After missing last year’s Order of the Garter ceremony, Kate Middleton made a stylish comeback at this year’s celebrations in Windsor.
The Princess of Wales stepped out on ‘Garter Day’ on Monday wearing a crisp white blazer dress by Self-Portrait. (⬇️ Skip to full outfit overview.)
Established by King Edward III in 1348, the Order of the Garter is Britain’s oldest and most prestigious order of chivalry.
Its annual Garter Day festivities, held each June at Windsor Castle, are steeped in medieval pageantry and tradition.
The day begins with a formal investiture of any new Knights or Ladies of the Garter in the Throne Room, followed by a grand procession to St. George’s Chapel, where the order’s ceremonial service is conducted.
Clad in lavish dark-blue velvet robes, heavy gold chains, and ostrich-plumed hats, the Garter Knights and Ladies then make their way on foot through the castle grounds in a spectacular display of royal pomp.
It is such a colourful spectacle!
This tradition of walking the historic route to the chapel has been upheld by monarchs for centuries.
The 2025 Garter Day service saw the royals out in force at Windsor.
Below, the Princess chatting with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, as they watch the Garter Day procession from St. George’s Chapel’s Galilee Porch.
The two sharing a light moment:
King Charles III, as Sovereign of the Order, led the proceedings alongside Queen Camilla.
They were joined in the procession by senior royal Knights of the Garter, including the Prince of Wales and the King’s siblings Princess Anne (the Princess Royal) and Prince Edward (Duke of Edinburgh), all wearing the Order’s elaborate navy cloaks with the insignia of St. George’s cross.
As trumpets sounded and the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms lined the route, the King, Queen, and Knights processed into the chapel for the closed-door service.
Inside St. George’s Chapel, which has been the spiritual home of the Order for nearly 700 years, the monarch formally installed the Companions and a thanksgiving service was held.
Following the centuries-old ritual, the royal family regrouped on the chapel steps for the traditional carriage ride back up to the Castle, waving at the well-wishers who’d gathered to witness the occasion.
This is the Princess of Wales’s first Garter Day appearance since 2023, after she had stepped away from public duties last year during her health recovery.
Let’s take a look at her outfit now.
Kate Middleton’s 2025 Garter Day Outfit:
The Princess wore a white ensemble that looked vibrant in the June sunshine.
It certainly stood out amid the heraldic colours and velvet gowns in the procession.
Most of our regular readers will recognise the cream Self-Portrait blazer dress—this is the fourth time Kate’s worn it in public to date.
The Princess debuted the garment at a reception in 2021, she wore it to the Platinum Jubilee Party in the following year, and then brought it back last month for the concert marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Kate also owns the same garment in black and has three similar dresses from the company in her closet.
The long-sleeved ivory dress features a fitted bouclé tweed blazer-style top that’s attached to a flowing pleated chiffon skirt, which is finished with a scalloped lace trim.
The dress is still available on Self-Portrait’s website, though sizes are limited — only US 2 and US 8 remain in stock. It’s priced at $570.
The blazer-and-skirt silhouette is a signature for Self-Portrait. If you’re after a dress for a summer event, one of their other styles might be a good alternative, and available in more sizes:
Links to each dress: Pink Check / Peach Sleeveless / Black Midi / Ivory Maxi / Blue Taffeta.
Let’s move on to look at Kate’s hat now. It’s a bespoke design by milliner Sean Barrett.
The asymmetrical design features a pronounced downturned brim topped with a decorative bow trim.
The Princess owns two very similar styles from the milliner, in blue and black.
The hat beautifully framed Kate’s half-up hairstyle.
Sean Barrett is a celebrated British milliner whose career spans fashion, theatre, film, and television, with credits including Downton Abbey, The Crown, Alice in Wonderland, and Mary Poppins Returns.
Let’s move on to Kate’s jewellery now. The Princess re-wore two vintage pearl pieces sourced from Susan Caplan jewellery.
She wore a striking multi-strand necklace and pearl cluster earrings.
The necklace features five rows of vintage pearls in graduating sizes secured with Swarovski crystal-embellished clasps.
The Princess debuted the necklace earlier this year. It’s fast becoming a favourite piece, as this is the fourth time we’ve seen her wear it to date.
The necklace retailed for £275 and Susan Caplan had a number in stock earlier this year—but they’re now sold out, sadly.
The chic earrings are listed on Susan Caplan’s website as “Renaissance revival” earrings.
They’re made from faux pearls set in gold-plated metal, arranged into a cross shape.
They retailed for £75 and were available as clip-ons or regular ‘post’ earrings. Sadly, they’re now out of stock.
Let’s finish up by looking at Kate’s tonal accessories. Her bag is by Strathberry.
It’s the ‘Multrees’ Chain Wallet in Vanilla/Diamond.
The piece features Strathberry’s signature gold bar closure on the front flap and comes with a gold shoulder chain, which Kate tucks inside, opting to carry the bag as a handheld clutch.
The elegant wallet-on-chain has a compact silhouette but a surprisingly practical interior, boasting 8 card slots and a zipped compartment.
The Multrees Chain Wallet remains available at Strathberry for £295 / $425.
This petite envelope-style clutch is crafted from smooth calf leather in a soft cream ‘Vanilla’ hue with a subtle croc-embossed texture.
The Princess debuted this particular clutch on Garter Day in 2023. This is the second time we’ve seen her carry it to date.
We’ve spotted the Princess carrying the bag in two other colours, navy embossed croc and black embossed croc.
Now, let’s finish up with Kate’s shoes.
The Princess completed her look with the Gianvito Rossi 105 suede pumps in ‘bisque’.
The Gianvito 105 is a classic pointed-toe pump with a 105mm stiletto heel (around 4.1 inches).
Each pair is handcrafted in Italy. The pumps are renowned for their comfortable fit, despite the height, and have become a signature in Kate’s wardrobe. The Princess owns this particular style in 8 other colours.
The bisque colour worn by Kate is no longer available to buy, but Gianvito Rossi has 13 other colours in stock at present, including a similar beige shade.
RRP £650 ($795).
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