The little black dress — or LBD, for short — is a staple in most women's wardrobes. It's something easy to throw on for a party, a random event, or even just a casual date night. The LBD isn't just for us commoners; the royal women have worn some stunning black dresses over the years that have turned heads. Some of the gowns have even gone on to have lasting legacies of their own.
Black is actually not that common of a clothing color for the royal family. Protocol dictates that black dresses usually be saved for funerals or other somber occasions, but the modern royals have broken that rule several times. Princess Diana was, of course, one of the pioneers of wearing black cocktail dresses, and Meghan Markle has always seemed to be a huge fan of having the versatile color in her royal wardrobe.
Here, we've rounded up 23 of the best, most iconic black dresses in modern royal history. Get ready for some serious fashion inspiration from these queens of style.
Princess Diana's Revenge Dress
We cannot talk about royal women and their black dresses without first acknowledging one of the most famous LBDs of all time. Princess Diana wore this low-cut number in 1994 after Prince Charles admitted to having an affair, and she sure showed him what he missed out on. People even began to refer to it as the "revenge dress."
Dancing With John Travolta
Another one of Diana's famous gowns was the one she wore to the White House in 1985. She was famously photographed in it dancing with John Travolta. The gown's legacy has endured, and it recently sold at auction for $290,000. That's one fancy LBD!
Glittering Princess
Diana was always taking risks with her fashion, and she didn't shy away from statement gowns like this glittery black number. It was designed by Moroccan fashion star Jacques Azagury, and Di wore the dress for her 36th birthday in 1997. It was just a few weeks before her tragic death.
Museum Dress
This black gown of Diana's is considered a piece of couture history, so much so that a fashion museum in Chile paid $275,000 to have the honor of displaying it. The strapless dress was considered quite a risqué choice for Diana's first official royal appearance, and it would set the tone for her royal wardrobe to come.
Copycat Kate
Years later, Kate Middleton wore a similar black strapless gown to one of her first royal engagements. It's just one of the many times the Duchess of Cambridge's style choices have matched Diana's. Kate may never have gotten to meet her mother-in-law, but the two probably would have gotten along based just on their similar fashion sense.
Meaningful Appliqué
This pretty Jenny Packham dress is bedazzled with silver ferns, a deliberate choice for Kate's location. She was on tour in New Zealand at the time, and ferns are the country's emblem. The Duchess of Cambridge is always aware of what her fashion means, and this was a cool example of that.
Sarah Ferguson in Leather
Sarah, the Duchess of York, has always been a rebel member of the royal family — so it was no surprise that she went with an edgier look for a 2016 event. She was there to see the School of Rock musical, and she looked plenty rock-and-roll in her black leather dress with matching jacket.
Princess Beatrice's Stylish Gown
Like mother, like daughter. Princess Beatrice took a risk with this low-cut tuxedo-style gown that came with a high slit. She wore it to a fashion exhibition for Alexander McQueen, so it was totally on point for the event. It must be fun to not be a senior royal, because fashion risks are much more acceptable.
Meghan Markle Loves Her Menswear
The Duchess of Sussex has also wowed in a tuxedo dress before, wearing a rather short LBD to a showing of Hamilton. She came to the royal family from the Hollywood world, so she knows her fashion and how to make a statement with an outfit. Plus, she had years of practice wearing suits on her show Suits, so this look really … suited her.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Optical Illusion
At first, this outfit looks like separates — a cropped jacket and skirt — but it's just an optical illusion. The belt on the dress makes it look that way, while it's actually all one piece. We're big fans of the crepe gown, and whether it was two pieces or one, it all looks flawless on Meghan.
Optical Illusion, Take 2
Meghan loves a visually stunning dress, and this Oscar de la Renta gown just keeps on giving. At first glance, it just looks like a patterned black and white dress, but upon closer inspection, the black is comprised of the outlines of tons of birds. It's a work of art, really.
Repeat Wear
This was the second time Kate wore this Alexander McQueen dress. The first time she wore it to the BAFTAs as an off-the-shoulder look. She then had sleeves added so she could rewear it to a National Portrait Gallery event. It looked great both times, and it's definitely one of the duchess' most memorable black gowns.
Vivacious in Velvet
The mixed textures on this LBD are so good. It has sheer sleeves, a velvet bodice, and a belt with gold hardware — and yet, somehow, it all works perfectly. Meghan wore this to the Royal Academy of Arts for a solo engagement, and she turned heads everywhere she went.
Bedazzled Halter
Princess Eugenie stepped out in this slinky black gown back in 2016 for a charity event. The halter neckline is so flattering, and we love that it's a simple dress with that pop of glitter around the neck. It's like she's wearing a necklace, but it's just the outfit. Super chic.
Keeping It Casual
Not all little black dresses have to be for fancy or formal occasions. Kate made great use of an everyday black turtleneck dress for a trip to a children's hospital in 2012. She paired it with black heels, tights, and a matching belt. It's a very beatnik style look, and we love a good dressed-down day for Kate.
Red Carpet Ready
The 2019 movie premiere for The Lion King was no big deal for Meghan, who was very used to Hollywood events by that point. She came dressed to the nines in a chic black gown with a sheer top and matching clutch. And with Prince Harry dressed in a tux, they were easily one of the best looking couples there.
Buttoned Beauty
During her 2018 tour of Sydney, Australia, the Duchess of Sussex showed off this pretty dress. It's an Emilia Wickstead design, a brand that Kate is also a big fan of. The button detailing helps the simple fit-and-flare gown stand out, and Meghan matched it with a chic black hat.
Lace Detailing
Galas call for formal outfits, so Kate went all out with this stunning gown. It's a Diane von Furstenberg design that Kate had previously worn a few years earlier. The lace on the sleeves give the dress a nice pop of detail, and she wore diamond jewelry to stand out against the black of her outfit.
Black for Remembrance
The royals, minus Meghan Markle, don't often wear black, but they always do for the Festival of Remembrance. It honors those who have died in battle, so black is the appropriate color for the event. Meghan shone in this jacquard fabric dress for the 2019 ceremony and still managed to stand out in the sea of black dresses.
Glowing in Givenchy
The 2018 Fashion Awards called for an equally fashionable outfit from Meghan. This one-shouldered Givenchy gown certainly fit the bill. Meghan even wore dark nail polish for the occasion — which is usually against protocol — but she was at a fashion event, so can anyone blame her for wanting to fit in with all the chic people? Meghan ended up standing out in the best way.
Black for a Benefit
Leave it to Eugenie to know exactly what to wear at an event that benefited the Blue Marine Foundation charity, which is working to restore the ocean after overfishing. She showed up in this rather simple black dress with white detailing that was chic and totally worked for her.
Birthday Party Black
Hey, if you're going to attend Joan Collins' birthday celebration, you'd better bring it — and Sarah definitely understood the assignment! She attended the party in London wearing a black dress with sheer sleeves, accessorizing with a very sparkly belt.
The Oprah Dress
One of Meghan's most unforgettable looks is a black dress — the one she wore to her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, of course. This dress was designed by Armani, and would be what she was wearing when she and Harry spilled the truth about what really happened during their royal exit — and announced that their second child would be a girl.
