Week in Review: The Duchess of Cambridge, 19-25 June

Here's what Catherine wore from 19-25 June:

  1. Official portrait released for the Canada trip, repeating the Amanda Wakeley jacket we saw pre-wedding.
  2. a) Presenting medals to the Irish Guards on Armed Forces Day, 25 June, wearing b) a shamrock brooch previously worn by the Queen Mother and the Princess Royal while on Irish Guards engagements, c) a new charm bracelet engraved with her royal cypher, a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat, Anya Hindmarch clutch, Prada shoes, and an Alexander McQueen coat dress, a combination of styles d) and e) from the Pre-Fall 2011 collection.
To all of those that called her out for pulling a Diana move with the military coat for the military engagement, I say: pfffft. That's not a Diana move, that's a royal move. See also: Elizabeth, Camilla, Sophie, pretty much everything Anne's ever worn, etc. If you want to see a Diana comparison here, in my opinion, you have to go to the bracelet. Diana had a known penchant for gifts with the personal touch. Interestingly, this bracelet appears to have been a gift from Camilla as it seems to have Camilla's cypher on the other side.

The hat seems a little froofy (technical term) to me when paired with that stark coat. But at the same time, it's the froofiness of the hat that's keeping this from being a soldier costume, or from being something that the Princess Royal might wear. And I do like the coat (c'mon, she had McQueen make her something, you know I'm loving that). I think it was a great choice for this engagement. She went simple, since it's not like she could compete with her hubby's ensemble:
This, by the way, solves the mystery of the second uniform William wore on his wedding day as the couple drove Prince Charles's classic car away from Buckingham Palace. I shall update his wedding post tout de suite.

In other Armed Forces Day news, Camilla made a half-hearted attempt to compete with her man's uniform with this kicky new hat:
Alas, her efforts were for naught. I mean...look at that uniform. Yowza.

What did you think of Kate's military effort?

Photos: Chris Jackson/Getty Images/Alexander McQueen/Style.com/Daylife/Daily Mail