Dance to new tune
THE British Dance Council meets tomorrow to discuss a rule change which could stop same- sex dance couples competing.
If passed, it would define a dance partnership as “one man and one lady”.
It f o l l ow s complaints mixed-sex dance partners were “unfairly disadvantaged” in competitions against all- male couples. LOOKING every inch a confident toddler, a new official picture of Prince George was released yesterday to mark the youngster’s first birthday.
With his arms outstretched, the youngster seems to be in determined mood in the picture, taken during a recent visit with his proud parents to an outdoor exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum.
Anyone near Kensington Palace onTuesday can expect to hear gurgles, laughter and an overexcited dog going berserk as the Prince’s birthday party gets under way.
Unbelievably, it’s a whole year since thousands of well-wishers and half the world’s media packed the streets outside St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington.
And it’s been a year that has proved there really is just one Royal show in town.
Kate is still a big draw, especially as speculation mounts over another pregnancy.
William is news, Harry’s sometimes wild ways make him even more so and the scaling back of duties by the Queen is noteworthy.
But when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took their toddler Down Under on his first official tour in April there was madness about Prince George.
“He was all anyone asked about,” agreed one of my media cohorts. “It was the George show from the moment they landed.”
Since July 22 last year, the Cambridges have chosen to do things their way.
George was born at 4.24pm but the news was not broken to the world until 8.30pm.
For a few precious hours, William and Kate were just a normal couple, sharing the joy of their first arrival, phoning close friends and family.
Some 14 hours later she came out to tell us: “It was a special time. I think any parent will know what this feels like.”
But few other parents will understand what the Royal couple have felt ever since. PRINCE GEORGE wasn’t the only Middleton baby born on July 22 last year.
Meet William James Middleton, the Shetland lad who came into the world on the same day. His mum, Emma Middleton, gave birth at 9.06am, several hours before George.
She remembers well the day the two Middleton boys were born.
“We’d always joked about the connection and how it would be funny if they were born on the same day,” she says.
They tried to keep him under wraps for the first few weeks, dividing his time between Kensington and the Middleton family home in Berkshire.
And in a break with tradition, the first official photograph was taken by Kate’s father, Michael, at his home, with the Cambridge’s cocker spaniel Lupo making up the family of four.
Having handled everything with aplomb so far, the Royal couple will look ahead to a new year and many fresh challenges.
Jo Frost, TV’s former Supernanny, knows more about the potential pitfalls of bringing up kids than most.
“Like most parents William and Catherine deserve a pat on the back,” said Jo. “It’s nice, but you don’t get obsessed about it. A lot of babies were born on July 22 so it’s a celebration for many families.”
Emma, 28, and husband Chris, 21, who works in the oil industry, have loved their first year of parenthood.
Emma said: “William has brought a lot of light and love into our lives. It’s been a very good year!”
But just how do the two boys’ first years compare? Here’s how their formative experiences stack up: GeorGe weighed 8lb 6oz at birth. William weighed 7lb 10oz.
“But there are some things the couple can do to make sure the journey to the‘terrible twos’ will be anything but terrible.
“It’s been a fun year for George, jet- setting to Oz and joining his parents on fun day outings. The great news is there’s so much more to come.
“All little ones push the boundaries but that’s how they learn where the parameters are.
“It will be William and Kate’s job to create and establish those lines that will keep George safe but allow him the freedom to grow.”
However he grows, the world will be watching.
For more pictures of the young prince, go to www. sundaypost.com GeorGe was said to have started teething around eight months. William cut his first tooth at four months according to Dad, six months according to Mum. GeorGe took his first tentative steps at nine months. William crawled for the first time in March. Prince William reckons GeorGe’S first word might be “Bilby” ( an Australian marsupial) after his trip Down Under. William has already spoken. His first words were, “Mamam” and “Dadad”.