Duchess Sophie Celebrates "Reasons For Hope" in a Sheer Paisley Maxi as She Teams Up With a Rarely-Seen Royal

The Duchess of Edinburgh wore her second paisley dress in recent weeks for a gala benefiting The Jane Goodall Institute UK.

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Duchess Sophie wearing a sheer blue paisley dress and smiling
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Duchess Sophie said hello to spring in a dreamy pastel dress on Monday, March 23, attending the Jane Goodall Institute UK's Reasons for Hope gala alongside a lesser-known member of the Royal Family. The Duchess of Edinburgh was joined by Lady Helen Taylor, the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, as they honored the legacy of the late Dr. Jane Goodall at The Peninsula London.

Sophie debuted a new dress for the gala, wearing the soft lilac Hypnotic maxi by Zimmermann. Described by the label as an “ethereal and romantic” style, Sophie’s sheer, long-sleeved dress featured an earth-toned paisley print and a sash belt, and she paired it with a metallic gold clutch and beaded drop earrings.

This is the second paisley style the Duchess of Edinburgh has worn in recent memory. In late February, she embraced bold color as she took part in an official visit to Kenya, wearing a turquoise paisley dress by Lexy London.

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Duchess Sophie wearing a sheer blue paisley dress and smiling next to Lady Helen Taylor

Lady Helen Taylor (right) joined the Duchess of Edinburgh at the Reasons for Hope gala.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Duchess Sophie wearing a sheer blue paisley dress and smiling

Duchess Sophie wears a Zimmerman maxi dress on March 23.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Lady Helen rarely makes public appearances, but she coordinated with Duchess Sophie in muted pastels for the Jane Goodall gala. The mother of four draped a sheer green scarf around her neck, pairing an ivory blouse and green satin evening skirt with a black crystal-embellished bag.

Although she’s not a working royal, Lady Helen does join King Charles and the rest of the family at select events, and was last seen attending The King’s annual Christmas lunch with husband Tim Taylor. She also brought her children Columbus, Cassius and Estella to Princess Kate’s Together at Christmas concert in December 2025.

The Princess of Wales included a special touch in the carol service that would have been especially meaningful for Lady Helen and her siblings, Lord Nicholas Windsor and George, Earl of St Andrews. Their mother, the Duchess of Kent, died in September 2025, and the Together at Christmas concert included performances from Future Talent, a charity the late royal founded to support young musicians.

Kristin Contino
Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.