Blessed Be The Royal Pants, but We Shall Inherit the Tiaras!

[Maireas]

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There most definitely should have been one with a tiara.
I agree that they don't really capture her. She's never sought fame or celebrity and I think that's why - something a little less guarded would have been nicer.
I agree with pp there's nothing dark about her

I don't think those photographs capture Kate. They appear very photoshopped or something. She looks lovely in them but it's not her iykwim.

I think they are lovely!

Well, lots of mixed responses to those photos!
Hmmm. I don’t know if I like them or not 😳.
I agree they don’t really look like her as we normally see her. I quite like the essence of them, in that I think they are trying to capture the private version of her. She has less eye makeup on I think, and her hair looks as imagine it would is she dried it to look more natural than styled, but it’s a bit flat and pushed back for me.
I love the red dress! I think she is trying to step away from the formal, safe looks she favours; didn’t HM also do a hands-in-pockets portrait not so long ago? I would like to have seen the dress full length, and would love her to wear it to an event.
I’m not so keen on the Demarchelier/ Beaton influences. I think the soft focus is a bit dated and at odds with the modern informality being portrayed. I do like the Edwardian look on the side portrait though, it’s very pretty.
I wonder if Kate was channelling previous Royal looks as a little nod to the youth and glamour of Diana, HM and Margaret? If so, I would like to have seen a little of the sexy edginess of Diana’s Mario Testino portraits. Interestingly, Alex Lubomirsky who was his assistant, took the photos of the Sussex’s wedding etc, so maybe she was avoiding having that comparison made?
Happy birthday Kate- I know you read these 😊

I normally like black and white photos because they can be atmospheric, but these seem to drain her personality and have a harsh/ brittle feel to them. They feel like a record for future generations to look back on how Queen Catherine looked at 40.
The photo of her in the red dress is more how we're used to seeing her smiling. A tiara would have been a nice finishing touch.
Happy birthday, Kate! 🥂

That is the function of Royal portraits, tbf, at least in part - these are taken for posterity and will hang in the National Portrait gallery for that purpose.

I agree with you that although I like all the portraits very much, I don’t think the black and white ones do her personality justice. She looks lovely though and I actually really like seeing a different side to her.

I think it’s an interesting development in how she’s portrayed, as well as how she carries herself. She’s no longer Kate, or even the Duchess of Cambridge - she’s very much the future Queen of this nation and that is coming through loud and clear especially since Prince Philip’s funeral.

I was initially surprised at lack of pomp in at least one of the photographs - although you do get that regal sense to an extent in the one where she’s seated. But I just realised that it might be because she’s not yet married to the next King. Once Charles becomes King then that will be the case and I expect the pomp/ceremony/jewellery will move up to the next level.

Must also clarify I like the portraits because i like what we see of her. But I agree with others, I’m not very keen on the style of the B&W ones. I guess they’re harking back, as royal customs and mores often do, but I think it makes it all look quite dated. The colour one is excellent IMO.

I think her curly hair is lovely and it’s nice to see it.

I think the styling of the hair jars with the formal attire. If they are trying to portray the different sides to Kate then I think there should have been completely different pictures - up-do, jewels (including tiara) gown and then loose waves, some of her "country attire", pared back jewels and make up.

They are lovely photos but they could be any pretty, rich woman. They are either very edited or she has had a fair bit of work done prior to the being taken. They don't say "Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge", to me at all which as pp have said is likely to be what was intended. I think the Queen in waiting portraits will be when William becomes PoW

Yes I agree. Her hair is lovely in all three, and looks great with the red dress and the flouncy top. But I think it would’ve looked better to have an updo on the seated one. Not because it doesn’t look great, but it’s just a little too...not sure what...It does jar a bit.

They don't capture her "joie de vivre" which is often seen in more informal photos in the press.

The photos have been manipulated too much.

I must be the only one who likes the new Kate portraits, or at least I like the first and third. The profile one is my least favourite as she's not smiling with her teeth. The others are lovely imo. I really like the red dress one.

I love the colour portrait, think it’s excellent. I like the flouncy top one too and the seated one is nice but with some (small) misgivings.

On the whole I think they’re perfectly nice.

Guess who?!?!

I'll keep you out of suspense!!
It's CPM. But the similarity is so striking again.
This is a copy of an old article for her 40th in 2012 where the pic is from.

maryfromthestart.blogspot.com/2020/06/mary-turns-40-berlingske-interview.html?m=1

The photo of Mary kicking the ball is hilarious!

This is who the Beaton photo reminds me of. Queen Alexandra portraits. Think with the curly hair too.

It's very much like the Winterhalter royal portraits.

Yes and if her hair was styled like that it would have been a lot better. As pp said it’s reminiscent of Victorian portraits. As it is, though, with the windswept thing I think it looks a bit too much like a romance novel cover or a publicity shot for a film. It jars and feels slightly cheap for that reason Imo.

Well maybe not the ringlets...

But I mean if it was just a little more in the vein of Queen Victoria’s grand daughters or any royal portraits of that time, it would at least make a bit more sense.

Tatler have done a montage of Kate's 40 "most defining" fashion moments but I disagree with a lot of them. I don't think the Christmas cardie, green Ireland dress or mustard Erdem are "defining" in a good way! There's a lot of better ensembles that I would've included instead - the teal Jenny Packham, the white Barbara Casasola, the purple tweed Erdem at the V&A, the Chanel suit in Paris.

@KillingMeDeftly

It's very much like the Winterhalter royal portraits.

That's exactly what they are. Sorry didn't reference the artist

I think there were going for a modern interpretation with her hair in that photo. I just don’t think they works very well. A little too incongruous for me.

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