On Thursday evening, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were supposed to attend the Tusk Conservation Awards at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square before joining a reception at the National Portrait Gallery.
But in the afternoon the news came out that the Duchess will have to cancel her appearance due to her children. Later on, it was reported that one of the kid was not feeling well and there was no babysitter for the evening so Catherine had to cancel. As per the Hello,
Kensington Palace said, “Duchess was no longer able to go to the event “due to the children” but would still meet finalists at a tea at Kensington Palace on Thursday afternoon. “
Kensington Palace
Due to the change of the events, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a reception at the Kensington Palace for the nominees and finalists.
Prince William became Royal Patron of Tusk in December 2005. The Duke has actively supported the charity’s work both privately and publicly on many occasions and last visited Tusk projects in Namibia and Tanzania in 2018.
Kensington Palace
For almost 30 years, Tusk has pioneered successful conservation action in Africa by protecting wildlife, empowering communities and advancing the frontline in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. The annual Tusk Conservation Awards celebrate the achievements of extraordinary people, whose work protecting Africa’s natural heritage might otherwise go unnoticed outside their fields.
Kensington Palace
The Duke of Cambridge presented three awards before delivering a short speech. The Tusk Award for Conservation is given to an emerging leader in conservation in recognition of their contribution to date. The Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award recognises the dedication and bravery of rangers working to protect Africa’s increasingly threatened wildlife. The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa is a lifetime achievement award which commends outstanding dedication and contribution to conservation.
Tonight, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were back to The London Palladium to attend the annual Royal Variety Performance.
The Royal Variety
The Royal Variety Performance has been on the Royal Family’s event calendar since 1912 and takes place every year, either in London or in a theatre around the United Kingdom.
The Duke and Duchess arrive at the Royal Variety Performance at the @LondonPalladium. The annual event raises funds for @RoyalVariety and has been a fixture in the royal calendar for the best part of a century: pic.twitter.com/DoJl8dZMy3
A video of William and Catherine arriving at the London Palladium Theatre.
The Duke of Cambridge is presented with our 2019 programme & The Duchess of Cambridge receiving our winter garden posy of flowers including foliage from Brinsworth House garden, the care home supported by the Royal Variety Charity @KensingtonRoyal#Variety4Charitypic.twitter.com/bQmTXYGmjY
Upon arrival, the Duchess of Cambridge will be presented with the bouquet called ‘Frosty Winter Garden’ that has real flowers & foliage picked from Charity’s care home – The Brinsworth House’s garden.
Royal Variety Charity
10 years old Lydia Jones presented the posy to Duchess.
The Royal Family
The couple met with the cast of Mary Poppins including Petula Clark CBE, Zizi Strallen and Charlie Stemp. Rebecca English reported, “William asked where they were performing and Zizi told him it was the Prince Edward Theatre, opening this week. We are doing a show tonight,’ she added, explaining how the cast was racing to their performance after opening the variety show. ‘I love Mary Poppins!’ William exclaimed. Petula Clark told Kate she would have to bring the children to the show, to which she replied: ‘They would love it.”
The annual event was hosted by Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan this year while performer names included the cast of Mary Poppins, Lewis Capaldi, Mabel, Robbie Williams, the cast of Come From Away, and a special collaboration by Emeli Sandé and Manchester’s Bee Vocal choir. Sir Rod Stewart was also scheduled to perform but had to step back due to the sore throat.
Kensington Palace
The couple took their seats in the royal box where the event began with the National Anthem. From Rebecca English’s Dailymail Story,
The comic pair introduced the royal couple and joked that they were on a ‘date night’ as the camera focused on them laughing and giggling in the Royal Box – William nodding with mock seriousness.
The comedians asked whether they had paid the babysitter to stay ‘until 12 or 1’ – joking: ‘It’s always worth £20 for the extra hour.’
Ranganathan said he, like the Cambridges, had three children and guessed that William and Kate thought the same thing when they saw their three little faces running into their bedroom each morning: ‘Why did we do this?’ The royal couple roared.
The Royal Variety was established in 1908 and its patronage is held by Her Majesty the Queen. The event is hosted in aid of the Royal Variety Charity, formerly the Entertainment Artistes’ Benevolent Fund of which the Queen is the patron. The Queen has attended the performance 39 times during her reign.
In July 1919, the second Royal show was performed and was the first to be billed a “Royal Variety Performance”. Held at London’s Coliseum, the show was staged as a ‘celebration of peace’ and, as the official announcement expressed it, “had been commanded by the King to show his appreciation of the generous manner in which artistes of the variety stage had helped the numerous funds connected with the war”.
The Royal Variety Charity assists those who’ve worked professionally in the entertainment industry and need help. The charity strives to support all those, both young and old, who’ve worked on the stage, in the wings, in front of a camera, or behind it, as well as all those who have spent their lives working in the numerous support industries dedicated to entertainment. The show is organized every year to help the entertainers throughout the UK who are facing hard times and need help and assistance as a result of old age, ill-health, or hard times.
Brinsworth House
The Charity owns and manages its own residential and nursing care home for elderly entertainers, Brinsworth House in Twickenham, and also offers a nationwide grant scheme to assist those living in their own homes wherever they reside in the UK. Plans to improve Brinsworth House are currently underway with a fundraising campaign. From RVP,
It’s a little-known fact that thousands of people who work in the entertainment industry face desperate problems each day. Only the top 4% (* 2015 UK survey / AC Nielson) of those who work in the entertainment industry are ‘above-average UK earners’. The vast majority live from ‘job-to-job‘, from ‘season-to-season’ – many spending long periods with no work at all & with little ability to make any plans for their futures, or providing themselves with any security should they have an accident, or fall ill.
It’s so ironic that many entertainers and those working behind the scenes in entertainment spend much of their working lives raising funds for other people’s charities, but giving little thought to their own future, security, or situation. Whether it be as a result of old age, ill-health or financial hardship, the Royal Variety Charity is here to help.
The Royal Variety Charity is the organisers and beneficiaries of the annual Royal Variety Performance. Now viewed by over 152 million television viewers worldwide, making it the most successful and longest-running entertainment show in the world.
Kensington Palace Instagram
A lovely moment of Duke and Duchess enjoying the performances.
Kensington Palace Twitter
After the performance, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met the performers, hosts and the ITV executives backstage.
Kensington Palace
Duchess met six-year-old Aurelia from an acrobatic group whom she told that George and Charlotte love doing Carthweel at home. Continuing from Rebecca’s story,
William was left in stitches was he was jokingly handed a ‘commemorative’ tea towel by the show’s hosts, comedians Rob Beckett and Ramesh Ranganthan, which had their faces on instead of his and Kate’s. The prince roared with laughter and said he would try to find something to do with it.
Beckett said: ‘Maybe you know someone who might want it. ‘ ‘Yeah, the dog will love it,’ joked William, who told the the two men that hopefully they could relax now, When Kate was given a bouquet of flowers by two youngsters who star in the new Mary Poppins musical, Nuala Peberby, 14, and Fred Wilcox, nine, the prince told them: ‘How come I get a dodgy tea towel and she gets some flowers?’
Nuala revealed afterwards that Kate had told her that George and Charlotte – particularly her daughter – love performing and putting on little shows at home. ‘She said that her children love performing at home, particularly Charlotte,’ she said. ‘She told us how lucky we were to be on stage in the West End and asked how we managed to do it with all our school work. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to meet them.
Kensington Palace
Before leaving Catherine was presented with another posy.
For the evening, Duchess of Cambridge was wearing a black Alexander McQueen gown. The floor-sweeping lace gown is a new addition to Catherine’s wardrobe. The design of the maxi gown is the classic Duchess style. The silhouette of the dress was similar to her DVF Zarita Gown. While giving the same illusion as her Temperley London Amoret Gown.
Kensington Palace Twitter
The lace gown with nude underlay featured a sweetheart neckline at the front and deep back neckline. it had a black velvet detailing at the neckline and waistline. The sheer sleeves with slight puff gave the romantic vibes to the outfit. The fitted bodice gown was cinched at the waist and had a flared skirt. The fabric was seen in many of label’s pieces including this peplum dress.
Telegraph’s Tamara Abraham gave some wonderful words about the outfit,
Lace is timeless, but the pattern also creates a sense of drama and helps her stand out. Kate, no stranger to complex dress codes and royal protocol understands that it’s her job to be identifiable – lace helps her do that while sticking to black tie. It’s likely a tactic learned from the Queen, who is said to always wear bright hues so that she can be easily spotted by the crowds who gather to see her.
In other news, last week it was reported that Duchess of Cambridge held a private meeting with BBC executives about a TV project. It came out that Duchess of Cambridge will appear on Mary Berry’s Christmas special on the BBC. Duchess met Mary Berry through her royal work. The duo was seen having fun at the opening of Catherine’ Back to Nature Garden’ in Surry.
Next, we will see the royal couple on Friday at the Tusk Conservation Awards.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Royal Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, today visited the charity’s new hospice ‘The Nook’ to officially open the building and to meet children and families being supported by EACH.
EACH was one of the very first patronages Duchess took at the start of her new life as the member of the British Royal Family. She became the patron in 2012.
I feel as though we have grown up with her. I remember how nervous she was. It wasn’t just the 200 people in front of her, but the world’s press and TV and everything there. I’ve noticed how comfortable she has grown into her new position. In the very early days, I remember her coming into a room and her head would be slightly down and the long hair would be across. Now, she comes in with her head held high.
But she hasn’t lost the common touch. She can still empathize with the children and families who we care for. Whenever she comes — and with private visits without the gaze of the press — the feedback we get from families is tremendous.
If you’re a royal having to learn the common touch, is that more difficult than being a commoner having to learn the royal touch? She is so natural when I see her with children and families. This is not someone struggling to stay in character. That is her character.
From the families’ point of view, to have someone in her position on their side, if I can put it that way, has done so much for them. Thankfully, the vast majority will never ever need the services provided by EACH and other hospices. But for those that do, it can be a very lonely and isolated position to be in. To have someone like Her Royal Highness rooting for you and taking an interest in the challenges you are facing is something that is very comforting for them.
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk and supports their families. Their care service includes specialist nursing care, symptom management nursing, short breaks, wellbeing activities, therapies, counselling and volunteer services in the family home; all meeting the individual needs of the child, young person and whole family.
Upon arrival, Duchess was welcomed by a group of school children from Poringland School and Nursery and Hobart High Schools waving flags and a posy. The school helped in raising $1,300 for the Nook. Catherine was already in Mother mode today. While meeting the kids she saw Poppy Parslow-Williams shivering, she rubbed his arm and asked, “Are you cold?” She also met Stanley Harrold, who is 3 and has a rare chromosomal disorder, Pallister-Killian syndrome.
EACH
After a five-year public appeal to raise £10 million and two years of building work, EACH has now welcomed children, young people and families to The Nook, a purpose-built hospice in Framingham Earl near Norwich.
The Nook is the newest of three hospices, replacing EACH’s old hospice in Quidenham that due to the increasing numbers of children with life-threatening conditions and complex healthcare needs visiting Quidenham, the hospice has now outgrown its current site.
EACH
The new hospice has seven bedrooms for children and young people, as well as accommodation for families to use for overnight stays. Its facilities include a sensory room, hydrotherapy pool, music studio, a haven, play areas, teenage room, dedication therapy rooms and many areas for family support groups, counselling and different activities. it also has a large outside space for children to explore and play.
“We’re obviously very much looking forward to welcoming Her Royal Highness and are grateful for her support as our Royal Patron. Having helped to launch the appeal five years ago to the month, which is without a doubt the biggest project we’ve ever undertaken, this is a very fitting time for her to visit. The Nook has been a superb achievement by everyone here as well as all our volunteers and supporters across Norfolk, and even further afield.
There have been so many fantastic reactions from all those people, from fellow care professionals and, most importantly, after holding an open day attended by over 200 children, young people and family members towards the end of September, from those who access our care and support. I was fortunate enough to witness the joy and excitement of the first child through the doors here for care as they explored the soft play room, tried out the furniture and found their bedroom, with a personalised tray of favourite toys and activities, and it was incredibly moving.
I’ve no doubt the way we deliver care in future will take great steps forward and give us an opportunity to try out doing things differently.”
EACH
Catherine also visited the charity’s previous Norfolk hospice in Quidenham in January 2017, which served as a home-from-home for over 25 years, where she received an update on the appeal. The Nook still needs to raise £70000 that will ensure to complete fitting out of The Nook as planned. As such, EACH reopened Pave the Path, a campaign that aims to find sponsors of the red clay bricks that line the garden path at The Nook. Sponsors can have a name of their choice engraved over two lines – up to 15 characters on each line including spaces and punctuation. There are two options. Brick with black lettering is £100 and with gold lettering £150. Click here to be a sponsor.
EACH
The new building, which contains more areas for clinical care and dedicated therapy rooms, will allow EACH to meet the increased demand for its service and the ever-changing and more complex needs of those it cares for.
Kensington Palace
The Duchess of Cambridge undertook a tour of the facilities, including the hospice’s sensory room.
Kensington Palace
The mother of three spend time with kids and parents at the new facility hearing how it helped them. Richard Palmer reported, that during the visit, “She told one little girl: “I love your plaits. My little girl Charlotte loves plaits but her hair’s only this long so we have to do them at the top.”
Kensington Palace
The Duchess also visited the hospice’s main care area where she met families and children taking part in arts and crafts activities. From Victoria Murphy’s report,
“EACH gives us something that if we didn’t have we would really struggle. It’s like our family,” Naomi told T&C after the visit. Of the duchess, she said, “She did speak to us and spoke to me about Rupert. I unfortunately cried, so I got a little hug, and it was quite emotional. And at the end when she walked out, she gave me a little wave. Just simple things like just make you realize that she’s a very special lady.”
The Royal Family
Naomi added, “She’s a mum herself and you get that sense of, she does understand…You get that impression of her when she speaks to you that this is something that means a lot to her.”
The charity’s outgoing Chief Executive Graham Butland shared with T&C how the duchess has been keen to be kept informed. “She was very keen to have regular updates as to how the building was going. Graham also noted how Kate has visited some of the families that the charity helps in their own homes as she continues her support behind the scenes. “She’s also made private visits to the hospice. She’s visited at least a couple of families in their own homes, all without publicity, not known etcetera,” he said.
She likes to get her hands messy, she likes to join in and do things. And it’s not put on, it’s just natural, he said. “These parents, they can spot a dud at 100 miles. They know people who are just patronizing…To have someone like that who actually really is interested and empathizes with them is tremendous.”
Kensington Palace
Catherine then joined a reception before making a short speech and unveiling a plaque to mark the official opening of The Nook. She was joined by kids for the unveiling of the plaque.
Christin Zi on Twitter
The full text of her speech.
Duchess’s first-ever public speech was also for EACH. A video of that speech.
“You have created here at The Nook a nurturing, caring environment that allows families who are going through the unimaginable the ability to spend precious quality time with each other.” — The Duchess of Cambridge @EACH_hospicespic.twitter.com/CTsZCPtnHp
In other news, Miss Antonella Fresolone, Housekeeper to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Kensington Palace household will be receiving the Royal Victorian Medal next week.
Rebecca English from DailyMail also reported that Duchess of Cambridge’s Private Secretary Miss Catherine Quinn is leaving her job around this Christmas. Miss Quinn and Duchess are parting in an amicable way while Miss Quinn had developed a strong team for Duchess’ office to see her work. Miss Quinn joined the Cambridge position in October 2017. I very much hope to see Catherine Quinn back in the royal fold in future at some other position i.e. Director of Royal Foundation project or something like that.
Next, we will see the Duchess of Cambridge on Monday evening, when she will attend the Royal Variety Performance.
