By Lucy Norris
Copyright hellomagazine
The Duchess of Edinburgh proved she was a dab hand at styling during a recent event she hosted with Gender Action for Peace and Security. Prince Edward’s wife, 60, posed for pictures with UK civil society leaders in a black polka dot dress and a pair of white wedge heels. However, the dress she wore appeared a little differently from how it was originally sold on the hanger. Purchasing the long-sleeved midi dress from high street store Arket, Sophie decided to make some alterations to the garment for her meeting.
Adding a black jewelled Oscar de la Renta belt around her waist, Sophie made another change to her dress made by the Swedish H&M group. Originally featuring a scarf attached to the neckline, which was intended to be tied at the front of the garment, the Duchess decided to ditch the extra fabric for her royal engagement.
She removed the scarf altogether and created a flattering V-neckline instead of the bow detailing. The dress fell to just above her ankle in a high-low hemline and featured long bell-sleeves that stopped at the Duchess’s wrists. She completed her elegant outfit with white leather Penelope Chilvers high Mary Jane espadrilles. Her blonde hair was tucked back from her face, behind her ears, and her accessories were kept simple, with a singular necklace and a pair of drop earrings.
Fulfilling royal duties
Posting about the event on her own Instagram page, Sophie revealed she was facilitating a discussion about advancing the Women, Peace & Security (WPS) agenda. She shared a picture of herself and a group of representatives gathered in a luxuriously decorated carpeted room. Sophie explained she was resharing a note from Gender Action for Peace and Security, which read: “GAPS was delighted to bring together UK civil society leaders with HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh for an engaging discussion on advancing the Women, Peace & Security (WPS) agenda”.
‘Curated’ looks in Canada
Her recent improvisations haven’t been the only kudos Duchess Sophie has received for her choice of clothing lately. During a trip to Canada, she turned heads in bold floral prints and carefully curated looks that wowed while she was on an official visit to Alberta for the vice-regal conference reception at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.
Sophie wore a selection of bold, patterned dresses, including the ‘Siena’ style from Beulah, featuring large puffed sleeves, a waist-tie belt, and a floaty skirt covered in a flowery arrangement. Her ‘Floral Gathered Midi Dress’ by Erdem also caught the attention of the press following her arrival at a dinner to mark Spruce Meadows, the Calgary-based sports and entertainment complex’s 50th anniversary.
