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The Duchess in Repeat DVF Coat & Queen’s Pearl Drop Earrings for Remembrance Sunday

Kate was in a familiar coat by Diane von Furstenberg for the morning’s Remembrance Sunday observance in Whitehall, London.©Stephen Lock / i-Images

The scene from above.© Crown Copyright/Sgt. Ross Tilly

From The Express:

THE QUEEN laid a wreath of poppies at the Cenotaph today as she led the nation in honouring fallen war heroes on Remembrance Sunday.

©Crown Copyright 2016/Sgt. Ross Tilly

It was a bright, sunny morning in London as other senior royals laid wreaths. Below, the Duke of Edinburgh.©Crown Copyright 2016 /Sgt. Ross Tilly

Prince Charles.©Crown Copyright 2016 / Sgt. Ross Tilly

Prince William and Prince Harry.©Crown Copyright 2016 / British Army

From the left: Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and the Duke of Kent.©Crown Copyright 2016 / Sgt. Ross Tilly

Prime Minister Theresa May laid a wreath on behalf of the government, followed by additional political representatives and military officials.©Crown Copyright / Sgt. Ross Tilly

From The Telegraph’s story:

As Big Ben struck 11am, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired their First World War-era guns to mark the beginning and end of the reflection in the heart of Whitehall. The Last Post was then sounded.

This year’s service is especially poignant as 2016 marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Jutland, the 25th anniversary of the Gulf War and the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the Supermarine Spitfire.

Another look at the Duchess of Cambridge; Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; Sophie, Countess of Wessex.©Crown Copyright 2016 / Sgt. Ross Tilly

From The Daily Mirror’s coverage:

The Last Post was sounded as war veterans and current service members stood together in silence with royalty, dignitaries and civilians in a stirring tribute to past and present members of the Armed Forces.

After the wreath-laying ceremony veterans and currently serving military march past the Guards Memorial.© MOD Crown Copyright 2016 / Sgt. Ross Tilly

The Chelsea Pensioners.©MOD Crown Copyright 2016 / Sgt. Ross Tilly

Victoria Cross winners, Sgt Johnson Beharry and Bill Speakman. ©Crown Copyright MOD 2016 / Sgt Ross Tilly

The Scouts were on hand to help veterans make their way down Whitehall.©MOD Crown Copyright 2016 / Timothy Jones

Back to The Telegraph article:

This year’s service is especially poignant as 2016 marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Jutland, the 25th anniversary of the Gulf War and the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the Supermarine Spitfire.

As always, the crowds were sizable.©Crown Copyright 2016 / Sgt. Ross Tilly

People start arriving very early in the morning to ensure they have a good position to watch the events.

We move to what Kate wore for the day’s events. As noted above, she was in a coat we have seen previously, the Lio style by Diane von Furstenberg.© Stephen Lock / i-Images / Polaris

The coat is 100% wool and features double-breasted styling with large faceted buttons. It also features ornate soutache trim on the detachable collar and cuffs; today is the first time we have seen the cuffs worn with the garment.Diane

It also has storm flaps like those seen on most trench coats, a yoked back, and decorative stitching at the upper side that wraps around to the back.kate-dvf-lio-coat-remembrance-day-auctiva-2-shot

We’ve not been able to see the dropped waist and pleating that makes for a full skirt, so I lightened one of the product pictures in an effort to show those details.Diane von Furstenberg

The Lio was first seen at the 2011 Remembrance Sunday ceremony; Kate wore the piece again for 2012’s Remembrance Sunday commemoration.©Splash News / Splash News

In 2012 the Duchess wore a Philip Treacy hat , in 2011 her hat was by Jane Corbett.  This year it looks like Kate may have been wearing a John Boyd, one very similar to that worn for this year’s Commonwealth Day service in March. The crown on today’s chapeau is more rounded than that of the grey hat worn in March, but you can see how similar the designs are, especially that broad, sweeping brim.  

UPDATE: As suggested by Anna of My Small Obsessions, Kate’s hat was by John Boyd.©

This comparison shows you the John Boyd design that Kate’s Commonwealth Day hat was modeled upon.John Boyd/ i-Images

I have been unable to see a photo that shows Kate’s gloves well enough to allow us to identify them.© i-Images / Polaris

The Duchess wore a new pair of earrings that are believed to have been loaned to her by the Queen, the ‘Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings.’©Polaris / The Royal Collection / Splash

They are so called because the pearls used for the earrings were a wedding gift to Princess Elizabeth for her wedding. More information comes via Her Majesty’s Jewel Vault:

One of the wedding gifts received by Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in 1947 was a pearl shell containing seven large pearls from the ruler of Bahrain at the time. According to the Royal Collection, two of these pearls were used not long after to create this pair of earrings.

The earrings each contain one large round diamond and four smaller ones, three baguette diamonds, and a Bahrain pearl dangling below.

They have also been worn by Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Our thanks to Anna of My Small Obsessions for her quick ID on them. To see the Queen wearing the earrings click here for Her Majesty’s Jewel Vault. To see Sophie wearing the earrings, click here to visit the My Small Obsessions page featuring the earrings.   

Kate’s poppy brooch appears to be one of the paper styles offered by the Royal British Legion.

©Stephen Lock/i-Images

©Stephen Lock/i-Images

One quick FYI following up on yesterday’s post I want to share here in case you don’t visit that post again: if interested in watching the Festival of Remembrance broadcast, it is available on You Tube for viewing. Our thanks to Vicki for sharing that info in a comment.

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Donna

Thursday 17th of November 2016

*unflattering

Donna

Thursday 17th of November 2016

I have not checked in for a few weeks. I am very surprised to find the Duchess's Remembrance Day fashion choices uninspiring. I love the the drop waist on this coat but that is about it. The detail on the removable collar and cuff bits looks like bedraggled handkerchief material.

The hat looks too much with the elaborate collar, double breasted buttons and storm flaps of the coat. To make matters worse, her hairdo makes it look like she is wearing a snood in addition to the hat, at least in these pictures. And it is an unlatteringing look on Kate.

I agree the earrings are to die for!

Katie

Tuesday 15th of November 2016

I was just going to say her black hat looks like the grey hat she wore to Commonwealth Day March 2016! I love the dramatic, wide brim hats John Boyd made for Diana so I'm excited to see Kate wear them. In this hat, I think her hair looks better down (March) then up (November). I understand it's longer now (and looks fantastic!) and perhaps it's windy this time of year in England so up may be convenient. I just think because her hair is so thick and dark that when it's up she looks like a Gibson Girl, which was on point in the 1890's but now looks old-fashioned and dowdy. I know many of you will disagree but I like her long hair down or at least she looks fresher with shorter hair than worn up.

Katie

Tuesday 15th of November 2016

Oh yes! Those earring are to die for! (*sigh*)

Susan

Tuesday 15th of November 2016

She looks lovely even with the quirky side bun. The earrings are perfect and seem very her.

Larissa

Tuesday 15th of November 2016

I've always been a fan of this coat, mainly for the buttons, though I think I would only like it in this setting. It is a good, simple complement to a hat, and I'm not particularly fond of the bottom half as shown in the product photos. Those earrings are incredible though! Can I just say, what a clever wedding gift from the rule of Bahrain - instead of getting the lady some jewellery she may not like, provide her with the pieces she can use to make her own lovely creations! ;)

Does anyone know why the amount of poppies differs on Remembrance Sunday? I noticed the Queen is wearing four, Kate is and Camilla are wearing three though Kate wore two in 2011, and Sophie just has on a brooch version as did Kate in 2012. Since they are meant as a sign of respect I can't imagine the amount worn is based on rank in the family? In any case, it is nice to see royals wearing the paper poppies just like us commoners!

Jennifer

Tuesday 15th of November 2016

Yes, the amount of poppies correlates to members of your family who have served.

Bonnie

Tuesday 15th of November 2016

There was once a thought that people wore the number of poppies to signify the number of loved ones lost in a war. But that apparently is not true, because as you note, Kate has worn a different number in different years. I think that it comes down to a bit of a fashion statement...how many look appropriate with the outfit that is being worn.

WIkipedia has some very useful information about the origins and usage of the Remembrance Poppy and its significance is various countries. It mentions white poppies worn for peace and purple poppies worn to remember animals that died while serving in a war.

Following debate about the timeframe to wear a poppy, what side to put it on, how many, one veteran said, "There are no rules about wearing a poppy, only that you wear it with pride."

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