Centenary of Passchendaele – The Third Battle of Ypres: July 30 & 31, 2017


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Rudolph

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join Prime Minister Theresa May in Belgium later to mark the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele - one of the bloodiest of World War One.

Half a million Allied and German soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing in action.

The ceremony will be held in the town of Ypres.

The King of Belgium and Prince William will lay wreaths at the Menin gate.

They will hear the Last Post, which has been played at the gate by a bugler almost every evening since 1928.
Read more: Passchendaele 100: William and Kate to join commemorations
 
:previous:

7 pm. Charles arrives in Belgium tomorrow.
 
I love this sort of event. William and Catherine look every inch a future king and queen.
 
This event marks the beginning of the Cambridge's taking on royal duties full-time. They do look look very elegant as the future King and Queen.
 
They both look very classic/elegant. Love the grey shoe.


LaRae
 
The Duke of Cambridge has led official commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele.

William spoke at the Menin Gate monument in Ypres, Belgium, as the daily Last Post was played ahead of Monday's centenary of the start of the bloody First World War British assault.

Flanked by the Duchess of Cambridge and Philippe and Mathilde, the King and Queen of the Belgians, he said Britain and Belgium "stand together" to remember those killed during weeks of heavy fighting in the summer and autumn of 1917.
Read more: Passchendaele centenary: Duke of Cambridge hails sacrifice of war dead - ITV News
 
Sir Tim is Vice Chair of the Commonwealth Graves Commission. He was also at Vimy Ridge anniversary earlier this year if I remember correctly.
 
Unfortunately we who are not in the UK could not see the BBC live feed. Hopefully some live images will be posted later on YouTube.

Did the Cambridges stay overnight in Belgium ? I wonder if King Philippe and Queen Mathilde may have invited them to stay at the Castle of Laeken .
 
Unfortunately we who are not in the UK could not see the BBC live feed. Hopefully some live images will be posted later on YouTube.

Did the Cambridges stay overnight in Belgium ? I wonder if King Philippe and Queen Mathilde may have invited them to stay at the Castle of Laeken .

Yes - they are with Prince of Wales at Tyne Cot tomorrow (31/7)
 
Catherine looks wonderful. JMHO --- she has being wearing her haired pulled back and up lately. I wonder if she now regrets that hairdo she sported at the wedding Sorry folks --- JMHO!
 
There is a programme from Tyne Cot on BBC1 on 31/7 1100:1300

Also a summary of the events on BBC2 19:00-2000 on 31st July as well.
 
I thought her wedding hair was lovely ..but I also really like her hair up. A bride usually wants to be herself on her wedding day and I think that is her preferred style (down).


LaRae
 
Mathilde is so regal, you see her and immediately think "Queen". There's something timeless about her, it's wonderful to see, she's so dignified.

Kate looked great but I think she should have worn something new, an outfit used for a christening shouldn't be recycled for a war commemoration IMO.
 
:previous: I have to agree. Not a lot of thought went into this engagement. Somehow the light-hearted white dress from Charlotte's Christening and the white fascinator from a TOTC which doesn't quite suit it doesn't quite cut it at a WWI Memorial.
 
For me, it wouldn't matter if Kate wore a gunny sack and a flowerpot for a hat. This is the Cambridges doing what they're going to be doing for the rest of their lives at commemorative occasions such as this one was. Its the bread and butter of representing a nation with dignity and grace.

WWI was the war to end all wars. It is coming together with other nations in remembrance that keeps alive the resolve to avoid history repeating itself.
 
Kate looked great but I think she should have worn something new, an outfit used for a christening shouldn't be recycled for a war commemoration IMO.


Why should the clothes not be recycled? I think she did the right thing by using clothes previously worn. Classic clothes should stand the test of time, and the versatility of the coat dress was demonstrated by a change of hat.

:previous: I have to agree. Not a lot of thought went into this engagement. Somehow the light-hearted white dress from Charlotte's Christening and the white fascinator from a TOTC which doesn't quite suit it doesn't quite cut it at a WWI Memorial.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on this one. I think a lot of thought probably did go into choosing her clothes. It was a classic and elegant dress, that can be used in a variety of engagements.

To me, there was nothing "light-hearted" about the dress. Between the two events at which the coat dress was worn, the "tone" of the ensemble was altered by the hat used. For the christening, there was a happy, almost exuberant hat with flowers. For the commemoration, there was a much plainer and calmer hat.

As W&C settle into their full time roles and undertake a wider range of engagements, I would like to see her go down this route of better utilising her wardrobe, and subtly changing the tone of her outfits by altering the accessories.
 
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Did the Cambridges stay overnight in Belgium ? I wonder if King Philippe and Queen Mathilde may have invited them to stay at the Castle of Laeken .

That is certainly a possibility.
 
Why should the clothes not be recycled? I think she did the right thing by using clothes previously worn. Classic clothes should stand the test of time, and the versatility of the coat dress was demonstrated by a change of hat.



I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on this one. I think a lot of thought probably did go into choosing her clothes. It was a classic and elegant dress, that can be used in a variety of engagements.

To me, there was nothing "light-hearted" about the dress. Between the two events at which the coat dress was worn, the "tone" of the ensemble was altered by the hat used. For the christening, there was a happy, almost exuberant hat with flowers. For the commemoration, there was a much plainer and calmer hat.

As W&C settle into their full time roles and undertake a wider range of engagements, I would like to see her go down this route of better utilising her wardrobe, and subtly changing the tone of her outfits by altering the accessories.
I agree. She fits in tone very much with Mathilde. If Mathilde can wear shiny dress and shoes, detailed lace and swirly hat elements, I think Kate in creme/white (a half mourning colour btw) was rather subdued in comparison. I think they both dressed well. A bit more "dressed up" than the general public and other dignitaries, as fits with their roles.
 
I agree. She fits in tone very much with Mathilde. If Mathilde can wear shiny dress and shoes, detailed lace and swirly hat elements, I think Kate in creme/white (a half mourning colour btw) was rather subdued in comparison. I think they both dressed well. A bit more "dressed up" than the general public and other dignitaries, as fits with their roles.

White is actually a colour for full mourning. The Queen Mother wore full white throughout the State Visit to France in 1938 when she was in full mourning for her mother. The tour was only three weeks after her mother died. Her mother had died five days before the tour was due to start and in the intervening three weeks and five days an entire new wardrobe, totally in white, was created for her.

The Queen also wore white to her Coronation when she should have been in full mourning for Queen Mary (of course Queen Mary had decreed that 'mourning for a Queen Regnant should not delay the coronation of a full Queen Regnant' but the timing still means the Queen was in full mourning for her grandmother.

The Queen herself wore white to Vimy Ridge in 2007.

It should also be noted that Queen Victoria was criticised for wearing the mourning colour to her wedding in 1840.
 
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The Prince of Wales will lead senior royals and politicians in commemorating the centenary of one of the bloodiest offensives of the First World War.

Charles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister Theresa May will be among those attending a ceremony marking 100 years since the Battle of Passchendaele.

More than 100 days of fighting in the summer and autumn of 1917, starting on July 31, left more than half a million men dead or injured on both sides.
Read more: Battle of Passchendaele centenary: Prince Charles joins Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at ceremony
 
Mathilde is so regal, you see her and immediately think "Queen". There's something timeless about her, it's wonderful to see, she's so dignified.

Kate looked great but I think she should have worn something new, an outfit used for a christening shouldn't be recycled for a war commemoration IMO.

I don't mind recycling, especially for a somber occasion. But I think she should have worn something darker, an half-mourning colour, like lavander or mauve. Mathilde herself wore black at the very same ceremony in the past, but probably turn to a lighter tone due to the heat. And she looked every inch of a Queen last night.
 
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