Prince Harry & Meghan's Wedding: Your Guest Fashion Predictions

First, a little housekeeping:

Yes, we will have an open post tomorrow for wedding watchers. The wedding is at noon (that's 7 am Eastern), members of the royal family arrive from 11:20, and other guests start to arrive at 9:30.

Yes, the post will include links to livestream the wedding. Many regular broadcast stations are also showing it; here's a guide for viewers in the U.S.

Second, a little troubleshooting: I've heard from a few readers who can't see the comments section, which can happen when Disqus does updates. Clearing the cache/cookies on your browser usually fixes it; if not, try a different browser.

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With that out of the way, let's move our fashion predictions on from the bride to the some of the guests!  

What will the royal guests be wearing?

A few designer predictions from me for the main ladies of the royal family...

The Queen: While QEII doesn't exclusively wear Angela Kelly's designs, she's usually up for the big occasions and I don't expect this to be any different. Maybe she'll even go ~*wild*~ like she did at William and Kate's wedding and abandon her traditional black accessories for beige! There's a post open for brooch speculation over at the Jewel Vault, by the way.

The Duchess of Cornwall: I'm hoping for Anna Valentine but Bruce Oldfield also does a lot of work for Camilla. Surely a Philip Treacy hat will top it off.

The Duchess of Cambridge: Packham or McQueen are the safest bets, do you agree? McQueen would be a little nod to her own wedding day.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie: I have no idea what we'll see from Beatrice, except to say that she'll cause disappointment no matter what she does with her hat - from those hoping for something wild or those hoping she learned from last time! For Eugenie, I'm wishing for a reunion with Vivienne Westwood, if only for the promise that they might be working together on Eugenie's own wedding gown. Tatler reports that it will be a blue dress from Gainsbourg, a bespoke tailoring/couture label, with a hat from Fiona Graham of Fi Graham Millinery.

The Countess of Wessex: I already put my predictions up earlier this week, either Suzannah or Emilia Wickstead. Certainly a Jane Taylor hat, and probably another Jane Taylor creation for Lady Louise.

The Princess Royal: William and Kate's wedding warranted something new, and I expect something new here too from the royal family's most dedicated repeater.

Autumn Phillips and Zara Tindall: They've both used a lot of different designers, so this is a wide open field.

Lady Sarah Chatto and the Countess of Snowdon: Sarah will wear Jasper Conran (her own wedding gown designer) and a Stephen Jones hat, which is not a surprise as this team crafts most (if not all) of her special occasion looks. For Serena, I'd guess a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat and maybe something by Dior.

Your turn! What are you hoping and predicting for the guests?

Prince Harry & Meghan's Wedding: Your Tiara Poll Results, and Dress Prediction Time!

I asked, you answered: Which tiara will Meghan Markle wear on her wedding day? Your poll results, coming right up...

Something New or New-to-Us

Almost 30% of you put your money on something we haven't seen before, and the ideas for what that could be were plentiful: a discreet new purchase, something we haven't seen before from the Queen's vaults, something created from existing pieces in the Queen's vaults, or even the creation of something new from Diana's personal jewels.

The Strathmore Rose Tiara

Coming in second, 25% of you guessed that the Strathmore Rose Tiara, a wedding gift to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother from her father, will make a grand reappearance after decades in the vault.

The Queen Mother's Cartier Bracelet Bandeau, or No Tiara on the Wedding Day

Tied at about 10% of the votes apiece, many of you were led to the small Cartier Bracelet Bandeau or to a no tiara conclusion based on your interpretations of Meghan's personal style so far. She did, after all, once cite Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's sleek wedding look as a favorite, and it's hard to get further from the fuss of a tiara than that. There were also plenty of wishes for the use of some brooches in the hair, because a) that would be interesting and different, and b) we've seen that approach yield stunning results in the past (hi, Princess Charlene). 

The remainder of the votes were pretty evenly split. In the comments, those of you that disagreed with my selections held out hopes for other options like the Spencer Tiara, the Lotus Flower Tiara, or the Teck tiaras. While the Spencer Tiara, owned by the Spencer family, would be a touching choice, I'd much rather see her in something loaned from the royal family. The Teck Circle Tiara was the Teck tiara most mentioned, but as it is in the collection of the Earl of Snowdon, I think that's out; the Teck Crescent Tiara is still around and has been loaned to the Duchess of Cornwall.

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With our tiara opinions out of the way, it's time to move on to the next burning question: Who will design Meghan's wedding gown and what will it look like? There will be an evening reception too, so double those questions.

Many predictions are veering towards Ralph & Russo at this point, with Stella McCartney and Erdem among those whose names are still in the game...along with Burberry, Jenny Packham, Roland Mouret, and more. Is there a designer at this point who hasn't had their name thrown into the hat as a potential designer of the royal wedding gown?

The bride at Ralph & Russo's Spring 2018 Couture show
Vogue

Ralph & Russo's designers are two Australians based in London, and they've got the couture skills to handle a royal wedding gown. I've been hoping a British royal would adopt them as a fave, so I'd love to see what they could do. Meghan already wore one of their gowns for the engagement portraits.

Even though it seems like a long shot at this point, I keep thinking back to 2016 and the gown Emilia Wickstead created for Lady Charlotte Wellesley. I said she leapt to the top of my royal wedding gown wish list at the time and I still want to see what she would do.

When it comes to everything else...I don't know. And so I turn it over to you and your guesses...

Tiara Thursday: Place Your Meghan Tiara Bets

It's been the most frequent post request of the past few months: Let's speculate on a wedding tiara for Meghan Markle! Or, if you don't think that she'll sport a tiara at the wedding itself, one for her future tiara needs. There's a poll awaiting your vote at the end...

Lots of people have asked me for my prediction, and my answer is that I don't really have one. I'm not really rooting for anything in particular; in this case - having seen soooooo much speculation already! - I'm perfectly content to wait and see what happens.

I have, however, compiled a few options and am more than happy to open up the speculation floor to you all. I picked six possibilities (and the question mark of a seventh) to lead us off and you can disagree and throw more into the mix in the comments. As always, click the tiara name for more information!

1. The Strathmore Rose Tiara: Resting in the vault, unworn for decades. Is this its moment?

2. The Queen Mother's Cartier Bracelet Bandeau: The bracelets are worn by the Queen today and the bandeau format hasn't been seen in decades. Will it make a big return?

3. Queen Mary's Lozenge Bandeau: We don't even know if this one is still lurking in the vault, but it'd be a lovely option if it was.

4. Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara: Some of you have ruled out anything for Meghan that's larger than what the Duchess of Cambridge wore. I'm not as fussed about that, so I can't resist throwing this one in. It's only rarely used by the Queen, making it one of the notable tiaras still looking for a regular wearer.

5. Marie Feodorovna's Sapphire Bandeau: Is it even an option? Question marks abound, but speculation makes it popular, so we'll toss it in the mix.

6. The Cambridge (Queen Mary's) Lover's Knot Tiara: A lot of people are hoping for the Spencer Tiara for a big Diana reference. That tiara is owned by the Spencer family. I personally don't see Meghan borrowing that on her wedding day, so I'm adding this option instead for those that want a big Diana reference. Obviously now worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.

7. Something New or New-to-Us: The seventh question mark option might be the one of the strongest. Sarah, Duchess of York got a purchased tiara; the Countess of Wessex was loaned a tiara we hadn't seen before her wedding day. Will something new be bought? Will something previously unknown be unearthed or newly assembled from the vault?

(By the way, if you're wondering why the Cartier Halo Tiara isn't on this list, it's because it's on exhibition in Australia at the moment.)

Place your vote below! The poll will be open through Tuesday at noon Eastern, and then we'll see what your collective guess is (if you can't see the poll, you may need to click through from a reader or email, or try a different browser).

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

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:

View image | gettyimages.com

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.

View image | gettyimages.com

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

Place Your Tiara Bets: Prince Carl Philip and Sofia's Wedding

We've had plenty of tiara guesses in the comments over the past few months concerning the diadems we are hoping to see at the upcoming Swedish royal wedding. and now it's time to do what we did for Princess Madeleine's wedding and make it official.

Which tiaras do you think we'll see on Sofia Hellqvist, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, and Princess Madeleine? 

It should be noted that Princess Madeleine is expecting a baby in June, though the court seems to be holding out that she'll be present so far. The King's four sisters, Princesses Margaretha, Birgitta, Désirée, and Christina, will probably be present and tiara-wearing too. But we don't have much of an international guest list to play with in the tiara guessing game, at least not yet - although the Danish delegation has apparently confirmed that Queen Margrethe plus the Crown Prince and Crown Princess will be present in addition to the Japanese presence I mentioned on Sunday.

Some popular options geared toward a bridal selection (and remember, we've covered these all in the past, so click the bold tiara name to go to its post):

The Connaught Tiara

View image | gettyimages.com

This tiara is usually worn by Queen Silvia, but it has also been worn in recent years by Princess Madeleine (who has worn it in tiara form and has used the drops separately; Crown Princess Victoria has just used the drops as a necklace). It was Princess Christina's choice for her own wedding tiara, in 1974, and it looks nice with a veil background. Also, I think the fact that it is not usually named as anyone's "favorite" or "usual" diadem right now could make it a nice choice for Sofia, something she could put her own mark on. This one gets my bet.

The Cameo Tiara

View image | gettyimages.com

One of the most historical and unique pieces in the collection, the Cameo Tiara has a strong bridal history: Princess Birgitta and Princess Désirée used it, as did Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria. Apart from wedding appearances, it is solely used by Queen Silvia. This one's polarizing, and I know many of you hate it. Personally, I happen to love it and I would love to see it again (I have my fingers crossed that Victoria will get to wear it again sometime before she becomes queen).

The Baden Fringe Tiara

View image | gettyimages.com

This is "Crown Princess Victoria's tiara," not in terms of property ownership, but in terms of association. It belongs to the family foundation but was left there with the intent that the crown princess would use it. But it is not solely Victoria's to use and has been worn by others, including Queen Silvia, Princess Lilian, and Princess Margaretha. That said, given that Carl Philip was born the crown prince and would still be so if legislation hadn't been passed to change the succession rules, I think this one as a bridal tiara for Sofia might not be the right statement. I would still love to see it on another family member at the wedding.

Lilian's Laurel Wreath Tiara

This one actually is Victoria's in terms of property: it has royal history (coming from Margaret of Connaught) but was in possession of the late Princess Lilian, who left it to Victoria in her will. I would be surprised if Sofia did not wear a tiara from the main royal vault, but someone wearing this tiara at the wedding would be a nice way to tie Lilian into the celebration, as she and Prince Bertil (her husband, the King's uncle) were close to Carl Philip too - he inherited their home, and will live there with Sofia.

The Cut Steel Tiara

View image | gettyimages.com

Here's an option some of you have mentioned in the past. It hasn't been worn as a bridal tiara so far (that we know of) and it would make an interesting option for sure. It's become a favorite of Crown Princess Victoria in recent years, but is also worn by other ladies in the family. It's very light to wear, so it might be the smartest option from a practical standpoint...if not the prettiest (in my not-so-humble opinion).

The Modern Fringe Tiara

View image | gettyimages.com

This has always been Madeleine's favorite, and I (like many others) have a hunch that it has been gifted to her, since she wore it for her wedding and has worn it almost exclusively in the past few years. So it would be surprising to me to see it on anyone except Madeleine, though I am also hoping she gets to wear something a little different for a special event like this.

The Four and Six Button Tiaras

View image | gettyimages.com

Listen, my dislike of the Buttons is well documented, so I don't have to go over it again. I'm sure we'll see one or both of these tiaras on some family members, but they don't seem as special of a choice as others do for such an occasion.

The Diamond Bandeau

Speaking of choices that don't seem special...this has been used as a tiara, but certainly lacks the significance that a royal wedding deserves, I think.

The Nine Prong Tiara

Speaking of tiaras for which my dislike is well documented...the Pronger is usually kept for Queen Silvia, and hasn't been shared with either of her daughters to date. But others have worn it in the past, including Princess Birgitta at Victoria and Daniel's wedding.

The Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara

View image | gettyimages.com

You can be 99.9% sure that this is not a bridal option (Queen Silvia is the only one that wears it now) but it is my best bet for what the Queen herself will wear. She has three favorites among the bigger tiaras - the Braganza, the Nine Prong, and this one - and she's already worn the other two for Victoria and Madeleine's weddings. Fingers crossed she'll complete the set this time around.

There are more options than this, just take a look at the Jewel Central page and scroll down to "Tiaras from Sweden." And of course, it doesn't have to be a tiara we know and it doesn't have to be a tiara at all, as far as the bride is concerned! I would love to see a festival of the family's colored stone tiaras on display at the wedding, including Queen Josephine's Amethyst Tiara and the Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara!

Now that I have added way more than my two cents to the equation, let's get the game rolling...

Place your tiara bets!

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated; via Kungahuset and Anna-Lena Ahlström; and via Wikimedia Commons ("Crown Princess Victoria June 8, 2013 (cropped)" by Kronprinsessan_Victoria_och_prinsessan_Estelle_-3.jpg: Frankie Fouganthinderivative work: Elinnea - This file was derived from: Kronprinsessan Victoria och prinsessan Estelle -3.jpg: . Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

Potential Royal Fashion of the Day: February 23

It's Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear runway time, so let's waste away our Monday looking at some pretty things and dreaming up a wish list for royal fashion to come. As always, click the designer names to be taken to the full collection...

Jenny Packham

I'd just like someone to wear that one up there on the left for me, please. Anyone. Thanks.

Emilia Wickstead

From pastels to orange tartans and back, there are a few things here that we could see pop up in one form or another on the Duchess of Cambridge or the Countess of Wessex. Probably not the black PVC numbers, but one never knows.

Carolina Herrera

Mixed materials and patterns characterized the collection from Queen Letizia's new favorite designer (well, the designer I'm pushing until it becomes her fave, that is).

And a few more, for good measure:

• Here comes a bunch of designers we've seen a time or two on the Duchess of Cambridge, starting with Temperley London.
• Anything Mulberry for Kate this season? There's a poncho in there I wouldn't mind getting my hands on.
• We haven't seen much Jonathan Saunders on the Duchess, but from what we've seen so far she'd probably go for only tamer pieces, and one at a time.
• Some Boss, designed by Jason Wu, for Hugo Boss fans Crown Princess Mary or Queen Letizia, perhaps?
• Here's some Diane von Furstenberg, whose classic wrap dresses are in many royal wardrobes.
• I'm sad to say the first Oscar de la Renta collection without the master himself didn't flip my skirt like it usually does. (Sidebar: I did like the dress from this collection which appeared on Sienna Miller at last night's Oscars, though.) (Sidebar to the sidebar: Was fairly underwhelmed by Oscars fashion on the whole this year. Anyone else? Just...less than memorable. Meh.)

Photos: Style.com

Potential Royal Couture of the Day: January 30

It's Couture Week in Paris, where the Spring 2015 Haute Couture shows have been laying on the luxury. A quick rundown of some royal favorites today, and an opportunity to gaze at some pretty and pick your wish list for sightings on the royal runway. Click the designer names to see the whole collection.

Valentino

Always the royal favorite, we're sure to see some of this on display at some point. This collection starts with Russian-inspired patterns which remind me of Crown Princess Mette-Marit's ability to take any folk art-type thing and give it a Scandinavian flair, and ends with some gowns that take the romance a bit too far by indulging in actual words flying across the fabric (something which always and forever feels gimmicky to me). The romantic angle does get me wondering if we'll see any more Valentino couture royal wedding gowns in 2015, though. Finally, we must note that there's plenty here that would make Sheikha Mozah happy, and there ought to be since the Qatari royal family owns the company.

Chanel

I'm not sure midriffs and millinery have ever coexisted anywhere as much as they do in this season's Chanel show, but I am now officially eager to see what Princess Caroline and crew make of their next hat-wearing occasion.

Elie Saab

I know some of you like to use the dependability of Elie Saab as a mark against his collections, but that's why I love them - always, without fail, pretty. We have some larger scale patterns this season, which are a nice break from the smaller scale and overall embellishment we've seen in past couture shows. There are some major gowns on display, gowns that make me wish the next Nobel Prize ceremony was next month instead of next December so Crown Princess Victoria could bring the label back up on stage. But a more likely appearance for these gems will be on the Luxembourg ladies, so let's get some gala occasions for them ASAP.

A few more fashion houses we might just see on the royal parade:

• Giambattista Valli's got the florals that make Mette-Marit's knees go weak.
• Ulyana Sergeenko has outfitted Sheikha Mozah in the past.
• Ditto for Ralph & Russo. I'd like to see the Duchess of Cambridge try out this UK-based label, but this collection doesn't feel much like her.
• Can't say I'm a big fan of the latest from Christian Dior, but most of what we see on the royal ladies (mainly Princess Charlene and Queen Mathilde, thanks to Dior's Belgian designer) is bespoke anyway.

And more! Indulge in the pretty on your Friday.

Photos: Style.com

Style Speculation of the Day: October 3, Plus a Programming Note

The Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear fashion shows are wrapping up in Paris, and prior to that in New York, London, and Milan. Will we see any of these fresh looks on our royal favorites? Time to make your wish list! Just a few from some royal favorites... (Click the designer names below to see the whole collection.)

Valentino

This collection includes a few psychedelic turns on Crown Princess Mette-Marit's favorite prairie girl dresses. So...watch out for that. Valentino fans are all over the royal sphere, so we're bound to see some of this at one point or another.

Elie Saab

Not my favorite Elie Saab collection, but the abundance of options that are not overly embellished (which is a hallmark of his couture stuff, and less so of his RTW collections) should make some of you happy. Keep an eye out for the ladies of Luxembourg and Sweden.

Jenny Packham

Jenny Packham's not about to let that fern pattern she used for the Duchess of Cambridge go to waste, no sir! Potentials here for the aforementioned Duchess, and maybe for Crown Princess Victoria.

More:

• Pinstripe formal shorts and rainbow boots at Chanel. So that's what we'll be seeing in Monaco, then.
  
• Akris is trying to make visors happen, heaven help us. Charlene, resist the pull. (It's an otherwise boring collection, in my opinion.)
• A lotta fringe business happening at Giambattista Valli. Right up Mette-Marit's alley, and she has worn this designer before.
• By the time we see Alexander McQueen on the Duchess of Cambridge, it's pretty far removed from anything shown on the runway. I did like the collection, though, and it's hard not to see those higher waists and be tempted to translate it to maternity gear.
• Prada's collection is going to increase the coat section of Crown Princess Mary's closet.
• Kind of a plain collection from Emilia Wickstead. Reason to hope the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex keep up the bespoke stuff.
• Princess Madeleine's been spending time with Zac Posen (per his Instagram). The man does know how to do a serious ballgown, perfect for the Nobel time of year...

Programming note: Stop back on Sunday for a new post! Same time, same place.

Photos: Style.com

Potential Royal Couture of the Day: July 11

The Fall 2014 Couture shows happened this week in Paris. Let's do what we do and gaze at some prettiness while making our wish lists for what we hope to see on our favorite royal ladies, shall we? (Click the designer names to see the whole collection.)

Wouldn't be a couture week without Elie Saab doing what he does best. Ornamentation galore combined with lots of ombré effect gowns (as though Elie Saab alone isn't enough of a weakness for me, I have a peculiar fondness for anything ombré, so I'm all over this). As always, the Luxembourg ladies are our best bet to see this in action, and if we cross our fingers maybe a Swedish princess will dip into the pool too.

Valentino put out a very romantic, Pre-Raphaelite-inspired collection. Keep an eye out for Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Madeleine, Princess Marie-Chantal, Queen Máxima, Sheikha Mozah, and more.

Chanel delivered a typically artistic collection with inspiration from Karl Lagerfeld as intriguing as ever ("brutalist and baroque"). I include the video above for one purpose only: the very last look. I wouldn't be mad at all one of the ladies of Monaco wanted to don that fabulous train, wouldn't be mad at all. Pick any occasion, opening a yacht club, I don't even care. That is amazing.

Giambattista Valli's been rather popular with Crown Princess Mette-Marit of late, and Charlotte Casiraghi's been a fan in the past. I wouldn't mind this collection spreading to some other royal ladies too, with its bright florals and affection for full skirts and capes. You can look no further than the styling to see that it's practically screaming for some attention from Sheikha Mozah (head wraps and sunglasses, hello!).

This is just a selection from some of the designers already in the royal mix. Others to consider:

• Christian Dior has dressed Queen Mathilde a couple times this year (for her French introductory visit and for the D-Day commemoration - both events in France, a perfect marriage since the French label is currently designed by a Belgian, Raf Simons). What we've seen on Mathilde so far has been totally bespoke and not from the runway, but others like Sheikha Mozah and Princess Haya are runway fans.
• Armani Privé has been a go-to in the past for some of our royal ladies (Queen Mathilde and Queen Paola for special occasions, for example), though again, it's often totally custom work.
• I'm still waiting for Ralph & Russo (a British label from two Australians) to make an appearance on our British royals, but Sheikha Mozah's already a fan.

What's on your royal wish list?

Photos: Style.com

Princess Madeleine's Wedding: Place Your Tiara Bets!

It's time for one last round of speculation before the wedding of Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill on Saturday, and this time our focus is tiaras! Which sparkly gems might we see, hmm?

The Bride

The most important tiara is the bridal one, of course. These are the three top contenders as I see them: the Cameo Tiara, which has tradition on its side, the Connaught Tiara, which she seems to like but has only worn in tiara form on one other occasion, and the Modern Fringe Tiara, which has been her most worn tiara to date. I know many of you are not Cameo fans, but I like it and that's what I'm hoping to see. Besides, it's looking like those Valentino rumors might be true (he and his partner are on the guest list), and I'd like to see how Valentino handles both the statement tiara and the family veil. The Connaught would be interesting, and preferable (in my mind) to the Modern Fringe, just because I'd like to see her in something special for the occasion. Obviously there are plenty of other options in the Swedish vault as well.

The Guests

Below is a list of the likely royal tiara-wearing guests (not comprehensive, obviously). What do you think they'll wear?

• Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria. I'm betting on the sapphires for Silvia. Will we see something new on Victoria, Lilian's tiara or something else?
• Princesses Margaretha, Birgitta, Désirée, and Christina. Victoria's wedding saw a partial emptying of the vaults for the family, and I can only hope we'll see that again. Additionally, there are more members of the extended family I won't list out here that are likely to wear diadems of their own.
• Crown Princess Mary and Princess Marie of Denmark, Princess Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Marie might be the easiest guess here, with her one tiara.
• Princesses Marie-Chantal, Tatiana, and Theodora of Greece. This will be interesting - Theodora usually wears the Antique Corsage Tiara, which also happens to be the only tiara we've seen Tatiana in so far.
• Princess Takamado of Japan.
• Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg. *Fingers crossed for the Belgian Scroll*
• Princess Charlene of Monaco. Will we finally see her wear the Ocean Tiara in public?
• Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway. They shook their tiaras up for Victoria's wedding, I hope they do the same here.
• The Countess of Wessex. Sophie's always worn her wedding tiara to tiara-wearing weddings (other tiaras sometimes for pre-wedding events, but not for the actual weddings), but I'd love a better look at the Five Aquamarine Tiara.
• Princess Kelly of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princesses Ursula and Anna of Bavaria. I'll be particularly interested to see if Ursula and Anna wear tiaras, as the family has recently sold the diamond sunburst tiara we usually see them wear.

If you need something to jog your guessing memory, visit the Jewel Central page. Ready? Place your bets in the comments!

Which tiaras do you think we'll see?

Programming Note: We won't have a Friday post at our usual time, but we'll be up and running for Madeleine's wedding events over the weekend.

Photos: Getty Images/IBL

Style Speculation: Elie Saab Spring 2012 Couture

Elie Saab Spring 2012 Couture

Potential royal models:

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Queen Rania, Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Beatrice

My favorite, always saved for last. This season, a refreshing blast of sherbet femininity.

Naturally, I'd be happy to see any of this on anyone, any time, any place. Fingers and toes crossed.

See the whole collection here.

Elie Saab Pre-Fall 2012

And because I can't help myself, the Pre-Fall collection has also recently come out. Plenty of great day options, with some gowns that are a lot simpler than the couture (obviously) but still delightfully sparkly.

See the whole collection here.

Photos: Alessandro Viero/GoRunway.com/Style.com/Elie Saab

Style Speculation: Valentino Spring 2012 Couture

Valentino Spring 2012 Couture

Potential royal models:

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Máxima, Princess Marie-Chantal, Princess Rosario

Valentino is a staple royal designer, making this one of the collections we're most likely to see on the royal runway. Just the whites alone have the Mette-Marit stamp all over them.

This collection had a bit of a shabby chic aesthetic - plenty of white with frilly accents, plus a great deal of florals with an upholstery and/or drapery flair to them. I'm all over the white, but I don't know about the flowery business.

I mean, it's going to be hard to pull this stuff off without looking like you got tangled up in your granny's tablecloth collection.

See the whole collection here.

Any royals you think could make this work?

Photos: Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com/Style.com

Style Speculation: Chanel Spring 2012 Couture

Chanel Spring 2012 Couture

Potential royal models:

Anyone from Monaco

As far as royal ladies go, Chanel is most popular in Monaco, where Karl Lagerfeld is a personal friend. And that's a good thing, because this particular collection needs someone with the irreverence of a Charlotte Casiraghi to wear it properly, methinks.

And let's face it: you need that sort of body type for these structural thingamajigs too. So many balloons! That said, I kind of love the flapper flair happening in some of these.

That jacket on the right above, in any length, would be fab on all kinds of shapes, though.

See the whole collection here.

See anything you hope gets a royal debut?

Photos: Chanel/Style.com

Style Speculation: Armani Privé Spring 2012 Couture

Designers and models took to the runways in Paris this week with the haute couture collections for Spring 2012. We'll be taking a look at a few of the collections from which our royals are likely to shop in the coming days for a little sartorial speculation fun.

Armani Privé Spring 2012 Couture

Potential royal models:

Princess Charlene, Princess Mathilde, Queen Paola, Queen Rania

Honestly? I can't say I was super impressed with this collection from Armani. The suit looks held the most promise to me; I could easily see these shapes on Armani fans like Princess Mathilde and Queen Paola.

The dresses were less successful in my opinion, but a lot of the Armani Privé we see is totally custom anyway. I had a hard time picturing any of the royals in these super structural creations.
But: a fan of the collection or not, I'm still hoping it might break Princess Charlene out of her Akris slump. Seriously, has anyone else noticed this? She chose Armani often before her engagement and even selected him for the big wedding gown job, but since then it's been all Akris, all the time. Makes you wonder why, doesn't it?

See the whole collection here. 

Photos: Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com/Style.com

Style Speculation: Elie Saab Spring 2012 RTW

I saved my favorite collection for last! If you haven't figured it out already, I'm a huge Elie Saab fangirl. (Ladylike with a touch of bling? Sign me up.) So you'll have to excuse me while I have a bit of a picturegasm:

Elie Saab Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Potential royal models:

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Queen Rania, Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Beatrice

This collection was Saab at his finest, starting out with beige and moving through a rainbow of saturated colors one at a time. Princess Beatrice was a front row guest; I hope she scooped up a whole range of these perfect day dresses. They're just perfect for the royal grind, and there's no end to the royals I'd like to see wearing them. The Countess of Wessex and Crown Princess Mary come to mind for starters. (Why isn't Mary an Elie Saab girl, and who can we petition to make that happen?)

The green number with the jacket there should become a royal uniform, no? And I'm in love with the first yellow dress here: this would be perfection on Victoria (after baby, of course).

There were some interesting takes on sleeves for evening gowns in this collection which I hope we'll see on Rania and Maria Teresa. Máxima would be an interesting new Elie Saab client too, especially in the evening wear department.

See the full collection here.

And finally, for those that share my Saab love, you'll want to make some time to see the collection in motion:

Who would you like to see wearing this collection?

Photos:Alessandro Viero/GoRunway.com/Style.com

Style Speculation: Valentino Spring 2012 RTW

There are some definite Valentino devotees among our royal ladies, plus a whole lot more that are casual fans. Will this collection will draw even more into the Valentino realm?

Valentino Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Potential royal models:

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Máxima, Princess Marie-Chantal, Princess Rosario

The collection this season is totally girly and frilly; it just screams Mette-Marit to me. I'm not sure how she'll choose which ones she wants, this is so much her style. In fact, apart from people like Princess Rosario (a former Valentino muse), it's kind of hard to imagine other royals wearing these dresses.

I definitely see some Máxima gems in here, and the above looks I think would be great on some of the younger royals as well. I could even see Crown Princess Mary in that blue lace, or the crisp white frock.

I'm absolutely expecting to see Mette-Marit in some of these gowns, and I can't help but wonder if occasional Valentino client Queen Sofia might be interested as well (especially in that red long-sleeved number).

See the complete collection here.

Who do you see wearing this collection?

Photos: Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com/Style.com

Style Speculation: Chanel Spring 2012 RTW

Chanel is one of those lines that you know will always include some princess-appropriate options - it's just in the blood - and Karl Lagerfeld's icy dream of a collection doesn't disappoint. Though we are most guaranteed to see the line on firm Lagerfeld favorites Caroline and Charlotte, loads of royal ladies have at least a little bit of Chanel in their closet. And that makes our little speculating game all the more fun...

Chanel Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Potential royal models:

Charlotte Casiraghi, Princess Caroline

The above styles I think are candidates for Princess Astrid of Belgium and Infanta Elena, and maybe even Princess Charlene; after choosing Mr. Lagerfeld for her civil wedding ensemble, I'm hoping we'll get a little Chanel in with her Armani/Akris mix. They'd also be great on Queen Sofia or Queen Paola, and if we could get any of our Natan princesses to switch camps for this stuff instead I'd do so many jumpy claps I'd probably hurt myself.

This set of looks I'd love to see on the younger royals that have a little more fun with their style. Charlotte Casiraghi to be sure, but also Princess Beatrice or Princess Madeleine. Maybe even Charlene, if she really means what she says about turning Monaco into a fashion capital.

See the whole collection here.

Who would you like to see wearing these looks?

Photos: Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com/Style.com