Princess Charlotte’s sailor dress and more style moments from Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is first and foremost a military parade, but it can feel like a fashion one, too.
At Saturday’s celebration of King Charles’ first official birthday as sovereign, the Princess of Wales stood out in her diplomatic emerald green Andrew Gn dress. But there are more style moments to note…
Princess Charlotte’s sailor dress
Sailor outfits for little boys are a royal tradition which goes back to Queen Victoria, who commissioned a sailor suit for her eldest son, Prince Edward. Franz Xaver Winterhalter was commissioned to paint a portrait of the young Prince in his sailor outfit, setting a trend among the upper classes who took to dressing their sons in nautical looks, a custom which continues today.
It’s a little more unusual to see royal girls like Princess Charlotte wearing sailor dresses but it’s a choice which feels more grown-up and polished than the florals she usually favours. It also fits beautifully with the smart military mood of the occasion and taps into a vogue for nautical references – this dress could as easily be on the Miu Miu catwalk as on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Queen Camilla’s colonel couture
The Queen wore a clever hybrid between military dress and womenswear for her husband’s first Trooping the Colour. Her red silk dress, created by one of her favourite dressmakers, Fiona Clare, incorporated elements of the Grenadier Guard’s ceremonial uniform, including epaulettes bearing the insignia for the rank of Colonel – a role given to Her Majesty in December – and a collar embroidered with “The Grenade Fired Proper”. She topped off the novel ensemble with a Philip Treacy hat inspired by the bearskins worn by the regiment.
Prince George and Prince Louis
George and Louis were once known for wearing sweet rompers and smocked matching sets, but now that the brothers are growing up, blazers, shirts and ties are more appropriate.
This was the first time that the royal boys were in matching outfits with their gold-buttoned jackets, red ties and white shirts making them look very grown-up. They also coordinated perfectly with sister Charlotte’s red-trimmed sailor dress.
The Duchess of Edinburgh
In contrast to the polished military looks of the Queen and the Princess of Wales, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, stayed true to her love of sophisticated pastels. She re-wore a cream dress by British label Beulah with fluted sleeves which added to the softness of the look. She completed her outfit with an ivory saucer hat by Jane Taylor millinery with oversized rose decoration.
Akshata Murty
The Prime Minister’s wife continued her chic style streak, wearing an outfit with echoes of Jacqueline Kennedy. Se opted for an off-shoulder tailored dress by Self Portrait (a label that’s fast emerging as one of her favourites) with a pillbox, bow-embellished Laura Cathcart hat, Strathberry handbag and LK Bennett heels.
