29-04-2025
How the Prince and Princess of Wales have reinvented couples' dressing
The Prince and Princess of Wales are celebrating 14 years of marriage on Tuesday with a visit to Scotland and the Isle of Mull. And while we've no way of knowing exactly what Their Royal Highnesses will wear for the inevitable photo opportunities that accompany such a trip, one thing is pretty much guaranteed – they will be in coordinating outfits that bely their solidness as a couple. After all, they've made subtly matchy-matchy couple style their sartorial signature over the past decade plus.
'I think in the early years of their marriage there was a lot more variation in what they wore, bouncing back and forth between extremely traditional royal clothing and more casual, modern looks as they tried to find what worked for them,' explains Rosie Harte, author of The Royal Wardrobe: Peek Into The Wardrobes of History's Most Fashionable Royals. 'Things really started to settle for them between 2015-2017, when their family started to grow. I think they realised that the visuals of working parents really worked for them, as it's a modern, relatable aesthetic that catches the attention of the public very well.'
Take their looks for a visit to Moray in Scotland back in 2023, for example, when they both wore hunter green jackets (hers checked Burberry, his more outdoorsy Suitsupply), dark trousers and brown boots. Sometimes, it's also more subtle, too: like when William will wear a tie in the same colour as Kate's dress for an event like Royal Ascot, or a Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
'I generally love any time when they look really relaxed and casual, as I think that's them at their most authentic,' shares Bethan Holt, The Telegraph's Fashion Director and author of The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style. 'I also love when William makes as much effort as his wife. They looked so glamorous together in Pakistan when he wore a traditional sherwani in the same shade of green as Kate's anarkali – not only did they deliver a real wow couple dressing moment but it was a great show of soft power and modern diplomacy.'
And while a lot of the time, it's the occasion itself – as well as their itinerary – that dictates what they are wearing (it's appropriate to be in wax jackets or khaki trousers for a visit to see the Scouts, or coordinating black tie for the BAFTAs, for instance), it's undoubtedly true that the couple use matching style to subtly communicate their strength as a couple. A notable recent example would be on World Mental Health Day last October, when they wore complimentary shades of maroon – on what was their first joint official duty since the end of the Princess's cancer treatment.
It would be fair to say that the couple have leaned on this sartorial approach more and more over the past five years, amidst the ups and downs of Megxit, the pandemic, the deaths of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II and the cancer diagnoses of both Kate and King Charles III. Indeed, one of the most obvious times in which Kate and William have used clothes to show a united front was shortly after Prince Harry published his bombshell memoir, Spare, when the couple stepped out wearing coordinating navy and green ensembles for a visit to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
The couple has also started to dress their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 7, in the same colours as them too, with a notable recent example being at the Sandringham Christmas Day church service, where they all wore shades of dark blue and green. 'Even small details are coordinated,' says Susan Kelley, founder of the site What Kate Wore, which details Kate's outfits. 'Princess Charlotte's navy tights blended with her brothers' and father's suits, while the velvet collar of her coat punctuated the velvet bow worn by her mother. Christmas Day photos also demonstrate the coordination and planning taking place ahead of time, as Prince George and Prince Louis wore tartan ties that matched their mother's scarf and Princess Charlotte's coat.'
As Harte explains, the outcome of this styling decision is obvious: the Waleses have the appearance of a cohesive family unit. 'They love to use colour to create a visual narrative,' she explains. 'Blue is their preferred colour, whether that's William's tie or Princess Charlotte's tights, and they use it to establish themselves as their own group within larger royal events. The colour blue has appeared in lots of William and Kate's most important moments – famously their engagement photos, but also for more recent events like their 10th wedding anniversary photos and their portrait by Jamie Coreth. Blue is still a traditional royal colour, but it's less aggressive than red or purple. Blue brings to mind modernity and stability, two values that I'm sure the Waleses are trying to embody.'
Of course, the Prince and Princess are far from the first couple in the public eye to use matching fashion as a way to signify their closeness – or even the first royals. 'Historically speaking, group dressing is not a new thing for the royal family,' says Harte. 'Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were responsible for creating the concept of the royal family as we know it today, and they achieved that through dress. Albert in particular was responsible for choosing many of the clothes that his wife and children wore, emphasising a homely rather than stylish or powerful look for the Queen. They delighted in dressing their children in matching clothes, particularly highland dress or sailor suits, which continue to be an enduring trend for royal children to this day.'
Meanwhile, over in Denmark, King Frederick and Queen Mary have also used the same approach, most notably when quelling rumours about the state of their marriage last year.
And while dressing like your other half is something that happens naturally when you spend a lot of time together (see: Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow's identikit looks in the 1990s) it's also undeniably a great brand-building exercise as a couple. One of the first real adopters of this comms strategy were David and Victoria Beckham, who started dressing similarly in the early 2000s as a way of amplifying brand Beckham.
'Visual messaging is hugely important to the royals and there's no better way to semaphore a sense of unity and happiness than by coordinating outfits,' shares Holt. 'The Waleses have been brilliant at doing this for many scenarios, whether it's a big official royal occasion or a relaxed video or engagement. On a more simple level, pictures look their best when the subjects have coordinated their outfits. Kate and William are highly image conscious so they'll be keen to ensure their looks are harmonious.'
'Living in a world where just about everyone has a smartphone with a camera, the couple clearly understands the power of a photograph or a frame of video,' agrees Kelley. 'They know that images from their engagements will be looked at through the ages, and their wardrobes reflect this. You don't see loud, trendy styles, but pieces that will stand the test of time.'
Harte, meanwhile, argues that having a set formula for their fashion makes life easier for them. 'Creating an intentional dress code requires effort at first, with lots of trial and error, but it pays off in the long run as it makes it easier to plan outfits for public appearances,' she explains. 'When there's a very clear code for how to dress, the process of picking out clothes becomes a much smaller part of the process.'
The couple's style statements through the years
Countryside elegance, March 2007
Even in the early stages of their relationship, the couple's complementary approach to dressing was beginning to take root. They channelled countryside elegance at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival, both opting for tailored khaki tweed ensembles, with Catherine's skirt suit by Ralph Lauren. Staying true to her sustainable approach to fashion, the now-Princess of Wales brought this jacket back into rotation this past February for a visit to Pontypridd.
Matching military style, June 2011
Marking Armed Forces Day in Great Britain on the 25th of June 2011, the then-Duke of Cambridge wore a black-and-gold-trimmed Irish Guards Royal Colonel uniform, which the then-Duchess tastefully echoed with a bespoke double-breasted Alexander McQueen princess coat.
Cowboy duds in Calgary, July 2011
Clad in denim and traditional white felt hats, the newlywed couple kicked off the Calgary Stampede rodeo as part of their royal tour of Canada. The Duchess wore a pretty lace-trimmed blouse by Temperley London (fittingly named the 'Rodeo' style) while the Duke cut a dashing cowboy figure in a blue-and-green plaid button-down shirt.
Matching black velvet for a gala in London, December 2011
Attending an awards ceremony at the Imperial War Museum, the Duke, Duchess and Prince Harry opted for rich, black velvet looks: Catherine looked glamorous in a sweetheart gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the designer and label the Duchess had entrusted to craft her wedding dress months earlier. William rose to the occasion in a black velvet tuxedo jacket and bow-tie.
Baby blue for the announcement of Prince George's birth, July 2013
Beaming on the steps of St Mary's hospital in London, both William and Catherine fittingly wore baby blue to announce the birth of their first child, Prince George. The Catherine effect proved its sheer force once these photos were released, as demand for the princess's breezy polka-dot dress caused designer Jenny Packham's website to crash.
Fishing in Haida Gwaii, September 2016
Bringing English countryside sensibilities to Canada's rugged west coast, the couple wore his-and-hers cinch-waist wax jackets, with Catherine's from Troy London, while on a fishing trip in Haida Gwaii.
Powder blue at Wimbledon Men's championship, July 2019
To present the runners-up trophy at the Wimbledon Men's championship in 2019, the Princess of Wales wore a delicate cap-sleeve frock by Emilia Wickstead. William, perhaps encouraged by his wife, notably stepped out of his darker-palette comfort zone to dress for the summertime occasion, opting for a periwinkle-and-stone coloured blazer with a smartly coordinated tie and shirt.
Emerald hues in Pakistan, October 2019
This image was one of the most striking and memorable from the couple's Pakistan tour, thanks in large part to their coordinating shades of emerald. While Kate wore a sequinned Jenny Packham gown, William wore a traditional sherwani by Pakistani brand Naushemian – in and of itself a masterstroke in diplomatic dressing.
Seeing red in January 2020
The couple put on a cohesive display at this Buckingham Palace reception in 2020, with William nodding to Kate's all-red look – comprising a Needle & Thread sequin gown, Gianvito Rossi shoes, Jenny Packham clutch bag and Soru ruby earrings – with his corresponding tie.
Jewel tones for their first official portrait, 2022
A lot of thought would have gone into what the couple wore for their first official portrait together in 2022. Kate's choice of the emerald green Falconetti dress from cool British designer The Vampire's Wife signals that she is on the pulse of fashion, while William's corresponding tie pulls the couple's unified look together.
Black-and-white glamour at the Top Gun: Maverick London premiere, May 2022
While William's red carpet look for the Top Gun: Maverick premiere was always going to be restricted to a black and white tuxedo, it's significant that Kate opted to twin with him in a monochrome off-the-shoulder design by Roland Mouret.
Laid-back looks to announce the end of Catherine's chemotherapy, September 2024
With a renewed focus on living a simpler life, the Princess chose a laid-back blue shirt dress by Veronica Beard and Veja trainers for a video that announced the end of her cancer treatment in September 2024. Fittingly, her husband is dressed in similarly relaxed looks throughout the video, including a polo shirt and shorts.
Festive red as a family at Westminster Abbey, December 2024
The entire family (and indeed, a lot of the guest list) coordinated in festive shades of red, claret and maroon for the Princess of Wales's annual Christmas Carol Service at Westminster Abbey. While Kate wore her trusty Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen red dress coat (this time zhuzhed up with a new bow), her mini-me daughter Princess Charlotte wore a corresponding burgundy dress coat from Trotters. The boys – Prince William and the couple's sons Princes George and Louis – wore matching suits with red ties.
Pop of Catherine Walker red for the Commonwealth Day Service, March 2025
Another head-to-toe red look from Kate – this time by one of her go-to formalwear designers, Catherine Walker – is met with a red tie by William for this year's Commonwealth Day Service.
