Kate Middleton is the queen of Christmas elegance.
She rarely puts a foot wrong. She knows how to look festive without drifting into anything cheesy. She leans into the season with subtle touches rather than full-on kitsch. Her outfits whisper “holiday” while keeping the signature polish she’s known for.
So, let’s have a bit of fun and look back at some of her standout Christmas looks while we wait for the big day to arrive.
Warning: this article contains a lot of red, green, tartan and sparkle.
Let’s start with one of her best winter looks to date.
Red Velvet Kate
Kate wowed us with this stunning tonal red outfit on Christmas Day 2018.
The Princess chose a velvet-trimmed Catherine Walker coat, paired with a matching Mulberry clutch, tonal Gianvito Rossi heels, and a halo headband by Jane Taylor for the traditional Christmas morning service.
The whole look felt unapologetically festive, rich and beautifully put together.
Cherry Sparkle
Sticking with the red theme, let’s look at Kate wearing this glamorous cherry sequin dress by Needle & Thread:
Kate wore the frock during segments filmed for the televised version of her Christmas carol service in 2022, with behind-the-scenes images showing the Princess styling the midi dress with matching red shoes.
She topped the look with a pair of ruby and diamond earrings from Soru Jewellery.
A Festive Gift
I did say there was going to be a lot of red in this article!
For her 2021 Christmas carol service, Kate wore a ‘Santa Claus red’ coat topped with a giant bow. The Princess does enjoy a touch of literal dressing, and here the colour and bow nodded to the season without tipping into fancy dress.
The knock-out ensemble was by Catherine Walker & Co. She opted for tonal accessories once again, pairing the coat with Gianvito Rossi pumps and a matching Miu Miu handbag, also topped with a bow. It tied the entire look together beautifully, pun intended.
Kate finished the outfit with a pair of sapphire and diamond fringe earrings that originally belonged to the Queen Mother.
A Triumph in Tartan
Now this is a look many of us would happily ‘repliKate’ on Christmas Day.
Kate chose this red tartan pleated skirt by Emilia Wickstead for a Christmas party for military families in December 2018. She paired the show-stopping skirt with a black cashmere cropped cardigan from Brora and black suede heeled boots by Ralph Lauren.
Her Mappin & Webb ‘Empress’ diamond drop earrings added just the right amount of sparkle. Simple, but superbly festive.
Red & Tartan On The Train Tour
During the 2020 Royal Train Tour, Kate stunned in a festive look while visiting Cardiff.
She layered a red Alexander McQueen coat over the same Emilia Wickstead tartan skirt shown above, this time adding a matching scarf for an extra festive flourish.
She finished the look with black Ralph Lauren boots, a black leather Grace Han bag, and gold hoop earrings from Welsh brand Spells of Love, a lovely nod to local design.
Royal Remix
Fast forward to 2024 and Kate wore the tartan skirt for a third time.
For her Together At Christmas service, she remixed the skirt with familiar favourites, including the red Alexander McQueen coat and black suede Ralph Lauren boots.
The look felt refreshed thanks to a black velvet bow at the neckline, alongside new pearl earrings by Mulberry and a bangle by Halcyon Days.
Cosy Christmas Knit
No festive round-up would be complete without this cosy cardigan from Miu Miu.
To date, the Princess has worn it twice, both times for filmed segments created for the Together at Christmas carol service. It’s a reminder that Kate’s Christmas style isn’t always about coatdresses and heels, sometimes it’s about quiet luxury knitwear that still feels special.
Casual Christmas Look
More red, yes, but this time in a more casual setting.
Kate wore this festive look to a heartwarming engagement at a Christmas tree farm in Buckinghamshire in December 2019. She paired a vibrant red jacket by Perfect Moment with a bright green lambswool crewneck sweater by Really Wild.
The cosy, practical look was perfect for an outdoor event with children. Kate finished the outfit with dark skinny jeans, trusty Berghaus walking boots and simple gold hoop earrings.
Traditional in Tartan
For the 2018 Christmas Day servce at Sandringham, Kate selected a red and green tartan coat by Miu Miu, featuring brass-tone buttons and a black velvet trim.
It’s easily one of her most festive looks to dateand remains a firm favourite, resurfacing on Pinterest each winter.
The Princess styled the coat with black suede Tod’s pumps, bow-topped Cornelia James gloves, her Mulberry Bayswater clutch and Kiki McDonough earrings, finishing the look with a cosy black alpaca hat.
The Christmas Party Dress
At the 2016 Heads Together Christmas party, Kate wore Vanessa Seward’s ‘Cai’ dress, a silk jacquard design in classic red and green floral tones.
She cinched the waist with an Alexander McQueen black belt and paired the dress with black suede Gianvito Rossi pumps and her Mulberry Bayswater clutch.
Catherine Zoraida fern hoop earrings in gold completed the look, alongside loose curls and a soft smoky eye
The Tartan Coatdress
On Christmas Day 2013, Kate chose a green and navy tartan fit-and-flare coat dress for the Sandringham church service.
The design came from McQ Alexander McQueen and was crafted from Black Watch tartan.
Kate styled the look with a forest green beret by Gina Foster, sheer black tights, black gloves, knee-high black suede boots by Aquatalia and diamond and green amethyst earrings by Kiki McDonough.
The Fair Isle Knit Everyone Wanted
A short video clip released in December 2022 showed Kate placing a bauble on a Christmas tree while wearing a cream Fair Isle knit.
The video promoted that evening’s carol service, and the Holland Cooper jumper quickly became a reader favourite.
Crafted from a wool-alpaca blend, the knit sold out almost immediately and has since been re-released several times. It’s still available now, with more affordable alternatives also on offer.
The Matching Moment
On her most recent Christmas Day outing, the Princess wore an Alexander McQueen coat in a festive shade of green, styled with a tartan scarf and a bow-topped hat.
Co-ordinating with her children was the icing on the (Christmas) cake.
Glorious in Grey & Green
In 2019, Kate opted for a softer festive palette, wearing a grey Catherine Walker mohair coat accented with deep forest-green accessories.
You could argue this look isn’t overtly Christmassy, and you might also suspect I’ve included it simply because it’s one of my favourites. You’d probably be right, and I’m fine with that.
The textured fabric, faux-fur detailing, mother-of-pearl buttons, green Lock & Co hat and chunky Emmy London heels make this one a standout.
Subtle in Sequins
In 2022, Kate filmed another promotional segment for her carol service, wearing a black sequin cardigan by Self-Portrait.
At the time, I noted that the look seemed to strike a balance between festive sparkle and quiet reverence, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth just months earlier (during the video segment, the Princess spoke about the late monarch).
Kate finished the outfit with citrine drop earrings by Shyla London, echoing the gold trim on the cardigan.
The ‘Angel-on-the-Tree’
For her 2023 carol service promotion, Kate paired a shimmering white bouclé jacket by Self-Portrait with pearl cluster earrings by Cassandra Goad.
The look gave serious “angel on top of the tree” vibes. I’d love to see this jacket make a return for a future Christmas engagement.
Glamorous in Green
I’ll end with Kate’s most recent Together at Christmas look.
For the festive performance earlier this month, the Princess wore a forest-green Catherine Walker coat with a tonal faux-fur lapel collar, black suede heeled boots by Ralph Lauren and star-shaped diamond earrings.
Underneath, she wore a crystal-embellished tartan skirt. Does it get more Christmassy than that?
That’s all for now. See you on Christmas Day!
Merry Christmas.
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