Kate Middleton was full of feminine charm as she graced the Buckingham Palace Garden Party in a custom Elie Saab dress. After dazzling at a string of coronation events over the weekend (in go-to designers like Jenny Packham and Alexander McQueen), the Princess of Wales continued her fashionable streak with the powder blue design, which she previously wore to Royal Ascot in 2019.
The perfect choice for a sophisticated garden party, the bespoke midlength dress features embroidered sheer sleeves, a pussy-bow tie and a skirt comprising of layers of frothy fabric. Kate Middleton elevated the look with a Philip Treacy hat—the same design she wore to Ascot—and finished the ensemble with metallic Gianvito Rossi pumps and an Elie Saab clutch. The finishing touch were a pair of blue topaz hoop earrings by Kiki McDonough, one of her favorite jewelry designers.
The Princess of Wales, 41, joined husband Prince William, 40, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh for today’s engagement, which marks the second Buckingham Palace Garden Party of King Charles’s reign and the first since the coronation. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, complemented Kate in her own cornflower blue creation. Like the Princess of Wales, Sophie finished her look with a stylish hat.
The Duchess of Edinburgh complemented Kate in a cornflower blue dress by Suzannah, the brand behind her look for the coronation service on Sunday. Today’s frilly frock boasts allover embroidery, a high collar and gathered three-quarter-length sleeves. Like Kate, Sophie has also worn her dress to Royal Ascot—debuting the outfit at last year’s meet. In keeping with the dress code, the duchess added a hat, nude heels and a blue clutch to finish off the outfit.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh represented the king and queen at the Buckingham Palace gathering. Earlier today King Charles visited Cambridge University, where he broke ground on a new laboratory that is dedicated to making carbon emissions-free air travel a reality.
The royal family have returned to work immediately after a whirlwind weekend that started on Friday with Buckingham Palace engagements for foreign royals and visiting world leaders. The centerpiece was, of course, the coronation service on Saturday, which saw some 2,200 invited guests descend on Westminster Abbey to watch the crowning of King Charles and Queen Camilla. The day ended after the royal couple appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in a celebratory moment.
On Sunday, members of the royal family were despatched to take part in the “Big Lunch” events across the country. That evening they gathered in the grounds of Windsor Castle for the coronation concert. Yesterday, in the final official engagement, royals including the Waleses and the Edinburghs volunteered with organizations as part of the Big Help Out initiative.
A tradition dating back to Queen Victoria, the royal family’s annual summer garden parties came to be closely associated with the late Queen Elizabeth II during her 70-year-reign: a chance for the beloved monarch to meet charity workers and community representatives in the bucolic surroundings of the palace grounds.
Royal Communications revealed that the “dates for the King’s Garden Parties in 2023” would be May 3 and 9 (at Buckingham Palace) and July 4 (at the Palace of Holyroodhouse). The announcement added: “To celebrate the Coronation and with support from Her Majesty The Queen Consort, the Royal Voluntary Service launched the Coronation Champions Awards in February 2023 to recognise exceptional volunteers from across the country. The 500 volunteers selected as the nation’s Coronation Champions are being invited to attend one of the official Coronation celebrations with many being invited to a Coronation Garden Party.” The Royal Voluntary Service, a national charity that mobilizes volunteers to help those in need, is particularly close to the queen consort’s heart, as she serves as its president.
This article first appeared on Tatler.
