Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, in Black Velvet Alexander McQueen

So today is a day of royalty style. Starting with the headline maker of the year, in fashion terms, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. She was out with her husband and brother-in-law last night at the Sun Military Awards. And she wore a stunning black velvet strapless dress with fishtail skirt and ruffled neckline by Alexander McQueen. She paired it with diamond jewellery she received as a gift for her wedding earlier this year. You can't see them, but she wore a pair of black Jimmy Choo classic courts underneath it all. I think that this look is magnificant and deserve all the praise it is getting. I love it. And it reminds me a bit of Lady Diana Spencer's first evening outfit that she wore before her wedding. It is a poignant reminder of how much better prepared and adjusted Kate is, whilst bringing back some happy memories of my eight-year-old self's obsession with Lady Di.

One of the highlights of the evening though was the amazingly heartfelt speech made by Prince Harry. It is so apparent that this is a new generation of Royals. One that is totally in touch with what is going on and relate to it by getting directly involved.  The legacy of their mother, I believe.
It included the following:

"I am a young Army officer, a serving soldier. Like my brother, I share many of the same hopes, the same aspirations to go on operations, and the same fears as all those who serve our Queen and country. By an accident of birth, though, it falls to 564673 Captain Wales humbly to express – on behalf of my comrades-in-arms and people up and down the country – the admiration we feel for the extraordinary men and women we honour here tonight.

It’s often said of our armed forces that they are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Well, I don’t entirely buy that. Ordinary people don’t run out under withering enemy rocket and heavy machine-gun fire to rescue a wounded comrade. Ordinary people don’t brave monsoon conditions dangling on a winch line to rescue 13 people, each in turn. For that matter, ordinary people don’t put their lives on the line for distant folk, such as the Afghans, who need our help and are now turning their country round because of it."