That the Queen’s three-day birthday celebrations began the same day as the four-day men’s collections in London wasn’t planned, but it does mean the capital’s streets are heaving with well-dressed people, albeit from different camps and in different locations.
A 90th birthday shouldn’t focus on fashion – although one shouldn’t overlook the Queen’s attention to British fashion as seen in her lemon-yellow beaded two-piece suit, which chimed nicely with the spring/summer 2016 Burberry and Pringle catwalks. Still, where there are photographers there are subjects to be photographed, and at St Paul’s Cathedral, despite the heat and sheer volume of jaunty fascinators, pickings weren’t slim.
Lady Amelia Windsor won the haute stakes in black pleated Chanel (high neck, tweed, off-season but on-point) over Princess Beatrice’s terrifying belted monochrome Burberry coat. Princess Eugenie’s red Eponine dress was as wearable as it was brave, the cut-outs a safe size and distance from any body part.
A special mention, too, to Prince Harry in his navy suit and summer-trimmed beard. Then there was the Duchess of Cambridge in Catherine Walker, the Duchess of Cornwall and Cherie Blair, who all received the ice-blue dress code memo, and looked appropriately safe if forgettable.
Which leaves us with Samantha Cameron, who buckled under the heat and went bare-armed in striped LK Bennett. Did she flash too much shoulder or simply dress for the weather? Safe, demure and pretty, the latter it would seem. At least she didn’t wear a fascinator.
