The Duchess Wears Ghost London for Remembrance Week Call

As part of Remembrance Week in the UK, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been doing calls with service personnel and families who have lost loved ones while serving in the military.

Above you see the Duchess on a call she had yesterday.  She spoke with people who lost loved ones serving in the military and heard about some of the ways they pay tribute to those they have lost. Below, you see her speaking with (clockwise from upper left): Chantelle Wynn, Serena Alexander, Charlton Taylor and Sonia Fleming. Charlton’s father and Sonia’s partner was killed in Afghanistan.

Kate also heard about the support they receive from members of the Armed Forces community, including other bereaved families, and the help that is provided by the Royal British Legion. Kensington Palace reports: ” The Legion provides lifelong support to anyone who has served with the British Armed Forces and their families. They also give support to families who have been bereaved, including help with funeral costs, ongoing emotional support and connecting people to specialist services such as bereavement counselling or mental health support.” 

During the call the Duchess said:

“It’s been a real honour to speak to all of you and I think I speak for the whole nation when I say just how proud you should be of your loved ones, and for the sacrifice and the bravery that they’ve shown. I’ll certainly be thinking of you this difficult week and will be for many years to come.” 

Here is a clip from the call. 

The Duchess of Cambridge spoke with Armed Forces families who have lost loved ones to hear about the importance of #Remembrance week to them, and about the support that they receive from the Armed Forces community, other bereaved families, and from @PoppyLegion. pic.twitter.com/fhSZv4HTNz

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 10, 2020

Below, the Duke is seen last Thursday chatting with deployed representatives from the Royal Navy, the Army, and the Royal Air Force.

There are currently 11,000 members of the British Armed Forces deployed on operations around the world.  Kensington Palace reports that those on the call with William spoke about their experiences being stationed overseas, as well as efforts being made to support the physical and mental health of those on deployment. They also spoke about the significance of Remembrance events, allowing them to remember those who have lost their lives, and to think about sacrifices made by those in the Armed Forces. 

Tomorrow at 11am time Armistice day (also called Veteran’s Day, Remembrance Day, and other names, depending on one’s locale) will be marked around the world.  In the UK, there will be a two-minute silence.  More from The Telegraph: 

November 11, 2020, Armistice day, marks 102 years since the end of the War. Every year the nation remembers the bravery of the men and women who fought it. But this time only limited communal singing outside is permitted, according to government guidance, and attendees must stay socially distanced at all times. 

In line with Covid-19 rules, the Royal British Legion are encouraging people to still take part in a moment of Remembrance by observing the Two Minute Silence at 11am from their doorstep on Wednesday.

Below, Seymour ‘Bill’ Taylor, 95, a former seaman. He plans on taking part in the two-minute observance and says he will be remembering his comrades.  

This is the front page of tomorrow’s Yorkshire Post.  

I have mentioned in previous posts that I think it was possible we might see the Duke and Duchess at tomorrow’s special service to mark the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.  I no longer think that is the case, as the only confirmed attendees at this point are the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. 

Now for a look at what Kate wore for the call. 

She was in a piece by Ghost London, the Boo Blouse in ivory (£79).

The blouse is 100% viscose with a satin finish, front and back darts at the waist that create a fitted silhouette, gathers at the shoulders, and the distinctive oversize contrast collar. It is available in all sizes at Ghost London, as well as at John Lewis. Many thanks to Katie for her speedy ID of the piece.  The brand is fairly new to Kate’s wardrobe; we first saw her wearing Ghost at a Clap for our Carers event in April. 

UPDATE: Kate also wore a Ghost dress in Pakistan during the tour last October.  Carly at Kate Middleton Style wrote about the dress in this post.  (When I was playing catchup on posts after being ill I think that somehow slipped under the radar. Thank you to AM for her comment reminding me of that!)

Statement collars are quite popular this fall. Vogue did a feature in October titled, Zoom Fatigue? Let These Statement-Collar Tops Liven Up Your WFH Look, and Fashionista did an August piece called, Step Up Your Neckwear Game with These 13 Statement-Making Collars.  You can perk up an existing piece by adding your own collar if so inclined. Below you see two examples of ‘stand-alone collars’: on the left, the Detachable Scalloped Peter Pan Collar ($34) which comes in a range of colors, including black, available at etsy.  On the right, the Bow-Embellished Collar by Naya Rea ($120) at Net-a-Porter.  

It looks like the Duchess wore a new pair of earrings on the call. I’ve not had time to look for them yet, but will shortly. I will update the post if/when there is new information.

Kate’s poppy is a basic style, like those worn by The Queen (left) and the Duchess (right) this past Sunday. 

LINKAGE: 

• Visit the Royal British Legion website here; the organization’s Facebook page is here, its Twitter feed is here; the Legion’s online Poppy Shop is here
• Learn more about the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at the Abbey’s site 
• Read about Lance Corporal Michael Taylor in this International War Museum story