If the Duchess of Cambridge knows anything, it’s how to put together a Christmas Day outfit. Not that we’d expect anything less from Kate, but ever since her first appearance in 2011 with the royals at their traditional Christmas morning church visit, the duchess has been getting it right year after year, serving us some serious festive-dressing inspiration when we need it most.
Like any good winter outfit, her looks always centre around a statement coat that says cosy but refined. Sometimes she pairs her outerwear with suede boots or classic courts, and there’s nearly always a fabulous headpiece, her go-to drop earrings and a hint of faux fur. As the duchess settled into royal life, her Christmas Day outfits only got better and better. You only need to glimpse at 2018’s wow-factor headband as proof.
So just in case you need last-minute outfit ideas for tomorrow (okay, you might not have a reception with the queen, but your Grandma deserves just as much ceremony, doesn’t she?), here’s a roundup of Kate’s festive looks—including but not limited to Diana-inspired checks, tonal ensembles and a rather apt nod to Mrs. Claus. Inspired? Keep scrolling, and you’ll also find our favourite smart coats and boots to shop now.
For her very first appearance at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate, Kate came to prove she wasn’t messing around. The funnel-neck aubergine coat was classically simple, but her matching Mulberry bag and Jane Corbett velvet hat had future fashion icon written all over it.
A serial outfit repeater (and all the better for it), Kate repurposed her favourite Alexander McQueen tartan coat for Christmas Day and would go on to wear it for many winters to come. She paired it with classic black suede knee-high boots because when aren’t they appropriate?
As we know, Kate loves to support British fashion, and in 2014, she leaned in to the Christmas-in-the-countryside vibe with this tweed coat by Moloh, a Gloucestershire-based brand. It’s the silk-scarf detail and Lock & Co pillbox hat for us though.
For a rainy Christmas morning in 2015, the duchess opted for a festive green Sportmax coat cinched in with a leather belt and her favourite Kiki McDonough drop earrings.
For Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s first Christmas morning appearance, the couple broke from tradition and spent the holidays with her family in Bucklebury. She brought out an old favourite for their morning church visit: the Hobbs Celeste coat, which the eagle-eyed of you will remember she also wore for a relaxed Christmas morning in Bucklebury in 2012 without the faux-fur lapel. We like to think she keeps this one in her childhood bedroom ready for such occasions.
This is where things start to get interesting. For Meghan Markle’s first Christmas morning appearance, the duchess stepped it up, covering her third baby bump with Diana-inspired Miu Miu checks. The velvet collar and furry hat scream Christmas and just might take this look to the top spot of Kate’s best festive looks so far.
By 2018, it’s clear Kate is coming into her own with her style and feeling much more confident at the traditional Sandringham appearance. Her statement Jane Taylor headband and Mrs. Claus–esque berry-red coat from Catherine Walker with a velvet collar and cuffs stood out next to Meghan’s pared-back navy ensemble, and we were here for it.
Another showstopping Catherine Walker coat accompanied Kate for the children’s first Sandringham appearance in 2019. In a cute nod, she matched her holly-green accessories to Princess Charlotte’s outfit. Now all that’s left to do is wait and see what outfit the duchess gifts us with tomorrow…
