Celebrity’s Unconventional Royal Wedding Outfit Defies Tradition

Being from the upper echelons of British society herself, and therefore reasonably aware of royal etiquette, Cara Delevingne didn’t opt for a tuxedo out of ignorance. In fact, she even checked in with Princess Eugenie to make sure the outfit wasn’t going to ruffle any feathers. “Eugenie has been a friend of mine since I was a kid, and I’ve always wanted to wear tails,” the model explained to Grazia (via Marie Claire). “I texted her, as I wasn’t sure about it, and she was like, ‘Of course, I expected nothing else from you!'” She added that she was taken aback that the other guests thought she was brave: “I feel way more comfortable like this.”

Given that the look was such a departure from what’s expected from female royal-wedding guests, the tuxedo certainly was a brave choice, and one that paid off. Though we’re sure some were clutching their pearls, Delevingne made it onto a few best-dressed lists, with people praising her edginess. One of the reasons why the tuxedo might have been so well-received is because a certain royal icon had already planted the seed. 

Back in the ’80s and ’90s, Princess Diana of Wales’ style changed after leaving the royal family, but she often rocked suits (albeit with skirts) or suit jackets and blazers to royal weddings. There was the turquoise suit jacket she wore over her black dress when Camilla Dunne and Rupert Soames tied the knot in 1988, the Kermit-green suit she wore to the nuptials of Helen Windsor and Timothy Taylor in 1992, and the gray-blue blazer she paired with a — gasp! — white dress when David Armstrong-Jones and Serena Stanhope got married in 1993. The late princess made suits and blazers chic, and more than two decades later, Cara Delevingne took the look all the way to make history. Of course, Delevingne isn’t the only celebrity who wore something inappropriate to other people’s weddings, but her case is one of the most interesting.