New Cambridge Family Portrait

29th March, 2014

Kensington Palace has released a new portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with son Prince George. 

The photo has been issued ahead of the family's tour of Australia and New Zealand in early April. 

Eight month old George is shown smiling at the family dog, Lupo. The little prince is wearing a light blue jumper with his name printed on it. 

William, Catherine and George are due to arrive in New Zealand on Monday 7th April ahead of the tour start on 9th April. 

Prince William was almost the same age as his son when he visited these countries with his own parents the Prince and Princess of Wales in March and April 1983.

George and Lupo star in this new portrait

William and mother Diana before their 1983 Downunder

New Nanny Named

20th March, 2014

Prince George's new fulltime nanny has been identified. 

Her name is Maria Teresa Turrion Barallo and she is in her mid thirties. Maria trained at the prestigious Norland College in Bath. 

Maria's training at Norland included taekwondo, evasive pram techniques and the students are taken to Castle Combe raceway to perfect driving skills and driving in difficult conditions at high speed. 

Maria is from Spain and has reportedly worked for wealthy families for around two decades. It is through their connections that William and Catherine heard of Maria and her dedication to the job. 

Kensington Palace said in a statement:
"As an employee of the Royal Household we would ask, please, that Maria's privacy, and that of her family and friends, be respected," added a spokesman for the palace.


"We will not be giving further details on Maria or her employment, except to say that the Duke and Duchess are of course delighted she has chosen to join them."

Fulltime Nanny Spotted With George

9th March, 2014

Seven months old Prince George has been spotted in Hyde Park in the care of a new nanny. 

George's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have flown to the Maldives for a holiday after William completed his 10 week bespoke agriculture course at Cambridge University.

It is believed the new nanny is a full time replacement for Jessie Webb who has been helping on an ad-hoc basis. Catherine's mother Carole Middleton and Ms Webb have been guiding the unnamed nanny through the routines of the young prince. 

The nanny will be on hand for the Cambridge's tour of Australia and New Zealand due to commence on the 7th of April. A rest day on the 8th is planned ahead of the tour proper starting on the 9th April. 

William, Catherine and George to visit Downunder

2nd March, 2014

A media release was issued by Kensington Palace today in connection to the Cambridge family's upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. 

There was much speculation about whether baby George would travel with his parents on this tour. Kensington Palace confirmed that he will join his parents and would be just eight months old.

The media release follows:

"As previously announced, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit New Zealand and Australia in April 2014.
Their Royal Highnesses, accompanied by Prince George, arrive in New Zealand on Monday 7th April, before travelling to Australia on Wednesday 16th April. The Royal Tour concludes on Friday 25th April.
The Duke and Duchess have been invited to visit by the New Zealand and Australian governments. While The Duke of Cambridge has visited both countries several times, The Duchess has yet to travel to either. The Tour will provide the opportunity for The Duke and Duchess to visit a number of towns and cities across both countries. Specific events will celebrate Australia's and New Zealand's success in the fields of technology, tourism, sports and the creative arts.
In what is the one-hundredth anniversary of the start of the First World War, The tour will also include several opportunities to recognise the sacrifice of members of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces. Among these, Their Royal Highnesses will attend a ceremony in Blenheim, New Zealand, and the ANZAC Commemorative Service in Canberra, Australia.
Prince William visited Christchurch shortly after the earthquake of February 2011. On this visit, Their Royal Highnesses will witness the city's reconstruction programme and view its plans for the future. They will also visit an area of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales badly hit by bushfires in October 2013."

Prince William first visited Australia and New Zealand with his parents the Prince and Princess of Wales in March and April 1983. The tour was six weeks long.

William was just nine months old at the time and this was a break in tradition. Previously, royal parents would travel and leave their children at home. Diana was having none of this and persuaded the Queen to allow William to travel with her and Prince Charles.

Given her age, it is unlikely part time nanny Jessie Webb will accompany George on the tour. A search for a more permanent replacement for Ms Webb is likely to be underway.

Wales Family before their 1983 tour of Australia and New Zealand

 

William and Diana in Melbourne, 1983.

George's First Holiday Abroad

2nd February, 2014

The Duchess of Cambridge and baby son Prince George have flown to the Caribbean island of Mustique for a holiday with Catherine's family.

Prince William is currently undertaking a bespoke ten week agriculture and farm management course at Cambridge University to prepare him for when the time comes to succeed Prince Charles as the Duke of Cornwall.

William started the course on 7th January and will have 20 hours of classes each week. Subjects include site management, conservation, farming and supply chains and planning policy.

From the Prince of Wales website:

"The Duchy consists of 53,408 hectares of land in 23 counties, mostly in the South West of England. The Duchy estate was created in 1337 by Edward III for his son and heir, Prince Edward, and its primary function was to provide him and future Princes of Wales with an income from its assets."

"The Duchy now has 3500 individual lettings, including arable and livestock farms, commercial units and residential properties.  It runs its own nursery in Lostwithiel which sells more than 4000 varieties of plants and the Duchy also rents out holiday cottages in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly."

As the Duke will be commuting by train to Cambridge each day, it was the perfect time for Catherine and George to join the Middleton clan on their annual sunny break. The royal duo were joined by Catherine's brother James on the scheduled British Airways flight from London and by all accounts George was very well behaved.

Christening Of Prince George

Wednesday 23rd October, 2013

Prince George Alexander Louis, the first born child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was today christened at the Chapel Royal, St James' Palace London.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby conducted the service which used the Lily Font and water from the River Jordan. Prince William was also christened using the Lily Font but his service was conducted in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace.

Only close family, friends and godparents were invited to the Chapel Royal as William and Catherine wanted an intimate service. Those in attendance included The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, Catherine's parents Carole and Michael and her siblings Pippa and James.

Prince George’s godparents were announced by Clarence House:

• Mr Oliver Baker. Oliver attended the University of St Andrews with The Duke and Duchess, as did his wife Mel. Oliver shared a house with William and Catherine during their time at university.
• Mrs Emilia Jardine-Paterson. Emilia attended Marlborough College with The Duchess whilst her husband David went to Eton at the same time as William.
• Earl Grosvenor (Hugh). Hugh, 22, is the son and heir of The Duke of Westminster. Hugh's mother, the Duchess of Westminster is a godparent to Prince William and Prince Charles is Hugh's godparent.
• Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton. Jamie served as Private Secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry from 2005-2012 and continues to serve part-time as Principal Private Secretary and Equerry. Jamie was also an equerry to the late Queen Mother. His son Billy was a page at William and Catherine's wedding.
• The Hon Mrs Julia Samuel. Julia was a close friend of William's mother The Princess of Wales. She is a bereavement counsellor in the NHS paediatrics department of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington where Princes William and George were born. She has a private practice and is founder of the charity Child Bereavement UK, of which William is patron.
• William's cousin Zara Tindall. William and Zara have always been close and she is expecting her and husband Mike' first child in January.
• William van Cutsem .The van Cutsem family are old family friends of Charles and his sons. William van Cutsem's older brother Hugh's daughter Grace was a bridesmaid at the Cambridges' wedding.

Prince George wore the hand made replica of the Royal Christening Robe, made by Angela Kelly, Dressmaker to The Queen. The 172 year old original robe which royal babies have traditionally worn had become fragile. The last baby to be christened in the original robe was Prince Edward's daughter Lady Louise Windsor in 2004. The new gown has only been used by three babies before George- Lady Louise's brother James, Viscount Severn and Peter Phillips daughters Isla and Savannah.
Also in attendance today was Jessie Webb who has been helping Catherine and William as a nanny for George on a short term basis. Jessie was a nanny to William and Harry and agreed to come out of retirement to help William with his first born.
Afternoon tea was held at Clarence House for the guests and they were served cake that had been a layer of William and Catherine's wedding cake.

Official photos were taken by Jason Bell and included an historic shot of four generations of the monarch and her three heirs- The Queen, Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince George.

A Nanny for George

13th September, 2013

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have realised that they will need help with their seven week old son, Prince George and have asked William's nanny Jessie Webb to lend a hand.
As the Duchess is slowly returning to occasional royal duties, the couple discovered that they cannot "do it all" and contacted Jessie who at 71,was happily retired. She will help on an "as needs" basis and has been in Wales with the couple until recently.
Jessie was nanny to WIlliam and Harry in the 1990s until Harry went to boarding school.
William had a loving relationship with Miss Webb and she has been invited to events such as his 21st birthday party at Windsor castle and wedding to Catherine in 2011.
Jessie was in Charles and Diana lives when their relationship had broken down and they were together only in name. Miss Webb did her best to shield the boys but the household was tense at times. When both princes were at boarding school it was decided that Jessie's help was no longer needed.
The late Princess Margaret lived in apartment 1A at Kensington Palace and as such was a neighbour to the Wales family. Margaret's son David, Viscount Linley and his wife Serena employed Jessie to look after their children for a number of years.
Apartment 1A has now been renovated and Catherine, William and George now call it home.

When William and Catherine needed help with George they knew they could trust Jessie and she was flattered to be asked.

First Official Photos

20th August, 2013

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released the first official photos of son Prince George. The two photographs were taken in early August by Catherine's father Michael Middleton and show the couple smiling and relaxed.

George is sleeping in both photos which must be a relief for the couple as Prince William has admitted his son "doesn't sleep that much".

The portraits are set in the garden of the Duchess' parents. One photo features the couple's dog Lupo and the Middleton's retriever Tilly can also be seen behind Catherine.

William, Catherine and George have been staying with her parents since George was just two days old. It is thought Catherine's mother Carole would be able support to the new mum and the property in Bucklebury, Berkshire offers a degree of privacy that the couple craves.

George Alexander Louis

Wednesday 24th July, 2013

Kensington Palace has announced the names of William and Catherine's newborn son.

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son George Alexander Louis.

The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge."

The Queen would have been advised of George's names when she visited her new great grandson at Kensington Palace earlier today.

George is an old royal family name and should he become monarch one day, the baby prince would be known as King George VII. The Queen's father was King George VI (although his name was Albert).

Alexander is a favourite name of Catherine's.

Louis is one of Prince William's names - William Arthur Philip Louis. Louis is in honour of Lord Louis Mountbatten who is an uncle of Prince Philip. He was a central figure in Prince Charles' life until Mountbatten was assassinated in August 1979.

 

Off To Grandma's

Wednesday 24th July, 2013

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have left Kensington Palace and will spend time at the Bucklebury, Berkshire home of Catherine's parents.

After meeting Uncle Harry and The Queen, Baby Cambridge was on the move again, strapped into his baby capsule with his Mum in the backseat beside him.

The couple waved to well wishers outside the palace. Catherine's mother Carole will be able to offer her daughter support in these first few weeks with a new baby, especially when William returns to work as a search and rescue pilot in Angelsey, Wales. He is currently on two weeks paternity leave.

Catherine and William do not have a nanny for the baby and plan to do as much hands on parenting as possible.

It is hoped that the names of the baby prince will be announced in the coming days. The Queen was almost certainly told of the choice when she visited earlier. 

Royal Visitors

Wednesday 24th July, 2013
 

Baby Cambridge has already been visited by his close relatives who were keen for a cuddle.

Catherine's sister Pippa Middleton was waiting for the Duke and Duchess at their Kensington Palace home, Nottingham Cottage when they left hospital on Tuesday evening.

And on Wednesday, Prince Harry travelled to London from his Air Corps base in Suffolk to meet his nephew. The Queen spent around half an hour with the baby who will one day reign as she does now.

Heir He Is

Tuesday 23rd July, 2013

After visiting his new grandson for the first time, Prince Charles told reporters "You'll see in a minute" in response to questions about the baby. Soon after, Kensington Palace confirmed the couple would leave, with a spokesman saying:


"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their baby are expected to leave hospital later this evening."

Catherine and William left hospital just over twenty four hours after the birth of their baby boy. The couple appeared at the front doors of the Lindo Wing at around 7.15pm, Catherine cradling the baby in her arms. Despite having given birth the day before, she glowed with happiness.


William and Catherine posed on the steps of the hospital for the waiting media and jubilant crowds eager to see a glimpse of the new prince. Then Catherine gently handed her son to William and they walked over to talk to the press pack and to give photographers a better view.


The Duchess wore a bespoke pale blue dress with polka dots (designed by Jenny Packham), reminiscent of Diana's green polka dot dress when she took William home 31 years earlier. It is thought a pink version was made also incase the new arrival was a girl. Catherine's baby bump was visible and she did not shy from what is a mother's normal post natal shape.

Quotes from the new parents:
William: "We've still got to decide on a name." "We'll let you know as soon as we can." "He's got a good pair of lungs on him that's for sure." "He has got Kate's looks thankfully.

Catherine: "It's very emotional, it's such a special time. I think any parent will know what this feeling feels like."

Pointing to her husband, the Duchess remarked: "He changed the first nappy."

Commenting on the long wait for the baby to arrive William said:
"I'll remind him of his tardiness when he's a bit older." "I don't know how long you guys have been here now, hopefully the hospital can get back to normal."

A Kensington Palace statement confirmed:


"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their son will travel home to Kensington Palace. Their Royal Highnesses would like to reiterate their thanks to the hospital for the care and treatment they have all received."