Going, going, gone! Dalmatian-print Hobbs coat worn by Duchess of Cambridge to launch Royal Princess cruise ship sells out in minutes
- Kate wore £169 coat as she arrived at Southhampton Docks this morning
- Coat was available in all but two sizes as she appeared...
- ...but was sold out across the board minutes later
- Kate accessorised with Jane Taylor hat and LK Bennett shoes
- Engagement is last Kate will carry out solo before July due date
- Set to appear at Trooping The Colour on Saturday with rest of Royals
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She's eight months pregnant but Kate can still carry off a striking style statement. The Duchess of Cambridge cut a fashion-forward figure as she appeared at Southhampton Docks this morning to christen the Royal Princess.
Forgoing maternity clothes yet again, Kate looked chic in a £169 mac from High Street store Hobbs.
The water-resistant coat was the ideal choice for the blustery conditions at the waterside where Kate listened to a brass band play out before smashing a £1,250 Nebuchadnezzar - a 15 litre bottle of champagne the equivalent of 20 regular 75cl bottles - on the ship's hull.
She paired her coat with a sinemay hat with bow detail from royal favourite milliner Jane Taylor and black court shoes.
As has become her signature maternity style, Kate chose a dress shorter than the styles she wore prior to her pregnancy. While the generously cut coat skimmed her bump, her legs, carefully clad in those nude tights she (or Pippa, or Carole) is never without.
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Looking good! Kate was stylish in a £169 mac from High Street store Hobbs
Stylish: The Duchess of Cambridge managed to hold onto her Jane Taylor hat as strong winds blew at Southhampton Docks this morning
Taking the weight off! Kate has a well-deserved sit down at the ceremony while a brass band play out
Smashing! Kate cut the ribbon to release the champagne bottle against the hull of the Royal Princess as she christened the vessel as its godmother
Monochrome: Kate wore Jane Taylor hat, carried a white box clutch bag and wore LK Bennett shoes
Going solo: The Duchess of Cambridge will be appearing at the Trooping The Colour on Saturday but will not be at the Order Of The Garter on Monday
With almost precisely one month to go before her reported due date of 14 July, Kate, still managing to wear non-maternity clothes, is an inspiration to women out there who feel frustrated by lack of choice in maternity shops.
This was to be the Duchess of Cambridge's last solo engagement before her baby is born.
Kate looked relaxed as she stepped from her chauffeur-driven vehicle to the quayside in Southampton.
She made the journey from London by helicopter for the naming ceremony of Princess Cruises' 3,600-passenger vessel Royal Princess.
A musical extravaganza was staged ahead of the christening of the new vessel and blue carpet, not the customary red, was laid out for her arrival.
Good show! Kate with the ship's captain, Tom Draper, after cutting the ribbon
Sophisticated: Kate went for a sleek half up, half down hair style that helped keep her locks out of her face on the windy morning
Still working.. But this will be the last solo engagement for Kate before her due date in July
She took her place on a stage in blustery conditions that threatened rain.
Seated opposite in a large grandstand were guests associated with charities that have the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge or Prince Harry as their patrons.
Spectators were from East Anglia's Children's Hospice, Kate's charity, SkillForce which has William as its figurehead, and Harry's organisation WellChild.
Kate is the new liner's godmother, a symbolic position similar to a patron or sponsor that dates back to the mid-19th century when leading women were selected for the honour.
Princess Cruises has a history of illustrious godmothers for past ships including Diana, Princess of Wales, who named the first Princess Royal in 1984, actress Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and Baroness Thatcher.
The Band of her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth accompanied by the Pipers of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards gave the start of the ceremonies a military flavour.
They lined Kate's route to her seat after playing rousing tunes such as Pomp And Circumstance, sea shanties and a march called HMS Queen Elizabeth.
GOING, GOING, GONE... KATE'S HOBBS COAT IS A SELL-OUT!
Kate's selling power: The duchess £169 Dalmatian mac was available online at Hobbs in all sizes except 8 and 18 at 11:30am this morning when Kate first appeared in the coat....
...but moments later it had sold out in all sizes
Loose fit: The Hobbs coat is not a maternity style but is cut generously to skim Kate's bump
NOW THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL A ROYAL SHIP!
Fit for a princess: The 1,082ft Royal Princess is now the largest ship in Princess Cruises' 16-strong fleet
THE BIRTH OF A CRUISE SHIP: THE ROYAL PRINCESS IN NUMBERS
3,600: Number of passengers the ship can accommodate at any given time
1,082: The ship's length in feet
141,000: The gross tonnage of the Royal Princess
Five: The number of stops the ship will make on her maiden voyage. These include Barcelona, Gibraltar, Malaga, Lisbon and Vigo
10: The number of restaurants on board
One: The number of casinos on the Royal Princess
Two: The number of royal princesses at the naming ceremony. One is the ship itself, the other is the Duchess of Cambridge.
1,780: The number of staterooms on the Royal Princess
30: The number of days the leisurely voyage to Fort Lauderdale will take
Four: The number of Caribbean islands the Royal Princess will visit. They include the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.
Luxury: One of the Royal Princess' numerous onboard swimming pools, complete with a jacuzzi
Detail: Along with some comfy looking sunbeds, the Royal Princess has a 28ft glass viewing gallery (left)
Spectacular: The staircase leading to the upper decks looks like something a Bond villain would own
Maiden voyage: After a Spanish cruise, the ship will cross the Atlantic to Florida's Fort Lauderdale (above)
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2340918/Duchess-Cambridge-shows-fashion-pedigree-dalmatian-print-coat-launches-Royal-Princess-cruise-ship-solo-appearance-baby-arrives.html#ixzz2W79FQpt6
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