With a straight-set win over Novak Djokovic, the Wimbledon men’s final should have been Spaniard and Louis Vuitton ambassador Carlos Alcaraz’s shining moment but never underestimate the power of a purple dress.
Making her second public appearance since revealing her cancer diagnosis in March, Catherine, Princess of Wales, dominated Centre Court.
Princess Catherine was greeted by a standing ovation from the centre court crowd as she took her seat in the royal box.Credit: AP
The prestigious tennis tournament had already featured a line-up of royals attempting to fill the Catherine-sized void created by the princess’s absence from official duties since January, apart from a My Fair Lady moment at Trooping the Colour last month.
With one dress Catherine showed how to serve the grandest of style slams.
1. Princess Catherine
Having flirted with summery blazer and skirt combinations and playful prints at past tournaments, Catherine played a power move in regal purple for her return to the public eye.
The customised version of Daniela Karnuts’ ‘Cecilia’ dress from her London-based label Safiyaa made the right royal impact. The A-line midi-dress with a twist at the bodice is currently available (until the Kate-effect kicks in) for £1079 ($2067) with a modest V-neck, which Catherine had altered to a boat neck.
Purple and green are the Wimbledon club colours, with Catherine wearing three green outfits, an emerald dress by Roland Mouret, a mint Balmain blazer with a white pleated skirt and a vivid green Self Portrait dress, to last year’s tournament.
By choosing purple, Catherine taps into centuries of royal tradition. The colour has been associated with royalty since ancient times, with Queen Elizabeth I introducing sumptuary laws preventing anyone except close royal family members from wearing it.
With her nude, box LK Bennett handbag and ‘Sabine’ hoop earrings from independent British jeweller By Pariah, Catherine offered attainable style but the custom block purple dress had been designed solely to fit a future queen.
2. Carole and Pippa Middleton
Catherine’s bold block colour choice was placed in sharp focus by the sea of prints surrounding her in the royal box. Princess Charlotte’s polka dots were a sweet contrast but Pippa Middleton’s whimsical floral dress from Beulah London enhanced her sister’s purple power play.
Like Queen Camilla, Pippa shopped her wardrobe for the event, having worn the caped dress to her brother James’s 2021 wedding to Alizée Thevenet.
On Day 10 at Wimbledon, Pippa’s mother Carole also turned to nature for inspiration, in a floral dress from Clare Hornby’s label Me+Em. This year Me+Em, with a price point resting in the yawning chasm between Zara and luxury labels such as Louis Vuitton, has become a favourite of public figures such as Barbie actor and producer Margot Robbie and Victoria Starmer, wife of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Earlier in the tournament Carole attended Wimbledon wearing a floral dress from Samantha Cameron’s label Ceffin, teamed with a white blazer.
3. Zara Tindall
With Catherine’s diminished profile, Princess Anne’s equestrian daughter, Zara Tindall, has been more prominent at royal gatherings. With the support of Australian stylist Annie Miall, Tindall’s style has also stepped up with dresses from Rebecca Vallance and Leo & Lin elevating her wardrobe.
For Wimbledon, Tindall joined the Me+Em pile-on in a berry print dress worn only hours earlier by Queen Mary at an official event in Denmark.
Tindall put business over pleasure, watching the tennis from the Rolex box as an official brand ambassador, rather than the seats reserved for royalty.
4. Princess Beatrice
The last fashion splash Princess Beatrice made at Wimbledon was in 2022, wearing a dress from the Vampire’s Wife, founded by Susie Cave, the wife of musician Nick Cave.
With the label having ceased trading in May, Beatrice turned to bridal designer Monique Lhuillier’s floral shirt dress in silk, with a sash at the waist.
In 2022, Beatrice was happy to show her legs with the ruffled hem of her dress perched above the knee but the Lhuillier update taps into the current trend for a mature mid-length.
5. Queen Camilla
The royal penchant for wardrobe symbolism was ignored by Queen Camilla on day 10 of Wimbledon in a cream linen midi dress from Alana Valentine, embroidered with giraffe motifs on the skirt.
The animal print made an impact on Camilla’s visit to a Kenyan elephant park in November but missed the mark on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon. Bonus points for re-wearing an old outfit but as anyone who has worn a sarong beyond Bali knows, some holiday attire doesn’t travel well.
This piece could stay behind on Camilla’s upcoming trip to Australia. The Queen could follow in the path of Catherine, Zara and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, by embracing Australian labels such as Karen Gee, Zimmermann, Oroton and Scanlan Theodore.
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