On Sunday evening, Kate Middleton and Prince William stepped onto the BAFTAs red carpet for the very first time as the Princes and Princess of Wales and the pair exuded style and Hollywood glamour for the occasion.
William donned a black velvet Tom Ford suit jacket, white shirt, and black trousers, while Kate opted to restyle a white one-shouldered Alexander McQueen gown that she had previously worn at the BAFTAs in 2019, adding a full-length pair of black opera gloves and £17.99 gold statement earrings from Zara.
She finished the look with a black clutch bag, gold heels and wore her hair down and sleek.
Her striking ensemble for the event has since been branded "genius" by Miranda Holder, a celebrity and royal fashion expert, who claims the Princess of Wales' bold outfit shows how she can "take on whatever challenges [her new role] throws at her".
Miranda told The Mirror: "Kate's striking red carpet look for the 2023 BAFTAs certainly created a style sensation.
"The dramatic monochrome perfectly complemented William's outfit, and the pair looked like a true power couple, completely at ease whilst mingling with the great and the good of the film industry.
"Since gaining the title of Princess of Wales, Kate's style has evolved into something more refined and confident, as she takes on this new role with gusto, looking every inch our future Queen.
"In comparison with previous BAFTA outfits, this look felt more grown up, even more polished and poised, showing us that Kate can take on whatever challenges the role throws at her."
The expert continued to share how she believes Kate was taking 'a leaf out of the Queen's guidebook' with her bold choices.
"The stark contrast of the black and white against the red carpet ensured that Kate was easily spotted, the Princess taking a leaf out of the Queen's guidebook, as her Majesty would always dress to be seen in a crowd, out of courtesy to the public.
"This was Kate at her most confident and bold. The opera gloves were a daring choice and have divided opinions, but personally, I feel that they were a genius move.
"Evening gloves have featured on the runways at fashion week for the last couple of seasons, but have never really filtered down into the mainstream, rendering them a very fashion-forward and unusually avant-garde choice for Kate.
"Although this choice may have been lost on some of the public who thought they looked a bit odd and out of place, her fashionista fans will have understood that this was a not-so-subtle nod to Britain's fashion industry, which being perfectly timed with the end of Fashion Week cemented Kate's status as an enduring fashion icon."
As well as the striking gloves, it was Kate's jewellery that had people talking as she opted for rose gold statement earrings from high street favourite, Zara.
The earrings cost just £17.99 and have since sold out and are now being sold on sites like eBay for over £100.
Miranda says the addition of the earrings was a "stroke of genius" as they made Kate seem more "confident" and "in touch" with the general public.
She added: "The more interesting part of the look was the use of ostentatious accessories - a sure sign of our future Queen growing in confidence as she takes more risks with her style.
"This year's look only differed from the previous years in terms of it being less 'classic fairytale Princess' and more 'look at me now' - a natural evolution of Kate's evolving style and role as the firm's 'Poster girl'.
"The Zara earrings were another stroke of genius and another variation from the traditional heirloom diamonds.
"The oversized, sculptural pair were again very fashion-forward, but, possibly more importantly, kept Kate 'in touch' with the general public, and her style more relatable and accessible, as her fashion-conscious fans could quite feasibly go and buy a pair themselves.
"Reworking the dress was another clever ploy - not only did it look stunning, it was a far more sustainable choice - appeasing the more eco-conscious amongst us and also keeping in touch with the cost of living crisis."
What did you think of Kate's BAFTA's look? Let us know in the comments below.
