Millions of people watched the intimate video in which the Princess of Wales revealed her chemotherapy had finished, but even the most perceptive may have missed these intriguing details, say Nikki Sutherland and Natasha Livingstone.
1. Two dogs can be seen frolicking in the Norfolk countryside with the Waleses. They are Orla, a black English cocker spaniel that Kate’s brother James Middleton gave them when his own dog gave birth to a litter of six in 2020, and Nala, a brown spaniel who appears briefly in the background and belongs to James. Orla is an Irish name meaning “golden princess.”
2. According to MoS gardening expert Martyn Cox, this giant potted plant most likely belongs to the Alocasia family, native to tropical and subtropical Asia and eastern Australia. There are hundreds of varieties and owners are advised to wear gloves when handling the showy leaves because they contain calcium oxalate, which is toxic to humans.
3. Unsurprisingly, given that William was a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF, the Waleses are using Battle of Britain playing cards that celebrate Britain’s most glorious moment. A pack costs £5.49 and features the RAF fighter pilots who won command of our skies in 1940, as well as images of Spitfires and wartime posters. The King of Hearts even shows the Royal Family at the time, while the King of Diamonds is Winston Churchill.
Two dogs can be seen frolicking in the Norfolk countryside with the Welsh.
Prince George is wearing a blue T-shirt from Mango, made in Bangladesh from 100% cotton and priced at £9.99.
4. Kate is seen driving a Land Rover Defender 110. The model, which costs from £60,470, is a royal staple that was a favourite of the late Queen and Prince Philip.
5. The picnic lunch includes a bag of crisps made by Herefordshire-based Tyrrells. The orange packet suggests they are the healthier version of “sweet potato”, seasoned with sea salt, sold at £2.75 by Ocado.
6. Prince George is wearing a blue T-shirt from Mango. It’s made in Bangladesh from 100% cotton and costs £9.99. The front features a palm tree at sunset with the words “Explore the horizon”. The back features a windsurfer on a calm sea with the words: “The ocean is calling and I must go.”
7. Picnic snacks are stored in a “canvas champagne cooler” from luxury safari brand Sandstorm Kenya, a Nairobi-based “slow fashion” company run by Scotsman Mark Stephenson. It’s lined with a waterproof silk fabric, costs around £150 and promises to “stay cool and stylish”.
8. The soundtrack is the song Ireland by Ben Winwood, who studied music at the University of Westminster in London and lives near Snowdonia National Park. He describes his songwriting process as “artisanal”, saying: “I naturally relate to films that have a raw, human dimension to their narrative and themes.” Ironically, the song is “royalty-free”, meaning social media creators who subscribe to a £10-a-month service don’t have to pay extra to use it.
