While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex might have turned down an invitation to the Oscars 2020 on Sunday night, royalty was present on the red carpet in the form of one attendee's outfit. American Broadway star Billy Porter, 50, wore a stunning gown which was inspired by none other than Kensington Palace – home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children.
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British fashion designer Giles Deacon created the spectacular dress, which featured a gold foil feathered bodice and Roman military detail found in the palace's opulent Cupola Room. Historic Royal Palaces tweeted photos of the room, explaining that it was "the vision of early eighteenth-century artist William Kent."
According to the New York Times, Billy's stylist, Sam Ratelle, had taken a tour of Kensington Palace last year and he called Giles Deacon with his idea for the Oscars. Mr Deacon told the newspaper: "I love the idea of Billy being this kind of messenger sent from the gods."
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Billy Porter's stunning gown
Billy accessorised his show-stopping look with jewellery from Atelier Swarovski, a custom clutch bag by Judith Leiber and gold lace-up platform shoes by Jimmy Choo. Anna Bernabe, on behalf of e.l.f Cosmestics, was behind the Pose star's makeup on the night. "After seeing Billy's incredible gown, I was inspired to highlight his complexion and embrace the opulence that is Billy Porter," said Anna. "To keep with the royalty theme, we wanted his beautiful facial structure to shine through, so we used radiating products that complemented and accentuated his natural complexion."
Kensington Palace's Cupola Room which inspired Billy's dress
Last September, Billy attended London Fashion Week and wowed with his sartorial fashion choices. He told PEOPLE magazine at the Christopher Kane show that the Duchess of Sussex was the inspiration behind his look. He said: "I've been doing my Meghan Markle all week with my little fascinator. I might keep wearing it when I get back to America!"
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