The Prince of Wales's 60th Birthday Celebrations: November 2008

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by giov

Duke, I meant this and this about Maxima!

ok got it you meant the car photos and yes that's posing i was thinking of maxima dramatically climbing into the car. overall i am grateful to all those who allowed a full view on their outfits and this was most gracefully done by mathilde.

[Viv]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

No group shots or any different pics we've already seen in today's new Hello! magazine I doubt anything else will come up in other mags, it's a shame that such a top class event almost happend completely behind closed doors

Well, apparently it was a mixed bag of guests at BP! Foreign royalty and representatives from various charities. Maybe HM picked up the invitations which were left out for Highgrove?

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Another reason, and maybe the most likely one, is that there is a massive recession on the way / going on and the last thing the public wants to see are glammed up royals having fun at a lavish party when HM is asking for more money to maintain her palaces. True or not, in the public eye these kind of events are seen as "being sponsored by the public" and therefore a glossy coverage about Charles' birthday would probably closer to harm than benefit for the BRF. .

Is the recession hitting the UK harder than the rest of us?
Seriously, I think it's a shame that the BRF constantly have to cover their behinds! They seem to be terribly sensitive to criticism post 1997. It's
OK to test the water every now and then, but IMO they could become too sensitive for their own good!

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Then, I've said it before, the Brits are not interested in any other royals than their own. I doubt anyone in Britain, apart from those who have a really keen interest in royalty, knows who Mary, Maxima or Letizia are or gives a second thought about them. The most recobnizable member of a foreign RF is maybe MC because of her children's shop being in the media.

LOL, I remember a report in a Danish paper; Fred and Mary were attending an event in London and some of those present thought that they were the CPly couple of Sweden! That said I think that those of us who are familiar with the UK are aware of the lacking interest. But those who are
unfamiliar with the situation in the UK may find it hard to understand!

[Guido]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Letizia didn't pose but she looks something between strange and absent, with the usual unnatural puffy face.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5...752fd14vw3.jpg

In this picture Letizia looks like Queen Rania.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Viv

Is the recession hitting the UK harder than the rest of us?

Well, there is a worldwide economic downturn but the situation in the UK is probably among the worst due to the strong impact of the housing market (unlike in countries like France or Germany). Here, as in the US where it all started, the mentality is not to rent a house or flat but to buy - and sell again with profit. Over the last decades prices went up - out of proportion - and now as they are going down, most people are personally affected plus the depending industries. Then the impact on the financial capital London - if the City sneezes (= tens of thousands of people lose their jobs), the country gets a cold. In this situation HM recently complained and asked more or less officially for more money to maintain her palaces, we see her grandson William waste taxpayer's money on unnecessary helicopter flights and see another grandson, Peter, who should be well enough anyway sell his wedding to the tabloids - all this adds up to the point that the public is fed up with watching their royals splash the cash.

When it emerged weeks ago the Charles would have more than 1 party there was lots of polemic going on what probably supported the Windsor's assumption that going public eg with glossy pics could turn the public opinion even more against them. The emphasis was strongly put on Charles' achievements as heir to the throne, rightly so, and not on his celebrations. Therefore, here we go, without pics.

[Menarue]

But Duke, the question is did Kate Middleton go to the party or not.

[auntie]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Letizia didn't pose but she looks something between strange and absent, with the usual unnatural puffy face.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5...752fd14vw3.jpg

I agree, it could be the result of a bad cold or too many esthetic changes, and I think the reason people note that she looks similar to Rania, is that it has become more apparant (to me at least) Rania's corrective nose surgery (lately her face seems too stiff). Rania is one of my fav royals, just a small observation...

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Menarue

But Duke, the question is did Kate Middleton go to the party or not.

Maybe they have understood that any action of Kate will harm the BRF because it's fuel to the either sugary or bashing stories in the tabloids - and neither is helpful. It is most sensible not to disclose whether she was there or not - has the penny finally dropped at CH's PR department

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Maybe they have understood that any action of Kate will harm the BRF because it's fuel to the either sugary or bashing stories in the tabloids - and neither is helpful. It is most sensible not to disclose whether she was there or not - has the penny finally dropped at CH's PR department

I think CH has been pretty consistent in the matter of Kate. You may recall they never commented on whether Kate attended Camilla's 60th at Highgrove - and that was meant to be when they had split up.

My own theory is that if they had actually split up, it would have leaked by now, one way or the other. Kate is probably just keeping a very low profile and staying out of the press.

[Tilla]

Perhaps, should we not forget, that Letizia and Maxima were a little tensed up, in the expectation to encounter the Queen Elisabeth, which IMHO is probably not soooo easy.

[Menarue]

I understand Kate keeping a very low profile I just can´t understand how they have managed to make her friends and family (especially the book ones) keep quiet.
The Tower as a place to send prisoners seems to be obsolete these days.

[Ella Kay]

Maybe they threatened to un-invite them from an eventual wedding?

[Menarue]

Originally Posted by Ella Kay

Maybe they threatened to un-invite them from an eventual wedding?

Good one Ella Kay even though the bride has something to do with a royal wedding it will still be the Queen who makes the invitations.....
Even being related to the BRF sometimes isn´t enough.....

[donnaK]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Letizia didn't pose but she looks something between strange and absent, with the usual unnatural puffy face.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5...752fd14vw3.jpg

Puffy face ? Her face appeared the thinnest among all the CPsses' . Look at the pictures posed by giov on Post 460 and you will see what stoned puffy face looked like (probably due to trowels of makeup). Her eye areas looked shinny was probably due to the light/glass reflection since the picture was taken from the front.

[LadyFinn]

Some photos:
Infanta Cristina
Hola
Crown Princess Mathilde
Hola
Princess Marie-Chantal
Hola

[Kezza]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Maybe they have understood that any action of Kate will harm the BRF because it's fuel to the either sugary or bashing stories in the tabloids - and neither is helpful. It is most sensible not to disclose whether she was there or not - has the penny finally dropped at CH's PR department

I doubt they would be doing it for Kate's sake because come on we must not upstage the birthday boy now must we?

Still not sure if either girlfriend was there to be honest, and I don't think we will ever know for sure. Then again I think thats how the RF would like it to be. No engagement speculations and no scandal attached to the party just incase Kate put on her roller skates and that outfit and fall over exposing herself sort of thing.

[PrincessofEurope]

royals.web-log.nl: Update: Prinses Maxima bij feest Charles

[Russophile]

Can somebody tell me why there's an ongoing arguement about Letizia in Prince Charles' thread? Wouldn't that be more appropriate over in her own thread??

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by Russophile

Can somebody tell me why there's an ongoing arguement about Letizia in Prince Charles' thread?

Because this thread isn't about Charles as far as the partisans of their favourite foreign princess is concerned; since said princess was at the Queen's party, the thread is now just a vehicle to discuss the princess (and compare her favourably with other foreign princesses, of course). The thread stopped being about Charles a long time ago, unfortunately, and the people who want to talk about Charles would appear to have given up on it.

However, people whose interest in this thread is to talk about how well dressed their favourite princess was are cordially invited to take their discussion here:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...day-19083.html

[Russophile]

I knew you'd have an answer for me E!


Now who pays for all this? I thought Camilla was paying for her party and wasn't the State party from HM?

[Elspeth]

I think Skydragon is our local expert on who pays for what where the royals are concerned.