Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, May 11, 2025

The outfits Kate, Camilla and other royals wore to the coronation

The outfits Kate, Camilla and other royals wore to the coronation

Celebrating British design and craftsmanship, crowds at last saw Catherine, Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla's hotly anticipated coronation gowns, at Westminster Abbey.

Catherine, Princess of Wales

The Princess of Wales was wearing an Alexander McQueen dress in ivory silk crepe with silver bullion, and embroidery featuring the floral emblems of the UK - rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock.


"The craftsmanship at McQueen is unrivalled," says fashion journalist, Tiffanie Darke. "And she has a relationship with them that goes back so long - they would be the natural choice for her."

She was also wearing pearl and diamond earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana.

"That's the beauty of jewellery," says gem expert Joanna Hardy, "that you can include people, you can include their memories."


The princess was also believed to be wearing the George VI Festoon Necklace, made for Queen Elizabeth II when she was in her twenties at the request of her father, King George VI. We have yet to see Catherine wearing it.

She was wearing a beautiful headpiece made of silver bullion, crystal and silver threadwork by Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen - in what is believed to be the milliner's first collaboration with the fashion house. Jess Collett has made hats and hairbands for Catherine's sister, Pippa Middleton, in the past.

According to Dr Benjamin Wild, a cultural historian and expert on royal dress, it is significant that none of the Royal Family were wearing tiaras.

"Dispensing with the coronets is a nod to make the monarchy more relevant and more modern," he says. "Only the King and the Queen will have jewel-encrusted crowns on their head, to elevate their status."


Queen Camilla


The Queen's coronation dress was by British fashion designer Bruce Oldfield, who has been designing for her for more than a decade, providing couture for many of her public engagements.

"This is the biggest commission of my life - I have to pinch myself sometimes," says the couturier, who attended the ceremony. "Her Majesty has always been wonderful to collaborate with. I know what she feels happy and confident wearing."

The tailored gown has an ivory, silver and gold colour palette, with bracelet-length sleeves, a wide neckline and a short train.


Cut from Peau de Soie, a matte silk fabric, and woven in Suffolk by Stephen Walters, the dress featured embroidery depicting garlands of wildflowers, said to represent the King and Queen's affection for nature and the British countryside. There was also celebratory bunting stitched in antique gold and silver thread.

The front hem of the underskirt and the dress's cuffs were embellished with the floral motifs of the four nations - which were also elements of Queen Elizabeth II's sparkling coronation dress in 1953, by couturier Sir Norman Hartnell.

Near the hem there appeared to be a pair of embroidered dogs - which may represent the Queen's beloved Jack Russell Terriers, Beth and Bluebell, however the Royal Household declined to comment about the significance of the embroidery animals.


Queen Camilla was also wearing the Coronation necklace and earrings made for Queen Victoria by Garrard. Worn by several Queen consorts in history, as well as at the last coronation by Queen Elizabeth II, the platinum, gold and silver set necklace comprises gemstones removed from old garter badges and the hilt of a ceremonial sword.

Joanna Hardy says it was "very fitting... It's wonderful to see all these jewels being worn - so much nicer than seeing them in a glass cabinet".


Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

Prince George, one of King Charles's Pages of Honour, was wearing a traditional uniform. The nine-year-old's scarlet tunic was decorated with gold lace trim and blue velvet cuffs. He was also wearing an ivory silk satin waistcoat trimmed in gold braid.

Like her mother, Princess Charlotte was wearing an Alexander McQueen dress, with an ivory silk crepe cape embroidered with flowers signifying the four nations. The eight-year-old princess was also wearing a smaller version of the headpiece worn by Catherine, designed by Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen, which features three-dimensional leaf embroidery.


Five-year-old Prince Louis wore an outfit by Savile Row tailor, Dege and Skinner, which consisted of a blue doeskin tunic with specially designed lacework embellishing the collar, cuffs and fronts.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Removing the Political Rival Means Diminishing What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
UAE Pledges $1.4 Trillion Investment Strategy in the United States
Revealing the Electromagnetic Characteristics of the Great Pyramid of Giza
Netanyahu Dismisses Shin Bet Chief Amid 'Loss of Trust' and 'Qatargate' Corruption Investigations Involving Netanyahu's Advisors
U.S. Approves $100 Million Precision Rocket Sale to Saudi Arabia Amid Ongoing Yemen Conflict
High-ranking ISIS Official Neutralized in Collaborative Operation in Iraq
Netanyahu Rejects UN Reports on Gaza as 'Untrue'
Six Americans Freed from Detention in Kuwait
Syria Wraps Up Military Campaign Amid Extensive Violence and Large-Scale Killings.
Trump Speaks Out on the Arrest of Pro-Palestinian Student at Columbia University
Demonstrations Break Out as Individual Ascends Big Ben with Palestinian Flag
Over 300,000 Refugees Expected to Return to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Trump Urges Nuclear Talks with Iran as Tensions Escalate
US Launches AI Initiative to Track Foreign Nationals' Social Media for Terrorist Support.
US Initiates Direct Discussions with Hamas During Hostage Situation
US Government Dismisses Arab Leaders' Plan for Gaza Reconstruction
US Engages in Unprecedented Covert Talks with Hamas Regarding Hostages
Arab Leaders Approve $53 Billion Initiative for Gaza Reconstruction
Iran's Enriched Uranium Stockpile Reaches Levels for Six Nuclear Devices
Israel Indicates Willingness to Resume Military Operations in Gaza
Hamas Lets Go of Last Israeli Hostage as Part of Ceasefire Deal
Trump Adjusts Gaza Resettlement Plan Following Rejections from Regional Leaders
The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advance.
Israeli Minister Urges Hamas to Surrender and Depart from Gaza.
Iran Considers Moving Its Capital Due to Urban Difficulties
Israel and Hamas Finalize Sixth Exchange of Hostages and Prisoners During Continuing Gaza Ceasefire
Leaders of BRICS to Gather in Rio de Janeiro for July Summit
Muhsin Hendricks, a trailblazing openly gay imam, was killed in South Africa.
Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs cautions Hamas against challenging Trump before Saturday's deadline.
Two British citizens apprehended in Iran amid escalating tensions.
Israel Issues Threat of Military Action as Hostage Negotiations with Hamas Continue
Hamas Coordinates Worldwide Solidarity Marches in Reaction to U.S. and Israeli Initiative
Israel Warns of Ending Gaza Ceasefire Due to Hostage Situation
×