Kate Middleton To Break With Major Tradition For King Charles' Coronation
Kate Middleton might be the next in line for being the Queen of England, but the Princess of Wales has forged her own path to the throne. Although she and Prince William will represent the future of the British monarchy during King Charles' coronation, Kate is moving away from the flashy history of wearing a tiara and is looking for a more relatable aesthetic for the event.
It's been reported that His Majesty, his daughter-in-law and their team have had "conversations around the decision" to ditch the jewel-encrusted accessory, but the dialogue is considered "ongoing."
"I’m certainly hoping we’ll see coronation tiaras, but it’s possible that Charles is following the example of some of his European counterparts, like the King of the Netherlands, and setting a daytime formal dress code for the event," Lauren Kiehna said in an interview.
The move toward a more modest look was a part of Charles' plan to usher in a new and modern era for the monarchy. "That would mean that we could still see some grand jewels, like necklaces, brooches and earrings but no tiaras. I’ll be sad if that’s true but it may just be another part of the 'de-formalizing' of the British royal world that has taken place over the last several decades," the expert said.
"Tiaras were worn by nearly every royal lady at the Queen’s coronation in 1953, as well lots of aristocratic women but times have certainly changed in 70 years," Kiehna added.
Along with Kate moving away from the traditional coronet, she has pondered over the role Prince George should have at the crowning. The Royal Observer previously reported the mother-of-three was concerned that highlighting him being the heir might be too much for a 9-year-old.
Royal expert Tom Quinn analyzed the possible concerns both William and Kate have surrounding Charles' big day. "I've heard from my contacts that there is a bit of an argument going on about whether George should play a more formal role," the author shared in an interview. "I've heard that Kate and William are worried that it will be too much for him."
"It's almost an echo of the way William and Harry were sometimes made to attend formal occasions that they shouldn't have been made to attend — most famously, the funeral of their mother, and walking behind her coffin at their age," Quinn added.
Kiehna spoke with People.
