Kate Middleton wears them a lot, whether to formal events or work meetings or sports events. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie party and go to fashion events in them. Princess Diana had them in every color. Even Queen Elizabeth wears them every time she visits Parliament; they are, after all, part of her most formal royal outfit. Royal women and polka dots go hand in hand, and they have for a long time.
Of course they do.
Polka dots are hands-down the most satisfying, happiest, most appealing, and most versatile pattern ever! And cozy — wearing them is like giving ourselves a big ole hug. They're playful even if they're not multicolored, but are still formal enough to look professional, thanks to being evenly spaced out (How very lockdown-era of them).
Polka dots are so versatile, and that's reflected in the outfits that we've seen on royal women. There have been polka dot shirts, sundresses, gowns, hats, socks, and even shoes, like someone took a bottle of tiny circles and poured it into the wash. It just seems like a pattern that people never get tired of, including the Duchess of Cambridge and the other royals.
The queen of polka dots was not in fact the Queen, but Princess Diana, who wore the pattern like it was going out of style (it never has!). And her daughter-in-law Kate has followed her example, sometimes showing up in outfits that are updated dead ringers for the legendary late princess and fashion icon.
But others, like Meghan Markle and Princess Anne, have worn the dots, and we hope that all of these royal ladies keep rocking the classic pattern, and continue to show that polka dots are not just for little kids.
Here are 20 pictures of royal women showing their polka dot style.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Red, Red Wine
Meghan Markle had just announced her pregnancy and was in the middle of her first overseas tour — to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga — when this candid shot was taken. After a few days of official events, she was headed out to Fraser Island, Australia, for some much needed rest and relaxation — while wearing a burgundy dress with small white dots, by the label &other stories. We'd be hard-pressed to find a picture of Meghan wearing polka dots in public, so this may well be a rarity.
Twinning Sister-In-Law
A week before Meghan wore her dress, half a world away, in London, her sister-in-law Kate wore a similar dress, in a similar color — in perhaps the only instance that the two very different women have ever sort of twinned. So … for sure a total accident. Kate wore her long-sleeve, floor-length dress by label Whistle to a Kensington Palace reception for award-winning teen heroes.
Feisty Fedora
Princess Eugenie, along with her sister Beatrice, became instant memes thanks to the outrageous fascinators they wore to William and Kate's wedding in 2011, but here's proof that Eugenie has been into weird hats for a while. At the 2009 Ascot races, she debuted this conical fedora in black with white dots. It's got a strange appeal. We're not saying we'd rock it to our next social gathering, but we'd at least try it on in the store, if only for the selfie.
A Sassy Version
This may not be regal, but it is regally … cool. Sarah Ferguson, aka Fergie, Prince Andrew's ex and the mother of Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, once wore the cutest short blue shirtdress with white polka dots and a wide belt — which we'd totally wear today. Like Diana, the Duchess of York was a black sheep of the royal family, and like Diana, she began breaking plenty of royal traditions about dressing … like showing a lot of leg.
Pop Art
The annual Wimbledon tennis tournament has always been a place for Kate to showcase some enviable summer fashion. In 2017, Kate made a bold statement with this pop art, graphics-inspired dress with big dots on white background, for opening day. We love how big the circles are, especially because that's rarely seen. But the square neckline and simplicity of the dress's cut mean that the pattern does not overwhelm her.
Standing Out
We love this picture for the way that it illustrates why Diana turned into a global superstar — the most famous woman in the world during her time, in fact. Not only was she beautiful and tall, but she also the way she dressed made her the focal point of any crowd. Here she is at the annual Ascot races, where royals and aristocrats get together and dress to the nines to watch horse races.
A Debut in Red
Two months before she walked down the aisle with Prince Charles in 1981, Princess Diana went on her first walkabout to greet crowds with her future husband. For the occasion, she chose this demure outfit that included a cute red jacket with white polka dots. The piece was a sign of things to come. Throughout her life, Diana wore polka dots many times more in looks for casual and formal events.
A Classic Look
To visit Bletchley Park, the facility where some 8,000 women worked as code breakers and support staff during World War II, Kate wore this 1940s-inspired blue dress with white polka dots, featuring oversize collar and cuffs. The Alessandra Rich dress costs $2,100, and was a huge hit even before Kate wore it (several royal women own it, in fact), but went viral after the duchess showed it off. It's just beautiful.
Pretty in Pink
In 1985, Princess Diana and Prince Charles went to Rome on an official visit. Diana looked radiant in a hot pink dress with tiny white polka dots and covered buttons down the back. It was covered up but still pretty (she was only 24, after all!), and totally appropriate for a visit to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. OK, we don't love the chalk-white pantyhose, but hey, it was the '80s, so we're giving the style icon a pass on that.
Drip, Drip, Dots
What would a queen wear when she's already dripping with diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds — as well as a tiara on her head, a necklace that reaches out her collar bones, earrings dangling from her ears, bracelets on both arms? On this occasion, Queen Elizabeth went with a lovely silk evening gown in silvery white, with barely there polka dots. It was the perfect canvas for her sash, ribbon, and medals.
Keeping It Low-Key
Like her mom and her sister, and other royal ladies, Princess Beatrice likes to wear polka dots from time to time. At one event she attended, she gave the pattern a modern twist by pairing it with pointy heels and a coat worn over the shoulders. Her shiny black dress with a sharp neckline and small dark red polka dots looks totally different when viewed from a distance … giving it a rich burgundy-brown hue.
A Really Royal Version
Could this be the reason that polka dots are so popular with royal ladies? The queen wears a robe that is made of luxurious ermine fur in white with black dots scattered throughout. She wears it every year — along with the jewel-encrusted Imperial crown — in a ceremony to open Parliament. Like many kings and queens before her, she wore a much more luxurious version during her 1953 coronation.
Playful Polkas
The classic pattern is a huge hit with kids, so it's probably no wonder that Kate Middleton pulled a black shirt with white dots out of her closet when she sat with first-time mothers and their babies on a surprise visit to a community center. Though we mostly see the dots on kids clothes and toys now, we're glad that royal women are keeping it alive. For some reason, it's the happiest and most comforting pattern in the world.
Bubbly History
Princess Beatrice stepped out to the Ascot races in this charming navy blue sleeveless dress with big white polka dots. Whether they're big, small, arranged closely together or set apart, like on this dress, polka dots have been popular since the mid-19th century, when polka music became a craze in Europe and lots of merchandise featured evenly spaced circles. The pattern then began to be replicated in clothing.
Blushing Bright
Princess Diana wore polka dots more frequently than probably any other royal woman, and she wore them in many different shades. When she visited a hospital in 1989, she chose a playful blush colored blazer dress with three-quarter sleeves by Catherine Walker, a designer that Kate keeps on rotation as well. It was a great color for her: fresh and feminine without being-over-the top pink.
Cheery Throwback
We might never guess it from recent pictures of her, but when she was younger, Princess Anne (the queen's only daughter) was quite the fashion plate, often wearing the latest trends. For a children's party in London's Hyde Park, she chose a tangerine coat dress with white polka dot lining and collar and a matching turban. No one could have missed her while she was riding that motorcade.
And Now, For Something Different
Well, this is interesting. Kate wore a sky blue Altuzarra dress — and showed quit a bit of leg, too! — that pretty much redefined what a polka dot pattern can be. This one has white and black dots, but they overlap, creating shapes that can be interpreted in different ways… Are they bugs? Are they sheep seen from above? Who knows. But we do know that the unusual polka dots make for an eye-catching dress.
A Royal Memory
When the Queens younger sister, Princess Margaret, turned 17, a lovely picture of her sitting in a drawing room at Buckingham Palace was released to the public. In it, she is seen wearing a silk summer dress with polka dots. The fact that she wore the pattern for an official portrait makes it clear that it has been a favorite for a long time. Now wonder it remains part of so many royal wardrobes to this day.
Subtle Nod With Subtle Dots
Kate channeled Princess Diana like never before by wearing a vintage Oscar de la Renta dress to a reception in Ireland in March. The magenta frock featured all very, very Diana details like a ruffled neckline and black Swiss dots, which are textured dots that are applied to the fabric. We know that polka dots never go out of style, but a ruffled neckline? Only the few can pull that one off.
Demure Dots
Kate likes wearing forest green a lot, whether it's a coat, blouse, or pants. Here, she combined it with the classic polka dot pattern when visiting a children's hospital in London. This dress — with a high collar and bow tie, long puff sleeves, and pearl buttons — is very conservative, but we'd still go for it, mainly because the dots liven it up so much. No one ever accused polka dots of being stuffy!
