As promised, the world’s sovereigns descended upon Windsor Castle today for lunch with Queen Elizabeth to celebrate her whopping 60 years on the throne. Historic picture time!
Anyway, several basic suits and a few mishaps with the Bedazzler later, here’s what we came out with:
Best in Boss Ladies
Queen Elizabeth
Left to Right: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Margrethe of Denmark
This lunch is being touted all over as the most exclusive lunch in the world, but this right here is the most exclusive club: the queens regnant. The Jubilee Girl wins it for obvious reasons, though Queen Beatrix gets some serious bonus points for looking so thrilled to see her girl QEII. Time for some queenly girl talk!
Best in Shoulder Doodads
Queen Paola
L to R: The Duchess of Cambridge, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Queen Paola of the Belgians, Queen Rania of Jordan
I loved Kate’s demure pink Emilia Wickstead number and was so delighted to see her wearing a brooch (some sort of homage one way or the other to the Broochiest Queen of All perhaps?) that I bumped her up to a special little category. But when it comes to shoulder doodads, she still needs some practice: she kept forgetting her brooch was there and covering it up with the hair. I still prefer that to Maria Teresa’s hubcap shine (repeated from National Day), or the top that Queen Rania stole from an Egyptian mummy on the way up north, but Queen Paola wins this one. She’s lovely, and she’s purple. Done and done.
Best in Blue
Sheikha Mozah
L to R: Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Princess Charlene of Monaco, Sheikha Mozah of Qatar, Queen Sonja of Norway
You know Sheikha Mozah’s my girl crush, right? The lady’s got flair - flair enough to steal her category right from under the NON-BLERGH suit of Charlene, wrinkles and all. As thrilled as I am to see Charlene back in that gorgeous Mediterranean blue hue, the feat of hairspray sculpture up top is way beyond her years.
Best in National Dress and Etc.
Empress Michiko
L to R: The Queen of Brunei, Princess Srirasm of Thailand, Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco, Empress Michiko of Japan, Sheikha Sabika of Bahrain
Here’s the category for those of you disappointed in the lack of tiaras at the lunch – why, the Queen of Brunei’s outfit alone gives you plenty of ornamentation. I’m a sucker for those gorgeous caftans the Moroccan ladies treat us to, but this one goes to the empress, for pure adorableness.
Worst in British Glimpses
The Countess of Wessex
L to R: Princess Eugenie of York, the Countess of Wessex, Princess Beatrice of York
Precious view glimpses are around of some of the other British royal ladies. We’ve got two different takes on the Princess Gladiator from the York gals: Bea in gold-wrapped super hero mode, and Eug in a toga thing. I’m pretty sure I love what Beatrice is cooking up there, but I can’t tell. On the other hand, I don’t need a better look to know that Sophie’s depressing me.
Best of the Rest
Crown Princess Margarita
L to R: Queen Silvia of Sweden, Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia, Crown Princess Margarita of Romania, Queen Margarita of Bulgaria, Queen Mesenate Mohato Seeiso of Lesotho
Two things I love: when Crown Princess Katherine comes out to play at the royal events, because she always looks so darn friendly, and when Crown Princess Margarita does the same, because she always puts on her royal best. Like so many of these other ladies, she’s gone the prim and simple route with a skirt suit, but there’s something about her dainty red take that jumps out above the rest.
Worst in Hot Glue Ornamentation
Inkhosikati LaMbikiza of Swaziland
Did you know that this lady here was one of the King of Swaziland’s multiple wives before this lunch? I’m guessing you didn’t. But you do now. So...mission accomplished?
