Wearing the same outfit as someone else always carries a bit of risk: Do they wear it better than you? What will people say? And if you’re a royal, there’s the extra scrutiny of the public and the rabid British press—especially if the person who first wore the look is the late, great and oh-so-fashionable Princess Diana.
Kate Middleton is no stranger to these emotions (or the whispers). The Princess of Wales stepped out this past weekend at Trooping the Colour wearing a blue-and-white dress that immediately called to mind a look made famous by her late mother-in-law. The event, held every June to celebrate the monarch’s birthday, brought together Kate, William and other royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a parade complete with 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians.
So have you seen both dresses? What do you think? Ahead, we’ll take you through the latest fashion question lingering after the princess’ weekend appearance. Read on to learn whether Kate’s dress this year was a dupe for Diana’s or a loving homage.
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Did Kate wear the same dress as Diana once did?
No, it’s not the same dress, but you’d be forgiven for doing a double take because the two are remarkably similar. Both are double-breasted, light blue Catherine Walker coat dresses with white trim, though the blues are slightly different hues. Kate’s buttons are fabric-covered while Diana’s were not, and the lapel design, pockets and trim differ a bit as well.
Everyone is talking about Kate’s dress mimicking Diana’s Easter 1987 outfit, but there’s another Diana and Catherine Walker combo that might give you déjà vu as well: the light-blue-and-white suit Diana wore on a trip to Delhi, India, in 1992. Though Diana wore a white pleated skirt on that trip, the tailored blue jacket with white piping bears a striking resemblance to Kate’s Trooping the Colour dress.
And since no royal outfit would be complete without a fancy hat, Kate’s choice this year—light blue and white with a wide brim—also seems designed to recall Diana’s similarly styled lids.
What message was Kate sending with this outfit?
We can’t know for sure, but it’s definitely not the first time Kate’s fashion choices have given us Diana flashbacks. In 2022, the princess wore a polka-dot ensemble by Alessandra Rich to the Royal Ascot horse race, a clear nod to the Victor Edelstein dress that Diana wore to the Epsom Derby in 1986.
Speaking of polka dots, both princesses also wore spots when introducing their firstborn sons to the public. In 1982, Diana stepped out with baby William wearing a green polka-dot dress, while Kate sported a similar, if more modern, light-blue look in 2013 when introducing Prince George. Likewise, in 2018, Kate showed off Prince Louis in a red dress with a white collar, mirroring one Diana wore with Prince Harry in 1984.
Royal insiders have long said that William and Kate are aware of Diana’s reputation as a style icon and have hinted that Kate’s outfits are sometimes chosen deliberately with that in mind. “I think we have seen lots of examples where the reference is very intentional, and I think that Kate uses fashion to pay tribute to Diana in a very positive way,” Bethan Holt, the Daily Telegraph‘s fashion news and features director, told People.
In 1997, it was William who suggested that Diana auction her wardrobe off for charity. She did, raising more than $3 million for cancer and AIDS research.
Did Kate’s accessories also have special significance?
Not only did Kate’s dress evoke Diana nostalgia at this year’s Trooping the Colour—her jewelry choices also turned heads. Eagle-eyed royal watchers noticed Kate’s earrings right away: They were the same Cassandra Goad pearl floral burst earrings she first wore in 2018 for Louis’s christening. And earlier this year, the gorgeous earrings showed up again when Kate was on hand for the installation of the new archbishop of Canterbury.
Finally, there’s the bracelet Kate was wearing this weekend: a three-strand pearl stunner that used to be Diana’s. The late princess wore it multiple times in the late 1980s, most famously with a white bejeweled outfit known as her “Elvis” gown, which she wore with the iconic Lover’s Knot tiara.
William gifted the bracelet to his wife after his mom died, and this weekend, Kate wore it with pride. In a sweet twist, William and Kate’s daughter, Princess Charlotte, was wearing what looked to be a replica of the Nigel Milne–designed bracelet as well.
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Sources:
ABC News: “King Charles III, Prince William and Kate, more step out for Trooping the Colour”
Royal.uk: “What Is Trooping the Colour?”
People: “Kate Middleton’s Blue Outfit Draws Comparisons to Princess Diana’s Matching Outfit with Young Prince William”
Today: “Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, honors Princess Diana with her red maternity dress”
BBC: “Royal Family watch Red Arrows flypast on palace balcony”
Fox News: “Kate Middleton wears Princess Diana’s pearl bracelet at Trooping the Colour as Charlotte mirrors her mother”
Town & Country: “Kate Middleton Looks Lovely in a Pair of Sentimental Earrings at Trooping the Colour 2026”
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
