Melania Trump outfit clashes with Camilla's as they meet at Buckingham Palace

US first lady wears 'suffragette white' for meeting with the royal family 

Katie O'Malley
Monday 03 June 2019 12:21 BST
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Donald Trump lands at Buckingham Palace and shakes hands with the Queen

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Melania Trump and the Duchess of Cornwall have suffered an outfit clash during the US first lady's visit to Buckingham Palace alongside her husband.

Ms Trump arrived on the lawn at the monarch's residence wearing a white Dolce & Gabbana dress with a navy-blue trim on the collar and belt.

Ms Trump accessorised the look with a wide-brimmed boater hat with a large navy-blue band by Hervé Pierre.

However the look appeared uncomfortably similar to the duchess’ cream-hued ensemble, designed by couturier Anna Valentine, which featured a pair of cream-coloured leather gloves, a clutch bag, and a similar toned hat by Philip Treacy.

Alex Longmore, celebrity fashion stylist, says Ms Trump’s choice of outfit colour suggests a lack of awareness of the Duchess of Cornwall’s history of sartorial choices.

US First Lady Melania Trump (L) and Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (R) hold their hats before they are caught by the wind as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (C) stands with them during a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace in central London on June 3, 2019
US First Lady Melania Trump (L) and Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (R) hold their hats before they are caught by the wind as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (C) stands with them during a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace in central London on June 3, 2019 (Getty Images)

“Melania hasn’t taken into consideration that the Duchess of Cornwall nearly always wears either pale colours of cream, certainly in recent years, hence the clash of colours between them at today’s meeting,” Longmore tells The Independent.

“Was there a white memo we didn’t know about? Even Ivanka, Trump’s daughter, was seen at the window in Buckingham Palace wearing the same shade as Melania,” referring to the president’s eldest daughter who is also in attendance at Buckingham Palace with her husband, Jared Kushner.

Ivanka Trump (C) and her husband special advisor to the US president Jared Kushner (R) watch during a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace in central London on June 3, 2019.
Ivanka Trump (C) and her husband special advisor to the US president Jared Kushner (R) watch during a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace in central London on June 3, 2019. (Getty Images)

Longmore notes that while white is an “impractical” colour to wear, Ms Trump may have looked to other members of the royal family for inspiration as to what to wear for the occasion.

“Its a very confident colour to wear and we have seen so much of it recently with The Duchess of Sussex favouring creams and whites as does The Duchess of Cambridge,” she adds.

“Melania has obviously taken inspiration from the late Diana, Princess of Wales especially in the design of the hat she is wearing, the whole outfit is so Diana.”

The "suffragette white" ensemble is reminiscent to those worn by several female lawmakers in the US earlier this year at president Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

The colour, which has become a political symbol in recent years among notable women, was worn by New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and representative Ilhan Omar in a symbol of solidarity against the president.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) greets fellow lawmakers ahead of the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives on February 5, 2019 in Washington
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) greets fellow lawmakers ahead of the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives on February 5, 2019 in Washington (Getty Images)

Actors Keely Hawe, Vicky McClure, and Jodie Comer also sported the colour more recently at the 2019 Remarkable Women Awards in March.

Earlier this morning, Ms Trump disembarked from Air Force One in London wearing a navy two-piece skirt suit and a white blouse by British luxury fashion brand Burberry.

US president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Stansted airport for their state visit to the UK
US president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Stansted airport for their state visit to the UK (Getty)

On Sunday, the first lady left the White House in Washington DC for her state visit to the UK wearing a Gucci shirt dress covered in images of landmarks in the British capital, such as Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

The vibrant frock had splashes of scarlet, orange and green and featured a collared neckline and a calf-skimming hemline.

Read more about Melania Trump's outfits during her visit to the UK here.

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