One of my favourite off-duty pictures of HM the Queen is this photo taken at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 1979. I love the look of HM’s long pink tweed cape worn with a matching silk headscarf and leather boots. A simple, understated country casual outfit but she still has an air of superwoman about her from her choice of cover up – the cape.
It is a popular outer garment with the Royal ladies of all generations, demonstrating its timeless and classic appeal. There is something undoubtedly regal about this style of outerwear, reminiscent of the coronation robes. Princess Diana often opted for a long velvet cape in the 80s over her evening gowns – protecting her from the winter chill but still enabling her to make a grand entrance for the cameras.
More recently, the younger royals have embraced the cape detail to add a contemporary twist to classic tailoring, or a touch of drama to eveningwear – think The Duchess of Cambridge’s blue mulberry cape coat worn in Northern Ireland in February 2019, or her recent show-stopping appearance at the Bond premiere wearing a glittering gold Jenny Packham cape gown.
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