Royal watchers - Kate in a tiara (now with pics)

[mbcdefg]

The President of China and his wife have arrived in the U.K. for an official state visit. The state banquet will be held tomorrow night, and royal ladies who attend will be wearing evening gowns, fine jewelry, orders (sashes and badges), and tiaras. 

Buckingham Palace never confirms in advance which royals will be in attendance ... but William and Kate are expected to attend the banquet as William was the one to officially issue the invitation on behalf of the Queen, and the couple will be involved in other aspects of the state visit. Here's the official itinerary so far: us.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2015101927774/china-uk-flags-buckingham-palace-state-visit/ 

If Kate attends, this will be her first state visit and her third tiara appearance. So people are trying to guess which tiara she may wear ... one she's worn before (the 1936 Cartier Halo tiara she wore on her wedding day, or the 1920s Papyrus/Lotus Flower tiara she wore to the 2013 annual diplomatic reception), a new-to-her family heirloom borrowed from the Queen, or a brand new/antique tiara purchased especially for her. It may be hard to tell which one she wears because they don't release a lot of photos from these banquets. 

They're also guessing if she will be wearing the Queen's Royal Family Order, which is a personal gift from the monarch and a show of her acceptance and approval. It's a yellow ribbon with a diamond-encrusted portrait of the Queen on it. There's no official announcement when a royal lady receives this - you have to wait until she attends a formal event and see if she's wearing it. Kate is the only senior royal woman who is not a confirmed recipient, as of today.



   (Cartier Halo on the left, Papyrus/Lotus on the right)

(If you follow the other senior royal ladies and their jewels, other royal guests besides the Queen and Kate who might be in attendance include Princess Anne, the Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Michael of Kent. Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla already confirmed that they will not be attending the banquet, and Sophie Wessex has a prior engagement.)

In other royal news over in Sweden, Princess Madeleine's son Prince Nicolas was christened on Oct. 11. He got a little tiny baby sash for the Order of the Seraphim, the highest order of chivalry in Sweden.

They also released new portraits of Prince Carl Philip and his wife Princess Sofia, whom he married in June, and announced that they are expecting their first baby in April. His sister, Crown Princess Victoria, is expecting baby number two in March. That will make five grandchildren for the King and Queen. 

 


And I got a copy of The Royal We for my birthday a few weeks ago and I'm eager to start it! 

[hbomdiggity]

Oct 19, 2015 15:47:13 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

It may be hard to tell which one she wears because they don't release a lot of photos from these banquets. 

??
What's the point of getting all fancy if no one gets to see it.

Eta: my emoji was supposed to be the crying one.

[msmerymac]

I thought The Royal We was okay. Cute and entertaining, but implausible in many ways!

[mbcdefg]

Oct 19, 2015 15:54:32 GMT -5 hbomdiggity said:

Oct 19, 2015 15:47:13 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

It may be hard to tell which one she wears because they don't release a lot of photos from these banquets. 

??
What's the point of getting all fancy if no one gets to see it.

Eta: my emoji was supposed to be the crying one.

I was SO MAD that the only photo of Kate in the Papyrus tiara was the crappy photo of her in the car. They released formal photos from their kids' christenings, which were personal events ... you can't release one or two from a diplomatic reception in formal dress??? 




When they release state banquet photos it's typically shots like this, so you have to squint and really know your tiaras to figure out who's wearing what:

2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_EcPFIJZf0/VEf6YoxiVBI/AAAAAAAAD7w/-hsGYhPi9is/s1600/State%2B1.jpg 

www.corbisimages.com/images/0000383644-003.jpg?size=67&uid=%7B6c88a41f-b6b9-44fa-a7e7-8523e99d4588%7D 

[mbcdefg]

Oct 19, 2015 15:59:26 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

I thought The Royal We was okay. Cute and entertaining, but implausible in many ways!

I just saw on Twitter that it's been picked up for a movie deal: www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/royal-we-lauren-graham-mae-832286 

[jerseyjaybird]

My prediction is the lotus flower tiara, given the importance of the lotus flower in Chinese culture.

I LOVE Madeleine's christening outfit, and I'm totally fascinated by King CG's dispersal of duchies. Nicholas's, like his mother's, is one that hasn't been granted previously, while some of the older and more established duchies are "open." I wish I could ask him about it.

I read The Royal We while I was home sick a few weeks ago. PERFECT sick-day reading. Lots of fun, and totally implausible.

[raangoli]

Am I the only one laughing that the Royal Family Order has a diamond encrusted portrait of the Queen on it?

[moolarkey]

Royal Family Order - with picture
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Family_Order_of_Queen_Elizabeth_II

[mbcdefg]

Oct 19, 2015 16:25:25 GMT -5 jerseyjaybird said:

I'm totally fascinated by King CG's dispersal of duchies. Nicholas's, like his mother's, is one that hasn't been granted previously, while some of the older and more established duchies are "open." I wish I could ask him about it.

It's also interesting how quickly he gives out honor compared to Queen Elizabeth ... the kids get a dukedom and an order as infants, and Sofia got his royal family order right after the wedding.

[mbcdefg]

Oct 19, 2015 17:32:32 GMT -5 raangoli said:

Am I the only one laughing that the Royal Family Order has a diamond encrusted portrait of the Queen on it?

Other countries have it too!

[lilibet]

I think she'll have the order. I also think the lotus is a good bet for the tiara. I know they don't do official photos but I'm hopeful for a good photo.

I really like The Royal We but am a bit unsure about a movie.

[mbcdefg]

I don't know what time the banquet starts or when the guests will be arriving, but it's already 6:30 p.m. in London so it shouldn't be too much longer. 

The Queen has already inspected the banquet table, as she does before all state dinners:



Prince William met with the President earlier today:



And protesters have gathered outside Buckingham Palace:

 

[drloretta]

LOL, looks like everyone is ready!

[mbcdefg]

BBC World (UK station only, it appears - unless there's a way to watch online?) will start live coverage at 8:30 local time. So, another 90 minutes. 

ETA: It looks like USA viewers *might* be able to watch the live video here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcnews 

And you may have to download the free Hola extension for Google Chrome: hola.org/

I can't test it myself because I don't have admin rights on my work computer 

[moolarkey]

Oct 19, 2015 18:33:19 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Oct 19, 2015 16:25:25 GMT -5 jerseyjaybird said:

I'm totally fascinated by King CG's dispersal of duchies. Nicholas's, like his mother's, is one that hasn't been granted previously, while some of the older and more established duchies are "open." I wish I could ask him about it.

It's also interesting how quickly he gives out honor compared to Queen Elizabeth ... the kids get a dukedom and an order as infants, and Sofia got his royal family order right after the wedding.

I read that as she got it the night after the wedding......... ..... and immediately thought she must have done all right that night....   It's been a long day

[mbcdefg]

Oct 20, 2015 13:05:47 GMT -5 moolarkey said:

Oct 19, 2015 18:33:19 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

It's also interesting how quickly he gives out honor compared to Queen Elizabeth ... the kids get a dukedom and an order as infants, and Sofia got his royal family order right after the wedding.

I read that as she got it the night after the wedding......... ..... and immediately thought she must have done all right that night....   It's been a long day

Someone found a short video of Carl Gustav awkwardly busting a move at the wedding. OMG. Nerdy dad dancing! 


www.gramfeed.com/p/346hlwqqKi/ 

[mbcdefg]

The Telegraph should have live coverage beginning in about an hour: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11942062/Watch-live-China-President-Xi-Jinpings-state-visit-to-UK.html

I'm excited!* which means, of course, that there's going to be some bullshit where Kate doesn't attend, or where she doesn't wear a tiara, or where there won't be any photos or video for us to see. 

[mbcdefg]

It's the Papyrus/Lotus Flower tiara! And a red gown (Twitter source is saying it's from Jenny Packham).





(edited to include a clearer photo)

[raangoli]

I love it! The tiara, the red. Nicely done, Kate!

(Like she would have messed this up somehow.)

[mbcdefg]

Now we need to wait and see if she's got the Royal Family Order pinned to her left shoulder. 




I haven't seen an ID on her earrings yet (they may be hers, or borrowed from the Queen). Or if she's wearing a bracelet. 

[Poppy]

The earrings look the same as what she wore the first time with the tiara.

[mbcdefg]

The Telegraph video feed is now live: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11942062/Watch-live-China-President-Xi-Jinpings-state-visit-to-UK.html 

For some reason my intro ad for their video is a commercial for PF Chang's 

lol, here's their menu for the dinner, as released by the Palace:

[drloretta]

Of course I had to go check out this tiara. Looks like she wore it in 2013 as well? It looks lovely on her.

[mbcdefg]

Oct 20, 2015 14:35:03 GMT -5 drloretta said:

Of course I had to go check out this tiara. Looks like she wore it in 2013 as well? It looks lovely on her.

Yes! She wore it to the diplomatic reception. Only pic was her arriving in the car. 

It originally belonged to the Queen Mother. Then it was worn by Princess Margaret and then by her DIL as a wedding tiara. 



Man, Margaret was a stunner:

  

This tiara is a great choice for a young princess like Kate. 

[mbcdefg]

Check the video feed, the royal party is entering the room now. 

No Royal Family Order for Kate

[drloretta]

Oct 20, 2015 14:38:50 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Oct 20, 2015 14:35:03 GMT -5 drloretta said:

Of course I had to go check out this tiara. Looks like she wore it in 2013 as well? It looks lovely on her.

Yes! She wore it to the diplomatic reception. Only pic was her arriving in the car. 

It originally belonged to the Queen Mother. Then it was worn by Princess Margaret and then by her DIL as a wedding tiara. 



Man, Margaret was a stunner:

  

This tiara is a great choice for a young princess like Kate. 

Yes! I was reading the history and was all, "How did Kate get it if it went to Margaret's kids?" Then I saw it had shown up on Kate in 2013, and was considered perfect for a young royal.

I keep getting a 404 error on the live feed. Bummer.

[mbcdefg]

The Queen is wearing this sapphire tiara and necklace from her father, which she hasn't worn in many years (old pic):




Blurry pic of Kate's gown. She is seated next to the President of China. 


 

[genet313]

Oct 20, 2015 14:40:08 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Check the video feed, the royal party is entering the room now. 

No Royal Family Order for Kate

How will she get this? 

[mbcdefg]

Oct 20, 2015 14:41:27 GMT -5 drloretta said:

Oct 20, 2015 14:38:50 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Yes! She wore it to the diplomatic reception. Only pic was her arriving in the car. 

It originally belonged to the Queen Mother. Then it was worn by Princess Margaret and then by her DIL as a wedding tiara. 



Man, Margaret was a stunner:



This tiara is a great choice for a young princess like Kate. 

Yes! I was reading the history and was all, "How did Kate get it if it went to Margaret's kids?" Then I saw it had shown up on Kate in 2013, and was considered perfect for a young royal.

I keep getting a 404 error on the live feed. Bummer.

I had always read that it was the Queen Mother's property, then she bequeathed it to Margaret. So I wonder if Margaret's children returned it to the Queen (since they sold off many of Margaret's jewels, including her personal wedding tiara), or if the Queen had ownership of it the whole time and it was always a loan to Margaret and her DIL? 

[genet313]

I love her and cannot believe she's had 2 kids and looks that amazing.   I am so jealous, but she seems so awesome it's not even bad jealousy, it's like "you're awesome Kate"!