Duchess Sophie dodges royal protocol with heatwave-busting backless dress

Royal ladies are synonymous with immaculate dressing, whether they're breezing through soaring temperatures or wrapping up for winter weather. This all comes while following some unwritten style rules that maintain their modest, elegant image.

So did the Duchess of Edinburgh just bend the rules? During her three-day visit to Portugal with her husband, Prince Edward, Sophie was the ultimate lady in red in a backless dress by Matelier for a garden party at the residence of the UK Ambassador in Lisbon.

Features of the £147 raspberry-print dress included bell sleeves and a straight style that fell to the floor, leaving plenty of room for a cool breeze. When Sophie turned, she exposed the open back with soft, draped material – a feature that many royal ladies choose to alter in favour of more coverage.

Instead, Sophie proudly showed off the striking design, wearing her blonde hair in an updo and accessorising with matching wine-red velvet platform heels from Penelope Chilvers.

While there is no specific rule that dictates a royal can't wear backless clothing, they tend to avoid strapless or plunging designs to prevent exposing too much décolletage. Other rules dictate that they should wear tights in all weather conditions, ensure hemlines are knee-length or longer and steer clear of coloured nail polish that would draw attention.

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But etiquette is there to be broken sometimes! Sophie is not the only rebellious royal to deviate from centuries of tradition.

Royals going backless

Dating back to the 1930s, backless gowns have long been adopted by women seeking the perfect compromise of understated glamour and modesty.

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As one of the most iconic royals to push fashion boundaries, Princess Diana wasted no time jumping on the bandwagon. The late Princess of Wales wore a beautiful white and pink Catherine Walker dress with a plunging back to a performance of Swan Lake at the London Coliseum in 1989. 

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Princess Kate also showcased her sartorial bravery back in 2012. One year after marrying into the royal family, Kate donned a turquoise gown by Jenny Packham with a sheer lace back. The design even went as far as having a V-neckline with a lace insert at the bust.

Years later, at her wedding reception with Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan Markle looked stunning in her halterneck Stella McCartney gown and was pictured proudly showing off the backless silhouette while dancing.