Kate Middleton Reclaims This Prestigious Title From Another Royal

Rachel BurchfieldFri, July 31, 2026 at 5:55 PM UTC

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Kate Middleton on November 19, 2025.Credit: GettyThe Gist -

Kate Middleton was named no. 1 on Tatler’s famous best-dressed list, making her the best-dressed person in Britain.

The last time the Princess of Wales received this honor was in 2022.

Princess Beatrice claimed the top spot in 2024.

Kate Middleton is known to wear many a tiara, and now she has a new crown atop her head: No. 1 on Tatler’s famous best-dressed list. Well, let’s be clear—it’s not an entirely new crown, but it has been four years since the Princess of Wales held the title. The future queen was called “Britain’s chicest figure” whose ensembles “light up royal occasions” by the outlet, reclaiming the honor for the first time since 2022.

Prince William and Kate Middleton on December 3, 2025.Credit: Getty

Since then, another royal has emerged in the top spot—Princess Beatrice, who won the coveted honor in 2024. At the time, the publication called Beatrice the “princess of perfection” and a “beacon of sartorial elegance, pairing vintage-inspired cuts with fresh-from-the-catwalk glamour.” Last year, Tatler chose two winners: Lady Lola Bute and Jazzy de Lisser. Prince William’s cousin Zara Tindallwas also featured in 2025.

Other notable winners include Meghan Markle, who clinched the honor in 2018, and Princess Diana’s twin nieces, Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer, who tied in 2021.

Kate Middleton at Royal Ascot on June 17, 2026.Credit: Getty Images

Tatler specifically pointed to Kate’s canary yellow Roksanda dress (a rewear from 2022) at Royal Ascot last month as a favorite look from this year. The outlet also praised the princess’s Roland Mouret blush tea dress worn to Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s royal wedding in June as “divine.”

Outfits from her tour of Italy in May also got a shoutout, as did her March coatress by Tolu Coker. “Here is a true style champion: showcasing homegrown designers on the world stage,” Tatler reported.

Kate Middleton at Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s June 6, 2026 royal wedding.Credit: Getty

“The Princess of Wales has topped this list before, and will again,” the outlet continued. “But now feels the perfect moment to salute Britain’s chicest figure, back to health—and back to being a Brit-fashion heroine.”

Some of Kate’s style codes include sustainability (rewearing outfits on sometimes numerous occasions), as well as dressing in bright colors, a tip from Queen Elizabeth so as to be seen more easily in a crowd.

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Kate Middleton on September 17, 2025.Credit: Getty

Bethan Holt, fashion director at The Telegraph, previously told People that “there is a subtle style evolution” as of late when it comes to Kate. Speaking specifically about Kate’s back-to-back-to-back state dinner looks in 2025, “She just seems to be broadening her horizons a little bit, but mostly all three looks were simply a masterclass in sartorial diplomacy,” Holt added. “There’s always a little bit of anticipation, and she ticked all the boxes of diplomacy, glamour, and appropriateness.”

Kate Middleton and Prince William on March 18, 2026.Credit: Getty

“It is a huge amount of pressure for Kate to always deliver this fashion moment at these big state events, but it’s all part of the package,” Holt continued. “Kate knows that the interest in her is going to be there for years to come and that she needs to keep gently moving things on and doing something different, but nothing too surprising that it feels unsettling. It’s a very fine line.”

Kate Middleton at the Nigerian state banquet on March 18, 2026.Credit: Getty

In addition to dresses and coats, Kate has become synonymous with power pantsuits in the last few years, with Claudia Joseph calling the decision “an important message about how her style has evolved.”

Joseph, the author of How to Dress Like a Princess: The Secret of Kate’s Wardrobe, told Vanity Fair that the Princess of Wales’s pantsuits are “convenient, comfortable, and very practical.” With pantsuits, Kate’s “intention is to have the focus on her work and on comfort over anything else,” Joseph added. “She always dresses for the occasion, and she’s grown into her role. The trouser suit is part of that progression.”

Kate Middleton on May 13, 2025.Credit: Getty

Last July, Kate’s longtime stylist Natasha Archer left the princess’s employ; no one has been hired to replace her. The reason? “Kate has always been very involved in choosing her outfits for royal engagements, but now she is so confident, she knows exactly what suits her and what doesn’t,” a source previously told People.

Kate Middleton on September 11, 2025.Credit: Getty

“Kate has always loved shopping online and spends a lot of time researching brands that are meaningful,” the insider added. “She chooses looks and often keeps them until just the right moment before she wears them. She’s not interested in trends—it’s about what she feels comfortable in and the messaging.”

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