First Lady Jill Biden represented America at the coronation of King Charles III Saturday at Westminster Abbey.
Dressed entirely in cornflower blue, the First Lady, who was asked by President Joe Biden to represent the US in his stead, witnessed the historic occasion as one of 2,000 guests at the famous cathedral. Her arrival marked the first time an American first lady had attended a British coronation.
“You can’t imagine that moment where you actually see the crown being placed on the king’s head and then on the queen’s head,” she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview after the ceremony in London. “It’s really surreal to see and experience that moment.”
Biden’s outfit consisted of a cornflower blue Ralph Lauren set with a crossover neckline top over a pencil skirt, Fashion reported. She paired that with matching suede gloves and a little fascinator, following the day’s dress code for “morning dress, lounge suit, or national dress.” Her choice of an American designer served as “a subtle visual message that she supports the country at such a high-profile moment”, Fashion continued. The color blue also appears to be a deliberate choice as it features prominently in both flags of the United States And the United Kingdom – perhaps a reflection of the ‘special relationship’ between the countries, and a show of unity.”
As her guest at the big event, Biden was joined by her granddaughter Finnegan Biden, 23. Finnegan, daughter of Hunter Biden, wore a pastel yellow Markarian dress.
Some people are following the coronation on social media noted that the duo’s blue and yellow outfits are the colors of the Ukrainian flag, and that the choice of outfits may have been deliberate nods to the country. Yahoo Life contacted the White House about the colors, but received no response at time of publication.
Biden met Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, a day before the coronation at a reception for heads of state at Buckingham Palace. She also occasionally makes a nod to Ukraine in her wardrobe: during the State of the Union address in March 2022, she wore a long-sleeved blue satin dress from designer Sally LaPointewith a sunflower — Ukraine’s national flower — embroidered on one sleeve near her wrist, as Yahoo Life previously reported.
In her interview with the AP, Biden called the occasion “simply amazing to behold”, calling her “such a beauty in the pageantry of the ceremony”. But she also retained a sense of humor about the pomp and circumstance of the occasion. When Biden recalled her conversation with Catherine, Princess of Wales, Biden said the princess remarked, “She didn’t know if her son could sit still for two hours and we just had a hearty laugh about it,” Biden recalled. , I think that’s common for many of us.
While he was not present, President Biden tweeted his congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla, citing “the enduring friendship between the US and the UK”, which he called “a source of strength for both our peoples”.
As for other Americans who will appear at the festivities, everyone from Tom Cruise and adventurer Bear Grylls to Nicole Scherzinger and Lionel Richie are expected to appear at the coronation concert, which will take place near Windsor Castle the day after the historic ceremony . Katy Perry’s presence at the coronation ceremony went viral after she struggled to find her seat, Yahoo previously reported.
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