The Duchess of Edinburgh made a very special visit to mark a milestone military anniversary and swapped her midi dress for army fatigues and even overalls during the event.
Arriving in Tidworth, in Wiltshire, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh paid a special visit to two Battalions at their headquarters, marking their 25th anniversary, as she is their Colonel-in-Chief (The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).
During a parade, Sophie inspected one of the battalions while wearing a blue and white Emilia Wickstead midi shirt dress (see post below – although currently out of stock). The designer is a go-to choice for the royals, who frequently turn to her designs for public events. However, The Duchess underwent a number of outfit changes on the day, leaving her elegant dress and heels behind for something a little more practical.
To head out on to the Salisbury Plain Training Area, Sophie changed into a khaki military camouflage jacket and trousers as she met with soldiers. She learned about ‘the work they do to maintain and repair the Army’s armoured vehicles and equipment’, explained the Royal Family in an official post.
The Duchess was also able to tour the workshop where repairs take place and even donned overalls and a safety mask to have a go with the power tools herself (photos in post above).
It’s been a busy summer of events for The Duchess, who has attended Royal Ascot and Wimbledon, as well as official appearances such as the Order of the Garter, which took place last month.
Elsewhere this week, Princess Anne was also on a military visit but this time in Scotland with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. They were rehearsing for a special show, The Heroes Who Made Us, and thanked The Princess Royal for joining them at rehearsals.
‘Thank you to Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal for spending time with us and our cast today! It was a real privilege to have you join our rehearsals and see what we’ve been working on,’ wrote the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in a joint post with the Royal Family on Instagram.