inside Duchess Sophie’s style evolution

Elegant on royal engagements

The Duchess has headed out on countless royal engagements over the years from school visits to Buckingham Palace garden parties. One thing that can be guaranteed is that Sophie relishes an opportunity to put her versatile sense of style on display.

British designer, former dresser of the late Princess Diana, and host of the Style DNA podcast, Amanda Wakeley OBE, tells us that putting together a stellar royal outfit is the ultimate balancing act. 

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“You have to combine formality and elegance with a touch of personality and warmth,” the legendary fashion designer reveals. “One key thing is understanding the occasion, whether it’s a state banquet, a charity event, or something more casual, each requires its own level of formality and sophistication.”

Amanda also tells us that the practical aspect is non-negotiable when it comes to being comfortable in an outfit a royal like Sophie might wear for hours on end. Then there is the crucial element of protocol which sets a royal look apart from a celebrity style moment.

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“Certain colours, fabrics, and even hemlines can have a symbolic meaning or adhere to long-standing traditions,” Amanda explains. “Within all of that, it’s important to allow a sense of the individual to come through. You want them to feel confident, poised, and still very much themselves.”

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In choosing to dress herself, Sophie has mastered this balancing act. In the noughties, the royal was all about making a statement in neutrals. Though seemingly contradictory, Prince William’s aunt proved that clothes can be loud when rocked in pared-back hues.

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In 2011, she sat alongside the biggest names from A-list stars to Europe’s senior royals as she attended the wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. The Waleses’ pre-wedding dinner held at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park saw Sophie in one of her most eye-catching looks to date as she took to the red carpet in a halterneck red Bruce Oldfield gown.