GEORGE
This is simply THE BEST. How cute is that kid?
Camilla and Kate
Kate's hat is like a shrunken down, tipped over cousin to Camilla's Traditional Giant Lid and I am sad to report that it is not my favorite of her headgear. I don't HATE the dress (it's Catherine Walker) but you could tell me this photo was from 1986 and I would believe it. Allow me also to note that, although we're smiling here, everyone seemed crankier than usual, so I decided there was a giant Windsor family blow-out just before everyone left the house, about whether or not Harry really IS dating Jenna Coleman from Doctor Who (a current hot rumor) and also about if Kate did or did not "forget" to bring Eugenie a bag of homemade jams from Anmer Hall. EUGENIE KNOWS WHAT SHE DID.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie
Eugenie actually looks, I think, swell here. But what I want to know is: WHAT IS THEIR OBSESSION WITH BEIGE AT THIS EVENT? And I have my doubts about Bea's headpiece. AS USUAL.
Prince Harry
"Yeah, hi. Hello. I'm here. I forgot to work up a jovial comedy routine this year and everyone's really angry about it. LOOK, I'M QUITE BUSY."
I have to say, I really did miss the Traditional Cheer of Prince Harry. He seemed rather more glum than usual. I didn't even see him try to make Kate laugh on the balcony. WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE TO LIVE FOR, HARRY? Cut an ancient American blogger working on Saturday a break, will you? (They were chattering away in the carriage, so don't worry: I don't think Kate and Harry are in a fight.)
Wills and Princess Anne
ALWAYS ON ALERT. (In fairness, one year someone DID try to assassinate the Queen at this event.) This is also perhaps the best look I've gotten at Anne's uniform in its entirely and it is DASHING. (Also, probably, warm.)
Wills and Princess Anne
Are you allowed to chat with the person riding next to you at this event, or must one stay silent and just wave at the crowds/prevent one's horse from running amok? (Also: the palace literally released info yesterday about which horses everyone was going to ride, which was a new and delightful level of detail to me. Charles's horse is, awkwardly or maybe sweetly, named George. William's horse is named Wellesley. Anne's horse is named Commander Patches. [Not really.])
Additionally, I do think there would be something thrilling about getting to watch your beloved mount his horse in this outfit, if you were Kate. I feel like it would have been hard for me to keep from clapping with glee/lust, but perhaps I have just watched too many period pieces.
Trooping The Colour: The Balcony
ANDREW: Uh-oh. Did I leave the tea kettle on?
KATE: Curses. Did I leave my curling iron on?
CAMILLA: Goddammit. Is the waffle iron still plugged in?
HARRY: OH MAN. I totally left the Sno Cone machine running!
EUGENIE: Shit. Did I forget to take those croissants out of the oven?
BEATRICE: I FORGOT TO BLOW OUT ALL THE CANDLES IN THE DRAWING ROOM.
George, Wills, Kate, and the QUEEN
Let us take a brief break for INFORMATIVE CAPTION: "The ceremony is Queen Elizabeth II's annual birthday parade and dates back to the time of Charles II in the 17th Century, when the Colours of a regiment were used as a rallying point in battle."
Also: I appreciate that we get a really good look at that light fixture in the room behind them.
Also also, I do like that Kate and George are coordinated, even if she does look a wee bit like a sofa. Also also also, that handsome young man is James, Sophie and Edward's little boy. (They're in Sweden for the Royal Wedding, which we will get to today as well.) I hope he's staying with Kate and Wills and that house is just in a constant uproar of children trying to break things and screaming.
Britain's Trooping The Colour
And here is THE WHOLE CREW. Never have they looked more unenthused. Maybe Her Maj has just announced that everyone is having their allowances cut in half and Royal Ascot is going to be DRY this year and also LUNCH SHALL BE LEFTOVERS. (That said, who is that in the turban at the far left? I love her for waving the standard of the turban at this event.)
Wills, Kate, George, THE QUEEN, Part of Harry
I enjoy that EVERYONE here appears to be plotting something. Even, perhaps, George. Although his scheme is surely just GENERAL MAYHEM. Look at his wee matching shoes!
The Balcony
George did perk everyone right up, it seems. He is really getting the hang of waving at people. He might LOVE WAVING.
More Balcony
It makes me laugh that all you can see of Kate in this picture is, like, the Chinet Tableware she's got affixed to her noggin, floating, disembodied, behind the Queen.
THE FLYOVER
THE FLYOVER! Or, as the Brits on Twitter called it, "the fly past." Thank god we didn't have a flyover/past in The Royal We because we wouldn't have caught that one. ANYWAY, who doesn't love a flyoverpast?
George and Wills
"DADDY PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME INSIDE. I WANT TO WAVE MORE AT THE PEOPLE. I LOVE WAVING. I HAVE A GREAT AFFINITY FOR WAVING." Indeed he does. See you later, George! Hopefully not sporadically.