It’s been more than two decades since the Princess of Wales stepped into the royal spotlight, and yet her sartorial prowess has never been more admired. 

From gracing the stage as St Andrews University It-girl to eventually becoming Prince William’s beautiful royal bride, the nation quickly developed an obsession with the way the Princess dressed – a phenomenon we now refer to as ‘The Kate Effect’. 

“Women around the world wanted to be Kate Middleton, and in the early days when Kate mostly favoured high street brands, her fans were able to emulate her, even if it was just a token nod,” explains royal style expert, Miranda Holder.

“Kate manages to tread that awkward line between fashion and the restrictive etiquette limitations of the working royal perfectly – and all this makes utterly compelling viewing, keeping us hooked.” 

Inspired by thrifty Princess Anne, Kate has followed suit in becoming one of the most prolific outfit repeaters in the royal family, often choosing to rewear clothes from her twenties, and even recycling most-memorable gowns for red carpet appearances.

In 2023,