Duchess Sophie looks bronzed in Paris wearing most flattering V-neck dress

Duchess Sophie brought a summery feel to the Paralympic Games on Friday as she was spotted in a flowing summer dress embellished with yellow flowers.

The mum-of-two wore the £1,150 'Aria' tea dress from Suzannah London, made of black silk crepe de chine. Its silhouette is inspired by the 1930s.

Keen-eyed royal fans may note a similarity in the dress style to the Alessandra Rich polka dot pleated midi dress worn by Princess Kate to the service of thanksgiving for the life of the late Prince Phillip. Both royal women opted for a black mid-calf length dress with a simple pattern and special emphasis on the gathered shoulders.

Duchess Sophie accessorised the look with a straw hat with an FEI ribbon, also known as the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, as well as sunglasses, gold hoops, and understated gold jewellery.

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The royal couple were also pictured laughing in the sun as they spoke to Sophie Wells, the British equestrian who won bronze on Wednesday 4 September. The 34-year-old has a decorated history as an athlete, having won gold and silver medals at the Paralympic Games in London, Rio and Tokyo.

Equestrian is an event close to the royal family, as both Zara Tindall and the Princess Royal have competed in eventing. The late Queen was also well-known for her love of horses and riding.

While Friday's activities were based in Versailles, elsewhere on their Paris trip Sophie and Edward supported British fencer Oliver Lam Watson in the wheelchair fencing. They also met with athletes in the Paralympic Village.

Meanwhile, Edward opted for an understated look, sporting a Paralympics cap and a checked shirt, much more relaxed than his usual outfits as he enjoyed an afternoon of sport.

Sophie's summer of sport

Sophie's style throughout the Games has favoured light summer dresses to match the warm French weather. While her Paralympics style has remained more subtle, with darker colours and understated patterns, the Duchess wore a vibrant purple dress to watch the cycling, patterned with flowers.

She was pictured being ecstatic, jumping around in celebration as Team GB cyclists broke the world record, securing Britain's first ever Olympic medal in the event.

The overjoyed Duchess shared a congratulatory message on social media. "A huge congratulations to @EmmaFinucane123, @SophieECapewell and @katymarch from your very proud Patron!" the post read.

The jubilant update also contained a checklist with ticks beside "World Record", "Olympic Gold" and "A first for @TeamGB".