Duchess Sophie adapts summer style for rainy June - her electric blue floral dress and corduroy blazer are an unexpected but clever combination

Like the Duchess of Edinburgh, I’ve been determined to get as much wear as I can out of my favourite pieces and she just showed how to make a dress feel more appropriate for a wet day. The senior royal championed one of the best British clothing brands when she attended the Royal Windsor Flower Show in her beloved Bluebell Print dress by ME+EM with a corduroy blazer.

Despite its name, the pattern doesn’t include bluebells, but the background colour is a bold electric blue. This is a shade that so many of her fellow royals love too and it makes an instant impact, but goes with so many different tones, especially neutrals.

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The orange, yellow and red flowers are striking against the blue and the vibrant colour palette made Duchess Sophie’s dress feel a little bit different to the soft pastel frocks we often see this time of year. Made from lightweight crepe, it’s midi-length and has long billowy sleeves.

This is one of the Duchess of Edinburgh’s go-to silhouettes and although you might prefer shorter sleeves to wear in the heat, for a milder or rainy summer day, longer sleeves are great. The tiered flowy skirt on Sophie’s dress is so elegant and feminine.

It has a smarter edge like so many of ME+EM’s designs, but you could easily make an item like this more relaxed by adding a pair of your best white trainers and a blue denim jacket. These staples are naturally casual so they help to tone down the formality of a dress.

Duchess Sophie went for classic espadrille wedges for the Windsor Flower Show on 7th June, which were an equally gorgeous option. Their warm tan tone complemented the fiery flowers and electric blue of her dress and she finished off her outfit with a Frame corduroy blazer.

This luxurious piece is single-breasted and a deep navy blue, with the characteristic lined finish you get from corduroy. For a day that was sunny one minute and rainy the next, the Duchess’s choice of outerwear worked well.

Yes, she still would have needed an umbrella in a downpour, but the coverage this jacket provided her was brilliant for cooler temperatures. Because corduroy is traditionally made from cotton or a cotton blend, this material isn’t too heavy when the sun comes out either.

The texture of Duchess Sophie’s blazer softened the shape and ensured it wasn’t too structured. This made it more low-key and less corporate-esque, which was perfect alongside her dress, and this is a silhouette I’d recommend if you want an extra layer for a relaxed day out.

The King’s sister-in-law has plenty of blazers in her collection and this might be the first time we’ve seen this Frame corduroy one, though I suspect it won’t be the last. The dress is also something Sophie will likely reach for again and I think it would look sensational as an outfit for Royal Ascot 2025.

This is always a huge event in the royal calendar and the Duchess of Edinburgh is usually there on multiple days. Royal Ascot is not a time for smart-casual outfits, so she probably wouldn’t wear the jacket with her ME+EM dress if she does re-wear it for the races, but the dress itself fits all the requirements and is so stunning.