Don't know your garters from your saltires? Fear not — here's everything you need
to know about Kate Middleton's look at the latest royal event.
On July 5th, Catherine, Princess of Wales, attended King Charles' second coronation.
While it's a yearly tradition for the monarch to participate in the festivities of Scotland's
so-called "Royal Week," this year included a special coronation celebration featuring
the Honours of Scotland — otherwise known as Scotland's Crown Jewels. Just don't tell this guy.
"They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"
For the king's coronation on May 6th, Kate had paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth with
her striking headpiece. This time, Kate referenced her late grandmother-in-law
at the event by wearing Elizabeth's Four Row Japanese Pearl Choker. Elizabeth was
apparently quite generous with her jewelry collection, and she loaned the necklace to
both Princess Diana and Kate Middleton on multiple occasions. Queen Elizabeth adored pearls, in fact,
and a three-strand necklace was her go-to choice for daily wear. Made by Garrard,
this four-strand necklace is believed to be made from Japanese pearls gifted to Elizabeth
in the 1970s. They're connected in the center by a sparkling diamond clasp. It's also thought
that Prince Philip made some suggestions about the clasp's design. This may be why Kate chose
to wear it in 2017, in honor of Elizabeth and Philip's diamond wedding anniversary.
For the royal family, pearls are often associated with mourning,
which explains why Kate wore this necklace at both Prince Philip and
Queen Elizabeth's funerals. Pearls are also an elegant choice for high-profile events
like Charles' Scotland coronation. As British jeweler Claudia Bradby told People magazine:
"Their power lies in the fact that they aren't overwhelming.
It's a subtle and slightly restrained look."
Queen Elizabeth's Japanese Pearl Choker wasn't the only item that Kate Middleton re-used,
however. At the Scottish event, she brought back the brilliant
blue coatdress that she had previously worn for the Easter service in 2023,
as well as Commonwealth Day 2022. Fashion expert Miranda Holder explained to Newsweek:
"Kate is conscious of sustainability in fashion and is, of course,
a keen advocate of her husband's Earthshot cause."
Holder added that the princess was likely attempting to strike a balance between the
elegance expected of a royal and the need to not show off too much in the current economic climate.
Besides her likely enthusiasm for the coat dress's tailored lines,
Kate likely chose this specific outfit for its color. Made by Catherine Walker & Co.,
the coat dress matches the blue hue of the saltire, Scotland's flag. Over the years,
Kate has frequently color-coordinated with the flags of the countries she visits for royal tours.
This time, the princess accentuated her blue theme by pairing the coat dress with blue pumps,
a clutch, as well as a Philip Treacy hat which was believed to be made specifically for the ceremony.
Besides harmonizing with Scotland's flag, Kate's choice pays homage to Queen Elizabeth. Blue was
thought to be the late monarch's favorite color, and in 2022, certain members of the
royal family wore blue for Trooping the Colour, her annual birthday celebration.
The event on July 5th has some precedent in history. In June 1953,
the same month as her London coronation, Queen Elizabeth held her second coronation
in Scotland. For the occasion, the queen chose to wear a simple yet sophisticated skirt suit.
For his Scotland coronation, King Charles opted to wear his ceremonial robes denoting
his membership in the Order of the Thistle, Scotland's highest order of chivalry. As king,
Charles acts as leader of the Order and is tasked with bestowing the honor to recipients
of his choosing. According to the royal family, this is done in recognition of men and women
who have held public office or otherwise publicly contributed to life in Britain.
Along with the king, Queen Camilla and Prince William are also members of the order,
so they also wore their ceremonial attire for this occasion. Camilla became a member
of the Order as recently as June 2023. Kate's outfit contrasted with her family members,
since she does not yet have this honor. However, she may someday be invited to become a member. In
addition, Kate is not yet part of the Order of the Garter, Britain's highest order of chivalry — an
honor awarded at the monarch's discretion. Today, only 26 people are counted as members.