk crêpe de chine, it features a pleated skirt, contrasting spread collar, and contrasting cuffs. It was carried at Net-a-Porter ($1413) and also at Moda Operandi ($2400). 

Kate is wearing her go-to diamond and sapphire earrings in the photos, made from a pair of Diana’s earrings.

We can’t see what shoes the Duchess was wearing because of the way the photo is staged.  We have details of what the children are wearing over at sister site What Kate’s Kids Wore, and the same for what the Duchess of Sussex wearing over at What Meghan Wore.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Our update begins with the buttons on the Catherine Walker coat worn by the Duchess Sunday night.

It turns out not everyone was fond of the buttons on the coat when it was initially worn last March at the Irish Guards engagement and again in Paris. Some felt they were ‘brassy’ or ‘loud’ or ‘just plain distracting.’ On Sunday many of us thought there were new black buttons on the coat. Below, the coat in two different kinds of lighting on St. Patrick’s Day, indoor and outdoor.

Here you see the coat as worn in Paris. I do not have any pictures with the coat indoors but tried to select different lighting in these two photos.

And here is how the coat looked Sunday night at Westminster Abbey.

Even though the lighting was different for each of the times Kate wore the coat I thought they looked different in the artificial light thrown by the cameras Sunday night. But I wasn’t feeling certain the buttons were new, so I decided to put together some close-up shots. Here are pictures of the buttons as worn on March 17th with the Irish Guards and in Paris later that afternoon.

And here are images from Sunday night.

It wasn’t until I looked at the two sets closely together that I saw what appears to be a difference in the buttonholes. What I think are the “new buttons” look like they have thread running through all four holes, while the “old buttons” are sewn with two parallel lines of thread (if that makes sense). I could be wrong or seeing something that isn’t there, but it looks that way to me. What do you think?

There was also a comment or two and an email about the color of the velvet used on the collar and cuffs. The email asked if the material had been changed from a black velvet to the green we saw Sunday night. Here are some shots in different lighting conditions that were digitally lightened.

It is difficult to see in the smaller pictures, but I don’t believe the collar and cuffs have changed, the material looks the same as it did in March of last year.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have our results in the insta-poll we did last week. I don’t think anyone will be surprised; with a total of 7057 votes in the poll, the Erdem comes out the big winner.

Here is how the numbers break down.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Also a quick new-old ID. As many suspected, it looks like the hat Kate wore to the Grenfell Tower Memorial Service last December is by Lock and Company. It appears the chapeau is the Kensal Cloche. 

Our thanks to a WKW friend who wishes to remain anonymous for the ID. I have emailed Lock & Company for confirmation, but this very much appears to be Kate’s hat.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We are excited to welcome back Madderson London as a What Kate Wore sponsor. It is a delight to be working with the company again. I always have the best time looking through their collections and writing about the stunning styles they create season after season. Many will remember Kate wearing the brand’s Naomi dress when she was expecting Charlotte.

 

We expect we’ll see you tomorrow for the 70th birthday party being held at Buckingham Palace. It looks like it will be a glittering affair. Gert’s Royals has been keeping track of confirmed guests; here are some of those attending.

• King Philippe & Queen Mathilde of Belgium
• Crown Prince Frederik & Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
• Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands
• King Harald & Queen Sonja of Norway
  • Crown Prince Haakon & Crown Princess Mette-Marit

It is highly unlikely there will be any photos of the party; my guess is we’ll see the usual shot-through-a-car-window-style pictures.