Day 2 - Kate Visits Northside Centre for Child Development, Prince William Visits Washington & NBA Basketball Game

The Duchess arrived at the Northside Centre for Child Development at around 11:15am, New York time.

photo via The Mirror

The Duchess met staff and joined the young children in wrapping Christmas presents. The visit was hosted by the first lady of New York Chirlane McCray.

photo via The Mirror

The Duchess met lots of children who are helped by the charity and spent the morning wrapping presents and chatting with them.

photo via The Daily Mail

The Duchess had a lovely time wrapping presents with Chirlane McCray.

photo via The Daily Mail

Before that the Duchess also attended a meeting with representatives of Northside.

photo via The Daily Mail

There was an ambulance on stand by, just outside, incase the Duchess fell ill with morning sickness.

photo via Rebecca English Twitter

The Duchess chose another British label today - Goat. The Duchess wore Goat during her first pregnancy last year and back in June this year.

This time the Duchess chose the Wahsington Coat which retails for £680. Anyone love the fact that Prince William visited Washington DC today and the Duchess is wearing the 'Washington' coat? The coat has several military details in the cuffs with contrasting trims.

The Duchess also wore black tights again and her Episode Angel Pumps which are now sold out. The Duchess kept her hands warm by wearing her Cornelia James Imogen Pure Wool Gloves in Black, just like yesterday. They retail for £70.

The Duchess wore her hair in a lovely half-up style today.


She accessorised with her Annoushka Pearl Drop Earrings which are available for £1,090.

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Meanwhile, Prince William flew on a scheduled flight to Washington DC where he met President Obama in the Oval Office of The White House. It is not the first time the Duke has met the President, last time was May 2011, shortly after the Royal Wedding, at Buckingham Palace.

photo via The Daily Mail

Prince William then attended a lunch with experts on illegal wildlife trafficking at the World Bank headquarters.

photo via The Daily Mail

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The couple then met up again, on the Prince's return to New York. The couple first went to the British Consulate and met Hillary Clinton during a reception to promote Tusk Trust.

photo via The Daily Mail

They then went to watch Brooklyn Nets vs Cleveland Cavaliers NBA basketball game. The couple attended a private dinner before watching the game court side. 

photo via The Daily Mail

The couple also bet Beyonce and Jay Z during the interval.

photo via The Daily Mail

Before the game the couple met LeBron James who presented the couple with an adults and childs basketball vest. LeBron has since being scalded for breaking royal protocol and putting his arm around Kate....

photo via The Daily Mail

For both afternoon and evening the Duchess elected to wear Tory Burch - an American designer I had said she might choose. She chose the Tory Burch Bettina Coat which is still available in some sizes on the UK website for £515.

The coat was very appropriate and had a lovely sparkly thread running through it which added a festive feel to the coat for this time of year.

The Duchess wore a roll-neck black top and black jeans underneath - which are likely to be J Brand, however, some people have asked whether they are soft jeans or trousers because of the soft fabric look of them. The Duchess also wore her Stuart Weitzman Power Pumps in black suede and carried her Mulberry clutch.

The Duchess wore a new pair of sparkly earrings which are still to be identified.

I loved Kate's outfit tonight and thought it was her best one so far. Many people have commented on how Prince William changed outfits but Kate did not - very unusual!

Day 1 - Kate and William Land in NYC & Attend Private Dinner

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge landed in New York at JFK Airport at 4:37pm, local time, this afternoon. They were expected at 4pm, local time, but their flight was delayed by about 20 minutes leaving London, according to Rebecca English of The Daily Mail. It is officially the start of a very exciting few days!

photo via Clarence House Twitter

The Empire State Building, in New York, was lit up in red, white and blue in honour of the couple's arrival to the city.

photo via Empire State Bldg Twitter 

The couple drove straight to The Carlyle Hotel where they will be staying for the 3 day trip. Groups of people have been standing outside the hotel for hours, waiting for the Duke and Duchess to arrive.

photo via Steven D'Souza Twitter

There was only a small media pen outside The Carlyle Hotel waiting for the Duke and Duchess to arrive at the hotel.

photo via Steven D'Souza Twitter

The Carlyle Hotel had hung the Union Jack flag outside the hotel alongside the American flag in preparation of the couple's arrival.

photo via Jon Christman Twitter

Victoria Murphy shared the first photograph of the couple at The Carlyle Hotel.

photo via Victoria Murphy Twitter

The couple looked remarkable fresh after their 7-hour flight, but I suppose that's the benefit of flying First Class!

photo via The Mirror

A lovely photo of the couple smiling upon their arrival at the hotel.

photo via Mark Stewart Twitter

The Duke and Duchess look very excited to have arrived in New York and are no doubt thrilled to be starting their visit.

photo via The Daily Mail

The Duke and Duchess were accompanied by an entourage of eight for this trip. This included their  private secretaries Miguel Head and Rebecca Deacon, two press officers, a special adviser, PA, Kate's hair dresser Amanda Cook Tucker and a UK policeman (with thanks to HRH Duchess Kate)

The Duchess was wearing a Seraphine maternity coat, new black ankle boots, black gloves and carrying a black suede clutch. A classic winter look for the Duchess.

photo via The Daily Mail

This is not a surprise. The Duchess favoured the label during her first pregnancy with Prince George. WhatKateWore had suggested the brand as a possibility for the Duchess on their blog.

The Duchess chose a bespoke piece by the label - the Seraphine Marina Coat (with thanks to What Kate Wore for the quick identification and photograph)

The coat was perfect for a sophisticated but less formal arrival. I do hope this coat makes another appearance during the Duchess's pregnancy when we will get to see it in all its glory in the day light. Perhaps early next year when it is still cold before the Duchess goes on maternity leave?

The Duchess also wore tights and a pair of black boots which she has had in her wardrobe for many years.

The Duchess also carried her Stuart Weitzman Muse Suede Clutch which is available at Russell and Bromley for £255 in a variety of colours. 

The Duchess kept her hands warm in the chilly afternoon by wearing her Cornelia James Imogen Pure Wool Gloves in Black. They retail for £70.

Kate's jewellery added a bit of sparkle. The earrings she wore are believed to have been a wedding present from Prince Charles. The Duchess has worn them on many occasions. Although they are not an exact match, these Tiffany & Co. Circlet Drop Earrings are very similar. They retail for £5,850, definitely a splurge.

Copy Kate

Get into the festive mood with a burgundy coat. I love the French Connection Moscow Tweed Faux Fur Collar Coat. It is a lovely coat for winter and the faux fur collar adds a touch of luxury. Now pair this coat with a lovely pair of suede boots. The Duchess chose chocolate brown which I think would work well with this coat too. I chose the Miss KG Sage High Heel Ankle Boots which retail for £85 in the sale. They have a smaller heel that will make the easy to walk in and I love the gold zip detail. Keep your hands warm in a pair of Accessorize Wool Gloves with Bow and Piping Detail for only £12.

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Following a quick outfit change for the couple they attended a private dinner held on behalf of the American Friends of their Royal Foundation. The event was private and so no pictures were taken inside, however photographers got some lovely ones of them leaving The Carlyle Hotel and arriving at the event.

photo via The Daily Mail

The private event was expected to have raised hundred of thousands of pounds for The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Invited to the private event were hedge fund managers and financiers. There had been lots of rumours that guests were being charged a lot of money to attend the event, however there was no charge. The guests who attended are expected to have donated generously.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stayed at the private event till around 10:30pm.

photo via The Daily Mail

The Duchess looked lovely tonight in a black cocktail dress which is a beautiful creation by Beulah London - a British label that the Duchess has chosen before.

photo via The Daily Mail

It is the Beulah London Amara Dress from their Spring/Summer 2015 Collection. The dress is available to pre-order for £650 and delivery is expected between 10-12 weeks.

The Duchess paired the dress with her Stuart Weitzman Power Pumps. 

She also carried her Mulberry clutch, which is no longer available. You can see the clutch more clearly in this photo, as the Duchess leaves the car.

photo via The Daily Mail

The Duchess wore a new pair of statement earrings for the private event.

They have not yet been identified, however, Mappin and Webb have a similarly designed pair - Empress White Gold & Diamond Chandelier Earrings which retail for £29,950. It is possible they a bespoke pair by the company or an older pair.

Copy Kate

A beautiful LBD is a dress that you will wear time and time again. The Duchess chose a dress that flared to help accommodate her growing bump. Reiss have a lovely LBD with a lace overlay, similar to the Duchess's, however it is more of a fitted skirt. The Delilah Fitted Lace Dress is perfect as a wardrobe statement because it is a timeless classic. I have chosen these black suede heels from Aldo, which are a similar style to Kate's as they have an almond toe and a covered heel. These statement chandelier earrings by Swarovski - the Academic Pierced Earrings - are sure to make your'e outfit stand out. They look beautiful and are only £99 - very well priced compared to the Duchess's!

What did you think of the Duchess's first day of outfits?

The Royal Visit in More Detail & Kate Attends Private Reception for 1851 Trust

The Duke and Duchess will soon set off for America - New York and Washington (for the Duke). So, with this in mind I thought we could have a refresh over the itinerary and a look at possible designers for the Duchess. I have covered this briefly in a previous post, which can be found here, I thought it might be fun to go into more detail.

We shall start with the itinerary. Kensington Palace have released a much fuller and detailed itinerary which you can read here, but I have kept mine simple to try and make it easier for people to know what's going on. I will go into more detail about each engagement as I complete a post on them. The couple will complete some joint engagements but they will also take part in solo engagements, particularly when the Duke flies to Washington.

Sunday 7th December

Both

Arriving in New York and Attending a Private Engagement on behalf of the American Friends of The Royal Foundation in the evening.

Monday 8th December

William

Traveling to Washington DC and Attending an Anti-Corruption Conference at the World Bank and then Attending a Working Lunch at the World Bank

Back in New York Attending a Reception Organised by the Royal Foundation on behalf of Tusk Trust and United for Wildlife partners: Wildlife Conservation Society, Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy.

Catherine

Accompanied by The First Lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray, to Visit a Local Child Development Centre and then Attending a Lunch, hosted by the British Consul General in New York, to Celebrate the Achievements of a Successful British Community in New York

Both

Attending an NBA Basketball Game to Help Launch a New Collaboration between the Royal Foundation, United for Wildlife and the NBA.

Tuesday 9th December

Both

Visiting a Youth Organisation (to see the work they carry out in partnership with an inner city youth development foundation) then Attending an Event Celebrating the Wealth of British Talent in the Creative Industries based in New York.

William

Attending a Technology Themed Event, hosted by a New York-headquartered Technology Company (to bring together entrepreneurs from both the UK and the US).

Both

Attending the University of St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The couple will be staying at The Carlyle hotel on New York's Upper East Side. Princess Diana stayed at the hotel when she first visited in the 1980s and she used it as her residence in the city for every visit since. 

photo via Wikipedia

We are likely to see a mixture of smart and casual ensembles and a particularly stunning black-tie outfit for the University of St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Dinner. Back in November 2012, the Duke and Duchess attended a black-tie fundraiser at Middle Temple Hall in support of St Andrews University's 600th Anniversary Campaign. For this the Duchess chose her Temperley London Amoret gown. It is likely that the Duchess will choose something similar. 

photo via the Daily Mail

A possible designer for the Duchess to choose for this event could be Marchesa. I had mentioned the design brand in a previous post after I saw the Notte by Marchesa catwalk at London Fashion Weekend. The brand was created in America but was founded by two Brits; Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig. I said then that I would love to see the Duchess in this designer as the gowns are perfect for a 'Princess' and I think it would be an ideal occasion for the Duchess to wear them. Net-a-Porter offers a lovely selection of the gowns which range between £6,185 and £9,785. They come with a price tag fit for a 'Princess' too!

These first four gowns are certainly beautiful but not perhaps demure enough for a Duchess, however these two I could easily see the Duchess wearing.

The brand also offers some beautiful clutch bags, which the Duchess could choose. During their visit to Australia the Duchess chose an Australian branded clutch as a nod to her host country. She could well do this again.

I would be incredibly surprised if the Duchess didn't choose an American designer that she has favoured in the past. Most notably Diane von Furstenberg has been a popular choice for the Duchess. She has worn many dresses by the designer since before she married Prince William and chose the DVF Maja Dress, which she paired with a leopard print DVF clutch, for the couple's trip to LA back in 2011.

The Bentley Dress is a ruched jersey dress would work well over the Duchess's going bump as would the Bevin Dress. The satin trimmed jersey wrap dress would also work well for the Duchess.

The Duchess could also choose to wear Michael Kors, again an American designer she has chosen to wear in the past. She wore one of his coats during the visit to Australia earlier this year. There is a beautiful red silk gown which would look lovely on the Duchess. It has a daring split up the front, however the Duchess has chosen gowns in the past that revealed her legs. The bohemian smocked dress could also be a nice option. The shape of the dress would grace over her growing baby bump.

Another designer from the Australian tour was Lela Rose. The Duchess wore the peplum dress. It wouldn't surprise me if she were to recycle this dress or choose another dress by the American designer. My particular favourites, that I think the Duchess could choose, are the metallic fil coupe dress, blush lace dress and the printed silk-twill dress.

I would love to see the Duchess in Oscar-de-la-Renta. The American-Dominican designer passed away earlier this year and is well known for dressing the society-royals of America. He also been worn by many European royals in the past including Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Mary, Princess of Denmark. It would be a touching tribute for the Duchess to wear one of his designs.

I love the lace overlay tweed coat and I think it would look lovely on the Duchess for a formal occasion. The English garden print dress is also very beautiful but perhaps a bit summery for this time of the year. The tropical print flared dress is very suitable for this time of the year and possible this trip too.

An American designer that the Duchess has been choosing several times this year is Tory Burch. She wore one of his dresses in April for the royal tour and again for a private meeting at the Royal Society in July.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Duchess chose the designer again for this visit. The Mariana pencil dress is a lovely smart dress and the Whitney coat would be ideal for the cold weather that New York has this time of year.

The Duchess will also no doubt wear some British designer such as Jenny Packham. This is a distinct possibility for the black-tie dinner on the Tuesday. The Duchess would look lovely in any of Jenny Packham's gowns and I could easily imagine her in any of these ones.

A smart coat by Alexander McQueen is also a distinct possibility. She has chosen Sarah Burton to create many dress-coats for such occasions.

I would also like the Duchess to choose Suzannah again. She wore the Budding Heart silk tea dress during the Australian tour, then again for the Tour de France and then again for the official pictures for Prince George's first birthday. The brand offers some lovely coats that would look lovely on the Duchess.

It is impossible to predict what the Duchess will wear but I know she will look amazing regardless. I will be trying to update the blog as quickly as possible. I will do a new post on each outfit that the Duchess wears to try and make it as clear as possible! I am looking forward to the trip, as I am sure everyone else is!

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In other news the Duchess attended a board meeting and reception for 1851 Trust - the Duchess's newest patronage. It was heeled at the Goring Hotel - which is where Kate and her family spent the night before her wedding in 2011.

The Duchess attended the launch of Ben Ainslie's America Cup bid in June and was meant to be visiting Sir Ben Ainslie's America's Cup team at it's new £12million headquarters at Camber Docks in Old Portsmouth but had to cancel this visit due to her morning sickness.

photo via the Daily Mail

It was a private event and so no picture were taken.

I will be back tomorrow with the first post of the Duke and Duchess's official visit to New York and Washington...