Duchess on duty! Sophie hosts the South Korean President at the Royal Society during a state visit
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, looked remarkably elegant as she received the President of South Korea at the Royal Society in London this morning.
The occasion marks another high-profile engagement for President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon in Britain, following their very royal reception by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace last night.
The Duchess, 58, looked typically sophisticated in a black long coat as she accompanied the president to the independent science academy in St James’s, London.
Under the stylish belted coat, she also wore a royal blue dress with puff sleeves and a V-neck.
For her footwear, she opted for a seasonal fit, with leather brown ruffled boots that were suitable for the cold weather.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, received the President of South Korea at the Royal Society in London this morning (Photo: The Duchess and President arrive at the Royal Society)
The Duchess, 58, looked remarkably elegant as she attended to the day’s events
She wore a navy blue reptile print bag, subdued blue stone earrings and the most beautiful gold jewelry.
The royal’s apple red manicure was the perfect pop of color that complimented her very attractive look.
For her hair, she opted for a clean look, parting her locks ever so slightly in the middle before tying them loosely towards her neck.
In keeping with the sophisticated aesthetic, her makeup looked subtle, with just a line of black eyeliner, a touch of mascara and a pink glossy lip.
Her Royal Highness and the South Korean President appeared engrossed in the events that awaited them.
When they arrived at the Royal Society, they were met on arrival by the society’s president, Sir Adrian Smith.
They then viewed historical artefacts from the Royal Society’s archives, including the death mask of Sir Isaac Newton, the legendary English physicist who discovered the laws of gravity and served as president of the Royal Society from 1703 until his death in 1727.
Other significant items on display included Newton’s reflecting telescope, made in 1671, a lock of Newton’s hair and a piece of wood from the apple tree at Newton’s home in Lincolnshire, which famously inspired his theory of gravity.
Sophie and President Yoon Suk Yeol viewed historical artefacts from the Royal Society’s archives
Her Royal Highness and the South Korean President appeared engrossed in the events that awaited them
The Duchess and the President then attended a roundtable discussion to discuss how the global role of science can be strengthened to advance humanity.
They were joined by several esteemed guests and leading scientific experts from Great Britain and South Korea.
The news comes as the Duchess of Edinburgh made another impressive appearance.
The Duchess attended a glitzy state banquet to welcome the President and First Lady of South Korea to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening.
Sophie opted to once again wear a regal white Suzannah couture embroidered floor-length dress, which she first donned for the coronation of her brother-in-law, King Charles, at Westminster Abbey earlier this year.
The Duchess, 58, looked typically sophisticated in a black long coat as she arrived at the venue
Among the items was the death mask of Sir Isaac Newton, the legendary English physicist who discovered the laws of gravity and was president of the Royal Society from 1703 until his death in 1727 (photo: Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan (left), and head of The Royal Society’s library, Keith Moore (right))
The royal completed the elegant ensemble with a silver Maud clutch from Anya Hindmarch and Emmy London Charlotte’ pumps, which cost £455.
She added even more glitz with her favorite aquamarine tiara, which she has worn on many occasions over the years, and diamond earrings.
The king and queen welcomed Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee to the glittering festivities at the palace.
At the start of the banquet, the king gave a speech full of Korean and references to K-pop culture, before an audience consisting of members of the world’s “biggest girl band.”
In his address to more than 300 attendees at the state banquet, including singers BLACKPINK, he welcomed them with a touch of Korean: “Yeong-gug-e osin geos-eul hwan-yeonghabnida [Welcome to Britain].’
Marking the 140th anniversary of Korea’s diplomatic relationship with Britain, the king described it as a “partnership in which close personal ties, nurtured over many decades, have today grown into a genuine sense of affection, or jeong , between our societies on so many levels’.
In keeping with the sophisticated aesthetic, Sophie’s makeup looked subtle, with just a line of black eyeliner, a touch of mascara and a pink glossy lip.
Both the Duchess and the President were accompanied by several esteemed guests and leading scientific experts from Britain and South Korea
And he even joked about his own 1992 visit to the country with the late Princess Diana, saying, “Unfortunately, when I was in Seoul all those years ago, I’m not sure I developed much of what the Gangnam style could be called! ‘
He also praised Korea’s commitment to the environment despite major changes in the country.
“The Republic of Korea, as one of the few countries that ended the twentieth century with more trees than at the beginning of the century, has always understood this,” he said.
Also in attendance was the Princess of Wales, who looked effortlessly elegant in a white dress and dazzling tiara.
Kate, 41, joined her husband Prince William in welcoming Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife to the glittering festivities.
The mother-of-three looked ethereal in a white Jenny Packham dress and added to her look with a glitzy pair of Queen Elizabeth earrings, her Family Order and her GCVO sash and star.
The royal family also opted for the Strathmore Rose Tiara, which belonged to the Queen Mother and was a gift from her parents in 1923.