News Updates and the Princess of Wales’s Royal Ascot Style

Hello and welcome to our review of Styles worn by the Princess of Wales to Royal Ascot. First, some news updates, beginning with word about Princess Anne, who has been hospitalized since Sunday night. From the Buckingham Palace news release.

The Princess Royal has sustained minor injuries and concussion following an incident on the Gatcombe Park estate yesterday evening. Her Royal Highness remains in Southmead Hospital, Bristol, as a precautionary measure for observation and is expected to make a full and swift recovery.

The King has been kept closely informed and joins the whole Royal Family in sending his fondest love and well-wishes to The Princess for a speedy recovery.

Below, Sir Tim Laurence as he arrived to visit his wife at Southmead Hospital today. 
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More from this Telegraph piece by Victoria Ward.

The Princess was transferred by ambulance after sustaining head injuries and concussion, having apparently been struck by a horse.

The Princess Royal is “doing fine”, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, her husband, said after visiting her in hospital, describing her recovery as “slow but sure.”

Sir Tim, 69, arrived at Southmead Hospital in Bristol just after midday, entering via the front steps. He was carrying a large blue cool bag that he said contained “just a few little treats from home”.

The Princess’s daughter, Zara Tindall, also visited today. A visit to Canada by the Princess slated to start this weekend has been canceled.  
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We return to the Telegraph article.

It is thought that due to the concussion, she is suffering from temporary memory loss in relation to the incident, meaning that the specific details about what happened have not yet been ascertained.

However, her medical team said her injuries were consistent with potential impact from a horse’s head or legs. Palace sources said she was awake on Monday. The Princess, a former Olympian equestrian, was walking on her estate when the incident occurred.

Tonight is the state banquet in honor of the Emperor and Empress. Here is a quick video from Buckingham Palace. 

https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1805613086901932068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener

Last Saturday was Prince William’s 42nd birthday, and a message from the Princess of Wales was posted on the Kensington Palace social media pages. It featured a photo taken by the Princess of Wales last month in Norfolk. 

One other engagement of note for several royals: the Taylor Swift concert at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night. Below is a Kensington Palace social media post. 

Taylor Swift’s post on her official Instagram page showed her with the royals and her significant other, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. The message referenced Prince William’s birthday that day.

A Sky News tweet about the concert.

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1804494837594403076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener

Zara and Mike Tindall were also at the concert with their daughters, Lena and Mia Tindall. Here you see the couple with television presenter Natalie Pinkham in a post shared by Ms. Pinkham.

Now to Royal Ascot. Below, the King and Queen arriving a week ago today for Day 1 of the annual event.

The Queen wore an ensemble by Fiona Clare, with a Philip Treacy hat and Prince Albert’s Sapphire and Dimond Brooch, a gift from Albert to Queen Victoria the day before their wedding. Prince William attended the races on Tuesday.

Above, you see him with Zara Tindall, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Princess Eugenie (back to the camera). Below, with Prince Edward, Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall, and the Duchess of Edinburgh (back to camera).

Also in the royal enclosure this week, the Middletons. 

Princess Anne with Lady Gabriella Windsor last Tuesday.

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We begin our look at styles worn by the Princess of Wales to the event with her first official trip to Royal Ascot in 2016 when the Duchess of Cambridge chose a lace dress by Dolce and Gabbana. 

The Duke and Duchess as they arrived at Ascot. 

The Dolce and Gabbana dress was made of cotton-blend lace. It had a round neckline, nipped-in waist, sheer sleeves, a tiered full skirt, and a full satin lining.

Here is a closer look at the lace, as well as the badges worn by the Duke and Duchess. 

The dress was first worn in May 2016 to the Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, but we saw very little of it beneath the Duchess’s red Zara jacket.

She accessorized with a new hat by Jane Taylor, the designer’s ‘Una’ style.

It was described as an “elegant mesh saucer disc with angular printed feather, delicate rose & twist detail.”

We saw the Natalie Clutch by LK Bennett and Gianvito 105 Praline Pumps.

The Duchess wore earrings believed to be by Robinson Pelham. The 18K white gold earrings showcased a pearl drop with diamond-set caps and studs.

Royal Ascot 2017 brought another lace dress. 

The Cambridges shared a carriage with the Wessexes, and when it was time to get into the carriage, the Countess of Wessex lost her balance. 

The Duchess with Zara Tindall.

And with her mother, Carole Middleton.

The dress was by Alexander McQueen.

It was a custom version of the brand’s Lace Mini-Dress, crafted from a cotton/rayon/poly blend with a silk lining. It featured floral lace created in Italy, a high, scalloped neckline, three-quarter sleeves, grosgrain ribbon, peplum detailing at the waist, a flared skirt, and a scalloped hem.

Here is a closer look at the peplum detailing at the waist and the frill across the upper back. 

Here you see the 2016 and 2017 looks side-by-side. 

The Duchess’s hat remains unidentified. 

The Royal Hats blog described the piece far better than I ever could:

The cocktail hat is built on a cream base and trimmed with lattice printed crin bows that circle around the form a folded brim. The brim is anchored with pearl-centred floral lace trim that also cascades from the back, and cream silk flowe

The Duchess carried a Loeffler Randall clutch, and we saw the Gianvito 105 Praline Pumps again.

She wore the Bahrain Diamond and Pearl Drop Earrings, on loan from the late Queen.

At Royal Ascot 2019, the Duchess wore separates by Elie Saab. 

The Duke and Duchess greeting King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.  

Another view of the Duke and Duchess. 

There was rain to contend with that year. 

The Duchess’s ensemble included bespoke versions of Elie Saab’s Macramé Pussy Bow Top and Embroidered Tulle Skirt, both made of a cotton/poly/silk blend fabric. The Blouse has a relaxed fit, button front, and partial lining. The A-line skirt was made in matching tulle fabric with embroidered dots. The styles were based on separates from the Resort 2019 collection.

You have a better view of the fabric in these photos. 

The Duchess had long sleeves added to her top and a solid fabric cuff. The macrame trim on her sleeves is vertical, running the length of the sleeve, as opposed to being a horizontal border at the hem. She has also had the bow shortened.

There was debate about the possibility of the separates being part of a dress, a one-piece design, but that wasn’t the case. In these photos, you can see the zipper on the back of the skirt.

Accessories in 2019 included a new pair of Gianvito Rossi heels, the brand’s Gianvito 105 style in Silver Metallic ($850).

We also saw a new handbag, an Elie Saab style with a leather back and a detachable chain. 

The Philip Treacy hat looked familiar to some. 

That is because it is the same style as the hat worn to Trooping the Colour in 2016.  

These photos offer a better view of the Duchess’s updo. 

The Duchess wore her Kiki McDonough Blue Topaz/Diamond Drop earrings.

Royal Ascot 2022 brought a cream and brown Alessandra Rich design.

Another view of the Duke and Duchess.

And one more look.

Some thought the ensemble evoked images of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and/or Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. 

For others, it was reminiscent of the look worn by Diana, Princess of Wales at Royal Ascot in June 1988.
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The silk crepe de chine dress by Alessandra Rich was from the designer’s spring 2019 collection. It featured an asymmetric hem, puffed sleeves with button cuffs, a ruffled overlay at the left shoulder, buttons at the left shoulder, and a self-belt.

A closer view of some of the dress details. 

The Duchess’s boater-style hat was by Sally-Ann Provan. 

It was a version of the NAEVA (£795) hat, described as a “hand-made hand-blocked herringbone weave straw hat with a small round crown, vented brim, and trimmed with handmade silk duchesse origami flowers. There is one large five-petaled origami flower on the back.” The Duchess had the style customized to include a solid brim. 

It was a style Princess Eugenie wore to Ascot in 2018.

Surprisingly, the handbag and shoes remain UFOs. Both are brown suede, and the pumps are quite similar to the Gianvito Rossi 105.

The Duchess wore her hair up.

Allowing a nice view of the pearl and diamond earrings that belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. The Duchess wears the earrings with slightly smaller pearls than those worn by Diana.

Our final ensemble is the vibrant red look from Royal Ascot 2023. 

The dress was an Alexander McQueen design. 

The Princess and Prince William. 

At one point, it looked like she was celebrating the outcome of a race.

The dress featured a v-neck, wrap-effect bodice, raised, puffed shoulders, defined waist, and a full A-line skirt.

The dress may have been the style worn by the Princess when visiting the Welsh Guards on St. David’s Day. Below, three more views of the princess at Ascot last year. 

The hat worn last year was a Philip Treacy design.

 The Princess surprised us with a vintage Hermès clutch, the Rio in rouge leather. She also wore a new pair of red suede heels, the Jennifer Chamandi’ Lorenzo’ 105 style. 

Her earrings were a past-season design by Sézane, the Esme style.

A review of the five Royal Ascot ensembles worn by the Princess of Wales.

You will be able to vote for your favorite later this week I will do a post with montages of all of the Princess’s looks from the Chelsea Flower Show, garden parties, Royal Ascot, Trooping the Colour, and Order of the Garter.