The Duchess's recent makeover is more like a #TBT. Kate Middleton and Prince William's London wax figures just got their first upgrade in two years, but everything from the outfits to the lack of a Prince George figure indicate these wax figures are still stuck in the past. Madame Tussauds wax museum in London first installed the royal couple in 2012 to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Originally, Kate Middleton was dressed in her infamous blue engagement dress. Prince William was dressed in a suit back then and now, he's in a tux, so not much has changed for the royal father. But let's talk about Kate, because though this is the first time the figure has been changed in two years, the museum didn't go very modern with it.
To start, there's an absence of a certain charming young Prince George. When the figures were originally commissioned, Kate wasn't pregnant. But now they have a baby, which is arguably a change worth adding to the exhibit. She's not the same woman in her engagement gown; she's a mother. But those hoping for a royal baby statue are probably out of luck. After George's birth in July 2013, a spokesperson for Madame Tussauds said they had no plans to create a wax version of the prince.
To the best of my knowledge Madame Tussauds London has never created a wax figure of a baby. Although we have featured a figure of the Queen as a young girl, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry were both in their early twenties when their figures were created and I imagine we will wait until Prince George has left education before making his figure.
Fine, so we won't get to see a wax-version of Mommy Kate, but the museum could have at least gone through the trouble to update her wardrobe to 2014, right? Instead, the museum is placing themselves staunchly in 2012. Kate's new figure wears a floor-length silk teal gown by Issa London.
Unlike her first wax figure, this gown is not an exact replica of something she has actually worn. But it is incredibly reminiscent of another turquoise dress she wore in 2012 to an Olympics gala.
But the biggest error in trying to update the Duchess was the choice of the designer Issa London for Kate's wax gown. The Duchess hasn't been seen in that brand since 2011 and that's no mistake. That was the year the label was bought by Camila al-Fayed, sister of Dodi al-Fayed, who also died in the car crash that killed Princess Diana. The blog What Kate Wore elaborates on this unfortunate link:
Her father, Mohamed al-Fayed, previous Harrod's owner, has been vocal in his belief the Royal Family is responsible for the death of his son, Dodi al-Fayed, along with Princess Diana. That topic is the subject of a film he financed, Unlawful Killing. In the movie the Queen is referred to as 'a gangster in a tiara' and Prince Philip is called a psychopath.
It's no wonder Middleton has distanced herself from the designer of that first wax figure gown. But it is surprising that the museum decided to stick with the label anyway, instead of getting a copy of a gown the Duchess has worn more recently. There are so many great ones they could have chosen.
In any event, the royal couple's wax figures do look good in their new duds, but it's more a blast from the past than a style update.
Image: royalmummyblog/Tumblr
