Catherine close up in coral dress and hat

ing Charles is set to host several Garden Parties this summer, and royal fans will inevitably look forward to seeing if the Princess of Wales makes an appearance. Kate, 44, always puts on a stunning sartorial display at Buckingham Palace Garden Parties, often choosing a statement dress with a hat and heels to match.

In May 2022, she attended a Garden Party hosted at the palace by Prince Edward on behalf of the late Queen Elizabeth, wearing a bright colour that she often shuns – coral. The Emilia Wickstead dress featured an A-line silhouette with a cinched waist, crossover top and a romantic skirt that moved elegantly in the wind.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends as the Earl Of Wessex hosts the Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 18, 2022 in London, England.© WPA Pool
Kate wore a coral Emilia Wickstead dress in 2022

A stylist weighs in

It’s a look that remains a favourite for Susie Hasler, a colour expert and award-winning personal stylist who runs Styled By Susie. “Coral sits at a warmer, more vibrant edge of what works for Kate’s colouring, and this particular shade had real depth to it,” the stylist tells us.

“A sculptural Jane Taylor hat, her Kiki McDonough cushion drop earrings and a vintage beaded Josef clutch completed the picture. She owns this same Emilia Wickstead coat dress shape in three different colourways – it’s the ultimate argument for finding your silhouette and holding onto it.”

As Susie highlights, Kate also owns the same coat dress in bottle green, which she wore in 2012 to the annual Irish Guards St Patrick’s Day parade, and in powder blue, which she donned during her visit to Luxembourg in 2017 and to the Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle in 2022.

Kate’s most memorable Garden Party looks

Though Kate’s 2022 Garden Party look was particularly memorable due to her stepping out in a colour that she often shuns, it isn’t the only one that remains committed to our memories. Keep scrolling to see our top picks of all of Kate’s Garden Party dresses…

2022

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 25, 2022 in London, England.© WPA Pool
Kate’s mint look was made by her private dressmaker

That same year, Kate attended a Buckingham Palace Garden Party in a mint green look. Her button-up midi dress came courtesy of her private dressmaker. It featured a high, frill-adorned neckline and was paired with shoes in the same pastel hue and statement drop earrings.

2023

Princess Kate on the left in a blue dress and Duchess Sophie on the right in a blue dress© POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Princess Kate looked classically elegant in powder blue

It was all in the details when it came to Kate’s look from King Charles’s Coronation Garden Party in May 2023. The princess wore a polka dot tulle midi dress by Elie Saab, paired with silver stilettos and a large flower-adorned hat by Philip Treacy.

2019

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attending the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 21, 2019 in London, England.© WPA Pool
Kate looked like a royal Barbie in pink

In 2019, Kate was all about looking like a royal Barbie. She wowed in pink, joining Prince William at the Garden Party in a structured Alexander McQueen double-breasted coat dress with a pleated skirt that worked perfectly with her suede heels and accented Juliette Botterill hat.

2014

Kate wearing beige lace bodycon dress © Getty Images
Kate’s lace bodycon dress was a different aesthetic to her usual Garden Party dresses

Kate looked lovely in lace in 2014, stepping out in an unusually fitted cocktail dress. The Alexander McQueen number featured a boat neckline and was accessorised with nude pumps and a Jane Taylor hat.