Kate Middleton Outfits That Completely Missed The Mark In 2025
After an incredibly harrowing 2024, during which Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed her cancer diagnosis, Kate Middleton has been out and about, proving that even a medical emergency can't slow her down. As she has been taking back over her royal duties, the future queen has been styling many looks for the paparazzi. It's no secret that the princess loves to dabble in the world of fashion. Kate has a history of daring looks that have pushed back against the strict rules and traditions of the royal family; however, with such advantageous approaches to style and the hard line of dos and don'ts of her climbing status within the British monarchy, Kate hit a bit of a wall with her fashion in 2025.
All the fun and uniqueness have been out the closet door with her maturing role as a mother and future queen, and rushed into her wardrobe have been dowdy looks and boring styles. The gorgeous Princess of Wales has fallen victim to the stuffy and utterly dull fashion of the family, stepping out in some of the most uninteresting looks that have totally missed the mark.
The Princess of Wales' Wimbledon blue made for a frumpy fit
Attending the 2025 women's finals at Wimbledon in July, Catherine, Princess of Wales, arrived with her daughter, Princess Charlotte of Wales, in tow. Taking up her royal role, the princess stepped down onto the tennis court to award the trophy to Jannik Sinner.
Kate donned a boring dress that failed to have any interest outside of its bold electric blue color and awkwardly placed bow. Given the summer month, the length of the dress read all wrong (especially since Kate normally isn't afraid to show a little leg). The matronly look was only made worse by an oversized straw hat the princess pulled out later.
The princess' welcoming set was too dowdy
To welcome the French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, in July, Catherine, Princess of Wales, awaited them in a blush pink tailored blazer and tulle midi-skirt with a matching blush hat. This look marked the first time that Kate wore Christian Dior, and boy, did it miss the mark.
The outfit may have been a nod to the French designer, given the French president's arrival. However, the color looked musty and far too pale for the fair-skinned princess, which certainly aided the already frumpy aesthetic the look put forward.
This garden party dress was a tired look for the royal
Dressed for the Buckingham Palace Garden Party in May, Catherine, Princess of Wales, showed that she still has the finger on the fashion pulse, donning the trending butter-yellow color in a midi wrap dress. However, the color was all the look had going for the princess.
The thick wrap around the bodice was nearly distracting in its awkward cross look, especially with the pinches of fabric that attempt to add shape to the top. The heavily tailored piece resembled many of the other articles in the princess' closet, making it tired, boring, and rather drab for a garden party.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, looked too much like a Christmas present for Mass
This bold red look from Catherine, Princess of Wales, was from March for the celebration of Commonwealth Day. The princess wore the Christmasy outfit for mass at Westminster Abbey and looked just like a holiday present with a strange large bow at the collar.
The pointed shoulders of the jacket created an almost Disney villain silhouette for Kate, which only added to the comic-like look with its vibrant color, oversized details, and matchy-matchy appearance. And, on a day meant to celebrate the people and many regions of the commonwealth, Kate's decision to dress so lavishly seemed a little tacky.
Princess Catherine's sailor look totally blew it
In May, Catherine, Princess of Wales, arrived at a harbor in Scotland to smash some whisky on a newly built ship (as is the tradition for new ships). Her outfit was a clear nod to the retro sailor look with its navy coloring and white details, but, like the rigid rules of the royal family, the dress lacked any modernity.
The outfit lacked any originality or real style, mirroring many of the same looks we've seen Kate in for years now. It was an overall bland look, which marked yet another dull moment in her 2025 closet that missed the mark.
Her cartoonish blue set for the king's birthday
William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales, stepped out onto the palace balcony during Trooping the Colour with their three children in June. The princess donned a bright, bold robin's egg blue set with white details and a matching hat.
The loud color was surely a statement, but maybe not one that Kate should have made. Its bright hue made the princess look cartoonish, especially with the bizarre and confusing collar. While the outfit screamed in color, its stiff collar and singular lapel made Kate's fashion choices downright questionable.
A busy print made Catherine, Princess of Wales, miss the mark
On a visit to Tŷ Hafan, a children's hospital in Wales, in January, Catherine, Princess of Wales, failed to keep a toned-down look in a gray plaid dress. Featuring billowing sleeves, a pleated skirt, and a large tie neck, the piece was so busy that it was almost painful to look at.
This crazy plaid moment was only made worse by the lack of a visual break from the intense print. The fabric was used on the belt, on the cuffs, and on the large bow of the tie neck; it was all too much. And, with such a boring cut of the piece, the pattern did little to flaunt the princess' figure.