Princess Charlotte arrived for her grandfather’s coronation in a look steeped in meaning.
Kate Middleton, the now Princess of Wales, began her close relationship with the house of Alexander McQueen more than a decade ago, on her wedding day, when she emerged from the queen’s Rolls-Royce Phantom VI dressed in a spectacular lace gown by artistic director Sarah Burton.
Since then Kate has chosen to wear McQueen on countless meaningful occasions, from her children’s christenings to the day she was captured for a trio of official 40th birthday portraits by Vogue photographer Paolo Roversi. Now, it appears, her daughter, Princess Charlotte, is making it a family tradition.
For the coronation of Charlotte’s grandfather, King Charles III, Kate Middleton wore an Alexander McQueen dress and cape in ivory silk crepe featuring rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock motifs representing the four nations. On her head: a Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen headpiece fashioned from silver bullion and crystal with three-dimensional leaf embroidery.
The eight-year-old Charlotte wore an Alexander McQueen dress and cape in ivory silk crepe with the same motifs, and a Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen headpiece similar to the one worn by her mother, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
Kate and William have always been careful to protect their children from the spotlight, but Charlotte’s coronation dress and headpiece is a sign of things to come for the young royals, who will ultimately take on a more prominent role at formal royal occasions now that their father is heir to the throne and their mother is queen in waiting.
This post was previously published on British