Sophie Wessex in a floral dress with her hair up© PPE/SIPA/Shutterstock

Duchess Sophie makes subtle change to glamorous £2k dress

Prince Edward's wife kicked off her visit to Tanzania on Tuesday

Lifestyle Writer
September 17, 2024

The Duchess of Edinburgh looked splendid on Tuesday as she kicked off her visit to Tanzania. 

Duchess Sophie, 59, met with British High Commission staff to hear about their work deepening the UK-Tanzania partnership in a beautiful cotton printed midi dress from Giambattista Valli. 

The royal made subtle tweaks to the dress, swapping its Mandarin collar for an open straight collar and omitting the belt she has previously worn with the dress including to the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2023.

The waist-cinching number was teamed with the raffia 'Lunatic' clutch from Sophie Habsburg and her staple 'High Mary Jane Leather Espadrille in White' from Penelope Chilvers. 

Sophie's summer footwear

It was her heeled wedges that caused a sartorial storm this summer as the royal visited the Dior Museum during the Paris Olympics. 

"I love my espadrilles and they are easy and light for summer BUT to attend the Dior Gallery in them is a no-no!," wrote one royal follower on social media.

© Getty

Duchess Sophie loves heeled wedges for summer

Meanwhile, another added: "The dress is so pretty and Sophie is representing classic British style. The look, paired with the sporty footwear, is a bit casual for a private tour by Dior officials."

© WPA Pool

The Duchess of Edinburgh wore espadrilles in Lebanon

It isn't just royal fashion followers who display a dislike of a wedged sandal. "The [late] Queen wasn't a fan of wedged shoes," reported Vanity Fair. "She really didn't like them and it's well-known among the women in the family."

Duchess Sophie's printed dresses

The royal mother of two's taste in printed dresses certainly gets our seal of approval. The Duchess looked supremely elegant when she stepped out with her husband Prince Edward for a night at the theatre.

© Getty

The Duchess of Edinburgh looked fabulous in satin

Sophie was seen with Edward  at a special performance of Starlight Express in support of The Orpheus Centre at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. 

She wore the 'Gelato' dress by Matelier which was a billowing satin number featuring a high neck and an abstract print in hues of cream and orange. 

© Getty

Sophie and Edward enjoyed an evening at the theatre

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The King's sister-in-law also adds print to her outfits via her accessories. Take her gorgeous floral Emilia Wickstead hat worn to the Thistle Service at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh in July, for example, which was styled with a Suzannah London pink wrap dress.

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