It was an evening to celebrate creativity when artists from the Royal Drawing School visited St. James's Palace on June 24—and guests certainly brought it, from their artwork to their feet. Two attendees made an unexpected style statement by wearing Crocs to a special reception hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla, but rather than balk at the comfy clogs, the monarch handled the occasion with good humor.
The reception marked the 25th anniversary of the Royal Drawing School, of which The King is founding patron. Known for his lifelong passion for the arts (and a seriously impressive talent for painting), King Charles welcomed artists and alumni of the school, including Tracey Emin and Grayson Perry, who both proudly sported the polarizing footwear.
While some outlets described The King as "visibly stunned" by the move, royal historian Jessica Storoschuk tells Marie Claire that the monarch would never want a guest to feel out of place. "Given that King Charles rarely demands formality, it is highly likely that he was amused at the creative footwear and not in any way shocked," she says.
The King is seen getting artist Tracey Emin, who wore Crocs to the special reception.
Artist Grayson Perry, who also wore Crocs to the event, shared a laugh with The King.
"While Crocs may be an unconventional choice for a palace reception, the Royal Family does not issue strict dress codes to allow guests to be as comfortable as possible," the An Historian Around Town blogger adds.
The King—who has supported the creative world for decades—was seen chatting warmly with guests and laughing with Perry, who dressed in a vibrant orange dress for the occasion.
Palace guests aren't the only ones to turn up in Crocs lately; Meghan Markle wore a pair of the brand's on-trend gardening clogs during her Netflix series With Love, Meghan this spring.
As for The King's reception, he and Queen Camilla took in the "power of Drawing" exhibition, which featured works from 50 artists and alumni of the Royal Drawing School. For an event filled with color and conversation, the message was clear: creativity doesn't have a dress code.
