King Charles had a memorable encounter with fashion icon Anna Wintour at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, and it quickly captured the attention of royal fans.
Dame Anna Wintour, 75, was honoured during an investiture ceremony, receiving the Order of the Companions of Honour for her exceptional contributions to fashion.
Known for her iconic bob haircut and ever-present sunglasses, Anna has been the editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988 and has led the Met Gala since 1995.
For the occasion, Anna wore a grey checked skirt suit by Alexander McQueen and an amethyst necklace. In a rare move, she removed her signature sunglasses as she received the honour from King Charles.
The moment sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with many fans commenting on her appearance without her sunglasses.
One follower wrote: “What a treat to see her without sunglasses and smiling! Congratulations!” Another remarked, “Wow, she actually took her sunglasses off!” while a third added, “Dame Anna looks lovely without her sunglasses on! She should do it more often.”
Anna, who is seldom seen without her sunglasses, has previously described them as a “prop” that helps her “be seen and not be seen.” Last month, she also removed them when receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former US President Joe Biden at the White House.
However, her decision to keep her sunglasses on during London Fashion Week in 2018, while seated next to the late Queen Elizabeth, sparked some criticism.
Speaking after the investiture, Dame Anna, who had flown in from Dubai and would be returning to New York, said: “It’s wonderful to be back at Buckingham Palace.
“I was completely surprised and overwhelmed to receive this great honour. The last time I was here, the Queen gave me a medal, and we both agreed that we had been doing our jobs for a very long time. When His Majesty asked me if this meant I was going to stop working, I firmly said, ‘No.'”
Born in Hampstead, London, in 1949, Anna began her career at Harper’s & Queen before moving to New York. She briefly returned to London to edit British Vogue from 1985 to 1987 before taking the reins of Vogue US.
