Kate breaks royal tradition with an unexpected Easter manicure (2024)

The Princess of Wales made a striking departure from royal beauty convention yesterday, debuting a classic letterbox red manicure during her appearance at an Easter Sunday service.

William and Kate were joined by their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, for the traditional Easter Mattins Service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Princess wore an electric-blue ensemble courtesy of Catherine Walker alongside a perfectly matched clutch bag and a pillbox hat.

The most intriguing element of her look, however, was her contrasting vibrant manicure. We're accustomed to seeing royal women sporting a more natural, nude polish, but Kate subverted tradition (and perhaps even protocol) by opting for a bold, red nail colour for the occasion.

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While her manicure can only be described as unusual by royal standards, it was the daring anomaly of an otherwise classic beauty look. The princess paired a natural peach lipstick with a diffused daytime eyeliner for yet another example of the sophisticated wearable make-up we've come to expect from her. And, despite the choice of nail colour being unconventional, she ensured that her manicure remained polished and elegant by opting for a classic letterbox red over a louder or neon-veering hue, and keeping the length of her nails short and neatly rounded.

Despite much of the royal family's beauty regime remaining a mystery, it was long suggested that that Essie Ballet Slippers, a classic pale-pink polish with a subtle sheer finish, was Queen Elizabeth II's favourite nail shade. Kate is also rumoured to be a fan of the brand, with numerous reports alleging she wore the soft white Allure on her wedding day in 2011. And though her most recent venture into red tones has yet to be specifically identified, we can anticipate this hero shade making waves in formal circles now that the Princess of Wales has deemed it appropriate.