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Rubies, diamonds and a bucket hat: how the royals did diplomatic dressing in 2024

Royal style is no easy matter. You might think that having the pick of designers at your beck and call would make getting ready in the morning a breeze and for your average outing, you might well be right.

But there are times when you’re expected not just to look smart, stylish and even vaguely on trend. Oh no, sometimes being royal means diplomatic dressing and using your look to pay tribute to those you are meeting – even if that is a Head of State and your frock or suit is meant to cement relations between your two nations. See, pressure. However, some royals have taken on that challenge and more than met it in 2024. No spoilers, but owning a lot of rubies generally helps.

Queen takes on national colours and wins, part one

Royal Family Instagram still/ fair use

Back in the good old days, before social media and personal dressers, queens and princesses were all but guaranteed to start any visit overseas in an outfit made up entirely of the colours of the flag of the land they were visiting. It offered endless chances for truly awful get ups which is most likely why it is no longer a thing. Until 2024.

Queen Camilla decided to start her historic visit to Australia in that country’s national colours. And she knocked it out of every park in Sydney. Her Majesty took the green and gold, made them pastel, and scored a winner. The pale green coat (Anna Valentine, natch) and the pale straw hat (Philip Treacy, again, natch) were a muted mix of the shades that Australia adopted as a nation over forty years ago. Diplomatic dressing on another level.

Queen takes on national colours, and wins – part two

Queen Mary and Queen Silvia walk into a gala banquet during the State Visit from Denmark to Sweden
Clément Morin/The Royal Court of Sweden

It must be something about Australia for the very first woman from that country ever to become a queen gave us the perfect serve of flag dressing in 2024. Queen Mary of Denmark saw her husband take the throne and then packed him and her best jewels up and headed off on a whirlwind of State Visits. And while she was at it, she gave us the perfect serve of flag dressing.

Queen Mary landed in Stockholm, wore literally everything red and white she has ever owned and won. A cream evening dress with crimson overlay was merely the backdrop for a set of ruby and diamond jewels, including a stunning tiara, that turned Europe’s newest consort into a walking representation of the Danish flag in the most stylish way possible.

Queen Camilla cracks out a cracker of a tiara to keep some very important guests happy

Royal Family/ Instagram

Queen Camilla also hit the rubies to make another diplomatic fashion statement. When the Emperor and Empress of Japan arrived in London for a long awaited State Visit, The Queen knew just which diadem to don as she welcomed them to Buckingham Palace.

The Chrysanthemum tiara depicts that flower in ruby and diamond form. It was created for Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Camilla is only the second person to be seen wearing it. But she certainly chose her moment. The Emperor of Japan is the holder of the Chrysanthemum throne and this sparkling nod is about as diplomatic as it gets.

The king of Spanish designers dresses his country’s queen for an historic portrait

Photo by Annie Leibovitz/ Banco de Espana

The year began with an acclaimed telling of the life of Spanish fashion superstar Cristobal Balenciaga on Disney+ and it ended with the man himself dressing a queen born after he had died. Balenciaga is, for many, the king of fashion in Spain and when Queen Letizia posed for an historic portrait marking ten years since her husband’s accession as Felipe VI, she turned to Balenciaga for her outfit.

The Queen of Spain chose a vintage Balenciaga gown for a photo taken by Annie Leibovitz. The image was commissioned by the Bank of Spain which always puts portraits of monarchs and consorts in its vaults to mark their reign. And it ensured that the man who transformed Spanish style takes a new place in history. Total diplomacy.

And finally, a hat to end all hats

Royal Family/ Instagram

Excuse the obsession and the fact that this fashion statement has been picked many times since its debut in the summer but there is only one way to end 2024 and that is celebrating Princess Anne in a bucket hat. Again.

In July 2024, the Princess Royal chose the Team GB adorned hat for a visit to the British stars taking part in the Paris Olympics. It’s the ultimate nod to those she is visiting in the low key way we’ve come to expect from a princess who was so practical she opted to watch the Opening Ceremony at the British embassy rather than in the VIP area where other royals got rained on while they watched re-imaginings of queens being executed.

Anne kept her head and her hat and she keeps her place in the list of ultimate diplomatic dressing moments of 2024.

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.