kate middleton summer dresses

19 summer dresses we bet Kate Middleton has packed for her holidays

The Duchess may have recycled some of these dresses..

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Updated: July 27, 2021

Hands up if you want the Duchess of Cambridge's summer holiday wardrobe! Kate is currently enjoying the summer holidays with her husband Prince William and their three children, Prince GeorgePrincess Charlotte and Prince Louis

PHOTOS: The only 4 pairs of shoes Kate Middleton would pack for a UK staycation

It's not yet known how the Cambridges are celebrating the summer holidays - it may not be the exotic holidays the royals have enjoyed in the past, but the UK's sunny weather means Kate has likely packed the same pretty summer frocks she would have done for a trip abroad. As well as embellished kaftans, beach dresses and a different coloured swimsuit every day, the Duchess will no doubt leave the prim and proper evening dresses at home in favour of sleeveless styles and lighter fabrics.

WATCH: Incredible royal fashion hacks you need to try

Because Kate’s the Queen of Recycling, here are some of the dresses she might have packed on her summer vacay…

Her on-trend puff-sleeve dress

Puff-sleeves are really popular right now, so we wouldn't be surprised if Kate has packed the stunning pastel floral frock she wore in June 2020. For the visit to The Nook children's hospice in Norfolk, the Duchess paired the Faithfull The Brand dress with one of her favourite pairs of espadrilles - thought to be her Russell & Bromley 'Coco-nut' wedges. That's one whole holiday outfit sorted!

Coco-nut wedges, was £135, now £75, LK Bennett

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Her classic shirt dress

The humble shirt dress is loved by several members of the royal family, but we particularly love the white version Kate wore. The £995 Suzannah dress falls to the knee with a pretty blue dot print, perfect for keeping cool in the heat.

MORE: Get a Kate Middleton style floral shirt dress on sale for up to 70% off

Her boho dress

When Kate joined in with the ladies of the Vaiki Falekaupule in a traditional welcome dance with Prince William in Tuvalu in 2012, we swooned over her Alice by Temperley ‘Beatrice’ dress. We hope she packed this beautiful dress.

SEE: Kate Middleton's £30 hair secret is a life-saver for frizzy tresses

Her silk Prada dress (that's a work of art) 

Kate will have left the brolly at home, but she might well have packed this beautiful Prada silk dress. The dress was covered in poppies and really makes a statement.

This palm-print Boden dress is giving us similar vibes, and it's on sale. Winning! 

Her red va-va voom dress

To show off her bronzed new look, Kate will be reaching for something that shows off a bit more skin. We love this shoulder-baring Alexander McQueen dress she wore to the Queen’s birthday party - the perfect summer frock for a holiday.

MORE: Loved Kate Middleton's bardot summer dress of dreams? We've found a £31.20 lookalike

Her perfect glam dress

And we hope she didn't forget these shoes! Kate's Prada scalloped sandals will work perfectly with many of her summer dresses for the evening. This Marcus Lupfer dress is less structured and gives her more of a laid-back vibe - perfect for hols!

MORE: When royal ladies borrow the Queen's exquisite jewellery

Her yellow dress of dreams

Kate loves yellow, and yellow loves her. But you only need to pack one dreamy yellow dress on holiday and this is ideal. Her Jenny Packham number could be the go-to frock for any site-seeing trips the family embark on. Throw on a fair of glam flats and she’s good to go.

Her posh-night-out holiday frock

We all know that on every holiday there’s usually the big special night out. We imagine when you’re a royal, you get more, but we’re just going to pretend that’s not the case. When Kate wore a bespoke dress by Gosia Baczynska, we fell in love. With its black and white colour palette and ladylike design, this is the ideal dress for a romantic dinner with her Prince.

NEXT: 12 times the Duchess of Cambridge showed off her enviable trainer collection

Her favourite Wimbledon dress

Kate wore this Jenny Packham dress when she attended Wimbledon with the Duchess of Sussex in July 2018. It’s a lovely cool dress for a balmy evening on holiday and it really shows off Kate's feminine summery style.

RELATED: Kate Middleton and more royals are dotty for monochrome polka dot dresses – shop the trend

Her sexy shoulder-baring dress

When the Duchess wore Barbara Casasola’s cream off the shoulder dress, the world gasped with delight. The dress looked perfectly on her and would look amazing for sunset cocktails with the family.

Her 'it got the fashion seal of approval' dress

When Kate stepped out in this red and white dress in Canada, it caught the attention of fashion editors everywhere - and they loved it. Also, it was an Alexander McQueen Resort 2017 dress and was not readily available. She got major style points with this dress so let's hope it made its way into the case.

Her Zimmerman number 

We all know Zimmerman do great summer dresses, and luckily for Kate she already owns one. Back when she attended the Sydney Royal Easter Show in Australia, she stepped out in a gorgeous Zimmerman lace dress with elbow-length sleeves. We've found a really great version of this dress from River Island

MORE: Royal ladies' daring bodycon dresses

Her you-can-wear-it-with-flats-or-heels dress

Remember when the Duchess wore a Mulberry dress during the Diamond Jubilee Tour? We hope she searched for that in the archives and packed it for her hols. You can wear this little flirty dress with a pair of flat sandals or a pair of heels - winning!

Her favourite Zara daytime dress

Kate loves Zara and she’ll have definitely done a little splurge pre-holiday. This one should definitely be added to the suitcase - minutes after she wore it, it sold out everywhere. That’s the Kate Effect for you.

Her millennial pink dress covered in roses

Is this not the best dress ever? BEAUTIFUL. The Duchess owns this Kate Spade dress and it might be the girliest piece of clothing she owns.

READ: Royal mums before and after birth

Her divine maxi dress

This is so divine and should definitely make an appearance on her family holiday. Scrap the blow-dry and just leave your hair lovely and relaxed. She teamed this dress with a pair of New Look flat shoes - thrifty! 

Her 'you wouldn't wear it at home' dress

We would never see Kate wearing a strapless dress on a royal engagement but on holiday, the rule book flies out of the window. When she visited the Solomon Islands, Kate attended a traditional island feast and wore a traditional Solomon dress for the occasion which was presented to her on arrival. It looked gorgeous on her, and one that could be worn on any other summer holiday.

Her easy-to-throw-on dress

Back in 2011, Kate wore a beautiful Jenny Packham dress to watch her husband in The Foundation Polo Challenge and looked absolutely beautiful. The dress would be a great addition to her holiday wardrobe.

PHOTOS: 10 stunning photos of the royals at the beach

Her bright evening gown

Bright colours are royal no-nos when the Queen is around but Kate can go wild on holiday with the colourful options. This would look sensational with gold accessories and a glowy makeup. Don't you just wish Kate had an Instagram where you could see all of her #ootd photos?! 

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