Kate Middleton's Best Wimbledon Looks
Ever since she and Prince William tied the knot in 2011, Princess Catherine has been something of a fashion trailblazer within the royal family. Known for mixing high street brands with designer pieces and frequently rewearing outfits, the princess has made royal fashion accessible. Over the years, Catherine's style has evolved — as a young newcomer to the family, she was known for her fun, youthful looks. More recently, she has begun to showcase a more mature aesthetic. As royal fashion expert Miranda Holder told the Express, "It's been proven time and time again that the Princess Catherine effect and the influence that she has on the fashion industry is a royal phenomenon like no other we have seen before."
While Catherine attends a number of events every year, the Wimbledon tennis tournament has become one of the most anticipated events on her fashion calendar — the princess attends almost every match and manages to look flawless each and every time. She also has been known to trot out some of her old favorite threads at the event, giving them a new, summery spin. Let's take a look back at some of Catherine's best Wimbledon looks over the years.
In 2011, Catherine donned an elegant Temperley London dress
Catherine, Princess of Wales' first Wimbledon outing as a member of the royal family came in 2011. While watching Andy Murray from the royal box, she wore a tiered white knee-length dress by Alice Temperley, known as the Moriah Dress. According to Hello!, the dress was worth £795 (around $990). As PopSugar noted, the princess paired the dress with a gold bracelet that Camilla, Queen Consort, gifted her on her wedding day.
As the dress's designer Alice Temperley told Reuters at the time, she was thrilled to be dressing the young royal. "I think she's brilliant, she's brilliant for England," the designer said. "Perfect, perfect future Queen, she's elegant, she knows how to hold herself."
Naturally, as soon as Catherine wore the Temperley dress, it quickly sold out online. "We're proud to say that Kate Middleton has been reported in the Daily Mail, Grazia and OK Magazine wearing the Temperley Moriah Dress at Wimbledon," the cSee retailer website wrote at the time (via SheKnows). "Unfortunately we've now sold out of the Moriah Dress but we have plenty of other Temperley London pieces in, so be sure to get them now before they disappear." Clearly, the Catherine effect was already in full swing.
Catherine sailed in 2012 with a sailor-inspired dress
The following year, Princess Catherine once again donned a classic all-white outfit for Wimbledon during another Andy Murray match. This time, she opted for a cable knit dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The dress featured sailor-inspired touches like a nautical bib tie neckline and blue details on the sleeves. According to the Daily Mail, the dress was worth £1,100 (around $1,370) and was part of the designer's 2006 collection. Catherine had previously worn the dress during her 2011 trip to Canada. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker had also famously worn a navy version of the dress on the catwalk in 2006. Catherine paired the dress with a navy quilted clutch by Jaeger, navy heels by L.K. Bennett, and a pair of diamond drop earrings.
We love this simple nautical look — after all, with its cream color, drop waist, and floaty knee-length skirt, it's the perfect reference to classic Wimbledon fashion. Catherine almost looked ready to grab a racket and step onto court herself.
Catherine opted for a white Zimmerman dress in 2014
In 2013, Catherine, Princess of Wales, missed Wimbledon because she was about to give birth to her first child. "I was very heavily pregnant with George so I wasn't able to turn up," Catherine said in the BBC documentary "Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon" (via Maria Claire). "I wrote to Andy Murray afterwards saying sorry for not being there, but huge congratulations." The following year, the royal tennis fan was back in the royal box — and, unsurprisingly, she looked just as fashionable as ever.
She continued her trend of wearing white to the tennis tournament, choosing a white midi dress with a lace Broderie Anglaise pattern by the designer Zimmerman. According to the Daily Mail, the dress was worth £274 (around $340) and had previously had an outing during the princess' tour around Australia. The elegant dress had elbow-length sleeves, a high round neckline, and a slightly flared skirt. She paired the dress with a summery straw clutch and a red shawl.
In 2014, Catherine wore a rare splash of color
2014 was one of the first years that Princess Catherine broke with her all-white Wimbledon tradition. Instead, she opted for a brightly colored blue and green dress with a geometric weave print by Jonathan Saunders while watching Novak Djokovic take on Roger Federer in the final match of the tournament. The knee-length "Evelyn" dress featured short sleeves, a long, straight skirt, and a simple bow waist tie. The princess paired the dress with a beige clutch, drop earrings, and oversized sunglasses. According to the Daily Mail, the princess' dress had previously been spotted during her 2012 trip to the Solomon Islands. As noted by Regal File, the dress was first launched in the pre-fall 2012 collection and is described by the label as a "retro-inspired style."
It's lovely to see the princess finally embracing some color at the famous tennis tournament — and based on her future looks, she never really looked back.
In 2015, she wore a bold red L.K. Bennett dress
In 2015, Catherine, Princess of Wales, opted for a bold color once again when she sported a bright red dress to Wimbledon. The bold midi dress by L.K. Bennett featured elbow-length sleeves, a slightly flared skirt, a gently cinched waist, and a round high neckline. She also wore nude heels, a pair of Mirabelle earrings, and a bold leopard print clutch by Diane Von Furstenberg. The dress was reportedly worth £250 (around $310) and is known as the "Cayla" dress. As Hello! reported, Catherine also debuted a fresh layered hair style along for the occasion. According to the Daily Mail, Catherine later re-wore the dress in 2020 while taking part in a Zoom call with war veterans in honor of VE Day.
Catherine definitely made this primary color look work — and while she wasn't in her classic Wimbledon whites, the bold red look certainly made for a welcome contrast.
In 2016, Catherine's Wimbledon look brought the sunshine
In 2016, Catherine, Princess of Wales, once again opted to steer clear of all-white and picked another bold primary color — this time she went for an ultra bright canary yellow (or, one could say, tennis ball yellow). The knee-length dress by Australian designer Roksanda featured a square neckline and subtle white color blocking on the left side of the skirt and under the arm, making for a slightly unusual, but totally modern look. She also wore a pair of nude heels by Rupert Sanderson and a pair of pearl drop earrings.
This wasn't the first time Catherine had worn the striking dress. She had previously been seen in the dress in 2014, while visiting the Sydney Opera House during a royal tour of Australia. Catherine also donned the dress in 2020 during a video message thanking Australian first responders for their work during the pandemic.
In 2016, Catherine also wore a quirky McQueen dress
In one of her most unusual Wimbledon looks, Catherine, Princess of Wales, opted for the unique Alexander McQueen Talisman dress from Sarah Burton's Obsession collection. The white dress featured short sleeves, a high neck, and a floaty midi skirt. However, what made the dress so unique was its print, which featured a collection of various items, including a butterfly, lipstick, a hummingbird, jewels, and even the famous McQueen skull. She paired the dynamic dress with an L.K. Bennett square clutch and a pair of gold drop earrings.
According to Regal File, the dress was originally worth $2,995 and the pattern was inspired by "precious artefacts gathered by an obsessive female collector" and featured "intricate prints and embroideries sit alongside 1940s-inspired accessories." A different version of the Obsession dress was spotted on presenter Norah O'Donnell on "CBS This Morning." McQueen also released several other items that featured the bold print as part of their collection.
In 2017, Catherine went for a fun polka dot dress
For the 2017 Wimbledon tournament, Princess Catherine made a change by veering away from block colors and opting for a black and white polka dot dress by Dolce & Gabbana. The dramatic dress had three-quarter length sleeves, a knee-length voluminous skirt, and a soft square neckline. With its bold large polka dot print, it was certainly an eye-catching number.
According to People, the princess also carried a white tote bag by Victoria Beckham and black strappy heeled sandals. As The Court Jeweller reported, she also wore round pearl and gold studs by Oscar de la Renta and a pair of sunglasses to complete the ensemble. The event also marked a new collarbone-length haircut for the princess, who wore her freshly trimmed locks down and curled.
During the match, Catherine was spotted chatting with "Mamma Mia!" actor Dominic Cooper, who was sitting directly behind her in the royal box.
Catherine also went with a floral print in 2017
In 2017, Catherine, Princess of Wales, wore a stunning dress to Wimbledon. The white mini dress by Catherine Walker had capped sleeves and a flared skirt with a beautiful meadow-like print that gave the impression of red, blue and yellow flowers growing up from the hemline. As Regal File noted the dress is called the "Fleurs Sauvages" dress. Catherine Walker also sells a silk scarf featuring the same print.
As Yahoo! reported, the princess also wore Bulgari sunglasses and carried her white Victoria Beckham bag. She also sported Cassandra Goad gold earrings. During the match, Catherine was seen mingling with actors Eddie Redmayne and Bradley Cooper. Catherine's family was also in attendance at the tournament.
We love this summery dress — not only does it feature the famous Wimbledon white, it also has the unique floral print that suggests a summertime meadow. We can't think of a more perfect outfit for a grass court tennis competition.
In 2018, Catherine opted for a very literal tennis ball dress
In 2018, Princess Catherine took her penchant for literal fashion up a notch when she wore this very on-the-nose tennis ball dress to the Wimbledon tennis tournament The knee-length dress with capped sleeves was a bespoke design by Jenny Packham. The dress had a straight skirt, a gathered waist with ruching on one side, and, most notably a black and white tennis ball print. Catherine also brought a beige tote bag by Dolce and Gabbana and wore a pair of pearl drop earrings and nude heels.
As the Express noted, the dress was quite a contrast to Meghan Markle's outfit. Meghan was attending the tournament for the first time and she chose to wear a far more casual, modern outfit, with long white wide-legged trousers and a blue and white striped shirt.
As commentators Josh Duboff and Julie Miller noted in Vanity Fair's "In the Limelight" podcast, the pair almost looked like they were "attending different events." "Kate looked like she was just opening another hospital or celebrating another bridge," Miller said. "Yes, I think that's so true... I was like, 'Whoa, this is jarring,'" Duboff added.
In 2019, Catherine wore a chic white dress by Suzannah
In 2019, Princess Catherine wore a gorgeous all-white dress that reminded us of her early years at the tennis tournament. The shirt-style dress featured slightly puffed sleeves, a row of black buttons, and a floaty skirt. Catherine also added a black belt by Alexander McQueen at the waist. As British Vogue noted, the dress was a custom design by Suzannah, a British label. The dress, known as the "Flippy Wiggle" dress, is made from pure Italian crepe silk and can still be purchased on the Suzannah website and sells for £2,790 (around $3,500). "The original inspiration derives from a late 1940's Wiggle Dress, which we have re-cut to have it skim over the bodice with a fluid gentle soft movement throughout the skirt, from the hips to the hemline," reads the description.
Catherine paired the dress with gold hoop earrings by Catherine Zoraida, oversized Ray-Ban shades, and a pair of simple black heels.
In 2021, Catherine's green Emilia Wickstead dress dazzled
In 2021, Princess Catherine once again introduced a splash of color into her Wimbledon wardrobe with this gorgeous bright green Emilia Wickstead dress. The royal wore this dress while watching the women's final and she even stepped out onto the court at the end of the match to pass out the trophies. The cloque dress featured capped sleeves, a high neck, a fitted waist, and a dramatic midi-length flared skirt. According to the Daily Mail, the dress was worth £1,380 (around $1,720). According to Woman & Home, the dress sold out online just one day after the Wimbledon final. The princess paired the bold look with a pair of white heels by Jimmy Choo, her pair of black Ray-Ban sunglasses, a white handbag, and a blue printed face mask in keeping with COVID protocol.
We love this bold homage to the grass courts of Wimbledon — here's hoping Catherine continues to wear green during her yearly visit to the tournament.
In 2022, Catherine revisited a bright blue dress by Alessandra Rich
At the 2022 Wimbledon tournament, Princess Catherine recycled a stunning blue and white polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich. She had previously sported the dress earlier that same month when she visited some local Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London.
The blue and white dress, which the princess wore to watch the Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner semi-final, featured a round neckline, three-quarter length sleeves, a pleated bodice, a matching belted waist, and a pleated skirt. As the Independent noted, it was originally sold for £1,515 (around $1,900). Catherine paired the bright dress with a white handbag, pearl drop earrings, and Finlay sunglasses. She also wore a pair of black and white Mary Jane-style suede and leather heels by Alessandra Rich.
As Royal Insider pointed out, Catherine didn't just make headlines for her striking look — she also thrilled fans when she blew her parents a kiss as they arrived at the Royal Box.
In 2022, Catherine wore Alessandra Rich polka dots again
During the same Wimbledon tournament, Catherine, Princess of Wales, once again went for a spotty look with yet another Alessandra Rich dress. This midi silk dress featured a v-neck, puffed sleeves, and a navy and white polka dot print. Catherine also wore a pair of beige and white heels and diamond jewellery.
Some experts believed that the dress was inspired by '80s fashion, thanks to its retro silhouette and print. As celebrity stylist Rachel Gold told the Daily Mail, 1980s style was definitely back en vogue. "The Queen plus Lady Diana have been seen wearing polka dots on occasions," she said. "I am sure The Duchess of Cambridge, like all of us enjoys wearing them because they are a total classic yet still fun like her."
Sadly, not everyone was a fan of Catherine's 2022 Wimbledon look because of its 1980s vibe. In fact, hosts of the "Podcast Royal" spoke up about Prince William's other half's fashion at the event. "It kind of makes me wonder how much say Kate has in her wardrobe," said one host who wasn't sold on the polka dot trend. "I'm just not sure what this recent polka dots, 1980s silhouette vibe... why!" added another host. You can't win 'em all.