For the ceremony, designer Bruce Oldfield designed Queen Camilla’s dress. Princess of Wales Kate and her daughter Charlotte were dressed by Alexander McQueen.
Alongside the traditional uniforms and outfits steeped in history, ubiquitous at the coronation, Queen Camilla and Princess Kate of Wales opted for British designers to create their coronation ceremony dress on Saturday May 6.
Oldfield, a stylist who is unanimous
The queen’s dress was made by Bruce Oldfield, a 72-year-old fashion designer who has already designed many dresses for Camilla. But the choice of Bruce Oldfield surprised in the United Kingdom, because it was made famous by Princess Diana, the ex-wife of Charles. In the 80s, he designed dozens of evening dresses for her, including some of the most famous and glamorous for the princess, who died in 1997 in an accident in Paris. “I gave Diana her glamor and Camilla her confidence”he said in 2014.
Camilla’s dress, ivory, combines silver and gold, in a sober cut. It is embroidered with British wildflowers, including daisies and forget-me-nots. The dress was cut from Peau de Soie, a silk fabric with a lustrous finish, and woven by Stephen Walters in Suffolk, England, Buckingham Palace said.
Kate and Charlotte in Alexander McQueen
Kate appeared in a flamboyant outfit, in the colors of the British flag. Her ivory robe was covered with the mantle of the Royal Victorian Order. Her dress was created by Alexander McQueen, who had already made her wedding dress, in 2011. It is an ivory silk crepe dress with silver thread embroidery and patterns of roses, thistles, daffodils and clovers. Her headdress in silver, crystals and silver threads, embroidered with three-dimensional leaves, was signed Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen. Her earrings are made of pearls and diamonds that belonged to Diana.
Kate and William’s daughter Charlotte also wore an Alexander McQueen dress and cape. The coronation gave work to the oldest English workshops. Charles’ coronation tunic, for example, was made by Ede and Ravenscroft, known to be London’s oldest tailor, dating back over 330 years. This workshop has made clothes for all British coronations since that of King William and Queen Mary in 1689, according to Buckingham Palace.