The Diamond Jubilee Luncheon and Dinner for the World's Monarchs: May 18, 2012

[Ephram]

Can anyone live in London describe what is happening now at Windsor Castle? Is there any update or crossover by BBC or any TV channel on the luncheon? What about the guests arriving - I am only seeing pictures of the armed forces rehearsing.

 

[EIIR]

Sky News just said that the dress code is lounge suits, so pretty informal. The guests will be sitting at round tables and one British royal will sit at each table. I think that the guests are all in place and the lunch is underway.

Last we heard William and Kate are due to attend the luncheon, but not Prince Charles's dinner at BP tonight.

I suspect in terms of photos, we'll probably get a handout group picture, but not much more than that.

 

[Ephram]

Thank you for updating. Great to hear the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well.

 

[melina premiere]

I doubt we will watch many photos of the luncheon at Windsor castle and and we will get any more about the dinner at BP. I remember we had no photos abouth the 60th' birthday of Prince Charles apart some photos of the cars of the personnalities which arrived there
Perhaps we will get a handout group picture

 

[EIIR]

Kate is definitely there, she's wearing an outfit by Emilia Wickstead as per Richard Palmer.

There will be photos, media access has been restricted within the Castle to Press Association and the BBC.

Sky News just showed some footage of the Queen and DoE inside. HM seems to be wearing a kind of silver coloured skirt suit.

Apparently William and Kate are unlikely to be bowing/curtseying to the monarchs as there are so many of them.

 

[Rosapru]

I do hope Kate wears Emilia Wickstead. Her outifs are absolutly gorgeous and ultra feminine. I adore her dresses, so fluid and so elegant.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I do hope Kate wears Emilia Wickstead. Her outifs are absolutly gorgeous and ultra feminine. I adore her dresses, so fluid and so elegant.

It's been confirmed as EIIR said in the post above, that she is wearing Emilia.

UPDATE: Kate is wearing a pink Alice coat dress.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Just a note, The Princess Royal is not attending the lunch, she's in Athens bringing the torch to Cornwall.

 

[EIIR]

On the menu today is English Asparagus Tartlet, Windsor Lamb & Kent Strawberries with Vanilla Charlotte.

Sounds yummy.

UPDATE: could Kate be in a pink version of this?

http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/autumn-winter-2011/ready-to-wear/emilia-wickstead#/image/1

 

[Lumutqueen]

That link takes me to a 5 page gallery EIIR?

 

[EIIR]

Try this one. The first picture here. Apparently it has pleats which this has. Total and complete stab in the dark, though.

Emilia Wickstead Autumn/Winter 2011-12 London - Ready-To-Wear - Full length photos (Vogue.com UK)

 

[Madame Royale]

Apparently William and Kate are unlikely to be bowing/curtseying to the monarchs as there are so many of them.

Can't say I find that a very reasonable excuse. At the end of the day, they are still sovereign heads of state.

That they themselves would chose to omit the practice when it suits, makes the idea of observed protocol seem rather unnecessary.

And what 'practice' it would be for the Duchess. By the end of lunch she'd have her curtsey down to a fine art

 

[Lumutqueen]

Takes me to the same place guess we'll just have to wait. All the news is about the torch arrival! I don't think William and Catherine would have chosen not to curtesy, they've just been told. It's easier, I can understand.

If it's that dress then I don't like it, another matronly outfit. Fingers crossed it isn't.

Dammit been watching BBC like a hawk. Great to have a picture!

Catherine's dress was made to measure and cost £1,300, twitter news.
Just seen a glimpse of the dress and it's the first one on the row in pale pink, hair down.

 

[EIIR]

It's photo number 1 in the gallery when the page opens.

Can't say that I particularly care if William/Kate/Harry/Beatrice/Eugenie curtsey or not. Given there are so many of them the ladies would be continually bobbing up and down like whackamoles.

 

[NGalitzine]

BBC News - Royals arrive for Queen's Jubilee lunch at Windsor

First group photo of the sovereigns

 

[Madame Royale]

I didn't mean that they, William and Catherine, should have chosen not too, personally. But that ulitmately the Queen has found it an unnecessary observance for the occasion.

If that's the case, then by all means, kudo's to all those who chose not to curtsey or bow their head as it's obviously not a worthwhile practice to continue.

And yes, I'm being quite nitpicky and I know it but I'm a stickler for such traditional norms. I like them.

No doubt we'll see next to nothing of the evening event which will be more eye catching than this rather dull appearance. Not that it's their fault. They simply comply with the code of dress specified upon invite.

 

[EIIR]

miche just posted a picture of Kate talking to Charlene on Kate's daytime fashion thread.

 

[Rosapru]

Rex Features - Photographic press agency and picture library

 

[Marika86]

The world's most exclusive lunch kicks off at Windsor Castle - hellomagazine.com

 

[EIIR]

Just seen some footage on Sky of HM and the DoE welcoming the King of Bahrain. Also video of the big photo that we've seen being taken.
Isn't there due to be a big royal flypast in Windsor today for the Jubilee? I wonder if the foreign monarchs will stay to see it?

 

[KittyAtlanta]

...If that's the case, then by all means, kudo's to all those who chose not to curtsey or bow their head as it's obviously not a worthwhile practice to continue.

Did not HM say a couple of years ago that bowing and curtseying was not necessary?

 

[MarNoe]

Rex Features - Photographic press agency and picture library

Is there a fee for registering on this site? Otherwise it won't let me view the pictures.

 

[EIIR]

There is no requirement to bow and curtsy in the UK. It's entirely up to the individual. Tony Blair's wife Cherie never curtsied to the Queen, despite her husband being PM for over a decade.

The Queen is too classy to get annoyed at that sort of thing.

 

[Madame Royale]

Did not HM say a couple of years ago that bowing and curtseying was not necessary?

For her subjects perhaps. As for members of her own family not observing the practice, I'd imagine that quite unlikely. Or at least, I would have until today (?).

Though Zara Tindell has spoken publically about the matter of courtseying and how it is still performed even when in private.

I think that alone provides reasonable clarification on the subject.

 

[muriel]

Quite annoying that the pictures avaialbel so far (apart fromt he group picture of the monarchs) are of Catherine and William, and not of some of the other senior royals.

 

[EIIR]

William looks pretty bored in one or two of those pictures.

I'm afraid I don't quite understand the attendance of ex-monarchs at events like this. I wonder what the people of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania etc. think of the people they kicked off the throne being invited to a gathering of world monarchs. It just seems very odd to me.

 

[Artemisia]

- Group picture of the Monarchs
Interesting sitting arrangements, with almost all former Monarchs (with the exception of Alexander II of Yugoslavia, who was never actually a Monarch) seated in the front row.
The front row, left to right - Emperor Akihito, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Former King Constantine of the Hellenes, Former King Michael of Romania, Queen Elizabeth, Former King Simeon of Bulgaria, Sultan of Brunei, King Carl Gustav of Sweden, King Mswati of Swaziland, Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein.
The middle row, left to right - Prince Albert II of Monaco, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King of Lesotho, King Albert of the Belgians, King Harald of Norway, Emir of Qatar, King Abdullah of Jordan, King of Bahrain, The Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.
The top row, left to right - Nasser Mohamed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi, Crown Prince Alexander II of Yugoslavia, King of Tonga, Crown Prince of Thailand, Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.


Several pictures from the Jubilee lunch:
- Lalla Meryem of Morocco
- Emperor Akhito and Empress Michiko
- King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa of Baihrain
- Prince Harry, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi
- Mswati III of Swazziland and Inkhosikati LaMbikiza
- Prince Albert and Princess Charlene (with William and Kate)
- Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
- Prince Andrew, the Duke of York with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar

Gallery from Daylife
Gallery from Newscom

 

[muriel]

I'm afraid I don't quite understand the attendance of ex-monarchs to events like this. I wonder what the people of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania etc. think of the people they kicked off the throne being invited to a gathering of world monarchs. It just seems very odd to me.

I agree, to me this is a royal "peculiar".All these former royals get invited to events that really ought to be the preserve of ruling monarchs only.

 

[Rossina]

BBC News - Queen welcomes royals for Jubilee lunch at Windsor

 

[NGalitzine]

Roumania probably would not have an issue with it since the King seems to hold a semi official position in their society and is certainly quite an honored person. Bulgaria could be in a similar position in that it would be a non event The Greeks are likely a different story since they still seem quite sensitive about their former royal family but then they have much bigger issues to worry about these days.