Fashion, family and a high-five
‘AWKWARD’
British media honed in on what one outlet described as an “awkward” encounter between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the young Prince George in reports on the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Victoria. The prime minister was among several dignitaries waiting on the tarmac to greet the royals when they emerged from their flight at Victoria’s airport on Saturday. After shaking hands with Prince William and his wife Kate, Trudeau knelt down to meet three-year-old George, who was holding his father’s hand. Trudeau was seen lifting his hand, trying to high-five the young prince, who shook his head and did not accept the gesture. Videos and photos of the interaction were shared widely by British media. The Mirror wrote: “Superstar politician Mr. Trudeau might have endeared himself to millions online through his outspoken feminism, support for diversity and willingness to embrace Internet memes, but it seems to take more than that to impress Will and Kate’s eldest.” Similar reports were done by The Independent, with a story headlined: “Prince George leaves Justin Trudeau hanging after he goes for a high-five.” The Daily Mail shared a story with the headline: “Sorry, one doesn’t high-five with commoners.”
THE KATE EFFECT
The Daily Mail reported that the red and white dress the Duchess of Cambridge wore Sunday in a nod to the Canadian flag was created by British fashion designer Alexander McQueen and cost $6,800. Kate accessorized it with a $1,090 red suede clutch purse by Italian designer Miu Miu (a subsidiary of Prada) and red high heels. The fashion industry in this country has been speculating whether any Canadian brands will benefit from the “Kate effect” during this Royal visit. During the couple’s first Canadian visit in 2011, the Duchess wore two dresses by Montreal-born designer Erdem Moralioglu, whose ready-to-wear label ERDEM is based in the U.K. And a navy blazer by the Toronto-based line Smythe, which was first spotted on the 2011 tour, has become a staple in her wardrobe.
WORTH THE WAIT
Marika Ball waited for three hours at the Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver on Sunday morning to snag her front-row spot to greet the royals after they flew by float plane from Victoria. “We’re thrilled,” she said. “We’re great admirers of Princess Diana, so this is all historical and wonderful and exciting.” At each stop throughout the day, people gathered behind barricades to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, hand them flowers or perhaps get the chance to say hello. Prince William told thousands at the legislature shortly after their arrival on Saturday that he and Kate want to meet as many Canadians, from as many walks of life, as possible during their visit. Katherine Pitt turned up before sunrise on Saturday to get a front-row seat to the event, armed with a picnic blanket, food and an iPad loaded with the last season of the historical drama Downton Abbey. “We’re big fans of the royal family,” said the Victoria native. “They’re basically celebrities. They have this long history of kings and queens, and I just love it. It’s fascinating.”
ALL IN THE FAMILY
During their weeklong visit to B.C. and Yukon, Prince William, Kate and their children will have their home base in Victoria, which was named in 1844 after the Prince’s great, great, great, great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Parts of the city still resemble a slice of England, complete with Tudorstyle mansions and double-decker buses painted with the Union Jack. And one of the city’s most prominent landmarks — the Fairmont Empress Hotel — was named after Queen Victoria’s additional title, Empress of India. According to Monique Goffinet Miller, a spokeswoman for the Monarchist League of Canada, the lights of the B.C. legislature building in Victoria “are there because they were lit for the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria (in 1887) and they’ve been burning ever since . ... It was meant to look like Her Majesty’s crown.” While in Victoria, the royals will be staying at Government House, the official residence of the lieutenant-governor.