Celebrity
Royals on VE Day 80th anniversary: Kate Middleton outfit details, Princess Anne uniform, Queen Camilla, royal fashion jewels pay sartorial tribute to family members who had served in the Second World War
When it comes to dressing for the most important of occasions, royal women do it better than most.
Case in point: VE Day commemorations in London, which saw senior members of the House of Windsor pay sartorial tribute to family members who had served in the Second World War.
King Charles lead the family on Monday by watching a military procession of 1300 personnel arrive at Buckingham Palace before uniting on the balcony to view the flypast of wartime Royal Air Force aircraft and the Red Arrows.
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The royals dressed for the occasion, choosing carefully curated outfits packed with meaning.
The King wore his Naval Uniform No 1 dress, with no medals or decorations, which was the same uniform worn by his grandfather King George VI on the Buckingham Palace balcony on VE Day, in 1945.
Queen Camilla paid tribute to her family’s military service with a 12th Royal Lancers brooch, her late father Bruce Shand’s regiment, pinned to her coat.
The Prince of Wales was dressed in the RAF No.1 uniform.
Catherine pinned the badge of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm to her coat. She was made Commodore-in-Chief of the unit in September, 2023. Kate’s wings could also be seen as a tribute to her grandfather, who served in the RAF as a fighter pilot.
Both the Queen and Princess of Wales wore repeat outfits, keen for the focus of the event to remain on the veterans and not how much money they had spent on new clothes.
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Camilla chose a blue crepe jacket and dress by Fiona Clare, who was recently granted a royal warrant, while the Princess of Wales chose a maroon Emilia Wickstead coatdress she wore at another state occasion in 2022.
Much was made at the start of 2025 about Kate’s clothing, with the palace refusing to no longer share details of her outfits before backtracking on the decision after an uproar from fashion writers, royal watchers and fans.
Kate’s earrings and matching necklace, consisting of rubies, are pieces she rarely wears adding an additional level of interest to her look. Kate wore the necklace in 2017 during a visit to Warsaw, the red and white of her outfit then mirroring the Polish flag. Her earrings appear to be new additions to her jewellery box.
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The Princess of Wales also wore her late mother-in-law Diana’s three-row pearl bracelet.
Princess Anne, always one to dip into the fashion archives for an official appearance, wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps). Princess Anne is the unit’s Commandant-in-Chief.
The uniform was worn by her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, when she appeared on the balcony on VE Day 80 years ago while still a princess, as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Services, alongside her parents.
Prince Edward wore the Army No.2 Service dress of the Scots Guard.
The Duke of Kent chose the Field Marshal No.2 Service Dress. The 89-year-old was the only member of the royal family alive on VE Day in 1945 and his father perished in the conflict.
Britain started its commemorations of VE Day three days early, because Monday is a public holiday in the UK.
Later this week on May 8, which is the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the King and Queen and other senior royals will attend a service at Westminster Abbey.
The King and Queen will also watch an evening concert of Second World War-era songs and stories from veterans at Horse Guards Parade.
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