How many of you watched Trooping the Colour on Saturday? Here are some of my thoughts:
· First, a look at our Duchesses. Both opted to wear the designer that designed their wedding gowns, Kate in yellow Alexander McQueen (the designer she has worn for seven of the last nine Troopings) and Meghan in navy Givenchy.
· Many of you wrote to me and said Meghan looked frumpy. Y’all. Give the woman some grace here! What she looks like to me is a new mother. Archie is only five weeks old today. If she hasn’t lost some of the weight, if she looks a little tired – well, that’s to be expected! Not everyone can be Kate, who can appear six or seven hours after giving birth and look like a supermodel. That’s not normal and I applaud Meghan for even stepping out when she probably could have come up with 100 excuses not to.
· Also, eagle-eyed Royal Watchers noticed that Meghan is wearing what is called an “eternity band” along with her engagement ring and her wedding band. Likely a push present from Harry, it could also be a first anniversary gift.
· Kate was radiant on Saturday, so radiant that if I didn’t know that Kate spends the first three months of each pregnancy in hyperemesis gravidarum hell, I’d think she was expecting again. I was talking to a friend about this on Saturday – it feels like Kate has finally settled into her role in the Royal family, not just as William’s wife, but as her own person.
· George and Charlotte were adorable, but it was Louis (oh my gawdddddd) that stole the show! Wearing his Uncle Harry’s Trooping the Colour outfit from 1986, Louis has his Royal wave down pat (seriously, if you’re having a bad day, look at these videos and try not to smile!) and is apparently a thumb sucker. Louis’ official public debut was worth waiting for. He is adorable! Louis and big sister Charlotte watched the action from the window before everyone headed out to the balcony. George looked continually unenthused and over it.
· I noticed that the Cambridges and the Sussexes couldn’t be standing farther apart from one another on the balcony, and for a split second I wondered if something really might be afoot. Harry and Meghan were pushed to the back of the balcony. But then I noticed, duh, it’s really quite simple – there’s nothing to it except those with kids (the Cambridges, the Tindalls, the Phillips) were at the front of the balcony so their children could get a better view of the Royal Air Force flypast. No drama here, just necessary for the tiny ones to be able to see.
· Birthday girl the Queen wore pink and white tweed by Angela Kelly. She rode solo in her own carriage.
· Harry, Meghan, Kate, and Camilla rode in a carriage together, and in another carriage, Beatrice and Eugenie, and in another carriage, Edward, Sophie, Louise, and James.
· Charles, William, Andrew, and Anne all rode in on horseback!
· Philip was not present.
· Also making his Buckingham palace balcony debut along with Louis? Jack Brooksbank, who married Eugenie last October. No Archie this year, but it makes sense – it was Louis’ turn to debut in 2019. We’ll see Master Mountbatten-Windsor at the next Trooping the Colour!
· The whole event is on Britbox if you’d like to see it in its full British glory. My favorite part, other than seeing my second Family, is the Royal Air Force flypast!
· I cherish all of the Queen’s milestones so much because, not to be a total downer, she is 93 and no days are promised. I love celebrating this woman, so worthy of an event like this in her honor!
Until next year!