Kate Middleton and the British royal family gathered in Windsor today to celebrate the Order of the Garter, for an event called Garter Day. The Princess of Wales, though not a member of the Order, was in attendance in Windsor today to watch the procession. King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are all members of the Order of the Garter, the “oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain,” which was established by King Edward III almost 700 years ago.
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The two royals waiting for the procession to start.
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The Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh smile as they attend the 2026 Order Of The Garter Service.
For the occasion, she wore a custom Patrick McDowell dress and accessorized with a matching wide-brimmed Jane Taylor hat. Per the brand, “The fabric has been specifically woven for Her Royal Highness by Stephen Walters & Sons, in Suffolk.” McDowell said, “It has been a wonderful collaboration, developing one of my existing pieces with Stephen Walters, for Her Royal Highness.”
Kate watched the procession alongside Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who also is not a member of the Order but a regular attendee on the festive day. Kate also chose her custom Robinson Pelham wedding earrings, a gift from her parents Carole and Michael Middleton. An official press release from the royal wedding described the pair as a “diamond-set stylized oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pave set diamond acorn suspended in the center.” The oak leaves and acorns are both symbols used in the Middletons’ coat of arms, which was granted to them before the wedding.
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The Princess of Wales on her wedding day.
Today marks the Princess of Wales’s tenth time attending Garter Day; she first was at the event way back in 2008, before she was even a member of the royal family. That year, Queen Elizabeth appointed Prince William to the Order of the Garter, and William became the 1,000th Knight in the Register—a notable honor. Her fashion has remained consistent over the years, favoring dresses and matching hats, though in recent appearances she has favored longer hemlines versus the knee-length outfits she wore in her earlier years as a royal.
See Kate’s Garter Day Fashion Evolution:
2025
In Self-Portrait and a hat by Sean Barrett.
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2023
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2022
In an uncredited blue dress, accessorizing with a hat by Juliette Botterill Millinery.
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2019
In Catherine Walker and a Lock & Co hat.
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2016
In Catherine Walker and Lock & Co hat.
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2014
In Christopher Kane and a John Lock & Co. hat.
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2012
In Alexander McQueen and Jane Corbett fascinator.
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2011
In Katherine Hooker and hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan Millinery.
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2008
In a polka dot skirt suit set and Philip Somerville hat.
Pool/Tim Graham Royal Photos//Getty Images![Play video](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" fill="%23ffffff" viewBox="0 0 256 256">%0A%09<path d="M240,128a15.74,15.74,0,0,1-7.6,13.51L88.32,229.65a16,16,0,0,1-16.2.3A15.86,15.86,0,0,1,64,216.13V39.87a15.86,15.86,0,0,1,8.12-13.82,16,16,0,0,1,16.2.3L232.4,114.49A15.74,15.74,0,0,1,240,128Z">%0A</path></svg>)
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.