Princess of Wales honours Queen Elizabeth II's signature colour with bespoke Emilia Wickstead dress

Dorothy Reddin
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:44:44 +0000

The Princess of Wales honoured Queen Elizabeth II's signature colour with a bespoke Emilia Wickstead dress at Buckingham Palace today.

Catherine made the poignant tribute to her late grandmother-in-law at commemorations honouring what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.

The mother-of-three chose a bespoke lilac crepe midi dress by Emilia Wickstead for the occasion.

The dress was designed in a soft lilac shade, crafted from crepe fabric and cut to midi length.

Lilac was one of the late Queen's signature shades, having worn it on countless occasions.

Catherine accessorised with two significant pieces from the late Queen's jewellery collection.

This included the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings, which the Princess of Wales wore on Easter Sunday.

In addition, the 44-year-old wore a three-strand pearl necklace previously seen during a 2022 reception for Commonwealth governors-general at Buckingham Palace.

Completing the ensemble were Ralph Lauren "Celia" pumps in RL Gold Calfskin, footwear the princess first introduced to her wardrobe back in 2020.

Catherine's personal connection to the late Queen was evident in a 2016 documentary marking Elizabeth II's 90th birthday.

"I can remember being at Sandringham, for the first time, at Christmas. And I was worried what to give the Queen as her Christmas present," Catherine recalled, explaining she ultimately made her grandmother's chutney recipe.

"I noticed the next day that it was on the table. I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me."

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Following the Queen's death in 2022, Prince William reflected on the profound influence his grandmother had on his family, noting that Catherine "had 20 years of her guidance and support."

Today's appearance marked Catherine's first public engagement since Easter Sunday, when she was last seen with the Royal Family.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were absent from this morning's gathering of senior royals at the British Museum.