It's one of the fanciest days of the year for the Windsors: Garter Day, the annual service for the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry in England. Between the feathered Knights and Ladies of the Garter and their hatted loved ones, we have lots to admire, so let's get started:
Best in Earrings
Queen Elizabeth
The Queen gets the best deal. She gets the fanciest robe (or mantle) - so fancy she needs two pages to carry it - and she wears the best earrings every year. Funnily enough, I tweeted just on Saturday a request for these very earrings, the Crown rubies. I even said pretty please, and it did the trick. Gor-ge-ous, and that's not even coming from a ruby lover.
Best in Other Jewels
The Duchess of Cornwall
And now I'm officially in seventh heaven, because Camilla wore one of my favorite pieces from her jewel box: this amazing pink choker. I'll just be over here, dead. Wake me when someone puts a tiara on.
Best in Repeats
The Countess of Wessex
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| Left to Right: The Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Cambridge |
There were plenty of repeats among the ladies observing the ceremony today, but these two wore the most recognizable ones: Sophie in her outfit from
Mike and Zara's wedding, and Kate in her coat from
last year's Trooping the Colour. I like them both, but I'm digging Sophie's new hat a little more than Kate's. Must be that rakish pirate angle.
Best in Blue
The Duchess of Gloucester
Birgitte Gloucester here stood out in the sea of neutrals in her fresh blue, and she looked ever so lovely. Note that she too is bringing some necklace eye candy for us, bless her heart.
Best in Proud Mums
Viscountess Linley
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| L to R: Viscountess Linley, Lady Sarah Chatto |
Viscountess Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto were present today because their sons, Charles Armstrong-Jones and Arthur Chatto, served as the Queen's pages (that's them in the photo with the Queen above). Lady Sarah broke her streak of attending major royal events in her black and white New Look chic...and I wish she hadn't, though I applaud her brooch effort and her non-fascinator hat. This one goes to Serena Linley.
Best in Knights and Ladies
The Princess Royal
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| L to R: The Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cambridge, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex |
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| L to R: The Princess Royal, the Duke of Gloucester, Princess Alexandra, the Duke of Kent |
Here we are, last but never least, the rest of the royal members of the Order of the Garter. Princess Anne tickled my fancy the most this year. She just seemed especially chuffed to be wearing a feather bigger than yours.
Who makes your best dressed list at Garter Day this year?
Photos: WPA Pool/Getty/Zimbio/Daily Mail
