The Most Stunning Royal Dresses Ever
The British Royal Family is subject to a set of traditions that date back centuries, and this includes the clothes they wear. The Royals do indeed have a dress code. Only married women are permitted to wear tiaras, and dresses must be of the proper length. Shoes must also be of a reasonable height. Despite these limitations, the Royal women never disappoint when it comes to style. Check out our ranking of the most exquisite royal attire.
50. Princess Diana in Catherine Walker
Princess Diana wore this Catherine Walker gown made of white silk, pearls, and sequins in 1989 while she was in Hong Kong. The press at the time referred to the gown as “the Elvis dress” because of the matching bolero (ah, the 1980s). Although not to everyone’s taste, we believe this look by our favorite Royal rebel is bold.
“She shone in the dress and the dress shone around her in a shimmering column of glistening pearls,” designer Catherine Walker recalled in 2012.
49. Duchess Catherine in Jenny Packham
Duchess Catherine of Cambridge supports British fashion designers, as is customary for British royals. When the Duchess, also known as Catherine or Kate, goes out, she frequently dons dresses by Jenny Packham. This blush metallic dress has intricate detailing.
49. Duchess Catherine in Jenny Packham
One of Kate’s first outings after her widely covered royal wedding in 2011. Royals are advised by etiquette experts to look “memorably good” when they dress to respect those who are waiting for them.
48. Princess Anne in Floral Ruffles
Princess Anne, the only child of the Queen, is pictured here sporting a vintage-inspired ruffled floral dress and white evening gloves. With the exception of her trademark chignon, the Princess looks almost bohemian as she attends an event at London’s Dorchester Hotel.
In her early years, Princess Anne enjoyed success as an equestrian, taking home two silver and one gold medal from the European Eventing Championships. Anne made history by becoming the first member of the British royal family to participate in an Olympic event.
47. Princess Diana in Hachi
Princess Diana had a stunning one-shoulder, white silk, silver beaded dress made just for her by Japanese fashion designer Hachi. The Princess is seen in this photo visiting the National Gallery in 1985 in Washington, D.C.
Diana first wore one-shoulder dresses in this dress, and she later made the style one of her go-to looks. A collection of Diana’s clothing included this dress, which was later auctioned off for $60,000.
46. Kate Middleton in Issa
Fashion writers coined the phrase “The Kate Effect” as soon as Kate Middleton entered the scene. Everything the Duchess wore in public quickly sold out after, and this new term described it.
Following Kate’s engagement announcement in this silk-jersey blue wrap dress, British designer Issa experienced a 43-country sell-out. Issa was actually severely overwhelmed by the demand because, up until that point, it had only been a niche brand. Sadly, the pressure forced them to close.
45. Princess Diana in Catherine Walker
Another outrageous design from the 1980s is shown here, this time worn with a sizable, sparkling tiara. Princess Diana is seen here in 1986 at the Crown Prince Palace in Saudi Arabia, where she is attending a royal wedding. The satin Catherine Walker dress had puffy shoulders and long sleeves in the fashion of the 1980s.
Tiaras are only acceptable on royal women when they are married and only during formal evening events. Diana had access to the royal family’s jewelry and had her own personal tiara.
44. Princess Diana in Bruce Oldfield
Princess Diana took genuine fashion chances. The mother of Princes William and Harry was constantly sporting a fresh new look, like this evening gown in gold lamé by Bruce Oldfield. The Princess wore this outfit appropriately for the 1985 world premiere of the most recent James Bond film, A View to Kill.
Diana was only 24 years old at the time and was obviously a fan of 1980s style. Shoulder protection? Pleats, yes. Yes, gold lamé. Of course, with an appropriate 1980s hairstyle.
43. Princess Margaret in Pink
Here’s another iconic old photo, but this time it features Princess Margaret, the Queen’s younger sister. Margaret is pictured in the White House clutching her evening gloves while wearing a pink jacket. She is joined by President Lyndon Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, as well as her husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones.
Because they must maintain modesty, royal women typically don’t wear sleeveless dresses, according to royal etiquette. They may, however, accessorize as much as they like!
42. Duchess Meghan in Safiyaa
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is a contentious member of the British Royal Family. In the end, the American actress decided to leave the UK due to intense pressure and scrutiny. But Markle pushes the limits of royal fashion, just like her mother-in-law.
On a royal visit to Fiji, the Duchess is seen here wearing a Safiyaa gown. British royals frequently honor the country they are visiting through their attire when traveling abroad. This striking blue dress pays homage to the flag of Fiji.
41. Princess Margaret in White
Princess Margaret’s love life was turbulent. She desired to wed Peter Townsend, a high-ranking member of the royal household who was 15 years older than her. She ultimately got married to Anthony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 despite the fact that the Church and the State were against the union.
Margaret and her husband are seen in this 1974 photograph going to the ballet in New York City. The Princess wore a stylish white dress with cape and embroidery for the event.
40. Meghan Markle in Emilia Wickstead
In September 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared in public for the last time as royalty. Along with the Queen and other senior royals, the couple attended a multifaith service at Westminster Abbey. Meghan looked gorgeous in this custom Emilia Wickstead dress in green.
For formal events like attending church, female royals are expected to don hats. Meghan is carrying a Gabriela Hearst Demi Emerald Green Satin Tote and a William Chambers Veil Explosion Teardrop Hat as her accessories.
39. Kate Middleton in Alexander McQueen
Duchess Catherine is a huge fan of British fashion house Alexander McQueen, who made this prom style formal gown. Kate wore this blue taffeta dress to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, paired with a stunning tiara.
Kate was slammed for this dress in the press, but we admire her daring fashion. The dress was accessorized with pearl earrings, a pearl necklace that belonged to the Queen Mother, the Cambridge Lovers’ Knot tiara, and a royal family order of the Queen.
38. Princess Diana in Catherine Walker
Princess Diana had an impressive stature that made her look striking in almost every outfit. Here she is in 1993, wearing an emerald green Catherine Walker dress while attending a state banquet at the Dorchester Hotel. As you might expect, royals are required to dress modestly, with not too much skin on display.
Princess Diana was famous for holding her clutch to her chest when getting out of cars, so paparazzi couldn’t get any unflattering or inappropriate shots. Iconic!
37. Kate Middleton in Emilia Wickstead
Here we have Duchess Catherine wearing a yellow coat dress from New Zealand designer Emilia Wickstead. In fact, Emilia Wickstead has a dress called “the Kate” that Middleton owns in at least three colors. Well, you would too, wouldn’t you?
In this image, Will and Kate were arriving in Bhutan for the second leg of their royal tour in 2016. Kate wore this outfit with nude L.K. Bennet courts, the L.K. Bennet Natalie clutch, and Brora’s Gold Charm earrings.
36. Meghan Markle in Roland Mouret
Here we have a pregnant Meghan Markle in a stunning navy sequin Roland Mouret Dress. The Duchess of Sussex was attending a Cirque du Soleil performance, and wore the gown with a chic bun and dewy makeup. Markle wore Stuart Weitzman heels with this look, and accessorized with a chic Givenchy clutch.
Royal expert Myka Meier points out that female royals hold their purses in their left hand. This means that their right hand is free to shake hands and wave to the public.
35. Princess Diana in Catherine Walker
Princess Diana had a close relationship with designer Catherine Walker, who made the Royal over 1,000 looks in total. In this picture, Diana attends a ballet performance in London while wearing a pink and white sheath dress. The outfit is simple but elegant, with stylish details like cufflinks and a pink clutch.
Whilst many female royals wear gloves when they’re out and about, Diana famously disliked this, and wanted to touch people skin to skin. This made her beloved by the public, and known as “The People’s Princess.”
34. Duchess Catherine in Alexander McQueen
In 2011, Duchess Catherine of Cambridge stepped out in this pale purple, flowy Alexander McQueen gown. Middleton was attending the BAFTA Brits to Watch event in LA while on a royal visit to the USA and Canada.
Note that Kate Middleton has neutral nails in this image, as female royals are expected to only wear blush, nude, or clear polish on their fingernails. With this Grecian look, Kate wore the Jimmy Choo Ubai clutch and Jimmy Choo Vamp Glitter sandals.
33. Princess Anne in Polka Dots
Princess Anne is played by Erin Doherty on The Crown, and is becoming a more popular member of the royal family thanks to the performance. In this incredible vintage photograph from 1973, the Princess poses in a pink polka-dot gown on the grand staircase at Buckingham Palace.
The Princess Royal has had a colorful life, including an attempted kidnapping in 1974, which she met with polite defiance. You can learn more about her in the 2018 documentary Queen of the World.
32. Duchess Kate in Jenny Packham
While on a royal tour of India in 2016, Duchess Catherine of Cambridge wore this royal blue dress by Jenny Packham. Middleton is praised for supporting up-and-coming British designers, and her every fashion move is charted across a host of fashion blogs.
This Jenny Packham gown was hand beaded in India, paying tribute to the host country. The gorgeous dress came with a matching cape, and a custom bag in the same color and fabric.
31. Queen Elizabeth in Norman Hartnell
Let’s go all the way back to 1953 and celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s fabulous coronation dress. This elaborate gown was designed by Norman Hartnell, a British fashion designer known for his work with the Royal Family. The dress was made from white duchess satin and silk, and was covered in thousands of beads and pearls.
Additionally, the gown was embroidered with flowers to represent the commonwealth nations. Like many other female royals, the Queen does re-wear her clothes, and wore this dress several times after her coronation.
30. Princess Anne in Floral Print
Fans of The Crown might have spotted Erin Doherty wearing something pretty similar to this 1970s floral dress in the series. The Princess Royal wore this high neck, balloon sleeve, floral dress in 1973 to a film premiere in London, which she attended with her husband.
Doherty has commented that to get Anne’s signature hairdo, it can take as long as two hours on set. The Princess herself remarked in an interview that it only takes her 10 or 15 minutes.
29. Princess Margaret in Blue
As previously established, Princess Margaret was historically famous for turning up to all sorts of events in the most dazzling, flamboyant gowns. And in 1965, this was no different. During a visit to America, the sister of Queen Elizabeth attended a private event at L.A.’s Hollywood Palladium.
She arrived with Lord Snowdon and showed off this stunning blue dress and coat to the paparazzi. With a beautiful tiara to finish off the look, cameras were flashing all night long.
28. The Queen Mother in White Chiffon
It’s not just Queen Elizabeth II who has been able to dazzle red carpets and attend many events over the years in the most iconic of gowns.
Her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother was renowned for often threatening to upstage her daughter with her various gowns, crowns and sheer grace. In 1980, the Queen Mother showed up to her own 80th birthday celebration in a white chiffon evening gown, accompanied by a tiara and necklace.
27. Princess Anne in White
They don’t call it the Royal Opera House for no reason whatsoever. This stunning venue often hosts the very best that the British royal family has to offer and will present some of the most beautiful stories ever told in the history of opera.
In 1980, Princess Anne attended an event at the London venue, wearing this gorgeous white dress that had an embroidered overlay. Needless to say, guests were struggling to concentrate on the production as all eyes were on Anne.
26. Princess Diana in Catherine Walker
As you can already see, Princess Diana has an overwhelming number of iconic royal gowns on this list already. The following is another fine example but stands out because it is clearly a lot louder in color.
In 1988, the late ex-wife of Prince Charles wore this audacious Catherine Walker evening gown, with a black and red pattern, and only one shoulder. Diana turned up to a dinner in this dress, which was hosted by the British Ambassador while she was visiting Paris.
25. Queen Elizabeth in White
While there are plenty of figures in the British royal family who are famous for their stunning gowns and how they dress at any given event, nobody does it quite like the Queen herself.
There is something iconic about Elizabeth II, whether it be her crowns, her gowns, or the traditional wave she gives to her people. This portrait was taken in 1987 on the Queen’s 40th wedding anniversary to Prince Philip. She wore this white dress with a dot pattern.
24. Princess Margaret in Icy-Blue
Even later on in life, Princess Margaret never failed to impress paparazzi and fellow guests alike with her dazzling gowns of a variety of colors and styles.
In 1990, things were no different when the sister of the Queen attended the 90th birthday of her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, at the London Palladium. Margaret wore an ice-blue dress, which was accompanied by blue earrings and a necklace of the same color.
23. Camilla in Black and White
While she might have a complicated relationship with the royal family and her history is full of twists and turns, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, always turns up to events looking like a true royal figure.
This was no different in 2013 when she took the short trip to Amsterdam to attend a dinner hosted by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands with husband Prince Charles. Camilla finished off the dress in pure, classy form, with a tiara.
22. Duchess Catherine in Alexander McQueen
Another royal figure who has worn plenty of this lists’ most stunning gowns is Kate Middleton. Ever since tying the knot with Prince William, and even before, the Duchess of Cambridge has made a concerted effort to stand out from the rest of the family at whichever event she is attending.
This also applied in 2018, when Kate went on a royal tour of Sweden and Norway with William. At this formal state dinner, Kate wore a beautiful blush pink gown designed by Alexander McQueen.
21. Princess Diana in Bruce Oldfield
Another red dress that Princess Diana wasn’t afraid to show off was at the following event in 1989. She turned up to a banquet which was hosted at London’s Claridges, wearing this red gown which sparkled from head to toe. She can be seen wearing the classic Spencer tiara as she greets another guest.
It was Bruce Oldfield who designed the stunning dress and as you can see, Diana was extremely confident in what she was wearing, as she always was.
20. Meghan Markle in Stella McCartney
Another gown that Meghan Markle dazzled paparazzi with came in 2018 when she got changed midway through her wedding day to attend the reception with her new husband Prince Harry.
Meghan wanted to feel a bit more comfortable for the partying and so she changed into this bespoke white gown, which was designed by Stella McCartney. The high neckline definitely made the bride stand out from the crowd and empowered her to dance the night away with Harry.
19. Princess Diana in Versace
While Princess Diana experimented with short dresses for a period, she remained a fan of a full length evening gown. In this picture, taken in 1996, Diana was attending a gala dinner in Chicago. She wore a bright purple Gianni Versace column dress, accessorized with sapphire jewelry and a pearl choker. Her shoes and clutch were the same shade of purple.
After her marriage to Prince Charles ended, Diana went from Her Royal Highness to Diana, Princess of Wales.
18. Meghan Markle in Preen
Here we have Meghan Markle in another fashion forward ensemble, this time while meeting with young leaders from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust. This unusual rust-colored, asymmetric, pleated dress is the Glenda, designed by Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. This luxury online British fashion brand is also worn by Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama. We knew that Meghan kept good fashion company!
The Duchess of Sussex re-wears her clothing and jewelry, and is even doing so here with the Edge of Ember Wave stud earrings.
17. Princess Margaret in Christian Dior
Isn’t this picture stunning? Here we have Princess Margaret all the way back in 1951, posing for a birthday portrait taken by British photographer Cecil Beaton. This gorgeous dress was one-shouldered, cream, embellished in gold, and made by none other than Christian Dior. Margaret has accessorized the gown with a jeweled necklace and earrings.
The Princess is played by Vanessa Kirby in seasons one and two of The Crown, and then by Helena Bonham Carter in the third season.
16. Princess Diana in Catherine Walker
We know that Princess Diana loved Catherine Walker designs, and in this photograph, she’s wearing another one. The Princess of Wales wore this pale blue number to the Cannes Film Festival, alongside her husband, Prince Charles.
Diana was initially quite shy as a member of the Royal Family, but became a beloved public figure because of her kindness and charm. This delicate chiffon gown really made Diana look like a sweetheart, and its romantic pleats are fit for a princess.
15. Queen Elizabeth in Seafoam Green
As a member of the British Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth can’t risk any fashion snafus. For this reason, the Royal has a nifty trick to avoid any occasion where her skirt or dress might embarrassingly blow up. Pennyweights — an old type of British weight — are sewn into the hemlines of the Queen’s clothes, so no pesky breezes can ruin her ensemble.
The Queen wore this gorgeous dress to a royal banquet in Morocco. We love the long balloon sleeves, and stylish seafoam color.
14. Kate Middleton in Jenny Packham
This picture was taken when Kate and Will attended the Tusk Trust Awards at the Royal Society in London in 2013. It was actually the couple’s first night out following the birth of their son, George. This stunning, pale gold, sequined gown was custom-made for Kate and featured a bateau neckline, a brooch-accented empire waist, and a keyhole at the back.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore her glittery Jimmy Choo Vamp court shoes — and of course, a beautiful set of jewelry that included matching diamond earrings and a bracelet.
13. Queen Elizabeth in Yellow
Have you ever noticed that Queen Elizabeth often, if not always, wears bright colors? Well, it’s not just because she likes a pop of color (though she really does). You see, the Queen has to be seen when she’s out and about, or what’s the point in her being out at all? It’s kind of a safety thing, too, so that she can always be spotted.
In this picture form 1976, the Queen wears a gorgeous yellow gown while on a state visit to Washington D.C.
12. Queen Elizabeth in Tulle
We just love these vintage pictures of royals wearing stunning, detailed ballgowns. This photograph is from 1952, and depicts a newly coronated Queen Elizabeth posing in a tulle gown with metallic lace embellishments. Of course, she’s also wearing one of her crowns, and a collection of expensive jewels.
In general, Queen Elizabeth prefers wearing skirts and dresses to pants. Perhaps this isn’t surprising considering her age, but it does impact royal dress codes. Duchesses Kate and Meghan follow suit by wearing mainly dresses to royal events.
11. Princess Diana in Pink Silk
While Princess Diana liked to rock a shoulder pad and a shorter hem, she also looked simply divine in floaty, more traditionally feminine gowns. Here she is in 1983 while on an official visit to Australia. This pink, silk, full length dress went down very well in the media — and unsurprisingly, the Princess was declared “pretty in pink.” Well, obviously!
As was often the case, Diana accessorized this ensemble with her iconic sapphire ring, matching necklace, earrings, and bracelet.
10. Meghan Markle in Givenchy
The marvelous Mrs. Markle has sent the British press into a frenzy more than once, and this outfit caused its own media storm. Absurdly, in this picture at the 2018 Fashion Awards, Meghan is breaking royal protocol. You see, the Queen only likes neutral or subtle pink colored nail polish, and here, Meghan has a dark manicure. Imagine!
Critics were also irritated that Meghan was cradling her bump during this event, and throughout her pregnancy. Come on, guys — look at that one-shouldered Givenchy gown instead!
9. Princess Diana in Bruce Oldfield
British designer Bruce Oldfield helped turn Diana, Princess of Wales into “Dynasty Di,” a fabulous 1980s fashion icon. Oldfield started life in an orphanage, and remembers dancing with Diana at a charity fashion show and ball for Barnardos — a British charity for vulnerable children.
For that event, in 1988, Diana wore this incredible silver pleated lame dress, and looked like a true Hollywood star. Oldfield remembers, “Everyone just wanted to get up and be close […] It didn’t get better than that.”
8. Princess Diana in Belville Sassoon
British fashion designer Belville Sassoon made over 70 gowns for Princess Diana. In fact, he remembers that “when she got engaged, her mother brought her in to us and asked us to make the going-away outfit.” Belville has also made clothes for Princess Margaret, Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Diana wore this blue lace ballgown in 1981 while attending an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The next day, she announced her pregnancy with Prince William.
7. Kate Middleton in Alexander McQueen
Kate Middleton wore this elegant, long-sleeved, nude, Alexander McQueen dress to celebrate her sister’s wedding in 2017. Kate has a close relationship with McQueen designer Sarah Burton, and had this dress custom-made for the occasion.
To complete her nude ensemble, Kate wore Gianvito Rossi suede pumps in “praline,” a hat by Jane Taylor, and morganite and diamond drop earrings by Kiki McDonough. This stripped back color palette works well for a family member’s wedding, as it means Kate isn’t grabbing any attention.
6. Meghan Markle in Oscar de la Renta
The fashion blogs were all aflutter about this gorgeous dress worn by Meghan Markle while she visited Australia and New Zealand. The white tulle gown is part of Oscar de la Renta’s Pre-Fall 2018 collection, and features tweed laser cut bird motifs. How thrilling!
Take note of Meghan’s natural and simple hair and makeup in this picture. Royal women are expected to wear their hair “neat and natural,” and to avoid statement makeup looks. It’s all about the dress!
5. Princess Diana in Victor Edelstein
Diana once wore the “Elvis dress,” and this Victor Edelstein creation was the “Travolta dress.” Diana wore this off-the-shoulder, midnight blue, velvet dress while visiting the White House in 1985 to have dinner with President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. Amusingly, Diana asked if they would invite Grease star John Travolta, because she was a huge fan.
Diana twirled around the dancefloor with her childhood crush, creating an iconic pop-culture moment. The dress sold for $347,000 at auction.
4. Meghan Markle in Safiyya
While it’s been said that Kate Middleton dresses similarly to her mother in law, Princess Diana, it’s arguable that Meghan Markle is actually more like the fearless fashionista. While Kate does favor British designers and wear similar colors and shapes to Diana, Meghan is more of a risk-taker and not bothered by royal protocol.
Here, Markle looks absolutely stunning in a bright red Safiyya column dress with capelet shoulders. It’s a bonus that she matches Prince Harry’s military outfit.
3. Princess Diana in Christina Stambolian
Who could forget this iconic ensemble by Greek designer Christina Stambolian? The story goes that Diana intended to wear a Valentino dress to a Vanity Fair dinner at the Serpentine Gallery. Unfortunately, Valentino released a press release about the dress, so Diana changed her mind at the last minute, choosing Stambolian instead.
The dress came to be known as “the revenge dress.” The Telegraph said, “This is a dress that shows Diana, Princess of Wales fully in command of a sense of her own value.”
2. Princess Margaret in Pink Tulle
Here’s yet another stunning birthday portrait of Princess Margaret. This picture was taken for the Princess’s 19th birthday, and really captures her striking beauty. In the picture, Margaret wears a full-skirted tulle dress embroidered with blue butterflies. She accessorized it with several strings of pearls.
Apparently, The Crown chose to recreate this dress, and it was one of the most expensive costumes they made. Of course, they took home three Emmys for their incredible costumes, so we bet it was worth it!
1. Queen Elizabeth in Norman Hartnell
In this incredible photograph from 1961, we can see Queen Elizabeth II (known simply as, The Queen) with her husband, Prince Philip, American President John F. Kennedy, and his wife, Jackie Kennedy. Now, that’s a lot of history in one photo!
For this special occasion, the Queen wore a blue Norman Hartnell ballgown with white gloves. The First Lady also wore blue with white gloves, although her dress was a straight cut, icy blue number. The Queen accessorized with plenty of sapphires.