Meghan's First Trooping the Colour Outfit v Kate's
Meghan Markle looked characteristically stunning this morning as she attended the 2018 Trooping the Colour celebrations alongside new husband Prince Harry, wearing a bespoke pink off-the-shoulder dress by Carolina Herrera with a matching Philip Treacy hat. Seven years ago, Kate Middleton made her own royal debut at 2011's Trooping the Colour, shortly after her wedding to Prince William. So how do the two women's TtC looks compare?
Back in 2011, Kate wore a cream ensemble including a double-breasted coat by Alexander McQueen (who also designed her wedding dress) and accessorized the look with a black Lock & Co hat. Meghan's outfit is notable because it technically breaks royal protocol; per The Sun "fashion tradition usually dictates that royal women do not wear off-shoulder or other more revealing styles."
And if you're wondering why Meghan rode alongside Harry for her first Trooping the Colour, while Kate rode with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, it's because Kate and Camilla's husbands both played a key role in the ceremony itself. Prince William and Prince Charles both hold the position of royal colonel and therefore both are required to ride horseback alongside the queen. Harry is not a royal colonel, and so was free to ride with Meghan.
Trooping the Colour is an annual military celebration that celebrates the Queen's official birthday, June 9 – not to be confused with her actual birthday, April 21. Per the royal family's official website, "Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians come together each June in a great display of military precision, horsemanship and fanfare to mark The Queen's official birthday."
The ceremony sees Her Majesty's personal troops, known as the Household Division, putting on a choreographed procession through the streets of London leading up to the main event at Horse Guards Parade in central London.
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