Queen Mathilde stepped out in an unexpected look on Tuesday that epitomised the trend of the moment. Though we tend to think of the royals as steering away from trends in pursuit of a timeless look in their sartorial choices, it seems that even the Queen of Belgium isn't above the mob wife trend that has taken TikTok by storm.
The new trend has seen out the 'clean girl' look of 2023, a look which in actual fact felt more typically royal, in favour of a 'more is more' energy where voluminous hair, glamorous manicures, fur coats, and animal print are the name of the game.
The royal stepped out in a grey and black leopard print longline jacket by Natan Couture which she paired with a form-fitting top in the identical print to double up on the animal print for an ultimate mob wife moment that we can see Connie Corleone of The Godfather adoring.
Mathilde added a form-fitting pencil skirt in black that grazed the knee and also a pair of sheer black tights for a glamorous look that Carmela Soprano would be proud of. She also rocked a pair of pointed-toe black stilettos for a touch of The Sopranos' Adriana La Cerva and carried a plain black clutch.
For the finishing touch, the Queen added a pair of surprisingly unroyal oversized hoop earrings. Her hair was worn in a voluminous mid-length style that oozed all the glamour of Karen Hill's wedding hair in The Godfather.
The Belgian royal stepped out for a mob wife moment to visit GoodPlanet Belgium in her role as an advocate of the Sustainable Development Goals. The association encourages young people to build a sustainable society and seeks to raise awareness among more than 500,000 people around water, nature, food, the circular economy, mobility, climate, and energy.
The Queen participated in workshops to discuss the establishment of sustainable school canteens, the development of greener playgrounds, and the organisation of environmentally-friendly school trips.
It is not the first time we can remember royals rocking a mob wife aesthetic. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden stunned in an unexpected black and white leopard print gown covered in sequins from By Malina to the Swedish Business Award Ceremony during her trip to Germany last November. The late Queen Elizabeth was also known to rock a fur coat on several occasions.
Royal onlookers are used to seeing Mathilde in a more traditionally royal look. She looked supremely elegant at the New Year’s reception at Laeken Castle in a pair of leg-lengthening black trousers with a Nazan Couture 'Varzy Flowerprint Blouse' – a satin cream garment covered in oversized black flowers with a high neck and voluminous sleeves.
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Her Majesty put the 'royal' in royal blue when she and her husband King Philippe received the leaders of the European institutions and the permanent representatives accredited to the European Union in January. Mathilde wore a cobalt Natan Couture dress with a dramatic Bardot neckline that was styled with the 'Black Velvety Leather Court Shoes with Asymmetric Top Line' by Giorgio Armani.