It was all fun and games for Duchess Sophie this week at the Royal Windsor Flower Show until it came time to greet her brother-in-law, King Charles, and her curtsy—standard royal protocol, of course—went awry.
Duchess Sophie Almost Stumbles While Curtsying to King Charles
Damn you, cute summer shoes
Published Jun 12, 2025
•3:52pm
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Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images
Photos from the event captured the moment it happened: The Duchess of Edinburgh bowed her head and kneeled so low as she said hello to the king that she nearly lost her shoe. It happened to be an ultra-chic slip-on wedge from Penelope Chilvers—similar here—in a neutral tone. As cute as they were, something tells us Sophie may be rethinking her footwear after nearly losing her balance in a high-pressure moment like this. (She had to reach up and grip the king’s arms to steady herself, a royal oops.)
Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images
That said, this type of situation ended up providing a chance for Sophie’s relationship with Charles to shine. In fact, His Majesty—based on the pics—even appears to laugh it off as he helps the duchess recover. Like we said, royal protocol dictates the curtsy, but that doesn’t mean that the formality of it all always goes smoothly. It also reminds us of something Samantha Cohen, one of Queen Elizabeth II’s former royal aides, once said about royal life: The late queen’s comings and goings were always organized so perfectly, which meant she got a real kick out of moments when things went wrong. (We’re curious if Charles feels the same way.)
That said, a stumble or two is often the price we pay for style. After all, Sophie looked lovely in her blue floral ME+EM dress paired with a blazer from Frame. Her wedges—wobbly footing aside—served as the perfect complement.
