New royals by marriage can find it hard to balance fashion and royal protocol. From ex-members like Meghan and Diana to senior royals like Kate and even the Queen, we have sorted out the 20 most controversial royal fashion moments of all time.
1. Meghan Markle's Wedding Tiara, 2018
Meghan Markle's wedding look features a Clare Waight Keller boatneck gown, a 16-foot-long veil, and a diamond tiara from Queen Mary. Rumor had it that Meghan had preferred an emerald tiara, but that the Queen refused her demand.
2. Princess Diana's Headband, 1985
Princess Diana was always creative in fashion. When Queen Elizabeth lent her daughter-in-law a diamond and emerald Garrard choker, she never expected that Diana would wear it as a headband on an Australian tour.
3. Meghan Markle's Bare Shoulders, 2018
Meghan Markle wore a blush Carolina Herrera ensemble that revealed her shoulders when she attended the Trooping of the Colour with all the other senior royals for the first time. Many etiquette experts thought her clothes were not modest. Diana once made the same mistake.
4. Princess Diana's "Travolta" Dress, 1985
In 1985, Princess Diana wore this velvet off-the-shoulder gown to the White House State Dinner, and the outfit went viral because she danced with John Travolta in it. However, many tabloids blasted her provocative dress.
5. Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress, 2011
Surprisingly, Kate Middleton involved herself in a scandal by wearing a controversial wedding gown during her 2011 nuptials. Its designer Sarah Burton was reported to have copied a fellow designer's dress and received a lawsuit as a result.
6. Princess Diana's Wrinkled Wedding Dress, 1981
Princess Diana's wedding dress was the epitome of '80s bridal fashion. However, critics thought its 25-foot-long train was a bit over the top. Moreover, the taffeta gown got too many wrinkles too easily.
7. Princess Diana's "Revenge Dress," 1994
Diana looks gorgeous in this off-the-shoulder little "revenge dress." The recently-separated lady enjoyed herself at the Serpentine Gallery's Gala while Prince Charles was busy addressing the nation about his affair with Camilla.
8. Queen Elizabeth's Expensive Wedding Dress, 1947
In 1947, Queen Elizabeth's silk wedding dress with 10,000 seed pearls was more than lavish. It was only two years after World War II, so she saved up ration coupons for the gown. That wasn't enough. A grant of 200 extra ration coupons helped her out but also arose controversy.
9. Princess Diana's Black Sheep Sweater, 1983
People thought that the black sheep on Diana's sweater was an allusion to herself, as someone who didn't fit into the royal family. Just as she said in a 1995 interview, "They've decided that I'm a nonstarter, because I do things differently."
10. Meghan Markle's Black Nail Polish, 2018
At the 2018 British Fashion Awards, Meghan Markle's all-in-black look stirred a debate about royal protocol. Every element from her black nails to the black one-shoulder gown breached royal protocol.
11. Kate Middleton's Breezy Skirt, 2011
Kate Middleton's yellow Jenny Packham sundress was supposed to be elegant if it hadn't been such a breezy day. The Queen was reportedly unhappy about the scene and told the Duchess to have curtain weights sewn into the hemline next time.
12. Princess Diana's Met Gala Dress, 1996
Princess Diana relaxed her dress code after splitting from Prince Charles. For example, she wore a satin and lace Dior slip dress to the 1996 Met Gala. However, she didn't wear it subsequently so as not to embarrass her mid-pubescent boy Prince William.
13. Harry And Meghan's Barefoot Beach Walk, 2018
The former royal couple were pretty casual on their visit to Bondi Beach. Their bare-footed photos soon made headlines. For your reference, nearly all previous royals kept their shoes on during beach visits.
14. Princess Diana's Engagement Ring, 1981
Though Diana's Ceylon sapphire sparkler is one of the most famous engagement rings in history, it was not a decent choice in Buckingham Palace's opinion. It's not exclusive because the Princess picked it out of a Garrards catalog.
15. Meghan Markle's Short Hemline, 2018
Meghan Markle shattered the unspoken dress rule once again. She wore a tuxedo minidress to a performance of Hamilton. The short hemline is above her knees and would indeed be frowned upon by her royal fellows.
16. Kate Middleton's Black Dress, 2017
This is a rare occasion that Kate Middleton broke a royal protocol. Her black tweed dress at the British Embassy in Paris was in style, but royals usually reserve the color for somber occasions.
17. Meghan Markle's Ripped Jeans, 2017
When Meghan Markle first appeared as Prince Harry's girlfriend at the Invictus Games, her ripped jeans and a Misha Nonoo "Husband" shirt showed her unique fashion taste: rebellious and unconventional.
18. Kate Middleton's Wedges, 2011
Kate Middleton is a fan of wedges, but unfortunately, she can not wear them as often as she used to. The Queen hates wedges, and every woman in the family knows it. So Kate only slips into them when the monarch doesn't present.
19. Kate Middleton's Postpartum Curls, 2015
When Kate Middleton and Prince William posed outside of the hospital with their new baby, Princess Charlotte, the smiling Princess looked flawless. However, perfectly styled curls and a full face of makeup also confused people. It was kind of unreal in a postpartum scene.
20. Meghan Markle's Short Hemline, 2019
Meghan Markle stuns people again with her bold outfit: super short dress without tights at an International Women's Day panel. Her black blazer and handbag with a chain on it added to the cool tone.
