Duchess Sophie is an icon of contemporary royal style, with a wardrobe that impresses every season, and for certain occasions she's been known to bring out something a little different. On Wednesday, 5 November, she visited the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where she attended her namesake Duchess of Edinburgh competition, which is an annual military skills competition for her affiliated regiments and military organisations. For such an event, it only makes sense that the 60-year-old would dress up in some military attire of her own – and it makes even more sense that she would still look unbelievably cool doing so.
The Duchess of Edinburgh sported a hooded camo jacket, blending right in with the military officers, which she layered over an olive coloured T-shirt. She also donned a pair of skinny khaki-coloured jeans and tan suede hiking boots to round off the look. For an occasion such as this, it feels like a perfect choice for Duchess Sophie to choose an outfit that places her among the soldiers. As someone who writes about royal style every day, I'm constantly impressed by how she manages to strike the balance between professional and down-to-earth, always looking approachable but still like she means business.
Also known as the Countess of Wessex Cup, the competition sees the members of the regiments and organisations take part in a series of physically and mentally challenging events, which include navigations, obstacle courses and foreign weapons firing. The competition was designed to encourage cooperation and friendships between the military units, with the Duchess attending to present the trophy to the winning team.
Duchess Sophie's autumnal style
The Duchess of Edinburgh has earned the epithet of the British royal family's quiet fashionista – though many cite the Princess of Wales as their fashion muse, Prince Edward's wife has quite the impressive wardrobe of her own, whether that's her stylish summer frocks or power suits. However, for me, it's her autumn wardrobe that invites the most envy. Scroll down to see our favourite autumn outfits from Duchess Sophie…