Even royals can't let go of a cherished outfit. Here are our favorite royals' favorite looks.
Kate Middleton is no stranger to repeatedly wearing various items from her closets. For
the 2021 Earthshot Prize Awards held in London, the Princess of Wales chose to
pull out a previously worn Alexander McQueen Grecian-style dress in an eye-catching lavender
color. As stated by the outlet, Middleton initially wore the gown to a July 2011
BAFTA event in Los Angeles shortly after she got married to her husband, Prince William.
However, for its reappearance ten years later, the Princess of Wales chose to switch things
up by adding a glittery gold belt to the dress. The dress was clearly appropriate for the venue,
as the environmentally-focused ceremony requested that attendees avoid purchasing new garb for the
awards. The Prince of Wales similarly followed suit, given that the prince revived a green velvet
jacket that he'd previously worn in 2019 to an event celebrating Centrepoint's 50th anniversary.
For 2021's Trooping the Color, Camilla, the Queen Consort, chose to recycle her wardrobe,
wearing a blue striped dress — created by British designer Bruce Oldfield — and a Philip Treacy hat.
Similarly, the whole royal family, which appeared as always on a balcony overlooking
the celebrations, sported various shades of blue for the event. Camilla's look
previously made an appearance in June 2021 when she attended the Royal Ascot. The 2021
British horse racing event was the first to welcome back in-person visitors after being
previously closed to public spectators due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. While Camilla
wore the aforementioned striped coat and Philip Treacy hat, she added an additional accessory
to the look: a blue striped face mask that noticeably matched the stripes on her jacket.
The Princess of Wales is unquestionably a fan of wardrobe recycling, and Kate Middleton chose to
bring back another previously seen look in 2021 for the Royal Variety Performance at London's
Royal Albert Hall. The annual event is considered a platform to raise funds for U.K. performers
who require aid, and 2021's big night offered plenty of star-studded performances. Middleton
is a well-known supporter of the yearly event, which she first attended in 2014.
Still, for 2021's Royal Variety Performance, Middleton chose to go with a previously seen
ensemble. Middleton re-wore an emerald green gown by designer Jenny Packham and accessorized
her gown with gold Missoma earrings and a matching green clutch. While her look was
unquestionably a show-stopper, the Princess of Wales was previously photographed wearing the
dress in 2019 during a royal tour of Pakistan. Middleton's glittering green gown first appeared
when she and her husband, Prince William, attended an event hosted by the British High Commissioner
at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad. Middleton accessorized the dress with earrings by O'nitaa.
"The view from this hill would have been quite different when my grandmother,
the queen, first visited half a century ago."
Princess Diana was a big fan of rewearing her ultra-classy wardrobe. But
of course, Diana didn't just recycle her ensembles: She also had them altered or
updated to put a fresh spin on an old getup. While the people's princess served plenty of memorable
outfit repeats over the years, one rather notable ensemble was her stunning Victor Edelstein polka
dot dress, which she first wore to the Epsom Derby in 1986. While the look was unquestionably iconic,
Princess Diana decided to revive the dress a year later for her appearance
at a polo match. This time, it was clear she altered the original dress and removed
the frill around the waist, which provided the updated dress a sleeker look and a clear
indication that Princess Diana's stellar fashion sense was far ahead of its time.
Kate Middleton later paid tribute to the princess' iconic look. At the 2022 Royal Ascot,
she donned a very similar black-and-white dress. She paired the look with the same
earrings Diana wore with her polka dot dress: South Sea pearl and diamond earrings.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry chatted with BBC in 2017,
giving their first interview as an engaged couple.
"It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee."
For the meeting, Markle wore a Parosh brand hunter green dress featuring a bow on the right side of
the waist. The stunning dress immediately sold out online after its televised appearance. It
would seem that Markle also had a soft spot for her green garment, as it later reappeared in
2019. Markle recycled the dress when she and her husband, Prince Harry, attended London's WellChild
Awards. Still, even though the Duchess of Sussex chose to revive the outfit, the outlet noted
that her look had a fresh feel, as she paired it with brown suede pumps and a camel coat. Instead
of a simple clutch, Markle accessorized the ensemble with a scarf-handled bag.
In 2022, Kate Middleton re-wore another beloved wardrobe item. This time, Middleton re-donned
her ivory-colored Alexander McQueen coat dress to attend a service at Westminster Abbey that
marked New Zealand and Australia's Anzac Day. The Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly at
the ceremony on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. In addition to re-wearing the McQueen coat, Middleton
and her husband both sported striking red poppy pins, which served as a commemorative symbol.
The article noted that the Princess of Wales previously wore the ivory dress coat back in
2015 for the christening of her daughter, Princess Charlotte. The christening was
the first time Prince William, Kate, their then two-year-old son George,
and their then-baby daughter were publicly seen as a family of four. While waiting
for the ceremony at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, the happy couple
greeted onlookers. For that memorable event, Middleton wore the aforementioned coat and
a Jane Taylor hat as she pushed Princess Charlotte in a vintage Millson stroller.
If there's one thing Kate Middleton loves, it's her blue Alexander McQueen coat dress.
The Princess of Wales has been spotted wearing this beloved wardrobe staple not once, not twice,
but four times. Its first appearance on the beloved royal was in April 2014,
when Middleton wore the eye-catching coat to a World War I commemorative
and Flying Day. She then re-wore the blue coat dress just months later in June when
she celebrated the 70th anniversary of D-Day landings before reviving it once
again for the 75th anniversary of the RAF Air Cadets in February 2016. More recently,
it was spotted on the royal in 2019 for the RRS Sir David Attenborough ship-naming ceremony.
According to Elle, Middleton's well-loved coat initially retailed for $3,875 when the Princess
of Wales debuted it in 2014 during her royal tour of New Zealand. Middleton has made slight style
alterations each time she wears it to keep the ensemble feeling fresh. Similarly, Vogue
noted that it's no surprise that Middleton keeps reviving this staple piece as Prince William's
wife has had a long-standing relationship with the British designer. Their friendship is said
to have started back in 2011 when Middleton wore a McQueen dress for her wedding day.
"To have and to hold from this day forward."
Since then, the Princess of Wales has commissioned many other stunning pieces from the label.
Like a true queen of outfit recycling, Kate Middleton has brought back plenty of items
from her wardrobe in order to give them a second, or even third, life. So naturally,
it came as no surprise when Kate dusted off her previously worn teal Jenny Packham gown
for an event in 2018. The Princess of Wales' ultra-fancy dress features a sheer lace back,
cap sleeves, and a Swarovski crystal belt. It initially retailed for more than $5,000 and was
originally envisioned as a wedding dress. However, Packham had the gown dyed blue for Middleton.
The eye-catching gown initially appeared on the Princess of Wales in 2012, just one
year after her royal wedding to Prince William. Middleton wore it to the Our Greatest Team Rises
gala dinner. She finished off the look with a matching teal clutch that similarly made its
reappearance when the Princess of Wales brought back the gown in 2018. The only major difference
between the two looks was that Middleton initially wore her hair up during the dress'
first appearance but wore her hair down when she revived the look for the Conservation Awards.
Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles once re-wore almost her entire outfit shortly
after its first appearance. The initial look first popped
up in June 2018 when Camilla donned an off-white coat, a printed ivory dress,
and tan shoes during her attendance at the Royal Cornwall Show in Wadebridge, England.
The outfit quickly reappeared when Parker Bowles showed up at an event honoring the
20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing, which occurred less than a week later. The revived
look was identical to the first, with the only noticeable difference being that the royal left
out the gray purse she'd carried the first time and had an umbrella. For the outfit's second
outing, Parker Bowles also added a necklace to give the ensemble a hint of something new.
The late Queen Elizabeth's ability to revive her royal wardrobe had its limitations. In her book,
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style, Fashion journalist Elizabeth Holmes wrote,
"After the second or third public outing, [her outfit] will either be reworked into
a new design or relegated to private holidays or meetings."
Still, her majesty had repeated some eye-catching ensembles. She surprised
onlookers during 2021's Trooping the Color birthday celebration with her long
light gray dress coat and matching hat. Previously, the queen was said to have
worn the exact ensemble just weeks before attending the State Opening of Parliament.
"My lords and members of the house of commons."
It was also the third time the queen's coat appeared in public, and this fashion choice
was far from accidental, as the queen's outfit followed a centuries-old royal custom that
states that a widow should wear a second set of mourning clothes in colors like gray and lilac
two years after their partner's passing. While the queen's late husband, Prince Philip, had
passed away in April 2021, it's clear that this fashion choice was a tribute with a modern twist.