The Princess of Wales is one of Britain's leading style icons, with her estimated value to the U.K. fashion industry reportedly worth over $1 billion.
Kate marked the first full year in her new role as the most senior female member of the royal family (behind Queen Camilla) having been given the Princess of Wales title by King Charles III after his accession in September last year.
With this more senior title, Kate has played a more prominent role at royal ceremonies and undertaken an increased number of duties which included being appointed colonel of the Irish Guards regiment of the British Army.
From the historic coronation to the launch of her early years awareness campaign, Kate has dressed to impress in her usual roster of high- and low-end designers, winning praise from fans and the fashion press alike.
In a similar transition hinted at towards the end of 2022, Kate has also adopted a new uniform for her working engagements, being seen in a large number of multi-colored pantsuits.
Here, Newsweek charts Kate's fashion year in photos, looking at some of her most well-received style choices.
Shaping Us
In January 2023, Kate launched her biggest project to date, a multi-faceted campaign raising awareness for the importance of early years development among children. To launch the scheme titled "Shaping Us," the royal attended a reception in London with Prince William, wearing a vivid red Alexander McQueen pantsuit.
BAFTA Red Carpet
Kate turned up the fashion heat for her first return to the BAFTA red carpet in three years in February, opting for an altered version of a previously worn Alexander McQueen evening dress. The princess made an avant-garde styling choice for her look, pairing the classically inspired gown with a pair of statement black opera gloves and oversized gold earrings.
St. David's Day Parade
As Princess of Wales, Kate accompanied her husband to the annual St. David's Day—the national day of Wales—parade of the Welsh Guards regiment of the British Army, wearing a bright red coat dress in March, paired with classic black suede accessories.
St. Patrick's Day Parade
For her first Irish Guards St. Patrick's Day parade as the regiment's colonel, Kate made a bright display on March 17, wearing a Catherine Walker & Co. coat dress in teal, paired with matching accessories.
Easter Sunday
Kate attended the annual royal Easter Sunday service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor on April 9 wearing an electric blue coat designed by Catherine Walker & Co., as well as a matching sculpted felt hat and suede accessories. The princess and her family all matched for the occasion, each wearing an element of blue in their outfits.
Pre-Coronation Reception
At a pre-coronation reception held at Buckingham Palace for world leaders who had gathered in London in May to see Charles and Camilla crowned, Kate wore a dress by one of her favorite new designers, Alessandra Rich. The blue cocktail dress featured diamante embellishments and a pleated cross-bodice neckline.
Coronation Day
For coronation day itself, Kate turned to her most trusted fashion ally, Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen to make her dress. The white silk gown featured silver embroidery representing the four floral emblems of the United Kingdom: Roses for England; Shamrocks for Northern Ireland; Thistles for Scotland and Daffodils for Wales.
Eurovision
Kate made a surprise appearance in a pre-recorded segment played during the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest which was hosted in Liverpool this year, wearing a blue asymmetric evening gown designed by Jenny Packham.
Trooping the Colour
For her first Trooping the Colour as Princess of Wales and the colonel of an army regiment, Kate made a bold fashion statement in a bright 1990's inspired coat dress and wide-brimmed hat ensemble.
The coat dress, made by Singaporean designer Andrew Gn, is a rare example of a major event piece in Kate's wardrobe which was not created by a British designer.
Garter Day
On June 19, Kate attended the annual Garter Day ceremony at Windsor Castle wearing a vintage inspired black and white polka-dot day dress designed by Alessandra Rich. The princess paired the dress with a Philip Treacy saucer hat and a pair of slingback heels from Jennifer Chamandi.
Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot saw Kate once again return to her style formula of wearing bold block colors, choosing an elegant vivid red day dress with wrap-front bodice from Alexander McQueen with a matching wide-brimmed hat and statement gold earrings.
Scottish Coronation
The princess opted to re-wear the Catherine Walker & Co. blue coat dress which she wore for the Easter Sunday service for Charles' Scottish coronation ceremony in Edinburgh. In a change of styling, Kate paired the coat dress with a small, sculpted silk hat and high-value heirloom pearl and diamond jewelry.
Wimbledon
As patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Kate visited the annual Wimbledon Tennis Championships across three days this year, wearing an elegant pistachio green dress from Self-Portrait for the ladies singles final on July 15.
HMP High Down
In September Kate wore five striking pantsuits, affirming her new style uniform for working engagements, a standout being a deep navy tailored Alexander McQueen creation worn to discuss addiction in prisons at HMP (His Majesty's Prison) High Down in Sutton.
Nottingham Trent University
To mark World Mental Health Day this October, Kate and William undertook three days of engagements around Britain to discuss different areas and initiatives.
For a visit to the Nottingham Trent University on October 11 to meet with students, Kate wore an elegant cream co-ord designed by French label, Sézane.
Festival of Remembrance
In November, Kate attended the annual Festival of Remembrance commemorating soldiers who have lost their lives in wars around the world, wearing a black cocktail dress designed by Emilia Wickstead and paired with a three-strand pearl necklace reported to have been inherited from Queen Elizabeth II.
State Banquet
November saw Kate attend the state banquet held at Buckingham Palace by Charles and Camilla for President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea. For the event, Kate wore a classic white evening gown with shawl shoulder capelet embroidered with golden leaves and flowers, designed by Jenny Packham.
The princess accessorized the outfit with diamond jewelry, including an heirloom tiara known as the "Strathmore Rose Tiara," reportedly loaned by Charles.
Royal Variety Performance
For an appearance at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, Kate wore a striking blue evening gown designed by Safiyaa London, featuring dramatic floor-length split sleeves.
Diplomatic Reception
On December 5, the princess replicated exactly an outfit worn previously in the summer for the royal wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan, to attend the annual diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace.
Kate wore a pink crystal embellished evening gown designed by Jenny Packham, paired with diamond and pearl jewelry, including Queen Mary's "Lover's Knot Tiara."
Christmas Carols
Kate made a festive fashion effort for her third annual Christmas carol concert held at Westminster Abbey on December 8, debuting a new longline Chris Kerr overcoat with a pair of elegant wide-legged pants and soft jersey blouse.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
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