The Royalty Nerd

2023 is drawing to a close which means that it’s time for my annual top ten favourite looks of the year! Without further ado:

10: Crown Princess Mette-Marit- May 11th

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My list of least favourites from yesterday had a common theme of less is more. But here, Crown Princess Mette-Marit is wearing layers on layers, accessories, a hat… and it all works! I love the soft colour palette here while still being appropriate for cool weather with the Natan x Alicia Audrey cape. Mostly though, I loved the jaunty Dior scarf addition.

9: Queen Rania- April 11th

This Zimmerman top and skirt was a dream. Queen Rania wore it to meet with Japan’s Prime Minister’s wife, Yuko Kishida. I’m a simple girl, when I see a pink floral dress I like it. Plus, she brought a super cute purse you can see hiding under the chair on the left, and her hair is simple and sweet. Just a whole winner with this one. I’d love to see her wear it again together or both pieces separately.

8: Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg- May 5th

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This is a pretty standard outfit for anyone, but particularly Maria Teresa, who lives and breathes in Alexander McQueen pantsuits. There’s little details on this one though that I really liked: the slits in the trousers, the lace details, the bustier top for a bit of cheeky fun. But the number one addition to this look that pushes it over the edge is the emerald peacock necklace tiara. She snuck in some jewels to the pre-coronation reception and with the lack of tiaras at the actual coronation, I appreciate that.

7: The Princess of Wales- June 20th

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There’s a few reasons why I like this Self Portrait outfit so much. It’s a dress but presented as two pieces (which is always a plus, low effort, high rewards); the black accents on the jacket are subtle but not overwhelming; the Aquazurra heels have a cute cut out that really pair nicely with the whole look; she accessorized simply with some pearl earrings; and finally, she wore this whole look on my birthday!

I also think this look combines two parts of Catherine’s style: the structured jacket top and dreamy skirt. It’s like her 2010’s style met her 2020’s style and created a beautiful look.

6: Queen Letizia- May 3rd

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Red is definitely Letizia’s colour. I know it, she knows it, we all know it. This Carolina Herrera gown is not just a beautiful on it’s own, it’s how Letizia styled it here. She’s wearing my favourite tiara in Spain’s collection, the Spanish floral tiara, plus Queen Ena’s bow brooch. I mentioned this in my top five looks for Letizia this year, but I adored how simple she kept her hair. An easy, slicked back hairstyle didn’t overpower the rest of the look, and she looked effortlessly regal here, in my opinion!

5: Princess Beatrice- June 1st

A lot of people have said that Princess Beatrice’s style has gone up a level since marrying Edo, and I have a lot to say about that (one day). For the purposes of this post though, let’s just appreciate this gorgeous Needle & Thread gown. The embellishments and ruffles give it a sweet and romantic touch, perfect for a wedding. Her clutch also says ‘Wifey for Lifey’ which is super cheesy, but damn if I don’t love it for Beatrice.

4: Princess Madeleine- September 15th

What a triumphant tiara return for Princess Madeleine! To celebrate King Carl XVI Gustaf’s jubilee, she wore a Jenny Packham gown along with the modern fringe tiara. This look combined everything I love in a gown, some sparkle, a floaty skirt, and even a cape. I’m so thankful Madeleine and her family are returning to Sweden soon because I’ve desperately missed her tiara appearances, especially when they’re as lovely as this.

3: Princess Sofia- December 11th

If I have one wish for Princess Sofia in 2024, it’s that she gets back in the Swedish vaults and wears another tiara. I also wish that keeps wearing and re-wearing gorgeous gowns, like this Ida Lanto piece. This is actually a repeated gown that has been reworked, the shoulders have been lowered and I much prefer it this way.

2: Queen Rania- June 12th

Queen Rania is the only royal lady to make this list twice! I really liked both of the outfits featured on here and I couldn’t choose. This Elie Saab gown was so lovely I had to include it too. Like I said in my top five outfits for Rania post, this look combines several factors that I appreciate in an outfit: some drama, a wee train, and perfectly matched accessories. I’d love to see this one again.

1: Queen Máxima- November 28th

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I knew this was going to be my number one look as soon as I saw the photos on Twitter (X, whatever). This is an Iris van Herpen gown that blew every other look out of the water for me. This just screams ‘Queen’ to me, and Máxima completely stole the show wearing it, in a good way. It doesn’t hurt that she also wore earrings from the Stuart tiara, bringing some massive diamonds and sparkle to the event.