Finally, a full view of the gowns worn on coronation day.
Official photographs from the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla have been released, giving fans a glimpse of the full dresses worn by the ladies of the British Royal Family that were otherwise hidden under long robes during the day’s ceremony.
Several photos, taken by photographer Hugo Burnand, were released, showing the new King and Queen wearing their crowns and trappings of royalty in Buckingham Palace’s Throne Room and Green Drawing Room.
Their Majesties are pictured in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.
Hugo Burnand
His Majesty is pictured in full regalia in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace. His Majesty is wearing The Robe of Estate, The Imperial State Crown and is holding the Sovereign’s Orb and Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross. His Majesty is seated on one of a pair of 1902 throne chairs that were made for the future King George V and Queen Mary for use at the coronation of King Edward VII.
Hugo Burnand
And while the photos of couple are pretty standard fare, it’s the group photo, containing all the working members of the Royal Family, that reveals details not seen in Saturday’s televised ceremony.
Their Majesties are pictured with members of the working Royal Family – (L to R) The Duke of Kent, The Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Gloucester, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, The Princess Royal, The King, The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Princess of Wales, The Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy, The Duke of Edinburgh.
Hugo Burnand
We now have a full view of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales’, Alexander McQueen ivory silk crepe dress adorned with silver bullion embroidered roses, thistles, daffodils and shamrock motifs — a nod to the nations of the United Kingdom.
The dress worn by Middleton has a high v-neck and structured shoulder, perfectly highlighting her statement necklace — a three-strand diamond piece, known as the George VI Festoon Necklace — that previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.
The Princess paired the dress and necklace with a bespoke silver bullion and crystal Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen headpiece with silver thread work, as well as a pair of drop-pearl and diamond earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
Catherine, Princess of Wales at Westminster Abbey during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
Mark Cuthbert / UK Press via Getty Images
The group portrait also shows Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh’s, bespoke cream gown by Suzannah London, that was previously hidden by her Royal Victoria Order Mantle. According to People magazine, the high-neck lace applique on the dress was inspired by a local ceramics artist’s work and was accomplished with an embroidery machine that hasn’t been in use since the 1950s.
The Duchess paired her dress with a matching floral headpiece made by milliner Jane Taylor, who incorporated handmade satin leaves, Swarovski crystals and silver-plated snowdrops.
We also get a better glimpse of Camilla’s Bruce Oldfield-designed dress, with its clean, tailored lines that gave way to a short train. The sleeves were cut to bracelet-length and the silk fabric was adorned with gold embellishments of abstract garlands of wildflowers — a tribute to her and Charles’ love of gardening and the English countryside.
Her Majesty is pictured in The Green Drawing Room. Her Majesty is wearing Queen Mary’s Crown and Robe of Estate.
Hugo Burnand
The sleeve cuffs and underskirt also featured the flower emblems of the four nations of the United Kingdom — a rose, daffodil, thistle and shamrock.
Photographer Burand is well known to the Royal Family, taking photos of The Firm for more than 20 years. In 2005, he captured Charles and Camilla’s wedding portrait and in 2011 he took the official wedding photographs of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
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