Duke and Duchess of Cambridge join Princess Victoria at a reception celebrating Swedish culture.

The royals were joined by Crown Princess Victoria who opted for a black satin skirt with a daring side slit and a red satin blouse

She wore blue velvet! Kate strikes a glamorous note in ANOTHER floral dress by Erdem - as she and William join Princess Victoria at a reception celebrating Swedish culture.

When you've found a winning outfit formula, it's always a good idea to stick with it, as the Duchess of Cambridge proved when she stepped out this evening in a floral dress by Erdem for the second night running.

Last night the pregnant Duchess chose a £1,945 saffron yellow gown by British-based designer and this evening she stepped out in another of his creations, a blue velvet dress with a floral motif and bell sleeves, with a ribbon belt that accentuated her neat baby bump.

Kate, 36, had changed out of the cream Alexander McQueen dress she wore to tea at Haga Palace with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden this afternoon before heading on to an event at Stockholm's Fotografiska Gallery, which boasts glittering views over the city at night.

On arrival, the Duchess wrapped up in a black fur-trimmed coat by Swedish designer Ida Sjostedt, who is a graduate of the University of Westminster, and wore her locks swept back in an elegant updo, mirroring the hairstyle of Crown Princess Victoria who looked glamorous in a black satin pencil skirt and red blouse with voluminous sleeves.

 

 

 

 

 'That was a quick change,' Kate laughed, as she greeted Victoria with a kiss.

In a speech at the event to celebrate Swedish culture The Duke of Cambridge said he and Kate have been impressed by the Swedish lifestyle that encourages children to play outdoors, whatever the weather.

William spoke about the 'magic ingredients' of life in the Scandinavian country, saying: 'One lesson that we will take home with us is that children are actively encouraged to spend time outdoors, whatever the weather. This is obviously very good for their physical health but, as we learned this morning at the remarkable Karolinska Institute, it has huge benefits for a child's mental health as well.'

 

 

William looked animated as he chatted to guests at the reception at Stockholm's Fotografiska Gallery

William also showcased a hidden talent for languages by faultlessly delivering a few words in Swedish - to a huge cheer in the room.

The couple were at the Fotografiska Gallery in Stockholm, where they mingled with guests from the worlds of music film, TV, art and sport. They had arrived at the waterside gallery by boat and were reunited with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, with whom they had spent the day on engagements around the city.

The couples met British artist Nick Veasey, 55, whose exhibition of photos taken with X-ray machines is called Inside Out.

As they admired an X-ray piece of Sean Connery, entitled James Bond, Nick quipped to Kate, who is expecting her third baby in April: 'Don't worry, I haven't got X-ray vision.' The Duchess laughed and replied: 'I hope you haven't got your camera with you.

Kate Middleton wore a floral ball gown to meet the Swedish Royals

She and Prince William wore adorable matching hats during the first day of their tour in Sweden, but Kate Middleton went a little more high fashion for an evening event - and her floral Erdem dress is a look we really need to talk about.

 

While we’ve been busy admiring everything about new royal-to-be Meghan Markle, Kate appears to have seriously upped the fashion stakes - and even taken a leaf out of her new sister-in-law’s book by sacrificing her signature blow dry (her hairstylist is probably a little bummed about carrying all that blow-dry equipment now, though).

 

 

 

 

The Duchess attended a black tie dinner along with Swedish Crown Prince Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel, and while Catherine may have missed the ‘wear black’ memo, we’re all about her silk, full-length gown and swept-back hair.

The £1945 silk-crepe de Chine 'Stephanie' gown is from Erdem's AW17 collection. Sadly, the gold version has sold out, but there are still a few sizes left at time of writing in the darker print.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The royal party were marking the 10th anniversary of the Youth Aware Mental Health.

Earlier today, the Duchess of Cambridge displayed her growing baby bump as she and Prince William, were invited for an intimate tea party with some of the youngest members of the Swedish royal family.

William and Kate, who is six months pregnant with the couple's third child, met the adorable offspring of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel - Princess Estelle, five, and Prince Oscar, who turns two in March.

The Duchess was wearing a cream bouclé dress from Alexander McQueen, while her host wore a mint-coloured trouser suit with a belted waist for their penultimate meeting with the Swedish royals before the couple depart for Norway on Thursday.

This morning, the couple kicked off their second day in Stockholm with a meeting on mental health before stopping in at Matteusskolan school.

While dozens of pupils waved hand-drawn flags and bunches of flowers, some lucky youngsters managed to get a high-five from the Duchess as she greeted the crowds assembled outside. The couple spent around ten minutes shaking hands with the schoolchildren, with William repeatedly telling them 'you've got cold hands' and complimenting them on the flags they were waving.

As the they moved down rows of youngsters, the Duchess asked: 'Are you cold? Are you all wrapped up?'

Some children jumped on each other's shoulders, and hugged each other in excitement at having met the two royal couples. One teenager, more in hope than expectation, quizzed the Duchess about her taste in rap music: 'I asked her if she knew J Hus,' said Lucas Tinseau, 15. 'She said 'I will look out for him.''

William joked to one group about the fact that they had been running late earlier in the day, saying: 'We're not very good with time'

She teamed her outfit with a quilted maroon Chanel bag and fringed leather pumps from Italian label Tod's, while her host, Victoria, opted for a stylish pastel trouser suit worn over a piecrust collar and a Stella McCartney clutch.

The Karolinska Institutet is one of the largest and most prestigious medical universities in the world and accounts for over 40 per cent of the medical academic research conducted in Sweden.

Since 1901 the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has also been responsible for selecting the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine.

The Crown Princess has spoken openly about her own battle with an eating disorder as a young woman, while her husband - a former fitness trainer who opened a chain of exclusive gyms, which is how they met - has taken a particular interest in the subject and started his own programme to promote physical well-being in the young.

The two couples left their separate residences but their respective convoys met up en route - and as they stepped out of their cars they greeted each other warmly outside.

Inside they went for a briefing with senior staff including Professor Carl Johan Sundberg, Dr Anna Lundh and Dr Ulrika Berg, who outlined some of their research into the issue.

Maternity style: Duchess displayed her burgeoning bump in a red houndstooth coat by Catherine Walker, worn over an Alexander McQueen dress and paired with earrings by Swedish jeweller In2Design, no doubt in a nod to her hosts.

Princess Charlotte Pictures