Royal style & gossip: the gowns and glamour of the Garter

[QueenOfTheAndals]

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Now that the Orange One has gone, it's almost time for a visit from the Oranje One! Yes, Queen Max will be attending next Monday's Garter ceremony. It'll be a triplicate fashion face-off between her, Letizia and Kate - who will emerge victorious?

Really don't like Kate's dress, looks very bland and forgettable yet probably very expensive.
Max knocks it out of the park again. Stunning, and the hat is fabulous!

In a way I sort of like that the British royal family seeemingly dgaf about fashion - I can imagine someone describing that dress to Kate and her being like, yeah cool that’s great thanks whatever. And then putting it in this morning and thinking, oh shit this is sort of awful...meh I’ll be queen one day I can handle it.

Ditto Sophie - sprigged upholstery fabric with matching hat? yeah sure why not

The pictures don't do Kate's dress justice. It really is exquisite.

Eugenie and Zara both look pregnant! Zara's dress is to die for though, I love it.

I thought Beatrice was Sarah Ferguson in one of those photos. I think she looks more like Andrew usually but the resemblance to her mum made me gasp! I like the idea of her dress, but it didn't quite hit the spot for me.

I really like Kate's dress, it's something that I'd wear myself. I'm not sure that the hat goes though? She does love those hats with the flowers underneath the brim doesn't she?

I like Sophie's dress, but the hat is all wrong - too matchy matchy. One of those flowers under the brim hats would look much better.

Max's outfit is too boring today. It kind of blends into her skin tone?

Elie Saab is super expensive. He's the favourite corturier of the super-rich Luxembourg royals. They can afford it. I don't know if the expense was worth it with this dress.

Especially as we'll only ever see it once again, if ever at all.

Has Max ever worn anything that mumsnetters don’t like?

I don't like this does that count? And yes several threads back we had a collection of awful outfits from her if I remember correctly

Oh god yes, we've had some shockers from Max.

She's a sucker for anything oversized. Hats, sleeves, bows, trousers...... She can look absolutely mad.

Go big or go home, that's Max!

Thankfully she applies that to jewellery too!

Like Kate’s dress. At least it’s not a coat dress.

Max wins, although that’s is very tame for her.

Yes E looks pregers. B , she was doing so great lately but not today.

Sophie really needs a good bra, or maybe she is slouching in these photos

Zara’s dress, well , I think she could have done better it doesn’t photograph nicely .

I’m really worried now as I have this Zimmerman dress in another print. I need to try it on again and take a million pictures in the daylight and see if it looks alright in pictures.
I’m wearing it for a wedding, don’t want to look like im wearing a Colefax and Fowler chintz curtain .

Didn’t knock it out of the park on recent trip to Cork.

Don't like Sophie at all today. Hat is awful

The York girls had improved lately but today is shocking.

Kate - less said the better

Very disappointed by today's showings

I know she's not royal but my god, Charlotte wotsit from GMTV looks incredible. She is showstoppingly beautiful. Her dress is fabulous too.

Her Maj and Kate has good hats, though.

I went back to have another look at the royal party photos after all the comments re dresses and baby's. I'm wondering if all the cuddles, which we don't often see, are because it's the first time they've seen each other since baby news has been announced.

Can you imagine if we had a few ladies all expecting at the same time. These threads would last hours .

Yes, I did like Kate's hat. And that blue colour was good on Eugenie, and I liked her hat too.

I don't always like what Max wears, but I do like the fact that she always seems to be really, really enjoying herself. That helps her to carry off some of her more flamboyant choices - it's rare for her clothes to wear her, iyswim.

Has Max ever worn anything that mumsnetters don’t like?

The feathered things! Huge feathery collars that look like she’s wearing a muppet. The lobster jewellery. The shiny, cropped, too tight culottes. The PVC shoes (& the stripper platforms), tights that are never quite the right colour. Love her nevertheless - she can’t be beaten when it comes to hats or jewels.

Love Max - said it before but she looks great fun and always looks engaged - king WA very lucky chap.

Love her outfit and it's the first time I've seen her with her hair down when it looks luxurious - often it does look a bit wispy or in need of a trim - perhaps she us d Kate's hairdresser ?

Slightly OT but I wonder how heavy her fabulous earrings are - are they real ?

Would love to rifle through her jewellery- it all looks amazing

I had wallpaper with the exact print of Sophie's outfit in my bedroom when I was 7. I also covered my First Communion book with it.

Kate's dress would have been more suitable for a different occasion, tea at the palace with the Archbishop or perhaps a family christening. She missed a chance to wear something interesting at a social rather than a state event.

Max ~ loved her hat, but her dress was forgettable.
Sophie ~ awful fabric, and the colour did nothing for her, I though she looked better yesterday.
Bea & Eugenie ~ I didn't like Bea's outfit all, and the little yellow hat was rather sad....

I didn't think the blue theme worked especially well, there seemed to be a lot of blue curtain material.

@BeaLola Her earrings are made from chips off one of her tiaras.

@BertrandRussell, as I've already said below 'Max's is rather shapeless and not a flattering colour.'

@BeaLola

Kate looks divine , l love her hat and dress , the colour really suits her and it is so young & pretty. The Queen looks glorious, lovely colours too . Max..... well , what can you say. l think she stole the show in the carriage ride because of THE hat but once walking around it was Kate for me all the way. Eugenie must be pregnant surely bless her ? The picture of Zara and Kate chatting with Zara's hand on her shoulder seemed to suggest it to me . Ahh wouldn't it be lovely for her and Jack .

I liked Kate's dress today! I generally find Elie Saab dresses beautiful though, but thought Kate pulled it off well.

Here's Madeleine's casual style - I like it as well, with big statement earrings 👍

www.therealmyroyals.com/princess-madeleine-visited-min-stora-dag-in-stockholm/

Why so much blue? are they trying to fit in with the Queen?