Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Prince Philip Memorial Service

 

Tuesday March 29th saw the memorial service for the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. HRH passed away at Windsor Castle last April at the age of ninety nine. 

Due to the COVID-29 pandemic, Prince Philip's funeral was limited to thirty mourners and conformed to social distancing measures.  Her Majesty The Queen was seated alone in St. George's Chapel, determined to endure the heartbreaking COVID rules just like her subjects around the Commonwealth.

Philip's memorial service was held in Westminster Abbey with not only the royal family but the crowned heads of European countries- most of whom are cousins of both the Queen and Prince Philip -traced back to Queen Victoria. 

Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended with their parents and this was their first appearance at a major public event.








Saturday, March 26, 2022

Cambridges Update

 

It has been a very busy start to the year for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with increased numbers of royal duties including solo visits to the UAE for Prince William and Denmark for the Duchess. They are currently wrapping up a successful tour of Belize, Jamaica and Bahamas to represent The Queen for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. William and Catherine ( future Prince and Princess of Wales) also visited Wales for St David's Day earlier this month.

Back home the little Cambridges have spent the past months at school and nursery and the half term break spent at Anmer Hall enjoying the outdoors to run and play. William revealed in Wales that the children helped with their farm animals during the break.

George, Charlotte and Louis were taken by their parents for special visit to see their great grandmother Queen Elizabeth. Her Majesty had just recovered from COVID-19 in late February when she met up with the family at Frogmore House on the Windsor estate. They were also joined by Princess Beatrice and baby daughter Sienna. 

Then we saw reports of Princess Charlotte being taken to a restaurant in Fulham for a friend's birthday party. A cut/paste from an article in the Daily Mail is below. It sums up the occasion quite well. 

Just before heading off on their Caribbean tour William was spotted in Kensington Gardens taking Prince Louis for an outing with their family cocker spaniel. Louis could be seen riding his scooter along the paths having a great time with his Dad. 

Prince William commented in the Caribbean that the children are following their parents' travels by placing a pin on a world map each time the Duke and Duchess phone home and pass on their location.

Louis ( starting school in September) celebrates his 4th birthday on 23rd April and Charlotte turns 7 on May 2nd. There will also be many events to celebrate the Queens's Platinum Jubilee so we look forward to new photos of this lovely family

 


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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10585551/The-prince-pizza-Duke-Cambridge-joins-Princess-Charlotte-party-classmate.html

Prince William made a surprise appearance at an Italian restaurant last weekend after he accompanied Princess Charlotte to a pizza party for one of her classmates.

The Duke of Cambridge, 39, who also shares sons Prince George, eight, and Prince Louis, three, with the Duchess, 40, arrived at Il Pagliaccio in London alongside his six-year-old daughter last Sunday.

Dressed in a relaxed maroon jumper and jeans, the heir to the throne appeared like any other father delivering his daughter to the party, which was hosted by one of her classmates from nearby Thomas's Battersea School.

In footage shared by Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke can be walking through the restaurant with Charlotte while carrying a large gift wrapped in pink paper, before returning several hours later to pick her up.

Prince William, 39, made a surprise appearance at an Italian restaurant last weekend after he accompanied Princess Charlotte, six, to a pizza party for one of her classmates (pictured, in December 2020)

The Duke arrived at the event alongside his six-year-old daughter at Il Pagliaccio in London last Sunday (pictured) 

According to the Italian newspaper, Prince William and Charlotte arrived in one of the three SUVs that stopped in front of the venue in Fulham. 

Several bodyguards entered the restaurant first, followed by the Duke and Charlotte, with the six-year-old confidently walking through the restaurant ahead of her father.

Restaurant owner Teo Catino extended a warm handshake to William before requesting a selfie from the Duke - which he declined. 

It's not the only royal connection the restaurant has, having reportedly been one of Princess Diana's favourite pizzerias in London. 

According to Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke dropped Charlotte off at the event with a gift, before returning several hours later to pick her up

According to Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke dropped Charlotte off at the event with a gift, before returning several hours later to pick her up

Teo explained: 'When she returned from her gymnastics sessions in a gym not far from here, Lady Diana stopped by me, always together with her bodyguards, and ordered Margherita and pizza with salami. And then off home to to eat them with the two children.'

The rare public appearance from the Duke comes amid reports he and the Duchess are looking to move the family out of the capital.  

The couple are understood to be finalising arrangements to move Prince George to a new prep school in Berkshire this September, with co-educational Lambrook, near Ascot, thought to be the front runner.

But Princess Charlotte is more likely to remain at Thomas's Battersea for the time being where she is 'super happy and settled' and is expected to be joined by her brother, Prince Louis, who turns four this spring.

The rare public appearance from the Duke comes amid reports he and the Duchess are looking to move the family out of the capital

The couple are also still eyeing up properties in the Windsor area – having looked at several potential family homes on the Queen's Berkshire estate – with a view to living in the Royal Borough at weekends and holidays.

Handily, Windsor is only a short drive from Kate's family home in Bucklebury. Her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, are doting and very hands-on grandparents. 

However Kensington Palace, where they live in Apartment 1A, and have their offices and their charitable Royal Foundation, will remain their weekday base.

It means that in the near future Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home, may revert back to the Queen to pass on to another family member or rented out privately.

The changes have come as William and Kate are starting to map out where they see their family settling down.

It could, of course, be another 20 years before the couple accede to the throne and they are keen to afford their offspring as normal childhoods as possible before then

 

Sunday, February 27, 2022

Prince George Attends Wales Vs England Rugby

 Eight year old Prince George joined his parents to watch a Six Nations rugby match between Wales and England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Fittingly for a future Prince of Wales, Prince William is patron of Welsh Rugby Union. Catherine has just become the patron of England's Rugby Football Union so it was a head to head clash for the Cambridges!








 

 

Sunday, January 9, 2022

Duchess At 40 Portraits

 Kensington Palace has just released new portraits of the Duchess of Cambridge to commemorate her 40th birthday today. The portrait are to be permanently hung in the National Portrait Gallery of which Catherine is patron.

Taken by photographer Paolo Roversi in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in November, Catherine is wearing gowns by Alexander McQueen.





Saturday, January 8, 2022

Happy 40th Birthday Catherine

 9th January marks the Duchess of Cambridge's 40th birthday. Born at Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading to Carole and Michael Middleton.

Catherine met her future husband Prince William of Wales when they attended St Andrew's University in Scotland. Becoming housemates with two other students, romance blossomed and the rest they say is history!

The couple was married in April 2011 and have three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Cambridge. Home for the family is Apartment 1A Kensington Palace and Anmer Hall in Norfolk. 

Catherine has grown into her royal role and has championed mental health awareness, addiction, child's hospices and early childhood development.

Happy 40th birthday to HRH Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge!!









Monday, December 27, 2021

Cambridges Attend Church On Christmas Day

 The Queen has spent Christmas Day at Windsor Castle for the second year in a row due to COVID-19. 

Normally Her Majesty would host a lunch at Buckingham Palace for dozens of extended royal family members a week or so before Christmas, then travel by a scheduled train service to King's Lynn station, Norfolk, near her private residence Sandringham House.

Here at Sandringham Christmas is held for her close family and The Queen traditionally stays at until after February 6th- the anniversary of her father's death. King George VI died of lung cancer at Sandringham and for the Queen it marks her ascension to the throne. 

Out of caution, The Queen felt it better to stay at Windsor Castle over the Christmas period where she could be visited by members of her family in a more COVID safe manner.  The monarch -who is elderly- and her close staff could be exposed to a potential COVID infection by household staff of visiting royal family members. It is the first Christmas Her Majesty will spend without her beloved husband Philip who passed away at Windsor in April, just short of 100 years of age. 

The Cambridges remained at their Sandringham home, Anmer House for Christmas where they were joined by Catherine's parents and other members of the Middleton family. Carrying on a royal family tradition, the Duke and Duchess took their children to the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene church on the Queen's Sandringham Estate. 

This event traditionally attracts crowds who line the walking path between Sandringham House and the church where the royal family makes their way to and from church on foot. However, this year and last, crowds have been asked to stay away to reduce COVID spread. 

The Cambridge family traveled the short distance from their home Anmer Hall to St Mary Magdalene church for the Christmas Day service. George, Charlotte and Louis could be seen in the rear of the family car- the first time youngest Cambridge has been to Christmas church service.


HM's Norfolk Home Sandringham House


Saturday, December 25, 2021

A Christmas Treat- Catherine Playing Piano At Carol Service

 The Duchess of Cambridge organised a carol service, Together At Christmas which was held in Westminster Abbey recently. The concert was broadcast on ITV Christmas Eve.

In the congregation were those who had contributed to the community during the COVID pandemic and those whose stories the Duchess had come across during her charitable work. 

Members of the Middleton family, Prince William, Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo,  Princess Eugenie, Sophie Countess of Wessex and Mike and Zara Tindall were in attendance.

Catherine helped with decorating trees from the Queens' Windsor Great Park. The Carol service is a way to bring cheer to those bereaved, lonely or isolated over the past 20 months and holding an uplifting event in these bleak times.

Let's hope Together At Christmas becomes an annual event! Merry Christmas to this blog's valued readers and loved ones.

Click below to watch in YouTube:

https://youtu.be/yw95R0Vl4_c   or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyvN6Nr3Avg




Saturday, December 11, 2021

Cambridge Christmas Card 2021

 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released their 2021 Christmas card photo via the @KensingtonRoyal Twitter site.

The snap, taken by photographer Matt Porteous features the family in Jordan on their half term holiday in October. The Duchess spent time living in Jordan during her childhood so it must have been lovely to introduce her own children to the country. 


Michael, Catherine & Pippa Middleton


Sunday, October 24, 2021

Half Term Holiday Abroad For Cambridge Kids

 

 Just as other youngsters around the UK start their half term break, Princes George and Louis and
Princess Charlotte were seen at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 preparing for a trip with their parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The family along with nanny Maria were pictured unloading their black Audi and heading into the Windsor Suite where VIPs and Royalty are hosted at Heathrow. 

Judging by the summery dresses on the ladies and George's shorts it is almost certain their destination will be somewhere sunny. 

Hopefully they will have a peaceful and relaxing break wherever they are headed. 



 

Monday, September 20, 2021

Cambridge Family Attends Middleton Wedding In France

 

The Duchess of Cambridge's brother James Middleton married Alizee Thevenet in her native France on 11th September.

James and Alizee had attempted to marry on two occasions previously but COVID lockdowns and restrictions had thwarted their plans. Third time lucky, the couple was joined by close family in Bormes-les-Mimosas on the Cote d'Azur where Alizee's late father owned a home. 

Catherine, William, George, Charlotte and Louis joined the low key family event. Michael & Carole Middleton along with James and Catherine's sister Pippa, her husband James Matthews and children Arthur & Grace were all present. 

The ceremony was conducted in the town hall and a reception later held near the beach at Cafe Leoube. Alizee borrowed Carole Middleton's own wedding dress for the day. The bride, a financial analyst, met James in 2018 and the couple bought an English country home last year.