Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is undoubtedly the most famous fashion icon to come out of England since Princess Diana. Truthfully, she looks good in just about everything she puts on her sleek frame, no matter what the color might be, but she's particularly ravishing when she dares to wear red.
Of course, Kate is best known for wearing the sapphire blue color that matches the engagement ring that was passed down to her by the late mother-in-law she never got to meet, but she also pulls off red rather impressively. From stylish, siren-red winter coats and rich, crimson floor-length gowns to big pops of color with some of her more casual or sporty looks, Kate loves to roll out the daring red pieces from her wardrobe. The color does stand out gorgeously against Kate's dark brown hair and really brings out that pretty, natural blush in her cheeks. We love it. Every. Single. Time.
Kate can make red work for every season of the year, and wow, does she wear it fearlessly and oh so well. Here are some of our favorite of Kate's boldest looks — nobody quite does justice to the color red like she does!
Flower Girl
Kate was pregnant when this photo was taken, but we'd never have guessed it by just looking at her here. The flowers might be hiding her tiny baby bump, but there's no hiding how gorgeous Kate looks in this lovely red shift dress. It's such a classic, timeless pick.
Red Coat
The ombré trend has been (mostly) gone for a while, but it is fun to look at this throwback photo to see the time Kate tried it out. This bold coat really helped her stand out on what looked to be an otherwise pretty dreary day — one of her rare trendier moments.
Well-Suited
If we ever need a photo to remind us of what a boss Kate is, this is the one — even in a bright color, she still looks like she's all business. We love this kind of structured, belted dress on her, and the color coordination she has going on here is super fab.
Baby on Board
We rarely see Kate looking as regal as we do when she's just stepped off a plane, looking absolutely perfect like she does here. As we already know, Kate dazzles in red, but all eyes are on Prince George. How in the world is this tiny little boy already 9 years old?
Staff Up
In this photo, we see Kate and Prince William as they prepare to meet the staff at Kensington Palace. Kate is ready in a red coat from her extensive collection — a color that shows everyone needs to pay attention to her. Excuse me, everyone, a future queen is talking.
Oh, Canada!
As she prepared to leave Canada in 2011, Kate had everyone seeing red. Considering the fact that she often tries to dress to coordinate with the traditions and national colors of wherever it is that she happens to be visiting, we'd say she killed it for her Canadian visit.
Hats Off
This photo just goes to show that it's totally possible to pull off a bold look based on a relatively minor accessory on its own. The dress may be white, but the hat's all red, immediately drawing the eye to it. This is possibly one of Kate's all-time most stunning looks.
Official Business
For a state dinner with the president of China, Kate wore the late Queen Elizabeth's tiara and this gorgeous red dress. Typically, we only get to see the royal ladies in tiaras when they attend a formal event in the evening, so this was a rare chance for Kate to wear a bold red and top it all off with a beautiful accessory.
School Days
Every year, it seems like Kate gets prettier and her style gets more chic. She has a lot of red suits, but this just might be our favorite. Between the cut and the pleated skirt, this is a total fashion win, and we can't imagine it working this well in any other color.
Sports Authority
Even while rock climbing, Kate looks lovely in red. One of her biggest strengths is managing to both dress totally appropriately to participate in whatever any royal engagement she's attending calls for, while also looking completely fashion-forward like she does here.
Fashion Ace
Given that attending the tennis matches at Wimbledon has long been a royal tradition, we always look forward to seeing what outfits Kate wears to the event each year. Seeing a world-class tennis match is perfect occasion to wear this pretty red dress by L.K. Bennett.
All Tied Up
We imagine that Kate experiences a lot of cold, windy days living in the UK and working in such a public-facing job that often requires her to spend time outdoors. Knowing that, we're not surprised that she has all the best winter accessories, like this scarf that pulls her red outfit together.
Casual Red
Here's one of Kate's more casual dresses in red, and even though her outfit is a bit more low-key than others we've seen, that's also the beauty of it. She looks so fresh and youthful in this bold red look, which she wore to visit the mental health charity Heads Together in London.
Shoulders Out
We consider this one of Kate's spicier looks, and that's why we love it so much. In fact, this might be one of our favorite favorite Kate dresses of all time. She wore this gorgeous red off-the-shoulder Alexander McQueen to the Queen's birthday party in Berlin.
Puffy Coat
Kate can always make sporty look stylish. Here she is in all black (with her cute 5-month baby bump) and a red puffer jacket when she visited the Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham, England. Puffer jackets are a winter staple for so many people, including Kate.
Check It Out
The internet went wild for Kate's retro-inspired red houndstooth coat that she wore on her visit to Stockholm, Sweden, especially because it's very similar to a coat Princess Diana wore several decades earlier. It's not often that we get to see Kate in a bold color and a bold pattern at the same time, so this felt special.
Mother & Daughter
During a visit to Cardiff Castle in June 2022, Kate certainly made herself the center of attention (in the best way) by wearing this long red coat. Even with her hair back in a ponytail as she held hands with daughter Princess Charlotte, this was a Look.
From the Blazer Collection
Kate visited Denmark in February 2022, and she did not come to play with the outfits she packed for this trip. This outfit, featuring a classy blazer, is one of our favorites — the way she paired the bold red blazer with a more feminine top is everything.
A Fashion Icon
Wait, is this Kate Middleton or an actual model? We love the windswept look she has going here as she looks over her shoulder while crossing the street — so casual while dressed so elegant. This top and skirt are both from Christopher Kane, and it's the definition of the monochrome trend done well.
All Sparkles
One thing about Kate: When the time comes to dress up for a fancy occasion, she does not let us down. This sparkly gown was perfect for an evening hosting dignitaries at Buckingham Palace. We just wish we got to see more of it!
