The Duchess of Edinburgh chose the penultimate day of her Canada tour to debut a new hairstyle, looking the picture of elegance to attend a glamorous reception at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto on Tuesday.
The wife of Prince Edward will wrap up her overseas trip on Wednesday 8 November after spending five days in the country. Duchess Sophie has been representing the royal family in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, and Patron of Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals.
Last night, the Duchess donned a beautiful paisley-printed dress from Etro. Complete with a deep V-neckline, floaty sleeves and a fluid, full-length skirt, Sophie's navy gown was declared" "chic, polished, and perfectly low-profile," by royal fans on social media.
The mother-of-two teamed her regal navy attire with pointed-toe pumps from Jimmy Choo, adding a touch of sparkle to her look with the addition of delicate pearl drop earrings.
© Tim Rooke/ShutterstockCapturing the attention of royal fans, Sophie swept her blonde hair into a one-shouldered style with cascading curls falling past her shoulder - a first for the Duchess.
After opting for practicality and pinning her hair into a neat chignon for most of the week, a departure from her sleek up-do was hailed as a style success by fans via Instagram account @royalfashionpolice.
© Tim Rooke/ShutterstockEarlier this week, Sophie had a sparkling moment in the royal spotlight wearing a regal Erdem dress to an event in Niagara on the Lake.
Complete with a scooped neckline, elegant belted waist, sheer sleeves and a metallic lace skirt, Duchess Sophie's cascading dress was elevated by the addition of two poignant brooches - a 'Service Before Self' poppy brooch and the Insignia of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment brooch.
© Tim Rooke/ShutterstockIt's not known who is the current mastermind behind the Duchess of Edinburgh's signature sandy blonde highlights and glossy locks, though the royal has worked with renowned hairdresser Andrew Collinge since her pre-marital days. The Liverpool-born hair expert first crossed paths with the royal at his Harrods studio back in the nineties.
"She was working in PR at the time and handled our PR launch in the store. Our relationship went from there," he told the Liverpool Echo.
© Pool/Tim Graham Picture LibraryIt was then, in 1999, that Andrew was called on to do Sophie's bridal hair for her nuptials to Prince Edward.
Andrew revealed: "I was on hand when they signed the register just to make sure the hair and veil were right for the photos. It was a very private moment out of the gaze of everyone in the midst of quite a public affair so it was a privilege to be part of that."
LISTEN: Find out what Prince William's name will be when he becomes King
