Banner Image

All Services

Writing & Translation Articles & News

The Must-Have Summer Royal Accessory

$25/hr Starting at $25

It's the summer of stylish shades!

The royals are known for recycling favorite pieces from their closet, but Kate Middleton loves her Finlay Henrietta sunglasses with a tortoiseshell frame so much that she's already worn them twice in July. Kate wore the specs for her 2022 debut at Wimbledon on July 5, pairing them with a blue polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich and pearl earrings.

The very next day, Kate supported Prince William as he competed in a charity polo match, again sporting the sunglasses for the daytime outing. This time, the specs perfectly complemented her white Emilia Wickstead dress and Camilla Elphick flats — and doubled as a practical headband when Kate placed them on top of her head.

RELATED: Why Kate Middleton's Wimbledon Outfit Is the Perfect Royal Rewear.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, debuted the stylish accessory during her tour of the Caribbean in March — causing the $225 style to sell out in less than 24 hours (but luckily, it's now restocked!).

"It was so lovely to see Kate wearing our Henrietta sunglasses — she looked beautiful," co-founder of the brand David Lochhead told PEOPLE at the time. "As a British brand, it's wonderful to see some of the most recognizable members of the royal family choose to wear our designs."

"Henrietta is one of our more sophisticated shapes, it's a cat-eye silhouette and its squared, upswept corners make this a stylish and versatile statement sunglass that can easily be dressed up or dressed down. It's perfect for all occasions and suits a wide variety of face shapes," added Lochhead.


Kate isn't the only royal woman who is a fan of the brand. Her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, owns the same style of sunglasses, although she opted for a solid black frame. Meghan wore the pair to Wimbledon as well, back in 2019.

Meghan also owns the brand's Percy sunglasses with a tortoiseshell frame, which she wore for her public couple debut with Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! 

Kate's sister Pippa Middleton and Zara Tindall are also Finlay fans, with Zara having at least two pairs from the brand in her collection. Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter has worn both the Jensen and Ledbury styles on several occasions, including horse riding events.

But it's not just the women who are supporters of the brand —  Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank wore a pair of their eyeglasses on his wedding day, memorably watching his bride walk down the aisle before removing the specs for the rest of the ceremony.

Designed in their Soho studio by co-founder and creative director Dane Butler, but handmade in the Italian Alps, the brand was conceived after they realized there was a gap in the eyewear market for sunglasses that allowed the wearer to show off their personality. 


By Stephanie Petit and Monique Jessen


About

$25/hr Ongoing

Download Resume

It's the summer of stylish shades!

The royals are known for recycling favorite pieces from their closet, but Kate Middleton loves her Finlay Henrietta sunglasses with a tortoiseshell frame so much that she's already worn them twice in July. Kate wore the specs for her 2022 debut at Wimbledon on July 5, pairing them with a blue polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich and pearl earrings.

The very next day, Kate supported Prince William as he competed in a charity polo match, again sporting the sunglasses for the daytime outing. This time, the specs perfectly complemented her white Emilia Wickstead dress and Camilla Elphick flats — and doubled as a practical headband when Kate placed them on top of her head.

RELATED: Why Kate Middleton's Wimbledon Outfit Is the Perfect Royal Rewear.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, debuted the stylish accessory during her tour of the Caribbean in March — causing the $225 style to sell out in less than 24 hours (but luckily, it's now restocked!).

"It was so lovely to see Kate wearing our Henrietta sunglasses — she looked beautiful," co-founder of the brand David Lochhead told PEOPLE at the time. "As a British brand, it's wonderful to see some of the most recognizable members of the royal family choose to wear our designs."

"Henrietta is one of our more sophisticated shapes, it's a cat-eye silhouette and its squared, upswept corners make this a stylish and versatile statement sunglass that can easily be dressed up or dressed down. It's perfect for all occasions and suits a wide variety of face shapes," added Lochhead.


Kate isn't the only royal woman who is a fan of the brand. Her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, owns the same style of sunglasses, although she opted for a solid black frame. Meghan wore the pair to Wimbledon as well, back in 2019.

Meghan also owns the brand's Percy sunglasses with a tortoiseshell frame, which she wore for her public couple debut with Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! 

Kate's sister Pippa Middleton and Zara Tindall are also Finlay fans, with Zara having at least two pairs from the brand in her collection. Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter has worn both the Jensen and Ledbury styles on several occasions, including horse riding events.

But it's not just the women who are supporters of the brand —  Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank wore a pair of their eyeglasses on his wedding day, memorably watching his bride walk down the aisle before removing the specs for the rest of the ceremony.

Designed in their Soho studio by co-founder and creative director Dane Butler, but handmade in the Italian Alps, the brand was conceived after they realized there was a gap in the eyewear market for sunglasses that allowed the wearer to show off their personality. 


By Stephanie Petit and Monique Jessen


Skills & Expertise

Business JournalismCitationsHow to ArticlesJournalismJournalistic WritingLifestyle WritingMagazine ArticlesNews Writing

0 Reviews

This Freelancer has not received any feedback.