The Princess of Wales in Roksanda on the royal tour of the Caribbean, March 2022. Photo: Getty
Barbiecore has fluttered through summer with a flash of fuchsia fabric (just ask the It girls who championed the trend). But when it comes to brightening up an August day, nothing can beat the cheerful charm of an easy, breezy yellow. From zesty lemon to muted mustard, the palette brims with personality and imbues the wearer with a sense of upbeat optimism.
From Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to Diana, Princess of Wales, the most glamorous of European royals have long showcased the delights of this most uplifting shade on royal tours and public engagements. Queen Elizabeth II was a particular fan of the color, memorably wearing yellow to Royal Ascot and on Easter Sunday.
Queen Elizabeth II was a lifelong lover of yellow, pictured on Easter Sunday 2019. Photo: Getty
Today, the Princess of Wales is one of the most notable fans of the shade, opting for eye-catching outfits from brands like Roksanda and Alessandra Rich for major moments like Wimbledon and Trooping the Colour.
While the jet set has bid farewell to Britain’s dreary shores in favor of frolicking on the sun-soaked beaches of Ibiza (Poppy Delevingne and Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece) or St Tropez (the Marchioness of Bath and Jade Holland Cooper), those well-heeled wanderers styling out this sub-par summer might draw inspiration from the Princess of Wales’s most memorable yellow looks.
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The Princess of Wales brings a splash of sunshine to the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Karen Millen, October 2022
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The Princess of Wales, then Duchess of Cambridge, in a marigold dress at Wimbledon, July 2022
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The Princess of Wales was perfection in pastel yellow in Emilia Wickstead for the Service of Thanksgiving during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, June 2022
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Waving goodbye to the Bahamas in retro-inspired Alessandra Rich, March 2022
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It was a favorite Alexander McQueen cut for Trooping the Colour, June 2019
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Making an entrance in vibrant D&G for Wimbledon, July 2018
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The then Duchess of Cambridge in an Erdem floral fancy on the visit to Sweden and Norway, January 2018
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Kate nodded to the German flag in Jenny Packham on a visit to Heidelberg, July 2017
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Introducing Princess Charlotte to the world in the softest buttercup shade by Jenny Packham, May 2015
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Smiling next to Prince William in Sydney, the Princess of Wales (then Duchess of Cambridge) was bright and beautiful in a Roksanda dress, April 2014
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A yellow coat dress by Emilia Wickstead was a sophisticated choice for the then pregnant Duchess of Cambridge as she joined the then Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall at Buckingham Palace, May 2013
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On one of her earliest royal tours, the then Duchess of Cambridge stood out from the crowd in the Solomon Islands in this Jaeger number, September 2012
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It was the palest shade of custom Emilia Wickstead yellow for the Order of the Thistle Service at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, July 2012
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An ultra feminine Jenny Packham dress in Calgary, Canada, July 2011
Originally published in Tatler.com
