On March 8th 2012, The Duchess of Cambridge accompanied The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh on a trip to Leicester as part of the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.
The Duchess of Cambridge at De Montfort University. Photo via the University’s Twitter account.
Kate and The Queen travelled to De Montfort University where they watched a student fashion show. Kate could be seen chatting with Her Majesty, the pair seemed to be getting on well and both looked as if they enjoyed themselves.
At the university, Kate judged a competition run in her honour. De Montfort University teaches a famous shoe-designing course and students seised the opportunity to design something exclusively for Kate. Kate selected a gorgeous royal blue shoe to win; the designer was inspired by Kate’s engagement ring and love of lace. You can read more about the winner & see the shoe here.
Later in the afternoon, the royal trio visited Leicester Cathedral to attend a Christian service, with participation from many other faiths in the city: anybody from the UK will tell you that Leicester is famous for its ethnic diversity and many different religions were represented at the service.
Kate’s outfit:
Kate wore the teal Davina dress from L.K. Bennett and the “Jude” peplum jacket by the same brand.
L.K. Bennett Jude Jacket and Davina Dress
Here’s how the Davina shift dress was described:
The Davina dress is beautifully tailored in a luxurious tweed. Elegantly designed, it’s chic, gentle ruching down one side adds to the already feminine silhouette. the asymmetrically cut neckline gives this dress a modern edge, while the capped sleeves are kept simple.
And, here’s how L.K. Bennett described the Jude peplum jacket too:
A fine balance between sharp tailoring and femininity. Jude features a double neckline with a v-neck front and raised collar in the back, which frames the neck and decolletage perfectly. The nipped waist is complete with a belt. Pair with a pencil skirt for a clean line and elevate with sleek heels.
Here we can see Kate’s outfit in its entirety: (I just absolutely love this picture!)
The Duchess of Cambridge visits Leicester as part of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Kate wears an L.K. Bennett dress & jacket.
In true Kate style, the belt from the Jude jacket has been replaced with the glossed-leather belt by Alexander McQueen.
Kate’s Alexander McQueen glossed leather belt
As a side note, I can’t recall Kate ever using the original belt that came with any of her jackets!
Shop L.K. Bennett shift dresses:
Kate wore her Episode Angel shoes with her dress; the brand is stocked exclusively at House of Fraser. Sadly, the shoes are no longer available for purchase.
Kate Middleton’s Angel Episode Black Suede Heels. (Picture from another event) © Splash News
Kate’s gorgeous hat is the ‘Fairy Tale’ in black from Lock & Co, a milliner we’ve seen Kate wear before.
The Duchess of Cambridge visits Leicester as part of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Kate added a little bling to her outfit by wearing her Kiki McDonough oval earrings, which feature green amethysts.
Kiki McDonough Green Amethyst Earrings.
Finally, Kate carried a small black suede black with a bow on the front. This bag remains a mystery – to this day (late 2014) we still do not know where the piece is from.
The Queen:
Of course, we can’t write this post without including a couple of pictures of our Queen! The following two pictures are by photographer Safwan Ahmedmia who has kindly given me permission to share them with you on our blog:
I just adore the Queen in this bright cerise pink and black coat and hat, by Angela Kelly. I think the two ladies’ outfits complimented one another beautifully and it’s clear they will have conferred about their choices before the day!
You can see more of Safwan’s pictures from the Leicester visit by clicking here.
she looks sensational. I love how she acts with children she reminds me of diana