British Royal Christmas 2008-2020

[Tiggersk8]

I was just waiting for someone to say something about those hats. Yet another sign of the hyper sensitive times we live in sadly.

I see nothing wrong w/it, but then again, my parents hunt and the majority of our meat comes from their hunting. My Dad also trapped up to a few years ago when his health started to go down hill. Everything he trapped, were nuisance animals, such as beavers damming up near people's homes and causing floods or going after wolves who were pestering the cow herds or sheep herds. How are we to know that's not how HM or Camilla's fur came? It very well could have you know?

I am against real cruelty to animals, but it's gone so far over to the other side of things and I'm sick of having to defend my parents, family and family friends just because they hunt and/or trap.

End of rant. Now on to the topic at hand.

I actually thought the Queen looked the most stylish she's looked in a long time and it was my favourite outfit out of all the pictures I've seen from yesterday. She really looked amazing and it suited her wonderfuly as well.

I also thought that Eugenie looked the best I've ever seen her in...Well...I don't know when actually. The hat really suited her and so did the coat. She truly looked both elegant and stylish yesterday and it's about time too!!

As for the low number of Royals, well considering that William was on duty (and good for him doing that so his fellow officers w/Families could enjoy the Holiday w/them instead) and Princess Anne and Family aren't able to go to Norfolk due to the imminent arrival of the newest member of the Royal Family and we really shouldn't be that surprised. Christmas 2011 will more than make up for it w/it being Catherine's first Christmas as a Royal and Anne and Family being there as well.

Sorry for the rambling, but my Parents and I just spent the better part of the evening wrestling w/my new Recumbent Stationary Bike while putting it together. Still can't get the tension to work on the blasted thing, but I'm too tired to do anything about it now.

[Dierna23]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

I think Beatrice's hat was the best of the lot.

I am really disappointed taht in this day and age the Queen and the wife of the heir to the throne would wear fur - further evidence of being out of touch with the views of the people which is against cruelty to animals.

I see your point, Iluvbertie! I'm pretty sure both wore real fur, but that's actually what I expect from people who love all sorts of hunting. No harm meant!

[COUNTESS]

There is nothing wrong with them wearing fur. They looked good and kept warm. You can't please everyone., no matter what you do.

[Ukroyalist]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

There is nothing wrong with them wearing fur. They looked good and kept warm. You can't please everyone., no matter what you do.

I agree. I think both HM and The Duchess looked beautiful in fur!

[Lillibetforever]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

There is nothing wrong with them wearing fur. They looked good and kept warm. You can't please everyone., no matter what you do.

Her Majesty's fur hat and cuffs were absolutely beautiful! Very regal indeed.

[Roslyn]

Tricky subject, and complex.

I will not buy soaps or cosmetics which contain animal products or which have been tested on animals, because I consider it morally reprehensible to exploit animals for fashion and beauty, but I wear cow-hide leather shoes and handbags because I can justify that. It is a byproduct of the meat industy and I think that if you are going to kill an animal for food, which I find acceptable, you should use as much of its carcass as possible and not waste it. So I am content to exploit animals for some purposes, but not others, so some animal welfare advocates would label me as a hypocrite.

I own a rabbit fur coat I bought when I was about 20, but, at the time, rationalised that purchase on the basis rabbits are an environmental pest here and every last one of them should be killed. Should their carcasses be used rather than just buried? Not sure now; perhaps they should be treated with respect and just buried. Would I wear that coat now? No. Would I have ever worn a coat made from a wild animal such as a cheetah that was hunted for its pelt? Never, not in my wildest dreams, because I consider that killing those beautiful, endangered, wild animals is a criminal act. What about farmed mink or similar animals. No, because that's still exploiting animals for fashion, and that's an unacceptable purpose, IMO.

Was there something else that HM and the DoC have worn that would have kept them just as warm? Yes. Were they warm and snug in their soft, fur hats? No doubt. Did they wear fur just because they wanted to wear fur? I think they probably did...........and there's the rub. They didn't have to and they shouldn't have worn fur. They are people who kill animals for sport and they probably don't think there's anything wrong with wearing fur, and don't mind letting the world know what they think on the point. However lots of HM's subjects do, and by wearing fur the Royal ladies were metaphorically thumbing their noses at those subjects who are opposed to the killing animals for sport and to satisfy the whims and vanity of human females. To this extent, it's a rare example of HM making a political statement.

IMO, very poor form, ladies.

*steps off soapbox*

[kathl29]

I must be honest I don't think they should have worn fur as I find it cruel to kill animals for their skins.

However this view is probably partly because when I was in the UK and now in Australia I have never lived anywhere except the city and therefore I have a different viewpoint to the hunting of animals to someone who has lived in the country who sees animals as pests or someone who comes from a country where hunting is still popular.

Hunting and wearing fur has become significantly less popular with people during the last decade in the UK and although HM and DOC were probably very warm in the fur they should probably have been more sensitive to the opinions of a large number of their subjects.

There is so much positivity around the Royal Family at the moment due to William and Kate's wedding that it is unfortunate to make a silly mistake like wear fur which generates negative headlines.

[KittyAtlanta]

Originally Posted by rossop7

Well there is no guarantee that they are wearing real fur as these days there are some exceptionally high quality faux-fur makers out there...that said, since the fmaily is rather fond of various forms of hunting, it's probably real fur.

Not keen on real fur, or even faux-fur for that matter, but it suits the Queen & Camilla, looks pretty good on them. I would look ridiculous if I tried a hat like that!

That's real fur. And, to be that perfect, it has to be farmed fur. It's sad to me.

Originally Posted by Lillibetforever
Her Majesty's fur hat and cuffs were absolutely beautiful! Very regal indeed.

I wear leather as it comes from a food animal. Show me a mink, fox, wolf or other farmed fur animal steak in a restaurant and I'll wear fur.

I'm off my soapbox now, as well.

[tiaratop]

Does anyone know why Sophie always rides in the car with the queen and the rest of the family walks to the church on Christmas?

[Lumutqueen]

Because the Queen asks her to accompany her for the company.

[windsorgirl]

Originally Posted by tiaratop

Does anyone know why Sophie always rides in the car with the queen and the rest of the family walks to the church on Christmas?

Partly for company, but also in 2003 she was recovering from the emergency delivery of Lady Louise in November and then again in 2007 she had delivered Viscount Severn just the week before, also by c-section. So I think it became a nice tradition for the two ladies which they continue.

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, which shows that HM must enjoy her company. It's good to see.

Originally Posted by windsorgirl

So I think it became a nice tradition for the two ladies which they continue.

[Marika86]

The Royal Family attend Sunday Church service on the Sandringham Estate Norfolk 2nd January 2011.

BelgaPicture - Category details
BelgaPicture - Category details

[Renata4711]

The pictures are a bit disappointing.

But, at least, HM will have some fun in the months to come when she will attend events to celebrate the "King James Bible" anniversary.

[NoorMeansLight]

I can't recognize the two ladies with the red coats that accompanied HM. And what about the girl? Is she Louise?! Sophie looks very good as usual. Thanks for sharing!

[windsorgirl]

Originally Posted by NoorMeansLight

I can't recognize the two ladies with the red coats that accompanied HM. And what about the girl? Is she Louise?! Sophie looks very good as usual. Thanks for sharing!

I'd say they are locals who came out with their dog(s) to greet the royal family. The girl is not Louise (fervently wishing she were, though). Amazing how close they are to HM if that's the case!

[NoorMeansLight]

Originally Posted by windsorgirl

I'd say they are locals who came out with their dog(s) to greet the royal family. The girl is not Louise (fervently wishing she were, though). Amazing how close they are to HM if that's the case!

Very very close, if that's the case. I suppose this was a low-key event, just a Church Service the 2nd day of the new year.

[JennahPc]

On a more shallow note, does anyone know if the statement necklace that Princess Beatrice wore for the Christmas Day Church Service at Sandringham has any historical significance? It was quite large and worn outside of her jacket.

[Warren]

The Royal Christmas 2011




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[wbenson]

Hopes of unseen royal wedding footage will trigger bumper audience for Queen's Speech | Mail Online

For decades it was the highlight of the family Christmas when, across the country, people tuned in to the Queen’s annual broadcast. But in recent years the tradition has been in decline.

Now the arrival of a new royal star in the Duchess of Cambridge has triggered an extraordinary upsurge in interest across the globe.