Kate Middleton is no stranger to making style statements but as she stepped into the role of Princess of Wales, she resonated that in her fashion choices this year.
From outdoor adventures to regal royal engagements, Kate appeared to have moved on from pastels to statement colours and from frilly dresses to power suits. Keeping true to herself, she wasn’t above rewearing some of her favourite old pieces and also debuting some new ones. She also dug in the royal vault to show off accessories that have spent literally decades in the royal vault!
Rounding up the first year as Princess of Wales, here are top fashion moments of Kate Middleton in 2023:
2023 was the era of Power suits for Kate as her long coats and coat dresses became a staple for her, opting to look business-ready for her royal engagements which kicked off in January. Royal historian Jessica Storoschuk commented that Kate’s suits “could be seen as a visual cue of her professional approach to her new position in the family.”
In February, Kate set the fashion tone for the year with her Alexander McQueen gown which rewore to this year’s BAFTA awards, styling it differently from when she first wore it in 2019. She also paired it with budget friendly Zara earrings.
The Princess of Wales stepped out at the Hayes Muslim Centre With Prince William in March following the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. She wore a Catherine Walker & Co jacket paired with a headscarf by Élan, which she wore in 2019 during her Pakistan visit.
The historic Coronation
While King Charles was officially going to be crowned, the buzz was more about whether Kate was going to wear a tiara or not. The Princess opted for a twinning moment with daughter Princess Charlotte, 8, in a long white gown Alexander McQueen gown with a Jess Collet floral diadem and Princess Diana’s earrings.
Charlotte also donned the brand’s ivory dress with a coat cape. Meanwhile, Kate wore formal red and blue robes of the Royal Victorian Order.
According to Sky News’ Sarah Hewson, the gown is made from ivory silk crepe with silver bullion and thread work embroidery featuring rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs—symbols of the countries of the United Kingdom.
As the world was swaying over the Barbie movie, Kate had some pink moments of her own. The Princess wore a pink pastel suit by Alexander McQueen with a matching blouse to her early childhood initiative and then wore a breezy pink shirt dress by ME+EM for a surprise visit at the Chelsea Flower Show in May.
In June Kate and Prince William attended Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan's wedding. For the wedding at the Zahran Palace, she wore an Elie Saab light pink maxi gown. As for the banquet later that evening, a Jenny Packham gown with her favourite Lover’s Knot Tiara.
She wore the Packham gown with the tiara once again in December for the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.
Known for neutral tones, Kate took inspiration from the late Queen Elizabeth’s style opting for bright colours. In 2017, Sophie the Duchess of Edinburgh revealed that the Queen wore vibrant hues to help her stand out from the crowd.
So, from the red on Royal Escot in June to the purple moment at the Shaping Us National Symposium in November, the royal is making known when she wants to stand out.
While Kate served many looks but the one that arguably stood out amongst them all was the scarlet red ensemble by Catherine Walker from her 2021 Christmas carol service. She also wore Diana’s sapphire-and-diamond drop earrings.
Kate wore the attire in November to the private lunch at Buckingham Palace for South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee.
Kate made another style statement during the Korea state visit as she sported a rarely seen century-old tiara over a sprawling white gown by Jenny Packham. The Strathmore Rose Tiara belonged to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Queen Mother, who received it as a gift from her parents in 1923.
Last, but certainly not least, Kate stunned in a white Chris Kerr coat over a classic ivory sweater and a pair of high-waisted Holland Cooper trousers at her Together at Christmas concert at London’s Westminster Abbey in December. She wore trousers for the first time to the festive event.
For the promo of the concert, Kate opted for shimmery ivory Self-Portrait jacket.
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