New Windsor in Town!

Readers, sorry for the lack of posts this week! We’ve been busy hitting the slopes in Sun Valley, Idaho. What a beautiful spot for a mid-winter holiday!

We had reported a while back that Will and Kate had recently added a new addition to the family. Originally from the photo we had speculated that they had gotten a Labrador puppy; but PEOPLE reports that the little-guy who will be keeping Kate company when Wills heads to the Falkland Islands is actually a Cocker Spaniel!

A palace source divulged that the pup is ”few months old” and comes from a litter “with a close family connection.” We’re guessing those close ties are to the Middleton side of the family as they are said to be keen on the breed.

We haven’t found out the name of the cute four-legged friend, but when we do…you’ll be the first to know!

Congrats to the family!

Beautiful Mustique!

Readers, we are officially on day three of “Snowmageddon” at the UKate Headquarters. Truth: When it snows in the Seattle metropolitan area…you don’t leave your home! Thankfully we’ve had our fun four-legged kiddos to keep us company as we have some serious cabin fever!

Naturally, we were more than jealous to wake up to the news that our lovely Duchess has taken to the skies and is headed with the Middleton clan to the Eastern Caribbean Island of Mustique.

For those of you not familiar with the island, here are some deets:

Mustique lies 18 miles south of St. Vincent in a collection of unspoilt islands in the Eastern Caribbean. Mustique encompasses only 1,400 acres, measuring 1.5-miles wide by 3-miles long of rolling hills and lush terrain with stretches of deserted white sand beaches surrounded by protected reefs and clear aquamarine seas.

Sounds good to us!

People reports that Kate was spotted with her parents, and Carole, sis Pippa and brother James on a British Airways flight – First Class cabin, natch – taking off from London’s Gatwick Airport. Destination? The beautiful Caribbean island St. Lucia.

UKate Staff!

It is thought they then likely caught a charter to Mustique as it has long been a regular holiday favorite of the Middleton family.

Not seen with the family was hubby Wills, who is thought to be back on duty at RAF Wales after recently returning from a hunting trip to Spain with Prince Harry.

Sounds like a possible belated 30^th birthday family getaway for the Duchess to us! Mum Carole also turns 57th at the end of the month, so there is a lot to celebrate! It’s been a big year for the Middletons…they certainly deserve some time together!

If we spot any photos of the vacation, you’ll be the first to know!

New Windsor in Town!

Has Kate made a new best friend? It sure looks that way!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were spotted taking a seaside stroll this week in Wales with a puppy in tow!

Wearing matching wellies, the couple stayed close to each other while an adorable black four-legged friend followed along. The pup looked suspiciously like a Labrador; which is a breed William knows well as his dog – named Widgeon –  was regularly seen by his side through the years.

We had read rumors that William was planning on getting Kate a puppy for Christmas, but perhaps this was her 30th birthday gift? In any case, the timing seems to be perfect as the Duchess will need someone to keep her company when Wills departs for his upcoming two-month stint in the Falklands.

Good luck with the potty-training, Kate!

30 Looks Good on You!

We at UKate would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to the Duchess of Cambridge. Welcome to your 30s!

William and Kate kicked-off her celebratory week last night attending the London premiere of War Horse, where the birthday girl stunned in a lace gown by Temperley London. She’ll continue today celebrating with family and close friends. We hope to catch a glimpse of the Duchess on her special day…or at least get some deets as to what gift Wills has in store…we’re sure it will be something amazing!

In the meantime, head over to the Daily Mail to read 30 interesting facts about the Duchess!

Who Said Chivalry was Dead?

Kate celebrated her final day in her 20s with another perfect fashion choice; braving the rain with tonight in a fabulous floor-length gown for the red carpet premiere of War Horse.

The premiere was not only start-studded, but an event to honor some 600 active and ex-serving military personnel and their families. The Mail reports that the servicemen and women have been invited from The Duke of Cambridge’s regiments, including RAF Search and Rescue, Household Cavalry, Irish Guards, Royal Air Force Coningsby, Scotland Royal Naval Command and Submarines Royal Naval Command.

With husband Wills protecting her from the elements with an umbrella, the Duchess stunned in a black flower and leaf patterned lace gown with cream undertones by Alice Temperley.  (Thanks to readers Cindy and Mireille for the tip on the designer! )

The dress formed perfectly to Kate’s body with a plunging neckline, fitted waist and flowing long skirt. True to form, she opted for a simplistic approach to her accessories, carrying a simple velvet clutch and highlighting her three-quarter-length sleeves with a diamond bracelet. Flawless!

Director Steven Spielberg was obviously moved by the couple’s attendance; saying, “’It’s a very prestigious honor because they represent an entirely new era in British royalty that has the entire world excited.”

He added, “When they came to America, that was one of the most exciting events, I think, that we’ve enjoyed for some time, so it’s such an honor to be here in the UK to be able to meet them and to be able to show them, and all of us, War Horse. I am delighted that the UK Premiere of War Horse is in aid of ‘The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry’ and that this special occasion is attended by two of the patrons, Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.”

Ready for 30?

It appears that the Duchess of Cambridge’s 30^th birthday will be a little less rowdy than expected.

We had heard rumblings that Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton were planning an 80s-themed karaoke-filled bash for Kate’s upcoming 30th birthday on Monday; but it looks like the celebration will instead be a bit more tame.

A St. James’s Palace spokesman today claimed in a brief statement that, “Whatever is planned will be low-key and private.”

It is thought that after Kate and William attend the London premiere of the film War Horse in Leicester Square on Sunday, she will choose to spend the birthday with her new husband and close family and friends.

We really didn’t expect to see photos leaked online of Kate belting out tunes while swinging around a brew. Thankfully we’ll get a pre-birthday peek of the Duchess on Sunday! Whatever the celebration, it is sure she’ll cap-off her momentous year of becoming a new Royal in style! Here’s to you, Kate!

James Pryce - Kate's "Go-To Guy" for Fab Hair!

Story updated on January 6, 3pm PST.

Readers, if there is one thing we can all agree on, it’s that our lovely Duchess of Cambridge has the best looking hair on the planet. The phrase “Bad Hair Day” doesn’t apply in her world.

And the man behind those fabulous locks is making his way to the US for a salon tour beginning in February!

Yes, you read that right. James Pryce and his magic scissors are making the trek all the way across the pond to tame the tresses of what we believe will be loads of women requesting, “The Kate!”

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Mr. Pryce has been styling Kate for quite some time. He was the genius behind her “demi-chignon” wedding day look and was one of the few who traveled with the Duchess on her first official Royal trip to Canada and the US this past summer.

Pryce will be kicking-off his tour on the West Coast, beginning with San Diego on Monday, February 13^th at Salon Salon International, Rancho Santa Fe and in Beverly Hills at the Lukaro Salon on February 15th. Appointment inquiries can be made ONLINE ONLY at: Bookings@JamesPryceLondon.com. (Please do not call the salons directly.)

Other cities on the itinerary for the West Coast and South in February include: San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas and Dallas. He will then head back East in the April/May timeframe, visiting salons in New York City, Boston, Miami and Chicago.

We can’t wait to see James in Seattle and get our hair cut! Stay tuned for full-coverage when he’s in our area!

While we don’t have the specific dates and locations for each city, we’ll keep an eye out and will update via UKate and our Twitter feed (@UKateStyle). In the meantime, head on over to Facebook and check out James’ page for more deets!

Kate Runs with the Family Pups!

Happy New Year!

We want to begin this year by thanking all of our readers for making 2011 – the inaugural year of UKate – so successful! We’ve enjoyed following the Duchess of Cambridge from the wedding planning, to the “Big Day” and on!  We hope that 2012 brings more amazing news in the life of our favorite new Windsor!

We have to admit…we took it pretty easy this year on the New Year’s Eve partying. After a lovely dinner with friends, we rang in 2012 with some bubbly and promptly headed for some much-needed beauty rest!

Sounds like Kate a similar plan in mind; only her New Year was spent with Pippa and the Middleton family – along with a few close friends – in the safe confines of Berkshire.

Kate was spotted early in the day running around with her pups in the family yard. Another plus for Kate…we are HUGE fans of animals (three dogs and two cats to be exact), so we’re super-excited to see the Duchess shares our love for four-legged children!

Later that evening, the Wills and Kate rang in 2012 at a small gathering with single-again sis – and party planner extraordinaire – Pip at the helm. Kate’s sis rented a teepee-style “kata” for the celebration, featuring a dance floor and seating for 100 guests for dinner. Ok, so maybe the gathering wasn’t so small…but certainly quaint!

A source told the Daily Mail that the Royal newlyweds were having a grand time and were laughing throughout the night. “They looked full of the joys of the season.”

Sounds like 2012 is off to a great start…we can’t wait to see what the coming months will bring!