The Princess of Wales has attended the Sovereign’s Birthday Parade every year since 2011 with the exception of 2020 and 2021 (during the Covid pandemic). Kate always manages to look immaculately turned out for the State Ceremonial Parade and loves to dress in her ‘British best’ with an emphasis on colorful pastel coats, heirloom jewelry and frilly fascinators.
Here are 11 of Kate Middleton’s Best Trooping the Colour Fashion Moments:
2011
The princess opted for a playful pleated coat from her wedding dress designer Alexander McQueen for her first official TTC appearance. The white double-breasted coat with a voluminous full skirt was accented with a black basket weave hat from Sylvia Fletcher. Kate finished the balcony-ready ensemble with her Kiki McDonough White Topaz and Diamond Stud earrings.
2012
In the year following her first parade, Kate opted for a more muted look from Canadian designer Erdem. The princess selected a light blue-grey sheath from the luxury label’s Resort collection for her summer 2012 balcony appearance. The fitted long sleeve dress boasts a modified portrait neckline and delicate floral embroidery. Proving her eco-credentials, Kate would later recycle the dove grey design for an October 2012 wedding in Oxfordshire. Kate paired the dress with a Jane Corbett hat, neutral McQueen box clutch and Links of London Effervescence Bubble Drop Earrings.
2013
Preparing for the arrival of her first bundle of joy–baby Prince George the following month, Kate was glowing in a blush pink coat adorned with pearl buttons by the House of McQueen for her third TTC appearance. Kate’s pastel pink coat was accented by her saucer hat decorated with pink ribbons and lace from milliner Jane Corbett. She completed the look with pearl earrings courtesy of Annoushka (the same designer as her eclipse diamond eternity wedding band).
2014
Before she started a love affair with trouser suits, Kate was enamored with the skirt suit and wore an icy blue jacquard two-piece set by McQueen for her balcony wave in the summer of 2014. The jacket was designed with a slight peplum finish and was embroidered with a faint skull motif. She paired the outfit with a lacy floral fascinator from Jane Taylor. For accessories, she wore her Annoushka baroque pearls and a five pearl brooch hailing possibly from her Balenciaga jewelry suite.
2015
Never one to neglect the birthday festivities, Kate had just given birth to Princess Charlotte a month prior when she made her Trooping appearance on June 13, 2015. For the outing, Kate wore a Catherine Walker floral ‘Astrid’ coat dress made of woven ivory and blue silk. She paired the shiny sharply tailored floral coat with a white Lock and Company ‘Marisabel’ wide brim hat complete with a curly white feather. In addition, she added aquamarine and diamond drop earrings.
2016
The silhouette of Kate’s 2016 balcony outfit was familiar with the princess recycling the coat she wore for Princess Charlotte’s christening. The tailored topper was teamed with a saucer hat from Philip Treacy accented with an oversized rosette blossom on the underside. Kate paired the plain day coat with her Balenciaga Eugenia clip-on freshwater pearl earrings, her Mappin and Webb Empress Necklace and Mulberry Bayswater clutch. To celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, Kate also debuted a new look: a formal updo — a meticulously styled chignon for the festive parade.
2017
Opting for a pretty pink design for her seventh TTC, Kate looked enchanting in a bubblegum dress for the annual event celebrating Britain’s pomp and pageantry. Opting for a custom look from Alexander McQueen (Kate also owns the design in raspberry), the princess was accompanied by her husband Prince William and children Prince George and Princess Charlotte for her yearly wave-a-thon. Kate paired the pleated paperbag dress with a Jane Taylor Lyssa ribbon fascinator, Etui woven nude clutch bag and the Queen’s diamond pendant earrings.
2018
For the celebration honoring the Queen’s 92nd birthday, Kate opted for a pale blue McQueen dress with three-quarter sleeves, puffed shoulders and a square neckline. For the balcony appearance alongside sister-in-law Duchess Meghan (outfitted in a beautiful pale pink Carolina Herrera skirt suit), Kate exuded grace and elegance. To finish her summer parade ensemble, she wore a custom saucer hat from Juliette Botterill and jewelry by Kiki McDonough including her blue topaz and diamond drop oval and cushion cut earrings and Eden flower necklace (mother Carole Middleton and sister Pippa Matthews own the same necklace).
2019
To view the RAF fly past nearly five years ago, Kate opted for a buttercream yellow sheath dress by Alexander McQueen. Riding in a barouche (carriage) alongside her sister-in-law the Duchess of Sussex, and then Duchess Camilla, Kate was glowing for the annual ceremony held on June 8th, 2019. The princess paired her fitted peplum dress with a Philip Treacy hat with oversized rosettes and wore the Queen’s Bahrain pearl drop earrings along with a diamond cross necklace. For a handbag, the princess carried her McQueen butterfly white satin box clutch.
2022
Looking angelic in a pristine white coat by Alexander McQueen, Kate ushered in weekend long celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in this crisp coatdress. The mom of three also donned a Philip Treacy Saturn Dome hat and her sapphire drop earrings and necklace. She completed the look with her navy Strathberry Multress croc chain wallet featuring a gold bar accent.
2023
Making sartorial shoutouts to her new role as honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards as well as Prince William’s Earthshot Prize held in Singapore the following November, Kate opted for a glamorous green monochromatic ensemble for her annual journey from Buckingham Palace down the Mall. The princess wore a striking green embellished coat from Singaporean designer Andrew Gn along with a wide brim hat from Philip Treacy. She carried her LK Bennett Dora envelope clutch in emerald green and again wore Princess Diana’s cabochon sapphire drop earrings.
