The eve of the Coronation ended in dazzling fashion with a royal reception at Buckingham Palace.
Alas, we did not get tiaras and gowns, but it was most certainly an event to remember with one of the most dazzling guest lists I've ever seen at any event. Truly a time to capture an entire generation of royals together -- something which happens all too rarely.
We had spoken only in recent days on the blog about a continued 'business as usual' approach from William and Kate since they assumed their new roles. I actually think today is the very first time we've seen that elevation within the monarchy visible to the public. Whilst Queen Camilla attended a Westminster Abbey rehearsal this morning, she was absent from several events including today's luncheon, public walkabout and this evening's reception (all of which to my knowledge is unexpected; hoping all is okay and it's a case of pacing herself). It meant Kate was the most senior female member of the Royal family in attendance for incredibly prestigious moments today. We saw the significance of this represented with the release of a portrait of the Princess with First Lady Dr Jill Biden and Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska.
The Princess and Dr Biden in conversation.
The First Lady was accompanied by Finnegan Biden who, at just 23, is taking in the experience of a lifetime.
A warm embrace from King Felipe.
The Princess was reunited with King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan - bringing back memories of William and Kate's tour there in 2016.
Catching up with Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.
The Princess with King Philippe and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium.
Another view.
Princess Anne with Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway.
The Princess chose a royal blue crystal embellished dress by Self-Portrait.
The piece is described as: "Designed with an artfully knotted neckline and ruched detailing that contours your figure. It's made from crepe in a striking royal-blue hue and finished with sparkling crystal embellishments." The piece is available at Farfetch, Net-A-Porter, My Theresa and Harrods.
Kate's dress features alterations in the addition of a waist-belt and subtraction of the slit.
Kate carried her Jenny Packham Casa clutch.
Kate wore her gorgeous Aquazzura Love Link 105 pumps.
For the second time today, Kate chose earrings from the royal vault. Earlier today, Kate wore the late Queen's Bahrain pearls for a luncheon. Tonight, it was the return of the Queen Mother's Sapphire and Diamond Fringe earrings.
Readers will recall the Duchess first wore them for the 100 Women in Hedge Funds gala in 2015.
Where do we start on the style tonight? Let's have a quick run through of the fashion parade we saw. I think it interesting how the dress code was interpreted (again, I expected a much more formal event). First Lady Dr Jill Biden was in Tom Ford. The painted floral dress was debuted by the First Lady in 2021.
First Lady Olena Zelenska was elegant in black with a gold floral brooch.
Crown Princess Victoria was pretty in pink Roland Mouret. The Twisted-Panel Cady dress features a textured skirt. It's available at Matches Fashion. Adding other shades of pink with the Christian Louboutin Loubitwist clutch and metallic pink Gianvito Rossi pumps, the Crown Princess completed the look with silver jewellery.
I adored Queen Letizia's look (and the inclusion of a touch of sparkle). Wearing a lime green Victoria Beckham gathered dress (a nice touch supporting British), the Spanish Queen accessorised with a statement diamond bow brooch and diamond floral earrings.
Crown Princess Mary chose a coral pink Andrew GN dress she previously wore for her daughter Isabella's confirmation.
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium was chic in Armani.
It was a grandmother-granddaughter night for Dutch royals with Princess Beatrix and Princess Catharine-Amalia -- former and future queens. They both looked fabulous in black.
Queen Rania of Jordan chose a buttoned-up dress from Schiaparelli's AW23 collection, teaming it with gold shoes and accessories.
Princess Charlene opted for a one shoulder look with trousers in soft blue featuring ornate embellishments on the top portion. She finished the look with Manolo Blahnik Chaos sandals.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway chose one of Kate's favourite brands -- Alexander McQueen. Mette-Marie's pearl necklace has the 'H' initial on it (her husband is of course Haakon).
Queen Suthida of Thailand was elegant in blue. The Royal Watcher notes the Queen wore an heirloom diamond necklace.
Queen Jetsum Pema of Bhutan was one of a few to choose headwear. I adore the shades of gold/green and matching earrings.
Yes, tiaras were not on the dress code tonight but Luxembourg's Grand Duchess Maria Teresa sported her Emerald Peacock tiara as a necklace (with thanks to the Court Jeweller).
With many thanks to the following Twitter accounts for their ID work today: UFO NO MORE, Japanese Ginger, Lady Marie of Denmark, Laura Ashworth and Joys Dream Link.
If you are just joining us, catch up on the day's earlier events by clicking here.
Tomorrow's Schedule: below, a complete list of timings from LBC.
- 6am: Public viewing areas will open along the main procession route.
- 7:15am: Westminster Abbey guests will begin to arrive for extensive security checks.
- 7:30am: Live TV coverage will begin as royal officials complete the set up for the huge day ahead. Interviews will also air.
- 9:30am: Important coronation guests are expected to arrive including members of the Royal family, heads of state and former prime ministers.
- 10:20am: The royal procession from Buckingham Palace will begin. Charles and Camilla will travel on the Diamond Jubilee Coach -- a nod to Queen Elizabeth II -- leaving the Central Arch. The procession will pass many famous London landmarks en route to Westminster Abbey.
- 11:00am: The coronation ceremony, which will be attended by 2,000 guests, will begin.
- 1:00pm: The coronation is reported to last around two hours (Queen Elizabeth's last three hours) and the second procession will take place back to Buckingham Palace. This will be on a much larger scale than the route there.
- 1:45pm: The Royal Salute will take place.
- 2:15: Members of the Royal family will take their positions on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Here they will wave at crowds and watch the historic flypast.
The Royal Family's official livestream will go live at 10:25 am.
Below, a link to TIME's livestream for the morning.
People's livestream will be here.
Tomorrow is going to be an unforgettable day. I'm hoping to share as much detail as possible with you all. With that in mind, I've decided to divide coverage into several posts. This is a rough idea of my plan currently.
1) A very brief 'First Look'.
2) A post focused on the Princess of Wales sartorial/jewel choices on the day and the larger significance of those selections. I expect to cover William and the children similarly at this point.
3) A detailed post on the Coronation itself, the King and Queen, the Westminster Service and balcony appearance afterwards.
4) If time permits (and the coffee in still flowing :)) coverage of guests and overseas royals.
This will allow me to bring you pertinent details in a much more timely fashion and avoid overly-bloated posts with a hundred plus photos. I'll see you all in the morning :)
The granddaughter of the Bidens can’t quite believe where she is I think 😂, that look on her face 😉
ReplyDeleteKate Looks Spectacular!!! She is going to make a Gorgeous Queen Consort!! I love her laughing with the Crown Prince/Princess of Denmark & Her chatting with Jill Biden/granddaughter! I loved the look on Finnegan Biden's face! She was like "Pinch Me"!! lol:) What a Great Memory to share with Jill!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI have my day all planned so that I can get to sleep on time, in order to wake to watch it all live.... I just hope I can get to sleep! Yikes! It's So Exciting!! :) xoxo
Just in the time it took me to write my initial comment, the pic of Kate with Jill Biden & Olena Zelensky went up..... What a Wonderful & Historical photo!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThe Princess looks beautiful tonight. Love her dress and I'm a big fan of those earrings. It would be nice if those buttons were replaced with diamonds.🤔. Looking forward to your update Charlotte. Fantastic to see the First Lady of Ukraine there tonight. She also looked beautiful. Please God things seem to be happening that might bring an end to this horrific war. 🇺🇦. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteI think the dress color is good for posing with many people but I do not like the dress. I have been binge-watching ALL the seasons of "Project Runway" and have had my fill of draped jersey and asymmetry. :)
ReplyDeleteI saw an interesting news item -- it seems a diamond necklace and earrings that Diana commissioned for herself very shortly before she died is up for auction soon. The story says the set was sold by "her family" after she died. That is really a shame; I have been wondering why we don't see more of her jewelry on her daughters-in-law, and perhaps much of it was sold years ago. There's certainly no reason why it had to be sold. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/05/nyregion/diana-necklace-auction.html
Alison, at a guess without information. I would think it is the swan lake necklace and earrings. It was commissioned by the Princess before she died. If it is she did wear them but hadn't paid for them. The Royal family or The Spencer's didn't want to purchase them so they were put up for auction. As far as I know those pieces and that large cross Diana borrowed are the only jewel's worn by the late Princess of Wales to come up at auction. Some of her dresses are coming up for sale again. If you own anything like these now is the time to get as much money as possible for them.S.🙂.
DeleteS, I see. You make a great point -- if they were not paid for, I can see letting them go. Would be wonderful if William, if not Harry, would buy them to keep them in the family. Thank you for the information. :)
DeleteAllison, after I posted I thought why didn't the company who made them gift them to Diana's son's. When you consider the free global publicity they would have received at the time for making them. She only wore the necklace once, the earrings weren't finished. While the Princess had input into the design, I don't think it is something Prince William would buy. Especially when there is already so much jewellery in the collection and also I think selling for 12 million. S.🙂.
DeleteS, $12 million does put a damper on my thought! Thanks.
DeleteCatherine looks beautiful. She can carry off just about anything, but I find this dress busy.
ReplyDeleteAllison in US
ReplyDeleteI'm just noticing differences from usual in Kate's hair when viewed from different angles. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteWow, the Princess is just spectacular today! First the fitted white luncheon dress and now the beautiful hair, detail filled blue dress, and earrings for the evening reception! I love it. Exciting weekend to watch even for us over here in USA. :) Thanks for your time and work to blog it all, Charlotte. I love coming here for the details!
ReplyDeleteI see that this reception has turned out to be a rather less formal affair than many people were hoping. No gowns and crowns on display.
ReplyDeleteI do rather like this dress, though. It's more sophisticated than a lot of Self Portrait designs, and the color fairly jumps off the screen. Intense blues are obviously among the Princess's favorite colors. My one concern is that on the model, the dress opens quite high on the leg. This is a pet peeve of mine, especially as I grow older, because I don't like to show too much skin these days, particularly when I'm sitting down. I imagine that the Princess has similar concerns, but it's not always possible to have a tailor remedy the problem. The design itself may render a solution impossible.
I wonder if this is a custom version of the dress? It's hard to tell from the photos.
Another elegent simple dress for this occasion.
ReplyDeleteOh no, this dress is so 80s and not in a good way!!
ReplyDeleteI won't disagree that the dress has a certain 80s feel, but actually, though 80s style had its problems, it was vastly superior to the fashion of the preceding decade, which I called the other day fashion's worst ever. And I liked various aspects of it, though maybe not the shoulder pads that looked as though they'd been stolen from the Dallas Cowboys' equipment room. We aren't seeing those here.
DeleteI see that a lot of our participants think the Princess's hair looks great. I'm afraid I'm a dissenting voice. I think it still looks much too long, so much so that the curls appear limp rather than bouncy and full of body. I am DESPERATE for the Princess to get a haircut!
I'm a great fan of evening shoes with unusual touches. I don't like these blue slingbacks quite as much as Meghan Sussex's black slingbacks with a rhinestone-trimmed strap, but they do appeal.
We went from morning lovely and timeless to afternoon dated and 80s! Oh dear. The gown is gorgeous in regal electric blue, but the styling is quite dated and fussy. The shoulders, the ruching, the buttons, the pleating…one does not know where to land your eye.
DeleteHer hair is gorgeous! The bump at the crown and the bouncy curls blowout and tuck behind the ear is lovely! 10/10 on the hair styling!
She looks a tiny bit tired, (and no wonder) but still beautiful! I'm so full of admiration. The excitement builds!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures. Finnegan Biden looks like she can’t believe she is chatting with Kate. Everyone looks beautiful. ❤️
ReplyDeleteI loooove her hairstyle and her earrings !
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of the dress however, the belt bothers me as well as the buttons on the shoulders.
Thank you Charlotte for all the informations that you share with us. A big big work for you even if I suppose that you hold this blog among other things for these historical moments. :)
Wish you all a great day tomorrow.
I find the dress code for the reception underwhelming. I think the self portrait dress good but not state occasion worthy though the wife of the prime minister did choose a juvenile looking self portrait dress. The dress of Catherine remind me of her engagement dress.
ReplyDeleteKate is hitting it out of the park. Her hair looks amazing. I'm so excited for this weekend!!
ReplyDeleteThis is her colour! Love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd the dress looks to be a custom version of the skirt. She’s wearing a belt, and there is less draping in the skirt, so I assume less leg showing. I am curious and hope to see more photos.
I like everything about the dress except the belt. It looks slightly off in one picture. I am so excited about the coronation tomorrow. I am American and I love everything about the BRF. It will be somewhat sad. I miss Her Majesty so much.
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry to say I hate this dress though I love the colour on the Princess.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of this dress can't imagine how tired she is. Thanks for another great post charlotte. im excited for the coronation. Wish my dad whom I lost 2 months ago was alive to watch it with me.
ReplyDeleteHuge fan of the dress and color on Kate!!! She looks absolutely flawless!!! I’m sure they are all so tired but also anxious about tomorrow, hoping and praying all goes well for them, including the weather!! I have my alarm set and ready for the Coronation!! Loved seeing the royals from the other country’s arrive!! They all looked wonderful. ♥️
ReplyDeleteI think Swedish CP Victoria is the best dressed although I love Spanish Q Leti's bow broach(sp?!). I didn't like the shoulders of Princess Kate's dress but I do think she appears to be confidently holding her own as one of the hosts of an impressive crowd. Can't wait for tomorrow - such a historic occasion. I hope the advance press is wrong about the lack of gowns and jewels for the coronation; I'd really love to see some tiaras. Best of luck with your blogging, Charlotte, and thank you for telling us what to expect.
ReplyDeleteI love Kate's dress and I think Crown Princess Victoria's dress is really pretty too. I am so sad that this was not a white tie occasion. It seems that the trappings of royalty are being lost. As a royal watcher it makes me sad. You would think that if any occasion during the year, other that the Coronation, called for white tie and tiaras, it would be this reception, particularly since it is an historic occasion with many foreign kings, queens, and future heads of state. It makes me wonder if at some point the Diplomatic Reception will no longer call for tiaras. I think this is why I enjoy reading books about the royalty of the past during a time when they wore their fine jewelry.
ReplyDeleteSadly, the BRF is one known for not bringing out their jewels. If you watch back to all the royal weddings in the last 20 years they are full of sparkle- but the British. And while I love the Klischee British wedding guest look, a royal wedding should show off the big guns. If any other monarchy had such a coronation we got sure would get all the bling.
DeleteCharlotte, I love how you began this final post for today.... about Kate being the most Senior Royal Woman of the BRF in attendance. She totally pulled it off & made it look effortless & was so natural in that role. This goes to what I've felt all along.... She & William are more than prepared, they just are to wait their turn & do as they are told & needed ( in the best most Team Player way). But they know how to do it! It's like an understudy needing to go onstage for a performance. You can't pull that off, if you've just been loafing around 1/2...ing it. I think we are doing Will & Kate a great disservice to assume what we have been shown is all they are.
ReplyDeleteJust my 2 cents..... & with that, I will finish my dinner & be off to bed..... Until tomorrow...!! :) Eeeeeeeek! lol xoxo
I think Catherine looks wonderful and the dress works really well for the occasion and with the clothing of the other women. While not my favorite dress design i think it works really beautifully for the occasion. All the women had on great dresses, fun to see the assortment and selections. Hair lovely and a bit more glamorous than her day style with the more extreme side part. Earrings a great. I like that she added a belt. The shoes are are very pretty. ali
ReplyDeleteOh what a treat this post is. Thanks Charlotte for all the photos - a kaleidoscope of Royal fashion. Amazing that the Royal ladies chose so many bright shades but no overlap among them (that I can see.)
ReplyDeleteI don’t love Kate’s dress (definitely has an 80’s Dynasty vibe going on but she looks fantastic from head to toe. The hairstyle is just fantastic on her. Seeing the photo with her previous high profile event with a side part reminded me that I wasn’t sure she could pull that off, but tonight she put my impression in the trash heap. Maybe it’s the lack of fussy curled bangs that makes the difference this go around, along with the hair bump on her crown. (Would have looked great with a tiara, but I digress). The style looks fun and lighthearted, so perfect for a happy occasion.
The shoes are spectacular. I’m blown away by her ability to wear such spiky high heels. (Before Covid, I could manage a 4 inch heel but never one so slender. Nowadays, another higher than 2.5 inches makes me want to cry.) Maybe William gave her a nice foot rub when they got home, because I can’t imagine those stunning shoes did any favors for her feet.
I just told my husband I need to be up early, early tomorrow (East Coast of the US) and he looked at me like I was little crazy. Haha.
I know what you mean, Zipzipzippy! When I mentioned to my family last night at the dinner table that I am so excited for tomorrow, it is such a historic day; my family looked at me puzzled with question marks on their faces, trying to figure out what's happening!!😂
DeleteTo each their own, I guess.😉
Is Kate going to wear the flag this weekend? White, blue and maybe red tomorrow?
ReplyDeleteShe wore red the other day to the pub
DeleteCharlotte, I just saw the new photos. They all look like they are having a great time. To me it looks like the royal cousin's are closer than I thought looking at the pictures. I didn't know the King was coming to Ireland. They have been here a few times but not as King and Queen. They got a very warm reception then and I'd expect bigger when they get here. Queen Elizabeth couldn't believe the welcome she got here. I regret not walking the 20 minutes to the city centre to join the crowd's. Britain and Ireland have a good relationship, the problem is Britain is no longer part of the EU but they are working on that. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteOh what a treat this post is. Thanks Charlotte for all the photos - a historical event Another elegant simple dress for this special occasion.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the earings and Kate's hair. The color of the dress is so vivid, but the style is a no for me. With all the draping up top and below and the buttons, why add a belt?? I think if, from the waist down, it had been smooth with no draping, it would have been great. It was too much. I much preferred the ivory dress she wore earlier in the day. I love Sophie's dress for this event though. It felt to me like each one had a hit and a miss at these two events.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Charlotte! I see a lovely parallel between this dress, worn on the eve of the Coronation, and Kate's engagement dress. They both signaled the start of new era for the Princess and the nation. While perhaps unintentional, there are distinct similarities.
ReplyDeleteI like this dress and the subtle changes made to suit her style but I think the shoulder bling could be removed great colour on her. Stunning shoes and beautiful earrings bring back the hair style from 2015 it was beautiful then.
ReplyDeleteOther BRF ladies Sophie looks lovely and like the colour of Anne's dress.
My standout as usual for me is CP Mary lovely colour dress and love the turquoise accessories got a little snippet of the belt of the dress it just elevates the look. Victoria in pink is lovely and Marie Chantal in cream dress I like the sleeves and I would love a pearl strand like hers!
So looking forward to your coverage of the Coronation Charlotte!! Sue in WA
I gave up and decided to stay up to watch the build up. It's 6.15 this side of the world and the crowd's are building. 5,000 troops arriving at Waterloo station. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteLove the color that Kate chose. Not sure about the dress. It's a tab bit fussy for me. And when there is so much going on around the next, I just feel she should pull her hair back. Glad she wore the Queen Mother's earrings. Love them and the shoes were perfect!
ReplyDeleteI love what all of the royal ladies wore. There are so many to comment on, from the colors chosen to the styling. Quite a show! Well done IMHO.
Surprised that Dr. Jill Biden chose to bring Hunter Biden's daughter to a state affair. I was surprised to learn this from the blog (clearly I don't read all of the news). As an American, we are country divided (IMHO) for good or for bad. I'm not stating where I stand but that Hunter Biden is controversial for many - and I'll leave it at that. My favorite photos are the ones with First Lady Dr Jill Biden and Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska and the photo of Queen Jetsum Pema of Bhutan and the King because I loved that Royal Tour so much.
Got to get some sleep before the excited at 3:00am (not easy when you are on the West Coast. Best, Elle
I love that Dr. Biden brought her granddaughter, Finnegan, as her plus one. I don’t see that divisive at all. She’s a lovely young woman and doesn’t deserve scorn because of who her father is.
Delete-avid reader
No tiara. I'm glad I fell asleep. Going back to sleep now. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteWhilst I think the colour of this dress is absolutely wonderful and looks amazing on the PoW, I think the design is dreadful. This kind of draping/ruched style screams "flattering to older women trying to hide lumps and bumps" (I speak from experience 🤣) but for a tall, slim younger woman it's ageing and makes her look a little scrawny. I'm surprised it's Self Portrait, given how dated the design appears. The shoes are gorgeous, as are the earrings.
ReplyDeleteLove the shoes and colour of the dress . The style just looks old fashioned and a bit naff - belt looks cheap and not in line and the shoulder embellishments make the look too fussy .
ReplyDeleteHer hair looks really heavy and has a look of the 80s . It needs cutting to give more bounce if not it needed to be put up
The Princess looked beautiful. Love the shoes, her earrings are divine.
ReplyDelete