Kate's back and yes, she really has gone (a bit) blonde

 

It was the pressing question that ended the royal summer. Has the Princess of Wales gone a little bit blonder? The answer was revealed today as Kate started up royal engagements again. Absolutely, yes. What's more, it absolutely suits her.

William and Kate join King Charles at Balmoral

 

William and Kate are in Balmoral for their Scottish summer holiday. The Prince and Princess of Wales were spotted arriving at church as the Royal Family came together for its annual gathering at the estate.

Game, set and match to Kate

The Duchess of Cambridge has returned to the royal box on Men's Singles Final Day at Wimbledon after having to miss last year when she was heavily pregnant with Prince George.  Kate took her seat just before 2pm today to watch Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer square up for what turned out to be an all time classic final.

The Duchess of Cambridge with Prince William arrives in the Royal Box on Centre Court at Wimbledon on July 6th 2014

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent to watch an epic five set match which lasted nearly four hours.  The Royal Box was star studded with David and Victoria Beckham and Bradley Cooper also there.

The royal couple just before the match began

Kate really got into the swing of things as the balance of power swung between the two players and looked as excited as anyone else when Federer came back from 2-5 in the fourth set to take the match to a fifth set.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led the applause as Novak Djokovic took his second Wimbledon title.

The Royal Box joins the standing ovation at the end of the Men's Singles Final as Novak Djokovic takes the Wimbledon title

The presentation of the trophies is the job of the Duke of Kent but after the players had left Centre Court, Kate and William met new champion Novak Djokovic and congratulated him on his win.

A royal welcome for the Wimbledon champion

Kate told the new men's champion that she loved tennis but was a bit out of practice since becoming a mum.  And then the royals took a step back and Novak Djokovic went out on to the balcony to show off the famous trophy to thousands of waiting fans.  No doubt Kate will be back next year - after just two appearances in the Royal Box in 2014, it's still game, set and match to the duchess.

Kate's cute moment

The Duchess of Cambridge carried out her first public engagement since her return from the royal tour of Australia and New Zealand on May 29th 2014 when she and Prince William visited Scotland.  But while the Earl and Countess of Strathearn - as they are known in Scotland - carried out a whole range of duties it was one unguarded moment that really caught the imagination.  Kate seemed so taken with a gift of a kilt wearing teddy for Prince George that she was momentarily lost for words.

It's for George, Kate, you can't keep it yourself - the Duchess of Cambridge with the teddy given to her for her little boy on a visit to Strathearn in Scotland

Prince William was pretty impressed as well as he popped over during a walkabout to have a look at the bear which was kitted out in the Streathearn tartan.

The Earl and Countess of Streathearn with the teddy in a kilt given to them for their son, Prince George, on a visit to Scotland

The couple spent a lot of time with local community groups and organisations including the Scouts while William also got a chance to meet some members of the Scottish Air Ambulance team among ongoing reports that he is about to take up a position with an air ambulance in England and scale back on royal duties for the time being.  

Prince William with some of the Scottish Air Ambulance team on May 29th 2014

The Earl and Countess of Strathearn also visited the village fete in Forteviot where they posed for photos - including a very unusual royal look from Kate for one young fan.

Kate pulls a face for a young fan in Forteviot on May 29th 2014

But everyone was waiting for one moment on the visit.  The royal engagements included a visit to a whisky distillery with all eyes on Kate to see if she would drink alcohol.  And with one quick swig of whisky, she put an end to another round of royal pregnancy rumours - for now.

No royal baby - for now.  The Countess of Strathearn drinks whisky in Scotland and ends whispers that she is pregnant again

Zoo cute

There are plenty of already world famous memories from the tour of Australia and New Zealand by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge but some have really stuck out.  And nearly all of them involve Prince George.  So it was no surprise that his trip to Taronga Zoo in Sydney with his parents topped the recent poll to find the highlight of the Cambridges' tour.

Prince George meets the bilbies at Taronga Zoo in April 2014

Forty four per cent of votes cast were for the meeting with the bilbies in the enclosure named after George to mark his birth in July 2013.  Next on the highlights list was the prince's first formal engagement with thirty three per cent selecting that as the stand out moment.  

The Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George as she introduces him to royal life 

In third place was the sailing race between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge which Kate won, twice, and which won twenty two per cent of the votes cast.  That little moment of royal friendly rivalry is the only thing that came close to giving George a run for his money on the popularity front.  The little prince is everyone's highlight of the past royal month.

Royal family portraits

King's Day in the Netherlands has provided the opportunity for some brand new photographs of Willem-Alexander and Maxima with their three daughters.  The king and queen and their princesses were seen enjoying themselves throughout the day, offering some new images of a new royal family at work and at play.

King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and their daughters on King's Day, April 26th 2014

Many of Europe's royals have had full family appearances in recent weeks, allowing a chance to see how the younger members of the clan are growing up.  On April 16th 2014, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary were joined by their four children as they took to the balcony of the Marselisborg Palace near Aarhus to help celebrate Queen Margrethe's 74th birthday.

Christian of Denmark looks very grown up alongside his siblings Isabella, Vincent and Josephine as they join their parents at the celebrations for Queen Margrethe's 74th birthday on April 16th 2014

The Spanish royals made a rare joint appearance on Easter Sunday 2014 when they all attended Mass in Palma de Mallorca.  The Infantas Leonor and Sofia had last been seen in November 2013 visiting their grandfather in hospital.  On April 20th 2014, they joined him for photos before the service started.

Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia and their daughters, Leonor and Sofia, joined King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia as well as the Infanta Elena on Easter Sunday 2014 in Mallorca

Easter holidays were also a chance for the latest family portrait of Crown Prince Haakon Magnus and Crown Princess Mette-Marit with two of their children.  Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus posed with their parents on a snowy holiday.  Mette-Marit's son, Marius, wasn't in the pictures.

The Crown Prince and Princess of Norway with Ingrid and Sverre at Easter 2014

Princess Estelle of Sweden has become a bit of a star in recent times and in the run up to Easter was seen at a public engagement with her mother, Crown Princess Victoria.  But the last image of the little queen in waiting with both her parents is from March when she joined Victoria and Prince Daniel at an event at the Royal Palace in Stockholm for the Crown Princess' name day in March 2014.

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden follow Princess Estelle's lead on a public engagement in March 2014

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has made several public appearances in recent days, the latest being at a concert she attended with her parents in Malines.  But the best chance to see her with her siblings came in February 2014 when the four children joined King Philippe and Queen Mathidle at a family gathering to celebrate the engagement of their eldest cousin, Amadeo, who had just announced he was to marry his girlfriend, Lili Rosboch.

A family gathering to celebrate the engagement of Prince Amadeo of Belgium and Lili Rosboch in February 2014 was the most recent chance to see the children of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde together

But in recent days, there is only one young royal family that has dominated the headlines.  Since the beginning of April 2014, there have been endless chances to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their baby son, Prince George, as the family tour Australia and New Zealand.  He may be younger than many of his other royal counterparts on the continent but he's already one of the most photographed princes around.  And the images of him with his parents have been just another chance in recent times to enjoy royal family portraits.

Kate, William and George leave Australia on April 25th 2014

Kate and William near the end of their tour

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have almost ended their royal tour of Australia and New Zealand and as their visit comes to an end, things are quietening down.  Their latest appearance was in Canberra where they visited the National Arboretum and planted a tree.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canberra on April 24th 2014

They met twins, Sebastian and Oliver, who helped them as they planted their tree.  Sebastian has Down's Syndrome and Oliver put his arm round him as the two used matching watering cans to help the royal couple as they made sure their oak tree was well settled in the ground.  

A helping hand from their new friend - Oliver, Sebastian and Kate make sure the tree they've just planted has plenty of water

There was a chance for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to do another walkabout before they headed to a parliamentary reception where both Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, and Prince William made speeches.

Prince William speaks to politicians and diplomats during the parliamentary reception for him and Kate in Canberra on April 24th 2014

The couple's only formal evening engagement of their time in Australia followed when William and Kate attended a reception at the Governor General's House given in their honour.  The Duchess of Cambridge changed from hr green Catherine Walker day outfit into a white dress by American designer, Lela Rosa, for the event.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the evening reception in Canberra on April 24th 2014

The couple will attend events for ANZAC day on April 25th before boarding a flight to London later the same day.

T

Heating up for William and Kate

It's a late start and a hot one for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the latest stop on their tour of Australia.  The royal couple are visiting Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, and as they touched down in central Australia the temperature hit 31 degrees celsius.

William and Kate arrive in central Australia ahead of a visit to Uluru

There have been many shared moments on this tour with the famous visit that William made in 1983 with his parents, Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, and there was another today as the Duke of Cambridge lingered on the tarmac at Yulara airport to speak to Daisy Walkabout who greeted his parents when they made a similar visit on that tour.

The Duchess of Cambridge meets Daisy Walkabout, one of the representatives of the Anangu people, who met her and Prince William at the airport

The couple went to Yulara where they presented certificates to tourism and hospitality graduates of the National Indigenous Training Academy.

The Duchess of Cambridge, with her husband in the background, presents certificates to tourism and hospitality graduates in Yulara on April 22nd 2014

And after the success of her yellow Roksanda Ilincic dress at the start of the tour of Australia, Kate returned to the designer and chose a piece very similar to, but not the same as, an outfit first seen in 2011.

Kate and William meet schoolchildren in Yulara, Australia

The couple then moved on to the Uluru Cultural Centre where they enjoyed a demonstration of some traditional arts and dancing and received some gifts.  They also met more local students.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet local students in Uluru on April 22nd 2014

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then took a walk around the base of Uluru with some local guides and posed for a photo in front of another of Australia's best known sights.

Kate and William at Uluru

The duchess had changed and was now in a Hobbs dress she's used several times before - the Wessex design is a white and brown print and made of linen which kept Kate cool in the soaring temperatures.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their walk around Uluru

The couple's day ended under canvas as they settled down for a night of glamping - upmarket camping - and some cooler temperatures after things started heating up for William and Kate on the warmest day of their tour so far.

Easter bonnets

They may have been thousands of miles apart but the Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge shared one thing today.  A taste in mauve hats.  Kate got there first as she went to church in Sydney, hours ahead of the Queen attending a service at Windsor.  But the choice of colour was almost identical.

The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a church service in Sydney on Easter Sunday 2014

Kate teamed a lavender coloured fascinator with an Alexander McQueen dove grey coat while the Queen matched a lilac hat with a lilac coat.  From the sunshine of Sydney to windy wet Windsor, a regnant and a future consort shared a liking for spring colours.

The Queen at Windsor on Easter Sunday 2014

The other Windsor women didn't follow their lead with the Princess Royal in dark green and the Countess of Wessex choosing a cream coat with brown hat.  

The Countess of Wessex and her daughter, Lady Louise, at Windsor on Easter Sunday 2014

But for Elizabeth II and her granddaughter-in-law, the future was tinted with the first sight of spring even if the warm weather only touched one of them.

The future's golden

The Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a golden yellow dress and the sun just wouldn't stop shining.   Stage two of the royal tour got off to just about as good a start as possible as William, Kate and George touched down in Sydney having bade farewell to New Zealand just hours earlier.  Everything about their arrival was bright - if part one of the tour was low key, high impact then stage two is headed for high octane and no barriers.

Prince George of Cambridge looks seriously unimpressed with the flowers his mum has just received

The Cambridges flew in to a warm welcome and among the first to greet them was 22 year old Joscelyn Sweeney whose mum had written to the royals to tell them how much her girl, who has Down's Syndrome, admires them.  And they asked her to welcome them to Australia which she did in style, handing over some flowers to the duchess and a book to Prince George.

Prince George wore white for his first day in Australia

The couple then left George with his new nanny to head to a reception at the Sydney Opera House.  There were crowds there to greet them - not as big as those that met Prince Harry in October but then there was a major event on in the harbour that day that swelled numbers a bit.  They posed for photos in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Prince William made a speech in which he spoke of the deep affection the Queen has for the country.  And then it was time to rest before stage two of the tour got under way.  After such a bright start, they're going to need a few hours' sleep to get through it.

The future's bright  - the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Sydney on April 16th 2014

Wine and white water

After a long week on their major tour of New Zealand, Kate and William have finally been able to let their hair down.  The royal couple are on a two day trip away from Wellington meaning that nanny is in charge of Prince George and the new parents are off the leash.  Cue major glasses of wine and scary white water rafting.

William and Kate after their whitewater ride in New Zealand on April 12th 2014

After a formal stop in Dunedin, Kate and William arrived in Queenstown and the fun and games began. The duchess had begun the day in a teal coloured dress by New Zealand born designer Emilia Wickstead, completed by a matching hat designed by Jane Taylor. 

The Duchess of Cambridge in Dunedin at the start of her day

But by the time she reached Queenstown, Kate was in skinny jeans and a pale pink jumper and the heels had gone.  Instead the duchess was in trainers (very royal trainers) and ready for a game of rugby. 

Kate in her jumper and jeans, ready for a sport of rugby

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did a spot of coaching in Rippa Rugby - a non contact version of the sport for children.  And while Kate was praised by her team for really getting into the sport, it was William who ended up winning as his team ran out 30-22 winners.  Which was perhaps for the best after just about everyone in the world heard how his wife had beaten him yacht racing the other day. Twice.

The Duchess of Cambridge meets the teams ahead of the Rippa Rugby tournament she took part in on April 13th 2014

Then it was off to the Amisfield Vineyard where the new parents who had babysitters for the night tucked into a few tasting glasses of New Zealand Pinot Noir and looked thrilled about it.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge contemplate a whole two days with no baby responsibilities

Getting into the relaxed vibe, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then decided to unwind after a long week by jumping on a white water raft for a bit of a wind down.  Except this is the world famous Shotover Jet, they are the world famous William and Kate and just to add to the sense of relaxation there were dozens of photogaphers there to snap them.  

Spot the royals - William and Kate join a ride on the Shotover Jet on their weekend off from baby duties

They didn't seem to care.  At the end of their day, the royal couple looked delighted and headed off for a whole evening with no George to worry about.  Mum, dad and son are reunited tomorrow but before then there's a royal cricket game to enjoy.  That's relaxing, royal style.

William's moment of reflection

One day, he will be the Supreme Head of the Church of England.  When Prince William eventually becomes king he will take on the role and assume all the responsibilities that come with it.  Prince William is seen at Sandringham most Christmas mornings attending service but on many occasions his religious life is private and his church attendance takes place away from the camera lenses.  Today came a big reminder of the religious role awaiting him as well when he and Kate attended a Palm Sunday service in Dunedin, New Zealand.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave church in Dunedin on April 13th 2014

It was so noticeable because William is normally seen among the Royal Family while at church.  Whether it is the relaxed atmosphere of Christmas or the state ceremony of special events like thanksgiving services for the coronation, William walks into the church behind the current Head of the Church of England, Elizabeth II, and the next person who will take that role, Prince Charles.  It is easy to forget in those circumstances that the job will one day belong to William.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving at church in New Zealand

Among the great throng of the royals, William settles into his current role - heir of the heir.  But away from them, it is impossible to forget that he is a king and a leader in waiting.  While the first part of his tour has been about his son and his wife, among the many photo opportunities William has been taking on some of the responsibilities that will one day all fall to him with meetings with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition and visits to major employers.  The pictures of him at church only serve as another reminder that one day, the duty becomes heavier and its exercise entirely down to him.

William and Kate go their separate ways

After five days of a family led presence on their New Zealand tour, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge separated on morning six to carry out individual engagements.  They arrived in Hamilton, Waikato together before Kate headed off to a children's hospice and William went to an aircraft production facility.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving in Hamilton, Waikato on April 12th 2014

The Duchess of Cambridge has a deep interest in the children's hospice movement and in the UK she is the patron of the East Anglia Children's Hospice.  Her first solo engagement of the tour was at Rainbow Place NZ which looks after children with life limiting conditions and also offers support to children whose family are facing serious health problems.

The Duchess of Cambridge on arrival at Hamilton - her first solo of the tour was at a children's hospice

The duchess attended an Alice in Wonderland themed tea party and spent lots of time talking to the children at the hospice.

The Duchess of Cambridge in Wonderland - a special tea party at Rainbow Place NZ

Kate also visited an art therapy room where children learn to use creative hobbies to express their feeling about their own illnesses or what is happening to their loved ones who are ill.  One little girl told the duchess about using sand to tell the story of what is happening to her family.

The Duchess of Cambridge hears from one of the children at Rainbow Place Hospice on April 12th 2014

The Duke of Cambridge's solo engagement of the day was at Pacific Aerospace where he toured the production facility and heard about the work going on at the site as well as getting into another plane after spending much of day four trying out vintage aircraft in Omaka.

The Duke of Cambridge watching planes during his visit to Pacific Aerospace on April 12th 2014

The couple reunited in Cambridge around lunchtime - the town was named after the second Duke of Cambridge in the 19th century.  They did a walkabout with the crowd estimated at around 10,000.

The Duchess of Cambridge during a walkabout in Cambridge, New Zealand

The couple also laid a single red rose each at Cambridge's war memorial and spent some time talking to war veterans.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laying single red roses at the war memorial in Cambridge, New Zealand

The royal couple then had a date with some more New Zealand sports stars as they opened a new velodrome in Hamilton.  

Seeing double - William and Kate walking through the velodrome in Hamilton while images of them walking through the velodrome in Hamilton are projected on to a big screen behind them

At the Avantidrome, the couple were given a mini bike for Prince George - he won't be old enough to ride it for another year as it's made for two year olds - and some lycra cycling outfits with the little prince's name on the back.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George's mini cycling outfit 

The Duchess of Cambridge was in a green coat by Erdem with a green and white print dress beneath by Suzannah.  The duchess told one fan that Prince William thought her outfit might be too bright.

The royal couple ta the Avantidrome in Hamilton

The couple headed back to Wellington at the end of day six of their tour, the first where they have gone their separate ways.

End of day six for William and Kate in New Zealand