40 Times Kate Middleton Dressed Just Like Princess Diana
Catherine, Princess of Wales knows a thing or two about the power of royal fashion. She’s had a great role model in this department: Princess Diana, the mother-in-law she sadly never got to meet. Diana excelled in matters of style, and Kate, who now holds the same royal title as Diana once did, often pays tribute to her predecessor by following in her fashion footsteps. You might be surprised at just how often Kate remixes a famous Diana look and updates it for the 21st century — or pays a subtle nod to her with a poignant accessory.
Postpartum fashion
Part of becoming a royal mother is knowing that at some point you’ll have to officially present your newborn child to the media. Millions of eyes are going to be on you in this moment, so what to wear must be a big question. Touchingly, the media has noticed that Kate has used these special occasions to pay homage to her late mother-in-law.
After Kate gave birth to Prince Louis in 2018, she was photographed outside the hospital wearing a red dress with a white collar, just as Diana had worn when she’d left the hospital with Prince Harry back in 1984.
Pretty in pink
Pink is a powerful royal color, but it can be hard to pull off. Princess Diana knew how to rock bright pink without it being too overpowering, and Kate has definitely followed in her footsteps here. For proof, look no further than the all-pink ensemble she wore at the 2017 Trooping the Color ceremony.
It was bold enough to make Kate stand out on the day but subtle enough that she didn’t overshadow all the other members of the royal family. And it looked a lot like an updated version of the pink Donald Campbell outfit Diana wore during a royal tour of Australia back in 1983.
Polka-dot twinning
Some of the best outfits in recent royal history have come out at Royal Ascot. Diana wore a contemporary polka-dot look to the famous horse racing event back in 1988: a Victor Edelstein dress, a matching hat by Philip Somerville, and a neat little black clutch to top it off.
Kate paid what could have only been a deliberate homage to the look when she herself went to Ascot in 2022. She too wore a polka-dot dress with an elegant hat and carried a small clutch in her hands. She was even wearing a pair of earrings that had once belonged to Diana, too!
Hats right
There are some pretty strict rules for royals about headwear. It would be almost unthinkable to turn up at certain formal occasions without a hat or a fascinator, in fact. When it comes to picking out the perfect headpiece to complement an outfit, Kate, it seems, often looks back to her late mother-in-law for inspiration.
This blue-and-white fascinator is a particularly poignant example of the present echoing the past. Not only does Kate’s headpiece-and-jacket combo look remarkably similar to this outfit of Diana’s from 1991, her sapphire-and-diamond earrings actually belonged to Diana.
Risqué for a royal
One thing’s for sure, Diana knew how to dress to impress. Some of her looks were more daring than royal fashion had seen before, but she was always classic and tasteful. Perhaps one of the best examples of this is the stunning strapless black gown she wore for her first public event with her husband, now King Charles III.
Fast-forward 30 years, and Kate wore a similar strapless black dress for one of her first appearances after marrying Prince William in 2011. This velvet gown by Alexander McQueen was meant to be almost transparent from the thigh down, but Kate had it modified to be less risqué.
Big black hats
The royal family loves their hats. Did you ever see Queen Elizabeth II without one during her reign? And they wear only the finest and most fashionable creations. The one Kate has on here is by one of her favorite milliners, Philip Treacy.
She wore it in December 2006 at Prince William’s passing-out parade, years before she became an official member of the royal family. But even back then she was emulating Diana. The former Princess of Wales had worn a very similar red-and-black ensemble for the royal Christmas service in 1993.
Incredible in ivory
A royal is also a diplomat in many ways, and part of being a diplomat is wearing the clothes of cultures not your own. Diana did this many times throughout her life. This gorgeous pearl-studded ivory shalwar kameez was a gift to the princess from her friend Jemima Khan, and she wore it to a cancer charity fundraiser in 1996.
Kate’s more subtle shalwar kameez was worn in 2019 during a trip to Pakistan, and it was created by the famous Pakistani fashion house Gul Ahmed. Another good diplomatic move is highlighting the fashion designers from your host country!
Snow day
Diana used to ski frequently, and now her daughter-in-law does too. This picture of Kate in her red skiing jacket was snapped in 2005 when she was William’s girlfriend rather than his wife. The media noticed right away how similar her sportswear was to Princess Diana’s.
Now, Kate still goes skiing with William, and they bring their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, along too. Once they’ve learned to ski, they might end up spending as much time on the slopes as their grandmother did!
Smart suits
Princess Diana debuted one of her most iconic ensembles on V.J. Day in 1995. Her outfit consisted of a smart white suit with black detailing designed by Tomasz Starzewski, a matching hat by Philip Somerville, and one of her famous pearl necklaces.
Many years later, in June 2019, Kate wore what looked like an updated version of that black-and-white outfit to the Order of the Garter service. She even included some pearls: she wore the Collingwood diamond-and-pearl earrings that had once been a favorite of Diana’s.
Bond girls
One big perk of being a royal is that you get to go to loads of film premieres! And James Bond movies seem especially popular among the royal family. Here’s Diana at the A View to a Kill premiere in 1985 along with Kate at the No Time to Die one in 2021. You may have noticed how similar their dresses are!
Both women wore fabulous metallic gowns to their respective Bond premieres. Diana’s was created by Bruce Oldfield, and Kate’s by Jenny Packham. Was her choice to go with gold a deliberate homage?
The Lover’s Knot Tiara
There’s one royal tiara Diana was particularly associated with: the pearl-and-diamond-laden Lover’s Knot. It was originally commissioned by Queen Mary all the way back in 1914 and it was then passed down through the royal family after her death.
And now, it’s gone from Diana’s head to Kate’s. Both of them have worn the tiara with their most sophisticated, most regal white outfits, and with the same pearl-drop earrings to match.
Standing out
All-pink outfits are hard to pull off without looking like a Barbie doll, but Diana could do it. She’d donned this Catherine Walker dress and John Boyd hat while visiting Sicily in 1985. It had another function besides looking nice: it made her stand out in the crowd!
Kate likes to do the same thing. While meeting guests at a 2012 Buckingham Palace garden party, she wore a dress by Emilia Wickstead — clearly, it’s a favorite of hers since she’s worn it before — and a hat from Jane Corbett.
“It is both ladylike and naughty”
We know that Diana’s sense of style inspired Kate’s navy polka-dot dress here because its designer revealed that Princess Di was her muse. “[Diana] wore polka dots so well, and I know all of her looks by heart.” Designer Alessandra Rich told The Daily Telegraph in 2019. Now they’re Kate’s looks too.
"These dresses are demure, they’re covering the arms and legs, and they’re in nice, fresh colors, but there’s always a split somewhere or a body chain underneath,” Rich continued. “It is both ladylike and naughty and I think there is a bit of both in all of us.” We certainly know that was true for Diana and is for Kate!
Positively angelic
When Kate showed up at the 2019 BAFTA Awards in a one-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown, onlookers were dazzled. Harper’s Bazaar magazine called the look “positively angelic.” But not everyone knew at the time how much Kate was paying homage to her late mother-in-law on the red carpet.
Diana too once wore a white asymmetrical dress, hers designed by Gina Fratini, while going to a reception during a tour of Brazil. The dress wasn’t the only tribute in Kate’s ensemble, though. The then-Duchess also wore Diana’s prized pearl earrings that night.
The big day before the big day
Back where it all began. Kate and William’s engagement announcement photoshoot seemed to be deliberately constructed to pay tribute to Diana. Not only was her engagement ring now displayed on Kate’s finger, but the new fiancee wore a dark blue dress, just as Diana had done.
But the similarities between these royal engagements end there. While Diana had felt pressured into marrying Charles and of course eventually divorced him, Kate and William are still happily married to this day.
Sheer beauty
You don’t often catch the royals in sheer, it’s very daring. Elizabeth would never have countenanced the idea! But Diana, always the rebel, did wear it: and in red, to boot. She donned this gorgeous Jan Van Velden number while in Oslo in 1984.
Kate wore a similar dress for a Buckingham Palace reception in 2022; hers was designed by Jenny Packham, and she looked amazing in it. Don’t forget, it was a sheer dress that got her the attention of William in the first place. He was very taken indeed when he saw her in one during a charity fashion show.
Respectful elegance at its finest
Whenever Princess Diana visited a mosque, she was sure to be respectful by wearing a headscarf. But she seemingly made sure that they were stylish ones that matched her light-colored outfits. When she went to Pakistan in February 1996 to partake in some fund-raising, then, she wore a delicate light-blue ensemble.
When Kate visited Kuala Lumpur with William in 2012, the two of them went to the Assyakirin Mosque — the first time a future king of the U.K. had ever visited one. It was a much-reported-on occasion, and many people pointed out how much Kate, in her white headscarf, resembled Diana.
Going green
You don’t often see Kate in light green, but when she does wear it, she goes absolutely all out. When in 2022 she attended the Earthshot Awards, she stuck to the environmental theme with a green dress and a very familiar emerald choker.
That choker once belonged to Diana: it had been a wedding gift from Elizabeth herself. Diana sometimes wore it as a headpiece, but on one memorable occasion in 1993 she wore it with a green dress in almost the exact same shade as Kate’s later one.
The Commoner’s Sapphire
There’s a long history behind the engagement ring which was passed down from Diana to Kate. When Diana first got it, snobs dubbed it “The Commoner’s Sapphire” because Diana had picked it out of a catalog that any non-royal could access.
After Diana’s death, “the commoner’s sapphire” was passed down to Harry. But when his older brother William wanted to marry Kate, Harry swapped the ring for William’s own memento of Diana, a Cartier watch. And the ring’s belonged to Kate ever since.
Rainy days
Diana kept a smile on her face even when walking in the rain during this visit in Gyeongju, South Korea back in 1992. She wore a cobalt-blue coat with gold buttons and a matching pleated skirt.
Clearly, Kate was a fan when she saw it. The future queen consort wore an almost identical outfit while visiting a violence reduction center in Scotland in 2021. Because the coronavirus was at its height back then, she also wore a face mask: one that matched her coat perfectly, naturally.
Professional looks
Being a princess isn’t all bright colors and gowns; sometimes you have to adopt a more professional style. That’s what Diana did when she attended a children’s charity event in November 1984. The media at the time called her outfit “teddy boy,” which was a popular style at the time.
Kate’s gray outfit likewise made her look stylish and smart. She wore hers in 2022 while visiting Copenhagen. And she needed to have a more down-to-earth look for that because she was there with the Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood, an organization she herself had taken a key role in setting up.
Cascade of green
The royals are well-studied in the art of “fashion diplomacy” and part of that is remembering to wear your host country’s colors whenever visiting. Kate’s green dress here, worn while she was on tour in the Caribbean, is a nod to the green of the Jamaican flag.
But it might also have been a subtle nod to Diana, who also excelled in fashion diplomacy. Kate’s Jenny Packham gown is similar to a Graham Wren one Diana had worn when she was a new royal in 1981.
Fluffy hats
Royals absolutely love wearing bizarre headpieces that no one else could get away with. Both Kate and Diana have made public appearances while rocking rather odd feathery or fluffy creations, matched with beige-colored coats.
Kate wasn’t actually a member of the royal family in 2006 when she wore the headpiece to a Parker Bowles family wedding, so this was an early sign that she shared the same fashion sensibilities as Diana.
Glamorous green
When Kate went to Wimbledon in 2023 she wore an outfit that royal family fans instantly recognized. Diana had also worn a green blazer with white details: more than once, in fact. It must have been a favorite.
Kate’s outfit was a more up-to-date version of the original. Her Balmain blazer was an eye-catching shade of mint green, and she paired it with a white pleated skirt and matching Gianvito shoes. Tatler magazine described the look as “the picture of preppy perfection.”
Gold and white
Diana and Kate are both picture-perfect princesses in these gold-and-white gowns. Diana’s was designed by the Emanuels and made its debut at the German Embassy in 1986; Kate’s was a creation of Alexander McQueen.
Kate has actually worn her gold-and-white dress at more than one event because she’s a big fan of sustainable fashion. Diana was too! She often reused old outfits at public events, and that was before it was cool.
Floaty blue
Diana was an expert in maternity fashion. She wore this gorgeous blue Catherine Walker on the red carpet for the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, one that highlighted her baby bump, and this was mere weeks before Harry was born.
It’s very possible Kate was paying a deliberate tribute to that look when she attended the Royal Film Performance of Spectre in October 2015. It was, after all, only six months since her own second child, Charlotte, had come into the world.
Houndstooth
Houndstooth has nothing to do with the royal family’s love of dogs! Nope, it’s the name of the pattern both Kate and Diana are wearing here. You’ll notice they both choose red and white for their outfits, and that’s the perfect combo to make a visiting princess stand out.
The two princesses wore their houndstooth prints differently, though. Diana put her Moschino houndstooth jacket over a black polo neck, while Kate wore the pattern on a double-breasted Catherine Walker coat dress.
Shining emeralds
Diana always looked fantastic in sparkles: in 1995 she wore this glittering Catherine Walker number at a ball for a schizophrenia charity, and you’ll notice she wore her beautiful emerald choker to match it.
And it turns out Kate has a sequinned emerald gown tucked away in her wardrobe as well. Hers is by Jenny Packham, who seems to be the princess’s go-to designer for sparkling gowns. She wore it on day two of her and William’s 2019 tour of Pakistan.
Beautiful burgundy
Burgundy isn’t a color that has ever been associated much with either Diana or Kate, and that’s a shame because both of them look fantastic in it. Diana wore her coat-and-dress combo while visiting the St. Christopher’s Fellowship Project for Homeless Young People in 1992.
Kate must have been impressed with the look: the new Princess of Wales debuted her version in December 2022 at a Christmas carol concert. Clever royal watchers instantly tracked down the brand: the dress was almost certainly a “Chi Chi Coat dress” by Eponine London.
Pillbox hats
Pillbox hats were made iconic by Jackie Kennedy, and now they’re a go-to fashion item for the British royals as well. Kate loves the design of this one so much that she actually has at least two versions of it, one in dark green and one in cobalt blue.
Diana too was a fan of pillbox hats. She wore a blue one while touring Australia in 1988 and paired it with a set of her beloved sapphire earrings. Kate so happens to have a pair of very similar ones!
Black at Remembrance Day
Remembrance Sunday is a very solemn occasion, one where tribute is paid to victims of war. So naturally, an all-black outfit is appropriate. When Diana appeared at a 1991 service, she wore a simple black coat, paired with a black hat. She also had poppies, the symbol of the World War I war dead, pinned to her clothes.
When Kate Middleton appeared at a London service in November 2016, she bore such a strong resemblance to Diana that the media couldn’t help but comment on it. She was dressed in an almost identical outfit — black coat, black hat, exact same number of poppies in the exact same position — and her composed expressions were also very Diana-like.
Teal-y nice
Diana really knew how to work a colorful hat. This unusual teal-colored creation was made by John Boyd and the princess wore it while touring New Zealand in 1983. If the cheering crowds are anything to go by, it was a big hit.
And Kate too soon learned the importance of a well-made hat. For the Irish Guards’ St Patrick’s Day Parade in 2023, she donned a “heart-shaped cocktail hat” by Jane Taylor, and it stayed firmly on her head despite the rain.
Pretty in pink
When visiting Tunbridge Wells in February 1990, Diana chose to punctuate her outfit with a punchy pop of pink. It was stylish and simple, but it was also bold and bright. A style choice that Diana seemed to love. Her passion for statement pieces and colors only grew as she became more and more of a media darling. Not bad for someone whom the press once nicknamed “Shy Di.”
And although Kate has come to be known as nothing short of the epitome of elegance, she too takes some risks when it comes to fashion. The then-duchess took yet another leaf out of Diana's style book in 2015. Fifteen years on, Kate looked every bit as bold and beautiful in a hot pink coat as she carried out work in support of creating more opportunities for the young people of South London.
Ladies who lilac
Diana was great at taking just one color and making it work for her. In 1996, for instance, she went to Australia to visit the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute — a place she had a long-running connection with — and wore a simple lilac dress with pearls. She looked professional but also princessy.
Kate also just so happens to own a lilac dress. Apart from the sleeves, it’s very similar to Diana’s one; it has the same high neckline. Kate wore it while on a tour of Poland and Germany in July 2017, and she apparently made sure the outfits of George and Charlotte were perfectly coordinated with hers, too.
Professional princess
Being a princess isn’t just about fancy dresses; you also need some neat, professional clothes. One of Diana’s, for example, was a simple white suit dress, which she wore when she visited Sydney’s Sacred Heart Hospice in November 1996. If you hadn’t known it already, your only clue to Diana’s royalty would have been the extravagant earrings in her ears.
Kate too needs to dress like that every now and again, so of course she also keeps various professional-looking outfits in her collection. She wore a white Max Mara number when visiting Portsmouth in 2015. And despite its simplicity, it sold out just two hours after she was spotted in it.
A taste for lace
A white lace gown isn’t necessarily what you’d imagine for a royal, but Diana never seemed afraid to push the envelope. She wore this stunning dress while partying with Anna Wintour at a fundraising event for breast cancer in September 1996.
And that has all appeared to have laid the foundation for Kate to experiment with what she wears. For the Royal Ascot in June 2017, for instance, she donned a delicate white lace gown paired with a matching hat. It was more demure than Diana’s and had a higher neckline, but it fitted the occasion perfectly. She also wore a badge identifying her as “HRH the Duchess of Cambridge,” just in case anyone forgot.
Regal red
Diana wore a sparkling red dress to a gala dinner in June 1997. She stood out in her eye-catching gown, which was accessorized with a matching clutch. The event was held at the Museum of Women in the Arts and was in support of landmine victims. Famously, one of Diana’s biggest passions was campaigning against the use of these weapons.
It seems that Kate is always careful to match her outfits to the countries she visits. So when she undertook a tour of Canada in 2016, accompanied by her husband and children, she brought out a red Preen number with a brooch to match the Canadian flag. Just like Diana, she looked fantastic in red, and she followed in her mother-in-law’s footsteps by having a matching clutch in hand.
Post-birth polkadots
Royals have a slightly infuriating ability to look flawless just after giving birth to a baby. Diana did, of course — after having Prince William in 1982, she exited St Mary’s Hospital smiling happily and wearing a loosely fitted polka-dotted dress. Prince Charles followed behind her, carrying the tiny heir to the throne.
When Kate gave birth to Prince George in 2013, she and William took him outside to show him off to the waiting crowds. The dress Kate wore while displaying her newborn struck many as a deliberate nod to Diana: just like her late mother-in-law, she wore a light polka-dotted dress.
Keeping it casual
Diana apparently didn’t bring out her fancy outfits when she did her most serious activist work. Instead, she dressed like a regular — albeit very stylish — person. In January 1997 she was pictured at a Red Cross event in Angola wearing a simple white shirt and beige pants, seemingly determined to get stuck in.
Kate dresses down in a similar way when she needs to. In April 2016 she and William traveled to Bhutan and trekked up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Like Diana, Kate went for a simple look: a white blouse with pockets, darker pants, and sensible footwear. Also like Diana, she remembered to bring sunglasses.