The Most Unfashionable Royals At Trooping The Colour 2025

Trooping the Colour is one of the British monarchy's most anticipated displays of tradition and pageantry. While the King's guards salute and jets roar overhead, the real action for us fashion folk plays out at ground level. From the outfits to the hats and accessories, we're keen spectators of the silent battle for best-dressed royal. Unfortunately, this year's lineup for Trooping the Colour 2025 felt notably lighter. No one really expected Prince Harry or Meghan Markle, who is in her post-royal fashion era, to show up. But other familiar faces, including Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, were absent, leaving the style stakes in the hands of a smaller royal cast.

Still, most attendees came dressed with care. Princess Catherine of Wales' aquamarine coatdress, designed by Catherine Walker, was elegant, sharply tailored, and carried just enough pomp to match the moment. Royal fashion watchers quickly noticed that the look may have been a subtle homage to her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, who wore a similar suit designed by the same stylist during a 1992 visit to New Delhi.

Other royals, however, seemed to go with style choices that certainly didn't make anyone's inspiration boards. And while no outfit this year was disastrous enough to earn a spot on our worst Trooping the Colour looks of all time list, a few definitely shouldn't make a return next June. Here are the most unfashionable royal looks that left us underwhelmed and bored at Trooping the Colour 2025.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, leaned into her usual silhouette with a forest green dress this year, but the result felt more like an unfashionable vintage tea frock than a royal showstopper. The fabric lacked structure around the bust, and the neckline provided no support, making the whole bodice slump. The shade did her no favors, either. It didn't brighten her skin or pop, especially compared to the sunny yellow she wore at Trooping the Colour 2024. And the headband felt less like a regal accessory and more like an afterthought that vanished into her hair without adding anything. For such a highly anticipated once-in-a-year event, this look was too safe and not nearly fashionable enough.

Thanks to Duchess Birgitte's styling choices, what could've been an elegant topper ended up looking like a crafting project gone rogue. The base of the hat wasn't the problem; a sculpted pillbox hat is as fashionable as it gets. But the veil overlay was where it all came apart. Instead of soft tulle or delicate netting that drapes and flatters, Birgitte's stylists opted for a thick, stiff mesh with the spacing of chicken wire. It sat awkwardly across her face, clashing with the refined silhouette beneath and drawing attention for all the wrong reasons. The rest of her outfit might've done justice to the 2025 Trooping the Colour parade if the hat hadn't been so distracting.

During the Trooping the Colour 2025 carriage ride, Camilla, Queen Consort's white silk dress from designer Anna Valentine actually looked nice — until the balcony appearance, where we finally got the full view. Once again, the queen consort's commitment to volume continues at her own peril. The outfit was a tad bit awkwardly shaped, and it was clear that a little more tailoring or structure could have made a big difference. We also couldn't help but notice how plain the entire dress looked. White is a darling hue, but a few pops of color somewhere could've helped — it is called Trooping the Colour, after all. Camilla, who was one of the worst-dressed royals at Trooping the Color 2024, was so close to escaping the most unfashionable list this year. Better luck next time.