The Duchess of Sussex wore Ralph Lauren and Stephen Jones for the christening of Prince Louis today.
The Duke and Duchess were among the family members and close friends at St. James’s Palace for the christening.
Below, the guest of honor arriving with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince George and Princess Charlotte. This is the first time we have seen the family of five together.
Just behind them you can see Harry and Meghan. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, performed the christening. He also did Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s christenings, and officiated at Meghan and Harry’s wedding in May. In this video from the Daily Mail’s Rebecca English you see the couple with the Archbishop.
Lots to giggle about with the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after he officiated at their wedding. pic.twitter.com/HsX2Xm1pXj
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) July 9, 2018
His Royal Highness appeared to sleep through most (if not all) of the event.
Earlier in the day the six godparents were announced; we share details on them from People’s story:
- Lady Laura Meade is James Meade’s wife. James is godfather to Princess Charlotte. She and James live not far from the Cambridges and have been seen joining the young family at events this summer in both Norfolk and Gloucestershire.
- Hannah Carter is a Marlborough College friend of Kate’s, she is married to Robert Carter. (Robert is also the brother of Sophie Carter — one of Kate’s closest confidants.) The Carter family lives in the county of Norfolk, close to Anmer Hall, where William and Kate have their country home.
- Lucy Middleton is a lawyer and a cousin of Kate. She is the niece of Kate’s dad Michael Middleton – and the sister of Adam Middleton, who is one of Princess Charlotte’s godparents
- Nicholas van Cutsem is one of the four van Custem brothers, who have been close to William and Harry since they were very young. He is dad to royal bridesmaid Grace — who was memorably snapped covering her ears on the Buckingham Palace balcony when she was an attendant for William and Kate in 2011. UPDATE: this is incorrect; Mr van Cutsem is Grace’s uncle, not her father.
- Harry Aubrey-Fletcher is one of William’s close friends from school, attending both prep school with the prince and, later, Eton College. He was also an usher at the wedding of William and Kate in 2011.
- Guy Pelly is a longtime close friend of William, Harry and Kate. William and Harry also attended his stateside wedding in Memphis.
Here is a look at today’s order of service.
Prince Louis was in the same christening gown worn by Prince George at his christening.
And Princess Charlotte at hers.
It is a very close copy of the gown worn by many British royal family members. More from USA Today:
Inspired by the design of Victoria’s wedding dress and believed to have been made of the same silk and lace, the garment was worn by 62 royal babies at their christenings over the next 163 years, including Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry.
After the christening of Lady Louise Windsor in 2004, the original gown was deemed too fragile, and in 2008, Queen Elizabeth II’s dresser, Angela Kelly, and Buckingham Palace’s team of dressmakers created a new garment for future royal christenings.
Below, Prince Charles in the original gown at his christening.
Following the service, there was a reception. On the menu: christening cake, taken from one of the top tiers of William and Kate’s wedding cake.
Meghan sported a monochromatic look in olive or khaki green, beginning with her dress by Ralph Lauren.
We believe the piece is bespoke, perhaps based off of a Resort 2019 style (below left), and a current jersey-knit dress in green ($93) from the Lauren Ralph Lauren line (below right).
Lauren Ralph Lauren is the brand’s more budget-friendly collection. The dress features a boat neck, high waist with a thin belt, and sleeves that are full at the top and tight at the elbow. The frock hits just below the knee.
Meghan has described herself as a Ralph Lauren fan in the past. Here you see her in “Ralph Lauren head to toe” as described in a June 30, 2016 post on her Instagram page.
Thoughts about what Meghan wore in this Telegraph story by Bethan Holt, the paper’s fashion news and features director.
She has taken a far more international approach to her wardrobe than British royal women before her which reflects her own background as an American who lived in Canada before meeting her prince and the fact that she and Harry are being tipped as global ambassadors for the Royal family and Commonwealth.
Lauren couldn’t be more Establishment, except he’s the US rather UK version. His designs speak of glossy Hamptons glamour but his name has also become synonymous with a clean-cut American casual look, as evidenced by his ubiquitous polo shirts.
Meghan’s heels remain something of a mystery. Initially, we thought they were another pair of Manolo Blahnik BB pumps, but that’s not the case. It’s possible the Duchess was wearing this Sergio Rossi style, the ‘Godiva’ pumps in suede. The ‘Godiva’ has a toe guard or cap on the sole of the shoe.
UPDATE: A tip of the tiara to WMW follower Kat for suggesting the LK Bennett Fern in Green – the shoes look like a good match and also have a toe cap guard on the soles. The difference is the heel cap – Meghan’s heel cap appears lighter while the LK Bennett pair have a darker heel cap.
You can just spot the toe cap guard on the bottom of the LK Bennett pair.
As we mentioned, the Duchess wore a hat by Stephen Jones. Meghan also carried matching gloves and a handbag. Neither of these items has been identified.
We saw Meghan’s ‘Galanterie de Cartier’ earrings in white gold with diamonds. (Shown below as worn on her wedding day.)
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Tomorrow is a busy day; we’ll see you for the service at Westminster Abbey marking the RAF’s 100th Anniversary and other events marking the occasion. Below, a photo from a final dress rehearsal this morning for the Queen’s Color Squadron.
Queen’s Color Squadron Twitter (Click photo to visit feed)The flypast is slated to be one of the largest in decades, with the broadest selection of aircraft used in a flypast since the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
Here is the schedule for the day’s events.
- 10:30am (5:30 am ET) Westminster Abbey service
- 11:25am (6:25 am ET) Parade on the Mall
- 1:00 pm (8 am ET)
- There will be live coverage on BBC One from 9:30 am to 1:20 pm BST
Brit0728 says
Lovely ensemble, I’m in the tiny group of “great color for a different season”, but the pieces themselves are terrific and she wears them well. If I had been told this had been photographed in September, it would be sublime, and the gloves would make sense, so my quibble is only over the calendar detail. Here, the gloves look like an affectation – but at least she isn’t wearing them! I’ll let those slide. The hat is wonderful for her, far better than the pink Treacy hats she’s worn – Stephen Jones should be her go-to milliner, his designs don’t look unfinished when they are minimally embellished, and clean-lined hats are definitely the most flattering for Meghan. I don’t mind the waistline panel and belt loops at all, it helped to set off her waist, since she doesn’t have an hourglass torso. These earrings are another of my favorite pairs she has, just so elegant and lovely. A for July 9, A+ for any appearance in autumn.
Barbara says
I am absolutely addicted to What Meghan Wore and can’t wait until What Charlotte Wore debuts! I adore her smocked dresses! Thank you for all you do!
Jill says
Its a beautiful dress and it really suits the Duchess. I like the tailoring, much better than some previous outfits. However…it feels a bit like she didn’t get the memo regarding colour! All of the other family are wearing cream or a shade of blue. I think it might stand out too much in the family photos but I suppose we’ll see later in the week. Also i dont understand the gloves given the weather.
Maryam says
I’m afraid I’m not loving this look. I like the sleeves of the dress and the belt is pretty but the middle section just makes DOS look so much more boxy than she normally looks. I’m afraid I do not like the suede shoes at all. The hat is fantastic and I love that. I like the matching colors but I’m overall not in love with olive for a christening. I would prefer to see a cream or pastel.
I know the boat neckline looks good on her, and she obviously loves the style, but I would like to see her branch out a bit! Another day, another boat neck….
Maureen C says
Another win! I adore this overall look. The dress is elegant, the shoes compliment it perfectly, I like the low pony, and I absolutely love the hat. I’m happy to see Meghan opt for brimmed hats recently! I found the gloves in July to be rather odd, but otherwise, I think she looks beautiful head to toe! Olive is a great neutral on her.
Barbara says
Love the dress, hat and shoes. Dislike this color both for the time of year and the occasion.
Antonia says
I really like this outfit on Meghan, it’s probably one of my favorites she’s worn lately! It’s monochromatic without being too matchy-matchy and I love the way this dress’ cut lays on her. Everyone is calling the color “olive” but I have to say that if you look at it in sunlight, it looks more like a lovely deep summer sage and with her complexion is just gorg. I love her hat and hair combo, I think it fits the overall vibe of the outfit very well. Nice, sleek, modern, exactly what I want from a modern royal. I can’t wait to see what she wears in Ireland.
Jessica says
This is lovely. The color is not a personal favorite, and I would look ill in it, but there’s no denying it suits Meghan. And I think the open neck and the sleeves are very graceful and elegant. She has obviously clued into the fact that that kind of bateau neck looks outstanding on her, and more power to her for that–I hope she wears it all summer long.
I have always enjoyed the head-to-toe color-matching look, something I think mere mortals can rarely pull off but that always looks smart on royals at important events. Her hat is a gem–just a wisp of contrasting material, beautifully placed. This is the kind of treatment I was arguing would elevate the unadorned hats at the garden party and Trooping the Color.
The only thing I’m puzzling over is the belt–it seems odd to have a high waist with belt loops significantly below that. It reminds me of certain 80s looks, which does not (in my mind) go with the rest of the garment. I think Meghan probably likes a slim belt for its waist-defining qualities, but in this case I think it would have been better either to forgo it (and the belt loops) completely, or for the dress to be designed so that the waist seaming and belt placement matched.
Great shoes–hope she gets the chance to wear them again!
Becky says
I loved her look here. The dress fit her perfectly, I loved the blousy sleeves, the shoes, hat – everything looked perfect. She is really doing a nice job with incorporating some trends while not being totally over the top trendy (i.e. the sleeves here). I liked the color too – considering how much ivory and ice blue there was, the olive green was a nice change.
Lee N says
I’m so happy to see that most of the comments on this site didn’t include complaints about the inappropriateness of the color of Meghan’s dress. To me, it’s the fabric that either makes or breaks the call on whether something is appropriate for a season of the year. If, as has been suspected, there are times when “a memo” goes out citing the color scheme, I’m sure Meghan receives it; I seriously doubt that it would be any more than a suggestion, though. I think this was a brilliant selection for today’s event — it wasn’t her time to shine but she showed the proper respect for the occasion. I thought the dress was well-fitted, with a perfect length for her, and I loved the hat. The only quibble I have is that the leather gloves (and I love a glove, whether worn or carried) didn’t really seem fine enough for this outfit — they seemed a little thick and clunky to me. But, no matter, in this heat there was no way she was putting them on!
NOTE: Quick Admin Edit
C says
Don’t forget Harry & Meghan are in Dublin, Ireland today!
G says
She looks GREAT. That boatneck is becoming a signature for her. The blousy top paired with the hip yoke flatter her straight-ish figure. And I like this color to her redhead husband. Beautiful couple.
Ellis says
Absolutely stunning–I think that this is her best “royal” outfit yet, by a long shot (and I had a fairly favorable opinion of her Ascot outfit and Trooping suit). This is a perfect example of how to pull off a loosely fitted dress and minimalist hat, and I think that the belt breaks up the dress perfectly and prevents the overall outfit from looking too matchy-matchy. The sleek, straight ponytail perfectly compliments the dress and hat, and the color looks stunning on her even if it is an unconventional choice for summer. An absolute win for Meghan today!
Kat says
I believe her shoes are from L.K.Benett. Must be the Fern pumps in Khaki.
WhatMeghanWore says
Kat – thank you! Never thought about this earlier of all the shoes we were thinking about – the obvious with the toe guard! 🙂 – SC
WhatMeghanWore says
Kat – we’re not sure now about the shoes as the heel cap is black on the LKB’s and Meghan’s appears lighter.
Lacey says
I really love this outfit, I think the monochromatic look was a great choice for her. This shade of green is so lovely and it works so well on Meghan. I honestly don’t see anything wrong with this shade of green for summer, or really any time of year. I much prefer the bespoke version than the Lauren Ralph Lauren version.
Ralph Lauren is one of my favorite brands and I’m so happy to see Meghan wearing Ralph and I hope to see her wear the label more. I think his designs are so classic and timeless.
Gwen P says
The whole ensemble looks like perfection to me. She has absolutely nailed the combination of dressing in a quiet color and simple style, in a clear statement that she’s not the star today – but in an interesting and beautifully fitted, elegant way. She’s not dressing “Hollywood” anymore but still manages a modern, cosmopolitan look. Nice!
Brandi says
The DoS is wearing my fave color, green. I like the monochromatic look its very chic and this coloring is very flattering on her. Hopefully we’ll get to see some more pics in the next few days.
WhatMeghanWore says
The lack of Meghan photos available today was frustrating to say the least – and the fact that the photos seemed to take forever to become available to us via our various agencies with which we use. We really appreciate everyone being patient with today’s post getting up. I also was tied up with work and Susan K had two other posts to tend to as well. – that said, I loved the Loden / Olive green look. I am a big fan of Ralph Lauren and was super excited to see Meghan wearing RL again! 😉 – SC
Christina O. says
Meghan looks beautiful in the Ralph Lauren dress! The fabric looks so fluid and I absolutely love the sleeves. The color is a welcomed surprise amidst the whites, creams and pastels. Her hat by Stephen Jones is light and summery and the transparent brim is a stunner. Her Cartier diamond earrings add another layer of subdued taste. The entire ensemble is luxe.
Lee says
She looked great; I like the dress color — it’s fresh, different, and looks good on her, plus, cool sleeves!
ElizaMo says
Meghan looks superb. The cut of this dress is stunning, the way the loose drapes in fabric have been used to create fit while retaining comfort is simply genius. A stellar pick. I’m smitten with how those sleeves form a natural bell shape down into a cuff which neatly contains any excess fabric and I love how the loose bodice moves down effortlessly from a bateau neckline and fits into a high waist and lean skirt.
The skinny belt is perfection and I’m blown away by how everything matches. Olive is a flattering shade for many of us, but being a member of the green colour family it can be as hard as any in that range to match. Someone has done a mighty amount of homework, or there again, maybe had bespoke items made for this one outfit. It’s also a clever pick of colour to remain in muted neutral territory for someone else’s big day while looking utterly elegant and distinctive in its own right.
That’s yet another superb hat with a lovely curving oval framing the face in different ways from every angle. And hair smooth away from the face is perfect to finish off the look for a formal church service.
Martha says
An improvement. Much better tailoring for Meghan.
Lauri says
I’m really loving Meghan’s outfit today, from her sleek ponytail to her stunning shoes. I’m so glad that she’s continued to dress in a style that she likes and feels confident in. I really hope that she repeats this outfit in the fall and actually wears the gloves!
Connie says
I really like this dress. The shape, the sleeves, the hat, the shoes are all stunning on her. But the Olive Green colour….. I don’t like that at all. The shade is too Military looking for me. Maybe OK for a different occasion, just not this one.
Bonnie says
Meghan looked absolutely spectacular today. I like her dress and hat and it is great that her shoes and purse are such a good match for the outfit. I do have two concerns. Although I like this colour on her, I wonder if it is going to look drab when she is in an official group family photo, with the other women in cream or pastel dresses. This might have been a good time for Meghan to have worn on of her pink looks and worn this olive green for a previous event. I also wonder why Meghan is carrying gloves. It is summer and the UK is having much higher temperatures than normal. So there is zero chance of her putting them on…so why carry them?
This Ralph Lauren dress has Meghan’s go to neckline and has the minimalist look that she prefers. I find it a bit different to have a higher waistline and then belt tabs lower, but suppose that is the designer’s and wearer’s prerogative. She is rocking the hat and the pony tail is a surprise, that lets the hat shine and keeps her hair out of her face.