From her first introduction as a member of the royal family back in 2011, the Princess of Wales has become one of the most celebrated style icons in the modern monarchy. Her influence on the British fashion industry is estimated at a billion dollars, nicknamed "the Kate effect."
Each year in the royal calendar, several fixed events are anticipated by royals and fashion fans, with Easter being one of them. This event provides the members of the House of Windsor with an opportunity to be seen dressed at their best and attend a special church service at Windsor Castle.
Kate made her Easter debut in 2016 and attended regularly in the years since. This year, the princess' presence has been impacted by her recently announced cancer diagnosis and preventative chemotherapy treatment.
Here, Newsweek looks at some of Kate's past Easter fashion highlights, from coat dresses to statement hats.
2017: A Royal Debut
Kate made her first appearance at the royals' Easter Sunday church service in 2017 at St George's Chapel in the precinct of Windsor Castle.
For the occasion, the princess opted for a classically tailored coat dress designed by Catherine Walker & Co., one of the late Princess Diana's favorite design houses.
The cream knee-length coat featured princess seaming, a Peter Pan collar, and elegant piping around each hem.
The royal paired the look with a matching colored pillbox hat.
2018: Maternity Style
Kate was pregnant during Easter in 2018. The royal still made it to the Easter Sunday service, wearing a simple black maternity coat designed by Catherine Walker & Co. paired with a brown felt pillbox hat and statement pearl jewelry.
2019: Blue Beginnings
Easter Sunday 2019 saw Kate re-wear a simple blue coat dress from Catherine Walker & Co. which she had first worn during a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2014.
The coat dress featured a tulip collar and was accessorized with a diamond floral brooch, grey suede accessories and a matching felt hat.
Kate has worn blue for her successive Easter appearances to date.
2022: Classic Coat Dress
After a two-year absence due to the COVID pandemic, Kate returned to the royal Easter Sunday church service in 2022, opting for a move away from her tradition of wearing Catherine Walker & Co.
Instead, the princess selected a pale blue coat dress designed by another favorite fashion creative, Emilia Wickstead.
Kate debuted the coat dress during a solo visit to Luxembourg in 2017. She paired it with a blue pleated headdress and blue pumps.
2023: Bold Balance
For Easter 2023, Kate returned once again to the house of Catherine Walker & Co. Re-wearing a vivid blue coat dress with a textured velvet lapel detail, all matched with a sculpted blue hat and matching accessories.
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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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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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