BAFTA’s through the years
In 2010 the Duke of Cambridge was made president of BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). The pair have attended the BAFTA’s intermittently through the years though these past 3 years they have been regular attendees. In preparation for the BAFTA’s this year, on February 2nd 2020 at Royal Albert Hall, I want to look back at Kate’s sartorial style.
In 2011, William and Kate were on a tour of the U.S and Canada. During that summer tour they attended the Los Angeles BAFTA’s and Kate WOW’ed. She wore a lavender grecian inspired Alexander McQueen gown and her trusty Jimmy Choo vamp sandals paired with a matching Jimmy Choo clutch.
Her earrings are the Queen’s diamond chandelier drops on loan to Kate.
The diamond bracelet is largely believed to be part of a suite that was a wedding gift from Prince Charles--below is a picture from a different event.
This was an outfit that highlighted the luxury of British fashion at a quintessentially British event amidst all the Hollywood glamour.
The next time Kate attended the BAFTA’s wasn’t until 2017 and she chose another Alexander McQueen dress and a McQueen clutch. This dress was black with violet flowers all over it’s jacquard print and was beautifully off the shoulder--I think this is one of Kate’s more daring gowns as she tends to dress modestly as a rule. She paired the dress with earrings that are still unidentified but she has worn them on a few occasions since.
Not pictured, but on her feet are her trusty Prada cut out pumps. Kate’s bracelet brought the most bling of the night; it is on loan from the Queen, her diamond wedding gift bracelet from Prince Philip and is arguably my favorite diamond bracelet in the Queen’s collection.
A very pregnant Kate glowed on the BAFTA red carpet in 2018 in an emerald green Jenny Packham gown belted with a black velvet sash which paired beautifully with her velvet Mascara clutch. Not pictured, but Kate is again wearing her cut out Prada heels (they must be very comfortable).
But the star of the night were Kate’s jewels.
The emerald and diamond suite has only been worn once before in New York in 2014 and consists of convertible earrings (from studs as pictured to drops), a necklace, and a bracelet. While unconfirmed, this suite is believed to be a wedding gift to Kate and not a loan from the Queen.
This event in particular must have been difficult for Kate to navigate--it happened in the middle of the MeToo movement where everyone in show business was wearing black to red carpet events. Kate, as a royal, but stay apolitical even though women’s right are arguably not political. While she did receive a bit of flak for not wearing black, I think Kate navigated this very well--emeralds are symbols of the Goddess Venus who is the goddess of fertility; they also represent growth, new beginnings, and vitality. The primarily black accessories was also very well thought out.
And now, my favorite BAFTA gown--Kate’s white one shoulder grecian Alexander McQueen gown with floral motifs on the shoulder for the 2019 BAFTA’s. This is such a beautiful gown, the movement and softness of the fabric is divine. And this was the first actual appearance of a one shouldered gown for Kate, a style I hope she continues to wear.
On her feet are the glitteriest Jimmy Choo pumps that look like literal Cinderella shoes (above picture is from a different event).
On her right hand, Kate wore Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond quatrefoil bracelet. I still personally prefer the wedding gift bracelet
Despite wearing the one of the Queen’s bracelet's we’ve seen on her before, Kate blew us away with her jewelry again. She debuted, for the first time on her, Diana, Princess of Wale’s diamond and south sea pearl earrings. It looks like Kate swapped out the pearls that Diana usually wore with these earrings. It’s believed the pearl drops are from the Collingwood earrings but this is unconfirmed, as there’s speculation they are from another pair of earrings in Diana’s collection.
And that’s a wrap on the BAFTA’s!
For the past few years, Kate has been alternating between Jenny Packham and Alexander McQueen for the BAFTA’s. This year might be a Jenny Packham year. I would love to see Kate in other designers, but this is a British awards show and Kate is going to wear a British designer. I would love to see something fun and some new jewelry, but I wouldn’t be upset if she rewore a gown she only wore once.