Maxi skirts are the new midi dresses and Queen Mary’s floral design is utterly eye-catching

Just as roll neck jumpers and knee high boots will always be everywhere as soon as autumn arrives, spring and summer is the season where we see an abundance of floral midi dresses hitting the high street and online.

We have several in our collection and they make great wedding guest dresses as well as everyday outfits, depending on the material and silhouette. This year, though, we’ve been longing for something a little different and Queen Mary of Denmark has presented a floral maxi skirt as an equally elegant alternative. Her Majesty wore a floral Lasse Spangenberg skirt with a dramatic floor-sweeping hem for a Gala Dinner at the Élysée Palace on 31st March.

The event was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron on Day 1 of Mary and King Frederik’s State Visit. We’re used to seeing the British Royal Family go all-out both when they host and attend State Banquets, wearing floor-length gowns, magnificent jewellery and often tiaras too.

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In contrast, the Danish Queen went slightly more low-key but still dazzling on this occasion. Her maxi skirt was high-rise and had a fitted waistband that accentuated its fit-and-flare shape. Falling to an elegant maxi length, Queen Mary’s skirt also had plenty of volume thanks to the crisp pleats running down the front. It was grey and this neutral base made the delicate floral print shine even more in contrast.

Roses and other pink and white flowers wove their way across the skirt, surrounded by dark green leaves and beautiful pink birds. This design transformed an already stunning skirt into a work of art and it was perfect for this official gala dinner. The Queen of Denmark paired it with a Victoriana-style CLEA embroidered white shirt with blouson sleeves that was tucked neatly into the waistband for a seamless finish.

Although hers was an especially dramatic take on a floral maxi skirt, Queen Mary reminded us that we should never discount them as an alternative to dresses. They are great when you want a formal or smart-casual outfit as the longer length naturally feels quite elevated. You can dress them down by wearing a maxi skirt with a loose T-shirt and plimsoll trainers or espadrilles, or dress them up with high heels and a silky shirt.

Whilst you can of course style a midi dress in multiple ways, you can make a skirt look radically different with a lot less effort and they are even more versatile because of this. Her Majesty wore her skirt and blouse with a pair of Gianvito Rossi court shoe heels in beige satin and a fun, pearl-embellished clutch by Anya Hindmarch.

This bag is sadly no longer available but pearl bags are continuing to have a moment right now so there are plenty of alternatives out there that give a similar glamorous edge to an outfit. The Queen has had a lot of use out of hers so far in 2025 as she also brought this clutch on her and King Frederik’s State Visit to Finland in March.

The couple are in France until 2nd April and we can look forward to seeing Queen Mary wearing some more elegant outfits before they return to Denmark.