The great Platinum Jubilee weekend will go down as one marked by amusing and on-brand British chaos, as four days of royal fanfare was broadcast live.
Top head in hands moments included the boos for Boris Johnson outside St Paul’s Cathedral, the woman who apparently fell asleep behind Prince Charles during the pageant (a personal favourite), and Prue Leith being pushed down the Mall by a group of volunteers in high-vis when her car broke down during the parade.
You can’t plan for them – and you certainly couldn’t make them up. But the one thing everyone from Kate, Duchess of Cambridge to Kate Moss could prep was their perfect outfit. For the Royal Family, who were scattered up and down the country during the weekend’s festivities, make that outfits. There were standout looks from patriotic to pristine, and not always from who we might have expected.
Which brings us back to the man of the moment: four year-old Prince Louis. A true character with an impressive range of expressions - we’ve come to learn. He came out with some of the best style all weekend, starting strong in a sailor’s suit mirroring the one Prince William wore to Trooping the Colour in 1985. It was pinstriped, with a navy blue neckerchief and nicely complemented Her Majesty’s Wedgewood shade blue coat dress and hat, with an ivory embroidered hem.
It was down to the Duchess of Cambridge to try and keeping Louis from pulling his hair out in despair during the RAF flypast on Buckingham Palace’s balcony. But, to her credit, she did it with a smile and a very sleek, white Alexander McQueen tuxedo dress, Philip Treacy fascinator and navy Strathberry clutch.
Later that day, the Queen lead the way again. She walked out of Buckingham Palace to touch the Commonwealth Nations Globe, which sparked the fairy lights on the lawn into action, followed by 2,800 beacons UK wide. Dressing down, HRH ditched her hat and wore a more casual teal, button up coat with her walking stick and glasses.
That was understandably the Queen done for a few days, and while she sat out events until Sunday, the royals and Westminster set descended upon St Paul’s Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving on Friday.
Naturally, all eyes were on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as they made their first and final public appearance for the Jubilee. Much debate circled around the exact shade of the Duchess’ Dior Haute Couture trench coat dress and floppy Stephen Jones hat. It looked white in photos. Some on the ground claimed there were hints of lilac. What does Dior say? “Griege.”
But naming the shade was far the only drama that unfolded. The pair were squeezed into the second row for the ceremony next to cousins Princess Beatrice, who opted for a sky blue Beulah London button up frock, and Princess Eugenie, who opted for a spunky orange Emilia Wickstead gown, and their husbands in morning suits.
Joining Eugenie in a shot of colour were unlikely outfit twins Zara Tindall and Priti Patel. Both opted for hot pink, collared dresses with three quarter length sleeve and fascinators. Fashion folk were busy wondering if either were wearing Valentino, as the house’s last collection was designed almost entirely in the shade. No prizes for guessing, they were not.
The Duchess of Cambridge here stole the show, though. In her wrap waist, creamy lemon shade Emilia Wickstead gown, she looked every inch the face of The Firm. Even if her smile did not quite make it round to the direction of the Sussexes.
Then came mass dispersal, as Princess Anne made her way to Scotland and found herself stroking an armadillo at Edinburgh Zoo before making the rounds in sleek, red cycling shades and a double breasted red jacket. Kate stuck to the ruby memo too, and wore a full length, fiery shade coat dress by Eponine, as she, Prince William and the two eldest kids made their way to Cardiff, while Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex were put to work cracking eggs for omelettes in Bangor.
After a trip from Princess Anne and Zara Tindall to Epsom racecourse for the Derby on Saturday, where they were greeted by a parade of the Queen’s winning jockeys in the royal purple, red and gold silks, it was time for the much anticipated Platinum Party at the Palace.
Cue collective sigh of relief – men appeared on screen without stuffy suits! Jax Jones performed in a fuzzy top hat by Jonny Beardsall and Louis Vuitton monogrammed jacket; Tom Daley wore navy blue tailoring, also by Louis Vuitton, topless, and Eurovision’s Sam Ryder went the extra mile in a Union Jack rhinestone denim boiler suit, custom made by Reece King & Rachel Brown.
The concert, which culminated with Diana Ross as a monochrome vision in tulle, was also the place young London based designers were represented in proceedings. Stefflon Don wore a red, strappy look from recent Central Saint Martins graduate Maximilian Raynor, who says he finished it the day before the final dress rehearsal. “I love the idea that she was this punked up Grenadier guard for the night,” he says. Mabel followed suit, and wore a design from Leanee Kim’s 2022 MA Fashion graduate collection, also from Central Saint Martins.
Sunday saw the stage outside Buckingham Palace fill up once again for the Pageant. Highlights from the Royal Box included Princess Anne in her racing shades again, Kate in a raspberry gown by Stella McCartney, and Prince Louis running amok, this time in baby blue shorts and a white short-sleeve shirt.
Considering the small pool of royal-approved brands, you can presume there will be overlap. This time, it was Princess Beatrice and Carrie Johnson who cut similar silhouettes in their The Vampire’s Wife’s gowns, mid length with pointed shoulder pads and long sleeves. Thankfully not identical, Johnson opted for a bold floral print, while the princess toned hers down in midnight blue.
At last, our eyes then averted from the (now presumably exhausted) royals, to feast on the visual hullabaloo that was the pageant. Best dressed here must go to Kate Moss, who uncovered her Union Jack John Galliano-designed blazer from SS93, which she had modelled on the runway all those years ago. On the top of a double decker Nineties-themed bus, she was joined by fellow model Naomi Campbell, in a Burberry trench gown, make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury and Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor.
Other stars to spot amongst the riotous, and seemingly ceaseless, array of mad costumes, dancers and floats, were Joan Collins in pastel pink with a netted fascinator, Chris Eubank looking stiff but like he might be enjoying himself in red and yellow striped tailoring on the Fifties bus, and Twiggy, who was clean cut in a cream tuxedo and purple fascinator.
As celebrations came to close, all eyes turned to Queen Elizabeth II, though, for her final balcony appearance. The monarch of 70 years appeared true to her eye-catching form, in an emerald green coat, matching hat, and diamond ribbon brooch. Watching her take in the national anthem, sung from crowds as far as the eye could see, was nothing short of eye watering. A poignant end to the day’s long, and very British, celebration.
