Camilla Parker Bowles Attends London Fashion Week to Present Queen's Award

February 2024 · 3 minute read

Camilla Parker Bowles, also known as the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles' wife, made an attendance at London Fashion Week today. The duchess presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design to Bethany Williams, a London-based designer who specializes in sustainable and ethical fashion.

For the engagement, the duchess wore a navy long sleeve dress with a white tiered skirt by British couturier Bruce Oldfield, a pearl necklace, black heels, and a black clutch.

Bethany Williams - Front Row - LFW February 2019

Gareth Cattermole/BFC//Getty Images

The Duchess Of Cornwall Visits London Fashion Week

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Bethany Williams - Front Row - LFW February 2019

Gareth Cattermole/BFC//Getty Images

Royal cameos at fashion week might be rare, but last year, the Queen herself sat front-row for a presentation in order to present her eponymous design award for the first time ever. Richard Quinn, a designer with a penchant for punchy florals and mixed prints, was the 2018 recipient. (He made Amal Clooney's dress-and-trousers look for the last Met Gala.)

"The Queen Elizabeth II Award, initiated in recognition of the role the fashion industry plays in society and diplomacy, will be awarded annually to an emerging British fashion designer who shows exceptional talent and originality," Buckingham Palace announced last February. "The designer will also demonstrate the value to the community and/or strong sustainable policies."

Royal visit to London Fashion WeekYui Mok - PA Images//Getty Images

Her Majesty sits front-row at Richard Quinn’s show in February 2018.

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, may be known as a modern-day royal style icon, but hasn't made any front-row fashion week appearances yet. However, last year, she and Sophie, Countess of Wessex (wife of the Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward) hosted designers and other big names in the industry for a night of celebrating fashion at Buckingham Palace during London Fashion Week.

This also isn't Duchess Camilla's first time brushing elbows with the fashion set. Last November, she attended the Julien Macdonald's fashion show benefiting the National Osteoporosis Society, of which she is president.

The Duchess Of Cornwall Attends The 'Julien Macdonald Fashion Show' Reception

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She even posed with some of the models—donning glittering naked dresses—ahead of the presentation at London's Lancaster House.

Play Iconpreview for A Timeline of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles’ Royal RomanceHeadshot of Erica Gonzales

Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now. 

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