Kate Middleton's Opera Gloves At 2023 BAFTAs Turned 'Dress Into A Statement': Expert

Kate Middleton evoked old Hollywood glamour on the 2023 BAFTA Awards red carpet over the weekend.

The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the 76th British Academy Film Awards at London's Royal Festival Hall Sunday after missing the last two ceremonies.

Middleton stunned in a white one-shoulder Alexander McQueen dress, which she paired with gold jewelry, a black clutch, gold pumps and a dramatic pair of full-length black velvet opera gloves.

Genevieve James, creative director at royal glove supplier Cornelia James, weighed in on Middleton's rare fashion risk. According to her, the gloves transformed the royal's look for the awards show.

"Opera gloves are transformative; they have enormous leverage," James told People. "They turn any event into an occasion and a dress into a statement."

James, whose independent family business has been supplying gloves to the royal family for over seven decades, couldn't confirm if the pair Middleton wore Sunday was from their company, but People noted that her gloves were identical to the brand's "Melissa" black velvet style, which retails for $216.

Middleton owns several styles from Cornelia James, one of which she wore when she and Prince William visited Boston in December 2022.

James said Middleton wearing opera gloves was reminiscent of old-school Hollywood glamour. In the past, stars such as Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth rarely attended red-carpet events without their fitted gloves, which were often in silk or bejeweled.

"Imagine Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' without the gloves — it's just another little black dress. With the gloves, it becomes iconic and emblematic of our age — always relevant, always contemporary," James told the outlet.

Bethan Holt, the fashion director at The Telegraph, previously noted the changes in Middleton's style after King Charles III named Prince William and his wife the new Prince and Princess of Wales.

"I think this is her power moment — she's easing into the Princess of Wales role and that promotion that she's had in such a beautiful way," Holt told People. "She's got this big new title, and she's dressing for that job."

The "Duchess of Cambridge, A Decade of Modern Royal Style" author noted that Middleton wore a suit for the launch of her initiative and passion project, Shaping Us, and opted for red, which is "the color of passion."

Holt said Middleton's style has taken "quite a serious slant," adding: "I really think it marks a new era in her royal life."