Kate Middleton's Coronation Fashion Choices Sent A Powerful Message, According To An Expert

Ever since Catherine, Princess of Wales, started dating William, Prince of Wales, back when the two were at the University of St. Andrews together, people have paid attention to what she was wearing. The two were friends before they started dating, and it was, reportedly, Kate's turn on the catwalk that really caught Prince William's attention. She wore a see-through dress for a charity fashion show, Prince William was in the front row, and the rest is history (per Vanity Fair).

She has come a long way since her time at university — Kate's transformation has truly been stunning. She's no longer wearing sheer dresses; she's definitely dressing as befits her role as future queen. One of her biggest style moments was on her wedding day; her ivory and lace long-sleeved dress was designed by Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton. Alexander McQueen has been a go-to designer for Kate, as the ivory embroidered gown that Kate wore for the coronation was by Alexander McQueen as well, and her daughter Princess Charlotte matched Kate at the coronation in her own custom McQueen dress. For one body language expert, Kate's fashion choices over the coronation weekend point to a power move for the princess.

Catherine, Princess of Wales arrived for the coronation of King Charles III wearing a floor-length gown by Alexander McQueen topped with the Mantle of the Royal Victorian Order. The robes were a striking red and blue, and body language expert Darren Stanton told Express that the colors "denote confidence and power." Kate wore the same bright colors in the lead-up to the coronation itself. First, she donned a cobalt blue dress for a reception at Buckingham Palace. Then she wore a bright red coat to visit a London pub before the coronation and a red asymmetrical wrap blazer and matching pants by McQueen to the coronation concert.

The choice of such vibrant colors for the coronation weekend is a change from the more muted tones that Kate has often worn at public royal events. "Kate chooses softer colors to take more of a backseat role and shy away from the spotlight to let others shine," Stanton explained.

It seems like Catherine, Princess of Wales is becoming more and more comfortable making a statement with her fashion choices. Instead of wearing a tiara to the coronation as many thought she might, Kate wore a striking modern headpiece, which paid special tribute to Queen Elizabeth and that matched her bespoke coronation gown — clearly she's not afraid to think outside the box. She's been wearing a number of eye-catching outfits in 2023. Kate went for a monochromatic look at the BAFTAs with a one-shoulder white gown by Alexander McQueen, and she paired it with glamorous black velvet opera gloves. And she wore a bright blue outfit complete with a matching hat for Easter where what stood out the most was her bright red nail polish — typically royal women have foregone colored polish, as Queen Elizabeth reportedly didn't like it.

But Kate also knows when to tone things down when she needs to, like when she attended the wedding of Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa. She wore a pale pink, long-sleeve, high-neck maxi dress by Elie Saab that was beautiful but didn't make her stand out. Here's to seeing Kate keep showcasing her confidence in fabulous outfits — we can't get enough of her style!