Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh struggled to hold back her giggles when she was greeted by a half-naked man during a visit to East Bank this week.
The 59-year-old royal dropped by the new campus of the London College of Fashion (LCF) in Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Monday, Feb. 19, to see the new creations made by the students to mark London Fashion Week.
One of the students, named Filip Gesse, had the Duchess of Edinburgh giggling when he appeared before her barefoot and wearing a nude-coloured body suit. The postgraduate costume designer showed his avant-garde creation and the duchess, who is Patron of the London College of Fashion, was pictured laughing during their conversation.
✨🧵(3/4) The Duchess of Edinburgh seeing some more creations and engaging with the London College of Fashion's students today.
— Mariana - The Edinburghs Fan Account (@Mari_Edinburghs) February 19, 2024
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Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Patron, meets costume student Filip Geese during a visit to The London College of Fashion on February 19, 2024 in London, England.
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She also spent time interacting with the other students as they each explained their creations, and admired some of their work. She viewed some of the exhibits, which ranged across several courses, including Fashion Artefacts, Fashion Photographs, and Costume Design for Performance.
The Duchess of Edinburgh even enjoyed testing out the virtual try-on technology at the Digital Learning Lab. She observed a digital garment fitting which at one point, showed her wearing a virtual pink baseball jacket and she admired the outcome from a computer screen.
Likewise, the duchess admired the unique creation by Emily Amanda Higgins called "The Monster Project". She was pictured touching the pink sculpture to get a feel of its varied textures. The royal also checked out a display of bright coloured blazers and several of the quirky designs.
— Jerseydeanne (@jerseydeanne) February 19, 2024
The Duchess of Edinburgh, as Patron, has visited @LCFLondon's new home in East Bank.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 19, 2024
HRH viewed the Postgraduate Class of 2024 exhibition, showcasing work from courses such as Fashion Artefact, Fashion Photography, and Costume Design for Performance. Click to read more.
Sophie herself appeared fashionable in an Emilia Wickstead navy dress which she paired with a colour matching Manolo Blahnik heels and a grey clutch bag from Sophie Habsurg.
"Today, The Duchess of Edinburgh, as Patron of the London College of Fashion (LCF), visited their new home in East Bank. LCF is a recognised global leader in fashion education with its annual February postgraduate showcase known throughout the industry as a glimpse into the future of fashion," reads a statement about Sophie's visit on the Royal Family's official website.
"Her Royal Highness viewed the Postgraduate Class of 2024 exhibition, showcasing the produce of courses including Fashion Artefact, Fashion Photography, and Costume Design for Performance. The Duchess also met students at the Digital Learning Lab, observing a digital garment fitting," the statement added.
Sophie, along with her husband Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, have stepped up in their royal roles in the past months in the absence of more senior royals. The Daily Mail's royal correspondent Richard Eden said it was their time "to shine" as Prince William and King Charles III took time off to take care of personal medical concerns.
The Prince of Wales had to look after his wife Kate Middleton during the early days of her recovery from abdominal surgery in January. Meanwhile, His Majesty took time to recuperate from a prostate surgery and he was also recently diagnosed with cancer.
He noted that "three out of four of the most senior members of the royal family [are] out of action," referencing the absence of King Charles III and the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Eden added: "So it is a great chance for, you know, the more junior members like Edward and Sophie to shine and hopefully, this programme will feature their work over the next few months. And I think it has been great the way that they have taken on some of the less fashionable causes.
"Sophie has been very much involved in women as a victim of war and sexual crime...And obviously, Prince Edward inherited the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme from his father, which is fantastic. So it'd be great if the general public gets to hear more about their good work." The Duchess of Edinburgh has been Patron of the London College of Fashion since 2013.
