Fashion moments of the Coronation of King Charles III

Fashion moments of the Coronation of King Charles III

On 6 May 2023, the world witnessed the coronation of Charles III — the new King of the United Kingdom. We couldn’t miss the chance to examine the fashion side of such a high-profile event. And now we’re obliged to tell you more about the looks of the royals and their guests. Keep scrolling!

Every member of the British Royal Family wore clothes made by British designers, which was an obvious choice for the event of national importance.

Queen Camilla chose a gown by Bruce Oldfield, who was actually (ironically enough) beloved by Princess Diana. The Prince and Princess of Wales appeared in Alexander McQueen — Kate’s gown and headpiece constituted the brand’s total look. By the way, the headpiece that stole so much attention was quite affordable (among other royal jewelry, of course) because it was all silver and crystals. Alexander McQueen also provided Princess Charlotte with a cape and dress set that made her a little fashion icon.

As is often the case, some legendary heirlooms were spotted at such a historic event.

Camilla wore a stunning Garrard necklace that Queen Elizabeth II wore for her own Coronation. The necklace was made as far back as in 1958, for Queen Victoria.

Kate keeps sporting Princess Diana’s jewelry: this time her fashion ensemble was embellished with Collingwood earrings.

Many guests paid tribute to the country’s fashion and opted for looks by British designers. For example, Katy Perry was from head to toe in Vivienne Westwood. On one hand, the choice is a little ironic taking into account Westwood’s attitude towards the Monarchy. On the other hand, Westwood is one of the most famous British fashion designers whose name is forever associated with Great Britain. Her sassy performances and fashion statements were recognized by Queen Elizabeth, who awarded the designer an OBE.

 Queen Letizia of Spain chose a dress by Victoria Beckham — such a sophisticated and thought-through choice signaled respect for the Ceremony.

However, some guests wore non-British designers, such as Zimmermann, Carolina Herrera, and Dior.

According to the dress code described in the invitation, the hats were optional. By allowing the guests to appear at the Coronation without hats, Charles possibly wanted to show his progressive views. However, there were plenty of headpieces to look at — the British Monarchy is based on tradition after all. The most famous British hat designers mentioned that their hat appointments were booked for six months in advance.

Of course, King Charles III was wearing the traditional ceremonial gown. The crown deserves a special mention.

The St. Edward’s Crown is an accessory that has been playing the key role in Coronations for many centuries. It was made in 1661. It was designed to echo the crown worn by Saint Edward the Confessor in 11 century. The crown is made of pure gold and embellished with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnets, topazes, tourmalines, and velvet trimmed with ermine.

However, the St. Edward's Crown is heavy and uncomfortable — King Charles III switched to the lighter Imperial State Crown after the ceremony. Garrard & Co created this other crown in 1937 for his grandfather, King George VI, and then it was frequently worn by Elizabeth II. You can see the Imperial State Crown on Charles's head in the most of the photos from the Coronation.

As you can see, even if the Royal Protocol is strict and inflexible, it is still possible to create stunning outfits while intertwining history, tradition, and modern style.

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