Move over jewel tones, Duchess Sophie's leopard print accessories have got us so inspired for autumn

Duchess Sophie wore beautiful leopard print accessories back in 2021 and her sophisticated take on this trend has got us so inspired for autumn.

The leopard print trend that came to the fore in spring and summer is showing no signs of going anywhere this autumn/winter and as trends go this is actually quite classic. Although the idea of adding such a bold pattern into your autumn capsule wardrobe might be a little daunting, leopard print can be so striking and not at all overwhelming, depending on how you style it. Of course, no-one proves this better than the Royal Family and Queen Camilla and Duchess Sophie are both big animal print fans. On Christmas Day 2021, the Duchess of Edinburgh arrived for a church service at Windsor Castle wearing two key leopard print accessories. 

It was the most sophisticated way to wear leopard print we’ve seen for a long time and it shows how much of a difference this pattern can make to an outfit. Duchess Sophie decided to keep the rest of her look very timeless and neutral, opting for a navy coat and matching shoes.

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Her coat was midi length, with a classic lapel collar and silver buttons running down the front. The fit-and-flare shape created an almost dress-like flow to the bottom of her coat that was unbelievably elegant and the Duchess of Edinburgh’s Prada court shoe heels matched the rich navy blue shade perfectly.

On its own this would have been a gorgeous winter outfit, but the addition of Duchess Sophie’s leopard print hat and clutch bag took this to a new level. There are so many ways to style leopard print and she cleverly kept her coat and shoes quite simple in terms of silhouette and neutral in colour, allowing for the print to do all the talking but not overwhelm her Christmas Day look.

The senior royal’s hat had a beret design that had a beautiful drape to it - something you can see more from the back as she walked towards St George’s Chapel. Whilst some leopard prints can be very warm-toned and bright, the hat’s colour palette was more muted and subtle. The same could be said for the Duchess of Edinburgh’s bag.

It looked to be an envelope clutch bag that she carried in her hands, though it’s possible there was also a detachable strap or one popped inside as there often are with this style of bag. Coordinating her hat and bag together, as well as her coat and shoes together, brought a sense of cohesion to her outfit and this is a top tip we can all follow when we want our outfits to look put-together with minimal fuss.

Leopard print accessories like these work well with so many different bolder shades like red and purple and are amazing with denim pieces, though Duchess Sophie’s favourite way to wear them is with neutrals. She’d previously worn this bag to an engagement in November 2021, styled with a soft grey coat, and she took what could be another leopard print clutch to the Together at Christmas carol concert in 2022, worn with a white longline coat and jumper dress.

Her leopard print accessories might not be brought out every single week, but especially in the colder months she tends to turn to them more. As the UK’s weather gets more autumnal, we’ve been inspired to do the same and style leopard print accessories with our go-to outfits.