King Charles’ Niece Rocks $3,400 ‘Mary Poppins’-Like Attire at Palace Garden Party, Earning Mixed Reactions

Photos of Zara Tindall's "Mary Poppins" outfit with a matching umbrella at a rainy Buckingham Palace Garden Party sparked both praise and criticism, despite her having worn the expensive ensemble years ago. Her stylish appearance coincided with news of her sibling's new relationship with a nurse.

Zara Tindall, the niece of King Charles III and the daughter of Princess Anne, made a fashion statement at the recent Sovereign's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London. She gracefully wandered through the garden, umbrella in hand.

Zara wore a white dress with puff sleeves from Laura Green, a mid-sized boater hat called Rosa, which featured a two-tone straw crown and basket weave straw brim, trimmed with an ombré tulle ruff, and Misty Rose Suede shoes by Emmy London. The entire ensemble costs a total of $3,400.

Despite the rainy weather, Zara remained stylish and engaged with the guests throughout the event. Present at the event were some of the royal family including Prince William as well as Prince Richard and Birgitte, Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Netizens had mixed reactions to Zara's outfit. Some criticized the expense, calling it a "Ridiculous waste of money !" while another stated, "People have the audacity to criticise Meghan on her fashion and here we are with the “new working royals” in crazy expensive outfits! 🤬"

Yet, amidst the digital uproar, some admired Zara's look, and even likened it to a Disney character because she was holding an umbrella throughout the occasion. "absolutely beautiful and some say like Mary Poppins," a fan noted, finding whimsy in her ensemble. "Love her - gutsy like her ma," declared another.

Some users also praised her for her elegance. A fan said, "Zara Tindall is wearing the stunning Rosa boater by Sarah Cant at Buckingham Palace today. I must admit, Zara is my favourite outfit I've seen today." Another remarked, "Simply stunning."

Additional fans showered Zara with praise, describing her as "special," "gorgeous," and "a lovely lady." One admirer even went as far as to proclaim, "Zara is lovely, a superstar."

Despite the criticism, Zara seems unfazed by the scrutiny over her fashion choices. Notably, she wore the same dress at the Ladies Day of Royal Ascot in June 2022, showing her practicality and confidence in her style.

While Zara's outfit sparked discussion, her brother, Peter Phillips, recently made headlines as he debuted a new partner. He was spotted cozying up with a pediatric specialist nurse named Harriet Sperling.

Photos taken during Badminton—an elite horse event where the couple spent their weekend—depicted Peter and Harriet strolling along hand-in-hand amid crowds of people. According to a news outlet, the duo rarely left each other's side.

For the weekend-long occasion, the nurse, who is also a freelance writer, adorned a flowy pink dress that was decorated with floral and triangular patterns on Saturday. She completed her look with black shades and white tennis shoes. Her dashing beau opted for khaki shorts, a blue plaid T-shirt, trainers, a cap, and sunglasses.

Some activities the two got up to included watching cross-country horse riding, following which they left with Savannah and Isla Phillips—Peter's daughters.

They also went to the Swish Gloucestershire event where Peter was seen spending a bit of time chatting with Queen Camilla on a different day during the weekend. Fans and onlookers alike who saw photos of the pair took to social media to wish them well.

"Good for Peter. Lucky woman!" praised one fan, while another gushed, "He's a catch!" Others responded to the fact that Peter's new romance with Harriet comes only one month after the end of his previous relationship with Lindsay Wallace—an oil tycoon—which lasted three years.

A Facebooker directly referenced a news outlet's headline which read, "Late Queen's 'favorite grandson' Peter Phillips 'dating an NHS nurse' just weeks after split." Defending Peter, they wrote, "Nothing wrong with him doing so. I wish him well."

Similarly, another fan commented, "He is allowed to as life goes on love ❤️." Mentioning Harriet, another admirer expressed, "Well lucky her, with that handsome man."

Although the majority of people expressed their delight in seeing Peter happy with his new girlfriend, there was a comment that redirected the focus back to the recent scandals and challenges that the British royal family has found themselves dealing with. "So much drama with the Royal Family now," stated a social media user.

From the aforementioned comment, it's clear that while most celebrate Peter's new connection, some may feel differently because of the timing. A month before going public with his new relationship, Gerard Franklin, a spokesman for the royal, confirmed Peter and Lindsay's split, which he referred to as "a private matter."

Before dating Lindsay, the eldest grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II was married to the mother of his two daughters, Autumn Kelly. They shared 13 years of marriage before announcing their separation in 2020. They finalized their divorce in June 2021.

Fast forward to the present day and Peter appears to be absolutely smitten with his new partner, Harriet. It has not been confirmed whether Harriet has formally met the Queen, Princess Anne, or Peter's stepdad, Tim Laurence.