When the Princess of Wales arrived at the Royal Albert Hall to watch the Festival of Remembrance on Saturday night, her outfit followed a now well-established formula for the uniquely sombre occasion in the royal calendar: a subdued black coat-dress, some sentimental jewelery (in this case, Diana, Princess of Wales’s Collingwood earrings), some “relatable” jewelery (in the form of a Monica Vinader necklace), and an aspirational flourish (a Classic Mini Flap Bag by Chanel). And come Sunday morning? She was back in another black coat-dress, this time by Catherine Walker, to appear at the Cenotaph, a trio of poppies fixed to her lapel and the late Queen’s Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings in her ears.
Both looks were classic Kate, and wholly appropriate for a weekend devoted to honoring those who lost their lives in service—and yet they still, in a way, felt unusual, given how rare it is to see Windsor women in black. It’s often been reported that, barring Remembrance Weekend each November, members of the royal family are prohibited from wearing the shade head-to-toe unless in mourning, when their crepe and veils are traditionally paired with pearls. As is often the case with Buckingham Palace protocol, however, there have been exceptions through the years, as and when senior royals decide to momentarily cut loose.