Kate Middleton is the queen of military chic.
Known for her love of ‘literal dressing’—choosing outfits to reflect and honour the occasion—Kate will often bring a touch of regimental flair to military engagements. Her ensembles often nod to traditional uniforms, with sharp tailoring, embossed buttons, epaulettes, piping, and braiding.
In this post, we’ll revisit the Princess’s most striking military-inspired looks. I’ll even share the hidden details in some of her outfits. Let’s start with Kate’s very first official engagement with the Irish Guards in 2011:
1. Military Tailoring For Armed Forces Day:
Kate’s first military-themed engagement took place just a few months after the Royal Wedding:
The Princess visited the Irish Guards on Armed Forces Day in June 2011. She looked regal in a bespoke navy coat dress by Alexander McQueen. Her look exuded military precision with its high collar, structured shoulders, and double-breasted front adorned with gold buttons. I remember this look being highly praised on social media at the time.
The coat dress drew inspiration from McQueen’s Pre-Autumn/Winter 2011 collection. According to Sarah Burton, McQueen’s then-creative director, the collection showcased “uniformity and [had] a regimental feel with the richness of ceremonial dress.”
The knee-length coat dress was a masterclass in tailored elegance, with its silhouette cut sharply to flatter Kate’s figure. I particularly love the three-quarter-length sleeves.
Kate complemented the piece with simple, sophisticated accessories in a matching hue. Adding to the ceremonial tone, the Princess also wore a navy blue pillbox hat adorned with a bow.
Kate finished the sharp look with the gold Cartier Shamrock brooch thought to belong to the Irish Guards. It’s been worn by several royals over the years, including Princess Anne and The Queen Mother.
I have no idea if the Princess intends to bring this coat back for a future engagement, but I do hope so. I could even see Princess Charlotte wearing this in the future—perhaps if she attends a military engagement with her parents when she’s in her late teens or 20s. Wouldn’t that be something?
2. Military Blouse For War Museum Visit:
Now let’s fast-forward a decade to November 2021. Here’s Kate in another refined and respectful military-inspired look:
For a visit to the Imperial War Museum in London, the Princess chose a structured navy blouse by Alexander McQueen, featuring bold gold-button detailing and regimented navy trim.
She paired the blouse with slim, tailored navy trousers that balanced the structured top, creating a sleek, streamlined silhouette. To complete the look, she layered with a calf-length navy coat by Catherine Walker, one of her go-to designers. The rich navy coat’s clean lines and elegant simplicity perfectly complemented the blouse’s detailed design.
A pair of navy suede heels added a polished finish, while a Remembrance poppy pin on her lapel paid tribute to those who served in the armed forces.
I’ve always thought this was a strong look. Though, if I’m being picky, I’d like the coat to be the same shade of blue as the trousers and blouse, or a bit darker.
My prediction? We’ll see this blouse again (GOOD).
3. Military Skirt Suit For A Visit To An Army Rehabilitation Centre:
Next, let’s look at the military-style jacket and skirt that Kate wore to an army rehabilitation centre in 2020. I think it’s quite a commanding ensemble!
And yes, it’s more Alexander McQueen! During her visit to Stanford Hall in Leicestershire, Kate paired a navy tailored jacket with structured shoulders and double-breasted metallic buttons with a matching long skirt. The look was polished and practical.
Kate accessorised with a small black top-handle bag, which added a timeless touch, while sleek black heeled boots and gloves lent both elegance and warmth on the brisk day.
Her hairstyle—a half-up, half-down look—felt relaxed and showcased her sparkling Mappin & Webb diamond earrings.
I’m thinking about Kate wearing this look again. Knowing her preference for ‘slow fashion’ and altering items she already owns, I wonder if she’ll re-wear the jacket but take up the skirt (to knee-length or thereabouts). Then accessorise with navy heels? Just a thought.
4. Military Chic For Bletchley Park ‘Codebreakers’ Visit
The Princess chose this military-inspired outfit to visit Bletchley Park in 2014—the once top-secret centre of World War II codebreakers who deciphered the German Enigma Machine, a breakthrough that significantly aided the Allied war effort.
Adding a personal touch, Kate’s paternal grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, worked at the site as part of the Government Code and Cypher School.
The military-style skirt and blouse are from the same Alexander McQueen collection (Pre Autumn Winter 2011) as the coat Kate wore on Armed Forces Day. The Princess also wore the look during a visit to Birmingham in 2011, following rioting in the city.
5. Military Coat To Thank Commonwealth Troops Ahead Of QEII’s Funeral:
Now, let’s look at the outfit Kate wore during a visit to ATC Pirbright in 2022.
The princess visited the Army training facility to meet and thank Commonwealth troops in the UK to participate in the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Kate looked composed and elegant in her black Catherine Walker coat.
The long, tailored coat featured structured shoulders with subtle epaulettes, echoing a classic military style—a respectful nod to the soldiers she met that day.
Kate paired the coat with a pair of sleek black block-heeled court shoes, her black Mulberry Amberley handbag and a wide-brimmed hat featuring a delicate swirling detail.
Adding a personal and poignant touch, Kate finished her look with the Queen’s “Silver Jubilee” diamond earrings, likely chosen as a tribute to the late monarch.
Kate debuted the coat at the 2020 National Service of Remembrance (below), it originally featured shoulder fringing, which Kate removed in 2022 for a cleaner, more streamlined silhouette.
Kate brought back the coat in 2024, again for the National Service of Remembrance. The designer confirmed the coat had been updated again for the occasion. The buttons had been changed and a bow was added to the collar.
I love how Kate’s refashioned and reworked the same coat three times. Very savvy.
6. In Green For the 2022 Irish Guards Parade:
Kate’s a regular at the Irish Guards’ annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade at their barracks in Aldershot. She tends to wear green—a colour that’s deeply tied to Ireland and its patron saint. At the 2022 Parade, Kate wore a striking £3,200 bespoke coat dress by Laura Green London.
The elegant piece, known as the Emilia, featured a structured dagger collar, epaulettes secured with navy leather buttons, and a matching belt that cinched at the waist, giving it a refined military edge perfect for the occasion.
Kate styled the look with emerald green accessories, including coordinating pumps and a matching hat. Once again, she completed the ensemble with the traditional gold shamrock brooch loaned from the Irish Guards. Her choice of accessories and the deep green shade of her outfit were a nod to both Ireland and the Irish Guards, fitting for this annual celebration.
7. Hidden Symbolism For Irish Guards’ Military Parade in 2023:
However, in 2023, Kate made a bold departure from her usual St Patrick’s Day green. She surprised us all with this stunning teal look. But did you know, the striking coat by Catherine Walker, was filled with hidden symbolism?
The military-style coat featured two sets of buttons grouped in fours, a subtle nod to the Irish Guards’ uniforms—Guards Divisions group their buttons in different numbers to make it easier to tell regiments apart at a glance. The Irish Guards have their buttons grouped in fours.
Kate’s coat also featured a Mandarin collar, echoing the mandarin collar on the Irish Guards’ red dress uniform.
The teal blue colour honoured the regiment as well. The Irish Guards wear teal blue plumes in their bearskin hats (below left), and this shade is prominent in their regimental badge (below right).
Also, historically, blue was associated with Ireland and its patron saint, St. Patrick, long before green became the colour most commonly linked with the island.
Kate paired the coat with a coordinating teal heart-shaped cocktail hat by Jane Taylor, matching gloves, a matching clutch (likely from Emmy London) and Gianvito Rossi 105 pumps in a similar shade.
She finished the elegant look with her emerald and diamond drop earrings and the gold shamrock brooch I mentioned above.
So, why the departure in 2023? It was Kate’s first St. Patrick’s Day as the regiment’s Colonel, a role previously held by Prince William. I expect she wanted to do something different and thoughtful to mark the occasion.
Kate did not attend this year’s parade because of her health problems. If she attends next year’s, I’d be interested to see if she reverts back to the darker green tones.
I’d be happy to see this teal coat again, though. Anybody who’s followed my blog for some time will know I think this is one of Kate’s best looks to date. I love the colour, the cut, the styling. Everything.
8. Military Braiding For 2019 National Service of Remembrance:
The National Service of Remembrance is a solemn event that honours and commemorates the sacrifices made by British and Commonwealth military personnel in wars and conflicts. Since joining the Royal Family, Kate’s attended the annual service every year, always wearing a black ensemble. Some years, her coat features symbolic military detailing.
At the 2019 service, she chose a sophisticated black coat dress by Catherine Walker (above). The piece captured a subtle military aesthetic with its high collar, zip-up front, and intricate frogging details.
The design featured tassels and corded braiding, adding texture and depth to the sombre yet elegant look—perfectly fitting for the occasion.
Kate paired the coat with a feminine Philip Treacy hat adorned with a delicate netted veil and the Queen’s Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings, a thoughtful tribute. She also wore the Royal British Legion’s Codebreakers Brooch, honouring those who served—including her grandmother.
The Princess later wore the coat again, to the same service in 2023, this time pairing it with a wide-brim hat, also by Philip Treacy.
I would like to see this coat again, perhaps at a military engagement in the future. I think it’s lovely.
9. A Pop Of Red For Poppy Day at the 2018 National Service of Remembrance:
Let’s look at another military-inspired coat Kate’s worn to the National Service of Remembrance. Shown below in 2018:
I think this is one of her sharpest Remembrance Sunday looks to date. The black coat is Alexander McQueen and it features a high, stand-up cream collar, which creates a striking contrast against the dark fabric. Shoulder epaulettes with red piping added subtle structure and a hint of regimental flair, while a matching belt with silver buttons cinched at the waist to define her silhouette.
The Princess brought back the coat in 2021 (below). Again, I think this is such a great coat on her. Very regal and sophisticated. I’d be happy to see it for a third time.
10. Camouflage For Irish Guards Training Exercises:
I’ve got to wrap up this article with a picture of Kate wearing camouflage. It might not be her most stylish look to date, but if anyone can pull off chic and combat-ready, it’s the Princess!
She wore the ensemble during a visit to the Irish Guards on Salisbury Plain in 2023. Braving the snow, the Princess observed training exercises and listened to a briefing on de-mining training.
Balancing fashion and function, Kate wore a standard British Army-issue camouflage jacket, paired with slim-leg cargo trousers by G-Star Raw and her reliable Berghaus walking boots. She kept accessories minimal, adding just a small gold teardrop hoop earring for a touch of elegance. To stay warm, she added a cosy beanie hat and gloves when needed.
I know there are a couple of military-inspired looks that I’ve not included—were you hoping to see one here? If so, which one? Let me know in the comments below! Or pop over to BlueSky and send me a message!
