Prince William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

[Lucien]

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge celebrates her 31st birthday today!

[Jen_94]

Happy birthday to HRH The Duchess of Cambridge for today!

[CHRISinUSA]

The BBC are reporting that the Queen has earmarked Amner Hall, about 2 miles from Sandringham House, as the future country home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  Part of the Sandringham Estate since 1898, the hall was rented by the Duke and Duchess of Kent from 1972 - 1990, and is currently occupied by the Everett family, owners of a kitchen and timber company Norfolk Oak. 

The Hall's current lease expires in 2017, which makes me wonder - will the Cambridges' have no country home for the next 4-5 years, or a temporary one, or perhaps will the Queen buy out the Amner Hall lease early?

[Lucien]

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge celebrates her 31st birthday today!

And also:

HM The Queen has issued Laters Patent that in case the baby of TRH is a girl,,she will be styled a Princess and titled as HRH,
not a mere Lady.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20962102

[Suzanne]

Some additional background on the December 31, 2012 Letters Patent granting equal titles to all the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children

http://www.royalhistorian.com/queen-elizabeth-decrees-that-all-of-the-duke-and-duchess-of-cambridges-children-will-be-princes-and-princesses/

[Jen_94]

Well, it seems the royal couple spent Kate's 31st in an evening out in London. The Duke and Duchess were spotted seeing the Cirque du Soeli's show, Kooza at the Royal Albert Hall last night.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/kate-middleton/9794296/Duchess-of-Cambridge-celebrates-31st-birthday-with-family-outing.html

[RoyalWatcher]

The BBC are reporting that the Queen has earmarked Amner Hall, about 2 miles from Sandringham House, as the future country home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  Part of the Sandringham Estate since 1898, the hall was rented by the Duke and Duchess of Kent from 1972 - 1990, and is currently occupied by the Everett family, owners of a kitchen and timber company Norfolk Oak. 

The Hall's current lease expires in 2017, which makes me wonder - will the Cambridges' have no country home for the next 4-5 years, or a temporary one, or perhaps will the Queen buy out the Amner Hall lease early?

And, now The Telegraph is reporting the same thing with details including a planning application that has already been filed on the Grade II listed property:
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/9793380/Prince-William-and-Kate-Middleton-to-be-given-a-rural-home-fit-for-a-Royal-family.html

I suppose the property that the PoW was building called "Harewood Park Estate" is indeed not intended for William and Kate after all.

[CHRISinUSA]

Apparently not.  Amner will make a nice family home for the couple.  But it does make me wonder about the royal housing shuffle in the next reign. When Charles becomes King, he'll gain Balmoral and Sandringham.  Highgrove is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, so won't that pass to William?  I suppose at that point Amner Hall could be given to Harry and his eventual wife.

[grandduchessella]

Kate's first official portrait. The bottom half of her face looks like an older woman.

[Jen_94]

Ok, my opinion:

Right up close, I think the portrait looks so much better. From the distance, not really. The only thing I like 100% about the portrait is the fact it looks so real and also the way the hair was painted. The portrait doesn't flatter her that much, I don't think.

Kate and William made an appearance (Kate wearing a rather nice dress, and looking healthy!) at the National Portrait Gallery, London to view the painting unveiled today. The Middletons were also there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260655/Kate-Middleton-Rotten-official-portrait-Duchess-Cambridge-artist-Paul-Emsley-unveiled.html

[Gerta]

I agree, the portrait is not becoming. Showing bags under the eyes, small wrinkles and tired eyes, it really looks like a passport photo.  I think they could have found a better artist to do the portrait.

[Sara Araújo]

I think that the main issue with the portrait is that it really makes her look much older than what she is. It's almost as if we're looking at a future version of herself. Considering the fact that she's pregnant this is even more awkward, as one would expect her to look healthy, young and fresh as that is usually the idea we have of young mothers. And it just doesn't look like herself. Other than that I think it's very well executed.

[RoyalWatcher]

Her hair in the portrait is phenomenal. Absolutely gorgeous. However, her face looks jaundice and the painted nose seems twice the size of her actual one. Bummer. Is this the one that the PoW commissioned?

[DNAgenie]

I read somewhere that Kate wanted the portrait to show the real person, not her public face.  And she has a degree in art history, after all, so she presumably knows what she wants.

[grandduchessella]

Then the artist presumably thought her 'real face' was snide and a bit calculating. :/  That's the impression I get when I look at it. Art is very subjective, however. If they wanted a discussion started then they got that at least! She was also familiar with the artist's style so she would've known how it may come across.