Readers’ Favorite Outfits of 2018, Day/Cocktail: Results, Part 1!

You placed your votes for your favorite royal outfits for 2018 – Day/Cocktail and Evening Divisions – and now it’s time to count down the results!

Starting with the Day/Cocktail Division, your top 10 favorites are:

#10. The Duchess of Sussex at the Sentebale Polo Cup in Carolina Herrera

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I think I forgot about this one entirely myself, but I’m glad many of you mentioned it. Set off by perfectly selected accessories, this denim dress is a little dose of Carolina Herrera magic.

#9. Princess Madeleine at Princess Adrienne’s Christening in Giambattista Valli

Erika Gerdemark, Kungahuset.se

The Swedish christenings have been such a reliable source of some of the best outfits in recent years. Princess Madeleine continues that tradition this year, with her floral dress and headdress accented by her debut of pieces from the Cameo Parure.

#8. Queen Mathilde at the French State Visit in Natan

Belgian Monarchy

A little bit of cape action and a dash of contrasting accessories are just the things to elevate a plain gray outfit to something worthy of a spot on your 2018 favorites list.

#7. Crown Princess Mary in Seattle in Preen

Preen/Danish Ambassador

Sometimes a little bit of black and white is all you need. It’s certainly all Mary needed to display the midi-length trend at its best and land herself a spot on your top 10.

#6. Lady Sarah Chatto at Princess Eugenie and Jack’s Wedding in Jasper Conran

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Lady Sarah expanded her trademark streamlined aesthetic in a pastel direction for the second British royal wedding of the year, and the effect is a top 10-worthy personal best.

Stay tuned for the top 5 in Part 2!

Year in Review: 2018's Honorable Mentions

Did you fall in love with a 2018 royal outfit from someone not yet featured? Here, my friends, is the place to proclaim your love. The honorable mentions begin...

...right after this programming note: Our next post will be the Christmas round up, probably on the 26th, and then you'll want to stay tuned to cast your votes for your 2018 favorites!

Princess Eugenie in Zac Posen at her Wedding Reception

Alex Bramall/Royal Family

Our one limited glimpse of this gown in action is all I need to call it one of the most interesting - and intricately made - dresses of this royal year.

Princess Beatrice in Ralph & Russo at Princess Eugenie's Wedding

MOD Crown copyright 2018

Satisfying my need for more royal Ralph & Russo, this was a stunning turn for Princess Beatrice. Another contender for the year's best was her faux bow Gucci dress.

Lady Sarah Chatto in Jasper Conran at Princess Eugenie's Wedding

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Eugenie's wedding offered a few bests for the year. Sarah broke from her usual color schemes in a big way, to delightful effect. Another nod from the event goes to Lady Gabriella Windsor, who combined her blues in a fun way.

Princess Charlene in Oscar de la Renta at the Ocean Gala

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What, like a sparkly caped thing wasn't making this list?

Princess Sofia in Zetterberg Couture at the Nobel Prize Ceremony

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This high-impact gown won my heart at the Nobels. Sofia also impressed earlier in the year with her green halter top dress at the Polar Music Prize.

Princess Madeleine in Giambattista Valli at Princess Adrienne's Christening

Erika Gerdemark, Kungahuset.se

Did this floral really win me over, or was it just the fact that Madeleine wore pieces of the Cameo parure for the first time? Probably the latter, but hey, whatever makes it memorable.

Charlotte Casiraghi in Saint Laurent at the Rose Ball

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Listen, I just love the fact that what was arguably the most fun evening ensemble of the year came from Charlotte. Feathers for everybody!

Beatrice Borromeo at...a Bunch of Events

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I think I loved everything we covered Beatrice wedding this year, which is some kind of record: black velvet maternity from Alberta Ferretti at the Rose Ball, fur and fringe at the Ocean Gala, the delicious Armani Privé ensemble above from National Day, and the liquid gold number she wore to the National Day gala. 

What other royal outfits made your list of 2018 favorites?

Royal Outfits of the Day: Swedish Royals at the Polar Music Prize

Psst: Looking for coverage of the Duchess of Sussex's big day out with the Queen? Click right here.

The Polar Music Prize was awarded yesterday, to the Afghanistan National Institute of Music and Metallica, with the Swedish royal family in attendance.

Crown Princess Victoria is usually the one to watch at this event, according to me, because she often uses it as an opportunity for some "edgier" garb. Sometimes that strategy works for her; sometimes it doesn't; sometimes it just proves that even the "edgy" side of a royal wardrobe is, in fact, not very edgy at all.

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Let 2018 go down as a year where that strategy netted her both the first and the third results: this red toga-style Stylein dress may not be too much of a stretch, but it really works for her. That's a stunning look! I did want to find a picture to share where she wasn't holding the bouquet, though, because tucking her clutch under her arm messed with the sleek lines. That's my caveat #1. Caveat #2 is her black strappy shoes, a clunky end to an outfit with otherwise gold accessories.

Polar Music Prize Instagram/Maria Nilsdotter

Those gold accessories included jewelry from Maria Nilsdotter. The Cherry Valley earrings have one longer earring and one shorter one, a great play to balance the one shoulder on the gown. Victoria also wore the Spike headband, which at first made me wonder from far away if she'd worn her 18th Birthday Tiara for some unknown reason. (That was enlightening, because I learned that there is one occasion on which I wouldn't mind seeing that thing, and that occasion would be a non-tiara occasion.) The gold, of course, was a better match.

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Meanwhile, Princess Madeleine's Giambattista Valli dress is stepping all over Crown Princess Mette-Marit's signature territory (M-M, I can only imagine, either has this one in her closet already or will be swiftly making some calls), and Princess Sofia is knocking it out of the park.

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Knocking it out of the park, I say! She's really proving this week that green is her color. And that a halter neck is her neckline. And that statement jewelry is her best accessory. I'm surprised at how much I love this whole thing. I might be making a note for the best of 2018.

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Let's not forget about Queen Silvia, of course, who wore a tidy black skirt, evening jacket, and pearls. We can always count on her to add a final stately note to the family group.

Royal Fashion Awards: Princess Adrienne’s Christening (Updated)

Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary today by christening their third child, Princess Adrienne. Check out our open post here, with a link to watch the service.

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Princess Adrienne wore the royal christening gown we’ve seen several times in the past century, especially in the past few years. The heirloom details, from the royal court:

The christening gown worn by Princess Adrienne during the ceremony was first worn by Prince Gustaf Adolf when he was christened in 1906. The gown was also worn by Gustaf Adolf's siblings (Sigvard, Queen Ingrid, Prince Bertil and Carl Johan) and by Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla's children, namely the Princesses Margaretha, Birgitta, Desirée and Christina, as well as The King.

The gown was also worn by Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Madeleine, Princess Estelle, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas, Prince Oscar, Prins Alexander and Prince Gabriel.

At the christening of Princess Margaretha in 1935, a cape and a cap made from cream-coloured silk satin were added. The names and dates of all the children christened have been embroidered in the lining of the cape.

The christening gown is made of cotton batiste and Valenciennes lace (bobbin lace) with a petticoat of satin woven silk. The gown has lace linings around the armholes. The gown is accompanied by a bodice of Valenciennes lace.

The christening gown also has a christening towel made of cotton batiste with Valenciennes lace.

Wee Adrienne grabbed right on to her baby sash of the Order of the Seraphim as soon as King Grandpa tucked it into place, because she knows what’s up.

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The rest of the family presented a united front with a gentle color scheme and a trio of floral frocks – all right on season and right on trend. Let’s hand out our awards:

Best in Floral and Best in Jewel Debuts

Princess Madeleine

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I had no expectations of any major jewel debuts from a christening, which made this even better: Princess Madeleine wore pieces of the Cameo Parure for the first time today! She used the bracelet and the earrings. As a card-carrying member of the Cameo Tiara Fan Club, I now have my fingers crossed for more, because that what’s happens when you give me a little bit. Madeleine and the royal ladies wore their portrait brooches of the King, as usual.

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The cameo pieces were perfect complements to the cream and gentle pinks of her floral dress by Giambattista Valli (h/t to Heaven). To my surprise, I even enjoyed the touch of flower power in her floral headband...or maybe that's just a little bit of carryover from my cameo delight.

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Princess Leonore joined the floral dress brigade led by her mother. She chose to de-accessorize by taking off her shoes. The Swedes let the kids be kids at these events (bless ‘em for allowing the antics), so go ahead and get comfy, girl. Leonore was without a partner in crime today; Princess Estelle was sick at the last minute and could not attend.

Runner Up in Florals

Princess Sofia

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My second favorite floral dress of the day belonged to Princess Sofia, interpreting the day’s pink color scheme in a bolder and sleeker fashion with this Ida Lanto dress. Little wrinkled after sitting through the service, but eh, that's life.

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If I quibble (and I will), I would have loved to see some more colorful accessories beyond the purse and perhaps more of an actual hat. A big ask of any Swedish royal lady at these events, I know.

Most at Home on the Prairie

Crown Princess Victoria

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Crown Princess Victoria could have used a dose of Sofia’s color contrast; on the broadcast especially, the colors in her dress blended together to muddy effect. It’s the only dress here that’s gonna make me say it: too Little House on the Prairie. (Only one prairie reference in a post full of florals, such restraint! Way to go, me.)

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I didn’t really understand her hat pairing, either; then again, I don’t understand her affection for these pile of embroidery hoop hats to start with. This is another version of the hat type she wore to Princess Leonore’s christening, at the time a nod to the headpiece Queen Silvia wore to Prince Carl Philip’s baptism (not the same hat, however).

Best in Standards

Queen Silvia
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As for Queen Silvia herself, well, she did her Silvia thing, and this faux wrap dress detail looks fantastic on her. Both grandmothers were operating at peak elegance. (Splendid brooch on Mrs. O'Neill, by the way.)

Best in Hat Sculpture

Princess Christina

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All four of King Carl Gustaf’s sisters were present at the christening; above from left to right behind the King and Queen, Princess Margaretha, Princess Birgitta, Princess Désirée, and Princess Christina. Only Princess Christina hatted up. (Lots of ladies didn’t and that’s par for the course at these events.) When Princess Christina hats up, she tends to hat up; this was sparkly and possibly capable of flight and I loved it. She had to make up for her sisters, after all. One hat to cover them all.

Who takes home your fashion awards for today’s christening?

 

UPDATE: The beautiful official photographs have been released. It's impressive, how they can always find the perfect corner of the palace to match their outfits. [All: Erika Gerdemark, Kungahuset.se]

 

A Royal Wedding for the Weekend: Ernst August Marries in Hanover

I don’t know about you, but I always have time for a massive royal wedding dress. Especially one topped with a massive royal tiara.

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Hereditary Prince Ernst August of Hanover married longtime love Ekaterina Malysheva in a religious service today in Hanover, Germany, following their civil ceremony earlier this week. The bride is a fashion designer; the groom is an investment banker and the son and heir of Ernst August, Prince of Hanover. The elder Ernst August is the estranged husband of Monaco’s Princess Caroline. (The groom’s troubled father is also the source of some wedding scandal, having recently – and publicly – decided not to give his consent for his son’s marriage. The two Ernst Augusts have a strained relationship and this is another play in a long battle over control of family property and assets. Not surprisingly, EA the Elder did not attend the wedding.)

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The bride’s gown was created by her friend Sandra Mansour. The elaborate design takes its inspiration from Ekaterina’s Russian roots and included Chantilly lace and rhinestone embellishment throughout the flowing sleeves, the full skirt with lengthy train, and the veil. The whole thing has a bit of a fairy tale vibe, which I’m loving despite the fact that it is truly a lot of dress.

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Answering much advance speculation over whether she would wear a Hanover family tiara (or even the family’s tiny bridal crown), Ekaterina wore the diamond Hanover Floral Tiara. The large diadem was last seen on Princess Caroline in 2004; prior to that, it was worn by the groom’s mother, Chantal. I always think floral tiaras are such a natural choice for a bride, since they fit so well with the floral themes that often appear in lace and other bridal trimmings. In this case, the Hanover Floral Tiara wasn’t just the perfect fit for the dress embellishment, it acted as the serious anchor a dress this big required. An excellent choice.

The guest list was chock full of German titles, Greek royals (Pavlos and Marie-Chantal were there), and Ernst August’s Casiraghi step-family.

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Andrea Casiraghi and Tatiana Santo Domingo with their children, Sacha and India

This is a lovely look from Tatiana Santo Domingo in an Emilia Wickstead dress, no? I am totally here for Tatiana embracing the big hat movement, by the way. Monaco events could use an infusion of giant brims.

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Pierre Casiraghi, Beatrice Borromeo, Charlotte Casiraghi

And if Beatrice wants to make her hat contribution a variety of fancy braided breads, I think I’m here for that too. Whimsy! Why not?

Royal State Visit of the Day: February 21

The Swedish royal family welcomed Canada's Governor General for a state visit yesterday with the usual array of not-hats and tiaras, plus some surprises up their sleeves. Surprise #1 (which was not really a surprise because it was announced in advance, but work with me here): Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill stepped in for Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, who are on holiday with their family.

Click to enlarge. Photo: Kungahuset.se

For the arrival, Princess Madeleine repeated her perplexing Giambattista Valli dress (if I could just get past the feeling that she hastily slung her headphones around her neck when they interrupted her pre-event study session, I might be able to find the lovely floral dress beneath). Princess Sofia went simple in white and delivered Surprise #2: a version of the Ole Lynggaard gold brooch Crown Princess Mary wore to King Carl Gustaf's birthday dinner last year in her hair. It's definitely an improvement as a hat alternative instead of a tiara alternative (because nothing's preferable as a tiara alternative, duh).

And then there was Surprise #3: Queen Josephine's Amethyst Tiara on Princess Sofia!

A post shared by Royal Addicted 2 (@royal_addicted_2) on Feb 20, 2017 at 12:24pm PST

More! Exclamation! Points!! Sofia's on a role: this is her third new pick from the family vault (and her fourth tiara overall), after giving us two different tiaras during the Nobel festivities. This has always been a tricky tiara to style because it has such a large circumference. It sits pretty high and is tilted pretty far back here to compensate, and I really do think it looks splendid on her. I'd probably find it splendid on anyone, but that's beside the point.

As if that weren't enough, Princess Madeleine delivered my other favorite colored stone tiara from the Swedish family, the Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara. She wore it with aquamarine and diamond earrings from her personal collection (the aquamarine stones can be swapped for pearl pendants).

A post shared by Svensk Damtidning (@svenskdamtidning) on Feb 20, 2017 at 11:51am PST

Temperley London dress (h/t to Heaven)

She wore a new gown from Temperley London, with gathered sleeves and a cut out back. My mind immediately flashed back to Queen Silvia's sleeveless gown from the Nobel Prize ceremony in 1979, which made me wish that this one had ditched the sleeves too, at least for a gala occasion. They'd be great without the orders and stuff.

Kungahuset.se

Last but not least, the Pronger (a.k.a. the Nine Prong Tiara) was present and accounted for. I cannot see Queen Silvia's dress without remembering the glory of it paired with the Leuchtenberg Sapphires at the Nobel ceremony in 2012, but I've always been the greedy sort.

Check out a full gallery from the banquet here.

Year in Review: 2016's Honorable Mentions

Having taken a look at some of the sartorial achievements of our regular leading ladies this year, let's chat about other outfits that were 2016 standouts. Shall we?

Princess Madeleine at Prince Oscar's Christening

Anna-Lena Ahlström, Kungahuset.se

Once again, Madeleine ends up with a slew of outfits for the year that I adored. As much as I loved her princess-y Fadi El Khoury from the Nobel Prize ceremony, the one that will end up on my permanent favorites list is her take on the big sleeve trend at Prince Oscar's christening: a soft pink Roksanda Ilincic dress a gorgeous soft hairdo and floral ornament.

Viscountess Linley at Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Service

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Just thought I'd report that my soft spot for this retro look - a Dior coat, with the perfect Rachel Trevor Morgan hat - has only grown softer. Love.

Queen Silvia in Germany

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How could I not include Silvia Baden-ing it up in Germany? Come on, she managed to pull a mega brooch out of the vaults that we somehow haven't seen in a loooooong time. Doesn't hurt that she did it in my favorite color, obviously.

Beatrice Borromeo at the Rose Ball

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Because WHY NOT, that's why.

Honorable mentions for my honorable mentions list: Princess Charlene in her evening coat (because I need her to lead the charge to bring those back), Princess Eugenie in the perfect summer dress (because chevrons), and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa in Elie Saab (because Elie Saab).

 What outfits make your 2016 honorable mentions list?

Potential Royal Couture of the Day: July 11

Let's ease our way into the week with some pretty, courtesy of the Fall 2016 Couture shows. As always, we're previewing just a few designers that happen to be royal faves. Click the names to go to the full collection:

Valentino

Valentino flashed back a cool four centuries or so with a collection filled with ruffs and puffed sleeves and everything else that would have been at home in the time of Shakespeare. Will Crown Princess Mette-Marit's love of high collars and ruffles see her turn into a player at the Globe Theatre? We shall see.

Elie Saab

Elie Saab's New York-inspired collection included some of his signature embellished gowns, along with some lush fall colors and rich fabrics. There were even a few matching gowns for the littlest fashionistas, because scoring points in adorableness never hurts. I would love to see some of these velvets interpreted on the Nobel stage by our Swedish ladies, or gracing the steps of the Luxembourg palace.

Armani Privé

Armani's collection is the one most easily transferred to the royal runway, with lots of jacket and trouser combinations. I fully expect to see Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Queen Mathilde scoop up some of these looks, and I think they'll suit MT particularly well.

And a few more:

• Giambattista Valli was particularly...fluffy this season.
• Fendi's venue is a sight to behold, even if they aren't among those we often see on our regulars.
• Chanel was maybe more for Princess Caroline and less for her kids this season.
• Ralph & Russo's show made me pine for their line to be better represented on the royal stage (same thing I wish most seasons, really). Until then, Sheikha Mozah can rock their capes by herself.

Photos: Vogue

Princely Event of the Day: March 21

Monaco's annual Rose Ball to benefit the Princess Grace Foundation was held this weekend. This is Princess Caroline's show, and she and her family ruled the roost as usual in a whole lotta Chanel. Chanel was an even bigger guarantee this year, with family friend Karl Lagerfeld in charge of designing the Cuban theme for the evening.

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From left to right: Beatrice Borromeo, Pierre Casiraghi, Princess Alexandra, Prince Albert, Princess Caroline, Charlotte Casiraghi, Tatiana Santo Domingo, Andrea Casiraghi, Karl Lagerfeld. Princess Charlene did not attend.

Caroline and her two daughters were a trio of Chanel in biscuits and beiges. Caroline was pretty understated in her Spring 2016 Couture selection, and Princess Alexandra looked lovely making her big debut at the event in Chanel Resort 2016.

I did call for a round of these gossamer capes from the Spring 2016 Couture collection for all the Monacos, and Charlotte delivered! Maybe I should have specified what I wanted underneath as well - this wrinkly highwater business isn't exactly what I had in mind - though I suppose this is all the better to boogie in.

Ruffled skirts were in order for both of Caroline's daughters-in-law. Only one, I'd wager, will be among the dresses you remember from 2016.

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Leave it to Beatrice Borromeo to go big or go home, with serious Giambattista Valli couture! She even threw some jewels in the mix, with earrings and what I assume is an emerald necklace.

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Well, I love it. This isn't a state banquet or some such serious occasion; she's a woman with a sense of style and access to all the couture she needs. Plus, her mother-in-law has seen to it that the Rose Ball is a high fashion showcase each year. So why not? I love it when an outfit can look extremely fabulous and extremely fun at the same time.

Beatrice's dress from Giambattista Valli Spring 2016 Couture and Tatiana's dress from Gucci Resort 2016

Photos: via Getty Images, Vogue

Potential Royal Couture of the Day: January 29

Will we see any of the ensembles from the recent Paris Spring/Summer 2016 Couture shows appear on the royal rounds? No harm in playing a luxurious game of style speculation while we wait for that answer. Click the designer name to take you to the whole collections... 

Valentino

Valentino's looking to move Crown Princess Mette-Marit away from the prairie and into a more bohemian mode, which seems like something she'll eat up. Given Queen Maxima's recent jumpsuit print excursion, she might be on board too, and with the richness of these materials, I'd love to see some custom designs.

Chanel

I found several things to love on the Chanel runway, and I'm bringing you the video because these gossamer capes deserve to be seen in action. Capes for all the Monacos!

Elie Saab

Elie Saab's Indian inspiration in this collection produced several gowns that would be lovely on the royal stage, on the Luxembourg or Swedish ladies.

A few more, and by no means the whole field:

• Giambattista Valli has a few things to cover Mette-Marit's floral needs, if Valentino doesn't get the job done for her this season.
• A piece here and a piece there at Armani Privé could be possibilities for Beatrice Borromeo, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, or Queen Mathilde.
• Zuhair Murad, a designer who doesn't have a big following among the royal ladies we feature here, turned out another collection that will remind you of Elie Saab, and those cage silhouettes are tricky business.
• Yeah...this was not a banner Christian Dior collection. But royally speaking, we see more bespoke stuff than runway repeats, and I wonder if at least Queen Mathilde's royal patronage has come to an end with the departure of Raf Simons. (Interesting speculation that Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen could be named Dior's new creative director. Then again, she was also on the rumor list last time around, and nothing came of that.)

Photos: Vogue.com

Potential Royal Couture of the Day: July 10

It's couture week in Paris, as the Fall 2015 Couture shows strut down the runway and right onto our screens for a round of style speculation. A few of our resident couture-wearers from Luxembourg made their wish lists from the front row:

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Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and daughter Princess Alexandra posed with Mr. Armani himself before attending the Armani Privé show, where they sat next to Athina Onassis and Roberta Armani.

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Meanwhile, Princess Claire revisited the world of her wedding gown designer with a seat for the Elie Saab show between her mother and Nieves Álvarez.

And we shall make our wish lists from right here (click the designer names to go to the full collection):

Valentino

Valentino's collection was a mix of capes and dark colors and ruffles, so they've basically just thrown up the bat signal for Queen Máxima and Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Sheikha Mozah to come on in.

Chanel

Chanel's collection felt surprisingly basic to me this time around, but I suspect it is tailor made for the likes of Princess Caroline and Sheikha Mozah to do a little closet replenishment.

Elie Saab

It is possible that this week has left you with a serious thirst for ballgowns. Here, have some Elie Saab. Predictable, but in times like these, it's important to know where to turn.

A sprinkling of other collections to investigate as you pick out what you'd like to see on the royal runway:

• I sincerely hope the Ladies of Lux did not get any ideas regarding the waist ruffles at that Armani Privé show.
• Zuhair Murad sent models in tiaras down the runway, practically screaming for some more royal attention after Princess Sofia wore one of his dresses at her pre-wedding dinner.
• Christian Dior looks are often fully bespoke when we see them on royal ladies (Princess Charlene, Queen Mathilde, etc.), but you never know what might turn up.
• There's part of me that's dying for noted ruffle fan Crown Princess Mette-Marit to try the end looks from Giambattista Valli, just for kicks. But I think not even the royal palace has hallways large enough to accommodate that particular flight of fancy.

Photos: via Getty Images and Style.com

Prince Carl Philip & Sofia’s Wedding: The Pre-Wedding Dinner

The party is starting! Ready your jumpy claps!

This evening, wedding guests gathered for a short boat ride on the way to the venue for the pre-wedding dinner. Only a couple of the international royal guests were present, but the headline family members certainly did give us some things to discuss...

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Prince Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist

I wondered if Sofia would continue the trend of wearing Elie Saab for her pre-wedding event, as her soon-to-be-sisters-in-law both did. And I was close: she wore Zuhair Murad, a.k.a. almost Elie Saab! (Also the groom was present. He wore a tux.)

Many of us have been hoping we’d see more of Zuhair Murad on the royal red carpet, and I think this couture dress certainly delivers. Just enough sparkle, and with a train (which looked like it was detachable) added to the back to give it a little extra royal oomph.

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And the blue is divine on her, no? I love it. What a great start to the event!

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The King and Queen

{SCREECH} Well, that escalated quickly. Let’s just say that something had to come in third place on the list of Silvia's best mother of the bride and/or groom pre-wedding outfits (it's a very specific list)...call it the sacrificial lamb?

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Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel

Okay, this is better! Victoria’s sparkly, slinky number is perfect for this and also for her next Great Gatsby-themed party (I figure there’s no point to living in a palace if you’re not going to throw the occasional Gatsby party, right?).

Crown Princess Victoria wore Jenny Packham, the original model from a bridal collection (the Packham bridal collections always have dresses that are great more uses than bridal, though). She also had a brooch in back in her updo, and you know I luv her for that.

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Victoria, Daniel, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit

With many royal guests arriving tomorrow, it was a lovely surprise to see Victoria and Daniel bring part of the Norwegian contingent: Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Märtha Louise, and Ari Behn. Crown Prince Haakon joined the party by car a bit later. Mette-Marit repeated the Giambattista Valli dress she wore to Queen Margrethe’s birthday dinner earlier this year.

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Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn

Apparently seeing that his wife was intent on a tasteful beige dress, Ari Behn decided someone had to shake things up and tossed a sash around his waist. Sure, man, why not?

Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill

Also skipping the boat ride in favor of arriving by car, Princess Madeleine breezed by in a basic but sort of ethereal maternity dress.

Lastly, a couple aunts and an extra international royal couple, just for good measure:

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Princess Birgitta, doing her Birgitta thing.

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Princess Margaretha, doing her Margaretha thing. (What more can you say?)

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Prince Leopold and Princess Ursula of Bavaria...doing their thing. A very sequin-y floral thing, which is a curious combo.

All in all, not a bad start to a wedding weekend. This entry may be updated later on, and feel free to add more in the comments!

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, Expressen video

Royal Fashion Awards: Queen Margrethe's Fredensborg Birthday Dinner

The last event of Queen Margrethe's birthday fiesta was a dinner at Fredensborg Palace, not to be confused with the dinner at Christiansborg Palace last night. Did you think we were going to repeat our palaces in the same birthday celebration? Don't be ridiculous.

I had hope that this evening's black tie dinner would be a tiara event. (A similar dinner back in 2010 was with tiaras, for example.) That hope, however, was dashed. SO CRUELLY DASHED. My faith in Margrethe's capacity for sartorial splendor has been shaken to its very core! How will we ever recover from this travesty??

Alright, I'm over it. Let's work with what we've got:

Most Side Eye in Accessories

Queen Margrethe

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Sorry, birthday girl, but I'm giving you the side eye real hard here. The accessorizing, specifically - it was a great dress when she wore it to the Dutch state visit, and it still is now. But it's got cool and muted tones, and that turquoise and gold set is all kinds of bright and warm, and the contrast is making me cringe. (The necklace was a birthday gift from Prince Henrik, a new addition to her modern turquoise set which includes pieces he gave her for previous birthdays. Which is fantastic - and the necklace is the best piece of the set! - but still not at its best with this dress.) She also snuck a piece of the Floral Aigrette Tiara in her hair. Ordinarily I'd be all over that, but instead, I'm just wondering why she didn't just make the dinner a tiara thing and let the other ladies play too. It's possible I'm not entirely over it.

Most Likely Best

Crown Princess Mary

View image | gettyimages.com

Even my faith in Mary's ability to pull off a great outfit is shaken. I think I like this one...I might even like the center part low ponytail. Hmm. I reserve the right to change my judgement.

Most Overshadowed

Princess Marie

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Here's Marie again, looking fine again. But I'm not looking at her, I'm looking at Hef over there.

Most...Floatiest

Princess Benedikte

 Just go with it, okay? Floaty is the only word I've got for this dress, and you wouldn't have been able to stop me from swooping around with my wings fluttering behind me right in the middle of dinner. That's why she's the princess and I am NOT. (One of the many reasons...)

Most Confusing

Queen Anne-Marie

I thought this was the same dress she wore to yesterday's dinner. But it's not. It's very slightly different. Used up those Best in Usual titles a little too soon, I guess.

Most on the Mend

Queen Silvia

I think the latest addition to our ongoing saga of Silvia and her attempts to stylishly heal her shoulder is a scarf cover for whatever device she's chosen this time. I don't know. Sil, you're adorable.

Most Typical

Crown Princess Mette-Marit

I originally posted this as Most Mysterious, because M-M sure did a good job evading the television camera. But sure enough, it's just another typical Mette-Marit flower power frock by Giambattista Valli.

Most Welcome Relief

Crown Princess Victoria

If we can't have tiaras, at least we have Elie Saab. (Her sister's Elie Saab, to be precise.) And on that sigh of relief...

...we're done! Do scroll through and make sure you haven't missed any of the events. We'll return to our regularly scheduled programming on Sunday.

Who was your best dressed at the Fredensborg dinner?

Photos:via Getty Images as indicated, DR1 video, Elie Saab