Before marrying Prince William in 2011, Kate Middleton studied art history at the University of St. Andrews. She held several regular jobs, including working as an accessories buyer for the clothing brand Jigsaw and helping run her family's party-planning business, Party Pieces.
In 2002, she participated in the annual "Don't Walk" charity fashion show at the college to raise funds for causes, and wore a transparent knitted black-and-gold silk sheer dress over a black bandeau and underwear.
After the royal marriage was announced, the now-famous runway dress, which cost her friend about £30 ($41) to make, sold for £78,000 ($125,000 USD) at a London auction.
In the few photos available from that time, Kate favored fitted dresses, jeans, boots, and playful party looks, and often wore her signature brunette hair in a voluminous blowout.
As a royal, the Princess of Wales embraced the formal coat dresses, tailored silhouettes, elegant gowns, and carefully chosen hats expected of a future queen.
Her Alexander McQueen wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton and combining traditional details with modern design, became one of the decade's defining fashion moments.
After welcoming her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, Middleton increasingly incorporated practical, softer pieces in neutrals and pastels.
She transitioned away from the tighter, above-the-knee dresses and sharp pencil skirts of her earlier years, favoring longer midi and maxi lengths, cape-top details, and softer, draping fabrics.
The most noticeable change in her style came after her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
She stepped away from public life while undergoing treatment, making only limited appearances as she recovered. Her eventual return brought a noticeably more understated approach to fashion.
However, contrary to what many feared, she did not seem to lose her hair due to chemotherapy.
A patient at the Royal Marsden Hospital, where Middleton visited in 2025, revealed to People magazine that the princess shared she “didn’t have to have” cold cap therapy during her treatment, which helps reduce the risk of hair loss.
Recently, she was spotted wearing A-line coats at multiple official engagements—a fashion choice many didn’t like.
“I hate those coats and am tired of seeing them. And why is there always a belt around her waist?” one wrote.
“I hate it, so old-fashioned! I wish she would dress in younger, more flattering styles that reflect her age. She dresses like Queen Elizabeth in her senior years,” said another.
In 2002, she participated in the annual "Don't Walk" charity fashion show at the college to raise funds for causes, and wore a transparent knitted black-and-gold silk sheer dress over a black bandeau and underwear.
After the royal marriage was announced, the now-famous runway dress, which cost her friend about £30 ($41) to make, sold for £78,000 ($125,000 USD) at a London auction.
In the few photos available from that time, Kate favored fitted dresses, jeans, boots, and playful party looks, and often wore her signature brunette hair in a voluminous blowout.
As a royal, the Princess of Wales embraced the formal coat dresses, tailored silhouettes, elegant gowns, and carefully chosen hats expected of a future queen.
Her Alexander McQueen wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton and combining traditional details with modern design, became one of the decade's defining fashion moments.
After welcoming her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, Middleton increasingly incorporated practical, softer pieces in neutrals and pastels.
She transitioned away from the tighter, above-the-knee dresses and sharp pencil skirts of her earlier years, favoring longer midi and maxi lengths, cape-top details, and softer, draping fabrics.
The most noticeable change in her style came after her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
She stepped away from public life while undergoing treatment, making only limited appearances as she recovered. Her eventual return brought a noticeably more understated approach to fashion.
However, contrary to what many feared, she did not seem to lose her hair due to chemotherapy.
A patient at the Royal Marsden Hospital, where Middleton visited in 2025, revealed to People magazine that the princess shared she “didn’t have to have” cold cap therapy during her treatment, which helps reduce the risk of hair loss.
Recently, she was spotted wearing A-line coats at multiple official engagements—a fashion choice many didn’t like.
“I hate those coats and am tired of seeing them. And why is there always a belt around her waist?” one wrote.
“I hate it, so old-fashioned! I wish she would dress in younger, more flattering styles that reflect her age. She dresses like Queen Elizabeth in her senior years,” said another.