She's been leaning into a "bold" aesthetic ahead of her 60th birthday.
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, rang in her 60th birthday by posing for an official portrait in a white Proenza Schouler coat paired with a brown turtleneck and wide-leg bright green pants. The elegant yet modern look paired with a bold splash of color–a welcome departure from the conservative power suits she wore in her early royal days–showed just how far Duchess Sophie’s style has come over the years. And according to royal style experts, she’s been taking royal fashion cues from “sister” Kate Middleton as well as Meghan Markle as she’s become more “confident” in her sartorial choices.
Suzannah Crabb, who helms one of Sophie and Kate’s go-to brands Suzannah London, told People that the duchess’s newly “refined and confident” style era is due to a risk-taking ethos that still follows royal style guidelines. “I love how she is not afraid to try new things and she makes beautiful choices,” she said. “She’s effortless and elegant always.”
Crabb–who has also dressed Kate Middleton in the past–also pointed out that Duchess Sophie has taken a leaf from the princess’s style book. “As always, and what I absolutely notice about the British royals, is that they always wear their pieces again,” she said, saying her royal clients are “mindful, realistic, and have strong values” during the collaboration process.
Alice Leet-Cook, co-founder of another Sophie-loved brand Hicks & Brown, echoed these sentiments, saying, “She’s a working royal but also a mum, and you just get the feeling that she’s built a wardrobe that has lots of really good pieces that are wearable and she does wear things and again and again.”
Leet-Cook also said this new confidence has been seen in her more casual looks, saying, “Even at Royal Windsor, there’s something about her, you just can’t help but turn to look. There’s an ease in the way she dresses. It appears effortless.”
Duchess Sophie has been starting to experiment with louder colors and fun prints, like the teal pants she wore during a January 21 visit to the Treloar’s School and College–her first post-60th birthday engagement of the year. Recent color block-inspired looks include an ankle-length forest green skirt cinched with silver buckles, as well as dark green pants paired with a magenta blouse and maroon cardigan. Duchess Sophie even chose a bold, boho-inspired look for Kate’s carol service on December 6, which featured a paisley-printed skirt with a daring thigh-high slit, brown suede boots, and a white cardigan.
“The colors and prints she chooses are subtle yet chic, never overpowering,” Natasha Rufus Isaacs, co-founder of Beulah London, told People. “I think this feminine look is aspirational, as it never goes out of style.”