Royalty Thread #16: the best of times, the worst of times

Would Edward and Sophie's kids even be eligible to be working royals, given how displaced they are in the line of succession? Even if technically they would now, with the streamlining of the monarchy, it was a good career move on the part of the parents.
 
Technically, if Louise and James (or Zara, Peter, Beatrice, or Eugenie) wanted to become working royals during William’s reign, they would be his first cousins, much as the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester were to the late QEII, and they were and continue to be working royals all their lives. But the monarchy is so different now that I think we are unlikely to see any of them become full time working royals. However, with Harry’s departure, when Charles and his siblings die or retire, William and Kate will be the only working royals (until their children come of age, I guess) which would mean another wholesale rethinking of how the monarchy works. Charles was keen to not have any “hangers on” from the extended family, being aware of the financial optics, but I don’t think he ever dreamed Harry and his descendants would be removed from the equation. We have started to see Beatrice, Eugenie, and Zara start to take on the occasional event (like the garden parties) and patronage, and I think we’ll see this kind of part time, once in awhile participation from William’s cousins into his reign. But I absolutely think Anne and Edward made the right choice to not give their children titles and make it clear they were expected to live “normal” (albeit very privileged!) lives.
 
Mesoscale.News (Rebekah Jones) newsletter reported this from the recap of United Nations Oceans (UNOC) week in Nice:

Princess Eugenie of York spoke about the importance of our first memory of the ocean, and keeping that intimidate connection with us as we continue working.
 
I thought Charlotte’s dress and shoes were too frumpy and old-fashioned. Could she ever wear pants to a formal royal event or is that not done?
 
Kate's coat at Trooping matched the colour of the cap feather of the Irish Guards, the regiment she is Honourary Colonel of. I thought it was a bit severe and dated looking but I liked the colour choice. I also liked that Charlotte's dress complimented it. The boys red ties complimented William's red tunic.

This is a formal Royal Military event. I don't think any of the women would wear pants unless they were in uniform like Anne. I think Sophie wore a very flowy jumpsuit to a state dinner once but that's an evening event with a specific dress code. I suppose at some point Charlotte could wear a formal pant suit for Trooping but I don't think that would look right on a 10 year old girl.
 
I hope Charlotte is allowed to wear jeans and regular clothes when she's off duty. I feel like the Queen definitely wouldn't have approved of female royals dressing casual when off duty.
 
I hope Charlotte is allowed to wear jeans and regular clothes when she's off duty. I feel like the Queen definitely wouldn't have approved of female royals dressing casual when off duty.
Kate has worn jeans on many occasions. I don't doubt for one second that Charlotte would be prohibited from casual clothes. The Queen was alive when Kate was seen in casual clothes.

 
Kate wears pants to engagements (i.e. when she is working) all the time, jeans to sporty events and pantsuits to more formal ones. A quick scroll through their official Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/princeandprincessofwales/) shows multiple pictures of the kids, including Charlotte, in jeans, shorts, and casual clothes, even for official family portraits. They are famously a very outdoorsy family, lots of mucking about in forests and so on. Yes, Kate has a tendency to dress the kids very formally and traditionally for these big formal, traditional events, but that doesn’t mean they never wear jeans. And imagine the criticism she would come under if she didn’t dress them “appropriately” for these events … for every person thinking it’s old fashioned or fussy, there’s three who would bemoan the lack of standards and decency. Charlotte may also prefer dresses for dressing up, lots of little girls do.
 
Kate has worn jeans on many occasions. I don't doubt for one second that Charlotte would be prohibited from casual clothes. The Queen was alive when Kate was seen in casual clothes.


Yeah but Kate is an adult. Apparently royal kids (or kids of aristocracy) are always supposed to dress very formally. There are many pictures of Will and Harry as kids dressed in these absurdly formal suits.
 
. There are many pictures of Will and Harry as kids dressed in these absurdly formal suits.
40+ years ago? Yes they used to be the royal wear at the time. Things change - maybe not as fast as you would like

FYI - the outfits I had for my son's 44 years ago? When they look at pictures - well they certainly think they look dressed too formally. They really hate my choices.
 
Not sure what the fuss is about - in all the pictures I see of the kids they are dressed appropriately for the occasion, and there are tons of pictures of them in jeans, including Charlotte. I don't see any signs that they are being forced to wear clothes that are more formal than the occasion (and their ages at the time).

Diana's time was different - I used to work in a department store back then and the kids clothing was still very much in the sailor suits for boys and frilly dresses for girls era, and google tells me that the first Baby Gap didn't open until 1990 :)
 
I used to work in a department store back then and the kids clothing was still very much in the sailor suits for boys
True. There are at least 2 pictures of boys in sailor suits that I am forbidden to share. :)
However, Charlotte never wears jeans with holes in them or never wears midriff tops :)
 
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I don't mean to be a prude, but do you really want to see a 10 year old in a midriff top? Especially one who gets so much public attention?
 
I don't mean to be a prude, but do you really want to see a 10 year old in a midriff top? Especially one who gets so much public attention?
Right, I was just being extreme. My niece allows my great niece who is 13 to wear them (probably even buys for her)
 
Can’t speak for Charlotte but my granddaughter now wants to wear sparkly frilly dresses all the time. By age 4, between TV and peers, the girly stuff is well established.

I’m curious if Ruby, who is much more physically active than Diana, will also want that as she gets older.
 
I just hope Charlotte is actually allowed to be a kid without all the stuffy "rules" that only seem to apply to royal women, that's all. I remember online there was some consternation once when Kate wore sunglasses at Wimbledon. It was considered unladylike.
 
And now for a different set of royals: the Christening of Princess Ines of Sweden took place last week.

And here's her National Day appearance a couple of weeks ago:
 
Swedish RF appears to be a little more relaxed about protocol although they also know how to be stately. Do you suppose Prince Gabriel goes by Gabe in the family? BTW I think both he & Prince Alexander are cute boys.
 
Swedish RF appears to be a little more relaxed about protocol although they also know how to be stately. Do you suppose Prince Gabriel goes by Gabe in the family? BTW I think both he & Prince Alexander are cute boys.
Alexander looks a lot like his dad, while Gabriel is more Sofia.

No idea what the diminutive for Gabriel is in Swedish :)
 
Charlotte is apparently quite the sporty child with hobbies ranging from ballet to rugby. I don't think one needs to worry she isn't allowed to be a child or is being groomed to be a proper little lady who embroiders by the hearth. She gives me Anne and Zara vibes if anything.
 
In other news, I really disliked Kate's white dress for garter day. It looks like a doily. I liked Sophie's pink dress though.
 
I like the Garter outfit from the waist up :) Funny thing is, she must really like that outfit as it's not only the 4th she's worn it, she wore it just last month! Surprised at that fast a repeat, but then again you never know if she had something else picked out and there was a last minute issue so she pulled out something she likes/is comfy in.

https://whatkatewore.com/2025/06/16/the-princess-brings-back-self-portrait-style-for-garter-day/

The Garter event is kinda absurd and dated to me, but they sure do seem to enjoy it!
 
Can’t speak for Charlotte but my granddaughter now wants to wear sparkly frilly dresses all the time. By age 4, between TV and peers, the girly stuff is well established.

I’m curious if Ruby, who is much more physically active than Diana, will also want that as she gets older.
Not just girls. My cousin’s grandson (age 5) wore a sparkly tutu over his pants for his birthday party.
 
I like the Garter outfit from the waist up :) Funny thing is, she must really like that outfit as it's not only the 4th she's worn it, she wore it just last month! Surprised at that fast a repeat, but then again you never know if she had something else picked out and there was a last minute issue so she pulled out something she likes/is comfy in.

https://whatkatewore.com/2025/06/16/the-princess-brings-back-self-portrait-style-for-garter-day/

The Garter event is kinda absurd and dated to me, but they sure do seem to enjoy it!
Those shoes would kill me.
 

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