Royal Family Celebrate Christmas in Norfolk

This morning the British Royal Family attended the traditional Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate.

Via Google Maps

The perfect chance for us royal watchers to take a peek at the Royals' outfit choices - and of course this year the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with baby Prince George joined the rest of the Royal Family in celebrating Christmas at Sandringham (more on last year's Christmas festivities can be found here).

So, without further ado, let's have a look at what Kate (and everyone else!) wore.

Early this morning, the Royal Family gathered to take communion. Below we see the Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Queen (in a rare public appearance wearing a fur coat).

The Duchess was wearing the same cream wool coat she debuted earlier this year at the wedding of Mark Tomlinson and Laura Bechtolsheimer in Arosa, Switzerland and a tartan shawl in festive shades of red and green.

The Duchess and the Queen can be seen greeting each other with a kiss while Prince Harry looks on. Awww!

Later in the day and after a change of clothes, the Royal Family was back at the church for the 11 a.m. service conducted by the rector of Sandringham, Jonathan Riviere.

The Queen was in a burnt orange wool coat by Stewart Parvin, black fur hat with matching black fur-trimmed gloves and one of Queen Victoria's bow brooches (made by Garrard & Co. in 1858 as a set of three) to add sparkle.

 

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The Duchess of Cambridge wore a forest green felt hat by Gina Foster and repeated her Alexander McQueen Black Watch tartan coat dress, first seen on a visit to her old school, St. Andrew's Pangbourne, in November last year. She was also wearing her Kiki McDonough green amethyst earrings (believed to be a 2011 Christmas present from Prince William) and a pair of black gloves with bow.

 



 

 

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Zara Phillips (seen above with Princess Eugenie) was also in attendance, baby bump warmly wrapped up in a red coat with matching feathered hat.

 

 

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Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York.

 

 

Afterwards, at 3 p.m., it was time for the Christmas message from the Queen, a tradition that dates back from the times of her grandfather, King George V, who broadcast the first Christmas speech in 1932.

 

The Queen addressed the nation from the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, wearing the same primrose yellow dress by Angela Kelly she wore at the wedding of William and Kate in 2011 and the flower basket brooch which was a present from her own parents on the birth of Prince Charles in 1948. I adore the fact that the Christmas tree behind her was decorated with baubles in matching shades of blue and gold!

 

 

On the table beside her, framed photos of her parents, the Queen Mother and King George VI, and the iconic picture showing four generations of the Royal Family taken after Prince George's christening on 22 October 2013.

 

Behind the scenes, never seen before footage filmed at the christening photo shoot was included in the Christmas message; two clips are shown below:

 

 

 

 

(All photos from the Daily Mail unless otherwise stated; a transcript of the Queen's Christmas speech can be found here; link to the video on YouTube's Royal Channel can be found here).

 

"Fashion Rules" Exhibition at Kensington Palace - Part II, Princess Margaret's Dresses

Here comes Part II of my post series about the the "Fashion Rules" exhibition at Kensington Palace, featuring dresses worn by the Queen, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales (here you can have a look at the previous post, featuring the Queen's gowns).

 

Evening dress of cream silk satin with beaded embroidery by an unknown designer, 1951.

A glamourous party frock, with a rather risqué, for the times, plunging neckline and halter-neck straps, which marked a departure from the demure style traditionally favoured by memeber of the royal family.

 



Princess Margaret wearing the gown at a film premiere in London, 1951. Photo typicall.de

 

Day dress of grey lace and tulle with matching bolero by Norman Hartnell, 1952.

This is really beautiful seen in person, the photo doesn't do it justice, and one of Princess Margaret's favourite dresses and worn on a number of occasions, including when posing for an official portrait by Dorothy Wilding in 1953, as seen below. 

 

National Portrait Gallery

 

 

Evening dress of silk gazar with beaded embroidery by Norman Hartnell, 1977.

Worn by the Princess at the Silver Jubilee celebrations and to present a music award to pop group ABBA, as seen below.

 

 

Photo friendsreunited.co.uk

 

 

Silk caftan and turban by Carl Tomas, 1976.

Fashioned from luxurious Indian sari silk, this ensamble was designed especially for a fancy dress party on the Caribbean island of Mustique, where the Princess had a private residence, and reflects the growing popularity of the "ethnic" trend during the 1970s. The Princess wore the ensamble both with and without the jewelled turban, as shown in the photos above.

 

 

Fur coat by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, circa 1960s.

Fur coats like this wear in fashion during the 1960s and 1970s, and Princess Margaret owned several of a similar design.

 

Day dress with antique needle lace panel, by an unknown designer, circa 1960s.

This dress has a short hemline, in keeping with the 1960s fashion for miniskirts, and is embellished with exquisite Belgian antique lace, dating between 1870 and 1890; together these elements contribute to creating a whimsical feel echoing the romantic trend popular in the 1960s and 1970s.

 

To be continued with Princess Diana's dresses...