Kate Middleton and Sophie Wessex represent the Queen at Buckingham Palace garden party
Queen’s right hand women! Kate Middleton looks elegant in a coral coat dress as she and Sophie Wessex team up to host Buckingham Palace garden party after Her Majesty bowed out
Kate Middleton joined Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex to host today’s Buckingham Palace garden partyThe Queen traditionally hosts the outdoor soirees but has pulled out this year amid ongoing mobility issues She missed the State Opening of Parliament last week but opened the Elizabeth Line at Paddington Station
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The Duchess of Cambridge looked elegant in a coral coat dress as she joined Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex at the second Buckingham Palace garden party of the summer.
Traditionally, the Queen, 96, hosts four summer garden parties – three at Buckingham Palace and one at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh – to celebrate and reward guests who have distinguished themselves in public service.
This year she will be represented by senior members of her family as she continues to step back from public engagements amid ongoing ‘mobility issues’. The garden party requires the royal hosts to be on their feet for more than an hour as they make their way through hundreds of guests.
The Queen missed the State Opening of Parliament last week but made a surprise appearance at Paddington Station on Tuesday to mark the opening of the Elizabeth Line.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall represented the Queen at the first of three Buckingham Palace garden parties, which will be held every Wednesday in May. The Holyroodhouse party will take place on June 29.
Today it was the turn of the Duchess of Cambridge, her son Prince Edward and her trusted daughter-in-law the Countess of Wessex, who is one of her closest confidantes.
The Duchess of Cambridge looked resplendent as she joined Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex at the second Buckingham Palace garden party of the summer
The Duchess of Cambridge opted for a coral dress and matching hat as she represented the Queen at the engagement
The Duchess of Cambridge opted for a coral version of an Emilia Wickstead coat dress she has worn on a number of previous occasions. The flattering knee-length frock features long sleeves, a sharp collar and band at the waist to accentuate Kate’s slender frame.
Demonstrating her love of colour blocking, Kate paired the piece with pink suede point toe pumps and added a hat in a matching shade. She finished the look with a metallic clutch bag that brought a touch of sparkle.
Meanwhile Sophie was typically elegant in a white dress with a pink and purple floral pattern. The Countess of Wessex teamed the midi with a white hat and simple neutral shoes.
It is the first time the garden parties have been held since 2019 after they were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking on the Queen’s absence, which was announced last week, royal expert Angela Levin said: ‘It’s a good decision for the Queen not to attend garden parties as there would be too much standing. What a shame though.’
The annual Buckingham Palace garden parties, started in the 1860s by Queen Victoria, are a way of recognising and rewarding public service and see people from all walks of life enjoy high tea on the lawn to the sounds of a military band.
Every year, the Queen invites 30,000 people to attend the parties and in 2018, 8,000 guests attended the first soiree of the season. At each Garden Party, around 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake are consumed.
For the occasion men are asked to wear morning dress or lounge suits while women are invited to wear a ‘day dress, usually with hats or fascinators’.
This year there was also a ‘Not Forgotten Association Annual Garden Party’ which took place on May 12 and was hosted by Princess Anne, who is patron of the charity.
The Not Forgotten Association provides entertainment, leisure and recreation for the serving wounded, injured or sick and for ex-service men and women with disabilities.
The Garden Party for the organisation, which will also be held at Buckingham Palace, will bring together more than 2,000 beneficiaries of all ages and from all services.
