To be a royal family member means attending hundreds—yes, hundreds—of events each year. Each event requires an appropriate outfit, and with both sustainability and favored outfits in mind, the same piece is often worn and then reworn at least once. Kate Middleton and Princess Diana are most often referenced when it comes to the "royal rewear," but many others—including the late Queen Elizabeth—swear by the practice. Ahead, some of our favorites.
Blue Veronica Beard
Meghan Markle adored this turquoise Veronica Beard shirtdress during her travels. She first debuted it in Tonga in 2018 during a tour with Prince Harry (the couple had recently announced their first pregnancy). Then she wore it again during a 2019 tour of South Africa.
Polka Dots
Queen Camilla is no stranger to the royal rewear; she's known to reuse and repurpose her very favorite outfits. She wore this Anna Valentine polka dotted dress in Venice, Italy, in 2009, and then again several times including in 2019 in Carmarthen, Wales.
Puffed Dress
The late Princess Diana's clothing strategy was pretty incredible; when she rewore outfits she often repurposed them by upcycling them, tailoring them, or wearing them with a different jacket. Such was the case with this bubble skirt, which she wore in Lisbon in 1987 with a blue blazer and then later that same year in Cannes with a white one.
Lavender Coat Dress
It's pretty safe to say that most of the Royals rewear their outfits, but that is especially true for the busiest members, including Princess Anne. She wore this lavender gown in 1982 in London and then again many times in the '90s, last wearing it in 2004 in Norfolk.
Zara Houndstooth Dress
Royals might love their couture and high-end fashion brands, but they also sometimes love retail brands. Kate Middleton first wore this pretty Zara houndstooth dress in January 2020 and continued to wear it, including to a trip to Wales in January 2025.
A Poncho Trench
Queen Elizabeth rewore plenty of outfits—naturally—during her seven decade-long reign. A fan favorite was this trench poncho, which made appearances in Surrey in 1990, Sandown Park in 2003, and Ascot in 2007. Obviously, it's the perfect rainy day outerwear.
Brown Wool Coat
Kate Middleton first wore this brown Hobbs Celeste coat early in her royal career in the early 2010s. It's had staying power in her wardrobe; she's broken it out several times since, including with a removable fur stole. She even debuted a longer version in 2023
Mondi Polka Dotted Skirt
Princess Diana had a touch of whimsy in some of her more casual styles (this was at a polo match in 1986). This polka dot skirt was apparently a favorite of hers, as she paired it with a matching top and a long red coat during a visit to Melbourne, Australia.
Alessandra Rich Polka Dots
This probably won't surprise anyone, but the Royals love to rewear their polka dots. And Kate Middleton is the queen of the rewear (pun not intended); she debuted this Alessandra Rich dress at Wimbledon in 2022 and has worn it since, including at Southampton in June 2023.
Navy Ralph Lauren Blazer
Meghan Markle's taste in blazers has been well-documented for years now. She first wore this navy Ralph Lauren blazer to We Day U.K. in March 2019, wearing it open to accommodate her baby bump. She then broke it out six years later in November 2024.
Yellow Roksanda Ilinčić
It's a real treat when the Royals wear a lesser known designer, like this pretty graphic yellow and white dress by Roksanda Ilinčić. Kate wore it in 2014 in Australia and again in 2016 at Wimbledon. She often favors a butter yellow, but this canary color is stunning.
Floral Two-Piece
This skirt actually had a matching top, but Diana (who turned out to have a daring fashion sense) didn't mind breaking the pieces up. She wore the skirt and the jacket to the 1981 Wimbledon Tennis Championships but then donned just the skirt in 1985.
Emily Wickstead in Butter Yellow
Emilia Wickstead is one of Kate Middleton's favorite brands. She wore this butter yellow coat dress in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and then again, including at a Buckingham Palace garden party in May 2025. It wouldn't be a stretch to assume we'll see it again.
Martin Grant Maxi
During her and Harry's 2019 tour of South Africa, Meghan rewore a striped Martin Grant maxi dress. Specifically, she had worn it during a tour the year before at the Residence of the British High Commissioner in Cape Town, South Africa. Call this her "tour" dress.
Cornflower Elie Saab
This pretty blue Elie Saab might be one of Kate's most fan-favorite outfits (even though she doesn't always use the brand, we see her wear it for special occasions). She first wore it at the 2019 Royal Ascot, and brought it out again for a garden party in 2023.
Tartan Caroline Charles
Tartan is another pattern favored by many Royals. This suit by Caroline Charles looked gorgeous on Princess Diana. She wore it to the Braemar Highland Games in Scotland in 1981, and then modified the neckline to be worn open with a white blouse underneath for an appearance in 1985.
Burgundy Eponine Gown
Eponine is another brand favored by Kate; this burgundy coat has proved to be appropriate for the holidays (she first wore it during a Christmas 2022 event and again in December 2024) and for the fall (she wore it in September 2023 for another event).
Tan Sentaler Coat
As soon as Meghan Markle became a Royal, fans noted that her coat game was particularly strong. She debuted this tan Sentaler coat over Christmas in 2017, then wore it again at the 2019 WellChild Awards. She also wore a red version of the coat in 2019 in Birkenhead, England.
Cobalt Catherine Walker
Bright, vivid blue is such a royal color (and thematic to Easter, which was the context for this photo). Kate wore this cobalt blue Catherine Walker coatdress first at the Common Wealth Day Service in 2022 and then again for Easter in 2023, matching with younger son Louis.
Alexander McQueen Blazer
It must be said, time and time again: Meghan Markle has awesome outerwear. She wore this classic Alexander McQueen look (black blazer and pants) to the 2018 Endeavour Fund Awards in 2018 and then again in 2020 for the TIME100 photoshoot with her and Harry.
White Barbara Casasola
Petition to get Kate Middleton to wear this more often: this white off-the-shoulder Barbara Casasola dress was a stunning outfit for Kate, who debuted it at the Art Fund Museum of the Year event in 2016. She wore it again at the Action on Addiction gala dinner in 2019.
Nonie Trench Dress
Meghan wore this Nonie trench dress first during her and Harry's 2018 tour, for an event that paid tribute to Nelson Mandela. The year following, she wore it to a meeting with Nelson Mandela’s widow, politician Graça Machel, making the outfit thematically resonant.
Purple Oscar de la Renta
A bright, vivid purple just feels so queenly. Kate wore this nearly fuchsia Oscar de la Renta blazer and skirt first at The Guild of Health Writers Conference with Heads Together in February 2017. She rewore it a visit to The Royal Opera House in January 2019.
Polka Dotted Dress
Royals and polka dots: the perfect match. She wore this dress at an equestrian event in June 1986, with a noticeable peplum detail in the back. She re-tailored the dress and removed the peplum, keeping the rest of the dress as-is, for an event in 1987.
Blue Alexander McQueen
Kate Middleton has even reworn her formal gowns. This ice blue Alexander McQueen was debuted at the 2011 British Academy Film Awards, and she rewore it at the 2021 Earthshot Prize Awards. Much like Diana before her, Kate made a small but effective tweak in switching up the belt for the second appearance.
Blue Catherine Walker
This pretty blue Catherine Walker dress had such a cool trajectory. Diana first wore it in Lisbon, Portugal in 1987 in the above long-sleeved iteration. She then completely altered it as a heart-shaped strapless dress that she wore to a charity ball in 1989.
White Alexander McQueen
The first time Kate wore this white one-shouldered Alexander McQueen dress at the 2019 BAFTAs, she didn't accessorize dramatically. However, after adjusting the gown and rewearing it to the same event in 2023, she wore long black gloves that perfectly elevated the look.
Lavender Ballgown
This bright Catherine Walker lavender gown was a standout choice for Diana as she attended a dinner to meet the president of Nigeria. Two years later, she debuted a new version of the gown with a light purple column skirt instead of the a-line version we see here.
Jenny Packham in Teal
One of Kate's most identifiable dresses, the royal has reworn this custom teal Jenny Packham gown to great effect. Most notably, she first wore it at the BOA Olympic Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2012, and then again at the Tusk Conservation Awards in London.
Red Carolina Herrera
Like Kate and Diana, Meghan took one of her most iconic gowns—this red Carolina Herrera dress—and tailored it to form an entirely new look. In 2021, she'd worn the dress with a sweeping train to the Intrepid Museum’s Salute To Freedom Gala. At the Children’s Hospital 2024 Los Angeles Gala, she left the train at home.
Black Floral Alexander McQueen
Kate Middleton wore this black floral Alexander McQueen to the BAFTAs in 2017. Not two years later, in March 2019 for the Portrait Gala at the National Portrait Gallery in London, it was speculated that she had the dress altered, as the new version had capped sleeves.
Sapphire Brooch
Princess Diana didn't just rewear and repurpose her clothes. This brilliant sapphire, the centerpiece of her necklace and one of her signature stones, was actually a brooch. She wore it pinned on a sash at Hampton Court Palace in 1982, then had it set into a pearl necklace as seen at this Vienna trip in 1986.
