The royal women (minus the protocol-breaking Meghan Markle) don't often wear black, as it's usually reserved for funerals or somber occasions. But they do often wear white. In everyday life, the color is often associated with weddings, especially if the clothing item in question is a full-length gown. But the royals wear white dresses of all lengths all year round, no matter the connotation behind the color. There's clearly no rule about not wearing white after Labor Day in England.
The royals know how to pull off pretty much any color. Queen Elizabeth has made neon green look good, and Kate Middleton's wardrobe contains all the colors of the rainbow. So it's no surprise that they also all look good in white gowns. Let's be real: all of the royals' white wedding dresses have been so on point, but their non-wedding related white outfits are often equally stunning.
From red carpets to overseas tours, here are 20 times the royal women nailed the LWD — little white dress. (Let's totally make that a thing.)
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Regal in White
This photo from 1987 shows a younger Queen — 61 at the time — standing with her husband at their home in Windsor Castle. We don't often see the Queen wear white, as she tends to go for bright colors so her fans can see her. Neon pinks, greens, and oranges are staples, so it's fun to see her change it up.
Camilla's Formalwear
We actually never saw Camilla Parker Bowles wear white at her wedding. Because her marriage to Prince Charles was her second marriage, she opted for a silvery dress instead. So this is actually one of the only times we've seen the Duchess of Cornwall all decked out in the color white. She was dressed to the nines for the formal Opening of Parliament.
Windy Day Whites
This is a bit more casual of a white dress, but it's just as pretty on Camilla. She wore it to greet President Donald Trump when he visited the UK in 2019. The visit was during the early summer when these kinds of breezy dresses are most in fashion. Sure, she may be 73, but Camilla is still on top of all the trends — or her stylist is.
Glam Princess Anne
As anyone who has ever seen Netflix's The Crown knows, Princess Anne is not one for fancy things. She usually prefers riding horses to formal events. But she got all dressed up for her 70th birthday portrait. If ever there was an occasion to wear a fancy white dress, it's to celebrate reaching seven decades old.
Diana's Pearly Whites
This Catherine Walker pearl-encrusted gown and matching jacket is one of Princess Diana's most iconic looks ever — especially when she paired it with her signature pearl tiara. The princess wore this look in 1989 on a trip to Hong Kong, and everyone must have been knocked off their feet when they first saw her.
Totally '80s
It doesn't get much more '80s fashion than this dress that Diana wore to meet then-Vice President George Bush in 1985. The bodice is made of lace, it has a drop waist, and the skirt is a wrinkly satin not unlike the material her wedding dress was made from. Diana paired the look with her favorite pearl tiara.
One Shoulder
On that same trip to Washington, DC, in 1985, Diana also wore this white gown, by Japanese designer Hachi. The one-shoulder look was also very '80s, as was the crystal zig-zag pattern that covered the bodice. The National Gallery probably didn't know what hit it when she walked in wearing this dazzling dress.
Matching With the Mother-in-Law
In 2019, Kate Middleton wore her own version of the one-shoulder gown. It was updated a bit for the more modern era with chiffon flowers on the one sleeve instead of blingy crystals. Both dresses were pretty, and it's clear that Kate's own fashion sense closely mirrors her mother-in-law. They've matched on more than one occasion.
Ready to Set Sail
Kate Middleton's Wimbledon fashion is always on point. Take this sailor-inspired sweater dress for instance. It's kind of thinking outside the box, especially for a non-nautical event, but it still totally works. Kate wore this in 2012 to one of her first Wimbledons after her royal wedding to Prince William.
Garden Party Glam
White is the perfect color to wear to a summertime garden party, so Princess Beatrice made the right choice with this fun dress in 2014. We love all the details on it, from the mesh top to the applique flowers. And it's really fun that she wore purple heels with it. They provide a nice pop of color.
Summer Whites
Kate also got the summertime whites memo for Royal Ascot in 2017. The annual horseracing event brings all the royals out in their fancy summer outfits. A few years ago, Kate opted for this pretty lace dress, pearl earrings, and a matching white hat. And William looked smart standing next to her in his morning suit.
Meghan's First Royal Ascot
For her first Royal Ascot after marrying Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex also opted for a white dress. Her breezy dress had a floral applique pattern on the waist and she accessorized with a black belt, shoes, and clutch to match her black-and-white hat. We miss seeing her at these types of events if only just because she always brought her fashion A-game.
White Dress, Red Carpet
For a 2016 movie premiere, Kate put on her red carpet best — a white floor-length gown with an intricate eyelet bodice and a sassy slit in the skirt. This event took place in November, which is after Labor Day. But since Britain doesn't have Labor Day like America does, we guess it doesn't matter if the duchess wears white after it.
Statement Shoulders
Her red carpet gown was kind of reminiscent of this unusual dress that Kate wore a few years back in Australia. We love the interesting sleeve cutouts because it's a fun way to make a sleeveless dress more formal while not actually restricting the arms with hot fabric. The circular pattern can also be seen on the peplum of the skirt.
A Coatdress for Every Occasion
Every royal fan knows that Kate Middleton loves her coatdresses. Any occasion that she can, it seems like she opts for a coatdress. The same was true for a ceremony in Belgium that she attended in 2017. If this dress looks familiar, it's because she also wore it to Charlotte's christening.
Twist on the Tuxedo
Like Princess Diana before her, Meghan Markle is never afraid to experiment with menswear-inspired looks. For a trip to New Zealand, the duchess wore this white minidress as a twist on a tuxedo, and it's such a fun fashion choice. Meghan does tend to wear a lot of black, so seeing her in white is always a nice change-up.
Blinged Out
A visit to the Consular House in Tonga called for a formal gown, and Meghan totally nailed it in this slinky white number. We love the simplicity of the dress with just the pop of bling on the shoulders. It's understated and classy, but it also stands out. If she ever needs another red carpet dress, we recommend she rewear this glam look.
Breezy Button-Front
And just as easily as the Duchess of Sussex can pull off a glamorous, formal white dress, she can also make the color pop in a more casual setting. She wore this chic but understated shirtwaister dress on a tour of South Africa in 2019. The breezy material was a great choice to combat the heat and it just looked so effortless on her.
Maternity Chic
Meghan was pregnant with Archie when she attended this gala event in February 2019. But she totally nailed the maternity look in this white turtleneck dress with a matching blazer. She then added a pop of color with her olive heels and clutch. The whole ensemble is flawless.
A Vision in Puffy Sleeves
Click the arrow on the right hand side of this Instagram gallery to see Meghan's white dress in color. The mesh puffy sleeves make her look like she's Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. And upon closer inspection, the skirt of the outfit has a fun geometric pattern on it. It's kind of an updated '80s look. Diana would be proud.
