Princess Charlene of Monaco pulled out all the stops as she joined her husband, Prince Albert, at the 2026 Monaco E-Prix gala dinner.
Looking every inch the elegant princess, the 48-year-old former Olympic swimmer commanded attention in a sequin-embellished maxi dress from royally-loved designer, Jenny Packham, as identified by Royal Fashion Police. Priced at £3.2k, the ‘Wonderlust’ gown featured a silver bodice with a boat neckline and cropped, floaty sleeves finished with thousands of delicate crystals, while the deep blue tailored skirt fell to the floor.
Keeping all eyes on the statement dress, Charlene chose minimal accessories, including a bangle and her £250k pear-cut diamond engagement ring from Albert.
Styling her blonde bob into a chic updo, she kept the front section loose in glam Hollywood waves that framed her face. She had chosen a more muted look for the daytime, stepping out in a bridal white suit layered over a silk champagne-coloured blouse and finished with milky white heels.
Royal-approved designer
Jenny Packham is one of the Monegasque royals’ trusted designers. Princess Charlene previously wore another item from the brand in December 2025, attending the annual Bal de Noël in a stunning white gown that featured one of the Princess of Wales’ most famous silhouettes.
Features of the ‘Fresco’ gown from Jenny’s 2025/2026 collection included a low V-neckline that highlighted her decolletage, a Grecian gold belt and an ethereal silhouette with a flowing skirt and caped shoulders. It drew parallels to Kate’s gold sequin dress at the premiere of James Bond’s No Time To Die in 2021.
Meanwhile, Princess Kate also wore a Jenny Packham cornflower blue cape gown for a 2025 state banquet, and Queen Mary of Denmark donned a dazzling pink frock for a gala dinner for culture and art at Christianborg Palace in the same year.
Jenny Packham’s discretion
Known for her glittering eveningwear, the designer has become a go-to for A-listers, but she tends to refrain from commenting on her clients. Making an exception in 2024, she admitted to WWD that she works directly with Kate: “It’s always quite a collaboration.”
Despite her success, Jenny is insistent she won’t sit on her laurels. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she said: “I learnt very early in my career that in fashion I must never feel too good or satisfied with my work or assume that just because things are going well things will continue that way.
“If you want longevity in fashion, keep reinventing, looking outwards, being curious and don’t get lazy.”
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