Duchess Kate sparkles in emerald green dress on Ireland tour
Green is the theme for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Ireland trip.
Kate, who is currently visiting Ireland with her husband, Prince William, for a three-day trip, turned heads in a sparkly green gown by the trendy designer, The Vampire's Wife, during an evening reception at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
She completed her look with black pumps, gold statement earrings and a matching gold clutch.
The sparkly green number is a popular choice among royals. Princess Beatrice -- Prince William's cousin -- has been spotted in the past wearing the same dress on multiple occasions, including the wedding of singer Ellie Goulding in August.
The duke and duchess, who have ended their first day on tour in Ireland, relaxed over a pint of Guinness and mingled with a broad range of people from Ireland's creative arts, sport, business and charity sectors.
But they of course had to have a pint of Black Gold while they were there.
Guinness master brewer Padraig McLaughlin poured the pair a pint of the world famous stout, which was then served to them by the Irish Rugby hero Sene Naoupu.
They took a few sips and then William took his pint to the stage where he made a brief speech. He started by thanking the British Ambassador for hosting the reception before joking, "In coming to the Guinness Storehouse, we are retracing the footsteps of my grandmother, who was shown how to pour the perfect pint here in 2011.
"Ladies and Gentlemen let me tell you it is not often that I find myself following the queen to a pub," he said. "But I am looking forward to testing for myself the theory that Guinness tastes even better in Ireland than overseas!"
He concluded by thanking everyone for all they do "to support the very special relationship between our two countries," and ended with a toast, "And now with Sene having poured me this perfect pint, I think it only right that I draw to a close. Slainte."
This is the first time the pair has visited the Republic of Ireland in an official capacity and as Prince William noted, he is following in his grandmother’s footsteps. Queen Elizabeth was the first reigning monarch to visit Ireland since its independence when she went in 2011 with her husband, Prince Philip. Before her visit, her grandfather, King George V, had visited the country in 1911, as part of his accession tour. This was before Irish independence and he was head of state for the entire island.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were both wearing green as they touched down in the Emerald Isle having flown commercial from London on Ireland’s national carrier, Aer Lingus. Kate was wearing a dress by Alessandra Rich and a coat by Catherine Walker; William was wearing a smart suit and a green tie in a nod to his host country’s national color. Their first stop was the official residence of the president of Ireland.
The couple was warmly greeted by President Michael D Higgins and his wife, Sabina Higgins, who was quoted in the local press as saying, "Delighted to welcome you. You’ve had lots of exciting things happening in your family," apparently referring to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to stand down as senior royals. The Higgins had met Harry and Meghan in July 2018 when they too went on a tour of the country. It was the Sussexes’ first official overseas trip as a married couple and at the time commentators said the couple had been sent "to pour on diplomatic balm against the backdrop of Brexit."
And Brexit was on the agenda again Tuesday. According to a spokesperson for the president, quoted in The Gazette, the four of them discussed the U.K.’s departure from the European Union and the possible implications it could have on both countries.
"The couples discussed the close ties between the people of Ireland and Britain and the importance of continuing and deepening close relations between all of the peoples of these islands," the spokesperson said.
A statement released by the spokesperson added, "President Higgins, Sabina and their royal highnesses spoke of the challenges ahead, including the implications of the UK’s departure from the European Union and the importance of continuing to build on the foundations of the Good Friday Agreement."
The group also discussed climate change and biodiversity loss and the need to revisit the fundamentals of organizing economies and societies.
"The importance of removing obstacles that inhibit young people from building their skills and realising their aspirations for a truly fair and sustainable world, and the particular importance of responding to the vulnerabilities of young people, was among the other topics discussed," according to the spokesperson.
When both couples went outside to pose for the waiting press, the first dog, Bród, a Bernese mountain dog, stole the show as he exuberantly greeted the royal couple.
Brod and the Higgins' other dog were also equally happy when they greeted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018, but this time, according to the local press, Sioda, the other "first dog" who greeted Harry and Meghan, has a sore paw and is resting.
The duchess and first lady were seen strolling arm in arm through the grounds of the presidential residence where William and Kate rang the peace bell which hangs in the president’s garden.
They then set off for their next engagement -- a visit to the Garden of Remembrance, which commemorates those who died fighting for Irish independence. The couple was greeted by a cheer as they walked around the garden before taking part in a wreath-laying ceremony.
Next up was a visit with the prime minister, or Taoiseach, as he is referred to in Ireland, where Will and Kate were welcomed by Leo Varadkar and his partner, Matt Barrett.
"At Government Buildings, The Duke and Duchess signed the guestbook before sitting down with the Taoiseach to discuss key themes of their visit such as climate change, youth mental health and maintaining a strong friendship," according to a tweet from the British Embassy in Ireland.
The Cambridges have another full day of engagements Wednesday, as they take their tour out of Dublin.
