The Duchess was in a familiar jacket by Alexander McQueen for a call with nursing students at Ulster University.
The university notes its program is ranked in the top 50 Schools of Nursing in the world. The students Kate and William spoke with are in their second and third years of study at the school’s Derry/Londonderry campus. More from Hello’s story by Danielle Stacey.
Prince William and Kate chatted to the trainees from Ulster University on Tuesday to hear more about their experiences of studying during the pandemic, and of undertaking placements on the frontline in Northern Ireland.
William said: “It’s very difficult for you guys to go straight into a pandemic I would imagine, that’s really baptism by fire as they say, isn’t it?”
In the photo above, you see (L to R) Stephanie Dunleavey, School of Nursing Lecturer, Ulster University; ElizabethLisa) Semerdzhieva, 3rd Year Nursing student; Rachel Reid, Year3rd Year Nursing Student; Paige Murray, 3rd Year Nursing student. More from The Guardian’s coverage.
Speaking during a video call held on Tuesday, the duchess said: “Nursing is one of the most trusted professions in the country, so you couldn’t have chosen a better career choice and it’s needed now more than ever.
“You’ve got almost three generations now – those coming back from retirement but also you guys doing your training who are stepping up – it shows real commitment and real teamwork, and it should really be celebrated, so really well done.”
Here is a clip of the Duke and Duchess speaking with other students.
During the call, the students discussed their appreciation for the invaluable experiences they have gained working on the frontline, and the support they received from @UlsterUni during this challenging period. pic.twitter.com/4HzJ4yT2QD
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) February 10, 2021
The Duke and Duchess also spoke separately with a first-year student named Abigail McGarvey.
Back to the Hello piece:
In the video diary shared on Kensington Palace’s social media accounts on Tuesday, Abigail can be seen getting up for a night shift, travelling to work and putting on personal protective equipment (PPE) of a mask, apron, gloves and visor. She later puts on higher-grade protection for working with COVID-19 positive patients.
Here is a video clip.
? For nursing students, studying and undertaking placements during the pandemic has been a challenge like no other.
The Duke and Duchess spoke with @UlsterUni nursing student Abigail about her experiences of working on the frontline of the #COVID19 response in Northern Ireland. pic.twitter.com/ntxXxdtkET
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) February 10, 2021
Now for our look at what Kate wore for the call.
We begin with her jacket, which appears to be the Alexander McQueen tuxedo jacket first noted when worn for a video of the Duchess played during last October’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards.
And the mystery necklace is no longer a mystery: it very much looks like the Round Stilla Lapis Lazuli Pendant Necklace ($220) from Astley Clarke.
More from the product description: “this demi-fine Stilla gemstone pendant features a captivating table-cut lapis lazuli gem, set in 18-carat yellow gold plated sterling silver, and uses a spectacle setting to display the entire blue gemstone and show its complexities beautifully. This gemstone pendant is finished with a gold nugget detail and our signature Astley Clarke star-set lapis lazuli tag.”
This was one of the pieces suggested in a previous post, but some of us didn’t realize it was blue; we thought it was black. The piece was previously seen during calls marking Holocaust Remembrance Day in late January.
And in a call with nurses from the Midlands, also in January.
A Tip of the Tiara to Lady Parky, who suggested the piece was by Astley Clarke!
The Duchess also wore a pair of earrings that appear to be new, but the photos aren’t large enough to allow a positive ID.
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Also, today, the lovely news that Princess Eugenie had a baby boy Tuesday morning at the Portland Hospital in London. Her husband, Jack Brooksbank, was with her and the baby weighed 8 lbs., 1 oz. Here is a post from The Royal Family with the news.
And here is the photo posted on Princess Eugenie’s Instagram page.
More via this Town and Country story:
“This is Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s first child, The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York’s first grandchild, and the ninth great-grandchild for The Queen and TheDuke of Edinburgh. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.”
Eugenie and Jack haven’t yet announced their son’s name, sharing only that the healthy boy weighs 8 pounds and 1 ounce. As royal expert Victoria Arbiter previously shared with Town & Country ahead of Prince Louis’s birth, it’s something of a royal tradition to hold off on revealing a baby’s name.
“The reasoning is perhaps two fold. On one hand there’s a desire to inform the families before a public declaration is made and any new parent appreciates having a little private time to get to know their new addition before the onslaught of announcements,” she explained, adding that they also likely want to be “100% certain of their choice before announcing the name and sealing the baby’s place in history.”
LINKAGE:
- The Daily Mirror’s piece by Russell Myers is here; The Daily Mail’s story by Rebecca English is here; The Guardian’s article is here.
- Danielle Stacey’s Hello story is here; Simon Perry’s People article is here.
Jessica
Friday 12th of February 2021
I'm on record for having correctly predicted Archie's name, so I'm going on record here as well with Frederick. There is absolutely no science or logic to that; I'm just trying to see if I get lucky a second time.
I very love the necklace, now that we have a better understanding of the stone. I am very fond of lapis lazuli, which seems to have gone out of fashion. The gold flecks are very beautiful, like stars in a twilight sky.
Khloe
Thursday 11th of February 2021
Huzzah for the necklace identification!! It's so Kate. And very sharp.
I have never been a fan of all black, so seeing the McQueen blazer with a white top had me rejoicing greatly. And, wearing white, she still looks absolutely fabulous.
I am so excited about Jack and Eugenie's baby. Can't wait to hear the name! Albert would be lovely, but whatever name they have chosen will be absolutely perfect.
ElizaMo
Thursday 11th of February 2021
Absolutely delighted for Jack and Eugenie at the arrival of their baby boy and wish them all congratulations and every happiness for the future, lovely news to have in the midst of winter.
It’s also a delight to have Kate and Will back in action and with Kate looking so vibrant and happy. Delighted to see that sharp McQueen tailoring again and interested to note how much more angular the shoulder peaks are than the jacket worn for the January nurses’ call. Definitely different jackets then. Love seeing the swanky McQueen satin lapels in a daytime context.
Great news too that we have confirmation of Kate’s neat pendant, it really is very pretty, and a credit to the skills of Astley Clarke with the lapis. I’m also glad that we had the link to Whitby Jet as part of the original guesswork on ID, as I went and took a look and am now proud owner of my very own neat and characterful square pendant in that worthy local gem. Just a little sorry I didn’t realise I could have found more options on eBay and Etsy, but have remedied that now by ordering earrings from the latter.
Rebecca
Thursday 11th of February 2021
I too love the satin lapels, and I wish this site allowed picture attachments so we could all ooh and aah your new jewelry acquisition!
Sansa Stark
Thursday 11th of February 2021
I love the blazer and the new(ish?) hair. Kate looks wonderful. Nice to have an ID on that necklace - it is lovely!
Congratulations to Princess Eugenie and Jack on their bundle of joy - such nice news. Can't wait to find out what his name will be.
Bonnie
Wednesday 10th of February 2021
It's surprising how different the blazer looks with a white top underneath, as opposed to the black one worn before. Really the white presents a less dressy look, which is appropriate for a video call. Kate's lapis pendant is lovely.
Again William's and Kate's kindness and concern shine through. I think we all currently have a new respect for nurses and student nurses.
Warmest congratulations to Princess Eugenie and Jack on the birth of their son. The Queen's great grandchildren abound and flourish.
ElizaMo
Thursday 11th of February 2021
What a very good spot to see the white top gives a less dressy look to the jacket. Of course the lapis might have been struggling rather over a black top. Once again Kate goes for an odd mismatch, with the blue against the black jacket, chiming with her frequent pairing of silver and gold jewellery. She always looks lovely of course, and never more so than in animated exchanges with Irish nurses here!