Royal Style and Gossip: The Sussexes Down Under; Meghan is glowing

[CurlyWurlyTwirly]

Harry & Meghan have arrived in Sydney.
The purple folders coordinating with her coat will not slow down speculation...

The Belgian royals are doing a state visit too, to Portugal. Another mother of the bride outfit from Mathilde, who is 45 but dresses so much older.

I like the stripey dress, but it's a bit more of a day off dress, perhaps? It's a little bit flimsy, maybe? It must be a tough balancing act though, to find something appropriate for the occasion, the weather, and being pregnant so changing shape all the time. Rather her than me.

I believe grey-suited civil servants rend their sober ties in a distraught but restrained fashion

Anyone else think she's further along than 12 weeks? Her bump has sort of exploded over the past week!

(The male civil servants, that is. Female civil servants clutch their pearls in the time honoured manner. Source - I was a civil servant and owned a grey suit. And pearls! )

I was a civil servant and owned a grey suit. And pearls!

I can go one better spudlet, I own some grey pearls. I am all set to join the civil service.

Matildhe looks a bit mother of the bride there. Not keen on the colour and the silk clings to her in a funny way.

I love Meghan's burgundy spot dress. That colour really suits her.

FlamingJuno,

I'd say she ditched the Spanx once the announcement was made and went "aaah, that's better".

Ha Spudlet love the tie clutching!

I think Mathilde and Rania have the same plastic surgeon.

Hope this time tomorrow we get to see some Dutch sapphires!!!

Flaming I think she is more than four months never mind three!

I didn't think Mathilde looked like she'd had work done but maybe they all have. Letizia has had a nose job but I'm not sure what, if anything, else and I suspect Kate botoxes very subtly. Queen Silvia of Sweden looks very "done" too.

Pupsiecola
I agree with you re Meghan looking like Julia Roberts- it's the wide mouthed smile - both absolutely gorgeous.

Mathilda wears clothes that are very matronly on her. She needs to up her fashion game.

I adore Meghan but did clutch my pearls slightly at the height of the slit in the dress It looked a little too flimsy I think.

Interested to see what she wears in Fiji, assuming she doesn't cancel her engagement. I have her hair type and usually have to abandon the straighteners on tropical holidays due to humidity. Would be great to see her hair natural, though I completely get why she'd be terrified to go out like that

@beanaseireann Mathilde is about a year younger than Queen Letizia and CP Mary but her style of dress is so matronly. She's quite a contrast to her predecessor, Queen Paola, who rivalled Grace Kelly when it came to style, back in the day!

Really Andals? It looks like the top part of her face is always puffy and immobile!

It's interesting to note that Mathilde is the first Belgian-born Queen of Belgium and I think Letizia is the first Spanish-born Queen of Spain for many years.

The modern kingdoms of the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark are yet to have a native-born consort and, in the case of Denmark, none of the monarchs or current heirs have had/have any actual Danish blood at all!

RosinaAlmaviva

Frankly you may be overqualified

Right, this next link is just what you all need on a chilly Monday evening. It's a Queen Maxima style retrospective, featuring 110 of her best outfits! And it's just jammed with giant skirts and whacky hats, although her wedding dress was uncharacteristically understated.

Enjoy!

Thanks,Queen.

Wax has to be careful where he puts himself when walking beside Max so he doesn't get hat-whacked.

I have serious hat envy. I attended a wedding in the summer where hat parking was provided in the marquee - Max's max hats would definitely have needed two spaces!

"Then a bird flew into her head".....love it! Fab slide show of Max, thanks for the link. I can see her dressers asking her on occasion if the hat isn't a bit too much and her flinging hers arms open and declaring "but I'm the queen, I tell you...queen" She's fab.

Thanks for the link - I'm a Maxima convert! She looks great fun

Andals you may be right! Just saw a pic of pregnant Mathilde on your Max link and she looks exactly the same fixed, plastic self. Maybe she hasn't had work done!!

I wonder if Megan/Kate’s stylists/PR team advise shops if they are about to wear something of theirs. I’ve heard before of George’s clothing websites crashing due to the sudden ‘fame’. I’m asking because that polka dress was in stock since the summer, they literally had it for months! I can’t see any sign of it today. High street (on a whole) is manmade fibre and I also wonder if they hate feeling cheap material against their skin when they are used to rich or natural ones which I’m guessing expensive brands are mostly better quality?

I love most of MM's outfit s- but I do wish she'd have them taken up. All her dresses seem too long...