Royal style & gossip: the gowns and glamour of the Garter

[QueenOfTheAndals]

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Now that the Orange One has gone, it's almost time for a visit from the Oranje One! Yes, Queen Max will be attending next Monday's Garter ceremony. It'll be a triplicate fashion face-off between her, Letizia and Kate - who will emerge victorious?

Why does that hat remind me of a digestive biscuit... it’s a bit straw-y to go with much. Mary carries it off well though, think the key is always looking smiley and warm like our queen of expressions Max

The photo thing is a bit weird as imagine they have loads to share! Is this a thing from their American PR woman?

I liked how with the three Cambridge kids, it’s a case of we’ll see quite a few (clear!) photos of them, but very much really only on big occasions. So maybe 3 a year (not including that random Chelsea garden visit).

This pic isn’t amazing because it is cute, but we can’t see Archie properly. And if it’s supposed to convey Harry’s pride.. well we can’t see his face either.

Anyway nice to get Father’s Day photos at all, and I like seeing everyone’s different styles :)

It's a non-photo. If they want to be left alone they best thing they could do is not post anything till the christening.

Meghan if Archie hasn't been christened before your birthday (Aug 4) please can we have a photo of you & Archie on Insta, please.

Otherwise we're going to have to patch each pic that shows a bit of Archie together to make a composite photo.

Completely off topic... but just chatting to a friend about how stylish France’s royal family might be if they still had one!

They do have equivalents now I suppose - the LVHM and Pinault families. Their spouses are all incredibly swish!

we're going to have to patch each pic that shows a bit of Archie together to make a composite photo

.

I sent out some body part pictures of mine out- scared to ask my family and friends how they felt!

Archie is being christened next month.

Body part pictures (for want of a better expression) are Uber cute.

It’s only weird because there hasn’t been a clear one so it just looks like a teaser trailer for some kind of baby based thriller film.

It's like one of those magazine part-works. They used to get us to build a model of the Titanic in 874 pieces - now it's build your own Archie.

So are we supposed to piece the body parts together , we had feet , now it’s fingers , eyes and part of a nose,

Kate posted pictures of Louis before the christening With Charlotte , he had a look of deep contemplation on his face ,

it's build your own Archie.
You said it better

I like the picture. He's a cutie, And he seems to be more Markle-Ragland than Mountbatten-Windsor.

it just looks like a teaser trailer for some kind of baby based thriller film lol couldn’t have said it better!

Honestly I wonder if it’s their PR team as such a weird tension between being private but then having to release pics - it’s like they really don’t want to! I get the need for privacy so it’s like they’re being made to partake in PR? Then their IG captions are always an essay - is this the American PR lady justifying her fee?! Does she get paid by the word count?

Tbh I found the “we won’t stand on the hospital steps” a bit odd, only because I thought the reason for that was they didn’t want to do the “looking pristine” pic as it wasn’t their vibe... but then they did, looking thoroughly pristine, in the grandest palace setting of all places. Not tremendously relatable after all.

Think their attempt at trying to find their pace/ style is looking disjointed and confusing At least I don’t get it! But suppose it’s all subjective :)

😂I wrote and deleted that a few times trying to decide if it was too far, so glad you enjoyed it!

—the first version said horror film—

I don't believe they are being forced into posting anything. It makes me think of that bit in The Favourite when Queen Anne orders a servant to look at her then throws a fit when he does.

Their aesthetic is the type you seen in most photographer's studios these days. The Christmas card with their backs to the camera, this close up photo of Harry's hand and a bit of the baby. I wouldn't be surprised if they have one of those couple's portrait, white shirt, blue jeans, barefoot, sitting back to back on the floor, chortling.

Looks like the Sussexes are definitely winning the Instacrowd votes if the number of likes is anything to go by. I really hope the Cambridges stay dignified and don't start pandering to them.

The Sussex's were always gone to win this one though the Cambridge's didn't really try (not that they have to) George and Charlotte don't even feature in the post. They are 2 very different styles of managing public expectations over privacy I think I'm not sure which will come out as being the best in the long. The Cambridge method seems to have worked fairly well so far though.

Lol I wouldn’t go on IG likes as much indication, it’s the ultimate in style over substance and even H&M bashed SM for being shite, plus the style is so subjective and will always ever only be appealing to some (same for W&K). You need consistent plodding efforts over long periods of time for most people to even warm to RF members! Wonder if RF can measure how many people are from UK and Commonwealth, age ranges etc? Would be useful info.

Suppose a bit like a company putting its products on IG... actually the accounts and Which? reviews will tell you the real value.

That and my friend’s class (sixth form London) called all of them cringe and old So the appeal only goes so far, I suppose we’re not as young as we all think

The Cambridges have it pitched exactly right, the Sussexes could learn a lot from them.

I'm not sure the royals are aiming to appeal to sixth formers!

I can imagine them going for cake smash photos next ... it’s all a bit cringe for sure.

Re sixth formers ... W&K aren’t supposed to appeal to them but H&M are supposed to be CW youth ambassadors. But their life all seems a bit distant money and age wise to the sixth formers, and their IG activity isn’t appealing to them.

Maybe it’ll just take time for the RF generally to find their feet with SM. Also tricky line to tread given they said it was addictive!