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The Duchess in Royal Blue for First Day of Scotland Tour

The Earl and Countess of Strathearn (as the Duke and Duchess are styled in Scotland) started their joint tour of Scotland with a visit to Turning Point, the country’s “leading social care developed and provider.” Here you see them with Neil Richardson, the organization’s CEO.

Since Friday, Prince William has been in the country acting in his role as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and carrying out other engagements.  The Duchess joined him today for a week of engagements, starting with the Turning Point visit. More from Hello’s coverage

Established in 1999, TPS works to tailor its services to the individual’s needs, and seeks to create pathways for the people it supports to become active citizens in their community.

 

Hello reports, “The couple spoke with individuals supported by Turning Point Scotland’s Turnaround service. Turnaround delivers targeted programmes to address the complex and interrelated issues of offending behaviours and problematic use of alcohol and other drugs, which often result in patterns of re-offending.”

More from Victoria Murphy in her article for Town and Country: 

CEO of Turning Point Scotland, Neil Richardson, said that the couple were clearly “very well-tuned into” how the organization supports people with mental health challenges and some of the barriers that they face. “I think they recognized a lot of what they heard today,” he said. Turning Point Scotland is the country’s leading social care provider and helps people with challenges including homelessness, mental ill health, and substance abuse, as well as aiming to break down cycles of crime and addiction.

And from The Evening Standard: 

During their visit William and Kate also joined a video call with staff and service users from TPS’s Glasgow Overdose Response Team.

The couple were told how the service works to reduce drug-related deaths by providing real-time crisis support for those who have experienced a near-fatal overdose.

The Turning Point engagement was in North Lanarkshire, near Glasgow.  

The couple visited East Lothian as well to learn about the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, “a national centre of expertise in tackling violence, motivated by the belief that violence is preventable, not inevitable.” Below, the Duchess arriving. 

The royals meeting the organization’s founder, Jordan Butler.  A quick video.

Delighted to meet @KensingtonRoyal today on a visit to our inspiring partners @heavysoundCIC discussing how crucial it is post pandemic to keep young people engaged in education and on a positive path @linda_bendle pic.twitter.com/23ynQGSpRm

The Duke and Duchess watched activities and spoke with teens about programs offered at the center.

The East Lothian Courier has more

Manager Thilo Pfander persuaded Kate to try her hand at making some EDM, electronic dance music, and at first the duchess received some encouragement from her husband who said: “Yeah, drop a beat in the background.”

And a second video, this one from Kensington Palace.  (You’ll hear William say, “Please turn that off, it’s hurting my ears.”) 

Additionally, the royals spent time at the Palace of Holyrood house, where they are staying, making chapatis with Sikh Sanjog, Scotland’s only Sikh Family Support Charity. 

They helped package up curries in the Palace’s café kitchen.

More from the East Lothian Courier’s story

When Kate was asked if she made curry at home, she replied: “Yes, I love it.”

The duke acknowledged her Indian dishes were very good, but had one reservation.

“She likes a bit of spice,” he laughed.

“I’m not too good with spice.”

The items will go into meals that will be distributed to vulnerable families across the Edinburgh community.

The East Lothian Courier story also reports, “During lockdown Sikh Sanjog, established in 1989 to support women from the Sikh community integrate into wider Scottish society, provided curry meals twice a week to the disadvantaged and have carried on the service.” 

The couple met members of one of the organization’s youth groups who were preparing entries for a competition to design the cover of a new book being released by Sikh Sanjog.

And they watched a musical performance. 

Now for our look at what Kate wore.

She wore the Zara blazer first noted during an early May call with community Nurse Midwife Harriet Nayiga.

She paired the jacket with a skirt we’ve not seen before, the Contrast Hem Pleated Skirt in cobalt (£95, about $130 at today’s exchange rates) by Hope Fashion

The skirt is made of polyester and features an elastic waist, semi-sheer hem, and distinctive two-tone color scheme. It is also available in coral. Many thanks to Bojana for her ID of this piece.  

Hope Fashion was founded by Nayna McIntosh in 2015 and named after her mother. The brand describes its merchandise as “a collection of wearable and stylish clothes in quality fabrics and fluid designs created for real body shapes and proportions.’  Here you see Ms. McIntosh. 

More about the brand in this Growth Business story

Nayna McIntosh, CEO and founder of womenswear brand Hope Fashion realised there was a gap in the market when providing clothes for women aged 40 and over, who didn’t feel like high street fashion was giving them enough options. Most Hope products have the coveted ‘Made in Britain’ label, which is helping drive sales internationally. 

During her time away from the corporate world, Nayna found herself reflecting and going back to her roots and family values.  It was then that she decided to create a fashion label aimed at older women.  So, Hope Fashion was born…

The brand posted its reaction to seeing the Duchess wearing the label, saying, “We’re proud to be associated with Catherine as a small British brand working hard to keep going in these uncertain times. Catherine choosing to wear Hope means so much to us, both as a local West Berkshire business close to her family’s heartland, and for helping to champion British business!” 

Here are a couple of very quick repliKates; details on all three can be found here.

The Duchess brought back the suede heels I believe to be the Gianvito Rossi 85 pumps.

And we saw the return of a bag by Métier London that was first noted in December during the mini royal train tour.  It is the brand’s ‘Mini Roma’ style ($1170), and measures 4.3″ x 8.2″, and comes with a metal chain handle as well as an adjustable leather strap. 

Kate wore her hair down.

Her mask is the Amaia Kids blue Phobe style (£15), shown here as worn on a previous occasion.

She paired her Spells of Love Double Strand Beaded Chain Necklace (£85, about $120) with a new pair of earrings.  They appear to be by Edinburgh jeweler Hamilton and Inches, the Flora Drop Earrings (£1395), a terrific find by Innominate.  The earrings have marquise-cut citrines, cabochon-cut rutilated quartz, and round brilliant cut diamonds in an 18kt setting.

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Also today, a video was released with the Duchess marking the end of her three-year term as patron of Nursing Now, a global campaign to improve health around the world by raising the profile and status of nursing. 

From People’s story: 

“Although we can’t be together in person at this closing of the Nursing Now campaign, I wanted to say a huge congratulations to the incredible work that you’ve done over the last three years,” Kate began.

“It has been the hardest of years and my heartfelt thanks to you and your colleagues around the world for the incredible work you do every day,” she stressed. “

In the video, the Duchess wears an Alexander McQueen peplum dress first worn during the Poland/Germany tour in 2017.

And she has on her Mappin & Webb ‘Empress’ earrings with the Asprey Heritage ‘Daisy’ pendant, a piece we weren’t sure about until today.  

VIDEOS

ITN’s Royal Family Channel has about 1:30 of video from the Turning point visit. 

 

And roughly 2 minutes from the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit engagement.

LINKAGE

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Blanche

Monday 7th of June 2021

I love this outfit! I always found Royal blue very regal as a color...maybe cuz of the name?? She looked splendid! I wonder though if in fact she is in a bit of a rut considering that her MIL, God rest her soul, wore the same sort of outfit on one of her outings. I’m not sure I am a fan of her stylist making a run for Diana inspired outfits...she (or he) should really let Kate shine and make her a style icon of her own. (Please see photos on line of comparisons...is strikingly similar)

Larissa

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

What a lovely day of engagements! I enjoyed the news snippets from each one – love to see Kate and William getting on so well with all of the different groups of people they meet in one day. I was having a rough day today and the video of Kate making EDM brought a smile to my face when I saw it during my lunch break!

The Hope skirt fascinates me. It looks different in every photo, presumably achieved by the curved colour block. For once, the length doesn't bother me so much, maybe because it makes a nice long line with the shape of the blazer. The cobalt blue looks great against the orange apron, and it's nice to see Kate mix it up with accessories. The contrasting colour of her bag and a shoes are a welcome change from the usual nude or black.

Jessica

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

Well, the early 90s really are back, aren't they? That cobalt color, the wide shoulder pads, the double-breasted, hip-cloaking cut of the blazer. I mean, okay--have fun with it. I had enough the first time around.

LovesBlue

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

I love the colour. While the blazer and skirt may not look super together, I like both pieces. Especially so when they are from affordable lines that are part of the designer's regular line that is available to the public. I really admire her for wearing off the rack affordable pieces where she is subject to the same whims of the fashion industry as we are. The cycle for fashion seems to be around 30 or so years, so I expect we are in 80's mode for now. In Canada, I have seen the hemline 'flounce' that many have commented on attached to garments and in fabrics that clearly should not have it. Mass fashion gets ahold of these trends and takes them in some unusual directions. My personal non-fav was the 'cold shoulder' trend of a few years ago. I don't recall seeing photos of Kate in that one. I love the earrings and hope to find some similar in an affordable version.

Kiki in Vancouver

Friday 28th of May 2021

She wore a gorgeous cold shoulder evening gown in cobalt a few years ago. I think it was by Roland Mouret and it was stunning. I hope to see it again.

Corinne

Tuesday 25th of May 2021

The colour looks great on her, I love love the skirt. I don‘t understand the combination with a blazer, specially with this blazer. The blazer is too tight and has not the right lenght. Zara is a great shop for affordable pieces, but most of its stuff looks cheap, When paired with a blazer then please a longer once and not buttoned up. The combination with the caramel-coloured shoes and the bag is interesting.

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