Happy Anniversary to…Me!

Happy New Year royal watching friends! In addition to being the first day of 2013, today is also the one year anniversary of my first blog post! It has been such an incredible year putting my royal thoughts to paper (well, wordpress) and getting to know all of you. The best part of this whole blogging thing has been the Twitter conversations and relationships developed – us royal watchers have to stick together! I can’t thank you all enough for reading, posting and tweeting along with me.

So, in honor of this special occasion I’m taking a different approach to the typical “royal year in review” posts. I present to you, my top ten favorite blog posts from 2012. In chronological order – I don’t want to play favorites with my favorites!

1. Prince Harry’s Tour – Top Moments

2. An Interview with Victoria Arbiter

3. Happy Anniversary William and Catherine!

4. Hey Harry, Call Me..Maybe?

5. Keep Calm and Float On

6. Today’s News: Kate Looks Great, Harry Has Date

7. America for the Win!

8. Confession: I Miss Prince Harry

9. Christmas Gifts for the Royals

10. A Chat with Kelly Lynch

It was difficult to pick just ten..but there you have it! What were your favorite royal moments of 2012?

Dreams Do Come True!

Oh wait, I take that back…if this were a dream come true, I would have been there.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, Ryan Lochte and Prince Harry hit Vegas this past weekend, completely throwing off the universal hotness equilibrium. Surely the two of them in the same place must have been illegal – right? Just. Not. Fair.

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After the lack of photos when my two favorite guys attended the gold medal beach volleyball match at London 2012, I was not too hopeful for any excitement to come out of the Sin City celebrations. 

This next line is proof that when you stop looking for something, you will find it..

Prince Harry challenged Ryan Lochte to a swimming race. 

The New York Daily News has the video to prove it.

First racing on dry land with Bolt, then in the pool with Lochte? Harry has officially begun his gold medal campaign for Rio 2016.

At 3:00 a.m. a fully clothed Olympian and a half-dressed Prince took to the waters of the Wynn Hotel’s XS Nightclub Pool. Personally, I could have done without the shirt on Lochte.

Next time boys, come to the Jersey Shore. We have a slew of blondes for Prince Hottie to ogle and plenty of pools for Ryan Loch-te on my heart to pee in. In fact, I have a pool in my backyard…t-shirts not permitted.

And no, I am not neighbors of Snooki and The Situation. Just what we need, Mike Sorrentino and Ryan Lochte comparing ab workouts.

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No question – Ryan FTW.

Although my invitation to these gatherings seems to keep getting lost in the mail, (is there someone I can call about that?) the lovely @RoyalForumMoron had hers signed, sealed and delivered. Maybe she received my invite by mistake, because she bumped into the gold medalist not once, not twice, but five times. Be sure to check out her Twitter page for enviable updates!

Oh, and I played MASH with my coworkers today (yes I realize I am 24-years-old), and this was the outcome:

As the inner high schooler in you knows, the outcome of MASH dictates real life. So, thanks for the quickie wedding Ryan..sorry about the divorce.

America For The Win!

It’s the first day post-Olympics and if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling pretty sad today – as if something is missing from your life. No, I’m not just talking about Ryan Lochte in a swimsuit taking over your TV.

Sometimes the best cure for a hangover is to get up and keep on drinking. So, to cure your London 2012 blues, here are my top ten favorite moments from the past two weeks.

#1 – TEAM USA

I could spend an entire post on the accomplishments of Team USA during the Olympics, 104 of them to be exact, but since most of my readers are Team GB I will refrain. Team USA took over London, heading for Heathrow this morning with more medals than any other nation. From Gabby Douglas and the Fab Five to David Boudia and Serena Williams, the Americans leaped, dove, served, swam and ran their way into the history books. At the end of it all, 255 American athletes stood on the podium, claiming 26 gold medals. AMERICA FOR THE WIN!

#2 – USA Swimming & Michael Phelps

I can exclusively report the following breaking news: Michael Phelps was raised by mermaids. 

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Okay, clearly that’s not actually true, but he seriously came from some special gene pool. During his final Olympics (cue the crying), Michael Phelps claimed his 22nd medal and title of most decorated Olympian in history. USA Swimming as a whole kicked serious fin; from my favorite Olympian Ryan Lochte to the adorable Missy Franklin (who apparently I need to fight for Prince Harry), both the men and women had an almost constant presence on the podium in the aquatic center. Must be something in the water over here…

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#3 – The Duke & Duchess of PDA

Just when you thought Will and Kate could not get any cuter, this happened:

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For all of those who say the royals never show affection/emotion I say.. welcome to Club Cambridge. The first week of the Olympics saw the world’s most popular couple showing constant displays of affection and excitement before Kate and her perfect hair took over with almost daily appearances when Will returned to work. The Duchess of Cambridge takes gold for best facial expressions of the Olympics.

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#4 – Prince Harry

SO much Prince Harry throughout the Olympics, I can’t even deal. Everywhere he went – and he went A LOT of places – Prince Hottie lived up to his nickname. He laughed, he cried, he made us all swoon. Thank you International Olympic Committee for gifting London with the 2012 Games and allowing us to have fourteen days of hotness. I’m pretty sure I hit a decibel I didn’t know existed when he made his way into the Closing Ceremony, looking like some sort of blue suited god.

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Bauer Griffin

#5 – People of the World, SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!

Viva Forever! I feel badly for anyone who didn’t have the pleasure of growing up with the Spice Girls in their lives. Thank you Baby, Ginger, Posh, Scary and Sporty for reuniting- we missed you. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to break out my Spice World VHS.

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#6 – Usain Bolt, Raised by Cheetahs

How could you not love Usain Bolt? Crazy stat: Three gold medals in under 40 seconds. If I’m ever caught in a burning build/getting mugged/running from a bear, I want this guy by my side. Partly for comic relief, mostly for the running thing.

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#7 – Queen by Day, Bond Girl by Night

Gotta hand it to Queen Elizabeth II for making her acting debut alongside James Bond. Don’t ever accuse her of being old and stuffy again.

#8 – Andy Murray

In what may be the quickest redemption the tennis world has ever seen, Andy Murray overtook Roger Federer to win gold on centre court at Wimbledon just one month after the Swiss tennis star claimed the Grand Slam title. It was one of those classic moments that only the Olympics can bring.

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#9 – Boris Johnson

I went back and forth about adding London’s colorful mayor to my list of top moments, but after NBC captured the perfect shot of him spicing up his life during the Closing Ceremony, he made the final cut. Even before the Games officially got underway, Johnson had us laughing with his tour of the Olympic Village. Then, he went and got himself stuck on a zipline. Thanks for the laughs, Boris.

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#10 – London

It is no secret that a big reason I was overly excited for this Olympics was the host city. As predicted, London did not disappoint. The images from around Great Britain that flooded my television, Twitter timeline and newspapers were breathtaking. The British certainly know how to throw a celebration and this was one the world will be talking about for a while. I was pretty let down when I turned on the news this morning to once again be flooded by shots of the New Jersey Turnpike and Hudson River. Give me back the Thames and Big Ben!

As David Cameron put it – Britain delivered.

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Congratulations on a successful Olympics, London!

The Olympics: So Many Activities My Head is Spinning

As predicted, I have been completely glued to the Olympics since Friday night – I think my family, friends and coworkers are slightly concerned. Shedding a tiny tear after yesterday’s big swim from the American men was probably the breaking point for everyone. Yea, I just admitted that. #SorryImNotSorry

Trying to keep up with blogging about the Games would be like trying to catch Michael Phelps on the final 50 of that 4×200 relay yesterday – never going to happen. So, I’m just going to have fun with it. On another note, I’m finding it pretty difficult to get super excited about royal watching because Team USA is absolutely killing it and that’s more exciting than anything.

However, a big congratulations to Zara Phillips and Team GB on yesterday’s silver medal in equestrian eventing. The first royal to win a medal at the Olympics – that’s a pretty big deal! What made it even more special – her mother and former Olympian, Princess Anne, presented the medals.

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As suspected, Zara’s family came out to support her on all competition days. Yes, William and Kate held hands and looked lovingly into each other’s eyes. They’re a married couple – isn’t that expected? It was certainly adorable..but headline grabbing? Not sold on that one.

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Oh, and Prince Harry was there too. Looking swoon-worhty as usual.

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Then, Team GB’s most regal ambassadors stopped by the Olympic Village, causing more excitement than when Ryan Lochte walks around shirtless.

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Stuffed Kangaroo, file under things I’d never thought I’d see Prince Harry playing with. It does appear to be a blonde kangaroo, though..

In between spending some quality time with horses and kangaroos, The Duchess of Cambridge got her glam on and headed to attend the United Kingdom’s Creative Industries Reception at the Royal Academy of Arts. Kate recycled the dove grey Roksanda Illincic dress she wore last summer in Los Angeles. This time, she represented ‘Team Up-Do.’On an unrelated note, whenever I see Kate with her hair up this MadTV skit immediately runs through my mind. “You think a lotta men can’t handle the regalness of an up-do?” Bottom line – she looked STUNNING…

But not as stunning as these guys…

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As someone who grew up in a swim cap and goggles, I can never tear myself away from competitive swimming..National Championships, World Championships..year round I watch it all with extreme enthusiasm. That being said, there is abolsutely no sporting event I enjoy more than Olympic swimming.

Team USA has been kicking fin in the pool since Saturday, but Tuesday brought the best moment of the Olympics, care of USA Swimming – Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian ever. With the help of Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer and Ricky Berens, Phelps landed his 19th Olympic medal – a gold in the Men’s 4×200 relay.

That’s how America gets things done.

Congratulations Michael & TEAM USA!

LOCHTE NATION

In honor of my favorite Olympian pulling out the first gold medal for Team USA..

CONGRATULATIONS RYAN LOCHTE! #JEAH

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In my opinion, there is nothing better than Olympic Swimming and it is very fitting that our first gold goes to a guy who has worked himself to the bone for the past four years to become one of our country’s top competitors. I mean, the guy flips tires and pushes cars for his dry-land workouts – that alone deserves some sort of medal. It also doesn’t hurt that he is extremely good looking.

This boy was made for a Wheaties box.

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Congratulations on blowing everyone out of the water in the 400 Individual Medley, Ryan. You deserve it!

PS – that American flag grill, you are beyond awesome.

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London 2012

Oh and Ryan, if you ever want to swap out that 800-pound tire for something lighter to flip, call me.

BOOM! Britain. Nailed It.

I don’t even know where to begin with the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. I am not kidding when I say there is little I wouldn’t have done to be in that stadium tonight.

That being said, the London 2012 Opening Ceremony was the second time in the past two months the UK has completely blown me away. The ceremony truly focused on the athletes, as it very well should have been. They have worked so hard for so long and deserve every moment of spotlight that has been thrust upon them.

My Team USA French beret is tipped off to you, Danny Boyle. Based on my Facebook and Twitter feeds, the majority of Americans were nowhere near as impressed as I was and that’s a little sad. I would like to think something like the Olympics would open more people’s eyes to the cultures across the globe, and London 2012 did a top notch job of showcasing the essence of Britain’s culture and history. Sorry, but that’s exactly what the Opening Ceremony is about in any Olympics, in any country, every single time – it’s the athletes, the host nation and the world coming together. Any good host city would do exactly what London did. Regardless of your thoughts on the historic segments, the finale.. the fireworks, the music.. that had to have gotten to you. Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion and that just happens to be mine. So in all seriousness, no offense to all of you who hated it.

The moment I was most looking forward to certainly did not disappoint – The Queen, the corgis and the ultimate man of mystery. Daniel Craig “escorting” Her Majesty into the Opening Ceremony was amazing – Queen Elizabeth II is the best Bond girl there ever was. If any of you needed any more convincing that Queen Elizabeth II is the most bad ass 80-something around, dressed in diamonds and feathers, hanging out with Bond should have taken care of that. Maybe they enjoyed some shaken, not stirred, gin Martinis afterwards.

Although there was not much royal coverage after the opening segment, I’m totally okay with that – the night was about the athletes! Harry did look totally swoon worthy in his Union Jack themed suit and tie ensemble, Kate looked stunning in her ice blue Christopher Kane dress and William was wearing his usual navy suit and maroon tie (no surprises there at all). Aw, William and Harry..twinsies!

As far as the remainder of the Opening Ceremony goes – Team USA and Team GB’s entrances warmed my heart as much as Prince Harry’s beautiful face tends to do. The reaction that overtook the stadium as the host nation paraded in was a special moment and of course, watching Team USA march in, made in China berets and all, brought a tiny tear to my eye. Yes, I did just admit that and I’m totally okay with it.

And then…there was the torch. Um, that arrival was utterly insane. HELLO DAVID BECKHAM. David Beckham in a suit, on a speed boat, surrounded by fire.. holy hotness. I still believe he should have had a much bigger role in these Olympics, specifically as a member of the Team GB soccer squad..but I’ll take Becks where I can get him.

Oh, and it goes without saying that the torch procession, cauldron lighting and Sir Paul McCartney were all INCREDIBLE. McCartney, Hey Jude.. C’MON!

I don’t think there is much left to say other than..JOB WELL DONE LONDON! You have once again proved that you know how to throw one heck of a ceremony.

Now that London has done an excellent job opening the London 2012 Summer Olympics, my attention turn to Team USA. For as much as I go one about my love for Britain, America is home. Bring back that hardware Team USA!

As Matt Lauer said, Does WOW even suffice? Thanks for a great night, London! GO USA!

All images courtesy of London 2012 and personal screen grabs. 

Quick Olympics Fun..

I know everyone is anxiously awaiting the Opening Ceremony of London 2012..the official countdown clock is ticking away! If you are a sad American like me and have to wait a few more hours to watch, I have the perfect thing to keep you occupied.. my first guest post for Smitten by Britain!

Whether you are one of the fortunate souls in London right now or watching from miles and miles away like me, I have a way for you to have some extra fun with it all!

You can check out the post here – http://www.smittenbybritain.com/2012/07/have-yourself-a-london-2012-scavenger-hunt/.

While you’re at it, be sure to follow @SmittnbyBritain on Twitter.

Many thanks to Melissa for this opportunity! More to come!

Now, I leave you to enjoy the Opening Ceremony (now..or five hours from now), with some special photos of the Olympics fun I’ve been having today!

My Olympic Rings Cupcakes!

Gold & Silver Wrappers to Boot!

London 2012 Pin & Pen!

On Your Mark, Get Set…

The young royals were on the GO today in the name of all things sporty. Aside from that God awful time when Twitter was down today, William, Catherine and Harry completely flooded my timeline. I would like to think it was Will’s football skills (or lack there of as he would say), Kate’s fabulous dress and Harry’s overall hotness that broke the Twitterverse.

Earlier this morning as I curled my hair and prepared to head off to work, the trio was already looking beautiful as they headed out to Bacon’s College in Rotherhithe (South East London), to launch Coach Core, a charitable parternship between their charitable foundation and Greenhouse. (Side note: Greenhouse is a fantastic organization that inspires young people to be all that they can be through the power of sport).

Once again, Kate proved she is the true fashion ring leader of the bunch as she resurrected an “old and casual” (the palace’s term, not mine!) Hobbs dress. The grey and white patterned frock paired with beige wedges made for a perfect summer look that has the fashion world (okay, maybe just the fashion world on Twitter), buzzing with envy. Bad news, ladies – the ‘Wessex’ dress, although heavily discounted, is sold out. If this is “casual” and “sporty” then I suddenly feel real badly about the way I look when I hit the gym.

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On the other hand, my favorite pair of brothers were wearing some silly belts. William and Harry are both so well dressed most of the time (tan linen suit anyone?) but those belts..well, they weren’t much better than Harry’s basketball skills.

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While Kate dominated table tennis (in wedges!) and refereed a judo match (no chance she was trying that in a dress), William hit the football pitch and Harry tried his hand at hoops – “tried” being the operative word here. Poor Prince Hottie, he can score big with the ladies but not so much on the court.

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Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Many thanks to @RoyalReporter for keeping us all well informed on some of the light-hearted moments and top quotes of the day…

“Watching me on the football field is never a pretty sight – the expression giraffe on ice springs to mind. ” – Prince William on his football skills

“However it is marginally less embarrassing than seeing my brother cheat his way to becoming the fastest man on the planet! ” – Prince William on his brother’s race against Usain Bolt in Jamaica

“Catherine, on the other hand, with a tennis racquet or a hockey stick is something to behold and be aware of.” – Prince William on his wife’s athletic skills. Can I get a collective “aw” here?

One young boy asked William and Harry – “Are you two brothers?” Harry responded – “We’re not sure.”

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Later in the day it was off to Buckingham Palace to welcome the flame – and I’m not talking about Harry’s (adorable) red hair. Prince Harry welcomed the Olympic Torch –  second hottest thing in London – to the palace alongside fellow Team GB Olympic Ambassadors The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

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There are those darn belts again! Oh well, the official shirts do look nice. Props to @RegalEyes who called it days ago that we would be seeing a lot of IOC official shirts on the fashionable royals over the next two weeks. As always, Kate can make anything look great – pairing the polo with figure-hugging bright blue jeans (LOVE) and Stuart Weitzman wedges.

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A rather touching moment came via a special request from Prince William. John Hulse, a team leader with the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organization, had asked for a rescuer to take one of the torch bearer roles as it passed through London; William is a patron of Mountain Rescue England and Wales.

This is just the beginning! Next stop… the Opening Ceremony!

Put Me in Coach, I’m Ready to Play!

As if the Summer Olympics were not exciting enough, the International Olympic Committee honored London with hosting duties this year. Then, as if of two weeks of non-stop television coverage of my favorite city in the world wasn’t enough, the young royals stepped up to the plate as Team GB Olympic Ambassadors. Bottom line, if I could take two weeks off from work to do nothing but watch the Games..I would. Okay, if I’m wishing for things just give me a first class ticket to London with VIP passes to all of the main events.

So, if Aladdin’s magic lamp appeared on my front porch today and Genie sent me off to London, what events would I want complete access to? Lucky for me, William, Catherine and Harry made that decision very easy as the palace released the complete list of the events they will be attending yesterday.

To kick things off, Queen Elizabeth II will officially open the 2012 Summer Olympic Games at Friday’s opening ceremony, accompanied by senior members of the firm. This would actually be the perfect occasion for William to wear his signature navy suit and maroon tie that he wears 99% of the time. (Sorry Will!) I am also really hoping to see Kate in red – what do you think?

Over the next couple of weeks, the three musketeers will be actively participating in all aspects of the Games, from attending sporting events to meeting athletes and behind-the-scenes workers in the Olympic Village. If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of the young royals, look no further than the following itinerary:

Prince Harry

• 30 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich, men’s 10m diving and visit Team GB House

• 31 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich and awarding of medals, visit the Athletes’ Village

• 2 August –  School Games reception at Clarence House

• 3 August –  Equestrian, Greenwich

• 5 August –  Athletics and men’s 100m final, Olympic Park

• 8 August –  Beach Volleyball, Horseguards Parade

• 9 August – Team GB visit. Athletics, Olympic Park

• 12 August –  Closing Ceremony

Prince William

• 28 July/29 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich

• 29 July – Team GB Football at Wembley

• 30 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich and visit Team GB House

• 31 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich and awarding of medals, visit the Athletes’ Village

• 2 – August Tennis at Wimbledon

• 3 – August Equestrian dressage, Greenwich. Swimming, Olympic Park

• 5 – August Athletics including men’s 100m final at Olympic Park

Catherine

• 30 July – Equestrian events, Greenwich. Reception at The Royal Academy of Arts

• 2 August –  Tennis at Wimbledon

• 3 August –  Swimming at Olympic Park

• 4 August – Hockey at Olympic Park

• 5 August – Athletics at Olympic Park and Gymnastics and visit Team GB House

• 6 August –  Sailing, Weymouth.

• 9 August – Synchronised Swimming, Olympic Park

• 11 August – Men’s 10m Diving, Olympic Park.

• 12 August – Closing Ceremony

As you can see, you are bound to catch Princes William and Harry and Duchess Catherine on almost any given day throughout the Olympics. Although Harry and Catherine will be among the family members in attendance for the closing ceremony and at this point, William will not.

 Prince Charles and his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall, will also take part in the sporting festivities at the end of July, including cycling, badminton and equestrian.

Don’t forget – Zara Phillips will be competing as part of Team GB’s equestrian team, so you will also see her mother, Princess Anne, showing her support.

 Of course, all royal appearances are subject to change. Prince Harry could always end up whisking away the losing pair at women’s volleyball on a romantic getaway and never returning. William could decide to jump back in the pool and try to make it as a professional water polo player. Kate could pick up a hockey stick and trade in royal life for the chance at gold. One out of the three has the potential to actually happen.

And if we are all very lucky, maybe there will be a repeat of my favorite royal moment of 2012.

 

Chris Jackson, Getty Images

 

 

 

Today’s News: Kate Looks Great, Harry Has Date

For the sake of a good rhyme, I am really glad Harry and Kate have both had outings over the past 24 hours!

Last night, Prince Harry hit the IMAX screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in London alongside his cousin Princess Eugenie..and some blonde chick. Before I go any further, a huge thanks to @HWalesWatch, the ultimate in Prince Harry news. She never misses a beat!

 Prince hottie looked dashing in a dark blue suit and crisp white shirt, while Eugenie, accompanied by boyfriend Jack Brooksbank, rocked a trendy dress and enviable black jacket. I can imagine Christian Bale is used to undivided attention from the ladies at events such as this, but it doesn’t surprise me to hear Harry “stole the show.”

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After the premiere, the royal cousins hit the after party at  Freemason’s Hall and continued the party at the Salon where Harry was seen leaving in the wee hours of the morning. Now, a night on the town is not uncommon when it comes to Harry – so, what’s the twist? The 27-year-old bachelor was not flying solo as he made his way through the city on Wendesday night, he had a petite blonde in tow. Although the Daily Mail originally reported his date was model Cara Delevingne, it was later announce that the Burberry model was not, in fact, the woman making hearts break around the world.

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So, who is the girl who’s demise I’m currently plotting? TBD. And no, I’m not serious when I say that. But seriously, who did her hair? Yikes. *UPDATE: @HWalesWatch, @RoyalForumMoron I.D. Harry’s lady as Cressida Bonas as of Thursday afternoon.

Onto a woman with seriously covetable hair, The Duchess of Cambridge. Catherine hit the National Portrait Gallery to preview the Road to 2012: Aiming High exhibit. The visit marked the beginning of many upcoming appearances for Kate in her role as an Olympic Ambassador; the visit also served as double duty as she is also a patron of the gallery. The exhibit showcases showcased world-class Olympic and Paralympic athletes, the behind-the-scenes team and even a black and white photograph of Catherine herself, playing hockey with Team GB.

As much as I would absolutely love to see this exhibit, I am thrilled with one other thing I saw today – Kate’s outfit. Holy electric blue Stella McCartney dress! I really adored this dress on Kate – bright, youthful, flattering and looked fantastic paired with black Prada pumps. Although the dress was a winner, it was the accessories that generated the most buzz – the 30-year-old royal sported the Trinity necklace by Cartier, price tag: £49,000. WOWZA. The 18K pink, yellow and white gold diamond piece (thanks @thecambridges for the description), was perfectly Olympic-themed as it beautifully displayed five rings – four smaller and one large hoop at the bottom. Also on point with the premise of the day? The fashionable duchess donned by the designer of Team GB’s Olympic kits.

James Whatling / Splash News/E! News

Jorge Herrera/WireImage/People