Kate stuns in black lace Alexander McQueen gown at 2019 Royal Variety Performance

18th of November 2019—The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) attended the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium Theatre.

The annual event raises funds for the Royal Variety Charity. Each year, the public buy tickets to attend a memorable evening of entertainment in the presence of senior members of the Royal Family. The Queen is Patron of the charity, which helps hundreds of entertainers throughout the UK who need help and assistance as a result of old age, ill-health and hard times.

The production dates back to 1912:

The origins of the Royal Variety Performance date back to 1912, when His Majesty King George V and Her Majesty Queen Mary agreed to attend a ‘Royal Command Performance’ at the Palace Theatre in London’s Cambridge Circus in aid of the VABF – Variety Artistes’ Benevolent Fund (the previous name of the Royal Variety Charity) and its proposed plans to build an extension to its Care Home for elderly entertainers, Brinsworth House. This first staging was a lavish occasion with over 3 million roses draped around the auditorium.

All the great names of British variety and music hall gathered at the Palace Theatre before King George V, Queen Mary and the Prince of Wales.  

royalvarietycharity.org

This is the third year William and Kate have attended the performance. (View our posts from 2014 and 2017).

There were performances from Lewis Capaldi, Mabel, Robbie Williams, the cast of Come From Away, the cast of Mary Poppins The Musical and a special collaboration by Emeli Sandé and Manchester’s Bee Vocal choir.   Comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan hosted the evening.

After, William and Kate took to the stage to thank the stars of the show.

Kate’s gown:

Kate wore a stunning black gown by Alexander McQueen. It’s a bespoke piece. The dress features black floral lace over the top of nude fabric.  The sweetheart neckline and shoulders are trimmed with black velvet.  There’s a black velvet band at the waist too.  

Kate carried her Jimmy Choo Celeste clutch in Black Velvet with gold hardware and a gold jewel-shaped clasp.

Jimmy Choo still sell the clutch today in a number of colours, designs and fabrics. At the time of writing, November 2020, they sell a black velvet version with silver hardware.

Jimmy Choo’s ‘Celeste’ clutch launched in 2017 and since then the Duchess of Cambridge has been seen with it in three shades. This version is made from blush satin and has a clasp fastening embellished with crystals and faux pearls. Hold it in-hand or let it dangle from your shoulder using the optional chain strap.

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She owns the angular box bag in three other colours too: burgundy, blue, and nude-pink.

Kate’s earrings are by Erdem. They’re the label’s Floral Hoop Drops. She first debuted the ornate earrings in October 2018. At the time, they cost $1,220 USD.

Elegant, refined, and feminine, these Floral earrings by Erdem illustrate the designer’s attraction to romanticism. This accessory is defined by the layering of numerous mother-of-pearl beads with orange, black, and grey crystals. With their round shape, wear them with an updo hairstyle to reveal and highlight your facial features. Colour: metallic

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Finally, Kate wore her Jimmy Choo Romy pumps in Black Velvet.

You can order the Romy style in velvet on Jimmy Choo’s website for £695 using their customisation tool.

Here’s how the shoe is described:

Romy 110 Pointy Toe Pumps in Black Velvet. Heel measures 110mm.

Leather lining, sole, and padded insole. Made In Italy.

A perfectly proportioned pointy toe pump that embodies the essence of Jimmy Choo. A timeless femininity combined with a powerful and sexy high-impact modern silhouette.
Please note: This image acts as a guide and there may be slight colour/material variations in the finished shoes.

Jimmy Choo