The Princess of Wales and Some of Her Most Frequently Repeated Ensembles

Last Friday, I was about to hit “publish” on this post when I saw the first references on social media to the Prince and Princess of Wales having a joint engagement in Southport, so that became the post I needed to publish. Now that we have a quieter week, it’s time to look at some of the more frequently worn items worn by the Princess of Wales. This is not meant to be a definitive, comprehensive list, but a sampling of styles and designs. 

We’ll begin with daywear and the Stella McCartney ‘Ridley’ dress, one of the most-repeated items worn by the Princess. We first saw the Duchess of Cambridge in the dress at the National Portrait Gallery in July 2012, shown here.

The Ridley is a sheath made in a viscose/acetate blend with a touch of elastane for stretch. Arguably, its most distinctive feature was the exposed darts, which are usually concealed on the inside of a garment. The Duchess next wore the dress in August 2012 to the men’s tennis final at the London Olympic Games, then in April 2014 when arriving in Canberra, in July 2014 at the Commonwealth Games, and at a July 2016 air show with Prince George and Prince William.

We saw the garment a sixth time during a June 2020 video call. 

Another daywear item we have seen repeated several times is an Alexander McQueen military-inspired look. It was first worn in 2011 for an engagement in Birmingham, then seen again in June 2014 for a visit to Bletchley Park, and again in May 2016 at an 1851 Trust engagement in Portsmouth. We saw the silk-georgette blouse with military-style frogging a fourth time when the Duchess visited the Imperial War Museum in November 2021. 

Blazers and trousers are often seen on repeat occasions. Below, the Larsson Double-Breasted Twill Blazer (still available in limited sizes at $125) by British retailer Reiss. The Princess first wore the blazer to visit RAF Brize Norton in September 2021 and again when meeting Ukrainian aid workers in April 2022. She brought it back a third time in April 2023 when visiting a baby bank in Windsor. 

Our next item is a style by Roksanda Ilincic, her ‘Peridot’ dress, a design showcasing multiple layers, pleats from the draped neckline to the waist, cap sleeves, and an exposed back zipper. The Peridot was first worn when the Duke and Duchess arrived in Los Angeles during the 2011 North American tour. We saw the dress again about a year later when the Duchess wore it for a July 2012 reception at the Royal Academy and then again in May 2016 for an event at the Anna Freud Centre. (The piece was described as being light blue-grey; ‘peridot’ is a style name; it does not reference a color.)

A deep teal or turquoise Emilia Wickstead dress was also seen on three occasions. The pleated wool crepe style featured a squared neckline and asymmetric hidden front closure, and it was first worn to a 2014 Palm Sunday service in Dunedin, New Zealand. The next time we saw the Duchess in the frock was at an Action on Addiction engagement in December 2015. The Duchess chose the piece for a third outing in November 2018 at a BBC engagement.

The Suzannah ‘Flippy Wiggle’ dress has been seen three times, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t make more appearances. It was first worn to Wimbledon in 2019, a silk crepe design with pintucks at the front yoke and waist, contrasting buttons, and half-length sleeves with a buttoned cuff.  The Duchess chose the piece for a second outing in August 2020 when at a Baby Basics engagement. It was worn a third time in June 2022 when the Duchess attended a memorial service marking the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Our next piece in this category is the grey tweed a-line Catherine Walker dress, a fit and flare design seen three different times. The design features a full skirt with pleats at the waistline, a self-belt, pleats at the cuff, velvet-covered buttons, and a velvet collar. The Duchess first wore the style in March 2019 for multiple engagements, followed by Holocaust Memorial Day engagements in January 2020. She repeated the design in February 2022 for an appearance with the then-Prince of Wales and the then-Duchess of Cornwall at the Prince’s Foundation training site at Trinity Buoy Wharf.

The Duchess of Cambridge chose a burgundy suit by French ready-to-wear label Paule Ka for several engagements. The skirt suit featured a fitted double-breasted jacket with shawl lapels and patch pockets and a multi-tiered skirt. The Duchess first wore the suit to an October 2012 event with Prince William. We next saw the ensemble in February 2017 for engagements in Wales. Its third appearance was at a November 2018 engagement at University College London.

One of the more notable ensembles with repeat wearings is a suit by Luisa Spagnoli. It was first seen at a pre-wedding visit to the University of Saint Andrews in February 2011.

Following the Saint Andrews engagement, the Duke, Ms. Middleton, and Prince Harry went to the New Zealand High Commission in London to sign a condolence book in memory of those lost in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. At the first engagement, the Princess wore the dress and matching jacket. At the New Zealand High Commission, it looked like the Duchess wore only the dress, topped by a coat.

The second time we saw Kate in the suit was during the 2014 tour in Christchurch and Canterbury, New Zealand. At this point, I believe the dress had been cut down into a skirt; there would not have been enough fabric to add the longer length you see in the photo on the right when the suit was worn a second time.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore the suit to the 2015 Buckingham Palace Christmas lunch when it was announced she was the new patron of the RAF Cadets. We saw the outfit a fourth time at a February 2017 Place2Be school event. Here, you see the suit as worn on all four occasions.

We now move to outerwear designs the Princess has repeated, starting with another reworked style. This is the Katherine Hooker Contrast Coat that was first worn to the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2006 and given a new look for a 2011 engagement at Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station in Anglesey, Wales.

Next, another relatively early design, the black watch coat by Alexander McQueen, which is a favorite for many of us. The bespoke navy and dark green design was first seen on St. Andrew’s Day in 2012, when the Duchess of Cambridge was visiting her old prep school, Saint Andrew’s, Pangbourne. The garment featured a fitted bodice, off-center front closure, and pleats in the skirt. Its second appearance was on Christmas Day 2013 for church services at Sandringham. Its most recent appearance was during a January 2019 visit to Dundee, Scotland. 

This item has been referred to as both a coat and a coatdress. Here, you can see the dress the Duchess was wearing beneath the garment on the Dundee trip, thus my references to it as a coat and not a coatdress.

A blue tweed Michael Kors coat has also been seen multiple times. The ‘indigo twill jacquard swing coat’ features a single-breasted design with notch lapels, angled front flap pockets, and a full skirt. It was first worn in 2014 for ANZAC Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Australia. The Duchess wore the style in May 2016 to open the Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace and then again for the March 2017 Service of Dedication and unveiling of the Iraq Afghanistan Memorial in London. Most recently, it was worn in May 2022 for the official opening of Manchester’s Glade of Light Memorial, honoring victims of the May 2017 terror attack at Manchester Arena.   

A vibrant Catherine Walker design in blue wool crepe has made multiple appearances. The fitted design included velvet lapels, self-covered buttons, flared cuffs, and a flared skirt. It was first noted at the annual Commonwealth Service in March of 2022. We saw the piece again on Easter Sunday, 2023, and at Scotland’s National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication in honor of King Charles III in May last year. 

Alexander McQueen’s Utility Coat Dress has been seen for multiple engagements. Made of wool crepe material, the coat features a pointed collar, concealed front placket, oversized front pockets, a self-belt, and pleats on the back. It was first worn in April 2014 when the Duke and Duchess visited the Blenheim War Memorial on New Zealand’s South Island, then seen again in June of that year for D-Day 70th anniversary events at Normandy. The piece made a third outing for the 75th Anniversary of the RAF Cadets in February 2016. It was brought back for the 2019 naming ceremony of the RSS Sir David Attenborough, a polar research vessel. 

These two photos from the Air Cadets event offer a look at the back pleats. 

The Sportmax Long Belted Coat has been chosen for multiple engagements. The tailored style is from the brand’s A/W 2015 collection, crafted of virgin wool, with wide notched lapels, angled flap pockets, and pick-stitching. The Duchess first wore the design for Christmas 2015 church services at Sandringham; again in February 2016 for first solo engagements in Scotland; again in January 2017 at Sandringham; in March 2019 for an away day in Blackpool, and again in March 2022 for St. David’s Day engagements in Wales.

The Erdem ‘Allie’ coat is another design meriting several appearances. The piece is made in a wool crepe fabric with multiple seams, top-stitching, and exposed zippers on the front and wrists. The Allie was first worn in New Zealand in April 2014, then in July 2014 for the start of the Tour de France race. The Duchess brought it back in March 2016 for an engagement at St. Thomas’ Hospital and then for an October 2021 Earthshot engagement at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Here you see some of the details.

Another design with multiple outings is the DAY Birger et Mikkelsen style first noted at the May 2006 wedding of Laura Parker Bowles and Harry Lopes. The piece was described in an eBay auction as being made of “brocade fabric with subtle gold paisley trimmed with a champagne colour net.” Kate Middleton was next seen in the coat at the 2010 wedding of Oliver Baker and Melissa Nicholson, an event for which I am unable to license any photos. The Duchess of Cambridge brought back the piece for the 2011 wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall and the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony. The last time we saw the coat was at a June 2016 garden party in Northern Ireland.

Multiple evening gowns have been repeated, including the much-loved blush pink Jenny Packham gown initially worn for the annual ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) dinner in 2011. The Duchess of Cambridge brought it back in June 2016 for a fundraising dinner supporting EACH (East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices). Another Jenny Packham gown, the striking teal design originally worn to the “Greatest Team Rising” gala in May 2012, made a second appearance at the November 2018 Tusk Awards.

Alexander McQueen designs have also been repeated. The gold and ivory evening gown for the Duchess of Cambridge’s first state dinner in Malaysia during the 2012 Jubilee tour lavender dress and again at the 2020 BAFTA Awards. On the right is the lavender dress that was first worn to the 2011 Los Angeles BAFTA gala and repeated at the 2021 EarthShot Awards.

Sometimes, modifications are made to a dress. The gold and ivory gown first worn in Malaysia was altered before its BAFTA appearance, with the creation of a more structured shoulder, the removal of some of the fabric in the sleeves, and the addition of a lining to the sleeves.

We have enjoyed great debates over the years when it comes to the topic of repeats and alterations. An item provoking perhaps the most discussion? An Alexander McQueen gown featuring a Lilies of the Valley print. The dress was first worn at the 2017 BAFTA Awards, and I ultimately came to believe it was repeated at a March 2019 National Portrait Gallery gala. (I think the bodice was re-engineered to accommodate the addition of sleeves, and the skirt volume was reduced by removing the original crinoline.)

An evening gown the Princess has repeated not once but twice: the dark teal Jenny Packham style with a vee-neckline front and back, wrapped bodice, and short sleeves that could be worn up, or off the shoulder. You see it worn in these photos (left to right) at a 100 Women in Hedge Funds dinner in 2013, a National Portrait Gallery February 2014 engagement, and a fundraising dinner in New York in December 2014.

This gives you a better view of how the Duchess styled the gown for the three different events. In 2013, she wore her hair down and accessorized with the deco-style bracelet and earrings believed to be a wedding gift from Prince Charles and a ring that I don’t believe has been identified. In February 2014, she wore the Queen’s Nizam of Hyderabad diamond necklace and the deco-style earrings. At the New York gala at the Met, the Duchess wore her hair up, all the better to show off a pair of glittering diamond and emerald earrings; she also wore a matching bracelet, pieces reported to be a private gift.

The Duchess also wore a Temperley London gown three times. We first saw the Temperley Amoret when the Duke and Duchess attended the London Premiere of War Horse in January 2012. The gown featured a deep vee neckline with black French lace atop a blush slip lining, and the sheer, bracelet-length sleeves were finished with scalloped eyelash lace. The Duchess wore the Amoret two more times: in November 2012 for a fundraising dinner and again in December 2013 for an engagement at the Natural History Museum.   

I am including one hat in the mix, the Fairy Tale style designed by Sylvia Fletcher for Lock and Company. Below, the Duchess wearing the style (from left to right): for Leicester engagements with HM and Prince Philip in March 2012; on St. Patrick’s Day with the Irish Guards in March 2013; on the way to church at Balmoral in September 2013; for Remembrance Sunday in November 2013; at the wedding of friends Lucy Meade and Charlie Budgett in May 2014; at Sandringham in December 2015; another Sandringham appearance in January 2016; and most recently, for engagements with the Queen in March 2019.

If there are items you’re thinking of with multiple wearings that you think merit inclusion, let me know!  Preferably things worn at least three times. There were loads of styles worn twice, but that would have taken forever to include and made a never-ending post. I didn’t incorporate shoes, handbags, or casual styles, as that quickly could become tedious reading. 

A couple of notes related to retailers that are part of this post, the first about Paule Ka. This is what you now see when visiting the company’s website.

We learn more from an online story by the French news network BFMTV. 

The affordable luxury brand Paule Ka, owned by businessman Thierry Le Guénic and employing around forty people, was liquidated by the Paris commercial court in mid-July, AFP learned from a close source, confirming information from the specialist website Fashion Network.

It looks like Katherine Hooker is also undergoing some changes. The brand focused on sustainably made goods created with heritage fabrics, with designs made by hand in its London workshop. The Princess of Wales wore several designs by the brand, as did her mother, Carole Middleton, and her sister, Pippa Matthews. Below, Kate Middleton at Cheltenham in 2006 wearing the Contrast Coat, in the label’s Alexander Jacket at Cheltenham in 2007, wearing a tweed suit by the label, also at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival. Next, the Duchess of Cambridge wearing the raw silk Buxton Coat at Order of the Garter in 2011 (a style initially seen at the 2012 wedding of Prince William’s cousin, Emily McCorquodale), and in Katherine Hooker’s ‘Ascot’ dress when attending a 2014 EACH engagement.   

Here is a message on the Katherine Hooker website. It reads, “As the iconic Katherine Hooker brand concludes this chapter in its illustrious journey after twenty years, we celebrate its remarkable story so far.”

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