Princess Charlotte’s Dress in Recently Released Father’s Day Photo Has a Deep History with the Royal

Princess Charlotte smiling widely in a hammock

(Image credit: Princess of Wales)

published 20 June 2023

The dress Princess Charlotte wore in the recently released Father’s Day photos with dad Prince William and brothers Prince George and Prince Louis is an old standby of not just Charlotte’s, but of girls growing up in the royal family for over a decade, People reports.

The dress, the outlet writes, is “one of [Charlotte’s] go-to summer dresses,” and was made by British children’s wear designer Rachel Riley. The “Blossom Button-Front” daisy print dress has short puff sleeves and a Peter Pan collar and was seen last month on Charlotte as she attended a Coronation rehearsal prior to the May 6 ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

Princess Charlotte at Trooping the Colour

“It’s smart enough to go to a rehearsal at the Abbey and at the same time, it’s casual enough to work in a woodland setting having fun with your brothers and your dad,” Riley told People. “They all looked absolutely gorgeous; it’s such a fun photo!”

Rachel Riley Blossom Button Front Dress

As Marie Claire reported on Sunday, the photo pays a subtle tribute to Her late Majesty, as the foursome are seated on a bench given to the late Queen for her ninetieth birthday in 2016. The photo was taken earlier this year on the grounds of the Windsor Estate by photographer Millie Pilkington.

Prince William poses with kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis for Father's Day

Charlotte has worn the cotton dress publicly three times, and Riley said it holds a special place in her heart, as her own daughter has worn the style as well: “It’s been a bestseller since I designed it 25 years ago,” Riley said. “My daughter Rose [who is now 30 and works alongside Riley] wore the same dress when she was little, and it remains a bestseller today.”

Other girls of the British Royal Family love the timeless dress, too—Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, wore it to the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee back in 2012; Isla Phillips, the youngest daughter of Peter and Autumn Phillips, also wore the dress at the Platinum Jubilee last year.

Princess Charlotte at Easter church service

“Classic clothes have longevity because there are just some styles that never go out of fashion,” Riley said. “We update them with new prints, which we design ourselves, and have the fabric printed and for me, it’s so fun to see classic clothes stand the test of time. Something that my daughter wore 25 years ago is now being worn by Princess Charlotte, and she looks just as comfortable and beautiful.”

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.