The Duchess of Cornwall Shines in Paris

This week marked a momentous occasion for The Duchess of Cornwall – the future queen embarked on her first solo overseas tour, a two-day trip to Paris. In a year in which Prince Charles and Camilla have begun to take on more duties with his mother, (the royal couple accompanied Her Majesty to State Opening of Parliament in May) the royal world watched closely as the eight year royal stepped out on her own. The verdict? Two thumbs up.

Traveling by Eurostar, Camilla’s time in “The City of Light” included a reception, a speech – in French, a visit to fashion House Dior and a private viewing of the Mona Lisa (the Louvre is closed to the public on Tuesdays).

Rebecca English, Royal Correspondent for The Daily Mail, summed up what appear to be the feelings of most who traveled with her:

She then elaborated to me that, “Most remark on how surprisingly approachable she is. There is a warmth they don’t expect…”

Combating previously negative sentiments from both the people and the press, Camilla has begun to come into her own as of late, clearly a rock for Prince Charles and lending support to the newest member of The Firm, The Duchess of Cambridge. This tour was yet another step to solidifying her place in people’s hearts, as put by Sky News Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison, it was, “A move many would have deemed unimaginable a few years ago, Camilla mixed with the Parisian elite at a reception in front of the cameras, once territory reserved for Diana, Princess of Wales..”

In what may be one of the most on-point and interesting take on the landmark visit, CNN’s Max Foster shed light on what most people may have had in the back of their minds – the comparison to the late Princess Diana. Foster truly summarized it perfectly when he said, “We’re being given in a sense Camilla, queen-in-waiting, not just Prince Charles’s wife.”

I, for one, cannot wait to see more from The Duchess of Cornwall.

Kibbles ’n Bits Pups – Just like Lupo?

Survey says – pet parents think Lupo is a top puppy pal!

In conjunction with its “Doggie Voice” video contest, Kibbles ’n Bits^® Dog Food, along with Kelton Research, conducted a survey of pup parents that highlighted canine communication. Given the chance to have their four-legged friend hang with a celeb dog, twenty-three percent believe a royal would
make a better canine companion, specifically, the one and only Lupo Middleton.

I know many humans (myself included) who would rather hang with a royal then say, any other celebrity, so it doesn’t surprise me that dogs would want to kick back with a regal sidekick too.

Think this dog has a Twitter like Lupo?

Who knows, maybe with the royal baby on the horizon Lupo might need some new friends to play fetch with. Line forms to the left, Kibbles ’n Bits parents!

*disclosure: Kibbles ’n Bits is a client

#EndWildlifeCrime

Earlier today, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge co-hosted the #EndWildlifeCrime Conference at St James’s Palace along with the UK Department for Environment. It is no secret that Prince Charles and his eldest son are passionate fighters against poaching and crimes against this planet’s wildlife and today’s efforts marked yet another pillar in their battle. With diplomats, conservationists and representatives from both the private and public sector on hand, both royals made speeches to a room full of people who share their goals.

Prince Charles, who is deeply educated in the subject as President of WWF UK, spoke of his grave concerns that this planet’s wildlife could rapidly disappear, stating: “The destruction of animal species will diminish us all.”

Prince William, The Royal Patron of Tusk Trust, admitted that although he is not quite the expert his father is, his respect for the cause runs deep. It was evident that he shares the same fears of Prince Charles, stating that, “I sincerely hope that my generation is not the first on this planet to consider elephants, rhinos or tigers as historical creatures – in the same category as the Dodo.”

The Duke of Cambridge announced that he has tapped into the support of The Royal Foundation, tasking them with engaging the younger generation as “wildlife ambassadors.” Before sharing a brief film, he pleaded, “The example of these young people is truly heartening, and so is their plea to all of us here. Please help them.”

Here’s hoping today’s conference was a step towards righting the wrongs done to the world’s endangered wildlife. You can help support the cause through The World Wildlife Fund and Tusk Trust.

Hey Harry, Can You Come Back Now?

We just want you back – for good…

After a whirlwind week in the United States, Prince Harry is back across the pond and already hard at work – he made an impromptu visit to the Chelsea Flower Show today to visit the Sentebale garden. I think I speak for most of us on this side of the Atlantic when I say: we miss you, did you really have to go?

Leading up to the prince’s week-long tour of the East Coast and Colorado, all talk seemed to center around comparing his upcoming tour to the last time he hit American soil – the infamous Vegas vacation. The only similarity between that trip and this one? Everyone cannot stop talking about Prince Harry – but now for a very different reason.

Over the course of seven days we saw many sides to the young royal – solider, prince, philanthropist and athlete; everywhere he went, every “hat” he put on, he left the press and the public in awe. Trying to choose a favorite side of Harry or a favorite moment is proving impossible – trust me, I’ve been asked that very questions countless times since the tour’s end.

The one thing that comes to mind each time I try to pinpoint a favorite takeaway is the feeling that Prince Harry left a great, positive impression on America.. and it appears he feels the same. During both his Jersey Shore visit and a speech during the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup (which raised more than $1 million, by the way), HRH praised America and its people as “fantastic” and thanked everyone for their “extraordinary generosity.”

I can only hope that from here on out, this is the United States visit that people remember when they think about Prince Harry – the kind, generous, warmhearted young royal who will get down in the dirt and play baseball with underprivileged children, partake in a sitting volleyball match despite having full use of his legs and greet devastated residents of a small beach town he has no connection to.

Thanks for coming, Harry! You’re always welcome..

“Forget Me Not” – Prince Harry Ends US Tour with Polo Match

Today marked the final day of Prince Harry’s United States tour (pass the tissues), and in my opinion, he saved the best for last. The prince headed to the elite Connecticut suburb of Greenwich to play in the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup benefiting his charity, Sentebale, which aids children in Lesotho whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Translated, “Sentebale” means “forget me not;” how fitting for the the prince’s final send-off.

The polo prince played for the Sentebale team, while Nacho Figueras, the world’s top player and Ralph Lauren model, captained the St. Regis team. In the end, Team Sentebale came out on top with a final score of 4-3. Although it was not called properly at first, Harry did indeed score a goal and played very well throughout the match, despite having told Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer last night that he was quite nervous as he had not been on a horse in a year. We never would have known!

Approximately 400 fortunate guests including supermodel Karolina Kurkova and Olivia Palermo were on hand for the event, which also included a a lunch where Prince Harry made a brief speech thanking the American people for a wonderful week. When discussing Lesotho, HRH remarked that, “It just takes a single visit and you’re in love with Lesotho and its children,” and that “We are trying to remove the stigma of HIV/Aids amongst a generation.”

What a way to end the tour… thanks for coming!

Prince Harry of Harlem

After what had to be the best morning of his life at the Jersey Shore, Prince Harry hit Manhattan for a series of events with politicians, children and pageant queens.

Up first – a double decker bus ride with Prime Minister David Cameron..in the middle of New York City. The two Brits pulled up to Milk Studios in Chelsea on London Routemaster bus as part of a UK business campaign, ‘GREAT.’

Rebecca English, @RE_DailyMail

Once inside, the prince and the prime minister took part in a demonstration of 3-D printing technology and receive “look-a-like” dolls. Using the term “look-a-like” loosely here.

Rebecca English, @RE_DailyMail

Rebecca English, @RE_DailyMail

His Royal Highness then shed the suit and tie (dare I say he rocks one better than Justin Timberlake), and headed to Harlem to play ball with Harlem RBI, an inner-city youth program that is working with The Royal Foundation.

Prince Harry took pitches from New York Yankee first baseman Mark Teixeira – even hitting a homerun, participating in drills with kids and overall serving as an uplifting beacon of baseball in East Harlem. I’m just thankful he hung out with a Yankee this time as opposed to the Mets! Harlem RBI’s Executive Director, Rich Berlin, even dubbed the slugging royal “Prince Harry of Harlem.”

To top it all off, The Royal Foundation announced its support of Harlem RBI, alongside Project Coach, helping the program expand to The Bronx – home of the Yankees. Teixeira takes part in Project Coach, whose goal is to enhance the quality of the program’s coaching and training while also increasing the number of participants.

As always, the young royal was cracking jokes – aimed at the press.

Who knew Harry was so good at baseball?

Tonight, His Royal Highness is at a reception for The Royal Foundation with  “friends of the foundation.” How do I become a friend? Do I send them friendship bracelets or something?

You know who is a friend? Miss USA Nana Meriwether.

Get in line, Nana. Side note: if marriages were based on height, I have slim pickins. #shorty

See you in Connecticut tomorrow!

Prince Harry Gets “Jersey Strong”

A sentence I never thought I would say: Prince Harry visited the Jersey Shore this morning.   It was quite lovely to wake up in my own bed and drive a mere 30 minutes to greet the young prince this morning as he visited the Seaside boardwalk – an area brutally damaged by Hurricane Sandy. However he had one very significant detour prior to  gracing us with his presence on the boardwalk – he helicoptered to Mantoloking to meet Governor Chris Christie, touring damaged homes and greeting first responders. Oh, and it was better than I could have imagined because the Governor gave His Royal Highness an official Chris Christie fleece – the constant for Jersey residents as we rode out the storm six months ago.

Upon arriving in Seaside, Governor Christie showed Harry the infamous roller-coaster submerged in the ocean; the ride was finally removed almost the moment the prince departed. Then came the cuteness – Harry played classic boardwalk games with a group of twenty-five young children from Seaside Elementary School. My former high school science teacher turned Seaside principal, Chris Reichel, said he asked teachers to select the students who would be the best fit for fun and games with the prince – and he was blocking a gaggle of female teachers from jumping on the bus this morning. While the older children were well aware of what was going on and were excited  he said, the younger ones were a bit more overwhelmed by all the press. Mr. Reichel told me that one young student asked Prince Harry, “where’s your crown?”

When asked about the seeing New Jersey in recovery mode, Prince Harry said: “They’re fantastic, its American spirit.” He then elaborated on the resilience of the Jersey Shore, “Everyone getting together and making things right. Its fantastic, its really good.”

Harry, I could not agree more. Please, feel free to visit whenever you would like. I know a great pizza place to take you. Needless to say, I am thrilled he visited the area that I call “home,” and am hopeful that his visit will bring attention back to the shore – six months may have passed, but Hurricane Sandy is still a daily struggle.

Prince Harry Shines in Colorado

Captain Wales has officially landed in New Jersey for the final East Coast leg of is United States tour – I would know, he sat six rows in front of me on the flight in from Denver.

This weekend was nothing short of spectacular as the soldier prince shined in his element – among his military family at the Warrior Games. On Saturday, Prince Harry participated in an exhibition sitting volleyball match, jumping in to lend a hand to the UK team (who eventually won the exhibition), while Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor assisted the U.S. team.

The announcer must have taken his funny pills that morning as he ripped into the young royal several times; calling him out on his inability to stay seated, “stop showing us your bum!” Speak for yourself, announcer man.

On Sunday, it was off to the US Air Force Academy for the cycling competitions, where His Royal Highness said a few words, started the first race (with no help of the failing air horn) and then presented medals later in the day. Again, these Colorado announcers are hopped up on funny pills as the day’s MC asked Harry if he wanted to borrow his cell so he could call his grandmother and wish her a happy mother’s day; Harry replied – she’s seven hours ahead! Harry then urged the American competitors: “if you see a Union Jack shirt coming up from behind, let him through.”

As we saw yesterday, a picture is worth a thousand words. So, here are some of my best from the athletic events..

PS – Don’t forget to keep up with Celebuzz for my tour reports!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

I know I promised a recap of sitting volleyball and cycling today, but unfortunately that will have to wait one more day. However, one photo perfectly sums up today’s events.. I like to call it “the best photo I’ve ever taken in my life.”

“Hey girl, come and get it.” – Prince Harry

Prince Harry at the Warrior Games: Day One

Today I learned two very important things: Prince Harry walks really fast (like me) and bites his nails. Okay, maybe not that important. Day one of the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs is in the books, and what a day it was! First up, Prince Harry attended a brunch hosted by the United States Olympic Committee along and The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Approximately 150 donors and patrons were on hand “For a Noble Cause” brunch.

Inside, Harry patted babies on the head, made a brief speech and along with U.S. Navy Lt. Brad Snyder, a three-time Paralympic Games medalist, chatted with guests in celebration of the importance sport programming in the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and injured service members returning from combat.

Thomas Kimmell Photography

Thomas Kimmell Photography

Thomas Kimmell Photography

Kelly Harrison

Kelly Harrison

Then it was time for the 2013 Warrior Games, presented by Deloitte, to officially commence with the opening ceremony. will compete in the fourth annual competition. With Prince Harry and 1,200 others in attendance, U.S. Navy Lt. Brad Snyder, who competed at the 2012 Warrior Games before winning three medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, served as torchbearer for the ceremony and lit the cauldron with the help of HRH and Olympic swimmer and Colorado native Missy Franklin.

Throughout the ceremony Captain Wales was praised for his dedication as both a warrior and a diplomat; it was apparent that in that moment there were no sides. No UK vs USA – just a group of warriors coming together to challenge themselves, friends and family there to support and one handsome redhead there to take it all in.

Kelly Harrison

Kelly Harrison

Kelly Harrison

“It is tough being at the Warrior Games as an ambassador and a mentor because in my heart, I’m an athlete and a competitor. But I am so proud to be here,” Lt. Snyder said. “Last year, I watched from the athlete section as Melissa Stockwell lit the cauldron as the honorary torchbearer, and I was so inspired. I am thankful for the opportunity this year to light the cauldron and pass the torch to these athletes, and help them find their place in a Movement that means so much to me.”

Kelly Harrison

More to come tomorrow as we (meaning the prince and me) head to the cycling competition. Tomorrow’s post will also include highlights from today’s sitting volleyball match. Too many activities for one day!

And don’t forget to stick with CELEBUZZ for more updates!