There is no state ceremony more imbued with symbolism than one royal coronation? Almost every detail has its own meaning.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the outfits of the stars of the ceremony, like many guests, were equally thought out to the smallest detail. In fact, if you look at the outside, it was, on the one hand, a super bizarre event.

It all started with Camilla’s dress: a white silk dress by Bruce Oldfield, a British fashion designer, the favorite dressmaker not only of the new queen, but also of Princess Diana, served as a kind of diplomatic family bridge.

Camilla’s image was adorned with silver and gold wildflowers, symbolizing her connection to the British countryside. The cuffs of each sleeve of the dress also featured roses, thistles, daffodils and shamrocks, meant to represent the four nations of the United Kingdom.

Apparently, these flowers were also embroidered on the white Alexander McQueen crepe dress worn by Kate, Princess of Wales. Kate also wore a McQueen designed by Sarah Burton, one of the fashion house’s few female executives, to her wedding in 2011 and has since worn the designer’s work to many high-profile public events. Along with the dress (which she wore under her royal robes), she decided not to wear a luxurious tiara, but a crystal and silver jewelry, as well as earrings that belonged to Princess Diana.

(Royal jewelry almost always has a pedigree: Camilla’s diamond necklace, which includes a 22.48-carat medallion, was made by Garrard in 1858 for Queen Victoria and, along with matching earrings, is part of the “coronation set” by Queen Elizabeth at her coronation in 1953. )

Just before the coronation, it was rumored that Kate would break with tradition and don a “flower crown” as a “tribute” to the king’s desire for a more modern and less ostentatious coronation. She did it even though her version of Jess Collette and Alexander McQueen probably wasn’t the Glastonbury festival-like flower crown that many imagined.

Either way, it matched the crystal and silver headband worn by Kate’s daughter, Princess Charlotte. Kate has long pursued a “strategy” of matching the colors of her family’s outfits for their public appearances, in part to imply unity.

And here’s how it happened…

Jill Biden, the first lady of the United States, arrived in a light blue suit with matching gloves and a bow in her hair from Ralph Lauren, a designer who has built his own empire on American style combined with old England glamour. and so this choice seemed especially appropriate (President Biden also wore a Ralph Lauren suit at his presidential inauguration). More remarkably, Jill Biden arrived with her granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, who was wearing a Markarian dress with a yellow cape, so that when the two women walked in together, they looked like… the flag of Ukraine.

This also made sense, as the Bidens were seated next to Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, who was wearing a simple light blue dress and coat. In any case, Finnegan Biden wasn’t the only guest in yellow: Jordan’s Queen Rania was also in the same hue, wearing the look of British designer Tamara Ralph, as was Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton.

For her part, Katy Perry opted for a lilac Vivienne Westwood suit, matching elbow-length gloves, and a large lilac flying saucer hat with a veil…of a merry widow.

Westwood certainly had a somewhat… complicated relationship with the monarchy, although when she died in December she became something of a British treasure herself. By choosing to honor her memory and wear her own brand, Katy Perry has supported the local fashion industry and the complex relationship with the royal family that King Charles inherited. And good for her.

Source: New York Times.