How Kate Middleton's Style Changed Before Prince William Proposed
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Kate Middleton has royally embraced several fashion trends over the years, to the extent that, nowadays, Hollywood celebrities and fellow royals alike take their fashion cues from Princess Catherine. Of course, Kate Middleton's style has changed significantly since she entered the spotlight in 2004 as Prince William's girlfriend. If you're wondering how the ultra chic royal looks in jeans, well, there are tons of old photos where she's wearing them — paired with spaghetti strap tank tops, no less. It's hard to imagine Catherine ever dressed this way, given her current classy and always at least semi-formal style. But, as it turns out, Catherine started dressing the part of the future queen when she suspected William might propose to her at some point.
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The commoner's attendance at his passing out parade in 2006 had tongues wagging that the couple was really serious about each other. It was around this time that the future royal traded in her laidback, casual style for more formal attire like pantsuits, smart dresses, and blazers. "Her clothing almost began to reflect what people saw in her character, a kind of restraint, kind of modesty almost," royal author Tom Quinn explained in the documentary "William & Kate: Too Good To Be True," (via The Mirror).
He added, "It was Kate starting to behave in ways which would be seen more appropriate for a future queen." While Catherine's style started resembling that of a royal as early as 2006, William didn't propose until 2010. The long wait had the tabloids talking, with Katie Nicholl revealing in her book, "The Making of a Royal Romance," that William hesitated to propose because he had commitment issues, thanks to his parents' messy divorce. William also wanted Catherine to be sure she was ready for royal life.
Princess Catherine's style has continued to evolve as she prepares to become queen
Queen Elizabeth II's heartbreaking death in 2022 irrevocably changed the royal family, and, as it turns out, their style. While Kate Middleton hasn't exactly undergone a wardrobe overhaul, there have been some subtle but still noticeable changes to her attire since she became the Princess of Wales. For one, she doesn't sport her once signature floral dresses so frequently anymore, opting instead for pantsuits that she styles differently depending on the occasion. Another notable change is the pop of color Kate Middleton has been adding to her outfits, which makes her more visible in a crowd while she's conducting public engagements. Additionally, she's upped her jewelry game, gradually sporting more eye-catching pieces. She's also been wearing more extravagant hats — a staple for The Firm.
Catherine certainly has an expansive personal wardrobe, but she's also been spotted re-wearing many of her past outfits over the years — something that is very in line with King Charles III's firmly eco-conscious approach. "I'm one of those people who hate throwing anything away. Hence, I'd rather have them maintained, even patched if necessary, than to abandon them," the king proudly told British Vogue in 2020. Catherine seems to be taking this to heart. She was spotted wearing a familiar light green gown at the 2026 BAFTAs, and the royal fashion police, of course, immediately recognized it as the same one the princess wore to a gala dinner in 2019. Catherine doesn't only re-wear clothes, she also sometimes rents dresses, like the Solace London dress she wore to the Earthshot Prize Awards in 2022.