As can be expected of a princess and future queen who is constantly in the public eye, Kate Middleton has a lot of clothes and all manner of accessories. We don't know the actual combined size of her closets (plural), but we're pretty sure it can be measured in acres. And if she organizes by season, her fall wardrobe would be pretty spectacular. In fact, the Princess of Wales has debuted some of her most memorable looks during those magical months when we trade bikinis for puffer coats, daiquiris for mulled wine, and beaches for fireplaces.
But if anyone expects Kate's fall outfits to be a mere mountain of chunky sweaters, hats, scarves, pants, and opaque tights, they're in for a surprise. Over the years, we've been treated to lots of looks from Kate that run the gamut — from sophisticated coat, glove, and boot combos, to simple sheath dresses with three-quarter sleeves. It may be that London's fall weather varies a lot. (Well, either that, or girlfriend is freezing her butt off between the royal car and whatever building she's entering for an event, for the sake of keeping us enthralled and entertained.) Whatever the case, her outfits are truly varied, from coatdresses with sleek lines and conservative lengths, to business-casual pants and sweaters, to the kind of haute-outdoor gear that she's been wearing since she was a kid growing up in the country.
So anyone searching for some cool-weather outfit inspo, or just a hit of fashion eye candy, doesn't need to look any farther than our list of 20 of Kate Middleton's best fall looks, ranked.
20. Pretty & Elegant
This tweed suit is lovely, with an unexpected color combination of navy blue and pink checks. As a conservative, knee-length design, it won't set anyone's hair on fire. Still, it's an overall tailored, grown-up look. Kate wore it to a soccer museum in October 2016, which seems like a weird fashion pick for the day. But at least she's well-dressed, as always.
19. Well Accessorized
It might have been the month of May in Scotland when Kate wore this menswear-inspired outfit in 2021, but it was absolutely one of her best fall ensembles. The coat and scarf complement each other perfectly, and Kate looks nice and cozy for any autumn breezes that might come her way.
18. True Blue
This cobalt blue coat is everything fall outerwear should be. It's in a drop-dead-gorgeous, saturated color, and though clearly warm, it's form-fitting and flattering — thanks to expert tailoring and a thin belt. After all, there's enough time in winter to bundle up and disappear under puffy coats, thick scarves, and pom-pom hats. Clearly, that's something that Kate, who wore this number during an October 2015 trip to Scotland, knows well.
17. Ready for Anything
Blazers have always been a staple item in Kate's closet, and seeing her wear this one reminds us why. Here, she's about to board a boat during an engagement where she met two of the "Windermere Children," or Holocaust survivors who came to England as children after their time in concentration camps, and she was ready for whatever terrain she might cross in those lace-up boots.
16. Mocha Mood
Kate has a long torso, so when she wears an outfit that's cinched above her waist, it really works magic on her proportions. This cute belted dress — which also accentuates her super toned legs — is an example of that. The colors are synonymous with autumn: chocolate brown with a coffee-colored paisley pattern. And how adorable are her ankle boots? Too bad that as she's gotten older and delved deeper into her royal role she doesn't wear them anymore (this look is from 2013). We think they'd still look great.
15. Ray of Light
That rule about not wearing white (or off-white) after Labor Day? Yeah … no one cares about that — and no need to wait around for winter white season to rock a pale shade, either. Just ask Kate, who wore this flawless Catherine Walker coat in September 2016, on the last day of her Canada tour. With a matching pleated skirt peeking out from under the coat and matching heels, she proves that, sometimes, monochrome is the way to go.
14. A Touch of Spring in Fall
Just because the trees are covered in deep yellow, red, and brown hues during fall, doesn't mean that we have to stick to wearing similarly dark hues. Kate knows this, and for a World Mental Health Day event in October 2016, she did a little counterprogramming by wearing this fresh light pink dress dotted with purple roses. It's just gorgeous, upbeat, and feminine. Know what would be great? To wear this under a serious coat and reveal it after walking indoors. Talk about a bright spot.
13. A Regal Look
Kate dressed to impress for a visit to the Imperial War Museum in November 2021. Though it was likely very chilly that day (hence the heavier coat), this mama looks good. We can't deny that sapphire blue has always been her color, but we love the chic, military-inspired top she paired that coat with even more.
12. Sleek & Elegant
We never see this gorgeous strawberry red coat among Kate's top outfit lists, and that's probably because it made only a brief appearance in November 2011 (in Denmark), while she and husband Prince William made a short visit to the country. But here we can appreciate the L.K. Bennett beauty, whose no-button look makes it super streamlined. The oversized croc belt is the standout here, though: It's got a glammy '80s vibe that we love.
11. All in the Details
Hmmm. Is Kate moonlighting as a stuntwoman in this picture? It may look that way, but she was actually just checking out a special train while on tour in Canada in September 2016. And she looked fabulous while negotiating her way across some train tracks, thanks to a fab wrap jacket with ribbed sleeves by local brand Sentaler. Looks super cozy, and we love how Kate pulled on some adorable short cowboy boots over jeans. It's an all-around great look.
10. All-Weather All-Star
As a born-and-bred country girl, Kate has no shortage of great clothes for hiking, hunting, and other outdoorsy activities — like this outfit that she wore to visit school kids in November 2017. Her waxed field jacket by Barbour, the brand of choice for horse-and-hound types, is a showstopper. Yet it's so practical and unfussy, especially when paired with a simple cowl-neck sweater, leggings, and Kate's longtime favorite Penelope Chilvers boots.
9. A Sexy Take
Now this is quintessential just-married Kate, and we love and miss those days, fashion-wise. The newly minted royal had not yet traded in her single-girl clothes for buttoned-up coatdresses, so she was often seen around town wearing skirts and dresses — like this one, which hit above the knee. This sweater dress, which she rocked in December 2011, is classic go-to fall date wear. It's cozy and sensual at the same time, and so easy to throw on.
8. Easy Does It
Kate wore this deep into November 2019 (must have been an unseasonably warm fall that year!), but it's also a great early fall look for obvious reasons: The plaid jacket is short and lightweight, and the pants don't seem particularly warm, either. (Kate is not wearing tights.) It's a great all-around work look for autumn. We love the contrast between the classic black and white plaid and the deep wine red of the pants. A winner!
7. Off to the Races
So … we're going to cheat a little bit here because Kate wore this outfit in March 2007 — during the Cheltenham horse races on the cusp of spring — but it's totally a fall look, from the beret to the boots. She brightened up her dark skirt with a sky-blue short jacket and a loose scarf, but yeah, this screams autumn. Such a cute look for the still-single future royal and mom of three.
6. A Blazing Staple
If we owned this $1,295 Philosophy jacket (Kate has two — this winter-beach blue one, and another in fire-engine red), it would be making weekly trips to the dry cleaner. That's how versatile, comfortable, and sharp it is, all at once. Made out of twill and wool, and featuring dressy peaked lapels and embossed buttons — as well as casual pockets — it's just pretty perfect. Kate paired it with skinny jeans and short boots in October 2017 for a stadium event.
5. Back-to-School Chic
Kate was on hand to walk her children into their first day at Lambrook School in September 2022 after the family's big move to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. It was obviously an important day for her kids (especially Prince Louis, who was starting school with his siblings for the very first time), and this proud mom looked adorable in her breezy polka dot dress.
4. Like an Autumn Breeze
Just days before jetting off on a tour of Pakistan in October 2019, Kate debuted a semi-casual look to attend an event at London's Natural History Museum, where she's a patron. Her outfit combined a dainty sweater and ankle-length palazzo pants in two classic fall colors: a beautifully muted eggplant and olive. A maroon Chanel purse and heels pulled the whole outfit together. While Kate looks great in dresses — which are her go-to — we can all probably agree that she looks so much more relaxed in pants.
3. Ready for a Walk in the Woods
If this outfit doesn't say, "There's a nip in the air," we don't know what does. Love, love, love the tone-on-tone olive and mocha combination, featuring weatherproof jacket, stretchy pants, and boots that nail a lived-in, had-these-forever look. Kate looks perfectly at ease, ready to get active with some kids at a forestry school outside of London in November 2018. The only thing missing? A pumpkin latte in her hand, natch.
2. Iconic Mom-Wear
Sure, when we pull together some pretty pennies to get ourselves a Michael Kors dress, we feel good. But when Kate does it? She breaks the internet. This look from Princess Charlotte's first day of school in September 2019 is one of Kate's most famous, and it's no wonder. With sun-kissed (ahem, lightened) hair and a floral patterned dress, she looks like she's coming off an epic summer, and ready for a change.
1. Royally Intense
This Oscar de la Renta jacket and skirt combo is one of Kate's most memorable looks of any season, period. How could it be otherwise? That color, a vibrant, eye-catching fuchsia, is impossible to miss. We're pretty sure the kids at the hospice she visited in November 2019 couldn't look away. It's so well-proportioned, too, that it shows off her tall figure and legs — one of her best features. But thanks to dark tights, it still achieves a buttoned-up look. It's the perfect fall outfit.
