More often than not, Duchess Sophie sticks to a reliable formula when it comes to summer workwear, leaning into patterned midi dresses with espadrilles. It’s a uniform that works for both casual and more formal royal events, and on Thursday, August 13, she braved temperatures in the high nineties to attend the 2026 European Athletics Championships with Prince Edward in Birmingham, England.
What do you wear to an outdoor event when it’s pushing 100 degrees? For Sophie, it’s a pair of her tried-and-true Penelope Chilvers espadrille wedges and a loose cotton shirt dress by one of her favorite brands, Lexy London.
The small, woman-owned British label focuses on slow fashion and ethical production, with their pieces featuring bespoke, hand-block-printed patterns. Sophie’s dress showed off one of Lexy London’s unique designs, with her blue, white and green paisley midi dress topped off with slightly puffed sleeves and a belted waist.
The Duchess of Edinburgh carried the same Strathberry raffia Mosaic Nano bag owned by Zara Tindall, but Sophie's featured brown leather trim instead of Zara's white version. The duchess previously carried the summery style twice in July, and if it looks familiar, it's because Princess Kate owns the same bag in an ivory shade and Princess Beatrice has carried it in black.
Sophie and Edward’s appearance at the championships comes on a big day for their family. This morning, Buckingham Palace announced that their son James, the Earl of Wessex, will be continuing his studies at the Royal Agricultural University.
The 18-year-old recently graduated from high school and will not be taking a gap year, choosing to head straight to university to study rural land and property management.
