Duchess Kate repeated a pale, button-covered dress for a palace garden party

When people ask me what I do, I should start saying “I count buttons for a living.” When did this even start? It’s been years. The Duchess of Cambridge’s button obsession ebbs and flows, but the buttons are more of a constant than her wiglets, sausage curls or her twirly miniskirts. Buttons are all she has left. And she hoards them. Kate and William were at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday for a rainy garden party, and Kate wore 32 buttons. Twenty buttons down the front, and six buttons on each cuff, making a grand total of 32 buttons. I counted.

The dress itself is a repeat. I usually have a half-decent memory for Kate’s button-slathered clothes, but I don’t remember this. The piece was “designed” and made by Kate’s “private dressmaker.” She truly called up her private dressmaker and said “I want something will lots of tiny buttons, a high neck with a baby ruffle and Downton Abbey vibes.” Hello Magazine claimed that Kate was having a “Bridgerton moment” and that this is a “Regency look.” All of that is a lie. This is straight-up Victorian/Edwardian, which makes more sense because Kate wishes she lived in Downton Abbey. Also: the earrings seem to be new. I would imagine they’re quite pricey.

I just looked it up – Kate previously wore this dress to that Buckingham Palace reception for the anniversary of Prince Charles’s investiture as Prince of Wales. It happened in 2019 and pregnant Meghan was there.

PS… People were really coming through with the receipts, my goodness! This dress was made by Ulyana Sergeenko, a Russian designer who uses the n-word.

LOL @ Princess Beatrice. I actually love her cute dress, but that stupid headband/headpiece ruins it. Why is Beatrice copykeening Kate?

Photos courtesy of Instar.

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164 Responses to “Duchess Kate repeated a pale, button-covered dress for a palace garden party”

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  1. Dee says:

    Superfrump. That is all.

    • Chloe says:

      It is but i do think that this type of style suits her better than her copying Meghan.

      It might be conservative to the max and very victorian but at least it’s her. This IS her style.

      And i do like the hat. Kate has a great head for hats. Although i feel like i have seen this design before. But in a different colour

      • Becks1 says:

        She wore this design to Meghan’s wedding.

      • WHAT says:

        Don’t pippa have a similar dress like this that she wore to Louis christening? Pippa wore a light pastel blue one

      • michyk says:

        @becks-i actually thought this was from the wedding at first glance. i don’t have a great memory for specific outfits, so wasn’t sure. i actually like this dress a lot. i admit to having a very olde thyme fashion sense though. i love high collars and severe or conservative styles (i always button my oxfords all the way up). and like chloe mentioned i do think this style is more her own style than the copy keening. i do think the whole look could really work if she freshened up the accessories or if it was in a different color. there’s a way to make old fashioned styling work and look modern. but she doesn’t have that skill.

      • Moneypenny424 says:

        @Becks this one is different. To Meghan’s wedding, she wore a “pale yellow” coat dress that was less buttony…but just as dowdy.

      • Moneypenny424 says:

        @Becks– sorry, I see you meant the hat! Yes, you are right. Reading comprehension fail. I’m blaming Kate’s boring ass dress for lulling me into a state of semi-consciousness.

      • Gruey says:

        Agreed Chloe. This is her lane and she should stay in it.

      • BeanieBean says:

        She’s had more than one other version of this hat, plus her earrings, shoes, and clutch are all new. Probably that umbrella, too. But she’ll be praised in some quarters for her thriftiness, I’m sure.
        Bea, on the other hand, was the best dressed royal at this event, although that silly headband thingie kinda ruins the rest of the outfit.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        The hat is hideous. It looks like a can-can dancer leaning over and lifting her skirt up to reveal her petticoat. Although that is probably “on point” for Kate.

      • Siobhan says:

        I actually really like both dresses and I like Bea’s headband too. I never liked that hat that Kate has which she has in many colors. I thought it always made sense that Kate dressed in this type of style for her role. She’s not a fashionista and that’s ok. I think it works for her and her clothes are always tailored well to her and fit. I don’t even see her as dressing too old or matronly, she is 40 years old after all, I think she dresses her age?

      • notasugarhere says:

        When she isn’t dressed like an 80 year old from the Victoria era (like this offering) she’s dressed as a 70 year old from the 1950s. Her wardrobe for the royal role is absolutely terrible. It is possible to dress professionally without looking like you’re at a costume party every day, but Kate hasn’t figured that out in 11 years on the job.

    • HufflepuffLizLemon says:

      Imagine if instead of the long sleeve, there was a soft, fluttery, sheer short or cap sleeve, and instead of the high-neck, there was a gentle scoop neck, right below her collar bones. And no buttons anywhere. It’s beautiful for a garden party. The waist and the flow around her legs are great.

      @Chloe, she wore almost the same hat in “pale yellow” for Meghan’s wedding.

      ETA-also wearing a racist Russian designer is certainly a choice right now.

      • Christine says:

        It is definitely a choice. She has a gift for always managing to stick her foot in the racist mud. NO ONE thought about this, especially with the Wimbledon decision?

    • Chic says:

      Yeah, but I’m happy she is working so much!! 2nd party since last week

      • JaneBee says:

        @Chic I love that in the world of Khate ‘working so much’ = two garden parties and a movie premier 😂😂🤦🏼‍♀️

    • Saba says:

      I truly don’t understand how someone with that much time, keenness, money and access can have such a terrible wardrobe and styling.

      Like… damn girl, call up Crown Princess Mary of Denmark for some help. Or get a stylist. Or steal some garb from the Queen. Anything but this.

      • Iz_Q says:

        She does need to call up Crown Princess Mary – STAT. Yesterday Mary repeated a dress from 2019. She attended the 90th anniversary of the Danish Royal Yacht. She proved you can look classic/timeless – yet still chic/modern. AND – She’s wearing a Danish designer. And maybe Frederik can give William some husband lessons! He looked amazing as well. I tried to post links to prove my points, but the post was deleted after moderator review. I am sure photos from yesterday are easy to find on Twitter for the visuals.

    • SugarHere says:

      This Kate dress looks like it’s taken straight out of Pride and Prejudice (no pun intended). Are these people for real? So out of touch, so sartorially insulated, so emotionally disconnected from current realities, which is problematic for a “future” queen.

    • DuchessL says:

      Why do I like this dress…?!

    • Julie says:

      Superfrump……Perfect!!

      Do you know what will help her face more than botox?? An orgasm. She needs to get her own rose bushes trimmed.

    • Mrs.Krabapple says:

      Once again, a british royal squinting in the sun because they don’t understand how hats works. I don’t find their (mis)use of hats to be fashionable, to me it just looks ridiculous.

  2. Blujfly says:

    She wore a Russian designer right now? So much for “diplomatic dressing.”

    The hat is hideous. It was hideous in the other 2 colors or 1 white she has it in and it’s much worse in this color.

    ETA: OMG have the “private dressmaker” dresses just always been ones readily available but made by citizens of “controversial” nations?

    • Lorelei says:

      It’s also super convenient that Kate wore something by a “private dressmaker” — so the price would be unknown, and therefore show up in the annual tally as £0.00 — when Meghan was there.

      Kate is really a piece of work.

    • C-Shell says:

      I HATE the hat. Yes, in all the colors she has it in. My god. I also loathe the big ole fat headband thing, and I used to wear headbands a lot when I had longer hair. Sorry, Bea, it’s hideous. I could have been complacent about the style, color, button extravaganza, the matchy matchy accessories, but to learn the designer is both Russian and racist *at this particular time* is a shocking choice, Khate.

      • PaulaH says:

        Kate doesn’t care. She has an entire press and nation that will stand with her no matter what she does. The rest of the world, well that’s another thing

      • SuzieQ says:

        Bea’s hat looks like an armadillo.

    • Charm says:

      I like (/sarc) how everyone (except SussexSquad) is just following the lead of the britshidtmedia in NOT making a big stink out of the fact tht while most civilized countries, including even uk, are punishing russia (with some collateral damage to even innocent russians) the FFQC is proudly and defiantly wearing a russian designer when it is very well known tht she’s a try-hard theme/flag dresser.

      We must ask ourselves, are the royals sending a message of support to putin?

      He IS one of their benefactors, afterall.

      • Anna says:

        seriously this. They would rip Meg (and anyone else) apart for something like that! You don’t need a deep political knowledge to avoid this, the war is literally on our doorstep. It only shows what Kate thinks about – how she looks. Not even step further.

      • Jais says:

        Good point. She is such a flag cosplay theme dresser that it’s hard to believe she did not consider the fact that she was wearing a dress from a Russian dressmaker. She could have worn a Ukrainian designer! I do not believe she is that ignorant. No wonder all they brought was smiles to the Ukrainian refugees.

      • Christine says:

        I think every single item in her closet is accompanied by where she wore it, who designed it, etc…

        She can claim she and everyone who works with her closet is so terminally lazy they didn’t bother to read the notes, but that’s all she can say at this point.

    • Liz Version 700 says:

      I couldn’t believe it. The dress is hideous all on its own, the color washes her out and the design is so old fashioned. Then the flower on her hat is the size of her head. It’s a horrible look. But add to that that she wore a Racist Russian designer’s dress…my God

      • BothSidesNow says:

        @ Liz Version 700, she is beyond any help. The utter fact that she is wearing something of a Russian designer should be a wake up call to KHates fans. Where is the outrage for this?

        As for Beatrice, I’m sorry but this is a fail. That headband could probably pick up the local stations. It’s enormous and a monstrosity.

      • Lux says:

        This is Kate’s “I don’t really care, do you?” moment, except Melania actually had the balls to spell it out. Keen is so lazy she’s making Putin read between the buttons.

    • Gruey says:

      Oh it’s worse than that. This is pro-oligarchs dressing. The designers ex husband was literally sanctioned by the us. She’s very much oligarch adjacent. Kate is making a clear statement wearing this now.

  3. Becks1 says:

    I like the flow of the skirt on this dress, but the buttons – she just can’t help herself can she? The color isn’t bad but then you have the matchy-matchy shoes, clutch, hat, and earrings and its just overload.

    I know Bea has often attended a garden party or two, but right now all I can think is….so she works and earns her own money but – gasp – can also represent the queen in a…..part time capacity?? You don’t say.

    • Layla says:

      The colour and all the accessories are pretty. At least there’s that.
      Lol if this was before 2018, you know she’d be wearing those stupid nude heels. Meghan’s influence

    • JaneBee says:

      @Becks1 Yes, they don’t like to talk about that one so much, hey. Prince Michael too. Apparently Putin’s money is fine, it’s that dirty Netflix money you really have to worry about.

  4. Lucy says:

    If this was navy with tiny polka dots and knee length, I would love it…for myself!

  5. Jillian says:

    I have a woven straw headband similar to what Beatrice has on but maybe 1/3rd of the size. And everytime I put it on, I ask “does it look like I just have a basket on my head?” It’s a choice, that’s for sure

    • Nick G says:

      In my imagination, I have been thinking lately that Bea and Eu were clearly super traumatized by the press coverage of the Great Fascinator Controversy in 2011 ( William’s wedding). As a result they have glommed on to this new trend with a vengeance…. in order to avoid wearing fascinators or hats at all again!

      • Debbie says:

        Yes, but surely there must be something else between wearing a maxi pad and a toilet seat on one’s head?

  6. Amy Bee says:

    The Russian designer was suspected but never confirmed. But the dress was terrible. Grandma couture at its finest.

    • Jais says:

      Marie Claire UK is saying it’s from Emilia Wickstead? I’m thinking they’re wrong due to the Twitter receipts and the fact that the BM studiously stated private dresser as opposed to Russian dresser.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Sophie’s is EW & I agree with your point about them sticking with the private dressmaker story. They know darned well who made that dress, they just don’t want to say.

    • Becks1 says:

      So it seems if it wasn’t from the Russian designer, then her “private dressmaker” absolutely ripped off the designer and added more buttons, based on the WKW post Lorelei linked below.

      If it is from the Russian designer, even if it was bespoke, why not just say that? Did someone at KP realize that even in 2019, the FFQC wearing a Russian designer was not a good look?

      • Nic919 says:

        Since when has she even had a private dressmaker? This seems awfully convenient.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Nic this is the only dress I can think of where it was said to be a “private dressmaker.” Being from a Russian designer makes sense in that context, unfortunately. If it was “just” a bespoke piece (and so therefore doesn’t have a price), they would still name the designer like they do for all her bespoke Emilia Wickstead and Jenny Packham and McQueen designs.

      • Lyn O'Callaghan says:

        I seem to remember a pale yellow broderie monstrosity from the first Australian “holiday” that was listed as made by a private dressmaker, I wouldn’t admit to making it either. What I can’t believe is that this hapless moron wore a new pair of pale blue suede shoes on the wet grass.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Didn’t realize the Russian dress conversation was going on here. Copying my comment from the other thread. KP generally does not release info about her clothing. Designers come forward when they feel like it to say she’s wearing their stuff, or stans do some sleuthing and find it out. But this dress? This is straight from the design board of Sergeenko. That Keen’s own staff have now dictated to the Fail that it is ‘from her private dressmaker’? This only confirms it 1) is from Sergeenko and they don’t want to admit it or 2) the design was stolen from Sergeenko and they don’t want to admit it. Either way, it is Russian.

      • Lady D says:

        “wore a new pair of pale blue suede shoes” They’re not green?

      • BeanieBean says:

        @Nic919: that’s the thing I keep coming back to. While Kate has copied Diana’s style (or tried to) over & over again, people forget, Diana had a lot of her clothes–her tour clothes, at least–made specifically for her. Kate has never done that; she’s had some designer clothes altered specifically for her, but never bespoke. This dress was the first of its kind when she wore it two years ago & they said a private dressmaker made it. Has she worn anything by this private dressmaker since? No.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        @Lyn O’Callaghan — both Kate and Beatrice look ridiculous wearing their stilettos to a garden party. It plays into the stereotype that women are dumb, shallow creatures, and high heels can cause permanent damage, I just wish celebrities would begin moving away from them, but ESPECIALLY in situations where high heels are not appropriate.

      • Jais says:

        I cannot get over her wearing a dress from a Russian “private dressmaker” right now. And the BM covering it up by letting her just say oh it’s from my private dressmaker. Who happens to be a Russian racist. It feels like I’m being naive to be so shocked by this but I still am!

  7. girl_ninja says:

    That first photo of Bam Bam and KKKate looks like misery. She looks more and more dead in the eyes as the years pass. And he just looks like sh*t. Bea actually looks good in that 80’s inspired dress because she has actual hips to pull it off.

  8. Merricat says:

    Kate is the pin-up princess for white supremacy. Every look she wears is stained with that.

  9. Merricat says:

    Not a good day for me. I’ll see myself out.

  10. Cessily says:

    She chose a Russian designer that is comfortable enough in her racism to post racial slurs on her social media accounts.. ugly dress and an even uglier choice.

  11. Lorelei says:

    In the What Kate Wore post about this, they said there were “similarities” and tried to show the differences between this dress and the designer one — but imo, Kate’s “private dressmaker” absolutely ripped off that designer’s work. Made _the tiniest_ of changes, but definitely copied it.

    https://whatkatewore.com/2022/05/25/the-duchess-in-new-accessories-and-a-repeated-dress-for-palace-garden-party/

    • Cessily says:

      Imo, They would have just stated the designer like they always do then. They chose to refer to her as a “private” designer for a reason.

      • Harper says:

        Even the Kate fans over at WKW don’t like the sanitarium patient look she has going on here. Someone actually commented that Kate is great at chit chat and never lets a smile leave her face even though she’s worn out. Worn out? From what?

        I guess I can understand a woman who only gets main stream media coverage of Kate still thinking she is great, but I cannot understand how anyone can swallow the propaganda that Kate is a hard worker who is being run ragged by the Firm. Kate comes out once a week, usually on Wednesdays.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      Thank you for the link @ Lorelei!! The original dress looked much better, IMO. But of course it didn’t have enough BUTTONS!! My gawd, when will CopyKeen get over her buttons and bows….

  12. J. Ferber says:

    The first pic in which K and W are standing far apart like toy soldiers is so weird. The look is also like boxed dolls that have just been taken out of the box for the first time. The two make no attempt, like normal, married people, to stand together and talk, touch, smile, etc. What a very strange marriage.

  13. Gizmo’sMa says:

    She has literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of dresses she can wear and she chooses a dresses by a racist Russian designer. She cannot be this clueless.

    • Beverley says:

      I refuse to believe that Buttons is that clueless. I believe she is an unrepentant bigot and wants her stans to be clear about that fact. There is an element of society who hate Meghan for existing, they are rampant racists and Kate is playing up to them.

      • Sunday says:

        I completely agree – this woman has an entire staff to strategize and plan every aspect of her wardrobe down to the last button. It’s intentional.

      • Harper says:

        Of course Kate (or someone in her wardrobe dept.) knew that wearing a Russian designer is not a good look right now. But Kate gets away with EVERYTHING to the point where she is now so emboldened that she can wear a Russian designer, lie about it, and still the British press will continue to turn a blind eye.

      • Gizmo’sMa says:

        I know Kate is an ignorant racist. She refuses to educate herself on anything that doesn’t involve her. She’s supposed to represent not only the UK but the commonwealth. How small minded can she be to wear a Russian designer right now? There are plenty of silent signals she can send her racist fan base without crapping on the citizens she represents and the refuges they are hosting right now!

        Just when I think there’s nothing this Karen can do that will surprise me. She does this.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Definitely not clueless. I know a lot of people believe her and Will’s actions are because they’re so clueless and in their own bubble, and that’s true to an extent. But I’ve always felt that they know exactly how their actions and choices come across more often than people think, and they simply don’t care because they know they won’t suffer any real consequences. They know the monarchy and the media will move mountains to protect and make excuses for them. Same thing with this choice to wear an outfit from a “private dressmaker”.

  14. The Hench says:

    Look! ANOTHER pair of those same suede, pointy toed stilettos in a colour that doesn’t quite match the dress. Not seen these paler green ones before so I make these the eighth pair of the same shoes she has. And that hat is the same as the yellow one she wore on the balcony but this time in green.

    Bea looks like she has a fat snake wrapped round her head. Ugh.

    • Concern Fae says:

      What I can’t understand is why she is wearing those heels on grass. It just doesn’t seem practical. I swear, when our grandchildren look at pictures from this era, they will be astonished at women wearing these high, spindly heels in the professional realm. I understand them for evening wear. But women wear them to working events where they are supposedly there as experts doing a job.

      • BeanieBean says:

        I think of this every time I see photos of the royals at Ascot, or the Derby, or any other horse event. They’re wearing heels to walk around in grass. Never made any sense to me.

      • Christine says:

        My theory is because it is hilarious to watch women in ridiculously high heels stomp divots. Thanks to whoever came up with protocol at horsy events.

  15. Nopity Nope says:

    She is taking this “QE2” stand in role at the garden parties seriously with the monochrome dressing, huh? Copy keen can’t help herself.

  16. CindyP says:

    Why are they standing at attention on the patio? Are they not allowed to smile? It’s a garden party, not a funeral
    And that dress is hideous…all I got

    • Becks1 says:

      That’s during the national anthem, which is played before the royals greet the guests.

    • Kirsty says:

      Why oh why are they standing like that? Completely rigid like they’ve got rods up their arses. Are they supposed to look inspirational or regal? They just look like the two out-of-touch sour snobs they are. Pictures of Queen Mary and George V show more charisma than these two, and that’s saying something. Even if they are standing for the national anthem they look so stiff, uncomfortable and unnatural.

      That’s all Kate is. A dress with matchy accessories and a new pair of earrings. She has nothing else interesting going on.

      What a life.

  17. Aurora says:

    Kate looks sooooo dated. Like carbon-dated. Surely there’s a way to be event-appropriate yet still look modern? I know someone who could help Kate. I saw her at a polo match a few days ago sporting a perfectly retro look.

    • Cessily says:

      It reminds me of the Gunne Sax brand from the late 70’s early 80’s.. or something Nellie Olsen would choose on “Little house on the Prairie”.

      • ⁰Eurydice says:

        Lol, I posted the same below.

      • JanetDR says:

        I was just scrolling down to see if anyone had mentioned Jessica London 🤣 I absolutely had a very similar dress in the early 90s that I wore for interviews and church. Chambray blue with sprigs and lots of tiny buttons!

      • BeanieBean says:

        OMG, I had forgotten about my Jessica London dresses! Kate’s polka dot PP memorial dress actually reminded me of one of mine.

      • Deering24 says:

        Oh, great–so she’s going through her sister-wife period again? Yeesh…🙃😳🙄🙄

  18. Layla says:

    lol they’ll come out with a statement or something super promising that this was made by a private dressmaker but it’s pretty obvious where the influence came from.
    Also, she’s wearing clothing from racist Russian designers whilst at the same time throwing out to the media how she’ll be embarrassed as Wimbledon patron to potentially come face to face with Russian/Belarusian tennis players?

    • Nic919 says:

      According to the telegraph part of the reason why Wimbledon banned Russian players was to avoid embarrassing her. And here she does this.

    • Kit says:

      Bea dress and shoes are gorgeous, she looks great but Good Jesus please take that headband off and throw it in de River Thames, it looks awful, too big for her head, a dusty pink Philip Tracy vintage head piece or hat would of looked divine here ! Kate outfit well what can one say de hat is sooo.dated and is too old for her, big flowers at de side are awful, artifical flowers too, ahhhh terrible, bet Carol.picked that out, very her !!!! De dress well l don’t know , museum maybe ,???

  19. Nev says:

    Outdated.

    • Lizzie says:

      Bordering on being a costume.

      • Harper says:

        I feel like even costume designers would do a better job for their character. Unless the role they were dressing was a dead Victorian laid out for her viewing. Then this dress would work.

  20. Tessa says:

    At least the hat covers the unflattering hairdo

  21. Carmie says:

    Going out on a limb here to say I don’t mind the dress, for the occasion in question and on Kate. This is her kind of thing and it fits her well and I kinda like the peppermint on her.
    I am however going to throw some shade at the hat – how many of those does she have? With all your money and resources, get some variety going! Or rewear the off-white one. You don’t need one in peppermint to go with the vaguely maybe primrose yellow and the off white one. Kate love, you obviously like dressing up. Get a stylist. Who isn’t your mam. Hell, go on Etsy and find something fun and artisan.

  22. L84Tea says:

    I like the color and I like the bottom half of the dress. But the entire top half, all the way up her flying saucer hat, looks completely ridiculous and like a costume. Kate always looks like she’s starring in a 19th century play when she dresses up for these outdoor events.

  23. Mooney says:

    The dress would have looked nice if it had a slightly free neckline and less frumpy sleeves. But anyway, keep it up The-Duchess-Who-Buttons. We’re waiting how she’ll look outdated next to Meghan’s freshness.

  24. Eurydice says:

    Nothing says “don’t touch me” like a high collar and rows of little buttons – almost like one of those flannel nightgowns from Little House on the Prairie.

  25. Aster says:

    Am I the only one who thinks it’s a bit weird she didn’t share her umbrella with Manfed Goldberg and his wife while talking to them take sure they didn’t get wet? He’s 92 after all

  26. Sophie says:

    Does anyone know why she juts her lower jaw forward? You can see it in the first photo after Kaiser’s glorious write-up. I’ve seen this before (even when she’s talking) and always wondered.

    • Beverley says:

      Can Kkkhate control her facial expressions? Seems like she struggles to even move her face. Too much Botox and fillers! Damn, she’s only 40! What will her face be doing in 20 years? Poor girl, genetics haven’t been kind to her. It must be true: you get the face you deserve.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      She does it when she’s using the faux posh accent. Maybe she also does it to try to help with her sagging cheeks?

    • BeanieBean says:

      No, y’all, this is simply her facial structure. Back when she got engaged, there were a slew of photos published of Kate throughout her childhood. I think they were credited to her dad, or maybe the Middleton family. Anyway, this is skull, muscles, tendons, & ligaments & how they all align (or not). You see her lower jaw skew to the right while speaking in her engagement interview.

  27. ThatsNotOkay says:

    Who holds an umbrella like that. What in the Mary Poppins chicanery…

    • Dhianna says:

      KKKhate has to always show off the “Big Blue” hahaha

    • BeanieBean says:

      I figured two hands on the umbrella meant she clearly wasn’t going to shake anyone’s hand. No touching the (married-in) royal!

  28. Seraphina says:

    Kate is a downer for me fashion wise. The jewels are the only thing of interest on her and the aquamarine earrings are worth $180 – Carousel Jewels which is reported as London based.

    • Lady D says:

      I’m not so sure those are aquamarines. Compare these earrings to the aquamarine ring Meghan wore on her wedding night. Huge difference in the colour and clarity of the stones. I will freely admit that I know very little about them, these might be actual aquamarines, but they look like jade to me.

      • Blue Nails Betty says:

        Aquamarines come on various shades of clarity. The earrings look like aquamarines that are opaque (caused by inclusions). The ring Meghan wore was clear with no inclusions. They are both aquamarines.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Very low quality, completely included aquas are now being sold as ‘milky aqua’ as if we’re supposed to be impressed. She has plenty of 6000 pound ugly gemstone earrings from Kiki McD, these ugly ones are her pretending she isn’t spendthrift.

      • Seraphina says:

        @NOTA, I love looking at jewelry – both beautiful and not so beautiful. These earrings are not very attractive. I agree she wears some not so pretty baubles.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        They look like plastic.

  29. JaneBee says:

    To be fair – this is more in line with ‘garden party’ dress code than the heavy, formal pink coat dress she wore to the previous garden party. The length and fabric are much more suitable. That said, this colour washes her out and she generally looks pretty miserable here with Baldy.

  30. Over it says:

    Just this morning I was thinking that Kate and baldy haven’t worked in ages. And now look, she read Kaiser last article about the garden party she went to without baldy and told him he had to come to this one because people were talking about his absence. Now I know this is not work,neither are movie premiers.I just don’t know how these people justify and get away with doing nothing and still getting millions and living the good life while the peasants who actually work suffer.it’s truly baffling to me

  31. NMB says:

    Comparing this mess to Downton Abbey is an affront to their costume designers!! Hah.

  32. Nikki (Toronto) says:

    That Russian designer is not only racist, she said some horrible homophobic/transphobic things about BryanBoy on some Russian talk show. Bryan and Diet Prada covered it back in day (2018 or 2019)

  33. heygingersnaps says:

    Are khate’s ankles always like that? There’s just something odd about them.

    • Sarah says:

      I think they look odd in that one photo because her heel was probably sinking into the soft ground.

      • heygingersnaps says:

        It’s the first photo on this post. The one where she and bulliam are standing like they have a stick up their arses.

  34. Lizzie says:

    Dowager Violet Crawley wore it better.

  35. Zut Alors says:

    I will say this for Kate: she wears hats very well. Everything else is questionable.

  36. J. Ferber says:

    Eurydice, why would Kate want a “don’t touch me” dress? Were there Black people there?

    • TigerMcQueen says:

      There were! The RR made sure to take a picture of William talking to them to prove what a not racist he is.

    • swirlmamad says:

      Because she was attending with William. That’s a “not tonight” dress/nightgown look if I ever saw one.

  37. Patty says:

    Sooooo , we haven’t seen much of Eugenie attending the Jubilee celebrations…is she shunned because of the H&M relationship ?

  38. Over it says:

    Kaiser, I think you owe Kate a bouquet of buttons for keeping you employee in the buttons counting industry. Lol

  39. Lululu says:

    When I saw the pictures yesterday, my first thought was, “Meghan wouldn’t be caught dead in that dress, or anything like it.” And that was just based on the style, not the racist Russian designer.

  40. khaveman says:

    She is “mono-chroming” like the queen does. No risk taken, ever. Just all matchey matchey.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Not quite. The queen always wears black shoes & carries a black handbag.

  41. Nicole says:

    The dress is lovely but I feel like it’s too dowdy for a woman so young. I like it, I just don’t like it for her. It gives me Mormon FDLS vibes. But I guess that’s the desire, eh? When the colonial spirit and ethnic subjugation was at an all time high?

  42. February Pisces says:

    I like the odd frill and button detail, it can look very cute. By this whole look belongs in another century. If Kate genuinely love vintage style that would actually be amazing, but she doesn’t. She never even wears vintage clothing. She wear these Victorian looking clothes earnestly thinking she looks modern.

  43. IdenticalOskar says:

    I actually like this dress. It’s elegant and understated. I find most of what she wears to be completely uninspiring/downright ugly.

    • notasugarhere says:

      I find this dress to be just like Kate and her usual style – uninspiring and ugly.

  44. AmelieOriginal says:

    The sleeves and buttons ruin what is otherwise an okay dress. I don’t understand Kate’s love for those billowy tapered sleeves, there’s probably a more technical name for it that I don’t know. Balloon sleeves? She really loves cosplaying I’ve noticed at these kinds of events, the garden parties and the Ascot races etc. And of course the dress is a Russian designer. The hat and the earrings are nice I guess.

    • BeanieBean says:

      I had a lovely silk shift dress back in the ’80s with those kind of sleeves, including the buttons! I loved it. They have a nice feel as you walk, etc.

  45. tamsin says:

    I think Beatrice looked lovely. The dress reveals her lovely new figure, looks cool and breezy for a warm spring day, and the headband works fine with the dress. Sophie also looks very nice in her fit and flare dress. I like both those dresses and the colours look good on both women. Kate’s dress is her style, and I’m glad to see she’s sticking to it. She looks nice, and suitably dressed for a garden party. I think the pale pastel washes her out a bit, though. “God Save the Queen” is always played before the royals meet the guests, so there is usually a photo of the the attending royals looking serious or grumpy and lined up in a straight line like a firing squad. That picture doesn’t depict how they feel about each other, although I don’t think there is a law against people smiling during the national anthem.

    • Princessk says:

      So Beatrice has stepped into her father’s shoes and is doing royal duties and getting paid for it. I thought royals were not allowed to be half in and half out. Double standards!

      • Mary says:

        My thoughts exactly @princessk. Beatrice has an outside job and is now performing official duties, as she was mentioned in the court circular for this event. Sometimes I think the royals pull crap like this because they think it’s funny to troll the Sussexes by doing the very things that the Sussexes were not allowed to do (like the Cambridges posing for selfies during their recent catastrophic tour).

  46. Julia K says:

    Love the earrings. They look expensive.

  47. Leelalee says:

    It isn’t another one of her endless coat dresses. That is the best I can come up with for this look.

  48. First comment says:

    At this point, I think they are trolling us…we are to believe the unbelievable: that this isn’t the Russian designer ‘s dress. In 2019, different sites mentioned the Russian designer of Kate’s dress from her 2014 collection and I didn’t see a refusal ( I have to admit that I didn’t search long). But in 2019, there weren’t any war… thus, the private designer… I’m pretty impressed by the way the British media cover for them by twisting the truth.

    • First comment says:

      And, anyway, even if the dress is really from a private dressmaker, why risk it? I mean, she has dozens of dresses.. why did she choose this particular dress knowing that there will a debacle about the Russian designer? The design is too close to the dress made Sergeenko… why did she wear it?

  49. Green Desert says:

    Bea looks great, I’m really liking her style.

    The other one looks like she always does – matronly, old-fashioned, horrible styling. The Russian racist designer is a nice and thoughtful touch. Ugh.

  50. Twinkle says:

    The dress looks like Miss Havisham’s night gown. Ugh. Those earrings look cheap. Even Kate’s taste in jewelry is pedestrian. She has multiples of that hat. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Yeah, those are bad earrings. Claire’s carries nicer earrings than those!

    • Margaret says:

      The earrings do not match the style of the outfit. They remind me of the cheap plastic trinkets that come out of a Christmas cracker.

  51. TheOriginalMia says:

    Could have left that thing on a dolly and wheeled it over to the Downton Abbey exhibit. Jeez. Super frumpy.

    I like what Beatrice has on, but that headband should be burned in Grandpa Phil’s BBQ pit.

  52. CourtneyB says:

    Tge dress was noted in 2019 as being by a private dressmaker not Sergeenko. But it was also written that it was pretty much a direct copy of one of hers. So Kate liked the dress then but either didn’t want to pay the price (unlikely but who knows) or didn’t want to purchase a dress by that designer for some reason. There were slight moderations to the design, namely BUTTONS. So it’s not news, or new,that it was a private dressmaker and not the Russian designer. But good lord what an idiotic choice to make now. She needs to do what Queen Mary used to and have cards noting every detail of the outfit and when/where it was worn. Then she might realize that her plagiarized dress was by as Russian during a time when they’re persona non grata. (The racism obviously wouldn’t be a consideration).

  53. Marjorie Ireland says:

    Why is Kate middle wearing a Russian designer after claiming to support Ukraine? This is the very definition of jypocrisy!

  54. Mel says:

    I’m constantly as to why such a young woman loves to wear dresses that would be great for a little girl or a matronly woman.

  55. HeatherC says:

    The dress and the hat remain as ugly as they were the first time she wore them. My opinion is unchanged

  56. Debbie says:

    She wore 32 buttons held together by mint green fabric. Some epitaph.

    Re Beatrice: Why is that girl wearing a mattress cushion on her head? It’s like a damned compress.

  57. Margaret says:

    I don’t care for Kate’s dress at all, but at least there are no bows. The hat with the giant fake flowers is awful IMO, or at least it looks awful on Kate, with that long hair hanging down her back. With a neat chignon it might not be so bad.

    I wonder if she chooses these styles or someone else chooses them for her? I can’t help feeling that the woman who looks so good in unfussy casual clothes might choose something much less fussy for dress-up occasions if left to her own devices, but maybe this sort of thing with frills or bows and many fiddly little buttons is to her taste.

    And that thing on Bea’s head is ridiculous.

  58. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    Gosh, the love, respect, and passion between William and Kate is so palpable, isn’t it?

  59. HamsterJam says:

    I actually like her dress and it matches his waistcoat. The clothes compliment each other, but their rigor stance and the expression on their faces ruins it all.

    They do not look lovely in those clothes. They look like two trapped souls condemned throughout eternity to haunt the Overlook Hotel.

    They are giving off a major charisma vortex vibe, like their reason for living is to personally suck the joy out of their surroundings.

  60. Sammy Sushi says:

    If she had colored the flowers. Pastels. Just to break the monochrome.