Duchess Kate brings some festive sparkle to bravery awards

Duchess Kate brings some festive sparkle to bravery awards in velvet strapless dress and diamonds she got as a wedding gift

By Alanah Eriksen

Last updated at 11:09 PM on 19th December 2011


Just hours before, she joined her husband for a Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace with the Queen.

But it was just the young royal set at the Sun Military Awards tonight.

The Duchess of Cambridge was the belle of the ball in a strapless black velvet dress as she walked the red carpet with her husband Prince William, who looked dapper in black tie.

Letting her hair down: The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Imperial War Museum in London for the Sun Military Awards in a strapless black velvet dress

Prince Harry was two steps behind his older brother at London's Imperial War Museum, also donning a suit.

Kate's black Alexander McQueen gown - the same designer as her wedding dress - had frill trim around the bust and a fishtail-style skirt.

It was so long on the five-foot, 10-inch Duchess, that she had to keep hitching it up to keep it from scraping on the ground.

Dressed to impress: The dress was made by a designer for Alexander McQueen and featured frill trim around the bust

As slim as ever: The tiny Duchess' waist was on show in the dress which had a fishtail-style skirt

Classic: Kate, whose shiny brunette locks were styled in loose curls, wore a chunky silver necklace and matching earrings and a bracelet which she received as a wedding gift

She held a matching black velvet clutch and donned black pumps.
The 29-year-old accessorized with jewellery she received as a wedding present - a chunky diamond necklace and a matching bracelet and earrings.
Her shiny brunette locks had been styled into loose curls with a side parting for the night.

Kate and her men: The Duchess arrives on the red carpet with her husband, Prince William and Prince Harry

The best sister-in-law: Kate shares a laugh with Harry on the red carpet as the cameras snap away

Leading the pack: Kate walks two steps ahead of the princes on the red carpet

Kate was still sporting the 'Scousebrow' - thick eyebrows made famous by the Liverpudlian show, Desperate Scousewives.
And she donned her trademark thick black eyeliner around her green eyes.
A lashing of light pink lipstick and her look was complete.

The royal arrival: The young princes looked dapper in black tie at the event

Gorgeous couple: Kate continued to hitch up her dress so as not to let it scrape on the ground

Big night ahead: The couple are escorted to their seat in the museum to watch the award show

Among the celebrity guests was David Beckham and his two eldest boys Brooklyn,12, and Romeo, nine.

The trio - looking dapper in suits - looked as though they had caught up on sleep after flying in from Los Angeles this morning with the rest of the family.

The Beckhams have returned to London for a British Christmas at 'Beckingham Palace' in Hertfordshire which Victoria is said to have decorated.

Me and my boys: David Beckham attended with his eldest sons Brooklyn, 12, and Romeo, nine

Doting daddy: Football ace David leads the well-behaved boys up the red carpet for the award show

Leading the night: The Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha

Two different worlds: Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon looked gorgeous in this strapless beige dress, while reality star Amy Childs wore a more Essex-style purple gown

Life of luxury: Little Mix are enjoying their new found fame after winning The X Factor

Coronation Street star Brooke Vincent looked glamorous in a floor-length, long-sleeved black gown.
It featured a scooped cowl-neck in green sequins.
It is the same dress that Strictly Come Dancing runner-up Chelsee Healey wore for the show's after-party on Saturday.
David Cameron launched the awards today with a message to the heroes: 'The whole country wants to say thank you.'

Glitz and glam: Future Dancing On Ice host Christine Bleakley wore this eye-popping black T-shirt dress while Louise Redknapp wore this long-sleeved silver number

Glam: Coronation Street star Sacha Parkinson showed some leg while her co-star Brooke Vincent sizzled in this black and green number

Different strokes: Coronation Street sat Catherine Tyldesley and Katie Price's ex-husband, Australian singer Peter Andre

Stylish: Strictly star Ola Jordan looked glamourous in this grey number while singer Myleene Klass chose an odd dress with dandelions on it

Speaking at a Downing Street reception, the Prime Minister and Deputy PM Nick Clegg joined forces to heap praise on the 'Herculean bravery' of the phenomenal men and women across the services.
More than 80 nominees and their partners packed into the historic No10 state room where the politicians mingled with the guests.
Among those invited was Sergeant Duncan Slater, 32, and his wife Kim, reported the Sun.
The soldier was blasted 30ft from his vehicle by a Taliban bomb, breaking several bones in his body — including his back.
Last year Sgt Slater chose to have both legs removed when the breaks did not heal but went on to cycle the length of Britain in aid of his wounded comrades.
Mr Cameron said at the event: 'I think the Military Awards is now a really brilliant event in the annual calendar — it's an opportunity for the whole country to say a very big thank you to people who've shown enormous bravery and courage in our Armed Services.
'So it's a delight to have you here at lunchtime at No10 Downing Street.
'We have a lot of parties here at No10 — for all sorts of charities and organisations — but I can't think of a more deserving group of people to come and have something to drink, eat and celebrate with today.'
Mr Clegg said: 'You shouldn't just be proud of the servicemen and women with you in your work, and you shouldn't just be proud on behalf of your families and communities but I hope you do also know that you make the whole nation very, very proud indeed.'

McSuited: Strictly Come Dancing winner Harry Judd and his McFly bandmate, I'm a Celebrity winner Dougie Poynter and comedian David Walliams and his mother Kathleen

Suited up: Gordon Ramsay also attended with his wife Tana along with Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson and his wife Frances Cain

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2076265/Kate-Middleton-shines-Sun-Military-Awards-strapless-velvet-dress-diamonds.html#ixzz1h1dYECoo

Chelsee Healey scores a perfect 10 in a backless dress at Strictly Come Dancing after-party

Chelsee Healey scores a perfect 10 in a backless dress while Nancy Dell'Olio and Alesha Dixon get it wrong at Strictly Come Dancing after-party

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 2:05 PM on 18th December 2011

She may have come second in Britain's best-loved dancing competition.

But Chelsee Healey was the clear winner in the wardrobe department after channelling some serious old Hollywood glamour for the Strictly Come Dancing after-party in Blackpool.

The Waterloo Road actress looked stunning in a backless, floor-length gown and seriously glamorous up-do.

Glamour: Strictly Come Dancing runner up Chelsee Healey looked stunning in a backless black dress with a splash of green sparkle

Winner: Healey put on a brave face to pose with McFly's Harry Judd, left, who beat her to the Strictly trophy by just three points despite an amazing performance with showstopping outfits, right

Although the 23-year-old's outfit was black, there was a flick of Strictly glamour in the form of a sash adorned with sparkling green sequins, that cascaded down her back.

Healey's eye-makeup was swept up to meet a cluster of sequins glued to her cheekbones while chandelier earrings added extra sparkle to the actress's outfit.

McFly's Harry Judd won the contest by just three points but as usual Healey, who partnered with Pasha Kovalev, was her modest self.

Strictly BFFs: Healey tweeted a picture of her and Strictly judge Alesha Dixon from inside the after-party venue

What will I do now? Healey tweeted her thanks to everyone on the show but lamented its end saying: 'What am I going to do now their (sic) is no strictly'

'I'm really proud of meself,' she said before adding: 'To know people actually like me is really nice.'

Today the runner up took to her Twitter account to thank her fans and confess to not knowing what to do without Strictly.

She wrote: 'Had the best time what am I going to do now their (sic) is no strictly :( sad times xx can't thank ever1 on the show enough costume m.up hair.'

Low score: Ousted Strictly star Nancy Dell'Olio poured herself into yet another rubber dress, this time in red, for the after-party

Hello my daarrrlings: Dell'Olio blows kisses to photographers before manoeuvring herself into the Blackpool venue

While Healey set an example of how to get it right on the red carpet, fellow competitor Nancy Dell'Olio and Strictly judge Alesha Dixon didn't fare quite so well.

Dell'Olio, 50, poured her enviable figure into yet another rubber dress, this time in pillar-box red, while Dixon, 33, also chose a tight number in turquoise.

Italian-American Dell-Olio had earlier been spotted with fellow ousted competitor Holly Valance at Farnborough Airport waiting to board a private jet to the Strictly final this weekend.

Bad judgement: Strictly judge Alesha Dixon followed Dell'olio's lead by wearing a tight, turquoise dress that sagged unflatteringly around her chest. She teamed it with baby pink heels

Purrrfect: Singer Jessie J leaves the Blackpool Tower Ballroom wearing a cat hat after singing at the Strictly final, left, while right, professional dancers Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, pose after the show

Dell'Olio seems to favour tight, rubber dresses having worn a similar black one to the Erotica 2011 festival last month and then again at the Kamiliya single launch party, held at Pulbrock & Gould in London earlier this month.

The red number she chose for theStrictly party was corseted at the front and showed off her ample cleavage, while her tiny frame was propped up on towering black Louboutins.

Dell'Olio also wore a disc necklace featuring a pair of puckered lips while her right hand was weighed down by a statement ring that was in danger of taking someone's eye out.

Partners: Last year's winner Kara Tointon looked chic in a teddy-bear fur jacket and skin-tight leggins as she was led by dancing partner and boyfriend Artem Chigvintsev, who this year was partnered with Holly Valance

Ready for a party: Singer Lulu, who blamed 'too tall' dancing partner Brendan Cole for her Strictly exit, arrives for the party, left, while right, Anita Dobson, who went out in week nine, wraps up against the Blackpool chill

They're back: Alex Jones, looks very festive in a red A-line jacket with silver buttons, left, while boxer Audley Harrison, right, kept warm in a long, black fur coat

12M WATCH STRICTLY FINALE

More than 12million viewers watched the Strictly Come Dancing finale last night, figures showed today.
The main programme drew an average 12.2million while the later results show - in which Harry Judd secured victory - was seen by 11.8million.
The figures were down slightly on the previous record-breaking year, when around 13million tuned in to both shows.
However the main show drew a bigger proportion of the TV audience - 48 per cent - than the 2010 equivalent (46 per cent), and they helped BBC1 to draw three times the peak time audience of ITV1, which screened a Harry Potter movie and a Westlife special.

Later the feisty property lawyer was spotted getting close to professional dancer Brendan Cole, while she drank a flute of champagne.

Meanwhile, Dixon also wore a tight, short dress for the after-party.

The sheeny number showed off her perfect pins but had a rather unflattering sag around her chest, like an old vest top.

She teemed the turquoise dress with baby pink platform shoes and dark nail polish.

Dixon was joined by men of the hour Strictly winner Judd and newly-crowned jungle king Dougie Poynter.

Before his winning dance, Judd had said: 'I've been smiling all week. My Strictly experience has been one of the most important experiences of my life - I never thought I'd say that.

'Strictly has been refreshing and I've absolutely loved it. I'm very grateful.'

While bandmate Poynter said: 'It's like being a dad and watching your son play football for the first time. You think, "Oh, that's my boy!"'

Men of the moment: New king of the I'm A Celebrity jungle, McFly's Dougie Poynter, left, celebrates bandmate Judd's Strictly win

Dancing the night away: Astrologer Russell Grant, left, wore a signature waistcoat, this time in midnight blue, while, right, Jason Donovan, looked like he was heading to the gym in tracksuit bottoms and trainers

He and the other members of McFly had stormed the dancefloor moments after hosts Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly announced the winners names.
Sir Bruce was left chasing the boy band off the floor as they interrupted the Glitterball ceremony in their rush to congratulate the 25-year-old drummer.
All the dancers, including singer Lulu, Anita Dobson, Russell Grant and Jason Donovan were out in force for the after-party after performing a group dance in the live final.
Professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev was also spotted with his girlfriend and last year's Strictly winner Kara Tointon.

Strictly friends? Dell'olio was spotted getting up close and personal with professional dancer Brendan Cole while she sank a flute of champagne at the after-show party

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2075737/Chelsee-Healey-scores-glamorous-10-backless-dress-Nancy-Dellolio-Alesha-Dixon-wrong-Strictly-Come-Dancing-party.html#ixzz1gwbgGKMy