Why Princess Kate's 2016 India Tour Was a Fashion "Mess"

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A new Channel 5 documentary in the U.K. is exploring the evolution of Princess Kate's royal career through the lens of her fashion choices. In Kate: A Life in 10 Dresses, royal experts and designers weigh in on some of the Princess of Wales's most famous dresses, and one fashion industry pro shared why the royal's 2016 wardrobe was a "mess."

Prince William and Princess Kate, then known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited India and Pakistan for a blockbuster royal tour in 2016. The world focused on the couple as they recreated Princess Diana's famous Taj Mahal photo, but according to insiders, there wasn't as much attention paid to Kate's tour wardrobe behind the scenes.

"It was a holy mess," Onita Prasada, director of fashion brand O'nitaa London, said in the film (via the Daily Mail). The South Asian designer added that "someone got it really wrong" when it came to the royal's outfits, which were mostly from British brands instead of Indian designers.

Princess Kate kneeling down in a pink dress painting a colorful elephant statue — Princess Kate wears a pink Topshop dress while visiting India in 2016.

Princess Kate wearing a red maxi dress walking past a car — Princess Kate wears a red maxi dress by U.K. brand Glamorous in India.

With the exception of a colorful midi dress by Anita Dongre and a blue and white shift dress from Indian-American designer Naeem Khan, Indian garments were largely replaced by British designs featuring South Asian–inspired prints. Wearing pieces like a pink Topshop dress, $11 Accessorize earrings or a maxi from affordable British retailer Glamorous left Prasada "disappointed."

"I cannot put my finger on one garment that she wore over her visit to India that spoke volumes for the wealth of fashion that is available," she said.

However, when it came time for William and Kate to head to Pakistan in 2019, it was Prasada who stepped in to help consult on her wardrobe. Princess Kate's former assistant, Natasha Archer, reached out to the designer, who owns a London boutique.

"There was a lot of interaction and communication between Natasha and myself," Prasada said in the documentary. The designer was consulted on numerous aspects of Pakistani fashion, with a 2019 Telegraph story reporting that she "helped with colour combinations and offered scarf styling advice, draping scarves on her staff and sending photos to Kate’s team for their reference on the tour."

Kate Middleton wearing a white tunic and pants hitting a cricket ball — Princess Kate is pictured in a traditional kurta by Pakistani brand Élan in 2019.

Instead of British designs, Kate leaned on Pakistani brands like Maheen Khan and even some affordable accessories from Zeen (think the Pakistani answer to Accessorize). Unlike the royal's trip to India three years prior, the Pakistan tour was hailed as a fashion success.

In the new Channel 5 documentary, Baroness Ayesha Hazarika said Kate's outfits in Pakistan were "a masterclass in diplomatic dressing."

"She looked naturally enthusiastic about respecting the culture and embracing fashion," the baroness said. "It was a smart move for her, and she pulled it off."

TOPICS

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.