Duchess Kate In Sparkling Red Needle & Thread Dress For UK-Africa Investment Summit Reception

On behalf of the Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace this evening to mark the UK-Africa Investment Summit.

The UK-Africa Investment Summit took place in London today. It brought together heads of state and government and senior representatives from African countries, key multilateral agencies and high profile UK and African businesses. Kensington Palace said: "The summit will demonstrate the strength of the relationship between the UK and Africa, showcase and promote the breadth and quality of investment opportunities across Africa, and highlight the UK’s commitment to supporting economic development in Africa, including through the creation of jobs and new partnerships."

Upon arrival, William and Kate enjoyed meeting with guests and leaders from all over the world.

There were plenty of moments like this too.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex were also present. Below, the Countess speaking to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The royals greeting each other warmly.

Little family reunion at tonight’s reception! pic.twitter.com/YnxDG5ie7S

— Emily Nash (@emynash) January 20, 2020

Wishing Sophie a very Happy Birthday - she turned 55 today. The Countess was also in red tonight, choosing a red scalloped Alaia dress.

Princess Anne mingling with guests.

The UK's trade with Africa is estimated around £33 billion and between now and 2035, African nations will have to create 20 million jobs per year to keep pace with the rapidly growing population. The government revealed "In the lead up to the summit, £6.5 billion of commercial deals have already been signed by British companies to deliver jobs, growth and investment across the UK and Africa, with deals worth billions more expected to be made during the course of the day. They are expected to mobilise billions of pounds in private sector investment for Africa, marking a new era of trade between the UK and Africa."

More from the Department of International Trade:

'Africa has 8 of the world’s 15 fastest growing economies and there is huge demand on the continent for clean, sustainable and innovative investment. As home to some of the world’s most enterprising technologies and the financial centre of the world in the City of London, the UK is perfectly placed to meet that demand and be the continent’s investment partner of choice. A range of programmes, totalling £370 million, include:

Supporting African countries to meet their rapidly growing energy demands through green energy, including better access to solar energy and electricity. Helping Africa thrive digitally through a £45 million programme helping young Africans, especially women, access the internet, develop digital skills and find jobs. Enabling at least 100,000 more women in Africa to secure high-quality jobs by funding their education and training.

A £200 million programme to help build basic trade infrastructure in southern Africa. The new programme will support upgrades to border posts, ports and roads. It will also work with governments and businesses to improve trade policies and cut red tape. Boosting the flow of private financing into African projects supporting girls’ education, healthcare and climate resilience.'

William and Kate chatting with guests.

During a speech, Prince William shared hopes for future trips to Africa and recalled proposing to Kate in Kenya almost a decade ago. "The African continent holds a very special place in my heart. It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died. And when deciding where best to propose to Catherine I could think of no more fitting place than Kenya to get down on one knee." He continued "As Catherine and I have said to several of you here tonight, we hope to have the chance to visit many more countries in the future and share our mutual love of your continent with our children." The video below has footage of William's speech in addition to some lovely interactions between Kate and Sophie. The Countess jokes about forgetting the time for the reception, and Kate tells her "I need to practice my French Sophie".

Another shot from the reception shared by Buckingham Palace.

A group photograph at the Palace.

Earlier today, Prince William met with several leaders including Rwanda's president Paul Kagame. People's Simon Perry revealed the Cambridges would undertake two tours this year. Perhaps visiting several Commonwealth countries in Africa is in the planning?

William greeting Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The Duchess chose a fabulous sparkling red dress by Needle & Thread for the occasion. It's a shorter version of the brands £410 Aurora Sequin Gown. During 'Styling Kate' posts, Needle & Thread has been suggested with some frequency and it's easy to see why. Designs include whimsical, elegant pieces - often times with signature embellishment or sequin detail. Many of their pieces would be ideal for Kate, I hope we see more in her evening-wear rotation.

The ruffled neck dress is described as "A vision of tulle and shimmering embellishment, the Aurora gown from Needle & Thread presents a grown-up way to wear sequins. From chevrons and diamonds to floral shapes and horizontal panels, each and every one has been purposefully placed, resulting in a light-catching finish that's sure to garner a whole host of compliments."

A shorter version of the Aurora is available at Net-A-Porter.

Kate teamed the dress her red suede Gianvito Rossi pumps.

And her Jenny Packham Casa clutch.

Kate completed the look with a new pair of statement earrings by Soru Jewellery. Kate's Royal Closet spoke to the brand who revealed they are a 2017 style. They will be available for pre-order tomorrow.

The £140 Ruby earrings are described as: "Handcrafted from 18kt yellow gold vermeil on sterling silver, genuine semi precious ruby gemstones are set within multi facetted sparkling crystals. Slight natural variances may occur between colours, shapes and sizes of the gemstones. We use natural gemstones which may contain internal inclusions, adding to the beauty and uniqueness of each individual gem."

The Palace confirmed the Duke and Duchess will attend the UK Holocaust Memorial Day Commemorative Ceremony in Westminster next Monday. 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Additionally, reports are beginning to surface regarding a two-day trip to the Republic of Ireland for the Cambridges in March. We should hear more on that in the coming weeks.

The Duchess in Black Lace McQueen For Royal Variety Performance

It was an evening of entertainment and glamorous guests for the annual Royal Variety Performance at London's Palladium Theatre.

The Duke and Duchess arriving.

The Royal Variety Performance takes place every year and is held in aid of the Royal Variety Charity. The money raised from the show helps hundreds of entertainers throughout the UK, who are in need of help and assistance as a result of old age, ill-health, or hard times. In particular, the charity assists former members of the entertainment industry living in Brinsworth House, a residential home in Twickenham, which is owned and run by the charity.

Plans to improve Brinsworth House are currently underway with a fundraising campaign. The Chairman of the Royal Variety Charity, Giles Cooper, recently said that "the need for care is evolving & requirements & standards have rightly improved, so our plan is to upgrade and regenerate Brinsworth House. With your support, we can achieve just that!" In the background, one can see an image of the Queen and Prince Philip attending the performance in 1955.

Kate received a beautiful posy featuring flowers and foliage from the 'Frosty Winter Garden' at Brinsworth House.

Kate receiving the posy.

An overview before guests began to arrive.

The Duchess told the cast of Mary Poppins, including Petula Clark, Charlie Stemp and Zizi Strallen, that George and Charlotte wanted to go with them to the show, but she told them "not on a school night".

The Duke and Duchess take their seats.

It dates back all the way to 1912 when the inaugural performance was watched by King George V and Queen Mary. In July 1919, a second royal show was performed. Held at London Coliseum, the show was staged as a 'celebration of peace' and, as the official announcement expressed it, "had been commanded by the King to show his appreciation of the generous manner in which artistes of the variety stage had helped the numerous funds connected with the War".

It is believed to be one of the few charities in the UK that has an unbroken line of patronage from the reigning monarch since George V in the early twentieth century. Queen Elizabeth II is the current sole life-patron of the charity. Below, the poster for the 1930 performance.

In more recent years, we've seen Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Cambridges and the Sussexes alternate attending the event. It's William and Kate's third time at the Royal Variety. They first attended in 2014, Kate repeated her black lace DVF gown. In 2017, the Duchess debuted a sparkling blue Jenny Packham design.

Hosted by Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, the evening included performances from the cast of Mary Poppins, Lewis Capaldi, Mabel, Robbie Williams, the cast of Come From Away, and a special collaboration by Emeli Sandé and Manchester’s Bee Vocal choir. Below, a great shot shared by Kensington Palace.

They received a very comedic introduction by the hosts. The Mail reports:

'The comic pair introduced the royal couple and joked that they were on a 'date night' as the camera focused on them laughing and giggling in the Royal Box - William nodding with mock seriousness.

The comedians asked whether they had paid the babysitter to stay 'until 12 or 1' - joking: 'It's always worth £20 for the extra hour.'

Whilst meeting six-year-old Aurelia from an acrobatic group, Kate said George and Charlotte love doing cartwheels at home.

More from the Mail Online:

'William was left in stitches was he was jokingly handed a ‘commemorative’ tea towel by the show’s hosts, comedians Rob Beckett and Ramesh Ranganthan, which had their faces on instead of his and Kate’s. The prince roared with laughter and said he would try to find something to do with it.

Beckett said: ‘Maybe you know someone who might want it. ‘ ‘Yeah, the dog will love it,’ joked William, who told the the two men that hopefully they could relax now, When Kate was given a bouquet of flowers by two youngsters who star in the new Mary Poppins musical, Nuala Peberby, 14, and Fred Wilcox, nine, the prince told them: ‘How come I get a dodgy tea towel and she gets some flowers?’

Nuala revealed afterwards that Kate had told her that George and Charlotte - particularly her daughter - love performing and putting on little shows at home. ‘She said that her children love performing at home, particularly Charlotte,’ she said. ‘She told us how lucky we were to be on stage in the West End and asked how we managed to do it with all our school work. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to meet them. ‘ 

Another posy for the Duchess as she departed.

A video from the event with footage of William and Kate meeting performers.

The Duchess chose a stunning black lace Alexander McQueen gown for the night. The bespoke piece features puffed sleeves, lace overlay, a fitted silhouette, velvet detail on the neckline and waist. and an intricate floral pattern. Kate has a penchant for this style of gown, I expect we'll see it again on at least a couple of occasions. The tailoring is beautifully done as always by McQueen and the touch of velvet against the lace has a very luxurious, seasonal feel to it.

A look at the back of the dress.

Embed from Getty Images

Kate teamed it with her Jimmy Choo Romy 100 pumps.

And her Jimmy Choo Celeste black velvet clutch.

Kate accessorised with her statement Erdem Floral earrings. They are described: "Elegant, refined, and feminine, these Floral earrings by Erdem illustrate the designer’s attraction to romanticism. This accessory is defined by the layering of numerous mother-of-pearl beads with orange, black, and gray crystals." Below the earrings with a different centre stone to Kate's.

It's another evening event for William and Kate on Thursday for the Tusk awards.

The Cambridges Attend National Emergencies Trust Launch

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stepped out this morning for the launch of the National Emergencies Trust at St Martin-in-the-fields, London. 

The engagement was initially announced as a solo appearance for William. On Tuesday, Kensington Palace confirmed Kate would be joining her husband. Following their tour of Pakistan, the Cambridges spent half-term break at their country home Anmer Hall. During their time there, Kate was spotted at a nearby Sainsburys for a spot of Halloween shopping with George and Charlotte.

The scale of several dreadful tragedies in the UK in 2017 including the Grenfell fire and terrorist attacks in Manchester and London led the Charity Commission to convene a number of organisations, charitable bodies and leading figures on the ground to establish a means of responding to national emergencies as quickly and effectively as possible. The intensity of 2017 led to the stark realisation proper measures were not in place to co-ordinate the public response to domestic emergencies. The answer was to come together and create the National Emergencies Trust. It will operate independently of government.

The trust will work collaboratively with charities and other bodies to direct public donations to NET appeals, and to distribute funds fairly and efficiently at the time of a national emergency. The concept of a collaborative approach to public emergency response has been proven by the Disasters Emergency Committee, which has been responding to overseas disasters for more than 50 years, and will be applied by the NET to domestic emergencies.

The Telegraph reports:

'Last month, it was revealed that 16 fraudsters who posed as people affected by the inferno that killed 72 people falsely claimed a total of £775,000 from the Grenfell victims' fund, with police only recovering £24,000.

The trust said that multiple charitable appeals following a disaster could leave the public feeling overwhelmed.

General Lord Dannatt, the chairman of the new trust and a former Chief of the General Staff, said of the response in 2017: "The general public were very generous and most of the money that was raised went to the right causes and the right people, but not everything went as it should have done.

"The Charity Commission challenged charities in the voluntary and community sector to come up with a more efficient and collaborative way of working together in response to any future tragedy."

The Duke and Duchess met a group of people affected by the Grenfell Tower Fire and Westminster Bridge terror attacks. Shortly after the horrific fire, William joined the Queen to meet residents and later participated in a DIY SOS project to support those in the area. Those in the UK will know it's been a painful time for those who lost loved ones and their homes in the fire. Phase one findings of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry were shared just over a week ago. The report found "serious shortcomings" and "systematic failures" in response to the fire. While the findings praised the courage of the London Fire Brigade, it was highly critical of their response with a number of recommendations suggested moving forward. The report found the principal reason the fire spread was aluminium composite cladding filled with plastic used on the exterior of the building. It led to a barrage of media coverage and political commentary. As I watched it all unfold last week, I couldn't help but think of the families who are still coming to terms with the unimaginable horror they endured and how deeply impactful the inquiry is for them.

The Duke and Duchess met representatives from the emergency services, NGOs, and some of the NET’s charitable partners.

Kate was particularly taken by a dog trained to assist during emergencies.

During a speech Prince William said: "Catherine and I are very pleased to be here today at the launch of the National Emergencies Trust. The UK is one of the most generous countries in the world in helping those in need and giving to charity. We all know the important role that the Disasters Emergency Committee plays in channelling the British public’s extraordinary generosity to respond to disasters overseas. It is therefore only fitting that a new, national charity is able to fulfill the same function when tragedy strikes at home."

William's continued:

'Just now and on previous occasions, it has been humbling to speak to survivors of the London Bridge and Manchester attacks, the Cumbria floods, the Grenfell Tower fire and other disasters here in the UK.

Their stories are as heart-breaking as they are inspiring. Their resilience and strength are deeply humbling. In talking to survivors, I’ve always been inspired to hear about the help they were offered by people and organisations acting on their own initiative with immediate and heartfelt compassion. This empathy is both natural, and remarkable.

Whenever and wherever disaster strikes here in the UK, this country has a unique way of pulling together. From the people who donate their blood, to the children who empty their piggy banks, to the families that set aside a bedroom in their home. The way that local communities support those affected shows the very best of our values and human nature.

But in the wake of tragedy, managing and channelling the public’s desire to help can prove tricky. I saw this for myself on the ground in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire. I therefore fully support what you are doing here today.

I’m impressed about how willing the charity sector has been to learn the lessons from previous responses, and to ensure that the quickest and most appropriate support is offered to those affected.

I commend the Charity Commission for initiating this work, and all the charities in the voluntary and community sector for coming together so successfully. Your cooperation is admirable. The result is an organisation that you helped to design, that draws on all your strengths, and is warmly welcomed. 

I am very pleased that the National Emergencies Trust now stands ready to provide a structured, organised response to help people right across the UK in the event of a domestic disaster.

Many thanks to the whole team behind the Trust for all their hard work ahead of the launch. We all dread the day when you are needed. But I know that, like everyone here, I am glad that you now exist.'

If you would like to donate to the National Emergencies Trust please click here.

A video from the engagement.

Afterwards, the Duchess undertook a private engagement as she visited the BBC Children's and Education Team ahead of Anti-Bullying Week. It is understood she met with the BBC's Director General, The Lord Hall of Birkenhead. Reporter Russell Myers noted something "very interesting" is in the pipeline and we'll hear more about it next year. I expect it's possibly a Royal Foundation initiative that may be tied to her early years and mental health work. Speaking of early years, we can expect to hear more about Kate's project in the coming weeks.

Does Kate's dress look familiar? The Duchess wore the Emilia Wickstead 'Kate' dress in navy.

Kate owns the piece in lavender and debuted it during an official visit to Germany. She brought it back last autumn for the Global Ministerial Health Summit.

It became so popular, the designer released it in three colours, aptly named 'Kate'. The £1,420 piece is described as "Emilia Wickstead's wool-crepe Kate dress is an elegantly versatile choice for the social season. It's tailored in the UK with a flattering boat neckline and long darts throughout the front and back of the bodice, then lined with black crepe to ensure a smooth fit." Kate added a belt by the designer to complete her look today.

Kate carried her limited edition ‘Blue Heart’ clutch in black croc. It is described as "a beautiful collaboration between Aspinal of London and Beulah using Beulah’s iconic blue heart print on the interior lining. The Blue Heart clutch is a grown up classic with a timelessly elegant silhouette that works effortlessly and includes Aspinal of London’s distinctive signature shield lock clasp. The intricate metal chain is in a gold finish and adds to the functionality allowing the clutch to be held in the hand or elegantly draped over the shoulder.

The Duchess debuted a fabulous pair of Jimmy Choo Romy 85 Patent Leather pumps. They are available in multiple colours for $850 at Net-A-Porter.

And accessorised with her sapphire and diamond earrings.

Coincidentally, a reader messaged me earlier this week to suggest the Women of the First World War brooch from the poppy collection as an ideal choice for Kate to wear this week. The Duchess obviously had the same thought and chose the special £30 piece today. It is still in stock at the Poppy Shop.

The Duchess has several engagements coming up including two events for Remembrance week.

9 November - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join members of the royal family for the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.

10 November - Remembrance Sunday

15 November - The Duchess of Cambridge, Royal Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, will visit the charity’s new hospice ‘The Nook’ on Friday 15th November to meet children and families being supported by EACH, tour the hospice, and unveil a plaque to officially open the building.

18 November - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend the Royal Variety Performance at the Palladium Theatre, London, held in aid of the Royal Variety Charity.

I'll see you Saturday evening for the Festival of Remembrance. It begins at 7 pm. It's always a beautifully organised and moving night.