King Charles’s coronation is going down in just a couple of weeks (May 6, in case you’d like to wake up early to watch), and the dress code is...strict, to say the least. Traditionally, royal princesses like Kate Middleton wear purple velvet mantles with ermine trim over their formal dresses—and then pair this over-the-top look with a tiara. But what tiara, you ask? Good question. The answer is very much TBD, but apparently there’s drama per usual.
There Have Been “Rows” Over Kate’s Tiara
According to The Mirror, senior royals are “rushing” to finalize details of their coronation lewks and there’s a “race against time” as aides are “working around the clock.” As one source put it, “Senior female royals were only informed of outfits this week, prompting a rush to finalize fitting arrangements.”
To make matters more stressful, there are “rows over tiaras.” Specifically, whether or not Kate and other senior royals like Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh will “wear tiaras into the church before the Queen Consort enters the Abbey.”
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There’s Definitely a Precedent of Kate Wearing a Tiara
When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, pretty much everyone was in a tiara—including her ladies-in-waiting.
“No one had worn their jewelry or tiaras during the war,” author Lady Anne Glenconner explains to People. “People were queuing to have their tiaras, which were like great fenders of diamonds, stomachers, and necklaces cleaned.”
It’s Possible Kate Could Wear a Fascinator Instead
If Kate opts out of a tiara, she might end up going with a big hat—yet another royal tradition.
“I’m certainly hoping we’ll see coronation tiaras, but it’s possible that Charles is following the example of some of his European counterparts, like the King of the Netherlands, and setting a daytime formal dress code for the event,” royal jewelry expert Lauren Kiehna tells People. “That would mean that we could still see some grand jewels, like necklaces, brooches, and earrings, but no tiaras. I’ll be sad if that’s true but it may just be another part of the ‘deformalizing’ of the British royal world that has taken place over the last several decades.”
We Could See Kate in a “Coronet”
A coronet is a small crown, which also has a history of showing up at coronations. In fact, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret wore them during their father George VI’s big day.
Royal historian Jessica Storoschuk tells Page Six that it’s possible Kate could wear one instead of a tiara, saying, “Given that Charles is aiming for a modern coronation, it would make sense that he would choose for a formal day dress code, which does not include tiaras.” She added that we “could see Kate wearing a coronet, simply as a future queen.”
On that note, we’ll be updating this article with details on what Kate ends up wearing! Reminder: In addition to being in the audience at the coronation itself, Kate is expected to appear on the balcony with King Charles and her fellow senior royals for a quick wave and photo op and will presumably be prominently featured in other events over the weekend.
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
