UFO No More Podcast Episode 23: Recapping William's Tour of Jordan, Israel, and Palestine with Dina and Debby

The podcast is back after a week hiatus.  On this week, Laura is joined by two of her good Tumblr friends to recap Prince William's historic tour of Jordan, Israel, and the Occupied Territories of Palestine.

First Dina (aka lovingtheroyals on Tumblr) joins the show to talk about the tour.  Dina is an Arab woman and spoke of how seemingly small details or light-hearted engagements were very significant to her and how the tour personally connected to her. She also talked about the recent news that Kate won't attend the RAF 100th Anniversary Service.

Next, Debby (aka avidroyalfan on Tumblr) joined.  She is Israeli and actually got to meet William in Israel.  She talks about the impact of the tour from her perspective and what it was like to meet William.  For more information about her meeting, check out this link.

Laura is so grateful to Dina and Debby for joining. It was a fun and interesting episode to record. Make sure to check out both of their blogs.

As always, you can subscribe to the podcast here on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher and leave us a review.

 

UFO No More Podcast Episode 22: This Week in Royal Fashion

On this week's episode of the podcast, Laura recaps all of the major fashion moments from last week in royal fashion, goes on a bit of a rant about royal protocol, and answers a question about Madeleine's kids speaking Swedish.

As always, you can subscribe to the podcast here on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher and leave us a review.

Programming Note: Barring any breaking news, I'm tentatively planning to take next week off from the show.

Swedish royal ladies at the 2018 Polar Music Prize

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I thought the Swedish royal ladies really hit it out of the park for the 2018 Polar Music Prize; so, I thought we would go ahead and highlight the outfits they wore last night, 14 June. Those in attendance at the event at Grand Hôtel in central Stockholm included King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia and Princess Madeleine. 

Others in attendance last night were famous Swedish faces: Marie and Tomas Ledin, Niklas Strömstedt, Jonas Karlsson, David Lagercrantz, Petra Marklund and Karl-Johan Persson among many others. 

Without further ado, here are the looks:

Crown Princess Victoria: Victoria wore a red, one-shouldered caped red gown by Stylein A/W 18. She also wore a gold "Spike" headband by Maria Nilsdotter, as well as the Cherry Valley earrings by the same brand.

Princess Madeleine: The Princess was in a lighter green, floral gown by Giambattista Valli. She carried a pink clutch by Valentino, as well. For me, I can't decide between Madeleine's outfit and Sofia's for my favorite of the evening! 

Princess Sofia: Sofia was in another favorite of mine for the evening. She was in a deep green, high necked gown by what we believe is Ida Lanto (a customized version of their red similar gown with a train). Laura has reached out to them to get confirmation, and we will let you know when we get it!

What was your favorite look?

Our favorite royal gowns

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We've compiled our favorite royal gowns, and we included your picks, too. Thank so much to all of you who responded!

Brittani:

I didn't want to repeat choices I've already made in similar posts, but there are plenty that I just adore! 

I really like the gown Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark wore to the wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden to Sofia Hellqvist in 2015. It was an off-shoulder, glittering bespoke gown by Celia Kritharioti. 

I also really like the pink Lela Rose gown then-Meghan Markle wore as a bridesmaid in her friend's wedding in 2016. 

@meghanmarkle/Instagram

@meghanmarkle/Instagram

Last but not least, I like the blue Bruce Oldfield gown Sophie, Countess of Wessex wore to the gala for the 60th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh Award in June 2016. 

Heaven:

I am pretty biased on this one but one of my favorite is the Elie Saab gown Princess Marie wore for the gala dinner for Crown Prince Frederik's 50th birthday. I love Elie Saab and I love Marie so this was my dream combo and I loved the result! I think the decision to removed the sleeves was the right decision as the sleeved version would have overwhelmed her I think.

Another favorite is the Rochas gown Queen Rania wore in 2006. It's one of my all-time favorite for Rania, it's so flattering, the color is beautiful and I loved the floral embroidery.

My third choice is the Ole Yde gown Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore in 2010 for Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's wedding. It was a very beautiful gown and I love the color and the styling! 

 

Laura:

Fadi el Khoury Victoria wore to Madeleine's wedding. It was so exquisite. It was wearable art. And the picture of Victoria in it carrying Estelle was the epitome of modern royalty in my opinion.

By Frankie Fouganthin - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26551717

By Frankie Fouganthin - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26551717

Par Engsheden red gown Victoria wore to the Nobels. It just screams grand and regal. It was also the perfect gown to showcase that amazing cross necklace.

Finally, a Erdem gown Mary wore to Harald and Sonja's 80th birthday. It's not as grand as other gowns, but the print just sings on Mary. She just owned this look, there's no other way to describe it.

Samantha:

Elie Saab for Victoria at her wedding concert the night before her wedding in 2010. 

Another Elie Saab, this time the gown Princess Madeleine wore to Prince Carl Philip's wedding. (Royal Central's Deputy Editor, Jamie Samhan told us this was her favorite, as well):

And this Ida Lanto Princess Sofia wore for an official dinner hosted in March 2017 at the Royal Palace. It can be seen in the video below:

Sarah:

This was too hard! I felt like I couldn’t betray these Swedish masterpieces:

Crown Princess Victoria's one-shouldered pre-wedding gown by Elie Saab for the concert the night before her wedding. 

This Fadi el Khoury gown Princess Madeleine wore for the Nobels and Min Stora Dag.

Photo Anna-Lena Ahlström, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo Anna-Lena Ahlström, The Royal Court, Sweden

Lastly, this Ida Lanto gown Princess Sofia wore to the 2017 Nobels:

© Nobel Media AB 2017. Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

© Nobel Media AB 2017. Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

Your Thoughts:

Asten: The red gown at the 2014 Nobels. The "I'M A PRINCESS" gown.

 

JR‏  on Twitter sent us these:

Madeleine at Nobels and kids tea party in Al Khoury - Madeleine has never looked better and come on, this is the best royal engagement ever right?

Photo Kate Gabor, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo Kate Gabor, The Royal Court, Sweden

Victoria at Madeleine's wedding in Al Khoury. Amazing, I remember the gasp of the commentators when the camera hit Victoria and I agree - Can you do anything other than gasp. Great accessorising, too - Lilian's tiara, Josefina's stomacher necklace, wee Estelle.

Victoria at her pre-wedding gala in Elie Saab. Baam! Except for her wedding day Victoria has never looked better. I know many don't like the foam but I do. Again great accessorising with the Cupid's arrow worn by her grandmother, the epaulett earrings.

 

Dianne Dunn‏  said: 

I loved Duchess Kate in this Jenny Packham ! It’s such a beautiful shade of blue with just the right amount of sparkle!!

British High Commission, New Delhi/Flickr

British High Commission, New Delhi/Flickr

 

Princess Victoria‏  told us: 

My favourite gown is the Elie Saab Victoria wore on her pre wedding concert. I've seen it at the Royal Wedding Dresses exhibition, it's my dream gown

 

Duchess of Pemberley‏'s opinion. 

It was the Pronovias Sofia wore:

She also added the Alexander McQueen from the BAFTA's in 2017 saying, "Kate, who I love, doesn’t generally wow me with her evening gown choices, however, this one is a favorite"

 

Kat Es‏ thoughts:

Mine are Victoria's Elie Saab gown from her pre-wedding concert, and Letizia's gown from William and Kate's pre-wedding dinner, Madeleine's Elie Saab from Carl Philip's wedding, Kate's light pink Jenny Packham gown she wore in 2011.

(Since the gowns of Victoria and Madeleine have been listed above several times, we aren't reposting those photos. Below are the Letizia and Kate gowns):

Europe Correspondent for Royal Central, Laura Dekkers, sent us her favorites, too:

I loved Princess Madeleine’s Ida Sjösedt gown (or skirt) with those flowers in 3D which she wore at the Polar Music Prize last year.

And a Classic one but still gorgeous is Crown Princess Victoria in Fadi El Khoury at Princess Madeleine’s wedding. A true piece of art! (See the pictures above)

Princess Madeleine in Fadi el Khoury at the Nobel Prize 2014.

 

Queen Mathilde in Jan Taminiau, a red gown that she wore in 2016 for a concert in the Netherlands at Centre for Fine Arts.

 

Crown Princess Mary in a white Erdem gown with flowers from the banquet in Norway and the Birgit Hallstein that she's worn on a couple of occasions (including the gala dinner ahead of King Willem-Alexander's inauguration as King in April 2013.

Reader and guest on our podcasts The Royal Watcher sent us:

UFO No More Podcast Episode 21: Adrienne's Christening and Much More with Jess

On this week's episode, our unofficial recurring guest host Jess returns. As always, you can find Jess on Tumblr at duchessofostergotlands (her main blog), duchessofvastergotland (Victoria and family blog), and dresslikeaprincess (replication blog).

Jess and Laura cover the fashion of the christening, all of the amazing moments, and their thoughts (read anger) at Daniel not being a godparent. There's also a surprise mid episode when Sofia and Carl Philip posted a beautiful photo on Instagram as Laura and Jess were recording.

Finally, Laura and Jess have a discussion about royals and feminism after a great question from rifffraffrouge on Tumblr.  They are thinking about doing a full podcast on this topic in the quieter summer weeks.

Thanks again to Jess and make sure to follow her.  As always, you can subscribe to the podcast here on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.

UFO No More Podcast Episode 20: Let's Talk Tiaras (Featuring the Royal Watcher and Heaven)

First, Saad (aka the Royal Watcher) joined Laura to break down all of the glamorous tiaras at Frederik's 50th birthday celebration.  Be sure to check out Saad's blog the Royal Watcher here (he posts a lot about tiaras which is always interesting) or follow him on Twitter here.

Next, UFO No More Fashion editor Heaven joined. Heaven talked about Joachim and Marie's 10th wedding anniversary and what she heard from the Danish Royal Court, Frederik's birthday (specifically Marie in Elie Saab for the first time), and the Swedish Representation Dinner.  In addition to her work here, Heaven writes for Royal Central, has a blog on Princess Marie, and tweets about royals and fashion a bunch.

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast at your preferred platform. You can do so here on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Our favorite Luxembourg outfits

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Brittani:

I have to say that I really liked the amethyst gown by Marcin Lobacz that Princess Tessy wore to the Big Dutch Masters Gala on October 13, 2016, in London. It was from his Spring-Summer 2017 Couture Collection. I think the color really flattered her, and I really liked the way it was cut on the shoulder. 

I love a lot of Claire's outfits, and I really wanted to include her wedding gown. BUT, I thought it better to choose regular outfits she's worn. I really like the blue v-necked, sleeveless Jenny Packham gown that Claire wore to the wedding of Marie-Gabrielle of Nassau and Antonius Willms in Spain in 2017.

I've also always really liked the green Reem Acra dress which featured one long sleeve on the left arm. She wore it to the christening of Princess Amalia (the daughter of Prince Felix and Princess Claire) in 2014. More about the outfit can be read here.

Heaven:

I think my favorite Luxembourg outfits is this blue Elie Saab gown worn by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa in London in 2012. It's no secret Elie Saab is my favorite designer, and I think Maria Teresa wears his designs so well. This gown was my favorite of the collection at the time and it was so flattering on Maria Teresa, i loved it! (Truth be told, I could have chosen almost every Saab gown Maria Teresa has ever worn)

Another favorite is the Elie Saab gown Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie wore for her pre-wedding dinner in 2012. We never got to see it in full-length but I still think it's the best Stéphanie has ever looked - except for he wedding day of course.

I thought about choosing another Elie Saab gown as my third favorite but that would have been too obvious so I chose this Denis Durand gown Princess Claire wore for the Le Sourire de Lucie gala dinner in 2017. It is not a well-known designer but the gown was beautiful and flattered her a lot and I loved the way she styled it, everything was on point.

A post shared by X-u-i-n (@xuin10) on

Laura:

A favorite is the red Yves Dooms gown from the official portrait here. I love how stately this gown is. It’s gorgeous and a great color for Maria Teresa. Plus, I think this neckline suits her so well. 

© 2017 Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco / tous droits réservés

© 2017 Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco / tous droits réservés

The red Elie Saab gown from Will and Kate’s pre-wedding dinner. Again, I love red on Maria Teresa. And I love that bow detail. It adds interest but doesn’t overwhelm the look. It’s just a gorgeous, timeless gown. Read more: http://ufonomore.com/blog/2018/4/13/royal-wedding-of-will-and-kate-the-guest-outfits

Also, I like the white Ralph Lauren gown Stephanie wore to Cannes. I think she carries this simple gown well. There’s a bit of detailing around the waist which I like. And I love her bold earrings.

Sarah:

All I have to say about my three picks is: SAAB, SAAB, SAAB. All were by Elie Saab, and I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Samantha:

My first choice is the white Ralph Lauren sleeveless gown that Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie wore to the opening of the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. 

My second choice is the green dress by Natan that she wore during the Dutch state visit by the King and Queen to Luxembourg in May 2018. 

The white Paule Ka coat she wore for her last official photo released on her birthday is also one of my favorites. 

© 2017 Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco / tous droits réservés

© 2017 Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco / tous droits réservés

UFO No More Podcast Episode 19: More Royal Wedding Talk (Featuring Grace) and Brittani's Interview with Tessy

On this jam-packed episode of the podcast, Laura talks with Grace from princesscatherinemiddleton.net about Meghan and Harry's wedding.  Grace gave her constructive thoughts on the good and bad from the wedding and how the press handled it.  It was nice to have a voice with some constructive criticism on the show, and we can't thank Grace enough for joining.

Then, Brittani made her second appearance in a row to talk all about her interview with Tessy Antony, Princess of Luxembourg.  There are two part of that interview which you can read here and here.

You can buy the Project Playground bracelet Brittani talks about here.

As always, if you'd like to subscribe to the podcast you can do so here on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher. 

Photo courtesy of Tessy Antony, Princess of Luxembourg, via Instagram

Photo courtesy of Tessy Antony, Princess of Luxembourg, via Instagram

UFO No More Podcast Episode 18: Royal Wedding Recap with Brittani

On this week's episode, Brittani joins Laura to recap the wedding of Harry and Meghan, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They cover all of the cute and sweet moments from the event as well as a lot of fashion and jewelry talk.

Note: Brittani says in the podcast that the Earldom of Dumbarton is a first creation, but she meant to say that that the Kilkeel title was the one that was a first creation.

This was such a fun episode to record, and the wedding was such a stunning event. If you'd like to subscribe to the podcast you can do so here on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher. 

UFO No More Podcast Episode 17: Royal Wedding Rewind and Predictions

On this episode of the podcast, Laura gets ready for Harry and Meghan's royal wedding discusses great stories from royals from around the world.  She also shares her thoughts on what Meghan will wear.

Thanks to claireofluxembourg on Tumblr and a Twitter friend for their help with this episode.

As always, you can subscribe to the podcast on the following platforms: iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.  And if you would leave a review, we'd really appreciate it!

UFO No More Podcast Episode 16: The British Royals and the Media (Featuring Your Comments)

On this week's episode, Laura talks about the recent New York Times article on the media's relationship with the royals and how the media are being limited in their access to the Royal Wedding. She shares her thoughts and reads and reacts to comments she got from listeners.  Brittani called in and shared her thoughts on the situation as well.

It was so great to hear all the detailed and interesting thoughts you all had.  Thanks for contributing!

As always, you can subscribe to the podcast on the following platforms: iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.  And if you would leave a review, we'd really appreciate it!

Let's end this with the cute picture of Charlotte and Louis taken by the Duchess of Cambridge.

louis.jpg

Never again: Royal outfits we hope to never see again on our favorite royals

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We've selected royal outfits that we were not fond of. We want to emphasize that we love these ladies, just not these particular choices. While we may not like a certain outfit, some of you may love it - which is fine. Different opinions make the world go around. We have also included some of your opinions, as well! 

Brittani:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's tour of Sweden had some bad outfit choices for all the royal ladies. One of Kate's was just horrendous and never needs to see the light of day again. It was a mustard colored floral silk gown by Erdem. Burn it, please!

Queen Maxima's yellow "Big Bird" dress was horrible. It was the 2017 Spring Collection of Claes Iverson. She wore it during a dinner for an official visit by the King and Queen of Jordan to the Netherlands in 2018.

Another bad choice was the red Viktor & Rolf gown Princess Mabel wore to the Dutch pre-inauguration dinner ahead of King Willem-Alexander's ascension to the Dutch throne in 2013.

Heaven:

Crown Princess Mary usually has beautiful gowns but this Jesper Hovring orange gown she wore to the New Year Gala in 2013 is definitely not one of my favorite.

I also never want to see this Natan outfit Queen Maxima wore in June 2015. The top is not bad but the culottes are awful in my opinion.

Last,  I really didn't like the Akris dress Princess Charlene wore in Russia in 2013. I think it was really inappropriate.

Laura:

First, I'd like to put at least a one year moratorium on any and all Erdems.  There are some Erdem pieces I like, but more often than not, they are overwrought or just plain not flattering. The one exception for me would be Crown Princess Mary, who seems to know which Erdem pieces work and which don't.

For specific outfits, I'd prefer to never see both Stylein outfits Victoria wore for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Sweden visit again. The dress from the first night was an odd length, and the sleeve and neckline were puzzling too. The shirt and skirt from the second night were equally bizarre.  I didn't care for the slit in the skirt, the sleeves of the top, or the material of the top.  Overall, the looks were just really bad.

Finally, I'm really not a fan of Queen Maxima's Etro jumpsuit that she wore in 2016 to the opening of the Rotterdam International Film Festival.  Jumpsuits, in my opinion, mostly need to be in solid colors or a color block.  Patterns are very tricky.  Patterns in an ugly shade of tan with a tan belt? Disaster. 

Sarah:

I don't like this monstrosity Crown Princess Victoria wore to the dinner hosted by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia for the 2014 Nobels and in official photos. The designer has never been identified. 

Photo: Kungahuset

Photo: Kungahuset

She wore the dress in image in Stockholm's airport shown above in June 2015. Photo: Jess B

She wore the dress in image in Stockholm's airport shown above in June 2015. Photo: Jess B

I also didn't like this Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini print dress Princess Sofia wore during the February 2017 state visit from Canada. 

Photo: Kungahuset.se

Photo: Kungahuset.se

Last, I wasn't a fan of this Jenny Packham light blue gown Kate wore to the James Bond Spectre premiere in 2015. She also was in Jimmy Choo “Vamp” Sandals, Packham Casa Box Clutch, and Robinson Pelham Blue Topaz Chandelier Earrings. It was a terrible gown!

Samantha: 

There are two outfits I really hope to never see a royal wear again. My first choice is this outfit of Queen Maxima's. It was an ill-fitting Natan ensemble that she wore to the premiere of the musical The Color Purple in the Netherlands in April 2018.

My next choice is this ensemble the Duchess of Cambridge wore to the The Wellbeing In Schools Awards for her patronage Place2Be in 2014. She wore a Jenny Packham Fall RTW 2013 satin skirt in peacock and the top is Invitation by Hobbs “Emilia” top.

 

You answered: What outfits do you hope to never see again?

Our reader Rachel chose the Alexander McQueen gold and white gown from the Malaysia tour saying, "Yellow is an ugly colour and nobody should wear yellow." Another choice was the same Erdem gown Brittani chose above from Sweden remarking, "Here’s another I strongly dislike. I love the floral but that’s it. Like I said, yellow, especially mustard yellow doesn’t work for me."

Rachel also was not a fan of this monstrosity of a gown of Haute Couture by Karl Lagerfeld that Princess Caroline of Monaco wore to the 2017 Rose Ball in benefit of the Princess Grace Foundation. 

A guest we've had numerous times on our podcast, Jessica, chose the glittery black gown by Marchesa that Princess Madeleine wore to the 2012 Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce from Farm to Fork Royal Gala award dinner in New York in March of that year saying, "This makes her look like a b lister at the country music awards."

She also chose the Duchess of Cambridge's light blue Erdem dress from Trooping the Color in 2012. Jessica said, "Kate pulled a Scarlett O'Hara and made a dress out of the curtains."

Reader Ann told us she did not like this light colored gown of Princess Laurentein of the Netherlands that she wore to the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik to Mary Donaldson in 2004 saying, "Pointy boobs look good on no one."

This look of Meghan's was also not a favorite. She wore the Altuzzara dress to the Commonwealth Youth Forum that she paired with a black Camilla and Marc blazer and Oroton bag. Ann said, "It was too much. Also, for the event it didn't seem like it fit."

JustACasualGirl on Twitter told us she did not like this burgundy Ida Sjöstedt gown from the 2014 Nobels before her wedding the next June. 

She was also not a fan of this deep purple satin gown by Alexander McQueen that Crown Princess Mary wore back in 2005 and again in 2016. The first time was for dinner in New York on February 1, 2005. 

She also chose this Ida Lanto light blue dress from the Te Deum for Prince Oscar in 2016. She said, "It really doesn’t suit her, in my opinion."

UFO No More Podcast Episode 15: Prince Louis Arthur Charles (Featuring Jess and Jamie)

Kate gave birth to adorable Prince Louis, and Laura talked to two women about it.  First, recurring guest host Jess joined to share her perspective and to talk about the adorable photos of Princess Adrienne that Madeleine posted. If you aren't already, follow all of her blogs: her personal one, her replication one, and her one dedicated to Victoria and family.

Next, Laura welcomed Jamie Samhan from Royal Central.  Jamie was in London and at the Lindo Wing for the birth.  Jamie gave all the background details of what the whole day was like and all of the excitement that happened.  She also discussed getting to see the Queen at one of her engagements.

Thanks to Jamie for joining.  You can see her articles for Royal Central here.  Also, make sure you are following her on Twitter and Instagram.

As always, you can subscribe to the podcast on the following platforms: iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.  And if you would leave a review, we'd really appreciate it!

Then-Kate Middleton's wedding dress

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As it is the wedding anniversary of Will and Kate, we are going to look back at the wedding gowns (and outfit for her arrival at the Goring Hotel on April 28, 2011) she wore for the beautiful ceremony at Westminster Abbey and reception at Buckingham Palace. Happy anniversary to the happy couple and proud parents of three!

Kate's much talked about wedding gown was by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and gave nods back to the wedding gown of Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier of Monaco in the 1950s. It featured a lace top with a v-neck and long sleeves. She wore the Cartier Halo Tiara with her gown. The train was 110 inches long. Her white shoes with lace were also Alexander McQueen. She wore a pair of diamond earring featuring acorns (which is on her family crest) by Robinson Pelham. They were bought by her parents as a gift. 

For the evening reception she wore another creation by the same designer that was strapless and featured jewels around the middle of the waist. 

The wedding featured guests from politics, music, Hollywood and foreign royals. You can read our piece about the outfits of their royal guests in our earlier post this morning!

The bridal party included Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton as Maid of Honor and bridesmaids: Lady Louise (William's first cousin), Margarita Armstrong-Jones (cousin of William), Grace van Cutsem (daughter of a friend of the couple), Eliza Lopes (William's step-niece), William Lowther-Pinkerton (William's Private Secretary's son), and Tom Pettifer (son of William and Harry's former nanny). Prince Harry served as William's Best Man. 

The wedding was at 11 am local time, and Kate chose to arrive in a car rather than a carriage. Her father, Michael Middleton walked her down the aisle. The bride chose not to promise to obey in her wedding vows, as Diana had done 30 years before. Prince William also chose to not wear a ring. The Archbishop of Canterbury presided over the ceremony. 

The Queen named them the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge upon their wedding. 

The night before her wedding, Kate arrived with her family (parents: Michael and Carole) and siblings (Pippa and James) to the Goring Hotel where she would spend her final night as a single woman. Media was there to greet them as they arrive and a large crowd. Kate was in a black dress with white designs by Issa and matching black wedges by LK Bennett. She wore a cream jacket by BCBG, as well. 

Royal Wedding of Will and Kate: the guest outfits

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On the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding anniversary, we are taking a look at the guest outfits of the ladies we cover. Read about what they wore during the pre-wedding gala dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park on April 28 and the wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. 

Greece:

Crown Princess Marie-Chantal attended with her husband, Crown Prince Pavlos; brother-in-law, Prince Nikolaos; future sister-in-law Tatiana Blatnik; mother-in-law, Queen Anne-Marie; father-in-law, King Constantine; and one of her sons, Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece (William's godson). For the pre-wedding dinner, Marie-Chantal was in a Louis Vuitton gown that featured a deep V in the back and a small bow

For the wedding, she was in a light blue Chanel dress and jacket with a pair of Louboutins for the wedding. She was also in a blue Philip Treacy hat. 

Luxembourg:

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa attended the wedding with Grand Duke Henri. She wore a red Elie Saab gown for the pre-wedding dinner. 

For the wedding, she was in a sky blue Elie Saab dress and jacket. 

Monaco: 

Then Charlene Wittstock (she would marry Monaco's Prince Albert in July) wore a "dove-gray silk dupioni evening dress with laser-cut silk organza appliqué and a silk chiffon stole," explained the designer Akris (via Order of Splendor).

A gray Akris coat dress was worn for the wedding; she carried a matching Allegra ostrich clutch from the same designer.

Netherlands: 

Then-Princess Maxima wore a pinkish/nude lace Jan Taminiau dress for the wedding. She and Prince Willem-Alexander attended on behalf of the then-Queen Beatrix.  

Norway:

Unfortunately, the only piece from Queen Sonja's ensembles from the pre-wedding dinner and wedding that have been identified was her hat. It was a white Lock and Co. hat with a feather in the center. 

Spain:

Then-Princess Letizia attended the wedding with her husband, Prince Felipe and mother-in-law, Queen Sofia. Sofia's outfits have not been identified, but Letizia's luckily have! For the pre-wedding dinner the night before Letizia wore a strapless, purple (with flowers on the skirt) gown by Felipe Varela. The wedding saw her in a customized pink Pablo Y Mayaya hat that featured lace. Her dress was by Felipe Varela and featured 3/4 length sleeves and floral designs on the pink dress.

Sweden:

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel represented the Swedish Royal Family at the ceremony. Victoria wore a red short-sleeved Escada gown to the pre-wedding dinner, and for the wedding, she wore a muted orange long-sleeved dress by Escada and a matching hat by Britta von Koenigsegg. 

United Kingdom:

Autumn Philips wore a purple Sassi Holford coat dress for the wedding. Her hat has not yet been ID'd. 

The outfits of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have been covered in a previous post. You can read it here. 

For Sophie, Countess of Wessex, she wore a red Bruce Oldefeld gown for the pre-wedding dinner. For the wedding, she was in a cream Jane Taylor hat, embroidered suit by Bruce Oldfield, and Jimmy Choo shoes. 

Zara Phillips would get married just a few months later, but for her cousin's nuptials, she wore a bespoke black Philip Treacy hat and a Paul Costelloe coat dress. 

Our favorite Queen Maxima outfits

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We are taking a look at our favorite Queen Maxima outfits. We also have a special guest giving her opinions, Josine Droogendijk, who runs the blog modekoninginmaxima.nl. Make sure to check out her site!

Brittani:

Hands down, my all-time favorite look of hers was the gorgeous royal blue gown by Jan Taminiau. I loved how there was lace at the top and a cape draped over her shoulders. To top it off, she wore the perfect tiara (Dutch Sapphire Tiara) featuring blue sapphires. Maxima looked STUNNING that day!

Koos Breukel

Koos Breukel

I also like the red Valentino flowy gown she wore a dinner in honor of the German President Joachim Gauck and his partner, Daniela Schadt in February 2017 at Noordeinde Palace.

Another favorite of mine is her tan (and bright green paint splattered look around the middle) A-line midi dress by Mattijs van Bergen that she wore during an official tour in Perth, Australia, in November 2016.

My last choice is the light orange one-shoulder gown by Jan Taminiau that she wore to the celebrations of her 40th birthday in May 2011 while she was still a Princess. I loved the look and color on her and that it also had a cape feel on the one shoulder. 

Heaven:

My first choice is the Jan Taminiau gown she wore to Prinsjesdag 2015. It's such a beautiful and it looked stunning on Maxima! She recently wore it again in the official photos celebrating King Willem-Alexander's 5 years on the throne.

Another one of my favorite is the Jan Taminiau one sleeve red gown she wore during their official visit to Italy last year . I'm a huge fan of Jan Taminiau's work and I believe Maxima always looks stunning in his gowns. This one is no exception.

Next, I chose the Valentino black gown she wore in 2016 to the gala dinner for Queen Margrethe's birthday. It's not as original as some of Maxima's gown but it's also very Maxima with the fringes.

Finally, I chose another Jan Taminiau gown, this time the gold one she wore to Prinsjesdag in 2013. Again, she looks stunning and I love the combinaison with the hat.  

Josine:

My first choice is the yellow/orange Natan dress from the wedding in Monaco in July 2011. 

Secondly, I like the purple dress from Jan Taminiau. She wore the dress on April 28, 2017, on the 50th birthday of her husband.

Next, I chose the ensemble from Prinsjesdag 2016 from Claes Iversen.

My last choice is the Jan Taminiau gown from Carl Philip and Sofia's 2015 wedding. 

Laura:

I like the blue Jan Taminiau gown from the inauguration. This was just an iconic look from such an important day. It was the perfect gown to showcase the beautiful and grand sapphire tiara. And that cape had me swooning.

Another favorite is the red Jan Taminiau gown from the evening of the inauguration/Sofia and Carl Philip's wedding. Again, it's a stately gown that was perfect for the occasion.  It's also a fantastic backdrop to the beautiful ruby tiara at Sofia and Carl Philip's wedding.

My third choice is the purple Roksanda dress from May 2017 in The Hague at an event with Qatar's Sheikha Mozah at the seminar on Protection and Education In Conflict Zones. It's the dramatic sleeves Maxima loves done by a designer who loves dramatic sleeves and in a stunning color.  It just fits Maxima's personality so well.

And finally this floral Natan for a 2017 conference in Germany alongside Ivanka Trump. She also recently wore it to welcome the Mexican President and his wife to The Netherlands. This is a dramatic and fun dress that fits Maxima's personality but isn't too much. I love how the floral is deployed.  It's a dress that just makes me smile.

Photo: US Department of State (Public Domain)

Photo: US Department of State (Public Domain)

Samantha:

About my choices: Personally, they’re all very calm and well put together compared to a majority of her outfits that are “out there” or unusual. I love her in outfits that make her look professional and beautiful.

One of my favorite outfits of hers was the green dress by one of her favorite designers, Natan. This was from the trip to Japan in October 2014. The burgundy accessories matched really well, too. 

My next choice is the multi-colored striped dress/gown that she wore to the King's Day concert earlier this month. It was designed by Mary Katrantzou Duritz. The Queen was also in Natan pumps and clutch.

Like Laura, I like the floral Natan from a 2017 conference in Germany. She's repeated it since, and I love that it is getting more wear!

My last choice is the Jan Taminiau navy and burnt orange coat and dress that she wore while in Beijing, China, in February 2018.

Sarah:

I also really like the royal blue gown by Jan Taminiau from King Willem-Alexander's inauguration as King of the Netherlands back in 2013. 

Another favorite of mine is the blue floral gown by Luisa Beccaria she wore in September 2016 to the gala dinner for the Princess Maxima Center for Oncology in Amsterdam.

Another favorite of mine was her light pink Jan Taminiau gown with the light purple satin cape from her brother's wedding in June 2014 in Vienna. I love it so much!

I had so much trouble deciding that I had to call in reinforcements. My roommate helped me decide on the last one and this one. I love her green Jan Taminiau gown from the October 2017 state visit from Portugal. 

Our favorite Queen Letizia gowns

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Brittani:

One of my favorite gowns of hers was the red Stella McCartney from the private celebrations for King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands' 50th birthday in April 2017. I loved the one shoulder and cape look, and red really is her color!

I also liked the gray lace overlay gown by Felipe Varela that she wore for the 2013 Dutch inaurgation of King Willem-Alexander and again in March 2015 during a state dinner for the visit of the Colombian President. 

© House of HM the King

© House of HM the King

The short-sleeved black lace Carolina Herrera gown is another one of my favorites. It featured a mermaid style skirt. It was different but flattering on her. This specific gown has made an appearance twice: once at a gala dinner for a state visit from Chilean President Michelle Bachelet at Zarzuela Palace in 2014 and again during a black-tie dinner at the Dukes of Braganza Palace during an official visit to Portugal in November 2016. The latter is pictured below.

Heaven:

Queen Letizia is my favorite royal in terms of fashion so it was really hard to choose my favorite gowns of hers. I think my all-time favorite is the Lorenzo Caprile red gown she wore to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary wedding in 2004. She was not a Princess yet as she would only marry then-Prince Felipe a week after the Danish wedding, but this gown was amazing. Like Brittani said, red really is her color.

Another one of my favorite is the Felipe Varela grey strapless gown she wore for the pre-wedding dinner of Prince William and the soon-to-be Duchess of Cambridge in 2011. This is such a princess gown and I really want to see it again. This photo of Letizia turning around in her big gown is still one of my favorite photo of her.

My third choice would be the blue Carolina Herrera gown she wore during the state visit to the UK in 2017.  She looked stunning in this gown and the fit was perfect.

Laura:

Letizia and red are a fantastic pair so I've chosen two red gowns that are my favorite of hers.

First, like Brittani, I love the red Stella McQueen cape gown she wore.  It's simply dramatic and eye-catching. It's so stunning, and Letizia carries it so well.

I also love her red gown by Felipe Varela from the state visit to the UK. It's so regal and is just a fantastic dress for a tiara event. All of the beading and intricate details are superb.

I also like this Lorenzo Caprile gown from the gala dinner in honor of the Lebanese President in 2009. I love the thickness and texture of the fabric.  It has a very medieval royal vibe to it that Letiiza carries well.

Samantha:

Like Laura, I really like her red Felipe Varela embroidered UK State Banquet gown in 2017. 

Another favorite is her pale purple/ grey embroidered Felipe Varela gown from William and Kate's pre-wedding dinner on April 28, 2011.

Lastly, I really liked her new blue Ana Locking gown from the gala dinner during the State Visit by the President of Portugal this month. 

© House of HM the King

© House of HM the King

Sarah:

Like the others, I really liked the grey embroidered Felipe Varela gown that she wore to the 2011 wedding of Will and Kate. 

My next choice is the navy one-shouldered gown by Carolina Herrera for a dinner during the UK State Visit in 2017 when Felipe and Letizia hosted a gala dinner.

My last choice is the one-shouldered light blue gown with embellishments by Felipe Varela that she wore to the wedding of Felipe's first cousin Prince Nikolaos to Tatiana Blatnik in 2010.

The final days of Kate's 2011 Canadian trip and Los Angeles

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In our final installment, we take a look at the Duchess of Cambridge's outfits for the remaining day of her first Canadian tour in 2011. 

On July 5, Kate wore her J Brand skinny jeans again with a tan Burberry long-sleeved shirt and her Sebago flats for part their time in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. She also wore a cream dress by Malene Birger with her trusty LK Bennett pumps. They spent their day learning about Aboriginal traditions and activities and attended a ceremony to highlight cooperation between the natives and other cultures. They also attended a session for the Youth Parliament and a street hockey game where William took a couple of shots that were stopped by the goalie. 

The next day saw Her Royal Highness in a repeat of the jeans and blazer worn earlier in the tour with a Malene Birger blouse. She was in navy slingback wedges from Pied-A-Terre. That day was spent in Alberta where Their Royal Highnesses toured Slave Lake (a town that had recently been ravaged by wildfires) on what was supposed to be their day off. 

July 7th in Calgary saw Kate meet with a young cancer patient as part of Make-a-Wish. The little girl's dream was to meet Kate, and she greeted her with a big hug. Kate was in a yellow silk Jenny Packham dress. Later that day, she and William wore their white cowboy hats they had been given upon their arrival for the Calgary Stampede. She was also in GoldSign bootcut jeans, white Alice Temperley blouse and Butler and Wilson belt.

They attended on the 8th too with Kate in the same outfit with a solid white Temperley blouse. The couple then left Canada in an official ceremony for Los Angeles. Kate wore a red Catherine Walker coat dress. She had changed into a Roksanda Ilincic, paired with beige Jimmy Choo pumps upon their arrival in the States.

LA saw the Duchess in a lilac Alexander McQueen gown at the Belasco Theater for BAFTA Brits to Watch event. She was also seen in a navy and white outfit from Whistles on their final day in LA where they visited Skid Row. Kate also wore her Chinoiserie-print Jenny Packham dress, Kiki McDonough earrings for a polo match in Santa Barbara where William took part. She presented the winning trophy. She wore a green Diane von Furstenburg “Maja” dress with an animal skin purse by the same brand for a private reception British Consul-General’s residence.

UFO No More Podcast Episode 14: Scandinavian Royal Catch-Up (Featuring Heaven)

Another member of the UFO No More team, fashion editor Heaven, joined Laura this week.  The two ladies discussed the goings-on of the Scandinavian royals.  It was mostly about the Danish and Swedish royals as Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has been suffering from vertigo and then had surgery so she hasn't had any events lately.

The ladies discussed the incredible work Marie is doing tackling the issue of food waste. Make sure to follow Heaven's blog Princess Marie's Closet for all the latest on her.  They also talked about the Queen's birthday, Mary's hospital engagement, and the photos and upcoming festivities for Frederik's birthday.

Then, Heaven and Laura talked about the Swedish royals.  They spoke about Alexander's birthday photos, Madeleine's great but often behind-the-scenes work and her fantastic use of social media, Sofia's recent involvement with the UNDP, and Victoria's busy schedule.

Thanks to Heaven for coming on.  It's such a treat to hear her insights!

Photo: Erika Gerdemark/Kungahuset.se

Photo: Erika Gerdemark/Kungahuset.se

Our favorite outfits we want Crown Princess Mary and Princess Marie to repeat

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Crown Princess Mary: 

Brittani:

I'd love to see the peach and white ensemble again that she wore to present an award at Copenhagen Fashion Week's Designer Nest Awards in August 2015. She wore a peach Fonnesbech sleeveless coat, white Max Mara pants, and nude Valentino studded heels.

Another choice is one of my favorites of hers of all time. It was the muted green, one-shouldered Jesper Hovring gown that she wore at the Starry Starry Night Dinner in honor of The Alannah and Madeline Foundation in 2011.

Heaven:

I would love to see her wear the Max Mara dress she wore to Prince Oscar's christening in 2016. It was such a flattering and elegant outfit! 

I've always wanted her to wear this red Niels Kristiansen gown again. She first wore it for a gala dinner during an official visit to Australia in 2005. I just love the shape and she looked really good in it.

Laura:

First, I chose the Jesper Høvring gown she wore to the 2014 Bambi Awards.  The color and sparkle appeal to me, but what really puts it in the love category for me is the neckline.  It's unique but also very flattering, and Mary carries it so well.

I'd also love to see Mary rewear the Erdem gown from Harald and Sonja's 80th birthday celebrations.  She carried that print effortlessly, and it was one of my favorite fashion moments of the celebrations.

Sarah:

I'd like to see Mary in the light blue Claes Iversen coat (with the light pinkish/white hat by Jane Taylor) that she wore for the welcoming of the Belgian State Visit in 2017.

Like Laura, I want to see a repeat of the white, floral Erdem gown from Harald and Sonja's 80th birthday celebrations.

Samantha:

I want to see Mary in her white Temperley London ‘Berry’ lace dress from the second day of the Japan visit again from 2017. She was also in her light blue Gianvito Rossi heels and carried a nude Prada bag.

I also want to see another appearance of her Vilshenko dress from the US visit in October 2016. 

Princess Marie:

Brittani:

I would LOVE to see her in the black patterned dress by Designers Remix that she wore to International Copenhagen Fashion Week in 2013.

The other outfit I'd like to see Marie in again would be the one she wore for celebrations of the 60th birthday of the Epilepsy Hospital’s Children Department on September 25, 2015. Then, she wore a short-sleeved white blouse by Hugo Boss, a light pink Alexander McQueen blazer, black Jimmy Choo heels and a light pink Chanel clutch. It looked so flattering on her!

Heaven:

I would love to see Marie in the Temperley London white printed dress she first wore during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. I really loved the dress, specially the print and the slits.

The other outfit I chose is one of my favorite gown of hers. She first wore this Roberto Cavalli gown during the Gala Dinner hosted by Queen Margrethe for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in 2012. Marie was still in maternity leave after the birth of Athena but she took a short break to attend the gala. It was the first and only time she wore Roberto Cavalli but this was such a flattering gown on her!

Laura:

I'd love to see another appearance of the black sleeveless sequin gown (worn twice in 2016 and to an event in conjunction with the Belgian State Visit in 2017). This gown is absolutely gorgeous, and selfishly I'm hoping the more appearances Marie makes in it the more likely we are to ID it.

I also chose this Hugo Boss dress first seen in November 2017.  I love the shape of this dress on Marie, and the gold details are divine!

Read more about the event here.

Sarah:

I want to see the navy lace gown by Rikke Gudnitz that she wore to a gala dinner in March 2016 at Amalienborg Palace.

I also want to see a repeat of the navy long-sleeved dress with white designs by Chloé that she wore to a garden party in 2012.

Samantha:

I would really like to see Marie in her Giambattista Valli red floral dress from the French embassy in 2017 again. 

I'd love to see her navy and pink Erdem floral dress from Prince Nikolai’s 18th birthday celebrations in August 2017 again!

© Kongehuset

© Kongehuset