A few odds and ends from the week:

• I came across this video from the Duchess of Cambridge’s Wednesday engagement after I had written the post and decided it was worth sharing here. It includes an adorable interaction with two young girls towards the end asking after Prince George and Princess Charlotte, but the whole thing does a good job, I think, of showcasing how slightly awkward these engagements can be. That’s not a criticism of Kate at all, but rather an acknowledgement that the level of attention and scrutiny members of the Royal Family receive (obviously) when undergoing these looks daunting, so I can only imagine how it must feel, particularly when you’re first getting used to them:

• Meanwhile, the Duke of Cambridge has been nominated for a Straight Ally Award at the British L.G.B.T. Awards after appearing on the cover of the magazine Attitude. In the accompanying story story William spoke out against bullying, saying:

“No one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason and no one should have to put up with the kind of hate that these young people have endured in their lives. The young gay, lesbian and transgender individuals I met through Attitude are truly brave to speak out and to give hope to people who are going through terrible bullying right now. Their sense of strength and optimism should give us all encouragement to stand up to bullying wherever we see it.”

• A video of Prince Harry was released with the announcement of the top 10 shortlist for this year’s Global Teacher Prize. He spoke to the vital role of educators play in not only teaching subject matter, but providing support and an example to the children in their classrooms. The video can be viewed here.
• The Duchess of Cornwall, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and the widower of Jo Cox, the Member of Parliament murdered last year, are set to launch a national street party in Cox’s memory. The event will be known as “The Great Get Together” and involve tens of thousands of community events on the weekend of June 17-18. Following his wife’s murder at the hands of a neo-Nazi, Mr. Cox has requested a”massive party” to celebrate what Britons have in common.
• And finally, one item that occurred last week, which I forgot to include is the furor over William’s ivory crusade. As some background, William has advocated for a complete ban on ivory trading, while the UK government is considering said ban on the sale or movement of any and all ivory objects, regardless of age. To-date, only objects made post-1947 are illegal. The British Museum, meanwhile, is arguing that doing so would jeopardize its collection, while the Victoria & Albert Museum and a few notable historians have also expressed concern on the ramifications of the proposed law. Back in 2014, Jane Goodall even shared that William had told her he “would like to see all the ivory owned by Buckingham Palace destroyed.” Strong symbolism to be sure, but the history-lover in me can’t help but wince.