

There have been times when the current Princess of Wales has very blatantly paid tribute to her late mother-in-law, the former Princess of Wales, Princess Diana—what immediately comes to mind are the outfits she wore to introduce each of her three children to the world, which mirrored outfits worn by Diana when introducing her own sons to the public. There is a myriad of other examples of Kate paying obvious tribute to Diana, and some are more subtle; royal expert Rebecca English said, per OK, that Kate “doesn’t make a big point of it,” referring to constantly blatantly paying tribute, as she did when her children were born.
Diana, 1982 and Kate, 2013
“I don’t think they set out to be compared, if those comparisons are made,” English said. “It’s very flattering. She obviously wears a lot of her [Diana’s] jewelry, so there’s always a tribute to her there in that way, but I think she wears it—she wears it lightly.”
Kate, 2023
Diana, 1988
The inevitable comparisons went to another level when Kate became Princess of Wales on September 9, 2022, a title so closely associated with Diana. Her next stop—again, may it be in the far distant future—is to become Queen, when Prince William ascends to the throne. At King Charles’ Coronation in May, Kate had what English called “a real—on a fashion level—stop in your tracks moment at the Coronation, when she got into Westminster Abbey,” she said of Kate’s Alexander McQueen look. “She just looked like a Queen-in-waiting to me. It was so elegant, so polished, so regal. I thought ‘She’s got it.’”
At Trooping the Colour the next month, designer Amanda Wakeley thought Kate’s look channeled Diana: “The suit that she wore to Trooping the Colour this summer, honestly, that could have been out of Diana’s wardrobe,” she said.
Kate, 2023
Wakeley worked with Diana during the beginning stages of her career, and Diana loved her work. “I was very lucky,” Wakeley said. “It was early days of my career, and I remember thinking ‘Gosh, I’ve got the Princess of Wales coming.’ I remember thinking before her appointment, ‘Gosh, there’s going to be sniffer dogs in here and security and all the rest of it,’ and the doorbell goes and it’s Diana on the doorstep on her own. She’d driven herself lowkey and yet fun. We had a real laugh.”
Per The Daily Mail, Wakeley, speaking on the “Palace Confidential” podcast, added of Diana that “she was informal, a little bit cheeky, a little bit gossipy, wanted the latest sort of fashion gossip and she was just one of the girls,” she said. Wakeley added that Diana was also “incredibly encouraging” to her as a fairly new designer.
Kate, 2022
Diana, 1986
Kate, of course, channels Diana every day, as her engagement ring once belonged to her late mother-in-law. Of the sapphire-and-diamond sparkler, “It is a family ring, yes,” William said during his and Kate’s 2010 engagement interview. “It’s my mother’s engagement ring. So I thought it was quite nice because obviously, she’s not going to be around to share any of the fun and excitement of it all—this was my way of keeping her sort of close to it all.”
William told interviewer Tom Bradby that Kate will forge her own path within the Firm, and Kate has always openly shared her respect for Diana. “Obviously, I would have loved to have met her, and she’s obviously an inspirational woman to look up to,” Kate said. William quickly added “There’s no pressure though. There’s no pressure. Like Kate said, it is about carving your own future. No one is going to try to fill my mother’s shoes. What she did was fantastic. It’s about making your own future and your own destiny and Kate will do a very good job of that.”
Thirteen years on, she continues to do just that. “She wears it as hers,” Wakeley said of Kate wearing jewelry formerly belonging to Diana, like her engagement ring. “It’s not a pastiche of how Diana would’ve worn it. It’s very much she’s owning her look—which is a wonderful look.”
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Will Probably Only See One Another for One Occasion Henceforth
And it’s not an occasion anyone relishes.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Princess Kate “Felt Like a Caged Animal” While Living in Kensington Palace
Her family of five relocated to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor in September 2022.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
The British Royal Family Could Learn a Thing or Two from the Danish Royals
After a bitter family feud last year that played out in public (does that sound familiar?), the entire royal family of Denmark will spend Christmas together under one roof.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Princess Kate “Felt Like a Caged Animal” While Living in Kensington Palace
Her family of five relocated to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor in September 2022.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
The Unexpected Character in Season Six of ‘The Crown’? Princess Diana’s Swimsuits
"The swimsuit is the new ball gown.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Once the Peacemaker Between Prince William and Prince Harry, Princess Kate Now Considers Her Relationship With Harry Over
It’s one of many bombshells Omid Scobie is dropping this week in his new book.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
The Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle Haven’t Spoken Since 2019, New Book Claims—and Yes, That Includes at Joint Appearances
The “silence was palpable” as Kate and Meghan rode in a car together to Windsor Castle for a walkabout after Queen Elizabeth’s death.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Queen Camilla and Princess Kate Are a “Unit Together” When It Comes to Fashion Choices, Expert Says
“You could feel this kind of exchange going on between them, which I think is really interesting.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Meghan Markle Almost Wore a Tiara That Would Have Poignantly Honored Princess Diana
Instead, Queen Elizabeth insisted that Meghan choose from her personal collection.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Pink Blouse from Princess Diana’s 1981 Engagement Portrait Is Expected to Net Up to $100,000 at Auction
The same designers that created this blouse were also behind her iconic wedding dress later that year.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Princess Kate Makes History in 100-Year-Old Tiara Not Seen Since the 1930s
She’s only the second royal to ever wear it publicly.
By Rachel Burchfield