Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Style At Large
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Coco Gauff's New Balances
    • Dyson
    • Postpartum Texts
    • Ayan Broomfield
    • Everyday Handbags
    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Royal Editor Reveals King Charles is “Determined” to “Maintain Standards” With His Fashion Choices

    "Dressing with intention still stands as a sign of respect for yourself and others."

    Christine Ross's avatar
    By Christine Ross
    Published 23 July 2026 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    King Charles dress code
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    It may come as a surprise to hear that King Charles III, the 77-year-old monarch, is an incredibly fashionable dresser. The King is regularly praised by mens' fashion enthusiast Derek Guy—also known as Die, Workwear on social media—for his expert tailoring, timeless suits, and immaculate menswear style. Royal editor Richard Eden has revealed that the King’s refusal to bow to casual dress codes is an effort to “valiantly uphold standards” for the monarchy.

    LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 24: King Charles III meets members of the Afghan Refugee Women's Cricket Team at Clarence House on June 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok - Pool/Getty Images)

    King Charles looked dapper despite the sweltering temperatures.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 24: Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household to the Sovereign holds a small battery powered fan for King Charles III as he attends a London Climate Week reception, hosted by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), at St James's Palace on June 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok - Pool/Getty Images)

    The King was unamused.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    During a recent sweltering heat wave in England, Buckingham Palace’s ballroom must have been oppressively warm. Despite the temperatures, King Charles arrived at a reception at the palace wearing his signature Savile Row suit and tie. “Immaculately dressed as always, the top button of his shirt remained fastened and there was no question of him removing the jacket of his grey Anderson & Sheppard suit,” Richard Eden wrote in his weekly column for the Daily Mail. “His only concession to the stifling atmosphere was to mop his brow discreetly from time to time using the lilac silk handkerchief that matched the colour of his Turnbull & Asser tie.”

    Certified etiquette trainer Courtney Opalko tells Marie Claire that while dress codes and formal dressing can seem outdated to some, the message they send is timeless. “While dressing formally may seem antiquated in today’s casual society, dressing with intention still stands as a sign of respect for yourself and others,” Opalko said. “It’s a quiet signal that says, ‘I care about you enough to show up as my best self.’”

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 24: King Charles III uses a handkerchief to dab his forehead whilst speaking to a guest as he attends a London Climate Week reception, hosted by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), at St James's Palace on June 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok - Pool/Getty Images)

    Despite the temperatures, King Charles refused to remove his jacket.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household to the Sovereign holds a small battery powered fan for Britain's King Charles III as he attends a London Climate Week reception, hosted by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), at St James's Palace, London on June 24, 2026. (Photo by Yui Mok / POOL / AFP)

    King Charles stayed in good humor despite the heat.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    “It was only the latest example of the King’s determination to maintain standards in a world where such matters are increasingly considered to be of little or no importance,” Richard Eden reflected. “The King tried valiantly to uphold standards.”

    “This week, I asked a friend of the King about his determination to maintain standards,” Eden revealed. “He told me: ‘His Majesty believes that monarchy needs to be dignified.’” Eden refers to the King’s insistence on dressing formally, as his outward appearance is a reflection on the steadfastness and strength of the monarchy.

    You may like
    • King Charles laughing as he talks to fans King Charles Is Happier Than Ever Doing One Duty, Says Body Language Expert
    • King Charles wears a suit to visit to ZSL London Zoo to celebrate the zoo's 200th anniversary in central London on July 9, 2026 King Charles Inherited a Valuable Trait From Queen Elizabeth
    • King Charles waving at Peter Phillips's wedding King Charles "Works Really Hard" to Have a Different Approach Than Queen Elizabeth
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Explore More
    King Charles
    CATEGORIES
    Fashion
    Christine Ross
    Christine Ross
    Social Links Navigation
    Writer

    Christine Ross is a freelancer writer, royal expert, broadcaster and podcaster. She's worked with news outlets including the BBC, Glamour, Talk TV, ET, PBS, CNN and 20/20 to cover the foremost royal events of the last decade, from Prince George’s birth to the coronation of King Charles III.

    She previously served as co-host of Royally Us, a weekly royal podcast by Us Weekly. As a freelance writer and royal commentator she provides expert commentary, historical context and fashion analysis about royal families worldwide, with an emphasis on the British Royal Family.

    Read more
    King Charles laughing as he talks to fans
    Royals King Charles Is Happier Than Ever Doing One Duty, Says Body Language Expert
    By Kristin Contino
    King Charles wearing a tan suit and smiling
    Royals Royal Staffer Says The King Can "Control" Few Aspects of His Day-to-Day Life
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    King Charles wearing a crown at his coronation
    Royals King Charles's Former Gardener Reveals What Changed After He Became King
    By Kristin Contino
    King Charles tipping his top hat
    Royals Former Royal Chef Shares Why The King's One Title Should Be “Taken Back”
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Royals
    Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has red hair and a short beard and wears a suit and tie and attends the Kyiv Security Forum, in Kyiv on April 23, 2026
    Royals Prince Harry "Used to Try and Escape" and "Disappear"
    Prince Harry smiling in front of a step and repeat
    Royals Royal Fans Hope Prince Harry "Reunites With" One Relative
     
     
    Queen Camilla visits Speke Hall in Liverpool as Patron of the National Literacy Trust on September 04, 2026
    Royals Why Queen Camilla Says She's "A Little Creaky"
    Princess Catharina Amalia wearing a red top and smiling
    Royals Europe's Future Queens Are Making Their Own Royal Beauty Rules
     
     
    Latest in News
    Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has red hair and a short beard and wears a suit and tie and attends the Kyiv Security Forum, in Kyiv on April 23, 2026
    Royals Prince Harry "Used to Try and Escape" and "Disappear"
    Serena Williams wears a custom Nike jacket to play doubles with sister Venus Williams
    Celebrity Style Serena Williams's Custom Nike Jacket Pays Tribute to Her Incredible Career
     
     
    Prince Harry smiling in front of a step and repeat
    Royals Royal Fans Hope Prince Harry "Reunites With" One Relative
    Queen Camilla visits Speke Hall in Liverpool as Patron of the National Literacy Trust on September 04, 2026
    Royals Why Queen Camilla Says She's "A Little Creaky"
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.