With a ton of public events to attend, there are only so many designer outfits royals can wear without getting caught repeating some things, right? In reality, there's an endless amount of clothing the royals can choose from, but somehow, there are still quite a few times when the royal women have copied one another's outfits. Whether intentionally or not, it's always fun to see two royals rock the same dress or skirt and learn how they each style the look in their own way.
Kate Middleton has copied Meghan Markle, the young Spanish princesses, and more. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex has been seen wearing the same things as Princess Beatrice and Queen Letizia of Spain, among others. We've seen celebrities copy the royals' style and vice versa with the royals copying Hollywood A-listers' looks. Now get ready to see all the times the style inspiration was coming from inside the house — or should we say, inside the palace?
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Kate Middleton's Infamous Jenny Packham Dress
This teal Jenny Packham dress is one of the most memorable red carpet gowns the Duchess of Cambridge has ever worn. She first stunned in the outfit in 2012 and then she brought it back again in 2018 for the Tusk Conservation Awards. But she's not the only royal who loved the gauzy designer gown.
Princess Madeleine Wore It in a Different Color
A year after Kate first wore the dress, Princess Madeleine of Sweden donned the same design in a different color. Madeleine opted for the baby blue version to wear to a New York City gala. The dress has also been seen on non-royal celebs including Blake Lively, who wore a yellow version on Gossip Girl.
Meghan Markle During Her 'Suits' Days
Long before Meghan joined the royal family, she was an actress hitting the red carpet on behalf of her show Suits. At one 2012 event, she wore this navy lace Diane von Furstenberg dress. Little did she know at the time that her sister-in-law would end up wearing it a few years later.
Kate Later Copied Meghan
The Duchess of Cambridge has a black version of the DVF lace dress, and hers is a little longer than Meghan's — but it's the same design. Kate was first spotted in the gown in 2014 for the Royal Variety Performance, and she later rewore it twice for events in 2017. It's a good staple piece to have in a wardrobe.
Princess Mette-Marit Stunned in This Silver Dress
Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit turned out be quite the fashion influencer when she first wore this glittery gown at an event in 2016. A year later, the same dress would be spotted on none other than Kate Middleton. Princess Mette-Marit doesn't always get the same amount of attention as Kate, but she deserves the credit for finding this dress first.
Kate Rocked the Look in 2017
Kate chose to wear the silvery gown to a glamorous reception in February 2017. She looked stunning, as always. The $2,800 dress was designed by one of Kate's go-to brands, Erdem. She paired it with matching glittery heels from Oscar de la Renta. As a result, she literally shone all night.
The Spanish Princesses Twinned in Carolina Herrera Coats
The young Spanish Princesses Leonor and Sofía were the epitome of style and class at a military parade in 2016. They were both dressed in Carolina Herrera coats, with Leonor in navy and Sofía in red. They may have been children at the time, but they were already quite the little fashionistas.
Kate Has the Same Coat
Carolina Herrera doesn't just design for kids. Kate owns the same red coat from the designer that Infanta Sofía wore in 2016. The Duchess of Cambridge was spotted in it when she visited Ireland in 2019. Considering how much Kate loves her coats and how trendy she is, it's pretty impressive that the Spanish princesses are already on her level.
Meghan's Chic Flowy Skirt
In September 2018, the Duchess of Sussex went to her cookbook launch dressed in a black Misha Nonoo pleated skirt paired with a black bodysuit and a long blue coat. The designer is Meghan's friend, so she must have enjoyed the nice boost in sales that surely came after Meghan donned the item. That's the kind of influential power the duchess has.
Princess Beatrice Wore the Same Skirt a Day Later
Just one day after Meghan wore the Misha Nonoo skirt, Princess Beatrice was spotted in the same item. She wore the $250 skirt to a charity event where she paired it with a black top and a camel-colored coat. Both royal women had different ways of styling the piece, but they look equally chic.
Sophie Wessex at Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot is a horse racing and society event that the royal family always turns up in style for. They even ride up in carriages! Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who's married to Prince Edward, attended the 2018 event in a pretty pink Emilia Wickstead dress with black detailing on the sleeves.
Princess Beatrice Copied the Look in 2019
The following summer, Princess Beatrice was spotted in the same dress at the 2019 Trooping the Colour. Beatrice was at the same Royal Ascot event when Sophie wore the dress (they're literally pictured standing together), so there's no way she didn't know that her aunt had worn it first. She must have been inspired when she saw Sophie that day!
Queen Letizia Dazzles in Red
For a 2019 trip to South Korea, Queen Letizia of Spain opted to go with a pop of color via this leather skirt. She paired it with red heels and a matching bag, and she looked like a total boss. We'd expect as much with the brand of the skirt being Hugo Boss, after all. It retailed for about $500, so no wonder it looks so sharp.
Meghan Owns the Same Skirt
The next day, Meghan stepped out in the same skirt. She wore hers for a meeting with the Queen's Commonwealth Trust and styled it a bit differently. Instead of matching her shoes to the skirt like Letizia did, Meghan coordinated her skirt with a berry-colored sweater. Both women looked fabulous in their own way.
Queen Letizia's Cape Dress
Another day, another example of how Queen Letizia is a style icon. She wore this Stella McCartney cape dress to the National Sports Awards in February 2018. Just a few months later, the Duchess of Sussex stepped out in the same outfit. Letizia's was green, though, while Meghan opted for another color.
Meghan Has the Navy Dress
In April of 2018, Meghan wore the same Stella McCartney cape dress as Letizia. But the duchess owns it in navy instead of olive green. Meghan wore it to the Royal Albert Hall for the Queen's birthday celebration. Maybe she didn't know that Letizia has the same gown, but this does mark the second time Meghan was seemingly inspired by the Spanish royal's sense of style.
Sophie Wessex in Victoria Beckham
Kate Middleton doesn't wear orange, but Sophie Wessex does. She wore this orange Victoria Beckham design to a 2015 charity event. Half a decade later, the dress was still super popular — so much so that another royal was spotted in the outfit.
Meghan Has the Blue Version
Meghan bought the dress in blue and wore it at one of her final royal events with Harry in early 2020. She and Victoria Beckham are friends — with the former Spice Girl even attending the royal wedding — so it makes so much sense that Meghan keeps the designer's looks in her closet.
Princess Beatrice Rocked This Glittery Gown
As Beatrice and her now-husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, hit the town for a book launch after-party, the princess was spotted wearing this chic green gown. It's a design from the brand The Vampire's Wife that's been worn by celebrities and royals alike. Beatrice wore it in late 2019.
Kate Wore It a Few Months Later
While on a royal tour of Ireland in early 2020, Kate chose the same dress. It was fitting for her trip, since one of Ireland's flag colors is green. The duchess tries to dress in a way that respects the places she's visiting, and this design was the perfect choice. Maybe she got the idea from seeing Beatrice wear it. Kate also wore it in her first official portrait with Prince William.
Kate's Movie Premiere Dress
In May 2022, Kate and Prince William walked the red carpet with Tom Cruise for his Top Gun: Maverick premiere. As she posed for photos, Kate dressed to impress in a black and white Roland Mouret gown that would end up inspiring her sister-in-law across the pond two months later.
Meghan's Date Night Jumpsuit
In July 2022, Meghan wore a strikingly similar look to Kate's Top Gun gown. She was spotted in this Gabriella Hearst jumpsuit while out on a date night with Prince Harry during their trip to New York City, where he spoke at the United Nations. If we didn't know this was a jumpsuit, we'd think this was the exact same dress!
Queen Elizabeth's Dress From the '50s
Long before Kate and Meghan were on the fashion scene, Queen Elizabeth was out there setting the standard. She wore this white lace dress to a garden party in Sydney, Australia, in February 1954, accessorizing with pearls and a matching tulle hat.
Kate's Caribbean Tour Dress
Seventy years later, Elizabeth's granddaughter-in-law would end up stealing her style! Kate wore this white lace dress that was so similar to the Queen's during her tour of the Caribbean with William. Here, she's taking part in a military parade in Jamaica.
