The Queen’s birthday parade was a festive occasion this year marked by two special appearances. Not only did the Duchess of Sussex take a break from maternity leave after having son Archie, but Prince Louis made his big Buckingham Palace balcony debut. And as if that weren’t enough to make this year memorable, both Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton rode side by side in their carriages along the Mall.
The Duchess of Sussex looked elegant as she rode with the Duchess of Cornwall and her husband in full uniform. Meghan opted for a custom made navy dress by Givenchy and a fascinator hat with feathers from Noel Stewart. For accessories, Meghan carried a new quilted handbag by Givenchy. The bag features a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap, a silver-tone chain, a foldover top, a main internal compartment, internal slip pockets and a double G insignia in silver-tone hardware to the front. The handbag is available in blue from Farfetch and available in other colors at Nordstrom.
Meghan was also seen wearing navy leather gloves that have not yet been identified.
When Meghan removed her gloves, it became apparent she had a new ring. It appears to possibly be an eternity band from Prince Harry or a ‘push present.’ The ring stack would be nearly identical to the the trio of rings worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Later on the balcony, Meghan removed her oversized cape coat by Clare Waight Keller to reveal a dress with a unique white shoulder contrast sleeve detail. Meghan’s ensemble is similar to the looks she wore at Princess Eugenie’s wedding as well as Christmas 2018 with the royal family.
For the birthday celebration, Kate selected a buttercream yellow dress by Alexander McQueen. The jovial family looked exuberant on the balcony and Prince Louis was more than happy to practice his royal wave. The Cambridge children were outfitted in blue and white ensembles.
Kate’s pale yellow dress by Alexander McQueen features a v-neck with cinched waist and peplum detail. The mom of three looked splendid in the summery shade and was enjoying the warm weather with her family.
Kate also wore the Queen’s Bahrain Pearl and Diamond Drop earrings.
In addition, Kate accessorized with a diamond cross necklace that is slightly different than other pendants she has worn in the past. Kate also carried a white clutch with a rhinestone clasp believed to be my Alexander McQueen. In a sweet and thoughtful gesture, the duchess paid a little homage to her brother-in-law with her floral hat by Philip Treacy as she last donned the headpiece for Harry and Meghan’s wedding in May 2018.
