How Sophie Wessex defrumped her look to become the most stylish royal & it’s thanks to guru’s ‘fairy godmother’ makeover
PRINCESS Kate is known for her impeccable royal style and for selling out the clothes she wears.
But her close pal and royal confidante Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh - who celebrated her 60th birthday this week - is fast beginning a royal style icon in her own right.
While the "Princess Kate effect" is frequently evident with the clothes she wears flying off shelves, Sophie has also proven herself to a understated fashion heavyweight, looking better than ever at 60.
Over the years she’s worn some stunning looks, and has often set style rules well before Kate’s time.
It was reported that Sophie, who has been a “tower of strength” for the Princess of Wales through her preventative cancer treatment, even shops for the stylish royal mum-of-three.
Royal biographer Claudia Joseph told Fabulous: "Jeans designer Donna Ida once revealed that Sophie bought her £295 black Sadie jumpsuit for herself and then asked for one for Kate."
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Sophie hasn't always been as confident when it comes to her style choices.
Back when she first met Prince Edward in the 90’s, Sophie said she had no interest in fashion and didn’t understand why it was part of her job.
However, from becoming the patron of London College of Fashion in 2013, to being named on Vanity Fair’s best dressed list in 2015, she has upped her fashion stakes over the years.
One of her style turning points was enlisting the help of Pandora Delevingne, mother of British supermodel Cara, to help with her style - although according to the now "most of her style is her own doing".
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According to the former Selfridges personal shopper Pandora helped to "defrump" Sophie by giving her "expensively cut outfits, by designers such as Suzannah and Valentino", which has helped her to "appear years younger".
Her second "fairy godmother" was close friend and stylist Georgie Pincus, who lives close to Sophie's 120-room Bagshot Park home, who has now given up fashion work to be a yoga teacher.
Here, Deputy Fashion Editor Abby McHale takes a look at how the Duchess is actually the underrated style icon of the royal family...
Flashing Flesh
Whilst royal rules can often dictate not showing too much skin, Sophie hasn’t always stuck to this.
Back in 2012 for a ball in celebration of the Paralympics Sophie, then 47, looked stunning in a pink asymmetric gown.
Not only did it show off her arms and shoulders (something not often seen from the royals), but the figure hugging gown with ruched side detailing flattered her shape and showed that the royals don’t have to be so conservative when it comes to fashion.
Diplomatic Dressing
In her decades of being a working royal she has been around the world and back, visiting many countries, she often honours the place she is visiting through her fashion.
Seen here in 2002, long before the likes of Kate Middleton came on the scene, Sophie wore this red dress whilst on a visit to Norway.
The low cut neckline and straps were once again risque for a royal, but she sure pulled off the look and surely got a seal of approval from the Scandinavians.
Inside Sophie's glamorous 60th birthday bash at 120-room estate
WHEN it comes to parties, the Duchess of Edinburgh is not known for hogging the limelight.
But Sophie was said to be celebrating her 60th birthday with a dinner and dance party organised by her husband Prince Edward at Bagshot Park, the grand house in Berkshire which Edward and Sophie moved into shortly after their wedding in 1999.
Yet despite its grandeur, 120-room Bagshot has rarely been used by Edward and Sophie for formal entertaining - until most recently this black-tie bash, with all royal family members on the guest list.
It was said staff for the party were to be borrowed from nearby Windsor Castle as the Edinburghs do not lead an ostentatious life.
Their only everyday employees are a butler (whose actual job title is Household Manager) and a housemaid/cleaner.
“Neither Sophie or Edward are what you might call big party animals,” says a source close to the family.
Naturally included for the celebrations have been the Edinburghs’ son James, Viscount Severn, 16, who is studying for his A-levels at the all-boys boarding school Radley, and daughter Lady Louise, 21, who is reading English at St Andrew’s University.
Care To Re-wear
She may have access to top end designers and all the clothes she could want, but Sophie is also a great example of a royal who recycles her outfits.
One example is this pink and white gingham coat dress by Suzannah.
First worn in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee, she was seen again just under a year later at King Charles first garden party at Buckingham Palace.
Showing that even statement pieces don’t just have to be one hit wonders.
Like Mother Like Daughter
Racking up a plethora of looks, Sophie must have a wardrobe full of clothes anyone would want to try.
Luckily for Lady Louise, she has access to her mothers wardrobe and has been seen out numerous times in pieces worn first by the Duchess.
Tapping into her designer coat collection, Lady Louise wore a navy Stella McCartney coat back in 2023, which was first seen on Sophie in 2017.
Flower Power
A staple in Sophie's wardrobe, she shows, when in doubt opt for florals, they never go out of style.
Having been seen in numerous floral looks over the years, this theory stretches way back to the 90s before Sophie married Prince Edward.
Wearing a floral mini dress for Ascot in 1995, this look is something that would still be seen in today's world - showing how well dressed she’s been from the get go.
Matchy Matchy
Tonal dressing is a favourite style tip of the royals.
Often making your outfit look expensive, elegant and super flattering.
Sophie often likes to match her clothes to her accessories, more importantly her hats.
Not only is this butter yellow look she wore for Trooping The Colour last year bang on trend colour wise, but she has matched her Beulah London dress with a yellow hat from Jane Taylor Millinery impeccably.
Belt It Up
Another styling trick used by the Duchess over the years is to add a belt to create more shape to a look.
Wearing a powder blue cashmere coat back in 2019 for a trip to Sandhurst from one of her favourite brands Suzannah, Sophie showed how well a belt can complete a look.
Not only does the belt cinch in the whole look and pull it together, but with this particular belt being attached and the same shade as the coat it creates a smoother and sleeker look - giving her extra styling points.
Smart Tailoring
Adding a blazer is a sure fire way to make any outfit look smarter and this is something Sophie has been doing for decades.
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Delving into the archives for pictures of Sophie around the time of her engagement to Prince Edward you can see she’s wearing on trend oversized blazers that wouldn’t look out of place with fashion today.
Literally - she wore a very similar grey double breasted blazer back in September last year on a trip to a vineyard in Kent.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh's 'humble' start in life
UNLIKE Prince Edward, Sophie comes from humble beginnings.
The daughter of a tyre salesman and a secretary, she was working in PR at Capital Radio when they met in 1987.
Edward was dating her friend at the time, but six years later they got together after a charity event.
Sophie continued to work for a few years after they got married before finally becoming a full-time royal in 2002.
“I remember our first meeting many years ago when she was just becoming known as Edward’s girlfriend,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said.
“I was lunching at The Ritz with one of the Queen Mother’s ladies in waiting when I saw Sophie at a nearby table. I seized the moment and introduced myself which was probably very annoying for her, but she was charm personified, and we chatted for a few minutes.
"And I really don’t think she has changed much since then.
"Yes, she and Edward live in a mansion, have titles and huge privilege, but Sophie has known a life outside those cloistered palace walls and she has kept her sense of perspective.
“For example, she has told her children that, titles or no titles - and they have chosen thus far not to use their HRH status - they should expect to have to earn a living.
"Sophie was happy for her daughter to take on a seasonal job at a garden centre for less than £7 an hour.
"And during the pandemic Sophie served as a volunteer with the Royal Voluntary Service, talking with people on the phone to help them combat the feeling of isolation - and she carried on talking with some of them after the pandemic ended.
“She will also often travel under the radar to places like Malawi, Botswana or Ethiopia to visit projects dedicated to promoting eye health and preventing blindness, and she does this from the heart after her daughter Louise was born with a squint.
“Sophie is one of the strengths of the new monarchy – elegant, engaging and empathetic. I think people have really taken her into their hearts.”