#Rededication of the 43rd Wessex Division Service

[thepastisalreadywritten]

The Marchioness of Bath delivered a masterclass in regal dressing as she joined her husband Ceawlin Thynn, 8th Marquess of Bath, to host the Duke of Edinburgh at the family seat of Longleat yesterday.

Welcoming Prince Edward to her Wiltshire pile, Emma McQuiston-Thynn, 37, was the epitome of elegance in a classic black LBD by Roland Mouret, teamed with black pumps for a magnificent monochrome effect.

An impeccably tailored dress coat by Alexander McQueen created a sophisticated silhouette, while black veiled creation by Emily-London Headwear provided the perfect accent to the ensemble.

Prince Edward, 59, formerly the Earl of Wessex, attended the Rededication of the 43rd Wessex Division Service at Longleat, the family seat of the Marquesses of Bath since the 17th century.

During the visit, the royal spent time speaking to the Marquess and Marchioness of Bath, and their sons, John Thynn, Viscount Weymouth, nine, and Lord Henry Thynn, six.

Guests were entertained by a military brass band and invited to a reception in the Elizabethan Great Hall at the heart of the property, which is an impressive site with its soaring, dark wood beam ceiling bearing the family crest, and walls adorned with John Wooton paintings.

There was also an outdoor ceremony, held in a picturesque corner of the ground dappled with sunlight.

It was a proud moment for the marchioness, who shared an incredible selection of photographs offering a behind the scenes look at the royal visit.

‘An historic day for @longleatofficial with a service to Rededicate the 43rd Wessex Division Arboretum and Memorial Plaque attended by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh KG GCVO with the laying of wreaths,’ she wrote in the accompanying caption.

Longleat has long been at the forefront of British society.

Visitors have been welcomed onto the 450-year-old Wiltshire estate since 1949 when Henry Thynne, 6th Marquess of Bath, had the controversial idea to open its doors to the paying public.

He went on to totally redefine the world of tourism in 1966 when he launched the only drive-through safari park outside of Africa.

Now, the Safari Park, tucked behind the historic 130-roomed Longleat House, welcomes thousands of visitors a year.

It is at Longleat where the Marchioness of Bath was photographed for Tatler’s January 2021 cover shoot, resplendent in couture and every inch the stately chatelaine.

xxx

Longleat is an English stately home and the seat of the Marquesses of Bath.

A leading and early example of the Elizabethan prodigy house, it is adjacent to the village of Horningsham. It is near the towns of Warminster and Westbury in Wiltshire, and Frome in Somerset.

[catherinetheprincessofwales]

The Marquess and Marchioness of Bath hosted the Duke of Edinburgh for the Rededication of the 43rd Wessex Division Service at Longleat, the family seat of the Marquesses of Bath since the 17th century. 18/05/23