Royal style & gossip: Sandringham shots are coming, who will Prince Philip deck in the halls?

[QueenOfTheAndals]

Made sure my autocorrect didn't spoil that title...

As always, let's keep it light and avoid any spite!

Previous thread

Thanks for the new thread Queen! I am loving these threads. They're just perfect for my first cup of tea of the day. So to reveal a little of myself I'm early 40s. UK based in the SE. Mixed race (like MM!), 2 DC both boys which means I'll miss much of the dressing up sparkle stuff I love so much. I went to Buckingham palace the night before Di and Charles got married to watch fireworks then watched the whole thing on TV. I remember I was too cool for school when Fergie got married so missed most of it hanging out with mates then sneaking back to watch the replays later.

Wasn't there a story about Charlene going AWOL just before her wedding? She really obviously does not want to be married, I think.

(Also, hello!)

I had a similar L'Oréal hairstyle for a Debs in 1998!

Delurking! I'm mid 40s, live 'up north' and I'm a republican in real life but secretly fascinated by the Royals and love their jewels in particular. I adore these threads, and I've learnt a great deal about the various monarchies.
Keep up the good work!

I'm (very) early 40s (middle-aged @CurlyWurlyTwirly? Perish the thought!), Asian-Australian living in the U.K. since the early noughties. One of my earliest memories is watching C&D's wedding. I was an expat kid so we were living in a hotel at the time. Our room only had a b&w tv so we had to go to someone else's to watch it on colour!

I've always had a huge interest in British history and I know an awful lot about medieval kings and queens! With the current lot I love talking about the fashions and having a bit of gossip, but I'm a republican at heart. Look at the amount of houses they have (which get done up at our expense), the security costs, all the minutae about who curtsies to whom etc. It doesn't even sound particularly pleasant to be one of them - every step you take is scrutinised by the media and where's their freedom? The continental royals seem less formal, or at least that's the impression I've got. The Danish royal children attend a local state school - not the Copenhagen version of Eton!

In fact, I find most of the aristocracy ridiculous in a way. At least the royal family give something back, but what use are the likes of the Manners sisters to the world??

Oh maybe we could also say which royals we've encountered? I've not met any (though I've seen a few in the flesh) but when we were living overseas my parents met the PoW at a reception for a lot of expats and he asked if they all worked for the UN. The idea that people of different cultures and backgrounds might be able to work for organisations other than the UN didn't occur to him!

My other royal claim to fame is that a very distant cousin's wedding was in the DM and Telegraph as all the Middletons attended and Michael walked her up the aisle!

Funny to hear how there are a few RL republicans, but you have a secret love of all things Royal.
I guess we all need sparkle and glamour in our lives, and then the usual things in society which cheer us up, like a new baby or a wedding.
It’s only since the Queen’s grandchildren have grown up that we’ve had such youthfulness in the RF. Not since the 80s and the Diana & Fergie years.

I'm living in Manchester with 2 boys. 43 and remember the hooha about Charles and Di getting married but not sure I watched it.
I love the style and beauty section and that's how I got onto the first thread - more a lurker though.
At heart I thought I was a royalist but actually these threads are turning me the other way. I love the frocks and the people but I am aghast at some of the excess and would prefer them dramatically slimmed down and not taking so much from the taxpayer.
I hate the abuse that Megan is getting and wany to see her and hope she does shake up this institution.
Best bit is the overseas royals - never knew anything about them before but really like seeing and finding out a bit more. Oh and the being - love a good tiara!!!

Thanks for the new thread Queen I'm early mid 40s, live on the South Coast and a history buff. My love of history was sparked when my Dad gave me a book about the Russian Revolution and the story of the Romanovs (and esp Anastasia) got me interested in royalty. This was quickly followed by a book about Princess Grace, I've read every book about her that I've found. I even did the oral part of my French a level about Monaco, it's relations with France and mostly it's royal family. I watched C&Ds wedding with my mum and my Sindy doll had a wedding dress complete with very long train! I always bought Hello magazine for the royal bits, even at uni so I'm glad it's all on line now, and I'm the one who mentioned the royal romance collection on an earlier thread (you can get copies on eBay). This thread is one of my guilty pleasures!

Charlène talks about the runaway bride stories DM link. Apparently she turns to Max for advice.

@frugalkitty I was obsessed with the Anastasia story too and was so disappointed when they found the last of the bodies.

Have you read Four Sisters by Helen Rappaport?

Well who wouldn't turn to Max for advice? That blind about her and Masako was fascinating but of course CDAN isn't to be trusted.

Morning all!

I'm mid 30s, mum to two DC. London based.

A bit of a history buff, love the Plantagenets and Tudors especially.
Remember the day Diana died but wasn't really into it all then. When DoC came on the scene I became more emotionally invested as we are the same age.

I love fashion but was never very good at throwing all sorts of things together. I've finally realised that my 'style' is more of a simple chic with a capsule wardrobe and accent shoes/accessories...so I'm jolly glad Meghan is on the scene with her navy and black! 😂 (although I know a lot of us would prefer to see her in a bit more colour)

Morning! I'm early 30's bit, living in the Midlands. Love the royal family, but my love affair really started with Will and Kate's wedding. Love the jewellery and tiaras, I am a complete magpie. Mostly a lurker, name changed recently so posted on earlier threads with different user name.

That should say Brit, not bit.

Drove to Tesco for coffee and chocolate, looking forward to this thread and... Left my wallet at home! If only I was Royal, someone would have sorted it!!

Hi everyone! I must say that checked Erdem number of Kate's on the first page is one of my most favourite items!

I don't post much, but I'm English, mid 30s. My DH and his family are extremely anti royal, even to the extent that MIL kept a young DH off school the day that Princess Anne came to visit. So I try to keep my interest to myself. I just find it so fascinating is all.

I've not met any royals. I wanted to try & see the Cambridges the other week, but I didn't make it down. I also love all the state occasions and the jewellery.

I was born about a year after Princess Diana so when she died there was that awful shock of a contemporary going too soon.
I am in the SW, married and have two grown up children.
These threads have been very entertaining, thanks all!
I happily sit and watch a royal wedding on tv and coo over the babies but the older I get the more I question whether the country needs the monarchy. They are better at PR now and there's occasionally talk of paring down excesses but it's still an anachronistic way of life. HM has done her duty and hats off to her but I wonder how many of my children's generation will revere the next king.

mikado1

Sandringham Christmas with a changing cast of family members going to church on Christmas Day; going back to the 90s
A thought did strike me; remember Fergie said that she stayed in Wood Farm so that her daughters could have a Royal Christmas.
Surely if the Royals celebrate on the 24th and the children theoretically have their lunch in the nursery then the York Girls could have been delivered back to their mother for bedtime on Christmas Eve and done Christmas morning with her.... the mind boggles. All these former Royal single mums spending Xmas alone.

I’m older with grown up sons and two pregnant DILs both expecting sons within a couple of months of each other. I have seen the Royals even Diana and Fergie up close at various race meetings over the years. I am not keen on the current royals’ close relationship with celebrities. Love fashion, hair and beauty, jewels and country estates.

This is the first thread I look at every morning. My family only humour my royalist leanings so the is the perfect place for me. As others have said, it will be interesting to see what form the royal family as a working entity take post QEII as my sons and their contemporaries don't seem to see their relevance.
I'm a mid-50s Lancastrian. I remember my class making cards to send to Princess Anne when she married Mark Phillips and the letter of thanks we received being read out in assembly. My mum and dad tried to buy a colour television to replace our black and white one in time for the wedding but there was a shortage due to increased demand so we had to watch it on our old TV.

Donkeysdontridebicycles I'm home with both! Oh and a dark nail polish à la MM ha!

I'm really a lurker, partly because by the time I catch up I feel the thread has moved on. I enjoy reading it though. I'm mostly here for the fashion, but the more I read about the lifestyle the more of a republican I feel!

I'm close in age to Diana and Australian. In real life a republican and feminist but have always been fascinated by the history, clothes, jewels and relationships of the royals. I got interested in the European families after 'our Mary' became Crown Princess of Denmark.
I met Prince Charles this year and he was lovely and charismatic.