Royal Style thread: part 2

[QueenOfTheAndals]

As requested!

I used to buy from Part Pieces in the early 2000s. They were everywhere like a rash.

They deserve their success anyway. They are a lovely family and don't embarrass their daughter but behave impeccably.

I read a really great book called "Fergie Confidential".

I read that too! PMSL. Every other page, she was on holiday.

The British royal family seem to veer towards a style that is more identifiably royal, don't they? Like, no-one else wears those clothes. It becomes almost like a modern day version of the ermine-trimmed robe in purple.

I have only once seen a coat-dress in the wild, worn by a non-royal acquaintance. She was Russian - don't know if coat-dresses are more commonly worn over there.

There was an Elle article from the start of July (so pre-Dublin trip and the polo the other day) which said her wardrobe to date was valued at £750,000- not including bags, jewellery and other accessories, and it's been paid for by the Duchy.

Are Elle assuming Meghan paid full price? Royal purchases are usually heavily discounted.

Great book wasn't it, Rosina? Talk about freebies. "I've only seen one coat dress in the wild" !!!

I think the Middletons own a house, not the whole island of Mustique!

I think the Middletons rent on Mustique. Pippa's husband's family own Eden Rock on St Barth's.
I read that Meghan was worth 5million dollars. I hope she has got that invested.
Prince Charles subs Kate & Meghan. I think he paid for the Anmer House refurbishment.

Zara Tindall makes about a £ million a year from sponsorship. All arranged by brother Peter Phillips

I really think on official Royal engagements Meghan should be wearing British designers, and I agree, as much as I am enjoying her own personal catwalk show the cost of her outfits are questionable, it’s a bit let them eat cake.

Lol I meant they are holidaying with the Middleton’s, I should not have said a private island, I meant it is a private island not that they own it. I read the press can’t access it etc so whatever they wear/eat/do will not be splashed across any website. I presume they access it via a private yacht/helicopter.

I'm sure the ghost of princess Margaret lurks around every corner in Mustique, G&T in hand and chain smoking in a caftan and turban...

I wonder what has happened to.the royals old clothes? They've probably been passed on. However it would be amazing for the duchesses to wear vintage royal clothing. Eg Kate in the Queen's 1940s suits; Meghan in Princess Margaret's New Look (Dior; not high street'!) Frocks !

Queen Elizabeth vintage clothes

She had a tiny waist & quite the bosom.

Likewise vintage Princess Margaret

Party Pieces took off when Woolworths closed down. So the Middleton's success is because we didn't buy enough Pick 'n' Mix.

I wonder what has happened to the royals old clothes? They've probably been passed on.

At least some have been archived. I've seen both the Queen's and Princess Margaret's 1950s clothes on display at Kensington Palace.

Diana used to resell hers (then of course auctioned them off later). I'd love to know how many pieces are in Kate's wardrobe, and how they're organised. AFAIK she buys rather than rents but may re-sell quickly if she doesn't want to wear things again. But various items will resurface years later so perhaps she does keep it all.

Party Pieces took off when Woolworths closed down.

I still miss Woolworth's, it was excellent for many things especially toys. Our local store got replaced by a pound shop.

I wonder where Harry and Meg keep all their clothes if they live in a 2 bedroom cottage. He must have heaps of dress uniforms, morning suits etc.

Oh @Rosina, I had no idea Diana resold her clothes.
Can't believe the Royals don't get their clothes st cost price.
Agree with pp that meghan should at least try to wear British for official engagements.
Otherwise she's going to get a bit Wallis Simpson with her American / French couturiers....

I don’t think the Royals are hard up for storage space with all the palaces, castles and estates they have

I doubt Kate or Meghan would fit into HM's vintage gowns - nobody has a shape like that anymore!

I'm surprised Meghan doesn't wear more British designers at official outings where the paparazzi will be, as she is an influencer and it would help the British fashion industry.

For official engagements Diana wore clothes from mostly British designers.
Though Catherine Walker was French, based in London and Paul Costello is Irish, again his business was based in London.

The Paul Burrell book gave many insights. He said that Diana sent a woman with her clothes to these "quality nearly new" shops in Kensington and Chelsea. At one point in her desk drawer she had £11k in cash! She has so many clothes that the staff had to give up their sitting room at KP as it was turned into another wardrobe.
Imagine how many clothes Kate has!
It would be nice if Meghan supported British brands, especially at a time when many are struggling. She could make such a difference.

I laugh a little when they describe ‘modest’ residences as ‘two bedroom cottages’. Then they add three reception rooms, four bathrooms etc. and this is before they spend a few million renovating it and putting in a state of the art kitchen etc.

As for storage, I imagine all the men’s ‘uniforns’ are kept together. They know well in advance when they will be wearing them and they are fetched for them. After wearing, somebody cleans, does any required sewing etc and puts back into storage. Boots and shoes are polished and stored or replaced. The same must apply to all the ladies formal wardrobes. It isn’t as if the Queen opens her wardrobe doors and a hat of every colour comes tumbling out 😀😀

There are a bunch of garages and storerooms around the corner from their cottage. I always presumed Megan uses one of those for overflow.

Kate has a massive apartment with a gazillion rooms so presumably she's just turned one room into a wardrobe. But given the sheer vast quantity of dresses and coats I'm sure she has to use a storeroom too.

I imagine she must have 100 coats and about 200 dresses at this stage.

I'm another one who has been a bit taken aback by M's wardrobe cost. I've nothing against her, but it is a bit shocking.

I also think she's not getting anything like the backlash Kate was getting in the beginning and Kate at least spent a lot of time in Zara - and still does.

Kate wore Hobbs, Jigsaw, Reiss etc in the early days. Yes, "two bedroomed cottage" isn't quite the same as our definition would be! They're moving into a huge apartment in KP and a massive country house in Windsor. I often wonder if they have a computerised system. Imagine if Kate typed in "pastel Alexander McQueen coat dress" how many options would come up?

A lot of the royal family's old clothes are kept in massive storage boxes in the Royal Ceremonial Dress collection. It used to be inside Princess Margaret's old apartment in Kensington Palace but got moved to Hampton Court Palace when the Cambridges moved in. I've visited a couple of times (at KP and HCP) and it is AMAZING and ENORMOUS. You wouldn't believe the stuff they have in there - royal wedding dresses, Queen Victoria's underwear, coronation robes, shoes, Princess Margaret's cocktail gowns, Princess Diana's clothes. Most of the clothes are stored in special boxes with a polaroid stuck to the side so they can identify stuff quickly.

I've had a couple of chats with them about the future of the Duchess of Cambridge's stuff as a lot is from the high street and won't age as well because it's made of cheaper fabrics!

@ElspethFlashman I don't think there's much of a backlash against Meghan now but there certainly was in the beginning - unsuitable, not a "typical English Rose", an actress etc etc.