There's no shortage of incredible royal gowns to choose from when it comes to the family archives, from Princess Diana's endless supply of striking dresses to Princess Catherine's enviable holiday collection, incredible red carpet looks and, of course, Meghan Markle's flawless wedding reception dress—we have chills just thinking about it.
There is no shortage of events and engagements that require the best dresses, from movie premieres and state banquets to galas, concerts and royal weddings. Over the years we've also seen royals like Princess Eugenie and Queen Letizia of Spain making their mark with some showstopping dresses and striking beauty looks, as well as the usual suspects (Kate Middleton never fails to show up). It was hard to whittle it down to 32, but this is our list of the best royal gowns of all time.
32 royal gowns we can't stop thinking about
1. Princess Diana's powder-blue tulle gown, Cannes, 1987
Princess Diana stole the show at her first and only Cannes appearance in 1987 in a powder-blue diaphanous tulle gown designed by Catherine Walker, one of the Princess's favourite designers. 26-year-old Diana, Princess of Wales, graced the Cannes film festival's famous La Croisette red carpet with her then-husband Prince Charles by her side. It was a dress that went down in the history books as one of the most stunning royal gowns of all time. Easily one of the best dresses on this list.
2. Princess Catherine's Grecian-inspired dress, London, 2011
Princess Catherine's BAFTA dresses are legendary and this Alexander McQueen Grecian-inspired gown has to be one of her most memorable red carpet moments. The then Duchess of Cambridge attended the BAFTA Brits To Watch event held at the Belasco Theatre in July 2011. Her dress was a work of art, the cinched-in waist accented by a rhinestone belt with elegant cap sleeves and a full skirt with a fluted hem.
3. Princess Diana's layered Princess gown, London, 1984
This multi-layered chiffon evening dress is what royal gown dreams are made of, designed by legendary Bellville Sassoon for the Princess of Wales's Royal Variety Performance appearance. Crafted with delicate chiffon with intricate embroidery, it's an exquisite piece of fashion history.
4. Meghan Markle's wedding reception gown, London, 2018
The Duchess of Sussex famously chose Givenchy designer Clare Waight Keller to create her wedding day dress, but it was the Stella McCartney gown that she wore for the reception at Frogmore House that really stole the show in our opinion. The halterneck dress features a low back and full-length skirt - and you could actually buy it a Net-A-Porter for a limited time, for a cool £3,500.
5.
Always ahead of the trends, Princess Diana wore a show-stopping colour block dress for a night at the ballet in London in 1984. Catherine Walker designed this gown and it's thought that throughout their relationship, the designer created over 1,000 looks for the Princess of Wales.
6. Princess Catherine's metallic gown, Caribbean Tour, 2022
We love this striking gown as it's a bit of a departure from Princess Catherine's usual style, featuring a dramatic shape and plunging neckline in metallic satin, with intricate tie-detailing on the shoulders. The cross-over style dress was designed by Phillipa Lepley Vienna for Catherine to wear on the Platinum Jubilee Royal Tour of the Caribbean in 2022.
7. Princess Elizabeth's embroidered gown, London, 1947
Showcasing old-school glamour at its finest, a young Princess Elizabeth wears an embroidered evening gown with a white fur wrap to a dinner party at the Dorchester in 1947 - years before she would become the Queen of England. With her signature curls and England earrings, she epitomises the graceful regal look.
8. Princess Catherine's pink metallic dress, Belize, 2022
Catherine, the then Duchess of Cambridge, had an incredible rotation of evening gowns for her and Prince William's Caribbean Tour in 2022 - and this stunning evening gown is no exception. The dress is from a collection by one of Princess Catherine's recent favourite designers - The Vampire's Wife - and retails for £2,500. Catherine paired the shimmering pink gown with silver-heeled sandals and a Mayan embroidered clutch bag for an incredible holiday look.
9. Princess Diana's sparkly black slip dress, London, 1997
Princess Diana wore a special sparkly black gown for a centenary gala dinner at the Tate, which fell on the evening of her 36th birthday in 1997. The glittering black dress was made by Moroccan-born designer Jacques Azagury and she teamed the look with show-stopping diamonds and emerald jewellery.
10. Princess Eugenie's draped teal gown, London, 2023
Princess Eugenie made her first appearance since giving birth to her son Ernest George Ronnie in an eye-catching Fendi gown. The Princess walked the red carpet at Vogue World: London 2023 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, teaming the draped satin teal gown with sparkly shoes for the high-fashion event.
11. Meghan Markle's scarlet gown, London, 2020
Meghan Markle gave us a masterclass in monochromatic dressing for the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in London back in 2020. Wearing a striking scarlet red cape dress from Safiyaa, she teamed the look with pretty red drop earrings and a red satin jewel-buckle clutch from Manolo Blahnik, as well Stuart Weitzman pumps for a flawlessly streamlined look.
12. The Queen's gold embroidered ensemble, Buckinghamshire, 1999
The Queen wore an elaborately embroidered dress worn over white gloves for the Hungarian state visit return Banquet at the Compleat Angler in Marlow, Buckinghamshire in 1999. Wearing top-to-toe gold, complete with one of Queen Elizabeth's famous brooches and a matching clutch, it's a look that means business.
13. Princess Catherine's lace gown, London, 2016
We love this daring red carpet look, which features a delicate embroidered top section and a thigh-high split. The then Duchess of Cambridge wore the outfit for the UK premiere of A Street Cat Named Bob in aid of Action On Addiction at The Curzon Mayfair in 2016, teaming the dress with her signature clutch bag.
14. Princess Diana's beaded gown and bolero, Paris, 1988
For a glamorous night out on the town, Diana, Princess of Wales, attended a dinner at the Élysée Palace in 1988 wearing an elaborately embroidered gown designed by Victor Edelstein with a matching beaded bolero jacket from the same designer to pull the look together.
15. Princess Catherine's glittering emerald gown, London, 2021
Princess Catherine once again proves that sequins and glitter really do have a place in a royal wardrobe with this striking green gown worn for the Royal Variety Performance at Royal Albert Hall in 2021. The glittering emerald dress was designed by one of the Princess of Wales's favourite designers, Jenny Packham.
16. Princess Anne's multicoloured dress, London,
Princess Anne often opts for fuss-free style in neutral tones for her day-to-day capsule wardrobe - but when there's an event to dress for, she often goes big and bold. Princess Anne first wore this lavender gown with a heavily embellished sequined top to an event at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1989, then again in 2005 to a dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel (pictured). It's great to see these incredible royal gowns being recycled.
17. Queen Letizia's embroidered gown, Madrid, 2022
Queen Letizia of Spain is emerging as a real style icon along with other European Queens like Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and Princess Charlene of Monaco. This incredible embroidered gown was worn to a special event at the Palace in Madrid where she welcomed officials from the State of Qatar.
18. Kate's bright green dress, London, 2022
Princess Catherine has been known to rent pieces for special events in recent years - a sustainable fashion trend that helps reduce waist. For the 2022 Earthshot awards, Catherine rented the Sabina dress from Solace London, a floor-length gown featuring an off-the-shoulder neckline and a body-con fit.
19. Princess Catherine's asymmetric gown, London, 2023
You may recognise the Princess of Wales's BAFTA dress from 2023, as she wore the same one-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown back in 2019, this time updating the look with black evening gloves for a whole new aesthetic. Statement gold earrings complete the fashion-forward look.
20. Princess Diana's gold dress, London, 1985
Princess Diana looked dazzling in a metallic gold evening gown for the London premiere of the James Bond film A View To A Kill at the Empire in Leicester Square in 1985. The dress was designed by Bruce Oldfield and is a suitably glitzy choice for the glamorous occasion.
21. Meghan Markle's flared black dress, London, 2019
Embracing the gothic trend, Meghan's flared evening dress looks chic and understated for The Lion King London premiere in Leicester Square in 2019. The dress in question was dreamed up by Jason Wu and features mesh panelling and a classic shape for understated elegance.
22. Princess Diana's spangled chiffon gown, London, 1981
Princess Diana had countless gowns fit for a Princess - and this red and gold spangled chiffon gown designed by Bellville Sassoon is one of her all-time best dresses. The late Princess of Wales wore this exquisite dress on the red carpet for the premiere of the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only in Leicester Square back in 1981.
23. Meghan Markle's satin red dress, New York City, 2022
Meghan looks striking in red again, this time for a night out with her husband Prince Harry in New York City in 2022. The Duchess of Sussex wears an opulent Carolina Herrera, featuring a plunging neckline and a thigh-high slit for a glamorous look that's finished with classic hair and makeup. Note the matching red shoes, too!
24. Princess Anne's multicoloured dress, London,1973
It's another bright and cheerful royal gown for Princess Anne, who is pictured walking alongside Mark Phillips at a film premiere in London in the '70s. We're big fans of the retro '70s style of bright and bold florals.
25. Princess Anne's white layered gown, London, 1980
Princess Anne pairs a vintage lace gown with metallic heels for a night out at the Royal Opera House in 1980. We love the addition of a matching metallic clutch to finish off this well-thought out evening wear ensemble. Full style marks for Anne for this flawless royal gown.
26. Princess Margaret's caped gown, London, 1990
Princess Margaret was a style icon in her own right, with a closet full of incredible evening gowns. She wore this bright blue caped dress to the London Palladium in July 1990 to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Queen Mother.
27.
Princess Eugenie looks incredible in this sultry dress from Vivienne Westwood with a structured bodice and cinched-in waist. She wore the look back in 2011, for Princess Catherine and Prince William's pre-wedding gala back in London.
28. Queen Elizabeth II's pink dress, London,
One of the late Queen's strongest looks, Her Majesty stunned in a bright pink dress for state visit to Budapest, pairing her long-sleeved royal gown with the sparkling Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara.
29. Queen Letizia's Hollywood-style gown, Madrid, 2022
Queen Letizia of Spain channelled old Hollywood glamour in an Audrey Hepburn-style balck gown for the red carpet of a theatre opening in Madrid, yet again reminding us of her fashion prowess. The dress was paired with Manolo Blahnik black PVC heels, with a black patent belt and clutch bag finishing the look.
30. Princess Diana's asymmetric red gown, London, 1989
Princess Diana wowed in a crimson rose and black silk taffeta gown for a dinner party at Downing Street in 1989. The dress was crafted by one of the late Princess of Wales's favourite designers, Catherine Walker and she teamed the look with classic pearl jewellery.
31. Lady Amelia Windsor's pink off-the-shoulder gown, London, 2023
Lady Amelia Windsor, the granddaughter of the Duke of Kent, channelled the Barbiecore trend in a bright pink off-the-shoulder gown for the V&A summer party in 2023. The elaborate rose dress was designed by Hellessy New York and completed flawlessly, in true Barbie style, with pink platform heels.
32. Princess Diana's purple dress, Chicago, 1996
The late Princess of Wales opted for a floor-length purple Versace gown with a diamond, sapphire and pearl choker for a gala dinner at the Field Museum Of Natural History in Chicago in 1996. Note the stunning matching Jimmy Choo shoes and elegant clutch to finish the ensemble.
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