Royal fans have been left baffled at Queen Camilla’s choice of attire at the Braemar Games which marked the King and Queen’s first appearance since the death of the Duchess of Kent. Katharine, Duchess of Kent, was a member of their extended family, as she was the wife of the late Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Kent.
The late royal had stepped away from her royal duties, but had devoted her duties to her passion for music and empathy for young peope and King Charles chose to pay his respects by wearing a all-black outfit and a tartan kilt. Queen Camilla wore a blue dress with tartan undercoat and a striking beret with a feather in the cap. She did, however, wear a black armband around her left arm as a mark of respect for the late royal.
Camilla’s attire, however, caught the attention of royal fans who questioned what the ideal outfit choice would have been for the Queen. One wrote on X: “I think Balmoral Tartan with a black coat would have been a perfect choice.”
One royal fan questioned: “Why isn’t The Queen wearing black today? Anyone know?”
One wrote: “I see a black armband, but black dress would have been better. This doesn’t look good.”
Others believed it was an appropriate attire: “She is dressed appropriately (in my humble opinion). Everyone is getting offended by everything.”
Another added: “The Duchess was not a working Royal so maybe official mourning wear isn’t required. Yes, unofficially it would be nice.”
The comments from fans come as Princess Kate was spotted in a black suit at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, and Duchess Sophie in a black dress as she conducted engagements overseas in Canada.
During an official period of mourning, such as the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, members of the Royal Family continue to undertake engagements appropriate to the circumstances but they should wear black as a sign of mourning. We expect to see men wearing dark suits and black ties while royal women wear black outfits. Troops taking part in ceremonial events are also expected to wear black armbands and ties.
The Duchess of Kent passed away aged 92 on September 4, 2025. Buckingham Palace released a statement which read: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.
“The King and Queen and all members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”
The Duchess of Kent officially stepped back from royal duties in 2002. At the time, she told the late Queen Elizabeth II that she no longer wished to use her HRH title.
Prior to her death, she only made a handful of public appearances, including at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding, in 2018.