William larks around on a boat in Ibiza with Kate and the Middleton clan in never-before-seen pictures

By MAIL ON SUNDAY REPORTER

Athletic in Ibiza: Pippa Middleton performs a flawless backflip in to the warm waters of the Mediterranean as an admiring Kate looks on from the stern of the motor yacht


They were carefree days before the world became entranced by their every movement.

This is Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa as they've never been seen before, enjoying an exuberant holiday in Ibiza with their family and Prince William.

Taken in 2006, these previously unseen pictures capture a fleeting moment in the lives of the couple when they could behave like ordinary twentysomethings, unencumbered by the responsibilities they now carry as the new stars of the Royal Family.



Playful: Pippa climbs back aboard as William jokingly grabs Kate; right, the sisters relax on deck, with Kate using her camera


Sunshine days: William, in red shorts, with Pippa (left), Carole, in green bikini, and other holiday guests


They show the Prince larking around with Kate and Pippa, the girls' mother Carole and their brother James on a boat belonging to Carole's brother Gary Goldsmith during a week-long sunshine holiday to Ibiza.

Pippa shows off her athletic prowess -- and her enviably toned physique -- performing a backwards dive into the sea.

Kate, who also looks stunning in her white bikini, is content to stand back and watch.


Heir in the air: Watched by Carole, Kate, James (in the patterned shorts) and Pippa, William attempts a backflip from the boat...


... but the young royal finishes with an ungainly belly-flop into the water


Making waves: The Prince failed to match Pippa's graceful aquatic display


Carole, who won admiration at the wedding for her elegant appearance, also reveals a youthfully trim figure in an emerald green bikini.

Meanwhile, in his red swimming shorts, William could be any young man eager to impress his girlfriend by performing a backflip -- which somehow turns into a belly-flop by the time he hits the water.


Her Royal Hotness: Pippa in her bridesmaid's dress at her sister's wedding


The pictures reveal the extent to which the Middletons invited William into the heart of their family.

During their week in Ibiza, they stayed at Gary's £5million villa, dubbed 'La Maison de Bang Bang'.


source: dailymail

How Kate and William' Royal Wedding compares with Charles and Diana's big day

By Lauren Paxman


Leaving the church: Princess Diana and the Princess of Wales looked away from each other as they left St Paul's, the new Duke and Duchess couldn't take their eyes off each other


As Kate Middleton walked up the seemingly endless aisle at Westminster Abbey in her stunning white dress and 2.7 metre train, millions will have remembered another young bride making a very similar journey 30 years ago.

Princess Diana's wedding to Prince Charles also gripped the nation, and many will have recognised similarities in everything from the red carpets the brides walked down to the way the couples waved to their supporters from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

But there were also some notable differences.


Tell-tale signs perhaps showed that there was trouble ahead for Diana and Charles, while Kate and William clearly proved they are meant for each other.

As Charles and Diana left St Paul's Cathedral, they both looked away from each other and towards their crowds of supporters.

In contrast, the newly wed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge could not keep their eyes off each other as they stepped out of Westminster Abbey.

The similarities definitely outweighed the differences though and it was touching to see that William and Kate had looked to his parents' wedding for inspiration.

Similarities: Diana and her father Earl Spencer (left), and Kate and her father Michael Middleton looked remarkably similar as they walked towards the altar

Paternal pride: Both fathers looked proud and composed as they led their daughters up the aisle


The bridesmaids at both weddings were dressed in white, wearing crowns of flowers in their hair.

Both fathers looked proud and composed as they led their daughters up the aisle and both couples smiled as they took their first strolls as man and wife back towards the doors of their respective churches.

Diana and Kate's dresses were very, very different - Diana's Eighties number looks very dated - but both featured nipped in waists that showed off the brides' svelte figures, and both women wore impressive tiaras.

Newly-weds: Diana kept her veil on at the alter, but Kate took her veil off almost as soon as she joined her husband

Man and wife: Diana's longer train meant that there was more distance between the couple and their bridesmaids than at William and Kate's wedding - but otherwise, the similarities were startling


Kate looked much more at ease as she led her husband's hand while they walked out of the Abbey. Diana, on the other hand, had her arm limply linked through Charles'.

The photographs of the balcony scenes at Buckingham Palace look as similar as those from the wedding ceremonies.

But when you compare the scenes, telling differences emerge.

Crowd pleaser: Diana leans in for a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

And again: Last Friday, the initiative came from Prince William, with him suggesting both the first and second balcony kisses


Diana clearly leaned in towards Charles when she kissed him in front of crowds of fans.

But last Friday, the initiative came from Prince William, with him suggesting both the first and second kisses - and his wife happily obliging.

As the couple stepped back into the palace they gave a wave to the crowds that was almost identical to the one William's parents gave 30 years before them. Only the newlyweds were standing much closer together the second time around.

Royal wave: Kate and William stood much closer together than Charles and Diana as they gave one last wave to the crowds below them


Perhaps the starkest example of the differences between the two couples, though is in their official engagement photos.

Both the brides to be wore blue - to match the same ring they wore on their wedding ring finger. But Charles and Diana looked much more uneasy than William and Kate who were both grinning for the cameras.

Engagement photo: Both the brides to be wore blue - and the same ring - but Charles and Diana looked much more uneasy than William and Kate


Some similarities between the two wedding were just a result of both couples following age-old traditions. Both wedding cakes, for example, were white, tiered and very elaborate.

But Prince William said as soon as he got engaged that he would find ways to make it feel like his mother was by his side at his wedding - and taking inspiration from the ceremony she chose was a very touching tribute.

Majestic cakes: Both couples had beautiful white tiered wedding cakes that were elaborately decorated


source:dailymail

Did they REALLY whittle down Kate's waist? Grazia cover shows slimmer version of royal bride

By Daily Mail Reporter


Photoshop fail? It has been suggested that Kate's waist looks to have been slimmed down on this week's Grazia cover, pictured here alongside the original photograph. The Duke was also removed from the shot


Less than a week after the Royal Wedding, a glossy magazine has done the unthinkable and put the Duchess of Cambridge on its cover with what appears to be a slimmed-down waistline.

On the cover of this week's Grazia, Kate's waist appears to be much narrower than it should be in relation to her hips.

The photo, which appears to have been doctored from the original shot in which Kate was holding onto William's arm, clearly shows a discrepancy between the line of Kate's corset and the fabric of her Alexander McQueen skirt, giving the effect of having inches shaved off her middle.

It hardly seems necessary. Miss Middleton had already lost a great deal of weight ahead of her big day - with some indeed suggesting she had gone too far.

So was this a deliberate attempt to whittle down Kate waist - or was it simply a photoshop blunder?


The photograph has reignited debate over what are said to be magazine editors' impossible aspirations for the female form, with some online commentators saying they believe the airbrushing act was no accident.

'The most fun I had was trying to hide': Sarah Burton breaks silence on designing the Royal Wedding dress

'We are not blind. Of course they made her slimmer. And she is already tiny,' says Lale.

Emily from Hampshire agrees: 'you can tell that picture has been airbrushed.'

Tammy replies: 'Yeah very sad. You could tell she'd slimmed down (from her already slim frame) before the wedding, and it wasn't ENOUGH. it'll never be enough.'

Septembergrrl added: 'It looks like they Photoshopped out a rib. Hate.' And LouWhoo points out: 'The only person who actually has a waist like that is Barbie!'

Website Jezebel pointed out the alleged alteration on their website, claiming that Grazia's designers had 'taken the liberty of slicing of slicing at the princess's already narrowed waist'.

The site alleged that Grazia's art department also looked to have elongated Kate's torso, using guide lines to show where the two photos differed.

'Even on your wedding day, met with near-universal praise for your look, apparently you could use a little slim-down help from the art department,' Jezebel wrote of Kate.

A photoshop expert said the effect could have been accidental: 'It appears that Grazia have tried to clone Kate Middleton’s left arm and replace it over the right one which was previously holding on to Prince William as they left the Abbey.

'In trying to replace her arm, it appears they have unintentionally tampered with her waistline.

He added, however, that any changes on such an iconic photo were ill-advised.

'On a photo that was likely to get as much attention worldwide as this one of Kate, it was unwise to alter it at all.'

Grazia's spokesperson denied any alterations were made in an attempt to slim down Kate's waist.

'Grazia takes the issue of women's body image very seriously. No changes whatsoever were made to the image of the Duchess with the purpose or effect of making her appear slimmer.

'We removed the Duke, and the Duchess' arm was adapted to complete the cover image.'

'Sharp-eyed readers will also have noted that she didn't leave the Abbey with a full-length Union flag behind her.

This is a deliberately stylised cover – but there were no alterations made at all to make her look slimmer.'


source:dailymail

Waitrose-y Katie goes down the aisle again - at the supermarket: Proves she has the common touch as she pushes her own trolley

By Fay Schlesinger


Down the aisle again: Kate stops to chat with a supermarket worker as she shops at Waitrose in Anglesey


She is the newest and most glamorous member of the royal family, and one of the best-known women in the world.

But a dressed-down Duchess of Cambridge was happy to do the weekly shop mingling with other shoppers like any other housewife.

In a loose-fitting green poncho and white V-neck sweatshirt worn with skinny jeans and ballet pumps, Kate Middleton pushed a trolley among dozens of shoppers in Waitrose on the island of Anglesey, in North Wales.


A week after her wedding to Prince William, onlookers said she had a spring in her step as she filled several carrier bags and loaded them into the boot of her Audi A3.

She smiled at locals as well as the newspaper photographer as she ‘skipped’ across the car park to return her empty trolley before driving back to the remote farmhouse that she shares with her new husband.

For anyone who has remained oblivious to months of build-up to their wedding, the only clues to Kate’s royal status were three police bodyguards, a back-up car and the jewellery on her wedding finger.

Tucked behind her sapphire engagement ring was the plain Welsh gold band that marked her transformation from a commoner into Her Royal Highness on Friday - and will eventually guarantee her a seat on the throne.

Doing the weekly shop, Duchess? Kate joins the rest of the supermarket shoppers by grabbing a trolley


Around the wrist of her other hand, she appeared to be wearing an elastic hair band, though this afternoon she let her blow-dried locks hang loose.

Kate, 29, is likely to have been preparing a special dinner for her new husband, who returned yesterday morning from a busy 24-hour shift as a search and rescue pilot.

One onlooker said: ‘It looked like she was stocking up on the basics, but she also bought a few special items, so perhaps she was preparing their first romantic meal as a married couple.

‘She loaded all the shopping into her car on her own, then skipped as she ran the trolley back to the park. She looked very happy and was smiling at people.

‘Most people didn’t even spot who it was, despite her being probably the most famous person in the world at the moment.’

No ordinary RAF wife: Appearing to skip while pushing her trolley, down-to-earth Kate looks as though she just might take off on the wheeled device


It is the first time Kate has been out and about in public since she and William departed for a weekend break on Saturday, the day after marrying at Westminster Abbey in front of an estimated television audience of two billion.

It was only after the couple flew off in the Queen’s helicopter that St James’s Palace revealed their surprise decision to forgo an immediate honeymoon.

They spent the bank holiday weekend at a secret location in the UK and are expected to take an extended break at a later date.

William’s first day back at work – and away from his new wife – was a busy one.

Happy shopper: The new Duchess of Cambridge looks relaxed at the supermarket with her protection officer


The 28-year-old, who has chosen to keep the working name Flight Lieutenant William Wales despite his new Duke of Cambridge title, arrived at his RAF Valley base wearing spectacles on Wednesday morning and was soon involved in two emergencies.

In the first, his Sea King chopper was sent to rescue a 70-year-old man who suffered a heart attack while on Lliwedd, a mountain in Snowdonia National Park, and was airlifted to hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

Soon after, the prince and his three fellow crew members collected four policemen who were stuck on Snowdon because one of them suffered vertigo as they made their way down from the peak.

What a difference a week makes: Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, on her wedding day last Friday to Prince William


The men, thought to be off-duty West Midlands Police officers in their 20s, were transported from the Crib-y-Ddysgyl ridge to the base of Wales’s highest mountain, a spokesman for Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team said.

An RAF Valley source confirmed that William co-piloted the chopper during the rescues. He added: ‘Sometimes you can sit there for three days and nothing happens.

Other days, people get into trouble. We tend to be busier on a weekend when people think they are Bear Grylls.’

The prince is close to his 27 colleagues from C Flight 22, and invited them to the wedding with their wives and girlfriends. Kate has already started befriending them and is planning to join them for evenings out in the sleepy North Wales countryside.

Cool customer: Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, mingled with shoppers at a branch of Waitrose in Anglesey


With no domestic workers at home, Kate is also likely to spend her time taking care of the housework and preparing meals for her husband, who has previously admitted to being a novice in the kitchen.

As this paper revealed last year, she will not take on full-time solo royal duties for some time, as William ‘shows her the ropes’ and eases her into the new role. He will be stationed on Anglesey until at least 2013.

The couple have modelled their first years as newlyweds on the Queen and Prince Philip, who spent two years on the Mediterranean island of Malta where Philip was a member of the Royal Navy from 1949 to 1951.


source:dailymail

Following in Kate's footsteps

By JODY THOMPSON

In step: Kate Middleton was seen leaving Buckingham Palace the day after the Royal Wedding wearing shoes like those tried on by Chelsy Davy today


She's already bagged herself a prince - and now Chelsy Davy seems determined quite literally to follow in the footsteps of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Chelsy, 25, was seen trying on a pair of shoes just like some of Kate's black wedge favourites - and was even shopping in her preferred stomping ground for shopping, London's King's Road.

The royal formerly known as Kate Middleton, 29, was seen wearing the black patent platform shoes from LK Bennett both before and after the Royal Wedding.


Sloane ranger: Chelsy was in Kate's favourite shopping area, London's Kings Road, but left the Office shoe shop empty handed - for the time being


Kate wore the £129.99 black LK Bennett patent pumps when she arrived at London's Goring Hotel for her last night as a commoner before marrying Prince William.
She teamed them with a white cardigan and a black dress with a white print.

Kate then emerged for her first full day as a member of the Royal Family and with her title Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wearing the same shoes again, this time teamed with a royal blue dress and black jacket.

She walked hand in hand from Buckingham Palace with William the day after their wedding to a waiting helicopter where they left for a night at a secret honeymoon location before their honeymoon proper later this month.

Chelsy, the on-off girlfriend of William's brother Prince Harry, meanwhile had decided to plump for a much cheaper version from Office.


Bride-to-be: Kate wore the same black wedges when she arrived at London's Goring Hotel with sister Pippa for her last night as a single woman on the eve of the Royal Wedding


In suede rather than patent leather and with a higher rattan heel rather than the more modest cork elevation of the LK Bennett pair, the trendy Office pair were on offer for a mere £60.

Indeed, Chelsy seemed quite keen on the shoes and paraded around the shop in them.

However, perhaps unlike in Cinderella, the shoe didn't fit for Chelsy, and Prince Harry's on-off girlfriend left the shop wearing the same white plimsolls she started out with on her shopping expedtition - or perhaps she picked them up later...

Chelsy, who is currently back on as the girlfriend of Prince Harry, was a guest at the Royal Wedding at the weekend.

She's apparently back in London for the summer to spend time with him and to work for law firm, Allen & Overy.

But despite a similar love of shoes, there is no sign of her following in Kate's footsteps down the aisle for another Royal Wedding just yet.


source: dailymail