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For Kate Middleton — and every other member of the British royal family — a dress is never just a dress.
Over the course of King Charles III’s coronation celebrations, which kicked off Thursday and ran through Sunday, the Princess of Wales stepped out in a series of outfits as symbolic as they were patriotic.
Perhaps most notably (and noticeably), the 41-year-old mother of three stuck strictly to a color palette of red, white and blue at every coronation-related appearance, as a nod to the colors of the Union Jack.
But the princess’ looks were loaded with meaning in other ways as well. In this episode of “Royal Roundtable,” we explore each ensemble Middleton wore during the coronation festivities — and the message it sent.
May 4: Patriotic palette
For her first appearance ahead of the coronation, the Princess of Wales and Prince William paid a visit to the Dog & Duck pub, with Middleton showing her UK pride in red, white and blue.
She layered a crimson Eponine London coat dress featuring a bright blue lining atop an ivory Suzannah shirt dress ($3,620), accessorizing with a matching white Mulberry bag and Jimmy Choo pumps along with a pair of Maria Black pearl earrings ($143 each).
Not only were most of her outfit’s pieces from British brands, but they were also all items she’s worn before; fitting, considering the coronation’s focus on sustainability.
May 5: Pearls and pumps
For a pre-coronation lunch and walkabout, Middleton teamed her white long-sleeved Jenny Packham dress with the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings, which she previously borrowed a number of times throughout the late monarch’s reign and even wore to her funeral in September 2022. No doubt the special sparkle was the princess’ way of keeping Her Majesty’s memory alive ahead of the historic coronation.
Royal watchers also quickly zeroed in on Middleton’s new pair of bow-tied black suede Aquazzura pumps ($850), as the cutout style is a longtime favorite of Meghan Markle’s; the duchess owns the pumps in both nude and black, as well as the brand’s similar bow-tied sandals ($795) and ballet flats ($695).
May 5: Regal in royal blue
The princess looked divine in a deep blue draped Self-Portrait dress ($510), matching Aquazzura slingbacks and the Queen Mother’s sapphire and diamond fringe earrings — in yet another nod to the monarchs that came before her — during an evening reception at Buckingham Palace.
May 6: Nods to national flowers
Unsurprisingly, the Princess of Wales’ look for Saturday morning’s coronation ceremony was the most meaningful of them all.
She matched daughter Charlotte in a custom ivory silk crepe Alexander McQueen dress intricately embroidered with roses, thistles, daffodils and shamrocks — the national flowers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively — in metallic thread.
As expected, Middleton skipped a tiara for the occasion, opting instead for an embellished Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen flower crown. In addition to nodding to Charles’ love of nature and the outdoors, her silver wreath seemed to reference the leaf-covered Green Man, a figure from British folklore symbolizing spring and rebirth that was included in the coronation invitations.
In addition to donning her Royal Victorian Order mantle reflecting her status as a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, she honored both Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana with her jewelry selections, pairing the late queen’s George VI Festoon Necklace with her mother-in-law’s Diamond and South Sea Pearl Earrings.
May 7: Casual kicks
Even princesses love their sneakers! At The Big Lunch the day after the coronation, Middleton went for a more laid-back look, layering her powder blue, double-breasted Reiss blazer ($545) over a white tee and adding classic black trousers and her favorite Veja sneakers ($150) — the latter made using sustainable practices and materials, in keeping with the coronation’s eco-friendly focus.
May 7: Suited up in scarlet
The Princess of Wales closed out the celebrations with a bang for Sunday night’s Coronation Concert, bringing back the red Alexander McQueen pantsuit she previously wore for the January launch of her “Shaping Us” campaign.
She also wore a Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra Necklace ($10,200) and Earrings ($6,400).
As the jeweler’s iconic Alhambra collection is inspired by the four-leaf clover, the pieces showed Middleton’s support for Ireland while perhaps also serving as a way for her to wish good luck to the newly crowned King and Queen.
