Royal style: we want more salwars and we're not sari about it!

[QueenOfTheAndals]

Previous thread

Weren’t a lot of royal weddings done by proxy @pastaparadise

Hmm I think that article is looking to stir up trouble.

My Japanese isn't up to much either but there's some good photos. It's a lovely colour on her.

I spotted the lightning shoes curly. Except I thought it was Marie Chantal!

Right I've been busy with real-life nonsense but now I've got time to have a coffee and get back to what's really important in life 

Thanks for the new thread about royal threads @QueenOfTheAndals

The article was written by Rhiannon Mills - isn't she the one Harry snapped at during his tour? That might be why she's so unsubtly picked sides.

That is a very pointed piece of ‘journalism’ isn’t it?

I feel increasingly sorry for Harry. He was kept close for so long and all of a sudden he’s Prince Edward 😃

Aren’t journalists all like that? I always got the impression that they are very good at sticking to their initial views. They are friendly during interviews but hardly chance their impressions afterwards.

If news of H&M short term move to the US is true, then it’s the exact thing they need. They need to step back , evaluate , and stop looking at the world as though everyone is out to get them.

Whatever one might think of Edo as a person (and I don't have a view although others might) he's a bloody knockout lookswise. Bea is, like Harry, massively punching.

I think there will be a massive change when Charles becomes King. Andrew will be sent to the royal equivalent of Siberia and the hard-working ones like Anne and Sophie will continue as William and Harry have young children.

There's been some negative grumbling about DOC's upcoming early years initiative:

^Is Early Years an actual thing, an actual charity or organisation or programme? Or is it just some floaty thing which offers “support” to existing charities and organizations?

Kate has a royal foundation. The foundation has brought together academics, charities, etc. The academics, charities, etc. will form a steering group. The steering group will develop “a significant new body of work.” The “body of work” will eventually support all efforts to provide children with a good start in life. It just sounds like layers upon layers of distance between the problem and DOC.

An umbrella group thing? Her steering committee is going to read a bunch of existing research that has already done by other people, they’re going to write it all up into one big report, and they’re going to come out with a list of things that affect kids as they’re growing up. “Poverty, parents who are addicted to stuff, lead paint, lack of gardens to play in, teen moms, not enough fruits and vegetables,” that kind of obvious stuff. And they’re going to formulate some kind of umbrella group that has a website that lists already existing charities that do work in these areas. Then they’re going to pretend like Kate has personally done all the research herself, personally synthesized it into the report, personally founded all the charities that work on the various problem areas, and is personally guiding all of their initiatives. She will get credit for all the work that everyone else has done, is doing, and will do in the future.

Could look [she is] taking credit for work other people are already doing. And the steering comittee is a way to lend her credibility.

Convening a group of high level professionals a few times a year to discuss strategies that have already been studied and discussed in detail before isn’t helping anyone. Since this initiative was first revealed last year, Kate could’ve brought much needed attention to various grassroot organizations that actually support young children and families while still convening with a steering committee to map out a greater plan.

I sincerely hope that whatever it is, it works and has significant benefits to our children not just a bunch of people suggesting recommendations then providing no funding or support to follow them up.^

Sounds like she’s getting involved in the “joining up” of lots of strands of research and policy development.

Yes, the official statement included this part:
Her Royal Highness and The Royal Foundation have brought academics, practitioners and charities together to form a steering group to develop a significant new body of work

Surely Kate putting early years in the spotlight is a good thing.
Funding into things such as children’s Centres, and early years resources have been steadily cut.
As her children are so young, Kate is motivated and at the forefront EY education.
W&K’s return to the sos village in Pakistan and their interraction with the children shows its more than just paying lip service for them...

Not sure I agree that Kate is at the forefront of EY education personally. Interested in it maybe, but I'm not sure what direct impact she has on the education of children in preschools and unsettling/Year R.

I've just been reading about tonight's documentary about H&M and apparently they are "existing, not living". I'm sorry, but I find that incredibly offensive to people who actually are just 'existing' and it makes them seem incredibly out of touch and rather spoilt.

I agree @frugalkitty. I love H&M but with everything we're seeing from them now, it all seems very self indulgent and woe is me / poor little rich kid!

I actually would like them to step away and keep a low profile and get back to basics. However, I fear that if they do step away, it'll be to the US or somewhere where they can be celebrities and have a press that fawns over them. If that is the case, I hope they stop being funded as part of the RF otherwise things will turn even more nasty indeed.

Really wish Charles or the Queen could / would rein them in and sort them out. It's hard to fathom how goodwill has just gone for them as they now come across as so hypocritical and making everything about them rather than the charities they're meant to be supporting. And I say all this as someone who loves the RF and feels a lot of love and goodwill towards them so can only imagine how strongly people feel who don't like the RF and feel they're a terrible waste of money.

I can see why the hatred, much of it racially motivated, that has been expressed against Meghan would sap her joy in living. I doubt that her relative privilege does much to soften that impact.

One day some people will release that having enough money doesn't stop you suffering from feelings of sadness, loneliness, low mental health, worries etc.

I am in favour of Kate raising hundreds of thousands of pounds by going to things in wow dresses and donors / lunatics paying £10k a pop to stand in the same room as her. And i hope for her sake (and the sake of her children) that she is also interested in early years as that will make that money making a lot more interesting for her. Bring out the sparkly frocks!

www.instagram.com/p/B30URB0lk3d/?igshid=17uhmai8ied9j

Kate's first ever Instagram post.

Sorry, not very good at clicky links, but it's a post about the village they visited in Pakistan and how beneficial it is for the children there.

The Sunday newspapers have three photos that Kate took of a Pakistani family.

I’d be interested in understanding exactly what work H&M would do in Africa without their public profile? Mostly the impact of a royal visit, patronage etc is giving publicity to a cause. That publicity is achieved through opening it up to the press, giving speeches etc. so I’m really not sure how they’d continue to help as private citizens? They could roll their sleeves up and work as volunteers I suppose.

Lovely pictures. Completely random question. When the DoC takes off her engagement ring who looks after it? Given its priceless with the Diana connection I wouldn’t want that responsibility!

Maybe she wears a fake version of it when she travels distances?

I would.

My guess is that the ring Kate wears is a replica, and THE DIANA ring is kept safely in a bank vault.

I’d be interested in understanding exactly what work H&M would do in Africa without their public profile?

I imagine they would have a lasting appeal for those interested in royalty and their connections. There are no end of boards, directorships and the like that would be open to them,