Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Trooping the Colour Fashions in Photos

Trooping the Colour is the name given to an annual collection of ceremonies marking the official birthday of the British sovereign.

The one-day event comprises two main ceremonies, the sovereign’s birthday parade and the Trooping the Colour itself. The trooping sees whichever of the seven regiments of the British Army’s Household Division which is on parade in any given year, have their color (regimental flag) marched in front of the monarch.

Each year, members of the royal family process from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guards Parade a short distance down The Mall in carriages to attend the ceremonies. On their return, they then make an appearance on Buckingham Palace’s famous balcony to watch an aerial flypast.

2023 will mark King Charles III‘s first Trooping the Colour as monarch, so will also be the first time he celebrates his new official birthday. In Britain, the king or queen of the day has two birthdays, their real birthday (Charles’ is November 14) and their official one each June.

The tradition of having two birthdays was started by King George II (1683-1760) who felt his real birth date in November did not give the public an opportunity to celebrate and attend outside events due to the cold English climate.

Each monarch thereafter had the option to observe two birthdays if their real birth date fell in colder months. King Edward VII (1841-1910) standardized the “official” summer celebrations each June which have been observed by all monarchs since.

In the modern day, Trooping the Colour has become widely known for its display of the British Army’s famous ceremonial strength, however, it has also become a staple in the diaries of royal fashion watchers hoping to catch a glimpse of the impressive outfits worn by the women of the house of Windsor.

Here, Newsweek looks at a collection of King Charles III’s daughters-in-law’s most celebrated trooping fashions in photos.

Kate – Alexander McQueen, 2011

For her first Trooping the Colour as a member of the royal family, following her marriage to Prince William in April 2011, Kate Middleton set a fashion precedent she has followed for the event ever since.

The princess opted for a tailored look, comprising a sharply cut, double-breasted coat dress designed by the makers of her wedding gown at Alexander McQueen. Accessorizing, she followed the example of other royal women and opted for a contrasting statement black hat from the London makers, Lock and Company.

Kate – Catherine Walker, 2015

In 2015, Kate made a rare diversion from her usual mainstay fashion house of Alexander McQueen for the Trooping the Colour event, opting instead for a floral print silk coat dress from Catherine Walker & Co.

The designer had been a favorite of Princess Diana’s during her lifetime and since her marriage, Kate has acquired a number of the house’s signature tailored looks. To accompany the delicately printed coat, the princess wore an asymmetric white saucer-style hat designed by Sylvia Fletcher for Lock and Company.

Meghan – Carolina Herrera, 2018

Just one month after her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan Markle attended her first Trooping the Colour wearing a standout outfit in a blush pink color.

The royal wore a tailored look from Venezuelan-American designer, Carolina Herrera which caused a stir among traditional royal watchers for its off-the-shoulder silhouette. Traditionally, no member of the royal family had bared their shoulders for the event, but Meghan’s look found praise among the fashion press and social media fans alike.

Kate – Alexander McQueen, 2019

For the 2019 Trooping the Colour celebrations, Kate returned to Alexander McQueen for an elegant primrose yellow dress that featured a pleated neckline and statement peplum.

The princess paired the look with minimal diamond and pearl jewelry, the earrings of which were a loan from the personal collection of Queen Elizabeth II, and hat by favored royal milliner, Philip Treacy.

Meghan – Givenchy, 2019

Meghan’s look for the 2019 Trooping the Colour events contrasted Kate’s in that she wore a darker ensemble constructed in Paris by the couture house responsible for her wedding dress—Givenchy.

The caped navy ensemble was paired with gauntlet-length leather gloves and a small beret-style hat with sculpted tulle to replicate the look of feathers by milliner Noelle Stewart.

Kate – Alexander McQueen, 2022

The 2022 Trooping the Colour events formed part of the wider celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

For the first major event of the three-day-long celebrations, Kate wore a structured white coat dress by Alexander McQueen paired with a Philip Treacy saucer hat with a contrasting white and navy color scheme.

The princess accessorized her look with sapphire and diamond jewelry, the earrings of which were formerly owned by Princess Diana, complimenting Kate’s inherited sapphire and diamond engagement ring which had also belonged to Diana.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek’s royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek’s The Royals Facebook page.

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