Since marrying into the British royal family in 2011, Princess Kate has become one of the monarchy’s most glamorous figures, winning praise from both the fashion press and social media fans alike.
Over the course of her 13-year royal career, the Duchess of Cambridge has attended a wide variety of high-profile public events but none so far have matched the importance—or style anticipation—of the coronation of her father-in-law, King Charles III.
Charles and Queen Camilla were crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. In attendance were Prince William, Kate and their three children, in addition to extended members of the British and world royal families, political leaders from around the globe, and representatives of communities around the commonwealth.
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Though inevitable attention was paid to the robes, dress and jewelry worn by both the king and queen, eyes naturally turned to see the outfit chosen by Kate—who, as Princess of Wales, is the most senior woman in Britain behind Queen Camilla.
In addition to the coronation service, Kate faced a number of style challenges for the events staged around it in a weekend of festivities which included a luncheon for Commonwealth heads of government, a drinks reception for world leaders and monarchs, and a pop concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Here, Newsweek takes a look at how Kate mastered the art of coronation style as Britain prepares to mark the one year anniversary of the historic event.
Commonwealth Luncheon
Leaders of the Commonwealth realms and nations who were invited to London to attend the coronation were hosted at a lunch at Buckingham Palace the day before the service, which was also attended by Charles, Camilla and members of the royal family.
For the occasion, Kate wore a white dress with black piping and belt which has since been attributed to one of her favorite designers, Jenny Packham. Kate also owns the dress in an all-black colorway.
To accessorize, the princess wore a pair of diamond and pearl earrings that had formerly belonged to Queen Elizabeth II, and a pair of black Aquazzura high-heeled pumps.
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World Leaders Reception
Later that day, on the eve of the coronation, Kate wore an electric-blue 1980s-inspired dress from the brand Self-Portrait to a reception for world leaders and foreign monarchs at Buckingham Palace.
The princess was photographed greeting Europe’s kings and queens wearing her hair in soft Hollywood waves and again accessorized with a pair of heritage earrings.
The diamond and sapphire chandelier earrings had formerly belonged to King Charles’ grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
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Coronation Service
For the coronation service itself, Kate pulled off what is perhaps her most regal outfit to date.
The princess appeared at the doors of Westminster Abbey wearing an elegant white long-sleeved gown with silver embroidery representing the floral emblems of England (roses), Northern Ireland (shamrocks), Scotland (thistles) and Wales (daffodils).
The dress was made by her most trusted fashion designer, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, and to accessorize she wore a crystal leaf headdress arranged in the style of a tiara, made by milliner Jess Collett.
Over the dress, Kate wore her robes as a member of the Royal Victorian Order, an honor that was given to her by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019.
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Community Lunch
The following day, Kate and William attended a coronation “Big Lunch” community event in Windsor.
The princess wore a relaxed outfit of simple black pants paired with sneakers, a plain white shirt and soft tailored blue blazer from the brand Reiss.
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Coronation Concert
For the coronation concert held in the grounds of Windsor Castle the day after the historic ceremony, Kate made a striking appearance in a vivid red Alexander McQueen pantsuit and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry.
The jewel-tone outfit helped the princess stand out in the royal box as she watched performances from Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, as well as a speech made by her husband, William.
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Big Help Out
The final day of the coronation weekend was marked with a national round of community events in Britain, given the nickname the “Big Help Out.”
William and Kate joined in by volunteering with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, at a local Scout hut near Windsor which was being renovated.
The family also took part in organized games and activities.
For the occasion, Kate looked chic in a cornflower-blue blouse from the British brand Really Wild, paired with skinny jeans and Chelsea boots.
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James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek‘s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
