To us common people, the royals may always seem incredibly put together and undeniably chic, but believe it or not, many of their fashion choices have been considered controversial according to royal protocol. Once upon a time, royals didn't show their shoulders, knees, or heaven forbid, cleavage. But these days, it's fairly common to see the likes of Kate, Meg, and even Princess Eugenie baring just a little bit more skin. The royals also have lots of fun with texture and patterns in their clothes as well.
The trailblazer of course, had to be Princess Diana. She was her own woman even — or perhaps especially — when it came to her style choices. She really did set the tone and the precedent for women in the royal family going forward, and while this generation of royal ladies definitely does still catch flak for some of their more daring style choices, they certainly have more control over their wardrobes than those of generations past. It's a good thing, too!
We are actually kind of grateful so many royals have loosened up and made some controversial style choices. To be honest, some of those risqué styles actually created the most iconic royal fashion moments. Keep scrolling to see some of our favorite albeit, controversial, royal looks to date.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Breezy Kate
We doubt Prince William complained, but the Duchess of Cambridge raised quite a few eyebrows when she and William showed up to an event at Calgary Airport in Canada in 2011, just months after their wedding, in a dress that the wind had its way with. Many ladies in the royal family are said to avoid this faux pas by having weights sewn into the hems of their dresses.
The Travolta Dress
Princess Diana broke out of her shy shell in 1985 when she met A-list actor John Travolta at the White House State Dinner and wore an absolutely stunning off-the-shoulder black velvet gown. It was by far one of her most iconic fashion moments of all time. She looked more like a Hollywood starlet than a senior member of the royal family.
Chameleon Accessories
Princess Di was never one to shy away from an accessory. Even early on in her royal tenure she was making bold fashion statements. Back in 1985, she donned a choker full of massive emeralds and diamonds that she borrowed from Queen Elizabeth. But instead of wearing it around her neck, she wore it as a headband.
More Heat on Meghan
According to some people, Meghan Markle seemingly can't do anything right, and it's been that way from the beginning. She wore an absolutely gorgeous and totally appropriate tiara on her wedding day, but rumors of drama circulated anyway. She was accused of refusing to wear a certain tiara. But in the end, it turned out that it just took her a while to make her final decision. You know, like it does most brides.
The Queen Herself
Then-Princess Elizabeth was thrown some side-eye herself back when she and Prince Philip got married in 1947. Just two years after World War II ended, the country was still struggling economically, but rather than forgo a fancy wedding gown, she used her war ration coupons to pay for it. Many Brits supported her decision, and were happy that the royal wedding would give them something happy to look forward to after such a difficult time.
Black Sheep
If we're to believe anything we've seen on the Netflix series The Crown, the Princess of Wales felt out of place among the royals from the beginning. Some have said this sweater she wore by designer Muir and Osborne, which they literally called the "black sheep" sweater, was a hint at just that from the princess herself.
Comfortably Casual
It's not often we see the royals in denim. Even for sporting events and what most consider to be casual activities, dresses and/or slacks are the norm for the women in the royal family. So when Diana showed up to a polo match in 1988 wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, it was quite a surprise.
Belly Blunder
Years later, Kate Middleton made a similar faux pas when she attended an athletic event and couldn't resist getting in on the action herself. Obviously not expecting to get so into the event, Kate wore wedges and a fitted, striped T-shirt. But when she joined in on the volleyball match, her shirt rose repeatedly, revealing her belly.
Out of Touch
In 2018, when the entertainment world's #MeToo movement was at its height, the Duchess of Cambridge showed up to the BAFTA Awards wearing a stunning forest green gown draped over her baby bump. She looked incredible. The problem was, she apparently didn't get the memo that women were supposed to wear all black in support of the movement.
The Revenge Dress
The same day Prince Charles confessed to the public that he had been cheating on Diana with Camilla Parker Bowles, Diana attended the Serpentine Gallery gala. She wore a stunning LBD that showed off her shoulders, décolletage, and her incredibly long and lean legs. She was absolutely glowing and people dubbed the look the "revenge dress."
Meghan in a Mini
During her time as a senior member of the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex was often judged for slight missteps. Believe it or not, one of the more frequent criticisms was in regard to the hemlines of her dresses and skirts. They were often thought to be too short. She got a bit of heat for how much leg she was showing in this black dress she wore to see Hamilton with Prince Harry.
Sexy Slip-Up
Princess Diana's love of fashion just could not be tamed, as evidenced by this super sexy Dior slip dress she wore to the MET Gala in 1996. It was a very of the moment look, but people were still surprised to see a princess in such sexy garb. She set the precedent though, and we've since seen Kate wear similarly alluring outfits.
Meghan's Mani
Back in 2018, a pregnant Meghan Markle attended the British Fashion Awards as a presenter, looking absolutely radiant in a one-shoulder black gown by Roland Mouret. While her choice of dress didn't offend anyone, her manicure did. Her fingernails were painted black to match the dress, and some disapproved of the choice, noting that the Queen prefers the royal ladies to wear nude polish only.
Say No to the Fur
It's unclear whether the fur was real or not, and if it was, whether Kate knew it was. Many moons ago, when Will and Kate took their two toddlers on a ski vacation, Kate was called out by animal activist group PETA for sporting what the organization believed to be animal fur-lined mittens on the slopes.
Catalog Common
At the time she and Prince Charles got engaged, rumor had it that Diana's now iconic sapphire and diamond ring wasn't a popular choice. Apparently, it was available via the jeweler's catalog, and the Crown thought it was too common and not special enough for the future princess. Of course, it's now known around the world and still worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Those Knees Again
Meghan's knees caused some criticism once again in 2019 when she was pregnant with baby Archie. Her baby bump looked absolutely adorable swathed in this graphic print shift dress, but some people didn't know how to feel about the fact that the hemline was at least a few inches above her knees. Any mom knows that tends to happen as the belly gets bigger though.
Those Shoulders Tho
For Meghan Markle's first appearance at the royal family's annual Trooping the Colour, she wore a chic blush-pink, off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera dress that we think totally stole the show. But some thought it was inappropriate of her to have bare shoulders at such a formal and traditional affair.
Dior all Day
Princess Margaret's love of all things Christian Dior was well known back in the 1950s, but Brits were not so keen on the fact that she obviously preferred the French designer's work over the designs of British designers. At the time, the royals were expected to outwardly support designers from the UK.
Another High Hem
Not too long ago, Kate Middleton found herself in hot water with the British public when she wore what were perceived to be short shorts to the King's Cup Regatta in 2019. We're not sure why, but the Brits seem to be pretty sensitive about women's knees, even in the 21st century.
Like Daughter-in-Law, Like Mother-in-Law
Interestingly, back in the mid-1990s, Kate's mother-in-law, Princess Diana, caught heat for the same thing when she donned neon orange spandex bike shorts out in public. She was such a trendsetter, but many of her casual looks in particular were criticized for being inappropriate for a woman in her position.
