Duchess Sophie gives florals a spring makeover with green and white Max Mara dress that’s the picture of elegance

As soon as the warmer weather arrives the royals jump at the chance to re-wear their floral dresses and Duchess Sophie has recently added a new one to her collection.

She stepped out wearing the Max Mara Wales silk dress during her trip to Brussels in March and now she’s re-styled it for a visit to the Princess Margaret Hospital. The King’s sister-in-law undertook an engagement there on 28th April wearing this gorgeous dress that’s giving us plenty of spring outfit ideas.

A lot of pieces with floral motifs feature either vibrant colours and a large print, or are a blend of subtle pastels and greens. It’s rarer to find a beautiful floral design which keeps to just two colours - and green and white is even more unusual.

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The Duchess’ dress was crafted from luxurious silk and had a classic shirt dress shape, with a neat collar and midi-length skirt. The bodice was fitted and the long sleeves had a billowing shape that was so feminine.

The shirred cuffs allowed the senior royal to easily push the sleeves up to elbow length, creating even more dimension. The print on this dress was a blend of flowers and leaves, making it a little more understated and sophisticated than a traditional splashy or ditsy floral pattern.

Although it wouldn’t work for everyone, we think that the abundance of emerald green over the white background means that it could double as one of the best wedding guest dresses.

White and green together is a pretty combination and the contrast between the lighter and darker tones on Duchess Sophie’s outfit accentuated the delicate print.

Even if these two hues aren’t for you, this look showed how exceptionally elegant floral dresses can be if you stick to a simpler design with a few key colours that work for you. It makes them feel even more refined and the royal leaned into this minimal feel with her accessories too.

She wore a pair of white Jimmy Choo kitten heels with a black trim and pearl detailing and carried a green Sophie Habsburg clutch. Both of these have been favourites in the Duchess of Edinburgh’s wardrobe for some time and they perfectly complemented the Max Mara dress.

Just because floral dresses like this look so stunning for special occasions and events doesn’t mean you can’t style them more low-key too. To make a dress like Duchess Sophie’s more casual we’d swap the heels for our white trainers or flat sandals and add a crossbody bag.

However, for a high-profile royal engagement at The Princess Margaret Hospital, her more elevated approach was wonderful.

The Duchess was there to mark their 45th anniversary and she toured the hospital and met members of clinical staff and patients, including those on the children’s ward.

It was one of three engagements she undertook that day and she kicked off her schedule wearing a smart tailored co-ord as she visited The Lighthouse in Aldershot.