Ever since she married Prince William in 2011, Kate Middleton has been a style icon in her own right. I mean, don't even get me started on her handbag collection. One thing I admire most about the Princess of Wales's style is that she's not afraid to rewear her clothing, and she often pays homage to historical fashion references, including her own mother-in-law, Princess Diana. Over the weekend, Princess Catherine nodded to one of the late royal's iconic outfits, and managed to pull it off perfectly.
Kate Middleton Is Princess Diana's Doppelgänger at Trooping the Colour
An uncanny resemblance
Published Jun 15, 2026
•4:11pm
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The Princess of Wales attended the Trooping the Colour alongside other senior members of the royal family, to commemorate King Charles's birthday. The royal mother of three opted for Firm-favorite brand Catherine Walker, wearing a baby blue coat dress, coordinating Philip Treacy fasincator, Cassandra Goad pearl earrings (another re-wear) and Irish Guards brooch. (The Princess is an honorary colonel.)
Royal fans couldn't help noticing that Princess Catherine's ensemble bore close resemblance to Princess Diana's 1987 Easter outfit. Unsurprisingly, Princess Diana's dress was also made by Catherine Walker, which features a similar white trim that the royal paired with a matching hat. Her ensemble matched that of the young Prince William, who also wore a double-breasted coat in the same shade. I also found Princess Catherine's look quite similar to an outfit Princess Diana wore on repeat: a turquoise blazer dress with oversized lapels, white trim and matching hat (shown above), in which she was photographed during a royal tour of Spain in 1987 and Trooping the Colour in 1988.
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Kate's dress wasn't the only Princess Diana reference she made during the weekend. To accessorize her outfit, she wore the late Princess's beloved three-strand pearl bracelet. The Nigel Milne design was seen on Princess Diana throughout 1989 during her tour of Hong Kong. Upon her death, it was inherited by Prince William, who then gifted it to his wife. Princess Catherine most recently wore it to the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling at All Saints Church in Cirencester.
Princess Charlotte had a matching moment with her mother, wearing a similar three-strand pearl bracelet. The simple piece of jewelry paired nicely with the 11-year-old's all-white outfit, which consisted of a puff-sleeved, knee-length dress, matching ballet flats and a hair bow.
