When it comes to the royal family, Duchess Sophie is a shining example of what it means to follow royal protocol, showing younger members of the family how to conduct themselves with poise and elegance – while still seeming relatable and accessible to members of the public.
Regularly regarded as one of the late Queen Elizabeth II's favourites, the Duchess of Edinburgh always appears to follow the rules when it comes to royal etiquette, so it came as a surprise when this Tuesday she appeared to make a departure from one of the most talked about royal protocols while attending the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, and again during a second event during a visit to the Royal Society
Prince Edward's wife was the picture of perfection as always when it came to her outfit, wearing a navy velvet gown, which looked fabulous against the Duchess' gold jewellery, but there was one element which flouted royal rules – did you spot it?
In a stark departure from her usual rule-following, Duchess Sophie had her nails painted in a popping pink coral shade, which of course looked lovely but appeared to break the protocol that forbids royals from rocking brightly-coloured nails, as they are reportedly not appropriate for public appearances.
Never one to put a foot out of line, the royal rarely deviates from royal rules and regulations. So, fans were somewhat surprised to see the Duchess test her limits with a daring coral manicure.
"Wow... Nail polish... Go Sophie," one fan wrote, while another added: "Love the nail polish, that little touch!"
Despite her apparent rule-breaking, fans were still very taken with Sophie's dedication to her royal role, heaping praise on her look. "Love Sophie!! Such an asset for the royal family," one wrote, with another adding: "Sophie is smashing it as always."
The royal's outfit even included a nod to the late monarch, with whom she shared a close bond. Duchess Sophie wore a shining silver necklace, engraved with: "The golden thread of courage has no end," a line which is special to the royal family as it's taken from a poem read by the late Queen Elizabeth II in her 1981 Christmas address.
It's no surprise that Sophie wanted to pay tribute to her late mother-in-law, with the Duchess widely known as the 'Queen's favourite' in her later years, regularly joining the monarch on her Sunday trips to church.
DISCOVER: Why Prince Edward missed state banquet as Duchess Sophie makes solo appearance
Sophie also paid tribute to her late mother-in-law last week, wearing a coat with panels that paid homage to Her Late Majesty's favourite flowers, Lily of the Valley, and included motifs of florals from the Queen's bouquet for her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip.
We love to see Sophie's little nods to the late Queen, and we bet Her Majesty would have approved of Sophie's bold nail choice.
Royally obsessed? Listen to the latest episode of HELLO!'s Right Royal Podcast for an insight into the royal family's secret love stories...