Happy Birthday, Kate Middleton! The Princess of Wales Turns 41—See Her Best Looks Through the Years
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Check out Princess Catherine's most stunning looks, from her pre-royal dating days to her new position as Princess of Wales.
Kate Middleton turns 41 on Jan. 9, 2023, and to celebrate we've put together a slideshow of her best looks through the years!
Kate was effortlessly chic throughout her 20s and beyond. From her college style to her wedding outfits, from her night-out looks when she lived in a London apartment to the clothes in which she attended her then-boyfriend Prince William's polo matches, Kate got it right every time.
Today, Kate's the mother of three heirs to the throne—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Her passion projects include charity work concerned with addiction issues, mental health, art and early childhood development. In a recent speech addressing a project that will investigate the importance of the first years of childhood she said, "Only by working together can we bring about lasting change for the generations to come. Because I truly believe, big change starts small.”
Click on the gallery to follow Princess Kate's journey through the years!
Kate Middleton attends the wedding of Hugh Van Cutsem and Rose Astor at Burford Parish Church on June 4, 2005 in Burford, England.
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Middleton began to dress more professionally when she became an assistant accessories buyer for British fashion chain Jigsaw in 2006.
The princess-to-be has been sporting fashionable headwear for years.
Middleton's style can easily go from high-fashion to sporty. Here, she and Prince William watch the action during the RBS Six Nations Championship match between England and Italy at Twickenham on Feb. 10, 2007, in London.
Kate flashes her megawatt smile at the Annual National Hunt Festival held at Cheltenham Racecourse in March 2007.
Kate Middleton looked great in tennis white at the Wimbledon Championships in 2008.
Kate Middleton is one laid-back princess while laughing with friends at a concert in London's Hyde Park in 2008.
Kate Middleton goes disco in sequins and neon at the Day-Glo Midnight Roller Disco at The Renaissance Rooms on Sept. 17, 2008 in London.
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Kate Middleton attends the wedding of Nicholas van Cutsem and Alice Hadden-Paton at The Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks on Aug. 14, 2009, in London.
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The stunning blue Issa dress Kate Middleton wore to a press conference announcing her 2010 engagement to Prince William sold out in shops in less than 24 hours.
Kate Middleton paired her black and cream-colored Temperley London dress with a pair of peep-toes and a black clutch at a reception in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Women flocked to stores to get their hands on the cream dress by British label Reiss that Kate wore in her official engagement photos.
Kate Middleton looked regal in a red dress with black knee-high boots while she and Prince William visited St. Andrews University in Scotland to mark the school's 600th anniversary.
Kate Middleton delighted in a smart brown coat and one of her signature festive headpieces, while the couple attended a dedication ceremony for a new vessel in the Royal Lifeboat Institution fleet in North Wales in February 2011.
Kate reigned in a sophisticated blue vintage silk mikado two piece during a visit to Whitton Park in April 2011 in Darwen, England.
Kate Middleton stepped out the day before her wedding in a polka-dotted dress, cream-colored jacket and wedge heels.
Prince William and Kate Middleton beam following their wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, in London.
The marriage of the second in line to the British throne was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and was attended by 1900 guests, including foreign royal family members and heads of state. Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have also flocked to London to witness the spectacle and pageantry of the royal wedding.
Kate famously did her own makeup on her wedding day and her custom Alexander McQueen wedding gown made a case for long sleeves in a big way.
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The Duchess glowed in a blush-hued chiffon Jenny Packham gown at the ARK 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner at Perk's Field in London on June 9, 2011.
All eyes were on Kate Middleton at Wimbledon as she watched the match in a pleated off-white ensemble, from Temperley London's Spring 2011 line.
Kate is dressed in a smart navy blue Amanda Wakeley suit as the couple was spotted leaving for their first North American tour in 2011.
Kate dressed to impress as she attended her first royal Christmas Day service at Sandringham Church.
She teamed a berry knee-length frock coat with a festive hat by Jane Corbett, who regularly creates pieces for the Middleton family.
Kate accompanied her husband Prince William to a charity gala in October 2011 in a stunning red evening dress. The Beulah London dress had long flowing sleeves and a cinched waist which showed off her figure.
The Duchess of Cambridge marked the last day of her twenties by turning heads at the red carpet premiere of War Horse in London.
She stunned in a floor-length Alice Temperley gown with a floral lace pattern.
Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, and husband Prince William arrive for a dinner hosted by The Thirty Club at Claridges in London, England, on May 8, 2012. Sure the prince looks dapper, but Middleton stole the show in her form-fitting white Roland Mouret gown and Jimmy Choo heels.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, sporting a stunning teal number, attend the "Our Greatest Team Rises - BOA Olympic Concert" at the Royal Albert Hall on May 11, 2012 in London.
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Then pregnant with Prince George, Kate Middleton's stunning maternity style showed in May 2013 when she rocked black and white polka dots with a coordinating clutch, cardigan and fascinator to a wedding.
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Kate Middleton and Prince William welcomed Prince George on July 22, 2013. Just a day later, the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge coordinated in baby blue, with Middleton sporting polka dots once more, to debut their newborn eventual heir.
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On Christmas Day 2013, the Duchess opted for a fitted blue and green tartan coat by Alexander McQueen for the royal family's private church service on the Sandringham estate.
Prince William and Kate Middleton shined at the St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Dinner during their state visit to New York City in December 2014.
While pregnant with Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton "recycled" her stylish Dalmatian-print Hobbs coat that she last wore in June 2013 when she christened the cruise ship Royal Princess. At eight months pregnant, the then-duchess looked youthful and glowing with her hair pulled back in a high ponytail that revealed delicate pearl earrings.
One of Kate Middleton's most extravagant dresses on her 2016 tour of India was a floor-length, royal-blue gown by one of Kate’s favorite designers, Jenny Packham.
After the birth of Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton appeared on the steps of the Lindo Wing in a lightweight silk Jenny Packham dress and pearl drop earrings.
In June 2016, Kate Middleton got on board with the cold-shoulder trend in a stunning royal-blue gown by Roland Mouret, which has shoulder cutouts and a figure-hugging design.
Kate accessorized with a glittering pair of Cartier Diamond Tricolor Gold Trinity Hoop earrings that glinted out from her brunette waves.
For her first official visit to Canada in September 2016, Kate Middleton went for a particularly dazzling look in a scarlet Preen gown by Thornton Bregazzi.
Kate Middleton sports pale pink with daughter Princess Charlotte at her brother James Middleton's wedding in May 2017.
Duchess Kate wears an appropriately floral-themed dress to visit the White Garden at Kensington Palace that was planted in memory of Princess Diana.
A tartan coat and a furry black hat; Kate Middleton pulls out all the fashion stops for the royals' annual walk to Christmas morning service on the Sandringham estate.
The standout fashion from the Cambridges' 2018 visit to Scandinavia was the absolutely bananas cape-dress that Kate Middleton wore to dinner at the Royal Palace. The Alexander McQueen gown featured a sheer cape and a crystal-embellished neckline. Kate finished the look off with Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding Gift Bracelet, a geometric art deco-esque diamond piece that was commissioned by her husband Prince Philip as a wedding present in 1947.
Kate Middleton looked radiant in a red Jenny Packham dress as she and Prince William presented Prince Louis to fans gathered outside the Lindo Wing in April 2018.
Kate Middleton looks like any mother spending a day in the sun with her kids, although we suspect most mothers aren't hanging out to watch their significant others play for a Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy.
In her first official event after her third maternity leave, Kate Middleton rocked a forest-worthy outfit: a green jacket by Fjallraven (Swedish maker of the eponymous backpacks), a wool sweater, brown jeans and her beloved leather boots by Penelope Chilvers.
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle were spotted hanging out at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships two months after Meghan married Harry and officially became a member of the family. Based on these photos, you'd never know they didn't quite get along!
Kate Middleton looks regal at a reception for the King and Queen of the Netherlands at Buckingham Palace on Oct. 23, 2018.
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In 2018, Kate Middleton "recycled" this stunning teal Jenny Packham dress for the Tusk Conservation Awards in London.
Kate Middleton keeps the chic factor dialed to "festive" in a red tartan skirt at a December 2018 party thrown for families of military personnel who were deployed in Cyprus.
Kate Middleton sports the Lover's Knot tiara at a diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2018.
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Kate Middleton walked alongside Meghan Markle as she attended her first Christmas service as a member of the royal family.
Kate was festive in a crimson coat by her favorite designer Catherine Walker, accessorized with a cute matching hat and gold hoop earrings.
Meghan, who revealed in her and Prince Harry's Netflix series that she wore muted colors to blend in when she was a royal, sports a navy Victoria Beckham dress and matching coat.
This was one of Kate Middleton's top style moments of all time in our opinion—with its sheer chiffon overlay, candy stripes in various hues of rose and a dark pink velvet belt, this Gucci dress helped create one of the most romantic looks Kate has ever pulled off. She was a Valentine's Day dream!
Kate Middleton pulled a pint in Belfast, Northern Ireland! She paired her sparkly Cinderella-esque mint-green dress with the "Candy" Green Amethyst Diamond Earrings and Pendant by Kiki McDonough, for which the likes of us would fork over about $4,000.
Queen Elizabeth II was shown around the 'Back to Nature' garden by Duchess Kate. Both women chose floral print dresses for the occasion!
There was plenty of laughter as a grumpy Prince Louis made his debut on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Queen Elizabeth II's annual birthday parade. Kate Middleton is a vision in lemon yellow and her diamond cross pendant.
Kate Middleton's $2,000 floral dress gave us distinct Victoriana vibes offset by the presence of a belt and cute chest pockets. Kate was photographed in this stunning piece at the launch of her "Back to Nature" garden, which she co-designed and which featured treehouses, a wildflower meadow and wooden swings.
Kate Middleton wore a vibrant green shalwar kameez with intricate gold embroidery whose matching dupatta doubled as a headscarf when she and William visited a mosque in Pakistan.
Kate Middleton and Prince William accompany their two oldest children to St Thomas's Battersea in London, where Prince George will be able to keep an eye on his little sister, Princess Charlotte, on her first day of school.
Kate Middleton stuns in a navy velvet gown and Princess Diana's favorite headpiece, the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara, at a glittering Buckingham Palace reception in December 2019.
The Duchess of Cambridge with her husband at the Commonwealth Day service in 2020, which would mark the last appearance Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan would make as senior members of the royal family.
Kate Middleton makes a point to always wear green in Ireland, as she does here in March 2020.
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Kate Middleton wore an all-green ensemble for her and William's first day in Ireland, during which President Michael D. Higgins's dog completely won her over.
Kate Middleton sports polka dots and green in Ireland in March 2020.
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Kate Middleton goes green once more in March 2020 in Ireland.
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Applauding for healthcare workers on the doorstep of their country home, Kate Middleton and her family coordinated in blue in tribute to Britain's carers who have selflessly helped battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kate Middleton stepped out in a cotton face mask for the launch of an initiative that aimed to provide baby items and necessities to vulnerable families with young children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our hearts were gladdened by the oversized check coat that Kate Middleton wore during a visit to the University of Derby in October 2020—the perfect coat in which to sweep into fall! She paired it with a pale blue cashmere sweater and a necklace featuring three gold discs engraved with her children's initials.
Prince William and Kate Middleton made a point to rock recycled garments on the green carpet at their Earthshot Prize ceremony on Oct. 17, 2021, in London.
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In November 2021, Prince William and Kate shared a laugh while visiting Alexandra Park Sports Hub to meet with Scouts from across the area and learn more about the Scouts' #PromiseToThePlanet campaign.
Kate Middleton and her mother-in-law Queen Consort Camilla attended the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 14, 2021 in London.
Kate Middleton stunned while attending the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall with Prince William on Nov. 18, 2021.
Kate interacted with students during a visit to Nower Hill High School on Nov. 24, 2021, in London.
In December 2021, she visited the "Faberge in London: Romance to Revolution" exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Prince William and Kate Middleton took part in "Royal Carols - Together At Christmas," a Christmas carol concert hosted by the then-Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey in London.
Kate Middleton gives serious Pretty Woman vibes at the Royal Ascot on June 17, 2022.
Kate Middleton sparkles in Princess Diana's Lover's Knot tiara at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Nov. 22, 2022.
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Kate Middleton wears a deep indigo suit and heels as she and Prince William arrive in Boston on Nov. 30, 2022.
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Kate Middleton rocks a burgundy suit with a pale pink bow blouse in Boston in December 2022.
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Kate Middleton and Prince William went green in more ways than one at their Earthshot Prize ceremony in December 2022: Kate wore a rented gown from Solace London.
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Kate Middleton sparkles Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2022. She wore the Lotus Flower tiara, and it was her first time ever wearing her hair completely down with a tiara.
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Kate Middleton sports sparkly red sequins to promote her "Royal Carols: Together at Christmas" concert in December 2022.
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The Cambridges (save Prince George and an absent Prince Louis) wore matching maroon for Kate Middleton's "Royal Carols: Together at Christmas" concert in December 2022.
Prince Louis joins Kate Middleton at Christmas at Sandringham in 2022. Middleton sports more muted tones than she usually does for the festive occasion, wearing a deep olive green Alexander McQueen coat and brown suede boots.
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