Royal Trip of the Day: November 7

Royal Trip of the Day: November 7

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What has Crown Princess Mary been up to lately? Emptying her closet of all available printed items, it seems.

Dolce & Gabbana skirt, Etro coat

All these prints went on a trip with her to South Africa this week, a visit which focused on things like sexual and reproductive health and rights, which Mary is a big advocate for, as well as commercial cooperation between Denmark and South Africa cooperation and the like.

Heartmade dress, Massimo Dutti dress

And this is a great example of a wardrobe hitting just the right note - it's fun to put it all together, but it's not the centerpiece of the trip. Billed-Bladet's YouTube channel has plenty of videos to give you a feel for the visit, such as this one in which Mary makes a new friend:

Blouse from Hugo Boss

This is not a comprehensive round up, but I will include one of my favorite looks, from an evening reception:

HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark opening of Danish Design Business Mission in Cape Town #wdc2014 #workingfordk pic.twitter.com/YR7wcvxqcp
— René Dinesen (@DKAMBinSA) November 3, 2014

I do love a maxi skirt and a big earring. It's just the right mix of formal and informal, no?

Giambattista Valli skirt and gold plated sterling silver earrings from Jewlscph

Mary's world travels didn't stop in South Africa this week. On the way home, she stopped in Geneva at the United Nations.

#458505788 / gettyimages.com

A conservative we're-doing-business suit is precisely what such a day entails, but I (and Queen Elizabeth II) approve of her choice to liven things up with a little brooch action.

#458506018 / gettyimages.com

A classy finish to a working week, all in all.

Photos: Billed-Bladet video, Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Heartmade, Massimo Dutti, @DKAMBinSA, Lyst, Jewlscph, Harold Cunningham via Getty Images

Royal Christening of the Day: June 9

Royal Christening of the Day: June 9

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Official photograph, Anna-Lena Ahlström/Kungahuset.se

Princess Leonore of Sweden (daughter of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill) was christened on her parents’ first wedding anniversary yesterday, and you know what that means: RETURN OF THE BABY SASH.

Yes, Leonore’s grandfather, King Carl Gustaf, gave her the Order of the Seraphim (Sweden’s highest order) and just as he did with Princess Estelle, he made it complete with a miniature sash and badge to add to the antique family christening gown. The most successful royal bid for extra cute points of our time, this is. Keep it up, Sweden.

Official photograph, Anna-Lena Ahlström/Kungahuset.se

Leonore’s entourage went with a coordinated pastel scheme. Both mother Madeleine and grandmother Silvia were in lace dresses from Valentino. A classic blue for Silvia with a Philip Treacy hat and a pink baby doll-type number for Madeleine with a piece of fishnet draped over her face for good measure. (Which I dislike primarily on the grounds that it would annoy me constantly if I wore it, so I’m full of logic as usual today.)

King Carl Gustaf and Prince Carl Philip were in uniform, and Chris and Daniel, like most of the male guests, wore morning suits. Bottom left above: with all the godparents.

Madeleine was radiant, veil and all, and Silvia was elegant, but aunt Victoria was my favorite for the day. She and her partner in crime Princess Estelle showed us that thing that Sweden does particularly well: providing throwbacks to their history without knocking you over the head with the sentimentality. In this case, Estelle was wearing a dress her mother wore back in 1980 and Victoria’s Philip Treacy headpiece was clearly designed to honor the one worn by Queen Silvia for the baptism of Prince Carl Philip in 1979. (Comparisons below.)

Victoria's Dolce & Gabbana dress (with detail) and Krueger Jewellery flower earrings. All royal ladies wore the King's portrait as well..

Truth be told, I like Victoria’s gesture more than the actual result, but her Dolce & Gabbana dress was enough to sell me on the win. Actually, Victoria didn’t have to sell me on it – the work was already done for her the day before, when Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece wore the very same dress to the Epsom Derby.

#450222618 / gettyimages.com

Memo to Victoria: try this one with a big hat next time. It's a good look.

For more on the christening: a link to the broadcast if you'd like to watch and more details from the weekend post, a big gallery and some video clips from Aftonbladet.


P.S.: It's a two post day! Keep scrolling.


Photos: As indicated and SVT/IBL/Lyst/Krueger Jewellery