15 Times Kate Middleton Dressed Just Like Princess Diana
15 Times Kate Middleton Dressed Just Like Princess Diana
Ariana QuihuizSun, August 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC
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Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Kate Middleton often pays tribute to Princess Diana through fashion.
While the pair never met, Kate takes inspiration from Diana’s past ensembles for her own royal outings. Whether that’s wearing the same color suit that she once wore or donning similar accessories, Kate channels her mother-in-law’s style in a subtle way.
Bethan Holt, fashion news and features director of The Daily Telegraph, told PEOPLE in October 2022 that Kate “uses fashion to pay tribute to Diana in a very positive way.” However, she’s not afraid to make an outfit her own through accessories or a more modern silhouette.
“What’s really key about these times when Kate references Diana, it’s not like a costume. She brings it right up to date so she makes it look relevant for now,” she said. “She’s not doing an ’80s power shoulder or a puff ball skirt, she’s making it look sleeker and more contemporary. She makes it her own without looking like she’s playing ‘dress up as Diana.’ ”
Here’s a look back at the times when Kate Middleton emulated Princess Diana’s style.
01 of 15
Kate for her engagement announcement in 2010 and Diana for her engagement announcement in 1981
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Kate paid homage to Diana with her engagement announcement outfit in November 2010. She wore a dark blue Issa dress with a V-neckline and crossover waistband, which paralleled Diana’s blue skirt suit she donned for her own engagement photos in February 1981.
02 of 15
Kate at the Sun Military Awards in 2011 and Diana at a recital in 1981
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: John Stillwell- WPA Pool/Getty; Central Press/Getty
Kate echoed Diana’s evening-wear style during an appearance at the Sun Military Awards in December 2011, wearing a strapless black velvet gown by Alexander McQueen that had a ruffled neckline. It’s similar to the black strapless taffeta gown Diana wore during her first public engagement with then-Prince Charles, a recital in March 1981.
03 of 15
Kate on St. Andrew’s Day in 2012 and Diana at the Bute Highland Games in 1987
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty; Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty
Tartan print is a royal fashion staple. Kate wore a green-and-blue version in the form of a coat dress by Alexander McQueen for St. Andrew’s Day in November 2012. Her look resembled a tartan dress Diana wore to the Bute Highland Games in August 1987, which featured lace trimming and a bow on the collar.
04 of 15
Kate at Trooping the Colour in 2017 and Diana at Perth Hockey Stadium in 1983
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty
Kate took some fashion cues from Diana for the head-to-toe pink ensemble she wore to Trooping the Colour in June 2017. Her Alexander McQueen dress and Jane Taylor fascinator are similar to the pink-and-white polka dot dress by Donald Campbell and matching John Boyd hat that Diana wore at Perth Hockey Stadium in April 1983.
05 of 15
Kate in Sweden in 2018 and Diana at Princess Eugenie’s christening in 1990
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage; Princess Diana Archive/Getty
Kate recreated one of Diana’s favorite looks from the ’90s for the royal tour of Sweden and Norway in January 2018 in a red-and-white houndstooth coat by Catherine Walker. Diana has worn a similar one on several occasions, first sporting the look to a church service in Sandringham that she attended with her sons and the rest of the royal family in 1990.
06 of 15
Kate at a mental health summit in 2018 and Diana in Washington D.C. in 1997
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Kate attended the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in October 2018 in a lavender Emilia Wickstead dress, which featured long sleeves and a cinched waistband. Her outfit echoed the Versace skirt suit Diana wore for a visit to the Red Cross headquarters in June 1997.
07 of 15
Kate at the Order of the Garter service in 2019 and Diana at V-J Day in 1995
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Max Mumby/Getty; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
In June 2019, Kate attended the Order of the Garter service in a white-and-black Catherine Walker coat dress and a matching Lock & Co. fascinator-style hat. It closely resembled the outfit Diana wore at V-J day in 1995: a white-and-navy suit by Tomasz Starsewski and a tall wide-brimmed hat by Philip Somerville.
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08 of 15
Kate at the Pakistani Air Force Base Nur Khan in 2019 and Diana at a hospital in Pakistan in 1996
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
During their respective trips to Pakistan, Kate and Diana opted for light blue dresses over trousers. Kate’s Catherine Walker ensemble featured an ombre effect and a draped neckline, while Diana’s had buttons down the front of her dress and lining the cuffs.
09 of 15
Kate in Scotland in 2021 and Diana in South Korea in 1992
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Andy Buchanan - Pool / Getty; Anwar Hussein/Getty
During a trip to Scotland in May 2021, Kate recreated the royal blue power suit Diana wore while visiting a Buddhist temple in South Korea in November 1992. Her double-breasted Zara blazer with gold buttons and matching pleated skirt by Hope is nearly identical to Diana’s look, though she opted for brown suede pumps rather than royal blue.
10 of 15
Kate at the ‘No Time to Die’ premiere in 2021 and Diana at the ‘A View to a Kill’ premiere in 1985
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty; Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty
A James Bond movie premiere calls for metallic gowns, according to Kate and Diana. For the September 2021 premiere of No Time to Die, Kate wore a gold beaded Jenny Packham gown with a dramatic cape. Similarly, Diana attended the 1985 London premiere of A View to a Kill in a silver pleated gown by Bruce Oldfield.
11 of 15
Kate in Jamaica in 2022 and Diana at a gala concert in 1981
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Jane Barlow - Pool/Getty; Anwar Hussein/Getty
Diana wore an emerald green taffeta gown by Graham Wren to a gala concert in October 1981, a look Kate channeled when she donned a tulle Jenny Packham dress during a visit to Jamaica in March 2022. They both accessorized with emeralds and diamonds, with Diana opting for a choker-style necklace, while Kate wore drop earrings and a matching bracelet.
12 of 15
Kate at the Royal Ascot in 2022 and Diana at Derby Day in 1986
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Both Kate and Diana seem to favor polka dot dresses for royal sporting events. At the Royal Ascot in June 2022, Kate wore a brown-and-white polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich and a floral hat by Sally-Ann Provan. She paired the outfit with South-Sea pearl earrings that once belonged to Diana.
Diana’s iteration of the look was a black-and-white dress by Victor Edelstein and a dotted Frederick Fox hat, which she wore for the Epsom Derby in 1986.
13 of 15
Kate at the St. David’s Day Parade in 2023 and Diana on Christmas Day in 1993
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage; Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty
At the St. David’s Day Parade in March 2023, Kate took inspiration from Diana’s 1993 Christmas Day look by wearing a red Alexander McQueen coat and a black fascinator from Jules Millinery. Diana’s red-and-black ensemble also included a long coat, but she accessorized with a wide-brimmed hat with a netted veil.
14 of 15
Kate in Scotland in 2025 and Diana at a remembrance service in 1993
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Andy Barr - WPA Pool/Getty; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Kate wore a nautical-inspired outfit during a visit to the HMS Glasgow in May 2025, which included a navy-and-white coat dress by Suzannah London and what appeared to be her Philip Treacy hat.
The look was reminiscent of a Catherine Walker jacket and skirt Diana wore to a Battle of the Atlantic service in May 1993. She also completed her outfit with a navy-and-white wide-brimmed hat.
15 of 15
Kate at Trooping the Colour in 2025 and Diana in Egypt in 1992
Kate Middleton; Princess Diana.Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Anwar Hussein/WireImage
At Trooping the Colour in June 2025, Kate wore an aqua dress coat with ivory lapels by Catherine Walker and a matching hat by Juliette Botterill.
The look is nearly identical to a Catherine Walker suit that Diana wore during a visit to Cairo, Egypt, in May 1992. She also chose to accessorize with an aqua wide-brimmed hat by Philip Somerville.
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