Monday Memory: August 4, 2014
I cheated a little on today’s Monday Memory and chose the event myself (instead of leaving it to a random number generator). Today is November 11th, aka Armistice Day. We are looking back to August 4, 2014, when William, Kate, and Harry traveled to Belgium for World War I centenary commemorations.
William and Kate were greeted at l'Abbaye Saint-Laurent in Liège, Belgium, by Philipe and Mathilde, the King and Queen of the Belgians. Some heads of state and many dignitaries also traveled for Belgium for the day.
The group headed to the Cointe Inter-Allied Memorial on the hills overlooking Liège for the actual ceremony. William and Kate were seated on a dias with then-French President François Hollande, and William was one of the dignitaries who gave a brief speech.
Lunch was held at the Prince-Bishop's Palace. Elio di Rupo, the Prime Minister of Belgium at the time, shared a photo of himself chatting with William and Kate with the sumptuous interiors in the background. As one would expect in Belgium—a tapestry powerhouse—it appears the walls are full of tapestries.
After lunch, the royal couple were off to Mons where they were joined by Prince Harry. There was a reception at the town hall…
…but the big-ticket event was the reception and close-of-day ceremony at St. Symphorien Military Cemetery.
Kate wore a coat-dress by McQueen with a Jane Taylor hat and her famous Sledge heels from L.K. Bennett. She was carrying a complementing clutch from McQueen and added the perfect finishing touch with her Annoushka baroque pearl drops.
I loved this ensemble at the time, and I love it still today. It incorporated so many details Kate loves—a Peter Pan collar, pleats, and (at the time) a swinging shorter skirt. The colors are also so soft and flattering on Kate. The coat had both structure and movement, keeping it feminine but formal. Tip to toe, I thought this was a smash hit.
I have always loved this day of events and this ensemble. It was very moving to commemorate WWI, which left such a mark on all of Europe, and the images we got of Kate were some of the most beautiful. For me, 2014 — 2018 were some of the best royal watching years.
Whether you are marking the sacrifice of millions in Europe today or thanking veterans for their service in the United States, I wish you a very good Monday.
Lovely memory! I love everything about Catherine’s outfit. Thank you for sharing💐
The sledge heels were controversial at the time, with some people unhappy at the frequency with which the princess wore them. But I thought they were fun and I liked that Catherine chose to wear something she clearly liked, notwithstanding the opinion of others. The outfit was beautiful - very Catherine, modest, respectful and elegant - big win!