Being a duchess or a princess seems like it would be so much fun because part of it is getting to dress up in fancy outfits. Sure, Kate Middleton does plenty of daytime events in plain coatdresses, but she also gets to attend fancy functions and red carpet affairs that allow her to wear sparkly sequined dresses or dazzling bejeweled gowns.
The Duchess of Cambridge is not the only royal with a glamorous glittery wardrobe either. Princess Diana was queen of the shine back in the '80s, and Meghan Markle has worn her fair share of sparkly gowns as well. She may love a neutral, but when it's time for the Duchess of Sussex to get dressed up, she's not afraid of a little glitz and glam.
Here are 20 times the royal women were literally shining.
Diana's '80s Glam
No royal woman, or really any woman for that matter, would likely be caught in a dress like this today. It's super dated thanks to its bows, pastel color scheme, and bejeweled diamond overlay. But rest assured that Diana was the height of fashion when she put this on for an event in 1983. Such a trendsetter.
Diana's Bold Sequins
The '80s were all about the glitz, so it's not surprising that Diana has been seen in many a shiny outfit. This blue sequined dress just screams 1980s, from the puffed sleeves to the ruched waist. A thousand high schoolers probably wore similar outfits to prom during the iconic decade.
So Shiny
Here's another epic '80s look that's totally of-the-era. This purple gown is a Catherine Walker design that Diana wore to the opera in 1987. The sheen on the gloves and skirt pops that much more next to the matte texture of the velvet bodice. Again, we wouldn't wear it today, but we can totally appreciate it for what it was at the time.
Snazzy LBD
You can tell that this photo is post-Prince Charles divorce, because Diana went a little low on the neckline. Usually, showing cleavage is a big royal no, but Diana wasn't representing the Crown anymore. It was her 36th birthday, and she wanted to wear a sparkly low-cut dress for her party — and she totally rocked it.
Covered in Pearls
This is one of Diana's most iconic looks. It's another Catherine Walker design that the Princess of Wales debuted in Hong Kong in 1989. The dress and jacket are completely covered in pearls, and Diana matched the look with her favorite pearl tiara. It's really as glam as you can get.
'80s Attitude
Speaking of '80s, Kate Middleton had her own throwback 1980s-style sequin moment. She wore this outfit for a charity roller disco prior to her days as a duchess. We've really only seen her in shorts one other time since then, but she has at least blessed us with many more shiny outfits — although, they've all been a bit more sophisticated than this green sequined halter.
Pre-Royal Life
Meghan Markle was also a fan of sequins in her pre-royal life. As an actress, she often hit red carpets and had to be dressed to the nines. At this particular event during her Suits days, Meghan went with a chic black sequined dress. This was back when she could wear off-the-shoulder outfits without being scolded about protocol. Simpler times.
Blue Mood
Like her mother-in-law, Meghan has also had her own blue sequined dress moment. The duchess got all dressed up for a Cirque du Soleil event at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019. Thanks to her interview with Oprah Winfrey, we now know that Meghan was really struggling with her mental health here. But she pulled it together for the cameras.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Flashy Halter
It was sequins again for Meghan when she attended the Royal Variety Performance in 2018. She was pregnant with Archie at the time, and she totally rocked this striking black and white halter top. See? Maternity outfits don't need to be drab. We can all look like Meghan in our own pregnancies. Maybe. You know, if we had millions of dollars and a stylist.
Pregnancy Glow
Meghan was absolutely luminous during this event for Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 2019. Not only did she have that amazing pregnancy skin and glow, but her dress was made from a gold and silver metallic brocade. Sure, she may have been at the palace to honor Charles, but she was the real shining star of the show.
Red Carpet Glam
Sure, Kate may have never been an actress, but she's been on plenty of red carpets in her time as the Duchess of Cambridge. And whenever she needs to turn the glamour up to celebrity A-list levels, she does. She looks radiant in this pink sequined dress with its delicate detailing and fluttery sleeves. Prince William is a lucky guy.
Post-Pregnancy Glow
For one of her first big events after giving birth to Prince George, Kate wore this sparkly sequined dress. It's quite an impactful piece that really catches the eye, so it was clear that the duchess was ready to be the center of attention on this rare child-free evening. People always talk about the pregnancy glow, but we think this is proof of a post-pregnancy glow, too.
Gold Details
Another day, another red carpet event. For the 2020 BAFTAs, Kate wore an elegant white gown with shimmery gold detailing. The dress is by Alexander McQueen, a label that also happens to be a celebrity favorite for Hollywood red carpet events. Kate just fits into that fashion culture perfectly.
Ethereal in Blue
The fabric used for this pale blue gown gives off a shimmery vibe, even though it's not made from something as obviously glitzy as sequins. The Duchess of Cambridge donned the floaty dress while in Belfast, Ireland, in 2019. She was attending an event at the Empire Music Hall, and we bet she stole the attention in every room she walked into.
Kate's Evening Out
When in Ireland, you must wear green. OK, technically that's not a rule, but Kate did wear a lot of the color while in Ireland for a royal tour in early 2020. For instance, during an outing to the Guinness Storehouse, she wore this sparkly green gown from the brand The Vampire's Wife. Princess Beatrice actually owns the same one.
Like an Emerald
And you can't talk about glittery green dresses without mentioning Kate's outfit from her tour of Pakistan, either. During that whole trip, the duchess dressed extra modestly out of respect for the local culture, and she proved you don't need to show skin to stand out. She looks so radiant in this emerald bedazzled dress.
Shining in Silver
The duchess dressed head-to-toe in sparkly silver for a 2017 royal reception. Her dress is by Erdem, which is one of Kate's favorite brands for both everyday and more glamorous looks. You know this is a good look when other royals own it, too. Princess Mette-Marit of Norway also has this same dress in her wardrobe.
Silky Metallic
Speaking of silver, there's also this stunning piece by Jenny Packham — another of Kate's go-to designers. Thanks to the silky silver material, the duchess looked effortlessly glowy like a Greek goddess. Once again, William just went with a regular old suit. Kate will always outshine him on the fashion front.
Bedazzled
Kate is giving us some major Queen Elsa from Frozen vibes in this blue dress. The Jenny Packham design featured delicate sequins and flower beading to make the whole dress shimmer and sparkle. The duchess wore the outfit to the 2017 Royal Variety Performance, and we bet people could hardly take their eyes off her.
Bold Red
Kate was practically dripping in shimmer when she wore this dazzling red dress for a state and government reception at Buckingham Palace. You always have to dress up to be in the Queen's house, and the Duchess of Cambridge didn't disappoint. We hope to see her in this outfit again soon. It's such a stunner.
