Grief is a difficult and nonlinear process. It can help to pay tribute to one’s loved one in a personal way. This is just what members of the late Queen Elizabeth’s family chose to do to honor her. They did so through their fashion choices worn when attending her state funeral on September 19, 2022.
The world lost a figurehead and a queen, but Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton both lost a grandmother-in-law. And 7-year-old Princess Charlotte lost her great-grandmother. It is easy to forget this because of their public roles.
Meghan Markle honored the queen by wearing a black caped Stella McCartney dress with a Stephen Jones Millinery x Dior hat. This dress was knee length, which meets the official royal dress code. She wore a similar dress in navy blue to the queen's 92nd birthday concert in 2018. Meghan completed the outfit with pearl earrings, which were a gift from the queen before their first solo outing together in 2018.
Kate Middleton honored the queen by wearing a black Alexander McQueen coat dress. She paired it with a veil and black hat by Philip Treacy. Kate recently wore a white version of this dress for a happier occasion, Trooping the Colour, which occurred during the Platinum Jubilee. Kate’s accessories also told a story. She wore some of the late queen’s jewelry, Bahrain pearl drop earrings and a four-row pearl choker necklace. Kate also wore these to Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021.
Princess Charlotte wore a simple black dress and black overcoat. She paired these with black tights, black shoes, and a black hat. She honored her great-grandmother by wearing a simple horseshoe brooch. Queen Elizabeth had a lifelong love of horses. She was a breeder and owner who competed in horse races. Charlotte just started to learn to ride horses herself, following in her great-grandmother’s footsteps.
