King Charles III and Queen Camilla are making a state visit to the Republic of Kenya at the invitation of President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto. The visit programme includes Nairobi City County, Mombasa County and surrounding areas. On the evening of October 31, 2023, King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a State Banquet hosted by President William Ruto at the State House in Nairobi. The event was attended by distinguished guests from Kenya and the United Kingdom.
Camilla looked fantastic in this dress. The colour and style is lovely. Well done
ReplyDeleteCamilla looked fantastic in this dress. The colour and style is lovely. Well done
ReplyDeleteits like Queen Camilla is wearing two dresses, one on top of the other.
ReplyDeletepresident is black tie dinner, while other king and other gentlemen are in regular suits.
Maybe security?
DeleteWow …..Camilla has backed a Kenyan winner here.
ReplyDeleteDescribed as “blue Anna Valentine tunic top with complimenting palazzo trousers”.
Anna Valentine is a London based fashion house.
Camilla has used this designer before.
In fact, along with Antonia Robinson, Anna Valentine was the creator/designer of the Duchess of Cornwall, at that time known as Camilla Parker Bowles’s wedding dress for her marriage to Prince Charles (2005).
The fashion house has been established in Marylebone in London for over 30 years. She works with selected clients.
An excellent article on this designer with a visit to her private home in London was done by HOUSE&GARDEN (July 2020).
To read the article, visit
……………https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/anna-valentine-bright-london-flat
p.s. The article also includes information on the work that Antonia Robinson and Anna Valentine did (two months) to create and make Camilla’s wedding dress plus interesting information on the fabrics used.
Beautiful lavender coloured dress and I like the style of kaftan over palazzo pants.
ReplyDeleteElégant le couple royal ; j'adore la combinaison de couleur lavande de Camilla ainsi que ses boucles d'oreilles de Van Clef & Arpels ; Charles dans ce nouveau costume bleu ou gris foncé -selon les photos- a su accorder avec goût sa cravate à sa pochette !
ReplyDeleteVery low-key jewellery.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there is a reason behind this.
It is a state banquet/dinner.
Anybody got an idea why?
Perhaps to distance from the idea that many of the jewels QC could have selected have a colonial history? She is wearing a modern set purchased as gifts from KC3 as well as personal items inherited from her grandmother. Thinking it is purposeful given the issues in this trip.
DeleteThey were happily received. Africans dont grudges on their history like they do in the west. 'let by gones be bygones' in the words of nelson mandela
DeleteThanks @Anon 14:09 for your thoughts.
DeleteWhilst on the subject of jewellery, Africa is the largest producer of diamonds in the world but there are no diamond mines in Kenya.
The Queen again looks lovely this soft coloured flowing combination and King Charles at last wears a fitting suit,
ReplyDeleteMabel
Credit and kudos to First Lady Mrs. Ruto for incorporating the colours of the Kenyan flag in her evening dress.
ReplyDeleteCamilla has always looked smashing in her favoured 'tunic and trouser' ensembles (remember past India/Asian visits?) and this occasion is no exception. She looks terrific. I love the cool blue/lilac colour, the mild glitter of the embroidery and the flowing palazzo pants underneath. I also like the constrained use of minimal jewellery at this event. She looks smart and relaxed, and to me, gives the proper low-key impression of a modern monarchy visiting a former colony with a LOT of shared history.
(I'm looking forward to seeing closer details of her white/cream giraffe dress that she wore the day after.)
- Anon 9:13
weird flag outfit
DeleteLove, love, love this Anna Valentine ensemble! QC looks wonderful in this soft, flowy outfit and the color is gorgeous for her--makes her eyes really pop and sparkle. I also like the gowns worn by the 2 Kenyan ladies--the floral print is very pretty and the other gown highlights the national colors of Kenya beautifully.
ReplyDeleteJanet
I´m clearly in the minority here, but I´m not too fond of what Camilla´s wearing. While the colour and the fabric seem very nice, I cannot help but find this too low key for a state dinner plus giving unfortunate nightwear vibes. I also find the long hem of the kaftan is in conflict with the wide palazzo trousers.
ReplyDeleteCamilla's double dress looks frightful. Its a lovely colour, however the shape, lines of garment are the same as she always wears for day or evening events, and the double dress effect looks very awkward an odd. Edwina
ReplyDeleteThe lavender colour suits QC very well, but I don't like the tunic combined with the flared legs. To me it's, like Missy wrote, as if the queen's wearing two dresses on top of each other. Maybe to me it would look better if the tunic would have been a lot shorter.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the length of the tunic and the width of the trousers. The shape of the tunic is the same as almost all her dresses. I once saw a picture of her on an India trip in a white tunic and trousers but in a different shape. That was a much better outfit for than this one.
DeleteI also don't like the shoes she is wearing here.
Her make-up on the last picture is beautiful.
Attire is not grand enough for a state banquet.
ReplyDeletePresident is more formally dressed than the king.
The president's suites are in better shape than the king's.
DeleteWhat a lovely outfit for Queen Camilla. The style really suits her and the colour is beautiful. She has worn this tunic/ wide trousers combo on tours before and always success fully. I like the black and white dress of the lady behind Queen Camilla. Don’t like the style or material of the First Lady’s dress. It looks as if it’s made of fish scales
ReplyDeleteAnnieM
Lovely color. Camilla sure has her own style. css
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely ensemble, the color is gorgeous, the design of the gown suits the Queen well
ReplyDeleteThe color and design of the Queen's top tunic is fine, but it looks awkward and out of place with the lovely palazzo pants. Why not shorten the top and accent the pants, or just wear a long dress as the African lady is doing i her sequined gown.
ReplyDeleteThe question of what a Queen should wear for a state dinner or banquet in a country which is now independent and no longer belongs to the United Kingdom is a difficult one to which one can give an answer.
ReplyDeleteA state dinner in The State House in an African country is not quite the same as a State Dinner in a sumptuous Royal Palace in Europe.
Different cultures, different scenes.
I’m sure there was a LOT of discussion done to choose the right ensemble for the queen to wear.
Anna Valentine who designed the ensemble for Camilla has a team of 12 fashion assistants in her workshop in London and I’m sure there was a lot of round table discussion and brainstorming before the final decision was made. And of course Camilla would have been involved in the final decision.
In my opinion, the choice of the outfit for the event is correct.
Interesting combination of coat and palazzo trousers with a conservative touch of glamour and topped off with low-key jewellery.
Camilla looks like she came in her nightgown.
ReplyDeleteM
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