Now we’ve had time to recoup and recalibrate after King Charles III’s coronation and the exquisite ‘fits that followed, we can delve into the details.
As well all know, the Princess of Wales championed Alexander McQueen for the extravagant day, but did you pay attention to her choice of jewellery?
According to The Mirror, the mother-of-three was due to wear The Queen’s George VI Festoon Diamonds Necklace in homage to Queen Elizabeth II.
The dazzling piece was intended to contrast the divine ivory silk gown crafted by Sarah Burton, Creative Director of the Kering-owned brand, and her design team.
The beautiful garment boasted silver bullion and threadwork embroidery featuring rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs – to signify the four nations of the UK.
The deeply meaningful outfit was made even more poignant by the addition of the late Queen’s stunning George VI Festoon Necklace, which features three strands of sizeable diamonds. However, the royal only sprouted the necklace for the official coronation portraits, not the coronation service.
The Princess also added Princess Diana’s pearl and diamond earrings in an extra tribute, finished with Gianvito Rossi silk pumps.
The Queen Elizabeth II’s George VI Festoon Necklace was commissioned by George VI for his daughter Princess Elizabeth in 1950.
The statement piece, which Steven Stone deems to be worth approximately £2.4 million, features a three-strand diamond design containing 105 loose collet-set diamonds from the royal vault into a necklace, introduced into the crown collection by his mother, Queen Mary.
The Mirror offered some insight as to why Princes Kate did not wear the piece for the actual coronation: “We don’t know exactly what happened, but it may have been removed in order not to overwhelm her Royal Victorian Order mantle edged in scarlet that was topped with a silver bullion, crystal and silver thread work three-dimensional leaf embroidery headpiece by Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen.”
While the necklace may have busied her coronation attire a tad too much, Princess Kate made sure the tuning item made an appearance for the official coronation photos shot by Hugo Burnand at Buckingham Palace.
Upon closer inspection, the neckline of Kate’s gown looks completely different in the new photograph, with the high neck of the coronation dress replaced by a more glamorous, subtle V cut.
Royal fans were left confused by the sartorial change, taking to Twitter to discuss the differences. The consensus seems to be that Princess Kate was likely wearing a cape – just like her mini-me daughter Princess Charlotte – which she removed for the post-coronation portraits.
Others thought the dress itself was completely different and suggested two gowns had been custom-made by Alexander McQueen for the occasion.
