Celebrities · London
Kate channels Diana in powder blue at Trooping the Colour, royal family coalesces amid scandal
The Princess of Wales wore a pale blue Catherine Walker coatdress, coordinating with her children, as the Windsor family presented unity at Charles III's official birthday parade against a backdrop of Prince Andrew's legal troubles.
AI text based on reports by Il Messaggero, il Giornale.it, Tgcom24 and other publishers. Published . How it is made
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In brief
Kate's pale blue Catherine Walker coatdress reproduced a near-identical 1987 Diana look, down to the contrasting trim and wide-brim hat.
George and Louis wore pale blue ties, Charlotte a white dress with blue accents, co-ordinating with their mother's outfit.
Only active members of the family appeared on the balcony; Prince Andrew and the Sussexes were not present.
A centuries-old spectacle
Thirteen-hundred soldiers and two hundred horses marched down The Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade for the King's Birthday Parade, a tradition dating to the 17th century. Charles III and Queen Camilla rode in a carriage while the Princess of Wales and her three children followed in a separate carriage. Prince William, the Princess Royal, and the Duke of Edinburgh participated on horseback. Forty-one cannon rounds were fired before the Royal Air Force aerobatic team streaked red, white and blue trails over the palace.
The Diana homage in baby blue
Kate Middleton's powder-blue coatdress, by Catherine Walker, echoed a near-identical look worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1987. The fitted silhouette, white contrast trim, and wide-brimmed Philip Treacy hat matched the late princess's iconic ensemble. On her lapel she fastened the brooch of the Irish Guards, the regiment of which she is honorary colonel, and Cassandra Goad's pearl flower earrings that she debuted at Prince Louis's christening.
Coordinated family dressing
A deliberate family palette ran through the Wales children: Prince George, 12, and Prince Louis, 8, wore dark suits with pale blue ties that echoed their mother's dress, while Princess Charlotte, 11, chose a white tea dress finished with blue details and organza hair bow. The styling underlined a unified public front from the direct line of succession.
A show of unity amid scandal
The celebration unfolded just as the monarchy contends with renewed scrutiny over Prince Andrew, who has withdrawn from all public duties and lost his honorary military titles. He was absent from the balcony and from the procession. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last attended the Trooping in 2019 and were not present. The slimmed-down balcony line-up featured only working royals, a visual statement of institutional resilience.
Ceremonial closing and a sombre note
The flypast by fourteen aircraft closed the public pageantry before King Charles and the senior royals retired inside. The day's events were to be followed by the funeral of Lady Pamela Hicks, the late Queen Elizabeth's cousin and former lady-in-waiting, who died earlier in the week.
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Sources and context
- Il MessaggeroKate Middleton, il look per il Trooping the Colour (abbinato ai figli): l'abito celeste, il raccolto intrecciato e la spilla delle Irish Guards
- il Giornale.itTrooping The Colour 2026: la royal family unita a dispetto della crisi, Kate omaggia Diana
- Tgcom24Kate Middleton in azzurro (coordinata ai figli) incanta tutti: un look che è un omaggio a Diana
- AGIKate Middleton in 'baby blue', omaggio a Lady D al Trooping the Colour 2026
- Catherine, Princess of Wales
- Attended the Trooping the Colour in a powder blue coatdress and coordinated look with her children.
- Charles III
- King of the United Kingdom, celebrated his official birthday at the parade.
- Diana, Princess of Wales
- Her 1987 Catherine Walker outfit was referenced by Kate's look.
- Camilla, Queen Consort
- Attended the parade alongside King Charles, wearing red.
- William, Prince of Wales
- Participated on horseback in the procession.
- Prince George of Wales
- Rode in the carriage with his mother and siblings, wearing a pale blue tie.
- Princess Charlotte of Wales
- Wore a white dress with blue accents matching the family's coordinated palette.
- Prince Louis of Wales
- Joined his siblings in the carriage, also wearing a pale blue tie.
- Prince Andrew, Duke of York
- Absent from the event following his withdrawal from public duties and loss of military titles.
- Catherine Walker
- Fashion designer whose label created the coatdress worn by Kate and Diana's 1987 ensemble.
- Philip Treacy
- Hat designer who created the coordinating wide-brimmed hat for Kate's outfit.
- Places
- London
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