Style Tricks & Tips From The Ladies Of The Royal Family

The women of the royal family are bound by fashion rules that would make celebrities and influencers shudder. After all, Marilyn Monroe paid no mind to royal fashion rules when she met Queen Elizabeth II. And yet, the royals are considered to be just as stylish, if not more so, than it-girls and style mavens who aren't held to those formal protocols. In Kate Middleton's case, they even have the power to set trends, turn unknown designers into household names, and make international headlines with a mere clothing choice. So when they employ style techniques and strategies that take their aesthetic to greater heights still, even within the confines of all those royal rules, you'd better believe we're taking notes. 

Sometimes, royal women use fashion tricks to solve problems that the rest of us don't have. Very few women have to navigate walking in stiletto heels on soft grass regularly, for example, the way the Princess of Wales does. Similarly, most of us thankfully aren't having to protect our dignity from photographers when we climb out of the car, à la Princess Diana. But still, we can learn a thing or two from these royal women, since their sartorial innovations are versatile. For example, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, has an easy yet effective tip to look taller, and it could help you rock the oversized clothing trend if you're petite, even if there aren't photographers waiting to snap your photo.

It's true that royal women can afford the very best that fashion has to offer, but their style tips and tricks are almost criminally simple. Whether you're going to be adjusting the way you walk, choosing bigger sizes, or rocking your outerwear in a different way, these fashion moves can be used by anyone, anytime, crown or no crown. 

Kate Middleton's evolution from commoner to the Princess of Wales and future queen of England has seen her transform before our eyes. Her wardrobe has been one of the biggest changes, shifting from carefree college girl to regal-coded, and that includes a pair of heels to finish off just about every outfit. Anyone who's experienced even one full day of wearing stilettos knows how tough that can be on your feet, not to mention the mishaps that can occur, including sinking into the grass. But after years of attending garden parties at Buckingham Palace, polo matches, and holidays at the Windsors' country estates, Kate has the solution.

Speaking to The Sun in July 2026, royal expert Amanda Wakeley, O.B.E., revealed that the princess is very likely to walk a certain way to avoid plunging into the grass. "Catherine is particularly good at walking on grass even in the highest of heels," she explained. "She must walk on her tiptoes to ensure that she doesn't sink into the ground." While that covers the sinking problem, Kate also has a strategy for navigating the pain associated with constantly wearing heels. "And royal women know the importance of being comfortable and Catherine will buy shoes in different sizes, depending on the brand," Wakeley went on. 

Mastering shoe sizing seems to be a widely known royal trick, since Kate's sister-in-law Meghan Markle was also known to wear shoes that were slightly too big for her feet when she was a working royal. It's thought that this was to avoid the edges of her shoes digging into her heels and causing blisters. Meanwhile, the late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly had staff break in her shoes to dodge the same problem. 

Queen Elizabeth II's most famous style trick is widely documented. Since she was arguably the world's most important person, it was vital for her to stand out in the crowds that she was constantly surrounded by. Queen Elizabeth wore monochromatic outfits so often, frequently in vibrant colors, so it was easy for people to spot her. This move dates back to the early days of her reign, when she was more often than not navigating a male-dominated space. "At the beginning of the queen's reign, she could often be the only woman in the room, so standing out from darkly tailored suits was important," exhibition curator of "Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style" Caroline de Guitaut told People in 2026. "Even if she's half a mile away, if she's wearing that red coat, you're definitely going to see her."

The average person might not need to be noticeable in a crowd the way the late queen was, but it's still an effective style technique to use. If you ever want to catch someone's attention, or maybe you need a revenge 'fit to show your ex that you were always the star of the show, bright monochrome is guaranteed to get the job done. 

Queen Elizabeth also had another style trick up her sleeve, or should we say, in her bag. According to royal editor Rebecca English, she used to carry a small suction device that would keep her go-to Launer bags clean. "She didn't like to put her bag down on the floor, and she would use the sucker to hold it to a table or to a wall or something like that," she said in an episode of the "Palace Confidential" podcast, per Marie Claire. 

The best style tricks are born out of necessity. In the case of the late Princess Diana, a tragic fact of her life was that she was constantly fending off the invasive lenses of the paparazzi, right until her untimely death in August 1997. But she did develop a clever strategy to preserve some of her modesty while she was out and about exiting cars, since she sometimes found herself in compromising positions that photographers could exploit. 

"We used to laugh when we designed what she called her 'cleavage bags,' little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars," designer Anya Hindmarch explained to The Telegraph (via Vogue Australia). This trick became especially important after Princess Diana left the royal family, because her wardrobe changed. When she first married into the Firm in 1981, she was known for smock dresses, statement oversized collars, and the volumized silhouettes of the '80s. But fast-forward a decade to the years after she and King Charles III, then Prince Charles, formally separated in 1992, her rotations took a turn for the chic. The '90s were an era of glamorous red carpet gowns, form-fitting skirt suits, and black shift dresses that showed a little more skin than the ensembles she donned at the palace. Some of Princess Diana's leggiest looks also came after splitting from the royal family. Suddenly, the need for cleavage protection was real for the style icon. 

Whether you're royalty or not, Princess Diana's handbag hack for avoiding cleavage slips is brilliant. While you could use this trick with a larger handbag too, a slim clutch is the best way to discretely hide your cleavage when exiting vehicles, or any other time you need it. 

Outerwear is for more than just keeping you warm — a statement trench or tailored coat can be the pièce de résistance of your entire outfit. There's a specific way to wear jackets, blazers, trenches, and all other coats that is immediately giving "old money chic," and Queen Camilla is an expert at it. For all intents and purposes, we're dubbing this one the "Camilla drape." 

It's simple; rather than wearing your coat, you drape it over your shoulders, styling it like a cape. The queen demonstrated this in June 2025, when she attended the Big Lunch at Mulberry Wood Wharf School in London, England. She finished off her look of a polka-dot dress and capped-toe court heels with a beige trench, which she rested on her shoulders. Perhaps it was too warm on that sunny day to properly wear the coat, but the result was a fashion moment with a little more personality. An outfit like this can inspire all your winter layering, but it really works in any season.

Queen Camilla's style trick is certainly easy to pull off, but it doesn't suit all occasions. Depending on the outerwear, it might not rest comfortably on your shoulders if you move your arms around, in which case you'll need to keep them mostly pinned to your body. Test it out at home first, but be warned that this strategy might not work in situations where you'll have to move your arms a lot! And if it's too high-maintenance for you, save it for those few events where you'll be sitting still the whole time. Take another page from Camilla's book, since she also wears her outerwear normally, balancing oversized blazers with straight, clean bottoms so the look doesn't swallow her. 

The royal family has its leading sartorial superstars who can sell out clothing in seconds, and it also has its underdogs. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, falls into the latter category; she might not be the most famous face in the Firm, but we've been taking style notes over the years, and her fashion prowess can't be denied. One of her best style tricks happens to also be one of the oldest in the book, and it works like a charm. The royal often matches the color of her shoes to her pants or dress, which is one of the best fashion tips for making yourself look taller.

We saw this strategy in place at the June 2026 wedding of Peter Phillips, which took place in Kemble, England. Sophie paired her sky-blue flouncy maxi dress with similarly toned pointy heels (which also create the illusion of height) and a lofty fascinator (another height helper). At 5 feet, 5 inches tall, Sophie didn't appear too much shorter than her husband Prince Edward, who's around 6 feet. For that fact alone, this was a standout moment in the style evolution of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. 

Sophie, who revived the quiet luxury trend at Trooping the Colour 2026, also employed this trick in March 2025 on a royal visit to Bristol, England. Wearing an oversized gray blazer and trousers set from Vince, the duchess paired her 'fit with Penelope Chilvers' Tango Taupe Suede Pumps, which were a similar shade to her suit. In both cases, we can see that this is one of the most effective accessorizing tips to take note of if you're petite, or if you simply feel like looking taller.