Over the past year, Princess Charlotte has emerged as one of the royal family's future fashion stars, with her stylish appearances at official events earning praise from fans and the fashion press alike.
The only daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charlotte, 8, is currently third in line of succession to the throne and is often photographed at events alongside her two brothers: Prince George, 10; and Prince Louis, 5.
Too young to be credited with having overall control of her personal wardrobe, the princess' timeless style in classic coats and print dresses is thought to be carefully curated and influenced by her mother, Kate.
The two princesses often sport coordinating color pallets for public events and, in the case of King Charles' coronation in May, have even worn matching high-fashion ensembles.
Speaking to Newsweek, royal fashion expert Christine Ross noted the style legacy from past royals that can be seen in Charlotte's regal wardrobe.
"Princess Charlotte's public style is often described as timeless and classic," she said. "Many upper-crust mums flock to Princess Charlotte's favorite brands, like Rachel Riley and Trotters, for Peter Pan collars and smocked bodice dresses. These styles often look timeless in photographs and won't age."
"Many of Princess Charlotte's dresses look similar to dresses worn by the late Queen Elizabeth II as a girl," Ross said. "The young princess's style rarely varies; we've often seen her in the same dress in a different print, or a coat in different colors, year after year.
"This makes it difficult to assess Princess Charlotte's style and draw any conclusions. Her off-duty style shows us a different side to Princess Charlotte. Embroidered dungarees and pompom-trimmed tops hint at a playful, normal young girl."
Here, Newsweek looks at five standout outfits worn by Princess Charlotte over the past year:
Coronation Chic
Charlotte's major fashion milestone of the past year was made in May 2023 for the coronation of her grandfather, King Charles III.
For the historic event, Charlotte wore a mini-me version of her mother, Kate's, custom Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown in white silk with silver embroidered flowers depicting the floral emblems of England (rose), Scotland (thistle), Northern Ireland (shamrock) and Wales (daffodil).
Charlotte's dress was paired with a layered cape and accessorized with a smaller version of the crystal-embellished headdress also worn by Kate.
Coronation Concert
For the coronation concert at Windsor Castle on May 7, 2023, Charlotte drew the attention of style-minded eyes as she appeared in the royal box wearing a chiffon dress with a piped Peter Pan collar and lace applique from the brand Self-Portrait.
The brand is one of the Princess of Wales' favorites, and she has been spotted in a number of their designs in recent years.
Big Help Out
In contrast to the showpiece events of the coronation weekend, the Wales family took part in the "Big Help Out" on May 8, where people across Britain came together to contribute an act of service to their community.
For the day, Prince William, Kate, George, Charlotte, and Louis visited their local area of Slough, where they helped renovate a Scout hut and played games.
In keeping with the down-to-work theme of the day, Princess Charlotte swapped dresses for denim, wearing a pair of jean shorts paired with a pink blouse and a contrasting pink cable-knit sweater.
Trooping The Colour
One of the biggest royal events of the year is Trooping the Colour, the celebrations marking the official birthday of the monarch.
For the ceremonial event in London, Charlotte appeared in a regal day dress, with influence taken from historic sailor suits worn by royal children in previous generations. The white dress featured a red waist tie and red piping, accentuated with an on-trend red bow tied at the neck.
Wimbledon
Princess Charlotte made her Wimbledon debut in the summer of 2023, attending the men's singles finals match between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz with her parents and older brother.
For the occasion, Charlotte wore a bright summer dress from the Spanish brand Friki, featuring a Liberty of London floral print. To accessorize, the princess wore a pair of classic style pink sunglasses from the British brand Leosun.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
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