Duchess Sophie makes subtle change to glamorous £2k dress
The Duchess of Edinburgh looked splendid on Tuesday as she kicked off her visit to Tanzania.
Duchess Sophie, 59, met with British High Commission staff to hear about their work deepening the UK-Tanzania partnership in a beautiful cotton printed midi dress from Giambattista Valli.
This morning, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh visited British High Commission staff to hear about our work deepening the UK-Tanzania partnership 🤝
Karibu The Duchess of Edinburgh to Umoja House! 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/dncaPZkmic— UK in Tanzania (@UKinTanzania) September 17, 2024
The royal made subtle tweaks to the dress, swapping its Mandarin collar for an open straight collar and omitting the belt she has previously worn with the dress including to the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2023.
The waist-cinching number was teamed with the raffia 'Lunatic' clutch from Sophie Habsburg and her staple 'High Mary Jane Leather Espadrille in White' from Penelope Chilvers.
You may also like
Duchess Sophie surprises in gorgeous fitted leather trousers
Duchess Sophie looks so youthful in sassy flared trousers by Victoria Beckham
Sophie's summer footwear
It was her heeled wedges that caused a sartorial storm this summer as the royal visited the Dior Museum during the Paris Olympics.
"I love my espadrilles and they are easy and light for summer BUT to attend the Dior Gallery in them is a no-no!," wrote one royal follower on social media.
Meanwhile, another added: "The dress is so pretty and Sophie is representing classic British style. The look, paired with the sporty footwear, is a bit casual for a private tour by Dior officials."
It isn't just royal fashion followers who display a dislike of a wedged sandal. "The [late] Queen wasn't a fan of wedged shoes," reported Vanity Fair. "She really didn't like them and it's well-known among the women in the family."
Duchess Sophie's printed dresses
The royal mother of two's taste in printed dresses certainly gets our seal of approval. The Duchess looked supremely elegant when she stepped out with her husband Prince Edward for a night at the theatre.
Sophie was seen with Edward at a special performance of Starlight Express in support of The Orpheus Centre at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
She wore the 'Gelato' dress by Matelier which was a billowing satin number featuring a high neck and an abstract print in hues of cream and orange.
DISCOVER: Call the Midwife star Laura Main makes waves in Duchess Sophie's favourite dress
The King's sister-in-law also adds print to her outfits via her accessories. Take her gorgeous floral Emilia Wickstead hat worn to the Thistle Service at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh in July, for example, which was styled with a Suzannah London pink wrap dress.