While Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton quietly snuck into St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle as to not take away from Princess Eugenie's nuptials to Jack Brooksbank, all eyes were on Cara Delevingne. The British model attended the royal wedding in a top hat, trousers, and a tailcoat, an outfit that caused quite the stir on Friday morning. But the big question is: Did she break royal wedding protocol?
According to Debrett's, the authority on British etiquette and manners since 1769, she did, but not for the reason we think. "A gray or black top hat is worn with morning dress for racing but at most other events it is carried rather than worn and may be dispensed with," the website details, meaning it's Delevingne's hat (not the fact that she wore a suit) that's the problem here. And despite the wedding invitation calling for women to arrive wearing a "day dress and hat," (according to Her, an Irish website) the 26-year-old chose an Emporio Armani tuxedo complete with a cropped jacket, slim-fitting trousers, a cummerbund, a white button-up shirt, and a patterned gray tie. She finished the look with a pair of black stilettos.
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However, Royal expert James Brookes tells UK publication Express that he doesn't consider Delevingne's look to be breaking protocol. "Obviously it’s unusual and not something you’d usually expect at a wedding, but the majority of the guests — and all of the main bridal party — wore traditional wedding attire," he told the site. He continued: "That’s why Cara’s outfit stood out as most of the other women were wearing dresses and heels, but when you invite Hollywood’s A-listers and the [models], you do expect a bit of eye-catching creativity."
Brookes also raised another good point: That Princess Eugenie does appreciate a good hat. "Remember Eugenie and Beatrice are well-known for their own creative choices when it comes to fashion — think back to those hats at William and Kate’s wedding and Beatrice’s dress at Meghan and Harry’s — so I’m sure Eugenie might have expected a few ‘different’ outfits."