The Duchess of Cambridge swapped her khaki jungle outfit for a floor-length, shimmering gown by royal favorite designer The Vampire’s Wife on the third day of her Belize trip with husband Prince William.
Kate, 40, wore the British designer’s £2,500 pink dress, which she paired with silver heeled sandals and an embroidered Mayan clutch, to an evening reception to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
She paired the floor-length organza gown, dubbed the Light Sleeper Dress, with gold diamond earrings and a natural makeup look.
Launched in 2014 by former model Suzie Cave, The Vampire’s Wife is famous for pretty prairie dresses with a dose of goth glamor – and is loved by royals including Kate, who previously donned one of the label’s dresses in Dublin during a threesome wore day tour of Ireland in March 2020.
The king previously cut a relaxed figure as he climbed Belize’s most spectacular Mayan ruins alongside the Duke of Cambridge.
On the third day of their Caribbean tour, the couple visited 3,000-year-old Caracol, a sprawling ancient archaeological site in the foothills of the Maya Mountains near the Guatemalan border.
Kate donned £70 khaki trousers from Dutch brand G-Star RAW, which she paired with a recycled white John Lewis t-shirt and her £57 Superga 2750 trainers.
The minimalist shoes have been worn by the mother-of-three, including at her Back to Nature Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in September 2019, while the t-shirt was worn by the Queen in September 2020.
Kate, who once again proved a fan of high street fashion, first donned the white top when she met parents in London who have been supported by peer support networks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kate, 40, wore the British designer’s £2,500 floor-length pink dress, which she paired with silver heeled sandals and an embroidered Mayan clutch, to an evening reception to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
William and Kate will attend a special reception hosted by the Governor General of Belize on March 31 to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
She paired the floor-length organza gown, dubbed the Light Sleeper Dress, with gold diamond earrings and a natural makeup look
The Duchess of Cambridge swapped her khaki jungle outfit for a floor-length, shimmering gown by royal favorite designer The Vampire’s Wife on the third day of her Belize trip with husband Prince William
The dress had a tie waist detail at the back and organza sleeves in a waterfall style
On the third day of their Caribbean tour, the couple visited 3,000-year-old Caracol, a sprawling ancient archaeological site in the foothills of the Maya Mountains near the Guatemalan border. Pictured, Kate
Kate completed her look with a pair of sunglasses and left her hair down while tucking the white tee into khaki pants. She paired the outfit with a brown belt.
The Duke of Cambridge, 39, also wore sunglasses and a matching khaki shirt and trousers for the outing.
The site the couple visited is deep in the heart of Belize’s Chiquibul National Forest.
The highlight of their trip was the opportunity to see the Caana, or “Heaven’s Palace,” which towers 141 feet and was built by hand.
There was only one reaction from Kate’s lips as she surveyed the landscape stretching out before her as she and William stopped to enjoy the view: “Wow.”
The couple were led by the country’s director of architecture, Allan Moore, who accompanied the couple as they walked into a clearing where the palace was located.
Kate (pictured with William), 40, wore £70 khakis by Dutch brand G-Star RAW, which she paired with a recycled white John Lewis t-shirt and her £57 Superga 2750 trainers
The minimalist shoes have been worn multiple times by the mother-of-three, including at her Back to Nature Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in September 2019, while the t-shirt was worn by the royal in September 2020. Pictured Kate during her outing
The Duchess of Cambridge wore her brown tresses in a straight hairstyle and paired her ensemble with a pair of simple gold hoop earrings
He told them: “It’s like looking into Buckingham Palace. That’s just a small fraction of what we have here.’
The original settlement dates back to 400 BC. and developed into a more prosperous city by 200 AD.
Once home to 100,000 people, it measures a staggering 75 square miles and is five times larger than even the country’s largest modern settlement, Belize City.
Its name derives from the Spanish for snail shell, since the access road led to the site in spirals.
Mr. Moore showed the couple some ancient Mayan carvings, with the couple pointing out lizards, fish nibbling on water lilies and a feline figure which he explained may have been a jaguar, an inhabitant of the surrounding jungle area.
He also led them to an area where the ancient Maya played ball games.
Kate (left) once again proved a fan of high street fashion, initially donning the white top when she met parents in London who have been supported by peer support networks during the Covid-19 pandemic
Kate completed her look with a pair of sunglasses and left her hair down while tucking the white tee into khaki pants. She paired the outfit with a brown belt
The couple happily posed for photos with the palace behind them, briefly removing their sunglasses in the 31-degree heat.
Then it was time to start the long climb to the summit, first going up a side section with a wooden handrail.
At the first stop, they stopped to take a look at the remarkably well-preserved ruins of old houses and showered their guide with questions.
They were then invited to stand alone in a gap on the patio to pose for photos amidst the historic site.
As they caught a glimpse of the view, the couple marveled at what they saw. “Wow,” Kate said.
William chuckled when, turning away from the view – which was being captured by a group of photographers – he spotted another pair of snappers on the other side.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with archaeologist Allan Moore at Caracol
As they caught a glimpse of the view, the couple marveled at what they saw. “Wow,” said Kate (pictured).
“We have a [ group] one side and the other the other. You’re in each other’s photos,” he laughed.
The couple then continued their ascent accompanied by their personal photographer. Mr Moore told them as they climbed the steep steps: “People often like to try to walk up here.”
“What, they’re racing?” exclaimed Wilhelm. “You must be very fit to do this three times a week, Allan!”
Caracol was discovered by a Belizean logger in 1937 when the country was then British Honduras.
Archaeologists have spent several decades excavating, uncovering monuments, tombs and extensive terrace systems.
One of the highlights is the Caana, or “Heaven’s Palace” – at 141 feet tall – which is not only the tallest building in Caracol, but is still the tallest man-made structure in Belize.
William chuckled when, turning away from the view – which was being captured by a group of photographers – he spotted another pair of snappers on the other side. Pictured, Kate
The Duke of Cambridge, 39, also wore sunglasses and a matching khaki shirt and trousers for the outing
It is an impressive pyramid structure and is located in the heart of the ceremonial center of Caracol.
It is believed that the ancient builders erected the structure so that its high priests and rulers could be closer to heaven.
Mr. Moore described Caana as a “residential temple palace,” adding, “This is the flagship Mayan site.”
He explained how the Maya were the early destroyers of the jungle when they burned down much of the vegetation in the area to create Caracol.
After they finally left Caracol, the jungle grew back and surrounded the buildings, meaning they were not discovered until the late 1930s.
When asked what they would take away from their visit, William and Kate said, “I want to emphasize the spectacular nature of the Mayan structure. It shows the historical power of our civilization to build these types of structures.’
When asked what Belize thought of the British monarchy, he said: “It’s just as relevant here as it is in the UK. It’s symbolic and we respect that. And some people like having a monarchy far, far away.
“As an archaeologist, I appreciate the rare. As a good Belizean, I salute the prince and his wife. We are known as a hospitable nation. You will enjoy it.”