The Duchess of Edinburgh oozed festive chic on 25 December as she stepped out for the annual Christmas Day church service and walkabout at Sandringham. Duchess Sophie, 60, was joined by her husband, Prince Edward, 61, and their two children, Lady Louise Windsor, 22, and James, Earl of Wessex, 18, as she embraced a gorgeous houndstooth moment.
Sophie added a new coat to her collection for Christmas Day, which Royal British Fashion on Instagram identified
Duchess Sophie's Christmas Day look
The statement outerwear featured an ankle-grazing length, long sleeves, and a collared neckline with rich aubergine velvet piping. The piece, which retails for £1,990, also featured a tailored silhouette thanks to the fitted bodice, which cinched at the waist with two covered buttons.
The coat highlighted Sophie's penchant for British designs (she also favours Beulah London and Lexy London), but the fabric of this piece in particular worked perfectly for the cold winter walkabout as it was crafted from Italian Virgin wool, which keeps the wearer warm with its crimped fibres that trap air and keep body heat in.
Perfectly accessorised for Sandringham walkabout
Sophie's coat teamed perfectly with a hat in the same fabric. The headpiece was from Suzannah London's collaboration with Jane Taylor London and featured a beautiful statement bow on the back. Accessorised to perfection, the royal added Sophie Habsburg's 'Lunatic Clutch in Bordeaux Caviar' and re-wore her trusty 'Ixia 80 Pumps in Garnet Patent Leather' by Jimmy Choo.
Also joining the Edinburghs for the Christmas Day walkabout (an annual royal tradition since 1988) were the Prince and Princess of Wales with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as well as King Charles, Queen Camilla, and Princess Anne.
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Sophie's festive pop of colour
Here on HELLO!'s Lifestyle desk, we love a pop of colour in a festive outfit. Sophie kept it seasonal yet understated with the splash of deep purple in her Christmas Day ensemble, but she went for something brighter for the pre-Christmas royal lunch hosted by King Charles at Buckingham Palace on 16 December.
For this occasion, the duchess opted for a bright hit of green in the form of Beulah London's 'Francine' dress. Forest green is perfect for a Christmas look as not only is it one of the most traditionally festive colours (due to its nod to the hue of a Christmas tree), but fashion stylist and colour expert Constance Richardson told HELLO! that this colour "evokes balance, freshness, and growth" - a fitting choice ahead of the new year.
Gabrielle Mai, a global fashion stylist with seven years of experience in the industry, previously shared with us her tips for rocking this colour at Christmas time, while maintaining sophistication and elegance.
- "Choose deeper, muted greens (emerald, forest, bottle green) rather than bright novelty shades for a more elegant effect.
- Keep the silhouette simple, tailored dresses or fluid midis, let the colour do the talking.
- Pair with classic neutrals like camel, grey, navy or metallic accents to ground the look.
- Limit festive styling to one element; avoid piling on red accessories or obvious sparkle."