Queen Mathilde of Belgium Favors Subdued Elegance in Carolina Herrera Coatdress for the Liberation of Liège Commemoration Ceremony

Queen Mathilde of Belgium favored subdued elegance for the Liberation of Liège Commemoration Ceremony on Monday. The royal visited the graves of 419 individuals who lost their lives fighting to liberate the Belgian city from German occupation in World War II, as well as the grave of Canon Mathieu Voncken, the chaplain of the Liège Citadel.

For the sobering occasion, Queen Mathilde opted for a wardrobe that reflected reverence for the site. She wore a black brocade coatdress by Carolina Herrera, which featured an intricately designed fit-and-flare shape with allover brocade and a belted waist, creating a defined silhouette.

Queen Mathilde continued her monochrome look with black suede pumps courtesy of Mango. She also wore a hat by Maison Fabienne Delvigne and completed the ensemble with a black clutch from Belgian fashion house Natan.

The royal further accessorized her ensemble with drop pearl earrings and a diamond and pearl brooch pinned to her coatdress. The brooch has been part of Queen Mathilde’s jewelry collection since the mid-2010s.

Known for her playful patterns and vibrant colors, Queen Mathilde demonstrated the importance of occasion dressing for her royal duties. The Belgian royal’s ensemble was appropriate for the daytime event, marking a historic occasion and showing respect.

Ordinarily, Queen Mathilde’s wardrobe features a bevy of playful and ornate designs, as demonstrated by her looks from a busy July. On July 15, she showcased a dramatic silhouette with her Belgian National Day attire, a Natan Couture dress with full conical skirt and three silver buttons on the coatdress front. For the Service of Remembrance in London a week later, she wore an Armani Privé long-sleeve coat with abstract florals in in a swirl of pinks and blues from the spring 2024 couture collection. At Princess Elisabeth’s graduation from Oxford at the end of the month, she chose a fuchsia Natan dress with pleating, a bold belt and a rounded neckline.

Queen Mathilde’s wardrobe has become more and more versatile over the years. Since the start of her tenure as queen consort in 2013, she’s worn pieces by Giorgio Armani Privé, Jenny Packham and more, marrying occasion dressing with her own approach to fashion.