Kate Middleton's Head-Turning Garden Party Dress Is Ushering in All the Summer Vibes

Kate Middleton made her grand return to royal garden parties at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, and her bright ensemble was a lesson in warm weather dressing.

The Duchess of Cambridge attended the mid-week gathering alongside Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Queen Elizabeth's cousin Princess Alexandra. The outing marked Kate's first garden party since 2019, and she made a statement by sporting a cheery coral ensemble comprised of an Emilia Wickstead fit-and-flare knee-length blazer dress and matching suede heels. Never one to shy away from re-wearing an accessory, Kate finished her outfit with the same bright pink fascinator she wore for Trooping the Colour in 2017 and a white vintage beaded clutch. She wore her hair in an intricate low bun and kept her glam rosy and natural.

While garden parties are back to their regular schedule after cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, Queen Elizabeth announced she would not be in attendance at any of the season's gatherings. This isn't the only event the Queen has opted out of in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Her Royal Majesty missed the State Opening of Parliament for just the third time in her 70-year reign due to "mobility problems."

"The Queen continues to experience episodic mobility problems, and in consultation with her doctors has reluctantly decided that she will not attend the State Opening of Parliament tomorrow," Buckingham Palace shared in a statement at the time.

While she has since ventured back into public for the first time since Prince Philip's Service of Thanksgiving for a horse show on May 13, the garden parties — which consist of greeting and mingling with guests in the palace's gardens — would require the Queen to stay on her feet for many hours at a time.