Elegant, sophisticated and timeless are the fashion rules of the royal family and The Countess of Wessex and Forfar ticked every box with the dress she wore on Tuesday for lunch with King Charles III as part as a state visit.
SEE: Sophie Wessex dazzles in understated gown and her most unique tiara
The royal's winning look was a three-quarter sleeve midi dress in a subtle pale pink hue from Alaïa, a dress she formerly wore to open the Countess of Wessex ballet studio in 2020. The elegant cut of the dress was so flattering on the royal's frame, sealing Sophie's place in our style stakes.
WATCH: King Charles III hosts his first State Banquet at Buckingham Palace
The royal wore her blonde locks loose and carried a small black clutch bag to finish off her ensemble, much to the delight of royal fashion fans. "This is a great dress and love the hairstyle," wrote one fan on Instagram account @royalfashionpolice, as another penned: "Beautiful dress for this event."
"Beautiful fit and style on Sophie, very pretty look," wrote another fan, while a fourth likened Sophie's style choice to a line from the iconic 90s film, Clueless: "You don’t understand, this is an Alaia! It’s like a totally important designer!"
SEE: 15 times the Countess of Wessex has wowed in a tiara
The Countess of Wessex recycled her dress from 2020
Prince Edward's wife joined the Prince and Princess of Wales and others for a lunch at Buckingham Palace, ahead of a state event in the evening.
Following the private lunch, the King then accompanied the President Cyril Ramaphosa as he viewed South African artefacts from the Royal Collection in the Picture Gallery, and Sophie Wessex was seen admiring the pieces, too.
SHOP: Love Sophie Wessex's ultra-flattering check trousers? We've found a £29 lookalike
READ: Sophie Wessex is a timeless style icon in her 18-year-old daughter's coat
The South African First Lady, Dr Tshepo Motsepe, did not accompany the president on the trip. She is said to be recovering from eye surgery and was advised by doctors not to travel.
As always, Princess Kate's fashion look of choice was aesthetically pleasing. This time the royal stepped out in an all purple look, including a tailored coat dress by Emelia Wickstead.
Princess Kate put on a chic display, too
Kate paired the dress with coordinating heels, hat and Mulberry 'Bayswater' clutch in 'Cranberry Suede'. She also wore an extra special brooch for the very important occasion. On her lapel, the Princess affixed the late Princess Diana's feather brooch - a royal heirloom gifted to Diana when she married Prince Charles in 1981.
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
Like this story? Sign up to The Royal Life newsletter to get your weekly dose of royal lifestyle inspiration, from the must-see fashion moments to sneak peeks into royal homes and wellness news.