Hidden Meanings: Kate Middleton Outfits That Meant More Than You Realized

Catherine, Princess of Wales has stepped out in numerous gorgeous, elegant, and show-stopping outfits through the years, cementing her status as a royal fashion icon. But what separates Kate Middleton from other style stars is that she dresses with purpose consistently, using her fashion choices to pay tribute to an important figure or group, support a cause, send a message, or show solidarity. She hasn't always had success with this. For example, her attempt at honoring the Solomon Islands with her dress during a 2012 visit went horribly wrong and later became one of her most inappropriate outfits ever. But after more than a decade as a member of the British royal family, Kate has clearly mastered subtle sartorial messaging.

It could be as simple as donning an outfit by a designer who hails from the country she's touring or wearing a meaningful accessory to an important event as a way to pay homage. This was the hidden message behind Kate's decision to wear a brooch once owned by Queen Elizabeth II to the late monarch's coffin procession in September 2022. Even the colors of Kate's ensembles can hold a special meaning. For instance, the Princess of Wales might have subtly shown her strong bond with and expressed her love for her husband William and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, when she chose to wear blue — a color associated with the Wales family — for a 2024 video announcing that she is cancer-free. 

From her Trooping the Colour 2025 look to her many fashion tributes to Princess Diana, here are Kate Middleton's outfits that meant more than you realized. 

If there's a group of people we don't expect to be outfit repeaters, it's probably princesses, especially those with access to the kind of wealth and connections the British royal family has. However, Catherine, Princess of Wales has not only been a proud and consistent outfit repeater, she's also made it cool. But while she's been recycling clothes, shoes, and accessories since marrying William, Prince of Wales in 2011, some critics, such as fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, previously claimed that her efforts were far from enough. "It would be great if she wore the same clothes over and [over] again because that's very good for the environment and it would send out a very nice message," Westwood said in 2013, per USA Today. "If you're going to all that trouble to get an outfit that suits you, then you should keep on wearing it."

Perhaps Kate thought that re-wearing one of her old outfits wouldn't make a huge enough splash, as she decided to rent a green gown for the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards, which was launched by her husband William to recognize innovators who tackle environmental issues with practical solutions. Both the color of the one-shoulder dress and the fact that it was rented from a U.K.-based online platform for renting and buying preloved designer clothing highlighted Kate's commitment to her and William's environmental advocacy efforts. While Kate could have easily grabbed an old gown from her closet since the dress code for the ceremony only required no newly bought outfits, her move to attend the event in a rented gown presented another environmentally friendly option for those who aim to reduce their carbon footprint but still want to step out in something fresh and different.

Trooping the Colour is one of the most important events in the British royal family's calendar, so it's no surprise that their outfits for this occasion receive more attention than usual. For King Charles III's birthday parade in June 2025, Catherine, Princess of Wales rocked a stunning teal-and-white coat dress and accessorized with a fascinator of the same color and an Irish Guards Regiment Brooch. With her brooch and the color of her outfit, Kate Middleton presented nods to her role as honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, a position she took over from her husband William, Prince of Wales in 2022. The Irish Guards, who take part in the celebration of the British monarch's official birthday every year alongside the other regiments of the Household Division, notably have plumes in their bearskin caps that match Kate's ensemble.

Aside from showing support for the Irish Guards, the royal also paid homage to the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana by wearing the late monarch's Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings and referencing a turquoise-and-white jacket and skirt set her mother-in-law donned for a visit to the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt, in 1992. In addition, Kate's look might have also contained symbolism about her own personal journey. Body language expert Darren Stanton suggested that the white color of the Princess of Wales' outfit denoted her state of mind in her first Trooping the Colour since finishing chemotherapy and being declared in remission from cancer. "It is the color of tranquility, of protection, it denotes healing. The white that's included in her outfit is a significant color. It's, again, tranquility and peace, cleanliness and neutrality," Stanton told Marie Claire.

International royal tours serve not only as a way for the British royal family to strengthen bonds between the U.K. and other nations but also as a platform for the senior royals to flex their diplomatic dressing skills. Among those who mastered this skill was Queen Elizabeth II, who frequently used her clothing and accessories to show respect for host countries. "[Queen Elizabeth] was the ultimate fashion diplomat. She really started the whole movement of diplomatic dressing, and she was utterly selfless," royal style expert Miranda Holder told Wales Online. "The queen always showed upmost respect to people around her, wearing the national colors whenever she visited another country or perhaps national emblems or symbols... She wanted everyone around her to feel comfortable."

Catherine, Princess of Wales clearly took fashion diplomacy lessons from her grandmother-in-law as she's been giving masterclasses on the subject. One notable example was Kate Middleton's carefully curated wardrobe for her and William, Prince of Wales' 2017 tour of Germany, where she stepped out in multiple outfits that paid sartorial tribute to the nation. On Day 2 of the visit, she donned a coat dress (above left) in a shade of blue known as Berlin blue, Prussian blue or cornflower blue — a color that originated in Germany's capital and was used for the former uniforms of the Prussian army and German military. It was also a subtle nod to the country's national flower, the cornflower. Kate also chose a dress with a special meaning when she attended a reception with Prince William, rocking a sleeveless green Markus Lupfer dress (above right). Aside from showing solidarity by wearing a U.K.-based, German-born designer, her dress print featured eagles, Germany's national bird.

Catherine, Princess of Wales might never have met Princess Diana, but she's made sure to honor her late mother-in-law through her style choices since becoming part of the royal family. Kate Middleton's accessories often included subtle tributes to the late royal, such as the breathtaking pearl-and-diamond earrings from Diana's collection that she wore to King Charles III's coronation ceremony in 2023. Kate also honored Diana when she and her husband William, Prince of Wales visited Boston, Massachusetts, in 2022 by rocking sapphire earrings previously owned and repeatedly worn by her mother-in-law.

Aside from jewelry, Kate channeled Diana's iconic style plenty of times over the years. Following her eldest son Prince George's birth in 2013, she stepped out of the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital sporting a blue polka dot dress that seemingly referenced the white-and-green polka dot frock Diana donned after giving birth to William in 1982. Kate repeated this move five years later when she and William welcomed their youngest child Prince Louis, leaving the hospital in a red dress with a white Peter Pan collar in a nod to Diana's almost identical outfit when she presented her second son Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex to the public in 1984.

The tributes have continued since then, with Kate attending a VE (Victory in Europe) Day service in London in May 2025 wearing yet another Diana-esque outfit. Kate's black-and-white polka dot dress (above right) was reminiscent of the late princess' outfit for the 1988 Royal Ascot (above left), though the former styled her ensemble with a brown purse and heels while Diana kept her look monochromatic. Kate completed her look with yet another homage: Collingwood teardrop earrings that Diana received as a gift.

The British royals, especially the women of the family, have produced plenty of amazing royal fashion statements with hidden messages, but perhaps one of the most meaningful was Catherine, Princess of Wales' look for a World Mental Health Day event in the U.K. in October 2023. Alongside William, Prince of Wales, Kate Middleton hosted a mental health forum sporting a black top, black pants, and a yellow blazer. She might have chosen yellow, a color associated with happiness and positivity, not only to bring warmth and cheer to the young people they met but also to show her support for the charity Young Minds' "Hello Yellow" campaign. The initiative asks people to "wear yellow this World Mental Health Day to raise vital funds and show children and young people they're not alone with their mental health," according to the organization's website.

Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay and a reminder to prioritise our mental wellbeing 🧠

It's always so insightful listening to young people share their experiences, and today's event 'Exploring our #EmotionalWorlds' has been full of important conversations. pic.twitter.com/g9txbkg5Nb

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 10, 2023

Kate also weaved another message of support for mental well-being into her look through her accessories. She honored a young girl named Issy, who died by suicide earlier that year after battling depression, by wearing the Issy Star earrings. The creation of Issy's jewelry designer cousin, Issy's mother Sarah Renton gave Kate the star-shaped gold hoops during the royal's visit to the Maidenhead Rugby Club in June 2025 to discuss her campaign to highlight the importance of children's early development. "My daughter Issy took her own life," Renton said at the time, per Town & Country. "The proceeds from the earrings are going to a charity called Brave Minds, a mental health charity that supports children using the platforms of rugby clubs. Mental health is such an important issue."