Kate Middleton's Love Of Monochromatic Looks May Be A Nod To Queen Elizabeth

In a family whose philosophy is "never complain, never explain," the subtle messages behind clothing choices carry a lot of weight. The British royals might not outwardly admit it, but their wardrobes often reflect hidden meanings. When it comes to Kate Middleton, the future queen of England and one of the most sartorially scrutinized members of the Firm, her rotations might be quietly paying tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. In particular, her love of monochromatic looks may be inspired by the former queen's affinity for solid block colors. 

"[Kate] has borrowed the late queen's love of color block dressing, but she takes it one step further, literally wearing one color from head to toe — shoes and hat included," designer Amanda Wakeley told The Sun in 2026. For Queen Elizabeth's part, her color block dressing guaranteed that she stood out in the crowds that she was inevitably surrounded by. It helped her subjects to spot her amidst the chaos, and it likely also helped her security keep a close watch on her. Now, Wakeley believes the Princess of Wales seems to be dressing for a similar effect.

Since she wasn't born into the House of Windsor, Kate's style was noticeably different when she first stepped into the royal spotlight. Upon marrying into the family in 2011, she had a much less refined wardrobe which felt more Y2K British socialite than future queen. "Now she is stylish rather than fashionable, and I can't think of one outfit that won't stand the test of time," Wakeley added. "The longer hemlines she favors now ensure that she looks elegant and graceful." Undoubtedly, Kate Middleton's reliance on monochromatic palettes have also helped to cement her regal style, and there have been plenty of those over the years. 

Kate Middleton doesn't have to wear monochrome to look flawless, but she does often look flawess when she's wearing monochrome. One of the best examples of her mastery of this fashion technique was back in January 2022, when she visited Lancashire, England in a camel ensemble. Wearing the matching Éloise turtleneck and Ernestine skirt, both from Iris & Ink, she paired her light-brown base with a warmer sandy coat. She finished this brown color story off with suede boots, which are likely from Saint Laurent. This ensemble is the perfect example of how the princess rocks monochrome; there's some variation between tones and levels of warmth, but everything sits in the same family. 

Another standout monochrome look has to be the Roland Mouret burgundy pantsuit, which she wore at the Earthshot Prize Awards in Boston in 2022, and again in January 2026. Oh, we'd outfit-repeat this one, too. In 2026, she finished the look with a chocolate DeMellier handbag, demonstrating how different shades can work in largely monochromatic outfits as long as they're subtle and complementary. Kate Middleton has proven over and over again that pantsuits make great outfits, and her navy Alexander McQueen suit has absolutely added to her monochromatic repertoire. The princess wore it in December 2023 with a matching top underneath, all but crowning herself as the monochrome queen.

She continues to nail monochrome dressing, though her approach is slightly different from Queen Elizabeth II's. While the late queen focused on bright, vibrant shades, favoring limes, pinks, and yellows, the Princess of Wales often leans towards earthier palettes (though she has rocked red before!). Both royals loved to make a statement, but Kate is keeping things just a bit more subtle — at least until she sits on the throne.