The Duchess of Cambridge is a consummate professional when it comes to wedding guest attire. That was never more evident than at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. Kate was well aware there would be media interest in her appearance, given that it came less than one month after the birth of her third child, Prince Louis. But the thoughtful royal took steps to ensure she didn't steal the spotlight on Meghan's big day. Knowing that all eyes would be on her outfit, Kate opted for a relatively low-key ensemble. Although the Duchess did wear a new dress to the wedding, it bore a striking resemblance to the cream Alexander McQueen coat dress she had already worn three times before – to Princess Charlotte's christening in 2015, at Trooping the Colour in 2016, and during a visit to Belgium in 2017. The two garments were so similar in fact that it was widely reported that she had recycled her wedding outfit.
Duchess Kate pictured at Charlotte's christening (left) and at the 2018 royal wedding
Kate, 38, notably wore another Alexander McQueen dress to Princess Eugenie's wedding, also in 2018. Royal fans were quick to notice the striking similarity to the outfit the Duchess wore to the Trooping the Colour parade in 2017; evidently Kate loved it so much that she had it remade in a different colour for the nuptials. It is worth noting that for both royal weddings, Kate touchingly chose outfits by Alexander McQueen, the same designer label she chose to create her own wedding dress for her marriage to Prince William in April 2011.
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HELLO! Online's royal correspondent Danielle Stacey said of Kate's wedding guest style: "It's a fashion trick that the Duchess of Cambridge often deploys when it comes to her wedding guest outfits. We've seen Kate re-wear pieces from her wardrobe to some of her closest friends and family's nuptials, including a floral Jenny Packham dress for Emily McCorquodale and James Hutt's wedding in May 2012 (previously worn on the royal tour 2011) and a blue tweed Missoni coat for Lucy Meade and Charlie Budgett's wedding in 2014. As well as repeating an outfit, Kate has also opted for a dress or a coat in a different colour, but a similar style to a piece she already owns. It's something for us all to take note of – you don't just have to wear your occasion-wear once!"
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Kate pictured at Princess Eugenie's wedding (left) and the 2017 Trooping the Colour
It remains to be seen what the Duchess will wear to the next royal wedding; the upcoming nuptials of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Their ceremony was scheduled to take place on 29 May at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, followed by a private reception in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. Both have now been postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and are expected to take place in 2021, although no official announcement has been made.
