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The news comes shortly after media reports over the weekend which claimed the Duchess was very much on the mend and planning to resume engagements for October and November. Yesterday's engagement, the launch of a new project by Kate's patronage The Art Room, was more than likely planned before the pregnancy announcement and given the fact it was in London, Kate had hoped she would be well enough to attend. Sadly, it would seem the Duchess is still far from fully recovered.
The Palace said Kate was "hugely disappointed" to be unable to go to support her patronage. Instead she sent a personally penned message offering her support and encouragement:
'I want to share my congratulations with you all for the launch of the new Clore Art Room. I was looking forward to joining you all for this particularly special day as part of the Clore Duffield Foundation's 50th Anniversary year.
I am truly sorry that I cannot be with you all today as you celebrate this milestone. As patron of the Art Room I feel great pride to see the work that the charity is doing. Vulnerable children flourish in the safe havens that the Art Room provides; this highlights just how important it is to support children at a time when they most need help and support.'
The Duchess continued to extend her apologies once again and express her wish to visit on another occasion:
'It really is hugely exciting to look to a future with even more Art Rooms, where the lives of many more challenging and vulnerable children will be transformed. I hope that you have a wonderful afternoon. My sincere apologies for not being able to join you but I hope that I will have an opportunity to visit Barlby and see the Clore Art Room soon.'
As mentioned in Kate's letter, the new Clore learning space, one of ten new spaces celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Clore Duffield Foundation (which holds a special interest in supporting young people), enjoyed a wonderful launch with Dame Vivien Duffield and Grayson Perry in attendance.
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| The Art Room Twitter Feed |
All further engagements will be reviewed on a case by case basis and as with yesterday's appearance we expect we may not hear about them until the day they take place.
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| Kensington Palace |
It is thought Kate is around ten weeks pregnant at the moment and has been sick for a month now. HG varies with each pregnancy and it would seem it is worse this time round. We wish Kate all the best and do hope she feels better very soon.
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In other news, designers are still showcasing their Spring Ready-To-Wear offerings and Alexander McQueen's was as creative and colourful as ever. Sarah Burton drew inspiration from Japan - the geisha and samurai embodied the extremes of her latest looks. As always, we will most certainly not be seeing the Duchess in these creations, however, certain prints and stylistic elements may feature in bespoke pieces over the coming year.
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| Alexander McQueen |
Of course, these looks will be much more accessible when they hit stores. The current collection contains many styles Kate could wear without modification including the Swarovski Crystal Embellished Gown, the Wool A-Line Dress and the Keyhole Detail Pencil Dress.
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| Alexander McQueen |
Meanwhile, Roland Mouret's offering was altogether more wearable looking. Focusing on his strengths: the figure hugging sheath dress, with complex construction and fabulous cuts.
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| Roland Mouret |
We saw the incorporation of a variety of colours including lilacs, sky blues, buttercup yellows all combined for one garment. There's plenty to like here and no shortage of possibilities for Kate.
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| Roland Mouret |
I've always felt Kate and Mr. Mouret's designs are an excellent fit. The two collaborated together to create the beautiful Ella Wool Crepe Gown, which the Duchess wore for a dinner at Claridges and the Nelson Mandela première. The €2,600 garment remains available at Net-A-Porter.
The current collection offers several strong possibilities for Kate. The Duchess generally opts for a dress for engagements and the following pieces are professional and stylish not to mention suitable for day to night. Below we look at the Tipula Stretch Jacquard and Striped Crepe Dress, the light grey Atria dress, the Lepas Dress, the royal blue Nepa Dress and the Aglais one-shoulder dress.
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| Roland Mouret |
Aside from 'the dress', Mr Mouret has established himself as an expert in creating flattering and versatile separates. The following pieces would be stellar choices for the Duchess; the royal blue Drymus Coat, the sharp Luciola blazer, the Tasgius skirt and the Myzus crepe blazer. As you can see the royal/storm blue colour Kate favours is very much present in many of the pieces.
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| Roland Mouret |
Have you been following fashion week? If so, which collections have you enjoyed seeing most?
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Our final topic today arose from various articles appearing in recent days comparing Kate to George Clooney's bride, human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin. As so many of you will know the Hollywood star wed the 36-year-old in Venice last weekend.
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| Mail Online |
A quick refresher; Amal debuted a number of incredible looks during the days before and after the wedding; quickly earning the title of one to watch as a chic style icon unafraid to experiment with fashion. Below we see the beauty in a Dolce & Gabbana striped dress, a dramatic stepped-hem Alexander McQueen black and red dress, a blossom embellished white lace Giambattista Valli mini dress and a Stella McCartney ensemble with wide-leg white trousers.
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| In Style |
Indeed, comparisons with the Duchess began before the wedding as Sarah Burton was the rumoured designer of the wedding dress. In the end, the off-the-shoulder lace creation was by Oscar de la Renta. A stunning wedding dress, and perfect for the bride.
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| People / Hello! |
But the comparisons didn't end there with news outlets and bloggers declaring Amal has taken Kate's style crown. One article for the Daily Mail by Catherine Ostler described the Duchess as "frumpy" compared to Ms. Alamuddin:
'Kate can sometimes look a little frumpy. At least, that is the effect when seen against Amal, with her impeccable knack of giving her wardrobe a clever twist.'
It's interesting because from what I've seen, the two ladies have completely different senses of style; in terms of cuts, lengths, prints and everything in between. We've seen Amal in floral-print trousers and quirky footwear whilst the Duchess prefers to step out in her trusty skinny jeans, boots and a coat. Both ladies are very stylish in different ways; Kate in a classic, conservative sense (being cautious of her position at all times), while the glamorous Amal is experimenting with couture and expanding her personal style.
It is a shame the media tends to pit women against each other in a competitive sense rather than celebrating their individuality. It's something we've seen time and time again with Kate, whether it's comparing her to her late mother-in-law Diana, sister Pippa or tennis player Andy Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears to name a few.
Rather than comparing, I rather enjoy seeing both ladies enjoying fashion and expressing their own taste. What are your thoughts on this? Do you enjoy seeing comparisons or find it disappointing to see such articles? Should Kate's style be analysed against other women who don't have protocol to consider? We had an interesting discussion on a survey which asked 'Would you like to be Kate?' on our last post and we look forward to hearing your replies and thoughts! On another note, congratulations to George and Amal, it was undoubtedly the wedding of the year. :)
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