Duchess Sophie faced a mixed reaction from royal fans over her footwear at a recent engagement, with some criticising her choice of espadrilles while others defended the comfortable option.
The Duchess of Edinburgh attended a special luncheon at St. James's Palace as patron of the Hallé Concerts Society on Wednesday, September 23. The event celebrated the "important relationship" between industry and culture in the UK.
Sophie has served as patron of the Hallé since 2003. In recent years, she has visited Manchester to support various Hallé projects, including formally opening The Oglesby Centre and The Victoria Wood Hall, an award-winning space built to grow the Hallé's community and education projects.
Fan reactions to the duchess's outfit
Sophie looked elegant in a light blue suit by Victoria Beckham, but her choice of footwear drew criticism from some followers on social media. The royal wore the Dali espadrilles by Penelope Chilvers.
One user said on Instagram: "Time to retire the espadrilles for the season." Another added: "I would venture to donate them asap. Horrors."
A third commented: "Really strange choice of shoes." A fourth wrote: "The suit is nice, the shoes are not. Pants should be hemmed, espadrilles put away for the autumn/winter season."
Support for Sophie's style
Others, however, loved the whole look. One user wrote on X: "I really love this suit." Another added: "One of the things I love about The Duchess of Edinburgh is her frequent wearing of very comfortable espadrille shoes. Given that she is a bundle of energy, she has recognised the importance of keeping her feet healthy."
The Express also announced the launch of Royals Unscripted, a brand-new weekly video podcast delivering exclusive news, sharp commentary and in-depth analysis on the Royal Family. The programme will officially launch on Thursday, October 1, 2026, on YouTube and all major podcasting platforms.
Hosted by Express Royal Editor Emily Ferguson and commentator Carole Malone, the 30-minute episodes will go live every Thursday at 7am. The hosts will dissect the three biggest royal news stories of the week, driven by Carole's signature candid commentary.
