The Duchess of Edinburgh appeared to break an unwritten royal fashion rule on day two of Ascot.
Appearing alongside her husband Prince Edward, Sophie wore a classic black puff-sleeve dress with a large bow, a buttoned bodice and an A-line midi skirt. While the 'Victoria Shirt Dress' from Suzannah London didn't break specific Ascot dress codes, which require women to wear dresses below the knee with modest necklines and hats, it was made in a surprisingly sombre black hue.
The made-to-order frock comes in pink and orange, but Sophie chose to wear the colour that is traditionally reserved for a period of mourning or a black-tie evening event. Since Royal Ascot is a daytime event and the weather is decidedly summery, it's an unusual sartorial move from the glamorous royal.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesSophie teamed the rule-bending dress with white accessories to create a monochromatic appearance, including pointed-toe kitten heels from Jimmy Choo and a striped hat, much like Zara Tindall's My Fair Lady moment in her Juliette Botterill headpiece in 2025.
She stood in stark contrast to the Princess of Wales' zesty lemon yellow Roksanda dress and Carole Middleton's Catherine Walker coat dress from Pippa’s 2017 wedding.
© Getty ImagesDays earlier, Sophie had chosen a more summery outfit for the Order of the Garter service. Also designed by Suzannah London, the tea dress came in a soft cream hue and was adorned with a coral and green floral print.
© Getty ImagesRebellious royals
Other royals have occasionally ignored the no-black rule, including Princess Diana. Back in 1981, Diana wore a show-stopping black gown by David and Elizabeth Emanuel to a fundraising concert.
In 1991, when she was interviewed for her biography, Diana reportedly said that when Charles saw her in the dress, he remarked: "Only people in mourning wear black!"
Compulsory black outfits
Royals do, however, always have a mourning outfit close to hand. It is customary for senior royals to carry one when travelling abroad so they're prepared for the possible sudden death of the current King or Queen.
The rule began in 1952, after the late Queen Elizabeth II found herself in an unpleasant situation during her royal tour of Africa, and the news broke of her father, King George VI's death.
© SSPL via Getty ImagesWithout an appropriate outfit to wear off the plane in London, a suitable ensemble was brought to her so that she could change before she disembarked.
HELLO!'s Online Royal Correspondent Danielle Stacey explained: "I think the royals never want to be in a situation where they're unprepared for such a scenario, having learned from Princess Elizabeth's return from Kenya when her father died, so it would make sense for them to always have a black outfit to hand.
"Having visited the Dress Codes exhibition at Kensington Palace earlier this year, I learned that a typical mourning period in the Victorian era was two years at its longest and when widows went into half-mourning, which lasted around three to six months, they could wear muted colours such as lilac, grey and lavender.
"But in comparison, the modern royal family do not wear mourning attire for very long, in comparison to their ancestors. Typically, a two-week mourning period is observed."
