KATE For Women Gift Set By KATE MOSSPrice: $70.00
Friday, May 6, 2011
Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding celebration made Prince Charles lose his voice
Prince Charles and Camilla arrive for the weddingPRINCE Charles yesterday told how his vocal chords took a battering during the raucous celebrations at William and Kate’s Palace wedding reception.
The 62-year-old lost his voice after chatting away to the newlyweds and their pals during the boozy party that went on until dawn.
Charles and Camilla left at midnight, but the damage had already been done. The croaky prince shared his experience with a crowd of 350 gathered at the revamped Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-on-Avon.
Asked how he was by visitor Andrew Mosley, 23, from Solihull, the prince replied: “Actually, I lost my voice after the party.”
Charles, who is president of the Royal Shakespeare Company, also chatted to royal fan Karen Reid about his son’s big day on Friday.
She said: “We told him we had enjoyed it very much and he said he had enjoyed it as well.”
While Charles was still trying to recover from Friday’s fun and frolicking, newlyweds William and Kate returned to their cottage in Anglesey, North Wales, to begin their lives as a married couple at home. The prince is due to resume his duties as an RAF rescue helicopter pilot today.
The pair stayed out of the limelight as they prepare for their honeymoon, which they have postponed in the hope they can slip away unnoticed at a later date.
They are believed to have spent a quiet weekend at Windsor Castle. William and Kate will not have servants at their cottage as they hope to live a normal life as possible.
Courtiers plan to ease Kate into royal life with just a few public engagements. The only trip so far announced is a short one to Canada in July.
William’s aides last night denied reports he would be leaving his wife behind for 10 weeks in September while he serves in the Falklands.
Queues yesterday formed around Westminster Abbey to get a glimpse of Kate’s wedding bouquet which is on display for a week. Her dress will also go on show, Clarence House confirmed.
- ONE London punter was £2,500 better off last night after betting £100 at 25-1 that the couple’s first dance would be to Ellie Goulding’s cover of Elton John’s classic Your Song.
Download the Daily Mirror's 'Wills & Kate A Royal Love Story' souvenir mobile app for iPhone, iTouch, iPad or Nokia smartphone here
Royal wedding: Mirrorman's fancy dress for London street party
Mirrorman Steve Myall joins the royal wedding partyCROWDS from around the world hit the London streets in colourful fancy dress to celebrate Wills and Kate's big day.
Joining them was the Daily Mirror's wannabe wedding guest Steve Myall complete with top hat and tails courtesy of Moss Bros.
Outside Buckingham Palace were the Lavekau family who had jetted in from Fiji.
Lance Corporal Ana was joined by aunt Wakesa Tora, 47, who said: "I am so pleased to be here. It is such a wonderful occaision.
"Kate is so beautiful."
From Michigan, USA, came Christine, 58, and Olivia Wofford, 22, who had slept out in the open opposite the palace since 11pm the night before in order to get the best view.
Olivia said she still hoped William would be happy and had her heart set on his brother as she clutched a placard reading "Marry me Harry".
Closer to home were the Smith family from Colchester, Essex, who had bought pensioner Rene Cousins, 80, to watch the big day.
Her daughter, Miriam, said: "We are stocked up on ham and pickle sandwiches which should keep us going.
"It will be worth it though to see that kiss."
Outside Westminster Abbey among the periscope sellers and flag wavers there were smiles at every turn.
Winitta Ruangperm-Pool had brought the three generations of her family all the way from Thailand for a week long holiday and a chance to see the Royals.
She said: "Britain is good. William is handsome."
Beverley Smith, 51, from Mansfield, Notts, a nursing home assistant, had been given a trip to London as a Christmas present so she could soak up the Royal experience.
She said: "It's the best present.
"I am here with a friend for three days and we are loving it."
Pretty student Isobel Crowley, 18, from Carshalton, Surrey, was having a champagne picnic on the green in Parliament Square.
She donned a Kate Middleton mask and looked the double of the future Queen in a cream dress and hat.
She said: "We have been here since 5am and will be here all day.
"It is so wonderful to be able to toast William and Kate.
"I feel part of something great."
Louise Llewellyn, originally from Swansea, travelled from Southampton with daughter Megan, 15, to wish the couple well.
The 43-year-old said: "We caught the 6am train to be here.
"We thought we'd get dressed up and wave the Welsh flag for Prince Charles.
"I expect he will be so proud."
From further afield came Josef Alberts, 60, from Dussledorf, Germany, who dressed in a Union Jack policeman's hat.
The retired Reki teacher said: "Today we all united whether we are Germany or English.
"We are going to have a laugh and drink together.
"In Germany we love Wills and Kate."
- On May 12 Moss Bros are opening a new concept in suit shopping in Canary Wharf where customers can take advantage of the made to order service Moss Bespoke which uses the iPad to process orders.
Download the Daily Mirror's 'Wills & Kate A Royal Love Story' souvenir mobile app for iPhone, iTouch, iPad or Nokia smartphone here
Kate & William Royals Keepsake Handcrafted All Natural Soap, Lavender Oatmeal, 4-oz Bar (Pack of 3)
The Kate & William Royal Wedding Keepsake Handcrafted All Natural Soap with Lavender and Oatmeal evokes sensuous memories of royal English hillsides gently wafting with the essence of lavender and waving fields of oats. These all natural bar soaps are handcrafted by a family owned and operated soap company located in an old historic New England town in Massachusetts. After renovating a 250 year old farmhouse, they decided on a very old profession, making soap as it should be made with care and quality, in the handcrafted kettle tradition. Truly authentic, these soaps are made with the finest ingredients and with the utmost care in one of the oldest homes in America, made the old fashioned way! "What a nice scent! Arrived well packed and in great condition!!". "Love this soap! Will shop again A+ service & product. Lathers nicely. Scent A+". "Great product, plan to give as gifts! Well made smells great A++ seller!!"Price:
Prince William & Kate Middleton give crowds a drive-past
The Prince drove out of Buckingham Palace with his new wife at his side in the convertible with the number plate 'JUST WED'.
The couple left their reception and headed to Clarence House in the open-top car ? decorated with heart-shaped balloons and an 'L' plate.
The beaming couple smiled as those still lining the Mall let off a roar as they went past in the dark blue sports car.
It is the same Aston Martin that 28-year-old Wills' father Prince Charles had driven Princess Diana in in 1982.
MARRIED couple leave Palace in Aston Martin with "JU5T WED" registration
William drove Kate, 29, the short distance to Clarence House as his colleagues from the RAF flew overhead in a yellow rescue helicopter.
Best man Prince Harry, 26, and other family and friends had tied the balloons to the back of the Prince of Wales's car.
A St James's Palace spokesman said: "It was Prince William's idea to drive his new bride away from the official reception on their first journey as a married couple to his family home."
The Seychelles blue Aston Martin was decorated with patriotic red, white and blue ribbons tied from the windscreen to the bonnet.
RAF pilots from 'B' Flight 22 Squadron, of which William is a member flew overhead in the Sea King helicopter as a special surprise for the bride and groom.
It was in honour of William's job as a RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.
The new Duke of Cambridge - who had switched from his scarlet wedding ceremony attire in to a black frock coat of the Irish Guards- smiled broadly as he drove his wife, still in her bridal gown, through the Privy Purse.
Wills and Kate emerged from the palace at 3.35pm in the Aston Martin Volante DB6 MKII.
The convertible was a gift to the Prince of Wales from the Queen in 1969 for his 21st birthday.
A St James's Palace spokeswoman said: "The Prince of Wales was more than happy to loan the car to the couple for this special journey."
In 2008, at the request of environmentally-friendly Charles, the car was converted to run on E85 Bio-ethanol which is made from English wine wastage.
Well-wishers lining the route reacted to the choice of car with delight and disbelief.
Claire Bull, 52, from Flimwell, East Sussex, said: "It was quite a surprise, I thought it would be another carriage or something.
"They both looked very happy and relaxed."
Pamela Anderson, 66, from Bridgend, South Wales, said the car was "a real surprise" and was "wonderful".
She said: "I was expecting a Rolls-Royce."
She added the choice showed they were "at one" with the people and the country had "taken them to their hearts".
Thursday, May 5, 2011
On Location: In France, a Home Nestled in Nature
“I remember I walked up the hill and I said, ‘Wow, I want to live here,’ ” said Mr. Besnard, 40, recalling a landscape that included lush greenery and in the distance the Marly-le-Roi aqueduct, an old conduit that brought water from the Seine River to the Chateau de Versailles.
Mr. Besnard and his wife, Julie, had been longing for some time to leave their three-bedroom loft in the Parisian suburb Levallois-Perret. “We wanted to be in the green,” said Ms. Besnard, a stay-at-home mother of two sons, ages 5 and 7.
And Mr. Besnard said it was a dream to be surrounded by nature and only 30 minutes from the Concorde metro stop near his office in Paris where he is a brand manager for Clinique, the American cosmetic company.
Their rustic residence, which sits on about an acre, was constructed in the 1870s as an outbuilding to a larger estate that had been divided up long ago. A beautiful, rough-hewn stone retaining wall framed the eastern edge of the property, adding a nice touch of Old World charm. The building is nestled between the fruit orchard and a thicket of chestnut, oak and beech trees.
Although the old stone building was immensely appealing with its wrap-around balcony and buff-colored stonework, it was a tight squeeze for a family of four. But Mr. Besnard said he was brimming with all sorts of ideas on how to renovate and expand the roughly 900- square- foot structure.
Ms. Besnard, 35, recalled that her husband came home that day in 2007 and told her excitedly that he had found the perfect place, but there was a complication: it might be unbuildable. A chat with the seller had dashed cold water on Mr. Besnard’s plans.
The property sat within a protected zone of both natural and historical significance — any alterations to the old structure and grounds would need the approval of a government board that oversees such matters. The property owner, who lives nearby, had recalled two previous deals involving enthusiastic buyers coming to an abrupt end when building plans were rejected.
“He didn’t know if it would be possible to do anything with the property,” Mr. Besnard said.
The Besnards forged ahead anyway, hoping to devise a plan that would satisfy the government and create an idyllic home for their family. “We had a really nice flat and we didn’t want to leave it for a house that was just so-so,” Ms. Besnard said. “This was a rare and fantastic place.”
Friends put them in touch with Philippe Barbier and Henry Barton, partners in an architectural firm based in Paris. Since they were obliged to keep the original structure intact, the architects looked to the old greenhouse for inspiration.
“The guideline was to make it very natural, it needed to be inspired by the area, and integrated into the existing environment,” Mr. Barton said.
It took about eight months to obtain the much-coveted building permit — a welcome relief to the Besnards, who bought the property in the fall of 2008 for 700,000 euros (about $1 million) only weeks before they received the final go-ahead to build. “It was risky,” Mr. Besnard said, “but it meant that we had to succeed.
Construction started the following spring: the new L-shaped footprint of the home expanded the existing rectangular-shaped structure, creating 2,500 square feet of living space. But the project came to a halt the day the digging crew, hard at work on the foundation, struck a natural spring; it was an expensive surprise that required the use of long, concrete pilings to stabilize the ground. All told, the restoration of the old structure and the new construction came to about 550,000 euros (about $700,000).
Today passing through the property’s ivy-covered fence has the feeling of entering a sanctuary, and the airy home seems to be embraced by the landscape rather than set apart from it. The warm, tawny-hue of larch planks — both inside and out— complement the original light-brown stonework, creating a cohesive flow between old and new.
The house is filled with glass panels, large and small, paying homage to the old greenhouse and adding a sense of nature light throughout the house. This is especially evident upstairs in the master bedroom, a bright lofty space with large windows looking out onto treetops and squirrels scampering through them. On one side of the bedroom are two wash basins and a spacious glass shower shaped like a cube.
“In Paris flats you are stuck with small bathrooms,” Mr. Besnard said. “I wanted a large shower.”
Elements of the original stone building have become striking design features on the first floor. A large entryway, soaring two stories high with a glass-paneled ceiling, uses an exterior stone wall from the gardener’s residence. The stone wall is now adorned with a white-resin, moose head lamp by a Norwegian design company. A doorway, carved from the old wall, leads to the adjoining children’s bedrooms. The entryway also opens up to a large kitchen, where a portion of stonewall is now the base of a kitchen countertop.
Off the kitchen, the living and dining area is sleek and sparsely decorated, highlighted by a futuristic black metal fireplace, by Focus, suspended from the ceiling. The floors are a soothing light-gray concrete. Once again, nature gets the spotlight. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open onto a wrap-around wooden deck overlooking the lawn and orchard. Surveying the home and property with a mix of relief and satisfaction Mr. Besnard said: “Now we don’t need to go away for the weekend — we just want to stay here.”
Prince William joked the royal wedding was 'just a small family affair'
As billions watched the historic scenes on TV and VIP guests packed magnificent Westminster Abbey, the Prince seized on the humour behind the occasion.
Turning to Michael Middleton and his dazzling daughter, he quipped with mock innocence: "I just thought it would be a small family affair!"
The comic aside - moments before the ceremony began - set Kate and her father at ease, surrounded as they were by centuries of tradition and the solemn majesty of the event.
William had arrived 40 minutes earlier with best man Prince Harry - entering the Abbey at 10.20am.
Before that a hushed chatter had filled the air as, one by one, the rich, famous and worthy filed in - slowly taking in the sheer scale and significance of the venue.
It is the final resting place of 18 monarchs - and was hosting its 15th Royal Wedding since being rebuilt by Henry III in 1245.
All around them, the Abbey's statues and memorials to Great Britons past served as a reminder that the lucky 1,900 inside had a front row seat to watch history in the making.
Guests included 40 foreign Royals and 200 members of Government, Parliament and Diplomatic Corps.
Kate arrived just after 11am, running 20 seconds late. Passing the "avenue of trees", she moved on past the nave and intricate golden quire screen and on into the quire.
She then walked to the Lantern, where she finally met William at the Sacrarium steps.
The strains of the first hymn, Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, soon rose high into the nave - the singing led by the choirs of the Abbey and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's.
SEE the key moments from the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton
Poignantly, the hymn was the last at the funeral of Wills' mum Diana.
Nineteen minutes after Kate's arrival the Archbishop of Canterbury uttered the immortal words: "I now pronounce you man and wife."
To make it official, the couple later entered the holiest part of the abbey, the tiny enclosed Chapel of St Edward the Confessor, to sign the register.
d.larcombe@the-sun.co.uk
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