11th of May 2012—William and Kate flew the flag for Great Britain by attending a glittering gala dinner ahead of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. The Royal Couple attended the swanky event at The Royal Albert Hall. It was a fundraising dinner for Team GB hosted by the British Olympic Association.
Kate’s outfit:
The Duchess wore a teal gown by Jenny Packham. It’s the Aspen style (RRP: £2,875). It’s made from silk and Chantilly lace.
The dress features a distinctive ornate back made from sheer lace with a row of buttons and sparkling crystals. It also has matching lace cap sleeves, a lace bodice and a pleated silk floor-length skirt. A sash at the waist is decorated with more crystals.
Originally in ivory, this design was from Jenny Packham’s Spring/Summer 2012 Bridal collection. The designer produced the gown in teal for Kate. The original bridal gown also had a short train. Kate had this removed.
Kate’s matching teal clutch bag is also by Jenny Packham. It’s made from the same fabrics and featured the same crystal detailing.
Kate’s sparkling heeled sandals are by Jimmy Choo. They’re the Vamp style. The champagne-coloured glitter sandals feature crossover straps, a 5.5-inch heel, a 1-inch platform and a gold-tone buckle stamped with the Jimmy Choo logo.
The shoes retailed for £450 Net-A-Porter.com before entering the sale for £135 GBP. Sadly, Jimmy Choo no longer make the Vamp sandal. You can still find them in various colours on eBay.
The Duchess wore her hair in a chic up-do, which at the time was uncharacteristic. Kate’s sleek hairstyle even made headlines at the time!
Unfortunately, Kate’s earrings have never been identified. The dianasjewels.net website describes them as “pave post and teardrop dangle earrings”. The website shows the earrings have a closed back setting and ear stoppers, which suggests they’re costume jewellery.
