Did Kate Middleton Channel Princess Diana at Trooping the Colour? These 2 Images Are Proof

But was her look intended as a nod to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, whose bearskin caps carry a plume in a near-exact color match? (Kate was named honorary colonel of the Irish Guards by the king in 2022.) Or was it a thoughtful homage to Princess Diana, who famously wore a similarly vibrant hue with white trim—also Catherine Walker—on the balcony in 1988?

The photos are proof. In fact, it’s pretty hard to unsee the parallels between that iconic moment when Princess Diana held a three-year-old Prince Harry as he cheekily made faces for the Trooping the Colour crowds. Sure, Diana’s coatdress was decidedly more green, but the eye-popping color, the white trim and the choice of designer make it easy for lines to be drawn.

There’s more: Diana did wear a shade of blue much more similar to Kate’s during her solo tour of India in 1992. Her skirt-and-jacket combo was also Catherine Walker and more closely mirrors Kate’s electric blue hue. (Of course, the internet has loads more photos that prove there was an effort made by the current Princess of Wales to align her look with Diana’s.)

Still, given it’s a day honoring King Charles’s birthday, it’s an interesting occasion to intentionally generate such an obvious reference to Diana. It’s also not the first time members of the royal family (Kate included) have done so. Be it via jewelry, a polka dot pattern, even the choice to wear pastel hues, the choice to use fashion to connect past generations of the monarchy to the present is frequently relied on, not to mention smart in that it provides continuity and, more importantly, nostalgia. (As a royal watcher for decades, I love to see anything that reminds me of Diana—and I know I’m not alone in that sentiment.)

I’ll admit that if there was a sartorial line being drawn to Diana—specifically, that 1988 moment with her and Prince Harry, also at Trooping the Colour when Queen Elizabeth II was still at the helm—was Kate also making an effort to honor Harry? When I think of that 1988 balcony appearance with Diana, yes, I remember what she wore, but more vividly, I remember the look she cast joyfully in Harry’s direction as she tried to corral the now-Duke of Sussex. Too much of a reach? Perhaps.

Again, maybe Kate’s Trooping fashion really was just a nod to the teal plumes of the Irish Guards, which makes sense, too, given their participation in the proceedings of the day and Kate’s new royal role. All in all, it’s a reminder of the fun that can be found in noting what members of the royal family wear...then sleuthing out the meaning behind it.