Duchess Sophie has entered a new decade, and she's ready to face it in style. The Duchess of Edinburgh—who turned 60 on Monday, Jan. 20—has certainly tweaked her wardrobe over the years, and multiple designers recently spoke to People about the royal's evolving sense of fashion.
Sophie has been married to Prince Edward since 1999, and over the decades she's gone from slightly drab early aughts corporate looks to a more lighthearted yet elegant sense of workwear style. Items like pleated skirts and long wool coats, as seen in her birthday portraits, echo a similar style as Princess Kate and Meghan Markle these days.
“She’s a working royal but also a mum, and you just get the feeling that she’s built a wardrobe that has lots of really good pieces that are wearable and she does wear things and again and again,” Alice Leet-Cook, co-founder of royal go-to hat brand Hicks & Brown told the mag.
Cook continued that "there’s something about her, you just can’t help but turn to look,” adding, “There’s an ease in the way she dresses. It appears effortless.”
The Duchess of Edinburgh often wears the same designers as Princess Kate—who is reportedly on the guest list for Sophie's black-tie birthday party—and Suzannah Crabb of one of their shared favorite brands, Suzannah London, spoke to People about her longtime client.
Crabb mused that Duchess Sophie's style “has become more refined and confident" since she first joined the Royal Family. When it comes to working with the Duchess of Edinburgh, the designer called it “an effortless, collaborative and joyful process."
The Suzannah London founder also praised the Royal Family for repeating their outfits, stating they are "mindful, realistic and have strong values."
Leet-Cook shared that while Sophie “makes some bold choices" when it comes to her style, "the cut and length of the dress is always immaculate." One such piece is the black leather Loewe dress she wore with a floral blouse underneath, giving an unexpected spin (and an autumn-appropriate look) to the designer outfit.
“I love how she is not afraid to try new things and she makes beautiful choices,” Crabb said. “She’s effortless and elegant always.”
Speaking of elegant looks, the sheer white Suzannah London gown the Duchess of Edinburgh wore to day two of Royal Ascot last summer remains one of my personal favorite looks of Sophie's. Paired with a wide-brimmed white hat and a Princess Kate and Meghan Markle-approved Strathberry bag, the floral appliqué dress felt very My Fair Lady indeed.
With a full year of royal appearances ahead, fashion fans certainly have much to look forward to from the duchess. As Natasha Rufus Isaacs, co-founder of Beulah London, told People, Sophie has a classic way of dressing that any woman can follow with ease.
"The colors and prints she chooses are subtle yet chic, never overpowering," the designer said. "I think this feminine look is aspirational, as it never goes out of style."
