The style of Queen Camila, for the first time under the spotlight before the coronation of Carlos III

At 75 years old, the Queen Camilla She will wear for her coronation one of the most important dresses of her life. And irony of fate, she chose to create it the British designer Bruce Oldfieldfamous for having dressed the Princess Diana.

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In 1953, Isabel II For her coronation she wore a dress from a fairy tale, marked by satin, embroidery and lace. Since then, the garment has been exhibited in museums as a historical object.

Camila’s is probably less sumptuous, as Charles III and his wife want a less grand coronation at a time when the British are hard hit by inflation. But “everyone will observe this dress and it will be analyzed in detail”, emphasizes Caroline Young, author of the book “The color of fashion”.

“This dress will define you. She will go down in history with him ”esteem Miranda Holderexpert in real fashion.

Upon arrival at Westminster Abbey, the gown will be covered by the “robe of state”a luxurious embroidered velvet piece created in 1953 for Elizabeth II.

Stock Image | Camilla, Queen Consort (right) of Great Britain receives a corsage from Harriet, 10, as she leaves after attending the Mattins Easter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on April 9, 2023 (Photo by Yui Mok / POOL / AFP) (YUI MOK /)

According to the British media, Camila chose Oldfield to design her coronation dress. Both Buckingham Palace and the designer declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

The 72-year-old designer has been famous in the UK since the 1980s, when Charles’ ex-wife Princess Diana made him one of her favorite designers. Oldfield designed dozens of evening dresses for her, including some of the most famous and glamorous for the Princess of Wales, who died in 1997 in a traffic accident in Paris.

“He developed his style, his aesthetic working with Diana” who was his “muse”, says Holder. But after her separation from Carlos in 1992, Diana also distanced herself from the designer.

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Glamor versus confidence

Oldfield has since become, along with other Brits, one of Camila’s favorite creators. It was he who designed an elegant black dress that the queen wore in March in Germany during the first state visit of the new royal couple.

“I gave Diana her glamor and Camila her confidence”, he said in 2014.

He style Elizabeth II’s was recognizable by its bright colors, and Catalina’s – Prince William’s wife – is one of the most commented on the planet, but sometimes Camila’s leaves you indifferent.

Stock Image | Britain’s Prince Charles and his bride Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall leave St George’s Chapel in Windsor after the church blessing of their civil wedding ceremony, April 09, 2005. In the background is the Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. (Photo by ALASTAIR GRANT / POOL / AFP) (ALASTAIR GRANT -/)

“I don’t think people say, ‘Wow! Look what he’s wearing.’ But she knows exactly what to wear at all times.Young says.

She likes pastel colors but also “flashy jewelry,” Holder notes. And she dresses “very naturally in her spare time,” she adds. She “She was about 60 years old when she married Carlos, which represented a certain advantage: she was less scrutinized than Catherine or Meghan”, the king’s daughters-in-law.

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bets are open

As for her coronation dress, the bets are open. Holder believes it will be in shades of blue, or otherwise “pastel.” But not black: “black is for the night, the red carpet” or for mourning, she lists.

Expect “lots of symbols” reminiscent of the Commonwealth countries and the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Camila He will wear the crown of Queen Mary, grandmother of Elizabeth II. Likewise, as a tribute to the iconic monarch who died in September, several diamonds from her personal collection will be included in it, which the mother of Charles III used to wear as brooches.

Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Queen Consort Camilla wave to the crowd upon their arrival at Buckingham Palace in London, on September 9, 2022, one day after Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 years. (YUI MOK/)

Young thinks Camila’s outfit won’t be “too flashy.” “It is not easy, because it has been criticized for years” for having been Carlos’ lover and “He knows his reputation is at stake.”

It also points to the crisis suffered by the British, with inflation still above 10%. The coronation “could be criticized for being too ostentatious, too expensive” and “Camila has this in mind”considers the author.

Holder instead wants pomp and circumstance, noting that the number of guests has already been reduced: “I hope we can afford some fantastic fashion!”

Source: Elcomercio