It's been a busy week for the Royal Family as the nation marks 100 years since the birth of the late and much-loved Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles led the honours with a video message reflecting on his mother's life and legacy, before a special reception was held to mark the occasion. The event saw the extended Royal Family out in force together, including one of our favourite style icons - The Duchess of Edinburgh.
For the occasion, Sophie relied on one of her staple silhouettes; a long sleeve midi. She wore it in one of her favourite iterations, opting for a shirt dress style in a luxe finish for the prestigious moment at Buckingham Palace. The pinstripe effect on Sophie's silk dress gives it a timeless finish, while also making it an enviable - but easily replicable - summer look.
The Duchess' exact dress is the 'Galway belted striped silk-twill midi shirt dress' by Gabriela Hearst in 'ivory'. While it may look at first glance as though the print is stripes, it's actually cowboy boots arranged like arrows for a fun, Western twist. While Sophie's dress is in stock and available to shop online at Net-A-Porter (at time of writing), it will set you back at cool £2,650. Sophie also added one of her favourite pairs of earrings, a gold 'lace' effect set from Giulia Barela, to finish the look, coming in at a more reasonable £160.
Gabriela Hearst - Galway Belted Striped Silk-twill Midi Shirt Dress - Ivory
Gabriela Hearst - Galway Belted Striped Silk-twill Midi Shirt Dress - Ivory
If you love Sophie's look but don't have a spare few thousand to replicate it, don't despair! We've scoured some of our favourite brands and found some fabulous alternatives with channel the same look for a fraction of the cost. This Zara midi shirt dress, for instance, is only £35.99 and comes in sizes XS to XXL, depending on stock levels. We love the lightly structured bodice which creates a flattering cinch effect without needing a belt:
Karen Millen's design below is most similar to The Duchess' look, particularly in terms of colour scheme, and we're a big fan of the contrasting striped panels. Depending on stock, sizes range from 8 to 18 and it's £78:
KarenMillen Cotton Poplin Stripe Midi Dress
KarenMillen Cotton Poplin Stripe Midi Dress
Boden's long sleeve shirt dress is currently a steal at half price in the sale (at time of writing), reduced from £149 to £74.50. This one is a marginally longer maxi length and comes in a choice of five prints, including classic pinstripes:
Ellie Cotton Maxi Shirt Dress Texture Stripe
Ellie Cotton Maxi Shirt Dress Texture Stripe
Also attending the centenary event was The Princess of Wales, who also chose a long sleeved midi dress for the occasion, in a spring shade of lilac. The most notable element to her outfit however, was her necklace.
For the sentimental occasion, Kate wore one of Queen Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery, her triple strand pearl necklace. The item is rarely seen in public, so it was a poignant addition to her outfit and tribute to the late Queen.
