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Royal Wedding Malt from the English Whisky Company

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Royal Wedding MaltScotland has a beautiful tradition when it comes to marriages. When a child is born, the parents lay down a cask of whisky, and years later at the wedding, a special "Wedding Malt" is blended from the groom's cask and the bride's. Of course for the tradition to be practiced today, everyone would have to lay down a cask for each of their children, which is not so commonly practiced these days. But the tradition is kept alive by affluent families acquiring a cask from the groom's year of birth and another from the bride's.

With the marriage of Price William and Kate Middleton fast approaching, the English Whisky Company has been commissioned to create this special wedding malt. And while it does not appear to be a classic wedding malt in the vintage of the casks selected for the blend, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate along with the royal couple. A very limited quantity of commemorative bottles (700ml each) are being offered, and are available directly from the distillery and from Single Malts Direct at around £70.00 inclusive of the (recently increased) value added tax.

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Tags: english whisky company, kate middleton, prince william, royal wedding, wedding malt, whisky

Royal Wedding: The Carriages of Choice

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

1902 State Landau carriage royal wedding

With the highly-anticipated marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton fast approaching, reports have confirmed the posh vehicles that will be used in the procession.

According to Buckingham Palace's transport manager, the princess-to-be will ride to Westminster Abbey in a 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. The limousine from the royal motor pool was the subject of an attack when student protesters broke its windows with Prince Charles and Camilla on board this past December.

Returning from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, the newlyweds are scheduled to ride in a 1902 State Landau carriage, however if the weather doesn't permit for an open carriage ride, the 1881 Glass Coach that traditionally carries royal brides will be hitched up and called into service.

Gallery: Royal Wedding Carriages


[Source: Hello Magazine via Autoblog]

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Tags: buckingham palace, carriage, catherine middleton, kate middleton, prince william, rolls-royce, royal wedding, westminster abbey

The Stafford London's Royal Wedding Viewing Party

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

The Stafford London's Royal Wedding Viewing Party
Don't have an invitation to the Royal Wedding this April, but still want to celebrate along with Prince William and Kate? The five-star Stafford London by Kempinski hotel is staging a Royal Wedding viewing party on April 29 which might be the next best thing. Located just steps from Buckingham Palace, and rumored to be frequented by the Royal Family themselves, the luxe hotel will be celebrating the momentous occasion with a party in its outdoor courtyard complete with a viewing screen broadcasting the momentous event, accompanied by classic British cocktails and cuisine. Tickets for the Royal Wedding viewing party are £85 per person and include all food and beverage. Reservations are required – to purchase a ticket call the hotel directly at +44 20 7493 0111 or email rsvp.london@.kempinski.com.

Gallery: The Stafford London by Kempinski



Tags: British Royalty, Buckingham Palace, Kate Middleton, London, luxury hotels, party, Prince William, Prince William and Kate, royal family, Royal Wedding, royalty, Stafford Hotel, Stafford London by Kempinski, UK, William and Kate

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Watch The Royal Wedding In Style At The New York Palace

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Events


The invitations for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton have gone out. If your name was left off the list you can still celebrate. The New York Palace hotel is offering a Royal Wedding Sunrise Breakfast on Friday, April 29, 2011, the date of the wedding.

If you want to participate prepare to wake up early. The event, priced at $150 per person inclusive, begins at 5:30 am with coffee and tea service in The Drawing Room at The New York Palace. At 6 am, breakfast service will begin to correspond with the 11 am wedding start time in London, and will conclude at 8 am with a champagne toast. Guests will view the ceremony on flat-screen TVs while enjoying traditional English morning meal favorites, including scones with marmalade, scrambled eggs with Devonshire cream, and breakfast bangers.


Tags: prince william, royal wedding

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Prince William and Kate's Royal Wedding Invitation Revealed

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Wealth

William and Kate's Royal Wedding Invitation Revealed
1,900 people just received their invitations (above) to the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29. The heavy card bearing the engraved gold insignia of the Queen of England was delivered to various VIPs from kings to charity leaders, close family and university friends, old schoolmates and prime ministers around the world, People reports. The edges of the card, which is about 10 in. by 6 in., are beveled and then gilded. The simple wording reads that the Lord Chamberlain has been "commanded by the Queen" to invite the holder to the ceremony. Guests are asked to wear military uniform, a morning coat or a "lounge" (business) suit. 600 of the 1,900 invitees have also been invited by the Queen to a reception immediately following the ceremony, and 300 of those are also invited to a dinner hosted by William's father, Prince Charles, later that evening at Buckingham Palace.


Tags: British royalty, Buckingham Palace, Kate Middleton, London, Prince Charles, Prince William, Queen of England, royal family, Royal Wedding, royalty, UK, wedding

The Classicist: Is the Royal Warrant Losing Its Lustre?

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Classicist, Wealth


A recent decision by two venerable British brands to drop the Royal Warrants from their packaging has occasioned some hand-wringing in the UK over whether the much-coveted distinction has lost its lustre. The Classicist calls it a tempest in a Royal Doulton teacup; read on to find out why. Only three royals are entitled to grant warrants – the Queen of England, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales – to firms who supply their royal requisites for at least five years, though most warrant holders have ties to Britain's royal family dating back several decades or more. Of course, Prince William will one day be granting his own.

Holders of the Royal Warrant include many of our favorite luxury brands – Asprey, Aston Martin, Bentley, Barbour, Burberry, Fortnum & Mason, Gieves & Hawkes, Holland & Holland, Hunter Boots, Jaguar, John Lobb, Johnnie Walker, Land Rover, Laphroaig, Lock & Co., Swaine Adeney Brigg, Smythson, Tanqueray and Turnbull & Asser – along with a host of lesser names, such as After Eight mints and Jacob's Cream Crackers. It is the latter two that have now decided to do without their warrants – though no insult is intended to the royal family, as it was when former Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed burned his last year. That coupled with the results of a new survey showing that only 13% of respondents thought that warrants make any difference have called their usefulness into question, the London Guardian reports.

However, "It's hard to say that interest in royal warrants is conclusively on the wane," Vicky Bullen, chief executive of Coley Porter Bell, tells the paper, "because there is no existing data with which to make a comparison. However, consumers' apparent indifference to the royal warrants has surprised us. We can only surmise there could be a number of factors at play." Said factors, Bullen says, include "that we live in a less deferential society in which the royal family enjoys less prestige and political support." That of course is not exactly new, though the upcoming Royal Wedding may give them a boost. [cont'd]

Gallery: Holders of the Royal Warrant

Land Rover / Range RoverBarbourLaphroaigHolland & HollandSmythson


Tags: Asprey, Aston Martin, Barbour, Bentley, British royalty, Burberry, Fortnum and Mason, Harrods, Holland Holland, Hunter Boots, Jaguar, John Lobb, Johnnie Walker, Land Rover, luxury brands, Mohamed al Fayed, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Queen of England, royal family, Royal Warrant, Royal Wedding, royalty, Smythson, Swaine Adeney Brigg, Tanqueray, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: Is the Royal Warrant Losing Its Lustre?”

Kate Middleton's Fashion Show Dress Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Auctions


They call it the dress that may have started it all. By all they mean the Royal Wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William. The pair were friends but the romance reportedly began after the prince saw Kate Middleton wear a transparent knitted dress over a black bra and panties at a 2002 charity fashion show at the University of St. Andrews. The dress, created by Charlotte Todd (who did not pursue a career in fashion and now works at an aquarium), is expected to sell for more than 8,000 pounds ($12,800) at Kerry Taylor Auctions in London on March 17. The see-through piece was originally meant to be worn as a skirt but Kate wore it as a short dress.



Tags: catherine middleton, kate middleton, kery taylor auctions, prince william, Princess Diana, royal wedding

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Halewood To Launch Prince William Royal Wedding Champagne

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine


Halewood International has owned the Prince William Champagne brand for decades but now, with the Royal Wedding coming, the brand is looking to cash in. The brand is releasing a limited edition commemorative label, using the 'Prince William' and 'Royal Wedding' trademarks. The champagne is expected to retail for around £25 and is expected to sell well in England in advance of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on April 29.

For the latest on the Royal Wedding, visit AOL's Royal Wedding site.


Tags: champagne-glasses, Prince William, prince william and kate middleton, prince william champagne, royal wedding dress

The Fashion Statement: Countdown to Royal Wedding

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —



As more details of the royal wedding emerged yesterday -- including the start time ( 11 a.m. on April 29) -- there was, of course, more talk of the dress. Unless there's a press leak the size of a geyser, none of us will know what the bridal gown will look like until that fine spring day. Still, it's fun to speculate and when it comes to designers, there's been plenty of chatter on both sides of the pond. According to the bookies, here's where things stand.

Phillipa Lepley's shop (pictured above) has been under the magnifying glass since bookies first noticed real money being bet on the British designer who's known for simple silhouettes and top-notch fabrics. Another bookie favorite? WWD reported last month that Irish bookmaker Paddy Power says odds are 1-3 that British designer Bruce Oldfield will be Kate Middleton's choice, "and that it has suspended betting on the designer due to a recent 'flurry of big-stake bets' of more than 500 pounds, or $780 at current exchange." Oldfield has dressed everybody from Rihanna to Barbara Streisand. Jasper Conran, who's had his own made-to-measure bridal collection since 2007, is another name being thrown about.

Sadly, Alexander McQueen is not around. If the bride was me, he would be my first choice. Then again, it was rumored McQueen once embroidered the c-word inside Prince Charles' jacket. "I didn't embroider it, I wouldn't waste my time! I wrote it with a biro," he later admitted. Okay, so maybe that wouldn't be the greatest move in father-in-law relations.





Tags: Alice Temperly, Bruce Oldfield, Jasper Conran, Kate Middleton, Phillipa Lepley, Prince William, stella mccartney, Vivienne Westwood

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Prince William and Kate Middleton Swear to Live Without Servants

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth


Soon-to-be-married couple Prince William and Kate Middleton say they do not plan to employ any servants in their royal household. Although William's father Prince Charles employs an army of 150 retainers, William and his new wife will not have so much as a single Jeeves to fetch their tea, the London Telegraph reports. The future King and Queen of England have been doing their own shopping, cooking and even cleaning at the rented cottage they occupy on weekends, the paper notes, and plan to continue in that vein once vows have been exchanged.

The only staff they can't dispense with are the bodyguards detailed to provide security for the heir to the throne. The couple apparently believe that sharing their home with servants would ruin the intimacy of their relationship. "It's very much their instinct to manage on their own," a senior royal source tells the paper. "They want to do their duty and make sure they are a real asset to the country but they are private individuals who want to get on with their lives." Of course all that will have to change when the couple move in to Buckingham Palace.


Tags: aristocrats, British royalty, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince William, royal family, royalty, UK, wealth

The Royal Engagement Coin, Likeness or Hardly Likely?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —


The latest collectible released ahead of the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton has caused controversy. Britain's Royal Mint released a commemorative coin with portraits of Prince William and his fiancee, to commemorate the royal engagement but some says that the couple on the five-pound coin bear little resemblance to William and Kate. Middleton looks matronly with a round face and bags under her eyes while Prince William's profile looks a bit jowly and sports a hint of a pompadour. Some have called the coin's appearance ridiculous but others have defended it saying that images are often difficult to reproduce. The design was approved by both Prince William and Queen Elizabeth.


Tags: catherine middleton, Kate Middleton, Prince William, prince william and kate middleton, prince william engagement, prince william kate middleton, royal mint, royal mint coin, royal wedding

Official Royal Wedding China Goes On Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —


The official Royal Wedding china has gone on sale. HRH Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton (Kate no more) have approved the Royal Collection's china created in honor of their upcoming wedding on April 29, 2011. The collection includes a tankard (£35), eight-inch plate (£40) and pill box (£25) in English fine bone china. The pieces show a 'C' and 'W' entwined with gold and silver decorations, the coronet of Prince William and the wedding date. A pattern of doves, white ribbons and hearts in silver, gold and gray are set against a pale-gray striped background. The tankard is decorated inside with rows of tiny hearts and two silver doves holding a gold wedding ring.

The china is handmade for the Royal Collection in Stoke-on-Trent using methods that have remained unchanged for 250 years. Pieces are individually decorated and then embellished with several layers of burnished gold and platinum before a final layer of gilding in 22-carat gold is applied by hand. Each piece comes in a presentation box and wrapped in white tissue-paper printed with designs inspired by the wall hangings in Clarence House. It is sold online and will also be available from the Royal Collection shops at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and will be sold at Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham. Profits are dedicated to the Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity.

For more details on the Royal Wedding check out AOL's Royal Wedding website.


Tags: catherine middleton, Kate Middleton, prince william, royal collection, royal wedding

Royal Engagement Photos By Mario Testino Revealed

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —


A few days ago I mentioned that fashion photographer Mario Testino was chosen to take the official engagement pictures of Kate Middleton and Prince William. Testino
hot the newly engaged couple within the last month. The two photos that have been released are rather formal image and one more casual one (shown above).

People reports that Kate Middleton did her own makeup for the photos although Testino's makeup artist was on hand for touch-ups. Her hair was done by her usual stylist, James Pryce, from the Richard Ward salon. The formal portrait was taken in the historic Council Chamber linked to Clarence House, the official residence of William's father Prince Charles. In the formal shot Prince William wore a Turnbull and Asser suit, while Kate selected a white Reiss dress and Links earrings. In he casual look, taken in the Cornwall Room of St. James's Palace, William wore a Turnbull and Asser shirt and Brunello Cucinelli sweater and Kate chose a Whistles blouse.


Tags: Kate Middleton, mario testino, Prince William, royal engagement, royal wedding

Continue reading “Royal Engagement Photos By Mario Testino Revealed”

Mario Testino Shoots Kate Middleton And Prince William Engagement Photos

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

prince william and kate middletonAs my colleague Jared Paul Stern mentioned recently fashion photographer Mario Testino is a starmaker. But Testino also took the beautiful images of Diana, Princess of Wales, five months before her death. It's fitting then that he was chosen to take the official engagement pictures of Kate Middleton and Prince William. Vogue UK reports that Testino shot the newly engaged couple within the last month and the photographs are set to be released before Christmas. Testino also took pictures at Prince William's 21st birthday in June 2003 and Prince Harry's 20th birthday in 2004 and has photographed Prince Charles on multiple occasions, even shooting the photograph for his official Christmas card for this year.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to marry on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey. For all the latest details on the big event check out AOL's Royal Wedding website.


Tags: Kate Middleton, mario testino, prince william

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