Kate Middleton Returns To Royal Ascot For The First Time In Three Years
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1 week ago
Over the years, the Princess of Wales has come to set the standard for racing style - and this year proved no different
Royal Ascot bound this week? If you’re still looking for outfit inspiration (time is ticking), then look no further than the Princess of Wales – aka, the event’s most stylish attendee. Despite having only attended Royal Ascot a handful of times, Kate Middleton has honed her racecourse wardrobe into truly elegant (and truly enviable) display of royal fashion. But this year is a lucky one: the Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance at Ascot Racecourse, two years since their last time at the event together. Here’s what you might have missed from the royal appearance, plus Kate Middleton’s best looks from Ascot so far – starting from her first appearance at the races all the way back in 2016.
Kate Middleton Attends Royal Ascot 2026
It’s been a while since we last saw the Princess of Wales at Royal Ascot. Her last appearance was back in 2023, making it three years since she attended a day at the races. The Princess of Wales was unable to attend Royal Ascot in 2024 due to ongoing cancer treatment, and cancelled her scheduled appearance in 2025 after feeling unwell. However, now fully returned to royal duties and in much better health, Kate Middleton is back in the saddle.
Attending day two of Royal Ascot 2026 alongside her husband, the Prince of Wales, the royal made a grand entrance alongside the extended members of the royal family (including the King and Queen) in horse-drawn carriages. Joining the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and Gordon, the Princess of Wales could be spotted from a mile away in one of this season’s biggest trends: sunny yellow.
Colour drenching in the bold hue, the royal wore a bespoke crepe dress from Roksanda, complete with cap sleeves and bow detailing on the front. She crowned the ensemble with a matching yellow hat from British milliner Jane Taylor, and accessorised with a pair of Gianvito Rossi suede pumps and an Anya Hindmarch clutch. Her jewellery, as always, remained sentimental: a three-strand pearl bracelet designed for Diana, Princess of Wales, by Nigel Milne (which she wore for Trooping the Colour just days earlier), and a pair of diamond chandelier earrings reportedly inherited from the late Queen Elizabeth II.
What Is The Royals’ Connection To Royal Ascot?
Royal Ascot’s royal roots are strong. The racecourse was founded by Queen Anne all the way back in 1711, and in the centuries since has been supported by another British 12 monarchs – but it wasn’t until 1911 that it became a ‘royal’ event, having previously been known as just Ascot.
Even today’s monarchs are known for getting in on the fun. The late Queen was massive horse racing fan, having even owned and bred a number of thoroughbred horses for racing. And while her granddaughter-in-law Kate might not be so horse-bound (she’s rumoured to even be allergic to horses), she is also known for her love of Royal Ascot.
How Many Times Has The Princess Of Wales Been?
Kate Middleton has attended six Royal Ascot races, this year included: in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023 and most recently in 2026.
What Is Her Royal Ascot Style?
Over the years, it’s safe to say that Princess of Wales’ racing fashion has evolved – subtly, but enough to show that she’s now a senior member of the royal family. ‘For her first few visits, Kate played it fairly safe – pale shades and whites, nothing too eye-catching,’ notes Carly Whitewood, founder of the Kate Middleton Style blog. ‘Over time, and especially since becoming Princess of Wales, she’s grown noticeably bolder and brighter; her 2023 red Alexander McQueen was a real statement. I do suspect the brighter colours tie in with her being front and centre at the trophy presentations, though that’s just my own hunch.’
As for her personal style, Carly sums this up as being comprised of ‘very feminine, pretty pieces. The hat usually complements the dress in the same colour as the outfit, nothing too outlandish – nothing too “look at me.” It’s polished and considered rather than attention-seeking, and that restraint is a big part of why it works.’
Kate Middleton’s Royal Ascot Fashion Through The Years
2023: The Red Dress
Before 2026, the last look Kate Middleton wore to Royal Ascot was one of her boldest: an all-red outfit that helped her stand out on the racecourse. The occasion marked her second Royal Ascot appearance wearing Alexander McQueen, as she opted for a cherry red V-neck dress with long cuffed sleeves, a pleated skirt and belted waist. She accessorised in matching colours, with a red floral hat by Philip Treacy, a vintage Hermès clutch in red leather and a pair of red suede heels designed by British-Lebanese designer Jennifer Chamandi. She topped this off with a pair of chandelier tassel drop earrings crafted from gold-plated brass and finished with black beads, designed by Parisian brand Sézane.
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2022: The Polka Dot Moment
Tapping into vintage chic with her 2022 look, the Princess of Wales took to the racecourse in a white mid-length dress with brown polka dots. Designed by Alessandra Rich, the dress featured a slightly ruffled hem, cinched belt, long sleeves and a pleated bow off centre at the neck. She colour coordinated with a floral straw hat by Sally-Ann Provan, a brown suede clutch and matching brown suede heels. The 80s silhouette, coupled with the South Sea pearl drop earrings favoured by Princess Diana, harked back to her mother-in-law’s own Royal Ascot outfit from 1988.
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2019: The Blue Bespoke Look
Breaking her streak of white summer dresses, Kate Middleton attended the 2019 edition of Royal Ascot in a light blue blouse and skirt by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. A modified version of the label’s Resort 2019 collection, the new look featured a pussy bow blouse (with extended sheer sleeves) and a long tulle skirt – both in a pretty powder blue colour with textural polka dots. This marked the first time the royal wore the designer for a public event. She wore the two-piece with a pair of silver metallic Gianvito Rossi pumps, a matching silver clutch bag also by Elie Saab, a pair of blue Kiki McDonough drop earrings and a blue floral hat by Irish milliner Philip Treacy.
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2017: The McQueen Dress
For her second appearance at Royal Ascot, Kate Middleton once again opted for a white lace look – but this time, by tried-and-tested atelier Alexander McQueen. The house, which also made the royal’s 2011 wedding dress, created a customised version of a popular lace mini dress design (pulling down the length of the skirt to fit in with the Royal Enclosure’s dress code). In true Kate fashion, she teamed up the garment with neutral-toned Gianvito Rossi pumps and a blush pink clutch from Loeffler Randall. She also wore a bespoke hat featuring a lace design that matched her dress, as well as a pair of pearl earrings that previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth II (you can read the full story about the heirloom earrings here).
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2016: The Dolce & Gabbana Debut
Despite having made appearances at several public events since her marriage to Prince William in 2011, it wasn’t until 2016 that she made her debut at Royal Ascot – and what a debut it was. The Princess of Wales (then the Duchess of Cambridge) opted for a white lace dress by Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana. This was a look she had worn just a month prior, at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, but on this occasion she styled the dress with a mesh saucer disc hat from Jane Taylor millinery, blush Gianvito Rossi pumps and her trusty L.K. Bennett raffia box clutch.
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