Before Camilla became queen consort, she had some honorary military patronages, and she would appear at the big events and she was “popular” enough. Then once she became queen consort, suddenly she has more military patronages and she’s got to do even more parades and troop reviews and more. This has given Camilla an opening to buy customized ensembles which mimic military uniforms. I was shocked at last year’s Trooping the Colour, when Camilla wore a bright red silk dress (designed by Fiona Clare) which was meant to invoke the Grenadier’s uniform. She had assumed the honorary position of Colonel of the Grenadiers just six months beforehand.
Well, on Monday, Camilla was highlighting a new military patronage – last June, she was named the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Lancers. On Monday, she visited their base in Catterick Garrison. She ended up doing military cosplay again! Another custom Fiona Clare look, this time a navy dress with a chainmail detail on the shoulders and gold skull-and-crossbones buttons. She also wore QEII’s old skull-and-crossbones brooch, which… who knew?? That brooch and those buttons are metal as f–k. Obviously, the Lancers love their skulls and crossbones. Also: Camilla’s late father served with the 12th Lancers during World War II.
So, is this military cosplay sort of cool or is it weird? I feel like there’s a way to do military cosplay correctly, in a way which honors the uniform without copying it completely, and Camilla is surprisingly nailing it. What shocks me the most is the planning and effort it took to create these custom looks for the Lancers and the Grenadiers (last year). If this was Kate, her cosplay would not have been this specific with the references – she would have just grabbed the first Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club coat with the most buttons and that would be that. I can’t see anyone else in the family rocking skull-and-crossbones buttons and brooches either. On Camilla, it looks natural! Although I do think the chainmail is slightly overkill.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.