Best royal fashion moments inspiring us

By Bryanne Salazar 8:22am PST, Feb 22, 2018

Our fascination with the British royal family has a long and beautiful history that often includes fawning over what they're wearing. Wonderwall.com is taking a look at some of the most striking style moments from the royals over the years… starting with Duchess Kate in this stunning multi-colored floral embroidered Tory Burch evening gown with a vibrant orange shawl. Kate wore this eye-catching dress when she and Prince William (who looked pretty dashing himself in a navy blue blazer and white button-up) dined with the king and queen of Bhutan in 2016. Keep reading to see more royal fashion moments that had us all seeing stars…

The matriarch of the House of Windsor (and the longest reigning queen in British history), Queen Elizabeth II, set a sharp sartorial tone from an early age. Elizabeth, seen here in 1947 (the same year she married Prince Philip) when she was still a princess, had a fondness for shirt dresses in bold colors and patterns in her youth. The princess always made sure to accessorize her look with a fantastic hat too.

One of the most beloved — and most fashionable — royal family members was the late Princess Diana. Diana was never afraid to play with her style but always managed to look like the picture of elegance and grace. Diana was radiant in this purple Versace gown in 1996 while attending a dinner at Chicago's Museum of Natural History. Also deserving of our praise: her matching Jimmy Choo heels and totally cute plum clutch.

One of the newest members (to be) of the royal family is American actress Meghan Markle (seen here with fiance Prince Harry on Dec. 21, 2017). Meghan has already proven herself to be a fashion force but she really had our hearts in this sheer black fall 2017 couture evening gown by Ralph & Russo. The gorgeous dress, which is reportedly worth $75,000, features a gold fern design across the bodice that gives way to a ruffled and fringe-heavy black skirt. Of course, handsome Harry doesn't look so bad in his tailored blue suit. We can't wait to see Meghan's wedding dress (and the look on Harry's face) during their marriage ceremony on May 19, 2018.

While touring Sweden on Jan. 31, 2018, a pregnant Duchess Kate of Cambridge glowed in this rich blue velvet dress from Erdem. She accessorized the stunning dress, which features a floral design with bell sleeves, an empire waist and a high collar, with sparkly silver teardrop-shaped hoop earrings and chocolate Gianvito Rossi D'Orsay suede heels.

Defore she passed away in 2002, Princess Margaret (Queen Elizabeth II's little sister) loved to step out in luxurious style. Here, the princess is seen leaving a ball in London in 1948 wearing a floor-length white satin gown with a floral brocade along the base of the skirt. Margaret finished the look with a fluffy fur stole and some of the most bedazzling shoes we've ever seen.

Queen Elizabeth II deserves our admiration. Even in her 90s, the monarch still has a knack for looking her very best. On Jan. 15, 2017, the queen wore this stunning purple coat and hat over a matching purple shift dress while attending Sunday services at the church of St. Mary the Virgin in Norfolk, England. She's clearly never been afraid of standing out in a crowd.

Another great coat look comes from Duchess Kate, who wore this vibrant pink Mulberry number on Jan. 16, 2018, which she paired with black gloves, shoes and matching black tights. The future queen was visiting Coventry and battling severe morning sickness, making her fashion achievement even more memorable.

If anyone can be called queen of the coat dress, it's Princess Diana. The royal trendsetter was a fan of solid-color coat dresses like this gorgeous pink frock with front pleats and a matching hat that she wore at Windsor Castle in 1993. The princess paired the dress with black pumps and pantyhose and taught us all the value of well-placed pearls.

She didn't have a ring (yet) but "Suits" star Meghan Markle was working some serious curves in this red brocade Dolce & Gabbana cocktail dress on Jan. 20, 2016, just a few months before she met Prince Harry. In her high collar, elbow-length sleeves and ankle-tied heels, Meghan looked ready to slay.

Another royal in red was Duchess Kate, who wore this regal A-line dress from Preen while attending a reception in British Columbia during a royal tour of Canada in 2016. The duchess opted not to wear a necklace so the asymmetrical neckline would stand out. She also paired the dress with a crimson clutch and matching suede heels from Russell & Bromley.

Two royal sisters who don't get enough credit for looking fab are Princess Beatrice (left) and Princess Eugenie, granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth II (and daughters of Prince Andrew, Duke of York). The ladies, seen here on June 21, 2017, rocked two very different styles while at a V&A Museum summer party. Beatrice wore a super-sheer black net dress from Self Portrait (and a nude camisole underneath to keep it modest) while Eugenie opted for a colorful summer dress with a stylish high collar.

Duchess Kate Middleton stepped out in serious style at the Action on Addiction Autumn Gala in London on Oct. 23, 2014, wearing this chevron "Flare" dress from Temperley London. But never fear — Kate's dress only appeared to be revealing: It had a nude lining stitched in from bust to skirt.

Can we even talk about royal fashion moments without mentioning Kate Middleton's amazing wedding gown? (Answer: No.) Duchess Kate's incredible white Alexander McQueen gown (designed by Sarah Burton) was the star of her and Prince William's nuptials on April 29, 2011. It featured a sheer Chantilly lace bodice with heavy needlework and a dramatic satin gazar skirt with arches that, when lifted, looked like a blooming flower. To date, there are still endless copycat versions available because everyone wants to look as stunning as Kate did on her wedding day.

Nearly 30 years before Prince William and Duchess Kate walked down the aisle to say their vows, William's parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, did the same and managed to take our breath away. Diana's opulent ivory taffeta gown with puff sleeves, billowing ruffles, intricate embroidery (with over 10,000 stitched-in pearls) and an impossibly long 25-foot train was designed by husband-and-wife team David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The details of the dress were kept top-secret until Charles and Diana's wedding day on July 29, 1981. The moment Diana emerged from Clarence House in her gown, the world fell in love. Her wedding look inspired thousands of copycat gowns and still remains one of the most iconic wedding dresses of all time.

Speaking of weddings, Princess Margaret wasn't afraid to stand out at a marriage ceremony, even if it wasn't her own. On Nov. 21, 1956, she attended a friend's wedding at the church of St. Margaret in London and wore a lush fur coat and decorative black turban, which was so unique, it started a celebrity style trend in Hollywood with actresses like Elizabeth Taylor donning flashy turbans as well.

Perhaps this is not so much a major fashion moment as it is a favorite memory — though gents, take note: When you dress up, you too can look this good. Shortly after Prince William's 20th birthday in 2002, he was in Edinburgh, Scotland, looking so dashing and handsome, we couldn't leave him off our list. The hunky prince pulled off a mix of colorful fabrics and patterns with this dapper suit for a garden party at Holyrood Palace. We might need to borrow his handkerchief because it suddenly got very hot in here.

Fifteen years and a little less hair later, Prince William looks just as dashing, especially with his beautiful wife, Duchess Kate, by his side. On Nov. 24, 2017, the couple attended the Royal Variety Performance in London with William in a tailored tux with a white satin lining and Kate in a stunning sky-blue Jenny Packham evening gown with heavy, hand-stitched beading and sequin work.

Long before Duchess Kate rocked a sparkly baby-blue gown, her mother-in-law, the late Princess Diana, stole the spotlight in this flashy metallic blue Bruce Oldfield gown in London in 1985. The dress, which featured a stunning pleated pattern, was evidence that Diana had come into her own as a fashionista.

The princesses are back on our list along with their stylish mom, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. In this Sept. 12, 2011, picture, Princess Beatrice (left) is wearing a smart black blazer paired with a white blouse and peach dirndl skirt adorned with tiny metallic embellishments. Her mom is rocking a classy gray sheath dress with a matching blazer (accessorized with an edgy asymmetrical belt). And Princess Eugenie took a page from her sister's book by pairing her gathered red cocktail dress with a similar black blazer.

Even Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II's only daughter, deserves a moment of praise. While Anne is often a background figure in the royal family, she was never afraid to stand out when it came to fashion. In 1984, the princess arrived at the BAFTAs in London wearing this stunning puffy-sleeved pink satin top with a lengthy side bow paired with a trendy pink-and-black checkered evening skirt that featured a knee-high slit. Known as a frugal royal, Anne recycled this outfit in 2001 after having the sleeves altered. (Hashtag genius.)

Royal cousin Zara Tindall is also known for having serious style. In 2015, Zara (Princess Anne's daughter) wore a sexy LBD with an asymmetrical ruffled skirt to a London launch party for her high-end jewelry line with Australian jeweler Calleija. Zara, who grew up with Prince William and Prince Harry, chose to pair her sleek look with super-high black heels and an ivory handbag.

One of the most stunning royals to rock a little black dress was Princess Diana, who made the LBD her signature look. In October 1996, Princess Di — whose divorce from Prince Charles had been finalized just two months earlier — arrived in Rimini, Italy, wearing this simple, elegant black shift dress paired with her favorite pearl choker, sheer black nylons and black pumps.

Shortly after the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's November 2017 engagement, the couple were seen together with other members of the royal family during Christmas Day church services in Norfolk, England. Images of Meghan's surprisingly fashion-forward hat were the talk of the town. The actress donned the brown felt Philip Treacy creation with a smile, pairing it with a neutral camel coat and polished leather gloves. Her round two-tone leather purse and knee-high suede boots brought the whole look together.

Duchess Kate even makes casual attire look runway-ready. While on a visit to British Columbia on Oct. 1, 2016, during a royal tour of Canada, Kate wore a ribbed top from H&M with a cream blazer and black slacks. As she stopped to visit residents at the Cridge Centre, a transitional home for women and children, Kate — who paired her look with tweed J. Crew pumps — was all smiles, showing her beauty isn't limited to her stellar wardrobe.