They’re out in blood.
On the heels of Prince Harry’s bombshell “Spare” release, the royals are commanding attention in striking red tailored ensembles that signify strength and power.
On Monday in London, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, stepped out in a monochrome, red asymmetric Alexander McQueen blazer with matching pants at an event for her Shaping Us campaign. On Tuesday, Camilla, the Queen Consort, commanded attention in a striking red dress during her first official engagement with the British Army. The looks were reminiscent of Meghan Markle’s scarlet Safiyaa gown she wore to her last royal engagement at the Mountbatten Festival of Music in London before officially stepping back from royal duties in March 2020 amid the Megxit backlash.
“We definitely think of red as a power color. Politicians particularly are known to sport red ties or pantsuits in an effort to project confidence and capability,” royals commentator Amanda Matta told The Post.
The palace, at the moment, is shoring up its image in wake of the bad press from Harry’s memoir. Matta said all the red could be seen as their way of ushering in a new era and shifting the conversation. Prince William wore red tie at the Monday event, portraying a “united and powerful front,” Matta noted.
“Kate and Camilla sporting red this week was not only a clever indication that they want us to view the royal family as being on solid ground, but also a fabulous way to make their royal work a topic of conversation,” Matta said.
Indeed, red is the national color of England and Wales. When Queen Elizabeth wore scarlet hues during her 70-year reign, it was intentional, Matta noted.
“Royals wear bold colors for similar reasons: to convey force and self-assurance. Royal fashion in general is very intentional, and color was a hugely employed weapon in the late Queen Elizabeth II’s arsenal to make her stand out.”
In April 2020, at 93, she wore a vibrant red and purple dress to receive the Order of St. John’s first Service Medal in Gold at Buckingham Palace. And in December of that year, during the coronavirus pandemic, she stepped out at Windsor Castle in a red hat and matching jacket to pay tribute to frontline workers risking their lives.
Princess Diana frequently wore red to make a statement without uttering a word, particularly after her split from Prince Charles when he publicly revealed his infidelities in 1994. One year later, and after stepping out in her infamous all black “revenge dress,” Lady Di dazzled in a ruby red scoop neck dress by Jacques Azagury that hit just above the knee while attending an event at at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice.
In another head-turning moment in history, Princess Diana wore a red dress with gold buckles and a belt during a visit to a hospital in north London in July 1997, in what was her last royal engagement before her death.
“Bold dressing reminds the public that they are keeping calm and carrying on — and looking completely put-together while doing so,” Matta said
