Kate Middleton Is All Elegance in an Electric-Blue Gown at the Annual Royal Variety Performance

The Prince and Princess of Wales made a rare, dazzling red carpet appearance today in London for the annual Royal Variety Performance.

Held at the Royal Albert Hall, the yearly event has been put on since 1912 to support the entertainment industry and the Royal Variety Charity. At least one member of the British royal family attends every year; this time, the glamorous task fell to Kate Middleton and Prince William. The couple was joined by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, whom the Waleses welcomed to Windsor Castle this morning.

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For the occasion, Kate wore a sophisticated royal-blue dress by Safiyaa featuring structured, padded shoulders, and cape sleeves that fell into long trains. She paired the piece with suede pointed-toe pumps in the same electric blue, and layers of gold and diamond jewelry; the glimmering pieces included a thick diamond choker necklace and a matching bracelet. Kate also wore her diamond-and-sapphire engagement ring from Prince William (which previously belonged to Princess Diana) and carried a glittery gold rectangular clutch bag.

William traded his usual navy suit for a sleek black one. The prince looked suave in a black velvet blazer with a white pocket square, which he layered over a crisp white dress shirt accented with a black bow tie. He finished the look with black trousers and shiny black dress shoes.

While entering the grand event, William and Kate engaged in a rare public display of affection, as the prince extended his hand to help his wife to the red carpet, and then smiled as he sweetly held on to it for some time.

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Rosa Sanchez is the senior news editor at Harper’s Bazaar, working on news as it relates to entertainment, fashion, and culture. Previously, she was a news editor at ABC News and, prior to that, a managing editor of celebrity news at American Media. She has also written features for Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter, among other outlets.

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