Kate Middleton and Carole Middleton in red

Princess Kate stole mother Carole's lace wedding guest dress months after joining royal family

Carole Middleton wore the red hot dress two years earlier

Deputy Lifestyle Editor
November 1, 2024

The Princess of Wales and her mother Carole Middleton's family resemblance goes far beyond genetics, with the pair often sharing their wardrobes with one another.

While some of these occasions have been heavily documented – such as Carole's navy blue tuxedo dress from Royal Ascot in 2010 being recycled by Kate to open Ipswich's Treehouse Children's Hospice in 2012 – there was one wedding guest dress that has been very rarely pictured.

Shortly after she married Prince William in 2011, Kate attended the wedding of friends Thomas Sutton and Harriet Colthurst at St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Wilton, Wiltshire.

The then-29-year-old had turned to her mother for help with her outfit, picking out a cherry red Collette Dinnigan dress with cropped sleeves, a fitted waist, a column knee-length skirt and a slip layered underneath the sheer lace overlay.

© Karwai Tang

Carole was pictured in a red lace dress two years before Kate

Fans may recognise the £650 frock from two years earlier when Carole stepped out in the exact same one for the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in 2009.

She added a matching fascinator, burgundy patent heels by Prada and the 'Eaton' croc clutch bag by Aspinal London.

As for her accessories, Kate wore her new sapphire and diamond engagement ring – which previously belonged to the late Princess Diana – and Clogau gold wedding ring.

© Getty

The mother-daughter duo often share outfits

Meanwhile, her husband Prince William acted as an usher and her sister Pippa was pictured with her then-partner Alex Loudon in a grey floral dress with ruffled detailing.

Carole's style

© CARL DE SOUZA

Carole Middleton wore a blue coat dress at the royal wedding

Carole has long been applauded for her elegant style. Back in 2011, the mother-of-three was an immaculate mother of the bride as she watched Kate marry Prince William.

She stepped out at Westminster Abbey in a pastel blue coat dress by Catherine Walker with braiding at the waist and cuff alongside a matching hat by Hans Corbett. 

© Pool

Carole looked elegant at Pippa's wedding in 2017

Despite looking flawless, Carole admitted she dislikes shopping. "Like every mother, I wanted to look my best, make my children proud, and enjoy the day," she said in an interview with The Telegraph.

Six years later, Carole wore an equally beautiful ensemble to attend her youngest daughter Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Matthews in 2017.

She looked stunning in a pastel pink coat dress with oversized buttons and a collar alongside a matching floral hat.

Kate's wedding appearances

The royal has inherited her mother's sense of style, especially when it comes to wedding guest outfits. Back in June 2005, Kate celebrated Will's friend Hugh Van Cutsem Jr.'s big day with Rose Astor in a cream blazer and Karen Millen skirt. 

The following year in May 2006, Kate rocked a cream DAY Birger et Mikkelsen brocade coat and a feathered hat for Laura Lopes' wedding.

© Getty

The Princess of Wales looked stunning at the wedding of William van Cutsem and Rosie Ruck Keene

Her stylish wedding outings continued after her royal wedding – just cast your mind back to William van Cutsem and Rosie Ruck Keene's wedding in 2013 for proof. 

Kate looked radiant in a polka dot bump-enhancing from Topshop, which she paired with a feathered white Vivien Sheriff hat and a cropped black jacket.

DON'T MISS: How to dress for a winter wedding in your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Weddings

See more