Year in Review: 2013's Honorable Mentions (...and Some Worsts)

We tackled the bests from the roster of royal women usually featured here, but they weren't the only ones accomplishing feats of sartorial splendor in 2013. Today's honorable mentions are for the stand outs among the rest of the royal crew! Excellent looks, plain and simple, left to right:

• Princess Charlene is trying, bless her heart, and she seems to know that purple and jewels are the quickest way to my heart. She simply killed it with this appearance.
• Speaking of killing it, the Countess of Wessex had an amazing year. Take your pick - this red number was just one of several bests.
• Princess Marie's sleek take on a Little Red Dress also needs to join my best list.
• I can't always pinpoint what I love about an appearance, and Princess Caroline's simple black dress is one such situation. Maybe it's the slightly longer necklace? Whatever it is, I thought she looked absolutely tremendous here.
• It wouldn't be a favorites list for me if it didn't include some Elie Saab, so Princess Madeleine's pre-wedding sparkles will cover me quite nicely there.
• Likewise, I require a dose of the couture mastery of Sheikha Mozah, so we'll go with this Valentino in the Netherlands.
• Plus, the Duchess of Cornwall got to make her big foreign royal event debut. I really enjoyed seeing her out and about this year, more and more regal and ready to step up when the time comes.

And just a few sentimental favorites, because it isn't all about the fashion...even here.

• Queen-to-Princess Beatrix was full of win this year, particularly the strong front she formed with Princess Mabel as they said goodbye to Prince Friso. On a more superficial note, the fact that she added an extra row of pearls to her big pearl tiara for the first time in a long time on her final night as queen wins all the things.
• The return of Crown Princess Masako to the international royal stage was completely lovely, and I hope we'll see more of her to come.
• WEE ESTELLE is my spirit animal. That is all.

And...The Worsts

Wouldn't be a proper year end wrap up without one last glimpse back at what made us cringe this year, would it? And then we never have to think about them again. Until one of these women decides to haunt us with a reappearance, that is.

• Princess Märtha Louise set the standard for the worst list early in the year in this number.
• Queen Máxima did a particularly bad thing with an ill-fitting dress and some black stockings recently, but for me, this Valentino (which she is the third royal to wear) is the year's true crime. It's the one time a tiara actually made things worse.
• Crown Princess Mary also wore the H&M mullet dress sported by Crown Princess Mette-Marit, but the addition of heavy black tights, SHOOTIES, and a jacket is such a peculiar look. She's managed to be both blergh and baffling, all at once.
• Princess Charlene at Princess Madeleine's wedding looks less a mess than the rest of those in this row, that is true - but. But. This one makes me sad. It's not just that she didn't wear a tiara to a tiara event, it's that this dress really could have used a tiara. Something, anything, to liven up this drab color which felt like a thud on the red carpet of a summer royal wedding.

Who makes your list of honorable mentions and worsts this year?

Photos: Getty Images/PA/Scanpix/Kungahuset/ANP

Royal Fashion Awards: Garter Day 2013

Monday was Garter Day in Great Britain, the annual meeting of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. The Knights and Ladies of the Garter swan about in the most royal outfits of the year and their guests get all hatted up - it's an irresistibly royal occasion.

Best in Escorts

Da Queen

Video: The Queen at Garter Day

What's a girl to do at a second big event without her hubby? Recruit a handsome gent for either side, of course: the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge walked with the Queen in the procession. She rode back in the open carriage with Charles and Camilla. (More details on the outfit and jewels can be found at the Vault.)

Best in Refreshment

The Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Cornwall

Left to Right: the Duchess of Cornwall, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Gloucester

I was pretty starved for some non-blush, non-beige looks following the Trooping, and couldn't help but find some much-needed refreshment in Camilla's brights and Sophie's darks. (Wasn't quite starved enough to miss mentioning the Duchess of Gloucester's perma-repeat, though.)

Though they didn't give us much in the way of color, there were some interesting looks on Lady Sarah Chatto (in her standard retro schtick...a perma-repeat I don't mind at all, go figure), Viscountess Linley (in some serious skirt volume), and Lady Helen Taylor (in, wow, the best pair of hat antlers I have ever seen) - click here to see via my Twitter friend @gabeyslave, who was lucky enough to be present for the procession and shared some fun insider glimpses!

Best in Capes

The Prince of Wales

L to R: the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Kent. Not pictured but present: the Duke of Gloucester.

I usually end up giving this one to a royal lady (well, they are the only ones with serious earring bling), but I'm going with Charles this year...followed closely by Anne, because old habits die hard. All history aside, these sorts of getups can look silly unless you wear them with confidence, and I think the PR and the PoW do it best of this lot. 

Most Missed

Princess Alexandra of Kent

The Duke of Edinburgh was absent, of course - he was released from the hospital, though, so that's looking good - but we have another key royal missing here: Princess Alexandra, the Queen's cousin. She's been suffering from polymyalgia rheumatica and has been cancelling engagements for some time now. I miss her and her effortless royal elegance, especially in her Garter robes.

Who was your favorite Garter Day participant?

Photos: WPA Pool/Getty Images

Royal Fashion Awards: The Coronation Anniversary Service

Yesterday, the British royal family gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation with a service at Westminster Abbey. For video, click here (for Part 1) - don't miss the fantastic entrance music - and for more stuff, click here. Ready? Let's chat:

Best in All The Things

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh

I'm not entirely sold on the Queen's outfit here, but no matter: this is her party, she can be randomly pleated and flowered if she wants to. And she wins brooch points too for her significant selection - see, as always, the Jewel Vault for full details. The dapper Duke of Edinburgh gets our sole male recognition for the day for simply showing up, since he's been unwell lately.

Best in Pale

The Duchess of Cambridge

Left to Right: The Countess of Wessex, Autumn Phillips, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Royal, Lady Louise Windsor

Apparently there was a pale pink/beige/peach/whatever memo of some sort, because these subdued outfits were all over the place. And since I'm loving pale pink of late, I'm on board. I like the shape of Kate's Jenny Packham number and her diamond earrings and bracelet (more casual diamond usage, please, always), so she wins the prize. The anti-prize must go to Sophie, I'm afraid, whose Bruce Oldfield is not quite doing what she wanted it to do, methinks.

Nearest Miss in Statements

These Three

L to R: Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Zara Phillips

Well, you can always count on a few members of the younger generation going edgy...or should we say trying to go edgy, with varying degrees of success and varying degrees of, you know, actual edge. I like the contrast of Eugenie's hat and simultaneously think it looks like she didn't have the right one in the closet; I like Beatrice's embellishment and also think it's a little heavy for her; I like Zara's fresh color and print but am not sold on the fit. It's a three way tie in the maybe? but no. category.

Best of the Rest

The Duchess of Cornwall

L to R: Princess Michael of Kent, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester

I love the way Camilla lightly echoes the Queen's color palette without copying, and I love her own aquamarine brooch, so she gets plenty of love from me. (Also, I think the Duchess of Gloucester might be trying to teach anyone that mentions repeated outfits on anybody else a lesson - just how many major events will this neck ruffle see?)

Who was your best dressed yesterday?

Photos: Reuters/PacificCoastNews/Getty Images/WPA Pool

Runway to Royal: The Dutch Inauguration

I said we were done with coverage of King Willem-Alexander's inauguration, but...uh...I lied. Because while we talked about the outfits, and the jewels, and a few of the designers (Jan Taminiau and Jan Taminiau!), we didn't talk about the rest of the designers. Today, a round up of some of the identified designers we haven't already covered in depth - and feel free to add additional designers in the comments!

Apart from Taminiau, Natan was the designer that got the most mentions during our previous coverage. A custom version of a previous look was provided for Queen Máxima for the abdication, and bespoke outfits (and capes) for the little princesses were made - the modifications to the basic design were picked out by the princesses themselves. Natan also provided couture looks for Princess Laurentien and Princess Mathilde for the inauguration, and both paired them with Fabienne Delvigne hats.

But Natan wasn't the sole dresser for these ladies: for the abdication, the princesses wore matching off-the-rack dresses from Pili Carrera. Princess Laurentien also wore dresses from Hardies in The Hague, and Olvi's brand.

Another Dutch designer who fared very well at the festivities was Addy van den Krommenaker, who did quite a few dresses for Queen Beatrix's sisters and their families. Modekoningin Máxima had great coverage of the festivities from a Dutch fashion perspective, including the eagle eyes for all these and Laurentien's designers.

Unsurprisingly, Princess Mabel stuck with her wedding gown designers, Viktor & Rolf. Her red gown is actually a repeat. Though it was reported that the bow on her inauguration dress came from the wedding gown, it looks like that's not true - though the inspiration for the selection seems clear.

Also unsurprisingly, Valentino made several appearances. Máxima repeated an older gown, while Mette-Marit (always a Valentino fan) and Sheikha Mozah had new couture to show off. The Qatari royal family actually bought the Italian fashion house a while ago, so I suppose you could say she was representing the home team.

The Duchess of Cornwall was dressed in bespoke Bruce Oldfield, and wore a repeated Philip Treacy fascinator to the inauguration. Princess Letizia was dressed by Felipe Varela, including a repeated navy gown. This is yet another un-shocker...I picture her closet as row after row of Varela garment bags with, like, some Mango bags stuffed in the back. Her hat - now that was something different, you can count on one hand the number of times we've seen her in a fancy hat - was from Maria Nieto.

Crown Princess Mary represented Denmark well, in bespoke Birgit Hallstein (thanks to the commenter that linked to Hallstein's Facebook page featuring shots of the gown in progress), Charlotte Lynggaard, and a repeated Jesper Høvring gown. Crown Princess Mette-Marit found her fix of long printed gowns at Giambattista Valli for the pre-inauguration dinner.

Elie Saab was represented by Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie and Crown Princess Victoria, who repeated an older gown. Victoria also threw in some Escada for the ceremony, paired with a Philip Treacy hat, and bejeweled Jenny Packham with a By Malina coat to wrap it up.

Who had the best designer-to-royal match?

Photos: ANP/Natan/Getty Images/NOS/Pili Carrera/DutchPhotoPress/PPE/Viktor&Rolf/Style.com/Jesper Høvring/Elie Saab

Random Tidbits: Another Diana Dress Auction

Since we had our weekly wedding chat on Monday, we have a little something different to chat about today: Diana.

In 1997, not long before her death, the Princess of Wales auctioned a selection of her dresses for charity. The dresses have lived on, sometimes appearing on exhibit, and sometimes coming up for auction again. That's the case right now, as some of Diana's dresses bought by a now-bankrupt American businesswoman and socialite will be auctioned this month. This group of dresses is a good representation of Diana's style through the years, as rendered by her favorite designers. Many have a single famous outing, but most were worn multiple times.

A black velvet Bruce Oldfield and two deep red velvet Catherine Walker numbers - one extra famous for being the time Diana attempted a string of pearls down the back and then discovered it was a horribly uncomfortable look when one has to sit through a film premiere. The burgundy tailcoat number in the center above was inspired by a dress from imperial Russia, and was originally meant to have an ivory dress underneath. It was Diana's idea to have it all in burgundy.

White chiffon from Zandra Rhodes and two embellished pink gowns from Catherine Walker, one of which reminds me just how good a bolero jacket can look. The asymmetrical number was commissioned for an official visit to Brazil just after they lost the World Cup to Argentina, and so the design instructions included avoiding the colors of Brazil's team (green, yellow, blue), and most of all to avoid Argentina's colors (blue and white).

Sparkle ahoy! These are both from Catherine Walker. The black one was also famously captured by Mario Testino, and is what Walker termed the first "sexy" dress she made for the Princess, commissioned for an event at Versailles in 1994. It's the best representation of Diana's later style in this group of gowns.

And finally - this imidnight blue Victor Edelstein is the auction headliner, and was the high dollar winner back in 1997 too. Twirling with John Travolta at the White House was an iconic princess moment indeed (and I object to 95% of the uses of "iconic").

The auction is to be held on March 19; more info and the auction catalog is available by clicking here for the auction's site.

Is your favorite Diana gown here?

(Mine's not.)

Photos: Getty Images/Regan Library

Royal Trip Report: Charles and Camilla's Last Jubilee Tour, Part 1

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are on their last Diamond Jubilee tour of the year, this time in the southern hemisphere. They began with a couple days in Papua New Guinea and are currently in Australia. Now, we have to be honest here: sartorially, this is not as exciting a tour as others have been (well, it's not to me, at least). I suppose it's largely to do with the warmer climate in their first stop at least, but Camilla's been particularly low key so far. So we'll catch up with some highlights via video, because even when the fashion's not fascinating, the meat of the tour lives on. (It's true, but don't tell anyone I said it.)

They did sport some local treasures they were given while in Papua New Guinea: they were both presented with orders from the country on arrival, which they wore at the state dinner held in their honor (though here, as we saw on the Cambridge tour, a state dinner does not mean tiaras or other real bling), and Camilla proudly wore a necklace with a large mother of pearl shell given to her by a local woman.

Charles did get in the spirit, speaking a little of the pidgin language. He deserves some applause for sporting a full uniform in the heat - note that Camilla is never without her fan or the tiny parasol that accompanies her whenever these two take on a steamy climate.

Next, the couple moved on to Australia. So far in the trip, I think Camilla's best appearance was at the Melbourne Cup - hatted and tidy as can be. Like a little taste of Ascot in November.

Of course, as we see at the end of that video, encounters with animals of the adorable kind will best just about any sartorial appearance. In case you need further proof:

The last couple days in Australia, the fashion of the tour has had an interesting twist: it's been Charles with the specially issued sartorial info, not Camilla. He's worn suits made of Australian wool - a nod to the country, the farmers, and the Campaign for Wool of which he is patron.

The tour continues in Australia and then on to New Zealand. Perhaps the Duchess will show us a little nod like Charles did, in her clothes or her jewels before the trip is out. That's part of the fun of these trips, so my fingers are crossed. (The Australian Monarchist League has had a brooch made for her, click here to see. And click here to see a video of the pendant they gifted to the Duchess of Cambridge for her wedding.)

We will catch back up with them towards the end of the tour.

Runway to Royal: The Luxembourg Wedding

I don’t know about you, but I have the most massive tiara and couture hangover from this weekend. To soothe my symptoms of withdrawal, I have a couple more posts for you on the fabulousness we just enjoyed. Hey, we’re not going to see another event like this for a good while, so we better take it all in. First, a little comparison from runway to real royal life: who adapted it best?

This is legit couture – made just for you, so runway matches aren’t exact. So many of you noted multiple similarities between a lot of the Elie Saab gowns, and I don’t disagree with you. As with most ornate creations, it doesn’t help that we can’t pick out the fine details like we would be able to if we were standing right in front of the dresses. But I can’t get enough of it either way, so I remain firmly on Team Bring It On. For the record, Marie-Chantal's was my favorite - a true classic.

Also for the record, there were Elie Saab ensembles that didn't float my boat. Sorry, Clotilde. I'm still upset there wasn't a legit tiara (I just love the pink tiara she wore on her wedding day sooooo much, I'm complaining about its absence again), and the wedding outfit needed some color somewhere in the worst way.

I guess this is something of a classic silhouette for Mary; she’s worn these tiered gowns in the past, and I won’t lie to ya, they’re never my favorite. But they are probably spectacular in motion.

I was surprised how many of you hated Sophie’s outfit for the wedding. All I know is this: I watched the arrivals live, and it was like one long parade of standard suits and shiny suits and standard suits and shiny suits. Sophie was a breath of fresh air, totally striking in her black and white. And I couldn’t tell there were horses in the print – something which seemed to bother several of you on a deep level - until looking at photos.

Some found Caroline’s dress for the gala hideous, but I say to you: rejoice, for she stopped short of matching boots. (I actually quite like it, especially when you compare it to some of her recent evening choices).

What I loved about both Astrid and Margaretha was that I would never in a million years have selected these dresses for these two ladies. But here they are, workin' them like nobody's business.

Máxima is my favorite runway to royal example: she's given this Jan Taminiau dress so much more life with her feather boa on steroids and her rubies. Bless her and her flamboyance.

This is only a selection, feel free to post other runway finds in the comments!

Who had the best runway interpretation?

Photos: Getty Images/Cour grand ducale/Style.com/Jan Taminiau/Jesper Høvring/Bruce Oldfield

Wedding Wednesday: Rania's Gown

HRH Prince Abdullah of Jordan and Rania al Yassin

June 10, 1993

Amman, Jordan

Prince Abdullah, oldest son of King Hussein of Jordan, proposed to Rania al Yassin a mere two months after meeting her at a January dinner party, and married her in June of the same year. She was 22 years old, the daughter of a Palestinian doctor and had worked in the corporate world; he was 31 and was preparing for a life devoted to the military. At the time of their whirlwind romance, neither knew that they would end up as Jordan’s king and queen.

Rania chose British designer Bruce Oldfield to create her wedding look. Drawing on inspiration from the embellishments on Syrian formal dresses exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Oldfield added gold detailing to the trim of the bride’s voluminous gown, matching hair ornament and gloves.

The exaggerated lapels, short sleeves, and large belt seem like a power suit gone formal (a suit dress, instead of a coat dress, perhaps). The skirt was full with folds and extended into a train at the back.

Rania arrived in a cloud of veil, including one to cover her face. Her towering hairdo (apparently so tall it made the car entry and departure process a bit of a task) was accented not with a tiara but a headband-type affair.

For a later reception, Rania donned a new dress. The second gown is sleeveless, featuring a v-neck at the front and a similar dip at the back, with plenty of embellishment. And once again, a major updo.

As we’ve discussed in the past, Abdullah was not the crown prince at the time of his marriage. That job belonged to his uncle, Hassan; it wasn’t until right before King Hussein’s death that Abdullah was named as crown prince. Abdullah became the King of Jordan in 1999. Together, King Abdullah and Queen Rania have four children.

With Rania’s gown, I find myself wondering the same thing I wonder with gowns like the future Queen Mother’s: if she had known she was eventually going to be queen, would she still have picked this design? It’s quite grand and all that, but it has dated with time and now seems to stand more for the makeover Rania gave herself when her husband came to the throne than for anything else. Regardless, this is one of the gowns I receive the most requests for, so tell me…

What do you think of Rania’s dress?

Photos: Corbis/Vanity Fair

Royal Fashion Awards: The Thanksgiving Jubilee Service

The final event of the official jubilee weekend was a service at St. Paul's Cathedral followed by receptions and a balcony appearance. Though Prince Philip's absence was strongly felt, it was a wonderful event - and there were plenty of wonderful fashions (and diamonds). Let's get to it:

Best in Jumpy Claps

Queen Elizabeth

She did it!! She wore the Cullinan III and IV brooch, rocking 158 carats of diamonds (as you do). That’s my jumpy claps for the year, then. I don’t even care about the rest of the outfit, but for those of you that do, she sported a mint green concoction by Angela Kelly of tulle embroidered with star shaped flowers and silver thread with a chiffon drape studded with Swarovski crystals. It rather reminded me of a super hero’s cape, which I thought was quite fitting.

Best of the Best

The Duchess of Cambridge

Left to Right: the Countess of Wessex, Princess Eugenie, the Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Sarah Chatto, Lady Frederick Windsor

I asked and I wished for something fabulous and new from Sophie and once again my dreams have come true; I’m particularly loving her jaunty Robin Hood chapeau. Eugenie’s in purple, so obviously she makes the list (we all have our weaknesses); Lady Sarah’s her normal sophisticated self which I die for every time (and I do believe the lady was rocking some diamonds herself); and Lady Frederik (Sophie #2, if you like) had some great detailing under that coat. But Kate came out on top in her lace McQueen. I thought she was – if I may be blunt – chic as hell.

Best in Kids

A Tie

L to R: Lady Louise Windsor, Margarita Armstrong-Jones

 Lady Louise and Margarita, a double dose of precious. No point in choosing a winner here!

Fanciest Hat

Lady Helen Taylor

L to R: the Princess Royal, Autumn Phillips, Lady Helen Taylor, Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra of Kent

 Camilla (as we will see) did her best to run away with the major hat glory, but she failed thanks to these ladies. A turquoise bird met an untimely end on Anne’s head, while her daughter-in-law Autumn seems to have let gravity get the best of her with the tipped angle of the side flower on her hat. The Kent ladies, Princess Michael and Princess Alexandra, went the large but elegant route, but it was another Kent lady that ran away with the prize: Lady Helen. I don’t even know what is happening up there, but she can go right on with her fur-wearing, crazy hat bearing self.

Best of the Rest

The Duchess of Gloucester

L to R: Viscountess Linley, Lady Nicholas Windsor, the Duchess of Gloucester and the Countess of Ulster, Lady Rose Gilman, (above) the Countess of St. Andrews, (below) Julia Ogilvy

 A spot of elegance from a selection of lesser-known Windsors. I’m loving the Duchess the most, if only because she hasn’t pulled another repeat from the last big royal event.

Worst Dressed

Zara Phillips

L to R: the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Beatrice, Zara Phillips, the Duchess of Kent

Camilla’s outfit looks fine in pictures, but in movement at the service it looked so heavy and stiff, I can’t give it any love. Beatrice had the opposite problem in my eyes: I liked the glimpses I saw in action, but now I can see we have a droopy situation on our hands (she did sport some fierce shoes, to be fair). The Duchess of Kent made a rare appearance and though I’m happy to see her…that is just not the outfit for her. The worst, however, goes to Zara, who seems to be a genie just a little too squished into her bottle. This is not the fierce Zara that I adore so.

UPDATE: By overwhelming popular demand, I present to you the royal men and their morning dress. (This is not all the men, but it is most of them.)

Best in Men

The Prince of Wales

L to R: the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex

I have much love for all the men, but nobody puts it together quite like Charles: the trim, the accessories…the man has style. And yes, he and his sons also have top hats for the carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace.

And for that reason, William and Harry take the next top two spots.

L to R: Tim Laurence, Peter Phillips, Mike Tindall, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent

L to R: Lord Nicholas Windsor, Tim Taylor, Prince Michael of Kent, Lord Frederick Windsor, Viscount Linley, Charles Armstrong-Jones

I will give the fourth spot to Prince Michael, for being the only other royal to display a bit of that same style Prince Charles rocks so well. Panache, I say. Well played.

Who makes your best and worst dressed lists?

P.S.: Should you find yourself lost in the midst of the extended Windsor family, I'll point you in the direction of an illustrated guide to the Windsors I posted in advance of William and Kate's wedding.

Photos:  Getty Images/Reuters/Daylife/Zimbio/WPA Pool/Newspix/Belga/Profimedia/Daily Mail

Random Royal Appreciation: The Windsors Pay Tribute

A service of thanksgiving was held yesterday to celebrate the lives of the Queen Mother (who died on March 30, 2002) and Princess Margaret (who died just a few weeks earlier, on February 9). Naturally, there was a big royal turnout, and everybody wore pretty much their usual fare - precisely as you would expect for an event like this, which is about fashion last.

Queen Elizabeth

As expected, Queen Elizabeth wore one of her mother's brooches - a diamond and pearl shell brooch that was a favorite in the Queen Mum's later years and has now become a favorite all over again.

Princess Michael of Kent, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Countess of Wessex

As expected, Princess Michael wore a big hat, the Duchess of Cornwall wore a better one, and the Countess of Wessex wore one with an explosion of feathers (which surely the Queen Mother, prone to feathery explosions of her own, would have appreciated).

Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice of York

The York sisters got it almost right, just missing a secure hat fastening (Eug) and the right jacket (Bea). (And maybe also the right hat.)

Lady Sarah Chatto; Viscount Linley, Arthur Chatto, Charles Armstrong-Jones, Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Samuel Chatto

Lady Sarah was elegant as always, and the kids were much more grown up than you thought you remembered them to be (as always).

Prince Harry of Wales and the Princess Royal

If anything, Princess Anne was the one who came closest to surprising (and even then, not really) with her ever-so-slightly Yorkish hat tilt.

And speaking of Anne: she's a grandmother once again! Peter and Autumn Phillips welcomed daughter Isla Elizabeth (a jubilee baby indeed) on March 29th. Isla and big sister Savannah Phillips, born just over a year ago, are Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh's first great-grandchildren. The announcement yesterday was a lovely note to a day devoted to remembering another Elizabeth.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images/APA Picturedesk