The dress Princess Charlotte wore in the recently released Father’s Day photos with dad Prince William and brothers Prince George and Prince Louis is an old standby of not just Charlotte’s, but of girls growing up in the royal family for over a decade, People reports.
The dress, the outlet writes, is “one of [Charlotte’s] go-to summer dresses,” and was made by British children’s wear designer Rachel Riley. The “Blossom Button-Front” daisy print dress has short puff sleeves and a Peter Pan collar and was seen last month on Charlotte as she attended a Coronation rehearsal prior to the May 6 ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
“It’s smart enough to go to a rehearsal at the Abbey and at the same time, it’s casual enough to work in a woodland setting having fun with your brothers and your dad,” Riley told People. “They all looked absolutely gorgeous; it’s such a fun photo!”
As Marie Claire reported on Sunday, the photo pays a subtle tribute to Her late Majesty, as the foursome are seated on a bench given to the late Queen for her ninetieth birthday in 2016. The photo was taken earlier this year on the grounds of the Windsor Estate by photographer Millie Pilkington.
Charlotte has worn the cotton dress publicly three times, and Riley said it holds a special place in her heart, as her own daughter has worn the style as well: “It’s been a bestseller since I designed it 25 years ago,” Riley said. “My daughter Rose [who is now 30 and works alongside Riley] wore the same dress when she was little, and it remains a bestseller today.”
Other girls of the British Royal Family love the timeless dress, too—Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, wore it to the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee back in 2012; Isla Phillips, the youngest daughter of Peter and Autumn Phillips, also wore the dress at the Platinum Jubilee last year.
“Classic clothes have longevity because there are just some styles that never go out of fashion,” Riley said. “We update them with new prints, which we design ourselves, and have the fabric printed and for me, it’s so fun to see classic clothes stand the test of time. Something that my daughter wore 25 years ago is now being worn by Princess Charlotte, and she looks just as comfortable and beautiful.”
