Their visits to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas have been marked by protests, calls for reparations and apologies for the atrocity of slavery, and announcements of intent to ditch Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. The Guardian has described the debacle as the “perfect storm” while the Washington Postlabeled the tour as “cringeworthy.” Duchess Kate has given us quite a fashion show amid a week-long tour even if she hasn’t always got the optics right (a white lace dress she wore during a military parade in Jamaica was particularly criticized for its colonial overtones.) Yesterday she stepped out for a school visit in the Bahamas wearing a particularly lovely mint-green chiffon dress by Self-Portrait. We love the cap sleeves and the buttons on the bodice. A rainstorm that had Kate sheltering beneath an umbrella People have also questioned why the duchess hasn’t chosen to showcase designers from the regions she’s visiting, as she has on previous royal tours of countries like Australia and New Zealand. Instead, she’s stuck to old favorites like Jenny Packham, Catherine Walker and The Vampire’s Wife. The only concessions she has made to her host countries have been via the occasional accessory, like a gold bracelet by a Jamaican designer and the earrings she paired with the Self-Portrait dress yesterday: gorgeous gold-plated filigree earrings by Bahamian jeweler Nadia Irena. Last night Kate and William attended a black-tie reception, with Kate wearing a stunning aquamarine dress whose full satin skirt, flowing in shimmering folds to the floor, evoked the crystal-clear waters of the Bahamas. She accessorized with her Magic Alhambra mother-of-pearl necklace and earrings by Van Cleef which have a combined worth of $15,750. Next up, Duchess Kate Wore a New $4,200 Wool Coat to Hand Out Shamrocks on St Patrick’s Day
