Flashback Friday: The Royal McQueen

Alexander McQueen has been on the tip of my sartorial tongue ever since that one dress Sarah Burton made back in April. (Surely you remember it?) With the immense popularity of McQueen on the red carpet, you'd think that the house would be a popular choice among royal ladies, but it really isn't. McQueen may be sparingly worn on the royal person, but when it is, it usually makes a statement.

Crown Princess Mary made one of her most memorable gown choices when she chose to wrap herself in this purple McQueen gown. The Duchess of York also made a few memories when she chose the same dress...

...though those memories might be of a different sort.

The York daughters have also had brushes with McQueen.

Princess Beatrice sought out McQueen for her memorable appearance at Peter and Autumn Phillips' wedding, a turn so colorful it made my list of the Top 10 Worst Dressed Royal Wedding Guests. (Not because the outfit's ugly, mind you. No, it's quite the masterpiece. It's just so very much for someone else's wedding.)

And Princess Eugenie made of her more notable appearances by picking a va-va-voom red McQueen for this year's Ascot. I loved it because she went there with her McQueen - I think if you're not opting for the attitude, you're not getting the full benefit of the spirit of the design house.

Which is why I love that Crown Princess Mette-Marit has sported a McQueen skull scarf:

You know, I think she might be the only princess on the block that could pull that off.

And that brings us to the Duchess of Cambridge.

Kudos are most certainly in order for being the greatest royal Alexander McQueen champion yet. It seems to me that Kate has started a comfortable relationship with Sarah Burton that I only hope will grow. Maybe into just a bit of that McQueen attitude, if I can be allowed a far-fetched wish?

Which royal ladies would you like to see embrace McQueen next?

Photos: Just Jared/Daylife/Getty Images/Wire Image

Flashback Friday: The Royal McQueen

Alexander McQueen has been on the tip of my sartorial tongue ever since that one dress Sarah Burton made back in April. (Surely you remember it?) With the immense popularity of McQueen on the red carpet, you'd think that the house would be a popular choice among royal ladies, but it really isn't. McQueen may be sparingly worn on the royal person, but when it is, it usually makes a statement.

Crown Princess Mary made one of her most memorable gown choices when she chose to wrap herself in this purple McQueen gown. The Duchess of York also made a few memories when she chose the same dress...

...though those memories might be of a different sort.

The York daughters have also had brushes with McQueen.

Princess Beatrice sought out McQueen for her memorable appearance at Peter and Autumn Phillips' wedding, a turn so colorful it made my list of the Top 10 Worst Dressed Royal Wedding Guests. (Not because the outfit's ugly, mind you. No, it's quite the masterpiece. It's just so very much for someone else's wedding.)

And Princess Eugenie made of her more notable appearances by picking a va-va-voom red McQueen for this year's Ascot. I loved it because she went there with her McQueen - I think if you're not opting for the attitude, you're not getting the full benefit of the spirit of the design house.

Which is why I love that Crown Princess Mette-Marit has sported a McQueen skull scarf:

You know, I think she might be the only princess on the block that could pull that off.

And that brings us to the Duchess of Cambridge.

Kudos are most certainly in order for being the greatest royal Alexander McQueen champion yet. It seems to me that Kate has started a comfortable relationship with Sarah Burton that I only hope will grow. Maybe into just a bit of that McQueen attitude, if I can be allowed a far-fetched wish?

Which royal ladies would you like to see embrace McQueen next?

Photos: Just Jared/Daylife/Getty Images/Wire Image

Flashback Friday: The Coronation of Albert II

In the wake of the dress code confusion and so forth from the wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock, I decided to take a look at the last major royal event held in Monaco: the celebrations surrounding Albert's coronation. I'm always game for reminiscing about Things Involving Tiaras, you know. Everybody buckle up in the time machine, we're shooting back to the National Day festivities of November 2005, including a public mass (which served as the coronation ceremony, basically) and a gala at the Opera: 
 

Left to Right: Princess Caroline of Hanover (and Monaco) at mass, Princess Stephanie of Monaco at mass, Charlotte Casiraghi at mass, Princess Caroline at the gala, Charlotte at the gala

Well, at least this one didn't have any beach party attendees! I loved Charlotte's fuzzy angel get-up for the mass, halo hat and all. This is how Charlotte does ladylike, and it wouldn't work on anyone else. But I'm less enamored of her evening wear, which is just a pregnancy rumor waiting to happen. Caroline's dress and coat are lovely, but with just Charlotte's Fringe Tiara worn as a necklace, she just wasn't up to par with the international royal ladies in attendance.

Speaking of international royal attendees, the first noticeable difference from the wedding is the numbers. Royals in attendance were:

• Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
• The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
• The Hereditary Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein
• The Earl and the Countess of Wessex
• Prince Joachim of Denmark
• Prince Faisal bin al Hussein of Jordan
• The Prince and Princess of Venice and Piedmont
• Prince Serge of Yugoslavia and his wife
• Prince Carlo and Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (now the Duke and Duchess of Castro)
• Prince Jean of France

The absence of royal presence from countries like Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain was widely interpreted as a snub to Monaco's new ruler. (Whether it actually was is up to your own interpretation as always; there are many valid reasons why those royals did not show up, including the baptism of Princess Alexia of the Netherlands taking place at the same time and the birth of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway's son Sverre Magnus just a week or so later.)

L to R: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein, the Countess of Wessex, Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the Princess of Venice and Piedmont, Prince Serge of Yugoslavia's wife

Those that did show up represented the properly-hatted dress code well, with Victoria indulging in a red overdose and Clotilde Courau (the Princess of Venice and Piedmont) looking awfully chic. Such an event always produces odd hat news, and so we have Sophie of Liechtenstein in some sort of harsh flat-brimmed Amish affair, and Sophie of Wessex in yet another gravity-defying feat of millinery. Camilla, the Barbie Princess, turned up in a shockingly tasteful ensemble; thank your Gods for the horrors of post-Dynasty chapeaux, or else we wouldn't even be able to recognize her. And I actually really like what the wife of Prince Serge there is wearing...too bad she's not a senior enough royal to warrant better identification. (I think her name is Eleonora? And I think we could call her Princess Serge? But we'll stick with how she's usually identified: Prince Serge's wife. Lucky her.)

L to R: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the Countess of Wessex, the wife of Prince Serge of Yugoslavia, the Princess of Venice and Piedmont 

And here begins the dress code confusion: I find it very strange that the host lady, Princess Caroline, didn't wear a proper tiara (on her head, as the Cartier Gods intended it to be), but the royal ladies did. Oh well, I shan't complain. Victoria wore a dress so trademark Victoria that she received a Barbie doll of herself in this outfit for her wedding, along with the Baden Fringe Tiara. Clotilde was back to her usual over-the-top sartorial tricks, topped off with one major sapphire necklace. And Sophie brought the best thing that came out of this event: a new tiara! This bad boy can also be one hefty aquamarine necklace.

Thus, we learn that there will always be some confusion when Monaco is involved, and that no matter what feelings of royal superiority one might have, all the world loves a wedding.

What was your favorite Coronation outfit?

Photos: Getty/Zimbio

Flashback Friday: The Coronation of Albert II

In the wake of the dress code confusion and so forth from the wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock, I decided to take a look at the last major royal event held in Monaco: the celebrations surrounding Albert's coronation. I'm always game for reminiscing about Things Involving Tiaras, you know. Everybody buckle up in the time machine, we're shooting back to the National Day festivities of November 2005, including a public mass (which served as the coronation ceremony, basically) and a gala at the Opera: 
 

Left to Right: Princess Caroline of Hanover (and Monaco) at mass, Princess Stephanie of Monaco at mass, Charlotte Casiraghi at mass, Princess Caroline at the gala, Charlotte at the gala

Well, at least this one didn't have any beach party attendees! I loved Charlotte's fuzzy angel get-up for the mass, halo hat and all. This is how Charlotte does ladylike, and it wouldn't work on anyone else. But I'm less enamored of her evening wear, which is just a pregnancy rumor waiting to happen. Caroline's dress and coat are lovely, but with just Charlotte's Fringe Tiara worn as a necklace, she just wasn't up to par with the international royal ladies in attendance.

Speaking of international royal attendees, the first noticeable difference from the wedding is the numbers. Royals in attendance were:

• Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
• The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
• The Hereditary Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein
• The Earl and the Countess of Wessex
• Prince Joachim of Denmark
• Prince Faisal bin al Hussein of Jordan
• The Prince and Princess of Venice and Piedmont
• Prince Serge of Yugoslavia and his wife
• Prince Carlo and Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (now the Duke and Duchess of Castro)
• Prince Jean of France

The absence of royal presence from countries like Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain was widely interpreted as a snub to Monaco's new ruler. (Whether it actually was is up to your own interpretation as always; there are many valid reasons why those royals did not show up, including the baptism of Princess Alexia of the Netherlands taking place at the same time and the birth of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway's son Sverre Magnus just a week or so later.)

L to R: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein, the Countess of Wessex, Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the Princess of Venice and Piedmont, Prince Serge of Yugoslavia's wife

Those that did show up represented the properly-hatted dress code well, with Victoria indulging in a red overdose and Clotilde Courau (the Princess of Venice and Piedmont) looking awfully chic. Such an event always produces odd hat news, and so we have Sophie of Liechtenstein in some sort of harsh flat-brimmed Amish affair, and Sophie of Wessex in yet another gravity-defying feat of millinery. Camilla, the Barbie Princess, turned up in a shockingly tasteful ensemble; thank your Gods for the horrors of post-Dynasty chapeaux, or else we wouldn't even be able to recognize her. And I actually really like what the wife of Prince Serge there is wearing...too bad she's not a senior enough royal to warrant better identification. (I think her name is Eleonora? And I think we could call her Princess Serge? But we'll stick with how she's usually identified: Prince Serge's wife. Lucky her.)

L to R: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the Countess of Wessex, the wife of Prince Serge of Yugoslavia, the Princess of Venice and Piedmont 

And here begins the dress code confusion: I find it very strange that the host lady, Princess Caroline, didn't wear a proper tiara (on her head, as the Cartier Gods intended it to be), but the royal ladies did. Oh well, I shan't complain. Victoria wore a dress so trademark Victoria that she received a Barbie doll of herself in this outfit for her wedding, along with the Baden Fringe Tiara. Clotilde was back to her usual over-the-top sartorial tricks, topped off with one major sapphire necklace. And Sophie brought the best thing that came out of this event: a new tiara! This bad boy can also be one hefty aquamarine necklace.

Thus, we learn that there will always be some confusion when Monaco is involved, and that no matter what feelings of royal superiority one might have, all the world loves a wedding.

What was your favorite Coronation outfit?

Photos: Getty/Zimbio

Flashback Friday: The Elvis Gown

Today would have been Diana, Princess of Wales' 50th birthday. (Doesn't seem possible, does it?) I thought one of the best ways to pay tribute to this true style icon would be to remember her finest moments. So today, I'm talking about my favorite Diana look of all time: the Elvis gown.

The nickname, used by the Princess herself, is the stuff of pure cheese - a nod to Elvis and his sequin jumpsuits, long past his prime - but the look is pure regal elegance.

The strapless white silk gown is entirely covered with oyster pearls and sequins, as is the matching bolero jacket with popped collar and cropped sleeves. Catherine Walker was commissioned to make this ensemble for the Wales' 1989 trip to Hong Kong, but it ended up making its debut at the British Fashion Awards before departure. The original destination, though, served as the inspiration for the design: Walker later said that pearls had seemed appropriate for a visit to Asia. The gown's embroidery was completed by S. Lock Ltd.

As one of the gowns Diana chose to auction off for charity in 1997, the Elvis dress raised £81,203 (about $130,000 today). It was the second most expensive gown at the auction, bested only by the midnight blue Victor Edelstein gown that Diana wore while twirling with John Travolta at the White House.

The gown was originally purchased by the owners of souvenir company The Franklin Mint, who then proceeded to sell a Diana doll wearing a replica of the gown. The doll spurned an intense legal battle with the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund over use of Diana's image. After the lawsuit was settled, the gown was donated to London's Victoria & Albert Museum, which still holds it today.

See the elegance in action in Hong Kong:

This has always epitomized princess style to me. It's fashionable, it makes an impression, but it does so while being demure and understated. Perfection!

Tell me: what is your all-time favorite Diana look?

Flashback Friday: The Elvis Gown

Today would have been Diana, Princess of Wales' 50th birthday. (Doesn't seem possible, does it?) I thought one of the best ways to pay tribute to this true style icon would be to remember her finest moments. So today, I'm talking about my favorite Diana look of all time: the Elvis gown.

The nickname, used by the Princess herself, is the stuff of pure cheese - a nod to Elvis and his sequin jumpsuits, long past his prime - but the look is pure regal elegance.

The strapless white silk gown is entirely covered with oyster pearls and sequins, as is the matching bolero jacket with popped collar and cropped sleeves. Catherine Walker was commissioned to make this ensemble for the Wales' 1989 trip to Hong Kong, but it ended up making its debut at the British Fashion Awards before departure. The original destination, though, served as the inspiration for the design: Walker later said that pearls had seemed appropriate for a visit to Asia. The gown's embroidery was completed by S. Lock Ltd.

As one of the gowns Diana chose to auction off for charity in 1997, the Elvis dress raised £81,203 (about $130,000 today). It was the second most expensive gown at the auction, bested only by the midnight blue Victor Edelstein gown that Diana wore while twirling with John Travolta at the White House.

The gown was originally purchased by the owners of souvenir company The Franklin Mint, who then proceeded to sell a Diana doll wearing a replica of the gown. The doll spurned an intense legal battle with the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund over use of Diana's image. After the lawsuit was settled, the gown was donated to London's Victoria & Albert Museum, which still holds it today.

See the elegance in action in Hong Kong:

This has always epitomized princess style to me. It's fashionable, it makes an impression, but it does so while being demure and understated. Perfection!

Tell me: what is your all-time favorite Diana look?

Flashback Friday: Oh, Canada!

After extensive research including strenuous minutes of googling, I've come to a conclusion: strange things happen in Canada. Well, to the royals at least.

The Queen wears trousers! Prince Philip listens to...rapper-type people!

William and Kate are heading off to Canada (with a pit stop in California) soon (peruse the Canadian itinerary here and the American one here), and all eyes are on the fashion. All my eyes are, at least. There are some serious fashion hurdles ahead of the Duchess, so I thought we'd take a look back at how past royals have handled these Canadian obstacles, and what handy trip tips we can offer to the lovely Kate.

Hurdle #1: The Cowboy Hat

William and Kate will indeed be sporting ten gallon cowboy hats during their trip, just as multiple family members before them have. I think the fashion question here belongs not to the Duchess, but to the Duke: will William wear a bolo tie? Dear God, let's hope not. That's not a good look for anyone.

Hurdle #2: The Action Trip

The trip itinerary has spawned the greatest comparisons to the Canadian tour undertaken by the Duke and Duchess of York at the height of their popularity (yes, they were popular, once). The Yorks had an action trip, mucking in instead of observing. That's exactly what the Cambridges are doing; their events include playing street hockey, captaining dragon boats, cooking, and more. Let's hope they dress more appropriately for their boating turn, and that they remember this one simple fact: strangling people, no matter how fun, is never royal.

Tip #1: Dress thyself in red and white.

Hurdles aside, one thing Kate must be sure and bring along for a successful Canada trip is plenty of red and white. The whole purpose of the trip is to fly the Canadian flag, so she might as well jump full in and make it her uniform. Especially when the couple's going to be there on Canada Day and all. There shouldn't be too many opportunities for evening wear for the Cambridges, so perhaps we'll be spared another attempt at crafting a gown from the Canadian flag.

Tip #2: Bring on the maple leaves.

Same goes here as for the red and white: if it's on the flag, it should also be on the royals. Brooch it up, bedazzle something - Kate can do whatever she pleases with the leaf du pays...but I say once again, there's no need to be comical about it. Let's stop just before we reach Fergie territory. (Sound advice for life, really, not just for maple leafage.)

Tip #3: Put it on with a smile.

This one's universal, but since it's the Cambridge's first big trip, it's worth saying: no matter what someone hands you, you're gonna have to put it on and smile. Doesn't matter if it's actually cool (Roots gear, anyone?) or terribly odd (bedazzled 3D specs? Huh?), just grin and sport your new present. And if you start to feel ridiculous, just remember: it could be much worse.

Sometimes they make you get ALL dressed up, just for photographer giggles. It's a hard knock royal life.

What are you hoping to see from our next feature film, The Cambridges Take North America? Do you have any extra tips to offer?

Photos: Getty Images/Tim Graham/Anwar Hussein

Flashback Friday: Oh, Canada!

After extensive research including strenuous minutes of googling, I've come to a conclusion: strange things happen in Canada. Well, to the royals at least.

The Queen wears trousers! Prince Philip listens to...rapper-type people!

William and Kate are heading off to Canada (with a pit stop in California) soon (peruse the Canadian itinerary here and the American one here), and all eyes are on the fashion. All my eyes are, at least. There are some serious fashion hurdles ahead of the Duchess, so I thought we'd take a look back at how past royals have handled these Canadian obstacles, and what handy trip tips we can offer to the lovely Kate.

Hurdle #1: The Cowboy Hat

William and Kate will indeed be sporting ten gallon cowboy hats during their trip, just as multiple family members before them have. I think the fashion question here belongs not to the Duchess, but to the Duke: will William wear a bolo tie? Dear God, let's hope not. That's not a good look for anyone.

Hurdle #2: The Action Trip

The trip itinerary has spawned the greatest comparisons to the Canadian tour undertaken by the Duke and Duchess of York at the height of their popularity (yes, they were popular, once). The Yorks had an action trip, mucking in instead of observing. That's exactly what the Cambridges are doing; their events include playing street hockey, captaining dragon boats, cooking, and more. Let's hope they dress more appropriately for their boating turn, and that they remember this one simple fact: strangling people, no matter how fun, is never royal.

Tip #1: Dress thyself in red and white.

Hurdles aside, one thing Kate must be sure and bring along for a successful Canada trip is plenty of red and white. The whole purpose of the trip is to fly the Canadian flag, so she might as well jump full in and make it her uniform. Especially when the couple's going to be there on Canada Day and all. There shouldn't be too many opportunities for evening wear for the Cambridges, so perhaps we'll be spared another attempt at crafting a gown from the Canadian flag.

Tip #2: Bring on the maple leaves.

Same goes here as for the red and white: if it's on the flag, it should also be on the royals. Brooch it up, bedazzle something - Kate can do whatever she pleases with the leaf du pays...but I say once again, there's no need to be comical about it. Let's stop just before we reach Fergie territory. (Sound advice for life, really, not just for maple leafage.)

Tip #3: Put it on with a smile.

This one's universal, but since it's the Cambridge's first big trip, it's worth saying: no matter what someone hands you, you're gonna have to put it on and smile. Doesn't matter if it's actually cool (Roots gear, anyone?) or terribly odd (bedazzled 3D specs? Huh?), just grin and sport your new present. And if you start to feel ridiculous, just remember: it could be much worse.

Sometimes they make you get ALL dressed up, just for photographer giggles. It's a hard knock royal life.

What are you hoping to see from our next feature film, The Cambridges Take North America? Do you have any extra tips to offer?

Photos: Getty Images/Tim Graham/Anwar Hussein

Flashback Friday: Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg's Wedding Guests

When I said on Wednesday that Princess Alexandra of SWB (yeah, I'm tired of typing it out) and Count Jefferson's wedding was a truly royal affair, I wasn't kidding. Based at Gråsten Palace - summer home of Queen Margrethe - the celebrations spanned two days. June 5 included a reception and black tie concert for the bride and groom. The wedding itself was held the next day, June 6, with a white tie and tiara dress code.

We're going to take a look at some of the guests, but bear this in mind: this is only a selection! There are other royal guests that I don't have pictures of, and if I knew anything about German nobility, there'd be even more. (Alas, my spelling capabilities just can't handle that sort of knowledge.) Like all the fanciest royal affairs, the guest list included a fair share of sovereigns and assorted consorts:

Left to Right: the late Queen Ingrid of Denmark, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark, Queen Anne-Marie and King Constantine of Greece, Queen Sonja and King Harald of Norway, Queen Sofia of Spain and the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg

What a deliciously light and summery palette of florals and pastels, eh? My favorite is Queen Anne-Marie, who complemented her luscious emeralds perfectly. The only exception to this rule is Queen Sofia. Not only did she go dark with her gown, she opted to be a rebel and go tiara-less. I don't approve of that.

Next up: assorted princesses!

L to R: Princess Benedikte of SWB; Princess Nathalie of SWB; Princess (now Countess) Alexandra and Prince Joachim of Denmark; Crown Prince and Princess Pavlos of Greece; Prince Philippos, Princess Alexia and Princess Theodora of Greece; Infanta Cristina of Spain and Inãki Urdangarín; Princess Sibilla and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg

I love mother of the bride Benedikte here, and I love Princess Alexandra. Even though her outfit was more like a December wedding sort of get-up, she did ladylike so well I can't help but adore her. I'm also quite shocked at how different Marie-Chantal is dressing here: now that's a style evolution! And I'm shocked that poor Elena had to follow her mother's example and go without headgear. She doesn't even have any orders on. What's up with that?

Last, but never least: the single princes!

L to R: Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Prince Gustav of SWB, Prince Nikolaos of Greece

What a world, 1998! No Mary, no Mette-Marit, no Máxima...no wonder the gowns aren't that exciting.

But who needs gowns when you've got tiaras, eh? A few tiara shots from the day itself:

L to R: Marie-Chantal, Anne-Marie, Alexandra, Sibilla

Marie-Chantal wore her fringe tiara. This piece doesn't seem to have any Greek royal history, and so might have been a personal purchase or a gift from her mega-rich family. Anne-Marie went with her delicious cabochon emerald parure, including the necklace which can be customized with different numbers of pendants. Alexandra wore her one and only tiara, which is handily called the Alexandrine Diamond Drop tiara, and it is divine. I mean, is this not one of the most delicate Cinderella tiaras...ever? It is. And she was one of the all-time queens of major tiara hair, so once again I'm just all sorts of jumpy claps about this. Last, from Sibilla, we get a rare glimpse of her art deco tiara. This is the smaller of its two settings. I wish she and Guillaume would pop up at a National Day gala some time so we could see this gem again!

Alas, the pictures from this day just aren't tiara-y enough for me, so the following shots are better pics of some of the tiaras that were on display (or that I'm guessing were on display) at this wedding:

Queen Ingrid wore the ruby parure that now graces Mary's head, and Sonja wore the amethyst necklace tiara that we now see most frequently on Mette-Marit. Benedikte wore the fringe tiara that comes from her husband's family - and no, that's actually not a photo from the wedding, despite the fact that she's wearing the same gown and Anne-Marie behind her is wearing the same tiara. The rest are guesses: I think Margrethe is wearing her Floral Aigrette Tiara, and it looks like Nathalie was wearing her mother's floral tiara. I'm also betting that Alexia was wearing the diamond tiara that she usually sports.

And with that, we await the wedding of the other Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg sister, Princess Nathalie, on Saturday. It'll be a nice departure from Ascot overload, won't it?

Favorite tiara? Favorite gown? (Or is this 1998 fashion leaving a bad taste in your mouth overall?)

Photos: Seeger/Corbis

Flashback Friday: Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg's Wedding Guests

When I said on Wednesday that Princess Alexandra of SWB (yeah, I'm tired of typing it out) and Count Jefferson's wedding was a truly royal affair, I wasn't kidding. Based at Gråsten Palace - summer home of Queen Margrethe - the celebrations spanned two days. June 5 included a reception and black tie concert for the bride and groom. The wedding itself was held the next day, June 6, with a white tie and tiara dress code.

We're going to take a look at some of the guests, but bear this in mind: this is only a selection! There are other royal guests that I don't have pictures of, and if I knew anything about German nobility, there'd be even more. (Alas, my spelling capabilities just can't handle that sort of knowledge.) Like all the fanciest royal affairs, the guest list included a fair share of sovereigns and assorted consorts:

Left to Right: the late Queen Ingrid of Denmark, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark, Queen Anne-Marie and King Constantine of Greece, Queen Sonja and King Harald of Norway, Queen Sofia of Spain and the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg

What a deliciously light and summery palette of florals and pastels, eh? My favorite is Queen Anne-Marie, who complemented her luscious emeralds perfectly. The only exception to this rule is Queen Sofia. Not only did she go dark with her gown, she opted to be a rebel and go tiara-less. I don't approve of that.

Next up: assorted princesses!

L to R: Princess Benedikte of SWB; Princess Nathalie of SWB; Princess (now Countess) Alexandra and Prince Joachim of Denmark; Crown Prince and Princess Pavlos of Greece; Prince Philippos, Princess Alexia and Princess Theodora of Greece; Infanta Cristina of Spain and Inãki Urdangarín; Princess Sibilla and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg

I love mother of the bride Benedikte here, and I love Princess Alexandra. Even though her outfit was more like a December wedding sort of get-up, she did ladylike so well I can't help but adore her. I'm also quite shocked at how different Marie-Chantal is dressing here: now that's a style evolution! And I'm shocked that poor Elena had to follow her mother's example and go without headgear. She doesn't even have any orders on. What's up with that?

Last, but never least: the single princes!

L to R: Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Prince Gustav of SWB, Prince Nikolaos of Greece

What a world, 1998! No Mary, no Mette-Marit, no Máxima...no wonder the gowns aren't that exciting.

But who needs gowns when you've got tiaras, eh? A few tiara shots from the day itself:

L to R: Marie-Chantal, Anne-Marie, Alexandra, Sibilla

Marie-Chantal wore her fringe tiara. This piece doesn't seem to have any Greek royal history, and so might have been a personal purchase or a gift from her mega-rich family. Anne-Marie went with her delicious cabochon emerald parure, including the necklace which can be customized with different numbers of pendants. Alexandra wore her one and only tiara, which is handily called the Alexandrine Diamond Drop tiara, and it is divine. I mean, is this not one of the most delicate Cinderella tiaras...ever? It is. And she was one of the all-time queens of major tiara hair, so once again I'm just all sorts of jumpy claps about this. Last, from Sibilla, we get a rare glimpse of her art deco tiara. This is the smaller of its two settings. I wish she and Guillaume would pop up at a National Day gala some time so we could see this gem again!

Alas, the pictures from this day just aren't tiara-y enough for me, so the following shots are better pics of some of the tiaras that were on display (or that I'm guessing were on display) at this wedding:

Queen Ingrid wore the ruby parure that now graces Mary's head, and Sonja wore the amethyst necklace tiara that we now see most frequently on Mette-Marit. Benedikte wore the fringe tiara that comes from her husband's family - and no, that's actually not a photo from the wedding, despite the fact that she's wearing the same gown and Anne-Marie behind her is wearing the same tiara. The rest are guesses: I think Margrethe is wearing her Floral Aigrette Tiara, and it looks like Nathalie was wearing her mother's floral tiara. I'm also betting that Alexia was wearing the diamond tiara that she usually sports.

And with that, we await the wedding of the other Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg sister, Princess Nathalie, on Saturday. It'll be a nice departure from Ascot overload, won't it?

Favorite tiara? Favorite gown? (Or is this 1998 fashion leaving a bad taste in your mouth overall?)

Photos: Seeger/Corbis