Today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the launch of the National Emergencies Trust at St Martin-in-the-Fields. This is the couple’s first public engagements since they returned from the successful Pakistan visit. The couple was spending quality time with their children as Prince George and Princess Charlotte were on school break, at Anmer Hall.
Initially, only William’s visit was announced, on Tuesday Palace confirmed that the Duchess will be joining her husband at the launch.
The National Emergencies Trust (NET) is an independent charity which will provide an emergency response to disasters in the UK. It is being set up to raise funds from the general public in the event of a disaster or emergency within England for the alleviation of the needs of those affected by the event. The funds collected will be distributed by local partners on the ground in the areas affected by the emergency event.
The NET was created as a result of discussions held within the charitable sector about how to effectively respond to national emergencies following recent devastating tragedies, including the Grenfell Tower fire, and the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester in 2017.
As per Trust’s website, “Victims often find it difficult to know who to turn to in the tragic aftermath of a national emergency. The Trust will be there for those victims to facilitate a single point of contact to apply for help with a simple application process. Financial awards can be made to victims quickly and efficiently, avoiding the bureaucracy of multiple applications. It should also help use money more effectively and minimise fraud.” If you would like to donate, please click here.
The trust will work collaboratively with charities and other bodies to direct public donations to NET appeals and to distribute funds fairly and efficiently at the time of a national emergency. The concept of a collaborative approach to public emergency response has been proven by the Disasters Emergency Committee, which has been responding to overseas disasters for more than 50 years and will be applied by the NET to domestic emergencies.
Upon arrival, the royal couple met a small group of people affected by previous disasters, including the Grenfell Tower fire and the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack.
During the launch event, the Duke made a short speech before meeting representatives from the emergency services, NGOs, and some of the NET’s charitable partners.
“Whenever and wherever disaster strikes here in the UK, this country has a unique way of pulling together.”
The Duke of Cambridge at the launch of @NatEmergTrust, an independent charity which will provide an emergency response to disasters in the UK. pic.twitter.com/ALVx6GxPy3
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 7, 2019
In the new endeavour, Duke will be joined by leading public figures including Lord Dannatt – the former head of Britain’s Armed Forces.
A video of the visit.
Coming to the sartorial details – the Duchess of Cambridge was looking regal and elegant in a new royal blue dress.
Do you think her dress looks familiar? Well yes, She was wearing a royal blue bespoke version of her Emilia Wickstead Kate Dress.
Catherine owns the same style in lavender that she wore during Germany visit in 2017 and Mental Health Summit in 2018.
The dress was topped with Emilia Wickstead Rectangular Buckle Woven Belt in matching blue (Shown here in black). The $200 belt was described as, “A firm favourite with the fashion set, Emilia Wickstead presents an eternally chic black woven belt that will complement a myriad of new-season looks. The rectangular belt buckle with silver-toned hardware is easy to adjust to sit high at the waist with a dress or lower with your favourite trousers.”
The Duchess of Cambridge paired the outfit with a new pair of Jimmy Choo Pumps. Catherine wore Jimmy Choo Romy 85 Leather Pumps. Thanks to HeavenQRF and Emma on Twitter for their hard work to identify the shoes. The $850 pumps are available on Net-a-Porter as, “The classic pointy toe pump has been slightly updated with a softer point and a new stiletto heel,” says Jimmy Choo of this ‘Romy’ pair. A versatile addition to any well-edited wardrobe, they’ve been expertly made in Italy from glossy patent-leather and set on a manageable 85mm stiletto.”
She was carrying her Aspinal x Beulah Blue Heart Clutch and finished her look with Sapphire and Diamond Diana Earrings.
As we are in Remembrance Week, marking the occasion, Duchess complemented her look with Women of the First World War Poppy debuted in October 2018, when she visited Imperial War Museums.
Russell Myers on Twitter reported that after the launch, Duchess visited the BBC Children’s and Education team at Old Broadcasting House this afternoon ahead of Anti Bullying week. It was a private engagement.
In other news, DailyMail reported that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are set to launch another creative endeavour – Earth shot Prize. The Duchess of Cambridge is a keen photographer and we have seen many of her shots throughout the years. The Royal Foundation has applied to the Intellectual Property Office to trademark the award’s name. Duchess of Cambridge became the patron of Royal Photographic Society earlier this year. As per the Mail report,
“In a sign of the importance they attach to the prize, its name could be used for photographs, clothing, footwear and headgear, acccording to the application. Other areas covered include education and training services, publishing, cultural activities and all relating to nature conservation and the environment.”
On Tuesday, Duchess also held an Early Years meeting at Kensington Palace. Last year the Duchess convened a steering group of experts, including practitioners, academics and charities, for a lifelong project to highlight the importance of early intervention. It is reported that in early 2020 we will see some more from the group.
Next, we will see Duchess on Saturday at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall that will start around 07:00 PM.