Remembering Diana

I can't believe it is 16 years since I got a phone call from a friend telling to "put the telly on" I couldn't believe my eyes at what I was seeing/hearing.....it was one of those "where were you" moments - certainly the first in my lifetime.  Anyway I like to remember Diana when she was happy and enjoying herself as shown in the fabulous Testino portraits.  

Credit for all photos: Mario Testino

Prince George

Well it has been a while since I last blogged - things have been sooo busy not least with numerous trips up and down to London as the Bolshoi Ballet were touring to London - I am tired now but it has been a lot of fun.  I have some time off work now and I have prep'd a lot of photos so hopefully I can blog a few things.  

I think unless you live on another planet you cannot help but notice we have a new Prince and a third direct heir to The Throne in the United Kingdom. On 22 July 2013 (just a day after yours truly's own birthday) HRH The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son - not so tiny mind!  

Photo: Daily Mail                   Baby Prince George

Prince George Alexander Louis weighed in at a whopping 8lb 6oz!!   Hard to believe skinny Kate managed that!!  Kate and William delighted the crowds outside the hospital when they took George home the next day and happily answered questions from the waiting media.

Photo: Getty Images 
The new royal family leave hospital.

Photo: Press Association         
Kate looked glowing I thought considering 
she had just had a baby the day before!

I have to admit that I was VERY disappointed
with the family snaps (and that is all they are)
that were released last week and which were 
taken by Kate's father.

The light in both photos is terrible, and 
considering the importance of baby 
George's birth something a lot better should 
have been released.  0/10 from me I'm afraid.

I had hoped for a proper portrait of the royal 
family together like when Prince William was 
born.  This photo by Lord Snowdon is lovely.

Of course the souvenirs industry went into 
overdrive with George's arrival!
Here at Kensington Palace's shop you can 
buy silver pennies for new borns and if your 
baby was born on 22 July you will qualify for 
a free one from the Royal Mint!

The Dodo  shop at Sloane Square 
had a lovely display of goodies.

Dodo jewellery

A Dodo mobile/carousel.

At the Buckingham Palace shop the Royal 
Collection has got in on the act too!  
They have a delightful range of baby blue 
items which are very pretty indeed.

And I love this lovely velvet cushion in powder blue!

Anyway in future we can expect to see a formal photograph of Prince George along with his great grandmother the Queen, his grandfather, Prince Charles and his father Prince William as this is the first time in a very long time that there has a been a reigning monarch and 3 heirs alive at the same time.  It is said that HM Queen is keen to get a photograph of the 4 taken at Balmoral.  Let's hope this happens!  Then there will be the christening which I think will be in October when the Queen returns from Balmoral.