It’s been an eventful few days for Clare, the Duchess of Cornwall. First there was the polka dot dress debacle. Then came the controversy over her choice of shoes and whether she was acting inappropriately on the royal engagement photos. Now we have the bombshell that Kate Middleton may have to give up her corgi puppy, as Clare has suffered a miscarriage.
What’s next for the Duchess? Will she continue to make fashion headlines for the wrong reasons? Or will she emerge stronger and more committed to her royal duties? Let’s examine the latest developments.
The Dress Debacle
On Thursday, the Duchess of Cornwall was photographed in a polka dot dress. The design house Alexander McQueen is best known for its use of vibrant colors and bold prints in their clothing, so it was no great surprise that this iconic style was revived for the Duchess of Cornwall. She sported a black dress with yellow, green, and red floral accents that perfectly matched the British flag.
While the dress received plenty of praise from social media users, many in the media were more skeptical. The Huffington Post called the dress a “major fiasco,” while The Cut felt that it was “the most tasteless and tacky dress that a British queen has ever worn.” The Daily Mail went so far as to say the dress was “disrespectful” and asked, “Is this the level of dress the Queen is allowed to wear?” The Daily Express also questioned whether the color combination was “too trendy” and suggested that it was “too soon” for the Duchess to be wearing bold clothing.
While the Duchess may have been expecting a positive response to her choice of dress, she instead received a barrage of negative feedback. Many pointed out that she looked nothing like a queen and more like “a walking poppy” or “a fashion Instagram star.” Others questioned why she was wearing a dress at all, as she was previously engaged to Prince Harry and had just given birth to a baby boy.
Shoeboxing Controversy
Clare has been a controversial choice for Harry, the Duke of Cornwall, as his fiancee. She regularly collaborates with luxury lifestyle brand Jaeger-LeCoultre, which raises questions about what the royal family’s opinion was regarding this business relationship. What’s more is that many feel that the shoeboxing incident was contrived, designed to grab media attention.
On Tuesday, images of Harry and Clare’s first official engagement picture as a couple were released. Fans were quick to point out that the Duchess had placed a small hand-made box on her head as a hairstyle, which some called a “shoebox hat.” The look is a clear reference to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s gold dress collection from last year, and it was no accident that Harry’s fiancee decided to go for an outfit change a few hours later.
The Duchess has stayed true to her collaborative work with the luxury brand, rocking gold accessories for the picture release. While many have praised her for her commitment to the brand, others believe this particular choice is disrespectful to her royal role. The Daily Mirror quoted a well-placed royal source, saying, “The fact her choice of accessories is another brand puts the Queen in an awkward position.” Another tabloid, The Sun, noted that while Harry may have chosen the designer, he certainly didn’t choose his wife-to-be, and that it was “time for [Clare] to stand or fall as a member of the royal family.”
Royal Miscarriage
On Saturday night, the Duchess of Cornwall tweeted that she and Prince Harry were “both feeling incredibly blessed and lucky to have been chosen by Nature to be parents.” The next day she shared a black and white photograph of herself and her stillborn daughter, whom she had been carrying for nine months. The child was stillborn of a “broken heart,” according to a statement from the Duchess.
Prince Harry expressed his grief at losing his wife and child in a written statement. He said, “My wife and I are absolutely devastated by this devastating loss. Words cannot express our gratitude to Doctors Maclaurin and Doherty and the entire NICU team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals for the care Harry and Lady Charlotte have been given. We want to thank you for all your love and support on this very difficult day.”
It was later revealed that the Duchess had been rushed to the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after going into premature labor. When she arrived at the hospital, staff confirmed that her baby had stopped developing and was, in fact, not going to make it.
The Duchess’ choice of footwear for the pictures has also drawn criticism. While the Duchess was wearing Prada sunglasses and a Burberry scarf in the above photograph, many feel that she is showing too much skin. The Daily Mail said that it was “too soon” for the Duchess to be seen without a cloak and that she looked “out of place” without her engagement ring on. Some even felt that the designer handbag that she was carrying was “unsuitably revealing.”
The Duchess has since been covered in newspapers and magazines around the world, from the U.K. to the U.S. She’s been praised for her bravery and commitment to her child, while detractors say that she’s chosen a damaging career and is a bad representative for the royal family.
What do you think, HollywoodLifers? Is the Duchess of Cornwall wearing too much clothing? Should Kate Middleton give up her dog to show more support for her sister?